their own Order speaketh proposing such Questions which to do is contra naturam and to relate contra reverentiam naturae as a learned Lawyer spake in a late unfortunate Earls case These Ghostly Fathers ofâ—times grievously offending in pleasing themselves with such obscene Questions Qui saepissimè peccant mortaliter dâ—lectando se de hujusmodi interrogationibus propter delectationem saciendo eas Sum. Argel tit Interrog in Confess contriving them upon set purpose for their dâ—light and pastime Such formes of confession you may swear altogether different from the ancient Penitential Canons by whose directions the spiritual Fathers of the last soâ—â—â—ty looking a-squint upon the desires of the flesh inquire af â—r the diffeâ—ence of sins obscene and beâ—stly matters Formulas confessionum quibus sancti illi Pneumatâ—â—â— câ—rca pâ—ccatorum diffâ—rentias obscoena quaedam impudica exquirunt quae sinâ— Interrâ—gâ—ti cujus auribus inauditae turpitudines lasciviae instillantur rubore Interrogâ—ntis inhonâ—sti appetitus titillationâ— vix ullâ—s vâ—rbâ—â— aut ne vix quâ—dem â—nunciari poâ—â—nt Pâ—nt Tyard Episc Cabilon de fratribus Jesu pag. 35. which cannot be mentioned without blushing in the Examinat whose ears tingle at the hearing of unknown lusts and uncleanness and not without the titillation of a dishonest appetite in the Examiner himself that moveth them Oh times that such filthy communication not once named amongst the Heathen should be thus plaied withall these Ghostly Fathers to be so carnal this penitential practice so obscene this pretended Laver of the soul to become the sink of iniquity this Confession of sin a profession of sinning where men learn rather than leave sin displeasing rather than appeasing God and at the end of this exercise become far worse than at the beginning Pardon good Reader the exuberancy of my speech justly occasioned when the most holy pretences are the most fowly profaned Good reason had Canus to tax such Confessors who by their foolish interrogatories becâ—me scandalous to their Penitents Nec eos quidâ—m probo qui imprudenter interrogando Poenitentibus scandaluÌ„ inâ—iciunt atque adeò coâ— peccare docent Qua in re confidenter etiam reprobo summâ—s istas Confâ—ssionem inteâ—rogâ—tionibus plenas quae idiomate vulgari non solùm eduntur sed passim etiam muâ—â—erculis Idiotis conferuntur ut indè discant non Confitendi sed ut ego sâ—ntio peccandi râ—tionâ—m normam Can. Relect. de Poen part 6. pag. 908. so far as to teach them to sin and withall confidently to reprove these summes of Confessions stuffed with Questions of that nature and are not onely put forth in the vulgar tongue but are bestowed abroad upon women and simple people thereby to learn not the manner and foâ—m of confessing but as I suppose of sinning Our last exception against this Specifique enumeration of every sin in Confession Of Venial sins Reservâ—d cases is derived from a practice of theirs in exempting of Venial sins and reserved cases from the ordinary and parochial Ghostly Father Vâ—nialia quamvis rectè utiliter in Confessione dicantur taceri tamâ—n citra culpam multisque aliis remediis expiari possint Concil Trid. c. 5. Those as superfluous and scarce worthy of a Priests skill and notice these as too hainous and desperate diseases exceeding his skill Patribus nostris visuâ— est ut atrociâ—ra quaedam graviora crimina non à quibusvis sed à summis dâ—ntaxâ—t Sacerdotibus absolverentur Conc. Trid. de casuum reservatione cap. 7. therefore reserved for Physicians of higher place and power and in such cases every simple Priest is inhibited to proceed but to send corpus cum causa to such Penitentiaries to whose jurisdiction they are immediately subject Now if all sins that come into a sinners mind must upon pain of the second death and that by Gods law be opened to a Priest by what law are some exempted and more reserved from his audience than others Again if Papal reservations and dispensations be in these sins and cases of validity it will follow that the precise enumeration of all sins is but a Church ordinance or if Divine then no dispensation lieth in such cases it being a ruled case that Papal power cannot dispense with the Divine law but with Ecclesiastical constitutions onely Let the Jesuites try the hornes of this Dilemmâ— Now by the same reason that they take off such sins from Confession may we make bold to leave out such as many such there are that stand not in need of Priestly advise and absolution It will be said venial sins are not here to be reckoned for Venialia ex natura ratione peccati quae non sunt contraria charitati Dei proximi Bellar l. 1. de amiss gratiae cap. 3. because being of their own nature pardonable nor so averse to God as to lose his favour they need not to be remitted this way neither ingage so deeply to hell nor make so great a breach betwixt God and man as to require the Priest to stand in the gap and to make the atonement To the contrary although we acknowledge great distinctions betwixt sin and sin and punishments proportionable yet we affirm no sin so little but it is in its own nature mortal and no sin so great but from the event may be venial The least sin makes a breach upon Gods law and makes the delinquent accessary to the breach of the whole law is an offence against an infinite Deity Doctor Field of the Church Book 3. c. 32. therefore may be punished in the st ictness of his righteous judgement yea with utter anniâ—ilation for that saith a profound Divine there is no punishment so evil and so much to be avoided as the least sin that may be imagined so that a man should rather chuse eternal death yea utter annihilation than commit the least offence in the world Again if all Spiritual wounds must pass thorough the Priests hands of necessity for curation then venial sins also for though thâ—y are not vulnera lethifera with the Cardinal Bellar. l. 1. 1. de Amiss grat c. 2. yet they are plagae leves which slighted by neglect thereof may prove deadly a ship leaking at a little flaw may indanger drowning The want of one naile Pour un clou on pâ—rd un fer pour un feâ— un cheval pour un cheval un Châ—valiâ—r as the French Proverb is may cause the loss of shooe horse and horseman for great weights many times hang upon small wires and however some Roman controversie-men put off venial fin from Confession as in it self not mortal but venial Bishop Fisher dares not like of that avoidance Quòd peccatum veniale solùm ex Dei misericordia venialâ— sit in hoc locum sentio Roffens contr Lath. art 32. p. 317. but professeth his consent herein with Luther That venial sin is onely venial from the mercy of
dayes the truth began to take place in the hearts of many so that party which stood for the old Mumpsimus as well as the other that imbraced the new Sumpsimus Adeo ut uno eodemque lâ—co tempore in Pontificios laqueo dilaniatiâ—n in Protâ—sâ—aÌ„tes vivicomburio saevirâ—tur Cambd. Appar ad Elâ—zabeth pag. 6 7. escaped not the penalty of his rigorous Statutes that it was no strange spectacle to behold at once a Protestant at the stake and a Papist at the Galhouse By that law Incontinency in Priests and Marriage were equally made felony and death in their persons either to use the sin or the remedy and the benefit of the Clergy otherwise a privilege was to them a snare and that offence capital in Church-men which then was scarce criminal in the Laity A man that shall survey the Acts of Parliament under that Prince shall find that they were truly under him Uâ—â—e domi terribilis soâ—â—s tyraâ—â—â—â—uâ— hâ—beretur Camb ibid. who melted the courage of both those Houses as wax making them capable of any impression and his Will a Law But of him and his memory enough as also of such Laws and Constitutions which have to my observation been enacted in this point of Confession and of what force they are at this present it were much to be wished the Reverend of that profession would determin I will add hereunto such instances as have obviously occurred unto me of those Princes that have worn the Diadem of this Kingdome and yet not abhorred from this exercise of Piety Sundry Princes of England that used confession but have confessed their sins unto Spiritual Fathers and Pastors in hope of absolution I. King Edred reigned 10. years died A. D. 955. the first is King Edred who ended his reign and life in the year of the Worlds redemption DCCCCLV of whom Florentius Wigorniensis writeth thus The glorious King of England Edred fell sick in the tenth year of his reign and despairing of recovery sent away with all speed for holy Dunstan the Abbot Qui missa celeri legatione confessionum suarum Patrem Beatum Dunstanum scil Abbatem accersivit Vox desuper clarè sonuit Rex Edredus nunc in pace quiescit Florent Wigorn. ad ann 955. pag. 353 354. and Father of his confessions who in all haste resorted to the Court and having come half his journey a voice from heaven sounded cleer in his ears King Edred resteth now in peace At which voice the horse whereon he sate not able to bear the burden sunk under him to the ground without any harm unto him upon the back The Kings body was brought to Winchester II. William Conqueror Resumpto animo quae christiani sunt executus est in confessione viatico Malmsb. de Will. 1. pag. 63. col 2. Lon. and there by Abbot Dunstan decently interred By which it seemeth Dunstan was the Kings Ghostly Father though he came too late to take his Confession The second Prince is William the Conqueror whose sickness increasing at Roan and the Physicians upon inspection of his Urine had judged his death to be at hand upon the hearing whereof saith William of Malmesbury he filled the room with lamentation that death had prevented him long bethinking how to amend his life But pulling up his spirits he did the duty of a Chrâ—stian in confessing and receiving the blessed Sacrament III. Margaret Q. of Scoâ—s The third is Margaret the Queen of Scots but extracted of the * Sister to Edgar Ethling Presbyteris ad se accersiâ—is eisque peccata sua confessa oleo se perungi coelâ—stique viatico muniri fecit Rog. Hoved. Pars prior Annal pag. 266. Edit Lond. A. D. 1093. English bloud having heard the fatal news of the death of King Malcolme her husband and Prince Edward her son slain by the English as they were invading the Marches of Northumberland she took it so much to heart saith Roger Hovedon as suddenly she fell into a great infirmity and without delay having sent for her Priests she went into the Church and there made confession of her sins unto them caused herself to be anointed and to be houslâ—d by receiving the Sacrament beseeching the Lord with fervent and daily prayers that he would not permit her any longer to live in this sorrowful life and her prayer was heard for the third day after the slaughter of her husband being dissolved from the bonds of flesh as is believed to the joys of eternal salvation This sad accident fell out in the year of Grace MXCIII and the VI. year of William Rufus The next is William Rufus IV. William Rufus A. D. 1102. who came to an unfortunate end by the glance of an arrow whether aimed at him or no is uncertain or whether he stumbled upon the same but by the wound thereof he took his death as he was hunting in the New Forest called YTENE 2d day of August In Nova Forresta quae linguâ Anglorum Ytene nuncupatur à quodam Franco Walrero Tyrello sagittâ incautè directâ percussus vitaÌ„ finivit 4. Non. Augusti â—er 5. indict 8. Florent Vigorn Chron. p. 469 470. and in the XIII year of his Reign which sudden accident was the more lamentable as preventing his repentance and confession and other comforts his soul might have found if sickness had given him notice of his approching end The want whereof Eadmer a grave Historian thus lamenteth Vpon the second day of August he fetched his last breath Secunda dies Augusti vidit eum expirantem siquidem illa die mane pransus in sylvam venatum ivit ibique sagittâ in corde percussus impoenitens inconfessus è vestigio mortuus est omni homine mox derelictus Eadmer hist Nov. l. 2. p. 54. for upon that day breaking his fast he came into the Forest to hunt and there was wounded with an arrow and forthwith died impenitent and unconfessed and was immediately abandoned of all men The want of Confession had not been worth the noting if the use thereof at the last close had not been generally received To him succeeded his Brother Henry I. a moderate V. Henry I. Beauclerk and as those times afforded a learned Prince who after he had swayed the Scepter full XXXV years and odd moneths then being in Normandy sickned of that disease whereof he died And perceiving his own weakness sent for Hugh whom he had constituted his first Abbot at Reading where he founded a goodly Abby and there lieth interred and after advanced him to the Metropolitical See at Roan which Arch-Bishop in an Epistle to Pope Innocent relateth the pious end of that Prince thus Prout ei dicebamus ipse ore proprio sua confitebatur peccata manu propria pectus suum percutiebat malam voluntatem dimittebat pro nostro officio tertio eum per triduum absolvimus Crucem Domini adoravit corpus
A TREATISE OF THE CONFESSION OF SINNE And chiefly as it is made unto the Priests and Ministers of the Gospel Together with the power of the KEYS and of ABSOLUTION JOHN 20.23 Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Tantum relevat confessio delictum quantum dissimulatio exaggerat Confessio enim satisfactionis consilium est dissimulatio contumaciae Tertul. LONDON Printed by J.G. for Andr. Crook at the Green Dragon in St Pauls Church-yard M.DC.LVII The Principal CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE BOOK CHAP. I. THe names of things exemplifie their nature The Authors purpose Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Repentance and Consolation which is variously rendred by the Septuagint Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confession or a casting off by the same Interpreters is translated to give thanks and to praise Exagoreusis a forinsecal word an Indictment Exhomologesis Metanoea and Metameleia usuall in the New Testament Resipiscence and Penitude their difference and several uses pag. 1. CHAP. II. Repentance a Conversion and wherein it consisteth The Fathers define it from the sensible effects and signs thereof The Schoolmens errour in placing it in bodily corrections rather than in mental change The Reformed Divines seat it in the humiliation of the heart requiring also outward expressions of sorrow Conversion is the essential form of Repentance Self abnegation godly sorrow a Penitents practice and endeavour p. 10. CHAP. III. Discipline of penance wherefore enjoyned by the Church Exhomologesis divers kinds of Confession publick penance of Apostolical practice The austerity thereof in the Primitive times Order thereof prescrib'd in the dayes of Cyprian and Ambrose Divers examples of publick Penitents The solemn practick thereof in Records of the Church Sinners admitted but once to solemn Penance Actual reconciliation denyed by the Church to lapsed sinners No renewing unto Repentance how understood in the Epistle to the Hebrews Four stations observed by the ancient Penitents The restoring of this Discipline much desired p. 16. CHAP. IV. Confession of sin addressed unto God chiefly and to Man also with considerable relations grounded upon the Law of Nature with God himself a necessary antecedent to pardon Adam and Cain interrogated to extract Confession Sundry precedents of Penitents recoursing to God in Confession There is shame in confessing to God as well as unto Man Penitential Psalmes composed by David for memorials and helps to Confession The Rabbins doctrine of Confession of sin before God practised in the time of the Gospel preached and urged by the Ancient Fathers and so far by Chrysostome as a tribute due to God onely for which the Pontificians are jealous of him Confession before God is not destructive of Confession before man in a qualified sense though preferred before it and especially called for by the old Doctors although that be of singular use also p. 43. CHAP. V. Of Confession to Man The Confession of sin under the Law before the Priest at the Altar and the Sacrifice Special enumeration of all sins not required of the Jews The Law commandeth the acknowledgment of sin and restitution Jobs friends confessed their errours unto him who sacrificed for them Davids confession unto Nathan Rabbins affirming sins to be confessed unto the Fathers and Levites The place in St James chap. 5. Of mutual Confession explained and vindicated Testimonies of the Fathers for Confession unto man The opinion of the Schoolmen that sin in case of necessity and in way of Consultation for a remedy not in way of Absolution for reconcilement may be detected to a Lay-man and of the Reformed Divines That sins may be confessed to a Believing Brother for advice and to a Minister of the Gospel p. 65. CHAP. VI. Divers Offices and administrations in the Church The peoples Confession unto John at Jordan wherein they were particular The Confession of the Believers at Ephesus to St Paul Proofs from the Fathers for Confession to the Priests of the Gospel Such Confession withdraweth not from God but leadeth to him Testimonies of the worthiest Divines of the Church of England for Confession seconded with Divines of the Reformation from the Churches beyond the seas p. 90. CHAP. VII Concerning the Institution necessity and extent of Confession and is divided into three Sections p. 111. SECT I. The Decrees of the Tridentine Council for Divine right and authority of Confession The Anathema's hâ—ld too severe by some moderate Romanists Publick Exhomologesis vilipended by those Fathers The Schoolmens faintness in reasoning for the divine institution of Auricular Confession The Canonists plant the same upon the universal Tradition of the Church Divines siding with the Canonists Oppugners of Auricular Confession in former ages Pretences of Divine authority from places of Scripture examined Different proceedings in the Court of Conscience from earthly Tribunals Special cognizance of all sins not a necessary antecedent at all times to Priestly Absolution God pardoneth many sins immediately never spoken of to a Priest Differences of Popish Divines concerning the matter and form in Penance prove to be no such thing as Sacramental Confession which reacheth not higher than the Lateran Council Confession of sin of the same institution as Repentance is Divine institution manifold In what sense Confession may be said to be of Divine institution p. 113. SECT II. The abusive necessity of Confession Tyrannical inquisition into mens consciences distasteful Confession left at liberty in Gratians time Schoolmen leaning to the necessity thereof Confession not the onely Necessary means for absolution and remission The Ends aimed at in Popish confession unnecessary No express precept in Scripture for the absolute necessity thereof Confession an heavy burden upon fleshly shoulders Private Confâ—ssiâ—n not practised from the beginning Established in the place of the publick by an Edict from Leo I. The fact of Nectarius abrogating confession with the several answers and expositions of Roman writers expended Confession deserted in the Greek Church Divers kinds and forms of Necessity Confession in what cases necessary and the necessity thereof determined p. 144. SECT III. Scrupulous enumeration of all sins decreed in late Councils Circumstances aggravating and altering the property of sin Mill-stones to plain people Anxious inquisition into each sin with every circumstance a perplexed peece Particular reckonings for every sin an heavy load to the Conscience and without expâ—ess warranty from God implying difficulty and impossibility and tending to desperation No urgent necessity to be so superstitious in casting up of all sins and the circumstantial tails thereof Romish closets of confession Seminaries of sin and uncleanness Venial and reserved sins exempted by Rome from the ears of ordinary Priests upon what grounds Strict and specifick enumeration of sins but of late standing in the Church General Interrogatories proposed at the hour of death from Anselme Some sins are specially and by name to be rehearsed in confession The nature and quality of those sins described and determined p. 179. CHAP.
renovation which properly belongeth unto Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen and of a second crucifying of Christ of that properly Baptisme is a type the man therefore that is once baptized to repentance and would repent by being again baptized crucifieth Christ afresh who in the second Baptisme suffereth the second time Renovatio per sacri baptismatis lavacrum secundâ vice fieri non potest Ambr. in Heb. cap. 6. Heb. 10.26 and to the same purpose is the exposition under the name of Ambrose or rather the translation of Saint Chrysostome as indeed it is not denying a second repentance but a second Baptisme to repentance But the words that pinch more than the former are If we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins wherein the benefit denied is the sacrifice for sin Si ultrò peccaverimus Beza and the parties excepted against some kind of sinners 1. That sin against their conscience after the receiving of the knowledge of the truth Hostiam iis residuam esse negat qui à Christi nomine discedunt Calvin in loc 2. That sin wilfully so that sins of ignorance and infirmity exclude not but onely wilful apostasie for how can Christ be a sacrifice for such as disclaim him his sacrifice then remains not for them because they remain not his cutting off themselves from the fruit thereof by a voluntary defection Saint Chrysostome expoundeth that Sacrifice as formerly of a second baptisme He is not saith he such an enemy to our salvation as to take away repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys ad Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 533. or the propitiation for sin or to reject him that hath fallen after illumination what is it then he taketh away second baptisme for he saith not there remaineth no more repentance or no more forgiveness but no more a sacrifice no more a second Cross for that he calleth a sacrifice (a) Hebr. 10.14 By one sacrifice once upon the cross c. meaning by that sacrifice Christs death upon the cross or rather Baptisme a representative type thereof The Greek Scholia fasten upon the parties and bid us consider that it is not said if we have but if we do sin voluntarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen thereby signifying that to such impenitent sinners as persevere in their wickedness till death there is no sacrifice whereby repentance is not excluded but requred rather as a necessary antecedent q.d. there remaineth a sacrifice for penitent sinners but none for the impenitent and Theophylact to the same tune also If we sin voluntarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl that is remain in our sins without Repentance To the same purpose Hugo Cardinalis writeth thus voluntary sin is not signified so much as the custome of sinning Significatur non solùm peccatum quod voluntarie fit sâ—d consuetudo ipsius pâ—ccati finalis impoenitentia non enim aiâ— volentibus peccare sed voluntaâ—iè peccantibus voluntarius enim est qui in aliquo assiduus 〈◊〉 volens qui ad tempus Hugo Card. ad Hebr. 10. and final impenitency for he saith not those that sin willingly but wilfully for he is said to be wilful in any matter that is busie and earnest therein and willing that is but for a season Now where repentance is not the sacrifice of Christs death is not appliable and where there is no ceasing from sin there is no true Repentance Thus we see the fountain is clear however false glosses may molest and trouble the stream for a time at length it will settle and return to its native clarity and thus much by occasion of solemn Penance once imposed and if it savour of a digression let us return where we left and perfect the small remainder to be now said of publick Penance Late Authors have observed four several degrees which the penitents took in those austere dayes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fletus auditio substratio consistentia 1. Weeping before the porch 2. hearing in the porch 3. lying all along on the Church pavement in expectation of the Bishops prayer and blessing so called as witnesseth a great Antiquary à procidendo because the penitent admitted within the porch of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hae eoram Episcopo procid bat poenitens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intra Templi portam admissus cum Catechumenis sacessere jubebatur accertis diebus coram Episcopo procidens impositione manuum ac solenaâ— precatione impertitus dimitti solebat D. Petavius animadvers in Epiph. haer 59. fell down before thâ— Bishop and was commanded to depart thence with the Cateâ—humeni and so prostrating himself before the Bishop at certain times was dismissed with imposition of hands and solemn prayer the fourth approch was standing with the assembly within the Church where they communicated with the faithful in the station and consistency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thaumaturgus but not in the Communion and were not put forth like profane Merchandizers partaking of the Orizons of the Church but not of the Sacrament Thus they made their approches to the Lords Table by degrees and not like the Gallants of our times that are no sooner up from the Table of Devils charged with gluttony and surfeiting but without any let or check of conscience become very confident guests at that Spiritual Banquet yea scarce cold from their sin and their evening surfeit undigested but they present themselves at the Lords Boord Good God! what terrour must needs possess such profane breasts when the Master of that feast shall shake them by the sleeve with a Friend how camest thou hither not having on thy wedding garment As the degrees which they observed Lib. 1. de Poenit cap. 22. so the places where the penitents stood were designed also Bellarmine hath set them down out of Pacianus thus The Penitents in habit doleful and to behold lamentable stood first at the Church door howling at the gates and craving the prayers of the faithful within this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next thâ—y came within the porch where they might hear the word preached with the Catechumeni and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they audientes auditors onely 3. In precess of time they entred into the Oratory and abode with thâ— Competentes praying and contemplating the Sacrament but not admitted at the celebration this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from beholding wherein the Cardinal not punctually following his guide is out both in the derivation and application After that they were admitted amongst the fideles at the celâ—bration of the Sacrament but were not yet come so far as to partake thereof and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their station 5. Their penance fully accomplished and ended
doctrine And again Verily there is not any means more excellent to humble a proud heart nor to raise up an humble spirit then this spiritual conference betwixt the Pastor and his people committed to his charge Pag. 766. if any sin trouble thy conscience confesse it unto Gods Minister ask his counsel and if thou doest truly repent receive his absolution and than doubt not but in soro Conscientiae thy sins be as really forgiven on earth as if thou didst hear Christ himself in foro judicii pronouncing them to be forgiven in heaven Luke 10.16 Qui vos audit me audit try this and tell me whether thou shalt not find more ease in thy conscience than can be expressed in words Reformed Churches of Germany did profane men consider the dignity of this divine calling they would the more honour the calling and reverence the persons Thus is the doctrine of the Mother justified by her children Nos confessionem retinemus praecipuè propter absolutionem quae est verbum Dei quòd de singulis authoritate divina pronunciat potestas Clavium quare impium esset ex Ecclesia privatam absolutionem tollere neque quid sit remissio peccatorum aut potest is Clavium intelligunt si qui privatam absolutionem aspernantur Augustan Confess and lest any should think our Church and Divines stand here alone I will adjoyn some forraign testimonies The Doctrine of the Protestants in Germany is related in the Augustan Confession thus We retain confession chiâ—fly for absolution which is Gods word that the power of the keys denounceth by authority divine of each person in particular wherefore it were wickedly done to take private absolution out of the Church nor do they understand what remission of sins or the power of the keys meaneth if so be they contemn private absolution And the manner observed in the German Churches is set forth by Chemnitius thus The use of private Confession is with us preserved Privatae Confâ—ssionis usus apud nos servatur ut generali professione peccati ex significatione poenitentiae petatur absolutio cumqâ—e non sine judicio usurpanda sit clavis vâ—l solvens vel ligans iâ— privato illo colloquio Pastores explorant Auditorum judicia an rectè intelligant de pâ—ccatis exteâ—ioribus interioribus de gradibus pâ—ccatorum de stipendio peccati de fide in Châ—istum deducuntur ad considâ—rationem peccatorum explorantur an scriò doleant de peccatis an iram Dei timeant cupiant illam â—ss â—â—ro an habeant propositum emendationis interrogantur etiam si in certis quibusdam pâ—ccatis haerere existimantur traditur ibi doctrina exhortatio de emâ—ndatione quaeritur vel consilium vel consolatio in gravaminâ—bus conscientiae tali â—onfessioni impartitur absolutio Exam. Conc. Trid. part 2. pag. 195. that upon a general confession of sin and intimation of Repentance absolution may be desired and since that the keys whether binding or loosing may not be used without judgment in that private conference the Pastors sift into the discretion and judgment of their Auditors whether they rightly undeâ—stand betwixt internal sins and external as also the degrees in sin and the wages thereof and of faith in Christ they are brought into a consideration of their â—ffences they are tried if they truly repent thâ—m of their sins and stand in awe of Gods wrath and desire to flie from the same If they have any purpose of amendment they are further interrogated if any particular sins stick upon them the doctrine and exhortation to amendment is there dâ—livered counsâ—l and consolation is there sought for overburthened consciences and upon such a Conf ssion there is granted an absolution Beatus Rhenanus B. Rhenanus a great Secretary to ancient learning treating of private confession and from whence it derived its original Quà m solubâ—rrimâ—m esse nemo potest inficiari si morositatem scrupulositatem nimiam amputes Quid enim per Deum immortalem utilius habere possit Ecclesia ad continendam disciplinam Quid commodius quà m privaâ—am istam confessionâ—m ad populum in necessariis erudiendum ubi horâ—lae spatio plus prosicit Laicus quà m triduanâ concione Mihi libet disciplinae encomium apud Câ—prian accommodare confâ—ssioni ut dicam eam retinaculum fidâ—i ducâ—m itineris saluâ—aris somitem nutrimentum bonae indolis magistram virtutis B. Rhen. praefat ad Tertull. de poenit falls into these words Which no man can deny to be very wholesome if too much austerenesse and scrupulosity therein were cut off for in the name of God what can be more profitable to uphold Ecclesiastical discipline What more fit than private confession to instruct the people in points necessary to be known where a Lay-man shall be more edified in an hours space than at a three-dayes Sermon May it be lawful for me to bestow the praise Cyprian hath of Discipline upon confession and to call it the retentive of faith the guide of a saving journey the seed and nursery of good behaviour and the mistress of virtue I am not ignorant that the Treatise it self containing this passage is by express order from Index Expurgatorius taken off the file Argumentum libri de poenitentia totum expungatur nam commodè repurgari non pâ—tâ—st Ind. expurg Mâ—driti 1584. as a discourse not capable of a Roman salve but needing the spunge throughout with a deleatur Their handling of Authors old and new is much like the Turkish policy in depriving Christian Parents of their Children and those infants of their virilities by castrating them and training them up to be Janizaries and persecutors of their own unknown bloud and Religion Such are their dealings with the Doctors of the Church cutting off their mascuâ—ine expressions and setting them against themselves in their own tenets also Calvin hath left his mind behind him thus Although Saint James hath not named any man into whose bosome we may empty our selveâ— Tamâ—tsi Jacobus neminem nominatim assignando in cuâ—us sinum nos exponâ—remus libâ—rum permittit dilectum ut â—i consiteamur qui ex Ecclesiae grege maximè idonâ—us suâ—rit visuâ— quiâ— tamea Pastorâ—s prae alâ—is ut pâ—urimùm judicandi sunt idoâ—â—i potissmùm etiam nobis eligendi câ—â—â—t dico autem iâ—eò prae aliis apposiâ—os qâ—iâ— Ministerii vocationi nobis à Dâ—o dâ—signantur quorum ex ore erudiâ—mur aâ— subigenâ—a corrigendâ— peccâ—ta tum consâ—â—tâ—â—â—â—m ex veniae si lucia pâ—rcipiamus Id officii sui unusquisque fidelium memâ—â—â—it si ita privatim angitur afflictatur pâ—ccâ—tâ—â—um sensu ut se explicare nisi alieno adjutâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—queat non nâ—gligere quoâ— illi à Dâ—â—â—â—â—fferturremedium nempâ— ut ad se subâ—â—â—uâ— privatà confâ—ssione apud suum pastor mutatâ—â— ac solatia siâ—i adhibâ—â—â— privâ—tâ—m â—â—us oâ—â—ram imploret â—uâ—us officium est publcè privatim populum
that taught them and especially seeing the Council of Trent hath had so little compassion in this case we are out of hope that any Divines of that side should abate any thing of this decreed rigouâ— It remaineth that we examine the grounds why this extreme necessity is imposed for Laws and ordinances are not usually enacted nor necessarily exacted except upon sound purposes and ends And if those ends may be obtained without them or come by upon better termes or if the goodness thereof be ended the Laws are repealed the ordinances taken away and the necessity ceaseth this being a received Maxim that the necessity of the means must not exceed nor be above the necessity of the end and if the end be not judged necessary the like judgment must be had of the means Again such means are onely deemed necessary which serve for the attaining of the end and so far forth as without them such a proposed end cannot be accomplished For example If eating and drinking be onely necessary for this life then if I had no necessity to live I might have no necessity to eat Again If I am to go a journey it is not necessary that I shall go afoot because I may be carried two things then constitute the necessity of the mean aptitude and propriety that it be fit and onely fit to compass such a design These notions presupposed we shall inquire into the foundations of this necessity in exacting confession and if neither the end be necessary to be had nor the means so requisite for the due obtaining thereof we shall then cast away this necessity as an exaction it being a burden not to be endured which is sustained to no purpose and a tyrannie which laies a necessity upon the conscience where Christian liberty is every way as behoofeful The first ground of this imposition is upon a supposed perill of salvation for these men teach that as there is no reconciliation with God without remission of sin so no sin is remitted without confession or at least a purpose thereof unto a Priest for saith Bellarmine A necessary mean to reconcilement after Baptisme Medium necessarium ad reconciliationem post baptismum est confessio peccatorum omnium Sacerdoti sacta Lib. 3. de poenit cap. 2. is Confession of all sins made unto a Priest And hence it is they urge it so closely Confession to a Priest not necessary in all cases and to all persons necessitate medii and too urgent they cannot be if so great a matter were at stake But the question is whether the mean proposed be necessary to this end yea or no and whether remission of sins can be obtained of God no other way for if it may then we must conclude this not to be an adequate mean conducing thereunto for we must now consider of Confession not as an help and a kind of mean and in some sort of sinners onely but whether or no it be the onely mean for all sinners to gain a pardon for there can be no necessity for a Felon to use the mediation of one man onely to his Prince for pardon except the Prince be resolute to pardon no other way Now God hath not any where revealed so much that no mercy shall be had but upon such a condition nor dare the Jesuites confine him unto any such Christ the Author of the Sacraments Christus author Sacramentorum à Sacramentis suis non dependebat ideò non modò sine confessione sed etiam sine Baptismo peccata interdum remittebat Lib. 3. de poen c. 17. depended not upon his Sacraments and therefore did remit sins sometimes not onely without Confession but without Baptisme also saith Bellarmine Yea in the ordinary course remission of the sin comes in betwixt contrition of the heart and confession of the mouth Saint Augustine upon these words Non dicitur Ore confessus fuerit sed conversus ingemuerit undè datur intelligi quòd etiam ore tacente veniam interdum consequimur hinc Leprosi illi quibus Dominus praecepit ut ostenderent se Sacerdotibus in itinere antequam ad Sacerdotes venirent mundati sunt Aug. apud Magistr lib. 4. d. 17. Sect. 1. At what time soever a sinner shall be converted ingemuerit and shall groan he shall live and not die writeth thus It is not said and shall confess with his mouth but being converted shall grâ—an fâ—om whence is given to understand that sometimes we obtain a pardon when our lips are shut hence it was that those Lepers whom the Lord commanded to shew themselves unto the Priests in the way were healed before they came unto them And as Lazarus was first raised by the Lord Lazarus etiam non priùs de monumento eductus postea à Domino suscitatus sed intùs suscitatus prodiit foras vivus ut ostenderetur suscitatae animae praecedere confessionem Lombard and loosed from the power of death before he came forth of his grave so a sinner is first raised by Grace and loosed from the bonds of sin and guilt before he can come forth to Confession This order the Master observes 1. Nemo suscitatur nisi qui à peccato solvitur None can be raised but must be loosed first from Death because sin is the death of the soul and this solution is absolution 2. Nullus confitetur nisi resuscitatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 6.5 for as speech is the argument of life so confession of grace and in morte quis confiâ—ebitur tibi In death there is no remembrance of thee and in the grave who shall confess unto thee Now the mean in execution ever precedes the end Confession then is not the means to purchase remission which goes before it therefore Gabriel dislâ—kes this course and tels us That many Confessio quòd sit necâ—ssaria in actu varii variis mâ—des osâ—â—ndere niâ—untur sed plerique insufficienter qâ—idâ—m non potest ostendi suffiâ—ienter ex necessitate remissionis p ccâ—ti quâ—mvis remissio pâ—ccaâ—i sit necessaria ad salutem tum quia ad remission m peccati est alius modus sussiciâ—ns sine confessione in actu sc Contritio cordis per quam peccatum remittitur priusquam Peccator Sacerdoti consitâ—atur tum quia confâ—ssio secundum probabiliorem opinionem praeexigit remissionâ—m peccati per contritionem praeviam per hoc nunquam per confessionâ—m remittitur pâ—ccatâ—m sed eam praesupponit Biel. l. 4. d. 17. Qu. 1. and â—n a diverse manner have gone abâ—ut to shew the necessity of actual confession but for the most part very insufficiently and truly it cannot sufficiently be demonstrated from the necessity of remission of sin although remission of sin be necessary to Salvation for that there is another mean sufficient to come by forgiveness of sin without actual confession namely contriâ—ion of heart whereupon the sin is forgiven before the sinner can confess
to confession Harpsfield Cope hath set forth this story with great applause and tells us full sadly that the Portugals assailing a Castle in the East Indies Nulla priùs peccatorum confessione praecunte gravissimas negligentiae suae poenas experti sunt feles mures nigerrimi tanto numero támque horribiles noctu apparuerunt Cop. Dialog 2. pag. 297 298. came off with great loss for not being armed with confession and of a certain Portugal to whom in the night there appeared a great number of black Cats and Mice impar congressus very dreadful to see to and ready to have devoured him Histor alia impressa ante Alcoran p. 99. had they not been prevented by his prayers to a CRUCIFIX hanging in the room and his vows to be shriven with all speed I know not how such creatures as Cats and Mice may Cope in visions otherwise they hold little correspondence concerning the authority of such phantastick shades Casaub praefat de libert Ecclesiae Poenarum celebres sub styge feriae Prudent Bellar. de purg l. 2. c. 18. Sect. ad quintum wherewith the writings of Friers are replenished more than with wisdome and learning it may be said as the Turk did of Papal Indulgences granted by Pius II. to such as took armes against him requiring his Holiness to call in his Epigrams again and as Casaubon of the late interdict against the Venetian Republick that it was Dirum carmen and as Bellarmine of Prudentius appointing certain holy-dayes in hell for the damned souls to rest from their pains that he did but play more poetico So these and many other visions of this stamp seem to me nothing else but the Poetry of the Church of Rome or a moral application of pious and useful fables Thou seest good Reader no necessary cause why Confession should be so necessarily urged Reasons why Confession is not of absolute necessity in all cases and over all persons and our Church is the more sparing and tender in imposing any such absolute necessity upon these grounds following The first is because Auricular Confession hath not been practised continually in the Church but is the daughter and successor of that which was publickly solemnized I speak not of Confession in it self absolutely considered which I have elswhere laid down as a Divine Ordinance but of the clancular and privy carriage thereof to promove such ends as are designed in the Roman Church I say Confession so understood is not of absolute necessity but of late introduction Publick exhomologesis was in ancient times held such a sanctuary for troubled souls that not onely scandalous sinners which were obliged thereunto but many besides came in and confessed openly their sins carried in secrecy and submitted themselves to that discipline yea Qui de fide majore timore meliore erant quamvis nullo Sacrificii aut libelli facinore constricti apud Sacerdotes Dei dolenter simpliciter confitentur exomologesin conscientiae suae faciunt animi sui pondus exponunt salutarem medelam parvis licet modicis vulneribus requirunt Cypr. l. 2. de laps some devout Christians not stained with incensing unto Idols or casting the holy Scripture into the fire two scandals in those times purged with this discipline guilty onely of lesser scars and griefs grew ambitious of undergoing this burden of publick Confession and Penance and hence it was that many a scoffing Ishmael Multi verò audientes vel exprobrant vel irridâ—nt vel malè loquuntur Chemnit and railing Doeg began to exprobrate and deride the Penitents To this end therefore that the discipline might be carried in a discreet manner a prudent Minister was appointed to be made acquainted before hand and by whose advise the Penitent was directed what sins onely were fit to be opened in publick Confession And here is the first mention of Confession to a private Confessor with the occasion annexed that he hearing the story of a sinners life at large may select such offences onely as seemed to him fit for publication Circumspice diligâ—ntiùs cui dâ—beas consiteri peccatum tuum proba priùs Mâ—dicâ—m si iâ—tâ—llâ—xerit praeviderit talâ—m eâ—se languorem tuum qui in conventu totius Ecclâ—siae exponâ— debeat curari ex quo fortassâ— caetâ—â—i aedificari poterunt tu ipse sâ—nâ— sâ—nâ—â—â— multa hoc deliberatione satis perito Mâ—â—ici illius consilio procurandum est Oâ—igen hom 2. in Ps 37. tom 1. p. 293. Be circumspect saith Oâ—gen to whom thou art to Confess prove thy Physician first and if he shall understand and foresee thy disease to be such as ought to be exposed in the assembly of the Church and there to be cuâ—ed whereby peradventure others may be edified and thy self easily healed this must be done upon great deliberation and skilful advise of that Physician Private sins therefore brought in private Confession to hear them by the way and to advise the Penient whether they or onely some of them are fit to be openly known and in such cases to direct him further what course he should take in publick Penance But in process of time this rigour and devotion melted and many abstained from this Confession as abhorring to publish their sins and to bring themselves upon the stage For in Tertullians age when this discipline was in force Plerosque hoc opus ut publicationem sui aut suffugere aut de die in diem disserre pudoris magìs memores quam salutis Tert. de poenit c. 10. and the Church exercised with persecution it may seem strange that many should be more in fear of shame than death abstaining more from being Confessors of their faults than Martyrs for the truth I say the remedy was not as in his dayes to arme the Penitent with resolution for to trample under feet censure and shame but to remit something of the severity namely that the sin should be confessed in private Ut secretò consitâ—rentur Sacerdoti qui licèt crimen illud infacie Ecclesiae non proderet injungebat tamen delinquenti pul licam poenitentiam ut ipso sacto in genere coram Ecclesia confiteretur declaret se grave aliquid commisisse Chemnit ex Sozom nâ—in histor Tripartit l. 9. c. 35. and buried there onely the penance imposed was publickly to be performed by which the Church gathered although she knew it not that some grievous offence or other was committed as Chemnitius explicateth from Sozomen and the tripartite History Those whom you observe to do penance saith Saint Augustine have committed great sins Illi quos vidâ—tis agâ—re poenitentiam scelera sua comâ—â—serant aut adulteria aut alia immâ—nâ—a facta Aug. l. 1. de symb ad Catechum c. 6. as adulteries or some other foul facts the penance by them performed convincing them of hainous sin openly though not evidencing the same unto all Thus the Church became contented with publick penance
talis consuetudo multas alias laudabiles consuetudines omiscrunt quò ab Ecclesiae recesserunt itaÌ„ istam non solùm laudabilem sed necessariam potuerunt omittere 2. sed nec notam quòd non confiteantur nec hoc alicubi aliquis Doctor scribens contra eorum abusiones exprimit Scot. lib. 4. dist 17. that is since they disclaimed all agreement with Rome have omitted many laudable customes and might leave out confession though laudable and necessary but tells us withall that it is not certainly known how they use not confession neither any Doctor taxing their abuses reprehended the want thereof in particular All which might well be as reputing that want in those dayes of so small a trespasse as not to be taken notice thereof or not deserving any reprehension to which later conjecture Canus consenteth Theodorus delivereth saith he that the Graecians held sins to be confessed unto God alone Theodorus dicit Graecos existimare soli Deo esse confitenda peccata quemadmodum itaque Baptismus non statim à passione Christi coepit esse medium necessarium omnibus ad salutem sed post sufficientem Evangelii Baptismi evulgationem ità Confessionis Sacramentum ex eo tempore coepit omnibus hominibus esse necessarium etiam de peccatis secretis quo sufficienter promulgatum est Quo sit ut Graeci ante plenam evulgationem sine peccatorum confessione occultorum salvari potuerint Canus Relect. de Poen part 5. p. 897. even as Baptism began not immediately upon Christs death to be a necessary mean to salvation but at such time as the Gospel and Baptisme were sufficiently divulged So the Sacrament of Confession for secret sins from that time forward began to be necessary for all men when it was sufficiently promulgated whence it comes to pass that the Graecians before plenary publication might be saved without confessing their secret sins The Greeks without all peradventure are beholding to Melchior Canus for this excuse that they may be dispensed and born withall for not frequenting of Confession because the necessity of that practick hath not yet been sufficiently cleared unto them But is it not ill done of the Jesuits those Apostolical men that take upon them the conversion of Nations so far to neglect their neighbour Christians all this while as not to clear unto them a point of such importance for the Nestorians a wild slip of that tree know not yet extreme unction Purchas Pilgrim part 3. pag. 38. Brierwood Enquiry pag. 153. or confession and the Jacobites in Syria Palestina c. of which sect is the present Patriarch of Jerusalâ—m confess their sins unto God onely and not unto the Priest and as others record but very seldome so that maâ—y communicate without auricular confession and how much it is prized by a princâ—pal member in that Church at this day may be in part discovered under the hand of Cardinal Bardini to a Jesuited Greek bred in the College at Rome named Cannachi Rossi concerning the Patriarch Cyrill Anno Dom. 1627. whose deposition the Jesuites laboured for not acknowledging the Roman Supremacy wherein amongst other accusations charged upon him the fourth instruction is Of him we are advised that he denieth the necessity of Auricular confession Di lui si amo avisati che nega la necessita della conf shone auriculare lo Spiegare in essa li peccati della mente che in loco di lei havesse introdotto una certa confâ—ssion futta a Dio publicamente con parole generali Turkish Histor p. 1500. and the eâ—n to display the sins of the mind and that he hath brought into the place thereof a certain kind or forme of confession made pu lickly unto Gâ—d in general words It seemeth by this passage that the modern Churches of Greece bear no good will to auricular confession The necessity then cannot be so forcing as Rome imagineth what then The necessity of Confession stated will you leave it to each mans discretion to be used or forborn as he shall think fit So to leave it were in effect to leave it off Our corrupt natures restrained and kept in set but at a little liberty become licentious The bending twig no sooner up but declines unto the other side and there can be no reason why a natural man is so much in the extremes but b cause virtue stands in the middle The experience of our times shew how ill a keeper mans discretion hath been of Confession as quite and clean to loose the trust reposited he had good reason therefore that said Such as go about to make this law free endeavour to remove the same altogether out of the Church Qui legem hanc liberam facere contendunt eam penitus de Ecclesia tollere moliuntur hac enim libertate creditâ receptâ quis sibi obsecro hanc sarcinam imponat ultrò etsi sarcina non sit sed saluberrima animae languescentis medicina M. Vehe Assert sacr Axiom tr 6. c. 1. for if once this freedom be believed and received what man will submit his shoulders willingly to this burden although burden it is none but a wholsome medicine for a languishing soul I cannot think this duty hangs so loose as to depend upon the meer motion of every Penitent and yet am far from imagining the law thereof to be so tyrannical as to be obtruded upon the consciences of all men upon little or no occasions To let bloud in some diseases saith an eloquent Physician is no new thing but that there should be scarce any disease wherein we should not bleed is saith he a strange and new fashion The soul-Physician may take aim by him for the body and heal some sins as he doth not all maladies by letting out of bloud and corruption and if repentance be the Antidote against sin and confession one of the ingredients the use must depend as much at least upon the advice of the Spiritual Physician as upon the voluntary inclination of the sick patient God gave a command to confess unto the Priest that we have heard nor that it was ceremonial are we able to prove The Ministers of the Gospel are enabled with power to remit and retain sins and their lips preserve the word of Reconcilâ—ation for distressed consciences that 's clear and as they are to prescribe the remedy so is the penitent to open the disease The Apostle heard sins confessed unto him and rebuked not those that made them The ancient Fathers stood much for the same as a profitable mean at the least to procure remission and pardon And shall a duty so commanded so advanced so extolled be of so thin and poor esteem as to be blown away upon each mans fancy as we are taught better things so we hope for better And although the Reformed Church well weighing the abuses wherewith the same was incumbered which begat a distaste and dislike of the thing it self with
and by the same authority be abolished by which it was at first prescribed and for the second how far necessary as an Ordinance Divine and in what sense it may be said to be ordained by God I must send back my Reader to the former Section where the point is stated We will tread the footsteps of necessity in the Schoolmens path and see what will result from thence Necessitas Praecepti Medii with them necessity is twofold 1. As a necessary Precept 2. or a needful mean Now every just command is grounded upon some reason and every lawful mean conduceth to some good In Divine Precepts we are not scrupulous to enquire after the Cause or Reason thereof but where Gods pleasure is to set it down for with us his will passeth for a cause all-sufficient So then it is necessary to salvation to obey all Gods commands or to repent for the disobedience although all his divine Precepts conduce not necessarily thereunto Josh 6.18 At the sacking of Jericho the spoils were devoted to the Lord and the Israelites might reserve nothing to themselves a necessity there lay in obeying the same though the commandment it self was not so necessary In the old Law as I shewed before there was a precept for Confession and in the new a president for the same why should it not then be thought necessary But take this along with you Positive Precepts contained in the Scripture are not to be extended further than the written Word or intention of the Law-giver direct for example God intendeth pardon upon sincere confession of the sin committed which Pardon when it may be had upon confession made unto God himself we extend it not unto Man So again if it may be procured upon a general confession before man we urge not the Delinquent to be particular but if the Conscience cannot be pacified except the pungitive sin be discovered in that case we require a special detection of that sin by name So then if the intended pardon may be compassed by any of these wayes that way is to be reputed necessary for that penitent which served the turn If by none but by all of these all of these then are necessary Moreover Gods word commandeth sins to be discovered to the Priest in termes absolute without further circumstance we dare not therefore extend that precept to the manner thereof whether it should be publick or private of all sins or some followed with remorse of Conscience and whether with the addition of aggravating circumstances or no. I say we lay no necessity of these cases upon any because we have not any express word for our warrant we counsel onely that no man permit sin to lie still in his bosome so long as he feels pain but complain still to his Physician till the cure be perfect Thus for the necessity of Precept The second branch is necessitas medii And we are to judge of that necessity by the end for no mean can be of greater necessity than the end for which it serveth and if the end be found necessary the mean must be thought to be so and in means we are to enquire if the proposed end may be attained by one onely mean or by divers some means may be useful but not necessary as a horse for a journey or simply necessary as wings to flie To apply remission of sins is the end a Penitent proposeth to himself which to compass we say that confession to a Priest is not of absolute necessity as the adequate only mean for faith in Christ who onely hath deserved it is also required nor a necessary concurrent mean for of faith I read but never of Auricular Confession that without faith it is impossible to please God but onely a conditional mean and so the necessity thereof hypothetical in some cases of Conscience to be instanced hereafter for sin in no case may be remitted without God in many without man But if we take confession as a medium utile in that sense we shall ever approve thereof although we resolve confession in it self not to be of absolute necessity for all but a precept binding some sinners and for some special sins onely As the holy Eucharist is a Sacrament of divine institution and singular benefit necessary to some Christians and at some times and the contempt thereof at all times damnable though in it self not simply necessary nor at all times nor to be imposed upon all persons without discretion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then for all that can be said this Confession challengeth not any such necessity in it self as inherent in the same or any way belonging of soveraign virtue and necessary use but as a condition supposed for the acquiring of some necessary good Necessitas conditionalis seu necessitas consequentiae non est absoluta nec competit subjecto ex natura rei sed solùm consequitur ad talem suppositionem vel conditionem ex qua necessariò infertur id quod ex tali conditione dicitur necessarium necessitate secundum quid lic èt absolutè secundum se est liberum contingens Alvarez de Auâ—il l. 3. Disp 22. n. 40. viz. forgiveness of sins and reconciliation a penitent taking all good courses to ingratiate himself into the favour of God and this is onely conditional necessity and by way of consequence and so far to be urged as we shall find it a cause to promote the same and further we neither require nor urge it And amiss it cannot be that shall promove so good an end nor superfluous that advanceth such a purpose nor a heavy burden that brings so happy a benefit SECT III. The Contents Scrupulous enumeration of all sins decreed in late Councils Circumstances aggravating and altering the property of sin Mill-stones to plain-people Anxious inquisition into each sin with every circumstance a perplexed piece Particular reckonings for every sin a heavy load to the Conscience and without express warranty from God implying difficulty and impossibility and tending to desperation No urgent necessity to be so superstitious in casting up of all sins and the circumstantial tailes thereof Romish closets of Confession seminaries of sin and uncleanness Venial and reserved sins exempted by Rome from the ears of ordinary Priests upon what grounds Strict and specifick enumeration of sins but of late standing in the Church General Interrogatories proposed at the hour of death from Anselme Some sins are specially and by name to be rehearsed in Confession The nature and quality of those sins described and determined WE are now come unto the Contents of Confession namely sins and hence a difference springeth betwixt us and Rome about the extent and latitude thereof Whether forsooth all and every sin committed after Baptisme together with every aggravating circumstance following every sin be to be laid at the Priests feet and whether such an institution of such a Confession comprising all sins together with their remarkeable circumstances to
not yet compass and therefore have put down this testimony more at length than otherwise I would And not in the judgment of this Divine alone but of their greatest Angelical Doctor this superstitious and circumstantial relation of each sin hath produced such sad and desperate events For as Navarr that great Casuist witnesseth Aquinas himself seemed sensible of these wringings and tortures of circumstances Ipse Aquinas circumstantiarum torturas sensisse videtur arbitrabatur candido Christi lectori conformatiorem esse confessionem quae tranquillo animo sine circumstantiis bonâ fide sacta est quà m quae his sit animo scrupuloso inquieto Navar. Tom. 1. p. 501. and reputed that Confession more conformable for an innocent breast where Christ abideth which is made with a quiet mind and good intention than that which proceedeth from a scrupulous and unquiet heart Insomuch that Divines of best account in that side have greatly disliked these squeezing and writhing interrogatories serving for no other end but to fish and angle after secrets neither necessary nor fit to come abroad and condemn those late Summists that prescribe the form thereof Non diâ—â—licet confâ—ssio sed morositas ista anxiâ—tas quorunâ—â—m quam docent aliquae râ—câ—ntiorum Summulâ—e quae justius alibi locum habeant quam in Bâ—bliothecis hoc â—st nimirum artem tradere methodum alicujus râ—i quam ipsâ— non probè calleas bonae m ntes non sunt dâ—â—ito solatio destituâ—ndae ne tyrannis Carnificina conscienâ—iarum invalâ—sat haud â—â—ulò minùs nocitura quà m dissolutio adeò modum ubique servari praestat B. Rhenan supâ—à wishing their Treatises to be bestowed otherwise than in Lâ—braries as seâ—ving forsooth to deliver the art and method of a business which skills not much and desire that honest hearts may not bâ— defrauded of due comfort lest the tyrannie and torture of Conscience prevail too much and as much hurt be done by such severity as by licentiousness and advise that moderation herein be shewn The Cardinal pressed with the weight of this argument finds no ease but by retorting the same upon those heads that brought it thus If enumeration of all sins be impâ—ssible before men Quaecunque objiciuntur contra enumerationâ—m peccatorum quae sit homini eadâ—m objici possint contra enumerationem peccatorum in confessione quae fit Deo si illa enumeratio est impossibilis haec est impossibilis si illa est crudelis Carnificina haec crudelis Carnificina Bellar. l. 3. de Poen c. 16. then it is so also before God and Protestants require sinners to confess unto God whatsoever sins they know or remember and Papists require no more in auricular confession both then must lie open to like exceptions if it be said that special Confession made before man is impossible so is that before God also if this a torture then that also if this lead to desperation then that likewise Thus the Jesuit glories to have wounded us with our own weapon But it will not so easily be wrung from us for we reply first God requireth not so strict an account at our hands as the Priest doth neither inflicteth so strait a charge upon the Conscience as the Popâ—sh law God rested satisfied and the Publican remaineth justified upon that gâ—neral confession and supplication Luke 18. O God be merciful to me a sinner 2. Again in making confession to God the Lord may bring our sins to remembrance Psal 50.21 I will set them in order before thâ—e which the Priest cannot do 3. Furthermore God searcheth the heart which the Priest cannot enter into hears the desires thereof which the Priest cannot and understands the voice of our weeping which the Priest is ignorant of and tears are a Penitents best Interpreter more profitable are the prayers sighed forth in tears than uttered in words Utiliores lacrimâ—rum preâ—es sunt quâ—nâ— sermonum quia sermo in prâ—cando fortè fallit lacrima omnino non sallit Sâ—rmo interdum non totum profert negotium lacrimâ— semper totum prodit affectum Ambros Serm. 46. de Poenit. Petri. our speech may fail in expression but teâ—rs never fail Our speech ofttimes doth not fully open our case but tears ever open our affections fully Ambros If then a Penitent have a better dialect spreading his sins better before God than if he spake with the tongue of men and Angâ—ls and such a dialect which neither Men nor Angels understand but God himself viz. the voice of weeping the argument must return in full force and there remain till the Priest hath learn'd this language and be able to search the heart likewise Consider then if the performance of this task was not well reckoned amongst the knotty pieces of Christian Religion by one that was no enemy thereuâ—to a late Sorbonist There are in Christianity three things very difficult to be practised En la Religion Chrestianne il y avoit trois choses sort difficiles à pratiquer c'est a scavoir passer toute sa vie sans commâ—ttre aucun peche veniel aimer ses enemis de cour d'affection confesser tous ses pechâ—za un homme P. Bess Caresme Tom. 2. pag. 713. that is to say 1. to pass this life without committing any venial sin 2. to love enâ—mies with the heart and affection 3. and to confess all sins unto a Priâ—st Point me out the man that hath performed these more than Herculean labours and he shall be the tantum non and onely Paramount above the rank of old Adams off-spring Our fourth exception That this Charge is imposed upon the Conscience without any urgent necessity No urgent necessity to the rehearsal of all sins in confession for what necessary cause or good can be here imagined if remission of sins It hath been proved already that God forgives many sins Priests never hear of if because God hath appointed so we must take his word and not the Roman Church for divine institutions and it must be shewed where God willeth that the Priest should stand upon so strict a reckoning we have the word of a King to the contrary In the sacred Scriptures it no where occurreth saith our late dread Sovereign King James that any such necessity is impos d upon us In sacris literis nusquam occurrit necessitas haec nobis imposita sub aeternae mortis poena ut abditissima quae admâ—simus peccata Sacerdoti nota faciamus nam si vâ—l cogitatiunculam injustam celaveris ilicet oleum cum opera pâ—rdidisti Jacob. Rex Medit. in Orat. Dom. pag. 61. that upon pain of eternal death we must make known unto the Priest the most secret sins we commit for if thou conceal the least evil thought all this labour beside is but lost and cast away To what pupose serves it then Remissio pâ—ccatorum impendi potest sinc praevia illa confâ—ssionâ— speciali
God and in that respect may all other sins be venial too as capable of Divine mercy So venial sin hath no prerogative that way nor may for that cause be justly exempted from auricular Confession For reserved cases wherin sins of the greater magnitude are made over to the Pope and whereby they shut up the kingdom of heaven before men without being opened by a golden key we have little to say save considering the great expences tedious journies continual delaies whereby much treasure was exhausted forth of this Land and many of the better sort of the Inhabitants made slaves we are to bless our God that this Antichristian yoke is cast off the tyrannie overthrown and our selves delivered from a more than Egypâ—ian servitude And while the matter was proposed and scan'd at Trent Rom non esse perspicuae veritatis à nullo Patrum mentionem ejus factam immò Durandum Gersoneni Cajetanum magni nominis viros affirmare non peccata sed censuras modò Pontificis judicio reservatas Colonienses Theologi affirmantes neminâ—m ex antiquis Scriptoribus reservationis mâ—minisse nisi in casu publicorum peccatorum certè haereticos eos accusare tanquâ—m pecuniarum aucupes Hist Concil Trid. l. 4. p. 283. the Divines of Lovain objected that it was not a point of evident verity mentioned not by one of the Fathers that Duâ—and Gerson and Cajâ—tan affirmed not sins but censures to be resâ—rved for Papal Judicature The Divines of Colen added how none of the ancient Writers mentioned Reservation but in case of publick sins and that the Hereticks would for certaine accuse them for contriving how to squeeze and empty mens purses and coffers So then if those men that stand so much for detection of all sins unto the Priest have made so bold as to cut off the two extremes vâ—z the greatâ—st and the least offences I see no reason but that we may use the like liberty Auricular's Câ—nsâ—ssiâ— prout in Ecclâ—sia Rom. usurpatur niâ—â—l sâ—rè â—st â—l uâ— qâ—â—m â—â—â—â—culâ—m ad hominâ—m sâ—creta arcana â—xâ—isâ—â—nda artificiosè contextam Quod quidâ—m non sit ut aegrès Mâ—dâ—cina vulâ— ratis câ—nsciâ—ntiis opobâ—lsâ—â—â—â— contritis solâ—tium solidum adhiberi possâ—t 〈◊〉 ut auâ—um argâ—ntum in lè conflâ—nâ—uâ— omâ—iaâ— ad ipsoâ—um lucâ—um convertantur Mason de Minister Anglic. lib. 5. c. 12. but upon far more likely and better reasons I shall conclude these exceptions with the saying of an able Divine at home Auricular Confession as it is used in the Church of Rome is almost nothing else but a Net artificially woven to fish after and comprehend the secret and hidden things of men nor is it so used as to afford Physick to the diseased or pretious balme for wounded consciâ—nces or sure comfort for broken and contrite hearts but thereby to compass Gold and Silver and to convert all into their own purses There are some Stories or rather superstitious Lies as Sir Tho Mâ—ore calls them devised to uphold this doctrine The one is of a Woman who having committed adultery could never in eleven years space be brought to utter the same in any Confession Two Priests whereof one was the Popes Penitentiary and another as holy as he Ad quamlibet expressionem unius pâ—â—cati Buho exibat de ore ejus Illi Bubones cum uno alio majoris enoâ—mioris formae turmâ—tâ—m ingrâ—ssâ— sunt in os mâ—licris ventrem coming into those parts and both being in the Church about their Priestly affaires the woman approached to the Penitentiary to be shriven at every sin she confessed the other Priest standing within view but not within hearing saw an Owle flutter out of her mouth and after the flight of many Owles she stopped it seemeth at her concealed sin and was no sooner absolved of the rest confessed by her and risen up then the same Priest saw all those Owles reenter into her mouth with another more ugly than any of the former The Priests proceeding onwards in their journey the one told unto the other what he saw The Penitentiâ—ry guessed that the woman had kept back some sin in Confession Spec. exâ—mplor d. 9. Sect. 31. Quo libro miraculorum monstra saepiùs quà m vera miracula legas Can. loc Theol l. 11. c. 6. pag. 540. Dist 3. Sect. 46. De omnibus pâ—ccatis quae modò protuli et quae non protuli culpabilem mâ— fateor coâ—am Deo vobis he returned therefore but at his return found her suffocated and dead to whom her soul appear'd tortured in a fearful manner and all for burying of that sin in silence and being questioned by the Penitentiary for what sins those of her sex were usually damned For Fornication said she wanton dressing and Painting and for shame in not confessing Hereby it is intimated that Confession en partie is of no validity and one sin concealed hinders all the rest from pardon But another Woman though faulty in the same kind yet had better success of whom the relation passeth thus She was otherwise very religious but in her younger dayes had fallen into a sin of that nature as she could not for shame utter the same unto the Priest but used to conclude Of all the sins which I have opened or not I confess my self to be guilty before God and you and could never be brought to specifie the same after her death and before her burial she revived and spake to this effect that she had committed one sin which for shame she could not confess but with many tears was wont to utter the same before the Altar and image of the blessed Virgin Coram ipsius altari vel imagine and desire her intercessions that she might not be damned for this concealed sin and told withall that after her death she was seised on by evill spirits Constituit in S. ecclesia nominem sine confessione salvari posse but rescued by the blessed Virgin and by her means to her Son restored from death to life to confess and be assoyled of that sin which was no sooner performed but she again yielded up the ghost Here three Popish tenets are confirmed at one blow 1. necessity to confess every sin 2. worshiping of Saints and 3. before Images and their Altars As this woman made her confession at the blessed Virgins altar so Gregory Turonensis relateth that Clotharius King of France confessed his sins at Saint Martins shrine Clotharius ad Sepulcrum Sancti Martini cunctas actiones quas fortassè negligenter egerat replicans orans cum grandi gemitu ut pro suis culpis B. Confessor Domini misericordiam exoraret Hist lib. 4. Sect. 21. and became an earnest suiter to that Confessor to become a mean for mercy for him but whether Saint Martin took that course with that Prince as the blessed Virgin did with her penitent to send him back after death to be shriven by a Priest or tendred
laâ—gitor plerumque hanc praebâ—t suae potâ—ntiae invisibili administratione plerumque Medicorum operatâ—one Conc. Cabâ—l 2. c. 32 33. but others are of opinion thâ—â— they are to be confessed unto a Priest both of which are pâ—rformed in the Church not wiâ—hout great fruit so verily as we confess our sins unto God who is the forgiver thereof and say with David I acknowledge my sin unto thee and my iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin and according to the institution of the Apostle Let us confess our sins one to another and pray one for another that we may be saved The confession therefore which is made unto God purgeth sins and that which is made unto the Priest sheweth how they may be purged For God the Author and bestower of salvation and health ofttimes affords the same by the invisible administration of his own power and many times by the operation of Physicians wherein those words are to be noted that many sinnes are forgiven by God immediately or by the invisible administration of his own power and consequently need not be confessed unto any but God alone and many again mediately by the operation of soul-Physicians and therefore are to pass thorough their hands and ears also whence infer that to Priests some sins though not all are to be confessed But what those some are is the point indeed The condition of those sins as ought to be confessed to the Priest For if those some be left loosly and at random indiscriminatim they will hardly prove any or none at all The discerning of these sins must not hang alone upon the slender thread of a Lay-capacity and the sinners own discretion for we seldome make any prospect upon our worser parts and never but with partiality turning the perspâ—ctive so upon our own sins as to make them appear Atomes and in less figures than they are and so upon the sins of others as to multiply and dilate them we are not then in this behalf wholly to be left unto our selves Venerable Bâ—de observeth that amongst the diseased hâ—aled by Christ Nullum Dominus eorum quibus haec corporalia beneficia praestitit invenitur misisse ad Sacerdotes nisi Leprosos quia Sacerdotium Judaeorum figura erat Sacerdotii futuri regalis quod est in Ecclesia Quisquis haereticâ pravitate vel superstitione gentili vel Judaicâ persidiâ vel etiam Schismate fraterno quasi vario colore per Christi gratiam caruerit necesse est ad Ecclesiam veniat colorémque sidei verum quem acceperit ostendat caetera verò vitia tanquam valetudines quasi membrorum animae atque sensuum per semeiipsum interiùs in conscientia intâ—llâ—ctu Dominus sanat corrigit Bed hom de 10. Lepros onely the Lepers weâ—e sâ—nt by him to the Priests because the Levitical Priesthood was a Type of his own and inferreth that such as were tainted with hereticall pravity gentile-Superstition Judaicall perfidiousness or Schisme from the brotheâ—hood and were by the grace of Christ delâ—vered thereof should of necessity resort unto the Church and make profession of the true tincture of faith newly imbraced But other vices as it were diseases and as if of the members of the soul and sense the Lord healeth inwardly by h msâ—lf in the Conscience and understanding Some sins then according to Bed are to be presented to the Church and not all and as Christ healed many that were diseased and injoyned the Lepers onely to shew themselves unto the Priests so he forgiveth many sinnes privately to the Conscience of the Penitent but some are reserved for the Pr ests cognizance And in another place the same Bâ—de would have us to confesse our daily and light sins one to another Quotidianal viáque peccata alterutrum coaequalibus confiteamur portò gâ—avioris leprae immunditiam Sacerdoti pâ—ndâ—mus Bed in Jac. 5. but to oâ—en the uncleanness of the greater lâ—prosie unto the Priest Herein the Case held in the course of publick Penance will somewhat guide us for in the first and strictest dayes of the Church there were three sins held incapable of mercy but to be peccata ad mortem of which Saint John speaketh and directeth not to pray for (a) Ubi nec postulationis ibi aequè nec remissionis Tert. de Pud c. 1. now where there is no place for prayer there is no grace for pardon and these three were Idolatry Murder and Adultery This cruel opinion lasted till Tertullians dayes who either ironicaâ—â—y or hastily thus writeth The High Priest the Bishop of Bishops saith Pontifâ—â—x scilicet Maximus Episcopus Episcoporum dicit ego Moeâ—â—â—ae fornicationis delicta poenâ—ientiâ functâ—s demeto O edict mâ—â—uâ— noâ— poterit ascâ—ivi bonum sactum De Pudic. c. 5. I absolve those that hav done penance of fornication and adultery O edict which none can justly commend Tertullian now a Montanist sharply taking up the dispenser of that relaxation Sunt ista Ironicâ— Pontisex M. Christus puta edictum istud promalgaverit Notae Fr. Jun. ad Tert. de pud pag. 298. Vixit Tertullian Zephâ—rin Anno 198. By which Bishop if Christ be meant aâ— Junius then the words are otherwise salved by that great Critick or if the Pope as Petavius then the dispensation must come from Zâ—phyrine The next age waxed milder not denying pardon and yet not conferring absolution to the guilty of these crimes were they never so penitent and zealous thereof no not at the last gasp and case of utmost extremity It was old Serapions case lapsed in persecution who could never though ever desirous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Eccl. hist l. 6 c. 36. and promising a myriad of times to wade through all the degrees of the Penitents be admitted to communicate Times were yet more gentle when Cyprian was denying not but withall deferring absolution till the point of death and then absolving the guilty of those offences This practice shewed that all sins were not equally capable of grace and pardon that in some the spot being fowler and the guilt heavier the justification was more difficult and the expiation more laborious which to assoil was at one time held by the Church to be impossible and ever difficult to be loosed by the Ministerial key Besides those sins there were others in the next rank which they called capital offencâ—s not in the sense of the Scho l Dâ—vines Capitalia dicebantur non ut nos intelligere vulgò solemus quaecunque Dei nos gratia spiritualibus charitatis ornamentis spoliant sed quae cùm graviora caeteris essent tum Canonibus Synodorum decretis nominatim expressa quibus poenae à Canonibus singillatim propositae alia verò leviora de quibus nulla extat in conciliorum decretis mentio D. Petav animadvers ad Epiphan haer 49. pag. 238. who
the lips of the Penitent proceed we now to speak of the Confessary as it relates to his ears who is to receive into his custody and discretion the sad narration of a sinners life and to promote the just designs and purposes the penitent aimâ—th at Of great and necessary importance this practice must be as much opposing our native pride in turning the best side outward and beautifying our external carriage like the Pharisees clensing the outside of the platter never taking notice or at least caâ—efuâ— that others should not of our inward corruption Verily to subdue this inbred tumour and natural Typhon so far as to lay aside shame and to lay open our sins to discover our offences and to diminish our reputation it must needs be the end is heavenly when worldly respects are thus troden under foot to accomplish the same As when David strip'd himself into an Ephod 2 Sam. 6.21 22. and danced before the Lord in the Ark and was for the same derided by Michal as shamefully uncovering himself in the eyâ—s of his handmaids answâ—red It was bâ—fore the Lord I will yet be more vile than thus and will be bâ—se in mine own sigâ—t and of the maid-servants wâ—ich thou hast spoken of of them shall I be had in honour So it is with a devout Penitent for how ever he may by discovering himself thus be exposed to the scoffs and jeers of irreligious and profane Michals yet he knoweth before whom he doth it in the presence of the Lord and that in so doing he shall be had in honour of the Lords servants his Priests therefore he resolveth vilior adhuc fiam I wâ—ll become yet more vile than this for with me to confess my sin is nothing so vile as to commit and blush more entring into the stewes than coming forth abâ—sing my sâ—lf in mine own sight to become pretious in the Lords eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.1 When therefore sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compassing and b setting the sinner abâ—ut beleagring his soul he fiâ—ds it not in his own pâ—wer to raise the siege nor to explicate and unfold himself from such ingagements when the Conscience is insnared and perplexed and can find no peace at home In such cases the sinner hath recourses unto the Overseers of his soul for help aâ—d ease and freedome as the nature of his disease requâ—reth as to a 1. Ghostly Father indulgent to his Childâ—en 2. as to a Physician careful of â—is Pâ—tients 3. as an Advocate and Counsellor able to direct and protect his Clients and lastly but chiefly as uâ—to the Priest whose office is to grant absolution to the truly Penâ—tent So that to the wounded Conscience here is a Mâ—dicine to the perplexed counsel to the dejected comfort and to the distressed pardon The sting of sin is lost by the power of absolution the filth of sin is purged by the Laver of tears the wages of sin struck off by the Intercession of the great Advocate the deceitfulness of sin d sâ—â—vâ—red by this Counsellor and the danger of sin prevented by the bâ—lme of mercy A Physiciâ—n is sought unto for healâ—h and sometimes for remedy A Lawyer for advice and counsel A friend for consolation A good Priest is virtually all these and somthing more thy spiritual Physician against spiritual diseases healing them by application of thy Saviours merits and prescribing rules for thy direction and remedy against sin Thy spiritual Advocate to counsel thy soul in such cases to plead thy cause before the supreme Judge and which crowneth all he is the Lords Steward and Deputy in his name to reach forth unto thee pardon and absolution These and such like to these are the motives inducing a sinner to deposit his mind and heart to the Dispensers of the Mysteries of God viz. 1. upon hope of Physick restaurative and preservative to heal his soul and to continue the same in health 2. of good advice to demean and behave himself for future times 3. and above all upon the hope and comfort of absolution these are his inducements and to be now treated of And therein the last shall be first Nemo potest benè agere poenitentiam nisi qui speraverit indulgentiam Ambros as the chiefest and choicest motive to confession of sin namely the virtue and power of absolution inherent in the Priestly office and Ministery that saying of Ambrose being true None can be truly penitent but upon hope of Pardon SECT I. The Contents The vulgarly disesteem of the power of absolution in the hand of Priests Keys diverse Of 1. Authority 2. Excellency 3. Ministery The office of the Ministerial key in discerning and defining Ecclesiastical and conscientious Consistories The gift of Science in the Priest not properly the key but the Guide Absolution a judicial act Magistrates Spiritual and Temporal distinguished in their jurisdiction and ends Bonds of sin culpable and for sin Penall Satisfaction expiatory vindictive God forgiveth sins properly and effectively The Priest by way of application and notice as also dispositively qualifying by his function sinners for the same in which he proceedeth as a subordinate Cause both declaratively and operatively The Priority of binding and loosing on earth to heaven in respect of the sensible apprehension in the Penitent not of the purpose and operation in God Power of Absolution primitive in God in his Ministers derivative and delegate A Penitent absolving himself by the finger of Gods spirit in what sense The power of binding in the Church rather privative than positive and declarative onely IF the Priests and Ministers of the Gospel were not in Commission to enquire to hear and to take some order about the sins of the people their function were to as little purpose and as little to be esteemed as the Lutins of the times account it for as in the time of Galen they expressed weak-men under the title of Scholasticks Cujacius so are Priests entituled by the Hot-spurs of this age as silly and contemptible meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and John a Nokes Could men live without sin or enter into heaven with sin or having sinned stand in need of no grace to amend of no gift to repent and in fear of no Deity to be reconciled or were the wounds of sin so little as to heal up of themselves without any further plaister or were there no law that there might be no transgression or if a Law with no great penalty to be inflicted upon the transgressors head or if the penalty were great yet the Law-giver of small power to inflict the same there could be no great necessity to erect this Court of Conscience the matter thereof no great consequent and the Censures viz. reteâ—tion and remission of sins of no great importance and sinners discharged of further suit and service And the Priests might do well with Gallio to care for none of these things and do drive the attenders from these
whom heaven is opened as freed by the Son of God that they might be coheirs with him as learned Beza conjectureth Add hereunto another reason to make the guilt of sin better known which is an obligation to punishment and an obstacle unto happiness now the key in opening the door doth put back the bolt and bar wherewithall it was held and God by the ministery of his Priests removes this bar and pardons this guilt which hath shut up the kingdome of heaven against us Absolution presupposeth binding as enlargement restraint we are then in the first place to distingu sh betwixt the bonds of sin and the bonds for sin VinculuÌ„ 1 Peccati 2 Propter peccatum for with the bonds of his own sin is a sinner captiv'd this is the bondage and desert of sin and so is he bounden for his sins by the doom and sentence of Gods Ministers which is the punishment and Ecclesiastical censure 'T is the grace of God onely which looseth the bond of sin Dâ—us ipse solvit à peccati macula mâ—ntis caligine à poenâ—â— debito Magistr lib. 4. dist 18. Esay 5.18 Prov. 5.22 and the power of the keys that absolveth from the censure The Prophet acquaints us with the cords of vanity and a cart-rope of sin implying the worse than Egyptian bondage of a sinner and the wise man who had great experience of these bonds saith his own iniquities shall take the sinner himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin God shall not greatly need any Lictors or Tormenters or to say bind him hand and foot Domino vinculis alioqui apparitoribus vel tortoribus qui eum ad supplicium rapiant nil est opus cùm suis ipse peccatis constringatur quò minùs poenam effugiat Mercer Câ—mment in Prov. 5. Non potest saciliter operari bonum propter habitum vitiosum inclinantem ad contrarium Lyra in Prov. 5. for the sinners own offences shall perform that office and the knot fastening these bonds is the habit and custome the sinner hath gotten to do evil fast binding and fettering him from all good actions the weight whereof presseth to sore and the Chaines are so strong that the arme of God onely must alleviate the one and break the other in sunder These bonds Richardus maketh of two sorts culpable and penal by the first a sinner is bâ—und with â—he bâ—nds of Captivity Est oblâ—gatio per quam homo obligatur ad culpam alia pâ—r quam ad poenâ—m in uno obligatur vinculo captivitatis in altero debito damnationis â—hâ—nâ— nâ—n aâ—tâ—m ejusmodi vinctis obligatâ—m solus illâ— solvere potest qui vâ—rè omnipotens omnia potest Rich. de Clav. c. 2 3. and by the latter he is liâ—ble to the debt of eternal death both these oâ—ligations are upon him because sin is an offâ—nce against an etâ—â—nal and infinite Deity and both these obligations hâ— onely cancelleth that is omnipotent and can dâ— all things Another laieth a threefold bond upon a sinner the bond of sin the bond of eternal punishment and the bond of satisfaction Peccans mortaliter statim ligatur 1. vinculo culpae ab hoc absolvit eum solus Dâ—us 2. Vinculo poenae aeternae ubi Sacerdos absolvit id est absolutum ostendit 3. Vinculo satisfactionis uâ—i commutat poenam aeternam in temporalem Expos cum Gloss in Matth. 16. MS. in the first case God onely granteth absolution in the second the Priâ—st absolveth that is sheweth whom God hath absolved in the third the Priâ—st absolveth by binding or by commutation frâ—â—ing the sinner from eternal pain and obliging him to satisfactory Penance The two former wayes we well allow of but are scrupulous concerning the latter by reason of the too much abused handling of satisfactions and commutations as not ignorant who it is that hath pacified his Fathers wrath and by whose stripes we are healed and that we receive not the grace of God by way of exchange but from the free charter of mercy though we hold it very reasonable that where any person is wronged or the Church scandalized satisfaction may justly be imposed and herein we distinguâ—sh betwixt the satisfaction of revenge and of expiation 1. Satisfaction expiatory is Satisfaction expiatory vindictive when the sin is blotted out the sinner pardoned and God reconciled 2. and vindictive when the guilt remaineth and propitiatory in Christ probatory in Christians the sinner is punâ—shed and God revenged the expiation was performed by him who trod the wine-press alone Christ Jesus The Revenge if eternal is executed upon such whose sins are not washed in the bloud of that Lamb. If temporaâ—y upon the Lords own servants not thereby to make an amends to the justice of God but to make an â—mâ—nâ—ment in the Penitent For instance in David God put away his sin but not the sword that was unsheathed all his time Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or tâ—mporary penance inflicted upon any either by the censure of the Church In soro mundano peccata quatenus sunt contra honum pacis publicae subâ—iciuntuâ— potestati politiâ—ae pâ—r quam judicâ—ri â—â—â—nis publicis puniri dâ—beâ—nt in soro Ecclesiastico quatenus sunt offensa Dâ—i sâ—luti spirituali nocent subsunt potestati Ecclâ—siae Apol. pro jure Princip pag. 178. or voluntary by the de inquent himself no more prejudiceth that plenary and expiaâ—ory satisfaction made by Christ to his Father for believing sinners than the just infliction of temporary punishment by the Magistrate upon Malefactors where a p rdon may come from God and judgment be executed by the Magistrate for one and the same offence God himself both ratifying the temporal punishment and remitting the eternal Thus we have seen the obligations let us now come to the absolutions And herein we must carefully distinguish what God doth by himself and what he doth by his Minister what God hath in his own power from that power given by him to his Priests and the better to keep this distance we will lay down these assertions To forgive sins efficienter that is to be the true and proper Assertion 1 cause of Remission is a prerogative appertaining to God onely Absolution from sin then directly cometh from him alone Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity Esay 43.15 therefore when Christ made bold with this power claiming the same by virtue of his Godhead the Scribes said within themselves Matth. 9.3 4. this man blasphemech by usurpation upon the privilege of the most High for they held it no less than blasphemy for man to forgive sin which our Saviour denied not intimating withall that he might without blasphemy exercise that power who sustained in one person both God and man thereby saith Irenaeus did Christ both cure the man Peccata igitur remittens hominem quidem curavit semetipsum autem
manifestè ostendit quis esset Irenae l. 5. adv hae cap. 7. and manifestly discover who he was And Chrysostome observeth that hereby Chrâ—st shewed himself to be God equal to his Father otherwise he would have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 29. in Matth. why do you attribute unto me an unfitting opinion I am far from that power And proved himself further to be God because he saw their thoughts and by many passages of holy writ it is evident that God onely beholdeth what man beareth in mind Insomuch that as none but God can know the thoughts of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph in Mar. 2.5 Athan. orat 3. contr Arrian so none but he can forgive the sins of men the like collection maketh his Scholar and abridger Theâ—phylact upon Mark 2.5 And Athanasius maketh this power to forgive sin not the least of his arguments to prove Christ to be God A truth that shined so clearly in the Fathers dayes that it was not altogether overcast when the Schoolmen sate at the sterne Peter Lombards conclusion is Solus Deus maculam peccati abstergit à debito mortis aeternae absolvit Lib. 4. dist 18. Obligationem culpae solus Dominus solet valet dissolvere Rich. de Clavib cap. 3. God alone washeth away the spot of sin and absolveth from the debt of eternal death and Richardus who gives the Priests more than their due herein abridgeth not God of his but confesseth how God onely is wont and able to dissolve the obligation of sin that 's a reserved case in a point then confessed on all hands we will make no longer stay Assertion 2 The Priest substituted by God and in his name absolveth from sin 1. applicativè 2. and dispositivè first Priest absolves applicativè dispositivè by applying unto the Penitent the promises of the Gospel and assurance of pardon And how welcome the Messengers of peace are a distressed Conscience can best declare to whom these Doves after an inundation of sin and sorrow are ever accepted with olive branches in their mouthes Although Christ the good Samaritan putteth wine and oyle of pardon into our wounded hearts by the finger of the holy Ghost yet great comfort we receive in the further assurance thereof plighted by the Ministery of a godly Priest A discreet word is the physician of a languishing soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit ille ego etiam dixerim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod in corporis morbis usu evenit ut qui se sentit jam convalescere magnoperè praeterea audito peritoâ—um Medicorum judicio confirmetur Bez. de Excom contr Erastum said he but I say of a soul in health which is seen usually in bodily diseases where a man sensible of his own recovery is much confirmed therein upon the hearing of the judgment of skilful Physicians Great was the consolation David felt upon those words of Nathan The Lord hath put away thy sin heâ—ce ariseth the first sense and apprehension of spiritual joy for remission of sin and the acceptation of a sinners person in the beloved are in God actiones immanentes nihil ponunt in subâ—ecto actions alwayes inherent in God without any touch in the penitent as Paul was a chosen vessel long before he was cleansed and knew not so much till Ananias gave him some light thereof but are then transient and sensible when the Minister brings news thereof to a sinner that repenteth 1. Cor. 5.18 19 God in Christ hath reconciled the world unto himself quantùm ad rei veritatem truly and really and he hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Quoad veritatis evidentiam to evidence and make known the same by the due application thereof unto a contrite heart There cannot be a greater thing committed to the Priests charge and peoples comfort than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministery of Reconciliation From Christ we come whose Ambassadours we are and unto you sinners now in hostility with him and our instructions are to conclude a peace and reconcile you unto him Good God! how highly doth Paul magnifie his office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen in 2 Cor. 5. pag. 639. for Christs sake saith he are we Ambassadours for we have taken his business upon us in Christs stead therefore are we sent unto you as if the Father by us did exhort you who not only exhorted you by Christ but he being crucified doth by us still exhort as the Greek Scholia paraphrase upon the place thus do Priests forgive that is apply the gracious promises of the Gospel unto the penitent Quis potest peccata dimittere nisi solus Deus qui per eos quoque dimittit quibus dimittendi exhibuit potestatem Ambros lib. 5. Expos in Luc. for who saith Ambrose can forgive sins but God alone yet doth he forgive by them also to whom he hath given power to forgive Quamvis Dei proprium opus sit remittere peccata dicuntur etiam Apostoli remittere non simpliciter sed quia adhibent media per quae Deus remittit peccata haec autem media sunt verbum Dei Sacramenta Ferus in Joan. 20. And to this purpose Ferus Although it be Gods proper work to forgive sin yet the Apostles are said to remit also not simply but because they apply those means whereby God remitteth sins which are his Word and Sacraments and this is the first manner after which Priests remit sins by way of application The second sense wherein the Minister of the Gospel absolveth from sin is dispositivè Remittit maculam peccati dispositivè in quantum suo Ministerio assistit virtus divina quae peccata remittit Sum Angel verb. Claves n. 5. as an instrument fitting and preparing by divine helps and means a sinners heart so as God in Christ Jesus may be merciful unto him and so the sin is cancelled by the Ministery of the Priest or rather by divine virtue assisting therein for we are not to imagine that these choice graces salvation and remission of sins are promiscuously thrown open unto all that indeed were to cast pearls before swine (a) Donaâ—â— scit perdore nâ—scit contâ—ary to Oâ—ho Tacit. hiâ—tor lib. 1. God knoweth how to give not how to cast away his jewels The Covenant of grace requiring some conditions to be performed on our part for we read of two exceptions 1. except ye repent 2. except ye believe Now unto both of these doth a Priest by the power of his Ministery render a sinner well disposed Luke 13.3 John 3.3 For the first Peters Sermon wrought so effectually upon the peoples hearts Acts 2.37 38. that they were pricked therewith and said uâ—to him and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
name are preached Repâ—ntance and forgiveness of sins Luke 24.47 and those whom he hath put together man cannot part asunder And to Repentance there go two things 1. a feeling of chaines and imprisonment 2. a grief for them with a desire to be loosed for sentiat onus qui vult levari sentiat vincula qui vult solvi let him feel the weight of his burden that would be eased as David did when he cried out Psal 38. my sins are too heavy for me to bear and the straitness of his bonds that would be freed as Paul did when he saw the law in his members bringing â—im into captivity unto the law of sin and thereupon exclaimed who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.23 And no otherwise doth Christ proclaime it that none should come unto him but such aâ—â—re weary and heavy laden Matth. 11. Grow sensible then of thy oppression under sin how the Irons enter into thy soul be sorrowful for captivating thy self with those bonds Resort unto the Priest shew him thy fetters and crave his assistance to strike them off and then whom the Son of man shâ—ll set fâ—ee or the Priest in his name he shall be free indeed And this is the first and most remarkable consideration why unto the Priest sins must be confessed CHAP. IX The Contents Paternal affection in the Confessary Good for sheep if the sheepherd know their diseases Medicinal Confession The grief better healed when clearer opened Ghostly counsell of great importance to a Penitent Great care in the choice of a discreet Confessor Romes rigid Tenet Absolution denounced by any Priest besides the Ordinary to be invalid The inconveniencies thereof The Parochial Priest not to be deserted without just cause and the same to be approved by the Diocesan II. Priest a spiritual Father THere are other inducements besides that which hath been spoken inclining to the practick of Confession which are now distinctly but suâ—cinctly to follow in their order as first the Relation of a Spiritual Father for that Paternal affection is or should be betwixt the Pastor and his people Love being the chaine that tieth the one to his charge and the other to his due respect Now what secrets will a dutiful child conceal from an affectionate father especially secrets of that nature that may be redressed by the fathers help and may prove obnoxious by the sons concealment A good Father tenders the infirmities of his child and upon notice thereof will either cure or cover them Thus stood Saint Paul affectionate unto the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.14 I write not these things to shame you but as my beloved sons I warn you q. d. I speak not from a malicious mind to calumniate or disparage you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in 1 Cor. 5. but unto children and that beloved pardon me if I have spoken something harshly it proceeded from love I reprove you not but warn you and who will not with patience endure a fathers warnings he proceedeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ibid. many instâ—uctors you may meet withall but not many fathers and their care may be much but not like my affection and however they may instruct you yet it is I that in Christ Jesus have begotten you through my Gospel in that natural way expressing how great his love was as Theophylact observed Now if love thus descâ—nd why shâ—uld it not ascend why art thou ashamed to make known thy state to such a father who will neither write nor speak to shame thee and whatsoever he doth therein is by way of monition onely and no way prejudicial Greg. Nyssen de Poen in appendice operum Paris 1618. p. 176. Take then as Gregory Nissen advised the Pâ—iest for a partner of thine affliction and as thy father shew unto him without blushing the things that are kept close he will have care both of thy credit and of thy cuâ—e See this testimony more amply before The next denomination is of a Sheepherd and flock III. Priest a Pastor Heb. 13.20 Iohn 21.16 a name which the Apostle hath given unto Christ the great Sheepherd of the sheep and Christ to his Apostle in feed my sheep Now it cannot be amiss for the sheep if the sheepherd know their (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in cap. 5 ad Eph. p. 552. diseases Christ the Arch sheepherd differs herein from all others for whereas some sheepherds are clothed with the fleece feed upon their milk and kill their sheep for meat contrariwise Châ—ist clotheth them feedeth them and was slain for them likewise and His sheepherds herein differ from our sheepherds for how ever they are clothed with the fleece fed with the milk and reap temporal things yet have they not power over their lives to kill them but to feed and preserve them yea if by negligence any of their flock suffer damage it will be set upon their head and reckoning It was wittily observed by that learned and ancient Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 1. pag. 203. Clemens Alexandrinus that the Sheepherd and the Cook view not the sheep alike The Butcher handles him if fat and fit for the slaughter the sheepherd contented with the fleece and milk and increase hath care and watcheth over his flock Let the sheep then distinguish the sheepherds voice from a stranger and to him let their griefs be unfolded And let the same mind be in the sheepherds that was in Christ Jesus He that is studious to heal the vices of humane infirmity Qui studet humanae infirmitatis emendare vitia ipsam infirmitatem suis debet sustinere quodammodo pensare humeris non abjicere Nam pastor ille Evangelicus lassam ovem vexisse legitur non abjecisse Ambr. l. 1. de Poen c. 1. saith Ambrose must take upon him the infirmity it self and bear it as it were upon his own shoulders not cast it off for that Evangelical shâ—epherd is said to have born the weariâ—d sheep and not to have cast it off And can thy infirmities be better known to any than unto him that will take them to himself and bear the burden upon his own shoulders IV. Priest a spiritual physician Tacentibus non facilè potest medâ—la opportuni necessarii sermonis adhiberi Ex lib. Clement MS. The fourth Correspondence is as unto a Physician wherein that adage of our Saviour holdeth the whole need not the Physician but the sick And as a sick patient possesseth his Physician with each remarkable passage in his sickness that the grief being fully apprehended the remedy may be the better applied So should it be in the case of spiritual diseases also The Fathers are very plentiful in their inlargements upon this Medicinal Confession God saith Origen as he hath prepared medicines for the body Sicut corpori medicamenta praeparavit ità etiam animae medicamâ—nta praeparavit
but slowly on to shrift in those dayes and what may we then think of the Laity A. D. 1240. The same Edmund who moderated the Church of Canturbury in the time of that first Legat Otho made a Constitution concerning the behaviour and deportment of the Confesseur or Ghostly Father In confessione audienda hâ—beat Sacerdos vultum humilem oculos ad terram dimissos nec faciâ—m respiciat Confitentis maximè Mulieris patienter audiat quicquid dixerit in spiritu lenitatis supportet eam ei pro posse suadeat pluribus modis ut integrè confiteatur Peccata inquirat usitata inusitata autem non nisi à longe pâ—r circumstantias expertis detur modus confitendi inexpertis non dâ—tur occasio delinquendi at the time of shrift That he should sit with an humble look his countenance downward not once beholding the penitents face especially if a woman to afford a patient audience unto whatsoever shall be said and to support with the spirit of lenity to use all perswasions to extract a plenary confâ—ssion to enquire after usual and customary sins punctually and after strange ones afar off and by circumstances and with that discretion as to teach the penitents how to confess not how to transgress And adviseth the Confessor to pick out the greater sins as Murder Semper majora crimina praecipue notoria Majoribus reserventur Linwood lib. â—de Poenit. remiss c. in Confess Sacrilege Incest sins against nature c. for such as are of greater place and set them by as reserved cases for the Pope nor to grant absolution therein but at the point of death and that upon condition of their recovery they present themselves at Rome with Letters testimonial from their own Confessors of the nature and quality of the offence the Popes it seems had then seised upon fat sins as well as the fat of the Land this constitution was made about the year of our Lord 1240. But Richard sirnamed the great his predecessor A. D. 1229. Richardus Magnus and one that should have taken place of him however the Compilers of the Constitutions have set him behind for he was sacred Arch-Bishop in the year of grace MCCXXIX He made a very pious and necessary law That forasmuch as the soul far excelleth the body Physicians are strictly charged Cum anima longè pretiosior sit corpore sub interminatione Anathematis prohibemus ne quis MedicoruÌ„ pro salute corporali aliquid suadeat aegroto quod in periculum animae convertatur ut aegrum ante omnia admoneat inducat ut Medicos invocet animarum ut postquam fuerit infirmo de spirituali provisum medicamine ad corporalis mâ—dicinae remedium salubrius procedatur Linwood lib. 5. de poen remiss cap. Cum anima sub interminatione Anathematis under pain of the Churches Ban curse to recommend no such thing unto their Patients for the recovery of their bodily health which may not be undertaken without danger to the soul but before all things to exhort them to send for the soul-Physician and after spiritual physick hath been prescribed and provided and administred to the soul then to proceed in the name of God to give Physick to the body A Canon which if duly observed by our Physicians I am perswaded their Physick would work much better than it doth But now the Spiritual Physician is hardly thought of and his visits accounted ominous as if sin were not worth the healing or he wanted the power and cunning For after Luke the Physician and Zeno the Lawyer we send for Barnabas the son of consolation when the soul is sensless of his help and Ghostly comfort Bonifacius Uncle to Queen Elenor A. D. 1244. wife to King Henry the third and advanced to that Metropolitical See An. MCCXLIV provided against those that molested or any way hindred such that would do penance and be confessed Praecipimus ne aliquis praesumat impedire quin sacramentum poenitentiae unicuique petenti liberè impendatur spatium liberum confitendi quod potissimè propter incarceratos suadetur quibus saepius inhumaniter ne dicamus infideliter denegatur Lindw l. 5. de poen remiss cap. Cum sacramentum and appointed that convenient time be allotted for that sacred action and specially to prisoners who many times inhumanly and unchristianly are denied the use hereof or else so little time afforded unto them as to put them rather into danger of discomfort and desperation than matter of spiritual joy and consolation A. D. 1279. John Peccam who sate in the See of Canturbury An. Dom. MCCLXXIX Ordered that Parish Priests should diligently take heed Parochiales insuper sacerdotes caveant ne alicui dent corpus Domini nisi prius constet ipsum confâ—ssum fuisse testimonio judicio fide-dignorum Lindw l. 3. de Missar celebr c. Altissimus de terra that they administred not the Body of the Lord to any Communicant except it might appear unto them that such a person was formerly confessed by the testâ—mony and judgment of credible persons A. D. 1312. The next law or Constitution is of Walter Reginald who possessed the place at Canturbury in the year of our Lord MCCCXII He willeth the Priest to rip up the nature of the diseases Diligenter attendat sacerdos circumstantias criminis qualitatem personae tempus locum causam moram in peccato Sacerdos ad audiendum confessiones communem sibi locum eligat in locis absconditis non recipiat alicujus confessiones maximè mulieris talem injungat uxori poenitentiam ut viro suo non reddatur suspecta ne aliquibus injungat poenitentiam nisi cum restitutione consulat Episcopum vel alium qui vices ejus gerit aut provectos discretos viros quorum consilio certificatus sciat quos qualiter ligare possit absolvere manus absolutionis non imponi nisi se corrigentibus c. Lind. l. 5. de poen remis c. Sacerdos and to sift the circumstances of sin such as are the condition of the person the quality of the offence the time and place when and where the sin was committed all which must be spoken of in Confession He also appointed an open and visible place for shrift to cut off all occasion of scandal and suspicion especially when women make their approches admonisheth that Priests impose no such penance to the wife as to cause suspicion in the husband To be careful the nature of the offence requiring to injoyn such penance as may imply restitution to the party grieved To consult with the Bishop or his Suffragan or with experimented discreet Priests that he may know the better whom and what to bind and loose and where he seeth no probable signs of sincere contrition and no purpose of abandoning the sin confessed to suspend his absolution and to dismiss the sinner for
sanguinem Domini devotè suscepit Eleâ—mosynam suam disposuit ipsius piâ petitione oleo sancto eum inunximus sic in pace quievit Hugo Rothmag Epist ad Innocent 3. extat apud Malmesb. hist Novell l. 1. p. 100. col 2. London He being surprised with a grievous sickness dâ—spatched a Post to us with all haste to come unto him we came and abode with him being full of pain for three dayes and as we advised him he confessed with his own mouth his sins and with his own hand beat his breast and put away his evil mind Through Gods counsel and ours and other Bishops he promised to observe and amend his life and by reason of our office we thrice in three dayes space absolved him He reverenced the Lords Cross devoutly received the Body and Bloud of the Lord gave almes at his request we anointed him with holy chrisme and so he rested in peace This Prince departed this world in the year of our Lord God MCXXXVI VI. Richard I. 1200. The like preparations of dying well were made by that Ceur de Lion King Richard I. who besieging the Castle of Gaillard in Normandy was wounded in the arme with a venemous * Poysoned arrow Caxton part 7. in Rich. 1. quarrel The Castle won by a sharp assault and the souldier that hurt him apprehended the King finding the wound to be mortal caused him to be brought into his presence And saith Caxton wen he come before the King the King axed him what was his name and he said mi name is Bartram Gutdon wherfor said the King hast tow me slayn sith that I did the never none harme Sir said he though ye did me never none harme ye your self with your hond killed my fadre and my brother and therfor I have quyte now your travel Tho said King Richard he that died upon the cros to bring mans soul from pyne of Hell foryef the my death and I also foryef it thee Tho commaunded he that no man should him misdo and the VI day after the King did shrive him Poenitentiâ malè hactenus actae vitae affectus de peccatis illicò ritè confessus est ac Eucharistiâ multa cum veneratione sumptâ percussori pepercit Pol. Virg. hist Angl. l. 14. p. 257. and sore repentance having of his misdedis and wos housled and anoynted Thus much out of that old Chronicler concerning the last demeanour and death of this heroical Prince forgiving him that was the author thereof He left this life when he had reigned IX years VIII moneths and odd dayes VII K. Richard II. A. D. 1400. And the miserable end of King Richard II. deprived first of his Crown and consequently of his life murdered at Pomfret-Castle by that wretch Sir Pierce of Exton and VIII villaines in harness is not impertinent where the King wrested a Bill out of the first mans hands and manfully defending himself had slain IV of the Assaylants was trayterously felled to the ground by Sir Pierce and then shortly rid out of the world saith my Historian without either confession or receipt of Sacrament Hall Chron. in Henry 4. pag. 14. 2. bewailing the loss of opportunity to prepare himself for death by confessing his sins and receiving the blessed Sacrament no less than the Parricide it self though most inhumane treacherous and barbarous And thus have I related what these Princes did at the evening and shutting up of their time casting up their audit unto God and making an account here that they might not be called to an after-reckoning wherein I doubt not but that other Princes did as they did though our Annalists may be silent therein and my small store-house and Adversaria be no better provided of more Collections Take these Laws and Examples in good part Gentle Reader and make the best construction thereof and of my self for the relation The Conclusion SO by Gods mercy and the guidance of his good Spirit we are now in the haven and at the end of this Treatise A journey hath been taken not long to speak truly nor tedious but dangerous and difficult spent rather in the beating of unknown paths or renewing of ancient tracts worn out and well-nigh defaced with desuetude than in following any usuall rode or beaten way before us for in this voyage we may boldly say not many Travellers especially that set out from home with us have kept us company And yet the subject matter as it concerns all Christians so I suppose is inferiour to none of those Mysteries in power and operation that are committed to the Lords Stewards much profiting but much opposing fleshly wisdome as the best potions are the most bitter and the more repugnant to the disease the more sanative The Spirit is contrary to the flesh and the work of Christianity is to deny our selves and to take up Christ's crosse You shall hardly see a man that will lay open his infirmities though I read of an Apostle * 2 Cor. 11.30 that gloried in his Our humour is naturally Pharisaical to make clean the outside of the Platter and who is he that will turn the worst side outward Very few will speak evil of themselves and fewer that will suffer others to do so with patience It is a fringe of pride saith Gregory in a man freely to disparage himself and yet to take it ill at anothers hands that shall do so Superbiae vitium est ut quod de se fateri quisquis quasi sua sponte dignatur hoc sibi dici ab aliis dedignetur Greg. Mor. l. 22. c. 51. Pour monstre cette proprieté inclina de l'homme a se tenir close couvert en ses iniquitez la victoir qu'il avoit obtenu sur lui de s'accuser soi mesme c. D. Bes Caresme Tom. 2. p. 716 717. Certè sublimis apparet Job etiam in peccatis suis Ego in eo non minùs admiror confessionem humillimam peccatorum quà m tot sublimia facta virtutuÌ„ Unumquodque malum quamvis robustiùs vitetur tamen humiliùs proditur Greg. ib. If I covered my transgressions as Adam by hiding mine inâ—quities in my bosome Job 31.33 thereby intimating our natural inclination from the loyns of our first Parent to cover our sins and his victory over the same to be his own accuser Job was admired by all for his rare virtues But in my eyes he seemeth marvellous in his sins saith Gregory Let other men extoll his chastity commend his integrity praise the bowels of his pity and goodness for my part I no less wonder at the humble confession of his sins than so many famous exploits of his virtues it being as great a conquest to trample down fame and shame by laying open our sins as to resist and not commit them for though greater strength be shewed in shunning sin yet greater humility is discovered in confessing of sin for by the former our sins are conquered and