before they be instructed in Christian beliefe shal they be baptized If children naturall fooles and such as can not examine themselues notorious offenders that haue giuen no signes of repentance men knowen to be in malice c. shal present thēselues to the Lords table must they without al iudgement or discretiō be accepted or repulsed By this therefore it appeereth that there is nothing more iudiciall in receiuing of sinners to repentance if that were a sacrament then in the only true sacraments of baptisme and the Lords supper Wherefore there is no reason that the Pope should restraine anie man of that power which you confesse he hath by Christes graunt ouer all persons of his charge by exempting anie of them or giuing them libertie to chuse their gostlie Father according to their owne appetite and much lesse that he should reserue vnto him selfe the absolution from the greatest sinnes the power whereof was graunted by Christ to euerie Priest as you confesse ouer his owne parishioners for which reseruation you bring not so much as the shadow of anie reason to shroud him from the the note of Antichristian tiranie ALLEN The Popes Pardons also maie wellreach so farre as to take awaie veniall and dailie infirmites which be of their nature punishable but by some temporall paine and correction because they be remissible manie waies out of the sacrament both here in this life and in the next For the merites of Christ maie be applied sufficientlie to the offenders in such light manner of trespaces without the especiall grace of a sacrament as by saying our Lordes praier saieth Saint Augustine and by almese and by the holie Sacrament of the aultar either receiued or deuoutlie adored by sacrifice now of the holie Masse much more then in olde time in the sacrifices of the lawe and by the holie peace or blessinges of Christ and his Apostles and Bishoppes after them and by their Pardons Therefore to him that is free from greeuous sinnes or pardoned of the same all these thinges shal be commodious towards the remission of his lesser infirmities but if he be in state of damnation and out of Gods fauour which grace must be procured onelie by the Sacraments of Baptisme or penance he can not obtaine anie Pardon at the popes hands neither aliue nor dead nor none was euer meant vnto him FVLKE Seeing veniall sinnes maie so easilie be pardoned as you doe shewe and by so manie meanes you make great fooles of all them that trauell to Rome for a plenarie Pardon of Iubelie or that will paie one halfepenie for anie at home when without trauell without expences without daunger he maie so lightlie obtaine forgiuenes of them But howsoeuer you plaie and blear mens eies with veniall sinnes the worde of trueth saieth that euerlasting death is the reward of sinne if it be not pardoned through the merites of Christes death applied to vs by faith The grace of God is all one whether it be testified by his 〈◊〉 or by a sacrament But you would haue it seene that Saint Augustine is an author of this distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes and sheweth these meanes by which veniall sinnes maie be wiped awaie without the grace of a Sacrament but you peruert his wordes farre from his meaning For his purpose is to shewe that a man cannot be purged from his greeuose sinnes by almes except he be heartelie penitent and carefull neuer to commit them againe but of smaller sinnes without the which a man can not lead his life he cannot determine that he will forsake them but must continuallie craue Pardon for them and auoide them as much as he can His wordes are these Sanè cauendum ne quisquam existimet infanda illa crimina qualia qui agunt regnum Dei non possidebunt quotidiè perpetranda eleemosynis quotidiè redimenda In melius quippe est vita mutanda per eleemosinas de peccatis praeteritis est propitiandus Deus non ad hoc emendus quodam modo vt ea semper liceat impunè committere Nemini enim dedit laxamentum peccandi quamuis miserando deleatiam facta peccata si non satisfactio congrua negligatur De quotidianis autem breuibus leuibusque peccatis sine quibus haec vita non ducitur quotidiana oratio fidelium satis facit Eorum est enim dicere Pater noster qui es in coelis Quiiam patri tali regenerati sunt ex aqua Spiritu Sancto Delet omninò haec oratio minima quotidiana peccata Delet illa à quibus vita fidelium sceleratè etiam gesta sed poenitendo in melius mutata discedit Si quemadmodum veraciter dicitur Demitte nobis debita nostra quoniam non desunt quae dimittantur ita veraciter dicatur sicut nos dimittimus debitorib nostris id est fiat quod dicitur quia ipsa eleemosyna est veniam petenti homini ignoscere Suerlie we must take heede lest anie man thinke those wicked crimer which they that committe them shall not possesse the kingdome of God are dailie to be committed and dailie to be redeemed by almes For the life must be changed into better and God is to be intreated through almese for sinnes past he is not to be bought after asort for this end that it maie be lawfull to commit them alwais without punishment For he hath giuen to no man licence of sinning although by his mercie he doe wipe awaie sinnes alreadie committed if meet satisfaction be not neglected But for daily short and light sins without which this life is not ledde the daily praier of the faithfull doth make satisfaction For it pertaineth to them to saie Our Father which art in heauen which are alreadie regenerat to such a father by water and the holie Ghost For this praier doth altogether wipe awaie these least and dailie sinnes It wipeth awaie also those from which the life of the faithfull hauing beene wickedlie passed but by repentance being changed into better doth depart if as it is trulie saied forgiue vs our debtes because there want not dets to be forgiuē euen so it may be truly said as we also do forgiue our debters that is to saie if that be done which is spoken For that is also almes to giue pardon to a man which desireth it First of receiuing the Sacrament of the altar or adoring the same of the sacrifice of the Masse of the Bishops blessing of their pardons here is no mention Secondly he sheweth that great crimes are pardoned also by saying the Lordes praier if changeing of life do followe by which it is manifest that by satisfaction he meaneth the fruites of repentance which as the offences are greater or lesser so it is meete they be shewed accordinglie in small offences contrition of heart and humble acknowledging of them before God is sufficient in great offences the change of life into better must be manifest euen to the Church and the sinnes repented
Christes owne person Which prouing and iudging of mans selfe to be meant by the diligent dif cussing of our consciences sinnes and misdeedes by contrition and confession of them to our ghostlie Father the practise of the Church doth most plainlie prooue which neuer suffered any greeuous sinner to communicat before he had called him selfe to a reckning of his sinnes before the minister of God and so iudged him selfe that he receiue not to his damnation that which to euery worthy person is his life and saluation Whereof S. Augustine or the authour of the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus set forth with his name giueth vs good notice for his time Quem mortalia crimina post Baptismum commissa premunt hortor priùs publica poenitentia satisfacere ita sacerdotis iudicio reconciliatum communioni sociari si vult non ad iudicium condemnationem sui Eucharistiam percipere sed secreta satisfactione solui mortalia crimina non negamus I exhorte euerie man saith this holie doctour that is burdened after his baptisme with mortall sinne to satisfie for the same by publique penance and to be reconciled by the priests iudgement to be restored to the communion of saints if he meane to receiue the holy Sacrament not to his iudgement and condemnation And I denie not in this case but deadly sinnes may be remitted by secret satisfaction Thus he By whose wordes you see in what a damnahle state men now of daies stand seeing that whosoeuer receiueth the sacrament of Christes bodie and blood before he be reconciled by a priestes sentence and assoiled of his sinnes he doth receiue it to his euerlasting damnation Vnto whose iudgement I ioyne Saint Cyprian in this same matter complainig verie earnestly vpon certaine Conuersies in his daies that would aduenture vpon Christes bodie and blood ante exomologesim factam criminis ante purgatam conscientiam sacrificio manu sacerdotis Before their sinnes be confessed and their consciences purged by sacrifice and the Priests hand Al these thinges might be at large declared and confirmed farther by the iudgement of mostauncient Fathers but because I haue bene verie long and enough alreadie maie seeme to be said for such as by reason will be satisfied a great deale more then anie Protestant will answere vnto and also the scriptures them selues giuing the Priest so plaine power of binding and retaining as wel as of remitting and loosing will do more with these that haue charged themselues with the beleefe of nothing that is not in expresse writing of Gods word then the vniforme consent of all ages and the moste notable persons in the same In respect of their humor therefore I will not saie much more for this point then I haue said onely my meaning now is for the Catholikes comfort to repeat a few such euident sentences out of moste authentique authors by whom we take a 〈◊〉 not onely of their meaninges which is much for the matter but especiallie of the Churches practise in all ages and moste countries christened since the Apostles time which I account the moste surest waie to touch trie truth by that by the example of al our forefathers euery man may willingly learne to submit him selfe to the sentence of such as God hath made the iudges of his soule and sinnes FVLKE Yf Saint Poul had meant Popish shrift he could and would haue said Submit your selues to the examination iudgement of the Priest and not as he hath said Let a man trie him selfe Iudge your selues brèthren Yf auricular confession be necessarie vnder paine of damnation for euerie one that receiueth the sacrament of Christes bodie and bloode immediately before it many thousandes of your priests which saie masse euerie daie without shriuing themselues are in a damnable case I or there passeth no day of mans life without some deadelie sinne if not in deede not word yet at the least in thought but that you popish hypocrites by your distinction of veniall sinnes flatter your selues to be cleare when you are moste foull and filthie but the perpetuall practize of the Church you saie prooueth the necessitie of auricular confession whereof you take witnes the author of the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus for his time which you doe honestly not to father vpon Saint Augustine being a man of much later time lesse learning and more corruption of doctrine but you do fraudulentlie cut of his saying in the waste because that which followeth declareth plainlie that either he meaneth not of mortall sinnes as the Popish Church now doth holde or else his opinion for secret satisfaction is farre differing from that you would haue men weene that he meaneth namely such as you vse to inioine in your confession fiue Ladies Psalters fiue fridaies fast fiue pence groates or shillings to so many poore men in remembrance of the 5. wounds and such like stuffe but these authors wordes require another manner of satisfaction Sed secreta satisfactione solui mortalia crimina non negamus sed mutato prius secularihabitu confesso religionis studio per vitae correctionem iugi immò perpetuo luctu miserante Deo it a duntaxat vt contraria pro his quae poenitet 〈◊〉 eucharistiam omnibus dominic is diebus supplex submissus vsque ad mortem percipiat Poenitentia vera est penitenda non admittere admissa deflere Satisfactio paenitentiae est causas peccatorum excidere nec eorum suggestionibus aditum indulgere But also that by secret satisfaction mortall crimes may be loosed we doe not denie but so that the secular habite be first changed and the studie of religion confessed by amendment of life and by continuall yea perpetuall sorow God being mercifull so onelie that he doe the contrarie things to those for which he doth penance and humblie and lowlie receiue the Euchariste euerie sondaie to his dying day It is true repentance not to committe things to be repented and to bewaile such as are committed The satisfaction of repentance is to cut of the causes of sinnes and to yeald no entrie vnto their suggestions Wherefore it is plaine that in this writers time there was no auricular confession but an open confession and publike penance for open and hainous offences and that none was admitted to secret satisfaction except he changed his habite became a Monke performed other conditions by him required by which it is manifest that the iudgement of this writer though corrupt yet is contrarie to the practize of the popish Church at this daie But Saint Cyprian is a better witnes I trow for the necessitie of auricular cōfession of secret sins sauing that he speaketh of them that had openlie fallen to Idolatrie and without open confession of their fault and publike satisfaction of the Church by some vndiscreete pastours were admitted to the Lordes table describing them he saith Mortiferos Idolorum cibos adhuc pene ructantes exhalantibus etiamnum
of thē aboue 40. daies at once except it be at the dedication of a Church thē he hath but one yeare this authoritie also pinched with diuers restraintes whereas the pope smelling the sweetnes of them since the Laterane councel in which his modesty is comended that though he had fulnes of power yet he vsed it not to be ouerlauish in graunting of pardons hath bro ken al banks of moderation graunted 10000 20000. 40000. 100000. yeares of pardon yea generall pardons ofIubelie à poena culpa from all sinnes and penances due for them whether men haue erred by misconstruing the case and what orderlie method you haue obserued with regard of the peoples capacitie we shall consider in that which followeth For the true meaning of Pardons and to remooue some vntrue surmises touching the same it is declared that the Pope neuer tooke vpon him by pardoning to remit deadlie sinne much lesse to giue anie man license to sinne THE SECOND CHAP. ALLEN FOr the vnderstanding therefore of the tearme Pardon or grace or Indulgence let it be oansidered that proper lie they import not the remission of anie deadlie crime considered in them-selues and as seperated from the sacrament of penance nor yet signifie anie release of eternall damnation or euerlasting punishment which onelie allwaies is remitted when the deadlie sinne for which it was due is forgiuen For there can no power in earth be so great nor any mans iurisdiction so simple that he maie forgiue mortall offences since the institution of the sacrament of penance except he vse the confession of the partie with his contrition and sure intent neuer to commit the like againe yea and with purpose to satisfie the iustice of God by Christes grace as he maie according to the enioyning of his iudge therein For God him-selfe because he is righteous and true can not forgiue anie man his sinnes either by this sacrament of penance or otherwise being of yeares and time of discretion except he be penitent for the same that is to saie except he be both contrite and at the least willing to confesse his offences if it be after relapse and to suffer due correction therefore And seeing God can not pardon anie man of his deadlie sinnes except he be thus qualified much lesse maie a mortall man be he neuer so great in dignitie or calling in the Church take vpon him to forgiue or pardon him that is guiltie of deadlie sinne and damnation without the confession and submission of the penitent as is premised All this trueth hangeth orderlie vpon the necessitie of the sacrament of Penance and Christs ordinance therein whereby he hath made deadly sinnes onely remissible in that sacrament by the confession of the partie to a Priest who hath in his order receiued power to remit them as is sufficientlie prooued in the former parte of this treatise and it is onely a Priest whether he be of base state or high dignitie that can lawfullie loose mens sinnes as by the key of his order as they terme it with sufficient iurisdiction ouer the penitent for the secret discussing of his conscience in this sacrament of Confession FVLKE This wholl Chapter conteineth nothing but positions without any ground of authoritie of scripture or testimonte of Doctours as though it were sufficient onely to affirme them which if they be not graunted all that followeth of Pardons is nothing worth The first is That Pardons do not properly importe the remission of any deadly crime or the punishmēt due for the same The reasons that followe serue to prooue that pardons for deadlie sinnes and the paine due for them are vnprofitable but they prooue not that they doe not import such remission either by the Popes intendement or by the pardoners preaching of them or in the opinion of the purchasers and receiuers of them The glosse vpon the Clementine l. 5. de poenitentiis re missionibus c. 2. yealding a reason why the Pope reproueth the pardoners which toke vpon thē to graunt ple nary remission of sins to absolue men à poena culpa hath these wordes à poena culpa ista est plenissima peccatorum remissio quae conceditur cruce signatis pro subsidio vltramarino c. quam solus papa concedit From the paine and the fault this is a moste full remission of sinnes which is graunted to them that are marked with the crosse for aide beyond the sea which the Pope alone doth graunt by which it appeereth that the Pope taketh vpon him iustlie to graunt pardon of all sinnes mortall and veniall which the pardoners vniustlie presumed to do without sufficient warrant So doth Pope Boneface the 8 the inuentor of Iubilie pardons graunt Non solùm plenam largiorem immo plenissimam omnium suorum veniam peccatorum not onelie a full and large pardon but a most full pardon of all their sinnes If the pope speake vnproperlie when he vttereth such emphatical and superlatiue speeches how shal plaine men vnderst and what he meaneth I know that some of the Canonistes who haue more care that his decrees should hang together then the Pope him self when he graunteth pardons for aduantage do interpret the word peccatorum to signify paines due for sins yet by this cursed glosse that corrupteth the text release of eternal paine due for deadly sinne is not excluded The author of the glosse confesseth that this epistle was verie grosly made Haecepistola satis grossè fuit composita and therefore it must be healped by glosses for their sakes that can dispute against it but for the common people it is good enough in the literal sense In so much that the glosse saith vpon the word plenissimam Sed quomodo ista compatiuntur plenā largiorem plenissimā Dico Papam interpretatum fuisse in consistorio me presense hane indulgentiam adeo plenam prout clauium potestas se extendet quod intelligo prout verba patiūtur But how do these words hang together the one abide the other a ful a more large a most ful pardon I say that the pope in the consistory in my presense did interpret this pardon to be so ful as the power of the keies doth extend it selfe which I do vnderstand as the words doe suffer Whereby it is manifest that the Pope restraining the fullnesse of his open pardon sent into all the world by his priuie interpretations in his consistorie doth nothing els but delude the world by his pardons as it shal more plainly appeare by the rea sons that are afterward brought forth to defend them from the pretended slaunders of their impugners But further to prooue that the Pope hath taken vpon him by pardon to remit deadlie sinne I alledge a Bul of confirmation graunted by Pope Leo the tenth anno 1513. Sept. id martij Pontif. anno primo the copie wherof is printed with the subscription of two publike notaries to testifie that it agreeth with the
purpose teaching onelie that we are consecrated or made perfect by baptisme which is true in respect of sanctification and remission of sinnes but prooueth not that concupiscence which you confesse to be an euil thing remaining in the regenerate is chaunged in nature to be no sinne although it be forgiuen and shall not be imputed to the elect For the wrong quoting of Augustine do 〈◊〉 concupiscent You were best quarrell with your printer for Master Charke hath instlie charged your booke with error in the first edition whereunto he answered which you will not vnderstand but charge him with ignorance quarreling and impudencie whereas your quotation was twise lib. de nupt concupiscent And not as you saie now lib. 1. de nupt concupiscent You with that you were with Master Charke to see if he would blush at his ignorance by you discouered and cal backe your wish for feare of purseuants But I looke not at all that your brasen face should blush either at so small a fault or at so false a defense thereof which are not ashamed of a great number of more wrong and impudent quotationes then that is for which though no purseuantes shall attach you yet the reproch of them shall pursue you to the vtter confusion of your proude and arrogant Censure and more impudent and vnlearned defense Finallie Ambrose lib. 1. de voc gent. c. 5. hath not one worde to prooue that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne of it selfe But where Master Charke rehearseth not the verie wordes but the meaning of Saint Augustine expounding him-selfe in what sense he saith that concupiscence is not sinne you set abroad all the sailes of your rayling and venemous tongue and penne against him Saint Augustines words are dimitti concupiscentiam carnis in baptismo non vt non sit sed vt in peccatum non imputetur Quamuis autem reatu suo iam soluto manet tamen donec sanetur omnis infirmitas nostra proficiente renouatione interioris hominis de die in diem cúm exterior induerit incorruptionem non enim substantialiter manet sicut aliquod corpus aut spiritus sed affectio est quaedam malae qualitatis sicut languor Concupiscence of the flesh is remitted in baptisme not so that it is not but so that it is not imputed to sinne And albeit the guilt thereof be loosed yet it remaineth vntil al our infirmitie behealed the renuing of the inward man profiting from daie to daie when the outward man shall haue put on incorruption for it remaineth not substantiallie as a bodie or a spirit but it is a certaine affection of euill qualitic as a sickenes These words declare that concupiscence being an affection of euill qualitie which is as much to saie as sinne remaning in the regenerate although it be not imputed to them as sin for that if they 〈◊〉 against it it shall not preuaill against them to condemne them A sinne not imputed is a sinne of his owne nature The sinnes of Gods elect are not imputed to them they are forgiuen the guilt is taken awaie they are washed awaie in the blood of Christ they are as white as wooll and as snowe yet of their owne nature they are foule abhominable and detestable transgressions of Gods lawe so is concupiscence against the lawe thou shalt not lust as Augustine often confesseth therefore of it selfe sinne euen in the regenerate to whome it is remitted The similutude of a sickenes also whereunto Augustine doth often compare it sheweth the same For a sicknes if it be not healed either by strength of nature preuailing or by medicine doth either cause death or remaineth as long as life so concupiscence of itselfe would kill if the medicines of Christs redemption did not ouercome the malice of it and in the ende take awaie the disease from the rootes But for a cleerer proofe Master Charke alledgeth that Saint Augustine in an other place saith plainlie it is sinne You answer that he saith onelie of concupiscence in generall that it is sinne and not of concupiscence in the regenerate But that Saint Augustine speaketh of concupiscence in the regenerate it is manifest by this reason for that he saith concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit lustesh which is onelie in the regenerate As he him selfe saith in an other place by you quoted Non enim rectè cuiusquam spiritus concupisceret aduersue carnem suam nisi habitaret in illo spiritus Christi For no mans spirit should rightlie lust against his fiesh except the spirit of Christ did dwell in him But that concupiscence without consent is properlie no sinne you saie Saint Augustine prooneth by the wordes of Paule him-selfe who calleth it sinne in the chapter last remembred but that is false he only retaineth his vsuall acception of the word sinne for actualsin as Saint Iames doth whose termes of conception and bringing forth also he vseth yet he concludeth that concupiscence without consent is euill is to be chastised to be brideled to be fought against to be ouercome which prooueth sufficientlie that it is sinne though not actuall sinne yet properlie sinne from which we can not be deliuered but by the grace of Christ sinne of another kinde sinne in another degree called sinnne in the scripture and therefore without controuersie except we will trifle in vaine contention of termes and childish sophismes where the matter is plaine sinne in deede and properlie which of his owne nature deserueth death but that it is purged by the blood of Christ as all other sinnes of what sort or degree soeuer they be in those that are saued That Saint Augustine vseth other whiles the termes of veniallie and mortallie when he speaketh of sinning it can not defend your distinction wherebie you holde that there be some sinnes so smale as of their owne nasure they deserue not damnation contrarie to the scripture that saith generallie the reward of sinne is death Whereas Saint Augustine meaneth onelie degrees of sinnes whereof some are lesse some are hainous yet all deserue death For Saint Augustine must be vnderstood according to the scripture but the scripture must not be racked to agree with Saint Augustine Hitherto concerning the doctrine of the Iesuites that concupiscence in the regenerate without consent is not sinne Against this doctrine Gotuisus opposeth the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 28. whosoeuer shall see a woman to lust after her he hath alreadie committed adulterie with her in his heart which text you confirme as you said before to be alledged ignorantlie and against him-selfe because here is a manifest consent of the heart expressed to make concupiscence adulterie And for that purpose you cite Saint Augustine and to all this you aske what sir William replyeth and answer your selfe Surelie nothing but maketh a long idle speake of praedicatum and subiectum as pertinent to the matter as Charing crosse to Billings gate If William Charkes
to be one But whie doe you flie from the authority of your vulgare latine interpreter which in both places maketh the prohibition of concupiscence one commaundement in Exod. by adding the copulatiue which is not in the Hebrew but a pure negatiue Non concupisces domum proximi tui nec desiderabis 〈◊〉 eius c. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house neither shalt thou desire his wife c. In Deut. by leauing out the verbe which is in the Hebrew Non concupisces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non domum non agrum non seruum non accillam non bouem non asinum vniuersa 〈◊〉 illius sunt Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife not his house not his field not his seruant not his maide not his oxe not his asse and whatsoeuer thinges are his By this translation your interpreter sheweth plainlie that he acknowledged but one commaundement against concupiscence although the sinne were set foorth in diuerse wordes And it is as great reason to make a seuerall commaundement for euerie worde that followeth as to make the concupiscence of the house one and of the wife another But you doe better to acknowledge the matter doubtfull as beeing no matter of faith and not defined by your Church because of the authority of so many aun cient fathers against you yet you haue no colour to shift of your Idolatrous woshipping of Images except you confounde the two first commaundements in one neither can you exclude the commaundement against concupiscence without consent except you deuide the tenth commaundement into two reteining the distinction that ought to be of euerie precept from other and making the law perfect which prohibiteth all sinne as I haue shewed before But it is a greater slaunder I weene that the Protestantes charge you to leaue out the second commaundement against Images where you doe but include it in the first As though you haue not in your English primers other bookes where you set forth the tenne commaundements altogether left out that precept as ten thousand bookes wil testify against you And as for your including is but a crafty hiding of it from the common people lest they should learne to detest your grosie Idolatrie and forsake your malignant Church as the mother of all abhominations against God and his true worship Your distinction of mentall adulterie from actuall adulterie and of mental theft from actual theft to make foure commaundements of two is grosse vnlearned For why should not mental murther mental disobedience or rebellion mentall slaunder or lying require enerie one a seueral commaundement distinct from actual murther actuall rebellion disobedience or treason actuall slaundering or lying And so in the wholl we should haue thirteene commaundements at the least Or els Master Charke hath truelie charged you to make the seuerall breaches of two diuerse commaundements but one sinne and the breach of one commaundement to make two seuerall kindes of sinne as you doe in the breaches of the commaundements against adulterie and theft Where our sauiour Christ saith expresselie that the looking on a woman with desire of lust is adulterie which he should rather haue saide according to your where is forbidden in the seauenth commaundement distinction it is sinne against the ninth commaundement which you saie is against mentall adulterie And so he should haue saide no more in effect but mentall adulterie is mental adulterie But our Sauiour Christ referring that sinne to the commaundement against adulterie sheweth that concupiscence without consent is an other sinne and not onelie in an other degree of the same kinde as mentall and actuall adulterie are and as anger racha thou foole are against the sixt commaundement The last reason of the censure to prooue that the first motions to lust are not forbidden is because they are not in our power where the scripture saith This comaundement which I giue the this daie is not aboue thee Master Chark replieth that the assumption of this argument which is to resist the first motions is not in our power is false You rehearse his wordes thus Our first motions are not altogether out of our power for that the gift of continencie doth more and more subdue them Here you cauill that albeit good men do cut of infinite occasions and causes of motions and temptations yet can they neuer subdue all motions But Master Charke said It is neither true that all these first motions are altogether out of our power c. neither doth it follow that we are not subiect to the lawe for such offences as we can not resist the fault being ours through corruption whie we can not resist them So that in the first part of this saying he confesseth some motions to be out of our power to resist some not out of our power which you also acknowledge and therefore your assumption if it be general is false if it be particuler the conclusion cannot be generall that to resist all the first motions of lustes is not commaunded orthus the law forbiddeth no first motions To the second parte of Master Charkes saying you answer nothing that is of the consequence of your assumption namelie that the fault being ours through corruption and such as our first father did willinglie bring vpon him and vs all our wante of power to resist offences can not exempt vs from the iustice of God This was so strong that you had not so much as a cauil against it But as though you saw it not you runne by into your vsuall path of girding our Ministers who you saie talke of continencie and mortification ech one hauing his yoke mate readie for his turne as good fellows do of fasting that sit at a full table And yet I think it is more praise to keepe temperance at a full table then to abstaine where there is hunger and nothing to eate But I pray you sir doth continencie and mortification belong onelie to vnmarried men You are as good to saie that no maried man can be a true christian seing mortification is necessarie for all Christians and continencie also not from the vndefiled bedde but chastitie from all vncleannes is commaunded generallie to all true members of Christ How the wiueles votaries in poperie performe continencie and mortification but euen of that one earthly member of vncleanes the world is to full of examples and the iustice of god will one daie make manifest To the place of Moses Master Chark saith the translation is false and corrupt which saith the commaundement is not aboue thee where Moses saith it is not hidden from thee And that the place is so to be translated and to be applied to the reuelation of the Gospel it is euidentlie declared by the plaine text and by the application thereofin the epistle to the Romanes cap. 10. 6. To this you answer that he prooueth it neitherby the words of text nor by Saint Pauls application O wretched shift when he quoteth the Chapter and verse where the
otherwise but in his right name whosoeuer shall controlle or cōremne they not onely irreuerently touch gods annointed but they sacrilegiously laie handes on ipsum Christum Domini euen on him that is annointed aboue all his fellowes Well I conclud vp this matter with these few wordes of Saint Ambrose Vult Dominus plurimum posse discipulos suos Vult á seruis suis e a fieri in nominesuo quaefaciebat ipse positus in terris Our lordes pleasure is that his disciples should haue great prerogatiue he will haue the same thinges wrought by his seruants in his name that him-selfe did in his owne person when he was in earth FVLKE He that seeth not the difference of the ministerie of man from the power of God in those actions wherein God worketh by man gropeth in the darke seeth nothing as he ought to see Therefore let vs come to the light of your logick and thereby consider if we can the distinction of the one from the other If the maior or first proposition of your former syllogisme be vnderstood of a power or commission graunted to the manhood of Christ such as might haue beene graunted by God to anie other meere man then your Minor is not true that Christ by such a power and commission onelie setting his Godhead aside though truelie and effectuallie yet not in proper forme ofspeach by his fathers sending and commission remitted sinnes for then could he not be the author of remission of sinnes but onelie a minister thereof and therefore in proper forme ofspeach he could not be said to forgiue sinnes which is proper onely to god but to preach the forgiue nes of sinnes in Gods name or to testifie that God did forgiue sinnes as the ministers of the Church do Butif the Maior be vnderstood of such power commission as was giuen to Christ as the Mediator in respect of his manhood but yet such as he couldnot receiue exercise but in respect of his godhead such as could not be graunted to any but vnto that person which is God man such is the absolute principall power of remission of sinnes then I denie that such power was giuen to the Apostles at his departure For when Christ him-selfe did truelie effectuallie and in proper forme of speech remit sinnes he did it as God hauing equal and principall authoritie with the father and the holie ghost so to do The conclusion of your second syllogisme I graunt that the Apostles were sent to forgiue sinnes but retaining the former distinction of the authoritie of God and the ministerie of man For as Christ was sent of his father to preach the remission of sinnes so were the Apostles sent by Christ to preach remission of sinnes therefore such power as he had by preaching onely of remission of sinnes to forgiue sinnes such power be graunted to his Apostles whome he ordained preachers in his place but the proper pow er of his deity he graunted not nor any power which is proper to the person of the Mediator God and man Theresore these wordes of Christ As the father sent me so send I you must not be extended further then our sauiour Christ in that place meaneth For els infinite absurdities might be concluded thereof as that he sent his Apostles to redeeme the world to die for the sinnes of the world to be sauiours of the world c. or that he sendeth all ministers of the Church to whome this commission extendeth to clense leapers to raise the dead to giue sight to the blinde and to do all other miracles that he was sent to do According to this distinction that Rhetoricall amplification of Chrisostome is to be vnderstood and doubtles wonderfull great is the authoritie that man doth exercise in the name of God although that which is peculiar to God be not attributed to men The similitude that Chrysostome vseth in the same chapter Lib. 3. cap. 5. of a King graunting power to one of his subiects to imprison men and to release them sheweth that he knew the difference of the Lord from the seruant who if he abuse the authoritie committed vnto him deserueth sharpe punishment and therefore hath not absolute authoritie to do all things as his Lord and can not transgresse in doing And in the next Chapter he sheweth that Priestes do exercise this power of forgiuing sinnes by teaching admonition and by praier Not onelie by teaching and admonishing but also by the helpe of praiers and a manifest difference sheweth Saint Ambrose when he saith Christ would haue his disciples to do in his name the same thinges which he did on earth partlie in his fathers name and partlie in his owne name The power of priesthood touching remission of sinnes prooued by the solemne action of Christ in breathing vpon his Apostles and giuing them thereby the holie Ghost THE THIRD CHAP. ALLEN THe commission and power that our Master Christ receiued of his euerlasting father being in moste ample manner communicated with the Apostles made great proofe and euidence for the right that they claime in remission of sinnes but the present power of Gods spirit breathed by Christ vpon them and giuen vnto them for the ministerie and execution of that function helpeth our matter so much that whoso euer now denieth this authoritie of the Apostles concerning the pardoning of our offences doth not so much sinne against the sonne of man which of it selfe is greeuous inough as he doth controll the worke of the spirit of Christ which is the holie Ghost in whome both he and his Church doth remit sinnes The more plaine and more exact our master Christ was in the bestowing of that power to remit and retaine sinnes the more is our contempt in the disobedience and deniall thereof He sendeth them 〈◊〉 with his owne authoritie in this case he giueth them the verie spirit of God by whose diuine power they maie execute the function to which he called them he giueth them the expresse warrant of his owne word that sinnes they might pardon and punish and yet we make doubt of their vsurpation But how they might forgiue sinnes by Christes sending we haue alreadie said Now for the holie Ghostes power and prerogatiue in the same action which was breathed on the Apostles we must further conferre with such as call in question matters so plaine And first I am in goodhope that no man will denie but Christ gaue them the holie ghost for no other purpose so much as to remit sinnes Secondlie I doubt not of their faith and beliese in this point but they will confesse the holie ghost to be of power by nature and proprietie to forgiue sinnes Thirdlie I claime of their sinceritie thus much more that Christ being as well God as man was well able for the furniture of their calling to giue them the holie ghost all which being confessed of all men and denied of no Christian aline how the conclusion so beset with all
originall which Bull was graunted Hospitali Sancti 〈◊〉 in Saxia almae vrbis In which is an approbation of all pardons graunted by his predecessours to the saide hospitall and the members thereof Whereof there are rehearsed that Innocent the third graunted to the faith and deuotion of the faithfull and the saluation of their soules to all that visit the said hospitall and the members thereof from the feast of the natiuitie of our Lord and euerie day vnto the octaues thereof two thousand and 800. yeares of pardons The same Innocent graunted to the said hospitall and the members thereof in euerie festiuite of the Apostles 2000. yeares of pardons The same Ionocent graunted to the said hospitall and the members thereof euerie daie of the wholl yeare one yeare and 40. daies of pardon Also Pope Alexander the fourth graunted to the saied hospitall and the members thereof from the feast of the holie ghost in the moneth of Ianuarie euerie daie vntill the octaues of the same feast foure thousand yeares and eight hundred Lents of pardon remission of the seuenth part of al their sins And on the Sundaie in which there is song for the introite of the Masse Omnis terra the said Alexander graunted to the saied hospitall and to all and euerie the members thereof the first Sondaies of euerie moneth of the yeare 3000. yeares and as many Lentes and remission of the third part of all their sinnes The same Alexander graunted to the saide hospitall and the members thereof from the feast of Corpus Christi euerie daie vntill the octaues 2000. yeares and remission of the seuenth part of all their sinnes Pope Celestinus the 5. graunted to the saide hospitall and the members therof from the feast of the Epiphany vnto the octaues euerie daie a hundreth thousand yeares of Pardons The same Celestine graunted to the saied hospitall and the members thereof from the feast of the natiuitie of the Virgin Marie and in the octaues euerie daie thirtie thousand yeares of Pardon as many Lentes Also Pope Clement the 5. graunted to the said hospitall and the members thereof from the feast of the resurrection of Christ vnto the octaues thereof euerie daie two thousand and eight hundreth yeares of Pardon Item Pope Boneface the 8. graunted to the 〈◊〉 hospitall and to the members thereof from the feast of the ascension of Christ vnto the octaues 2500 yeares of Pardons Item Pope Clement the sixt graunted to the said hospitall and to all the members thereof from the feast of Pentecost vnto the octaues thereof euerie daie 8000. yeares 8000. Lentes full remission of all their sinnes Item Pope Innocent the 6. hath graunted to the said hospitall and to the members thereof from the feast of the assumption of the blessed Marie vnto the octaues thereof euerie daie 2000. yeares and 2000. Lentes of Pardons Item Pope Benedict the 12. hath graunted to the saide hospitall and the members thereof from the feast of all Saints to the feast of Saint Leonard 3000. yeares and as many Lentes of Pardons The summe of the daies of pardon graunted by Popes and by 60 Archbishops and by 70. Bishops in the consistorie of Lateran confirmed by the authoritie Apostolike maketh 700. yeares and as many Lentes The summe of the Masses of the wholl order by the yeare maketh thirtie two thousand and as many psalters of the bretheren which are of the order In these liberall grauntes where there is not onely thousandes of yeares and Lents by which you vnderstand paines penances inioyned or due for sinne what meaneth the remission of the seuenth part of the third part of all their sinnes yea full remission of all their sinnes except the Pope meane either to mocke men that receiue his pardons or els tooke vpon him to remit deadly sin as the words sound can haue none other sense seeing there is not onelie the vniuersall particle all their sinnes but also remission of sinnes is distinct from paine of penance due for sinnes Againe what should neede so large pardon for veniall sinnes which may so easilie be remitted without pardon except the pope meaneth to release the paines due for deadlie sinnes Doe ventall sinnes which may be washed away with holie water deserue so many hundred thousand yeares of penance or punishment as are conteined in these pardons Finallie what shal we saie to those pardons that are graunted for saying of certeine praiers wherof diuerse printed bookes are full in which is expresse mention of pardon for mortall sinnes As for example Pope Alexander the sixt graunteth to him that saieth a certeine praier deuoutlie in the worship of Saint Anne and the Virgin Marie and her sonne Iesus ten thousand yeares of pardon for deadlie sinnes and twentie yeares for veniall sinnes tottes quoties The praier with the indulgence is to be found in a booke printed at Paris no longer agoe then in anno 1534. fol. 85. in horis sanctae virginis What face then hath this proctor for the Popes pardons to affirme that the Pope neuer tooke vpon him by pardon to remit deadlie sinne But now let vs consider his reasons how he prooueth that the Popes pardons doe not properlie import remission of any deadlie crime c. Since the institution of the sacrament of penance no man can forgiue deadlie sinne without confession of the partie and purpose to satisfie the iustice of God Here are three positions assumed without proofe alwaies denied of vs namelie the institution of the sacrament of penance the necessitie of Popish confession or of the purpose of satisfying the iustice of God which no man can satisfie in any part but onelie Christ hath fullie satisfied the same for vs and therefore it is open blasphemie to saie that God can not forgiue a man his sinnes except he be willinglie to suffer due correction therefore For Christ hath once suffered for vs and found eternall redemption That God requireth repentance in them that receiue forgiuenes of sinnes beeing of discretion that is such as heare the worde and beleeue it is not so to be vnderstood as though God were restrained of his power by the impenitencie of man but that God giueth repentance to all such as whose sinnes he forgiueth For except he conuert vs we cannot repent Therefore it is a presumptuous saying to affirme that god cannot because he is righteous forgiue a man without he be penitent For his righteousnes is thoroughlie satisfied in Christ before we were borne And if it be his pleasure to forgiue a man his sinnes he will also giue him repentance and faith to apprehend Christ to his iustification But the Pope who is not able to giue repentance is no more able to forgiue sinnes If this matter hang as you saie vpon the necessitie of the sacrament of penance and confession to a Priest neither of both those necessities beeing prooued it hangeth in the aire and is concluded without proofe Now if God onelie by the ministerie of
of must be forsaken which in lesser offences it is not possible altogether to auoide But while you make the sacrifice of the Masse c. to serue onelie for veniall sinnes you doe more dishonour to it then your aduersarie would haue thought you could But confession the great cousonage of the world is so precious for all your popish purposes that in respect of it you make light of all pointes of poperie beside That the popes pardons properlie pertaine to the remissiō of temporall paine due for mortal sinnes remitted before in the Sacrament of penance whereupon the full meaning of pardons is opened THE THIRD CHAP. ALLEN THe Popes holines then being disburdened by most iust meanes from all causes of enuie rising vpon the surmise or open sclaunder that he would forgiue mens sinnes euen before they were committed as though he should graunt further a licence for men to commit notorius crimes yea being prooued to be so farre from the fact that he taketh not vpon-him by his pardons so much as to release anie mortall sinne at all and therefore that he neuer arrogated so much vnto him selfe in these matters in respect of his iurisdiction onelie as is iustlie graunted to the simplest priest aliue that is lawfully ordered the case standing then before God and all the world so cleare with him let vs see what he claimeth by his iurisdictiō and in what sense his Pardons do remit or release anie thing to man seeing in matters of mortall sinne otherwise then by ioying with the sacrament of penance he doth not intermedle with remission at all ALLEN Truelie to be plain and briefe they that be the gouernours of Gods Church doe challenge nothing ells nor meane nothing ells by their Pardons but the release and pardoning of such punishment as is often due after the sinnes be remitted in the sacrament of Confession that is to saie they pardon the penance enioyned by the holie Ghostlie Father or that should haue bene enioyned by the rigour of their Canons and by the law according to the quantitie of the sinne confessed And what lesse can they beeing the appointed pastours of our soules and gouernours of the Church what lesse can they challenge then to forgiue that punishment or some part thereof which the lawes did prouide whereof they were the makers or executors themselues and consequentlie to remit such punishment as might ensue for the lacke of fullfilling thereof There is no temporall Prince but he may by his Princelie Perogatiue pardon any seuerall fault committed either against his owne person or the commonwealth that is to saie discharge the offendour of that paine which by the law he should suffer And why should we thinke it strange that those men to whome by expresse wordes of Christ more preheminence is giuen for their iurisdiction spirituall then to any Prince aliue is giuen by law or nature for their Regiment why should we thinke it strange that they should pardon or release the paines and penaltie appointed by the Ghostlie Father or prescribed by the law or due to the sinne it selfe by Gods iustice if there were no law for the case or order taken of the Church past FVLKE The Popes pardons beeing not onelie prostrate as common harlotts to euerie man that will paie for them but also his dispensations against the commaundement of God which are of the same nature with his pardons as readie to be solde wherebie he taketh vpon him to make periurie incest and many other horrible crimes lawful as in discharging subiects from their oth of obedience to their lawful princes in licensing the Vncle to marry his Neece yea the brother to marry his sister for Augustinus de Ancona excludeth no degree from his dispensatiō but the mariage of the parents with their owne children his execrable holines is not yet discharged from that shamful Antichristian tyranie which he is iustlie accused to vsurpe as also it hath beene shewed plainly that howsoeuer some Canonists haue restreined the force of his pardons from remitting of deadlie sinne yet are his pardons extant to be seene wherein he promiseth full remission of all sinnes In which if he delude men he is so much the more wicked to promise pardon of all sinnes and yet is not able to remit so much by his pardon as a Parish Priest may doe without his pardons Wherefore your impudencie is the greater to affirme so often they challenge nothing ells nor meane nothing ells but the release of penance or punishment due I haue before prooued both by the glosse of their law and by the verie wordes of their pardons that they challenge this authority to release not onelie the paine but also the saultes If they meane otherwise then they write and speake then are they detestable dissemblers But howsoeuer some Canonists to salue their matter of shrift haue expounded them to perteine onelie to the punishment due for sinnes remitted in the sacrament of penance yet their exposition can by no meanes stand with the wordes of many pardons But seeing you will needes haue it so let vs see what you saie to prooue it First you aske what lesse they beeing appointed pastours of our soules and gouernours of the Church can challenge then to forgiue the punishment which the law whereof they were makers or executors doth prouide To this we answere that we neither acknowledge them to be pastors or gouernours of gods church nor if they were to haue authoritie to make lawes to intangle mens consciences and then to streine them or loose them at their pleasures Christ gaue power to remit or retaine to binde or loosethe penitent or vnpenitent but not to binde the penitent to punishment whose sins are loosed and remitted The example of temporall Princes pardoning or releasing the punishment of transgressours will not serue For the pastours of the Church must doe that which Christ hath commaunded and no more which are so gouernours of the Church that they be not Lordes and Princes thereof but seruants of the Church and of Christ. But lest of all can any Pastour of our soules or gouernour of the Church release any punishment due to sinne it selfe by Gods iustice which none but God of his mercie can doe his iustice beeing before answered in Christ our Sauiour ALLEN And that it is the punishment onelie which they meane to pardon by their Indulgences it may be euident both by that we haue said before and also by the wordes of course in moste Indulgences in which lightlie you see this clause De poenitentijs iniunct is we assoile them from the penance of so many daies or yeares as may be seene planlie in the holie Councell of Lateran and in the decrees both of Innocentius the third and the fourth The sinne it selfe is not measurable by times and yeares for it is a simple and indiuisible act or affection of minde or man as our schooles speake in such matters and therefore a man can not be assoiled