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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93388	A treatise of the best kinde of confessors by which preists [sic] in England may see how they may be, and lay Catholiks see how they may chuse the best kinde of confessors / composed by the most reverend father in God, Richard, bishop of Chalcedon, pastor of the Catholike in England.	Smith, Richard, 1566-1655.	1651 (1651)	Wing S4159; ESTC R43753	38,066	146

How can they loue souls to the loss of their liues whome they account not their owne And the reason why God infuseth a speciall loue into a Pastour is because a Pastour must haue a speciall care ouer such as God committeth to his charge more then others need to haue which speciall care he cannot performe without a speciall loue and therefore as God giueth to Pastors a speciall care of his sheep so he giueth them a speciall loue of his sheep which speciall loue he giueth not vsually to others to whome he giueth no speciall care of his sheep For as God and nature doe not faile in things that are necessarie so nether doe they abound in things that are superfluous 4. Fourthly I proue that a good Pastor or proper Priest loueth more his Penitents then an other Priest doth because for the loue of God and of them he bindeth himself to assist them in what danger soeuer and for their sakes vndertaketh the greatest burdē that cābe which is to answer soul for soule for euerye one of them And therefor not onely doeth to them all the good which others doe but hindeth himself thereto which others doe not and as † Lib. de Similitudin S. Anselme sayth of them who not onely doe good but allso vow to doe it giueth not onely the fruit but also the tree Whereas other Confessors nether binde themselues to assist their Penitents nor will vndergoe that great burden of answering soul for soul For of Mendicants Rodriquez tom 1. q 35. art 5. writeth that they allwayes refused to put See Regulas Societatis parte 4. c. 2. §. 4. p. 119. the heauye burden of Curats vpon their shoulders And Bellarmin lib. 2. de Monachis c. 45. sayeth They doe not minister spirituall things of due but doe minister them to whom when and where they please without all binding of themselues thereto and therefor cannot aske releef of iustice or due but onely of charitye as they minister spirituall things not out of dutye but onely of charityc Thus he If any say that Pastors or Curats take that bond and burden vpon them for loue of their tithes or reuenews I answer that good Curats or Pastors of souls doe not and I speake of good Curats or such good Confessors as haue charge of souls and I compare them with such good Confessors as haue no charge of souls Secondly as it were against charitye to thinck that such as heare confessions without charge of souls doe it wholly or principally for loue of almes or reward so it were against charitye to thinck the like of good Curats Thirdly none in England who may haue charge of souls could vndertake that burden for loue of tithes or reuenew because there he can expect none And out of all which hath been sayd and proued in this Chapter it will easily appeare that if anye Catholicks in England be not willing to haue such Confessors as loue them more and binde themselues to farr more for their loue then others doe they are not so desirous of their own good and assuredness to be holpen in what need soeuer as in wisedome and in loue to themselues they ough to be and as they would be if it were in matter of their temporal state or temporal life For who would not haue a good corporal Physitian or Aduocat who would binde himself to assist him And if anye should not loue more such a Confessor as loueth him farr more then an other and vndertaketh the greatest bond of loue that can be in this world he should shew himself to be very vngratefull and would be ashamed to doe the like to anye kinde of freind in anye other matter whatsoeuer FIFTEENTH CHAPTER That it is better to confess to ones proper Priest then to an other because he is a more noble officer or minister of the Sacrament of Pennance 1. THe twelft proof that of it self it is better to confess to ones proper Priest who hath charge of their souls then to others I take from the greater excellencie of the office and this I proue first because Confessors with charge of souls were immediatly instituted by Christ Ioan. 20. where he sayth to his Apostles Take the holy Ghost whose sinns you shall remitt they shall be remitted which power with charge of souls doth remaine in Bishops their successors For as S. Thomas sayth 3. parte q. 67. art Bishops properly succeed the Apostics 2. Bishops succeed to the Apostles Sotus 4. d. 21. q. 1. art 4. By Gods law Bishops succeed the Apostles and the same he hath lib. 10. de Iure q. 1. art 4. Bellarmin lib. 1. de Clericis c. 13. Bishops properly succeed the Apostles And cap. 14. All Fathers doe constantly teach that Bishops succeed the Apostles And lib. 2. de Confirmatione c. 22. Bishops doe simply and absoluty succeed the Apostles The same sayth Stapleton controu 6. q. 3. art 3. Nether doth anye Catholick deny that Bishops succeed the Apostles in their power and authoritye of forgiuing sinns by Christs own institution But the difficultye may be of other inferior Priests who vnder Bishops haue charge of souls as Curats haue whether the office of such were immediatly instituted by Christ or no. But the office of Curats may be considered two wayes ether as an Office of Curats cōsidered two wayes office separately taken by it self or as a parte of Episcopall office and authoritye not including that which was extraordinarie in the Apostles and necessarye for the beginning or founding of Christs Church as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was but a parte of the spirit of Moyses And if the office or authoritye of Curats be thus considered it is immediatly of diuine institution as Episcopall authoritye is and as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was For it is of the same nature of which Episcopall authoritye though not so great as Episcopall authoritye is as Episcopall authoritye is of the same nature of which Apostolicall authoritye was though not so high and as the authoritye of the 70. Sen●ors was of the same nature with the authoritye of Moyses And if the office of Curats were but in this sorte immediatly instituted of Christ it would appeare to be farr nobler then is theirs who heare confessions without charge of souls For the office of those was neuer instituted immediatly by Christ either separatly by it self or in a whole whose parte thereof it is but is of a different nature because Christ neuer instituted an office to forgiue sinns without charge of souls 2. But indeed it is more probable that the office of Curats was it self instituted immediatly by Christ or by the Apostles at his command First because as Suarez confesseth tom 3. de relig l. 1. c. 17. n. 25. The office of Curats necessarye to the Church and it is euident The institution of Curats is necessarye to the good gouuerment of the Church and saluation of souls And Christ either

what kinde of Confessors are the best that both they may become the best kinde of Confessors and theise vse the best Thirdly because Diuines III. a S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 187. art 8. vsually compare the states of Curats and regulars without offence of anye of which comparison thus writeth Suarez tom 3. de relig lib. 1. c. 18. It is blameless if it be wisely and modestly handled and it be Comparison o' Confessors bess offensiue then the comparison of Curats and Regulars considered that the comparison is made not between their persons or descrts but between their sta●es and conditions or as S. Thomas speaketh the comparison is made for the kinde of the worke not for the charitie of the worker as Christ Luke ●● preferreth the contemplatiue life before the actiue And yet this comparison of Curats and Regulars is not made for the greater good of a third as we compare the sayd different Confessors for the greater good of the Penitents but meerly to shew which of their states is in it self better and perfecter If therefor this comparison of different kindes of Confessors be handled discreetly and modestly as it shall be of me it will be more blameles then that of Curats and Regulars Fourthly because IV. all sorts of Priests in Countryes that are not Catholik as England is not or in Countryes Where there is great scarcitye of Priests as in the Indyes are capable of both these functions of Confessors and some Regulars a S. Thom. 2. 2 q. 184. art 7. are euen in Catholik Countryes and where there is no scarcitie of Priests Confessors with charge of souls as others are withont such charge And if Regular Priests in England will vndertake the burden they may haue pastorall charge of their Penitents souls as well as others Fiftly because no man carefull of his health would be offended to haue shewed vnto him what kinde of Surgeon or Physitian to witt a Gallenist or Paracelsian is better for him and why should any Penitent carefull of the good of his soule take it ill that the like should be shewed to him of his spirituall Physitian who is his Confessor If therefor any take it ill that it be shewed what kinde of Confessor is the best for the glorie of God and good of souls he sheweth therereby that he is not desirous of the greater glory of God and greater spirituall profitt of souls of which I hope no good Priest or Catholik in England is guiltie Lastly because I being Pastor of the Catholiks in England as P. Vrban VIII in his Breue to me An. 1626. in expres termes calleth me ought to shew them al the best means I can for the good of their soules and in doing so none can be iustly offended for I doe but may dutie and what I am bound to doe And also though vnworthie I am one of those of whome our Sauiour said who heareth you heareth me who despiseth you despiseth me THIRD CHAPTER That it much importeth both Priests and Lay Catholiks to know which is the best kinde of Confessors 1. THat it greatly importeth Priests for to know which is the best kinde of Confessors is euident First because thereby they may know what kinde of Confessors are most pleasing to God doe merit more to themselues and do also more good to their Penitents Secondly because Priests are dispēsers of the mysteries of God and it importeth them to know who are the best dispensers of such great matters Thirdly because Confessors are spirituall Physitians of their Penitents and it much importeth Physitians both for themselues and for their Patients to be the most able to cure their Patients 2. That it also greatly importeth Penitents to know who are the best kinde of Confessors is likewise euident First because as is sayd Confessors are their spirituall Phisitians who must cure their spirituall diseases Secondly because the Church counseleth her children to chuse the best kinde of Confessor they can De Paenitent D. 1. c. 88. and d. 6. c. 1. where Nauarre in C. Placuit sayth The meaning of the Canon is to counsel that by what way soeuer a Penitent can iustly he should seek the best Priests See him there § Quod autem Thirdly because as is a foresayd the Church professeth that one of the best meanes she hath to keep men from vice and to driue them to vertue is Confession and surely the best meanes to the best Confession is the best kinde of Confessor as t●e best meanes to be cured is to gett the best Physitian FORTH CHAPTER That a Confessor who hath Pastorall charge of the souls of Penitents is better then one who hath no such charge proued by their different Institutors THe first proof that à Confessor who hath pastorall charge of souls is caeteris paribus better then one who hath no such charge I will take from their different Institutors For Christ himselfe immediatly instituted Confessors with pastorall charge of souls as is euident out of S. Iohn chapt 20. v. 23. where he sayth to his Apostles and in them to their successors Take the Holy Ghost whose sinns you shall remitt they are remitted and whose you shall retaine they are retained Now the Apostles were and their successors are Confessors with pastorall charge of souls But that Christ immediatly instituted Confessors without charge of souls we neither finde in scripture nor in Tradition but theise were instituted by the Church as S. Thomas teacheth in these words 22. q. 188. art 4. It was requisit that beside the ordinary Prelats others should be assumed to such offices Where he doth not say that Confessors without charge of souls were necessary but onely requisit nor that they were immediatly instituted by Christ as ordinary Prelats are but assumed to witt by the Church Secondly because Christ instituted no ●ther Confessors but the Apostles and the 72. Disciples but both theise doubtles had charge of soules And surely that kinde of Cōfessor is of himself and caeteris paribus better who is immediatly instituted by God and with whome God will more concurre then that kinde of Confessor who is not so instituted For it cannot be doubted but that he will more concurre with such kinde of Confessors as himself immediatly instituted thē with such as are instituted by others FIFTH CHAPTER That a Confessor with charge of soules is better then one without such charge proued by the different ends of their Institution THat a Confessor with charge of soules is of himself and caeteris paribus better then one without such charge I proue by the different ends for which they were instituted For Confessors with charge of souls were instituted for themselues as necessary officiers for the remission of mens sinns as is euident by Christs words cited in the former chapter For Christ hauing instituted the Sacrament of Pennance he must needes institute purposely officers for the administring thereof as were the Apostles and their Successors But Confessors

without charge of souls were not instituted purposely and for themselues but by accident and for some other cause to witt as S. Thomas a 2. 2. q. 188. art 4. sayeth in the place cited in the former chapter for the multitude of the faithfull and for the difficulty of finding sufficient persons for all people And the same say Albertus Magnus and S. Bonauenture cited by Dionysius Carthusianus in 4. d. 17. q. 6. and it is euident But doubtles those Confessors are of themselues and caeteris paribus better that is more for the glorie of God and good of souls who are instituted immediatly by God himself and purposely for themselues as proper ministers of the Sacrament of pennance then those who are instituted of the Church nor yett nether purposely for thēselues but for other occasions and if which occasions had not been would neuer haue been instituted as none such were instituted til about some foure hundred years agoe SIXT CHAPTER That a Confessor with charge of fouls is better then one without it proued by Gods binding to Confess to the one and not to the others 1. THe third proof that a Confessor with charge of the soule of his Penitents is better that is more for the glorie of God and good of souls then a Confessor without such charge I will take from that God bindeth to confess to the one and not to the other For that God hath commanded to confess our sinns to some kinde of Confessors I suppose as a point of Fayth And he hauing instituted Confessors with charge of souls and none without such charge as I shewed before his command must needs be vnderstood of Confessors with charge of souls and not of others For the Councel of Trent sess 14. c. 5. and all Catholicks doe inferre that because Christ instituted the Apostles and their successors Iudges of sinns for to remitt retain them therewithall he bound men to confess their sinns to them because they could not iudge of whar they knew not But he did not binde vs to confess to such as himself did not institute iudges of sinns And hereupon Sotus in 4. dist 18. q. 4. art 2. sayth The Canon of yeatly Confession to ones proper Priest who hath care of souls did but add the Gods cōmand to Confess to ones proper Priest yearly time to the diuine command And it would neuer haue restrained confession to a proper Priest vnless it had vnderstood that it was a diuine precept and allwayes obserued in the Church And he addeth ibidē That this restraint to cōfess to ones proper Priest is euāgelicall So plainly he sayeth that to confess to ones proper Priest who hath charge of soules is diuine and Euangelicall Bellarmin allso lib. 3. de Poenitent c. 13. ans●ering to this obiection of Caluin the obligation of Confession is but humain because it was made in the Councell of Lateran sayeth That the Councell did onely determin the time and if all that command of cōfessing to ones proper Priest be diuine beside the time then obligation if self to confess to ones Proper Priest is diuine And if it be a diuine precept to confess to ones proper Priest who hath charge of souls and not to confess to an other who hath not such charge of souls surely it is of itself better to confess to him then to anie other because in confessing to him we doe an act of obedience to Gods command which we doe not in confession to others to whomhe commandeth vs not to confess And obedience is so gratefull to God as he preferreth a 1. Reg●m c. 13. it before sacrifice And it were a maruell if anie who exhorte to obedience to man should dehorte from obediēce to God 2. If any obiect that if it be a diuine precept to confess to ones proper Priest that then it will follow that cuer more we must confess to him and neuer to others I answer that this will not follow because though God commandeth vs to cōfess to our proper Priests yet he fobiddeth not vs to confess to others when there is iust cause but it will follow that we must not confess to others without iust cause as diuines b Nauarre man teach For diuine affirmatiue precepts doe binde alwayes praelud 9. Sotus l. 10. de Iure 43. arr 1. Azon tom 2. lib. 7. c. 4. Gamach de Poe nit c. 18. but not for alwayes to witt when there is iust cause to the contrary And which is iust cause and where there is iust causs pertaineth to the Church to determine and to her determination we ought to stand she being the pillar and ground of truth and taught all truth by the Holy Ghost And that she had iust cause to dispense herein appeareth by the foresayd words of S. Thomas that the multitude of Penitents was too great for to confesse onely to their proper Priests and that it was hard to finde sufficient proper Priests for all places In which cases doubless the affirmatiue diuine precept of confessing to proper Priests who haue charge of the souls of their Penitents doth not binde SEVENTH CHAPTER That is better for Penitents to confess to Priests who haue charge of their souls then to thers proued by the ends for which God instituted Conf●ssion 1. THe fourth proof that it is better for the Penitent to consess to a Priest who hath charge of his soul then to others I take from the ends for which God instituted Confession of sinns For one especiall end for which he instituted Confession was that such as had charge of souls might therby better know the estate of the souls whereof they haue charge as corporalle Physitians know the estate of their Patients by their telling it and thereby might be the better able to help them And to this purpose it is sayd Prouerb 27. Diligently know the face of thy sheep whereupon S. Thomas opusc 18. c. 4. sayeth That belongeth A principall end of Confession is to be well knowne of the Pastor to care of souls which is sayd Prouerb 27. Diligently know the face of thy sheep which especially is done by hearing Conf●ssions And Sotus in 4. d. 18. q. 4. art 2. To Confess to ones proper priest is euangelicall and profitable to the souls of the people that the Pastor may know the sheep as Christ sayeth and be knowne by thē Ibid. Among the laws of feeding that is an especiall one which is exercised in the sacrament of pennance And d. 20. q. 1. art 5. Seing the greatest knowledge and iugement of the flock is gotten by sacramentall Confession in this sacrament especially it is not conuenient that it be free for euery one to goe to what Priest he will but that euery one be bound to his proper Priest so as he confess but to him or to another by his leaue And lib. 10. de Iure c. q. 3. art 1. It is the nature care and fidelity of a good Pastor that