of their aduersaries to impugne their Aduersaries withall there is no doubte but that it hath in it selfe exceding muche light and force of truth as a thing hauing so litle need of proofe that it may be made and taken for a probation of other matters that be doubtefull and vncertaine Practise of priesthod in remitting sin vsed for a grouÌ„d of faith in argumeÌ„t The matter which we haue now in hand is of that sort For the authoritie and power practised of Priests in the vertue of the holy Ghoste hath euer ben in it self both so plaine and so firme that the holy Fathers haue vsed it as a ground to proue against heretikes of Eunomius and Macedonius secte the Godhead of the holy Ghost the third person in Trinitie S. Bernard is to yong good man to name amongest these old fathers of our new Church els perdie with the vertuous his words souÌ„d ful sweetly Thus saith he to proue the equalitie of the holy Ghoste with the Father and Sonne Sicut in nobis interpellat pro nobis Serm. 1. Pentec it a in patre delicta donat cum ipso patre vt omnino scias quòd remissionem peccatoruÌ„ spiritus sanctus operatur Audi quod aliquando audierunt Apostoli Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis In English thus Like as in vs he maketh sure for vs so in the Father he pardoneth sinnes with the Father and that thou maist vnderstande that the holy Ghost worketh remissioÌ„ of sinnes heare that which the Apostles once heard receiue you the holy Ghost whose sinnes you doe forgeue thei are forgeuen Thus he And S. Ambrose his auncient to proue the holy Ghost to be God allegeth that he remitteth sinnes by the Priests ministerie which he could not in anie wise doe if he were not in al points equal and omnipoteÌ„t God with the Father and Sonne Let vs see saith he whether the holy Ghost doth pardon sinnes and he answereth himself thus Sed hinc dubitari non potest Lib. 3. de Spirit S. Cap. 19. cum ipse Dominus dixerit accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur ecce quia per spiritum sanctum peccata donantur homines autem in remissionem peccatoris ministerium suum exhibent non ius alicuius potestatis exercent It is thus much to say There can be no doubt hereof seing our Lord said receiue you the holy Ghost whose sinnes you doe forgeue they shal be forgeuen loke ye that by the holy Ghost sinnes be forgeuen men doe but exercise their seruice and ministerie and claime not the right of power and principalitie therein And S. Basill vppon this assured ground frameth in ful fourme against Eunomius this argument Lib. 5. Dominus sanctis Apostolis insufflans inquit accipite spiritum sanctum quorumcunque dimittetis peccata dimittentur eis si ergo nullius est peccata dimittere nisi solius Dei dimittit autem spiritus sanctus per Apostolos Deus ergo spiritus sanctus Our Lord breathing on the Apostles said take ye the holy Ghost for whose sinnes so euer you shal pardon they be pardoned therefore if it be the oÌ„ly property of God to forgeue sinnes and the holy Ghost so doth by the Apostles Ergo the holy Ghost is truelie God Thus you perceiue that the ground of this our faith and assertion was of olde accompted so sure that it was a singular aide and fortresse of faithe against the vnfaythfull attemptes of moste wicked persons in diuerse ages The onelie practise that Priestes did vse by the Sacramente of penance to pardonne sinnes was a full proofe that the holy Ghost was God by whose authoritie and propre power they did alwaies since Christes word was spoken remitte the same The which being true as it can not be false that is so agreeable both to scriptures and to all our Fathers faith the Heresie of our time must needs directly impugne the vertue and power of Gods own spirit For as the proofe of mans ministery in this foresaid function induceth the true and euerlasting Godhead of the holie Ghost by whom they practise that power so the denial thereof and robery of Priesthoode of this their moste iust claime doth directly spoile God of his honour and of the euerlasting right that he hath in remission of sinnes oÌ„temp of mans ministeri is conteÌ„pt of Gods authoritie So whiles these good men seeke to abase man vniustlie they blaspheame God highly and together with mans ministerie they bring vnto vtter contempte Gods owne authoritie But for the Readers case and more light of our cause I ioyne thus in argument with them againe vppon the second parte of Christes own woordes and action had in the authorising of his Apostles what soeuer the holie Ghost maye doe in this case by the proper power of his Godhead that maye the Apostles and priestes doo by seruice ministerie throughe the power of the holie Ghost but the holie Ghost properly rightly doth remitt sinnes therfore the Apostles doe rightly and truely remitt sinnes by their ministerie in the said holie Ghost All partes of this conclusion stande vppright and feare no falshod they be guarded on euery side by Christes action by woordes of scripture by the doctours plaine warrant and by al reason with all which whosoeuer is not contented but wil needes extinguere spiritum extinguish Goddes spirite 1. Thes 5. and violently take from the Church the greatest comfort of all mans life that in this infirmitie of our flesh standeth in moste hope by his gifte in remission of sinnes for which especiall cause the said spirite was mercifullie breathed vpon the Apostles peculiarly before the more common sending of the same from heauen aboue if al this reason and iust demonstration of trueth wil not serue them I wil chardge them with this graue coÌ„clusioÌ„ of S. Augustine vttered partly agaynst the Nouatians especially against the desperate that would not seeke for Gods mercie by the Churches ministerie in the sacrameÌ„t of penaunce To be brief I wil speake it in English Cap. â—3 Enchir. who so euer he be that beleueth not mans sinnes to be remitted in Goddes Church and therfore despiseth the bouÌ„tifullnes of God in so mightie a work if he in that obstinat mind coÌ„tinue til his liues end he is giltie of sinne against the holie Ghoste in which holy Ghost Châ—ist remitteth sinnes The power to remitte sinnes is further proued to be giuen to the Apostles by these woordes of Christ Whose sinnes you doo forgiue cet by the doctours exposition of the same and by conference of other woordes of scripture of the like sense The Fourh Chap. HOwe the priestes of Christes Churche haue defended their right and calling for remission of sinnes as wel by the commission that Christe firste receyued of his Father afterward bestowed vpon them as by the assured receiuing of the spirite of God from Christes blessed breath
sayd whose sinnes you doo forgiue they be forgiuen If our Aduersaries be ignorant of these thinges which be so common in schooles of diuinitie yet me think they shoulde remember that S. Paule did not dissalowe the authority nor power of preaching in such as were euil men Philip 1. and taught for emulatioÌ„ and not of sincere zeale of the Gospel and that Christ him selfe stopped not suche as caste oute diuelles in his name and therfore were not without the gifte of woorkinge miracles Matt. 7. thoughe he professed that many of them at the day of iudgment chalenging some right of heauen vpon that acte shoulde not be receiued to glorie and howe the gifte of prophecie was common in the olde testameÌ„t not onely to the wicked but to suche as willingly woulde deceiue the people Ioan. 11. And Caiphas he prophecied by the Spirite of God as by force of his office being yet in purpose to woorke wickednesse against Christ him selfe for whose trueth he then by force of the spirite prophecied But of the Sacramentes of Goddes Church euery one that they may be ministred beneficially to the receiuing in much wickednes of the giuer God vvorketh the good effect of sacrameÌ„tes euen by euill meÌ„ there is no man can be ignorant For it is a rule and a principle moste certen that God woorketh his will in them by the ministerie of men bee they neuer so euell For elles they were mannes sacramentes and not Gods And we coulde not be certen neither of oure Baptisme neither of right receauing of Christes bodie in the holy Sacrament of his aultar nor of any other spiritual benefite that we now by mannes ministery receiue in the Churche Muche comfort it were for all Christian people to haue suche gouernours ouer their soules and suche disposâ—rs of Goddes mysteries as woulde and coulde in all sinceritie and faithfulnes woorcke Goddes woorcke and that woulde alwayes vse the highe power giuen vnto them to edifie and neuer to destroye and that they so woulde doe 1. Petri 4. both S. Peter and S. Paule doe often exhorte them But neither the miserie of mans sinfull nature can suffer that nor oure wickednesse can deserue so muche Galat. 2. S. Peter him selfe was reprehensible in his gouernement therefore lette vs not marueile that other which be not of so full spirite as he was either may committe thinges worthy of reprehension amongest the good or subiecte to the malicious slaunder of the euill And surely for our matter being of suche importaunce Priestes had nede to be careful in their office priestes had neede most carefullie to studie how to practise so high a function which is so proper to Goddes owne iudgment and heauenly courte For thoughe by Christe they haue vndoubtedly recieued commission power in the vertue of the holy Ghost when they tooke holy orders to forgiue and remit sinnes yet cursed be they by Goddes owne mouth if they doe it eyther negligently because it is the worke of oure Lorde or with affectation of pride Pharisaical dominioÌ„ as though they were Lordes of the Sacramentes and Christian religion Ierom. in â—6 Matt. and not ministers or seruitours of Christe in his Churche Wherof it semed that S. Ierome in his dayes had some cause to coÌ„playne nothing reprouing their authoritie but correcting the abuse of their authoritie PenauÌ„ce in those dayes was giuen greater then the fault required or remissioÌ„ of sinnes was so hardly obteyned that it semed to S. Iereme that their austeritie grew to some spice of Pharisaical regiment Matt. 23. that woulde lay importable burdens on other mens neckes and not touche any at al them selues Whervpon he taketh occasion to aduertise them that euery power of remission and the office of absolutioÌ„ was properly Gods and theirs but by ministery And therfore that their mercy iudgement ought to be tryed and measured by his sentence and not his by theirs These thinges were to be admonished and reprehended then but now the disease lyeth on the other side and they offend rather in ouer muche lenitie For as both be contemned of the wicked so ther is almost amongst the good none left but loosing now a dayes when meÌ„ had rather be bouÌ„de in sinne theÌ„ bound in penance for sinne Therfore the office of binding and loosing requireth truely good knowledge much discretion zeale and stowtnesse in Goddes quarell For as it is most highe so surely it is moste harde and burdenous It pitieth my harte to see it so litle estemed but muche more that it should be lesse estemed throughe their ignorance or euil life to whome the keyes of remission be committed The keye of remission and reteining sinnes they had of God in their Orders but discretion knowledge vertue with other qualities mere for the exercise of that office they must by prayer and industrie obteyne lest whilest they profite other men to saluation they become reprobate them selues 1. Cor. 9. as S. Paule sayd of him selfe in case of preaching But in deede it is not so commendable for vs as the case standeth now nor so nedefull to prie into the priestes bosoms or to vewe their lackes in ministering of this sacrament of penaunce which if any be doo lightly redounde to their owne harmes and not so much to myne or to any other which vse their office to our owne saluatioÌ„ For though for councel and comfort and suche other respectes a discrete and learned man were rather to be wished for then a woorse yet being assured that the partie is called by Godes Church to the function and hath iurisdiction ordinary or graunted extraordinarilie by the appointment of lawfull superiours if by schisme and excommunication or otherwise he be not suspended from the practise of the sayd functions I neede nothing to doubt for his other lackes but muche more for myne own insufficiencie by default of iust examination of my conscience or lacke of contrition or some other like want in my selfe why the fruâ—te of the priestes absolution can not be surely deriued vnto me as elles if it were not my owne default it should by force of the sacrament vndoubtedly be For this I dare be bold to saye â—ack of the fruict of any sacrament ys for most in the râ—ceauer not in the minister that the lacke of the appointed fructe of any Sacramente aryseth a thousande tymes oftner by the vnworthynesse of the subiect and him that receiueth the Sacrament then vppon any lacke of the giuer and minister thereof and namely in this SacrameÌ„t of the Churches discipline it chanceth more often For as S. Basile saith Questione â—5 regul contract Potestas remittendi peccata non est absolutè data sed in recipientis obedientia in consensu cum eo qui animae ipsius curam gerit sitaest The power of remitting sinnes is not absolutely without condicion giuen but it standeth in the obedieÌ„ce of the penitent and in his agreement with him
and obedience to Gods ordinance by the warrante whereof they al as I haue proued chalenge al maner of interest in the gouernment of our soules Much more might be said out of diuerse holy Fathers muche out of the decrees as wel of Bishops as CouÌ„cels the authoritie whereof no ChristiaÌ„ Catholike did euer reiect In Lateran in Florence Can. 21. Tract de Sacra De Poen and in Trent Councels Penance is decreed to be a sacrament and of necessitie to al such as fal into deadly sinne after Baptisme The minister thereof by their holy determination is a Priest laufully ordered the remission of sinnes is in them al chalenged to be his right not only by declaration that God hath or will pardon them nor by the preaching of the Gospel nor any other waies newely deuised by the Diuel to delude Christes ordinaunce and misconstrue his plaine woordes But proprely is the Priest proued to be the minister vnder God of reconciliation and therefore may by his woords absolue men in the said sacrament of their sinnes as in Christes own steed whose honourable iudgement seat by his commission and the holy Ghostes assistaÌ„ce he doth laufully possesse And so surely doth Gods ministers hold this power and prehemineÌ„ce that no power or dignitie of man could euer be so wel warranted and approued by Gods owne woorde and practise of all ages and nations christened as this is The spiritual meÌ„ holde by more cleare euidence theÌ„ any temporall Prince All the Princes in earth though they reigne ful righteously can not yet shew the tenth part of the euidence that Gods Priests can doe for their title of remission of sinnes and it booteth not mee in this my base state to admonish them though I hartely wish thei would consider it that the contempte of spirituall iurisdiction and the dignitie of Priesthode falleth at length to the disobedience to all temporall power and wicked contempt of ciuile gouernment also The issue of heresy as in those disordered daies we may to our great grief behold when vnder pretence of religion and Gods woord wherof they haue no more respect surely then the Deuill him selfe hath they haue disobeyed not only Peters keyes but also Cesars sword Neither lette any man thinke that where the bands of conscience the awe of Gods maiesty the feare of Hell and damnation the hope of heauen and saluation is remoued that there can be any ciuile obedience long Feare of man is much flattery of man is more but bond of conscience passeth them both Thus therfore haue Gods Priests made accompt of their calling and long practised power of remitting and reteining the peoples offences Here it is proued that by the right of the Priest in remitting sinnes the duetie of all Christian people doth necessarilie rise for the confession of euerie of their mortal sinnes vnto him as the same is also proued by the doctrine of all holye Fathers of Christes Churche The tenth Chap. AND now I must aduertise my louing brethren of the necessary sequele hereof which to some I know semeth so hard and vnpleasant that the very consideration therof hath driuen many that haue not felt the sweetnesse of Gods Spirite by whiche euery of his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts be they neuer so rough in apparance are made easie and delectable to the feare misliking and lothsomnesse of the Sacramente of Penaunce Whiche as it is for other causes many much abhorred of the waÌ„tons lately departed out of the Church and of some worldly Catholiks to that be not so zelouse in folowing truth as they be disirouse to know truth Vvhy confessioÌ„ is couÌ„ted so burdenous to many so it is moste lothed and feared for that in it there is required a distinct simple sincere and plaine confession to be made of euery sinne that is knowen or suspected so be mortal vnto a Prieste whiche is the lauful minister of the same Sacrament with such diligent and exact examination of our consciences as a matter of such importaÌ„ce doth of reason require That is the great offence and staie that the weaklinges of Christes Church doe so earnestly respect and so long they shall be vexed and molested in mind with the sowre remembraunce thereof as they do not proue the swete gracious and incomparable effect ensuing most assuredly thereon Considerations to be had for remouiÌ„g the impediments of confession so long shal they stumble at so small a straw as they doe not feele the burden of sinne feare the paines of hel follow the quiet of conscience foresee the dreadful day of iudgement so long shal thei be bashful to submit them selues to one mans most close secreat meeke and merciful iudgement as they feare not the infinit shame open horrible confusion euerlasting rebuke before God Angel MaÌ„ and Diuel at the seat and sentence that shal be pronouÌ„ced in the face of al creatures which must fal to them that close vppe vnder couer and compasse of their conscience such a number of manifolde sinnes wherof in that day both accoÌ„pt and confession must be made to their vttermost confusion Finallie so long shal maÌ„s wil and corrupted nature disobey Gods ordinance herein as he earnestly and humbly seeketh not by praier at Christes handes the grace gift of obedience and repentaÌ„ce for as the fulfilling of euery of Gods commaundemeÌ„ts can not otherwise be had but by his special fauour so saith S. Augustin De fide ad PetruÌ„ Cap. 31. or as som think rather Fulgentius Firmissimè â—ene nullarenus duhites neminem his posse hominem poenitentiam agere nisi queÌ„ Deus illuminauerit gratuita sua miseratione conuertit Hold this for an assuraÌ„ce that no man can here do penance except he be illumined and conuerted theavnto by his singular mercy Neither doth this Doctour mean of any other way of repentaÌ„ce then is vsed for mortal sinnes after baptism in the sacrameÌ„t of the church putting there in a maner by expres words a doble sacrameÌ„t one for original sin that is in childreÌ„ only and that he calleth SacramentuÌ„ fidei the other â—or sinnes afterward coÌ„mitted whiche he termeth Poenitentiam Penance And let no man think the true repentaÌ„ce can be in any or effectual for the remission of sinnes if he followe not the appointed ordinance of God for remission of sinnes For I dare be bold to say that as since the time that our Sauiours words tooke place Nisi quis renatus fuerit Except a man be borne againe of vvater and the holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdom of heauen that since these words no maÌ„ can be saued â—bout Baptism so likewise since Christ spak these woords vvhose sinnes you doe forgeue they be forgeueÌ„ I dare say neuer maÌ„ was saued nor can be saued that either coÌ„teinneth or neglecteth coÌ„fession or earnestly seketh not for it if he fall in relapse of deadlie crimes after his baptisme I wil speak it plainlie because I woulde haue it thought on
neuer shame him a fore men woulde serue Mary the trueth is that the late libertie that his people was sette in through the disordered demeanoure of the foresaid Deacon made this conning shepherd and expert preacher so to vse his woordes as they might winne moste of the woorste and be least offence to the weake And therefore he speaketh so warelye and indifferentlie that sometimes he biddeth them confesse to God and yet with seuerall numberinge of euery of their sinnes otherwhiles in the verie same sermon he saieth atque oportebat maximè apud homines ea dicere aÌ„d yet they should be opened to men that so they might vnderstande his meaning and yet not be hable to reprehend his woordes Who were so weake as I sayd and so vsed to libertie by the looâ—ing of the lawe in Nectarius dayes that S. Chrysostom had muche a doe to make them submitte them selues and their sinnes to the pastours of their soules Wherin not onely his great obtestations in the beginning of his sermon but also his continual bearing on this string that they should not be confounded nor abashed to vtter their sinnes proueth plainly that his onely purpose was to bring theÌ„ to coÌ„fession and penaunce sacramentall doen by the priestes ministerie For there he chargeth them that they did not weepe nor lament nor confesse their sinnes which he coulde not doo rightly if those thinges were onely inwardly in cogitation and harte to be doen. For how coulde he know that they did not make confession to man as we now know that no heretike maketh confession neither lamenteth neither doth penaunce for his sinnes because they haue remoued the way of Goddes Church whereby suche thinges had wont to be doone And by which Christ hath appointed it to be doone Otherwise they will say they confesse them selfes dayly to God and so did S. Chrysostomes flocke I warrantyon but he compted that no sacramentall confessing excepte they did it to God by the priestes ministery which is the way of confession which God hath appoynted But who so euer list see the most assured and vndoubted meaning of this holy Father touching confession to a priest wheron I stand the longer because oure aduersaries would picke quarells with Goddes Church vpon certeine particles of his sentence let him reade the second and thirde booke of the dignitie of prieshod where he doth not onely attribute more dignitie to that order theÌ„ to any other creature vnder God but also maketh the priestes to be as well the iudges as surgeons of our soules as to whom the serching Lib. 2. de sacerdotio the cutting the burning the harde griping the opening or the closing of euerie of oure woundes and sores of conscience doth aperteine In all which cases he saith Qui igitur phramacum ei morbo adhibere quis possit cuius genus nequaquaÌ„ intelligat how should a man salue that sore the nature and kinde wherof he knoweth not and to know it without confession of the partie is not possible Epist 188 For the thinges within a maÌ„ none knoweth but the spirite whiche is in man And truely sayd the Countie Bonifacius to S. Augustine Ipse sibi denegat curam qui suam medico non publicat causam He hindereth his owne health that will not vtter his disease and the cause thereof to his Physition And further if you will be assured of the said ChrysostoÌ„s mind touching confession read his exposition vpoÌ„ the woordes of the institutioÌ„ of this sacrament super 20. Ioannis and of Christes breathing the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples for their power to remit sinnes Where he declareth that these holy thinges committed to the priestes charge doe properly apperteine to God by whose special graâ— we obteine remission euen then when the priest doth absolue vs where he also expresseth the verie maner of the Church in geuing absolution till this daye saing that the priest doth but as you would saye lende his voice and his hande Signifieng that the maner was then at it is yet to speake the woordes of absolution and laye the hande vpon the penitents head in the sacrament of penaunce So in sense saith S. Chrysostom But to leaue him and fall to other of great antiquitie and lerning whose iudgmentes also will proue not onely for the trueth of this doctrine but also which is much more for the vniformitie of this open Ceremonie which the Church of olde vsed and therefore in the like trueth of things yet kepeth DiuinoruÌ„ decret epist cap de poeni ten Theodoritus therefore a Greke author also doth playnly insinuate not onely the whole sacrameÌ„t but eueÌ„ this Ceremonie of layng on handes in the acte of absolution Sunt medicabilia saiht he etiam quae post baptismum fiunt vulnera medicabilia autem non vt olim per solam fidem data remissione sed per multas lachrymas fletus et ieiunium orationem laborem facti peccati quantitate moderatum Qui enim non siâ— affecti sunt eos nec admittere quidem didicimus nec diuina sunt manu impertienda Nolite inquit dare sanctum canibus nec margaritas porcis The woundes whith are made eueÌ„ after Baptisme be to be healed mary they caÌ„ not be remedied as before in Baptisme by remission obteined by onely faith Remedies for sinnes ofter baptism but they must now be cured by teares and weeping by fasting and praing and by penauÌ„ce measured after the quantitie and nature of the faulte For who so euer be not so qualified we haue not learned to receiue theÌ„ to grace neither be the holy giftes to be bestowed wpoÌ„ theÌ„ by oure haÌ„d Giue not saieth he holy things to dogges nor precious stones to swine Thus doth Theodoritus allude also to oure maner yet vsed in the sacrameÌ„t where remission is geueÌ„ by the priestes woord hand For which cause S Augustine calleth this sacrament of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ somtimes De baptis contra dona tistas li. 8. Cap. 20. Imposition of hande as he doth other sacramentes moe also where the priestes by this externall Ceremonie of laying on of handes vse to giue grace But to go forward in oure matter Quaest 288. regul contra S. Basill a Greke writer also doth euideÌ„ly shew both his meaning his Churches practise touching confession both ofteÌ„ els namely where he saith vpon the occasioÌ„ of a questioÌ„ moued touching the matter thus necessariuÌ„ est vt ijs fiat coÌ„fessio peccatoruÌ„ quibus dispeÌ„saâ—io mysterioruÌ„ Dei credita est Nam hoc pacto qui olim inter sanctos poeniteÌ„tiam egeruÌ„t fecisse reperiuÌ„tur It is necessarie saieth he that oure coÌ„fessioÌ„ shoulde be made to them to whome god hath credited the disposing aÌ„d bestowing of his holie mysteries For so the Saintes of old did penaunce as we reade And he allegeth more the penauÌ„ce was vsed special sorowfulnes for sinnes with som kind of coÌ„fessioÌ„ of sins in baptim how
what should we talke of other impedimentes where this comfortable motion is so great What comforte can be more theÌ„ to haue suche a frend who for that I ioyne with him yea euen my owne soule to his after the dearest maner and moste secret sorte must needes be to me as a ful staye in al doubtes of conscience a witnesse of my sorowfull harte an intercessour for my sinnes a suerty before God for my amending a minister in my reconciliation and one that vnder Christ as S. Clement also saieth shal both beare my sinnes vpon him selfe Clemens li. 2. coÌ„sti cap. 23. and take charge of me to saluation In which case me thinke surely man is after a sorte set in merueilous quietnesse and almost discharged euen of him selfe his owne custody whiles he giueth ouer his owne aduise iudgement and wholly hangeth in earth vpon him whome God hath appoynted to be his pastour and gouernoure of his soule Therfore good Reader cal vpon Christ for encrease of saith and beleue onely this ordinaunce of God was of infinite wisdome and high prouidence prouided for thy sake and it caÌ„ not be burdenous vnto thee Christ shal giue thee courage and hart to withstand the contrary temptations and so serue him though thou forsake thy selfe To vs therfore confusion of face for oure sinful life and to him honoure and glory euerlasting AMEN THE SECOND PARTE OF THE TREATISE concerning the Popes Pardons The authour by iuste causes was moued to beleue the trueth of this doctrine of PardoÌ„s before he knewe the meaning of them and afterwarde founde them to be of greater importaunce then he tooke them before to be The first Chapter OF the highe power of remission and pardoning of sinnes giuen by Christ to his onely spouse the Church in the persons of her holy Bishopes and priestes as a thing annexed to the whole order to be exercised in the sacrameÌ„t of penauÌ„ce vpon al men that be of their seuerall iurisdictions and humbly shall submitte themselues by confession of their faultes to their iudgementes I haue already spoken so muche as may suffice for the satisfiyng of the sober and iust reproufe of the contentious And now because as wel the course of my former matter as the speciall neede of these dayes driueth me therevnto I wil make further searche and trial of the right of that chalenge The argument of the treatise folovving which as wel the highe Prieste as other principall Pastours and Bishoppes make by the force of their prelacie and keye of iurisdiction ouer and aboue the power of orders touching Pardons IndulgeÌ„cies Wherof whiles I doo intreate the more attention hede I require of thee gentle Reader because here al the lamentable Tragedy and toile of this time first did begin and here haue al those that perished in the late contradiction of Core principally fallen And in no article of Christian faith euer more offence hath bene receiued of all sortes almost euen of the wise then in this one of the Popes pardons And to be plain in the matter Tvvo causes moued the Authour to thinkâ— pardons good where sincerity is most required two causes moued me to beleue like and allowe the sayde power of Pardons and indulgencies long before I either knew the coÌ„modity of them or had sought out the ground and meaning of them First was the Churches authority which I credited in al other articles long before I knewe any of them or coulde by reason or scripture mainteine them Whose iudgemente to folowe by my Christian professioÌ„ in al other pointes and to forsake in this one of the Popes PardoÌ„s had bene mere folly and a signe of phaÌ„tasticall choice of thinges indifferent which is the proper passion of heresy Neither did I theÌ„ know that the Church of Châ—iâ—â— had allowed such thinges because I had red the determination of any generall Councels or the Decrees of some chife gouernours of the sayde Church touching suche Pardons or because I had by histories and note of diuers ages seeÌ„ the practise of the faithfull people herein by whiche wayes her meaning of doubtfull thinges is most assuredly knowen but onely I deemed that the Church allowed them and misliked the contrary because such as bare the name of christiaÌ„ folke and catholike men did approue them and sometimes lamented the lacke of them A good rule for the vnlearned And surely for an vnlearned man I count it the briefest rule in the worlde to kepe him selfe both in faith and conuersatioÌ„ euer with that company which by the general and common callinge of the people be named Catholikes For that name kept S. Augustin him selfe in the trueth and trew Church Contra epistolam Manichaei quam vocant fundamenti cap. 4. muche more it may doe the simple sorte who is not hable to stande with an Heretique that will chaleÌ„ge the Church to him selfe by Sophistical reasons froÌ„ the ChristiaÌ„s that for lacke of learninge can not aunswer him Well this coÌ„pany of Catholikes brought me to knowe the Church my Creed caused me to beleue the Churche no lesse coÌ„cerning the Popes Pardons then any other arcicle of oure Christian professioÌ„ which though it were not of like weight yet it was to me of like trueth and al in like vnknowen at the time The second cause that moued me to reuerence the power of pardoning in the highe Bishope The secoÌ„d cause that moued the vvriter herof to beleue that pardoÌ„s vveâ— good and to like his Indulgencies was the very persons of them which first reproued the same In whoÌ„ because I saw the world to note wonder at other many most blasphemouse inexcusale heresies I verily deemed thoughe I was then for my age almost ignorant of al thinges that this opinion and impugnation of Pardons coulde neither be of God nor of good motion that first beganne in them and begatte suche a number of most wicked and contentious opinions as streight vpoÌ„ the costrolling of the Churches power herein did ensue not onely against Christes officers in earth but against his Saintes in heauen and against him selfe in the blessed Sacrament This extreme intollerable issue methought verely could haue no holy entrance therefore with the other named cause stayed me in the Churches faith euen theÌ„ wheÌ„ I had no feeling nor sense in the meaning of these matters But afterwarde reading the history of the pitiful fal of oure time and there considering the finister intent and occasion of the first improufe of Pardons al the straÌ„ge endeuours of Luther whose name is cursed to all good men who first in all mans memory sauing one wicleffe who was condemned in Constance Councel for the same was so bold onely vpon contentioÌ„ and couetousnes to condemne that which him self in coÌ„science knewe to be true and lawful I could not but muche be confirmed in my faith therby And yet al this while thoughe the matter of Pardons seemed to
me to be more and more sounde in it selfe and as true as the Spirite of God is true who was the authour thereof in the Church yet I did not then consider of it as a thing of any great importance but I conceiued it to be a smal matter subiect to a certayne iugling in reason such as wicked meÌ„ lightly make their closse crafty entrance by to more mischief and further attemptes against the commoÌ„ faith of the Church I could not then conceiue which I afterwarde so plainly and nowe more and more by the better suruiewe of the cause doe perceiue that in this one falshod there was couertlie conteined the very pith of falshod and improufe of the greatest matters which life and faith doe stand vpon Thou wouldest not thinke I dare say into what a summe abridgment The matter of pardons is of greater importaÌ„ce then it semeth heresy hath by the Deuils deuise and Luthers seruice drawen her selfe into For by this one false conclusion and for maintenance thereof this man and his posteritie haue taken away al penance satisfaction for sinne haue spoiled the Church of her iust and most necessary discipline haue controlled Gods own holy vsage in correction of his children haue entred into his secretes of the next world and there abandoned the place of his iustice and iudgement for sinnes that be remitted but not enough to his wisedome and will corrected haue robbed the holie Saintes of al their merites that is to saye Christe of his giftes and grace whereby onely they be so soueraigne and satisfactorie haue imbarred the body mysticall of Christ of the benefite which the whole euerie meÌ„ber thereof should receiue by the satisfactioÌ„ holy works of the coÌ„mon hed which is Christ haue brokeÌ„ the coÌ„munioÌ„ of Saints the swete felowship of all the holy meÌ„bers of Gods Church the benefite which riseth from eche to other by mutuall participation of their good woorkes desertes to be short haue by this one falshod preached against pardons done iniury to Christ to his Church to his Saintes to his Sacramentes haue myghtelie shaken the whole frame of Christian Religion and doctrine I do not here riot in woords to ouerrunne my aduersaryes in talke or to make more of the matter then it is but assuredly without the distruction of all these so necessary articles of our fayth there can no man defend Luthers doctrine agaynst Indulgences How Luter fumbled at the first about disgracing of pardoÌ„s I know he fumbled at the beginning otherwise then his felowes and folowers to disgrace the same sometimes by holding the pardons to be lawfull but not profitable other whiles to be deceites but yet inuented for holy purposes nowe by auouching they could not staÌ„de with Gods iustice if they should remit any parte of the apointed paine for sinnes and ells when that there was no paine for remitted sinnes at all wherevpon the indulgencies should not be needefull but vaine and friuolous with such other incoÌ„stant staÌ„mering as lightly is coÌ„mon to theÌ„ that seke to vphold falshod against their owne skill consciences But his folowers Hovv far other protestantes proceded synce as wel of the Protestants as ZuingliaÌ„s and Caluinistes to make the way of wickednes more easy playn haue boldly denied all penance teÌ„poral payn for sinne remitted whether it be by Christs or the Churches enioyning haue taken away Purgatorie haue bereued Priesthod of all power the Church of all her treasure of Christes copious abundaÌ„t redeÌ„ptioÌ„ WhervpoÌ„ I caÌ„ not otherwise iudge but the doctrin which ells caÌ„ not be refelled but by the waste of so many vndoubted articles should staÌ„d exceding fast be grouÌ„ded most surely vpoÌ„ all these foresaid truethes without the destructioÌ„ wherof it caÌ„ not be of any force ouerturned Therfore least any man by making smaller accompt of so litle a branche of the Churches faith then he should do fal further vnto the mistrusting of other many of knoweÌ„ importaÌ„ce I thought it good to debate the question of Iudulgencies which be now commonly called the Popes Pardons though not onely hee but also other Prelates of Christendome haue their seueral right eche one according to the measure of the Churches graunt and his iurisdiction therein In which matter because most men of smaller trauail haue erred rather by misconstruing the case and mistaking the state of the cause theÌ„ for any lacke of sufficient proufe of the matter after it were wel vnderstanded I wil studie first clearly to open the meaning of that whereon we stande and then to go through the whole question with as much light and breuitie as I can tempering my self as much as I may from al such subteltie as the depth of so grounded a conclusion and the learned disputatioÌ„s of Schoolmen might driue me vnto Wherein I am content rather to followe the desire contentation of the Reader then to satisfie my owne appetite which I feele in my selfe to be somwhat more greedie of matter sometimes then the common people whome I study moste to helpe can well beare and yet if they thinke it any vantage to know truth and the necessary doctrin of their faith they must learne to abide the orderlie methode and cumpasse of the cause and further I shal not charge them For the true meaning of Pardons and to remoue some vntrue surmises touching the same it is declared that the Pope neuer tooke vppon him by pardon to remitte deadlye sinne muche lesse to giue any man licence to sinne The second Chapter FOR the vnderstanding therefore of the tearme Pardon grace or indulgeÌ„ce vvhat they signifie Pardon or grace or Indulgence let it be considered the proprely they import not the remission of any deadly crime considered in them selues and as separated froÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t of penaunce nor yet signify any release of eternall damnation or euerlasting punishment which onely alwayes is remitted when the deadly sinne for which it was due is forgiuen For there can no power in earth be so greate nor any mans iurisdiction so ample that he may forgiue mortal offences since the institution of the Sacrament of penaunce except he vse the confession of the party with his contrition and sure intent neuer to coÌ„mitte the like againe yea and with purpose to satisfy the iustice of God by Christes grace as he may according to the enioyning of his iudge therein For God him selfe because he is righteous and true can not forgiue any man his sinnes either by this sacrament of penaunce or otherwise being of yeares time of discretion except he be penitent for the same that is to say except he be both contrite and at the least willing to coÌ„fesse his offences if it be after relapse and to suffer due correction therefore Deadly sinne afâ—er Baptisme can not ordinarily be pardoned bâ—t bâ— the Sâ—cra of penance And seing God caÌ„ not pardon any man of his deadly
for thaduantage of their vngodly assertion that Christ in his owne person as he is God and man should not be present in the sacrament Vide Ciril in Ioan lib. 4. Cap. 14. doe couertly blaspheme the blessed and highly sanctified flesh of our sauiour auouching it to be vnprofitable whereby they vnaduisedlie dishonour the dreedful incarnation of Christ and al the workes wrought by the meane of his flesh and bloud and ministerie of his manhode for the remissioÌ„ of our sinnes and purchasing saluation to his Churche Let vs therefore Christianly confesse with the Scripture with the Church of Christ that our Sauiour not onelie by power equall to his Father concerning his diuine nature but also by the sending and graunt of his Father and vnction of the holie Spirit being farre vnder them both in his humaine nature doth remitte sinnes Wherevppon it orderlie followeth that whoso euer denieth man to haue authority or that he maie haue power graunted him by God to forgeue sinnes he is highlie iniuriouse to our Sauiours owne person and the dispensation of his flesh and mysterie of his holie incarnation For though there be great diuersitie betwixt his state and others because in one person both God and man be perfectlie vnited in him and therfore much more prerogatiue might be and doubtlesse was geuen to his humanitie as to him that was both God and man in respecte of his baser nature then to anie other of his brethren being but mere men yet this is assuredlie to be beleeued that he whiche coulde without derogation to his Godhead communicate with the sonne of man and graunt him in consideration of his assumpted nature the rule and redemption of his people the gouernement of our soules the assoyling of our sinnes and to woorke all wonders in the power finger and force of the holie Ghoste the same God without all doubt through his Sonne and our Sauiour may at his pleasure without all vnseemelines or derogation to his eternal honour and so it shal be proued that he doth geue power to the gouernours of his Churche and houshoulde to pardonne and geue penance to iudge and rule the people in the right of our said Sauiour to the edifieng of his body and making perfect his Saincts Neither must we here make anie great accompt of such as shal obiect to the Priests of Gods Churche as the Scribes did vnto Christ himself when they saw him in expresse words absolue many of their sinnes conceiuing in their harts as it is recorded by S. Mathew in the history of the healing of the maÌ„ that had the paulsie Cap. 9. that Christ did iniurie to God and committed blasphemie in taking vpon him to remit mans offences whose malitiouse mindes and cogitations Christ did so reprehend that they might well perceiue by his sight of their inwarde secrets that he was very God who onelie by nature looketh into mans hart and therefore did thereby wel insinuate that they could not iustly reprehend his doing seing he was God in deed might as God pardon mans offences Yet that notwithstanding he stood not with them then vpon the right of his Godhead for the doing of this excellent functioÌ„ whiche in deed by nature and propretie is onely perteining to him but he gaue this reasoÌ„ of his doing that the Sonne of man had power to remitte sinnes in earth wherby me semeth wherein yet I submit my iudgemeÌ„t to the more learned that he plainly professed that by power receiued he might in respect of his manhod calling forgeue sinnes and that in earth as meaning thereby to institute an order and way how to remitte sinnes here in the worlde eyther by himselfe or by his ministers at whose sentence past in earth the penitent should be free by iudgemeÌ„t of God in heauen For so our Sauiour two or three times talking of maÌ„s ministery in the remission of sinnes termeth it loosing in earth and the contrary binding in earth Matt. 16. 18. as also he calleth Gods high senteÌ„ce in the same causes loosing and binding in heauen Neither doth the interpretation of S. Hilarie anie whit hinder my meaning In explaÌ„ Mat. Can. 18. who vpoÌ„ that place affirmeth Christ to haue remitted this mans sinnes by the might of his Godhead for it standeth wel that one worke should be wrought by the principal cause and yet by the office and ministery of some secondary cause appointed by the ordinaunce of God for the same vse as we see in Baptisme to the remission of the childes sinne both the might of God and the ministery of maÌ„ to concurre at once whereof we shall haue I trust better occasion to speake anon But to returne back to our cause when Christ had declared that the Son of man had in earth power to remitte sinnes he then by this farder proofe argument ouerturneth the whole cause of their disdaine inward murmur against him for the same whether is it more easy to saie thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saie to the incurable person take vp thy bed and walke I doe the one in al your sightes and he is cured at my woorde why then mistrust you the other It was no lesse the proprety of God alone Note to heal him sodainly of his corporal infirmitie that had ben desperatly sick so long then to forgeaue sinnes but the one power though by nature it was propre to him self yet be gaue it in the sight of you al to the Sonne of man in earth why theÌ„ mistruste yow but he might wel geue the other This reason proceding from the wisdome of Gods owne sonne shal helpe our fayth much towchinge this article and shal not a litte further the dignitie of the Apostles who also after their maisters example may prooue the force of their authoritie vpon mennes soules which can not be open to our bodily eyes by the apparaÌ„t power that their woordes shall be seen openly to woorke on mennes bodies especially if it be wel weighed that Christ wrought miracles aso not onely by the excellent dominion and force of his Godhead but also as S. Augustine proueth by the Spirite of God in respect of his manâ—ode De Trin. lib. 1. c. 11. In quo spiritu sancto saith he operatus â—st virtutes dicens Si ego in spiritu Dei eijcio â—aemonia certè superuemet in vos regnum Dei â—n the power of which holie ghost Christe wrought miracles according â—o his owne sayinge in these wordes â—f I expel out deuilles by the spirite â—f God then surely the kingdome of God will come on you The Iewes â—herefore seeing them selues thus ouercome in their vayn cogitations waxed affrayed and glorified God who gaue suche power to men For though no man euer had equall authoritie or like power to Christ who was both God maÌ„ yet of this plentiful spirite vnctioÌ„ many of his brethren haue through his ordinance receyued parte as shortly nowe it shal be proued
In the meane tyme arme thy selfe agaynste falshode wyth this approued and certen truth that not onely God by his passing prerogatiue maye forgiue sinnes but that he hath so souerainglye anoynted Christ our highe prieste and head that as he is man and occupieth the sayde functions in earth he maye remitte by the vertue of the holy Ghost oure offenses also Lette the prowde cogitations of men here attend that so highlie doe disdayne the ministery of mortall men in the remission of their sinnes lett theÌ„ controlle the wonderfull wisdome of God which would no otherwise salue the pityfull sores of our soules but by the seruile fourme of our owne nature ioyned merueilously in one person to the woorde and eternall Sonne of God the Father let them reprehende the vnsearchable secrete counsel of the holy Trinitie which beinge of power infinite to woorke their will in all creatures yet wolde not repayr the worlde nor remitte our sinnes any otherwise but by the seruice of the Sonne of man lette them mislike that flesh bloud and the soule of our blessed Sauiour beinge all creatures should ioyne wyth the onely almightie creatour of all thinges in the remission of our offences lette the presumptuose thus doe and lette vs humbly reuerence Goddes ordinance and gloryfie him in his Sonnes high calling in our kinde through whose singular prerogatiue we shall vndoubtedly finde excedinge power to the geuen to his body and brethren in earth to his moste deare spouse the Church Here it is declared by scripture that the same power of remittinge sinnes which God the father by coÌ„mission gaue vnto his soÌ„ne as he was maÌ„ was also by Christ bestowed on the Apostles after his resurrection The second Chapter IN what high reputation man hath euer bene wyth God his maker it is not miâ— purpose now to treat of neyther will I make anie tediouse talke though it be somwhat more neare the matter howe his estimation is encreased by the honourable and moste merueylous matchinge of Gods onely euerlasting SoÌ„ne wyth our nature and kinde wheerof whosoeuer hath any woorthy coÌ„sideration he shall nothing wonder I warraÌ„t him at the soueraingtye of such as be placed in the seate of iudgment and gouernement for the rule of that common welth whereof Christ is the head These thinges though they be well woorthie our labour and deepe remembrance and not very farre from our matter yet so wil I charge my selfe wyth continuance in my cause that I wil onely seeke out the dignitie of priesthood touchinge the right that the order claimeth in remission and reteining of mannes sinnes In al which cause I take this a grounde that our Maysters messenger stoode vpon when his disciples grudged that Christe had his folowers and practised Baptisme no lesse theÌ„ him selfe did which is That no maÌ„ can rightlie receyue any thinge that is not geueÌ„ him from aboue Iohan. 3. Therfore if it may be sufficiently declared that the order holdeth by good warrant this their preheminence of pardoninge or punishinge the peoples offences that by commission from him who wythout all controuersie is the Heade of the Church then the matter is good in it selfe and the contrarie must learne to leaue their contentions reasoninge and vniuste contempt of that order which is honoured by power and prerogatiue proceding from Christ Iesus And of two or three places in holy scripture perteininge to this purpose that shal be firste proposed which wyth moste force dryueth downe falsehood and moste properly perteynethe to the pithe and principall state of the cause whiche we haue in hande Thus then we finde of Christes wordes will and behauioure concerninge the commission graunted out to his holy Apostles for the remission and punishment of our sinnes in the xx chapiter of the gospell of S. I. where the Euangeliste thus reporteth Cap. 20. that Christe after his glorious resurrection came into a secret chamber where his disciples were togeother the doer beinge shutte for feare of the Iewes and there after he had geuen them as his custome was his peace blessinge and shewed him selfe to their infinite comforâ— yeâ—he was perfectly rysen agayn in the same body that so lately was buried he then streight afterwarde to make woorthye entrance to so highe a purpose gaue them his peace agayne in manner of a solemne benediction and there with sayd Sicut misit me parer ego mitto vos Euen as the Father hath sent me so I doe send you And when he had so spoken he breathed on them and sayd Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiserit is peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueritis retenta sunt Receyne yow the holy ghoste whose sinnes soeuer yow shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes youe shall retein they be reteyned This is the place lo in which the iudgement and rule of our soules wyth all authoritie in correcting our sinnes in moste expresse and effectual termes and in moste ample maner is geuen to the Apostles and their successours Christe him selfe dooth communicate vnto them the iurisdiction that he receiued of his Father he giueth them in a solemne ceremonie the same spirite of God by which in earth him selfe did remitte sinnes he maketh them an assured promise that whatsoeuer they pardoned or corrected in mans life the same shoulde stande in force before God What dignitie could euer be giuen more in what termes more plaine by what order more honourable for surely if either Christ could remitte sinnes as we haue at large proued that he could by the commission sending of his Father or if the holie spirite of God maye remitte sinnes or if Christes woorde may procure man any power to remitte sinnes then vndoubtedly may the Apostles remitte sinnes For they haue the expresse warrant of them all Much sayd Paule 2. Cor. 5. wheÌ„ he affirmed in the Apostles name and person of al Priestes Quòd Deus erat in Christo mundum reconcilians sibi posuit in nobis verbum reconciliationis Pro Christo ergo legatione fungimur That God was in Christ reconciling the worlde to him selfe and hath putte in vs the woord of reconcilement therfore our callinge is to serue as in Embasie in Christes own stead These wordes be of great weight excedingly set forth the vocation of the spiritual gouernours as of those that hold by the warrant of Goddes sending and thereby occupie Christes owne rowme Mary the place for all that apperteineth to their calling generallie as wel to preach as otherwise to guide the people of God in the behalfe of their Maister to whome we all be subiect but this present texte wherevpon we nowe treate doth properlie concerne the commission geuen to the Apostles for the sacrament of penaunce and remission of sinnes For it doth in most cleare and vndoured sense geue to them the like right in that case that Christ him selfe had by the sending of God the Father that is to saie the very same