Quem mortalia crimina post Baptismum commissa premunt hortor prius publica poenitentia satisfacere ita sacerâ—otis iudicio reconciliatum communioni sociari si vult non ad iudicium condemnationem sui Eucharistiam percipere sed secreta satisfactione solui mortalia crimina non negamus I exhorte euery man saieth this holy doctour that is burdened after his baptisme with mortall sinne to satisfie for the same by publike penaunce and to be reconciled by the priestes iudgement and to be restored to the communion of Sainctes if he meane to receiue the holy Sacrament not to his iudgement and condemnation And I deny not in this case but deadly sinnes may be remitted by secrette satisfaction Thus he By whose woordes you see in what a damnable state moste men now of dayes stand seeing that who so euer receiueth the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud besore he be reconciled by a priestes sentence and assoiled of his sinnes he doth receiue it to his euerlasting damnatioÌ„ Vnto whose iudgemeÌ„t I ioyne S. CypriaÌ„ in this same matter complaining very earnestly vpon certayne Conuersies in his dayes that would aduenture vpon Christes body and bloude Serm. de lapsis aute exomologesim factam criminis ante purgatam conscientiam sacrificio manu sacerdotis Besore their sinnes be confessed and their coÌ„sciences purged by sacrifice and the Priestes hande Al these thinges might be at large declared and confirmed further by the iudgemeÌ„t of most auncient Fathers but because I haue bene very long and enough already may seme to be sayde for suche as by reason wil be satisfied and a great deale more then any Protestant wil aunswer vnto and also the scriptures theÌ„ selues giuing the priest so plainl power of binding and reteining as weâ— as of remitting and loosing will doo more with these that haue charged them selues with the belief of nothing that is not in expresse writing of Gods woord then the vniforme consent of al ages and the moste notable persons in the same In respect of their humour therfore I wil not say much more for this pointe then I haue sayed onely my meaning now is for the Catholiques comforte to repete a fewe suche euident sentences out of most authentique authors by whom we may take a taste not onely of their meaninges which is much for the matter but especially of the Churches practise in al ages most couÌ„tries christened since the Apostles time which I accoÌ„pt the most surest way to touche and trye trueth by that by the example of al our forefathers euery man may willingly learne to submit him selfe to the senteÌ„ce of suche as God hath made the iudges of his soule and sinnes That confession hath euer bene vsed of al mortal sinnes in al couÌ„tries and ages since â—hristes time it is proued by the witnesse of moste learned fathers with an aunswer to suche thinges as oute of the fathers be sometimes obiected to the contrarie The eleuenth Chap. I am the longer in this approued trueth because I remember what S. Chrisostom saieth Dâ— sacerli 2. And I see by these dayes that it is very true which he writeth Multa arte opus esse vt qui laborant Christiani vltrò sibiipsis persuadeant sacerdotum curationibus sese submittere That it is a pointe of highe wisdom and conning to bring to passe that Christian men which are sicke in soule would persuade them selues to submitte in all causes them selues to the priestes curing For in deede in Nectarius his predecessours dayes ther was suche an offence arose to the simple sorte and such a Trageady in Constantinople Church by the noughty facte of a Deacon there An aunsvver to a certaine storie alleaged by the aduersaries against CoÌ„fession that their Bishoppe was gladde to make the state of penaunce whiche then was often publiste euen for priuate sinnes to be a great deale more free then before Whervppon the people tooke occasion of suche liberty and licentious life that when their common Penitenciarie by the commandement of Nectarius was remoued they were exceding loath to confesse or doo iuste Penaunce for their sinnes att all Thughe that good man condescending to the peoples weakenes ment neuer to take away that whole order wherein he had no authority because it is no politike prouision but Christes institution but onely that the penaunce should not be publike except the party listed of those sinnes which were to the saied Penitenciarie confessed in secrette Which facte of his thoughe perchaunce it was necessary for that tyme yet it was not allowed of the Writers of the same History Lib. 9. ca. 35 tripar histor as a thing sayeth Sozomenus that broughte muche dissolute life and alteration of the peoples manners in to the Churche Yet oure aduersaries are in such distresse for the maintenaunce of their contrary assertion against holie Confession that they be not ashamed to alleadge this mans doubtfull example Whiche if it were good and to be folowed yet made yt nothing against priuate shrifte which they call nowe auricular confession or if it did make againste the whole Sacrament euery way ministered yet it coulde not of reason be folowed being but one Bishoppes compelled acte and that disalowed euen of the reporters them selues and proued to be euel by the practise of all Churches christened to the contrary And sure it is that S. Chrysostome who succeded Nectarius had much a doo to bring the people made more licencious by the foresayd graunt to the distincte numbering of all their sinnes to the priest Sermon de paenit coÌ„fess againe which he knewe to be necessary by Christes institution and therefore in exhorting them to confession he speaketh much of bashfullnes which the people had in vttering their sinnes and of feare of vpbraiding of suche thinges as they had confessed to the priestes and of comming furth as it were to a publike stage to open their offences as the vse was in his predecessours dayes Of al which thinges and other impedimeÌ„tes of confession this doctor doth discharge the penitents by awarranting them that priuate confession which is made without witnesse and to him that shall no laye any thing confessed to theire chardge or open it to the worlde is enough thoughe the open order vsed before he counteth the more perfect and better wherin he saieth that Iob was not a shamed to confesse his faultes before the worlde muche lesse Christen men shoulde be abashed to open them selues to God not meaning so by confession made to God as thougâ—e he discharged them of opening their sinnes in the close consistorie of the priestes iudgment which he in deede did not but he meaneth Magister quaâ—to seÌ„tentiaruÌ„ as the Maister firste aunswered and other schole men of greate and exacte iudgement after him that in steede of publike confession made in the face of the Church secrette opening to the priest who occupieth there the seate of God and therefore would
sinnes which was giuen to the Apostles was not bestowed on thē in respect of their priuate persons but as they were publike officers and that therefore the like authoritie is common by Christes graunt to all priestes of Christes Church who in this matter are the Apostles successours The fifth Chap. IF I had here to doe onelie with the learned it were enough that is alreadie proued for the power and preeminence giuen to the Apostles in remission of sinnes thereupon to ground most assuredly the like right in the same cause to perteine to all Bishoppes and priestes of Christes Churche But we studie to helpe suche as can not by this so farre consider that the power giuen to his Apostles or to any of them is one eternall power not ceasing in their persons An ignorante reason of the simple manteined by heretiques agaynst priesthod but during in their succession to the worldes ende For I haue my selfe mette with many suthe as coulde be cōtent as they said to acknowledge vpon so playne scripture the singular priuilege giuen to the Apostles and therupon if thei might haue had av Apostle they would not haue sticked to haue made their confession and sute to him for the remission of theire sinnes but because I had not the like woordes of Christe spoken to all priestes particularlye they thought it was no reason that any such chaleng shoulde be made for thē nor any suche charge to be giuē to others to confesse their sinnes vnto them This simplicitie of the common sorte or rather this rude frowardnesse risinge vpon contempt and disobedience to Gods Churche is mainteyned euen of the more learned sorte who haue charged them selues in all behauiour to be so populare and so plausible that euen against knowen order of thinges they will draw backe from the light of trueth with the common rude and vnlearned reasons of the people For Iohn Caluin Caluin a man borne to seditiō the Churches calamitie mainteineth the madnesse of the multitude by this reason The Apostles saith he had the holy Ghost wherof our priestes haue no vvarrant But enquire of them whether they haue the holy Ghost if they sae yea demaunde of them further whether the holy Ghost maye erre if thei confesse that the holy Ghost can not erre then they proue them selues not to haue the holie Ghoste because it is well seen that they may erre and doe erre both in loosing binding manie otherwise then Goddes sentence will alowe But briefly to satisfie all sides in this case I shall declare the like power to be left by Christes meaning to all Bishopes priestes no lesse then to the Apostles them selues to whome Christ then presently spake that both the peoples lacke of vnderstanding may be corrected the false and craftie conueiance of their captaine may be to his shame and the Diuels plainely disclosed First this is playn that what so euer Christe after his resurrection or before did institute for the cōmoditie of the people weale of the whole Churche The povver geuen to the Apostles ceassed not by their death but cōtinueth still in the Church that did not decay in the persons of them to whome Christ presently spake the wordes for elles all sacramentes had ben ended and all gouernement ceassed at the death of them to whome in person the charge was first geuen by Christe For example Christ in his institutiō of the holy Sacrament of the aultar spake onely to his twelue and to those present persons he onely sayd presently hoc facite 1. Cor. 11. doe this yet in their persons the Church was so instructed and all priestes so authorized that the same some raigne worcke hath vpon that warrant ben truely practised of the Church and by vayne imitation folowed by thier Aduersaries euen till this daye And in deede the verie woordes of the institution did importe no lesse for it is sayde Mortem Domini annunciabitis donec veniat You shall sette forth Christes death till his comming whiche coulde not be if the ministerie had decayed with their persons to whome Christ spake So the charge both of preaching and baptising was geuen to a fewe chosen men then present but that all the worlde might perceiue that of his wisdom and carefull prouidence the charge and authoritie perteined to the gouernours of the Church for euer no lesse thē to them whom he then called to that function he added I wil be with you to the ende of the worlde Meaning that they should exercise that office in his name and assistance to the day of iudgment Math. vlt Which in theyr own persons was not true but in their successours And for this cause it is no doubt but what authoritie so euer Peter had alone aboue the residewe of his felowe Apostles that the same is by all reason to be deriued from him to al his successours and that caused Chrysostome to saye that Christe shedde his blood to winne the sheepe which he committed to Peter and his sucessours to feed where Christ in person presentlie spake but to Peter alone yet because he knewe the like gouernement was both necessary after Peters death as well as in his time and no lesse by Christes appointment to be continued in the Church after as before the Doctours doubted not to enlarge Christes woorde vttered to Peter alone to all them that succeeded in the same roome Vpon these most strong groūds euerie man plainly may argue the like power yet to be in the Churche of God in euery case euen as Christ did institute at the beginning Reasons for the continuance of the ministerie of Priests when he gaue the Charge to the Apostles first For looke what forme of gouernement and order of the Churche was thought vnto his wisdome to be best then the same must needs be best now I speake for the substance of things for by diuersities of time and person some alteration may rise in the circumstances therfore if it were good at that time that one should be the general Vicare of Christ and pastour of al the sheepe for which he shed his blessed bloud it is good yet also if some had authoritie then to consecrate Christes bodie some haue the same power till this time if some then must needes baptise and preache other some must nowe also doe the same finallie if certaine then had commission by Christe and the holie Ghoste geuen them to remitte sinnes and therewith power by his woorde both to pardon and punnish to bind and to loose it must by force of the foresaid argument necessarily be induced that some at this daie must haue the like office For els Christ could not continue the same power and offices in the Churche which he for the Churches sake did first institute and which he compted of his heauenlie wisdome moste necessarie for the Churches gouernment Christ mainteineth all the functions by him instituted euē til this da◠in his Church But
A TREATISE MADE IN DEFENCE of the lauful power and authoritie of Prâ—esthod to remitte sinnes Of the peoples duetie for confession of their sinnes to Gods ministers And of the Churches meaning concerning Indulgences commonlie called the Popes PardoÌ„s By William Allen M. of Arte and Student in Diuinitie Iudae 1. Vae illis qui perierunt in contradictione Core Wo be vnto them that perished in the disobedience and contradictioÌ„ of Cores LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno D. 1567. To the Christian Reader I haue bene asked earnestly at sundry times aÌ„d places as most meÌ„ now a dayes be either studious to know or curious to controlle whether a priest beâ—ng but a mortall man myght withoute derogation to Gods soueraigntye and wythout hygh presumption take vpon him to remitte sinnes theÌ„ whether there â—e any necessitie to coÌ„fesse and distinctly vtter al secrette greuous crymes as well of dede as woorde and wyll vnto hym that should be proued to haue power to remitte synnes And lastly whether ther were any good meanyng or sufficient grounde in Scriptures Councelles Doctours or reason of the vsual Indulgences that be limited by remission of yeres and dayes Therefore fully to satisfie suche as moued me first herein to whom I am for â—ust causes merueilously muche beholden and to helpe other whome by the law of ChristiaÌ„ love in suche cases I wil charge my selfe continuallye to serve I haue put in writing the Catholik Churches meaning touching the same maters and made it my laste Lentes woorke I haue not do on it in deed so brieflye aâ— was required at my handes because I caÌ„not with safty froÌ„ the Aduersaries of truth coÌ„ueygh my selfe in so lytle room wheâ— the cause is so large and yet thoughe iâ— seme long perchance it shal not seme tediouse because I haue not only diuided iâ— into chapters where the readers at euery turnynge and ioynt of the cause may rest them selues but also seuered the treatise of pardons from the rest that who so euer doubt not of the other articles before may if they liste reade it alone thoughe for the better vnderstanding of euery peece the wholl myght more profytably be perused to gether whereby the necessary sequele and dependeÌ„ce of truthe may fully be seen as in the sleight coursinge ouer matters it can not wel bâ— doen. Fare well Gentle reader and submitte thy iudgement to the Catholike Churche as most humbly in all poynts I doe myne Faultes in the printing Page Line Fault Correction  19. 20. to the geuen to be geuen put out and in the next line 71. 21. Grerie Gregorie 75. 12. cafes cases 170. 12. none these none of these 174. 16. vvhen vvas vvhen any vvas  175. 11. forgeuen is forgeuenesse  214. 5. publist publik  221. 3. gra grace  266. 9. in this base in this case  295. 13. he vva he vvas  Margent 48. ontempt Contempt REgiae Maiestatis Priuilegio concessum est Guilielmo Alano Anglo Magistro ArtiuÌ„ vt librum inscriptuÌ„ A necessary Doctrine of the office of a Priest c. Per Typographum aliquem iuratum imprimere ac impunè distrahere liceat Datum Bruxellis 26. April 1567. Subsig Prats THE PREFACE CONTEININGE A iuste complaint of the disobedieÌ„ce that now is towardes the spiritual gouernours and of the pitiful lacke of suche necessarie reliefe of our soules as by them wee shoulde haue with the argument of the treatise folowinge BEcause the vniust clayme chaleÌ„ge of any power not geuen doth highly displease God froÌ„ whoÌ„ only al preheminence of maÌ„ procedeth no doubt al priestes and Bishopes who haue so loÌ„g practised pardoning and punishing of sin if they hold not the right of that excelleÌ„t function by Gods own graunt they haue buyld this many hundreth yeares towardes hel can neither auoyde the heauy indignation of God in whose office and prerogatiue they haue vniustly intermedled not yet marueile at their disdayne amoÌ„gest men seing it is sayd Eccl. 20. that the vsurper of power is woorthely hated Qui potestateÌ„ sibi â—umitiniustè odietur But if that most high holy order do by good right reason by the son of God Christ Iesus his own warraÌ„t special coÌ„mission occupy the seate of iudgemeÌ„t erected in the Church for the gouermeÌ„t of our souls neadful search of our secret sins theÌ„ it staÌ„deth lameÌ„tably with the disobedient captayns of this coÌ„teÌ„pt through whose coÌ„tinual call to seditioÌ„ so many haue beÌ„ caried away froÌ„ that obeysaÌ„ce that is due to the soueraing power geueÌ„ to gods aÌ„noited They remember well such is theyr exercise in the woord how the disdayne of Moyses Aarons prelacy ouer the people that theÌ„ God chose to be his peculiar moued his maiestie to so great indignatioÌ„ that he droue downe Core al his coÌ„federacie to the depth of hel both bodie soule theÌ„ selues a lyue al the people looking on their fal so fearful The example had beÌ„ of lesse respect if his heuy hand had stayed vpoÌ„ the principal of that prowde sort but it did not for ther perished by straunge fire of the accessaries to that Schisme two hundreth fiftie moe And the grudge alas of the people not ceassing so God sent fier froÌ„ heaueÌ„ wasted xiiij m. vij c. of theÌ„ at oÌ„ce And al this saith Moyses Vt sciatis quia blasphemauerint Dominum that you may be well assured Iosepus saith that DathaÌ„ aÌ„d Abyron perished at the openinge of the earth aÌ„d Cores by the fier aftervvard amongst those that offered incense Lib. 4. c. 2 Antiq. that they blasphemed oure Lord God So nere dooth the coÌ„tempt of Goddes ministers touche his owne person that in disdaine of the one there is accompt made of most horrible blasphemy of the other This Cores as Ioâ—ephus writeth was a man that had a cast in talke to please the people as the seditious often haue and this was a great flowre of his perswasioÌ„ of the people to seditioÌ„ disobedieÌ„ce as holy writ reporteth Cur eleuamini sup populuÌ„ Domini It is sufficcieÌ„t for our purpose that the whol multitude is sanctified and the Lord is in theÌ„ why do you exalt your selues aboue the people of God Thus said the seditious against Gods priestes theÌ„ now truly both the people the preacher do pipe Cores note of our eleuamini in euery play pulpit neuer hauing in mind their lameÌ„table fal whose steppes they like so wel to folowe Mary I caÌ„ not tel wel whether the cases be coÌ„parable though I nothing doubt but oures is much woorse De sacer lib. â— For. S. Chrysostome sayth that the disobedieÌ„ce of Dathon and the rest of that confederacie rose rather vpon the affectation of so high a function wyth admiration of their dignitie then vpon any contempt of that power in which the priestes of God were placed but the dishonoure and the derogation that now is doen to the much
more excellent office standeth vpon vnfaythfulnes mistrust of Gods promisse loue of sinne liking of libertie lothsommes of truth and vnmyndfulnes of saluation In which case though neyther the heauens yeld fier for ther present punishment nor the earth open for theyr spedie passage to eternal payne yet the perpetuall fight whiche they kepe agaynst Gods ordinance there disordered life and disobedience there darknesse of vnderstanding in such light of approued trueth and the continuall course of the Church whiche in marueylouse myserie they doo willingly susteyn doth me thinke fully resemble the lamentable state of the damned and forsakeÌ„ sorte and therefore beinge yet a lyue in good lykinge and lybertie I feare they wyttingly willullie perishe And yet I am not so voyd of al hope of their recouery that I would refuse to conferre wyth them touching that authoritie of remissioÌ„ of sinnes or other preheminence which the Priestes of Christes Church doo clayme and they so earnestlie controll Though the rather I would doo it for the helpe of the more huÌ„ble sorte which in these dayes of disobedience be rather dryuen out of the way by force of the common teÌ„pest then by malice or misbehauiour towardes the ministerie whom in Christes name I must aduertise to coÌ„sider carefully in what doubt and daunger they and all ther dearest doo stande in this pitifull vacation and long lacke of the practise of priesthoode for the remission of their sinnes other nedeful succour of ther soules For if Christ CoÌ„tempt of mans ministeri for remission of synnes bringeth daÌ„natioÌ„ by whose bloud we obteyne pardon of our offences haue by his ordinance made man the minister of our recoÌ„ciliation to God the bestower of his mercy in remission of sinnes then doubtlesse who so euer neglecteth to walke the knowen waye of saluation and refuseth the ordinarie meanes of mercye whiche Christe meaneth to be applied to oure vse none otherwise but by the office of mortall men he lyueth in sinne perpetually he dieth in sinne wythout hope of recouerie for sinne wythout doubt shall perish euerlastingly Therefore the matter of so great importance standing on so doubtfull termes it were no wisdome to sleepe so soundly in suche present peril nor to continue wythout care and singular respect of most dredful state In which if we passe our dayes wthout hope or possibilitie of Goddes mercie by cause we refuse mans ministery then all our life and studies all our paynes or pleasures all our woorkes and wayes do nothinge ells but driue vs in disobedience to extreme death and desperation I make the more matter hereof for that not onely such as be ledde into folye and falshode by the perswasioÌ„ of some to whose teachinge and lykinge they haue vnaduisedly addicted them selues but also diuerse euen of the faythfull that be not fallen thankes be geauen to God so farre as to contemne the Churche and Christes appoynted ordinance are not yet so touched as in such case of extreme miserie Christen men should be Heresy â—nfecteth daungerously eueÌ„ vvher she Killeth not For heresie is such a creeping and contagiouse canker that albeit she vtterlie through mercy and Goddes grace kill not all yet she dulleth the conscience dryeth vppe the zeale and enfecteth the mindes of most The lyke lacke of Christian comforte hath bene often ells amongest the people in suche stormes of the Churche but so lytle care and consideration thereof I doo not lightly remember In the persecution of the Vandalles and Arian Gothes in Affrike the people of God were seuered from they re pastours and thereby wanted succoure of their soules as we nowe doo but therof they conceiued such greif heauines that it is surely lamentable to remember Li. 2. de persecut Vandal The story is recorded by Victor the woordes of the sorowfull people vttered in the waies as their holy Bishopes did passe towardes theire banishment be reported thus A meruailous preasse of faithful people that the highe wayes coulde not receiue came downe the hills with tapers in their handes and laid their deare children at the Martyrs feet so they termed the witnesses of Goddes truth then and pitifully complayned thus The sorovve of the Christian people for their Bishopes bannishment Alas too whom doo you leaue vs so desolate whiles your selfes goe to the croune of martyrdome who shal nowe baptise these poore babes in the fountes of liuely water who shall loose vs tied in the bandes of our offencâ—es by pardon and reconciliation who shal prescribe to vs the due of penaunce for our sins past For to you it was surely said what so euer you loose in earth it shal likewise be loosed in heauen Such you see was the carefulnes of the people thaÌ„ in that litle lack of so necessary a thing where now in so long desolatioÌ„ of most holy thinges and our greatest comfort fewe there be that take any greif of so much miserie at al and that hartely lament the case almost none If we assuredly beleeued as it is surely true that al whiâ—h passe this present life in the boÌ„ds of mortal sin should euerlastingly perishe without al hope of mercy and theÌ„ to be vndoubtedly bound in theire offences whom the priestes of the holy Church had not loosed in this life excepting only the case of extrem necessity where by no means possible mans ministery can be obteined then truly besides the feare of our owne dangerous state our hartes would bleed for pity compassion of so many that depart this present world in the det of eternal damnation not only of our ChristiaÌ„ brethreÌ„ commonly but of our deerest and best beloued peculiarly It is not my timerous conscience nor scrupulous cogitation that rayseth this feare but it is the graue sentence of Goddes ordinance it is S. Augustines owne iudgemeÌ„t that moueth me of pitie to moue of duetie to admonish my brethreÌ„ friendes of a thing that perteineth to them all so neare S. Augustin coÌ„ceiuing the manifold miseries of the ChristiaÌ„ people in thabsence of their true Pastours in times of persecutioÌ„ doth liuely set furth the godly endeuors of faithful folks in these words Doe we not coÌ„sider wheÌ„ the matter is brought to such aÌ„ extreme ishue wher it can not be by flight auoyded what a woÌ„derful cuÌ„curse of christiaÌ„ meÌ„ of euery kind state age is vnto the Church wher som cry out for baptim some for recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ or absolutioÌ„ for so I interprete ipsius poenitentiae actioneÌ„ which also may meane a request to haue penaÌ„ce apointed of the priest and al generally cal for coÌ„fort coÌ„fession and bestowing of the holy sacrameÌ„ts In which extremitie if ther lack such as should minister these thinges vnto theÌ„ QuantuÌ„ exitiuÌ„ sequetur eos ê™ de isto seculo vel noÌ„ regenerati exeuÌ„t vel ligati quaÌ„tus estetiaÌ„ luctus fideliuÌ„ suoruÌ„ ê™ eos secuÌ„ in vitae aeternae requie noÌ„ habebuÌ„t What vtter destructioÌ„ shall
fal on theÌ„ that must passe this life either not christened or elles fast bounde in sinne And what passing sorowe will it be for their faithfull frendes Of olde the pastours did in times of heresy ofteÌ„ for a sake their flock but novve the floâ—k hath forâ—aken their pastours which shal not haue their company in eternal rest and ioy Thus far sayd he for proof that the Pastoures should not forsake their flock thus say we nowe where the flocke haue forsaken their pastours the lacke is lyke in both But ours is so much woorse because it was procuted willingly theirs the more of excusable because it was both born necessity lamented christianly Neither may we think our selues here much to be relieued by them that pretend the like practise of such thinges as nowe we lack Note For the euer augmented the sorow 〈◊〉 iust dolour of the faithful Much it is God knoweth to want their Pastours priestes so dear with them for most part all the due of Christianity but to susteine in stead therof a kind of apishe imitation of such holy functions which in deed by what pretence of holynes so euer it be vsed is alwayes hath bene accompted most detestable that is the great calamity which wasteth most in al tempesteous times of Gods religioÌ„ For the only vse acquaintance familiarity of this false face or resemblance of trueth holy actions of the Church driueth many into a kind of conteÌ„tacioÌ„ rest in such things as theÌ„selues other wise do abhor or at least turneth away their earnest appetite desire of those matters Ther is no necessitie that should driue any man to take any sacrameÌ„t at an he retikes hande sauing only tâ—e sacraments of baptisme and penaunce and that not vvithoute necessitie vhhich only is in present peril of death which no maÌ„ caÌ„ without peril of damnation misse It is not yet ment hereby that euery sacrament is frustrat alwayes that be by such made or ministred although for moste they be so profaned that they be not onely nothing beneficial but also damnable both to the geuer receiuer but my meaning is that eueÌ„ those sacrameÌ„ts which be of necessity that by Gods special mercy thei may be receiued of such as be not otherwise coÌ„petent ministers where the present peril of any mans life forceth therevnto that eueÌ„ then wheÌ„ they may be beneficiall to other that without schism cal for the sacrameÌ„ts yet they shal be daÌ„nable vnto theÌ„selues For hereof let euery maÌ„ be bold that taketh vpoÌ„ him any ministery in scism disorder that so ofteÌ„ as he hath practised it so often hath he prouoked Gods ire towardes himself procured as much â—s in him lyeth his indignation to al ytâ—re partakers therof S. Basil the great â—omplaineth hereof very much in his â—ayes by these wordes Epist 70. in the doctrine of impiety aÌ„d wickednes the churches babes be now brought vp For how caÌ„â—t be otherwise Baptisme is ministered â—y heretikes they helpe forth such as passe hence they kepe visitation of the sicke they haue comfortinge of the soâ—owful they take on them the ease of such as be burdeyned in all cases and to be short The hurt of heresie to youth they minister the mysteries of holy communioÌ„ so that in time though the libertie of Christes religioÌ„ be restored againe the youth shal take such likinge in heretikes practises to whom by loue and custome they are so fast knit that it will be hard to reduce theÌ„ home to truth againe Thus farre spake S. Basil of his dayes and right good cause haue we no lesse to coÌ„playne of ours They were thaÌ„ incumbred with Arians and we with a legioÌ„ of newe deuises and bold practisioners of such high heaueÌ„ly functioÌ„s as neither by God nor maÌ„ they are rightly orderly called vnto The benefit that vve receiue by our nevv ministers By these nowe only our soules seme to liue but by these alone we surely dye euerlastingly In al which great desolation of Christian coÌ„fort all spiritual functioÌ„s this were some solace if eyther the older sort could coÌ„sider what they haue lost or the poore children which are nurced in these novelties might learne what they lacked The Author intent in this bookâ— My meaninge is therfore to moue al partyes to the necessary care heed of the matter by the treatise folowing trusting that some one or other of my good brethren who all be to me most deare will awake at my earnest call and consider of the matter deapely howe it fareth wyth him and other touchinge theyr soules since the sacrament of penance hath bene banished and the priesthood of Gods Church spoyled of iuridictioÌ„ right in remission of sins to help him in so necessarie fructeful aduise of him selfâ— other whoÌ„ in such cases I meane always to serue I wil seek out the grouÌ„d of this authority that hath bene so longe practised of the priest honoured of the people to the singular glory of God the notorious encrease of vertue weale publik of the whole Christian world that both the good catholike may haue reasonable prouf of the which to his immortal weal he hath so loÌ„g both loued reuereÌ„ced in Christes ministers also the coÌ„teÌ„ners of so heaueÌ„ly power may learne in huÌ„blenes of hart to like feare that excelleÌ„t functioÌ„ which by pride they did before vnaduisedly disproue If it may please any man that is doubtful of this article which is so necessari to be knoweÌ„ to consider giue good atteÌ„dance to the whole course of my talk I promise him as afore God who wil sharpli iudge al sinister endeuours in causes of his honour that I wil deal sincerly in al poynts faythfully I wil not couer my selfe nor the light of the cause in cloud of words neither by any artificial sleight as new doctours now a daies ofteÌ„ doo circuÌ„ueÌ„t the sense of him that is most simple such indiffereÌ„cy shal be vsed euery where in trial of the truth that I wil seme for his sak to doubt of the matter my selfe Though in deede so God saue me in my commoÌ„ sense so god speare me for my sinnes I can neuer mistrust any poynt of that fayth in which I was newe borne and baptised But that notwith standing I wil not spare to rippe vppe that which men most reproue in Goddes Church and ministers that all the disobedient children may see howe free they be froÌ„ falshood farre froÌ„ the beguiling the flock of Christe to them coÌ„mited to kepe we will cal the high magistrates though yt be exceding vnsemely for subiectes to accoÌ„pt of their gouernmeÌ„t the principall pastour must giue a reason of his pardons awnswer for the limitatioÌ„ of his indulgences by yeares dayes and tymes both he and all other Bishops shal be accomptable for such graue censures exercised vpoÌ„ mens soules wyth them
all inferiours priestes must be posed for searchinge the secretes of our coÌ„sciences for releassing maÌ„s misdedes eÌ„ioyning penance requiring satisfactioÌ„ for syns Thus bold wil we be with trueth the rather therby to deface falshod And al this in that order that may in lest roome conteyne most matter wyth both breuity light so much as so depe large a cause caÌ„ beare froÌ„ al coÌ„tentioÌ„ I will so far refrayn that eueÌ„ the aduersaries them selues of Christes trueth and doctrine albeit they be persons infamous by lawe consent of all natâ—oÌ„s shall not yet without meane resonable moderatioÌ„ be touched or talked of requiring of them this curtesie againe that they reprehend nothing in this discourse pryuilie which they can not nor dare not awnswer to opeÌ„ly A reasonable request And of my louing brethreÌ„ that be Catholike I must farder require one thing the sute is for theÌ„ selues that when in a maner they sensibly feele the truth they would not refuse to folowe the same that by outeward worke they may declare theire inward wil. Herof I am now more careful for that I see heresy falshood to be of the couÌ„tenaÌ„ce colour that it is ofteÌ„ liked before yt be beleued wher gods trueth for terrour bitternes that it beareth is not always folowed wher it is wel knowen trusted But surely trueth is not profitably vnderstanded til it be willingly practised Therefore who soeuer acknowledged in his coÌ„science the power of Gods Church ministery for the remission of sinnes vseth not humbly coÌ„fession of his sinnes that that power may redound to his saluatioÌ„ he is so much farder from God by how much more he knoweth the right way to come to God Mans wil must in al such cases of terror difficultie geue ouer to Gods ordinaÌ„ce whose coÌ„maÌ„dementes though they seme to the worldly burdenous yet to the good ghostlie De doctrina Christiana Cap. 41. paucis amaÌ„tiâ—us sayth S. Augustin they are sweet and exceding pleasant And this let euerie maÌ„ assuredly know that who soeuer coÌ„pteth confession so heauy he neither feeleth the weight of sinne nor yet sufficieÌ„tly feareth the appoynted payn for the same Al these vntowardly affections the sinne and the worlde haue planted in vs all lette vs seke by loue and zeale of Gods truth and ordinance to amend ioyne with me gentle Reader I besech thee in prayers that our endeuours may please God profite his people THE FIRST part of this Treatise of the lauful power and authoritie of Priesthode to remit sinnes and of the distinct confession of sinnes to a Priest That Christ did forgeue sinnes not onely by proper power and nature as he was God but also by ministerie as he was a man and as he was a Priest and head of the Church and that vpoÌ„ that grouÌ„d the Priests power in remitting sinnes in the Church doth stand The first Chapter CHrist Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God being euerlastinglie of the same substance power and nature that his Father and â—he holy Ghost be of as being truelie â—quall and one God with them both woorketh mightelie al things in heaueÌ„â—nd in earth ioyntlie with them both and therefore by excellencie of power propertie of nature and by ful and perfect dominion ouer his owne creature he remitteth mans sinnes by the same soueraigne right that they doe Who being thus in al excellencie equal with God hath notwithstaÌ„ding vouchsafed of his singular bountifulnesse ioyned with maruelous humility Ad Philip 2. to abase him selfe to the receiuing of our nature in which now he hath wrought the same things in earth by seruice sute and commission which before he onelie did by might and maiestie of his owne power procure Euen the self same God that by wil and coÌ„maundement might moste iustlie both haue punisshed and pardoned whoÌ„ he list of loue and wisdome infinite continuing alwaies in like excellencie as before became the minister of our reconcilement to God In which state he offereth sacrifice as a Priest for sinne he vseth sacraments for the remission of sinne he prayed to God his Father for the sinfull he is made the head of the Churche the gouernour of the Churche and the iudge of the Church Al which functions perteine to our Sauiour in respect and coÌ„sideration of his humaine nature according vnto whiche power is geuen him of the Father through the holie Ghost to practise the same And what so euer in holy scripture is red to be exercised of him through the might of Gods Spirit by the vertue of his annointing by the finger of God by the sending of the Father by power receiued from aboue by priesthod prayers or sacrifice by the name of the Sonne of man of the head of the Churche or iudge of the liuing dead what so euer is in this sorte said to be done it is not otherwise lightly ment but in respect of Christes humanitie by whiche and in which he woorketh the same not as by the propre and natural power or force thereof but as by iurisdiction receiued of the blessed Trinitie and imployed vpon the sonne of man for the procuring of saluation to his people wherof he is become in our very nature the head Therefore no Christian man may doubt Note vvel the grouÌ„d of the cause but as our Sauiour by the omnipotent power of his Godhead might and did forgeue sinnes to the penitent so likewise that as he was Priest and the sonne of man he might by the right of his office vnction and ministery in the vertue of the holie Ghost remitte sinnes also And for that cause principallie in the Prophet Esay it is said Cap. 61. Spiritus Domini super me eò quòd vnxerit me ad annunciandum mansuetis misit me vt mederer contritis corde praedicareÌ„ captiuis indulgentiam clausis apertionem The Spirit of the Lord vpon me because he hath annointed mee and sent mee to signifie vnto the meeke that I should heal the coÌ„trite in hart to preach pardon to the prisoners and freedome to the closed Luc. 4. The which place of the prophet our Sauiour applied vnto himself in the Churche of Nazareth and is to be vnderstaÌ„ded only of preaching Cap 11. 12. li. 1. de Trinit and pardoning by the holie vnction of the Spirit of God his Fathers calling And therfore it must needs according to S. Augustines iudgement concerne the shape of his seruice manhod takeÌ„ on him in which he preached so that yet it pleased him to affirm that his doctrin was not his own but his Fathers that sent him healed the coÌ„trite in hart which is nothing els but to forgeue sinnes to the penitent after such a sort that it might wel appere to be receued practised by the vnction of the Spirit of God sending of his Father wherby the Son of man might doe that as Gods minister in his manhoode
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
to the same ende and purpose I haue hithertoo declared at large Now the third part of the place before alleadged out of S. Iohns Gospel concerneth the woordes of Christes promesse and warrant made vnto his Apostles out of which playn woordes distinctly vttered we must see what force may be further added vnto our Cacholike assertioÌ„ for the priestes autoritie to remitte reteine sinnes And surely if none of the former woordes of CoÌ„missioÌ„ nor any other meane or mentioÌ„ had ben made of the holy Ghostes assistaunce herein these onely woords vpon the credite that al faithful men owe to Christ had ben sufficient to haue assured the world of the autoritie of priesthod and of the whole cause that now is called in controuersie For what caÌ„ be said either of God or man more properly or more playnly then this whose sinnes you shal forgiue they be forgiueÌ„ Ioan. 20. whose sinnes you shal reteine they be reteined I must needes here complayne of these vnfaithful and vnhappy tymes that in the continual lothsom bragges of the scripture Scripture maliciously peruerted in the vvoordes of sacraments and Goddes woorde in perpetual tossing and tumbling of the bokes of the Bible in endlesse contentioÌ„ and disputation of most high mysteries in them conteined haue yet wholy peruerted the cleerest and only vndoubted meaning of suche places specially as most touch the verie life and saluation of al man kinde which be of al other thinges in termes of scripture moste open and euident ful foolishly vnlernedly haue both the simple sorte handled Goddes woorde as in suche grosse ignorance of all thinges they needes must and their new procured maisters also in not muche more knowledge and farre paâ—ssing pride can not otherwise doe but whilest they playe them selues in thinges of smaller importance they are to be laughed at rather then lamented but if the Diuel driue them farder as he lightly doth where he so quietly possesseth and cause them to dallye and delude the places of scripture that principallie concerne the state and saluation of vs al there we must with al force resiste leaste we leefe the fruyte and good of oure Christianitie What can be of higher importaÌ„ce in the worlde or touche our soules and saluation so nere as the holie sacramentes of Christes Church by which grace and mercie throughe Goddes appoyntment be procured and yet these blessed fountaynes especially eueÌ„ these waters springing euerlastingly to oure life and comfort haue these men moste infected In the institution of Sacramentes Christes woordes were euer playne without coloure or figure as woordes that woorke with singular efficacie grace and vertue and therwith giue to the ministers iust authoritie for the executioÌ„ of Christes meaning which could not be done in figuratiue speaches and parables without infinite erroure Did God speak parables wheÌ„ he instituted the solemnitie of so many sacrifices in the olde lawe when he signified vnto Moyses and Aaron euerie seueral sorte of beaste or creature with their sexe and kind and al the ceremonie thervnto belonging Exod. 12. Did he speake parables when the sacramente of the lambe was to be instituted Did he speak by figure to Abraham Genes 17. Exod. 35. when he commaunded him to circumcise the male of euerie of his people Did he speake by figure when he instituted the Sabaoth Did he to be brief euer in the olde lawe speake one thing and meane an other when any external worke by the charge of his woord was to be practised for euer amongest the people In common speach in prophecieng in preaching in similitudes in Examples vttered for the declaratioÌ„ of many thinges A necessarie note for to Knovve vvhere the speaches be figuratiue and for grace varietie of talke to styrre vppe mans industrie in searchinge the secretes of trueth there figures of al sortes be vsed but where by external woordes and actioÌ„s force of inward grace must be procured or perpetual vsages in the Church are in outeward signes elements to be instituted or coÌ„missioÌ„ of greate matters graunted or charge of singular weight giuen to seruauntes in absense of their maisters in all such cases playne speaking by Goddes prouidence was euer vsed by al reasoÌ„ must be vsed or elles man falling into errour in the executioÌ„ of his coÌ„mission is sufficiently to be excused because he could not atteine to the meaning of his maisters woordes And yet the wicked of these dayes haue fouÌ„d sucke light in scripture that thâ—y haue made oure Maister Christe to speake one thing meane the contrarie in the verie institutioÌ„ of the Sâ—cramentes and haue founde figures to delude defeat that world of the necessarie fruicte of theÌ„ all Ther were some of olde that droue the mysteries of Christes incarnatioÌ„ speaches that proued his equalitie with his Father in godhead to figuratiue phrases and sought for the defence of their folie the like phrases in other of Christes talke but neuer none were comparable in this kinde to oure newe deuisers For by the face and crake of Goddes woorde they haue brought to passe amongste fooles that no one texte of scripture which perteineth to any of the Sacramentes can haue his meaning and such sense as the verie woorde beareth The B. Sacr. of the Altar and the worlde hath euer taken and coÌ„strued of it The blessed and moste soueraigne sacrament of the aultar instituted in a solemne actioÌ„ in moste careful maner amongest his most secrete seruantes the last almoste of al his woorkes in earth Matt. 26. in moste euident termes with fore charge giuen to the Apostles of the continuance of his euerlasting memorie in the same yet must meane nothing lesse then that which oure Maister made it and must by a thousand figures be wrasted wrythen to what yow list and like so that it be not to importe that which oure Maister said it did and the Church hath euer beleued of the same Baptisme woordes of the like solennitie were vsed for the ordering of the holy vse of Baptyme to be doen as the woorde doth also importe necessariely in the external element of water with certayn moste holy prescribed woordes vnder payne peril of euerlasting perishing to the neglecters therof yet in suche playnesse figures are found out by these pernicious conueiers that neyther water is compted so much necessarie nor the woordes of suche streÌ„gth but that one of these malapert felowes was bold to write Brentius coÌ„tra PetruÌ„ à Solo that it was muche superstition to binde the Church to the same as to the prescribed woordes of arte Magike sorcerie and witchcrafte Of the honourable acte and sacrament of extrem vnctioÌ„ Extream VnctioÌ„ what can be said with more euidence of woordes then is spokeÌ„ of the holy Apostle S. Iames If any man be sicke amoÌ„gest you Cap. 5. let him cal for the priestes of the Church and let them annoynt him with oile and yet so lytle matter these
Churche hath an other kind of remission whiche Epiphanius calleth poenitentiam post poenitentiam But of these two more shal be said anon After this sorte Lib. 4. de Sap. ca. 30 doth Lactantius ascribe to the true Churche confession penance and profitable healing of our wounds and suche sores as be founde in our soules By al which euery man may conceiue casely that this honour and commission of priesthod for the remissioÌ„ of our sinnes did not decay with the Apostles appointed by Christe nor shal cease till Christes coÌ„ming to iudge the worlde But he that listeth to see in what office and by whom she holdeth this singular honour of remission of sinnes he shal find not onelie the Apostles who were called by Christ but al other Bishoppes also that succeede them in the Churche to be her ministers herein Gregorius wherof let him read the xxvj Homelie of S. Gregorie perteininge almoste wholy to that purpose I will repeat a few wordes onely out of it committing the rest to the diligence of the Reader Libet intueri saith he illi Discipuli ad tanta ouer a humilitatis vocati ad quantuÌ„ culmen gloriae sint perducti Ecce non solùm de semetipsis securi fiunt sed etiam alienae obligationis relaxationis potestatem accipiunt principatumque superni iudicij sortiuntur vt vice Dei quibusdam peccata retineant quibusdam relaxent Ecce qui districtum iudicium Dei metuunt animarum iudices siunt et alios damnant vel liberant qui semet ipsos damnari metuebant Horum profecto nunc in Ecclesia Dei Episcopi locum tenent ligandi atque soluendi authoritatem sumunt Grandis honor sed graue pondus est istud honoris It is my meaning nowe to beholde to what marueilouse honour the Disciples of Christe be exalted whiche before were called in their base state to great burden and troubles For nowe they be not onelie in assurance of their owne state but they haue obteined power of binding and releasing other and the verie soueraigntie of heauenlie iudgemente that in Goddes owne steede they may some mans sinnes release and other offences reteine Loe those that once feared the straict sentence of Goddes owne iudgemente are made the iudges of other mens soules to coÌ„demne or deliuer where they list Bishops are in the roomes of the Apostles that before doubted of them selues And nowe truâ—lie in these mens roomes are the Bishoppes of Goddes Church and receiue the authoritie of binding and loosing and their owne state of regimente High surely is their Chair but greater is their charge S. Gregorie said so farre But Sainct Augustine shall make vppe this matter with woordes of suche weight that I trust euerie man shall see the trueth and almost feele the grossenesse of falsehoode thereby He writeth thus vppon this verse of the Psalme Eructauit Psal 44. The Catholike Churche hath continual successioÌ„ in lauful ministerie whiche is the xliiij in number with him Pro patribus â—uis nati sunt tibi filij constitues eos Principes super omnem terram In place of thy Parentes thou hast children born thee them thou mayest make the Princes of the vvhole earth The Apostles did begette thee they were sente them selues they preached in their owne persons and finallie they were thy Fathers But could they alwayes corporally abide here And though one of them saied Phil. 1. I would gladly be dissolued and be with Christ yet for your sake I couÌ„ted it more necessarie to tarie in flesh Thus he said But how long coulde his life last He might not remaine til this daie muche lesse for the time to come What then is the Church desolate after the departure of her parents God forbid In steed of thy parentes thou hast sonnes saith the text What is that to say Marie the Apostles sent by Christ are as Fathers and for them God hath raised vp childern or sonnes which be the holy Bishops of the world For at this day the Bishoppes that be throughout al Christendome how rose thei to that roome The Church calleth them Fathers and yet shee did begette them and shee placed them in the roome of their Fathers Non ergo te putes desertam quia non vides Petrum quòd non vides Paulum quòd non vides illos per quos nata es de prole tua tibi creuit paeternitas pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filij constitues eos principes super omnem terram Doe not therfore thinke thy selfe desolate because thou seest not Peter because thou hast not Paul ☜ because thou hast them not nowe present by whome thou wast borne of thy owne issue Fatherhode is growen to thee and for thy Fathers thou hast brought foorth sonnes them shalt thou make the rulers ouer al the earth Thus muche out of S. Augustine By whom you may perceiue the great prouidence of God that euerlastingly vpholdeth the ordinance of his Sonne Christ Iesus as wel now by the children borne from time to time in the Churches lappe as bâ—fore in the spring of our faith by the Apostles sent and appointed in person by Christ him selfe And here you must note Note that not only Bishops who succeede the Apostles in al kind of power and regiment but also all other inferiour Priestes to be compted with them as successours in ministring diuerse sacramentes as baptisme penance the reuerend SacrameÌ„t of the Aultar and suche like but looke what power either Apostle or Bishop hath in remission of sinnes in consecrating Christes body in baptising the same hath the whole order of holy priesthod by the right of their order may practise the same vpoÌ„ such as be subiect vnto them in al cases not exempted for reasonable causes by such as haue further iurisdictioÌ„ ouer the people Whereof I will not now talk particularly the lerned of the order know the limits of their charge coÌ„mission better then I caÌ„ instruct theÌ„ the simpler sort must seek for knowledge of their duty by the holy Canons of CouÌ„cels decrees of Bishops made for that purpose I can not now staÌ„d theron meaning at this present only to defend the holy Order chaleÌ„ge for it such right as the scripture and Christes own word geueth which in this coÌ„tempt of vertue and religioÌ„ is most necessary for al men to consider Therfore vpon our large discours for this last point I now deducte the particulars to this summe which may staÌ„d for a certaine mark as wel for the good to discern the truth as for the Aduersaries to shoote at whiles they liue Al power euery iurisdiction or right of Christes church remaineth as amply in as ful force streÌ„gth at this day shal til the worlds end so continue as they were by Christ grauÌ„ted first in the persoÌ„s of the Apostles or other instituted But the power of remissioÌ„ of sinnes was geueÌ„ proprely in expresse termes to the
Apostles Ergo the same remaineth stil in Gods church WhervpoÌ„ it is clear that the Priests at this day haue as ful power to forgeue sins as the Apostles had And this ArgumeÌ„t of the coÌ„tinuance of al offices rights of the Churche is the most plainest rediest way not only to help our cause now takeÌ„ in haÌ„d but vtterly to improue al false doctrines detestable practises of heretikes A certain truth to ouercom falsehod by For thei must here be examined diligeÌ„tly what coÌ„mon welth that is or what church that is in which Christ doth preserue the gouernmeÌ„t geueÌ„ to the Apostles Where it is that the power not only of making but also of practising al Sacraments hath coÌ„tinued stil What company of ChristiaÌ„ people that is wherin the Apostles Doctors preachers ministers through the perpetual assistaÌ„ce of Gods Spirit be continued for the building vp of Christes bodie which is the number of faithful people What Church that is whiche bringeth foorth from time to time sonnes to occupie the roomes of their fathers before them It is not good Reader the pelting pack of Protestants It is not I say and they know it is not their petie congregations that hath till this daie continued the succession of Bishops by whom the world as S. Augustin saith is ruled as by the Apostles and firste Fathers of our Religion Surely our Mother the Churche hath ben long baren if for her Fathers the Apostles who died so long since shee neuer brought foorth children til now to occupie their roomes and great lack of rulers if shee haue made her only contemners to be her owne gouernours No no these fellowes hold not by her but they hold against her Esai 1. Heretiques vsurp vnlaufully Catholiques roomes these sitte in no seat Apostolike but they by all force dishonour the seat Apostolike these are not they qui pro patribus nati sunt tibi filij but these are the sonnes quos enutriuisti genuisti ipsi spreuerunt te If you ask of these men how they holde they seeke no Fathers after whome they maye rightly rule they seke no large rew of predecessours in whose places they may sit they aske no counsel of Gods Church by whose calling they should gouerne but they make a long discourse of statutes and teÌ„poral lawes to couer their ambitious vsurpatioÌ„ that in greate lacke of Christes calling their vniuste honour may be approued by mans fauoure Therby let them holde their teÌ„poral dignities their landes their lyuelyhodes their wiues also if they can obteine so much at the common wealthes handes but their spiritual functions their ministering of sacraments their gouernaunce of oure soules and what elles so euer they vsurpe without the warrant of Goddes Church the longer they exercise them the farther they be from saluation and the nerer to eternall woe miserie But to come to our purpose it is our Church Catholike in which all holy functions haue bene practised after Christes institution euer since his AsceÌ„sion vp to heaueÌ„ And therfore this principal power of remitting and reteining sinnes muste needes be continued in the Church by her ministers and priestes as it was begonne in the Apostles before An answer to suche as deny this power to passe from the Apostles to all other priestes because many of them being euel men may be thought not to haue the holy Ghost whereby they should effectually remit sinnes The Sixth Chap. AND to Caluin or other of his secte that require the like vertue force of the holy Ghostes assistaunce in al men that take vpon them to remitte sinnes as was giuen to the Apostles who firste receiued that power I aunswer that the same gifte of the holy Ghoste is yet in the ministers of the same Sacrament no lesse then in the Apostles For thoughe they had more plentiful sanctification whereby they were in all their life more holie and more vertuous then lightly any other eyther priestes or lay men were after them yet the giftes of the holy Ghost touching the ministerie and seruice of Goddes Church which were not so muche geueÌ„ them for their owne sakes as for the vse of the common wealth and for the right of practising certayne holy functions requisite for the peoples sanctification as they were imployed vpon them so they were also giuen to diuers that were neyther good nor vertuous and therfore lacked that which properly is that grace of the holy Ghost that is called of our schoole men gratia gratum facieÌ„s such a grace as maketh man acceptable to God Therefore the holy Ghost breathed vpon the Apostles then by Christ and giuen yet to priestes in their ordering by Bishopes is a gifte of God and a grace of the holy Ghost not whereby euery man is made vertuous Grace geueÌ„ in the sacrameÌ„t of Order vvhat ye ys or conning or happy before God but it is a gifte onely of God whereby man is called aboue his owne nature and dignitie to haue power and authoritie to doo and exercise any function in Goddes Church to the spiritual benefite of the people which is not onely not alwayes ioyned to vertue and holy knowledge but is ful often by calling due to them which are most wicked persons without any impaire of their authoritie And these kind of giftes and graces of the holy Ghost be called graâ—iae gratis datae certayne giftes giuen to men for no desertes of their persons but freely for the vse of other men to whome they be beneficial euen there where they be hurteful to the bestowers In which sense S. Paul numbreth a greate sorte the fourth to the Ephesians Eph. 4. Cap. 12. and the first Epistle to the Corinthians and he calleth theÌ„ not onely the graces of the spirite but also the diuisioÌ„s of functions and ministratioÌ„s as the gifte of working miracles the gifte of tunges the gift of prophecieÌ„g the gifte of preaching and so furth all which being the giftes and graces of the spirit for the Churches edifiyng Cap. 2. and of S. Peter being called the holy Ghost in the Actes yet they were giuen to euil men often as well as to good without al impairing of Goddes honour yea with the greate encrease of Goddes glory that euen by the wicked is able to woorke his wil and holy purpose for the benifite of his elect And in this sense the spirite of God breathed vpon the Apostles was a gift of the holy Ghost whereby man should remitte by lauful power of God the sinnes of the people Whervpon Theophilact sayeth that In 20. Cap. IoaÌ„ potestatem quandam donum spirituale dedit Apostolis vt remittant peccata ostendens quod genus spiritualium donorum eis dederit inquit quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis that is to say Christ gaue to his Apostles a certayne povver and spirituall gift vvherby they might remitte sinnes For he shevved what power of the spirite it was that he breathed on them when he
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
that hath the charge of his soule Therfore for Christs loue let vs cast peril oftner of oure owne case then vpoÌ„ other mens states for we are not so assured of the holy Spirite or his grace to qualifie vs for the worthy receiuing as they are oute of doubt for the right power of ministerie And to conclude against Caluin and al other that thinke the power of priestes either to be lesse for lacke of good life or want of much lerning I alleage S. Cyprian thus Remissio peccatorum siue per baptismum siue per alia sacrameÌ„ta donetur propriè spiritus sancti est et ipsi soli huius efficientiae priuilegium manet Thus in Englishe Effect of sacrameÌ„ts ys the vvâ—rck of the holie Ghost Remission of sinnes whether it be by Baptyme or by other sacraments giuen it properly perteineth to the holy Ghost the prehemineÌ„ce of the forceable effecte is onely his the solennitie of woordes the inuocatioÌ„ of Goddes name and the externall signes prescribed to the priestes ministeries by the Apostles to make vppe the visible sacrament but the thing it selfe and effecte of the sacrament the holy Ghost worketh and the author of al goodnesse putteth his hand inuisible to the external and visible coÌ„secration of the priestes So saith S. Cyprian Serm. de Baptis Christi and maketh a farre longer discourse how the diuersity of the ministers desertes doo nothing alter the sacrameÌ„ts or theffecte thereof but being alike to al receiuers of fit capacite and condition Vide August li. 5. coÌ„tra Donatistas Cap. 20. Act. 1. by whom so euer they be serued and dispensed with iuste authoritie and calling thervnto The Baptisme of Iudas Iscarioth was no woorse theÌ„ Simon Peters For S. Peter saith coÌ„unmeratus erat in nobis sortitus est sortem ministerij huius He was counted as one of our number and had the lotte of this ministerie Nor the ministerie of Nicolas of lesse acceptation in it selfe then the function of Stephen being meÌ„ of one office but of vnlike deseruinges The prophecie of Esay no more true theÌ„ the prophecie of Caiphas nor the prophecie of Balam lesse true then the prophecie of Baruc. If we were either absolued or baptised in the names of Peter or Paule or Iudas or Apollo then we might bragge who were best baptised or suerliest loosed from sinne and euery one might so either crake or be ashamed of his minister whereof S. Paule earnestly checked the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. But now euery one being both baptised and loosed and houseled and annoynted and honoured in all other spirituall actes in no other name but in the name of Iesus his Father euerlasting and the holy Ghost proceding from them both all must needes receiue the like benefite that be like qualified therevnto of whom so euer the office is exercised if he be lawfully called that is to saye haue by the handes of priesthode receiued the gifte and grace of the holy Ghost for his lawfull authorishing in that case the which gifte of the holy Ghost being the selfe same that the Apostles receiued of Christ for the like functions continueth with them still thoughe their life and desertes be neuer so euell and their ignorance neuer so muche yea thoughe they be by iuste occasion as for Heresie Schisme or notorious life throughe the censures of the Church imbarred from the vse and exercise of that office of remitting sinnes and such other the like spirituall functions But to make an ende of this matter I turne Caluins reason againste him selfe He and his flocke be of that fonde and blinde iudgmente that the whole text of the twentith of S. Iohn wherin Christ giueth authoritie to the Apostles to remitte sinnes is meaÌ„t only of preaching the Gospel for which function Christ gaue them the holy Ghost Now Sir vpoÌ„ this I vrge him with his own reasoÌ„ I aske him firste whether the ministers that by him are seÌ„t to preach the woord haue the holy Ghost as for example Beza Beza that he sent into Fraunce first or Richerus Richerus whome he sent to Coligninia or Herman Herman that came by the holy Ghostes sending vnto FlaÌ„ders and BrabaÌ„t had these the holy Ghost or no If they say yea as I thinck they will they be so bolde in an othermans house then demaunde of them further whether the saide Spirite of God may erre If they say no as possibly they wil theÌ„ coÌ„clude against them thus The holy Ghost can not erre but you my maisters may erre ergo you haue not the holy Ghost and consequently you haue then no better right in preachinge then poore priestes haue in remitting or absoluing Therfore I leaue Caluin wrestling with his owne shadowe and wil folowe on my purpose and course of matter which I haue in hande That it standeth wel with Gods honour that mortal men should remitte sinnes and that Nouatus the heretike was of olde condemned for denieng the same and that he was the father of this heresie which denieth the pâ—iests authority The Seuenth Chap. NOW by all oure former discourse the right of remission of sinnes sufficiently proued to perteine to priesthood some will perhappes compte it vayne labour to make more declaration of that which is so playne or further to establishe that by reasoÌ„ which standeth so fast on scriptures But if any so thinke they see not the wide wayes of Heresie nor the manifolde shiftes that she attempteth euen there vvho be in the daunger of heresy most where she may seme to be fullie beaten The simple and the sinful stand moste in her danger that can not in their lacke of intelligence compare reason to reason nor gather one trueth of an other and therfore to their mouthes we must chewe all meates verie small elles ther could be no greate neede of their further informatioÌ„ how this claime of remission of sinnes or the vsuall practise thereof coulde staÌ„d with Gods glorie For being aunswerable to his ordinaunce it caÌ„ not but be agreable with his honoure But because in desperat cases our Aduersaries haue taught their felowes ther to wrangle vncurtesly where they can not maynteine reason pithely I wil not onely serue my cause but somtymes poursue their foly thoughe I doubt not but the wisdome of God shall more and more appeare touching his meaning in oure matter not alonely by our defeÌ„ce but a great deale the rather by their discontentation Now therefore intending to declare that this prehemineÌ„ce of priesthod doth nothing abase or derogate to Goddes dignitie I thinck it not amisse to match our newe doctours of whome I heare often this complaynt with other their forefathers that at once both trueth maye fullie be serued and a yoke of Aduersaries ioyntly drawing against the Church our saluatioÌ„ maye be almost with one breath refuted Oure yong maisters maye be gladde to growe so highe in Gods Churche as to be reproued with theÌ„ who were coÌ„demned
beloÌ„g do they dishonor God or els was it not alwaies grauÌ„ted to some meÌ„ for the glorie of God That Eliseus could see the hart inward thoughts of Giezi his seruauÌ„t which is Gods onely propertie 4. Reg. Cap. 5. did it dishonour God or rather wonderfully augmeÌ„t his glorie The passing preemineÌ„ce that Peter the rest receiued when they were hable by laying on of haÌ„des to giue the holy ghost caÌ„ it not be practised without the dishonoure of God Act. 8. or elles was it not principally geuen to them to set furth the glory of God This was so great power that it was muche more astonied at of the beholders theÌ„ either working of miracles or remitting sinnes in so much that SimoÌ„ the sorcerer who was so gloriouse before that he called him selfe the power of God would haue geuen the Apostles money largely that vpon whom so euer he had practised the like laying on of handes he might receiue the holie Ghost also Then if the power of geuing the holie Ghoste or power of geuing grace which both Peter Paule practised in a visible Sacrament 2. Tim. 4 by a solemne Ceremonie in the sight of al the world by laying on of their haÌ„des if thâ—s passing worke moste proper to God I dare saye of al other actes that be exercised in Christes name in the Church doth not onely no whit abase Gods excelleÌ„cie but was purposely instituted to honour the maiestie of God in the face of all people to set oute the glorie of his house how dare any man for feare of Godes highe indignation controlle the worke of Christ in remitting mans sinnes by such a visible sacrameÌ„t as to the honour of God is most coÌ„uenient to our saluatioÌ„ most necessary If they wil not let priests remit sinnes for feare of offeÌ„ding god dishonoring his name theÌ„ let them not baptise not preach not teache not doe miracles not geue the holy Ghost not correcte faultes not geue orders nor doe any other functions For these euery one be no lesse proper to God then remission of sinnes O heresie most shamefull that then goeth about to dishonour God most when she moste pretendeth Gods honour whereof she is so tender and so carefull that she hath barred his own spouse of his blessed bodye Heresie vnder pretense of Gods honour hath robbed his spouse of her treasurs of remission of sinnes of the Spirite of God of all sacraments of all holy Ceremonies of memories of miracles of holy functions and to be shorte of al giftes and graces and all this for Goddes honour so honorable it is for Christ to be the King of so beggarlie a common wealth as they make of the Church such glorie it is for Christe to haue his onely spouse robbed of the treasures of his giftes and graces so comelie it is for Christ to haue such sacrameÌ„tes as neither conteine him selfe nor his grace so woorthy a thing it is for Christe to haue ministers that vpon his owne warraÌ„t can neither pardoÌ„ nor punishe mans misdeedes Psal 8â— Gloriosa dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei Glorious things haue ben reported of thee thou Citie of God and how art thou now so barraine so contemptible that thy honour must needs redound to the dishonour of him by whom al thy honour onely standeth But I ceasse to pursue the Churches ennemies nowe in mine owne woordes I will rather ioyne with the holy Fathers for their ouerthrowe whose not onelie reason and sufficient answere to this their vain Replie fouÌ„ded on the pretence of Gods honour but also their onely name and authoritie shall sufficientlie beate doune these mens boldnesse Ambros de poen lib. 1. ca. 2. S. Ambrose in this case is most plaine and standeth with the Nouatians as I doe now with the Zuinglians euen in the very same Argument in these woordes Sed aiunâ— se Domino deferre reuerentiam cui soli remitteÌ„dorum criminum potestatem reseruent imo nulli maiorem iniuriam faciunt quà m qui eius volunt mandata rescindere I reade rather refindere then refundere or coÌ„fundere for he reproueth Nouatus that he did diuide the gift of â—hrist vvhiles he graunted povver to bind and not to loose commissum munus refindere nam cùm ipse in Euangelio suo dixerit Dominus Iesus accipite Spiritum sanctum quoruÌ„ remiseritis peccata c quis est ergo qui magis honorat VtruÌ„ qui mandatis atteÌ„perat an qui resistit Ecclesia in vtroque seruat obedieÌ„tiam vt peccatuÌ„ alliget laxet that is to saie These Nouatians say that they denie penance or power to remitte sinnes in earth in respect of the maintenance of suche honour as is due to god to whome onelie they will reserue the pardoning of mans sinnes But in deed none doe so much iniury to Gods glorie as those which breake his commaundementes and make a diuision of that charge and commission whiche he geueth For seing our Lord Iesus his own mouth spake these words Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes you doe forgeue they be forgeueÌ„ and whose sinnes you holde they be holden Who in this case more honoureth God He that obeyeth his commaundement or he that resisteth the same The Church obeyeth in both as wel in binding as in loosing Thus there And a litle after Looke to whom this charge was geuen that person may laufully with Gods good leaue vse the same And therefore the Church may laufully both bind and loose ☞ heresie and her attendants can rightly doe neither This right is only committed to Priests and therefore the Churche rightly chalengeth that authoritie because shee hath lauful Priests and so heresie can not doe because shee hath not the Priestes of God in her cursed congregation Thus said S. Ambrose for the answere of the Nouatians in his daies and so say I now in the Churches behalf against the like affected ennemies of Christes honour which whiles they in face of scripture and Gods word would seeme to defende they are become sworne aduersaries of his honour and open contemners of his coÌ„maundementes and holy ordinance Marke vvel S. Ambrose his reasoÌ„s agaiÌ„st the NouatiaÌ„s to serue for our time S. Ambrose here taketh it for a ground that it is Gods ordinance that Priests should remit sinnes he is bold to cal the contrary doctrine heresie he maketh a principle of this that it neuer dishonoureth God that man should doe that which God geueth him either commaundement or commission to doe in his behalfe he taketh it for a knowen truth that as the Churche of God hath true and laufull Priestes so shee may by them vpon Christes warrant both loose and bind and contrariwise that heresie may wel enough geue ouer that right of remissioÌ„ of sinnes because shee hath lightly no lauful Priests by whom shee may practise the same And surely it is a merueilouse force of truth or rather the might
they wil seme to acknowledge the forgeuenes of sinnes thereby and I thinke by the ministerie of man to thoughe in their priuate scholes yea and in their open blasphemous bookes the whole packe of Protestauntes and Zuinglians deny that sacrament also to remitte sinnes The protestantes iniurious to the povver of remissioÌ„ of sinnes in Baptisme also both acknowledging that children may be saued and be receiued to heaueÌ„ with out it and auouching that sinne remayneth still in the childreÌ„ after their Christendome thoughe God will not impute the same vnto them for the hinderaunce of their saluation Which false doctrine is the grounde of their more subtil opinions touching onely faith imputed iustice and other their pelting paradoxes concerning mans iustification which I can not now stande vpoÌ„ Would God the ignorant sorte of their folowers coulde see through the dunghil of this confuse doctrine ProtestaÌ„ts professe opeÌ„ly othervvyse theÌ„ they teache secretly as Epicurus did For these haue euer besides the florishe of their faith that they make abroad amongst fooles aÌ„ other more improbable which they kepe for the stroÌ„ge ones at home that will no more be offended to heare the Turkishe then the Christian faith And so had the Epicure as Tullie teacheth For pleasure of the minde gatherd by contentation and contemplation of heauenly thinges was his chiefe God and extreme ende of his endeuoures abrode but his dearlings at home had the pleasure of the bodilie lustes and wantonnesse for th ende of all goodnesse Well but I wil reason with theÌ„ vpoÌ„ the grounde of their owtward and publike professioÌ„ that Baptisme is a sacrameÌ„t in which truly sinnes be remitted by the ministerie of men without al dishonour of God seeing it was Gods own ordinauÌ„ce apoyntmeÌ„t But heare S. Ambrose againe I pray you encontering in this matter with oure mens maisters Ibidem Cur baptisatis saith he si per hominem peccata dimitti non licet in baptismo vtique remissio peccatorum omnium est Quid interest vtrum per poenitentiam an per lauacrum hoc ius sibi datum sacerdotes vendicent vnumin vtro que ministerium est sed dices quia in lauacro operatur mysterioruÌ„ gratia Quid in poenitentia The mynistery for remissioÌ„ of sinnes al one in Baptism and penaunce non Dei nomen operatur Why doe they baptise if man may not remit sinnes for surely in baptisme all sinnes be remitted and what difference I besech you whether priestes chalenge this gifte to be theirs in baptisme or in penaunce The ministerie of man is like in both But you wil replie perchauÌ„ce that in baptisme the grace of the ministeries woorketh And what woorketh I praye you in penaunce Doth not Goddes name bring all to passe there also Thus he But here good Reader marke diligeÌ„tly in this doctours woordes as also in other the like of al auncient fathers that penaunce is not here taken for any vertue either morall or theologicall which is in a priuate man when he ameÌ„deth or changeth his purpose Sacramentall penance and repeÌ„tance ys not all one or former euil life to the better wherof there was some shade amongst the heathen and is now both commeÌ„ded in scripture and giuen man by Christes grace not onely afore the receiuing of the sacrament of Baptisme if the partie were in case of actual dedly sinne but also goeth alwayes as a necessarie preparatiue before sacramentall confession and is called in oure tonge properly repeÌ„taunce this doctour therfore speaketh not of this kind of peniteÌ„ce but of a publik act of the Church touching the reconciliation or reparing of mans state defiled after his baptisme by greuous crimes in which by the priestes iudgement the sinnes committed be either pardoned or punished And this must not be called repentaunce onely or the amendment of life as Heretiques doo terme it to confound the distinct doctrine of Gods trueth and Sacramentes but it is an external and visible action appoynted by Christ in the xx of S. Iohn to reconcile sinners by the forme of absoluing which the Church vseth in the name inuocation of God for that purpose VVhat sacramentall penauÌ„ce is And therefore hauing the grace of God and remission of sinnes ioyned vnto it by Christes promise it must needes be a sacrament as Baptyme is which all the fathers doe insinuate when they make penance to be one prescribed ordinaunce of Christ to forgiue sinnes by no lesse then Baptine is Neither was it the preaching of the gospell nor the inward sorowfullnesse or repentaunce of former sinnes Nouatus denied not repeÌ„taÌ„ce but the sacrament of penauÌ„ce and so doe the protestants that Nouatus did condemne but it was the sacrament of penaunce and acte of absolution by the priestes ministerie which he so much abhorred and ment wickedly to remoue For which cause as he was iustly coÌ„demned of heresie by the Romain and Nice CouÌ„cells so were you maister Protestauntes both then in them and since in youre maisters wiclif Luther Caluin and the like accursed by Goddes Church and councels The doctours therefore as I haue sayd ioyne lightly in talking of remission of sinnes Baptisme and penaunce and sometime extreame vnction also that you neede not doubt but they toke them all three for sacramentes working remission of sinnes For they doe not talke of inward repentaunce but of an action soleÌ„ly exercised in Gods Church wherof the preist as you heare by S. Ambrose and S. ChrysostoÌ„ is the minister And therefore Epiphanius saieth that the Church hath two penauÌ„ces one after another insinuating therby the duble act of the Church and sacrament Heres 38 Lib. 4. whereby sinnes be remitted As S. Augustin also saieth by the Nouatians quòd poenitentiam denegant that they denie penaunce By which penaunce â—ap 30. de Sap. Lactantius teacheth vs also a way to discern the true Church from the false as in which there is both confession and penaunce for the healing of mans frayltie Whereby it is euident that this penaunce which they speake of was an vsuall ceremonie and holy sacrament of the Church whereby sinnes were remitted Which trueth S. Cyril vttereth most playnly for oure purpose In 20. Io. treating thus vpon the wordes of institution of this sacrament Cùm ipsi remittunt aut detinent spiritus qui habitat in eis per ipsos remittit aut detinet fit autem id duobus modis primùm Baptismo deinde Poenitentia WheÌ„ the priestes remit sinnes or reteine them the holy Ghost which dwelleth in them doth remit or reteine by them which is doen two maner of wayes first in Baptisme and then afterwarde in penaunce Serm. de Baptis Christi S. Cyprian also saide that the holy Ghost woorketh remission of sinnes whether it be in baptisme or by other sacramentes Wherby he clerely vttereth his meaning that there should be moe sacramentes then one instituted by Christ for that purpose In all which congruity of Gods
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
much more theÌ„ must we now vse the same where it is more required where Christ hath instituted a Sacrament to that ende to remit sinnes committed by relapse after Baptisme Mat. 3. Mar 1. And in dede the custom of Iohn the Baptist proueth that there was a kind of confession necessarie or at the leaste conuenient before the institutioÌ„ of this SacrameÌ„t For the EuaÌ„gelistes doo say Baptizabantur ab eo in Iordane confiâ—entes peccata sua men were baptised of him in Iordan and made coÌ„fession of their sinnes So that Iohn may seme to haue prepared the way to Christes doctrine and Sacramentes not onely by his baptisme but also by the vsing of the people to confesse their faultes and yet it is not necessarie that his vsage of penaunce should be of like force or should conteyne an exact confession of euerie sinne as the institution of Christ afterward did include no more theÌ„ this batism may be thought to be fully answerable either in maner of vsage or force efficacy to the holy sacrameÌ„t of Baptisme by Christ instituted for the office of the new lawe And in an other place the sayd S. Basil treateth how yong Nons and holie sacred Virgens shoulde confesse Questione 100. them selues And in an other place he admonisheth all men to be circuÌ„spect in choice of their ghostlie father by whose sentence sinnes ought with singular discretion to be iudged or examined Whereby it is most manifeste that coÌ„fession to the priestes was vsed and compted necessarie in his dayes Nicephorus later then he Niceph cartophilax ad Theodos but a learned Greke writer declareth also vnto Theodosius a moncke that the power of binding and loosing sinnes was committed to Bishopes by oure merciful Lorde Christe Iesus in so much saith he that once all men came and confessed their secrete sinnes to them by whome they either receiued pardon or were put backe But nowe throughe the encrease of Christian people and great tediousnes of the worke they haue coÌ„mitted this busines much what to religious persons such as he of tried coÌ„ditions for to be most profitable to others Thus saith he in sense These therfore many other do testify for their Church in what soleÌ„ne vse sacramental Confession hath euer ben wherin we haue the lesse need to stand loÌ„g seing the same History that our Aduersaries doe somtime alleadge plainely reporteth that not only in the Church of Constantinople but also in the west Churches Penitentiaries appointed to heare Confessions and namely at Rome alwaies since Nouatus the Heretiks false opinion touching penance rose a vertuous Priest sadde secreat and wise was appointed to heare the sinnes of al men and was called the Penitentiarie then as he and the like of that office be called yet We call them Confessours of olde in Grece they were named Spirituall maisters or Fathers as we now terme them in our Mother tongue Ghostlie Fathers also Qui secundùm vnius cuiusque culpam indicebant mulctam Who saieth Sozomenus according to euery mans faulte prescribed due penance Which penaÌ„ce though it were often openlie done by the confessours appointment yet the sinnes were not knowen for whiche the penance was prescribed For the confession was secreat or auricular as we call it now as is plaine by the Historie elles the Prieste of that office should not haue bene charged with secrecie and silence though the confession sometimes was also open where the penitents deuotion or desire so required as it may be yet For it is no mater for the substance of the Sacramente whether it be publike or priuate And it is the condiscending to the peoples weaknes that that should be so secreat generally which often in old time hath ben opeÌ„ And yet I think no man was euer coÌ„pelled by any precept of the Church to coÌ„fesse in the publik face of the Church his sinnes that were coÌ„mitted secretly Epist ad Episc Piceni Campaniae See this place at large by and by folovving hereafter Though in Leo the great his daies there was a custome not allowable that men were forced to geue vppe a libell openly of all their sinnes Which rigorous custom the saied holy Father afterward abrogated Neuer the lesse the penance was of olde often publike the fourme wherof appeareth in S. Ambrose in Tertullian who both haue written seueral bookes De Poenitentia PoeniteÌ„tes in S. Augustine in sundrie places and in this present Historie of Sozomenus And loÌ„g after their daies there were some that were called Poenitentes PeniteÌ„ts which were barred from the holy CoÌ„munion the secrets sone raigne holy of the blessed mysteries of the Masse so long as their prescribed penaÌ„ce indured besides fasting almose other like penalties enioyned And especially in LeÌ„t time there wer of these deuout publik Penitents as appereth by diuerse orders of the seruice in the Church appointed agreeing to theÌ„ who lightly were seperated till the celebrating of Christes supper passioÌ„ in the holy daies next before Easter Wherof yet in most Churches ther remaineth a smal signe by disciplin geueÌ„ to the people with rods on the same daies But now these many yeres the peoples feablenes considered there is no publike Penance geuen nor receiued in the Sacrament muche lesse open Confession made of any secret crimes the Churche being well assured that this Auricular Confession fullie aunswereth Christes institution and agreeth also with the often practise of the Primitiue Church herein though the Heretikes and some of their faultours as Beatus Rhenanus B. Rhenanus or who els so euer wrote the Preface that commonlie is annexed to Tertullian deny the same And truely seing their wanton pleasure is not to beare secreat Confession I dare sai thei caÌ„ much lesse away with publike Penance or Confession which is a thousand times more burdenous But now if you would coÌ„ferre with the Fathers of al ages and of euery notable Church touching this Confession to Gods Priests you may beginne if you list euen at this day and driue vppe both the truth of the doctrine the perpetual practise thereof euen to the Apostles time Sess 14. Cap. 5. de Confess Ca. 3. â— In the late holie Councell holden at Trent bothe the doctrine is confirmed declared with al grauitie and also the Aduersaries of that Sacrament and the misconstruers of Christes woordes of remission to pertaine to preaching of the Gospel and not to the very act of absolution De Sacrament Poeniten be by the consent of al Catholike states of the Christian world accursed excommunicated It was at Florence also decreed in a most notable generall assemblie of both the Latin and Greke Churche that as well the whole Sacrament of Penance as that especiall part which is called Confession was of Christes institution In the great Councel holden at Lateran Can. 21. Omnis vtriusque sexus there is so plain charge geuen to euery
Domini indicare quaerere medicinam sicut scriptum est IniquitateÌ„ meam pronunciabâ— when the sinner watereth his couche with teares and is not ashamed to vtter al his sinnes to the priest of God aÌ„d to seke remedy as it is write I wil coÌ„fesse mine iniquity S. Dionyse also an Apostolik maÌ„ doth inuincibly proue vnto vs that coÌ„fessioÌ„ to a priest and the sacrament of penauÌ„ce was in vse in his dayes that is to saye in the Apostles time Epist ad Demophilum for he was S. Pauels scholer He checketh verie earnestly one Demophilus a noughtie Monke Monkes in S. Dionyse tyme. that you maye see Monkes be olde when there was an euell one in S. Dionyse dayes and yet ther was an euel Apostle before there was an euell Monke that you maye see both orders be auncieÌ„t thoughe A poeniÌ„teÌ„t thrust back froÌ„ coÌ„fessioÌ„ and the priest reviled by a levvd Monke be they neuer so holy they can not be alwayes void of euell But this Demophilus I saye bare a great rebuke of Dionysius that he vsurped once a priestes place functioÌ„ that on a time he thrust backe froÌ„ the priest rebuked coÌ„teÌ„ptuously a poore peniteÌ„t that came to coÌ„fessioÌ„ and called the priest sitting on confession a wretch and a miser that he durst take vpoÌ„ him to make a sinner a iust maÌ„ Which woordes were verie fit for Luthers mouth an other religious maÌ„ of like humor and honestie So soon was coÌ„fession hated of the wicked and so spedily was it defended of the faithfull as of S. Dionisie who here calleth the orders diuine actes of penaunce the decrees and institutions of God I can not stande vpoÌ„ euerie pointe which greueth me much my matter is so passing fructfull one worthie witnesse is yet behind Epist ad fratrem Domini S. ClemeÌ„t I mean him that S. Peter made his successor Si fortè saith he in alicuius cor vel liuor vel infidelitas vel aliquod malum labenter erepserit non erubescat qui animae suae curam gerit confiteri ei qui praeest vt ab ipso per verbum concilium salubre curetur quò possit fide integra bonis operibus poenas eterni ignis â—uadere et ad perpetuae vitae praemia peruenire If either enuie or infidelitie or any other greuouse sore priuilie possesse mans soule let not him that hath any care of his saluatioÌ„ be ashamed to coÌ„fesse it to him that is his Prelate that throughe his woorde and counsel he maye be healed of his sinnes and that in true faith and good woorkes he maye escape hel and atteine to euerlasting life T. hus S. Clement The conclusion of this treatise remouing the impedimentes of confession THus farre in despite of heresie and all her abbettours hath trueth brought it self By Christ power was giuen to the Apostles priestes to remitte sinnes by Christ confession was instituted by the Apostles it was commended vnto all Christians by their example all nations faithful afterward haue vsed it by generall Councells which be of most soueraigne authoritie it hath bene both confirmed and commanded by al lerned doctours liked allowed by all christian people frequented reuerently as the onely refuge after their relapse Therefore who so euer shall see this case so cleare and so consonant to all reason to al learning to al the practise of Christian people to al the exaÌ„ples of antiquitie and to Christes own institution let him schoole his conscience as he thinketh good For if vpon consideration of this practise so approued by all meanes possible he can not charge him selfe with obedience to the trueth and the exercise of that in his life and workes whcih he seeth to be most sure certen as well by the Churches vsage Neuer any earthly povver coulde haue established or begoÌ„ any such burdenous thing as CoÌ„fessioÌ„ ys had not the force of Christes institution driueÌ„ the vvorld theruÌ„to as Gods owne writing will moe woordes wil not weigh with him nor the persuasion of man shal euer much moue him to that which the continuall terrour of coÌ„science alwayes acknowledging that trueth in minde the practise whereof in outewarde facte he abhorreth can not effectually force him vnto Harde it semeth I knowe to the worldlinges and to the weake and so harde that neuer man could haue brought it into the Churche much lesse to haue continued it so long if it had not proceded from the precept of Christes own mouth to open the whole harte and minde to man And it can not but be ioyned with some naturall bashefullnesse in this oure frailtie to vtter that to an other whiche in it selfe of what sorte of sinne so euer it be is most filthie and lothsome But knowing and feeling vndoubtedly that the continual close keping thereof in the couert of oure conscience is much more great and greuous tormente and therwith conceiuing Christes ordinaunce to be suche that no consideration of oure imbecillitie nor contrarie liking of oure phaÌ„tasie may or ought to withdrawe vs from that thing which for vs all is accompted moste conuenient and necessarie let vs neuer by oure disobedient willes striue againste Goddes wisdome If the burden therefore of confession seeme to any man intolerable as in deede it is not but verie pleasaunt to all suche as haue tasted howe swete Christe is lette him ease it with earnest consideration that it is exceding commodious to breake the pride of mans harte to make him knowe him self And if that any burdeÌ„ of shamfastnesse appeare in the vttering of his sinnes he maye learne to take it gladly as some worthie payne for his offences and some peece of recompence and satisfaction for the same Shame is ioyned by Gods ordinauÌ„ce to sin for a punishmeÌ„t and it vvas susteined of Christ him selfe amoÌ„gest other paynes for oure sinnes It pleased God at the first fall of oure fathers to ioyne shame and some confusion to sinne by which they were bashful at the voice of God of their owne nakednes Seing that of his infinite wisdome it pleased him to make yt the first punishment for sinne and to laye it vpoÌ„ his own Sonnes most innocent person in his contemptible death and manifold rebukes sufferred for oure sinnes and sakes lette vs not disdaine to beare some portion therof in this sacrament of confession for the release of oure owne sinnes That verie shamefastnes so much abhorred and so much respected shal often preserue man from further offending whereof he knoweth after he muste againe so soone before God and his minister be rebuked But what shoulde we talke of so smal a lette wher the coÌ„fort of opening oure sores and woundes to a maÌ„ that by nature is a like sinner and by vse of hearing manâ—e faultes can not muche marueile at oures and by office there is moste secret tender and carefull ouer vs The comforte of mannes conscience had by confessioÌ„
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
sinnes in the sacrament of penaunce but also for the correcting or giuing pardon by supreame Iurisdiction oute of the sayde Sacrament Now then let Caluin or his auncieÌ„t Luter come furth and deny all spiritual Iurisdiction of holy Bishoppes couching temporal punishement or release of paines appointed for sinne let them writhe the plain place both of binding and loosing to the preaching of the Gospel as their fashion is rather then they woulde graunte this soueraignty to the Church of Christ lette them say Marci 1â— that Christ wheÌ„ he whipped out the vnlawful occupiers of merchandies in the teÌ„ple did nothing els but preach the Gospel let them hold that this was a sermoÌ„ not aÌ„ act of iurisdictioÌ„ Lucae 5. wheÌ„ he said to diuers thy sinnes be forgiueÌ„ thee or when he with power terror gaue to Iudas the sop Ioan. 13. by which it is thought that he excoÌ„municated him gaue him vp wholly to the deuel separated him froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of the Apostles froÌ„ his Church For theÌ„ the deuil eÌ„tred into him he weÌ„t out as the gospel saith But say maister Luther was this the power of preaching onely or an exercise of most highe Iurisdiction geuen him of his Father euerlasting as he wa the heade of the Church No no vaine felowes this is no preaching which you would haue onely to be the Churches property that you might being voyd of al other authority in Gods Church compare with his Apostles in youre prating because your glory amongst the people standeth on your glase tunges Cores had a tikling tung and Moyses tung was tied yet God gaue sentence on his seruaÌ„tes side reueÌ„ged the disobedience of the coÌ„trary No no I tel you if al the Bishopes priestes of the Christian worlde were as rude simple in their preaching as you think your selues eloqueÌ„t yet their onely IurisdictioÌ„ and Maiesty of their power assisted by Christ perpetually by whom it was giuen theÌ„ shal beare you downe your vaine name of preaching the woord And God be thaÌ„ked beside the right of the cause ther be in the Church many that are honourred with the gifte of true preaching to whoÌ„ God giueth the woord in deed with great vnspeakeable force eÌ„crease of the trueth daily decay of your vain shade of preaching His name be blessed for euer that hath giueÌ„ such a guard to his Church that Hel gâ—tes nor the eloqueÌ„ce neither of maÌ„ nor Angel shall preuaile against her The Appstles aÌ„d Bishopes haue euer besides the preching of the Gospel punished meÌ„s sins aÌ„d practised iudgmeÌ„t vpoÌ„ meÌ„s soules both in binding aÌ„d loosing The fyth Chapter CHrist theÌ„ hauing not oÌ„ly the preaching of that Gospel to punish pardoÌ„ by but iurisdictioÌ„ also to giue disciplin to release the same in that he was made the supreame gouernour of all Christian people did communicate both these functions at once and gaue the Magistrates of the Church not onely by preaching to threaten or exhorte meÌ„ to vertue or promise them release of their sinnes by onely faith as men haue now plained the way to heauen but also by force of their regiment to giue greate penaunce as we haue proued great pardon againe as to their wisdoms and for the Churches edifiyng may seeme moste conuenient Of this great power of Christ coÌ„municated to his Apostles we haue practise as well for punishing sinners as pardoning them For vpon this soueraigne iurisdiction it rose that the Apostles mightely ministered iustice vpon offenders as well by afflicting their bodies with enioyned long fastes and large almoses as by excommunication and other meanes Which thing who so euer wel weigeth in the manifolde examples of Goddes woord they shal not wonder that the holy Bishops of Christes Church may geue a pardoÌ„ of penaunce enioyned For by this authority did S. Peter who first receiued the keies of Iurisdiccion and power ouer the Church Act. 5. kill both Ananias and Saphira his wife which is as greate a bodily punishement for sinne as may be By this authority did he excommunicate Simon the Sorcerer By this power did S. Paule offer to reuenge disobedience 1. Cor. 4. By this did he threaten to come to the faithfull with a rodde of discipline 2. Tim. 1. By this he prescribed to Timothy whome he consecrated Bishope how he should heare accusatioÌ„s behaue him self in rebuking sin 1. Tim. 2. correctioÌ„ of diuers states By this power did he mightely deliuer vppe some to Sathan bodely vexatioÌ„ By this power did he strike blinde Elimas the witche Act. 13. released him at his pleasure againe By this power haue holy Bishopes excoÌ„municated mighty Emperours suspeÌ„ded many froÌ„ the sacramentes disgraded diuers spiritual meÌ„ froÌ„ their functioÌ„s interdicted whole realms to be short by this power hath the Church of God prescribed a due punishmeÌ„t for euery deadly sinne iustly respecting the greuousnes thereof coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce therein As we may see in the peniteÌ„tial book of Theodorus Bede the canoÌ„s wherof be traÌ„slated into the book of decrees Vide decret Iuo par 15. which is the 15. intitled De poeniteÌ„â— namely in the most auncieÌ„t CouÌ„cel of Ancyre which was holden well near xiij C. yeres sitheÌ„s in the most pure time of ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ wheÌ„ I trow our Aduersaies dare not say that the faith was corrupted Cap. 1. cap. 2. There the Priestes DeacoÌ„s the releÌ„ted in persecutioÌ„ wer suspeÌ„ded froÌ„ the executing of their seueral functioÌ„s such as supt in the teÌ„ples of Idols Cap. 4. sacrificed to false gods wer charged beside absteining froÌ„ the sacrameÌ„ts Cap. 15. with three yeres penaÌ„ce those that coÌ„mitted brutish sins vnnatural Cap. 20. should doo xxv yeres penaÌ„ce for adultry vij yeres penaÌ„ce for womeÌ„ that destroied their birth Cap. 21. x. yeres for murtherers vij if it be not voluÌ„tary if it he wilful Cap. 22. til that end of maÌ„s life for superstious southsaiers or dream reders or sorcerers Cap 23. witches v. yeares Finally for rape x. yeres were prescribed The like wer made for diuers crimes in the CouÌ„cel of Nice Cap. 24. But it is inough that we know though the eternall paines deserued by dedly sins be forgiueÌ„ with the sins theÌ„ selfs that yet ther remaineth for the satisfiyng of gods iustice som teÌ„poral scourge to preueÌ„t which the church enioineth payne for faults remitted that both Gods mercy be folowed in the remissioÌ„ of their syns hys iustice partly answered in punishmeÌ„t of the same the which der of deserued pain being not here fulfilled or released it must in an other world be answered And therfore s Austine saith of the Churches vsage in prescribing penaÌ„ce thus Cap. 65. Enchir. Sed neque de ipsis criminib ê™libet magnis remitteÌ„dis in S. Ecclia dei desperaÌ„da eÌ„ miÌ„a ageÌ„tib poeniteÌ„tiaÌ„ secunduÌ„ moduÌ„ sui
cuiusque peccari et ê™a pleruÌ„que dolor alterius cordis occultus eÌ„ alteri rectè coÌ„stituuÌ„tur ab ijs ê™ Eccliae pÌ„sunt teÌ„pora poeniteÌ„tiae vt fiat eÌ„t satis EccliÌ„ae in quae peccata remittuÌ„tur EueÌ„ for sins being neuer so greuous greate we may not despaire of gods mercy nor of remissioÌ„ to be had in the Church mary alwaies presupposed that the offeÌ„ders must do penaÌ„ce according to the quaÌ„tity greuousnes of their offeÌ„ces And because ofteÌ„ it chaÌ„ceth that the sorow of maÌ„s hart wherin much staÌ„deth is vnknoweÌ„ to other meÌ„ it is very resonable that the Church should limite their penauÌ„ce by her gouernours to be accoÌ„plished in certayne times appoynted seasons for the aunswer of the Churches right in which onely all sinnes be remitted as out of her lap none at all be forgiueÌ„ for any benefite to the partie So saith this doctour of publike penaunce And of secret satisfaction which now is more vsed after confession leste any maÌ„ should feare that that were not sufficient to satisfie for the remnaÌ„t of debt due for mortal sins forgeueÌ„ thus faith the authour of the booke de ecclesias dogm set furth wyth S. Augustines name De ecclesiasticis dogmatibus Cap. 53. Sed secreta satisfactione solui mortalia crimina non negamus Neyther we doe denie but mortall sinnes maye be loosed by secret satisfaction Fear not the worde satisfactioÌ„ as though it derogated any thing to the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ which is in Christ Iesus It is here in many places of S Augustines woorkes most common SatisfactioÌ„ an vsuall vvord in the doctours and no lesse vsed of al Catholik writers since Christs time who knew right well that the fructes of Christian penaunce done in the vertue force of Gods grace doe applie Christes satisfaction effectually to our benefite and not remoue the vse thereof from vs. But they haue a faith so solitary now a dayes that it will alone apprehende what ye list and reache so farre into Christes iustice that her fautors shall haue no need of christian woorkes or fruitful repentance Now to this ende haue we saied all this that the faithful may vnderstand perfectly what the Pope may by right remitte through his Pardon and Indulgence Note vvel For looke what the officers of Gods Church may bind that without all doubt may they vpon good coÌ„sideration release againe Therefore if they may enioyne penance for yeres and dayes both openly out of the Sacrament and also in priuate satisfaction after Confession then may they release certaine daies and yeares of the same penance whiche was prescribed before For loosing and binding pertaine by reason law and Christes own graunte as to one acte of iurisdiction that the one being laufull Hovv the pardons for daies and yeares do rise the other must needes so be also If the Church be of right power and authoritie to prescribe penaunce of seuen yeares she hath the like right to remitte vpon iust respect eyther all those yeares or some part of the same especially hauing meanes otherwise to supply the lacke of satisfactioÌ„ of Gods iustice in the party peniteÌ„t And therefore I ioyne in argument and open reason with our Aduersaries thus To geue pardon in most coÌ„mon and catholike sense of that woord is to release some parte or all the enioyned penaunce for sinnes remitted But the Pope because he is the principall gouernour of Gods Church may release any penaunce enioyned vpon iust consideratioÌ„s ergo the Pope may laufully geue Pardons The Minor wherein the Aduersaries may perchance geue back I proue thus That which was bound by the Churches or Popes authority may be laufully loosed by the same authority agayne because Christ hym selfe ioyned in hys graunte both these actes together they are proued to be propre to one iurisdction But the Church by the Decrees of Bishops CouÌ„cels hath apoynted such penauÌ„ce so many yeres of correction for sundry faults therefore the same Byshops or suche as be of the like authority when they see occasion may remit the penauÌ„ce of the sayd yeres or som part of it by limitation of dayes or seasoÌ„s as the state of the peniteÌ„t requireth or the time it self doth moue them And thys argument shall be vnmoueable except they reiect wyth the Popes Pardons all maner of discipline as well of excommunication as other lesser satisfactions whereof we haue allready spoken as in deede to maynteyn theyr falshod they must nedes doo as also they shall be enforced to reproue both the holy Councell of Nice all the holy Fathers the generall practise of the Church wyth them the expresse scriptures in whych the woorthy fructes of penaunce sharp disclpline Math. 7. 1. Cor. 11. Heb. 13. Mat. 16.18 1. Tim. 1. iudging our selues obedience to our Prelates bynding reteyning of synnes excoÌ„municatyng deliueryng vp to Sathan be so often coÌ„mended It must nedes be a miserable doctrine of these Protestants whiche can not be vpholden but by so shamefull shiftes and when we driue them into suche straites in a matter where they think most may be said for them selues and least for our defence where shal they stand in our plain causes in which almoste our Aduersaries confesse vs to haue the vantage of Antiquitie and the preheminence of al the Councels in the world But surely I think falshod hath so litle hold in al matters that it staÌ„deth only vpright whiles the contrary is not seen or not vnderstanded which shee seeketh euer by al meanes shee may to couer keepe close For the night shee loueth and in darkenes shee deliteth Doe but open the true sense of anie Article by them impugned and it is more then halfe proued and the ennemies without argument vpon the sight of truth in a maner discomfited So it fareth with them in our present cause which they haue long toyled and troubled in the mist of their phantasies and vpon false interpretation disgraced amongst the simple sort that thing which in this sense as Gods Churche that hath the ruling of the mater taketh it is so sure and so cleare in it selfe that I thinke they shal neuer be hable with honestie to speak against any one parcel therof That there be diuerse wayes of temporal punnishment remaining after sinnes be remitted euery of whiche wayes may be in some cases released in parte or in whole by the Pardons of Popes and Bisshops The sixth Chapter ANd yet to geue more light to the matter the greater ouerthrow to falshod let vs driue the cause forwarde and weigh with our selues the whole state of thinges in this order First that there be three wayes of punnishment of mans sinnes after they be released in the sacramente of Penance besides the fruites of repentance which maÌ„ chargeth himself withall Of three sortes of punnishments teÌ„poral besides the punnishment appointed for offences by the ciuill or temporall lawes whereof I nowe speake not the
his iurisdiction nor any of the Churches treasure restreined from his disposition But because I can not ground this my meaning better then vpon a general Councell I will reporte the decree of the most holy assembly holden at Lateran more then three hundreth yeares synce vnder Innocentius the thirde by which not onely this doctrine of Pardons is approued but also the superfluity therof and suche disorder as was therein throughe couetousnes of euill persons or lacke of authority in the giuers is corrected with a declaration who be the onely lawfull ministers in such remissions of enioyned penaunce Thus goeth the decree Cano. 62. Quia per indiscretas indulgentias atque superfluas quas quidam Ecclesiarum Praelati facere non verentur claues Ecclesiae contemnuntur poenitentialis satisfactio eneruatur decernimus vt cum dedicatur Basilica non extendatur Indulgentia extra annum sine ab vno solo siue a pluribus Episcopis dedicetur ac deinde in anniuersario dedicatiouis tempore quadraginta dies de iniunctis poenitentijs indulta remissio non excedat intra hunc quoque dierum numerum indulgentiarum literas praecipimus moderari quae pro quibuslibet causis aliquoties conceduntur cùm Romanus Pontifex qui plenitudinem obtinet potestatis hoc in talibus moderamen consueuerit obseruare That is to say Because the keyes of the Churche be contemned and sacramentall satisfaction is much weakened by certaine indiscrete and superfluous Indulgences the which certaine Prelats of Churches ar ouer bold to bestowe we decree that hereafter at the dedication of any Chapel no Pardon be giuen more then for one yeare whether it be dedicated by one Bishop or moe and then that ther be no remissions afterwarde in the yearely celebrating of the said dedications more thē of fourty dayes of enioyned penaunce The like also to be obserued in al other common instrumentes by which for other good causes and holy purposes Pardons shal be giuen seing the Bishope of Rome him selfe who hath the fulnesse of power herein vseth customably so to moderate the letters of Pardons that procede frō him By which holy Councel you may perceiue not only that the Bishops of Goddes Church may giue Pardons but that the Bishope of Romes right is much more ample in this case thē theirs can be and especially how carefull the Church euer hath bene to purge al corruption of doctrine or vsage crepte into the world through the disorder of mans mis behauioure and howe wicked the endeuours of some euil disposed persōs be who ceasse not vnhonestly to attribute that to the Church of Christ which she hath euer sought to redresse in the euel maners of them that haue disgraced the doctrin of trueth and made contemptible the moste profitable practise of holy thinges by their misvse of the same But he that list fully to see how litle the Catholike Church liketh the abuse of wicked men in these matters and yet how seuerely she accurseth al the cōtemners of this holy function in the right vse thereof Conciliū Trident. Sess vlt. let him reade the Decree of the last general Councell touching as wel the vse of holy pardons as the earnest consideration had of reforming all disorder therein and he shal fully be satisfied in this article if he haue learned so much as to giue ouer the preiudice of al priuate opinions to the common iudgement of Gods Church Being now thus farre in oure matter that it is well knowen the Bisshopes of Goddes Churche principally to haue this binding and loosing by the keye of their iurisdiction to be exercised in the open courte of the Church and that the power of the Bishop of Rome not only by speciall priuiledges giuen by Christ but also by lawe and prescription of all antiquities passeth in this pointe as in all other gouernment the termes or seuerall limites of all his brethren it shall not be needfull to dispute whether the Key of iurisdiction onely separated from the Keye of order proper to priesthod be sufficient to giue remission of enioyned penance by Commonly it is holden that as excommunication and other like actes of iurisdiction maye be exercised by the Bishops Legates or Substituts being no priestes or by them selues being elected Bishops and yet neither consecrated nor ordered euen so may Indulgencies be also profitablie graunted Wherof I will not now talke because it is not muche materiall seing commonly they be not graunted otherwise but of Bishops neither so ofte of other as of the Pope neuer any otherwise but by his or other bishops authoritie by whom so euer that functiō is executed But this I knowe will be required rather at my handes VVether the Popes Pardons doe extend to purgatorie and hovv the course of the matter giuing occasion thervnto how farre the limites of the Popes iurisdiction who hath the soueraigntie herin doth extend and whether the benefite of any Pardon may perteine to any person that is alreadie appointed to suffer in his soule the paines of the next life and is at this present in the course of Goddes correction in Purgatorie and finally whether the graunt of an Indulgence maye release them there of some peece or all their paynes as it might haue doē whiles they were in this present life To all this I aunswer bressy that the Pope may doe it lawfully wherof ther can be no more doubt then there is of the other of which we haue made so plaine argument already though in the waye and means of appliing the Churches remission or the Sanctes satisfaction vnto them there maye be some diuersitie not suche as maye any thing hinder the trueth of the cause which of al catholik mē is most certēly agreed vpon but such as may styrre vppe mās industry in the moderate searche of Goddes trueth and mysteries For the soules departed and being assured to be saued must needes be of the same body mystical and felowship of Saintes that the faithful be of aliue and therfore thei may according to their aptnes more or lesse be profited by the holy workes and satisfaction of their heade and felow membres because in euery lawfull Pardon there is made by the keyes of iurisdiction and application of Christes holy merites and his Saintes in that respecte as they be satisfactory to the vse of their inferioure members that doo lacke that wherein the other doo abunde Whervpon it standeth with plaine reason and meaning of Goddes woorde touching binding and loosing that the soules in Purgatorie shoulde somtimes be partakers of this blessing no lesse then other that be yet liuing For the deniall of which catholike assertion Leo the tenth accursed and condemned Luther by his letters patentes as euer since his memory hath bene condemned most woorthely of all good men continuing in the vnity of Christes Church In bull◠condem Luth. Mary whether the Indulgencies take place so often vpon the deade as vpon the liue that is not
of Gods prouidence that driueth Heretikes to disdaine destroy and dissanul the graces and manifolde giftes of Christes Churche that impugning them where the very right of such holy actes do lie they may plainly confesse and to their shame acknowledge that they haue none such them selues nor caÌ„ by Gods warrant chalenge any such giftes whiche with al their might they would wholy if they could together with Gods spirite and Churche extinguish Alas into what misery hath this forsakeÌ„ flock wilfully cast them selues and their adherentes whiche can forsake Gods house vbi mandauit Dominus benedictionem vpon vvhiche God hath bestovved his blessing The nevve congregatioÌ„ is barrain of al Gods giftes and abide there where by their owne confession there is no Priesthode no Penance no host no sacrifice no remission where they can let of sinnes no grace in Sacramentes nor no gift of the holy Ghost Al other heresies lightly by force of the Fathers doctrine and iudgement lost either their Priesthod because thei had no way out of the Churche to make Priests Aduersus Luciferianos as S. Hierome writeth of Hilarie the Deacon or els the vse function of Priesthode by reason the works of God can not be orderlie nor benificially vsed out of the house of God and yet they euer claimed to them selues not onely the order but for moste part all other functions that by Christe and his Churche were annexed to that order but ours wherein they passe all their forefathers in a maner willingly giue ouer the whole profession freely without compulsioÌ„ deny them selues with Nouatus to be Priestes denie to sacrifice denie to enioyne penance denie to geue the holy Ghoste either by imposition of handes or by Chrisme Protestants do of them selâ—es renounce the right of al holy actions of Christian religion or by any other solemne right of Goddes Church To be short take nothing froÌ„ these fellowes that belongeth to Christianitie for they wil geue al ouer them selues But briefly to conclude vppe the answere to their reason founded vppon Nouatus his principle touching Gods honour thus I say That neuer derogateth to Gods honour which is agreable to Gods ordinance but that Priests should remitte sinnes is the ordinance of god as is declared therefore the vse thereof doth not derogate any whit to gods honour Againe as great works and as propre to god as remission of sinnes was practised by the Apostles yet is vsed by the Bishoppes of holie Church without al dishonour of God geuing the holy ghost and gods grace by laying on of handes Ergo Remission of sinnes may be also practised of Priests without al iniurie to god his onely right therein For further prouf of the foresaid matter it is declared that neither Christe nor his euerlasting Father nor the holie Ghost doe giue ouer vnto man or resigne the power of remission or anie other holie function of the Churche but doe themselues coÌ„tinually worke al those graces by mans ministerie and seruice The eighth Chap. FVrthermore wee muste here consider that what woorke so euer God appointeth man to exercise in his Churche either in remission of sinnes or giuing grace of Gods Spirit or what other holy actioÌ„ so euer may in his name be don for the benefite of the people by the ministery and seruice of man either by the meanes and meditation of anye other instrumental cause No man doth succeed God in anie diuine function we must learne that in these workes so wrought either by maÌ„ or through other creatures God doth not resigne his right to the waies and and woorkers thereof and giue ouer the whole title that is due to himself in the said diuine actes For then in deed mans practise should derogat to Gods power and he should as it were succeed God in the right of his propre power and euerlasting inheritance which only to surmise as Heretikes doe were mere foly Christ is by euerlasting right made the head of the Church Christ resigned his room but not his right and he resigneth not this office to any mortal man For if he did then the partie that should by his grauÌ„t occupie for a season the same dignitie were his successour should hold in like right the same office as he did before But that notwithstanding he hath made his substitute vicegerent by whom in his corporal absence he ruleth now the Church as he did before in his owne person not geuing ouer his preheminence and supream power therein but nowe practising that by an other whiche afore he exercised him selfe in his own person It had ben a great derogation to Christ that Peter should haue bene Christes heir and successour for then Christ had lost the perpetuitie an other man gouerning after him in like right and preheminence as he had before But for Peter to rule the Church vnder him in his steed as by his euerlasting right with coÌ„mission from him that holdeth that soueraigntie for euer by whome so euer the Church shal be ruled til the worlds end in earth this I saie is no derogation to God nor his Sonne Christ Iesus at al but it muche proueth that Christe accordinge to his manhoode is the heade of the Churche for euer because by man in earth he ruleth the same til his comming againe the which man though he be his Vicar and Vicegerent yet he is not his Successour Psal 44. S. Augustin did trimly allude to the vse of the old Law coÌ„paring the ministers of Gods Church to the yonger brethern who were charged to marie the elder brothers wife wheÌ„ he died without isshue in whose name they did practise the worke of mariage therfore could not cal their childreÌ„ by their own names but by the name of their elder brethreÌ„ For as thei raised seed to their brother for their brothers honour so the Priests that haue taken vppon them as it were in mariage to gouern Christ his Church to bring foorth childreÌ„ not in their own names but in the name of their elder brother her departed husband As when they bring foorth children in Baptisme as through the wombe of the Church they bring them not foorth as for them selues in their own names but in the name of Iesus Christ being thâ—ir elder brother euen so it is in remission of sinnes also in whiche case Christ resigneth not his authoritie Yet the Protestantes briÌ„g forth in their seuerall congregations children not for Christ but for Caluin caluinists and for Lâ—ther LutheraÌ„s as though he lacked that power him selfe but practiseth that mightie woorke by the ministerie of man whiche before he excercised in his own person And as the baptising not in the name of Peter nor Paule nor Apollo but in the name of Christ the first husbande of the Church after whome the Children be called Christians not Petrians or Paulians doth muche sette foorth the honour of the eldest spouse so it proueth