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
and obedience to Gods ordinance by the warrante whereof they al as I haue proued chalenge al maner of interest in the gouernment of our soules Much more might be said out of diuerse holy Fathers muche out of the decrees as wel of Bishops as CouÌ„cels the authoritie whereof no ChristiaÌ„ Catholike did euer reiect In Lateran in Florence Can. 21. Tract de Sacra De Poen and in Trent Councels Penance is decreed to be a sacrament and of necessitie to al such as fal into deadly sinne after Baptisme The minister thereof by their holy determination is a Priest laufully ordered the remission of sinnes is in them al chalenged to be his right not only by declaration that God hath or will pardon them nor by the preaching of the Gospel nor any other waies newely deuised by the Diuel to delude Christes ordinaunce and misconstrue his plaine woordes But proprely is the Priest proued to be the minister vnder God of reconciliation and therefore may by his woords absolue men in the said sacrament of their sinnes as in Christes own steed whose honourable iudgement seat by his commission and the holy Ghostes assistaÌ„ce he doth laufully possesse And so surely doth Gods ministers hold this power and prehemineÌ„ce that no power or dignitie of man could euer be so wel warranted and approued by Gods owne woorde and practise of all ages and nations christened as this is The spiritual meÌ„ holde by more cleare euidence theÌ„ any temporall Prince All the Princes in earth though they reigne ful righteously can not yet shew the tenth part of the euidence that Gods Priests can doe for their title of remission of sinnes and it booteth not mee in this my base state to admonish them though I hartely wish thei would consider it that the contempte of spirituall iurisdiction and the dignitie of Priesthode falleth at length to the disobedience to all temporall power and wicked contempt of ciuile gouernment also The issue of heresy as in those disordered daies we may to our great grief behold when vnder pretence of religion and Gods woord wherof they haue no more respect surely then the Deuill him selfe hath they haue disobeyed not only Peters keyes but also Cesars sword Neither lette any man thinke that where the bands of conscience the awe of Gods maiesty the feare of Hell and damnation the hope of heauen and saluation is remoued that there can be any ciuile obedience long Feare of man is much flattery of man is more but bond of conscience passeth them both Thus therfore haue Gods Priests made accompt of their calling and long practised power of remitting and reteining the peoples offences Here it is proued that by the right of the Priest in remitting sinnes the duetie of all Christian people doth necessarilie rise for the confession of euerie of their mortal sinnes vnto him as the same is also proued by the doctrine of all holye Fathers of Christes Churche The tenth Chap. AND now I must aduertise my louing brethren of the necessary sequele hereof which to some I know semeth so hard and vnpleasant that the very consideration therof hath driuen many that haue not felt the sweetnesse of Gods Spirite by whiche euery of his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts be they neuer so rough in apparance are made easie and delectable to the feare misliking and lothsomnesse of the Sacramente of Penaunce Whiche as it is for other causes many much abhorred of the waÌ„tons lately departed out of the Church and of some worldly Catholiks to that be not so zelouse in folowing truth as they be disirouse to know truth Vvhy confessioÌ„ is couÌ„ted so burdenous to many so it is moste lothed and feared for that in it there is required a distinct simple sincere and plaine confession to be made of euery sinne that is knowen or suspected so be mortal vnto a Prieste whiche is the lauful minister of the same Sacrament with such diligent and exact examination of our consciences as a matter of such importaÌ„ce doth of reason require That is the great offence and staie that the weaklinges of Christes Church doe so earnestly respect and so long they shall be vexed and molested in mind with the sowre remembraunce thereof as they do not proue the swete gracious and incomparable effect ensuing most assuredly thereon Considerations to be had for remouiÌ„g the impediments of confession so long shal they stumble at so small a straw as they doe not feele the burden of sinne feare the paines of hel follow the quiet of conscience foresee the dreadful day of iudgement so long shal thei be bashful to submit them selues to one mans most close secreat meeke and merciful iudgement as they feare not the infinit shame open horrible confusion euerlasting rebuke before God Angel MaÌ„ and Diuel at the seat and sentence that shal be pronouÌ„ced in the face of al creatures which must fal to them that close vppe vnder couer and compasse of their conscience such a number of manifolde sinnes wherof in that day both accoÌ„pt and confession must be made to their vttermost confusion Finallie so long shal maÌ„s wil and corrupted nature disobey Gods ordinance herein as he earnestly and humbly seeketh not by praier at Christes handes the grace gift of obedience and repentaÌ„ce for as the fulfilling of euery of Gods commaundemeÌ„ts can not otherwise be had but by his special fauour so saith S. Augustin De fide ad PetruÌ„ Cap. 31. or as som think rather Fulgentius Firmissimè â—ene nullarenus duhites neminem his posse hominem poenitentiam agere nisi queÌ„ Deus illuminauerit gratuita sua miseratione conuertit Hold this for an assuraÌ„ce that no man can here do penance except he be illumined and conuerted theavnto by his singular mercy Neither doth this Doctour mean of any other way of repentaÌ„ce then is vsed for mortal sinnes after baptism in the sacrameÌ„t of the church putting there in a maner by expres words a doble sacrameÌ„t one for original sin that is in childreÌ„ only and that he calleth SacramentuÌ„ fidei the other â—or sinnes afterward coÌ„mitted whiche he termeth Poenitentiam Penance And let no man think the true repentaÌ„ce can be in any or effectual for the remission of sinnes if he followe not the appointed ordinance of God for remission of sinnes For I dare be bold to say that as since the time that our Sauiours words tooke place Nisi quis renatus fuerit Except a man be borne againe of vvater and the holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdom of heauen that since these words no maÌ„ can be saued â—bout Baptism so likewise since Christ spak these woords vvhose sinnes you doe forgeue they be forgeueÌ„ I dare say neuer maÌ„ was saued nor can be saued that either coÌ„teinneth or neglecteth coÌ„fession or earnestly seketh not for it if he fall in relapse of deadlie crimes after his baptisme I wil speak it plainlie because I woulde haue it thought on
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
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
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
in earth whiche both he and his eternall Father with the holy Spirit of them both do woorke by their own one equal authority in heauen euerlastinglie And though God hath euer sithens mans fall God hath euer vsed mans ministeri in reconciliation vsed the meanes and seruice of man to his restore againe and to â—he reliefe of his lackes and therefore â—ath geuen authoritie by his holy Spiâ—ite and vnction to diuerse of the â—lde Lawe to offer sacrifice praie and procure remission to the people of all â—heir offenses and no lesse as occaâ—ion serued and the matter required â—o correct their misdeedes by iudgemente and iurisdiction geauen vnto them for which soueraigne calling thei were called the annointed of God an external ceremonie of anoyling being solemnly annexed therevnto yet our Lord and maister whether you coÌ„sider his high priesthode by which in most ample maner through commission receiued he may procure our pardon or his calling to be the head of the church by which he ruleth and keepeth all the body in due subiection and order or his ministerie of preaching whereby farre aboue al the prophets and preachers of the old law he openeth to his flock the Church the secret mysteries of Gods truth Christ I saie in al these respectes being man is yet much more abundantly blessed and annointed without comparison Psal 44. aboue all his fellovves and coparteners as the holy Prophet Dauid doth testifie VpoÌ„ whose words touching that matter S. Hilarie writeth thus De Trinit 10. Vnxit te Deus Deus tuus oleo exultationis prae participibus tuis non secundum sacramentuÌ„ aliud quà m secuÌ„duÌ„ dispensationeÌ„ assumpti corporis Vnctio eniÌ„ illa noÌ„ beatae illi incorruptae in natura dei maneÌ„ti natiuitati ê“fecit sed sanctificationi hoiÌ„s assumpti Namet in Actis ait Petrê° vnxit illuÌ„ Deus in spiritu sancto virtute Thus he meaneth in English God euen thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of ioy far aboue thy coparteners not in any other meaning but according to the dispensatioÌ„ of a body receiued For that vnction could not be beneficial to the holy vnspotted and euerlasting natiuitie in the nature of his Godhead but only it was agreable to the mysterie of his manhod and flesh assumpted in his temporall natiuitie whereof S. Peter speaketh in the Acts that God hath annointed him in the holy Ghost and in power The holie Father also S. Cyril agreâ—th herevnto De recta fide ad Reginas confessing that al this honour power and authoritie which the Prophets haue signified so long before â—y the annoynting of the sonne of God â—ame vnto Christ in consideratioÌ„ of his manhode thus he saith Quòd vnctio sit â—ecundum humanitatem nemo qui rectè sapere â—â—let dubitabit quia absque omni controuersia â—inus à maiore benedicitur That the anâ—ointing of Christ shoulde be meant of his humanitie no man doubteth that is of any right vnderstanding For without al controuersie the inferiour and lesse euer receiueth blessing of the superiour and greater There can be no question then but al soueraignty and supreame iurisdiction which he exercised ouer the Church being his body and spouse in that respect that he was either Priest and Bisshop of our soules 1. Pet. 2. as S. Peter calleth him or els as he was our head and pastour it is certen that al this came vnto him by his Fathers sending and the vnction of the holy Ghost and the benediction of the holy Trinitie to which he was inferiour according to his manhode If thou doubt of this Priesthode in this case heare Theodoretus Christus autem quod ad humanitatem quidem attinet Dialog 1. Sacerdos appellatus est non aliam autem hostiam quà m suuÌ„ corpus obtulit Christ saith he touching his humanity was called a Priest and he offered no other hoste but his owne bodie But we maie haue more forcible testimony herof in S. Paule him selfe who in sundrie other places that are knowen Heb. 5. 9. professeth euery Bisshop to be elected aÌ„d chosen out amoÌ„g an number of men to offer sacrifice for sinne And that he is made the supreame gouernoure and heade of the Churche in his humanitie yea and in respecte thereof is appointed to be the high minister of God the Father in pardoning or iudging the worlde it is an assured ground of our faith approued not onely by the consente of all Doctours but also by the Scriptures euerie where protesting that al power in heauen and earth is geuen to Christ in so muche that the Apostle calleth him the man Act. 7. in quo viro statuit iudicare orbem terrarum In which or by which appointed man he will iudge the world Al these things though they may seme to the simple to be farre from the matter yet they be both neare our purpose and necessarie to be laied vppe in memorie for the further establisshing of our faith in the Article proposed and diuerse other profitable pointes of Christian beliefe nowe impugned For as the due coÌ„sideration of Christes authoritie and excellent office touching his manhod wil helpe vp the decayed honour and iurisdictioÌ„ that the guides of Gods Churche by the right of his high calling doe iustlie chalenge so it shal represse the boldnesse of certaine miscreants of this age who to further their sundrie euil entents and detestable doctrines haue dishonoured Christes dignitie touching his incarnation and office of his redemption exceding much both in him self and in the persons of his Priestes and substitutes Some of them fearing as I take it least the honour and office of Christes Priesthod might by participation descend to the Apostles and Priests of the Church letted not to hold that Christ was his Fathers Priest according to his diuine nature of which blasphemie Iohn Caluin was iustly noted Vide Oricouij Chimer wherin the wicked man whiles he went about to disgrace the dignitie of mortall men became exceding iniurious to the second person in Trinitie One other of that schole and of his own neast denied that Christ in his manhode should â—udge the world least there might seme â—o be some force of punishment and corâ—ection of wickednes practised by maÌ„s ministery in this life for the resemblaÌ„ce of Christes iudgement to come And so â—aught one Richerus of a Carmelite a Caluinist Vide Villegag contra articulos Caluini Ita Hartop MoÌ„hem alij Heb. 7. Other denie Christ being now in heauen to make prayer for vs â—ccording to his manhode because it â—endeth towardes the intercession of Saints though S. Paule in expresse wordes recordeth of him Quòd saluaâ—e in perpetuum potest accedens ad Deum persemetipsum semper viuens ad interpellandum â—ro nobis That for euer he is of power to geue saluation hauing accesse to God by him self and alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. Yea most of the Sacramentaries
can be no default who was well able to geue and in deede did giue the holie Ghost In the holie Ghoste there can be no lette nor lacke whose power is infinite and his verie propriety to remitte sinnes Al things then standing on so safe and sure groundes the giuer the gift and the receiuer competent and fullie answerable eche to other on euery side let the disconteÌ„ted ioyne in argument let him alledge why the Priest so authorised by Christe and so assured of the holie Ghost may not either pardon or geue penance Neuer man auouched that he exercised the high actioÌ„ vpoÌ„ his own authoritie but that he may not as a minister and seruaunt practise it vppon the warrant of Christ present power of the holy Ghost that no faithful person can affirm nor any reasonable man stand in Some holy writers vpon this text of S. Iohn in which the order of Christes authorishing his Apostles for the remissioÌ„ of sinnes is described do dispute of the differeÌ„ce of geuing the holy ghost then to his Disciples afterwarde on whitsonday some note the external ceremonie that our Maister vsed when he gaue them the holy Spirite whiche was by breathing on them that suche outwarde actions might bothe be an euidence to them of that excellent gift which they inwardlie then receued Grace ioined to external elements aÌ„d vvhy and should further be an euerlasting instruction to the Church that Gods grace gifts be ofteÌ„ ioyned to external elemeÌ„ts for the solace of our nature that deliteth to haue our outward man schooled as well as the inward man nourished These and many things moe be of profitable remembrance and consideratioÌ„ but not so much to our purpose Therfore let vs see whether the iudgement of the holy Fathers do not wholy help our present cause by prouing the Priests ministerie through the holy Ghostes authoritie that our declaration staÌ„ding on the plaine wordes of scripture with their vndoubted sense may obtein inuincible force against the aduersaries and woorthy credite of the true beleuers Hovv Priestes being but men mâ—ie remitte sinnes coÌ„mitted agaiÌ„st God We wil make our entrance first with S. Cyril who debating with himselfe vpon the incomparable authoritie and power geuen to the Apostles for remission of sinnes standeth first as in contention with him self and with Christes wordes how it may be that they being but meÌ„ shuld forgeue the sinnes of our soules being sure of this that it is the proprety only of the true and liuing God to assoile vs of our sinnes against whom only al sinnes be proprely committed And therefore being not of stomake as men be now a daies to deny that which Christes wordes so plainly doe import he made answere that the Apostles were in deed deified made as you would say partakers of Gods nature to woorke Gods own office in the world Cap. 5â— lib 12. In Ioan. interpre TrapezuÌ„ Qua igitur ratione saith he diuinae naturae dignitatem ac potestatem discipulis suis saluator largitus est Quia certè absurdum non est pecâ—ata remitti posse ab illis qui spiritum Sanctum in seipsis habeant Nam cùm ipsi remmittunt aut detinent spiritus qui habitat in eis remittit detinet By what meanes did our Sauiour giue vnto the Apostles the preheminence power of Gods own nature Surely because it agreeth very well that they should remit mans sinnes that haue in them selues the holy Ghost For when they assoyle or reteine sinnes it is the holy Spirit that dwelleth in them whiche by their ministerie doth remitte or reteine sinnes Thus he I marueil not nowe Lib. 6. cont Iul. why this same Father termeth the Apostles somtimes Protectores curatores animaruÌ„ corporuÌ„ Titles geuen to priesthod the protectours and curers both of bodies and soules it is not straÌ„ge why S. Ambrose should cal the whole order of priesthod OrdineÌ„ deificuÌ„ De Sacerdot Neither that he should terme officiuÌ„ Sacerdotis munus spiritus Sancti The Priestes office to be the function of the holy Ghost No I doe not wonder at some of our forefathers that in the admiration of Gods Maiestie which they saw to be so present in the execution of so high an office they did simplie and plainlie terme the principall Pastours of the Churche halfe Gods and not mere men not hauing respect to their persons whiche be compassed with in firmities as other the sinfull sort of people in the worlde be but casting eye vpwarde to the holie and excellent functions whiche they practised by the spirite of God which dwelleth in them and deifieth their persoÌ„s to make them of habilitie to exercise the works of God But S. Ambrose helpeth our matter with a long discourse al I wil not now report for the present purpose thus he saith disputing against the NouatiaÌ„s for the assertioÌ„ of priestlie dignity inassoyling our sinnes Qui SpirituÌ„ sanctuÌ„ accipit sol uëdi pecâ—aâ—a potestateÌ„ et ligandi accipit Cap. 2. li. 1 De Poen sic eniÌ„ scriptuÌ„ est Accipite Spiritum sanctuÌ„ quoruÌ„ remiseritis peccata remittuÌ„tur eis quoruÌ„ retinueritis reteÌ„ta sunt Ergo ê™ soluere peccatuÌ„ non potest non habet SpirituÌ„ sanctuÌ„ Munus spiritus sancti est officium sacerdotis ius autem spiritus sancti in soluendis ligandisque criminibus est He that receiueth the holy Ghoste hâ—â— meaning is in the taking of orders receiueth therewith the power to bind loose For so is it writen Receiue you the holy Ghost whose sinnes you do forgeue they are forgeueÌ„ them whose sinnes you do reteine they are reteined Therefore they which can not forgeue meÌ„s offeÌ„ces thei haue not the holy ghost that is to say thei haue not the gift of the holy ghost which is geueÌ„ to the officers for th executioÌ„ of their functioÌ„ in Christes behalfe for the gift of the holy Ghost is the office of the Priest the proper right of remission of sinnes staÌ„deth in the holy Ghost Thus wrote S. Ambrose against the heretikes of his time both toucheth and ouercoÌ„meth all the falshode of our daies against the ministerie of man which so ioyneth with Gods Spirit in al these diuine functions that it can not without blasphemie and special contempt of God be contemned Contra Pelagianos Manichaeos Donatistas passim But I remember S. Augustine the Churches great Capitaine against her aduersaries of those daies did euer in disputation against the Pelagians and other like ennemies of faith make the greatest accompt of victorie and their ouerthrow when they were driuen to denie that which euer before had bene not onlie acknowledged of al men for truth but also had ben vsed as a grauÌ„ted truth ground and principle for the notable euidence thereof to the impugning of other falsehodes For there can be no doubt but that whiche our holy Fathers did vse without controling and contradiction euen
men make of the Apostles spirite woorde and writing that they haue cōdemned the whole vse therof as superstitious Holy Orders not helping thē selfes by figures but by opē force Grace is giuen to Timothy as in a sacrament when he tooke orders of Paule 1. Tim. 4 the Apostle sayeth so much in expresse termes yet this grace and the whole sacrament of Orders these holy men reiecte Matrimonie Matrimonie to S. Paule is a great sacrament of oure ministers not misliked so farre as concerneth their fleshly coniunctiō which they onely lust after Ephes 5. but grace they list not receiue thereby least it should be a sacrament wherby the vnitie of Christ and his spouse the Church which in no sauce they can abide might be fullie represented and signified These felowes therfore that dare be so bold to disturbe al the orders and sacramentes of Goddes Church and to mainteine their phantasies dare brast the sacred bandes of expresse scriptures in such poyntes as doo directly touche the whole policie of oure Christian common wealth and ordered wayes of oure saluation euen in those which Christ moste carefully left to be practised for the vse of his louinge flocke by the warrant of woordes moste playne what shal wee saye to such bolde and impudent faces that thus dare doo and yet which I more merueyl at in this their vncurtesie and moste vnhonest dealing will not sticke to crie and call vpon Goddes woorde as thoughe they did that by scripture the contrarie whereof they expressly find in scripture And truely where they be not holpen by the verie woordes vaine it shall be for them to stand with vs and with all oure Fathers and with the practise of al nations and with the verie expresse iudgment of the Church of God it shal not boote them I say in their dark ignorance and infinitie pride to stand with vs hauing so many helpes for the true meaning and the expresse text of the woorde for oure selues and side Sometymes where it maie appeare that the woordes and outwarde face of scripture serue not oure assertions so playnly as the holy traditions of Christes Church doo there they cal vpō vs with infinite clamoures to abide the iudgment of the woorde which they would be thought to esteme aboue al mans meaning But whither wil they now runne thincke you where al oure sacramētes stand vpō euident woordes more thē woordes vpon the verie expresse notorious actiō of Christ him selfe all instituted sincerly to be practised of the Churce after his departure hēce al cōmended in knowen termes of greatest most efficacie that could be not by way of preaching in which he vsed sometyme figures not at suche tyme as he vsed other then common knowen speach but after his resurrection when he now vttered no more parables as he did before Matt. 13. Marc. 4. that suche as sawe should not see and such as were of vnderstanding might not vnderstand but did open vnto his dearest their senses that they might vnderstand scriptures and more carefully expressed his meaning for the instruction of his holy Disciples to the better bearing of that charge which he ment to leaue them in after his departure whither wil these men I say where they see al thinges so enuironed with trueth whither wil they flye The scriptures be playnly ours the doctours thei dare not claime reason is against them ther is then no waye to beare it oute but with boldnesse and exercised audacitie Yet here we wil assaye by the notorious euidence of this one cause that we now haue in hande to breake their stonie hartes to the obedience of Christes Church and woorde for whose faith if they haue seen great light and force of argument allready and shall yet see much more I truste they will not still withstande the knowen trueth Al woordes then of institution of sacramentes being literaly to be taken thinges of so great charge not otherwise to be vnderstanded then are both by act and woord of Christe sincerely vttered we neede not doubt but the fourme of Christes sentence in which he giueth the Apostles power to remitt sinnes is plainely to be taken in that common sense as the same by woordes importeth and therefore that by force thereof they maye remitte sinnes And yet to make more proofe to satisfie all men I wil ioyne to these woordes of oure Sauioure that most properly concerne the sacramente of penaunce other his woordes touching oure principall conclusion not vnlike wherby in cōferēce of the like sainges together which our Aduersaries doe alwayes as they would seeme wel to allow trueth may trie it selfe Therefore as our Maister here saieth vnto them whose sinnes you shal forgiue they be forgiuē And whose sinnes you reteine they be also reteined euen so said he twice before vnto the Apostles expressing in other woordes almoste the same meaning and sense once to them altogether in the xviij of S. Matthew an other tyme before that in the xvi of the same Gospel to S. Pecer alone To them in general thus saith Christ If thy brother haue committed any offence towards thee go to him and admonish him priuately betwixt him and thy selfe If he take it wel thou hast then wonne thy brother if he regarde thee not take one or twoo with thee that in the mouthes of two or three wittnesses euerie vvoord may stande if he regarde not them neither then make complainte of him to the Churche that is to saye as S. Chrysostome expoundeth it Super hūc locū to the Gouernours of the Churche and if he will not obeye the Church thē take him for no better thē a Heathē and a Publicā And streight vpon these woordes De fide operib cap. 3. least any mā should sette light by the Churche or rulers thereof Christ added sayth S. Augustine a wonderfull terrour of her seuere authoritie saing Amen dico vobis quaecunque alligaueritis super terram erunt ligata in coelo quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in coelo surely I saye vnto you what thinges soeuer you binde in earth it shal be bounde in heauen And what soeuer you loose in earth it shal be loosed in heauen This text is cleare for the Churches claime in remission of sinnes thoughe it properlie perteine rather to the outwarde power iudiciarie and courte of external iudgment for open crimes and notorious contemptes then for the sinnes of the people that be secrette and onely subiect to power practised in the sacrament of penaunce which nowe lightly is closse and onely vttered in secret to him that hath charge of his soule Neuer the lesse if the priestes of God haue receiued power to loose and bynde which is to pardon and punishe open notorious crimes and contemptes whiche towchinge the giltinesse of the faulte doth no lesse perteine to the proper power of God then the absoluinge of secrette sinnes doth then without question they
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
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
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
and augmenteth Christes euerlasting honour and moste iuste title in remission of sinnes that til this daie no lesse now in absence by the seruice of his Priests then before when he was present by his owne woord and will sinnes be in his name and faith fullie remitted yea euen the very function of preaching the Gospel which they saie is meante by remitting of sinnes although they say most foolishly therein and against the common sense of al the Fathers yet euen that functiō is Christes still though it be vsed of man in earth And they that are most tender in outward woordes of Gods honour will yet seme to occupie that his proper function without al derogatiō to his right therein But in deed their preaching which is their remissiō of sinne is not the power of God to saluation but it is his permission for our great punishment The lauful doctrin of Christes church is truely no lesse the propre woorke of Christ then is forgeuenesse of sinnes yet it is without controling of Nouatians and Heretikes exercised by mans ministerie in earth S. Augustine saith hereof thus Christus est qui docet De discipli Christiana ca. vlt. Cathedram in coelo habet schola ipsius in terra est schola ipsius Corpus ipsius est It is Christ which teacheth and he hath his pulpit in heauen and his schole in earth and his schole is his body the church Christ doth not then resigne vppe his office of preaching no more thē he doth his authoritie of pardoning no man succeeding him in either of the roomes but occupieth both vnder him in his Churche It is proued that it dishonoureth God no more that man shoulde remitte sinnes in penance then it doth to forgeue sinnes in Baptisme and extrem vnction which is his inheritance for euer the whiche Churche holdeth by him as a schole to teache truth in as a courte and iudgement seate to pardon or punnish sinnes in Thus he But to beare doune the Aduersaries of truth fully we wil ioyne with them touching the sacrament of extreme vnction the sacrament of Baptisme and such other in which they can not nor doe not denie concerning one of them but mā without al derogatiō to Gods honour remitteth sinnes And how can it here seeme strange that in the sacrament of penance God shoulde by mans office remit mortal crimes seing it can not be denied but God vseth not onelie mans ministerie but also the external seruice of bare and base water which is much inferiour by nature and dignity to a Priest or any other man to take away sinnes both original and actual in the sacrament of Baptisme in which sacrament seing as wel the Priest is the minister as the water an instrumēt wherby God remitteth al sinnes be they neuer so many and grieuouse whether they be cōmitted by our owne acte or by our Fathers ofspring why doth it dishonour God any more that the Prieste shoulde be the minister of remission in the Sacramente of Penaunce then it doth by as greate an office almost in remitting of sinnes in the Sacramente of Baptisme Againe Cap. vlt. read the Epistle of S. Iames and you shall finde the Priest made a Minister the oyle an instrument in the extremitie of sicknesse to forgeue sinnes howe muche more then is the Priest without anie imparing of Gods power the woorker vnder him of our reconciliation and pardoning in the Sacrament of Penance in which especiallie the grace of God is geuen aboue all other Sacramentes to that onely end and purpose I may be more bold to vse this comparing of sundrie Sacramentes together because not onelie Sainct Ambrose refuteth the Father of this fonde heresie by the same reason but also because most of the Doctours of the Church do cōfesse that she euer had these waies to remitte mans sinnes by without all derogation to Christes soueraigntie herein of whome onelie shee holdeth her right as well in the Sacramēt of Penaunce as in Baptisme or extreme Vnction S. Chrysostom saith Neque enim solùm cùm nos regenerant De Sace◠lib. 3. sed postea etiam condonandorum nobis peccatorū potestatem obtinēt infirmatur inquit inter vos aliquis Accersat presbyteros ecclesiae Neither haue Priests power in baptisme only but afterward also thei haue good autority to forgiue our sinnes Is any mā feble amongst you saith he Call for the Priests of the Churche lette them saie prayers ouer him and annoynte him with oyle and the praier of faith shal saue the sick ād if he be in sinnes they shal be forgeuen him But this sacrament instituted by gods word and Christes authority vsed of old and wel knowen to al the Fathers is nowe become nothing in our building Sinne is now a daies so fauored that no sacrament may be abidē for the release therof The very expresse words of scripture can take no place where flattering of wickednes and phantasie ruleth to the contrarie There be some that affirme this annoylinge to haue bene a miraculouse practise to take away the diseases of the sick and therfore that it did decay with the working of other the like miracles which after the spring of our religion were not vsual Ita Caluinus The Protestantes glose against extrem vnction dissolued But that is a fōd glose For I aske of them whether the people then christianed were instructed or rather commaunded to call for the Apostles or others to heale them miraculouslie of their diseases Or whether all Priestes had the gifte of woorking miracles in the Primitiue Churche If they say yea touching the first poynt then as wel were they charged to sende for them to reuiue them after theye were deade because the Apostles so could doo when they sawe occasion and so did by some But that is playne absurde and false that euer Apostle gaue in charge to any man muche lesse to make a general precepte as S. Iames here doth to seke after miracles for that were to tempte God And for the setconde they are not so vnreasonable to aunswer me that all priestes could woorke miracles which is a seueral gifte of the Holy ghost from the power of their ministerie and therfore S. Iames would not haue charged the sicke persons to haue called indifferently for priestes to heale them miraculously the gifte of miracles being not common to them all nor perpetually promised to any one of them al. Againe I would knowe of them whether ther was any miraculous healing that had the remission of sinnes ioyned vnto it or to the external creature by which they healed any person If they saye yea then it foloweth that the priestes might by the office of that creature heale a man of his sinnes which they affirme to be blasphemie and dishonoure to God But to what absurditie so euer you bring them they will not confesse mortall men in externall sacramentes to remitte sinnes In the sacrament of Baptisme they will not stand with me openlie for
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
second person in Trinite toke vpon him oure nature by whome the worthines of mankind is much increased more fit then euer before to serue ech other as in the workes that be diuine properly by nature belonging to God him selfe Note wel this An other respecte why we should by externall sacrameÌ„tes mans ministery receiue grace remission of sinnes is the singular respect had by God of oure infirmitie as wel of minde as bodie For the minde requireth in her assured deseruing of damnation some external token by which she may haue good cause to hope of mercie and grace For whâ—â— I know and assure my selfe that original sinne is remitted by Baptisme when I haue once receiued the same then I am in no further doubt of my selfe nor any damnation for that sinne which by the promise of God I haue learned shall be washed awaye therby as by an external instrument in which he conueieth that henefite to my soule if my selfe by indispotion and vnaptnes doo not hinder the assured fruct therof So where after Baptisme mannes life is often defiled by greuous sinnes The coÌ„fort receiued by the sacrament of penaunce and God highly displeased therfore what an infinite treasure is it and how greate a coÌ„forte to haue an assured help therof wrought so by maÌ„s ministery in a visible action that I may knowe sauing for mine owne lacke of conuenieÌ„t disposition my sinnes to be forgiuen and Goddes mercy and fauoure to be obteined againe We may conceiue easly what a passing comforte it was to the parties that hearde sensibly by the outwarde woordes of Christes owne mouthe thy sinnes be forgiuen thee For thoughe the sayd persoÌ„s beleuing in Christ and lameÌ„ting for their sinnes past might haue had some hope of remission by Christ thoughe he had sayed no suche thing vnto them yet he that perceiueth not what comforte of conscience what inwarde ioy of minde what reioising of the spirite they must needes haue that had Christes testimonie and blessing in playne terme for the same purpose he seeth nothing at al. As for my selfe good Christian Reader I am not so free from sinne wo is me therfore nor so voyde of mannes affection but as often I heare in the sacrament of penaunce the priest who to me then is Christ in ful power of pardoning saing the woordes of absolution ouer me me thinke truely I heare the swete voice of Christ saing with authority thy sinnes be forgiueÌ„ thee Wherof no mortall man shal euer forbid me to take hope and singular trust of remission of sinnes with the passing comforte that theron ensueth All these that are without Christes folde seeke not to heare this voice for all their loade of sinne from the heauenly and inteare ioy whereof they be as farre as from the conceiuing of the felicitie to come in heauen it selfe But let them assure them selfes that Christ writeth with his holy finger al their sinnes though to Christ they wil not now confesse them The euels vvich vvyll grovve in vvaâ—t of sacramental penance whiles they refuse the power of remissioÌ„ that he both had hath in earth to the worldes ende without which outwarde solemne acte of penaunce man should either dispaire of Gods mercy and liue in feare intolerable of euerlasting perishing which ofteÌ„ fal to timerous consciences or elles which is now of dayes more common men would lyue in such passing presumptioÌ„ and vayne securitie of heauen that they would neuer till the very last breath of their euel tyme either be sory for sinne or seeke to doo any good worke at al. This time shal testify with me herin and the very diuersitie that is betwen these oure corrupte conditions and the holy studies and endeuours of oure forefathers shall testifie but the dayes that yet are to come muste needes most feele the smarte of it when these that now haue the direction of other mennes steppes shal be gone A greate liklyhod of the lamentable state to come by whom for old discipline wherein they were brought vp some signes remnantes of vertue be continued in the worlde For when they be spent and oure yonkers that neuer heard of the Churches discipline but haue had their ful swinge in sinne with the instruction of a moste wanton doctrine shal be the principall of the people if this diuision so long coÌ„tinue which God forbidde into what termes shal trueth and vertue be then brought Me thinke I see before hand the lamentable state of thinges and in a maner beholde the fructe of our onely faith of this bolde presumption of Goddes mercy of remouing the discipline of penaunce of refusing the onelie ordinaunce of God for remission of oure mortall sinnes Euel are we now but a thousande partes woorse shal they be then which in long nouseling in this naughty learning of liberty shall be in perpetuall woe and haue no feele nor sense thereof And all this muste needes followe vppon the lacke of these outewarde actes and externall wayes of pardoning and punishing offences appointed either for mannes present comforte and solace or elles to kepe in awe the wantons of the worlde by the rodde of outeward discipline which in the Church hath euer especially bene obserued in the sacrameÌ„t of penaunce It were to tedious further to declare how these external means of woorking inwarde grace and remission of sinnes be necessary for the outewarde maÌ„ External sacrameÌ„ts meet for the outevvard man which is sometimes refreshed other whiles bridled by thinges answerable as well outewardly to the body as inwardly to the minde It is needlesse also to treat at large how it is necessary for the one and visible common welth of Christes Church to agree together in all partes therof and be notoriously knoweÌ„ from all other sectes and sortes of peoples that doo not professe Christes name by the outewarde practise of all holy functions by which God hath promised to giue grace remission and sanctification to all his faithfull subiectes All these coÌ„siderations with many the like may serue and satisfy the quiet peaceable children of Christes Church that haue learned to rest in Christes ordinaunce thoughe the causes thereof be not to them opened As for other that are euer doubting and neuer setteled in their faith that alwayes be learning and yet neuer attein to knowledge 2. Tim. 3. that had rather vnderstand much then beleue a litle such felowes I must not so much instruct as by the scriptures and examples of allages controlle and confound if I may Let them therfore be charged SacrameÌ„tes alvvaies vsed for remissioÌ„ of sinnes that God hath not onely vsed froÌ„ the creatioÌ„ of maÌ„ to bring vp al people that serued him in some especial wayes of outward woorshipping but hath also these many worlds deliuered maÌ„ froÌ„ original actual sins by external sacrameÌ„ts sacrifices Aug li. 6. coÌ„tra Iul. cap. 3. SacrameÌ„tes in the lavve of nature not without the priestes especiall
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
sinnes except he be thus qualified much lesse may a mortal man be he neuer so great in dignittie or calling in the Church take vpō him to forgeue or pardō him that is gylty of deadly syn dānation without the cōfession submission of the penitēt as is premised All this trueth hangeth orderly vpō the necessitie of the sacramēt of penaunce Christes ordinance therein whereby he hath made dedly sinnes only remissible in the sacramēt by the cōfession of the party to a priest who hath in his order receiued power to remit them as is sufficiently proued in the former parte of this treatise it is only a priest whether he be of base state or of high dignity that cā laufully loose mans sinnes as by the keye of his order as they terme it with sufficient iurisdiction ouer the penitent for the secret discussing of his conscience in this sacramēt of confession Vpon which grounde you may well perceiue Marke well that the Popes remission and Pardō being a publike acte of the keye of his highe iurisdiction rule ouer the flocke of Christ not an exercise of his iudgement of his ghostly father thē can not the pope or any other power in earth forgiue him by any grace or indulgēce which taketh only place vpō such as be alreadie loosed frō their mortal crimes Then herevpon the Reader must learne and diligentlie consider that we attribute a greate deale more power to any simple and base priest in this base and by force of the sacrament then we doe to the highest Pope or Patriarch in the worlde oute of the sacramēt woorking onely by the right of his iurisdiction and gouernance of the people The cause is that the effecte of remission of sinnes procedeth from Christ more abūdantly in the grace of sacramētes which be ministered by the priest principally by his power of orders Keyes in the Church be of tvvo sorts Mat. 16. Esai 22. Apoc. 3. Keie of Order thē it doeth by the high iurisdictiō and key of gouernment of any man with out the sacrament I trust euery man vnderstādeth that ther is in the Churche a dooble Key for so the doctours and schooles folow Christ in that Metaphore and him selfe the Prophetes the one of Order which is the power annexed or giuen in the order to woorke any holy function by ministering of sacramentes or other thinges to them belōging as to cōsecrate the Sacramēt of the Altar to absolue in penāce so furth in the rest to woorke in euery of them according to their institution There is an other Keye of regiment and rule of the Church or some principall portion thereof Keie of iurisdition which is called the Key or power of iurisdiction Nowe by this power of regiment and rule as no man can take vpō him to consecrate so no man out of the sacrament of penāce can take vpon him to absolue any man of deadlie sinnes and damnation due therfore For though some doo think that S. Paule did absolue the incestuous Corinthian both of his sinne and damnation with al temporall punishment due therefore after assured repentaunce of the partie out of the sacrament of penaunce yet I can not agree in any case thervnto because the sacrament of Cōfessiō hath euer ben of necessity since Christes institutiō thereof because the remissiō of sinnes is so proper a worke vnto God that no creature could euer woork the same absolutely without sacrament sauing only the humanitie of Christ to which the actes of Diuinity as being vnited to the Godhead were communicated vpon which it is certē that Christ our Sauiour might remitte sinnes absolutely out of al external sacramentes Christ might absolutelie vvithout sacramēts remitte sinnes by his woord and will only which being the power of excellencie was as Diuines doe think communicated to no other creatur in what iurisdiction or preheminence so euer he should be placed And in the act of absolutiō and remission of sinnes we must not in Christ our Sauiour put any suche seperation of his double natures that we need to doubt but remission of sinnes proceedeth ioyntlie frō that one excellēt person being both God mā Neither is it to be thought that S. Paul did pardon the foresaid Penitent any other waies then by the hāds of the ministers Priests of the Corinthian Church For though the confession penance of the party were publike as the sin it self was opē yet the vsage of the Apostle open practise of the Corinthiā Church towards him was no lesse a sacramēt then than it is now being secret Therefore I doubt not but S. Paul spake especially to the Priestes of the Corinthians when he willed thē to cōfirm their charitie towards the sinner to forgeue him by their ministery whō he thought in absence worthie to receue the grace pardō at their hāds whereof we shall speak more hereafter in place cōuenient We do not thē exalt the Pope or Bishops in this case any thing so farre as heresy seemeth or the simplicity of many mē cōceiueth wheras they may wel vnderstād that we geue more authority to the most simple Priest aliue in respect of his Order because of the satramēt by which he worketh then to the Pope or highest Potentate in the world cōsidering but only his iurisdiction And therfore S. Peter him self who receiued both the keies as also other Apostles and Bishoppes hauing as wel the keye or power of Orders as the keie of iurisdiction regiment of their subiects may doe the actes of both the keies that is to say may as wel laufully minister sacramentes of al sortes as also exercise iurisdictiō vpon their subiectes in such thinges as we hereafter shal declare But out of the sacramēts only by the vertue of their iurisdictiō to absolue mē of mortal sins though they be subiect vnto them they can not nor as I thinke euer Pope or Prelate toke vpō him any such preheminēce And therfore let this be the first point of our cōsideration that the Popes Pardōs or Indulgēce which he geueth in respect of his iurisdictiō Popes pardons vvithout the Sacr. of confession forgeue not deadlye synnes which also as most men do thinke he might geue when he were once elected before he wer a priest or any other bishop in like case according to the cōpasse of his regimēt let it be first noted I say that suche pardōs how so euer they be geuen out of the sacramēts do not forgeue sins that he deadly And if any mā thought before that the Pope might or did vse to geue such liebral graūts or pardōs wherby wtout the sacramēt of penāce or confession any mā might claim ful remission of all his deadly sins let him correct the miscōstruing the matter in him self assuredlie know that it is not so thought of Gods Church nor so meant by the geuer nor so expressed in any pardon Notwithstāding the power of
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
plenarie Indulgence it shall discharge you of the bond of al the dayes or yeares appointed whiche you haue not before the receit of the said Pardō accomplished And this is exceeding plaine for the two first kindes of punnishmentes which we saied were ioyned for satisfaction by the Churches lawes and by the Confessours prescription For as they stood vpon daies and yeares so the remission of the same must needs keepe the like forme For which cause you shal often see expressed De Poenitentijs iniunctis in the Indulgēce And that forme of graunt remissiō was vsed alwayes in Gods Church De Poen iniūctis For S. Cypriā did remit a great peece somtims De poenitētijs iniūctis of the enioyned penāce whē he gaue peace to such as fell in time of persecution long before they had fulfilled their prescribed penance And so did S. Paule to the Corinthian that had committed incest and so doth Nice Councell prescribe to Bishops that they shoulde or might at the least Humanius Can. 11. deale more gentlie with those that denyed theyr fayth in the persecution of Licinius and that they might pardon them before if they saw cause though seauen yeares penaunce was prescribed vnto them In which places that the Churche now calleth a Pardon or Indulgence Hovv pardons vvere termed in the Primitiue Church 2. Cor. 2. was termed somtimes donare aliquid in persona Christi to geue or graunte something to the offender in Christes person and so called S. Paule it sometimes it was called Dare pacem as S. Cyprian termeth it in many places of his works sometimes it was called Humanius agere To deale gentlie with sinners or to shew vnto them humanitie and so doth Nicene and Ancyran Councels terme it Licebit etiam Episcopo humanius circa aliquid cogitare Can. 11. Cap. 5. It shal be lauful for the Bisshop to deale more curteouslie with them saith the holy Councell Whereby we see this pardoning of enioyned penāce is an auncient vsage and counted most holie of al the Churche whereof we make this assured ground and foundaciō of our Pardons An assured argument for pardons and for the truth of them we make this argument S. Paule did remitte enioyned penance in Christes person S. Cyprian and all the Bishopes of Affrike did remitte penaunce enioyned Nicene Councell giueth licence to Bishops to remitt penaunce prescribed by the law Therefore the Pope by theyr example in the person of Christ may remitte enioyned penaunce and therefore may laufully geue a pardon The payne prescribed by the lawe he may release because he is the principall executour of the law the penaūce appoynted by the inferiour priest in cōfession he may likewise remit because that which is prescribed by thinferiour may by good reason be vpon cōsyderations altered by the superiour especially where the Magistrate hath good meanes to prouide that neyther the Cōmon Wealth suffer dāmage thereby nor the party to whom it doth pertein to be loosed or bond in penance receiue any losse therby By like authority also doth a Pardō chāge somtimes a sharper lōger pain enioyned into som more gētle penāce more fitte needful works for the time and state then being as his power that is the chief gouernour may be exceding beneficiall to the world in suche cases which euer ought to be practised for edifiyng neuer for destructiō For it is to be cōsidered that the high Pastor vsually graūteth no releasse of the debt of good works or the bond of deserued punishmēt but by prescriptiō of some other holy work to be accōplished before the party obteine the benefite of his remissiō As whē a penitēt hath enioyned hym to punish his body by cōtinual fasting or lōg peregrination or other exceding much tēporal paine according to the grieuousnes of his desertes the freedome of a Pardon oftentimes turneth the said due paines enioyned in to some easier woorke of christiā charity yet being much more to glorye of God and beneficiall to the Church as the time standeth then the other could be Ita Vrbanus 2. in Synod Claremōt As when the Turke or other ennemies of Christianity doe inuade any Christian Kingdome it is more beneficiall to put to our helping hand in the withstanding his crueltye eyther by resisting him in oure owne persons or contributing any peece of oure goods towardes the same then any priuate Penance that may cōcerne our persons Therefore the gouernours of the Churche often to moue the people to suche necessary deuotion geueth them a releasse of all paine due for theyr sinnes or at the least of the bond of their enioyned penance onely vpon respect of some smal furtherance in suche a good and godly purpose The like they doe also often to sette forward other works of charity to the benefite of Gods people as for the relieuing of Hospitals of Churches of highe wayes and such like Sometimes againe they extend their power which Christ gaue them to edify his Church and encrease religion and deuotion in the people as when they geue pardon for so many dayes to suche as shall receiue the blessed Sacrament faste and praye that heresy may ceasse in the Church that the enemies of Christianity may not preuaile that Infidels Iewes and heretiques may be conuerted and Schismatikes knitte them selues obediently to the felowshipe of Christes fold So doth the Pope for the encrease of zelous deuotiō and aduancing Gods honour geue dayes of remission or full pardon to suche as shall vsually haue meditations of Christes passion and death by certaine holy praiers appointed or by visiting places in which there be seen some liuely steppes memories and expresse tokens of Christes miraculous workes or his Sanctes Thus to helpe vppe the dulnesse of praying and seruing God in oure dayes he geueth grace and pardon to such as shall frequent the Churches at the times of their dedication or on certaine principall Feastes there eyther to be confessed and receiue the holy Sacrament or els to ioyne in prayer and deuotion with other the faithful people that thither at those dayes haue principal recourse Hereof we haue example not onely in the story of the institution of the solemne Feaste of Corpus Christi but also in the great generall Councell holden at Lateran Can. 62. For this cause also the like maintenaunce of holy prayer by which the Church of God most standeth hath he mercifully and with singular wisdome giuen a pardon of certaine dayes or yeares to suche as shoulde deuoutly occupie suche beades bookes or praiers in al which thinges orderly giuen and reuerently receiued I see not what cā be reprehended of any but such as are offended with all workes and wayes of mercy charity and deuotion The power and iurisdiction is proued lawfull the causes why he shoulde exercise his authority herein be very vrgent and Goddes honoure with the peoples commodity exceding well respected all thinges here doo edifie and nothing at
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