Christo Apostolis sed Ecclesiae promulgato per Apostolos absque omni Scriptura sicut multa alia tenet Ecclesia ore tenus per Apostolos sibi promulgata sine Scriptura Scot. lib. 4. d. 17. Qu. Unica Sect. in ista Either it must be held confession to be of divine right promulgated by the Gospel or if that suffice not that it is of divine positive law promulgated by Christ unto the Apostles and by the Apostles unto the Church without any written Scripture as there are many points which the Church imbraceth too many delivered by word of mouth from the Apostles without any Scripture at all Thus is the gentle Reader left unto his own choise which opinion to trust unto whether confession belong unto the Scriptures or Tradition and were I a Romanist considering what Confession is now come to in that Church my thoughts would pitch upon the latter as the best cover But here is the inconvenience if a Sacrament be verbum visibile and this they will needs have to be a Sacrament it were but a sandy foundation to lay the fâ—brick there of upon verbum invisibile unwritten tradition Thus goeth the case with Scotus not altogether after the Boman cut and hereof the Cardinal gives a reason Because he and other Writers lived before the celebration of those Councils Scotus caeteri Doctores ante concilia illa vixerunt in quibus accuratiùs haec omnia explicata sunt Bell. l. 1. de Poen c. 11. wherein these points were accurately handled and unfolded Gabriel agreeth with his Master Scolus and for a final determination resolveth That the Apostles received it from Christ Videtur finaliter dicendum quòd praeceptum de Confessione Sacramentali promulgatum est à Christo Apostolis per ipsos Apostolos promulgatam est Ecclesiâ—e verbo facto sine omni Scriptura Biel l. 4. dist 17. Q. 1. and the Church from the Apostles in so secret a manner as the Scripture maketh no words thereof at all A private conveyance perhaps sorted best with a private business This Schoolman makes up an answer to that objection of Scotus sc It cannot be a Church ordinance except the time and place be shewed where the same was ordained roundly denying that express mention of time and place is requisite to shew the Original of every Ecclesiastical constitution and assureth us that many traditions and customes are received by the Catholicks as Church-Ordinances wherein they are to seek for the ubi and quando of their beginning A Church-law then Confession might be in Gabriels opinion though it be not extant where and when it was introduced The Seraphical Doctor saith The Lord hath not instituted confession immedately and expresly Confessionem Dominus immediate expresse non instituit Bonav l. 4. d. 17. n. 72. Christus instituit confessionem tacitè Apostoli autem pro nulgaverunt expresse Antonin part 3. tâ—t 14. c. 19. Sâ—ct 2. And the Arch-Bishop of Florince Christ hath instituted confession tacitely but the Apostles have published the same expresly Scarcely can these two sentences be pieced together Christ-hath not instituted immediately saith one that is not in his own person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by his substitutes the Apostles it was not instituted from them but promulgated saith the other from whom then He insinuated Confession saith a third and that secretly too leaving the publication thereof for the Apostles and if he have done so Ia hoc quòd Ministris Sacramentorum Christus dedit potèstatem ligandi solvendi insianaviâ— confessionem cis tanquam judicibus fieri debere sic ergo Christus confessionâ—m instituit tacite sed Apostoli promulgaverunt cam expressè Comp. Theol. verit l. 6. c. 25. The Apostles it seemeth were unmindful of Christs charge no where to publish a point and Sacrament of such importance One Apostle indeed saith of one Sacrament indeed 1 Cor. 11.23 That which I received of the Lord have I delivered unto you But of this matter no news no syllable a deep silence yet the same Apostle averreth that he had declared unto them all the counsel of God Acts 20.27 surely he was not of our Saviours counsel in this behalf It is then true alike The Apostles published this doctrine and Christ instituted it Thus he Schoolmen stumble at the institution but the Canenists go down right to work for the glory of that order Panormitan repeateth what others and relateth what himself holdeth thus Some say that confession was instituted in Paradise in a figure Quidam dicunt quòd fuit instituta in Paradiso figurativè dum Deus indirectè compulit Adam ad confitendum peccatum Alii quòd sub lege alii quòd in novo Testamento figuratim dum Christus dixit Leprosis quos sanaverit Ita ostendite vos Sacerdotibus Alii quòd ex authoritate Jacobi Apostoli dicentis Confitemini alterutrum peccata vestra sed Glossa ibi tenet quòd potiùs sit instituta ex quadam generali traditione Ecclesiae undè Graeci non peccant non utendo confessione confitentur enim soli Deo in Secreto quia apud eos non emanavit haec constitutio sicut in simili dicimus in incontinentia nam non peccant eorum Sacerdotes utendo Matrimonio quia Continentia est de jure positivo ipsi non admiserunt illam institutionem Multùm mihi placet illa opinio quia non est aliqua authoritas aperta quae innuat Deum sive Christum apertè instituisse confessionem fiendam Sacerdoti tamen cum sit generalis apud nos illa traditio peccaret mortaliter Latinus non utendo hac confessione Panorm super Decretal 5. cap. Quod autem c. Omnis utriusque Sect. 18. extra Glo. when God upon the by urged Adam to confess his sin Others under the Law and others figuratively in the New Testament when Christ said unto the Lerers whom he healed Go and shew your selves unto the Priests Others from the authority of Saint James the Apostle saying Confess your sins one to another But the gloss upon that place holdeth that it was rather instituted from a general tradition of the Church hence it comes to pass that the Greeks sin not in not using Confession for they confess to God onely in secret and because this institution hath not yet attained unto them at we say in the like case of incontinency that their Priests offend not in marrying for single life is but a positive law and they never admitted of that institution This Opinion pleaseth me much because there is not any clear authority which intimateth that either God or Christ did evidently ordain that Confession should be made unto a Priest But at this present time since with us it is a tradition generally received A member of the Latin Church should offend mortally in forbearing the use of this Confession From which testimony we gather these gleanings 1. That the ground of Confession is a
enlarge his tears c. Then he tells us what penitents his eyes had seen I have known some in their penance to have furrowed their countenance with tears to have plowed up their eye-lids with continual weeping to have prostrated their bodies to be trampled on by all of so pale and fasting a visage that they seemed to set forth the picture of death in a breathing and panting body The same Father further addeth concerning the restrained life of such a Penitent in another place thus He must renounce the world cut his sleep shorter than nature would Reaunciandum seculo est somno ipsi minùs indulgendum quà m natura postulat interpellandus est gemitibus interrumpendus est suspiriis sequestrandus orationibus vivendum ita ut vitali huic moriamur usui seipsum sibi homo abneget ut totus mutetur Id. ib. lib. 2. cap. 10. break is â—ff with sighes interrupt it with groanings sequestring the time thereof unto prayer so to live as if he were dead to all worldly affairs to deny himself and to be wholly changed So great was the austerity and shame usually attending upon this discipline in his dayes that he tells us of some frighted with the conscience of their sins would demand penance and upon the apprehension of the strict way thereof would start back and recâ—il from the performance and such seem to ask pâ—nance as offenders but would undertake no otherwise than as if they were just Plerique peccatorum snorum conscii poenitentiam petunt cùm acceperint publicae supplication is revocantur pudore hi vidâ—nâ—â—r malorum petisse poenitentiam agere bonâ—â—â—â—â— 2. Some crave penance but it must be short and they of â—soones taken into the Communion Nonnulli poseunt poenitentiam ut statim sibi reddi communionem velint hi non tam se solvere cupiunt quà m Sacerdotem ligare Alii propositâ spe agendae poenitenâ—iae licentiam sibi delinquendi propagatam putant cùm poenitentia remedium peccati sit non incitivum vulneri enim medicamentum necessarium est non vulnus medicamento quia propter vulnus medicamentum quaeritur non propter medicamentum vulnus desideratur Amor. l. 2. de poen c. 9. these seek not so much to loose themselves as to bind the Priest 3. A third upon hope of doing penance and gaining pardon one day license themselves in mischief and to proceed in sinning but in vain seâ—ing Repentance is a remedy against sin not an incouragement thereunto salve is propared for the wound not the wound for salve and the Medicine is required for the hurt not the hurt for the Medicine This good man endeavoured to arm his people against that which retarded and took off so many from making use of this balme of Gilead this healing penance namely Publick shame Art thou loth to do this in the Church to supplicate unto God Hoc in Ecclesia facere fastidis ut Deo supplices ut patrocinium tihi ad Deum obsecrandum sanctae Plebis rëquiras ubi nihil est quod pudori esse debeat nisi non fateri cùm Omnes simus peccatores â—hi ille laudabilior qui humilior ille justior qui sibi abjectior Id. ib. c. 10. to request the holy assembly to plead on thy behalf unto him where there can be no place for shame except not to confess seeing we are all sinners and where he deserves more praise that 's more humble and is the more righteous in Gods sight the more vile he seemeth to himself The order then observed in the undergoing of this duty may be seen in Saint Ambrose also who exhorting us to the same while we are in bodily health and perfect memory alleaging likewise how uncertain in the event late Repentance is hath these words Man knoweth not if he shall take his penance Nescit si possit ipsam poenitentiam accipere confiteri Deo Sacerdoti peccata sua ergo qui egerit veraciter poenitentiam solutus fuerit à ligamento quo er at constrictus à Christi corpore separatus bene post poenitentiam vixerit post reâ—onciliationent cum defunctus fuerit ad Dominum vadit ad requiom vadit a popule Diabotis separabitur â—â—bort ad poenir and to the Priest his sins 〈◊〉 and a little before He that shall have done his penance and be absolved from the bond wherewithall he was holden and sopurated from the body of Christ and shall have led a good life after Repentanes and dyinâ— after reconciliation that man gooth to the Lord to rest shall not be deprived of the kingdome of God and shall be separated from the people of Satan Wherein I note these things 1. The abstontion of a sinner and separation from the Church in those words ligamento quo erat constrictus à corpore Christi separatus expresly mentioning the spiritual bond and censure 2. His admission to his penance nescit si possit ipsam poenitentiam accipere for with Ambrose poenitentiam agere points at intercal contrition poenitentiam accipere at the external Ministery and declaration thereof by publick Penance 3. This Discipline consisted in open confession of sin before God his Priests and people the sinner desiring their prayers on his behalf to which these words relate confiteri Deo sacerdoti peccata sua joyned with some passages in the former testimony 4. His Reconciliation and absolution whereby the censure is removed the bond loosed and the separated person again restored in those words solutus fuerit à ligamento post reconciliationeâ— c. 5. His carriage after his reconciliation viz. the fruits of repentance a good life which the Father thus describeth Tell us how to demean our selves after repentance Quid est bene vivere post poenitentiam dote nos dico vobis abstinere ab ebrin sitate a concupiscentia à furto à malo eloquio ab immoderato risu à verbo otioso undè reddituri homines sunt rationem in die judicii Ecce quà m levia dixi ut tacerem gravia pestifera Ambr. ib. I say unto you abstainâ— from drunkenness from concupiscence from theft from evil speaking from immoderate laughter from idle words whereof account must be made I mention these light faults to say nothing of greater crimes And thus much from Saint Ambrose St. Augustine mentioneth the in junction of this publick Con. Augustine fession for notorious offences thus If the Penitents sin do not â—neâ— ly redound to his own mischief but also unto much scandal of others Si peccatum oj us non solùm in gravi ejus malo sed etiam in tanto scandalo est aliorum atque hoc expedire utilitati ecclesiae videtur Antistiti in notitiâ multorum vel etiam totius plebis agere poenitentiam non recuset non resistat non lethali mortiferae plagae per pudorem addat tumorem Aug. homil 50. ult tom 10. and the
Question and Answer is in Oecumenius who backeth this interpretation by the authority of Cyrill and by the former reasons used by Saint Chrysostome 1. Because there is mention of renovation which properly belongeth unto Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen and of a second crucifying of Christ of that properly Baptisme is a type the man therefore that is once baptized to repentance and would repent by being again baptized crucifieth Christ afresh who in the second Baptisme suffereth the second time Renovatio per sacri baptismatis lavacrum secundâ vice fieri non potest Ambr. in Heb. cap. 6. Heb. 10.26 and to the same purpose is the exposition under the name of Ambrose or rather the translation of Saint Chrysostome as indeed it is not denying a second repentance but a second Baptisme to repentance But the words that pinch more than the former are If we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins wherein the benefit denied is the sacrifice for sin Si ultrò peccaverimus Beza and the parties excepted against some kind of sinners 1. That sin against their conscience after the receiving of the knowledge of the truth Hostiam iis residuam esse negat qui à Christi nomine discedunt Calvin in loc 2. That sin wilfully so that sins of ignorance and infirmity exclude not but onely wilful apostasie for how can Christ be a sacrifice for such as disclaim him his sacrifice then remains not for them because they remain not his cutting off themselves from the fruit thereof by a voluntary defection Saint Chrysostome expoundeth that Sacrifice as formerly of a second baptisme He is not saith he such an enemy to our salvation as to take away repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys ad Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 533. or the propitiation for sin or to reject him that hath fallen after illumination what is it then he taketh away second baptisme for he saith not there remaineth no more repentance or no more forgiveness but no more a sacrifice no more a second Cross for that he calleth a sacrifice (a) Hebr. 10.14 By one sacrifice once upon the cross c. meaning by that sacrifice Christs death upon the cross or rather Baptisme a representative type thereof The Greek Scholia fasten upon the parties and bid us consider that it is not said if we have but if we do sin voluntarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen thereby signifying that to such impenitent sinners as persevere in their wickedness till death there is no sacrifice whereby repentance is not excluded but requred rather as a necessary antecedent q.d. there remaineth a sacrifice for penitent sinners but none for the impenitent and Theophylact to the same tune also If we sin voluntarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyt that is remain in our sins without Repentance To the same purpose Hugo Cardinalis writeth thus voluntary sin is not fignified so much as the custome of sinning Significatur non solùm peccatum quod vâ—luntarie fit sed consuctudo ipsius peccati finalis impoenitentia non enim ait volentibus peccare sed voluntariè peccantibus voluntarius enim est qui in aliquo assiduus est volens qui ad tempus Hugo Card. ad Hebr. 10. and final impenitency for he saith not those that sin willingly but wilfully for he is said to be wilful in any matter that is busie and earnest therein and willing that is but for aseason Now where repentance is not the sacrifice of Christs death is not appliable and where there is no ceasing from sin there is no true Repentance Thus we see the fountain is clear however false glosses may molest and trouble the stream for a time at length it will settle and return to its native clarity and thus much by occasion of solemn Penance once imposed and if it savour of a digression let us return where we left and perfect the small remainder to be now said of publick Penance Late Authors have observed four several degrees which the penitents took in those austere dayes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fletus auditio substratio consistentia 1. Weeping before the porch 2. hearing in the porch 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. lying all along on the Church pavement in expectation of the Bishops prayer and blessing 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called as witnesseth a great Antiquary à procidendo 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the penitent admitted within the porch of the Temple sell down before the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est dicta quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h.e. coram Episcopo procid bat poenitens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intra Templi portam admissus cum catechumenis facessere jubebatur ac certis diebus coram Episcopo procidens impositione manuum ac solenni precatione impertitus dimitti solâ—bat D. Petavius animadvers in Epiph. haer 59. and was commanded to depart thence with the Catechumeni and so prostrating himself before the Bishop at certain times was dismissed with imposition of hands and solemn prayer the fourth approch was standing with the assembly within the Church where they communicated with the faithful in the station and consistency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thaumaturgus but not in the Communion and were not put forth like profane Merchandizers partaking of the Orizons of the Church but not of the Sacrament Thus they made their approches to the Lords Table by degrees and not like the Gallants of our times that are no sooner up from the Table of Devils charged with gluttony and surfeiting but without any let or check of conscience become very confident guests at that Spiritual Banquet yea scarce cold from their sin and their evening surfeit undigested but they present themselves at the Lords Boord Good God! what terrour must needs possess such profane breasts when the Master of that feast shall shake them by the sleeve with a Friend how camest thou hither not having on thy wedding garment As the degrees which they observed so the places where the penitents stood were designed also Lib. 1. de Pâ—enit cap. 23. Bellarmine hath set them down out of Pacianus thus The Penitents in habit doleful and to behold lamentable stood first at the Church door howling at the gates and craving the prayers of the faithful within this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next they came within the porch where they might hear the word preached with the Catechumeni and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they audientes auditors onely 3. In process of time they entred into the Oratory and abode with the Competentes praying and contemplating the Sacrament but not admitted as the celebration this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from beholding wherein the Cardinal not punctually following his guide is out both in the derivation
and application After that they were admitted amongst the fideles at the celebration of the Sacrament but were not yet come so far as to partake thereof and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their station 5. Their penance fully accomplished and ended they were reconciled and received the sacred Eucharist and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the complement Thus far the Cardinal though not so faithfully as he ought hath related from Pacianus Greg. Neocaesar and Photius men well acquainted with these rites Thou seest Christian Reader at what a distance sinners were held in the dayes of old and not fully restored till time and grief had worn out their sin the scandal satisfied and their hearts seasoned with devotion I will wind up this discourse with Cassander In the Primitive Church that sluggish professors might become more zealous In veteri Ecclesia ut segniores excitarentur poenitentilus ob graviora scelera certa tempora officia definita fuerunt quibus non solum coram Deo interiorem animi poenitentiam excitarent exercerent sed etiam Ecclesiae verè se atque ex animo poenitere declararent atque it a mâ—nûs impositione Episcopi Cleri reconciliarentur jus Communicationis acciperent atque haec praescripta officia canonicae satisfactiones seu poenae vocarentur quae jam imperitiâ Episcoporum Pastorum in abusum negligentiâ segnitie tà m pastorum quà m Populi in desuetudinem venerant nisi quòd in privatis confessionibus aliqua ejus rei vestigia remanserint Cassand Consult Confessio certain times and offices were appointed unto Penitents guilty of fouler crimes wherein they might not onely stir up and exercise the inward repentance of the minde before God but declare unto the Church their sincere and unfeigned sorrow and so be reconciled by imposition of hands from the Bishop and the Clergie and restored to the Communion the which prescribed duties were called canonical satisfactions or punishments which now adayes by the unskilfulness of Bishops and Pastors have grown to be abused and through the wegligence and lukewarmness both of Pastors and people wholly laid aside save that some foot stops thereof have remained in private Confessions This modern and moderate Divine hath laid down the use and scope of this discipline to rouse us up for religious duties and to set forth before the Church our sincere repentance and to be reconciled by Gods Ministers the decay whereof he ascribeth to the supine negligence of the later Prelates and that a shadow thereof remaineth to this day in private confession the restitution whereof he much sighed after as appeareth in these his words Which ancient and Apostâ—lick custome of publick satisfaction for publick and grievous offences were very profitable Quem publicae satisfactionis priscum Apostolicum morem ob publica graviora peccata restitui utile ac propemodùm necessarium est in quo potestas Ecclesiastica Clavium in ligando solendo i. e. poenitentiam indicendo à Communione separando rursum indulgendo absolvendo seu reconciliando manifestissimè cernitur Cassand ib. yea very necessary to be restored wherein the Ecclestastical power of the keyes in binding and loosing that is in imposing of penance in separating from the communion and again in releasing absolving and reconciling is manifestly discerned And thus have I prosecuted this discipline 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as accurately as I could that the same being known (a) Communion-Book at the Commination the vote of our Church for the restitution thereof may be the better perceived which thing were much to be wished and to which all that love the Lord Jesus must needs say Amen CHAP. IV. The Contents Confession of sin addressed unto God chiefly and to man also with considerable relations grounded upon the law of nature with God himself a necessary antecedent to pardon Adam and Cain interrogated to extract Confession Sundry Precedents of Penitents recoursing to God in Confession There is shame in confessing to God as well as unto man Penitential Psalmes composed by David for memorials and helps to Confession The Rabbins doctrine of Confession of sin before God practised in the time of the Gospel preached and urged by the Ancient Fathers and so far by Chrysostome as a tribute due to God onely for which the Pontificians are jealous of him Confession before God is not destructive of Confession before man in a qualified sense though preferred before it and especially called for by the old Doctors although that be of singular use also HItherto of Repentance both external and internal the inward sorrow and the outward demeanour thereof and that solemn performance was not onely a vocal and publick confession of the guilt but a real expression that as Saint Hieroâ—â—e said of John the Baptist his food of Lâ—â—â—sts and his garment of Cameâ—s hair Omnia poenitentiae praeparata Hicron Matth. 3. and the place of his abode the desart how they expresly set forth what he preached the doctrine of Repentance we are now to arrest our selves upon that branch and part thereof which consisted in the verbal opening and declaration of sin which is a recognition of a sinners unworthiness opened by himself in orall confession to the principal party wronged and sometimes to such persons also that by reason of their office place or respect may be a mean to procure forgiveness and reconcilement Now by sin God is ever principally and very often onely grieved and sometimes Man also In the first case to God onely and properly belongs confession as He who is chiefly and onely offended in the second this Confession must be made to God and the Man also that is wronged by us to whom satisfaction for the trespass also belongeth and the end brotherly Reconciliation The Dean of Lovaine hath taken notice of all thus There is a Confession which is made unto God alone Est Confessio quae fit Deo soli quae homini atque haec ruâ—sùs varia 1. Quaedam fit homini quem laesinius pro obtinenda reconciliatione cum ipso remissione offensae in illum alia fit homini de peccatis in alium admissis pro consilio aut reconciliatione habenda sunt hae confessiones juris naturae saltem reformatae per gratiam Ruard Tapper art 5. pag. 73. and another unto man and this again is divers 1. either unto the man whom we have hurt for the obtaining of reconcilement with him and forgiveness of the wrong from him or which is made unto a man of such sins as are done against any other to ask coursel upon the matter of Reconciliation and all these confessions are of the law of nature at the least as it is refined by grace So Confession is made unto God and in some cases to man also furthermore the fact is acknowledged unto man in many points wherein he is not the Party offended but considered as a mean and instrument to
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 4. p. 838. Vpon this event the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified such as were guilty of such spels were terrified and to prevent the like danger came and confessed c. They Confessed then that 's evident and something it was they confessed and somebody to whom The party then to whom the matter what and the manner how must be explained 1. He to whom without all doubt was Saint Paul for had the party been God they need not to have come for audience who heareth when we cry from the utmost parts of the earth to whom the East and West-Indies are but as the right and left ear their coming then to confess argues that it was to such an one that could not hear much further than he saw They came then to the School of Tyrannus where Saint Paul exercised and there were heard 2. And the contents of their confession were their deeds that is their evil deeds for we heard it was a fright that drive them to this confession Metu divini judicii territi errata sua professi ac detestati sunt Bez. annot in Act. 19. and good actions are matter of hope and not of dread a sense of the punishment of sin in others drive them to a Conscience and confession of their own thereupon Chrysostom expounds it in the testimony last alleged they accused themselves now if their deeds had been any other than sinful the relating thereof had rather justified than condemned them Syriaca editio disertis verhis reddidit offensas Bell. l. 3. de Poen c. 4. vide supra add hereunto the Syriack Edition which expresly reads offences 3. And for the manner it skils not much whether it were privately performed or in publick the circumstances are more probable that it was publick and very clear that it was in specie distinct of some select and special sins though not of all and very likely of such which they saw and heard were punished in others and to which those Levantine Countreys were too much addicted viz. Magicall charmes and Conjuration and in detestation of this sin they brought their books which taught them such curious arts and committed them to the open flames the using of two words to confesse and (a) prodentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew forth give no less and the latter word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimating to set forth as in a Pageant the story of their lives the Syriac word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being of the same signification with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to number qâ—d numbring out their offences one after another thus we have a confession of sins and that distinct and that unto a Church-man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen in Act. Ap. Tom. 1. pag. 147. Paris 1631. Saint Paul whereupon the Greek Schools ground this exhortation it behoveth every faithful man to utter his sins and to submit himself to be censured for the same so as he may commit them no more that he may be justified according as it is written Declare thou thy sins first that thou mayest be justified And Erasmus this collection That anciently there was some confession made of an evil life Vel hinc colligi potest fuisse antiquitùs nonnullam confessionem malè actae vitae sed apertam ut opinor in genere quam nec ipsam legimus exactam abs quoquam Caeterùm quae nunc recepta est clancularia in aurem sit videtur ex consultationibus privatis esse nata quae solent apud Episcopos fieri si quis scrupulus urgeret animâ—m Erasm annot in Act. Apost c. 19. p. 315. but that publick as he imagined and general and that not exactâ—d from any howbeit Auricular confession now in use seemeth to have taken its beginning from certain consultations made with the Bishops in private when any scruple lay upon the soul The former part of his words making good what we purposed that in the Primitive Church there was confession of sins unto the Pastor we examine not whether private or publick general or special of some or of all offences And the passage concerning the original of Clancular Confession will be considered of in its proper place Thus far from the word of God now from the words of holy men in the first place we will set Dionysius Areopagita leaving out that controversie whether the works under his name be his or no seeing all Divines confess the Author to be of great Antiquity he therefore in an Epistle to Demophylus reprehending his insolent carriage towards a Priest and a Penitent relateth the abuse thus Thou as thy letters mention whilest a sinner falling down humbled hâ—mself unto the Priest Tu ut tuae literae indicant procidentem Sacerdoli impium ut ais atque peccatorem nescio quo pacto contra disciplinae ordinem astans calce abjecisti repulisti cùm ille quidem verecundè ut oportuit sateretur se ad peccatorum remâ—dia quaerenda venisse Dionys Epist 8. Interprete Ambr. Camaldulense I know not by what means standing by against the discipline of the Church didst spurn him back with thy foot whereas he in a lowly manner as behoved him confessed that he came to seek the remedies for his sins By which it is apparent how the sinner humbled himself unto the Priest sought the best remedies against sin such as were repentance pardon and Ghostly counsel which could not be well prescribed without making his case known unto the Priest to whom he resorted for a remedy where the contemptuous carriage of an insolent Deacon towards the poor Penitent that confessed and the Priest that received him is rebuked in that Epistle Origen succeedeth who describing seven sorts or means to obtain forgiveness of sins whereof the last is repentance writeth thus The seventh though painful and laborious Est adhuc septima licet dura laboriosa per poenitentiam remissio peccatorum cùm lavat Peccator in laerimis stratum suum siunt ei lacrimae panes die ac nocte non crubescit Sacerdoti Dei indicare peccatum suum quaerere medicinam secundum eum qui ait Dixi pronunciabo adversùm me c. Origen homil 2. in Levit. tom 1. p. 68. is remission of sins upon repentance when a sinner watreth his couch with tears and tears become his bread day and night and when he blusheth not to shew his sins unto the Lords Priest and to seek for Medicine according to him who said I said I will confess c. Against this testimony there stands like a hand in the Margin Sacramental confession set there by Genebrard the publisher of that Edition to fetch his Reader over as if Auricular Confession as it now goes for current at Rome had been alive in the days of Origen doing herein as sorry Painters when the Picture cannot shew it self subscribe at the foot his name whom they meant
to take his penance and to confesse his sins to God and the Priest Saint Augustine incountring that opinion that because God knoweth all heareth all and pardoneth all therefore inward repentance and confession unto him is sufficient without any external declaration thereof before man reasoneth thus Let no man say to himself I do it secretly I do it before God Nemo sibi dicat occultè ago apud Deum ago novit Deus qui mihi ignoscit quia in corde ago Ergò sine causa dictum est quae solveritis in terra erunt soluta in coelo ergò sine causa sunt claves datae Ecclesiae Dei frustramus Evangelium Dei frustramus verba Christi promittimus vobis quod ille negat nonne vos decipimus Aug. hom 49. ex 50. cap. 3. God who pardoneth me knows that I do it with my heart was it therefore spoken without cause whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven are the keys therefore without cause given unto the Church of God do we frustrate the Gospel of God do we frustrate the words of Christ do we promise that to you which he denieth you do we deceive you There is not I think any Christian living that dares to gainsay confession unto God or the promise of forgiveness annexed thereunto Let not then good people such Divines be mistaken as to withdraw you from confession unto God when they send you unto men They put you not out of the way but instruct you in the same think not then that by so doing you go from God to man but by man to God for your way you may misse of for all your pretended skill and need a guide and being in your journey may be to seek and doubtfull of your way may ask of man where it lyeth And if you stand so much of your immediate accesse unto God and mercy either deny the means which God hath appointed or censure him of weakness for instituting such means of so small use that the end may usually be attained without them Indeed the poor esteem of Reconciliation in the hand of Priesthood is such that Priests may hang their harps upon the willowes and wear their keys under their girdle and there keep them till they rust before any man crave the use So low and flat seem the power of the keys and the promise upon the same which Christ bestowed upon the Church in most peoples eyes as if by this supine neglect of theirs they would frustrate as much as in them lies the Lords own ordinance But more hereof hereafter In the dayes of Leo the first who sate in the Chair at Rome Anno Dom. 440. usque ad an 461. the discipline of publick Exomologesis was become too austere in those dainty times and began to be confined to private walls and ears and for that change sundry reasons are rendred by Leo which shall be alleaged when the institution of Auricular confession is debated therefore after he had given order for the removal of publick confession which he calls improbabilis consuetudo a custome not to be allowed of he resolveth That it is sufficient if the guilt of mens Consciences be declared in secret confession to the Priests alone Ne de singulorum peccatorum genere libellis scripta confessio publicè recitâ—tur cùm reatus conscientiarum sufficiat solis Sacerdotibus indicari confessione secreta sufficit illa Confessio quae primùm Deo offertur tum etiam Sacerdoti qui pro delictis Poenitentium etiam precator accedit Leo Epist 80. ad Episc Campan And concludeth that Confession to be sufficient which is tendred first unto God and then unto the Priest who comes in as an intercessor for the sins of the Penitent Next to Leo the first of that name I place Gregory the first of that name and Prelate of the same Sea also who alluding to the raising and rising of Lazarus from the Grave saith thus To Lazarus it is saâ—d come forth Lazaro dicitur veni forà s acsi apertè cuilibet mortuo in culpa diceretur Cur reatum tuum infra conscientiam tuam abscondis forà s jam per confessionem egredere qui apud te interiùs per abnâ—gationem lates vâ—niat itaque foras mortuus i. e. culpam confiteatur peccator venientem verò foras solvant discipuli ut Pastores Ecclesiae ei poenam debeant amovere quam meruit qui non crubuit confiteri quod fecit Greg. hom super Evang. cùm esset Serò as if it were distinctly said to every one dead in sin why hidest thou thy guilt within thy Conscience go forth now by Confession who liest hid inwardly in thy self by dissembling Let then the dead come forth that is let the sinner confesse his sin and when he is come forth let the disciples loose him that the Pastors of the Church may remove the punishment he had deserved that was not ashamed to confesse what he had committed Alcuinus born in this Isle of Great Britaine Joan. Major de Gest Scotorum lib. 2. c. 13. and deputed Professor at Paris by Clarlemaine who laid the foundation of that Vniversity who writing to the Scots his Countrey-men and commending much their chast conversation amongst their secular affairs nevertheless blameth them for not resorting to Confession in this sort It is said that no man of the Laity will make his confession unto the Priests Dicitur neminem ex Laicis saam velle confessionem Sacerdotibus dare quos à Dâ—o Christo cum sanctis Apostolis ligandi solvendique potestatem accepâ—sse credimus Alcuin Epist 28. edit Henr. Canisii whom we belâ—eve to have received from Christ who is God the power of binding and loosing together with the holy Apostles As in Scotland the inhabitants are censured for their remisness So in England some about the same time are commended for the practique of Confession and namely one Adamantus in Bede that being much terrified for grievous sins committed in his youth He resorted unto a Priest by whom he hoped the way of salvation might be shewed unto him Accedens ad Sacerdotem à quo sibi sperabac iter salutis posse demonstrari confâ—ssus est reatum suum petiitque ut consilium sibi daret quo pâ—ssit fugere à ventura Dei â—ra Bed hist Angl. l. 4. cap. 24. he confessed his guilt and intreated that he would give him counsel whereby he might flye from the wrath of God which was to come And in Ireland for the glory of his Majesties Dominions Saint Bernard witnesseth That Malachias did of new institute the most wholesome use of confession Usum saluberâ—imum confessionis de novo instit it Bern. in vita Malac. which before his time the Irish were ignorant of or did neglect Add hereunto what Joannes Major saith of a Monastery up in Bedes times where he professed That before the death of any Religious person in that Covent theâ—e was a strange sound heard
In Monaslerio Mekosensi antâ— mortem sonum mirabâ—lem in templo vel claustro se audire dicunt qui alicuius Religiosi mortis est nunâ—ius propterea ad confessionem omnes sono audito se preparant which tolled all the Religious each man suspecting himself to prepare themselves unto confession Whether this sound were a false noise or not is not the question for mine Author avoucheth it rather for a populous rumor then a credible report but that whereof I take notice is how upon any summons or peril of death Communem plebis opinionâ—m non fidei materiam recito Joan. Major de Gest Scotor lib. 2. cap. 12. confession was accounted a good preparation for a good end and a quiet setling of the soul and Conscience Inprimis confitendum Deo est posteà etiam Sacerdoti proptereà quòd confessio quae fit Sacerdoti in hoc nobis adminiculum praebet ut accepto salutari ab eis consilio saluberrimis poenitentiae observationibus seu mutuis orationibus peccatorum maculas diluamus Theodulp lib. de Ecclesiast observ apud B. Rhenan praef ad Tert. de poenit Theodulphus Bishop of Orleance writeth thus In the first place confession must be made unto God next unto the Priest because the confession that is made unto a Priest so far aideth us that receiving wholesome counsel from them we may by the wholesome observations of penance and by mutual prayers wash away the filth of sin Thou seest here Confession to a Priest and another reason thereof besides absolution that by his sacred advice (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. strom 2. pag. 281. the Penitent might be directed to bring forth such fruits of Repentance as may blot out the spots of his former sins And such rules of direction were called Canons penitential whereby a certain time was set down for each particular sin for the lustration and expiation thereof and Beda mentioneth that Theodorus sometimes Arch-Bishop of Canterbury composed Canons to this purpose which he calleth Peccantium judicia viz. how many years of penance belong to several sins Theodorus Archiepiscopus Peccantium judidicia quantis sc annis pro unoquoque peccato quis poenitere debeat mirabili discreta ratione describit Beda in Chron. The Penitential it self being reserved as I am informed amongst the Archiva of that great ingrosser of Antiquity Sir Rebert Cotton that Arch-Bishop in the Decrees is cited thus Confessio quae soli Deo fiâ— purgat peccata ea verò quae Sacerdoti docet qualiter purgentur ipsa peccata De poen dist 1. sect quam inquit Confession made to God alone purgeth sins but that which is made unto the Priest teacheth the means how they may be purged Hitherto we have trod the steps of Antiquity and shall now second their authority with the judgment of later Divines of best account and estimation Church of England And first of all the established doctrine of that Church whereof I am a member and from which with Gods grace shall never deviate is prescribed in the Liturgie before the administration of the holy Communion where the Miâ—â—steâ— is to exhort the people That if there be any of them which cannot quiet his own Conscience Communion Book exhortation before the receiving of the Lords supper but requireth further comfort or counsel he should come to him or some other discreet and learned Minister of God word and open his grief that he may receive such ghostly counsel advice and comfort as his Conscience may be relieved and that by the ministery of Gods word he may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse Here is an Exhortation to Confession and that to the Minister and that of sins disquieting the conscience and that to receive absolution counsel and consolation to this end that the Conscience may be setled and the Scruple removed In the next place is the Defeâ—der of that Church who was as the Angel of the Lord to discern King James and whose memory is a sweet perfume King James whose royal words are Fateor neminem inveniri amicum aptiorem cuâ—us auâ—ibus peccata deponas quà m hominem Ecclesiasticum pium probum unde solatium percipias ex potâ—state Clavium peccatorum râ—missionem Medit. in Orat. Dom. p. 62. Edit Lat. I acknowledge that there cannot be found a more fitting friend to whose ears thou mayest commit thy sins then a Godly and an honest Church-man from whom thou mayest receive comfort and forgivenesse of sins by the power of the keys In the same place the same gracious Author hath thus written Ego cum Calvino confessionem privatam viro Ecclesiastico factam probo quâ—madmodum anteà professus sum optaremque ex animo frâ—quâ—â—tioâ—â—is esse eam â—pud nos rem citra controversiam praestantissimi usus praesertim parandis hominum animus ad sacram Synaxin â—ib p. 65. I allow with Calvin of private Confession mâ—de unto a Church-man as I professed before and wish with all my heart it were more frequented by us a thing without controversie of most excellent use but most especially to prepare mens minds for the holy Communion Aurei Pectoris verba bracteata words like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver and deserve of all the subjects to him and his flourishing progeny ever to be remembred Bishop Ridley a great and principal Agent in the reformation of the Liturgy B. Ridley Act. and Mon. edit 2. p. 17. 8. and who dipping his Rochet in his own bloud sealed the verity thereof with Martyrdome in a Letter unto West sometimes his Chaplain hath written thus Confession to the Minister which is able to instruct correct comfort and inform the weak wounded and ignorant Consciences indeed I ever thought might do much good in Christs congregation and so I assure you I think even at this day Reverend and ever to be reverenced Bishop Andrews B. Andrews Serm. 4. before K. James upon Whitsunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun and Apollo of Divines preached thus He that shall minister comfort and advice soundly unto us had need to be familiarly acquainted with the state of our souls To go to a Lawyers reading and to hear it serves us not for our worldly doubts nor to hear the Physick Lecture for the complaints of our Bodies No we call them to us we question with them in particular we have private conference about our estates onely sor our soul affairs it is enough to take our directions in open Churches and there delivered in gross private conference we endure not we need not One we must have to know throughly the state of our lands and goods one we must have entirely acquainted with the state of our body in our souls it holdeth not I say no more it were good it did Good indeed if it seemed good to
Authority The Godly-learned Bishop Lakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 B. Lakes Serm. at Greenwich upon Psal 32. vers 5. p. 139. who hath left a name behind him as a precious ointment and a light whose lustre is still with us taught the same Doctrine before the same Royal Audience in these words Our Church doth not condemn Confession as simply evil and therefore in its Liturgie hath restored it to its native purity onely it were to be wished that so far as the Church allows it we would practise it for I am perswaded that many live and dye in enormous sins that never made any use of it nor received any comfort from the power of the keys the confessing unto the Lord doth not exclude confessing unto man so the due limitation be observed The next is he who is now clothed in white rayment Bishop White Praefat. ad R. Archiep. Cant. prefixed to the book of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath challenged from Nazianzen not to be the onely Divine as he from him not to be the first who before his last and useful Treatise of the Sabbath in his Preface inscribed to the most eminent Star in our Churches Horizon and the highest Watchman in her Tower amongst others hath this direction There might also be a profitable use of some private form of Pastoral collation with their flock for their direction and reformation in particular spiritual duties such as was private Confession in the ancient Church These Fathers are gathered to their Fathers Our Church hath these lamps yet burning and long may they last that follow First our Christian Antiquary Bishop Usher L. Primate of Ireland Ans to the Jesuites challenge pag. 81 82. the L. Primate of Armach who upon that exhortation made in the Service-book of the Church saith thus It appeareth that the exhorting of the people to confess their sins unto their ghostly fathers maketh no such wall of separation between the ancient Doctors and us but we may well for all this be of the same Religion they were of Again Id. â—bid pag. 88. No kind of Confession either publick or private is disallowed by us that is any way requisite for the due execution of that ancient power of the keys which Christ bestowed upon the Church And again Neither the Ancient Fathers nor we do debar men from opening their grievances unto the Physicians of their souls either for their better information in the true state of their disease or for the quieting of their troubled Consciences and for receiving further direction from them out of Gods word both for the recovery of their present sicknesse and for the prevention of the like danger for the time to come which doctrine he learnedly asserteth and vindicateth from the fringes and dregs of Popish mixture and superstition The grave and godly Prelate My Lord Bishop of Duresme Bish Morton Appeal l. 2. c. 14. who well knoweth in Polemical differences between the Reformed and Roman Churches to separate the Chaff from the Corn stateth the question concerning confession thus It is not questioned between us whether it be convenient for a man burthened with sin to lay open his Conscience in private to the Minister of God and to seek at his hands both counsel and instruction and the comforts of Gods pardon But whether there be as from Christs institution such an absolute necessity of this private confession both for all sorts of men and for every particular sin known and ordinary transgression so as without it there can be no remission or pardon hoped for from God and so reduceth the difference betwixt Protestants and Papists unto two heads 1. of necessity 2. of possibility thus The Papists impose a necessity of confession absolute de jure Divino of all sins with all circumstances which is a tyrannie and impossible and a torture to the Conscience The Protestants do acknowledge saith he the use of private confession but with a double limitation and restraint 1. the first is the foresaid freedom of Conscience 2. the second is the possibility of performance by all which passages that great Scient Man doth not remove confession but certain errors crept in of late from the same as namely in that it is averred 1. to be of divine institution 2. of absolute necessity 3. extending to all men all known sins and all circumstances 4. and that it must be taken as a necessary mean either in deed or desire for the remission of sins which tares sown in the field his Lordship would have discerned if not separated from the duty it self the continuance whereof he alloweth and prescribeth Bishop Mountagu B. Montagu Appeal pag. 299. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath asserted this doctrine usque ad invidiam of whom we may reckon not as a witnesse but Confessor also because he hath written thus It is confessed that private Confession unto a Priest is of very ancient practice in the Church of excellent use and benefit being discreetly handled we refuse it to none if men require it if need be to have it we urge and perswade it in extremis we require it in case of perplexity for the quieting of men disturbed in their Consciences I know not of what latitude in some mens conceits Popery is for censuring these words as a smack thereof for he approves of it if discreetly handled imposeth no more need thereof than to such as need it urging it not by constraint but by inducement and perswasion and that not upon all men but upon such as are disturbed and perplexed in Conscience and not of all sins but such as lie disquietly in the bosome Great parts are as often envied and traduced as admired especially when men of small parts usurp the censure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 1. p. 215. A wise and learned man contents himself with one onely meet Auditor and approver and if he meet not with so much quiets himself in his own worth and Conscience in the testimony whereof there is more solid comfort than in the vain applauses or reproches of a sandy multitude In the book well known by the Practice of Piety we read such directions in this present behalf Practice of Piety which sincerely performed were the practice of piety indeed and they are as followeth In a doubtful title thou wilt ask counsel of thy skilful Lawyer in peril of sickness thou wilt know the advice of thy skilful Physician pag. 762. and is there no danger in dread of damnation for a sinner to be his own Judge and a little after Luther saith Pag. 763. That he had rather lose a thousand worlds than suffer private confession to be thrust forth of the Church Occulta confessio quae modò celebratur etsi probari ex Scripturis non potest miro tamen modo placet utilis immò necessaria est nec vellem eam non esse immò gaudeo eam esse in
ecclesia Christi cùm sit ipsa afflictis conscientiis unicum remedium Luther cap. Babyl tom 6. fol. 109. our Church hath ever most soundly maintained the truth of this doctrine And again Verily there is not any means more excellent to humble a proud heart nor to raise up an humble spirit then this spiritual conference betwixt the Pastor and his people committed to his charge Pag. 766. if any sin trouble thy conscience confesse it unto Gods Minister ask his counsel and if thou doest truly repent receive his absolution and than doubt not but in foro Conscientiae thy sins be as really forgiven on earth as if thou didst hear Christ himself in foro judicii pronouncing them to be forgiven in heaven Luke 10.16 Qui vos audit me audit try this and tell me whether thou shalt not find more ease in thy conscience than can be expressed in words Reformed Churches of Germany did profane men consider the dignity of this divine calling they would the more honour the calling and reverence the persons Nos confessionem retinemus praecipuè propter absolutionem quae est verbum Dei quòd de singulis authoritate divina pronunciat potestas Clavium quare impium esset ex Ecclesia privatam absolutionem tollere neque quid sit remissio peccatorum aut potest is Clavium intelligunt si qui privatam absolutionem aspernantur Augustan Confess Thus is the doctrine of the Mother justified by her children and lest any should think our Church and Divines stand here alone I will adjoyn some forraign testimonies The Doctrine of the Protestants in Germany is related in the Augustan Confession thus We retain confession chiefly for absolution which is Gods word that the power of the keys denounceth by authority divine of each person in particular wherefore it were wickedly done to take private absolution out of the Church nor do they understand what remission of sins or the power of the keys meaneth if so be they contemn private absolution And the manner observed in the German Churches is set forth by Chemnitius thus The use of private Confession is with us preserved Privatae Confessionis usus apud nos servatur ut generali professione peccati ex significatione poenitentiae petatur absolutio cumque non sine judicio usurpanda sit clavis vel solvens vel ligans in privato illo colloquio Pastores explorant Auditorum judicia an rectè intelligant de peccatis exterioribus interioribus de gradibus peccatorum de stipendio peccati de fide in Christum deducuntur ad considerationem peccatorum explorantur an seriò doleant de peccatis an iram Dei ti meant cupiant illam effugere an habeant propositum emendationis interrogantur etiam si in certis quibusdam peccatis haerere existimantur traditur ibi doctrina exhortatio de emendatione quaeritur vel consilium vel consolatio in gravaminibus conscientiae tali confessioni impartitur absolutio Exam. Conc. Trid. part 2. pag. 195. that upon a general confession of sin and intimation of Repentance absolution may be desired and since that the keys whether binding or loosing may not be used without judgment in that private conference the Pastors sift into the discretion and judgment of their Auditors whether they rightly understand betwixt internal sins and external as also the degrees in sin and the wages thereof and of faith in Christ they are brought into a consideration of their offences they are tried if they truly repent them of their sins and stand in awe of Gods wrath and desire to flie from the same If they have any purpose of amendment they are further interrogated if any particular sins stick upon them the doctrine and exhortation to amendment is there delivered counsel and consolation is there sought for overburt boned consciences and upon such a Confession there is granted an absolution Beatus Rhenanus B. Rhenanus a great Secretary to ancient learning treating of private confession and from whence it derived its original Quà m saluberrimam esse nemo potest inficiari si morositatem scrupulositatem nimiam amputes Quid enim per Deum immortalem utilius habere possit Ecclesia ad continendam disciplinam Quid commodius quà m privatam istam confessionem ad populum in necessariis crudiendum ubi horulae spatio plüs proficit Laicus quà m triduanâ concione Mihi libet disciplinae encomium apud Cyprian accommodare confessioni ut dicam eam retinaculum fidei ducem itineris salutaris fomitem nutrimentum bonae indolis magistram virtutis B. Rhen. praefat ad Tertull. de poenit falls into these words Which no man can deny to be very wholesome if too much austorenesse and scrupulosity therein were cut off for in the name of God what can be more profitable to uphold Ecclesiastical discipline what more fit than private confession to instruct the people in points necessary to be known where a Lay-man shall be more edified in an hours space than at a three-dayes Sermon May it be lawful for me to bestow the praise Cyprian hath of Discipline upon confession and to call it the retentive of faith the guide of a saving journey the seed and nursery of good behaviour and the mistress of virtue I am not ignorant that the Treatise it self containing this passage is by express order from Index Expurgatorius taken off the file Argumentum libri de poenitentia totum expungatur nam commodè repurgari non potest Ind. expurg Madriti 1584. as a discourse not capable of a Roman salve but needing the spunge throughout with a deleatur Their handling of Authors old and new is much like the Turkish policy in depriving Christian Parents of their Children and those infants of their virilities by castrating them and training them up to be Janizaries and persecutors of their own unknown bloud and Religion Such are their dealings with the Doctors of the Church cutting off their masculine expressions and setting them against themselves in their own tenets also Calvin hath left his mind behind him thus Although Saint James hath not named any man into whose bosome we may empty our selves Tamet si Jacobus neminem nominatim assignando in cujus sinum nos exponeremus liberum permittit delectum ut ei confiteamur qui ex Ecclesiae grege maximè idoneus suerit visus quia tamen Pastores prae aliis ut plurimùm judicandi sunt idonei potissimùm etiam nobis eligendi erunt dico autem ideò prae aliis appositos quia Ministerii vocatione nobis à Deo designantur quorum ex ore erudiamur ad subigenda corrigenda peccata tum consolationem ex vemae fiducia percipiamus Id officii sui unusquisque fidelium meminerit si ita privatim angitur afflictatur peccatorum sensu ut se explicare nisi alieno adjutorio nequeat non nâ—gligere quod illi à Domino offerturremedium
nempe ut ad se sublevandun privatâ confessione apud suum pastorem utatur ac ad solatia sibi adbibenda privatam ejus operam imploret cujus officium est publicè privatim populum Dei Evangelicâ doctrinâ consolari Calvin Instit lib. 3. cap. 4. Sect. 12. leaving the choise free of any we shall think meetest within the fold of the Church yet because the Pastors usually are deemed more fit than others therefore are they to be chosen above others I say to be preferred before others because they are designed by the Lord to the calling of the Ministery from whose lips we receive instructions to subdue and correct our faults and consolation upon assurance of pardon Let every believer then remember that it is his duty that if he stand so inwardly prick'd and afflicted with the sense of his sins that he cannot deliver himself without help from without not to neglect that remedy which is offered by God unto him namely for to ease himself that he make use of private Confession to his Pastor and implore his assistance that he may take some comfort whose office it is both privately and publickly to comfort the people of God with the doctrine of the Gospel Zanchy beats the same path with Calvin for after he had shewed what confession of sins is and to what end it is made unto the Minister reflecting upon those words of Saint James writeth thus Although in a proper sense it seemeth our infirmities may be detected to any person whatsoever be he Priest or not thereby to relieve our selves with mutual help and comfort Licèt propriè sentire videatur ul nostras infirmitates alter alteri communicantes quicunque ille sit Sacerdos vel non consilio consolatione mutua nos juvemus tamen quia Pastores Ecclesiae prae aliis idonei sunt ut plurimùm praeter hoc habent etiam ministerium absolvendi ideò hos potissimùm nobis deligendos jubet Apostolus immò ad hoc nobis à Patre nostro Deo ordinati instituti sunt Ministri verbi Sacramentorum ut quotiescunque conscientia nostra peccatis afflictatur permitur consolationéque peccatorum remissione indiget ad ipsos tanquam praesentes Christi legatos mandato reconciliationis praeditos recurramus cis tanquam Christo ipsi corda nostra aperiamus peccata confiteamur infirmitates nostras detegamus petamusque tanquam à Christo ipso consolationem consilium absolutionem in nomine Christi illis enim dixit Christus potestatem absolvendi tradens Ioan. 20. Accipite S. Spiritum c. Matth. 18. Quaecunque ligaveritis c. Zanch. compend loc Theolog Neustadii 1598. pag. 459 460. yet because the Pastors of the Church are for the most part the fittest men and moreover have the Ministery of absolution therefore the Apostle commandeth us to make choise of them especially Yea to this end are they ordained and instituted by God our Father Ministers of the word and Sacraments that so often as our Conscience shall be troubled over-pressed with sin or need comfort and forgiveness we might have recourse unto them as Ambassadors of Christ and having the mandat of reconciliation To them let us open our hearts as unto Christ himself let us confess our sins let us detect our infirmities and let us crave from them as from Christ himself consolation and counsel and in the name of Christ absolution for to them hath Christ said John 20. Receive the holy Ghost c. And Matth. 18. whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven c. And so thou seest good Reader this assertion compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses Heb. 12.1 CHAP. VII Concerning the institution necessity and extent of Confession and is divided into three Sections HItherto have we cleared certain positive truths concerning confession of sins approved by the suffrages and general vote of all or the most principal of all Divines viz. 1. That sins ought to be confessed and ever acknowledged unto God because he ever is offended and alwayes able and ready to pardon 2. Next unto Man also by way of Reconciliation when he is wronged and by way of recognition when he is able and willing with discreet words like apples of gold to counsel and comfort wounded spirits 3. And amongst men to the Priests and Ministers who by their place and function are Instruments of Reconciliation God having so appointed that by them a penitent should receive news of pardon and restored favour And here my labour might have ceased there being enough in these positions for a Christians practice and a Penitents relief And here the Period should have been had not the Envious and superstitious Man mingled these truths with tares I say not whiles the husband-men the Ancient Fathers of the Church slept but rather after such time as they fell asleep in the Lord abuses privily crept in Confession being carried privately and closely of such consequence as have welnigh brought the duty it self out of Credit at least altogether out of practice and have caused the same to be laid by for many years that it is hard to say whether the neglect thereof for the adjacent Superstition hath not been more prejudicial to the growth of grace in the Church of God than the usage thereof could have been together with the superstition Matth. 13.30 And whether the Labourers had not done better to have suffered both to grow together and to have reprieved the Felonious Mother for the Infants sake in the womb than by signifying their dislike so highly of the abuses to permit the discipline it self to be abolished But now if that rust may be filed off and if the pure juyce of the grape may be defecated from the dregs of corruption there can be no reason given why the duty should not again take place and be restored to its wonted practice The wisdome of the Correctors appearing in the discreet parting of the matter it self from the abuse Il fault distinguer entre la chose la corruption qui la suit laquelle il saudra retrancher laissant la chose mesme non la prohiber Da. Buchanan L'histoire de la Conscience p. 123. and in restoring the same to its former place and lustre my poor thoughts have ever esteemed of them for poor Reformers that shall weed up both tares and wheat together like such indiscreet Zelots that pull down Churches because formerly abused against Christs example who chased forth the Buyers and Sellers without any speech of the destruction of the Temple an even and just hand must be carried by such as take that office upon them lest pious ordinances be swept away in the mass and rubbage of pretended superstition And I think I may say or Confession now in use in the Church of Rome as Aristobulus Cassandraeus did of a fountaine at Miletum which the inhabitants called Achilleium whereof the water which streamed
lat Concil Trid. p. 283. both in compiling the decree as the Canon for avoiding of Scandal in the Catholicks and in giving less advantage to the adversary in objecting what Divines could not easily answer For is it not strange that out of those words of Christ in John 20. A Commission should issue to all Priests with power to judge and to all Christians with command to appear at this Court to indict themselves of all they are conscious of and to undergo the Priests Penance and sentence surely the ladder must be well framed where such rounds are Climax priùs conficiendus est bene longus ducendus Sorites sesquipedalis ut detur ista conjungere and the links strongly set together that shall draw on such a chain and train of consequences But the indiscretion of these Fathers in one thing can never be enough admired in debasing of publick Confession and reconciliation as commanded by no law of God nec imperantium bono futurum nor should it be well done for any to command the same whereas the Fathers truly so called onely countenanced and esteemed this when the other was hardly hatched of this in their writings there is frequent mention but of that now Romes darling scarce any foot-steps appear For let any living Proctor on that Councils behalf resolve me why publick Confession of sin should be but permitted by Christ and the Private by him injoyned Etsi Christus non vetuerit quam aliqum delicta sua publicè confiteri possit non est tamen hoc divino praecepto mandatum nec satis consultè humanâ aliqua lege praeciperetur Concil Trid. ib. why a Magistrate should do ill in making a law for solemn Confession and Christ institute and command the Auricular Can that Confession confined unto private walls be of greater virtue than that which breaks forth on the house tops or do the keys unlock better in a corner than in open view Or shall a sinful story told in secret come by a pardon sooner than that which is divulged before all Or shall the Absolution of a Priest granted in a Chamber or a Closet prevaile more than a Reconciliation made by the Bishops and Priests in the open Church No less impudence is to be found in the words following that by the holiest and ancientest Fathers secret Sacramental Confession as it is now used and ever hath been in the Church hath been alwayes commended Let those old records be compared with this new practice and then judge of the integrity of these new Fathers We will enquire what news there was of this ordinance before the opening of that Council and whether the Schoolmen are confident or a little scrupulous upon whom to father it Scotus makes a question from whence the Mandat of Confession is derived Q. quo praecepto tenetur quis ad confessioâ—em from the law of God or from the Churches constitution and this latter he would approve of if two rubs lay not in his way Quòd confessio non cadit nisi sub praecepto Ecclesiae non potest faciliter improbari nisi quia Ecclesia non attentasset tam arduum praeceptum imponere omnibus Christianis nisi esset praeceptum divinum 1. That the Church would not have made so bold as to have imposed such a burden upon the Consciences of any without express warranty from her Spouse The true and chaste Church indeed would not have adventured without her husbands privity but the Church of Rome hath set upon greater matters than this comes to The treading upon Emperours necks is as great a daring as the trampling upon the Conscience The Popes keyes have gone beyond Peters not onely to excommunicate but deprive Princes locking them forth of the Church and their Regal Throne too Quia non invenitur ubi ab Ecclesia imponatur istud praeceptum Concil Lateâ—an Such instances as these set forth the impudence of that Strumpet 2 His other scruple was for that he knew not when and where the Church imposed that precept for this scruple let him cast his eyes back upon a Council held not long before his time and there he shall read it decreed for boâ—h sexes once a year to come to Confession And there that the time was instituted Confession n'a point este instituée en ce concilâ— ains le temps seulment ya este dâ—claré auquel il la failloit faire D. Bess Caresme tom 2. p. 721. and not the duty is with reverence to a doughty Sorbonist unto a judicious understanding a thin and poor evasion By the way take notice Christian Reader of that large assertion of Scotus that there cannot easily be found any decree of Council Nec Canonista facilè inveniret aliquod consilium vel praeceptum propriè ubi exprimatur praece ptum de Confessione facienda or precept of the Church extant for Confession thence he proceeds to the Glossator upon Gratian and acquaints us with his opinion viz. It were better held that Confession was instituted by a kind of universal tradition of the Church Meliùs dicitur eam institutam à quadam universali Eccl siae traditione potiùs quâ—m ex Novi Testamâ—nti vel Veteris authoritate De poenit dist 5. in principio than from any authority of the Old or New Testament And that it was taken upon the trust of Tradition rather than ready payment of the Scripture the not admitting of any such custome in the Greek Church Confessio non est necessaria apud Graecos esset autem necessaria si praeciptum de ea esset ex authoritate Scripturae Gloss ib brought the Glossatâ—r to that mind for that Church would not wittingly cast aside what Gods word imposed After all this Scotus turns to the other side Videtur rationabiliùs tenere quòd Confessio cadat sub praecepto divino positivo and utters this faint opinion It seemes more reasonable to hold that Confession may fall under a Divine positive precept A luke-warm assertion not firmiter tenere constantly to believe but rationabiliùs more reason for it and not tenetur it must be held but videtur it may seem it is so but as it seemeth and cadat non cadit it may fall under a divine precept and it may not fall out so what it seemed unto Scotus I know not but it seemeth unto me that the faith upon the divine ordinance of Confession was then but of tender growth and not fully ripe till the dayes of the Council of Trent At length discarding some of the usual arguments weakning others and delivering some new ones of his own whereof the Reader by and by amongst others shall have a reckning he resolveth all his disputes into this uncertain conclusion Veligitur tenendum est quod sit de jure divino promulgato per Evangelium vel si illud non sufficiat quòd est de jure divino positivo promulgato Ã
by our Priests likewise Mittit Christus nè calumninrentur Sacerdotes Calv. Nec repudiavit penitùs christus Judaeorum presbyterium cùm de leprae dijudicatione ageretur Ostende te inquiens Sacerdoti Beza de Presb. excom p. 17. Why then did Christ send them thou wilt say To shew the respect he bare unto Levi's order and to remove that scandal as if he went about to break the Law And why the Lepers above all others of the diseased were sent to Christ Lyra gives two reasons 1. That the Priests might testifie if they were thorough by healed 1. Quia Sacerdotes debebant judicare num talip eâ—â—et verè curatus 2. Quia pro sua emendatione tenebatur offerre sacrificium determinatum in lege Lyr. in Luc. 17. and so against their wills be witnesses of the Lepers coration and Christs miracle 2. To offer for their healing the sacrifice appointed under the Law upon other errands than they were sent and not to confess their sins Remitted then they were unto the Priests for trial and examination not for any acknowledgment not to confess they were Lepers but to make it apparent to the Priests first and by the Priests to the people that they were healed from their Lepry and freed from the danger of infecting It being the Priests office to try such men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact in Luc. 17. and they to undergo the censure How impertinent then is it to infer a Divine institution from a politick ordinance Importuna est illorum allegoria qui legem merè politicam inter ceremonias reponunt Calvin and to make a Law of State to become a typical ceremony especially where the manner and end are so different Siste te summo Sacerdoti de publico coetu intelligendus est ut praeteream fieri id solitum magis ad publicam gratiarum actionem vel ad partae sanitatis aut alterius cujuspiam beneficii judicium Iac. Rex Med. in Orat. Dom. p. 63. lat edit for in Auricular Confession the sin is acknowledged here the binefit the act there is private here publick there the spiritual lepry is revealed that it may be cured here after the cure that it may be censured there that the Confessed sinner might be restored to the saithful society here that the convicted leper might be exiled there exposed as an example of devotion here expelled upon danger of infection there penitents make their resort to receive the benefit and here the lepers to be thankful for the benefit received This shewing therefore unto the Priests shews no such matter as Auricular Confession to be of Divine right and institution We must then see better cards Their best plea is from the words of Christ Receive the holy Ghost Ioh. 20.22 23 whose sins soever ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins soever ye retain they are retained Words of a pregnant sense in the Church of Rome as to bring forth at one venter twins two Sacraments of Penance and of Oeder That Christ therein conferred a power to the Apostles and their successors over sins is a clearer truth than may well be denied but whether such a power over consciences as is exercised in that Church must now be questioned The power it self in remitting and retaining fins we must adjourn to its proper place and must for the present examine whether the words of Christ in themselves considered or by necessary consequent prove auricular confession to be of divine right and institution The Roman Divines insist upon the latter and endeavour by necessary consequent to infer the same thus Such as have fallen into sin after Baptisme are bound by Gods law to repent thereof and seek to be reconciled unto him but none can be truly penitnet or reconciled unto God without confession of sin unto the Priest which assumption they further confirm thus Christ hath instituted the Priests judges upon earth with such power Christus instituit Sacerdotes Judices super terram cum ea potestate ut sine ipsorum sententia nemo post Baptismum lapsus reconciliari potest sed nequent Sacerdotes judicare nisi peccata cognoscant Bellar. lib. 3. de poenit c. 2. as without their sentence No sinner after his Baptisme can be reconciled but no Judge can pass a sentence upon unknown sins and secret sins cannot be known but by Confession of the party therefore they conclude c. from which discourse thus framed arise in their opinion these two Consectaries 1. That Priests are instituted by divine right to hear and determine of sins brought before them by Confession 2. Comme l'institution des Prestres est de droit divine pour confesser les Pecheurs ausi est bien la confession des Pechez pour estre sait devant ses Juges comme Diâ—u les a ordonaé commandé aux Prestres d'ouir les confessions pardonner les pechez ausi par la mesme ordonnance commandment à il obligâ— les fideles Penitens a lieur dâ—coâ—urir declarerleurs sautes D. Bâ—ss Carefme Tom. 2 p. 724. That sinners are injoyned by the same authority to appear at this Tribunal and there to accuse themselves that they may be absolved And as God hath ordained and commanded Priests to hear Confessions and to pardon sins so by the same ordinance and command hith he obliged the believing Penitents to discover and declare their offences No argument more cried up than this and as common with Romes proselytes as water in Tiber and thou hast it good Reader as it is pressed by a Jesuite and a Soâ—bonist who would be thought to be the onely Scribes and Pharisees of Papal Divinity and mayst observe how all the force hangs but upon the by one wheel moving another that if the least flaw happen in any one the motion that is the conclusion ceaseth Many consequences but how put together by what pins and contignations that 's a secret depinge ubi sistam Persius Satyr ult Inventus Crysippe tui finitor acervi For according to this induction without Confession to a Priest no absolution and without Priestly absolution no remission and without remission from the Priest no reconciliation with God Or thus No reconcilement betwixt God and a sinner except his repentance be sincere no Repentance is sincere till the Priest approve and judge it to be so no Priest can judge of the Sincerity of Repentance without notice of the offence and notice he cannot have without a sinners confession Christus certè nihil horum dicit in sententia illa Joan. 20 de tali judiciario processu nulla syllaba ibi extat Chemnit ex part 2. p. 178. Thus have you this argument up-staires and down-staires And if all these inferences flow so naturally and necessarily from the text how dull-sighted were the Ancient Doctors that could espy none of them Let us tread this Climax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in there clanculùm malis artibus at some back doore and under hand Shuffled in there belike it was but not openly Private confession was there privately carried and ordained thus Every faithfull one of either sex being come to yeares of discretion Omnis utriusque sexus fidelis postquam ad annos discretionis pervenerit omnia sua solus peccata confiteatur fideliter saltem sâ—mel in anno proprio Sacerdoti injunctam sibi poenitentiam studeat pro viribus adimplere suscipiens reverenter ad minus in Pascha eucharistiae Sacramentum c. alioquin vivens ab ingressu ecclesiae arceatur moriens Christiana careat sepultura Concil Lateran cap. 21. should by himself alone once a year at the least faithfully confesse all his sinnes unto his own Priest and endeavour according to his strength to fulfill the Penaxce injoyned unto him receiving reverently at least at Easter the Sacrament of the Eucharist otherwise in his life time let him be barred from entring into the Church and being dead want Christian buriall In which decree are these innovations 1. Solus that it must be private 2. omnia peccata sinnes and all sinnes must be confessed 3. Proprio Sacerdoti to their own Priest where the liberty of choosing the Ghostly Father is taken away And for the time which the Jesuit tells us was the onely thing there concluded on I say there was none decreed onely limited leaving Christians to confesse at other times convenient within the year but not to exceed and be without the compasse of a year Come as often within as the Confessor and his Penitent can agree and meet upon it but not to go over the year and to this head must popish shrift be referred But if Repentance be considered as a work of Grace arising from Godly sorrow whereby a man turnes from all his sinnes to God and obtaineth pardon and so including confession as an evidence of inward sorrow and a mean of reconciliation such a Confession poured out before God or unto God before his Priests is of the same right and institution as Repentance is The grace of God hath ordained in this world repentance to be the approved Physician for sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Resp ad Orthod Q 97. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. Dialog cont Tryphon Judaum saith Justin Martyr And again God according to-the riches of his mercy accepteth of him that is penitent for his sinnes as just and without sin That thing then is of Divine Institution which Gods grace hath ordained and of divine power and efficacy which makes a sinner accepted of God as a Righteous person But all this thou wilt say may be done by contrition and confession to God onely without respect unto the Priest I deny not but that it may be and often is effected that way but not alwaies such may be the Condition of the sinner and quality of the sin that pardon which is the fruit of Repentance is not gathered and new obedience which is the fruit of the Penitent is not brought forth without confession to the Priest and direction from him and so to be comprised in this duty also for if the doore of Heaven would ever open upon the former knocking the Priest had keyes committed to no purpose To make this to appeare distinctly we are to consider that to institute may be taken in a twofold sense Jurisconsultis instituere est vel arbores vel vineas in aliquo loco ponere ut in conducto fundo si conductor suâ operâ aliquid necessariò vel utiliter auxerit vel aedificaverit vel instituerit l. Dominus Sec. in conduct ff loc conduct vide Turneb Advers l. 2. c. 13. first to be the cause producer and author of an effect so taken with the ancient Civilians with whom to institute trees or vineyards is to set and plant them In a ground let out if the Farmer by his industry shall have improved it have builded or have set or planted in the Digests And in this acceptation Christ is the Author of the Sacrament of the Eucharist that Vine is of his planting and institution he is the Author and his Ministers to do it by his authority Now Repentance is indeed a work of God but not in God Confession is when God openeth a sinners mouth not his own in that sense Confession is not of divine institution 2. Secondly that is said to be instituted that is commanded and enjoyned so of institution divine that is of divine law and ordinance and that of divine law which is prescribed in the Divine word the holy Scriptures as a law to be observed or as an example to be imitated And Divine ordinances are there delivered by God immediately or by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men of God inspired by him In which sense Saint Chrysostom interpreteth those passages of Saint Paul not I but the Lord and I not the the Lord 1 Cor. 7.10 12. not as if Christ spake of himself and Paul from himself for in Paul Christ spake what is it then that he saith I and not I Jesus Christ hath delivered some lawes and ordinances in his own person unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To. 6.250 and some by his Apostles Furthermore a thing may be of Divine right as expresly and formally injoyned in the Scriptures or else as virtually implyed by a necessary deduction and consequence Aliquid dicitur esse jure divino duobus modis vel quòd institutum habet in sacris literis idque vel expresse vel certa deductione erutum vel exâ—mplum continuata ecclesiae praxi omni sâ—culo commendatum Junius in Bellar. controv 7. cap. 10. or els as exemplary and ratified by the constant practice of the Church So divine right and institution is accepted in a threefold sense 1. in express precept and command 2. in necessary consequence depending upon some other thing commanded Or. 3ly by approved examples in Gods word commended by the practice of the Church Confession of divine institution 1. Vâ—rtute praecepti We will lay confession unto all of these and see what authority it hath And first for divine command we read in the law that the sinner by divine edict brought his Sacrifice and confessed his sin unto the Priest Thou wilt reply Numb 5. that law was Ceremonial Levâ—t 5. so say I in respect of the Sacrifice but dare not say so in respect of the confession the one being a typical and the other a morall act And think it not strange that one precept may be mixt and composed of Ceremony and morality For is not the law of the Sabbath so the day Ceremonial Dies ceremonialis quies moraâ—lis and the rest morall Cultus à natura modus à lege virtus à gratia and it may not unfitly be applyed to Confession what is verifyed of the
meant seeing the Priest himself was commanded to keep it secret for how could that be kept secret that was discerned by publick confession But another will say why then hath Sozomen written It seemed good unto the ancient Bishops that sins should be published upon the Theatre and before the assembly Truly to this end that the Penitents should not resort unto the Priests within private walls where scandal might arise especially upon the approches of women but publickly in the Church not so as if they should there manifest their sins unto all but to the Priest alone and that privately So the place of confession was to be publick not the confession it self which was privately received This Bishop proceeds informing us That publick sinners resorted not unto the Penitentiary Publici poenitentes non ad hunt Presbyterum sed ad Episcopum accesserunt cujus senteatia jejuni is c. at illis qui Presbytero privatim confitebantur secundum uniuscujusque culpam Presbyter ipse taxavit mulctam Roffens contr Luth. art 8. p. 137.1 but to the Bishop and by him were ordered But such as confessed privately to the Priest at his hands received penance onely Thou seest plainly that in this Doctors opinion private confession was hereby meant and his reasons for the same and mayest further see Presbyter iste solis publicis poenitentibus praepositus how well these Cardinals agree It was publick confession of publick faults saith Cardinal Bellarmine Publick confession could not be here meant saith Cardinal Fisher This Priest was appointed for publick sins onely saith Bellarmine Publick sinners came not to the Priest but to the Bishop saith Fisher Thus God confounds their tongues that build Babel Well Fishers conclusion is Nequaquam pro publicis criminibus intelligi debeat quae semper publi 〈◊〉 vindicabantur sed pro peccatis admissis duntaxat Id. ib. that Nectarius abolished this Penitential Presbyter and left every man to his own conscience which could not be understood of publick sins for they still were punished in the Church but of private faults onely How apparently false then is the assertion of the Cardinal Jesuit Publicam poenitentiam sustulit non confessionem Petav. Doct. temp lib. 13. part 2. p. 755. Scio quibusdam visum fuisse totam hanc bistoriam esse confutatam à Socrate Bellarsuprà viz. Aâ—l consent that Nectarius abolished publick not private confession and of another Jesuit that the one was not and the other was not abolished but publick penance onely may appear by the discourse of this Cardinal Bishop and Pope-Martyr And if none of these evasions will serve Bellarmine is not ignorant of another starting hole sc to elevate the faith of the Historian and call his credit into question a shelter never fled unto but in desperate stormes The truth is by the ancient Canons hainous sins were onely subject to the censure of this discipline of vulgar confession the confession then onely frequented Others moved with devotion subjected themselves thereunto without sufficient cause which to redress the Fathers exhorted the people not to go so confusedly to work but to consult with their spiritual Physicians what diseases were fit for that publick cure and at length a certain Priest was appointed to whom they were to resort and he upon private hearing presented the Church with such sins as were worthy of publick notice and this was the onely practick of Confession in Nectarius time consisting in the private audience of sin with reference to the publick censure which was damn'd by his decree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. Confession put out of the Church by Nectarius An. Dom. 390. Period Jul. 5103. utriusque Cycli ☉ 7. ☾ 11. Indict 3. and every man left to the judgment of his own conscience which could not be if private confession had been still kept on foot and the sinner subjected to the censure of any Ghostly Father Which abrogation then of confession simply considered however it was carried in the dayes of that Patriarch sheweth the form and prescript of confession used and praised by the Ancients to have been Canonical rather than Divine belonging to the external discipline of the Church which upon just occasion might be altered and not Sacramental and of perpetual right or absolute necessity which is the Helen the Jesuits pretend unto and by us in all cases denied Our last conjecture that Auricular Confession in the sense and practice of the Church of Rome 3. Confession of no use in the Greek Church is not of absolute necessity binding all and in all cases is the cessation or rather not admission thereof in the Greek Church for the decree of Nectarius inhibiting the use of the then received confession such as it was suspended the practick thereof in general for there occurs not in Damascenes tract De orthodoxa fide the least impression thereof and therein are treasured the principal doctrines or doctrinal principles in Christianity so it seems to have gone out of the Church like a ship upon the waters leaving no tract behind Quidam Deo solummodò peccata confiteri debere dicunt ut Graeci Grat. dist 1. de Poenit. c. ult Insomuch as Gratian citing the Penitential of Theodorus Arch-Bishop of Canturbury which in truth was none of his and no whit resembling an ancient copy thereof to be seen in Sir Robert Cottons treasury but a Canon of the Council of Cauvillon celebrated Anno DCCCXIII makes it an opinion of that Church that sins were to be confessed unto God onely I am not ignorant that Bellarmine would perswade us that those words ut Graeci in Gratian â—idetur irrepfisse in textum ex margine marginalem annotationem imperiti alicujus fuisse qui ex facto Nectarii collegit sublatam omnino fuisse confessionem apud Graecos Bellar. l. 3. de Poenit. c. 5. were by an unskilful hand first set in the Margent and thence crept into the text upon a surmise that the fact of Nectarius had altogether abandoned confession from that Church his reasons for this conjecture are so plumbeous and little worth as not worthy either of repetition or refutation Ivo decretal part 15. c. 155. for Ivo that imposed decrees before Gratian hath the same nor was the gloss or any Canonist ever so nasute as to smell out that intrusion in the decrees Yet the Gloss draws an argument from hence against the Divine authority of Confession because the Graecians denied it for necessary as their practice sheweth Glossa tale argumentum innuit pro sua opinione confessio non est necessaria apud Graecos esset autem necessaria si praeceptum de ea esset authoritate Scripturae Scotus in wholly abstaining from the same and necessary it had been had it stood upon divine precept For no Church may justly cast that forth of doors once brought in upon divine injunction and Scotus in way of answer thereunto seemes first to grant some such
affamishment such distressed persons he was pleased to relieve in that Treatise A sight whereof I have much desired but could not yet compass and therefore have put down this testimony more at length than otherwise I would And not in the judgment of this Divine alone but of their greatest Angelical Doctor this superstitious and circumstantial relation of each sin hath produced such sad and desperate events For as Navarr that great Casuist witnesseth Aquinas himself seemed sensible of these wringings and tortures of circumstances Ipse Aquinas circumstantiarum torturas senfisse videtur arbitrabatur candido Christi lectori conformatiorem esse confessionem quae tranquillo animo sine circumstantiis bonâ side facta est quà m quae his fit animo scrupuloso inquieto Navar. Tom. 1. p. 501. and reputed that Confession more conformable for an innocent breast where Christ abideth which is made with a quiet mind and good intention than that which proceedeth from a scrupulous and unquiet heart Insomuch that Divines of best account in that side have greatly disliked these squeezing and writhing interrogatories serving for no other end but to fish and angle after secrets neither necessary nor fit to come abroad and condemn those late Summists that prescribe the form thereof Non displicet confessio sed morositas ista anxietas quorundam quam docent aliquae recentiorum Summulae quae justi ùs alibi locum habeant quà m in Bibliothecis hoc est nimirum art em tradere methodum alicujus rei quam ipse non probè calleas bonae mâ—ntes non sunt deâ—ito solatio destituendae ne tyrannis Carnificina conscientiarum invalesâ—at haud paulò minùs nocitura quà m dissolutio adeo â—â—o dum ubique servari praestat B. Rhenan supâ—à wishing their Treatises to be bestowed otherwise than in Libraries as serving forsooth to deliver the art and method of a business which skills not much and desire that honest hearts may not be defrauded of due comfort lest the tyrannie and torture of Conscience prevail too much and as much hurt be done by such severity as by licentiousness and advise that moderation herein be shewn The Cardinal pressed with the weight of this argument finds no ease but by retorting the same upon those heads that brought it thus If enumeration of all sins be impossible before men Quaecunque objiciuntur contra enumerationem peccaterum quae fit homini eadâ—m objici possiat contra enumerationem peccatorum in confessione quae fit Deo si illa enumeratio est impossibilis haec est impossibilis si illa est crudelis Carnificina haec crudelis Carnificina Bellar. l. 3. de Poen c. 16. then it is so also before God and Protestants require sinners to confess unto God whatsoever sins they know or remember and Papists require no more in auricular confession both then must lie open to like exceptions if it be said that special Confession made before man is impossible so is that before God also if this a torture then that also if this lead to desperation then that likewise Thus the Jesuit glories to have wounded us with our own weapon But it will not so easily be wrung from us for we reply first God requireth not so strict an account at our hands as the Priest doth neither inflicteth so strait a charge upon the Conscience as the Popâ—sh law God rested satisfied and the Publican remaineth justified upon that general confession and supplication O God be merciful to me a sinner 2. Again Luke 18. in making confession to God the Lord may bring our sins to remembrance Psal 50.21 I will set them in order before thâ—e which the Priest cannot do 3. Furthermore God searcheth the heart which the Priest cannot enter into hears the desires thereof which the Priest cannot and understands the voice of our weeping which the Priest is ignorant of and tears are a Penitents best Interpreter more profitable are the prayers sighed forth in tears than uttered in words Utiliores lacriumâ—rum preâ—es sunt quiâ—m sâ—rmonum quia serino in precando fortè sallit lacrima omnino non fallit Sâ—â—mo interdum non totum profert negotium laâ—rim â—semper â—otum pâ—odit affectum Ambros Serm. 46. de Poenit. Petri. our speech may fail in expression but tears never fail Our speech ofttimes doth not fully open our case but tears ever open our affections fully Ambros If then a Penitent have a better dialect spreading his sins better before God than if he spake with the tongue of men and Angels and such a dialect which neither Men nor Angels understand but God himself viz. the voice of weeping the argument must return in full force and there remain till the Priest hath learn'd this language and be able to search the heart likewise Consider then if the performance of this task was not well reckoned amongst the knotty pieces of Christian Religion by one that was no enemy thereunto a late Sorbonist There are in Christianity three things very difficult to be practised En la Religion Chrestianne il y avoit trois choses fort difficiles à pratiquer c'est a scavoir passer toute sa vie sans commettre aucun peche veniel aimer ses enemis de cour d'affection confesser tous ses pechez a un homme P. Bess Caresme Tom. 2. pag. 713. that is to say 1. to pass this life without committing any venial sin 2. to love enemies with the heart and affection 3. and to confess all sins unto a Priest Point me out the man that hath performed these more than Herculean labours and he shall be the tantum non and onely Paramount above the rank of old Adams off-spring 4. No urgent necessity to the rehearsal of all sins in confession Our fourth exception That this Charge is imposed upon the Conscience without any urgent necessity for what necessary cause or good can be here imagined if remission of sins It hath been proved already that God forgives many sins Priests never hear of if because God hath appointed so we must take his word and not the Roman Church for divine institutions and it must be shewed where God willeth that the Priest should stand upon so strict a reckoning we have the word of a King to the contrary In the sacred Scriptures it no where occurreth saith our late dread Soveraign King James that any such necessity is imposâ—d upon us In sacris literis nusquam occurrit necessitas haec nobis imposita sub aeternae mortis poena ut abditissima quae admisimus peccata Sacerdoti nota faciamus nam si vel cogitatiunculam injustam celaveris ilicet oleum cum opera perdidisti Jacob. Rex Medit. in Orat. Dom. pag. 61. that upon pain of eternal death we must make known unto the Priest the most secret sins we commit for if thou conceal the least evil thought all this labour beside
their trust is committed the Ministery of Reconciliation of this key Saint Ambrose thus Behold sins are forgiven by the holy Ghost Ecce quia per Spiritum Sanctum peccata donantur homines autem in remission em peccatorum Ministerium suum exhibent non jus alicujus potestatis exercent neque enim in suo sed in Patris Fihi Spiritus Sancti peccata dimittuntur isti rogant divinitas donat humanum enim obsequium sed Munificentia supernae est potestatis Ambr. l. 3. de Spir. S. cap. 19. but men contribute their Ministery toward the Remission of sin but exercise no right of any power for sins are not remitted in their name but in the name of the Father the Son aâ—d the Holy Ghost they supplicate and pray God grants and pardoneth the service is from man but the bounty from an higher power So then the higher power is the key of authoâ—ity and the humane service is the key of Ministery These several keys were well known to Scotus who writeth thus Authoritas judiciaria sententiandi coelum huic aperiendum vel apertum esse tripliciter intâ—lligitur 1. Authoritas simpliciter principalis solius Dei 2. Non Princâ—palis sed praecellens solius Christi quâ—tatum ad duplicem prae minentiam 1. unam quidem in universaâ—itate causarum judicaâ—darum 2. aliam in siâ—mitate sementiae dâ—siâ—itivae utraque praeeminâ—nia potest conâ—nircilli qui omnia mâ—rita dâ—â—â—rita novit quae sunt â—ausae propâ—er quas coeluÌ„â—st aperiendu vel claudenduÌ„ habet etià voluâ—taâ—eÌ„ inseparaâ—iliter conformem justitiae divinae propter pâ—imuÌ„ pâ—rest in omnibus causis sentâ—â—tiarâ— quia omâ—â—es novit propter secuadum potâ—st ejuâ— sententia sâ—aplicitâ—r esse fiâ—ma irrevocabilis quia semâ—er justa Non potest haec Clavis esse in ecclesiâ— Militante qâ—ia nullus in ecâ—lesia novet omnes causaâ—â—udiciarias nec habet voluntatem imâ—nutabilitâ—r justam 3. Paâ—ticulaâ—is quantâ—m ad causas cognoscendas infirma quantum ad sententiam ferendam puta quia ipsa fit aliquando revocabilis si quando praeter lâ—gem divinam judicat potest ergò esse in ecclesia una clavis coelum aperiendi sc autoritas sententiandi particulariter non irrevocabiliter coelum esse apertum Scot. l. 4. dist 19. Sect. Haec secunda Judicial authority in censuring heaven to be open or to be opened to any man or not is understood in a threefold sense 1. as the most principal and absoluâ—e residing in God onely 2. not as the most principal but a very excellent authâ—rity appertaiâ—ing unto Christ by a double preeminence which he hath 1. â—ver all causes as one who knoweth all mens hearts and can judge thereof 2. in the validity of his sentence definitive as ever just and never to be repealed which prerogative can onely sort with him who knoweth how well or ill all men have deserved for heaven stands open and shut towards us according as our deserts are as also in regard the will of Christ is and ever was undividedly conformable to divine justice for the first reason He may be a Judge in all causes who knoweth all things and for the second his sentence is firm and irrevocable because alwayes just The militant Church is not capable of this key because there is not any member in that Church endowed with so ample intellectuals as to know all causes nor hath a will so confirmed in justice as therein to be immutable 3. There is a particular authority to hear causes but weak to give sentence and is many times revocable as pronounced besides the law of God there may be then in the Church a certain key to open heaven that is the authority of sentencing in particular and yet heaven not irrevocably open unto any Thus much Scotus from whose testimony clearly stream these deductions 1. The Ministerial key in the custody of the Church is not so ample and firm as that excellent key which is upon Christs shoulder and those words As my Father sent me so send I you relate to the certainty of the Commission and not to the extent thereof 2. That there is not in the Militant Church therefore not at Rome such a key as can fit all wards or such a Judge as can take cognizance of all causes nor is there that Oecumenical jurisdiction intituling Rome above all and unto all nor do all causes turn upon that Rota 3. That there is no mortal Judge either Ecclesiâ—stical or Civil so confirmed in justice Clavis triplex 1. Authoritatis istam habet solus Dâ—us qui solus dimittit peccata authoritativè 2. Excellentiae quaÌ„ solus homo Christus habet ia quantum essecâ—uÌ„ Sacramentorum potest dare siâ—e Sacrameatis 3. Clavis Ministerii istam clavem habent Sacerdotes per quam ligant solvunt Raymond sum tract 4. de Poenit. but that he may swerve and deviate from that rule Nullus in Ecclâ—sia saith Scotus In the Church no not one but hath a will subject to change the Pope then that boasteth of the infallibility of his keys either is not of the Church or above it And as this Schoolman hath expressed the differential properties of these keys so a Canonist the several titles and persons to whom they appertain The key saith he is tripartite 1. of Authority and that is in the hands of God alone who onely forgiveth sins with authority 2. Of Excellency which the man Christ hath insomuch that he without the Sacraments can confer the effect and benefit of the Sacraments 3. Of the Ministery and this key is in the custody of the Priests by virtue whereof they bind and loose The Church then must rest contented and good cause she hath so to do with this Ministerial key for the first authentical key posuit pater in potestate sua the Father hath put in his own power for the excellent key omnem potesâ—atem dedit filio he hath given that power to his Son and for the Ministerial key habemus thesaurum istum in vasis fiâ—â—ilibus 2 Cor. 4.7 we poor Clergy-men are rich in this treasure the vessels containing the same are earthly but the key is from the Lord and heavenly the excellency of this power is from God the Ministery from us onely And that we may not be thought to accomplish any thing as from our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil Com. in 1 Cor. 4. but that every one who seeth it may say it is wholly of God nipping withall the false Apostles who ascribed all unto themselves as Theophilact piously admonisheth And indeed we need not be ambitious of further dignities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God having highly honoured our Order with this depositum for to which of the Angels said he at any time To thee will I give the keys c. and whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in
faciat per semetipsum quid faciat per Ministrum suum per semetipsum resuscitat mortuum per Ministros solvit ligatum per semetipsum mundat Leprosum ministerio Sacerdotis reducit ejectum Mortuum resuscitare Iaeprosum mundar ad idem videtur respiâ—ere nam utrobique solvitur obligatio culpae sed vinctum solvere vel rejectum educere ad idâ—m nihilominus videtur respicere quoniam utrobique sequitur obligatio poenae Leprosus mundatur quando perversus quisque pravitatis suae sordibus divinitùs exuitur Mortuus resuscitatur quando peccato captivatus ad benè vivendum divinitùs animatur Post emundationem leprae Sacerdotali ossicio interveniente ejectus priùs in sua reducitur institis involutus à Domini Ministris abire ad sua redire permittitur quando per absolutionem consilium Sacerdotis ad vitae novitatem reformatur Rich. de Clavibus cap. 18. We are diligently to distinguish what God doth by himself and what he doth by his Minister by himself he raised the dead by his Ministers he loosed him that was bound by himself he cleansed the Leper by the Ministery of the Priests he restored him that was cast out To raise the dead and to cleanse the Leper have respect unto one and the same thing for in them both the obligation of sin is loosed so also to loose him that was bound and to restore him that was cast forth seem to be the same for in both there followeth an obligation of punishment The Leper is cleansed when a sinner is by God stripped forth of the filth of sin The dead is raised when he that was in bondage unto sin is quickned by God to lead a good life After the cleansing of the Leprosie the Priests office intervening he that was formerly cast forth is restored and he that was bound with grave-clothes and loosed by the Lords Ministers is permitted to depart and return unto his own when through the absolution and counsel of the Priest he is reformed unto newness of life Thus much Richardus where we plainly see that absolution in the hands of a Priest is but an infranchising not a reviving of a dead sinner a reconciling and not a cleansing of a leprous Penitent The third way of absolution is which a Penitent in some select cases 3. Spiritually by the testimony of the Holy Ghost pronounceth it upon himself for remission of sins is the proper work of Gods Spirit therefore Christ endowed his Disciples first with the Holy Ghost and then with the power of remission and retention Hereupon saith Ambrose He that cannot absolve from sin Qui solvere non potest peccatum non habet Spiâ—itum Sanctum munus Spiritûs Sancti est ossicium Sacerdotis jus autâ—m Spiritûs Sancti in solvendis ligandisque criminibus est Ambros l. 1. de Poen c. 4. hath not the Holy Ghost the charge of the Holy Ghost is the Priests office and the right of the Holy Ghost is in binding and loosing offences Wherein observe that Fathers distinction inter Spiritus Sancti munus jus Absolution from the Priest to a penitent is munus Spiriâ—ûs Sancti the charge and office of the Holy Ghost whereas the absolution from a penitent to himself is jus Spiritûs Sancti that right whereby the Holy Ghost testifieth unto his conscience that his sins are forgiven Origen after his manner feeding upon an Allegory understandeth by the gates of hell sins Portae inferorum nominari possunt juxta species peccatorum Sion autem portae intelliguntur contrariae portis mortis ut mortis quidem porta sit intemperantia porta verò Sion temperantia arbitror quòd pro unaquaque virtute cognitionis aliqua sapientiae mysteria respondentia generi viâ—tutis aperiuâ—tur ei qui secundum virtutem vixerit Seâ—vatore dante iâ—s qui superari non possunt à portis inferorum totidem claves quot sunt virtutes Origen and maketh every several vice a several gate and the gates of the daughter of Sion he makes the contrary virtues as intemperance is a gate of hell temperance of Sion c. and by the keys he will have meant the pious practices of each virtue So by the keys of Righteousness and temperance are opened the gates of Righteousness and temperance Our Saviour conferring saith he upon such against whom the gates of hell prevail not so many keys as there are virtues According to this Father a man by sinning shuts heaven gate and sets hell gate open for his soul and contrarywise by repenting and practising such virtues as are opposite to his former vices he shuts the gates of hell and sets open for him those of heaven To the same purpose saith Saint Chrysostome if that Homily be his whereof his learned publisher doubteth He hath given unto thee the power of binding and loosing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom super Quaecunque c. tem 7. pag. 268. thou hast bound thy self with the chain of the love of wealth loose thy self by an injunction of the love of poverty thou hast bound thy self with the furious desires of pleasures loose thy self with temperance thou hast bound thy self with the misbelief of Eunomius loose thy self with the religiâ—us embracing of the right faith Thus God hath erected a Tribunal in the heart of man his Conscience arraigneth him upon Gods law as a Transgressor and guilty of the breach thereof but upon his confession and detestation of the fact Justificatio in S. Scriptura actionem quandam forensem notat qualis est absolutio aut absolutionis pronuntiatio D. Twiss de Permis lib. 2. part 2. p. 434. the holy Spirit recreates and comforts him with the sweet voice and promises of the Gospel that his sins for Christ's saâ—e are forgiven kindling in his heart faith whereby he is justified and at peace with God For what else is the justification of a sinner but a pronouncing of his absolution and this I call the inward and Spiritual Absolution And this is all our Church guided with Gods word and invested with this power teacheth concerning absolution the Rhemists confessing the use thereof in our Church Rhemist Annotat in Joan. 20. vers 23. That the English Protestants in their order of visiting the sick their Ministers acknowledge and challenge the same using a formal absolution according to the Churches order after the special confession of the party and for which it was even her happiness to have been accused by Schismaticks being justified by the then gracious and learned Defender of her faith for when Arch-Bishop Whitgift read unto King James the Confession in the beginning of the Communion-book and the absolution following it His Highness perused them both in the book it self liking and approving them Conference at Hampton-Court pag. 12 13. edit 1625. And when the Bishop of London acquainted his Majesty with a more particular and personal form of absolution prescribed to be used in
all promises are but like Ixions cloud flattering our hopes for a season but at last sending us empty away Our God is faithful that hath promised and will never cheat our expectation The promise then was accomplished when Christ said John 10.23 Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins soever ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained Wherein is a collation of the former power shadowed under the Metaphor of the keys and of binding and loosing which being already sufficiently discussed little remaineth to be spoken save the weighing of the words and the method how they are set and placed And so they are not onely a concession of authority in remitting and retaining sins to certain persons but a ratihabition and confirmation of whatsoever they shall do in the lawful use thereof The Persons therein mentioned are three 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. the person of the sinner or penitent in Quorum whose sins soever 2. of God in remittuntur they are forgiven 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by whom God who in his own right pardons sins 3. of the Priest in remiseritis ye my Apostles and Ministers 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are then three expressed and where three are expressed three are required we cannot rend off one part of the sentence If you leave out the sinner there is no work for remission and if God remission hath no force and if the Priest no ordinary application It is Gods will and ordinance to proceed by the Churches act and to associate his Ministers and to make them workers together with him they cannot be more excluded forth of this than any part of their function and to exclude them is after a sort to wring the keys out of their hands to whom Christ hath given them and to account of their Ministery in what sins soever they shall remit and of their solemn sending and inspiring John 20.21 as if it were an idle and fruitless ceremony And so the Persons are distinct Now the Confirmation of the Priests power is wonderfully expressed also if we respect first the order the Priests remiseritis standeth first and Gods remittuntur second whom the Minister forgives is seconded with Divine remission and it was Chrysostomes observation as I have formerly shewed and explicated the sober sense thâ—reof how forgiveness beginneth upon earth and that heaven followeth after so that whereas in prayer and other parts of Religion it is sicut in coelo sic in terra as in heaven so in earth Heaven being made a precedent for earthly imitation here it is sicut in terra sic in coelo as on earth so in heaven as if earth were a fit Pattern for Heaven to follow which how that Father hath amplified as if heaven should derive from earth authority of judging and God come after his servant giving him leave to judge first and himself after and how the same may not be understood as if God did conform himself and censures to the Priests but confirm rather their just proceedings hath been by me formerly mentioned and not now to be rehearsed I come to the next circumstance which is the time remittuntur they are not shall be remitted no delay instantly upon the conception of these words as Naâ—han to David not transferet but transtulit the Lord hath taken away thy sin Thirdly the manner in setting down the words so as if Christ were contented it should be accounted their act and the Apostles the Agents himself but the Patient suffering it to be done For the Apostles part is delivered in the active remiseritis ye shall remit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imperium obtineo potior superior sum vinco mordicus retineo H. Stephan his own in the passive remittuntur they are forgiven and so for the retentive part retinetis whose sins ye retain the Greek signifying to retain with power and force they are retained Fourthly the certainty in the Identity of the word not changing the same for it is not whose sins ye wish pray for or declare to be remitted but whose sins ye remit using no other word in the Apostles office than he useth in his own right It is well observed by Richardus against such as diminish this authority in the hands of the Ministers as if God used them but as Heralds and Criers to declare his pleasure onely Dicunt Apostolicos viros peccata remittendi vel retinendi potestatem non habere cum Dominus hoc dicat dicunt eos tantummodo habere potestatem utrumque ostendendi cum Dominus hoc non dicat Quorum remiseritis inquit peccata non quorum remissa ostenderitis remittuntur eis Rich. de Clavibus cap. 1â— Such men say the Apostolical men have not power to remit and retain sins whereas the Lord saith they have and say withall they have onely power to shew forth the same whereas the Lord saith not so Whose sins soever ye remit saith he not whose sins ye shew or declare to be remitted are remitted unto them The words then of our Commission we retain precisely not challenging more than the Lord hath given us which were presumption nor abridging his bounty which were in us either supineness or ingratitude And these words solemnly pronounced by the Bishop are still used and so ever have been are still accounted and so ever have been the very form and soul of Priestly order and institution thereby those Reverend persons exercise that branch of their supereminent power in conferring the holy orders of Priesthood in begetting Fathers not Children Masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan har 75. pag. 908. not Scholars in the Church as Epiphanius rightly and this is the word that spiritual seed whereby that Paternity is conceived and brought forth And is it not a wonder that any son of this Mother any member of this Church should envy this power or sleight this gift seeing the Ministers receive not this benefit to their own use put not this Candle under a bushel lock not up this treasure within their own coffers But like the good Scribe bring forth new and old as occasion serveth and like the faithful Apostle That which they received of the Lord deliver they unto you Who then is Paul or who is Apollo 1 Cor. 3.5 Veâ—se 9. but Ministers by whom ye believed You the people are Gods husbandry we the Clergie are labourers together with God And are you troubled at the seed we sow or the implements of husbandry we use to make you a fruitfull field ye are the Lords building and we his Builders think you much of our skill and indeavours that you may be edified Therefore whether Paul Verse 22. or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours all ye are Christs and Christ is Gods The greater the trust reposed in us is the greater is your hope and our
Greg. And hence it comes to pass that the Fathers erect thrones for these Presbyters making them Judges and honouring their resolves as solemn judgments Saint Austin expounds the thrones Rev. 20.4 and those that sate thereon and the judgment given unto them in the Revelation Non hoc putandum est de ultimo judicio dici sed sedes Praepositorum ipsi praepositi intelligendi sunt per quos ecclesiae nunc gubernatur Judicium autem datum nullum melaâ—is accipiendum quà m id quod dictum est Quaecunque ligaveritis c. undè Apostolus Quid enim inquit mihi est de his qui foris sunt judicare nonne de his qui intus sunt vos judicatis Aug. lib. 20. de Civit. Dei cap. 9. not of the last judgment But the seats of the Rulers and the Rulers themselves are understood to be those by whom the Church is now goveâ—ned And the judgment given unto them cannot be taken better than of that which is spoken whose sins soever ye remit c. and the Apostle what have I to do to judge those that are without and do not you judge of those that are within And Saint Chrysostome extols the same far above the glittering pomp of earthly Tribunals Although the Kings Throne seem unto us majestical for the precious stones dazling therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 5. p. 152. and the gold wherewith it is beset But withall the administration of earthly things alone comes under the jurisdiction thereof and further authority it hath not whereas the Priests throne is seated in heaven and matters thence are turned over to their decision And Saint Hierome having the keys of the kingdome of heaven they judge after a sort before the day of judgment Qui claves Regni coelorum habentes quodammodo ante diem judicii judicant Hierom. ad Heliod And Saint Gregory Behold they are not onely secured on their own behalf Ecce non solum de semetipsis securi sunt sed etiam alienae oblâ—gatâ—onis potestatem relaxationis accipiunt principatumque superni judicii sortiuntur ut vice Dei quibusdam peccata retineant quibusdam râ—laxent Greg. supâ—à but receive the power of loosing the bonds from others and obtain a principality of judgment from above that they may in Gods stead retain the sins of some and release the sins of others Either then we must ascribe judgment to the Priests in the Ministery of the keys or else afford but little in this behalf to these Doctors Judges sure they are if these Ancient worthies have any judgment 3. The exercise of the keys We are now come to the exercise of this power which is indeed the very life thereof and this practice is spiritual as the weapons of our warfare are containing the means in the discreet use and application whereof God forgiveth sin and his Minister giveth notice of that forgiveness Dr Field of the Church Book 5. chap. 22. pag. 104. London 1610. Now there are four things in the hand of the Minister as a great Divine of our Church noteth the Word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline by the word of Doctrine he frameth winneth and perswadeth the sinner to repentance and conversion seeking and procuring remission from God By Prayer he seeketh and obtaineth it for the sinner By the Sacraments he instrumentally maketh him partaker as well of the grace of remission as of conversion and by the power of the discipline he doth by way of authority punish evil doers and remit or diminish the punishments he inflicteth according as the Condition of the party may seem to require Thus that judicious man hath reduced the practick of the keys unto four heads and we receiving this method from him shall open them more particularly The first is the word of Reconciliation 1. By the Word and consisteth in the preaching and due applying thereof and the Ministery thereof doth the Apostle specially place as a powerful ordinance 2 Cor. 5.18 whereby a sinner is cleansed from his iniquity Now are ye clean through the word I have spoken unto you whereupon Aquinas observeth God to have given us the virtue Dedisse virtutem inspirasse in cordibus nostris ut annuntiemus mundo hanc reconciliationem esse sactam per Christum Aquin. in 2 Cor. 5. and to have inspired into our hearts that we should declare unto the world this reconciliation to have been made by Christ Therefore it is called 1. the word of salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.15 Acts 13.26 2. and the word of his grace Acts 14.3 and the word of promise Rom 9.9 and the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 and the word of faith which we preach Rom. 10.8 Insomuch that when Timothy shall rightly divide the word of truth that is promises to whom promises belong and judgment to whom judgment appertaineth and that by preaching of the word instantly 2 Tim. 4.2 and applying the same by way of reproof and exhortation or by private admonition therein he doth the work of an Evangelist and maketh good proof of his Ministery Solvunt eos Apostoli sermone Dei testimoniis Scripturarum exhortanone virtutum Hieron Lib. 6. Comment in Es 14. After this manner did the Apostles loose the cords of sin by the word of God saith Hierome by the testimony of the Scriptures Remittuntur peccata per Dei verbum cujus Levites interpres quidam executor est Ambr. and by exhortations unto virtue And Saint Ambrose sins are remitted by the word of God whereof the Levite was an Interpreter and a kind of Executor And in this sense the Apology of the Church of England acknowledgeth the power of binding and loosing Ministris à Christo datam esse ligandi solvendi aperiendi claudendi potestatem solvendi quidem munus in eo situm esse ut Minister dejectis animis verè resipiscentibus per Evangelii praedicationem merita Christi absolutionem offerat certam peccatorum condonationem ac spem salutis aeternae denunciet c. Apol. Eccles Anglic. of opening and shutting to have been given by Christ unto the Ministers and the power of loosing to consist herein when the Minister by the preaching of the Gospel shall tender the merits of Christ and absolution to dejected spirits and truly penitent and shall denounce unto them an assured pardon of their sins and hope of eternal salvation Luke 11.52 This is that key of knowledge mentioned by our Saviour Matth. 23.13 And as the Jewish Scribes were by him justly reprehended for shutting up the kingdome of heaven against men by their wicked and adulterine expositions of the Law folding up the prophesies lest the people should read Christ therein and believe maliciously detaining the key of knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Luc. 11. and not opening the Gates of the Law that