Christes promise first to Peter, then to the rest of the Apostles, of a iudiciary power to forgiue sinnes.

ANd I will giue to thee the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen, and whatsoeuer thou shalt bynde vpon earth, it shalbe bounde also in heauen, and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth, it shalbe loosed also in the hea­uens. Math. 16. Amen I say to you, whatsoe­uer you shall bynd vpon earth, shalbe bound [Page 137] also in heauen, and whatsoeuer you shall loose vpon earthe, shalbe loosed also in hea­uen. Math. 18.

Here is the promise of the preists high au­thority, as well in particular to S. Peter as al­so to all the apostles to bynd and to loose, to absolue and retayne, which be excommuni­cations, anathematismes, and other such cen­seurs, penalties or penances, enioyned eyther in the sacrament of confession, or els in the exteriour courts of the church, for punishe­ments of all crymes whatsoeuer. In that it is said (whatsoeuer) is excepted nothinge that is punisheable or pardonable by Christ in earth, so that the validitie of S. Peter, the Apostles in their successors, byndinge & loo­singe whatsoeuer, shalbe by Christs promise ratifyed in heauē. What moreouer this aucto­rity was, S. Cyprian de lapsis. nu. 11. sayeth it was, to make satisfaction and to haue re­mission, when sinners confesse their sinnes. Origen. li. 2 in Leuit. sayeth, to haue the o­peninge of mans sinnes before them. S. Hie­rom. in 16. Math. thinketh it is, to heare the variety and difference of mens sinnes, then to loose or bynd them. S. Chrisostom li. 3. de Sacerd. affirmeth it to be a power aboue an­gels or archangels, a byndinge or loosinge of the soule, a power reachinge and pearcinge the heauens, that whatsoeuer the preists doe belowe, God ratifyeth aboue, that the same [Page 138] power was deliuered to preists, which God gaue to his sonne.

The performance of the former promises and graunte of Christ towching the power of byndinge and loofinge, forgiuinge and re­tayninge sinnes.

As my Father hathe sent me, I also do send you. When he had sayd this, he breathed vpon them, and he sayeth to them, Receyue yee the holy ghost, whose sinnes you shall forgiue, they are forgiuen them, and whose you shall retayne, they ar retayned. Ioan. 20.1. Where note first that Christ here sheweth his commission (as his Father sent him) and soe giueth the Apostles power to forgiue sin­nes. 2. he giueth them the holy ghost pur­posely to forgiue sinnes. 3. he putts it to their arbitrement (whose sinnes.) 4. a power e­qually to forgiue sinne as to retayne, against Nouatus: see S. Ambros. lib. 1. de poenitentia cap. 2.5. that if once they forgiue them, they ar forgiuen, what they do in earth being ratifyed in heauen: where is playnelye seen, the institution of the sacrament of penance.

The doctrine of the holy fathers towching these ke [...]e [...] and iudiciary auctority.

Forasmuch as in the first of Iohn 42. Christ foretould and appointed that the man then named Simon, should afterward be called a Rock, that is Cephas or Petrus, not then vt­teringe the cause, but now Math. 16. expres­singe [Page 139] it, as S. Cyrill l. 2. c. 12. com. in Ioan­nem noteth, that vpon Peter, as vpon a firme rock his church should be builded. Wherupō S. Hilary agreeinge in the same truth, faleth into this exclamation. O happy foundation of the church in the imposinge of the new name, yet moreouer S. Leo Epist. 89 addeth, that our Lord would that the Sacrament or mistery of this gift, soe to pertaine to the of­fice of all the Apostles, that from him as from a certaine head, he might power out his guiftes as it were through the whole bo­dy. Wherfore S. Ciprian Epist. 13. saieth, that to Peter first of all, vpon whom our Lord built his church, he gaue this power, from whom he instituted the beginninge of vnitie, that that should be loosed in heauen, which S. Peter had loosed in earth.

Now that Christ here ordained a courte, a consistory, a seate of iudgement in his church, appointinge the Apostles and their successors to be iudges, is most apparant by S. Augustin, 20. ciuitat. c. 9 who expounding the woords of S. Iohns reuelation. Et vidi sedes. I sawe seates and some sittinge in them, and iudge­ment was giuen, wee must not thinke, saieth he, thi [...] to be spoken of the last iudgement, but wee must vnderstand the seates of the ru­lers, and the rulers themselues by whom now the church is gouerned: and as for the iudge­ment giuen, it seemeth not to be taken from [Page 140] any other then from that wherof it was said, what things yee bynd in earth, they shalbe bound also in heauen. Here it is that S. Chri­sostome sayeth, lib. de dignit. Sacerd. lib. 3. in hom. 5. de verbis Esai. vidi Dominū, that Christ translated all iudgement which he re­ceyued of his father vnto the Apostles and preists, and that the sentence of Peter remit­tinge sinnes, goeth before the sentence of heauen. As noe lesse auerrethe. S. Hilarie in Math. 16. sayinge; Blessed is the porter of heauen, whose earthely iudgement (that is which is giuen here in earth) is afore iud­ged auctority in heauen. Whereupon Gre­gor Naz in his sermon to the president of­fended & cytizens amased with feare, boldly vttereth these woords. O you rulers, the law of Christ hath assubiected you to my rule, sea, and auctority, for we are with a power farre more ample and perfecter, in so much that S. Gregory hom 26. in Euang. writeth that the Apostles obteined a principality and prero­gatiue of supernaturall iudgement, that in steed of God, to some thy should forgiue, to othersome retaine sinnes. And as first he pro­mis d to Peter and the rest, and so to their successors this high and eminent power, so nowe Io. 20. he saieth, Accipite take this power, wherupon he geueth them the holy ghost, and soe instituteth the holy Sacrament of penance, Cirill li. 12. c. 56. in Ioannem. [Page 141] saith further, this auctority of forgeuing sin­nes beinge giuen to the preists, it followeth that the laity must likewise confesse their sin­nes. Sinnes can not be duly remitted or retai­ned vnlesse they be knowne to him that hath auctority to remitt: and knowledg of sinnes (such as are priuy) can not be had but by confession of the sinner, therfore it followeth that they receiued this auctority, to here the confession of Christian people, that were de­sirouse to be assoiled and reconciled: for he that instituteth the end, instituteth also the means, which should be necessary to the ob­teyninge of that end. Wherfore S. Hierom. com. in Math. 16. who I thinke vnderstood the woords of Christ sayeth, that the preist, when as accordinge to his office, he hath heard the diuersity of sinnes, he presently knoweth who is to be bound, who is to be loosed. And to answere him that perhaps wil aske, why Christ in expresse tearmes sayd not, Hugoli 2. de Sacr. tra. 14. cap. 1. (as he sayd whose sinnes yee forgiue) goe your wayes & confesse your sinnes, it may be because he thought that the sick would willingly come and seek helpe; therfore he sayd to the phi­sition of the soule. Yoke power to cu [...]e, but he sayd not to the infirme. Ioan. 20. (though S. Iames explayne it) Goe and confesse.

The doctrine of the Apostles and disciples of Christ, towching preists forgiuing, of sinnes.

God who hathe reconcyled vs to himselfe by Christ, he hath giuen vs the ministery of reconcilia [...]ion, and hath putt in vs the woord of reconciliation: to. Christ therfore we are Legates, God as it were exhortinge by vs. S. Paule 2. Cor 5. vers 19.

Note pr [...] shaue the ministerie of recon­ciliation, to reconcyle, a [...] Christ reconcyled to God, but he reconcyled by absoluinge from sinnes, 2. the woord of reconciliation is putt into them, so that the power and mi­nisterie to reconcyle, importeth also a power to knowe the cause. 3. they be as legates for Christ to reconcile his enimies: but legates that haue power to recōcile a kinges enimies and make attonement, can not well dischard­ge that duety, except they knowe by those persons what the fault was, how greeuously they haue offended, and withall what satis­faction they are willinge to doe.

For which cause I beseech you, that you confirme charity toward him, for therfore haue I written that I may knowe the experi­ment of you, whether in all thinges you be obedient. And whome you haue pardoned any thinge I also: for my selfe also that which pardoned, if I pardoned any thinge, for you in the person of Christe. 2. Corin. 2. vers. 8.9.1. as the incestuous person 1. Cor. was there punished and bounde, soe here is he loosed and pardoned. 2. wee see here that their hath [Page 143] beine a chastisement of him, a mulct enioyned and susteined by the delinquent, a rebuke, ad i [...]er [...] [...] ca [...]n [...]s, and therfore not onely cea­singe from sinne and amendement is suffi­ci [...]nt 3. the Apostle chalengeth their obedien­ce to his ecclesiasticall auctority, as their pas­tor and superiour. 4. we see measured the tyme of his penance and discipline, as well accordinge to the weyght of the offence, as also to the weakenesse of the person punis­hed 5 we see here penance enioyned, & ther­fore more then the satisfactiō of Christ is re­quisite; for els why would not S. Paule comit all to Christs satisfaction. 6. he doeth it in the person of Christ his vicar, and bearinge his person in this case.

But let a man proue himselfe and so lett him eate of that bread. But if we iudge our selues we should not be iudged. 1. Cor. 11. vers. 28.31. 1. S. Paule wisheth that we proue and examine ourselues wether we be in sinne or not, before we come to receyue. 2. to proue ourselues, that is to be clensed by them, whom he hath made our iudges, & to be iudged by them. 3. this iudgement here taketh away an other iudgement, whereby wee shall be iudged, eternally. 4. it is not enough to sinne noe more, or repent lightly, but also accordinge as wee haue iudged our­selues, to punishe, doe penance and satis­faction.

The practise of the Christians in the Apostles time, accordinge to the Apostles doctrine.

Now after that Ioan 20. Christ had brea­thed on his Apostles and giuen them the holy ghost to forgiue sinne [...], a power as S. Chriso­stome noteth li. 3 de Sacer. farre aboue the power of angels, or any worldly princes then did many that beleeued act. 19.18. come confessinge and declaringe their sinnes to S. Paule, in soe much as he had acknowledged, that he had the ministery of reconciliation, that he was Christes legate, and that he did forgiue in the person of Christ 2. Cor 5. I say these that beleeued came confessinge and de­claringe their acts and deeds. Confi [...]mes actus suo [...], numera [...]re [...] actus suos, that is, by num­bers tellinge their deeds, which could not be a confession generall, as to say they were sin­ners, and had sinned but tould how and euery act to man, for they came to S, Paule. Neither did they this by any compulsion, but volun­tarily. And now most likely confession was in vre emonge the faithfull, otherwise how could S. Paule haue knowne that they fol­lowed curiouse matters, in soe much as he bad them burne their bookes, except they had confessed their particular sinnes? And al­beit noe mention is made emonge the other actes of the Apostles of their sacramentall confession, and the vsinge therof after Christs ascension, perhaps because it was omitted to [Page 145] be sett downe, as many things els were, as alsoe the Apostles beinge confirmed in grace by the comming of the holy ghost vpō them, committed noe such greuouse and mortall sinnes, which their successors might do, and so vse the benefite of reconciliation by con­fessinge. For sithence in the prime of gods church, Christs blood beinge yet hotte, & the name of a Christian soe deearly sould, euerie one burninge with zele and deuotion, caused that sinne was not so sleyghtly comitted but after, that deuotion became luke warme and freisinge cold, many fell into diuerse enormi­ties, and so offended God, and needed conse­quently reconciliation, which wee see euery daye to be more needfull then others.

Now how this sacramentall confession came to be in vre in other countryes, we may see by diuerse of S. Paules scholers, whom he instructed and sent to teach the same doctrine, which he had taught and informed them, as by S. Crescens bishop of Vienna, S. Trophi­nius bishop of Arles, S. Denise Areopagite & martyr at Paris, whose doctrine is most plaine for confession as after also S. Crescens and Crescentius beinge S. Paules scholers, conuer­ted Moguntium to Christianity. In all which places thus conuerted & gouerned euen from the first Apostles till these dayes, confession of sinne to a preist hath bene taught and practi­sed, that euen euery church hath spoken his [Page 124] owne mothers dialect, and not stept an inche from their conuerters doctrine.

And wheras S. Paule willeth to proue our­selues before we come to the holy sacrament, and after sayeth if we iudg ourselues, we shal not be iudged, his meaninge is, (as we may gather by the rytes of S. Basiles, and S. Chri­sostomes masse) to examine by confession themselues, for so did the preists, sayeth S. Ba­sil in this tyme, to prooue and confesse befor they went to the deuine mysteries. Further­more in iudginge ourselues, because man is partial in his owne cause, therfore S. Iames telleth, that we should confesse one to an o­ther, and that not to euery one, but to such as ar iudges, and haue auctority to reconcyle, & to whom it was sayd, whose sinnes ye for­giue ar forgiuen, who ar the preists, whom he willeth the sicke to call in.

The doctrine of S. Iohn and S. Iames Apostles, conformable to S. Paules doctrines.

If we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull & iust for to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleāse vs from all iniquitie. 1. Ioan. 1. vers. 9.1. here is confession of sinnes particular. Si confi­teamur peccata, not, confiteamur peccatores 2. to man, and not onely to God, because what need wee confesse all in particular to God, who knowes all, & the very secrets of our hart, and therfore the publicane sayd. Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori. 3. a relyāce [Page 121] on gods promise after the confessing of them for the forgiuinge, his promise was Ion. 20. When he sayd to his Apostles and preists, whose sinnes yee forgiue ar forgiuen, therfore confessinge to a preist, God is faithfull and iust accordinge to his institution to forgiue. 4. if this confession should be to God, and so by God onely we should haue forgiunes, thē Christ should haue sayd in vaine to his Apo­stles, whose sinnes yee forgiue ar forgiuen, for beinge more easy to confesse to God then to man, none would go to man, and seeke par­don that way. 5. If the confession should be onely to God, if the preist should bynd any and retayne his sinnes, iudgeinge him not woorthy to be loosed, he should dot it in vayne. For he might be absolued by confes­singe to God alone, whether the preist would or not; so God should not be faithfull & iust hauinge promised this autority to his preists. 6. to make one place of scripture to agree with another and not to be contrary, but to explicate one by the other, it is most proba­ble that S. Iohn ment of sacramentall con­fession.

Is any sicke emongest you, let him bringe in the preists of the church, and lett them pray ouer him, annoyling him with oyle in the name of our Lorde, and the prayer of faith shall saue the sick, and our Lorde shall lift him vpp. And if he be in sinns, they shal be [Page 148] they shalbe remitted him: Confesse therfore your sinnes one to another, and pray one for an other that you may be saued. 1. Here is confession required of such as ar sick and in sinne. 2. to another besides God, for he bids confesse one to another. 3. this confession is one to another, not in publick to all, but to some one or other. 4. he bids vs confesse that we may be saued, as well as to pray one for another that we may be saued.

The practise of the Christians and doctrine of fathers, touching confession in these times.

Wee can haue noe greater, nor more pro­bable declaration hereof, that confession was vsed euen in the Apostles time, then of S. Ambrose li. 1. de poenit c. 10. who liued some 380. years after Christ, and who plai­nely affirmeth in his first booke of penance, that in S. Paules time, it was the custome of the church of God for preists to forgiue sin­nes (which they could not do except the pe­nitents confessed them) and that without all derogation to Christ. And hence it cometh that euen then S. Iames willeth to confesse, which exhortation to confession sheweth that now the faithfull were acquainted with confession, and that it was accustomed, not onely to confesse to God, but moreouer to man, that is, to some other besids God, and that either priuately or publickly, but nature teacheth vs, that silence and secrecy is best for [Page 149] secret sinnes; then most likely he ment of au­ricular confession, and since he bids them confesse to some other besid. God, it is most probable, that he would bid them rather goe to the preist, and confesse their sinnes to him, rather then to any other, hauing bidden them calle in the preists before, as also Christ ha­uinge giuen the Apostles auctority to forgiue sinnes: for els why should they confesse ex­cept some absolution or forgiuenesse therby might be had? if for comefort, yet more to preists, who haue the holy ghost giuen them the comeforter. For els man, as man (houlds so much of flesh and so littell of spirit) that knowinge his neighbours faults, would ra­ther when time serues, lay it in his dishe, then to releeue him with spirituall comeforte.

Besides as S Iames here bids them calle in the preists, it is most likely, talkinge of con­fession, remission of sinnes, and to be saued, that as he would haue the preists to annoile the sick, soe the preists should be those to whom we should confesse to haue our sinnes forgiuen, which preists Ioan. 20. can forgiue sinnes. Confesse therfore one to an other, that is, man to man, that is, thou that doest want absolution, vnto them that haue power to giue absolution, therfore confesse your sin­nes. Why? because it was said before, if he be in sinne, the sinne shalbe remitted him: who shall remitt them, if it not the preists [Page 128] that are called in? And why more the preists then any other? because to them it is said Ion. 2. Whose sinnes yee forgiue are forgiuen. This place Origen, Hom. 2. in Leuit. Chrisost. li 3. de Sacerd. S. August. Hom. 12. ex lib. 50. Hom. S. Bernard in his booke of medita­tions c. 9. expound of that confession which is made vnto a preist. And therfore say these doctors, when S. Iames saieth one to ano­ther, it is ment (as the sequele of the woords of the scripture require, pray one for an other, confesse one to an other) of preists who must pray for the sick, not the sick for the preists, confesse yee sick to the preist, and not the preists to the sick, and therfore the preists ar called in to annoyle, to pray, and af­ter confession to absolue: for if they be in sin­ne, their sinnes shalbe remitted. Wherefore no doubt these doctors thought that confes­sion was vsed euen in the primitiue churche, and with such as were sick, & so they vnder­stood S. Iames. Neyther is it probable that S. Iames ment as our protestants doe, that one­ly preachinge of forgiuinge of sinnes by Christe, is auayleable enough, and that by onely faith, to saluation: for what needed he then bid them confesse one to an other that they may be saued, when onely beleefe of forgiuenesse without confession, had beene sufficient? S. Basil moouinge a questiō about confession asketh, whether it must be to all [Page 125] men, or to some in particuler, or to the preists onely: he answereth, sith confession is ordai­ned to shewe fruits woorthy of penance, it is thought requisite, Confitenda esse peccata quibus dispēsatio misteriorum Dei committitur, to confesse to them, to whom the dispensa­tion of the misteries of God is committed.

The doctrine of the fathers next vnto the Apostles.

If perhapes any anger, infidelity, or any of the aforesaid offences haue secretly crept into any mans hart, let him not be ashamed to confesse this to him, that hath the care of his soule, that by him by the woords of God, and wholsome counsell, he may be cured, wherby he may by the integrity of his faith and good woorkes, escape the paines of eternall fier, and come to the rewarde of eternall life. S. Clement Epist. 1. ad fratrem Domini Anno Christi 68. First here are the sinnes that are to be confessed sett downe, namely inward and secret anger, infidelity &c. 2. to be confessed to such an one as hath care of our soules, therfore not to the laity but preists. 3. by confessinge to him, and by the woord of God, and good counsell he is cured. 4. by his sownd faith and good woor­kes, obteine heauen and escape hell, that is by satisfaction.

How much more ought wee to honor our spirituall fathers, who are legates to God for [Page 152] vs, who haue forgiuen vs our sinnes, nobis peccata remiserum. Clem. l. 2. const. 33. and made vs partakers of the holy Eucharist, who haue receiued power of God, of life and death in iudginge vs offenders in condemninge and absoluinge. 1. here is the name of spiri­tuall or ghostly fathers, and legates (as S. Paule taught) for vs and therfore to be ho­nor [...]d. 2 a cause why they should be hono­red, first because thy forgiue sinnes, then re­store vs againe to the holy Eucharist, last be­cause they haue power of life and death from God, to iudge and condemne and absolue, therfore more then power to preach forgiue­nesse of sinne by Christ. Thou truly (as thou saiest) I can not tell by what means against the order of all discipline didest kicke away with thy heeles and repulse the delinquent falinge donne before the preist, when as the sinner bashfully (as he ought to doe) con­fessed himselfe to haue come to seek remedy for his sinnes. Neither wert thou haue asha­med to raile and reuile the good preist, caling him a wretched man, who hath iustified the punitent sinner. Dionis. Areop. Epist. 8. ad Demophilium: anno Christi 78. Wher note 1. a disorder of an vnrulie companion commit­ted against a poore penitent. 2. a declara­tion of the penitents behauiour at that time, to kneele downe before the preist, to come to the preist bashefully &c. to seeke remedy of [Page 153] the preist for his sinnes. 3. that as this peni­tent did, so he ought to doe. 4. a reuilinge of the preist, for that he iustified the sinner, wherby we see iustification came by the preist and confession.

The vniuersall practise of the church agreable to the fathers doctrine at this time.

It is most apparant that nowe confession was in practise emonge the faithfull Chri­stians; and accustomed emonge the gouerners of the church to instruct the inferior sorte to frequent it often. For as S. Clement noteth in his epistle to the brother of our Lord, that it was the manner and custome of S. Peter, to teach and exhorte euery one, to haue a spe­ciall regard ouer euery action he did in his life time. euery hower, in euery place not to be vnmindfull of God, but firmiterscire cogitationes malas cordi suo aduenientes, mox ad Christum allidere & Sacerdotibus Domini ma­nifestare To knowe firmely all ill cogitations that comes into his hart, and presently to ma­nifest them vnto the preists. This then being the aduise and sownd counsell of S. Peter, noe lesse followed and approued by S. Cle­ment; what may we thinke then of those scholers that were by S. Peter endoctrined and sent to conuert others, and to erect vpp the fabrick of gods church, as S. Aduen [...]inus first bishop of Charters consecrated by S Pe­ter in the yeare of Christ 36. S. Eucha ius first [Page 132] archbishop of Treuers and by S. Peter taught and sent in that holy mission, S. Clement noe lesse beinge S. Peters scholer by whom S. Ni­casius first archbishope of Roane, S. Exupe­rius bishop of Baione, Tanrinus bishop of Eu­reux, S. Eutropius bishop of Xantes were con­secrated and sent to preach and teach. And beinge then that confession hath bene in vse, and practised, as is most manifest in these dioceses without any improuement from time to time; may it not seeme consonant to all reason, that it proceeded by apostolicall tradition euen from the head of gods church, who best knewe to interpret their maisters meaninge, and so continually taught by their successors? Nowe what the manner and cu­stome was of penance, it can not be better known, then by the very direction of S. Cle­ment, who testifieth what the doctrine of the church was for penance, lib. 2. const. apost. to wit. Quid carni molestum, and to be either voluntary donne, or enioyned by the spiri­tuall iudge of the conscience, for sayeth he vnto the preists, Debetis asscribere tempus se­cundum rationem peccati, they must allot the time accordingely as the sinne is. Moreouer S. Denis, who was S. Paules scholer, as his doctrine is most plaine for auricular confes­sion, soe noe doubt in Paris by him it had his beginninge, and by his successors the conti­nuance, and by his scholers a further enlarge­ment [Page 129] in many parts of Fraunce, as by his San­ctinus (whom he institu [...]ed) by whose indu­stry and labour the Meldenses were conuer­ted to chr [...]stianity.

Howe and after what sorte Christians vsed to make their confessions in S. Denise time, especially emonge such as he had chardge of; by his owne declaration appeareth, describin­ge the properties of a good and lawefull con­fession c. de pie defunctis. 1. to acknoweledg him selfe a sinner before his spirituall iudge. 2. to be ashamed in his sight, and so 3. to de­sier absolution. And if it be true that Simeon Metaphastes a grecian relateth apud Surium 23. Iunij, that S. Peter him selfe preached, fownded churches, and ordained preists in England or Britany, and confirmed by Inno­cent the first, bishop of Rome. Or that Ari­stobolus his scholer was in England (as diuerse affirme) and there made bishop: noe doubt that doctrine of S. Peter for confession, was taught in England.

The doctrine of the fathers of the second age for confession and preists absolution

Those whom Christ would haue consecia­ted vnto him, and appointed in the order of the Apostles, these doe eate the sinnes of the people, and do make intercession for sinne, because by their praiers and oblations, they blott them out, and consume them. Alexan. causis & Granat. Sacerdotū an Christi 109. 1. [Page 156] preists are consecrated in order of the Apo­stles. 2. they eate the sinnes of the people by absoluinge them by woord of mouthe. 3. they offer vpp oblations and prayers for sinne 4. they blott out and consume sinne.

These wemen which were fallen into he­resy and conuerted againe vnto the church of God, were cōfessed. [...]onfessae sunt an. Christi 175. Fren [...]s. de Rodanensibus Faeminis l. 1. c. 9. l. 3. c. 4. 1. a conuersion (after the sinners fale) to the church 2. confession of their fault and sinne therby to be reconciled.

The practise of the church conformable to this doctrine.

To knowe what the maner of the church was generally in this age, from Pope Alexan­der and Ireneus his time, till the time of Mi­nutius Felix which was some 30. years after (for he l [...]ued in the yeare 230) can not be bet­ter knowne, then by the record of Minutius Felix, for thus he writeth in Octauius, that the gentils vppbraided the christians that they worshipped the preists priuities, ipso [...] ado­rare solitos v [...]rilia sacerdotum. Which ado­ration could be nothinge els, but that humi­liation, which euery penitent vsed in con­fession, kneelinge at the preists knees, hol­dinge vpp their hands in humble maner con­fessinge their faults and desieringe absolu­tion. In so much that by their lowe and se­cret speech and holding vpp their hands with [Page 157] this reuerence at the preists feete, the gentils tooke an occasion to mock all Christians for this worship before their priuities. And from S Ireneus who was in the yeare of Christ 175 till the yeare of Christ 1160 almost a thowsand yea [...]s, that one Waldo of Lyons, with his beggerly companions, broa [...]hed their heresies, and taught that auricular con­fession was not necessary; we read not but it was continually practised, as by him selfe, soe by his successors, most of them hol [...]men and saincts, as S. Iustus, Alpinus, S. Martin, Antherus, Antiochus, Elpidius, Eucherius. Vexamius, Lupicius, Austricus, Stephanus, Sacerdos, whom the church of Rome would neuer haue had in such esteeme, had not they beleeued towching confession, as the church of Rome alwaies beleeued.

The heresy of the Montanists contrary to the fathers éoctrine.

About the yeare of Christ 181▪ beganne the heresy of the Montanists, who denied all power of reconcilinge sinners, abolishinge altogether the ecclesiasticall rites of absolu­tion, mainteininge, that none could be loo­sed and reconciled by the church, that had fa­len after baptisme into any gre [...]uouse sinne; In soe much that S. Hierome Epist. ad Mar­cellam noteth thus much of them, that for euery sinne they shutt vpp the church doores from reconcilinge, ad omme penè delictum, [Page 136] ecclesiae obserant fores, whereas we read dai­ly. Malo poenitentiam peccatorum quam mor­cem. But here you are to note, 1. that the Montanists are different from our protestants & held many assertions, which they will ne­uer yeld vnto: for these condemne vtterly se­cond marriages, thy say that man and wife may parte when they list, they rebaptize. 2. Montanus made himselfe a false prophete, and made Prisca and Maximilla forsake their husbands and followe him, and call the tow­ne where they were borne Hierusalem, and affirmed that wemen may take holy orders 3. Montanus and Maximilla beinge both pos­sessed with an euell spirite, did hange them­selues, as wicked Iudas did. 4. forasmuch as they say that such as are once falen, can neuer obteine pardon and remission of their sinnes, (albeit thy repent neuer soe hartily) is a do­ctrine contrary to our protestants, who at lest wise think they may haue pardon at gods hands.

The practise of the church contrary to the Montanists heresie.

This heresy of the Montanists was con­demned by the church, as also it was confu­ted by Apollinaris, with sondry reason, in a booke written to Albercius. It was also con­futed by Apollonius an ecelesiasticall writer, who at large sett down their hipocrises, de­ceites, and grosse errors. Besids there were [Page 133] many others that opposed themselues against these heretikes in defence of the true catho­licke faith, as Melciades Pope, Rhodon Asia­nus as noteth Eusebius Caesariensis lib. 7. cap. 19. Read Nicephorus in his 4. booke of his ecclesiasticall story c. 22. where yee may see the beginninge, the progresse, the absurdi­ties, and withall the excommunication of such as were abettors and mainteiners of this heresie.

The doctrine of Tertullian and others of the same age.

Hast thou offended? as yet thou maist be reconciled, thou hast to whom thou maist make satisfaction. Satisfaction is disposed by confession. Confession is the discipline of mans prostrating and humblinge himselfe to cast thy selfe at the feete of the preist. Tertul. lib. de penit. anno Christi 200.

Surely the hiding of thy offence doth yeld thee great gaine, for this shamefastenesse, as if thou shouldest keep from the knowledge of man therfore thou hidest it from God: what? is it better to keep it secret and be dam­ned, then publikly to be absolued? It is mi­serable so to come to confession. 1. here is af­ter offendinge , reconciling and makinge sa­tisfaction, 2. how satisfaction is made by con­fession. 3. confession is at the preistes feete. 4 a rebuke for such as for shamefastenesse hide their sinnes from man. 5. in keepinge [Page 160] them secret, ensueth damnation. 6. a publick absolution.

Vrbane Pope, de communi vi [...]a & oblatio­nibus fi [...]elium. Why are the seates in the episcopall churches made so high, and so pre­pared? that their throne might teach a behol­d [...]nge or ouersight and power to iudge to binde and loose. Wherupon saieth our Sa­uiour to these: Take ye the holy ghost, whose sinnes yee forgiue, they are forgiuen them. Vrban anno Christi 222. 1. here is a diffe­rence in cathedral churches in the seates of the clergie from the laitie. 2. a diffe­rence in height and preparation. 3. a rea­son because they are behoulders, ouerseers and haue iudiciarie power to bind and loose. 4. what this bindinge and loosing is, that is by the holy ghost to forgiue or re­taine sinnes.

Pontian Pope in decretis anno Christi 230. Touchinge the preiste [...] of our Lorde; Knowe you that God is much pleased with them, whom he hath allotted to serue him, a [...]d would haue such familiarity wih them, that he would by them accept others sacrifices. and by them [...]orgiue and pardon their sinnes, and by them reconcile sinners vnto him, as also that by their mouth, they make the body of Christ, and giue it to the people. 1. heere is the great dignity and priu [...]ledge of preist­hoode in vsinge their s [...]ruice. 2. how God [Page 161] vseth preists as meanes for the behalfe of o­thers, by them to pardon and forgiue sinnes, by them to attone vnto him sinners, and by thē to haue his body made, wherby is seene a great differēce frō the protestants ministery.

The practise of the church in this age.

As Tertullian (whom S. Ciprian calleth master, sayinge to his Notary when he called for Tertullian. Da magistrum m [...]um) descri­binge confession what it is, howe and in that sorte it ought to be donne, by prostration and humiliation of a mans selfe, framminge his conuersation as suppliant for mercy, to putt on sackloth and ashes, to lament and be sory, to fast and pray (presbiteri adu [...]lui, aris adgeniculari ) to kneele at the feete of the preist, and before the aulter of God, and in soe doinge, contrectare Christum, to handell and touch Christ; So againe out of Tertullian it appeareth (as noteth Pamelius l. de poenit. a not. 53.) that this was the accu­stomed maner and vse in the church of Christ with all poenitents 1. to make a confession of all their sinnes to the preist, then to haue pe­nance, after penance to haue imposition of hands, either by a bishop or by some other of the clergy, this once donne, then had they the holy eucharist giuen them. For confession of sinnes was soe in vse, that euen in these, times all such as were to be admitted to the Sacr. of Bap. besids their ordinary praying, their much [Page 140] fastinge, their longe kneelinge, and late wat­chinge, they moreouer made confession of al their sinnes, accordinge to the baptisme of Iohn. Tin [...]ebantur confitente, pec [...], sayeth Tertulian lib. de baptismo c. 20. Before pope Zepherin, Nouatus the heretick made his cō­fession at Rome, as recordeth Eusebius, li 5. hist. c. 4. and noe lesse would Marcion haue donne sayeth Tertullian, had not death pre­uented him lib. de praescriptionibus.

About the yeare of Christ 237. Philipp the Emperor a Christian, hauing falen into some particuler sinnes and notoriously offended, touched with remorse of conscience and de­sirouse with the rest, to participate of the holy misteries at Easter, was brought by pope Fa­bian (as saith, Eusebius li. 6. hist. cap. 27.) to such meekenesse and humblenesse of spirite, that beinge not suffered for his offence com­mitted to enter the church doore before he was confessed; he gaue such remonstrance of hartye sorrowe, that humbly prostrating him selfe, he went to confession, and stoode in the same ranke wher other penitents were, and soe had his absolution, and was admitted to the holy Sacraments. The which example, as also that which Dionisius Alexander writeth to Fabius of Antioch, may be a sufficient te­stimony for confession and vse therof in this age, forasmuch as he telleth, how that Se­rapion hauinge falen and lyinge on his death [Page 137] bed, desiered then most earnestly to haue a preist, and therfore called a Nephewe of his and said vnto him. Aliquem ex presbiteris ad uoca ad me, call to me some one preist or o­ther; as then mindful of the tribunall seate of God, would make an atonement by the means of a preist by confession and absolu­tion. Eusebius lib. 6. historiae c. 29.

Origines him 2. in Leuit; & 3. & hom. 2. in psal. 37. & 17. in Lucam. anno Christi 230.

THere is yet a seauenth although a hard and laborious remission of sinnes by pe­nance, when the sinner washeth his coutch with teares, and his teares are vnto him bread night and day: and when he is not ashamed to declare vnto the preist of our Lord his sin­nes, and soe seek a medecine according to that which is said; I will pronounce against my selfe vnto my Lord my iniustice and thou hast forgiuen the impiety of my hart: In which also is fulfilled that the apostel S. Iames saieth. Is any man sick emonge you? lett him bringe in the preists, and let them pray ouer him, and if he be in sinnes, they shalbe remitted, confesse therfore your sinnes one to an other. Here note 1. a remission of sinnes by penance hard and laboriouse. 2. that the [Page 164] penance is to weepe, to shed teares day and night and not to be ashamed to declare his sinnes vnto a preist. 3 that by the preist he hath a remedy or medecine for his sinnes. 4. in that he declareth his sinnes to the preist of our Lorde, he confesseth as it were vnto our Lorde, and the forgeuinge of the preist, to be gods forgeuinge, for els why should he bid him declare it to the preist, and then vnto his Lorde, if the preist had nothinge to doe with it. 5. he vnderstande [...]h S. Iames, when he biddeth confesse one to another, that it is ment of confessinge to a preist, and not to the laitie.

Antherus pope epist. decret. litterae Maximini Imperat anno Christi 239.

God forbid that I should speake any thin­ge amisse of them, who succedinge in the degree of the Apostles, doe make with their holy mouthes the body of Christ, and by whom also wee are made Christiās, who ha­uinge the keies of the kingdome of heauen doe iudge vs before the day of iudgement. Here note. 1. preistes are not to be euel spo­ken of. 2 their mouthes are holy, because they make the body of Christ. 3. they haue the keies of the kingdome of heauen. 4. they iudge men, before the last iudgement.

The practise of the church conformable to this doctrine.

Noe lesse doeth Origen for his time, then [Page 165] the former fathers for theirs, and all after one and the selfe same manner, sett downe the vniforme practise of confession in the church of God, for he in the third homely vpon Le­uit. declareth plainly, what the penitents ordinarily vsed to confesse and declare vnto the preist, as sinnes that haue bene commit­ted in secret, sinnes by speach and woords, yea such sinnes as are the most inward se­crets of our thoughts. Cuncta necesse est pu­blicari, cuncta preferri, preferri autem ab illo, qui & accusator peccati est & incentor. And beinge moreouer great regard to be had for choise of a good ghostly and spiritual father, he thus aduiseth (which aduise had bene needlesse, had not the custome bene to goe to confession) Cir [...]umspicere debeas diligentius cui debeas coufi [...]eri peccata tua, speaking to such as went to confession to be very carefull and circumspect, to whome they confesse their sinnes; yea withall to fulfill his precepts and commands, soe that if the ghostly father (hauinge showed himselfe a wise and mer­cifull phisitian) hath giuen thee any counsel, or said any thinge to thee doe it, and follow it. In soe much that if he shall see and vnder­stand such and such to be thy greifes, that then they ought in publick to be declared to the whole congregation, and so to be healed, the rest edified, and thou thy selfe cured. Su­rely saieth Origen there ought to be hadd [Page 144] great deliberation and mature aduise of such a phisitian. Hereby it is manifest that albeit the practise was in the church to confesse, yea the most secretest sinnes of all, and that secretly, yet some sinnes were to be confessed publickly, which were either publickly com­mitted, or for some other peculiar reason by the good and ghostly aduise of the preist, counselled so to bee declared. For as a littell before in Tertullians time, thy were baptised confessinge their sinnes, yet he reioyseth much that they did not publickly confesse their iniquities and filthy sinnes. Nobis gra­tulandum si non publicè confitemur, iniquitates aut turpitudines nostras. Tertul. l. de baptis. c. 20. And for the vse of doinge this publick penance and secret, how when, and for what crimes, he after els where declareth; for saieth he, in greater crimes the custome is to doe but once penance: for common sinnes which we daily incurr, we must receiue penāce alwaies, & redeeme them without intermissiō. What he meaneth by penance for greater, and that to be donne but once, appeareth after by S. Augustin Epist. 54. that it is publick penance, where he geueth the reason why it should not often be reiterated. And that in this time it was the custome to goe to confession be­fore the receiuinge of the holy Eucharist (wherby it is plaine that they vnderstood S. Paule when he said. Probet seipsum homo, & [Page 141] sic de pane illo eda to be mēr of purging their soules by confession) is euident by this that vpon their rashenesse and negligence in this respect, he tooke an occasion to chide some to be carefull and mind full in this behalfe. Orig [...]n in psal. 38. homil. 2.

The doctrine of S Ciprian bishop and martir epist. 16. l. 3. ad plebem. anno Christi 248.

How much more with greater faith and feare doe these dischardge their conscience, who albeit they haue not falen into any great offence, either to sacrifice or to subscribe to idolatry, yet perhapes because they might haue had such thoughts in mind, thy will confesse the same plainely, simply and soro­fully vnto the preists of God. And therfore lett euery one confesse his sinne whilest the offender is yet liuinge, & his confession may be admitted, and his satisfaction and forgiue­nesse by the preists is acceptable with God. Here note. 1. by faith and feare, is the dis­chardge of conscience against the Magdebur­gians that say the doctors make no mention of faith. 2, confession not onely of outward, but inward and verie sinfull thoughts of min­de against Luther. 3 a manner of confessing, vid: plainely, simply, sorowfully. 4. to whom we must confesse, to the preists of God. 5. when we must confesse: in our life time, for soe confession and satisfaction is auaileable. 6. that preists doe forgiue sinnes, and that by [Page 168] them we obteine forgiuenesse, of almigh­ty God. To knowe nowe the vse and custo­me of this age, for the admission of penitents vnto the holy rites, it shalbe a sufficient pro­fe, to read but that which the whole church of Rome (then euen by our aduersaries graunte the true and mother church) hath written to S. Ciprian (Ciprian Epist. 31.) con­cerninge the discipline and seuerity therof for confessiō & absolution, which they caled. Neruos seu [...]ritatis, the sinewes of seuerity; which they would haue fully practised in all seuerity, beinge noe neweborne custome, but longe before obserued of their auncients sayinge, that it was, Antiqua seueritas, antiqua fides, disciplina legitur antiqua, an aun­cient seuerity, an auncient beleefe, an aun­cient discipline [...], and he that shall do thus sa­tisfaction to God, shall not onely deserue par­don, but haue a roome in heauen saith S. Ciprian Epist. 55. And by S. Ciprian him­selfe (as in his epistel which he writt vnto the people) it appeareth also, that confession was then practised, and so ought to be, se­cundum disciplinam Domini, and further that in absoluinge the delinquent, the bishop and clergy did lay hands vpon him, and more­ouer, that the penitents should confesse their sinnes, and make satisfaction in this world by the preist vnto God, obteininge r [...]mission & forgiuenesse by the preist. In so much that [Page 169] S. Ciprian in his sermon de lapsi [...], declareth, that the egernesse to confesse in his time (af­ter the storme of persecution a littell ceased) was such, that the penitents confessed not onely their externall acts and deeds, but euen their very thoughts and cogitations vnto the preists of God. Mow forasmuch as deacons in S. Ciprians time, did impose hāds vpon delin­quents heads, it was permitted for publick penance, and by the auctority of the bishop, and in his steed, and in time of necessity; which imposinge and absolution, was not from sinne, for that belongeth onely to the preists. See S. Ciprian who further noteth Epist. 55. & sermo. de lapsis, that they did doe satisfaction to purge them, from sinnes, and that this was the faith in the Apostles time, and all faithfull Christians did soe.

The heresy of the Nouatians contrary to the fathers doctrine.

About this time, the Nouatians procee­dinge from one Nouatus, renewed the he­resy of the Montanists some 50. years after. In so much that Socrates in his fourth book of his history, testifieth that Nouatus their captaine should write vnto all churches (for he had gotten auctority in beinge made a mocke bishop by stelth and not by canonical order) that no sinner should be admitted vnto the holy misteries, that had sacrificed to Ido­les, soe that his doctrine was to exhort them [Page 170] onely to penance, and for the rest, to remitt wholy the forgiuenesse of their sinnes to God onely, who could and had onely auctority to forgiue sinnes. Here note 1. if our aduersa­ries grownd their negatiue doctrine of de­nyinge confession to a preist vpon Nouatus, then it proceedeth and hath its beginninge from one that in his youth was possessed with an euel spirite, a coniurer, a man putt into orders against all order and lawe, a bi­shop made by stelth and by intrusion 2. if his doctrine should be true, why would then Christ suffer his church to be in error in con­fessinge, and preists absoluinge, either till the Montanists beganne, or till now some 255. years, when Christ said he would be with his Apostles till the worlds end, to teach go­uerne and direct thē with his holy spirit in all truth, and now in the beginninge should fall into heresy and vtter blindnesse? 3. the practise of confession and preists absolution from all sinne, was then the practise of the church, or els why did Nouatus now deny it, and forbid all penitents to seek absolution, and forgi­uenesse in the church but of God onely, being contradicted for his doctrine of all? 4. if No­uatus doctrine be true, then is the other do­ctrine of confession false, why then did not Nouatus call a councell, and condemne his predecessors and former bishops of heresy? but this we neuer reade, but rather the con­trary, [Page 171] that the Nouatians were censured for heretickes for denyinge absolution, as shall presently appeare. 5. the Montanists and No­uatians did not denie but that preists might preach and teach forgiuenesse of sinnes by Christ, but denyed that power to absolue was giuen them Ion. 20. whose sinnes ye forgiue are forgiuen, therfore in contradictinge the church, it is plaine that the meanninge of the woords of Christ Ihon 20. was vnderstood of the whole church then for preists to forgiue sinnes and absolue, and not to preach onely forgiuenesse of sinne.

The practise of the church for condemnation of the Nouatian heresie.

Against this heresy of Nouatus, was held a councell at Rome by Pope Cornelius of 50. bishops, as many preists, and many more deacons, where it was examined and con­demned. And albeit the decrees of this coun­cell are not extant, yet Eusebius Coesariensis in his sixt book of his ecclesiasticall history and 34. chapter, geueth sufficient testimony of it. Moreouer the councell of Nice held this heresy of Nouatus so damnable, that it prohibited, that none of this sort should be receiued againe into the lapp of gods church and participation of the holy misteries, except by publicke abiuration of that heresy, they promised to folowe the prescript order, all precepts and commandements of the holy [Page 172] mother church: concil. Nicen. ca 8. What learned men and holy doctors haue opposed them selues by writinge against it, is most apparant. For both S. Ciprian de lapsis. in his time S. Ambrose in his booke of penance. S. Chrisostome in a treatise intituled of repai­ringe one that is fallen, as also Lactantius l. 4. diui inst. c. 17. writt most learnedly against the Nouatians; in soe much that Lactantius makes confession a note of the true church. After that Nouatus had begun his heresy, it was thought conuenient to certaine bishops, to appointe a penitentiary preist for euery publick and notoriouse delinquent to con­fesse vnto, and to do publick penance, be­fore they could be admitted to come to the holy Eucharist: for before the heresy of No­uatus began, not any were compelled to goe to any certain preist, neither to confesse pu­blickly their sinne, albeit some accustomed by counsell of the preist to confesse some no­toriouse crime publickly, for their more confusion and repentance, hauinge trans­gressed publickly, yet they were not bound vnto it, but it was sufficient priuately to con­fesse all their sinnes, and to do penance ether priuately or publickely, as the preist should thinke most conuenient and for his good, this is manifest by Origen Hom. 2. in psal. 37.

S. Ciprian Epist. 13. l. 3. writing to Stephen [Page 173] Pope of Rome, declareth how that one Mar­tianus the fift bishop of Arles in order after S. Trophinus S. Paules scholer, was become a Nouatiā, wherby it appeareth that he did de­generate from the doctrine of his forefathers, and that because he was an inuouator, and against the custome of the whole church his name was giuen vpp to the Pope and censu­red as an hereticke.

The dostrine of S. Ciprian or some other aun­cient aucthor of his time. Ser. de ablutione pedum.

After Baptisme which can not be iterated we haue aliud lauacrum, an other regene­ration.

Concilium Ancyranum

As many as haue fulfilled their penance of their years space, let them be receiued to the holy Eucarist without offering. an. Christi 316.

Lactantius in the end of his fourth book of de­uine institutions cap. 17

Because all heretickes thinke themselues Christians, and that theirs is the catholick church, it is to be aduertised, that that is the church, in which is confession and penance, which most profitably doeth cure and heale the sinnes and wounds, vnto which the im­becility of mans fleshe is subiect. Againe he saieth he; If we confesse our sinnes wee satisfy God and obtein pardon. Here note. 1. first it is the catholick church, in which is [Page 174] the vse of confession and penance. 2. that it is a confession to a preist, for all heretickes will confesse vnto God, therfore confession to a preist, is a distinctiue note of the catho­lickes from hereticks who vse noe confession to a preist. 3. that confession doeth heale and cure the sinnes, and hereby wee doe satis­faction and obteine pardon.

The practise of the church conformable to this doctrine.

In this age there was practise in the church of God, both of a penitentiarie preist, as also priuate and publick penances enioyned by the preist vnto sinners and notoriouse delin­quents. A publick penance was then enioy­ned, when the sinne committed was publick, and so satisfaction to be donne publickely for it, in, and before the face of the church. Priuate penance was then ordained, when for the sinne declared secretly to the preist by confession, he had penance enioyned to be donne secretelie.

And albeit by reason of these publick pe­nances, a custome might (in the heare of Christians deuotions as in Campania after their did) growe, that there the bishops did allowe, that the penitents for euery secret sinne confessed, should doe publick penance, and haue their sinnes recited publickly, per modum libelli, for their greater confusion and satisfactiō, yet this maner was reprehen­ded [Page 175] by S. Leo as after shalbe declared, and order sett downe, that secrett sinnes should onely (accordinge to the nature of secrecy) be confessed sec [...]etly, and secrett pennance done for them: Whereby is euident, the two former sortes of penances.

The accustomed maner to do solemne pe­penance was this, which was enioyned for some great and heynouse sinne. First in the beginninge of Lent, the bishop and preist with the penitent, meets at the doore of the cathedral church barefooted, his head shorne, with demisse looke, and so sayinge the seauen penitentiall psalmes, the bishope layes his hand vpon the penitent, sprinkels him with holy water, layes ashes vpon his head, and puts on a hayrcloth, & so declares vnto him, that as Adam was cast out of paradise, so he is cast out of the church, and thus the bishop bids the clergye to driue the penitēts foorth, recyting this verse: [...]n sudere vultus tui. In this maner all lent thy continewe till sheer­thursday, and then are they brought by the clergy to the church, and continewe till the octaues of Easter without eyther receyuinge the holy Eucharist or the Pax: and this done, they depart againe & doe as they did before, till the beginninge of lent againe, euery yeare vntill such tyme, their penance be expired, & so to be reconciled to the church. Soe we read, that in the councell of Ancyrane, there [Page 176] were some times three years penance enioy­ned. Now for these publick penitents, there was appointed a distinct habite, a seperate place, an appointed time, and soundry pu­nishments. Their habite was of a duskish couler with heircloth, their head pouled and shorne (wemen excepted who went veiled) and this custome was in Tertullians time li. de poenit. anno 200. In the age of Pacian anno 393. as appeareth in his parenisy to penance. In the time of Optatus 370. In the time of S. Ambrose ad virg. lap. c. 8. 380. and when the councel of Agatha was held in the yeare 439. where is both mention made of habite and shearinge of haire. The place to do this penance in was diuerse, for S. Gre­gory Neocaesariensis in his canonicall epistle mentioneth fiue. The first in the lower part of the church furthest from the alter without the church doore, and had his name by their weepinge lamenting and prayer. The second within the church, a place of hearing praier, but not admitted to praier. The third within both to heare and communicate & in praier, yet not to come to masse, a place onely to pray and contemplate. The fourth to come neere the alter and to the sacrifice, yet not to communicate at the alter where they stoode. The fift a place of expectation to be reconci­led when they had fulfilled their penance. The time for enioyninge solemne penance [Page 177] was on ashe wedensday. In capice ieiunij, as noteth Gratian dist. 50. can. In capite ieiunij. The time of reconcilinge was on sheerthurs­day. in coena Domini, as noteth Innocentius Epist. ad Decentium c. 7. The diuersity of pu­nishements were. 1. abstinence from holy misteries as S. Ciprian obserueth lib. 5. Epist. 8, & ser. de lapsis. 2. inhability to be promo­ted to the clergy. Syrius Epist. 1. c 14. 3. not not to marry (except younge men) Leo Epist. 92 ca. 12. 4. neuer to be souldiours. Leo ibi­dem. 5. not to be godfathers in bap [...]isme or confirmation. Concil. Pariensi. 6. if thy be sick to want extreme vnction. Innocentius ad Decentium 7. euery fastinge day to come to church, and to bowe their heads to the preist, who should lay his hands vpon them and praie for them. Concilium Carthagi­nense can. 80.8. to bury the dead by the same councell of Cartha. ca. 91.6. not to go to any bathes or banquetts, but to refufe if they be inuited. Pacianus in parenesi.

The doctrine of S. Antony ex Athanasio & Euagrio in eius vita. Anno Christi 330.

It is a speedy way to vertue, if euery one would marke that which thy doe, or would declare all their thoughtes of their minds to their brethren. Here note first a markinge of our actions, and declaringe of our very thoughts. 2. to declare them to our brethren. what these brethren bee S. Iames saieth, it [Page 178] is to confesse to an other; What this other is, hath bene declared before out of the holy doctors, that they are preists, whom S. Iames bids call in, and to whom Christe (Ioan. 20.) hath giuen power to forgiue sinnes.

Concilium Leodicenum in Siria orientalis ec­clesiae in can. 2.

Those which fall into diuerse sinnes, and makes a full remonstrance of their perfect conuersion by their praier, confession, and penance, the time of their penance is to be allotted according to the quality of their sin­nes. Here note. 1. a perfect conuersion can not be but by praier, confession and penance, therfore it is not enough to repent onely, and change the minde from sinne. 2. that this pe­nance is a satisfactory penalty enioyned by the preists, for the time is allotted by them, according as their sinnes are. And how can they know their sinnes to allott penance, and the quality therof, but by confession?

S. Athanasius bishope of Alexandria sermone in illa verba, profecti in pagum.

Let vs examine our selues whether our bonds are loosed, that we may profite vnto better: If that they be not loosed, offer thy selfe to the disciples of Iesus, they are heere which can loose thee by that power which thy haue receiued of our Sauiour whatsoeuer you shall bind in earth, shalbe bound in hea­uen, and whatsoeuer yee shall loose in earth [Page 179] shalbe loosed in heauen, and if yee remitt anies sinnes they are forgiuen them. Here note. 1. we must examine our consciences whether we be bound or loosed. 2. if we be bounde, we must offer our selues to the disci­ples of Christe to be loosed. 3. what these dis­ciples are: he saieth they are here, meaning the preists of God, whom S. Paule calleth Christs legates, and are indeed the disciples of Christ; for he can not meane of the Apostles or dis­ciples which are in heauen, but such as are heere, that is, now extant and then in S. Athanasius his time. 4. that these by Christes institution, haue power to bind and loose, to forgiue sinnes.

The practise of the church accordinge to these fathers doctrine.

In this age 366. the Emperors Gratian, Va­lentinian and and Theodosius decreed, that all people (whom the Empire of their cle­mency did gouerne) liue in that religion which deuine Peter deliuered to the Romans as the religion by him taught, and enduringe to this day, namely to their times. Which re­ligion left by S. Peter is euident and he him­selfe taught concerninge the ordringe of a mans conscience, to enter into it, to thinke vpon his deeds, and so to manifest them vnto a preist. Thus S. Clement writeth of him, who best knewe the custome of those times, and S. Peters intent. Epist. ad fratrem Do­mini. [Page 108] Moreouer that auricular confession was practised in Rome, appeareth by S. Clement, Alexander, Antherus, Vrbanus, Pontian, euen vntill Damasus his time, when also was the practise of confession, which S. Hierome saieth, was then a publick vse and custome in all the church; Now then if auricular con­fession had bene against the prescript and woord of God, it is most certaine, that these Emperors would haue had a more carefull respect, then to haue remitted them selues to the Romaine religion, Damasus beinge then cheef head, and Peter Patriarch of Alexan­dria for the east church. Yea rather if this had bene false doctrine, they should haue enter­tained the Montanists and Nouatians con­demned by the sea of Rome, whom not­withstandinge it is manifest that they held, as heretickes and anathematized persons. In the second canon of the auncient councel of Laodicia it is manifest, that the maner of those times was, to enioyne penitent sinners in confession to say praiers, and to giue almes, for penance and satisfaction for their sinnes. By the Apollogy of S. Athanasius, as also S. S. Hilary it is euident, that certaine bishops of Britany, were present at the councell of Sardica, as also at Ariminum, S. Hilary prai­singe and extollinge those bishops, which truly he would neuer haue donne, had not they concurred with the Romaine church, & [Page 181] iumpt with him in his opinion for religion in all points, confession beinge one: Wherupon wee may gather that confession then was vsed in Britanie.

The doctrine of S. Hilarie ca. 18. in Mat. S. Ephrem and S. Basil. Hil. an. Christi 370.

For terror and feare of that by which all in presente should be contained: he sett before the immouable iudgement of the apostolical seuerity (that is) whosoeuer they should haue bound here in earth (that is) left tied in the knotts of sin, and whom they should haue loosed (that is) by confession pardoned, these same (such beinge the condition of the apo­stolicall sentence) should also be loosed or bound in heauen. Here note first, the aposto­licall iudgement is immoueable, that is, what­soeuer they iudge, God doeth ratify it. 2. it is a seuerity, which seuerity is in inflictinge punishments vpon penitents, and this he ca­leth apostolical. 3. thy bind sinners in sin, and loose sinners from sinne, by their apostolical sentence, therfore they do more then preach forgiuenesse or bindinge and loosinge by Christ. 4. by confession pardon is obteined.

Saint Ephrem in illud, Attende tibi. anno Christi 380.

To open and declare his sinnes to spiritual men, is a great signe of amendement of life: but to hide them, a token of an ill affected mind: therfore it behoueth that such an one, [Page 182] who confesseth with all humilitie, be greatly comeforted. Here note first, an opeining and declaringe of sinnes. 2. to spirituall men, not to laie men. 3. a difference betwixt him that openeth his sinnes, & him that hideth them, the openinge a signe of amendement of life, the hidinge a token of an ill affected minde 4. wee must confesse and declare our sinnes with all humility. 5. the behauiour of the spirituall man or ghostly father, towards the penitent (vid) to comefort him.

S. Basil in questionibus breuioribus regula 229

The selfe same reason altogether is in con­fession as is in the openinge or disclosinge the defectes of a mans body. For neither rashely do we disclose these to euery one, but to such as are expert to cure them: Soe ought not the confession of our sinne [...] be made, but to such as can heale them. Wherfore as he saieth, regula 228. Our sinnes necessarily ought to be opened to those to whom the dispensation of the misteries of God is committed 1. a comparison betwixt openinge our sinnes by by confession, and tellinge our defects, that as rashely we do not disclose our infirmity, so rashely we should not confesse. 2. our sinnes must be opened to such as can heale them. 3. they that can heale them are such, as haue the dispensation of the misteries of God comit­ted to them, ergo not to all, but to preists, who are the dispensators. 4. thy ought neces­sarily [Page 183] to be opened.

The practise of the church agreeable to this doctrine.

It was accustomed amonge the monkes of this age (as S. Basil noteth of the institution of monkes) to make a publick confession collecta finaxi, and that by noe means any offender should keep secret his sinne commit­ted, but declare it albeit euery one heard it, vt per communem orationem sanetur morbus, that by the common praier of all, his disease might be cured. More, in an answer to one that was m [...]ndfull to confesse his sinne, and demandinge whether he ought to confesse them to all men, or but to some, or to the preists alone, he saieth that confession is insti­tuted to this end, that when any is conuerted from his former sinnes, he must shewe fruicts woorthy of penance, and therfore necessary to confesse his sinnes to such, as the dispensa­tion of the misteries of God are committed vnto; wherby euidently appeareth, both a confession in generall to a [...]l, and a confession more particuler to the preist of God, and that necessarily to be opened. Moreouer both by the rites of S. Chrisostomes and S. Basils masse is euident, how that preists ordinarily went to confession before they celebrated masse: for saieth S. Basil of that age; It is be­houfull for the preist that goeth to celebrate the deuine misterie, before all thinges to be [Page 184] confessed.

The doctrine of the Audeans, contrary to the practise and doctrine of the church

About this time spronge the heresy of the Audeans soe named of one Audeus, as is ma­nifest by Theodoret l. 4. of his heroicall fa­bles, who albeit thy allowed confession of sinnes yea and commanded it, and withall gaue absolutiō, yet neuerthelesse they enioy­ned noe penance. Wherupon the penitents seinge that confession was exacted at their hands, they in sporte and meriment would conceale their great sinnes, and onely con­fesse the lesser. Concerninge which heresy we may note first, that albeit this heresy held confession and absolution, yet in denyinge penance, and for not enioyninge it, it was condemned as contrary to the custome and practise of that time in the church of God; wherby is plaine that the vse then, was to confesse, and preists to absolue and enioyne penance. 2. that these were not so farre gone as our protestants, for they commanded abso­lution, onely made no matter of penance 3. the Massalians an other crew (though diffe­rent in some things) iumpt with the Audeans in this, that they would forgiue sinnes with­out regard had to anie penance, or to any vse of church cannons.

The doctrine of S. Ambrose lib. 2. de poenitentia cap. 7. contra Nouatianos and others of [Page 185] his time for confession and preists absolution. an. 380

Why doe yee impose hands, beleeue the woorkes of benediction, if perhaps any sick man recouer? why doe ye presume that some by you are clensed from the filthe and sinke of the diuel? why doe ye baptise, if that by man sinnes are not forgiuē? In baptisme there is a remission of all sinnes: and what diffe­rence is there, whether by penāce or by bap­tisme preists chalenge this auctority vnto them, there is one ministery in them both. & li. 2. de poenit. ca. 2. Naaman Syrus (saieth he) beleeued not that his leprosie could be cured by water, but that which was impos­sible, God hath made possible who hath gi­uen vs such grace. Againe, it seemes impos­sible that by penance sinnes should be forgi­giuen, but Christ hath graunted this vnto his apostles, which from the apostles is transla­ted to the office of preisthood, therfore it is made possible, which before seemed impos­sible (Et lib 2. de poenit. ca. 9. he saieth) wilt thou be iustified? confesse thy sinnes, a shamefast confession of thy sinne, looseth the knots of thine offences. Here 1. note, that penance remitteth sinnes, aswell as baptis­me. 2. remitting sinnes in both, is donne by preists, as Christs ministers. 3. it is possible for man to forgiue sinnes by Christs auctoritie 4. this auctoritie is translated from the apostles, [Page 186] to the preists. 5. by confession we are iusti­fied, for confession looseth sinnes.

S. Diadochus Episcopus Photinensis cap 100 de perfectione.

We must examine diligently and exactly our confession, lest perhapes our conscience may lie vnto it selfe, whilest it suspecteth, that it hath made a good confession.

Gregorius Nissenus epistola canonica ad episco­pum Mitesenex, vide bibliothecam sancto­rum patrum to 1. anno 380.

It shalbe very well if that this day we brin­ge not onely those, who by regeneration by grace of baptisme are transformed: but also those who by penance and confession ascend to life euerlastinge. Boldly shew thy selfe vnto a preist, opē those thinges that are hidd. Vncouer the secrets of thy mind, as secret wounds vnto the Phisitian, and he shall haue regard both of thy honor, and of thy health. Wher note 1. by penance and confession, we may ascend to life eternall. 2. wee must shewe the very secrettes of our thoughtes to a preist, not to the laitie. 3. the preiste is the phisitian to cure. 4. confession is noe impea­chement of credit, because the preist must haue care of the penitents honor, as well as of his soules health.

The practise of the church conformable to this doctrine of the fath [...]rs.

There hath not euer any heresie bene raised [Page 187] in the church of God, but it had bene impug­ned, vtterly condemned, and put to silence: for the heresy of the Nouatians, albeit it was mainteined by some fewe, yet still it was re­futed from time to time of the best learned, and holiest men. Hereupon S. Ambrose ben­dinge the maine sinewes of his force against them, setteth downe most plainlie, what then was the custome of the church, for confes­sion and preists absolution; Ambrose li. 2. de poenit. c. 9. And by him we may knowe, that there were many, which did willingly confesse their sinnes priuatelie to preists (which is that we Catholickes nowe call, Auricular confession) but altogether refused to doe any publick penance in the church. For saieth he, publicoe supplicationis reuocan­tur pudore; It is the shame of publick confes­sion which doeth make them shunne it. And for further proofe Paulus (who was S. Am­brose his cleerk) thus much wittnesseth of those times in S. Ambrose his life, that he was accustomed to heare secret confession, and that as oft as any by remorce of cons­cience, fell to bewaile their sinnes with tears, he noe lesse shedd tears in great aboundance, [...]t ita flebat vt & illum flere compelleret, ita commiseratione efficiebatur.

What maner S. Ambrose did vse in ab­soluinge, as alsoe other preists he relateth that they vsed to pray, preces premittit, and [Page 186] [...] [Page 187] [...] [Page 188] after to say as we now say, Misereatur tui, and after when he gaue absolution, then his maner was to say, in nomine patris & filij & spiritus sancti, euen the very selfe order, as now is vsed in the church of God, that the whole world may see, that there is one lan­guage, and one sett order from time to time obserued, contrary to the course of heresy, which commonly is most constant in incon­stancie.

Moreouer as Thomas Waldensis noteth, and it is recorded in the tripartite history li. 6. c. 1. that Iulian the Apostata, framminge fitt occasion to the vtter ouerthrowe of all reli­gion, vtterly abandoned confession, studebat abrenunciare confessioni: Which argueth the practise in like sorte of the time, and malice which the wickeder sorte of Christians haue alwaies had against confession.

By S. Gregory Nissene appeareth that it was vsuall about Easter euery yeare to make their confessions, and so continually in practise euen till this age, and which after by negligence was omitted, by positiue lawe was commanded. Neither was the practise of the church in these daies for preists onely to preach forgiuenesse of sinnes, and that the ministery of preists consisted onely in this, to denounce pardon of sinne by Christ, but that by them sinnes were pardoned: For the Nouatian heretickes denied not, [Page 189] but preists might preach forgiuenesse by Christ, but gaine saied the whole church, that preists had auctority to forgiue sinnes. for this cause and for noe other, S. Am­brose writeth against them, to prooue the manifest truth of preists absolution.

And wheras the 4. councell of Cartha­ge c. 78. anno Domini 398. mentioneth in the act of penance (Imposition of hands) albeit this ceremony was practised in most auncient churches, and now is vsuall to lay hands on the penitents head, yet this ceremony apperteineth not to the substan­ce of absolution: for it is said Iohn. 20. whose sinnes yee forgiue are forgiuen, and not vpon whom yee shall impose your handes. Therfore Saint Thomas opuscul. 22. de Sacra. absolut. accounteth it not an essentiall poynt. And further when the 4. councell of Carthage cap. 80. biddeth that euery fastinge day the penitents shall come to the church to the preists, and that he shall impose handes vpon them, and cap. 78. that after a daungerouse sicknesse (though by confession their sinnes be forgiuen) they must haue handes layed vpon them, this is onely vnderstood, of a ceremony of absoluinge from excommunication or such penalties, which ordinarily was donne by imposition of hands.

The doctrine of the fathers. Pacianus Episco­pus Barcilonensis paraenesi ad poenicentiam. anno 393.

I speake vnto you breethren, who refuse penance after your sinnes committed, to you I speake that are so fearfull after so great bouldnesse, so shamefast after your sinne, who are not ashamed to sin, yet ashamed to confesse. Behould saieth the apostel vnto the preist, laie not hands sleightly vpon any, ne­ther do you comunicate with others sinnes. What wilt thou do, that doest deceiue the preist, that doest deceiue him ignorantlie, or els doest confound him, with hardnesse of proouinge, not knowinge all to the full? Wher note. 1 he teacheth that penance must be donne after sinne. 2. of the shamefastnesse of sinners to confesse, which can not be but to man, from whence shame riseth by con­fessing. 3. it is the preist that doeth lay hands vpon the penitent, which he must not doe sleightlie. 4. that they deceiue the preist. when they do not confesse all to the full.

Epiphanius li 4. heres. 38. li. 2. heres. 36.

The church hath two penances one after another, that is baptisme, and the other the Sacrament of penance. Dat enim reuersionem & poenitentiam post poenitentiam.

Gregorius Nazianzenus oratione ad ciues ti­more perculsos. anno. [...]90.

Yea you rulers and presidents the lawe of [Page 191] Christ doeth assubiect you to my rule and throne, for we are with power yea more am­ple and perfect power. Here note 1. the prei­stes haue power ouer rulers and presidents. 2. preistes haue a tribunall and are iudges . 3. and that by the law of Christe.

Concilium Carthaginense 3. can 32 anno 397.

Lett the times of penance be appointed by the arbitrement of the bishope vnto euery penitent, accordinge as the difference of sin­nes shall require.

The practise of the church conformable

A most euident proofe both against the Nouatians, as also against the Lutherans, may be gathered out of the woords of S. Gregory Nazianzen oratione in sancta Lou­nina (who no doubt as he taught, so to his power would see it practtised) to haue after confession both satisfaction and the preists absolution. For saieth he, it is a like mischeefe, to haue remission or absolu­tion without chastisement, and to chasti­ce the body without remission or pardon. For as by the first, they lett loose the reyne to all liberty, soe by the other, thy runne into a course more then is conuenient, seuere and rigorouse. And this did the Nouatians as S. Ciprian writeth of them, li. 4. c. 2.illos sub­tra [...]isse de satisfactione medicinam (that is) content to do satisfaction yet withall would a low noe absolution; As now iustly we may [Page 192] say of our aduersaries, illos de medicina sub­trahere satisfa [...] ionem, thy are content with Luther to haue an absolution, but it goeth against the haire to do any penanc [...] or satis­faction, contrary to the practise and doctrine of this holy Gregory, who would haue both: putting a great parte of satisfaction in penan­ce and confession, where shame and the pe­nalties therby enioyned is a great parte of fu­ture punishements, that should be otherwise susteined. As also by Pacian appeareth by his perswasions and exhortations to penance, to contristate their minds, to putt on sackcloth and ashes, to tewe and tawe their bodies with fasting and praier; In soe much that the more punishements thy endure for their sin­nes by voluntary affliction, the more mercy & fauour they obteine at gods hands; Which exhortations had bene in vaine, if it had not bene accustomed emonge Christians to vse the like discipline and rigor of satisfaction.

The holy councels held in these daies, noe lesse giue full remonstrance of these religiou­se rites and customes of confession and satis­faction. For reade but the auncient councell of valentinne in Fraunce, vnder pope Dama­sus, and it may be plainely seene; for it was ordained, that such as had vowed themselues to God, and marryed after their vowe, must do satisfaction to God (because they had of­fended God) by doinge reasonable penance [Page 193] for that sinne, before they could be admitted to the holy communion, which vowes then (as they might be secreet betwixt God and themselues, and therfore not knowne) must of necessity be reuealed by confession, and to him, who hath auctority to absolue, and by him in secret penance enioyned, for the full appeasing of god for this offence committed.

Albeit the imposition of hands (as before was declared) apperteineth not to the essen­ce of the Sacrament and forgiuenesse of sin­nes; yet if wee read the constitutions of S. Clement 2. constit c. 41. we shall find, that the imposition or layinge of the preists hands vpon the penitents head, was, loco lauacri, insteed of baptisme, for, saieth he, by the im­position of the preists hands, dabatur Spiritus sanctus credentibus, the holy ghost was giuen to beleuers. By the woord, loco lauacri (which S. Clement tearmeth the imposition of hands in the absolution of the preist, the tradition of the auncient fathers hath come, that the Sacrament of penance is called, secundus baptismus, a second Baptisme, a second ta­ble, post naufragium, with some more paine and labor, then is in the first baptisme.

A surmise of protestants that auricular confes­sion, about this time was taken away.

In this age a littell before S. Chrisostome time, the protestants imagine, that as con­fession was but a politicall discipline by cer­taine [Page 194] bishops instituted, and not ordained by Christ, or approued or practised by the Apo­stles: so, as a positiue lawe againe after some longe continuance and practise therof was abrogated, and vtterly abolished in the church of God. 2. thy conceiue out of Sozomenus, that in Rome onely and in the west churches, this obseruation of confession was, and so noe vniuersal practise, throughout the face of the whole church of god. 3. that the custome was emonge the preists to haue but one one­ly preist chosen to haue this facultie, wherby they think, that it was not the function of all preists, and that all preists hadd not auctority to heare confessions, but he onely, who emonge the preists was selected and caled to this office. 4. that this was the manner of Constantinople, till that hereby a matrone of the city vnder pretence of confession, com­mitted an escape with a deacon, wherupon grewe great offence and scandale. Lastly, that vpon this occasion and scandale committed, Nectarius a holy man and bishop of that city, put downe altogether confession. Which be­fore had by his predecessors bene instituted.

To giue then a full and true relation of these times (lest perhaps any might think that the protestants haue hitt iump the nee­dels eye in this deuise) there shalbe for the information of any well affected mind, thus much extant here concerninge the present [Page 195] state of gods church, for confession and ab­solution, established before Nectarius time, and after by him abrogated and putt downe.

Most true it is, that 244. years after Christ as is seene in Socrat. l. 5. ca 19. when the heresy of Nouatus began, it was thought most expedient vnto the ecclesiasticall gouer­ners of those times, to annex vnto the church canons thus much beside and aboue the order then practised; That all such as were noto­riouse publick and scandalouse delinquents after baptisme, should not so speedi [...]y be ad­mitted againe, except for their publick cri­mes, they made publick confession, and did publick penance. And to this end there was appointed a ghostly father caled, presbiter poenitentiarius, a penitentiary preist, who should haue care of the publick penitents, such as hadd falen in the time of persecution of Decius, and had scandalously made denial of their faith, and so before they were re­conciled againe, thy should goe to this pe­nitentiary preist, and confesse their sinnes priuately, and according to his direction, they should publickly manifest their sinne and scandale before the face of the whole congre­gation, and so do publick penance before they should be admitted to the receiuinge of the holy Eucharist. And this is most certaine, for before the heresy of Nouatus beganne, none were compelled to goe to any certaine [Page 196] preist, neither to confesse publick sinnes pu­blickely. Albeit some were accustomed by good aduise and counsell of their ghostly fa­ther (to whom they confessed all their sin­nes) to confesse publickely some one more greiuouse and notorious sinne, as is apparant by Origen Hom. 2. in psal. 37. Yet were they not bound to this, but as their zeale and de­uotion should further them in it, for their greater sorrowe and confusion, by the mature aduise of their ghostly father. But after No­uatus had once broached his heresy, it was thought expedient vnto the bishops, to add some what moreouer to the former canons, lest that the Nouatians might any way accu­se the Catholickes, with touch of too much gentlenesse of reconcilinge and admittinge the lapsed to the holy Eucharist; And beinge that this penitentiary, should be elected emonge the rest, such a one as should be, secretorum tenax & taciturnus, close and se­cret, this was not much expedient for their publick sinnes: yet bicause in comminge to this preist, they not onely declared their pu­blick crimes, but withall their most inward sinnes, therfore in this respect secrecy was required. Neither was this penitentiary preist sole and onely allotted to heare euery ones confession, but for publick delinquents. For so relateth Zosomenus who (after he had declared the institution of this penitentiary [Page 197] preist by the bishops in Nouatus time, and after at Constantinople by Nectarius abrogated, and the vse therof diligently obserued at Rome, and soe continued as in other chur­ches of the west, though putt downe at Constantinople) he saieth notwithstanding in his owne time (which was about the yeare 430.) this constitution appertained onely to publick penitents▪ for if it had bene for all delinquents, how could one haue suffised for so many thousands. Now that the bishops that adioyned this appendix to the canons, ment not in any wise, that secret sinnes should bee assubiected to publick confession, bicause both Zozomenus and Nicephorus re­cord, that that custome of confessinge to the penitentiarie preist (abrogated by Nectarius) was vsuall in Rome and other west churches. And as for S. Leo he auerreth (who was in Zozomenus time) that it was neuer accusto­med in Rome to confesse secret sinnes public­kly. For he himselfe epist. 80 chideth the bis­hops of Campania, for an indiscreet zeale in sufferinge the penitents to confesse all their sinnes publickly, which order he saieth, is improbable and against the aposteles rule; And moreouer if in the time of the peniten­tiary preist, all secret sinnes should haue pu­blickly bene declared and confessed, to what end should taciturnity, secrecy and hidinge of the penitents sinne in the penitentiary preist [Page 198] preist bene required? soe that to reueale se­cret sinnes heard in confession, beinge against the lawe of nature (as all deuines affirme) against the apostolicall order (as S Leo no­teth) if the institution of those bishops had commaunded this, then had it bene donne very well of Nectarius to haue abolished it. But then it is more ma [...]ueile, how that Gre­gory Naziansen, S. Basil, Athanasius and all the greek doctors, which were before Necta­rius, would or could haue tollerated this im­piety which they in their times suffered? ther­fore most likely it is, that the custome was not to confesse publickely, secret sinnes. Fur­thermore after the abrogatinge of this con­fession by Nectarius, we see no history re­late, that it was putt vpp againe after he had putt it downe, but the manner of secret con­fession to a preist secretly, remained still, as it appeareth by S. Chrisostom, who was his successor, by Nicephorus Cartophilax, and the councell of Trul [...]o Againe it is great rea­son to thinke, that Nectarius onely tooke away that which was an occasion of that tu­mult emonge the people, and that was pu­blick confession to the penitentiary preist, by which this scandall and tumult did arise; Is it not then plaine what was takē away vid. the penitentiarie preist & publick confession, by which meanes the scandall grewe, for a ma­trone of accompte in the church, falinge with [Page 199] a deacon, by hir indiscreet zeale goinge too farre in confessinge publickely all hir secret sinnes, or perhaps by the indiscretion of the penetentiarius, brought an infamie to the cleargy, tumult and sturres emonge the peo­ple, and soe for feare of the like euent, it was perhaps prouidently put downe by Nectarius then bishope of that sea.

But put case Nectarius had put downe Au­ricular confession, what doe our aduersaries aduantage themselues therby? first it was but the fact of one man in one citie. 2. it was that which was practised from Nouatus time (who was 244 yeares after Christ) till Necta­rius time. 3. it was neuerthelesse practised in Rome, and other the weste churches, and so from time to time continued. 4. it was that which God had commaunded: for if we will beleeue Sozomenus (who writt this story at large, and whom our aduersaries best credit) he affirmeth that God himselfe commaun­ded, that penitents should be pardoned, and that confession was necessary: now if Necta­rius should put downe that; he was most in­iuriouse to gods ordinance, and soe did of­fend in doinge of it. 5. it was that which our owne aduersaries would haue put vpp; that is, a certaine confession before receiuinge, for both Melancthon (confess. augustan. art. de confess.) would haue confession, a sear­ching of sinnes and absolution, antequam [Page 200] porrigitur corpus Domini, And Caluine would haue, oues se sistere pastori. l. 3. insti­tu. c. 4. 8. 13. the sheep to come before the pastor before receiuinge; yet Nectarius by them would haue noe such thinge, but euery one might come to participate of the holy misteries as he would, so that by them he was woorse then any protestant. 6. It was that which is against the doctrine of the fathers and practise of the church, as followeth.

Concilium Carthaginense. 4. can. 74. of 214. bishops. anno 398.

Whensoeuer any desireth penance, let the preist enioyne penance without acception of person, absque acceptione personae penitentis leges iniungat.

Ioannes Chrisostomus Hom. 30. in Genesim anno 400.

Because now we are come vnto this great week (to witt the holy weeke) by gods mercy and fauoure, now most cheefly the course of our fast is to be enlarged, and our praiers lengthened, and a diligent and pure confession of our sinnes to be made, (that this confession is to be made vnto a preist appea­reth lib. 2. de sacerdotio) wherfore great skill is to be vsed, that Christians of their owne ac­corde be perswaded, that they ought to sub­mit themselues to the cure of preistes (Agai­ne) I can recorde many which ar brought into extreeme euiles, for no other thinge but [Page 201] bicause a condigne punishement equall to their sinnes donne, should be exacted at their handes, nether is it fitt rashely to the model and quantity of the sinne to exhibite a mulct and punishement; but the mind of sinners is to be searched into by sundry coniectures, lest it come to passe whilest thou stopp on hole, thou makest a greater rupture (Againe) It was laweful only to the preists of the Iewes, to examine them that were cured of the le­prosy, but the preists of the new law, haue a graunt, not to examine their filthe (animoe sordes) but to clense and purge it. Here note first, a difference of weekes, one holier, one greater then an other, hebdomaita magna. 2. that in this weeke, especially, more prayer, more fastinge, and confession is to be vsed. 3. that this confession is to be made vnto a preist, and the people therunto exhorted to doe it. 4. a condigne punishement is to be donne for their sinnes. 5. by the arbitrement of the preist, accordinge to the quality of the sinnes, punishement is to be exacted. 6. that the preist doeth clense and purge the soule from sinne.

The practise of the church conformable.

Forasmuch as now at Constantinople pu­blick confession, which was (quasi in theatro peccata pandere) to manifest his sinnes pu­blickly before the whole congregation, was abolished; S. Ihon Chrisostome (who was [Page 202] Nectarius his successor in that sea) soe farr foorth as it might not seeme preiudiciall to his predecessors act and decree, approued his counsell, and therupon in diuerse places of his writings, taketh occasion to speak against publick confession to withdraw the peoples mindes from it, such scandale and offence in that church hau nge therby pro [...]eeded. And as by his owne woords appeareth, auricular confession was still practised, and therunto he exhorteth his flock, declaringe as it were, how euery confessor or ghostly father ought to deale with his penitents, and that sinnes are to be purged, confessione & deform [...]tate cul [...]us. In so much that as in the time of Gre­gory Nicen anno 380. so in Chrisostomes ti­me the people vsed to make their confessions before Easter, in hebdomada magna, which proueth that it was not a confession to God onely (for that ought to be donne at all ti­mes, without appointinge of time or place) but vnto man and that in secret, and not in publick maner. Now what chardge S. Chri­sostome had, it is apparant out of Theodo­rete, not onely of Constantinople, but of the churches in Thracia, in Asia, in Pontus, and out of Sozomenus it is noted, that he depo­sed 13. bishops for Simony, and therfore most likelie seing that he taught the doctrine of auricular confession, he would be most vi­gilant for the practise therof, in the behoofe [Page 203] of his flock thoroughout all his dioceses.

And as Socrates (writinge the history of this time) plainely declareth, there was two sortes of confession, the one publick, the other secrett, the first vnto the alloted peni­tentiary preist, & by this came the scandal or tumult recorded in the citie of Constantino­ple, and so was putt downe; the other vnto what preist they best affected, and this was still continued heere, as in all other places. Not two years before Chrisostome died, the first councell of Tolledo ordained can. 6 that noe religiouse woman, puella Dei, or hand­maide of God, should haue anie familiarity with hir ghostly father, whom that auncient councel caleth hir confessor; or to resorte to anie banquett, except in companie of hir el­ders, aut honestorum, or honest men or wi­dowes, where honestly any confessor may bee himselfe in conuersation with testimonie of many witnesses.

The doctrine of S. Innocent epist. 1. ad Decen­tium Episcopum Fugubinium anno 402.

But as concerninge the esteeminge of the waight of sinne, it is the parte of the preist to iudge, to attend and listen vnto the confes­s;ion of the penitent, and moreouer to his weepinge and teares correcting him, and then to commaund him to be dismissed. when he shall see a correspondency of satisfaction. Here note. 1. there must be an estimate of [Page 204] the grauity of the sinnes. 2. that it belongeth to the preist, who is his iudge. 3. that it must be donne by confession of the penitente. 4. to see that there be a correspondency of satis­faction. 5. he must listen to his confession: Which is plaine auricular confession.

S. Maximus in 2. re a [...]ontade anno 420.

Euery sin is committed for some pleasure, the which is forgiuen either by some hard punishinge of the body, or by some volun­tary sorrowe by penance, or by some cala­mity laied vpon him: for if we would iudge our selues, we should not be iudged of our Lord Here note 1. that as the sinnes are com­mitted with pleasure, so must they be forgi­uen with a satisfactorie paine. 2. that we must iudge our selues, that is by him who is made our iudge here in earth, to wit, the preist, to whom it is saied; Take ye the holy ghost &c.

S. Hierome com. ad cap. 10. ecclesiast, & in 2. cap. Hieremiae Epist. ad Pamachium & Oceanum Anno 422.

If the serpent the diuell shall priuily haue bitten any, and so infected him with the poi­son of sinne, he that is thus wounded, if he shall conceale it, and not doe penance, nei­ther careth to confesse this wounde to his brother and master, his master who hath a tonge to heale, can not any way be auailea­ble vnto him; for if the sick man be ashamed to confesse his greife to his phisition, the me­decine [Page 205] can not cure that he knowes not, Againe in cap. 16. Mathei. The bishop or preist doeth bind or loose, not those which ar guiltlesse, but by his office whē he shal heare the variety of sinnes, he knowes who is to be loosed, who to be bound 1. the sinner must confesse his sinne committed, and not concea­le it. 2, to whom he ought to confesse it, vid. to his brother and master. 3. not to euery bro­ther, but to such a brother, who is also a ma­ster, and hath a tounge to heale, that is such an one, who hath power to forgiue sinnes. 4. this brother is a phisitian to cure him, and he a sick man, soe longe as he is in sinne. 5. a bis­hope or preist, who hath power to bind or loose, hath this office. 6. they by that office must heare the variety of his sinnes: then is it not enough to make a generall confession, and if the preist must heare the variety, then they must confesse particularly.

Concilium Affricanum can. 10. anno 422. That the times of penance are to be enioyned by the iugement of the bishope vnto penitents as the diuersitie of their sinnes required. Cassianus collat. [...]0. cap. 7. anno 424.

While we doe penance and are bitten with remembrance of our vicious actes, it is necessary that the shower of teares, which riseth by confession of our fault, extinguishe the fier of our conscience.

The practise of the church agreable to this doc­trine in this age.

Theodorete who liued about this time an. 430 thus much recordeth lib. 4. of his here­ticall fables, how that confession was vsuall longe before his age, and that the preists did heare confessions, and absolue the penitents, as an ordinary and publick practise in the church of God; for reciting the heresies of those times before him, he declareth how that the Audeans (a sect then spronge vpp) bosteth that they did in like maner remit and forgiue sinnes, aswell as the church, yet after a most foolishe and absurd manner; For saieth Theodorete, their manner was, after they had parted the holy bookes from the adulterate and corrupted bookes (bipartito) placinge them here and there by verses (for they este­med them to be most holy deuine and misti­call) then they commaunded euery one to passe through them, and confesse such sinnes as they had committed, geuinge pardon and remission to such as confessed; pardonninge them by their own auctority, yet prescribing noe time of penance after confession, con­trary to the order of the church, saieth Theo­dorete, & vt iu [...]ent leges ecclesiae. Wherby it is euident that before, in, and after Theo­dorets time, the order of the church was (not as these hereticks vsed to make a moc­kery of confession) truly and sincerely to con­fesse, [Page 207] and of the preist after confession, to re­ceiue absolution, hauing withall a prescript time of penance enioyned, as the variety of their sinnes required to do full satisfaction for the enormity therof. And beinge that S. Innocent was so plaine for confession, saying that the preist should listen to the penitent (now vsed in our auricular confession) it is not to be doubted, but that S. Victricius the 8. archebishop of Rhoan (beinge of so great acquaintance with S. Innocent, as his owne letters do testify) should in like sorte see this order practised in his diocese, and specially endoctrine those people (the Morgues and others which he conuerted) in the holy disci­pline and humiliation of spirite, for soe Pau­linus bishop of Nola writeth and testifieth of him (Vide catalogum archiepiscopum Rheto­magē sium apud Monciacenū.) In this age they were wont to come to the bishops to confes­sion, for both S. Hierome vpon the 16. of S. Mathew affirmeth, and Saint Augustine noe lesse approueth it Hom 49 for saieth he, veniant ad anxisti [...]es, lett them come to their prelates, pastors and bishops, who haue the power to dispose of the keies of heauen to such as come. In soe much that S. Augustin thought it expedient Hom. 50. if after con­fession the sinnes had bene great and scanda­louse, that then the pastor should enioyne a publick penance, to be done in the open face [Page 208] of the church.

Celestine that blessed pope (who liued in the yeare of Christ 423. and in the time of S. Augustine) made a most seuere decree against concubinary bishops and preists, that if ether had sinned with that woman, whose confes­sion they had heard (that is with their gho­stly child,) that then the bishop should doe penance 15 yeares, the preist 12. and if it were a publick fact, thy should both be deposed, which is a most manifest proofe of confes­sion (and that auriculer) vsed in those times.

S. Augustinus lib. 50. Hom. ctom. 41. & lib. 1. de visitatione infirmorum cap. 4. an. 430.

Man ought not onely after penance to keep himselfe from these vices, but also before pe­nance, while he is well. bicause if he stand to the last hower, he can not tell whether he shall do penance and confesse his sinnes to God and the preist. There be some (saieth he againe) that thinke it sufficient for their sal­uation, if they confesse onely to God. Againe therfore thou shalt desier the preist to come vnto thee and make him partaker of thy cons­cience, bicause he is in gods roome, made iudge of thy scarres, reueale then to him thy waies, and he shall giue thee the Antidote of reconciliation, open to him the very se­cret corners of thy harte, be not ashamed to tell before one, that which thou wert not ashamed to doe before many. It is the nature [Page 209] of man to sinne, a christian part to leaue off sinne, but it is diuelishe to perseuer in sinne. 1. man with penance must confesse, and ther­fore bare repenting is not enough. 2. he must confesse to God and the preist, nor is it suffi­cient to confesse onelie to God. 3. confession is for our saluation. 4. the preist is in gods rome as iudge, and therfore to him we must reueale our most secret sinnes. 5. the preist doeth reconcile againe the sinner to god, and so heales him.

Sozomenus ex Nicephorus lib. 12. cap. 28. anno 4 [...]0.

Forasmuch as not to sinne at all, is more peculiar to Angels then to men, and sith wee by transgression once haue entred an inheri­tance of sinne; God hath commanded that pardon should be graūted to those, that vsing lawfull and conuenient penance, do after­wards abandon and confesse their sinnes. And seeminge harde to the bishopes, which were imediatly after Christe, it is thought good, in media plebe velut in theatro noxam conficeri. Wherfore they did choose one a­monge the preists, that should be both wise and secret, to whom these penitents should declare that which they had committed. 1. god commands that penitents should be par­doned, therfore by preists and men, whom he commands, and not himselfe. 2. we must vse lawfull penance and confesse our sinne. 3, [Page 210] it was a custome immediatly after Christ by bishoppes. 4. the preist that did heare their confession, must be wise and secret.

S. Cirullus lib 12. cap 56. in [...]oannem an. 4 [...]2.

It is not absurd that they forgiue sinnes, which haue the holy ghost, for when they remitt or retaine, the holy ghost remitteth or retaineth in them; and that they doe two waies, first in baptisme, then in penance.

S. Euthimius Abbas vt ex Cirillo monacho. anno 450.

If any man hath bene intangled with any sin, let him come to the holy communion, when by penance he is clensed from his sin­ne. 1. noe receiuing but after penance. 2. pe­nance clenseth from sinnes.

The practise of the church agreable to this doc­trine of the fathers▪

S. Augustine confutinge the heresy of the Nouatians, which had his beginninge before his time, noteth it as a custome vsuall then in the church, to goe and make confession to a preist, for thus he exhorteth those of his chardge to doe penance, & to do noe other­waise then continually hath bene donne in the church, that is vnto the preists Hom. 49. 50. homel. And for men to carry themselues away thus conceited, that they do secret pe­nance before God, and that God knoweth that he is sorrie and repenteth in his harte ,is litle auaileable; For soe it should haue bene [Page 211] said in vaine vnto the preists, whose sinnes yee shall forgiue are forgiven. Yet he goeth thus much further; for he setteth downe a certaine manner of confession, speakinge to the peni­tent that goeth to confession li. 2. de visit. in­firm. c. 5. Presuppose that thou art before the angels of God, for the preist is his angell, and so speak vnto him with that reuerence as be­cometh God and his angels, reueale vnto him the secrets of thy conscience, [...]ei angelo manifesta, thou must remember the time, place, person, in which and with whom thou hast sinned, how often, nameinge no per­son. Which custome is farr different from the manner of a late ordered absolution in the somme of conference pag. 12. where it is ap­pointed to be donne with pronouncinge in generall, and with a generall kind of con­fession, as Caluin approoued, and not in so particular sorte as S. Augustine willed. And for further proofe hereof, if we well reuiew this age, we shall see that deafe men, and such as were besids themselues, were recon­ciled and absolued. This might well be al­lowed of in deafe men, for these could con­fesse their sinnes, & soe consequently be ab­solued from them, soe also distracted persons, when as before in their, lucida interualla, they had made remonstrance of their repen­tance and sorrowe for their sinnes. All which argueth an other manner of confession then [Page 212] the protestants allowe of: for it were very ri­diculouse, to declare vnto deafe men, that their sinnes were forgiuen, which they could neither heare nor vnderstand, when as by ca­tholick confession they might well conceiue an enioyned penance and absolution. Thus much S. Augustine noteth lib. 1. de adulterin. coniugijs cap. vlt. as alsoe S. Leo ad Theo­dorum, the 4. councel of Carthage c. 76. conci­lium Auransinanum c. 12. and so in seuerall churches hath bene practised. How S. Ciprian accordeth with S. Augustine for the custome of confession emong Christians appeareth, both out of his booke de lapsis num. 7. and of his ecclesiasticall dogmata c. 53. for they both iumpt in this, that the faithfull accor­dinge to S. Paules order, did examine their liues diligently, wether thy were in mortall sinne or noe, and confessed euery offence be­fore thy did presume to receiue the holy Eu­charist: for so the apostels doctrine, the vni­uersall custome of the church, and example of fathers bindes them to doe.

The doctrine of S. Leo epist. 8. ad Episcopos Campaniae.

That presumption against the apostolicall rule which I haue knowne of some by vnlaw­full vsurpation to haue bene committed, I vtterly abolishe, neither do I approue this confession per libellum, sithence it is suffi­cient that the guilt of the consciences be de­clared [Page 213] vnto the preist by secret confession. That confession is sufficient which is first of­fered to God then to the preist. Againe epist. 91. ad Theodorum. The pardon of God can not be obteined without the supplications of preists, because the mediator of God and man Christ Iesus, hath giuen this power to the rulers of his church, that to such as ar cōfessed, they should giue penance, and that when they were clensed by satisfaction, they should be admitted to the participation of the Sacra­ments by the doore of reconciliation: againe. Lett vs not examine their acts that haue thus died, sith our Lord (whose secret iudgement we are not able to comprehend) hath reser­ued that to his iudgement, which the preistly function could not performe, for it is neces­sary that the guilt of our sinnes before the lat­ter day, be loosed by the preists intercession. Note 1. here is an abolishing of a publick con­fession, vnlawfully vsurped by indiscreet zea­le. 2. an insinuation of two sortes of confes­sion vsed, publick, and secret. 3. that it is suf­ficient to confesse secretly to the preist. 4. that it is not enough to confesse onely to god. 5. that it is the preist that obteineth our par­don, who hath this power. 6. after confes­sion they giue penance and so admitte to the Sacraments. 7. it is necessary to be loosed by the preist, and so not a thing voluntarie as Caluine saith.

Prosper notarius Leonis [...]e vita contemplatina anno 470

Those men whose sinnes are secret, or not confessed of themselues, if they will not con­fessed them, they shall haue God their iust re­uenger, whom they haue now a recorder of their wickednesse; And what are they the better to escape mans censure, when if they continewe in wickednesse, by gods iudge­ment, they shall goe into euerlastinge pu­nishement?

Victor Vticensis de persecutione vandalica l. 2 anno 436.

O yee preists to whom will you leaue vs, when you goe to your crowne? who shall baptize our infants with the fountaine of the euerlastinge water? who shall enioyne vs pe­nance, and loose such as are bound with chai­nes of sin by the indulgence of reconciliation? bicause it is said vnto you preists, whatso­euer you vnbind vpon earth, shalbe loosed in heauen.

Gennadius siue Augustinus lib. de dogmata ec­clesiae cap. 53.

Whosoeuer is oppressed with mortall sin­nes committed after baptisme, I doe exhort him to satisfie for them with publick penan­ce, and so to be reconciled by the iudgement of the preist.

The practise of the church agreable to this doctrine.

Albeit in this time in some parte of Cam­pagnia, it was accustomed emonge the peo­ple and approued by the bishops, to recite and confesse all their sinnes as it were per li­bellum, yet S. Leo out of that pastorall care he had as head of the church improueth this or­der and custome, and chideth the bishops, who would permitt such publication of sin­nes most secret, aduertisinge them, that it is sufficient to dischardge the conscience by se­cret confession vnto a preist, and not besides by publick openinge them, to confesse them in the open face of the whole congregation. Wherupon it is manifest, that at Rome and in all the west churches besides, secret confes­sion was vsed, and onely vpon an indiscreet zeale, this abuse was risen in one corner of Campagnia, to publishe their secret sinnes by publick confession. This abuse S. Leo abolished and geueth a reason why, for saieth he, this may be a meane, that none may be al­lured to penance, who otherwise would be waiward to disclose the burden of their cons­cience in such open manner. Si populi auri­bus non publicetur conscientia. Moreouer it appeareth, how that S. Leo agreeth with S. Chrisostome and Nectarius touching publick confession, who would not permitt it, but thought it sufficient. Si confessio primum Deo offeratur, tunc [...]acerdoti, first to make his confession to God, then secondly to a preist [Page 216] priuatelie.

S. Cyril beinge bishope of the sea of Ale­xandria, which was consecrated by S. Marke the Euangelist and scholer of S. Peter (who plainely as before approued auricular confes­sion) can not be thought for confession, to haue any way swarued from the sea of Rome, albeit in some other points, difficulties might arise and soe make some diuorce & diuision. For S. Cirill (whose doctrine is plaine for auricular confession) and Celestine (most se­uere in penance for concubinary preists which had comitted any act with their ghostly chil­dren that came to confession to them) giue sufficient proofe for it in the whole church, and noe doubt, if any difficultie or contro­uersy had bene herein, S. Ciril who was al­soe at the councell of Ephesus, for the con­demnation of Nestorius by consent of pope Celestine, would haue in that publick assem­blie decided it, who for his doctrine and auc­tority was so reuerenced, as the legates in their embassage to the sea apostolick appro­ue, sayinge we receiue those 12. chapters which Cirill sometime arch bishop of Alexan­dria writt a man of venerable memory. Baron de legatione eccle. Alexand. ad sedem aposto­licam. And by like reason we may thinke, that the same doctrine was brought into En­gland, Irland, and Scotland: for that good pope Celestine, ordained Palladius and made [Page 217] him bishope and sent him into these coun­tries, namely Scotland, a Grecian borne, and so conuerted them by his sweet conuersation and holy doctrine to the folde of Christ. Af­ter whom in like manner the same Celestine sent S. Patrick, into Ireland, and consecrated him archebishop, who after fortie years, being famous for his holinesse and miracles, con­uerted that contrrye to Christianity: Iohn Capgra. catalogo Sāctor. Polidor. lib 1. histor. and noe doubt as he studied diuinitie at Ro­me, he learned also the doctrine of confes­sion there practised, which also he taught his conuertits. And as pope Leo allowed of auri­cular confession, soe Baccliariam S. Patricks scholer, and a brittishe bishope, noe doubt practised it in Britany, and in all probability allowed it as an apostolicall rule, as Leo did, he beinge in so good credit with Leo, would not any way degenerate from that doctrine he taught and would haue practised. Lastly the complainte of Victor concerning the per­secution of the Vandales and killinge preists, as also Euthimius, who heard confessions gi­uinge to euery one a conuenient remedy for his sinne, as a good pastor of soules; giue also sufficient testimony of these times, as full op­posite vnto the protestant profession. But [...]o proceed to the doctrine of the ensuinge fathers.

Socrates in historia de Nectario. anno 444.

A noble woman came vnto this peniten­tiary preist, and confesseth particularly those sinnes which she had committed since bap­tisme; The preist enioynes the woman to continuall fast and praier, that together with this confession of hir sinnes, she may shew woorkes woorthy of penance. Where note. 1. Goinge to confession to a preist, and con­fessinge of sinnes. 2. Enioyninge of penance, of fastfing, & praier for the sinnes committed.

Nilus monachus ad Cariclem: whose writings the sixt general councell doeth allow and reuerence. anno 445.

It is for couragiouse stoute soules to make their confession as Caricles would haue, that is with fastinge, praier, lyinge on the ground, hairecloth and ashes, with large almes, and that cheerfuly donne; yet if vpon necessity, or other occasion, one can not make such a confession, god will accept that confession which is made by mouth. Note. 1. Here is confession and doinge of penaunce. 2. The manner of penance, fastinge, praier, heire­cloth. 3. A mitigation in penance, if neces­sity require 4. This doctrine is contrary to the penance of protestants.

Victor Cartennensis lib. de poenitentia c. 20. anno 450.

Finally heare our Lord in the ghospel with what dartes he doeth strike a sinner, that thou maiest know, how much he doth regarde the [Page 219] Sacrament of penance.

Eusebius epistola ad Mariam anno 530.

God hath giuen his spirite to free vs from the bonds of sinn, and therfore it is said, if ye shall forgiue anies sinnes, they ar forgiuen, not of euery one, but of some, that is of such as are penitent and confesse. 1. God geueth a spirit to dissolue and loose sinne. 2. It is to his preists, to whom it is said, whose sinnes ye forgiue they ar forgiuen. 3. This spirite doeth not loose euery sinner, but such as ar penitent and confesse.

Anastasius Sinaita Episcopus Antiochenus ora­tione de sacra sinaxi. anno 570.

Confesse thy sinnes vnto Christe by the preistes. Christo Domino per sacerdotes confi­fitere peccata tua.

Isichius Hierosolimitanus in Leuiticum. an. 590.

To knowe the inwarde passions, and to iudge them, there ought to be great care, and diligence in the preist; thou therfore do not hide thy sin from the trew preist, although it be doubtfull, and couered from others, but do thou shiew it, and open it.

The practise of the church in this age agreeable.

As the opinions of men ar diuerse, soe they will not stick now and then euery man to countenance best his owne conceite, as it ap­peareth here in this age by Nilus a monke and one Caricles, at some littel variance about the seuerity of confession and penance, [Page 220] all which rose aboute one Faustinus, who had made his confession: and though per­haps the maner thereof pleased the one, yet it vtterly displeased the other; Nilus the monke more mild, considerate and gentil, Caricles more austere sharpe and rigorouse, for saieth he; It is not enough in penance to confesse onely the sinnes & that by woord of mouth, but there must also moreouer be adioyned vnto this confession, satisfactory woorkes, as fastinge, praier, austerity of diet, haircloth and ashes, to subdue the rebelliouse motions of the flesh. But Nilus in another humor som­what reprehends this austere manner of pro­ceedinge with penitents, tellinge Caricles of his error, and withall differenceth two sortes of men, and consequently two sortes of pen­nances, a stronger & a weaker. Nowe for the one, & such as haue courage enough he doth not much mislyke this seuerytie of discipline, but for the more weak & tēderer sort, which ar not able to performe such great penance, is sufficient to confesse their sinnes by woord of mouth, for God doth accept all according to the abylitie of mans power. Sythe God by Moyses in the ould lawe appoynted not onely oxen, goats, and rammes for sacrifice which the riche might well performe, but moreouer so condescended, that he came to the acceptance of the turtle and the pigion, yea of meale to make a sacrifice, soe [Page 221] respectiue he was to the poore and weaker sorte. So that whether we regard more the opinion of Caricles, or of Nilus, we see by both, that then the custome was to confesse their sinnes, and accordinge to the abylitie of their body to haue an enioyned penance.

As before we presumed that by Celestine (who sent Palladius and Patricius) confession and the discipline of penance was brought in to these northren Ilands: so againe now by Gregory the great, who sent Saint Augustine into England, may bee supposed, that our Englishemen receyuinge the rites and cere­monies of the Romaine church, that confes­sion which was generally vsed in al Christen­dome, should not here be omitted and ne­glected but truly and throughly taught, wher­of there is noe doubt to be made. For after Saint Augustine came into England, and was consecrated by Etherius bishop of Arles, Cō­fession of sinnes vnto a preist was euer after practised. For the Saxons neuer made any knight of the feild, but thy went to some re­ligiouse house or other, where with a whole nyghts watchinge and prayinge after confes­sion of their sinnes to a preist, and receiuinge of the holy Sacrament, they were doubbed knights. And forasmuch as now the heresie of the Iacobites was a broatchinge, of con­fession onely to be made to God and to noe man, if eyther Augustine or Etherius had [Page 222] bene thus protestantlyke affected, Saint Gre­gory beinge soe seuere for confession, would neyther haue had Etherius consecrated Saint Augustine, nor Saint Augustine to haue bene the Apostle of our countrye. In the councell of Antioche vnder Iulius the first, thus much is apparant for confession can 2. That such as had made a diuision from the church of God, for some proper or peculiar doctrine of their owne, were to be abandoned and auoided, vntill by confession they shewed and gaue testimonie of fruicts worthye of penance.

The doctrine of S. Gregory Hom. 26. explicans haec verba, quorum remiseritis peccata anno 590.

We must see what the fault is, or what penance hath followed the fault, that those whom almighty God visiteth by grace of compunction, those the sentence of the pastor may absolue; for then there is a true ab­solution (vid. of the preist) when he fol­loweth the arbitrement of the eternal iudge. againe. Why diddest thou hide thy guilt with in thy conscience? come out now by confes­singe it, let the dead man come out now by confessinge it, let the dead man come out, that is, let the sinner confesse his sinne, and when he comes foorth , the disciples will loose him, that the pastors of the church may remoue that punishment from him which he hath deserued, who is not ashamed to con­fesse, [Page 223] that which he hath donne. Note 1. The preist here or pastor, doeth absolue from sin­ne. 2. He must follow in absolution the arbi­trement of God. 3. We must confesse our sinnes, for the pastor to loose them. 4. The preist remoueth away the punishement for sinne.

Ioannes Climachus gradus 4. li. qui dicitur Clima [...]hus. anno 590

Before all thinges let vs confesse our faul­tes onely to our good iudge, and if he shall commande, be ready to confesse vnto all: without confession vnto man, there can be noe pardon. Note. 1. We must confesse our sinnes to our iudge, which is a preist. 2. To be readie to obey his commaundement. 3. Man pardoneth, when he hath heard the con­fession.

The practise of the church conformable.

Confession beinge now throughout all Christendome vsed, (albeit in secret some gaine said it, as the Iacobites as shalbe decla­red hereafter) as many inconuenences might rise by indiscretion of preists to make the burden of confession, more yrkesome, and the yoke of Christ more heauy, so to preuent all mischeife that might happen, it seemed most conuenient to the cheefe pastor of gods church Pope Gregory, to make a publicke decree, hereby to admonishe all pastors and penitentiary preists (as euery preists mouth [Page 224] hath not the barre of secrecy, were not the peculiar grace of God more assistinge in this holy Sacrament) to be most mindefull and carefull of reuealinge any sinne confessed, which if perchance (as god forbidd) any should offend this way, that foorth-with he should be deposed, and so for penance liue all daies of his life in perpetuall shame and con­tinuall pilgrimage.

For further proofe of practise of preists ab­solution in this age, Iohn Climachus an Ab­bot of monte Sinay, a most auncient and lear­ned father, relateth how that a certaine theife after that he was become a monke, and there (as the custome was) confessinge all his sin­nes, a holy man did see (as the theife was prostrate at his ghostly fathers feete) a man of a most straunge sight, as fast as he confes­sed, blottinge out all his sinnes. The which story for the certaintie therof (the auctor beinge so holy and godlye a man, that would hardly sett forth such leesinges to the veiwe of the whole world, if they were not true) may well be credited; yet how certaine soe­uer it be, it is manifest enoughe, that the maner then was, to goe to the preist to con­fession, and to confesse their sinnes and be ab­solued. Ioannes Clymachus lib. qui dicitur Cly­mach. gradu 4.

The heresie of the Iacobites cōtrary to the doctrine of the fathers.

About the yeare of Christ 584. the Iaco­bits so named of one Iacobus in the raigne of Mauricius the Emperor, and Pope Pelagius the second, renewed the former heresie of the denyall of confession, and so bouldly af­firmed, that it was not necessarie to confesse our sinnes to a preist, but onely to God, who alone did, and could forgiue sinnes, without any secondarie meane.

The practise of the churche opposite to this heresie.

Forasmuch as this Iacobus hauinge enter­tayned the heresie of Cetiches, Dioscorus, Gnapheus and the rest (that were deposed in the fourth generall councell of Calcedon by 630. bishops) had noe doubt the like censure, being so full opposite against the mayne stre­me of these tymes; For bothe the Pope, the Emperor, and the whole generall councell mainteined, the true doctrine generally re­ceiued in the church, It followeth that he was then houlden of the whole church as an heretick, and one striuinge against the streame and current of the trueth.

How absurd their opinions were, may plai­nely be seene. For they confounded the two natures in Christ, they beleeued not the trini­tie, thy affirmed that the diuinitie of Christ suffered, in such sorte, that beinge deuided emongest themselues, there arose 12. soun­drie sects, some of the Eutichians, others [Page 226] Acephali, others Monophisitae, some Theo­paschitae, some Armenians, Seuerites, Tri­theites, Agnoites, euery one framinge to himselfe a new deuised opinion: for further intelligence hereof, read but Nicephorus in his 18. booke and 45. chapter of his ecclesia­sticall historie, wher this matter is handled at lardge Against our protestants 1. Wee may note, that this heresie wa [...] longe condemned before, and so quite extinguished in the chur­che till these vpstarts renewed it againe, main­teyninge many moe absurd heresies, which noe protestant will auerr, therfore this was noe generall practise of the Church. 2. The church had still the vpper hand in conuincing and puttinge such to silence, for we neuer reade, that euer the contrary opinion appro­ued by the doctors, was euer condemned or censured for heresie. 3. We may see the fol­lie of them that would groslly vnderstand these woords of Math. 3. (he shall baptise you in the holy Ghost and fiar) & therupon they baptised with fyer, that is did cauterise their children with a hote yron in the fore­heads or in their cheekes; and yet could not vnderstand as playne woords to be ment of preists forgiuinge of sinnes Ioan 20. Where Christ said to his apostles. Whose sinnes yee forgiue ar forgiuen 4. Thy were cōtrary to the Armenians, for they denyed not all, but that some sinnes were soe irremissible, that they [Page 227] could not be forgiuen by a preist.

The doctrine of the fathers for confession, and preists absolution. Caesarius Episcopus Arelatensis hom. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. de Poenitentia.

I haue admonished you deare brethren, & againe & againe I admonishe you, that who­soeuer doeth knowe himselfe to haue bene tossed from the shore of continencie with the tempest of lust, in the sea of ryot and licen­tiousnes, and so suffred shippwrake of his chastity, lett him take hold speedely of the confession of his sinnes, as a boord of a bro­ken shipp: that therby he may escape from the bottom and depth of all ryot and luxurie, and come to the porte of penance, wher lay­ing the anchore of hope in a most safe place, he may recouer his lost healthe. Here note. 1. After sinne he exhorteth to confession. 2. Confession is as Saint Hierom sayeth, a se­cound table after shippwrak. 3. By confes­sion and penance, he may recouer his health and penaltye, for sinne.

Concilium Cabilonense 1. can. 8. anno 658.

It is to be aduertised, that the whole as­sembly of preists agreed, that vnto the peni­tentes after confession is made, a penance be enioyned.

Sexta finodus generalis can. 102. anno 682.

It behoueth them that haue receiued po­wer of God to loose and bind, to consider [Page 228] well the qualitie of sinne, as also the party that hath sinned, and so hereby giue a con­uenient medecine for the disease. Note. 1. The preists haue power from God to loose and bind. 2. He must consider the sinne and the sinner, before he enioyne penance to cure them.

Anastasius patriarcha Antiochiae sub Iustinia­no auo; vide Turrianum. anno 706.

They say we must not confesse vnto man, like vnto our selues. Lett them heare our Lord sayinge, whatsoeuer you shall binde vpon earth, shalbe bound in heauen, as also lett them heare our Lord; brother S. Iames. Confesse your sinnes one to an other. God doeth woorke our saluation, not onely by angels, but by his prophets, and in these latter daies by his apostles and disciples and their successors. And therfore albeit he be a man that shall heare thy confession, yet it is God that by him conuerteth, instructeth, and forgeueth thee, for the Sainctes of God are his coadiutors and dispensators to saluation. Homo homini est adiutor ad poenitentiam. Note. 1. An opposition of Christes woords, to those that say we must not confesse to man. 2. The apostles successors, doe woorke our saluation 3. Though man heare the con­fession, yet God by him absolueth. 4. This doctrine is flatt against our protestants doc­trine.

The practise of the church conformable to the fathers doctrine.

The third councell of Tolledo, or as some thinke the fourth an. 596. or 631. greatly complained of mutation and change of pe­nances, at that time people beinge growne to such a slacknesse in deuotion, and all spiri­tuall exercises, in so much as it desired to haue in vre the former customes allowed by the church canons. For saieth this holy councell, forasmuch as we find in many churches of Spaine, that those that doe penance for their sinnes, they doe it (faedissime) as the coun­cell termeth it, so filthylie and not as they ought to doe it, for as oft as they fall into sinne, and haue a lust to committ any sinfull act, foorthwith they presume lightly to be absolued and reconcyled by the preists; ther­fore for restraint of such damnable presump­tion, the holy councell commandeth, that penance be enionyned by preists accordinge to the prescript of former auncient tymes & rigour of the cannons: this beinge then, the custome of these tymes, seekinge still a refor­mation. But as mans nature is ready eftsons to fale into relapse, and not soe willinge to vndergoe the burdensome toyle of penance, libertye still seekinge to lurke in euery sin­ners bosome, the holy fathers of the councel of Laterane, espyinge it many yeares after, & condescendinge more to humayne frailtie, [Page 230] then did the fathers in Spayne at Tolledo, ordayned an other order, that preists should omitt the enioyninge of penance accordinge as the strictnesse of the canons required, and enioyne their satisfactorie penaltyes, as they most conueniently thought agreable to the delinquents nature, condicion and abylitie. Soe that we may see as before the councell of Toledo, so after vntill the councell of La­terane, more then 600. yeares, a continuall practise of penance confession and absolutiō. As for Pope Boniface who dyed anno 614. our owne protestants (as fryar Bale the apo­stata) confesseth centuria 1. how good a man he was, that of his owne Fathers house he buylt a monasterie, giuinge them lands and grownds, as also impartinge vnto them soun­dry faculties to baptise, to preache and to ab­solue from sinnes; Wherby this gracelesse fryer▪ myght make shame shyne in his owne face, to see antiquitie of confession & preists absolution, which he as all renegats lightly regarded. No lesse recordeth Leontius bishop of Cyprus, writinge the life of Ioannes Elee­mosinarius, and relatinge the practise then of the churche for confession, as also of former ages; He declareth how that a woman (alto­gether entangled in sinne) came vnto this holy bishop, then bishop of Alexandria, to haue a full absolution, and remission of hir sinnes, thus addressinge hir speech vnto him; [Page 231] I knowe (o holye bishop and preist of God) that if thou wilt, thou mayest pardon me, for it is vnto you (o preists) that our Lorde hath sayed. Whose sinnes yee forgiue in earth, they shalbe forgiuen in heauen. How per­fectly this woman knewe the auctoritie of preists, acknowledginge the selfe same power that Christ gaue them, farr different from our protestants beleefe, and yet it was then in those dayes a publicke beleife, and not doub­ted of any, noe not of the vulgare sorte, such as this woman was one. But to returne to the doctrine of the fathers for confession and absolution.

Olimpiodorus Diaconus in verba Iob. Si abscō­dit quasi homo peccatum suum

Iob voluntarily committed nothing, his life was so perfect, but bicause it is so that a man falls into sin, therfore by penance and confession he did expresse his sin, nothinge fearinge to confesse them to men. He tooke none to witnesse, when he did his good deeds, yet he made all acquainted with his sinnes and wicked acts. Note 1. by penance his sinnes to men.

Beda venerabilis com. ad cap. 5. ep. Sancti Iacobi, exponens. Confesse one to another. anno 730.

In this sentence this ought to be the diffe­rence, that we confesse our daily and lighter sinnes one to an other, and to our coaequales, [Page 232] and so beleeue by their praiers to be saued. But the filthe of our greater leprosy, we must open vnto the preist accordinge to the lawe, and so haue regarde to be clensed accordinge to his iudgement, as how and how longe he shall thinke expedient. Where note. 1. A difference of sinnes and different confessions. 2. Our mortall sinnes wee must confesse to a preist. 3. It is accordinge to the lawe. 4. The preist clenseth vs. 5. He enioynes penance, as he shall thinke fitt.

The practise of the church conformable to this doctrine.

S. Bede for better confirmation of the prac­tise of this age, writeth how that a knight, who through sloth and negligence carelesse to goe to confession, albeit he was often therunto admonished by his kinge after a Christian manner to make his confession be­fore he died, but he littell regardinge the good admonishement and counsell of his kinge, was by a horrible straunge vision ca­ried away, and thus noe man knoweth how he ended his life. Wherby it is euident that in England it was then in vse approued by the prince, to be a Christian and most pious manner to goe to confession, and haue abso­lution of a preist. See S Bede l. 5. histor. c. 14.

The Heresy of the Albanenses contrary to the doctrine of the fathers.

Aboute the yeare 796. in the raigne of [Page 233] Constantine the sixt Emperor, and pope Leo the thirde, sprounge vpp these heretickes, wonderfull corrupters of gods woord, a com­panie or crewe most wicked and impiouse as reporteth Antoninus. 4. parte sum. tit. 11. c. 7. Amonge other heresies, this also they pub­lished, that sin did not proceede of freewill, for man hath noe freewill, and therfore noe man after he hath sinned, can goe to confes­sion, nether ought he to goe to cōfession. For Confutation of which heresy, it shall suffice onely to relate their absu [...]dities. 1. If first wee obserue, that our aduersaries cannot grownd here any antiquity for their deniall of con­fession, not agreeinge with them, euen in reiectinge confession. For these say, a man can not goe to confession, our aduersaries say they may and can after their fashion. 2. In like maner they might denie all confession to God, that neither we can nor ought confesse to him. 3. They were most wicked, and de­prauers of gods woord, therfore most likely they would abolishe confession, as noteth Prateolus verbo Albanenses.

Now as touchinge their heresies, they mainteined obstinately. 1. They made two gods, a good, and an euill, the good God to be the aucthor of all goodnesse, the other of all noughtinesse: the good God, to be the ma­ker of the new testament, the bad God of the ould: and so they vtterly reiected it. 2. They [Page 234] held a transmigration of soules to go from one bodye to an other. 3. That Christ was not God, neyther that he tooke flesh of the blessed virgine Marie. 4. That there was noe other infernall paine, but in this world. 5. That hell & purgatorie were nothing. 6. That the world should allwayes continew in this state. 7. That all vsurie is lawefull. 8. That matrimonie is starke noughte. 9 That man can giue the holy ghost of himselfe, and yet that a man after he hath sinned neyther can, nor ought to confesse his sinne committed. In which their last assertion, may easilie be found a contradiction: For if man haue power to giue the holie ghost, why may not man in like sorte forgiue sinnes, hauing the holy ghost, who can forgiue sinnes? but to pro­ceed to the doctrine of the fathers.

Theophilactus in cap. 20. Sancti Ioannis, anno 842.

Christe gaue to his apostles a certaine pow­er and spirituall guyst, wherby they might re­mitt sinnes, for he shewed what power of the preist it was that he breathed on them sayinge, whose sinnes yee forgiue ar forgiuē.

Theodorus Studites in vita Sancti Platonis, anno 732.

Plato was wont from his youth to con­fesse to the pastor of his soule his offences diligently; yea all his sinnes, yea euen to the inmost thoughts.

Concilium Turonicum 3. cap. 22. anno 813.

With great circumspection it is to be hād­led by the preists and bishops, how they en­ioyne the times of penāce to such as confesse their sinnes vnto them.

Concilium Cabilonense 2. can. 32. anno 819.

But we haue seene this ought to be amen­ded, that certaine confessinge their sinnes to a preist, do not confesse fully, wherfore si­thence man consisteth of bodie and soule, & soe by motion of mynd, as also by frayletie of the fleshe sinneth, we must exactly en­quire of the sinnes, that of bothe we may make confession, confessinge that we haue offended by bodie, & trāsgressed by thought. Note 1. There must be a confession to the preist, and that a full confession. 2. A reason why we ought confesse all externall and in­warde sinnes.

Anastasius Nicenus Episcopus quaest. in script. q. 6.

Those that foolishely or, rather vngodly say, that confession made vnto man is not a­uayleable, bicause they ar subiect to fraylties and vices, and that it is God that can take away sinne. Lett them know that they say this onely as a pretext of their owne follie. 2. They vnderstand not the woords of our Sa­uiour, whose sinnes ye remitt ar remitted, for though it is man that heareth confession, yet it is God that pardoneth by him. 1. Note [Page 236] that it is an vngodlie speeche to say, that con­fession made vnto a man, is not auayleable. 2. It is God that by man pardoneth sinne.

The practise of the church conformable.

In this age both Charles the great, as also Lewes the first, were most vigilant and care­full to haue the church discipline truly and sincerely obserued. In so much that Lewes (for his sanctitie and holinesse of life called, pius, as affirmeth Amonius an auncient hi­striographer) was so watchefull and carefull of his life and conuersation, for the better amendement of his life, and edification of his neighbour; when he was sick, in all the time of his sicknesse he vsed to confesse him­selfe with due and diligent examine of his conscience, which godly Emperor was longe before the councell of Latterane. Wherby it is euident, that confession was vsed before, and not then as a nouelty brought in by tho­se good fathers; And moreouer it appeareth, that auricular confession to a preist, was not abrogated by Nectarius, sith it was accusto­med in the Empire, and practised as an ex­presse commaunde of Christe.

Furthermore in a councel holden at Aquis­graine anno 816. wherat Charles the Empe­ror was present, it was most piously decreed, that euery captaine in warre might haue a preist with him to heare confessions, and to be iudge of their sinnes, and consequently [Page 237] to enioyne them penance. Which decree hath bene since continually kept, and is at this day verie religiouslie obserued by the Catholick Kinge of Spayne, who alloweth for euerie band of souldiours, one preist to heare confessions. In soe much, that in a councel at Cabilon, about the same tyme of Charles the great, there is a plaine confirma­tion of auricular confession, and, that confes­sion was vsed in those dayes both to God and man, that is to his ghostlie father a preist. And bicause diuerse Christians, partly for ignorance or negligence or smale regard they had of their soules, went not ordinarylie to confession, with a full examine and diligent scrutiny of their consciences vnto the preist, declaring all their sinnes committed out­wardlie and inwardly, this holie councell or­dayned a canon for due reformation therof: Where wee may note not onely in this coun­cell, but in the councell of Turinge in lyke sort, that the custome of enioyninge fasts and abstinence to penitents, was duely obserued after a prescript order after confession. And bicause diuerse preists behaued themselues oftentimes indiscreetlie in this their iudiciary power and auctority committed to iudge, ab­solue, and enioyne penances; therfore by the assembly of bishops it was determined, what penitentiall booke for this end was most cheefly to be followed by the preist. And [Page 238] such was the strictnesse that in the councell of Cabilon 35. canon both abstinence from fleshe & wine was enioyned to delinquents after confession. All which conuince our de­licat sectaries, who thinke these penances smallie auayleable, and allow not that se­crett sinfull thoughts are to be opened to a preist.

Nicephorus Cartophilax epist. ad Theo­dosium ex to. 1. bibliothecae sancto­rum patrum anno 820.

In times past all men repaired to the bi­shops, and to them opened their secrets, and so to haue reconciliation; I knowe not now why this is so littell obserued. Albeit I maie suppose that bishopes oppressed with busi­nesse, and wearied with the troblesome re­sort of company, haue passed ouer this bu­sinesse vnto the monkes, to such as are ap­proued, and may be profitable vnto others. Where note. 1. That it is an auncient custo­me to open their secrets to the bishops by confession. 2. By them they were reconciled. 3. By businesse in bishops and resort, this was neclected. 4. Hereupon this auctority was putt ouer vnto monkes.

Rabanus Maurus Episcopus Moguntinus li. 7. in eccl. c. 7. anno 855.

He that transsgresseth the measure in the concupiscence of the flesh, and is burdened with his sinnes, it is necessary that by con­fession [Page 239] therof he vomite out his filth, and so by fastinge and chastisement of his body, re­tourne to his former health. Where note. 1. Euery sinner must of necessity confesse his sinnes. 2. Confession compared to a vomite, to cast out the filthe of the soule by the mouth, by means of confession. 3. By satis­factory penance, come to his former state.

Concilium Moguntinum sub Rabano ar­chiepiscopo. anno 834.

A most true and sincere confession, is to be exacted of such as are sick and in daunger of death, yet is not the quantity of penance to be enioyned vnto them, but onelie noti­fied and made knowne.

Theodulphus epistola ad clerum suae dio­ceseos. anno 835.

We ar to make our confession of all our sinnes, whatsoeuer we haue committed in thought woord or deed.

Concilium Wormatiense can. 7. seu 25. anno 868. vt alijs placet.

Penances ar to be enioyned vnto the peni­tents by the arbitrement of the preist, accor­dinge as the difference of sinnes be: the preist therfore in giuinge penance, must consider euery one cause, and single the ground and manner of the faultes, the satisfaction and sorrowe of the penitents, as also tyme, per­son, qualitie, yeares, and so haue regarde that they declyne not a iott from the holie [Page 240] rules of the canons.

The practise of the church correspondent.

As Christ commaunded all his sheep to obey and heare the voice of him, whom in Peter and such as succeed him, he made she­pards ouer his whole flock, to liue more pea­ceably (vnanimes in domo) as members vn­der one head in one body, and sheep vnder one sheparde in one fould: so here we may see a full proofe of it in this age, vnder Ni­colaus primus pope of Rome, to whome the Bulgarians as vnto the diuine oracle, sent to haue solution of all their doubts and difficul­ties that haue risen vnto them in soundry points of Christian religion. Amonge the rest (most to our purpose) this holy father an­sweringe a demaunde, how and in what sort they ought to prepare them selues to fight, or in any such daungerouse expedition of warrfaire; he plainely and godly aduertiseth them, that before such desperate cases, where men ar to run vpon the dinte of the swoord, they are to arme themselues by great praier, by goinge to the holy churches, by pardo­ninge their offenders, by hearing masse, by offeringe vpp sacrifice, and by confessinge their sinnes vnto a preist, and therby recon­ciled to God, receiue the holy communion; that whatsoeuer they doe in woord or deed to doe it in the name of Iesus. Wherby it is euident that not onely in Rome, but in other [Page 241] places, as in Bulgary by his fathers counsell; as also in Fraunce (by whose permission one Notgenus Abbot of S. Gallus, procured the vse of sequences at deuine seruice in those churches; as also at Mogunce where Raba­nus S. Bedes scholer was Archbishop. In soe much (as by Nicephorus Cartophilax) that many yeares before him, confession was ac­costomed, and bishops heard confessions, and afterward in his time through businesse (wherwith the cheefe pastors were encom­bred) this chardge was committed to Mon­kes, hauinge their approbation for sufficiency of learninge and honesty of life. And more­ouer in Fraunce as Theodulphus archbishope of O [...]leance, about the yeare of Christ 835. approued, it was accustomed vniuersally in all places for preists to heare confessions and ab­solue; soe most fatherly he aduertiseth euery pastor, what his duetie is herein, warninge his cleargy, that when any comes to confes­sion, throughly to sift and examine him of the principale vices, the manner of his sinne, vpon what occasion he committed the sinne, and hereby thus instructed of their life and manners (nominatim) to aduise them and ghostly admonishe them of this and this sin­ne, that after this he may aduisedly and not rashely enioyne them penance.

And as for Rhemes (to see howe euery mother church doeth accorde and agree) this [Page 242] verity is cleerly confirmed in a councell there holden about this time, as appeareth can. 12. & 19. concilij Rhemensis. Hinkmarus also their archebishope, gaue conformably this holy counsell, that when any were be-wit­ched, in concubitus maleficio, that foorth with in all humility and lowelinesse of hart, & contrition of spirit, they should make their confessions puerly and intirely of all their sinnes, to God and to the preist. Gratian col­lector of the decretals, who liued in the time of Lotharius anno 1120. before the councell of Latheran vnder Innocent the third, as also Peter Lombard, Hugo de Sancto victore, make sufficient relation, how that it was the generall practise allowed by all bishops pa­stors and gouerners of Christs church, to make a confession to the preists of all mortall sinnes. How carefull alwaies the church hath bene, as before by a prouiso vnder Gregory the great, so it is manifest that the pastors and cheefe prelates haue had an eye that way, for thus Petrus Damianus Cardinall of Rome and bishope of Ostia, aduertiseth all preists, of great secrecy of such things as vnder the seale of confession are committed to them. Signa­ [...]lum confessionis.

The doctrins of the fathers for confession. anno 920. Rodulphus Flauiacensis lib. 2. in Leuit. c. 7.

It is fitt that whosoeuer maketh confession [Page 243] of his sinnes, consumeth all those things which he can not call to mind, opening them to our Lorde, not hidinge one thinge and manifestinge an other. Et lib. 12.12. in Leuit. c. 1. These are they that sell the eternall in­heritance, to whom is comitted power to loose and bind sinners, to shutt out and bring in to heauen. These therfore must be careful accordinge to the precept of our Lord in this their marchandise, that they ouerburden not their citizens with too much penance, but enioyne as the quality of the sinne requireth. And it is necessary that the buier take heed lest he contristate Gods dispensator, that as­king pardō of his sinnes but weakely, he per­forme not the iust measure of his satisfaction. Where note first, a confession to God of sin­nes, entire and absolute without hiding any thinge. 2. A power committed to man as a marchant to sell heauen, and others to buy it of them, to bringe in and to shutt out of heauen. 3. A prouiso for ouerburdeninge pe­nitents with penance, but penance can not be giuen, but they must knowe for what, and that is when they confesse their sinnes. 4. Penitents must aske pardon for their sinnes of gods ministers; therfore they can pardon. 5. we must performe the penance enioyned for satisfaction.

Petrus Damianus ser. de Sancto Andrea. anno 1050.

The fourth degree is confession of mouth, and this is to be made sincerely, bicause one part of the sinnes is not to be tould, and the other kept secret, nether ar the lighter to be confessed, and the greater to be concealed.

Hugo de Sancto Victore li. 2. de Sacra­mentis p. 14. c. 1. anno 11 [...]0

Confesse your sinnes one to an other, and pray for one an other, that you may be saued, bicause wee are not saued except we be con­fessed.

S. Bernardus ser. ad milites cap. 12. & ser. 16. in cantica. anno 1140.

What shall I say of Betphage, where both the Sacrament of confession, and the mistery of preistly ministery is contained, the woord in the harte of a sinner woorketh wholsom contrition, but the woord in the mouth ta­kes away hurtefull confusion, lest it might hinder necessary confession; let not the preists absolue him that is contrite, except they shall see sinne confessed. All that which thy conscience knowes, confesse humbly, pure­ly, sincerely, faithfully.

Hugo venerabilis de ecclesiastica potestate ligandi & soluendi.

I say boldly, if any come to the commu­nion of Christes body, before he hath bene absolued from his sinne by a preist, for cer­taine he eateth and drinketh his owne dam­nation.

The practise of the church correspondent.

As the cheefe pastor of gods church Nico­las the first aduertised euery Christian soul­diour (answeringe the demands of the Bulga­rians) to go to confession before they went to any expedition of warr: so noe doubt the Sa­xons had the like practise euen from the same sea. For both before the conquest, as hath bene related, and in William the Conquerors time and after) as writeth Ingulphus) euery souldiour that was to be consecrated to law­full warfaire, should the eueninge before his consecration, goe to some Bishope, Abbot, Monke or Preist, and so contrite and com­puncte, make a generall confession of his sin­nes, and so absolued continew the space of a whole night in all prayer, deuotion and affliction of the body, and in the morninge heare masse, which donne hauinge a sworde putt about his neck, communicatinge the holy misteries, he remaines a lawfull knight for euer. And it is recorded by one Brauonius a monke of Wincester, that S. Wulstan hearde confessions, and that one Ieuolfus comminge to confession and often repea­tinge one thinge, and the selfe same sinnes, the holy bishope said vnto him. Oportunitas vt video latronem te fecit, ideo consulo vt mo­nachus fias. Oportunitie as I see, doeth make thee a theife, therfore I aduise thee that thou become a monke.

In this age there was a notoriouse miracle wrought concerninge the integrity of con­fession, and the ful reuealinge of a mans sin­nes to a preist. For as Petrus Damianus recor­deth of the miraclcs of his tyme, in an e­pistle to Desid [...]rius, that a certaine ould bro­ther lyinge sick in the monasterie, the abbot oft tymes went to him, wherby receyuinge great comeforte, he instantly desired the as­sistance of gods most holy graciouse spirite, that breakinge abruptly into these speeches, he began to vtter his greife and say. O Lorde to whom noe secrett is hyd, I humbly beseech thee, that if there be any sinne in me, which as yet I haue not confessed, I may cale it to mynd and truly, and throughly confesse it vnto my Abbot whilest he is heer yet present, that so I may be absolued of him, who hath full auctority and power ouer me. Hauinge this sayd, a voyce was heard: Truly truly there is yet somethinge behynd, which thou haste not confessed. The ould sick man hearinge the voyce, and not knowinge from whence it came, prayed further and sayd. O Lord tell me what it is, that I may confesse it: at which request the voyce tould what it was, and soe he humbly confessinge it to the Abbot, was absolued. How true the story is, I leaue it to the conscience of the writer, but thus much is certaine, that confession was then in vre to Abbots, preists, & mōks S. Bernard telleth noe [Page 247] lesse what was the manner of Irland for mat­ters of confession, writinge the lyfe of that blessed bishop Malachias, declaring how that he renewed againe the wholesome vse of confession in those parts, the sacrament of confirmation, the rytes of contractinge ma­trymonie, which eyther partly they were ig­norant of, or els carelesly had neglected.

The doctrine of the fathers for confession Richardus de Sancto Victore de potestate ligandi & soluendi c. 4. an. 1140.

Penance is a sincere abomination of sinne, with a vowe of takinge heed, confessinge and satisfyinge.

Petrus Cluniacensis Abbas lib 1. de mira­culis. anno 1142.

Confession is altogether necessary to those, that haue sinned after baptisme, of all their mortal and deadly sinnes.

The heresie of the Waldenses contrary to the doctrine of the fathers.

Aboute the yeare of Christ 1170. (though others differ) began the heresie of the Wal­denses, that beginninge by littel and fallinge first into one error, then into an other, hath made that diuersitie of the beginninge and the precise tyme which we perceiue in many writers. Aeneas Siluius de orig. Bohem c. 53. They were called Waldenses, of one Waldo a marchant of Lyons, who beinge rytch but vtterly vnlearned, so as he could neyther [Page 248] write nor read, yet instituted this order vnder profession to liue in greater pouerty then o­thers did. To reuenge themselues of the pope (who would not allowe their sect) they de­uised certaine articles, wherof one was, that they reiected the auctority decrees, canons, iurisdiction and indulgences of the bishope of Rome: they denyed all sacramentall confes­sion, purgatory, inuocatiō of Sainctes, prayer for the deade, holy dayes & ordinary fastinges appoynted by the church. They called in question three sacraments, to witt Auricular confession, confirmation, and extreme vnc­tion. Concerninge which heresie wee may note. 1. That the practise of the whole church of Fraunce, was to haue secret confession, a­gainst which these out of their malice did spurne at, to liue more freely without any redresse or amendment of their sinnes. 2. They agreed with the Catholickes against the protestants in many articles, and therfore our protestants can not hould them for sound deuines of their side, for they held the masse and consecration of Christs, most sacred body. 3 They disagreed both from protestants and papists in many other articles, as that the au­ctoritie of consecratinge and makinge the body of Christ in the masse, was gyuen also vnto Laymen, if they were iust and in gods fauour. They affirmed that all preists ought to be poore, thē belyke preists were not mar­ryed, [Page 249] for how could they mainteyne their wife and children, but liue in beggary and vpon almesse? 4. They renewed that, con­cerninge puttinge downe of auricular con­fession, which was condemned before in the whole face of the churche.

The practise of the church against the heresy of the Waldenses.

After that this was broached, and this so­ciety instituted, these men requested to haue their order confirmed, and priuiledged by the sea apostolick, as recordeth Abbas Vrs­pergensis in chronicon anno 1212. who also did see some of that nomber at Rome. But the pope seinge certaine suspiciouse things in their conuersation, as to goe in longe haire, like lay men, to carry wemen about with them in their company, who kept with them at bedd and at woorde; they were discoue­red and reiected by pope Innocent the third. Wherupon presently they began to deuise means to reuenge them selues, by calling the popes auctority into question. In soe much that if the sea apostolick should haue admit­ted their sect and abuses, they would not haue spurned soe eargely against that church, but would haue admitted their doctrine: for as their stomackes did rise, soe their malice en­creased, and euery yeare denied some one ar­ticle or other that the church of Rome did hould. Neither had they their approbation in [Page 250] Fraunce, for the Archebishop, and cheefe pri­mate of all Fraunce, Ioannes de bellis mani­bus, and the 87. in succession after S. Photinus and S. Ireneus in the year of our Lord 1170, excommunicated these newe reformed reli­giouse persons, and especially for their dete­station which they had against sacramentall confession, sithence it had bene practised in the church of Christ, and approued by all his predecessors as the doctrine of Christ, euē since S. Photinus and S. Ireneus times. An­toninus archebishope of Florence, writinge the begininge of these poore men, bouldly pronounceth, that it was from certaine mai­sters of darkenesse. Trithemius in his chro­nicle vpon the yeare 1160. writeth of it as a most perniciouse heresy. And Paulus Aemelius in his story of Fraunce, relateth that at this time two religiouse orders were abroga­ted by the pope, the one caled themselues Humiliates, the other the poore men of Liōs vagrant persons, leadinge wemen of their owne sect with them: as for Innocent the third (vnder whom was the counsel of Late­rane) he vtterly condemned their opinion, ordaininge with the councel, that euery per­son of lawfull age, should confesse vnto their perishe preist at Easter. And to showe fur­ther that the practise of the church was then generally contrary to their sect, first for En­gland we read, that Hubert Archbishop of [Page 251] Canterbury, about this time, decreed that euery preist should (when he heard confes­sions) consider euery circumstance, the qua­lity of the persons, the quantity of the fault, and so accordingly enioyne penance. Also the second councell of Latherane vnder Alexan­der the third, aduertiseth concerninge mat­ters of penance, that the quality and quan­tity of the sinne, the age of the offender, his witt, reason, and condicion, are greatly to be respected in penance. For saieth he, a mans endeuour noe lesse is to be punished, then the effect: and moreouer to a secret fault a secret penance is to be enioyned, and that noe pa­rishe preist which is not the penitents iudge, can either bind or loose. And lastly in the yeare 1035. confession was vsuall at Treuers, for as it appeareth by S. Simeon the monk, a boy was cured by makinge his confession of his sinnes to a preist vide Surium. But to proceed to the doctrine of the fathers.

Lucius 3. papa. cap. ad abolendum de he­reticis. anno 1181.

Baptisme, confession of sinnes to a preist, and matrimonye are all three Sacramentes.

Gallelmus Archiepiscopus Bi [...]uricensis ad Hisbertā Vide Surium an. 1199.

Confesse thy sinnes o woman vnto a preist, and then quiet thy selfe, and be of good comfort.

S. Antony of Lisbone vt in eius vita an. 1201.

Arise Martin, arise Agnes, goe to confes­sion, and confesse this and that sinne to such an one, which thou committedest in such and such a place, which none knoweth but God.

Concilium Oxoniense sub Stephano Archie­piscopo Cantuar. anno 1212.

For defect of confessors and other reasons, we ordaine, that there shalbe certaine wise and discreet ghostly fathers appointed by the bishop of the diocesse to heare confessions of country deanes preistes and parsons.

Euthimius & Rupertus in Ioannē 20. an. 1180.

As preistes haue power to pardon sinnes and to forgiue them, so in like sort, to deny forgiuenesse, and after confession to enioyne penance.

Concilium Lateranense tertium generale sub Innocent. 3. anno 121 [...].

All sort of poeple after they come to yeares of discretion, lett them confesse their sinnes faithfully, at least once a yeare to their parish preist, and lett them endeuoure with al their might, to fulfill their enioyned penance, and soe receaue reuerently at Easter the holy Sa­crament.

The practise of the church for confession, and preistes absolution conformable.

As the councell at Oxforde vnder Stephen Archbishop tooke order (vpon some negli­gence [Page 253] and slackenesse of deuotion to confes­sion, crept in emonge the clergy) and ordai­ned confessors for country preists, as also ap­pointed that in euery cathedrale church, where there were seculer cannons, the bis­hope should be their ghostly father, to whom they should make their confessions, or els the deane, or some other allowed and appoin­ted, either by the bishope or by the deane or chapter, so no lesse were the laitie careful for their soules health to auoid the filth therof by confession; For in the yeare of Christ 1216. Kinge Iohn lyinge daungerously sick at the castel of newark in England (Iohn stow) as in such cases is most expedient, he sent for his ghostly Father that is his confessor, and dis­burdeinge his conscience receyued the holy sactaments at the handes of the Abbot of Croxton. And noe lesse performed Lewis Kinge of Fraunce (who died in the yeare 1270.) lyinge on his death bedd, who did not onlie himselfe performe fully the duetie of a Christian, but also callinge his sonne Philipp before him, emonge diuerse other godly in­structions, he gaue him this for a principall lesson, that aboue all things he should haue especiall care and regard of his conscience, to dischardge it dayly by confessing his sinnes to his confessor.

The famouse councell of Laterane of 70. Archebishops and 400. bishopes vnder Inno­cent [Page 254] the third carefully prouided for confes­sion once a yeare & that vnto the parish preist, to whom (without peculiar licence obtey­ned) euerie one should repaire for the dis­chardge of his conscience. Where the holie councell aduertiseth, how euerie confessor ought diligentlie enquire after euerie circum­stance, to heale throughly the woundes of his soule by powringe in the wine and oyle of mercy; and to be verie circumspect for re­uealinge anie thinge comitted to secrecie by confession, eyther by signe, woord, or any other externall gesture, which if he doeth, he is not onely to be deposed, but perpetually to doe penance included into some monasterie. And in time of sicknesse where phisitions haue to intermedle, they are to admonishe the patiēt before he take any corporal mede­cyne, to prouide first for his spiritual health. Ante omnia monere & inducere quod medicos aduocent animarum, vt post quam infirmus fue­rit de spirituali salute prouisum, ad corporalis medicinae remedium salubrius procedatur.

Alexander the third, vnder whom was held a councell at S. Iohn Latheranes of 280. bishops, thus much aduertiseth the Archebis­hope of Milan, that wheras a deliquent, who had bene cause of much slaughter by de­stroyinge many castles with effusion of much blood, desierouse to be reconciled, he should mercifully enioyne him penance, with such [Page 255] discretion, that it should be noe dammage or hurt to anie without preiudice anie way. Noe lesse he insinuateth concerninge confession to the Archbishop of Cante [...]bury, where he approueth that remissions or pardons, graun­ted in dedication of churches, are onely auai­leable to such; quibus proprij iudice [...] spec [...]ali­ter indulserunt, as are absolued of their owne iudge or parishe preist. And writinge to the bishope of Beluacum, how a preist should deale with such as come to confession, and yet say they can not abstaine, aduiseth to re­ceiue their confessions (though not further to be admitted) yet with sounde counsell and ghostlie aduise penance to be enioyned. And to the bishope of Triburiensis he adui­seth, that when a man hath a penance enioy­ned to fast bread & water, & after hath not meanes to obteine bread, he may with dis­cretion vse other refections, non ad delicias, ed ad sustentationem, onely for sustentation and nourishement, and not to please his taste.

A false surmise of the protestants who conceiue that Auricular confession is but a positiue law, and that before the 3. councell of Latheran there was noe lawe or obligation therof.

VPon this constitution of the councell of Laterane, the protestāts with Caluine & others, grownd here a false surmise, wherby they gloriously vaunte, that they haue man­fully [Page 256] gotten the mastery of the feild, foras­much as they suppose (but out of the subur­bes of their owne witt) that by this councel vnder Innocēt. 3. That Auricular cōfessiō was first instituted, and as it were by a positiue lawe brought in by pontificall auctority and mans ordinance, without any further appro­bation of gods woord. And albeit say they (as witnesseth Caluine lib. 3. instit, c. 4.8.7.) that confession may well claime prescrip­tion of time out of mind, beinge a most aun­cient custome, yet without any seruility, bon­dage or enforcement of lawe therunto, left to the full currant of mans liberty and free­will. For this (say they) it is not their bare woord, but euen the papists records themsel­ues, that giue sufficient remonstrance hereof, that from the first promulgation hereof, 300. yeares are scarce past, since that this newe brought in lawe had assubiected the conscien­ces of al Christians to the vassalage and thral­dome of confession.

But by that which wee haue related out of former times, this surmise is easily refuted: for it is most apparant against Caluine and his companions, that this prescript time of con­fession at Easter, albeit it was here by Inno­cent instituted, and then as a lawe made and promulged; yet was it not the first, as though neuer before any lawe ordinance or prouiso had therfore bene ether constitute­ted [Page 257] or ordained. For it is manifest, both in the time of Gregory Nissen anno 380. many yeares before this councell of Latherane, as also in Chrisostomes diocesses anno 405. that christians vsed, yea and ought to come to confession at the holy feast of Easter. [...]n heb­domada magna, as he religiously caled it. 2▪ It is most certaine and receiued as a generall custome in the church, for any that come to the holy Eucharist, which were clogged with any guilt of mortall sinne, to absteine, except first they were atoned and reconciled by con­fession to a preist. For it is cleere by the prac­tise of the church in S Ciprians time anno. 248. and by S. Leo in his epistles to Theo­dore bishope and his 91. epistle, where he saieth, that our Sauiour Iesus gaue this po­wer to the rectors and rulers of his church, to enioyne penance to such as confessed, and after satisfaction made and clensed, to admitt them to the holy communion of the Eucha­rist by the doore of reconciliation. Where wee may see both lawes, ordinances, institu­tions, power, and auctority both by Christ gi­uen, and his ministers ordained, for the fur­therance of the great benefit of reconciliation by confession. The reason then why the holy councell of Latherane ordained such a lawe that once a yeare euery parishioner at least should repaire vnto his parishe preist and goe to confession was, forasmuch as where sinne [Page 258] is mother, shame is the daughter, and here­vpon the frequentinge of the Sacrament may seeme to very many burdensome and te­diouse, that once the reines of liberty lett loose, the vulgare, yea the nicer sorte in this remedy for their soules health, takes such a desperate deafenesse, that with all delaies they care not whether euer or neuer they heare of it. Wherfore as that good pope Ze­pherine anno 198. sett downe this ordinance, and commaunded that all should receiue at Easter, not so as though they had not bene tied and bounde before therunto, for euen by the lawe of Christ it was promulged, that except they did eate his fleshe and drink his blood, they could not haue life euerlastinge, but bicause his fatherly care and prouidence was such to remedy the lukewarmnesse and couldenesse of deuotion hereunto of many, prefixed a time of receauinge, beyonde which it should not be lawefull to deffer the com­municatinge of the holy Sacrament. Soe in like sorte it was appointed, not as an absolute commaund of confession, for to this euery one ar commanded by Christ, but onely a determination of time when it should be donne, by limitation wherof the carelesse­nesse of many might be redressed, who other­waise would be negligēt enough of so whol­some a remedy, were not the ecclesiasticall censure a bitt vnto their liberty, that with an [Page 259] awfull lookinge back now and then (where otherwaise perhaps they could be content to lett the preist and benedicite alone) they are content to kneele downe at his knees and take an absolution. Nowe to the doctrine of the fathers.

Clemens 6. cap vnigenitus de peccatorum remissione. anno 1 [...]42.

The treaseure of the church is to be ap­plied to proper and reasonable causes, some­times for a whole and totalle remission, another time for parte of the temporall pu­nishement due for sin, to such as are truly pe­nitent and confessed to their ghostly father.

S. Franciscus vt refert Bonauentura in eius vita. cap. 1.

Behould my good brother confesse thy sin­nes beinge contrite with the sorrowe of true penance, nether lett there remaine any thin­ge in thee that thou wilt not open with true confession.

Bonifacius vt in Linwood. anno 1250.

The Sacrament of penance of which con­fession is parte, is not to be denied to any, no not soe much to any imprisoned, vnder paine of excommunication.

Edmundus Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus in constitutionibus.

The confessor must keepe decently in hea­ringe confessions, all conuenient forme and decency in searchinge out the wounds of the [Page 260] greeued penitents, as also in exhortinge and perswadinge them to further encrease of good life.

Gualterus Episcopus. anno 1327.

Euery ghostly father shall enioyne penan­ce, accordinge as he hath exactly noted and considered the penitents sinnes.

The practise pf the church correspondent.

Now drawinge neere to our times, wee find the whole church of God through out all christendome practising the holy Sacramēt of confession not onely in Rome (as appeareth by Clement the sixt) but in other parts of Italy (as witnesseth S Frauncis of Assisum and in Fraunce in euery towne and village. For albeit in the yeare 1323. one Iohn de Po­liaco a deuine of Paris, diuulged certaine er­rors concerninge the hearinge of confession in the time of Lewis of Bauaria a german Emperor and Iohn 22. yet this doeth nothing preiudice the custome and vse then, but giue a full remonstrance of those times. Foras his opinions were absurd, as that none ought to confesse to the begginge friars, which if he did, he was bounde to confesse againe to his owne parishe preist: as also the decree of, Omnis vtriusque sexus so standinge, the pope of Rome cannot make but all parishioners ar bound euery yeare to confesse to their parishe preist.

Moreouer the pope cannot giue any gene­rall [Page 261] facultie to heare confessions, but vnder limitation of the parishe preist; soe giue they testimony of a g [...]nerall practise then, to goe to confession to the friers, to haue licence of chosinge their ghostly fathers, and to re­paire vnto their owne parishe preists for ab­solution▪ which opinions as they were exhor­bitant and different from the true doctrine of penance, soe were they examined and condemned vnder the same pope Iohn 22. and the partie made to recant his errors. As for En­gland their needes smale proofe hereof, for both by the councell helde by Stephen at Oxford, by Richard Archbishop, and by others are extant diuerse canons to this pur­pose, as that euery phisition who hath to deale with any sick partie, is to seriously ad­uise his patient, before he begin his cure, to be mindfull of confession, and to haue the aduise of his ghostly father.

As for reuealinge of confessions, it was carefully looked vnto and especiall regard hadd therof; for there were great penalties enioyned, as in the age of Gregory the great and after, that such should be degraded, as by bishope Gualter appeareth. Simon Sudbury anno 1371. (as appeareth by his constitutiōs) was most prouident and watcheful for preists behauiour, and how they should heare the confessions of weemen, appointinge that euery woman should be heard of the preist [Page 262] decently, extra velum, and that in open sight: as alsoe he ordained that all the laiti [...] in most godlie sorte should goe to confession in the beginninge of lent, as also to repaire to their ghostly fathers thrise at least euery yeare.

Kinge Edward the first in the 13. yeare of his raigne in a statute made of; Circumspecte agatis, sendeth greetinge to all his iudges, that they vse themselues circumspectly in all mattters concerninge the bishope of Noridge and his clergy, not punishinge them if they held plea in a Christian court of such things as be meerly spirituall, to witt, of penances en­ioyned for deadly sinnes, as fornication, adoultry &c. for which kind of sinnes, cor­porall penance is often enioyned. But to proceed to the doctrine of the fathers.

Ioannes [...]eccham Archiepiscopus ex Linwood.

Lett there in euery deanery be appointed one Rector, who shall heare the confessions of the rectors and other preists. anno 1293.

Winchelse Archiepiscopus.

Euery stipendiary preist, shall not heare confessions of parishioners, but in certaine cases allowed.

The practise of the church conformable.

To gainesay the practise of the whole church of Christ, is too much blindnesse and absurdity; Againe to make smale accompt of our predecessors and their constitutions for [Page 263] confession here in England, as it argueth but a certaine turbulencie of spirite, soe it sheweth but smale proofe of witt: for men as wise as wee, and not soe sence-feelinge as wee, but of a more religiouse and piouse minde then wee, would not soe easily haue bene drawne vnto such humility of confes­sion, hadd not they seen as farr as wee, a full demonstration and euident proofe out of gods woord for it. From whence it ha [...]h pro­ceeded, that soe many constitutions ordinan­ces and prouisoes haue bene made onely for the better preseruance and continuance hereof. As by Stephen, Edmond, Richard, Gualter Sudbury, Peccham, Winchelsey and diuerse others, all learned bishopes and reue­rend fathers.

The heresy of Wicliffe contrary to the practise of the church, and doctrine of the fathers.

About the yeare of Christ 1352. one Wic­besse an Englisheman borne, master of art and preist in Canterbury colledge of Oxford, person of Lutherwoorth in Leicester shier, a man altogether turbulent and troublesome in all actions against the clergie, broached againe some errors, which were before dis­sallowed, as namely 45. condemned in the councell of Constance, his 7. article was, that if a man bee truly contrite for his sinnes com­mitted, externall confession is superfluouse and vnprofitable; As alsoe defendinge that [Page 264] confession can not be proued out of scrip­ture, neither hath it any grownd in scripture for the approbation therof.

For confutation of which heresy, wee may note 1. That this his errors proceeded more of stomake and pride, then of any zeale or conscience he had in religion, consider­inge he consorted himselfe with the Duke of Lancaster, who was glad then to catch hould of any occasion against the clergie, as Stow noteth. 2. That it is noe marueil that euer confession (which is a true humiliation of the spirite) could haue anie entertaine­ment or be approued in so proude a stomack, seinge it is the nature of all such that maintei­ne such desperate resolutions, to fly from all true catholick deuotion. 3. That this was an opinion newly brought in againe to trouble the church, against the doctrine of the fa­thers and practise of all Christendome, and an opinion before condemned and neuer be­fore countenanced as truth in England. 4. That it hath the note of heresy (to denie) for it denieth that, which for many hundred years was before mainteined as the doctrine of Christ in all Christendome, and therfore catholick confession hath the prerogatiue of time and place, and the other preeminence which is gotten by sayinge it is not soe. 5. Our prorestāts ar smally benefited hereby, for they mainteine but the nouelties of one in [Page 265] whom stomake did striue with witt for will to gett the mastery. 6. If it had bene sound doctrin which Wickliffe taught of not going to confession; beinge so troblesome to fleshe and blood, the church would easily haue condescended, and not approued that which is so much against our nature, as the lawe of Christ.

Moreouer as these positions of Wickliffe were preiudiciall to the whole church of England, so were they condemned by acts of parlament, as in the fift yeare of Richard the second 1280. as also anno 2. Henrici 3. 1402. by Cicheley vtterly suppressed as most impiouse doctrine, & cōtrary to the woord of God. And albeit the protestants and some other of Zwitzerland agreed with him in some points, yet they held him (as Ioachimus Vadianus a Zinglian) for a pratler and scof­fing deuine, yea Pantaleon for an impudent heretick in his chronologie. His opinions were condemned by the generall councell of Constance, he was excommunicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and by Fle­minge bishop of Lincolne: his bones were taken vpp and burned by command of Pope Martin the fift.

How many learned men of all sorts oppo­sed them selues against him in that age, is apparant; for not onely Thomas Waldensis who cōfuted his heresies, but diuerse others, [Page 266] as William Barton Chancelor of Oxford con­demned Wickliffes, & sett an enquest of 12. men vpon him, six of the begginge fryers and of other deuines and ciuill and cannon lawyers other six, who all vtterly condem­ned his opinions anno 1382. And albeit Phi­lip Repington a frend of Wickliffes and de­uine of Oxford, writ in defence of Wickliffe and especially against auricular confession, yet he vpon more mature aduise, recanted his opinions at Paules crosse. Thomas Bombe an other deuine & Carmelite writ most lear­nedly against him, and as sayeth friar Bale against Wickliffes scholers, scorpionis venena intulit. Nicolas Hardford scholer of Wickliffe recanted his opinions as most absurd 1382. One Raukin, Iohn Sharp, Roger Walbey an Augustin friar, Richard Maidestone vnder Ri­chard the second, Symon Sowthray, Peter Stokes, Thomas Winterton all learned and not inferior to Wickliffe for iudgement and sufficiency of learninge, writt most sowndly and iudicially against his opinions, but to proceed to the doctrine of the fathers.

Concilium Florentinum in doctrina de Sacra­mentis anno 1438.

It appertaineth to confesse by mouth, that the sinner wholly and throughly (integrali­ter) confesse to his preist all his sinnes, all such as he can call to memorie.

Theodorus Cantuariensis Episcopus cap. quidam de poenitentia dist 1.

Internall confession which is onely made vnto God, belongeth to the perfect and iust. But of such as we are, that be sinners, the sen­tence of the apostle is to be folowed, that we confesse our sinnes to one another.

The practise of the church conformable.

What the custome and vse of the greek church was in this age for confession, is most apparant, and nothinge differinge from the maine point with the former greek fathers.

For albeit Eugenius 4. at the councell of Florence, priuately demaunded of some of the cheefest greeke doctors, why they did not confesse their sinnes before they came to celebrate and say masse, as the auncient custo­me was, both in the time of S. Basill and S. Chrisostome: Yet at other times their preists went ordinarily to confession for absolution of their sinnes. Hereby we see that confes­sion was, not onely practised emonge the Grecians in the greek church, but alsoe in Rome, Spaine, Italy, England and other par­ticuler churches.

The heresy of Petrus Osmensis against the doctrine and practise of the church in Spaine..

Aboute the yeare of Christ 1464. one Pe­trus Osmensis or Oximensis a Spaniard and [Page 268] doctor of deuinity of Salamanca, published certaine conclusions against auriculer confes­sion vid. 1. That mortall sinnes concerninge the guilt and penaltie of the other world, ar forgiuen by onely contrition without any confession. 2. That confession (in specie) is not found in scripture: as for wicked thoughts they are onely abolished by displicence and dislike therof. 3. Secret confession is not of necessity to be required. 4. That penitents ought not to be absolued, if they haue not performed their penance. For confutation of which doctrine we may obserue.

1. That the heresy of this man, is different from the opinion of the former concerninge confession, and albeit in some things he ac­cordeth with them, yet he hath a smatch of his owne leauen, his selfe pleasinge and ouerweeninge humor.

2. that his opinions were as new nouel­ties, against the vniuersall practise and doc­trine of the holy fathers.

3. Our aduersaries cannot heerby gather that their doctrine was then in practise and approued: for this was but the opinion of one man, in one countrie, and in one vniuer­sity, the defence of which conclusions pro­ceeded rather of emmulation (an humor most incident to scholers) then of anye sownd iudgement in deuinitie, and know­ledge of the doctrine of the fathers.

[Page 269]4. He alloweth that which our aduersaries doe disallowe vid. an absolution from sinnes after the performance of their penance.

Further after this Peter had published his errors seeminge a great nouelty emonge the learned in the vniuersities of Spaine, as alsoe erroneus impiouse and most scandalouse vnto the vulgar sorte; Alphonsus Carillo then Archbishop of Toledo and chiefe pri­mate of Spaine, with mature iudgement, examined these conclusions, and cited this Peter de Osma to answere vnto them at Al­cala; but as heresy loues least to be in sight, and will begett that oftentimes, which it is loth to father; soe this Peter was backward for the most parte to come to triall. Wher­fore Carillo the Archbishop, with diuers other learned men and docters of Spaine, condemned him and his opinions, which condemnation was after sent to Rome, and there againe examined by pope Sixtus 4. anno 1471; and soe approued as appeareth by the extrauagant of Sixtus. 4.

The doctrine of the schoole deuines conforma­ble to that of the fathers.

Concerninge the doctrine of the schoole-deuines for auricular confession, being most famouse and learned men (as appeareth by their workes) I need not receite their opi­nions, bicause they ar comon in all schooles, and for their excellency of witt, see but [Page 270] Couel who approueth them, himselfe beinge a protestant.

Petrus Lombardus bishope of Paris, whom all the schoole diuines for that reuerence and honor they bare him, and for his singuler learninge, call him their master magister sen tentiarum▪ anno 1140, Alexander de Hales who made his summe, that excellent woork by commandement of Innocent the fourth, was caled f [...]ns vitoe, the fountaine of life, bicause of the liuely knowledge, that flowed from him, he was master to S. Bonauenture anno 1246. S. Bonauenture bishop of Al­bane, made Cardinale by Gregory the tenth anno 1275. for his singuler wisdome, knoweledge, learninge and sanctity of life. His master Alexander de Hales was wount to say of him, that in S. Bonauenture he thought Adam sinned not, meaninge for that illumination which was in him, as though he had not bene darkened by the fall of Adame.

S. Thomas de Aquino, who came soe neere vnto S. Augustin that some thought he had all his woorkes by harte, and by a common prouerbe it was spoken, that the soule of S. Augustine dwelt in Aquinas: In whome aboue all the rest fouer contrarieties were said to excell, Abondance, Breuity, Facility, Security. In respect wherof he gained the title to be caled Angelicall. anno 1274. Al­bertus [Page 271] Magnus master to S. Thomas of Aquine bishope of Ratisbone of most admi­rable learninge and knowledge, who for his excellency therin was called Magnus. anno 1280.

Iohanes Duns Scotus scholer to Alexander Hales anno 1299. a man of a singuler subtili­tie of witt and iudgement in learninge, for his profundity he was called tenebricosus. Richardus de media villa. Iohanes Gerson. Thomas Caietanus. Iohannes Roffensis. Thomas Waldensis. Thomas Morus. Iohannes Echius. Iohannes Cocleus. Io­hannes Hessels. Alphonsus a Castro. Al­bertus Pighius. Dominicus a Soto. Iohan­nes Gropper. Lindanus. Cardinalis Bel­larminus. Franciscus Turrianus. Grego­rius de Valentia. Azore. Vasquez. Ioha­nes Dreido. Iohanes Hofmeisterus. Ruar­eus Tapper. Petrus a Soto. Stanissaus Ho­sius. Petrus Canisius. Sanderus. Alanus Nauarrus. Suarez.

All which beinge the cheefest deuines in Christendome agree in the doctrine of auri­cular confession, conformable to that of the auncient fathers, and perpetuall practise of the church, now last of all renued and confir­med in the counsell of Trent as followeth.

Concilium Tridentinum [...]es. 14. c. 5 anno 1563.

By the institution of the Sacrament of pe­nance now explicated, the whole church of [Page 272] God hath alwaies vnderstood, that an intire confession of our sinnes, and an exact, is instituted by our Lorde. And that confession is necessary by gods lawe, to all such as fall after baptisme.

The practise of the church conformable.

As euery schoole was now fraught with this doctrine, and whosoeuer gainsaied it, were censured, and had the iust reward of hereticks; soe was there noe country Chri­stian, but had it in continuall vse and practise. And for the greek church it is euident, first by Nicolaus Cabisilas in the application of the Liturgy cap. 29. by Anastasius Nicenus his questions vpon the scriptures, q. 6. who as they were grecians, soe most plainely teach, that there was allowed and in vse the holy Sacrament of confession. And in these our daies Hieremias the Patriarch of Con­stantinople in censuringe the Augustine con­fession in the 1. chapter, much reprehendeth the grosse opinion of the Lutherans, who bouldly affirmed, that all sinnes were not of necessity to be confessed, or the number particularly in confession to be regarded and euery sinne to be specified in his kind. Per singu [...]as species in confessione enumerando Where it is manifest, that the grecians in Constantinople, agreed with the Latine church in this article of confession, and so had practise therof to declare euery parti­culer, [Page 273] with respect hadd to euery particuler circumstance.

To come neerer to our owne times in the yeare 1475. both the kinges of England and Fraunce went to confession, for as it appea­reth on the 29. August. in the same yeare they both being mett together to conclude a peace, which concluded they were both sworne on a missale saieth Comines (for then there was noe communion booke heard of) to the performance of some certaine articles then concluded on: Which donne the kinge of Fraunce offered the kinge of Englād (if he would goe to Paris) the Cardinall of Borbone to be his ghostly father for the absolution of his sinnes. Further by an historicall relation of two famouse ambassadges, the one of Gab [...]iell Patrriarch of Alexandria the 97. pa­triarch after S. Mark, the other out of Russia of some 1000. churches vnto these a of Rome appeareth, albeit they had falen into diuerse errors, yet they acknowledged the Sacra­ment of penance and confession: as also Io­hannes Comus Corepiscopus thus writinge to Clement the 8. affirmeth in these latter daies vnder the name of all his country that, in eius manus est absolutio & ligatio: the full auctority to bind & loose. Lastly the duke of Northumberland in the yeare 1553. although he had bene a great stickler and ringe-leader in the daunce of innouation for Zinglia­nisme, [Page 274] yet cominge in the end to calamitie and to be beheaded, acknowledged the ca­tholick faith: not for flattery or for hope of life, wherupon he brought as wittnesse, the Lord of Worcester his ould frend, and his father; wherby it is apparant, he vsed then confession in the tower, albeit in the tide of better fortune he folowed the maine streame of pleasure, littell caringe for religion or confession, but then, cum tribularetur tunc clamauit. See Stow.