Two Treatises Against the Papists, Book 1 · Chapter 3
That the practise of Christes Church, in the courte of binding and loosing mans sinnes, doth liuely set forth the order of Gods iustice in the next life, and proue Purgatory. CAP. III.
1THis being then proued, that God him selfe hath oftē visited the sinnes of such as were very deare vntounto him, let vsus now diligently beholde the graue authority of loosing and binding sinnes, and the courte of mans conscience which Christ woulde hauehave kept in earth by the Apostles and Pastours of our soules: where we neede not doubt but to finde the very resemblaunce of Gods disposition and ordinance, in punishing or pardoning offensies. For the honor and poure of this ecclesiasticall gouernement, is by especiall commission so ample, that it conteineth not onelyonly the preaching of the Gospell and ministerie of the Sacraments,Note. but that which is more neare to the might and maiestie of God, and onelyonly aperteineth to him by proprietie of nature, the very exact iudgement of all our secret sinnes, with loosing and binding of the same. For as God the father gaue all iudgement to his onelyonly Sonne,Ioan. 5. so he at his departure hense, to the honor of his spouse and necessarie giding of his people, did communicate the same in most ample maner (as S. Chrysostome sayth) to the Apostles and priestes for euer: that they practising in earth terrible iudgemēt vponupon mans misdeedes, might fully represent vntounto vsus the very sentence of God in punishment of wickednesse in the worlde to come. The princes of the earth hauehave poure to binde too,Lib. de Sacer. 3. but no further then the body, but this other (sayth he) reacheth to the soule it selfe, and practised here in the world beneth (which is a straunge case) hath force and effect in heauen aboue. The poure of all potentates, vnderunder the maiestie of the blessed Trinitie, in heauen and earth, is extreme basenesse compared to this.
By this graue authoritie therefore, the Pastors and Priestes imitating Gods iustice, hauehave exercised continually punishment, from the spring of Christian religion, downe till these dayes, vponupon all sinners: perpetually enioyning for satisfying of Gods wrath, penaunce and workes of correction, either before they would absolue them, as the olde vsage was, or els after the release of their offensies, which now of late for graue causes hath bene more vsed. In which sentence of their iudgement we plainely see, that as there was euer accomp… made amongest all the faithfull of paine due vntounto sinne, though the very offense it selfe and the giltinesse (as you would say) thereof, were forgiuen before: so we may gather that it was euer enioyned by the priestes holy ministerie, after the qualitie and quantitie of the fault committed. VVhereupon they charged some maner offenders with certaine prayers onelyonly, other with large almose, diuerse with long fasting, many with perilous peregrinations, some with suspending from the sacraments, and very greuous offenders, with curse and excommunication.
Ex cōmunication hath the image of Gods iustice in the vvorlde to come.VVhereby thou maiest not onelyonly proue that there is paine to be suffred for thy sinnes, but also hauehave a very image of that miserie which in the next life may faule, not onelyonly to the damned for euer, but also to all other which neglected in this time of grace the fructes of penaunce, and workes of satisfaction for the aunswere of their liues past. This great correction of excommunication and separation from the sacramentes, S. Paule termeth the rodde,Virgam. wherewith he often threatened offenders: yea and some times though it was with great sorow (the punishment was so extreme) he mightely in Gods steade occupied the same. As once against Himeneus and Alexander: 1. ad Timo. Cap. 1. 1. Cor. 5.and an other time towardes a Corinthian, vponupon whome, being absent, he gaue sentence of their deliuery vp to Satan: not to be vexed of him as Iob was for the increase of merite,In 1. ad Cor. cap. 5. (sayth Chrysostome) but in their flesh meruelously to be tormented for paiment for their greuous offensies: and as the Apostle writeth of the Corinthian, that his soule might be false in the day of our Lorde.
CAP. III.
1 BEcause this man would shew him selfe mindeful of his promise hereafter, he is euen now wandered out of Purgatory into excommunication, which notwithstanding he counteth no digression at all, because it doth set forth the order of Gods iustice in the next life, and proue Purgatory, which were neither so nor so, but that he hath a speciall grace, to make all thinges serue his purpose, though they be neuer so farre from it. Omnia ex omnibus, he can make what he liste of eueryevery thing. We confesse the power of excommunication geuen by Christ vntounto his Church, and the seueritie of the punishment thereof to be greater, then the swelling wordes of M. Allens eloquence can expresse: but where as he addeth, that it hath bene the perpetuall vsage of Gods church, for satisfying of Gods wrath, to enioyne penaunce and workes of correctiō, before they would absolue, which was the olde custome, or els after the release of their offence which was the new fashion, he sheweth him selfe ignoraunte of the right vse and end of that auctoritie, which our Sauiour hath committed vntounto his Church. For the chiefe ende of this discipline, is to bring the sinners to repentaunce, which if it may be obtained by admonitiō, the sworde of excommunication must not be drawen out. As appereth plainely by Christes owne wordes Matth. 18. If priuate admonition, where the offence is not publike, may preuaile to winne our brother, there needeth no witnesse to be called. If two or three may serue to admonish: ye matter neede not to be referred to the Churches knowledge: and he that heareth the Church, so that by the admonition thereof he is brought to harty repentaunce, is not to be cut of from the Church, nor to be deliuered to Sathan, for how should the Church refuse him, whome God receiueth: But if he obstinatly contemne the gentle admonition of the Church, or as our Sauiour saieth, if he refuse to heare the Church, then let him be as an heathen or publicane. For afterwarde if being excommunicated: he shew harty tokens of repentaunce, without any further satisfaction, he is to be receiued againe, as appereth most manifestly, in the receiuing of that Corinthian which was excommunicated, of whose vnfeined repentaunce, when the Apostle had intelligence, he writeth againe to the Corinthians of him saying. It is sufficient for that same man that he was rebuked of many, but now you ought to forgeue him and comforte him, that he should not be swallowed vp with ouer much heuines. 2. Cor. 2. And as for the practise of the olde and puerer Church, by enioyning of workes of repentaunce, was, that they might not be deceiued by conterfect repentaunce, in stead of true and earnest reformation, not to satisfie the wrath of God against sinners (which is not satisfied, but by the bloude of Christ) but to satisfie and assure the Church (as much as man might iudge) of the vnfeined and hartie repentaunce of the offendour. For how so euer the olde writers vse the worde of satisfaction, somethinge vnproprely, yet their cleare affirmation of the onelyonly satisfaction of Christes death, declareth what they vnderstoode, when they vsed that terme in an other sense. But this is not to be omitted, that M. Allen confesseth the Papistes, to hauehave left the olde vsage of the Church, which was first to set satisfactiō, and then to absolue, and now of late, to hauehave taken vp a contrary custome that is, first to absolue then to enioyne penaunce. This practise therefore lacketh antiquitie, one of the chiefe pillers of Popery. But this he sayeth is for great causes, but what causes, he doth not expresse: it is sufficient that the Church can not erre, though they doe that which is contrary to the vsage of the auncient Church, without grounde of Scripture, and against the commaundement of Christ. How harde Cyprian was to absolue them, that were excommunicate, before they had shewed great fruites of repentaunce, and how carefull, that the Church should not be deceiued by them, that vpō counterfected penaūce, required absolution, appereth by many of his epistles, & in his Sermon De lapsis. But because we shall hauehave a more proper place to speake of satisfaction in the next Chapter, we will now follow M. Allen in this matter of excōmunicatiō.
2 This punishment was euer by cutting of from the Christian societie, and often ioyned with torment of body or sicknesse. And sometimes with death. As in the excommunication of Ananias and Zaphiras: Act. 5. Note.VVhichWhich Christes vicar S. Peter, to the great terrour euen of the faithfull, grauely pronounced on them for retaining backe certaine Church goods, which by promesse they had before dedicated vntounto God & the Apostles distributiō.
This kinde of punishment of sinnes was euer counted so terrible, that we finde it called of the olde fathers damnation:August. de Correp. & gra. cap. 15. as one that most resembles the paines of the worlde to come of all other. And if man coulde see with corporall eyes the miserie of the party so condemned in Gods church, his hearte woulde brast:Ita Grego. Nis. orat de Castigatione. and it woulde moue terrour of further damnation euen to the stubborne contemners of the Churches authoritie. The which censure of Gods priestes, though it was sometimes to the euerlasting woe of such offenders as neglected the benefite of that present paine, yet commonly it was but chastisement and louing correction of our deare mother, for their deliuerie from greater griefe in the life to come.
2 He sayth that excōmunication was oftentimes ioyned with torment of bodie, and sickenesse, and sometimes with death. Of torment and sickenesse he bringeth no proofe, but of death in Ananias and Saphira. But where findeth he, that they were excommunicated? I finde that they were punished with death for their hypocrisie and dissimulation, but there is no worde, nor halfe worde, of their excommunication, and whereas you saye, it was for reteining backe of certaine Church goods, S. Peter sayth, it was for: lying and tempting the holy Ghost: And those Church goods were not for vaine ostentation of golden copes, chalices, or such like superstitious vanities, but for the necessarie reliefe of the poore. Againe, I know in what sense you call S. Peter Christes vicar, well if the Pope be in the same office Peter was, why doth he not likewise punish those whome he taketh to be Church robbers, if he lacke the power (as I am sure he lacketh not the will) then hath he not the authoritie Peter had. And if Peter did this as Christes vicar, then is not he Christes vicar, that can not doe as Peter did.
3 And for this cause,Aug. Ench. cap. 65. as the example of all ages past may sufficiently proue, were certeine times and ordinary termes of penaunce apointed, for iust satisfaction for eueryevery offense: and by the holy Canons so limited, that no sinne wittingly might be reserued to Gods heauy reuenge in the ende of our short dayes. It were to long to reporte the rules and prescription of penaunce,Nicen. c. 12. Ancyr. c. 5. out of Nice Councell or Ancyre: or out of S. Cyprian, for their punishmēt that fell to Idolatry in the time of Decius and Diocletianus: or out of Ambrose, the notable excommunication of Theodosius the Emperour. By all which and the like, in the histories of the Ecclesiasticall affaires, he that can not see what paine is due vntounto sinne, euen after the remission thereof, I holde him both ignorant and malicious blinde.
3 That certeine times and ordinary termes were appointed, in which they that grieuousely offended, shoulde shew their repentaunce, the same was not for satisfaction for their sinnes, but for certaine demonstration of their repētaunce, which thing appereth euen by the same canons of the Councels which you alledge, For when godly discipline beganne to decaie, whereof Cyprian complaineth often in his epistles, men that notoriously offended would sometime, by thretning and terrors, sometime, by refusing the censure of that church, by whome they were condemned, sometime by flattering the constant Martyrs, and so deceiuing them, that they would become suters for them (at whose request the Church many times was intreated) would seeke to thrust them selues againe into the communion of the faithfull, before they had shewed sufficient tokens of sorrow, for so greuous faltes, of which enormyties Cyprian much complaineth as one that was much trobled with thē. as Lib. 1. Epist. 3. Lib. 3. Epist. 15. For remedy of which enormities, and for auoiding of all subtill practises, to restore discipline to the auncient seuerity, decrees were made by the aunciēt Councels, in which certaine times of triall were appointed, for offenders, to approue their repentaunce, with regarde of the heynousnesse of their crymes: but yet with such moderation, that they might be receiued before the time appointed, if they shewed sufficient fruites of repentaunce, as appereth most plainely, in the 11. Canon of the Nicone Councell, where it is said: Ab omnibus vero illud praecipuè obseruetur, vt animus corum & fructus poenitentiae attendatur, &c. Let this be chiefely considered of all (that are excommunicated) that there minde and fruictes of repentaunce be considered, for they that with all feare, continuall teares, and good workes, shew their cō uersion, not only by wordes but in deed and in trueth. &c. With them the Byshop maie deale more gently, whereas those that thinke it is sufficient onelyonly to enter into the Church, are charged in any wise to keepe the ordinary time. &c. Wherefore he that gathereth that paines are due to sinnes after remission of them, by example of them that remitted no sinnes, but after sufficient paines suffered for them, or amendes made for them, I holde him not onelyonly malitious blinde, but beastly vnreasonable.
4 And if any man yet doubt why, or to what end the Church of Christ thus greuousely tormenteth her owne children, by so many meanes of heuy correction, whome she might by good authoritie freely release of their sinnes, let him assuredly know, that she coulde not so satisfie Gods iustice alwayes, by whome she holdeth her authoritie to edifie and not to destroye: to bynd as well as to loose. Although such dolour for offensies committed, and so earnest zele may she sometimes finde in the offender, that her chiefe and principall pastors may by their soueraigne authoritie, wholy discharge him of all paines to come. But els in the commō case of Christian men, this penaunce is for no other cause enioyned,Ibidem. but to saue them from the more greuous torment in the worlde following. In the which sense S. Augustine both speaketh him selfe, and proueth his meaning, by the Apostles wordes as followeth. Propterea de quibusdam temporalibus poenis, 1. Cor. 11.quae in hac vita peccantibus irrogantur eis quorum peccata delentur, ne reseruentur in finem, ait Apostolus: si enim nosmetipsos iudicaremus, a domino nō iudicaremur. Cum iudicamur autem a domino corripimur, ne cum hoc mundo d…mnemur. Therefore (sayth he) it is of certaine temporall afflictions which be laid vponupon their neckes, that being sinners hauehave their trespasses pardoned, lest they be called to an accompt for them at the latter ende, that the Apostle meaneth by, when he sayth: If we woulde iudge our selues, we shoulde not then be iudged of our Lord. And when we be iudged of our Lord, then are we chastened that we be not damned with the worlde. This onelyonly carefull kindnesse of our mother therefore, that neuer remitted sinne that was notorious in any age, but after sharp punishment, or earnest charge with some proportionall penaunce for the same, doth not onelyonly geue vsus a louing warning to beware and preuent that heuie correction of the worlde to come, which S. Paule calleth the iudgement of God, because it is a sentence of iustice: but also in her owne practise here in earth, of mercy, in pardoning: of iustice in punishment: she geueth vsus a very cleare example of both the same to be vndoubtedly looked for at the handes of God him selfe, by whome in the kingdome of the Church, these both in his behalfe be profitably practised. For if there were no respect of the dredfull day in the ende of our life, nor any paine further due for sinnes remitted, in the next world, then were it cruell arrogancy in the ministers to charge men with penaunce, needlesse to the offender, and foly to the sufferer. But God forbid any shoulde be so malipert or misbeleuing, as to miscredit the doinges and doctrine of the Catholike Church, which by the authoritie she hath to binde sinnes, and the protection of the holy Ghost, hath vsed this rodde of correction to the profit of so many, and hurte of none, euer sence our maisters death and departure.
4 Marke here gentle reader, what an absolute power of remissiō of sinns, this Papist doth ascribe to the Church, that she might (he sayth) by good authority, freely release men of their sinnes, with out satisfying of Gods iustice, but that she will not, except in some case, where she findeth such dolour and zeale in the offender that her chiefe and principall Pastors, may by there soueraine authoritie, wholy discharge him of all paines to come. Marke here the soueraigne authoritie of the Pope not subiect, no not to the iustice of God. For els how should the Popes pardons stand, or Christes merites be excluded? if the Pope had not power to doe by his soueraigne authority, that Christ coulde not doe by his bitter passion, to discharge penitent sinners of all paines to come: you see therefore, that ye Popish church, is not as a wife subiect to Christ her spouse, to exercise on earth the authoritie of Christ in heauen, according to his will, but a presumptuous harlot, to claime soueraigne authoritie in earth, wherevnto he is bounde, which is in heauen. For otherwise, though the olde fathers, that were most earnest in maintaining the Churches authoritie, as Cyprian Sermo. de lapsis, speaking against thē which thought it was sufficient, if they were receiued by the ordinary authoritie of the Church, although they were not truely penitent, writeth thus. Nemo se fallat, nemo decipiat. Solus dominus misereri potest. veniam peccatis quae in ipsum commissa sunt, solus potest ille largiri, qui peccata nostra portauit, qui pro nobis doluit, quem Deus tradidit pro peccatis nostris. Homo Deo esse non potest maior, nec remittere, aut donare indulgentia sua seruus potest, quod in dominum delicto grauiore commissum est, ne adhuc lapso, & hoc accedat ad crimen, si nesciat esse praedictum: Maledictus homo, qui spem habet in homine: Dominus orandus est, dominus nostra satisfactione placandus est, qui negantem negare se dixit. Let no man (sayth he) deceiue him selfe, let no man begile him selfe. It is onelyonly the Lorde that can shew mercy. OnelyOnly he can graunt pardon to offenses that are cōmitted against him, who hath borne our sinnes. Who hath suffered sorrow for vsus, whome God hath geuen for our sinnes. A man can not be greater, then God, neither can the seruaunt by his indulgence remit or forgeue that which by so great offence is committed against the Lorde, lest this offence also be added to him that is fallen away, if he know not that it is fore shewed. Cursed is that man that putteth his trust in man. The Lorde must be intreated, the Lorde must be pacified with our satisfaction which sayth he doth deny that man that denieth him. In these wordes, Cyprian not onelyonly plainely denieth that absolute & soueraigne authoritie of men, which M. Allen affirmeth, but also declareth, what he meaneth by satisfactiō of God. Namely that those which counterfected repentaunce, and though, by some outwarde obseruations, to satisfie the Church, might know they had to doe with God, who was not pleased, but with inwarde and harty conuersion, whose knowledge they must satisfie, with true repentaunce in deede, as they seeke to satisfie iudgement of the Church by externall signes and tokens thereof. But to returne to the common case of Christian men, (for the Popes cases be out of the common case of christen men) M. Allen sayth penaunce (and by penaunce he still meaneth punishment) is for no other cause enioined, but to saue them from more greeuous torment in the world following. In deede true repentaunce deliuereth men from eternall torments, but what is this to purgatory? euen as much as the saying of Augustine, by him alleged, where he sayth that God punisheth in this life with temporall paynes those, whose sins are pardoned, lest they should be reserued in finem, that is for euer, which is to be chastised by the Lord, lest we should be damned with the world, of which matter enough hath bene sayd already. To conclude this chapter (because the wordes following contayne nothing but a vayne repetition of that which he hath often sayd before) the censure of excommunication, with the power of binding and loosing, remayneth still inuiolable to the Church, nowe the opinion of purgatory is ouerthrowne, as it did before the doctrine of purgatory euer came into the world.