The New Covenant, Book 1 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. That popiſh penance is no Sacrament.
THe doctrine of repentance and turning from all our ſinnes to God, to bring forth fruites of amendment of life, is taught in the SacramentsaIoel. 2, 12, 13. and commended vntounto al, Ioel 2. Turne you vntounto me withall your heart, and rent your heart, not your garments. There is none that liueth and ſinneth not, we are corrupt and become abhominable, the imaginations of our heart are onelyonly euill, and that continually:Gen. 6, 5. Rom. 7, 18. in vsus, that is in our fleſh or unregenerate part there dwelleth no good thing: wee were conceiued and borne in ſinne, and therefore whoſoeuer ſaith, He is without ſinne, deceiueth himſelfe, and there is no truth in him. This corruption of our nature that hath taken holde on all mankinde (for there is none that doth good no not one) muſt be mortified, and the new man which is ſpirituall and regenerate by the Holy-Ghoſt muſt be quickened. Repentance therefore conſiſteth in anbEſa. 1, 16, 17 Pſal. 34, 15. Mat. 3, 8. inward ſorrow for our ſinnes, in an hatred of them, in ſuppreſsing the corruptiōs of nature, in a purpoſe to obey God, in a care to forſake our ſins, in confeſsing the greatneſſe of them, in condemning our ſelues for them, in acknowledging the deſart of them, in an holy indignation and anger againſt our ſelues, that we hauehave beene ſo careleſſe in looking to our owne waies, in fearing leaſt we runne into the ſame ſins againe, in deſiring euer hereafter to pleaſe God, and to walke more carefully before him in zeale touching the ſeruice of God, and in taking reuenge ſometimes and puniſhment vponupon our ſelues for former offences. For we confeſſe plainely and deny not, but ſome outward penalties and chaſtiſements of the body may be vſed and do pleaſe God, not of themſelues, but becauſe they are profitable meanes and good helpes to further and forward true repentance. As for example, he that hath offended grieuouſly in ſurfetting & drunkenneſſe, and hath great heauineſſe of heart and ſorrow of minde that he hath ſinned againſt ſo gracious a God and mercifull Father: may preſcribe and appoint to himſelfe without appearance of ſuperſtition, or error of ſatisfaction, or opinion of merite, ſome faſting or abſtinence for a certaine time, that he may bee better fitted to Gods ſeruice, and further ſtrengthened againſt thoſe ſinnes into which he is fallen. This doctrine we receiue as the doctrine of Chriſt, and agreeable to the Prophets and Apoſtles, as appeareth, 2 Cor. 7. where Paul ſetteth downe the effects or fruites of true repentance. This is our doctrine and the doctrine of the Church of God, touching repentance: let vsus conſider a little the popiſh penance and what they teach touching it, and we ſhall ſee plainely, that heauen and earth, light and darkneſſe are not more oppoſite then their deuices and inuentions are to the truth. For they hauehave forged a new Sacrament which they cal Penance,What popiſh penance is. when a man is contrite for all his ſinnes, and maketh a full and ſufficient reckoning vp & rehearſall of them all in the eare of the Prieſt, of whom he is enioyned to make ſatisfaction after he is abſolued of them: So that this new coyned Sacrament conſiſteth of theſe foure counterfeit parts,The parts of popiſh penance. the contrition of the heart, the confeſsion of the mouth, the ſatisfaction of the worke, and the abſolution of the Prieſt. Thus they abuſe the name of a Sacrament, when they apply it to theſe things, as we ſhall ſee afterward. Againe, they require all theſe things as neceſſary to ſaluation in all that are of yeares of diſcretion, whereby they lay ſnares for mens ſoules and ſet them vponupon the racke, requiring an impoſsibility at their hands, foraſmuch as no man can hauehave perfect ſorrow, nor number vp all his ſinnes, nor yet make ſatisfaction for them, and therefore this Penance is not a boord to eſcape ſhipwracke, neyther phyſicke for the ſoule, but the high way to deſperation. Laſtly, they make the performance of all theſe things meritorious, and teach that remiſsion of ſinnes is obtained by them; which tendeth to the reproach and diſhonour of Chriſt. Let vsus ſpeake ſomewhat of theſe in order.
Touching the firſt point, to wit, Contrition, we grant that godly ſorrow of heart for ſinne is neceſſary to repentance, as alſo to hauehave a true feeling of ſinne, and an hatred and deteſtation of it: howbeit it is no part the repentance, but onelyonly the right and ready way that leadeth to it, becauſe the more ſinne doth preſſe vsus and afflict vsus, the more we learne to flye to the mercy of God in his Sonne Chriſt. But they teach that this Contrition ought to be perfect, and that the greatneſſe of the griefe muſt be anſwerable and equiualent to the greeuouſneſſe of the ſinne; they make it a neceſſary meane and cauſe of iuſtification, and apart of ſatisfaction for our ſinnes, that we deſerue by it remiſsion of them; and therefore their doctrine is diueliſh and blaſphemous, tranſlating vntounto mortall and ſinfull men, that which is proper to Chriſt the Son of God.
The next point is Confeſsion. Such as the Scripture alloweth and approueth, we admit and acknowledge; as firſt, publike confeſsion of the whole Church, acknowledging thēſelues before the cōgregation to be grieuous ſinners in the ſight of God, conſenting to the Miniſter that conceiueth the prayer, and crauing pardon of our heauenly Father in the name of Chriſt our Sauiour. This is practiſed continually of al the faithfull met together, they begin the exerciſes of religion with this publike humiliation, Nehe. 9, 3.Nehe. 9, 3. For whereſoeuer two or three are gathered together in his name, where he is in the midſt of them, there is alwayes confeſsion of ſinne: foraſmuch as there is nothing can with-hold good things from vsus, but our owne vnworthineſſe. Secondly, there is a priuate confeſsion, when a man poureth out his hart before God alone, and deſireth forgiueneſſe of his ſins. This did Dauid, Pſal. 32, 5, and …1.1.2. Luke 18.this did the Publican practiſe: and ſo doth eueryevery beleeuing ſoule almoſt at all times. For we do all of vsus finde continuall occaſions to poure out our meditations before him, to keepe vsus from ſinne, to hold vsus vp in tentations, and to weaken the power of ſin daily in vsus. Thirdly, there is another confeſsion, when ſuch as are baniſhed from the Church, and excluded from the Sacraments, and excommunicated out of the ſociety of the faithfull, do openly acknowledge their offences, and deſire to be reconciled to the Church, which they hauehave notoriouſly offended, as we ſee in the example of the inceſtuous Corinthian, 2 Cor. 2.6.2 Cor. 2, 6. who humbled himſelfe before God, & asked forgiuenes of the Church. Fourthly, there is a kinde of confeſsion of ſuch as hauehave offended their brethren; not that which wee mentioned before, belonging to eccleſiaſticall diſcipline: but a priuate acknowledgement of the iniuries and wrongs done vntounto them, and a crauing of forgiuenes at their hands, which duty the offenders are bound to performe, and the offended are bound to grant, according to the rule of charity.Mat. 5, 24, and 6, 14. and 18.15. For we are all charged to reconcile our ſelues vntounto our brethren, and to forgiue as we deſire to be forgiuen. Laſtly, there is a lawfull and lawdable kind of confeſsion, pertaining to ſuch as are troubled in conſcience for ſinne, and deſire to finde comfort, and to be at peace with God. Theſe are to make confeſsion of that particular ſinne which lyeth heauy vponupon their heart, eyther to the Miniſter, if he hauehave the tongue of the learned, and bee able to miniſter a word of comfort in ſeaſon;Iam. 5.16. or to ſome other faithfull and godly brother, that their ſpirits may be raiſed vp & refreſhed by their prayers. All there ſorts of confeſsion we know to be good, and therefore receiue: but what are they to the auricular confeſsion ſecretly whiſpered in the eare of an ignorant and ſottiſh Prieſt, wherein men are enioyned to confeſſe all particularly, at the leaſt all their mortall ſins,Rhem. annot. vponupon Iohn 20. whether they be committed in minde, heart, will, and cogitation onelyonly, or elſe in word and worke, with all the neceſſary circumſtances and differences of the ſame. This they will have done once a yeare, in the holy time of Lent, before the Lords Supper bee receiued at Eaſter. This is a meere inuention of carnal men, not an inſtitution of God: foraſmuch as Chriſt neyther by commandment, neyther by example ordained any ſuch auricular Confeſsion or particular enumeration of all our ſinnes; of which we ſhal ſpeake further in the third booke, where we intreat of the preparation required of ſuch as come to the Table of the Lord.
The third point is ſatisfaction; and it is true that the iuſtice of God muſt be ſatisfied, foraſmuch as hee can neuer forget to be iuſt: but it is folly and madnes, blockiſhneſſe and ſencelesneſſe, nay high preſumption and blaſphemy for fleſh and blood to thinke that they can make recompence to God for their ſins and fully ſatisfie his iuſtice. For who is able to beare the burthen of his wrath?Pſal. 90.11. For who can pay a price ſufficient for his ſinnes? or who dare offer to the righteous God the rags and patches of his owne workes, to merite thereby his fauour? What is the ſprinkling of holy water, the building of Churches, the erecting of Monaſteries, the mumbling vp of prayers, the lighting of Candles, the giuing of almes, the putting on of ſacke-cloth, the chaſtiſing of the bodge, the ſaying of Maſſes, the buying of indulgences, the going on pilgrimages, and ſuch like ſuperſtitious vanities and impieties; what I ſay, do all theſe auaile to make ſatisfactiOn to God for the ſinne of our ſoules? And when it ſhall be ſaid vntounto them, Who required theſe things at your hands? Eſay 1, 12.what ſhall they be able to anſwere? nay when it ſhall be ſaid, I deteſt and abhorre your deuiſes and dotages, what can they finde out to mutter or vtter in defence of themſelues? Then they ſhall be taken ſpeechleſſe, and hauehave nothing to anſwere for themſelues Our ſatisfaction to God is only Chriſts ſatisfaction (which is perfect and abſolute, & imputed to vsus by faith) who of God is made vntounto vsus wiſedome and righteouſneſſe, ſanctification and redemption, 1. Cor. 1, 30.1 Cor. 1, 30. As for the popiſh ſatisfaction, it is not to be receiued for theſe cauſes: firſt becauſe they affirme that it ſtandeth with the iuſtice of God to retaine the puniſhment after the ſinne committed is forgiuen. Secondly, they hold that the temporall puniſhments of this life due to ſinne, may be bought out, and redeemed by our good workes. Thirdly, they teach that it is not ſufficient to beleeue that Chriſt hath fully ſatisfied for vsus, who notwithſtanding was made ſinne for vsus which knew no ſinne, 2 Cor. 5, 21.that we ſhould bee made the righteouſneſſe of God in him, neither that it is enough to amend our liues; but that God muſt be ſatisfied by vsus for our ſins in our owne perſons, by the puniſhment and chaſtiſement of our ſelues; as by penance enioyned by the Prieſt, or by praiers, faſtings, almes, chaſtiſements, and ſuch like ſhewes of wiſedome,Col. 2, 23. in voluntary religion and humbleneſſe of mind, and in not ſpring the body, which are things of no value, ſith they pertaine to the filling of the fleſh, Col. 2.23. Laſtly, they auouch that ſatisfaction by this will-worſhip is not onelyonly profitable to the ſufferers themſelues, but alſo auaileable for others, ſo that one man may beare the burthen and diſcharge the debt of another, one man may merite and ſatisfie for another. The very naming of theſe impieties and abſurdities is ſufficient to ouerthrow them, and to make vsus to deteſt them.
The laſt point is abſolution ariſing from the former, wherein ſtandeth the life of this dead Sacrament. For when the penitent hath performed all the former, his contrition, his confeſsion, and his ſatisfaction, he is by the Prieſt fully abſolued of his ſins, albeit he know nothing of the doctrine of hatred of ſinne, of amendment of life, and of flying to the mercy of God and the merite of Chriſt his Sonne, without which there can bee no true repentance. Beſides, theſe three ſuppoſed and pretented parts of Penance, may be found in the reprobate, as we ſee in Iudas, who had their contrition, for he was ſorrowfull: their confeſsion, for he ſaid, Mathew 27, 4.Mat. 27 4. I hauehave ſinned in betraying innocent blood: and their ſatisfaction, for he brought backe againe the curſed mony that he had taken, and caſt it downe in the Temple: and yet hee was farre from true repentance, as appeareth in this, that hee went out immediately, and hanged himſelfe. Thus we hauehave heard at large, what the popiſh Penance is.
Now the queſtionPenance no Sacrament. ariſeth betweene the Church of Rome and vsus, whether this repentance which is a dying to ſinne, and a walking in newneſſe of life, and whether reconciliation to the Church and abſolution from ſinne be a Sacrament of the new Teſtament, inſtituted by Chriſt, to aſſure his ſauing graces to vsus? We anſwere it is not. Firſt, it was in time of the old Teſtament from the beginning of mans fall and tranſgreſsion: it was continually preached and publiſhed by the Prophets, and therefore before Chriſts comming in the fleſh, and cannot bee a Sacrament of the new Teſtament.
Secondly, it wanteth an outward ſigne ſuch as water in Baptiſme, ſuch as bread and wine in the Lords Supper: now eueryevery Sacrament muſt hauehave an outward element and ſigne to repreſent the ſpirituall grace: therefore Penance can be no Sacrament.
Thirdly, it hath no word to command it, no particular promiſe of God, which is the chiefe ſtay and ſtaffe of a Sacrament. Bellarmine affirmeth, thatdBellar. lib. 1. de poenit. ca. 10 Chriſt inſtituted the Sacrament of Penance, when bee breathed upon his Apoſtles after his reſurrection, and ſaid vntounto them,eIoh. 20.22. Receiue the Holy-Ghoſt, whoſe ſinnes ye rem't they are remitted, and whoſe ſins ye retaine they are retained. And he ſaith, the words of abſolution are the ſigne, and that remiſsion of ſinnes is the promiſe of grace which is ſignified. For anſwere to this aſſertion, would gladly aske this queſtion, whether the Apoſtles had this miniſterial power to forgiue ſinnes to repentant ſinners, when they baptized to remiſsion of ſins, if this power were heere firſt inſtituted and giuen vntounto them? Do they not by tying the authority of remitting ſins to this time, make their baptiſme of none effect? Beſides, we hauehave ſhewed that it is not ſufficient to hauehave a ſound of words that may bee heard, to make an outward ſigne: there muſt be a viſible ſigne that may be ſeene, to warrant a Sacrament. Now to make a Sacrament without ſuch a ſigne, were to make a Sacrament without a Sacrament. Laſtly, as they take and vnderſtand Penance, it is neither Sacrament, nor ſacred: it is neither holy ſigne, nor holy thing: it is neyther an inſtitution of God, nor any way of God. For they meane not thereby amendment of life, or inward ſorrow and griefe of minde for the life paſt, which is ſometimes teſtified by weeping and mourning, by ſacke-cloth and aſhes, by faſting and humiliation: but they vnderſtand by Penance and externall diſcipline, ſatisfaction for our ſins to God by our owne ſufferings: and that wearing of ſacke-cloth, ſprinkling of aſhes, chaſtiſing of the body, whipping of the fleſh, putting on rough apparell, lying on boords and hard places, abſtaining from fleſh, and afflicting our ſelues by ſuch outward exerciſes, are a paying of the paines due to ſin, part of amends made to Gods iuſtice, and meritorious before him. This puniſhment, this Penance, theſe penalties we abhorre, as an horrible blaſphemy againſt the blood of Chriſt, which is the onelyonly ſatisfaction to God for ſinne. For if wee ſatisfie for our ſelues, then hath not Chriſt ſatisfied for vsus, nor payed the price due vntounto our ſins. Beſides, they charge God the Father with iniuſtice, in that hauing laid the guiltineſſe of our ſins vponupon his owne Sonne, and puniſhed them in him, they make him not ſatisfied with that puniſhment, but to exact the debt of vsus againe, for which his Son as our ſurety hath fully and ſufficiently anſwered,fEſa. 53, 5, 7. He is puniſhed for our tranſgreſsions, he is bruiſed for our iniquities, the chaſtiſement of our peace is laid vponupon him, and by his ſtr…pes wee are healed: the Lord maketh the puniſhment of vsus all to light vponupon him. Likewiſeg1 Ioh. 1, 7. Reu…l. 1, 5. the Apoſtle Iohn ſaith, The blood of Ieſus Chriſt doth purge vsus from all ſin. And in the Reuelation he addeth, Christ hath waſhed vsus from our ſins in his blood. Whereby we ſee we are taught to beleeue, that wee are pardoned and reconciled to God, not through our owne ſatisfaction, not for our owne workes, not by our owne ſufferings, but onelyonly through the death and blood-ſhedding of Chriſt. Wherefore, their Penance is to be acknowledged to bee ſacriledge, and not accepted as a Sacrament: to be iniurious to Chriſts death, not meritorious for our life.