Works of Hooker, Book 6 · Part 3
Of the Discipline of Repentance instituted by Christ, practised by the Fathers, converted by the School-men into a Sacrament; and of Confession, that which belongeth to the vertue of Repentance, that which was used among the Iews, that which the Papacy imagineth a Sacrament, and that which Antient Discipline practised.
1. OUr Lord and Saviour in the sixteenth of St. Matthews Gospel,Mat. 16. 19. giveth his Apostles, Regiment in General over Gods Church. For they that have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, are thereby signified to be Stewards of the House of God, under whom they Guide, Command, Judge, and Correct his Family. The Souls of Men are Gods Treasure, committed to the Trust and Fidelity of such, as must render a strict account for the very least which is under their Custody. God hath not invested them with Power to make a Revenue thereof; but to use it for the good of them whom Jesus Christ hath most dearly bought.
And because their Office therein consisteth of sundry functions, some belonging to Doctrine, some to Discipline, all contained in the Name of the Keys, they have for matters of Discipline, as well Litigious as Criminal,Mat. 18. 17… their Courts and Consistories erected by the heavenly Authority of his most Sacred Voice, who hath said, Dic Ecclesia, Tell the Church; against rebellious and con…umacious Persons, which refuse to obey their Sentence, armed they are with Power to eject such out of the Church, to deprive them of the Honours, Rights, and Priviledges of Christian Men, to, make them as Heathens and Publicans, with whom society was hateful.
Furthermore, lest their Acts should be slenderly accounted of, or had in contempt;Mat. 1….1…. Job. 20.…. 1 Cor 5. 3. 2 Cor. 2. 6 1 Tim. 1.20. whether they admit to the Fellowship of Saints, or seclude from it, whether they bind Offenders, or set them again at liberty, whether they remit, or retain Sins, whatsoever is done by way of orderly and lawfull proceeding, the Lord himself hath promised to ratifie. This is that grand Original Warrant, by force whereof the Guides and Prelates in Gods Church, first his Apostles, and afterwards others following them successively, did both use and uphold that Discipline, the end whereof is to heal Mens Consciences, to cure their Sins, to reclaim Offenders from iniquity, and to make them by Repentance just.
Neither hath it of Ancient time, for any other respect, been accustomed to bind by Ecclesiastical Censures, to retain so bound till tokens of manifest Repentance appeared, and upon apparent Repentance to Release, saving only because this was received as a most expedient method for the cure of sin.
The course of Discipline in former Ages reformed open Transgressors, by putting them into Offices of open Penitence, especially Confession, whereby they declared their own crimes in the hearing of the whole Church, and were not from the time of their first Convention capable of the holy Mysteries of Christ, till they had solemnly discharged this duty.
Offenders in secret knowing themselves altogether as unworthy to be admitted to the Lords Table, as the other which were with-held; being also perswaded, that if the Church did direct them in the Offices of their Penitency, and assist them with publique Prayer, they should more easily obtain that they sought, than by trusting wholly to their own endeavours; finally, having no impediment to stay them from it but bashfulness, which countervailed not the former inducements; and besides, was greatly cased by the good construction, which the charity of those times gave to such actions, wherein Mens piety and voluntary care to be reconciled to God, did purchase them much more love than their faults (the testimonies of common frailty) were able to procure disgrace, they made it not nice to use some one of the Ministers of God, by whom the rest might take notice of their faults, prescribe them convenient remedies, and in the end after publick Confession, all joyn in Prayer unto God for them.
The first beginner of this Custom, had the more followers by means of that special favour which alwaies was with good consideration shewed towards voluntary Penitents above the rest.
But as Professors of Christian belief, grew more in number, so they waxed worse; when Kings and Princes had submitted their Dominions unto the Scepter of Jesus Christ, by means whereof Persecution ceasing, the Church immediately became subject to those evills which peace and security bringeth forth; there was not now that love which before kept all things in tune, but every where Schisms, Discords, Dissentions amongst Men. Conventicles of Hereticks, bent more vehemently against the sounder and better sort than very Infidels and Heathens themselves; faults not corrected in Charity, but noted with delight, and kept for malice to use when the deadliest opportunities should be offered.
Whereupon, forasmuch as publick Confessions became dangerous and prejudicial to the safety of well-minded Men, and in divers respects advantagious to the Enemies of Gods Church; it seemed first unto some, and afterwards generally requisite, that voluntary Penitents should surcease from open Confession.
Instead whereof, when once private and secret Confession had taken place with the Latins; It continued as a profitable Ordinance, till the Lateran Council had Decreed, that all Men once in a year at the least, should confess themselves to the Priest.
So that being a thing thus made both general and also necessary, the next degree of estimation whereunto it grew, was to be honoured and and lifted up to the Nature of a Sacrament… that as Christ did institute Baptism to give life, and the Eucharist to nourish life, so Penitence might be thought a Sacrament, ordained to recover life, and Confession a part of the Sacrament.
Scotoin …. sene d. 14. …. 1. art. 1. In easl. dist. …. 7. art. 1.They define therefore their private Penetency to be a Sacrament of remitting sins after Baptism: The vertue of Repentance, a detestation of wickedness, with ful purpose to amend the same, and with hope to obtain pardon at Gods hands.
Wheresoever the Prophets cry Repent, and in the Gospel Saint Peter maketh the same Exhortation to the Jews, as yet unbaptized, they would have the vertue of Repentance only to be understood, The Sacrament, where he adviseth Simon Magus to repent, because the Sin of Simon Magus was after Baptism.
Now although they have onelyonly external Repentance for a Sacrament, internal for a Vertue; yet make they Sacramental Repentance nevertheless to be composed of three parts, Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction; which is absurd; because Contrition being an inward thing, belongeth to the Vertue, and not to the Sacrament of Repentance, which must consist of external parts, if the nature thereof be external. Besides, which is more absurd, they leave out Absolution,Sont. lent. l. 4. d. …7. 4. whereas some of their School Divines, handling Penance in the nature of a Sacrament and being not able to espie the least resemblance of a Sacrament, save only in Absolution (for a Sacrament by their doctrine must both signifie and also confer, or bestow some special Divine Grace) resolved themselves, that the duties of the Penitent could be but meer preparations to the Sacrament, and that the Sacrament it self was wholly in Absolution.Sect. 14 e. 3. Docer Sancta Synolus Sacramemi poenite …tie formam, in quo praeripue ipsius vis stra est. in illis Ministri verbis postram esse, Ego te absolva. Sunc sutem quasi materia huiui Sacramenti ipsus paenitentis actus nempe Contritio, Confessio &c. Satisfactio. And albeit Thomas with his Followers have thought it safer, to maintain as well the services of the Penitent, as the words of the Minister, necessary unto the essence of their Sacrament; the services of the Penitent, as a cause material; the words of Absolution, as a formal; for that by them all things else are perfected to the taking away of Sin: which opinion, now reigneth in all their Schools, since the time that the Councel of Trent gave it solemn approbation, seeing they all make Absolution, if not the whole essence, yet the very form whereunto they ascribe chiefly the whole force and operation of their Sacrament; surely to admit the matter as a part, and not to admit the form, hath small congruity with reason.
Again, for as much as a Sacrament is compleat, having the matter and form which it ought, what should lead them to set down any other parts of Sacramental Repentance, then Confession and Absolution, as Durandus hath done?
For touching Satisfaction, the end thereof, as they understand it, is a further matter, which resteth after the Sacrament administred, and therefore can be no part of the Sacrament.
Will they draw in Contrition with Satisfaction, which are no parts, and exclude Absolution (a principal part,) yea, the very complement, form and perfection of the rest as themselves account it? But for their breach of precepts in art, it skilleth not, if their Doctrine otherwise concerning Penitency, and in Penitency touching Confession might be found true.
We say, let no man look for pardon, which doth sin other and conceal Sin, where, in duty, it should be revealed.
The cause why God requireth Confession to be made to him, is, that thereby testifying a deep hatred of our own iniquity, the only cause of his hatred and wrath towards us, we might because we are humble, be so much the more capable of that compassion and tender mercy, which knoweth not how to condemn sinners that condemn themselves.
If it be our Saviours own principle, that the conceipt we have of our debt forgiven, proportioneth our thankfulness and love to him,Luk. …. 47. at whose hands we receive pardon; doth not God fore-see, that they which with ill-advised modesty seek to hide their Sin like Adam, that they which rake it up under ashes, and confess it not, are very unlikely to requite with offices of love afterwards,Tantum relevat Confessio delictorum, quantum dessimulatio exaggerat. Confessio autem satisfactioni… consi…un est, di…mulirdo con…maciae. Ter. de …e…m. …h…y hom. 30. in Epist. 1. l. …. the grace which they shew themselves unwilling to prize at the very time when they sue for it, in as much as their not confessing what crimes they have committed, is a plain signification how loth they are that the benefit of Gods most gracious pardon should seem great. Nothing more true, then that of Tertullian. Confession doth as much abate the weight of mens offences, as Concealment doth make them heavier. For he which confesseth, hath a purpose to appease God; he, a determination to persist and continue obstinate, which keeps them secret to himself St. Chrysostome almost in the same words, Wickedness is, by being acknowledged lessened, and doth but grow by being hid. If men having done amiss, let it slip, as though they knew no such matter, what is there to stay them from falling into one and the same evil? To call our selves Sinners availeth nothing, except we lay our faults in the ballance, and take the weight of them one by one. Confess thy crimes to God, disclose thy transgressions before thy Judge by way of humble Supplication and suit, if not with tongue, at the least with heart, and in this sort seek mercy. A general perswasion that thou art a Sinner, will neither so humble, nor bridle thy Soul, as if the Catalogue of thy Sins examined severally, be continually kept in mind.
This shall make thee lowly in thine own eyes; this shall preserve thy feet from falling, and sharpen thy desires towards all good things. The mind, I know, doth hardly admit such unpleasant remembrances; but we must force it, we must constrain it thereunto.
It is safer now to be bitten with the memory, then hereafter with the torment of Sin.
The Jews with whom no Repentance for Sin is available without Confession,Le…. …. 21… either conceived in mind or uttered) which latter kind they call usually foreign Confession delivered by word of mouth) had first that general Confession which once every year was made,All Israel is bound on the day of expiation to repent and confess. …. Mos. in lib. Mi…words haggadni. par. 2 pet. 1…. both severally by each of the people for himself, upon the day of expiation, and by the Priest for them all, On the day of expiation, the high Priest maketh three express Confessions, acknowledging unto God the manifold transgressions of the whole Nation, his own personal offences likewise, together with the Sins, as well of his Family, as of the rest of his rank and order.
They had again their voluntary Confessions, at the times and seasons when men, bethinking themselves of their wicked conversation past, were resolved to change their course, the beginning of which alteration was still Confession of Sins.
Thirdly, over and besides these, the Law imposed upon them also that special Confession, which they in their book call foreign Confession of that particular fault, for which we namely seek pardon at Gods hands.
Num. 5. 6.The words of the Law concerning Confession in this kind are as followeth: When a Man or Woman shall commit any Sin, that Men commit, and transgress against the Lord, their Sin which they have done (that is to say the very deed it self in particular) they shall acknowledge.
Lev. …. 5.In Leviticus after certain transgressions there mentioned, we read the like: When a Man hath sinned in any one of these things, he shall then confess, how in that thing he hath offended. For such kind of special Sins, they had also special Sacrifices, wherein the manner was that the Offender should lay his hands on the head of the Sacrifice which he brought, and should there make. Confession to God, saying,Mis…e Tora Tractan… Te straba cap. 1. & K. M in. lib. Misnoch. par. 2. chap. 6. Now, O Lord, that I have offended, committed Sin, and done wickedly in thy sight, this or this being my fault; behold, I repent me, and am utterly ashamed of my doings; my purpose is, never to return more to the same crime.
None of them, whom either the house of judgement had condemned to die, or of them which are to be punished with stripes,Mos. in Mis. …oth, par 2. par. 16. can be clear by being executed or scourged, till they repent and confess their faults.
To him which is sick and draweth towards death, they say. C…si Idem.Finally there was no man amongst them at any time, either condemned to suffer death, or corrected, or chastized with stripes, none ever sick and near his end, but they called upon him to repent and confess his Sins.
Of Malefactors convict by witnesses, and thereupon either adjudged to die, or otherwise chastized, their custom was to exact, as Ioshua did of Achan, open confession, My son, now give Glory to the Lord God of Israel, confess unto him, and declare unto me what thou hast committed, conceal it not from me, Jos. 7. 19.
Concerning injuries and trespasses which happen between men, they highly commend such as will acknowledge before many.
It is, in him which repenteth, accepted as an high Sacrifice, if he will confess before many, make them acquainted with his over-sights, and reveal the transgressions which have passed between him and any of his brethren; saying, I have verily offended this Man, thus and thus I have done unto him, but behold I do now repent and am sorry. Contariwise, whosoever is proud, and will not be known of his faults, but cloaketh them, is not yet come to perfect Repentance; for so it is written, He that hides his Sins shall not prosper: which words of Solomon they do not further extend, then only to Sins committed against Men, which are in that respect meet before men to be acknowledged particularly. But in Sins between Man and God, there is no necessity that Man should himself make any such open and particular recital of them; to God they are known, and of us it is required, that we cast not the memory of them carelesly and loosly behind our backs, but keep in mind as near as we can, both our own debt, and his grace which remitteth the same.
Wherefore to let pass Jewish confession, and to come unto them which hold confession in the ear of the Priest commanded; yea, commanded in the nature of a Sacrament, and thereby so necessary, that Sin without it cannot be pardoned; let them find such a Commandment in holy Scripture, and we ask no more.
Iohn the Baptist was an extraordinary person, his Birth, his Actions of Life, his Office extraordinary,
It is therefore Recorded for the strangeness of the Act, but not set down as an everlasting Law for the World;Mat. 3. 5. That to him Ierusalem and all Iudea made confession of their Sins: Besides, at the time of this confession, their pretended Sacrament of Repentance, as they grant, was not yet instituted, neither was it Sin after Baptism, which Penitents did there confess; When that which befel the seven sons of Seeva, for using the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in their conjurations, was notisied to Jews and Grecians in Ephesus, Act. 19.18.it brought an universal fear upon them, insomuch that divers of them which had believed before, but not obeyed the Laws of Christ, as they should have done, being terrified by this example, came to the Apostle, and confessed their wicked deeds.
Which good and vertuous act, no wise man, as I suppose, will disallow, but commend highly in them, whom Gods good Spirit shall move to do the like when need requireth.
Yet neither hath this example the force of any general Commandment, or Law to make it necessary for every man, to pour into the ears of the Priest whatsoever hath been done amiss, or else to remain everlastingly culpable and guilty of Sin; in a word, it proveth Confession practized as a vertuous act, but not commanded as a Sacrament.
Now concerning St. Iames his Exhortation,Jam. 5. 15. whether the former branch be considered, which saith, Is any sick among you; let him call for the Ancients of the Church, and let them make their prayers for him; or the latter, which stirreth up all Christian Men unto mutual acknowledment of faults amongst themselves; Lay open your minds, make your confessions one to another; is it not plain,Mat. 16. 1…. that the one hath relation to that gift of healing, which our Saviour promised his Church, saying, They shall lay their hands on the sick, and the sick shall recover health? relation to that gift of healing, whereby the Apostle imposed his hands on the Father of Publius, and made him miraculously a sound man; relation finally to that gift of healing,Act. 18. 3. which so long continued in practice after the Apostles times, that whereas the Novatianists denyed the power of the Church of God, in curing Sin after Baptism, St. Ambrose asked them again,Amb. de p…em. l. 1. c. …7. Why it might not as well prevail with God for spiritual, as far corporal and bodily health yea, wherefore (saith he) do ye your selves lay hands on the diseased and believe it to be a work of benediction or prayer, if haply the sick person be restored to his former safety; And of the other member which toucheth mutual confession, do not some of themselves, as namely Caje…an, deny, that any other Confession is meant, then only that, which seeketh either association of Prayers, or reconciliation, or pardon of wrongs? is it not confessed by the greatest part of their own retinue,An…o. Rhem. in Jac. 5. that we cannot certainly affirm Sacramental Confession to have been meant or spoken of in this place? Howbeit Bellarmine, delighted to run a course by himself where colourable s…ifts of wit will but make the way passable, standeth as formally for this place, and not less for that in St. Iohn, than for this: St. Iohn saith If we confess our Sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our Sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; doth St. Iohn say,John. 1. 19. If we confess to the Priest, God is righteous to forgive; and if not, that our Sins are unpardonable? No, but the titles of God just and righteous do import, that he pardoneth Sin only for his promise sake; And there is not (they say) any promise of forgiveness upon confession made to God without the Priest; Not any promise, but with this condition, and yet this condition no where exprest.
Is it not strange that the Scripture speaking so much of Repentance, and of the several duties which appertain thereunto, should ever mean, and no where mention that one condition, without which all the rest is utterly of none effect; or will they say, because our Saviour hath said to his Ministers, Whose sins ye retain, &c. and because they can remit no more, than what the offenders have confest, that therefore by vertue of his promise, it standeth with the Righteousness of God, to take away no mans Sins, until by auricular confession they be opened unto the Priest?
They are men that would seem to honour Antiquity, and none more to depend upon the reverend judgement thereof. I dare boldly affirm, that for many hundred years after Christ, the Fathers held no such opinion; they did not gather by our Saviours words, any such necessity of seeking the Priests Absolution from Sin, by secret and (as they now term it) sacramental confession: Publick confession they thought necessary by way of Discipline not private confession, as in the nature of a Sacrament, necessary.
For to begin with the purest times it is unto them which read and judge without partiality a thing most clear, that the ancient foreign or Confession, defined by Tertullian to be a Discipline of humiliation, and submission, framing mens behaviour in such sort as may be fittest to move pity; the confession which they use to speak of in the exercise of Repentance, was made openly in the hearing of the whole both Ecclesiastical Consistory and Assembly.
This is the reason wherefore he perceiving, that divers were better content their sores should secretly fester, and eat inward,Pl…o … que hae …. then be laid so open to the eyes of many, blameth greatly their unwise bashfulness, and to reform the same, perswadeth with them saying, Amongst thy brethren and fellow servants, which are partakers with thee of one and the same nature, fear, joy, grief, sufferings (for us was common Lord and Father, we have all received one spirit) why shouldest thou not think with thy self, that they are but thine own self? wherefore dost thou avoid them, as likely to insult over thee, whom thou knowest subject to the same haps? At that which grieveth any one part, the whole body cannot rejoyce, it must needs be that the whole will labour and strive to help that wherewith a part of it self is molested.
St. Cyprian being grieved with the dealings of them, who in time of persecution had through fear betrayed their faith, and notwithstanding thought by shift to avoid in that case the necessary Discipline of the Church, wrote for their better instruction the book intituled De lapsis; a Treatise concerning such as had openly forsaken their Religion, and yet were loth openly to confess their fault, in such manner as they should have done: In which book he compareth with this sort of men,O… nec…sitate in sacrineandi pecuris … pul Magistra cem redimehanc ac…epta sermitath sta…aphs unellarus dice …thur. certain others which had but a purpose only to have departed from the Faith; and yet could not quiet their minds, till this very secret and hidden fault was confest, How much both greater in faith (saith St. Cyprian) and also as touching their fear, better, are those men, who although neither sacrifice, nor libel could be objected against them, yet because they thought to have done that which they should not, even this their intent they dolefully open unto Gods Priests? They confess that whereof their conscience accuseth them, the burthen that presseth their minds they discover; they foreslow not of smaller and slighter evils, to seek remedy: He saith they declared their fault, not to one only man in private, but revealed it to Gods Priests; they confest it before the whole Consistory of Gods Ministers.
Salvianus (for I willingly embrace their conjecture, who ascribe those Homilies to him which have hitherto by common error past under the counterfeit name of Eusebius Emesenus,) I say, Salvianus though coming long after Cyprian in time, giveth nevertheless the same evidence for his truth, in a case very little different from that before alleadged; his words are these,Hom. …de initio quadriges…m…r. Whereas (most dearly beloved) we see that pennance oftentimes is sought and sued for by holy souls, which even from their youth have bequeathed themselves a precious treasure unto God, let us know that the inspiration of Gods good Spirit moveth them so to do for the benefit of his Church, and let such as are wounded, learn to enquire for that remedy, whereunto the very soundest do thus offer and obtrude as it were themselves, that if the vertuous do bewail… small offences, the others cease not to lament great. And surely, when a man that hath less need, performeth, sub oculis Ecclesiae, in the view, sight, and beholding of the whole Church, an office worthy of his faith and compunction for Sin, the good which others thereby reap is his own harvest, the heap of his rewards groweth by that which another gaineth, and through a kind of spiritual usury from that amendment of life which others learn by him, there returneth lucre into his cossers.
The same Salvianus in another of his Homilies,Hom. 14. …. 1 N…nach…s. If faults haply be not great and grievous (for example, if a man have offended in word, or in desire, worthy of reproof, if in the wantonness of his eye, or the vanity of his heart) the stains of words and thoughts are by daily prayer to be cleansed, and by private compunction to be scoured out: But if any man examining inwardly his own Conscience, have committed some high and capital offence, as if by hearing false witness, he have quelled and betrayed his faith, and by rashness of perjury have violated the sacred name of Truth, if with the mire of lustful uncleanness he have sullied the veil of Baptism, and the gorgeous robe of Virginity; if by being the cause of any mans death, he have been the death of the new man within himself, if by conference with Southsayers, Wizards,Graviores & acriores, & publicaes, cuta… requirunt. Hom. 1. at Monach. and Charmers, he hath enthralled himself to Satan; These and such like committed crimes, cannot throughly be taken away with ordinary, moderate, and secret satisfaction; but greater causes do require greater and sharper remedies, they need such remedies as are not only sharp, but solemn, open, and publick, Again, Let that soul (saith he) answer me, which through pernicious shame fastness it now so abasht to acknowledge his Sin in conspectu fratrum, before his brethren, as he should have been abasht to commit the same, What will be do in the presence of that Divine Tribunal where he is to stand arraigned in the Assembly of a glorious and celestial host? I will hereunto adde but St. Ambrose's testimony: For the places which I might alledge, are more then the cause it self needeth; There are many (saith he) who, fearing the judgement that is to come, and feeling inward remorse of conscience, when they have offered themselves unto penitency, and are enjoyned what they shall do, give back for the only skar which they think that publick supplication will put them unto.
He speaketh of them which sought voluntarily to be penanced;Lib. 2. de poe…. cap. 9. and yet withdrew themselves from open confession, which they that were penitents for publick crimes could not possibly have done, and therefore it cannot be said, he meaneth any other then secret Sinners in that place. Gennadius a Presbyter of Marsiles in his book touching Ecclesiastical assertions, maketh but two kinds of confession necessary, the one in private to God alone for smaller offences; the other open, when crimes committed are hainous and great, Although (saith he) a man be bitten with conscience of Sin, let his will be from thenceforward to Sin no more; let him before he communicate, satisfie with tears and prayers, and then putting his trust in the mercy of Almighty God (whose want is, to yield godly confession) let him boldly receive the Sacrament. But I speak this of such as have not burthened themselves with capital Sins. Them I exhort to satisfie, first by publick penance, that so being reconciled by the sentence of the Priest, they may communicate safely with others. Thus still we hear of publick confessions, although the crimes themselves discovered were not publick; we hear that the cause of such confessions was not the openness, but the greatness of mens offences; finally, we hear that the same being now held by the Church of Rome to be Sacramental, were the onelyonly penitential Confessions used in the Church for a long time, and esteemed as necessary remedies against Sin.
Cypr. Epist. 12.They which will find Auricular Confessions in St. Cyprian, therefore, must seek out some other passage,Inspecta …a. …s qui agit poe…i …tiam. then that which Bellarmine alledgeth, Whereas in smaller faults which are not committed against the Lord himself, there is a competent time assigned unto Penitency; and that confession is made, after that observation and tryal had been bad of the Penitents behaviour, neither may any communicate till the Bishop and Clergy have laid their hands upon him; how much more ought all things to be warily and stayedly observed, according to the Discipline of the Lord, in these most grievous, and extream crimes? S. Cyprians speech is against rashness in admitting Idolaters to the holy Communion, before they had shewed sufficient Repentance, considering that other offenders were forced to stay out their time, and that they made not their publick confession, which was the last act of Penitency, till their Life and Conversation had been seen into, not with the eye of Auricular Scrutiny, but of Pastoral Observation, according to that in the Councel of Nice, where thirteen years, being set for the Penitency of certain offenders; the severity of this Degree is mitigated with special caution:Con. Nic par. a. c. 1. Profi… & conversatione Poenitentium n. That in all such cases, the mind of the Penitent and the manner of his Repentance is to be noted, that as many as with fear and tears, and meekness, and the exercise of good works, declared themselves to be Converts indeed, and not in outward appearance only, towards them the Bishop at his discretion might use more lenity. If the Councel of Nice suffice not, let Gratian the Founder of the Canon Law expound Cyprian, who sheweth that the stine of time in Penitency, is either to be abridged, or enlarged, as the Penitents Faith and behaviour shall give occasion;De poen. list. 1 cap. mensuram Ambor. de poen. lib. 2.c. 10. I have easilier found out men (Saith S. Ambrose) able to keep themselves free from crimes, then conformable to the rules which in Penitency they should observe. S. Gregory Bishop of Nisse complaineth and enveigheth bitterly against them, who in the time of their Penitency, lived even as they had done alwaies before;Greg Niss erat In era qui slios ac…rbe fu licant. Their countenance as chearful, their attire is neat, their dyet as costly, and their sleep as secure as ever, their worldly business purposely followed, to exile pensive thoughts for their minds, repentance pretended but indeed nothing less express; These were the inspections of life, whereunto St. Cyprian alludeth; as for Auricular Examinations he knew them not.
Were the Fathers then without use of private Confession as long as publick was in use? I affirm no such thing, The first and ancientest that mentioneth this Confession, is Origen, by whom it may seem that men being loth to present rashly themselves and their faults unto the view of the whole Church, thought it best to unfold first their minds to some one special man of the Clergy, which might either help them himself, or referre them to an higher Court if need were;Orig. in Psal. 37. Be therefore circumspect (saith Origen) in making choice of the party, to whom thou meanest to confess thy Sin; know thy Physitian before thou use him; If he find thy malady, such as needeth to be made publick, that other may be the better by it, and thy self sonner helpt, his counsel must be obeyed. That which moved sinners thus voluntarily to detect themselves both in private and in publick, was fear to receive with other Christian men, the mysteries of heavenly grace, till Gods appointed Stewards and Ministers did judge them worthy: It is in this respect that St. Ambrose findeth fault with certain men, which sought imposition of Penance,Amb. 1. 2. de poen. c. 9. and were not willing to wait their time, but would be presently admitted Communicants.S. n…n ram se solvere cupiunt quam Sac…rlot are ligare. Aug in hom. de poen. Such people (saith he) do seek by so rash and preposterous desires, rather to bring the Priest into bonds then to loose themselves: In this respect it is that S. Augustine hath likewise said, When the wound of Sin is so wide, and the disease so far gone that the medicinable body and blood of our Lord may not be touched, men are by the Bishops authority to sequester themselves from the Altar, till such time as they have repented, and be after reconciled by the same authority.
Furthermore, because the knowledge how to handle our own sores, is no vulgar and common art, but we either carry towards our selves for the most part an oversoft and gentle hand, fearful of touching too near the quick; or else, endeavouring not to be partial, we fall into timerous scrupulosities, and sometime into those extream discomforts of mind, from which we hardly do ever lift up our heads again, men thought it the safest way to disclose their secret faults, and to crave imposition of Penance from them whom our Lord Jesus Christ hath left in his Church to be Spiritual and Ghostly Physitians, the Guides and Pastors of redeemed Souls, whose Office doth not onelyonly consist in generall perswasions unto amendment of life, but also, in the private particular cure of diseased minds.
Howsoever the Novatianists presume to plead against the Church (saith Salvianus) that every man ought to be his own Penitentiary, and that it is a part of our duty to exercise, but not of the Churches Authority to impose or prescribe Repentance; the truth is otherwise,H…m. de paen. Niniv. the best and strongest of us may need in such cases, direction: What doth the Church in giving Penance, but shew the remedies which Sin requireth? or what do we in receiving the same but fulfill her precept? what else but sue unto God with tears, and salts, that his merciful ears may be opened? St. Augustines exhortation is directly to the same purpose;Aug hom de poen. citatu a Gra…dis…. 2.c. indlces. V praepolitis Sacrament orum accipiet satisfactionis sue mosum. Let every man whilst he hath time judge himself, and change his life of his own accord, and when this is resolved, Let him from the disposers of the holy Sacraments, learn in what manner be is to pacifie Gods displeasure: But the greatest thing which made men forward and willing upon their knees to confess whatsoever they had committed against God, and in no wise to be with-held from the same, with any fear of disgrace, contempt, or obloquy, which might ensue, was, their servent desire to be helped and assisted with the Prayers of Gods Saints. Wherein, as St. Iames doth exhort unto mutual confession, alledging this onelyonly for a reason,Jam. 5. 25. that just mens devout prayers are of great avail with God; so it hath been heretofore the use of Penitents for that intent to unburthen their minds, even to private persons; and to crave their Prayers. Whereunto, Cassianus alluding, counselleth,Cassiq c…l.2. c. &. Greg. Niss oratione in …os pui a…ios acerbe iudicant. That if men possest with dulness of spirit be themselves unapt to do that which is required, they should in meek affection seek health as the least by good and vertuous mens prayers unto God for them. And to the same effect Gregory Bishop of Nisse, Humble thy self, and take unto thee such of thy brethren as are of one mind, and do bear kind affection towards thee, that they may together mourn and labour for thy deliverance. Show me thy bitter and abundant tears, that I may blend mine own with them.
But because of all men there is or should be none in that respect more fit for troubled and distressed minds to repair unto, then Gods Ministers, he proceedeth further, Make the Priest, as a Father, partaker of thine affliction and grief; be bold to impart unto him the things that are most secret, he will have care both of thy safety, and of thy credit.
Confession (saith Leo) is first to be offered to God, and then to the Priest, as to one which maketh supplication for the sins of Penitent offenders. Suppose we, that men would ever have been easily drawn,Leo. 1. Ep. 73. ad Epis. Cam. pan eirat. a Grarale poen. d. 1. e. suffien. much less of their own accord have come unto publick Confession, whereby they know they should sound the trumpet of their own disgrace; would they willingly have done this, which naturally all men are loth to do, but for the singular trust and confidence which they had in the publick prayers of Gods Church?Ambr. l. a. de poen c.10. Let thy Mother the Church weep for thee (saith Ambrose,) let her wash and bathe thy faults with her tears: Our Lord doth love that many should become suppliant for one; In like sort long before him,Terral. de poea. Tertullian, Some few assembled make a Church; and the Church is as Christ himself; When thou dost therefore put forth thy hands to the knees of thy brethren, thou touchest Christ; it is Christ unto whom thou art a supplicant; so when they pour one tears over them, it is even Christ that taketh compassion; Christ which prayeth when they pray: Neither can that easily be denyed, for which the Son is himself contented to become a suitor.
Whereas in these considerations therefore, voluntary Penitents, had been long accustomed for great and grievous crimes, though secret, yet openly both to repent and confess as the Canons of Antient Discipline required; the Greek Church first, and in processe of time the Latine altered this order, judging it sufficient and more convenient that such offenders should do Penance and make confession in private onelyonly. The cause why the Latins did, Leo declareth,Leo. Ep. 28. saying, Although the ripeness of faith be commendable, which for the fear of God doth not fear to incur shame before all men, yet because every ones crimes are not such, that it can be free and safe for them to make publication of all things, wherein repentance is necessary; let a custome, so unfit to be kept, be abrogated, lest many forbear to use remedies of penitency, whilst they either blush or are afraid to acquaint their enemies with those acts for which the Laws may take hold upon them. Besides, it shall win the more Repentance, if the Consciences of Sinners be not emptied into the peoples ears; And to this only cause doth Sozomen impure the change, which the Grecians made, by ordaining throughout all Churches certain Penitentiaries to take the Confessions, and appoint the Penances of secret offenders. Socrates, (for this also may be true that more inducements then one, did set forward an alteration so generally made) affirmeth the Grecians (and not unlikely) to have specially respected therein the occasion, which the Novatianists took at the multititude of publick Penitents, to insult over the Discipline of the Church, against which they still cryed out, wheresoever they had time and place, He that sheweth Sinners favour, doth but teach the innocent to Sin: And therefore they themselves admitted no man to their Communion upon any Repentance, which once was known to have offended after Baptism, making Sinners thereby not the fewer, but the closer, and the more obdurate, how fair soever their pretence might seem.
The Grecians Canon, for some one Presbyter in every Church to undertake the charge of Penitency, and to receive their voluntary Confessions, which had sinned after Baptism; continued in force for the space of above some hundred years, till Nectarius, and the Bishops of Churches under him begun a second alteration, abolishing even that Confession which their Penitentiaries took in private. There came to the Penitentiary of the Church of Constantinople, a certain Gentlewoman, and to him she made particular Confession of her faults committed after Baptism, whom thereupon he advised to continue in Fasting and Prayer, that as with tongue she had acknowledged her Sins, so there might appear likewise in her some work worthy of Repentance: But the Gentlewoman goeth forward, and detecteth her self of a crime, whereby they were forced to dis-robe an Ecclesiastical person, that is, to degrade a Deacon of the same Church. When the matter by this mean came to publick notice, the people were in a kind of tumult offended, not onelyonly at that which was done, but much more, because the Church should thereby endure open infamy and scorn. The Clergy was perplexed and altogether doubtfull what way to take, till one Eudemon born in Alexandria, but at that time a Priest in the Church of Constantinople, considering that the causes of voluntary Confession whether publick or private, was, especially to seek the Churches ayd as hath been before declared, lest men should either not communicate with others, or wittingly hazard their Souls, if so be they did communicate, and that the inconvenience which grew to the whole Church was otherwise exceeding great, but especially grievous by means of so manifold offensive detections, which must needs be continually more, as the world did it self wax continually worse, for Antiquity together with the gravity and severity thereof (saith Sozomen) had already begun by little and little to degenerate into loose and careless living, whereas before offences were less, partly through bashfulness in them which open their own faults, and partly by means of their great austerity, which sate as judges in this business; these things Eudaemon having weighed with himself, resolved easily the mind of Nectarius, that the Penitentiaries office must be taken away, and for participation in Gods holy mysteries every man be left to his own Conscience, which was, as he thought, the onelyonly means to free the Church from danger of Obloquie and Disgrace. Thus much (saith Socrates) I am the bolder to relate, because I received it from Eudaemons own mouth, to whom mine answer was at that time; Whether your counsel, Sir, have been for the Churches good, or otherwise, God knoweth. But I see, you have given occasion, whereby we shall not now any more reprehend one anothers faults, nor observe that Apostolick precept, which saith, Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darknesse; but rather be ye also Reprovers of them. With Socrates, Sozomen both agreeth in the occasion of abolishing Penitentiaries; and moreover testifieth also, that in his time living with the younger Theodosius; the same Abolition did still continue, and that the Bishops had in a manner every where followed the example given them by Nectarius.
Wherefore to implead the truth of this History, Cardinal Baronius alledgeeth, that Socrates, Sozomen, and Eudaemon were all Novatianists, and that they falsifie in saying, (for so they report) that as many as held the Consubstantial Being of Christ, gave their assent to the abrogation of the forehearsed Canon. The summe is, he would have it taken for a Fable, and the World to be perswaded,Tanta haec Socrati restanti praestande est sides; quanta caeteria herecide de suis dogmatibus tractandbus; quippe Novarianus, sectista cum surrir, quam vere ac syncere haec scripscrit adversus poenitentiam in Ecclesia administrari solleam. quemlihet credo posse facile judicare, Barwn. 1. ann. Chr. 56. that Nectarius did never any such thing. Why then should Socrates first, and afterwards Sozomen, publish it? To please their Pew-fellows, the Disciples of Novatien. A poor gratification, and they very silly Friends, that would take Lyes for Good-turns:Sozomenum eandem prorsus causem sovisse certum est. Nee Eudaemonen illum allium quom Novarianae sectae hominem sasse enlendum est. ibidem. For the more acceptable the Matter was, being deemed true, the lesse they must needs (when they found the contrary) either credit, or affect him which had deceived them. Notwithstanding,Sacerdos ille merito à Nectario est gradu amous officioque depositus, quo sacto Novationi (ut mo…est haer eti corum) quamcunque licet levem, ur syncer is dogmatibus detrahant, accipete ausi occasionem, non tantum Presbyterum Poenitenstarium in ordinem redaectum, sed & Poenitentiam ipsam unù cum co suiffe proscripram, calumniose admodum coaclamarunt, cum tamem illa potius Theacralis sieri interdum solits peccatorum so…ist abrogera. ibidem. we know that joy and gladness rising from false information, do not onelyonly make men so forward to believe that which they first hear, but also apt to scholie upon it, and to report as true whatsoever they wish were true. But, so farr is Socrates from any such purpose, that the Fact of Nectarius, which others did both like and follow, he doth disallow and reprove. His speech to Eudemon before set down, is proof sufficient that he writeth nothing, but what was famously known to all, and what himself did wish had been otherwise. As for Sozomen his correspondency with Hereticks; having shewed to what end the Church did first ordain Penitentiaries, he addeth immediately, that Novatianists, which had no care of Repentance, could have no need of this Office. Are these the words of a Friend or Enemy? Besides, in the entrace of that whole Narration: Not to sinne (saith he) at all, would require a Nature more divine than ours is: But, God hath commanded to pardon Sinners; yea, although they transgresse and offend often. Could there be any thing spoken more directly opposite to the Doctrine of Novatian? Eudaemon was Presbyter under Nectarius.
To Novatianists the Emperour gave liberty of using their Religion quietly by themselves, under a Bishop of their own, even within the City, for that they stood with the Church in defence of the Catholick Faith against all other Hereticks besides. Had therefore Eudaemon favoured their heresie; their Camps were not pitched so farr off, but he might at all times have found easie accesse unto them. Is there any man that hath lived with him, and hath touched him that way? if not, why suspect we him more than Nectarius? Their report touching Grecian Catholick Bishops, who gave approbation to that which was done, and did also the like themselves in their own Churches, we have no reason to discredit without some manifest and clear evidence brought against it. For of Catholick Bishops, no likelihood but that their greatest respect to Nectarius, a man honored in those parts no lesse than the Bishop of Rome himself in the Western Churches, brought them both easily and speedily unto conformity with him, Arrians, Eunomians, Apollinarians, and the rest that stood divided from the Church, held their Penitentiaries as before. Novatianists from the beginning had never any, because their opinion touching Penitency, was against the practice of the Church therein, and a cause why they severed themselves from the Church; so that the very state of things, as they then stood, giveth great shew of probability to his speech, who hath affirmed, That they onelyonly which held the Sonne consubstantial with the Father, and Novatianists which joyned with them in the same Opinion, had no Penitentiaries in their Churches; the rest retained them. By this it appeareth therefore how Baronius finding the Relation plain, that Nectarius did abolish even those private secret Confessions which the People had been before accustomed to make to him that was Penitentiary, laboureth what he may to discredit the Authors of the Report, and to leave it imprinted in mens mindes, that whereas Nectarius did but abrogate publick Confession, Novatianists have maliciously forged the abolition of Private, as if the oddes between these two were so great in the ballance of their Judgement, which equally hated or contemned both; or, as if it were not more clear than light, that the first alteration which established Penitentiaries, took away the burthen of Publick Confession in that kinde of Penitents; and therefore the second must either abrogate Private, or nothing.
Cardinal Bellarmine therefore finding that against the Writers of the History, it is but in vain to stand upon so doubtful terms, and exceptions, endeavoureth mightily to prove, even by their report, no other Confession taken away then Publick which Penitentiaries used in Private, to impose upon Publick Offenders; For why? It is (saith he) very certain that the Name of Penitents in the Fathers Writings signifieth onelyonly Publick Penitents; certain, that to hear the Confessions of the rest now more than one could possibly have done; certain, that Sozomen, to shew how the Latine Church retained in his time what the Greek had clean cast off, declareth the whole Order of Publick Penitency used in the Church of Rome, but of Private he maketh no mention. And, in these Considerations, Bellarmine will have it the meaning both of Socrates and Sozomen, that the former Episcopal Constitution, which first did erect Penitentiaries, could not concern any other Offenders, than such as Publickly had sinned after Baptisme. That onelyonly they, were prohibited to come to the Holy Communion, except they did first in secret confesse all their Sinnes to the Penitentiary, by his appointment openly acknowledge their open Crimes, and doe publick Penance for them: That whereas before Novatian's uprising, no man was constrainable to confesse publickly any Sinne, this Canon enforced Publick Offenders thereunto, till such time as Nectarius thought good to extinguish the Practice thereof.
Let us examine therefore these subtile and fine Conjectures, whether they be able to hold the touch,foreign It seemeth good (saith Socrates) to put down the office of these Priests which had charge of Penitency; what charge that was, the kindes of Penitency then usual must make manifest. There is often speech in the Fathers Writings, In their Books frequent mention of Penitency; exercised within the Chambers of our Heart, and seen of God, and not communicated to any other, the whole charge of which Penitency is imposed of God, and doth rest upon the Sinner himself. But if Penitents in secret, being guilty of Crimes whereby they knew they had made themselves unfit Guests for the Table of our Lord, did seek direction for their better performance of that which should set them clear; it was in this case the Penitentiaries Office to take their Confessions, to advise them the best way he could for their Souls good, to admonish them, to counsel them, but not to lay upon them more than private Penance. As for notorious wicked Persons, whose Crimes were known, to convict, judge, and punish them, was the Office of the Ecclesiastical Consistory; Penitentiaries had their Institution to another end: But unlesse we imagine that the antient time knew no other Repentance then publick, or that they had little occasion to speak of any other Repentance, or else that in speaking thereof they used continually some other Name, and not the name of Repentance whereby to express private Penitency, how standeth it with reason, that whensoever they write of Penitents, it should be thought they meant only Publick Penitents? The truth is, they handle all three kindes, but private and voluntary Repentance much oftner, as being of farr more general use, whereas Publick was but incident unto few, and not oftner than once incident unto any. Howbeit, because they do not distinguish one kinde of Penitency from another by difference of Names, our safest way for Construction, is, to follow circumstance of Matter, which in this Narration will not yield it self applyable onelyonly unto Publick penance, do what they can, that would so expound it.
They boldly and confidently affirm, That, no man being compellable to confesse publickly any Sinne before Novatius time, the end of instituting Penitentiaries afterwards in the Church, was, that by them, men might be constrained unto publick Confession. Is there any Record in the World which doth testifie this to be true? There is that testifie the plain contrary; For Sozomen, declaring purposely the cause of their Institution, saith, That whereas men openly craving Pardon at God's hands (for Publick Confession, the last act of Penitency, was alwayes made in the form of a contrite Prayer unto God,) it could not be avoided, but they must withall confesse what their offences were; This, is the opinion of their Prelate, seemed, from the first beginning (as we may probably think) to be somewhat burthensome, that men, whose Crimes were unknown, should blaze their own Faults, as it were on the Stage, acquainting all the People with whatsoever they had done amisse. And therefore to remedy this Inconvenience, they laid the charge upon one onelyonly Priest, chosen out of such as were of best Conversation, a silent and a discreet man, to whom they which had offended might resort, and lay open their Lives. He, according to the quality of every one's Transgressions, appointed what they should do or suffer, and left them to execute it upon themselves. Can we wish a more direct and evident testimonie, that the Office here spoken of, was to ease voluntary Penitents from the burthen of publick Confessions, and not to constrain notorious Offenders thereunto? That such Offenders were not compellable to open Confessions till Novatian's time, that is to say, till after the dayes of Persecution under Decius the Emperour, they, of all men, should not so peremptorily avouch; which whom, if Fabian Bishop of Rome, who suffered Martyrdom in the first year of Decius, be of any authority and credit, it must inforce them to reverse their Sentence; his words are so plain and clear against them.Fab. Decret. Ep. 2. Tom. 1. Conc. p. 358. For such as commit those Crimes, whereof the Apostle hath said, They that do them shall never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, must (saith he) be forced unto amendment, because they slipp down to Hell, if Ecclesiastical Authority stay them not. Their conceit of Impossibility that one man should suffice to take the general charge of Penitency in such a Church as Constantinople, hath risen from a meer erroneous supposal, that the Antient manner of private Confession was like the Shrift at this day usual in the Church of Rome, which tyeth all men at one certain time to make Confession, whereas Confession was then neither looked for, till men did offer it, nor offered for the most part by any other, than such as were guilty of haynous Transgressions, nor to them any time appointed for that purpose. Finally, The drift which Sozomen had in relating the Discipline of Rome, and the Form of publick Penitency there retained even till his time, is not to signifie that onelyonly publick Confession was abrogated by Nectarius, but that the West or Latin Church held still one and the same Order from the very beginning, and had not, as the Greek, first cut off publick voluntary Confession, by ordaining, and then private by removing Penitentiaries. Wherefore, to conclude, It standeth, I hope, very plain and clear, first against the one Cardinal, that Nectarius did truly abrogate Confession in such sort as the Ecclesiastical History hath reported; and, secondly, as clear against them both, that it was not publick Confession onelyonly which Nectarius did abolish.
The Paradox in maintenance whereof Hessels wrote purposely a Book touching this Argument,Nec est quod sibi blandiantur illi de facto Nectarii cum id potius secretorum peccatorum confessionem comprobet, & non aliud quam Presbyterum panitentialem illo officio suo moverit, uti amplissirme deducit D. Johannes Hasselus Paniel. in Cypr. lib. de anno…. 98. & in lib. Tertul. de poen. annor. 1. to shew that Nectarius did but put the Penitentiary from his Office, and not take away the Office it self, is repugnant to the whole advice which Eudaemon gave, of leaving the People from that time forward to their own Consciences, repugnant to the Conference between Socrates and Eudamon, wherein complaint is made of some inconvenience, which the want of the Office would breed; Finally, repugnant to that which the History declareth concerning other Churches which did as Nectarius had done before them, not in deposing the same man (for that was impossible) but in removing the same Office out of their Churches, which Nectarius had banished from his. For which cause, Bellarmin doth well reject the opinion of Hessels, howsoever it please Pamelius to admire it as a wonderful happy Invention. But in sum, they are all gravelled, no one of them able to go smoothly away, and to satisfie either others or himself, with his own conceit concerning Nectarius.
Only in this they are stiff, that Auricular Confession Nectarius did not abrogate, left if so much should be acknowledged, it might enforce them to grant, that the Greek Church at that time held not Confession, as the Latin now doth, to be the part of a Sacrament instituted by our Saviour Jesus Christ, which therefore the Church till the Worlds end hath no power to alter. Yet seeing that as long as publick voluntary Confession of private Crimes did continue in either Church (as in the one it remained not much above 200. years, in the other about 400.) the only acts of such Repentance were; first, the Offender's intimation of those Crimes to some one Presbyter, for which imposition of Penance was sought; Secondly, the undertaking of Penance imposed by the Bishop; Thirdly, after the same performed and ended, open Confession to God in the hearing of the whole Church; Whereupon, Fourthly, ensued the Prayer of the Church; Fifthly, then the Bishop's imposition of hands; and so, Sixthly, the Parties reconciliation or restitution to his former right in the holy Sacrament. I would gladly know of them which make onelyonly private Confession a part of their Sacrament of Penance, how it could be so in those times: For where the Sacrament of Penance is ministred, they hold that Confession to be Sacramental which he receiveth who must absolve; whereas during the fore-rehearsed manner of Penance, it can no where be shewed, that the Priest to whom secret information was given, did reconcile, or absolve any: For, how could he? when Publick Confession was to goe before Reconciliation, and Reconciliation likewise in publick thereupon to ensue … So, that if they did account any Confession Sacramental, it was surely publicke, which is now abolish'd in the Church of Rome; and as for that which the Church of Rome doth so esteem, the Ancient neither had it in such estimation, nor thought it to be of so absolute necessity for the taking away of Sinne: But, (for any thing that I could ever observe out of them) although not onelyonly in Crimes open and notorious, which made men unworthy and uncapable of holy Mysteries, their Discipline required, first publicke Penance, and then granted that which Saint Hierona mentioneth,Sa…erdos impo… ma… … subjecto, redi un spiritus Sancti lav…cit, arque ira cum qui maitus suerat Satane …inrecima… carnis, ut spiri us salvus fierce indicta in p…npu um oratione, ahavi reconcillas. Hier ad…est. Luci…. Amlr. de poen. l. 2. c. 10. saying, The Priest layeth his hand upon the Penitent, and by invocation intreateth that the holy Ghost may return to him again, and so after having enjoyned solemnly all the People to pray for him, reconcileth to the Altar him who was delivered to Satan for the destruction of his Flesh, that his Spirit might be safe in the day of the Lord. Although I say not onelyonly in such Offences being famously known to the World, but also if the same were committed secretly, it was the custom of those times, both that private Intimation should be given, and publick Confession made thereof; in which respect whereas all men did willingly the one, but would as willingly have withdrawn themselves from the other, had they known how; Is it tolerable, (saith Saint Ambrose) that to sue to God thou shouldst be ashamed, which blushest not to seek and sue unto Man? should it grieve thee to be a Suppliant to him, from whom thou canst not possibly hide thy self; when to open thy sinnes to him, from whom, if thou wouldst, thou mightest conceal them, it doth not any thing at all trouble thee? This thou art loath to do in the Church, where, all being Sinners, nothing is more opprobrious indeed than concealment of sinne, the most humble the best thought of, and the lowliest accounted the justest. All this notwithstanding, we should do them very great wrong, to father any such Opinion upon them, as if they did teach it a thing impossible for any Sinner to reconcile himself unto God, without confession unto the Priest.
Would Chrysostom thus perswaded have said,Chryst. hom. foreign. Let the enquiry and punishment of thy offences be made in thine own thoughts, Let the Tribunal whereat thou arraignest thy self be without witness, Let God, and only God, see thee and thy Confession.
Would Cassianus so believing have given counsel,Cassian. Col. lat. 20. c. 1. That if any were withheld with bashfulness from discovering their Faulis to men, they should be so much the more instant and constant in opening them by supplication to God himself, whose wont is to help without publication of mens shame, and not to upbraid them when he pardoneth?
Finally, would Prosper settled in this Opinion have made it,Pro…per. de de vira cont. mpl. l 2. c. 7. as touching Reconciliation to God, a matter indifferent, Whether men of Ecclesiastical Order did detect their crimes by confession, or leaving the World ignorant thereof, would separate voluntarily themselves for a time from the Altar; though not in affection, yet in execution of their Ministry, and so bewaile their corrupt life? Would he have willed them as he doth, to make hold of it, that the favour of God being either way recovered by fruits of forcible repentance, they should not only receive whatsoever they had lost by sinne, but also after this their new enfranchisement, aspire to the endless joyes of that supernal City? To conclude, We every where finde the use of Confession, especially publick, allowed of, and commended by the Fathers; but that extream and rigorous necessity of Auricular and private Confession, which is at this day so mightily upheld by the Church of Rome, we finde nor. First, it was not then the Faith and Doctrine of God's Church, as of the Papacy at this present. Secondly, That the onelyonly remedy for Sinne after Baptisme, is Sacramental Penitency. Thirdly, That Confession in secret, is an essential part thereof. Fourthly, That God himself cannot now forgive Sin without the Priest. That, because Forgivenesse at the hands of the Priest must arise from Confession in the Offenders; Therefore to confesse unto him, is a matter of such necessity, as being not either in deed, or at the least in desire performed, excludeth utterly from all pardon, and must consequently in Scripture be commanded, wheresoever any Promise or Forgivenesse is made. No, no; these Opinions have Youth in their countenance, Antiquity knew them not, it never thought nor dreamed of them.
But to let passe the Papacy. For as much as Repentance doth import alteration within the minde of a sinful man, whereby, through the power of God's most gracious and blessed Spirit, he seeth, and with unfeigned sorrow acknowledgeth former Offences committed against God, hath them in utter detestation, seeketh pardon for them in such sort as a Christian should doe, and with a resolute purpose settleth himself to avoid them, leading, as near as God shall assist him, for ever after an unspotted life; And in the Order (which Christian Religion hath taught for procurement of God's mercy towards Sinners) Confession is acknowledged a principal duty; Yea, in some cases, Confesion to man, not to God onelyonly;Cal…. Inst l. 3. c. 4. sect. 7. It is not in Reformed Churches denied by the Learneder sort of Divines, but that even this Confession, cleared from all Errors, is both lawful and behoveful for Gods people.
Confession by man being either Private or Publick, Private Confession to the Minister alone touching secret Crimes, or Absolution thereupon ensuing, as the one, so the other is neither practised by the French Discipline, nor used in any of those Churches, which have been cast by the French mould. Open Confession to be made in the face of the whole Congregation by notorious Malefactors, they hold necessary; Howbeit not necessary towards the remission of Sinnes:Sed…ant…n ut Ecclesiae in aliqua ratione satisfactum. &c omnes unius poea…ntia confirmentur, qui suerant unius peccath & scandalis vulnerati. Sadeel, in Psal. 32. v. 5. But only in some sort to content the Church, and that one man's repentance may seem to strengthen many, which before have been weakned by one man's fall.
Saxonians and Bohemians in their Discipline constrain no man to open Confession: Their Doctrine is, That whose Faults have been Publick, and thereby scandalous unto the World, such, when God giveth them the Spirit of Repentance, ought as solemnly to return, as they have openly gone astray. First, for the better testimony of their own unfeigned Conversion unto God. Secondly, the more to notifie their Reconcilement unto the Church. And Lastly, that others may make benefit of their Example.
Harm Con…ess. Sect. 8. ex. 5. cap. confess. Bohem.But concerning Confession in private, the Churches of Germany, as well the rest as Lutherans, agree, that all men should at certain times confesse their Offences to God in the hearing of Gods Ministers, thereby to shew how their Sinnes displease them, to receive instruction for the warier carriage of themselves hereafter, to be soundly resolved, if any scruple or snare of Conscience do entangle their mindes, and which is most material, to the end that men may at Gods hands seek every one his own particular pardon, through the power of those Keys, which the Minister of God using according to our blessed Saviours Institution in that case, it is their part to accept the benefit thereof, as Gods most merciful Ordinance for their good, and, without any distrust or doubt, to embrace joyfully his Grace so given them, according to the Word of our Lord, which hath said, Whose Sinnes ye remit they are remitted. So that grounding upon this assured Belief, they are to rest with mindes encouraged and perswaded concerning the forgiveness of all their Sinnes,Cap. 5. Confes. Bohem. as out of Christ's own Word and Power by the Ministry of the Keyes.
It standeth with us in the Church of England, as touching Publick Confession, thus:
First, seeing day by day we in our Church begin our Publick Prayers to Almighty God, with Publick acknowledgement of our Sinnes, in which Confession every man, prostrate as it were before his glorious Majesty, cryeth against himself, and the Minister with one Sentence pronounceth universally all clear, whose acknowledgement so made hath proceeded from a true penitent minde; What reason is there, every man should not, under the general terms of Confession, represent to himself his own Particulars whatsoever, and adjoyning thereunto that affection which a contrite spirit worketh, embrace to as full effect the words of Divine Grace, as if the same were severally and particularly uttered with addition of Prayers, imposition of hands, or all the Ceremonies and Solemnities that might be used for the strengthening of men's affiance in God's peculiar mercy towards them? Such Complements are helps to support our Weaknesse, and not Causes that serve to procare or produce his Gifts, as David speaketh. The difference of general and particular Formes in Confession and Absolution, is not so material, that any man's safety or ghostly good should depend upon it. And for private Confession and Absolution, it standeth thus with us:
As for …rivate Confession, Abuses and Errors set apart, we condemn it not, but leave it at liberty. Iewel desen. part. 135.The Minister's power to absolve is publickly taught and professed, the Church not denyed to have Authority either of abridging, or enlarging the use and exercise of that Power; upon the People no such necessity imposed of opening their Trangression unto men, as if Remission of Sinnes otherwise were impossible, neither any such opinion had of the thing it self, as though it were either unlawfull or unprofitable, saving onelyonly for these inconveniences, which the World hath by experience observed in it heretofore. And in regard thereof, the Church of England hitherto hath thought it the safe way to referre men's hidden Crimes unto God and themselves onelyonly; Howbeit, not without special caution for the Admonition of such as come to the Holy Sacrament, and for the comfort of such as are ready to depart the World. First, because there are but few that consider how much that part of Divine Service, which consists in partaking the Holy Eucharist, doth import their Souls; what they lose by neglect thereof, and what by devout Practise they might attain unto: therefore, lest carelesnesse of general Confession should, as commonly it doth, extinguish all remorse of mens particular enormous Crimes, our Custome (whensoever men present themselves at the Lords Table) is, solemnly to give themselves fearfull Admonition, what woes are perpendicularly hanging over the heads of such as dare adventure to put forth their unworthy hands to those admirable Mysteries of Life, which have, by rare Examples, been proved Conduits of irremediable Death to impenitent Receivers; whom therefore, as we repel being known, so being not known we cannot but terrifie. Yet, with us, the Ministers of God's most Holy Word and Sacraments, being all put in trust with the custody and dispensation of those Mysteries, wherein our Communion is, and hath been ever, accounted the highest Grace that men on earth are admitted unto; have therefore all equally the same power to with-hold that sacred Mystical Food from notorious Evil-Livers, from such as have any way wronged their Neighbours, and from Parties, between whom there doth open hatred and malice appear, till the first sort have reformed their wicked Lives, the second recompensed them unto whom they were injurious, and the last condescended unto some course of Christian Reconciliation, whereupon their mutual accord may ensue. In which cases for the first branch of wicked Life; and the last, which is open Enmity; there can arise no great difficultie about the exercise of his Power: In the second, concerning Wrongs, there may, if men shall presume to define or measure Injuries, according to their own Conceits, depraved oftentimes, as well by Errour, as Partialitie, and that no lesse to the Minister himself, then in another of the People under him.
The knowledge therefore which he taketh of Wrongs must rise, as it doth in the other two, not from his own Opinion, or Conscience,Nos à communione quenqu…m prohibere non pessumus, quamvis hue prohibido …o…d…m sic mortalis, sed medicinalis, nisi aut sponte confessum, aut aliquo sive seculari, sive Ecclesiastico j… dicio …ccusatum …que convictum. Quis enim sibi utrumque audet allumere, at cuiqu…m ipse sit …e …ccuintor le jude…. but from the evidence of the Fact which is committed; Yea, from such evidence as neither doth admit Denyal nor Defence. For if the Offender, having either colour of Law to uphold, or any other pretence, to excuse his own uncharitable and wrongful Dealings, shall wilfully stand in defence thereof, it serveth as barr to the power of the Minister in this kinde. Because (as it is observed by men of very good Judgment in these Affairs) although in this sort our separating of them be not to strike them with the mortal wound of Excommunication, but to stay them rather from running desperately head-long into their owne harm; yet it is not in us, to sever from the Holy Communion, but such as are either found culpable by their own Confession, or have been convicted in some Publick, Secular or Ecclesiastical Court. For, who is he, that dares take upon him to be any man's both Accuser and Judge?Non enim …emere, & quodanimo…o siber, sed propter judicium, ab Ecclesiae communione separandi sune mali, ut A propter judicium anserri non possine, tolerantur potido. velut palcae cum ruitice. Multi corrigantur, ut Petrus; mul…i tolerantur, ut Judas; multi neseluntur, donce veni…t Dominus, se illuminable obscondito renebrarun. Rhenan. admonit de dogmat. Tertul. Evil Persons are not rashly, and (as we lift) to be thrust from Communion with the Church: insomuch that if we cannot proceed against them by any orderly course of Judgement, they rather are to be suffered for the time then molested. Many there are reclaimed, as Peter; Many, as Iudas known well enough, and yet tolerated; Many which must remain un-deseryed till the day of appearance, by whom the secret corners of Darknesse shall be brought into open Light.
Leaving therefore unto his Judgement, them, whom we cannot stay from casting their own Souls into so great hazard, we have in the other part of Penitential Jurisdiction, in our Power and Authoritie to release Sinne, joy on all sides, without trouble or molestation unto any. And, if to give, be a thing more blessed than to receive, are we not infinitely happyer in being authorized to bestow the Treasure of God, than when Necessitie doth constrain to with-draw the same?
They which, during Life and Health, are never destitute of wayes to delude Repentance, do notwithstanding oftentimes, when their last hour draweth on, both feel that sting, which before lay dead in them, and also thirst after such helps as have been alwayes, till then, unsavoury; Saint Ambrose his wordstouching late Repentance are somewhat hard,Lib. 3. de Poen. If a man be penitent, and receive Absolution (which cannot in that case be denyed him) even at the very point of death, and so depart, I dare not affirm he goeth out of the world well; I will counsel no man to trust to this, because I am loath to deceive any man, seeing I know not what to think of it. Shall I Iudge such a one a Cast-away? Neither will I avouch him safe: All I am able to say, is, Let his Estate be left to the will and pleasure of Almighty God: Wilt thou be therefore delivered of all doubt? Repent while yet thou art healthy and strong: If thou defert it till time give no longer possibility of sinning, thou canst not be thought to have left Sinne, but rather Sinne to have forsaken thee. Such admonitions may in their time and place be necessary, but in no wise prejudicial to the generality of God's own high and heavenly promise, Whensoever a Sinner doth repent from the bottom of his heart, I will put out all his iniquity. And of this, although it have pleased God not to leave to the world any multitude of Examples, lest the carelesse should too farr presume, yet one he hath given, and that most memorable, to withhold from despair in the mercies of God, at what instant so ever man's unfeigned conversion be wrought. Yea, because to countervail the fault of delay, there are in the latest Repentance oftentimes the surest tokens of sincere dealing; Therefore upon special Confession made to the Minister of God, he presently absolveth in this case the sick Party from all Sinnes by that Authority which Jesus Christ hath committed unto him, knowing that God respecteth not so much what time is spent, as what truth is shewed in Repentance.
In summe, when the Offence doth stand onelyonly between God and Man's Conscience, the Counsel is good,Non dico tibi, ut te prodas in publicum, neque ut te apud abosaccuses, sed obedire se volo Prophetae dicenti, Revela Domino viam tuam. Anie Deum constere peccata rua; Pecca…a rua dicito ut en delean, Si confonderis alie …i dicere quae peceasti, dirito ea quetidie in anima: Non d…co ut confiscaris conservo qui exp…bici; Deo dicien qui ea curar; Non necesse est praesenibus, …tibus confiteri, solus te Deus consirentem videat. …ogo & oro ut crebrius Deo immorrali confiteam…ni, & enumeratis vestrical… lictis veniem petatis. Non te in Theatrum conservoram duco, non hominibus pecu…a tue conor deregers. Repete coram Deo consceuriam tuam, te explica, ostense medico. praestantisimo vulcera tus, & pere ah co medicamentum, Chrysast, hom. 31. ad Hebr. & in Psal. 59. Hom. de poen, …e confess. & horn. 5. de incara. Dei natura, ho…mi …remque de Lazaro. which Saint Chrysostom giveth, I wish thee not to bewray thy self publickly, nor to accuse thy self before others, I wish thee to obey the Prophet who saith, Disclose thy way unto the Lord, confesse thy sins before him; Tell thy sins to him that he may blot them out. If thou be abashed to tell unto any other, wherein thou hast offended, rehearse them every day between thee and thy Soul. I wish thee not to confesse them to thy fellow-servant, who may upbraid thee with them; Tell them to God, who will cure them; There is no need for thee in the presence of Witnesses to acknowledge them; Let God alone see thee at thy Confession; I pray and beseech you, that you would more often than you do, confesse to God eternal, and reckoning up your Trespasses, desire his Pardon. I carry you not into a Theatre or open Court of many your Fellow-Servants, I seek not to detect your crimes before men; Disclose your Conscience before God, unfold yourselves to him, lay forth your wounds before him the best Physician that is, and desire of him salve for them. If hereupon it follow, as it did with David, I thought, I will confesse against my self my wickednesse unto thee O Lord, and thou forgavest me the plague of my Sinne, we have our desire, and there remaineth only thankfulnesse, accompanied with perpetuity of care to avoid that, which being not avoided, we know we cannot remedy without new perplexity and grief. Contrariwise, if peace with God do not follow the pains we have taken in seeking afterit, if we continue disquieted, and not delivered from anguish, mistrusting whether that we do be sufficient; it argueth that our Soar doth exceed the power of our own skill, and that the wisedom of the Pastor must binde up those parts, which being bruised, are not able to be recured of themselves.