Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Floating text 2 · Popish error 2 – Popish error 3
2. The uſe of Popiſh Penances, as wearing of haire-cloth, and ſuch like corporall puniſhments enjoyned by Priests for ſinnes Confeſſed, NOTE.with intention to ſatisfie God thereby for the ſinnes confeſſed; lately preſſed, as lawfull, profitable, commendable.
THe uſe and lawfulneſſe hereof (never heard of nor maintained in our Church ſince Reformation till this Archbiſhops Domination) is thus preſſed, juſtified, commended in theſe enſuing authorized bookes.
Chriſts Epiſtls to a Devout ſoule, pag. 252. Enjoyne thy ſelfe for thy Pennance to ſay ſome devout prayer, or to doe ſome greater Pennance, as thou and thy ſpirituall Director ſhall thinke fit.
Franeis Sales his Introduction to a Devout Life, pag. 131. Recompence (this loſſe) at leaſt by multiplying Jaculatory prayers, and by reading ſome books of Devotion with ſome voluntary Pennance or other, for committing this fault.
Pag. 209. The ſoveraigne balſome of Confeſſion or pennance.
Pag. 428. Diſciplying the body likewiſe hath a marvellous efficacy to ſtir up in us deſire of devotion, when it is moderately uſed: Haire-Cloath tameth the fleſh very much: upon the principall dayes of pennance, one may well uſe it with the adviſe of a diſcreet Confeſſor.
Dr. Pocklingtons Altare Chriſtianum, p. 42. writes thus, The firſt Room is called the Church-Porch where penitents uſed to ſtand, or rather to caſt themſelves downe, and in humble manner to deſire the faithfull to pray for them as they went NOTE.into the Church: after Delinquents had perfectly fulfilled their penance, they were reconciled to the Sacraments, and communicated: This diſtinction of places in the Church is very ancient and obſerved even from the Apoſtles times.
Pag. 44. This man after penance done for this fault was admitted into the Church againe.
Pag. 52. Cap. 10. Of dayes of pennance and abſolution, Citizens pennance.
P. 54. None that had fallen into any notorious crime were admitted againe into the Church before they had done open penance in Sack-cloth and Aſhes: Cerdon was not received into the Church before he had performed his penance: Exomologeſin faciens.
Pag. 55. In what ſort penitents performed their penance and made Confeſſion, the Act it ſelfe will diſcover.
This Exomologeſis giveth law both to our food and rayment, ſacco & cinere incubare; and ordereth men to lye in Sack-Cloth and Aſhes to humble your ſelves before the Prieſt, and to fall downe upon the knees before Gods Altars, to ſue unto all Brethren for their prayers in their behalfe, Haec omnia exomologeſis: penance worketh all this.
P. 56. Feeling nothing but rough Sack-Cloth, galling the ſides, ſeeing nothing but head, hands, face, cloaths, covered over with aſhes; have nothing to be ſeene but a pale face, thinne cheekes and a meagre looke, and this continued two, three, ſometimes foure yeares together, before perfectionem ſuam reciperent.
P. 57. Hereupon the Biſhops made an addition to the Eccleſiaſtcall Canon, that in every Church a Penitentiary ſhold be appointed to admit penitents into the Church, after they had done publike penance: A ſolemn day was ſet a part for taking of publike penance for open faults, by impoſition of hands, and ſprinkling of aſhes, namely, Aſhwedneſday, by the Canon of the Councell of Agatha in Gratian, This is the godly Diſcipline whereof our Church ſpeaketh in the Commination, of putting notorious ſinners to open penance in the beginning of Lent, and wiſheth that it might bee reſtored againe: And as Aſhwedneſday was appointed for putting notorious ſinners to open penance, ſo was MAUNDAY Thurſday ſet a part for their abſolutions.
P. 59. The godly diſcipline conſtantly practiſed in Churches and at Altars and the ſad and malencholly mention of Penance, Faſting and Prayer, with other Auſterities, which the pietie of the times have but juſt cauſe to thinke of.
P. 63. This was done 40. dayes before Eaſter namely on Aſhwedneſday in Sack-Cloth and Aſhes: And for 8. dayes together before Eaſter they were to doe penance, to faſt, to refraine all manner of pleaſures though never ſo lawfull, to ſtand bare foot upon Sack-cloth, and to watch on Good-Friday all night, or at leaſt till two a Clock in the morning.NOTE
Shelfords five Treatiſes, Pag. 71. Then they confeſſed their ſinnes to God and their Miniſter for ſpirituall comfort and Councell, then they endeavoured to make the beſt temporall ſatisfaction they could by Almes, Prayer and Faſtings, and other workes of humiliation.
The Scots New Service Booke in the Commination againſt ſinners, with certaine prayers to bee uſed diverſe times in the yeare, and especially on the firſt day of Lent, commonly called Aſhwedneſday: To which there is this addition in juſtification of Popiſh penance, made with the Arch-Biſhops owne hand.
Brethren in the Primitive Church, there was a godly diſcipline uſed, that at the beginning of Lent notorious ſinners were put to open Pennance, and did humbly ſubmit themſelves to undergoe puniſhment in this world, that their ſoules might be ſaved in the day of the Lord.
All which is thus cloſed up by Biſhop Mountague; who after a long diſcourſe in Juſtification, of Confeſſion and Penance, concludes thus, out of Pope Leo.
Originum Eccleſiaſticarum, Tomi Prioris pars poſterior, Londini, 1640. Pag. 467. Sect. 33. Christus enim (ut cum B. Leone loquar) Eccleſia Prapoſitis poteſtatem dedit, ut & Confitentibus actionem paenitentiae darent, & coſdem SALUBRI SATISFACTIONE PVRGARENT: & ſic ad communionem Sacramentorum, per januam reconciliationis admitterent.
3. That we ought neceſſarily to give blinde Obedience to the Eccleſiaſticall commands and directions of our Priests, Confeſſors, and ſpirituall Superiors.
THis deſperate Popiſh Aſſertion was publiſhed and juſtified in theſe Authorized printed paſſages, worthy our ſpeciall obſervation.
Chriſts Epiſtle to a Devout Soule, pag. 112. 113. 114. 116. Reſpect not the man who by my Ordinance is thy ſuperior, whether he be learned or unlearned: but have regard to this only that he is thy ſuperior, by whom I will govern thee, and in whom thou oughteſt to obey me; Wherefore I would have thee ſubject thy ſelfe unto him without any ſervile feare, or ſcruple of thy Conſcience, and diſpraiſing thine owne wiſdome and Councell ſubmit thy ſelfe to be governd by his judgment, and opinion whatſoever he ſhall determine or appoint thee. Walke in the path of Obedience, and doe nothing at all without the Counſell of thy Paſtor, or Ghoſtly Father, or Superiour, eſteeming that alwayes beſt which thy Superior ſhall thinke fitteſt, doe all things according to the councell of thy Superior, and ſubmit thy ſelfe wholly to his will and diſcretion: And Page 192. my inſpirations never diſagree from the Obedience that thou muſt carry to thy ſuperiors: therefore if thou ſubmitteſt thy ſelfe to them, and relieſt in no reſpect upon thy owne ſelfe, thou art ſure to walke in ſimplicity and purity of heart.
Francis Sales his Introduction to a Devout Life, pag. 334. 335. Obedience, Charitie, and Povertie, are three excellent juſtruments unto perfection: There are two ſorts of Obedience, the one neceſſary, the other voluntary, by neceſſary obedience, thou muſt obey thy Eccleſiaſticall Superiors, as the ſupreame head, &c.
Which is thus ſeconded by Chriſtopher Dow, in his Booke againſt Maſter Burton pag. 136. 137. Secondly, I ſay, that being done by the ſame Authority that firſt ſet them forth, it is neither for him, nor me, nor any other of inferiour rancke to queſtion them, but with humble Reverence to ſubmit to their judgments, and to think them wiſer and farre more fit to order thoſe things that belong to their places, than wee, whom neither it concernes, nor indeed can know the reaſons that move them either to doe or alter any thing, &c.
With whom Doctor Heylyn in his Coale from the Altar, p. 2. Thus complyes in judgment; Should we all be ſo affected as to demurre on the commands of our Superior in matters of exteriour Order and Publike Government, till wee are ſatisfied in the grounds and reaſons of their commandements, or ſhould we fly off from our duty at ſight of every new deviſe that is offered to us, we ſhould finde a ſpeedy diſſolution in Church and State.
Which Doctor Pocklington thus cloſeth in his Altare Christianum, pag. 180. What flood-gates this man ſets wide open to let in a whole deluge of confuſions, impiety, and Sacriledge into the Church, if the Contents of his Letter in this particular might obtaine, viz. That the Conſtitutions, Orders, Decrees appointed by Cannon or renewed by TRADITION of holy Church, be not of abſolute authority and require full obedience, but are to be ſcanned and diſputed.