Certain Discourses, Part 6
The Primates judgement of the Sense and Vse of the Form of words in the former Constitution, at the Ordination of Priests or Presbyters, defended, and enlarged. viz. Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins thou forgivest, they are forgiven, and whose sins thou doest retain, they are retained. Which as an Appendix to the former subject, could not well be omitted.
THey are the words of our Saviour, Iohn 20. 22. to the Apostles, and why they may not be continued to their Successors, (who are to succeed in that office of the Ministery to the end of the world,) doth not yet appear; and 'tis possible, that the late offence taken against them to the disuse of them, may arise from a misapprehension of the sense of them; The Primates judgement of which I think fit to manifest, who in all his Ordinations, constantly observed them.
They consist of two clauses.
1. Receive the Holy Ghost.
2. Whose sins thou forgivest, they are forgiven; and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained.
1. For the first; (Receive the Holy Ghost) We do not here understand the sanctifying graces of the spirit: For the Apostles had received them before, in that they were bid by our Saviour, to rejoyce, that their names were written in heaven (the evidence of which is, heaven wrot in the heart here) and had his witnesse, that they had believed, and had kept his word, for whom he had also also prayed in that sense; Sanctifie them through thy truth, John 17.
And if this had been the gift, there had been no particular thing given to them, for all that will be saved, must in some measure partake of it. Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And though it be the testimony of a good Christian, yet 'tis not a sufficient warrant for him, to take upon him the Ministery.
2. Again, it cannot be meant of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, viz. Gifts of tongues, &c. For in that sense the Holy Ghost was not yet given, till fifty dayes after. viz. the Feast of Pentecost, but this was given upon the day of his Resurrection; So that a third sense must be had, which was the Primates, as followeth.
3. Receive the Holy Ghost] i. e. receive Ministeriall power of officiating and dispensing those sacred Ministrations, unto which the promise of the holy Spirit is annexed, and through which, as the Conduit-Pipes, this holy water is conveyed; not so much meant for their own benefit, as the good of others; In this he gave them power as the Stewards of God, to be dispensers of holy and spiritual things, to the benefit of such, over whom the Holy Ghost had made them overseers, which is accordingly attributed to the Elders of Ephesus, whom S. Paul had ordained.
Mr. Hooker's glosse (in his Eccles. Polit.) is accordingly; Receive the Holy Ghost, i. e. Accipite potestatem spiritualem, receive ghostly, or spiritual Authority, in order to the soules of men now to be committed to your charge; And if you mark the context, their Commission is here from the blessed Trinity; the Father, and Sonne, in the verse before. As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. And in this verse, a reception of Authority from the third person, the Father sends, Matth. 9. 38. Chap. 10. 20. the Sonne, Ephes. 4. here the Holy Ghost, as Acts 20.
And so more fully thus. Receive the Holy Ghost, i. e. receive Authority from the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the efficacious preaching of the Word, and Administration of Sacraments, by and through which, the graces of the holy spirit in repentance, faith, forgivenesse of sins, and the like; are ordinarily wrought and confirmed to the hearers, and partakers of them: yet not excluding it from being a Prayer also, viz. that the person thus authorized, might receive such a spiritual assistance in it.
Receive first by way of donation in the name of Christ, as to the office; and secondly, by way of impetration, as to the efficacious spiritual assistance of him in it, which the accustomed succeeding prayer did confirm: which as it was in both senses frequently effectual by the mouth and hands of the Apostles, so hath it been accordingly from age to age, in and by the Ministery succeeding, and therefore why may not the same form of words be used at their Ordination also.
Can we think this solemn reception of the Holy Ghost, in that sense as hath been explained, was onelyonly for the benefit of that age, and withdrawn totally again in the next.
That his being with them thus by his spiritual assistance, to the end of the world, was to determine with the death of the Apostles; some of which, (as Saint Iames, Acts 12.) were not long after; No surely, this oyle poured upon their heads, descended further then so, even to the skirts of their garments, in these dayes.
The third Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, hath much in confirmation of this. In the third verse, Saint Paul styles the Minister ordained by Christ, his Amanuensis; ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. Christ the inditer, the Minister is as the hand of a ready writer; or the Spirit is as the ink, the Minister as the pen, through which 'tis diffused upon the fleshly Tables of your hearts, and by saying us, he doth not appropriate it to himselfe, but gives the like to Timothy ordained by him, which he continues in the sixth verse; God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit; as he calls the Word, the sword of the spirit (Ephes. 6.) committed into the hands of the Ministery, so the whole office is called the Ministration of the Spirit, v. 8. the Ministration of righteousnesse, v. 9. i. e. instrumentally, be it that of Iustification, or Sanctification, by which he saith, it did exceed in glory that under the law; The shining of Moses face, the glory of the Temple, and vestments of the Priests were glorious, but yet had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory which excelleth; for if that which is done away were glorious, how much more that which remaineth, is glorious. Now wherein lieth this glory, but in being by this Ministration, the Conduits through which the Spirit is conveyed, and received, or being (cap. 6. 1.) co-workers together with him of it, even as the glory of the latter Temple, by the presence of Christ himselfe, is said to be greater then the former, though it had types of him in a more outward glorious lustre: 'tis therefore called v. 18. the glass of the glory of the Lord, by which we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Which as it rebukes the Contemners of the office of the Ministery, so it answers that frequent objection made against the use of these words, at the Ordination to it; viz. That the Sanctifying graces of the spirit, were sometimes lacking both in the Ordainers transmitting, and ordained the recipients; It is answered, the Transmission, or reception of the Holy Ghost here, is not meant in that sense, as to the resting of it in the persons themselves, but as the conveyers of it, for the use and benefit of others, viz. through these Administrations, which they are now by this authorized to performe.
And that it may be so, ye see it in Iudas, who by our Saviours Commission to him through preaching, and baptizing, was the instrument accordingly of the transferring of it, (i. e. remission of sins, &c.) unto others, without partaking of it himself: our Saviour calls him a Devill, and a son of perdition, but yet in this Office, the Devils were subject to him; and he the means of dispossessing of others; like Noahs Carpenters, who were instruments to save others, but were drowned themselves. 'Tis probable, Saint Paul, or some of the Apostles ordained Hymenaeus, and Phyletus, Phygellus, Hermogenes, and Diotrephas, but as in neither of them doth there appear any sanctified grace of the spirit, so we do not read it caused any suspension of the vertue of their ministerial acts to the receivers, or that the Apostles gave order for any reiteration of them; personal faults, not voyding Acts of Office; and so, why should the like be a prejudice to it in these succeeding Ages? Receiving supposeth a gift, but 'tis as the giving of a summe to a Steward by his Lord, not to his own private use, but for the dispensing of it to the family.
And to say no more, there are some learned Interpreters, do apply that passage, 1 Iohn Chap. 2. 20. to an ordained Ministery; yee need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth;aEadem unctio) non pootuit luculentiore testimoni… Pastores & doctores ornare, à quibus illi instituti f…erant, & quotidie …dhuc instituebantur, quam quum ipsos diceret ab ipso Spiritu Sancto doceri, & jam antea esse doctos. Beza's words upon the place, are these; the same anointing) he could not with a more cleare Testimony have adorned the Pastors and Teachers, from whom they were instructed, and daily as yet are; then to say they were taught by the holy Ghost, & had bin formerly, &c. bPiscator in loc. Vnctio docet] id est, ministerium verbi (i. e.) Spiritus Sanctus effica… per praedicationem Evangelii, quare ministerium verbi in precio habendum est.Piscators words are these, The anointing teacheth] i. e. the Ministry of the word, or the Holy Ghost efficacious by the preaching of the Gospel, wherefore the Ministery ought to be in a great esteem with us.
Ye see they do not understand by this Vnction, or anointing, signifying the Holy Ghost, an immediate teaching, or inspiration, as by some Enthusiasme, but immediately through the Ministery, ordained for that end; by a Metonymy (as they say) of the Adjunct; the oyntment, for the hand, which applyes it, or delivers it to you, and the teaching you all things, is meant of all things necessary to salvation; the credenda, and agenda, which by the Ministery had bin so f…lly taught them, that they needed not to be taught by Saint Iohn again here.
If any shall object (as it hath been nnto me) that of Saint Augustine, lib. 15. de Trinit. cap. 27. Quomodo ergo Deus non est qui dat Spiritum Sanctum, imò quantus Deus est qui dat Deum? neque enim aliquis discipulorum ejus dedit Spiritum Sanctum, orabant quippe ut veniret in eos, quibus manus imponebant, non ipsi eum dabant, quem morem in suis praepositis etiam nune servet Ecclesia &c. i. e. How should not he be God who gives the Holy Ghost? nay, how great a God who gives God? for neither any of his disciples, gave the holy Ghost; they prayed indeed, that it might come upon those on whom they imposed hands, they did not give it themseles; which custom the Church now observes, &c.
1.Answ. In the words before these, he speaks of a double giving of the Holy Ghost by our Saviour, the one on earth after his resurrection, the other from heaven after his Ascension, upon the day of Pentecost; now in relation to the latter in those extraordinary gifts of the spirit, the words objected have their principal application, which doth not concern that we have in hand, which is only of the former being meant of successive ministerial authority, for the ordinarie dispensing of the office.
Secondly, whereas he saith, the Church hath observed that custome in imposition of hands, to pray for the persons reciving of it, hath bin formerly acknowledged to be one sense of that clause, viz. by way of impetration; Take the gift of the spirit, pro dono infuso, so we use the words per modum impetrationis, take it pro officio, so we use it, per modum collationis, ministerially conferring the power of executing the office of a Minister, & there is no contradiction, but that in the same act, there may meet a collation of the office with authority to execute, and an impetration for the persons receiving an assistance of the spirit in the executing of it, which, in the old in junction immediately followed, in a prayer, for the person ordained accordingly, so that the custome and intention of our Church, is no other then what was in Saint Augustines time, not presuming to give the Holy Ghost in the latter sense, (only praying it might be given of God to him) but only in the former.
So much for opening of the first clause in ordination, Receive the Holy Ghost, which rightly understood, is not such a rock of offence, as some have taken it to be, in the disuse of it.
The second clause is, whose sins thou forgivest, they are forgiven, whose sins thou doest retain, they are retained. At which, as much, if not more offence hath been taken, then at the former, (as if it savoured of Popery) which … shall give you the Primates sense of also. That it may be retained in ordination, and attributed safely to the office of the Ministery, without the least savour that way, which no man that knew him, and what Popery is, but will acquit him of the least grain of it.
Thus far it will be granted by all sober persons.
1. The Ministers may be said to remit sins, by way of preparative to it; in being the instruments (by preaching the word of reconciliation) to dispose men towards it in bringing them to repentance, whereby they are capable of it.
2. By way of Confirmation, in exhibiting the seales of remission in the Sacraments, according as one well glosseth upon these words; 'Tis Gods act onelyonly to forgive sins, but the Apostles are said to do it; aNon simplicitèr sed quia adhibent media per q…uae Deus remittit pecca…a, haec autem▪ media sunt …erbum & Sacramenta; …er. in loc.not simply, but because they apply the means appointed of God for that end. viz. the word, and Sacraments; What is there more in forgivenesse of sins, then in reconciliation of God and man; now ye find this given to the Ministery. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word, or ministery of reconciliation. Gods act onelyonly authoritate propria, by his own supreme authority; the Ministers act potestate vicaria, as a substitute in Christs stead, and the word doth include the Sacraments also, as in our usual speech, the Letters Pattents doth the Seale affixed to them, as the Ministery, doth the whole ministerial office.
3. Declaratively in testifying this grace of God, and declaring Gods good pleasure accordingly upon repentance unto the person, like that of Nathan to David, or Saint Peter to his Auditory (Acts 3.) as Ferus saith, bNon quod homo propriè remittet peccatum, sed quod ostendet & certificet adeò remiss…m, neque enim al…a est abso…utio ab homine, (quam si dicat) E… ti…i, certifico te, tibi remissa esse peccata, Annuncio tibi te habere Deum propit…um, &c. Ferus. lib 2. Comment. in Matth. cap. 9. edit. Mogu…t, 1559.man doth not properly forgive sin, but doth declare, and certifie that it is remitted of God, so that absolution received from man, is as much to say, behold my son, I certifie thee, that thy sins are forgiven thee. I declare unto thee that God is at peace with thee, (which I relate the rather out of him both for his being a writer of the Church of Rome, and that this passage is purged out of his book by them as erroneous, as may be seen by comparing the Edition of Mentz, with the Edition at Antwerp, 1559, and 1570) Which agrees with that in the Articles of Religion of Ireland, num. 71. God hath given power to his Ministers, not simply to forgive sinnes (which prerogative he hath reserved only to himselfe) but in his name to declare and pronounce unto such as truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his Holy Gospel, the absolution, and remission of sins.
But that ye may the more fully understand the Primates Iudgement in this point, whose authority prevails much with all good men, and how remote our Church is from that of the Papists in the use of those words in ordination, I shall give you some brief collections out of that Answer of his to the Iesuite Malones challenge concerning this subject, and the rather to satisfy the Reader, against the injury, which (among others) Doctor Heylene hath done him in this, as if his judgement were opposite to the Doctrine of the Church of England.
First, the Primate complains of the wrong done by the Papists in charging us with denying any power to be left by Christ to the Priests, or Ministers of the Church, to forgive sins, being the formal words which our Church requireth to be used in the Ordination of a Minister, and there states the question between them & us; That in the general, it was ever the doctrine of our Church, that the principal office of our Ministery is excercised in the forgivenesse of sins, as the means, and end of it. The Question is of the manner of the execution, and the Bounds of it, which the Pope, and his Clergy have enlarged beyond all measure of truth and reason.
We say, that to forgive sinnes properly, directly, and absolutely, is Gods propriety onelyonly; Esay 43. 25. Psal. 32. 5. produced by our Saviour, Matth. 9. to prove his Deity, which is accordingly averred by all antiquity.
But the Papists attribute as much to the Bishop of Rome, affirming, aIn summo P…ntifice esse pleni…ud…nem omnium grat…arum, quia i…se solus confert plenam indulgentiam omnium peccatorum & computet sibi quod de primo princi…e D…mino dicimus, quia de plenitudine ejus nos omnes accepimus, de Regim. Principum, lib. 3. cap. 10. inter opuscula Th…mae, num 20. activè & proximè efficit gratiam justificationis, …t flatus extinguit ignem, & dissipat nebulas, sic absolutio sacerdotis pecca…a &c. Bell. de Sacram. lib…o 2. cap. 1. de poenitent. libro 3. cap. 2. Attritio virtute clavium fit contritio, Rom. Correctores Gloss. Gratiani de poenitent. du…t. 1. principio, &c.That in him there is a fulnesse of all graces, and he gives a full indulgence of all sins, that to him agrees that which we give to our Lord, that of his fulnesse, all we have received; and not much lesse to the meanest Priest; viz. That his absolution is such a Sacramental Act, that it confers grace; actively, and immediately, and effects the grace of Iustification, that as the wind doth extinguish the fire, and dispell Clouds, so doth his absolution, sins, and by it Attrition becomes Contrition.
We do not take upon us any such soveraignty, as if it were in our power to proclaim warre, or conclude peace between God, and man, at our discretion; We remember we are but Embassadors, and must not go beyond our commission, and instructions. We do not take upon us thus to be Lords over Gods heritage, as if we had the absolute power of the Keyes. This were Popery indeed. No, we only acknowledge a Ministerial limited one, as Stewards to dispense things according to the Will of our Masters, and do assent unto the observation which Cyrill, Saint Basil, Ambrose, Augustine, make upon these words of Ordination of the Apostle; Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye forgive, shall be forgiven. viz. That this is not their work properly, but the work of the Holy Ghost, who remitteth by them; for as St. Cyril saith aCui enim praevaricatores legis à peccato liberare licet, nisi legis ipsius autori. in Jo…. lib. 12. …ap 56.who can free transgressors of the Law, but the Authour of the Law it self?bDatu…us erat Dmi…us hominibus Spi…itum Sanctum, ab ipso Spiri…u Sancto fidelibus suis dimitti peccata volebat intelligi; nam quid es h…m…, nisi ager sanandus, vis mihi esse medicus, mecum quaere medicum. Homil. 23. Ex. 50. The Lord (saith St. Augustine) was to give un…o men the Holy Ghost, and he would have it to be understood, that by the Holy Ghost himselfe sins should be forgiven to the faithfull, what art thou O man, but a sick man? thou hast need to be healed; wilt thou be a Physitian to me, seek the Physitian togegether with me:cEcce per Spiritum Sanctum peccata donantur, …omines, ministerium suum exhibent, non jus alicujus potestatis exercent, (de Sp. Sanct.) lib. 3. cap. 10. Saint Ambrose; Lo, by the Holy Ghost sins are forgiven; men bring but their Ministerie to it, they exercise not the Authoritie of any power in it.
Now having acquitted our Church of Poperie, in retaining these words in Ordination, the Primate proceeds in shewing the Ministers exercise of his function, in this particular; viz. Forgivenesse of sins in these four things. 1. Prayer. 2. Censures of the Church. 3. Sacraments. 4. The word preached.
1. Prayer, Iam. 5. 14, 15. If any be sick, let him send for the Elders of the Church, & let them pray over him, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him, and so shewes it to have been the judgement and practice of the Fathers and the ancientest of the Schoolmen, that the power of the Keyes in this particular, is much exercised in our being petitioners to God; for the persons remission, not excluding the prayers of the whole Church in assisting them with theirs, for which cause in publick offences, S. Augustine exhorts men to shew their repentance accordingly, that the Church might pray with the Minister for them, for the more sure imparting of the benefit of absolution. And that before Thomas Aquinas time, the form of absolution was by prayer for the partie, & that a learned man in his time found fault with that indicative form newly introduced. Then the form being not, I absolve thee, but absolutionem & remissionem tribuat tibi omnipotens Deus, the Almighty God give unto thee absolution, and remission, &c. unto which the antient Ritualls of the Roman Church as the Greeke, (according to that of Damascenes form, yet retained) doth agree; and 'tis the Primates observation, that the ancient Fathers never used any Indicative form, but alwaies prayerwise; as ye have heard, according to which were the ancient Liturgies of the Latine, and Greek Churches; howsoever the Popish Priests now stand so much upon it, that they place the very essence and efficacie of that their Sacrament in it, in the first person, and not in the third.
Indeed our Church, to shew it stood not upon forms, did in its Liturgie observe each. 1. In the absolution after the general Confession it is only declarative; At the communion 'tis in the form of a prayer, at the visitation of the sick, 'tis both Declarative, Optative, and Indicative.
2. In the Censures of the Church, there is an exercise of this part of our function, which we maintain against the Montanists & Novatians, who deny any ministeriall power of reconciling of such penitents, as had committed heynous sins, and receiving them to the Communion of the faithfull, which is contrary to that of Saint Paul, (as 'tis generally expounded by antiquity) Gal. 6. 1. If any man be overtaken in a fault, (i. e. in a scandalous one) you who are spiritual, restore (i. e. upon his repentance) such a one in the spirit of meeknesse, as in the particular of the Incestuous Corinthian, whom, as in the name and power of the Lord Iesus, he had bin excommunicated, by Saint Paul, and the Elders there, so upon his repentance, he was in the same name, and by the same power restored again, even by such, to whom was committed the Ministery of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 27. 10. &c. And indeed this loosening of men, is generally by the Fathers accounted a restoring them to the peace of the Church, and admitting them to the Lords Table again, as is evident by their frequent expressions that way, which the Primate doth declare.
3. In the administration of the Sacraments, which being a part of the Ministerie of reconciliation, and the Seales of the Promises must necessarily also have reference to remission of sins, and so the ancient Fathers (of whom the Primate alleadgeth diverse) do hold, that as these words, whose sins ye remit, are remitted unto them, &c. are a part of our Commission; so 'tis exercised by the Ministers of Christ in the Sacraments of Baptisme, and the Communion; yet so, that the Ministery only is to be accounted mans, and the power Gods; it being saith Saint Augustine, aAliud est baptiza…e per ministerium, aliud per p…estatem & autheritat…m,One thing to baptize by way of Ministerie, another by way of power, which the Lord hath retained to himself, as to the Authority of remission of sins in it, according to that of Iohn Baptists distinction between the externall and internall Baptisme, he baptized with the Baptisme of water, to the remission of sins, but attributes that of baptizing with the Holy Ghost, to Christ onelyonly.
4. In the word of God preached, there is exercised this part of our function, in loosing men from their sins, being a speciall part of this Ministery of reconciliation, committed to us, as the Embassadours of Christ here upon the earth for that end; sinners are said to be holden with the cords of their own sins, Prov. 5. 12. The Apostles (saith Saint Ierome) according to their Commission given them by their Master, Whosoever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosened in heaven; (which beares the same sense with remitting, and retaining of sins here,) aquos funes, & vincula, solvunt Apostoli Sermone Dei, & testimoniis scripturae, & exhortatione. lib. 6. Comment. in Is. cap. 14.Did loose those cords by the word of God, and Testimonies of Scripture, and exhortations unto vertues bRemj…untur peccata per Dei verbum, de Abel, & Cain. lib. 2. cap. 4.Saint Ambrose saith the same, that sins are remitted by the word of God; &c. And so calls the Levite, that interpreted the Law, a Minister of remission; As the Iewish Scribes, by taking away this key of knowledge, are said to shut up the Kingdom of heaven, so a Scribe fitted for the Kingdome of God in the Ministery, is a meanes by it to open the door of heaven to them, by being an instrument to open mens eyes, and to turn them from darknesse to light, from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgivenesse of sius, &c. And by applying the word unto the consciences of their hearers, the Ministers of Christ did discharge that part of their function which concerns forgivenesse of sins; not only declaratively, but operatively; in as much as God is pleased to use their preaching of the Gospel, as a meanes of conferring his spirit upon the sons of men, and of working of faith, and repentance, whereby remission of sins is obtained: thus Iohn is said to have preached the Baptisme of repentance, Mark 1. 4.and to have given knowledge of salvation to the people, for the remission of sins: and Saint Iames, cap. 5. 20. saith, he that converts a sinner from the errour of his way, shall save a soule from death, and hide a multitude of sins. This hiding, or covering, is meant forgivenesse, as 'tis accordingly set forth elsewhere. Rom. 4. 7. blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven, Jer. 3…. 28.and whose iniquities are covered, &c. Now, is there not as much offence in saying Ministers do save mens soules, or save men from their sins, (the propriety of our Saviour) as to say they forgive them their sins, the turning men from their iniquities, is Gods act alone, according to the frequent prayer in the Prophets unto him first, yet in regard the word of reconciliation is committed to them as the ordinary meanes of it, by a usuall Trope of the Act of the agent given to the instrument, it is attributed unto them, of which might be given many instances, Timothy (1 Ep. 1. 4.) is said to save them that hear him, though there is but one Saviour, because he preached the word of salvation, by which they were saved, (Acts 12. 14.) the word of God preached by the Apostles, is called by our Saviour, their word Iohn 17. 20. and that which is properly the work of God, is called their worke, 1 Thes. 5. The Corinthians who believed by Saint Pauls Ministery are said to be his Epistle, i. e. the Epistle of Christ ministred by him, as ye have it expounded in the next verse following; And so, why may not forgivenesse of sins be said to be the work of the Ministers, i. e. the work of Christ ministred by them; being so far honoured, as to be called foreign, Coworkers together with him. According unto which is the judgement of Dr. Ward, that Reverend and learned Professor of Divinity in Cambridge, in that determination of his, (in Comitiis an. 1637. mense Octob.) Potestas clavium extenditur ad remissionem culpae, where are many of the like observations, which I found inclosed in a letter unto the Primate, for his approbation, where I find somewhat more then is in that which is printed. viz. 80. Sic argumentatur Alensis. part. 4. q. 21. membr. 1. Paris potestatis est interius baptizare & à culpa mortali absolvere. Sed Deus non debuit potestatem baptizandi interius communicare, ne spes poneretur in homine, ergo pari ratione non potestatem absolvendi ab actuali peccato, fundamentum hujus rationis habetur apud Cyprianum de lapsis.
And the like may be said of the binding part of their office called here, retaining of sins. Do we not read how the Ministers are sometimes brought in like those seven Angels in the book of the Revelation, which poure out the Vialls of Gods wrath upon the earth. Saint Paul saith, 2 Cor. 10. 6. he had vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience, yet vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord; what other sense can it be but this? he is said to be the inflicter, because he was in Christs name the denouncer? even as Ieremiah, (cap. 1. 10.) is said to be set over the Nations, and Kingdomes to pluck up, and to pull down, to destroy, and to root out; because God had put these words in his mouth, and was ordained by him as a Prophet to pronounce destruction to them accordingly, or as Ezekiel (cap. 43. 3.) is said to have destroyed the City, by being said to pronounce destruction to it. The Primate observes, that we often meet with these speeches concerning the Leprosie (which was a Type of the pollution of sin) the Priest shall cleanse him, the Priest shall pollute him (Lev. 13.) according to the Hebrew, and the Greek version; and out ofa…Contaminatione contaminabit eum, haud dubium, quin Sacerd…s non quo contaminationis Author sit, sed quo ostendat eum contaminatum. Hieron. lib. 7. Esa. cap. 23. Saint Ierom, that 'tis said, verse 44. the Priest with pollution, shall pollute him, not that he is the Author of his pollution, but that he declares him to be polluted, and uncleane; whereupon the Master of the sentences, and others do observe,bIn remit…endis vel re…inendis pecca…is, id Iuris & Officii habent Evangelici sacerdotes, quod olim habebant. sub lege legales in curandis leprosis. Hi ergo peccata dimi…tunt vel re…inent, dum dimissa adeo, vel re…entae, indicant & ostendant. Ponunt enim sacerdotes nomen Domin… super filios Israel, sed ipse benedixit, si…ut legitur in Num. Petr. Lomb. l. 4. sent. dist. 14. that in remitting, and retaining of sins, the Priests of the Gospel have the like power, and office, which the Priests of old had under the Law in curing the Lepers, who therefore accordingly may be said to forgive, and retaine sins, whilst they shew, and declare, they are forgiven, or retained of GodaNum. 6. So the Priests put the name of the Lord upon the children of Israel, and were commanded to blesse the people in saying, The Lord blesse thee: but it was the Lord himself that blessed them; according to the next words, and I will blesse them.
And thus in these four things, I leave it to be calmly considered of, if the Ministers have not power left them by Christ in relation to forgivenesse of sins, and with these limitations, whether that part of the old form of the words of Ordination, might not be continued also, which seems to me to be explained in the next following them; viz. And be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word, and Sacraments, &c. (through both which the graces of the Holy Ghost, and remission of sins are conveyed, and sealed) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. According as in the words at the Communion used to the recipient, the former clause was added in Q. Elizabeths dayes, to give the more full sense of the latter. And let not any by this Moderate expression, extenuate the office of the Ministery, as Bellarmine would by this inferre, that any Lay-man, Woman, or Child, may absolve as well as the Minister, (as we have among our selves, too many of that judgement.) For it consisteth not in speech, but in power, or Authority; he being as the officer of a King, Authorized to make Proclamation of his pleasure: Every man may speak one to another, to the use of edifying, but to them is given, 1 Cor. 10. 16. power to edification, God hath made them able Ministers, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. That from them it comes, 1 Thess. 1. 5. not only in word, but in power also; and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; which accordingly hath been experimentally found; that howsoever another may from the Scripture shew as truly unto the penitent, what glad tidings are there intended to him; yet to drooping and doubting soules, it hath not been so efficacious, in quieting them, and giving satisfaction to their consciences, either in sicknesse, death-bed, or otherwise; as by the Ministery ordained, and commissionated for that end; That as 'tis their office to pray and exhort you in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God; so having listened to that Motion, and submitted your selves accordingly; 'tis their office to declare, and assure unto you in Christs stead, that God is reconciled with you, All which appeares to be the ancient doctrine of the Church of England, by what is publickly declared in the exhortation before the Communion to be read sometimes at the discretion of the Minister which is the recitd and approved by the Primate, as followeth.
And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full trust in Gods mercy, and with a quiet conscience, therefore, if there be any of you, which by meanes aforesaid, (i. e. Private examination and confession of sinnes to God) cannot quiet his own conscience, but requireth further Councell and Comfort, then let him come to me; or some other discreet, and learned Minister of Gods word, and open his grief, that he may receive such Ghostly Councel, Advice, and Comfort; as his Conscience may be relieved; and that by the Ministery of Gods word, he may receive comfort, and the benefit of absolution, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoyding of all scruple, and doubtfulnesse.
And now let the Reader judge if Dr. Heylene hath not cause to repent of his rash censure of the Primate, (in his late book p. 108.) as if in this part of his Answer to the Jesuite, he had (as he saith) in this particular, utterly subverted, as well the doctrine of this Church, as her purpose in it, &c. when those two arguments which himself urgeth, from the words of Ordination, and the exhortation at the communion, are produced and defended by the Primate also. What would he have? he saith the doctrine of the Church of England is, that, The Priest doth forgive sins authoritativè by a delegated, and commissionated power committed to him from our Lord and Saviour, doth not the Primate say the same; that 'tis not only declarativè, but designativè, not only by way of information out of the word of God (as another understanding Christian may do) to the penitent, that his sins are pardoned, but he doth it authoritative, as having a power and commission from God to pronounce it to the party, and by the seale of the Sacrament to assure the soule of the penitent, that he is pardoned of God, which no other man or Angel can do, ex officio, but the Minister of Christ, according to that of the Apostle; To us is committed the word of re…couciliation, this is the summe of the Primates judgement. He that would have more, must step over into the Church of Rome for it.
I shall only make a trial whether Doctor Heylene will so conclude against Mr. Hooker, as he hath against the Primate; who in his sixth book of Ecclesiasticall Policy, consents fully with him, where after his declaring, that for any thing he could ever observe, those Formalities which the Church of Rome do so esteem of, were not of such estimation, nor thought to be of absolute necessity with the Ancient Fathers, and that the form with them was with invocation, or praying for the penitent, that God would be reconciled unto him, for which he produceth Leo, Ambrose,aSacerdos imponit manum subjecto, …ed… tum Spiritus sancti invocat, & indicta in populum or atione altari reconcil…at, &c. advers. Lucifer. Ierome, &c. p. 96. He thus declares his judgement, viz. As for the Ministerial sentence of private absolution, it can be no more then a declaration what God hath done▪ it hath but the force of the Prophet Nathan's absolution, God hath taken away thy sins, then which construction, especially of words judiciall, there is nothing more vulgar. For example, the Publicans are said in the Gospel to have justified God: the Iewes in Malachy to have blessed the proud man, which sin, and prosper; not that the one did make God righteous, or the other, the wicked happy; but to blesse, to justifie, and to absolve, are as commonly used for words of judgement, or declaration, as of true and reall efficacy; yea, even by the opi…ion of the Master of sentences, &c. Priests are authorized to loose and bind, that is to say, declare who are bound, and who are loosed; &c. Saint Ierome also, (whom the Master of the Sentences alledgeth) directly affirmeth, That as the Priests of the Law could only discern, and neither cause nor remove Leprosies; so the Ministers of the Gospel, when they retain or remit sinnes, do but in the one judge how long we continue guilty, and in the other declare when we are clear, or free. (Tom▪ 6. Comment. in 16. Mat.) So (saith Mr. Hooker,) when conversion by manifest tokens did seem effected, Absolution ensuing, (which could not make) served onelyonly to declare men innocent. p. 108. When any of ours ascribeth the work of remission to God, and interprets the Priests sentence to be but a solemn declaration of that which God himselfe hath already performed, they (i. e. the Church of Rome) scorne it. And so after much to this purpofe, he thus concludes. p. 113. Let it suffice to have shewen how God alone doth truly give, and private Ministerial absolution, but declare remission of sinnes. And thus I leave Mr. Hooker under Doctor Heylen's Censure, who hath already concluded, that forgivenesse of sins by the Priest, onelyonly declarativè, doth not come up to the doctrine of the Church of England. Though the reason he gives, because it holds, the Priest doth forgive sins authoritativè, I do not see the force of, The former, supposing the latter; for the Officer, whose place it is, solemnly to make Proclamation of the Kings pardon, doth it authoritativè; nay, dares not do it, unlesse he were authorized accordingly. And so much for the Primates judgement of those words of Ordination. Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins thou forgivest, are forgiven, whose sins thou retainest, are retained.