Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 3 · Chapter 4
Cap. 4. That all that the Sophiſters babble in their ſchooles, of penance; is farre from the pureneſſe of the Goſpell: where is entreated of confeſſion and ſatisfaction.
FIrſt, in generall and in ſumme, hée toucheth the doctrine of the ſchoolemen, Chapter 1. Moreouer, hee examineth all the partes thereof, Contrition, 2. 3. Confeſſion from the 4. to the 24. Satiſfaction, from the 25. to the 39.
The ſchoolemen do vnluckily abide in the doctrine of repentaunce. For firſt they wrongfully define it: ſecōdly, they fooliſhly diuide it: thirdly, they rayſe Tragedies of light matters, and with troubleſome queſtions they entangle the mindes of the readers: Laſt of all, they entangle themſelues ſo with a certayne ſaying of Hierome, that they can neuer vnfold them ſelues out. Furthermore they too groſely betray their owne blockiſhnes.
2 When they diuide repentance into contrition of hart, confeſſiō of mouth, and ſatiſfaction of workes, and woulde hauehave remiſſion of ſins to depend therof: Firſt it is ſhewed that there can bée no ſuch contrition, as may deſerue vsus pardon: ſecondly that ſuch contrition ought not to be layde vponupon mens mindes, ſpecially to that end, that they ſhoulde not leaue of before they had payed the debt.
3 No man hath at any tyme bin holpen by ſuch contrition: yet he willingly acknowledgeth, and teacheth a certeyne ſorowfulneſſe or contrition: but ſuch as may teach vsus to hunger & thirſt after the mercy of Chriſt: but not ſuch as may teach vsus to diſcerue remiſſion of ſinnes by iuſt and full contrition,Mar. 11.18 Eſai. 6.1 Luk. 4.18 whiche no ſinne did at any tyme diſcharge.
As touching confeſſion, firſt hée ſercheth whether it be by Gods law or no, from the 4. to the 8. ſecondly hée ſheweth what the ſame is, which wée hauehave deliuered in the worde of God, from the 9. to the 14. Laſtly how fooliſh and vnſeaſoned things they are, that they brable about confeſſion, frō ye 15. to the 24.
4 Concerning confeſſion, there hath bin great ſtrife betwéene the Canoniſts and the Schoole Diuines,Gen. 3.9 Mat. 8.4 Luk. 5.14 Deu. 17.8 Heb. 7.11 theſe affirming that confeſſion is by Gods lawe, they deniyng. But the Diuines hauehave wickedly wreſted the Scriptures, to draw their arguments to confirm their errour: and the firſt is the place of the Lepers, whom Chriſt ſent to ye prieſts, to whom that he may anſwer, he ſheweth the reaſon of that true facte, Chriſte ſent that man that was healed of the leproſie to the Prieſt, not to confeſſion, for he was not thertoo appointed, but to be purged with the offring of ſacrifice, that the Prieſt might not cauill that hée did breake the lawe,Mat. 20.14 Mat. 10.19 but rather pronounce the miracles of Chriſt, yt he was healed.Ioh. 11.54
5 The ſecōd argument is alſo drawn from an Allegorie, that is, from that, where they ſay that the Lord commanded his Diſciples, that when Lazarus was raiſed vp, they ſhould vnbinde and loſe him from his bonds: to this he aunſwereth two waies, firſt, that it is more likely that Chriſte ſpake vntounto ye Iewes then to the Diſciples: ſecondly yt that Allegory cannot ſo much be drawne to confirme confeſſion as to counſell vsus, yt we be ready to forgiue them whome the Lord had acquited.
6 The third argument is drawne frō authoritie, and from wordes ſpoken,Mat. 3.6 Iac. 5.16 to whom he ſeuerally anſwereth. Firſt to the place of Mathewe in this wiſe. No maruell if they that would be baptiſed, did confeſſe their ſins, for it was ſaid before that Iohn preached ye Baptiſme of repentance, & baptiſed in water to repentance: whō ſhould he hauehave baptiſed thē, but thoſe that had cōfeſſed thēſelues ſinners? Baptiſme is a tokē of forgiuenes of ſinnes, and who ſhoulde bée admitted to this token but ſinners, and they that acknowledged them ſelues to be ſuch, therefore they confeſſed their ſins yt they might be baptiſed. Where Iames doeth bid vsus confeſſe one to an other, he addeth, Pray one for an other: he ioyneth together mutual confeſſion, and mutuall prayer: therefore if wée muſt confeſſe to Prieſts only, we muſt alſo pray for Prieſts only, and ſo ſhould others be ſmally beholding to vsus, but to let paſſe ſuch trifles,Gal. 3.22 Rom. 3.9 the Apoſtles meaning is, that we ſhoulde laye our weakneſſe one in an others boſom, to receiue mutuall counſell, mutuall compaſſion, mutuall comfort one of an other: then that we be naturally priuie to ye weakneſſe of our brethren, ſhoulde pray for them to the Lord.
7 Confeſſion therefore whereof hée ſpeaketh, is not of the lawe of God, but although the vſe thereof be very auncient, yet was it alwayes frée, till the tyme of Innocent the third, who was about a thouſand two hundred yeeres after Chriſte: but it is ſhewed what and how fooliſhe a lawe it was: but in olde ryme the vſe thereof was frée: and afterward in the Church of Conſtantinople, was vtterly forbiddē, by means of a Matron that playd the whore with a Deacon, vnderunder that pretence and coulour.
8 This kinde of confeſſion did greatly diſpleaſe Chryſoſtom. Tel, ſayth he,Hom 2. in Pſal. 25 thy ſinnes, that thou mayeſt doe them away: if thou be aſhamed to tell to any man thy ſinnes that thou haſt done, tell them daily in thy ſoule. I doe not ſay, confeſſe them to thy fellow ſeruaunt, that may reproch thée: tell them to God that taketh care of them: confeſſe thy ſinnes vponupon thy bedde, that there thy conſcience may daily recogniſhe her euils. And againe he ſayeth,Hom. 4. de La…. I doe not leade thée into a ſtage of thy fellow ſeruauntes, I doe not compell thée to diſcloſe thy ſins to men, rehearſe and vtter thy conſcience before God, ſhew thy woundes to the Lorde thy beſt Surgeon, and aſke ſalue of him: ſhewe to him that will reproch thée with nothing, but will moſt gently heale thée.
9 But as concerning that kynde of cōfeſſiō which is taught vsus in ye word of God, the old tranſlator is worthy great reprehenſiō, becauſe he hath ſo oftē turned confeſſion in ye ſtead of praiſe. Moreouer,Pſal. 42.5 Dan. 9.5 1. Iob. 1.9 2. Sam. 12.13 Leu. 16.19 the ſcripture doth direct all men to God only, which wil confeſſe their ſins.
10 The ſecrete confeſſion which is done only to God, doeth eaſily bring the voluntary confeſſion with men, if it be ſincere, ſo often as either the ſame is profitable for Gods glorie, for for ye humbling of our ſelues. Such voluntary confeſſion alſo before men, hath taken beginning from Gods ordinance.
11 There are two kindes of voluntary confeſſion, the one publike, the other priuate,Neh. 1.7 there are alſo two ſorts of publike confeſſion, the one ordinary, the other extraordinary. The vſe of the laſt is, whē we are afflicted wc plague, war, &c. the vſe of the firſt is, whē we ſtād in all holy aſſemblies in the ſight of God.
12 There are alſo two fourmes of priuate confeſſion, one, that is made for our own ſake:Iac. 5.16 the other which is made for our neighbours ſake. The vſe of the firſt is, ſo often as any of the faythful is ſo troubled and afflicted with the féeling of his ſinnes, that hée can neuer wynde him ſelfe out without the helpe of an other. It is alſo méete, that he fréely choſe ſome which ſhal ſéeme moſt méet in the flock of the church (as are the miniſters that for the moſt parte are iudged moſt méet) to whom he may confeſſe,Mat. 16.19 Mat. 18.18 Ioh. 3.23 and in whoſe boſome he may vnlode him ſelfe.
13 The other is yt, which is commē ded to vsus by Chriſt him ſelf, to appeaſe our neighbor, & to reconcile vsus, if by any meanes he be hurt through our default: vnderunder this ſort is cōtained their cōfeſſiō which hauehave ſinned to the offence of the whole church. The other order or form of confeſſion ye ſcripture is vtterly ignorant of, & it is not our duetie to bind the cōſciences of the faythful wt new bonds.Mat. 5.23 2. Cor. 2.6
14 In theſe thrée kindes of confeſſion (he ſpeaketh of the publike & two forms of priuat) the power of keies hath place: & what profit cōmeth therby to the confeſſors: but when we ſpeake of keys,Mat. 18.19 Ioh. 20.23 Mat. 9.2 we muſt take héed that we dreame not of a certaine power, ſeuered from the preaching of the Goſpell.
15 Now cōming to the examining the falſe inuētiōs of the Romaniſts, firſt he briefly ſheweth what neceſſitie of confeſſing they hauehave aſſigned all men: ſecondly, howe many keyes they fayne themſelues to hauehave, and what they are: thirdly, how crookedly they rather wreſt than enterpret to bind and to loſe: Laſt of all, to whom they aſſigne this office, to the Prieſt and not to God, for they dare not expound theſe wordes to binde and to loſe, to forgiue & put away ſins, which miniſters doe by preaching the Goſpel,Mat. 18.19 Eſa. 43.11.25 to all them that are penitent and ſory for their ſinnes.
16 Anſwering in fewe words particularly to eueryevery one, and firſt to the neceſſitie of reckoning vp of all their ſins, which by lawe they hauehave confirmed, hée ſheweth that the ſame is ſuch, as by no meanes can be obſerued and kept. Dauid had well ſtudied vponupon the confeſſion of his ſinnes, yet he cried out, who ſhal vnderſtand his errors. Lord cleanſe me from my ſecret ſinnes, myne iniquities hauehave paſſed aboue myne head, and lyke a waightie burthen hauehave waxed heauy aboue my ſtrēgth.Pſal. 19.12 Pſal. 38.4 Truly he vnderſtood how great was the depth of our ſinnes. howe many were the ſortes of our miſchieuous doinges: howe many heades this monſter Hidra did beare, and how long a tayle ſhée drew after her: he went not about to recken vp a regiſter of thē, but out of the depth of euils he cried vntounto the Lord, I am ouerwhelmed, I am buried & choked, the gates of Hell hauehave compaſſed me, let thy hande drawe mée out, which am drowned in the pit, and am fainting and readie to dye.
18 He moſt elegantly deſcribeth how miſerably their ſoules were vexed with this butchery, that hauehave bene touched with any féeling of God, and that two wayes: Firſt that that thing which they moſt ſeuerely and rigorouſly doe demaund, can by no meanes be brought to paſſe. Moreouer the mitigations or medicines which they apply, doe rather increaſe the ſorows, thā diminiſh them: whether they require no other thing thā that eueryevery one ſhoulde doe that which lyeth in him, or graunt to the penitent pardon for their negligence, ſo it be not idle. Here let the readers conſider how poſſible it is to bring in account all the
doings of an whole yeare,1. Iob. 3.20 &c. It is a cō firmation of the things that go before.
18 Hée ſheweth by two ſimilitudes, for what cauſe ſome reſted vponupon ſo cold comfort: That the law is alſo vniuſt for two cauſes. Alſo what is the moſte ſure rule of confeſſion, that is to ſay, in a briefe ſumme to cōfeſſe that the depth our iniquitie is ſuch, as far paſſeth our vnderſtanding:Luk. 18.13 Eze. 18.21 yet ſo, that we diſcuſſe alſo eueryevery falt particularly as much as may be, and as ſhall ſéeme expedient, where otherwiſe they deny ye ſins may be pardoned, is by no meanes to bee graunted. The cōfirmation which they alledge, that iudgement may not be giuen vponupon vnknown things, he proueth to be weake two wayes.
19 We do not then vnworthily condemne auricular confeſſion, ſo peſtilent and ſo many waies hurtful to ye church in ye they attribute to it this profit, that ſhame ſhould humble the ſinner: yt it is otherwiſe we are taught by experience.
20 In that they alledge the power of keyes, it maketh nothing for them: firſt becauſe they are not the Apoſtles ſucceſſors: ſecondly becauſe they hauehave not the holy Ghoſt,Mat. 18.28 which is the only iudge and gouernour of the keyes, which if they had, they could not without choice (as oftentymes they doe) loſe ye which the Lorde would hauehave bound, nor bind that which he commandeth to be loſed.
21 In that they ſay they vſurpe power without knowledge, & define their keyes to be the authoritie of deſeruing, and the power of execution: not profeſſing knowledge, but to hauehave it as a coū ſellour to good vſe (that by this meanes they may deliuer their boldneſſe & raſhneſſe from hatred, becauſe without difference they loſe and vnbinde both by it ſelfe too odious) if it happen to bee as though they ſhoulde ſay they hauehave an imagination, power, and a friuolous diſpoſing. How ſo euer peraduenture they will deny that they otherwiſe limitte Chriſt, ſaying then according to the merits of him which is bound & loſed, but cōtrariwiſe the meſſēgers of the goſpel, hauehave a ſure and certaine diſpenſation, who béeing enſtructed in the Worde, hauehave knowledge, whereby they may meaſure eueryevery mās worthines as néed ſhall require.…. Cor. 6.9 In this word the Church pronounceth that fornicatours, adulterers, &c. hauehave no parte in the kingdome of heauen, which the ſame worde the Church looſeth, whome it comforteth being repentant.
22 If any man take exception, and ſay, that the lawful miniſters of Chriſt ſhall be no leſſe doubtful in their office, becauſe the abſolutiō that hangeth vponupon Fayth ſhall alway remaine doubtfull: And then that ſinners them ſelues ſhall hauehave either none or colde comfort, becauſe the miniſter him ſelf, which is no competent Iudge of their Faith, can not be aſſured of their abſolution: the anſwere is eaſie and in readineſſe: Becauſe we ſay not as they ſay, that forgiuenes dependeth vponupon the iudgement or perſon of the Prieſt: (which maketh the Popiſh abſolution doubtfull, and many wayes perplexe) but vppon the Fayth of him whome we loſe: neyther do we profeſſe any other remiſſion,Mat. 9.29 but condicionally.
23 A more ful entreatie of theſe things being referred to an other place, nowe hee briefly toucheth certayne other of their errours. And firſt becauſe they do prepoſterouſly drawe to auricular confeſſion, thoſe thinges which are partly ſpoken of the preaching of the Goſpell, and partly of excommunication: ſecondly, in that they deny that it ſufficeth to confeſſe ſinnes, either to God only or to laye men, vnleſſe a Prieſt be the hearer of them: Thirdly, that albeit they rightly confeſſe (becauſe abſolution alway accompanieth repentance) there properly remaineth no bonde, when a man is touched with repentance (therefore the Prieſt doeth not then ſo much forgiue ſinnes, as pronounce and declare them forgiuen) yet in the worde of declaring, they ſlily bring in a groſſe errour, and they ouerthrow this their moderation by enioyning of penaltie and ſatiſfaction.
24 A brief ſumme of that which hath bin ſaid of this pontificall confeſſion.
25 Comming to ſatiſfactiō, to which the ſchoolemen aſſigne the third place in their definition: firſt he ſheweth what ſatiſfaction is fayned of them:Eſai. 52.3 Eſ. 43.25 Act. 10.43 ſecondly he proueth that the ſame may eaſily bée turned ouer, by ſetting of frée remiſſion of ſinnes againſt it, chiefly as the ſcripture declareth it, that is to ſay, by the name of Chriſt only,
26 That which contrarily they alledge that remiſſion of ſins and reconciliation were made at one tyme: when we are in Baptiſme receiued into the fauour of God by Chriſte. That after Baptiſme if we ſinne, we muſt ryſe agayne by ſatiſfactions.1. Pet. 2.24 … Hob. 2.2 And yt the bloud of Chriſt doeth nothing profite, but ſo farre as it is diſtributed by the keyes of the Churche, is by manifeſt authoritie of the ſcripture confuted.
27 There are two thinges that here are to bée taken héede of, firſt that Chriſt may hauehave his due honour kept vntounto him whole and vndiminiſhed: laſtly, that the conſciences being aſſured of the forgiueneſſe of ſin, may hauehave peace with God: firſt it is ſeuerally proued, that it is violated by the falſe imagination of ſatiſfaction.Eſai. 53.4 Rom. 8.3 Col. 1.20 Moreouer that alſo is taken away, wherin they trifle that thoſe places wherwith remiſſiō of ſins is affirmed, doe onelyonly belong to yonglinges, not vntounto them whiche longe hauehave béene nouriſhed in the boſome of the Church.
28 The diſtinction wherevnto they flye, yt ſome ſins are veniall, ſome mortal and deadly, doth nothing help them:Rom. 6.23 Eze. 18.20 Rom. 8.1 Pro. 24.16 (neyther yet doeth it followe, that all ſinnes are a lyke) ſéeing there is a greater heape of ſinnes then may finde iſſue or paſſage to make ſatiſfaction.
29 Their other diſtinction of forgiuing the faulte and not the penaltie,Ier. 31.32 Eſ. 38.17 Pſal. 52.2 Ier. 5.20 is ouercome and beaten downe by manifeſt teſtimonies of ſcripture and ſtrong reaſons.
30 Hee proſecuteth the ſame argument in the former part of this ſection, 1. Pet. 2.24 Col. 1.14 Oze. 14.3prouing that Chriſt hath done nothing for vsus, if yet puniſhement for ſinne bée required, in the laſte parte, hée ſhutteth vpp the way agaynſte them that would eſcape ſome other way by a diſtinction of eternall payne and temporall payne.
31 And ſo commyng to the teſtimonies of the ſcripture,2. Sa. 12.13 Dan. 4.24 Pro. 16.6 1. Pet. 4.8 Luk. 7.47 wherby they think them ſelues armed, after theſe ſubtile diſtinctions: firſt he layeth them foorth: ſecondly going about to anſwere them, he ſendeth before a fewe of Gods iudgements: making two ſortes thereof, the one of reuengement, the other of chaſtiſement. The ſonne ſaith Chryſoſtom is beaten, and the ſeruaunt alſo is beaten: but the one is puniſhed as a bondſeruant, and the other is chaſtiſed as a frée man, as a ſonne néeding correction. To the one his correction ſerueth, for proofe and amendment, to the other for a ſcourge and puniſhment.
Iob. 3.17 Heb. 12.2 Pſal. 118.28 Ier. 10.13 Abac. 3.232 By conſideration of both, he bringeth foorth two diſtinctiōs, ye firſt wherof he will hauehave to be, is, that wherſoeuer puniſhmēt is to reuenge, there ſheweth it ſelf the wrath of God, which he alwayes holdeth from the Faythfull: contrariwiſe chaſtiſement is both the bleſſing of God, and alſo beareth witneſſe of his louelove: both he confirmeth by many places of ſcripture.
33 The other is,Eſay. 1.5 1. Sam. 15.23 1. Cor. 11.32 Eſay. 40.2 that when the reprobate are ſtriken with the ſcourges of God, they do alreadie after a certain manner begin to ſuffer paines by his iudgement. But children are beaten with Ferelawes or roddes, not that thereby they ſhoulde bee puniſhed of God for their ſins, but that they ſhould thereby profite to amendment. Both he confirmeth by the teſtimonies of the ſcriptures, and the fathers.Lib. de pecca. merito ac remiſſ. 11 Cap. 33. &. 34. Auguſtine teacheth that the paines wherwith mē are chaſtized by God, are diuerſely to be conſidered: becauſe to the holy ones, they are battels and exerciſes after the forgeueneſſe of theyr ſinnes: to the reprobate they are without forgeueneſſe, paines of wickedneſſe: Chryſoſtome ſayth, that God doth lay paine vponupon vsus not puniſhing our ſinnes paſt: but correcting vsus againſt time to come. Auguſtine ſaith, That which thou ſuffereſt, that for which thou lamenteſt, is a medicine to thée, and no paine, a chaſtiſement, and no damnation, put not away the ſcourge, if thou wilt not bée put away from the inheritance.
1. Pet. 4.17 Iere. 25.29 Pſal. 18.1734 Firſt it is neceſſary that the faithfull be furniſhed with theſe thoughtes in bitternes of afflictions, leaſt they conceaue God angry, & againſt them. The curſes of God are not onelyonly externall, but alſo temporal puniſhments.
35 Hée anſwereth to the places of Scripture in theſe thrée next ſections, which they alledged for confirmation of their lie in the premiſes of the conſideration of gods iudgements. And firſt as touching that place of Samuel he interpreteth that that correcting of Dauid was but a chaſtiſement,2. Sam. 10.25 wherby he and all others might bée made more wary,Iere. 5.3 Luke. 18.14 Matth. 9.2 but not a paine to make a certaine recompence to GOD. All the abſolutions in the ſcriptures are ſet out, as geuen fréely, but there is no Satiſfaction read of.
Dani. 4.24 Pro. 16.6 Matt. 23.3536 As touching the ſeconde, thirde, fourth, and the fift, hee anſwereth to eueryevery one ſeuerally, Daniell in his exhortation where in hée councelleth Nabucadnezer to redéeme his ſinnes with righteouſneſſe, and his iniquities with pitiyng of the poore, his meaning was not to ſay that righteouſneſſe and mercy are ſatiſfactorie appeaſementes of GOD and redemptions of paines, but to referre this word redéeming to men rather than to GOD. As if hée ſhoulde hauehave ſayde, O King thou haſt vſed an vnrighteous and violent gouernment, thou haſt oppreſſed the humble, thou haſt ſpoiled the poore, thou haſt hardly and vniuſtly handeled the people: for thy vniuſt exactions, for thy violence, and oppreſſion, nowe render to them mercy and righteouſneſſe. Likewiſe Solomon ſaith, That with charitie the multitude of ſinnes is couered, not before GOD, but among men thēſelues: hée doth by way of compariſon of contraries, compare the euils that growe of hatredes, with the fruites of Charitie. In ſuch ſenſe is the place of Peter to bée taken. But where hée teacheth that ſinne is purged with mercifulneſſe and liberalitie, he doth not meane yt ther withal ſatifaction is made for ſinne before the face of the Lord, but after the accuſtomed maner of the ſcriptures, hée declareth that they ſhall finde him mercifull to them, that leauing their former vices and iniquities, doe turne to him by godlineſſe and truth, as if he ſhould ſay, the wrath of God doeth ceaſſe, & his iudgementes reſt when we ceaſſe from euill doings, neither doth he declare the cauſe of pardon, but the maner of true conuerſion. The Prophetes doe declare that hypocrites doe in vaine peſter GOD with forged Ceremoniall vſages in ſtéede of repentance,Heb. 13.16 Matth. 23.25 Luke. 11.39 whereas it is vprightneſſe of life, with the dueties of charity that delighteth him.
Luke. 7.3637 As concerning the laſt place, hée ſheweth, that Chriſt did not make the louelove of the woman the cauſe of remiſſion, but a proof and argument of the forgeueneſſe of her ſinnes, by that which followeth.
38 After he hath expounded the places of ſcripture, he commeth to the fathers, wherof many he confeſſeth, hauehave in this point either erred or ſpoken too crabbedly and hardly, which notwithſtanding make nothing for the ſchoole doctours opinion.
39 For they hauehave ſo ſpoken of Satiſfactions, that it appeareth that ſatiſfactions in thoſe dayes, and repentance were appointed, not a recompence for God, but a teſtimony to the Churche, that they were truely and hartely wéery of their former life. But Lombard and the reſidue hauehave gathered out their vnſauerie dotages out of ſome baſtard writinges.