The Judgment of Babylon, Tract · Judgment 4
The Primates judgement of the Senſe and Ʋſe 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, John 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. Hookers 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 James, 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 Juſtification, 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.) coworkers 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 Judas, 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 John 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; (a)Eadem unctio) non potuit luculentiore teſtimonio Paſtores & doctores ornare, à quibus illi instituti fuerant, & quotidie adhuc 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.
(b)Piſcator in loc. Ʋnctio docet] id eſt, miniſterium verbi (i. e.) Spiritus Sanctus efficax per praedicationem Evangelii, quare miniſterium verbi in pretio 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 Ʋnction, 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 fully taught them, that they needed not to be taught by Saint John again here.
If any ſhall object (as it hath been unto 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 nunc 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.
Anſw. 1. 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 injunction 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 I 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; (a)Non ſimplicitèr ſed quia adhibent media per quae Deus remittit peccata, haec autem; media ſunt verbum & Sacramenta; Fer. 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,(b)Non quod homo propriè remittet peccatum, ſed quod oſtendet & certificet adeò remiſſum, neque enim alia eſt abſolutio ab homine, (quam ſi dicat) En tibi, certifico te, tibi remiſſa eſſe peccata, Annuncio tibi te habere Deum propitium, &c. Ferus. lib 2. Comment. in Matth. cap. 9. edit. Mogunt, 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 Chutch 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 Judgement 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 Jeſuite 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,(a)In ſummo Pontifice eſſe plenitudinem …mnium gratiarum, quia ipſe ſolus confert plenam indulgentiam omnium peccatorum & computet ſibi quod de primo principe Domino dicimus, quia de plenitudine ejus nos omnes accepimus, de Regim. Principum, lib. 3. cap. 10. inter opuſcula Thomae, num 20. activè & proximè efficit gratiam juſtificationis, ut flatus extinguit ignem, & diſſipat nebulas, ſic abſolutio ſacerdotis peccata &c. Bell. de Sacram. libro 2. cap. 1. de poenitent. libro 3. cap. 2. Attritio virtute clavium fit contritio, Rom. Correctores Gloſſ. Gratiani de poenitent. diſt. 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 Juſtification, 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(a)Cui enim praevaricatores legis à peccato liberare licet, niſi legis ipſius autori. in Joh. lib. 12. cap. 56. who can free tranſgreſſors of the Law, but the Authour of the Law it ſelf? (b)Daturus erat D minus hominibus Spiritum Sanctum, ab ipſo Spiritu Sancto fidelibus ſuis dimitti peccata volebat intelligi; nam quid es homo, niſi ager ſanandus, vis mihi eſſe medicus, mecum quaere medicum. Homil. 23. Ex. 50.The Lord (ſaith St. Auguſtine) was to give unto 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. (c)Ecce per Spiritum Sanctum peccata donantur, homines, 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, Jam. 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 prayer-wiſe; 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 Jeſus, 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, (a)Aliud eſt baptizare per miniſterium, aliud per poteſtatem & a… th…r…tatem,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 John 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 Jerome) 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,)(a)quos 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 (b)Remjituntur 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 Jewiſh 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 ſins, &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 John 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 James, 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.Jer. 31.28. bleſſed is the man whoſe ſins are forgiven, 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 John 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 Jeremiah, (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 of(a)Contaminatione contaminabit eum, haud dubium, quin Sacerdos non quo contaminationis Author ſit, ſed quo oſtendat eum contaminatum. Hieron. lib. 7. Eſa. cap. 23. Saint Jerom, that 'tis ſaid, verſe 44. the Prieſt with pollution, ſhall pollute him, not that he is the Authour of his pollution, but that he declares him to be polluted, and uncleane; whereupon the Maſter of the ſentences, and others do obſerve,(b)In remittendis vel retinendis peccatis, id Juris & Officii habent Evangelici ſacerdotes, quod olim habebant, ſub lege legales in curandis leproſis. Hi ergo peccata dimittunt vel retinent, dum dimiſſa adeo, vel retenta, indicant & oſtendant. Ponunt enim ſacerdotes nomen Domini ſuper filios Iſrael, ſed ipſe benedixit, ſicut 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 God (a)Num. 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 reconciliation, 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, (a)Sacerdos imponit manum ſubjecto, reditum Spiritus ſancti invocat, & indicta in populum oratione altari reconciliat, &c. adverſ. Lucifer.Jerome, &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 Jewes 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 opinion 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 Jerome 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 purpoſe, 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.