That Christ did forgeue sinnes not onely by proper power and nature as he was God, but also by ministerie, as he was a man, and as he was a Priest, and head of the Church, and that vpō that groūd the Priests power in remitting sinnes in the Church doth stand. The first Chapter.

CHrist Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God, being euerlastinglie of the same substance, power, and na­ture, that his Father and [...]he holy Ghost be of, as being truelie [...]quall and one God with them both, woorketh mightelie al things in heauē [...]nd in earth ioyntlie with them both: [Page 2] and therefore by excellencie of power, propertie of nature, and by ful and per­fect dominion ouer his owne creature, he remitteth mans sinnes by the same soueraigne right that they doe. Who being thus in al excellencie equal with God, hath notwithstāding vouchsafed of his singular bountifulnesse, ioyned with maruelous humility,Ad Phi­lip. 2. to abase him selfe to the receiuing of our nature: in which now he hath wrought the same things in earth, by seruice, sute, and commission, which before he onelie did by might and maiestie of his owne po­wer, procure. Euen the self same God, that by wil and cōmaundement might moste iustlie both haue punisshed and pardoned whō he list, of loue and wis­dome infinite (continuing alwaies in like excellencie as before) became the minister of our reconcilement to God. In which state he offereth sacrifice as a Priest for sinne, he vseth sacraments for the remission of sinne, he prayed to God his Father for the sinfull, he is made the head of the Churche, the go­uernour of the Churche, and the iudge [Page 3] of the Church. Al which functions per­teine to our Sauiour, in respect and cō ­sideration of his humaine nature: ac­cording vnto whiche, power is geuen him of the Father, through the holie Ghost, to practise the same.

And what so euer in holy scripture is red to be exercised of him through the might of Gods Spirit, by the ver­tue of his annointing, by the finger of God, by the sending of the Father, by power receiued from aboue, by priest­hod, prayers or sacrifice, by the name of the Sonne of man, of the head of the Churche, or iudge of the liuing & dead: what so euer is in this sorte said to be done, it is not otherwise lightly ment, but in respect of Christes humanitie, by whiche and in which he woorketh the same, not as by the propre and natural power or force thereof, but as by iuris­diction receiued of the blessed Trinitie, and imployed vpon the sonne of man, for the procuring of saluation to his people, wherof he is become in our ve­ry nature the head.

Therefore no Christian man may [Page 4] doubt,Note vvel the groūd of the cause. but as our Sauiour by the om­nipotent power of his Godhead, might and did forgeue sinnes to the penitent: so likewise, that, as he was Priest, and the sonne of man, he might by the right of his office, vnction, and ministe­ry, in the vertue of the holie Ghost, re­mitte sinnes also. And for that cause principallie in the Prophet Esay it is said:Cap. 61. Spiritus Domini super me, eò quòd vnxe­rit me, ad annunciandum mansuetis misit me, vt mederer contritis corde, & praedicarē cap­tiuis indulgentiam, & clausis apertionem: The Spirit of the Lord vpon me, be­cause he hath annointed mee, and sent mee to signifie vnto the meeke, that I should heal the cōtrite in hart, to preach pardon to the prisoners, and freedome to y^e closed.Luc. 4. The which place of the pro­phet our Sauiour applied vnto himself in the Churche of Nazareth: and is to be vnderstāded only of preaching,Cap 11. & 12. li. 1. de Trinit. and pardoning, by the holie vnction of the Spirit of God, & his Fathers calling. And therfore, it must needs, according to S. Augustines iudgement, concerne the shape of his seruice & manhod takē [Page 5] on him, in which he preached so, y^t yet it pleased him to affirm, y^t his doctrin was not his own, but his Fathers that sent him: & healed the cōtrite in hart, which is nothing els but to forgeue sinnes to the penitent, after such a sort, y^t it might wel appere to be receued & practised by the vnction of the Spirit of God, & sen­ding of his Father, wherby the Son of man might doe that as Gods minister in his manhoode in earth, whiche both he, and his eternall Father, with the holy Spirit of them both, do woorke, by their own, one & equal authority in heauen euerlastinglie.

And though God hath euer sithens mans fall,God hath euer vsed mans mi­nisteri in reconci­liation. vsed the meanes and seruice of man, to his restore againe, and to [...]he reliefe of his lackes, and therefore [...]ath geuen authoritie by his holy Spi­ [...]ite and vnction, to diuerse of the [...]lde Lawe to offer sacrifice, praie, and procure remission to the people of all [...]heir offenses: and no lesse as occa­ [...]ion serued, and the matter required, [...]o correct their misdeedes by iudge­mente and iurisdiction geauen vnto [Page 6] them, for which soueraigne calling thei were called the annointed of God, an external ceremonie of anoyling being solemnly annexed therevnto: yet our Lord and maister, whether you cōsider his high priesthode, by which in most ample maner through commission re­ceiued, he may procure our pardon, or his calling to be the head of the church, by which he ruleth and keepeth all the body in due subiection and order, or his ministerie of preaching, whereby, farre aboue al the prophets and preachers of the old law, he openeth to his flock the Church, the secret mysteries of Gods truth: Christ, I saie, in al these respec­tes being man, is yet much more abun­dantly blessed, and annointed without comparison,Psal. 44. aboue all his fellovves and coparteners, as the holy Prophet Dauid doth testifie. Vpō whose words touching that matter, S. Hilarie wri­teth thus:De Tri­nit. 10. Vnxit te Deus, Deus tuus oleo ex­ultationis prae participibus tuis: non secundum sacramentū aliud, quàm secūdū dispensationē assumpti corporis. Vnctio enī illa, nō beatae illi & incorruptae & in natura dei manēti natiuitati [Page 7] ꝓfecit, sed sanctificationi hoīs assumpti. Namet in Actis ait Petrꝰ, vnxit illū Deus in spiritu san­cto & virtute. Thus he meaneth in Eng­lish: God, euen thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of ioy, far aboue thy coparteners, not in any other meaning, but according to y^e dispensatiō of a body receiued. For that vnction could not be beneficial to the holy vnspotted, and e­uerlasting natiuitie in the nature of his Godhead, but only it was agreable to the mysterie of his manhod and flesh assumpted in his temporall natiuitie: whereof S. Peter speaketh in the Acts, that God hath annointed him in the holy Ghost and in power.

The holie Father also S. Cyril agre­ [...]th herevnto,De recta fide ad Reginas, confessing that al this ho­nour, power, and authoritie, which the Prophets haue signified so long before [...]y the annoynting of the sonne of God, [...]ame vnto Christ in consideratiō of his manhode: thus he saith, Quòd vnctio sit [...]ecundum humanitatem, nemo qui rectè sapere [...]let, dubitabit, quia absque omni controuersia [...]inus à maiore benedicitur. That the an­ [...]ointing of Christ shoulde be meant [Page 8] of his humanitie, no man doubteth, that is of any right vnderstanding. For without al controuersie the inferiour and lesse euer receiueth blessing of the superiour and greater. There can be no question then, but al soueraignty and supreame iurisdiction, which he ex­ercised ouer the Church being his body and spouse, in that respect that he was either Priest and Bisshop of our soules, 1. Pet. 2. as S. Peter calleth him, or els as he was our head and pastour: it is certen, that al this came vnto him by his Fa­thers sending, and the vnction of the holy Ghost, and the benediction of the holy Trinitie, to which he was inferi­our according to his manhode.

If thou doubt of this Priesthode in this case, heare Theodoretus: Chri­stus autem, quod ad humanitatem quidem at­tinet, Dialog. 1. Sacerdos appellatus est, non aliam au­tem hostiam quàm suū corpus obtulit: Christ (saith he) touching his humanity, was called a Priest, and he offered no other hoste but his owne bodie. But we maie haue more forcible testimony her­of in S. Paule him selfe, who in sun­drie [Page 9] other places that are knowen,Heb. 5. & 9. pro­fesseth euery Bisshop to be elected ād chosen out amōg an number of men, to offer sacrifice for sinne.

And that he is made the supreame gouernoure and heade of the Churche in his humanitie, yea and in respecte thereof, is appointed to be the high minister of God the Father in par­doning or iudging the worlde, it is an assured ground of our faith, approued not onely by the consente of all Doc­tours, but also by the Scriptures, e­uerie where protesting, that al power in heauen and earth is geuen to Christ: in so muche, that the Apostle calleth him, the man,Act. 7. in quo viro statuit iudicare orbem terrarum: In which, or by which appointed man he will iudge the world. Al these things, though they may seme to the simple to be farre from the matter, yet they be both neare our purpose, and necessarie to be laied vppe in memorie for the further establisshing of our faith in the Article proposed, and diuerse other profitable pointes of Christian beliefe nowe impugned. [Page 10] For as the due cōsideration of Christes authoritie and excellent office touching his manhod, wil helpe vp the decayed honour and iurisdictiō, that the guides of Gods Churche, by the right of his high calling, doe iustlie chalenge: so it shal represse the boldnesse of certaine miscreants of this age: who, to further their sundrie euil entents, and detesta­ble doctrines, haue dishonoured Chri­stes dignitie touching his incarnation and office of his redemption, exceding much, both in him self, and in the per­sons of his Priestes and substitutes Some of them fearing (as I take it) least the honour and office of Christes Priesthod might, by participation, de­scend to the Apostles and Priests of the Church, letted not to hold, that Christ was his Fathers Priest according to his diuine nature: of which blasphemie Iohn Caluin was iustly noted,Vide Ori­couij Chi­mer. wher­in the wicked man, whiles he went a­bout to disgrace the dignitie of mortall men, became exceding iniurious to the second person in Trinitie. One other of that schole, and of his own neast, de­nied [Page 11] that Christ in his manhode should [...]udge the world, least there might seme [...]o be some force of punishment and cor­ [...]ection of wickednes practised by mās ministery in this life, for the resemblāce of Christes iudgement to come. And so [...]aught one Richerus, of a Carmelite a Caluinist.Vide Villegag. contra articulos Caluini. Ita Har­top. Mō ­hem & alij. Heb. 7. Other denie Christ being now in heauen, to make prayer for vs [...]ccording to his manhode: because it [...]endeth towardes the intercession of Saints, though S. Paule in expresse wordes recordeth of him: Quòd salua­ [...]e in perpetuum potest, accedens ad Deum persemetipsum, semper viuens ad interpellandum [...]ro nobis. That for euer he is of power to geue saluation, hauing accesse to God by him self, and alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. Yea most of the Sacramentaries, for thaduantage of their vngodly assertion, that Christ in his owne person as he is God and man should not be present in the sacra­ment,Vide Ci­ril in Io­an. lib. 4. Cap. 14. doe couertly blaspheme the bles­sed and highly sanctified flesh of our sa­uiour, auouching it to be vnprofitable: whereby they vnaduisedlie dishonour [Page 12] the dreedful incarnation of Christ, and al the workes wrought by the meane of his flesh and bloud, and ministerie of his manhode, for the remissiō of our sinnes, and purchasing saluation to his Churche.

Let vs therefore Christianly confesse with the Scripture & with the Church of Christ, that our Sauiour not onelie by power equall to his Father concer­ning his diuine nature, but also by the sending and graunt of his Father, and vnction of the holie Spirit, being farre vnder them both in his humaine na­ture, doth remitte sinnes. Where­vppon it orderlie followeth, that, who­so euer denieth man to haue authority, or that he maie haue power graunted him by God to forgeue sinnes, he is highlie iniuriouse to our Sauiours owne person, and the dispensation of his flesh, and mysterie of his holie in­carnation. For though there be great diuersitie betwixt his state and others, because in one person both God and man be perfectlie vnited in him, and therfore much more prerogatiue might [Page 13] be, and doubtlesse was geuen to his humanitie, as to him that was both God and man, in respecte of his ba­ser nature, then to anie other of his brethren being but mere men: yet this is assuredlie to be beleeued, that he whiche coulde without derogation to his Godhead, communicate with the sonne of man, and graunt him, in con­sideration of his assumpted nature, the rule and redemption of his people, the gouernement of our soules, the assoyling of our sinnes, and to woorke all wonders in the power, finger and force of the holie Ghoste: the same God, without all doubt, through his Sonne and our Sauiour, may at his pleasure without all vnseemelines or derogation to his eternal honour (and so it shalbe proued that he doth) geue power to the gouernours of his Chur­che and houshoulde, to pardonne and geue penance, to iudge and rule the people in the right of our said Saui­our, to the edifieng of his body and ma­king perfect his Saincts.

Neither must we here make anie great accompt of such as shal obiect to the Priests of Gods Churche, as the Scribes did vnto Christ himself, when they saw him in expresse words absolue many of their sinnes, conceiuing in their harts, as it is recorded by S. Ma­thew in y^e history of y^e healing of the mā that had the paulsie,Cap. 9. that Christ did in­iurie to God, and committed blasphe­mie in taking vpon him to remit mans offences: whose malitiouse mindes and cogitations, Christ did so reprehend, that they might well perceiue by his sight of their inwarde secrets, that he was very God, who onelie by nature looketh into mans hart, and therefore, did thereby wel insinuate y^t they could not iustly reprehend his doing, seing he was God in deed, & might as God pardon mans offences. Yet that not­withstanding, he stood not with them then vpon the right of his Godhead for the doing of this excellent functiō, whi­che in deed by nature and propretie is onely perteining to him, but he gaue this reasō of his doing: that the Sonne [Page 15] of man had power to remitte sinnes in earth, wherby me semeth (wherein yet I submit my iudgemēt to the more learned) that he plainly professed, that by power receiued he might in respect of his manhod & calling forgeue sinnes, and that in earth, as meaning thereby to institute an order and way how to remitte sinnes here in the worlde, ey­ther by himselfe or by his ministers, at whose sentence past in earth, the peni­tent should be free by iudgemēt of God in heauen. For so our Sauiour two or three times talking of mās ministery in the remission of sinnes termeth it: loosing in earth, and the contrary, bin­ding in earth, Matt. 16. & 18. as also he calleth Gods high sentēce in the same causes, loosing and binding in heauen. Neither doth the interpretation of S. Hilarie anie whit hinder my meaning,In explā. Mat. Can. 18. who vpō that place affirmeth Christ to haue remitted this mans sinnes by the might of his Godhead: for it standeth wel, that one worke should be wrought by the prin­cipal cause, and yet by the office and mi­nistery of some secondary cause appoin­ted [Page 16] by the ordinaunce of God for the same vse, as we see in Baptisme to the remission of the childes sinne, both the might of God and the ministery of mā to concurre at once, whereof we shall haue, I trust, better occasion to speake anon.

But to returne back to our cause: when Christ had declared that the Son of man had in earth power to remitte sinnes, he then by this farder proofe & argument ouerturneth the whole cause of their disdaine & inward murmur a­gainst him for the same: whether is it more easy to saie, thy sinnes be forge­uen thee, or to saie to the incurable person, take vp thy bed and walke: I doe the one in al your sightes, and he is cured at my woorde: why then mistrust you the other? It was no lesse the proprety of God alone,Note. to heal him sodainly of his corporal infirmitie, that had ben desperatly sick so long, then to forgeaue sinnes: but the one power though by nature it was propre to him self, yet be gaue it in the sight of you al to the Sonne of man in earth: why thē [Page 17] mistruste yow but he might wel geue the other? This reason proceding from the wisdome of Gods owne sonne, shal helpe our fayth much towchinge this article, and shal not a litte further y^e di­gnitie of the Apostles, who also after their maisters example, may prooue the force of their authoritie vpon mennes soules, which can not be open to our bodily eyes, by the apparāt power that their woordes shall be seen openly to woorke on mennes bodies, especially if it be wel weighed, that Christ wrought miracles aso, not onely by the excellent dominion and force of his Godhead, but also, as. S. Augustine proueth, by y^e Spirite of God in respect of his man­ [...]ode:De Trin. lib. 1. c. 11. In quo spiritu sancto (saith he) operatus [...]st virtutes, dicens: Si ego in spiritu Dei eijcio [...]aemonia, certè superuemet in vos regnum Dei: [...]n the power of which holie ghost Christe wrought miracles, according [...]o his owne sayinge in these wordes: [...]f I expel out deuilles by the spirite [...]f God, then surely the kingdome of God will come on you. The Iewes [...]herefore seeing them selues thus ouer­come [Page 18] in their vayn cogitations, waxed affrayed and glorified God who gaue suche power to men. For though no man euer had equall authoritie or like power to Christ, who was both God & mā, yet of this plentiful spirite & vnc­tiō, many of his brethren haue through his ordinance receyued parte, as short­ly nowe it shal be proued. In y^e meane tyme arme thy selfe agaynste falshode wyth this approued and certen truth, y^t not onely God by his passing prero­gatiue, maye forgiue sinnes, but y^t he hath so souerainglye anoynted Christ our highe prieste and head, that as he is man and occupieth the sayde functions in earth he maye remitte by the vertue of the holy Ghost, oure offenses also.

Lette the prowde cogitations of men here attend, that so highlie doe disdayne the ministery of mortall men in the remission of their sinnes: lett thē controlle the wonderfull wisdome of God, which would no otherwise salue the pityfull sores of our soules, but by the seruile fourme of our owne nature, ioyned merueilously in one person, [Page 19] to the woorde and eternall Sonne of God the Father: let them reprehende the vnsearchable secrete counsel of the holy Trinitie, which beinge of power infinite to woorke their will in all creatures, yet wolde not repayr y^e worlde nor remitte our sinnes any other­wise, but by the seruice of the Sonne of man: lette them mislike, that flesh, bloud, and the soule of our blessed Sa­uiour beinge all creatures, should ioyne wyth the onely almightie crea­tour of all thinges, in the remission of our offences: lette the presumptuose thus doe: and lette vs humbly reue­rence Goddes ordinance and gloryfie him in his Sonnes high calling in our kinde, through whose singular prero­gatiue we shall vndoubtedly finde ex­cedinge power to the geuen to his & body and brethren in earth, to his moste deare spouse the Church.

Here it is declared by scripture, that the same power of remittinge sinnes, which God the father by cōmission gaue vnto his sōne as he was mā, was also by Christ bestowed on the Apostles after his re­surrection. The second Chapter.

IN what high repu­tation man hath euer bene wyth God his maker, it is not mi [...] purpose now to treat of: neyther will I make anie tediouse talke, though it be somwhat more neare the matter, howe his estimation is en­creased by the honourable and moste merueylous matchinge of Gods onely euerlasting Sōne wyth our nature and kinde: wheerof whosoeuer hath any woorthy cōsideration, he shall nothing wonder, I warrāt him, at y^e soueraing­tye of such, as be placed in the seate of iudgment and gouernement, for y^e rule of that common welth, whereof Christ is the head. These thinges, though they [Page 21] be well woorthie our labour and deepe remembrance, and not very farre from our matter, yet so wil I charge my selfe wyth continuance in my cause, that I wil onely seeke out y^e dignitie of priest­hood touchinge the right, that the order claimeth in remission and reteining of mannes sinnes. In al which cause, I take this a grounde, that our Maysters messenger stoode vpon, when his disci­ples grudged that Christe had his folo­wers, and practised Baptisme no lesse thē him selfe did, which is: That no mā can rightlie receyue any thinge, that is not geuē him from aboue. Iohan. 3. Therfore if it may be sufficiently declared, that the order holdeth by good warrant this their preheminence of pardoninge or punishinge the peoples offences, & that by commission from him, who wythout all controuersie is the Heade of the Church, then the matter is good in it selfe, and the contrarie must learne to leaue their contentions reasoninge, and vniuste contempt of that order, which is honoured by power and prerogatiue proceding from Christ Iesus.

And of two or three places in holy scripture perteininge to this purpose, that shal be firste proposed, which wyth moste force dryueth downe falsehood, and moste properly per­teynethe to the pithe and principall state of the cause whiche we haue in hande. Thus then we finde of Christes wordes, will, and behauioure con­cerninge the commission graunted out to his holy Apostles for the re­mission and punishment of our sin­nes, in the xx. chapiter of the go­spell of S. I. where the Euangeliste thus reporteth:Cap. 20. that Christe after his glorious resurrection, came into a se­cret chamber where his disciples were togeother, the doer beinge shutte for feare of the Iewes, and there after he had geuen them, as his custome was his peace & blessinge, and shewed him selfe to their infinite comfor [...] y^e [...]he was perfectly rysen agayn in the same body y^t so lately was buried, he then streight afterwarde, to make woorthye en­trance to so highe a purpose, gaue them his peace agayne, in manner [Page 23] of a solemne benediction: and there with sayd: Sicut misit me parer, & ego mit­to vos. Euen as the Father hath sent me, so I doe send you. And when he had so spoken, he breathed on them and sayd. Accipite spiritum sanctum: quorum re­miserit is peccata, remittuntur eis: & quorum retinueritis retenta sunt. Receyne yow the holy ghoste: whose sinnes soeuer yow shall forgiue, they are forgiuen them: and whose sinnes youe shall re­tein, they be reteyned. This is y^e place, lo, in which the iudgement and rule of our soules wyth all authoritie in correcting our sinnes, in moste expresse and effectual termes, and in moste am­ple maner is geuen to the Apostles and their successours. Christe him selfe dooth communicate vnto them the iurisdiction that he receiued of his Fa­ther, he giueth them in a solemne cere­monie y^e same spirite of God, by which in earth him selfe did remitte sinnes: he maketh them an assured promise, that whatsoeuer they pardoned or corrected in mans life, the same shoulde stande in force before God.

What dignitie could euer be giuen more? in what termes more plaine? by what order more honourable? for surely if either Christ could remitte sinnes, as we haue at large proued y^t he could, by the commission & sending of his Father, or if the holie spirite of God maye re­mitte sinnes, or if Christes woorde may procure man any power to remitte sin­nes, then vndoubtedly may y^e Apostles remitte sinnes: For they haue the ex­presse warrant of them all. Much sayd Paule,2. Cor. 5. whē he affirmed in the Apostles name and person of al Priestes. Quòd Deus erat in Christo mundum reconcilians sibi, & posuit in nobis verbum reconciliationis. Pro Christo ergo legatione fungimur: That God was in Christ reconciling the worlde to him selfe, and hath putte in vs the woord of reconcilement: therfore our callinge is to serue as in Embasie in Christes own stead. These wordes be of great weight, & excedingly set forth the vocation of y^e spiritual gouernours, as of those, that hold by the warrant of Goddes sending, and thereby occupie Christes owne rowme. Mary the place [Page 25] for all that apperteineth to their cal­ling generallie, as wel to preach as o­therwise to guide the people of God in the behalfe of their Maister, to whome we all be subiect: but this present texte wherevpon we nowe treate, doth pro­perlie concerne the commission geuen to the Apostles for the sacrament of pe­naunce and remission of sinnes. For it doth in most cleare and vndoured sense geue to them the like right in that case, that Christ him selfe had by the sending of God the Father: that is to saie, the very same authoritie, that he had in re­specte of his mediation and manhood: Aequalem pa [...]ri filium nou [...]mus (saith S. Augustin) sed hic verba mediatoris agno [...]cimus: Super [...] locū. medium quippe se ostendi [...] dicendo, ille me: & ego vos. we knowe the Sonne to be aequall with the Father, but heere we must acknowledge the woordes of a mediatour. For he shewed him selfe to be as a meane, when he said: He sent me, and I send you. In Ioan­nem. c. 20 That is to saie (as Theophilacte expoun­deth it) Take vppon you mie worke and function, and doo it with confi­dence: [Page 26] For as my Father did send me, so I send you againe, and I will be with you to the end of the world.

And excellently well to our purpose wrote the holie Father Cyrill, as well for the dignitie of the Apostolike voca­tion, as for the charge of their honoura­ble legacie,Supe [...] 20 Cap. Io­annis. in these woordes. Ad glorio­sum Apostolatum Dominus noster Iesus Chri­stus Discipulos suos vocauit, qui commotum orbem firmarunt, sustentacula eius facti: vnde per Psalmistam de terra & de Apostolis dicit, quia ego firmaui columnas eius. columnae enim & robu [...] veritatis discipuli sunt, quos ita di­cit se mittere, sicut à patre ipse missus est, vt Apostolatus dignitatē ostēderet, & magnitudinem potestatis eorum aperiret. These wordes and the residue folowinge concerninge the same purpose goe thus in engishe. Our lord and maister Christ Iesus promoted his disciples to a glorious Apostleship: who being made the proppes and stayes of al the earth, haue established the waue­ring worlde: where vpon the Psalmist saieth thus of the earth and the Apo­stles: I haue surelie and firmely set the [Page 27] pillers thereof. For the Disciples no doubt be the verie pillers, strength, and staie of trueth: whom, Christ saith that he doth send, euen as his father did send him, that thereby he might declare to the worlde as wel the dignitie of their Apostleship, as open to all men the excellencie and the might of theire power: and no lesse signifie vn­to them, what way they had to take in al theire life & studies. For if they be so sent as Christe him selfe was sent of the Father, it is requisite to Con­sider, for what worke & purpose y^e Fa­ther euerlasting sent his Sōne in fleshe to y^e worlde. And y^t him selfe eies where declareth: saynge:Math. [...]. Nō veni vocare iu­stos, sed peccatores ad poenitētiā: I came not to call the iuste, Ioan. 3. but sinners to repen­tāce: & in another place it is said. God sent not his Sonne into the worlde to iudge the worlde, but that the worlde should be saued by him: all these thin­ges & other he touched briefly in these few wordes: Sicut misit me pater, et ego mit­ [...]o vos: vt hinc intelligāt vo. ādos esse peccatores ad poenitentiam, curandos corpore simul & [Page 28] spiritu malè habentes. Like as mie Fa­ther sent me, so I send you: that they might hereby vnderstand that sinners shoulde be called to repentance and be healed both in body and soule. Thus farre spake, S. Cyril of the excel­lēt calling of y^e disciples and of the cause of their large commission, not restricted by any straighter termes, then Christes owne commission was, which he recei­ued from his euerlasting Father.

And trulie it was the singular pro­uidence of God, that before the graunt of the gouernement of mens soules to his Disciples being but mortall men, mention shoulde be made of his owne right therein, that the wicked shoulde neuer haue face to disgrace the autho­ritie of them, that dependeth so fully of the soueraigne callinge, and com­mission of goddes owne Sonne. This high wisdome was practised also, to the vtter confusion of the wicked and wil­full persons, at theire callinge to the office of preachinge and baptising.

The which function least anie contemptuous person shoulde in such [Page 29] base men disdayne, Christ allead­geth his owne power and prehemi­nence, to which the dignitie of priest­hood is so neere,Matt. 28. and so euerlastingly ioyned, that euerie dishonour and ne­glecting of the one, is greate deroga­ [...]ion to the other. and therfore he sai­eth: Omnis potestas data est mihi in coelo & in terra: All power in heauen and in earth is giuen to my handes. Therfore goe you forwarde and teach all nati­ons, baptisinge them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoste. Thus before the insti­tution of sacramentes,Serm. de baptis. Christ. whereof God him selfe must onelie be the authour (as saith S. Cyprian) Christe voutchsafed for the quiet and instruction of the worlde, to declare his authoritie and prerogatiue, that all men might far­ther vnderstād thereby, that the mini­sterie and excellent function in the vse of the same, did orderlye procede of that authorititie and supreame power, that Christ hath receiued ouer all man kinde.

And this sequele of Christes rea­son [Page 30] hath merueilous efficacie and force, if we well consider thereof: All power is geuen to me both in heauen & earth, therefore goe you and preache, and ba­ptise, and remitte sinnes. If a man woulde aske the priest or Apostle, how he dare be so bolde to exercise any of these highe functions? he might vpon Christes woorde be so bold to make him this awnswer: Mary sir, I baptise because all power is giuen to Christe: I preach because al power is Christes: I remitte sinnes, because al power was gyuen to Christ. For in my mini­sterie he practyseth dayly all these func­tions: in his power I am become the lawfull woorker of all these actions, y^t are so proper to Christ him selfe.Super tract. 4, 5. & 6. Ther­fore it was Christ (saith. S. Augustin) that baptised and had moe Disciples then Iohn: and yet Christe baptised not, but his Disciples onely. So say you to all contemners of Goddes or­dinance: it is Christe that pardoneth and enioyneth penance for mans sin­nes, and yet the doth it not him selfe as in his owne person, but Christe [Page 31] doeth yt daily by the power which he established after his resurrection, and which continueth for euer in the highe ministerie and seruice of the Chur­che. Thus (I say) doth he remitte sin­es:Act. 5 [...] Hunc principem & Saluatorem exal­tauit dextra sua ad dan [...]am poenitentiam Israeli & remissionem peccatorum. This oure prince and Sauiour hath God ex­alted with his right hand, to giue pe­naunce and remission to Israell of al their sinnes.

This power hath oure highe priest deserued for his obedience, and there­fore as he receyued it, so he hath left it in his Church: his own holy wordes doe protest y^e same. For vpō his power and sendinge which he did receiue of his Father, all the priestes doe euerla­stinglie holde the right of all holy f [...]nc­tiōs, which elles, but by Christes own commission and sending, they could neuer, nor neuer durste haue practised so long.

And whosoeuer seeth not how y^e po­wer & iurisdictiō of so excellent actions passeth from God y^e Father to his only [Page 32] Sonne, & from him again to such as he hath sent, and made the messengers of his blessed mind, and disposers of my­steries: he hath no feelinge at all of the wayes that he wrought for mans redemption: he can not atteyne to the intelligence of Christes vnction, wher­by he is made our head and prieste: he, in the middest of the glorious light of the Churche can not heholde the prac­tise of so heauenlie ministeries,In Epist. sua Cano­ [...]ca. & there­fore, such thinges as he knoweth not he blasphemeth, sayth S. Iude. But to woo [...]k all in light & order, I wil build vpon the forsaid, the intended conclusi­on, that the Aduersaries maie see and beholde the force of our faith, and the singular weaknes of their assertions. I thus ioyne with them in argumen­tes barely and playnly without couert.

That power and Commission which was giuen to Christe by his he­auenlie Father, concerninge remis­sion or reteining of sinnes, was ge­uen to the Apostles at his departure hence: but Christe him selfe did truelie, effectuallie and in proper fourme of [Page 33] speach by his Fathers sending and commission, remitte sinnes: Ergo, the mi­nisters of Christ may, and doo truly & perfectly remitte sinnes. Or thus more brieflie: As Christ was sent of his Fa­ther, so are the Apostles sent by Christ: but Christ was sent to forgeue sinnes, Ergo, the Apostles be sent to forgeue sinnes also. The second part of the rea­sons, which is, that Christ had power of his Father to remit sinnes, & was sent for y^e same purpose, is sufficientlie pro­ued in y^e chapter before. The first part of y^e argumēt standeth vpō the sure groūd of Christes owne woordes, which be these: Like as my Father sent me, so I doo send you. Which woordes were so plaine and so deeply noted for this in­tent, of S. Chrysostome, that with ad­miration of the dignitie and excellent calling of priesthod, he thus trimly dif­courseth vpon them. I will report his saying in Latin,De sacer­dot. lib. 3. as Germanus Brixius hath translated it: all that he speaketh for that purpose hereafter shall be reci­ [...]ed, but nowe no more but this: Quid hoc aliud esse dicas, nisi omnium rerum coelestiū [Page 34] potestatem illis à Deo esse concessam? Ait enim quorūcunque peccata retinueritis, retentae sunt. Quaenam obsecro potestas hac vna maior esse queat? Pater omnifariam filio potestatem de­dit, caterum video ipsam candem omnifariam potestatē à Deo filio illis traditam. Nam quasi iam in coelū translati, ac supra humanam na­turam positi atque nostris ab affectibus exēpti, sic illi ad principatum istum perducti sunt. And in English thus it is: What els canst thou make of this, or what lesse, then y^t y^e power & iurisdiction of al hea­uenly things is by God graunted vnto them? For it is said: Whose sinnes so e­uer you do hold or reteine, they be re­teined. For Gods loue, what power can be geuē in y^e world so great? the Father bestowed al maner of power vpon his Son, & I find y^e very self same power of al things, to be deliuered to y^e Apostles by God the Son. For now as though they were already translated out of this life to heauen, and there promoted a­boue mans nature, and discharged of al our feeble affections, they are aduan­ced to the princely soueraigntie wherof we now haue said. Thus farre Chryso­stome. [Page 35] So doth this woorthie Father helpe our cause, and so doth he thinke of the excellent authoritie geuen by the Father to his Sonne, and deriued frō him to the ministers of his holie will & testament in earth. Whose iurisdiction so highly holden, so truely obteined, so nerelie ioyned vnto Christes honour, and so daily practised no otherwise but in his right and name, whosoeuer shal comtrolle or contemne, they not onely irreuerentlie touche Gods annointed, but they sacrilegiouslie laie handes on ipsum Christum Domini, euen on him that is annointed aboue all his fellowes.Lib. 1. de Poenitēt. Cap. 7. Wel, I conclude vp this matter with these few woordes of S. Ambrose: Vult Dominus plurimum posse discipulos suos: vult à seruis suis ea fieri in nomine suo, quae faciebat ipse positus in terris: Our Lordes pleasure is, that his disciples should haue great prerogatiue: he will haue the same things wrought by his seruantes in his name, that him selfe did in his own person, when he was in earth.

The power of priesthod touching remis­sion of sinnes is proued by the solemne action of Christ, in breathing vpon his Apostles, and geuing them therby the holie Ghost. The third Chap.

THE commission & pow­er that our maister Christ receiued of his euerlas­tinge Father, beinge in most ample maner com­municated with the Apostles, made great proofe and euidence for the right that they claime in remission of sinnes: but the present power of Gods Spirite breathed by Christ vpon them, and ge­uen vnto them for the ministerie and execution of that function, helpeth our matter so much, that who so euer nowe denieth this authoritie of the Apostles concerning the pardoning of our offen­ses, doth not so much sinne against the Sonne of man, which of it selfe is gre­uous inoughe, as he doth controll the worke of the spirite of Christ, which is the holie Ghost, in whome both he and [Page 37] his Church doth remitte sinnes. The more plaine and more exact our master Christe was in the bestowing of that power to remitte and reteine sinnes, the more is our contempt in the diso­bedience & deniall thereof. He sendeth them forth with his owne authoritie in this case: he geueth them the very spirit of God, by whose diuine power they maie execute the function to which he called them: he geueth them the expresse warrant of his own woord that sinnes they might pardon and punish: and yet we make doubt of their vsurpation. But howe they mighte forgeue sinnes by Christes sending, we haue alreadie said.

Nowe for the holie Ghostes power & prerogatiue in the same action, which was breathed on the Apostles, we must further conferre with suche as call in question matters so plaine. And firste I am in good hope, that no man will denie, but Christ gaue them the holie Ghost for no other purpose so much, as to remitte sinnes: secondly I doubt not of their faith and beliefe in this point, [Page 38] but they wil confesse the holy Ghost to be of power by nature and propriety to forgeue sinnes: Thirdlie I claime of their sinceritie thus muche more, that Christ being as wel God as man, was well able for the furniture of their cal­ling, to geue them the holy Ghost: all which being confessed of al men, and de­nied of no Christian aliue, how the cō ­clusion, so besette with al proofe on e­uery side, standeth not vpright, let the Aduersaries tel me. In the Apostles there can be no lacke touching that of­fice, for the execution whereof they re­ceiued both Christes commission first, and the holy Spirit of God afterward: In Christ there can be no default, who was well able to geue, and in deede did giue the holie Ghost: In the holie Ghoste there can be no lette nor lacke, whose power is infinite, and his verie propriety to remitte sinnes.

Al things then standing on so safe and sure groundes, the giuer, the gift, and the receiuer competent, and fullie answerable eche to other on euery side, let y^e discontēted ioyne in argument, let [Page 39] him alledge why y^e Priest so authorised by Christe, and so assured of the holie Ghost, may not either pardon or geue penance. Neuer man auouched that he exercised y^e high actiō vpō his own au­thoritie: but, that he may not as a mi­nister and seruaunt practise it vppon the warrant of Christ, & present power of the holy Ghost, that no faithful per­son can affirm, nor any reasonable man stand in.

Some holy writers vpon this text of S. Iohn in which the order of Christes authorishing his Apostles for the re­missiō of sinnes is described, do dispute of the differēce of geuing the holy ghost then to his Disciples, & afterwarde on whitsonday: some note the external ce­remonie that our Maister vsed, when he gaue them the holy Spirite, whiche was by breathing on them, that suche outwarde actions might bothe be an euidence to them of that excellent gift which they inwardlie then receued,Grace ioi­ned to ex­ternal e­lements, ād vvhy. and should further be an euerlasting instru­ction to the Church, that Gods grace & gifts be oftē ioyned to external elemēts [Page 40] for the solace of our nature, that deliteth to haue our outward man schooled, as well as the inward man nourished. These and many things moe be of pro­fitable remembrance and consideratiō, but not so much to our purpose. Ther­fore let vs see, whether the iudgement of the holy Fathers do not wholy help our present cause, by prouing y^e Priests ministerie, through the holy Ghostes authoritie, that our declaration stāding on the plaine wordes of scripture with their vndoubted sense, may obtein in­uincible force against the aduersaries, and woorthy credite of the true bele­uers.

Hovv Priestes being but men m [...]ie remitte sinnes cō ­mitted a­gaīst GodWe wil make our entrance first with S. Cyril, who debating with himselfe vpon the incomparable authoritie and power geuen to the Apostles for remis­sion of sinnes, standeth first as in con­tention with him self, and with Chri­stes wordes, how it may be, that they being but mē, shuld forgeue the sinnes of our soules, being sure of this, y^t it is the proprety only of the true and liuing God to assoile vs of our sinnes, against [Page 41] whom only al sinnes be proprely com­mitted. And therefore being not of sto­make, as men be now a daies, to deny that, which Christes wordes so plainly doe import, he made answere, that the Apostles were in deed deified, & made, as you would say, partakers of Gods nature, to woorke Gods own office in the world.Cap. 5 [...]. lib 12. In Ioan. in­terpre Trapezū. Qua igitur ratione (saith he) diuinae naturae dignitatem ac potestatem disci­pulis suis saluator largitus est? Quia certè ab­surdum non est pec [...]ata remitti posse ab illis, qui spiritum Sanctum in seipsis habeant. Nam cùm ipsi remmittunt aut detinent, spiritus qui ha­bitat in eis, remittit & detinet. By what meanes did our Sauiour giue vnto y^e Apostles the preheminence & power of Gods own nature? Surely because it agreeth very well, that they should remit mans sinnes, that haue in them selues the holy Ghost. For when they assoyle or reteine sinnes, it is the holy Spirit that dwelleth in them, whiche by their ministerie doth remitte or re­teine sinnes. Thus he. I marueil not nowe,Lib. 6. cont. Iul. why this same Father termeth the Apostles somtimes Protectores & cu­ratores [Page 42] animarū & corporū, Titles ge­uen to priesthod the protectours and curers both of bodies and soules: it is not strāge why S. Ambrose should cal y^e whole order of priesthod Ordinē dei­ficū. De Sacer­dot. Neither y^t he should terme officiū Sa­cerdotis munus spiritus Sancti: The Priestes office, to be the function of the holy Ghost. No, I doe not wonder at some of our forefathers, that, in the admira­tion of Gods Maiestie, which they saw to be so present in y^e execution of so high an office, they did simplie and plain­lie terme the principall Pastours of the Churche, halfe Gods, and not mere men: not hauing respect to their per­sons, whiche be compassed with in fir­mities as other the sinfull sort of peo­ple in the worlde be, but casting eye vp­warde to the holie and excellent fun­ctions, whiche they practised by the spirite of God which dwelleth in them, and deifieth their persōs, to make them of habilitie to exercise y^e works of God.

But S. Ambrose helpeth our matter with a long discourse: al I wil not now report: for the present purpose, thus he saith, disputing against y^e Nouatiās, for [Page 43] y^e assertiō of priestlie dignity inassoyling our sinnes: Qui Spiritū sanctū accipit, & sol uëdi pec [...]a [...]a potestatē, et ligandi accipit, Cap. 2. li. 1 De Poen. sic enī scriptū est: Accipite Spiritum sanctū, quorū re­miseritis peccata, remittūtur eis & quorū reti­nueritis retēta sunt. Ergo ꝙ soluere peccatū non potest, non habet Spiritū sanctū. Munus spiritus sancti est officium sacerdotis, ius autem spiritus sancti in soluendis ligandisque criminibus est. He that receiueth the holy Ghoste (h [...] meaning is in the taking of orders) re­ceiueth therewith the power to bind & loose. For so is it writen. Receiue you y^e holy Ghost, whose sinnes you do for­geue, they are forgeuē them, whose sin­nes you do reteine, they are reteined. Therefore they which can not forgeue mēs offēces, thei haue not y^e holy ghost (y^t is to say, thei haue not the gift of the holy ghost, which is geuē to the officers for thexecutiō of their functiō in Chri­stes behalfe) for the gift of y^e holy Ghost is the office of the Priest: & the proper right of remission of sinnes stādeth in y^e holy Ghost. Thus wrote S. Ambrose against the heretikes of his time, & both toucheth and ouercōmeth all y^e falshode [Page 44] of our daies, against the ministerie of man, which so ioyneth with Gods Spi­rit in al these diuine functions, that it can not without blasphemie and special contempt of God be contemned.

Contra Pelagia­nos, Ma­nichaeos, & Dona­tistas, passim.But I remember S. Augustine the Churches great Capitaine against her aduersaries of those daies, did euer in disputation against the Pelagians and other like ennemies of faith, make the greatest accompt of victorie, and their ouerthrow, when they were driuen to denie that which euer before had bene not onlie acknowledged of al men for truth, but also had ben vsed as a graū ­ted truth, ground, and principle, for the notable euidence thereof, to the impu­gning of other falsehodes. For there can be no doubt, but that whiche our holy Fathers did vse without contro­ling and contradiction euen of their aduersaries, to impugne their Aduer­saries withall, there is no doubte, but that it hath in it selfe exceding muche light and force of truth, as a thing ha­uing so litle need of proofe, that it may be made and taken for a probation of [Page 45] other matters that be doubtefull and vncertaine.Practise of priest­hod in re­mitting sin vsed for a groūd of faith in argumēt. The matter which we haue now in hand is of that sort. For the au­thoritie and power practised of Priests in the vertue of the holy Ghoste, hath euer ben in it self both so plaine and so firme, that the holy Fathers haue vsed it, as a ground, to proue against here­tikes of Eunomius, and Macedonius secte, the Godhead of the holy Ghost, the third person in Trinitie.

S. Bernard is to yong, good man, to name amongest these old fathers of our new Church, els, perdie, with the vertuous, his words soūd ful sweetly. Thus saith he to proue the equalitie of the holy Ghoste with the Father and Sonne: Sicut in nobis interpellat pro nobis, Serm. 1. Pentec. it a in patre delicta donat cum ipso patre: & vt omnino scias, quòd remissionem peccatorū spi­ritus sanctus operatur: Audi quod aliquando audierunt Apostoli: Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis. In English thus: Like as in vs he maketh sure for vs, so in the Father he pardoneth sinnes with the Father: and that thou maist vnderstande, that the [Page 46] holy Ghost worketh remissiō of sinnes, heare that which y^e Apostles once heard receiue you the holy Ghost, whose sin­nes you doe forgeue, thei are forgeuen. Thus he.

And S. Ambrose his auncient, to proue y^e holy Ghost to be God, allegeth that he remitteth sinnes by the Priests ministerie, which he could not in anie wise doe, if he were not in al points e­qual and omnipotēt God with the Fa­ther and Sonne: Let vs see (saith he) whether the holy Ghost doth pardon sinnes, and he answereth himself thus: Sed hinc dubitari non potest: Lib. 3. de Spirit. S. Cap. 19. cum ipse Domi­nus dixerit, accipite spiritum sanctum, quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur: ecce quia per spiritum sanctum peccata donantur, homines autem in remissionem peccatoris ministerium suum exhibent, non ius alicuius potestatis ex­ercent. It is thus much to say: There can be no doubt hereof, seing our Lord said, receiue you the holy Ghost, whose sinnes you doe forgeue, they shalbe for­geuen: loke ye, that by the holy Ghost sinnes be forgeuen, men doe but exer­cise their seruice and ministerie, and [Page 47] claime not the right of power and prin­cipalitie therein.

And S. Basill vppon this assured ground frameth in ful fourme against Eunomius this argument:Lib. 5. Dominus sanctis Apostolis insufflans, inquit, accipite spiri­tum sanctum, quorumcunque dimittetis pecca­ta, dimittentur eis: si ergo nullius est peccata dimittere, nisi solius Dei, dimittit autem spiri­tus sanctus per Apostolos: Deus ergo spiritus sanctus: Our Lord breathing on the A­postles, said, take ye the holy Ghost: for whose sinnes so euer you shal pardon, they be pardoned: therefore if it be the ōly property of God to forgeue sinnes, and the holy Ghost so doth by the Apo­stles: Ergo, the holy Ghost is truelie God.

Thus you perceiue that the ground of this our faith and assertion was of olde accompted so sure, that it was a singular aide and fortresse of faithe a­gainst the vnfaythfull attemptes of moste wicked persons in diuerse a­ges. The onelie practise that Priestes did vse, by the Sacramente of penance to pardonne sinnes, was a full proofe [Page 48] that the holy Ghost was God, by whose authoritie and propre power, they did alwaies since Christes word was spo­ken, remitte the same. The which be­ing true (as it can not be false, that is so agreeable both to scriptures and to all our Fathers faith) the Heresie of our time must needs directly impugne the vertue and power of Gods own spirit. For as the proofe of mans ministery in this foresaid function induceth the true and euerlasting Godhead of the holie Ghost, by whom they practise that po­wer: so the denial thereof, and robery of Priesthoode of this their moste iust claime, doth directly spoile God of his honour, and of the euerlasting right that he hath in remission of sinnes.ōtemp of mans ministeri is contēpt of Gods authori­tie. So whiles these good men seeke to abase man vniustlie, they blaspheame God highly, and together with mans mini­sterie, they bring vnto vtter contempte Gods owne authoritie.

But for the Readers case, and more light of our cause, I ioyne thus in ar­gument with them againe, vppon the second parte of Christes own woordes [Page 49] and action had in the authorising of his Apostles: what soeuer the holie Ghost maye doe in this case by the proper po­wer of his Godhead, that maye y^e Apo­stles and priestes doo by seruice & mi­nisterie throughe the power of the holie Ghost: but the holie Ghost properly & rightly doth remitt sinnes, therfore the Apostles doe rightly and truely remitt sinnes by their ministerie in the said ho­lie Ghost. All partes of this conclusion stande vppright, and feare no falshod: they be guarded on euery side by Chri­stes action, by woordes of scripture, by the doctours plaine warrant, and by al reason. with all which whosoeuer is not contented, but wil needes extinguere spiritum, extinguish Goddes spirite, 1. Thes. 5. and violently take from the Church the greatest comfort of all mans life, that, in this infirmitie of our flesh, standeth in moste hope by his gifte in remission of sinnes, for which especiall cause the said spirite was mercifullie breathed vpon the Apostles peculiarly, before the more common sending of the same from heauen aboue: if al this reason and iust [Page 50] demonstration of trueth wil not serue them, I wil chardge them with this graue cōclusiō of S. Augustine vttered partly agaynst the Nouatians & especi­ally against the desperate, y^t would not seeke for Gods mercie by y^e Churches ministerie in the sacramēt of penaunce. To be brief I wil speake it in English.Cap. [...]3. Enchir. who so euer he be that beleueth not mans sinnes to be remitted in Goddes Church, and therfore despiseth the boū tifullnes of God in so mightie a work, if he in that obstinat mind cōtinue til his liues end he is giltie of sinne a­gainst the holie Ghoste, in which holy Ghost Ch [...]ist remitteth sinnes.

The power to remitte sinnes is further proued to be giuen to the Apostles by these woordes of Christ: Whose sin­nes you doo forgiue &cet. by the do­ctours exposition of the same, and by conference of other woordes of scri­pture of the like sense. The Fourh Chap.

HOwe the priestes of Christes Churche haue defended their right and calling for remission of sinnes, as wel by y^e commission that [Page 51] Christe firste receyued of his Father, & afterward bestowed vpon them, as by the assured receiuing of y^e spirite of God from Christes blessed breath to the same ende and purpose, I haue hithertoo de­clared at large. Now the third part of y^e place before alleadged out of S. Iohns Gospel, concerneth y^e woordes of Chri­stes promesse and warrant made vnto his Apostles out of which playn woor­des distinctly vttered we must see what force may be further added vnto our Cacholike assertiō, for y^e priestes autoritie to remitte & reteine sinnes. And surely if none of y^e former woordes of Cōmissiō, nor any other meane or mentiō had ben made of the holy Ghostes assistaunce herein, these onely woords vpon y^e cre­dite that al faithful men owe to Christ, had ben sufficient to haue assured the world of the autoritie of priesthod, and of the whole cause that now is called in controuersie. For what cā be said either of God or man more properly or more playnly then this: whose sinnes you shal forgiue, they be forgiuē, Ioan. 20. whose sinnes you shal reteine, they be reteined?

I must needes here complayne of these vnfaithful and vnhappy tymes, y^t in the continual lothsom bragges of the scripture,Scripture maliciou­sly per­uerted in the vvoor­des of sa­craments and Goddes woorde, in per­petual tossing and tumbling of y^e bokes of the Bible, in endlesse contentiō and disputation of most high mysteries in them conteined, haue yet wholy per­uerted the cleerest and only vndoubted meaning of suche places specially, as most touch the verie life and saluation of al man kinde, & which be of al other thinges in termes of scripture moste open and euident, ful foolishly & vnler­nedly haue both the simple sorte hand­led Goddes woorde, as in suche grosse ignorance of all thinges they needes must, and their new procured maisters also, in not muche more knowledge and farre pa [...]ssing pride can not otherwise doe, but whilest they playe them selues in thinges of smaller importance, they are to be laughed at rather then lamen­ted: but if the Diuel driue them farder, as he lightly doth where he so quietly possesseth, and cause them to dallye, and delude the places of scripture that prin­cipallie [Page 53] concerne the state and saluation of vs al, there we must with al force re­siste, leaste we leefe the fruyte and good of oure Christianitie. What can be of higher importāce in y^e worlde, or touche our soules and saluation so nere, as the holie sacramentes of Christes Church, by which grace and mercie throughe Goddes appoyntment be procured? and yet these blessed fountaynes especially euē these waters springing euerlasting­ly to oure life and comfort, haue these men moste infected.

In the institution of Sacramentes Christes woordes were euer playne without coloure or figure, as woordes that woorke with singular efficacie, grace and vertue, and therwith giue to the ministers iust authoritie for the exe­cutiō of Christes meaning: which could not be done in figuratiue speaches and parables without infinite erroure. Did God speak parables whē he instituted the solemnitie of so many sacrifices in the olde lawe, when he signified vnto Moyses and Aaron euerie seueral sorte of beaste or creature with their sexe and [Page 54] kind and al the ceremonie thervnto be­longing?Exod. 12. Did he speake parables when the sacramente of the lambe was to be instituted? Did he speak by figure to A­braham,Genes. 17. Exod. 35. when he commaunded him to circumcise the male of euerie of his peo­ple? Did he speake by figure, when he instituted the Sabaoth? Did he, to be brief, euer in the olde lawe speake one thing, and meane an other, when any ex­ternal worke by y^e charge of his woord was to be practised for euer amongest the people? In common speach, in pro­phecieng, in preaching, in similitudes, in Examples vttered for the declaratiō of many thinges,A neces­sarie note for to Knovve vvhere the spea­ches be figuratiue. and for grace & varie­tie of talke, to styrre vppe mans indu­strie in searchinge the secretes of trueth there figures of al sortes be vsed: but where, by external woordes and actiōs force of inward grace must be procured, or perpetual vsages in the Church are in outeward signes & elements to be instituted, or cōmissiō of greate matters graunted, or charge of singular weight giuen to seruauntes in absense of their maisters, in all such cases playne spea­king [Page 55] by Goddes prouidence was euer vsed, & by al reasō must be vsed: or elles man falling into errour in the executiō of his cōmission, is sufficiently to be ex­cused, because he could not atteine to the meaning of his maisters woordes. And yet the wicked of these dayes, haue foūd sucke light in scripture, that th [...]y haue made oure Maister Christe to speake one thing & meane the contrarie, in the verie institutiō of y^e S [...]cramentes, and haue founde figures to delude & defeat y^t world of y^e necessarie fruicte of thē all.

Ther were some of olde y^t droue the mysteries of Christes incarnatiō & spea­ches that proued his equalitie with his Father in godhead, to figuratiue phra­ses, and sought for the defence of their folie the like phrases in other of Chri­stes talke: but neuer none were com­parable in this kinde to oure newe de­uisers. For by the face and crake of Goddes woorde they haue brought to passe amongste fooles, that no one texte of scripture which perteineth to any of the Sacramentes can haue his mea­ning, and such sense as the verie [Page 56] woorde beareth,The B. Sacr. of the Altar. and the worlde hath euer taken and cōstrued of it. The bles­sed and moste soueraigne sacrament of the aultar, instituted in a solemne actiō, in moste careful maner, amongest his most secrete seruantes, the last almoste of al his woorkes in earth,Matt. 26. in moste euident termes, with fore charge giuen to the Apostles of the continuance of his euerlasting memorie in y^e same, yet must meane nothing lesse, then y^t which oure Maister made it, and must by a thousand figures be wrasted & wrythen to what yow list and like, so that it be not to importe y^t, which oure Maister said it did, and the Church hath euer beleued of the same.Baptisme woordes of the like solennitie were vsed for the ordering of the holy vse of Baptyme, to be doen, as the woorde doth also importe, necessa­riely in the external element of water, with certayn moste holy prescribed woordes, vnder payne & peril of euer­lasting perishing to y^e neglecters therof: yet in suche playnesse figures are found out by these pernicious conueiers that neyther water is compted so much ne­cessarie, [Page 57] nor y^e woordes of suche strēgth, but that one of these malapert felowes was bold to write,Brentius cōtra Pe­trū à Solo that it was muche superstition to binde the Church to the same, as to the prescribed woordes of arte Magike, sorcerie and witchcrafte. Of the honourable acte and sacrament of extrem vnctiō,Extream Vnctiō. what can be said with more euidence of woordes then is spo­kē of the holy Apostle S. Iames? If any man be sicke amōgest you, Cap. 5. let him cal for the priestes of the Church, and let them annoynt him with oile: and yet so lytle matter these men make of the Apostles spirite, woorde and writing, that they haue cōdemned the whole vse therof as superstitious,Holy Orders. not helping thē selfes by figures, but by opē force. Grace is giuen to Timothy as in a sacrament when he tooke orders of Paule:1. Tim. 4 y^e Apo­stle sayeth so much in expresse termes: yet this grace and the whole sacrament of Orders, these holy men reiecte. Ma­trimonieMatri­monie. to S. Paule is a great sacra­ment, & of oure ministers not misliked, so farre as concerneth their fleshly con­iunctiō, which they onely lust after,Ephes. 5. but [Page 58] grace they list not receiue thereby, least it should be a sacrament, wherby y^e vni­tie of Christ and his spouse the Church, which in no sauce they can abide, might be fullie represented and signified.

These felowes therfore that dare be so bold to disturbe al the orders and sacra­mentes of Goddes Church, and to mainteine their phantasies, dare brast the sacred bandes of expresse scriptures in such poyntes as doo directly touche the whole policie of oure Christian common wealth and ordered wayes of oure saluation, euen in those which Christ moste carefully left to be practi­sed for the vse of his louinge flocke, by the warrant of woordes moste playne, what shal wee saye to such bolde and impudent faces, that thus dare doo, and yet which I more merueyl at, in this their vncurtesie, and moste vnhonest dealing, will not sticke to crie and call vpon Goddes woorde, as thoughe they did that by scripture, the contrarie whereof they expressly find in scripture. And truely where they be not holpen by the verie woordes, vaine it shallbe [Page 59] for them to stand with vs, and with all oure Fathers, and with the practise of al nations, and with the verie expresse iudgment of the Church of God, it shal not boote them, I say, in their dark ig­norance and infinitie pride to stand with vs hauing so many helpes for the true meaning, and the expresse text of y^e woorde for oure selues and side.

Sometymes where it maie appeare that the woordes and outwarde face of scripture serue not oure assertions so playnly as the holy traditions of Chri­stes Church doo, there they cal vpō vs w^t infinite clamoures to abide y^e iudg­ment of y^e woorde, which they would be thought to esteme aboue al mans mea­ning. But whither wil they now runne thincke you, where al oure sacramētes stand vpō euident woordes, & more thē woordes, vpon y^e verie expresse & noto­rious actiō of Christ him selfe? all insti­tuted sincerly to be practised of y^e Churce after his departure hēce: al cōmended in knowen termes of greatest & most efficacie y^t could be, not by way of preaching, in which he vsed sometyme figures, [Page 60] not at suche tyme as he vsed other then common knowen speach, but after his resurrection when he now vttered no more parables as he did before,Matt. 13. Marc. 4. that suche as sawe, should not see, and such as were of vnderstanding, might not vnderstand, but did open vnto his dea­rest their senses, that they might vnder­stand scriptures, and more carefully ex­pressed his meaning for the instruction of his holy Disciples, to the better bea­ring of that charge which he ment to leaue them in, after his departure: whi­ther wil these men (I say) where they see al thinges so enuironed with trueth, whither wil they flye? The scriptures be playnly ours, the doctours thei dare not claime, reason is against them, ther is then no waye to beare it oute, but with boldnesse and exercised audacitie. Yet here we wil assaye, by y^e notorious euidence of this one cause that we now haue in hande, to breake their stonie hartes to the obedience of Christes Church and woorde, for whose faith, if they haue seen great light and force of argument allready, and shall yet see [Page 61] much more, I truste they will not still withstande the knowen trueth.

Al woordes then of institution of sa­cramentes, being literaly to be taken, & thinges of so great charge not other­wise to be vnderstanded, then are both by act and woord of Christe sincerely vttered, we neede not doubt but the fourme of Christes sentence, in which he giueth the Apostles power to remitt sinnes, is plainely to be taken in that common sense, as the same by woordes importeth, and therefore that by force thereof, they maye remitte sinnes. And yet to make more proofe to satisfie all men, I wil ioyne to these woordes of oure Sauioure that most properly con­cerne the sacramente of penaunce, other his woordes touching oure principall conclusion not vnlike, wherby in cōfe­rēce of the like sainges together (which our Aduersaries doe alwayes as they would seeme wel to allow) trueth may trie it selfe. Therefore as our Maister here saieth vnto them: whose sinnes you shal forgiue, they be forgiuē: And whose sinnes you reteine, they be [Page 62] also reteined: euen so said he twice be­fore vnto y^e Apostles, expressing in other woordes almoste the same meaning and sense: once to them altogether in the xviij. of S. Matthew, & an other tyme before that, in the xvi. of the same Gos­pel, to S. Pecer alone.

To them in general thus saith Christ: If thy brother haue committed any of­fence towards thee, go to him and ad­monish him priuately betwixt him and thy selfe. If he take it wel, thou hast then wonne thy brother: if he regarde thee not, take one or twoo with thee, that in the mouthes of two or three wittnesses euerie vvoord may stande: if he regarde not them neither, then make complainte of him to the Churche (that is to saye, as S. Chry­sostome expoundeth it,Super hūc locū. to the Gouer­nours of the Churche) and if he will not obeye the Church, thē take him for no better thē a Heathē, and a Publicā. And streight vpon these woordes,De fide & operib cap. 3. least any mā should sette light by y^e Churche, or rulers thereof, Christ added (sayth S. Augustine) a wonderfull terrour of [Page 63] her seuere authoritie, saing: Amen dico vobis, quaecunque alligaueritis super terram, erunt ligata & in coelo: & quaecunque solueritis super terram, erunt soluta & in coelo: surely I saye vnto you, what thinges soeuer you binde in earth, it shal be bounde in heauen: And what soeuer you loose in earth, it shal be loosed in heauen. This text is cleare for the Churches claime in remission of sinnes, thoughe it properlie perteine rather to the out­warde power iudiciarie and courte of external iudgment for open crimes and notorious contemptes, then for the sinnes of the people that be secrette, and onely subiect to power practised in the sacrament of penaunce, which nowe lightly is closse, and onely vtte­red in secret to him that hath charge of his soule. Neuer the lesse if the priestes of God haue receiued power to loose and bynde, which is to pardon and pu­nishe, open notorious crimes and con­temptes, whiche towchinge the gilti­nesse of the faulte, doth no lesse per­teine to the proper power of God, then the absoluinge of secrette sinnes, [Page 64] doth: then, without question they may pardon or reteine mans sinnes of all sortes, as wel in the sacramente of pe­nance, al that be confessed: as in publike iudgment, what soeuer is by witnesse proued. And as in this, they maye at their pleasure, where iustice requireth, correcte the open offender by moste graue censures of Goddes Church: so may the priestes giue due penaunce in y^e sacrament, for the chastisment of suche sinnes as be to them confessed, and for the satisfying of Goddes iustice by sinne violated.

The other text of holy scripture: cō ­teining Christes woordes to S. Peter seuerally,A more peculiar preroga­tiue geuē to S. Peter than to other A­postles. by certayne notable circum­stances of the letter, and by woordes of great graunt spok [...]n singularly to him, giueth the chief of all his Apostles in more ample termes and beneficial clau­ses this power and prerogatiue also. To him it was onely said, thou a [...]t Pe­te [...] (which is as much to say as a rocke: for oure Maister gaue him that name newe at his firste calling,Ioan. 1. in significatiō of further intent and purpose which he [Page 65] here vttered) and vpon this rocke will I sette my Church: and hel gates shall not preuaile agaynste it. That so sayd, he thus spake in playne termes: Et tibi dabo claues regni coelorum. Et quodcunque li­gaueris super terram, erit ligatum & in coelis, & quodcunque solueris super terram, erit solu­tum et in coelis: And to the wil I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, and what soeuer thou shalt binde in earth it shall be bounde in the heauens, And what thow loosest in earthe, it shal be loosed in the heauens. Ibid. 21. This promise made vnto Peter and perfor­med no doubt after his resurrection, when he committed to him the feeding and gouernement of all his deare flocke both yong and olde, doth excedingly importe a wonderfull incomparable soueraygntie and iurisdiction ouer mens soules. For a mortall man to re­ceiue the keyes of Christes kingdom, & by them to binde & loose, to locke out and lett in,Keies of heauen vvhat they be. before our maister Christe who had the full iurisdiction therin, it was neuer heard of. And when the holy Propheces doe meane to sette out the [Page 66] greate and passing power giuē by God the Father to his onely Sōne in earth, they vse to expresse the same oftē by the termes, of keyes, as when the prophet Esaie saith: I wil lay the keyes of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder, he shall shutte, and ther can none be ha­ble to open, and he shall open so, that none can shutte agayne. And Christ him selfe speaking to his beloued Iohn in the Apocalipse saith:Cap. 22. I am the first and the last. I am aliue, and was dead before, Apocal. 1. & 3. and I haue the keyes of death and hell. The keyes therfore, euer sign­ifyng power and gouernemēt of y^e hou­shold, was giuē to Christ, as to whom, being y^e principall & most excellent rec­tour of his own Church y^t he bought so dearly, they most duely belong. But he cōmunicated vnto Peter, as to his spe­ciall steward y^t vse of y^e same, for y^e go­uernment of our soules, with exceding much preheminence both in binding & loosing. Yet I do not remēber y^t any of the olde writers doe put any greate differēce betwixt y^e authorities of Peter & the rest of the Apostles, cōcerning the [Page 67] remitting of sinnes, which is a thing perteining indifferently to y^e whole or­der of priestod, & therfore no more pro­per to y^e Pope or Peter, then to prie­stes & Apostles: thoughe Origen noted well, y^t the iurisdictiō of Peter semed by those woords to be enlarged aboue the residue, by y^t that our Sauiour sayde to him, y^t, what soeuer he bounde or loosed in earth, it should be loosed or bound in y^e heauens: wher to the rest he spake of heauen only in y^e singular number. I speake only of this latter clause of bin­ding & loosing with y^e keyes therunto belonging. For there is no doubt, but great preheminence of rule & iurisdi­ctiō is promised before in the same text now recited, & elles where actually gi­uen vnto him, more then to y^e rest of his brethern. Neuerthelesse euē this power of bindig & loosing cōmon to all y^e holy order was in him first seuerally planted for y^e cōmēdatiō of vnitie & order,De sim­plicitat [...] prelato­rum. as S. Cyprian saith, & so the same authoritie geuen to other, might yet after a sort be deriued from his fullnes of power and prerogatiue, as from a founteyne.

But we wil not stand hereon nowe, nor yet to put difference betwixt these woords and termes: loosing or remit­ting, binding or reteining, nor to dis­pute whether these two textes more proprely signifie the authoritie and iu­risdction geuen to the spirituall Magi­strates, for punishing by temporal pain enioyned, and releasing by mercie, as they see occasion, the same appointed penance againe, or els it proprely con­cerneth the very release of sinne it self, or reteining the sinne, which they vp­pon iust causes wil not forgeue. These things would grow to ouer tediouse a tale, and ouer curiouse for the simple, whō I would most helpe in these mat­ters: and I shal briefly touch so muche hereof as is necessarie, hereafter when I shal dispute of pardons. For in deede these two textes of binding and losing, as wel spoken to Peter as to the resi­due afterwarde, shall be the ground of our whole discourse there, and there­fore til then, we must touch these textes no farther, but as in common pertei­neth to remitting or reteining sinnes. [Page 69] For they are brought indifferentlie of the holy Fathers with y^t foresaid words of S. Iohn, in which, as I haue decla­red, the very institution of penance and Priestes iudgement of our soules and sinnes, be most proprely grounded.

Therefore that by al these woordes, so often vttered by our Sauiour, you may wel perceiue the very litteral and vndoubted meaning to be, that Priests haue authoritie by Christes warraunt effectually to remit and reteine sinnes, I wil recite one or two notable places of most aūcient Fathers, that they ioy­ning with such plaine woordes of sun­drie places of scripture, may make all most sure, to such as can by any reasō be satisfied. First I alledge the saing of S. Maximꝰ, an old author & a blessed saint.Homil. In natali Petri & Pauli. He doth by conference couple together these textes wherō we now stand, thus he speaketh very pithely, therefore you shal heare his own woords: Ne qua vos, fratres, de creditis Petro clauibꝰ regni, more no strarū clauiū cogitatio terrena ꝑmoueat, clauis caeli lingua est Petri, quam singulorum merita censendo Apostolus vnicuique regnum caelorum [Page 70] aut claudit, aut aperit: Non est ergo clauis ista mortalis artificis aptata manu, sed data à Christo potestas est iudicandi. Denique ait eis: qnorum remiseritis peccata, remissa erunt, & quorum detinueritis, detenta erunt. Thus he saith in our tung: Least any earthly co­gitation moue you to thinke of any succh materiall keyes as we occupie in earth, when you heare of committing the keyes of y^e kingdom to Peter,Keie of heauen vvhat yt ys. you must thus vnderstād, y^t the key of hea­uen is Peters woord or tunge, because the Apostle weighing well euery of oure desertes, openeth or shutteth to euery man the kingdō of Christe. This key therefore is not made by mortall mannes hande, but it is the power of iudgment giuen by Christ. To be brief, he saith to them all: whose sinnes you shal forgiue, they shal be forgeuē, &c.

Thus saith Maximus, ioyning toge­ther fittly two textes for one purpose, & out of both maketh a most forcible ar­gument, that the iudgment of oure soules which is a passing authoritie, & y^t very letting in & keping out of heauē is addicted by y^e keyes to Peters, & the Apostles ministerie. For which cause [Page 71] also S. Gregorie calleth all Christes Apostles and the iust occupiers of their roomes y^e dores by which mē must enter into heauen, or euerlastingly bide our, which is a fearfull saing to all suche as contemne their authoritie. His woor­des be these: Quid cuncti Apostoli nisi sancta ecclesiae ostia existunt, cùm eis dicitur: Cap. 16. lib 28. in Iob. Accipite spiritū sanctū, quorū remiseritis pecc. &c. ac si illis apertè diceretur: per vos ingrediūtur ad mehi quibus vos ipsi pāditis, et repellētur quibus obseratis. what are all y^e Apostles elles but the doores of holy Church: seing it is sayde to thē, take you y^e holy ghost, whose sinnes you doe forgiue, they be forgiuē: euē as thoughe in plainer ter­mes it had bē spoken thus: by you all must enter y^t will come vnto me, those, I saye, to whō you opē y^e doore by loo­sing of their sinnes, & those shall be put backe, y^t you locke out. Hyherto S. Grerie. This wōderful authoritie caused S. Hilarie thus to make exclamatiō: O holy and most happy men for the de­sert of youre faith yow haue obtey­ned the keyes of heauē, De Trin. lib. 6. and now the whole right both of bindīg ād loosing [Page 72] in heauen and earth is assuredlie in you. But that you may fullie beholde their right herein, consider his notable woordes vpon the alledged place of S. Matthew:Super Math. 18. Ad terrorem metus maximi qu [...] in praesens omnes continerentur, immobile seue­ritatis Apostolicae iudicium praemisit, vt qu [...]s in terra ligauerint, id est, peccatorum nodis in­nexos reliquerint, Som read Cōfessione for cōcessione. & quos soluerint, concessione scilicet veniae, receperint in salutem, in Aposto­licae conditione sententiae, in caelis quoque aut soluti sint aut ligati. That is to say: To the terrour and feare of al men and ne­cessarie keping of them in awe and dis­cipline, Christ premised the immouable iudgement of the Apostles seueritie, y^t whom so euer they bound in earth, that is to say, left fast tied in the bandes of sinnes, and whom they loosed, that is to witte, by mercie receiue to the bene­fite of pardon, that the same person so bound or so released, in the same case that the Apostles left them, should be in the heauēs, either loose or fast. Thus farre S. Hilarie, by whom we euident­lie may learne, in what carefull case all men be that passe this life not loosed by [Page 73] them whose sentence in earth is so sure­lie ratified in heauen aboue, & no lesse how the woords of Christ vttered som­times in termes of binding & loosing, other times in remitting & reteining, doe literally signifie.

But I will adde S. Chrysostomes testimonie thervnto, the rather because our Aduersaries do abuse his woordes sometimes against confession, whiche necessarily hangeth on the authoritie of Priesthode in remission and reteining sinnes, as anon I shall declare. That I be not ouer tediouse, I wil reporte his saying in English onelie: Those (saith he) that dwel in earth and are conuersant amongst men, Lib. 3. de Sacer. haue recei­ued power and commission to dispose and dispense such things as be in hea­uen: A povver geuen to Priestes, that vvas neuer ge­uen to Angels. yea these mē haue receued power such as neither God either gaue to Angels, nor yet Archangels, for it was ne­uer said to thē, what so euer you bind in earth it shall be bound in heauen, and what soeuer you loose in earth, it shall be loosed in heauen. Earthlie Princes in deed haue power to bind, [Page 74] but that perteineth to the bodies of their subiectes onely: but the bonde which I nowe talke of, that is proper to the power of priestes, toucheth the verie soule it self, and is so ample, that it reacheth to the heauens aboue. yea and that so largely, that what so euer the priestes doe beneth, the very selfe same God wil allow and ratify in heauen aboue, and so the Lorde wil con­firme the iudgement and sentence of the seruauntes. Thus farre spaeketh Chrysostome. His woords be so playn, that to stand long on them for farther proofe of my matter, then y^e verie face of y^e sentence dooth importe, it were vayne. For man may here rather mer­ueyle to see suche straunge power vpō Christes woords giuē to y^e holy order, & yet y^t to be so litce estemed of wicked men, & so litle regarded euen of y^e hone­ster sorte of simple folkes, that fewe ei­ther seeke after their iudgmēt in causes of their soules, or duely honoure that power in them which passeth all other prelacie, y^t euer either mā or Angell re­ceued: in this greate contempt (I say) [Page 75] of most holy thinges, wickednes is ra­ther to be wōdered at, & lamēted, then by long reasoning to be confuted. The sequele of true thinges is so plain in it selfe, y^e diuers places of scripture so an­swer iustly eche to other, y^t Fathers so cōsonantly cōfirme y^t knowen meaning of y^e same & the verie termes of so ma­ny scriptures writen at diuers tymes by sundrie of y^e Euangelistes, so fal vpō one vndoubted sense, y^t we may rightly conclude y^e power to be in all cafes gi­uen to y^e Apostles of remission of sinne. And vpon such knowē termes I make this argument against y^e aduersaries. They treuly and properly doe remitte sinnes, vpō whose sentēce in earth the pardō of God immediatly ensueth in heauen: but Goddes pardon vndoub­tedly foloweth y^e priestes pardon in re­mission in earth (Claue non errante) ergo they assuredlie remitte sinnes. The maior is manifest, y^e minor hangeth vpon playne scripture thrise told: which first appoynted man to loose in earth, & then y^t God shall in y^e same instant forgiue in heauē. God shall cōfirme the sētēce of his [Page 76] seruauntes, saith. S. Chrysostom, mans iudgment (saith Hilarie) shall be as a sentence preiudiciall to God in heauen. And thus farre for y^e woordes of Christ att this present, and farther streingth shall more and more be gathered vnto them, by diuers partes of all the pro­cesse folowing.

That the same power of remitting and reteining sinnes, which was giuen to the Apostles, was not bestowed on thē in respect of their priuate persons, but as they were publike officers: and that therefore the like authoritie is com­mon by Christes graunt to all priestes of Christes Church, who in this matter are the Apostles successours. The fifth Chap.

IF I had here to doe one­lie with the learned, it were enough that is al­readie proued for the power and preeminence giuen to the Apostles in remission of sinnes, thereupon to ground most assu­redly the like right in the same cause to perteine to all Bishoppes and priestes [Page 77] of Christes Churche. But we studie to helpe suche as can not by this so farre consider, that the power giuen to his Apostles or to any of them is one eter­nall power, not ceasing in their per­sons,An igno­rante reason of the sim­ple man­teined by here­tiques agaynst priesthod but during in their succession to the worldes ende. For I haue my selfe mette with many suthe as coulde be cō tent as they said to acknowledge vpon so playne scripture the singular priui­lege giuen to the Apostles, and ther­upon if thei might haue had av Apostle they would not haue sticked to haue made their confession and sute to him for the remission of theire sinnes, but because I had not the like woordes of Christe spoken to all priestes particu­larlye, they thought it was no reason that any such chaleng shoulde be made for thē: nor any suche charge to be giuē to others to confesse their sinnes vnto them. This simplicitie of the common sorte, or rather this rude frowardnesse risinge vpon contempt and disobedi­ence to Gods Churche, is mainteyned euen of y^e more learned sorte, who haue charged them selues in all behauiour [Page 78] to be so populare and so plausible, that euen against knowen order of thinges they will draw backe from the light of trueth with the common, rude and vn­learned reasons of the people. For Iohn Caluin Caluin. a man borne to seditiō & the Churches calamitie, mainteineth the madnesse of the multitude by this reason: The Apostles (saith he) had the holy Ghost, wherof our priestes haue no vvarrant. But enquire of them, whether they haue the holy Ghost, if they sae yea, demaunde of them fur­ther, whether y^e holy Ghost maye erre: if thei confesse, that the holy Ghost can not erre, then they proue them selues not to haue the holie Ghoste, because it is well seen that they may erre, and doe erre both in loosing & binding manie, otherwise then Goddes sentence will alowe. But briefly to satisfie all sides in this case, I shall declare the like power to be left by Christes meaning to all Bishopes & priestes, no lesse then to y^e Apostles them selues, to whome Christ then presently spake: y^t both y^e peoples lacke of vnderstanding may be correc­ted, [Page 79] & the false and craftie conueiance of their captaine may be, to his shame and the Diuels, plainely disclosed.

First this is playn, that what so euer Christe after his resurrection or before did institute for y^e cōmoditie of y^e people & weale of y^e whole Churche,The povver geuen to the Apo­stles cea­ssed not by their death, but cōti­nueth still in the Church. y^t did not decay in the persons of them to whome Christ presently spake y^e wordes, for el­les all sacramentes had ben ended, and all gouernement ceassed at the death of them to whome in person y^e charge was first geuen by Christe. For example: Christ in his institutiō of the holy Sa­crament of the aultar spake onely to his twelue, and to those present per­sons he onely sayd presently hoc facite, 1. Cor. 11. doe this: yet in their persons, y^e Church was so instructed and all priestes so authorized, that the same some raigne worcke hath vpon that warrant ben truely practised of the Church, and by vayne imitation folowed by thier Aduersaries euen till this daye. And in deede, the verie woordes of the institution did importe no lesse, for it is sayde: Mortem Domini annunciabitis [Page 80] donec veniat. You shall sette forth Chri­stes death till his comming: whiche coulde not be, if the ministerie had de­cayed with their persons, to whome Christ spake. So y^e charge both of prea­ching and baptising was geuen to a fewe chosen men then present, but that all the worlde might perceiue, that of his wisdom and carefull prouidence the charge and authoritie perteined to the gouernours of the Church for euer no lesse thē to them, whom he then cal­led to that function, he added: I wil be with you to the ende of the worlde, Meaning that they should exercise that office in his name and assistance to the day of iudgment.Math. vlt Which in theyr own persons was not true, but in their suc­cessours. And for this cause, it is no doubt, but what authoritie so euer Pe­ter had alone aboue the residewe of his felowe Apostles, that the same is by all reason to be deriued from him to al his successours, and that caused Chrysosto­me to saye that Christe shedde his blood to winne the sheepe, which he committed to Peter and his sucessours [Page 81] to feed: where Christ in person present­lie spake but to Peter alone, & yet be­cause he knewe the like gouernement was both necessary after Peters death, as well as in his time, and no lesse by Christes appointment to be continued in the Church after, as before, the Do­ctours doubted not to enlarge Christes woorde vttered to Peter alone, to all them that succeeded in the same roome.

Vpon these most strong groūds eue­rie man plainly may argue, the like po­wer yet to be in the Churche of God in euery case, euen as Christ did institute at the beginning,Reasons for the continu­ance of the mini­sterie of Priests. when he gaue the Charge to the Apostles first. For looke what forme of gouernement and order of the Churche was thought vnto his wisdome to be best then, the same must needs be best now (I speake for the substance of things: for by diuersi­ties of time and person some alteration may rise in the circumstances) therfore if it were good at that time that one should be the general Vicare of Christ, and pastour of al the sheepe, for which he shed his blessed bloud, it is good yet [Page 82] also: if some had authoritie then to con­secrate Christes bodie, some haue the same power till this time: if some then must needes baptise and preache, other some must nowe also doe the same: fi­nallie if certaine then had commission by Christe, and the holie Ghoste geuen them to remitte sinnes, and therewith power by his woorde both to pardon and punnish, to bind and to loose, it must by force of the foresaid argument necessarily be induced, that some at this daie must haue the like office. For els Christ could not continue the same po­wer and offices in the Churche which he for the Churches sake did first insti­tute: and which he compted of his hea­uenlie wisdome moste necessarie for the Churches gouernment.Christ maintei­neth all the fun­ctions by him instituted, euē til this da [...] in his Church. But I thinke no man hath yet so shakē of shame and feare of God, that he dare holde that Christe was not hable to mainteine all power, rule and iurisdiction, with all kind of functions whiche he instituted for the benefite of the people till the worldes end, both him self and the ho­ly Ghost promised to be present for that [Page 83] purpose til the general iudgemēt. And that those functions were necessary for his euerlasting cōmō welth, his solēne institutiō & careful prouisiō of them doe declare: y^t he meneth no lesse to establish y^e same which he thē instituted, not only y^e foresaid reasōs, but y^e saing of S. Paul doth proue:Ephes. 4. He gaue vnto the Church som to be Apostles, som to be prophets some to be Euangelists, some to be pa­stours and Doctours: and al this to the worke and maintenance of the mini­sterie for the perfiting of the Saincts, ād vpholding of Christes body, til the time of the acknowledging of Gods Sonne. Thus doth Christ prouide for his deare Church in al maner of seruice & office euen til y^e last day. Wherby it is most cleare, y^t the power of remission of sinnes being once geuē to y^e Church cā neuer ceasse, whiles man of his conti­nual frailty ceasseth not to sinne. That which was then cōpted a necessarie re­fuge & remedy for sinnes cōmitted, can not nowe perish in the worlde, where sinne is a great deale more rife, and the remedie more needful.

But to conuince them plainlie that thinke contrary,Ioan. 20. Thomas had like povver to other, tho [...]gh he vvere absent vvhen Christe spake to them. let them tell me whe­ther Thomas being not thē present, as the Euangelist saith, and therefore the woordes not vttered to him in person, let them shewe me whether he had not afterwarde, by force of that institution power also to remitte sinnes. If he had as by reason I am sure they can not de­nie, as ful preheminence and power to doe al things, that then Christ charged his ten Disciples, which were present, to doe in his name: then the power of remission of sinnes was not so streight­lie limited, as the woordes might seme to be vttered, by which no doubt a Sa­crament was instituted to take force in the Church both then and afterward to the worlds end, not that any man may of his owne head, vpon force onelie of Christes commission geuen at y^e time to his Apostles, take that high function vpon him: but that he which ordinarilie shal be called by receiuing of grace and the holy Ghost in externall Sacrament by laying on of handes of Priesthoode, may likewise vpon his owne flock and [Page 85] cure exercise that office, no lesse then those holie men might after Christes calling therevnto, occupie the same worke of binding and loosing of suche sheepe of Christes, fold as to them were committed. And so did S. Thomas, who then was not there, so did S. Ma­thie who then was no Apostle, so did Barnabas, so did Timothie and Titus who were ordered by S. Paule,Lib 1. de Poenit. Cap. 16. and so did Paule him selfe, of whom S. Am­brose saith, that he did remitte sinnes without al derogation to Christ.

The good studiouse Reader must marke wel then, that al these holy fun­ctions or passing preheminencies, are not geuen to the priuate persons, in re­spect of them selues, neither of Peter, nor of Paul, nor any other, but they are bestowed vpon them for the vse of the Churche which dieth not in their per­sons, and therefore must be honoured with the same offices by other, after they be dead, by perpetual succession y^t shal neuer cease.De doct. Christ. lib. 1. c. 18. And that caused S. Augustine, and other holie Fathers to say the keies were geuen to y^e Churche [Page 86] and authority to remitte sinnes, to bap­tise and to enioyn penance: not because the whole Church, by gathering al her Children together,A fond reason. must geue sentence vpon euery sinner, or els the Priestes iudgement to be nothing, as some foo­lish seditiouse heades haue now to the disturbance of the worlde deuised, but because it is our common wealth and house of faith, which is so bewtified in her ministers, with al kinde of Sacra­ments and good orders for the gouern­ment of her children, and because al mē may see, it was the earnest loue & care­ful prouidence for this his spouse, and not the persons of the Apostles in re­spect of them selues, which moued his wisdome to the iustitution of such per­petual offices in the Church.

Herevpon therefore, and in conside­ration that the keyes of opening and shutting heauen, by binding and loo­sing mans sinnes, shall euer remaine for the vse and honour of the Churche, the saied holie S. Augustine hath these woordes:Li. 1. c. 18. De doct. Christ. Claues dedit Ecclesiae saue, vt quae soluerit in terrae, soluta essent & in coelo: quae [Page 87] ligauerit in terra, ligata essent & in coelo. Christe deliuered the keyes to the Churche, that who so euer shee loo­sed in earth, should be loosed in hea­uen: and what so euer shee bound in earth, shoulde be bounde likewise in heauen. Li. 1 & 2. cont. Do­natist. And Optatus his equall stri­uing with the Donatistes for all holie giftes which Christ bestowed vpon his Churche, chalengeth all other Sacra­mentes, and namely the keies for the Catholique and vniuersall Churche, from the parte of Donatus the heretike, as in the right of Peter. He saith excee­ding pithelie: Claues datae sunt Petro, ☜ & non haereticis: and afterward: Cathedram Petri, quae nostra est, per ipsam & caeteras do­tes apud nos esse probamus: etiam sacerdotium. The keyes are geuen to Peter, ād not to heretiks: by the chair of Peter whi­che is oures: we proue all other giftes of the church to be ours: yea euē priest hode. This he hath in sense in diuers places, by which we see, y^e iurisdictiō & power geuen to y^e principal Apostle, yet to remaine, and by it all other y^e Chur­ches notable preheminences, whiche [Page 88] he calleth Ecclesiae dotes, The douries of the Churche, through his whole dis­course against the Donatists.

So doth Epiphanius attribute the power of penaunce and pardon to the Church likewise, not only in baptisme, whiche he calleth the moste perfect pe­nance, but also afterwarde vppon the parties relapse, in which case the here­tikes called Cathari, Cathari. affirmed that the Churche had no authoritie to pardon them any more. Against which perni­cious sect he saith, if any man fall after his baptisme, the Churche will not be vnmerciful to him:Lib. 2 Tō. 1 haeres. 59. Dat enim reuersionem, & post poenitentiam, poenitentiam. For shee geueth him leaue to returne, and hath penance after penance. By whiche he noteth, that the Churche hath two Sa­craments for remission of sinne, the one is baptisme, which he termeth perfect penāce,Cap. 6. with S. Paul to the Hebrews: And S. Augustin doth cal it in his En­chiridion, Cap. 64. Magnam indulgentiam, a graūd pardon, and afterwarde the Churche hath an other kind of remission, whiche Epiphanius calleth poenitentiam post poeni­tentiam: [Page 89] But of these two, more shalbe said anon.

After this sorte,Lib. 4. de Sap. ca. 30 doth Lactantius as­cribe to the true Churche, confession, penance, and profitable healing of our wounds, and suche sores as be founde in our soules. By al which, euery man may conceiue casely, that this honour and commission of priesthod, for the re­missiō of our sinnes, did not decay with the Apostles appointed by Christe, nor shal cease till Christes cōming to iudge the worlde.

But he that listeth to see in what of­fice, and by whom she holdeth this sin­gular honour of remission of sinnes, he shal find, not onelie the Apostles, who were called by Christ, but al other Bi­shoppes also, that succeede them in the Churche, to be her ministers herein.Grego­rius. wherof let him read the xxvj. Homelie of S. Gregorie, perteininge almoste wholy to that purpose. I will repeat a few wordes onely out of it, commit­ting the rest to the diligence of the Rea­der. Libet intueri (saith he) illi Discipuli ad tanta ouer a humilitatis vocati, ad quantū [Page 88] [...] [Page 89] [...] [Page 90] culmen gloriae sint perducti. Ecce, non solùm de semetipsis securi fiunt, sed etiam alienae obli­gationis, & relaxationis potestatem accipiunt: principatumque superni iudicij sortiuntur, vt vice Dei quibusdam peccata retineant, quibus­dam relaxent. Ecce, qui districtum iudicium Dei metuunt, animarum iudices siunt et alios damnant, vel liberant, qui semet ipsos damnari metuebant, Horum profecto nunc in Ecclesia Dei, Episcopi locum tenent, ligandi atque sol­uendi authoritatem sumunt. Grandis honor, sed graue pondus est istud honoris. It is my meaning nowe, to beholde to what marueilouse honour, the Disciples of Christe be exalted, whiche before were called in their base state, to great bur­den and troubles. For nowe, they be not onelie in assurance of their owne state, but they haue obteined power of binding and releasing other, and the verie soueraigntie of heauenlie iudge­mente, that in Goddes owne steede, they may some mans sinnes release, and other offences reteine. Loe, those that once feared the straict sentence of Goddes owne iudgemente, are made the iudges of other mens soules, to cō ­demne [Page 91] or deliuer where they list,Bishops are in the roomes of the A­postles. that before doubted of them selues. And nowe tru [...]lie in these mens roomes, are the Bishoppes of Goddes Church, and receiue the authoritie of binding and loosing, and their owne state of regimente. High surely is their Chair, but greater is their charge. S. Gre­gorie said so farre.

But Sainct Augustine shall make vppe this matter, with woordes of suche weight, that I trust euerie man shall see the trueth, and almost feele the grossenesse of falsehoode thereby. He writeth thus vppon this verse of the Psalme Eructauit, Psal. 44. The Ca­tholike Churche hath con­tinual successiō in lauful ministe­rie. whiche is the xliiij. in number with him: Pro patri­bus [...]uis nati sunt tibi filij, constitues eos Principes super omnem terram: In place of thy Parentes thou hast children born thee, them thou mayest make the Princes of the vvhole earth. The Apostles did begette thee, they were sente them selues, they preached in their owne persons, and finallie they were thy Fathers.

But could they alwayes corporally a­bide here? And though one of them saied,Phil. 1. I would gladly be dissolued and be with Christ, yet for your sake I coū ­ted it more necessarie to tarie in flesh. Thus he said: But how long coulde his life last? He might not remaine til this daie, muche lesse for the time to come. What then is the Church deso­late after the departure of her parents? God forbid. In steed of thy parentes, thou hast sonnes, saith the text: What is that to say? Marie the Apostles sent by Christ are as Fathers, and for them God hath raised vp childern or sonnes, which be the holy Bishops of y^e world. For at this day the Bishoppes that be throughout al Christendome, how rose thei to that roome? The Church calleth them Fathers, and yet shee did begette them, and shee placed them in y^e roome of their Fathers: Non ergo te putes deser­tam, quia non vides Petrum, quòd non vides Paulum, quòd non vides illos per quos nata es: de prole tua tibi creuit paeternitas: pro patri­bus tuis nati sunt tibi filij, constitues eos princi­pes super omnem terram. Doe not therfore [Page 93] thinke thy selfe desolate, because thou seest not Peter, because thou hast not Paul,☜ because thou hast them not nowe present, by whome thou wast borne: of thy owne issue, Fatherhode is growen to thee: and for thy Fathers thou hast brought foorth sonnes, them shalt thou make the rulers ouer al y^e earth. Thus muche out of S. Augustine. By whom you may perceiue the great prouidence of God that euerlastingly vpholdeth y^e ordinance of his Sonne Christ Iesus, as wel now by the children borne from time to time in the Churches lappe, as b [...]fore in the spring of our faith by the Apostles sent and appointed in person, by Christ him selfe.

And here you must note,Note. that not on­ly Bishops, who succeede the Apostles in al kind of power and regiment, but also all other inferiour Priestes to be compted with them, as successours in ministring diuerse sacramentes, as bap­tisme, penance, the reuerend Sacramēt of the Aultar, and suche like: but looke what power either Apostle or Bishop hath in remission of sinnes, in consecra­ting [Page 94] Christes body, in baptising, y^e same hath y^e whole order of holy priesthod, by y^e right of their order, & may practise y^e same vpō such as be subiect vnto them in al cases not exempted for reasonable causes, by such as haue further iurisdic­tiō ouer y^e people. Whereof I will not now talk particularly, y^e lerned of y^e or­der, know the limits of their charge & cōmission, better then I cā instruct thē, & the simpler sort must seek for know­ledge of their duty, by the holy Canons of Coūcels & decrees of Bishops made for y^t purpose. I can not now stād ther­on: meaning at this present, only to defend y^e holy Order, & chalēge for it such right, as the scripture and Christes own word geueth, which in this cōtempt of vertue and religiō is most necessary for al men to consider. Therfore vpon our large discours for this last point, I now deducte the particulars to this summe, which may stād for a certaine mark, as wel for y^e good to discern y^e truth, as for y^e Aduersaries to shoote at whiles they liue. Al power & euery iurisdiction or right of Christes church, remaineth as [Page 95] amply, & in as ful force & strēgth at this day, & shal til y^e worlds end so continue, as they were by Christ graūted first in y^e persōs of y^e Apostles or other, institu­ted. But y^e power of remissiō of sinnes, was geuē proprely & in expresse termes to y^e Apostles: Ergo y^e same remaineth stil in Gods church. Whervpō it is clear y^t the Priests at this day haue as ful po­wer to forgeue sins, as y^e Apostles had. And this Argumēt of y^e cōtinuance of al offices & rights of y^e Churche, is y^e most plainest & rediest way, not only to help our cause now takē in hād, but vtterly to improue al false doctrines, & detesta­ble practises of heretikes.A certain truth to ouercom falsehod by. For thei must here be examined diligētly what cōmon welth y^t is or what church y^t is, in which Christ doth preserue y^e gouernmēt geuē to y^e Apostles? Where it is y^t the power not only of making, but also of practi­sing al Sacraments hath cōtinued stil? What company of Christiā people that is, wherin, the Apostles, Doctors, prea­chers, ministers, through the perpetual assistāce of Gods Spirit, be continued, for the building vp of Christes bodie, [Page 96] which is the number of faithful people? What Church that is, whiche bringeth foorth from time to time sonnes to oc­cupie the roomes of their fathers before them? It is not (good Reader) the pelting pack of Protestants. It is not, I say, and they know it is not their petie congregations, that hath till this daie continued the succession of Bishops by whom the world, as S. Augustin saith, is ruled, as by the Apostles, and firste Fathers of our Religion. Surely our Mother the Churche hath ben long ba­ren, if for her Fathers y^e Apostles who died so long since, shee neuer brought foorth children til now to occupie their roomes, and great lack of rulers if shee haue made her only contemners, to be her owne gouernours. No, no, these fellowes hold not by her, but they hold against her:Esai. 1. Hereti­ques v­surp vn­laufully Catholiques roomes. these sitte in no seat Apo­stolike, but they by all force dishonour the seat Apostolike: these are not they, qui pro patribus nati sunt tibi filij: but these are the sonnes quos enutriuisti & genuisti, ipsi spreuerunt te If you ask of these men how they holde, they seeke no Fathers [Page 97] after whome they maye rightly rule: they seke no large rew of predecessours in whose places they may sit: they aske no counsel of Gods Church, by whose calling they should gouerne: but they make a long discourse of statutes and tēporal lawes, to couer their ambitious vsurpatiō: that in greate lacke of Chri­stes calling, their vniuste honour may be approued by mans fauoure. Therby let them holde their tēporal dignities, their landes, their lyuelyhodes, their wiues also, if they can obteine so much at the common wealthes handes: but their spiritual functions, their ministe­ring of sacraments, their gouernaunce of oure soules, and what elles so euer they vsurpe without the warrant of Goddes Church, the longer they exer­cise them, the farther they be from sal­uation, and the nerer to eternall woe & miserie. But to come to our purpose, it is our Church Catholike, in which, all holy functions haue bene practised after Christes institution euer since his Ascē ­sion vp to heauē. And therfore this prin­cipal power of remitting and reteining [Page 98] sinnes, muste needes be continued in the Church by her ministers and prie­stes as it was begonne in the Apostles before.

An answer to suche as deny this power to passe from the Apostles to all other priestes, because many of them being euel men, may be thought not to haue the holy Ghost, whereby they should effectually remit sinnes. The Sixth Chap.

AND to Caluin or other of his secte, that require y^e like vertue & force of the holy Ghostes assistaunce in al men that take vpon them to remitte sinnes, as was giuen to the Apostles, who firste receiued that power, I aunswer: that the same gifte of the holy Ghoste is yet in y^e ministers of the same Sacrament, no lesse then in the Apostles. For, thoughe they had more plentiful sanctification whereby they were in all their life more holie, and more vertuous, then lightly any other, eyther priestes or lay men, were [Page 99] after them: yet the giftes of the holy Ghost touching the ministerie and ser­uice of Goddes Church, which were not so muche geuē them for their owne sakes, as for the vse of the common wealth, and for the right of practising certayne holy functions requisite for the peoples sanctification, as they were imployed vpon them: so they were also giuen to diuers that were neyther good nor vertuous, and ther­fore lacked that, which properly is that grace of the holy Ghost, that is called of our schoole men, gratia gratum faciēs, such a grace as maketh man accepta­ble to God. Therefore, the holy Ghost breathed vpon the Apostles then by Christ, and giuen yet to priestes in their ordering by Bishopes, is a gifte of God, and a grace of the holy Ghost, not whereby euery man is made vertuous,Grace ge­uē in the sacramēt of Order vvhat ye ys. or conning, or happy before God, but it is a gifte onely of God, whereby man is called aboue his owne na­ture and dignitie, to haue power and authoritie, to doo and exercise any function in Goddes Church to the [Page 100] spiritual benefite of the people, which is not onely, not alwayes ioyned to vertue and holy knowledge, but is ful often, by calling, due to them which are most wicked persons, without any im­paire of their authoritie. And these kind of giftes and graces of the holy Ghost, be called gra [...]iae gratis datae, certayne gif­tes giuen to men for no desertes of their persons, but freely, for the vse of other men, to whome they be beneficial, euen there, where they be hurteful to the be­stowers. In which sense S. Paul num­breth a greate sorte, the fourth to the E­phesians:Eph. 4. Cap. 12. and the first Epistle to the Corinthians: and he calleth thē, not onely the graces of the spirite, but also, the diuisiōs of functions, and ministratiōs: as, the gifte of working miracles, the gifte of tunges, the gift of propheciēg, the gifte of preaching, and so furth: all which being the giftes and graces of y^e spirit for the Churches edifiyng,Cap. 2. and of S. Peter being called the holy Ghost, in the Actes, yet they were giuen to euil men often, as well as to good, without al impairing of Goddes honour: yea [Page 101] with the greate encrease of Goddes glory that euen by the wicked is able to woorke his wil and holy purpose for y^e benifite of his elect. And in this sense, the spirite of God breathed vpon the Apostles, was a gift of the holy Ghost, whereby man should remitte by lauful power of God the sinnes of the people. Whervpon Theophilact sayeth, that,In 20. Cap. Ioā. potestatem quandam & donum spirituale dedit Apostolis, vt remittant peccata, ostendens quod genus spiritualium donorum eis dederit, inquit: quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis: that is to say: Christ gaue to his Apo­stles a certayne povver and spirituall gift, vvherby they might remitte sin­nes: For he shevved what power of the spirite it was that he breathed on them, when he sayd: whose sinnes you doo forgiue, they be forgiuen.

If our Aduersaries be ignorant of these thinges, which be so common in schooles of diuinitie, yet me think they shoulde remember, that S. Paule did not dissalowe the authority nor power of preaching, in such as were euil men,Philip 1. and taught for emulatiō and not of sin­cere [Page 102] zeale of the Gospel, and that Christ him selfe stopped not suche as caste oute diuelles in his name, and therfore were not without the gifte of woorkinge mi­racles,Matt. 7. thoughe he professed that many of them at the day of iudgment, chalen­ging some right of heauen vpon that acte, shoulde not be receiued to glorie: and howe the gifte of prophecie was common in the olde testamēt, not onely to the wicked, but to suche as willingly woulde deceiue y^e people:Ioan. 11. And Caiphas he prophecied by the Spirite of God, as by force of his office, being yet in purpose to woorke wickednesse against Christ him selfe, for whose trueth, he then, by force of the spirite prophecied. But of the Sacramentes of Goddes Church euery one, that they may be mi­nistred beneficially to the receiuing in much wickednes of the giuer,God vvorketh the good ef­fect of sa­cramētes euen by euill mē. there is no man can be ignorant. For it is a rule and a principle moste certen, that God woorketh his will in them by the ministerie of men, bee they neuer so euell. For elles they were mannes sacramentes, and not Gods. [Page 103] And we coulde not be certen neither of oure Baptisme, neither of right recea­uing of Christes bodie in the holy Sa­crament of his aultar, nor of any other spiritual benefite that we now by man­nes ministery receiue in the Churche. Muche comfort it were for all Chri­stian people, to haue suche gouernours ouer their soules, and suche dispos [...]rs of Goddes mysteries, as woulde and coulde in all sinceritie and faithfulnes woorcke Goddes woorcke, and that woulde alwayes vse the highe power giuen vnto them, to edifie, and neuer to destroye, and that they so woulde doe,1. Petri 4. both S. Peter and S. Paule doe often exhorte them. But neither the miserie of mans sinfull nature can suf­fer that, nor oure wickednesse can deserue so muche.Galat. 2. S. Peter him selfe was reprehensible in his gouerne­ment: therefore lette vs not marueile that other which be not of so full spi­rite as he was, either may committe thinges worthy of reprehension amon­gest the good, or subiecte to y^e malicious slaunder of the euill.

And surely for our matter, being of suche importaunce,Priestes had nede to be ca­reful in their of­fice. priestes had neede most carefullie to studie how to practise so high a function which is so proper to Goddes owne iudgment and heauenly courte. For thoughe by Christe they haue vndoubtedly recieued commission & power in the vertue of y^e holy Ghost, when they tooke holy orders, to forgiue and remit sinnes: yet cursed be they by Goddes owne mouth, if they doe it ey­ther negligently, because it is y^e worke of oure Lorde, or with affectation of pride & Pharisaical dominiō, as though they were Lordes of the Sacramentes and Christian religion,Ierom. in [...]6, Matt. and not mini­sters or seruitours of Christe in his Churche. Wherof it semed that S. Ie­rome in his dayes, had some cause to cōplayne, nothing reprouing their au­thoritie, but correcting the abuse of their authoritie. Penaūce in those dayes was giuen greater then the fault required, or remissiō of sinnes was so hardly ob­teyned that it semed to S. Iereme, that their austeritie grew to some spice of Pharisaical regiment,Matt. 23. that woulde lay [Page 105] importable burdens on other mens neckes. and not touche any at al them selues. Whervpon he taketh occasion to aduertise them, that euery power of re­mission, and the office of absolutiō was properly Gods, and theirs but by mi­nistery. And therfore that their mercy & iudgement ought to be tryed and mea­sured by his sentence, and not his, by theirs.

These thinges were to be admoni­shed and reprehended then, but now the disease lyeth on the other side, and they offend rather in ouer muche lenitie. For as both be contemned of the wicked, so ther is almost amongst the good none left but loosing now a dayes, when mē had rather be boūde in sinne, thē bound in penance for sinne. Therfore the office of binding and loosing requireth truely good knowledge, much discretion, zeale and stowtnesse in Goddes quarell. For as it is most highe, so surely it is moste harde and burdenous. It pitieth my harte to see it so litle estemed, but muche more, that it should be lesse estemed throughe their ignorance or euil life, to [Page 106] whome the keyes of remission be com­mitted. The keye of remission and re­teining sinnes, they had of God in their Orders, but discretion, knowledge, vertue with other qualities mere for the exercise of that office, they must by prayer and industrie obteyne, lest whi­lest they profite other men to saluation, they become reprobate them selues,1. Cor. 9. as S. Paule sayd of him selfe in case of preaching.

But in deede, it is not so commenda­ble for vs, as the case standeth now, nor so nedefull to prie into the priestes bo­soms, or to vewe their lackes in mini­stering of this sacrament of penaunce, which, if any be, doo lightly redounde to their owne harmes, and not so much to myne, or to any other which vse their office to our owne saluatiō. For though for councel, and comfort, and suche other respectes, a discrete and learned man were rather to be wished for then a woorse, yet being assured that the partie is called by Godes Church to the fun­ction, and hath iurisdiction ordinary or graunted extraordinarilie by the [Page 107] appointment of lawfull superiours, & if by schisme and excommunication, or otherwise he be not suspended from the practise of the sayd functions, I neede nothing to doubt for his other lackes, but muche more for myne own insuffi­ciencie, by default of iust examination of my conscience, or lacke of contrition, or some other like want in my selfe, why the fru [...]te of the priestes absolution can not be surely deriued vnto me, as elles, if it were not my owne default, it should by force of the sacrament vn­doubtedly be.

For this I dare be bold to saye, [...]ack of the fruict of any sa­crament ys for most in the r [...]cea­uer, not in the minister. that the lacke of the appointed fructe of any Sacramente, aryseth a thou­sande tymes oftner, by the vnworthy­nesse of the subiect, and him that re­ceiueth the Sacrament, then vppon any lacke of the giuer and minister thereof, and namely in this Sacra­mēt, of the Churches discipline it chan­ceth more often. For as S. Basile saith:Questio­ne [...]5. re­gul con­tract. Potestas remittendi peccata non est abso­lutè data, sed in recipientis obedientia, & in [Page 108] consensu cum eo qui animae ipsius curam gerit, sitaest. The power of remitting sinnes is not absolutely, without condicion, giuen: but it standeth in the obediēce of the penitent, and in his agreement with him that hath the charge of his soule. Therfore, for Christs loue, let vs cast peril oftner of oure owne case then vpō other mens states: for we are not so assured of the holy Spirite, or his grace to qualifie vs for the worthy receiuing, as they are oute of doubt for the right power of ministerie.

And to conclude against Caluin, and al other, that thinke the power of prie­stes either to be lesse for lacke of good life, or want of much lerning, I alleage S. Cyprian thus: Remissio peccatorum siue per baptismum, siue per alia sacramēta do­netur, propriè spiritus sancti est: et ipsi soli huius efficientiae priuilegium manet. Thus in En­glishe:Effect of sacramēts ys the vv [...]rck of the holie Ghost, Remission of sinnes, whether it be by Baptyme or by other sacraments giuen, it properly perteineth to the holy Ghost, & the preheminēce of y^e forceable effecte is onely his: the solennitie of woordes, y^e inuocatiō of Goddes name, [Page 109] and the externall signes prescribed to the priestes ministeries, by the Apostles to make vppe the visible sacrament: but the thing it selfe, and effecte of the sacra­ment, the holy Ghost worketh: and the author of al goodnesse putteth his hand inuisible, to the external and visible cō ­secration of the priestes.

So saith S. Cyprian,Serm. de Baptis. Christi. and maketh a farre longer discourse how the diuersity of the ministers desertes doo nothing alter the sacramēts or theffecte thereof, but being alike to al receiuers of fit ca­pacite and condition,Vide August. li. 5. cōtra Donatistas Cap. 20. Act. 1. by whom so euer they be serued and dispensed with iuste authoritie and calling thervnto. The Baptisme of Iudas Iscarioth, was no woorse thē Simon Peters. For S. Peter saith, cōunmeratus erat in nobis & sortitus est sortem ministerij huius: He was counted as one of our number, and had the lotte of this ministerie: Nor the ministerie of Nicolas of lesse acceptation in it selfe, then the function of Stephen, being mē of one office, but of vnlike deseruinges. The prophecie of Esay no more true thē the prophecie of Caiphas: nor the pro­phecie [Page 110] of Balam lesse true, then the pro­phecie of Baruc. If we were either ab­solued, or baptised in the names of Pe­ter, or Paule, or Iudas, or Apollo, then we might bragge, who were best bap­tised, or suerliest loosed from sinne, and euery one might so either crake, or be ashamed of his minister, whereof, S. Paule earnestly checked the Corinthi­ans.1. Cor. 1. But now euery one being both ba­ptised, and loosed, and houseled, and annoynted, and honoured in all other spirituall actes, in no other name, but in the name of Iesus, his Father euer­lasting, and the holy Ghost proceding from them both, all must needes re­ceiue the like benefite that be like qua­lified therevnto, of whom so euer the office is exercised, if he be lawfully cal­led, that is to saye, haue by the handes of priesthode, receiued the gifte and grace of the holy Ghost for his law­full authorishing in that case, the which gifte of the holy Ghost, being the selfe same that the Apostles receiued of Christ for the like functions, conti­nueth with them still, thoughe their [Page 111] life and desertes be neuer so euell, and their ignorance neuer so muche: yea thoughe they be by iuste occasion, as for Heresie, Schisme, or notorious life, throughe the censures of the Church imbarred from the vse and exercise of that office of remitting sinnes, and such other the like spirituall functions.

But to make an ende of this matter, I turne Caluins reason againste him selfe. He and his flocke be of that fonde and blinde iudgmente, that the whole text of the twentith of S. Iohn wherin Christ giueth authoritie to the Apostles to remitte sinnes, is meāt only of prea­ching the Gospel, for which function Christ gaue them the holy Ghost: Now Sir vpō this I vrge him with his own reasō: I aske him firste, whether the mi­nisters, that by him are sēt to preach the woord haue the holy Ghost, as for ex­ample BezaBeza. y^t he sent into Fraunce first, or Richerus, Richerus whome he sent to Coligni­nia, or Herman Herman y^t came by y^e holy Gho­stes sending vnto Flāders and Brabāt: had these the holy Ghost, or no? If they say yea, as I thinck they will (they be [Page 112] so bolde in an othermans house) then demaunde of them further, whether the saide Spirite of God may erre. If they say no, as possibly they wil, thē cōclude against them thus: The holy Ghost can not erre, but you my maisters may erre, ergo, you haue not the holy Ghost, and consequently you haue then no better right in preachinge, then poore priestes haue in remitting or absoluing. Ther­fore I leaue Caluin wrestling with his owne shadowe, and wil folowe on my purpose and course of matter, which I haue in hande.

That it standeth wel with Gods honour that mortal men should remitte sinnes, and that Nouatus the heretike was of olde condemned for denieng the same, and that he was the father of this here­sie which denieth the p [...]iests authority. The Seuenth Chap.

NOW by all oure former discourse, the right of re­mission of sinnes suffici­ently proued to perteine to priesthood, some will [Page 113] perhappes compte it vayne labour, to make more declaration of that which is so playne, or further to establishe y^t by reasō, which standeth so fast on scriptures. But if any so thinke, they see not the wide wayes of Heresie, nor the ma­nifolde shiftes that she attempteth, euen there,vvho be in the daunger of heresy most. where she may seme to be fullie beaten. The simple and the sinful stand moste in her danger, that can not in their lacke of intelligence, compare reason to reason, nor gather one trueth of an other, and therfore to their mou­thes we must chewe all meates verie small, elles ther could be no greate neede of their further informatiō, how this claime of remission of sinnes or y^e vsuall practise thereof, coulde stād with Gods glorie. For being aunswerable to his ordinaunce, it cā not but be agre­able with his honoure. But because in desperat cases our Aduersaries haue taught their felowes ther to wrangle vncurtesly, where they can not mayn­teine reason pithely, I wil not onely serue my cause, but somtymes poursue their foly, thoughe I doubt not but the [Page 114] wisdome of God shall more and more appeare, touching his meaning in oure matter, not alonely by our defēce, but a great deale the rather by their discon­tentation.

Now therefore intending to declare, that this preheminēce of priesthod, doth nothing abase, or derogate to Goddes dignitie, I thinck it not amisse to match our newe doctours, of whome I heare often this complaynt, with other their forefathers, y^t at once both trueth maye fullie be serued, and a yoke of Aduersa­ries ioyntly drawing against y^e Church & our saluatiō, maye be almost with one breath refuted. Oure yong maisters maye be gladde, to growe so highe in Gods Churche, as to be reproued with thē who were cōdemned thirtene hun­dreth yeares since: & thoughe they be so modeste,Hereti­kes neuer list to bragge of their aunce­tours. that lightly they list not crake of their auncestours, yet we wil not de­fraude them of that glorie, nor helpe our cause by dissimulatiō of their great an­tiquitie. It is their pusillanimitie, I knowe, y^t they wil not oftē in distresse of their doctrine, call for ayde of their fore­fathers, [Page 115] who were doubtlesse very aun­cient, and many of them within the first sixe hundred yeares. In other causes vigilātius, Vigilan­tius. might helpe: in some Iouini­an Iouinia­nus. woulde attēd vpō thē: Manes Manes. might doe them often highe pleasure. Iulia­nus Iulianus. thapostata, a prince for their pur­pose. Simon Magus, Simon Magus. one of the Apo­stles age, would stande by them: sure­ly if our Aduersaries had harte, they woulde well nere winne of vs by anti­quitie.

And truely I can not dissemble with thē in this cause, that now is in hande: they haue one patrone against vs, of yeares verie auncient, & of reason much like vnto them selues: Nouatus Nouatus is his name, of whom the folowers were cal­led of the Church Nouatians, Epipha. in haere. but them selues liked to be called Cathari, Cathar. that is to say, cleane and vndefiled persons. Their opinion was, that suche as did fall into any mortall sinne after Bap­time, could not by any man or meanes be affoiled thereof: and for that they disalowed the Churches whole prac­tise of mercie and remission of sinnes [Page 116] in the Sacramēt of penaunce, nothing disagreing from Caluin that condem­neth the saing of S. Ierome,In Insti­tut. In cap. 3. Esay. as sacri­legious, where he writeth y^t penaunce is as a second boord of refuge, whereby after shipwrake a man may be saued. Neither did Nouatus deny, but him selfe might haue mercie, and giue pardō af­ter mans fall, but the Church could not therein meddle, as he thought, without singular iniurie to Christ, and his only prerogatiue.

And that he ioyneth in this matter fully with our mē, that they maye take more cōforte on him, you shal perceiue by Socrates one of the writers of the Tripartite history,Vide Cassiod. li. 8. hist. trī ­p [...]rt. ca. 9 The Cal­uinists agree vvith Nouatus against the sacrament of penance. who saith thus: No­uatus scribebat Ecclesiis ne eos qui Daemonibus immolauerant, ad Sacramenta susciperent, sed inuitarent quidem ad poenitentiam, remissionē verò Dei relinquerent potestati, cuius solius est peccata remittere. Nouatus wrote his letters to diuers Churches, that they shoulde not admitte any man to the Sacramentes, that had done sacrifice to Diuelles, but that they should only moue them to doe Penaunce, and cō ­mitte [Page 117] to God the remission of their sinne, who onely can forgiue mans offences. And therefore though in some other point Nouatus did ouerpricke his Children, yet herein they fully mete in one. Epiphanius writeth, that he denied saluation to those that did fall to gre­uous crimes after their Christendom, and therewith did hold, that there was but one penaunce,Ita Cal­uinus. which was done in Baptime, and after that the Church to haue none. How hādsomly he defēded this errour, and vnmercifull heresie, ye shal see anone by S. Ambrose who ler­nedly folowed and chased him or his folowers in an whole worcke writen for that purpose. In the meane tyme it were good for the more credite of the man and his cause, to note with the an­cient doctours of his dayes, his con­ditions, his comming vppe, his proce­ding, and practises.Nouatus described Epist. 8. lib. 2.

S. Cyprian, who was moste mole­sted with him, and knewe him best, ge­ueth him this praise: Nouatꝰ was a mā that delighted much in nouelties and newes, of insatiable auarice, a furrious [Page 118] rauin, with pride and intolerable arro­gancie almost puffed past him selfe, knowē and taken of al Bishoppes for a noughtie packe, cōdemned by the common iudgement of al good prie­stes for a faithlesse heretike, curious and inquisitiue them to betraie, for to deceiue, allwaies ready to flatter, in loue neuer faithful nor trusty, A fit fe­lovv to be a minister. a match euer fired to kindle sedition, a whirle winde ād storme to procure the ship­wrake of faith, and to be shorte, an ad­uersarie to tranquillitie, and an ene­mie of peace. These were his conditi­ons then.

Epist. ad Fabianū ex en.Mary long before that his fal to he­resie, S. Cornelius wryteth, y^t he was possessed in his youth with an euill spi­rit, for which he had to doe great while with coniurours, and that he lacked all the holy solemnitie of Baptisme and confirmation, and consequentlie the Spirite of God, whiche by them he shoulde haue receiued, and therefore tooke orders againste the lawe vppon sinister fauour, and afterwarde by vn­lauful artes attempted to get a bishop­ricke, [Page 119] with greate othes protesting that he woulde not be a Bishoppe if he might. But when in dede he coulde not atteine to that holy dignitie, which he so inwardlie and intolerablie ga­ped for, he fell in despite of Goddes Church to heresie, that he might get that without order, which he could not obteine, in the righte manner of the Churches making. And for that pur­pose, he procured three base Bys­shoppes out of a straunge and remote parte of Italie, who neyther knewe the case, the man, nor his manners, and them throughe ignorance he be­guiled, and by force caused them to consecrate him Bishoppe, by the cou­lour whereof (for true imposition of handes was it none) sodeynlie he ap­peared as a newe creature, and a Bishoppe of a straunge stampe, appa­ruit Episcopus, velut nouum Plasma, sayeth Cornelius: And for this attempte one of the poore Bishops did greate pe­nāce, the other two were deposed. In y^e meane tyme this mocke Bishope ven­dicabat sibi euangeliū: callēged y^e worde of [Page 120] the Lorde for him selfe. Lib. 3. haereticarū Fabularū Cap de Nouat denied him self to be a prieste, because he woulde not giue to the people (as Theodoritus saith) in their extremitie, the remedie for their sinnes, which is nothing elles, but to giue them absolution, which worke he could neuer abide. To be shorte, he was so incēsed against his laufull pastour & superiour y^e holie Bishop of Rome,An oth for a nevve visi­tation. that in the deliuerye of the blessed Sa­cramēt to the people, he would force thē to take an othe by y^e blessed body which they had in theyr handes ready to re­ceiue, y^t they should stick to him, and for­sake the Bishop of Rome, Cornelius.

Lib. 6. cap. 33.All these thinges in sense hath Eu­sebius of Nouatus, the first patron of the Protestantes doctrine concerning the impugning of the Churches title in remissiō of sinnes, of which her right he would haue robbed her in pretence of maintenaunce of Goddes honoure. Whereby he also abrogated the whole Sacrament of penaunce.Vide Au­gust. de haeres. h [...]r. 3 [...]. This falshod thoughe it were streight with the au­thor condemned in a greate Councell holden at Rome, and afterwarde in [Page 221] diuerse Prouinciall Synodes, and by the holy councell of Nice it selfe repres­sed also, yet it spred verie sore,Delapsis. De Poe­nitentia. De repa­ratione lapsi. and con­tinued long, and was not onely by S. Cyprian, but also by Dionysius Alexandri­nus, S. Ambrose, and S C [...]rysostome refuted in sundrie workes writen against the Nouatians. By whome & other, though the course of that false assertion, was often broken in Goddes Churche, yet in some partes they did knit againe,In hae­resi. Tessares. vvhat hereti­k [...]s de [...]ed the sacr. of penance vvith Nouatus sometymes by certeyne heretikes of Nouatus dayes called Tessarescedecatitae, qui à auersabantur poenitentiam. [...] saieth Theodoritus, who did abhorre penaunce: and sometimes, by a sort called Iacobitae, other whiles, bi wiclif and his, elles, by the waldenses, now & than, by the Anabaptistes, and late­ly by y^e Lutherans, & moste of y^e Protestā ­tes, and by the Caluinists, eueryone.

All which blacke bande, though they agree not at euery pinch of Nouatus heresie (for it is not possible, that such should euer fullie consent) yet all these knit tayles together in this, that there is no Sacrament of penaunce after [Page 122] Baptisme, in which the priest maye forgiue sinnes, and that it standeth not with Goddes honour, so to re­mitte the peoples offences. Of other the like heresies whiche he lente oure men, as of forbidding holie Chrisme and annointing of suche as were by him baptised, in so muche that the holy Fathers were gladde, to make vppe the lacke thereof, in all such as came from their heresie to the vnitie of Christes Church, I will not heere speake: purposing onely, because that onely cōcerneth oure mat­ter, to refute that olde heresie raysed so long since against the prerogatiue of Goddes priestes, and onely helpe of our sinnes, that at once bothe the au­thour, and the ofspring maye be fullie ouerthrowen.

And firste because generally, all the foresaid ioyne together against y^e trueth in this argument, that it is dishonour to God, and great presumption in a mortall man, to clayme the power so proper to God: let the studious Rea­der well consyder, that no function, [Page 231] power, ne dignitie, be it neuer so pe­culiar to God him selfe by naturall ex­cellency,That, vvhich ys onely proper to God, maye be executed by the myni­sterye of man vvith­out Gods dis­honour. but the same maye be occupied of man secondarily, as by the waye of seruice, ministerie, or participation, so that man challenge nor vsurpe yt not as of him selfe, or when it is not lawfullie receiued, nor orderly geuen. All the workes that extraordinarily & miraculous [...]y were wrought, either by Christ in his humanitie, or by the Prophetes or Apostles woordes, or by their garmentes, or by what other instrument so euer they were done, be the worckes of God no lesse then to remitte sinnes: yet all these thin­ges and other the like broughte to passe by man, through the power of of God that woorketh by mans mi­nisterie the same, nothinge dero­gateth to Goddes glorie, but infi­nitely augmenteth his honour: euen so the power of pardoning mans sinnes, being employed by God the Father vpon Christe his Son­ne, and by Christe vppon his Church and ministers, and practised [Page 125] by them not of their owne might and heades, but in the vertue of the holy Ghost, which by the Sonne of God was breathed vpon them: this authori­tie (I saye) is no derogation, but an euident signe of his mightie power of saluation left for the faithfulls sake in the Church.

When the person that was lame frō his birth begged of Peter & Iohn som­what for his relief at the temple doore, as his maner was,Act. 3. Peter aunswered him, that golde and siluer he had none to giue, but y^t which he had he would willingly bestow, which was power to heale him of his incurable maladie, for proufe whereof, he bad him rise and walke, and so he did at his woorde, in the sight of al that there were gathered: which being done, and the people wō ­dering therat, the Apostle thus instruc­ted them: Brethern (saith he) why wō ­der you at vs, as thoughe we had brought this strange worck to passe by our owne streingth and power: it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, that hath glorified his sonne Iesus [Page 126] whome you refused, and betrayed to Pontius Pilatus to be crucified: in hys name and faith this poore man is re­couered.

Marke well, that y^e same thing which Peter said, him selfe had to geue, quod habeo, tibi do, the same yet he professeth y^t he houldeth not as of his owne right, or might, but as of Christe Iesus, in whose name he willed y^e lame to walk: euē so the power of pardoning sinnes is truelie and properlie in the priestes, as the power of woorking miracles is properlie in Peters handes, neither the one yet nor the other holden as of theire owne mighte and power, but bothe practised for the glorie of God in the name of Iesus of Nazareth,Remissiō of syn­nes ys more certen, and more to Gods honour then voor­king of mira­cles. by their appointed ministerie. And as tru­lie as Peter might say to y^e feble in bo­die, that which I haue, I giue thee: rise and walke in the name of Iesus of Na­zareth: so surely may y^e priest say to the sicke in soule, that which I haue I giue thee, in y^e name of Iesus thy sinnes (my sonne) be forgeuen thee. No lesse is the one the peculiar worcke of God, then [Page 26] y^e other: no more doth one dishonor god thē y^e other. And this work of remitting sinnes is much more certē, then y^e mira­culous healing of y^e bodie, being ioyned by Gods promise to a sacramēt y^t shal neuer cease in y^e church, wher miracles for most part ceased lōg since: yea y^e name & maiesty of God is a thousād parts more honoured, not y^e only God, in his owne persō, but in the fraylty of his ministers he is able to acōplish such mighty mira­cles, both in y^e cure of body & soule. But y^e fondnes of this heresie is so great, y^t it maketh those thinges to tende to Gods disgracing, which he hath apointed pro­perly & onely in a maner, for y^t purpose, to set furth y^e name of his Sōne Iesus. For if both sinnes of mās soule, & sores of his body could not visibli by external meanes be healed in y^e glorious inuoca­tiō of Gods name, it wold surely be for­gottē in y^e church of Christ, y^t such power is giuē by God y^e father to his ōly sōne, & mās mind wold not reach to y^t inwardly, wherof he had no proufe nor assurāce outwardly. I besech you Sir, were y^e working of strāge miracles geuē to som [Page 127] as wel of y^e Prophetes as of y^e Apostles of Christ, wer they any whit preiudicial to Gods honor, or they were giuē to mā aboue his natural power, for the setting forth of Gods honour, y^t the Prophetes should see so long before, things y^t after­ward did fall, which is the proprietie of God alone, & theirs only by gift & graūt of him to whō ōly it doth belōg, do they dishonor God, or els was it not alwaies graūted to some mē, for y^e glorie of God? That Eliseus could see y^e hart & inward thoughts of Giezi his seruaūt, which is Gods onely propertie,4. Reg. Cap. 5. did it dishonour God, or rather wonderfully augmēt his glorie? The passing preeminēce y^t Peter & y^e rest receiued when they were hable by laying on of hādes to giue the holy ghost, cā it not be practised without the dishonoure of God,Act. 8. or elles was it not principally geuen to them to set furth y^e glory of God? This was so great power y^t it was muche more astonied at of y^e be­holders, thē either working of miracles or remitting sinnes: in so much y^t Simō the sorcerer, who was so gloriouse be­fore, y^t he called him selfe the power of [Page 129] God, would haue geuen the Apostles money largely, that vpon whom so e­uer he had practised the like laying on of handes, he might receiue the holie Ghost also.

Then if the power of geuing the ho­lie Ghoste, or power of geuing grace, which both Peter & Paule practised in a visible Sacrament,2. Tim. 4 by a solemne Ce­remonie, in the sight of al the world, by laying on of their hādes, if th [...]s passing worke, & moste proper to God, I dare saye, of al other actes that be exercised in Christes name in the Church, doth not onely no whit abase Gods excel­lēcie, but was purposely instituted to honour y^e maiestie of God in the face of all people, & to set oute the glorie of his house, how dare any man for feare of Godes highe indignation, controlle y^e worke of Christ in remitting mans sin­nes, by such a visible sacramēt, as to y^e honour of God is most cōuenient, & to our saluatiō most necessary? If they wil not let priests remit sinnes for feare of offēding god, & dishonoring his name, thē let them not baptise, not preach, not [Page 129] teache, not doe miracles, not geue the holy Ghost, not correcte faultes, not geue orders, nor doe any other functi­ons. For these euery one be no lesse proper to God, then remission of sinnes.

O heresie most shamefull that then goeth about to dishonour God most, when she moste pretendeth Gods ho­nour, whereof she is so tender and so carefull, that she hath barred his own spouse, of his blessed bodye,Heresie vnder pretense of Gods honour hath robbed his spouse of her treasurs. of remission of sinnes, of the Spirite of God, of all sacraments, of all holy Ceremonies, of memories, of miracles, of holy func­tions, and to be shorte, of al giftes and graces: and all this for Goddes ho­nour, so honorable it is for Christ to be the King of so beggarlie a common wealth, as they make of y^e Church: such glorie it is for Christe to haue his one­ly spouse robbed of the treasures of his giftes and graces: so comelie it is for Christ, to haue such sacramētes, as nei­ther conteine him selfe, nor his grace: so woorthy a thing it is, for Christe to haue ministers, that vpon his owne warrāt can neither pardō nor punishe [Page 130] mans misdeedes.Psal. 8 [...]. Gloriosa dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei. Glorious things haue ben reported of thee thou Citie of God, and how art thou now so barraine & so contemptible, y^t thy honour must needs redound to the dishonour of him, by whom al thy honour onely standeth?

But I ceasse to pursue the Chur­ches ennemies nowe in mine owne woordes, I will rather ioyne with the holy Fathers, for their ouerthrowe, whose, not onelie reason and sufficient answere to this their vain Replie foū ­ded on the pretence of Gods honour, but also, their onely name and authori­tie shall sufficientlie beate doune these mens boldnesse.Ambros. de poen. lib. 1. ca. 2. S. Ambrose in this case is most plaine, and standeth with the Nouatians, as I doe now with the Zuinglians. euen in the very same Ar­gument in these woordes: Sed aiun [...], se Domino deferre reuerentiam, cui soli remittē ­dorum criminum potestatem reseruent: imo nulli maiorem iniuriam faciunt, quàm qui eius volunt mandata rescindere, I reade rather refindere, then refundere, or cōfundere: for he re­proueth Nouatus that he did diuide the gift of [...]hrist, vvhiles he graun­ted po­vver to bind, and not to loose. commissum munus refindere: nam cùm ipse in Euangelio suo dixe­rit Dominus Iesus: accipite Spiritum sanctum, [Page 131] quorū remiseritis peccata, &c quis est ergo qui magis honorat? Vtrū qui mandatis attēperat an qui resistit? Ecclesia in vtroque seruat obediēti­am, vt peccatū & alliget, & laxet. that is to saie: These Nouatians say that they denie penance or power to remitte sin­nes in earth, in respect of the mainte­nance of suche honour as is due to god, to whome onelie they will reserue the pardoning of mans sinnes. But in deed none doe so much iniury to Gods glorie, as those which breake his com­maundementes, and make a diuision of that charge and commission, whiche he geueth. For seing our Lord Iesus his own mouth spake these words: Re­ceiue ye the holy Ghost, whose sinnes you doe forgeue, they be forgeuē, and whose sinnes you holde, they be hol­den: Who in this case more honoureth God? He that obeyeth his commaun­dement, or he that resisteth y^e same? The Church obeyeth in both, as wel in bin­ding as in loosing. Thus there. And a litle after: Looke to whom this charge was geuen, & that person may laufully & with Gods good leaue vse the same. [Page 132] And therefore the Church may laufully both bind and loose:☞ heresie and her at­tendants can rightly doe neither. This right is only committed to Priests, and therefore the Churche rightly chalen­geth that authoritie, because shee hath lauful Priests: and so heresie can not doe, because shee hath not the Priestes of God in her cursed congregation. Thus said S. Ambrose for the answere of the Nouatians in his daies, and so say I now in y^e Churches behalf against the like affected ennemies of Christes honour, which whiles they in face of scripture and Gods word would seeme to defende, they are become sworne ad­uersaries of his honour, and open con­temners of his cōmaundementes and holy ordinance.

Marke vvel S. Ambrose his reasōs agaīst the Nouatiās to serue for our time.S. Ambrose here taketh it for a ground, that it is Gods ordinance, that Priests should remit sinnes, he is bold to cal the contrary doctrine, heresie, he maketh a principle of this, that it ne­uer dishonoureth God, that man should doe that, which God geueth him either commaundement or commission to doe [Page 133] in his behalfe, he taketh it for a knowen truth, that, as the Churche of God hath true and laufull Priestes, so shee may by them, vpon Christes warrant, both loose and bind: and contrariwise, that heresie may wel enough geue ouer that right of remissiō of sinnes, because shee hath lightly no lauful Priests, by whom shee may practise the same.

And surely, it is a merueilouse force of truth or rather the might of Gods prouidence, that driueth Heretikes to disdaine, destroy, and dissanul the gra­ces and manifolde giftes of Christes Churche, that impugning them, where the very right of such holy actes do lie, they may plainly confesse, and to their shame acknowledge, y^t they haue none such them selues, nor cā by Gods war­rant chalenge any such giftes, whiche with al their might they would wholy if they could, together with Gods spi­rite and Churche, extinguish.

Alas into what misery hath this for­sakē flock wilfully cast them selues and their adherentes, whiche can forsake Gods house, vbi mandauit Dominus bene­dictionem, [Page 134] vpon vvhiche God hath be­stovved his blessing, The nevve congregatiō is bar­rain of al Gods giftes. and abide there, where, by their owne confession, there is no Priesthode, no Penance, no host, no sacrifice, no remission (where they can let) of sinnes, no grace in Sacra­mentes, nor no gift of the holy Ghost. Al other heresies lightly by force of the Fathers doctrine and iudgement, lost either their Priesthod, because thei had no way out of the Churche to make Priests,Aduersus Luciferianos. as S. Hierome writeth of Hi­larie the Deacon, or els the vse & fun­ction of Priesthode, by reason, y^e works of God can not be orderlie nor benifi­cially vsed out of the house of God: and yet, they euer claimed to them selues, not onely the order, but for moste part all other functions that by Christe and his Churche were annexed to that or­der: but ours (wherein they passe all their forefathers) in a maner willingly giue ouer the whole profession freely & without compulsiō, deny them selues, with Nouatus, to be Priestes, denie to sacrifice, denie to enioyne penance, de­nie to geue the holy Ghoste either by [Page 135] imposition of handes, or by Chrisme,Prote­stants do of them sel [...]es re­nounce the right of al holy actions of Christian religion. or by any other solemne right of Goddes Church. To be short, take nothing frō these fellowes that belongeth to Chri­stianitie, for they wil geue al ouer them selues.

But briefly to conclude vppe the an­swere to their reason founded vppon Nouatus his principle touching Gods honour, thus I say: That neuer dero­gateth to Gods honour, which is agre­able to Gods ordinance: but y^t Priests should remitte sinnes is the ordinance of god, as is declared: therefore the vse thereof doth not derogate any whit to gods honour. Againe: as great works and as propre to god as remission of sinnes was practised by the Apostles, & yet is vsed by the Bishoppes of holie Church without al dishonour of God? geuing the holy ghost, and gods grace, by laying on of handes: Ergo Remis­sion of sinnes may be also practised of Priests, without al iniurie to god & his onely right therein.

For further prouf of the foresaid matter, it is declared, that neither Christe, nor his euerlasting Father, nor the holie Ghost, doe giue ouer vnto man or re­signe the power of remission, or anie other holie function of the Churche, but doe themselues cōtinually worke al those graces by mans ministerie and seruice. The eighth Chap.

FVrthermore, wee muste here consider, that what woorke so euer God ap­pointeth man to exercise in his Churche, either in remission of sinnes, or giuing grace of Gods Spirit, or what other holy actiō so euer may in his name be don, for the benefite of the people, by the ministery and seruice of man: either by y^e meanes and meditation of anye other instru­mental cause,No man doth suc­ceed God in anie diuine function. we must learne, that in these workes so wrought either by mā, or through other creatures, God doth not resigne his right to the waies and and woorkers thereof, and giue ouer [Page 137] the whole title that is due to himself in the said diuine actes. For then in deed mans practise should derogat to Gods power, and he should as it were succeed God in the right of his propre power, and euerlasting inheritance: which on­ly to surmise, as Heretikes doe, were mere foly.

Christ is by euerlasting right made the head of the Church,Christ re­signed his room but not his right. and he resigneth not this office to any mortal man. For if he did, then the partie that should by his graūt occupie for a season the same dignitie, were his successour, & should hold in like right the same office as he did before. But that notwithstanding, he hath made his substitute & vicege­rent, by whom in his corporal absence he ruleth now the Church, as he did be­fore in his owne person, not geuing o­uer his preheminence and supream po­wer therein, but nowe practising that by an other, whiche afore he exercised him selfe in his own person. It had ben a great derogation to Christ that Peter should haue bene Christes heir and suc­cessour: for then Christ had lost the per­petuitie, [Page 138] an other man gouerning af­ter him in like right and preheminence as he had before. But, for Peter to rule the Church vnder him, in his steed, & as by his euerlasting right, with cō ­mission from him that holdeth that so­ueraigntie for euer, by whome so euer the Church shal be ruled til the worlds end in earth, this (I saie) is no dero­gation to God, nor his Sonne Christ Iesus at al, but it muche proueth that Christe accordinge to his manhoode is the heade of the Churche for euer, because by man in earth he ruleth the same til his comming againe, the which man, though he be his Vicar and Vice­gerent, yet he is not his Successour.

Psal. 44.S. Augustin did trimly allude to the vse of the old Law, cōparing the mini­sters of Gods Church to y^e yonger bre­thern who were charged to marie the elder brothers wife, whē he died with­out isshue, in whose name they did pra­ctise the worke of mariage, & therfore could not cal their childrē by their own names, but by y^e name of their elder brethrē. For as thei raised seed to their brother, [Page 139] & for their brothers honour: so the Priests y^t haue taken vppon them (as it were in mariage) to gouern Christ his Church & to bring foorth childrē, not in their own names but in y^e name of their elder brother, & her departed husband. As when they bring foorth children in Baptisme, as through y^e wombe of the Church, they bring them not foorth as for them selues, & in their own names, but in the name of Iesus Christ, being th [...]ir elder brother: euen so it is in re­mission of sinnes also, in whiche case Christ resigneth not his authoritie,Yet the Prote­stantes brīg forth in their seuerall congregations children not for Christ but for Caluin caluinists and for L [...]ther, Lutherās. as though he lacked that power him selfe, but practiseth that mightie woorke by the ministerie of man, whiche before he excercised in his own person. And as the baptising not in the name of Peter, nor Paule, nor Apollo, but in the name of Christ the first husbande of the Church, after whome the Children be called Christians, not Petrians, or Pau­lians, doth muche sette foorth the ho­nour of the eldest spouse: so it proueth and augmenteth Christes euerlasting honour and moste iuste title in remissi­on [Page 140] of sinnes, that til this daie, no lesse now in absence, by the seruice of his Priests, then before when he was present, by his owne woord and will, sinnes be in his name and faith, fullie remitted: yea euen the very function of preaching the Gospel, which they saie, is meante by remitting of sinnes (al­though they say most foolishly therein, and against the common sense of al the Fathers) yet euen that functiō, is Chri­stes still, though it be vsed of man in earth.

And they that are most tender in out­ward woordes of Gods honour, will yet seme to occupie that his proper fun­ction without al derogatiō to his right therein. But in deed, their preaching, which is their remissiō of sinne, is not y^e power of God to saluation, but it is his permission for our great punishment. The lauful doctrin of Christes church, is truely no lesse the propre woorke of Christ, then is forgeuenesse of sinnes, & yet it is without controling of Nouati­ans and Heretikes, exercised by mans ministerie in earth. S. Augustine saith [Page 141] hereof, thus: Christus est qui docet, De disci­pli. Chri­stiana ca. vlt. Cathe­dram in coelo habet, schola ipsius in terra est, & schola ipsius Corpus ipsius est. It is Christ which teacheth, and he hath his pul­pit in heauen, and his schole in earth, and his schole is his body the church. Christ doth not then resigne vppe his office of preaching, no more thē he doth his authoritie of pardoning: no man succeeding him in either of the roomes, but occupieth both vnder him in his Churche,It is pro­ued that it disho­noureth God no more that man shoulde remitte sinnes in penance, then it doth to forgeue sinnes in Baptisme and ex­trem vn­ction. which is his inheritance for euer, the whiche Churche holdeth by him as a schole to teache truth in, as a courte and iudgement seate to pardon or punnish sinnes in. Thus he.

But to beare doune the Aduersaries of truth fully, we wil ioyne with them touching the sacrament of extreme vn­ction, the sacrament of Baptisme, and such other: in which they can not, nor doe not denie, concerning one of them, but mā without al derogatiō to Gods honour, remitteth sinnes. And how can it here seeme strange, that in the sa­crament of penance God shoulde by mans office remit mortal crimes, seing [Page 142] it can not be denied, but God vseth, not onelie mans ministerie, but also the ex­ternal seruice of bare and base water, which is much inferiour by nature and dignity to a Priest or any other man, to take away sinnes both original and ac­tual, in the sacrament of Baptisme, in which sacrament, seing as wel y^e Priest is the minister, as the water an instru­mēt wherby God remitteth al sinnes, be they neuer so many and grieuouse, whether they be cōmitted by our owne acte, or by our Fathers ofspring: why doth it dishonour God any more, that the Prieste shoulde be the minister of remission in the Sacramente of Pe­naunce, then it doth by as greate an office almost, in remitting of sinnes in the Sacramente of Baptisme? A­gaine,Cap. vlt. read the Epistle of S. Iames, and you shall finde the Priest made a Minister, the oyle an instrument in the extremitie of sicknesse, to forgeue sin­nes: howe muche more then is the Priest without anie imparing of Gods power, the woorker vnder him of our reconciliation, and pardoning in the [Page 143] Sacrament of Penance: in which es­peciallie the grace of God is geuen a­boue all other Sacramentes, to that onely end and purpose.

I may be more bold to vse this com­paring of sundrie Sacramentes toge­ther, because not onelie Sainct Am­brose refuteth the Father of this fonde heresie by the same reason, but also be­cause most of the Doctours of y^e Church do cōfesse, that she euer had these waies to remitte mans sinnes by, without all derogation to Christes soueraign­tie herein, of whome onelie shee hol­deth her right, as well in the Sacramēt of Penaunce, as in Baptisme or ex­treme Vnction. S. Chrysostom saith: Neque enim solùm cùm nos regenerant, De Sace [...] lib. 3. sed po­stea etiam condonandorum nobis peccatorū po­testatem obtinēt: infirmatur (inquit) inter vos aliquis? Accersat presbyteros ecclesiae: Neither haue Priests power in baptisme only, but afterward also thei haue good au­tority to forgiue our sinnes: Is any mā feble amongst you, saith he? Call for the Priests of the Churche, lette them saie prayers ouer him, and annoynte [Page 144] him with oyle: and the praier of faith shal saue the sick, ād if he be in sinnes, they shalbe forgeuen him. But this sacrament instituted by gods word and Christes authority, vsed of old, and wel knowen to al the Fathers, is nowe be­come nothing in our building. Sinne is now a daies so fauored, that no sacra­ment may be abidē for the release ther­of. The very expresse words of scripture can take no place, where flattering of wickednes and phantasie ruleth to the contrarie.

There be some that affirme, this an­noylinge to haue bene a miraculouse practise to take away the diseases of the sick, and therfore that it did decay with the working of other the like miracles, which after the spring of our religion were not vsual.Ita Cal­uinus. The Pro­testantes glose a­gainst extrem vn­ction dis­solued. But that is a fōd glose. For I aske of them whether the people then christianed, were instructed or ra­ther commaunded, to call for the Apo­stles or others, to heale them miracu­louslie of their diseases? Or whether all Priestes had the gifte of woorking miracles in the Primitiue Churche? [Page 145] If they say, yea, touching the first poynt, then as wel were they charged to sende for them to reuiue them, after theye were deade, because the Apostles so could doo when they sawe occasion, and so did by some. But that is playne ab­surde and false, that euer Apostle gaue in charge to any man, muche lesse to make a general precepte (as S. Iames here doth) to seke after miracles: for that were to tempte God.

And for the setconde, they are not so vnreasonable to aunswer me, that all priestes could woorke miracles, which is a seueral gifte of the Holy ghost, from the power of their ministerie, and ther­fore S. Iames would not haue charged the sicke persons to haue called indiffe­rently for priestes, to heale them mira­culously, the gifte of miracles being not common to them all, nor perpetually promised to any one of them al.

Againe I would knowe of them, whether ther was any miraculous hea­ling that had the remission of sinnes ioyned vnto it, or to the external crea­ture by which they healed any person? [Page 146] If they saye yea, then it foloweth, that the priestes might by the office of that creature, heale a man of his sinnes, which they affirme to be blasphemie, and dishonoure to God. But to what absurditie so euer you bring them, they will not confesse mortall men in exter­nall sacramentes to remitte sinnes.

In the sacrament of Baptisme they will not stand with me openlie: for they wil seme to acknowledge y^e forgeuenes of sinnes thereby, and I thinke by the ministerie of man to, thoughe in their priuate scholes, yea and in their open blasphemous bookes, the whole packe of Protestauntes and Zuinglians deny that sacrament also to remitte sinnes,The pro­testantes iniurious to the povver of remissiō of sin­nes in Bapti­sme also. both acknowledging that children may be saued and be receiued to heauē with out it, and auouching that sinne remay­neth still in the childrē after their Chri­stendome, thoughe God will not im­pute the same vnto them for the hinde­raunce of their saluation. Which false doctrine is the grounde of their more subtil opinions touching onely faith, & imputed iustice, and other their pelting [Page 147] paradoxes concerning mans iustifica­tion, which I can not now stande vpō. Would God the ignorant sorte of their folowers coulde see through the dung­hil of this confuse doctrine.Prote­stāts professe opē ly, othervvyse thē they teache secretly as Epicu­rus did. For these haue euer besides the florishe of their faith that they make abroad amongst fooles, ā other more improbable which they kepe for the strōge ones at home, that will no more be offended to heare the Turkishe, then the Christian faith. And so had the Epicure, as Tullie tea­cheth. For pleasure of y^e minde gatherd by contentation and contemplation of heauenly thinges was his chiefe God and extreme ende of his endeuoures abrode, but his dearlings at home had the pleasure of the bodilie lustes, and wantonnesse for thende of all good­nesse.

Well, but I wil reason with thē vpō y^e grounde of their owtward and pub­like professiō, y^t Baptisme is a sacramēt, in which truly sinnes be remitted by y^e ministerie of men, & without al disho­nour of God, seeing it was Gods own ordinaūce & apoyntmēt. But heare S. [Page 148] Ambrose againe, I pray you, enconte­ring in this matter with oure mens maisters:Ibidem Cur baptisatis (saith he) si per ho­minem peccata dimitti non licet? in baptismo vtique remissio peccatorum omnium est. Quid interest, vtrum per poenitentiam, an per laua­crum hoc ius sibi datum sacerdotes vendicent. vnumin vtro que ministerium est: sed dices: quia in lauacro operatur mysteriorū gratia. Quid in poenitentia, The my­nistery for re­missiō of sinnes al one in Baptism and pe­naunce. non Dei nomen operatur? Why doe they baptise, if man may not remit sinnes? for surely in baptisme all sinnes be remitted: and what difference (I be­sech you) whether priestes chalenge this gifte to be theirs in baptisme, or in pe­naunce? The ministerie of man is like in both. But you wil replie perchaūce, that in baptisme the grace of the mini­steries woorketh: And what woorketh I praye you, in penaunce? Doth not Goddes name bring all to passe there also? Thus he.

But here, good Reader, marke dili­gētly in this doctours woordes, as also in other the like of al auncient fathers, that penaunce is not here taken for any vertue either morall or theologicall, [Page 149] which is in a priuate man when he a­mēdeth or changeth his purpose,Sacra­mentall penance and repē ­tance ys not all one. or for­mer euil life to the better: wherof there was some shade amongst the heathen, and is now both commēded in scripture and giuen man by Christes grace, not onely afore the receiuing of the sacra­ment of Baptisme, if the partie were in case of actual dedly sinne, but also goeth alwayes as a necessarie preparatiue be­fore sacramentall confession: and is cal­led in oure tonge properly repētaunce: this doctour therfore speaketh not of this kind of penitēce, but of a publik act of the Church, touching the reconcilia­tion or reparing of mans state defiled after his baptisme by greuous crimes, in which by the priestes iudgement the sinnes committed be either pardoned, or punished. And this must not be called repentaunce onely, or the amendment of life, as Heretiques doo terme it, to confound the distinct doctrine of Gods trueth and Sacramentes, but it is an external and visible action appoynted by Christ in the xx. of S. Iohn, to recon­cile sinners by the forme of absoluing, [Page 150] which the Church vseth in the name & inuocation of God for that purpose.VVhat sa­cramen­tall pe­naūce is. And therefore, hauing the grace of God and remission of sinnes ioyned vnto it by Christes promise, it must needes be a sacrament, as Baptyme is: which all the fathers doe insinuate, when they make penance to be one prescribed or­dinaunce of Christ, to forgiue sinnes by no lesse then Baptine is. Neither was it the preaching of the gospell, nor the inward sorowfullnesse or repentaunce of former sinnes,Nouatus denied not repē tāce, but the sacrament of penaūce, and so doe the prote­stants. that Nouatus did con­demne: but it was the sacrament of pe­naunce, and acte of absolution, by the priestes ministerie, which he so much abhorred, and ment wickedly to re­moue. For which cause as he was iust­ly cōdemned of heresie by the Romain and Nice Coūcells, so were you, mai­ster Protestauntes, both then in them, and since in youre maisters, wiclif, Luther, Caluin and the like, ac­cursed by Goddes Church and coun­cels.

The doctours therefore, as I haue sayd, ioyne lightly in talking of [Page 151] remission of sinnes, Baptisme, and pe­naunce, and sometime extreame vncti­on also, that you neede not doubt but they toke them all three for sacra­mentes working remission of sinnes. For they doe not talke of inward re­pentaunce, but of an action solēly exer­cised in Gods Church, wherof y^e preist, as you heare by S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostō, is the minister. And there­fore Epiphanius, saieth, that y^e Church hath two penaūces, one after another, insinuating therby, the duble act of the Church and sacrament,Heres. 38 Lib. 4. whereby sinnes be remitted. As S. Augustin also saieth by the Nouatians, quòd poenitentiam dene­gant, that they denie penaunce. By which penaunce, [...]ap. 30. de Sap. Lactantius teacheth vs also a way to discern y^e true Church from the false, as in which, there is both confession and penaunce for the healing of mans frayltie. Whereby it is euident, that this penaunce which they speake of, was an vsuall ce­remonie and holy sacrament of the Church, whereby sinnes were re­mitted.

Which trueth. S. Cyril vttereth most playnly for oure purpose,In 20. Io. treating thus vpon the wordes of institution of this sacrament: Cùm ipsi remittunt aut detinent, spiritus qui habitat in eis, per ipsos remittit aut detinet, fit autem id duobus modis: primùm, Baptismo, deinde Poenitentia. Whē the prie­stes remit sinnes, or reteine them, the holy Ghost which dwelleth in them doth remit or reteine by them, which is doen two maner of wayes: first in Baptisme, and then afterwarde in pe­naunce. Serm. de Baptis. Christi. S. Cyprian also saide, that the holy Ghost woorketh remission of sin­nes, whether it be in baptisme, or by other sacramentes. Wherby he clerely vttereth his meaning, that there should be moe sacramentes then one, institu­ted by Christ for that purpose. In all which congruity of Gods holy woor­king, by diuers sacramentes, the remis­sion of sinnes, we conclude against He­resy, that the priests power herein, de­rogateth no more to God nor our Sa­uioure, in the sacrament of penaunce, then it doth before by baptisme, or after by extreme Vnctiō: in none of al which [Page 153] as I haue proued before,Christe vvoor­keth the effect in al sacra­ments, though man mi­nister them. Christe doth resigne his power and proper iurisdi­ction to the priestes, but continuing euerlastingly in like preheminence and power as before, woorketh his grace and remission of sinnes, in al these Sa­cramentes, by the priestes seruice and ministery, that it maye be yet as truely, as in his life tyme saide, and so shall be to the worldes ende, Christ baptiseth, Christ shriueth, assoileth ād ānointeth sinners for remission of their offences: althoughe Iesus doth none of these now, nor much did in his life tyme, but his Disciples then, and his Disciples nowe, doo the same holy actions in his name.

To cōclude this mater, I argue thus: It is no dishonoure to God, for y^e priest to remitte sinnes, as well originall as actual, of al sortes and grauitie in the sacrament of Baptisme, by the Prote­stantes own confession, nor by extreme vnction, by the warrant both of scriptures and doctours: ergo, remission of sin­nes is not vnlawful, nor dishonorable to God, to be giuen by the priest in the [Page 154] solemne sacrament of Penaunce. And further, I ioyne with them thus: The woord of God is much more playne & expresse for the priestes warrāt to remit sinnes in Penaunce, then in baptisme: but they may lawfully doe it in Baptis­me, ergo they may doo it no lesse lawful­lie in Penaunce. Compare the woordes of institution of them both, and iudge your selues of your indifferencie and sincerity, by what right you may remoue the one, and reteine the other.

Nouatus and the Protestāts of our tyme cōpared.I pray God, you seeke not shortly to baptise vs onely by your preaching, as you now will onely absolue vs by the same. But truely, I thinke you be in the case that S. Ambrose tooke Nouatus your forefather to haue bene in, not onely for that, that he sayeth, Nouatus where he listed woulde ad­mit power to priestes of remissiō: Vbi supra But where he listed not, there the grace giuen to them must be dishonoure to God. So that of thinges equally com­mended by scripture, and commuan­ded by God, the good man muste haue choice for his toothe, not onely [Page 155] in this point, I nowe compare oure choice men, but muche more in that which foloweth in the saide S. Ambrose of all Nouatians, whome he trippeth pretily with this terme, delicati mei: my delicate gentlemen (saith he) with their lustie lookes, and swelling harts, cā not abide in their bruaery to looke vpon a poore caitiffe weping for his sinnes abundantly, apparelled mour­ningly, in sadde and sorowful compa­nie, and so furthe.

And this surely is the disease of oure dayes,The dis­ease of this time. whiche hath not onely infec­ted the vnfaythfull, but also hathe made these holy thinges lothsom euen to the better sorte of Goddes people. So much is mans will and pleasure pampered, where Goddes woorde and writing shoulde be onely folowed. For the necessarie bearing with suche frayltie, euen of the good, almoste generally, the Church of God hath sought and allowed muche more gen­tle remedies, then the worlde had wonte full gladly to beare for theire greuous sinnes.

And therefore the maner and order of Penaunce hath bene diuers in sundry Ages and countries:Diuers vvayes of sacra­mentall poenitē ­ce. somtimes solemne which could be but once taken in all a mans life: somtymes not solemne, but yet open and publike, which might be iterated, as often as mans mortall sin­nes so required: other tymes priuate onely betwixt the priest and the peni­tent: Which is now vsed, and long hath bene, in a maner generally throughe the whole worlde. Of al which diuersities we wil not now intreate, nor for oure matter the consideratiō of them is very needfull, seing that in all sortes and in euery of the sundry formes of dooing penaunce, this is a moste firme princi­ple, that the penitent had remission of sinnes, for which he did penaunce, no otherwise but by the ministery of the priestes. Therfore the substance of the mater being one, of the diuersity of vse, and circumstances which may be accor­ding to the tyme and maners of men altered, we neede not much to care. Ba­ptisme was once vsed with solemnitie, at two or three principal feastes of the [Page 157] yere, for the time so required then, and the conditiō of the people, yet the same sacrament of Baptisme ministered now priuatly as occasiō serueth by the birth of euery child, is of the same force and grace now, that it was then. Wherin to reprehende the wisdome of Goddes Church, that is assuredly ruled by the Spiritte of God, is ouer muche wan­tonesse of will, and sedition not tole­rable.

That remission of mans sinnes, hath bene ioyned often both in the lawe of nature and Moyses, to some external ceremo­monies and sacrifices, whereof in the old lawe Priestes were the appointed ministers. The Ninth Chap.

LET no man,External sacra­mentes ordeined and mās ministe­rie vsed for good causes. vpon con­sideratiō of these thinges, either reprehend, or mar­ueile at the counsell and ordinaunce of God, that he being ha [...]ie to gouerne his creatu­res, and amend or correcte, pardon or [Page 158] punishe euery mans misdeedes by him selfe, without all helpe and seruice of any other his subiect natures, that it pleaseth his wisdom for all that, to for­giue sinnes no otherwise in his Church but by external orders ioyned to mans ministerie in sundry sacramentes. In sober consideration of these thinges, mans reason may well be satisfied, if he can conceiue, that it is the honoure and estimation of our kinde with almighty God oure maker, that he gouerneth not oure affaires onely by him selfe in his owne person, but also that we be ruled and led in the wayes of Goddes will, by one an other: that the maiestie of God, which moste appereth in regi­ment, and in remitting of sinnes, in correcting of vice and iudgement, might be clerely seen in our kinde a­mongst our selues, to oure comforte, and Goddes no disgracing nor disho­noure at all. And therefore S. Augustin saith of y^e like doubt of some in his dayes whiche would not be taught by mā,In prefa. de doct. Christ. but by Gods owne Spirite: Abiecta esset hu­mana cōditio si per homines hominibus verbum [Page 159] suū Deus ministrare nolle videretur, Quomodo enim verū esset, quod dictum est: Templum enim Dei sanctum est, quod estis vos: si de huma­no templo Deus responsa non redderet? Mans state were to base, if God would not, that his woorde shoulde be ministe­red by one man to an other. For how shoulde this truelie be spoken: the temple of God is holy; the which temple you are, if God gaue not an­swers by mannes temple? This is one greate respecte surelye, especially since the second person in Trinite toke vpon him oure nature, by whome the worthines of mankind is much increa­sed, & more fit then euer before to serue ech other, as in y^e workes y^t be diuine & properly by nature belonging to God him selfe.Note wel this. An other respecte why we should by externall sacramētes & mans ministery receiue grace & remission of sinnes, is y^e singular respect had by God of oure infirmitie, as wel of minde as bodie. For the minde requireth in her assured deseruing of damnation some external token, by which she may haue good cause to hope of mercie and grace. [Page 160] For wh [...] I know and assure my selfe that original sinne is remitted by Bap­tisme, when I haue once receiued the same, then I am in no further doubt of my selfe nor any damnation for that sinne, which by the promise of God I haue learned, shall be washed awaye therby, as by an external instrument in which he conueieth that henefite to my soule, if my selfe by indispotion and vn­aptnes doo not hinder the assured fruct therof. So where after Baptisme man­nes life is often defiled by greuous sin­nes,The cō ­fort re­ceiued by the sacrament of pe­naunce. and God highly displeased therfore what an infinite treasure is it, and how greate a cōforte to haue an assured help therof wrought so by mās ministery in a visible action, that I may knowe (sa­uing for mine owne lacke of conueniēt disposition) my sinnes to be forgiuen, and Goddes mercy and fauoure to be obteined againe. We may conceiue easly what a passing comforte it was to the parties that hearde sensibly, by the out­warde woordes of Christes owne mouthe, thy sinnes be forgiuen thee. For thoughe the sayd persōs beleuing [Page 161] in Christ, and lamēting for their sinnes past, might haue had some hope of re­mission by Christ, thoughe he had sayed no suche thing vnto them: yet he that perceiueth not, what comforte of consci­ence, what inwarde ioy of minde, what reioising of the spirite they must needes haue, that had Christes testimonie and blessing in playne terme, for the same purpose, he seeth nothing at al.

As for my selfe, good Christian Rea­der, I am not so free from sinne, wo is me therfore, nor so voyde of mannes af­fection, but as often I heare in the sacrament of penaunce the priest, who to me then is Christ in ful power of pardo­ning, saing the woordes of absolution ouer me, me thinke truely I heare the swete voice of Christ saing with autho­rity: thy sinnes be forgiuē thee. Wher­of no mortall man shal euer forbid me to take hope and singular trust of remis­sion of sinnes with the passing comforte that theron ensueth. All these that are without Christes folde, seeke not to heare this voice, for all their loade of sinne, from the heauenly and inteare [Page 162] ioy whereof they be as farre, as from the conceiuing of the felicitie to come in heauen it selfe. But let them assure them selfes, that Christ writeth with his holy finger al their sinnes, though to Christ they wil not now confesse them,The euels vvich vvyll grovve in vva [...]t of sacra­mental penance. whiles they refuse the power of remissiō that he both had, & hath in earth to the worldes ende: without which outwarde solemne acte of penaunce, man should either dis­paire of Gods mercy, and liue in feare intolerable of euerlasting perishing, which oftē fal to timerous consciences, or elles, which is now of dayes more common, men would lyue in such pas­sing presumptiō, and vayne securitie of heauen, that they would neuer till the very last breath of their euel tyme, either be sory for sinne, or seeke to doo any good worke at al.

This time shal testify with me herin, and the very diuersitie that is betwen these oure corrupte conditions, and the holy studies and endeuours of oure forefathers shall testifie: but the dayes that yet are to come, muste needes most feele the smarte of it, when these [Page 163] that now haue the direction of other mennes steppes shal be gone,A greate liklyhod of the la­mentable state to come. by whom for old discipline wherein they were brought vp, some signes & remnantes of vertue be continued in the worlde. For when they be spent, and oure yon­kers that neuer heard of the Churches discipline, but haue had their ful swinge in sinne, with the instruction of a moste wanton doctrine, shal be the principall of the people, if this diuision so long cōtinue (which God forbidde) into what termes shal trueth and vertue be then brought? Me thinke I see before hand, the lamentable state of thinges, and in a maner beholde the fructe of our onely faith, of this bolde presumption of Goddes mercy, of remouing the disci­pline of penaunce, of refusing the one­lie ordinaunce of God, for remission of oure mortall sinnes. Euel are we now, but a thousande partes woorse shal they be then, which in long nouse­ling in this naughty learning of liberty shall be in perpetuall woe, and haue no feele nor sense thereof. And all this muste needes followe vppon [Page 164] the lacke of these outewarde actes and externall wayes of pardoning and pu­nishing offences, appointed either for mannes present comforte and solace, or elles to kepe in awe the wantons of the worlde by the rodde of outeward disci­pline, which in the Church hath euer especially bene obserued in the sacramēt of penaunce.

It were to tedious, further to declare how these external means of woorking inwarde grace and remission of sinnes, be necessary for y^e outewarde mā,External sacramēts meet for the oute­vvard man. which is sometimes refreshed, other whiles bridled, by thinges answerable as well outewardly to the body, as inwardly to the minde. It is needlesse also to treat at large, how it is necessary for the one and visible common welth of Christes Church, to agree together in all partes therof, and be notoriously knowē from all other sectes and sortes of peoples, that doo not professe Christes name, by the outewarde practise of all holy functions, by which God hath promi­sed to giue grace, remission and sanctifi­cation to all his faithfull subiectes. All [Page 165] these cōsiderations with many the like, may serue and satisfy the quiet peacea­ble children of Christes Church, that haue learned to rest in Christes ordi­naunce, thoughe the causes thereof be not to them opened.

As for other that are euer doubting, and neuer setteled in their faith: that al­wayes be learning, and yet neuer at­tein to knowledge:2. Tim. 3. that had rather vn­derstand much, then beleue a litle: such felowes, I must not so much instruct, as by the scriptures and examples of all­ages, controlle and confound if I may. Let them therfore be charged,Sacramē ­tes al­vvaies v­sed for re­missiō of sinnes. that God hath not onely vsed frō y^e creatiō of mā to bring vp al people that serued him, in some especial wayes of outward woor­shipping, but hath also, these many worlds, deliuered mā frō original & ac­tual sins, by external sacramēts & sacri­fices,Aug li. 6. cōtra Iul. cap. 3. Sacramē ­tes in the lavve of nature. not without the priestes especiall procurement & ministery therin. What did circumcisiō instituted by God in the lawe of nature commāded to Abrahā & his seede & cōtinued so many ages, euen til Christes lawe tooke place? Did it not [Page 166] after a sorte remitte sinnes? Was it any other thing, but an external worke in the face of the worlde? Was it not mini­stered by man? Did it derogate any thinge to the honoure of God, which by him selfe, for his owne glorie and name sake was ordeined? And afterwarde in the lawe of Moyses, which did drawe nerer vnto Christian vsages, by many actions of sacrifices and solemne rites instituted purposely to represent and foreshew y^e state of our present Church:Sacra­mentes in the lavve of Moy­ses. there we haue playne profe of certayne outward orders instituted for procuring remissiō & pardō of sinnes: not without especial mentiō of the priestes ministery in euery of the sayd actions. Wherof S. Paule speaketh to y^e Hebrewes, in these woordes:Cap. 9. Omnia penè in sanguine mundari, ac sine sanguinis effusione non esse remissionem. That all thinges were in a maner clē ­sed by bloude, and that no remission could be had without bloude. Leuit. 17. For so in the xvij. of Leuiticus, they were char­ged to absteine from drinking of bloud: because, sanguis animalium pro piaculo est, the bloud of beastes stode for an ex­piation [Page 167] and cleansing of sinnes. And therfore,Cap. 4. amōgst the diuers orders of sa­crifice, mencioned in the sayde booke of their ceremonies, ther be diuers expres­se wayes by sacrifice to purge mennes sinnes: some for y^e priestes sinnes, other for y^e Princes, & the third for the cōmon peoples offences. And one way for their sinnes committed of ignorāce an, other for crimes wittingly done. Finally som for thoughtes, and other some for euell deedes, with many moe diuersities, as you may see in the saied booke. In all which it is euer expressed, that the priest is not onely the minister in the saide sacrifice (as needes he must be) but also, with offering of the sayed ob­lations for sinne, that he must make prayer especiallie for the offenders, and euery of them seuerally, that God may pardon them of that sinne, for which they offer their sacrifice. For allwayes after the forme and maner of offering be prescribed, according to the diuersity of the peoples offences, it is added: Rogabitque pro eo sacerdos & pro peccato eius, & dimittetur ei. [Page 168] And the prieste shal praye for him, and for his sinne, and it shal be forgiuen him. And againe, Agat poenitentiam pro pec [...]ato, & offerat de gregibus agnam siue ca­pram, orabit que pro ea sacerdos, & pro peccatis eius. Let the soule doo penaunce, and offer a kidde of the flocke, or an ewe lambe, and so the priest shall praye for that soule and the sinnes therof.

All which, doth not onely conuince, that Goddes wil was, that remission of sinnes shoulde be had, by external sa­crifices, penaunce and oblatiō, and that not otherwise but by the priestes mediation,Cōfession vsed to the priest euen in the olde lavve. but also that there was an order euen then often in the olde law, that mā should vtter his sinnes, with the gre­uousnesse therof and circumstances: that according to the difference of the faultes the diuersitie of sacrifices and expiation might be vsed, and that the priest seue­rallie might praye for the remission thereof. In all which dooing, I will not now dispute, whether a carnall Iewe that then had no further res­pecte, but to the present obseruation [Page 169] of those commanded Ceremonies and sacrifices, did obteine therby remission of sinnes, by which the soule is recōci­led to God: or elles only a fredō from some temporall punishment due to the same by lawe amongst the people, or otherwise by Goddes appointmēt, but most sure it is, that the spirituall sorte, which from those sacrifices did not se­perate but include Christes bloud,August. suꝑ Nu. 25. et Leo serm. 3. de nati. Domini. in respect wherof, all their sacrifices had their force, thoughe not so ful as oures nowe haue, nor with so ample promisse of Goddes grace: yet sure it is, y^t they by faith in Christ, and yet not without those obseruatiōs, which it was necessarie that they shoulde then kepe, were sanctified and purged verilie frō their sinnes,External elements be not taken a vvay by the nevv lavve, but mo­re grace ys put to them. nor without the ministerie of the priest, whose prayer and sacrifice was requisite for the same purpose.

Neither were all externall wayes of Goddes worship and remission of sin­nes, abrogated by the Gospell, as some doe falsly fayne, but, to the external ele­mentes, that now euē in the newe law be instituted for grace and remission of [Page 170] sinnes, Gods fauoure is giuē & graun­ted a great deale more fully, & sanctifi­cation more plentifully. For ells, let vs with penaūce reiect baptisme, & al other wayes of Gods seruice, y^t be not ōly in­ternall & separated wholy frō outward elementes of water, bread, wine, im­positiō of hāds, oyle & such like: which, if they dare not do, how cā they auouch that God remitted not sinnes by exter­nall sacramētes? or, not by the hādes of priesthod? seing without y^e order, none these holy actes cā be duely ministred. Seing then y^t almighty god of his pas­sing wisdō & careful prouidēce towards mā, hath remitted sinnes in al ages, as by y^e ministerie of mā in outewarde so­lēne ceremonies, as by circūcisiō in the lawe of nature, & by y^e same in Moyses gouernmēt, besides many other sacrifi­ces vsed & cōmanded for diuers sinnes actual both greater & lesse: how cā it be otherwise, but there should be sacramē ­tes ordeined in y^e newe law: first for re­mitting of original sinnes, & other of al sortes at our first entraunce into Chri­stes house, & thē an other, for more gre­uous [Page 171] actual offēces cōmited by relapse after Baptisme. For ells y^e lawe should not fully in figure foreshew y^e trueth, & great grace of oure sacramētes to come, wherof lightlie, by Gods appointment it did beare a plain & expresse resēblāce.

But besides these forsayd sacrifices,Iudicia­rie po­vver for remissiō of sinnes prefigu­red in the old lavve. in which sinnes were after their maner remitted, there was an other vsuall acte practised by y^e priestes, which did more properlie prefigurate & represēt our sa­cramēt of penaunce, & y^e priestes autho­ritie in y^e newe law, cōcerning y^e iudge­mēt of oure soules, & y^e exact discussing of oure misdeades. For neither circūci­siō, nor sacrifice of olde had any face of power iudiciarie, & therefore could not exactly represent, oure priestes power giuē thē by Christ, for y^e iudgmēt of our sinnes. But y^e autority giuē thē in y^e law to discern, shut vp & separate y^e leprous & vnclean persons, frō other y^e clean of y^e people, did plainly represent our sacra­mēt of penāce: whervnto by y^e doctours it is oftē resēbled, wherin order is takē, y^e xiij. & xiiij of Leuiticus, Leuit. 13. & 14. y^e authoritie & practise thereof being often allowed by [Page 172] oure maister Christe, who obserued the lawes so hūblie therin, y^t he alwayes, after he had healed any suth separated persons, sent them for all that to the priestes afterwarde, to offer their obla­tions prescribed by the lawe for the same.

And that this power of pronouncing the leapers to be sound or sore, to be se­perated or admitted to the companie of faithfull, did represent the power of priesthode,Supra Epist. Iacobi. concerning the leprosie of oure soules not onely S. Bede, but S. Chrysostom also doth declare. For he talking of confession of sinnes to the priest, writeth thus: Quamuis leprae immū ­ditiam iuxta legē sacerdoti pandamus, atque ad eius arbitrium qualiter & quanto tempore insserit purificari curemus. The vncleannes of the more greuous leprosie (he mea­neth deadlie sinne) let vs open to the priest, ād according to his arbitremēt, how so euer he biddeth vs, and how longe so euer he commandeth vs, let vs seeke to purifie oure selues. In Math. [...] And S. Ierome: Quomodo ergo tibi, le prosum sacer­dos, mundum vel immundum fecit, sic & hic [Page 173] alligat, vel soluit Episcopus & presbyter, nō eos qui insontes sunt vel noxij, sed pro officio suo cū peccatorum audierit varietates, scit qui ligan­dus sit, quiue soluendus. Looke therefore (saith he) how the prieste maketh there in the olde lowe a person clean or vnclean, so here doth the Bishop or Priest binde or loose, not binding the innocent, nor loosing the giltie, but when he hath heard the varietie and diuersitie of the sinnes, then he knoweth, whom to loose, and whom to binde.

This place is verie playne for con­fession and distincte rekening of euerie of oure mortall sinnes.Distinct. confessiō of mor­tal syn­nes pro­ued to be necessa­rie. The which the holy doctour proueth to be necessarie, because els the priest of God could not doe iustice in punishing & pardoning, but should of ignoraunce either binde the good or loose the wicked. In which case Almightie God that knoweth ex­actlie the woorthines and vnworthi­nes of all persons, will not allowe the priestes sentence that did proceede of ignoraunce, but will him selfe giue iudgment according to the parties de­seruing. [Page 174] For y^e priest is but a minister of his sacramēt, & not y^e lorde & instituter therof, he must therfore cōform him selfe to Gods, wil whose place he there occupieth. For as y^e priest in y^e old law could not make y^e cleā person to be vnclean, no more cā y^e priest of y^e newe law binde y^e innocēt, or absolue y^e person y^t cōtinu­eth in sinne. Neuer y^e lesse y^e priest wor­keth more properlie vnder God tou­ching y^e remissiō of sinnes, because he is here apointed y^e minister of grace & re­cōciliatiō, then y^e preist in the old lawe. For there in y^e making of any man hole of y^e leprosie, or other vncleannes, the priest had not to doe at al,Note the differēce betvvi [...]t the prist office of of the olde la­vve, and the prie­stes est the ne­vve for this mat­ter. but only whē was made hole by God, it was y^e priests office to discerne y^e same, to shew it vn­to y^t peoole, & to admitte him againe in­to y^e felowshippe of y^e residewe, after oblatiō made for y^e purpos [...]. For to them it was not saide, whō so euer you punish whith leprosie or make vnclean, he shal haue a leprosy, or whō soeuer you heale & make cleane, he shalbe whole: no such promise was made vnto thē. for it was enough, y^t it might represēt & haue some [Page 175] resēblaūce of our Sacramēt of penaūce, & of y^e maruelouse authoritie geuē in y^e new law to our priestes concerning y^e remissiō of sinnes. For to oures it was not saide, you shal discerne whō I haue loosed alredie in heauen, & shew to the world whō I haue reteined bound, or not fo [...]giuē in heauē: but, as S. Hilarie saith, y^e priestes sentēce is made preiudi­cial to God in heauē, not y^t the priestes forgiuen is first and them Gods afterward as two distinct actions in time, but because y^e pristes, is prius quo ad nos, as y^e Philosophers doe terme such thin­ges, & by y^e pristes worck which is playn to vs we streight com to y^e knowledg of Gods like worke of remissiō in heauē, which is prius natura, because Gods ac­tiō is y^e principal & mās must necessari­ly depend theron.Consider vvel hovv the vvorck of God and man ioyne together is all sa­cramētes But ells both Gods worke & mans run ioyntly together in remission of sinnes, as al instrumētal & secōdary causes neuer make a seueral actiō frō y^e principal, but they cōcur ioynt­ly to euerie effect, as it is most plain in all sacraments whereby God worketh grace, y^e which grace, as it procedeth frō God, so it cometh by mās seruice, not by [Page 176] distincte operation of the principal, and the seruing and secondarie causes, but in one worcke and vndiuided opera­tiō of them both. For in baptisme God woorketh not the remission of original or actuall sinnes first, and then sendeth the partie to the fount afterwarde, that the priest therin may declare what God hath wrought before, or to woorke the same againe, that so the partie might haue a double grace of remissiō, first by God, & then by the priest: for that were foolishe to surmise. But God by the priestes ministerie and the sacrament doth remit sinnes so, that the action hereof, at once fitly may fall vpō them both.

And so it is in penaunce, where God the principall, and the priest the secon­darie or seruisable cause ioyntly for­geue to gether. For so the woordes of institution of this sacrament, doe moste plainly cōuince: whose sinnes you shal forgiue, they be forgiuen: he speaketh in y^e present tense, as thoughe he would say, as you forgiue them, or retein thē, ipso facto I forgiue them, or retein them. [Page 177] And therefore, sauing the honour of the Maister of Sentences, The Ma­ster of the Sentences his error. he had not good consideration when he did holde (as some other did after him) that first mās sinnes be remitted by God in his con­trition and purpose to come to the Sa­crament: and afterward, the same re­mission to be declared by the Priest, and as it were confirm [...]d by his approba­tion in confession: being therein part­lie deceiued by the saying of S. Hierom before alleaged, whome he tooke, per­chaunce, to haue compared in al respe­ctes, the office of the old Priestes, for the viewe of the vncleane, and oures of the new lawe, in the iudgemente vsed vppon mans sinnes: and partly, as I take it, by a sentence of S. Augustine, which compared together the receiuing of Lazarus by Christ, and the Disciples loosing his bandes, to Christes pardo­ning of our sinnes first, and then the Priests loosing the same afterwarde in the face of the Church.

This, to be shorte,De ver­bis Dimini. ser. 8. is a peece of S. Augustines sentence: Qu [...]d ergo facit ec­clesia, cui dictum est: Quae solueritis in terra, [Page 178] erunt soluta: nisi quod ait Dominus, soluite il­lum, & sinite abire: what doth the Church then, to whom it was said: what so e­uer you loose, it shalbe loosed? Ma­rie, shee doth that vvhich our Lorde saied, loose him and lette him goe. Wherin S. Augustin meaneth nothing els, but that Christ is the principall a­gent, and that he proprelie doth geue life to the soule, the Prieste for all that, being his seruant and minister therin, and therefore by nature is a later agēt, in the same woorke, whiche els, as I haue proued ioyntly perteineth to them both, for that the effect of a Sacrament commeth not to any man til it be recei­ued, excepte it be in certaine cases of necessitie, where the parties can not obteine the external vse of the appoin­ted elemente, though they earnestlie desire the same.

But how the olde Priests office tou­ching the Lepers of the law, represen­teth our Sacrament of the Priests mi­nisterie in the newe Testament, & how farre oures, whiche is the trueth, ex­celleth [Page 179] that whiche was but a shadowe of oures, Sainct Chrysostome dooth excellently declare: and therewith ful­lie may put out of doubt all men, that our Priestes proprelie woorke remis­sion of sinnes, as Ministers in the same Diuine action, and not as de­clarers or approuers of that effecte. whiche before was wrought by God him selfe. Thus he saith:De Sacer. Lib. 3. Corporis le­pram purgare, seu verius dicam, haud pur­gare quidem, sed purgatos probare, Iudaeo­rum sacerdotibus solis licebat: at verò no­stris sacerdotibus, non corporis lepram, verùm animae sordes non dico purgatas probare, sed purgare prorsus concessum est: Quamobrem meo iudicio, Priests of the olde lavv, did but discerne the lepre of the body, Priests of the nevv lavv pur­ge the filth of the soule. qui istos despiciunt contemnunt­que, multò sceleratiores ac maiori supplicio digni fuerint, quàm fuerit Dathan vnà cum suis omnibus. That is to saie: To purge the leprosie of the bodie, or elles to saie as it was in deede, not to purge, but to discerne who were cleane, was graunted onely to the Priestes of the old law: but it is fullie graunted to our Priests not to purge the bodily lepro­sie, [Page 180] nor to shew who are cleaner pur­ged, but verelie to purge the very filth of mans soule. Therfore by my iudge­ment, who so euer doe contemne or di­spise them, they are muche more wic­ked and more worthy punnishmēt, then the disobedient Dathan with al his cō ­panie. Thus saith this holy Father, with many woordes moe, which were worthy al consideration, and remem­brance in this case, if the matter were not so abundant, that it may not suffer ouer long abode in one place, least iniu­rie be done to other braunches of the cause, no lesse necessary to be knowen for ful vpholding the truth thereof.

Now vpon al this foresaid declara­tion, it may be wel vnderstanded, that our Aduersaries haue smal reason in re­prehending the ordinance of God, who is proued in all ages and diuersities of lawes, to haue geuen grace and remis­sion of sinnes, not only by externall e­lementes, and actions of diuerse cere­monies, Sacramentes, and sacrifices: but also euer to haue dispensed the said benefites, by mans seruice and mini­sterie, [Page 181] without al dishonour of his per­sonage, or diminishing his own propre interest and right therein. And so much more hath he vsed in the newe lawe of the Gospel, the ministerie of y^e Priests and external sacramentes, to the pro­curing of the saied benefites, by howe much more, our law, our sacramentes, our sacrifices, and our Priests, be glo­rified and preferred in respect of y^e olde,Chrisost. ibidem. and haue the more abundant blessing of the spirit, and Christes bloud, whiche by these conduites, most largely flowe to al mens soules, that despise not the blessed benefite thereof.

Yet if they wil not be satisfied here­with,Spiritual contem­ners of mans mi­nisterie. because thei surmise our new law to be so spiritual, that man may looke for nothing at mans handes, but al im­mediatly of God and his spirite, for by him they wil be taught the meaning of the scripture, by him they wil be bap­tised, by him they must haue remission and absolution, and at length they are become Anabaptists, and refuse to obey Prelates of the Churche, and Princes of the world, because by God they will [Page 182] onely be ruled and punnished for their offences.In Pro­log. li 1. de doct. Christ. Against such proud cogitati­ons, as S. Augustine tearmeth them, God hath purposely, to teach humility and obedience one to an other, both in temporal causes, and especially in spi­ritual matters perteining to mens sin­nes and soules, he hath (say) for the nonst, not onely instituted these waies of baser creatures vsed in y^e sacramēts, to atteine his grace by, but also hath made man, the maister almost and exe­cutor of his meaning in y^e same, whose seruice he vseth so much for our saluatiō y^t he sticked not to sēd his most chosen & dearest euen of those daies of grace and plentifulnesse of the spirit, to be instru­cted by man, and made ready for his ministery no otherwise but by man.

A strange thing surely, and to be wel noted for this purpose,Note the practise of God, for the cōfirma­tion of mans mi­nisterie. not onely of our Aduersaries for their confusion, but of the good studiouse Readers for their instruction: howe that Paule being prostrate, and miraculoussie called by Iesus Christes owne voice, was yet sent by Christ him selfe, to confirm the [Page 183] authoritie of his Priestes, to Ananias, of him to receiue as well instructions, as the Sacramentes of the Churche, for his incorporation to the faithfull,Act. 9. and remission of all his sinnes past. And againe, that Cornelius, Ibid. 10. though his prayers were hearde, and his al­mes acceptable to God, and an An­gell sent vnto him to declare the same, whiche was a signe of high reputati­on, was yet charged to goe to Peter, of him not onelie to receiue the Sa­cramentes, but also by his instructi­on to learne, what to beleue, what to hope, and what to loue, saieth Sainct Augustine. The Eunuche, Ibid 8. might by God him selfe in his owne countrie, haue bene schooled or sanctified, and yet it pleased his Maiestie so to vse the matter, that by Philip bothe the sense of scripture, and the Sacramente of Baptisme should be vnderstanded and receiued at once.

So hath God in all ages confirmed the authoritie of his holie Priestes and Ministers, & so hath he euer checked by his own holy examples the presumptu­ous [Page 184] temptation of man, who euer hath disdained mans office & ministerie for his own saluation. Therfore let no mā marueil, why Christ hath geuē authori­tie to man to forgeue sinnes, seeing he hath from the beginning, not remitted ordinarily otherwise then by mans ser­uice, nor any waie els, for y^e most part, but by external actes of ceremonies, sa­craments, and sacrifices, that we may learne thereby humility, and obedience to Gods ordinance, by the warrante whereof they al (as I haue proued) cha­lenge al maner of interest in y^e gouern­ment of our soules.

Much more might be said out of di­uerse holy Fathers, muche out of the decrees as wel of Bishops as Coūcels: the authoritie whereof no Christiā Ca­tholike did euer reiect. In Lateran, in Florence,Can. 21. Tract de Sacra. De Poen. and in Trent Councels, Pe­nance is decreed to be a sacrament: and of necessitie to al such as fal into deadly sinne after Baptisme. The minister thereof by their holy determination, is a Priest laufully ordered: the remission of sinnes is in them al, chalenged to be [Page 185] his right, not only by declaration that God hath or will pardon them, nor by the preaching of the Gospel, nor any o­ther waies newely deuised by the Di­uel to delude Christes ordinaunce, and misconstrue his plaine woordes: But proprely is the Priest proued, to be the minister vnder God of reconciliation, and therefore, may by his woords, ab­solue men, in the said sacrament, of their sinnes, as in Christes own steed, whose honourable iudgement seat, by his commission, and the holy Ghostes assistāce, he doth laufully possesse.

And so surely, doth Gods ministers hold this power and preheminēce, that no power or dignitie of man could euer be so wel warranted and approued by Gods owne woorde, and practise of all ages and nations christened, as this is.The spi­ritual mē holde by more cleare euidence thē any tem­porall Prince. All the Princes in earth, though they reigne ful righteously, can not yet shew the tenth part of the euidence, y^t Gods Priests can doe, for their title of remis­sion of sinnes: and it booteth not mee in this my base state to admonish them though I hartely wish thei would con­sider [Page 186] it, that the contempte of spirituall iurisdiction and the dignitie of Priest­hode, falleth at length to the disobedi­ence to all temporall power, and wic­ked contempt of ciuile gouernment al­so:The issue of heresy. as in those disordered daies, we may to our great grief behold, when, vnder pretence of religion and Gods woord, wherof they haue no more respect sure­ly then the Deuill him selfe hath, they haue disobeyed not only Peters keyes, but also Cesars sword. Neither lette any man thinke, that, where the bands of conscience, the awe of Gods maiesty, the feare of Hell and damnation, the hope of heauen and saluation is remo­ued, that there can be any ciuile obedi­ence long. Feare of man is much, flat­tery of man is more, but bond of con­science passeth them both. Thus ther­fore haue Gods Priests made accompt of their calling, and long practised power of remitting and retei­ning the peoples offences.

Here it is proued, that by the right of the Priest in remitting sinnes, the duetie of all Christian people doth necessa­rilie rise for the confession of euerie of their mortal sinnes vnto him: as the same is also proued by the doctrine of all holye Fathers of Christes Chur­che. The tenth Chap.

AND now I must ad­uertise my louing brethren of the necessary sequele hereof, which to some I know, se­meth so hard and vn­pleasant, that the ve­ry consideration therof hath driuen ma­ny, that haue not felt the sweetnesse of Gods Spirite, by whiche euery of his cōmaundemēts be they neuer so rough in apparance, are made easie and dele­ctable, to the feare, misliking, and loth­somnesse of the Sacramente of Pe­naunce. Whiche, as it is, for other causes many, much abhorred of the wā ­tons [Page 188] lately departed out of the Church and of some worldly Catholiks to, that be not so zelouse in folowing truth, as they be disirouse to know truth:Vvhy confessiō is coūted so burde­nous to many. so it is moste lothed and feared, for that in it, there is required a distinct, simple, sin­cere and plaine confession to be made of euery sinne that is knowen or suspected so be mortal, vnto a Prieste, whiche is the lauful minister of the same Sacra­ment, with such diligent and exact exa­mination of our consciences, as a mat­ter of such importāce doth of reason re­quire. That is the great offence and staie, that the weaklinges of Christes Church doe so earnestly respect: and so long they shall be vexed and molested in mind with the sowre remembraunce thereof, as they do not proue the swete, gracious, and incomparable effect en­suing most assuredly thereon:Conside­rations to be had for remouīg the impediments of confes­sion. so long shal they stumble at so small a straw, as they doe not feele the burden of sinne, feare the paines of hel, follow the qui­et of conscience, foresee the dreadful day of iudgement: so long shal thei be bash­ful to submit them selues, to one mans [Page 189] most close, secreat, meeke and merciful iudgement, as they feare not the infinit shame, open horrible confusion, & euer­lasting rebuke before God, Angel, Mā, and Diuel, at the seat and sentence that shal be pronoūced in the face of al crea­tures, which must fal to them, that close vppe vnder couer and compasse of their conscience, such a number of manifolde sinnes, wherof in that day both accōpt and confession must be made to their vttermost confusion. Finallie, so long shal mās wil and corrupted nature dis­obey Gods ordinance herein, as he ear­nestly and humbly seeketh not by prai­er at Christes handes, the grace & gift of obedience and repentāce: for as y^e fulfilling of euery of Gods commaunde­mēts, can not otherwise be had, but by his special fauour, so saith S. Augustin,De fide ad Petrū. Cap. 31. or as som think rather Fulgentius: Fir­missimè [...]ene, & nullarenus duhites, neminem his posse hominem poenitentiam agere, nisi quē Deus illuminauerit, & gratuita sua misera­tione conuertit: Hold this for an assurāce, that no man can here do penance, ex­cept he be illumined and conuerted [Page 190] theavnto by his singular mercy. Nei­ther doth this Doctour mean of any o­ther way of repentāce then is vsed for mortal sinnes after baptism in y^e sacra­mēt of y^e church, putting there, in a ma­ner by expres words a doble sacramēt, one for original sin, y^t is in childrē only and y^t he calleth Sacramentū fidei, y^e other [...]or sinnes afterward cōmitted, whiche he termeth, Poenitentiam, Penance.

And let no man think y^e true repen­tāce can be in any or effectual for the re­mission of sinnes, if he followe not the appointed ordinance of God for remis­sion of sinnes. For I dare be bold to say, that, as since the time that our Sa­uiours words tooke place: Nisi quis re­natus fuerit, Except a man be borne a­gaine of vvater and the holy Ghost, he can not enter into the kingdom of heauen that since these words, no mā can be saued [...]bout Baptism: so likewise since Christ spak these woords, vvhose sinnes you doe forgeue, they be for­geuē I dare say neuer mā was saued, nor can be saued, y^t either cōteinneth or neglecteth cōfession, or earnestly seketh [Page 191] not for it, if he fall in relapse of deadlie crimes after his baptisme. I wil speak it plainlie, because I woulde haue it thought on earnestly. As no mā ordi­narily cā be saued without baptism: so can no man y^t euer after Baptisme, cō ­mitteth deadly sinne, be saued without sacramētal cōfession, or y^e earnest desire & seeking for y^e same. This may seme sharp to some, but this wil proue true to al cōtemners of Gods ordināce. For whē so euer God worketh his giftes & grace amōg mē, by ani ordinary means apointed for y^t purpose, it is great sinne to seeke for y^e same either without it, or to presume to haue it at Gods hāds o­therwise thē he hath prescribed: But y^e sacramēt of penāce, & cōfession made to y^e priest, is y^e appointed meanes y^t God vseth in his Church for remissiō of mortal sins: therfore who so euer thinketh to haue remissiō immediatly at Gods hand, he shal first be voide of his pur­pose, & then further be charged of high presūption & contēpt of his wil & ordi­nāce. The remission of original sins as proprely perteineth to God, as of mor­tal [Page 192] sinnes, yet because Christ hath institu­ted a Sacrament as an instrument and meanes to conuey that singular bene­fit to man, he that woulde nowe claime the same immediatly at Goddes owne hand, and therfore neglecteth the Sa­crament of Baptisme, or would mini­ster it to himselfe, without the Priests office, he should neuer obteine remissi­on of his original sinne, but add to that, high presumption and disobedience of Gods commaundemente, whiche of it selfe without original sinne were dam­nable.

And yet me thinke, I heare alreadie the sound of the deceitful voices of our Preachers: It is Christes bloud that remitteth sinnes: Matth. 11. Come to me all ye that be heauy loadē, and I shal refresh you. Esai. 43. I am he, saith the Lord, that put­teth away thy sinnes, with a thousand suche like: as though Christes bloud did not stand with Christes ordininan­ces and Sacramentes, as though they came not to Christ that kepe the way of his wil and sacramentes to come vnto him: as though, God did not remitte [Page 193] those simes which in his name, and in his sacramentes, and by his appointed minister, be remitted. Protestant, say plainly, wilt thou refuse baptisme, be­cause Christes bloude washeth awaye originall sinnes? If thou darest not openlie so preach, althoughe couertly thou may chaunce so intēde,If remis­sion of sinnes in baptism may stād vvith Gods ho­nour, to maye ye in the sacr. of penaun­ce. Math. ix. how darest thou deceiue the people, and drawe thē from penaunce and confession, because Christes bloud doth remitte sinnes? For if the one sacramēt, maye stād with the honoure of God, and with all those places that thou bringest so deceitfullie out of scripture, why maye not y^e other, seeing both are proued alike to be insti­tuded of Christ? For the same selfe sa­uioure which sayd: Come to me ye that be loaden, and I shall refreshe you: he and no other said, excepte you be bor­ne of water and the holy ghost, Ioan. [...]. ye can not enter into the kingdom of heauē. The same God that sayde:Esai. 43. I am he tha [...] putteth awaye thy sinnes: saieth nowe to the Apostles and priestes, whose sin­nes you doe forgiue, forgiuen be they. Io [...]n. 20. Psal. 105. The same Spirite of God that saied in [Page 194] the prophet, Cōfesse your selues to the Lord, Iaco. 5. for he is good, sayd now againe in the Apostle, confesse youre sinnes one to āother, Origin. himil. 2. super per leui. Beda so­per hunc locum. that you may be saued. By which he meaneth not, as Origen, venerable Bede, and other doo declare, so much brotherlie acknowledging, for counsell or other causes, the greife of minde eche man to his felowe, as he doth the order of sacramental confessiō, to be made vnto Goddes priestes, as it may wel appeare by the circumstāce of the letter. For there he had willed them to sende for the priestes of the church to annoile them, and streight after addeth this alleadged texte of confession and prayng ouer the sicke.

The he­retikes practise in misv­sing Godes vvoord.The which place the Heretikes saw to sound so many waies, as wel, towardes the sacrament of extreme Vnction, as the sacramēt of confessiō, both which they haue vnworthelie abandoned, that they thought it not amisse, either to de­nie the Apostles authoritie & the whole epistle, as no peace of holy scripture, as Luther & other did, or ells which was after thought more handsom conueian­ce, [Page 195] to corrupt the texte, & write in steade of, send for the priestes of the Church: thus, cal the elders of the congregati­on. For they thought it might sounde euel, to haue in one sentence, priestes, Church, consession, remission of sin­nes, realease of paines sor sinne, ānoi­ling, prayng ouer the sik, and so furth.

But that thou maist see,The ne­cessitie of Con­fession standeth not on positiue lavves, but by Christes institu­tion. good Chri­stian Reader, the necessitie of confession the better, & y^t it is not growē to suche a generall practise and opinion of ne­cessitie, vpon any charge geuen by man or positiue lawes marke well with me: that it dependeth directly vpon Chri­stes owne woordes, whose sinnes you doo forgiue, they be forgiuen, and whose sinnes you doo reteine, they be reteyned: And therefore sacramentall confession to be of Christes institution. For if Christ gaue power to priestes to forgiue, or to reteine mens sinnes: then there must needes be some subiect to their power and iudgemēt: ells in vain were so large a cōmissiō of binding and loosing mens sinnes, if the right of y^e power did not necessarily charg al men [Page 196] that haue suche sinnes, to be subiect to their binding and loosing. Therefore this is a cleare cause, that in the verie same woordes, that the power was de­liuered to them, the bonde of obedience was also prescribed to vs. So that after that daye, no sinnes mortall could or­dinarilie be loosed, but by them, and that sacrament, which in their ministe­rie he then did institute.

And that is yet more euident by the second parte of Christes sentēce, where he sayeth: whose sinnes you doe re­teine, they be reteined. The which woorde retinere, Hilar. su­per hunc locum. by S. Hilarie signifi­eth, nō soluere, or nō remittere: to reteine is as much as not loose, or not to forgiue. Whervpon, by Christes expresse woor­des it ensueth, y^t whose sinnes the priest doth not forgiue, they be not forgiuen, and therefore, that euerie mā being gil­tie of deadly sinne in his cōsciēce, is sub­iect to y^e priestes iudgmēt, by y^e plaine termes of Christes owne woordes.

Mary we must wel note, y^t the priest hath in other sacramentes, & namely in Baptisme, a right in remitting sinnes [Page 197] both original and actual, but there, in y^e graund pardon of al that is past, he is not made a iudge, or a correcter:Marke the diffe­rence betvvix­te the priestes office in remit­ting sin­nes by baptisme and pe­naunce. because the Church can not practise iudgment or exercise discipline vpon the peniten­tes, for any thinges doone before they came into the houshould, and therefore can appoint the partie no penaunce nor punishment, nor binde him according to the diuersitie and nōber of his faul­tes, nor can make serch exactlie of al his secrete sinnes by him committed, that the sentēce may procede according to y^e parties desertes, but only vpon his se­king that sacrament to minister it vnto him, according to Christes institution:Concil trident Cap. 2. sess. 14. whervpon without any sentence of remission giuen by the priest, as I ab­solue thee, or such like, a pardon ge­neral of all his sinnes, committed, if he come thither qualified, most assuredly ensueth.Damas. de or­tha fide li. 4. Ca. 9

But now, in the other sacrament, of penaunce, not onely pardon of sinnes, but punishment for sinnes, is put in y^e Apostles and priestes hādes, which can not be don without iudiciarie power. [Page 198] and exact examination of the penitent: because Christ woulde, that, if any did greuously sinne after Baptsim, he should, as it were, be conuēted befor his iu­gement seat in earth, in which as in his roome he hath placed the Apostles and Priestes, as is alreadie proued. And therefor, mens sinnes must in this case be knowen, with diuersitie of their kin­des, and encrease, by diuersitie of place, time, person, nūber & intent. For with­out this particular intelligence, can neither the appointed iudges of oure soules doe iustice, nor the penitent re­ceiue iustice for his offences. Therefore it is euident, that seing this holy or­der is authorished not onely to remit sinnes generally, as in Baptisme, but also placed with al power ouer vs as y^e iudges of oure sinnes we must needes by force of Christes institution be driuē to acknowledge & cōfesse al our sinnes to y^e priest so sitting in iudgmēt vpō the examinatiō of our cōsciēces. For no mā euer took vpō him, not in ciuile causes to determing and giue sentence in the matter, whereof he hath not by some [Page 199] meanes or other, perfit & particular in­struction, and in causes criminall much lesse, because the importāce of the mat­ter is much more. Then in Gods cau­ses and cases of oure conscience, and in thinges belonging directlie to mans euerlasting wealth or woe, which is y^e life or death perpetuall of our soules, there, if either negligence in y^e iudge in searching our sinnes, or cōtempt in vs in declaration, opening, confessing, or cleare vtterāce of thē, doe hinder y^e righ­teousnes of Gods iudgmētes executed by the Priestes office, or driuing thē to giue wrong sentēce of deliuery & remis­siō, there the perill is exceding great, & y^e dānger well nere dānatiō perpetual.

Neither may we thinke, y^t this autho­ritie and approued power of Priestes, concerneth onely the opē offēces, which by witnesse and proufe may be conuin­ced, and deferred to the publike Magi­strates of the Church, as some Prote­stantes, confounding al places of like woordes and termes in Scripture, doe. Wherein they cōsider not, that the perfectnesse of the Gospell teacheth [Page 200] man willingly to accuse,1. Cor. 11. condemne, and iudge him selfe, that he be not iud­ged of oure Lorde. Neither doe they weigh, that this iudgment of oure sin­nes, thoughe it be ministred by man, is yet the feat and courte of Christe, to whom it no lesse perteineth, to binde or loose oure secret sinnes, then oure open offences. And he without exception, committed remission of all maner of sinnes vnto the Apostles and priestes, saing: Like as my Father sent me, so doo I sende you: But Christ was sent to heale the contrite and sorowfull of all sinnes, priuate and publike: therfore al maner of offēces, be they neuer so se­crete, belong to the priestes not onely pardon, but also correction and pu­nishment, wherof, because they be men, they can not iustelie discerne or deter­mine, to remitte or reteine, giue par­don or geue penaunce,Marc. 10. except they be cōfessed by the parties penitent. Christ him selfe,Note vvel. perfectlie seeing all diseases both of body and soule, and the inward sorowe & sute of euerie mans harte, yet sayed to the sicke man & blind: Quid vis [Page 201] faciam tibi? what wouldest thou haue at my handes? And shal the priest being a mortal man take vpō him to giue sen­tence of y^e diseases of oure soules, before he know them, or pardon him that will not shewe vnto him, wherin & for what sinne he asketh a pardon? Furthermore the sinnes of manns cogitation, that cā not be discerned by the priest, without the confession of the party, be often no lesse greuous and dānable before God, then the opē offences: therfore ther may be no doubt, but Christ hath ordeined mercy, as wel for them, as other that be actually committed, and subiect to the light of the world, but yet no otherwise but by the sacrament of penaunce, in which, without exception, the priestes haue power to remitte or reteine sinnes as wel priuate as publike. Therefore y^e same secrette sinnes being subiecte to y^e Churches iudgmēt no lesse thē y^e opē, they must needes be vttered & cōfessed, or els they cā not be released, much lesse haue any enioyned penaunce for them

But it is mere wrāgling of oure Ad­uersaries in so plain a case, and folie in [Page 202] al other to doubt, whether secret offen­ces, euen committed in thought onely against the two last commandementes forbidding vnlawfull coueting and de­sires of the minde, be properly subiect to the priestes iudgement, seing they cā be no otherwise released, but in the sa­crament of penaunce, and sincere con­fession of them. For here is practised a iudgement,Note wel the diffe­rence be­tvvene the ciui [...]e iudgemēt and the sacramē ­tal. not of ciuile Magistrates, which onely punishe by lawes of all nations actually committed faultes a­gainst the weale Publike, but of soule and cōscience, which properly perteine to the cure of priestes, as they proper­ly occupie Christes owne roome, to whose pardon or punnishement, not onely open sinnes, but also priuate of­fences, either in dede or thought com­mitted, doo in like perteine. For ex­ternall Penaunce, or publike, is ra­ther vsed to satisfy the Church of her right, in which sinnes can not openly be committed, but to the greate of­fence of her children, and therefore muste in her, by publike Penaunce be corrected, for the example of disci­pline, [Page 203] and prouiso of the like sinnes to come.

Moreouer the sacrifices of the olde Lawe were in many cases doone by the priestes, as well for priuate sinnes as open, whiche coulde not be without the confession of the penitent: ergo, much more the secrettes of oure soules be subiect to oure priestes, to whom Christ hath giuen al iudgement. Yet al this notwithstanding, there be some that kepe them selues by vaine ex­cuse of sinne, frō y^e very principal point and pith of this sacrament, which is the particular examination of a mannes sinnes cōmitted by thought, woorde, or worke, & wil yet draw backe, & hold, y^t a general cōfession is enough with ter­mes vniuersal, acknowledging a mans selfe to haue sinnes by minde, woorde, & deede, though he expresse not the seue­ral pointes therof. But this opinion is cōfuted, both by al the foresaid reasons, and other, as a most absurde and wil­ful maintenaunce of sinne. For by this rule, he that killed and murdered thou­sandes, shoulde confesse no more after [Page 204] his wicked actes then before,Confes­sion by a general clause is not suffi­cient to saluation not aun­svverable to Chri­stes mea­ning. nor no more then the innocentest man that li­ueth. Dauids weeping and confession shoulde haue bene one after his dooble deadly sinne committed, as before in his innocencie. Peter should not haue more bitterly wept after his forsaking of his master, then before. Neither should our confessiō then pertein more to ourselues then to other, who by like general clau­ses may truely make the like & the same confession: as it is nowe in the Church of England. But the holy King Dauid confessed not sinnes common to himself and other men, but my sinne, my wic­kednes, my impietie, saith he, and this in confessing to God that knew already his sinnes: Howe muche more nowe, where Gods iudgement is exercised by man, that cannot discerne oure faultes him selfe, must we confesse oure sinnes, that he may rightly iudge thereof?

Penaunce must be doone for euery of oure sinnes. So Peter prescribed Si­mon the sorcerer, when he attempted to haue bought the gifte of Goddes Spi­rite, that he shoulde doo penaunce for [Page 205] that especial greuous crime: Poenitentiam age, saith he, ab hac nequitia tua. Doo pe­naunce for this thy wicked attempt, if perchance God wil forgiue thee this abhominable intent, Act. [...]. The mā was baptised not long before, and then no suche Penaunce was prescribed for his most greuous and blasphemous practises of Nicromancie & witche crafte lōg exer­cised before. But now after he was of y^e howsholde, euery sinne that is greuous must seuerally be cured. Wherin this noughty packe Simō Magus, is a thou­sād partes more religious thē our newe maisters. For he desired the Apostles to pray to God for him y^t this sinne might be forgiuē him, wher these care no more for y^e priest or Apostle concerning their sinnes, then they doo for dogges.

Againe S. Paule did not onely con­fesse his sinnes by a general clause, but acknowledged his owne sinnes,1. Tim. [...] wher­in he in his owne person had offen­ded, he confessed he was of all sinners greatest, that he had persecuted the Church of Christ, that he had obtei­ned commission to attache them that [Page 206] beleued in Christes name, and so furth. Suche as were faithful also at Ephesus, Act. 1 [...]. as we reade in the xix. of the Actes, came to the Apostles, Et confiteban [...]ur actus suos, and confessed their owne proper actes and misdeades, In so much, that certeine which had folowed vnlawfull artes, as Magike, Nicromancie, and such like curiosity, cōfessed their faultes, and burned their bookes before all the people.

If the priestes had nothing elles to doo with oure sinnes, but as they had in the olde lawe to doo with the leprous persons, that is to say, should onely discerne, which were by God remitted or not remitted, they coulde not that doo, expcepte they sawe the variety of the sayde sinnes, by mans confession. But now seing they haue further in­terest in oure matters, and must pro­perly both pardon and giue iust pe­naunce for sinne,The be­nefite of a generall Confessiō how is it possible, they should doo this without exacte know­lege of euery of oure greuous offences? In deed a general confession, suche as is often made in diuine seruice to God [Page 207] or his priestes, such as be Catholik, doth some times, take away the common in­firmities of oure sinfull life, that oure light trespaces be not imputed to vs, or suche, as we haue so forgotten, that we can not by any conuenient search, cal againe to oure remembraunce: But other greatter crimes and deadly sin­nes, for which the sacrament of disci­pline was instituted, and the priestes iudgement seat erected in the Church, are not discharged before God, with­out seuerall contrition, and distincte confession, with ready intent of the pe­nitent to accomplish such fructes of pe­naunce, as by the priest shal be appoin­ted for the satisfiyng for his sinnes.

And what a merueilouse disorde [...] is brought into Christes Churche, by playne flatterie of oure selues here­in, whiles we holde that this ge­nerall confession is sufficient, we see by experience of these oure euell dayes,The fru­cte of this nevv do­ctrine. where there is nowe putte no diffe­rence betwixte small offendours and moste greuouse sinners, no diuersi­tie of penaunce, no more sorowe in [Page 208] one then in other, no confession of the most wicked, no more then of the smal­lest sinner, or most honest liuer. A com­mon murtherer, a filty hooremunger, a daylie drunkerd, a false robber, a gredy extorcioner, confesse as litle, doo as litle penaūce, lamēt as litle, yea a great deale lesse, thē y^e honest sorte of people doe, for much more smal & fewer faultes. All mē repose them selfes now of dayes, so much in Christes passiō, and their onely no faith, that they will neither confesse to God nor man, neither sigh nor so­row, nor doo satisfactiō for their sinnes. Well,There must be in pena­unce som represen­tation of Goddes iudgmēt to come. let al men be assured, that God in the next world will not goe by generall chapters, but will haue an accompte of all our proper woorkes and misdedes, till it come to our idle woords & vaine thoughtes. The which iudgement, be­cause Gods Churches & Ministers sen­tence, to whom Christ gaue all iudgmēt of our sinnes in earth, doth most clear­ly resemble, we may be out of doubt, that the like particular discussing and examination of oure owne selues, here before his ministers, must needes be [Page 209] had, that we be not iudged of owre Lotde in the life to come.

And this particular discussing S. Paule ment by,1. Cor. 12. when he commended vnto the Corinthians, and by them cō ­manded all Christian mē to proue, trie, and iudge them selues, especially afore the receipte of the blessed Sacrament of Christes body and bloude, which re­quireth moste puritie of life in the re­ceiuer, that can be. For to attempt to receiue the holy body of Christ before we haue in contrite maner confessed oure selfes,Cōfessiō is neces­sarie be­fore the receiuēg of the sacramēt for suche as be in deadly sinne. and purged oure conscien­ces, by y^e iudgemēt of Christs Church, of the gilt of deadlie sinne, is exceeding damnable to vs, and much dishonoure to Christes owne person. Which prouing and iudging of mannes selfe, to be meant by the diligent discussing of oure consciences, sinnes, and misdedes, by contrition and confession of them to oure ghostlie father, the practise of the Church doth most plainly proue, which neuer suffered any greuous sinner to communicate, before he had called him selfe to a reckning of his sinnes, before [Page 210] the minister of God, and so iudged him selfe, that he receiue not to his dam­nation, that, which to euery worthy person is his life and saluation.De Ecclesiast. dog cap. 53. Where­of S. Augustine, or the authour of the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus, set furth withe his name, geueth vs good notice for his time. Quem mortalia cri­mina post Baptismum commissa premunt, hortor prius publica poenitentia satisfacere, & ita sacer [...]otis iudicio reconciliatum, com­munioni sociari, si vult non ad iudicium & condemnationem sui, Eucharistiam percipere, sed & secreta satisfactione solui mortalia crimina non negamus. I exhorte euery man (saieth this holy doctour) that is burdened after his baptisme with mortall sinne, to satisfie for the same by publike penaunce, and to be re­conciled by the priestes iudgement, and to be restored to the communion of Sainctes, if he meane to receiue the holy Sacrament, not to his iud­gement and condemnation. And I deny not in this case, but deadly sinnes may be remitted by secrette satisfac­tion. Thus he:

By whose woordes you see, in what a damnable state moste men now of dayes stand seeing that who so euer receiueth the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud, besore he be reconciled by a priestes sentence, and assoiled of his sinnes, he doth receiue it to his euerla­sting damnatiō. Vnto whose iudgemēt I ioyne S. Cypriā in this same matter, complaining very earnestly vpon cer­tayne Conuersies in his dayes, that would aduenture vpon Christes body and bloude,Serm. de lapsis. aute exomologesim factam cri­minis, ante purgatam conscientiam sacrificio & manu sacerdotis: Besore their sinnes be confessed, and their cōsciences purged by sacrifice, and the Priestes hande.

Al these thinges might be at large de­clared, and confirmed further by the iudgemēt of most auncient Fathers, but because I haue bene very long, and e­nough already may seme to be sayde for suche as by reason wil be satisfied, and a great deale more then any Protestant wil aunswer vnto: and also the scriptu­res thē selues, giuing the priest so plainl power of binding and reteining, as we [...] [Page 212] as of remitting and loosing, will doo more with these that haue charged them selues with the belief of nothing that is not in expresse writing of Gods woord, then y^e vniforme consent of al ages, and the moste notable persons in the same. In respect of their humour therfore, I wil not say much more for this pointe, then I haue sayed: onely my meaning now is, for the Catholiques comforte, to repete a fewe suche euident sentences out of most authentique authors, by whom we may take a taste not onely of their meaninges, which is much for the matter, but especially, of the Churches practise in al ages & most coūtries chri­stened, since the Apostles time, which I accōpt the most surest way to touche and trye trueth by, that by the example of al our forefathers, euery man may willingly learne to submit him selfe to the sentēce of suche, as God hath made the iudges of his soule, and sinnes.

That confession hath euer bene vsed, of al mortal sinnes, in al coūtries and ages since [...]hristes time, it is proued by the witnesse of moste learned fathers, with an aunswer to suche thinges as oute of the fathers be sometimes obiected to the contrarie. The eleuenth Chap.

I am the longer in this approued trueth, because I remember what S. Chrisostom saieth:D [...] sacer­li. 2. And I see by these dayes, that it is very true which he writeth, Multa arte opus esse, vt qui laborant Christiani, vltrò sibi­ipsis persuadeant, sacerdotum curationibus sese submittere: That it is a pointe of highe wisdom and conning, to bring to passe that Christian men which are sicke in soule, would persuade them selues to submitte in all causes them selues, to the priestes curing. For in deede, in Nectarius his predecessours dayes ther was suche an offence arose to the simple [Page 214] sorte, and such a Trageady in Constan­tinople Church, by the noughty facte of a Deacon there,An aun­svver to a certaine storie, al­leaged by the aduersaries a­gainst Cō fession. that their Bishoppe was gladde, to make the state of pe­naunce, whiche then was often pub­liste euen for priuate sinnes, to be a great deale more free then before. Whervppon, the people tooke occasion of suche liberty and licentious life, that when their common Penitencia­rie by the commandement of Nectarius was remoued, they were exceding loath to confesse, or doo iuste Pe­naunce for their sinnes att all.

Thughe that good man condes­cending to the peoples weakenes, ment neuer to take away that whole order, wherein he had no authority, because it is no politike prouision, but Christes institution: but onely that the penaunce should not be pub­like, except the party listed, of those sinnes which were to the saied Peni­tenciarie, confessed in secrette.

Which facte of his, thoughe per­chaunce it was necessary for that tyme, [Page 215] yet it was not allowed of the Wri­ters of the same History:Lib. 9. ca. 35 tripar. histor. as a thing, (sayeth Sozomenus) that broughte muche dissolute life, and alteration of the peoples manners in to the Churche.

Yet oure aduersaries are in such distresse, for the maintenaunce of their contrary assertion, against ho­lie Confession, that they be not a­shamed to alleadge this mans doubt­full example. Whiche if it were good and to be folowed: yet made yt nothing against priuate shrifte, which they call nowe auricular con­fession, or if it did make againste the whole Sacrament euery way mini­stered, yet it coulde not of reason be folowed, being but one Bishoppes compelled acte, and that disalowed euen of the reporters them selues, and proued to be euel, by the practise of all Churches christened to the con­trary.

And sure it is, that S. Chry­sostome, who succeded Nectarius, had [Page 216] much a doo to bring the people, made more licencious, by the foresayd graunt to the distincte numbering of all their sinnes to the priest,Sermon. de paenit. & cōfess. againe, which he knewe to be necessary by Christes in­stitution, and therefore in exhorting them to confession he speaketh much of bashfullnes, which the people had in vttering their sinnes, and of feare of vpbraiding of suche thinges as they had confessed to the priestes, and of comming furth, as it were, to a publike stage to open their offences, as the vse was in his predecessours dayes. Of al which thinges and other impedimētes of confession, this doctor doth discharge the penitents, by awarranting them, that priuate confession, which is made without witnesse, and to him that shall no laye any thing confessed to theire chardge, or open it to the worlde, is enough, thoughe the open order vsed before, he counteth the more perfect, and better, wherin he saieth, that Iob was not a shamed to con­fesse his faultes before the worlde, muche lesse Christen men shoulde be [Page 217] abashed to open them selues to God, not meaning so by confession made to God, as thoug [...]e he discharged them of opening their sinnes in the close con­sistorie of the priestes iudgment, which he in deede did not, but he meaneth,Magister qua [...]to sē ­tentiarū. as the Maister firste aunswered, and other schole men of greate and exacte iudgement after him, that in steede of publike confession, made in the face of the Church, secrette opening to the priest (who occupieth there the seate of God, and therefore would neuer shame him a fore men) woulde serue.

Mary the trueth is, that the late li­bertie that his people was sette in through the disordered demeanoure of the foresaid Deacon, made this conning shepherd and expert preacher, so to vse his woordes, as they might winne moste of the woorste, and be least offence to the weake. And therefore he speaketh so warelye and indiffe­rentlie, that sometimes he biddeth them confesse to God, and yet with seuerall numberinge of euery of their [Page 228] sinnes, & otherwhiles in the verie same sermon, he saieth, atque oportebat maximè apud homines ea dicere, ād yet they should be opened to men, that so they might vnderstande his meaning, and yet not be hable to reprehend his woordes. Who were so weake, as I sayd, and so vsed to libertie, by the loo [...]ing of the lawe in Nectarius dayes, that S. Chry­sostom had muche a doe to make them submitte them selues, and their sinnes, to the pastours of their soules. Wherin, not onely his great obtestations in the beginning of his sermon, but also his continual bearing on this string, that they should not be confounded nor abashed to vtter their sinnes, proueth plainly, that his onely purpose was, to bring thē to cōfession and penaunce sacramentall, doen by the priestes ministerie. For there he chargeth them, that they did not weepe nor lament, nor confesse their sinnes, which he coulde not doo rightly, if those thin­ges were onely inwardly in cogitation and harte to be doen. For how coulde he know, that they did not make con­fession [Page 219] to man, as we now know that no heretike maketh confession, neither lamenteth, neither doth penaunce for his sinnes, because they haue remoued the way of Goddes Church, whereby suche thinges had wont to be doone, And by which Christ hath appointed it to be doone: Otherwise they will say they confesse them selfes dayly to God, and so did S. Chrysostomes flocke, I warrantyon, but he compted that no sacramentall confessing, excepte they did it to God by the priestes ministery, which is the way of confession, which God hath appoynted.

But who so euer list see the most assured and vndoubted meaning of this holy Father touching confession to a priest, wheron I stand the longer, be­cause oure aduersaries would picke quarells with Goddes Church vpon certeine particles of his sentence, let him reade the second and thirde booke of the dignitie of prieshod, where he doth not onely attribute more dignitie to that order, thē to any other creature vnder God, but also maketh y^e priestes [Page 220] to be as well the iudges as surgeons of our soules as to whom the serching,Lib. 2. de sacerdo­tio. the cutting, the burning, the harde gri­ping, the opening or the closing of eue­rie of oure woundes, and sores of con­science doth aperteine. In all which ca­ses he saith. Qui igitur phramacum ei morbo adhibere quis possit, cuius genus nequaquā in­telligat? how should a man salue that sore, the nature and kinde wherof he knoweth not? and to know it without confession of the partie is not possi­ble.Epist. 188 For the thinges within a mā none knoweth, but the spirite, whiche is in man. And truely sayd the Countie Bo­nifacius to S. Augustine: Ipse sibi dene­gat curam, qui suam medico non publicat cau­sam: He hindereth his owne health, that will not vtter his disease and the cause thereof to his Physition.

And further if you will be assured of the said Chrysostōs mind, touching confession, read his exposition vpō the woordes of the institutiō of this sacra­ment,super 20. Ioannis. and of Christes breathing y^e holy Ghost vpon his Disciples, for their power to remit sinnes. Where he decla­reth, [Page 221] that these holy thinges committed to the priestes charge, doe properly ap­perteine to God, by whose special gra [...] we obteine remission, euen then, when the priest doth absolue vs: where he al­so expresseth the verie maner of the Church, in geuing absolution, till this daye, saing: that the priest doth but, as you would saye, lende his voice, and his hande: Signifieng, that the maner was then, at it is yet, to speake y^e woor­des of absolution, and laye the hande vpon the penitents head, in the sacra­ment of penaunce. So in sense saith S. Chrysostom.

But to leaue him, and fall to other of great antiquitie and lerning, whose iudgmentes also will proue, not onely for the trueth of this doctrine, but also (which is much more) for the vniformi­tie of this open Ceremonie, which the Church of olde vsed, and therefore in y^e like trueth of things, yet kepeth:Diuino­rū decret epist. cap de poeni ten. Theodoritus therefore, a Greke author also, doth playnly insinuate not onely the whole sacramēt, but euē this Ceremo­nie of layng on handes in y^e acte of ab­solution, [Page 222] Sunt medicabilia (saiht he) etiam quae post baptismum fiunt vulnera: medicabilia autem, non vt olim per solam fidem data re­missione, sed per multas lachrymas, & fletus, et ieiunium, & orationem, & laborem facti pec­cati quantitate moderatum. Qui enim non si [...] affecti sunt, eos nec admittere quidem didici­mus, nec diuina sunt manu impertienda. No­lite inquit, dare sanctum canibus, nec marga­ritas porcis: The woundes whith are made euē after Baptisme, be to be hea­led: mary they cā not be remedied as before in Baptisme by remission obteined by onely faith,Remedi­es for sinnes ofter baptism. but they must now be cured by teares and weeping, by fa­sting and praing, and by penaūce mea­sured after the quantitie and nature of the faulte. For who so euer be not so qualified, we haue not learned to re­ceiue thē to grace, neither be the holy giftes to be bestowed wpō thē, by oure hād. Giue not, saieth he, holy things to dogges, nor precious stones to swine.

Thus doth Theodoritus allude also to oure maner yet vsed in the sacramēt where remission is geuē by the priestes woord, & hand. For which cause S Au­gustine [Page 223] calleth this sacrament of recō ­ciliatiō, somtimes,De ba­ptis. con­tra dona tistas li. 8. Cap. 20. Imposition of han­de, as he doth other sacramentes moe also, where y^e priestes by this externall Ceremonie of laying on of handes, vse to giue grace.

But to go forward in oure matter,Quaest. 288. re­gul con­tra. S. Basill a Greke writer also, doth euidē ly shew, both his meaning, & his Chur­ches practise touching confession both oftē els, & namely where he saith, vpon y^e occasiō of a questiō moued touching y^e matter, thus: necessariū est, vt ijs fiat cōfessio peccatorū, quibus dispēsa [...]io mysteriorū Dei cre­dita est. Nam & hoc pacto qui olim inter san­ctos poenitētiam egerūt, fecisse reperiūtur. It is necessarie (saieth he) that oure cōfessiō shoulde be made to them, to whome god hath credited the disposing, ād be­stowing of his holie mysteries. For so the Saintes of old did penaunce, as we reade. And he allegeth more, y^e penaūce was vsed, & special sorowfulnes for sinnes w^t som kind of cōfessiō of sins in ba­ptim: how much more thē must we now vse the same, where it is more required, & where Christ hath instituted a Sacra­ment [Page 224] to that ende, to remit sinnes committed by relapse after Baptisme.

Mat. 3. & Mar, 1.And in dede the custom of Iohn the Baptist proueth that there was a kind of confession necessarie, or at the leaste conuenient before the institutiō of this Sacramēt. For y^e Euāgelistes doo say: Baptizabantur ab eo in Iordane, confi [...]entes peccata sua, men were baptised of him in Iordan, and made cōfession of their sinnes. So that Iohn may seme to haue prepared the way to Christes doctrine and Sacramentes, not onely by his baptisme, but also by the vsing of the people to confesse their faultes: and yet it is not necessarie that his vsage of pe­naunce should be of like force, or should conteyne an exact confession of euerie sinne, as the institution of Christ after­ward did include, no more thē this ba­tism may be thought to be fully answe­rable either in maner of vsage or force & efficacy, to y^e holy sacramēt of Baptisme by Christ instituted for the office of the new lawe And in an other place the sayd S. Basil treateth how yong Nons and holie sacred Virgens shoulde con­fesseQuestio­ne 100. [Page 225] them selues. And in an other place he admonisheth all men to be circūspect in choice of their ghostlie father, by whose sentence, sinnes ought with sin­gular discretion to be iudged or exa­mined. Whereby it is most manifeste, that cōfession to the priestes was vsed, and compted necessarie in his dayes.

Nicephorus later then he,Niceph, cartophi­lax ad Theodos. but a lear­ned Greke writer, declareth also vnto Theodosius a moncke, that the power of binding and loosing sinnes was committed to Bishopes, by oure mer­ciful Lorde Christe Iesus, in so much (saith he) that once all men came and confessed their secrete sinnes to them, by whome they either receiued par­don, or were put backe. But nowe throughe the encrease of Christian peo­ple, and great tediousnes of the worke, they haue cōmitted this busines much what to religious persons, such as he of tried cōditions, for to be most profi­table to others. Thus saith he in sense.

These therfore & many other do testi­fy for their Church, in what solēne vse sacramental Confession hath euer ben. [Page 226] wherin we haue the lesse need to stand lōg, seing y^e same History y^t our Aduer­saries doe somtime alleadge, plainely reporteth, that not only in the Church of Constantinople, but also in the west Churches,Peniten­tiaries appointed to heare Confessi­ons. and namely at Rome, al­waies since Nouatus the Heretiks false opinion touching penance rose, a ver­tuous Priest, sadde, secreat, and wise, was appointed to heare the sinnes of al men, and was called the Penitenti­arie then, as he and the like of that of­fice be called yet. We call them Con­fessours, & of olde in Grece, they were named Spirituall maisters or Fathers, as we now terme them in our Mother tongue, Ghostlie Fathers also. Qui secundùm vnius cuiusque culpam indicebant & mulctam. Who (saieth Sozomenus) according to euery mans faulte, pre­scribed due penance. Which penāce though it were often openlie done by the confessours appointment: yet the sinnes were not knowen, for whiche the penance was prescribed. For the confession was secreat or auricular, as we call it now, as is plaine by the Hi­storie: [Page 227] elles the Prieste of that office, should not haue bene charged with se­crecie and silence, though the confessi­on sometimes was also open, where the penitents deuotion or desire so re­quired, as it may be yet. For it is no mater for the substance of the Sacra­mente, whether it be publike, or pri­uate. And it is the condiscending to y^e peoples weaknes, that, that should be so secreat generally, which often in old time hath ben opē. And yet I think no man was euer cōpelled by any precept of y^e Church, to cōfesse in y^e publik face of the Church, his sinnes that were cō ­mitted secretly.Epist ad Episc. Pi­ceni & Campa­niae. See this place at large by and by folovving, hereafter Though in Leo y^e great his daies, there was a custome not al­lowable, that men were forced to geue vppe a libell openly of all their sinnes. Which rigorous custom, the saied holy Father afterward abrogated. Neuer the lesse the penance was of olde often publike, the fourme wherof appeareth in S. Ambrose, in Tertullian, who both haue written seueral bookes De Poenitentia, Poenitē ­tes. in S. Augustine in sundrie places, and in this present Historie of [Page 228] Sozomenus. And lōg after their daies there were some y^t were called Poeniten­tes, Penitēts: which were barred from y^e holy Cōmunion, & the secrets & sone raigne holy of y^e blessed mysteries of y^e Masse, so long as their prescribed pe­nāce indured, besides fasting, almose, & other like penalties enioyned. And es­pecially in Lēt time, there wer of these deuout publik Penitents, as appereth by diuerse orders of the seruice in the Church, appointed & agreeing to thē, who lightly were seperated till y^e cele­brating of Christes supper & passiō, in y^e holy daies next before Easter. Wher­of yet in most Churches ther remaineth a smal signe, by disciplin geuē to y^e peo­ple with rods on y^e same daies. But now these many yeres, the peoples fea­blenes considered, there is no publike Penance geuen nor receiued in y^e Sa­crament, muche lesse open Confession made of any secret crimes, the Chur­che being well assured, that this Au­ricular Confession fullie aunswereth Christes institution, and agreeth al­so with the often practise of the Primi­tiue [Page 229] Church herein, though the Here­tikes, and some of their faultours, as Beatus Rhenanus, B. Rhe­nanus. or who els so euer wrote the Preface, that commonlie is annexed to Tertullian, deny the same. And truely, seing their wanton plea­sure is, not to beare secreat Confession, I dare sai, thei cā much lesse away with publike Penance or Confession, which is a thousand times more burdenous.

But now if you would cōferre with the Fathers of al ages and of euery no­table Church, touching this Confessi­on to Gods Priests, you may beginne if you list, euen at this day, and driue vppe both the truth of the doctrine, & the perpetual practise thereof, euen to the Apostles time.Sess. 14. Cap. 5. de Confess. Ca. 3. & [...]. In the late holie Councell holden at Trent, bothe the doctrine is confirmed & declared with al grauitie, and also the Aduersaries of that Sacrament, and the misconstru­ers of Christes woordes of remission, to pertaine to preaching of the Gospel, and not to the very act of absolution,De Sacra­ment. Poeniten. be by the consent of al Catholike states of the Christian world, accursed & ex­communicated. [Page 230] It was at Florence also decreed in a most notable generall assemblie of both the Latin and Greke Churche, that as well the whole Sa­crament of Penance as that especiall part which is called Confession, was of Christes institution. In the great Councel holden at Lateran,Can. 21. Omnis vtriusque sexus. there is so plain charge geuen to euery Christian to cōfesse his sinnes, either to his own ordinary Parochian, or to some other Priest, that hath by him, or otherwise authority and iurisdiction ouer the Pe­nitent, that Protestants affirme, albeit very falslie, that Confession was first instituted in y^e said Councel: and this was more then three hundreth yeares since. And foure hundred yeares be­fore that in a Prouincial Councel kept at Vormacia,Can. 7. there is a Canon made cōcerning the qualities of the Priests, that are constituted to be Cōfessours & Penitentiaries, where it is commaun­ded, that they be such, Qui possunt singulo­rum causas, originem quoque, & modum cul­parum sigillatim considerare & examinare, that can particularly trie out and ex­amine [Page 231] the causes of euery offēder, the manner and groūd of their faultes.

Which decree is borowed woord for woorde almost,Can. 102. out of the last Canon of Constantinople Councel, called the sixth general, whiche was long before all the foresaid Synodes. Their dis­course is long vpon the Priests dutie, which should si [...]te on confessions, whō they instruct by these woordes: Opor­tet, qui facultatē absoluendi et ligandi à Deo receperunt, peccati qualitatem speculentur, et peccatoris promptitudinem ad reuersionem, vt sic medicamentum admoueant aegritudini aptum, ne si de peccato sine discrimine sta [...]u­ant, aberrent à salute aegrotantis Those that haue receiued of our Lord, power to loose and binde, must trie out the qualitie of euery fault, and the readi­nesse of the offender to returne to ver­tue, that they may prouide a medicine meet for the malady, least if they should without distincte knowledge of their sinne, geue iudgemēt, they should erre in prouiding health for the sick person.

By which Councell ke [...]t in Con­stantinople, you may easelie gather, [Page 232] that neither Confession was euer o­mitted by lawe, nor the common Pe­nitenciarie long abrogated out of Cō ­stantinople Churche. And when I name these decrees of so many general Councels in diuerse ages, I doe not only cal them generally to witnes for my cause, which were enough, seeing euery determination there, passeth as by the sentence of the holy Ghoste and Christes owne iudgemente, of whose presence such holy assemblance is assu­red, but I appeale to euery holy Bis­shop,Vvhat it is to alle­ge a general Coun­cel. Priest, and Prince of the world, that agreed to the same, and were there assembled, euery of which was of more experience, learning, and vertue, or at the least of more humility, then all our Aduersaries aliue. But now if you go to trye other the learned writers of all times for y^e practise of this point: then our labour shalbe infinit, but our cause more strong, & our Aduersaries soner confounded. I need not for that pra­ctise, name the learned Schoolmen, of excellent capacitie in deepe mysteries, because they were so late, and because [Page 233] Heretikes can not denie, but they are al vndoubtedly against them, and eue­rye one for vs, Thomas Aquinas is oures, Dionysius is oures, I meane the Carthusian. If any man doubt of S. Bernard, lette him reade the life of Malachie (whom he praiseth for brin­ging into vre the most profitable vse of Confession,In vitam Malach. in the rude partes of Ireland. S. Bede is proued before,Super 5. ca. Iacob. not only to haue allowed confession to the Priest, but to haue expounded S. Iames woordes of Confession for the sacramente of Penance, and vttering our sinnes to Gods Ministers. And he recordeth that in oure Countrie of England, before his daies,S. Bede sheweth examples of Cōfes­sion to a Prieste, vsed in England. Cap. 25. Confession was vsed to a Priest. Whereof, as also of Penance and satisfaction, there is an exāple or two in the fourth booke of his Ecclesiasticall Historie of oure Churche.

Before him, S. Gregorie, so well liketh and knoweth this practise of sa­cramental Confession,In Pras­prali Gre­gorij. that in his Pa­storall, he prescribeth the Priestes of Gods Church, many wayes howe to [Page 234] seeke out the diseases of their peoples soules, and according to the variety of the same, to admitte or put backe, to pardon or to punnish:De [...]oen. dist. 6. Cap. de Sacer. S. yea so plaine he is in this matter, that he chargeth the Priest to be exceding grieuously pun­nished, that in, any case shall vtter the Penitentes confession, or anye parte thereof. Againe farre aboue these, holy Leo and Great amending the hard cu­stom that in some places of Italie and Campania, Epist. 80. was vsed, touching publik confession of priuate sinnes, he saieth: Reatus conscientiarum sufficiat solis sacerdoti­bus indicari, confessione secreta. Quamuis e­nim plenitudo fidei videtur esse laudabilis, Vide eū ­dem ad Theodor. Iuli. [...]o­rens. qua propter Dei timorem apud homines erubescere non veretur: tamen quia non omnium huius­modi sunt peccata, vt velint in poenitentiam ea publicari, remoueatur tam improbabilis con­suetudo, ne multi à poenitentiae remedijs arce­antur, dum aut erubescunt, aut metuunt mi­micis suis facta sua reserare, quibus possint le­gum constitutione percelli. Sufficit enim illa confessio, quae primùm Deo offertur, tunc etiam sacerdoti, qui pro debitis confitentium preca­tor accedit. Tunc enim demum plures ad poeni­tentiam [Page 235] potuerunt prouocari, si populi auribus non publicetur conscientia confitentis. Yt is enough,Mark the reasons of this holy Father for auri­cular confession. that the gilt and offences of mans conscience, be opened to y^e Prie­stes alone in secreat Confession. For though the feruoure of faith be verie laudable, which is contente for Gods sake to be ashamed before man: yet be­cause the sinnes of euerye man be not such, that the penitent woulde gladlie vtter openly, let so reprobable custome be abolished, least many be holdē from the remedies of penance, whiles either they are ashamed, or feare to opē their deedes to their ennemies, by whome they might by order of lawe be punni­shed. For that confession is sufficient, which is made first to God, and then to the Priest also, who wil be an inter­cessour for the sinnes of them that con­fesse. For then might moe be prouo­ked to penance, if the secreat conscience of the confessed, be not published to the eares of the people. Thus saieth S. Leo, a man of that time and credite, as our Aduersaries would wish.

Let them say now, that priuate con­fession [Page 236] began in Lateran Councel,Confessiō vsed be­fore La­terane Councel, as vvel as the recei­uing of the B. Sa­crament. be­cause that thing which euer was coun­ted and vsed as necessarie, was there decreed for the amēding of the peoples slouth, to be done euery yeare once at the least, before they receiued the bles­sed Sacrament. As truely may they say, that the Euchariste and receiuing thereof, was begon in the same Coun­cel, and by the very same Canon. For as ther is charge, that euery mā should be confessed: so there is commaunde­ment geuē, that euery man shal receiue once a yeare the blessed Sacrament.

So litle care they haue, what they say, so that thei say enough to begile them, that can skil of nothing.

But to holde on vpwarde, holie Prosper geueth good euidence for his time,De vita contēpt. touching the practise of Confes­sion, and needful recourse to Priestes for the release of their sinnes. Sundrie remedies he sheweth for euerie sore of mans soule, & much he moueth al chri­stiās to cōfesse their sinnes, aduertising thē of y^e danger therof, if thei keep them close, thus he saith: Illi, quorū peccata hu­manam [Page 237] notitiam latēt, nec ab ipsis cōfessa, nec ab alijs publicata, si ea confiteri aut emendare noluerit, Deū quē habēt testē, ipsum habituri sunt et vltorē. Et quid eis ꝓdest, humanū vitare iudiciū, cùm si in malo suo permanserint, ituri sunt in aeternū Deo retribuēte suppliciū? lib. 2. c. 7. Note vvel these vvords of Prosper. That is to say, Those men, whose sins be se­cret, & be not cōfessed of thē selues, nor published by other men, if they wil not confesse them or correct them, they shal haue God their iust reuēger, whō they haue now a record of their wickednes. And what are thei the better to escape mans verdict, when, if they cōtinue in wickednes, by the iust iugemēt of God they shal goe into euerlasting punish­ment?

And afterward in y^e same Chapiter, which is exceding much to be conside­red, he geueth al Priests careful admo­nition, that if any of them hauing com­mitted deadly sin, do notwithstanding without cōfession & vttering of y^e same hold on his ministery of the B. Sacra­mēt, because he would not in y^e sight of men be noted vnworthie, that in this case he damneth him selfe before God, [Page 238] whose heauy indignation he can not a­uoide, whiles he is ashamed to vtter his sinnes vnto men. All this mea­ning hath S. Prosper, De visit. infirmo­rum lib. 2 cap. 4. and his equal in age S. Augustine toucheth the disease of our daies very sharply saying thus: There be some whiche thinke that it is enough for their saluation, if they con­fesse their faultes to Godde alone, to whom nothing is hid, and from whom no mans conscience is close. For they wil not, or they be ashamed, or at the least they disdaine to submitte them­selues to the Priests, whom God hath geuen power vnto, to discearne the cleane from the vnclean. But I would thou shouldest not beguile thy self by false perswasion, or some respecte of shame that thou hast to confesse vnto the Priest, who is Gods Vicare. For I tel thee, thou must vnder his iudge­ment, whom God doth not disdaine, to constitute his Vicegerent.

But this Doctour made a whole woorke of penance, and the wayes of recouerie of Christian mens fall after Baptisme by the Priestes iudgement, [Page 239] and sacrament of Confession. Of whi­che bookes if any man list doubt, yet lette him be assured, that they be bothe auncient, catholike, learned, and agre­able to the doctrine of S. Augustines daies, who so euer made them. And our cause is so much more holpen, be­cause not onely S. Augustine, who is plaine in these maters, vpon S. Mat­thewes Gospel, and elles where, as is declared alredy, but also other of great antiquitie, confirme the same, & plain­ly confound the pride of our daies, in which men are not so muche ashamed of their sinnes, as they be disdainefull to confesse their sinnes vnto a poore Prieste, though he iustlie occupie the very iudgement seat of God.

And S. Ambrose,Ambro­sius ex Paulino. these mens aun­cient somwhat, did knowe this prac­tise so well, and allow it, that he did sit in his owne person on confession, as Paulinus doth recorde, whose behaui­our in that diuine office,S. Am­brose sat on Con­fessions him selfe. that all Prie­stes may perceiue, and all the people note, I will reporte: Quotiescunque illi aliquis ob percipiendam poenitentiam lapsus [Page 240] suos confessus esset, ita flebat, vt illum flere cō ­pellerat. Causas autem criminum, quas illi confitebantur, nulli nisi Domino soli apud quē intercedebat, loquebatur, bonum relinquens exemplum posteris sacerdotibus, vt intercesso­res apud Deum sint, magis quam accusatores apud homines. That is to say: So often as any man came vnto him to confesse his faultes and receiue penance, he so wepte, that he made the Penitente to weepe also. But the faults themselues which they confessed, he vttered to no man but to God alone, to whome for their sinnes he made sute, leaninge a blessed example to al Priests of the po­steritie, to accōpt themselues rather as intercessours to God for sins, then ac­cusers of mē before the world for their sinnes. This saith Paulinus of S. Ambrose, whereby at once we see the iudgement of thē both for our matter.

But go forward. S. Cyprians mea­ning is so plain for confessiō of sinnes, that he prescribeth the very thoughtes of man that be sinful and damnable, to be vttered vnto the Priestes, praising them, that vpon only intent and pur­pose [Page 241] of committing idolatrie, hoc ipsum apud [...]acerdotes Dei dolenter & simpliciter cōfitebantur did simply and sorowfully make confession therof to the priestes of God. Sermon de lapsis. And nowe that we are for the practise & proufe hereof, at S. Cypriā, which is high in Goddes Church, we neede not staye here, though we be far enoughe paste oure Aduersaries ac­compt in suche cases, that laye it downe at Lateran Councell, a whole thousand yeares shorte of those dayes.Tertul. de poenit. I wil not I much speake of Tertullian, whome S. Cyprian calleth Maister, his whole booke writen of penaunce, doth make altogether for this sacrament, and for confession to be made to Goddes prie­stes, which he calleth exomologesin, & prosternendi atque humiliandi hominis di­sciplinam: and emongst other things perteining to y^t acte of confessiō & penaūce which then was much more publike & seuere then it is now, he rekeneth this to be one, Presbiteris aduolui, to be hum­yly layd at the priestes fote, where he also resembleth a man that is lothe to confesse his inwarde faultes, to him, y^t [Page 240] [...] [Page 241] [...] [Page 242] hauing a filthie botche in the secret partes of his bodie, had rather let it rotte vp the member, then for foolish shame fastnes, vtter y^e griefe to his surgeant.

Li. 3. pe­riarchō.But of all other Origen is moste playn. In one place he saieth thus: Qui non prius animae suae vitia, et peccatorum suo­rum cognouerit mala, et proprij oris confessione prodiderit, purgari atque absolui non pote­rit. He that knoweth not perfetly the sinnes of his owne soule and the noughtines of his offēces, that he may vtter them by the confession of his owne mouth, he cā not be clensed nor absolued of his sinne. super Le­uit. ho­ [...]ill. 2. And in an other place thus: there is after Baptisme one painefull way of remission of sinnes, Cum lauat peccator in lachrymis stratū suum & non erubescit sacerdoti Domini indicare & quaerere medicinam, sicut scriptum est, Iniqui­tatē meam pronunciab [...], when the sinner watereth his couche with teares, and is not ashamed to vtter al his sinnes to the priest of God, ād to seke remedy as it is write: I wil cōfesse mine iniquity. S. Dionyse, also an Apostolik mā, doth inuincibly proue vnto vs, that cōfessiō [Page 243] to a priest, and the sacrament of penaū ­ce was in vse in his dayes, that is to saye, in y^e Apostles time,Epist. ad Demo­philum. for he was S. Pauels scholer. He checketh verie ear­nestly one Demophilus a noughtie Monke,Monkes in S. Dionyse tyme. that you maye see Monkes be olde, when there was an euell one in S. Dionyse dayes, and yet ther was an euel Apostle before there was an euell Monke, y^t you maye see both orders be aunciēt, thoughe,A poenī ­tēt thrust back frō cōfessiō, and the priest reviled by a levvd Monke. be they neuer so holy they can not be alwayes void of euell. But this Demophilus I saye, bare a great rebuke of Dionysius, y^t he vsurped once a priestes place & functiō, & y^t on a time he thrust backe frō y^e priest, & rebu­ked cōtēptuously a poore penitēt y^t ca­me to cōfessiō, and called y^e priest sitting on confession a wretch and a miser, y^t he durst take vpō him to make a sinner a iust mā. Which woordes were verie fit for Luthers mouth, an other reli­gious mā of like humor and honestie. So soon was cōfession hated of y^e wic­ked, and so spedily was it defended of the faithfull, as of S. Dionisie, who here calleth the orders & diuine actes [Page 244] of penaunce, the decrees and instituti­ons of God.

I can not stande vpō euerie pointe, which greueth me much, my matter is so passing fructfull, & one worthie wit­nesse is yet behind,Epist. ad fratrem Domini. S. Clemēt (I mean him that S. Peter made his successor. Si fortè (saith he) in alicuius cor vel liuor vel infidelitas, vel aliquod malum labenter erepse­rit, non erubescat, qui animae suae curam gerit, confiteri ei qui praeest, vt ab ipso per verbum & concilium salubre curetur, quò possit fide inte­gra & bonis operibus, poenas eterni ignis [...]ua­dere, et ad perpetuae vitae praemia peruenire If either enuie, or infidelitie, or any other greuouse sore priuilie possesse mans soule, let not him y^t hath any care of his saluatiō, be ashamed to cōfesse it to him that is his Prelate, that throughe his woorde and counsel, he maye be healed of his sinnes and that in true faith and good woorkes he maye escape hel, and atteine to euerlasting life T. hus S. Cle­ment.

The authour by iuste causes was moued to beleue the trueth of this doctrine of Pardōs, before he knewe the meaning of them: and afterwarde founde them to be of greater importaunce, then he tooke them before to be. The first Chapter.

OF the highe power of remission and pardoning of sinnes, giuen by Christ to his onely spouse the Church, in the persons of her holy Bishopes and priestes, as a thing annexed to the whole order, & to be exercised in the sacramēt of penaūce, [Page 252] vpon al men that be of their seuerall iu­risdictions, and humbly shall submitte themselues by confession of their faultes to their iudgementes, I haue already spoken so muche, as may suffice for the satisfiyng of the sober, and iust reproufe of the contentious. And now because, as wel the course of my former matter, as the speciall neede of these dayes dri­ueth me therevnto, I wil make further searche and trial of the right of that cha­lenge,The argument of the trea­tise folo­vving. which as wel the highe Prieste, as other principall Pastours and Bi­shoppes make, by the force of their pre­lacie and keye of iurisdiction, ouer and aboue the power of orders, touching Pardons & Indulgēcies. Wherof whi­les I doo intreate, the more attention & hede I require of thee (gentle Reader) because here al the lamentable Tragedy and toile of this time first did begin, and here haue al those that perished in the late contradiction of Core principally fallen.

And in no article of Christian faith euer more offence hath bene receiued of all sortes almost euen of the wise, then [Page 253] in this one of the Popes pardons. And to be plain in the matter,Tvvo causes mo­ued the Authour to think [...] pardons good. where sincerity is most required, two causes mo­ued me to beleue, like, and allowe the sayde power of Pardons and indulgen­cies, long before I either knew the cō ­modity of them, or had sought out the ground and meaning of them. First was the Churches authority, which I credited in al other articles long before I knewe any of them, or coulde by rea­son or scripture mainteine them. Whose iudgemente to folowe by my Christian professiō in al other pointes, and to for­sake in this one of the Popes Pardōs, had bene mere folly, and a signe of phā ­tasticall choice of thinges indifferent, which is the proper passion of heresy. Neither did I thē know, that y^e Church of Ch [...]i [...] had allowed such thinges, be­cause I had red the determination of any generall Councels, or the Decrees of some chife gouernours of the sayde Church touching suche Pardons, or be­cause I had by histories and note of di­uers ages seē the practise of the faithfull people herein, by whiche wayes her [Page 254] meaning of doubtfull thinges is most assuredly knowen, but onely I deemed that the Church allowed them, and mi­sliked the contrary, because such as bare the name of christiā folke and catholike men did approue them, and sometimes lamented the lacke of them.A good rule for, the vn­learned. And surely for an vnlearned man, I count it the briefest rule in the worlde, to kepe him selfe both in faith and conuersatiō euer with that company, which by the gene­ral and common callinge of the people, be named Catholikes. For that name kept S. Augustin him selfe in the trueth and trew Church,Contra e­pistolam Manichaei quam vocant fun­damenti cap. 4. muche more it may doe the simple sorte, who is not hable to stande with an Heretique, that will chalēge the Church to him selfe, by So­phistical reasons, frō the Christiās, that for lacke of learninge, can not aunswer him. Well, this cōpany of Catholikes brought me to knowe the Church, & my Creed caused me to beleue the Churche no lesse cōcerning the Popes Pardons, then any other arcicle of oure Christian professiō, which though it were not of like weight, yet it was to me of like tru­eth, [Page 255] and al in like vnknowen at y^e time.

The second cause that moued me to reuerence the power of pardoning in the highe Bishope,The secōd cause that moued the vvri­ter herof to beleue that par­dōs vve [...] good. and to like his Indul­gencies, was the very persons of them which first reproued the same. In whō because I saw y^e world to note & won­der at other many most blasphemouse & inexcusale heresies, I verily deemed (thoughe I was then for my age almost ignorant of al thinges) that this opi­nion and impugnation of Pardons, coulde neither be of God nor of good motion, that first beganne in them, and begatte suche a number of most wicked and contentious opinions, as streight vpō the costrolling of the Churches po­wer herein did ensue, not onely against Christes officers in earth, but against his Saintes in heauen, and against him selfe in the blessed Sacrament. This extreme & intollerable issue methought verely could haue no holy entrance, & therefore, with the other named cause stayed me in the Churches faith, euen thē whē I had no feeling nor sense in the meaning of these matters.

But afterwarde, reading the history of the pitiful fal of oure time, and there considering the finister intent and occa­sion of the first improufe of Pardons, & al y^e strāge endeuours of Luther (whose name is cursed to all good men) who first in all mans memory, sauing one wicleffe, who was condemned in Con­stance Councel for the same, was so bold onely vpon contentiō and couetousnes to condemne that, which him self in cō ­science knewe to be true and lawful, I could not but muche be confirmed in my faith therby. And yet al this while thoughe the matter of Pardons seemed to me to be more and more sounde in it selfe, and as true as the Spirite of God is true, who was the authour thereof in the Church: yet I did not then con­sider of it, as a thing of any great im­portance, but I conceiued it to be a smal matter subiect to a certayne iugling in reason, such as wicked mē lightly make their closse & crafty entrance by, to more mischief, and further attemptes against the commō faith of the Church. I could not then conceiue, which I afterwarde [Page 257] so plainly, and nowe more and more by the better suruiewe of the cause doe perceiue, that in this one falshod there was couertlie conteined the very pith of falshod, and improufe of the greatest matters which life and faith doe stand vpon. Thou wouldest not thinke, I dare say, into what a summe & abridg­ment,The mat­ter of pardons is of greater impor­tāce then it semeth. heresy hath by the Deuils deuise and Luthers seruice drawen her selfe into. For by this one false conclusi­on, and for maintenance thereof, this man and his posteritie haue taken a­way al penance & satisfaction for sinne, haue spoiled the Church of her iust and most necessary discipline, haue control­led Gods own holy vsage in correcti­on of his children, haue entred into his secretes of the next world, and there a­bandoned the place of his iustice and iudgement for sinnes that be remitted, but not enough to his wisedome and will corrected, haue robbed the holie Saintes of al their merites, that is to saye, Christe of his giftes and grace, whereby onely they be so soueraigne and satisfactorie, haue imbarred the [Page 258] body mysticall of Christ, of the benefite which y^e whole & euerie mēber thereof should receiue by the satisfactiō & holy works of y^e cōmon hed, which is Christ, haue brokē y^e cōmuniō of Saints, & the swete felowship of all the holy mēbers of Gods Church, & the benefite which riseth from eche to other, by mutuall participation of their good woorkes & desertes, & to be short, haue by this one falshod preached against pardons, done iniury to Christ, to his Church, to his Saintes, & to his Sacramentes, & haue myghtelie shaken the whole frame of Christian Religion and doctrine.

I do not here riot in woords to ouer­runne my aduersaryes in talke, or to make more of the matter then it is: but assuredly without the distruction of all these so necessary articles of our fayth, there can no man defend Luthers doc­trine agaynst Indulgences.How Luter fum­bled at the first about disgracing of pardōs I know he fumbled at the beginning otherwise then his felowes and folowers to dis­grace the same, sometimes by holding the pardons to be lawfull, but not pro­fitable: other whiles, to be deceites, but [Page 259] yet inuented for holy purposes, nowe by auouching they could not stāde with Gods iustice, if they should remit any parte of the apointed paine for sinnes, and ells when that there was no paine for remitted sinnes at all, wherevpon the indulgencies should not be neede­full, but vaine and friuolous: with such other incōstant stāmering, as lightly is cōmon to thē y^t seke to vphold falshod against their owne skill & consciences.

But his folowers,Hovv far other protestantes proceded synce. as wel of the Pro­testants as Zuingliās and Caluinistes, to make y^e way of wickednes more easy & playn, haue boldly denied all penance & tēporal payn for sinne remitted, whe­ther it be by Christs or y^e Churches en­ioyning, haue taken away Purgatorie, haue bereued Priesthod of all power, & y^e Church of all her treasure of Christes copious & abundāt redēptiō. Whervpō I cā not otherwise iudge, but y^e doctrin which ells cā not be refelled, but by the waste of so many vndoubted articles, should stād exceding fast, & be groūded most surely vpō all these foresaid true­thes, without y^e destructiō wherof it cā [Page 260] not be of any force ouerturned.

Therfore, least any man by making smaller accompt of so litle a branche of the Churches faith, then he should do, fal further vnto y^e mistrusting of other many of knowē importāce, I thought it good, to debate the question of Iu­dulgencies, which be now commonly called the Popes Pardons, though not onely hee, but also other Prelates of Christendome haue their seueral right, eche one according to the measure of the Churches graunt, and his iurisdic­tion therein. In which matter, be­cause most men of smaller trauail haue erred, rather by misconstruing y^e case, and mistaking the state of the cause, thē for any lacke of sufficient proufe of the matter after it were wel vnderstanded: I wil studie first, clearly to open the meaning of that, whereon we stande, and then to go through the whole que­stion with as much light and breuitie as I can: tempering my self, as much as I may, from al such subteltie, as the depth of so grounded a conclusion, and the learned disputatiōs of Schoolmen [Page 261] might driue me vnto. Wherein, I am content, rather to followe the desire & contentation of the Reader, then to sa­tisfie my owne appetite, which I feele in my selfe, to be somwhat more gree­die of matter sometimes, then y^e com­mon people, whome I study moste to helpe, can well beare, and yet if they thinke it any vantage to know truth, and the necessary doctrin of their faith, they must learne to abide the orderlie methode, and cumpasse of the cause, and further I shal not charge them.

For the true meaning of Pardons, and to remoue some vntrue surmises tou­ching the same, it is declared that the Pope neuer tooke vppon him by par­don to remitte deadlye sinne, muche lesse to giue any man licence to sinne. The second Chapter.

FOR the vnderstanding therefore of the tearme,Pardon, grace, or indulgēce vvhat they sig­nifie. Pardon, or grace, or In­dulgence, let it be con­sidered, y^e proprely they import not the remission of any deadly [Page 262] crime considered in them selues, and as separated frō the sacramēt of penaunce, nor yet signify any release of eternall damnation or euerlasting punishment, which onely alwayes is remitted when the deadly sinne, for which it was due, is forgiuen. For there can no power in earth be so greate, nor any mans iuris­diction so ample, that he may forgiue mortal offences, since the institution of the Sacrament of penaunce, except he vse the confession of the party with his contrition and sure intent neuer to cō ­mitte the like againe, yea and with pur­pose to satisfy the iustice of God, by Christes grace as he may, according to the enioyning of his iudge therein. For God him selfe, because he is righteous and true, can not forgiue any man his sinnes, either by this sacrament of pe­naunce, or otherwise, being of yeares & time of discretion, except he be penitent for the same: that is to say, except he be both contrite, and at the least willing to cōfesse his offences, if it be after relapse, and to suffer due correction therefore.Deadly sinne af­ [...]er Bap­tisme can not ordi­narily be pardoned b [...]t b [...] the S [...]cra. of penance. And seing God cā not pardon any man [Page 263] of his deadly sinnes, except he be thus qualified: much lesse may a mortal man, be he neuer so great in dignittie or cal­ling in the Church, take vpō him to for­geue or pardō him y^t is gylty of deadly syn & dānation, without the cōfession & submission of y^e penitēt, as is premised. All this trueth hangeth orderly vpō the necessitie of the sacramēt of penaunce, & Christes ordinance therein, whereby he hath made dedly sinnes only remissible in y^e sacramēt, by the cōfession of y^e party to a priest, who hath in his order recei­ued power to remit them, as is suffici­ently proued in the former parte of this treatise, & it is only, a priest whether he be of base state or of high dignity, that cā laufully loose mans sinnes, as by the keye of his order as they terme it, with sufficient iurisdiction ouer the penitent for the secret discussing of his conscience in this sacramēt of confession.

Vpon which grounde you may well perceiue,Marke well. that the Popes remission and Pardō, being a publike acte of the keye of his highe iurisdiction & rule ouer the flocke of Christ, & not an exercise of his [...] [Page 364] [...] [Page 365] [...] [Page 266] iudgement of his ghostly father, thē can not y^e pope or any other power in earth, forgiue him by any grace or indulgēce, which taketh only place vpō such as be alreadie loosed frō their mortal crimes.

Then herevpon the Reader must learne, and diligentlie consider, that we attribute a greate deale more power to any simple and base priest, in this base, and by force of the sacrament, then we doe to the highest Pope or Patriarch in the worlde, oute of the sacramēt, woor­king onely by the right of his iurisdic­tion and gouernance of the people. The cause is, that the effecte of remission of sinnes procedeth from Christ more abū ­dantly in the grace of sacramētes, which be ministered by the priest, principally by his power of orders,Keyes in the Church be of tvvo sorts. Mat. 16. Esai. 22. Apoc. 3. Keie of Order. thē it doeth by the high iurisdictiō and key of gouern­ment of any man with out y^e sacrament. I trust euery man vnderstādeth, y^t ther is in the Churche a dooble Key (for so the doctours and schooles folow Christ in that Metaphore, and him selfe y^e Prophetes) the one of Order, which is the power annexed or giuen in the order to [Page 267] woorke any holy function, by ministe­ring of sacramentes, or other thinges to them belōging: as to cōsecrate the Sa­cramēt of y^e Altar, to absolue in penāce, & so furth in the rest, to woorke in euery of them according to their institution.

There is an other Keye of regiment and rule of the Church or some princi­pall portion thereof,Keie of iurisdi­tion. which is called the Key or power of iurisdiction. Nowe by this power of regiment and rule, as no man can take vpō him to consecrate, so no man out of the sacrament of penāce, can take vpon him to absolue any man of deadlie sinnes and damnation due therfore. For though, some doo think, y^t S. Paule did absolue the incestuous Corinthian both of his sinne and dam­nation, with al temporall punishment due therefore after assured repentaunce of the partie, out of the sacrament of penaunce: yet I can not agree in any case thervnto, because the sacrament of Cōfessiō hath euer ben of necessity since Christes institutiō thereof, & because y^e remissiō of sinnes is so proper a worke vnto God, that no creature could euer [Page 268] woork the same absolutely without sa­crament, sauing only the humanitie of Christ, to which the actes of Diuinity, as being vnited to the Godhead, were communicated, vpon which it is certē, that Christ our Sauiour might remitte sinnes absolutely out of al external sa­cramentes,Christ might absolutelie, vvithout sacramēts remitte sinnes. by his woord and will on­ly, which being the power of excellen­cie, was, as Diuines doe think, com­municated to no other creatur, in what iurisdiction or preheminence so euer he should be placed. And in the act of absolutiō and remission of sinnes we must not in Christ our Sauiour, put any suche seperation of his double na­tures, that we need to doubt, but re­mission of sinnes proceedeth ioyntlie frō that one excellēt person being both God & mā. Neither is it to be thought y^t S. Paul did pardon the foresaid Pe­nitent any other waies then by y^e hāds of the ministers & Priests of the Corinthian Church. For though the confes­sion & penance of the party were pub­like, as y^e sin it self was opē, yet y^e vsage of the Apostle, & open practise of y^e Co­rinthiā [Page 269] Church towards him, was no lesse a sacramēt then, than it is now be­ing secret. Therefore I doubt not, but S. Paul spake especially to y^e Priestes of the Corinthians, when he willed thē to cōfirm their charitie towards y^e sin­ner, & to forgeue him by their ministe­ry, whō he thought in absence worthie to receue y^e grace & pardō at their hāds, whereof we shall speak more hereafter in place cōuenient. We do not thē ex­alt y^e Pope or Bishops in this case any thing so farre as heresy seemeth, or the simplicity of many mē cōceiueth wher­as they may wel vnderstād, y^t we geue more authority to y^e most simple Priest aliue in respect of his Order & because of the satramēt by which he worketh, then to the Pope, or highest Potentate in y^e world, cōsidering but only his iu­risdiction. And therfore S. Peter him self, who receiued both the keies, as al­so other Apostles and Bishoppes, ha­uing as wel the keye or power of Or­ders, as the keie of iurisdiction, & regi­ment of their subiects, may doe y^e actes of both the keies, that is to say, may as [Page 270] wel laufully minister sacramentes of al sortes, as also exercise iurisdictiō vpon their subiectes in such thinges as we hereafter shal declare. But out of y^e sa­cramēts only by y^e vertue of their iu­risdictiō, to absolue mē of mortal sins, though they be subiect vnto them, they can not, nor as I thinke euer Pope or Prelate toke vpō him any such prehe­minēce. And therfore let this be y^e first point of our cōsideration: y^t the Popes Pardōs or Indulgēce which he geueth in respect of his iurisdictiō,Popes pardons vvithout the Sacr. of confes­sion for­geue not deadlye synnes. which also, as most men do thinke, he might geue when he were once elected, before he wer a priest or any other bishop in like case according to y^e cōpasse of his regi­mēt: let it be first noted, I say, y^t suche pardōs, how so euer they be geuen, out of y^e sacramēts do not forgeue sins y^t he deadly. And if any mā thought before y^t the Pope might or did vse to geue such liebral graūts or pardōs, wherby w^tout y^e sacramēt of penāce or confession any mā might claim ful remission of all his deadly sins, let him correct y^e miscōstru­ing the matter in him self, & assuredlie [Page 271] know, y^t it is not so thought of Gods Church, nor so meant by the geuer, nor so expressed in any pardon.

Notwithstāding, the power of Iuris­dictiō sometimes ioyneth w^t the sacra­mēt of penāce & the power of Orders: as when any Indulgence is geuē furth by y^e Pope, in which is expressed, y^t who so euer shal be partaker therof, must cō ­fesse him selfe, & be cōtrite for his sinnes past, & therwith receiue y^e holy sacramēt of y^e Altar, & such like,Somety­mes a pardon ioy­neth vvith the Sacramēt of Cōfes­sion. by this pardon so ioyning w^t y^e sacramēt of remissiō, or in a maner includīg y^e same, a ful forgiuenes is had of al sins & payn therfore, which in y^t case may be called, as it is, a plena­ry remissiō, or a pardon à poena & culpa, frō both y^e fault, & y^e payn due therefore.

Ther be also certain greuous crimes which euery curat or priest Parochiā cā not remit,Of causes reserued. because they be reserued to y^e audiēce of y^e higher pastours. For in the sacramēt of Penāce ther is a power iu­diciary, & therefore can not be practised laufully, but vpō subiect persōs, & cau­ses not exēpted frō their iugemēt, & ex­cepted frō their audiēce. In which cases [Page 272] the persons of higher iurisdiction, to whom by right and law the cognition of those reserued sinnes belong, doe sometimes vpon occasion giuen, com­municate their power to y^e said simple Priests, and doe license them to exer­cise their iurisdiction vpon persons & causes not proprely perteining vnto them: as when the Popes Indulgēce geaueth the sinner leaue to choose his Ghostly Father, and by him y^t he may be assoiled euen from such sinnes as be reserued to the supreame power of the Church. In this matter also, the In­dulgence ioyneth with the ordinary sa­crament of penance, and the Minister receiueth iurisdiction by the Indul­gence, to heare and assoile the Penitent of such sinnes, as before were not sub­iect to his peculiar regiment: & there­fore this is also called a pardon from sinne, and the paine for sinne, and a ful remission.

That thou be not deceiued herein, vnderstand, good Reader, that euery Priest in his taking Orders, and by Christes graunt, hath ful power to re­mitte [Page 273] al sinnes, and al men of their sin­nes that be penitent, & yet that this po­wer can not be practised by the lawe of nature indifferently vpon all, because this sacrament and none other is iudi­cial, & therefore profitably can be exten­ded no further, but to them that be of their subiection and regiment. Where so euer the priest consecrateth, it is ef­fectual: whome so euer be baptiseth, he is lawfully Christianed: whome so e­uer the Bishoppe ordereth, he standeth truely ordered, & so furth, though they should not herein medle in other mens cures, without special licence,No Bi­shoppe nor prist can ab­solue thē which be not their subiects. sufferance or necessity. But no man can assoile any persō at al, that is not subiect vnto him, either ordinarily or otherwise, because it is an acte of Iurisdiction, & therefore, though his power of orders be in it self sufficient, yet by that onely he can not absolue any man, but in necessity, ex­cepte he haue withall authority ouer the person, and in that case wherein the penitent requireth his sentence, which Iurisdiction he may haue, either ordinarily, as vppon all those that be [Page 274] of his charge, or els extraordinarily by some special graunt of the superiour, as Bishope or Pope, as we may see in the formes and course of Indulgencies di­uers times. And thus cōsidering of the matter, you see that the Popes Pardons, as they be onely proper to the acte of Iurisdiction, separated from the power of priesthod, and sacramental confession, can not remitte the sinnes them selues, neither damnatiō due for their reward, thoughe, because licence commeth and procedeth by thē, to the inferioure prie­stes, to remitte sinnes in al cases, they may be called, as I sayde, plenary and most liberal graces and grauntes to as­soile man both from sinne and the pu­nishement that is due therefore.

Venial sins may be remit­ted by pardons and many other vvaies vvithout cōfession.The Popes Pardons also, may well reache so farre, as to take away veniall and daylie infirmities, which be of their nature punishable, but by some tempo­ral payne and correction, because they be remissible many wayes out of the sa­cramēt, both here in this life, and in the next. For the merites of Christ may be applied sufficiently to the offenders in [Page 275] suche light maner of trespaces, without the especial grace of a sacrament: as by saing oure Lordes praier (saith S. Au­gustine) and by almose, and by the holy Sacrament of the Aultar either recei­ued or deuoutelie adored, by sacrifice now of the holy Masse, much more then in olde time in the sacrifices of the law, and by the holy peace or blessinges of Christ and his Apostles and Bishopes after them, and by their Pardons.

Therfore to him that is free from gre­uous sinnes or pardoned of the same, al these thinges shal be commodious to­wards the remissiō of his lesser infirmi­ties: but if he be in state of damnation, and out of Goddes fauour, which grace must be procured onely by the Sacra­ments of Baptisme or Penaunce, he can not obteine any Pardon at the Pop [...]s handes neither aliue nor dead, nor none was euer meant vnto him.

That the Popes pardōs properly perteine to the remission of temporal paine due for mortall sinnes remitted before in the Sacrament of penaunce, whervp­on the ful meaning of pardons is ope­ned. The Third Chapter.

THE Popes Holines then, being disburde­ned by most iust meās frō all causes of enuy, rising vpon y^e surmise or open sclander, that he would forgiue mēs sinnes euen before they were cōmitted, as thoughe he should graunt furth a li­cence, for men to conmit notorious cri­mes, yea, being proued to be so farre from that facte, that he taketh not vpon him by his Pardons, so much as to re­lease any mortal sinne at al, & therefore, that he neuer arrogated so muche vnto him selfe in these matters, in respecte of his iurisdicion onely, as is must iustely graunted to the simplest priest aliue, [Page 277] that is lawfully ordered: the case stan­ding then before God and al the worlde so cleare with him, lette vs see what he claimeth by his iurisdictiō, and in what sense his Pardons doo remitte or release any thinge to man, seing in matters of mortal sinne, otherwise then by ioyning with the Sacrament of Penaunce, he doeth not intermeddle with remission at al.

Truely, to be plain and briefe,The true meaning of the Popes Par­dons. they that be y^e gouernours of Gods Church doe chalenge nothing els, nor meane nothing ells by their Pardons, but the release and pardoning of such punishe­ment as is often due after the sinnes be remitted in the sacrament of Confessiō, that is to saye, they pardon the Pe­naunce enioyned by the ghostly Father, or that should haue bene enioyned by the rigour of their Canons, and by the lawe, according to the quantitie of the sinne confessed: And what lesse can they, being the appointed pastours of oure soules and gouernours of the Church, what lesse can they chalenge, then to forgiue that punishement or some parte [Page 278] thereof, which the lawes did prouide, whereof they were the makers or exe­cutours themselues, and consequently to remitte suche punishement as might ensue for the lacke of fulfilling thereof? There is no temporall Prince, but he may by his Princely Prerogatiue par­don any seueral fault cōmitted either a­gainst his owne person, or y^e cōmon we­alth, y^t is to say, discharge the offēder, of y^e paine, which by law he should suffer. And why should we think it straunge, y^t those mē, to whome by expresse woor­des of Christ more preheminence is gi­uen for their iurisdiction spirituall, then to any Prince aliue is geuen by law or nature for their ciuile Regiment, why should we thinke it straunge, that they shoulde pardon or release the paines and penalty appointed by the Ghostly Father, or prescribed by the lawe, or due to the sinne it selfe by Goddes iu­stice, if there were no lawe for the case, or order taken of the Church past?

And that it is the temporal punishe­ment onely, which they meane to par­don by their Indulgencies, it may be [Page 279] euident both by that we haue sayde be­fore, and also by the woordes of course in most Indulgencies, in which lightly you see this clause: De poenit entijs iniunciis, we assoile them from their enioyned penaunce, or from the penaunce of so many dayes or yeares, as may be seene plainly in the holy Councell of Late­ran, and in the Decrees hoth of in­nocentius the thirde and fourth. The sinne it selfe is not measurable by ti­mes and yeares,Can. 62. De peni­ten. & re­mission cap. quod au [...]em. for it is a simple and indiuisible acte or affection of minde or man, as oure schooles speake in suche matters, and therefore a man can not be assoiled from parte of his sinne, and bound in the other parte, but he that forgiueth the gilte and faulte of sinne, which the Prophet calleth iniquitatē pec­cati, he releaseth no dayes nor yeares,Psal. 31. but he forgiueth the very faulte it selfe. Neither is ther any eternall punishe­ment, which can be eased by any nūber of dayes, wer they neuer so many. Take you frō an infinit & endlesse thing, how much you list, & it shal be eternall still.

Then it is onely temporall punishe­ment, [Page 028] which before God and the world is limited by certaine proportion of the wickednes comm [...]tted, and of that sa­tisfaction which Goddes iustice requi­reth at the handes of the party peni­tente, which can be released by dayes or yeares,Pardo­ning for dayes ād yeares is onely meant of the pu­nishemēt for sins. in parte or in whole. And therefore the Popes or Bishopes Par­dons onely forgiue temporall punishe­ment enioyned, or at the least due for aunswere of Gods righteousnes to be enioyned. Wherein also the Magistra­tes of the Church haue suche care and consideration, that they remitte not so muche as any one daye of enioyned penaunce or deserued punishment, but by recompence of the lacke of mans sa­tisfiyng, with some portion of Christes abundant desertes applied by the vse of their Keies, to the reliefe of suche as doo lacke, and for their zeale and deuo­tion, are not vnwoorthy to receiue be­nefite by the singular treasure of the common wealth to helpe them in their priuate neede. But for this matter looke for more towarde the ende of this Booke.

And now vpon the foresayd declara­tion, lette this be as it were agreed vpon, and let the Aduersaries wel vn­derstand, this to be the meaning of the Catholike Church, that an Indulgen­ce or pardon is nothing ells but a re­mission in parte or in whole of y^e bonde of that punishment which is enyoned or deserued,VVhat a pardō is. after the mortall sinnes be remitted, Goddes iustice being other­wise for the sayde sinnes recompensed by the common treasure of Christ and his Sanctes satisfaction, which is ap­plied vnto the parties vse by the Key­es of iurisdiction graunted to suche as Christ made the Stewards of his hous­hold, y^e disposers of his mysteries. For the Church of God and her Pastours, though they be mercifull and inclined to remission, rather then rigoure, yet they take not vpon them, neither in the sacrament of Penaunce to remit sinne and damnatiō, neither out of the sacra­ment to release any paine or parte of punishment enioyned, without recom­pence therof by Christes copious redē ­ption, and the communion of holy [Page 283] workes, that is betwext the head and membres of this mysticall bodie of Christ.

Payn due for sinne maye re­mayn, af­ter the sinne be forgeuē.Perchance some Protestant wil here call vs backe, and require proufe, that there should be any payne or temporal correctiō remayning for those persons which haue their sinnes forgiuē by God in the sacrament of Penaunce, or other­wise by the onely faith of the partie pe­nitent, as he maye perhapps surmise. If he list to be satisfied in this case, let him turne backe and take a short view of the woorkes of God since the be­ginning, and there consider well, whe­ther God him selfe, hath not cōmonly visited his children receiued to mercie, with some correction aunswerable in respect of his iustice to the greuousnes of the crime forgiuen.

Who is so frowarde or so rude, but he maye well discerne betwixt the fault of oure firste Father, & the punishment of euerlasting dānation deserued there by? His sinne was one thing, his de­serued punishment an other thing: his sinne was disobedience, his punishmēt [Page 282] correspondent to that, was euerlasting death. Yet when so euer one of these two is forgiuen the other must needes be forgiuen also, be cause he can nei­ther be subiect to damnation, whose sinne, for which damnation was ordei­ned, is forgiuen, neither his fault be forgotten, whose euerlasting perishing is prouided, which is the reward of sin. But now,Cap. 10. both these being at once throughe Christ remitted to Adam, as we reade in y^e booke of wisdō, who per­ceiueth not, y^t he was for all that long afterward subiect to tēporal death and many other miseries both of this life & y^e next, being only punishmēts appoin­ted by God for y^e ful satisfyng euen of those sinnes, which were forgiuē him.

Looke at the Prophete Dauid,2. Reg. 12 whether God corrected him not with temporall scourge, after he had ex­presselie forgeuen hym by the war­rant of the Prophete Nathan, his gre­uouse sinnes.Exod. 32 Consider the case of all Goddes electe people, howe sharpely they were visited for sinne,Num. 12. after it was in them pardoned. Marcke whether [Page 284] Marie Moyses his sister was not pu­nished and separated seuen dayes, as it wer for penance after her brethern had procured her pardō at Gods handes. Thus hath God of respecte not onely to mercie, but also partely to iustice, so alwayes pardoned, that he hath had cō ­sideration of iudgment and righteous­nes. Nowe whome should the Church folow in remitting of sinnes, but him by whose power and warrant she doth remitte sinnes?

Seeing God then him selfe after he hath by his owne means and absolute power pardoned manens faultes, and discharged him of the sentence of death and damnation, hath yet enioyned pe­naunce, as when he saide to Adam: In the sweare of thy browes thou shalte p [...]ouide for thy liuing: Gen. 3. And to Ewe. Thou shalt in paine bring furth thy children: And to them both: that they should die the temporall death, though they might escape by his mercie euerla­sting miserie: seing this, we need not to doubt, but temporall punishment often remaineth after the sinnes be remitted, [Page 285] and that the Church of God doth uni­tate most conueniently the sayed mer­cie ioyned with iustice, in all her moste righteous practise of pardoning and punishing sinne in Christes behalfe, by whose iurisdection she herein holdeth. But for the further proufe of this mat­ter. I haue saide muche in the def [...]nse of Purgatorie, and this question properlie perteineth to that place.

That Christ gaue by his expresse word authoritie to the pastours of Goddes Church, to binde and loose not onely the sinnes them selues, but also that tē ­porall paine or penaunce remaining after the sinnes be [...]orgiuen. The Fourth Chapter.

BVT now for the great iurisdiction that Goddes Church hath in releasing y^e same punishmēt which remaineth after the [...]a [...]e be forgiuen, it standethe, no doubte, vppon that highe commission whiche [Page 287] Christ receiued of this Father, and did cōmunicate most amply to y^e Apostles, and by them to all Bishopes for euer. For the Father did not onely honour Christ his Sonne according to his hu­manitie with the power of priesthod, or with other soueraigntie for the institu­tion of Sacramentes, or suche like, but with all regiment of that bodie, wherof he is the head, as he is man. By which key of iurisdiction he corrected sinners with great Maiestie, & pardoned thē at his pleasure, not only of sinne & euerla­sting pain, where y^e penitēce of y^e partie did so require, but also of suche correc­tiō as y^e law had prescribed for sinne, or Gods iustice had enioyned for y^e same.

Math. 16. & 18.And this iurisdiction and power of regiment he gaue to Peter principally when he bestowed on him the Keyes of heauen & vpon the rest of the Apostles with him y^e power of binding & loosing which is moste principally & properly meant of enioyning penaunce or pun­nishing by sharpe discipline y^e sinners euel life, either before they forgiue his sinnes, or afterward. For as y^e place of [Page 286] y^e xx. of S. Iohn properlie cōcerneth y^e power of pardoning, reteining or gi­uing penaunce for satisfaction in y^e sa­crament by y^e right of priesthod recei­ued in their orders, thoughe it maye somwhat cōcerne y^e Iurisdiction of the high Magistrates also: so y^e place of S. Matthew rather perteyneth to y^e cha­stismēt of y^e wicked by opē discipline as they haue y^e regimēt of al our affaires thē it doeth to y^e sacramētal remissiō or satisfaction enioyned.Cap. 18. binding vvaht vt meaneth For ligare there doth signifie some bonde of punishmēt, wherwith y^e party is tied & charged for his correctiō, & not only bōde of sinne, wherwith y^e Church bindeth no mā, no more thē God him selfe doth, but eue­rie man onely bindeth him selfe in his owne sinnes. And the Church or her ministers do properly then binde, whē they punishe by their Iurisdiction the sinnes committed, not for the damna­tion of them that did fall, but for their correctiō & amēdmēt. And y^e playn mē ­ciō of excommunicatiō, which there is expressed to be giuen to the Apostles for y^e chastismēt of such as by more gētle [Page 288] admonition will not amende nor obeie the Church, doth proue that to binde in that place, namely importeth power of punishment, to be executed on the offenders, which way of chastisment is an open exercise of discipline giuen to the Apostles, to be vsed at their discre­tiōs for y^e edifung of Christes Church. Therefore as to binde there is as well an acte of the proper power of iurisdic­tion,Loosing vvhat yt signifi­eth. as it is a function of priesthode, to be exercised in the sacramēt of penaūce, so to loose soluere in y^e place, thoughe it maye signifie to remitte sinnes in waye of sacramental Confession, yet it is more aptly correspondent to the woorde that went before, of binding, which was not sinne, but the paine or punishmēt for sinne whereby it muste needes folow, that as to binde, doth signifie to charge y^e penitēt person with some tēporal payn: so to loose must also meane, to dissolue y^e bāde, which before was layed on him for present correctiō.

For this is a rule moste certen, that all the bandes which the Church layeth vpon any offender be medicinable, if [Page 289] the partie list so take them, and maye be loosed by the same power of the Church, by which they were bounde before. And therefore euer as mention is made in scripture, of binding, or which is all one, punishing of sinnes, ther is also mention of the like power of loosing: for Christ woulde not giue power to the Church to binde or cor­recte sinnes, but much more he would haue the Church resemble him selfe be­ing her heade in mercie, and therefore gaue her alwaies power, to loose that kinde of punishment, which she by her ministers had bounde or enioyned be­fore. For these two actes being aunswerable in cōference and cōtrarietie, must necessarily folow eche other, and pro­perly perteyne to the like power and prerogatiue. Then the one being giuen to the Apostles euen out of the sacra­ment of penaunce, y^e other must needes also by the like right be receiued.Lib. 1. de poenit. Cap. 2.

S. Ambrose rebuketh much Nouati­ās, because they would haue y^e Church enioyne penaunce, but they liked not y^t she should mercifullie release the same [Page 290] against, nor y^e penitents sinnes neither. Dominus (saith he) parius soluendi esse voluit & ligandi, qui v [...]rumque pari conditione per­misi [...] ergo, qui soluendi ius non habet, nec li­gandi habet. Oure Lorde woulde haue the right of loosing and binding to be like: for equally he gaue the power of both. Therefore who so euer hath not right to loose, he hath no power to binde. If any man then list folowe the Nouatians, he maye holde at his plea­sure, that it perteineth to the Churches iurisdiction to binde that, which the cā not loose again, contrarie to Christes expresse graunt made vnto her, first in the person of Peter, and then in y^e right of all the Apostles, to whome when he had promised as well the keyes of Or­der, as iurisdiction, he said vnto them: what so euer you shall binde in earth, it shal be bound in heauen: and what so euer you loose in earth it shall be loosed in heauē: first giuing thē there­by authoritie to punish, & thē to pardō. And therefor as y^e Sacramēt of Penan­ce, wherin sinnes be released or retei­ned, was grounded vpō the woordes of [Page 291] Christ spokē to y^e Apostles after his re­surrectiō, wherof we talked so much in y^e former treatise, so y^e power of giuing pardō or punishing out of y^e sacrament, by y^e vertue of their Iurisdiction, as the Pope and other Bishopes now doo, & alwayes haue done, is founded most fast vpon this place of S. Matthew, spokē first and principally to S. Peter,Cap. 16. [...] Cap. 18. and thē to other Apostles vniuersally.

Now, if any list be assured by y^e doc­tours interpretation, that the woordes of our Sauiour of binding and loosing do directly giue power to the pastours of his Churche, to punish y^e offenders, and release their sentence of seueritie againe, lett them read.Ad Auxiliū Epi­schop [...] S. Augustines 75. Epistle, where they shall finde muche of this matter, & thus amogst other thinges: spirit alis poena, de qua scri­ptum est: Quae ligaueritis in terra erunt ligata & in coelo, ipsas animas obligat. The spiri­tuall punishmēt, wherof Christ spake whē he sayde, what so euer you binde in earth it shall be bounde in heauen doth fast binde the soules them selues. And S. Chrisostō disputing excellently [Page 292] vpon these woordes of binding or loo­sing, compareth the iurisdictiō of Prin­ces temporall vnto the spiritual power herein, & maketh this to excelle that, as farre as heauen passeth the earth, & the soule in dignitie surmounteth y^e bodie. If any king (saith Chrysostom) should giue vnto some subiect suche authori­tie vnder him, Lib. 3. de sacerdot. that whom so euer he would he might cast into prison, and againe release him when he list, all men woulde accompte that subiect most happie. But he that hath recei­ued, not of an earthly Kinge, but of God him selfe a power that passeth that other, as farre as heauen is frō the earth, and the soule excelleth the bo­die, I trow him euerie mā muste both wonder at, and highly reuerēce. Thus far said the Doctour acknowledging, that as some by princes grauntes maye prison or pardō the bodies: so y^e priestes maye punishe mens soules, & loose or pardō thē again. For y^e proof whereof, he applieth fitly both the woordes of Christ spokē to S. Peter, & y^e like after­ward to al y^e Apostles, concerning bin­ding [Page 293] and loosing.

Againe S. Cypriā & other holy Bis­hopes of Affrike,Epist. 2. lib. 1. which had enioyned long penaunce to certaine that had fal­len in time of persecutiō frō their faith, for flattery or feare of y^e worlde, and had thought not to haue giuē thē any In­dulgence, peace or pardō (for y^t thē they called, dare pacem, which we now terme, to giue a pardon) till the houre of death came: Statueramus (say they) vt agerēt diu plenā poenitentiam: we had veryly deter­mined, that they should haue doone out, all their full enioyned penaūce, but now vpon other great respectes we doo agree to giue peace or pardon to those, that haue earnestlye done some penance alreadie, and lamēted bitterly their former fall. But mark wel here, by what authoritie they cha­lenge this power, & what they doe cha­lēg. They chalēg, pardy, power to giue penaunce to y^e offenders, & they claime by right the release therof. Again they clerely take vpō thē in consideration of y^e fault, to enioyne what they list, & how long they list, and vpō like iust respect [Page 294] by their wisdōs, to pardō some peece of the same again, either after death, or els if good matter moue them long before.

But by what scripture doo they claim such iurisdictiō, y^t they may giue discipline to offenders, euen without y^e sacra­mēt of penance, only by their iurisdictiō & right of regimēt, & then by their only letters to giue thē in absēce peace & pardō of their enioyned penaunce againe?

By vvhat scripture the Bi­shopes chalenge Iurisdic­tion.S. Cyprian & al his honorable felo­wes shall aunswer you in y^e same place: for there they giue a reason of that their proper right: Quia ipse permisit qui legē de­dit, vt ligata in terris etiam in coelo ligata es­sent. Solui autem possent illic, qui hic prius in ecclesia soluerentur. that is to saye, he doth permit vs, who made this law, that what soeuer we boūde in earth, shold be bounde in heauen, and those thin­ges should be loosed in heauē aboue, which the Church her beneth, relea­seth before.

vvhat the pope forge­ueth by pardons.Let vs therefore be bold also, to aun­swere our Aduersaries with y^e said ho­lie fathers, if they aske vs by what right the Pope or Bishope doth giue pardō, [Page 295] or what it is that he doth forgiue by his pardō let vs aunswer for thē, & for our Mother the Church, that they pardon onely the penaunce enioyned, or other paine due for greuous sinnes after they be remitted in the sacramēt of penance. And y^t they maie so doo by good autho­ritie, we alleage Christes owne woor­des with the named holy Fathers: what so euer you bind in earth, it shal be bound in heauen, and if you loose in it earth before, it shal also be relea­sed in heauen. But vpon this practise of Goddes Church I will charge them further hereafter.

And now to make vp this matter for y^e true meaning of the said text which we now proue to perteine to the esta­blishing of the true title of giuing par­dons, I wil recite the saing of S. Cle­ment him selfe, in time the Apostles equal, expert in their regimēt, & priuie to all their dooinges. He liuely expres­seth the dignitie of the chefe pastours & power of their gouernmēt, vnto which he applieth y^e power of binding & loo­sing in suche sorte as we haue sayd [Page 692] But heare his owne woordes, as Ca­rolus Bouius hath translated them:Cap. 11. li. 2. de cōst. O Episcope, stude munditie operum excellere, co­gnoscens locum tuum ac dignitatem, tanquam locum Dei obtinens, eò quòd praees omnibus Do­minis, Sacerdotibus, Regibus, Principibus, patri­bus, filijs, magistris, atque subditis simul omni­bus, sicque in ecclesia sede, cum sermonem facies, vt potestatem habēs iudicandi eos qui peccaue­runt: quoniam vobis Episcopis dictum est: quod­cunque ligaueritis super terram, erit ligatū in coelo, & quodcunque solueritis super terram erit solutum in coelo, [...]udica igitur (o Episcope) cum potestate, tanquam Deus, sed poenitentes recipe. In Englishe. O thou that arte a Bi­shope, study & endeuoure to excel other in the bewty of good workes, in respect of thy place and dignity: and consider thou sittest in Goddes owne roume, being promoted aboue al Lordes, Pri­stes, Kings, Princes, parentes, childrē, masters & seruaunts euery one.The high state of Bishops. There­fore so sit in y^e Church when thou doest speake, as one that hath power to iudge al those that haue sinned. For to you Bishoppes it was saide: what so euer you binde in earth, it shal be bound in [Page 297] heauē, and what so euer you shal loose in earth, it shal be loosed in heauen. Iudge then (o Bishoppe) with power & maiesty, as God, but yet haue mercy on the penitent. Thus saith S. Clement. By whose woordes you may perceiue, Gods right to be in a maner confer­red vpon his ministers by the termes of binding and loosing, not onely geuē for the remitting or reteining sinnes in the sacrament of penaunce, but also, for the correcting or giuing pardon by su­preame Iurisdiction oute of the sayde Sacrament.

Now then let Caluin, or his aunciēt Luter come furth, and deny all spiritual Iurisdiction of holy Bishoppes cou­ching temporal punishement, or release of paines appointed for sinne: let them writhe the plain place both of binding and loosing, to y^e preaching of the Gos­pel, as their fashion is, rather then they woulde graunte this soueraignty to the Church of Christ: lette them say,Marci. 1 [...]. that Christ, whē he whipped out the vnlaw­ful occupiers of merchandies in y^e tēple did nothing els but preach the Gospel: [Page 298] let them hold y^t this was a sermō, & not ā act of iurisdictiō,Lucae 5. whē he said to diuers thy sinnes be forgiuē thee, or when he w^t power & terror gaue to Iudas y^e sop,Ioan. 13. by which it is thought, y^t he excōmunicated him, & gaue him vp wholly to y^e deuel, & separated him frō y^e cōpany of y^e Apostles & frō his Church. For thē the deuil ētred into him, & he wēt out, as y^e gospel saith.

But (say maister Luther) was this the power of preaching onely, or an ex­ercise of most highe Iurisdiction geuen him of his Father euerlasting, as he wa the heade of the Church? No, no, vaine felowes, this is no preaching which you would haue onely to be the Churches property, that you might, being voyd of al other authority in Gods Church, compare with his Apostles, in youre prating, because your glory amongst y^e people standeth on your glase tunges. Cores had a tikling tung, and Moyses tung was tied, yet God gaue sentence on his seruātes side, & reuēged the diso­bedience of y^e cōtrary. No, no, I tel you if al the Bishopes & priestes of y^e Chri­stian worlde were as rude & simple in [Page 299] their preaching, as you think your sel­ues eloquēt: yet their onely Iurisdictiō and Maiesty of their power assisted by Christ perpetually, by whom it was gi­uen thē, shal beare you downe, & your vaine name of preaching y^e woord. And God be thāked, beside y^e right of y^e cause ther be in y^e Church many y^t are honourred w^t y^e gifte of true preaching, to whō God giueth y^e woord in deed w^t great & vnspeakeable force & ēcrease of y^e trueth, & daily decay of your vain shade of preaching. His name be blessed for euer, y^t hath giuē such a guard to his Church, y^t Hel g [...]tes, nor y^e eloquēce neither of mā nor Angel shall preuaile against her.

The Appstles ād Bishopes haue euer, be­sides the preching of the Gospel, puni­shed mēs sins ād practised iudgmēt vpō mēs soules, both in binding ād loosing. The fyth Chapter.

CHrist thē hauing not ōly y^e prea­ching of y^t Gospel to punish & pardō by, but iurisdictiō also to giue disciplin & to release y^e same, in y^t he was made y^e supreame gouernour of all [Page 300] Christian people, did communicate both these functions at once, and gaue the Magistrates of the Church not onely by preaching to threaten or exhorte mē to vertue, or promise them release of their sinnes by onely faith, as men haue now plained the way to heauen, but al­so by force of their regiment to giue greate penaunce, as we haue proued, & great pardon againe, as to their wis­doms, and for the Churches edifiyng may seeme moste conuenient.

Of this great power of Christ cō ­municated to his Apostles, we haue practise as well for punishing sinners, as pardoning them: For vpon this soueraigne iurisdiction it rose, that the Apostles mightely ministered iustice v­pon offenders, as well by afflicting their bodies with enioyned long fastes and large almoses, as by excommuni­cation and other meanes. Which thing who so euer wel weigeth in the mani­folde examples of Goddes woord, they shal not wonder, that the holy Bishops of Christes Church may geue a pardō of penaunce enioyned. For by this autho­rity [Page 301] did S. Peter, who first receiued the keies of Iurisdiccion and power ouer the Church,Act. 5. kill both Ananias and Sa­phira his wife, which is as greate a bodily punishement for sinne, as may be: By this authority did he excommu­nicate Simon the Sorcerer. By this power did S. Paule offer to reuenge disobedience.1. Cor. 4. By this did he threaten to come to the faithfull with a rodde of discipline:2. Tim. 1. By this he prescribed to Ti­mothy whome he consecrated Bishope how he should heare accusatiōs, & behaue him self in rebuking sin,1. Tim. 2. & correctiō of diuers states. By this power did he mightely deliuer vppe some to Sathan & bodely vexatiō: By this power did he strike blinde Elimas y^e witche,Act. 13. & relea­sed him at his pleasure againe. By this power haue holy Bishopes excōmuni­cated mighty Emperours, suspēded many frō y^e sacramentes, disgraded diuers spiritual mē frō their functiōs, interdic­ted whole realms, & to be short, by this power hath y^e Church of God prescribed a due punishmēt for euery deadly sinne, iustly respecting y^e greuousnes thereof, [Page 302] & cōtinuāce therein. As we may see in y^e penitētial book of Theodorus & Bede, y^e canōs wherof be trāslated into y^e book of decrees,Vide de­cret. Iuo par 15. which is y^e 15. intitled De poe­nitē [...]. & namely in y^e most aunciēt Coūcel of Ancyre, which was holden well near xiij. C. yeres sithēs, in y^e most pure time of Christiā religiō, whē I trow our Ad­uersaies dare not say, y^t y^e faith was cor­rupted.Cap. 1. & cap. 2. There y^e Priestes & Deacōs y^e relēted in persecutiō wer suspēded frō y^e executing of their seueral functiōs. such as supt in y^e tēples of Idols,Cap. 4. & sacrificed to false gods wer charged, beside abstei­ning frō y^e sacramēts,Cap. 15. w^t three yeres pe­nāce. those y^t cōmitted brutish sins & vnnatural,Cap. 20. should doo xxv. yeres penāce. for adultry vij. yeres penāce: for womē y^t destroied their birth,Cap. 21. x. yeres: for mur­therers vij. if it be not volūtary: if it he wilful,Cap. 22. til y^t end of mās life: for supersti­ous southsaiers or dream reders, or sor­cerers,Cap 23. & witches v. yeares. Finally for rape, x. yeres were prescribed. The like wer made for diuers crimes in the Coū ­cel of Nice. Cap. 24. But it is inough y^t we know though the eternall paines deserued by [Page 303] dedly sins, be forgiuē w^t y^e sins thē selfs, y^t yet ther remaineth for the satisfiyng of gods iustice, som tēporal scourge, to preuēt which, y^e church enioineth payne for faults remitted, that both Gods mercy be folowed in y^e remissiō of their syns, & hys iustice partly answered in punish­mēt of y^e same. the which der of deserued pain, being not here fulfilled, or released it must in an other world be answered.

And therfore s. Austine saith of y^e Churches vsage in prescribing penāce thus:Cap. 65. Enchir. Sed ne (que) de ipsis criminib. ꝙlibet magnis remit­tēdis in S. Ecclia dei desperāda ē mīa, agētib. poenitētiā secundū modū sui cuius (que) peccari: et ꝙa plerū (que) dolor alterius cordis occultus ē alteri, rectè cōstituūtur ab ijs ꝙ Eccliae p̄sunt tēpora poe­nitētiae, vt fiat ēt satis Ecclīae, in quae peccata re­mittūtur. Euē for sins being neuer so greuous & greate, we may not despaire of gods mercy, nor of remissiō to be had in y^e Church: mary alwaies presupposed y^t y^e offēders must do penāce, according to y^e quātity & greuousnes of their offēces. And because oftē it chāceth, y^t y^e sorow of mās hart, wherin much stādeth, is vn­knowē to other mē, it is very resonable [Page 304] that the Church should limite their penaūce by her gouernours, to be accō ­plished in certayne times & appoynted seasons, for y^e aunswer of the Churches right, in which onely all sinnes be re­mitted, as out of her lap, none at all be forgiuē, for any benefite to y^e partie. So saith this doctour of publike penaunce.

And of secret satisfaction, which now is more vsed after confession, leste any mā should feare, that that were not suf­ficient to satisfie for the remnāt of debt due for mortal sins forgeuē, thus faith y^e authour of y^e booke de ecclesias. dogm. set furth wyth S. Augustines name:De eccle­siasticis dogma­tibus. Cap. 53. Sed & secreta satisfactione solui mortalia crimina non negamus: Neyther we doe denie, but mortall sinnes maye be loosed by secret satisfaction.

Fear not y^e worde satisfactiō, as though it derogated any thing to the redēptiō which is in Christ Iesus. It is here & in many places of S Augustines woor­kes most common,Satisfa­ctiō an vsuall vvord in the doc­tours. and no lesse vsed of al Catholik writers since Christs time, who knew right well, y^t the fructes of Christian penaunce done in y^e vertue & [Page 305] force of Gods grace, doe applie Chri­stes satisfaction effectually to our be­nefite, and not remoue the vse thereof from vs.

But they haue a faith so solitary now a dayes, that it will alone apprehende what ye list, and reache so farre into Christes iustice, that her fautors shall haue no need of christian woorkes, or fruitful repentance.

Now to this ende haue we saied all this, that the faithful may vnderstand perfectly, what the Pope may by right remitte through his Pardon and In­dulgence.Note vvel. For looke what the officers of Gods Church may bind, that with­out all doubt may they vpon good cō ­sideration release againe. Therefore if they may enioyne penance for yeres and dayes, both openly out of the Sa­crament, and also in priuate satisfacti­on after Confession, then may they re­lease certaine daies and yeares of the same penance whiche was prescribed before. For loosing and binding per­taine by reason, law, and Christes own graunte, as to one acte of iurisdiction, [Page 306] that y^e one being laufull,Hovv the par­dons for daies and yeares do rise. the other must needes so be also. If the Church be of right power and authoritie to prescribe penaunce of seuen yeares, she hath the like right to remitte vpon iust respect, eyther all those yeares, or some part of the same, especially hauing meanes o­therwise, to supply the lacke of satisfac­tiō of Gods iustice in the party penitēt.

And therefore I ioyne in argument and open reason with our Aduersaries thus: To geue pardon in most cōmon and catholike sense of that woord, is to release some parte, or all the enioyned penaunce for sinnes remitted: But the Pope, because he is the principall go­uernour of Gods Church, may release any penaunce enioyned, vpon iust con­sideratiōs: ergo, the Pope may laufully geue Pardons. The Minor, wherein the Aduersaries may perchance geue back, I proue thus: That which was bound by the Churches or Popes authority, may be laufully loosed by the same au­thority agayne, because Christ hym selfe ioyned in hys graunte both these actes together, & they are proued to be propre [Page 307] to one iurisdction: But the Church by the Decrees of Bishops & Coūcels hath apoynted such penaūce & so many yeres of correction for sundry faults: therefore the same Byshops or suche as be of the like authority, when they see occasion, may remit the penaūce of the sayd yeres or som part of it by limitation of dayes or seasōs, as the state of y^e penitēt requi­reth, or the time it self doth moue them.

And thys argument shall be vn­moueable, except they reiect wyth the Popes Pardons all maner of discipline, as well of excommunication, as other lesser satisfactions, whereof we haue allready spoken, as in deede to mayn­teyn theyr falshod they must nedes doo, as also they shall be enforced to reproue both the holy Councell of Nice, all the holy Fathers, & the generall practise of the Church, & wyth them y^e expresse scri­ptures in whych the woorthy fructes of penaunce, sharp disclpline,Math. 7. 1. Cor. 11. Heb. 13. Mat. 16.18 1. Tim. 1. iudging our selues, obedience to our Prelates, byn­ding & reteyning of synnes, excōmuni­catyng & deliueryng vp to Sathan, be so often cōmended. It must nedes be a [Page 308] miserable doctrine of these Protestants whiche can not be vpholden but by so shamefull shiftes, and when we driue them into suche straites, in a matter where they think most may be said for them selues, and least for our defence, where shal they stand in our plain cau­ses, in which almoste our Aduersaries confesse vs to haue the vantage of An­tiquitie, and the preheminence of al the Councels in the world? But surely, I think falshod hath so litle hold in al matters, y^t it stādeth only vpright whi­les the contrary is not seen, or not vn­derstanded, which shee seeketh euer by al meanes shee may, to couer & keepe close. For the night shee loueth, and in darkenes shee deliteth. Doe but open the true sense of anie Article by them impugned, and it is more then halfe proued, and the ennemies with­out argument, vpon the sight of truth, in a maner discomfited. So it fareth with them in our present cause, which they haue long toyled and troubled in the mist of their phantasies, and vpon false interpretation disgraced amongst [Page 309] the simple sort that thing, which in this sense, as Gods Churche that hath the ruling of the mater, taketh it, is so sure and so cleare in it selfe, that I thinke they shal neuer be hable with honestie, to speak against any one parcel therof.

That there be diuerse wayes of temporal punnishment remaining after sinnes be remitted, euery of whiche wayes may be in some cases released in parte, or in whole, by the Pardons of Popes and Bisshops. The sixth Chapter.

ANd yet to geue more light to the matter, & the greater ouer­throw to falshod, let vs driue y^e cause for­warde, and weigh with our selues the whole state of thinges in this order. First that there be three wayes of pun­nishment of mans sinnes after they be released in the sacramente of Penance (besides y^e fruites of repentance which mā chargeth himself withall,Of three sortes of punnish­ments tē ­poral. & besides [Page 310] the punnishment appointed for offen­ces by the ciuill or temporall lawes, whereof I nowe speake not, the first and the easiest, is that penance whiche is in secret confession enioyned by our Confessour, which is lyghly (as these times be) much lesse then y^e nature of y^e offēce, for which it was prescribed, re­quireth. Yet because it is takē obediēt­ly, & by our iudges prescription, & in a sacramēt,Small vvorkes by force of the Sa­craments are verye effectual. in which God alwaies wor­keth much more grace, thē he doth by y^e self same things without y^e sacramēt, & because y^e penitēt is ready to take more if more had ben prescribed: in all these respects, it stādeth oftē, if it be any thīg correspondēt to the crimes for which it was enioyned, for a ful satisfaction be­fore God, when it is accomplished.

The second way of punnishment is appointed by the Canons generally, for suche faultes as be committed after Baptisme, that is to say, by the lawes of the Churche, or Decrees of Bishops and chief Magistrates thereof, and is called Canonical Satisfactiō. Canonicall satis­faction. Which is much more sharp & grieuous then the [Page 311] other y^t in priuate penance is cōmonly giuē, & a great deale more answerable to Gods iustice & the grieuousnes of y^e crimes cōmitted. And so the Canons were not only prescribed, as som iudge not right of them, for open offences, to satisfy the Church & the offēce of y^e peo­ple, but also euē for secret sinnes, as we may perceiue by S. Augustin, Tertul­lian, & other that haue writē of penāce. And this way of prescribed satisfaction by y^e aunciēt decrees of Coūcels, which lightly appointed seuē yeres of penāce for euery deadly sinne, was almoste a rule for such as heard secret cōfessions to moderat their penāce by, which they lightly gaue to y^e penitentes euen after the limitatiō of y^e said decrees & aunciēt Canons. Now to geue so many yeres or daies of penāce, signifieth y^e iniūctiō or prescriptiō of fastes by certain daies wekely throughout the said prefixed ti­mes, or cōtinual fasting frō most meats euery day in al those yeres of penance, other thē would suffice for susteinyng of nature, as bread & water, & such like thinne diet which mans bodie, in this [Page 310] [...] [Page 311] [...] [Page 312] fal of our strength and maners, coulde now scarse beare, and with this, conti­nual mourning in outward behauiour of countenance, speache and apparell, and, which was the greatest of all, ne­cessary abstinence from the holy Sacra­ments, till the said penance was accō ­plished.Penance appoīted not only for cautel but for satisfactiō And this great penance was in the Primitiue Church prescribed by the Canons, not onely for cantele and prouision for the like sinnes afterward to be committed (then when y^e Church had her punnishment for sinnes, seue­rall from the paines appointed by the ciuile lawes for the same) but also for the satisfieng of Gods iustice for y^e pe­nitentes sinnes, the burden whereof, then was counted (as in deed it is) so intollerable, that neither the Churche spared to enioyne great satisfactiō, nor the offenders refused to receiue and ac­complishe the same with all humilitie.

This therefore is the second way of punnishment or prescription of penāce for mortal sinnes remitted, or in waye to be remitted, by the penance of the party. In which kind, you may ac­compte [Page 313] also the seuere punishmentes which concern the soule most, although somtimes they are ioyned vnto some corporall afflictions, as excommuni­cation, suspension, degradation, and such like: for al these were vsual in the beginning of Christian daies for corre­ction of sinne.

The third way of punnishmente of temporall sinne, is by Gods own hād, as when he striketh some by sicknesse, or by temporal death, or by y^e paines of Purgatorie, whiche is a place of tem­poral satisfaction and correction of the soule onely in the next life.1. Cor. 11. Thus was diuerse of the Corinthians cast into in­firmities, many striken dead, and fur­ther also punnished in the next worlde in the place of iudgement there, not e­ternall but transitorie, because they woulde not iustlye iudge and correcte them selues, And, whiche is muche to be noted for our purpose, the Apo­stles also, had authoritie geuen them, to punnish the offenders often by bo­dily vexation, and death sometimes, that they might therby make true shew [Page 314] and proufe to all the worlde,The Apo­stles had authoriti to afflicte the bodies of men for sinne [...] that they and their successours had iurisdictiō o­uer y^e soules of men, whiles they made it euident by manifest signes wrought in the face of all the world euen vppon the bodies them selues, which are not so properly subiect to the gouernours of the Church, as y^e soules of the faith­full be, though their bodies to, for the soules sake, be subiect to the said pow­er. And not withstanding the same miraculous force in correcting sinners did ceasse afterwardes, yet the like po­wer, ordinariely to be exercised by ge­uing penaunce and seperating from the sacraments remaineth in the Churches right still.

And heere we may not thincke, that the killing of diuerse, as well by Gods owne hande amongest the peo­ple of Israell in Moyses tyme,Exod. 32. Num. 11 14.16. as of other that dyed of diseases, for punish­ment of theyr vnworthy receuing the Sacrament in S. Paules dayes,1. Cor. 11. Act. 5. or the sleaing of Ananias & his wife by S. Pe­ters hand, & many moe perhaps wher­of there is no talke in the text, we may [Page 315] not denie, I say,Hier. in Cōment. Ezechie­lis. cap. 10 that these were all kil­led eyther of God or of Christes Apo­stles, to eternal damnation, but rather for their temporall correction, and the auoyding of Goddes iudgementes to come, especiallie where anye of them did repent them of their faulte, before their deserued death came vpon them.

Now by these three diuerse waies of correctiō for sinnes remitted no dout the Pardons of Gods ministers must be limited and vnderstanded, so that who so euer geueth a pardō laufully, he must either discharge the Penitent of the pu­nishmēt which his Ghostly Father en­ioyned him, or that the old laws of most holy Councels charged the like offen­ders withal,VVhat pain par­dons doe properlie remitte. or that God himself enioy­neth somtimes in this world, but espe­cially in the next life, where God more exactly and proprely punnisheth both for sinnes remitted & not remitted. If the Pardon be large, it taketh awaye the whole paine, if it be otherwise, it determineth the number of daies, and releaseth not al, but part of the penance onelie: that is to say, so many dayes [Page 316] or yeares, as in the Indulgence is mē ­tioned. Whereof no man can now be ignorant, if he doe but marke, that the penance which the Pope taketh vpon him to remitte, was also limitted by yeares of fasting, praying, abstinence from the Sacramentes, and suche like: as if your Confessour had geuen you in penance, to fast euery fridaie breade and drinke onely, for some notoriouse sinnes confessed vnto him, then y^e Par­don for twenty daies, would discharge you of so many daies, from your saied bond, as be named: and if it be a free and plenarie Indulgence, it shall dis­charge you of the bond of al the dayes or yeares appointed, whiche you haue not before the receit of the said Pardō accomplished. And this is exceeding plaine for the two first kindes of pun­nishmentes, which we saied were ioy­ned for satisfaction by the Churches lawes, and by the Confessours prescri­ption. For as they stood vpon daies and yeares, so the remission of y^e same must needs keepe the like forme. For which cause you shal often see expressed [Page 317] De Poenitentijs iniunctis, in the Indulgēce.

And that forme of graunt & remissiō was vsed alwayes in Gods Church.De Poen. iniūctis. For S. Cypriā did remit a great peece somtims De poenitētijs iniūctis of y^e enioy­ned penāce, whē he gaue peace to such as fell in time of persecution, long be­fore they had fulfilled their prescribed penance: And so did S. Paule to the Corinthian that had committed incest. and so doth Nice Councell prescribe to Bishops, that they shoulde or might at the least, Humanius, Can. 11. deale more gentlie with those that denyed theyr fayth in the persecution of Licinius, and that they might pardon them before, if they saw cause, though seauen yeares penaunce was prescribed vnto them. In which places that the Churche now calleth a Pardon or Indulgence, Hovv pardons vvere termed in the Pri­mitiue Church. 2. Cor. 2. was termed somtimes, donare aliquid in persona Christi, to geue or graunte something to the offender in Christes person and so cal­led S. Paule it: sometimes it was cal­led Dare pacem, as S. Cyprian termeth it in many places of his works, some­times it was called Humanius agere, To [Page 318] deale gentlie with sinners, or to shew vnto them humanitie, and so doth Ni­cene and Ancyran Councels terme it: Licebit etiam Episcopo humanius circa aliquid cogitare, Can. 11. Cap. 5. It shal be lauful for the Bis­shop to deale more curteouslie with them, saith the holy Councell.

Whereby we see this pardoning of enioyned penāce, is an auncient vsage and counted most holie of al the Chur­che, whereof we make this assured ground and foundaciō of our Pardons, An assu­red argu­ment for pardons. and for the truth of them we make this argument. S. Paule did remitte en­ioyned penance in Christes person: S. Cyprian and all the Bishopes of Af­frike did remitte penaunce enioyned: Nicene Councell giueth licence to Bi­shops to remitt penaunce prescribed by the law: Therefore the Pope by theyr example, & in the person of Christ may remitte enioyned penaunce, and there­fore may laufully geue a pardon. The payne prescribed by the lawe he may re­lease, because he is the principall execu­tour of the law: the penaūce appoynted by y^e inferiour priest in cōfession, he may [Page 319] likewise remit, because y^t, which is pre­scribed by thinferiour may by good rea­son, be, vpon cōsyderations, altered by the superiour, especially where the Ma­gistrate hath good meanes to prouide, y^t neyther the Cōmon Wealth suffer dā ­mage thereby, nor the party to whom it doth pertein to be loosed or bond in pe­nance, receiue any losse therby. By like authority also doth a Pardō chāge som­times a sharper & lōger pain enioyned into som more gētle penāce & more fitte & needful works for the time and state then being, as his power, y^t is the chief gouernour may be exceding beneficiall to the world in suche cases, which euer ought to be practised for edifiyng & ne­uer for destructiō. For it is to be cōside­red, y^t the high Pastor vsually graūteth no releasse of the debt of good works, or the bond of deserued punishmēt but by prescriptiō of some other holy work to be accōplished before the party obteine y^e benefite of his remissiō. As whē a pe­nitēt hath enioyned hym to punish his body by cōtinual fasting or lōg peregri­nation, or other exceding much tēporal [Page 320] paine according to the grieuousnes of his desertes, the freedome of a Pardon oftentimes turneth the said due paines enioyned in to some easier woorke of christiā charity, yet being much more to glorye of God, and beneficiall to the Church, as the time standeth, then the other could be.Ita Vrba­nus 2. in Synod. Claremōt As when the Turke or other ennemies of Christianity, doe inuade any Christian Kingdome, it is more beneficiall to put to our helping hand in the withstanding his crueltye, eyther by resisting him in oure owne persons, or contributing any peece of oure goods towardes the same, then any priuate Penance that may cōcerne our persons. Therefore the gouer­nours of the Churche, often, to moue the people to suche necessary deuotion geueth them a releasse of all paine due for theyr sinnes, or at the least, of the bond of their enioyned penance, onely vpon respect of some smal furtherance in suche a good and godly purpose.

The like they doe also often, to sette forward other works of charity, to the benefite of Gods people, as for the re­lieuing [Page 321] of Hospitals, of Churches, of highe wayes, and such like. Sometimes againe, they extend their power, which Christ gaue them, to edify his Church, and encrease religion and deuotion in the people, as when they geue pardon for so many dayes to suche as shall re­ceiue the blessed Sacrament, faste and praye, that heresy may ceasse in the Church, that the enemies of Christiani­ty may not preuaile, that Infidels Ie­wes and heretiques may be conuerted, and Schismatikes knitte them selues obediently to the felowshipe of Christes fold. So doth the Pope for the encrease of zelous deuotiō and aduancing Gods honour, geue dayes of remission or full pardon, to suche as shall vsually haue meditations of Christes passion and death by certaine holy praiers appoin­ted, or by visiting places in which there be seen some liuely steppes, me­mories, and expresse tokens of Chri­stes miraculous workes, or his Sanc­tes. Thus to helpe vppe the dulnesse of praying and seruing God in oure dayes, he geueth grace and pardon to [Page 322] such as shall frequent the Churches at the times of their dedication, or on cer­taine principall Feastes, there eyther to be confessed and receiue the holy Sa­crament, or els to ioyne in prayer and deuotion with other the faithful people that thither at those dayes haue princi­pal recourse. Hereof we haue example not onely in the story of the institution of the solemne Feaste of Corpus Christi, but also in the great generall Councell holden at Lateran.Can. 62. For this cause also, & the like maintenaunce of holy prayer, by which the Church of God most stan­deth, hath he mercifully and with singular wisdome, giuen a pardon of certaine dayes or yeares to suche as shoulde de­uoutly occupie suche beades, bookes or praiers: in al which thinges orderly gi­uen and reuerently receiued, I see not what cā be reprehended, of any but such as are offended with all workes and wayes of mercy, charity, and deuotion. The power and iurisdiction is proued lawfull, the causes why he shoulde ex­ercise his authority herein be very vr­gent, and Goddes honoure with the [Page 323] peoples commodity exceding well res­pected, all thinges here doo edifie, and nothing at all destroy, all thinges doe stande by good reason, nothing can be reproued either with reason or good re­ligion.

That not onely the penaunce enioyned in the sacrament, or otherwise by ca­nonical correction, but also suche paine as God him selfe prouideth for sinne, may be released by the Popes Pardōs, and that Purgatory paines may espe­cially be preuented by the same remis­sions. The seuenth Chapter.

BVT now because some may by course of oure matter, looke y^t I shoulde declare, whether the Po­pes Pardons may release any whit of that paine, which God him selfe putteth the penitent vnto, after his sinnes be forgiuen: I must somwhat stand hereon, the cause is weighty, and [Page 324] much misliked of the Aduersaries, and some other perchance to, that see not so farre into the matter as they should doe before they geue any iudgement thereof. That the gouernours of the Church, should remitte Canonical cor­rection, and priuei satisfaction, with the bonde of penaunce, either enioyned, or els which by the lawes spiritual might be enioyned, many will confesse. But that their power should reache to the remitting of that paine, which Goddes hande hath laied vpon the offender for temporal correction, that they vnder­stande not.

1 Truely, for this they muste be in­structed, first, that the temporal punish­ment, which God taketh on sinners that be penitent, thoughe it standeth by the lawe of nature,God pu­nisheth vs for sin the more because vve pu­nish not ourselues. and was practised of God him selfe before any mans lawes were made for punishement of sinnes, yet now it riseth principally, vpō lacke of punishing of oure selues, or the ac­complishing of suche penaunce, as the Churche of God prescribeth. For if the Church punnishe her Childrens [Page 325] faultes by sharpe discipline, doubtles it satisficeth Goddes righteousnesse, and he wil not punishe bis in idipsum twise for one faulte: Num. 1. or if man earnestly and suffi­ciently iudge him selfe, God hath pro­mised by S. Paul, that he wil not iudge him also, that is to say, that he will not correcte him with more heauy disci­pline of this life or the life to come, for that signifieth this worde iudicare, 1. Cor. 11. as the Apostle him selfe, doth interprete it. Then it foloweth, that the bonde of any temporall punishement to be inflicted by God him selfe, doth not now binde man otherwise, then for lacke of ne­cessary discipline to be taken in this life, and therefore that Purgatorie bindeth no man, but in respecte of satisfying Gods iustice, which was not aunswe­red here before, either by our selues, or by the Churches correction, and enioy­ned penaunce.

Consider secondly, that he that fully 2 is discharged of the bonde of satisfac­tion in this life, whether it be by iust accomplishing of his due and deserued penaunce, or by remission of Goddes [Page 326] Church, and aunswering otherwise his lacke therein, the same person must of necessity be also discharged of Purgatorie, and al paine in this life which els God would haue enioyned for sinne, because this debt of Purgatorie rose vnto the pe­nitent for the aunswer of Gods iustice, and lack of payment in this life, the which being discharged to the honoure of God and the relief of the party, there remaineth no bonde of paine to come. For debt is discharged properly either by remitting it freely, or by paiment iustly, and I speake rather of Purgatorie, then of other paines enioyned by God in this life,Purgato­rie is ne­uer suffe­red but for satis­fying for sinne on­ly, vvher other pai­nes of this life may be for other causes. because that is euer appoin­ted to man, onely as a recompense of Goddes iustice, and as a due correction for sinne remitted, when of al other pai­nes in this world, whether it be sicknes or death, no man can assuredly say, that this or that bodyly punishement came vpon any man as a correction for his sinnes onely, or as a purgation of his life past. For somtimes such thinges fo­low y^e necessity of our corrupted nature, sometimes they be for our proofe & ex­ercise, [Page 327] and sometimes for other causes. But those kinds of punishmētes which God layeth vpon man onely for correc­tion and satisfying for his sinnes, neuer fal vpō him after he be either iudged by his owne teares, or the Churches suffi­cient satisfaction enioyned, or els vpon reasonable causes remitted. The like af­flictions may continue in any person, after the bonde of them be remoued, or may be giuen afterward: but for the sa­tisfaction of his owne sinnes, or any debt proceding thereof they be not, be­cause the debt is discharged, in so much, that I dare be bold to say, if any man were sicke by Goddes appointmēt, for that cause only, to satisfy for his sinnes remitted before in the sacramēt, that he should streight recouer vpon the dis­charge of the debt which he did owe to God for his iustice, if that infirmity wer for no other cause but y^t onely, as it may be for many mo, whereof no man can easely iudge.

And therefore, not onely Christ him selfe, as I shall declare hereafter, but Aaron also healed in the old lawe the [Page 328] infirmities of thousandes, which came vpon them onely for temporall punish­ment of sinnes.

And in the sacrament of extreme vnc­tion, the Apostle S. Iames affirmeth, that oure Lorde shall vpon the priestes prayer lifte vppe the penitent, or ease him of his sicknes. Which may seme to be meant only or chiefly of that sicknes, which commeth vpon the party by Gods hande as a punishment of those sinnes, which be remissible in the sacra­ment or suche like means.lib. 3. de sacerdot. As S. Chry­sostom sheweth also a passing power in the ministers of Goddes Church, say­ing, that they may kepe mans soule from perishing, and may charge him with more easie paine euen at his pas­sing hence, besides that they may ease his bodyly infirmitie also, by their ho­ly prayers in the acte of extreme vn­ction: in this sense speaketh he thereof.

But, as I sayde, because no man can well iudge, when man is afflicted onely for temporal discipline or satisfaction, or when for other purposes to vs vnkno­wen, y^e Church of God that vseth highe [Page 329] wisdom and moderation in al thinges, medleth not directly in pardoning by her iurisdiction, any such bodyely aflic­tions as God chargeth man with al in this life, which may be to the forsakē as a beginning of their eternal damnatiō, (as S. Augustin saith) as well as a tē ­porall correctiō, & therefore not effectu­ally remissible in the Church. But the bonde of Purgatorie, that, I saye, in the Churche may be released, and is relea­sed, at euery tyme that man worthely receiueth a full and plenarie remission of all penaunce enioyned, and due to be enioyned by the lawe of the Churches decrees. I doo not speake nowe, of the deliuery of any person from the paines of purgatorie, which already is actually there, or for the Churches power in re­leasing of their paynes,It is another thing to release Purgato­rie pay­nes, and to pre­uēt pur­gatorie. after they be in the course of Goddes iudgment for the same, I am not so farre yet: but I speak of the discharge of the bond thereof, or some portion of the same, nowe before the partye doe passe hence, which is a great deale more proper to y^e Churches power, and more easy to be brought [Page 330] to passe, then when the penitents soule is alredy in iudgment there, to which place, the Churches iurisdictiō (as som suppose) doth not extend. If the simple vnderstand me not, let him marke my meaning by an example: The paines of Hel can not, neither by God nor mā ordinarily be holpen or released, after man be in the same, but the debt of Hell which is due for euery mortall sinne, is discharged alwayes at oure repentaunce, in so muche that the priest in the sacrament of Penaunce, with the sinne euer remitteth the bonde of Hell, and preuenteth Gods iudgement in the same: So if Purgatorie coulde not at all belong to y^e iurisdictiō of y^e Church, nor no person therein, yet in the life of, the party som peece of the debt ther­of or all may be released afore hande, whiles the party is in the power of the Church & her discipline. And so it must needes be at euery time y^t the Church pardoneth the party of all satisfactiō, or any portiō therof recompensing y^e same by application of Christes satisfaction and his Sanictes. For the bonde of [Page 331] Purgatorie riseth, as I haue saied, vpon some satisfaction and penaunce to be fulfilled or doone in this life, the which being here either by oure paines accō ­plished to y^e satisfying of Gods righte­ousnes, or otherwise pardoned, there is no debt or bonde of purgatorie at al, the which is so cācelled by the Churche oure Mother, that it cā not be required of God oure Father.

And this moued alwaies the Church of God diligētly to prouide of her tēder mercy towarde her louing Children, that they should neuer departe oute of this life in any det of penāce, knowing well, that y^e residews not satisfied here, should be required at their hādes afore God in y^e next life. And therfore though many yeares of penance wer prescribed to al suche as did notorious crimes, yet ther was made euer lightly a prouiso, that at the houre of theire extremity. they should haue peace and pardon, and the Churches blessing in y^e holy sa­crament, and so depart free from bonde of the Churches discipline, and as farre as in her laye, might be also [Page 332] discharged of the temporall scourge in the next life, as no doubt they were, if there remayned no other impediment in them selues. So doth Nice Councel moste mercifully prouide,Can. 12. lib. 3. Epist. 17 and so doth Cyprian and other fathers of y^e primi­tiue Church, that sawe in their highe wisdom, the temporall paine to come, muche to hang on the parties satisfac­tiō, and the bond of y^e Churches enioy­ned penaunce. And euen at this daye prouision is also made, that no penance be giuen, but vpon condition of his re­couerie, to any man that lyeth at the ex­tremitie of death, least he should depart hence,Epist. 180 Ligatus, bound, as S. Augu­stine termeth it: wherby the debt of his eioyned satisfaction, might be required in Purgatorie. And nothing in the world proueth more the Churches doctrine of Purgatorie and Pardons, then doth the continual cōcorde and most agrea­ble practise of these holy actes of binding and loosing iustly vsed in her gouernment.

How the practise of pardons of these late hundreth yeares, differeth from the vsage of the primitiue Church, and in what sense suche greate numbers of yeares and dayes be remitted by the Popes pardons. The eigth Chapter.

BVT here we must note some diuersitie in gi­uing Pardons, & pre­uenting Purgatorie pai­nes, betwixt the primi­tiue Church of olde, & oures of these latter hundreth yeares, which did moste iustly rise vpon the al­teration of mens maners and state of thinges. For in the primitiue Church the enioyned penance was so large for euery mortal crime, that it might seme very answerable to the nature of the fault. And doubtles it maye not other­wise be thought, but the spirite of God did limitate satisfactiō by the Canons, as agreable in all pointes to the debt [Page 334] of sinnes forgiuen, which God required for answer of his iustice. And therefore when they gaue a Pardon of the enioy­ned penaunce, there could be no great doubt, but the penitent being in zeale and deuotion qualified thervnto, was therwith fully pardoned of Purgatorie, & the bonde of al paines to come in the next life.

But now of dayes when penaunce and large satisfaction (oure nature de­clining euer to the woorse, and deuotiō continually decaying) is not enioyned according to the olde Canons, and but a smal signe thereof, remaining only in secret satisfactiō, which is not of it selfe in this exceding flow of sinne ani thing agreable to the faultes committed: in this case, to remitte onely the enioyned penance, were not enough commonly to preuent Purgatorie paynes, or to discharge y^e penitent of all satisfactorie correctiō to come. Wherby y^e Ch [...]rch by instigation of Gods spirite dealeth so much more mercifully now thē before, because the people had neuer so muche neede, to hang on pardon, as whē their [Page 335] sinnes be greatest, and their recompēse least. Neuer y^e lesse, suche is y^e froward­nes of oure time, y^t they had rather take away penaunce contemptuously, then haue it released by y^e power of God laufully. For the great infirmitie of this world was this manifould remission vsed, & yet the meeknes of the Church, which by y^e motiō of God, she applieth her selfe vnto for the distresse of these dayes, and for the sinners sake, is yet most of sinners now commonly contē ­ned, & of very many, that haue ful great need therof, as mere folly laughed at. Yet the Church for her childrens relief bestoweth mercy still, and a great deale lesse it is to offend on that side, then the other, as no doubt the holy Ghost gui­ding her affares, she standeth vpright on both sides.

She seing therefore, that y^e remission of the enioyned penance coulde not di­scharge vs of the bonde of transitorie payn to come, & being sure y^t it is nolesse lawful to remitte the paynes due by the Canōs, as enioyned effectually by y^e Canōs, she giueth now pardōs not onely [Page 336] de iniunctis poenitentijs but also, de iniungen­dis: of suche penaunce as by the nature of the faulte before God, or by the de­crees of Councells should or had wont to be enioyned. For ther is no mā that hath in penaunce prescribed either of fasting or praying or suche like a thou­sand or moe yeares. And yet it is kno­wen, that many suche pardons are, and haue bene giuen long. Neither coulde the debt of Purgatorie wholly be dischar­ged now, as it was of olde by the par­dōs of the primitiue Church, in which onely ther was remissiō of the penance appointed (because al penance thought nedefull was then appointed) except ther were releasing also sometimes of all the penaunce, or a great peece of the penaunce that should by lawe and rea­son haue bene enioyned.Hovv the great number of daies or yeres be to be vnder­stand, in the form of Indul­gences.

And this is the Churches meaning, in giuing so many daies and yeares as be often times expressed in pardons, in titles of prayers, or vse of certaine sācrified creatures made holy by Gods woorde and praier. Of which, because we see not the originall, and because by [Page 337] vnlawfull practise of Printers or wri­ters, the grauntes of diuerse Bishopes for multiplication of the yeares, may be ioyned togteher, againste the meaning of y^e giuers, there may be some forged, & not authentical, yet we will not stāde in that point, because it is certen, that such be in deed graunted diuers times, by them that haue lawfull authoritie in y^e Church. The vndoubted sēse wherof, though euery man may easely vnder­stand by the premisses, yet fully to opē the case which is now so common in moste mens mouthes and not well cō ­sidered of many:☜ Looke howe many dayes or yeares a man may deserue to be punished in this life, if his sinnes were to y^e vttermost taxed, & y^e apointed penance of y^e Church fulfilled, so many yeares maye the gouernours of the Church remit, and forgiue by a Pardō. But many a man may, and God kno­weth often tymes doth committe, so many greuouse offences, continue so long in sinne, liue so wantonly and so carelesly, in all maner of wickednes euē to his lifes ende almost, that, being cō ­uerted [Page 338] by Christes grace, and so depar­ring hence in his fauoure, as it often through muche mercy falleth, he must needes be in exceding great debt for so long a life so euel spent. And, I thinke, if you call him to account for all his cō ­mon & dayly offences,This is ouer cō ­mon a case in the vvorld. for all his dayes vnthriftily wasted, for euery of his idle woordes, for euery of his vain though­tes, for so many occasiōs of good works omitted, which he ought haue doen, for often felowship in other mens misde­des besides his owne, all this wil rise to a great debt in a mans case y^t neuer required in all his time effectually, to haue his debtes forgiuē him, and there­fore he must needes stand much bound, euen for his veniall trespaces: which, though they deserue not of their nature damnation eternall, yet being not re­mitted, they binde man to transi­torie punnishment, according to the number, time and weight of them.

But now if you sitte on the audit of the greater matters of this mans con­science, where euery of his sinnes de­serued by the Churches limitation, for [Page 339] correction onely, after they be remit­ted, nere hand seuen yeares penaunce, and some many moe, where he hath doone nothing ells all his euell and long time, but heaped sinne vpō sinne, where infinite sacrilege boldly hath bene committed, where his fleshe was neuer satisfied of moste vnlawfull lustes, where his minde was euer full of greedy gain, wher his handes or harte were alwaies imbrued with in­nocēt bloud, were no parte of his mind or body, hath bene free from what ini­quity you can name: in all this corrupt case of many a mās life,De com [...] punc. rordis lib. 2. where no good workes (that I may may vse S. Chry­sostoms woordes) are found, by which ther may be any hope of release, where there is abundance of all sinnes with­out any satisfaction, in this lamen­table state of a life so euell spent, howe manye yeares penaunce, (if it were possible for the partye to liue so long) were he, by the Churches iudge­mente,Note vvel this case. by the weight of his wicked­nesse, or by Christes iustice, to be chardged withall? Surely if his life [Page 340] were not onely a thousand yeares (for so long almost did some of the olde fa­thers line) but if it were ten thousand yeares, he coulde not satisfie for so muche temporall paine and debt of sin­nes, as reason, law, and Goddes iustice woulde and well might charge him withall, though the great debt of euer­lasting damnation, by Christes grace, were mercifully remitted in y^e priestes absolution at his confession before. Therefore, whether the party liue or die, he is in debt for suche penaunce, if rigour were shewed, as so greate sin­nes deserued. And if he liued ten thou­sand yeares, he were bounde in his life time, and in his body, to accomplishe as he might the due penaunce for his de­sertes, & if he die streight vpon his re­pentaunce, he is no lesse bounde by suf­fering paine and punishment in the next world to fulfill y^e same. For Gods iustice leeseth no right, because mā lee­seth his life.

Neither is it necessary for the due paiment of that greate debt of so many yeares, y^t the paine of purgatorie shoulde [Page 341] endure so long, or so many yeares, as had bene necessarie for y^e accomplishing of his penance in this life. For y^e might, the force, the hougenes, the excesse, and the nature of y^e paine in y^e next worlde, is so fearfull and so great,Super psal. 37. as S. Augu­stine oftē noteth, that a great deale lesse time sufferance of the same, is answera­ble to much more in the worlde & this present life. For what comparation is ther betwixt a dayes fasting here, and a dayes punishmēt in purgatorie? better it were surely to suffer a hūdred yeares suche penaunce as the Church prescri­beth in this mortall life, that hath in it much wordly ease, and comforte for the release of the enioyned paine, then to abide one daye or weke in so greuous a torment, as the holy Doctours and all the Churche holdeth Purgatorie to be.

Therefore to forgiue suche a gre­uous sinner in the latter ende of his life receiued to mercy, as we haue now spoken of, a thousand or two thou­sand yeares of penaunce, is as muche in effecte and nature of the termes, as [Page 342] to remitt and release him of so much pu­nishment, or the debt and bonde of so much punishment in Purgatorie, as is proportionall and correspondent to so many dayes or yeares of penaunce, as the penitēt in this life was bound vnto by the Canons of the Churche, or the iust enioyning of his Ghostly Father.Origē in Num li [...] Hom. 11. For the Pardons measure the matter, not by the limites of Purga [...]orie, the bon­des, borders, or way of limitatiō wher­of, the Church knoweth not, but by the yeares and times of penaunce prescri­bed to sinners by the holy Canons, vpō the bond wherof, Gods iustice tempo­ral in the next world, doth, as I haue proued, muche depende.

To be shorte then and plain, to giue a pardō of a thousand or two thousand yeares or moe, yf the graunte goeth so, is as muche to saye, as to forgiue so muche punishment as might be aun­swerable for so greate penaunce, not fulfilled in this life. As if I wer behind with y^e Church & indebted to God hard before my death of a hūdreth dayes fa­sting, in which case. I cā not recōpence, [Page 343] if my Bishope then, or the chiefe heade of al y^e Ecclesiasticall Hierachie doo for­giue me twenty of the sayd dayes, then my punishmēt shal be so muche lesse in Purgatorie, not by twenty dayes, I saye, of Purgatorie paines, but by so muche as in force of satisfaction there, is answe­rable to twenty dayes faste here. So that, y^e Church measuring her mercies, by the yeares of penaunce deserued by y^e lawe in this life or ells where, taketh effecte not only in this life, where there cā not be so many dayes in oure shorte time, but especially in preuēting Purga­torie paynes, where there maye well be punishmēt answerable in a very shorte time, to all the dayes prescribed by the measures of the lawe, and disci­pline of oure present dayes in the worlde.

And yet I talke not nowe of taking or deliuering any mā out of Purgatorie, so muche sooner as so manie dayes re­lease doth importe, when he is in it al­readye, but I meane (as I oftē saye for the simples sake) of him, y^t is yet aliue, and in the Churches iurisdiction, and [Page 344] therefore may haue by the Keyes of the Churche a pardon of his debtes, either all, or parte, to preuent the paynes of Purgatorie, or to discharge y^e debt therof before that terrible daye come, when it shall be actually required. And in this sense vndoubtedly are the greate num­ber of yeares and dayes to be taken, which be exceding necessary to procure mercy in these euell times, wherin we may beholde the pitiful waaste of chri­stian workes euery where, and litle pe­nance to be done no not of y^e better sort of Christiā people. As for the other dis­obediēt children, that euery way laugh their Mother to scorn, whether she vse seueritie of discipline, or lenitie in re­mission, they haue no parte, neither of the Churches blessing, nor of the holy workes of Sanites, nor of Gods owne peace and pardon. Oure Lorde giue them the grace of repentaunce, that they may haue a taste, either of the Churches discipline, or of her mercie and leuitie.

It is proued as wel by sundrie examples of the olde Lawe, as by Christs owne often facte and his Apostles, that enioyned or deserued punishement may be released by the gouernours of the Church in their Pardons. The Ninth Chapter.

SOme may here marueile perchāce, that such power should be giuen to mortal men, as to remitte suche great portion of penaunce as by iustice ought to be enioyned, or such a number of yeares as are oppoin­ted for satisfaction and correction of for­mer misdedes, thereby to remoue from the party, the heauy hande of God pre­pared for iudgement, who, would not wonder much hereat, if they considered that the debt of hel paynes and eternity of punishement, which incomparably excedeth many thousand yeares, might by the priestes office, and alwayes is in the due execution of the sacrament of penaunce, fully remoued from the party [Page 346] penitēt. And wher mercy putteth away deserued damnation, there may muche lesse force of grace turne away the pu­nishement of Purgatorie, being but tran­sitory, and equiualent onely to the pe­naunce of a number of yeares prescri­bed.Pristhod in the nevve lavve of more po­vver to purchase mercy them in the olde. In which case, if y^e Church of God should haue no preheminence now af­ter the incarnatiō of Christ, since which time the wayes of mercy towards man­kinde must needes be muche enlarged, oure state and gouernement should be much inferiour to the regiment and to the priesthod of the olde lawe, which truely did in al thinges, but as a sha­dowe and figure, resemble the Maiesty of our Churches preheminence, especi­ally there, where mercy and grace were to be shewed, which came by Christ Iesus.

Behold thē some steppe of this more excellent power giuen to oure chiefe priestes,Moyses and Aarō procured mercy ād pardō for the peo­ple. in the persons of Moyses and Aaron, who are noted in the booke of Exodus and Numbers meruelously to haue procured Goddes mercy, & some­times by force of sacrifice, prayer, & sin­gular [Page 347] zeale, to haue released some great portion of the paines and punishment which God him selfe by his owne mouth & determination had layed vpō the people. With what meruelous con­fidēce of his office, & pity of the afflicted sorte, did one of thē crye out vnto God to hold his hande, and pardon the peo­ple, after they had deserued so greate pu­nishment for worshipping the golden Idol of the Calfe in wildernes? Lorde (saith Moises) this people hath cōmit­ted an horrible sinne, and they haue erected golden Goddes. Forgiue them this sinne, Lorde, or ells if thou wilt not, dashe me oute of thy booke toe, which thou haste writen.

This gouernoure and this priest, prayed not after a commō sorte for par­don of the peoples punishement, but he claimeth it with confidence, & in a ma­ner requireth it as by his iurisdiction & office. Suche was the force of prayer & priesthod, before Christes spirituall so­ueraignty was honoured in the world, otherwise then in a figure. And yet, God, in a maner, was at y^t point with [Page 348] them then, that he would pardon and punishe at their pleasures. For when the sinne was exceding greuous, he maketh as it were means to Moises, that he should not stay him, nor his Anger, from punishing of the offenders: Let me alone Moyses (saith oure Lorde) and suffer me to be angrie. Ibid.

Num. 12.So when his sister Mary was pu­nished by a leprosie for enuiyng at her brothers auhority, he cried vnto oure Lorde and said: Lorde God heale her againe of this disease, and of his mercy so he did, enioyning onely vnto her se­uen dayes separation. Aaron also pro­cured pardon for the people by the like force of this prayer, and priesthod, when by sedition the people had highly offen­ded God:Num. 16. yea he did as it were limite & moderat Goddes appointed punishe­ment, that his wrath should extend no farther but to the destruction of a cer­taine number. For whē God saide vnto Moyses and Aaron, departe you hēce from amongest this people, for euen now I wil consume them. Vpō which woorde streight the destruction began [Page 349] and grew very sore, a flame of fier piti­fully consuming them. But Aaron out of hande with his incense, ranne to that parte where the plague of Gods ire wasted most, and there censed vpp to­wardes heauen, and earnestly requested for the people, and so placing him eue [...] iust betwixt those that were slaine, and the residewe that were aliue, the wrath and indignation of God ceassed.

But it were to long to make reher­sal of all suche punishementes as God hath afflicted his people withall for sinne, and yet hath bene either wholy put of, or much thereof abated by these priestes euen of the olde lawe, when they had no warrant, promise, ne com­mission in sacramēt or other wise, other to binde or loose as by iurisdiction, or any otherwise, but by their praiers: where oures of the newe lawe and te­stament haue expresly receiued a full power and commission concerning the same. Therefore now in the new law & in the dayes of grace where mercy and iudgemēt be met together, Psal [...]4. trueth and peace haue ioyned, we shall find ex­presse [Page 350] exāples of iustice & iudgemēt on y^e one side, & grace & mercy on y^e other, not only in y^e gouernmēt of Popes and Bi­shopes, but in Christes owne regiment & his holy Apostles, from whom to our priestes, all this power procedeth.

In them then, of whome heresy and falsehod doo stand in awe, lette vs see whether any examples may be founde of pardoning the payne due for sinne. The seuen diuels possession of one wo­mans body,Lucae 7. & 8. Christe him selfe gaue a pardon. was no smalle punishment for sinne: yet when it pleased Christ, he both forgaue her the sinne, & discharged her of that horrible punishment for the same: & she had a graūd Pardō & a plena­ry Indulgence, because she loued much. Yea a woman that had committed ad­ultery,Ioan. 8. & therefore by y^e law subiecte to death, was pardoned by Christ, not on­ly of her sin & damnatiō, but of y^e penal­ty which by Gods law she was subiect vnto for y^e same syn, wherby he declared that he had ful power, not only to remit sins, but also to giue pardō for any tem­poral paine or punishment prouided by lawe for sinne. where are they, woman [Page 351] that do accuse thee, quoth Christ: Here is none here, sayd she, Lorde. If none haue condemned thee, saith Christ, thē doe not I condemne thee: go thy way therefore, and sinne no more. And this is in the viij. of S. Iohns Gospell.

Which exāple I alleadge y^e rather, be­cause. S. Augustin noteth it as a straūge power & iurisdictiō,Epist. 54 [...] y^t should remit the punishement enioyned by y^e law it selfe for a publike crime, wher y^e person was taken with y^e maner: Yea he applieth it to Priestes & Bishopes, & proueth, y^t it becommeth thē at y^e least to make inter­cessiō to y^e tēporal officers, by occasion, for y^e release of offenders, euē ther wher they be subiect vnto y^e apointed punish­ment of y^e lawes. Wherin, he saith, that though they cā not by their authority cō maund their release, yet y^t it behoueth y^e Ciuile Magistrates to release y^e payne, wher they doe make request. For which cause Macedonius a Magistrat had chalēged S. Augustin, or rather asked him y^e questiō, why Bishopes did so much in­termedle in y^e tēporal iudgmēt for procuring pardō to offēders, in so much y^t they [Page 352] woulde not take it wel, if they obteined not the remission of the parties punish­ment, for whome they made intercessiō. To whome S. Augustin answereth trimly and largely: where amongest other thinges he saith, Ipse Dominus in­tercessit, ne lapidaretur adultera, & eo modo nobis commendauit intercessionis officium. Oure Lorde him selfe made interces­sion for the woman taken in adultery, and by that facte commended vnto vs the office of intercession.

And S. Augustin excommunicated County Bonifacius that he tooke from the Churche an offender,Epist. 187 and put him to execution when he came to the Church for mercy and pardon. So prone hath Goddes Church euer bene to remitte the paine for sinne deserued, not onely wher she had ful authority to pardon at her pleasure, but euen there where it could not otherwise be had, but by in­tercession to other men who had to doe therwith.

Again Christ deliuered in the fifte of S. Iohn, one that had bene feeble eight and thirty yeares long for a punishmēt [Page 353] of his sinnes, and that he might vnder­stand, that, that sickenes came vnto him for correction of his former offences, he said vnto him after in the temple: Loe, now thou art made whole, look thou sinne no more, least a woorse thinge happē vnto thee. Neither is it vnlike, but the party had his sinnes remitted long before Christ healed him of his corporal infirmity, by the sacrifices of the lawe and by ordinary meanes of that time, through the faith in Christ Iesus. Whereby you may perceiue, that oure high Bishope Christ hath giuen pardon to many, not onely of their sinnes and euerlasting damnation, but also of the temporal paine and punishment, either prescribed by the lawe, or enioyned by Goddes owne appointment. Then we neede not wonder, that the Churches officers holding by his right both the title to pardon and to punishe, should be by his example so proue to mercy, which of the twoo is alwaies most cō ­mended in spiritual regiment.

Neuer the lesse we meane not, that y^e priest hath alwais such power as Christ [Page 354] had in remouing of bodyly sicknes, not only because they know not when it is the deserued paine for sinne, as he did, but also because, as S. Augustin saith, Remissio in Ecclesia magis fit propter futurum iudicium: Enchir. Cap. 66. Pardoning in the Church hath more respecte to the iudgement of the next worlde. He meaneth by the tem­poral iudgement, and for that he allea­geth out of S. Paule, that the iudgmēt, which he willeth vs to preuent by pu­nishing our selues, is the correction of such as God loueth, least they be dam­ned with the worlde, which can not sig­nify the euerlasting iudgmēt. We meane not then, that the Pardons of the Eccle­siasticall Magistrates should perteine alwaies to y^e releasing of bodyly paines duely deserued for sinne, or for other causes appointed, because Christ so did not vnto al, but vnto some as it pleased his wisdom: but this we say, that as he of his mercy tooke away and released the sinners of certaine temporal afflictiōs, as well appointed by the Law of Moi­ses, as enioyned by Gods owne hande, and so gaue a pardō of that which both [Page 355] Moises and his owne Father appoin­ted: euen so may the Apostles and their successours, pardon any man, that is worthy of that benefite, of some parte or al such penaunce, as their owne law prescribed, or the iustice of God, vpō the bonde of their decrees, and the debt of the sinners, hath in the next life prepa­red. Although, as I haue once noted be­fore, not only y^e Apostles miraculously, but also Gods Priestes dayly doe heale in the sacrament of extreme vnction & prayers, not onely sinnes,Iacob. 5. but the peni­tēt of their sicknes and infirmity, wher y^e disease especially came of sin, as I suppose, or otherwise, whē it is expediēt to the party and glorious to Gods name.

But in S. Paul we haue an inuinci­ble proufe f y^e authority & iurisdiction of Bishopes and principal Pastours,Iurisdi­ction ex­ercised, by S. Paule. tou­ching as wel y^e power of enioyned pe­naūce & satisfactiō for sins cōmitted, as y^e lawful power of pardoning the same which before was enioyned, & so in one fact of y^e Apostle a cleare practise of bin­ding & loosing. He first boūd him by ex­cōmunicatiō y^t had so greuously offēded, [Page 356] and to showe what a terrible torment this kinde of punishment is, and how much it is to be dred, he maketh it eui­dent by a straunge corporal vexation, y^t al Christian men might conceiue y^e mi­sery of those persons which be excōmu­nicated hereafter, whē the external sign & miraculous torment should ceasse in the Church. I will reporte the matter fully: There was amongest the Corin­thians one of reputation,1. Cor. 5. that kept vn­laufully his fathers wife, the which be­ing knowen to their Apostle S. Paule, who then was absent from them, & be­ing accōted of him, as in deede it was, an exceding greuous facte and notori­ous, he gaue in charge to the Church of Corinth, to take the person that had so offended, as excōmunicated, that is to say, to be seperated from the sacramēts, the seruice, & the common felowship of Sainctes. But see with what a maiesty & might of operatiō, with what force of woordes and authority of his calling, with what a straunge kinde of punish­ment Christes officer here correcteth the offender. Thus runneth his de­terminate [Page 357] sentence, on the offender, that al the worlde may take heede and won­der at the Churches autority, and con­temne the vaine voices of thē that doo restrain the power of Gods ministers only to the preaching of the Gospell.The form of excommunica­tion and binding. offenders vsed by S. Paule. I being absent in bodie, but present in spirite, haue alreadie giuen iudgemēt as well as if I were present, that the person, that hathe thus wickedlie wrought, should be deliuered vppe to Sathan in the vertue of oure Lorde Christ Iesus, you there being gathered with my spirite in the name of oure said Lord Iesus, ād al this for the vexa­tion of his flesh, that his soule may be safe in the day of our Lord Iesꝰ Christ.

This in effecte, is the Apostles sen­tence on that Incestous person, wher­by he was temporally tormented by the force of S. Paules power of bin­ding sinners, giuen by Christ, and exer­cised no otherwise, as you may see, but in Christes vertue and holy name. Where it may be noted for a straunge efficacy of mans woorde, that the diuel him selfe should be therby appointed to [Page 358] tormēt a sinners body, not as he would but as far as y^e diuine Magistrat shal limite him. Diabolus enim, quia ad hoc paratus est, vt auersos a Deo accipiat in potestatē, audi­ta sententia corripit eos: The diuell (saith S. Ambrose) who is alwayes ready to take them to his power, In 1. Cap. 1. ad Tim. that ar turned frō God, streight as sone as he heareth the sentence pronounced vpō sinners, he doth afflict ād correct thē. As it may also appere by our Sauiors woords in y^e Gospel,Lucae 13. of a womam y^• had spiritum in­firmitatis, the spirite of infirmity, whō, y^t diuel had xviij. yeares together faste bound in sicknes for her sins, to whom also Christ gaue a pardō by impositiō of his holy hands. Wher we may haue an other example of his mercy, in loosing the tēporal band & punishment appoin­ted for sinne.

But let vs turne to S. Pauls patiēt, whō we lefte by y^e key of y^e Apostles iu­risdiction so fast locked & bound for his wickednes, & let vs cōsider, whether by the same iurisdictiō, he may not receiue pardō & be loosed, by wich he was boūd & punished before: Yea let vs not doubt [Page 359] but it stoode in Paules pleasure, to par­dō y^e man soner or later, as he thought most cōueniēt for y^e Churches edifiyng, & y^e parties profit, & therfore might haue tyed him for twēty yeares together ei­ther in Sathās bōdes, or other ēioyned penaunce, or cōtrary, if he had thought expediēt, might haue loosed him within one houre, & so haue giuen him so ma­ny dayes of pardō as he list, & meant to recōpence by Christes satisfaction and the communion of Sainctes, in which, the lackes of certaine may be supplied by the abundance of others.S. Paule gaue par­don. 2. Cor. 2. Thus then S. Paule meaning to pardon the penitent, giueth the Church of Corinth to vnderstande his pleasure touching the said sinner, that there stoode in the bandes of penaunce, vpon his former sentence. Let this rebuke and checke giuen him of many, be enough. And now rather, it were expediēt that you did forgiue him and comforte him, least perhaps he be drowned ād ouer­whelmd with excessiue sorow. Therfor I pray you, renew ād cōfirme your loue towardes him againe: I moue you [Page 360] in this matter to proue, whether you be obedient in al things. And where you pardō, there doo I forgiue also. In deed as for me, whē I pardon, it is for your sakes, and in the person of Christ, that we be not circumuented of the diuel, whose meaning (in suche matters) I wel vnderstande.

Thus yow see did y^t Apostle punish, & thus did he remit again. Hauing y^e mo­deratiō of y^e Churches discipline in his hādes so far as his iurisdictiō did extēd amōgest Christs people, whose obediēce in all suche matters he claimed, as you may perceiue by his owne woords, not yet without great respect & cōsideratiō of y^e offenders case, & especial care of the Churches edifying.Cap. 65. Enchir. For ful truly S. Augustin said: In actione autem poenitentiae, vbi tale crimen commissum est, vt is qui cōmisit a Christi etiā corpore separetur, non tam conside­randa est mensura temporis, quàm doloris: In y^e dooing of penaūce wher the sinne is such that it deserueth excōmunication, ther is not so much respect to be had of the time, as of his sorowfulnes that cō ­mitted the facte.

That the Churche of God meaneth not to make al men partaker of her Pardōs which would seme to be relieued ther­by, but suche onely as be of fit disposi­tion therefore, and how they ought to be qualified, that must be partakers thereof. The tenth Chapter.

IT is here necessarie therfore, y^t we should aduertise all mē, that y^e Popes & Bishops of holye Churche, thoughe they haue not only by Christes expresse woorde, but also by the war­raunt of the Apostles,Pardons are not al vvays benefici­all no more thē the sacramēts thē selues. and practise of their predecessours, authoritie to binde and loose, yet euery of their Pardons or releasing of penaunce, not alwaies to be beneficiall to euery one that shall claime benefite thereby, either in the world present, or the nexte. For the holy sacramentes them selues doe not at all [Page 362] times atteine to that effecte in man, for which they were instituted by Christ, through the vnworthines of the partie that shoulde receiue them. Therefore to make the Pardons beneficiall, as there must be good consideration and respect in the giuer, so the receiuer, must by es­peciall loue, zele, and deuotion be made fit and apte to be partaker of so singu­lar a treasure.

The giuer of the Pardons because he is a man, may haue sinister respect to the parties person, whom he seeketh to pleasure, either for kinred, for frend­ship, for feare, for ritches, for honoure, & suche like: and they which required thē, may for slouthfullnes because they list not doo penaunce for their sinnes, or for delicatenesse, whiles they refuse to absteine from thinges that be plea­saunt, for recompense of their pleasures paste: in these and suche other cases, some Popes may giue by the abuse of their Keies and authoritie, or by errour proceding on false suggestion, a pardō, as the penitent may also receiue in the face of man. But let them assure them [Page 363] selues that so be affected, that God him selfe, who can not be deluded, nor by sinister affection caried from iust iudgement, will not here confirme the sentence of his seruaunt who was in this matter either him selfe to blame, without cause to bestowe so precious a perle of Gods mercy, or ells y^e party vnfitte, that required to be partaker of that grace, wherof afore God he is proued vnwoorthie. Thoughe the pre­heminence be neuer so greate, yet as wel the Key of order may erre through the faulte of one party in remitting sinnes in the sacrament, as the Key of iurisdiction may erre, in pardoning the enioyned penaunce oute of y^e sacramēt. Therefore it is not good for any man to leaue his prescribed penāce vndone, or to omitt suche necessarie workes of christianity, as whereby he shall rather be worthy to be partaker of a pardon.

Christ oure lorde pardoned Mary Magdelen of many sinnes, & by al like­lihod forgaue her all y^e pain due for her greuous offēces, both eternal & tēporal. Mary she was wōderfully wel framed [Page 364] and apte to receiue suche a singular be­nefite,Lucae 7. for she loued exceding muche, and therefore much was forgiuē her. She washed Christes feete with her teares, and with the heare of her heade she wiped them again. She honoured Christes bodie with ointement of price towardes his buriall, with other suche expresse tokens of passing loue of oure Lorde, which did winne her a pardon of so many sinnes. For of loue it is wri­ten, Charitas operit multitudinem peccatorū, Charitie couereth a nūber of faultes. 1. Petri. 4 And yet after all this large remission, if we beleue histories of the Church, she ceased not al her life to doe passing pe­naunce.

Pardons dyscharg not men frō doing good vvorksIn deede if we speake exactly, a Par­don doth not so muche remitte to the penitent any good worke either freely doen, or chardged vnto vs by others apointenent, as it doeth release y^e bonde or debt of penaunce: that where afore I was of necessitie bonde to satisfaction for penaunce of my sinnes, I may now after the debt be remitted, pay my pe­naunce freely, that I may not appere [Page 365] vnworthie of other mens reliefe,Note vvell whi­les I refuse not to worke also my selfe as a poore member in the whole mysti­call body of Christe, in the knot wherof his mercy commeth vnto me. And if it then so fall oute, that I by reason of sicknes or shorte life, can not fulfill my penaunce, I shall thē departing hence, be free by the grace of Christe, graun­ted me in the Indulgence, and so be wholy free of such debt, as I els should haue supplied by sufferaunce in Purga­torie, in my soule.

Let no man therefore, doe lesse pe­naunce for any pardons sake, if his ha­bilitie serue thervnto, which is neuer giuen to hinder the fructes of good workes and repentaunce. But where there is before God and oure conscien­ces iust cause, why we cā not fulfil such necessarie and requisite satisfaction, as is enioyned or deserued, there we may be in assured hope, that God will con­firme the sentence of his seruantes. Otherwise, as S. Cyprian saith, if any mā not thus qualified, seeke deceitfully for a peace or pardon, he deceiueth him [Page 366] selfe and Gods priest to,Lib. 1. Epist. 2. & lib. 4. Epist. 2. who seeth the faces outwardlie of the penitents, but the hartes of thē God onely beholdeth, & according to the behauioure of their mindes and meaninges shall iudge them in the next world, and amende in their punishment the sentence of his priestes.

Goddes Churche, thoughe she be muche enclined to mercy, yet she crieth not with the flatterers and false prea­chers of the world peace, where there is no peace. Enchir. Cap. 70. And of oure mother the Church it may well be verified that S. Augustine spake of God him selfe in the like case. Nemini dedit laxamētum peccan­di (saith he) quamuis miserando deleat iam facta peccata, si non satisfactio congrua negli­gatur. She hath giuen no man a freedō to sinne, thoughe by mercie, she remit­teth sinnes alreadie past, if competent satisfaction be not neglected. So that a Pardon can not well be beneficiall to any mā y^t neglecteth penance, or with­out al cause omitteth his duetie in ful­filling the same, though it be exceding cōmodious and profitable to him that [Page 367] lacketh time and space to satisfie, wher of good will and deuout intent he is readie thervnto.

Therefore I woulde aduertise all suche,vvhat is to be doē of them that haue receiued a pardō. as haue a Pardon or Indulgence vpon iust and true suggestiō obteined, for release of their enioyned penaunce, or other deserued paine, and thervpon omitte to doe their saied satisfaction, that they helpe the lacke thereof other­wise, where their habilitie is the better. As if they can not through feeblenes, or other notorious perceiuing of harme therby fast for satisfaction of their sin­nes, thē let thē supply y^t by more libe­rall almose, & charitable reliefe of suche as be in necessitie. For that kinde of charitie Christ gaue in charge to the pharisies,Lucae 11. Almose purgeth not mortall syn­nes, but veniall. for the purging of their sin­nes, which signifieth the recompense of the residewe of their paine, and ne­cessarie clensing of the remnantes of their faultes and filth after the remis­sion of the same. For almose will not purge deadlie sinne, and the verie ini­quitie therof, as S. Augustin wel noted in the place last out of him alleadged. [Page 368] Of the pain temporall then, Christ said, giue almose, and al is clere with you. But if you can not that waye for lack and insufficiencie, then be earnest in prayers,August. 1. Enchir and continually cry out in the Pater noster, forgiue vs oure debtes, di­mitte nobis debita n [...]stra, and by y^t Orison not onely venial sinnes, but also the tē ­poral debt that remaineth for deadlie crimes, after they be remitted and re­pented for,Spiritual exercises be forgiuen.

In this case also, it is verie good to helpe both by counsaill and trauaile to turne the wicked sinners from their euill wayes, and to call Heretikes and Schismatikes home to Gods Churche and Christes faith. For of that worke it is writen, that it couereth a multitude of sinnes. Againe to be dayly and de­uoure at the blessed sacrifice of y^e Masse, there with zele & loue to embrase with Marie Magdelene y^e holy bodie of our Sauiour,Lucae 19. and often to receiue the same with zacheus into oure house and tem­ple of oure body, in the holy sacrament. This most excellent acte of religion doth wōderfully diminish the deserued [Page 369] pain for sinne, and maketh vs fit to re­ceiue fructfully, the Pardons giuen by the Magistrates spirituall in the per­son of Christ.

Or if this, in these dismal dayes, may not be had, yet learne at the leaste, as well to lament the lacke of it, as to be sorowfull and contrite for thy sinnes: for earnest vnfained teares proceding of loue & deuotiō haue purchased many one a pardō. Peter wept bitterly, & lo­ued hartely, & therfore he was restored to grace and mercy, & after Christ had punished, as in way of penāce, his thre denialls, with a triple demaunde of his loue, as though he had doubted of his harte towardes him, as S. Hilarie, S Cyrill, & other doe interpreet it,Super Ioan. vlt. he not only gaue him a pardon of al that was past, but made him his substitute in earth and chiefe pastour of al his flock.

If it stād thus therefor with y^e party penitent, then the Popes Pardon shall vndoubtedly be beneficiall vnto him, & otherwise either not at al, or els nothīg so muche as they seeme to sounde. For althoughe it be an olde saying, quòd, in­dulgentiae [Page 370] tantum valent, quantum sonāt, that Indulgences be of as greate force and valour, as the forme of their woordes doe importe, yet that is not otherwise to be vnderstand, then there, wher ther may seeme iuste cause of graunte to y^e geuers, and not euill disposition in the receiuers.Adria­nus. For as Adrianus that once was Pope him selfe reasoneth: If the Magistrates of the Church may not without iuste cause giue dispensation concerning vowes othes, fastes, ma­riages, or suche like, nor dispose the tē ­poral treasures of y^e Churche, without reasonable cause: then may not surely y^e Bishopes be lauyshe of the treasure of Gods House, which is muche more pretious, wherof there can be no man partaker, that is an vnprofable mēber of the body.

Neuer the lesse the causes of geuing indulgences may be more or lesse reaso­nable, according to the state and varie­tie of thinges, which to the wisdom of Gods Vicar in earth is best seē, whom Christ so ruleth in that case, that he maye be most beneficiall to his holie [Page 371] houshold, in so muche, that it is not to be doubted, but in these dayes and in this greate contempt of deuout and re­ligious exercises, the mouing onely of the people, to prayer to holy peregri­nations, to the obediēce of the Church, may be a sufficiēt cause, why ther should be to prayers sayd vpō books or beads sanctified creatures, for suche pourpose annexed great remissiō.The thinges that hereti­kes doo hat, must most be reueren­ced. For look what thinges be most condemned of Hereti­kes, those thinges must Christian men be induced to reuerence with moste singular zele & religiō. Neither cā there­be any thing in y^e world so necessary for vs christiā mē of these times that be so voide of good workes, as by deuotion & entier zele to ioyn with our elders, y^t in y^e holy cōmuniō of Sāctes, we may be partakers of their vertuous deedes.The ende of the Popes pardōs. And y^t is y^e very ende of al y^e Popes Par­dōs, to make vs in oure lacke of satis­faction for oure sinnes, felowes and co­parteners of the abundāce that was in Christ first, and then by him in oure holy brethren departed before vs.

Vpō all which it is very plaine, that [Page 372] euery man can not beneficially receiue y^e fructe of a Pardon, this at least being requisite in euerie man, that listeth to attein benefite therby, that he be in state of grace, and in earnest intent to continue in the knotte of Christ his Church,Thus he must ne­des be qualified that vvil take be­nefite by a pardō. with loue and liking of the holy workes of his christian brethren, and accomplishing at least, that small work, which commonly now is ioyned to the Pardon, for encrease of christian deuotion. The continuance of which deuotion, that more and more decayeth, maketh the Pardons to be more cōmon at this day and of late years, then they were in the primitiue Church, when moste men in the springe of christian re­ligion and feruoure of faith, sought to satisfie exactly the debt of the penance, or ells, which was a common case thē, recompensed it by Martyrdom, though S. Gregori the first of that name more then nine hundred yere since,Vide cronica Pā ­dalio. Lutherani. in y^e orde­ring of the stations at Rome, is knowē to haue geuen pardons for yeares or dayes, in like fourme as now is vsed. And cleare it is, that the thing it selfe [Page 373] being founde lawfull, and no Prote­stant aliue cā euer be hable to shew me the first vser thereof, much lesse that it was euer controlled by any man that euer was compted Catholike, it maye be measured according to the necessitie of the time, and so, as the Church may be moste edified.

And thankes be giuen to God, the effecte of the loue of Indulgences, and the contrarie issue of the contempt therof, doe well proue the Churches good meaning therein. For if you viewe both parties well, you shall perceiue more profitable deuotion, more chri­stian charitie, more furtherance of com­mon wealthes causes, in that side that feareth paynes for their sinnes, with y^e Prophet Dauid, euen after they be re­mitted, and therefore seeke for all mea­nes moste humbly by mans ministerie to receiue mercie, in one yeare you shall see in these deuout persons more fructes of repentaunce, then in a whole old mans life can be found in all the other side, that contempteously disdayn or scornfully deride the most profitable [Page 374] vsage both of penaunce, and Pardons in Goddes Churche. Therefore in so great proufe of the benefite that procedeth from this kinde of remissi­ons (for so Alexander the thyrde aboue foure hundreth yeares since termed Pardons vsed then to be giuen in De­dication of Churches) and vpon moste assured groundes,Vide tit. de poeni­ten. & remis. that it well agreeth both with Goddes woorde, and prac­tise of the primitiue Church, and neuer condemned of any, but of suche as be them selues worthely condemned of other greate heresies and errours, the Magistrates will shewe mercy still in Christes behalfe, and all the holy Bi­shopes succeding laufully the Apostles of Christ, will giue peace and benedic­tion to suche as humblie aske it at their handes,Math. 10. and if the parties be worthie, their peace by Christes promise shall rest vppon them: if they either con­temne it, or be vnworthie of it, then no harme doone, it will returne to the giuers again.

Treuly, that holy peace which Christ gaue to the Apostles at his cō ­ming [Page 375] in to them, at his departure from them, [...]oan. 20. and ells as he entered vpon any holy action, signified nothing ells but an agreement and peace of mans soule with God, and did no doubt purge thē from their dayly infirmities, which we call Venial sinnes, and the bonde of all paine, as it may be thought, due for the same, that in y^e presence of Gods maie­sty, sinne might cesse, & the parties ap­pere cleane afore his face, y^t had no spot of sinne in him selfe at all, as by y^e sayed peace yet giuē to the worthy receiuers by holy Bishops ministerie,Bishops bles­syngs. some l [...]ke effecte doth surelie ensue. I vse this terme of peace, whē I speak of pardōs, not because they are precisely meant in y^t actiō of gening peace, cōmō to Christ & his Apostles, but because I see y^e olde Fathers lightly cal y^t peace, which we now call Pardoning: Math. 10 & perchance they did allude to that which Christ willed his Disciples to bestowe on euerie ho [...]shold for a kind of blessing. Which no doubt was some great benefite, & so gr [...]at, y^t our Maister signified vnto thē, y^t many should be vnwoorthie of it, & y^t [Page 376] the fructe therof, should redunde to thē selues. Which caused both Bishops of olde (for S. Augustin maketh mention thereof) to giue their blessinges,De Ciui. Dei li. 22 Cap. 8. and euerie man humbly to require the same on their knees, wherby surely some spi­ritual grace was receiued, and remissiō either of Venial trespaces, or paine due vnto former sinnes, giuen. Lett apishe Camites here mocke and mow at their Mother, as they customably doe, whi­les the obedient children, the discrete and deuout of Goddes Churche thinke it an highe point of wisdome, onely to consider the maruelous direction of oure forefathers wayes, in the doctrine of discipline, and awe of Goddes re­ligion.

That the Bishops being the highest mini­sters of Gods Church, and namely the Pope as the principall of the rest, may only lawfuly giue Pardōs, and in what sense the soules departed may be releiued by the same. [Page 377] The eleuenth Chapter.

OF the necessary disposi­tion of thē that should ef­fectually receiue benefite by y^e Pardons of y^e Church and of the right intent of thē that should giue the same, we haue already sufficiently spoken. And now perchance some may think it necessary, that it should be opened briefly, in whō this authority of releasing the paines enioyned for sinne, doth principally cō ­sist. Whereof I shal with better will bestowe a fewe woordes, because we shal haue occasion thereby to open the common sense of a whole Councel both learned and godly, touching the matter of Pardons, in the iudgement whereof, assuredly proceding from the Holy Ghost, we may with saftie take oure rest.

Of the lawful minister therefore of these remissions,VVho be the lavvfull ministers in giuing pardons. the scripture in precise termes prescribeth nothing, though the power of binding and loosing, where­vpō the matter standeth, is proued pro­perly [Page 378] to be an acte of the Keye, namely of iurisdiction and externall regiment, which agreeth not to the simple priests, hauing no further iurisdiction, but in the secret court of mans conscience. Wherevpon, as also by the vsage of al ages, and by the prescriptiō of the law, it is proued, that Bishops onely or such as haue their authority for the executiō of their office, may laufully giue remis­sion of satisfactions apointed for sinnes remitted. Neither were it conuenient, that the release of deserued penaunce should be had of euery inferiour priest, lest the discipline of the Church should so become cōtemptible, the release ther­of being made common to so many. And it is the highe prouidence of God, that the way to remitte deadly sinnes, which is of necessity to our saluation, should be neare vs in euery place, and by the common ministers of the Church at al times to be obteined,VVhy the infe­riour priests cā not giue pardons. where the remission of the Churches discipline being often more necessary to be fulfil­led, and neuer or very seldom necessary to be wholly released, should not be so [Page 379] easely obteined, but hardly had at the handes of a fewe, and them of excel­lent authoritie and reuerence, in Gods Church.

And not onely that, but also the na­tur of the act of pardoning, doth wholy chaleng this function to the higher Ma­gistrates of Christes Cōmon Wealth. For it standeth not only vpō the remis­sion of debt, but also vpon recompense or repaying againe the bond therof, by the common treasure of the whole houf­hold of the faithfull, which can not be by reason dispensed and bestowed vpō any man that lacked, by any, but suche as are principall stewardes and rulers of some whole portion of the saide fami­ly, as Bishops lawfully succeding the Apostles are knowen in this case to haue receiued the Keyes of Christes kingdom, and the dispensing of his ho­ly mysteries, and therefore may iustly dispose the treasure of Christe and his Sainctes satisfactions to the be­nefite of the faithfull, in whose lardge cures, it canne not otherwise be thought, but there be the merites of di­uers [Page 380] holy and blessed men layed vp in store before God, for the relief of their brethren, which may be disposed at the Bishops wisdome, to such namely as be of his owne charge and regiment. But of particular parishes, it can not be cer­ten, that ther should alwayes be some sufficiency of abundant satisfactions, to remaine without decay, for the conti­nual bestowing vpon some of the saied smal circuite, and that is it, which the schole diuins say, in particulari ecclesia me­rita non sunt indeficientia: merites of San­ctes be not vnspendable in particular Churches.

But the communion of Sanctes be­ing the generall benefite of the whole common wealth of Christes Churche, continueth for euer by the abundance of many holy workes which may satisfy for other mens sinnes, according to the dispositiō of such as be the gouernours and guides of our soules, that the ouer­plus and abundance of one sorte, may euer relieue the lackes of an other sort, as S. Paule speaketh in the like mat­ter.

And yet the Bishops them selues haue not in this case so full power and prerogatiue,No Bi­shop hath so great preeminēce in giuing Pardōs as the pope hath, and vvhy. being but rulers of por­tions of Christes Church, as he hath whom Christ appointed to be his owne Vicare throughe his whole dominion. For as Christ the heade of the whole body is anoynted far more plentifully, then al his brethren, so doubtles he that occupieth his seate of iudgemēt, through out the whole earth, to whom not only the affaires of al priuate men, but also the confirmation and gouernemēt of all his brethren Bishops, of what dignity so euer they be, doth belong: Vppon whome Christ hath layde the fundation of his Churche, and to whome he seue­rally gaue the Keies of heauen, with most ample authority, both to loose and binde, feede and gouerne al the shepe of his folde: It is this man, no doubt, that hath the ful treasure of the holy cō ­munion of Sanctes to bestowe, with meruelous authority ouer mans soule, with wonderful might in binding, and exceeding grace and mercy in loosing. This is the mā of whome S. Bernard [Page 382] saith:Ad Eu­genium. alluding to Iosephes prehemi­nence in Pharos house, cons [...]ituit enim Dominum Domus suae, & Principem omnis pos­sessionis suae: He hath made this man the Lorde of al his house, and the Prince of his whole possession. This man therefore representing Christes owne person throughe the whole Churche, and hauing the cure and regiment of e­uery one of Christes sheepe, may moste lawfully,2. Cor. 2. donare aliquid in persona Christi, showe mercy to any man in Christes behalfe, none being exempted from his iurisdiction, nor any of the Churches treasure restreined from his disposi­tion.

But because I can not ground this my meaning better, then vpon a gene­ral Councell, I will reporte the decree of the most holy assembly holden at La­teran more then three hundreth yeares synce, vnder Innocentius the thirde, by which not onely this doctrine of Par­dons is approued, but also the super­fluity therof, and suche disorder as was therein throughe couetousnes of euill persons, or lacke of authority in the gi­uers, [Page 383] is corrected, with a declaration who be the onely lawfull ministers in such remissions of enioyned penaunce. Thus goeth the decree:Cano. 62. Quia per indiscre­tas indulgentias atque superfluas, quas qui­dam Ecclesiarum Praelati facere non ve­rentur, & claues Ecclesiae contemnuntur, & poenitentialis satisfactio eneruatur: decerni­mus, vt cum dedicatur Basilica, non exten­datur Indulgentia extra annum, sine ab vno solo, siue a pluribus Episcopis dedicetur: ac deinde in anniuersario dedicatiouis tempore, quadraginta dies de iniunctis poenitentijs, in­dulta remissio non excedat: & intra hunc quoque dierum numerum, indulgentiarum literas praecipimus moderari, quae pro qui­buslibet causis aliquoties conceduntur, cùm Romanus Pontifex (qui plenitudinem obtinet potestatis) hoc in talibus moderamen consue­uerit obseruare.

That is to say: Because the key­es of the Churche be contemned, and sacramentall satisfaction is much wea­kened by certaine indiscrete and super­fluous Indulgences, the which certaine Prelats of Churches ar ouer bold to bestowe: [Page 384] we decree, that hereafter at the dedication of any Chapel no Pardon be giuen more then for one yeare, whether it be dedicated by one Bishop or moe, and then that ther be no remissions af­terwarde in the yearely celebrating of the said dedications, more thē of fourty dayes of enioyned penaunce. The like also to be obserued in al other common instrumentes, by which for other good causes and holy purposes Pardons shal be giuen, seing the Bishope of Rome him selfe, who hath y^e fulnesse of power herein, vseth customably so to moderate the letters of Pardons that procede frō him.

By which holy Councel you may perceiue, not only that the Bishops of Goddes Church may giue Pardons, but that the Bishope of Romes right is much more ample in this case, thē theirs can be: and especially how carefull the Church euer hath bene, to purge al cor­ruption of doctrine or vsage, crepte into the world through the disorder of mans mis behauioure, and howe wicked the endeuours of some euil disposed persōs [Page 385] be, who ceasse not vnhonestly to attri­bute that to the Church of Christ, which she hath euer sought to redresse in the euel maners of them that haue disgra­ced the doctrin of trueth, and made con­temptible the moste profitable practise of holy thinges, by their misvse of the same.

But he that list fully to see, how litle y^e Catholike Church liketh the abuse of wicked men in these matters, and yet how seuerely she accurseth al the cōtemners of this holy function in the right vse thereof,Conciliū Trident. Sess. vlt. let him reade the Decree of the last general Councell touching as wel the vse of holy pardons, as the ear­nest consideration had of reforming all disorder therein, and he shal fully be sa­tisfied in this article, if he haue learned so much, as to giue ouer the preiudice of al priuate opinions, to the common iudgement of Gods Church.

Being now thus farre in oure mat­ter, that it is well knowen the Bis­shopes of Goddes Churche principal­ly to haue this binding and loosing by the keye of their iurisdiction to be ex­ercised [Page 386] in the open courte of y^e Church, and that the power of the Bishop of Rome, not only by speciall priuiledges giuen by Christ, but also by lawe and prescription of all antiquities, passeth in this pointe, as in all other gouern­ment, the termes or seuerall limites of all his brethren, it shall not be needfull to dispute, whether the Key of iurisdic­tion onely separated from the Keye of order proper to priesthod, be sufficient to giue remission of enioyned penance by. Commonly it is holden, that as ex­communication, and other like actes of iurisdiction, maye be exercised by the Bishops Legates or Substituts being no priestes, or by them selues being elected Bishops, and yet neither conse­crated nor ordered: euen so may Indul­gencies be also profitablie graunted. Wherof I will not now talke, because it is not muche materiall, seing com­monly they be not graunted otherwise but of Bishops, neither so ofte of other as of the Pope, & neuer any otherwise, but by his or other bishops authoritie, by whom so euer y^t functiō is executed.

But this I knowe will be requi­red rather at my handes,VVether the Po­pes Par­dons doe extend to purgatorie, and hovv. the course of the matter giuing occasion thervnto, how farre the limites of the Popes iu­risdiction, who hath the soueraigntie herin, doth extend, and whether the benefite of any Pardon may perteine to any person that is alreadie appointed to suffer in his soule the paines of the next life, and is at this present in the course of Goddes correction in Purga­torie, and finally, whether the graunt of an Indulgence maye release them there of some peece or all their paynes, as it might haue doē whiles they were in this present life.

To all this I aunswer bressy, that the Pope may doe it lawfully, wherof ther can be no more doubt, then there is of the other, of which we haue made so plaine argument already, though in the waye and means of appliing the Churches remission or the Sanctes sa­tisfaction vnto them, there maye be some diuersitie, not suche as maye any thing hinder y^e trueth of y^e cause, which of al catholik mē is most certēly agreed [Page 388] vpon, but such as may styrre vppe mās industry in the moderate searche of Goddes trueth and mysteries. For the soules departed and being assured to be saued, must needes be of the same body mystical and felowship of Saintes, that the faithful be of aliue: and therfore, thei may according to their aptnes more or lesse be profited by the holy workes and satisfaction of their heade and fe­low membres, because in euery lawfull Pardon there is made by the keyes of iurisdiction and application of Christes holy merites and his Saintes, in that respecte as they be satisfactory, to the vse of their inferioure members, that doo lacke that wherein the other doo abunde. Whervpon it standeth with plaine reason and meaning of Goddes woorde, touching binding and loosing, that the soules in Purgatorie shoulde somtimes be partakers of this blessing no lesse then other that be yet liuing. For the deniall of which catholike as­sertion Leo the tenth accursed and con­demned Luther by his letters pa­tentes, as euer since his memory hath [Page 389] bene condemned most woorthely of all good men continuing in the vnity of Christes Church.In bull [...] condem. Luth. Mary whether the Indulgencies take place so often vpon the deade, as vpon the liue, that is not so wel knowen, because the persons de­parted be not in case to make them sel­ues more apte to take benefite thereby, then they were at their departure hēce: And therefore if they were not with singular zele and deuotion so qualified in the end of their life, they can not now any whit a better their owne case, or otherwise dispose them selues to at­teine the fructe of those singular remis­sions. And more then that, no Indul­gence, is lightly graunted, but vpon the fulfilling of some appointed worke of piety, and the departed not hauing alwayes in this life suche frendes as will accomplishe cōpetently the worke prescribed by the Pardon, nor him selfe now in case to doe the same, he often misseth the benefite of the Churches re­mission which els he might haue had by the meaning of the giuer. Wherevpon it seemeth to some to be no surer, how [Page 390] farre the departed may be relieued by the Keyes of the Churche, then it is of other holy suffragies and good workes either of priestes or priuate persons, all which doe assuredly relieue them that be in Purgatorie, but without any li­mitation of benefite, which wholly ys vnknowen vnto the liuinge, without speciall reuelation, in what state they stande.

And therefore vpon this considera­tion, the learned diuines doo teache, that the Pope doth, and lawfully maye applie vnto the soules departed, by his keies, some parte of the Churches trea­sure, which consisteth of Christes satis­faction & other his Sanctes, by which the departed, as they haue need and be in competent termes to receiue bene­fite by the merites of their heade or felowes, maye be released from some parte of their paines: but yet they will not charge any man with neces­sitie of beleuing, that the Pope or Churche shoulde vse mere iurisdi­tion ouer them, that be in an other worlde.

To be playne for the peoples vn­derstanding, the meaning is,In a par­don ther be tvvo thinges. that in a pardon there are two thinges: the one is a sentence of absolut [...]on definitely pronounced vpō any person penitent: the second is the recompence of the debt of sinne remitted by the sayde ab­solution through the application of [...]he Churches treasure by the power of the officiers Keyes. Both these two ioint­ly can neuer be exercised vpon any per­son not subiect, thoughe the one maye. Absolution can not properly be giuen nor fructfully, to any man not subiect to the giuers regiment, but the appli­cation of the treasure maye be made by the Keyes to procure mercie for them that be not vnder their power, but that is not by proper iurisdiction, but by aide of requeste made by iust offers why the partie should be recei­ued vnto mercy. In this sense then the Pope absolueth no mā departed absolutely. but only offereth in the person of Christ for y^e releife of him y^t is in Pur­gatory to God his mighty iudge ther y^e abūdante price of Christs passion & the [Page 390] [...] [Page 391] [...] [Page 392] satisfaction of Saints: And no doubt for his reuerēce and representing Christes person, he is more often hearde then any priuate man offering onely his owne almose and prayer for the soule departed. And for that cause, in this sense the Popes Pardon worketh one­ly per modum suffragij, as by aide of sute, and not by regiment or iurisdictiō, which many suppose doth not extende past the compasse of this worlde, and therefore that he can not exercise the act of binding or loosing, which be proper to his power and gouernement ouer any in the next life, thoughe to make sute for them before God he may apply some portion of Christes copious re­demption, and Saintes satisfaction, by the vse of his keyes, which there make forcible intercessiō, thoughe they cā not giue iudiciary absolution.

And all this, that the foly of many men so muche wondereth at, is nothing ells but to set before God the Father, the death of his owne Sonne, and his grace in all Sainctes, for to pro­cure mercye for their poore brethren [Page 393] in miserie in the nexte life: as the like is doone with greate pietie in many other holy actes of religion continu­ally practised in the Churche for the mutuall helpe one of an other. And indeed, the Church hath vsed these many yeares to put this clause in suche In­dulgencies as did in any parte con­cerne the departed (per modum suffragij) as Sixtus the fourth, Innocentius the eigth, and now of late both Pius the fourth and the fifte and all other light­ly in the like grauntes.

Wherby it is playne that we are not charged by the Church further to be­leue, then that the Pope may assured­ly release the departed of some parte of their paines, or al, by the way of suffrag and sute, as other holie workes of chri­stianitie applied vnto them by their brethren aliue, may doo. For yt were no reason, that priuate persons should as it were cōmunicate and sende vnto them, their fastes, almose, and prayers, for the release of their paine, and he y^t representeth Christes person, should not in Christes name and the whole [Page 394] Churches, applie vnto them some parte of the common wealths treasure, to sue for their deliuery and helpe to satisfie for them in their lackes.

This therefore they call a Pardon, per modum suffragij, as by way of aide of request. Which doctrine is most true in it selfe, and agreable to the practise of y^e Churche and fourme of Indulgences alwayes vsed, and may assuredly reliue suche as departed hence in grace & zele of Gods house, which I compt dispo­sition enough in the partie, and haue frendshippe in the worlde of suche as for their sakes will be content to ac­complishe the apointed worke of the Pardon.

A declaration of the Churches meaning touching the cōmon treasure, which is said to remaine in her store for the re­cōpēse of suche enioyned penaunce, as she releaseth by her Pardons, with the conclusion of the whole matter. [Page 395] The twelueth Chapter.

BVT now if you aske me here how it stādeth with the iustice of God, thus to forgiue the payne and debt of satisfactiō, which either God or the Churche enioyneth, for the recompense of the former sinnes especially seeing the catholike Church doth holde that it perteineth to Gods iustice, no lesse to punishe sinnes with some temporall scourge after it be forgiuen, then it doth perteine to his mercie to forgiue the saide sinne and the debt of euerlasting damna­tion. Now if it stande not with his iustice, to lett a sinner escape wholly without correction or satisfaction, then it may much more appere to be against his iustice also, that any power of man shoulde remitte and release that bonde of satisfaction, which Goddes iustice required, and was to the offender en­ioyned.

For the answer and perfecte vnder­stāding [Page 396] of this doubt, it is to be knowē and well weyghed, that in deede no re­lease coulde be had of suche enioyned penaunce or deserued payne for sinnes past, if Goddes iustice were not other­wise recompensed, and the lacke of the parties punishment, supplied againe by the abundance of satisfaction made by Christ vpon y^e Crosse, euery droppe of whose innocent bloude and stroke layde vpon his blessed body, were ha­ble of the infinite & inestimable worth and force thereof, to satisfie for all debt due to all the sinne in the world, whe­ther it be death and euerlasting dāna­tion, or temporall paine and purgatiō. By which abundant price of his passi­on, and copious ransome, the Churche, for whose sake this precious price was payed, dooth not onely holde her selfe to be redemed from death and damna­tion, and so saued by Christ her heade, for he is y^e Sauioure of his body, saith S. Paule,Ep [...]res. 4 but she holdeth the ouer plus (as a man woulde saye) of so abundāt, copious, and infinite redemption, to be a tresure in the house of God, to relieue [Page 397] her childrens lackes, to release their paynes, to worke with them in satis­fyng for ther sinne, and to work mercy for them also, for lacke of satisfyng for their offences: that want being founde in oure penaunce towardes the recom­pensing of oure euill life past, may be supplied by y^e treasure of Christes death that remaineth yet of full force and strength, to be applied vnto vs in such oure necessities, as shall be thought meete vnto Christes Vicar generall in earth, and other his holy apoynted mi­nisters,1. Cor. 4. with whō (as S. Paule saith) he lefte the bestowing of Goddes my­steries. For althoughe the holy & pre­cious treasure of Christes paine and satisfaction be of it selfe sufficient to re­lieue the lackes of all men without ex­ception, not onely of those which shall be saued, [...] Epist. Cap. 2. but also for the damned and for the whole worlde (saith S. Iohn) yet no man may be so hardy, to claime y^e benefite therof otherwise, thē through suche meanes as he hath apointed, and by the ministery of such men as he hath placed ouer his household and family, [Page 398] to giue the children meat and sustei­naunce in due season not as they shall niordinatly craue it, but as he shal dis­cretly find to be meet for them. There­fore where this wise stewarde of Christes holie houshold, to whom he gaue the keyes of the treasure, and sus­ficient authoritie to feede and gouerne his whole flocke, where he shall order­ly iudge the offender meet, and of good congruytie, worthie of grace and mer­cie, ther he maye pardon, and recom­pense the residue that can not be fulfilled of the partie penitent, with soome peece of that inestimale treasure of Christes redemption, which re­maineth in the Church impossible to be wasted, and so shall remaine to the vnspeakable benefite of the faithful.

And suche a perfecte knot their is, now since Christes incarnation, of eue­rie member in Christes mysticall body, which is the Church and compaine of faithfull, with him being the heade of y^e saide body, that his merites, workes, suffering and satisfaction may well be applied to serue and supplie all wantes [Page 399] of eche member therof: Yea more then that, the holy suffering and tribulation of holie Sanctes, as of oure Blessed Ladie Christes mother,Satisfac­tiō of Sainctes. and the holie Apostles, with numbers of constant Martirs, Confessours, and Virgins, helpe to supplie oure lacke also, & en­crease the huge treasure of y^e Churche, for the satisfying for oure sinnes, which yet notwithstanding, as they were me­ritorious to the sufferers, be fully re­warded by the glorie of Christes king­dome and eternall felicitie, which farre excedeth not onely the merites of all Sanctes, but sufficiently rewardeth the incōparable hūility & obediēce of Christ to his Father, in suffering death vpon y^e crosse, though his workes as they be satisfactorie for vs, are not yet answe­red in vs nor cā not be til y^e worlds end.

And for Christ in this case our aduer­saries perchaunce would not muche sticke with vs, but for the remaines of Sanctes satisfactiō, they cā not abide. And if S. Paule in expresse woordes did not vtter this my meaning concer­ning the trauaile of holie Sanctes for [Page 400] Christes bodie, which ys his Churche, the litle holy ones of these daies wold haue spurned at these kind of speaches, for feare of dooing iniurie to Christ, of whose honoure the good men make thē selues so tender.Colos. 1. These woordes then doth S. Paule vtter of his trauaile ta­ken for the Churches sake: Now I doo reioice in my passions or tribulati­ons, taken for youre sake, and I fulfill those thinges that doo wāt of Christs passions, in my owne fleshe, for his bodie which is the Churche. Thus said S. Paule. Wherby you see, that not onely the want of one mēber maye be supplied of the head of the body, but that eche member may helpe the infuf­ficencie of an other member.

Whereby for all that, we maye not conceiue, that there is any lacke or insufficiencie on Christes parte or pas­sion, which was so full and abundant of it owne valure, that by it selfe alone without the helpe of all mans merites or other creatures, it was a sufficient price for the sinnes of all the worlde, & moe if moe might be. But the lacke that [Page 401] this his passion was not in effecte so forcible and so fully in al mens cases, was the want of some paynes and pas­sion in his body the Churche, by which she and euerie of hers were bounde to conforme them selues vnto Christ, by taking paynes in their fleshe and suffe­ring together with Christ their heade. For so long Christes passion wanteth his due effecte in vs, (thoughe it were neuer so full and sufficient in ti selfe) as we do not conforme oure selues to his paine and tribulation taken for vs. Therefore, though Christ in his owne person suffer now no more, yet he doth suffer, and dayly shall suffer till the worldes ende in diuers mēbers of his holy bodie, as the heade, saith S. Augu­stine suffereth when the finger aketh, & as Christ him selfe charged S. Paule that he persecuted him,Act. 9. when he onely molested his members. And so long as the Churche militant trauaileth here in earth, so long hath Christ oure Maister somwhat to suffer to make his passion effectuall in suche as shall be saued, and in that sense some peece of his passion, [Page 402] in euerie of y^e faithfulls bodies must be supplied. By al which holy paines of y^e head him selfe principally & of the holy members of his bodie, who wrought not onely for them selues, but expresly meāt to benefite other by their works, as the Apostle confesseth of him selfe, we neede not to doubt, but the lacke of manie a poore member of this blessed incorporation, is duly supplied, and the wante of worke satisfactorie in some, recompensed by the aboundance of paines and penaunce of others. For this is the blessed case of suche as be in the Churche of God, in the felowshipp of the faithfull, in the knotte of those members, whereof oure Sauioure is the heade, that is to saie, in the holye communion of Sanctes, in which as some doo lack, so other som by Christs gifte doo abunde and are hable to pro­cure mercie for the needie, and to sa­tisfie God for their poore brethrens sinnes.1. Cor. 8. And yet all this intercourse of benefites and mutuall helpes passeth not from the heade to the members, nor from one member of the body to an [Page 403] other, but by the ordinarie means of Christes appointment, as by sacramē ­tes, sacrifice, and sundrie wayes of his seruice, & that not without y^e ministery of men, in whome he hath put y^e woorde of this recōciliation, to whome he hath committed his keyes to kepe, his sheep to feede, his mysteries to dispose, and to whome finally he hath giuen full power both to binde and loose.

Lette no man marueile, that in such a face of Goddes iustice, as we see by y^e enioyning of greate penaunce in the Church after sinnes be remitted, & by Gods owne often scourgies temporal both in this world & in the next, let no mā (I say) marueile, y^t yet ther be ways of Goddes mercy, and meanes through the ministerie of mā to turne away the wrath of our Lord, & by other helpes to satisfie his iustice again. Onely let the party in all his insufficiencie be zelous, deuout, & diligēt as he may, & God him selfe wil a thousand wayes seeke of his owne mercie to satisfie him selfe with his Sons paynes applied by y^e trauaile of other the faithful that haue bene and [Page 403] be in his Churche, to the helpe and re­lief of that member that hath nothing left but loue, and the felowship of holy Sainctes, wherby he may craue mercy and pardon.

Lette them consider that doubt of this point, how often God hath, as it were, determined to plague the people of Israell, which he chose to be his pe­culiar, and yet in the midst of his decree and iustice, hath giuen mercy and grace at Moyses and Aarons requestes: Yea, how often he hath, as it were, procured the iust to stande betwixt him and the people whome he meant to punishe. Mansuetum habemus Dominum, Homil. 10. de poenitēt. solùm occa­sionem accipere vult, & mox omnem prae se fert misericordiam, saith S. Chrysostome. We haue a meeke maister, he onely taketh occasion, & streight he sheweth him self wholy to be giuē to mercy. He appoin­teth to punishe, that they may see, what of iustice their sinne requireth, yet he seeketh meanes him self, that their high priestes & guydes may turne away the enioyned plague, that they may learne (sayd the saide holy Doctour) that they [Page 404] had their pardō, not of their owne me­rites or deseruinges, but by Moyses Patronage & prayers. That you may see therby, how one member relieueth, through Goddes mercy, his felow mē ­ber y^t lacked. Wherby there appeareth both exceding iustice, & much more mercy. Al his wayes truly be mercy & iud­gemēt, to such as loue his testimonies.

And it fareth with oure Lord God, as it doth with a wyse and discrete maister towardes his seruauntes, or with a father towards his louing chil­dren: for they wil often shew thē selues to be rigorous & bent to chastice y^e faul­tes of their seruauntes & children, & yet thēselues of their owne accord wil oftē procure some other to hinder their in­tended punishmentes, & to take frō thē as it wer by force their childrē or other offēders: euē so stādeth it betwene God and the children of his chosen Church, who, though he often iustly shewe him selfe angry, and bent to correctiō, neuer the lesse he doth not only mercifully re­mit, but procureth him selfe, other, ei­ther patrones, or intercessours, for [Page 403] [...] [Page 404] [...] [Page 406] whose sakes he may iustly and by good reason remitte.

Hiere. 5.After many threatninges of y^e Citie & people of Hierusalē he thus moueth him selfe to mercie: Circuite vias Hierusa­lem, & aspicite, & considerate, & quaerite in plateis eius, an inuenias virum facientem iu­diciū, & quaerentem fidem, & propitius ero ei. Looke rounde about the Citie, and view the streates therof, ād haue good consideration, whether any one maye be founde there that doth iustice, and studieth after faithfullnes, ād I vvil hau mercie on the Citie. In y^e fifth of Hie­remie. Where you may perceiue y^t God will forgiue all, for ones desertes, and that the good workes of one, maye by Gods iustice supplie the lacke of many other, not yet to deliuer any man from euerlasting damnation that is impeni­tent, and therfore in case & state of eter­nall death. For y^e worke of y^e faithful can not extēde to doo good to such as be for euer separated from their felowship, & therefore can be no mēbers of y^e cōmon bodie, in y^e firme knotte whereof only, there is mutual health & helpe, among [Page 407] such as partly lack & partly doo abund, for release of the rod of temporall cor­rection, that is often laied vpon y^e chil­dren, and not of any eternall punish­ment, that onely happeth to suche as be separated and cut of effectually from Christes bodie, which is the Churche, for euer.The trea­ [...]u [...] of the church riseth a [...]o by the de­ [...]erts of the de­parted.

Neither doo the desertes onely of the liuing helpe the necessitie of theire felowe members being yet aliue, but suche as be deade also, doo communi­cate in their workes with theire bre­thren yet abiding in this worlde. And God of his singulare mercie is often contented, to be answered by them for their poore felowe seruauntes that be indebted so farre in the Churche, that they be not hable in theire owne per­sons to discharge their owne debt nor coome oute of the same,Sermon [...]e poeni [...]. & confess. whereof the said S. Chrysostom doth excellētly wel consider in these wordes of his sermon de Poenitentia: Mihi autem (saith he) aliud maius est diuinae misericordiae iudicium, quod dicam. Cum enim nō inuenit homines viuos, et fiducia praeditos, qui possint intercedēdo veniā [Page 405] obtinere, confugit ad defunctos, & per illos in­quit, se remissurum peccata. Ezechiae enim di­cit, protegam ciuitatem hanc propter me, & propter Dauid puerūmeū. Olim enim mortuus erat Dauid. That is to say: I haue yet a playner and greater token of Gods mercy, which I will shewe you. For when he findeth none aliue that be of confidence, which might by interces­sion procure pardon, he turneth to the departed, and saith he will remitte sinnes for their sakes.4. Reg. 10. & Esa. 37. For he spake to Ezechias thus: I wil defend this Citie for my own sake, & for my child Dauids sake, & yet Dauid was dead long afore.

And surely if in the dayes of olde, wher neither so much grace nor mercy was to be found, nor Christ which is y^e foūtaine of all pardō, was not yet offe­red vp to pay y^e debtes of his brethrēs sinnes, nor the communion of Sanctes was yet so fully established, wherby the merites of one might redound to an other, nor y^e Church so honoured with y^e gift of Gods spirite for remissō of mās offences, nor y^e priesthod of God so cre­dited with y^e Keyes of y^e kingdō: if afore [Page 409] all these thinges were no otherwise wrought, but in base figurs, such wayes were found out, and that by Gods own procurement of mercy and grace, in the middest, of enioyned penaunce and pu­nishment, what neede we to doubt, but ther now be many meanes made in this happy society of Saintes, so to remitte the bonde of satisfaction to some, that Gods iustice may be answered againe by other of this happy houshold in the abundance of their holy workes, which the Church holdeth moste holily for to be a perfecte and euerlasting treasure, to satisfy Gods righteousnes & procure mercy to the needy, which by loue, zele and deuotion doe deserue the same? If God remitted of old, temporall paine vnto his people at the calle of Moyses and Aaron, and for his Child Dauides sake that was dead, what will not he mercifully forgiue by our highe priestes procurement, whose pardons and pu­nishments Christ hath solemly promi­sed he would ratify and allowe in hea­uen aboue? What wil he not doe in res­pect of the paines and abundant passiōs [Page 410] of his owne childe Iesus, that hath yet in y^e Catholik Church his death so due­ly represented for the remission of our dayly debtes? What can be denied to the intercession of so many Sainctes, to the chast combate of so many Virgins, to the bloudy fight of so many Mar­tyrs, to the stout standing of so many Confessours? What mercy may not the Churche craue, and doubtles ob­teine for any of her children, either in penaunce in this worlde, or in paine in the nexte: that hath in her treasure such abundance of satisfaction, first in oure heade Christ Iesus, throughe whose gracious workes al other mens paynes are become beneficiall either to them selues or their brethren, and then in the store of all holy Sanctes trauai­les not yet wasted in procuring mercy for others, besides moe wayes of grace and remission, that oure Mother the Church hath in redinesse to relieue her children that doe continue in her happy lappe and in the society of her commu­nion, with humble submission of them selues to the powers ordeined of [Page 411] Christ for the gouernment of their sou­les, with request for this pardon, at their handes, to whome be giuen the bestowing and disposing of the inesti­mable treasure of so blessed a ministery?

Would God euerie man could feele,Psal. 132. how happy a thing it is, to dwell as brethren together in the house of God vnder the appointed Pastours of that familie, in which onely Goddes fa­voure is euerlastinglie founde, that they might therewith be partakers of all their workes that feare God, and might haue some sense and taste of that holy oyntment of Goddes Spirite, and gifte of his grace, that first was vpon the heade of this householde, our Maister Christ Iesus, and then drop­ped downe abundantly to his bearde, euen to the very bearde of Aaron, whereby (as S. Augustin saieth) the holy Apostles be signified,In Psal. 132. and by them, it ishued downe to the hem­mes of Christes coate, and imbrued all the borders of his garmentes, that euery one of the felowship might receiue benefite, and feele the verdure [Page 412] thereof. Quoniam illic mandauit Dominus benedictionem, & vitam vsque in seculum. For in this happy felowship on­ly oure Lorde bestoweth his manifoold blessings, and life for euer more. Amen.