THE holie scripture, doothe di­uerslye in sūdry pla­ces set forth & treat of the Confession of sinnes. In some places it maketh mencion of a general andA generall Confession sollemn Confession open­ly made of all the People being assembled and ga­thered togeather, at the appointment, calling and exhortation of their high Magistrate, Byshoppe, Curate, or publique Mi­nister of Gods Woorde.

The cause thereof was commonlye some greate plague, vengeance or pu­nishment, wherwith God scourged them for theire sinfull, hainous, and ab­hominable offences, com­mitted and doon by them and their forefathers, ex­ample thereof we haue in the second booke of Esdras, where it is thus writ­ten.

In the foure and twenty [...]eem. 9. day of this moneth, came the Children of Israell together with fasting and sackclothes, and earth vpon them, and seperated the seede of Israell from all the straunge Chil­dren, and stoode and know­ledged their sinnes and wic­kednesses of their fathers, & [Page] stoode vp in their place, and read in the booke of the Law of the Lord their God, foure times on the daye, &c. And after a solemne rehear­sall of the iudgementes, and greate mercifulnesse of God declared in holye scripture: they conclude thus saying: Thou (O God) art righteous in al that thou haste brought vpon vs, for thou haste doone right. As for vs, wee haue beene vngodlye, and our Kinges, Princes, Preestes and Fa­thers haue not doon after thy Law, nor regarded thy com­maundements & thine ear­nest exhortations, wherwith thou hast exhorted them, & haue not serued thee in thy Kingdome, & in thy greate [Page] goods that thou gauest them &c. and are not conuerted from their wicked works. Beholde, therefore are wee in bondage this day. Yea, euen in the lande which thou ga­uest vnto our Fathers to en­ioye the Fruites and goodes therof, beholde, there are we bondmen, &c.

Loe, Héere is a solemne open Confession. Would God that this example of publique Confession of sinnes, were well practi­sed through out all Chri­stendome, namely at this day, séeing y^• the plagues of God doo daily increase more and more vpon vs, our sinful liues & abhomi­nations iustlye deseruing the same and much more.

There are also thréeThree more sort of confes­on of sins. more sortes of Confession of sinnes. declared in the holy Scriptures.

The first is secret con­fession of sinne only vnto God.

The second is an open confession before men.

The third is a priuate and secret confessiō made vnto man.Confessio [...] vnto God only.

As touching y^• firste, it is an humble and lowly confession of sins, made vnto God, euen from the hart. As when a sinner exami­neth his life by y^e commā ­dements of God, & so fin­deth his conscience burd­ned and encombred with sinne, and feeleth there­by what danger of dam­nation [Page] that he is in: this feeling of his sicke con­science wil greatly moue him to séeke a Phisition. And when hée perceiueth that there is no medicine will heale his disease but onely the mercye of God, he will not cease to make all the suite that hee can to obtaine it. Hee will without any delaye pro­strate him selfe before God, and with an hum­ble, lowlye, and contrite hart & minde acknowledg him selfe gréeuouslye to haue offended his Godlye maiesty, in thought, con­sent, delectation, woorde, and déede. He will neuer leaue off his lamentable suite and faithfull praier [Page] and requeste of this his bountifull mercye, till he obteine it. The swelling rage of his putrified con­science will neuer be as­swaged, till the precious oyle of Gods mercy haue suppled it, mittigated it, quieted it, and vtterly cured and healed it. Of this maner of confession the holye Scripture doth many times treate, both by plaine authoritye and examples. By authority. If we knowledge our sinnes Authoritie. 1. Iohn. 1. (saith S. Iohn) God is faith­full and iuste to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse.

Examples there bee manye. Of which I will at this time content my [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] selfe with two or three. King Dauid féelinge theDauid. intollerable burthen of his sinnes, cryed out say­ing.

Haue mercy vpon me (O God) after thy greate good­nesse, Psal, 51. and according vnto thy great mercies, doo awaye mine offences. Washe me a­gaine from my wickednesse, and clense me from my sinne. For I knowledge my faultes, and my sinne is euer before me. Against thee onlye a­gainste Psal. 24. thee haue I sinned, for thy names sake (O Lord) be mercifull vnto my sinne, for it is great,

The Publican alsoThe Pub­licane. Luke. 18. saith: Be mercifull (O God) to me a sinner,

This confession and [Page] knowledging of our sins vnto God if with a con­trite and sorrowfull hart it be doone in faith, God (which knoweth the se­cretes of euerye mans minde) will accepte and allowe, though the repen­tant sinner vttereth not one woorde with his mouth.

Example of the sinfullThe sinfull woman. Luke. 7. woman, that came vnto Christe. She spake no­thing, but wepte, and lowlye fell down at chri­stes féete, and washed them with the teares of her Eyes, and dryed them with the haires of her heade, and annoyn­ted them with oynte­ment.

All which thinges were euident witnesses of her true and vnfained repen­tance of her sinnes, and fruites of her sure faith, that she had in Christes goodnesse. For whose comfort Christe saide, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, thy Faith hath saued thee: goe thy way in peace. This ear­nest confession of sinnes vnto God should euerye Christian, daylye practise and exercise vnfayned­lye.

Of this aforesaide con­fession to God, springeth out the Confession of our owne sinfulnesse before men.

For he that felt a taste of the mercye of God, as [Page] hée shall sée occasion toConfession of sinnes before men. glorifie God by his exam­ple, will not be ashamed either priuatelye before one man, or openlye be­fore manye men, yea, thoughe all the whole worlde were present, to confesse him selfe to haue béene an horrible, trans­gressour of Gods Holye commaundementes. He will nothing doubte, but that hée with this his meeke Confession, shall muche glorifie God, and mooue the Hearers by his example, to abhorre sinne, and chaunge their euill life. Of this, wée haue an euidente exam­ple in Gods chosen ves­sel. S. Paule, which after [Page] his conuersation vnto the faith of Christe, was not ashamed many times, o­penlye to confesse beforeAct. 22. 16. men, what an vnmerci­full Tirant & vngratious graft he was against the Holye Congregation of christe, before his conuer­tion to the Faithe. This thinge also ashamed hée not to write and set forth to the whole world, saye­ing: I am not woorthy to be 1. Cor. 15. 1. Tim. 1. called an Apostle, because I persecuted the congregation of God. And in an other place he sayth: I was a blasphemer and a tirant, &c And after Christ Iesus came into the Worlde to saue sin­ners, of whom I am cheefe.

This example of Saint [Page] Paule verye fewe of the Papistes in Englande haue followed, vnlesse itFew of the Papists of England follow this example. were by constrainte, for feare of bodilye punish­ment. And therefore for my parte, I suspect them to remaine Papistes still in their heartes. For if they had vnfainedlye abhorred Papistrye, they woulde after this exam­ple of S. Paul with al their harts, haue confessed thē ­selues to be deceiued, and also to haue with false doctrin deceiued the people, and therfore haue openly and hartelye asked them mercye for the same: by dooing wherof doubtlesse, they shoulde very muche haue glorified God.

3 The thirde manner of Confession of sinnes is a priuate Confession to man. And that is of two sortes. The fi [...]ste is for the direction, establishe­ment and comforte of a mans owne ConsciencePriuat confession of sin is need­ful to many for know­ledg, coun­sell and comfort. towardes God. The o­ther is touching the re­consiliation and confes­sion of a mans faulte and trespasse to his Neighbor whome he hath offended. And as touching the first waye of priuate Confessi­on to man, I thinke it is a good and holesome ma­ner and fashion conue­nient and néedefull to be vsed and obserued of ma­nye of Gods People for three causes, that is, for [Page] knowledge, counsell, and for comfort.

Firste for knowledge:For know­ledge. as when a simple man or womā that hath heard little or no preaching of Gods woorde, by reason wherof they haue almost no knowledge of God or his Commaundementes, neither of the profession of Baptisme, neither of faith, neither haue they in a manner any knowe­ledge at all of the way of Saluation by Christes death. Is it not needefull (thinke you) for suche ignoraunte Personnes to hunte and séeke out some discrete and learned minister of Gods woorde, and to acknowledge vn­to [Page] him their greate igno­rance, and to require at his mouth the knowledg of the Lawe of the Lord, and of the waye of salua­tion? Is it not written,

That the Priestes lippes Malac. 2. shoolde be sure knowledge, that men maye seeke the law at his mouth, for he is a mes­senger of the Lord of hostes? It is méete therefore that Préestes shoulde haue good knowledge in Gods woorde, for they are ap­pointed to be shepheards ouer the flock of Christe, to féed the soules of gods People with the delicate food of Gods woord, & spe­cially with the holy bread of life Christe Iesu, that came down from heauen [Page] to saue al his people from their sinnes. But alas for pitie, the spirituall shéepe­heardes in many places of the world, and special­lye in England are verye rude, vnlearned, and vn­able to teache other men, because they themselues lacke the knowledge and righte vnderstandinge of the holye Scriptures. For how should they teach o­thers, béeing vnlearned themselues? Doubtelesse it hath beene hearde of, in not a fewe places of Eng­land, that the Parishi­oner hath beene better learned in holye Scrip­ture then the Parson or Vicar, which thinge is muche to bée lamented: [Page] Is it not a greate shame,It is very strange that the sheepe should haue more wit & learning, then the sheepheard. yes, it is vtterlye against nature, that the Sheepe should be wiser and bet­ter learned thē the sheep­hearde. But no men are so muche in this behalfe to be blamed, as the By­shoppes: partelye for ad­mitting such doltishe do­dipoles to the office of the ministrye: and parte­lye for the instituting to fat beneficies, and to the cure and charge of Chri­stian soules, so many vn­learned Idyotes, which neither can nor will féede them with the Spirituall foode of Gods woord. Our Lord redresse this mat­ter. Amen.

Secondarily, this pri­uate [Page] Confession is veryeFor counsel needefull for Counsell, speciallye for suche per­sons, whose consciences are encombred with scru­pulouse Superstition of meates, vowes, or with perplexed doubts in cau­ses of matrimonye, of re­stitution of wronge got­ten, or withholden goods: of reconciliation, and such other: Or else, if they bee sore assaulted with di­uers temptatiōs of their ghostly enemy the deuill, and knowe no remedyes how to auoyde them. In all these and suche like doubtfull cases, whome ought they rather to goe vnto, and aske counsell, then of the heardman of [Page] their Soules? In worlde­lye affaires and businesse which waye a man maye defend his righte tytle of enheritaunce, and howe he maye ouerthrowe his aduersarye that woulde doo him wrong, men will spare for no laboure nor cost, but will retaine of their counsel the best lear nedmen of law that they can get: muche more in spirituall matters for the soules health, oughte eue­ry true Christian to seeke for the beste learned and discret este Ministers of Gods woorde, to satisfie their consciēces in doubt­full causes, and to shewe thē apte remedies for the auoiding of their sundrye [Page] temptationes of their ghostlye enemye the De­uill. For if hee bee a good Spirituall Phisiti­on, he will minister vn­to the patient a conueni­ent medicine for the hea­ling of his spirituall sick­nes & disease. And y^e pati­ents duety (if he wil reco­uer his health) is no lesse then thankfully and obe­dientlye to imbrace & re­ceiue the wholsome coun­sel of his spirituall Phy­sition. For the wise manPro. 22. saith: He that is wise will be counselled. When Iohn the Baptist preached in the desart▪ the people came vnto Math. 3. him from Ierusalem, and all the regions round about Ior­dan, confessing their sinnes.

And the Publicanes came also to be baptised, and saide vnto him: Mai­ster, what shall we doo? LoeLuke. 3 [...] heere the Publicanes, which were verye extor­cioners and bribers, at the Preaching of Iohn the baptist, came vnto re­pentaunce, and calling him Maister, asked him counsell how they should order their liues. Then he like a discrete ghostly Father saide vnto them thus: Require no more then is appointed you. As though he shoulde saye: For as muche as héeretofore you haue beene extortioners and verye Caterpillers and bribers, and haue taken more of the poore [Page] people, for taske, tribute and custome then you ought to haue doon. Now séeing you are conuerted and become the disciples of the heauenlye doctrine, you muste with all dili­gence change your euill life vnto a better, and op­presse the people no lon­ger, but take your ap­poynted duetyes and no more. So likewise the souldiers also asked him and saide: What shal we do then? And hée sayde vnto them: Do no man violence nor wrong, and be content with your wages, &c.

If the same trade were likewise had in vse a­monge vs that are now liuing, so that when soe­uer [Page] wee were encombred with any gréeuous temp­tation, or entangled or ouerthrowne in the same if wee euen then as soone as wée coulde possible would consulte with our souls phisition, to knowe which waye wée mighte beste auoyde the tempta­tion héereafter, were it not a godlye fashion and woorthy praise and com­mendation?

Example: If a youngAn Exam­ple. man béeing sore tempted vnto Whordome, and manye times ouercome of his temptation, hath yeelded and giuen him selfe ouer vnto the Deuill for that time, commit­ting the very act of filthie [Page] Whordome and adulte­rye: If he (I saye) vpon the consideration of his own damnable state that he standeth in, would goe vnto a discrete, godlye, and well learned Prea­cher of Gods woorde, and plainelye vtter vnto him his abhominable deedes in generall woordes, and aske his best counsell and aduise therin. Truly this Preacher would firste de­clare vnto him by Gods woord, what great daun­ger of eternall damnati­on that he then stoode in, and plainely tel him that God saithe in the Holye Scripture: That ney­ther Whoremongers nor adulterers shall inherite [Page] the Kingdome of God: And that God thretneth to Iudge and condemne both Adulterers and for­nicatours. And so groun­ding him selfe vppon the Scripture and suche like, thereby beating into his Conscience, the feare of God▪ he woulde [...] him in any wise earnestlye repe [...]te him selfe of his greate sinne, and commit him self by earnest, faith­full, & continuall▪ Praier, to the mercye of God in Christe Iesu. And in any wise without any dela [...]e, refuse that filthis and de­testable fashion of liuing, or else, though he séemed neuer so much outwardli in this miserable worlde [Page] to flourishe, yet should he continually liue without the fauor of God, and vn­der his great wrath and vengeance, not béeing in that state the seruante of God, but the diuels slaue & bondman, out of Gods Kingdom, and subiect to eternall death and dam­nation.

This thing earnestlyHow a great sin­ner should vse him self to recouer the fauour of God. heard, diligently waied, and déepelye from the ve­rye he art considered: If this sinner were one of Gods flocke, at the hea­ring of this terrible sen­tence of the Lawe, hée would tremble & quake for feare, wéepe, wail and lament his horrible and detestable state, crye and [Page] cal incessantly for the vn­speakable mercye of God in Christe Iesu, trusting by his onelye meanes to obtain and get again the fauoure of God, which thorowe his carelesse dis­obedience he had lost.

And feather, he woulde humblye desire Counsell, which way he might best héerafter auoid that hor­rible crime of filthy whor­dome and adultery.

Then his discreetePreserua­tiues agaīst whordome. ghostlye father would ex­horte him, in anye wise with al his due diligence, daily and continuallye to practise these whole some preseruations and moste present remedies against whordō. That is to say.

1 Firste, to eschue idle­nesse, and alwaies be oc­cupied in some honest la­bour and busines.

2 Then to auoid al occa­sions of euill, all suspect houses and wanton com­pany.

3 Againe, to beware of filthye communication, wanton songs & histories of baudry & neither speak nor heare suche filthy­nesse.

4 Further, to vse sobrie­tye and temperaunce in the vse of meate, drinke, sleepe and apparell.

5 Moreouer, to be daily conuersante, with suche Persons, as are hothe chaste, honest, vertuous and godly.

6 Beside that, to remē ­ber dayly what painefull passion and death, Christ suffered for our sinnes, and filthy affections.

7 To consider also the certaintie and suddain­nesse of death, and what a straite account and rec­koning must be giuen of euery idle woorde: much more of filthye actes and vncleannesse.

8 But speciallye to vse daylye, faithfull and fer­uent suite, Praier and supplication vnto God, for the grations gifte of chastity and cleannesse of heart.

9 And finally if these [...]e practised, and will not serue nor suffise, for the [Page] auoiding of Whordome, then in any wise to take a wife, for when all other remedies faile, that with the practising of the other will serue. For that is the moste present medicine, and natural remedy that God hath properly ordei­ned, to cure the disease of filthye concupiscence, whordome and adultrye, after the doctrine of S. Paule, which fayth: To a­uoyde Wh [...]do me, let euerye man take his own wife, and 1. Corin. 7. euerye woman her own hus­band.

Thirdly, this priuate [...]lession, is chéefelye néedefull for them that are tormented in their Consciences, and are not [Page] fullye perswaded y^• their sinnes are forgiuen them, by reason whereof, they are halfe in desperation. These I say, haue muche néede of a discrete spiri­tual Phisition to comfort them. For vnlesse their, weak faith [...]e staied and lifted vp by some comfor­table restoratiues of the swéete promises of grace and mercy in Christs Ie­su: it is to be feared, that their ghostly enemy Sa­than, will shortlye bring them to desperation, and finallye to euerlastinge damnation. Therefore héere the discreece [...]oule Phisition, will laboure with too the and nayle, to beate into this spirituall [Page] pacients minde & remem­braunce, the most swéet, plain and euident promi­ses of Gods aide and as­sistance, to be alway rea­dy to them that aske it in faithfull praier. Wher­fore it is verye néedefull to such weaklings in the Faithe, that are so sore brused in Conscience, to make all the haste that they can possible, to the Heardman of their souls, and plainely to open and acknowledge their gréefe vnto him, desiring to here of his mouth the comfor­table promises of grace in Christe Iesu, to staye and lifte vp their weake and féeble Consciences.

Sainte Iames saythe: [Page] Pray one for another, that ye may bee healed. For (saithIames. 5. h [...]) the feruente Prayer of a righteous Man anayleth much. If the praier of one godly person be of muche value, then is the pray­ers of two good Christi­ans, agréeing togither in prayer, for any Godly purpose, of more value. For Christe sayth: If two of you shall agree vppon Math. 18. earth (for what thing soeuer it bee that they desire,) they shall haue it of my Father which is in Heauen. For where two or three are ga­thered together in my name, there am I in the middest among them. Marke that Christe sayth: If two of you shall agree vppon earth &c. [Page] And where two or three are gathéred togeather in my name, there am I present a­mong them. And I pray you, is not this weake faythed person and his curate consulting of these matters gathered togea­ther in Christes name? If they be (as vndouted­ly they are) then is Christ in companye with them, by the assistaunce of his grace and presence of his God head. Againe, if they two, thus assembled doo agree to pray together to God, for the increace and establlshmēt of the fayth, of this Spirituall pati­ent, then sayth Christe vnto them thus: If two of you shall agree vpon earth, [Page] (for what thing so euer it be that they would desire) they shall haue it of my Father which is in Heauen. Good Lord what a comfortable place of scripture is this? For we may learn by it, that if there be but two persōs gathered togither in Christes name▪ for any good and godlye purpose, then is Christe presente with them▪ And if they a­grée to aske any godly re­queste of God, they shall haue it graunted, what thing soeuer it bee (saith Christ) so it be a godly re­queste contained within the lymits of faith & cha­rity, and agréeing vnto1. Iohn. 5. the will of God▪ For [...] Iohn saithe: If we shall aske [Page] any thinge, according to his will he heareth vs.

But heere one will say: Obiection. Sir. me thinke you take the scriptures too straightly, if you would binde vs to cōfesse our faults only to a préest, or onely to our owne Curate.

For albeit S. Iames saithIam. 5. Knoweledge your faultes one to another.

Yet he saith not one lay man vnto a Préeste, nor one Parishione [...] vnto his own Curate, and to no o­ther: but he saith general­ly, one to an other. There­fore I thinke that I may aswell make my confessi­on to anye other man, as vnto a Préeste, or vnto mine own curate.

Answere. Trueth it is, that thou mayest freelye chuse anye discreete Christian man, that is well learned in the holye Scripture, and resorte to him for lear­ning, counsell, and com­fort: but yet for all that, there is none so meete for thy purpose in that be­halfe as thine owne Cu­rate (if he be no Papist, neither or corrupt iudge­ment in y^• scriptures, but be honest, discreete & well exercised in Gods holye woord) For he is appoin­ted of God to be heard­man of thy soul: at whose mouth thou maiste law­fullye require learning, counsel and comfort, yea, hee is called and appoin­ted [Page] of God to preach vn­to thee, and to all other his Parishioners, both priuately and apertly, se­cretlye and openlye, the Gospell of Christ to com­forte thy soule when néed is. Which preaching ofWhat is the true absolution. Gods mercy, freely giuen to the faithful for Christs sake, what other thing is it, then the true absoluti­on of their sinnes? For what other thing is the priuate absolution of the préest, but a priuate or se­cret preaching of Christs Gospell. What can the Préeste more promise the sinner by his absolution, but therby to declare vn­to him, that if hee repent him of his sinfull life, and [Page] vnfainedlye purpose to a­mend, reposing his whole faith, trust and confidence in the promises of grace and mercy in Christe Ie­su, that then Gods trueth shall saue him for Christs sake? Can he promise the sinner anye other thinge then to bee saued, if hée from the hart doo repent, beleeue, and purpose to walke in a newe life? I think not. Resorte there­fore to thine own Curate if he be honest, discréete, (and well learned, as I saide before) and thinke him to bee that per­son that is appointed of God, to minister Christs Gospell and his Sacra­ments vnto thee, at suche [Page] conuenient times, as shall be needefull to the comforte of thy troubled conscience.

There is also another kinde of priuate Confes­sion,Confession of reconci­liation. which may aptly be called, the confession of reconciliation. As when I haue offended my chri­stian Brother, and haue prouoked him to anger: It is my bounden due­tye, to reconcile my selfe vnto him, and to acknow­ledge my faulte, and de­sire of him forgiuenesse thereof. This Confession is no lesse thē cōmaunded of Christ to be doone, & he estéemeth it so necessarye to be doone, y^• he profereth it, and will haue it doone [Page] before wée doo anye out­warde seruice, sacrifice, honour or woorship vnto him selfe. For this he saith: If thou offerest thy gifte at the Altar, and there remembrest that thy brother hath oughte againste thee, leaue there thine offering be­fore the Altar, and goe thy way first, and reconcile thy selfe to thy brother, and then come did offer thy gift.

L [...], h [...]re may we see that Christe so muche re­gardeth the attonement of them that are at vari­ante, & y^• mutuall redresse of charitye, vnitye, peace, and concorde betweene them, that hee will haue that doone before we shall [...] allowed of him to doo [Page] any acceptable seruice or outward woorshippe vnto him. And truelye I am muche afraide, that the transgressing of this com­maundement of Christe, wil condemne almoste all the whole world, because there is so muche breache of Charitye, and so little regard of mutuall recon­ciliation and attonemēt.

Howe be it, they that are of God, regenerated by his holye spirite, will be verye circumspect and take good héede that they giue no iuste occasion of anger vnto their neigh­bour. But if they chance at any time (as all men are fraile) by their occa­sion to offend and greeue [Page] their euen Christian: yet they wil seeke all meanes to their possible power, and with al the spéed that they can, to be reconciled again vnto them.

For who knowinge that he can by no meanes obtain Gods fauour, vn­lesse he be at one with his neighbour, wil not in this poynte laye all worldlye shame apart, and (submit­ting his obedience vnto the commaundemente of Christe) goe to his neigh­bour, knowledg his fault vnto him, and humbly de­sire the forgiuenes of his tr [...]space? Trulye he that vnfeinedly feareth God, and intendeth earnestly [...] to auoide his displeasure [Page] will not sticke to do [...] this godly woork, but wil be glad to do it and much more.

Also, I think it not vn­profitable for you, if I in­serte the Iudgemente of some of the Auncient Fa­thers touching the Con­fession of sinnes.

Chrysostome sayth, I say not vnto thee, that thou Chrysostō vpon the 12. to the Heb. the 31. Ho­mely. shouldest bewray thy selfe abroade openlye, neither yet accuse thy selfe be­fore other. But I will that thou obaye the Prophet, which saythe, Shewe vnto the Lord thy waye, (that is, thy maner of liuing) ther­fore confesse thy sinnes before God, Confesse thy sinnes before the true Iudge, [Page] with praier for the wrong that thou hast d [...]e, not with thy tongue, but in the memorie of thy con­science; And rhen at last beleeue, that thou mayest get mercye; if thou haue them continuallye in thy minde, thou shalte neuer keepe anye euill in thine heart, against thy neigh­bour.

And furthermore saith Chrisostome, If thou be ashamed Chrisostō vpon the 56 Psalme. to tell anye man thy sins, tel them daylye to thy soule; I say not to thee that thou shouldest con­fesse thee vnto thy fellowe seruaunt, that hee might rebuke thee for them, tell thy sins vnto God, which healeth them, and if thou [Page] doo not tell him them, he knoweth them, for hee was by when thou diddest them. Chrisostom vpon the in comprehensible nature of God in the 5. Hom.

Again he saith, I desire and pray you, most deare brethren, to confesse you ofte vnto the immortall God; and after that yee haue reckoned vp your sinnes, aske forgiuenesse and that God will bee mercifull. I doo not lead thee into the common Hause of thy fellowe ser­uants; I compell thee not to open thy trespasses vn­to men, rehearse thy con­science before God, de­clare and open thy selfe. Shewe thy woundes vnto the moste excellent Phisi­tion, and aske of him a [Page] medicine. Shew vnto him that will vpbraide thee of nothing, but wil most gentlye heale thee.

It is the office of God onelye to quicken within, and to take awaye sinne, which faithe by the Pro­phet Cyrillu [...] v­pon Iohn the 11. Chapter. I am hee that putteth away your iniquities.

And the same Cyrill saith vpon Iohn, in the [...]0. Chap. and in the 12. Booke 56. Doubtlesse it beelongeth onelye vnto God to bee able to loose men from sinnes, for to what other man is it lawe­full to deliuer and quite the breakers of the Lawe from sinne, but to him that is the Auctor of the Lawe. And it followeth:

For when they forgiue and holde, the spirit which dwelleth in them, forgi­ueth & holdeth thorough them.

It app [...]rtaineth onlye to God to forgiue sinnes, Ambrose vpon the l [...]tter of the Corinth [...]ans 12. Chapter. and to giue the Holye Ghoste if God haue the effecte and ende of our health, man can haue no praise in this thing. And the same Ambrose saith: The woorde of God for­giueth sinnes, the Preest is the Iudge. And the same Ambrose sayth: He alone▪ forgiueth sinnes, which alone dieth for our sinnes. Austen in the b [...]oke of whole­some tea­chings.

[...]. Austen sayth: All euill vices oughte to bee far awaye from vs, whiles [Page] Christe will be our heri­tag [...] ▪ Therefore because that we be vncertaine of [...]che thinges, let vs fall downe lowlye in the sight of our onlye Sauiour, and let vs bring foorthe our sinnes roundlye at once that our heauenlye Fa­ther maye take them a­way, and when wee haue confessed vs, let vs not iustifie our selues in our Prayer, least we goe away condemned as the Pha­risee did. Let vs remem­ber the Publicane, and let vs praye, so that wee maye deserue to get for­giuenesse of our sinnes▪ let the crying of our hart beat and ascende vnto the [...]ares of almightye God [Page] For with a pure mind he will be pleased in the time of Prayer.

It is not now necessary Chrisostom in a sermon of Confession and re­pentance. to confesse, other beeing presente, which mighte heare our Confession; let the seeking oute of thy sinnes be in thy thought, let this Iudgemente bee without the presence of any bodye, let onlye God see thee, making thy con­fession. God which dooth not vpbraide thee for thy sinnes, & cast them in thy teethe: but loseth them for thy Confession.

Goe and shew thee to a Preeste, &c. who is the Ambrose in the third Sermon, vppon Beat [...] imaculat [...]. true Preest, but he that is a Preeste for euermore? af­ter the order of Mel­chisedech.

What haue I to doo Austen in the tenth booke of Confession in the third Chapter. with mē? that they should heare my Confessions, as though they should heale all my diseases? Heere is a curious and a busie kinde of [...], to knowe another mans life: and a slowe sorte to amende there owne. Wherfore seeke they to heare of me what man I am, which will not heare of thee (O Lorde) what they be.

Christe could not haue Theophe­lactus vpon Luke, in the first Chap­ter. beene knowne any other waye, but by forgiuing the people their sinnes, for it is the office of God to forgiue sinnes.

Of a surety it belongeth to the vertue of Christe [Page] to deliuer men from the Chrysostō vpon the fifth chap. of Mathew fifteen Ho­mely. filthinesse of sinnes, but that they fall not againe a freshe into them, it per­teineth to the cure and laboure of the Apostles. And Chrisostome, vppon the .viij. Chapter, in the liij. Homilye sayth: The bondage of sinne is moste greeuous, & from it onlye God can deliuer vs. For no man hath power to forgiue sinne, saue onlye God.

We are reconciled and Austen in his booke called En­chiridion, the 32. chap. brought in fauour againe with God thorow Christe which is the mediatour, that of Enemyes wee might be made Sonnes. And in the xix. Chapter. Neither shoulde wee bee [Page] deliuered thorowe him as [...]lye the mediatoure of God and man, Christ Ie­sus, if hee were not also God. But when Adam was made, that is to wit, a righte man, hee needed no mediatour. But when as sinne did seperate and sunder mankinde far from God, we must be brought in fauoure againe with God, by a mediatour and a meane which was one­lye borne without sinne▪ liued and was slame, vnto the rising agayne of the fleshe and to euerlasting life.

Beware thou shew any Chrisostom of Lazarus in the 4. Sermon. man thy sinnes, leaste hee cast them in thy teeth, and reuile thee for them. Nei­ther [Page] doo thou confesse thee vnto thy fellowe-ser­uaunt, that hee mighte tell thy faultes abroade, but to him which is the Lord and Maister, which also suffered for thee, to him that is kinde and gen­tle, and then shewe thy woundes vnto him, which is a Physition. And a little after he saith: God will that thou shouldst tel, not that thou shouldst be pu­nished, but be released and iustified,

Seeing that wee knowe Chrisostom of repen­tance in the fourth Ho­mely. these thinges, let vs al­waies flee for succour vnto God, which bothe will and maye take awaye all our greefes and sinnes. If at any time wee must get [Page] anye thing of men, by praier, we must first meete with the Porter, and en­tise the flatterers, the ie­sters, and the Plaiers, and Skoffers, and oftentimes goe a greate waye. There is no such [...] thing in God, ye may easily get by prai­er of him, hee will graunt you your petitions and Prayers without any mo­ney or cost.

Saint Ambrose saith: Peter mourned and wept, because hee erred as a Ambrose vpon Luke. man. I finde not what hee sayde, I knowe that hee wept, I reade of his teares, but I reade not of his satis­faction.

Thou needest no help­ers nor Aduocates with [Page] God, neither anye greate Chrisostom in the Ho­mely of the going for­ward of the Gospell. running about to flatter other men, but thoughe thou bee alone, and haste no Patrone or Aduocate, and makest thy Prayer thy owne selfe vnto God, doubtlesse thou shalt ob­taine thy purpose. For God dooth not so easilye heare when other praieth for vs, as when wee praye our selues, although wee be full of muche euill and vnrighteousnesse.

Thus haue I declared vnto you after my slen­der gifte of knoweledge bothe the Iudgement of the Aunciente Fathers of the Primitiue church, and what I haue read & learned in holye Scrip­ture, [Page] touching the confes­ [...] of sinnes.

Besides al these former fortes of confession, there was also vsed in the pri­mati [...]e Church, an open Confession, which they that had béene excommu­nicatedAnother Confession for greate and ha [...]nous sinnes, made be­fore the whole congrega­tion at such time as they were restored againe to the same. But because this is now out of vse (it is the more to be lamen­ted) I will héere speake no more of it. But wher­as in the latter ende of your letters, you instant­lye desired me to write vnto you, what I thinke of the eare Confession, [Page] that is so straitlye com­maunded among the pa­pistes. Truelye to vtter my Conscience plainelye vnto you in few woordes:Abuses of eare Con­fession. I thinke it bringeth ma­nye a simple soule to the hazarde of damnation. For doubtlesse there are manye shamefull abu­ses therein, of which I wil (by the grace of God) rehearse two or thrée which are intollerable.

1 First, it is commaun­ded of necessity. Through which abhominable com­maundement, the sim­ple common people (for lacke of good instruction) thinke (for so are they de­ceiued by false teaching) that without eare confes­sion, [Page] they cannot bee sa­ued, So this opinion of necessitye of the one par­tie, and the compulsarye lawes made of stincking Papists for the mainte­nance of the same, on the other partye, (I knowe this certainlye) bringeth very manye to perplexed and doubtfull straites of conscience, which (if it be not in time remoued by y^• sw [...]te promises of grace i [...] [...]hrist) will doubtlesse d [...]ine thē to desperation.

2 Secondarilye, it is no [...]le bondage of Chri­st [...]n [...]eus consciences to [...]empell the [...] to number [...]ll their sinnes particu­larly, with al due circum­stances of time, person [Page] and place: and how ma­ny times euerye sin was committed. Which opi­nion perswaded to the vnlearned People, is not vnlike to bring many of their soules vnto the di­uells daunger. For they thinke themselues boun­den in Conscience (for so are they coruptly taught) to confesse euerye sin per­ticularlye by it selfe, and [...] open and declare to their ghostlye father, eue­rye circumstaunce of the same. And yet sometime for feare, and sometime for shame, they confesse not all, but concealeth and hideth some offence. Which not confessed op­presseth their weake and [Page] féeble Consciences, some­time thrée or foure yeeres or more, and so all that space they thinke them­selues because of that concealemente to bee in the state of damnation, and quite out of Gods fauor. And manye times (if the thinge were thorowelye knowne) it is scantlye so waighty a matter, as the eating of an egge vpon a Fridaye, so deepelye are the Popishe traditions printed in their tender Consciences, estéeming the breache of them to be a greater offence, thē ido­latrye, blasphemye, per­iurie▪ theft, slaunder or a­ny transgression of Gods holy commaundements. [Page] Whiche thinge oughte to make all the Babilonicall Bishoppes ashamed (but y^• they are past all shame already) because they suf­fer Gods people to be so drowned in ignoraunce, that they can not discern the commaundements of God, frō the dirtye dregs of Papisticall traditions. And albeit the holy scrip­ture alloweth these sorts of Confession that I haue spoken of before in this Epistle: yet for all that, the prowdest Papiste of them all, cannot finde in holye Scripture these woordes or sentences: To his owne Curate whatso­euer he is: all Sinnes per­ticularlye: all circumstan­ces: [Page] & such like trash. For all these are nothing else but Pedlarye patches of Papistrye. Which I pray God maye bee purged a­gaine, and banished out of Christendome, and that shortlye.

Finally, beside the a­foresaide abuses of eare Confession, the common sorte of people are there­with two manner of wayes deceiued. Firste, because they thinke, that their Confession is the cause of forgiuenesse of their sinnes: by reason whereof, they blotte out the blessed benefite of the passion and death of Christe our onely Saui­our: which is the onlye [Page] obtayner of Grace and Mer [...]ys, for the Sinnes of all mankinde Secon­darilye, because they are fullye perswaded that the Penaunce, that is, that Fasting, Praier, or al­me [...] enioyned them of their ghostlye Father, is the due satisfaction and full recompensation to God, equiuolente for their sinnes past, which they haue confessed to the Préeste: And so for lacke of knowledge and in­struction, they are ther­in vtterlye deceiued. For sure it is, that to God, no man is able to satisfie for Sinne: for that sa­tisfaction hath onlye our Sauiour Christ wrought [Page] in hys paynefull [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] ▪ but [...] will at this [...] them ouer [...].

Thus [...] haue I [...] you of the Confession of sinnes, to declare vnto you my con­science and simple Iudg­mente therein, according to your requeste in you: [...] Letters, written vn­to mée by NICHOLAS NERIN, from Roane in Fraunce, the eight day of IANVARIE. And [...] you accepte of my rude writing and collection in this matter: I shall by the grace of God doo [Page] mine endeuour likewise in other matters of holye Scripture, to shewe you heereafter my small and slender knowledge and iudgement. Thus the li­uing God increace in you dayly more & more, faith, charitie, meekenesse, god­linesse and pacience. A­men.