A discourse concerning auricular confession as it is prescribed by the Council of Trent, and practised in the Church of Rome : with a post-script on occasion of a book lately printed in France, called Historia confessionis auricularis.
         Goodman, John, 1625 or 6-1690.
      
       
         
           1684
        
      
       Approx. 112 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 30 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.
       
         Text Creation Partnership,
         Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :
         2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).
         A41435
         Wing G1104
         ESTC R6771
         12143660
         ocm 12143660
         54888
         
           
            This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of
             Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal
            . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.
          
        
      
       
         Early English books online.
      
       
         (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A41435)
         Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 54888)
         Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 597:15)
      
       
         
           
             A discourse concerning auricular confession as it is prescribed by the Council of Trent, and practised in the Church of Rome : with a post-script on occasion of a book lately printed in France, called Historia confessionis auricularis.
             Goodman, John, 1625 or 6-1690.
          
           [2], 56 p.
           
             Printed by H. Hills Jun. for Benj. Tooke ..., and Fincham Gardiner ...,
             London :
             1648 [i.e 1684].
          
           
             Includes bibliographical references.
             Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
         Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.
         Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors.
      
       
         EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.
         EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).
         The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.
         Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.
         Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.
         Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.
         The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.
         Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).
         
          Keying and markup guidelines are available at the
           Text Creation Partnership web site
          .
        
      
       
         
         
      
    
     
       
         eng
      
       
         
           Boileau, Jacques, 1635-1716. -- Historia confessionis auricularis.
           Catholic Church -- Doctrines.
        
      
    
     
        2007-09 TCP
        Assigned for keying and markup
      
        2007-10 Apex CoVantage
        Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images
      
        2007-11 Elspeth Healey
        Sampled and proofread
      
        2007-11 Elspeth Healey
        Text and markup reviewed and edited
      
        2008-02 pfs
        Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
      
    
  
   
     
       
         
         
         
           A
           DISCOURSE
           CONCERNING
           
             Auricular
             Confession
          
           ,
           As
           it
           is
           prescribed
           by
           the
           COUNCIL
           OF
           TRENT
           ,
           And
           practised
           in
           the
           CHURCH
           of
           ROME
           .
        
         
           With
           a
           Post-script
           on
           occasion
           of
           a
           Book
           lately
           printed
           in
           France
           ,
           called
           
             Historia
             Confessionis
             Auricularis
          
           .
        
         
           LONDON
           ,
           Printed
           by
           
             H.
             Hills
          
           Jun.
           for
           
             Benj.
             Tooke
          
           at
           the
           Sign
           of
           the
           Ship
           in
           St.
           
           Paul's
           Church-yard
           ;
           and
           
             Fincham
             Gardiner
          
           at
           the
           Sign
           of
           the
           White-Horse
           in
           Ludgate-street
           .
           1648.
           
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
         
           OF
           Auricular
           Confession
           .
        
         
           THE
           Zealots
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           are
           wont
           to
           Glory
           of
           the
           singular
           advantages
           ,
           in
           the
           Communion
           of
           that
           Church
           ,
           especially
           in
           respect
           of
           the
           greater
           means
           and
           helps
           of
           Spiritual
           comfort
           ,
           which
           they
           pretend
           are
           to
           be
           had
           there
           ,
           above
           and
           beyond
           what
           are
           to
           be
           found
           amongst
           other
           Societies
           of
           Christians
           .
           Which
           one
           thing
           ,
           if
           it
           could
           be
           as
           substantially
           made
           out
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           confidently
           asserted
           ,
           could
           not
           fail
           to
           sway
           very
           much
           with
           all
           Wise
           men
           ,
           and
           would
           undoubtedly
           prevail
           with
           all
           devout
           persons
           ,
           (
           who
           were
           made
           acquainted
           with
           the
           secret
           )
           to
           go
           over
           to
           them
           .
           But
           if
           contrariwise
           it
           appear
           upon
           search
           ,
           that
           their
           pretensions
           of
           this
           kind
           are
           false
           and
           groundless
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           methods
           of
           Administring
           consolation
           ,
           which
           are
           peculiar
           to
           that
           Church
           ,
           are
           as
           well
           unsafe
           and
           deceitful
           ,
           as
           singular
           and
           unnecessary
           :
           Then
           the
           same
           Prudence
           and
           Sincerity
           ,
           will
           oblige
           a
           man
           to
           suspect
           that
           Communion
           ,
           instead
           of
           becoming
           a
           proselyte
           to
           it
           ,
           and
           to
           look
           upon
           the
           aforesaid
           boastings
           as
           the
           effect
           either
           of
           designed
           imposture
           ,
           or
           at
           the
           least
           of
           Ignorance
           and
           Delusion
           .
        
         
           Amongst
           other
           things
           ,
           that
           Church
           highly
           values
           it self
           upon
           ,
           the
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           (
           as
           they
           call
           it
           )
           and
           as
           deeply
           blames
           and
           condemns
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           other
           Reformed
           Churches
           ,
           for
           their
           defect
           in
           ,
           and
           neglect
           
           of
           so
           important
           and
           comfortable
           an
           Office.
           And
           under
           that
           specious
           pretext
           ,
           her
           Emissaries
           (
           who
           are
           wont
           according
           to
           the
           phrase
           of
           the
           Apostle
           ,
           
             to
             creep
             into
             houses
             ,
             and
             lead
             Captive
             silly
             Women
             ,
          
           &c.
           )
           insinuate
           themselves
           into
           such
           of
           the
           People
           as
           have
           more
           Zeal
           then
           knowledge
           ,
           and
           now
           and
           then
           wheadle
           some
           of
           them
           over
           into
           their
           Society
           .
           To
           that
           purpose
           ,
           they
           will
           not
           only
           harangue
           them
           with
           fine
           stories
           of
           the
           ease
           and
           benefit
           of
           it
           ,
           as
           of
           an
           Ancient
           and
           useful
           Rite
           ,
           but
           will
           also
           Preach
           to
           them
           the
           necessity
           of
           it
           as
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           is
           as
           important
           (
           in
           its
           kind
           )
           as
           Baptism
           or
           the
           Lords
           Supper
           ▪
           For
           that
           Confession
           to
           a
           Priest
           ,
           and
           his
           Absolution
           thereupon
           obtained
           ,
           is
           the
           only
           means
           appointed
           by
           God
           for
           the
           procuring
           of
           Pardon
           of
           all
           mortal
           sins
           committed
           after
           Baptism
           .
        
         
           As
           for
           Original
           sin
           ,
           or
           whatsoever
           actual
           transgressions
           may
           have
           been
           committed
           before
           Baptism
           ,
           
           all
           those
           they
           acknowledg
           to
           be
           washed
           away
           in
           that
           sacred
           Laver.
           And
           for
           sins
           of
           Infirmity
           or
           Venial
           sins
           ,
           these
           may
           be
           done
           away
           by
           several
           easy
           methods
           ,
           by
           Contrition
           alone
           say
           some
           ,
           nay
           ,
           by
           Attrition
           alone
           
           (
           say
           others
           )
           by
           Habitual
           Grace
           says
           a
           third
           ,
           &c.
           
           But
           for
           mortal
           sins
           committed
           after
           a
           man
           is
           admitted
           into
           the
           Church
           by
           Baptism
           ▪
           for
           these
           there
           is
           no
           other
           door
           of
           Mercy
           ,
           but
           the
           Priests
           Lips
           ,
           nor
           hath
           God
           appointed
           ,
           or
           will
           admit
           of
           any
           other
           way
           of
           Reconciliation
           then
           this
           ,
           of
           Confession
           to
           a
           Priest
           ,
           and
           his
           Absolution
           .
        
         
           This
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           therefore
           is
           called
           by
           them
           ,
           
             Secunda
             Tabula
             post
             naufragium
          
           ,
           the
           peculiar
           refuge
           of
           a
           lapsed
           Christian
           ,
           the
           only
           Sanctuary
           of
           a
           gu●lty
           Conscience
           ,
           the
           sole
           means
           of
           restoring
           such
           a
           person
           to
           Peace
           of
           Conscience
           the
           Favour
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           hopes
           of
           Heaven
           .
           And
           withal
           ,
           this
           method
           is
           
           held
           to
           be
           so
           Soveraign
           and
           Effectual
           a
           remedy
           ,
           that
           it
           cures
           
             toties
             ,
             quoties
          
           ;
           and
           whatever
           a
           mans
           in
           fearriages
           have
           been
           ,
           and
           how
           often
           soever
           repeated
           ,
           if
           he
           do
           but
           as
           often
           resort
           to
           it
           ,
           he
           shall
           return
           as
           pure
           and
           clean
           as
           when
           he
           first
           came
           from
           the
           Font.
           
        
         
           This
           ready
           and
           easie
           way
           (
           say
           they
           )
           hath
           God
           allowed
           men
           ,
           of
           quitting
           all
           scores
           with
           himself
           ,
           in
           the
           use
           of
           which
           they
           may
           have
           perfect
           peace
           in
           their
           Consciences
           ,
           and
           may
           think
           of
           the
           day
           of
           Judgment
           without
           horror
           ,
           having
           their
           Case
           decided
           beforehand
           by
           Gods
           Deputy
           the
           Priest
           ,
           and
           their
           Pardon
           ready
           to
           produce
           ,
           and
           plead
           at
           the
           Tribunal
           of
           Christ
           .
        
         
           What
           a
           mighty
           defect
           is
           it
           therefore
           in
           the
           Protestant
           Churches
           ,
           who
           wanting
           this
           Sacrament
           ,
           want
           the
           principal
           ministry
           of
           reconciliation
           ?
           And
           who
           would
           not
           joyn
           himself
           to
           the
           Society
           of
           that
           Church
           ,
           where
           this
           great
           Case
           is
           so
           abundantly
           provided
           for
           ?
           For
           if
           all
           this
           be
           true
           ,
           he
           must
           be
           extreamly
           fool-hardy
           and
           deserve
           to
           perish
           ,
           who
           will
           not
           be
           of
           that
           Communion
           from
           whence
           the
           way
           to
           Heaven
           is
           so
           very
           easie
           and
           obvious
           ,
           no
           wonder
           therefore
           I
           say
           ,
           if
           not
           only
           the
           loose
           and
           vicious
           are
           fond
           of
           this
           Communion
           where
           they
           may
           sin
           and
           confess
           ,
           and
           confess
           and
           sin
           again
           without
           any
           great
           danger
           ,
           but
           it
           would
           be
           strange
           if
           the
           more
           Virtuous
           and
           Prudent
           also
           ,
           did
           not
           out
           of
           more
           caution
           think
           it
           became
           them
           to
           comply
           with
           his
           expedient
           .
           For
           as
           much
           as
           there
           is
           no
           man
           who
           understands
           himself
           ,
           but
           must
           be
           conscious
           of
           having
           committed
           sins
           since
           his
           Baptism
           ,
           and
           then
           for
           fear
           some
           of
           them
           should
           prove
           to
           be
           of
           a
           mortal
           nature
           ,
           it
           will
           be
           his
           safest
           course
           to
           betake
           himself
           to
           this
           refuge
           ,
           and
           consequently
           he
           will
           easily
           be
           drawn
           to
           that
           Church
           ,
           where
           the
           only
           remedy
           of
           his
           disease
           is
           to
           be
           had
           .
        
         
           But
           the
           best
           of
           it
           is
           ,
           these
           things
           are
           so
           oner
           said
           then
           
           proved
           ,
           and
           more
           easily
           phansied
           by
           silly
           People
           ,
           then
           believed
           by
           those
           of
           discretion
           .
           And
           therefore
           there
           may
           be
           no
           culpable
           defect
           in
           the
           reformed
           Churches
           ,
           that
           they
           trust
           not
           to
           this
           remedy
           in
           so
           great
           a
           Case
           .
           And
           as
           for
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           in
           particular
           ,
           though
           she
           hath
           no
           fondness
           for
           Mountebank
           Medicines
           ,
           as
           observing
           them
           to
           be
           seldom
           successful
           ;
           yet
           she
           is
           not
           wanting
           in
           her
           care
           ,
           and
           compassion
           to
           the
           Souls
           of
           those
           under
           her
           guidance
           ,
           but
           expresseth
           as
           much
           tenderness
           of
           their
           peace
           and
           comfort
           ,
           as
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           can
           pretend
           to
           .
           Indeed
           she
           hath
           not
           set
           up
           a
           Confessors
           Chair
           in
           every
           Parish
           ,
           nor
           much
           less
           placed
           the
           Priest
           in
           the
           Seat
           of
           God
           Almighty
           ,
           as
           thinking
           it
           safer
           ,
           at
           least
           in
           ordinary
           Cases
           ,
           to
           remit
           men
           to
           the
           Text
           of
           the
           written
           word
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           to
           the
           publick
           Ministry
           thereof
           ,
           for
           resolution
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           then
           to
           the
           secret
           Oracle
           of
           a
           Priest
           in
           a
           corner
           ,
           and
           advises
           them
           rather
           to
           observe
           what
           God
           himself
           declares
           of
           the
           nature
           and
           guilt
           of
           sin
           ,
           the
           aggravations
           or
           abatements
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           the
           terms
           and
           conditions
           of
           Pardon
           ,
           then
           what
           a
           Priest
           pronounces
           .
           But
           however
           this
           course
           doth
           not
           please
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           for
           reasons
           best
           known
           to
           themselves
           ,
           which
           if
           we
           may
           guess
           at
           ,
           the
           main
           seems
           to
           be
           this
           ,
           they
           do
           not
           think
           it
           fit
           to
           let
           men
           be
           their
           own
           carvers
           ,
           but
           lead
           them
           like
           Children
           by
           the
           hand
           ;
           my
           meaning
           is
           ,
           they
           keep
           People
           as
           much
           in
           Ignorance
           of
           the
           Holy
           Scripture
           as
           they
           can
           ,
           locking
           that
           up
           from
           them
           in
           an
           unknown
           Tongue
           ;
           now
           if
           they
           may
           not
           be
           trusted
           with
           those
           Sacred
           Records
           ,
           so
           as
           to
           inform
           themselves
           of
           the
           terms
           of
           the
           New
           Covenant
           ,
           the
           conditions
           of
           the
           Pardon
           of
           sin
           ,
           and
           Salvation
           ,
           it
           is
           then
           but
           reasonable
           that
           the
           Priest
           should
           Judge
           for
           them
           ,
           and
           that
           they
           await
           their
           doom
           from
           his
           Mouth
           .
           Yet
           I
           do
           not
           see
           why
           in
           a
           Protestant
           Church
           ,
           
           where
           the
           whole
           Religion
           is
           in
           the
           Mother
           Tongue
           ,
           the
           Old
           and
           especially
           the
           New
           Testament
           constantly
           ,
           and
           conscientiously
           expounded
           ,
           and
           the
           People
           allowed
           to
           search
           the
           Scriptures
           ,
           and
           
             to
             see
             whether
             things
             be
             so
             or
             no
             ,
          
           I
           see
           not
           ,
           I
           say
           ,
           Why
           in
           such
           a
           case
           the
           Priest
           may
           not
           in
           great
           measure
           be
           excused
           the
           trouble
           of
           attending
           secret
           Confessions
           ,
           without
           danger
           to
           the
           Souls
           of
           men
           .
        
         
           But
           besides
           this
           ,
           there
           is
           a
           constant
           use
           of
           Confession
           and
           Absolution
           too
           ,
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           in
           every
           Days
           Service
           ;
           which
           though
           they
           be
           both
           in
           general
           terms
           ,
           as
           they
           ought
           to
           be
           in
           publick
           Worship
           ,
           yet
           every
           Penitent
           can
           both
           from
           his
           own
           Conscience
           supply
           the
           generality
           of
           the
           Confession
           by
           a
           remorseful
           reflection
           upon
           his
           own
           particular
           sins
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           if
           he
           did
           it
           at
           the
           knees
           of
           a
           Priest
           ;
           and
           also
           by
           an
           Act
           of
           Faith
           can
           apply
           the
           general
           Sentence
           of
           Absolution
           to
           his
           own
           Soul
           ,
           with
           as
           good
           and
           comfortable
           effects
           ,
           as
           if
           it
           had
           been
           specially
           pronounced
           by
           his
           Confessor
           .
        
         
           But
           this
           publick
           Confession
           doth
           not
           please
           the
           Romanists
           neither
           ,
           and
           they
           know
           a
           Reason
           for
           their
           dislike
           ;
           namely
           ,
           because
           this
           doth
           not
           conciliate
           so
           great
           a
           Veneration
           to
           the
           Priest-hood
           ,
           as
           when
           all
           men
           are
           brought
           to
           kneel
           to
           them
           for
           Salvation
           :
           Neither
           doth
           this
           way
           make
           them
           to
           pry
           into
           the
           secret
           thoughts
           of
           Men
           ,
           as
           Auricular
           Confession
           doth
           ,
           wherein
           the
           Priest
           is
           not
           only
           made
           a
           Judge
           of
           mens
           estate
           ,
           but
           a
           Spy
           upon
           their
           behavior
           ,
           and
           is
           capable
           of
           becoming
           an
           Intelligencer
           to
           his
           Superiors
           of
           all
           the
           Designs
           ,
           Interests
           ,
           and
           even
           Constitutions
           of
           the
           People
           .
        
         
           Moreover
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           allows
           of
           private
           Confessions
           also
           ,
           as
           particularly
           in
           the
           Visitation
           of
           the
           sick
           ,
           (
           which
           office
           extends
           also
           to
           them
           that
           are
           troubled
           in
           Mind
           or
           Conscience
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           to
           the
           afflicted
           in
           Body
           )
           where
           the
           Minister
           is
           directed
           to
           examine
           
           particularly
           the
           state
           of
           the
           Decumbents
           Soul
           ,
           to
           search
           and
           romage
           his
           Conscience
           ,
           to
           try
           his
           Faith
           ,
           his
           Repentance
           ,
           his
           Charity
           ,
           nay
           ,
           to
           move
           him
           to
           make
           a
           special
           Confession
           of
           his
           sins
           ,
           and
           afterwards
           to
           absolve
           him
           upon
           just
           grounds
           .
        
         
           Nay
           further
           yet
           ,
           if
           (
           besides
           the
           case
           of
           Sickness
           )
           any
           Man
           shall
           either
           out
           of
           perplexity
           of
           Mind
           ,
           scrupulosity
           or
           remorse
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           or
           any
           other
           devout
           consideration
           ,
           think
           it
           needful
           to
           apply
           himself
           to
           a
           Priest
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           for
           advice
           ,
           ease
           ,
           or
           relief
           ,
           he
           hath
           incouragement
           and
           direction
           so
           to
           do
           in
           the
           first
           Exhortation
           to
           the
           Holy
           Communion
           ,
           and
           may
           be
           sure
           to
           find
           those
           who
           will
           tenderly
           ,
           and
           faithfully
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           secretly
           administer
           to
           his
           necessities
           .
           So
           that
           I
           see
           not
           what
           defect
           or
           omission
           can
           be
           objected
           to
           this
           Church
           in
           all
           this
           Affair
           ,
           or
           what
           Temptation
           any
           Man
           can
           have
           upon
           this
           account
           to
           go
           from
           us
           to
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           .
        
         
           But
           all
           this
           will
           not
           satisfy
           them
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           they
           are
           neither
           contented
           with
           publick
           confession
           ,
           nor
           with
           private
           ,
           no
           nor
           with
           secret
           neither
           ,
           if
           it
           be
           only
           occasional
           or
           voluntary
           :
           It
           is
           the
           universality
           and
           necessity
           of
           it
           which
           they
           insist
           upon
           ,
           for
           it
           is
           not
           with
           them
           a
           Matter
           of
           Ecclesiastical
           Discipline
           ,
           to
           prevent
           the
           Scandal
           of
           the
           Society
           ,
           to
           conserve
           the
           Reverence
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           or
           to
           rest
           rain
           men
           from
           sinning
           ,
           or
           much
           less
           an
           Office
           of
           Expediency
           and
           Prudence
           to
           be
           resorted
           to
           upon
           exigencies
           ,
           or
           such
           as
           may
           accidentally
           become
           necessary
           upon
           emergency
           as
           suppose
           upon
           the
           atrocity
           of
           some
           fact
           committed
           ,
           the
           scandalousness
           of
           some
           persons
           former
           life
           ,
           which
           may
           make
           him
           more
           doubtful
           of
           his
           Pardon
           ,
           the
           weakness
           of
           his
           Judgment
           ,
           the
           Melancholy
           of
           his
           Temper
           ,
           or
           the
           Anxiety
           of
           his
           Mind
           ,
           or
           any
           such
           like
           occasion
           ▪
           but
           it
           must
           be
           the
           standing
           indispensable
           duty
           of
           all
           
           men
           ,
           as
           the
           condition
           of
           the
           Pardon
           of
           their
           Sins
           ;
           in
           one
           word
           it
           must
           be
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Divine
           institution
           ,
           and
           of
           Universal
           Obligation
           .
        
         
           For
           so
           the
           Council
           of
           Trent
           determins
           ,
           Sess
           .
           4.
           Canon
        
         
           1.
           
           
             Si
             quis
             ,
             dixerit
             in
             Ecolesiâ
             Catholica
             poenitentiam
             nom
             esse
             verè
             &
             propriè
             Sacramentum
             pro
             fidelibus
             ,
             quoties
             post
             Baptismum
             in
             peccata
             labentur
             ,
             ipsi
             Deo
             reconciliandi●
             a
             Domino
             nostro
             institutum
             ,
             Anathema
             sit
          
           ;
           i.
           e.
           Let
           him
           be
           accursed
           ,
           who
           shall
           affirm
           that
           Penance
           is
           not
           truly
           and
           properly
           a
           Sacrament
           instituted
           and
           appointed
           in
           the
           Universal
           Church
           ,
           by
           our
           Lord
           Christ
           himself
           ,
           for
           the
           reconciling
           those
           Christians
           to
           the
           Divine
           Majesty
           ,
           who
           have
           fallen
           into
           Sin
           after
           their
           Baptism
           .
        
         
           And
           in
           the
           Doctrinal
           part
           of
           that
           Decree
           they
           teach
           and
           assert
           more
           particularly
           ;
           First
           ,
           That
           our
           Saviour
           instituted
           this
           Sacrament
           expresly
           ,
           Joh.
           20.
           22.
           
        
         
           2.
           
           That
           this
           Sacrament
           consists
           of
           two
           parts
           ,
           viz.
           the
           Matter
           and
           the
           Form
           ;
           the
           Matter
           of
           the
           Sacrament
           
           
             (
             or
             quasi
             materia
          
           as
           they
           cautiously
           speak
           )
           is
           the
           act
           or
           acts
           of
           the
           Penitent
           ,
           namely
           ,
           Contrition
           ,
           Confession
           ,
           and
           Satisfaction
           ;
           the
           Form
           of
           it
           is
           the
           act
           of
           the
           Priest
           in
           these
           words
           ,
           Absolvote
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           That
           therefore
           it
           is
           the
           duty
           of
           every
           Man
           who
           hath
           fallen
           after
           Baptism
           ,
           as
           aforesaid
           ,
           to
           confess
           his
           sins
           
           at
           least
           once
           a
           year
           to
           a
           Priest
           .
        
         
           4.
           
           That
           this
           confession
           is
           to
           be
           secret
           ;
           for
           publick
           Confession
           
           they
           say
           is
           neither
           commanded
           nor
           expedient
           .
        
         
           5.
           
           That
           this
           confession
           of
           Mortal
           sin
           be
           very
           exact
           and
           
           particular
           together
           with
           all
           circumstances
           ,
           especially
           such
           as
           
             speciem
             facti
             mutant●
          
           ,
           alter
           the
           kind
           or
           degree
           of
           sin
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           extend
           to
           the
           most
           secret
           sins
           ,
           even
           of
           thought
           ;
           or
           against
           the
           9th
           .
           and
           10th
           .
           Commandment
           .
           
        
         
           6.
           
           That
           the
           Penitent
           thus
           doing
           ,
           the
           Absolution
           of
           
           the
           Priest
           hereupon
           pronounced
           is
           not
           conditional
           or
           declarative
           only
           ,
           but
           absolute
           and
           judicial
           .
        
         
         
           Now
           in
           opposition
           to
           this
           Doctrine
           and
           Decree
           of
           theirs
           ,
           and
           the
           practice
           of
           that
           Church
           pursuant
           thereof
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           in
           defence
           of
           the
           Doctrine
           and
           Practice
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           in
           that
           particular
           ,
           I
           will
           here
           endeavor
           to
           make
           good
           these
           Three
           things
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           That
           our
           blessed
           Lord
           and
           Saviour
           hath
           neither
           in
           his
           Gospel
           instituted
           such
           an
           Auricular
           Confession
           as
           aforesaid
           ,
           nor
           much
           less
           ,
           such
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           as
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           supposes
           in
           the
           recited
           Decree
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           That
           Auricular
           Confession
           hath
           not
           been
           of
           constant
           and
           universal
           use
           in
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           as
           the
           Romanists
           pretend
           ,
           much
           less
           looked
           upon
           as
           of
           Sacramental
           and
           necessary
           Obligation
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           That
           Auricular
           Confession
           as
           it
           is
           now
           used
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           is
           not
           only
           unnecessary
           and
           burdensome
           ,
           but
           in
           many
           respects
           very
           mischievous
           to
           Piety
           ,
           and
           the
           great
           ends
           of
           Christian
           Religion
           .
        
         
           If
           the
           first
           of
           these
           appear
           to
           be
           true
           ,
           then
           (
           at
           the
           worst
           )
           the
           want
           of
           such
           an
           Auricular
           Confession
           in
           the
           reformed
           Churches
           ,
           can
           be
           but
           an
           irregularity
           ,
           and
           no
           essential
           defect
           .
        
         
           If
           the
           second
           of
           these
           assertions
           be
           made
           good
           ,
           then
           it
           can
           be
           no
           defect
           at
           all
           in
           those
           Churches
           that
           use
           not
           such
           a
           Rite
           ,
           but
           a
           novelty
           and
           imposition
           on
           their
           parts
           who
           so
           strictly
           require
           it
           .
        
         
           But
           if
           the
           third
           be
           true
           ,
           it
           will
           be
           the
           corruption
           and
           great
           fault
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           to
           persevere
           in
           the
           injunction
           and
           practice
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           the
           excellency
           and
           commendation
           of
           those
           Churches
           which
           exclude
           it
           .
        
         
           I
           begin
           with
           the
           first
           ,
           that
           it
           doth
           not
           appear
           that
           our
           Saviour
           hath
           instituted
           such
           an
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           of
           such
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           as
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           pretends
           and
           practises
           .
        
         
           I
           confess
           it
           is
           a
           Negative
           which
           I
           here
           undertake
           to
           
           make
           good
           ,
           which
           is
           accounted
           a
           difficult
           Province
           ,
           but
           the
           Council
           of
           Trent
           hath
           relieved
           us
           in
           that
           particular
           by
           founding
           the
           Institution
           expresly
           upon
           that
           one
           passage
           of
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           Joh.
           20.
           22.
           
           So
           that
           we
           shall
           not
           need
           to
           examine
           the
           whole
           Body
           of
           Scripture
           to
           discover
           what
           footsteps
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           may
           be
           found
           here
           or
           there
           ,
           for
           the
           Council
           wholly
           insists
           and
           relies
           upon
           that
           Text
           of
           St.
           John
           ,
           and
           therefore
           if
           that
           fail
           them
           ,
           the
           whole
           Hypothesis
           falls
           to
           the
           ground
           .
        
         
           Now
           for
           the
           clearing
           of
           this
           ,
           let
           us
           lay
           the
           words
           before
           us
           ;
           and
           they
           are
           these
           ,
           
             He
             breathed
             on
             them
             ,
             and
             said
             ,
             Receive
             ye
             the
             Holy
             Ghost
             ,
             whosoever
             sins
             ye
             remit
             they
             are
             remitted
             unto
             them
             ,
             and
             whosoever
             sins
             ye
             retain
             ,
             they
             are
             retained
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           here
           I
           appeal
           to
           any
           Man
           that
           hath
           Eyes
           in
           his
           Head
           ,
           or
           Ears
           to
           hear
           ,
           whether
           in
           this
           Text
           there
           be
           any
           one
           word
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           or
           much
           less
           of
           such
           a
           circumstantiated
           one
           as
           they
           require
           ;
           And
           this
           is
           so
           manifest
           and
           notorious
           ,
           that
           their
           own
           ancient
           Canonists
           and
           several
           of
           their
           learned
           Divines
           are
           ashamed
           of
           the
           pretence
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           founded
           upon
           this
           or
           any
           other
           passage
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           therefore
           are
           content
           to
           defend
           the
           practice
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           in
           this
           particular
           ,
           upon
           the
           account
           of
           the
           Authority
           ,
           and
           general
           usage
           of
           the
           Church
           ;
           which
           we
           shall
           come
           to
           examine
           by
           and
           by
           in
           its
           due
           place
           .
        
         
           In
           the
           mean
           time
           I
           cannot
           choose
           but
           admire
           the
           mighty
           Faith
           of
           a
           Romanist
           ,
           who
           can
           believe
           in
           spight
           of
           his
           own
           Eyes
           .
           It
           seemed
           to
           us
           an
           unsuperable
           difficulty
           heretofore
           ,
           for
           a
           Man
           to
           persuade
           himself
           that
           in
           the
           Sacrament
           of
           the
           Eucharist
           Bread
           was
           transubstantiated
           into
           Flesh
           ,
           because
           it
           was
           against
           the
           express
           Testimony
           of
           Sense
           ,
           yea
           ,
           although
           for
           that
           there
           was
           
           the
           countenance
           of
           Five
           figurative
           (
           but
           mistaken
           )
           words
           to
           support
           the
           credulity
           ;
           but
           this
           of
           the
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           clearly
           out-does
           it
           ,
           for
           here
           a
           Man
           must
           believe
           a
           thing
           to
           be
           ,
           when
           as
           there
           is
           not
           so
           much
           as
           one
           word
           for
           the
           ground
           of
           his
           Faith
           ,
           or
           the
           proof
           of
           the
           thing
           in
           question
           .
           How
           many
           Sacraments
           may
           not
           such
           men
           have
           if
           they
           please
           ?
           What
           voluminous
           Creeds
           may
           not
           they
           swallow
           and
           digest
           ?
           What
           Mountains
           may
           not
           such
           a
           wonderful
           Faith
           remove
           ?
        
         
           But
           let
           us
           hear
           what
           they
           have
           to
           say
           for
           themselves
           ;
           perhaps
           in
           the
           first
           place
           they
           will
           plead
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           Council
           of
           Trent
           ,
           which
           hath
           peremptorily
           determined
           the
           sense
           of
           the
           passage
           of
           the
           Gospel
           to
           the
           purpose
           aforesaid
           .
           Indeed
           that
           Council
           in
           the
           third
           Canon
           of
           their
           fourteenth
           Session
           ,
           doth
           damn
           all
           those
           who
           deny
           that
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           and
           Auricular
           Confession
           is
           prescribed
           in
           that
           Text
           of
           St.
           John
           ,
           or
           who
           apply
           it
           to
           any
           other
           purpose
           .
           But
           in
           so
           doing
           ,
           they
           both
           usurp
           a
           Prerogative
           which
           was
           never
           pretended
           to
           or
           practised
           by
           any
           Council
           before
           them
           ,
           and
           withal
           they
           betray
           a
           consciousness
           that
           the
           Text
           it self
           yielded
           no
           sufficient
           evidence
           of
           the
           thing
           which
           they
           designed
           to
           countenance
           by
           it
           ;
           for
           what
           Councils
           (
           ever
           till
           now
           )
           brought
           a
           Text
           ,
           and
           then
           imposed
           an
           Interpretation
           upon
           it
           contrary
           to
           the
           words
           ?
           And
           then
           backt
           that
           Interpretation
           with
           an
           Anathema
           ?
           If
           the
           Text
           were
           plain
           or
           could
           be
           made
           so
           ,
           why
           was
           not
           that
           done
           ?
           And
           to
           be
           sure
           if
           that
           cannot
           be
           done
           by
           other
           means
           ,
           the
           curse
           will
           not
           do
           it
           ;
           at
           least
           to
           any
           but
           very
           obedient
           Roman
           Consciences
           .
           Besides
           if
           this
           course
           be
           allowed
           ,
           I
           see
           not
           but
           a
           Council
           may
           bring
           in
           what
           Religion
           they
           please
           ,
           having
           first
           made
           a
           Nose
           of
           Wax
           of
           the
           Holy
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           then
           writhed
           it
           into
           what
           shape
           they
           best
           phansy
           ;
           for
           in
           such
           a
           case
           ,
           if
           the
           words
           of
           the
           Gospel
           do
           not
           favour
           me
           ,
           I
           can
           govern
           
           the
           sense
           ,
           and
           if
           the
           letter
           be
           silent
           or
           intractable
           ,
           I
           can
           help
           that
           with
           an
           Interpretation
           ;
           and
           if
           I
           have
           authority
           or
           confidence
           enough
           to
           impose
           that
           ,
           under
           the
           peril
           of
           Anathema
           ,
           I
           am
           no
           longer
           an
           Interpreter
           or
           a
           Judg
           ,
           but
           a
           Law-giver
           ,
           and
           need
           not
           trouble
           my self
           with
           
             Scriptum
             est
          
           ,
           but
           may
           (
           if
           I
           will
           speak
           plain
           )
           say
           
             decretum
             est
          
           ,
           and
           the
           business
           is
           done
           .
        
         
           But
           if
           neither
           the
           Letter
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           nor
           the
           Authority
           of
           a
           Council
           will
           do
           in
           this
           case
           ,
           then
           in
           the
           second
           place
           they
           think
           they
           have
           at
           least
           some
           colour
           of
           Reason
           to
           relieve
           them
           ;
           and
           if
           they
           cannot
           find
           Auricular
           Confession
           in
           the
           Text
           ,
           yet
           they
           will
           by
           consequence
           infer
           it
           thence
           ;
           for
           they
           say
           although
           indeed
           it
           is
           true
           it
           is
           not
           here
           expresly
           mentioned
           ,
           yet
           it
           is
           certain
           that
           our
           Saviour
           in
           the
           Text
           before
           us
           instituted
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           ,
           and
           therefore
           Auricular
           Confession
           must
           necessarily
           be
           implied
           because
           absolution
           cannot
           be
           without
           Confession
           .
        
         
           Here
           the
           Reader
           will
           observe
           that
           the
           point
           in
           Question
           between
           us
           is
           very
           much
           altered
           ▪
           for
           we
           are
           now
           fallen
           from
           the
           consideration
           of
           the
           Divine
           Institution
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           in
           particular
           to
           that
           of
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           in
           general
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           from
           a
           direct
           proof
           to
           a
           subintelligitur
           .
           But
           we
           will
           follow
           them
           hither
           also
           ,
           and
           for
           the
           clearing
           of
           this
           matter
           we
           will
           briefly
           consider
           these
           three
           things
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           Whether
           that
           can
           properly
           be
           said
           to
           be
           of
           Divine
           institution
           ,
           and
           necessary
           to
           Salvation
           ,
           which
           depends
           on
           an
           inference
           ,
           and
           is
           proved
           only
           by
           an
           innuendo
           ?
        
         
           2.
           
           Whether
           it
           can
           be
           reasonable
           to
           assert
           that
           our
           Saviour
           there
           institutes
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           ,
           where
           not
           only
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           but
           the
           whole
           matter
           of
           such
           a
           Sacrament
           is
           lest
           undefined
           ?
        
         
           3.
           
           Whether
           if
           our
           Saviour
           (
           had
           done
           that
           which
           it
           is
           plain
           he
           hath
           not
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           )
           had
           here
           instituted
           and
           
           appointed
           all
           those
           things
           ,
           which
           by
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           are
           required
           as
           the
           material
           parts
           of
           Penance
           ,
           yet
           this
           could
           have
           been
           esteemed
           a
           Sacrament
           ?
        
         
           1.
           
           For
           the
           first
           of
           these
           ,
           we
           have
           no
           more
           to
           do
           but
           to
           consider
           the
           force
           and
           signification
           of
           this
           word
           Institution
           .
           Now
           that
           in
           the
           common
           use
           of
           men
           (
           especially
           of
           those
           which
           speak
           distinctly
           and
           understandingly
           )
           implies
           a
           setting
           up
           
             de
             novo
          
           ,
           or
           the
           appointing
           that
           to
           become
           a
           duty
           ,
           which
           was
           not
           knowable
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           not
           known
           to
           be
           so
           before
           it
           became
           so
           appointed
           .
           For
           this
           word
           Institution
           is
           that
           which
           we
           use
           to
           express
           a
           positive
           command
           by
           ,
           in
           opposition
           to
           that
           which
           is
           Moral
           in
           the
           strictest
           sense
           ,
           and
           of
           natural
           obligation
           .
           Now
           it
           is
           very
           evident
           that
           all
           things
           of
           this
           Nature
           ought
           to
           be
           appointed
           very
           plainly
           and
           expresly
           ,
           or
           else
           they
           can
           carry
           no
           obligation
           with
           them
           ;
           for
           seeing
           the
           whole
           Reason
           of
           their
           becoming
           matter
           of
           Law
           or
           Duty
           ,
           lies
           in
           the
           will
           of
           the
           Legislator
           ,
           if
           that
           be
           not
           plainly
           discovered
           ,
           they
           cannot
           be
           said
           to
           be
           instituted
           ,
           and
           so
           there
           can
           be
           no
           Obligation
           to
           observe
           them
           ,
           because
           
             where
             there
             is
             no
             Law
             ,
             there
             can
             be
             no
             Transgression
          
           ;
           and
           a
           Law
           is
           no
           Law
           in
           effect
           which
           is
           not
           sufficiently
           promulged
           .
           Is
           it
           not
           therefore
           a
           very
           strange
           thing
           to
           tell
           us
           of
           an
           Institution
           by
           implication
           only
           ,
           and
           yet
           at
           the
           same
           time
           to
           tell
           us
           that
           the
           matter
           so
           (
           pretended
           to
           be
           )
           instituted
           ,
           is
           no
           less
           then
           absolutely
           
           necessary
           to
           the
           Salvation
           of
           Sinners
           ?
        
         
           2.
           
           The
           second
           of
           these
           will
           easily
           be
           resolved
           by
           considering
           what
           we
           observed
           before
           from
           the
           Council
           of
           
             Trent
             ,
             viz.
          
           that
           this
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           consists
           of
           
           Matter
           and
           Form
           ;
           the
           Form
           is
           the
           Priests
           Absolution
           ,
           but
           the
           Matter
           or
           Materials
           of
           this
           Sacrament
           are
           Contrition
           ,
           Confession
           to
           a
           Priest
           ,
           and
           Satisfaction
           or
           Performance
           of
           the
           Penance
           enjoyn'd
           by
           him
           ;
           now
           it
           is
           evident
           that
           not
           only
           Auricular
           Confession
           (
           of
           which
           we
           have
           
           spoken
           hitherto
           but
           also
           Contrition
           and
           Satisfaction
           ,
           are
           wholly
           omitted
           and
           past
           over
           in
           silence
           by
           the
           Evangelist
           in
           this
           passage
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           from
           whence
           they
           fetch
           their
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           ;
           and
           is
           it
           not
           a
           wonderfully
           strange
           thing
           ,
           that
           our
           Saviour
           should
           be
           supposed
           to
           institute
           a
           Sacrament
           without
           any
           Materials
           of
           it
           at
           all
           ?
           Surely
           therefore
           this
           must
           be
           either
           a
           very
           Spiritual
           Sacrament
           ,
           or
           none
           at
           all
           .
        
         
           Let
           us
           guess
           at
           the
           probability
           of
           this
           in
           proportion
           to
           either
           of
           the
           other
           undoubted
           Sacraments
           .
           Suppose
           our
           Saviour
           instead
           of
           that
           accurate
           form
           in
           which
           he
           instituted
           the
           Eucharist
           had
           only
           said
           ,
           I
           would
           have
           you
           my
           Disciples
           and
           all
           that
           shall
           believe
           on
           my
           Name
           to
           keep
           a
           Memorial
           of
           me
           when
           I
           am
           gone
           :
           Or
           suppose
           he
           said
           only
           as
           he
           doth
           ,
           Joh.
           6.
           55.
           
           
             My
             Flesh
             is
             Meat
             indeed
             ,
             and
             my
             Blood
             is
             drink
             indeed
             ,
          
           would
           any
           one
           have
           concluded
           here
           ,
           that
           our
           Saviour
           in
           so
           saying
           ,
           had
           appointed
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           to
           be
           consecrated
           ,
           to
           be
           received
           in
           such
           a
           manner
           ,
           and
           in
           a
           word
           that
           he
           had
           (
           without
           more
           ado
           )
           instituted
           such
           a
           Sacrament
           as
           we
           usually
           celebrate
           ?
           No
           certainly
           ,
           and
           therefore
           we
           see
           our
           Saviour
           is
           the
           most
           express
           and
           particular
           therein
           that
           can
           be
           ,
           
             for
             he
             takes
             Bread
             ,
             blesses
             it
             ,
             breaks
             it
             ,
             gives
             it
             to
             them
             ,
             saying
             ,
             Take
             eat
             ,
             this
             is
             my
             body
             ,
          
           &c.
           and
           
             after
             Supper
             he
             takes
             the
             Cup
             ,
             blesses
             it
             ,
             gives
             it
             to
             them
             ,
             saying
             ,
             Drink
             ye
             all
             of
             this
             ,
             for
             this
             is
             the
             New
             Testament
             in
             my
             Blood
             ,
          
           &c.
           and
           then
           adds
           ,
           
             do
             this
             in
             remembrance
             of
             me
             .
          
           Now
           who
           is
           there
           that
           observes
           this
           accuracy
           of
           our
           Saviour
           in
           the
           Eucharist
           ,
           can
           imagine
           that
           he
           should
           intend
           to
           institute
           a
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           ,
           and
           that
           as
           necessary
           to
           Salvation
           (
           in
           the
           Opinion
           of
           the
           Romanists
           )
           as
           the
           other
           ,
           only
           with
           this
           Form
           of
           words
           ,
           
             Whosoever
             sins
             ye
             remit
             they
             are
             remitted
             ,
          
           &c.
           and
           without
           the
           least
           mention
           of
           Confession
           ,
           Contrition
           ,
           or
           any
           other
           Material
           or
           necessary
           Part
           of
           Circumstance
           of
           it
           .
        
         
         
           3.
           
           But
           in
           the
           third
           and
           last
           place
           ,
           let
           us
           suppose
           that
           our
           Saviour
           had
           in
           the
           Text
           before
           us
           instituted
           Penance
           ,
           and
           had
           appointed
           particularly
           all
           those
           things
           ,
           which
           they
           call
           the
           Material
           parts
           of
           it
           ,
           (
           as
           it
           is
           evident
           he
           hath
           not
           )
           yet
           even
           then
           ,
           and
           upon
           that
           Supposition
           ,
           Penance
           would
           not
           have
           proved
           to
           be
           a
           Sacrament
           properly
           so
           called
           .
        
         
           I
           confess
           according
           to
           a
           loose
           acceptation
           of
           the
           word
           Sacrament
           ,
           something
           may
           be
           said
           for
           it
           ;
           for
           so
           there
           are
           many
           things
           have
           had
           the
           name
           of
           Sacrament
           applied
           to
           them
           .
           Tertullian
           somewhere
           calls
           
           Elisha's
           Ax
           the
           Sacrament
           of
           Wood
           ,
           and
           in
           his
           Book
           against
           Marcion
           he
           stiles
           the
           whole
           Christian
           Religion
           a
           Sacrament
           .
           St.
           Austin
           in
           several
           places
           calls
           Bread
           ,
           Fish
           ,
           the
           Rock
           ,
           and
           the
           Mystery
           of
           Number
           ,
           Sacraments
           ,
           for
           he
           hath
           given
           us
           a
           general
           Rule
           in
           his
           Fifth
           Epistle
           ,
           viz.
           That
           all
           signs
           when
           they
           belong
           to
           divine
           things
           are
           called
           Sacraments
           :
           And
           in
           consideration
           hereof
           it
           is
           acknowledged
           by
           Cassander
           ,
           that
           the
           Number
           of
           Sacraments
           was
           indefinite
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           it self
           ,
           until
           the
           times
           of
           
             Peter
             Lombard
          
           .
           But
           all
           this
           notwithstanding
           ,
           and
           properly
           speaking
           ,
           this
           Rite
           of
           Penance
           taking
           it
           altogether
           (
           and
           even
           supposing
           whatsoever
           the
           Romanists
           can
           suppose
           to
           belong
           to
           it
           )
           cannot
           be
           reputed
           a
           Sacrament
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           allowed
           definitions
           of
           a
           Sacrament
           delivered
           by
           their
           own
           Divines
           .
           Some
           of
           them
           define
           a
           Sacrament
           thus
           ,
           a
           
             Sacramentum
             est
             corporale
             elementum
             foris
             sensibiliter
             propositum
             ,
             ex
             similitudine
             repraesentans
             &
             ex
             institutione
             significans
             ,
             &
             ex
             Sanctificatione
             continens
             invisibilem
             gratiam
             .
          
           And
           the
           b
           Master
           of
           the
           Sentences
           himself
           describes
           it
           somewhat
           more
           briefly
           ,
           but
           to
           the
           same
           effect
           in
           these
           words
           :
           
             Sacramentum
             est
             invisibilis
             gratiae
             visibilis
             forma
             ,
             ejusdem
             gratiae
             imaginem
             gerens
             &
             causa
             existens
          
           ;
           both
           which
           definitions
           are
           acknowledged
           and
           applauded
           by
           the
           Jesuite
           c
           Becanus
           :
           
           And
           the
           plain
           truth
           is
           a
           Sacrament
           cannot
           be
           better
           exprest
           in
           so
           few
           words
           ,
           then
           it
           is
           by
           St.
           *
           Austin
           when
           he
           calls
           it
           
             verbum
             visibile
          
           a
           visible
           Word
           or
           Gospel
           :
           For
           it
           pleased
           the
           Divine
           Wisdom
           and
           Goodness
           by
           this
           institution
           of
           Sacraments
           to
           condescend
           to
           our
           weakness
           ,
           and
           thereby
           to
           give
           us
           sensible
           Tokens
           or
           Pledges
           of
           what
           he
           had
           promised
           in
           his
           Written
           word
           ,
           to
           the
           intent
           that
           our
           dulness
           might
           be
           relieved
           ,
           and
           our
           Faith
           assisted
           ;
           forasmuch
           as
           herein
           ,
           our
           Eyes
           and
           other
           Senses
           as
           well
           as
           our
           Ears
           are
           made
           Witnesses
           of
           his
           gracious
           intentions
           .
           Thus
           by
           Baptismal
           washing
           he
           gives
           us
           a
           sensible
           token
           and
           representation
           of
           our
           regeneration
           ,
           and
           the
           washing
           away
           of
           our
           sins
           by
           the
           Blood
           of
           Christ
           ;
           and
           by
           the
           participation
           of
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           in
           the
           Lords
           Supper
           we
           have
           a
           Token
           and
           Symbol
           of
           our
           Union
           with
           Christ
           ,
           our
           Friendship
           with
           God
           and
           Communion
           with
           each
           other
           .
        
         
           But
           now
           it
           is
           manifest
           there
           is
           no
           such
           thing
           as
           this
           in
           their
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           (
           as
           even
           Bellarmine
           himself
           confesses
           .
           )
           For
           they
           do
           not
           say
           or
           mean
           that
           the
           Absolution
           of
           the
           Priest
           is
           a
           Token
           or
           Emblem
           of
           God's
           forgiveness
           ,
           but
           that
           the
           Priest
           actually
           pardons
           in
           God's
           stead
           ,
           by
           Virtue
           of
           a
           Power
           delegated
           to
           him
           .
           So
           that
           according
           to
           them
           ,
           here
           must
           be
           a
           Sacrament
           ,
           not
           only
           without
           any
           material
           parts
           instituted
           ,
           but
           also
           without
           any
           thing
           Figurative
           ,
           Symbolical
           or
           Significative
           which
           seems
           to
           be
           as
           expresly
           contrary
           to
           their
           own
           Doctrine
           in
           the
           aforesaid
           definitions
           as
           to
           the
           truth
           it self
           .
        
         
           Nay
           ,
           further
           to
           evince
           the
           difference
           of
           this
           Rite
           of
           Penance
           from
           all
           other
           proper
           Sacraments
           ;
           it
           deserves
           observation
           ,
           that
           whereas
           in
           those
           other
           acknowledged
           Sacraments
           ,
           the
           Priest
           in
           God's
           Name
           delivers
           to
           us
           the
           Pledges
           and
           Symbols
           of
           Divine
           Grace
           .
           Here
           in
           this
           of
           Penance
           we
           must
           bring
           all
           the
           material
           Parts
           and
           Pledges
           our selves
           ,
           and
           present
           them
           to
           God
           ,
           or
           
           to
           the
           Priest
           in
           his
           stead
           :
           My
           meaning
           is
           ,
           that
           whereas
           (
           for
           instance
           )
           in
           Baptism
           the
           Priest
           applies
           to
           us
           the
           Symbol
           of
           Water
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           Eucharist
           delivers
           to
           us
           the
           consecrated
           Elements
           in
           token
           of
           the
           Divine
           Grace
           ,
           contrary-wise
           here
           in
           Penance
           we
           must
           on
           our
           parts
           bring
           with
           us
           Contrition
           ,
           Confession
           ,
           and
           Satisfaction
           too
           ,
           in
           which
           respect
           we
           may
           be
           rather
           said
           to
           give
           Pledges
           to
           God
           ,
           then
           he
           to
           us
           ;
           which
           is
           widely
           different
           from
           the
           Nature
           of
           other
           Sacraments
           ,
           and
           seems
           no
           less
           to
           be
           contrary
           to
           the
           Reason
           and
           Notion
           of
           a
           Sacrament
           in
           general
           .
        
         
           The
           Sum
           of
           what
           we
           have
           hitherto
           discoursed
           ,
           amounts
           to
           this
           ;
           First
           ,
           That
           here
           is
           no
           Auricular
           Confession
           instituted
           by
           our
           Saviour
           ,
           Joh.
           20.
           22.
           as
           was
           pretended
           .
           Secondly
           ,
           Nor
           ,
           any
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           in
           which
           it
           can
           be
           included
           or
           implied
           ;
           no
           nor
           indeed
           any
           Sacrament
           at
           all
           .
        
         
           I
           confess
           I
           might
           have
           spared
           all
           the
           words
           I
           have
           used
           in
           proving
           the
           latter
           ,
           for
           so
           long
           as
           I
           have
           made
           appear
           that
           private
           Confession
           is
           not
           instituted
           ,
           it
           was
           not
           so
           very
           material
           to
           consider
           whether
           Penance
           could
           be
           a
           Sacrament
           or
           no
           ;
           but
           this
           I
           added
           to
           shew
           the
           imperious
           dictates
           of
           that
           Church
           ,
           and
           their
           extravagancy
           in
           imposing
           the
           most
           Sacred
           Names
           upon
           their
           own
           inventions
           ,
           thereby
           to
           give
           them
           the
           greater
           veneration
           with
           the
           People
           .
        
         
           And
           thus
           I
           would
           dismiss
           the
           first
           part
           of
           my
           undertaking
           ,
           but
           yet
           the
           Romanists
           will
           not
           forego
           their
           pretensions
           for
           Auricular
           Confession
           ;
           for
           they
           will
           yet
           urge
           ,
           that
           whether
           or
           no
           we
           will
           call
           it
           a
           Sacrament
           which
           our
           Saviour
           institutes
           in
           the
           Text
           before
           us
           ,
           it
           is
           however
           certain
           here
           is
           a
           Power
           conferred
           on
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           their
           Successors
           ,
           of
           remitting
           and
           retaining
           sins
           ;
           for
           by
           these
           words
           ,
           
             Whosoever
             sins
             ye
             remit
             they
             are
             remitted
             ,
          
           &c.
           
           *
           Our
           Saviour
           hath
           made
           the
           
           Priest
           a
           judge
           of
           Mens
           consciences
           and
           conditions
           ;
           
           wherefore
           that
           he
           may
           not
           proceed
           blindly
           and
           indiscriminately
           it
           is
           necessary
           that
           he
           know
           the
           merits
           of
           the
           Cause
           ,
           and
           not
           only
           understand
           the
           matter
           of
           fact
           ,
           but
           all
           the
           circumstances
           which
           may
           aggravate
           or
           extenuate
           it
           ,
           all
           which
           cannot
           be
           attained
           without
           the
           Confession
           of
           the
           party
           ,
           therefore
           Auricular
           Confession
           is
           as
           necessarily
           implied
           in
           the
           Text
           ,
           as
           Absolution
           or
           Retention
           of
           sins
           is
           exprest
           in
           it
           .
           So
           they
           .
        
         
           But
           I
           crave
           leave
           to
           demand
           in
           the
           first
           place
           ,
           Is
           it
           certain
           that
           upon
           such
           a
           Confession
           as
           they
           require
           ,
           the
           Priest
           (
           as
           such
           )
           will
           be
           able
           to
           make
           a
           right
           judgment
           of
           a
           Mans
           case
           that
           addresses
           himself
           to
           him
           ,
           especially
           considering
           the
           intricacy
           of
           some
           Cases
           ,
           and
           the
           ignorance
           of
           some
           Priests
           ;
           upon
           this
           account
           are
           those
           memorable
           words
           of
           St.
           
             Austin
             Confess
             .
             lib.
          
           10.
           c.
           3.
           
           
             Quid
             mihi
             ergo
             est
             cum
             hominibus
             ut
             audiant
             Confessiones
             meas
             ,
             quasi
             ipsi
             sanaturi
             sint
             omnes
             languores
             meos
             ,
             &
             unde
             sciunt
             cum
             à
             meipso
             de
             meipso
             audiunt
             ,
             an
             verum
             dicam
             ?
             Quando
             quidem
             nemo
             scit
             hominum
             quid
             agitur
             in
             homine
             ,
             nisi
             spiritus
             hominis
             qui
             in
             ipso
             est
             .
             i.
             e.
             
          
           
             To
             what
             purpose
             should
             I
             Confess
             my
             sins
             to
             Men
             who
             cannot
             heal
             my
             wounds
             ?
             For
             how
             shall
             they
             (
             who
             know
             nothing
             of
             my
             heart
             but
             by
             my
             own
             Confession
             )
             know
             whether
             I
             say
             true
             or
             no
             ?
             For
             no
             one
             knows
             what
             is
             in
             Man
             ,
             but
             the
             Spirit
             of
             Man
             that
             is
             in
             him
             .
          
           O
           yes
           ,
           they
           will
           say
           
             clave
             non
             errante
          
           ,
           that
           is
           to
           say
           ,
           if
           he
           judge
           right
           ,
           he
           judges
           right
           ,
           and
           no
           more
           ,
           and
           this
           is
           mighty
           comfort
           to
           a
           distressed
           conscience
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           Though
           we
           grant
           our
           Saviour
           hath
           given
           the
           Priest
           Authority
           to
           Remit
           and
           Retain
           sins
           ,
           yet
           how
           doth
           it
           appear
           that
           this
           extends
           to
           Secret
           sins
           ;
           sins
           ;
           in
           thought
           only
           ,
           or
           as
           the
           Council
           expresses
           it
           
           against
           the
           ninth
           and
           tenth
           Commandments
           ?
           Of
           open
           sins
           and
           publick
           scandals
           the
           Church
           hath
           cognizance
           ,
           and
           hath
           a
           right
           which
           she
           may
           insist
           upon
           ,
           or
           recede
           from
           ,
           if
           she
           see
           cause
           ,
           because
           such
           sins
           are
           an
           injury
           to
           the
           Society
           as
           well
           as
           an
           offence
           against
           God
           ,
           and
           therefore
           here
           the
           Officers
           of
           the
           Church
           may
           dispense
           her
           Authority
           ,
           and
           Remit
           or
           Retain
           (
           as
           we
           shall
           see
           more
           by
           and
           by
           ;
           )
           but
           in
           secret
           sins
           where
           only
           God
           is
           injured
           ,
           and
           to
           which
           he
           is
           only
           privy
           ,
           what
           hath
           the
           Church
           to
           do
           ,
           unless
           they
           be
           voluntarily
           discovered
           to
           her
           ?
           Otherwise
           they
           are
           properly
           reserved
           Cases
           to
           the
           Tribunal
           of
           God.
           
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           I
           would
           be
           bold
           to
           enquire
           further
           ,
           why
           may
           not
           sins
           ,
           especially
           such
           as
           we
           last
           named
           ,
           be
           Remitted
           upon
           Confession
           to
           God
           ,
           without
           Confession
           to
           the
           Priest
           also
           ?
           And
           I
           the
           rather
           ask
           this
           for
           these
           two
           reasons
           ,
           First
           I
           observe
           that
           this
           very
           Council
           of
           Trent
           saith
           ,
           that
           until
           the
           times
           of
           our
           
           Saviour
           ,
           and
           his
           Institution
           of
           this
           Sacrament
           ,
           sins
           were
           remitted
           upon
           contrition
           only
           ,
           and
           application
           to
           the
           mercies
           of
           God
           ,
           without
           Auricular
           Confession
           .
           They
           cannot
           therefore
           now
           say
           ,
           remission
           implies
           this
           Confession
           ,
           for
           that
           cannot
           be
           said
           to
           be
           implied
           in
           the
           nature
           of
           a
           thing
           ,
           when
           the
           thing
           it self
           can
           be
           had
           without
           it
           .
        
         
           They
           will
           answer
           that
           it
           is
           sufficient
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           now
           made
           necessary
           by
           our
           Saviour
           .
           But
           I
           reply
           ,
           Then
           that
           Institution
           which
           now
           makes
           it
           necessary
           ,
           must
           be
           better
           proved
           then
           yet
           it
           hath
           been
           ,
           or
           else
           Men
           will
           be
           very
           apt
           to
           hope
           they
           may
           now
           under
           the
           Gospel
           obtain
           Pardon
           (
           at
           least
           )
           upon
           as
           easie
           terms
           as
           it
           was
           to
           be
           had
           at
           before
           .
        
         
           My
           Second
           reason
           of
           asking
           that
           Third
           Question
           is
           this
           ;
           I
           observe
           that
           their
           own
           Schoolmen
           acknowledg
           
           sins
           to
           be
           remitted
           under
           the
           Gospel
           by
           the
           
           Priest
           without
           any
           Confession
           to
           Men
           ,
           particularly
           in
           the
           Administration
           of
           Baptism
           ,
           by
           which
           it
           plainly
           appears
           ,
           that
           Confession
           is
           not
           implied
           in
           the
           nature
           of
           Remission
           ,
           but
           one
           may
           be
           had
           without
           the
           other
           ,
           and
           then
           why
           may
           not
           a
           sinner
           after
           Baptism
           ,
           hope
           for
           Pardon
           upon
           his
           contrite
           and
           devout
           application
           to
           the
           Word
           and
           Sacraments
           ,
           without
           this
           new
           device
           and
           pick-lock
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           Auricular
           Confession
           .
        
         
           But
           so
           much
           for
           that
           .
        
         
           Sect.
           3.
           
           I
           proceed
           now
           to
           the
           second
           thing
           propounded
           ,
           namely
           ,
           to
           inquire
           historically
           whether
           or
           no
           Auricular
           ,
           or
           such
           a
           secret
           ,
           and
           Sacramental
           Confession
           ,
           as
           aforesaid
           ,
           hath
           been
           of
           constant
           and
           universal
           use
           in
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           as
           the
           Romanists
           pretend
           ,
           and
           as
           the
           Council
           of
           Trent
           asserts
           ,
           Sessi
           .
           14.
           
           Chap.
           5.
           
        
         
           This
           inquiry
           is
           not
           into
           matter
           of
           Law
           or
           Divine
           Right
           ,
           as
           the
           former
           was
           ,
           but
           of
           Fact
           only
           ,
           yet
           never
           the
           less
           it
           is
           of
           great
           moment
           upon
           a
           double
           account
           :
        
         
           1.
           
           Because
           this
           is
           the
           ground
           which
           the
           Old
           Roman
           Canonists
           wholly
           went
           upon
           ,
           (
           as
           I
           noted
           before
           ;
           )
           they
           exploded
           all
           pretence
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           in
           the
           case
           ,
           as
           having
           more
           modesty
           (
           it
           seems
           )
           then
           to
           pretend
           so
           high
           upon
           no
           better
           evidence
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           they
           contented
           themselves
           to
           prescribe
           for
           it
           only
           upon
           the
           Authority
           of
           constant
           and
           universal
           practice
           ;
           now
           if
           we
           shew
           the
           falseness
           ,
           of
           this
           ground
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           of
           the
           other
           ,
           then
           will
           their
           Hypothesis
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           have
           no
           foot
           to
           stand
           upon
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Because
           the
           Credit
           of
           what
           hath
           been
           already
           said
           under
           the
           former
           head
           doth
           very
           much
           depend
           upon
           this
           ,
           and
           that
           Discourse
           will
           be
           confirmed
           or
           impaired
           respectively
           to
           what
           shall
           be
           evidently
           made
           out
           in
           this
           second
           point
           .
           Forasmuch
           as
           if
           on
           the
           one
           
           side
           it
           be
           made
           apparent
           that
           such
           a
           Rite
           hath
           been
           of
           constant
           use
           in
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           it
           will
           afford
           a
           great
           presumption
           that
           it
           took
           its
           rise
           at
           first
           from
           Divine
           Institution
           ,
           notwithstanding
           all
           we
           have
           offered
           to
           the
           contrary
           .
           So
           on
           the
           other
           side
           ,
           if
           the
           Evidence
           here
           answer
           not
           the
           Pretension
           ,
           and
           no
           sufficient
           footsteps
           of
           constant
           and
           universal
           practice
           appear
           :
           Then
           will
           all
           that
           which
           we
           have
           hitherto
           discoursed
           ,
           be
           greatly
           strengthened
           and
           confirmed
           ;
           because
           it
           is
           by
           no
           means
           probable
           ,
           that
           if
           there
           had
           been
           a
           Divine
           Law
           in
           the
           case
           ,
           that
           such
           a
           thing
           would
           have
           been
           generally
           neglected
           by
           the
           Christian
           Church
           .
        
         
           Now
           for
           the
           clearing
           of
           this
           ,
           though
           I
           am
           here
           only
           upon
           the
           defensive
           ,
           and
           so
           bound
           to
           no
           more
           then
           to
           examine
           the
           proofs
           which
           the
           Romanists
           bring
           for
           their
           pretensions
           ,
           yet
           I
           will
           deal
           ingenuously
           ,
           as
           seeking
           not
           to
           find
           Flaws
           ,
           but
           to
           discover
           the
           Truth
           ,
           and
           therefore
           give
           these
           instances
           as
           so
           many
           reasons
           for
           the
           Negative
           .
        
         
           In
           the
           first
           place
           I
           crave
           leave
           to
           premise
           this
           :
           If
           Auricular
           Confession
           were
           so
           great
           a
           Gospel
           mystery
           ,
           so
           wonderfully
           efficacious
           a
           method
           of
           saving
           Souls
           ,
           as
           to
           be
           typified
           in
           the
           Law
           (
           as
           the
           Romanists
           teach
           )
           as
           well
           as
           instituted
           in
           the
           Gospel
           and
           practised
           by
           the
           whole
           Church
           ,
           one
           might
           seem
           justly
           to
           wonder
           how
           it
           comes
           to
           pass
           that
           there
           should
           be
           no
           mention
           ,
           nor
           appearance
           of
           it
           in
           the
           whole
           course
           of
           our
           Saviours
           own
           Ministry
           ;
           he
           used
           to
           be
           an
           example
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           a
           Law-giver
           to
           the
           Church
           ,
           he
           washed
           his
           Disciples
           Feet
           ,
           before
           he
           enjoined
           them
           to
           wash
           one
           another
           ;
           he
           exemplified
           the
           other
           Sacraments
           before
           he
           prescribed
           his
           Apostles
           to
           administer
           them
           ,
           &
           one
           would
           have
           thought
           such
           an
           Instance
           of
           his
           example
           had
           been
           more
           necessary
           in
           this
           business
           of
           Penance
           ,
           rather
           than
           any
           other
           ,
           if
           it
           
           had
           been
           but
           to
           make
           way
           for
           the
           Understanding
           of
           so
           obscure
           an
           Institution
           ;
           since
           especially
           ,
           one
           would
           have
           thought
           to
           find
           some
           Traces
           of
           this
           in
           the
           Ministry
           of
           our
           Saviour
           ,
           because
           he
           daily
           conversed
           with
           sinners
           ,
           he
           reproved
           them
           ,
           instructed
           them
           ,
           healed
           them
           ,
           pardoned
           them
           ,
           but
           never
           brought
           any
           of
           them
           to
           such
           a
           Confession
           as
           we
           are
           treating
           of
           ;
           viz.
           To
           a
           particular
           enumeration
           of
           their
           sins
           with
           the
           circumstances
           ,
           nor
           upon
           so
           doing
           formally
           absolved
           them
           .
           His
           very
           Disciples
           (
           some
           of
           which
           had
           been
           great
           sinners
           )
           were
           admitted
           without
           it
           ;
           the
           Woman
           of
           Samaria
           was
           told
           by
           him
           all
           that
           ever
           she
           did
           ,
           but
           she
           was
           not
           brought
           on
           her
           knees
           to
           make
           her
           own
           Confession
           ;
           but
           most
           strange
           of
           all
           it
           is
           ,
           that
           the
           Woman
           taken
           in
           Adultery
           ,
           when
           he
           had
           made
           her
           accusers
           slink
           away
           ,
           was
           not
           privately
           brought
           to
           it
           ;
           it
           may
           be
           they
           will
           say
           ,
           there
           was
           no
           need
           of
           Confession
           to
           him
           who
           knew
           all
           before
           ,
           but
           yet
           it
           might
           have
           been
           necessary
           to
           bring
           these
           Sinners
           to
           be
           ashamed
           of
           themselves
           by
           that
           means
           to
           work
           Repentance
           ,
           and
           fit
           them
           for
           Pardon
           ,
           at
           least
           if
           this
           Method
           had
           been
           of
           such
           mighty
           use
           and
           wonderful
           necessity
           as
           is
           pretended
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           But
           to
           let
           pass
           that
           ;
           in
           the
           next
           place
           it
           is
           matter
           of
           wonder
           that
           nothing
           of
           this
           practice
           appears
           in
           the
           Ministry
           of
           the
           Apostles
           ;
           they
           went
           about
           preaching
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           calling
           Men
           to
           Repentance
           ,
           erecting
           and
           governing
           Churches
           ,
           but
           never
           set
           themselves
           down
           in
           a
           Confessors
           Chair
           for
           penitents
           ,
           secretly
           to
           tell
           them
           in
           their
           Ear
           ,
           the
           Story
           of
           their
           vicious
           Lives
           ;
           indeed
           we
           read
           ,
           Acts
           19.
           18.
           
           That
           some
           came
           
             in
             and
             shewed
             their
             deeds
          
           ;
           but
           first
           it
           was
           voluntary
           ,
           and
           in
           a
           fit
           of
           Holy
           Zeal
           ,
           for
           we
           cannot
           find
           that
           they
           were
           required
           to
           do
           it
           ,
           as
           of
           Sacramental
           Obligation
           ;
           &
           besides
           ,
           the
           Confession
           was
           publick
           before
           the
           Church
           ,
           not
           clancular
           ,
           and
           whispered
           in
           secret
           ;
           it
           is
           true
           also
           
           that
           St.
           
             James
             ,
             chap.
          
           5.
           16.
           advises
           the
           Christians
           to
           confess
           their
           faults
           one
           to
           another
           ,
           (
           which
           is
           made
           a
           mighty
           evidence
           in
           this
           Case
           ;
           )
           but
           it
           is
           as
           true
           ,
           that
           this
           was
           spoken
           in
           an
           extraordinary
           Case
           ,
           as
           appears
           v.
           14.
           in
           bodily
           sickness
           and
           distress
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           they
           are
           advised
           to
           lay
           open
           their
           condition
           ,
           in
           order
           to
           relief
           and
           succour
           ,
           by
           the
           more
           ardent
           and
           affectionate
           Prayers
           of
           those
           who
           should
           be
           made
           privy
           to
           it
           ,
           but
           it
           is
           not
           made
           a
           standing
           and
           universal
           rule
           for
           all
           Men
           to
           comply
           with
           ,
           whether
           they
           be
           sick
           or
           well
           ,
           in
           prosperity
           or
           adversity
           ,
           perplexed
           or
           quiet
           in
           their
           Consciences
           ,
           much
           less
           of
           Sacramental
           and
           Necessary
           Obligation
           ,
           as
           in
           the
           Roman
           Church
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           Let
           us
           go
           on
           in
           the
           next
           ages
           after
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           for
           about
           two
           hundred
           years
           we
           find
           not
           one
           word
           of
           this
           kind
           of
           Confession
           ,
           which
           we
           enquire
           for
           .
           Indeed
           the
           writings
           of
           that
           time
           which
           are
           extant
           ,
           are
           not
           many
           ,
           but
           if
           this
           business
           had
           been
           of
           such
           consequence
           as
           is
           pretended
           ,
           it
           is
           strange
           that
           those
           Holy
           Men
           
             Ignatius
             ,
             Clemens
          
           and
           Justin
           Martyr
           ,
           should
           not
           have
           any
           mention
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           Indeed
           Bellarmine
           brings
           us
           one
           instance
           within
           this
           Period
           ,
           and
           that
           is
           from
           Irenaeus
           ,
           who
           speaking
           of
           Certain
           Women
           who
           had
           been
           abused
           by
           Marcion
           the
           Heretick
           ,
           saith
           they
           afterwards
           came
           and
           Confessed
           all
           ,
           with
           shame
           and
           sorrow
           ,
           to
           the
           Church
           .
           But
           what
           is
           this
           to
           the
           purpose
           ?
           We
           dispute
           not
           against
           publick
           Confession
           ,
           which
           is
           acknowledged
           to
           be
           truly
           Primitive
           ,
           and
           we
           wish
           it
           had
           been
           constantly
           maintained
           in
           after
           ages
           ,
           it
           is
           only
           the
           necessity
           of
           Clancular
           Confession
           that
           we
           are
           unsatisfied
           in
           and
           this
           passage
           speaks
           nothing
           at
           all
           to
           that
           Case
           .
        
         
         
           4.
           
           In
           Tertullians
           time
           ,
           which
           was
           also
           much
           about
           Two
           hundred
           Years
           after
           our
           Saviour
           ,
           we
           find
           great
           things
           said
           of
           Confession
           ,
           but
           it
           is
           of
           that
           which
           was
           publick
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           face
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           not
           to
           a
           Priest
           in
           a
           Corner
           ,
           and
           this
           indeed
           was
           greatly
           incouraged
           and
           required
           by
           the
           Holy
           Men
           of
           those
           times
           ,
           as
           that
           which
           in
           the
           Case
           of
           open
           and
           scandalous
           sins
           ,
           freed
           the
           Church
           both
           from
           the
           guilt
           ,
           and
           from
           the
           reproach
           of
           them
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           Case
           of
           secret
           sins
           ,
           was
           a
           means
           (
           by
           open
           shame
           )
           to
           bring
           Men
           to
           Repentance
           ,
           and
           so
           to
           Pardon
           .
           And
           the
           Confession
           was
           principally
           directed
           to
           God
           ,
           who
           was
           the
           person
           offended
           by
           the
           sin
           ,
           yet
           it
           was
           made
           before
           Men
           to
           raise
           a
           fervency
           in
           their
           Prayers
           ,
           as
           is
           noted
           before
           ,
           and
           to
           obtain
           their
           effectual
           intercession
           with
           God
           on
           behalf
           of
           the
           penitent
           .
           This
           that
           Ancient
           writer
           makes
           manifest
           to
           be
           his
           Sense
           in
           his
           Book
           
             de
             Poenitentia
          
           in
           these
           words
           
             Plerumque
             vero
             jejuniis
             preces
             alere
             ▪
             ,
             ingemiscere
             ,
             lachrymari
             ,
             &
             mugire
             dies
             noctésque
             ad
             Dominum
             Deum
             tuum
             ,
             Presbyteris
             advolvi
             ,
             &
             aris
          
           (
           or
           rather
           
             charis
             )
             dei
             adgeniculari
             ,
             omnibus
             fratribus
             legationes
             saae
             deprecationis
             injungere
             ,
             haec
             omnia
             ex
             homologesis
             ut
             poenitentiam
             commendet
             ,
             &c.
          
           the
           penitent
           often
           joyns
           Fasting
           to
           his
           prayers
           ,
           weeps
           ,
           wails
           and
           moans
           night
           and
           day
           before
           God
           ,
           casts
           himself
           at
           the
           feet
           of
           the
           Priests
           ,
           kneels
           to
           all
           holy
           people
           ,
           and
           intreats
           all
           the
           Brethren
           to
           be
           his
           Intercessors
           with
           God
           Almighty
           for
           his
           Pardon
           :
           This
           is
           penitential
           Confession
           ,
           
           &c.
           
           And
           in
           his
           Apology
           more
           plainly
           ;
           
             Coimus
             in
             Caetum
          
           ,
           &c.
           
             ibidem
             exhortationes
             ,
             castigationes
             &
             censura
             divina
             nam
             &
             judicatur
             magno
             cum
             pondere
             ut
             apud
             certos
             de
             Dei
             conspectu
             ,
             summumque
             futuri
             judicii
             praejudicium
             est
             si
             quis
             it
             a
             deliquer
             it
             ut
             à
             communione
             ,
          
           &c.
           religetur
           ;
           we
           have
           (
           saith
           he
           )
           in
           our
           Ecclesiastical
           Assemblies
           ,
           a
           Spiritual
           Judicature
           ,
           and
           with
           great
           gravity
           
           censure
           offenders
           ,
           &c.
           
           But
           I
           need
           say
           no
           more
           of
           this
           ;
           for
           we
           have
           the
           Testimony
           of
           
             Beatus
             Rhenanus
          
           ,
           one
           of
           the
           Roman
           Church
           and
           of
           great
           insight
           into
           Ecclesiastical
           Affairs
           ,
           who
           gives
           us
           this
           account
           of
           Tertullian
           
           and
           his
           times
           ,
           
             nihil
             illum
             de
             clancularia
             illa
             poenitentiâ
             loqui
             ,
             quae
             id
             temporis
             penitus
             ignorabatur
          
           ;
           there
           was
           no
           such
           thing
           as
           secret
           or
           Clancular
           Confession
           in
           use
           in
           
           Tertullian's
           time
           ,
           which
           was
           a
           thing
           not
           so
           much
           as
           known
           by
           the
           Christian
           Church
           in
           those
           days
           .
        
         
           5.
           
           To
           go
           a
           little
           lower
           ,
           such
           was
           the
           manner
           of
           proceedings
           in
           St.
           
           Cyprian's
           time
           ,
           as
           he
           himself
           describes
           it
           ,
           the
           sinner
           by
           outward
           gestures
           and
           tokens
           shew'd
           
           himself
           to
           be
           sorrowful
           and
           penitent
           for
           his
           sin
           ,
           and
           then
           made
           humble
           Confession
           thereof
           before
           the
           whole
           Congregation
           ,
           and
           desired
           all
           the
           Brethren
           to
           pray
           for
           him
           ;
           which
           done
           ,
           the
           Bishop
           and
           Clergy
           laid
           their
           hands
           upon
           him
           ,
           and
           so
           reconciled
           him
           :
           So
           it
           was
           also
           in
           
           Origen's
           time
           ,
           and
           once
           for
           all
           ,
           to
           deliver
           the
           Custom
           of
           the
           Church
           in
           those
           times
           ,
           touching
           this
           
           particular
           ,
           I
           will
           add
           the
           words
           of
           the
           Historian
           ,
           Rei
           
           
             ad
             terram
             se
             pronos
             abjiciunt
          
           ,
           &c.
           they
           that
           are
           Conscious
           to
           themselves
           to
           have
           offended
           ,
           fall
           down
           flat
           upon
           the
           ground
           with
           Weeping
           and
           Lamentations
           in
           the
           Church
           ,
           on
           the
           other
           side
           the
           Bishop
           runs
           to
           them
           with
           tears
           in
           his
           Eyes
           ,
           and
           falls
           down
           to
           the
           ground
           ,
           also
           in
           token
           of
           Sorrow
           and
           Compassion
           ,
           and
           the
           whole
           Congregation
           in
           the
           mean
           while
           Sympathizing
           with
           both
           ,
           is
           overwhelmed
           with
           tears
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           6.
           
           If
           we
           go
           lower
           yet
           to
           the
           times
           of
           St.
           Chrysostom
           and
           St.
           Austin
           ,
           we
           find
           those
           Holy
           Men
           speaking
           very
           
           slightly
           of
           Confessions
           to
           Men
           ,
           so
           little
           did
           they
           think
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           being
           a
           Sacrament
           .
           St.
           
           Austin's
           Judgment
           in
           the
           case
           we
           have
           heard
           before
           ,
           in
           the
           Tenth
           Book
           of
           his
           Confessions
           ,
           and
           third
           Chapter
           ;
           and
           for
           the
           other
           ,
           the
           Testimonies
           out
           of
           him
           are
           so
           
           many
           ,
           and
           so
           well
           known
           ,
           that
           I
           cannot
           think
           it
           necessary
           to
           transcribe
           them
           ;
           and
           as
           for
           St.
           Jerom
           who
           lived
           about
           the
           same
           time
           ,
           I
           think
           it
           sufficient
           to
           repeat
           the
           account
           of
           Erasmus
           ,
           who
           was
           very
           conversant
           in
           his
           Writings
           ,
           and
           indeed
           of
           all
           the
           other
           Fathers
           ,
           and
           who
           had
           no
           other
           fault
           I
           know
           ,
           but
           that
           he
           did
           use
           
             Mordaci
             radere
             vero
          
           ,
           to
           be
           too
           great
           a
           Tell-truth
           ;
           which
           sure
           will
           not
           invalidate
           his
           Testimony
           ;
           his
           words
           are
           these
           ,
           
             Apparet
             tempore
             Hieronimi
             nondum
             institutam
             fuisse
             secretam
             admissorum
             Confessionem
             .
             —
             Verùm
             in
             hoc
             labuntur
             Theologi
             quidam
             parum
             attenti
             ,
             quòd
             quae
             veteres
             scribunt
             de
             publica
             &
             generali
             confessione
             ,
             ea
             trahunt
             ad
             occultam
             &
             longe
             diversi
             generis
             ,
             i.
             e.
          
           It
           is
           evident
           (
           saith
           he
           )
           that
           in
           St.
           
           Jerom's
           time
           (
           which
           was
           about
           Four
           hundred
           years
           after
           our
           Saviour
           )
           there
           was
           no
           such
           thing
           as
           Secret
           Consession
           in
           use
           ;
           but
           the
           mistake
           is
           that
           some
           few
           later
           and
           inconsiderate
           Divines
           have
           taken
           the
           instances
           of
           general
           and
           publick
           Confession
           then
           practised
           ,
           for
           arguments
           of
           that
           Auricular
           Confession
           which
           is
           now
           used
           ,
           though
           quite
           of
           a
           different
           nature
           from
           it
           .
        
         
           Thus
           we
           have
           traced
           the
           Current
           of
           Antiquity
           for
           Four
           or
           Five
           hundred
           years
           to
           search
           for
           the
           Head
           of
           this
           Nilus
           ,
           the
           source
           and
           rise
           of
           that
           kind
           of
           Confession
           which
           is
           so
           highly
           magnified
           by
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           but
           hitherto
           we
           have
           found
           nothing
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           this
           methinks
           should
           be
           sufficient
           to
           stagger
           an
           impartial
           inquirer
           ,
           (
           at
           least
           it
           is
           as
           much
           as
           can
           be
           expected
           in
           so
           short
           a
           Treatise
           as
           this
           is
           intended
           to
           be
           )
           and
           may
           satisfy
           the
           unprejudicate
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           as
           little
           of
           Antiquity
           to
           favour
           this
           Rite
           ,
           as
           there
           is
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           to
           be
           pleaded
           for
           it
           .
           But
           yet
           I
           know
           on
           the
           other
           side
           ,
           that
           the
           Romanists
           pretend
           to
           bring
           abundance
           of
           Testimonies
           for
           it
           ,
           and
           Bellarmine
           particularly
           goes
           from
           Century
           to
           Century
           with
           his
           Citations
           to
           prescribe
           
           for
           the
           constant
           and
           uninterrupted
           use
           of
           it
           ,
           but
           I
           do
           sincerely
           think
           that
           these
           Four
           following
           short
           Observations
           will
           inable
           a
           Man
           to
           answer
           them
           all
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           I
           observe
           that
           whereas
           this
           word
           Exomologesis
           is
           commonly
           used
           by
           diverse
           of
           the
           Fathers
           ,
           as
           the
           Phrase
           whereby
           they
           intend
           to
           express
           the
           whole
           nature
           of
           Repentance
           in
           all
           the
           parts
           and
           branches
           of
           it
           ,
           as
           is
           evident
           by
           the
           passage
           I
           cited
           out
           of
           
             Tertullian
             de
             Poenit.
          
           even
           now
           ,
           and
           is
           acknowledged
           by
           Bellarmine
           himself
           ;
           nevertheless
           ,
           merely
           because
           that
           word
           signifies
           Confession
           properly
           ,
           and
           nothing
           else
           ,
           these
           Romish
           Sophisters
           ,
           where
           they
           find
           this
           word
           Exomologesis
           ,
           force
           it
           into
           an
           Argument
           for
           that
           Confession
           ,
           which
           they
           contend
           for
           ;
           and
           so
           several
           Discourses
           of
           the
           Fathers
           ,
           concerning
           Repentance
           in
           general
           ,
           are
           made
           to
           be
           nothing
           but
           Exhortations
           to
           ,
           or
           Encomiums
           of
           Confession
           in
           particular
           ,
           and
           that
           must
           be
           nothing
           else
           neither
           but
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           the
           thing
           in
           Question
           .
           A
           cast
           of
           his
           skill
           in
           this
           way
           ,
           Bellarmine
           gives
           us
           in
           Irenaeus
           ,
           the
           very
           first
           Author
           he
           cites
           for
           Auricular
           Confession
           in
           the
           last
           quoted
           Book
           and
           Chapter
           of
           his
           Writings
           
             De
             Sacramentis
          
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Whereas
           the
           Novatians
           excluded
           all
           hopes
           of
           Repentance
           or
           Pardon
           for
           sins
           committed
           after
           Baptism
           ,
           but
           the
           true
           Church
           contrariwise
           admitted
           to
           hopes
           of
           Pardon
           upon
           their
           Repentance
           ;
           upon
           this
           occasion
           ,
           when
           some
           of
           the
           Fathers
           justly
           magnify
           the
           advantages
           ,
           and
           comfortableness
           of
           the
           true
           Church
           above
           the
           Schismatical
           ,
           as
           that
           it
           set
           open
           a
           Door
           of
           Hope
           to
           those
           who
           confessed
           their
           sins
           ,
           and
           applied
           themselves
           to
           her
           Ministry
           :
           Hence
           these
           witty
           men
           will
           persuade
           the
           World
           ,
           that
           every
           true
           Church
           had
           a
           Confessors
           Chair
           ,
           and
           such
           a
           formal
           way
           of
           pardoning
           as
           they
           now
           practise
           at
           Rome
           ;
           as
           if
           there
           was
           no
           remission
           
           of
           Sin
           ,
           where
           there
           was
           no
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           and
           as
           if
           all
           that
           excluded
           the
           latter
           ,
           rejected
           the
           former
           too
           ,
           and
           were
           no
           better
           than
           Novatian
           Hereticks
           ;
           whenas
           in
           Truth
           the
           Power
           of
           the
           Keys
           is
           exercised
           in
           all
           the
           Ministries
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           and
           she
           Pardons
           and
           retains
           Sins
           ,
           otherwise
           than
           by
           the
           Oracle
           of
           a
           particular
           Confessor
           ,
           as
           we
           have
           seen
           already
           .
           This
           piece
           of
           jugling
           the
           same
           Bellarmine
           is
           
           also
           guilty
           of
           in
           his
           Citation
           of
           Lactantius
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           Whereas
           the
           Ancient
           Writers
           are
           much
           in
           the
           Commendation
           of
           Confession
           of
           Sins
           ,
           whether
           it
           be
           to
           God
           or
           to
           the
           Church
           ,
           but
           generally
           intending
           that
           which
           is
           Publick
           ,
           it
           is
           common
           with
           those
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           to
           lay
           hold
           of
           all
           such
           sayings
           as
           were
           intended
           to
           persuade
           to
           ,
           and
           incourage
           publick
           Confessions
           ,
           and
           to
           apply
           them
           to
           Auricular
           or
           Clancular
           Confessions
           ,
           thus
           particularly
           the
           aforesaid
           Author
           does
           by
           Tertullian
           in
           his
           Citation
           of
           him
           .
           
        
         
           4.
           
           And
           Lastly
           ,
           Whereas
           it
           is
           also
           true
           that
           several
           of
           those
           Holy
           Men
           of
           Old
           ,
           do
           in
           some
           cases
           very
           much
           recommend
           Confession
           of
           secret
           sins
           ,
           and
           persuade
           some
           sorts
           of
           Men
           to
           the
           use
           of
           it
           ,
           namely
           those
           that
           are
           in
           great
           perplexity
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           and
           that
           needed
           Ghostly
           Counsel
           and
           Advice
           ,
           or
           to
           the
           intent
           that
           they
           might
           obtain
           the
           assistance
           of
           the
           Churches
           Prayers
           ,
           and
           make
           them
           the
           more
           ardent
           and
           effectual
           on
           their
           behalf
           ,
           whereas
           I
           say
           ,
           they
           recommended
           this
           as
           an
           expression
           of
           Zeal
           ,
           or
           a
           prudent
           expedient
           ,
           or
           at
           most
           as
           necessary
           only
           in
           some
           cases
           
             pro
             hîc
             &
             nunc
          
           .
           These
           great
           Patrons
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           do
           with
           their
           usual
           artifice
           apply
           all
           these
           passages
           ,
           to
           prove
           it
           to
           be
           a
           standing
           and
           universally
           necessary
           duty
           ,
           a
           Law
           to
           all
           Christians
           ,
           this
           is
           a
           very
           common
           fault
           amongst
           them
           ,
           and
           particularly
           St.
           Cyprian
           is
           thus
           misapplied
           by
           the
           same
           forementioned
           Writer
           ,
           Lib.
           3.
           
           Cap.
           7.
           
        
         
         
           Hitherto
           inquiring
           into
           the
           most
           Ancient
           and
           Purest
           times
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           by
           the
           Writings
           of
           the
           Fathers
           of
           those
           times
           ,
           we
           have
           not
           been
           able
           to
           discover
           any
           sufficient
           ground
           for
           such
           an
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           as
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           pretends
           to
           ,
           much
           less
           for
           a
           constant
           and
           uninterrupted
           succession
           of
           it
           .
           But
           now
           after
           all
           I
           must
           acknowledge
           there
           is
           a
           passage
           in
           Ecclesiastical
           
           History
           which
           seems
           to
           promise
           us
           satisfaction
           herein
           ,
           and
           therefore
           must
           by
           no
           means
           be
           slightly
           passed
           over
           without
           due
           consideration
           ;
           it
           is
           the
           famous
           story
           of
           Nectarius
           Bishop
           of
           Constantinople
           ,
           and
           Predecessor
           to
           St.
           Chrysostom
           which
           happen'd
           something
           less
           then
           Four
           hundred
           years
           after
           our
           Saviour
           .
        
         
           The
           Story
           as
           it
           is
           related
           by
           the
           joint
           Testimony
           of
           Socrates
           and
           Sozomen
           runs
           thus
           :
           In
           the
           time
           of
           this
           Nectarius
           there
           was
           (
           it
           seems
           )
           a
           Custom
           in
           that
           Church
           (
           as
           also
           in
           most
           others
           )
           that
           one
           of
           the
           Presbyters
           of
           greatest
           Piety
           ,
           Wisdom
           ,
           and
           Gravity
           should
           be
           chosen
           Penitentiary
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           be
           appointed
           to
           the
           peculiar
           Office
           of
           receiving
           Confessions
           ,
           and
           to
           assist
           ,
           and
           direct
           the
           Penitents
           in
           the
           management
           of
           their
           Repentance
           :
           Now
           it
           happens
           that
           a
           certain
           Woman
           of
           Quality
           ,
           stricken
           with
           remorse
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           comes
           to
           the
           Penitentiary
           (
           that
           then
           was
           )
           and
           according
           to
           Custom
           ,
           makes
           a
           particular
           Confession
           of
           all
           such
           sins
           ,
           as
           she
           was
           conscious
           to
           her self
           to
           have
           committed
           since
           her
           Baptism
           ,
           for
           which
           he
           according
           to
           his
           Office
           appointed
           her
           the
           Penance
           of
           Fasting
           ,
           and
           continual
           Prayers
           to
           expiate
           her
           Guilt
           ,
           and
           give
           proof
           of
           the
           Truth
           of
           her
           Repentance
           .
           But
           she
           proceeding
           on
           very
           particularly
           in
           her
           Confessions
           ,
           at
           last
           amongst
           other
           things
           comes
           to
           declare
           that
           a
           certain
           Deacon
           of
           that
           Church
           had
           lien
           with
           her
           ;
           upon
           notice
           of
           which
           horrid
           Fact
           ,
           the
           Deacon
           is
           forthwith
           cashier'd
           and
           cast
           out
           of
           the
           Church
           :
           By
           which
           means
           the
           miscarriage
           
           takes
           Air
           ,
           and
           coming
           to
           the
           knowledge
           of
           the
           People
           ,
           they
           presently
           fall
           into
           a
           mighty
           commotion
           and
           rage
           about
           it
           ,
           partly
           in
           detestation
           of
           so
           foul
           an
           Action
           of
           the
           Deacon
           ,
           but
           principally
           in
           contemplation
           of
           the
           Dishonour
           ,
           and
           Scandal
           thereby
           reflected
           on
           the
           whole
           Church
           .
           The
           Bishop
           finding
           the
           Honour
           of
           the
           whole
           Body
           of
           his
           Clergy
           extreamly
           concern'd
           in
           this
           accident
           ,
           and
           being
           very
           anxious
           what
           to
           do
           in
           this
           case
           ,
           at
           last
           by
           the
           Counsel
           of
           one
           Eudaemon
           a
           Presbyter
           of
           that
           Church
           ,
           he
           resolves
           thenceforth
           to
           abolish
           the
           Office
           of
           Penitentiary
           ,
           both
           to
           extinguish
           the
           present
           flame
           ,
           and
           to
           prevent
           the
           like
           occasion
           for
           the
           future
           ;
           and
           now
           by
           this
           means
           every
           Man
           is
           left
           to
           the
           Conduct
           of
           his
           own
           Conscience
           ,
           and
           permitted
           to
           partake
           of
           the
           Holy
           Mysteries
           at
           his
           own
           peril
           .
           This
           is
           the
           matter
           of
           fact
           faithfully
           rendered
           from
           the
           words
           of
           the
           Historian
           ;
           but
           this
           if
           we
           take
           it
           in
           the
           gross
           ,
           and
           look
           no
           further
           then
           so
           ,
           will
           not
           do
           much
           towards
           the
           deciding
           of
           the
           present
           Controversy
           ,
           we
           will
           therefore
           examine
           things
           a
           little
           more
           narrowly
           by
           the
           help
           of
           such
           hints
           as
           those
           Writers
           afford
           us
           ,
           perhaps
           we
           may
           make
           good
           use
           of
           it
           at
           last
           ;
           and
           to
           this
           purpose
           ,
        
         
           1.
           
           I
           observe
           in
           the
           first
           place
           ,
           that
           though
           at
           the
           first
           blush
           here
           seems
           to
           be
           an
           early
           and
           great
           example
           of
           that
           Auricular
           Confession
           which
           we
           oppose
           ,
           forasmuch
           as
           here
           is
           not
           only
           the
           Order
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Constantinople
           ,
           for
           Confession
           to
           a
           Priest
           ,
           but
           that
           to
           be
           of
           all
           sins
           committed
           after
           Baptism
           ,
           and
           this
           to
           be
           made
           to
           him
           in
           secret
           ;
           notwithstanding
           upon
           a
           more
           thorough
           view
           it
           will
           appear
           quite
           another
           thing
           from
           that
           pleaded
           for
           ,
           and
           practised
           by
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           and
           that
           especially
           in
           the
           respects
           following
           :
           First
           ,
           In
           the
           Auricular
           Confession
           in
           the
           Story
           ,
           there
           is
           some
           remainder
           of
           the
           ancient
           Discipline
           of
           the
           Church
           
           (
           whose
           Confessions
           used
           to
           be
           open
           and
           publick
           ,
           as
           I
           have
           shewed
           )
           in
           that
           here
           a
           publick
           Officer
           is
           appointed
           by
           the
           Church
           to
           receive
           them
           ,
           such
           an
           one
           as
           whose
           Prudence
           ,
           and
           Learning
           ,
           and
           Piety
           she
           could
           confide
           in
           for
           a
           business
           of
           so
           great
           nicety
           and
           difficulty
           ,
           and
           it
           is
           neither
           left
           to
           the
           Penitent
           to
           choose
           his
           Confident
           for
           his
           Confessor
           ,
           nor
           at
           large
           for
           every
           Priest
           to
           represent
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           Church
           in
           so
           ticklish
           an
           Affair
           as
           that
           of
           Discipline
           ,
           but
           to
           a
           publick
           Officer
           appointed
           by
           the
           Church
           for
           this
           purpose
           ;
           so
           that
           Confession
           to
           him
           cannot
           be
           said
           to
           be
           private
           ,
           seeing
           it
           is
           done
           to
           the
           whole
           Church
           by
           him
           .
           To
           confirm
           which
           ,
           Secondly
           ,
           This
           Penitentiary
           it
           seems
           was
           bound
           (
           as
           there
           was
           occasion
           )
           to
           discover
           the
           matters
           (
           opened
           to
           him
           in
           secret
           )
           to
           the
           Church
           ,
           as
           appears
           in
           the
           Crime
           of
           the
           Deacon
           in
           the
           Story
           ;
           there
           was
           no
           pretence
           of
           a
           Seal
           of
           Confession
           in
           this
           Case
           ,
           as
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           by
           Virtue
           of
           which
           a
           Man
           may
           confess
           and
           go
           on
           to
           sin
           again
           secretly
           ,
           without
           danger
           of
           being
           brought
           upon
           the
           Stage
           ,
           whatsoever
           the
           atrocity
           of
           his
           Crime
           be
           ,
           and
           indeed
           without
           any
           effectual
           course
           in
           Order
           to
           his
           Repentance
           and
           Reformation
           .
           Again
           ,
           Thirdly
           ,
           This
           Confession
           in
           the
           Story
           doth
           not
           pretend
           to
           be
           of
           absolute
           necessity
           as
           if
           a
           Mans
           sins
           might
           not
           be
           pardoned
           without
           it
           ;
           but
           only
           a
           prudent
           Provision
           of
           the
           Church
           to
           help
           Men
           forward
           in
           their
           Repentance
           ,
           to
           direct
           the
           Acts
           and
           Expressions
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           especially
           to
           relieve
           perplexed
           and
           weak
           Consciences
           ,
           and
           to
           assist
           them
           in
           their
           preparations
           for
           the
           Sacrament
           of
           the
           Lord's
           Supper
           ;
           and
           this
           appears
           ,
           amongst
           other
           things
           ,
           by
           the
           account
           which
           the
           Historian
           gives
           us
           of
           the
           consequence
           of
           abolishing
           it
           ,
           viz.
           That
           now
           every
           Man
           is
           left
           to
           his
           own
           Conscience
           about
           his
           partaking
           of
           the
           holy
           Mysteries
           ;
           but
           it
           is
           not
           said
           or
           intimated
           that
           he
           was
           left
           under
           the
           guilt
           of
           
           his
           Sins
           ,
           for
           want
           of
           Confession
           .
           To
           which
           add
           in
           the
           last
           place
           ,
           that
           this
           Office
           whatever
           it
           was
           ,
           was
           not
           reputed
           a
           Sacrament
           ,
           but
           rather
           ,
           as
           I
           noted
           before
           ,
           an
           expedient
           to
           prepare
           men
           for
           it
           ,
           for
           doubtless
           neither
           that
           Bishop
           ,
           nor
           that
           Church
           would
           have
           ever
           consented
           to
           the
           abolition
           of
           a
           Sacrament
           ,
           for
           the
           sake
           of
           such
           a
           Scandal
           as
           happen'd
           in
           the
           mismanagement
           of
           it
           ,
           or
           if
           they
           had
           done
           so
           ,
           much
           less
           can
           it
           be
           imagined
           that
           the
           greatest
           part
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           would
           have
           concurred
           with
           them
           in
           it
           ,
           as
           we
           shall
           by
           and
           by
           see
           they
           did
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           I
           observe
           concerning
           the
           beginning
           of
           this
           Penitentiary
           Office
           ,
           the
           time
           and
           occasion
           of
           this
           usage
           ;
           namely
           ,
           that
           the
           Historians
           do
           not
           pretend
           it
           to
           have
           been
           Apostolical
           ,
           much
           less
           of
           strictly
           Divine
           Institution
           ,
           but
           they
           lay
           the
           Heat
           of
           its
           first
           rise
           about
           the
           time
           of
           the
           Decian
           Persecution
           ,
           which
           was
           about
           Two
           hundred
           years
           after
           our
           Saviour
           .
           I
           confess
           Nicephorus
           would
           
           persuade
           us
           of
           its
           greater
           Antiquity
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           was
           rather
           revived
           then
           instituted
           at
           that
           time
           ,
           for
           he
           speaking
           of
           the
           bringing
           it
           into
           use
           at
           the
           Decian
           Persecution
           saith
           ,
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           the
           Church
           pursuant
           of
           the
           Ancient
           Ecclesiastical
           Canons
           constituted
           a
           Penitentiary
           ,
           &c.
           
           And
           Petavius
           is
           so
           addicted
           to
           the
           Roman
           Hypothesis
           ,
           as
           very
           unreasonably
           to
           favour
           this
           Conceit
           ;
           but
           the
           Truth
           seems
           to
           be
           (
           as
           Valesius
           very
           ingenuously
           acknowledges
           )
           only
           this
           ,
           that
           here
           was
           a
           mistake
           of
           the
           import
           of
           the
           words
           of
           the
           Historian
           ,
           who
           saith
           only
           that
           when
           the
           Church
           had
           chosen
           their
           Penitentiary
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           they
           added
           him
           to
           the
           Canon
           ,
           that
           is
           to
           the
           number
           of
           those
           in
           the
           Matricula
           or
           Roll
           of
           such
           as
           were
           to
           be
           maintain'd
           in
           and
           by
           the
           Church
           ,
           or
           as
           we
           would
           say
           they
           made
           him
           Canon
           of
           the
           Church
           ;
           not
           that
           he
           was
           Constituted
           in
           such
           an
           Office
           ,
           pursuant
           of
           an
           Ancienter
           
           Law
           or
           Canon
           ,
           as
           Nicephorus
           carelesly
           or
           willfully
           mistakes
           .
           Besides
           afterwards
           when
           the
           Historian
           observes
           that
           the
           Novatians
           universally
           withstood
           this
           Order
           from
           the
           beginning
           of
           it
           ,
           he
           calls
           it
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ;
           
             q.
             d.
          
           this
           new
           Institution
           ,
           or
           Addition
           ,
           or
           Supplement
           of
           the
           Ancient
           Rites
           of
           the
           Church
           ;
           so
           that
           there
           is
           no
           reason
           we
           should
           date
           this
           Institution
           higher
           then
           the
           Historian
           doth
           ,
           namely
           ,
           after
           the
           Decian
           Persecution
           .
        
         
           But
           what
           should
           be
           the
           ground
           and
           reasons
           of
           erecting
           this
           new
           Office
           ,
           and
           Officer
           in
           the
           Church
           then
           ,
           if
           it
           was
           not
           before
           ?
           Of
           this
           I
           give
           two
           accounts
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           The
           Church
           being
           now
           very
           numerous
           ,
           and
           the
           Zeal
           and
           Devotion
           very
           great
           ;
           and
           what
           by
           the
           compassionate
           reception
           which
           the
           Church
           gave
           to
           Penitents
           ,
           and
           her
           ardent
           Prayers
           for
           them
           ,
           what
           by
           the
           earnest
           harangues
           of
           Holy
           Men
           to
           move
           People
           to
           repentance
           ,
           abundance
           were
           inclined
           to
           confess
           their
           sins
           ,
           and
           this
           Confession
           being
           till
           that
           time
           accustomed
           to
           be
           open
           ,
           and
           publick
           in
           the
           face
           of
           the
           Congregation
           ,
           it
           must
           needs
           happen
           (
           all
           those
           circumstances
           considered
           together
           )
           that
           a
           great
           many
           things
           would
           be
           brought
           upon
           the
           Stage
           ,
           the
           Publication
           of
           which
           would
           be
           attended
           with
           great
           inconveniences
           ;
           for
           some
           sins
           are
           of
           that
           Nature
           ,
           that
           they
           scarce
           can
           take
           Air
           without
           spreading
           a
           Contagion
           ,
           some
           Confessions
           would
           make
           sport
           for
           light
           and
           vain
           Persons
           ,
           and
           besides
           abundance
           of
           other
           inconveniences
           (
           easy
           to
           be
           imagined
           by
           any
           one
           )
           the
           publication
           of
           some
           sins
           might
           expose
           the
           Penitents
           to
           the
           Severity
           of
           the
           Pagan
           Criminal
           Judge
           ;
           upon
           these
           and
           such
           like
           considerations
           ,
           the
           Church
           thought
           fit
           therefore
           I
           (
           as
           have
           intimated
           before
           )
           to
           appoint
           one
           wise
           and
           very
           grave
           Person
           in
           her
           stead
           to
           
           receive
           the
           Confessions
           ;
           who
           by
           his
           discretion
           might
           so
           discriminate
           matters
           ,
           that
           what
           things
           were
           fit
           for
           silence
           ,
           might
           have
           private
           Methods
           applied
           to
           them
           ,
           but
           what
           were
           fit
           to
           be
           brought
           upon
           the
           Stage
           ,
           might
           be
           made
           Publick
           examples
           of
           ,
           or
           receive
           a
           Publick
           remedy
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           But
           the
           Historian
           leads
           us
           to
           a
           more
           special
           Reason
           of
           this
           Institution
           at
           that
           time
           ;
           namely
           ,
           that
           the
           rage
           of
           the
           Decian
           Persecution
           cruelly
           shook
           the
           Church
           ,
           and
           abundance
           of
           her
           weaker
           members
           fell
           off
           in
           the
           Storm
           ,
           and
           ,
           which
           was
           worst
           of
           all
           ,
           the
           Church
           was
           distracted
           about
           the
           restitution
           or
           final
           rejection
           of
           those
           that
           had
           so
           miscarried
           ;
           for
           though
           the
           best
           and
           wisest
           of
           the
           Church
           were
           so
           merciful
           and
           considerate
           of
           humane
           infirmity
           ,
           as
           to
           be
           willing
           to
           receive
           those
           in
           again
           ,
           upon
           Repentance
           ,
           over
           whom
           the
           Temptation
           of
           fear
           had
           too
           much
           prevailed
           ,
           yet
           the
           Novatians
           a
           great
           and
           Zealous
           part
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           looked
           upon
           such
           as
           desperate
           ,
           who
           had
           once
           broken
           their
           baptismal
           Vow
           ,
           and
           would
           rather
           separate
           from
           the
           Church
           themselves
           ,
           than
           suffer
           such
           to
           be
           restored
           to
           it
           .
           Here
           the
           Church
           was
           in
           a
           great
           strait
           ,
           either
           she
           must
           be
           very
           severe
           to
           some
           ,
           or
           she
           shall
           seem
           very
           unkind
           to
           others
           ,
           she
           must
           either
           let
           the
           weak
           perish
           ,
           or
           she
           must
           offend
           them
           that
           counted
           themselves
           strong
           .
           Now
           in
           this
           case
           she
           being
           both
           tenderly
           compassionate
           towards
           those
           that
           had
           fallen
           ,
           and
           withal
           willing
           to
           satisfie
           those
           Novatian
           Dissenters
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           to
           deliver
           her self
           from
           Scandal
           ,
           takes
           this
           course
           ,
           she
           requires
           that
           those
           who
           had
           fallen
           ,
           and
           desired
           to
           be
           restored
           again
           to
           her
           Society
           ,
           should
           acknowledge
           their
           faults
           ,
           and
           make
           all
           the
           Penitent
           satisfaction
           that
           was
           possible
           for
           them
           to
           perform
           ,
           that
           so
           neither
           they
           may
           be
           too
           easily
           tempted
           to
           do
           so
           again
           by
           the
           gentleness
           of
           the
           remedy
           ,
           nor
           the
           
           Novatians
           reproach
           her
           Lenity
           ,
           or
           take
           pet
           ,
           as
           if
           no
           difference
           was
           made
           between
           the
           sound
           and
           the
           lapsed
           ;
           for
           these
           causes
           ,
           though
           the
           most
           publick
           Penance
           was
           thought
           little
           enough
           to
           be
           undergone
           by
           the
           lapsed
           ;
           but
           yet
           on
           the
           other
           side
           ,
           considering
           wisely
           the
           inconveniences
           of
           publick
           Penance
           in
           some
           cases
           (
           as
           I
           specified
           before
           )
           she
           therefore
           took
           this
           middle
           course
           ;
           namely
           ,
           she
           appointed
           a
           publick
           Confessor
           ,
           who
           having
           first
           heard
           privately
           the
           several
           cases
           of
           the
           Penitents
           ,
           should
           bring
           into
           publick
           ,
           only
           such
           of
           them
           as
           (
           without
           incurring
           any
           of
           the
           aforesaid
           dangers
           )
           might
           be
           made
           exemplary
           .
           And
           this
           appears
           to
           be
           the
           true
           reason
           of
           this
           Institution
           ,
           and
           the
           bottom
           of
           this
           affair
           ,
           by
           this
           remarkable
           passage
           in
           the
           Historian
           ;
           That
           whereas
           the
           generality
           of
           the
           Orthodox
           closed
           presently
           with
           this
           wife
           temperament
           ,
           the
           Novatians
           only
           ,
           those
           self
           conceited
           Non-conformists
           ,
           rejected
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           this
           expedient
           as
           a
           new
           invention
           ;
           they
           were
           too
           humoursome
           to
           comply
           with
           such
           a
           temperament
           .
        
         
           But
           here
           another
           Question
           arises
           ,
           viz.
           How
           far
           this
           new
           expedient
           was
           imbraced
           by
           the
           Orthodox
           Churches
           ,
           for
           if
           it
           was
           only
           received
           by
           that
           of
           Constantinople
           ,
           the
           Authority
           would
           not
           be
           so
           great
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           possible
           to
           imagine
           ,
           that
           other
           Churches
           might
           allow
           every
           private
           Priest
           to
           confess
           ,
           and
           so
           admit
           of
           no
           publick
           Penitentiary
           .
        
         
           To
           which
           I
           answer
           ,
           that
           by
           the
           History
           it
           seems
           plain
           enough
           ,
           that
           this
           was
           not
           the
           peculiar
           manner
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Constantinople
           only
           ,
           but
           the
           usual
           Method
           in
           that
           time
           of
           most
           other
           Churches
           also
           ;
           but
           I
           must
           needs
           say
           ,
           I
           do
           not
           find
           that
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           complied
           with
           them
           herein
           ,
           though
           it
           was
           not
           much
           to
           her
           Honour
           to
           be
           singular
           ,
           where
           there
           was
           so
           much
           Prudence
           and
           Piety
           to
           have
           inclined
           her
           to
           Uniformity
           .
           
           However
           this
           is
           gained
           ,
           which
           is
           my
           point
           ,
           that
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           is
           not
           countenanced
           in
           her
           practice
           of
           private
           and
           clancular
           Confessions
           ,
           by
           the
           general
           usage
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           as
           they
           pretend
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           I
           observe
           concerning
           this
           Office
           of
           Penitentiary
           ,
           that
           as
           it
           was
           erected
           upon
           prudential
           considerations
           ,
           so
           it
           was
           upon
           the
           same
           grounds
           abolished
           ,
           by
           the
           same
           Authority
           of
           the
           Church
           which
           first
           instituted
           it
           ,
           and
           that
           after
           about
           Two
           hundred
           years
           continuance
           in
           the
           time
           of
           Nectarius
           ,
           as
           we
           have
           seen
           ;
           &
           therein
           he
           was
           followed
           ,
           saith
           Sozomen
           by
           almost
           all
           the
           Bishops
           and
           Churches
           in
           the
           World
           ;
           this
           therefore
           was
           far
           from
           being
           thought
           either
           a
           Divine
           or
           Apostolical
           Constitution
           :
           Petavius
           would
           here
           persuade
           us
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           only
           publick
           Confession
           ,
           and
           not
           private
           ,
           which
           was
           upon
           this
           occasion
           so
           generally
           laid
           aside
           ,
           as
           we
           have
           seen
           ,
           but
           this
           is
           done
           by
           him
           more
           out
           of
           tenderness
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           than
           upon
           good
           reason
           ;
           and
           Valesius
           goes
           beyond
           him
           ,
           and
           will
           needs
           persuade
           us
           ,
           that
           neither
           publick
           nor
           private
           Confession
           were
           put
           down
           in
           this
           juncture
           ,
           but
           only
           that
           the
           lately
           erected
           Officer
           of
           Penitentiary
           was
           cashier'd
           ;
           but
           I
           must
           crave
           leave
           to
           say
           ,
           there
           is
           no
           sufficient
           reason
           for
           either
           of
           these
           conjectures
           ,
           but
           on
           the
           contrary
           plain
           Evidence
           against
           them
           ,
           for
           Socrates
           ,
           who
           is
           the
           first
           and
           principal
           relater
           of
           this
           whole
           story
           saith
           he
           was
           personally
           acquainted
           with
           this
           Presbyter
           Eudemon
           ,
           who
           gave
           the
           advice
           to
           Nectarius
           to
           make
           this
           change
           in
           the
           Discipline
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           and
           that
           he
           had
           the
           aforesaid
           relation
           of
           it
           from
           his
           own
           Mouth
           ,
           and
           expostulated
           with
           him
           about
           it
           ,
           giving
           his
           reasons
           to
           the
           contrary
           ,
           and
           suggested
           his
           suspicions
           that
           the
           state
           of
           Piety
           would
           be
           much
           endamaged
           by
           this
           change
           ,
           and
           in
           plain
           words
           tells
           him
           ,
           that
           he
           had
           now
           bereft
           men
           of
           assistance
           in
           the
           conduct
           of
           their
           Consciences
           ,
           and
           
           hindred
           the
           great
           benefit
           men
           have
           ,
           or
           might
           have
           one
           of
           another
           by
           private
           advice
           and
           correption
           .
           Now
           this
           fear
           of
           his
           had
           been
           the
           absurdest
           thing
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           if
           upon
           this
           counsel
           and
           advice
           of
           his
           ,
           only
           one
           certain
           Man
           in
           the
           Office
           of
           publick
           Confessioner
           had
           been
           laid
           aside
           ,
           but
           both
           the
           use
           of
           publick
           and
           private
           Confessions
           had
           been
           kept
           up
           and
           retained
           .
        
         
           But
           after
           all
           (
           for
           ought
           appears
           )
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           kept
           her
           old
           Mumpsimus
           ,
           she
           tenacious
           of
           her
           own
           customs
           especially
           of
           such
           as
           may
           advance
           her
           Interest
           and
           Authority
           ,
           complies
           not
           with
           this
           Innovation
           or
           Reformation
           (
           be
           it
           for
           better
           or
           worse
           )
           but
           her
           Priests
           go
           on
           with
           their
           Confessions
           ,
           and
           turn
           all
           Religion
           almost
           into
           Clancular
           Transactions
           ,
           in
           despight
           of
           the
           example
           of
           other
           Churches
           .
           It
           may
           be
           she
           met
           with
           opposition
           sometimes
           ,
           but
           she
           was
           forced
           to
           disemble
           it
           till
           the
           Heroick
           Age
           of
           the
           School-men
           ,
           and
           then
           those
           lusty
           Champions
           with
           their
           Fustian-stuff
           of
           
             videtur
             quod
             sic
             ,
             &
             probatur
             quod
             non
             ,
          
           make
           good
           all
           her
           pretensions
           .
           After
           them
           in
           the
           year
           1215
           comes
           the
           Fourth
           Lateran
           Council
           ,
           and
           that
           decrees
           Auricular
           Consession
           to
           be
           made
           by
           every
           body
           once
           a
           year
           at
           the
           least
           ;
           and
           last
           of
           all
           comes
           the
           Council
           of
           Trent
           ,
           and
           declares
           it
           to
           be
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           ,
           necessary
           to
           Salvation
           ,
           and
           the
           constant
           and
           universal
           custom
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           :
           And
           so
           we
           have
           the
           Pedigree
           of
           the
           Romish
           Auricular
           Confession
           .
        
         
           Sect.
           4.
           
           I
           come
           now
           to
           the
           third
           and
           last
           Stage
           of
           my
           undertaking
           ,
           which
           is
           ,
           to
           shew
           that
           Secret
           or
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           now
           prescribed
           and
           practised
           in
           and
           by
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           is
           not
           only
           unnecessary
           ,
           and
           burdensom
           in
           it self
           ,
           but
           also
           very
           mischievous
           to
           Piety
           ,
           and
           the
           great
           ends
           of
           Christian
           Religion
           .
        
         
           For
           the
           former
           part
           of
           this
           charge
           ,
           if
           it
           be
           not
           evident
           enough
           already
           ,
           it
           will
           easily
           be
           made
           out
           from
           
           the
           Premises
           ,
           for
           they
           cannot
           deny
           that
           they
           make
           this
           kind
           of
           Confession
           necessary
           to
           Salvation
           ,
           at
           least
           as
           necessary
           as
           Baptism
           it self
           is
           ,
           (
           supposing
           a
           Man
           hath
           sinned
           after
           Baptism
           )
           now
           if
           it
           be
           neither
           made
           so
           by
           Divine
           Institution
           ,
           nor
           acknowledged
           to
           be
           so
           by
           the
           constant
           Opinion
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           what
           an
           horrible
           imposition
           is
           here
           upon
           the
           Consciences
           of
           Men
           ,
           when
           in
           the
           highest
           and
           worst
           sense
           that
           can
           be
           they
           teach
           
             for
             Doctrines
             the
             Commandments
             of
             Men
             ,
          
           and
           make
           Salvation
           harder
           than
           God
           hath
           made
           it
           ,
           and
           suspend
           mens
           hopes
           upon
           other
           terms
           then
           he
           hath
           done
           ?
           If
           it
           was
           prescribed
           by
           the
           present
           Church
           as
           a
           matter
           of
           Order
           and
           Discipline
           only
           ,
           or
           of
           convenience
           and
           expediency
           ,
           we
           should
           never
           boggle
           at
           it
           upon
           this
           account
           ,
           or
           dispute
           the
           point
           with
           them
           ;
           or
           if
           it
           was
           only
           declared
           necessary
           
             pro
             hîc
             &
             nunc
          
           ,
           upon
           extraordinary
           emergency
           ,
           by
           the
           peculiar
           condition
           of
           the
           Penitent
           ,
           his
           weakness
           of
           judgment
           ,
           the
           perplexity
           of
           his
           Conscience
           ,
           his
           horrible
           guilt
           or
           extream
           Agonies
           ,
           we
           would
           not
           differ
           with
           them
           upon
           that
           neither
           ;
           but
           when
           it
           is
           made
           necessary
           universally
           ,
           and
           declared
           the
           indispensable
           duty
           of
           all
           men
           whatsoever
           who
           have
           sinned
           after
           Baptism
           (
           when
           God
           hath
           required
           no
           such
           thing
           ,
           but
           declares
           himself
           satisfied
           with
           true
           contrition
           and
           hearty
           remorse
           for
           what
           is
           past
           ,
           and
           sincere
           Reformation
           for
           the
           time
           to
           come
           ;
           this
           I
           say
           is
           an
           intolerable
           Tyranny
           and
           usurpation
           upon
           the
           Consciences
           of
           Men.
           And
           that
           is
           not
           all
           neither
           ,
           for
           besides
           its
           burdensomness
           in
           the
           general
           ,
           it
           particularly
           aggravates
           and
           increases
           a
           Mans
           other
           burdens
           ,
           for
           instead
           of
           relieving
           perplexed
           Consciences
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           true
           and
           principal
           use
           of
           Confessions
           to
           Men
           ,
           this
           priestly
           Confession
           as
           it
           is
           prescribed
           by
           the
           Council
           ,
           intangles
           and
           afflicts
           them
           more
           ;
           for
           that
           injoyns
           that
           the
           Penitent
           lay
           open
           all
           his
           sins
           ,
           even
           the
           most
           secret
           ,
           although
           
           but
           in
           thought
           or
           desire
           only
           ,
           such
           as
           against
           the
           Ninth
           or
           Tenth
           Commandment
           ,
           (
           according
           to
           their
           Division
           of
           the
           Decalogue
           ,
           )
           now
           this
           is
           many
           times
           difficult
           enough
           ;
           but
           that
           's
           not
           all
           ,
           he
           must
           also
           recount
           all
           the
           circumstances
           of
           these
           sins
           ,
           which
           may
           increase
           or
           diminish
           the
           guilt
           ,
           especially
           such
           as
           
             alter
             the
             species
             and
             kind
          
           of
           sin
           :
           Now
           what
           sad
           work
           is
           here
           for
           a
           Melancholy
           Man
           ?
           All
           the
           circumstances
           are
           innumerable
           ,
           and
           how
           can
           he
           tell
           which
           are
           they
           that
           change
           the
           Species
           of
           the
           act
           ,
           unless
           he
           be
           as
           great
           a
           School-man
           as
           his
           Confessor
           .
           Besides
           all
           this
           ,
           it
           may
           be
           he
           is
           not
           very
           skilful
           in
           the
           distinction
           between
           venial
           and
           mortal
           sins
           ,
           and
           if
           he
           omit
           one
           mortal
           sin
           ,
           he
           is
           undone
           ;
           therefore
           it
           is
           necessary
           for
           him
           (
           by
           consequence
           )
           to
           confess
           all
           venial
           sins
           too
           ,
           and
           then
           where
           shall
           the
           poor
           Man
           begin
           ,
           or
           when
           shall
           he
           make
           an
           end
           Such
           a
           Carnifieina
           such
           a
           rack
           and
           torture
           ,
           in
           a
           word
           ,
           such
           an
           Holy
           Inquisition
           is
           this
           business
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           become
           .
           And
           that
           Eminent
           Divine
           of
           Strasburgh
           (
           of
           whom
           
             Beatus
             Rhenanus
          
           speaks
           )
           seems
           very
           well
           to
           have
           understood
           both
           himself
           ,
           and
           this
           matter
           who
           pronounces
           that
           Scotus
           and
           Thomas
           had
           with
           their
           tricks
           ,
           and
           subtilties
           ,
           so
           perplexed
           this
           plain
           Business
           of
           Confession
           ,
           that
           now
           it
           was
           become
           plainly
           impossible
           And
           so
           much
           for
           that
           .
        
         
           But
           as
           for
           the
           second
           part
           of
           this
           impeachment
           ,
           viz.
           That
           the
           Auricular
           Confession
           now
           used
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           is
           mischievous
           to
           Piety
           ;
           This
           remains
           yet
           to
           be
           demonstrated
           ,
           and
           we
           will
           do
           it
           the
           rather
           in
           this
           place
           ,
           because
           it
           will
           be
           an
           abundant
           Confirmation
           of
           all
           that
           which
           hath
           been
           discoursed
           under
           the
           two
           former
           Heads
           ;
           and
           might
           indeed
           have
           saved
           the
           labour
           of
           them
           ,
           but
           that
           we
           were
           unwilling
           to
           leave
           any
           pretence
           of
           theirs
           undiscussed
           ;
           for
           if
           this
           practice
           of
           theirs
           appear
           to
           be
           mischievous
           to
           Prety
           ,
           it
           will
           
           never
           by
           any
           sober
           man
           be
           thought
           either
           to
           have
           been
           instituted
           by
           our
           Saviour
           ,
           or
           to
           have
           been
           the
           sense
           and
           usage
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           whatever
           they
           pretend
           on
           its
           behalf
           .
        
         
           Now
           therefore
           this
           last
           and
           important
           part
           of
           my
           charge
           I
           make
           good
           by
           these
           Three
           Articles
           following
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           This
           Method
           of
           theirs
           is
           dangerous
           to
           Piety
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           very
           apt
           to
           cheat
           People
           into
           an
           Opinion
           that
           they
           are
           in
           a
           better
           Condition
           then
           truly
           they
           are
           ,
           or
           may
           be
           in
           towards
           God
           ,
           as
           that
           their
           sins
           are
           pardoned
           ,
           and
           discharged
           by
           him
           ,
           when
           there
           is
           no
           such
           matter
           .
           The
           Church-men
           of
           Rome
           complain
           of
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           some
           reformed
           Divines
           touching
           assurance
           of
           Salvation
           ,
           that
           it
           fills
           men
           with
           too
           great
           confidence
           ,
           and
           renders
           them
           careless
           and
           presumptuous
           ;
           but
           whatsoever
           there
           is
           in
           that
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           my
           business
           now
           to
           dispute
           it
           ,
           however
           methinks
           it
           will
           not
           very
           well
           become
           a
           Romanist
           to
           aggravate
           it
           ,
           till
           he
           have
           acquitted
           himself
           in
           the
           point
           before
           us
           ;
           for
           by
           this
           Assurance
           Office
           of
           theirs
           they
           comply
           too
           much
           with
           the
           self
           flattery
           of
           Mens
           own
           Hearts
           ,
           they
           render
           Men
           secure
           ,
           before
           they
           are
           safe
           ,
           and
           furnish
           them
           with
           a
           confidence
           like
           that
           of
           the
           Whore
           Solomon
           speaks
           of
           ,
           
             who
             wipes
             her
             Mouth
             ,
             and
             saith
             I
             have
             done
             no
             evil
             .
          
           For
           Men
           return
           from
           the
           Confessors
           Chair
           (
           as
           they
           are
           made
           to
           believe
           )
           as
           Pure
           as
           from
           the
           Font
           ,
           and
           as
           Innocent
           as
           from
           their
           Mothers
           Womb
           ;
           as
           if
           God
           was
           concluded
           by
           the
           act
           of
           the
           Priest
           ,
           and
           as
           if
           he
           being
           satisfied
           with
           an
           humble
           posture
           ,
           a
           dejected
           look
           ,
           and
           a
           lamentable
           murmur
           ,
           God
           Almighty
           would
           be
           put
           off
           so
           too
           .
        
         
           
             Ah
             nimium
             faciles
             qui
             tristia
             crimina
             ,
          
           &c.
           
        
         
           
             Ah
             cheating
             Priests
             who
             made
             fond
             Men
             believe
             ,
          
           
             That
             God
             Almighty
             pardons
             all
             you
             shrieve
             .
          
        
         
         
           Perhaps
           they
           will
           say
           this
           is
           the
           fault
           and
           folly
           of
           the
           Men
           ,
           not
           of
           the
           Institution
           of
           the
           Church
           :
           But
           why
           do
           they
           not
           teach
           them
           better
           then
           ?
           Nay
           ,
           why
           do
           they
           countenance
           and
           incourage
           them
           in
           so
           dangerous
           mistakes
           ?
           For
           whither
           else
           tend
           those
           words
           in
           the
           Decree
           of
           the
           Council
           of
           
             Trent
             ,
             ipsi
             Deo
             reconciliandis
             ?
             q.
             d.
          
           that
           by
           this
           way
           of
           Confession
           ,
           &c.
           
           men
           are
           reconciled
           to
           the
           Divine
           Majesty
           himself
           ;
           or
           those
           other
           forecited
           ,
           where
           the
           Priest
           is
           said
           to
           be
           the
           
             Vicar
             of
             Christ
             ,
             and
             in
             his
             stead
             ,
          
           a
           Judge
           or
           President
           ;
           or
           
           especially
           what
           other
           meaning
           can
           those
           words
           have
           where
           it
           is
           said
           ,
           that
           
             this
             Rite
             is
             as
             necessary
             as
             Baptism
             ,
             for
             as
             in
             that
             all
             sins
             are
             remitted
             which
             were
             committed
          
           
           
             in
             former
             time
             ,
             so
             in
             this
             all
             sins
             committed
             after
             Baptism
             are
             likewise
             remitted
             ?
          
        
         
           Now
           I
           say
           ,
           what
           is
           the
           natural
           tendency
           of
           all
           this
           ,
           but
           to
           make
           People
           believe
           that
           their
           Salvation
           or
           Damnation
           is
           in
           the
           Power
           of
           the
           Priest
           ,
           that
           he
           is
           a
           little
           God
           Almighty
           ,
           and
           his
           discharge
           would
           certainly
           pass
           current
           in
           the
           Court
           of
           Heaven
           .
           But
           there
           is
           sophistry
           and
           juggle
           in
           all
           this
           ,
           as
           I
           thus
           make
           appear
           ;
           for
           ,
        
         
           1.
           
           The
           Priest
           cannot
           pardon
           whom
           he
           will
           ,
           let
           him
           be
           called
           Judex
           and
           Praeses
           never
           so
           ;
           for
           if
           his
           Sentence
           be
           not
           according
           to
           Law
           it
           will
           be
           declared
           Null
           at
           the
           Great
           Day
           ;
           only
           it
           may
           be
           good
           and
           valid
           in
           the
           mean
           time
           
             in
             foro
             Ecclesiae
          
           ;
           and
           here
           lies
           the
           cheat
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Nor
           are
           all
           sins
           retained
           or
           unforgiven
           with
           God
           ,
           that
           are
           not
           pardoned
           by
           the
           Priest
           ;
           it
           is
           true
           in
           publick
           Scandals
           ,
           till
           the
           Sinner
           submit
           to
           the
           Church
           ,
           God
           will
           not
           forgive
           him
           ;
           
             For
             what
             that
             binds
             on
             Earth
             is
             in
             this
             sense
             bound
             in
             Heaven
          
           ;
           but
           what
           hath
           the
           Church
           to
           do
           to
           retain
           ,
           or
           to
           bind
           the
           Sinner
           in
           the
           case
           of
           secret
           sins
           ,
           where
           it
           can
           charge
           no
           guilt
           on
           him
           ?
        
         
         
           3.
           
           Nor
           is
           it
           properly
           the
           act
           of
           the
           Priest
           which
           pardons
           ,
           but
           the
           Tenor
           of
           the
           Law
           ,
           and
           the
           disposition
           of
           Mind
           in
           the
           Penitent
           agreeable
           thereunto
           ,
           qualifying
           him
           for
           Pardon
           ,
           to
           which
           the
           Pardon
           is
           to
           be
           imputed
           :
           As
           it
           is
           not
           the
           Herald
           which
           pardons
           ,
           but
           the
           Prince
           who
           by
           his
           Proclamation
           bestows
           that
           Grace
           upon
           those
           who
           are
           so
           and
           so
           qualified
           .
        
         
           4.
           
           Nor
           ,
           Lastly
           ,
           Can
           the
           Priest
           be
           said
           to
           pardon
           so
           properly
           by
           those
           Majestick
           words
           ,
           
             absolvo
             te
          
           ,
           as
           by
           his
           whole
           Ministry
           ,
           in
           instructing
           People
           in
           the
           Terms
           of
           the
           New
           Covenant
           ,
           and
           making
           Application
           of
           that
           to
           them
           by
           the
           Sacraments
           ;
           this
           he
           hath
           Commission
           to
           do
           ,
           but
           those
           big
           words
           I
           cannot
           find
           that
           he
           hath
           any
           where
           Authority
           to
           pronounce
           ,
           and
           therefore
           (
           as
           I
           think
           I
           observed
           before
           )
           the
           Ancient
           Church
           had
           no
           form
           of
           Absolution
           ,
           but
           only
           receiving
           Penitents
           to
           the
           Communion
           :
           And
           the
           Greek
           Church
           had
           so
           much
           modesty
           as
           to
           Absolve
           in
           the
           third
           Person
           ,
           not
           in
           the
           first
           ,
           to
           shew
           that
           their
           Pardon
           was
           Ministerial
           and
           Declarative
           only
           .
        
         
           All
           these
           things
           notwithstanding
           the
           People
           are
           let
           to
           go
           away
           with
           such
           an
           Opinion
           as
           aforesaid
           (
           because
           it
           is
           for
           the
           Grandeur
           and
           Interest
           of
           the
           Priesthood
           ,
           that
           they
           should
           be
           cheated
           ;
           but
           these
           misapprehensions
           would
           vanish
           ,
           if
           their
           teachers
           would
           be
           so
           just
           as
           to
           distinguish
           between
           God's
           Absolution
           ,
           and
           the
           Absolution
           of
           the
           Church
           ;
           the
           first
           of
           which
           extends
           to
           the
           most
           secret
           sins
           ,
           the
           latter
           to
           open
           Scandals
           only
           ;
           the
           one
           delivers
           from
           all
           real
           guilt
           ,
           the
           other
           from
           external
           Censure
           only
           ;
           of
           the
           latter
           the
           Priest
           may
           (
           by
           the
           leave
           of
           the
           Church
           )
           have
           the
           full
           dispensation
           ,
           so
           that
           he
           is
           really
           pardoned
           with
           her
           that
           hath
           satisfied
           the
           Priest
           ;
           but
           of
           the
           former
           he
           dispenses
           but
           conditionally
           .
           To
           confirm
           all
           which
           I
           will
           here
           add
           only
           two
           Testimonies
           of
           the
           judgment
           of
           the
           Ancient
           Church
           .
        
         
         
           The
           first
           is
           of
           Firmilianus
           Bishop
           of
           Caesarea
           in
           his
           Epistle
           to
           St.
           Cyprian
           ,
           reckoned
           the
           Seventy
           Fifth
           of
           St.
           Cyprians
           ,
           where
           speaking
           of
           holding
           Ecclesiastical
           Councils
           every
           Year
           ,
           he
           gives
           these
           reasons
           for
           it
           ;
           
             Vt
             si
             qua
             graviora
             sunt
             communi
             consilio
             dirigantur
             ,
             lapsis
             quoque
             fratribus
             ,
             &
             post
             lavacrum
             salutare
             à
             Diabolo
             vulneratis
             ,
             per
             poenitentiam
             medela
             quaeratur
             ;
             non
             quasi
             à
             nobis
             remissionem
             peccatorum
             consequantur
             ,
             sed
             ut
             per
             nos
             ad
             intelligentiam
             delictorum
             suorum
             convertantur
             ,
             &
             Domino
             plenius
             satisfacere
             cogantur
          
           ;
           partly
           (
           saith
           he
           )
           that
           by
           joint
           advice
           ,
           and
           common
           consent
           ,
           we
           may
           agree
           upon
           an
           uniform
           Order
           in
           such
           weighty
           Affairs
           as
           concern
           our
           respective
           Churches
           ,
           partly
           that
           we
           may
           give
           relief
           ,
           and
           apply
           a
           remedy
           to
           those
           who
           by
           the
           temptation
           of
           the
           Devil
           have
           fallen
           into
           sin
           after
           Baptism
           ;
           
             not
             that
             we
             can
             give
             them
             Pardon
             of
             their
             sin
             ,
             but
             that
             by
             our
             Ministry
             they
             may
             be
             brought
             to
             a
             knowledge
             of
             their
             sins
             ,
             and
             directed
             into
             a
             right
             course
             to
             obtain
             Pardon
             at
             the
             Hands
             of
             God.
          
           The
           other
           is
           of
           Theodorus
           Arch-Bishop
           of
           Canterbury
           whose
           words
           are
           these
           :
           
             Confessio
             quae
             soli
             Deo
             fit
             purgat
             pecoata
             :
             Ea
          
           
           
             vero
             quae
             Sacerdoti
             fit
             ,
             docet
             qualiter
             purgentur
             .
             Confession
             to
             God
             properly
             obtains
             the
             Pardon
             of
             Sin
             ;
             but
             by
             Confession
             to
             Men
             ,
             we
             are
             only
             put
             into
             the
             right
             way
             to
             obtain
             pardon
             .
          
           Thus
           they
           :
        
         
           But
           now
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           the
           case
           is
           otherwise
           ;
           there
           the
           Priest
           sustains
           the
           Person
           of
           our
           Lord
           Jesus
           Christ
           himself
           ,
           and
           is
           not
           so
           much
           his
           Delegate
           as
           his
           Plenipotentiary
           ,
           and
           his
           Pardon
           is
           as
           full
           and
           good
           as
           if
           the
           Judge
           of
           the
           World
           had
           pronounced
           it
           
             pro
             Tribunali
          
           ;
           so
           that
           if
           the
           most
           lewd
           and
           habitual
           Sinner
           have
           but
           the
           good
           fortune
           to
           go
           out
           of
           the
           World
           under
           the
           Blessing
           of
           his
           Ghostly
           Father
           ,
           that
           is
           to
           say
           ,
           either
           death
           came
           so
           soon
           after
           his
           last
           Absolution
           ,
           or
           the
           Priest
           came
           so
           opportunely
           after
           his
           last
           sin
           ,
           that
           he
           
           hath
           not
           begun
           a
           new
           score
           ,
           he
           is
           sure
           to
           go
           Heaven
           without
           more
           ado
           .
           This
           I
           represent
           as
           the
           first
           mischief
           attending
           their
           Doctrine
           ,
           and
           Practice
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           .
           But
           this
           is
           not
           all
           ,
           for
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           It
           corrupts
           and
           debauches
           the
           very
           Doctrine
           and
           Nature
           of
           Repentance
           which
           the
           whole
           Gospel
           lays
           so
           much
           stress
           upon
           :
           Making
           Attrition
           (
           which
           is
           but
           a
           slight
           sorrow
           for
           sin
           ,
           or
           a
           dislike
           of
           it
           in
           Contemplation
           of
           the
           Wrath
           of
           God
           impendent
           over
           it
           )
           pass
           for
           Contrition
           ,
           which
           implies
           an
           hatred
           and
           detestation
           of
           it
           for
           its
           own
           moral
           evil
           and
           deformity
           ,
           with
           a
           firm
           resolution
           of
           amendment
           .
           This
           they
           many
           of
           them
           are
           not
           ashamed
           to
           teach
           ,
           and
           their
           practice
           of
           Absolution
           supposes
           and
           requires
           it
           .
           The
           Jesuites
           in
           particular
           ,
           who
           have
           almost
           ingrost
           to
           themselves
           the
           whole
           Monopoly
           of
           Confessions
           ,
           avow
           this
           as
           their
           Principle
           .
           Father
           
             Bauny
             ,
             Escobar
          
           ,
           and
           Suarez
           declare
           their
           Judgment
           ,
           that
           the
           Priest
           ought
           to
           absolve
           a
           Man
           upon
           his
           saying
           ,
           that
           he
           detests
           his
           sin
           ,
           although
           at
           the
           same
           time
           the
           Confessor
           doth
           not
           believe
           that
           he
           does
           so
           .
           And
           Caussin
           saith
           ,
           if
           this
           be
           not
           true
           ,
           there
           can
           be
           no
           use
           of
           Confessions
           amongst
           the
           greatest
           part
           of
           Men.
           These
           things
           (
           it
           's
           true
           )
           are
           disliked
           by
           some
           others
           of
           the
           Romanists
           ,
           and
           the
           Curees
           of
           France
           are
           so
           honest
           as
           to
           cry
           shame
           of
           it
           before
           all
           the
           World
           ;
           for
           ,
           say
           they
           ,
           Attrition
           is
           but
           the
           work
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           if
           that
           alone
           will
           serve
           for
           Pardon
           ,
           then
           a
           Man
           may
           be
           pardoned
           without
           Grace
           .
           But
           therefore
           ,
           say
           the
           others
           ,
           the
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           doth
           it
           alone
           ,
           and
           this
           is
           for
           the
           Honour
           of
           the
           Sacrament
           ;
           greatly
           for
           the
           Honour
           of
           it
           (
           say
           I
           )
           that
           it
           is
           of
           greater
           power
           then
           our
           Lord
           Jesus
           Christ
           ,
           and
           his
           Gospel
           ,
           which
           cannot
           help
           a
           wicked
           Man
           to
           Heaven
           ,
           whilest
           he
           continues
           so
           ,
           but
           this
           Sacrament
           it
           seems
           can
           .
           Nor
           can
           they
           excuse
           this
           matter
           by
           saying
           
           these
           odious
           assertions
           are
           but
           the
           private
           Opinions
           of
           some
           Divines
           .
           For
           they
           are
           plainly
           favoured
           by
           the
           determinations
           of
           the
           Council
           of
           Trent
           ;
           I
           confess
           that
           Council
           delivers
           it self
           warily
           and
           cunningly
           
           in
           this
           point
           (
           as
           it
           uses
           to
           do
           in
           such
           cases
           )
           yet
           these
           are
           their
           words
           ,
           
             Illa
             vero
             contritio
             imperfecta
             quae
             attritio
             dicitur
             ,
             quamvis
             sine
             Sacramento
             Poenitentiae
             perse
             ad
             justificationem
             perducere
             peccatorem
             nequeat
             ,
             tamen
             eum
             ad
             ▪
             Dei
             Gratiam
             in
             Sacramento
             Poenitentiae
             impetrandam
             disponit
             ,
          
           &c.
           
           Which
           is
           as
           much
           as
           to
           say
           ,
           though
           Attrition
           or
           a
           superficial
           Sorrow
           for
           Sin
           ,
           barely
           ,
           alone
           ,
           and
           without
           Confession
           to
           a
           Priest
           ,
           will
           not
           justify
           a
           Man
           before
           God
           ,
           yet
           Attrition
           and
           Confession
           together
           will
           do
           it
           ,
           for
           then
           they
           are
           as
           good
           as
           true
           Repentance
           .
           And
           in
           this
           sense
           
             Melchior
             Canus
          
           long
           since
           thought
           he
           understood
           the
           Council
           well
           enough
           .
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           This
           business
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           practised
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           is
           so
           far
           from
           being
           a
           means
           to
           prevent
           and
           restrain
           sin
           ,
           as
           it
           highly
           pretends
           to
           be
           (
           and
           I
           am
           sure
           as
           it
           ought
           to
           be
           ,
           if
           it
           be
           good
           for
           any
           thing
           )
           that
           contrariwise
           it
           is
           either
           lost
           labour
           ,
           and
           a
           meer
           Ceremony
           ,
           or
           it
           greatly
           incourages
           and
           imboldens
           ,
           and
           hardens
           Men
           in
           it
           ,
           both
           by
           the
           Secrecy
           ,
           the
           Multitudes
           ,
           and
           the
           Frequency
           of
           these
           Confessions
           ,
           by
           the
           cursory
           ,
           hypocritical
           and
           evasive
           ways
           of
           confessing
           ,
           by
           the
           slight
           Penances
           imposed
           ,
           and
           the
           cheapness
           ,
           easiness
           ,
           and
           even
           prostitution
           of
           Absolutions
           .
        
         
           It
           were
           easy
           to
           be
           copious
           in
           instances
           of
           all
           these
           kinds
           ,
           but
           it
           is
           an
           uncomfortable
           subject
           ,
           and
           I
           hasten
           to
           a
           conclusion
           ;
           therefore
           I
           will
           only
           touch
           upon
           them
           briefly
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           For
           the
           privacy
           of
           these
           Confessions
           .
           In
           the
           Ancient
           Church
           (
           as
           I
           have
           noted
           before
           )
           the
           Scandalous
           Sinner
           was
           brought
           upon
           the
           Stage
           before
           a
           great
           
           Assembly
           of
           Grave
           and
           Holy
           Men
           ,
           he
           lay
           prostrate
           on
           the
           ground
           ,
           which
           he
           watered
           with
           his
           Tears
           ,
           he
           crept
           on
           his
           Knees
           ,
           and
           implored
           the
           Pitty
           and
           Prayers
           of
           all
           present
           ,
           in
           whose
           countenances
           (
           if
           for
           shame
           he
           could
           look
           up
           )
           he
           saw
           abhorrence
           of
           his
           fact
           ,
           indignation
           at
           God's
           dishonour
           ,
           conjoined
           with
           compassion
           to
           his
           Soul
           ,
           and
           joy
           for
           his
           Repentance
           ;
           his
           Confession
           was
           full
           of
           remorse
           and
           confusion
           ;
           the
           remedy
           was
           as
           sharp
           and
           disgustful
           to
           Flesh
           and
           Blood
           as
           the
           Disease
           had
           been
           pleasant
           ,
           and
           the
           pain
           of
           this
           expiation
           was
           able
           to
           imbitter
           the
           sweet
           of
           Sin
           to
           him
           ever
           after
           .
           Or
           if
           the
           Confession
           was
           not
           made
           before
           the
           whole
           Church
           ,
           but
           to
           the
           Penitentiary
           only
           ,
           yet
           he
           was
           a
           Grave
           and
           Holy
           Person
           ,
           chosen
           by
           the
           Church
           ,
           and
           representing
           it
           ,
           a
           Person
           resident
           in
           that
           Church
           ,
           and
           so
           able
           to
           take
           notice
           of
           ,
           and
           mind
           the
           future
           Conversation
           of
           those
           that
           addressed
           themselves
           to
           him
           ;
           a
           Person
           of
           that
           Sanctity
           and
           Reverence
           that
           he
           could
           not
           choose
           but
           detest
           and
           abhor
           all
           base
           and
           vile
           actions
           that
           should
           come
           to
           his
           knowledge
           :
           Now
           it
           must
           needs
           be
           a
           terrible
           cut
           to
           a
           Sinner
           to
           have
           all
           his
           lewdness
           laid
           open
           before
           such
           an
           one
           ,
           and
           then
           to
           be
           justly
           ,
           and
           sharply
           rebuked
           by
           him
           ,
           to
           have
           his
           sins
           aggravated
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           made
           to
           see
           his
           own
           ugly
           shape
           in
           a
           true
           glass
           held
           by
           him
           ,
           besides
           to
           be
           enjoined
           the
           performance
           of
           a
           strict
           Penance
           of
           Fasting
           and
           Prayer
           ,
           and
           after
           all
           (
           if
           this
           do
           not
           do
           )
           to
           have
           the
           Church
           made
           acquainted
           with
           the
           whole
           matter
           (
           as
           in
           the
           case
           of
           the
           Deacon
           aforesaid
           .
           )
           This
           course
           was
           likely
           to
           work
           something
           of
           remorse
           in
           the
           Sinner
           for
           what
           was
           past
           ,
           and
           to
           make
           him
           watchful
           and
           careful
           for
           the
           time
           to
           come
           .
        
         
           But
           what
           is
           the
           way
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           like
           to
           this
           ?
           Where
           a
           Man
           may
           confess
           to
           any
           Priest
           ,
           to
           him
           that
           knows
           him
           not
           ,
           and
           so
           cannot
           observe
           his
           future
           
           life
           and
           carriage
           ;
           nay
           ,
           perhaps
           that
           knows
           not
           how
           to
           value
           the
           guilt
           of
           sin
           ,
           or
           to
           judge
           which
           be
           Venial
           ,
           and
           which
           Mortal
           Sins
           ,
           or
           especially
           what
           circumstances
           do
           alter
           the
           species
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           it
           may
           be
           too
           ,
           he
           may
           be
           such
           an
           one
           that
           makes
           no
           Conscience
           himself
           of
           the
           sins
           I
           confess
           to
           him
           .
           Now
           ,
           when
           all
           is
           transacted
           between
           me
           and
           such
           a
           Priest
           in
           a
           corner
           ,
           and
           that
           under
           the
           inviolable
           Seal
           of
           Confession
           ,
           what
           great
           shame
           can
           this
           put
           me
           to
           ?
           What
           remorse
           is
           it
           likely
           to
           work
           in
           me
           ?
           What
           shall
           discourage
           me
           from
           going
           on
           to
           
             sin
             again
             ,
             if
             no
             worse
             thing
             happen
             to
             me
             ?
          
        
         
           2.
           
           And
           then
           for
           the
           multitude
           of
           Confessions
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           that
           also
           takes
           off
           the
           shame
           ,
           and
           weakens
           the
           efficacy
           of
           it
           ,
           so
           that
           if
           it
           do
           no
           harm
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           likely
           to
           do
           any
           good
           ;
           for
           who
           is
           concern'd
           much
           in
           the
           doing
           that
           which
           he
           sees
           all
           the
           World
           do
           as
           well
           as
           himself
           ;
           if
           only
           notorious
           Sinners
           were
           brought
           to
           Confession
           (
           as
           it
           was
           in
           the
           Primitive
           Church
           )
           then
           it
           might
           probably
           and
           reasonably
           provoke
           a
           blush
           ,
           and
           cause
           a
           remorse
           in
           him
           to
           whom
           such
           a
           remedy
           was
           prescribed
           ;
           but
           when
           he
           sees
           the
           whole
           Parish
           ,
           and
           the
           Priest
           too
           brought
           to
           it
           ,
           and
           Men
           as
           generally
           complying
           with
           it
           ,
           as
           they
           approach
           to
           the
           Lord's
           Table
           ;
           What
           great
           wonders
           can
           this
           work
           ?
           What
           shame
           can
           it
           inflict
           upon
           any
           Man
           !
           What
           effect
           can
           be
           expected
           from
           it
           ,
           but
           that
           it
           ordinarily
           makes
           Men
           secure
           and
           careless
           ,
           and
           grow
           as
           familiar
           with
           sin
           as
           with
           the
           remedy
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           think
           as
           well
           of
           themselves
           as
           of
           other
           Men
           ,
           since
           it
           seems
           they
           have
           as
           much
           need
           of
           Confession
           and
           absolution
           as
           himself
           ?
        
         
           3.
           
           To
           which
           the
           frequency
           and
           often
           repetitions
           of
           these
           kind
           of
           Confessions
           adds
           very
           much
           ;
           it
           is
           very
           
           likely
           that
           modesty
           may
           work
           much
           upon
           a
           Man
           the
           first
           or
           second
           time
           he
           goes
           to
           Confession
           ,
           and
           it
           may
           something
           discompose
           his
           Countenance
           when
           he
           lays
           open
           all
           his
           secret
           miscarriages
           ,
           to
           a
           Person
           especially
           for
           whom
           he
           hath
           a
           Reverence
           (
           for
           we
           see
           every
           thing
           ,
           even
           sin
           it self
           is
           modest
           in
           its
           beginnings
           ;
           )
           and
           no
           doubt
           it
           is
           some
           restraint
           of
           sin
           whilst
           a
           Man
           is
           sensible
           that
           he
           must
           undergo
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           pain
           and
           shame
           in
           vomiting
           up
           again
           his
           sweet
           Morsels
           which
           he
           eats
           in
           secret
           :
           But
           by
           that
           time
           he
           hath
           been
           used
           to
           this
           a
           while
           ,
           it
           grows
           easie
           and
           habitual
           to
           him
           ,
           and
           custom
           hath
           made
           the
           very
           punishment
           pleasant
           as
           well
           as
           the
           sin
           ;
           especially
           ,
           if
           we
           add
           ,
        
         
           4.
           
           The
           formal
           ,
           cursory
           ,
           hypocritical
           ,
           and
           illusive
           ways
           of
           Confession
           in
           frequent
           use
           amongst
           them
           ;
           as
           that
           a
           Man
           may
           choose
           his
           own
           Priest
           ,
           and
           then
           to
           be
           sure
           the
           greatest
           Sinner
           will
           have
           a
           Confessour
           right
           for
           his
           turn
           ,
           that
           shall
           not
           be
           too
           severe
           and
           scrupulous
           with
           him
           ;
           that
           a
           Man
           may
           confess
           
             in
             transitu
          
           ,
           in
           a
           hurry
           or
           huddle
           ,
           and
           then
           there
           can
           be
           no
           remark
           made
           upon
           his
           Person
           nor
           his
           sins
           ;
           that
           a
           Man
           may
           make
           one
           part
           of
           his
           Confession
           to
           one
           Priest
           ,
           and
           reserve
           the
           other
           part
           for
           another
           ,
           so
           that
           neither
           of
           them
           shall
           be
           able
           to
           make
           any
           thing
           of
           it
           ;
           that
           he
           may
           have
           one
           Confessour
           for
           his
           Mortal
           sins
           ,
           and
           another
           for
           his
           Venial
           ;
           so
           that
           one
           shall
           save
           him
           ,
           if
           the
           other
           damn
           him
           ;
           nay
           ,
           for
           failing
           ,
           the
           forgetful
           sinner
           may
           have
           another
           Man
           to
           confess
           for
           him
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           he
           may
           confess
           ,
           that
           he
           hath
           not
           confessed
           ;
           these
           and
           abundance
           more
           such
           illusive
           Methods
           are
           in
           daily
           use
           amongst
           them
           ,
           and
           not
           only
           taken
           up
           by
           the
           licentious
           and
           unconscionable
           People
           ,
           but
           allowed
           by
           some
           or
           other
           of
           their
           great
           Casuists
           ;
           now
           let
           any
           Man
           judge
           whether
           this
           be
           a
           likelier
           way
           to
           restrain
           sin
           ,
           
           or
           to
           encourage
           it
           ;
           whether
           the
           easiness
           of
           the
           remedy
           (
           if
           this
           be
           one
           )
           must
           not
           of
           necessity
           make
           the
           Disease
           seem
           not
           very
           formidable
           ;
           in
           a
           word
           ,
           whether
           this
           be
           not
           a
           ridiculing
           their
           own
           Religion
           ,
           and
           ,
           which
           is
           worse
           ,
           a
           teaching
           Men
           to
           be
           so
           fool
           hardy
           
             as
             to
             make
             a
             mock
             of
             sin
             .
          
        
         
           5.
           
           This
           sad
           reckoning
           will
           be
           inflamed
           yet
           higher
           if
           we
           consider
           the
           slight
           Penances
           usually
           imposed
           by
           these
           Spiritual
           Judges
           upon
           the
           greatest
           Crimes
           .
           The
           Council
           determines
           that
           the
           Confessour
           must
           be
           exactly
           made
           acquainted
           with
           all
           the
           circumstances
           of
           the
           sin
           ,
           that
           so
           he
           may
           be
           able
           to
           adjust
           a
           Penance
           to
           it
           ;
           now
           when
           some
           great
           sin
           is
           confessed
           and
           that
           in
           very
           foul
           circumstances
           ,
           if
           the
           Penance
           proportioned
           to
           it
           ,
           by
           the
           Priest
           be
           to
           say
           two
           or
           three
           
             Pater
             Nosters
          
           ,
           or
           
           Ave-Maria's
           extraordinary
           ,
           to
           give
           a
           little
           Money
           in
           Alms
           to
           the
           Poor
           or
           some
           Pious
           use
           ,
           to
           kneel
           on
           his
           bare
           knees
           before
           such
           a
           Shrine
           ,
           to
           kiss
           such
           an
           Image
           ,
           to
           go
           on
           Pilgrimage
           a
           few
           Miles
           to
           such
           a
           Saint
           ,
           or
           at
           most
           to
           wear
           an
           Hair
           Shirt
           ,
           or
           it
           may
           be
           to
           fast
           with
           Pish
           ,
           and
           Wine
           ,
           and
           Sweetmeats
           ,
           &c.
           doth
           not
           this
           make
           that
           sin
           which
           is
           thus
           mawled
           and
           stigmatized
           ,
           look
           very
           dreadfully
           ,
           can
           any
           Man
           find
           in
           his
           Heart
           to
           sin
           again
           ,
           when
           it
           hath
           cost
           him
           so
           dear
           already
           ?
        
         
           Oh
           ,
           but
           they
           will
           tell
           us
           these
           Penances
           are
           not
           intended
           to
           correspond
           with
           the
           guilt
           of
           the
           sin
           ,
           but
           only
           to
           satisfy
           the
           debt
           of
           Temporal
           punishment
           .
           But
           we
           had
           thought
           that
           the
           end
           of
           Penance
           had
           been
           ,
           to
           work
           in
           the
           Penitent
           a
           disposition
           for
           Pardon
           ,
           by
           giving
           him
           both
           opportunities
           and
           direction
           to
           express
           the
           sincerity
           of
           his
           Repentance
           ;
           and
           this
           was
           the
           use
           of
           Penance
           in
           the
           Primitive
           Church
           ,
           together
           with
           the
           taking
           off
           the
           Scandal
           from
           the
           Society
           ;
           and
           for
           that
           other
           end
           how
           doth
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           know
           
           so
           certainly
           that
           there
           is
           a
           debt
           of
           Temporal
           punishment
           remaining
           due
           ,
           after
           the
           sin
           is
           pardoned
           before
           God
           ;
           it
           is
           true
           ,
           God
           may
           pardon
           so
           far
           only
           as
           he
           pleases
           ,
           he
           may
           resolve
           to
           punish
           temporally
           those
           whom
           he
           hath
           forgiven
           eternally
           ,
           as
           we
           see
           he
           did
           in
           the
           case
           of
           David
           ;
           but
           that
           this
           is
           not
           his
           constant
           Method
           appears
           by
           this
           that
           our
           Saviour
           releases
           the
           Temporal
           punishment
           to
           many
           in
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           whose
           diseases
           he
           cured
           ,
           saying
           to
           them
           ,
           
             Your
             sins
             are
             forgiven
             you
          
           ,
           when
           as
           yet
           it
           did
           not
           appear
           that
           all
           Scores
           were
           quitted
           with
           God
           so
           ,
           but
           that
           they
           might
           have
           perished
           eternally
           ,
           if
           they
           did
           not
           prevent
           it
           by
           Faith
           and
           Repentance
           .
        
         
           6.
           
           But
           lastly
           ,
           to
           come
           to
           an
           end
           of
           this
           sad
           story
           ,
           the
           easiness
           and
           prostitution
           of
           their
           absolutions
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           contributes
           ,
           as
           much
           to
           the
           encouraging
           of
           Vice
           and
           carelesness
           in
           Religion
           as
           any
           of
           the
           former
           ;
           for
           what
           else
           can
           be
           the
           natural
           effect
           and
           consequence
           of
           that
           ruled
           case
           among
           their
           Casuists
           (
           as
           I
           shew'd
           before
           )
           that
           the
           Priest
           is
           bound
           to
           absolve
           him
           that
           confesses
           ,
           and
           saith
           ,
           he
           is
           sorry
           for
           his
           sin
           ,
           though
           he
           doth
           in
           his
           Heart
           believe
           that
           he
           is
           not
           contrite
           ,
           but
           that
           either
           the
           Priests
           Pardon
           is
           a
           very
           cheat
           ,
           or
           else
           that
           Pardon
           is
           due
           of
           course
           to
           the
           most
           impenitent
           Sinner
           ,
           and
           there
           is
           no
           more
           to
           do
           but
           
             Confess
             and
             be
             Saved
          
           ?
           or
           what
           is
           the
           meaning
           of
           their
           common
           practice
           to
           absolve
           men
           upon
           their
           Death-beds
           ,
           whether
           they
           be
           contrite
           ,
           or
           attrite
           ,
           or
           neither
           ,
           at
           least
           when
           they
           can
           give
           no
           Evidence
           of
           either
           ?
           If
           they
           intended
           this
           only
           for
           absolution
           from
           the
           Censures
           of
           the
           Church
           it
           might
           be
           called
           Charity
           ,
           and
           look
           something
           like
           the
           practice
           of
           the
           Primitive
           Church
           ,
           which
           released
           those
           upon
           their
           Death-beds
           ,
           whom
           it
           would
           not
           discharge
           all
           their
           lives
           before
           ,
           tho
           not
           then
           neither
           without
           signs
           of
           Attrition
           and
           contrition
           
           too
           ;
           but
           these
           pretend
           to
           quite
           another
           thing
           ;
           namely
           to
           release
           men
           
             in
             foro
             Conscientiae
          
           ,
           and
           to
           give
           them
           a
           Pass-port
           to
           Heaven
           without
           Repentance
           ,
           which
           is
           a
           very
           strange
           thing
           ,
           to
           say
           no
           worse
           of
           it
           .
           Or
           to
           instance
           one
           thing
           more
           ,
           what
           is
           the
           meaning
           of
           their
           practice
           of
           giving
           Absolution
           before
           the
           Penance
           is
           performed
           (
           as
           is
           usual
           with
           them
           )
           unless
           this
           be
           it
           ,
           that
           whether
           the
           Man
           make
           any
           Conscience
           at
           all
           how
           he
           lives
           hereafter
           ,
           yet
           he
           is
           pardoned
           as
           much
           as
           the
           Priest
           can
           do
           it
           for
           him
           ,
           and
           is
           not
           this
           a
           likely
           way
           of
           reformation
           ?
        
         
           I
           conclude
           therefore
           now
           upon
           the
           whole
           matter
           that
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           used
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           is
           only
           an
           Artifice
           of
           greatening
           the
           Priest
           ,
           and
           pleasing
           the
           People
           ;
           a
           trick
           of
           gratifying
           the
           undevout
           and
           impious
           as
           well
           as
           the
           Devout
           and
           Religious
           ;
           the
           latter
           it
           imposes
           upon
           by
           its
           outward
           appearance
           of
           Humility
           and
           Piety
           ;
           to
           the
           former
           it
           serves
           for
           a
           palliative
           Cure
           of
           the
           Gripes
           of
           Conscience
           ,
           which
           they
           are
           now
           and
           then
           troubled
           with
           ;
           in
           reality
           it
           tends
           to
           make
           sin
           easie
           and
           tolerable
           by
           the
           cheapness
           of
           its
           Pardon
           ,
           and
           in
           a
           word
           ,
           it
           is
           nothing
           but
           the
           Old
           Discipline
           of
           the
           Church
           in
           Dust
           and
           Ashes
           .
           And
           therefore
           though
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           in
           her
           Liturgy
           ,
           piously
           wishes
           for
           the
           Restauration
           of
           the
           Ancient
           Discipline
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           it
           can
           be
           no
           defect
           in
           her
           that
           she
           troubles
           not
           her self
           with
           this
           Rubbish
           .
        
         
           FINIS
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
           A
           POST-SCRIPT
           .
        
         
           AFter
           I
           had
           finished
           the
           foregoing
           Papers
           ,
           and
           most
           part
           of
           them
           had
           also
           past
           the
           Press
           ,
           I
           happened
           to
           have
           notice
           that
           there
           was
           a
           Book
           just
           then
           come
           over
           from
           France
           ,
           written
           by
           a
           Divine
           of
           the
           Sorbone
           ,
           which
           with
           great
           appearance
           of
           Learning
           maintained
           the
           just
           contrary
           to
           what
           I
           had
           asserted
           (
           especially
           in
           the
           Historical
           part
           of
           this
           Question
           )
           and
           pretended
           to
           prove
           from
           the
           most
           Ancient
           Monuments
           of
           the
           Holy
           Scriptures
           ,
           Fathers
           ,
           Popes
           and
           Councils
           ,
           that
           Auricular
           Confession
           had
           been
           the
           constant
           Doctrine
           ,
           and
           Universal
           and
           Uninterrupted
           usage
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           for
           near
           1300
           years
           from
           the
           Times
           of
           our
           Saviour
           to
           the
           Laterane
           Council
           .
        
         
           So
           soon
           as
           I
           heard
           this
           ,
           I
           heartily
           wished
           ,
           that
           either
           the
           said
           Book
           had
           come
           out
           a
           little
           sooner
           ,
           or
           at
           least
           that
           my
           Papers
           had
           been
           yet
           in
           my
           hands
           ;
           to
           the
           intent
           that
           it
           might
           have
           been
           in
           my
           Power
           ,
           to
           have
           corrected
           what
           might
           be
           amiss
           ,
           or
           supplied
           what
           was
           defective
           in
           that
           short
           Discourse
           ,
           or
           indeed
           if
           occasion
           were
           ,
           to
           have
           wholly
           supprest
           it
           .
        
         
           For
           as
           soon
           as
           I
           entered
           upon
           the
           said
           Book
           ,
           and
           found
           from
           no
           less
           a
           Man
           than
           the
           Author
           himself
           ,
           that
           he
           had
           diligently
           read
           over
           all
           that
           had
           been
           written
           on
           both
           sides
           of
           this
           controversy
           ,
           and
           that
           this
           work
           of
           his
           was
           the
           product
           of
           Eighteen
           years
           study
           ,
           and
           that
           in
           the
           prime
           of
           his
           years
           ,
           and
           most
           flourishing
           
           time
           of
           his
           parts
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           published
           upon
           the
           maturest
           deliberation
           on
           his
           part
           ,
           and
           with
           the
           greatest
           applause
           and
           approbation
           of
           the
           Faculty
           ,
           I
           thought
           I
           had
           reason
           to
           suspect
           ,
           whether
           a
           small
           Tract
           ,
           written
           in
           haste
           by
           a
           Man
           of
           no
           Name
           ,
           and
           full
           enough
           of
           other
           Business
           ,
           could
           be
           fit
           to
           be
           seen
           on
           the
           same
           Day
           with
           so
           elaborate
           a
           work
           .
        
         
           But
           by
           that
           time
           I
           had
           read
           a
           little
           further
           ,
           I
           took
           Heart
           ,
           and
           permitted
           the
           Press
           to
           go
           on
           ;
           and
           now
           ,
           that
           I
           have
           gone
           over
           the
           whole
           ,
           I
           do
           here
           profess
           sincerely
           ,
           that
           in
           all
           that
           learned
           Discourse
           I
           scarcely
           found
           any
           thing
           which
           I
           had
           not
           foreseen
           ,
           and
           as
           I
           think
           in
           some
           measure
           prevented
           .
           But
           certain
           I
           am
           ,
           nothing
           occurred
           that
           staggered
           my
           Judgment
           ,
           or
           which
           did
           not
           rather
           confirm
           me
           in
           what
           I
           had
           written
           ;
           for
           though
           I
           met
           with
           abundance
           of
           Citations
           ,
           and
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           Wit
           ,
           and
           Dexterity
           in
           the
           management
           of
           them
           ,
           yet
           I
           found
           none
           of
           them
           come
           home
           to
           the
           point
           ;
           for
           whereas
           they
           sometimes
           recommend
           and
           press
           Confession
           of
           Sin
           in
           general
           sometimes
           to
           the
           Church
           ,
           sometimes
           to
           the
           Priest
           or
           Bishop
           as
           well
           as
           to
           God
           Almighty
           :
           Again
           sometimes
           they
           speak
           great
           things
           of
           the
           Dignity
           of
           the
           Priest-hood
           ,
           and
           the
           great
           Honour
           that
           Order
           hath
           in
           being
           wonderfully
           useful
           to
           the
           relief
           of
           Guilty
           or
           Afflicted
           Consciences
           ;
           other
           while
           they
           treat
           of
           the
           Power
           of
           the
           Keys
           ,
           and
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           the
           danger
           of
           her
           Censures
           ,
           the
           Comfort
           of
           her
           Absolution
           ,
           and
           the
           severity
           of
           her
           Discipline
           ,
           &c.
           but
           all
           these
           things
           are
           acknowledged
           by
           us
           without
           laborious
           proof
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           by
           our
           Adversaries
           :
           That
           which
           we
           demand
           ,
           and
           expect
           therefore
           ,
           is
           ,
           where
           shall
           we
           find
           in
           any
           of
           the
           Ancient
           Fathers
           ,
           Auricular
           Confession
           said
           to
           be
           a
           Sacrament
           ,
           or
           any
           part
           of
           one
           ?
           Or
           where
           is
           the
           Universal
           necessity
           of
           it
           asserted
           ?
           Or
           that
           secret
           sins
           committed
           
           after
           Baptism
           ,
           are
           by
           no
           other
           means
           ,
           or
           upon
           no
           other
           terms
           pardoned
           with
           God
           ,
           then
           upon
           their
           being
           confessed
           to
           men
           ?
           In
           these
           things
           lies
           the
           hinge
           of
           our
           dispute
           ,
           and
           of
           these
           particulars
           one
           ought
           in
           Reason
           to
           expect
           the
           most
           direct
           and
           plain
           proof
           imaginable
           ,
           if
           the
           matter
           was
           of
           such
           Consequence
           ,
           of
           such
           Universal
           practice
           and
           notoriety
           as
           they
           pretend
           ;
           but
           nothing
           of
           all
           this
           appears
           in
           this
           Writer
           more
           than
           in
           those
           that
           have
           gone
           before
           him
           .
           In
           contemplation
           of
           which
           I
           now
           adventure
           this
           little
           Tract
           into
           the
           World
           ,
           with
           somewhat
           more
           of
           Confidence
           then
           I
           should
           have
           done
           ,
           had
           it
           not
           been
           for
           this
           occasion
           .
        
         
           But
           lest
           I
           should
           seem
           to
           be
           too
           partial
           in
           the
           Case
           ,
           or
           to
           give
           too
           slight
           an
           account
           of
           this
           Learned
           Man's
           performance
           ,
           the
           Reader
           who
           pleases
           shall
           be
           judge
           by
           a
           Specimen
           or
           two
           which
           I
           will
           here
           briefly
           represent
           to
           him
           .
        
         
           The
           former
           of
           them
           shall
           be
           the
           very
           first
           argument
           or
           Testimony
           he
           produces
           for
           his
           Assertion
           ,
           which
           I
           the
           rather
           make
           my
           choice
           to
           give
           instance
           in
           ,
           because
           no
           Man
           can
           be
           said
           ingenuously
           to
           seek
           for
           faults
           ,
           to
           pick
           and
           choose
           for
           matter
           of
           exception
           ,
           that
           takes
           the
           first
           thing
           that
           comes
           to
           hand
           .
        
         
           The
           business
           is
           this
           ,
           Chap.
           2.
           
           Page
           11.
           of
           his
           Book
           he
           cites
           the
           Council
           of
           Illiberis
           (
           with
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           circumstance
           )
           as
           the
           first
           Witness
           for
           his
           Cause
           ,
           and
           the
           Testimony
           is
           taken
           from
           the
           Seventy
           Sixth
           Canon
           ,
           the
           words
           are
           these
           ,
           
             Si
             quis
             Diaconum
          
           ,
           &c.
           
             i.
             e.
          
           If
           any
           Man
           shall
           suffer
           himself
           to
           be
           ordained
           Deacon
           ,
           and
           shall
           afterwards
           be
           convicted
           to
           have
           formerly
           committed
           some
           Mortal
           (
           or
           Capital
           Crime
           ;
           )
           if
           the
           said
           Crime
           come
           to
           light
           by
           his
           own
           voluntary
           Confession
           ,
           he
           shall
           for
           the
           space
           of
           Three
           years
           be
           debarred
           the
           Holy
           Communion
           ,
           but
           in
           case
           his
           sin
           be
           discovered
           
           and
           made
           known
           to
           the
           Church
           by
           some
           other
           hand
           ,
           then
           he
           shall
           suffer
           Five
           years
           suspension
           ,
           and
           after
           that
           be
           admitted
           only
           to
           Lay
           Communion
           .
        
         
           Now
           who
           would
           have
           ever
           thought
           this
           passage
           fit
           to
           be
           made
           choice
           of
           as
           the
           first
           proof
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           ,
           or
           who
           can
           imagine
           it
           should
           be
           any
           proof
           at
           all
           ,
           much
           less
           a
           clear
           or
           direct
           one
           ?
        
         
           Oh
           ,
           but
           here
           is
           Confession
           !
           It
           may
           happen
           so
           if
           the
           party
           please
           ,
           but
           it
           is
           not
           enjoyned
           ,
           but
           voluntary
           ,
           and
           that
           not
           Auricular
           neither
           ,
           but
           unto
           the
           Church
           ,
           at
           least
           for
           ought
           appears
           .
        
         
           And
           it
           is
           confession
           of
           a
           secret
           Sin
           too
           !
           True
           it
           was
           so
           ,
           till
           it
           was
           either
           confessed
           or
           betrayed
           .
        
         
           And
           here
           is
           Penance
           imposed
           for
           a
           secret
           sin
           :
           True
           when
           it
           was
           become
           publick
           .
        
         
           And
           here
           is
           a
           different
           degree
           of
           Penance
           imposed
           upon
           him
           that
           ingenuously
           confesses
           ,
           from
           him
           that
           stays
           till
           he
           is
           accused
           ,
           and
           hath
           his
           sin
           proved
           upon
           him
           :
           And
           good
           Reason
           ,
           for
           the
           one
           gave
           tokens
           of
           Repentance
           ,
           and
           the
           other
           none
           .
           But
           then
           here
           is
           —
           What
           ?
           no
           Sacrament
           of
           Penance
           ,
           no
           declared
           absolute
           necessity
           of
           Confession
           to
           Men
           in
           order
           to
           pardon
           with
           God
           ,
           but
           only
           a
           necessity
           that
           when
           the
           Fact
           is
           become
           notorious
           ,
           whether
           by
           the
           Confession
           of
           the
           Party
           ,
           or
           otherwise
           ,
           that
           the
           Church
           use
           her
           endeavours
           to
           bring
           the
           Sinner
           to
           Repentance
           ,
           and
           free
           her self
           from
           Scandal
           by
           making
           a
           difference
           betwixt
           the
           Good
           and
           the
           Bad
           ,
           the
           more
           hopeful
           ,
           and
           the
           less
           .
        
         
           If
           this
           be
           a
           clear
           and
           proper
           Argument
           for
           the
           necessity
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           :
           God
           help
           poor
           Protestants
           that
           cannot
           discern
           it
           ;
           but
           oh
           the
           Wit
           of
           Man
           ,
           and
           the
           Power
           of
           Learning
           and
           Logick
           !
           What
           may
           not
           such
           Men
           prove
           if
           they
           have
           a
           mind
           to
           it
           ?
        
         
           The
           other
           passage
           I
           instance
           in
           ,
           is
           in
           his
           Tenth
           Chapter
           ,
           Pag.
           156.
           viz.
           the
           Critical
           and
           Famous
           Business
           
           of
           the
           Nectarian
           Reformation
           at
           Constantinople
           ,
           of
           which
           I
           have
           spoken
           somewhat
           largely
           in
           the
           foregoing
           Papers
           .
           Now
           for
           this
           :
           This
           Learned
           Gentleman
           after
           he
           hath
           acknowledged
           very
           frankly
           that
           publick
           Confession
           of
           sins
           was
           the
           Ancient
           use
           of
           the
           Church
           in
           the
           times
           of
           St.
           
             Irenaeus
             ,
             Tertullian
             ,
             Cyprian
          
           ,
           and
           Origen
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           for
           the
           space
           of
           about
           Three
           hundred
           years
           ,
           and
           that
           instead
           of
           that
           ancient
           usage
           (
           upon
           occasion
           of
           the
           Decian
           Persecution
           )
           a
           public
           Penitentiary
           was
           appointed
           at
           Constantinople
           ,
           and
           most
           other
           Orthodox
           Churches
           ,
           and
           in
           short
           ,
           after
           he
           had
           with
           more
           ingenuity
           then
           some
           others
           of
           his
           party
           ,
           owned
           the
           undoubted
           Truth
           of
           the
           Relations
           of
           Socrates
           and
           Sozomen
           touching
           this
           Affair
           ,
           and
           made
           some
           Observations
           thereupon
           not
           much
           to
           the
           advantage
           of
           his
           cause
           ,
           he
           at
           length
           delivers
           that
           which
           would
           be
           very
           much
           to
           his
           purpose
           ,
           if
           it
           could
           be
           credible
           ;
           namely
           ,
           that
           upon
           the
           whole
           matter
           Nectarius
           in
           abolishing
           the
           Penitentiary
           ,
           neither
           abolished
           publick
           nor
           private
           Confessions
           ,
           but
           instead
           of
           obliging
           Men
           to
           go
           to
           the
           Penitentiary
           left
           every
           Man
           bound
           to
           resort
           to
           his
           respective
           Diocesan
           ,
           and
           confess
           his
           sins
           to
           him
           ;
           and
           so
           Auricular
           Confession
           is
           after
           this
           change
           every
           whit
           as
           necessary
           as
           it
           was
           be●●…e
           ;
           very
           true
           (
           say
           I
           )
           it
           is
           as
           necessary
           now
           as
           it
           was
           before
           ,
           for
           it
           was
           only
           voluntary
           before
           ,
           and
           so
           it
           may
           be
           after
           .
           But
           if
           the
           intention
           of
           Nectarius
           ,
           and
           the
           effect
           of
           that
           alteration
           was
           only
           the
           change
           of
           the
           Person
           ,
           and
           every
           Man
           still
           obliged
           to
           confess
           to
           some
           body
           ,
           how
           comes
           it
           to
           be
           said
           in
           the
           story
           that
           every
           Man
           was
           left
           to
           his
           own
           Conscience
           ,
           doth
           that
           word
           signify
           the
           Bishop
           ?
           then
           we
           have
           found
           out
           a
           right
           Fanatic
           Diocesan
           ,
           for
           they
           will
           all
           readily
           confess
           to
           this
           Bishop
           ,
           and
           believe
           his
           Absolution
           as
           sufficient
           as
           any
           Romanist
           of
           them
           all
           doth
           :
           And
           yet
           it
           seems
           to
           be
           undeniably
           
           plain
           that
           Socrates
           after
           this
           Reforma●…
           thought
           of
           no
           other
           Confessor
           but
           this
           ,
           nor
           imagi●●
           Men
           now
           bound
           to
           make
           any
           other
           Confession
           ,
           this
           (
           which
           if
           it
           was
           not
           Auricular
           was
           very
           se●●…
           for
           otherwise
           how
           comes
           it
           to
           pass
           that
           he
           expo●●●lates
           the
           matter
           with
           Eudaemon
           who
           advised
           change
           ,
           and
           bewail'd
           the
           danger
           of
           this
           liberty
           wh●●●
           was
           hereby
           given
           men
           ,
           if
           they
           were
           as
           strictly
           bo●●●…
           still
           to
           confess
           to
           their
           Bishop
           as
           they
           were
           before
           the
           Penitentiary
           ;
           therefore
           the
           Truth
           of
           the
           Busi●●●…
           seems
           evidently
           to
           be
           this
           ,
           that
           men
           were
           now
           at
           ●●berty
           to
           make
           their
           Confessions
           of
           secret
           Sins
           volu●●●rily
           ,
           as
           they
           were
           no
           doubt
           before
           the
           Institution
           Penitentiary
           .
           And
           now
           what
           hath
           this
           Learned
           G●●tleman
           gotten
           by
           mustering
           up
           this
           story
           ;
           well
           h●●…
           ever
           the
           Conclusion
           must
           be
           held
           ,
           let
           the
           Prem●●●…
           look
           to
           themselves
           .
        
         
           I
           could
           find
           in
           my
           Heart
           (
           now
           my
           hand
           is
           in
           )
           proceed
           further
           and
           to
           observe
           ;
           what
           pittiful
           s●●●…
           he
           is
           put
           to
           ,
           in
           his
           Thirteenth
           Chapter
           ,
           to
           evade
           Testimonies
           brought
           by
           Monsieur
           Daillè
           out
           of●●●
           Chrysostom
           against
           his
           Hypothesis
           .
           And
           the
           ra●●…
           because
           (
           out
           of
           mere
           tediousness
           of
           writing
           )
           I
           in
           foregoing
           Papers
           omitted
           to
           specify
           the
           most
           remar●●ble
           discourses
           which
           that
           excellent
           Author
           hath
           up●●
           this
           Subject
           .
           But
           the
           Authorities
           are
           so
           plain
           and
           answerable
           ,
           and
           the
           Evasions
           of
           this
           Gentleman
           forced
           and
           palpable
           ,
           that
           I
           think
           it
           needless
           to
           about
           to
           vindicate
           the
           one
           ,
           or
           confute
           the
           other
           ;
           in
           spight
           of
           Art
           this
           same
           Thirteenth
           Chapter
           (
           speak
           of
           )
           will
           afford
           no
           less
           than
           Thirteen
           Argume●●
           against
           the
           necessity
           of
           Auricular
           Confession
           .
        
         
           FINIS
           .
        
         
      
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A41435-e180
           
             
               Concil
               .
               Trid.
               sess
            
             .
             14.
             c.
             2.
             
          
           
             Vid.
             Becan
             .
             
               Tract
               .
               de
               Sacramentis
               in
               specie
               .
            
          
           
             Sess
             .
             14.
             
             Cap.
             2.
             
          
           
             Cap.
             3.
             
          
           
             Cap.
             5.
             
          
           
             Ibid.
             
          
           
             Ibid.
             
          
           
             Cap.
             6.
             
          
           
             Sess
             .
             14.
             
             C.
             2.
             
          
           
             Sess
             .
             14.
             
             C
             3
             
          
           
             a
             Hugo
             
               de
               S.
            
             Vict.
             
               lib.
               de
               Sacram.
            
             
          
           
             b
             Magist
             .
             Sent.
             lib.
             4.
             dist
             .
             1.
             
          
           
             c
             Becanus
             Tract
             .
             2.
             
               de
               Sacramentis
            
             .
          
           
             *
             Aug.
             c.
             Faust
             .
             Lib.
             19.
             
             C.
             16.
             
          
           
             *
             
               Christus
               constituit
               Sacerdotes
               sui
               ipsius
               Vicarios
               .
            
             Sess
             .
             14.
             
             
               Prasides
               &
               Judices
            
             Ib.
             c.
             4.
             
          
           
             
               Sacerdos
               solvit
               peccata
               potestate
               quadam
               praetoria
               Bellar
               .
               lib.
            
             1.
             
               de
               sacram
               .
               c.
            
             10.
             
             
               Christus
               ratam
               habet
               sententiam
               à
               Sacerdote
               latam
               .
               id
               .
               lib.
            
             3.
             c.
             2.
             
          
           
             Sess
             .
             14.
             c.
             1.
             
          
           
             
               Aquinas
               summ
               .
               part
            
             .
             3.
             
             Q.
             68.
             
          
           
             
               Tertull.
               Apol.
               c.
            
             39.
             
          
           
             
               Beatus
               Rhenan
               .
               in
               praef
               .
               ad
            
             Tertull.
             
               de
               poeitent
            
             .
          
           
             St.
             Syprian
             .
             Lib.
             3.
             
             Eph.
             15.
             
          
           
             Origen
             in
             Ps
             .
             37.
             
          
           
             Sozomen
             L.
             7.
             
             Cap.
             16.
             
          
           
             St.
             Chrysost
             .
             
               ad
               Hebr.
               Homil.
            
             31.
             
             
               Id.
               in
               Serm.
               de
               Confess
               .
               &
               poenit
               .
            
             &c.
             
          
           
             Bellarm.
             
               de
               Poenit.
               Lib.
            
             3.
             
             C.
             8.
             
          
           
             
               Id.
               Lib.
            
             3.
             
             C.
             6.
             
          
           
             Socrat.
             
               Hist
               .
               Lib.
            
             5.
             
             Cap.
             19.
             
             Sozomen
             .
             Lib.
             7.
             
             C.
             16.
             
          
           
             Nicephor
             .
             Lib.
             12.
             
             Cap.
             28.
             
          
           
             Sess
             .
             14.
             
             Can.
             1.
             
          
           
             
               Ibid.
               Cap.
            
             5.
             
          
           
             
               Ibid.
               Cap.
            
             2.
             
          
           
             Theod.
             
               Cantuar
               .
               apud
            
             Beat.
             Rhen.
             
               in
               praef
               .
               ad
            
             Tertul.
             depoenit
             .
          
           
             Conc.
             Trident.
             Sess
             .
             14.
             
             Cap
             4.