The B. of Sarisburie.
The difference, that is bitweene vs, and our Aduersaries in this whole ma∣ter, is not great: sauinge that it liketh wel M. Hardinge, to buste him selfe with néedelesse quarrels, without cause. Three kindes of Confession are expressed vnto vs in the Scriptures. The First made secretely vnto God alone: The Seconde O∣penly before y• whole Congregation: The Thirde Priuately vnto our Brother. Of the twoo former kindes there is no question. Touchinge the thirde, if it be discrete∣ly vsed, to the greatter comforte, and satisfaction of the Penitente, without su∣perstition, or other il, it is not in any wise by vs reproued. The Abuses, and Er∣rours sette aparte, wée doo nomore mislike a Priuate Confession, then a Priuate Sermon.
Thus mutche onely wée saie, that Priuate Confession to be made vnto y• Mi∣nister, is neither commaunded by Christe,* 1.1 nor necessarie to Saluation. And there∣fore Chrysostome saithe, Non dico tibi, vt te prodas in publicum, ne{que} vt te accuses a∣pud alios: Sed obedire te volo Propherae dicenti, Reuela Domino viam tuam: I wil thee not to bewraye thee selfe openly, nor to accuse thee selfe before others: But I counsel thee, to obeie the Prophete saieinge, Open thy waye vnto the Lorde.
And Gratian, hauinge thorowly disputed, and debated the whole mater of bothe sides,* 1.2 in the ende leaueth it thus at large: Cui harum sententiarum poti••s•• adhae∣rendū sit, Lectoris iudicio reseruatur: Vtra{que} enim fautores habet Sapientes, & Religiosos Viros: Whether of these twoo opinions it were better to folowe, it is leafte to the discretion of the Reader: For either side is fauoured bothe by Wise, and also by Godly menne. Therefore the Glose there concludeth thus:* 1.3 Meli••s dicitur, Confessionem institutam fuisse à quadam Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Traditione potiùs, quàm ex Noui, vel Veteris Te∣stamenti Authoritate: It is better to saie, that Confession was Ordeined by somme Tradition of the Vniuersal Churche, then by the Authoritie of the Newe, or Olde Testamente. Like∣wise saithe Theodorus sometime Archebishop of Canturburie a Gréeke borne:* 1.4 Quidam Deo solummodò confiteri debe••e peccata dicunt, vt Graeci: Some saie, wee are bounde to confesse our sinnes onely to God, as doo the Greci••••s.* 1.5 Whereupon the Glose noteth thus: Apud Graecos Confessio non est Necessaria: quia non emanauit ad illos Traditio talis: Emonge the Grecians Confession is not Necessarie, for that no sutche Tradi∣tion euer came emongest them.
But what neede many woordes? M. Hardinge him selfe in the discourse here∣of is forced to confesse,* 1.6 that the Expresse Terme of Auriculare, or Secrete Confession is Seldome mentioned in the Ancient Fathers. His tale had benne truer, if he had saide thus, The Expresse terme of Auriculare, or Secrete Confession is Neuer men∣tioned in the Ancient Fathers.