A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.

The Apologie, Cap. 6. Diuision. 1.

Moreouer wee saie, that Christe hathe geuen to his Ministers power to binde, to loose: to open, to shutte.

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.

Nowe to passe ouer certaine other M. Hardinges vnnecessarie talkes, hée groweth to the mater in this sorte:

M. Hardinge.

Concerninge the ministers of the Churche, wee saie that they open and shutte by dispensinge the Sacramentes, who haue theire vertue of the merites of Christe. For where as the Sacramentes haue issued and flowed out of the side of our sauiour Christe sleepinge on the Crosse, (as by allusion wee maie vse the woordes of the olde figure) wherewith the Churche is buylded, therefore in the Sacramentes of the Churche the efficacie of the Passion remaineth. And for that cause to the Mi∣nisters also of the Churche,* 1.7 who be dispensours of the Sacramentes, a certaine power is geeuen to remoue the barre, that excludeth vs from Goddes fauour, not through their owne, but through Goddes vertue and power, and merite of Christes Passion. And this power is called by a metaphore the Keie of the Churche, whiche is the Keie of Ministerie: whereof we shal speake hereafter. This power, so muche as concerneth releasse of sinnes, is exercised in the Sacramente of Penaunce to the benefite of them,* 1.8 that after Baptisme be relapsed, and fallen into sinne againe. Of whiche power no Christen man doubteth, onlesse he holde the Heresie of the Nouatians, who were con∣demned for Heretikes by the Churche, because they denied that Priestes in the Churche had authoritie to remitte sinnes,* 1.9 and so denied the Sacramente of Penaunce.

The B. of Sarisburie.

That dewly receiuinge the Holy Sacramentes ordeined by Christe, wée re∣ceiue also y^• Remission of Sinnes, it is not any way denied. For the Substance of al Sacramentes is the Woorde of God,* 1.10 whiche S. Paule calleth Verbum Reconci∣liationis, The Woorde of atonemente. This Woorde is the Instrumente of Remis∣sion of Sinne: The Sacramentes are the Seales affixed vnto the same: The Prieste is the meane.* 1.11 S. Augustine saithe, In Aqua Verbum mundat. Detrahe Verbum: quid est Aqua, nisi Aqua? In the Water it is the VVoorde of God, that ma∣keth cleane. Take the VVoorde awaye: and what is VVater els, but VVater? Hereof wée shal haue cause to saie more hereafter.

Al that is here brought in touchinge Nouatus, it is vtterly from the purpose. For Nouatus neuer denied, but a sinner might Confesse his Sinnes, either secrete∣ly to God alone, or publiquely, and openly before the whole Congregation. As for Auriculare Confession to the Prieste, for ought that maie appeare, he neuer heard of it. But herein stoode his whole erroure, that he thought, who so euer had committed any great notorious Sinne after Baptisme, notwithstandinge any Submission, or Satisfaction, he was hable to make, yet might he neuer be reconci∣led vnto his Brethren, or be receiued againe into the Churche: not that he would hereby driue the Penitent sorowful sinner to despaire of Goddes mercie, but (as somme Learned menne haue thought) onely for example, and terrour vnto others. And therefore Beatus Rhenanus saithe,* 1.12 In hac sententia Veterum permulti fuerunt: & in ijs etiam Augustinus.

S. Augustine saithe, Caut••, salub••••ter{que} prouisum est, vt locus illius Humilimae Poenitentiae semel in Ecclesia concedatur: ne medicina vilis minùs utilis esset aegrotis: I•• hath benne discretely,* 1.13 and wholesomely prouided, that it should not be graunted to any man, to doo that moste humble Open Penaunce, but onely once in the Churche, and neuer more afterwarde: leaste the Medicine, beinge made ouer common, should not bee profitable to the Sicke.

Thus mutche difference therfore wee see, there was bitweene the Churche, and Nouatus. The Churche graunteth the Open Sinner one onely time of Open Reconciliation, and neuer more: But Nouatus graunteth none at al. Therefore the whole mater of Nouatus might haue serued M. Hardinge to some other pur∣pose:

For Confession, whether it were Priuate, or Publique, was no parte of his Erroure.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chrysost. ad He∣braeos, homil. 30.
• * 1.2

  De Poeniten di•••• 1. Quamuit plenitudo.
• * 1.3

  De Poeniten. dist. 5. In Poenitentia▪ In Glos.
• * 1.4

  De Poeniten. dist. 1. Quidam.
• * 1.5

  De Poeniten dist. 5. In Poeniten.
• * 1.6

  M. Har. soli. 71. ••
• * 1.7

  The Keie of the Church.
• * 1.8

  For vvhom serueth the Sacramente of Penance. Nouatians denied Pe∣nance.
• * 1.9

  This sauou∣reth of vntruth: For Nouatus denied not pri∣uate, but open Penaunce.
• * 1.10

  2. Corin. 5.
• * 1.11

  Augustin in Iohan. tracta. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.12

  B. Rhenanus in Argumento Li∣belli Tertull. de Poenitent.
• * 1.13

  Augustinus, E∣pistola. 54.