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Of open confessyon. CA. XLI. (Book 41)
OPEN confession is by which in* 1.1 times past the cōmitters of open crymes did cōfesse theyr sines be¦fore the hole cōgregaciō, ernestly {pro}mi∣sing yt they wold hēsforth amend theyr lyuing, which done, they were pardo∣ned, and admitted agayne in to the con¦gregacion.
VVE be certeyn of this diffinitiō by* 1.2 thexēples of scripture, which do aswel testify yt this cōfession was in vre in ye church as also {pro}ue the residue of y• diffi¦nitiō ••cerning the forme of this ••fessiō Thexēples hereof be. 1. Cor. 5. &. 2. Cor. 2. In the first place thapostle wryteth thus.* 1.3 It is reapported cōstātly yt there is fornicaciō among{is} you, & such forni¦caciō as is not ones named amōg{is} y• gē¦tiles, yt one shold haue his fathers wife And ye swel, & haue not rather sorow∣ed, yt he which hath done this dede might be excluded your cōpany. For I veryly as absēt in body, yet {per}sent ī spirit haue determined alredy, as though I were p̄¦sēt, of him y• hath done this dede. In the name of our lord Iesu Christ, when ye are gathered togither, & my spirite, wt