faciunt peccatum The children of God both love and doe iustice but the children of the deuil both loue and do sinne and againe Manifestum fit studium bonorum operum effectum esse preaestinationis It is manifest that studie to liue well and to doe good workes is the effect of predestination and an hundred such like places the same author hath which I let passe for brevitie sake neither doth anie other of the learned amongest vs hold contrary to this doctrine nay all the pulpets God be thanked found out and extoll the praise of good workes yea which is more to be admired of the papistes who thinke so baselie of our religion wee affirme the good workes of the regenerate to be so acceptable in Gods sight that he will not suffer the least therof to be vnrewarded further we teach affirm in our religion that the regenerat childrē of God cā not cōtinue in gods favour vnles they detest sin striue against the concupiscence of the flesh do good works yet further we auouch cōstantlie that none cā beleeùe truly in Christ which doth not love Christ which doth not emploie his whole care studie industrie to doe the will of Christ and to keepe his commaundements And that this is the faith and doctrine of the Church of England verie manie God be thanked for it haue left to their posteritie livelie testimonies of the same wherof I will onelie name one who as hee did inwardlie in his heart beleeue the gospell so did he outwardlie in his life professe it and after his death confirme the same with a most charitable and christian testimonie of immortall memorie I speake of that honourable and zealous christian Sir VValter Mildmey the late foūder of a most famous colledge in the vniuersitie of Cambridge which he tearmed not after his owne name as the greater part vseth but Emanuell that is God with vs giuing vs to vnderstand therby that as hee beleeued and loued God so he would testify the same to al posterities by that worthie act as by the effect and fruite of a liuelie faith Now then how doe we differ from the papistes herein Zanchius shall answere Atque hic est vnus ex praecipuis vsibus bonorumoperum quod ijs non tanquam salutis causis sadtanquā effectis predestinationis fidei tum nos tum proximi certiores fimus nostrae electionis eoque salutis And this is one of the chiefest vses of good works that both wee and our neighbours are assured by them of our election and salvation not as by the causes of salvation but as by the effectes of predestination and of faith But the papistes will say if good woorkes cannot merite glorie nor iustifie wherefore then must we do them I answere that we must liue well and doe good workes for the loue and dutie we owe to God and because so is his holie will and good pleasure so saith the Apostle in these words ipsius enim sumus factura creati in Christo Iesu in operibus bonis quae preparavit Deus vt in illis ambulemus for wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them so then we thinke as reuerentlie and esteem as worthilie of good works as doth anie papist in the world for we grant that none can be saued or sanctified without good workes and further that none is truelie iustified which hath not good works yet for all that do we constantly affirme and that by the authoritie of holie writte that no man is or can be iustifyed by vertue of his good works the error of the Papistes consisteth in this that they do not distinguish betweene sanctification and iustificatiō the truth of our doctrine which is the verity grounded in the sacred scriptures is this that sanctificatiō iustificatió are inseparably vnited in one the same subiect in eodē instanti tëporis nōnaturae as the scholes speake that is we are freelie iustified sanctifyed also in the same instāt of time but first iustified in prioritie of nature for example fire and the heate are both at one and the same time though fire be before in prioritie of nature that is though fire goe before as the cause of euerie thing is before the effect of the same and as fire is not before heate in time and yet the cause of that heate so is our iustification not before our sanctification or our inherent iustice in time and yet is it the cause of our sanctification of our inherent iustice and of all the good workes we doe which thing if the papistes would once seriouslie observe they would not differ from our opinion in this behalfe vnlesse they haue fullie resolved to oppose themselves desperatlie against the truth The 12. Preamble VVHo so euer will but euen superficiallie consider the vncertaintie of popish doctrine shall thereby without further discourse find svfficient matter to abhorre and detest the same as most friuolous most ridiculous most irreligious For example in the sacrament of the altar as they terme it if certaine questions be propounded vnto them the best learned know not what to answere but so simply and so sottishly as euerie child may espie the follie of their doctrine If anie papist can truely and without blushing say the contrarie let the same be notifyed by his ansvvere to these my briefe demaundes 1. First I demaund how they excuse the people that adore with diuine worship the thing eleuated ouer the priestes head at Masse from idolatrie from heresie from false beleefe For if either the Priest want intention to consecrate vvhich often chaunceth by reason of vvandering imaginations or of purpose meaneth not to consecrate or of negligence omitteth any vvord of consecration then by popish religion the thing adored is but pure bread so the adorers thereof become idolaters vvorshipping a peece of bread for the euerliuing God And if the people either refuse to adore or doubt if they may adore they are deemed heretiques ipso facto for their pains because as the Popes disholie canons tell vs he that but doubteth of Romish definitions concerning faith and maners is an heretike 2 Secondlie I demaund what it is that the priest receiueth and deliuereth to the communicants when he hauing 40. breads before him supposeth them to be but 38. or 39. and so intendeth to consecrate no more for beyond the priestes intention consecration cannot extend as all wise Papistes graunt neither is his intention more limited to one bread then to an other and therfore can no more consecrate one bread then another 3 Thirdlie I demaund which part of the host as they terme it is the popish made God when the sacrificer intendeth indefinitelie to consecrate the one halfe of the said host and how there in adoring they can avoid idolatrie 4 Fourthly I demaund howe many gods or how many times God is made in
Pope verie sharplie both of pride and ignorance read the third chapter and last conclusion The 6. Preamble ALl the Apostles had not onely the same povver and auctoritie but iurisdiction also as vvholly largely effectually and in all respectes as Peter had Read the sixt chapter and first conclusion The 7. Preamble POpish purgatorie vvas invented by Popes and Popish parasites neither vvas it ever admitted liked or beleeved of the greeke church vntil this day Read the 7. chapter and 2. conclusion and here I vvill alleage the verie vvordes of our Roffensis sometime bishop of Rochester a man so renovvmed not in England onely but through out the vvorld amongst papists as his vvords may carie credit sufficient vvith them thus he vvriteth I vvil not alter or change one vvord Sed graecis adhunc vsque diē non est creditū purgatoriū esse legat qui velit Graecorum veterum commentarios nullum quantum opinor aut quam rarissimum de purgatorio sermonem inveniet sedneque latini simul omnes ac sensim huius rei veritatem conceperunt paulo post nō absque maxima sancti spiritus dispensatione factum est quod post tot annorum curricula purgatorij fides indulgentiarum vsus ab Orthodoxis generatim sit receptus quumdiis nulla fuer at de purgatorio cura nemo quaesivit indulgentias nam ex illo pendet omnis indulgentiarum existimatio si tollas purgatorium quorsum indulgentijs opus erit his enim si nullum fuerit purgatorium nihil indigebimus contemplantes igitur aliquandiu purgatorium incognitum fuisse deinde quibusdam pedetentim partim ex revelationibus partim ex scripturis fuisse creditum atque ita tandem generatim eius fidem ab orthodoxa ecclesia fuisse receptissimam facillime rationem aliquam indulgentiarum intelligimus quum itaque purgatorium tam sero cognitum ac receptum ecclesiae fuerit vniversae quis iam de indulgentijs mirari potest quod in principio nascentis ecclesiae nullus fuerat earum vsus caeperunt igitur indulgentiae postquam ad purgatorij cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum er at The Greekes to this day do not beleeue that there is a purgatorie read vvho vvil the commentaries of the auncient Grecians and he shal find either verie seldome mention of purgatorie or none at all for neither did the Latine Church conceive the veritie of this matter at one time but by leisure neither vvas it done vvithout the great dispensation of the holy ghost that after so manie yeares Catholikes both beleeved purgatorie and received the vse of pardons generallie so long as there vvas no care of purgatorie no mā sought for pardons for of it dependeth all the estimation that vve have of pardons if thou take avvay purgatorie to vvhat end shall vve neede pardons for if their be no purgatorie vve shall neede no pardons considering therfore hovv long purgatorie vvas vnknown then that it vvas beleeved of some by litle and litle partly by revelations and partly by the Scriptures and so at the last beleeved generally of the vvhole church vve do easilie vnderstand the cause of perdons since therefore purgatorie vvas so lately knovven and received of the vniversal church vvho can novv admire pardons that there vvas no vse of them in the primitiue Church pardons therefore began after the people stood in some feare of purgatory these are the vvords of this popish bishop vvhich vvordes if they be vvel marked vvith all the circumstances are able vvithout more adoe to persvvade anie man to detest the Romish religion for vvhich cause I have alleaged them at large 1 First therefore vvee learne here that the greeke church never beleeved purgatorie to this day 2 Secondly that the Latine church and church of Rome did not beleeve the said purgatorie for manie hundreds of yeares after S. Peters death vvhose successor the pope boasteth himself to be 3 Thirdlie that this purgatorie vvas not beleeved of all the latine church at one and the same time but by litle and litle vvhere note by the vvay that poperie crept into the church by litle and litle not all at one time vvhich is a point that galleth the papistes more then a litle I vveene 4 Fourthly that purgatorie vvas beleeved in the latter daies by speciall revelation of the holie ghost 5 Fiftlie that pardons came not vp till purgatorie vvas found out for in purgatorie resteth the life of pardons as vvhich there being no purgatorie are not worth a straw 6 Sixtly that purgatorie vvas a long time vnknovven 7 Seventhly that purgatorie could not be found in the scriptures of a long time 8 Eightlie that it vvas not vvholie found out by the scriptures but partlie by revelations 9 Ninthly that pardons vvere not heard of or knovven to the primitive church 10 Tenthly that then pardons began when men began to feare the paines of purgatorie Behold novv gentle reader vvhat a vvorthie fisher vvas my popish Lord of Rochester hee hath caught vvith his net at one draughtten goodly fishes that is to say ten vvorthy observations for Christian aedification Further then this out of the seventh and eight observations I gather three special documents by a necessarie and irrefragable consecution First that the second booke of the Machabees is not Canonical or penned by the holie ghost For if that booke vvere of canonicall authoritie vvhich the papistes purgatorie could not but haue bene knovven so soon as that booke vvas knovvn vvhich yet Roffensis denieth The reason is evidēt because purgatorie is verie effectuallie plainlie conteined therin Secondlie that the Church of Rome for of that church speaketh the Bishop reputeth the vvorkes of God vnperfect albeit Moyses avoucheth the contrarie Dei inquit perfecta sunt opera The vvorkes of God saith he are perfect I prooue this because as the Bishop saith the scriptures made purgatorie knovven to the church but vnperfectlie yet the truth is that if God make purgatorie knovven by the scriptures then purgatorie is made knovven perfectlie by them or else Gods vvorks that is the holie scriptures must be vnperfect but I vvil rather beleeue Moyses the holie prophet of God then my lord our fisher though the popes canonized martir Thirdlie this Bishop for this his doctrine must either come againe to retract his opinion or else wil he nil he condemne the pope and church of Rome This I wil proove by a most plaine and evident demonstration For the better vnderstanding vvherof I shal desire the gentle reader to observe three thinges vvith me First that the church of Rome preacheth novv and did in this Bishops time that the bookes of Machabees are canonicall scripture and penned by the holie ghost Secondlie that the church of Rome neither beleeued nor knevv purgatorie for manie years together after the receite of holie scripture and these bookes of Machabees Thirdlie that purgatorie is effectuallie and plainely conteined in the second booke of Machabees by popish
same booke confuteth it selfe so plainlie as none vvith reason can esteeme it worth a straw For in that verie booke the author thereof who soeuer he were alleageth S. Austens opinion and confuteth the same These are the wordes quod quam vis licet de eius salute Augustinus potuit dubitare credo quidemilli qui dixit quacunque hora peccator ingemuerit conversus fuerit vita viuet because although S. Augustine doubted of his saluation yet do I beleeue him that said at what houre soeuer a sinner shall repent and be converted hee shall live These are the wordes of this vvriter which doubtlesse cannot be S. Augustines because S. Austen would never speake of him selfe as of a strange third person and purposelie confute himselfe as this author confuteth Augustine Besides this S. Augustine in his bookes of confession doth vtterlie condemne confession of sinnes vnto Priestes as I haue prooved in the chapter of auricular confession but alas the Papistes as they haue but one onelie place of the Machabees for their forged pugatorie so haue they but onelie this place of S. Augustine for their popish confession And therefore no marveile if they invent poore miserable shifts to have them both reputed authentical if it would be The 9. Preamble THe cheefest and principall thing that seduceth and maketh so manie wilfull papistes is this gentle reader for certaintie when so ever anie one of what degree calling or condition soever shall become a papist and yeeld himselfe to the slanedome of popish religion that person must bye and bye prosesse ipso facto to beleeue and imbrace all the popes decrees of faith and maners as the verie selfe decrees of the holie ghost and also to obey his ordinances and censures as the lawes of God and not of man their reason whereof is because as they say the holie Ghost doth so direct couduct and guide the Popes tongue and pen that he can neither define commaund or write anie thing in iudiciall and difinitiue maner but it must perforce proceed from the holie ghost out of which falslie supposed ground two most pernicious euils follow of necessitie The one that whensoeuer anie difficultie doubt or controversie ariseth about anie matter of religion then by and by the Papistes consider first of all what the pope holdeth whether it be in the decrees decretals the sixt booke Clementines extravagants and that done they will coine one distinction or other by which they vvill racke the meaning of the question difficultie reason father or scripture propounded to agree with that which the pope holdeth For they wil neuer examine the popes decrees by the scriptures fathers or coūcels but the fathers or councels scriptures by the Popes faith constitutions practise for if anie can once say the Church that is the pope holdeth so then is the controversie at an end he shall be demed an heretike that proceedeth one iot further for their canon law hath made it sacriledge to dispute of the popes power Read the first chapter the other that none may or dare reade either the scriptures trāslated into their vulgar tongue or any expositours vpon the latine Bible or anie booke of controversies or anie writer whosoeuer in anie matter of religion popish writers onelie excepted vnlesse they first haue a licence from the pope which license is neuer graunted but to special persons vpon speciall considerations And out of this sharpe vnchristian and diabolical prohibition issueth the third euill to wit that not one papist among ten thousand knoweth anie thing perteining to religion save onely a few special pointes of popish doctrine For they are taught that to beleeve as the fable of the Colier teacheth them is sufficient the devil as cardinall Hosius reporteth disputed with a poore colier asking him how he beleeved I beleeue said the colier as the church beleeueth then the deuill demaunding how the Church beleeued the colier answered in this maner I beleeue as the church beleeueth and the church beleeueth as I beleeue there he rested and would not remoue one iote At the same stay are all papistes this day who beleeue as the church of Rome beleeueth though they cannot tell how it beleeueth but onelie in a generall and grosse maner and so they often times beleeue they know not what Marrie our English papistes for feare of the statute dare not stand vpon this beleefe though it be their staie indeed but flee to another bulwarke as they deeme it to wit it is against my conscience when yet in verie deede they can no more tell what conscience is then they know what the romish church beleeveth The 10. Preamble THe religion this day established by godlie lawes in this realme of England is the aunciēt christian catholike and apostolike doctrine which was taught by Christ and his apostles practised in the primitive church euer continued in the heartes of the faithfull vntill this houre and shal no doubt to the worlds end And though the common people for the greater part call it the new religion yet is that a meere childish vanitie and the popish doctrine the new religion in verie deed For the old Romish religion is this day holden and observed in this Realme which thing is proued at large throughout my second booke for example the profession of the romish Capuchenes is not a new profession in religion but the old franciscan profession newlie reformed and therefore doe they terme themselues the reformed franciscanes which yet the other corrupt and dissolute franciscans will not acknowlege and euen so in our case the religion now established in England is not a religion opposite to the first old Romish religion but the old Romish religion newlie reformed and purged from the corruptions and abuses crept into the same From which auncient and pure religion the pope and his adherents are departed like as the franciscans are also gone from their old popish franciscan profession The 11. Preamble THe ignorant papistes that is all papistes or verie few excepted doe greatlie loth and abhorre the christian catholike religion now established in this land by godlie lawes in a godlie maner And this they doe vppon a ground falslie so supposed by reason of their ignorance therein their falslie conceiued ground is that our religion contemneth good workes and iustifieth the most wicked liuers vpon earth which if it were as they imagine then were it indeede a great motiue to dislike of our religion But gentle reader it is a most notorious slaunder doubtlesse as I shal evidentlie proue vnto thee Hieronymus Zanchius writeth thus Primi affectus regenerationis ac spiritus sunt amor iustitiae legisque divinae odium peccati The first affects or fruites of regeneration and of the spirit are loue of iustice and of the law divine and hatred of sinne and a litle after he saith thus Fily Dei diligunt faciunt iustitiam filii autem diaboli amant
these Dicendum quo daliqua satisfactio potest dici dupliciter sufficiens Uno modo perfectè quia est condigna per quandam adaequationem ad recōpensationem culpae commissae sic hominis puri satisfactio sufficiens esse non potuit pro peccato alio modo potest dici satisfactio hominis esse sufficiens imperfecte scilicet secundu acceptationem eius qui est ea contentus quauis non sit condigna Et hoc modo satisfactio puri hominis est sufficiens VVe must answere that satisfaction may be called sufficient two waies one way perfectly because it is vvorthie by a certaine adequatio nor equalitie to the compensation of the fault committed And so the satisfaction of pure man can not be sufficient for sinne Another vvay vnperfectly to vvit according to his acceptation vvho is content vvith it although it bee not vvorthie and this vvay the satisfaction of pure man is sufficient This is the ansvvere of Aquinas vvhose doctrine is confirmed for authenticall by papall authoritie Now marke it well for Christes love This great doctour was so busied to defend popish pardons and the ground or foundation of the same which is the supererogation of mans deserts as we haue heard that he had no other shift in the worlde but to coine a new no distinction of dubble sufficient satisfaction which distinction for all that if I doe not proove it to confute and make frustrate it selfe I will desire no credite of the reader Satisfaction saith Aquinas may be called sufficient either because it is indeed sufficient as which is an equivalent compensation or it may be called sufficient not because it is equivalent and sufficient indeed but because it is accepted and admitted albeit it be not worthy Now what I pray you can be more foolishly spoken or more against a mans owne assertion hee woulde establish a sufficient satisfaction and yet is enforced to acknowledge a satisfaction not sufficient but accepted as if it were sufficient which is the verie same that I would never denie and which overthroweth all popish doctrine For it prooveth in deed that no workes of the regenerate are good and without sinue though they be accepted and imputed for good and without sinne and consequently if the papistes would be constant in their owne doctrine wee and they woulde soone agree But what doeth not our holy father the pope tell us that though Christ pardon a penitent sinner yet must he suffer temporall paine in purgatorie and so to need the popes pardons yes doubtlesse as you haue heard and the pope and papists glory in the same And yet this notwithstanding if a man can get a plenarie pardon from the pope for the houre of his death he shall come to heaven with all speed and never once enter in at purgatorie gates If any credit not my wordes let him yet credit their doctout Sylvester who writeth in this manner Qui plenariam indulgentiam ritè assecutus est si eo instanti moreretur evolaret statim ad coelum He that hath lawfully gotten a plenary pardon if he should die at that instant should incontinently goe to heaven The popes pardons then are so farre from beeing such as they are preached to be that they doe not onely not yeelde us any remission of paine but greatly increase our paine when wee beleeve them as vvhich derogate no little from Christes passion and from the veritie of his sacred vvorde For indeede saintes can no more satisfie for us then they can merite for us and yet dareth not Dominicus Soto avouch their merites for us though he be the popes doctor deare For which cause vvisely and gravely saith Augustine Vaeetiam laudabili vitae hominum siremota misericordia discutias eam VVoe euen to the laudable life of men if thou discusse and examine it thy mercie set a part which thing their owne frier Iohn de Combis did well perceiue when in his Theologicall abridgement he affirmeth itto be a maxime with God euer to reward us above our well doings and to punish us lesse our euill demerits His wordes be these Et hoc patet quia Deus semper remuner at supra meritum sicut punit citra condignum And this is evident because God euer rewardeth aboue our merites and punisheth us lesse then we be worthy so then wee see it manifest that euen by popish doctrine there is no place for popish pardons The sixt Conclusion POpes usually giue many pardons affirming most impudently in the same that whosoeuer shall pray in such maner say masse over such reliques visite such a Church or contribute so much to such an end shall deliuer a soule from purgatorie which kinde of pardons Pope Gregorie graunted often during my abode at Rosse as to the bishop of Rosse in the behalfe of the Scottish Queene to Stukeley for the trecherous practises he should haue contrived against England to Alphonsus the Iesuite for the successe of English complots and such like This notwithstanding these solemne and glorious pardons be nothing els but mere fabulous and lying graunts For first there is no purgatorie after this life as shall be prooved hereafter and consequently the pope can deliver no soule from thence though he graunt never so many pardons Secondly because to giue pardons is an act of Iurisdiction as appeareth by the Scripture which they alledge and consequently that act can not be exercised but upon the popes subiects and therfore not upon the soules in purgatorie who are exempt from his iurisdiction All which their owne schoole doctour Richardus de Mediavilla prooveth out of their canon-law in these wordes Indulgentiae non prosunt illis qui non sunt de iurisdictione illius qui eas concessit extra de pe re illi autem qui sunt in purgatorio non sunt sub iurisdictione praelatorum Ecclesiae quod satis datur intelligi cum dixit dominus Petro quodcunque solveris super terram addendo enim super terram videtur referre collationem huius potestatis tantum superviventes hac vita mortali Pardons do not profit them vvho are not of his iurisdictiō that granteth them but they vvho are in purgatorie bee not vnder the iurisdiction of our prelates of the church vvhich is sufficiently giuen to be vnderstood vvhen our Lord said to Peter vvhatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth for adding vpon earth he seemeth to referre and extend this povver onlie to the liuing here on earth Novv if answere be made as is vsed by the vviser sort of papistes that the pope pardoneth in purgatory onelie by vvay of suffrage then doe I reply that that is petitio principij and that that kind of pardoning is vncertaine and fallible and so still I haue my purpose For the preachers of the pardons and the pardons also tell vs that vvhosoeuer visiteth such a church saith masse at such an aultar or contributeth to such an ende shall deliuer a soule from
sinnes be as redde as scarlet yet shall they be made white as snow The second Conclusion VVE must confesse our sinnes one to an other when we offende one an other Which fraternall reconciliation done vpon earth God promiseth to ratifie in heaven To this confession holy writ doth seriously exhort vs in many places Si offers munus tuum ad altare ibi recordatus fueris quod frater tuus habuit aliquid adversum te relinque ibi munus tuum ante altare vade prius reconciliari fratri tuo tunc veniens offeres munus tuum If thou offer thy gift before the altar and shall remember that thy brother hath some matter against thee leave there thy offering before the altar and goe first to be reconciled to thy brother and then come and make thy offering This offering saith the glosse is the sacrifice of a good worke the altar is Christ to whome we must offer our good actions by faith And another glosse saith Vade non pedibus sed animo humili te ei prosternas in conspectu illius cui oblaturus es vel petendo veniam si praesens est Goe not with thy feete but fall prostrate with an humble heart before him to whome thou makest thy offering or aske forgivenesse if the partie be present Christ saith in an otherplace Si septies in die peccaverit in te septies in die conversus fuerit ad te dicens poenitet me dimitte illi If thy brother shall offend thee seaven times a day and shal seven times a day be converted to thee and say it repenteth me for give him Confitemini altervtrum peccata vestra inquit apostolus orate pro invicem vt salvemini Confesse your sinnes one to another saith the Apostle pray one for another that ye may be saved The third Conclusion THere is yet a third kinde of confession commended in holy writ which is a generall confession of our sinnes not onely internally before God but also externally before the ministers of his worde and sacraments but this kinde doth not include in it a total and specifical enumeration of our sinnes This manner of confession made king David before the Prophet Nathan when he reprooved him for his offences Peccaui domino I have sinned vnto the Lord saith David And the Prophet answered Dominus quoque transtulit peccatum tuum the Lord hath forgiven thee thy sinne In like manner the sinnefull woman of whome S. Luke maketh mention confessed her sinnes generally in teares signes and gestures and received incontinently absolution at Christs handes for he said vnto her Remittuntur tibi peccata thy sinnes are forgiven thee Which manner of confession is fitly described in the booke of Nehemias in the 8. and 9. chapter For when Esdras and the Levites did interpret the law vnto the people then the people acknowledging their offences and the offences of their forefathers did lament weepe confesse their sinnes before the Levites and the whole congregation and that done the Levits repeated their confession and desired pardon of God for the same So this day in the Church of England the people confesse their sinnes generally before the minister and in the face of the whole congregation Yea in Germanie they confesse such speciall sinnes as grieve and clogge their consciences for which they stand in most neede to have advise and counsell Which libertie is graunted in England also for such as list may confesse their sinnes to the minister privately and have both his advise and absolution if he finde them penitent Which confession and absolution would God it were more in practise then it is because instruction and consolation might redound vnto the penitent by vertue of the same This kinde of confession was much frequented in the primitive Church at such time as the zeale of Gods people was great and their devotion fervent then did all confesse their sinnes generally then were none commanded to confesse specifically then did Christs ministers execute their functions duely then did S. Iohn Baptist in zealous manner reproove vice extoll vertue thunder out Gods wrath and ire against wicked and impenitent sinners with all promise free pardon and remission of sinnes to all such as would lament their sinnes amend their lives reforme their manners and beleeve in Christ Iesus the innocent lambe that taketh away the sinnes of the world Then the Scribes Pharisies and great multitudes of people were inflamed with compunction at S. Iohns preaching bewayled their former lives confessed generally their sinnes and desired baptisme for the same Then the holy vessel of God S. Paul wrought great miracles by the power of God in so much that many of the faithfull came vnto him confessing their sinnes and such as had followed magicall arts brought their bookes together and burnt them in the presence of the people The fourth Conclusion THE Popish specificall enumeration of all our sinnes is both impossible to man and neither commanded by Christ nor practised by his Apostles That it is impossible to be performed by man the Prophet prooveth when he saith Delicta quis intelligit ab occultis me is munda me Who doth vnderstand his offences clense me from secret faults Quis potest dicere mundum est cormeum purus sum à peccato Who can say my heart is cleane I am free from my sinne Neither will it serve their turne to say as Cardinall Caietan doth that confession is taken two waies to wit absolutely and as it is the act of man To confesse all sinnes absolutely is to leave no sinne vnconfessed but to confesse all sinnes as confession is the act of man is to confesse all those sinnes which are in the power of man that is which man doth or may remember after diligent examination of his conscience And therefore saith Caietan when the Gospell requireth the confession of all sinnes in the Sacrament of penance it is not meant of all sinnes absolutely but of all sinnes which are in mans power to confesse This distinction I say will not serve 1 First because this distinction is not mentioned in the Gospell 2 Secondly because there is no more reason for the confession of one then for the confession of all 3 Thirdly because this notwithstanding a man shal alway remaine perplexe as who can never tel when he hath vsed sufficientinquisition in that behalfe 4 Fourthly because one mortall sinne can not be remitted without another as all papists confesse and consequently either the secret not confessed mortalls are remitted with the confessed mortalls or none at all be remitted by the absolution if they answer that none are remitted because some are not confessed then shall the penitent never have absolution because he can never confesse al as is prooved if they say the secret not confessed mortals be remitted with the other then is it not needefull to confesse them after