the kingdome of heaven against men by their wicked and adulterine expositions of the Law folding up the prophesies lest the people should read Christ therein and believe maliciously detaining the key of knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Luc. 11. and not opening the Gates of the Law that is the obscurity thereof as Theophylact noteth So the good Scribes praise in the Gospel is to open to his hearers by preaching of the word the door of faith Acts 14.26 unlocking as it were the kingdome of heaven unto them by giving knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of sins Luke 1.77 79. to give light unto them that sit in darkness and in the shadâ—w of death and to guide our feet into the wâ—y of peace for to whom doctrine and instruction is committed that man hath the key of knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl suprà saith Theophylact. The key of knowledge is the authority of teaching saith Lyra by which the true understanding lying inwardly hid ought to be opened Clavis Scientiae est authoritas docendi per quam dâ—bet intellectus latens interiùs aperiri ipsi è contrario claudebant perversè inâ—erpretando Lyra in Luc. 11. and they on the contrary did shut it up by perverse interpretation Upon the point then to shut up the kingdome of heaven is to handle the word of God deceitfully or not at all and Christs woe unto you Lawyers which take away the key of knowledge is equivalent with Saint Pauls woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel And this key is truly turned when the word is duly applied 2. Prayer The next means ordained by God for procuring remission of sins and wherein the Minister doth exercise his function is Prayer Jam. 5.14 15. Is any sick amongst you saith Saint James let him call for the Eldeâ—s of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with oyl in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him And as the chains fell off from Peters hands upon the prayers and intercessions of the Church Acts 12.6 so the Angel of the Covenant toucheth a Penitents soul and the bonds of sin are released upon the prayers of the Presbyters Saint Chrysostome informes us that Priests do not onely exercise this power of forgiveness of sins when they beget us again in Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 6. pag. 17. but after the administration thereof that power of remitting sins continueth in them and for proof of that continuance he alleageth that former passage of Saint James and thereupon inferreth that Priests forgive sins not by teaching and admonishing onely but by helping us with their prayers Aug. de Bapt. contr Donat. l. 3. c. 17 18. And Saint Augustine maketh this one special way whereby the power of the keys is exercised in remitting sins and to this end he adviseth offenders to do publick Penance that the Church may pray for them Agite-poenitentiam qualis agitur in Ecclesia ut oret pro vobis Ecclesia Aug. hom 49. ex 50. and impart the benefit of absolution unto them and that which hath already been alleged from Leo Qui pro delictis Poenitentium precator accedit Leo in fine Epist 80. ad Episcop Campan that confession of sin is to be tendred to the Priest who cometh in as an intreater for the sins of the Penitent And that of Ambrose but lately quoted Isti rogant Divinitas donat humanum enim est obsequium sed munisicentia supernae est potestatis Ambr. de S. Spiritu l. 3. 19. The Priests intreat but the Deity bestoweth the service is from man but the bounty from an higher power And his reason is sound because it is the Holy Ghost onely that forgiveth sins by their function and none can send the Holy Ghost but God and stand he doth not at the Priests command but intreaty In the Schools two not of the meanest rank Alexander Halensis and Bonaventure are clear of opinion Alex. Hal. in sum part 4. Qu. 21. memb 1. that the power of the keys extendeth to remission of sins by way of intercession onely and deprecation not by imparting any immediate absolution whereof the later giveth reasons why the form thereof is deprecative and indicative Secundum quod ascendit habet se per modum inferioris supplicantis secundum quod descendit per modum superioris judicantis secundum primum modum potest gratiam impetrare ad hoc est idoneus secundum posteriorum modum potest Ecclesiae reconciliaâ—e ideò in signum hujus in forma absolutionis praemittitur oratio per modum deprecativum subjungitur absolutio per modum indicativum deprecatio grâ—tiam impetrat absolutio gratiam supponâ—t Bonav l. 4. d. 18. art 2. Qu. 1. for that by the former he looketh upward and ascendeth unto God by prayer and as a suppliant obtaineth grace and pardon by the second he reconcileth to the Church and for a sign and demonstration hereof to the form of absolution there is prayer premised by way of request then followeth the absolution it self by way of recognition the prayer begging for grace and the absolution supposing the same to be obtained And the ancient method or form of Divine Service observed in the absolving of a person excommunicate was first to repeat a Psalme or say the Lords Prayer Primò dicat aliquem Psalmum seu orationem Dominicam secundò dicat Salvum fac servum tuum Deus meus sperantem in te Vâ—rs Domine exaudi oâ—ationem meam Râ—sp Et Clamor meus ad te veniat Vers Dominus vobiscum Râ—sp Et cum Spiritu tuo Oratio Deus cui proprium est misereri semper parcere suscipe deprecationem nostram ut hunc famulum tuum quem excommunicationis catena constringit miseratio tuae pietatis absolvat per Christum Dominum nostrum Dein dicat Ego te absolvo c. Sum. Angel verb. absolutio 3. 1. secondly O Lord save thy servant which putteth his trust in thee Vers O Lord hear my prayer Ans And let my cry come unto thee Vers The Lord be with you Ans And with thy spirit The Prayer O God whose property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive our humble petition that this thy servant whom the chain of excommunication bindeth the pitifulness of thy great mercy may absolve through Christ our Lord. Then say I absolve thee from the bond of excommunication in the name of the Father c. And accordingly in the new as well as ancient rituals of the Latin Church the form of absolution is expressed in the third person deprecatively as if it proceeded from God and not indicatively in the first person as if
remaineth Confiteamur singuli quaeso vos fratres delictum suum dum adhuc qui deliquit in seculo est dum admitti ejus confessio potest dum satisfactio remissio facta per Sacerdotes apud Dominum grata est convertamur ad Dominum mente totâ poenitentiam criminis veris doloribus exprimentes Dei misericordiam deprecemur Cypr. de laps and your confession may be admitted whilest satisfaction and remission made by the Priest may be accepted with the Lord. Let us be converted unto the Lord with all our mind and expressing the repentance of our sin with unfained sorrow pray unto God for mercy It is evident that this exhortation is to make confession unto the Priest for he was to make the atonement and procure a pardon and for that a little before the Father commended their zeal Hoc ipsum apud Sacerdotes Dei dolenter simpliciter confitentes c. Cypr. ib. that laid open their Cabinet sins the very thoughts of their heart full sadly and sincerely unto Gods Priests and my Reader will remember what B. Rhenanus a man much versed in antiquity and of a discerning spirit collected from these and such like passages from Saint Cyprian Gregory Nyssâ—n addresseth himself unto a sinner in these words Be sensible of thy present disease afflict thy self all thou canst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Ness append operum de poenit Paris p. 175 176. seek also the mourning of such Brethren as are after thine own heart to help thee to liberty shew forth thy bitter and excessive tears that I may mingle mine Take also the Priest unto thee to â—ssociate as a Father and participate of thy affl ctions For what man can so falsly wear the title of a Father and be indowed with so hard and adamantine a breast as not to condole with his sorrowing children Then after some passages how a good Priest bewaileth their sin as Jaceb did at the sight of Josephs coat and David upon the news of Absalons death Eli his graceless sons and Moses the rebellious people and that spiritual children are nearer to them that have begotten them in the Lord then the fruit of the body can be to fleshly Parents The way thus made he exhorteth Shew unto him the Priest boldly without blushing such thâ—ngs as have been hidden display the secrets of thy soul open thy concealed grief as to a Physician he wâ—ll have a care and be tender of thy reputation and safety Paulinus writing the Life of Saint Ambrose makes relation of his behaviour in receiving Penitents after this manner whensoever any came unto him confessing their faults Quotiescunquâ—illi aliquis ad percipiendam poenitentiam lapsus suos consâ—ssus est ita slebat ut illum flâ—re compelleret videbatur etiam sibi cum jacente jacere causas autem criminum quas illi consitchantur nulli nisi Domino soli apud quem intercedebat loquchatur Paulin. in vita Ambrosii to undergo their penance he would shed tears in such abundance as to force the sinner to weeping seeming as if he had fallâ—n with him into the same offence The causes of their sins which they confessed unto him he never opened his lips of save unto the Lord onely unto whom he interceded on their behalf Blessed Father were our Ghostly Fathers thus compassionate and reserved they could not want Penitents Thy discreet and zealous managing of the keys in the case of Theodosius hath and shall make thee famous to all posterity Saint Basil setting down the pious intention and good pleasure of God for a sinners conversion and the manner of that conversion to consist in repentance and the fruits thereof concludeth thus It is necessary to confess our sins to them who are trusted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 542. and credited with the dispensation of the mysteries of God So the Penitents of old are found to have done before holy men for it is written in the Gospel thâ—t they confessed their sins to John the Baptist and in the Acts all of them to the Apostles of whom they were baptized Pacianus in his Paranesis or Exhortation to Repentance thus I appeal unto you Brâ—thren who having câ—mmitted sins refuse repâ—ntance Vos appello fratres qui criminibus admissis poenitentiam â—ccusatis vos â—nquam post impudentiam timidos pust peccata verecundos qui pâ—ccare non crubâ—scâ—tis crubescitis confiteri Ecce iterùm Apostolus ad Sacerdotem manus citò nulli imponas nec communices peccatis alienis Quid facies tu qui decipis Sacerdotem qui aut ignorantem fallis aut non ad plenum scientâ—m probandi dissicultate consundis Parian in paraen â—ive libel de Poenit. to you I say that after impudence are afraid and after sinning shamefaâ—'d which blush not to sin but blush to confess and a liâ—tle after Behold what the Apostle saith to the Priâ—st Lay hands suddenly on none lest thou participate of their sins what wilt thou do deceiving the Priest who either deceivest him as ignorant or confoundest him as not fully instructed with difficulty of proving Legimus in Levitico de leprosis ubi jubentur ut ostendant se Sacerdotibus si lepram habuerint tunc à Sacerdote immundi siant sic hîc solvit ligat Episcopus Presbyter non eos qui insontes sunt vel noxâ—i sed pro officio suo cum peccatorum audierit varietates scit qui lâ—gandus sit quive solvendus Hâ—eâ—on Comment in Matth. 16 Saint Hierom commenteth thus We read in Leviticus of the Lepers where they are commanded to shew themselves unto the Priests and if they be found to be lepers the Priest is to denounce them unclean So doth the Bishop and Priest bind and loose not such as are infected and guilty but when by virtue of their office having heard the diversity of sins they may know who is fit to be bound and who to be loosed These words will come under our hands again in the point of Absolution here they stand to tell us that the Priest was made acquainted with the variety of sin the thing intended Saint Ambrose mentioning divers sins which amongst others are to be repented of and abstained from after Repentance hath these words Non solum post poenitentiam abistis intùs homo se observare debet sed ante poenitentiam dum sanus est quia nescit si possit ipsam poenitentiam accipere confiteri Deo Sacerdoti peccata sua Ambr. exhort ad poenit A man not onely after Repentance ought to preserve himself inwardly from these sins but before Repentance while he is yet whole for he knoweth not certainly if he shall be able to take his penance and to confesse his sins to God and the Priest Saint Augustine incountring that opinion that because God knoweth all heareth all and pardoneth all therefore inward repentance and
it proceeded from the Priest himself thus Almighty God be mercifull unto thee and forgive thee all thy sins past Miscreatur tui omnipotens Deus dimittat tibi omnia peccâ—ta tua praeterita praesentia futura quae commisisti coram eo Sanctis ejus quae confessus es vel per aliquam negligentiam seu oblivionem vel malevolentâ—am abscondisti liberet te Deus ab omni malo hic in futuro conservet confirmet te semper in omni opere bono perducat te Christus Filius Dei vivi ad vitam sine fine manentem Consitentium Cerem antâ—q Colon. 1530. present and to come which thou hast committed before him and his Saints which thou hast confessed or by some negligence or evil will hast concealed God deliver thee from all evil here and hereafter preserve and confirm thee alwayes in every good work and Christ the Son of the living God bring thee to the life which remaineth world without end After this form are conceived all the Absolutions prescribed for use in the Liturgy of our Church as savouring of more modesty and less supercâ—tousness and that none of Gods glory might be thought to cleave unto the Ministers fingers for instance In the general absolution upon the confession of sin at the entrance of Gods worship Forms of Absolution in the Church of England He pardoneth and absolveth all such as truly repent them of their sins and uâ—feignedly believe his holy Gospel wherefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance c. And after a general confession of sins premised by the Communicants the Minister or Bishâ—p if present turning himself unto the people saith Almighty God our heavenly Fâ—ther who for his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all such which with earnest repentance and true faith turn unto him have mercy upon you pardon and forgive you all your sins strengthen and confirm you c. And at the visitation of the sick the sick party having confessed any wâ—ighty matter wherewith his conscience is troubled the Priest absolveth him after this sort Our Lord Jesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent and bâ—lieve on him of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences and by his authority committed unto me I absolve thee from all thy sins in the Name of the Father c. By all of which it is evident how much the Church attributeth to prayer and Divine authority in this ministration A third Ordinance whereby the Minister remitteth sins 3. By the Sacraments is in dispensing the mysteries of God the holy Sacraments and these added to the word of God render the pardon under seal Sacramenta non excludimus quae verbo tanquam sigillo regio appendi solent Masar de Minister Anglic. l. 5. c. 10. pag. 635. Acts 1.38 Acts 22 16. â—ur Baptizatis si per hominem peccata dimitti non licet in Baptismo utique remissio peccatorum omâ—ium est Quid interest utrum per poenitentiam an per Lavacrum hoc jus sibi datum sacerdotes vâ—ndicent unum in utroque M nistâ—rium est Ambr. l. 1. de Poen c. 7. the more to confirm and quiet a distracted Conscience for of Baptisme it is evident Repent saith Peter and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Jesus Christ for the remission of sins And now why tarriest thou saith Ananias unto Paul arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins And the Nicene Creed I believe one Baptisme for the remission of sins Upon which ground Saint Ambrose questioned the Novatians that baptized and yet acknowledged no power in the Church to remit sins Why baptize you if sins may not lawfully by man be forgiven assuredly in Baptism there is a pardon for all offences What difference is there whether Priests claim this power as given unto them in the reconciling of Penitents or in the washing of Baptisme The Ministery in both bâ—ing one and the same So for the holy Eucharist that lively mirror of our Saviours passion wherein Christ is crucified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before our eyes wherein the Bread is broken and delivered in token that his body was broken and his merits given unto us Matth. 26.28 wherein the Bloud of the new Testament is shed 〈◊〉 many for the remission of sins Now the virtue annexed to these Blessed Sacraments which are seals of the Promises of the Gospel as the Censures are of the threats is from God whose Sacraments they are and not from man who is but the Minister thereof From his side flowed the bloud and water and because both rise from that spring they have both this power Herein is no power for man where the grace of the Divine bounty prevaileth saith Ambrose It is one thing to baptize by the way of Ministery Nulla in his hominis potestas est ubi divini munâ—ris gratia viget Ambr. suprà Aliud â—st baptizare per Ministerium aliud per potestatâ—m sibi tenuit Dominus potestatem baptizandi servis Ministerium dedit Aug. tract 5. in Joan. and another thing by the way of power saith the Oracle of Hippo the power of baptizing the Lord retaineth to himself the Ministery he hath given to his servants And that School-man argued not amiss that framed this conclusion thence To baptize inwardly and to absolve from mortal sin are of equal power Paris potestatis est interiùs baptizare à culpa mortali absolvere sed Dâ—us non debuit potestatem baptizandi interiùs communicare ne spes poneretur in homine Ergo pari ratione nec potestatem absolvendi ab actuali Alex. Halens sum part 4. Qu. 21. Memb. 1. But God ought not to communicate the power of baptizing inwardly lest any hope should be placed in man therefore by the like reason ought he not to commit the power of absolving from actual sin unto any To conclude this point touching the Sacraments Cyprian or the Author of the XII Treatises De Cardinalibus operibus Christi writeth thus Forgiveness of sins Remissio peccatorum sive per baptismum sive per alia Sacramenta daretur propriè Spiritûs Sancti est ipsi soli hujus efficientiae privilegium manet Cypr. tract de bapt Chr. whether it be given by Baptisme or by other Sacraments is properly of the Holy Ghost and the privilege of effecting this remaineth unto him alone So much for the third mean wherein the power of the keys is exercised viz. in the due administration of the Sacraments The fourth and last thing wherein the power of the keys is discerned 4. By excommunication ecclesiastical censures consisteth in the interdictions and relaxations of publick Censures Therefore Divines refer the promise of the keys made unto Peter Matth. 16. to the Ministery and Preaching of the Gospel Illa de ligâ—ndo solvenâ—o Petro facta promissio non