he and his sheep know well one an other Azor. tom 2. l. 7. c. 4. A Pastor knoweth his sheep and leadeth them to pasture and sheep know the voyce of their Pastor A pastor all so must goe before his flock and know the face of his sheep Neither doth it onely belong to a Pastor to offer sacrifice for his sheep to preach and giue them the sacraments but allso he must watch vpon his flock visit his sheep and know their faces Well sayd Salomon Diligently know the face of thy sheep Bellarmin l. 3. de Poenitent c. 12. Pastors by Confession know the diseases of their sheep and by that meanes can apply conuenient remedies to euery one in particular and also in publick sermons reprehend those vices to which they know their flock to be most subiect And Henriquez de Poenit. l. 2. c. 16. Curats for to know the face of their sheep may compell them to fullfill the precepts of yearly Confessiō and Communion See Gamach de Paenitent c. 18. n. 59. I add also that the Councel of Trent sess 25. c. 1. sayth By diuine precept all who haue charge of souls must know their sheep And the Extrauagant C. Saluatos Pastors must see the faces of euery one Out of all which it is euident that by commandement of God all Pastors must diligently know the faces of their sheep and also that this diligent knowledge is cheefly gotten by hearing their Confessions so that one end of the Penitents confession is to lett his Pastor know the face and estate of his sheep Which end they fullfill who confess to their Pastor and they frustrate who confess not to him but to others And doubtless they doe better who fullfill so cheef an end of confession then they who frustrate it 2. An other end of Confession is shame or confusion of our selues which God would haue vs to vndergoe both for to restrain vs thereby from sinning and allso for to make thereby some satisfaction to him whome we dishonored and disgraced by our sinning And commonly men haue greater shame to confess to their proper Priest with whom they vsually conuerse then to others whom they chuse of themselues and either liue not with them or seldom see them And shame in Conftssion is a great part of pennance and of satisfaction for our sinns and a great bridle to committ them no more P. Shame a great part of Pennance Innocent 4. C. Etsi animarum Shame is a great parte of Pennance P. Benedict C. Inter cunctos Shame is a great part of pennance The Catechisme ad Parochos cap. de Paenitent sect 32 Shame of confessing doth as it were bridle the desire of offending and withold wickedness And Bellarmin lib. 3. de Paenitent c. 12. The shame which we suffer in confessing is a part of satisfaction So that by confessing where less shame is we diminish one great end of Confession which is to bridle vs from sinne and allso one part of the sacrament which is satisfaction And surely it is better to fullfill a good end of confession and one part of the sacrament of Pennance then any way to diminish them And this shame is like to a better potion which a good Penitent should not refuse for the greater good of his soul no more then he would refuse a bitter potion for the greater health of his body Nay it will bring him glory before any vertuous Confessor and before God and his Angels who What shaine bringeth glorie Ecclesiastici 4. v. 25. reioyce att the repentance of a sinnar For as the scripture sayth there is a shame or confusion which bringeth glorie And this we see in S. Augustin who is most admired for his publick Confession of his sinns and that not to a Priest but to all the world and to all and to all posterity till the worlds end And besides true contrition Loue of God maketh bitter swett for the loue of God will turne all this bitterness into sweetness and make all God his yoke swett and his burden light EIGHT CHAPTER That it is better to confess to a Priest who hath charge of the Penitents soul then to an other proued by the Iudgement of the Church 1. THe fifth proof that it is better to confess to a Priest who hath charge of the Penitents soul then to an other who hath not that charge I will take from the iudgemēt of the holy Church which in that great Generall Councel of Lateran vnder P. Innocent 3. and after by diuers graue and vertuous Popes The Church cōmandeth to confess to proper Priests but not to others P. Innocent 3. hath for many hundred yeares commanded all Catholicks of either sex to confess att least once a yeare to their proper Priest who hath charge of their souls but neuer commanded them to confess to such as had no charge of their souls Euery Christian sayth the foresayd Councel of other sex after they are come to yeares of discretion shall truly confess all their sinns to their proper Priest at least once a yeare P. Martin 5. in his Bull P. Martin 5. related by P. Adrian 6. de Confess q. 5. and others we will that those who confess to Fryars shall neuer the less be bound to confess att least once a yeare to their Parish Priest as the great Councel ordaineth And P. Sixtus P Sixtus 4. IV. in extrauagante vices de pace treuga admonisheth Regulars that they forbeare to preach that Parishioners are not bound to confess att least att Easter to their proper Priests because they are bound thereto by law And that the foresayd Councel by a proper Priest meaneth one A proper Priest hath charge of souls that hath charge of souls is manifest First because P. Martin 5. in his words cited expoundeth it of a Parish Priest who doubtless hath charge of souls Secondly because what Priest hath not charge of a Penitent is not his proper Priest but is common to all Penitents whose confessions he heareth Thirdly because as Sotus sayth 4. d. 18. q. 4. art 2. It is an abuse to call a delegate a Proper Priest For a proper Priest is taken but one way because a Proper Priest is the same that ordinary to witt he to whome by his proper office and iurisdiction belongeth the charge of souls and is iudge in the Court of conscience And againe It is One shing to be a proper Priests an other to be lawfull one thing to be lawfull an other to be proper who is proper is ordinary but lawfull euery one is who can work either by his owne authority or by commission And the like hath To let instruction is Sacerdotum lib. 3. c. 13. And Estius in 4. D. 17. § 13. sayth There is but one acception of proper Priest who hath proper and ordinary auctoritie to absolue him in respect of whome he is called proper that is to whose charge each one is properly subiect Lastly because to call
A TREATISE OF THE BEST KINDE OF CONFESSORS By which Preists in England may see how they may be and lay Catholiks see how they may chuse the best kinde of Confessors Composed by the most Reuerend Father in God RICHARD Bishop of Chalcedon Pastor of the Catholike in England 1. Thimothe 5. v. 17. The Preists that rule wel let them be esteemed worthie of duble honor Can. Qui vult de Poenitent D. 6. who wil confess let him confess To the best Preist he can Printed An. 1651. A TREATISE OF THE BEST KINDE OF CONFESSORS Presented to the vertuous Seminarist and Regular Priests and Catholiks in England REVEREND PRIESTS both Seminarists and Regulares and beloued Lay Catholiks in England my intention in composing this sim all Treatise of the best kinde of Confessors is not to disparrage any kinde of Confessor allowed and approued by the Catholike Church and much lesse to abridge anie of their Faculties or libertie to heare the Confessions and absolue whomsoeuer come to them but leauing all Priests with all faculties and libertie of confessing which they haue onely to shew such Priests as desire by being Confessors to procure the greater glorie of God the greater good and merit to their owne souls and the greater spirituall profit to the souls of their Penitents what kinde of Confessors they ought to be for to procure this And in like manner my intention is not to abridge in anie sorte the libertie which Lay Catholiks haue to confess to what kinde of approued Priest they will or to put them to more charges of maintayning Priests or to bring them to more danger of the lawes by vsing such as I propose to them but leauing them with all the libertie to confess to what kinde of approued Priest they will and to contribute no more to maintenance of more Priests then they doe onely to propose vnto them what kinde of Priests are best for them for the greater glorie of God and greater spirituall good of their souls leauing it as I sayd free to their choyse whether they will vse them or no or contribute particularly to their maintenance or no. By which meanes they may haue both such Confâ—ssors as they haue and allso better kiâ—de of Câ—â—fessors then they haue had allmost these hundred yeares For it hath euer seemed to me a lamentable case of English Catholicks that whereas Catholicks in Catholick countryes and allso in Zeland and Holland haue two kindes of approued Confessors to wit such as huue pastorall Charge of the souls of their Penitents and such allso as haue not that pastorall charge but onely lawfull power to absolue them Catholickes in Englad allmost these hundred Catholicks in EnglaÌ„nd allmost these huÌ„dred yeares haue wanted Priests with charge of souls yeares haue had but one kinde to witt Confessors without pastor all charge os souls and haue wanted such Confessors as should haue had such charge of their souls which as I shall shew clearly were the far better kinde of Confessors and more needfull to Catholicks especialy of the peorcr sorie who are not able to maintaine peculiar Priests and yet for whose good Confessors were equally instituted by God And howsoeuer some will deny that Confessors with pastorall charge of souls are better for the good of Penitents then Confessors who haue no such charge none can deny but that it is better for the good of Penitents that there be Confessors with charge of souls then that there be none and that there be more kindes of Confessors which they may chuse then that there be but one kinde especially when they may haue them both without any restraint of their libertie to vse whether they will and with no more danger or charges to them And particulerly this will be better for the poerer sorte of Catholicks who shall hereby haue such Confessors as shall be bound to administer Sacraments vnto them in what danger of sickness or war soeuer which sacraments sometimes they haue wanted for want of sueh Conâ—â—ssors For my part I am fully of opinion of the Catechisine ad Parochos cap. De Poenitentiae Sacramento sect 32. eomposed by order of the Councell of Trent and sett forth by authoritie of the Sea Apostolick that what holines pietie and religion remaineth in the Church is in great part to be attributed to Confession and therefor I make this Treatise of the best kinde of Confessors and intend God willing to make the like Treatise of the best Penitent Perhaps there neuer was in the Church more frequenting of Confession then of late hath been but whether it be for the fault of Confessors or of Penitents or of both there doth not appeare such amendement of life as iustly may be expected of the greater frequentation of this sacrament and which without doubt it would effect if it were frequented in such sorie as it should be FIRST CHAPTER The trw state of the question Concerning the best kinde af Confessors plainly sett down THERE be two kindes of lawfull Confessors the one hath pastorall charge of the souls of his Penitents the other hath no such charge a S. Bonauenturae dâ— pauper Christi p. 422. S. Thomas 2. 2. q. 188. art 4. Bellar. l. 2. dâ— Monachis c. 45. Rodriques to 1. q. 35. art â— Now the question is whether of these two kindes of Confessors is of it self the better that is more for the glorie of God more for the spirituall good and merit of the Confessor himself and also for the greater spirituall profit of the Penitents souls I say of it self because I consider these dâ—fferent functions onely in themselues abstracting from the different persons in which they are and also fron their diferent qualities of learning vertue discretion and such like or if you will supposing these two different kindes of Confessors to be equall or not much vnequall for learning vertue discretion and such like qualities fitt to be in the persons of lawfull Confessors And these two different Confessors Inwhat all good Confessors agree agree in that that both are approued of the Church both haue lawfull power or authoritie to absolue their Penitents and the absolution of both is valid and vndoubted and allso both ought to receiue their functions and. execute them for the loue of God and good of their Penitents but they differ in manie other and weightie points as shall hereafter appeare for which the one kinde is iustly to be preferred before the other SECOND CHAPTER That the comparing of the sayd two different kindes of Confessors ought not to be offensiue to anye good Priest or Catholick but rather gratefull THat the comparing of the two said kindes of Confessors ought not to be offensiue to anye good Priest or Catholik is euident First because as I sayd I compare I. onely the sayd different functions in themselues not touching any persons or state of Preists Secondly because II. it much importeth both for Priests and Catholiks to know
what kinde of Confessors are the best that both they may become the best kinde of Confessors and theise vse the best Thirdly because Diuines III. a S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 187. art 8. vsually compare the states of Curats and regulars without offence of anye of which comparison thus writeth Suarez tom 3. de relig lib. 1. c. 18. It is blameless if it be wisely and modestly handled and it be Comparison o' Confessors bess offensiue then the comparison of Curats and Regulars considered that the comparison is made not between their persons or descrts but between their staâ—es and conditions or as S. Thomas speaketh the comparison is made for the kinde of the worke not for the charitie of the worker as Christ Luke â—â— preferreth the contemplatiue life before the actiue And yet this comparison of Curats and Regulars is not made for the greater good of a third as we compare the sayd different Confessors for the greater good of the Penitents but meerly to shew which of their states is in it self better and perfecter If therefor this comparison of different kindes of Confessors be handled discreetly and modestly as it shall be of me it will be more blameles then that of Curats and Regulars Fourthly because IV. all sorts of Priests in Countryes that are not Catholik as England is not or in Countryes Where there is great scarcitye of Priests as in the Indyes are capable of both these functions of Confessors and some Regulars a S. Thom. 2. 2 q. 184. art 7. are euen in Catholik Countryes and where there is no scarcitie of Priests Confessors with charge of souls as others are withont such charge And if Regular Priests in England will vndertake the burden they may haue pastorall charge of their Penitents souls as well as others Fiftly because no man carefull of his health would be offended to haue shewed vnto him what kinde of Surgeon or Physitian to witt a Gallenist or Paracelsian is better for him and why should any Penitent carefull of the good of his soule take it ill that the like should be shewed to him of his spirituall Physitian who is his Confessor If therefor any take it ill that it be shewed what kinde of Confessor is the best for the glorie of God and good of souls he sheweth therereby that he is not desirous of the greater glory of God and greater spirituall profitt of souls of which I hope no good Priest or Catholik in England is guiltie Lastly because I being Pastor of the Catholiks in England as P. Vrban VIII in his Breue to me An. 1626. in expres termes calleth me ought to shew them al the best means I can for the good of their soules and in doing so none can be iustly offended for I doe but may dutie and what I am bound to doe And also though vnworthie I am one of those of whome our Sauiour said who heareth you heareth me who despiseth you despiseth me THIRD CHAPTER That it much importeth both Priests and Lay Catholiks to know which is the best kinde of Confessors 1. THat it greatly importeth Priests for to know which is the best kinde of Confessors is euident First because thereby they may know what kinde of Confessors are most pleasing to God doe merit more to themselues and do also more good to their Penitents Secondly because Priests are dispeÌ„sers of the mysteries of God and it importeth them to know who are the best dispensers of such great matters Thirdly because Confessors are spirituall Physitians of their Penitents and it much importeth Physitians both for themselues and for their Patients to be the most able to cure their Patients 2. That it also greatly importeth Penitents to know who are the best kinde of Confessors is likewise euident First because as is sayd Confessors are their spirituall Phisitians who must cure their spirituall diseases Secondly because the Church counseleth her children to chuse the best kinde of Confessor they can De Paenitent D. 1. c. 88. and d. 6. c. 1. where Nauarre in C. Placuit sayth The meaning of the Canon is to counsel that by what way soeuer a Penitent can iustly he should seek the best Priests See him there § Quod autem Thirdly because as is a foresayd the Church professeth that one of the best meanes she hath to keep men from vice and to driue them to vertue is Confession and surely the best meanes to the best Confession is the best kinde of Confessor as tâ—e best meanes to be cured is to gett the best Physitian FORTH CHAPTER That a Confessor who hath Pastorall charge of the souls of Penitents is better then one who hath no such charge proued by their different Institutors THe first proof that à Confessor who hath pastorall charge of souls is caeteris paribus better then one who hath no such charge I will take from their different Institutors For Christ himselfe immediatly instituted Confessors with pastorall charge of souls as is euident out of S. Iohn chapt 20. v. 23. where he sayth to his Apostles and in them to their successors Take the Holy Ghost whose sinns you shall remitt they are remitted and whose you shall retaine they are retained Now the Apostles were and their successors are Confessors with pastorall charge of souls But that Christ immediatly instituted Confessors without charge of souls we neither finde in scripture nor in Tradition but theise were instituted by the Church as S. Thomas teacheth in these words 22. q. 188. art 4. It was requisit that beside the ordinary Prelats others should be assumed to such offices Where he doth not say that Confessors without charge of souls were necessary but onely requisit nor that they were immediatly instituted by Christ as ordinary Prelats are but assumed to witt by the Church Secondly because Christ instituted no â—ther Confessors but the Apostles and the 72. Disciples but both theise doubtles had charge of soules And surely that kinde of CoÌ„fessor is of himself and caeteris paribus better who is immediatly instituted by God and with whome God will more concurre then that kinde of Confessor who is not so instituted For it cannot be doubted but that he will more concurre with such kinde of Confessors as himself immediatly instituted theÌ„ with such as are instituted by others FIFTH CHAPTER That a Confessor with charge of soules is better then one without such charge proued by the different ends of their Institution THat a Confessor with charge of soules is of himself and caeteris paribus better then one without such charge I proue by the different ends for which they were instituted For Confessors with charge of souls were instituted for themselues as necessary officiers for the remission of mens sinns as is euident by Christs words cited in the former chapter For Christ hauing instituted the Sacrament of Pennance he must needes institute purposely officers for the administring thereof as were the Apostles and their Successors But Confessors
such as hear confessions without charge of the souls of their Penitents proper Priests was but deuised for to shew that Regulars did not heare confessions against the foresayd Canon of the Councel of Lateran which shift is needless for though they be not proper Priests they hear confessions by leaue of the Pope and Bishops and therefor no more offend against that Canon then such Priests doe who hear Confessions by leaue of the Parish Priest Moreouer P. Vrbain 2. in Canon Placuit P. Vrbain 2. de Paenitentia D. 6. ordaineth thus we will that no Priest admit to confession any that is vnder the charge of an other vnless it be for the ignorance of him to whom he confessed before And P. Benedict P Benedict XI XI Can. inter cunctos We stirctly command that Fryars carefully admonish them whose Confessions they heare and exhort in their sermons to confess to their Priests att least once a yeare affirming that doubtless â—his is Doubtless profitable profitable to their souls And this semeth to haue been the intent of the Councel of Trent which sess 25. c. 13. commandeth that where Parochiall Parish to be appointed The Councel of Trent would haue confessions to be made to Parish Priests Churches haue no certain bounds nor their Rectores certain people whome to gouern but indifferently minister sacraments to such as demand them the holy Synod commandeth Byshops for the greater saifty of souls committed to them that the people being deuided into certain peculiar Parishes they appoint to euery one their perpetuall and proper Parish Priest who may know them and of whom alone they may lawfully receaue sacraments or prouide some other better way as the condicion of the place requireth And sess 14. c. 9. Dioceses and Parishes were most reasonably diuided and proper Pastors giuen to each flock and Rectors of inferior Churches who should haue euery one care of his sheep that Ecclesiasticall order be not confounded 2. Neither is the foresayd Canon of the Lateran Councel abrogated For allbeit some say that P. Leo X. hath declared that who confess to Mendicants doe satisfy the obligation of the sayd Canon yett that declaration doth not abrogate the sayd Canon but rather sheweth that it bindeth still by saying that men by confessing to Mendicants See CoÌ„cil TrideÌ„t sess 14. Can. 58. Sixtus 4. and Martin 5. suprá doe satisfy the obligation of that Canon and onely sheweth that the Mendicants hearing of Confessions by the Popes leaue is not contrary to the obligation of that Canon as other Priests hearing Confessions by leaue of the Parish Priest are not contrary to the same See more of this in Nauarre in C. Placuit D. 6. n. 121. Gamach de Paenitent c. 18. Henriquez de Paenitent l. 2. c. 16. And though the sayd Canon or law were abrogated and did not binde now att all that would no way weaken the force of my argument taken from the iudgement of the Church For she hauing both by a Generall Councel and allso by Bulls of diuers Popes seuerly commanded Catholicks to confess to Preists who haue charge of their souls and neuer commanded them to confess to such as haue no such charge but onely permitted them so to doe by reason as S. Thomas sayd of the too great multitude of Penitents of the insufficiency of some Priests who haue charge of souls she clearly sheweth that she iudgeth it of it self better for Catholicks to confess to such priests as haue charge of their souls then to those who haue not that charge For doubteless she iudgeth that better for her children to doe which she so often so seuerely and for so many ages hath commanded them to doe then that which she neuer commanded them to doe nor perhaps would permitt them to doe if the too great multitude of penitents and insufficiency of many Priests who haue charge of souls did not force her to permitt it NINTH CHAPTER That it is better for Penitents to confess to a Priest who hath charge of their souls then to others proued by the iudgement of those who were Confessors of Penitents without charge of souls 1. IT is so euident that of itself it is better for Penitents to confess to Priests who haue charge of souls then to others that euen the cheifest of those who were confessors of Penitents without charge of their souls doe acknowledge it to be better S. Bonauenture a Doctor of S BonaueÌ„ture the Church and Generall of the Franciscans writeth thus in 4. D. 17. q. 2. n. 108. I beleeue Euer good that if the Parish Priest be fitt that it is euer good that the Paenitent be remitted to him of whomsoeuer he is heard And num 105. wherefore it is to be beleeued that all Paris hioners whensoeuer and Are bound how often soeuer they confess to such Mendicants are bound to confess to their proper Priests if they be good and sufficient and exact it and wil not otherwise be content And this I say at least once a yeare Ibidem And therefor it Wholesome Counsel is wholesome Counsel for all theise to be remitted to their proper Priests that if they be not content with that Confession they be heard againe Angelus Vicar Angelus Generall of the sayd Franciscans and Commissary to Pope Sixtus IV. in his Summe Verbo Confessio 4. num 33. It is I after for many causes safer to confess to our owne Priest or Prelate then to an other for many deceits and vnleawfulnesses which are in other Deputies Wherfore I allways aduise that none leaue his owne Parish Priest for an other Deputy vnless it clearly appeare that he whome he hath chosen be of good conscience and sufficient skill and that more then his owne Parish Priest For if there be any defect in his owne Parish Priest the Penitent is more excused in confessing to him then to an other because superiors in appointing him doe seeme to approue him for sufficient Scotus Scotus the cheifest diuine among the same Franciscans in 4. d. 5. q. 6. sayeth We should allwayes chuse that Confessor caeteris paribus Caeteris parâ—bus to whome that belongeth by office And Confessor by office none is but he who hath charge of souls Richardus de Media villa Richardus de media villa an other great Franciscan Doctor in 4. D. 17. q. 1. Allbeit in some cases it were better for one to chuse a Confessor as be would then to be bound to confess to his ordinary yett it were not profitable Not profitable for the CoÌ„munity S. Thomas for the Communitye that it should be lawfull for euery one to chuse his Confessor 2. S. Thomas an other Doctor of the Church and chefest Doctor of the Dominicans in Supplemento q. 8. art 5. ad 4. writeth thus Werefore it is God good that he who heareth Confessions by auctority of the Bishop doe perswade the Penitent to confess to his proper Priest
Sotus a Sotus graue and learned Dominican in 4. D. 20. q. 1. art 5. The supreme Pastor of the Church cannot suficiently prouide for the whole Church vnless he giue Bishops to all churches Wherfore seing the chiefest notice and iudgement of the flock is gotten by sacramentall confession it is requisit that especially Requisit in this Sacrament it be not free for euery one to runn to euery Priest but that euery one be bound to his own that he confesâ— not but to him or with his leaue Nauar. Nauar. a Canon Regular and famous Casuist Concil 15. de Paenitentia I should thinck that he did wisely who att the houre of Wâ—sely death procureth himself to be absolued of his Parish Priest there present or of his superior rather then of others Gabriel * Gabriel Trithemius Posseuinus allso a Regular in 4. D. 17. q. 2 art 3. If all be a like it is better to confess to ones proper Priest as Doctors commonly hold as S. Bonauenture and Angelus in Summa Better for many causes Confessio 3. § 34. for many causes and auoiding of dangers 3. Layman a great writer Laiman Good of the Church and Iesuit l. 5. tract 6. c. 33. Seing it is instituted for the common good of the Church and conuenient gouernment that all faithfull should confess to their proper Priest that must not be limitted or restrained for priuate commodity by priuate interpretation of Doctors espetially because many by this meanes falsly pretending impediments of confession may withdraw themselues from the iurisdiction of their Pastor Reginald Reginald an other Iesuit lib. 1. n. 61. Well addeth Nauarre that he shall do wisely who att the Wisely houre of death his Parish Priest or Superior being present procureth to be absolued of him rather then of others And as Barbosa writeth in Remiss Barbosa Concil Tridentinisess 14. c. 7. Nauarre Consil Is. sub titulo Paenitentiae Sayrus an English Benedictin Sairus decâ—s 21. sub eodem titulo Reginald l. 2. n. 60. say that he should do wisely who if his Parish Priest or Superior be present procured himself to be absolued of him at the houre of death rather then of an other And himself allegat 25. num 51. sayeth It is better to confess to ones Pastor Beâ—ter at the houre of death att the houre of death then to an other And it if it be both wiser and better at the houre of death to confess to ones Pastor or Superior then to an other it is much better and wiser to doe so in life time Because it is certain as the Councel of Trent hash declared sess 17. c. 7. that att the houre of death all Priests can absolue any Penitent from any sinns or Censures which all Priests cannot do nay few Priests can doe in time of life and therefor their absolution is not so certain in time of life as in time of death If therefor it be better and wiser to be absolued of ones Parish Priest or Superior at time of death when the absolution by any Priest whatsoeuer from what sinns or censures soeuer is most certain much better and wiser it is to procure to be absolued of him in life time when all Priests absolution is not so certain as it is in time of death TENTH CHAPTER That it is better for Penitents to Confess to Priests who haue charge of their souls then to others proued by the Generall practise of those Priests who are Confessors of Penitents without charge of their souls 1. THe seuenth proof that of it self it is better for Penitents to confess to such Priests as haue charge of their souls then to others shall be taken from the Generall practise of such Priests as are Confessors of Penitents without charge of souls For they doe not confess it in words onely as we saw in the former Chapter but much more in practise and indeeds because they suffer not any of their owne compagnies vpon any occasion to confess to whome they will but onely to such as they appoint for them The Gloss in Clement Dudum Religious men according to the statuts of their orders must confess to their Prelats Suarez tomo 4. de relig l. 2. c. 16. Certain Generall leaue to confess to whoÌ„ one will Would destroy religions it is that by ordinary right and without dispensation regulars cannot confess to others then to such Confessors as are apointed for them by their superiors Ibid. n. 6. Generall leaue to chuse ones confessor would tend to great detriment of religions for it may be an occasion of dissolution and relaxation of religious discipline And num 7. By such generall licence and ordinarie vse religious discipline would be plainly ouerthrowne Henriquez l. 7. c. 22. § 4. The Society of Iesus kepeth that priuilege that none without the superiors leaue can chuse a Confessor beside him who is appointed And Gregorie the 13. granted this to the Society Lay-man l. 5. tract 6. c. 10. n. 20. By their proper statuts it is not permitted to religious to confess out of their owne order to any other but to whom the Superior appointeth And Rodriquez to â— q. 62. art 4. and 5. reciteth the Bulls of Popes which Iesuits Franciscans Augustins and other Religious orders haue procured that none of theirs euen in time of Iubilées may confess to any but to such as their Superiors appoint And headdeth This is very good and necessary And Petigian in Summa D. 17. q. â— art 3. affirmeth that there is excommunication latae sententiae that no religious euen by vertue of a Bull do confâ—ss to any other then to him who is appointed by his superior 2. And doth such great good come to religious companies by confessing to none but to such as their superiors appoint for them and would no good come to the holy compagnie of Christ the Catholick Church if her children confessed to such as haue charge of their souls Would such great harme come to religious compagnies as their vtter dâ—solution and relaxation of religious discipline by generall leaue to confess to what approued Priest they would and will no hurt no relaxation of ecclesiasticall discipline come by the like leaue granted to all Catholicks Are religious companies and Christs companie of so different nature as that what is greatly good for the one is naught for the other Neither doth it satisfye which Suarez sayth n. 6. cit That superiors of regular orders are bound not onely to procure the saluation but allso the perfection of their subiects as if Bishops Pastors and such as haue charge of sonls were not bound to procure the perfection of their subjects and these allso bound to be perfect Did not our Sauiour say indifferently to all Matth. 5. Be perfect as your heauenly father is perfect Was not S. Iohn Baptist sent Luc. 1. 1. Ioan. 2. Qui seruat verbumeius in hoc vere charitas Deiperfect
a est Et c. 4. si diligamus inuiceÌ„ charitas Dei in nobis perfecta est to prepare a perfect people to our Lord and yet was not sent onely to make Regulars Doth not God giue Pastors and Doctors for consummation that is perfection of Saints Ephes 4 Or doth he giue none to procure perfection of Saints but religious men or were there no procurers of perfection in the Church before religious orders were instituted Or will religious Confessors say that they are not to procure perfection in their secular Penitents Doth not Sotus lib. 10. de lure Iustitia q. 1. art 4. say This is The duty of a Bishop both to teach perfection and perswade it and q. 3. art 2. It is the office of a Pastor to bring his healthfull flock to perfection and noteth that in the consecration of a Byshop the Church telleth him Vt exhibeat omnem homineÌ„ perfectum that he must bring his flock to perfection as we read of S. Iohn Baptist If any Regular should say to me that of it self it is better for Catholicks to confess to what approued Priest they would then to those who haue charge of souls I would answer him as †Plutarch in Apoptheg Lycurgus answered one who perswaded to institute popular gouerment in his citty that he should first beginn such a gouerment in his owne house But whether they onely be to be accounted perfect who obserue the three Euangelicall Counsels or no I would know a reason why it is requisit that such as obserue those counsels should confess to none but to such as their regular Superiors appoint and the like should not be expedient for such as are to obserue the commandements as all Christians are Why should the obligation to confess to none but to certain appointed Confessors be requisit for obseruation of these Counsels and the like obligation should not be requisit for the obseruation of the Precepts ELEVENTH CHAPTER That is better for a Penitent to confess to a Priest who hath charge of his soule then to an other proued by the greater certainty of absolution 1. THe Eighth proof that it is better for a Penitent to confess to a Priest who hath charge of his soul then to an other I will take from the greater certainty of absolution by him then by this First because Curats who haue charge of souls haue iurisdiction from the Canon law and as some a Sotus 4. di 18. q. 4. art 2. graue diuines say allso from diuine law Whereas Confessors without charge of souls haue Iurisdiction onely by * S. Tho mas 2. 2. q. 188 ar 4. q. 187. ar 1. 4. S. Bonauentura de paupertate Bellarmin l. 2. de Monachis c. 45. delegation except it be in the houre of death when all Priests haue Iurisdiction And Iurisdiction by law especially of God is more certain then is iurisdiction by delegation especially when it must passe by so many hands of delegats and subdelegats as it commonly doth to such Priests ' as vsually heare confessions without charge of souls And Iurisdiction being essentially requisit to absolution the more certain the iu risdiction is the more certain is the absolution 2. Secondly because the Canon and Ciuil law ratifie and L. Babarius de offic Praetoris make good all acts done according to law by one who is commonly thought to be a lawfull ordinary officier and hath any colourable title though indeed he be no true officer nor haue true iurisdiction Whereupon Sanchez lib. 3. de matrimonio Disput 22. n. 13. sayeth All things done by a Parish Priest commonly taken to be such and hauing a colourable title giuen to him by a lawfull superior are valid euen in court of conscience and confessions made to such need not be iterated And Nauarre in Manuali c. 9. n. 11. In a Curate a title though naught with possâ—ssion will suffice But it is not certain but denyed by many as may be seen in Sanches l. cit n. 15. and 6. that acts done by a fals Delegate commonly thought to be a true delegate are valid Neither indeed is there the like reason that the Law should ratifye the acts of such as are not instituted by Law as there is that it should ratifye the acts of such as law it selfe instituteth So that absolution giuen by ones Curate must needs be more certain then giuen by an other who is but delegate because the law it self doth ratifye the absolution giuen by a Curate when of it self it would not be valid and doth not ratifye such absolution giuen by a Delegate And hence it is that as we sayd before Diuines teach that it is wiser euen at the houre of death when all Priests haue Iurisdiction to be absolued of ones Curate or Superior then of any other And the validity of absolution being of that moment that a Penitent hauing onely attrition but valid absolution shall be saued and wanting valid absolution shall be damned well counseled Reginald a Iesuit l. 1. n. 103. Because in a matter of such importance it behoueth to take the certain and leaue the vncertain Suarez well aduiseth that vnless there be some great and reasonable cause on the Confessors part we should allwayes vse the saifer meanes that a Confessor hauing certain and more probable Iurisdiction be allwayes preferred before one who hath a doubtfull or less probable iurisdiction And doubtless a Curate who hath charge of souls hath more probable iurisdiction then a Delegate who hath no such charge Which I doe not say to call in question the absolution of such Priests secular or Regular who really haue trew Delegation and for iust cause of the sea Apostolick but because such Delegation passing thorough so many hands of Delegats and Subdelegats as it commonly doth before it come to them who vsually confess without charge of souls is not so certain to vs as is the a See what Angelus sayd suprà cap. 10. absolution giuen to vs by Curats who haue charge of souls Nor are their Acts if they be of themselues inualid ratifyed and made good by Law as are the Acts of Curats though of themselues they were inualid I add allso that Curats doe succeed the 72. Disciples as b Gloss liu 10. Sotus l. 10. de Iure q. 3. art 1. Diuines doe teach and therefore are instituted not onely by men but allso by God whereas Delegats Bellarmin l. 1. de Clericis c. 14. S. Thomas 3. q 6. a. 1. are instituted onely by men nor doe succeed the 72. Disciples and that of the 72. Disciples Christ sayd Luc. 10. Who heareth you heareth me And it is more sure to be absolued of such as succeed them of whom Christ sayd who heareth you heareth me then of others of whom Christ sayd no such thing TWELFTH CHAPTER That it is better for a Penitent to confess to a Priest who hath charge of his soule then to an other because it is more
meritorious and allso more satisfactorious 1. THe ninth proof that it is better for a Penitent to confess to one who hath charge of his soul then to an other we will take from that it is both more meritorious and also more satisfactorious That it is more meritorious I proue first because it is more meritorious to confess to such Confessors as God hath both instituted and commanded vs to confess vnto and allso the Church for many ages hath commanded then to such as men haue instituted and nether God nor the Church euer commanded vs to confess vnto but we chuse of our selues For in the one we fullfill God and the Churches will and in theother we fullfill our owne will And surely it is more meritorious to fullfill Gods and the Churches will then to fullfill our owne because there is more obedience to God and to the Church and allso more humility But Curats who haue charge of souls are of the first sorte and who haue no charge of souls are of the latter Secondly I proue it because commonly it is harder to confess to ones Curate who hath charge of our souls and authority to gouuernevs then to another whome we chuse our selues and who hath no authority to gouerne vs because ordinarily men are more loath to discouer their imperfections to their Superiors with whome they commonly conuerse then to others who are not their Superiors and who may be such as they neuer saw before nor perhapps shall see afterwards And where is the greater difficultye there is the greater vertue and merit to ouercome And hence allso appeareth why it is more satisfactorious for where there is See Nauarre de Indulg notab 3. n. 13. greater paine or difficultye there is allso the greater satisfaction 2. Thirdly I proue it to be more meritorious because in confessing to such as the Church apointeth and commandeth at least once a yeare we conserue the order and discipline of the Church but in confessing to whom we chuse our selues we doe not keep that order or discipline And how great a good it is to conserue the order and discipline of the Church and what great harme may come by not obseruing it we may see by the great account which Regulars make of their Regular order and discipline as we heard * Cap. 11. before And if they make such account of their Regular discipline and esteeme it so great merit to obserue it how much more ought good children of the Church to obserue and esteeme the discipline of the Church she being incomparably to be esteemed aboue all regular orders and her discipline instituted by more sure assistance of the holy Ghost aÌ„d allso for more glorie of God and good of souls wherefor if there be great merit in obseruing regular discipline there is far more in obseruing the Churches Ecclesiasticall discipline and if greater harme come of breaking that more cometh in breaking this without iust cause Fourthly I proue that it is more meritorious to confess to ones Curate who hath charge of his soul then to an other because that conserueth and increaseth that spirituall and holy loue which ought to be between a Pastor and his sheep whereof we shall speak more hereafter and allso maintaineth his spirituall auctority which he hath to gouerne them whereas by leauing our Pastor and confessing to whome we will we diminish both his loue and his authority But it is far more meritorious to conserue the Pastors loue and authority then any way to diminish it as it is euident THIRTEENTH CHAP. That it is better for a Penitent to confess to a Parish Priest who hath charge of his soul then to an other because great commodities and no inconueniencie cometh bythat and many inconueniencies come by this 1. THat all commodityes which can be gotten by the Sacrament of pennance may be had by confessing to a Priest who hath charge of souls and no inconueniencie can come thereby is euident because such a Confessor is of Gods institution and the proper minister of that sacrament And all commodityes which can be had by a sacrament may be had by the proper minister thereof instituted by God himself And likewise no inconueniencie can come by confessing to such an officer as is properly appointed by God But if there chance to fall out any inconueniencie that riseth of the person not of the office it self But by confessing to others whom we chuse our selues there may rise many and great inconueniencies First is preiudice of the Confessor First inconuenâ—eÌ„cie who hath chargâ— of our souls for it is his right to administer this sacrament to all those of whose souls he hath charge And not to giue to one his right or due is doubtless a preiudice to him Nether leaueth it to be a preiudice to him because leaue is granted to doe it for that will not shew that it is not a true preiudice to him but onely that such preiudice is done with leaue And Nouarre in C. Placuit n. 61. both affirmeth and proueth that it is true preiudice to Curats that their people are permitted to confess to others and it is euident because all taking away of ones right is a preiudice to him though if it be done for iust cause it be no sinn And how carefull the Church was in ancient times to conserue the rights of ordinaries the Catechisme ad Parochos c. de Paenitent The Church here tofore most carefull of the right of ordinaries sect 47. shweth in these words with what religion in times past in the most ancient Church the right of an ordinary Priest was conserued is easily gathered by the ancient Decrees of Fathers by which was ordained that no Bishop nor Priest should dare to doe any thing in an others Parish without his leaue who there gouerned or without some great necessity 2. An other inconueniencie Second inconueniencie is that libertie to confess to what approued Priest one will breaketh discipline of the Church which is that euery one should coÌ„fess at least once a yeare to his proper Priest as is euident by the foresayd Canon of the great Councel of Lateran And a third inconue Third Inconueniencie niencie is that it lesseneth that spirituall loue which ought to be between a Pastor and his sheep whereof we shall speake Fourth Inconueniencie more hereafter And a fourth is that it lesseneth the authority which a Pastor should haue ouer his flock which doubtless would be greater if his sheep did confess to him because naturally men respect and reuerence them more to whoÌ„ they confess their sinns theÌ„ others to whoÌ„ they doe not coÌ„fess And this noteth P. InnoceÌ„t 4. Can. Etsi animarum saying that voluntarie confessors breed contempt and indeuotion against proper Priests I dispute not whether this Bull of Innocent the 4. be reuoked or no because I argue not out of the obligation thereof but out of the truth it sayeth which is that voluntarie Confessors
occasion neglect of proper Priests which so graue and so learned a Pope as Innocent 4. was would not haue sayd if he had not seen it to be truâ— And how great an inconueniencie neglect of Pastors is is manifest of it self seing all communities stand by the authority of their superior and fall and are weakened by the fall or weakening of it Whereupon 1. Tim. 5. 1. Thessal 5. Heb. 15 Matth. 26. S. Cyprian Epist 55 65. S. Hieron contra Lucifer the Apostle often and earnestly exhorteth Christians to honnour and reuerence their spirituall superiors and our Sauiour sayeth if the Pastor be strucken theep are dispersed and holy Fathers note that the neglect of Pastors is the roote of schisme and heresie and that the â—aiâ—tye of the Church dependeth on the honnor of Pastors And Layman cited †Sup. c. 9. before noteth that by confessing to whome one will many pretending impediments of confession withdraw themselves from the Iurisdiction of their Pastor A fifth inconueniencie by libertie Fifth Inconueniencie of confessing to what Priest one will is that one may omitt annuall confession and say that he hath confessed when he hath not confessed att all 3. The sixth inconueniencie Sixt Inconueniencie is that by libertie of chusing ones Confessor occasion is taken to committ or conti new in sinn which would be much restrained if men confessed to their proper Priests For by this libertye as P. Innocent 4. in the Foresayd Bull noteth thereby shame which is a great part of pennance is taken away whiles ones confesseth his sinnes not to his proper Priest whome he hath continuall and present but to an other and sometimes to one who is a passenger to whome there is hard recourse and sometimes impossible And Azor. tom 1. l. 5. c 25. granteth that leaue to chuse a Confessour who may absolue him from sinns to be committed doth giue occasion to sinn more freely and more easily And what great difference is See Paâ—is An. 1246. p. 634. there for this purpose between leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue one from sinns to be committed and leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue from sinns that are committed what difference I say is there for facilitye to sinn between leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue one from sinns to be committed and leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue one from sinns that are committed which leaue all haue who haue libertie to confess to what Priest they will For facilitye to sinn riseth not precisely of leaue to chuse a Confessor which may absolue one from sinns to be committed but from leaue to a chuse a Confessor who may absolue from sinns whether they be committed or to be committed 4. A seuenth inconueniencie The SeueÌ„th in leauing ones proper Priest and confâ—ssing to others is that thereby he is made less able to help spiritually and cure the spirituall diseases of his sheep For by confessing to him he should better know the State of the souls of his sheep and to be better able to apply proper remedyes to them to better instruct their ignorance and allso better encourage them to follow vertue and auoid such vices as they are subiect vnto But of this we haue spoken something and shall more hereafter An eight inconueniency Eight Inconueniencie is that by leauing our Pastor and confessing to others we discourage him and make him less carefull of doing his deutye or what good he can doe for vs. For he seing his sheep to leaue him and goe to others preferring them before him hath not that courage to labour for them as he would haue if he saw them preferre him before others And what harme cometh by the negligence of Pastors God himself declareth Ezechiel 54. saying my sheep are dispersed because there was no Pastor Not because there was no Pastor at all but because there was no diligent Pastor And Sotus lib. 10. de Iure Iustit q. 3. art 4. affirmeth that the roote of heresies in Germanye and England was the negligence of Pastors and surely the sheeps neglect of their Pastors occasioneth the Pastors neglect of them And if the negligence of Pastors be the occasion of such ill how much more is the want of Pastors Whereupon the same Sotus in the sayd place sayeth It is a diuine commandement that euery Diocese haue a Bishop for the peculiar care and watchfullness which is due vnto it And Bellarmin lib. 1. de Pontif. c. 2. hauing cited these words of Caluin They conuince that to euerye Church ought a Bishop to be giuen answereth If by these examples taken from most graue Fathers we conuince that to euerye Church ought to be giuen a Bishop why doth not he suffer Bishops which is plainly to affirme that examples brought by most graue Fathers conuince that euerye Church ought to haue a Byshop And it is sayd in his life l. 3 c. 5. that he counseled P. Clement 8. to prouide Byshops presently for vacant Churches least he should be guiltye of souls perishing for want of Pastors And it is memorable what S. Bede l. 3. hist Anglic. c. 7. Writeth of Senwalch King of the West Saxons in England who hauing expelled his Byshop sustained great losses and spoyles in his kingdome of his ennemies He vnderstood that by want of Byshops he wanted allso the help and grace of allmightye God wherefore he sent Embassadors into France to Agilbert beseeching him that he would returne and resume againe his Bishoprick affirming withall to make satisfaction for that which was past Thus S. Bede And if so many and so great inconueniencies follow Penitents not confessing to their proper Priests who haue charge of their souls there was some great necessitye which forced the Church to dispense therein as no doubt that was which before we rehearsed out of S. Thomas and others to witt too great number of penitents for to confess to one onely Priest and too great want of sufficient proper Priests generally for all parts And good children of the Church will rather doe what the Church of her self commandeth then what vpon necessity she dispenseth withall and onely permitteth But out of all which I haue sayd in this chapter I argue thus It is of it self farr better to auoid so many and so great inconueniencies as haue been rehearsed then to fall into them but Penitents by confessing to such Priests as haue charge of their souls doe auoid the sayd inconueniencies and by confessing to others doe fall into them Therefor it is far better to confess to those kindes of Priests then to these And what good Penitent will not doe that which of it self is far better FOVRTEENTH CHAPT That of it self it is better for a Penitent to confess to his proper Priest then to others because naturally he loueth his penitents more then others doe 1. THat of it self it is better Pastors loue their penitents more then other Priests do
for Penitents to confess to their proper Priests who haue charge of their souls then to others I proue by the greater loue which proper Priests who haue charge of their Penitents souls naturally haue more then other Priests haue who haue no such charge of the souls of their Penitents because his greater loue will make him more carefull and diligent to doe his Penitents all the good he can rather then an other who less loueth them For the greater loue will cause the greater care And that a Pastor or proper Priest who hath charge of his Penitents souls naturally loueth them more then others who haue no such charge is euident because he accounteth his penitents his owne sheep and naturally one loueth what it his own more then an other who accounteth it not his own Whereupon well wrote Bellarmin lib. 1. de Pontif. c. 3. It is certain that Princes will take more care of their own then Vicars will doe of that which is other mens And our Sauiour Ioan. 10. A good pastor giueth his life for his sheep as if it were the property of a good Pastor to loue his sheep so much as for loue of them to giue his life for them And as himself sayth Ioan. 15. the greatest signe of loue is to giue his life for one See more of this in S. Chysostome lib. 2. de Sacerdotio c. 2. 2. Secondly because the Penitents of a Pastor or proper Priest are specially committed to him by God And surely who loueth God will specially loue them who are so committed to him by God more then others will to whome God hath not especially committed them For Gods speciall charge will make him who loueth God to haue a more speciall care of them then others who haue no such speciall charge As we see all honest men haue à more speciall care of children committed to them by their parents then others haue to whome such children were neuer committed And hereupon our Sauiour sayd Ioan. 20. to S. Peter Doest thou loue me more then theise Feed my sheep thereby shewing that naturally Pastors loue more Christs sheep then others doe And likewise the Councel of Trent sesl 13. c. 1. sayth to Bishops who are the cheif Pastors lett them remember that they are Pastors and that they ought so to gouerne their subiects as they loue them like children and brethren And Cardinall Bellarmin In vita Bellarm l. 3. c. 2. wrote thus to a Byshop who desired to giue ouer his Bishoprick to become religious who loued vs and gaue his life for vs vouchsafed to say to Peter and in him vnto all Pastors if thou louest me feed my sheep Is there any that dare say Notable words of Bellarmin to our Lord I will not feed thy sheep lâ—ast I leese my soul vnless there be some who loue themsâ—lues and not God A true louer of God sayth with the Apostle I had rather be anathema from Christ for my brethren then not vndertake that burden which the loue of God hath imposed vpon me Albeit there can be no danger of saluation where charitye reigneth No daÌ„ger of saluation where charity reigneth Behold in S. Paul the exceeding loue of a good Pastor to his sheep behold allso how there is no danger in taking charge of souls so it be done for loue of God Nay ordinarily the greater the charge of souls is the greater is the holiness as Bozius sheweth that there are more Popes Saints then anye Archbyshops or Byshops of one Episcopall sea in the world and more Archbyshops Saints then Byshops of any one Sea in his prouince and more Byshops Saints then Curats of any one Parish in his Diocese And allbeit charge of souls be of it self more dangerous then not charge is yet taken with the greater grace and greater assistance of God which he allwayes affordeth greater to them to whome he giueth greater charge it is not more dangerous and it is farr more meritorious And what 's Chrysostom sayeth It is a maruel if any Rector be saued he speaketh as Estius Hebr. 13. v. 17. well noteth of such as vpon ambition onely putt themselues into that function as is euident by the words following because for one lawfully called and faithfully exercising that office as Chrysostom himself did there is no danger And what S. Chrysostome Some Saints hâ—ue refused to be Priests as well as to be Pastors sayth of Rectors may be sayd of simple Priests or Religious if theise take such courses of life for wrong ends And if some Saints haue refused to be Byshops more haue accepted it and some allso haue refused to be simple Priests not for the danger but for humilitye because they thought not theÌ„selues worthy of such a function Zacheus vpon confidence of Christs loue accepted his offer to come to his house and the Centurion vpon humilitye refused it both well but he better So it be God who imposeth charge of souls vpon vs and we accept it for his loue it cannot but be more acceptable to him to accept it then to refuse it and less dangerous to vs because God in his goodness bindeth himself to assist vs far more in accepting for his loue the burden which he imposeth vpon vs then in refusing it when he imposeth it and less danger is when God far more assisteth vs. And hence some write and gather it out of the Apocalypse c. 2. and 3. that God giueth to euery Byshop a speciall Angel Gardian 3. Thirdly I proue that a Pastor or Proper Priest with charge of souls loueth more his Penitents then an other who hath not such charge because a Pastor is like to a Father to his sheep and an other is but like a Paedagog For as the Apostle sayeth to the Corinthians 1. Corinth 4. Though yee haue maâ—y thousand Paedagogs yet yee haue not manye Fathers for I haue begotten yee in Christ by the gbospel And Pastors are the proper Fathers of their Parishioners because they begett them in Christ by baptisme and giue them their first spirituall life And the loue of a Father is naturally greater then is the loue of anye Paedagog Sotus allso lib 10. de Iure lustitia q. 3. art 1. sayeth The mercenarie flyeth because he is a mercenarie to whome the sheep are not proper because the sheep belong not to him for as Christ sayeth they are not his own as not commended to him by Christ it followeth that he loueth them not to witt with that loue which was demanded of Peter whether he loued him more then the rest In What is commoÌ„ to all is neglected of all Aristotle which words he sheweth why the Penitents are the Pastors own and proper to him to witt because they are coÌ„mitted to him by Christ and that therefor there is a speciall loue in a good Pastor towards his sheep as there was in S. Peter which is not in others to whome Christ hath not commended his sheep and he addeth
How can they loue souls to the loss of their liues whome they account not their owne And the reason why God infuseth a speciall loue into a Pastour is because a Pastour must haue a speciall care ouer such as God committeth to his charge more then others need to haue which speciall care he cannot performe without a speciall loue and therefore as God giueth to Pastors a speciall care of his sheep so he giueth them a speciall loue of his sheep which speciall loue he giueth not vsually to others to whome he giueth no speciall care of his sheep For as God and nature doe not faile in things that are necessarie so nether doe they abound in things that are superfluous 4. Fourthly I proue that a good Pastor or proper Priest loueth more his Penitents then an other Priest doth because for the loue of God and of them he bindeth himself to assist them in what danger soeuer and for their sakes vndertaketh the greatest burdeÌ„ that caÌ„be which is to answer soul for soule for euerye one of them And therefor not onely doeth to them all the good which others doe but hindeth himself thereto which others doe not and as †Lib. de Similitudin S. Anselme sayth of them who not onely doe good but allso vow to doe it giueth not onely the fruit but also the tree Whereas other Confessors nether binde themselues to assist their Penitents nor will vndergoe that great burden of answering soul for soul For of Mendicants Rodriquez tom 1. q 35. art 5. writeth that they allwayes refused to put See Regulas Societatis parte 4. c. 2. §. 4. p. 119. the heauye burden of Curats vpon their shoulders And Bellarmin lib. 2. de Monachis c. 45. sayeth They doe not minister spirituall things of due but doe minister them to whom when and where they please without all binding of themselues thereto and therefor cannot aske releef of iustice or due but onely of charitye as they minister spirituall things not out of dutye but onely of charityc Thus he If any say that Pastors or Curats take that bond and burden vpon them for loue of their tithes or reuenews I answer that good Curats or Pastors of souls doe not and I speake of good Curats or such good Confessors as haue charge of souls and I compare them with such good Confessors as haue no charge of souls Secondly as it were against charitye to thinck that such as heare confessions without charge of souls doe it wholly or principally for loue of almes or reward so it were against charitye to thinck the like of good Curats Thirdly none in England who may haue charge of souls could vndertake that burden for loue of tithes or reuenew because there he can expect none And out of all which hath been sayd and proued in this Chapter it will easily appeare that if anye Catholicks in England be not willing to haue such Confessors as loue them more and binde themselues to farr more for their loue then others doe they are not so desirous of their own good and assuredness to be holpen in what need soeuer as in wisedome and in loue to themselues they ough to be and as they would be if it were in matter of their temporal state or temporal life For who would not haue a good corporal Physitian or Aduocat who would binde himself to assist him And if anye should not loue more such a Confessor as loueth him farr more then an other and vndertaketh the greatest bond of loue that can be in this world he should shew himself to be very vngratefull and would be ashamed to doe the like to anye kinde of freind in anye other matter whatsoeuer FIFTEENTH CHAPTER That it is better to confess to ones proper Priest then to an other because he is a more noble officer or minister of the Sacrament of Pennance 1. THe twelft proof that of it self it is better to confess to ones proper Priest who hath charge of their souls then to others I take from the greater excellencie of the office and this I proue first because Confessors with charge of souls were immediatly instituted by Christ Ioan. 20. where he sayth to his Apostles Take the holy Ghost whose sinns you shall remitt they shall be remitted which power with charge of souls doth remaine in Bishops their successors For as S. Thomas sayth 3. parte q. 67. art Bishops properly succeed the Apostics 2. Bishops succeed to the Apostles Sotus 4. d. 21. q. 1. art 4. By Gods law Bishops succeed the Apostles and the same he hath lib. 10. de Iure q. 1. art 4. Bellarmin lib. 1. de Clericis c. 13. Bishops properly succeed the Apostles And cap. 14. All Fathers doe constantly teach that Bishops succeed the Apostles And lib. 2. de Confirmatione c. 22. Bishops doe simply and absoluty succeed the Apostles The same sayth Stapleton controu 6. q. 3. art 3. Nether doth anye Catholick deny that Bishops succeed the Apostles in their power and authoritye of forgiuing sinns by Christs own institution But the difficultye may be of other inferior Priests who vnder Bishops haue charge of souls as Curats haue whether the office of such were immediatly instituted by Christ or no. But the office of Curats may be considered two wayes ether as an Office of Curats coÌ„sidered two wayes office separately taken by it self or as a parte of Episcopall office and authoritye not including that which was extraordinarie in the Apostles and necessarye for the beginning or founding of Christs Church as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was but a parte of the spirit of Moyses And if the office or authoritye of Curats be thus considered it is immediatly of diuine institution as Episcopall authoritye is and as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was For it is of the same nature of which Episcopall authoritye though not so great as Episcopall authoritye is as Episcopall authoritye is of the same nature of which Apostolicall authoritye was though not so high and as the authoritye of the 70. Senâ—ors was of the same nature with the authoritye of Moyses And if the office of Curats were but in this sorte immediatly instituted of Christ it would appeare to be farr nobler then is theirs who heare confessions without charge of souls For the office of those was neuer instituted immediatly by Christ either separatly by it self or in a whole whose parte thereof it is but is of a different nature because Christ neuer instituted an office to forgiue sinns without charge of souls 2. But indeed it is more probable that the office of Curats was it self instituted immediatly by Christ or by the Apostles at his command First because as Suarez confesseth tom 3. de relig l. 1. c. 17. n. 25. The office of Curats necessarye to the Church and it is euident The institution of Curats is necessarye to the good gouuerment of the Church and saluation of souls And Christ either
if it be exercised as our Lord commandeth And S. Chrysostom when he noted that our Sauiour hauing asked S. Peter if he loued him more then others bad him not enter into Religion but to feed his sheep And the Apostle Philippens 1. chose rather to help souls then to be in heauen with Christ so much they esteemed pastorall care of souls SIXTEENTH CHAPTER That it is better to confess to a Priest who hath charge of souls then to one who hath not because he is necessarie to the good gouerment of the Church not others 1. THat Priests who haue charge of souls as Curats are necessarye to the good gouerment of the Church is euident by what hath been sayd before that they are immediatly appointed by Christ and by the profession of the Church that they are such as were the 70. elders in the wilderness and as simple Priests were in the Synagog Secondly because as in an armye naturall reason teacheth vs that not onely a Generall is necessarie but allso Captains of troupes and vnder them sergeāts and Corporalls who cōmand immediatly euerye particular soldier so reason will teach vs in the Church which is like to an Armye beside the Pope who is Generall ād Byshops who are Captaines of seuerall Dioceses there should be vnder them Curats who in euerye parish should immediatly command and gouerne euery particular Christiā And the same we see in euerye kingdome where besides the King and Lieutenāts of shires there are Constables in euerye village Thirdly because Priests who haue charge of souls are of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and who are of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie are necessarie for the good gouerment of the Church For God and nature as they faile not in necessaryes so they abound not in superfluityes Fourthly because Suarez as we saw aboue in the former Chapter granteth that Curats are necessarie to the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls Fiftly because the Church in all ages and in all places where she could institute Priests with charge of souls did institute them and deuided Christian people into distinct parishes and lately the Councel of Trent commanded it to be done sess 21. c. 4. sess 24. c. 13. Therefor she iudgeth such to be necessarie to her good gouermēt otherwise she would not so generally and so continually haue practised it and allso command it Whereby we see that if any will hinder or disswade the erectiō of Curats or diuision of Catholicks into Parishes they doe against the generall and continuall practise of the Church and against her good gouerment and the commandement of the Councel of Trent But that such Priests as haue no charge of souls are not necessary to the good gouermēt of the Church is euident because such haue no authoritie at all to gouern because such were not instituted by Christ because the Church for manye ages had no such nor euer commanded such to be instituted or vsed And sith euerye one seeth of what importance the good gouerment of the Church is euerye one may thereby fee of what greater importance it is to haue Priests with charge of souls rather then to haue others SEAVENTEENTH CHAP. That it is better to confess to a priest hauing charge of souls then to an other proued by the comparison of the speciall motiues to confess to others 1. HItherto we haue spoken of the spirituall motiues to confels to Priests who haue charge of the souls of their Penitents rather then to others which as we haue seen are very manye and allso weightye now we will see the spirituall motiues which may be pretended that it is better to confess to others And I will omitt all temporall motiues thereto because they are vnfittād vnworthye to be mentioned when there is question or deliberation which kinde of Confessors are the best for the glorie of God and spirituall good of Penitents The first spirituall motiue First motiue to goe to what approued Confessor one will may be that such libertie doth in manye Penitents help to make entire cōfessions more then would be if they did euer confess to him who hath charge of their souls by reason of their bashfulness or some other human weakness True it is that libertye to confess to what approued Confessor one will helpeth manye to make entire confessiōs more then restraint to one approued Contritiō and amandment of life of more importance then Confession for thē by the Church but doth it not hinder as many to haue true contrition and absolute purpose to amend what they doe confess And seing contritiō is far more necessarie and a more principall parte of the sacrament of pennance thē Confession is because contrition may saue one without Cōfession when a Priest cannot be had but Confession without contrition will doe no good if restraint to confess to such as haue charge of our souls help more to contritiō and resolute purpose of amendment oflife then libertye of confessing to what Priest one will doth it must needs be better because it more helpeth to the more principall parte of the sacrament which is contrition and allso more to the end of the sacrament which is forgiueness of sinns and amendment of life and a true Penitent will more regard that which more helpeth him to the more necessarie part of the sacrament of Pennance which is contrition and allso to the end of the sacrament which is forgiueness of sinns and amendment of his life then that which helpeth him more to the less necessarie parte of this sacrament which is entire confession of his sinns 2. An other motiue to leaue Second motiue the Confessor who hath charge of souls and to cōfess to others may be that thereby the sacrament of Pennance is more frequented thē otherwise it would be but notwithstāding this we should rather seeke what helpeth to receiue this sacrament better then what helpeth to receiue it oftner Because to receiue it better though seldomer profiteth much whereas to receiue it oftener but not better profiteth little And as we haue shewed confessing to ones proper Priest who hath charge of souls helpeth much to confess better then liberty◠to confess to what Priest one will doth 3. A third motiue may be that Third motiue diuers sorts of Confessors who haue not charge of the souls of their Penitents can commonly giue greater Indulgences then such as haue charge of souls cā giue To this I answer that this motiue hath little place in England where all Priests can giue sufficient Indulgence Secondly that as Bellarmin lib. 1. de Indulgēt cap. 11. well monisheth after S. Thomas Regular discipline must not be broken or relaxed for gayning of Indulgences And if not regular discipline much less Ecclesiasticall discipline which is of more importance then regular discipline as the Church is of more importance then anye regular order Thirdly that sith absolution from sinn is of farr greater importance thē Indulgence because that is forgiueness
of the sinn it self this but a relaxation from some teÌ„porall payne after sinn is absolued we should rather looke what Priest can giue vs the most assured absolution froÌ„ sinn then who can giue vs the greatest Indulgence which will auaile vs nothing if our sinn be not assuredly absolued Besides by confessing to one appointed to vs by the Church we both merit and satisfye more then by confessing to one chosen by our selues as is before shewed and thereby more encrease grace in our souls and our glorie in heauen which is more to be esteemed then relaxatio of temporall payne And Sotus 4. d. 21. q. 2. a. 1. sayeth Increâ—â—as of merit better far then Indulgence of it self it is much better to satissye by his own works then to gain Indulgences And ibid. Incomparably better is the least increase of merit and grace then to be freed from the greatest paine in Purgatorie Incomparably I say better to be with greater merit and grace in Purgatorie twenty yeares then Notable words of Sotus with less to be there but one day yea to flye to heauen without all Purgatorie Which words are worthie to be considered Moreouer the valor or effect of Indulgencet is not certain vnless the causes of granting them be * Nauar de Indulgent notab 15 Sotus 4. d. 21. q. 2. art 2. Bellar. min l. 1. de Indulg c. 12. iust and proportionable because the Pope is not Lord of the treasure of the Church but onely dispensor thereof and which is a iust and proportionable cause onely God as Nauar sayth tract de Indulg notab 15. n. 8. knoweth And he addeth ibidem n. 17. That too large Indulgences giue occasion to people to thinck that more is gotten by them then is gotten indeed and causeth more neglect of repentance then ought to be And num 18. That the Pope may erre in thinking this or that cause to be iust And notab II. n. 23. That it is most profitable and most faif to enioyne and accept pennance to be done in this life and that it is not the part of a frind to enioyne small pennances And notab 5. n. 44. Setus 4. d. 20. q. 1. ar 3 PaeniteÌ„tiae quae modo in vsu suÌ„t non tam paenitentiae quaÌ„ poeniteÌ„tiarum ludibria sunt It is imperfection to seek Indulgences for after them to serue Christ coldly and to vse less wariness and remedie to auoid sinns and to roote out vices which I feare this our age doth too much And notab 21. n. 2. approueth the opinion of Caietan who sayth that who will gett In dulgences must haue a minde to doe as See Nauar. notab 9. n. 12. Sotus 4. d. 21. q. 2. art 2. great pennance himself as would suffice for to satisfie for his sinns And this saieth †l. 1. de Indulgent c. 13. Bellarmin is profitable and pious by which sayth Nauar. the honnor of Indulgences is conserued the mouth of raylers against them stopped and Christians stirred vp to doe worthye fruicts of pennance And notab 31. n. 44. According For Indulgences We must not for beare to doe acts of PennaÌ„ce to the opinion of Diuines and Canonists we must not for IndutgeÌ„ces forbeare to doe acts of Pennance And finally notabl 17. he feareth that it is too true which the Glosse sayth That few gett IndulgeÌ„ces Thus this pious and most learned Canonist which I wish them to consider well who for to gett greater Indulgences would leaue their proper Priest and confeso to others I add allso that Regular superiors Regulars for no motiues will permitt theirs 10 confess to others nether for more making of entire confessions non oftener frequenting the sacrament of pennance nor for gaining of greater Indulgences nor for anye other motiue whatsoeuer will permitt their subiects out of case of necessitye to confess to others then to such as they appoint Which clearly sheweth that they esteem more confession made to proper Priests then all other spirituall commodities which can come by confessing to others And Onely necessitie moued the Church moreouer I adde that no greater good but onely the too great multitude of penitents and the insufficiencye of proper Priests in diuers places moued the Church to condescend to people for to leaue their proper Priests and to confess to others as euident by the testimonie of S. Thomas and others * Supra cap. 5. before cited And if not greater spirituall good but onely necessitie by reason of too great multitude of Penitents or insufficiencye of some proper Priefts moued the Church to grant libertie to CoÌ„fess to other Priests good children of the Church who will follow her aduise should not vpon pretense of greater spirituall good but onely vpon the sayd necessitye make vse of that libertie which she vpon that necessitye was forced to grant and if that necessitye had not been would neuer haue granted I say allso that it is a diuine precept doe fruits worthye of pennance Luke 3. And to doe fruits worthye of pennance includeth as * l. 4. de poenit c. i. Bellarmin †See Gregorie homil 20. in EuaÌ„g S. Thomas in Luc. 3. well sayth and proueth out of holye Fathers to make satisfaction to God and as he affirmeth They cannot be well called fruits worthye of pennance vnless indeed they suffice to recompense the iniurye if not inequalitye of quaÌ„titye yet in equalitye of proportion and according to the acceptance of him who was wronged And also that IndulgeÌ„ces doe not exempt vs from fullfilling this diuine precept And likewise that not Indulgences Indulgences are not satisfactions nor exempt from doing fruits of pennaÌ„ce but the Penitents satisfaction is a part of the sacrameÌ„t of Pennance without which the sacrament of Pennance as the â—â—me Bellarmin †Lib. 1. de Poenitent c. 17. See him ib. l. 4. c. 8. sayth is lame and imperfect which lameness or imperfection Indulgences doe not supplie because they are no parte att all of the sacrament Nether is it likelye that Christ in granting IndulgeÌ„ces to his Church meant thereby to make his sacrameÌ„t lame and imperfect or to exempt penitents from full filling his diuine precept of doing worthye fruits of pennance which as Nauar. sayd is the doctrine of diuines and of Canonists Finally I say with Bellarmin l. 1. de Indulgentiis c. 12. That prudent Christians doe so take IndulgeÌ„ces as with all they endeauour to bring fruites worthie of pennance and to satisfye God for their sinnes Which prudent aduise who wel consider wil not for vncertain gayning of greater IndulgeÌ„ce leess the certain gaining of greater merit in confessing to their proper Priest especiall seeing merit as truly sayd Sotus is incomparably more to be esteemed then Indulgence though the gaining of this were certain THE CONCLVSION to the Reader GEntle Reader out of all which hath been sayd in this Treatise I gather these importants points which I much commend to thy memorye and consideration First that a I. sufficientConfessor with pastorall charge of souls is more to the glorye of God to the good of the Church and to the spirituall profit of souls then is a sufficient Confessor who hath no such charge of souls Secondly II. that what good Priest seeketh the greater glorie of God the greater good of the Church and the greater spirituall profit of souls will more desire to be a Confessor with charge of the souls of those whose Confessions he heareth then to be confessor without such charge if conueniently he may be Thirdly that what III. Penitent seeketh the greater glorie of God the greater good of the Church and the greater spirituall profit of his soul will vse rather a sufficient Confessor who hath charge of his soul then a sufficient Confessor who hath no such charge of his soul if conueniently hee may Fourthly that if any should hinder or dehort from the making of Confessors with charge of souls or counsel Penitents to goe to others rather then to such he should hinder and dehort from that which is to the greater glorie of God greater good of the Church and greater spirituall profit of souls which none can doe who seek the glorie of God the good of the Church and profit of soules Which I assure my self al good Priests in England doe really and hartily seek and therefore I hope that all such will take this my counsel of being confessors with charge of souls in good parte and wil if they can conueniently follow it Which if they doe I shall hope of the speedier conuersion of our poore Countrye in which are manye good sheep but sine pastoribus without pastors and because they are among woolues need Pastors more then in Catholick Countryes and need all spirituall help which may be had both by Confessors with charge of souls or without such charge as Penitents in Catholick Countryes haue For my intention is not to depriue them of Confessors without charge of souls or of anye spirituall good that can be gotten by such but to afford them both kindes of Confessors as Penitents in Catholick Countryes and in Ireland and in Holland haue allso and to procure them all the spirituall good and help which may be reaped by both such Confessors FINIS