fuch a power of forgiving fins, as our Adverfaries do pretend to. Because the difputes arifing from thence muft needs be very tedious; and there is fo much difference of opinion, even amongst the Proteftant Writers, concerning the Senfe of thefe expreffions of the two Evangelifts, that I fhall not adventure to build an Answer upon my private Sentiments, tho' I have not much reason (I think) to be diffatisfy'd with them. Wherefore I fhall grant (perhaps, much more than will ever be fairly prov'd; however) as much as our Adverfaries themfelves can defire; and I am content they fhou'd make the best advantage of it.

Suppofe therefore, that these expreffions do really imply, that every Chriftian Prieft has an abfoJute and indifputable power of forgiving fins; nay,` fuppofe (if you think fit) that none can be forgiven by God, unless they receive the Prieftly Abfolution; yet I deny, that Auricular Confeffion is neceffary for the exercife of this forgiving power. Because a Chriftian Prieft may forgive fins, altho' he be not acquainted with the number and aggravations of them. For 'tis certain, that a Prieft cannot forgive fins without the condition of true Repentance: and 'twill be granted by thefe great Afferters of Prieftly authority, that, if any perfon has true Repentance, the Prieft may forgive him. Wherefore fince a Prieft may forgive a truly penitent Man, 'tis plain, that Auricular Confeffion is not neceffary in order to forgiveness.

For true Repentance can imply but two things, viz. a forfaking of fin, and a refolution to live well. And certainly, 'tis by no means neceffary, that a Prieft fhou'd be acquainted with the Number and Circumftances of any Man's fins, in order to either of these parts of true Repentance. For if the Priest has fully explain'd the Perfon's duty to him; if he

has

has faithfully inform'd him of the terms of the GoIpel-Covenant, if he has laid before him all thofe Rules of Holy Living, which God requires; if, I fay, the Prieft has done all this, and the Man accept of thefe conditions, and refolve to live according to them; then the Priest has reafon to think (as well as a Man can think, who do's not know his Neighbor's heart) that the Perfon is truly penitent, altho he be not acquainted with all the particular inftances, in which he has formerly broken any of thofe Laws, which he now promifes to obferve.

Tis true, if the penitent cannot in fome fpecial Cafes apply a general Rule; if he cannot fatisfy himself, whether this or that action be innocent, or no, tis by any means advisable to ask the Priest's opinion concerning it. Because the Prieft may reafonably be fuppos'd to be better acquainted with the Measures of Obedience, and an abler judge of fuch matters. But tho 'tis advifable to have recourse to the Prieft for the refolution of a nice and difcult Cafe of Confcience; yet the Man may be forgiven, altho' he do not confefs it to be his own. I may be propos'd by a friend, or in occafional difcourfe. For the only end of fuch Inquiries is the Parties own fatisfaction; and this may be gain'd tho the Prieft do not know the Party.

I do not fpeak this to difcourage any pious Perfons from acquainting thofe Priefts, in whom they think they may repofe an intire confidence,with the ftate of their Souls. Nay, perhaps this may be, upon fome occafions,not only convenient,but even neceffary for their own comfort and fatisfaction. But I fay that the Church of Rome has no reason to require Men upon pain of Damnation,to believe and acknowledge, that Confeffion of all our offences, and of all the feveral aggravations of them, muft of need timid on youb dudhet ode Dininique

ball

ceffity

ceffity be made to a Prieft, if ever we defire or hope for pardon at the hands of God.¿

This I think is very evident from what I have dif cours d in thisChapter; and confequently it appears, that fomething which the Church of Rome requires Men to believe and acknowledge upon pain of dam nation, is not contain'd in the Scriptures.

I

CHAP. XV.

Of Satisfaction.

Have fhewn in the foregoing Chapter, that the Church of Rome obliges every Man upon pain of Damnation to believe, That Contrition, Confeffion and Satisfaction, which are call'd the three parts of Penance, are necessary for the Pardon of Sins. I have already difprov'd the Neceffity of Confeffion and fhall now confider the Neceffity of Satisfaction. But because the Determination of this Controverfy is a matter of fome Nicety, I think it abfolutely neceffary for the true ftating of it, to give the Reader an account of the Doctrin of the Church of Rome concerning Satisfaction, and of what we maintain in oppofition to it.

The Church of Rome declares, that thofe which are duly baptized (a) are beirs of God, and co-beirs with Chrift; fou that nothing at all can delay (top or hinder) their entrance into Heaven. But that

(a) Quia nihil eft damnationis iis qui vere confepulti funt cum Chrifto per baptifma in mortem: qui non fecundum carnem ambulant; fed veterem hominem exuentes, & novum induentes, qui fecundum Deum creatus eft, innocentes, immaculati, puri, innoxii, ac Deo dile&ti, effecti funt hæredes quidem Dei, cohæredes autem Chrifti,ita ut nihil prorfus eos ab ingreffu cæli remoretur. Concil.Trident. Seff. 5. Can. 5. de Peccat. Origin.

(b) for

(b) for fuch as fall into fins after Baptifm, Chrift Jefus bas inftituted the Sacrament of Penance (or Repentance) when he faid, Receive ye the Holy Ghoft: whofefeever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and, wholefever fins je retain, they are retained. From whence: we are to learn, that the Penance of a Christian Man' after a relapfe into fin, is very different from his baptifmal. Penance; and that it contains not only a ceafing from fins,and a batred of them, or a contrite and bumbled beart but also a Sacramental Confeffion of them, to be made in defire at least, and when time fhall ferve; and Priestly Abfolution, and Satisfaction alfo, by Faftings, Alms, Prayers, and other boly Exercifes of the Spiritual Life, not for the eternal Punishment, which, together with the guilt, is remitted by the Sacrament (of Penance) or by the defire of the Sacrament; but for the temporal punish ment, which as the Scriptures teach, is not alwaies, as in Baptifm, wholly remitted to thofe, who being unthankful for the Grace of God which they had received, have grieved the Holy Spirit, &c.

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10 VIER

(6) Etenim pro iis, qui poft baptismum in peccata labuntur, Chriftus Jefus Sacramentum inftituit pœnitentiæ, cum dixit, Accipite Spiritum San&tum: quorum remiferitis peccata, remittuntur; &quorum retinueritis, retenta funt. Unde docendum eft, Chrifti. ani hominis poenitentiam poft lapfum multo aliam effe à baptifmali; eaque contineri non modo ceffationem à peccatis, & eorum deteftationem, aut cor contritum & humiliatum, verum etiam eorundem Sacramentalem Confeffionem, faltem in voto & fuo tempore faciendam, & facerdotalem abfolutionem, item que fatisfactionem per jejunia, eleemofynas, orationes, & alia pia fpiritualis vitæ exercitia, non quidem pro pœna æterna, quæ vel Sacramento vel Sacramenti voto una cum culpa remittitur; fed pro poena temporali, quæ, ut facræ litera docent, nec tota femper, ut in baptifmo fit, dimittitur illis, qui gratiæ Dei,, quam acceperant, ingrati, Spiritum Sanctum contriftaverunt, & Concil. Trident. Seff 6. cap. 14. de Juftificazione.

She

She declares alfo (¿) That if any Man Shall Fayɔ that when a penitent finner has receiv'd the grace of Juftification, his guilt is fo forgiven, and his obligal tion to eternal punishment done away, that there remains no obligation to the payment of Temporal Pal nishment, either in this World, or in the World to come in Purgatory, before he can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; let him be accurfed. Again, (d) If any Man fhall fay, That God always remits the whole punishment, when he remits the guilt; and that the Satisfaction of Penitents is nothing else but Faith, by which they appre bend that Chrift has fatisfy'd for them let him be ac curfed. Again, (e) If any Man fhall fay, that Göd, thro' the Merits of Chrift, has not fatisfaction made him for the Temporal Punishment of fin by those punishments which are inflicted by himself, and patiently born by the Penitent; or by thofe punishments which the Prieft injoins; or thofe which the Penitent voluntarily undertakes, fuch as Faftings, Prayers, Alms and other works of Piety; and that therefore the best repentance is only a New Life; let' bim be accurfed.

(e) Si quis poft acceptam Juftificationis gratiam, cuilibet peccatori pœnitenti culpam ira remitti, & reatum æternæ pœnæ deleri dixerit, ut nullus remaneat reatus pœnæ temporalis exfolvendæ, vel in hoc fæculo vel in futuro in Purgatorio, antequam ad regna cœlorum aditus patere poffit, anathema fit. Concil. Trident. Seff. 6. can. 36. de Juftificatione.

(a) Siquis dixerit totam pœnam fimul cum culpa remitti semper à Deo, fatisfactionemque pœnitentium,non effe aliam quam fidem, qua apprehendunt Chriftum pro eis fatisfeciffe, anathema fit. Concil. Trident. Seff, 14. can. 12. de Pænitentiæ Sacramento.

(e) Siquis dixerit, pro peccatis, quoad pœnam temporalem, minime Deo per Chrifti Merita fatisfieri poenis ab eo inflictis, & patienter toleratis, vel à Sacerdote injunctis, fed neque fponte fufceptis, ut jejuniis, orationibus, eleemofynis, vel aliis etiam pietatis operibus; atque ideo optimam pœnitentiam effe tantum Novam Vitam; anathema fit. Ibid. can. 13.

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