notice of the fact, let him transact that affair wholly between God and his own soul. And this of declaring a single action, as it is of great use in the repentance of every man, so it puts on some degrees of necessity, if the man be of a sad, amazed, and an afflicted conscience. For there are some unfortunate persons, who have committed some secret facts of shame and horror, at the remembrance of which they are amazed, of the pardon of which they have no sign, for the expiation of which they use no instrument,-and they walk up and down like distracted persons, to whom reason is useless, and company is unpleasant;-and their sorrow is not holy, but very great; and they know not what to do, because they will not ask. I have observed some such: and the only remedy that was fit to be prescribed to such persons, was to reveal their sin to a spiritual man, and by him to be put into such a state of remedy and comfort, as is proper for their condition. It is certain, that many persons have perished for want of counsel and comfort, which were ready for them, if they would have confessed their sin; for he that concealeth his sin, 'non dirigetur,' saith Solomon, he shall not be' counselled or 'directed.'

108. And it is a very great fault amongst a very great part of Christians, that, in their inquiries of religion, even the best of them ordinarily ask but these two questions: 'Is it lawful? Is it necessary?' If they find it lawful, they will do it without scruple or restraint; and then they suffer imperfection, or receive the reward of folly. For it may be lawful, and yet not fit to be done. It may be, it is not expedient. And he that will do all that he can do lawfully, would, if he durst, do something that is not lawful. And as great an error is, on the other hand, in the other question. He that too strictly inquires of an action, whether it be necessary or no, would do well to ask also whether it be good? Whether it be of advantage to the interest of his soul? For if a Christian man or woman,-that is, a redeemed, blessed, obliged person, a great beneficiary, endeared to God beyond all the comprehensions of a man's imagination, one that is less than the least of all God's mercies, and yet hath received many great ones, and hopes for more,-if he should do nothing but what is necessary, that is, nothing but what he is compelled to; then he hath the obligations of a son, and

the affections of a slave,-which is the greatest indecency of the world in the accounts of Christianity. If a Christian will do no more than what is necessary, he will quickly be tempted to omit something of that also. And it is highly considerable, that, in the matter of souls, necessity is a divisible word, and that which, in disputation, is not necessary, may be necessary, in practice: it may be but charity to one and duty to another; that is, when it is not a necessary duty, it may be a necessary charity. And therefore, it were much the better, if every man, without further inquiry, would, in the accounts of his soul, consult a spiritual guide, --and whether it be necessary or no, yet let him do it because it is good; and even they who will not, for God's sake, do that which is simply the best, yet for their own sakes, they will, or ought to, do that which is profitable, and of great advantage. Let men do that which is best to themselves; for it is all one to God, save only that he is pleased to take such instances of duty and forwardness of obedience, as the best significations of the best love. And of this nature is confession of sins to a minister of religion, it is one of the most charitable works in the world to ourselves; and in this sense, we may use the words of David; "If thou doest well unto thyself, men [and God] will speak good of thee,” and do good to thee. He that will do every thing that is lawful, and nothing but what is necessary, will be an enemy, when he dares, and a friend, when he cannot help it.

109. But if the penitent person hath been an habitual sinner, in his confessions he is to take care, that the minister of religion understand the degrees of his wickedness, the time of his abode in sin, the greatness of his desires, the frequency of his acting them, not told by numbers, but by general significations of the time, and particular significations of the earnestness of his choice. For this transaction being wholly in order to the benefit and conduct of his soul, the good man that ministers, must have as perfect moral accounts as he can; but he is not to be reckoned withal by natural numbers and measures, save only so far as they may declare the violence of desires, and the pleasures and choice of the sin. The purpose of this advice is this; that since the transaction of this affair is for counsel and comfort, in order to pardon, and the perfections of repentance, there should be no scruple

in the particular circumstances of it, but that it be done heartily and wisely; that is, so as may best serve the ends to which it is designed: and that no man do it in despite of himself, or against his will; for the thing itself is not a direct service of God immediately enjoined, but is a service to ourselves to enable us to do our duty to God, and to receive a more ready and easy and certain pardon from him. They indeed, who pretend it as a necessary duty, have, by affixing rules and measures to it of their own, made that, which they call necessary, to be intolerable and impossible. Indeed it is certain, that when God hath appointed a duty, he also will describe the measures, or else leave us to the conduct of our own choice and reason in it. But where God hath not described the measures, we are to do that, which is most agreeable to the analogy of the commandment, or the principal duty, in case it be under a command: but if it be not, then we are only to choose the particulars so as may best minister to the end, which is designed in the whole ministration.

110. XXI. It is a very pious preparation to the holy sacrament, that we confess our sins to the minister of religion for since it is necessary, that a man be examined, and a self-examination was prescribed to the Corinthians in the time of their lapsed discipline, that though there were divisions amongst them, and no established governors, yet from this duty they were not to be excused; and they must, in destitution of a public minister, do it themselves (but this is in case only of such necessity); the other is better; that is, it is of better order and more advantage, that this part of repentance and holy preparation be performed under the conduct of a spiritual guide. And the reason is pressing. For since it is life or death, that is there administered, and the great dispensation of the keys is in that ministry,it were very well, if he that ministers, did know whether the person presented were fit to communicate or no and if he be not, it is charity to reject him, and charity to assist him that he may be fitted. There are many sad contingencies in the constitution of ecclesiastical affairs, in which every man that needs this help, and would fain make use of it, cannot ; but when he can meet with the blessing, it were well, it were more frequently used, and more readily entertained. I

end these advices with the words of Origen: "Extra veniam est, qui peccatum cognovit, nec cognitum confitetur. Confitendum autem semper est, non quod peccatum supersit, ut semper sit confitendum; sed quia peccati veteris et antiqui utilis sit indefessa confessio:"" He shall have no pardon, who knows his sin and confesses it not: but we must confess always, not that the sin always remains, but that of an old sin an unwearied confession is useful and profitable!." But this is to be understood of a general accusation, or of a confession to God. For in confessions to men, there is no other usefulness of repeating our confessions, excepting where such repetition does aggravate the fault of relapsing and ingratitude, in case the man returns to those sins, for which, he hoped, that, before, he did receive a pardon.

SECTION IX.

Bur because, in all repentances, there is something penal, it is not amiss that there be some inquiries after the measures and rules of acting that part of repentance, which consists in corporal austerities, and are commonly called pe

nances.

111. I. He that hath a great sorrow, need neither be invited nor instructed in the matter of his austerities. For a great sorrow and its own natural expressions and significations, such as are fastings, and abstinence, and tears, and indignation, and restlessness of mind, and prayers for pardon, and mortification of the sin, are all that, which will perfect this part of repentance, Only, sometime, they need caution for the degrees. Therefore,

112. II. Let the penitent be careful, that he do not injure his health, or oppress his spirit, by the zeal of this part of repentance. "Sic enim peccata compescenda sunt, ut supersint quos peccasse pœniteat." For all such fierce proceedings are either superstitious, or desperate, or indiscreet; or the effect of a false persuasion concerning them, that they are a direct service of God, that they are simply necessary, and severely enjoined. All which are to be rescinded; or

1 In Psal. 36. Hom. 1.

But some

else the penances will be of more hurt than usefulness. Those actions are to minister to repentance; and therefore if they contradict any duty, they destroy what they pretend to serve. For penances, as they relate to the sin that is committed, are just to be measured as penitential sorrow is, of which it is a signification and expression. When the sorrow is natural, sensitive, pungent, and material, the penances will be so too. A great sorrow refuses to eat, to sleep, to be cheerful, to be in company, according as the degree is, and as the circumstances of the persons are. times sorrow is to be chosen, and invited by arts, and ministered to by external instruments, and arguments of invitation; and just so are the penances, they are then to be chosen, so as may make the person a sorrowful mourner, to make him take no delight in sin, but to conceive, and to feel a just displeasure: for if men feel no smart, no real sorrow or pain for their sins, they will be too much in love with it: impunity is ἀφορμὴ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, “the occasion and opportunity of sin,' as the Apostle intimates: and they use to proceed in finishing the methods of sin and death, who

Non unquam reputant, quanti sibi gaudia constent m,

reckon their pleasures, but never put any smart, or danger, or fears, or sorrows, into the balance. But the injunction or susception of penances is a good instrument of repentance, because a little evil takes off the pleasure of the biggest sin in many instances, and we are too apprehensive of the present, that this also becomes a great advantage to this ministry: we refuse great and infinite pleasures hereafter, so we may enjoy little, and few, and inconsiderable ones, at present; and we fear not the horrible pains of hell, so we may avoid a little trouble in our persons, or our interest. Therefore, it is to be supposed, that this way of undertaking a present punishment and smart for our sins (unless every thing, when it becomes religious, is despoiled of all its powers which it had in nature,—and what is reason here, is not reason there), will be of great effect and power against sin, and be an excellent instrument of repentance. But it must be so much, and it must be no more; for penances are like fire and water, good so long as they are made to serve our needs; but when they go beJuv. 6. 365. Ruperti