They argue from those words of the apostle, "Ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him," &c.; (2 Cor. ii. 7, &c. ;) in short: "The apostle gave indulgence; so may the pope." There is enough in the text to answer their allegation. For example: (1.) Paul never limited a time for his repentance, that it must be so many days or years. (2.) Paul took no price to pay his debt out of the Corinthians' works of super-erogation. (3.) The penitent gave no money for his indulgence. And, (4.) (Which is more than all the rest,) He saith, "To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also." (Verse 10.) This is no-way to be endured, that the pope hath no more power to forgive any thing than other priests: * I doubt not but, rather than yield that, they will let go that text.

Another text [which] they urge is, "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." (Col. i. 24.) Upon which they say, that Paul satisfied for the sins of other believers; and by this means did contribute to the enriching [of] the church's treasury of satisfactions, which the pope disposeth of by indulgences. But this is presupposing their opinion, not proving of it. They grant our exposition of the text to be right :-(1.) That Paul's afflictions are "the afflictions of Christ;" that is, he suffered them for Christ, for the name of the Lord. (2.) They made up the last part of the apostle's task, being the remainder of the afflictions [which] he had to sustain. (3.) They contain an illustrious evidence of his gratitude toward the Lord; that, as Christ had suffered for his salvation, he suffered in his order for the glory of his gracious Master.† So that here is not a word of satisfactions or treasury or indulgences.

Another text [that] they urge is, "That your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: (2 Cor. viii. 14 :) as if he had said [that] the church of Jerusalem was poor, and abounded in merit; the church of Corinth was rich, and wanted merit. Take but the plain meaning of the text, and that will rescue it from such an abuse :-The Corinthians received the gospel from some of the Jewish church; and therefore they ought to relieve their necessities.

Beside their wresting of scripture, they argue from that article of the Creed, "The communion of saints: "Therefore those that neither do nor suffer what they ought for themselves, are to be supplied out of what others have done and suffered more than they need." Is not this a consequence of the largest size? May they not by such arguing prove every thing out of any thing? Briefly: the church is called a "communion of saints" because, (1.) They are all members of one mystical body. (2.) All the benefits of Christ are communicated to every believer they are all called, justified, sanctified, saved. (3.) They are to do all offices of charity one for another, while in this world. what is all this to works of super-erogation? Let this suffice for this first particular; and the rather, because the proof of the rest will also prove this. Therefore,

But

2. Indulgences are a novelty.-The ancient church neither knew nor • CHEMNITII Exam. Conc. Trid. p. 714, &c. † DAILLE in loc. pp. 120, 121.

practised any such thing. That they may not say [that] we slander them, hear their own authors. Cajetan, who was employed both as legate and champion against Luther, begins thus: "If certainty could be had concerning the beginning of indulgences, it would help us to search out the truth: but because no written authority, either of the holy scripture or of the ancient Greek or Latin doctors, hath brought this to our knowledge; but this only, from three hundred years ;—it is written concerning the ancient fathers, that blessed Gregory instituted the stationary indulgences," &c.* Which should we grant, (though let them tell us where to find it in his writings,) it would not prove them very ancient. And Roffensis himself, as that Italian quotes him,† (for I have him not by me,) acknowledgeth that till people were frighted with (the bugbear of) purgatory, nobody minded indulgences; and that he likewise acknowledgeth to be but of late years. To convince those of novelty who slander us with it, I will give you a brief historical account of them, how they crept in, and to what a monstrous height they rose, till they were so top-heavy that their fall broke off several branches of that tree which overspread the western churches. (Dan. iv. 11, &c.)

The discipline of the ancient church was such, that they did neither lightly nor suddenly re-admit unto communion those that denied the faith or sacrificed to idols in time of persecution, or those that at any time fell into heresy or any other scandalous wickedness, till the church was satisfied in the truth of their repentance. To evidence which, they required such public, visible testimonies, such as, they judged, might most probably speak the grief of their heart for sin, the seriousness of their desire of reconciliation, and their full purpose of amendment. The manner of their repentance was thus, as Nicephorus relates it: "After it was looked upon as burdensome for the offender to confess his fault publicly as upon a theatre, they chose a minister that was holy, prudent, and secret, to whom those that had offended might open their case, and receive directions what to do, that their sin might be pardoned. The Novatians took no care of this matter: for they refused to communicate with those that denied the faith in the persecution of Decius; and it is said [that] this rite was instituted for their sake, that they might be restored upon their repentance. There was a certain place appointed for the penitents, where they stood with a dejected countenance, greatly bewailing their sin, till what they might not partake of was ended; and then they threw themselves at his feet that administered. Then he that was appointed to direct them, ran to them, and, mourning with them, lay down upon the ground; and the whole multitude of the church stood about them, with many tears lamenting over them. Then the minister rose up, and bade the penitents to rise, and, praying for them as the matter required, dismissed them. Then every one betook himself to what was enjoined him,-to macerate themselves by fastings and watchings and frequent prayers and abstinence from delights; which when they had performed, they were received into communion. This they did, to keep the ordinances pure, and the church from reproach. But I think," saith he, "that the church is fallen from that ancient, + POLYDORUS VIRGILIUS De

• CAJETANI Opusc. tom. i. tract. xv. cap. i. p. 46. Rerum Inventoribus, lib. viii. cap. 11, p. (mihi) 613.

venerable gravity, and hath by little and little departed from that accurate discipline."

The church prescribed rules for repentance according to the variety of offences; some for the space of several days, others for several years, and others during life; allowing the bishop to abate or add to the time enjoined, as he saw occasion. It was judged convenient in all cases to try their repentance; and if the penitents did, by their fear and patience and tears and good works, demonstrate the unfeignedness of their conversion, they were to be more gently dealt with. But they, as wise physicians, still imposed fit remedies; namely, humbling exercises to the vain-glorious, silence to the babblers, watching to the sluggards, hard labour to the slothful, fasting to the gluttonous, &c.§ And in those things that were imposed, we are not so much to consider the length of the time, as the depth of the grief; such as may satisfy the church (pray, mark that it is the church) in the truth of their repentance ; not God's justice, so that they might challenge a pardon. || We are firmly to believe that the purging away of sin is done by the blood of Christ, through the greatness of God's mercy and the multitude of his compassions. But they were only enormous sinners upon whom the ancient church imposed severities, to evidence the truth of their repentance. Let Augustine speak for all, who mentions a threefold repentance:

:

**

"The first before baptism; which is conversion; when a man repents of his former course of life, and gives up himself to live in newness of life and upon these they imposed no ecclesiastical censures." (Cap. 1.) "The second was a daily repentance; and for sins of daily incursion we are taught to pray, Forgive us our trespasses,' &c.: of these the church took no notice." (Cap. 2.) "But there is a more grievous and mournful repentance; in the managing of which, offenders are properly called 'penitents:' this is a grievous thing, but that the Almighty Physician can cure such. But, O my beloved," saith he, "let no man propose this kind of repentance unto himself: if he have fallen, let him not despair; but let no man venture upon sin in hopes of repentance." (Cap. 3.)

So that you may see, that whoever will be at the pains to compare the satisfactions of the Papists with the satisfactions of the ancients, they will find them far different. In short: "They never used them as necessary for the pardon of sin; neither did they hold that these satisfactions must be made in this life or endured in purgatory: which two things if you take away, you overthrow the tables of indulgence-sellers. But they enjoined them, (1.) That the name of God might not be blasphemed among the Heathen; as if the church were a receptacle of Belialists, where they might sin with impunity. (2.) That they might not partake of other men's sins. (3.) That others might not be in

• NICEPHORI Hist. Eccles. lib. xii. cap. 28, p. 279, et seqq. ↑ Decret. GRATIANI, tom. ii. Canones Pænit. p. 2053, et seqq.; Concilium Ancyranum, can. 4-7, 20-22, &c. in Concil. BINIO edit. tom. i. p. 275, et seqq. Concilium Nicanum, can. 12, 13, ibid. p. 343. § BASILIUS, tom. ii. Regulæ fusiùs disput. respons. ad interrog. 50, p. 601. || AUGUSTINI Enchiridion, cap. 65, tom. (mihi) iii. p. 230. BASILIUS, ibid. Regula Breviores, respons. ad interrog. 10, p. 627. ** AUGUSTINUS De Utilt. Pænitent. tom. ix. p. 1284, et seqq.

fected; for sin is a catching disease.

(4.) That offenders might be more feelingly convinced of the greatness of their sin. (5.) That they might do what was possible to pull-up sin by the roots," &c.* Whereas the Papists now [act] as the degenerate church of Israel formerly: "They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity." (Hosea iv. 8.) The patrons of indulgences look at their gain. The ancients, when they absolved their penitents, exhorted them to sin no more, but to bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life; they put them upon the exercise of the contrary virtues : but there is nothing of this in Papal indulgences. In a word the ancients carried on a design of heavenly interest in their severities; and the Papists, of earthly in their indulgences.

:

But the severities of the ancients were by degrees mollified. Our learned countryman gives us the canons of a council, in the year 786; where, in the last canon, it is decreed "that if any one died without penance and confession, he should not be at all prayed for."+ (Where then were indulgences, as since granted?) But he gives us the canon of another council, in the year 967. Where the council closeth the penitential canons with four concerning the penance of noblemen, (they say expressly in the last canon, that poor men are not to have any such privilege,) there they give this direction for him that is enjoined seven years' fasting: Let him," say they, "for three days have twelve companions to fast with him; that is, to eat nothing but bread and water and herbs; and let him somewhere else get seven times one hundred and twenty men, to fast every one for him for those three days: and so he will fast so many fasting-days as there are in the whole seven years."‡ But if yet this be too much, they may have relief by the provision before made for those that are sick. Is it not enough to make a great man sick, to put him upon three days' fasting? Which if it do, "for one penny he may buy off a day's fasting; and for thirty shillings, a year's fasting."§ Is not this fair? But yet this comes not near the later markets. But I must not multiply particulars: when they had churches to build, hospitals to endow, bridges to repair, or the like; then indulgences were granted, to fetch-in money. And even then, while these good works were proposed, Gregory IX. decrees "that the alms-gatherers appointed be modest and discreet persons; that they lodge not in taverns or unfitting places; that they be not profuse in their expenses," &c. "Because," saith he, (pray mark his words,)" by the indiscreet and superfluous indulgences which some are not afraid to grant, the keys of the church are contemned, and penitential satisfaction is enervated; "|| and therefore he set limits to the granting of them.

But notwithstanding all the little checks [which] they met with, they were more freely granted in the year of jubilee. In the year 1300, Boniface VIII. instituted a jubilee every hundredth year; wherein he granted not only a full, but "a most full, pardon of all sins, to all those that in such a time shall visit the churches of the prince of the apostles at Rome."¶ To me the beginning of the Bull seems considerCHEMNITII Exam. Conc. Trid. p. 725, et seqq. Brit. in Conc. Calchuth. can. 20, p. 300. p. 474, &c. § Ibid. can. 18, p. 473. GREG. lib. v. tit. xxxviii. cap. 14, p. 1874. VOL. VI.

Y

† SIR HENRY SPELMAN's Concil. Idem, Canones dati sub Edgaro rege, Decret. GRATIANI, tom. iii. Decret, ¶ Bullarium Magnum, tem. i. p. 204.

able, that grounds it upon a report that great indulgences were granted (though nobody knows when nor where) to the visitors of those churches. Well, but though there never was any such thing before, yet, now [that] this easy way of pardon is broached, it is pity the time should be so seldom. Clement VI., therefore, in the year 1350, upon the prayers of the people of Rome, reduced the jubilee to every fiftieth year; and for so doing, he doth not go upon report, but founds it upon the law of Moses.* Urban VI. reduced it to thirty-three years:† and Paul II. gives the reason of it; namely, he providently considered [that] men do not live so long as formerly, and desired that very many more might receive benefit by them, &c. Which when he hath done, as also [shown] how that reduction was confirmed by Martin V. and Nicholas V., he then expresseth his greater kindness in reducing the jubilee to every twenty-fifth year.‡ And Alexander VI., in the year 1500, enlarged the jubilee to those that could not, or neglected to, come to Rome.§

And thus I have (though with omitting more than I have expressed) brought them down to Leo X., who exercised such an excessive power in this matter, that "there is not," saith Ranchin, "a good Catholic but is sorry for it." Take the matter of fact from that excellent historian Thuanus; who wrote only the "History of his own Time," and therefore might well be more exact. "In the year 1515, Leo X., a man giving himself to all licentiousness, by the instigation of cardinal Lorenzo Puccio, a turbulent man, to whom he ascribed too much,—that he might from all parts scrape up money for his vast expenses, he sent his Bulls of indulgences through all the kingdoms of the (Papal) Christian world; wherein he promised the expiation of all sins, and eternal life: and there was a price set, what every one should pay, according to the grievousness of his sin. To which end he appointed collectors and treasuries throughout the provinces; adding to them preachers, to recommend to the people the greatness of the benefit. These, by sermons artificially composed, and by pamphlets openly published, immoderately extolled the efficacy of these indulgences. These Bulls were executed with too much licentiousness in many places, but especially in Germany; where those that farmed them from the pope did lavish out their power of drawing souls out of purgatory, shamelessly spending it every day in whorehouses and taverns, at dice and most filthy uses."¶

I shall forbear to insist upon the abominable expressions of those that preached up these indulgences; such as this, namely, that "there is no sin so great, but that if a man should (which is impossible) deflower the mother of God, he might by indulgences be pardoned both fault and punishment." Chemnitius mentions several stories, to whom I refer you; ** and [I] shall somewhat more largely acquaint you with the very words of some of the 66 Hundred Grievances of the princes of the Roman empire, assembled at Nuremberg, in the years 1522 and 1523. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth Grievances are under the title of "The Burdens of Papal Indulgences."

• CIACONII Vita Pontif. p. 903. pp. 401, 402.

† Idem, p. 998. § CIACONII Vitæ Pontif. p. 1343. Trent," lib. v. cap. 1, p. 249. Exam. Conc. Trid. pp. 744, 745.

Bullar. Mag. tom. i. "Review of the Council of • CHEMNITI

THUANI Hist. lib. i. p. 13.