Rogers

tion in such private and special counsel, with one who was both minister and friend. There is no

inconsistency in this, unless indeed we press Hooker's words beyond what they naturally imply. The following is Walton's account

"About one day before his death, Dr. Saravia, who knew the very secrets of his soul (for they were supposed to be confessors to each other), came to him, and, after a conference of the benefit, the necessity and safety of the Church's Absolution, it was resolved the doctor should give him both that and the Sacrament the day following. To which end the doctor came, and, after a short retirement and privacy, they two returned to the company; and then the doctor gave him, and some of his friends which were with him, the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus. Which being performed, the doctor thought he saw a reverend gaiety and joy in his face." 1

Rogers, like many others, condemns the enumeration of sins. "To confess all sins is impossible, and not enjoined by God." He quotes from various foreign reformed Confessions, and shows that while some of them retain Confession to God in presence of the minister (coram ipsis), yet that the numbering of faults in it is not necessary.

He also quotes from Romish sources various proofs of their enforcing its necessity. One passage must suffice to show the lengths to which this tyranny could lead.

1 Hooker (Church and Paget), i. p. 85.

Among all the sins against the Holy Ghost. one only shall never be forgiven, that is dying without repentance wilfully, called final impenitence. Which sin he committeth that dieth with contempt of the Sacrament of Penance, obstinately refusing Absolution by the Church's Ministry."1

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See also Dean Turner's Old Learning and New, where in the chapter "Of Confession," he treats of the subject on similar lines to those followed by the other Reformers. He observes that Christ set in the Church "teachers," and that such must preach the word both openly and privately," for which purpose he would have the people resort to them, when vexed with temptation. But he condemns the confession of all sins, the recital of circumstances, the compulsion to confess at certain times, and the necessity to consult one's own curate, "whatsoever he be." This writer brings out very clearly the true purpose and benefit of such private ministry.

We can now form some estimate of the opinions of the Reformers on Confession.2 They went to the root of the matter by recognizing the principle that Confession is

1 Test. Rhem. (1582) on Matt. xii. 31, p. 33. See Rogers, 255-58.

2 See Synopsis, p. 108.

Summary of views on Confession

due to the party offended: and that, therefore, while always due to God, it was sometimes due to man as well. This latter might be to an injured neighbour, or to the Church, whose members had been offended, or to the priest as representing that body. But confession of sins, at least when no public scandal or private injury was involved, might be to God alone. Confession to man is not essential to forgiveness, nor yet for a worthy reception of the Sacrament. To use the words of Hooker : For participation in God's holy mysteries every man (should) be left to his own conscience." 1

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The scholastic distinction of mortal and venial sins was abandoned: for although the phrase "deadly sin" survived (as in our Litany and Article XVI.), yet the old distinctions, the old categories, the old hard and fast values, were gone, and new definitions were adopted." For sins that caused scandal, public penance was thought expedient and even necessary: but for lighter faults, and even for graver, which did not come to public ears, a man was left to his own conscience and to God.

Nevertheless, some sort of private confession

1 Hooker, VI. iv. 9.

2 See Additional Note, "Mortal and Venial Sins," p. 205.

cases.

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is almost universally recommended for special It is certainly allowable, it may be useful, where the conscience cannot find peace by the ordinary ministry of reconciliation." That a totally different thing is meant to the popish confessional, is clear from the fact that the old terms "secret and auricular," and "sacramental confession," wholly disappeared. It was to be no longer regarded as in any sense necessary. It is never recommended save as exceptional for special cases. It might be made to a layman as well as to a priest for the essential point was to obtain the counsel of someone learned in God's word. Still the minister was the obvious person to whom men should turn.

Again, no enumeration of all sins was considered necessary or desirable, and the dangerous custom of confession with all circumstances of the sin was wholly discouraged. The conscience was to be probed only as far as necessity required.1

Lastly, the purpose of such confession

1 No one who has had experience of pastoral care will deny, that, in some cases, an evident desire to belittle the fault, or the need of fuller knowledge if helpful guidance is to be given, compels us to probe the wound more deeply. And few, who have had to exercise this discipline, will deny its extreme danger both to pastor and to penitent.

was not to obtain God's pardon, but only the assurance of it through the ministry of the Word. It was for comfort to the anxious conscience, counsel to the troubled mind, and for the strength to amend which was gained by mutual prayer. (See further, on "Absolution.")

Look upon this picture of what the Reformers encouraged, and then on that drawn by Hooker of the doctrine of Rome.

"1. That the only remedy for sin after Baptism is sacramental penitency. 2. That Confession in secret is an essential part thereof. 3. That God Himself cannot now forgive sin without the priest. 4. That, because forgiveness at the hands of the priest must arise from Confession in the offenders, therefore to confess unto him is a matter of such necessity, as being not in deed, or, at the least, in desire performed, excludeth utterly from all pardon, and must consequently in Scripture be commanded wheresoever any promise of forgiveness is made.” 1

Archbishop Benson says, in his work on Cyprian, that the process by which the Roman Church extracts from Cyprian's vague terminology a proof of the primitive character of Auricular Confession to a priest, is "almost incredible juggling."" Still more incredible

1 Hooker, VI. iv. 13.

2 Abp. Benson, Cyprian, p. 98.