The Primer,

1553

schoolmasters to teach." The Forty-two Articles were printed along with it. One of the marks of the Church is said to be "brotherly correction, and excommunication, or banishing those out of the Church that will not mend their lives. This mark the holy Fathers termed discipline." Later we read

"To this Church belong the keys wherewith heaven is locked and unlocked: for that is done by the ministration of the word: whereunto properly appertaineth the power to bind and loose: to hold for guilty, and forgive sins. So that whosoever believeth the Gospel preached in this Church, he shall be saved: but whosoever believeth not, he shall be damned." 1

These words, again, need no comment. They serve to enlarge the evidence of consistent statement, which is so characteristic of these writings. At the same date was published a Primer for private use, in which the Absolution at Matins is inserted but with a prayer directly addressed to God, "I beseech Thee to grant me true repentance, and Thy Holy Spirit." It is also worthy of notice that special sentences of Scripture are first given

1 The King's injunction states that this Catechism was presented to him as written by "a certain godly and learned man": that he committed the examination of it to "certain Bishops": and printed it because it seemed agreeable with the Scriptures and the ordinances of our Realm." It claims to follow the Socratic method as "the plainest way of teaching" Liturgies, Ed. VI. P.S. pp. 493, 513 f.

to be "read, meditated, weighed, and deeply considered" and then the rubric goes on to say,

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from the bottom of thine heart add the confession of thy sins, and the prayer [of Absolution] following."

THE LATIN PRAYER BOOK OF 1560.

No changes affecting Confession and Absolution were Latin made in the Elizabethan Prayer Book (1559). But Prayer Book

Haddon's Latin version of that Prayer Book deserves notice, as it bears the marks of a distinct desire to reverse some of the changes confirmed in that reign. They are so numerous and pronounced as to be evidently not the result of mere carelessness. Haddon's excellent

Ciceronian style " did not serve to much purpose in this version, for he seems often to have blindly followed an older translator of the reign of Edward. Both the Order of the Communion (1548) and the first Prayer Book (1549) were translated into Latin by Alane or Alesius, the Scotch divine, whom Cromwell introduced to the Convocation of 1537 (see p. 215). Though a follower of the new learning," Alesius seems to have followed in some places the older Latin Service books, even where the language had been altered. 2 Haddon intensified the error by taking Alesius as his guide, even where the 1559 book differed substantially from that of 1549.

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Take the Absolution at Communion. It was partly based in 1548 on Hermann's form, Because our Lord Jesus Christ hath left this power to His congregation that it may absolve them from their sins, and restore them into the favour of the heavenly Father, which being repentant I, the minister of Christ and the congregation, declare and pronounce remission of sins, etc." In 1548 it ran

...

1 Ibid. p. 382 f.

2 Procter, Hist. Bk. of Com. Pr. pp. 67f. (1892). Procter and Frere, pp. 116 f.

of 1560

Proposed changes in 1562

thus, "Our blessed Lord, who hath left power to His Church to absolve. have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you," etc.

Alesius' translation is " 'qui suam potestatem dedit Ecclesiae ut absolvat": where the substitution of suam for hanc (Hermann) is without warrant, as Mr. Clay points out. But the error became greater when this was left by Alesius as a translation of the 1549 form ;Qui suam potestatem dedit Ecclesiae, etc.," then standing for the present words, Who hath promised forgiveness, etc." Haddon perpetuated this and other inaccuracies. Again, the rubric advising " special confession" is worded with distinct leaning to the older practice. "Si aegrotus sentit suam conscientiam gravatam esse aliqua de re, de illa sacerdoti privatim confiteatur." The point of privacy is not mentioned in the English rubric, nor is the confession limited to the priest. It is intended to specify what had been left general.

It is still more surprising to find reservation for the sick enjoined, in which matter Alesius truly followed the use of 1549; but Haddon had no right whatever to retain it in 1560. Even the previous General Confession and Absolution are ordered without "the Comfortable Sentences of Scripture (1549), so characteristic of the best and most learned teaching of that day.

1562. Cardwell refers to an interesting paper in the Petyt collection of MSS., which supplements the history of the memorable Convocation of 1562, to which the Church of England owes her Thirty-nine Articles, Second Book of Homilies, and Nowell's Catechism. Strype says

"These things are but shortly set down in the Acts of this Synod: but they will be greatly illustrated and

1 Liturgical Services, Qu. Eliz. P.S. p. xxviii.

explained by the following notable paper with marginal notes, some writ by the Archbishop himself, some by others. But who the composer of the paper was, I cannot say."

There is no evidence to show that it passed Convocation, but it is clear that it came under the eye of Parker, whose notes suggest a general approval.

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It is entitled, "General notes of matters to be moved by the clergy in the next Parliament and Synod," and the following bold suggestion for the better discipline of the laity was made. It was suggested that every one old enough to communicate should offer himself once a year to be examined ... to his parson, vicar, or curate, whether he can say by heart the Articles of his faith, the X. Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer, upon pain to be excommunicated ipso facto." Before Absolution was given, certain fines for the poor were to be paid. The said parsons, moreover, were to attend certain days to hold examinations, and were to "take occasion to give some private godly admonitions," where faults were known. This was discipline indeed, especially as those unable to satisfy the examiners might not be allowed to marry.

Then follows a most significant caution, "What priest soever, under colour hereof, shall practise auricular confession, shall be deprived of all his livings, and deposed from the ministry." The severity of the proposal, even though not carried,

Second Book

shows that "auricular confession," as distinct from "opening of grief," and "private godly admonition," was regarded by many as forbidden in the Church of England. What was desired and encouraged by this proposed order was an increase of confidential intercourse between priest and people: but there was a fear lest (to use the words of Bullinger, p. 126) "private absolution, and after this auricular confession should creep in." 1

This was the year (1562) when The Apology of the Church of England by Jewel appeared. We have already noted its teaching.

1563. In this year, which witnessed the close of Homilies, of the Council of Trent, three important documents 1563 were published: (1) The Thirty-nine Articles, (2) The Second Book of Homilies, (3) Dean Nowell's Catechism. We have examined various passages in Nowell, and no changes affecting this doctrine were made in the Articles. It remains for us to notice

The Second Book of Homilies.

In the Homily " Of Common Prayer and Sacraments the number of sacraments is discussed.

"As for the number of them, if they should be considered according to the exact signification of a sacrament. . . there be but two: namely, Baptism and the

1 Cardwell, Synodalia, ii. pp. 495-512. For the contrast from Mary's reign, when Pole was Archbishop, see p. 452, Articuli de Doctrina.