ADDITIONAL NOTE

The Puritans at the Savoy Conference

The following exception was made by the Puritans at the Savoy Conference against the rubric on Confession and Absolution in the Visitation Office.

1. "For as much as the conditions of sick persons be very various and different, the minister may not only in the Exhortation, but in the Prayer also, be directed to apply himself to the particular condition of the person, as he shall find most suitable to the present occasion, with due regard had both to his spiritual condition and bodily weakness: and that the Absolution may only be recommended to the minister to be used or omitted as he shall see occasion."

2. "That the form of Absolution be declarative and conditional, as I pronounce thee absolved,' instead of 'I absolve thee,' if thou dost truly repent and believe." "

To this the Bishops gave the following reply1. “All which is here desired is already presumed, namely, that the minister shall apply himself to the particular condition of the person; but this must be done according to the rule of prudence and justice, and not according to his pleasure. Therefore, if the sick person shew himself truly penitent, it ought not to be left

to the minister's pleasure to deny him absolution if he desire it. Our Church's direction is according to the 13 canon of the venerable Council of Nice, both here and in the next that follows."

2. "The form of Absolution in the Liturgy is more agreeable to the Scriptures than that which they desire, it being said in St. John xx., whose sins you remit, they are remitted,' not whose sins you pronounce remitted'; and the condition needs not to be expressed, being always necessarily understood."-Cardwell, Conferences, pp. 331 f.

The Bishops here explain the positive words of Absolution (1) by identifying the "Absolution " of the Minister with the power of "remission " granted by Christ in John xx. to His Church ; and (2) by pointing out that the condition of repentance and faith "needs not to be expressed, being always necessarily understood."

The

In the abortive proposals for revision in 1689, the above Puritan suggestions were revived. American Prayer Book omits altogether the rubric on special Confession and the Absolution. The Irish Prayer Book substitutes "shew his grief for "make a special confession of his sins," and directs the use of the Absolution in the Communion Office at the Visitation of the Sick.

See Fulham Conf. Rep. for instances of the absolute and indicative form as used in the

Lutheran Church. This, Dean Wace observes, does not necessarily involve, especially at the age of the Reformation, any idea of what is usually understood by sacerdotal authority. That form is compatible with the freest and most evangelical proclamation of forgiveness of sins, and, in fact, rests upon that proclamation " (pp. 62 ff.)

Nothing which was said or done with authority in 1661-2, tends in any way to alter or to modify the results of the previous century in the matter of private Confession.

INDEX OF AUTHORS QUOTED

The editions referred to are placed in square brackets. P.S
denotes the Parker Society's edition.

AMBROSE, ST., 340-97. While Prefect of Liguria was chosen
Abp. of Milan, and was both baptized and consecrated
(eight days later) in 374. [Ed. Bened. Venet. 1748.]
AQUINAS, ST. THOS., 1224-74. "Doctor Angelicus."

The

most notable of the Schoolmen. Joined the Dominicans.
Taught in Paris and Rome. [Ed. Bened. Venet. 1596.]
AUGUSTINE, ST., 354-430. Bp of Hippo. His theology
largely influenced the Reformers. [Gaume.]

BALE, JOHN, 1495-1563. Educated at the Carmelite Monas-
tery, Norwich, and at Jesus College, Cambridge. Vicar
of Thorndon, Suffolk. Fled to Germany, 1540. Bp. of
Ossory, 1552. With difficulty escaped the attacks of the
Roman Catholics. Made Preb. of Cant. under Elizabeth.
[P.S.]

BASIL, ST.," The Great," 329-79. Bp. of Caesarea in Cappa-
docia. [Ed. Bened. Paris, 1721-30.]
BECON, THOMAS, 1511-67. Jesus Coll. Camb.

Influenced by

Latimer. When Master Stafford read, and Master
Latimer preached, then was Cambridge indeed blessed."
In earlier writings holds tenets which he afterwards
rejected. Rector of St. Stephen, Walbrook, and preacher
in Cant. Cathedral. Said to have lectured in Divinity at
Oxf. Fellow-prisoner with Bradford under Mary. Re-
tired to Strasburgh. Under Eliz. made Vicar of Ch. Ch.,
Newgate St. A voluminous writer and popular preacher.
[P.S.]
BEDE, "The Venerable," c. 673-735. Studied in the
monasteries of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow. The father
of English Church History. King Alfred translated his
history into Anglo-Saxon. [Migne, Patrol. vol. xc.-xcv.]
BELLARMINE, CARDINAL, 1542-1621. Jesuit and polemical
writer of the Roman Ch. Taught in Louvain, Ghent and
Rome. Abp. of Capua. The champion of Rome against
the Protestants in the 16th century. [Paris, 1608.]