The History of the Confessional

The Errors of the Latin Vulgate, and the greater Errors of the
Doway Version of the Bible shown in forty-two Texts arranged in tab-
ular Form, along with the original Hebrew and Greek, the corrected
Version of the Roman Theologians Pagnini and Montanus, and our
own English Version.—A critical Examination of the Terms of Scrip-
ture.--The glaring Dishonesty of the Roman Translation.......

CHAPTER V.

The Roman Doctrine of Sacramental Absolution tested by Scrip-

ture.—No Trace of such a System in the Old Testament.--Extract

from Buxtorf, showing the Practice of the Jews.-Examination of the

Texts in the New Testament, on which the Romanists rely.

The

Power of the Keys as exhibited in the Apostolic Administration.-

The Result shown to be totally irreconcilable with the Romish Doc-

trine....

Page 63

CHAPTER VI.

The Roman Doctrine of Satisfaction tested by Scripture.—Their

Arguments examined and shown to be opposed to the true Tenor of

the Word of God...

CHAPTER VII.

The Testimony of the Fathers.--System of the primitive Church.-

Tertullian on public Penitence.-Cyprian.—Lactantius.—The Peni-

tential Canons of the Council of Elvira, and of the Council of Nice.

Eusebius of Cesarea.-Athanasius.--Cyril of Jerusalem.-Hilary.-

Basil the Great.-Gregory Nazianzen.-All, more or less, in entire

Discordance with the modern Roman System.

... 93

CHAPTER VIII.

Testimony of Ambgość; bishop of Milan, on the public and private

Exercise of Penitence toward the Close of the fourth Century.

The

Mode of performing private Penitence.—The Mode of performing

public Penitence. The Absolution given by the Priesthood when the

Offender was réstored to the Communion. The general Results of the

Divipe:Correction and Discipline to the penitent Sinner.-Epiphanius.

-Jeronie: - The Roman Scholiast on Jerome states the Opinion of

Erasmus in our Favor.:

109

CHAPTER IX.

Testimony of Augustin in plain Opposition to the modern Roman

System.—Some Passages indicate, nevertheless, the Decline of the an-

cient Strictness, and the Symptoms of an approaching Change.--Proof

from this Father that the Church had already innovated in many Re-

spects upon the primitive Simplicity..

119

CHAPTER X.

Testimony of Socrates and of Sozomen, the ecclesiastical Historians,

with respect to the Abolition of the Office of penitentiary Priest in the

Church of Constantinople.--Chrysostom.-Prosper...

134

CHAPTER XI.

Leo the Great.-A Change made by his Authority in Favor of Se-
cret Confession.—Gregory the Great.-- The Change advanced consid-
erably, but many salutary and true Opinions delivered by this Pope,

CONTENTS.

intended to regulate and restrain the priestly Power.Forms of Ab-

solution from the Sacramentary of Gregory.—Isidore Hispalensis in

strong Contrast with the modern Roman System..

Page 142

CHAPTER XII.

Forms of Confession in the old Ordo Romanus.—Confession of St.

Isidore.-Confession of Rotbert.-Confession of St. Fulgentius.—Form

of Absolution by the Priest.—Another Form.-System of the Church

in a transition State, but still very far from modern Romanism.. 151

CHAPTER XIII.

The Roman penitential System from the Bishop of Cambray, Halit-

garius, in the ninth Century.-Forms of Prayer and Absolution.—Pen-

itential Canons still in force.-Great Difference between these and the

present System.-St. Bernard, in the twelfth Century, repeats the Doc-

trine of the old Fathers

156

CHAPTER XIV.

The Councils. - Council of Carthage, A.D. 252. — No canonical
Times of public Penitence yet appointed.—The Council of Elvira be-
gan the System of canonical Periods of Penitence.-The Councils of
Arles and of Nice, with a great Number of others, continued to legis-
late upon the same Subject.—The Penitence laid down by all these
was public.—The Inconsistency of it with the modern System of se-
cret Absolution proved by necessary Implication from many of the
Canons.-The third Council of Carthage.-The fourth Council of Car-
thage. The first Council of Toledo.—The Council of Chalons.---The
Council of Aix-la-Chapelle.—The Constitution of Riculf, bishop of
Soissons.-— The ecclesiastical Laws of King Edgar dictated by Arch-
bishop Dunstan.—Commutation of Penance, giving the Rich many great
Advantages over the Poor in obtaining the Absolution of their Sins.
- The Powers of the Priesthood kept steadily advancing to the Sum-

mit of Authority...

162

CHAPTER XV.

The fourth Council of Lateran, A.D. 1215, passed the great Decree

which compelled all to confess in private and receive Absolution once

a Year, under the Penalty of Excommunication.— The Canons of this

Council set forth at large.–Form of Absolution changed from the old

Language of Prayer to the Indicative, "I absolve thee."--Hugo Me-

nard's Account of the Change-Proof from Thomas Aquinas. The

Institution of Penance as a Sacrament came after this Council. The

Doctrine of Thomas Aquinas on the Subject.—This Doctrine was a

Novelty.—The Practice of the Oriental Churches stated.-Morinus,

with many other Romanists, admits the Innovation

181

CHAPTER XVI.

T'he Fruits of priestly Despotism shown by priestly Corruption and
Immorality.--The Council of Oxford and others on this Subject.---The

Mode of conducting the Confessional laid down by the Constitution of

Coventry, by the Council of Cognac, the Council of Clermont, the

Council of Cologne, the Council of Exeter, the Council of Toulouse.

-The Scriptures forbidden to the Laity.—The Council of Trent.--

The Council of Milan...

..Page 190

CHAPTER XVII.

Candid Statements of Fleury, the Roman ecclesiastical Historian,
in many Points, corroborating the Views of the Author.- The Cor-
ruption of the Church consequent upon the Decline of the ancient Sys-

tem.—Gregory the Seventh.—The Crusades.—Pilgrimages.—Indul-

gences.—The Mischief produced by the School Divines. The false

Maxims of the Confessional...

201

CHAPTER XVIII.

The Arguments of Expediency advanced by the Romanists disproved.

–First, by the comparative Superiority of Protestant over Papal Coun-

tries.-Secondly, by the Jesuit System, in which the Confessional was

made to indulge all Sorts of Immorality.—That System shown from

Pascal's Provincial Letters. — The Jesuits a fair Example for the

whole practical Results of Romanism..

213