upon the Epi/fle of J A M 1 s. make ir jufily o~io1.1s: 'T1s trraa,fli~41~ dangero~ eo the fecuri~y and peace of Prtn(;e~, betray!~ g he,r counfeJ~ ; 11Jjmnr;111 and ·ha– ft.ar-dom ro All Men, i k~ow they talk of the Seal of ConfeJ/ion • But let a man in Rome, or Spain, <;onfefs bu an ill thought of the' Court of Rome, or any jufi fcruple of the Vanities there pr,ofelfed, and by bitcer experieo<;e tbey will finde f how foon this Seal is f FI~rtfls t{i broken open, and t efetre~s of confefsion divulged. Befide, ~cis crimen quod profa,.u, as appeareth by the fil~hyand immodefi quefiions.enjoyg~~ ;7 t co~tfefll• to be put by theCo'-'ftffariH4,memion"ed in 'Burcht4tdH4,:Sanchc;;., 'a· and others. Secondly, We are not againfi all Confi.!flan, as fhe Papifis £lander us,. befides that to God : We hold m~ny forts of Confefsion~ ne– ceflarybe:fore-men; As, l· SoriJt pu~/ict, ~qd (p b),the Chur~b in ordinary or extrao dinary Humilj;lt_ion: Lcvit. 16. 21. The CofJgYegiJltion \\7.u to confe(s t-heir fins ovrr th~ head of the facri– fiee. SoNthtm. 9· 3• One p~trt of rhe day they re~td. the Law, the other p~trt they confef{ed. Thus, py the Church. So alfo, To the Church, and that either, I. Before enterance and arlmiffion, in which they did folemnly difclaim the impurities of their form~r life, profeffing to walk fuitably to their new engagement for time to come: Matth. 3• 6./TheJ Were ~apti~ed of him, confeffing their fins. So alfo ilieApofiles, in rec-eiving Mempers into the Church, rfquire~:J..t1leprofeffion of Faith :tqd Repenta[l~e, though thc-re was)not that fcrupulous ~nd narrow prying into their heart~ and confciences, wb{ch fome praCl:ife; as 'fohn did not take a par– ticular confeffion from every one of that multitude, ·cwas impof– fible. So ACls 19. 18. AtJd 'PMnJ that beleeved, CQnfeJfed and foewed their deeds : that is, folemnly difavowed their former lift!! and pracl:ice. Or, 2. Vp,on publique[candals after admiffion, for · of fecret things the Church judgeth not ; but thofe fcandalous ach, being faults againfl: the Church, can . e remittedby the Minifier alone, . the offence being publique' o was the confefsion and ac– knowledgment to b'e publique, he Apo!He faith of the incefiu"' ous Corinthia;J, that hi& punifhme t Wao in~;aed bJ man), 2 Cor. 2. 6. And he biddethTimothy, .Ra uke open jinners in t.he face of all, 1 Tim. 5•.2.8. which Aquinao referreth to Ecdefiallical Difci– pline: Now this was to .be done, -[Jardy for the finners fake, that he might be brought to the more lhame and convid:ion ; and part– ly becaufe of them without, that the community of the faithful Gggg ~ might
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