A14227:204
An answer to a challenge madeAn ansvver to a challenge made
An answer to a challenge made by a Jesuit in Ireland Wherein the judgement of antiquity in the points questioned is truly delivered, and the novelty of the now romish doctrine plainly discovered. By James Usher Bishop of Meath.An ansvver to a challenge made by a Iesuite in Ireland Wherein the iudgement of antiquity in the points questioned is truely delivered, and the noveltie of the now romish doctrine plainly discovered. By Iames Vssher Bishop of Meath.
Dublin: printed by the Society of Stationers and Eliot's Court Press, 1624Dublin: printed by the Societie of Stationers and Eliot's Court Press, 1624
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But with the matter of penance we have not here to deal: those formal absolutions and pardons of course, immediately granted upon the hearing of mens confessions, ⟨p. 159⟩is that which we charge the Romish Priests to have learned from the Audian heretics. kSome require penance to this end, that they might presently have the communion restored unto them: these men desire, not so much to loose themselves, as to bind the Priest; saith S. Ambrose. If this be true, that the Priest doth bind himself, by his hasty and unadvised loosing of others: the case is like to go hard with our Popish Priests, who ordinarily in bestowing their absolutions, use to make more hast then good speed. Wherein, with how little judgement they proceed, who thus take upon them the place of Judges in mens consciences, may sufficiently appear by this: that whereas the main ground, whereupon they would build the necessity of Auricular confession, and the particular enumeration of all known sins, is pretended to be this, that the ghostly Father having taken notice of the cause may judge righteous judgement, and discern who should be bound and who should be loosed, the matter yet is so carried in this court of theirs, that every man commonly goeth away with his absolution, and all sorts of people usually receive one and the self same judgement. lIf thou separate the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: saith the Lord. Whose mouth then may we hold them to be, who seldom put any difference between these, and make it their ordinary practise to pronounce the same sentence of absolution aswell upon the one as upon the other?
But with the matter of penance we have not here to deale: those formal absolutions and pardons of course, immediately granted upon the hearing of mens confessions, ⟨p. 159⟩is that which wee charge the Romish Priests to have learned from the Audian hereticks. kSome require penance to this end, that they might presently have the communion restored unto them: these men desire, not so much to loose themselves, as to binde the Priest; saith S. Ambrose. If this be true, that the Priest doth binde himselfe, by his hastie and unadvised loosing of others: the case is like to go hard with our Popish Priests, who ordinarily in bestowing their absolutions, use to make more hast then good speed. Wherein, with how little judgement they proceed, who thus take upon them the place of Iudges in mens consciences, may sufficiently appeare by this: that whereas the maine ground, whereupon they would build the necessitie of Auricular confession, and the particular enumeration of all knowne sinnes, is pretended to be this, that the ghostly Father having taken notice of the cause may judge righteous judgement, and discerne who should be bound and who should be loosed, the matter yet is so carried in this court of theirs, that everie man commonly goeth away with his absolution, and all sorts of people usually receive one and the selfe same iudgement.