Reply. But the question is whether he show himself truly penitent or not. If we have not here neither, a judgment of discretion, for the conduct of our own actions, What do we with reason? Why are we trusted in the Office? and, Whose judgment must we follow? The Bishop cannot have leisure to become the Judge whether this man be penitent. It must then be the Minister, or the man himself; And must we absolve every man that saith he repenteth? Then we must believe an incredible profession, which is against reason: Some are known Infidels, and in their health profess that they believe not the Scripture to be true, and make a mock at Jesus Christ; and perhaps, in a sickness, that they apprehend no danger in, will send for the Minister in scorn, to say [I repent] and force him to absolve them, that they may deride him, and the Gospel. Some of us have known too many of those that have for twenty, or thirty years been common drunkards, seldom sober a week together, and still say when they came to themselves, that they were sorry for it, and did unfeignedly repent; and as they said in health, so they said in sickness, dying with in a few days or weeks after they were last drunk: must we absolve all these? Some dye with a manifest hatred of an Holy Life, reviling at those that are careful to please God; yet saying, they hate them not as holy, but because they are all Hypocrites, or the like: And yet will say, they repent of their sins. Some forbear not their accustomed swearing and cursing while they profess repentance. Some make no restitution for the wrong which they say they repent of: And must we take all these for truly penitent? If not; the Minister must judge. What you mean by your saying, (Our Churches direction is according to the 13th Canon of the venerable Council of Nice, both here and in the next that follows) we know not: the second Council of Nice you cannot mean (its Can. being uncertain) and the 13th is of no such sense. And the 13th Can. of the first Council of Nice, is only, that lapsed Catechumens shall be 3, years inter and jentes before they pray again with the Catechumens. ⟨p. 142⟩This shows they then took not up with every word of seeming penitence as true repentance, but what it is to your purpose we know not, nor is here any other Can. in that Council for you: The 11th Can. is sufficiently against you.
Reply. But the question is whether he shew himself truly penitent or not. If we have not here neither, a judgment of discretion, for the conduct of our own actions, What do we with reason? Why are we trusted in the Office? and, Whose judgment must we follow? The Bishop cannot have leisure to become the Judge whether this man be penitent. It must then be the Minister, or the man himself; And must we absolve every man that saith he repenteth? Then we must believe an incredible profession, which is against reason: Some are known Infidels, and in their health profess that they believe not the Scripture to be true, and make a mock at Jesus Christ; and perhaps, in a sickness, that they apprehend no danger in, will send for the Minister in scorn, to say [I repent] and force him to absolve them, that they may deride him, and the Gospel. Some of us have known too many of those that have for twenty, or thirty years been common drunkards, seldom sober a week together, and still say when they came to themselves, that they were sorry for it, and did unfeignedly repent; and as they said in health, so they said in sickness, dying with in a few daies or weeks after they were last drunk: must we absolve all these? Some dye with a manifest hatred of an Holy Life, reviling at those that are carefull to please God; yet saying, they hate them not as holy, but because they are all Hypocrites, or the like: And yet will say, they repent of their sins. Some forbear not their accustomed swearing and cursing while they profess repentance. Some make no restitution for the wrong which they say they repent of: And must we take all these for truly penitent? If not; the Minister must judge. What you mean by your saying, (Our Churches direction is according to the 13th Canon of the venerable Council of Nice, both here and in the next that follows) we know not: the second Council of Nice you cannot mean (its Can. being uncertain) and the 13th is of no such sense. And the 13th Can. of the first Council of Nice, is only, that lapsed Catechumens shall be 3, years inter and ientes before they pray again with the Catechumens. ⟨p. 142⟩This shews they then took not up with every word of seeming penitence as true repentance, but what it is to your purpose we know not, nor is here any other Can. in that Council for you: The 11th Can. is sufficiently against you.
