Here foloweth the memoriall .

AFter that the penitent hath vttered the generall confession , before he enter into the perticuler rehersall of his offences , let hym accuse him selfe of these foure thinges folowing .

First for that he came to this sacrament , not prepared as he ought to bée : and for not vsinge sufficient diligence in the examinacion of his conscience .

Secondly , let him accuse himselfe bicause he hath not such sorow & repentaunce for his offences : and bicause he hath not that firme & ful intent to leaue them as is requisite .

Thirdly , for that he did not receue the dreadfull sacrament of the aulter with that puritie of conscience and deuotion as was conuenient : and for that after communion he was not so sober as he should haue béene .

Fourthly , let him blame himselfe , for not hauing trayuayled diligently in the amendment of his lyfe : and for not procedinge and profeting dayly in vertue & seruice of GOD : but rather to haue continewed still in one kinde of lasie slouthfulnesse , and perchaunce to haue reuoulted backwarde . After this , he may begin to accuse him selfe according to the direction that ensueth .

Towards God .

TOwardes God we ought to haue these thrée theologicall vertues which are Faith , Hope , and Charitie . In euery of these he maye accuse him selfe as foloweth .

Concerning charitie , for not hauing loued God , wyth all his harfe , and with hys soule , as was bounde to doe : But hath setled his affection in the disordered loue of creatures , and of the vanitie of this worlde , forgettinge his creator altogether .

Concerning fayth , for not beleueing so firmely as hée ought : And for not endeuoring speedely to repell , vayne thoughts and suggestions of the Dyuell tending to destroy or to weaken his fayth .

Concerning charytie , let hym blame hym selfe , if in any hys trobles gréefes or necessities , he hath not reposed his sure hope & confidence in his sauiour and if hee hath labored ouer earnestly with his body and mynde to bée ridde of his miserie : For that it pr●céedth of lytle hope .

Concerning the puritie of intention . For not performing the seruice of God , for the onely respect of his loue as in dutye hée was bounde : But for that hée hath done it somtymes for hys priuate auayle , somtymes for a custome , somtymes bycause they were conformable to his disiers &c.

He shoulde likewise accuse him self to haue béene slowe in aunswering the diuine inspirations of God , often resisting the worke of the holy Ghost , this is a very spirituall and secret sore , worthy alway to sticke in our conscience .

In lyke naner for beinge ingratefull towards the benefites of god : and for not rendring vnto him due thanks therefore , and for that he hath not endeuoured to serue and loue more earnestly the giuer of al goodnesse .

Like wyse let him accuse himselfe , to haue forgotten his Lord , banishing him often times out of his harte : Whereas hée ought to haue hym alwayes presente and fixed before his eyes .

Concerninge patience in aduersitie , let him bethinke hymselfe if he hath not ( perchaunce ) abidden pacient●ye , the scourge that god hath sent him , & hath nor receiued it méekely at his hands as a medecin , nor hath not thanked hym therefore .

Further for that hee hath not exhibited dewe deuotion to the sacred places , nor at the tyme of masse to the holy function done there . Nor to the most blessed sacrament .

Towardes himselfe .

A Man hath in hym many parts , he hath a body with all hys members and sences , a soule with all his appetites , and a spirit wyth all hys poweres , that is vnderstanding , memory , and wil : and so may transgresse the rule and order he ought to obserue in euery of these

First then let hym accuse him selfe , for not dealing wyth his body , wyth such rigour and seuerytie as was conuenient , as well in meate , drinke , apparell and sleape , as in al other things : Yea , for cheareshinge hys bodye two delycately , and for beinge ouer fauourable to himselfe .

For not restraining his imagination and other sences orderly : But rather wilfullye to suffer them to wander abrod , hearing , séeing , speaking , and imagining , sundrie idle and friuolus toyes , al which after resorting agayne vnto thy memory , doe cause him to be distracted in his prayers .

Let him also accuse himselfe , for not hauing mortified his appetites , nor wrastled with his will so violently as hee myght haue done , yea , for the folowing and fulfilling thereof in euery degrée : And for that he is not so humble in hart and déed as is requisite : and for that hée doeth not accoumpt hymselfe so vyle and cwretched as hée is in dede , and therefore handleth not him selfe in such order as he best deserueth .

Lastly for that he is dull and neglygent in his prayers , sometymes intermitting them altogither , to folowe some vayne trifle or peuish businesse .

Towards his neighbour .

FIrst let him blame himselfe , for not bearing to his neighbour such affection as hee ought : for not releuing his néede with such fauour and belpe as he coulde and shoulde : For not hauing due compassion of his miserie , and for not praying to god for hym as was his parte .

And agayne , bycause he hath not felt so fully as hee ought , nor hath not had so hartye compassion as was due to the publycke and common calamytie of the church , hapned bi war heresy &c. And that he hath not commended it to God as hee myght and shoulde haue done .

Those which haue superiours shoulde accuse themselues , for not shewing obedience and reuerence according to their dutye : And those that haue subiectes and children , shoulds accuse themselues for not hauing instructed , chastened , or not prouyded for them thinges necessarie . And that they haue not had such care of them as was conuenient .

Concerning actiue offences .

When he hath in this sort accused himself in the faults of omission he may sodenly exhibit a like bill of complaynt agaynst hymselfe composed of the crymes called commissiue offences , by running ouer the ten commaundementes , the seuen capitall sinns . Blaming himself of all that his conscience shall accuse hym in euery of these . And if he require a more breife way , he may take a short and spéedy suruey . Ouer all his thoughtes , wordes and workes , nohing his defectes , in al these & accuse himself therof .

After all thys he must accuse himselfe of the crymes apperteining to hys degrée , calling , and office , declaring that he hath don contrary to the rule and equitie of his vocation : As if he be a relygious man of his tryde vowe , if he be a iudge , phisicion , merchaunt , or lawyer , of thinges belonging to his office .

Hauing finished these accusations , let hym conclude his confession , saying of all these offences and of all others which I haue commytted in thought , worde , and dede , I blame , I accuse my selfe , and I saye vnto God , my faulte , my greuous guilt . And I request of thée O father which heare presentest the parson of god , absolution and penaunce for them

Of the necessitye of confession : taken out of the catechisme which was alowed by the Counsell of Trident .

NO man must thinke that our Lorde commaunded confession in such sorte , that we may leaue the same vndone , if wee woulde . For euery christian ought to be thus perswaded , that whosoeuer hath committed mortall sin , ought to be called backe to spirituall lyfe , by the sacrament of confession : The which thinge is playnely set out , in a goodly and metophoricall spéech of our Sauiour , who calleth the authoritie of ministring this sacrament , the keay of the kingedome of heauen . For euen as no man can come in ani place , without hym who kéepeth the kayes : So is it meant , that none doe come to heauen , if the priestes ( to whose custody our Lorde commytted his keyes ) open not the doores . For if it were otherwise , it shoulde séeme the church shuld haue had the vse of the keyes to no purpose : And in vayne shoulde he ( who hath charge of the keyes ) keepe men backe from the entraunce to heauen , if so be there were any other passage , to enter in at . And Sainct Austen hath this notable saying , he saith let no man say in his mynde : I doe secreat penaunce vnto our Lorde God , who pardoneth my offences , he knoweth my hart : If this will serue , it was spoken without cause : Whose sins you forgiue in earth , shal be forgiuen in heauen . And by thys meanes the keyes were giuen the church without cause . Sainct Ambrose also wryteth to the same effect , in that booke where in hee refuseth the heresy of the Nouatians , who affirmed , the our Lorde had reserued to his selfe onely to forgiue sinnes . Doth he rather honour God ( sayeth he ) who obayeth his ministers or he that withstandeth them . God commaunded vs , to bee obedient to his minysters : Whome when we obay , we doe honour to god onely . If a manne bee desirous to know when he is bounde to confession , let him vnderstand , that all sorte of christians ought to come there vnto , when they haue the perfect vse of reason : That is euery one is bounde to be confessed , when he is able to discerne the good from the bad : And when noughtinesse maye take roote in hym . So when a manne is come to those yeares wherein he must consider howe to obtayne eternall lyfe : so sone he is bounde to confesse his sins to a priest , whereas no man , can loke for saluation , whose conscience is poluted with sinne . The church also in the same place and Canon before recited sheweth , what time men must resort to confession : which is , euery yeare once at the least each man muste bée confessed . But if we way wyth our selues what is expedient for our soule health , then doubtles , when we are in daunger of life , or when we are about some thing which must not be done of one that is infected with sinne , ( as when we either mynister or receyue , the holy sacramentes ) so ofte we must of necessity vse confession . So we must doe also when wee stande in feare least wee shoulde forget any sinne : For neyther can we be confessed of those things which we haue forgetten : neyther doe we obtayne of god pardon for our sinnes : vnlesse they be blotted out by penaunce .

The description of confession as it is a sacrament .

THe sacrament of confession is such a kynde of accusation of our sinne , as is done to thys ende , that wee maye obtayne mercy , by the vertue of the keyes . And for good cause is it called an accusation , bycause our sins are not so to be spoken of as though we bragged thereof , ( as those vse to do , who reioyse when they haue done amisse ) neyther are our sinnes to bee vttred in such fort , as if we tolde a tale to delyte those that heare vs talke : But our sinnes must be spoken with such a mynde , that delyts in accusing of one his selfe , and that in such sort , that we are desirous to be reuenged of our selues therefore . Our sinnes are confessed , to the ende wee maye haue forgiuenes therof : for this maner of iudgement is vnlyke to common iudgementes which concerne lyfe and death : wherin such as confesse their faultes suffer payne and punishment , & are not quytt or pardoned their fault .

After what sort a godly confession must be made .

WE muste vse such care and diligence in our confession as we vse in matters of greatest importaunce : And we ought to employ our labour in this , that we heale the woundes of our soule , and vtterly roote out all sinne .

True confession requireth these conditions folowing .

1 It must be done wholely and perfectly : Which thing is so necessary , that whosoeuer of purpose , omitteth any thing whych ought to be spoken of and confessed , and vtter what els hee lusteth , he shall not onely receyue no commodity at all by that confession : But also much increaseth his former offences .

2 We must not be carelesse , or negligently examyne our conscience or to slyghtly call our faults to mynde , as that wee maye be worthely thought we would not remember them at all .

3 It must be simple , bare , and playne , and not sett out or colored by art : As some vse to doe , who rather giue reasons of their lyfe , then confesse theire faultes done in their lyfe tyme .

4 Our confession ought to haue in it wisdome and shamefastnes . For we must not spend to many wordes herein , but breifely declare such thinges as pertayne to nature and condicion of euery sinne : And in such sort we must deale therein that modesty be also ioyned there vnto .

5 Secricy is also necessary . For both the priest that confesseth & the party confessed , ought to doo what he can , that the talke vsed in confession , be spoken secretly . For the which cause it is not lawfull for any to make confessoin of his sinnes , eyther by messenger or by letters : for so nothing shoulde be done secretly .

6 Confession must be done very often : For nothing shoulde bee such a care to a christian man as many tymes to come to confession , and thereby to clense and wash our soule . For when any hath offended God in deadly sin , nothing can be more commodyous to the auoydenge of many periles that hange ouer vs in thys lyfe , then presently to confesse our faultes . And whereas some vsing clenlynesse in apparell thincke also that clenlynesse of dody maketh a man to lyue the longer : It is a foule matter we shoulde be so curious in these thinges and not to be as care full to wash away the spottes of the soule .