to have done them for none can truly be said or thought to have performed such righteousness or satisfactions that hath not done them himself but another for him but as to the benefit or effect of them χ. χ. Bellarm. de Justificat 2. l. 10. c. Dominus Jesus Christus justitia nostra 1. Cor. 1. Quoniam satisfecit Patri pro nobis eam Satisfactionem ita nobis donat communicat cum nos justificat ut nostra satisfactio justitia dici potest And a little after Non esset absurdum si quis diceret nobis imputari Christi justitiam merita cum nobis donentur applicentur ac si nos ipsi Deo satisfecissemus modo non negetur esse in nobis praeterca justitiam inhaerentem c. Again Ibid. 7. c. Si solum vellent nobis imputari Christi merita or justitiam quia nobis donata sunt possumus ea Deo Patri offerre pro peccatis nostris c. Recta esset eorum sententia Cap. 11. Potest sano modo accommodari exemplum Patriarchae Jacob justitiae imputativae si quis dicat oportere ut induamus merita Christi I add or Justitiam sive obedientiam activam Christi for this also is part of his Merits See Bellarm. de Christo 5. l. 9. c initio and illis quodammodo tecti petamus a Deo indulgentiam peccatorum nam solus Christus pro peccatis nostris satisfacere potuit I add tam obedientia activa See Rom. 5.18 19. Gal. 4.4 5. Phil. 2.5 c. Matt. 3.15 quam passiva and illa satisfactio nobis donatur applicatur nostra reputatur cum Deo reconciliamur justificamur Thorndike Epilog 2. l. 29. c. p. 248. The Supposition that one man's doings or sufferings may be personally and immediatly imputed to another man's account is utterly unreasonable And I therefore must and do say that as it is sufficient so it it is true that the sufferings of Christ are imputed unto us in the nature of a meritorious cause moving God to grant mankind those terms of Reconcilement which the Gospel importeth Not all the benefit and effect in such a manner as that whatever is any way due to the active or passive righteousness of Christ is thus due to us for so we should all receive a future reward equal to one another and also equal to that of Christ our Lord's but all that benefit and effect of them which our sinful condition stands in need of and which God hath further thought fit to dispence for the purchasing by an equal compensation and satisfaction of our present pardon and future Glory The benefit and reward of which merits as to our glorification he applies variously according to the different degrees of our own present sanctity and good works that dispose us for such a participation of these Merits Such dispositions produced by prevenient and assistant Grace in adultis are a certain degree of Faith or believing the truth of all the Divine Revelations and Promises and particularly that of God's justifying the ungodly by his Grace thro the redemption which is in Christ Jesus the fear of God's judgments for Sin hope and trust in his mercy thro Christ love of his goodness hate and repentance for former Sins serious purpose of a better life and observance of God's Commandments and the desire and susception where oportunity of Baptisme the Sacrament instrumental hereunto See Conc. Trid. Sess 6.6 c. 4ly They grant that among these previous dispositions or conditions of Justification Faith is the beginning of the rest and so the Foundation and root of all our Justification and that without which it is impossible in any other act to please God So we neither fear God's Judgments nor hope for his Pardon nor love his Goodness nor put confidence in his only Son's Merits unless we first believe these And therefore St. Paul opposing the condition of the new Covenant Faith and all other acts or works following it as by God's promise to them and not their own worth applying Christ's Merits to us for our Justification to the merits of the works of the Law in the Jew and of Nature in the Gentile but never opposing Faith to any of those acts of Grace consequential so long as these maintained in no other manner to concur to our Justification than Faith it self doth therefore most perfectly agreeeth with St. James λ. λ. Mr. Thorndike Just Weights 9. c. p. 60. To be justified by Faith alone is with St. Paul to be justified by Christianity alone St. James in arguing that a Christian is justified by Works and not by Faith alone intended to teach that the profession of Christianity justifieth not when it is not performed Bishop Forbes de Justifie 4. l. 6. c. p. 173. Sanctus Paulus intellexit semper ex fide viva quatenus viva i. e. operante vel externe vel interne per charitatem nos justificari Atque hoc ipsum est quod Beatus Jocobus hic sed Paulo clarius distinctius affirmat hominem ex operibus justificari non ex fide tantum The same thing appears from St. Paul's Arguments made against Justification by Works many of which are faulty if made against Works following Faith and wrought by Grace As his arguing Rom. 4.4 Rom. 4.13 compared with 2.6 1. Cor. 3.13 14. Jo. 15.10 Gal. 2.21 5.4 3.13 Eph. 2.8 9 10. Tit. 3 4 5. Phil. 3.9 compared with the precedent verses 3 4 5 6. and with Rom. 10.3 9.31 In all or most of which if instead of works of the Law you read works of the formerly justified and pardoned their Sins by God's meer mercy produced by Grace that is procured by Christ's merits you will find the arguing and consequence invalid and faulty This Apostle I say mentions this Faith more frequently than the rest as being the very beginning and first fruits of Divine Grace and that without which none of the rest that are added to it either can be at all or if being can be any thing worth μ. μ. Conc. Trid. Sess 6.8 c. Cum vero Apostolus dicit justificari hominem per fidem per fidem ideo justificari dicimur quia fides est humanae salutis initium fundamentum radix omnis justificationis sine qua impossibile est placere Deo ad filiorum ejus consortium pervenire Stapleton de Justificat 8. l. c. ult Fide nos necessario vel ante omnia maxime justificamur dum impius quidem justificatur quia a fide ordiendum est Dum justus autem justificatur magis quia omnia justitiae opera in fide recta fieri a fide procedere debent Bellarm. de Justificat 5 l. 7. c. In homine nondum conciliato primus motus ad salutem est fidei inde sequitur amor desiderium beatitudinis per fidem jam cognitae post amorem sive cupiditatem Beatitudinis sequitur in homine spes Mediante
paenitentiae dilectionis in Deum quae opera sunt interna Denique quinto omnem inanem fiduciam operum nostrorum Sive interne sive externe factorum Cap. 5. § 14. Proinde censemus omnem rigidorum Protestantium sententiam a veritate a charitate Christiana alienam esse qui assertionem de sola fide non justificante communiter a Romanensibus defensam citra omnem vel fidei ipsius vel meriti opinionem etiam improprie dicti vel aliorum operum seu actuum cum fide ad justificationem concurrentium non solùm cum sancta Scriptura piis Patribus e diametro pugnare contendunt sed etiam praeter alia innumera justam Protestantibus a Romana Ecclesia secedendi causam praebuisse praebere Dr. Hammond Pract. Catech. 1. l. § 4. p. 75. The necessary qualifications conditions or moral instruments of our Justification are Faith Repentance firm purpose of a new life and the rest of those Graces upon which in the Gospel pardon is promised the Christian And afterwards This kind of Sanctification so he calls the dispositions to Justification wrought in us by God's Grace is precedent in order of nature to Justification i.e. I must first believe repent and return before God will pardon 6. They affirm also that one may have a true faith or belief of all the Articles of our Creed and particularly of this man's Redemption through Christ's Merits or if we take Faith for fiducia may have also a fiducial confidence that he in particular shall obtain or if you will hath already obtained remission of his Sins through the same redemption and merits and yet not by this Faith or fiducia attain Justification if these be not accompanied with Repentance and the other necessary preparations thereto For there are many wicked and irregenerate men who yet do truly believe all the Articles of the Creed and are thereby fully convinced of their duty yet led away with lusts do contrary to what they know they ought and some of them who are also fully tho groundlesly for want of Repentance and the other requisites perswaded that themselves are of the number of the justified ξ ξ. Thorndike Epilog 2. l. p. 28. It is manifest to all Christians that there are too many in the world whom we cannot imagine to have any due title to those promises and yet do really and verily believe the Faith of Christ to be true and him and his Apostles sent from God to preach it And from their belief stand convict that they ought to proceed accordingly yet We see men not always to do that which reasonably from their belief they ought to do c. Again on the other side q Trust and confidence in God through Christ obtains the promises of the Gospel who denies it But is this trust always well grounded and true Is it not possible for a man to imagine his title to the promises of the Gospel to be good when it is not I would we had no cause to believe how oft it comes to pass All which argues these other Acts are necessary concurrents to Justification as well as such Faith For it seems very unreasonable that such Faith when without the other as many times it is is effectless as to attaining Justification and yet when it is with them they effectless and it doing the whole especially if the former Scriptures be reviewed using the same expressions of their concurrence to this effect as they do of Faith 7. Our Justification i. e. remission of Sin and infusion of habitual Grace which Infants also when baptized receive as well as others whereby we are made new creatures and by the infusion of his Holy Spirit born of God and his Seed remaining in us and so made his Sons and Heirs being thus attained upon our Faith and the other forementioned dispositions required in us Next Catholicks grant That the thus justified not only have a right to but may also attain the possession of eternal life before and without external good works issuing from such habitual or inherent Grace or before any justification or merit by them And that their works are not necessary to justification the producing or continuing of it or to the obtaining the reward of it eternal life when either power as in those who as yet have not the use of reason or who are prevented by suddain death or an occasion of such good works is wanting or also when occasion being offered yet the omission of such good works amount not to a mortal Sin by which Sins only man falls from his former Justification ξ. But 8ly They affirm which is also allowed by Learned Protestants π. pgr Dr. Field Append. to 3. l. 11. c. In Answer to Dr. Stapleton's Words That Actions of Virtue and careful endeavour to walk in the Commandments of God are not necessary to our second Justification or the augmentation progress and dayly perfecting of the same more and more is a Calumniation for they the Protestants make the second Justification to consist in two parts 1st The dayly well doing whereby the righteousness inherent is more and more perfected And 2ly the dayly remission of such sinful defects as are found in their actions Dr. Fern Answer to Scripture Mistaken p. 92. If they intend no more by second Justification than is here expressed in the Trent Decree viz. Renovation day by day and yielding up our Members as Weapons of Righteousness to Sanctification and increase in Righteousness we have no cause to quarrel at the thing but only that they will call that Justification which indeed is Sanctification Bishop Forbes de Justificat 4. l. 6. c. Perperam a Protestantibus rigidioribus rejicitur distinctio usitatissima justificationis in primam secundam Nam praeter Justificationem primam necessario etiam agnoscenda admittenda est justificatio secunda quae consistit in progressu augmento complemento pro statis vitae justitiae primum donatae in remissione illorum delictorum in quae quotidie justi incidunt Confirming it there with several Protestant Authorities That this first Justification thus attained before these good Works is in case of longer-life both necessarily continued by good Works or acts of inherent Grace either external or only internal where is some impediment of the external so that he who commits a mortal Sin in omission of such works falls from his former Justification and also is increased or further degrees of Justification or inhabitant Grace or as the Protestants had rather call it Sanctification received or added by the same good works for such acts external or internal do still increase the habit or render the person more holy whereby the already just is still made more just so Abraham tho just before yet was more highly justified by that Heroick act of the Oblation of his only Son Jam. 2. And the future reward also becomes greater to these good Works according to our greater Justification by
reconciliatione consequendae ejusdem beatitudinis c. 5. This Faith therefore Catholicks maintain That it may be said in this respect primarily to justify us I mean by way of disposition and condition required and accepted from us in order thereto But 5ly not it solely either when it is not accompanied with the rest for so it may be but in such case is injustificant or yet as if when so accompanied it alone and not they as well as it and in the same manner as it concurred to our Justification For first in the Scriptures frequently our Justification i. e. pardon of Sin and donation of Grace is attributed as to it so to them See for Repentance which also includeth fear justifying or procuring both remission of Sin and renovation by the Spirit the Apostles Sermons in the Acts ch 2. v. 38. Repent saith St. Peter and be Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of Sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost And Chap. 3. ver 19. Repent ye that your sins may be blotted out Chap. 5. ver 31. This Prince hath God exalted to give Repentance to Israel and remission of Sins And Chap. 11. ver 18. Then hath God say the Christians also given to the Gentiles repentance unto life And Luk. 24.47 Our Lord commandeth That Repentance and remission of Sin be preached in his Name unto all Nations And Luk. 13.3.5 telleth the People That without Repentance they must perish See the same 2. Pet. 3.9 1. Jo. 1.9 But if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive them in so much that it is agitated in the Schools whether Faith or Repentance in our Justification have I say not the first for Repentance presupposeth Faith but the principal place The same may be shewed of Love Luk. 7.47 Much is forgiven her saith our Lord because she loved much And 1. Jo. 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren he that loveth not abideth in death And very frequently it is the reward of eternal Life particularly promised See 1. Cor. 2.9 Luk. 6.35 Jam. 1.12.2.5 Rom. 8.28 1. Cor. 16.22 The same promise of Remission of Sin and eternal life made yet more frequently to Obedience Reformation of Life works of Charity and Mercy Matt. 6.15 If ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will the Father forgive your trespasses Matt. 5.7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Acts 10.35 In every Nation He that feareth God and worketh righteousness is acceptable to him Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love And 2. Tim. 4.7 8. The Lord the just Judge lays up a Crown of Righteousness for those who fight a good Fight And Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived saith the Apostle St. Paul speaking of good works God is not mocked what a man sowes that shall he reap And let no man deceive you saith St. John 1. Epist c. 3. v. 7. He that doth righteousness is righteous even as he our Lord Christ is righteous 'T is needless to name more See St. Jam. c. 2. v. 21. c. Matt. 5.1 Jo. 15.14 Nay not only by their deeds but words also men are justified or condemned Matt. 12.37 The same promise made also to the receiving of the Sacraments Acts c. 2.28 22.16 Eph. 5.26 Tit. 3.5 6 7. This concerning the Expressions of Scripture 2. As Faith may be conceived to justify us only by its relation to and apprehension of Christ's Merits and not as it is a work of our's any way meriting of it self our Justification so also may all the rest of the forenamed dispositions For by Love and Hope built on Faith we do yet more closely apprehend and apply these Merits than we do by Faith alone and as God is pleased to justify us by Christ's Merits but not by these unknown to us but that he first requires an eye of Faith that we see them or if you will a hand of Faith that we take or lay hold of them So he requires further the arms of Love to embrace them and of Hope to hold them fast and this after that Repentance also with much importunity and tears hath first procured our nearer access to them otherwise whatever we think our Faith without these sees or catcheth at them but possesseth them not and what greater opposition is there shewed to our meriting by saying we are justified by Faith alone and that relatively too than that by Faith and other works of Grace so long as we say all in their proper acts only point at and terminate in the same Merits of Christ not their own as well as Faith doth r. Of this matter well the Cardinal de Justificatione Lib. 1. 16. Cap. Esto apprehendatur aliquo modo justificatio per fidem certe non ita apprehenditur ut reipsa jam habeatur inhaereat sed solum ut sit in mente per modum objecti actione intellectus aut voluntatis apprehensi at hoc modo apprehendunt etiam amor gaudium ut scribit St. Augustinus in Lib. 8. Cons cap. 2. Ubi de Victorino loquens volebant eum inquit omnes rapere in corsuum rapiebant amando gaudendo Hae rapientium manus erant Dr. Fern Answer to Scripture Mistaken 4. c. p. 92. Albeit good Works do not justify but follow Justification yet are there many works or workings of the Soul required in and to Justification Again These works or workings of the Soul naming there desire fear love sorrow purposes are preparatory and dispositive to Justification And Pag. 94. There are other acts and works also besides Faith which according to their measure are required in Justification as conditions of receiving remission of Sins so Repentance and the act of Charity in forgiving others Bishop Forbes de Justificat 1. l. 4. c. Sacrae literae nusquam nec diserte nec per necessariam consequentiam fidoi Soli omnem omnino vim justificandi tribuunt five quod idem est asserunt fidem esse unicum instrumentum medium accipiendae apprehendendae gratiae justificationis Ibid. Patres plurimi nos Sola fide justificari affirmant Sed si pura mente c. legeris clare videbis per vocem Sola Patres omnia simpliciter fidei gratiae opera a causis justificationis salutis aeternae nunquam excludere voluisse Sed primo legem naturae Mosaicam Secundo opera omnia propriis viribus sine fide in Christum gratia Dei praeveniente facta Tertio falsam fidem vel haeresin cui tunc fidem non autem operibus opponunt Quarto Operum externorum etiam ex gratia factorum ut charitatis paenitentâ—e Sacramentorum perceptionis necessitatem absolutam quando scilicet aut potestas aut occasio deest ejusmodi opera faciendi tum enim sufficit Sola fides sine operibus externis Sed non sine omni bono affectu
them For if some more imperfect acts of Faith of Repentance Hope Love c. done only by God's assistant Grace did thro God's promise and Christ's merits procure our first Justification and the consequents thereof much more the same acts and others the like now more perfect and proceeding from Grace inhabitant do thro the same promise and merits confer on or procure for us a greater or as some stile it a second Justification viz. An improvement of our former justice the remission of such Venial Sins as are still committed by the justified and a richer eternal reward 9. They affirm That a man may fall away again from this state of Justification by incurring those greater Sins either of Omission or Commission which are for this cause called commonly Mortal from which fall he is capable of restorement to a second Justification or justified condition by the same means as he attained the first only if instead of Baptisme not iterable he make use of the Sacrament of Penance for his entrance into it where-in concerning the just value and vertue of Penal Works see below Head XIX 10. These are the Catholicks Positions concerning Justification much tending to the promotion of pious endeavours and an holy life with whom also the more moderate Protestants do in most if not all the former Points concur But meanwhile there are other Tenents of the more rigid Protestants on this subject and several also of them broached by the first Author of the Reformation which brings a very great prejudice to it that tend much to the relaxation of good manners the breeding of false securities and weakning mens endeavours in the prosecution of a good life such as these ζ. ζ. See the most rigid Protestants maintaining the most of these Opinions cited and censured by Bishop Forbes in his Considerationes aequae placidae de Justificatione And by Dr. Hammond in his Treatise of Fundamentals from the 11th to the 19th Chapter And by Mr. Thorndike Epilog 2. l. from the 4th to the 10th Chapter 1st Their placing Justification only in the remission of Sin and imputation to us of the righteousness of Christ not in infusion of Grace or renovation of life making men fancy here that all their work is done for and without them none to be done in or by them 2ly In such remission of Sin their making Justification as it were one momentaneous act and God at one and the same time remitting to us all our Sins past present and to come which must needs produce afterward a very careless behaviour both to committing and repenting of Sin 3ly In such imputation of Christ's Righteousness their maintaining it in such a manner not as if we were meritoriously justified by the application of the effects of it to us as if it had been our own but formally justified by a translation of it and investiture with it in such a manner as if it were inherent in us and esteemed to be done by our selves 4ly From whence ariseth also a conceit that all men by this righteousness apprehended by their Faith are equally justified or all esteemed equally righteous in their Justification 5ly And so also that all become equal in the future celestial reward whether working much or working little 6ly Their making the only instrument or necessary condition required in us for Justification or remission of Sin Faith alone an easy act of the brain as Dr. Hammond Of Fundamentals p. 116. observes having nothing in it repugnant to our passions and not any other good disposition wrought in us by God's especial Grace Repentance purpose of a better Life and this Faith too required of us for this purpose not as any work or duty but only as an instrument or hand to apprehend and apply Christ's merits to us and to make his righteousness ours c. 7ly Their making this Faith that justifies us a strong fiducia or full assurance that we are justified or if you will that we shall be justified only on those terms if we firmly believe we shall be so Which obliging men of what life soever to believe they are or shall be justified without looking after any requisite thereto save only this full belief renders those who continue still unreformed in their Manners yet by such strong fancy secure of their Salvation whilst none more than they extol the all-sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness nor none so much as they do or have reason to diffide in and dis-esteem their own From which Tenent also it follows that all those that are truly justified are assured or certainly know that they are justified The ordinary effect of which Doctrine is despair in some who find in themselves no such assurance certain presumption in others who are fully assured without just cause 8ly Their holding that a justifying is only a true Faith which breeds a great presumption in those for their being also justified persons who do and have no reason but to take themselves for true believers and who would even give their bodies to be burnt for any Article of the Christian Faith 1. Cor. 13.3 and yet do or may want Charity and so Justification 9ly Their holding good works and the other dispositions that always accompany a justified Faith to be necessary to our Justification or Salvation only as effects and fruits or also signs and assurances to our selves or others of this Faith necessary for their presence indeed but not for their efficiency as causa sine qua non ad salutem non impediendum but not as instruments or conditions required thereto as our Faith is thus destroying obedience it self by taking away the chief motives that men have to it and making them neglect any further pains-taking for the production of those things which they are taught do necessarily grow from Faith or which serve only to justify them not before God but Men. 10ly Their expounding St. Paul not only to exclude Works performed by strength of Nature but done by Grace from any way disposing us or concurring thereto And St. James only to speak of good Works as declaring our Justification before men not obtaining it with God 11ly Their affirming the Promises of the Gospel to be meerly gratuital excepting for Faith and not conditional upon Obedience as those of the Law were denying our Lord to be any Legislator or denying Christian liberty to be so far obliged to the Obedience of the Law as that any account is had of our observing of it in any degree as to obtaining or improving our Justification And that Christians ought now not as tied to it by God's Law but spontaneously and freely to do that Will of his which was formerly made known to them by the Law Which Obedience of our's how little soever and upon such terms we may guess it will not be much yet is accepted by God through the more perfect Obedience of his Son made ours by Faith See Calvin Institutiones 3. l. 19. c. 2.4 § And then we may
renders them no longer any part of the Church Catholick nor Members of the Body of Christ 1. From whence they conclude 1. That a particular Person or Church differing or dividing from the whole in any one Point of Faith which is defined by the whole and their assent or belief required thereto cannot plead it self any more to be one Church with or a part of the Church Catholick because that it agreeth with it still in many or in all other Points of Faith As the Arian Churches agreeing in all other Credends save Consubstantiallity of God the Son with the Father became by this no longer a part of the Church Catholick 2. And likewise from hence they conclude that those who in their separation 1. first deny not the Church or Churches they separate from to be true Churches 2. Who profess themselves not to renounce an inward Communion with those departed from 3. Who renounce not external Communion neither if they may be admitted thereto on terms they can approve 4. Who exclude not those from whom they separate from their own external Communion that is if others will conform to them 5. Who do not set up any new external Communion at all 6. Lastly Who do not publickly contradict the tenents or customes of those Churches from which they separate Those I say who can plead all these things or themselves are not thereby cleared from Schisme because their Separation may be tho in none of these things yet otherwise faulty mentioned above and tho some Churches heretofore noted for Schisme have offended in some of these yet it hence follows not that those who offend in none of these are free from Schisme 3. Again they conclude from hence that those who refuse to conform to something which the Church Catholick requires of them that they may be Partakers of her external Communion and for this are by her thrust out of her Communion are guilty of Schism as well as those who before any Ejection voluntarily desert it Else Arians and many other Hereticks would have been no Schismaticks 4. Lastly That those who never were in the external Communion of the Church Catholick yet stand guilty of Schisme so long as upon the same reason upon which the others left it they do not return to it or cannot be admitted by it 4. They maintain That any particular person or multitude joined together dividing from the external Communion of all other particular visible Churches of the present Age and even from those of their own Church as well as from the rest viz. from so many of it as continue what they were and what the Separatists also were formerly must needs in this separate from the external Communion of the Church Catholick of the present Age for either all or some of these Churches which they separate from is so and do separate from their lawful Superiors for such is the Church Catholick in respect of any part and so is guilty of that sort of Schisme which cuts off from the whole 5. They affirm that the exercise of any sacred Function is to all Heretical or Schismatical Clergy tho never so truly or validly ordaioned utterly unlawful and the Sacraments and other Ordinances of the Church to the Receivers in such Church unbeneficial i. e. to so many as are conscious of the Schism or only thro a culpable ignorance nescient HEAD XI Concerning the Judgment and Discovery of Heresy and Schism Concerning the Judgment and Discovery of Heresy and Schism 1. CAtholicks affirm That all maintaining of any Tenent contrary to the known Determination of the supremest judgment of the Church in matters which she declares of necessary Faith is guilty of obstinacy and so is Heresy Likewise that all voluntary departure from the external Communion of the Church Catholick upon what pretences soever of its erring in faith or manners is truly causeless the Catholick Church being our Guide in Spiritual matters as to both what is true and what is lawful to whom we ought to assent and submit and so Schisme But 2ly taking the Protestant Description of them viz. That Heresy is an obstinate Defence of Error contrary to a necessary Article of Faith and Schism a causless Departure or Separation from the external Catholick Communion and so also being causless from the internal Yet Catholicks urge this as necessary that there must be some certain Judge upon Earth authorized to decide whether such Error be against necessary Faith and whether the Defence thereof be to be interpreted obstinacy and whether such Departure be causless So that all the Subjects of the Church are to receive that to be Heresy or Schism which this Judge pronounceth to be so Else what none can know and judge of none can punish or separate from nor the true extent of the Church Catholick and its Distinction from the Heretical and Schismatical ever be discovered 3. It is most reasonable that in any differences of judgment concerning these amongst Ecclesiastical Magistrates or Courts of Judicature the most supreme for the time being must be the Judge to whom all ought to acquiesce Else if a particular Person or Church may undertake to judge these against Superiors Heresy and Schisme will remain equally undiscovered between these two contrary Judges as if there were none And Heretical and Schismatical Churches will still free themselves of it by their own Judgment and that Person or Church which contends for such Priviledge at any time gives great suspition that they are in such manner faulty 4. It seems clear that all separation of a particular Person or Church from the external Communion of all the rest will always by such Judge either be pronounced causless or the cause thereof be rectified and so the Division cease if these Churches that are departed from be the Judges of it For doubtless these if they should condemn themselves will also correct in themselves what they do condemn HEAD XII Concerning Submission of Private Judgments to this Church-Authority indicated in the former Heads Concerning Submission of Private Judgments 1. IT is conceded by Catholicks That no man can believe any thing at all or do any thing lawfully against his own judgment or conscience as Judgment is taken here for the final Determination upon reviewing the former Acts of the Intellect and upon considering all reasons as well those taken from Authority as those taken from the things themselves of what we ought to do 2. But notwithstanding this 2ly It is taken for granted That one following his own judgment in believing or acting is not thereby secure from believing amiss or acting unlawfully and therefore that every one is much obliged to take care of rectifying his Judgment or directing aright his Conscience 3. That the same Judgment may be swayed contrary ways by several Arguments viz. One way from the Argument drawn from Authority and another way from his private Reason and that when this happens he is no less truly said to
forementioned is not allowed nor other explicite Faith than the forementioned required Therefore that Proposition Haec est vera Catholica fides extra quam nemo Salvus esse potest as applied to the larger Creeds that of Athanasius or yet further to all the Decrees of all lawful Oecumenical Councils as in the Bull of Pius the Fourth ought either to be understood not distributively as if any Decree of any such Council unknown and so not believed or assented to excludeth from Salvation For how few among Christians do know or yield actual assent to all the Decrees of some one Council And how can the Doctors of that Church require such Belief to all the Decrees suppose of the Council of Trent a many of whom require it not to all the Articles of the Apostles Creed But collectively thus That all that Fides extra quam nemo Salvus is contained therein and that extra eam totaliter sumptam or si tota desit nemo Salvus esse potest As elsewhere in the same Council of Trent the Nicene Creed is called Fundamentum firmum unicum contra quod portae inferi nunquam praevalebunt Conc. Trid. Sess 3. or to be understood distributively but hypothetically thus That when any one knows any such Article to have been defined by the Church wherein a non-culpable ignorance of the Church's Definitions always excuseth he after this in non-believing or in dissenting from such Article doth by this his Pertinacy and Disobedience to the Church as by other greater sins persisted in and unrepented of incur the loss of Salvation HEAD XIV Concerning Obedience to Humane Laws made by the Ecclesiastical or Civil Magistrate Concerning Obedience required to Humane Laws 1. CAtholicks do not affirm from God's commanding Obedience to the Ecclesiastical and Civil Magistrate and to their Laws That therefore all Dis-obedience to them or their Laws is a mortal Sin For so all Dis-obedience to any of their Laws whatever tho never so light for their matter would be mortal Sin 2. It is manifest that many times the matter which these Magistrates command is antecedently our duty in obedience to some Divine Law under Penalty of Mortal Sin tho they had not commanded it As in matters of much consequence to the publick or our private good the Charity to our Neighbour or also to our selves that is commanded by God's Law requires that which the Magistrate also exacts of us In such cases therefore there may be a great and mortal Sin committed in dis-obeying the Ecclesiastical or Civil Laws but this by vertue of the Divine concurring with and corroborating them in these particular Injunctions 3. Catholicks affirm That the Breach of a humane Law made in a thing that is left indifferent by the Divine out of contempt may be a greater Sin than breaking one of the Divine Precepts out of Infirmity but this is also by vertue of our offending against another particular Divine Law prohibiting such contempt of the Magistrate But such contempt neglect c. set aside that a much greater guilt is ordinarily contracted from the breach of a Divine than only an humane command both from the greater necessity and benefit in general of the matter of the Laws Divine and from the supreme Dignity and Majesty of the immediate Legislator 4. Catholicks affirm That no humane Laws made in matters of what consequence soever do bind beyond the Law-Giver's intention so that such Laws tho given in matters of greatest moment bind not under pain of mortal Sin I mean as they are his Laws if he doth not intend them to do so In whose Power since it is to lay no obligation so not to lay the greatest 5. That whatever obligation to Sin such Laws may have from the Law-givers intention yet that in some Circumstances they may not bind at all as the Divine do as in Periculo mortis cum pergravi damno aut infamia for quod valde difficile moraliter impossibile and to Impossibles Laws bind not I say if the thing commanded appear not of a greater consequence than such private damage nor hath been expressed by the Magistrate to be esteemed so Otherwise it is presumed that the Law-Giver in that Charity which he oweth to his Subjects doth or ought to pass his Laws without any intention that they should bind under Sin in such cases 6. Most of the Church's Laws are passed without any express Declaration of her Subjects incurring mortal Sin in the Breach of them yet this rationally collected by her Doctors from the great consequence of the matter commanded the heavy punishment annexed c. And sometimes her Laws are so indulgent as to oblige to a Penalty only without any Guilt laid upon the Transgressor of them HEAD XV. Of Justification Of Justification COncerning Justification whereby man hath Right by vertue of the Evangelical Covenant to freedome from eternal Death and possession of eternal Life 1. Catholicks declare That by Justification they mean both God's pronouncing or reputing Man just or not unjust i. e. freed from his wrath and from punishment due to the unjust by God's free remission of all his former Sins And 2ly God's making and so reputing him just or holy by habitual Grace infused or by inherent righteousness Thus making God's Remission of the former Acts of Sin and our Sanctification and so by it the removal of former habits of Sin the two parts of our Justification or the two effects of God's mercy in justifying us α. α Conc. Trid. Sess 6.7 c. Hanc dispositionem Justificatio ipsa consequitur quae non est Sola peccatorum remissio sed Sanctificatio Renovatio interioris hominis c. Again In ipsa Justificatione cum Remissione peccatorum haec omnia simul infusa accipit homo per Jesum Christum cui inseritur fidem Spem Charitatem 6. Sess 11. Can. Si quis dixerit homines justificari Sola peccatorum remissione exclusa gratia charitate quae in cordibus eorum per Spiritum Sanctum infunditur Anathema sit Bellarm. de Justificationes l. 2. 6. c. Cum tam mors Christi quam resurrectio ad justificationem necessaria esset potuisset Beatus Paulus utramque partem justificationis i. e. Remissionem peccati donum renovationis tribuere morti Christi sed maluit resurrectioni tribuere renovationem Rom. 4.15 And § Deinde Justificatio non ideo Solum nobis confertur a Deo ut Gehennae paenas evadamus i. e per remissionem peccatorum sed etiam ut praemia vitae caelestis acquiramus i. e. per gratiae infusionem bona opera And see Ibid. c. 2. § Quod si Where he makes remissionem peccatorum infusionem gratiae duos effectus Dei hominem justificantis Where therefore renovatio interioris hominis per susceptionem gratiae is affirmed to be the formal cause of Justification and deletion of Sin to be the effect of it It is spoken of the only formal
cause of Justification that is within us and from which we are denominated really just whereas the remission of Sin is an act of God without us and of the deletion of the habit of Sin inherent not of the pardon of the acts of Sin formerly committed After that this is agreed on also by Protestants that these two go always together and that none is reconciled or received into God's favour by remission of Sin who is not also at the same time renewed in his mind and made righteous by infusion of the Holy Spirit β. β. Calvin Institut Lib. 3. ch 14. § 9. Fatemur dum nos intercedente Christi justitia sibi reconciliat Deus ac gratuita peccatorum remissione donatos pro justis habet cum ejusmodi misericordia conjunctum hoc esse beneficium quod per Spiritum suum in nobis habitat Lib. 3. cap. 16. § 1. Jam utrumque nobis confert Christus utrumque fide consequimur vitae scilicet novitatem gratuitam reconciliationem De vera Christianae pacificationis ratione 2. Cap. Si quis ex adverso objiciat non aliter nos fieri participes Christi justitiae quia dum ejus Spiritu in obedientiam legis renovamur hoc quidem fatendum est c. Again Neque vero cum homines dicimus gratis justificari Christi beneficio tacenda est regeneationis gratia Quin potias cavendum ne a nobis separentur quae perpetuo Dominus conjungit Quid ergo Doceantur homines fieri non posse ut justi censeantur Christi Merito quin renoventur ejus Spiritu in sanctissimam vitam frustraque gratuita Dei adoptione gloriari omnes in quibus Spiritus regenerationis non habitat denique nullos a Deo recipi in gratiam qui non justi quoque vere fiant Mountague Appeal p. 170. Whom Christ doth not quicken he doth not justify This is directly the Doctrine of the Scripture Gal. 3.22 1. Cor. 6.11 Heb. 9.14 Rev. 1.5 6. 1. Pet. 2.9 Fathers also are cited c. Bishop Forbes de Justific Lib. 2. c. 4. Protestantes unanimi consensu fatentur inhaerentis justitiae seu sanctitatis infusionem cum gratuita nostri justificatione necessario ac perpetuo conjunctam esse Now first that our Justification consists not only in the former but also in the later Catholicks evidently collect from many Texts of Scripture which do apply our freedome from God's wrath and punishment and inheriting eternal life to this later as other Texts do to the former Such are these Rom. 3.24 Where we are said to be justified freely i. e. without any thing in us deserving it by his Grace i. e. infused as all grant it is at that time when God justifies us Titus 3.5 ver Where speaking of Baptisme the Apostle saith That according to his mercy he saved us by the laver of regeneration and renovation i. e. internal of the Holy Ghost that being justified by his Grace i. e. in this internal renovation c. we should be made Heirs of eternal life 1. Cor. 6.11 compared with the former where speaking of the same Baptisme he saith But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus into which they are baptized and by the Spirit of God i. e. infused in our Baptisme by which infused we are said here expresly as to be sanctified so justified and this put the last as also Rom. 8.30 it is put alone but there necessarily including also our Sanctification Rom. 4.25 Where Christ is said to be delivered for our offences i. e. the remission of them and to be raised again for our justification i. e. for our regeneration or renovation by the Spirit given unto us upon his Resurrection comp Rom. 8.10 Eph. 4.23 24. where the new man is said to be created in justice Gal. 5 6. comp 6.15 Rom. 6.7 He that is dead i. e. to Sin by a new life given by Grace is justified from Sin comp Gal. 3.21 Rom. 5.17.21 Where 't is said That those who receive abundance of Grace and donation of Justice shall reign in life c. And that Grace reigneth i. e. in us by or thr Justice to life eternal It were needless to add more To the same matter belong all those Texts wherein we are said By being born again and by inherent righteousness to be made Friends Domesticks Children Heirs of God All those Texts which atribute Salvation or also remission of Sin or punishment either to the several particular habits and branches of this inherent Righteousness as to that of Faith of Hope or Charity of the Love or Fear or Service of God or Love Mercy and Alms to our Neighbour or to the several Act of these Habits and Graces i. e. to our good works following Regeneration Lastly All those Texts wherein God is said To accept persons for their inherent holiness or righteousness And as this is evident in Scripture so it is concluded by many Protestants that the Term Justification both sometimes in Scripture and most frequently by the Fathers is used to signify not only remission of Sin but internal Sanctification and in this Latitude have several Protestants themselves explained it γ. γ. Bishop Forbes de Justificatione Lib. 2. Cap. 4. cioncerning the Scriptures Verbum justificari quandoque etiam in Scriptura significare justitia imbui vel donari non diffitentur permulti docti Protestantes contra aliorum rigidorum id pertinaciter negantium sententiam quoting there the words of Beza Zanchy Peter Martyr Chamier and others Again concerning the Fathers Ibid. c. 5. Hanc fuisse communem Patrum omnium tum Graecorum tum Latinorum Sententiam ex quamplurimis illorum dictis Augustini imprimis acerimi gratiae Christi propugnatoris nemini in veterum lectione versato obscurum esse potest Res adeo certa manifesta est ut dissentientes ipsimet Protestantes id ultro concedunt quoting the Confessions of Calvin Chemnitius Beza Bucer Chamier c. to this purpose Imo saith the same Forbes multi etiam doctissimi Protestantes hanc ipsam sententiam secuti sunt aut saltem eam non omnino improbarunt quoting after many others Spalatensis Bishop Mountague and Dr. Feild Whose words are Append. 3. l. 11. c. The first Justification implyeth in it three things remission of Sins past acceptation and receiving into that favour that righteous men are wont to find with God and the grant of the gift of the Holy Spirit and of that sanctifying and renewing Grace whereby we may be framed to the declining of Sin and doing of the works of righteousness 2. Again Catholicks contend that in comparing these two concurrents to our Justification the later i. e. to be made internally and habitually just ut peccatis mortui justitiae vivamus 1. Pet. 2.24 is the chiefer and more principal then the first i. e. to be reputed only not unjust or not a Sinner To which may be added that there being two
things very considerable in Sin the transient act and the remaining habit of which the later is far the worse and of which it is necessary that the one be deleted as well as the other pardoned for any one to be accounted positively just or not impious this later the habit is not removed or abolished but by Grace first infused and also whether before or rather after the same Grace infused our former actual Sins are pardoned is thought by Protestants a thing doubtful and not necessary to be decided δ δ. See the words of Calvin in Antidoto Conc. Trident. Of Beza contra Illyricum and others in Forbes de Justific 2. l. 4. c. p. 70 71. Simul nos justificari renovari saith Calvin dico in Christo per fidem nobis unito applicato neque haec an illa ordine antegrediatur tantillum laborandum censeo cum unam sine altera nunquam recipiamus This infusion of Grace therefore by several titles claims the chief place in our Justification and is that thing only in us that justifieth or maketh us to be really just and so is usually stiled the formal cause of our Justification 3. Meanwhile both the one and the other being the effects only of God's mercy Catholicks affirm That since God justifieth us not for those but for the righteousness and sufferings of Christ as the sole meritorious cause thereof it is not necessary as to our Justification in respect of inherent righteousness that this be every way consummate and perfect 4. Nay further they freely concede that it is such as that it doth produce some particular acts perfect and without contagion of Sin learned Protestants assenting ε. ε. Forbes Ibid. c. 5. Ecquid magis injuriose contumeliose dici potest in Christi Gratiam quam asserere nos nihilominus nihil prorsus vel cogitare vel dicere vel agere posse quod purum sit a peccati Sorde And § 13. Sententia haec rigida multis etiam doctissimis Protestantibus aliisque viris moderatissimis semper unprobata fuit quoting them at large Ibid. Yet ordinarily it doth many or the most mixt with several imperfections and that Venial Sins do both adhere to and intervene between many of the good actions of the justified ζ. ζ. Estius 2. Sent. 41. d. 4. § Et justi in iis operibus quae indubitate bona sunt saepe-numero peccant dum its se aliquonsque vel concupiscentiae vel negligentiae vel alicujus levioris circumstantiae ad integritatem boni operis requisitae defectus admiscent Forbes de Justificatione 4. l. 3. c. 8. § Communiter sentiunt Romani nullum Sanctorum vitare posse omnia venialia peccata per longum vitae tempus Conc. Trid. Sess 6. Can. 23. Which Sins after are remitted only by God's Mercy through Christ's Merits as those are before Justification γ. γ. Bellarm. de Justificat 4. l. 14. c. In Answer to the Objection Post primam reconciliationem Christus ociosus esset saith no Quoniam peccata nostra quamvis levia quotidiana ipse purgat sanguis ejus emundat nos ab omni peccato Estius 2. Sent. 42. d. 6. § Nemo quantumcunque justus nisi sanguine Christi Redemptoris etiam a Veniali peccato emundatus fuit in regnum Dei admitti potest See the same in Bellarm. de Justificat 4. l. 21. c. § Resp non dicit 5. Lastly Several learned Catholicks do not hold this inherent righteousness or internal renovation so absolutely necessary to mans Justification i. e. to remission of Sin or capacity of future Glory as that none possibly could had it so pleased God received from him pardon of his offences or also through virtue of Christ's merits an eternal glory without having such inherent righteousness and whilst he only reduced to his pure Naturals or that none could possibly or justly be deprived of Glory that hath such inherent righteousness Vid. Bellarmin de Justificat 2. l. 16. c. Reatus paenae quartus effectus Scotus 1. Sent. 17. d. F. a Sanct. Clara Deus Natura Prob. 23. But only maintaining that it is God's Pact or Covenant and declared Will that Christ's Merits should this and no other way merit for us freedome from Hell and life eternal Namely First by satisfying for our former Sins and procuring for us this donation of the sanctifying Spirit within us 2ly What Catholicks do include in and understand by Justification being thus explained Next they affirm that there is nothing in man that can antecedently merit this our Justification but that the sole meritorious cause of it both in respect of remission of Sin or any punishment due unto it and of the donation of Grace destroying in us the habits and pollutions of Sin and producing good works is the obedience active and passive the works labours sufferings and satisfactions of Jesus Christ only exclusive to the works sufferings or satisfactions of any other Where also they maintain that neither any works of our's done by the meer strength of nature have the least worth in them to procure God's assistant Grace for the producing of any previous disposition to this Justification as of Faith Repentance a love of God c. Nor again these dispositions tho wrought by assistant Grace and having some supernatural dignity in them have any such worth as by it to procure from God setting aside his meer bounty and free promise the Justification it self ζ. ζ. Conc. Trid. Sess 6.8 c. Nihil eorum quae justificationem praecedunt sive fides sive opera ipsam justificationis gratiam promeretur 'T is true that these dispositions to or conditions of man's Justification as effected by Grace having some true worth in them tho this no way comparable to the Acts produced by Grace inherent after Justification and besides having a gracious promise made to or acceptance of them which two things none can deny some Catholick Authors think that this word Meritum qualifying it with the addition de congruo may be justly applyed to them especially since St. Austine and other Fathers have so applyed it formerly St. Austine and other Fathers have so applyed it formerly St. Aust Ep. 105 106. others think not the matter agreed on the difference is about words and the Church's Subjects left to their liberty See Bellarm. de Justific 1. l. 21. c. And see Head XVI Merits 3. Yet they next affirm That there are some conditions or dispositions required of us and also by God's free first exciting and then assisting Grace man's Will assenting and co-operating wrought in us Which tho by any worth of theirs they cannot merit yet by vertue of God's free Promise and the new Covenant do certainly impetrate the applying or if Protestants Will imputing to us both the active and passive Obedience of Christ viz. all his Merits which are accepted by God instead of and as if they had been our own but this not as to our being esteemed by God our selves
quicquam non tuum HEAD XIX Of Penances and Satisfactions Of Penances and Satissactions THE Catholick Assertions concerning Penances and Satisfactions may be easily collected out of these Theses concerning Justification and Merit 1. By Penances Catholicks understand any Acts either produced by adjuvant Grace before Justification or by inhabitant Grace after it that are some way painful laborious or afflictive to us by depriving us of some Good either utile or jucundum Whereby all sorts of good Works may be reckoned Penal and Satisfactory as they do cross and mortify our contrary carnal secular and terrene appetites and inclinations α. α. Estius 4. sent 15. d. 24. § Paena non aliud est quam privatio boni vel utilis vel delectabilis Nam privatio boni honesti ad culpam pertinet igitur satisfactionem quae cum tali quadam privatione seu substractione fieri debet paenalem esse oportet Lugo de Paenitent Disp 24. § 3. De facto omnis nostra operatio meritoria est simul satisfactoria quia omnis de facto paenalis est sicut omnis satisfactio est simul meritoria quia debet procedere ex actione laudabili honesta ut diximus sic etiam e contra omnis actio meritoria est Satisfactoria quia affert secum aliquam paenalitatem Ratio autem a priori est quia nullum est opus honestum quod non adversetur alicui bono vel delectabili vel utili c. See δ. Or would have crossed them if these had not been by Grace formerly mortified for in such a case a less pain in doing it when it ariseth only from such a cause diminisheth not but increaseth the satisfactoriness and merit of the Work as proceeding from a person more eminently sanctified and one who hath formerly suffered the pains he hath now conquered Such then are both these acts of Christian Virtues which are sub Praecepto and cannot be omitted in due time and place without sinning and breach of God's commands which in what sense they are said to merit and obtain life eternal See before Head XVI may be much more in the same sense to merit and obtain the remission of some temporal punishment the divine acceptation being always supposed As likewise the same acts done more imperfectly before our Justification are conditions or dispositions instrumental for obtaining remission of our Sins as well as of the infusion of Grace in our Justification β. β. Lugo de Paenit 24. § 3. Art 1. Per opera praecepta posse hominem satisfacere communis sententia verissima affirmat Et quidem stante doctrina Concilii Tridentini contraria sententia non videtur posse ulla ratione sustineri Num Concil Tridentinum Sess 6. cap. 10. 16. definit iis operibus quibus divina lex observatur mereri hominem justum augmentum gratiae Unde non apparet cur non habeant ea opera vim purgandi debitum paenae sicut habent vim novum jus comparandi ad novum praemium And see Bellarm. de Paenit 4. l. 13. c. § Adde quod And Ibid. c. 8. He argues thus Si opera justorum i. e. praecepta eam vim habeant ut vitam aeternam vere proprie mereantur nullo modo negari potest quin etiam efficacia esse possunt ad satisfaciendum pro reatu paenae temporalis siquidem longe majus est gloria aeterna quam paenae temporalis remissio In the same manner Lugo Ibid. § 1. Quia opera hominis justi habent aequalitatem condignitatem in what sense this see Head XVI in ratione meriti in ordine ad beatitudinem aeternam ergo possunt habere condignitatem ad redimendum paulatim debitum paenae temporalis quod est multo minus But such are more principally those higher acts of Christian Virtues that are in Consilio See Head XVIII which as they are still in a higher degree painful and opposite to our secular contents than the other and as in some sense in debita See Numb freely undertaken so are they more acceptable to God and satisfactory in the manner which shall be explained hereafter for any debt of punishment and suffering that we still owe unto him and that his vindicative justice for our sins is ready to inflict upon us Thus the acts of any Christian Virtues may be reckoned amongst Works Satisfactory in respect of cancelling punishment as also satisfactions as they also are good works cannot be denied to be meritorious in respect of acquiring Glory but more especially δ. δ. See life eternal the promised reward of our temporal sufferings 2. Cor. 7.14 and 2. Tim. 1.12 Rom. 8.17.13 and particularly of those Works wherein a satisfactory Virtue is said principally to consist I mean Alms-deeds Fasting and Prayer Matt. 25.34 35. 6.6.16.18 Where the open reward is the kingdome of heaven Bellarm. de Indulgent 1. l. 2. c. In bonis actionibus hominum justorum duplex valor sive praemium assignari potest meriti videlicet Satisfactionis Again Ibid. In uno atque eodem opere bono eleemosyna vel jejunio meritum Satisfactio reperitur Nam eleemosyna delet peccatum quod est Satisfactorium esse tamen eadem eleemosyna quia est opus bonum Deo gratum meritoria est vitae aeternae Esse Satisfactoriam convenit eleemosynae quia opus est laboriosum paenale esse meritoriam convenit eidem quia est opus bonum ex charitate factum Eadem oratio simul est impetratoria meritoria meritoria quia orans orando bene operatur Deo placet quid impedit quo minus possit esse simul Satisfactoria Meritoria those of Prayer Fasting and Alms-deeds The first respecting the Soul and involving all the mental Exercises and spiritual Mortifications thereof in the acts of Contrition For Contrition is not denied as it is penal so also to be satisfactory Confession Deprecation examinations of Conscience intensive recollections of Spirit to celestial matters c. acceptable to God The second respecting the Body and including the several macerations and subduings thereof by suffering cold thirst hunger hard fare clothing lodging disciplines watchings solitude silence c. The third respecting the goods of fortune but also those of the Soul and Body in order to the shewing all manner of Works of mercy to or any way benefiting our Neighbour Always provided that our penal Works in any of these three kinds be such first as are for the matter of them lawful which all those are Learned Protestants consenting γ. 1. γ. 1. See Dr. Hammond in his Answer maintaining good Free-will or spontaneous Worships against Cawdry much in this matter p. 154. The Law and Will of God being the Rule in agreement with or opposition to which lawful and unlawful consists it is as impossible that any thing should be unlawful in respect of God's Law which is not forbidden by it as that any should be lawful that is
forbidden Again p. 171. The Pharisees doing some things which were not commanded was no part of their Hypocrisy I add or fault but on the contrary either their saying but not doing or their preferring their own Traditions before commanded Duties But still this is no prejudice to those real performances of more strictness than the Law exacts Fasting twice in the Week and the like supposing they offend in no other respect but that they are uncommanded performances Again p. 128. To Cawdry urging concerning these very matters we are here speaking of Penances Pilgrimages Laniations of the Body c. That since the Romanists do not hold them forth as Commands of God that which makes them impious mistaken Mortifications is their being voluntary Worships He answers It is not their making them the Worship of God that renders them culpable but the unfitness or inordinateness of them to that end to which they are designed Such Laniations of our own Bodies and might not he here have added St. Paul's 1. Cor. 9.27 being on that account deprived of all appearance of being acceptable to God Acceptable to God useful to that end or such end the pricklings of an hair cloth Matt. 11.21 But not the lashes of a Discipline Why so Yet allows he there St. Paul's Sufferings 2. Cor. 11.27 which why it may not include beating or scourging as well as pining or prickling the Body who can give a good reason Bishop White Answer to Fisher p. 302. In a thing adiaphorous i. e. no way commanded by the Scripture it is sufficient to make the practice lawful if it be not repugnant to the Scripture That are no way prohibited 2ly As are some way expedient and conducible to that good end to which they are designed and therefore also acceptable to God which many Penal Works ordinarily used in the Catholick Church need no such refuge being either such as are commanded and no where prohibited and such as are known to be acceptable to his Divine Majesty commanded us in the Scriptures at least as to some inferior degree or recommended to us there either in particular or in general and such as have been frequently practised by former Saints and experienced powerful for correcting vicious habits preventing temptations and such as in Scripture have frequent promises made to them of remission both of Sin to the not yet justified and of God's temporal scourges for Sin to those already received into his favour γ. 2. γ. 2. Bellarm. de Paenitent 4. l. 6. c. Opera Satisfactoria in genere non sunt caeremoniae sed res utilissimae quarum in divinis literis extant exempla promissiones prâ—cepta i. e. quoad certum modum the superior degrees being in Consilio and therefore when done much more acceptable to God Again Cap. 4. Paenitentiam Scripturae passim describunt per fletum planctum jejunium saccum c. Itaque cum dicuntur aliqui Paenas sponte sua assumere illud sponte sua non excludit mandatum Dei de paenitentia agenda operibus laboriosis assumendis sed excludit certum genus aut majorem mensuram operum laboriosorum quam Scriptura aut Ecclesia in particulari praescripserit Lastly Catholicks affirm that any such Acts may be reckoned penal and satisfactory either when voluntarily undertaken and imposed by our selves or when enjoined us by our spiritual Physitian the Priest God's appointed Officer for reconciling Penitents and prescribing the ways of making their peace with God or also when some of these or other Sufferings first imposed on us by God yet are by our patience and chearful acceptation of them made and so offered back unto him as it were Sufferings of our own choice in conformity to his holy Will This said concerning the matter of Penances next to proceed to their effect 2ly Catholicks then declare That in the freeing us from Sin and its bad effects there are contained these particulars 1st The remitting of the fault or sin it self as to the offence given to God by it and our being resumed into his favour 2dly The remitting of the eternal punishment due thereto which always accompanies the former the retention of such punishment not consisting with a restored amity 3ly The remitting of the temporal punishment or of some part of it 4ly The removing out of our Soul of the vicious habit or inclination to Sin left in it by the former frequented acts thereof That three of these the 1st 2d and 4th are removed in our Justification without any thing in us meriting this or satisfying for them ε. ε. Concil Trident. Sess 6.14 c. In paenitentia continentur c. Satisfactiones per jejunia c non quidem pro paena aeterna quae vel Sacramento vel Sacramenti voto una cum culpa remittitur c. See Melancthon Apol. Confess Aug. Art de Confess Fatentur Adversarii quod Satisfactiones non prosint ad remissionem Culpae And Rivet in Dialys Discuss Grot. Art 4. opposing Grotius thought by him to speak somewhat Socinian-like concerning our Saviour's Satisfaction Hic etiam novam ipsis Pontificiis doctrinam aperit Baptismo precibus satisfieri Deo pro peccatis Applicari Satisfactionem Christi per Sacramentum per fidem hactenus apud Christianos creditum est Sacramentum preces adhibitas esse Satisfactionem pro peccatis nemo hactenus dixit vel credidit Only some pre-dispositions in us being required without which the Application of Christ's Merits and Satisfactions and our Justification is not attained That of these conditions or predispositions required in us one is Repentance and in it a due Contrition in a greater or lesser degree according to the quality of our former offences especially in any greater relapses from our first Justification And again That for the producing such due contrition as likewise for the bringing the purpose of Reformation another and chief part thereof to good effect there is ordinarily requisite the practice of the forementioned works of Penance some or other more or less according to the more stubborn or flexible inclinations of the Soul to a penitent sorrow and remorse and softness or hardness of the hearts of wretched sinners less Penance being necessary as the person better disposed χ. Yet that neither are these Penal Works so far made necessary by Catholicks as if all or most of them were to precede every ones Justification or any of them so absolutely necessary thereto as that true Contrition may not possibly be without it or such true Contrition as is without it not obtain a perfect Justification ζ. ζ. Bellarm. de Indulgent 2. l. 17. c. Satis novinus posse hominem per internam conversionem ad Deum ita vehementer accendi in amorem Dei de peccatis suis dolere cum proposito Confessionis ut continuo recipiat remissionem omnium culparum paenarum I add further which intense and worthy Sorrow or Contrition did the Church know she might absolve such
Penitents where no intervening of publick scandal without imposing or reservation of any further Penance or did the Penitent himself know he also might omit all those other voluntary Penances which he without the Churches prescription inflicts upon himself Daille de Paenis Satisfactione 1. l. 2. c. 5. p. Vel ipsi adversarii fatentur insignem peccatoris contritionem omnem saepe paenam expungere But only That the Sinner being uncertain of his possessing such a sufficient Contrition as is answerable to his offences is exceedingly concerned not to neglect these means so much conducing thereto which also are frequently in Scripture joined with Repentance and have a like promise annexed of remission of Sin η. η. Conc. Trident. Sess 6. c. 9. Sicut nemo pius de Dei misericordia de Christi merito deque Sacramentorum virtute efficacia dubitare debet sic quilibet dum seipsum suamque propriam infirmitatem indispositionem respicit de sua gratia formidare timere potest cum nullus scire valeat certitudine fidei cui non potest sub-esse falsum se gratiam Dei esse consecutum Thus the Council Of which uncertainty Cardinal Lugo De Paenit 2. Disp § 7. give these Reasons Quia nescimus an actus doloris fuerit undiquaque bonus absque admixtione alicujus circumstantiae malae tenentis se ex parte actus qui reddat actum malum saltem venialiter 2. Quia saepe putamus nos diligere Deum super omnia fallimur habemus enim occultum in corde affectum ad aliquid Deo repugnans Sicut Saul 1. King 15. And Ibid In Answer to the Fathers Non negamus saith he expedire ut peccator conetur summa intentione dolere ut certior sit paenitentia c. In quo sensu debent accipi Patres qui summum dolorem exigunt And to the Scriptures Ibi Movemur saith he ad id quod melius est ne forte dum minus volumus non habeamus etiam quod sufficit Conc. Trid. Sess 14.8 Cap. Debent Sacerdotes Domini pro qualitate criminum poenitentium facultate salutares convenientes Satisfactiones injungere ne si forte peccatis conniveant indulgentius cum paenitentibus agant levissima quaedam opera pro gravissimis delictis injungendo alienorum peccatorum participes efficiantur Which relates as well to the non-remission of the Sin ne alienorum peccatorum participes c. if there be not yet true Contrition as of the punishment Ibid. Sane divinae justitiae ratio exigere videtur ut aliter a Domino in gratiam recipiantur qui ante Baptismum per ignorantiam deliquerint aliter vero qui semel a peccati Daemonis servitute liberati accepto spiritus sancti dono scientes templum Dei violare spiritum sanctum contristare non formidaverint Which Reason holds as well for a sufficient Contrition in order to Remission of Sin as sufficient Satisfaction in order to Punishment Bellarm. de Paenit 2. l. 11. c. Dolor de peccatis esse debet summus appreciative i. e. ut voluntas pluris aestimet detestationem peccati quam cujuscunque boni consecutionem aut alterius mali evitationem To which he adds afterwards Ibid. Periculum est ne homo se ipse fallat dum in se ad acrem intensam contritionem excitare non satagit revera ne appreciative quidem toto corde crimina detestetur And elsewhere De Paenit l. 2. c. 14. Quia nemo certo scire potest se veram contritionem habuisse Itaque ut quis de adepta indulgentia securior sit debet omnia illa remedia adhibere quae Deus ad peccata purganda instituit Again concerning a different Contrition of different Sins Ibid. On St Cyprian's Saying In Sermo de Lapsis Quam magna deliquimus tam granditer defleamus he Comments thus Non significat dolorem absolute offensioni aequandum esse quod fieri non potest sed proportionem illam inter peccata dolorem de peccatis esse debere ut de majore peccato magis de minore minus doleamus And on that of St. Ambrose Lib. ad Virg. corruptam 8. c. Quanta putas qualis necessaria Paenitentia quae aut aequet crimina aut certe excedat Non ita accipiendum est saith he quasi Paenitentia aequare aut excedere debet peccatum aut offensam Dei sed ut dolor Paenitentiae aequet aut excedat voluptatem quam peccando accepimus quod aliis verbis ita scripsit Hugo de S. Victore De Sacram. 2. l. p. 14 2. c. Si in correctione minor est afflictio quam in culpa fuit delectatio non est dignus Paenitentiae tuae fructus Estius 4. sent 16. d. § 7. Sicut peccata alia aliis graviora sunt ita magis de uno quam de alio pro ratione gravitatis eorum dolere debet peccator magis inquam appreciative And tho there he maintains that ad remissionem culpae non necessario requiritur ex parte contritionis ad certum aliquem gradum intensio neque ad certum tempus extensio yet he speaks of intentio post Deum summe dilectum aliis rebus omnibus praelatum which he requires even in the least Attrition profitable so that a Contrition falling in any degree short of this is invalid and this is no small matter For true Contrition containing in it both cessationem a peccato or vitae novae propositum inchoationem and veteris odium Conc. Trid. Sess 14.4 cap. Neither will hate be without taking revenge nor a Reformation effected without many painful acts in the crossing of our former secular or carnal Concupiscences And Mortifications of the Body do usually accompany a saving Contrition that is where is time and ability to perform them in the same manner as good Works do a saving Faith And great reason have we to suspect that these solitary internal Acts of Contrition accompanied with no external Humiliations where strength or time fails not are none of those vehement and intensive ones as alone operate the forenamed effect 3ly That the Sacerdotal Absolution and Sacrament of Penance appointed for the restoring of sinners relapsed after their first justification yet hath not this real effect of restoring them when received without any such due pre-dispositions in the persons absolved and particularly without any such Repentance Contrition or Godly sorrow as is required in the person proportionably to his sin hath no effect they say till such Conditions be first performed θ. θ. Cardinal Cajetan Opuscul Tract 5. q. 5. De horum numero utinam non maxima pars Christianorum paenitentium sit quos non sicut primos puta virtute clavium de attritis regulariter fieri contritos sed in sua attritione absolvi communicare Cujus signum est c. De istorum Confessione intelligo doctrinam Thomae in 4. sent 17. disp quod confessio informis
per defectum contritionis est valida ita ut non sit iteranda erit eis fructuosa quando ascendent adcor altum ut habeant peccatum pro summo odibili summo vitabili c. See more in the Author Card. Lugo De Sacramentis Disp 9. § 6. Sicut Baptismus ablato obice remittit priora peccata sic Sacramentum Paenitentiae remittit sua ablato obice Nulla certe ratio excogitari potest ad negandum hoc de Sacramento Panitentiae si concedatur de Baptismo supponatur Sacramentum Paenitentiae validum informe Again Licet Sacramentum Paenitentiae sit reiterabile non est tamen obligatio reiterandi illud circa eadem peccata semel valide subjecta clavibus Unde si non daret postea effectum ablato obice illa peccata non dimitterentur directe per claves Ecclesiae neque esset obligatio ea confitendi ad hunc finem quod ex vipraesentis Institutionis videtur absurdum 4ly That therefore where no such worthy Repentance and due Contrition or godly sorrow precedes such Absolution these Penances tho done after Absolution have the self same operation and concurrence to produce such Contrition and to procure our Justification and the forementioned remission of Sin and eternal Punishment and are as necessary for this effect as if done before and till this effected are for this very thing prescribed by the Church or are to be voluntarily undertaken by Sinners as the principal end to which they tend and for which they are imposed or recommended to Christian Practice Therefore the Baptist calls for these digni fructus paenitentiae in order to escaping ira ventura i. e. Hell fire and the eternal punishment of Sin See Matt. 3.7 8. comp 10 11 And as Protestants much urge so Catholicks willingly grant that the Fathers do make frequent mention of the necessity and prevalency with God of our Penances and Satisfactions in relation to these effects χ. χ. Concil Trident. Sess 14.8 cap. Debent Sacerdotes Domini c. See η. Ne si forte peccatis conniveant indulgentius cum paenitentibus agant levissima quaedam opera pro gravissimis delictis injungendo alienorum peccatorum participes efficiantur Now how can the Priest be so if due Penance not required I mean as necessary predispositions and as concurring to effect a due Contrition to Absolution from the Sin Estius 4. Sent. Disp 15. § 10. Quod Satisfactio etiam subsequens absolutionem aliquo modo respicere debeat paenam aeternam ex eo patet quia ipsa est pars Sacramenti paenitentiae instituti ad solvenda vincula mortis aeternae absolutio datur non tantum intuitu contritionis confessionis verum etiam Satisfactionis factae vel faciendae Cum igitur paenitentem absolvat Sacerdos a paena aeterna consequens est etiam Satisfactionem in suo genere atque ordine ad eum effectum valere sicut Contritionem Confessionem licet non omnino aequaliter And so Bellarm. de Paenit 1. l. 5. c. At quae contumelia Christo esse potest si dicamus meritum passionis ejus esse veram atque unicam peccatorum medicinam eamque applicari per verbum absolutionis iis qui per Contritionem Confessionem ac Satisfactionem propositam ad eam medicinam recipiendam rite praeparantur here is praeparatio per Satisfactionem ad applicandum meritum passionis medicinam peccatorum Estius Ibid. Satisfactio Christi per se sufficientissima ad tollendam omnem paenam sed divinitus sic ordinatum ut ista nobis non applicetur ne quidem ad solutionem paenae aeternae nisi ipsiper opera quaedam paenalia Christo compatiamur Again Sunt conditiones quaedam paenales ex parte nostra requisitae ad hoc ut passio mors Christi tanquam plenissima Satisfactio nobis ad tollendum reatum paenae aeternae applicetur Ibid. § 14. Quarta utilitas Satisfactionis propriae est placatio irae divinae super peccatis commissis sive relaxatio paenarum temporalium adhuc debitarum vel etiam paenae aeternae juxta sensum in Superioribus explicatum i. e. per modum conditionis c. applying to this the Apostles words 2. Cor. 7. Quae secundum Deum tristitia est paenitentiam in salutem stabilem operatur Bellarm. de Paenit 4. l. 12. c. Concurrunt prosunt nostra opera paenalia ad culpae remissionem mortis aeternoe liberationem ut dispositiones c. Sicut actus fidei See Ibid. c. 14. § Ad hanc 2. l. 12. c. De bonis operibus 3. l. 3. c. Vere enim ejusmodi eleemosynae now it s the same of other Penal Works Fasting c partim ut dispositiones ad Justificationem peccatum etiam quoad culpam suo modo delent dum gratiam impetrant justificationis partim post acceptam remissionem culpae Satisfaciunt pro poena temporali And Cap. 4. Eleemosyna dispositio est ad gratiam justificationis si fiat ab eo qui paenitentiam agere incipit ex Dei motione auxilio speciali De hoc fructu loquitur Solomon Prov. 16.6 Luk. 11.41 19.8 comp 9. Act. 10 4. Neither since the regained amity of God and remission of eternal torments is infinitely more valuable than the remission of the temporal can it be imagined but that God requires these our Humiliations and Mortifications as well for obtaining of the first as of the second Or that the ancient discipline in requiring the performance of these Penances from lapsed sinners in order to procuring God's favour pardon of their sin and freedome from Hell before the absolving them from such sins and restoring them to the Churches Communion herein mis-applied them Though that must be always remembred which the Council of Trent hath declared Sess 6. c. 14. That in respect of these they are not Satisfactions since they have no proportionable worth at all to them nor yet are the acts of a person by Grace inhabitant rendred acceptable to God but are only conditions and predispositions in us for obtaining the application of Christ's all-sufficient Satisfactions 5ly That therefore though now in later times wherein all the faithful those also persisting in the state of Justification yet do frequently and beneficially repair to Confession not without good causes moving thereto the performance of such Penances from greater sinners is not usually exacted as anciently before Sacerdotal Absolution and admission to Communion yet still where there is greater doubt of some defect in the Penitents Contrition for the perfecting thereof Absolution and approach to the Eucharist is by prudent Confessors for some time suspended and the performance of such Penances discreetly premised λ. λ. Layman 5. l. 6. Tract 4. c. Si Paenitens post duas aut tres Confessiones eandem peccati speciem eodem vel majori numero adferat nullus emendationis conatus ante cessisse videatur hoc casu differenda erit