they deale so much more feruently in our behalfe by how much lesse cause they haue to be carefull for them-selues and by how much greater perfectioÌ„ of synceare (g) Hier. in vigil c. 2. 3. Bern. in vig. Pet. Pau. serm 2. in festo eorundem ser 2. de S. Vict. charity and of all kinde of vertue agreable vnto blessed Saints they continually doe exercise Not with-out greate cause therfore doe wee (h) Dam. l. 4. cap. 16. reuerence these lightes of heauen and nexte vnto God the fortresses principall ornaments of the Church Not without greate cause doe we esteeme praise imitate and loue exceedingly these Saintes aboue all mortall men thoughe neuer so excellent Not with-out greate cause according to our small power we doe exhibite great honor vnto theÌ„ being now aduanced to such and so great dignity Finally not without great cause do we according to ChristiaÌ„ pietie make sute vnto theÌ„ (i) Bas in 40. Mart. et in Mamátem Naz. ora 18. in Cypr. 21. in Ath. 20 in Bas Nyss de San. Eph. Chrys in ser de catenis S. Petri. Amb. de vid. de fid resur in c. 22. Luc. Chrys ho. 66. ad pop Ephr de laud. Mart. Hier. in epit Paulae ep 27. c. 1. 7. 14. Aug. de cura pro mort c. 4. l. 7. con Don. c. 1. Ber. ser 66. in cant Theod. l. 8. Graec. aff in Philoth. Prud. in lib. peri steph 7. synod Act. 6. vide etiam supra in salutationem Angelicam Gen. 48 16. Iob. 5 1. Gen. 32 26. Ose 12 4. Zach. 1 12. Hier. 15 1. call vpoÌ„ theÌ„ not that they may giue any thing as of themselues but that they may pray with vs to God the giuer of all goodnesse and that they may be fauorable and effectuall intercessours eueÌ„ in their behalfe that haue deserued no good at all Which kinde of worship and inuocation if it bee done rightly as it should to witte so as that supreame (k) Aug. lib. 10. ciu c. 1 lib. 20. cont Faust ca. 21. lib. 8. ciu cap. 27. worshippe and honor due vnto Almighty God which wee called Latria may stand whole perfite there is doubtlesse no inconuenience therein neither is it (l) Ro. 15 30 Heb. 13 18. Ephes 6 18. Col. 4 2. 1. Thes 5 25 2. Thes 3 1. Luc. 7 3. Iob. 42 8. repugnant to holy Scripture but is approued by many firme testimonies of the Church is very profitable And in that we do in this manner with the Church honor cal vpon the Saints it is so farre off from obscuring the glory (m) Conc. Trid. sess 25. of Christ our Lord Sauiour that it doth more set forth and aduance the same For herein doth the most excellent vertue and glory of Christ our Redemer shine and shewe it selfe in that he doth not only in himselfe but in (n) Ps 67 36. Ioan. 14 12. his Saints also appeare mighty glorious and marueilous in that he honoureth (o) Io. 12 26 Mat. 19 28. Luc. 19 17. Ap. 2 26. 3 21. 5 10 them himselfe and will haue them exceedingly (p) Psal 138 17. honored in heauen and in earth also in that that by them and for their sakes (q) Chry. ho. 2. in Psal 50. ho. 27. in Mat. 42. in Gen. fâ—r de virt et vit he giueth many thinges and spareth oftentimes the vndeseruing For it is well knowne that ABRAHAM (r) Gen. 26 3.24 Ex. 32 13.3 Reg. 11 12.32.34.36 et 15 4. Esa 37 35. 4. Reg. 8 19. et 19 34. et 20 6. et 2. Mac. 15.12 ISAAC IACOB DAVID HIEREMIE are reade to haue profited the liuing though they themselues were departed before Whereupon the fathers (s) Amb. vid. et in ca. 21. Luc. Leo. seâ— 1. et 2. de Pet. et Pau. et ser de annâ—uers Paulin. ad Cyth et de B. Faelice Maxim de Taur Mar. Bas in 40. Mar. Aug. quest 108. in Exod. Euseb de praep lib. 13. cap. 7. wheÌ„ they speake of the Saints they often call them our fauorers intercessors and Patrones And not without cause doubtlesse forasmuch as the faithful suffrages of the Saints wheÌ„ they are humbly and deuoutly desired in the name of CHRIST are knowne by experience to haue done good to many For which cause were (t) Hier. con Vig. ca. 2. seq epist 53. adu Ripar in ca. 65. Esa er 2. Syn. Nic. Gangreh the VIGILANTIANS long since condemned who do defraud the saints their holy (u) 4. Reg. 13 21. Eccli 48 14. Aug. 22. ciu cap 8. Dam. lib. 4. cap. 16. Bas in Psal 115. Chrys in Iuuent Max. in Bab. ser de catenis Petri. Amb. ep 85. ser 91. 93. Naz. Iamb 18. Conc. Trid. sess 25. Act. 19 12. 5 15. Luc. 8 44. Mat. 14 36. Relickes of their honours which the true Catholike Church hath alwaies giueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ Neither must we giue eare vnto malitious cauilers who doe falselye affirme that the honour due vnto God is by this meanes translated (x) Gen. 19 1. 23 7. 33 3.6 42 7. Ios â— 14. 1. Reg. 20 41. 25 23. 4. Reg. 2 15. 1. Pat. 29 20. vnto men that Saints are adored for Gods that creatures are by Catholikes made equal vnto the Creatour For that it is nothing so bothe many other thinges doe conuince amongst the rest that olde and solempne supplication called the Lytanie dothe testifie where God the diuine persons are worshiped and inuocated first of all in a farre more high and excellent manner than the Saintes (y) Bern. ser de 4. modis orandi Victor lib. 3. de persecutione Wand or all the orders of Saintes together Hereupon also were those feasts of Saintes instituted which Sainte AVGVSTINE writing againste FAVSTVS the Manichee (z) Lib. 20. con Fau. ca. 21. in Ps 88. Conc. 3. ser 47. de sanctis Ber. in Vig. Pet. Pau. Isid lib. 1. de off ca. 34. 35. defendeth in this manner The Christian people saith he dothe celebrate the memories of Martirs with a religious solemnity that they may both stirre themselues vp to the following of their steppes and also be made partakers of their merits and holpen by their prayers 9 Is the receiued vse of the images of Christ and his Saintes contrary to this first commaundement Bar. 6 25.38 Deut. 4 15. 5 8. Psa 113 12. 134.15 Sap. 14 1.21 1. Cor. 10 7. 8 4. NO surely for we doe not as the Heathens are wonte worshipe images stockes stones as if they were certaine (a) Leu. 26 â— Tert. l. 2. 501. Mar. cap 22. Goddes for that is speacially prohibited in this commandement but after a Christian maner and with a deuoute minde we doe there honour Christ himselfe his Saintes where they are represented (b) Bas
of the Churches customes are to be restrained Finally TERTVLLIAN a most learned and auncient writer of the Church in one whole booke together disputeth (g) Lib. de praescript against those that doe admitte nothing that is not expresly set downe in the Scripture he contendeth very earnestly that there be certaine vnwritten Traditions obseruations of the Church which none can take exceptions against but heretikes only But If any maÌ„ seem to be coÌ„tentious that we may vse (h) 1. Cor. 11 16. S. PAVLS words We haue no such custome nor the Church of God 9 I pray you then what is the Church Rom. 12 4. 1. Cor. 12 12. 1. Pet. 5 4. Io. 21 15. Mat. 16 18. THE Church is the whole multitude of all those that professe the faith and doctrine of Christ which Christ the Prince of Pastors committed both vnto S. PETER the Apostle and also to his (a) Chryso l. de Sacerdoti Conc. Flor. Bern. l. 2. de consid c. 8. successours to be fedde and gouerned And therfore all Heretickes and Schismatickes doe not deserue the name of a Church but do (b) Hier. cont Lucif c. 9. Cypr. epist 69. falsely arrogate the same vnto themselues who although they seeme to professe the faith doctrine of Christ yet they refuse to be the sheepe of the high Pastour and Bishop which Christ hath made chiefe gouernor oâ—er the sheepfold of the Church in his owne steed hath by perpetuall (c) Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Tert. l. 3. con Mar. c. 9. Optat. l. 2. Aug. ep 165. et 42. et in Ps cont partem Donat et lib. 2. contr lit Petil. c. 51 succession in the Romane Church continually preserued This Chaire of S. PETER this primacy of the Church whosoeuer doth deny oppugn first they do not vnderstaÌ„d the large promises of Christ * Mat. 16 18. Io. 21 15. Luc. 22 31 Mat. 10 2. Ioan. 1 42. Mat. 17 24. Act. 1.15 made vnto S. PETER the mysticall keies of the kingdome of heauen deliuered to him only and many other thinges written of Saint PETER the (d) Cypr. de simpl Hil. et Hier. in c. 16. Mat. Hier. in Ion. l. 1. c. 14. Ciril l. 2. in Io. c. 12 Aug. Tr. 56. et 124. in Io. Orig. ho. 2. in diuers et tract 6. in Mat. Bas de paenit Chry. ho. 87 in Io. et 55. in Mat. et 9. de paenit et ser de caten et gladio S. Pet. et ho. in SS Petrum et Eliam Leo. ser 3. de anniuers et ep 89. ad Epis Vien Prince the mouthe and head of the Apostles Then they doe manifestly breake the peace and certaine order of the Church which with-out an highe Bishop his supereminent auctoritie can neither be well gouerned nor kept long in vnitie nor holde that sounde strength that is necessarie to beare out the violence of hell gates Lastly they doe impudently discredite the Fathers their CouÌ„cels and writings consenting all togither about this manifest (e) Aug. cont ep Fund c. 4. et de vtilitate cred c. 17. et lib. 11. cont Faustum cap. 2. note of the Church yea and the consonant voyce of all Christianitie This Church and Her dignitie acknowledged Saint HIEROME whose (f) ad Dam ep 58. et ep 57. ad cund words are these he that is ioined to PETERS chaire is mine Optatus of (g) l. 2. cont Donat. Africke hath acknowledged her who witnesseth that among the true notes of the Church the Chaire of Saint PETER is the principall (h) ep 162. 90. 92. 93. 165. S. AVGVSTINE hath acknowledged Her who writeth expresly that in the Church of Rome the Soueraigntie of the See Apostolike hath al-waies florished Saint (i) ep 55. 69. Hier. cont Lucif c. 4. Leo. ep 84. ad Anast cap. 11. Cyprian hath acknowledged her who imputeth the cause of all Haeresies and Schismes that doe growe to this alone that men doe not obey one highe Priest Iudge in Christ his roome Saint Ambrose (k) l. 3. de sacram c. 1. de obitu Satyr hath acknowledged Her in so much that he hath saide that in all thinges he did couet to followe the Romane Church And more auncieÌ„t than al these and neere vnto the Apostles time that very Apostolicall man Ireneus (l) Lib. 3. c. 3. Tert. de praescrip cap. 36. Cypr. ep 45. 46. Theod. l 2. hist cap. 4. Ber. ep 190. ad Innoc. lib. 2. de coÌ„sid cap. 8. Con. Chalc. action 3. Anaclet ep 1. 3. Marcell ep 1. Synedus Alexand ad Foelicem giueth such a testimoniall of coÌ„mendation to the Church of Rome To this Church saith he because of the chiefer principallitie it is necessary that all the Church haue recourse that is to say all the faithful that are dispersed in all places in which Church by those that are in all places of the world hath alwaies ben conserued the Apostolical Tradition 10 What dignitie and auctoritie hath the Church ALmightie God doth aduance his Church 1. Cor. 12.28 Ephes 5 25. Io. 14 15.26 16 12. 17 11.17 Mat. 28 20. 16 18. Psal 120 4. of all thinges vpon earth the moste deerest vnto him with many most excellent dowries promises and benefits Her he doth alwaies adorne preserue defend and maintaine Her also he hath appointed to be his (a) 1. Tim. 3 15. Ps 22 2. Io. 10 16. house wherin all the Sones of God may be cherished taught and exercised His pleasure was to make Her the (b) 1. Tim. 3 15. Aug. lib. 1. cont Creâ— cap. 33. â— 2. cap. 32. piller grounde of trueth that we may not doubt any whit of Her doctrine which as a maistres keeper interpreter of the trueth obtaineth credite and authority inuiolable Moreouer he hath determined that she should be builded vpon a sure (c) Mat. 1â— 18. 7 25. Ephes 2 20. Psal 86 2. 47 9. Aug. in Psal 47. Alcim lib. 4. cap. 14. Rocke that we might assuredly knowe how she is vnmoueable stedfast and how she preuaileth as vnuanquishable against the very gates (d) Mat. 16 18. of hell to wit the most sharpe and grieuous assaultes of all aduersaries Finally he will haue Her to be a certaine Cittie (e) Apo. 21 2 Mat. 5 15. Esa 2 2. Mich. 4 1. Mal. 1 11. Act. 1 8. P. 21 26.28 most holy set vpon a hill apparant to all men and easie to goe vnto least any man forsaking Her * 1. Io. 2 19. might betake himselfe to the pestiferous dennes dungeons of Haeretickes and being seduced with those false speaches (f) Mat. 24 23. ibid. Orig. tract 29. 30. Beholde here is Christ beholde there might depart and be with-drawne from her This is the (g) Cant. 4 7 6 8. Louer Sister and only spouse of Christ which holy Scripture proposeth and commendeth
sight of God due Where we must also note that vnlesse it be specified in the Bull or graunt of the Indulgence that it is only of Penance enioined it is to be vnderstood of al manner of Penance Pardons onlie of Penāce enioined is neuer vnderstoode but when it is so specified And when it is so specified then doth the Indulgence nothing profitte him which hath no Penance enioined Wherefore for the obtaining of such Pardons it is very good in this respecte to demaund of the Confessour so much extraordinary Penance as may bee taken away by the same intending to fulfill the Penance in deede if the release thereof bee not obtained And the greater the Penance is either in continuance or in sharpnesse the more punishment is released by the Pardon thereof As if the Pardon bee of seauen yeares of enioined Penance euen as more satisfaction is made by fasting thrise a weeke for that time than by once a weeke so the Pardon of the first is more auaileable than of the second It is good alwaies to performe Penance enioined notwistanding an Indulgence In like manner is it of the Pardon of a Penance of seauen yeeres in respect of the like Penance for fiue Yet this must we aduertise euerie deuoute Catholicke that he be not for respect of Indulgences slack in performing his ordinary enioined penance for that ordinary Penance which is enioined is not only in satisfactiō of that which is past but also for a remedy for future harmes And beeing enioined as an opposite thing vnto those in which he sinned teacheth him howe to ouercome himselfe in his euill inclinations to lay foundations of great singuler merits and vertues Secondly Pardons are diuided in respect of the quantity of the Punishmentes deserued For some are full remissions others are not full remissions The full remissions are by some great Diuines very probablely saide to be of three sortes Ful Pardons of diuerse sortes by some Diuines For they say that there is a Plenary a more Large a most full Indulgence The first they wil haue to be a remission of the punishmente of those sinnes onlie which are confessed The second of the punishement due to those which are Confessed besides to all mortall sinnes by forgetfulnesse not Confessed The third they will haue to containe aboue these the remission of the punishment euen of veniall sinnes so that then there is nothing remaining to be paide Yet other great Diuines also do vnder the name of a Plenary comprehend all these A Plenary but of one sorte affirming that a Plenary Indulgence taketh away all temporal punishement for all sinnes remitted And considering that this matter doth depende of the intention of the dispensour of the treasures of the Church it seemeth that this second opinion in our age standeth with trueth for that it seemeth that such is now the generall meaning of that worde Plenary Yet howsoeuer it be certaine it is Iubiley the most large of all that those Indulgences which are called Iubileys are the most Large Both because although the aforesaide distinction were true yet the Iubiley is in the highest degree and for that although we must reuerently thinke of all causes of Indulgences comming from our Superiours yet there can bee no iuster cause of Pardon than that which is the motiue of the Iubiley which therefore is most safe and sure A iust and proportionable cause alwaies necessarie For the better conceiuing of this point we will heere aduertise the Reader that in euery Indulgence there is required a iust and conuenient cause For the gouernours of the Church are dispensers only of Gods mysteries 1. Cor. 4 2. therefore it is a pointe of their fidelitie with iust causes and conuenient meanes to execute their office Wherefore although it bee a generall Axiome of Diuines that Indulgences are of such value as they sound yet this is to be vnderstoode Indulgentiae tantum valent quantū sonant if the cause be proportionable Otherwise although they doe somewhat profite yet so much only as the proportion of the cause requireth And so may it happen that although a cause be pretended as sufficient for a Plenary or other Indulgence which is in deede proportionable A sufficient cause to some not sufficient if it bee executed with great deuotion and feruour yet may it bee so coldely doone of some particular persons that it arriueth not to the full obtaining of the Pardon but only in some degree knowen to God alone Hereof may it appeare why I saide the Iubiley to be the safest What is a Iubiley For the Iubiley was first instituted in imitation of the Iubiley of the olde Lawe when a full release of many rigorous difficulties of that law was made according to MOISES his prescript And this our obseruation of certaine times wherein the people of God should more earnestly attend vnto aspirituall liberty Leuit. 25. and a speaciall vniting of the whole Church togither in that lincke of charity which Christ lefte vnto his members and most of all vnto a continuall communication and concord with the successours of Saint PETER how necessary and profitable it hath bene the experience of many yeeres doth euidently shew This Iubiley had wont to be obserued euery hundreth yeaer Yeere of Iubiley afterward for the shortnes of mans life was reduced to euery fiftith and nowe is obserued after euery fiue and twenty But besides this generall Iubiley Particuler Iubileis sometimes there are particular Iubileys sent forth for some singular greate necessitie of the Church in which for that the necessity is vrgent and great and solemne causes are enioined for the obteyning thereof and the wholle Church of Christ ouer all the worlde with one harte and one minde concurreth no doubte can be made at all but the cause is sufficient and Christes liberality is open vnto the world by which that cause which of it selfe is great and sufficient through the merites and praiers of his spouse is also made aboundant to euery one which with meane zeale and feruour fulfilleth the same Now to returne to our diuision of Indulgences Indugences not Plenaries Those Indulgences which are not full remissions are of diuerse sortes some are indeterminate others certaine and determinate Of the first kinde are those which remitte some proportionable parte of sinnes as the third parte or such other like In the second are those comprehended The thirde part of sins Quarantenes which doe speacifie a certaine number of daies as 7. 10. a quarentene that is of 40. daies or of yeres as of one of 10 of 100. 1000. or as it shall please the giuer according to the auncient custome of enioined Penances Conc. Ancyr c. 8. Nicen. 1. c. 11. 12. Elib cap. 5. The meaning of so many years in Pardons not that any man shall liue so long or as some Heretickes will grosly after their accustomed maner scoffe and taunt that a man hauing had such an Indulgence may be sure that he may
may conclude this place of charity with an Oracle of God himselfe it is thus written (d) Deu. 30 20. Choose life that bothe thou maiest liue and thy seed And loue thy Lorde thy God And obey his voice and cleaue vnto him For he is thy life and the length of thy daies Then that no man may doubt but that the Euangelicall doctrine of Christ doth herein accord with the lawe let vs remember that Christ him-selfe did say If (e) Mat. 19 17. thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandementes And in an other place hauing commended vnto vs the preceptes and workes of charitie he also annexeth these wordes This (f) Luc. 10 28. do and thou shalt liue (g) Ro. 2 13. For not the hearers of the lawe are iuste with God but the dooers of the lawe shal-be iustified OF these doers were (h) Gen. 6 9. 7 1. in oratione Manassis Sap. 10 4. Mat. 23 35. 1 19. Iob. 13 18. Luc. 1 6. 2 25 Iac. 2 21. ABEL NOE ABRAHAM ZACHARIE whome the Scripture testifieth to haue ben iust before God as those that loued God their neighbour in worke and in trueth Wherfore DAVID not the least amongst them glorieng after a holy manner singeth thus I haue (i) Ps 118 32 runne the way of thy commandementes when thou hast dilated my harte I (k) Ps 118 47.48.51.55.101.102.110.113.127.128.157.159.163.167.168 haue loued I haue obserued I haue kept thy commandementes and thy testimonies in (l) Ps 18 12 keeping them much retribution (m) Ps 118 21. accursed are they that decline from thy commandementes OF THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHVRCH 1 Are there any other coÌ„mandementes to be obserued by Christians besides these ten THere are doubtles for-asmuch as our (a) Iac. 4 12. Law-maker and (b) Mat. 23 8. maister Christ hath not only taught the ten commandements (c) Mat. 19 17. of the Lawe but hath also commaunded in generall al those things that doe concern the yeelding of obedience vnto Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall commaundementes To this ende are those speeches of the Gospell (d) Io. 20 21 17 18. As my Father hath sent mee I also doe send you He (e) Luc. 10 16. that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee If (f) Mat. 18.17 hee will not heare them tell the Church and if he wil not heare the Church let him bee to thee as the Heathen the Publican in which places Christ attributeth willeth to be attributed the chiefe and last iudgement vnto the Church that (g) 3. Reg. 8 14. is to say to the Prelates Gouernours of the Church as (h) hom 61 in Mat. Bas c. 30. constit monasti Theophylac Eutim in c. 18. Mat. S. CHRYSOSTOME doth interpret and the wordes of the Gospell immediatelie following doe declare and conuince For which cause it is not in vaine writteÌ„ of the Apostle Saint PAVL He (i) Act. 15.42 et 16 4. walked through Syria Cilicia confirming the Churches commanding them to keep the precepts of the Apostles and the Auncients 11 What theÌ„ are the precepts of the Apostles Auncients which S. PAVL would haue vs to keepe SAint DENIS the Areopagite Scoller of S. PAVL (a) Eccl. Hier cap. 1. Bas de spir Sanct. c. 27. Euseb lib. 1. demonst c. 8 Epiph. haer 61. contra Apostolicos Tert. de cor mil. c. 3. â—t 4. affirmeth that they are of two sortes to witte partly written partly vnwritten To both kindes doth belong that which Saint IHON the Euangelist saith He (b) 1. Io. 46. that knoweth God heareth vs. He that is not of God heareth vs not In this we know the spirit of trueth and the spirit of errour And surely the first kinde which is committed to letters and standeth in written Lawes is apparant enough for that it consisteth of those bookes that are Canonicall But the latter consisteth in those precepts and ordinances which are compreheÌ„ded vnder this one name of Traditions and vsually so called by the (c) Cyprian de ablu ped Hiero. cont Lucif c. 4. Chrysost in 2. ad Thef hom 4. Fathers For they are not kept in writing as the former but deliuered by word of mouth as it were by hand from our Auncestors surrendered ouer vnto vs and commended vnto the Church 3 Are both these kindes of precepts necessary to be obserued THey are doubtlesse if wee will followe the doctrine of Saint PAVL giuing vs this charge Stand (a) 2. Thes 2 15. ibid. Chrysost Theophylact and hold the Traditions which you haue learned whether it be by Worde or by our Epistle Whereupon he in this respect coÌ„mendeth the Corinthians because they did diligently keepe the preceptes of the (b) 1. Cor. 11 2. Apostles which they had already by word of mouth receiued Then he warneth the Thessalonians that they withdrawe themselues from euerie (c) 2. Thes 3 6. brother walking inordinately and not according to the Tradition receiued from the Apostles And this is that which the holy Counsaile of Nice consonant to (d) 2. Nicen. act 7. 8. Sinod c. 1. diuine Scripture hath expressed in so plaine termes It behoueth vs to obserue with one consent and inuiolably Ecclesiasticall Traditions whether they by writing or by custome bee reteined in the Church And we (e) De abâ—â—â— pedum read in S. CYPRIAN that that is of no lesse force which the Apostles by the inspiration of the holy Ghost haue deliuered thaÌ„ that which CHRIST him-selfe hath deliuered For as (f) Ibidem the holie Ghost and CHRIST haue one and the same God-heade so is the authoritie and power of them both equall in their sacred ordinances 4 How maie wee knowe which are Apostolicall and approued Traditions in the Church OF these S. AVSTEN hath (a) In Epist 118. ad Ian. cap. 1. prescribed vs a rule worthye to be noted saying Those things that we keep not written but deliuered which are certainly obserued al the worlde ouer it is vnderstoode that they are holdeÌ„ as coÌ„meÌ„ded ordained ether by the Apostles theÌ„selues or by general Counseles whose authority in the Church is most holesome So the same holy Doctor discoursing against the (b) Lib. 4. c. 24. lib. 2. c. 7. lib. 5. cap. 28. Donatistes yea eueÌ„ against al Hereticks admonisheth this very seriously looke what the vniuersal church holdeth which by couÌ„sels hath not bin decreed yet euer hath bin vsed it is very wel beleeued that by no other meanes than by the authority of the Apostles theÌ„selues it hath bin deliuered And LEO (c) Ser. 2. de Ieiunio PeÌ„tecostes the great agreeing hereunto saith It is not at al to bee doubted but that what-soeuer is holden in the Church as a custome of deuotion it proceedeth from Apostolical Tradition and of the Doctrine of the holy Ghost 5 What
betweene God and his people Wherupon S. AMBROSE saith (b) In ca. 12. 1. ad Cor. A man that is placed in the order of an Ecclesiasticall office hath grace whatsoeuer he be not truly of him selfe but of his order by the operation of the holy Ghost Furthermore the said parties that receiue orders (c) Act. 6 5.8.10 13 2. 14 20. 15 2.42 1. Tim. 4 14. Tit. 1 5. Cypr. ep 76. haue thereby a certaine and euident testimonie whereby they may commend and approue both themselues and their Ministeries also vnto others And so it commeth to passe that they being as it were marked with those orders and being separated vnto the ministerie of the Church are well knowne and esteemed according to their degree and verie worthely honoured But woe be to them (d) Num. 16 31. Heb. 5.4 1. Par. 13 10. 2. Reg. 6 6. 2. Par. 26 16. whom not the example of AaRON that was called by God doth induce but seditiouse humors and swelling of the minde like vnto OZIAS the king doth cary hed long to the occupying vsurping by whatsoeuer meanes the offices of Priestly dignitie vpon whome this speach of God doth fitlie fall (e) Hier. 23 21. 14 14 27 15. 29 9. I did not send Prophets and they did runne I did not speake to them they did Prophesie And these the Scripture warneth vs not to accounte as Ministers of the Church but to eschew as (f) Io. 10 1. Cant. 2 15. Act. 20 29. Mat. 7 15. Theeues Robbers Foxes Dogges and Wolues because they doe not enter in by the dore but either of their owne rashnesse or for the fauour only of some ciuil magistrate (g) Trid. sess 23. cap. 4. or the popular multitude (h) Laod. can 13. they assume vnto themselues Ecclesiasticall offices seazing vpon those holy functions without any lawfull calling ordering * Ro. 10 15. But hâ—w shall they preach vnlesse they be sent as S. PAVL being one himselfe that was (i) Act. 13 2. separated vnto the worke doth say Doubtlesse order beinge once broken (k) Vide Leonem ep 87 ad Epis Afr. Greg. li. 4. ep 52. Dion cap. 5. eccles hier and Priesthoode taken away the Hierarchie and princely disposition of the Church consisting as well of Priests and other ministers as also of Bishoppes rightly ordered woulde come to decay Neither shoulde the Churche be that which it is called a Campe sette in battaile araye (l) Cant. 6 9. nor the true and lawefull Ministers of the Church should be discerned the office and authoritie of teaching would become contemptible the dispensation of the Sacramentes woulde be vnfaithfully and preposterously performed yea and altogither frustrate finally the functions of the Church woulde bee perturbed and as the proofe it selfe too much doth shewe newe and false Doctrines would increase and swarme by the means of these newe and false Ministers of Christ his spouse wherby the Church would often be shaken with sore deadly coÌ„motions as we doe in our daies feele by experience And for that cause the Apostle (m) 1. Cor. 12 28. Saint PAVL hath not only set down diuerse degrees of Ministers in the Church but hath also shewed howe holesome and necessarie they be in so much that hee affirmeth that they were giuen by (n) Ephes 4 11. God vnto the church as it hath bin said before To the consummatioÌ„ of Saints vnto the worke of the Ministerie vnto the edifiing of the body of Christ that nowe wee be not children wauering and carried about with euery winde of Dostrine in the wickednesse of men in craftinesse to the circumuention of error And certes this is a most euident sure note of the Church in that we see that perpetuall and neuer as yet at any time interrupted sucession of Bishops of lawefull orders in the same which God hath placed there-in for the perfect gouernment of this his kingdome And therefore this institution of Ministers as a most firme (o) Iren. lib. 3 cap. 3. lib. 4. cap. 43. Optat lib. 2. cont Douat Aug. ep 165 42. con epist Fund c. 4. in Psal cont part Donat. Tert. de praescript c. 36. knitting together of the Church and a most pretious bonde to preserue vnity is the more carefully to be retained and euen in the euill Ministers of the Church as we said before because of Gods ordinance is euer to be honored Which S. AVGVSTINE well vnderstanding saith Into that (p) Ep. 165. vide l. 2. con lit Petil. c. 51 order of Bishops which is deriued from PETER himselfe euen to ANASTASIVS who nowe sitteth in the same Chaire If any Traitour had in those daies crept in it had beene nothing preiudiciall vnto the Church and vnto Innocent Christians for whom our Lord was so carefull and prouident that he saith of euill Prelates (q) Mat. 23 3. whatsoeuer they say doe yee but according to their workes doe yee not Thus farre Sainte AVGVSTINE OF THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY 1 What is Matrimony MAtrimony is a laweful (a) Aug. li. de fid op ca. 7. lib. 1. de nupt coÌ„cup cap. 10. 21. lib. de bono coÌ„iug ca. 24. Amb. in c. 5. Eph. Pet. Damia ser 1. de dedic Lucius 3 in 5. Decret tit 7. c. 9. CoÌ„stant Conc. ses 15. artic 8. Trid. ses 24. can 1. coniunction of a man a woman instituted by God that they maie leade together an vndeuided society of life I say lawefull that there may be mutual (b) GeÌ„ 24 57 Tob. 7 15. Amb. de instit Virg c. 6 consent of both partes and that there be not found betweene them the degrees as they call them of (c) Calixt 1. ep 2. Later can 50. Trid ses 24. can 3. 4. de refor Matr. c. 2. sequ Consanguinity Affinity and other thinges of the like sort either prohibiting or disanulling Matrimony Of which Matrimoniall Coniunction if thou wouldest knowe the first author it is (d) Gen. 2 23. Mat. 19 6. 1. Cor. 7 10. Eph. 5 21. God himselfe most excellent and mightie who ioyned the first Couple and Parents of mankind in Paradise it selfe and honored them with his benediction But if thou regard the ende why it was instituted it is no other but the propagation of (e) Gen 2 23 Fulg. ep 1. cap. 3. Isid lib. 2. offic cap. 19. mankind to the glory of God and a familiar and faithfull liuing together (f) Chry ho. 20 ad Eph. in moral exhort ho. 5. in 1. Thess of Man Wife And finally the auoiding (g) 1. Cor. 7.9.10 Aug. li. 9. de Gen. ad lit c. 7. Chry. in Ps 43. ho. 3. de verb. Isaiae vidi DominuÌ„ of fornication in this imbecillitie of a corrupted nature 2 Howe is Matrimony a Sacrament IN that the (a) Amb. in cap. 5. Eph. Aug. vt supr
Neither did Saint Paul superstitiously iudge between day day Act. 20 16. vide Bedā ibidem Epiph. haeres 75. when he made hast if it were possible to keepe the day of 〈◊〉 that is of remission and of the holy-Ghost as noteth Beda at Hierusalem giuing vs therin both example of Celebrating Christian Feasts also as S. Hierom Epist 17. ad Marcellam noteth of the lawefulnesse of Pilgrimage of which we will speake hereafter So doe wee also obserue the Feastes of the Passion of our LORDE of Easter of Ascension and others which S. Augustine saith Epist 118. eitther vndoubtedly to haue beene instituted in generall Councels or rather to haue proceeded from the Apostles themselues as these forenamed Feastes must needes whereas they are motioned of Fathers Clem. lib. 5. const c. 21 Iren. apud Iust q. 115. Tert. lib. de cor mil. Orig. lib. 8. Con Cels more ancient than any general Counsail Finally of the holy-daies of our LORDE thus saith Lib. 10. ciu cap. 16. S. Augustine Wee dedicate and consecrate the memorie of Gods benefites with solemnities Feastes and certaine appointed daies least by tract of times there might creep in ingratefull and vnkind obliuion But of Festiuities of Martyrs the same saith thus Lib. 20. cont Faust cap. 21. Christian people Celebrate the memory of Gods Martyrs with religious solemnity both to mooue themselues to imitaton of them and that they may be partakers of their merits and be holpen with their praiers And of all Saints generally In Ps 88. Conc. 2 vid. Clem. lib. 8. const c. 39. Eccl. Smyrn apud Euseb lib. 4. hist ca. 15. Orig. ho. 3. in diuersos Euangelij locos Tert. de cor mil. Cyp. l. 3. ep 6. l. 4. ep 5. Bas orat in Gord. Nyss orat in Theod. Naz. orat in Iul. Amb. ser 66. 77. 78 Hier. in cap. 4. ad Gal. epist 19. ad Eustoch Prudent in Hymno de SS Petro Paulo Chry. hom 66. ad pop Theod. l. 8. de Martyribus Aug. in Ps 63. 88. Paulin. natali 2. 3. S. Felicis Cōc Laod. ca. 51. Carth. 3. cap 47. Tolet. 3. cap. 23. Lugdun cā pronuntiād do Cons d. 3 Mogūt c. 36 Keepe yee and celebrate with sobriety the natiuities of Saints that we may imitate them which haue gone before vs they may reioice with vs which pray for vs. These daies therefore are worthely accounted more holy reverend than other ordinary prophane daies because they represent vnto vs the singular liberallity of Almighty God shewed in them first in the person of oure Sauiour as the Sunday of which insteede of all the Feasts of our LORDE we we will exemplifie on which day he was borne rose againe and sent the holy-Ghost And therefore that day representing vnto vs the Natiuity of Christ both vnto this life vnto immortall glory and also the natiuity of the Church by the holy ghost is no doubt of greater dignity thā the Sabboth of the Iewes For that day in that it signified a gratefull memorie of thinges passed did onely carry a relation vnto the material creation of the world And in that it represented things to come partely it is to be abolished for that those things now be He. 4 10. fulfilled as the rest of Christ in the Sepulcher from his workes of our redemptiō Aug tra 30. in Io. the rest quiet of those which are regenerate in Christ from the seruile workes of sinne and the Aug. ep 119. rest of holy soules in the bosome of Abraham Partely it is more notably excellently supplied by the DOMINICAL day For the Sonday farre more exceeding that in signification of rest representethe vnto the deuoute obseruers therof the euerlasting glorie reuealed in Christ rising from death and expected of all those which are his liuely members As S. Augustine Ibid. noteth Nowe in the Feasts of Saintes also we both Celebrate the memory of so great a benefite as is the birth-day of our brethren into Heauen and their Assumption to so high a dignity and their glorious triumph ouer the worlde the fleshe and the diuell we reioice also at so good examples giuen to all the Church and a newe patron in heauen and a newe cause of ioy to all the Celestiall Courte This therefore is the conclusion of this our discourse that some daies especially and before others according to the custome of holie Scripture and the auncient Fathers of the Church Amb. ser 62. Aug. Praef. in ep Io. l. 22. ciu cap. 30. lib. 20. cont Faust c. 21. ser 21. detemp Leo. serm 4. de quadr are truely called Holie Sacred Mysticall of religious solemnity 3 And what must we esteeme of holie Water such like AS we call some daies more holy and religious than others so do we also say the same of many other Creatures of God which although they be good of themselues as created by him which is essentiallie good and Gen. 1 31. sawe that all thinges that he made were very good Yet because both they for our punishement often-times become hurtfull vnto vs either by their owne qualitie and disposition or by the malice Greg. lib. 1. dial cap. 4 Aug. lib. 18. ciu cap. 18. of the Diuell also for to bring to passe and signifie some spirituall effecte they be very holesomly 1. Tim. 4 5. sanctified by the worde of God and Praier as Saint Paul hath written Mat. 14 19. Luc. 9 16. Christ himselfe in blessing the loaues which hee multiplied hath taught So doth the Church Clem. l. 8. Const cap 35. Dion de eccles hier c. de Baptism Alex. 1. ep 1 Cyr. catec 3. Cypr. l. 1. ep 12. Amb. l. 4 de Sacr. c. 5. lib. delis qui initiant c. 3. Bas de spir sanct c. 27. Epiph. haer 30. Aug. ho. 27. ex 50. ser 19. de sanct l. 6. in Iul. cap. 8. Conc. Nannet c. 4. vse to blesse Water of which we haue most auncient testimonies as also miraculous Epiph. haeres 30. Theod. l. 5. cap. 21. Pallad cap. 19. Greg. lib. 1. dial cap. 10. Beda lib. 5. hist cap. 4. Bern. in vita Malach. See the histories of the newe Indies exāples of the effecte thereof And S. Basil calleth it an Apostolicall Tradition as it may alos appeare by the Apostles own Scholers who make mentiō of the same But S. Alexander he who 50. yeeres after S. Peter gouerned the Church of holy water saith thus shewing both the auncient vse therof by giuing a generall commandement confirming that which before hee practised Wee blesse water sprinckled with salte for the people that al being sprinckled with it may be sanctified purified which thing also we ordaine as to be done of all Priestes For if the ashes of Heb. 9 13. an Heifer being sprinckled with blood did sanctifie and clense the people much more water sprinckled with salte consecrated with diuine praiers doth sanctifie clense the
expresse when he saieth Wee doe not worship or adore that is with diuine worshippe for so is his meaning I say not the Relickes of martyrs but neither the sunne or moone or Angels or Archangels or Cherubin or Seraphin or any name which is named either in this life or in the world to come least we should serue the creature rather then the Creatour who is blessed for euer But we honour the Relickes of Martyrs that wee may worshippe and adore him whose Martyrs they were We honour seruantes that the honour of the seruāts may redound vnto their Lorde who saieth Mat. 10. he that receiueth you receiueth me Thus much therefore against all Vigilantians Eunomians and Iconoclastes and their spirites reuiued againe in Lutherans and Caluinistes for the defence propagation of Relickes and Images Lett vs now returne vnto the titles of PILGRIMAGE VI Pardons in holy paces Last of all we may in PILGRIMAGE regard the holy Indulgences graunted vnto those which visitte the same places by the gouernours of the Church For whereas Pardons are nothing else but an application of the Satisfactions of Christes wholle mysticall bodye that is of himselfe and of his members to the releasing of the penalty of our sinnes remitted as we will expound hereafter a singular cause of such application besides the labour of the iorney may be the visiting of such holy places where they suffered and do lye so the effect thereof more large vndoubted Thus haue we set down as plainly as we could with as much briefnesse as the matter would permitte sixe reasons of Pilgrimage none of which such is the force of veritie 3. Esd 3 18 which ouercommeth al things any of our aduersaries shall euer be able to disproue But least they thinke we deceiue them by Philosophy vaine fallacie although we haue indeede deduced all that we haue said out of scriptures and Fathers Let vs now see what wee haue expresly concerning Pilgrimage in Scriptures and Fathers II What haue we in Scriptures and Fathers for the allowing of Pilgrimage NO better author of PILGRIMAGE can we either finde or desire than GOD himselfe who commaunded that thrise a yeare Deut. 16 16. all the people should come to Hierusalem or before the Temple was built vnto the Tabernacle No better practisers of the same thā Christ our Sauiour Luc. 2 41. his Blessed Mother and Sainte Ioseph by Gods owne word approued Mat. 1 19. iust That wee may say nothing of Helcana and 1. Reg. 1 7. Anna Samuells parents of the Gentiles who are Io. 12 20. mentioned in the Gospell to come to Hierusalem to worship the Aethiopian Eunuch Act. 8 27. whose deuotion was rewarded with his Baptisme and incorporation into Christ We haue moreouer an expresse Prophecie of Esaie Esa 11 10. who of our Sauiour spoke thus To him shall the Gentiles pray and his Sepulcher shall be gloriouse No doubt but euen to the worldes end as S. Hierome In ep ad Marcell vt migret Beth. expoundeth and experience sheweth And if wee well waigh this wholle matter we shall find that till our Sauiour CHRIST had wrought our saluation Ps 33 12. in the middest of the earth as the Prophet saith the Apostles had shed most gloriously their blood for testimony of Christs Godhead there were no places of Christian PILGRIMAGES no Mount CALVARIE no Sepulcher of CHRIST no BETHLEHEM no NAZARETH Monumentes of the first beginnings of our Religion nor memories of holy MARTYRS Passions Therefore must we not in Scriptures expecte mention to be expresly made of those thinges which were afterwarde doone but sufficient it is if wee haue examples of the like and Prophecies of the thing it selfe as fore wee haue shewed and may be also vnderstoode by those words of Dauid Psal 131. Vide Hier. ep 154. ad Desyderiū ep 17. ad Marcell vt migret Beth. We will adore in the place where his feete haue stoode But after that Christ had Sanctified those holy places leauing so manie testimonies of his loue as there were steps which he did tread the Martyrs with their bloode had watered the wholle world making it fertile with a newe fruite then beganne indeed our Sauiours Sepulcher to be glorious then were the Martyrs honorablely Entombed and Religiously translated Greg. l. 3 ep 30. Corn. ep 1. Ruff. l. 2 c. 28. Hicelib cont Vigilāt Amb. inexhortat ad Virgines Aug. lib. 9. conf cap. 7. Chrys lib. de S. Babila Sozom. l. 7. cap. 10. Theod. l. 5. cap. 36. hist Euagr. l. 1. cap. 16. from place to place then were their Bones inclosed in Aultars and no place esteemed fitte for the publicke Sacrifice of the Church but where there was the memorie of some Ambros supr 6. in ep ad soror de inuent SS Ger. Prot. Hier. supr Aug. ser 11. de SS Sozom. l. 5. c. 8. Conc. Carth. c. 14. liuely Sacrifice Hoste offered vp vnto God Finally then was Pilgrimage so frequented ouer the worlde that it is a woonder that any be founde so ignoraunt as not to knowe it or so impudent as to disallowe it And for the places of Christes appearing vnto vs S. Hierome ep 17. ad Marcel shal be a witnesse not of his owne opinion only but of the practise of the wholle worlde The Iewes in times past honoured the Sancta Sanctorum because there were the Cherubin and the Propitiatory and the Arke c. Doth not the Sepulcher of our Lord seeme vnto thee more honorable Which as often as wee enter into so ofte doe wee see our Sauiour lie in the Sindon and staying there a while we see the Angell sitte at his Feete and at his heade the Napkins wrapped togither The glory of whose Sepulcher wee knowe long before Ioseph hewed it out was foretoulde by the Prophesie of Esaie saying Esa 11. And his rest shall be honour because the place of our Lords Buriall should be honoured of all men He afterward out of Saint Mathew Cap. 27.58 prooueth that the Cittie of Hierusalem is holy who expressely saith that diuerse going out of their graues came into the holy Citty appeared to manie He alleadgeth also that Dauid commaundeth vs to woorshippe in the place where the Feete of our Sauiour stoode And speaking against those which despise Hierusalem because our Sauiour was there Crucified Howe doe they saith he thinke the places blessed in which Peter Paul the Captaines of the Christian Armie for Christ did shedde their bloude Rome holy If the profession of seruauntes and of men be glorious why is not the confession of our Lorde God glorious We euery where reuerence the Sepuchers of Martyrs and putting the holy Ashes to our eies if we may we also touche them with our mouthe And doe some thinke that the Sepulcher in which our Lord was laied is to be neglected If we beleeue not our selues let vs beleeue at the least the Diuel his Angels Deuills tormented at Christes Sepulcher who
thing which may vertuously be desired And whether these were after a solemne manner offered at the AVLYAH or no it skilleth little certaine it is this end we may see by the place alleadged out of Theodoret to haue beene common in the Church For he speaketh of the custome of the wholle Church and against the Gentiles defendeth the generall Faith The like we reade of a certaine Vessell which hauing by Sainte Bennets Greg lib. 2. dial cap. 1. praiers beene made wholle after it was broken was hanged vp at the entrance of a Church for a memory We haue also testimonies of the Scripture in which wee reade that Golias 1. Reg. 21 9. his Sworde the Armour of Iudith 16 23. Holofernes were solemnely kept as also the Censars Num. 16 38. of Dathan Abiron by Gods appointment as examples of Gods Iustice shewed vpon them Neither was that ceremonious oblation of the Philistians which they made to be deliuered of their strange punishmente reiected by the people of God because it was a testimonye of Gods glorie And they who being miraculouslie benefited by Almighty God doe take vp their bed Mar. 2 11. Io. 5 9. that is hang vp their Crouches Chaines Fetters frō which they were deliuered And they that with 1. Mac. 4 57. solemnitye do adorn the Temples Churches for memorie of some greate grace receiued what doe they else but as the Psalme saith render their Psal 115 14.18 Vowes to God in the sight of al his people Finally God himselfe commaunded Ios 4 8. the Stones of Iordan to be solemnly kept the Manna religiously to be reserued Heb. 9 4. Exod 16 32. what did he not to stamppe in the minde of his people the memorye of his greate works Sometimes these offeringes are made for Almes to the Ministers of holy places who it is meete should liue of the 1. Cor. 9.13 AVLTAR Sometimes for other poore maintained by the holy place as Hospitalles Monasteries Nunneries sometimes to the building and ornament of the Church For these are worthely called offerings as witnesseth Saint Paul Ro. 15 31. who calleth the Almes sent to Hierusalem an oblation Neither is this a Iewish ceremony to offer vnto God for the sustenance of his seruants any thing profitable to the vse of man For this was and is a thing appertaining to the Lawe of nature vsed and Vowed by Gen. 28 20. Iacob and practised in the Church of Christ both in paying of Tythes other things also But our Heretickes thinking others as grosse as themselues will needes haue the people to haue thought in times past that those thinges were profitable for the Images thēselues no otherwise than the people of Babylonia was deluded in the seruice of Bell. Dan. 14 10. Which is a shameful slaunder manifestly betraying the pride 2. Tim. 3 2. 2. Pet. 3 18. Iudae vers 16 of Heresie But wee contrariwise besides the manifoulde good which commeth by these offerings as wee haue mentioned can shew thē the reuerend authority of antiquity for such deuotions in the Churches I find in auncient times offerings to haue been taken two waies First euery thing which was charitablely giuen vnto the Ministers of God or to his people was called an oblation As wee shewed a little before out of S. Paul so were immoueable goods giuen to the Church called Conc. Aurei 3. c. 3. Conc. 4. cap. 14. Conc. 1. cap. 17. oblations Secondly there were certaine thinges religiouslye offered in the Church at the AVLTAR for the causes a fore-saide that is for the sustenance of the poore or of the Ministers of the Church or to bee applied to other Charitable endes according to the disposisition of the Bishoppe So in the Canons of Cap. 3. 6. Synod c. 28. the Apostles are permitted offerings at the AVLTAR of newe Corne and newe Grapes S. Augustine Ench. c. 110. saith that the soules of the departed are relieued when for them either the sacrifice of the Mediatour or of whatsoeuer Almes is offered in the Church And that wee may knowe that these Almes were offered not onelie in the Church but also at the AVLTAR hee maketh mention in an other place of certaine women taken Ep. 122. ad Victor captiues whom he pitieth the more because they could not cary theire offring to the Aultar being among Infidells And in another place he Serm. de cō vit Cler. saieth that he will not receiue the offeringes of those which disinherite their children He forbadde also the oblation of one Bonifacius Ep. 187. to be receiued by his Clearkes So doth the 4. Councell of Carthage at which S. Augustine was present Cap. 93. vide Conc. To. 11. c 4. forbid the oblations of brethrē which are at discorde to bee receiued in the Church or into the Treasurehouse As also in the next Canon is reiected the oblation of those which oppresse the poore S. Hierome Ep. 1. ad Heliod of Priests hath this sentence They liue of the Aultar but vnto me as to an vnfruitfull tree is the axe putte vnto the roote if I bring not my gifte to the Aultar So haue we also in the aforesaide Councell of Carthage mentiō of the offeringes Carth. 4. cap. 95. vide Con. Vasen 1. cap. 4. Agath c. 3. of the deade which they had lefte in theire wills to be made And of the maner of disposing of these oblations diuers orders Conc. Gan. cap. 7. 8. Hier. in ep ad Dam. de oblationibus Altaris Conc. Aurel 1. c. 16. Calixt 2. Dam. apud Grat 10. q. 1 Simplicius Papa ep 3. Gelas ep 1. haue beene taken in the Church by diuerse Councells and holy Fathers And the yeerely oblations for the deade of which wee reade in Tertullian De cor mil. cap. 3 de monog cap. 10. either must bee the oblation of the sacrifice of the MASSE or this kind of oblation in the Church of which we haue spoken But more plainely to shewe this generall custome of the Church the very Acts of the Apostles seme to cōmend this kind of offrings For whē they brought al to the Apostles feet Act. 4 35 what fitter place for such a religious action than the Church And when S. Paul willeth that on the 1. Cor. 16 2. Sondaies euery one should lay vp their deuotion of Almes where is it thought more conueniently to haue bene done thā in the Church by these solemne offrings and that seuere punishment of Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5 5. for deluding the Apostles in their oblation may very well be deemed to haue bene donne in the Church espeaciallye wheras we haue such autorities for the antiquities of offeringes which cannot be thought to haue proceeded but from the Apostles themselues Fiue hundred yeeres agoe in a Councell holden at Rome vnder De consocr dist 1. c. omnis Gregory the 7. wee haue this decree Let euery Christian procure at the solemnitie of Masse to offer somewhat vnto God and to call to mind that which
doth the deuoute people take occasion not without the inducement of God himselfe in like miseries to haue recourse to the same Sainte for conuenient remedie Of this wee haue in the Scripture it selfe some figure and example DAVID mighte haue offered in diuerse places Sacrifice for the appeasing of Gods wrath but 1. Par. 21 27. only in the Courte of Ornan he deserued to see the Angel put vp his sworde Iobs friends by Iobs Iob. 42 9. Sacrifice only founde mercie If wee seeke reason hereof it was onely Gods pleasure What shall wee say of diuerse Leuit. 4. Sacrifices ordained by God for diuerse sinnes And yet one Sacrifice might haue sufficed if so it had pleased the Author thereof Some diuells are cast out by the Disciples others by Christ Mat. 17 16. alone Yea we reade of S. Anthony In Vita that when he could not cast out a Diuell hee sent the possessed party to his Disciple Saint Paul called the simple by whom he was deliuered The cause of which thing if we should impute to the greater holinesse in the one than in the other wee shoulde presumptuosly behaue our selues towardes both The only cause therefore is to bee referred to the will of God who beeing the Lord of all riuers yet sheweth himselfe more mighty in Iordan than in 4. Reg. 5 12. Abana and Pharphar riuers of Damascus We haue also a custome in the Exorcismes of the Church to charge the Diuell to disclose by whom he may be cast out for no other cause doubtles than because God according to his diuine Councell purpose giueth a limited strength vnto those infernall spirites which maie so farre preuaile as he permitteth no farther Of this we haue a proofe in S. Hilarions life Who beeing secretly gone into Sicily was disclosed by a possessed person in Rome whom the Saint deliuered But there is a manifest example recorded by an Autenticall Paulus Diac. lib. 6. de gestis longob c. 2. writer Of a great pestilence a thowsande yeeres since in Constantinople other places Of which one being warned be reuelation that it shoulde not cease vntill that in the Church of Saint Peter in Vinculis at Rome an AVLTAR were erected to S. Sebastian his Relickes being brought thither an AVLTAR dedicated the pestilence ceassed Which AVLTAR is as yet there remaining and with great deuotion frequented espeacially in time of pestilence Theodoret In Philotheo c. 26. also witnesseth of the generall deuotion of the Artificers of Rome to S. Simeon Whose Image he beeing yet aliue they vsed to set at the dores of their shoppes because of a generall opinion that the Sainte woulde protect their shoppes wares from robbing Of which we may reade a strange miracle in that Saintes life The like custome may we reade in S. Damascen Who also reporteth the seuere iudgement of God shewed vpon three persons one after another miserably slaine Lib. 3. de Imag. for attempting to violate the Saintes Image reuerently erected at a deuoute Christians shoppe A third reason may be alleadged the kinde of Passion of euery Saint which wee somewhat touched before For as they which sinne in those things in which they sinne are ordinarily punished so Almightie God doth speacially blesse the torments of his Saints maketh their paines occasion of their glory What did not saith Serm. de S. Laurent Saint Leo to the tormentour of Saint Laurence thy witte deuise for the glory of the conquerour when the very instrumentes of his torments were changed into the honour of his triumph And of Sainte Paules Chaines what S. Chrysostome saith Hom. 3. in epist ad Rom. ser 5. de Iob. all the worlde knoweth Howe meete is it then that in thinges proportionable to the MARTYRS tormentes or glorious confession of CHRIST although he were not a Martyr we shoulde runne to craue his aide and souccour And so truely it is founde in Tho. Fazel decad 1. lib. 1. cap. 1. S. Paul Whereas the stones of the place where the Viper inuaded his handes cure all the venemous bitings of Scorpions And in our owne Countrey the Mosse of S. WENEFRIDS-Well a deuoute memory of her glorious Martyrdome besides the straunge sweetenesse which alwaies is in it is founde a singuler remedy against fire The like of Sainte Agathaes Veile in Sicily which is knowen to preserue the Citty of Catana from the furious flames of Aetna Howe iust is it that the memories of so glorious Virgins shoulde haue special vertue against fire wheras they ouercomming their weake sexe did burne with the fyre of the Holy-Ghost which many waters coulde not quench the fire of carnall concupiscence being vtterly extinct in their sacred breastes As therefore in the relickes and instrumentes of the passions of Saints we see certain particular and determinate thinges brought to passe so also may wee deuoutely expecte the same particular effectes when vpon the sure groundes of the practise of the Church some similitude of that which they haue suffred for Christ we inuocate them to our particular assistance in some speaciall causes And as in the most holy Trinitie by the essentiall attributes of power wisdome and goodnesse appropriated more to one person than to another See page 313. we doe not deny as much to be in one as in another so by speciall deuotions to Saintes for particular matters we doe not attribute lesse to the one then to the other but rather stirre vp our owne frailty weakenesse to the more speaciall remēbrance of Gods graces in thē The like is in the Angells Dan. 10 13.21 who are allotted vnto their seuerall Coūtreis to protect and Apoc. 8. 9. in punishments are ministers of seueral woes Hence is that custome sprong that deuoute people pray to S. Apollonia for the tooth-ake because her teeth were in her Martyrdome stroke out of her head and therefore shee is a fit Patronesse either to obtaine deliuery or if it please God that we bee not deliuered a patient sufferance according to her example The like may we say of praying to S. Agatha for sore breastes because her breast was cut off To S. Roche against the plague and to diuerse Saintes for diuerse thinges wherein their vertuouse disposition did most shew it selfe And to conclude all this with an inuincible argument let our Heretickes yeeld me a reason wherefore to the Princes Pollyd l. 8. histor of our countrey as an hereditary power from S. Edward hath bin graunted this gifte of curing one particuler disease more than another which if they cannot then let them not so curiously and blasphemously deale in the like manner with Saintes If I haue spoken saith our Sauiour Io. 3 12. vnto you earthly thinges you beleeue not how if I shall speake to you heauenly thinges will you beleeue Thus much therefore be spoken in defense of the generall practises of Christian Countreies allowed by Pastours and confirmed by long continuance not to defend euery particular practise of olde and simple women
PARDONS 1 What is the grounde and foundation of Pardons FIrst we must heere call to mind that which hath bin shewed aboue out of Scriptures Fathers See pag. 209 that sinnes committed after Baptisme although in respect of the fault and disgrace of God guilt of euerlasting paine and damnation they bee fully remitted through the merits onlie of Christs Passion in the Sacrament of Penance doe notwithstanding leaue most ordinarily behind them if the contrition be not the greater a debt of Temporall punishment And that by such Temporall punishement satisfaction is to be made vnto Gods Iustice either in this worlde by workes of Penance enioined in the Sacrament or voluntarily vndertaken or in the other life in the fire of Purgatory See pag. 218 Nowe therefore as Almighty God hath lefte in his Church autority and iurisdiction to binde such Penitentes as haue recourse to the Sacramente for helpe vnto a conuenient satisfaction aunswerable to his diuine Iustice and decree so likewise hee beeing alwaies more prone to Mercy than to Iustice his grace superabounding wher sinne aboundeth Rom. 5 10. It necessarily followeth that he hath giuen as great a power to his Pastours in the one as in the other therefore as they may impose so they may release Penance as they are executioners of his Iustice to punishe so they are also dispensours of his mercie to remitte and pardon Finally as the power of his Mat. 16 19. Keies doe extend to bind so they doe also extend to loose whatsoeuer is bound or loosed in heauen which shall be more largely shewed hereafter 2 What is an Indulgence or Pardon Than may we hereby plainely see what is an Indulgence or Pardon which beeing wel vnderstoode duely considered we shall not need any long discourse for the proofe and defence of the same An Indulgence therefore or Pardon is the remission of the Temporall punishemente due vnto sinne already forgeuen graunted by the Pastours of the Church for iust and conuenient cause vnto him which is in Gods grace fauour Hence it followeth that whosoeuer will be partaker of an Indulgence graunted first he must be in grace then performe that which is in the graunt of the Indulgence required as Fasting or Praier or Almes And so he shall enioy the fruite thereof 3 How many things are necessary to obtaine a Pardon But if we will consider all the wholle chaine of thinges concurring and necessarily required in this matter we may the better conceiue the malitiouse slaunders and cauills of our aduersaries heerein First therfore he that will gaine an Indulgence must be hartely sory for his sinnes Secondly hee must haue a full and resolute purpose to amend his life and neuer to fall into any mortal sinne Thirdly he must make a diligent search of his conscience calling exactly to mind so farre as the frailtie of mans memory can reach all the particulars of his thoughts wordes deedes offensiue vnto God Fourthly he must humbly syncerely lay them open before the Priest who in Gods steed is to iudge thereof Fiftly he is to accept that Penance which is imposed vpon him And all this is so necessarie for remission of sinnes that if there want but one of them either sorrowe or purpose or due examination or pure Confession or fulfilling the Penance enioined or at the least in the three last a full intent to execute them in due time no man can obtaine the grace of God much lesse such Pardons as we speake of which are not nor can be imparted but to those onely which are in Gods blessed fauour Nowe if there happen any opportunity of Indulgence or remission of this Penance enioined or of that which by the auncient Canons of the Church or by Gods secrete most iust iudgement should in rigour bee inioined for ordinarily the Penance in our age enioined in Confession is not equall vnto that which the auncient Canons of the Church Gods own determination hath allotted than sixtly there is required the fulfilling of that worke vnto which the Indulgence is annexed And so if the partie which seeketh the Indulgence be still in grace and the cause proportionable to the Indulgence infallibly he receiueth the same And yet some Diuines doe vpon probable groundes affirme that he which will obtaine an Indulgence must besides all this of necessitie either haue accepted of his Ghostly-father or purposed to take vpon himselfe so greate penance as were in it selfe sufficient to satisfie for that paine which in the Indulgence is remitted or at the least that he must haue a generall purpose to satisfie Gods Iustice in this life by Godly workes and deuout labours and sufferings otherwise except the worke exacted in the Indulgence be equiualent to the paine remitted he shall not enioy the benefitte Their reason is for that he which hath not this minde as much as in himselfe lieth to procure his owne succours for his negligence coldenesse and slackenesse deserueth not helpe of others and it seemeth as they say that Christ his Saintes intended not to yeeld such vnnecessary helpe whereby negligence might be increased But this opinion is by others worthily reiected Who say that if the Penitent haue this full conditionall resolution to fulfill his enioined Penance in Confession if he cannot obtaine by Indulgence the remission therof whether his Penance were great or little then shall he not beeing a liuely member of CHRIST be depriued of the participation of the common treasure of his wholle body A Purpose of satisfaction very profitable for him which will receiue an Indulgence and consequently of such Indulgence Yet certaiâ— it iâ— that such actuall purpose of satisfying Gods Iustice by owne penall workes doth make a maâ— more apte â—o receiue the wholl Indulgence and encreaseth the value of the cause and Gods acceptation of the recompence which is made vnto him by such an Indulgence as wee will shewe hereâ—fter 4 A comparison betweene the Catholickes Pardons and the Protestants Pardons THis therefore being the course of all Catholicks in obtaining Pardon of sinnes let vs on the contrary side examine a little howe many of these things are to be found in the Protestants Pardons For that they haue Pardons yea plenary Indulgences also none can doubte who heareth euery day that they are cleansed purged from all sinne and sure to goe to Heauen so soone as they shall die For in very deede this is not only a full remission of all paines and punishmentes but also a most certaine assurance of that singular gifte of God which is perseuerance to the ende Which if the Catholicke could perswade himselfe so easelye to be gotten he would with S. Paul 1. Cor. 15 19. account himselfe the most wretched of all men whereas he should so toile and labour in infidelity for that which he ought to assure himselfe that already he possesseth But whereas they doe so malitiously and contemptuously obiect vnto vs the Popes Pardons giuing
the people to vnderstand that the Pope graunteth leaue to sinne before-hand and too easely remitteth that which he should seuerely punish and that which is a horrible blasphemie that he doth make by his Pardon 's any thing lawfull vnto vs be it in it selfe neuer so repugnant to Gods holy commandementes Let vs compare our pardons with theirs our Iubeleis with theirs our remissions with theirs And to beginne first with Confession it is very well knowen in their iudgement for the moste parte to be accounted a thing little agreable with nature it selfe how many sinfull thoughtes doe they harbour how many shamefull blasphemous and iniurious wordes doe they vtter alwaies excepting some fewe of more ciuill and naturall disposition How many brutish actes doe they commit which they would neuer fall into or at the least they would auoide in parte if besides the iudgement of God before which all hidden thinges of darkenesse shall be lightened 1. Cor. 4 5. and all counsailes of hartes shall be manifested they knew they were to make before a man and a sinner perhaps as greate as themselues so straite and particular account I my selfe when I liued in my owne Countrey haue had sufficient experience of diuers whō neither loue of the worlde could with-hold nor custome of sinne allure nor feare of lawes keepe backe yet the onely shame of Confession could as I thinke doth as yet detaine from the vnitie of the Catholicke Church as our vnderstanding is often blinded by an infected wil maketh thē not to acknowledge in hart that which is the onely truth Let vs then goe to another condition And examine their austere kind of life strict satisfactiō to Almightie God And as for Fasting what better signe of a good Protestant then to eate flesh on the Friday without iudging betweene day and day For Almes if we mighte haue the Voices of all those which are poore needie in our Countrey in whom this gloriouse vertue doth more shine whether in Catholickes or in Protestants it would soone appeare what incomparable difference there is But for Praier I appeale to all greate house keepers or those which are the generall harbourers of all sortes of men yea and vnto all other persons who conuerse indifferentlye abroade whether if a man be not otherwise knowen to be a Protestāt it be not a manfest probability of a Papist to say his praiers deuoutly vpon his knees at his bedd-sid either morning or euening Sure I am that there be many honest matrons and diuerse simple persons amongst the Protestants who after the example of CORNELIVS Act. 10 2. endeuour according to their knowledge to serue Almightie God and to attend to workes of Charitie and Prayer whom I hope GOD doth now dispose by little and little with his preuenting-grace to receiue one day a perfecte knowledge of his will when they may by his cooperating-grace with such good workes builde vnto euerlasting saluation which in their present estate Heb. 11 6. Rom. 14 23 they cannot But euen these doe I call to witnesse earnestly intreating them for the honor of God without all vaine-glory as they haue little cause therof to shewe howe many examples they haue seene of the like deuotions Then let vs examine whether at the least there be to be found some great cause of Pardon and Indulgence which we propounded in the sixt place as necessarie in our remissions And perhappes wee shal find some building of Hospitals some erecting of Churches some enterprise against the Turkes the enemies of Christ and of Christendome some solemne and generall praier for the necessities of the Church which are the causes ordinarily pretended in our Indulgences But on our aduersaries side howe the matter doth stand the miserable ruines of antiquities doe shewe their rauenous gaping after Ecclesiasticall goodes doe testifie their intolerable vexations of their poore neighbours doe crie Exod. 22 23. vp to Heauen But these be outwarde thinges Confession Penance Workes of Deuotion It may be that the intenall things as Sorrowe purpose of Amendment a seuere examinatiō of their Actions Words and Thoughts doe so much excell that there can be no neede of those outwarde Ceremonies Espeacially whereas now the time is come when we must serue God in spirite and trueth And yet there is nothing lesse For howe can they settle themselues to the particular searche of their sinnes who neither purpose to Confesse them particularly to the Priest God knowing them already more particularly than themselues and besides if they stande to their Maisters doctrine maintaine that al our works are sins if God straitly examine them So that if this be credited they need not seeke to sort the good deeds from the badde But for purpose of keeping Gods Commaundementes they shoulde highly deceiue themselues if euer they should make it For they holde it an impossible thing to obserue the same And as for sorrowe that they thinke not necessary For that METANOIA which they cannot deny because it is so often commended vnto vs in the Scriptures they will not haue to signifie a sorrowefull repentance Beza vpon Mat. 3. and Luther ser de poenit but a RESIPISCENCE or waxing wise againe which God graunt they may doe without any sorrowe or affliction of minde for that which is past And although some of their Doctours doe require such sorrowe yet neither will they haue it the cause of remission of sinnes nor necessary for such effecte But onely they require Faith as a necessary sufficient cause after which as they most absurdly say by a necessary sequell followeth this sorrowe euen whether wee will or no. And yet here must I needes craue pardon if I say that they are also voide of Faith For there can be but one Ephes 4 5. Heretickes haue no Faith Faith and hee which denieth one pointe of Faith although hee giue credite to the rest that is not a Diuine Faith but a humane perswasion whereas if it were that Supernaturall Faith and Theological Vertue which is Conc. Araus 2. c. 5. necessarie for to beleeue a right it would encline a man to beleeue all thinges which God hath spoken as well as one Wherefor it is an infallible verity Concil Trid. sess 6. cap. 15. See page 479. that euē as grace is lost by euery mortall sinne so by infidelity in one only pointe the wholle substance of Faith doth perishe Nowe where there is not Diuine Faith how can there be a diuine hope Hope beeing grounded in Faith as S. PAVL Heb. 11 4. saith which although they brag neuer so much of their Iustification by Faith so long as in any one thing they dissent from the Church they cannot haue Wherefore although I might say that they require nothing at all for their iustification because they cannot beeing as they are haue so much as Faith the beginning foundation of all disposition thereunto yet supposing that they were in the right Faith consider good Reader who forgiueth
sinnes more easily The POPE or Caluin The POPE requiring those sixe thinges which I spoke of before and the Protestants allowing scant one of them 5 How wickedly our pardōs are slaūdred FOr whereas they doe so wickedly slaunder the Pastours of the Church as if they did graunt Pardons to licence men to sinne to dispense therby in Gods commaundements it is a thing which neuer any CATHOLICKE did yeelde nor euer anie POPE did challenge to himselfe but alwaies acknowledged that euery simple Priest might to those which are his subiects remit the mortal sinnes themselues although not the temporall punishements thereof in as high and ample manner as hee himselfe he hauing no authority to remitte out of Sacramentes any one mortall sinne in the worlde Much-lesse to permitte it as lawefull Whereas God himselfe in such things cannot according to the Doctrine of Diuines dispense who being a Soueraigne goodnesse cannot be the author of sinne and as the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 2 12. Heb. 6 18. cannot deny himselfe Let them turne ouer al our Bookes our Schoolemen our Canonistes and Summistes and if they finde in anie one Author of credite that all the thinges aboue mentioned must not of necessitie concurre and so hath alwaies bene vnderstood in the practise of the Church after the maner by vs declared they shall recouer their creditte of true and honest dealing Let them looke vpon our Extrauagants or Bulles where Iubeleis or other Pardons are graunted and published and if they doe not there finde that Particle or clause expressed that they which will obtaine such Indulgence must be Vere Poenitentes truely penitent then let them freely without shame blaspheme the iurisdiction of the Church Yea they shall for the moste parte finde that actuall Confession is a thing expresly required Actuall Confession not alwaies necessary as one parcell of such thinges as are causes of the Indulgence and then is it impossible to obtaine such indulgence without Confession although at other times when Confession is not expresly mentioned it is not necessarie but onely to those whose conscience is burdened with mortall sinne who cannot in the new lawe obtaine iustification but by Confession either actual or in vow and desire For of such as are not in grace must that be vnderstood which we haue saide before when we spoke of sixe thinges necessary in an Indulgence otherwise if one be already in grace hee hath virtually those fiue first things needeth nothing but to doe that which is the cause of the Indulgence whether it be Confession or Receiuing or Almes or Fasting or any other such deuout action As for the Simony which they charge vs withall in these Pardons No Simony in Pardons wee neither buy nor sell Pardons but sometimes the worke required for which they are graunted is Almes and yet few or none are now graunded for any Almes to the POPES cofers but onely to be giuen at the parties discretion thereby to take away all cause of scandall 6 Why Pardons are called remissions of sinnes whereas they take away the punishment onely BVt it may peraduenture somewhat moue our aduersaries that we call these Indulgences remissions of sinnes whereupon it seemteh we vnderstand the verie faults themselues not the punishments thereof But this we can easely declare vnto thē by an example of a Father who although he haue receiued into fauour his sonne whom he had disinherited which is to remitte him his fault and to receiue him into his grace yet doth he impose oftentimes some lighter punishment for the same faulte both as a cautell for that which is to come and as a iust reuenge for the offence remitted and then he may iustly be saide not to haue perfectly forgiuen his sonnes faulte So also doth the holy Scriptures call the guilte of punishment by the name of sinne Gen. 43 8. Vnlesse I shall saith IVDAS to IACOB bring againe the childe I will be guilty of a sinne vnto thee all my life And God is said to render the sinne of the fathers vpon the children Deut. 5 9. 3. Reg. 1 21. Pro. 16 6. I and my sonne SALOMON shall be sinners And by mercy and verity iniquitie is redeemed And although sometimes in Pardons it be said A CVLPA POENA What these wordes A Culpa Poena signifie From the fault and the punishment the true meaning of the Church therein is that the fault must be remitted either before the seeking of the Indulgence or else in the very worke which is the cause of the Indulgence when Confessiō is exacted for obtaining the same Or the otherwise by Contritiō the worke is performed in grace so that there is giuen both togither Whether all the workes for the Indulgence must be donne in grace yet by diuerse causes The first by Confession or Contrition the second by the Indulgence For although it be not necessary that for to obtaine an Indulgence al the works which are done for the same be done in Gods grace yet is it verie necessary that all those workes be throughly done and that the last worke of all in which the Pardon is to be receiued be not onely done with a certaine morall perferction but also in the grace fauour of God For example There is a Iubiley in which it is graunted that whosoeuer Fasteth three daies and giueth Almes and such a day visiteth such a Church praying for some particuler necessities shall haue a plenary Indulgence Although a man doe the other in state of mortall sinne yet if hee for the same good purposes doe throughly performe them and then hauing by the ordinary meanes obtained Gods grace visitte the Church he shall receiue the Indulgence and yet if the POPE should so graunt it that he must first Confesse and then Fast and giue Almes and visitte the Church then would I thinke that his intention were to haue al the thinges following performed in grace so if he fall in the midst of the weeke so that he fast not in grace he getteth nothing 7 Of diuerse kinds of Indulgences FOr the better declaration of the custome of the Church in this matter of Indulgences it is to be vnderstoode that wee may diuide Pardons two manner of waies First in respecte of the qualitie of the punishement released Secondly in respecte of the quantitie of the same punishment taken away The punishment it selfe sometimes is enioined in Penance by the Ghostly-Father sometimes it is due either by the Canons of the Church allotting certaine Penances for euery faulte or in the stricte examination of Gods iust iudgement who onely searcheth the hart and knoweth the depth of our desertes From all these kindes may the Church absolue for that soueraigne autority which it hath recriued as we haue partly shewed aboue shall more exactly be shewed hereafter Pardon of Penance enioined of other paines also And heerein is founded the first diuision of Indulgence into remission of Penance enioined and of penance which is in the
vnto theÌ„ so much of Ecclesiastical helpe as may sufficiently recompence for theÌ„ But euen in these Pardon 's also is required a iust conuenient cause without the which they shall haue either none or not so greate force as the wordes doe soundâ— is we saide before The like also is to be iudged of the estate of grace of him which obtaineth the Indulgence for the deade Grace is not alwaies required in him which â—â—â—teth an Indulgence for the dead yet with some difference betweene these Indulgences and those which are graunted to them which liue in this worlde For two manner of workes may the POPE require in Pardon for the Dead The first are workes which haue no other goodnesse in them than that which they haue of sâ—eâ—dâ—eâ— as if the Pardon should runne thus Whososoeuer visiteth this Church or saieth such a Praier c. shall deliuer a soule out of Purgatory And such things being doone out of Gods grace because without his 〈◊〉 the worke hath â—o goodnesse in it there cannot be a sufficient cause of Pardon and therefore the Pardon auaileth nothing Other workes may haue some goodnesse in themselues or in some extrinsecal thing although they haue â—â—ne by the doer As if this should be the forme of the Indulgence Who saith MASSE or causeth to be said MASSE for such a cause or giueth Almes for the maintenance of such a place shal deliuer a soule out of Purgatory For certaine it is that MASSE ALMES doe good vnto the Church although they wh ch saide it or made them to bee giuen bee not in Grace And in such workes Nauarre Sotus if by some circumstance the minde of the POPE be not gathered to the contrary that is that he require that they be deuoutly and with grace perfourmed then may the Pardon be obtained for the dead by one which is not in grace For heere the POPE graunteth the Pardon for a iust cause which is Gods glory and honour by those charitable workes and the other doth nothing concurre vnto it but by determining the person to whome the POPE may apply it Euen so is it in the Dirige of a naughty Priest offered for one that is dead as for the MASSE it is certaine that it hath effecte of it selfe without any respect to him which saith it euen for those for whoÌ„ a naughty Priest doth offer it Who if he say this Dirige of his own deuotion priuately it is nothing auaileable But if he doe it to fulfill the bond of the Church whose Minister he is or in the Quire than doth it very much profite the Deade for in this he beareth the person of the wholle Church So also is it if my man being in sinne giue out of my Purse by my consent or generall leaue Almes to the poore For in these examples the workes are more â—f 〈◊〉 â—ersons than of those which doe execute thâ—◠〈…〉 it in the Suffrages and Indulgenâ—◠〈…〉 when the POPE respecteth the wâ—◠〈…〉 the goodnesse thereof in the effecte 〈…〉 recite from a naughty roote from wâ—◠〈…〉 no goodnes at al. For in such a case aâ—◠〈…〉 â—arâ—â—â—cantable of Pardon himselfe yet 〈…〉 a worke aâ— mothers appointment wherunto is annexed a Pardons for the Deade although perhaps the worke doth nothing profite the Deade but only in as much as it doth determine the POPES application of Pardon to this Particular party deceased No condition necessary in this life for Pardon in Purgatory or for participation of the suffrages of the Church Neither is that necessary which some doe require that a man for to be holpen by Indulgences after his death haue had whilest he heere liued a special deuotion to the autority of the Church and a diligent care to helpe the soules departed or a particular resolution to satisfie vnto God in this life although this last be singularly profitable to make at the least in the houre of death For it is sufficient that one be in Purgatory for then he is also in Grace And the want of those affections in life time in a higher degree than euery Christian is bounde vnto vnder paine of Mortall sinne although perhappes it hath increased the debte in Purgatory yet can it not hinder the common influence of Christes Passion and the participation of the Churches Suffrages or of the Treasure of Indulgence 12 The conclusion of this Treatise of the fruit of Indulgences THus much haue we saide according to the most sounde opinions of Learned Diuines of this 〈…〉 â—â—dulgences Which for that it was 〈…〉 â—â—IONIS ET PETRA SCANâ—◠〈…〉 offence and a rocke of scandall to 〈…〉 stumbling made Israell to sinne 〈…〉 which followe his Doctrine a comâ—â—◠〈…〉 blasphemy against the CHVRCH 〈…〉 it my part to handle more largely than the purpose of this BOOKE did require If nothing will suffice them no reason content them no autority conuince them then let them knowe that they beeing out of the number of GODS Children can neuer be troubled with Purgatory nor with Pardons which haue relation vnto Purgatory The one being a place of correction for children the other a mercifull fauour exhibited vnto the same children But of them which despise this Rodde of Discipline of our Almighty Father and contemne his Indulgence and Mildenesse is saide of the Apostle Heb. 12 8. If you be without Discipline whereof all be made partakers than are you Bastards and not children And that of the Prophet Esa 11 4 He shall strike the earth with the Rodde of his mouth with the breath of his lippes he shall kill the wicked But we whom God of his infinite mercy hath vnited vnto his misticall body of the holy Church as we must of necessity if we will remaine in the same vnity acknowledge and reuerence the sacred autority and power of giuing Indulgences so in seeking with diligence to obtaine them we shall reape three singular benefittes Three singâ—lar profits oâ— Indulgences First wee shall receiue encrease of meritte and consequently of grace in this life and glory in the other whilest wee deuoutely performe those good workes vnto which alwaies we are inuited by Indulgences Secondly we shall obtaine the release of the paines of Purgatory by diminishing in our mortall life the debte thereof which by those which feare the corrections of God and consider how farre as S. AVGVSTINE saieth In Psal â— those paines exceede whatsoeuer can be suffered in this life will be iudged a great felicitie Thirdly we shall shorten the time of our absence from God after our departure from hence and hasten that happy vision which God promised to MOISES when he saide I will shew thee all good Ex. 33 1. Which acceleration of so great a good how pretiouse it is wel vnderstoode S. PAVL Phil. 1 23. who so earnestly desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ And that other deuoute soule which complaining of the length of her Pilgrimage and dwelling amongst the inhabitants of darke and sorowfull CEDAR Ps 119 5. did wast consume with the desire of entering into the heauenly Courtes Ps 83 3. In which if according to the infallible veritie of Gods word one day be farre better than thousands of worldly treasures Ps 83 11. then surely that which not onely deliuereth from miserie but hasteneth and anticipateth so many yeeres and daies of so greate a blisse giuing also such helpe and occasion of a higher mansion in so rich a house Io. 14 2. cannot be valued with the treasures of wholle Kingdomes Psal 62 2. Come therefore O you who wander abroade in the deserte desolate and withered lande of Heresie and Schisme Come vnto the waters and you which haue not siluer make haste and buy Esa 55 1. and eate Come buy without amy exchange Wine and Milke Why doe your spend your money and not in bread why doe you bestow your labour and not in satiety Come vnto these liuely waters which proceeding from the fountaine of life will purge you from the mudde of your broken cisterns and quicken you with the spirite of God Hier. 2 12. â—o 4 14. â—o 9 2. and spring vp into life euerlasting Come drinke of that wine which the holy wisdome of God hath mingled vnto you And least you be terrified with the expectation of your fathers seuerity and discipline beholde your mother with her naked breasts cometh to meete you ready to embrace you and as new borne Infants to nourish you with the milke of her clemency and kindnes â—â— 15 22. Shee bringeth with her your very first stole which you once receiued of her in Baptisme now again again haue defiled And although that pure robe of innocency with which then she adorned you cannot bee recouered yet shall you no doubte by her diligent care and motherly piety be cloathed with an vnspotted garment of your recouered grace and if you haue hurte your soueraigne Lorde and Father in any thing or be in his debte you being once restored to his fauour shee hath wroten it with her owne hand shee will repay it Whose voice if you will heare Philem. vers 18. whose petition if you will graunt whose teares if you will respecte then shall you in steede of wasting your substance riotously by labouring vnto destruction Mat. 13 44. and euerlasting fire conuert most holsomely and profitablely your care and labours to the buying of that hidden treasure which shall fully recompence the sale of all worldly riches Laus Deo ac Beatissimae semper Virgini Matri DEI-PARAE MARIAE atque omnibus Sanctis 1. Cor. 11 16. If any man seeme to be coÌ„tentious we haue no such custome nor the Church of God S. Cyp. l. de simp Praelat Aug. l. 4. de simb ad cat c. 13. He shall not haue God to his Father Who will not haue the Church to his Mother FINIS