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A07445
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The sinne of blasphemie against the Holy Ghost, scholastically examined the reasons of the absolute irremissibility thereof displayed; an admonition to all reuolting apostataes [sic] annexed. By Iohn Meredyth, sub-deane of Chichester.
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Meredith, John, b. 1579 or 80.
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1622
(1622)
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STC 17831; ESTC S120673
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51,984
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80
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can be no Repentance To be briefe as the Apostle saith It is impossible that Cor. 8. Heb. 6. they who were once lightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come If they fall away should be renewed againe by repentance seeing they crucifie againe to themselues the Sonne of God and make a mocke of him Vpon which words Anselme writing saith that therefore it is impossible that such should be renewed Quia nolunt renouari because they will not be renewed So that Non est excusatio Infirmitatis eorum sed culpa voluntatis They cannot excuse themselues by pleading Infirmity but condemne the peruersenesse of their owne will who had rather abide as they are then be renewed For so execrable an hatred doe they carrie against God which as the Apostle saith of Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neuer falleth away 1. Cor. 13. Therefore one rightly expressed the Nature of this Sinne Ex vet quodam Ma. scrip comment Sup. Math. anonymo that it is Sibi ipsi causa et semper causa est et semper est It is caused by the party himselfe and this cause is perpetuall and the Sinne which is the effect is perpetuall also So that their Malice continueth against God euen in death and they that depart out of this life with hatred toward God Sub â—ich de Sancto vict tract de â—pi Blasphem eodem morbo in aeternum tabescunt Euerlastingly languish vnder the same disease and euer hating neuer repent and therefore hee termeth this Sinne Aeternum Delictum the euerlasting Sinne and neuer repenting hee is aternaliter reus eternidelicti for euer culpable of the eternall Sinne. Hereupon the Ancients made finall perseuering therein to be complementum huius peccati the Consummation of this Sinne which is true if it be spoken by way of Necessarie Hugo Card. Sup. 12. cap. Luc. Concomitance not of casuall euent for then euery sinne wherein a man departeth out of this life Impaericent were irremissible which is false Therefore in my Text wee finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the praeter Imperfectence praesupposing a continuall progresse therein as the Greeke Scholiast hath Occumen in Enarrat ad hunc locum obserued before me Therefore Augustine iudged this sinne to be vnpardonable Non quia Blasphemia sed quia ex Maleuolentia not Lib. quaest de viroque test mixt as it is simple Blasphemy But because it proceedeth from and is alway accompanied with Malice against God which neuer ceaseth So that this sinne may be said to be vnpardonable Negatiue Compend Theolog lib. 3. ca. 29 as the Diuels which neuer shall be forgiuen Preuatiue because there is no Congruence in this Sinne to be forgiuen Contrary because it hath a Disposition resisting remission I will adde the Iudgement of Scotus for a Summary Ad peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum requiruntur tria Sup. 2. Sent. dist 43 Three things must concurre to the constitution of that Sin against the Holy Ghost First set Malice Secondly it must be against the Commaundements of the first Table which respecteth the whole duty of Man vnto God Thirdly it must be attended with that which most opposeth Conuersion vnto God which is finall Impenitence not because a man dieth without Repentance but because he hath a purpose neuer to repent which proceedeth of Despaire Lih. de side ad Petrum as it doth appeare saith Augustine in Cayn and Iudas And let this suffice to haue beene spoken of this fearefull sinne according to the capacity of my shallow vnderstanding If any one thinke otherwise I refuse not his opinion if it may appeare true Let euery one who wishcth well vnto his owne soule looke into himselfe that there be not found in him an euill and vnfaithfull heart to depart away from the liuing Lord. Heb. 3. Let euery one proue himselfe Whither he be in the faith examine himselfe know himselfe whither Iesus be in him or 2. Cor. 13. that he be a Reprobate for if any one withdraw himselfe my Heb. 10. soule shall haue no pleasure in him saith the Holy Ghost God forbid that either Atheisme should so blinde vs or Mahumetisme alienate vs or Iudiasme suspend vs or Hypocrifie poyson vs or Papisme delude vs or Epicurisme corrupt vs that we should either with Diagoras Deum excludere statly denie God or with Protagoras Deum in dâ—bium vocare once doubt whither there be a God or no. â—actant 1. de fals reiâ—g cap. 2. Or that with Mahumedes Sergius and the Turkes wee should denie Iesus to be God and affirme him to be the Son of Mary Et non nisi nuncium Dei and but onely an Ambassadour of Gods as other Prophets before him had been Alchoran Azeaâ— 12. and that Christians erre making him their God Plusquam praedicauerit nobis more then he commanded or required at our hands and that therefore we reape no benefit by him Or that with the vâ—gabond Iewes wee should renounce him because hee brought not the whole world at his comming vnder his subiection and gathered not their out-casts from all parts of the world together built them not a new Ierusalem in Mount Syan and gathered them not thither to obserue the whole Law of Moses in great peace and prosperity and made them not immortall and impassible therein and that therefore wee should expect another Messias Or that with the superstitious Papists wee should by faigning false things of Christ not worship him but our owne fictions and ascribe the honour proper vnto him to other which is omnino non colore not to worship him at all â—act â—â—b 1. cap. 19. Or that with the voluptuous Epicure we should neglect his seruice and liue to our selues onely as if hee regarded not what Man doth on Earth nor respecteth the Honour man should giue him Or that with the painted Hipocrite wee should be Christians but in shew like some of the Courtiers of Constantius Chlorus who chose rather to renounce Christ then the Pusâ—b lib. 1. de vit const cap. 11. Emperours Seruice whom he afterward worthily reiected as Traytors to him who would not be faithfull to God Or but to serue their owne turne like the greedy Courtiers of Constâ—ntine the great who were Christians opinione Idem lib. 4. de vit Constant cap. 54. tantum in conceit onely And therefore ready to turne with euery blast of winde like Ecebolius the Sophist of Constantinople who conformed Socrat. lib. 3. hâ—st Eccles cap. 11. himselfe to the diuers Religions of sundry Emperours When Constantius Iuntor ruled hee seemed a zealous Christian when the Empire came vnto Iulian the Apostata he as earnestly maintained Paganisme and when Iouianus was Emperour he embraced Christianity againe and casting himselfe on his face before the Church gate cryed out Me
of the end of Simon Magus quell their presumption Thankes be vnto God the Religious lawes of this land hath so prouided for them let them therefore beware least ayming at the one vnaduisedly they be caught vp by the other deseruedly yea ineuitably for Quod non capit Christus rapit fiscus I aduise them to be content with their entertainment at Rome in the Temple of Dea Cloacina whither being dispelled by our Church tanquam faeces et stercara they haue betaken themselues euen to their vltimum refugium A fit Cage for such vncleane Birdes You expect a Reward for your pride for your pride I say which begat in you Apostacie for had you beene wise vnto Sobriety and thought that of your selues which was meete as your Brethren did you had neuer forsaken vs you know what that Truth whom you haue forsaken saith That His Spirit shall rest Super humilem et quietum et tremeniem Esay 66. Sermones eius Euen vpon him that is poore in Spirit and of a contrite heart and that trembleth at his words So that the Spirit of verity dwelleth in the humble mind but hee forsaketh the Truth of necessity that despiseth humility What wilt thou then say that this seuerity is iniury remember also what thou hast done against Christ and thou shalt finde thy punishment farre more light then thy offence Let St. Cyprian expostulate the matter with thee Quod maius potest esse delictum aut quae macula deformior quam aduerseis Christum stetisse Lib. 2. Epist 1. What greater offence can there be or what fouler crime then to take armes against Christ then to ruinate his Church which hee hath purchased and built with his owne blood then to forget the peace and loue of the Gospel and to make warre with furious hostility against the quiet louing and peacefull people of God In which respect the Canonist said well Non debemus dimittere in vltum opprobrium illius qui probra nostra deleuit We must not leaue his disgrace vnpunished Host Sum. de Haeret. cap. qua poeâ—a feriatur who blotted out our shame Remember what thou hast done against his Church which he so tendereth that hee reputeth that iniurie which is done vnto it as committed against himselfe It is crimen publicum a publike offence against all for that which is committed against the Truth of the Gospell of Cod. Tit. Man chaeos Christ in omnium fertur iniuriam is an offence against all Christ his Members Remember I say what thou hast done against Christ his people who being scandalized by thy departure haue gone out after thee being seduced by thee and being preuented by death haue happily dyed out of the Church without the communication and peace of the same whose Soules shall be required in the day of Indgement at thy hands who hast beene Author and cause of their destruction In consideration of which praemisses I may inferre this conclusion with Augustine in the like case Qua propter Iniquum put are noli si perpetuo reijciaris Initio Statim lib. de vtilit credendi Wherefore do not think thy self vniustly oppressed if thou be reiected for euer from the execution of that sacred function But suppose the Church should open the bosome of her Piety to cherish thee wouldest thou not like the vngratefull Serpent power forth thy poyson into her bowels to her destruction Pardon my Iealoussy in this case for it is not causlesse I may well vsurpe the saying of the great Father in the same case of his time Quotidie cernimus rebus probamus Jeroni in princip cap. 3. in fiue cap. 12. Ierem quod ideo Haeretici fidei simulent veritatem vt simplices quosque decipiant non ipsi conuertantur ad fidem sed fideles trahant adinfidelitatem Wee see dayly and proue it true by experience that HÄ™retickes dissemble their returne to the true Faith but onely that they may deceiue the simple credulous people they come not as true Conuerts themselues but onely to drawe the faithfull to Infidelity And there is no man so silly but will confesse with Bernard That a counterfeit close HÄ™reticke is farre more pestilent then a professed HÄ™reticke Mine owne obseruation in sundry of this sort maketh me bolde to vrge that rule of the Law in this case Semel malus semper praesumitur esse malus hee that hath once played the traytor with Christ and his Church will neuer bee true I haue often grieued to see the clemency of the Church abused by them and now I can containe my felfe in silence no longer but that I must cry out with Cyprian Illud mirandum est imo indignandum potius dolendum Lib. 1. Epist 6. Christianos Antichristis assistere It is a stronge yea a hatefull rather and lamentable case that Christians should assist Antechrist and that those who decline from the Faith and are traytors to the Church should in the Church stand vp against the Church For the prÄ™uention of which mischiefe which might ensue vpon such Diabolicall treachery the rule of St. Basill was in auntient times practised in the Church vpon such persons In Latinis ea est Epist 72. as followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them declare their penitence vnder the handwriting and that they abhorre Hereticks and that they are truely seperated from them The like course also was vsed and continued in succeeding Ages as is apparant in the Decrees collected by Gratian. 1. quest 7. Let Cyprian determine this point Wee Decree saith hee by consent and common Authority that if any Priest or Deacon who before receiued Sacred Lib. 2. Epist 1. Orders in the Catholicke Church and after stand out as Traytors and Rebels against the Church or receiue prophane Ordination among Hereticks from false Bishops and Antechrists contrary to the Order set downe by Christ and there offer vp false and sacrilegious Sacrifices If they returne home againe let them bee receiued on this Condition Vt communicent Laici to liue in the Church as Laymen and let them thinke themselues louingly dealt withall that they are admitted to the peace of the Church who before were enemyes of Peace nor ought they at their returne retaine those ensignes of Priesthood and honour among vs with which they haue rebelled against vs. But if the Religion and Doctrine of the Romanists be Blasphemy the Sinne of those who embrace the same seemeth to bee little lesse then hauing before professed the Truth and beene secured thereof is Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost nor can they excuse it by saying they beleeue in the Creed and professe Christ their case you shall see resembled in an authenticall History Mauia Queene of the Sarazens inuaded and destroyed certaine Townes of Palestine and Arabia in the Territories Secrat lib. 4. Eccl. hist cap. 29. of the Roman Empire nor would condiscend to Peace vnlesse that Moses a Sarazen who led a