The seuenth Age Anno. Dom. 600. Leontius Episc Sophronius Episc S. Isidorus Hispalen Episc Concilium Hispalense 2. Concilium Toletanum 4. Georgius Alexandrinus Episc hic sorte Concilium Braccarense 2. Concilium Toletanum 8. Concilium Braccarense 3. The sixt generall Councell of Constantinople Synodus Trullana Constātinopolitana * The eight Age Anno Dom. 700. Venerabilis Beda S. Ioannes Damascenus The seuenth general Coūcell of Nyce 2. * The ninth Age Anno. Dom. 800. Alcuinus Paulus Diaconus Concilium Moguntinum Ionas Aurelianens Episc Concilium Aquisgranense 1. 2. Haymo Episc Rabanus Episc Concilium Wormatiense Phocius Episc The eight general Councell of Constantinople Ioannes Diaconus Rom. Remigius Antisiod Episc Theophilactus Episc Concilium Triburiense Concilium Nannetens hic force * The eleventh Age Anno Dom. 1000. Burchardus Wormatiensis Episc Concilium Salegūstadiens S. Petrus Damianus Episc S. Lansiancus Episc Concilium Rom. sub Leone 9. cont Petergar Concilium Vercellense sub eodem Concilium Turonense sub Victore 2. Concilium Rom. sub Nicolao 2. Guitmundus Episc Algerus Concilium Rom. sub Gregor 7. contr eundem Berengarium S. Anselmus Episc Oecumenius S. Iuo Carnotensis Episc * The twelfth Age Anno Dom. 1100. Zonaras Rupertus Tuitiensis Gulielmus Abbas S. Bernardus Hugo Victorinus Gratianus Euthymius Concilium Lateran sub Alexandro 3. Lucius 3. Pont. Nicetas Innocentius 3. Pont. * The thirteenth Age Anno 1200. Concilium Lateran magnum sub Innocent 3 S. Thom Aquinas Concilium Lugdunen sub Gregor 10. Gulielmus Durand Episc * The fourteenth age Anno Dom. 1300. Nicephorus Calixtus Concilium Viennense sub Clemenet 5. * The fifteenth Age Anno Dom. 1400. Concilium Constantiense Concilium Basilcense Concilium Florentinum Bessarion Episc Sixtus 4. Pont. * The sixteenth Age Anno Dom. 1500. Concilium Tridentinum A TABLE CONTAINING the order and Summe of the whole Catechisme CHRISTIAN Doctrine consisteth in Wisedome Iustice To Wisedome maie bee referred these Chapters that followe in order CHAP. I. OF FAITH and the CREEDE where amongest other thinges are handled these that followe Of the author of the Apostles Creede q. 5. Of the descending of Christ into Hell q. 13. Of the Markes of the Church that it is Visible q. 18. One q. 18. Holy q. 18. Catholicke q. 18. CHAP. II. OF HOPE and our Lords Praier with the ANGELICALL Salutation as also Of Hope to be ioined with Feare q. 2. Of the Praise of our Blessed LADY q. 15. 16. 17 18 19. Of the Veneration of our Blessed LADY q. 15. 16. 17 18 19. Of the Inuocation of our Blessed LADY q. 15. 16. 17 18 19. CHAP. III. OF CHARITY and the Ten Commaundements Also Whether the Ten Commaundementes doe belong vnto Christians q 6. Whether they may be kepte q. 6. Of the Inuocation of Saintes q. 8. Of the Worshippe of Saintes q. 8. Of the Relickes of Saintes q. 8. Of the Holy-Daies of Saintes q. 8. Of the Images of Christ and the Saintes q. 9. Of the Preceptes of the Church namely Of Traditions Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall q. 1. as followeth Of the Church and her autorty q. 9 10. 16. Of the Bishoppe of ROME and the Church of ROME q. 9. Of Councelles q 11. Of the autority of holy Fathers Ibidem Of the fiue precepts of the Church q. 14. Of the holy Scripture and the interpretation thereof q. 16. CHAP. IIII. OF the SACRAMENTES in generall Of Ceremonies q. 8. Of the Sacrament of Baptisme Of Concupiscence in the Regenerate q. 3. Of the Sacrament of Confirmation Of Chrisme q. 4. Of the Blessed Sacrament Of the Reall Presence q. 4. Of Transubstantiation q 5. Of the adoration thereof q. 6. Of the sacrifice of the MASSE q. 7. Of communicating vnder both kindes q. 8. Of the Sacrament of Penance Of Contrition q. 4. Of Confession q. 5. 6. Of Satisfaction q. 7. 8. Of Purgatory and the faithfull departed q. 9. Of the Sacrament of Extreame-Vnction Of the Sacrament of Orders Whether al Christians be Priestes q. 2 8. Of honour due vnto PRIESTES whether they be good or euill q. 6. 7. Of the Sacrament of Matrimony Of diuorcement q. 3. Of Vowe breakers q. 4. Of the Marriage of Mounks Nunnes Ibidem Of the single life of PRIESTES q. 4. 5. Of VIRGINITY q. 5. and more at large in the question of the Euangelicall Councelles CHAP. V. OF CHRISTIAN IVSTICE The first part of the Chapter 1 Of sinnes in generall 2 Of the seauen deadly sinnes 3 Of Alien sinnes that is of sinnes of other men which by any defaulte of ours doe touche vs. 4 Of the sinnes against the Holy-Ghost 5 Of the sinnes that cry into Heauen 6 Of the purging or expiation of sinne 7 Of small or Veniall-sinnes The second part of the Chapter 1 Three kindes of good Workes where also is intreated Of the fruite of good Workes q. 2. Of Fasting q. 4. and as followeth Of Praier q. 7. and as followeth Of Almes the workes of Mercy q. 10. as followeth 2 The Cardinall vertues 3 The gifts fruits of the Holy-Ghost 4 The eight Beatitudes 5 The Euangelical Counsels of the Gospel Of Euangelical Pouerty Chastity Obedience q. 3. 4. 5. Of Mounkes Religious Orders q. 5. 6 The foure last things of a Man To cōprehend the summe of al Christiā Doctrine in one worde this sentence of Ecclesiasticus is worthy the noting which saith My Sonne coueting WISEDOME Eccli 1 33. conserue IVSTICE and God will giue it vnto thee THE TABLE OF THE APPENDIX 1 Of the fall of the first Man 2 Of the transfusing of Adams sinne into all men 3 Of the remedy of Originall sinne 4 Of the relicks of Original sin in those which are baptised 5 Of the imbecility of nature of the law to iustify mē 6 Of the dispensation and mystery of the comming of Christ 7 Who are Iustified by Christ 8 A description of the Iustification of the wicked man the manner thereof in the state of the Lawe of Grace 9 Of the necessity of preparation to Iustification in those of full age and whereof it riseth 10 The manner of preparation to Iustification 11 What is the Iustification of a wicked Man and what are the causes thereof 12 Howe it is to be vnderstoode that a wicked Man is iustified by Faith and freely 13 Against the vaine confidence of Heretickes 14 Of the increase of Iustification once receiued 15 Of obseruing the Commaundements the necessity and possibilitie thereof 16 That the rashe presumption of Predestination is to be auoided 17 Of the gifte of perseuerance 18 Of those which are fallen of their reparation 19 That by euery mortall sinne Grace is lest but not Faith 20 Of the fruites of Iustification that is to say of the Merite of good workes and of the reason of the same Meritte A Table of the other Questions following 1 Of Hallowed Creatures in the Church 2 Of Pilgrim age vnto he ly places 3 Of Indulgences or Pardons THE FIRST CHAPTER
Almighty God touching the heart of man by the inspiration of the holie Ghost both Aug. de gratia lib. arbit cap 2. 9. 15. de Spir. lit cap. 34. lib. 2 de pec mer. c. 5. de praed grat cap. 9. de verb. Apost serm 41. cap. 1. ser 15. cap. 11. tract 4. in epist Io. de Praedest sanct cap. 3. Chrys ho. 9. in Ioan. Bern. de gratia liber arbit Prosp lib. 2. de vocatione gent. cap. 26. 27. 28. cont Collat cap. 26. man himselfe doth something receiuing that inspiration because he might as well reiecte Matth. 23 d Act. 13 g Hierem. 18 b 25 a b 32 f 35 c Zach 1 b the same and yet without the grace of God Cypr. de orat Dom. Aug. de natura gratia cap. 18. lib. 2. cont 2. epist Pelag. cap. 10. Hier. epist 139. coulde hee not by force of his free-will moue himselfe to Iustice in his sight And for that cause when it is saide in holy Scripture Zach. 1 a Mal. 3 b Act. 2 f 3 c Ephes 5 c Iac. 4 c Mat. 11 d Hierem. 3 a d 4 d 18 b Esa 1 d 40 a 45 d 46 c 55 a b Bar. 4 a Ezech. 18 g 1. Reg 7 a Be yee conuerted vnto me and I will be conuerted vnto you We are put in minde of our libertie and when wee aunswere Thren 5 d Hierem. 31 c Conuert vs O Lord vnto thee and we shall be conuerted We confesse that we are preuented by the grace of God 10 What is the manner of preparation to Iustification ANd certes men are disposed to Iustice whilest beeing Aug. l. 2. cont 2. epist Pelag. c. 9. de Praed Sanct. c. 20. Conc. 2. Araus caÌ„ 5. 6. 7. 25. Fulg. de incarn gra Christi cap. 17. 18. stirred vp and holpen by the grace of God conceiuing Faith Ro. 10 c d by hearing they are freely Aug. tra 26. in Io. de Praed Sanct. c. 11. de spir lit cap. 31 32. in expos propos ex ep ad Ro. c. 44. lib. 1. qu. ad simplic q. 2. Prosp l. 2. de vocat gent. cap. 27. 28. Euthim. in cap. 1. Io. Isid lib. 2 de summo bono cap. 2. mooued vnto God beleeuing those thinges to be true which are reuealed and promised by God and this especially that God doth iustifie Rom. 3 d Aug. de nat gra câ—p 44. the wicked man by his grace through the redemption which is in CHRIST IESVS and whilest knowing themselues to be sinners by conuerting themselues from the feare of Gods iustice with which they are Fulgent lib. 1. de rem pec cap. 8. 9. 11. Prosp lib. 2. de vocat gent. cap. 27. lib. 3. de vit contemplat cap. 12. Aug. tract 9. in epist Ioan de catech â—ud cap. 5. profitablely storkeÌ„ to the consideration of his mercy they are erected into hope hauing confidence that for Christ his sake Almighty God wil be mercifull vnto them him they begin to loue as the fountaine of all Iustice and therefore are moued against sinne Eccli 2 d Aug. ho. 50. cap. 2. ex 50. et ho. 27. c. 1 Chrys ho. 21. ad Ant. with some hatred and detestation that is to say by that repentance which must be done before Baptisme Finallie whilest they purpose to take Baptisme to begin a newe life to keepe Gods Commaundements Of this disposition it is written Heb. 11 b He that commeth to God must beleeue that hee is and is a rewarder to them that seeke him And Mat. 9 a haue a good heart my Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And Eccli 1 c the feare of God expelleth sinne And Act. 2 f doe Penance be euery one of you Baptised in the name of Iesus Christ in remission of your sinnes and you shall receiue the gifte of the holie Ghost And Mat. 28 d going therefore teach yee all nations Baptising theÌ„ in the name of the FATHER of the SONNE and of the HOLIE GHOST teaching theÌ„ to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Finally 1. Reg. 7 a prepare your hartes vnto our Lord. 11 What the Iustification of a wicked man is what are the causes thereof THis disposition or preparation verie Iustification it selfe doth followe which is not the onlie Aug. lib. 6. cont Iul. cap. 11. lib. 1 retract c. 13. ep 105. 106. Conc. Mileu cap. 3. 4. Chrys ho. 3. de poenit Theoph. in cap. 2. Mar. See the 3. question of Baptisme page 151. remission of sinnes but a Sanctification also and renouation of the inward man by the voluntarie receiuing of grace giftes of the holy Ghost whereby a man of vniust is made iust and of an enemy a friend that he may be Tit. 3 b heire according to the hope of life euerlasting The causes of this Iustification are these The finall cause is the glory of GOD and of CHRIST and life euerlasting the efficient cause is the mercifull God who freely Ibid. doth washe 1. Cor. 6 c sanctifie signing Eph. 1 c annointing with the holy spirite of promise which is the pleadge of our enheritance the meritorious cause is his most beloued onely begotten SONNE our Lorde IESVS CHRIST who Ro. 5 b when wee were enemies for his Eph. 2 a exceeding Charity with which he loued vs by his most holy Passion vpon the TREE of the CROSSE deserued Ro. 4 d for vs iustification satisfied God the Father in our behalfe Also the Instrumentall cause is the Sacrament See the 1. question of Baptisme pag. 147. of BAPTISME which is the Sacrament of FAITH without the which no man euer obtained IustificatioÌ„ Finally the only formal cause is the Iustice of God not by which Aug. de spir lit c. 9. 11. in Psal 150. tract 26 in Io. epist 120. c. 30. de nat grat cap. 63. lib. 1 cont Pelag. Coelest c. 30. lib. 1. de pec mer. c. 9. 10. Com. Vien in CleÌ„ l. 1. tit 1. de sum Trin. he himselfe is iust but whereby hee maketh vs iust To wit which beeing by him geuen vnto vs we are Eph. 4 c renued in the spirite of our minde and are not only reputed iust but are truely Aug. ep 29. ser 16. de verb. Apost l b. 2. retract c. 13. de spir lit cap. 26 27. called and are in very deede iust euery one receiuing our proper iustice in our selues according to the measure which the holy Ghost doth distribute 1. Co. 12 b Ephes 4 â— Aug. ep 57. quaest 1. to euery one euen as he will and according to euery mans proper disposition cooperation For although none can bee iust but hee to whom the passions of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST are communicated yet that is done in this iustification of a wicked man at what time through the merite of the same most holy Passion by the holy-Ghost Ro. â— 2. Cor. 1 d Aug. de spir lit cap. 17 32. de nat grot
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
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
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
his whole body that is his owne and his Saints merits For he hath entered into so straite a society with his members that they accomplishe that which wanteth of his Passions in their flesh But it is no blasphemy to say that Christs merites make an equal recompence for sinnes 11 Of Pardons for the Deade FInally wee hence inferre that Pardons may bee graunted vnto the Deade who in the vnitie of CHRISTES body haue departed this life and that in as infallible a manner if the cause bee sufficient as vnto those which are aliue yet not by waye of absolution but by waye of Suffrage which we will forthwith expounde For it is to be vnderstoode See pag. 219 Three kind of Suffrages for the deade that the soules departed out of this worlde in Purgatorie suffering the chastisement of God may as aboue hath bin shewed out of S. AVGVSTINE be holpen by those which are aliue three waies First by the holy Sacrifice of the MASSE which is vndoubtedly propitiatory for the quicke and the dead Secondly by the praiers of the Church and of other deuoute Christians Thirdly by Almes or any other Penall worke doone for them And concerning the first because it is not our owne worke but the very worke of Christ himselfe we will not heere speake thereof The second is founded as we saide before in the meere liberality of Christ without any certaine promise For although God infalliblely doth heare and graunt the Petition of one which is in grace when he praieth for himselfe D. Thom. 2.2 quaest 83. artic 15. and for necessary things vnto saluation with humility and perseuerance yet when he praieth for another either aliue or dead there is no such certainty and infallibility of obtaining Because we know not whether or howe farre God accepteth our praier nor the disposition of the other The like is to be said of that imperfecte kinde of Merit which is called DE CONGRVO of Congruity or Conueniency For oftentimes one which is in grace meriteth for another man either aliue or dead many good thinges yet because herein is no certaine Lawe or promise of God or reason of Iustice betweeene him and vs as there is in the other merit of condignity which wee spake of before there is no certainty but all lefte to the secret disposition of God But the third thing which is to offer for them which are dead in Christ either Almes or Fasting or any other work of Satisfaction yea Praier in as much as it is Satisfactorious because of the labour thereof hath an infallible effecte euen of iustice for to satisfie for their paines Yet so that the offerer be in grace The reason of this is that which we touched before for that they be of the Communion of Christes mysticall body and in great neede of helpe and therefore doe receiue the influence from the heade as other members doe And as there is an equality of Iustice in the satisfaction of one iust man offered for another beeing aliue so also is there the same kind of iustice in the same satisfactioÌ„ offered for the dead Prayer is two waies profitable vnto the Deade Wherefore it is very profitable for him which praieth for the dead not only to offer his praier to obtaine mercie for him but also to offer vnto God that very labour of praying for him For in this respecte it is satisfactorious hath an infallible effecte for him in the other respecte it is impetratorious and hath no certaine promised measure of benefite but only according to Gods meere liberality the deuotion of the partie which praieth and the estate of the party deceassed considered Yet doe I not doubt but that alwaies something is also obtained when the satisfaction is auaileable For it belongeth to Gods merciful liberality to bestowe where we by his gratious permission promise doe bestow so that it is very conuenient to thinke that if in such praier the satisfaction be sufficiently deriued to the deade by our application God also by hearing the same Praier doth liberally graunt our request in part and adde somewhat to the value of our small recompence which we make for our Brother Yet as the quantity is vncertaine so may it be much more the deuotioÌ„ of the praier being feruent than that which proceedeth from the certaine limited fruit of the satisfaction These helpes therfore which we may afforde vnto the soules departed are called the Suffrages of the Deade Now eueÌ„ as in those which are aliue by the Indulgences of the Church recompence is made for that teÌ„porall punishment which they aâ—e deserued so also may the same Indulgences take away the debtes of those which are departed and that as infallibly as they are profitable to those which are in this worlde For this is the wholle course of an Indulgence in this life PETER oweth vnto Almightie God great Penance and because men which are aliue may applye their satisfactions for PETERS reliefe therefore may the POPE out of the Treasure of the wholle Church yeelde vnto PETER conuenient reliefe of which infallibly PETER shall be partaker if he be in grace and a recompence of iustice is made vnto God for PETERS debte Euen so is it in the deade who for that they may be partakers of common Suffrages of the Church may by Indulgences receiue a perfect supply of that which by the suffrages they may receiue This doe the Diuines call Per moduÌ„ Suffragij and it is so also called in the ordinary Pardons By way of Suffrage that is not as some doe misse vnderstand it as if the meaning of such a Pardon were if they can obtaine it of God they shall deliuer a Soule out of Purgatory for then the Pardon could not be of certaine force for the dead But the sense is they shall deliuer a Soule out of Purgatory euen as if they had donne so much of ordinary Suffrages for them as were sufficient for the wholle effect of the Indulgence This shall be more cleere if we consider the cause of this maner of speach which was this To those which liue in this world Indulgences are not onely recompences made to God for our debte but also a proper absolution The POPE absoluing vs and paying that which wee owe out of the Treasure Nowe the POPE hauing no autoritie or iurisdiction ouer the deade he cannot absolue them yet as he may and all other Christians may by common Suffrages yeelde them conuenient helpe so may he supply such helpe by applying out of the Treasure that which may be auaileable vnto them And therefore although he doth not absolue theÌ„ as not being their iudge yet he applieth to their certaine benefitte and reliefe the common satisfactions of Christ of his Saintes which he hath in his custody Wherefore when he saith I graunt this Indulgence by way of Suffrage it is as much as if he saide I doâ— not absolue theÌ„ Pardons for deâ—d â—equire a iust cause but apply