without them one cannot be saued and if there be no good workes a man falleth from the absolution already receiued and looke how much force confidence hath to put a man in possession of the merite of the passion of the Lord so much euill workes haue that is to say so long as they remaine and raigne in the soule to breake the vnion that faith had contracted In like manner good workes are causes sine quibus non of this iustification or else may be said to be causes per accidens Neither the Christian Churches of this time nor the fathers nor the holy Scripture doe set downe the order of euery one of these causes according to the termes of Philosophers neyther is it necessary It sufficeth that euery one haue faith and that euery one giue himself to good works and that he know that both the one and the other is necessary The difference betweene the foresaid people and the Protestants is that the Protestants seeing that the Latines doe not attribute enough to faith or rather doe not acknowledge this faith of confidence to the which they attribute so much cannot endure to haue this faith disgraced And other Christians hearing of the commendations of this faith doe perswade themselues that it makes to the preiudice of good workes for which cause they cannot by any meanes hold their peace Well then because that wee haue said that euill workes cause men to fall from iustification that is to say from absolution which is the beleefe receiued without any contradiction in all times and by all Christian people It may be obiected that amongst the Protestants there are some found for all doe not so as is to be seene in the confessions of Ausburg Bohemia Saxonie and Wirtenberg which say that he that hath this iustifying faith cannot fall From whence it followeth according to their sayings that hee which beleeueth himselfe to be iustified may giue himselfe to all wickednesse To this may be answered that those which hold this proposition eyther doe not explane themselues well or else their explication is not well vnderstood For they say not simply that euery one ought to beleeue that he is iustified but only he that is repentant ought so to beleeue Also that repentance whereof euery one may iudge in his owne soule sheweth whether his faith be a iustifying faith And that he that shall say I will doe euill is not at all repentant for these are quite contrary Moreouer those which are said to hold this opinion say ordinarily that none ought to commit sinn in hope to repent for none can or ought to promise himselfe that God will giue him time and meanes to accomplish it Those which doe haunt their Sermons can beare witnesse if this be not an ordinary lesson Well then what is this but to say that none can haue this confidence at such time as vice and sinne dooth raigne in him And if one cannot haue it is not this as much as to say that if one had it he may loose it in giuing himselfe to wickednesse But behold here how their saying is true forsooth because confidence of faith doeth coutaine in it Historicall faith which remaineth in him in whom vice doth raigne as the Councell of Trent also saith And this faith if he be elected will moue him to repentance which endeth not in dispaire as in the reprobate but in a full confidence and all by the assistance of God The Catholicke conclusion is That a man receiueth remission of his sinnes at the very instant that the assurance of faith is infused into his soule and that without any consideration of former or future workes QVESTION XV. Whether a man meriteth properly euerlasting life by his good workes THE EAST CHVRCH IEremie Patriarch Oecumenicke When we praise good workes we doe not pretend to exalt our selues by them or to put our trust in them for we should then sinne very much in so doing But we desire that men would giue themselues thereunto as to things that are especially necessary to saluation and the which euery one is bound to exercise according to his power following the commaundement of God But if we trust in that great and incomprehensible mercie of God and his onely grace in such sort that wee doe hope for saluation remaining vnfruitful and ingrateful that must not be by no meanes for it will bring vs no profite at all As for the rest let vs iudge of that which is in vs although that there is not any thing that is perfect Neuerthelesse the same doth profite and makes knowne what it is which we haue in our soules to wit that we are charitable and obedient to the commaundement of God and that we pretend not to be carried into heauen as people amased and without vnderstanding negligent and idle the which certainely we can neuer obtaine if we doe not conioine our owne power and endeuours with the grace and mercy of God for in sticking fast to sinne we are iustly to be esteemed fooles and senselesse as cleauing to those things that can helpe vs nothing and which hauing no beeing in themselues are nothing the which we ought aboue all things to hate and eschew because that they doe prouoke Gods wrath against vs and doe draw vs backe farre from him Therefore when we are euen at the point to offend God let vs prostrate our selues before the iudgement seate of Christ which is very terrible whereon he shall sit in a high and glorious place as a iust iudge before whom shall appeare all creatures beholding his glory and maiestie for to render an account of all their words and actions The King of Moscouia As concerning that which thou writest of Iesus Christ the mediator and of his onely name through the which wee are saued and of the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting wee beleeue the very same THE SOVTH CHVRCH ANaphor Cophit Forasmuch O Lorde as wee are thy poore seruants strangers and vnprofitable whom thou hast vouchsafed to make administrators of the holy mysteries of the passion of thy Christ not for our iustice for we haue not done any good vpon the earth but for thy mercy and clemencie which thou hast aboundantly powred vpon vs wee doe now approch with confidence to touch thy holy Alar And we which haue offered the figure of the body and blood of thy Christ doe adore and most humbly pray thee that thy holy spirit doe come vpon vs and vpon these gifts which we haue offered and that thou wouldest sanctifie them THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Confession of Saxonia Euerlasting life saith Saint Paul is a gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord and those which are reconciled or iustified are likewise Coheires with the Sonne of God for his sake and not for their owne merits in like maner those that repent are accounted iust by faith by the onely meanes of the Son of God and are quickened through him and for
the loue of him as also eternall life is giuen them for his sake and not for their merits And we must not doubt that the Sonne of God hath onely merited for vs a preparation to eternall life to the end that afterwards we might merite by our good works THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent If any man say that the good workes of a iustified man are the gifts of God only and that they are not as good merits of him that is iustified or that the same man that is iustified doth not truly merite the increase of the grace of God life euerlasting the possession and seazon of eternall life prouided that he die in grace and also the augmentation of glory for the good workes which he hath done through the grace of God and the merite of Iesus Christ of whom he is a liuing member Anathema ANNOTATION THis question may seeme to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the ambiguity of the word Merite which in the writings of the Fathers signifieth to Obtaine as the confession of Bohemia doth well note in the which sense the Protestants of Ausburge haue made no scruple to vse it But because that the Councell saith that a man doth truely merite wee must confesse that it speaketh of a merite which the Protestants admit not of And euen so Cardinall Bellarmine sheweth when he saith thus Some men doe imagine that there is but one satisfaction to wit that of Christ and that we doe not properly satisfie but that we doe some things in consideration whereof God doth applie vnto vs the satisfaction of Christ that is to say that our good workes are but conditions without the which the satisfaction of Christ should not be applied vnto vs or at the most but a disposition so saith Michael Bauius the which opinion seemeth vnto me erronious for the holy Scripture and the Fathers ordinarily doe call our workes satisfactions and redemptions of sinnes Moreouer if a man may by his good workes merite De Condigno Life Euerlasting wherefore may hee not satisfie for temporall paine which is lesse From this discourse of Bellarmine may be gathered two things The first is that in the Romane Catholicke Church there are some which hold the opinion of the Protestants The other is that the Councell by these words To merite truely euerlasting life doeth meane that one may merite it De condigno and not that works are onely causes Sine quibus non or only dispositions The Protestants doe oppose themselues against that very strongly and firmely and doe maintaine that merite taken after the meaning of Bellarmine presupposeth a man hath beene profitable to him of whom hee meriteth but men euen when they are most perfect are vnprofitable seruants to wit to God and not to themselues or to their neighbours as our Sauiour saith God doth excell both men and Angels from all eternity and in perfect beatitude And if he had appointed to bring them all to naught euen as he created them of nothing he should not be vniust If hee doe a deede of mercy in eternizing them it is because hee doth it according to his promise freely and not of merite For if a man by his good workes hath not obliged God to promise he obligeth him not neither to effect the same If a begger by asking almes doth get tenne crownes no man will say that he merited them de Condigno no although the giuer had made him a promise Well then to pray to God and to fast is to begge his mercy As touching the Churches of the East they vse not the word Merite but vse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say to obtaine or to carry away a recompence which is a phrase of Scripture Therefore good workes are recompenceable that is to say they dispose or make a man fit to receiue a recompence but yet as a gratuitie The same Churches doe holde also that opinion which Bellarmine condemneth that is to say that good workes are causes sine quibus non without the which saith their answere one cannot obtaine saluation Moreouer the benefite of good workes is recyted vice is neither decent nor profitable nothing else but the depriuation of al goodnes Good works do shew what we are to wit whether we be in grace In fine good workes are the cause of our saluation but by accident seeing that the omission of good workes and the commission of euill doe strange a man much from God As touching the Christians of the South there hath not beene any disputations among them touching this question but they agree with vs therein They call themselues vnprofitable seruants and confesse that they haue not done any good in the world It would be a great iniurie to the pure simplicitie of those Christians if one should suspect them to hide a dissembling soule vnder those words It is to be noted that the Councell of Trent doth make two sorts of recompence that is to say euerlasting life and diuers degrees of beatitude As concerning life euerlasting one would thinke it were thus by searching the cause to wit that God loueth himselfe perfectly because that he is the louer of perfect goodnesse and Iustice And that the person of his Sonne which is the very same essence with the Father hath taken in personal vnion the sonne of the Virgin who consequently is perfectly loued that is to say hee hath perfect righteousnesse the which the Diety hath communicated vnto him Therefore it cannot be but that God gaue to this humanitie all the felicity whereof it was capable Well then this loue and felicity should not be perfect if it did not extend to the mysticall bodie of this Emmanuel God and man that is to say to all them that are one with him as he is one with the Father In like manner all those that are of that bodie are capable of that felicity by reason of the loue that God beareth to them in his Sonne yea when they haue not the meanes to doe any good workes as it is seene in little children which if they be saued as it is confessed it is onely for the vnion which they haue with the son of God whose righteousnesse is recompenced in them Then if this righteousnes of Christ be sufficient to make them happy it followeth that the same is also sufficient to make those happy which are grownein yeares who by the very same meanes haue eternal life that is to say by reason of his perfect righteousnes But as God loueth his sonne being a man in regard of his actions that are perfectly good by reason whereof God hath giuen him a name aboue all names In like manner loueth he those which God hath giuen him by reason of their good workes although vnperfect and therefore in consideration and according to the proportion of them he recompenceth them with sundry degrees of felicity Not that their workes were the cause of euerlasting life which was
vpon which the ordinarie Bishoppes of cities were constituted And withall Tradition confirmeth this for there is no Church in the world which nameth not the Apostles before the Bishops yea the Church of Rome preferreth the Apostles before the Popes It remaineth then for vs to search who was the successor of S. Iohn in the Catholike Primacy whether Polycarpus was his successor in Ephesus or Simeon successor to S. Peter in Ierusalem or Albinus of Alexandria successor of S. Marke successor and chosen of S. Peter or Ignatius successor of Euodias and of S. Peter in Antioch or Euaristus successor of Clement and of Linus and of S. Peter in Rome There are two Churches which haue contended herein more then eight hundred yeeres that is to say that of Constantinople and that of Rome The Romane Church saith that S. Peter hath ordained is from God that Rome should haue the Primacie and power to command and that for euer They of Constantinople say on the contrarie side that our Lord neuer spoke any such words much lesse Saint Peter himself and if any such thing had been some one of the Apostles would haue written of it this Article being the foundation of all the doctrine and gouernement of the Church Moreouer Saint Peter himselfe would haue Preached the same and Saint Iohn who succeeded and out-liued S. Peter would not haue stayed in Ephesus Well then you see that all the Churches planted by the Apostles not excepting any one doe testifie after many ages that neither they nor their fathers neuer beleeued nor held that the Primacie by diuine power was due to the Church of Rome but rather that it appertaineth to whosoeuer shall bee chosen and elected by the greater part of the Churches and that the Bishop of Rome alone ought not to be q beleeued much lesse in his owne proper cause In like maner many learned men of the Latine Church doe confesse that the reason wherefore Rome is helde to haue the Primacie in diuine affaires is an opinion of the vulgar sort So that rather to Constantinople appertaineth the Primacie seeing it was giuen her by the Apostolicke Churches which they gaue not then to Rome being one of the last seates of Saint Peter but onely in regard of the Imperiall seate Well then to make this the more intelligible it is necessarie to know how it happeneth that the Citie of Rome now a dayes pretendeth that the Primacie is due to her by diuine right The aboue mentioned Apostolicke Churches doe surmise as followeth and say First that Saint Peter had the first place among the Apostles for he was oftentimes demanded many things by the Lord and he answered in the name of his fellowes ouer whom neuerthelesse he had no iurisdiction nor authority although that some doe thinke that he resigned it to Saint Iames when they were together at Hierusalem after that S. Iames was instituted Bishoppe that is to say after that hee was staied that hee should make his ordinarie residence there Secondly that Saint Iohn during his life after the time of S. Peter had the first place amongst all the Euangelists and Bishoppes Thirdly that he neuer taught that Rome by Diuine right ought to be the Mistresse of the other Churches if he had S. Polycarpus his Disciple and others his successors in Ephesus had not debated so earnestly and obstinately against the Roman Church touching the feast of Easter Fourthly that after S. Iohn the Bishop of Rome obtained by iust title the first place among the Bishops which were vnder the Romane Empire for seeing that the Citizens of Rome then raigned ouer the Inhabitants of other Cities hee had been both proud audacious and vnreasonable which would haue preferred himselfe before their Bishop especially without any ordinance of a Councell Fiftly that the churches of Italy and other their neighbours through the laps of time gaue to the Bishop of Rome not only the first place but also the superintendancie ouer the Bishops neare them in particular for to giue his aduice in matters that happened till a Synode might be had Sixtly that the councell of Nice approued the same and ordained that Alexandria should in like manner haue the ouer-sight of the Churches of Egipt and of Affrica and that the church of Antioch should ouer-see those of the east And after a certaine time because the Emperiall seate was transported vnto Constantinople it was ordained that that Bishop should be ouer-seer of the Greeke Churches and the Bishop of Ierusalem should be admitted to be one of the fiue for Palestina and those fiue were called Patriarches Seuenthly that the Bishop of Rome all this while had the first seat but yet without any vniuersall iurisdiction but rather euery one of the foresaid fiue Patriarches iudged or rather gaue his aduise and opinion till a Councell might be had as euen to this day they of Constantinople although that they call themselues Oecumenicke are subiect to Synodes but yet of Greece onely Eightly that Maurice Emperour of Constantinople would haue taken away the primacie from Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome and giuen it to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who for a Marke of his place desired to haue the Title of a generall Bishoppe and that Gregorie did oppose himselfe against him least he should loose his place vrging how insolent that Title was and saying that Iohn would vsurpe Dominion ouer the other Bishops which peraduenture was not the intention of Iohn but he on the contrary side to shew that he was contented with the ranke or place of his predecessors called himselfe Seruus seruorum Dei The seruant of the seruants of God Ninthly that Phocas hauing slaine Maurice gaue to the Bishop of Rome which was then Boniface the first seate and Title of Generall or Vniuersall Bishop and yet without any iurisdiction or Dominion ouer the other patriarches which notwithstanding the churches acknowledged him not in that quality Tenthly that Charles the great King of France hauing subdued with armes a great part of Europe The citie of Rome craued his ayde against the Lombards who being ouer come by the same King the Romanes proclaimed him their Emperour 11 That then the Emperors of the East with the consent of the Patriarchall and Apostolicke Churches tooke from Rome the primacy and gaue it to the said Church of Constantinople 12 That then the Romanes seeing that by the Ecclesiasticall law they should loose the primacie began to say that the primacy belonged as of Diuine right to them and to their Bishop and consequently that the whole Church together could not take away from them the first ranke because that Rome is the Sea of S. Peter 13 That after that they of the East had rightly said that hee is successor of S. Peter which is elected confirmed and approued by the greatest part of the Churches in what place soeuer he maketh his residence and that imitateth S. Peter in doctrine and humilitie That the Bishoppes of
Rome haue brought into their church many errours and haue innouated many things without and against the decrees of the councels withall they haue added to the Symbole of Nice of their priuate authority that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne euen as from the Father That although that the vniuersall councell hath giuen the first seate to the bishoppe of Rome yet did not they beleeue that the church in future time could not take from him this place especially if the church of Rome should fall into any errour as they say she is already fallen 14 That in the meane while the prouinces of the Empire of Charles the great to wit Fraunce Italy Germanie and Spaine remained vnder the bishoppe of Rome as being their nearest Patriark which is the reason that they now go about to perswade men that the Primacie appertaineth vnto him by Gods Law but this should bee no preiudice to other Churches nor to the trueth 15. That the Bishops of Rome enriched with the gifts and Donations of the Kings of France and per aduenture beleeuing themselues to be that which was repated of them haue ouerthrowne both Spirituall and Temporall Monarkes and haue caused to bee receiued in places vnder obedience to them as well the Lawes of their predecessors the Popes made by the Church of Rome as also those Lawes which they themselues from time to time doe adde thereunto in somuch that the Churches of the East South and North with good reason haue opposed themselues against these enterprises The confession and beliefe of the Apostolicke Churches about this Question here in controuersie is this That the first seate which is by diuine Law so farr as is necessarie for the order of Councels and is meete to shew vnitie is by the Ecclesiasticall Law as also the Sea that appertaineth to any such Bishop whome the Catholicke Church shall iudge to be fit and capable of such a charge QVESTION III. Whether Miracles are sufficient proofes that a Christian Nation ought to bee held for a true Church and without errour THE EAST CHVRCHES MArcus Paulus a Venetian The Citizens of the Citie of Tauris are Mahomets but there are some Christians that inhabit there to wit Nestorians and Iacobites Neere to which Towne is a Mountaine which was once remoued out of his place by the occasion that followeth The Sarrazins willing to scandale the Gospel said that it was written If you haue faith as much as a grine of Mustard-seede you shall say vnto this Mountaine remoue hence to yonder place it shall remoue Well said the Sarrazins mocking the Christians if your saith be so excellent cause this Mountaine to remoue out of his place Then one of the Christians feruent in faith spake to the Mountaine with a great confidence Get thee hence The which incontinently remoued in the presence and fight of all the people The very same Author maketh mention of a Pillar hanging in the ayre which sustaineth the Vault of a Church in Sammarchan Vilimont Whosoeuer would see a thing worthy of memorie must goe to a little Towne called Sardinale inhabited by the Christians of the Church of the Syrians where Turkes Sarrazins or Moores cannot dwell but they die before the yeeres end Faber Not farre from the Citie of Muscouia there is a great Monasterie wherein is the Sepulchre of one Sergius an Abbot which Monasterie is very much frequented of the people for it was holden very famous for many miracles that were there wrought whereof it shall be sufficient to produce one Which is that two blind men were restored to their sight there The same Author It is a common thing amongst the Muscouits to enchant Serpents with words and chase away Diuels and deliuer and helpe them that are possessed Thomas Lopes The people of Mangalor say that they went very often to the Sepulchre of S. Thomas which is in their Countrey who wrought among them many miracles The Ecclesiasticall Historie of Constantinople maketh mention that Arsenius was instituted Bishop by the Pope hee being then become a member of the Church of Rome for which cause hee was Excommunicated by the Patriarcke Pachomius a little after that hee died and his soule went with the soules of Arrius and Eutiches hereticks and his body was found black swollen which caused great feare to those that saw him THE MERIDIAN CHVRCH ALuares There is a Sepulchre of one of the Sons of King Abram which they say was a Priest Amongst other miracles which they attribute vnto him they say that the Angels did minister bread and wine vnto him when he celebrated The same Author They attribute the title of a Saint to a certaine King whose name was Balibeta towards whom the people beare such great deuotion that all Ethiope doth runne thither where his body is buried which they report to worke great miracles Idem There is a Monastery called Abba Gariman retaining this name of one which as they report raigned in Greece who hauing forsaken his Kingdome retired to this place to do penance for his sinnes where he finished his daies very holily and they report that he at this present doth miracles THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH GLoss Canon glorios We must enquire of miracles done in the life time and after death And to the end that these may be true miracles foure things are requisite first that they be of God and not framed by arte or by the diuell for miracles are wrought by the wicked secondly that they be contrary to nature as that of the Rodde of Moses turned into a Serpent thirdly that they be not wrought by wordes but thorough the merites of a man fourthly that they be for the confirmation of the faith Annot. Whosoeuer would know more amply the Miracles of the Latin Church may reade the Legends and liues of the Saints THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the French-men We beleeue that the word conteined in the Canonicall Writings proceeded from God And forasmuch as it is the very rule of trueth it followeth that neither antiquity nor customes nor the multitude nor humane wisedome neither iudgements nor visions nor Miracles ought to be opposed to it ANNOTATION THe East Churches doe beleeue that the Roman and Ethiopian Churches doe holde an erroneous and Hereticall opinion although there are Miracles wrought amongst them In like manner the Romanes doe pronounce an Anathema against all Christians that haue not obeyed them as well against them of the East and South as also the North Church notwithstanding their Miracles the Church of Affricke refuse nay scorne to goe and submit or subiect themselues eyther to the Greeke Church or to the Latine Church notwithstanding their Miracles the Latin church in the foresaid Canon dooth confesse that Miracles are wrought by wicked persons The reformed Church saith that Miracles or the bruite of Miracles ought not to be taken as a Marke of the true church And which is more
SOVTH ZAga-Zabo Bishop of Abyssin It is likewise the office of the Patriarch to denounce excommunication against the obstinate the obseruation whereof is so straight that they let him that is obstinate die for hunger They giue nor graunt no Indulgences THE REFORMED CHVRCH COnfess Sax. In times past those that did penance to the end that it might be perceiued that they desired Pardon with all their heart and to the ende that their example should profite others were not receiued vpon a suddaine but the absolution was deferred for certaine daies to the end that they might be seene to aske it publickely Afterwards superstition encreased so much that fasting was ordained and abstinence from women many yeares These wil-worshippes being too much augmented the Bishops againe released them The relaxation of such customes were called Indulgences The Monks doe not consider the Historie of these things if they imagine that they make satisfaction for eternall paine or the paine of Purgatorie and others of this life or do adde that satisfactions were ordained by the Church to the end that these paines should be qualified Well we say that this application of Indulgences by the which the Pope applyeth the merites of the Saints is inuented at his pleasure THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Forasmuch as the power to conferre Indulgences hath beene giuen by Iesus Christ to the Church and hath beene vsed in very auncient time with the like power as it was diuinely giuen The holy Councell teacheth and commaundeth that the vsage of these Indulgences which are very necessarie for Christian people and approued by the Authoritie of the holy Councels ought to be receiued in the Church ANNOTATION THe Protestants say that the custome in times past was to appoint to repentant sinners a certaine terme during which by their good workes they might giue the Church testimonie of their repentance The same is as yet practised in the East and South Churches Ieremie Patriarcke of Constantinople discourseth hereupon as followeth Satisfactions are profitable if they be imposed as a medicine by the spiritual ministers that is to say for those that are Proude Couetous Gluttonous Incontinent Enuious Quarrelous or giuen to such like vices Who if they would conuert and repent ought to submit themselues to the rules made according to the aduise of the holy Fathers But if those satisfactions bee translated to the gaine and profit of those that giue them and not to the true end which is to prouide for the saluation of the Soule and to heale each sinne which is the intention for the which they were instituted In that fashion we doe reiect them and doe say that they were ordained in vaine which cannot by any meanes be denied And we doe pronounce remission of sinnes with some punishment adioyned for many considerations First to the end that a man for voluntarie affliction might escape the ineuitable paine of an other life Bring forth fruites worthy of Repentance saith S. Iohn Euery tree that beareth not good fruit shall be cut down and throwne into the fire to wit Euerlasting For God is not so much pleased with any thing as with affliction and therefore S. Gregorie saith Teares are recompensed with mercie Secondly to the end that the inclination of the flesh to voluptuousnesse which is the cause of vice should be taken away Thirdly to the end that that punishment should be a stay to the soule to the end it fall not into such like sinne or worse Fourthly to the end that a man should accustome himselfe to take paines for vertue is gotten with trauaile Fiftly to the end that a man might bee assured whether he perfectly hateth euill Neuerthelesse we doe leaue all these things in those that depart For we doe count that it is sufficient if in him that repenteth there bee a true conuersion Therefore we doe pronounce remission of sinnes according to the power of him that said If you remit sinnes they shall be Pardoned We beleeue that by the same meanes the punishment is pardoned for assurance whereof we doe giue the diuine gift of the Eucharist For repentance hath his seate in the soule of the sinner but not to vndergoe punishment is in the handes of God which for this cause hath really by his owne humanitie giuen remission as to the thiefe who did but desire of the Lord that hee would remember him when he came to his Kingdome See here the Doctrine of the Churches of the East touching satisfaction The Protestants doe proceede more compendiously they are content that in regard of vnknowen sinnes euery one doe apply according to his discretion the saying of S. Iohn Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance As concerning sinnes knowen by the most part of the Church satisfaction sufficeth not vnlesse it make a reparation or publike acknowledgment in asking pardon of God and the Church for the scandale and if the offence be knowne but to a few the same acknowledgement is made in their Consistories Those that refuse doe remaine suspended or excommunicated vntill that they doe obey and they giue no Indulgence There is also apappointed to the repentant a time of suspension from the Sacraments more or lesse according to the fault as well for a punishment as also to the end that the Church may see whether such repentance be true or fained by the fruits therof The auncient Church imposed punishments and sometimes so hard that they were constrained to release the rigor of them and that relaxation was called Indulgence The Churches of the South doe release or mittigate nothing at all and also reiect Indulgences in what sort soeuer they are taken for this euill proceedeth from appointing punishments so hard that they are constrained afterwards to reuoke them But if satisfaction doe consist in doing good workes It is very il done to dispence with men for doing all the good that is possible for them to doe The people of the East and of the South allow not of this abuse but they condemne rather the opinion of the Romane Church which ordaine satisfactions to auoide certaine paines of Purgatorie and teach that by Indulgences the said paines are escaped without performing or making of any satisfaction yea as if by Indulgences a man might be deliuered from the obligation whereby he is bound to God to doe all that is possible to obtaine pardon of him Also the Apostolicke Churches doe beleeue that there is neither Pope nor any other person which by Indulgences can deliuer men from the punishments that God inflicteth which if it be so that Indulgences do not deliuer a man from temporall punishments of this life as pouertie sickenesse and death it selfe how can they deliuer him from the paines of Purgatory For there is the same reason for the one as for the other It followeth vpon the premises that the Church cannot dispence with times and workes lawfully ordained for proofe and disproofe but may well release for iust and reasonable
Sacrament yet the Priest might administer it as well as the Bishop but he that will beleeue the Catholicke Church notwithstanding the Anathema of the Latin Church will say That the oyle may be as well applied by the Priest as by the Bishop in Baptisme and that it is no Sacrament that is to say a ceremonie commaunded by God or by the Church besides Baptisme QVESTION XXI Whether particular confession stand by diuine law and whether it be necessarie to confesse euery sinne by the Ecclesiasticall lawe THE EAST CHVRCH THe aunswere of the Church of the East to the Diuines of Tubinge We say that he that confesseth receaueth perfect remission of his sinnes if he doe confesse them all and the circumstances thereof as farre as hee can remember Neuerthelesse the sinnes which a man leaueth vnconfessed eyther by forgetfulnes or because he is ashamed to vtter them we beseech our mercifull God that he would pardon them together with the rest and we hope that a man receiueth also pardon for such sinnes Panorm The Grecians admit not confession saying that it is not by Diuine law Gagninus The meaner sort say that confession doth appertaine to Lords and that it is sufficient for them to beleeue in God and in his sonne Iesus Christ and in the holy Ghost Scarga The Russians stand not any more vpon the state of Confession for their Popes or Priests beeing soyled with sinnes without making any other confession then that which they make once a yeare doe approach to celebrate diuine seruice THE SOVTH CHVRCH VIlamont The lacobites neuer confesse their sinnes to any man but to God onely and that in secret Aluares The custome of the Priests of that Countrey is not to keepe secret that which was declared vnto them in confession the Authour speaketh of a Portingall which dwelt thirtie yeares in Aethiope Because he cannot doe a better worke then to open the secrets of the thoughts to him to whom all thinges are knowne Annot. Out of this discourse of Aluares may be gathered that if the Abyssins doe confesse themselues it is not by recyting of all their sinnes and aboue all the rest of sinnes punishable for that were dangerous for them that confessed THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of Ausburg Seeing then that confession is the cause that absolution is giuen in secret and that the custome of confessing in particular causeth that an acknowledgement of the power of the Keyes and of remission of sinnes is kept and maintained among the people Moreouer seeing that this auricular confession profiteth much to forwarne and teach men we doe reteine it for these causes diligently in our Churches yet in such wise that we teach that the recyting of sinnes is not by Diuine Law and none ought to charge mens consciences with the rehearsing of them The Synod at Sandomir in Poland No man shall be admitted to the Communion if first he hath not beene examined and absolued by the Minister or by some of his fellowes In that examination the rudest are apposed and taught and in the end absolued THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent The Lord hath instituted an intier confession of sinnes and by Diuine Law it is necessary for all those which are fallen after baptisme It is most certaine that Priests cannot exercise their iudgement without hauing knowledge of the matter in hand and that they cannot keepe and obserue equity and iustice in injoyning penance or punishment if men declare their sinnes onely in generall and not in speciall From hence a man may gather that the penitents must declare in their confessions all the mortall sinnes which they know in their consciences after such time as they haue diligently examined them although that they were secret and hid and committed onely against the two last commandements of the Decalogue which wound sometimes their hearts more deepe and are more dangerous then those which they commit publickely But because that all mortall sinnes and euery sinne according to desert dooth make men the children of wrath it is necessary to aske pardon of all by open and penitent confession ANNOTATION ALl Christians doe confesse that the Lord gaue to the Apostles and to their Successors vnto the end of the world the charge of bynding and loosing to remit and to retaine sinnes that is to say to denounce against the wicked and impenitent that they are in the estate of perdition and to the penitent and repentant that they are in the estate of grace In such sort that whatsoeuer the Ministers of the Church which haue this office doe open or shut with the keye which was giuen them that is to say according to the trueth of the word of God is confirmed and ratified in them Some man peraduenture will aske whether it be suffcient to preach it in generall or it be commaunded to certifie euery one in particular The Catholike Church answereth that our Sauiour meant that it should be done in the best forme by following his example Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee sayd he to the particulars If one consider well what is practised in the greatest part of the world he shall finde a conformity in doctrine and beleefe but some diuersitie in the forme and maner of proceeding The Iacobites confesse not their sinnes but onely to God as many Authors affirme The same is also true of some nations aboue all the rest of those who haue their Metropolitane in Caramit as Boterus saith for that Church extends into many parts of the world The Iacobites who come out of Egypt doe report that particular confession is in vse amongst those which are called there Iacobites and Cophites The Protestants in Fraunce confesse their knowen sinnes either in the Church or in their Consistories and there receiue absolution and their doctrine declareth that it is very good for the easing of a troubled conscience to confesse sinnes particularly but none can learne when and how the same is practised The Reformed Protestants of Germanie Poland and Bohemia haue established an order to confesse their sinnes and to receiue absolution But without naming their faults They of the East are not farre from this forme of proceeding for they say that the numbring of sinnes which they require is not by any diuine law but rather they confesse that they hold it otherwise for the commaundement of the Church binds not in foro conscientiae vnlesse it be in case of scandall but it is no scandall to conceale an vnknowen offence But the said Churches of the East doe more that is they hold that a man is not bound to confesse that which he is ashamed to declare which is to open a doore to the proceedings of the foresaid Reformed for if a man be ashamed of all it followeth that he is not bound to confesse any Moreouer if Shame doth dispence wherefore doe not other considerations of more importance doe the same likewise as the danger to be diuulged and afterwards
he consider the persons time and place Those Fathers might defend themselues as hauing the Spirit resting vpon them insignes which is not granted to the meaner sort of people The Christians of the East haue beene alwayes giuen to ceremonies It was the custome to bowe the head before the Images of Kings and Princes Artabanus king of Persia saith Suetonius worshipped the Eagles and the Images of the Emperous The Grecians at this time doe argue thus If it be lawfull to vncouer the head in passing by the Image of a King why not in like manner by the Image of Iesus Christ They of these Countries doe answere that it is not the custome amongst them to vncouer their heads before the Images of Kings whosoeuer should doe it would be held ridiculous In like manner if a man should doe so before the Image of a Saint the Protestants would call it superstition The Romane Catholikes doe passe very often by Churches and Images without once mouing their hats or bowing their bodies Neither doe they so when they take in hand their Howers or the holy Bible The custome in these parts is to put off the hat when in publik acts the King is named Moreouer the Protestants in England doe ordaine that men put off their hats at Sermons when they heare the name of Iesus In like manner all countries haue their customes that which is ridiculous and superstitious in one place is held and esteemed comely and religious in another The most expedient way would be in stead of calling one another Idolaters and Heretickes to exhort one another charitably to doe all to edification to auoid the appeareance of euill and excesse and not to scandalize the Infidels and vnbeleeuers If any Infidell doe enter into the Church saith S. Paul will not he say that you are out of your wits In like manner when an Infidell or vnbeleeuer doth see a Christian praying with his eies fixed vpon an Image will not he say that he speaketh to the Image Intreaties obtestations and mutuall demonstrations doe serue sometimes to procure the peace of the Church but iniurious speeches will neuer take away schismes and the passages or places of Scripture which are alledged to make that seeme vnlawfull which is but vndecent do not cause eyther the superstitious to leaue their superstition or the lesse deuout their irreligion The strife founded vpon the Equiuocation of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 edifies as little A great part of the Church will neuer consent to a manifest alteration Those that gouerne the Church doe sweare at their entrance to follow the tract of their Predecessors but it happeneth very often that euill customes doe ware away by laps of time although not so fast as those which are good The Church of Rome neuer staieth vpon these termes as Wicelius a Romane Catholike writeth yea one that was verie much affectionate If I would saith he I could produce the testimony of the Primitiue Church by the which the vse of the intercession of Saints is coroborated But as I doe affirme this so I also confesse that it doth greeue me that vnder pretext of I know not what Dulia it is affirmed that one may and ought to honour with adoration the Saints and their Images The Diuines of the auncient Church haue preached to the people that they must honour but not worshippe or adore the Saints Well then if they haue truely spoken thus of the Saints what thinke you would they haue said of the Statues and Images of Saints worshipped in Appearance and honored with the manner of Diuine worshippe Those who in Churches adore Images through any appearance seeme not much vnlike those which in times past worshipped Gods and Goddesses Where is the sobrietie of our vnderstanding to bow or stoope before carued or molten Images contrary to the law of God vnlesse peraduenture wee would offend the Iewes the Sarasins and those which are parted from vs through such like enormities The strange nations of whom we haue spoken to wit the Christians of the East and South haue very holily kept and obserued the law of God touching adoration and haue honoured the soules of the Saints in rendering to God that which appertaineth to God and to the Saints that which appertaineth to the Saints for who can find colours alwaies to excuse himselfe if he daily being too much giuen to vice doe foolishly search out extremities by mistaking the meane From this discourse of Wicelius a man may learne two things First that the Churches of the East and of Affrica are not fallen into the errour of the Latines Secondly that in the Church of Rome there are good people which will not be Idolaters no not in outward appeareance They are to be well aduised whether it be tollerable for them to stay in the Church of Rome and to call her Mother and Mistresse and to hold them for heretickes which doe depart from her and yet withall to call her Mother and Mistresse of Idolatrie For it is certaine that she approueth not onely the appeareance of euill which Wicelius condemneth but also the euill it selfe And for the same cause Thomas of Aquin. hath beene canonised by her yea honoured by a solemne feast as a Saint and a true Teacher and it is he that maintaineth that a man ought to adore and worshippe Images with the same adoration or worshippe as the thing represented to wit the Image of Iesus Christ with Latria and those of the Saints with Dulia in such sort that the Images are also the obiect of adoration against which doctrine the learned Earle Picus hath written who neuerthelesse denieth not that a man ought to adore Images but not saith he with that adoration which Thomas maintaineth Some man may aske if Thomas went beyond the meane in the adoration of Images how shall we call that errour and vice The Image adored with Latria shal it not be an Idole and he that adoreth it in like maner shal he not be called an Idolater But this opinion is not yet forgone in the Church of Rome Cardinall Bellarmine their great Doctor maintaineth it We must not saith hee adore the Images onely by accident or improperly as the Grecians say but also properly and in themselues The foresaid Christian people are also contrarie to the Church of Rome in that they will not haue the Diuine essence painted especially in the Churches and follow the opinion of their Doctor Damascen although that there are some Grecians in places neare to Italy which take libertie herein as may be seene in their Horologies printed at Venice Moreouer they abhorre Images of Gould Siluer wood and stone as smelling of Paganish idolatry and haue none but pictures The conclusion of this question according to the opinion of the foresaid people is That it is lawfull but not necessary neither peraduenture profitable to bow or vncouer the head before Churches Altars Crosses Pourtraitures or Images of Saints or
in handling holy Reliques or the bookes of the holy Scripture That it is some appearance of Idolatrie to passe these limits That it is plaine Idolatry to adore Images properly That it is an imitation of the Pagans to haue Images of releefe in Churches That it is follie and impiety to make an image of God QVESTION XLIII Whether it be lawfull to vowe single life whether Monkes ought to be of diuers Orders and whether it be lawfull for them to begge THE EAST CHVRCHES IEremie the generall Patriarch You say that you prohibite not good workes Neuerthelesse you account holy-daies Ceremonies regular fasting and monastical life vnprofitable workes that is not well done neither doth it agree with the holy Fathers For if you doe approue al good works you will aproue these things for they are good and for instance Basil the great saith that a contemplatiue life hath one chiefe end that is to say the saluation of the soule Theuet Neare to mount Sinai you shall finde at this present a religious order of Monkes which are of good conuersation and holy life founded in times past by the great Emperour Iustinian The Grecians do say that it was the first Monasterie of their religion for others they haue none neither would the Grecian and Trapezontine Emperours euer haue any other order but that of S. Basil Bishoppe of Cesaria who instituted his order of Monkes in the East about the yeare of our Lord 380. He caused those that professed his order to vow chastitie which were not receiued till they had attayned to the age of eight and twenty yeares Gemistius Pletho If the people giuen to meditation doe not labour it is a superstition the third kind of impietie THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares In all the Dominions of Prester Iohn there is but one order of Religion which is of Saint Anthonie the Hermite Item the greatest traficke in Faires and Markets is made by Monkes Zaga-zabo Bishop of Aethiopia With vs the Priests Monkes and all the Ministers of the Church doe liue by their labour for the Church hath not nor receiueth not any Tythes Neuerthelesse the Church hath reuenues and lands which the Monkes doe Till and labour themselues and it is not lawfull for them to begge from doore to doore neither to wrest or wring any Almes from the people THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent In any Religion whatsoeuer as well of men as of women they must not make profession before sixteene yeres be accomplished Sixtus quartus Let not the Parish Priests hereafter say that heresies are arisen of Mendicant Friers seeing that in truth our faith hath beene illuminated and the Church exalted by them and especially by the Orders of the Iacobins and Franciscans THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Confession of the Suizers Those that haue receiued from heauen the gift of a single life so that they are pure in heart and soule ought to serue the Lord in that vocation so farre forth as they feele themselues endued with this Diuine gift for such men are more fit to set their minds on heauenly things thē those that are distracted with the affaires of their families The Confession of Bohemia There are bountifull and peculiar promises made to them that are such and singular recompenses so that a great reward shall be giuen to this excellent worke to wit To him that shall voluntarily leaue Father Mother Brethren and Wife Those which haue receiued this gift ought to take heede lest they loose it Neuerthelesse there must no snares be laide for any Caluin We reiect not Monasticke vowes for any other reason but that they are rashly made by those which haue not the power to keepe them Idem Saint Austine prooueth that it is not lawful for Munkes to liue in idlenesse Idem Looke how many Monasteries there are in these dayes so many conuenticles are there of Schismatickes And to the end that their diuision might be better knowen they haue giuen themselues diuers names They are not ashamed to glory in that which S. Paule had in execration saying that the Corinthians did diuide Christ when they said I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ And now a daies they thinke that they may without doing any iniurie to Christ call themselues Benedictans Franciscans Dominicans ANNOTATION THere are three things to bee regarded in a Monasticall life First the will to liue in a Chaste single life ioyned with the deede Iesus Christ approueth this will and this estate That is the cause that the Grecians did extoll it following S. Basil but with hyperbolicall termes as may bee seene in their answere to the Diuines of Wittemberg They beleeue that if it be a Diuine and supernaturall guift then it ought not to bee esteemed vnprofitable neither as a humane inuention The hate which a man beareth to the abuse of a thing ought not to preiudice the true vse of it They call that life Angelicall Acertaine Grecian expounding that word hath told vs that they beleeue that the life of the Caloiers is Angelicall as long as they doe good but diabolicall as long as they doe euill Secondly is to be noted the Custome of those that will follow this institution to associate themselues in Colledges The Protestants condemne not that The Monasteries say they were in times past houses where some did labour and worke with their hands others did exercise themselues to serue in the Church The third thing to bee noted is the Vow The Protestants likewise do not absolutely condemne it but in that saith Caluin it is made by those that haue not the power to accomplish that which they haue vowed the same Author doth thinke that a Vow may be taken at threescore yeeres of age For S. Paul saith Let not a widdow be taken into the number vnder that age That Canon of Saint Paul hath not beene obserued by his successors for afterward were they receiued at fiftie yeeres of age and after that at fortie Neuerthelesse the same is continued and is as yet held in the East Churches because it is necessarie that he that Voweth should haue knowledge by long experience that he hath receiued of God power to accomplish and performe that which hee hath vowed contrarie to which the doctrine of the Councell of Trent is which saith that a Vowe may be made at sixteene yeeres of age The foresaid Churches would not allow of diuers Sects of Munkes and Friers and therein are differing from the Latine Church or rather contrarie to it As touching the begging of Munkes the proofes before alleadged doe shew that these Churches approoue it not Amongst the Latines themselues there were many which haue condemned it as Pope Nicholas the third saith In the Churches of Africa the solemne vowes of chastitie Pouertie Obedience are not vsed as in the Church of Rome Therfore the beliefe of the foresaid Churches is
Apostles were not the inuenters thereof yet it is certaine that it was some of their Disciples all the rest consenting thereunto The saying also of S. Paul cannot be applied to that institution for S. Paul saith that this forbidding should bee in the latter dayes The same Zanchius saith that Lent was free vntill the time of Pope Gregorie the seuenth that is to say vntill the yeare 1075. And that this Pope did forbid in the Latine Church to eate flesh vpon paine of mortall sinne And that this prohibition so absolute and exact is that whereof S. Paul speaketh For otherwise it is not a true prohibition or forbidding The Romane Catholikes do bring other exceptions to wit that these meates are not forbidden as euill of themselues Another answereth them that Saint Paul saith the vse of them must not be forbidden and speaketh in the same sort of Marriage which is not forbidden but onely to those which haue vowed neuer to marrie Also vnlesse one doe vow not to eate flesh the vse ought not to be absolutely forbidden him The Latines say also that they forbid it not but for certaine times The contrary part doth reply that it is euer a forbidding That which is white for one day saith Aristotle is no lesse white then if it had beene so a whole yeare As for the Christians of the East they are more exact obseruers of Fasting and abstinence then the Latines are although that their Church hath not this doctrine that it should be vnto them a mortall sinne Zeale and deuotion is many times imitated by superstition The Reformed Churches haue their Fasts and do keepe them straightly and the common people amongst them might fall into some scruple of conscience but that they are oftentimes aduertised of their Christian libertie It hath beene said before that the Ethiopians doe beleeue that the commandements of the Church doe not binde a man vpon paine of mortall sinne And in that point they are manifestly on the Protestants side as the Grecians also are if they hold that which their auncestors held all alike doe beleeue that the Bishoppes may both make lawes vse their censures and impose certaine punishments vpon the infringers or breakers of them but not forbidde as God If thou dost eate of this fruit thou shalt die the death both temporall and eternall So that some scruple is noted among Christians but the doctrine which they confesse is That the Church may ordaine holy or festiual daies together with abstinence of all or some kind of meats neuerthelesse not so as to bind the conscience without contempt or scandall and the diuers practise therof doth shew that there is no Catholike ecclesiasticall law which hath ordained either festiuall daies or fasting daies or the manner of keeping those feasts or fasts ¶ The Conclusion of this Treatise THe Councell of Basil hath declared the Pope to bee subiect vnto the Church If the same were beleeued at this day by the Latines as it is by all other Christians it were sufficient to make a peace If the Pope may transport that Sea out of Rome the Church may doe it farre better yea the East Church might haue done it at such time as it was greater then the Latine It followeth also that all that the Popes haue ordained approued or tollerated is vnder correction If there had not beene ambition in him or in his Clergie of Rome hee would haue heard the Catholike voyce of the Church This ambition is the cause wherefore the Grecians doe call him an Arch-hereticke the Indians a reprobate Bishoppe the Protestants the sonne of perdition Those that liue vnder him vse not these termes Neuerthelesse they are not farre wide from this beleefe If the Duke of Venice should presume to call himselfe Monarch and that the most part tooke armes against him calling him Tyrant Capitall and Principall enemy of the Common-wealth and that there were others more patient then they which confessed that in truth he was not such a one as he counted himselfe to be neuerthelesse beleeued that he ought to be supported I pray you would not all these Cittizens agree together in the principall point although they were of diuers opinions in the manner of proceeding Father Coton after many others maketh an argument here which he thinketh to be inuincible The Sonne of Perdition saith he must sit in the Temple of God according to Saint Paul that is to say in the Church of God according to Crysostome And we must not goe out of the Church for out of it there is no saluation therefore we must continue vnder the sonne of perdition Answere The Temple of God is all the earth in this Temple there are many Episcopall Chaires which as Pope Pelagius saith are one nuptiall bed of Christ that is to say which make but one Church which begetteth children to God by baptisme Well then if hee that sitteth in S. Peters Chaire teacheth not at all who will gaine-say but that without forsaking the Church one may goe to heare him which sittes in Saint Peters chaire at Antioch among the Armenians or in the seate of S. Andrew in Constantinople Some will say that the Protestants doe not take this way But we haue shewed that if ceremonies were laid apart and that Logomachies were eschued there would want but little of agreement and scarce would there be any discord but onely in these foure points First about Images Secondly praiers to Saints Thirdly the time of making Monasticall vows Fourthly about the conuersion of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist and peraduenture not so great as is imagined For the first it is decreed in the second Councel of Nice that one should put off his Hat in passing before a Church a Crosse an Altar an Image or portraict of a Saint hauing the heart lifted vp to God The Protestants doe call the same superstition See here is a great heresie a trimme subiect to diuide Christianitie Panigarolas confesseth that one may altogether let passe Images why not then this ceremonie The Catholicke Romans know well enough that sometimes they were not vsed at all And Wicelius saith that wee ought to eschew all appearance of euill In the time of S. Basil there was tolleration herein Vigilantius brake the peace peraduenture his iniurious speeches haue beene the cause why men did more in hate of him The second Question whether one ought to recommend himselfe to the Prayers of the Saints is of the same nature They of the East Churches doe confesse that the Saints doe not vnderstand our Prayers Neuerthelesse that the holy Ghost which they haue doeth induce them to pray and to crie Abba father saith S. Paul that is to say in generall for those that recommend themselues to their Prayers The Protestants doe confesse that the Saints doe pray and that one may wish or desire that they would so doe notwithstanding they hold it absurd to addresse our Prayers vnto them seeing that wee doe know that