instituted or commanded to be instituded all that is necessarye to the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls For Gods workes are perfect and euen in naturall things he giueth all that is necessarye to their well being Secondly because Christ besides the Apostles instituted 72. Disciples Luc. 10. and gaue them authoritye to preach as he did to the Apostles and because authoritye to preach without authoritie to administer necessarie sacraments att least as the sacrament of Pennance is were imperfect therefor ether himself gaue or appointed his Apostles to giue them authoritye to administer that sacrament And as S. Thomas sayeth 3. q. 67. art 2. Christ gaue to the Apostles the office of baptizing but to be exercised by others and Bishops and Curats succeed the Apostles and 72. Disciplâ—s by whom rather then by the 72. Disciples Besides Sotus lib. 10. de Iure q. 3. art 1. sayeth Byshops and Parish Priests succed the Apostles and 72. Disciples Can. in nouo d. 6. And Bellarmin lib. â—â— de Clericis c. 14. All Fathers constantly teach that Bishops succeed the Apostles and Priests the 72. Disciples And if any Priests succeed the 72. Disciples surely Parish Priests such as haue charge of souls Thirdly because the Apostles Ephes 4. sayth that Christ gaue separatly to his Church Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors where by Pastors he vnderstandeth such as are not Byshops for Byshops he vnderstandeth vnder the name of Apostles to whome they succeed And though some by Pastors vnderstand Byshops yett they include allso such Priests as vnder Bishops haue charge of souls as is to be seen in Estius vpon that place And the same Apostle Acts 20. calling to him the presbyters or elders of the Church of Ephese sayeth indifferently to them all that the holye Ghost had putt them to gouerne the Church of God where that by Presbyters he includeth not onely Byshops but allso such Priests as haue care of souls appeareth both because the word Presbyter was in the Apostles time common to all such as is euident and there is no conuincing reason to proue that the Apostle there restrained the common vse of that word as allso because S. Thomas 2. 2. q. 184. art 6. sayeth that S. Paul there comprehendit vtrosque and the same sayth Bellarmin l. 1. de Pontif. c. 8. And Stapleton vpon that place Paul here afsirmeth that the Presbyters of Ephesus were made ouerseers of God flock because the ofsice of ouerseers belongeth as much to a Parish Priest as to a Bishop of manye cittyes Moreouer here is sayd that there were manye Presbyters in the Church of Ephesus and yett there neuer were manye * Cornelius in Eusebio l. 6. S Chrysost in Socrate l. 6 c. 12 Bishops in one Church Wherefore here vnder that name were allso included some Presbyters who were no Bishops I add allso that S. Thomas 2. 2. q. 184. art 6. expoundeth those wordes opitulationes gubernationes 1. Corinth 12. of Arch. deacons and Curats which Estius vpon that place sayth is the common exposition of the Latins Fourthly l proue the immediate diuine institution of such Priests as haue charge of souls out of the Councel of Trent sess 23. Can. 6. If anye shall say that in the church there is not a Hierarchie instituted by Gods appointement which consisteth of Bishops Priests and ministers be he anathema And Estius in 1. Corinth 12. v. 27. sayeth The Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie properly consisteth of Bishops Priests and Deacons And seeing Hierarchie consisteth formally in power to gouerne or in Principalitye as is euident by the word itself the Councel must needs meane that by Gods institution some Priests who are not Byshops are gouernors in his Church And if anye surely such as haue charge of souls Fiftly I proue it out of the profession of the Church in the consecration of Priests where thus she professeth when God had appointed Byshops to gouerne people he chose men of inferior order and of second degree for to help their societye and worke And she addeth that the like was done in the wilderness by giuing 70. elders to Moyses and in the Synagog by instituting Priests and after that addeth allso By this prouidence to the Apostles of thy Sonne thou hast adioyned preachers of fayth as companions by whome they haue filled the world with happye preachings Wherefore o Lord we beseech thee add to our weakness theise helpers who by how much we are the frayler by so much the more we need them Let them be prouideÌ„t cooperators of oure order lett shine in them the forme of all iustice that being to giue good account of the dispensation committed to them they may obtain the reward of euerlasting happiness In which words the Church professeth that such Priests as are to giue account of the dispensation committed to them as those are who haue charge of soules are by Gods institution cooperators of Byshops as the 70. elders were to Moyses and Priests in the Synagog were to the high Priest I add allso that the iurisdiction of Byshops and of Priests is different iure druino For thus Bellarmin lib. 1. de Clericis c. 14. The Catholick Church acknowledgeth and teacheth that Episcopacye is greater iure diuino then Priest hood both in order and iurisdiction which supposeth that Priestly iurisdiction is instituted iure diuino and in whome if not in Curats And the same Bellarmin praefat lib. de Clericis sayeth The Church is distinguished by Christ into three orders among which he putteth Curats So that Curats are by Christs order in the Church 3. Secondly I proue that Curats of their prime institution minister all priestly sacraments but others not a Curate is a more noble officer and minister of the sacrament of Pennance then an other who hath not charge of souls because he is instituted not onely to minister the sacrament of Pennance but allso all other sacraments which Priests can minister whereas such as haue no charge of souls be instituted onely to minister the sacrament of Pennance and the Eucharist as is to be seen in Catholick Countryes and if they haue leaue to minister other Sacraments that is onely in heathen and heretick countryes and for want of Curats But he is a more noble minister of the sacrament of Pennance who of his prime institution is to minister all sacraments which Priests can minister then such as of their prime institution can minister onely two sacraments 4. Thirdly because Curats Curats haue true iurisdiction ouer their flock not others and such as haue charge of souls haue not onely power and authoritye to minister sacraments but allso to rule and gouerne people as Pastors doe sheep and therefor Curats are termed by S. Thomas as we shall see hereafter lesser Princes and inferior Prelats of the Church ad are a parte of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie or Principalitie and Bellarmin l. 1. de PoÌ„tif c. 8. sayth we grant that it agreeth to Bishops and
what kinde of Confessors are the best that both they may become the best kinde of Confessors and theise vse the best Thirdly because Diuines III. a S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 187. art 8. vsually compare the states of Curats and regulars without offence of anye of which comparison thus writeth Suarez tom 3. de relig lib. 1. c. 18. It is blameless if it be wisely and modestly handled and it be Comparison o' Confessors bess offensiue then the comparison of Curats and Regulars considered that the comparison is made not between their persons or descrts but between their staâ—es and conditions or as S. Thomas speaketh the comparison is made for the kinde of the worke not for the charitie of the worker as Christ Luke â—â— preferreth the contemplatiue life before the actiue And yet this comparison of Curats and Regulars is not made for the greater good of a third as we compare the sayd different Confessors for the greater good of the Penitents but meerly to shew which of their states is in it self better and perfecter If therefor this comparison of different kindes of Confessors be handled discreetly and modestly as it shall be of me it will be more blameles then that of Curats and Regulars Fourthly because IV. all sorts of Priests in Countryes that are not Catholik as England is not or in Countryes Where there is great scarcitye of Priests as in the Indyes are capable of both these functions of Confessors and some Regulars a S. Thom. 2. 2 q. 184. art 7. are euen in Catholik Countryes and where there is no scarcitie of Priests Confessors with charge of souls as others are withont such charge And if Regular Priests in England will vndertake the burden they may haue pastorall charge of their Penitents souls as well as others Fiftly because no man carefull of his health would be offended to haue shewed vnto him what kinde of Surgeon or Physitian to witt a Gallenist or Paracelsian is better for him and why should any Penitent carefull of the good of his soule take it ill that the like should be shewed to him of his spirituall Physitian who is his Confessor If therefor any take it ill that it be shewed what kinde of Confessor is the best for the glorie of God and good of souls he sheweth therereby that he is not desirous of the greater glory of God and greater spirituall profitt of souls of which I hope no good Priest or Catholik in England is guiltie Lastly because I being Pastor of the Catholiks in England as P. Vrban VIII in his Breue to me An. 1626. in expres termes calleth me ought to shew them al the best means I can for the good of their soules and in doing so none can be iustly offended for I doe but may dutie and what I am bound to doe And also though vnworthie I am one of those of whome our Sauiour said who heareth you heareth me who despiseth you despiseth me THIRD CHAPTER That it much importeth both Priests and Lay Catholiks to know which is the best kinde of Confessors 1. THat it greatly importeth Priests for to know which is the best kinde of Confessors is euident First because thereby they may know what kinde of Confessors are most pleasing to God doe merit more to themselues and do also more good to their Penitents Secondly because Priests are dispeÌ„sers of the mysteries of God and it importeth them to know who are the best dispensers of such great matters Thirdly because Confessors are spirituall Physitians of their Penitents and it much importeth Physitians both for themselues and for their Patients to be the most able to cure their Patients 2. That it also greatly importeth Penitents to know who are the best kinde of Confessors is likewise euident First because as is sayd Confessors are their spirituall Phisitians who must cure their spirituall diseases Secondly because the Church counseleth her children to chuse the best kinde of Confessor they can De Paenitent D. 1. c. 88. and d. 6. c. 1. where Nauarre in C. Placuit sayth The meaning of the Canon is to counsel that by what way soeuer a Penitent can iustly he should seek the best Priests See him there § Quod autem Thirdly because as is a foresayd the Church professeth that one of the best meanes she hath to keep men from vice and to driue them to vertue is Confession and surely the best meanes to the best Confession is the best kinde of Confessor as tâ—e best meanes to be cured is to gett the best Physitian FORTH CHAPTER That a Confessor who hath Pastorall charge of the souls of Penitents is better then one who hath no such charge proued by their different Institutors THe first proof that à Confessor who hath pastorall charge of souls is caeteris paribus better then one who hath no such charge I will take from their different Institutors For Christ himselfe immediatly instituted Confessors with pastorall charge of souls as is euident out of S. Iohn chapt 20. v. 23. where he sayth to his Apostles and in them to their successors Take the Holy Ghost whose sinns you shall remitt they are remitted and whose you shall retaine they are retained Now the Apostles were and their successors are Confessors with pastorall charge of souls But that Christ immediatly instituted Confessors without charge of souls we neither finde in scripture nor in Tradition but theise were instituted by the Church as S. Thomas teacheth in these words 22. q. 188. art 4. It was requisit that beside the ordinary Prelats others should be assumed to such offices Where he doth not say that Confessors without charge of souls were necessary but onely requisit nor that they were immediatly instituted by Christ as ordinary Prelats are but assumed to witt by the Church Secondly because Christ instituted no â—ther Confessors but the Apostles and the 72. Disciples but both theise doubtles had charge of soules And surely that kinde of CoÌ„fessor is of himself and caeteris paribus better who is immediatly instituted by God and with whome God will more concurre then that kinde of Confessor who is not so instituted For it cannot be doubted but that he will more concurre with such kinde of Confessors as himself immediatly instituted theÌ„ with such as are instituted by others FIFTH CHAPTER That a Confessor with charge of soules is better then one without such charge proued by the different ends of their Institution THat a Confessor with charge of soules is of himself and caeteris paribus better then one without such charge I proue by the different ends for which they were instituted For Confessors with charge of souls were instituted for themselues as necessary officiers for the remission of mens sinns as is euident by Christs words cited in the former chapter For Christ hauing instituted the Sacrament of Pennance he must needes institute purposely officers for the administring thereof as were the Apostles and their Successors But Confessors
occasion neglect of proper Priests which so graue and so learned a Pope as Innocent 4. was would not haue sayd if he had not seen it to be truâ— And how great an inconueniencie neglect of Pastors is is manifest of it self seing all communities stand by the authority of their superior and fall and are weakened by the fall or weakening of it Whereupon 1. Tim. 5. 1. Thessal 5. Heb. 15 Matth. 26. S. Cyprian Epist 55 65. S. Hieron contra Lucifer the Apostle often and earnestly exhorteth Christians to honnour and reuerence their spirituall superiors and our Sauiour sayeth if the Pastor be strucken theep are dispersed and holy Fathers note that the neglect of Pastors is the roote of schisme and heresie and that the â—aiâ—tye of the Church dependeth on the honnor of Pastors And Layman cited †Sup. c. 9. before noteth that by confessing to whome one will many pretending impediments of confession withdraw themselves from the Iurisdiction of their Pastor A fifth inconueniencie by libertie Fifth Inconueniencie of confessing to what Priest one will is that one may omitt annuall confession and say that he hath confessed when he hath not confessed att all 3. The sixth inconueniencie Sixt Inconueniencie is that by libertie of chusing ones Confessor occasion is taken to committ or conti new in sinn which would be much restrained if men confessed to their proper Priests For by this libertye as P. Innocent 4. in the Foresayd Bull noteth thereby shame which is a great part of pennance is taken away whiles ones confesseth his sinnes not to his proper Priest whome he hath continuall and present but to an other and sometimes to one who is a passenger to whome there is hard recourse and sometimes impossible And Azor. tom 1. l. 5. c 25. granteth that leaue to chuse a Confessour who may absolue him from sinns to be committed doth giue occasion to sinn more freely and more easily And what great difference is See Paâ—is An. 1246. p. 634. there for this purpose between leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue one from sinns to be committed and leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue from sinns that are committed what difference I say is there for facilitye to sinn between leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue one from sinns to be committed and leaue to chuse a Confessor who may absolue one from sinns that are committed which leaue all haue who haue libertie to confess to what Priest they will For facilitye to sinn riseth not precisely of leaue to chuse a Confessor which may absolue one from sinns to be committed but from leaue to a chuse a Confessor who may absolue from sinns whether they be committed or to be committed 4. A seuenth inconueniencie The SeueÌ„th in leauing ones proper Priest and confâ—ssing to others is that thereby he is made less able to help spiritually and cure the spirituall diseases of his sheep For by confessing to him he should better know the State of the souls of his sheep and to be better able to apply proper remedyes to them to better instruct their ignorance and allso better encourage them to follow vertue and auoid such vices as they are subiect vnto But of this we haue spoken something and shall more hereafter An eight inconueniency Eight Inconueniencie is that by leauing our Pastor and confessing to others we discourage him and make him less carefull of doing his deutye or what good he can doe for vs. For he seing his sheep to leaue him and goe to others preferring them before him hath not that courage to labour for them as he would haue if he saw them preferre him before others And what harme cometh by the negligence of Pastors God himself declareth Ezechiel 54. saying my sheep are dispersed because there was no Pastor Not because there was no Pastor at all but because there was no diligent Pastor And Sotus lib. 10. de Iure Iustit q. 3. art 4. affirmeth that the roote of heresies in Germanye and England was the negligence of Pastors and surely the sheeps neglect of their Pastors occasioneth the Pastors neglect of them And if the negligence of Pastors be the occasion of such ill how much more is the want of Pastors Whereupon the same Sotus in the sayd place sayeth It is a diuine commandement that euery Diocese haue a Bishop for the peculiar care and watchfullness which is due vnto it And Bellarmin lib. 1. de Pontif. c. 2. hauing cited these words of Caluin They conuince that to euerye Church ought a Bishop to be giuen answereth If by these examples taken from most graue Fathers we conuince that to euerye Church ought to be giuen a Bishop why doth not he suffer Bishops which is plainly to affirme that examples brought by most graue Fathers conuince that euerye Church ought to haue a Byshop And it is sayd in his life l. 3 c. 5. that he counseled P. Clement 8. to prouide Byshops presently for vacant Churches least he should be guiltye of souls perishing for want of Pastors And it is memorable what S. Bede l. 3. hist Anglic. c. 7. Writeth of Senwalch King of the West Saxons in England who hauing expelled his Byshop sustained great losses and spoyles in his kingdome of his ennemies He vnderstood that by want of Byshops he wanted allso the help and grace of allmightye God wherefore he sent Embassadors into France to Agilbert beseeching him that he would returne and resume againe his Bishoprick affirming withall to make satisfaction for that which was past Thus S. Bede And if so many and so great inconueniencies follow Penitents not confessing to their proper Priests who haue charge of their souls there was some great necessitye which forced the Church to dispense therein as no doubt that was which before we rehearsed out of S. Thomas and others to witt too great number of penitents for to confess to one onely Priest and too great want of sufficient proper Priests generally for all parts And good children of the Church will rather doe what the Church of her self commandeth then what vpon necessity she dispenseth withall and onely permitteth But out of all which I haue sayd in this chapter I argue thus It is of it self farr better to auoid so many and so great inconueniencies as haue been rehearsed then to fall into them but Penitents by confessing to such Priests as haue charge of their souls doe auoid the sayd inconueniencies and by confessing to others doe fall into them Therefor it is far better to confess to those kindes of Priests then to these And what good Penitent will not doe that which of it self is far better FOVRTEENTH CHAPT That of it self it is better for a Penitent to confess to his proper Priest then to others because naturally he loueth his penitents more then others doe 1. THat of it self it is better Pastors loue their penitents more then other Priests do
How can they loue souls to the loss of their liues whome they account not their owne And the reason why God infuseth a speciall loue into a Pastour is because a Pastour must haue a speciall care ouer such as God committeth to his charge more then others need to haue which speciall care he cannot performe without a speciall loue and therefore as God giueth to Pastors a speciall care of his sheep so he giueth them a speciall loue of his sheep which speciall loue he giueth not vsually to others to whome he giueth no speciall care of his sheep For as God and nature doe not faile in things that are necessarie so nether doe they abound in things that are superfluous 4. Fourthly I proue that a good Pastor or proper Priest loueth more his Penitents then an other Priest doth because for the loue of God and of them he bindeth himself to assist them in what danger soeuer and for their sakes vndertaketh the greatest burdeÌ„ that caÌ„be which is to answer soul for soule for euerye one of them And therefor not onely doeth to them all the good which others doe but hindeth himself thereto which others doe not and as †Lib. de Similitudin S. Anselme sayth of them who not onely doe good but allso vow to doe it giueth not onely the fruit but also the tree Whereas other Confessors nether binde themselues to assist their Penitents nor will vndergoe that great burden of answering soul for soul For of Mendicants Rodriquez tom 1. q 35. art 5. writeth that they allwayes refused to put See Regulas Societatis parte 4. c. 2. §. 4. p. 119. the heauye burden of Curats vpon their shoulders And Bellarmin lib. 2. de Monachis c. 45. sayeth They doe not minister spirituall things of due but doe minister them to whom when and where they please without all binding of themselues thereto and therefor cannot aske releef of iustice or due but onely of charitye as they minister spirituall things not out of dutye but onely of charityc Thus he If any say that Pastors or Curats take that bond and burden vpon them for loue of their tithes or reuenews I answer that good Curats or Pastors of souls doe not and I speake of good Curats or such good Confessors as haue charge of souls and I compare them with such good Confessors as haue no charge of souls Secondly as it were against charitye to thinck that such as heare confessions without charge of souls doe it wholly or principally for loue of almes or reward so it were against charitye to thinck the like of good Curats Thirdly none in England who may haue charge of souls could vndertake that burden for loue of tithes or reuenew because there he can expect none And out of all which hath been sayd and proued in this Chapter it will easily appeare that if anye Catholicks in England be not willing to haue such Confessors as loue them more and binde themselues to farr more for their loue then others doe they are not so desirous of their own good and assuredness to be holpen in what need soeuer as in wisedome and in loue to themselues they ough to be and as they would be if it were in matter of their temporal state or temporal life For who would not haue a good corporal Physitian or Aduocat who would binde himself to assist him And if anye should not loue more such a Confessor as loueth him farr more then an other and vndertaketh the greatest bond of loue that can be in this world he should shew himself to be very vngratefull and would be ashamed to doe the like to anye kinde of freind in anye other matter whatsoeuer FIFTEENTH CHAPTER That it is better to confess to ones proper Priest then to an other because he is a more noble officer or minister of the Sacrament of Pennance 1. THe twelft proof that of it self it is better to confess to ones proper Priest who hath charge of their souls then to others I take from the greater excellencie of the office and this I proue first because Confessors with charge of souls were immediatly instituted by Christ Ioan. 20. where he sayth to his Apostles Take the holy Ghost whose sinns you shall remitt they shall be remitted which power with charge of souls doth remaine in Bishops their successors For as S. Thomas sayth 3. parte q. 67. art Bishops properly succeed the Apostics 2. Bishops succeed to the Apostles Sotus 4. d. 21. q. 1. art 4. By Gods law Bishops succeed the Apostles and the same he hath lib. 10. de Iure q. 1. art 4. Bellarmin lib. 1. de Clericis c. 13. Bishops properly succeed the Apostles And cap. 14. All Fathers doe constantly teach that Bishops succeed the Apostles And lib. 2. de Confirmatione c. 22. Bishops doe simply and absoluty succeed the Apostles The same sayth Stapleton controu 6. q. 3. art 3. Nether doth anye Catholick deny that Bishops succeed the Apostles in their power and authoritye of forgiuing sinns by Christs own institution But the difficultye may be of other inferior Priests who vnder Bishops haue charge of souls as Curats haue whether the office of such were immediatly instituted by Christ or no. But the office of Curats may be considered two wayes ether as an Office of Curats coÌ„sidered two wayes office separately taken by it self or as a parte of Episcopall office and authoritye not including that which was extraordinarie in the Apostles and necessarye for the beginning or founding of Christs Church as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was but a parte of the spirit of Moyses And if the office or authoritye of Curats be thus considered it is immediatly of diuine institution as Episcopall authoritye is and as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was For it is of the same nature of which Episcopall authoritye though not so great as Episcopall authoritye is as Episcopall authoritye is of the same nature of which Apostolicall authoritye was though not so high and as the authoritye of the 70. Senâ—ors was of the same nature with the authoritye of Moyses And if the office of Curats were but in this sorte immediatly instituted of Christ it would appeare to be farr nobler then is theirs who heare confessions without charge of souls For the office of those was neuer instituted immediatly by Christ either separatly by it self or in a whole whose parte thereof it is but is of a different nature because Christ neuer instituted an office to forgiue sinns without charge of souls 2. But indeed it is more probable that the office of Curats was it self instituted immediatly by Christ or by the Apostles at his command First because as Suarez confesseth tom 3. de relig l. 1. c. 17. n. 25. The office of Curats necessarye to the Church and it is euident The institution of Curats is necessarye to the good gouuerment of the Church and saluation of souls And Christ either
Priests to feed and gouerne the Church Whereas such as haue no charge of souls haue no authoritye to gouern them but as they voluntarily minister sacraments to them so theise voluntarily receaue sacraments of them and voluntarily doe what they aduise them Wherefor there is no true obedience or merit of obedience to them because they haue no true superioritye or power to command But in doing what Curats command there is true obedience and merit thereof and likewise true disobedience and demerit thereof in not doing what they command because they haue true superioritye and authoritye to command their flock And doubtless he is a more noble minister of the sacrament of Pennance who hath Curats are the Principal others but Coadiutors not onely power to minister sacraments but allso iurisdiction and power to rule and gouerne them to whome he ministreth the sacrament of Pennance then he who hath no iurisdiction and power to rule and gouerne them to whome he ministreth the sacrament of pennance I add allso that See â— Thomas 2. 2. q. 187 art 1. Curats haue authoritye in themselues to minister sacraments but who haue no charge of souls are but Delegats and haue onely the vse of authoritye which is in an other And allso that theise are but Coadiutors Rodriguezâ—â— 1. q 59. art 2. â— to 3. q. 31. art 4. of the others And a Coadiutor is inferior to the Principall 5. Fourthly I proue that Curats are more noble officers and ministers of sacraments by authorityes For as the Glosse Luc. 10. sayth Byshops are like to the Apostles inferior Priests to witt Curats are like to the 72. Disciples And Generally the Fathers teach that as Byshops succeed the Apostles so Priests who haue charge of souls succeed the 72. Disciples as Concil-Neocesar Can. 3. Damas Epist 3. Anaclet Epist 2. Augustin in Psalm 44. Leo Epist 83. Isidorus lib. 2. de diuin offic Beda in c. 10. Lucae And S. Thomas 3. part q. 67. art 1. sayeth To baptize belongeth Curats lesser Princes of the Church succeed the 72. Disciples to lesser Princes of the Church that is to Priests who hold the place of the 72. Disciples of Christ as the Glosse sayth Lucae 10. Sotus l. 9. de lure q. 4. art 3. We must needs grant that the office of Curats hath the highest place of spirituall functions And 4. d. 18. q. 1. art 5. Curats of Parishes haue ordinarye power not from Byshops but from Gods law Ibid. q. 4. art 2. All those Pope Byshops Curats are called ordinaries by Gods Law For allbeit the Byshop giueth a Parochiall Church to this or that man yet whosoeuer is Parish Priest is by Gods Law the proper Priest as allbeit the chusing of the Pope belongeth to Cardinalls and the chuseing of Bishops to Canons yett they haue power from Gods Law For Christ himself who chose the Apostles to whom Byshops succeed Can. Quorum vices d. 68. chose allso 72. others helpers of them to whome Priests succeed Can. In nouo d. 6. Azor. allso tom 1. l. 11. c. 24. speaking of Curats sayeth It cannot be denyed that the state of Bishops and Priests was ordained by Christ our Lord as sayth Anacletus and it is related Can. in nouo d. 21. Byshops succeed to the Apostles Priests to the 72. Disciples And Suarez tom 3. derelig lib. 1. c. 17. n. 25. Gerson addeth that the state and office of Curats is by Gods law and Christs institution so as the Pope cannot take it out of the Church as he cannot take away the state of Byshops because Curats belong to the entire Hierarchicall order instituted by Christ. And this is probable both by most ancient tradition and because the institution of proper Curats is necessarie to Curats necessarie to saluations of soules the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls And as I sayd before doubtless Christ instituted all that is necessarye to the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls Nether will it follow that Curats are of mans institution because sometime Vicars are putt in their place for though Gods affirmatiue lawes doe binde allwayes yet not for allwayes and allso because Apostolical Vicars and Archpriests are sometimes put in places of Byshops and yet none deny that Byshops are of Christs institution Besides Vicars who are putt in place of Curats haue charge of souls which is all one for my purpose Finally S. Thomas 3. part q. 67. art 2. calleth Curats lesser Princes of the Church And 22. q 188. art 4. ordinarye Prelats of the Church and addeth that for one to preach by authoritye of Prelats or to doe other such things passeth not the degree of a disciple or subiect Item Religious are instituted to preach and heare Regulars serue Curats Confessions not by their owne authoritye but by the authoritye of superior and inferior Prelats to whome that belongeth by office And so they serue Prelats in such ministerie which is proper to such a Religion And S. Bonauenture lib. de Paupertate Christi p. 422. Religious men heelp Curats not as Lords not aâ— hauing charge of souls but as seruants in charitye And surely seruants and such as worke by authoritye of others are less noble officers then those whome they serue and by whose auctoritye they worke 6. And to all these authorityes 12. Martij An. 1624. I add that lately the holye Congregation de propaganda fide hath decreed that the end of Seminaries is more excellent The end of Seminaries more excellent therof Religions then the end of Religions because there is no sacrifice more gratefull to God then the zeale of souls Which decree they made hauing called before them all religious orders and without opposition of anye of them And if the end of Seminaries be more excellent surely allso the end of Curats fot whome principally seminaries are instituted And allso that the Councel of Trent sess 24. c. 18. commanded that all Byshops who were able should in their Dioceses found a seminarye for to bring vp Priests who should take the charge of souls which sheweth that in the iudgement both of the sayd Congregation and Councel Priests who haue charge of souls are more excellent officers and more vsefull and needfull to the Church then such are who haue no charge of souls I may add allso that not onely * Henr cus quodlib 12. q. 28. Maior 4. d. â—8 q. 7. Gerson tract de statu perfectionis The state of Curats in it self perfecter then Religion secular Diuines but allso regular diuines doe grant that the state of Curats is perfecter then the state of Religious For thus Suarez to 3. de Relig. l. 1. c. 21. n. 6. If the state of religious and inferior Prelats be considered in themselues the state of Prelats is more perfect And this doubtless meant S. Austin when he wrote epist 148. There is nothing more happie before God then the office of a Byshop Priest or Deacon