Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A48357
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An epistle declaratorie, or manifest written by G. L. to his brethren residing in England
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Leyburn, George, 1593-1677.
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1657
(1657)
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Wing L1937; ESTC R217653
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14,543
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55
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of S. Luke cap. 11 that diabolus mutat aliquando sententiam Cum immundus spiritus sais this holy Euangelist exierii de homine perambulat per loca inaquosa quaerens requiem non inueniens dicit reuertar in domum meam vnde exiui And did noth the Divell mutare sententiam when he perswaded Iudas to betray Christ and a little while after indeavored to hinder his sentence of Death suggesting to Pilates wife in her sleepe to divert Pilate from giveing sentence ergo the Divells are not soe immutable or inflexible but that they can change their opinion To Conclude naturall reason doth demonstrate mutability and flexibility in Angells for noe obiect can introduce a necessity in their will vnles it hath rationem summi boni vel summi mali but there are noe obiects which haue rationem summi boni vel summi mali respectu tum intellectus tum voluntatis Angelorum as is cleare and Confessed by both Philosophers and Divines Ergo c. Out of the Premisses I doe evidently conclude M. r Blacloe in his Learning to be iniurious to holy Scripture to the Catholick Church and to naturall reason and consequently that his spirit is neither sober nor Christian like nor peacable for S. Austine sais lib. 4. de Trin. cap. 6. Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturam nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit I doe remember when I was Superiour in England that the foresaid detention of the soules in Purgatory begott soe great a scandall amongst Catholicks that some weere resolved to bestow noe charities vpon the secular Clergy imagining them to be infected with M. r Blacloes exorbitant doctrine And some 2. or 3. yeeres agone one of our Cheifest Brethren for learning and other greate parts being on his death bed and leaving by will a considerable Charity to the secular Clergy that his soule might receive benefit by their prayers made à prouiso or expresse order that noe part of the said Charity should be distributed to M. r Blacloe or his adherents Now how great à disgrace how odious a scandall how considerable à preiudice M. r Blacloes new Divinity hath brought to the secular Clergy I appeale to your Iudgments I could enlarge my selfe in this declaratory Epistle if I thought it either necessary or that I were furnis'hd with convenient leasure from my other Engagements However I haue thought it fitt to inculcate vnto you two speciall instructions conducing to your owne advantage and to the advancement of your Religion The first is the Excellencie of your vocation in which the diuine goodnes hath promoted you to the highest dignitie vpon earth to wit the office or charge of spirituall Pastors importing zelus animarum which according to holy Scripture is omnium diuinorum diuinissimum for it doeth render you perfect imitators of God and Coadiutors of Christ in the conversion of Sinners And S. Chrysostome affirmes in or de S. Philog that there is not any thing in this mortall life that can afford a more ample and evident testimony of perfect Charity towards God then to procure the salvation of soules pro quibus mortuus est Christus The most divine proprietie of that divine zeale consisteth in the Sacrifice of our lives Holy David was inflamed with zeale relating to that proprietie when he said Quis mihi tribuat vt ego moriar pro te Fili mi Absalon fili mi as alsoe S. Paul 2. Cor. 12. Ego autem libentissime impendam super impendar ipse pro anibus vestris and 1. Cor. 15. quotidie morior propter vestram gloriam fratres But to search noe farther for examples of this nature the Sonnes of your old Mother your owne Brethren and Predecessors in this last age haue excelled in this attribute of zelus animarum willingly embracing ignominious deaths proper to dogges and Thieves for the defence of Catholick faith As the ChildreÌ„ of Israel possess'd the land of promise in funiculo distributionis euen soe they purchas'd the heavenly Paradise prefigur'd by the land of promise in funiculo or laqueo suspendij To execute Christ their Maister 's Counsell to wit estore prudentes sicut serpentes like wise serpents transeuntes per angustum foramen that is the narrow noze of a Rope they vnvested themselves of their old garment of mortality and assum'd a new habit of Immortall glory And their blood was the first seede that preserv'd Religion in your Country that continued it that encreas'd it They were principally the foundation stones of your rebuilded Church cemented in their owne blood next vnto the angular stone Christ IESVS Therefore the inheritance of this Church cheifly belongeth to you who are the true successors of your Brethren who with th' effusion of their blood founded it and rais'd it anew and this inheritance you will ever enioy vnles vnfortunately you shall sell it for a messe of Pottage that is for an inordinate appetite of profane doctrines There is another proprietie belonging to that divine zeale of soules and more essentially and necessarily annex'd to your spirituall charge then the former aboue mentioned This is a prudent and carefull conduct in your governement which S. Peter in his first Epistle expresseth in these few words sobrii estote vigilate And S. Paul Rom. 12. shew's evidently that pastorall governement hath a necessary depeÌ„dance of sobrietie when he sais non plus sapere quam oportet sapere sed saperead sobrietatem the meaning of which sentence in the 1. Tim. he particularly declareâ—h commanding Timothy deuitare profanas vocum nouitates oppositiones falsi nominiâ— scientia And the reason is for if Pastors doe entertaine false doctrines or doe suffer them to take roote in their Territories on districts they will bring infallible ruine to many soules For doctrine being the Spirituall food if sound good and incorrupted it nourisheth and preserves life if vnsound and corrupted it poysoneth and causeth death Atrius saith S. Hierome vna scintilla fuit sed quia non statim oppressa totuâ— orbem depopulata est The difference betwixt profane Novelties and sober doctrine is that this is grounded in Vniversalitie the others in singularitie this relyeth on vnitas Doctorum profane Novelties on vnus Doctor which how daungerous and pernicious a thing it is clearely expresseth the golden sentence of Martianus the Emperour delivered in the CouÌ„cell of Chalcedon qui inquit post veritatem repertam 〈◊〉 Doctorum vnitatestabilitam aliquid vlâ—erius discutit mendacium quaerit The like censure is vsually inflicted on ill profane Novelties descending from Vnus Doctor or singularitie by the ancient Fathers S. Austine S. Hylatius S. Hierom Tertullian c. They zealously resisted by their writings new doctrines in their bud or first springing vp before they weere presented to the touchstone of Christs Vicar to be mark'd with Anathema And it is evident out of the Romane Breviarie die 26. Novembris that S. Peter Bishop of Alexandria excommunicated Atrius for