in point of Conscience but for the wrong it does and here is no wrong in the case for he cheats the Heretick of nothing that was his own and so do's him no injury They may use perfidiousness in breaking Compacts Agreements or Promises for Perfidiousness when it is (k) Cajetan Sum. v. perfidia officious and does but a little injury to those concern'd is one of the least sorts of faults by their doctrine therefore when it does no injury at all it is less than the least but by breaking promises or any such Bond of faithfulness which concerns the Estate of a Heretick they do him no injury because he has no Estate of his own by their account So that if a Papist should make a thousand promises and confirm each of them with an Oath to a Heretick that he will pay what he owes him or restore to him what is his own he sins not though he never pay nor restore a farthing of it because nothing is due to a Heretick nor is there any thing he can call his own And this is not my inference only but they themselves declare it to be the consequence of their principles and what they (l) Si aliquis promisisset eis haereticis solvere sub paena vel juramento certo die non tenetur ut Gloss Et hoc intellige si est manifestum ipsum in haeriticam incidisse perfidiam dicit Phil. ideâ— etiamsi est occultus dummodo probari possit Panormitan ibid. vult quod a die commissi criminis sunt liberi Angel Sum. v. haeret n. 15. Armilla v. haeres n. 1. Sylvest v. haeret n. 14. He that fails being bound by Oath or otherwise to make payment sins not because the Creditors Heresy hath discharged him So Ovandus in 4. dist 13. prop 30. deliver in express terms amounts to as much as this charge comes to Sect. 11. Thus they leave little that can be sin in Papists one towards another but less towards Protestants 'T is no sin not to keep Peace or Faith not to observe either Truth or Honesty towards Hereticks 'T is no deceit to equivocate with them in private dealing or publick transactions 't is no Dishonesty to cheat them of what they have 't is no Perjury to break Oaths with them 't is no Theft to rob or spoil them 't is no Inhumanity to burn their Houses over their Heads 't is no Murder to kill them in a word 't is no sin for all Relations to deny them what God hath made their respective dutys Sect. 12. Finally natural Corruption after Baptism has nothing in it that can be charged with sin no not in wicked men who afterwards by mortal sin are quite destitute of grace So that by their doctrine a fixed averseness and contrariety to God and holiness an habitual enmity against him (*) Qui ita est habitualiter dispositus ut adveniente occasione committeret peccatum mortale non peccat mortaliter non sufficit habitualis affâ—ctus ad pâ—ccanâ—uâ— ut peccatum reipsa contâ—ahatur Bonacin de peccat dâ— 2. q. 3. p. 5. n. 3. iâ—i alij communâ—ter a propensness to all ungodliness and unrighteousness is no sin an inward temper and disposition though it be most Impious Atheistical Rebellious Filthy Treacherous and Bloody has no sin in it an inclination to deny God to speak all evil of him to depose him to advance Lusts and the Devil before him an inclination to Adulteries and beastly uncleanness to murder and barbarous cruelty to the most prodigious wickedness against God or man is no sin Yea though it be not transient but constant and habitual though it be strong and impetuous though this corruption be reigning not subdued or mortified though it be active and fruitful in all the powers of the soul though it hurry the lower faculties into rebellious commotions and follow the superiour with frequent and strong impulses and exert its power and malignancy both in thoughts and affections yet if the inward motions have not consent there is no more sin in their acts than in their principles In all these evils Papists may live and dye and in many more which I purposely wave least I be too tedious and many more too than I have taken notice of even in plain violations of every part of the Divine Law the rule of Righteousness and Holiness and yet wipe their mouths and say they have no sin at all but are as holy as their Church requires them and as sure of salvation as their doctrine and the power of delusion can make them Though any Protestant who allows himself but in a very small part of these enormities we will give them leave or they may take it from Scripture to count him an ungodly and unrighteous wretch who can have no good Conscience towards God or man nor any hopes of Heaven continuing so but such as will delude him Sect. 13. But if they have not legitimated wickedness enough already they have expedients at hand to do it for much more they are furnished with devices to justifie all the sin in the world or at least in their Church when they please to use them Let us instance in two or three That power which they challenge for the Pope herein is notorious We heard Bellarmin tell us before that if the Pope should command Vice the Church must practice Vice or else sin against her Conscience And he says expresly elsewhere that (m) In bono sensu Christus dedit Petro potestatem faciendi de peccato non peccatum de non peccato peccatum in Barkla c. 13. in a good sense Christ gave to Peter a power to make that which is sin to be no sin and that which is no sin to be sin and what he gave to Peter they will have us believe he gave to Popes So that it seems Christ hath given Peter and consequently his Successors the Popes power to Authorize any sin and wickedness only we are to understand this in a good sense which let any man do if he can They declare that he can dispense not only with positive but divine Laws and so make the transgressions thereof to be no sin To omit the many testimonys for this produced by others and which some of themselves count extravagant let us hear Sylvester who seems modest in comparison (n) Sicut habet papa potistatem in omnibus pure positivis in quibusdam pertinentibus ad jus divinum quomodo dicitur omnia jura habere in scrinio pectoris sui de const licet l. 6. quantum scil ad interpretationem dispensationem Sum. v. dispens n. 7. the Pope has power in all things purely positive and in some pertaining to divine Law because he has all Laws in his own breast as to interpretation and dispensation Where what in his assertion seems restrained in the reason of it fetch'd from the Canon Law is unlimitted he has all Laws in his own breast it
Juram c. 6. n. 1. Non sufficit habitualis affectus seu dispositio ad peccandum sed requiritur actualis affectus seu dispositie ut peccatum reipsa contrahatur Bonacina de peccat disp 2. q. 3. p. 5. n. 3. alij communiter the Law of God is not concerned in any habits as it commands not those that are good so it forbids not those that are vicious and no reason to mortifie that which is not condemned by the Law However they retain the word but little else we meet with in them about this great concern of a Christian and a very odd object they find for it instead of that which the Scripture assignes it is the natural body that is to be afflicted and macerated not the body of sin and so they are not concerned to get the work of the Devil destroyed it is the work of God that must be mortified They may be excused if they make not this so much as a Counsel But they say the meceration of the body is in order to the bridling of concupisence It seems as Innocent as it is it may need a curb yet they take care to leave it loose enough for those severities which should hamper it they say are not commanded (x) Afflictio corporis non est in praecepto de just jur l. 7. q. 5. art 2. Mortificationis operibus sedulo esse addictos consilium in Jo. sanc disp 1. n. 1. Afflicting of the body is under no precept saith Soto and Sylvester having told us out of Aquinas that a Vow is properly of a work of Supererogation acceptable to God he adds the (y) Sum. v. Votum 1. n. 4. maceration of the body as such for the bridling of Concupiscence falls under Vowes And so how unruly soever the flesh is they may choose whether they will use the bridle or no. Yea if the Priest should be so rigid as to enjoyn severities of this tendency the Sinner needs not submit to them Nor will they have us more engaged against the world than against the flesh all the evils of the world are by the Apostle reduced to three heads 1 Ioh. 2. 16. but the Oracle of their Schools tells us that to relinquish these three wholly (z) Haec autem tria totaliter derelinquere secundum quod possibile est pertinet ad consilia Evangelica Aquinas 1. 2. q. 108 art 4. Corp. as far as we can belongs to Evangelical Counsels Soto herein follows him and tells us (a) Temporalium tria sunt genera scil concupiscentia carnis concupiscentia oculorum superbia vitae animos vero ab illis prorsus evellere non est cunctis immo neque multisin hoe saeculo possibile Quare sub consilio Christusid cuique reliquit ut qui capere posset caperet Ibid. l. 2. q. 9. art 3. p. 67. vid. Jo. Sanc. disp 7. n. 10. Huc emim viz. ad votum religionis attinet Paulinum illud verbum ad Gal. 6. mihi absit gloriari nisi in cruce Domini c. per quem mihi mundus crucisixus est ego mando Ibid. l. 7. q. 5. art 1. p. 242 that Christ left this unto every one under Counsel So to be crucified to the world and to get the world crucified to us Gal. 6. is matter of advice with him nor are we obliged thereto in reference to those things (b) Non possunt non multa alendae charitati creare pericula Ibid or Lusts which very much endanger our souls Self-denyal also hath the same measures from them Bellarmine by those words of Christ to the young man Matth. 19. 21. Follow me understands self-denyal explaining it by Matth. 16. If any man will come after me let him deny himself it is nothing else saith he (*) Abnegare se nihil est aliud quam valedicere suo judicio suis affectibus accommedare se alterius judicio voluntati but to renounce ones own judgment and affections and to accommodate himself to the judgment and will of other this the young man should have done but it was not his duty it was only a Counsel of perfection as he and all of them conclude to subject himself thus to the will and judgment of Christ He distinguisheth indeed and will have submission to the will and judgment of Christ in things necessary to salvation to be a common duty enjoyned Matth. 16. and Luk. 9. But such a subjection of our wills and judgments to Christ in things not of themselves necessary to salvation to be only a Counsel (c) Solis ijs consulituâ— qui volunt esse perfecti de qua agitur Matth. 19. Luc. 18. de Monach. l. 2. c. 9. p. 1151. it is advice for those alone that would be perfect This is bad enough for thus it will not be a duty to subject our selves to Christ in most things or to deny our selves in any thing which is not in their sense a deadly evil But Soto than whom there was no Divine more considerable in the Council of Trent advanceth farther and concludes that self-denyal not only which is required Matth. 19. Luk. 18. But that also commanded Luk. 9. Matth. 16. which the Cardinal understood to be a subjecting of our wills and judgments to Christ in things necessary to salvation is but a Counsel and tells us (d) Luc. 9 Idem est se hominem ipsum abnegare quod propriam libertatem alterius arbitrio voti nexu subdere Ibid. p. 248. Abnegare seipsum est propriam voluntatem per quam homo est bomo abnegare quod revera nisi obligatario votâ— alteri eam sic tradas ut in tua non supersit facultate eandem rersus tibi usurpare fieri non potest Ibid. art 4. p. 24â— for a man to deny himself is by Vow to give up his liberty to anothers will and so Christ no where enjoynes other self-denyal than what their Perfectionists voluntarily oblige themselves unto by Vow and the main duty of Christians is confined to Cloysters that self-resignation wherewith Christ should be honoured being transferred to an Abbot There is one thing more remains which Christ requires of those who will be his Disciples that is Christians and but one where he gives us the sum of all and that is suffering for him It would be strange if when they have eased themselves of the rest they should leave their Catholicks obliged to this The device of Evangelical Counsels had not been so useful a tool though it freed them from the rest of Christs Yoke if it would not have served to cast off the heaviest part of it but hereby they can cast off Sufferings greater or less Martyrdom they reserve for those who receive the truth in Love for themselves it is only a Counsel (e) Est autem solum in Consilio quando ex eo nihil amplius quam Dei gloria vel fidei exaltatio consequitur secundum mentem ejusdem Doctoris Navar. c. 12.
it is no improbable observation that the bloody Wars and Massacres that have been for many Hundred years in those places which the Papal influence could reach cannot be imputed to any thing more for the most part than the Perjuries of the Popes themselves and of those whom they involved in that guilt by discharging them from the obligation of their Oaths Sect. 5. And this brings me to some other Crimes forementioned Robberies and Murders which the wonderful power of Papal holiness hath transformed into Christian and vertuous acts By the Doctrine of their Church to deprive those whom they count Hereticks of their Estate and Lives is a vertue and a meritorious act There is too good evidence for this A decree of Pope Innocent 3. Recorded in the Tomes of their Councils by their own Writers as an authentick act of the general Council of Lateran under that Pope and inserted by Gregory 9. into the Decretals which is the Law of their Church and part of that which passes with them for Divine Law There is there can be no act of their Church more Authoritative and obliging than such a decree as this There first of all (q) Cap. 3. Concil Later sub Innocent 3. in Crab. Tom. 2. p. 947 948. Excommunicamus Anathematizamus omnâ—m Haerisim condemnantes vniversos haereticâ—s quibuscunque nominibus censeantur ita quod bona damnatorum si laici fuerint confiscetur Hereticks are Excommunicated and condemned and then it is decreed that the Estates of those condemned are confiscated But that 's not all the secular Princes or Lords are to be compelled if they will not do it otherwise and bound with a solemn Oath to endeavour to the utmost of their power utterly to destroy them all (r) Quod de terris suae jurisdictionis subjectis universos haereticos ab ecclesia denotatos bona fide pro viribus exterminare studeant They are to labour in good earnest with all their might to root them all out And further if any temporal Lord proceed not to such ruining execution within a year (s) Ut tunc ipse vasallos ab ejus fidelitate denunciet absolutos terram exponat Catholicis occupandam qui eam exterminatis haereticis sine ulla contradictione possideant The Pope is to absolve those that are under him from their allegiance the Land is to be seized on by Catholicks who having exterminated the Hereticks are to possess it without control Here it is plain that by the highest Authority the Roman Church pretends to that which is no less with them than Divine the Papists are bound to destroy all whom they count Hereticks and to take possession of their Estates And this Barbarous decree which has so much force with them (t) Consiliorum decreta sunt spiritus sancti oracula Staplet Relect. contr 6. q. 3. as the word of God with any was put in excution in the dayes of that very Pope For he imployed Armies against the Albigenses the Predecessors of the Protestants in France who destroyed above (*) Vid. Jo. Paul Perin de Albigen Two hundred thousand in the space of some moneths It was executed in the age before this in France (u) Thuanus Hist l. 53. where so many Thousands were treacherously and cruelly Murdered that the channels run down with blood into the River and this magnified as a glorious action honoured with a Triumph at Rome and the unparallel'd Butchers rewarded with his Holiness blessing We have known it executed in our dayes upon some Hundred thousands of the Protestants in Ireland where that bloody Tragedy was acted by the Popes excitement and concurrence just according to the tenor of that decree the Irish Papists indeavouring with all their might utterly to destroy all the Protestants that their Estates and the whole Land might be in the possession of Roman-Catholicks And in all Countreys about us where ever they have been powerful enough or but thought themselves so they have effected or attempted it Such outrages were and are to be committed by warrant of the Romish Doctrine They are bound to act thus by all the Authority of that Church which not only injoyns this by her decrees but gives all incouragement thereto such Robberies and Butcheries are vertuous yea meritorious acts Those that will ingage therein to the utmost as their Church requires are assured by the Pope (x) Qui-ad haeriticorum exterminium se accinxerint illa gaudeant indulgentia â—illoque privilegio sint muniti quod accedentibus in terrae sanctae subsidium concedituâ— p. â—48 ibid. p. 967. of those indulgences and priviledges which were granted to the Adventurers for the recovery of the holy Land and these are expressed in an Appendix to that Council to be full pardon of all their sins here and a greater measure of glory hereafter At no less rate do they value the blood and utter destruction of such as we whom they count Hereticks with such and no less hopes do they ingage all Papists to indeavour as far as is possible our utter extermination 'T is true there are good natur'd persons amongst them as there are amongst other sorts of men and such as have a great aversation to such Barbarous cruelty but their Religion tempts them to it not only with hopes of Hereticks Estates but of the greatest rewards that can be propounded yea and forces them to it even beyond their inclination with threatnings of the most dreadful import expressed in that Decree which signifies also that they must act at this rate of inhumanity (y) Etiam sicut reputari cupiunt haberi fideles p. 948. if they will be counted Christians and must not expect to pass for faithful Romanists unless they will act as monsters But if it be their duty as they are Roman-Catholicks and they bound in Conscience as far as their Religion and all the power of it can bind them to destroy the Protestants amongst whom they live and seize upon what they have why do they not fall to work and make an end of us that all may be their own how is it that they live quietly and peaceably in this and some other places to satisfie us here they use plain dealing though we must not alwayes expect it and tell us in express terms they do it not merely because they have not power to do it Though the Church have made it their duty to destroy Protestants yet when they are not strong enough to do it and where the attempting of it because they are a weaker party would indanger them there they are excused they may wait the happy hour till they have sufficient power to shew their obedience to the Church in executing her exterminating decrees without apparent hazard of their own interest So Bannes a Dominican determines (z) Sequitur primo excusandos esse Anglicanos Saxonicos fideles qui non se eximunt a potestate superiorum nec bellum contra eos gerunt
jucamentum de re parva et levi non implet non autem mortaliter quod ipsum de voto rei levis dicemus Cum parva res est pars minima materia juramenti non implere potest esse veniale Ut quâ— promisit non ludere et parum temporis in parva quantitate ludit Cajetan Covarruv Corduba Philiarchus in Suar l. 3. c. 16. He that swears he will do a thing lawful and does it not sins but venially if it was a small matter this is the common opinion which Navar attempts to prove with several reasons Quando est tota materia est veniale Antonin Silv. Angel de Butrio Graff Soto Navar Joh. Andr. Hostiensis Panormit Aureolus ibid. As if a woman swears she will give her Children Apples to quiet them and gives them none or swears to chastise them and does it not which are Cajetans instances though he vary from the rest in the general conclusion or if a man swear he will say (y) Idem ibid. c. 18. n. 7. an Ave-Mary and says it not or swears to say a (z) Graff ibid. n. 14. et n. 17. Pater-Noster or to give a small matter and gives it not or not to take place of his friend and yet does it or to game no more and plays a little In such cases any breach of promises confirmed by Oaths is but a small fault And consequently it will be no worse in all matters not only small but great for the obligation of an Oath rises not from the quantity of the matter sworn but from the concern and interest of God in an Oath he being invocated therein as witness Now this is always the same whether the matter be less or more and so if they be not obliged to keep Oaths in less matters neither are they bound in greater But by their rules of Conscience they are set at liberty to break all He that swears to give a Whore 100 Crowns for the act of fornication is only bound to give her that part of it which persons of his condition are wont to give such Women Because a Prodigal ingagement confirmed by Oath obliges only to that proportion in which there is no profuseness Bannes et alii in Diana v. promiss If a man swear to be true to a whore and she to be faithful to him so as to entertain no other the Oath doth not oblige either of them to such honesty Idem v. juram n. 10. Whether the matter be small or great when one is drawn by fear or brought by law to swear if he break his Oath that is promissory he sins but venially Pet. Aureolus Job Andreas et multi alii et places Angel sum v. Perjur n. 7. He that swears he will not observe some (a) Qui jurat se non facturum aliquid ad quod non tenetur est tamen secundum se melius facere quam non facere si forsan erit aliquid ad consilia evangelica pertinens neque S. Thom. neque S. Antoninus dicunt hoc esse mortale Cajetanus Jo. Tabienna et glossa communiter recepta tenent mon esse lethale Nav. ibid. c. 12. n. 16. evangelical counsel that which is not only lawful but excellently good and better in their account than what the Law of God requires offends but venially so their Authors (b) Cajetan sum v. perjurium p. 464. perjurium secundùm quid incurritur Graff ibid. c. 15. n. 6. qui jurat eleemosinam non dare vel aliud superogationis opus non facâ—… venialiter tantummodo peccat et c. 18. n. 11. Nav. ibid. vid. plures in Suar. ibid. cap. 18. generally And yet to these Counsels they have reduced a great part almost all which God has made our duty as we shew'd before so that a man may call God to witness that he is resolved not to do what he has made his duty (c) Docuit S Thom. hujusmodi juramentis Spiritui sancto apponi obstaculum Idem Navar ibid. As for one to bind himself by Oath that he will not lend to his Neighbour nor be surety for any nor give alms to any in great necessity nor do any of those important things which they count works of supererogation is but a small Venial Such Oaths they say do give obstruction to the Spirit of God yet they may be kept without sin (d) Qui juravit redire ad carcerem si carcer est injuriosus non tenetur redire est verâ—… quando vult evadere illud quod indebito sustinet et sic ut evadat jurat non intendens se obligare Angel sum v. juram 5. n. 37. Nav. ibid. c. 12. n. 18. Graff ibid. c. 18. n. 25. secundum glossam communiter approbatam Sylv. sum v. juram 4. n. 26. He that swears he wil return to prison and does not is no more guilty if he was not duly imprisoned (e) Cum jurat quis se facturum aliquid quod solum est illicitum venialiter Non eniâ— erit tunc amplius quà m veniale secundum communem sententiam a Cajetano optimè et a â—…bis explicatum Navar. ibid. n. 3. Cajetan sensible that this is capable of great aggravations mentions some but concludes though it seem and be a grievous sin yet it is but a venial Unde grave videtur et est hoc peccatum non tamen mortale sum v. perjur p. 464. He that swears he will commit any sin if it be but a venial offends but venially this is the common Doctrine well declared by Câ—jetan and Navar as he tells us As if a man should swear that he would never use to speak without an Oath or never avoid any of those horrid acts which they mince into Venials to call-God to witness that he purposes thus to dishonour him is it seems no great contempt of him or else a great contempt of God with them is but a trifle This is to threaten God to his face and call upon him to take notice of it that they will do these evils against him Soto and others say it is such a threatning of God when they swear to commit mortal sin and no difference can possibly be here discerned but that the one is a threatning God with a greater evil the other with a less However this is their common Doctrine Assertio posita communis est They give as much liberty for fraudulent Oaths whereby God and man are abused to swear with equivocation or mental restriction so as those to whom Oath is made are deluded is with them in many cases not so bad as a venial Evil of which in due place To take an Oath outwardly (f) Sotus in Suar. ibid. c. 17. n. 6. quando juramentum iâ—justâ— exigitur vel quâ—ties voluntarie sine obligatione sine alio nocumento vel injuria tertii non esse mortale Soto tenet et multi sequuntur Juramentum simulatum etiamsi promissorium sit intrinsece non continet perjurium non
excuset ibid. p. 264. who sing obscene and lascivious songs in the Church but not in Divine service as he seems to do those who sing to one another filthy rhimes on the Evening of the Nativity when they are asking benedictions It seems that 's the usual way to get their Church blessings but the custome of that Church needs no timerous advocate this can plead for it self and is wont to stand as good as any Law what-ever that of God (f) The custom of the Church is of equal Authority and to be received with the same pious affection with the Scripture Counc Basil resp Synod tom 4. Surg. not excepted Their Sacrament of penance also is an honest occasion and there in confessions as one of their Bishops informs us the Priests inquire after such obscene and shameful things instilling thereby into their ears unheard of filthiness and lasciviousness as cannot without the blushing of the confitents of either Sex and without provoking the wanton appetite of the Confessor be well expressed in any words (*) Quibusdam interrogationum formulis circa scrupulosas peccatorum differentias obstaena impudica quaedam exquirunt quae sine utriusque sexus interrogati cujus auribus inauditae turpitudines lasciviae instllantur rubore interrogantis inbonesti appetitus tiâ—illatione vix ullis verbis aut ne vix quidem enuntiari possint Pontius Tyardaeus Episc Cabilon p. 35. Further they allow persons to entertain themselves with pleasure conditionally upon supposal that they were (g) Cajetan Sum. v. delect p. 116. Metina Victoria in Lopez c. 75. p. 356 357. married together if the act be not respected as present They grant liberty to make use of such things as provoke lust He (h) Absolvi potest ille qui ob esum rerum calidaram incidit in adeo graves carnis tentationes ut eum aliquando impulerint ad consentiendum pollutioni vel sornicationi sine proposito nunquam in posterum sic edendi Concurrentibus 4. praedictis Navar. c. 3. n. 25. may be absolved who by eating of hot meats hath fallen into grievous Temptations of the flesh and has been drawn to consent to pollution or fornication though he hath no purpose to avoid such provoking meats this being done with the provisoes fore-mentioned They are no more severe against immodest touches or shameful sights (i) Non peccat mortaliter quae patitur tactus vel oscula ab eo quem credit moveri honesto amore secus vero si ab eo quem credit moveri libidinoso amore ad actum venereum vel delectationem morosam Quod procedit quando potest vitare sine scandalo eorum qui de libidine non suspicantur Graff l. 2. c. 74. n. 11. Lopez cap. 75. p. 360. Neque pati tactus impudicos licitum est faeminae quando sine scandalo potest eos vitare to suffer such touches from one who is thought to do it out of honest love or custome is no great fault but if it proceed from lust in order to the act of uncleanness or impure delights she sins if she avoids them not and this holds if she can avoid them without scandal say they which signifies they account it no sin to yield to this impure treatment since none are obliged to give way to sin for the avoiding of scandal He (k) Idem dicendum est i. e. absolvi potest dè pâ—rsona Qui quia videt lavantes faeminas in flumine aut viros natantes aut ex aspectu pedum crurium pectorum c. aut aliorum ejus generis saepe peccavit Navar. ibid. n. 27. that by insnaring sights viewing anothers nakedness c. hath been often drawn to sin may be absolved though he do not purpose to avoid such Temptations with the forementioned cautions Men and Women viewing one anothers nakedness pudenda vel partes vicinas may be excused if it be but for curiosity and a short time without danger of great commotion (*) Bonacin Tom. 1. p. 3. 8. The (l) Cajetan Navar. Medina in Fill. tr 30. n. 215. Videre faeminas aut viros ad solam delectationem carnalem quae ex visione insurgit solum est veniale ut notat Cajetan Idemque dicendum de auditu locutione rerum veneriarum si delectatio non transit ad res ipsas in Tol. l. 5. c. 14. beholding of filthy sights for natural or sensual pleasure when there is no danger of passing into unclean thoughts id est passing through the mire when there is no danger of being dirtied is no crime Those (m) Quid de his qui sub specie spiritualis mortificationis faciunt mulieres coram se nudare ut disciplinas inferant Et dico quod non est dubium eos peccare mortaliter si libido sit principaliter in causa Sum. v. delect n. 7. who upon pretence of spiritual mortification make Women strip themselves naked to discipline them sin mortally if lust were the principal cause of it says Sylvester leaving us to think that if lust be but a less principal motive to do it it is but a small fault or none In fine they account it no crime to offer no hearty opposition unto Temptation (n) Non peccat mortaliter is qui tom tepide resistit tentationi ut secundo tertio regrediatur ad pulsandam mentem eo quod solum tepide resistit secluso periculo consentiendi Sylv. v. delect Graff l. 2. c. 77. n. 9. He says de Graffijs who coldly resists Temptation so that it returns upon him and invades his Soul a second and a third time because he resists so coldly sins not mortally if there be no danger of consenting as if there could be no danger to consent when there is little or no mind to resist They teach that a man suspecting his Wife is an Adulteress may with a good intent offer her the occasion to commit Adultery without sin (*) Jo. Sanc. disp 35. n. 12. Also that a servant is excused when declining it would be a great inconvenience if he accompany his Master when he goes a whoring because here 's a just occasion and the action is of it self honest And a Maid too if she go along with a Whore to the house of her lover to act filthiness with him or opens the door for him on such occasion And so is a servant likewise to be excused when he is sent to bring a Whore to his Masters lodging or carries presents or an Epistle or a Message or writes Letters when the contents are to have a Whore come to him at such a time or any such with them indifferent thing unless there be an express desire of the filthy act (*) Bonacin Tom. 1. p. 323. ibi M. Navar. P. Navar. Zerola Rebinus 7. Such incouragement they give to use the preparatives and play with the incentives and dally with the Temptations to lust and actual uncleanness for
vestibus spoliat ui liberius voluptuosius peccet Bonacina Tom. 3. de Excom disp 2. q. 8. punct 6. n. 3. Sayrus alij quos magno numero refert Sanctarell ibid. who puts off his habit to disguise himself in reference to others that he may not be known but not be that lays it by with a respect to himself viz. for the pleasure of Fornication So that the censured dismissing of habit is as he distinguishes e Unde dico illam dimissionem debere intelligi quando babitus demittitur dolose cum assumptione alterius ad utendum eo secus ubi dimitteretur ad horam voluptuose nullo alio sumpto ibid. that which is fraudulent so as to put on another but not that which is for an hours pleasure while he is quite stript Panormitan concludes that an Oath is never (g) In c. Clericus de coha Cler. muli Concludit quod nunquam est deferendum juramentum illi contrá quem est vehemens suspicio de transgressione deferens peccat mortaliter facit optimo textus dicti c. Cleric Ubi non vult clericos cogi jurare dimittere concubinas Angel Sum. v. juram n. 11. Navar. c. 12. n. 20. ne in fornicationem reversus perjurij quoque reatum incurreret Espenc de Cont. l. 2. c. 7. to be given to him of whom there is vehement suspition that he will not observe it and he that gives it in that case sins mortally Hence Pope Alexander would not have Priests bound by Oath to forsake their Concubines because it seems there was strong presumption they would venture on perjury rather than leave their Whoredome (h) Cum ubique tam ingens sit sacerdotum turba quorum quotus quisque castam agit vitam de conscrib Epist Si quis prependat horum temporum statum quotam hominum portionem monachorum gregis occupent quotam sacerdatum clericorum collegia deinde perpendat quam pauci inâ—anto numero viri servent câ—stimoniam tum in quae libidinum genera quam innumeri divergant quanto cum probro complures palam incesti sint impudici c. Annot. in 1 Tim. 3. Hence Erasmus had so much cause to complain that among so vast multitudes who were unmarried and under the Vow of Chastity so exceeding few did live Chastly so innumerable many did wallow in Vncleanness And Cassander (i) In concilio Neocaesar magis punitur sacerdos qui fornicatur quam qui publice contrahit jam eo res rediit ut vix centesimum invenias qui ab omni commercio faeminarum abstineat Consult art 23. another moderate Papist says that a man could not find scarce one in a hundred of them that abstain'd from Women Before these the Gloss on the Canon Maximianus dist 81. tells us (k) Communiter dicitur quod pro simplici fornicatione quis deponi non debet cum pauci sine illo viâ—io inveniantur dist 81. it is the common opinion that no Priest should be deposed for simple Fornication because there are but few Priests free from it If all Fornicators had been deprived their Church would have been made desolate and left in a manner Priestless This was a great reason then and is it seems of the same force still for at this day a Priest is not to be deprived for simple Incontinency The Congregation of Cardinals much concerned for the propagation of the holy Church declared it to be Law (l) Quae tamen paena privationis beneficij non procedit in simplici incontinentia absque qualitate concubinatus ut constat ex declarat adducta a Garcia Jo Sauc disp 50. n. 10. that the paenalty of deprivation proceeds not for simple incontinency as Garzias observes only they must not keep Whores in the capacity of Concubines It may be that came too near Marriage to have so much favour as vagrant Whoredom Yet if a Priest keep a Whore at Bord and Bed and use her constantly as if she were his Wife he is not therefore irregular Indeed if he Marry her or an honester Woman all the world cannot excuse him for though such Whoredom never disables a Priest yet chast Marriage utterly spoils him Yea if he keep in that capacity more Whores than one I know not how many more for they are not limitted to numbers yet still he is not irregular as innocent Bigamy would make any one though he were an Apostle but the Bishop may dispense with him So Pope Innocent 3. determined and it is now as good Law as their Church has any and the more remarkable because the Doctors Gloss on it would have it noted as admirable (m) Si presbyteri plures concubinas habentes poteris cum els tanquam simplici fornicatione notatis quod ad executionem sacerdotalis officij dispenfare Extra de Bigam tit 22. c. quia circa that Whoredom has with them more priviledge than Chastity Where we may suppose the Gloss speaks the sense of such as are Strangers to Rome for that Uncleanness should be preferred before Chastity is in that Church nothing wonderful nor strange at all but ordinary and obvious That Pope whom they magnifie as the singular glory of their Law decrees (n) Notandum mirabile quod plus hic habet luxuria quam castitas that the Bishop may dispense with Priests who keep many Concubines to exercise their Office as he doth also with those who are noted for simple Fornication And how the Bishops were wont to dispense with them is known their own Writers declaring it the custom as before to let out those Women to them at a yearly rent and that they were so hard Lords that if a Priest had no mind to the Bishops Tenement and did not take it yet he must pay for it no less than the forwardest Farmer Sodomy abounds most in Italy for it was requisite that Rome should be as it is in the Prophetick style Sodom and not incongruous that the vilest wickedness should thrive best under his Holiness wing yet as if they would have it as common every where and more there than it is their decisions are exceeding favourable to it and treat it very indulgently Marryed persons may practice Sodomy together the beginnings of it all of it bating the last complement of the act without mortal guilt (o) Zerola Graffius alij apud Dianam 2. p. tr 3. res 37. Angelus v. debitum n. 25. vid. Navar. c. 27. n. 250. Unmarryed persons their Clergy may act it without restraint to the uttermost and be neither suspended nor irregular There (p) Bonacina de Matrim q. 4. punct 11. n. 2. ibi Navar. Quaranta Riccius Mattha Duardus Garzias alij is no danger of it if they do it but 2 or 3 times now and then yea they are safe unless they make a custom of it The strictest decree that we find any Pope ever made against Sodomy is that of Pius 5. which yet
seems to import that they are all in his power and at his pleasure so as he may either interpret them or dispense with them as he thinks fit Some of them in reference to natural and divine Laws make shew of denying this in general but then they grant in particular instances what is sufficient to make good the general charge There is no command of the first or second Table wherein they do not hold the Pope may dispense unless it be the first and to question his power of dispensing there is no great disparagement to him since they deny it to God himself There is no doubt amongst them but he can dispense with (o) In votis autem juramentis dispensat it ac poterat quidem quod erat in aedisicationem Canus pars 6. Relect. de paenit p. 371. Oaths and make it no sin to break them though they acknowledge the (p) Reddere vota juramenta servare juris est divini naturalis idem ibid. p. 370. obligation of an Oath to be by divine Law And no wonder it has been so ordinary a practice since they hold that this condition is still presupposed in (q) Subintelligitur si placuerit papae ut in D. C. Venientes de jurjur immo in omni juramento excipi ur authoritas superioris Sylv. v. juram 3. n. 1. the Oaths If it shall please the Pope And though they conclude Vows to be more obliging than Oaths yet they (r) Canus supra teach the Pope may dispense with the accomplishment of solemn promises made to God and so can make both Sacriledge and Perfidiousness to God lawful enough The Pope can dispense not only with rash Oaths or Vows but those that are best and their obligation most unquestionable If any says Rosella after others do Vow or Swear any thing that may lawfully be observed the Pope should not alter it when there is no cause yet if he do release such though without cause the release holds good because he is above positive Law and also can dispense against the divine Law so that he dispense not against the Gospel and Articles of Faith Sum. v. juram 1. n. 4. But if he do that too he may stand to it for many teach that the Pope is not forbidden to dispense against the Gospel but only not to destroy the Gospel v. papa n. 3. and we must conceive if we can that he may take away the obligation of the rules of the Gospel without destroying it However as to Oaths and Vows he can totally they say dissolve the Obligation Quem admodum potest ipse Deus even as God himself can because it is likely that God as he had cause gave his own power to bis Vicar etherwise he had not been a good Father of his Houshold if he had left his Flock without a Shepheard who could as occasion serves provide for them in all even to license Perjury and Perfidiousness to God himself as Pope Innocent argues but whether with more reason or Blasphemy let others judge Whereupon Hostiensis saith that seeing God and his Vicar have the same consistory the Pope can do in a manner all that God can do the Key not erring for Christ says generally to Peter Whatever thou shalt bind and saying whatever he excepts nothing ibid. n. 1. There is not any thing in the world which they count more inviolable than their Vow of Religion yet he may dispense with this and the reason is considerable Because Religion derived its being from the Authority of the Roman Bishop he therefore who gave it may take it away So P. Innocent and their Canonists generally ibid. n. 4. Hostiensis and others seem to speak extravagantly when they say the Pope can do as much in a manner as God himself But this may pass for a modest speech if they will have him to do more and more he can do if he can make contradictions to be consistant One instance of it we have in the question whether the Pope can dispense with a Monk to have secular propriety Rich. de S. Victore says it is essential to a Monk to want it and so a contradiction to be a Monk and have it yet others say the Pope can do it and render those consistent enough and so make one to be a Monk while he is none Idem ibid. So for Sanctifying of the Lords day there can be no doubt of the Papal power herein since they count the command for it (s) Dicimus omnia Christianorum festa etiam dies dominicos solo humano jure id quod etiam sent it Turrecrementa Archidiaconus S. Thomas Waldensis Navar. c. 13. n. 1. positive for that he can dispense in all (t) Quae sunt de jure positivo potest summus Pontifex etiam sine causa tollere abrogare quamvis male faciat factum tamen validum sit Canus ibid. p. 972. Sylvest juxta mentem S. Thom. v. papa n. 15. vid. Angel Sum. v. papa n. 3. Universaliter potest dispansere contra statum universalem Ecclesiae positives is with them unquestionable Nothing is necessarily required by the Precept for Sanctifying of this day but the hearing of Mass and abstaining from servile works The Pope if he please may turn these into working days for he can Abrogate them And since the people by their Divinity are not obliged to any other publick worship but the Mass and that only on these days he may discharge them from all Conscience of publick (u) Sequitur posse pontisicem in hoc praecepto de missa audienda dispensare cum Ecclesiasticum sit he adds only dispensare cum aliquo ut nunquam in toto vita missam audiat etiamsi possit neque ulla rationabili causa impediatur non potest esse expediens Suarez tom 3. disp 88. Sect. 2. p. 1140. Hinc patet summum Pontisicem posse dispensare in praecepto audiendi missam Tom. 1. disp 4. q. ult punct 11. n. 6. Bonacina aiunt communiter Doctores posse consuetudine vel humana potestate abrogari Idem in 3. praecept q. 5. n. 4. worship and disingage them from tendering any unto God for he can dispense with the Mass They make it indeed sometimes a character of Antichrist to put down the Mass But it is not fit the Pope should want power to be Antichrist at pleasure and why should they be angry with us for thinking him so already since with them herein he may lawfully be Antichrist when he list And he may do as much for the Clergy and Monasticks All the solemn worship necessary and proper for them is that of their Canonical hours but (x) Quarta causa a recitando divinum officium excusans est dispensatio papae juxta Cardinalem Turrecrematam neque aliud sentit Cardinalis Florentinus Navar. c. 25. n. 102. the Pope can order that they shall not be obliged to say their Service Utrum papa facere