were Writers before their Order was founded or appeared to the World on this Subject To these I have added other Casuists of this last Age not that there is need to produce any worse than the former but to shew that time hath made little or no alteration amongst them for the better The Romanists when they are ashamed of their Doctrine or think the World will cry shame of it are wont to disown it It is like they may do so here and tell us that these points not being determined by Councils are not the Doctrine of their Church but the opinions of particular Doctors This serves them for a shift in other cases with some colour but it will be absurd to offer at it here For though this be not their Doctrine of Faith which with some generals most about the Sacraments reflected on in the sequel as there is occasion is the business of their Councils yet it is the Practical Doctrine of their Church if it have any and f they think their Catholicks concerned to be Christians more than meerly in opinion And this under several Heads I have collected out of such Writings as are the proper place of it Therefore to say that this is not the Doctrine of their Church because the particulars are not found decided by Councils is to tell us that they are not charged with it unless we can find it where they know it cannot be found and where with any reason it cannot be looked for It is no more reasonable than if one who hath taken a purse should plead though it be found in his hand that he is not to be charged with it unless we can spy it in his mouth when yet he never opens it That Councils should give particular Directions for Conscience and Practice in Cases innumerable was never attempted nor ever can be expeâ—…ed Their Church leaves this to her Divines and Casuists and that nothing may pass them but what is agreeable to her sense no Books are to be published but with the approbation and authority of such as are counted competent Judges hereof So that the Doctrine of their authorized Writers that especially wherein they commonly agree is the Practical Doctrine of that Church or else she hath none such and consequently no care of the lives and consciences of her Members And though this be not Infallible or de fide as they count the Decisions of Councils yet is it as certain they say as the nature of the subject requires nor do they pretend to have any infallible Doctrine for particular directions herein Which yet may justly seem very strange to any man that considers that gross faults in Life and Practice are more infallibly damnable than errours in Faith and Speculation Now upon this their Common Doctrine the substance of the Charge ensuing and the principal articles thereof are grounded As for the opinions of particular Doctors wherein there is no such common concurrence though they be not so certain as the other yet they are even the worst of them safe in practice any of their people may follow them without danger and with a good conscience for this as will appear hereafter is the common judgement of their Schools and Doctors and so far the Doctrine of their Church And if that Church did no farther own these opinions common or particular then under this character this is enough for our purpose when the question is of the danger of Popery in reference to mens Salvation that she counts such rules of life safe and publickly allows them as direction for practice which tend to ruin Religion and mens Souls If they were not counted safe that Church which pretends to so much care of Souls since all in her Communion are exposed to the Danger would be concerned to give warning of it and brand these Maximes as pernicious but this was never yet done not ever like to be These opinions all or the greatest part of them were taught and published in that Church before the Council of Trent there was time enough in Eighteen years to take cognizance of them and their pernicious consequence Yet when they bestowed Anathama's so liberally where there was occasion and for the most part where there was none they thought not fit to bestow one Curse upon these Doctrines how execrable so ever yea some part thereof of worse consequence had there an express Confirmation Their Popes since though they could see occasion to condemn such Propositions as the Five ascribed to Jansenius and those of Baius White and many others could not by the help of a judgement counted infallible discern any thing in the worst of these Doctrines worthy of or fit for their Censure The Cardinals of the Inquisition at Rome and their Setters in other Countries whose business it is to spie whatever in Books particularly is against Faith and Good Manners see nothing of this nature in that which destroys both No Expurgatory Index what havock soever has been made by those Tools in their best Authors hath so far as I have observed touched the Common Opinions here exposed It 's true some others have been expunged and I find above Forty Opinions of the late Casuists censured by Alexander the Seventh and the Cardinals of their Sacred Congregation (p) Index Expurg sub Alexand. VII An. 1666. but hereby more authority is added to those I insist on being thought good enough to pass untouched which must therefore be counted sound Doctrine and safe for Practice in the Judgment of their Virtual Church and the chief parts of their Church Representative There is no ground to expect that this Doctrine as to the principal and most pernicious parts of it will ever be condemned by any Popes or Councils of such Complexion and Principles as that of Trent where it was a Maxime observed religiously that no Determination should pass which either in matter or form would disoblige any considerable Party among them much less all the Roman interest is supported by such Politicks and must be secured whatever become of Souls or Saving Doctrine There are indeed some Dissenters amongst them as there are elsewhere who complain of their Moral Divinity but they are such whose power and interest can reach little further than Complaints and these are so far from being the Voice or Sense of their Church that their Writings which exhibite such Complaints are condemned at Rome (q) Ibid. by the Supreme Tribunal as they call it of the Inquisition In short by the known Custom and settled Order of the Roman Church the people for regulating of their Hearts and Lives are to be directed by their Confessors their Confessors have their direction herein from their Casuists and Practical Authors both Priests and People must believe this to be safe because the Church hath made this provision for them approves the course and obligeth them to take no other And thus that Doctrine the deadly Venome whereof I here discover must be conveyed from
44. art Yet as we saw before it is their common doctrine that the Eucharist may be worthily received without any act of love or other grace or any actual disposition that is gracious Maldonate and others Now if the precept of Love may be fulfilled by external acts or by endeavours to observe the other commands of God then it requires not the exercise of the inward act of love to him and so there will be no command for that at all nor will it be a duty and all these other commands may be satisfied without any act of love to God in the heart and we shall love him enough though we never conceive any actual love for him in our souls Fifthly It will satisfie the precept if a man believe that he loves God above all though indeed he do not So Lopez (d) Satis est ad evitandum peccatum omissionis hujus praecepti probabiliter quis credat se illud implere tempore quo occurrit ejus obligatio cap. 40. p. 217. It is enough to avoyd the sin of neglecting this Precept for one to believe probably that be fulfils it at the time when its Obligation occurrs Navar had concluded this before him (e) â—…de eum qui diligit Deum probabiliter cred ns se esse in statu gratiae subindeque suum amorem esse amorem Dei super omne aliud quamvis in rei veâ—itate non sit hujusmodi nâ—qâ—e sit in codem statu nihilominus tamen adimplere hoc praeceptum quoad effectum evitandi noâ—um peccalum quod admitteretur ob omissionem implementi ejus quoniam sine speciali revelatione scire non potest quis quando est in statu gratiae ut definit Conc. Trident. Et â—…a nisi hoc teneamus nequiremus scire quando hoc praeceptum impleremus Cap. 11. n. 10. He that believes God probably believing that he is in the state of Grace and that his Love is a love of God above all although in Truth it is no such thing nor he in such a state nevertheless the Precept is fulfilled by him so far that he is not then guilty of no sin for omitting the observance of it he adds this reason for it Because without special revelation no man can know when he is in the state of Grace as the Councel of Trent determines and so unless we maintain this we cannot know when we fulfil the Precept Thus though his determination seem strange and desperate yet the ground he proceeds on is a principle of their Faith and obligeth all to be of his perswasion who submit to that Council He declares himself further to this purpose (f) Peccat mortaliter qui eo tempore Deum amare negligit quo sub peccati mortalis reatu tâ—netur veluti quando mórtis periculum vel necessitas recipiendi vel administrandi aliquod Sacramentum se obtulit nisi probabiliter crederet se gratiam vel charitatem habere idem ibid. n. 20. He sins mortally who loves not God at that time when he is bound to do it under the pain of mortal sin that is when there is danger of death or necessity of receiving or administring a Sacrament unless he probably believe that he hath Grace or Charity For then he would have us believe it is not sin as his limitation shews Here we have the times specified wherein the Precept of loving God obligeth and these are but two and the latter of them himself expungeth concluding it false that we are bound to love God at a Sacrament (g) Ibid. n. 8. 9. supra So that a man is never bound to love God but when he apprehends death approaching no nor at the point of death neither if then he probably believe that he hath Grace and Charity though he have it not for such a presemption will excuse him from sin if he love not God as all his life before so even when he is dying Thus is the case resolved according to their common principles by the most learned and the most pious of their Casuists as (h) Martinus Aspilcaeta Navarrus vir doctissimus Pijssimus De script Eccles p. 313. Bellarmine honours him though he was none of the Society Sixthly attrition with the Sacrament of Pennance will excuse any from loving God actually living or dying and will secure him from perishing eternally though he never entertain an Act of love for God in life or death The Doctrine of their Church obligeth them all to believe this and if any of their Doctors seem to say otherwise they contradict either that or themselves For their Church requires nothing precisely to put a man into the state of Grace and Salvation living or dying how long so ever he hath persisted in enmity against God how highly so ever he hath expressed his hatred of him but only a due partaking of the Sacrament of Pennance and he is sufficiently qualified for such a participation if he be but attrite that is as they explain it if he have but some remorse for sin out of servile fear not out of love to God For (i) In quantum servilis est contrariatur charitati So Aquinas 2. 2. q. 19. art 4. that fear as servile is contrary to the love of God so that for this which they count sufficient to secure his eternal state even at last gasp he needs not any act of love to God and this is not only the opinion of particular Doctors but as I shall shew hereafter the Doctrine of the (*) Sess 14. c. 4. Council of Trent and so not only probable with them but certain If a man at the point of death who never had an act of love for God in all his life do thou ask his Confessor whether such an act be needful for him before he dye if the Priest tell him it is not necessary he may safely give up the Ghost and dye as he lived without any actual affection for God for though he be deluded by his Confessor yet consulting him he has done his endeavour and so his (*) Sum. Rosel v. ignorunt n. 1. Bonacin de peccat disp 2. q. 8. punct 3. p. 16. Sta. Clara. Problem 15. p. 87. Doctores communiter ignorance they say is invincible and will excuse him And the Priest must tell him that it is more than needs if he believe the Council of Trent since there it is declared that the Sacrament with attrition though this include something repugnant to such love is enough to justifie and pass any into a state of grace and consequently is sufficient for Salvation And thus they argue (*) Dicendum quod gratia est sufficiens causa gloriae unde omne illud sine quo obtineri poâ—est â—ratia non est de necessitate saluâ—is Aquinas in 4. dist 9. art 1. Grace is a sufficient cause of glory hence whatever it is without which grace may be obtained that is not necessary to Salvation By which
THE Practical Divinity OF THE PAPISTS Discovered to be Destructive of Christianity AND MENS SOULS And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thess 2. 11 12. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and Nath. Ponder at the Bible and Three Crowns at the Lower End of Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the Peacock in Chauncery Lane near Fleetstreet MDCLXXVI AN Advertisement I Have alwayes thought since I considered and understood what Popery was that the knowing of it would be a sufficient Disswasive from it to those that regard God and their Souls This perswasion together with compassion for those that are seduced and desire to secure those that are in danger engaged me in this present Undertaking Wherein I have discovered what the Practical Divinity of that Church is how pernicious and inconsistent with the way to Salvation declared in the Scripture I have herein the concurrence of some few in comparison of that Church who are sensible of such Doctrine prevailing amongst them as they say is (a) Representation of Curez of Paris p. 3. absolutely opposite to the Rules and Spirit of the Gospel Such as (b) Pag. 4. no man that hath never so little tenderness of his own salvation but must conceive an horror at such as they call a (c) Their Remonstrance p. 2. Poysonous Morality more corrupt than that of Pagans themselves and (d) Their Answer maintaining the Factum p. 8. which permits Christians to do what Pagans Jews Mahometanes and Barbarians would have had in execration such as is in their Style the most palpable (e) Ibid. darkness that ever came out of the bottomless pit such as (f) Ibid. p. 12. overthrows the Essential Points of Christian Religion and the Maximes that are most important and of greatest necessity in order to the salvation of man Of this they have given the World notice in several Discourses (g) Provincial Letters Jesuits Morals two of which I have seen though unhappily not the latter till I had gone through the greatest part of what I intended As to the extent of this Execrable Divinity they declare That whole Societies (h) Remonstrance of Curez of Paris would have these Extravagancies accounted Roman Traditions that The Church is overgrown with this poysonous Morality that (i) Answer maintaining thâ— Factum It is ready to be overwhelmed with the deluge of these Corruptions that The Church is filled with this most palpable darkness Elsewhere they seem to fixe this Charge upon the Jesuits principally as if they would have it thought not to reach much further but withal tell us that the Jesuis (k) Ibid. are the most numerous and the most powerful body of men in the whole Church and have the disposal of the Consciences of all the greatest So that I can represent them no worse than some of themselves do and the worst that can be said falls by their own acknowledgment upon the most considerable part of their Church That they should so far accuse the whole cannot be expected whatever occasion there be for it so long as they think fit to continue in its Communion But then if we regard those who are so great a part of that Church upon the account of their numbers and more in respect of their Authority and Influences the Maximes so branded (l) Supra are Roman Traditions (m) Defence of the Factum the true Doctrine of Faith the true Morality of the Church not asserted by that Society alone but equally if not more by Catholick Writers of all sorts and those that quarrel thereat are factions spirits Hereby so far as the testimony of Adversaries against themselves can clear a matter in question there is evidence both that the Practical Doctrine amongst them is pernicious and damnable and also that it is common and generally followed I intend not here to impeach any Maxime peculiar to the Jesuites but that Doctrine of the Romanists which is far more extensive delivered by Canonists and Divines Secular and Regular of every sort and in part by the Canon Low and their Councils who sometimes glance at this Subject though they make it not their business that which in most particulars and those of greatest moment is ancienter than the Society and in many points such as the Censurers of the Jesuites Morality do not touch but either approve themselves or dare not condemn least they should involve the whole Church in the Condemnation I cannot discern that the Practical Divinity of the Jesuites is more corrupt then that of other Romish Writers their Contemporaries And those that view the Moral Discourses of both and compare them will if I much mistake not discern no other I never yet met with any Author of that Order so intollerably licentious but might be matched if not out-vied by others there is no need to except Escâ—bar or Bauny though most branded nor do their keen Antagonists do it when they speak of others whom they know to be no Jesuits (n) Remonstrance of the Curez of Paris as the most extravagant that ever were There is no reason why the Odium which a Community incurrs should be appropriated to a party nor that the Society only should be noted as the sinck when the corruption is apparent every where So far as the Jesuits are concerned herein it hath been sufficiently exposed by others upon which account I decline those of that Order not putting the Reader to relie upon any Evidence from their Writing Onely because it is requisite to shew their concurrence in some Points which otherwise might not pass for the Common Doctrine I make use of Bellarmine freely whom none can count a Corrupter of Popery however Christianity hath been treated by him and of Suarez sometimes whose Judgment alone is counted equivalent to a thousand others by some (o) Vid. Jâ— Sanc. Disp 44. n. 4â— that are none of the Society I alledge beside though rarely one or two more of those Fathers of like eminency and authority in that Church but none of them save in such points wherein they have not been noted for extravagancies by others or in such wherein those of other Orders concurre with or go beyond them The greatest advantage I make of them is to represent the opinions of others not their own and most herein of Suarez who usually gives an account of the Common Doctrine out of unexceptionable Authors Those whom I principally rely on to make good the Charge are the ancienter and better sort of their Divines and Casuists the strictect of them in points of Morality that I could meet with such as are so far from being Disciples of Ignatius that most of them are Dominicans most opposite of all Orders to the Jesuits and said to be the least tainted with these Corruptions and the greatest part of them
sung to the Organ at Mass Offered to God in the person of the Church for divine praises This was the custome every where in Caietan's time and since As intolerable obsceneness in their penitential confessions What licence they give to use such things as provoke lust Also to immodest touches and shameful sights No need to be resolute in resisting Temptations How servants may minister to the lust of their Superiours Actual whoredom hath excessive incouragement The Pope builds Stews for prostitutes They pay him a weekly tribute for liberty and accommodation to drive their Trade This condemned as mâ—st abominable to God and man even Barbarians but the Pope consenting to it it is no sin not indecency for his holiness to be maintained by the hire of whores Many things concluded by their Divines in favour of them How punctual in deciding at what rates all sorts of women may set themselves to sale They oblige them not to restitution but when their Religious make use of them who are to have it gratis Publick prostitutes compelled by law to commit lewdness with any that will hire them Hence the people instructed in their Religion know not that such Fornication is a sin He that keeps a Concubine at home is not to be denyed the Communion Nor will they oblige him to put her away if that would impair his Estate or Delight or his Reputation yea or hers either It is enough if he promise not to sin with her though he keep not promise Adultery no sin in diverse cases For the Clergy Adultery nor unnatural uncleanness not so much a sin as Marriage Burning lust innocent Better to burn than to marry whatever the Apostle with their Adversaries say The admired chastity of their votaries consists well enough with whoredom and is only violated by Marriage Their Priests have been allowed to keep whores at home paying a yearly Rent for it And those were to pay it who took not the liberty because they might Votaries incurr excommunication for laying aside their habit but not if they lay it aside to commit Fornication more readily Priests in no wise to be obliged by Oath to forsake their Concubines Extremely few chast by their own confession of those innumerably many that profess it A Priest not to be deposed for Fornication because there are very few not guilty Priests who keep many Concubines not irregular How they favour Sodomy Married persons may practice much of it together Their Clergy may act it to the uttermost and be neither suspended nor irregular unless they make a Trade of it and do that so publickly and notoriously as they can scarce do by their description hereof if they had a mind to it Mere mental Heresie a greater crime than Sodomy with them Yea petty Thievery a more hainous sin with some of them expresly and in consequence with most Sodomy hath ecclesiastical immunity All sorts of Religious places amongst them are Sanctuaries for Sodomites all sorts of uncleanness having such free and favourable entertainment in their Church no wonder if it be the sink of the Christian World Sect. 8. to page 360. 'T is no sin to take from Protestants or any counted Hereticks all they have All their Estates are confiscated immediately before any Declarative sentence from the first day of their pretended Heresie Though the Papists make not seisure presently yet those Hereticks are in the interim responsable for the mean profits And they cannot any way alienate or dispose of their Estates All Wills Sales Contracts for this purpose are null and void All may be taken from the purchaser without restoring the price he paid Children though R. Catholicks loose their portions Liberty given to all to spoil and bereave them All rules of righteousness which concern propriety are void here Papists owe them no observance 'T is no sin to burn their houses To deprive a Protestant Prince of his Throne To draw his Subjects into War against him To betray Garrisons to the Romanists To pay us no debts To detain what is deposited with them in trust There can be no lawful Parliament among Protestants No King No Peers No free-holders No laws that are valid can be enacted No Aids or Subsidies can be granted The fundamentals of the government in England and other such like Countreys quite blown up by their principles Sect. 9. to page 365. 'T is no sin with them to bear false witness against Protestants when their life or estate is concerned Or to use fraud and deceit in bargains to cheat them of all they have Or perfidiousness in promises compacts c. They leave little that can be sin in Papists towards themselves less towards Protestants Sect. 10. 11. to page 367. An aversation and contrariety to God and holiness a propensness and inclination to all ungodliness and unrighteousness in the horriddest instances when it is habitual raigning impetuous active is no sin at all in the temper and habit no nor in the acts and motions without consent Sect. 12. ibid. What expedients they have to justifie all sin in the World or make it no sin The Popes power herein If he command vice their Church is is bound to practise it He can make sin to be no sin He may dispense in all positive laws and in the divine law and against the Gospel at least where God can dispense particularly with Oaths and Vows such as are best and most inviolable With the observance of the Lords day so as to turn it into a working day With all publick worship amongst them both Mass and Divine service And against the universal state of the Church He can discharge them from righteousness towards men Take from any man his right Dissolve marriages Legitimate Adultery License persons to be married for a while and not during life Authorize incest dispensing with marriage betwixt any but Parents and Children and Sodomy He can dispense with any Divine law when the reason thereof ceaseth and can declare it to cease when he pleaseth If he should err in dispensing yet he that makes use of his licence to sin sins not He can free any from the obligation to fruits meet for Repentance Thus can he discharge all from acts of Religion Righteousness and good works Sect. 13. to page 376. He is excused from sin who ventures on it upon some probable reason though it seem but probable to him out of affection to the person that offers it and there be more reason against it Sect. 14. to page 377. Custome will excuse from sin and make it no sin Diverse instances The sense of Scripture must be conformed to the custome of their Church and vary from what it was as they change fashions Sect. 15. to page 380. He sins not who does what is sinful following the judgment of a grave Doctor One such Doctor may suffice as multitudes of their Divines conclude And will secure him in following his opinion though both less safe and less probable This granted
to be the common Doctrine of their Church So it is unreasonable to except against our alledging the opinion of particular Doctors against them since their common Doctrine allowes any to follow the opinion of particular Doctors as to belief or practice Hereby a way is opened to leave no conscience of sin amongst them Sect. 16. to page 384. Their directions for the scrupulous of like tendency He sins not who breaks the law in a strict sense if he observe it in some benign sense He may make the interpretation himself and so such as will please him or choose that of others which is best for his purpose though he fear it is not probable and it be false indeed Or when the observance of the law is very difficult or incommodious And ordinarily he is like to judge it so Or when the observance of it is ridiculous as the observing of the Divine rule has been by their acknowledgment long since in their Church Or when there is apprehension of danger in complying with it Or when he observes it but according to the common usage of good Catholicks when amonst the most eminent of their Catholicks it is confessed there is little or no worship of God no regard of good life Righteousness or Godliness Their devices for justifying so much wickedness to the excluding all holiness of life where founded Sect. 18. to page 390. CHAP. X. GOod works not necessary by the Roman Doctrine This shewed in Fasting Prayer Alms-deeds to which they reduce all good works They do not they need not fast on their fasting days Their Church requires the observance of none of those things which they say are necessary to the being of a fast They may eat a Dinner a full meal at noon may be excessive therein so as to transgress the laws of Sobriety and to excite and cherish lust instead of repressing the flesh and yet fulfil the precept They may break their fast in the morning and yet keep it with Ale Wine Bread or other things They may eat a Supper too and that excessive great as big as custome will have it when they tell us it is their custome to sup with notorious excess They may sup out of sensuality And may take their supper in the morning And drink and eat every hour The quality of their fasting meat most delicious They may drink at any time and Wine too though that is confessed to be more contrary to a fast than flesh They may drink it till they be drunk and yet not break their fast Nothing Religious in their fast Neither Religious ends nor imployments And so it can be no good work nor necessary in their account Those that have tyred themselves with Gaming or Whoring are excused Yet this piece of mockery passes with them as satisfactory and meritorious Sect. 1. to page 397. Their praying no good work The people pray not in the Mass They neither express nor conceive any Petitions Nor concur with the Priest but by presence and posture of the body as an image may do or by vertually wishing the Priests prayers may succeed which they may do when they are asleep Nor do their Priests pray better in their publick service unless the bare pronouncing of the words which is all they count necessary be praying How far they acknowledg this Sect. 2. to page 401. Acts of mercy or charity not necessary with them but in two cases which seldom or rather never occurr at least together One is when they have superfluities both in respect of nature and state but they say it cannot easily be judged that any secular person no nor Kings and Princes have such superfluities The other is when the necessity is extreme except it be such if any had superfluities they would not be obliged to part with any thing When it is extreme they allow the poor to steal So charity is not needful but when stealing is lawful Or then he may be excused so many ways that he need never find himself obliged to relieve any gratis Good works not neceslary with them because to act from a good principle and for a good end is needless Their design to satisfie justice and merit grace and glory by what they do makes their pretended good works deadly evils No necessity of good works upon the account of their being injoyned for pennance So they are not done as good but suffered as evils Besides the Priest need not injoyn such Or the sinner need not submit thereto or need not perform it But may be released many ways Especially by Indulgencies 'T is counted better to give money for these than in ways of charity Sect. 3. 4. to page 408. The conclusion where from the premises in brief is inferred that the practical Doctrine of the Romanists tends to ruine Christianity and the Souls of all that follow it FINIS Books Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Tbree Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1. SErmons on the whole Epistle of the Collossians by John Dallie Author of the Right use of the Fathers Translated into English by F. S. with Dr. Goodwins and Dr. Owens Epistles before it 2. Exposition of Christ's Temptation and Peter's Sermon to Cornelius and a Discourse of Circumspect walking by Tho. Taylor D. D. 3. An Exposition on the Third Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians with a Treatise of the Godly man's Choice by Anthony Burges 4. Forty six Sermons on the whole 8 th chapter to the Romans 5. An Exposition on Four select Psalms viz. The Fourth the Forty second the Fifty first the Sixty third in Forty five Sermons both by Tho. Horton late of St. Hellens London 6. The Morning-Lecture against Popery wherein the principal Errors of the Church of Rome are detected and confuted in several Sermons at a Morning-Lecture Preached by several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London 7. An Apology for Religion by Math. Pool 8. The Fiery Jesuit or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuits 9. The Plain man's defence against Popery wherein many Popish Doctrines are proved to be flat against Scripture 10. The immortality of the Soul explained and proved by Scripture and Reason by Tho. Wadsworth 11. A Disputation of Original Sin by Rich. Baxter 12. Reformation or Ruine by Tho. Hotchkis 13. A Discourse of Excuses their nature and danger are discoursed by John Sheffield 14. The life of John Jeneway 15. Saints incouragement to diligence in God's service by James Janeway A Catalogue of some Books Printed and Sold by Nat. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry near Cornhil and in Chancery-lane near Fleet-Street EXercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual Redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated c. With an Exposition of and Discourses on the two first Chapters of the said Epistle to the Hebrews by John Owen D. D. in
to this Objection that the Command of God or the Church cannot be fulfilled by sin answers according to the opinion commonly maintained amongst them (a) Nos cum communi opinione in praesentia teneamus non esse transgressorem praecepti qui actui bono ex genere suo quem lex praecipiebat apponit aliquam malam circumstantiam Relect de paenit part 4. p. 936. vid. Bonacinum de legibus disp 1. q. 1. punct 9. n. 1. ibi S. Thomas Soto Navar Medina plures alij That he is no Transgressor of the precept who to the Act enjoyn'd and good in its kind adds something sinful He supposeth that the Act commanded by the Church is some way good but withal that the precept may be satisfied though it be done wickedly and that by their common Doctrine Whether the circumstances may be venially or mortally wicked he saith not but leaves us to understand it of either Dominicus a Sato tells us expresly that though what is added to the Act (b) Quamvis simul habeat propositum aliud mortale satisfaciet praecepto quantum ad substantiam Ibid. l. 10. q. 5. a. 5. enjoyned be a mortal wickedness yet the Precept may thereby be satisfied substantially With these Divines of greatest reputation amongst them concurs Navarre (c) Non tamen est tenendum illud Antonini quia praesupponit malo praesertim mortali non posse adimpleri praeceptum quod esse falsum late probavimus c. 21. n. 7. no less renowned and none of them Jesuites the opinion of Antoninus which he is disproving presupposeth saith he that by a sinful Act especially if it be a mortal sin the Command of the Church cannot be fulfilled but that this is false we have largely proved He would have us know that he hath fully demonstrated that the Precept for hearing Mass may be intirely accomplished by deadly crimes This is the judgment of the most eminent Doctors amongst them such as are not of the Society and if they will believe their famous Bishop of the Canaries the common Doctrine in the Roman Church and by this the world may judge what a Church it is what her Religion what her Worship what her Precepts for it are When all that she requires for that worship which is the principal part of her Religion may be satisfied by acts of wickedness such as are mortal and damnable to the Worshippers and most of all others dishonourable to God whom they pretend to worship And let those that are seduced or may be tempted by Seducers seriously consider whether they can wisely trust their souls to such a conduct or be safe in such a communion where there is no more tenderness for the salvation of souls than to be satisfied with such a worshiping of God as will confessedly damn them Sect. 3. Thus much for the manner of their publick worship all of it who ever amongst them it concerns whereby it appears that they count it not necessary that God should have any real worship from them This will be further manifest by what they teach concerning the end of it They maintain that it is lawful for their Clergy and Monasticks too who profess perfection to serve God for their own ends viz. to get preferment or compass a dignity or gain some wordly advantage and so to prostitute the Honour and Worship of God to such low earthly sordid designes as Religious persons would never appear to own but that Irreligion is grown too monstrously big for its vizard He that riseth to their morning Service for this end that he may have his daily devidend if it be not principally for this he sins not So their glossa celeberrima the two Popes Vrbane Caelestine determine that it is lawful for their Clergy to serve God in their Churches for this design and hope to get Ecclesiastical dignity in (d) Glossa illa celeberrima ait peccare quidem eum qui surgit ad matutinas preces principaliter propter distributiones quotidianas non autem illum qui surgit principaliter ut Deo inserviat minus principaliter secundario ut eas lucretur Urbanus Papa Coelestinus determinarunt licere clericis servire Deo in Ecclesijs ob spem ascendendi ad dignitates illarum Imo Gelasius dixit eos ad hunc ascensum spe maioris commodi compellendos Glossa recepta dicit expresse per illum textum licere clerico servire in Ecclesia ad quaerendam aliquam dignitatem modo principaliter ob id non serviat c. cap. 23. n. 101. Navarre But then this great Casuist of so high esteem amongst them that he was sent for from Spain to Rome to give advice and direction to the old Gentleman there that cannot erre understands after (a) Ut probavimus non est bona definitio illa Bartoli qua definit causam principalem esse causam qua cessante cessat effectus id ibid. Ut aliquis finis sit principalis non sufficit quod ille non fieret sine illo sed oportet quod pluris vel tanti aestimetur ac alius finis propter quem ille fit id c. 17. n. 209. c. 20. n. 11. p. 459. Aquinas Jo. Major as he pretends the principal end to be something else than others do It is not that which so much moves the Agent as that without it he would not be drawn to act by any other end and accordingly he will have the premised testimony to be understood (b) Per supra dictos textus glossas quae habent locum etiam in his qui non servirent Ecclesijs vel praelatis nisi sperarent beneficia c. 23. n. 101. So that one of their Perfectionists who riseth to morning prayer for this end that he may have his dividend would not stir (c) Surgens ad matutinas ob distributiones alias non surrecturus ibid. out of his Bed to attend the Worship of God for God's sake or any other end beseeming a Religious person if the consideration of his daily allowance did not rouse him yet he serves God so well herein as that he is sinless and not so much as venially tainted Likewise the Clergy who address themselves to the Worship of God moved thereto more by hopes to gain preferment and dignity than any respect to God yet they sin not That is they worship God well enough though they respect themselves and their own ends more than him or which is all one though they serve themselves rather than God whom they are to worship They are all concerned to maintain this for he tells them if (d) Alioqui enim omnes fere actus nostri essent vitiosi quia paucissimi fiunt pure propter solum Deum solam virtutem c. ibid. p. 590. such acts of Vertue or Worship were Vicious all their acts in a manner would be stark naught since there are extremely few amongst them that are purely done for God
temptations or are pleased with them or what they lead to And neither these nor any else can judge there is no other remedy but prayer if they believe their doctrine which offers them divers other remedies and those more relyed on than this To mention none else almost any of their Sacramentals of which they have multitudes will serve their turn even a little Salt (y) Exorciso te creatura salis c. I conjure thee Creature Salt that thou maiest be hallowed to drive away all the temptations of the Devil conjured after the mode of holy Church may do it Thus we see these Catholicks secured from all divine obligations to pray while they live But they have another way to do it for if any apprehend themselves in dangerous temptations and also that there is no other remedy against it but prayer they determine (z) Quando tentationes ingruunt cum periculo succumbendi tunc enim medium ad peccatorum veniam auxilium impetrandum adhibendum est quanquam a peccato multi excusantur ignorantes vel non advertentes ad hanc obligationem Bonacina divin offic disp 1. q. 2. p. 1. n. 12. ibi Medina Navar. Malderus Sylvester alij that if such be ignorant that it is then a duty or if they know it but do not consider it they are excused from sin though then they neglect to pray Now the people may well be ignorant that they are in such case obliged when their learned men scarce know it And for those that do know it the violence of the temptation and the case supposeth it violent may leave no place for consideration However no man considers this or other things unless he will and so it will be no sin to neglect prayer at that time when only they count it a duty unless he list Yea (a) Utrum excusetur a peccato qui praeceptum aliquod non implet ob inadvertentiam vel ignorantiam quae ipsius culpa contigit Respondeo excusari a peccato Idem de peccat disp 2. q. 8. p. 3. n. 28. ibi Clavis Regia alij though the ignorance or inconsiderateness be culpable and through his own default yet the neglect of the duty which is thereby occasioned they can excuse from sin Besides if (b) Scientes vero advertentes graviter peccant utpote negligentes medium ad vincendas tentationes omissio tamen orationis tunc temporis non habet malitiam distinctam ab eo peccato quod cavere tenemur Idem De divin offic d. 1. q. 2. p. 1. n. 12. ibi besides the chief of all the Jesuites Medina Sylvester Navar Malderus they should both know and consider that prayer is then their duty yet they teach that the omission of it is then no special sin i. no other sin then that which they should seek to avoyd by praying Whereby they plainly declare that there is in their account no special precept for prayer no not in that case wherein alone they would have it thought a duty otherwise they would judge it a special sin then to neglect it Sect. 11. But though their Catholicks be thus sufficiently eased of all Obligations to private prayer all their lives by vertue of any Divine command it may be there is some precept of the Church for it Can she be content that they should live so much without God or any acknowledgment of their dependance on him more like Atheists than Christians yes there 's not any thing for private addresses to God amongst all her precepts she is too indulgent to trouble them with any such thing she requires not of them the least prayer or such as are accounted best not so much as a Pater-noster there is no Ecclesiastical precept for this to make it so much as a venial fault not to use it sayes (c) Nullum esse de hac re praeceptum etiam Ecclesiasticum vel sub veniali Medina de Orat q. 10. in Suar. de Orat. l. 3. c. 6. n. 7. Solum tradidit Christus formam non vero dedit praeceptum obligans ad exercitium n. 5. Medina not a Salve-Regina no nor an Ave-Mary They have indeed a special respect to this last and prefer it Ten to one before any other though they might use this every minute without ever praying once to God all their life And Pope John the 22. ordained that thrice every Evening the Bell should sound that every one might say an Ave-Mary thrice and since it is grown a custome and a Church custome usually stands for a Law with them that not only at Evening but at Noon and Morning too a Bell should sound for the same purpose So that this if any is under injunction There is a fair shew for it but it is no more than a shew for they assure us this is only a (d) Consuetudo recepta est ratione devotionis non obligationis si haec nunquam recitet magnum indicium est ipsum non recte vivere etiamsi omissio illa speciale peccatum non sit Idem ibid. voluntary Devotion and hath nothing of Obligation in it Those that never use this and such prayers it is they say a shrewd sign they do not live well but the omission thereof is no special sin with respect unto any precept either of God or the Church And is not this a very pious concession that they are pleased to grant that for a man never to say his prayers is a general bad sign that he does not live as he ought though they will by no means allow it to be any special sin Oh! the Piety and tenderness of this Mother and head of all Churches If for all this any of them should conceive themselves obliged to pray sometimes or if without such opinion they should find some season for private prayer though God as they dream and the Church as they know hath prescribed none as when a Confessor enjoyns it for Pennance or out of voluntary Devotion when they have a mind to Supererogate and do better than God requires upon which accounts some of them may be found now and then very busie with their Beads yet in these cases there is by their principles no more need to worship God in their private than in their publick prayers where as we have shewed they account no actual observance of God at all necessary As for the prayer enjoyned them by way of Pennance these are not necessary for them but as their punishment and then they pray not for that is an act of the Soul but this a suffering of the outward man The Church as they say it cannot judge of inward acts so it cannot order them to be penal And the Male-factors here being their own executioners as there is no need so there is no fear that they will punish their Souls but leave them untouched unconcerned what ever their lips or fingers or Beads may suffer by that grievous penalty of praying But it
Sylvest v. consc n. 3. Et generaliter ubi est dubius an debeat obedire necne tenetur obedire Idem v. relig 6. n. 6 Quid si praelatus praecipiat aliquid quod conscientia subditi dictat esse contra legem Dei Resp secundum Bonaventuram quod tenetur eam deponere nisi clarum sit illud fore contra legem Dei Sum. Angel v. Conscient n. 2. Quid debet facere inferior quando dubius est an quod ei praecipitur est peccatum diâ—o debet obedire Ita tenet Sylvest habetur hoc expresse secundum omnes saith Sylvester if he doubt of this whether it be against the command of God yet he is bound to obey he may venture safely It seems that is no danger which the Apostle speaks of He that doubteth is damned Rom. 14. 23. They alledge (p) 23. q. 1. Can. quid culpatur ubi statuitur cum non est certum superiorum factum esse malum esse obediendum in dubiis â—nim debet inferior credere superiori Tolet. Instr l. 8. c. 15. an express Text for this in their Law which will carry it against the Apostle And as that evil which God forbids may be done by him that doubts least God hath condemned it so (q) Immo aliquando etiam bonum sine quo potest esse salus propter obedientiam debet omitti Sylv. v. obedient n. 2. that good which he hath injoyned if Salvation can be had without it may be neglected when Superiours will have it so r 11. q. 3. quid ergo ibid. their Canonical Text saith it which must be regarded what-ever becomes of that other Whether it he better to obey God or men judge you Act. 4. 19. (s) Si vero opinatur ita quod nâ—scit nec dubitat sed credit distinguendum est quia si credit ex levibus tenetur tale judicium deponere c. obedire similitur si credit probabiliter excusatur propter obedientiae bonum Sylvest v. consc n. 3. Si non scit pro certo sed ex levi temeraria credulitate tunc ad consilium sui praelati deponat Si vero habeat credulitatem probabilem discretam quamvis non manifestam evidentem tunc propter obedientiam faciat quod sibi praecipitur quoniam tenetur in tali dubio propter bonum obedientiae excusatur Sum. Angel v. consc n. 2. Yea if they be past doubt that what is required is against God if they think if they believe it to be against his Command yet if they believe it but upon weak grounds yea or if upon probable grounds if they be not more certain thereof than they ought to be of their Salvation they are to suppress their own judgment and will be excused for the goodness of such Obedience i. e. for obeying men rather than God and that against their own judgment Such art is used to perswade the people that they need see nothing they are to do further than their Leaders would have them if they doubt or if they believe if their eyes be opening or if they be opened they must shut them close and obey men blindly without discerning what God forbids or requires And it is not for nothing that they deprive them of their eyes for thus they can make them grinde Such Ignorance is the way to have them in more subjection and that they account the most perfect obedience which is next to bruitish without knowledge and without judgment that they need not have and this they must not use a judgment of discretion must by no means be left the people that is a point they would maintain against us but as to their own followers they put it out of question before-hand for by keeping them without knowledge they leave them no judgement but such as one may pass on colours in the dark Ribera expresseth their sense significantly (t) Omnes qui parent praesertim religiosi homines debent esse sine capite Comment in Amos p. â—69 All who are to obey especially Religious persons ought to have no head of their own i. e. they are to obey as if they were without eyes or brains So he explains this worthy expression non suo sed rectoris sui consilio duci Let me but add the pregnant words of Cardinal Cusanus which comprise all that I charge them with in this particular (u) Nemo decipi potest etiam per malum praesidentem si dixeris Domine obedivi tibi in praeposito hos tibi sufficiet ad salutem tu enim per obedientiam quam facis praeposito quem Ecclesia tolerat decipi nequis etiamsi praeceperit injusta quare sententia pastoris ligat te pro tua salute propter bonum obedientiae etiamsi injusta fuerit nam ad te non attinet cognoscere quod sententia sit injusta nec conceditur tibi ut non obedias si tibi injusta videatur obedientia irrationalis est consummata obedientia perfectissima scilicet quando obeditur sicut jumentum obedit Domino suo Epist 2. ad Bohemos Excitat l. 2. 6. No man saith he can be deceived by an ill Pastor if thou say Lord I have obeyed thee in him whom thou hast set over me this will be sufficient for thy Salvation for thou by obedience paid to a Teacher whom the Church tolerates cannot be deceived although he command what is unlawful wherefore the opinion of the Pastor binds thee upon thy Salvation for the good of obedience although it be unjust for it belongs not to thee to take notice whether it be unlawful or not neither hast thou leave not to obey if it seem unlawful to thee for that obedience which is irrational is the most compleat and most perfect obedience to wit when one obeys without the use of Reason as a beast obeys his owner A speech fit only for the mouth of the Beast and the false Prophet The sum of their doctrine concerning ignorance is little less than this they need not be Men as to their obedience they need not be Christians as to the knowledge of Christ they need scarce be either as to their worship Sect. 4. The ground of all this is that they judge the knowledge of the Scriptures unnecessary in a manner to all sorts yea count it necessary to keep as many as they can possibly from acquaintance therewith They are highly concerned for this even as much as those who have villanous designes and would accomplish them without observance and controul are concerned to shun the light They know full well the Scripture condemnes Popery we may well say they know it when themselves confess (x) Consil de stabilienda Rom. sede p. 6. that both their worship and their doctrine is contrary and repugnant to Scripture and alledge this as the Reason why they would have as little of the Scripture as can be known to any From their own mouths we
jactat se habere quod non babet Aquinas ibid. When oâ—… thinks that good he has is from himself When he thinks that what he has from God is for his merits And when he boasts that he hath what he has not If their great Azpilcueâ—a could see none of this most deadly crime amongst Christians having the merit of congruity and condignity before him either his sight fail'd him or his Church was not visible Others with his eyes can see not only mortal pride but as deadly a sin infidelity (q) Credere id viz. predicta in genere est actus infidelitatis Navar. ibid. n. 8. In universali dicere bonum aliquod habere à se non à Deo vel suis meritis hoc pâ—rtinet ad infidelitatem est mortale peccatum infidelitatis Angel sum v. superâ—iâ— where this is part of a Creed To make up one article of two deadly sins must be a sure mark of the only Church Seriously finding so many of their Authors on this head charging the opinion of merit with mortal pride and therein following not only the greatest of their Doctors but the most infallible of their Bishops I have wondred why they did not either make that none of their faith or this no such sin What salâ—… they will find against deadly sin when it is in their faith I know not but if part of their belief had proved arrogance though that founds like the worst of pride they might have come off well enough for arrogance is a Venial sin except in some rare cases It is says Cajetan r Est autem frequenter venialis arrogantia dum absque prejudicio proximi astimat quis se plus scientiae aut bonitatis aut authoritatis habere quam habet Sum. v. arrogantia peccatum est quia contra rectam rationem est Sed mortale non est nisi vel id quod sibi usurpat sit contra divinam reverentiam ut Rex Tyri Ego Deus Sum. aut contra proximum ut tyrannis vel finis ultimus in bujusmodi elatione ponatur Ibid. frequently Venial when without prejudice of others a man values himself as having more knowledg or goodness or authority than he hath and again it is a sin but it is not mortal unless when it usurps against God as the King of Tyre when he said I am God now none are observed to do this except the Pope who has the Law in his own hand or against others by Tyranny which is so odious as all disclaim it and affecting it is no worse than affecting to kill men without consent which with him is (s) Ibid v. vovendi condit not deadly or unless it be made ones ultimate end which none will own Accordingly Angelus determines that (t) Utrum sit mortale peccatum Resp quod sic quum ex tali superbia vel contentione fit quae sit mortalis alias communiter peccatum veniale erit Sum. v. arrogantia arrogancy is commonly a Venial fault unless upon the account of something else that is mortal as when it arises from mortal pride but that as he and others define it we heard before is scarce to be found amongst Christians SECT XVI AMbition was wont to be counted a deadly crime the world and the Church too has reason to judg it so since the most of their miseries and ruins may be imputed to it but the Church of Rome and her Champions are concerned not to think so ill of it stilo curiae in the sense of the Court it may pass for Venial Angelus inquires (u) Utrum ambitio sit peccatum mortale Resp quod non simpliciter sed pro ratione finis vel secundo ratione rei quae appetitu Sum. v. ambitio whether ambition be a mortal sin he answers negatively it is not so simply but may be so in respect of its end and so may any thing in it self lawful be if its end be criminal or it may be so if the thing affected be a crime but that is accidental and still ambitiousness the inordinacy of the affection is excused and may transgress all bounds if the honour and power affected be lawful Thus Cajetan he will yield it more than (x) Non est autem mortale peccatum nisi vel ex parte rei in qua appetitur honor puta si quis vult honorari ob crimen aliquod vel ex parte finis quia vult haheri ut Deus Cajetan v. ambit Venial when one will be honoured for a crime or would be counted a God accordingly it is resolved by Sylvester (y) Sum. v. superbia n. 7. with Navar (z) Quamvis regulariter appetitus inordinatus honoris non excedat metas culpae venialis Cap. 23. n. 15. regularly an inordinate appetite or greediness of Honour exceeds not the bounds of a Venial fault Indeed if pride and ambition had been branded as damnable two Cardinal vertues had been concern'd and which is more the Vatican Throne both in its foundation and supports SECT XVII VAin glory is another capital crime in their account and pregnant with many other they define it to be an inordinate affecting of humane glory and yet determine that an (a) Appetitus eorum etiam inordinatus regulariter est venialis c. Idem ibid. n. 9. inordinate affecting of praise or favour or honour or reverence or glory is but regularly a Venial sin only it may happen to be mortal in some case as when one would inordinately have glory from others for a deadly end or for a mortal sin or that which he makes his last end in all other cases this capital evil is but a slight fault According to their common Doctrine Cajetan will have it to be mortal (b) Solum peccat mortaliter qui gloriatur de aliquo quod est peccatum mortale secundo qui ponit suum finem ultimum in gloria humana Sum. v. glor van then only when one glories in mortal sin but to glory in Venials they count it a small fault or sets his ultimate end in vain glory (c) Colligo ex Alex. in 2. 2. Thom. 2. 2. q. 132. Henr. de Gandavo in quodl 1. q. 24. quod vana gloria de se non dicit aliquid quod sit contra charitatem Dei aut proximi Sum. v. van glor n. 1. Angelus collects out of Alexander and Aquinas that vain glory of it self imports not any thing contrary to the love of God or man Aquinas himself says (d) Inanis gloria non est mortale peccatum uisi charitati perfecte adversatur Aquinas 2. 2. q. 132. art 3. that if love of humane glory though vain be not perfectly repugnant to charity it is not Mortal And Sylvester (e) Intendit ergo S. Tho. quod appetitus vanae gloriae ex suo genere non sit mortale Sum. v. van gl n. 2. delivers this as the sense of their Oracle that the
which was Idolatry is now no such matter Of (l) Quaeritur quid juris de idololatria Et dico supersedendum esse hic quia jam per gratiam Christi non est in usu v. Superstitio n 3. the Law against Idolatry says Sylvester nothing must be said because now by the grace of Christ it is not in use It is not in use because it is their custome it is not the same thing that it was to all the world besides because they use it And what custome has done in these instances it may as well do in any other when all sin is once the practice of that Church as the worst is already there will be no sin in it Sect. 16. Thirdly another probable ground is a considerable Authority or the opinion of one whom we may trust hence this is their Doctrine that he who does what is sinful following the judgment of an able Doctor is excused from sin This principle is without ground appropriated to the Jesuits with the pernicious consequences of it it was currant in the Church of Rome before the Fathers of that Society where infants Panormitan thus determines (m) Panormitan in C. Capillan de feri dicit quod sequens opinionem alicujus Doctoris non subtiliter investigatam quae postmodum apparet fâ—lsa excusatur a peccato quamdtu non apparuerit falsa Sylv. v. opinio n. 1. Angel Sum. v. opin n. 2. Ubi Glossa cum textu Innocentius Gofredus alij he that follows the opinion of any Doctor not curiously examined which afterward appears false is excused from sin so long as it appears not to be false In Sylvester this is confirmed and he directs to several proofs out of their Law for it (n) Ibid. secundum Antoninum removes what by mistake is alledged out of Aquinas against it and shews that both their great Saint and their great Abbot agree with others that this is safe in points which concern either faith or manners when they are not evident not clearly and manifestly determined To him (o) Opinio probabilis erit si illam affirment boni nominis Doctores imo si unus Docâ—t Angelus Sylvester Navar c. Jo. Sancius disp 44. n. 61. Bonacina Tom. 2. disp 2. q. 4. punct 9. n. 1. alij ibid. For this 24 Doctors are produced by Verricelli Q. moral Tom. 1. tr 2. q. 5. one Doctor may be sufficient In morals we must be satisfied with probabilities and according to the rule amongst them (*) Probabiliter quis sequitur opinionem sui Doctoris sed neque ex multitudine authorum quid melius aequius est judicato cum possit unius forte deterioris sententia muitos in aliqua parte superare a man may probably follow one Doctor And by a multitude of Authors we are not to judge what is better or more equal the opinion of one and he worse than the rest may be preferr'd before many in some particular So (p) Ibid. n. 2. he and Angelus (q) Ibid. n. 1. before him after others They conclude (r) Multo mogis excusatur sequens opinionem Doctoris non reprobatam cum voluntate non adhaerendi si vera non apparet uterque ibid. in reference to Joachim who was not accounted a Heretick though his opinions were against the faith because not condemned by the Church that he is much more to be excused who follows the opinion of a Doctor not rejected by the Church and if he thought it not true would not adhere to it (s) Certe in isto non potest esse contemâ—tus sic nec peccatum inobedientiae Ibid. Certainly sayes Angelus in him there can be no contempt and so no sin of disobedience 'T is true that which is maintained by more and better Authors seems more probable but they will not have us alwayes bound to follow that which is more probable for though this be more secure yet the rule that what (t) Nec obstat quod in dubijs tutior pars est eligenda ut videtur se exponere periculo qui in diversitate opinionum non eligit tutiorem quoniam hoc verum esset quum proprie dubium est sed quum est opinio secus est quia nec tunc sumus in dubio nec consequenter exponit sè quis periculo Angelus ibid. n. 2. Sylvest n. 1. is safest is to be followed holds not they tell us but in points that are properly dubious and where there is opinion we are not properly in doubt Thus Navar also explains it (u) Rectus intellectus illius vulgati tutior pars est eligenda in dubio nempe in eo quod est proprie dubium quale non est cum suffiâ—ienti authoritate aut ratione altera pars creditur neque cum ex multis opinionibus una pro vera eligitur cap. 27. n. â—84 having told us (x) Non semper esse necessarium partem tutiorem eligere quia satis est quoad praecepâ—i implementam tutam eligere ut late probavimus etiam in his quae ad fidem mores pertinent in alijs enim nec de consilio quis tenetur eligere tutiorem n. 281. Vid. Autoninum Angel Sylvest Navar. Gutier in Jo. Sanc. disp 42. n. 12. that it is not always necessary to choose what is safer because it is enough for the fulfilling of the precept to choose that which is safe even in those things which concern faith and manners for in other things it is not so much as under Counsel to follow the safest Accordingly Metina in (y) Dicit opinionem posse teneri sine peccato quae est peritorum virorum licet contrarium siâ— planius securius cap. 52. p. 271. Lopez sayes the opinion of expert Divines may be held without sin although the contrary be more clear and more safe In short that an opinion which is less probable may be followed is asserted we are told both by the greater part and the graver sort of their Divines (z) Licitum esse sectari opinionem minus probabilem relicta probabiliori docent Mercado Medina Sairus naming 20 besides and adding alij plures Jo. Sauc disp 42. n. 12. Possumus ubsque peccato sequi opinionem probabilem relicta probabiliore tutiare Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 2. q. 4. punc 9. n. 4. Clavis Regia alij communiter ibid. n. 5. For this Barnabas Gallego a Dominican produces near Fifty of their Doctors many of them of the same order and says it is sententia communior inter Thomistas tract de conscient dubi de consc probabili So that if we may trust those whom who we see no reason to think partial to the Society this is not a singular conceit of the Jesuits but the opinion of their other Divines generally and the more common Doctine of Aquinas his Disciples otherwise most opposite to the Society above Forty of their grave Doctors
are alledged for it and amongst them Martin Navar Medina Peter Navar Arragon Bannes Du Vallius with others besides Jesuits Aâ— present take only the words of Navar who speaks fully (a) In foro tamen conscientiae ad effectum non peccandi sufficit eligere pro vera ejus opinionem quem merito censemus esse virum idonea scientia conscientia praeditum cap. 27. n. 288. In the Court of Conscience says he it is enough for the avoiding of sin to take his opinion for true whom we probably think to be a man of sufficient knowledg and Conscience and quotes their Glosse and Panormitan for it To whom let me add Sancta Clara who not only tells us as we have heard before (b) Deus nat gr probl 15. p. 99. supra that at this day it seems to be the common opinion of their Schools and Doctors that the people erring with their Teacher or Pastor are wholly excused from all fault but also when any has a probable ground for what he does (c) Probabilis est quando quis habet fundamentum probabile ut dum rusticus credit aliquid esse licitum ductus testimonio sui parochi vel parentun tunc iste licet contra veritatem erret nulla culpa errat sic Doctores communiter secundum illud ignorantia justa probabilis excusare debet ibid. p. 78. as when a Countrey-man believes any thing to be lawful induced thereto by the testimony of the Parish-Priest or of his Parents although he mistake yet his mistake is void of sin according to the rule in Law just and probable ignorance ought to be excused So that to make a sin to be no sin not only the judgment of a grave Doctor so determining but of a Parish-Priest who are known to be sufficiently ignorant yea of Parents also more ignorant than they will suffice and herein says he the Doctors generally concur In fine if it be the common opinion that invincible as Divines or probable ignorance as the Canonists call it is excused from all sin and that it is an instance hereof (d) Durandus .cum excuset probabilis ignorantia puta si habet aliquem Doctorem authenticum famosum cujus opinioni nâ—titur in Sylvest v. confess n. 2. Vervec dubitans consulens viros Doctos falso consulâ—nâ—…s laborat ignorantia invincibili ibid. v. Ignor. n. 5. Justa ignorantia qualis est cum quis petit consilium a viris habitis pro praeditis scientia conscientia in id sufficienti qui falso ei consulunt haec omnino excuset Navar. c. 23. n. 46. Graff l. 2. c. 131. n. 2â— l. 4. c. 9. n. 8. Sancta Clara. ibid. p. 96. Herrera Faber ibi â—onacina de peccat d. 2. q. 8. p. 2 n. 9. 16. when one is mislead by a sufficient Authour then this is the common Doctrine of the Romanists and not the extravagancy of some particular Sect or Order amongst them If then this principle be so destructive to Religion the Souls of men and humane Societies as some of the French Romanists brand it in reference to the Jesuits the charge falls upon the common Doctrine of the Roman-Church for there it is generally taught and received and was so before Ignatius had founded his Order And this prevents their ordinary exception against our alledging particular Authours against them they cannot with reason or modesty make use of this shift longer for a single Doctor is so far Authorized by the common Doctrine of their chief Writers and so of their Church that any or all in their Church have warrant to rely on him And so in producing a particular Author in esteem with them we do in effect alledge their common Doctrine And indeed by the premises the opinion of a grave Doctor is the Doctrine of their Church so far that any of their Church are allow'd to folow it both as to belief and practice Their Church if we know her sense by the declaration of the generality of her approved Authors does allow all Romanists to follow the opinions I have charged them with though they be plainly destructive of worship faith and holiness both of heart and life For I have charged them with nothing without a considerable Authour and what is so grounded is with them probable and what is probable is safe and allowed both as to faith and manners Or if there be any particular in the charge in which there is not a common concurrence or which is contradicted though by a multitude of their Writers yet since there is at least one grave Doctor for it it is in their account safe and any Romanist has liberty by the Doctrine now insisted on to follow it if he please rather than that which upon the account of more Assertors may be thought safer But as to the purpose for which I now take notice of it this Principle serves to rid their Church of all sin that is of all Conscience to avoid any For if that be safe which is probable and that will be probable which is countenanced by the opinion of particular Doctors then all the sins which they or any of them have already concluded to be no sins and these are an infinite number may be safely committed and all that any of them hereafter may determine to be no crimes may be practis'd with as little Conscience and as much security So that a Train is laid hereby to blow up the whole rule of Christianity and all innocency and holiness which consists in conformity thereto It has done horrible execution already and what has hitherto escaped is at the mercy of it being wholly under the Mine and may be dispatch'd when ever the Casuists their Engineers who are daily at work about it shall think fit Sect. 17. Let me but add some of the Rules they lay down for the direction and relief of scrupulous Consciences They must (e) Sexta medicina usus aequitatis circa leges de qua S. Thom. persuadendo sibi non pâ—ccare qui legem in sensu benigniori servet quamvis in dariore violet Navar. c. 27. n 283. Caeteris paribus inter sententiam benignam duram circa praecepta potius benigna inter pretatio facienda est secundum Jo. de Amb. Vervec Archi. ratio est quia praecepta Dei ecclesiae non suat ad tollendam dalcedinem quam aufert interpretatio serupulosa Sylvest v. Scrupul n. 4. perswade themselves that they sin not though they break the Law in a strict sense if they observe it according to some complaisant interpretation A benign sense is rather to be put upon any precept than that which is strict for the precepts of God and the Church are not against that pleasantness which a scrupulons interpretation takes away And that a person may the better be pleased he may make the interpretation himself and so make it as benign as he desires and as