the oile of singular excellencie So also whosoeuer are partakers of him may bee partakers both of the ointment and name More Fathers might bee alleaged but these may suffice to knowe that it was the generall Custome of the Church euen from the beginning that Christians beeing baptized should bee cōfirmed of a Bishop And seeing that Custōe as Diuines and Lawyers Custome bindeth as well as a Lawe teach is a lawe not written and bindeth aswell as a written lawe doth it is euident that by this generall Custome Christiās in times past were bound to bee confirmed Now lett vs see that some of them expressely say that there was also a lawe of this CHAPTER III. That there was a Lawe or Commandement in the Church of God that Christians should bee confirmed SAint Clement Pope and Successor to saint Peeter Epistola 4. writeth thus All must make hast without delay to bee regenerated to God and after Christians must bee confirmed to bee signed of the Bishop that is to receiue the Seauenfold grace of the holy Ghost Because otherwise Not a perfect Christiā without Confirmation hee cannot bee a perfect Christian nor haue place among the perfect if hee remanie so not vppon necessitie but through negligence and his ovvne vvill as vvee haue receaued of saint Peeter and the rest of the Apostles haue taught according to the Commandement of our Lord. In which wordes hee seemeth to say that it is a commādement of Christ that Christiās should bee confirmed of which opinion are absolutely diuers greate diuines as Scotus in 4. d. 7. q. 2. Richardus 16. art 5. Thomas Walden l. 2. cap. 3. Sotus lect 2. de Confir and others and of the same mind for time of persecution are Durand Gabriell Marsilius Turrecremata and also Filliucius tract 3. c. 2. S. Fabian Pope and Martyr Epistola 2. hauing said as before is related that Christ taught the Apostles to make Chrisme and that it is to bee renewed euery yeare addeth These things vvee receiued of the Apostles and theire Successors and vvee commaund The Apostles commaunded the making of Chrisme them to bee obserued of you and a litle after The Apostles taught these thinges that the old Chrisme should bee burnt and suffered it not to bee vsed aboue one yeare and commaunding thaught that vvee should vse the nevve and not the old And surely if the Apostles did make such cōmaundement touching Chrisme which is but the matter of this Sacrament it is most likely that they made some Commaundement touching the Sacrament it selfe Saint Cornelius also Pope ad Martyr in Eusebius l. 6. Histor thus writeth of Nouatian who afterwardes became an Hereticke In the bed vvhere hee Laie being sprinkled vvith vvater hee vvas baptized but recouering of his sicknes neither had hee the other things vvhich according to the Canon of A Canon of the Church to be confitmed the Church hee should haue neither vvas hee signed of the Bishop vvith our lords marke vvhich hauing not receaued hovv I praie you had hee the holy Ghost Wherein hee seemeth to auouch that it was a Canon of the Church that Christiās beeing baptized should bee singned that is confirmed of the Bishop and that for want thereof Nouatian had not receaued the holy Ghost Theodoret. l. 3. Fab. speaking of the Nouatian Hereticks Holy Fathers cōmaund Confirmation followers of the foresaid Nouatian saith They giue not holy Chrisme to those whome they baptize wherefore the holy Fathers haue commaunded that those vvho out of this Heresie are vnited to the Church bee anointed Behold a plaine Commaundemēt of the holy Fathers that Christians bee anointed with holy Chrisme And the same confirmeth saint Petrus Damianus Ser. 1. de Dedicat. Eccles in these wordes The Decretalls and The Decrees of Fathers for Confirmation Constitutions of holy Fathers doe decree that the vertue of this Sacrament of Confirmation is not to bee differred after Baptisme least that the deceitfull aduersarie find vs vnarmed Saint Hierome also in the wordes before cited expressely saith that it is a lawe of the Church And of this opinion are many graue diuines as Alensis saint Bonauenture Paludanus Siluester and others And as Maldonate saith q. 2. de Confirm The Example of the Apostles and so generall Custome of the Church hath taken place of a precept And of the same opinion are or ought to bee all they who either say that Confirmation is commaunded as Bellarmine l. 1. de Sacram. c. 22. for they must at least meane that it is commaunded by an Ecclesiasticall precept or say that it is a veniall Sinne not to bee confirmed euen without cōtempt as Nauar. Man c. 22. num 9. Caietan verb. Confirmatio No sinne is where no precept is Victoria lib. var. resol c. 10. and others because no sinne cā bee where there is no Commaundemēt And much more the Canonists who as wee shall hereafter report out of Paludan in 4. d. 7. doe say that it is a mortall sinne not to bee confirmed when one may Moreouer seeing there is an Apostolicall precept of August l. 2. de visit infirm c. 4. Nec praetermittendum est illud Iacobt Apostoli preceptū Infirmatur quit c. beeing anoiled when one is sicke deliuered by S. Iames chap. 5. why shall wee not thinke also that there was an Apostolicall precept of Confirmation at least in time of persecutiō because two ends of this Sacrament doe then take place to witt to beecome perfect and compleate Christians which end holdeth euen in time of peace and also to haue spirituall strength and armour to professe Christs faith which is more proper for time of persecution And who beeing to goe to a daungerous Cōbat and may haue sure Armor Confirmation more necessarie in persecutiō then extreme vnction at death and will not exposeth himselfe to daūger of beeing killed Besides more Christians fall from theire faith in time of persecution then in time of sicknes or naturall death If therefore extreme vnctiō were by the Apostles commaunded to thē that are in daunger of naturall death why not Confirmation to those that are in daunger of violent death by persecution Vnlesse we will thinke that the Apostles had lesse care of Christians when they are in greater daunger then when they are in lesse But this Ecclesiasticall precept of Confirmation which wee haue proued out of the expressie sayings of some Fathers lett vs also proue out of diuers other sayings of theirs CHAPTER IIII. That there was an Ecclesiasticall precept of Confirmation proued out of diuers other sayings of the holy Fathers SAint Cyprian l. 2. Epistola 1. ad Ianuar. It is necessary Confirmatiō necessarie saith hee that hee who is Christned bee anointed that hauing receiued Chrisme that is vnction hee may bee both the anointed of God and haue the grace of Christ in him Saint Melchiades Pope Epistola ad Episc Hispan inserted in the Canons de Cōsecr d. 5. But these two
by whome men might bee confirmed and no positiue practise or discontinuance of all or of the greatest part of Catholicks when there was meanes to bee confirmed wherefore howsoeuer Catholicks in other Countries bee not bound to bee confirmed by any Ecclesiasticall lawe because perhaps they by a contrary custome haue abrogated the lawe euen when the case of the lawe was and meanes were to bee confirmed yet in England they are bound vnder mortall sinne to obserue this lawe of Confirmation as well as they are bound to obserue other Ecclesiasticall lawes of communicating at Easter confessing oÌ„cea yeare hearing masse on holydayes abstayning froÌ„ flesh on forbidden dayes fasting on Fridayes and the like to witt wheÌ„ they can obserue them without theire notable preiudice or daunger And in the same manner Priests are bound not to giue the blessed Sacr ent to such as are notably negligent in this point vnlesse it bee at the hower of theire death because the foresaid Canon as well bindeth Canons of Confirmation moâ—e bind â—ow then in Catholicke times Priests to this as it bindeth laicks to the other yea the foresaid Canons haue more reason to bind now then in Catholicke times by reason that wee not onely liue in persecution but also because wee liue amongst Protestants who contemne this Sacrament with whome by our deed that is by our grosse negligence thereof wee may seeme to consent And euen as they graunt who say there is no sinne not to bee confirmed a man may sinne herein mortally by reason of scandall if so hee behaueth himselfe as hee giueth suspition of contempt And thus much for the necessitie of Confirmation out of the generall Custome of Gods Church out of the Churches lawe thereof out of the holy Fathers and out of the Prouinciall Constitutions of the Catholicke Church of England Now lett vs heare the opinions of Diuines and Canonists CHAPTER VI. The necessâ—tie of Confirmation proued by the authoritie of Diuines Canonists FIrst all agree that it is a Mortall Sinne not to bee confirmed of contempt mortall Sinne not to bee confirmed vppon contempt of the Sacrament and the holy Councell of Trent thus speaketh of the contempt of extreme vnction Sessio 14. cap. 3. Neither can the contempt of so greate a Sacrament bee without greate sinne and iniury to the holy Ghost And doubtlesse the same is of the contempt of Confirmation And though contempt strictly taken bee more then negligence for as Sotus in 4. d. 7. q. vn art 8. VVhat Contempt is properly saith Contempt as the word soundeth is to make no account of athing and to reiect it as if it were nothing yet in this matter they seeme to confound it with grosse negligence First because such a formall contempt of a Sacrament can scarce fall into the mind of a Catholicke who beleeueth it to bee an Instrument of grace For how can a man that contemneth not grace contemne an Instrument of grace Secondly because not onely our foresaid Prouinciall Canon doth expressely say that grosse negligence of Confirmation is Grosse negligence damnable damnable but also some others doe expresse them selues that in this matter by contempt they meane grosse negligence For thus writeth Linwood vppoÌ„ the foresaid Canon l. 1. tit de sanct vnct C. Confirmationis Where one may bee confirmed and will not such negligence falleth into Contempt For to neglect and to contemne in a manner are equall For albeit in theire natures they bee different as is gathered 20. d. Si decreta Yet sometimes the Canons vse these wordes indifferently as noteth Card. and Archid. de Electione C. Cupâ—entes verb. Contempserit in 6. And here note where negligence riseth of ones fault as that beeing monished and induced by his Curate to goe to Confirmation hee will not but neglecteth to bee confirmed while hee hath meanes of a Bishop who can and would confirme VVhat negligence of Confirmation worse then Contempt him then such negligence is compared not onely to contempt but also to deceit Ar. C. vnic in fin de concess praebend in Clem. Et faciunt â—ot per Io. And Gloss fin de Appellat C. Ab eo l. 6. Marke Here what negligence of Confirmation Linwood accounteth not onely conteÌ„pt but also worse Angelus also verb. Confirmatio saith out of Paludan That hee sâ—meth to VVhen is contempt of Confirmation contemne when hauing sufficient opportunitie without any reasonable cause doth not receiue this Sacrament And the same hath Tolet. l. 2. Instruct c. 24. and addeth l. 7. c. 3. That it were contempt of Extreme VVhen of Extreme Vnction Vnction when the time beeing of Extreme Vnction and occasion offered of receiuing it not to receiue it as wee saith hee said of Confirmation And the Gloss de Elect. C. Cupientes in 6. Make Heere no difference beetweene coÌ„temne and reglect though otherwhere there seeme to bee 20. D. Si decreta Thus they expound what they meane by Contempt when they say that Crosse negligence accounted contempt Contempt of Confirmation is damnable to witt grosse negligence thereof Secondly all agree that so Mortall Sinne in scandall of Confirmation to neglect to bee confirmed as thereby scandall is giuen and suspition of contempt of Confirmation is mortall and damnable See Suarez to 4. d. 38 sect 1. Thirdly diuers Diuines expressely affirme that grosse or notable negligence of not beeing confirmed especially in time of persecution is a mortall sinne For thus hath Manipulus Curatorum tract 3. C. 5. If there bee opportunitie to Grosse negligence of Confirmation mortall Sinne. receiue this Sacrament of Confirmation euery one must receiue it and if hee omitt it without iustcause hee sinneth mortally vnlesse hee receiue it Sotus also in 4. d. 7. q. vn art 8. writeth thus There followeth another doubt not to bee contemned whether there bee any precept of Most Diuinâ—s say Confirmation is commaunded Confirmation to which most of the Doctors answer affirmatiuely as Richardus Durandus Paludanus Siluester And againe Richardus Marsilius Paludanus say that as often as there is commoditie of a Minister to confirme if a man may commodiousâ—y receiue this Sacrament then not Grosse negligence is mortall Sinne. onely the contempt but euen the grosse negligence it selfe which is cause that the Sacrament is not receiued is mortall Sinne And Victorellus in l. 2. Toleti c. 24. cit saith that Petrus Sotus lect 2. Durandus and Richardus d. 7. thinke that not onely contempt but also notable negligence to bee a mortall sinne for the Commaundement of the Church Fillucius tract 3. c. 2. If in any place there bee necessitie Especially in time of persecution of professing the Faith wee must say that there euen now this precept of Confirmation doth continue and bind because hee should rashly expose himselfe to daunger of falling Angelus verb. Sacramentum Sacraments of necessitie are Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist PenaÌ„ce and Extreme Vnction Of the same opinion ought all Diuines to bee who say that it is a sinne to
neglect to receaue this Sacrament which most Diuines doe say And besides those aboue named Sotus loco cit saith Where one may bee cōmodiously cōfirmed Sinne not to bee cōfirmed it were Sinne not to receiue this Benefite of God And againe It is sinfull negligence to deferre this Sacrament beyond that age of 12. or 14. yeares For the right order is not to receiue the Eucharist before Confirmation as was the Custome in the primatiue Church And Bellarmin l. 1. de Sacram. c. 22. Who neglecteth to receiue this Sacrament sinneth For if there bee a Sinne not to receiue this Sacramēt there is a precept thereof and if there bee a precept the breach thereof is a mortall The breach of a precept in a matter of moment is a mortall Sinne. sinne because as well saith Suarez loco cit it is in a matter of moment And howsoeuer one may probably denie that there is any generall precept of Confirmation in the vniuersall Church which bindeth euery one or that such a precept bindeth vnder mortall Sinne partly because it is abrogated by contrary Custome partly also because it Greatnes of punishment argueth a mortall Sinne. was not imposed vnder any greate punishment no Diuine can reasonably denie that there is a speciall precept thereof in England and that it bindeth vnder mortall Sinne by that which hath bene said aboue And agreably to that which hath bene said of the negligence of people to receiue this Sacramēt Angelus and Siluester verb. Confirm and others say that notable negligence of Bishops in Mortall Sinne in Bishops not to confirme not confirming is a mortall Sinne in them which also Tolet. insinuateth li. 5. cit c. 4. And thus much for Diuines As for the opinion of the Canonists say it is a mortall Sinne not to be confirmed Canonists in this matter thus writeth Armilla verb. Sacra The Sacrament of Baptisme Confirmation Cōmunion Penance and Extreme Vnction according to the Canonists as writeth Paludanus 4. sent d. 7. are necessarie that is vnder precept so that who can receiue them and will not doth Sinne mortally Thus wee see by the testimonie of Armilla and Paludanus what is the generall opinion of Canonists and by the Confession also of Sotus what is the generall opinion of Diuines In dubijs tutior pars est eligenda whose opinion it is securest to followe especially seeing there is so litle labour to receiue this Sacrament and so greate good gotten by it as shall hereafter appeare Moreouer sith as is before said all agree that not to receiue this Sacrament vppon contempt is a mortall Sinne how can hee who considereth the giuer the excellencie of the gifte the greate profit himselfe may reape thereby and also the greate need hee hath thereof especially in time of persecution bee not thought to contemne VVhence wee may gather a contempt the gifte and also such a giuer if hee receiue it not when hee may conueniently For if all would cōdemne him who refuseth a precious gift which a Prince hath at his greate cost prouided for him and which is both honorable profitable and needfull to him and no way incommodious what shall wee thinke of him who refuseth the Sacrament of Confirmation which Christ hath prouided for him at the price of his pretious blood which is most honorable to him before God and man most profitable to his Soule and no way painfull or troublesome for him to receiue And the like I say of the Eucharist and extreme Vnction If any obiect that if not to care to receiue a Sacramēt were to contemne it thē not Differēce beetweene Confirmation and Orders and Matrimonie to care to receiue the Sacr ent of Orders or of Matrimonie were to contemne them I aunsweare that Orders and Matrimonie were not instituted absolutely for all but for such as would but Confirmatiō Eucharist and Extreme Vnction were instituted absolutely for all Christians and without any reference to theire wills and Christ inuiteth all to these Sacraments but to the other two hee inuiteth onely those that will come And it is a farre different thing not to accept an absolute offer of a precious gifte or an absolute inuitation to a banquet then to refuse a conditionall offer or inuitation onely if one will Secondly euery one is not fitt for Orders or marriages no nor capable of them as women are not capable of Orders nor Eunuches of Marriage but euery one is both fitt ād capable to bee confirmed that is Christned Thirdly Orders and Matrimonie are not necessary necessitate medij ad bene esse or ad perfectionē Christiani as Confirmation is Fourthly Orders and Matrimonie bring with them some temporall difficulties or incommodities as Orders celibate or single life and Matrimonie the incumbrances of that State For which causes a mā may iustly bee presumed not to take them without any contempt but the like is not of Confirmation Eucharist or Extreme Vnction And therefore not to receiue these especially Confirmation beeing the complemēt of our Baptisme which wee haue already receiued in all our life when conueniently wee may may iustly bee termed a contempt And perhaps for this cause because Confirmation is the complemēt of our Baptisme and maketh vs compleate and perfect Christians our Sauiour called it Baptisme with VVhy Cōfirmation is called Baptisme the holy Ghost saying Act. 1. You shall bee baptized with the holy Ghost after few dayes And this necessitie of Cōfirmation which wee haue prooued by the Custome of Christs Church euen from her beginning by the testimonie of holy Fathers by the expresse Commaundement and Custome of our English Church and by the doctrine of Canonists and Reasons of the necessitie of Confirmation most of the Diuines wee may cōfirme by reason For seeing as saint Thomas saith it is Gods intention that wee should become compleate and perfect Christians and that wee cannot bee such but by Confirmation seeing by it is giuen vs strength and armour to resist the enemies of our faith in time of persecution and that it is temeritie to enter into a daūgerous Combat without Armour when wee may easily haue it seeing that Christ commaūded his Apostles not to depart out of Hierusalē till they had receiued the grace of this Sacrament seeing also that so greate commodities come to vs by this Sacramēt as wee shall she we hereafter and finally seeing that all would greately condemne him who at the time of death would not receiue extreme Vnction when cōueniently hee may how can wee not greatly condemne him who at least in time of persecutiō may receiue this Sacrament of Confirmation conueniently and yet will not seeing hee doth thereby frustrate the intention of God depriue himselfe of the complement or perfection of a Christian expose himselfe vnarmed to the darts of the Enemie aduenture more then Christ himselfe would haue his Apostles to