worthy of holier treatment than that now mentioned it will be the Eucharist for this they count more worthy than the rest and have it in such veneration as not only to worship Christ in it but to worship it even as Christ himself and therefore here if ever they will judge it requisite to shew themselves worshippers indeed Yet for all this what-ever worship of this Sacrament they count needful they conclude no true worship of Christ necessary no not so much as the least inward act of reverence devotion or honour for this is their common Doctrine (n) Praeter dispositionem gratiae habitualis nullam actualem requiri ex rigoroso praecepto ad dignam sumptionem bujus sacramenti it a ut illius omissio peccatum mortale sit In quo conveniunt omnes Theologi Et a fortiori patet ex eo quod supra diximus ad effectum hujus sacramenti nullam actualem dispositionem requiri Ibid. disp 66. Sect. 1. Those who seem to require some actual devotion yet count it but a venial fault to want it Alexander Antonin Sylvester Paludan Cajetan in Vasquez in 3. tom 3. disp 206. c. 1. Not only attention and devotion are accounted needless for Communicants but sobriety and the use of reason for they teach that not only young children and such as are half fools but also persons so frantick as it will be necessary to have them bound and those also who are possessed of the Devil and whom he has seized on for their enormous wickedness may partake of this Sacrament and have it duly administred to them and that even when they are blaspheming Jo. Sanc. disp 38. Imo licet arreptus quis sit a daemone ob mores depravatos quia viveret in lenocinio non minus talibus ministrare tenebitur parochus Eucharistiam n. 7. praeterea ministrare tenebitur parochus licet videat obsessum sive insanum blasphemantem n. 8. that besides the disposition of habitual Grace there is no precept so rigorous as to require any actual disposition for the worthy receiving of this Sacrament so as that the omission of it can be a mortal sin In this all their Divines agree so that any one may partake worthily of this Sacrament and be free of mortal guilt without any actual reverence or devotion any act of grace or holy affection while he is communicating This one Maxim wherein they all concur quite stifles the spirit of Christianity and bereaves it of its life and soul it leaves nothing that can honour or please Christ or be of any advantage to souls needful in any Christian duty For no good motion of mind or heart being needful in the celebrating of this Sacrament which requires it more they cannot imagine it necessary in any other duty of less consequence And the want hereof being but a venial fault there is no more necessity to have it than there is to avoid a venial sin which they make nothing of In this very case they hold that (o) Peccatum veniale actu concomitans sumptionem hujus sacramenti non impedit gratiae charitatis augmentum ita de Thom. Alensis Gabriel Adrian Soto Ledesma Victoria Corduba Concil Trident. sess 13. 7. Suar. ibid. disp 63. Sect. 3. a venial sin even in the act of communicating will not hinder the effect of the Sacrament Yea it may not be so much as a venial fault if the vagaries of the mind which exclude attention and reverence due to such a religious act (p) Excusabitur tamen homo ab hujusmodi culpa veniali si fortasse ex naturali tantum distractione hujusmodi attentionem omittat ibid. disp 66. Sect. 1. be natural But will it not be more than so slight a fault voluntarily to abandon every good motion in the celebrating of this Sacrament No to decline every good act of mind or heart and that voluntarily it can be no worse (q) Talis culpa scil voluntaria carentia actualis dispositionis non est mortalis secluso contemptu ex omnium sententia ibid. disp 63. Sect. 3. if it be without contempt it will be no mortal fault that also in the judgment of all their Divines But though there be not any good disposition in the soul towards Christ in partaking of his Supper yet is it not necessary that vile and wicked dispositions should be excluded No there is no more need of this than the other The mind and the heart may actually entertain such as are sinful without any more danger than it rejects those that are good It is but a slight fault (r) Dicendum videtur si peccatum veniale sit aliquando circumstantia ipsius actus communicandi peccatum esse veniale sic communicare v. g. si quis communicat propter ostentationem seu vanam gloriam vel certe si actu sit in ipso peccato veniali ut in vana aliqua cogitatione aut delectatione ea ratione accedat distractus sine debita attentione devotione ibid. disp 66. Sect. 1. Ostentation and vain-glory are here counted venial faults because they are directly opposite to the act of communicating and so is outward irreverence vain prating and gestures inconsistent with modesty while they are at the Sacrament for the same reason But other sins not so opposite to the act as studying a lye or revenge or detraction or uncleanness or any the like in venial degrees while they are communicating though the distraction there be voluntary and all holy fervour be thereby hindred are no faults at all in reference to the Sacrament Jo. Sanc. disp 23. alledging for it Scotus Richardus de St. Vict. Maior Adrian Margarita Casuum Soto Marcella Ledesma Vivaldus Coriolanus and divers others n. 20. 21. to communicate out of ostentation and vain glory and so to nourish pride while he should be feeding upon Christ and to design his own honour without any act of reverence for Christ he may let his thoughts run out upon vanity or entertain his soul with vain delights without the least motion of love or delight or desire for Christ without the least act of Faith in him and may be pleasing himself with sin in stead of grieving for it when he hath the greatest advantage to look upon him whom he hath pierced And all this he may do without any guilt that need be repented of or regarded This is all the worship and honour that it is needful their souls should give to Christ even in the Sacrament of his body and blood who will have others cursed to hell and burnt before-hand for not giving divine worship to a Wafer But this is not all their Church will be satisfied with greater indignity offered to Christ than this for they teach that those who communicate unworthily to such a degree as they count sacriledge and that so hainous as they question whether it be not as tolerable to cast that which they count their God to be devoured by dogs or throw
difference between the terms of their distinction but appropriate both to God And the people make no difference in their practice as is confessed but Worship Saints and so their Reliques even as they Worship God And their Teachers and learned writers incourage them to give that to Reliques which is Divine Worship indeed viz. To put their trust in them to swear by them to bring them oblations to burn incense and pray to them So they are taught to give them the thing which is confessed to be Divine Worship only they will not give it the name for though they be real Idolaters yet it is not convenient to be called so Nor is this all there are a world of Reliques to which they will have thing and name given even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresly For it is their common Doctrine (*) De fide esse adorandum signum crucis adoratione latriae sicut adorantur spinae lanciae clavi praesepe aliae reliquiae quae Christum tetigerunt ita S. Thou alij communiter Bonacin tom 2. disp 3. q. 1. punct 3. r. 6. That the Reliques of Christ are to have the same Worship with Christ himself And under the notion of these Reliques they take in as of the Saints also not only the parts of his body but all that belonged to him yea all that touched him or was touched by him Accordingly Aquinas whose Doctrine is highly approved not only by all the Jesuits but in a manner by all their Vniversities n Possevin Biblioth Select l. 1. c. 10. teaches (o) Crux Christi propter membrorum Christi contactum latria adoranda est Dicendum quod quantum ad rationem contactus membrorum Christi adoramus non solum cruâ—em sed etiam omnia quae sunt Christi par 3. q. 25. art 4. that not only the Cross is to have Divine Worship because it touched Christ but all things else that belong to Christ by vertue of this contact and Damascen whom he quotes will have all things near (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orthod sid l. 4. c. 12. to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipped on that account 'T is true they distinguish here some things touched him innocently others injuriously Waldensis seemed loath to grant these latter should be Worshipped lest he should be brought to adore the lips that betrayed him or the hands that buffeted him but he is run down by the stream both of their Doctrine and practice For the things which they worship especially and will have worshipped as Christ himself are the instruments of his sufferings The knife wherewith he was circumcised the Pillar at which he was scourged the cord wherewith he was bound the 28. steps of white marble up which he was led in his passion to Pilate's house the purple Robe and the white one too which he wore in derision the Keys and stones of the Sepulcher the Spunge the Reed the Vinegar the Crown of Thorns the Launce the Nails and which may serve for all the Cross which is never the less for the loss of so many pieces as are Ten thousand times more than the whole all these and who can tell how many more though they ministred to his pain or reproach in his passion have Divine worship But the things which they will have worshipped for the innocent contact might suffice being numerous beyond account To wave the rest Damascen whom Aquinas followes of this sort reckons not only his Clothes and Tabernacles the Cave the Manger and Sepulcher but also Golgotha and Sion (q) Golgotha Zion fimilia ibid. and the like VVherein may be included Galilee Samaria Judea and Egypt the Earth where he trod in every place being if not deified yet sanctified by such contact There is a divine vertue therein sayes (r) Vid. Spondan An. 34. n. 41. Baronius and they were wont to bring Earth from those parts for the working of Miracles And amongst the Reliques at Venice they had a stone translated from Chio thither whereon 't is said he (s) Platin vit Caelestin 2. sat at Tyre The water also of the River Jordan at least after it comes to the place where he was Baptized and there that was taken up they say (t) Gent. 11. p. 305. Chronic. Cassinen ibi which is inshrined at Cessino And why not the air too when it comes to any place where ever it touch'd him that so every Element might furnish them with objects of Divine worship and they might have no need to content themselves with such petty Idols as the Heathen had but have them in such extent and largeness as is proportionable to the vast improvement of this kind of Devotion in the Church of Rome Moreover by vertue of this Contact not only things but persons are capable of Divine worship and such as touched Christ may be thus worshipped The blessed Virgin in the first place Cajetan declares (u) Cajetanus Cessante scandalo periculo fatetur posse B. Virginem adorari adoratione latriae ratione solius contactus Alij vero recentiores Theologi non solum ratione contactus existimant adorari posse adoratione latriae sed etiam ratione maternitatis propter sanguinis conjunctionem Vasq ibid. l. 1. disp 8. c. 1. n. 195. 196. that in secret where it can be done without scandal and danger she may have Divine worship on this account and tells us this is the sense of Aquinas Later writers determine that she may be so worshipped as Christ himself either upon the account of Contact or Consanguinity Upon the same ground Simeon may have Divine honour for he once imbraced Christ and Joseph his foster Father for he had him oftner in his arms which their Church has taken notice of in a prayer on his holy-day (x) Sicut B. Joseph unigenitum tuum suis manibus reverenter tractare meruit portaâ—… The Apostles and Seventy Disciples did probably sometimes touch him and so by the same reason may have the same worship with their Lord. And no wonder seeing they tell us the lips of Judas (y) Idem ibid. l. 3. disp 2. c. 6. n. 76. vid. infra for but touching him with a treacherous kiss may be thus worshipped The woman also with the bloody issue and those many of the multitude that pressed him Luk. 8. 45. Mary Magdalen especially she has double honour seeing they worship more bodies than one for hers But this is common and they had need of a prodigious faith to believe if any of them believe that the things they worship are not counterfeit since the most of them may be convicted of imposture even by their own practice and approved writings They must either believe themselves deluded or believe that one person had more bodies and one body more heads than one yea more than two or three Many of their most eminent Saints are thus turned into Monsters but I instance only in those who may challenge
They are a Church in the mean time that worthily profess godliness since nothing is done or needs be done by them even in the worship of God for him so much as for themselves and indeed Sylvester deals ingenuously when he tells us plainly without the cover of any pittiful shift (e) Licitum est etiam aliquid operari principaliter propter propriam uâ—ilitatem Sum. v. charitas n. 5. and that of Navar is plain enough diximus quod falsum est esse mortale facere ordinata ad cultum principaliter ob bona temporalia cap. 23. n. 14. p. 555. c. 13. n. 14. Solet circa hanc voluntatem inquiri an debeat esse honesta specialiter an voluntas confitendi propter humanum motivum scilicet inanem gloriam vel commodum temporale sufficiat ad valorem Sacramenti nam in caeteris Sacramentis certum est sufficere in hoc affirmant Soto dist 18. q. 3. art 3. Navar. c. 21. n. 40. Negant enim illam voluntatem ex illo fine esse peccatum mortale sed veniale tantum quod non repugnat valori Sacramenti Quae sententia per se loquendo vera mihi videtur Suarez tom 4. disp 20. sect 3. n. 4. p. 273. that it is no sin to serve God principally for their own profit Moreover and yet worse They teach it is no sin to worship God for an end that is in it self a sin if it be not principally intended it is lawful by their doctrine to Preach to Pray say Mass c. for praise of men though Christ will have those that design'd it as (f) Sum. v. praedicat p. 480. Cajetane notes even when he is excusing this to have no better reward or for vain glory though they reckon this amongst (a) Aquinas 22. q. 132 art 1. in eo Gregorius 31. Moral numerat inanem gloriam inter 7. vitia Capitalia ibid. art 4. capital crimes only he must not make so wicked a thing his chief end and then he is innocent enough though sin against God be his design in worshipping him b Nullum autem peccatum immo meritum est facere illa viz concionare missam celebrare precari id genus alia principaliter propter Deum secundario propter vanam gloriam vel laudem humanam in finem aptum relatum per ibi dicta post S. Thomam c. 23. n. 13. It is no sin yea it is meritorious to do these things viz. to Preach and say Mass and to do other things of like nature principally for God and secondarily for vain glory and praise of men aptly directed as our end Thus Navarre determins after their great Saint and Doctor Aquinas Now he had taught us before that these acts of worship are but done secondarily and so unlawfully for these criminal ends when they so much sway a man as that he would not worship God unless he were excited by them and that vain glory is not his principal end even when he is so much influenced thereby as that he would not Pray or Preach c. if this were not his motive this in the judgment of others as he acknowledgeth is to make sin his principal end and to advance wickedness above God even when he pretends to worship him But let us not interrupt this great Doctor in his way it is soul enough as himself makes it for hereby a man may serve God and that meritoriously after the Roman mode though he never would let him have an act of worship if pride and vain glory did not set him a-work He would never Pray or Preach c. if he were not more moved to it by sin and out of regard to some wickedness than out of respect to God Further yet They hold it is but a venial fault to worship God principally for vain glory and other designes of like quality c Ex quo infert quod mortale est praedicare aut missam celebrare hujusmodi propter inanem gloriam quod verum est solum ut dicit S. Thom. Si in ea ponatur ultimus finis ita quod ipsa intenditur principaliter actu habitu secus si actu tantum ut iste intendit Sum. v. vana gloria n. 2. Aquinas as he is represented by Sylvester determining that it is no mortal sin to serve God principally for vain glory if that be ones chief end actually only and not both habitually and actually d Ex quibus patet quod Sum. Ang. contra S. Thom. veritatem dicit quod est mortale quando ea quae ordinata sunt ad Dei gloriam facit ad gloriam suam ut Sacramenta Scripturae Sacrae ibid. Sylvester declares it as his own perswasion that it is both against Aquinas and the Truth to hold it is a mortal sin when those things which are ordained for the glory of God are used principally for a mans own glory He instances in the Sacraments saying Mass the Scriptures and Preaching (a) Veniale autem si vane propter gloriam aut spem quaestuariae eleemosynae praedicaretur receperunt enim mercedem suam Sum. v. praedicat p. 480. Cardinal Cajetan declares himself thus in one instant which involves the rest It is but venial to Preach for vain glory or hopes of a gainful almes signifying that he means such vain glory as Christ condemned in the Pharisees when he told them this was like to be their reward (b) Peccat qui res principaliter institutas ob honorem Dei cultum ejus salutem animarum principalius vel aeque principaliter ob vanam gloriam facit quale est concionari missam celebrare precari id genus alia secundum Abulensem Angelum quod post 〈◊〉 efficaciter confutavimus dicentes esse solum veniale c. 34. n. 13. p. 554. Dicendum est intentionem bonam simpliciter non esse de substantia orationis vocalis Itaque si quis habet intentionem orandi exilla proferet ve ba de se sufficientia ad orandum consentanea laudi vel reverentiae divinae licet hoc faciat ex intentione laudis humanae vel alicujus commodi temporalis in illud principaliter intuendo vere orat quamvis non bene orat Haec est communis sententia Talis oratio est sufficiens ad implendum praeceptum ecclesiasticum recitandi horas ut omnes fatentur Suar. de orat l. 3. cap. 3. n. 5. Navarre affirmes that to Preach or say Mass or Pray and such things as are instituted for the Honour and Worship of God and the Salvation of Souls for vain glory principally or more than principally is but a venial fault and that such as gain-say this who are but two have been confuted by others and by himself after them These are the chief of their Doctors whom the rest commonly follow and none of them Jesuits who unanimously assert this Now it is not necessary with them for any man
to avoyd a venial sin since by their doctrine a world of them can never damn a man and therefore it is not necessary for any Papist to worship God otherwise than principally for vain glory or ends equally criminal i. e. it is not needful for them to worship him at all for no man can imagine that he is worshipped when he is in the highest degree dishonoured and affronted and what greater affront can be put upon him than under a pretence of worship to debase the great God and thrust him lower in our designs not only than our selves and earthly trifles but lower than sin the vilest thing on Earth yea or in Hell and this is evidently done when vain glory a capital sin hath the preheminence of God in addresses to him and is regarded as principal when the Lord of Heaven and earth hath no regard at all or only in a lower place It is not worshipping of God but a horrid impiety for men to serve themselves instead of God but more intolerably impious to worship sin and that hath the worship and is honoured in the place of God which hath the highest advancement and is principal in Religious addresses yet no better than this is all the worship which by the Roman Doctrine is necessary from their Catholicks In short whereas by their Doctrine of non-attention formerly exaamined it is so evident that they discharge themselves from all real worship as they have no colour to hide it no shift to evade it but a supposal of some praevious intention to serve God when they are addressing themselves to their service this their last reserve they themselves ruine by their Doctrine concerning the end of worship For they teach besides what is premised that a man who comes to Masse or Divine service with a purpose not to worship God but to serve his Lusts doth satisfie the Precept (a) Praeceptum audiendi missam non obligat nisi taliter audire ut sit actus humanus qualis esse potest etiamsi aliud simul ad sit sinistrum propositum de just jur l. 10. q. 5. art 5. We are not obliged saith Soto to hear Masse but only so that it may be a humane act which it may be though there be a sinister intention in it Yea though the thing intended be a sin and that highly criminal for he adds (b) Quod si quis attente oret quamvis id faciat adjunctam habens vanam gloriam imo quamvis simul habeat propositum aliud mortale satisfaciet praecepto quantum ad substantiam ita ut non teneatur officium iterare Ibid. if one attend prayer though he do it for vain glory that is a small matter to stick at yea though it be with a purpose mortally wicked yet he fulfills the precept substantially Such are the commands of the Church of Rome for her most Sacred worship they may be fully satisfied by deadly wickedness there needs no purity of heart or hand for her Devotions a design damnably evil will serve the turn c Non tamen est tenendum illud S. Antonini scilicet eum qui ecclesiam a lit princiâ—… liter ad videndum aut alloquendum faeminam pulchram aut ob aliud quodvis illiâ—iâ—… non satisfacere huic praecepto cap. 21. n. 7. with him concurs Medina Addendum 〈◊〉 est pravam intentionem adjunctam voluntati audiendi missam non esse contrariam impletioni hujus praecepti Itaque quamvis quis eat ad ecclesiam ex libidinosa intentione videndi faeminam vel etiamsi officio missae cum eadem intentione assâ—stat tamen si non excludat voluntatem implendi hoc praeceptum sufficientur sit attentus implet illud It a Medina in Suarez tom 3. desp 88. Sect. 3. That of Antoninus saith Navarre is not to be maintained that he doth not satisfie the precept who comes to Church principally to look on a handsome Woman or to talk with her or for any other sinful thing If a man in going to Masse designs to satisfie his curiosity or his lust or any thing else which is wicked that Church is so good natur'd she will be satisfied with it and think her precept for worship well observed and you must believe if you can that the is a good Christian-Church that will have Christ worshipped at this rate He adds reason for it a (d) Potest quis malo fine ecclesiam adire bene in ea missam audire Ibid. p. 469. man may come to Church for a wicked end and yet hear Masse well enough there (*) Qui ecclesiam adit causa videndi vel etiam concupiscendi libidinose faeminas satisfacit De legib Disp 1. q. 1. p. 9. n. 1. Bonacina instances in several sorts of wickedness whereby the command for worship may be fulfilled This is one amongst the rest if a man go to Church on purpose to gaze on or to lust after Women lecherously he satisfies the precept and for the general Rule vouches not only Sotus Navar Medina and others of greatest Reputation in their Church but also their Angelical Saint Thomas I need not censure these things let those that are impartial consider the premises and see if this be not their sense that the people in the Papacy by its order do not or are not obliged to give God any real worship in publick and by their leaders are taught and encouraged instead of worship to present him with grosse wickedness If the measures of Religion may be best taken by its worship what can any indifferent person judge of Popery where a service so palpably irreligious is the best and the most excellent worship they have if this were duely considered I think it alone might be sufficient to reduce those that are deluded and to secure those against Temptations who are not yet ensnared Sect. 4. There is another publick exercise which Christ makes as necessary as any Evangelical service what-ever and that is Preaching and hearing the word of God But the Romanists are not of his mind in this (e) Cum missa sit sub praecepto non praedicatio Sum. v. Domin n. 8. Audire missam est in praecepto audire autem concionem non ita Suar. 13. tom 3. disp 88. Sect. 1. vid. v. 2. defess The Masse is commanded but not Preaching saith Sylvester and he one of the order of Predicants Accordingly hearing Masse is commanded but hearing Sermons is only matter of Advice saith (f) Audire praedicationem in festis non est de praecepto simpliciter patet per praedicta ac etiam nullo jure cavetur sed solum de missa Sum. Rosell Dominic n. 4. another which may be neglected without imputation of sin and if observed is an act of Supererogation They conclude it no duty in such circumstances where it would be counted necessary if ever it is no duty on the Lords day (g) Jac. de Graff l. 2. c. 33. n. 8. 16. Sotus
yield to such as make all the resistance they can (d) Vel etiam si faciant injuriam Sacramento ut mingendo in aquam vel hujusmodi et e Si vero usum rationis nunquam habuit Baptizatur in intentione parentum c. n 10. Si Baptizetur infidelis non quia credat sed ut sanetur vel careat foetere aut vexatione diabolica aut propter quaestum ut faciunt crebro Judaei and offer foul injury to the Sacrament and defile the water to those who receive it not for the purpose for which it is intended but for quite e Si vero usum rationis nunquam habuit Baptizatur in intentione parentum c. other ends than ever it was designed for yea to those that are Frantick and never had the use of Reason or are (f) Si autem usum rationis habuit aliquando sed non quando baptizatur propter phrenesim vel amentiam vel dormitionem hujusmodi requiritur intentio quae praesuerit tempore usus rationis n. 3. stark madd and that in the height of their madness to those also (g) Dicit de dormientibus quod ratione pericult baptizari possunt si prius in iis apparuit voluntas baptismi sicut de amentibus dictum est that are fast a sleep if they had a mind to it when they were waking Since they think it duely administred to such as these they cannot count any worship necessary herein upon the account of the partakers but what such as these now mentioned may offer Sect. 6. For fuller and more particular satisfaction it is observable that they divide their Sacraments into some for the Dead and some for the Living those for the Dead are Baptism and Pennance As to these two some count no disposition requisite (h) Scotus quem sequitur Sylvester sum v. confess 1. n. 24. but only a willingness to receive them Others who would seem to be more severe count Attrition sufficient which is a slender dislike of sin not as it is an offence to God but out of some other consideration Humane Natural or Servile And the lowest degree of this possible and that dispatch't in a moment and this moment need not be while they are at these Sacraments but either (i) Suar. tom 4. disp 20. Sect. 4. n. 29. Sylvester ibid. before or after Their Penitents (*) Judicandum non erit dolore carere ob risum potuit enim domi de illis dolere postea ad Sacramentum accedens actualem poenitentiam non adducere At ad valorem fructum percipiendum Sacramenti confessionis non requiri actualem dolorem sed virtualem sufficere veram esse sententiam quis dubitet Jo. Sancius select disp 31. n. 8. may make their Confession with laughter instead of grief yet have as much grief at their Sacrament of Pennance as they require this is past doubt with them So that it is their common Doctrine that no good act or motion at all no not so little and low as that of Attrition much less any ingenuous Reverence or Devotion any act of grace or holy affection is needful while they are at the Sacrament either of Baptism or their Pennance The Sacraments of the living are their other five Confirmation Orders Matrimony extreme Vnction and the Eucharist these they say were instituted for the increase of Grace this is their proper effect and that they may have their effect there is not requisite in the partakers any actual disposition at all not the least inward act or motion that is good no not so little as that of attrition which in their account is of all others (k) Est minima imperfectissima dispositio quae in ordine supernaturali requiri potest the least and lowest disposition And well may they count it so since the best sort of it with them is but the issue of servile fear which as such is below the least degree of moral goodness and so far from being supernaturally good that it is morally evil as we shall see hereafter All that is needful is only that the partakers be in a state of Grace such as a Priest may put a sinner into who is impenitent and never truly contrite though he shew it not by any act in the Sacraments where if ever it should appear (l) Ut Sacramenta conferant augmentum gratiae solum requirunt habitualem gratiae dispositionem id est quod in statu gratiae recipiantur Haec est sententia D. Thom. Scoti aliorum in Suar. tom 3. disp 7. Sect. 4. All that is required to put them into this state and free them from conscience of mortal sin and so to give them all the disposition necessary for the Eucharist and so for the other Sacraments is their ritual confession yet even this they may neglect lawfully or without any great fault as divers amongst them and those Dominicans determine Cajetan sum v. communio Fumus v. Paludanus Sylvester in Ledesma de Eucharist C. 11. Jo. de la Cruz de Eucharist q. 5. concl 2. That the Sacraments may confer an increase of Grace they only require an habitual disposition i. e. that they be received in the state of Grace this is the judgment of Aquinas and Scotus whom the rest generally follow So that to partake worthily of these Sacraments no actual disposition no act of reverence or devotion not any inward motion such as should be in true worshippers is more required or expected than in the sensless Statues which they idolize Their souls need act or move no more as worshippers of God herein than if they were neither Christians nor men than if they were so far from having grace as to have no souls Yea these Sacraments may be valid and duly celebrated as their Church requires they should be while the partakers are not only void of all good motion towards God but while their souls are in motion against him and all that is divine and sacred Their minds and hearts may during the celebration be taken up with acts not only of folly and vanity but of pride or lusts or revenge or infidelity or atheism or what is most contrary to the most holy God and his worship and yet partake as well as the Church requires (m) Praeceptum adimpleri potest peractum ex aliqua circumstantia malum it a S. Thom. Medina Navar alii in Bonac supra Nam alia praecepta tum sacramentorum tum in aliis materiis impleri possunt per actum pâ—ccâ—minosum Suar. ibid. disp 70. Sect. 3. after Corduba Soto Covarruvius whether it be less or more wicked is all one disp 88. Sect. 3. For the precepts of their Church concerning the administring of the Sacraments and all other things by her enjoyned may be intirely satisfied by acts of wickedness So notoriously holy is that Church by the report of their chief Writers Sect. 7. If they count any of their Sacraments more
still confirming themselves and others in that confidence by Miracles (u) Vid. Spondan an 1088. n. 1. too Whereby the world may judge of their Miracles for since God works none upon such occasions to be sure not for the confirming of contradictions these must be the fictions of cheating Knaves or the feats and illusions of Sathan And some of themselves (x) Aliquando maximam deceptionem fieri in Ecclesia per miracula ficta a sacerdotibus Nic. Lyran. in cap. 14. Daniel Cassander consult c. de reliquijs infra Vincentius l. 26. cap. 21. dicit suisse quosdam qui quaestus gratia per magiam haec miracula fiâ—… aperte contestati sunt confess that multitudes of them are no better as to their original Indeed they make such use of their Miracles that it is enough to blast the credit of a thing to have a Miracle alledged by them for it since it is their common practice to confirm one lye with another and the confirmation is more intolerable than the first fiction because they will have the Divine power interposed thereby to delude the world Not to digress further they tell us of the Oyl (y) Spondan an 598. n. 4. an 633. n. 1. or Liquor which drops from the knotts of the true Cross No wonder if this be thought worthy of no less worship than the rest since they ascribe to it a divine power Besides many marvellous feats it can cast out Devils for it must be of no less Vertue than the Oyl of the Sepulchre of St. Martin which duely administred to a man possessed gave him such a purge (z) Gregor Turon de glor Confess cap. 9. Daemonem per fluxum ventris egessit that he squirted out a foul Fiend behind and voided the Devil for a Stool In short that the Cross it self should have divine worship is their (a) Aquinas 3. q. 25. art 4. asserimus cum sententia communiori in Scholis magis trita crucem colendam esse latria hoc est cultu divino c. Gretser l. 1. c. 49. Est de fide Bonacin supra common doctrine this at first was no more than one man might well bear but by the good Houswifery of that Church who scruples no Cheats in this sacred traffick it is retailed out for worship in so many pieces that together would sink a Ship of a good burden (b) Fragmentula ligni crutis tam multa ut si in acervum redigant vix vel navis oneraria vâ—…aâ— Erasm Annot. in Math. c. 23. so that there are many many Cart loads of Roman gods which are really no better than common chips In all this there is not any one bit which they can upon good ground believe to be part of the true Cross They cannot be more confident of any than that piece which with Pilates inscription on it they say is reserved and worshipped at Rome but that is detected to be a counterfeit by Baronius (c) Baron an 16. n. 8. his own words for he says that on the true Cross the Latin inscription was first and so the Greek next and the Hebrew last and confirms it by no less Authority than that of a Pope Nicholas 1. whereas in that piece at Rome the Hebrew is first and the Latin last By this we may judge of the slorys concerning the invention of the Cross by Helena This now mentioned was a considerable piece of the discovery nor would the Cardinal himself have us believe that what is said to be sent to Constantinople or reserved at Jerusalem were more real parts of the true Cross than that at Rome However true or false here 's enough one would think to glut the most ravenous devotion of any Aegyptian But when they will have this worship given to the Images of the Cross (d) Vid. Gretsor ubi supra Utraque crux adoratur adoratione latriae Bonacin ibid. in any matter whatsoever or immaterial either they give warranty to turn all things in the world into Idols any sticks or straws yea a mans own fingers laid a-cross may be worshipped by him or let him but move one finger a-cross in Water or Oyl or the Air any where and instantly he has of his own creating what he may worship as God For those reliques to which they give divine worship under another name they are yet more numerous So that upon the whole if the Philistines had worshipped not only (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by 70 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the god of flies but the flies themselves too they would scarce have out-vied these in numbers The Idolatrous Israelites who worshipped the Host of Heaven had a fair company of Idols but the Aegyptians might have more who could sow gods in their Gardens and make them spring up on their back-sides but both put together would come short of the Romanists herein both for number and quality though they of Aegypt became the scorn of the world for the vileness of what they religiously worshipped How they came by so many when for three hundred years after Christ we hear of none we have an account from their own Authors (f) Avaritiae causa ad simplicem populum illiciendum falsae reliquiae supponebantur fâ—cta praedicabantur miracula nonnunquam autem astu illusione Daemonis hominum superstitione abutentis per insomnia visa novae reliquiae revelabantur ejusdem operatione miracula edi videbantur Consult c. de reliquijs out of Covetousness says their Learned and Ingenuous Cassander False reliques were daily forged feigned Miracles were published Superstition thereby nourished and sometimes by the illusion of the Devil new reliques were revived So that in brief to use the language of their own Author the Devil help'd their Church to some of them and covetous Knaves to others This stuff might be had cheap and sold very dear this incouraged many to take up the trade and Monks are noted as prime Merchants for this traffick They were such who in Austin's time (g) Augustin de opere Monach. c. 28. tam multos hypocritas sub habitu monachorum usau quaque dispersit Satun alij membra martyrum si tamen martyrum venditant being imployed as he says by Sathan whose Factors they were and for whom the trade was driven sold the members of Martyrs or what they pretended to be so He was of the same profession (h) Gregor Turon hist Franc. l. 9. c. 6. who declared he came out of Spain into France with reliques which being looked into proved to be roots of Trees the teeth of Moles the bones of Mice and the claws and fat of Bears And they were Monks who as the same Author tells us were found at Rome near Paul's Church digging up bodies and confessed their design was to make reliques of them As for him whom Glaber speaks of (i) Vid. Spondan an 1027. n. 3. who furnished France with innumerable reliques
the Eucharist it self without any actual disposition suitable to the nature of the duties without any good motion in mind or heart without any inward Attention Reverence or Devotion without any act of Faith Fear Love Desire or any other Grace or holy Affection though the want of these be voluntary is but a Venial fault It is no worse not only to make base and earthly things the end why we worship God but to make that which is a sin our design in any part of his Service yea to propose it as the chief and principal end why we worship him Though this be no less than to prefer sin and the pleasure of the Devil before God and his honour (a) Si est aliquis dispositus actualiter facere aliquod maleficium ut aliud destruat possum illo uti ad honum meum Petr. Aurcolus in 4. dist 34. q. 2. Angelus sum v. superstit n. 13. To make use of a Witch to dissolve some witchcraft is scarce so much as a Venial sin And so to use the Devils assistance instead of Gods and employ others disposed thereto to act as Witches and to practice with the Prince of darkness by a deputy in Diabolical Arts is not unlawful To deal with the Devil for to get some knowledg by him or obtain other things of him by such converse is but a Venial fault for Example (b) Si autem exorcizator imperet daemoni ut dicat curiosa et nihil ad expulsionem facientia non quia illi credat sed quadam levitate et curiositate ductus est peccatum grave licet illud non videatur mortale Silvest sum v. adjurat n. 3. Graff l. 2. c. 7. n. 4. Sotus de just et jur l. 8. q. 3. art 2. Cajetan Navar. in Suar. l. 4. de Adjurat cap. 2. n. 9. If an Exorcist require the Devil to satisfie him in some curious questions such as tend nothing to the expessing of him if he believe him not but does it out of lightness and curiosity he offends but venially To use (c) Si adjuratio fiat ad Deum vel homines vel Angelos vel Daemones aut irrationabilia leviter i. e. sine reverentia divini nominis aut necessitate modo septimo videtur veniale sicut et juratio levis Sylvest ibid. n. 5. adjurations to God or Man or Angels or Devils or irrational Creatures lightly without reverence of the Name of God or any necessity is but a slight fault SECT II. BY vertue of their Doctrine concerning Venial sins they have formed Rules to encourage men in the practice and constant use of all sorts of prophane and wicked Oaths They (d) Vid. Bonaventur 3 dist 19. art 2. Angelus sum v. Jurament 3. n. 8. acknowledg that the Oath is sinful unless it be made in truth and judgment and righteousness when that which is sworn is not true or not just and righteous or not with Reverence and Discretion yet they teach it is but a Venial fault to swear without (e) Veniale est regulariter dum deest judicium vel reverentia Lopez cap. 42. p. 225. Veniale vero cum non deest nisi judicium sive reverentia vel justitia levis Navar. cap. 12. n. 3. Juramentum assertorium cui deest tantum justitia quatenus contra religionem est regulariter est veniale Est affertio communis facilis Suar. de Juram l. 3. c. 12. n. 7. reverence or discretion or without righteousness also if that be not much So that though Swearing be an Act as they tell us of Gods Worship wherein Divine Honour is given to him whom we swear by yet this may be done without reverence and discretion as the rest of their Worship is and God may be solemnly called to witness that the man intends to sin against him if it be not much and this without any great fault (f) Malus jurandi habitus non est mortale peccatum quia non est actus Victorel ad Tol. l. 4. c. 22. p. 681. Praecepta non dantur de habitibus Aquinas 22. q. 31. art 4. Vid. Suares de Juram l. 3. c. 6. n. 1. A habit of Swearing thus or worse is no sin for habits of what wickedness soever are not forbidden to use this habit (g) Utrum jurans sine judicio discretionis peccet inortaliter sicut faciunt illi qui in quolibet verbo jurant Si jurat verum sic non erit mortale peccatum Angel sum v. Juram 3. n. 10. Lopez in eo Jo. de la Pinna Metina cap. 42. p. 226 227. Cajetan sum v. praecept p. 475. frequently so as to swear Customarily almost at every word tertio quoque verbo unless he regard not at all whether he swear true or false yea though he regard not that as much as he ought is no more a fault So to swear (h) Qui in re levissima atque inani jurant sive etiam frequenter et absque necessaria causa sicut ementes vendentes saepe facere novimus peccant quidem sed venialiter lantum si veritas non desuerit Graff l. 2. cap. 15. n. 5. Sotus ibid. l. 8. q. 2. art 3. Sylvest ibid. v. juram 2. n. 8. secundum oâ—nes doctores out of lightness and vanity upon any the slightest occasion without any advantage or the least necessity is as innocent a practice according to all their Doctors Juramentum assertorium cui inest vertas sufficienter cogitata cognita solumque illi deest necessitas vel utilitas nunquam est in individuo peccatum mortale dummodo absit contemptus Assertio est communis omnium theologorum summistarum Suar. l. 3. de juram c. 12. n. 3. And the common practice of their Catholicks is correspondent to these conscientious Rules You can scarce find any one says (i) De justit jur Ibid. p. 270. Non tamen peccat mortaliter qui non conatur ijusmodi consuetudinem eve ere eo quod ipsa non est occasio nisi labendi in veniala Pet. a S. Joseph de 2. praecept art 1. p. 85. approved by the Doctors of Paris Soto who will either begin or end the least discourse without an Oath for they use Oaths for Ornaments of speech at every word But should they not at least endeavour to leave this Custom of Swearing No never to endeavour it is but a small fault Although says one of their most approved Casuists he sins venially who swears true without any necessity and so the custom of swearing be evil and peruicious yet be sins not mortally who labours not to break off that Custom because it is but an occasion of falling into venial faults Hereby they have encouragement not only to accustom themselves to this impious practice wherein so much prosaneness irreverence and contempt of God is expressed but also never to give it over yea never to endeavour it And the reason whereby they warrant this reaches all the