PARDONS 1 What is the grounde and foundation of Pardons FIrst we must heere call to mind that which hath bin shewed aboue out of Scriptures Fathers See pag. 209 that sinnes committed after Baptisme although in respect of the fault and disgrace of God guilt of euerlasting paine and damnation they bee fully remitted through the merits onlie of Christs Passion in the Sacrament of Penance doe notwithstanding leaue most ordinarily behind them if the contrition be not the greater a debt of Temporall punishment And that by such Temporall punishement satisfaction is to be made vnto Gods Iustice either in this worlde by workes of Penance enioined in the Sacrament or voluntarily vndertaken or in the other life in the fire of Purgatory See pag. 218 Nowe therefore as Almighty God hath lefte in his Church autority and iurisdiction to binde such Penitentes as haue recourse to the Sacramente for helpe vnto a conuenient satisfaction aunswerable to his diuine Iustice and decree so likewise hee beeing alwaies more prone to Mercy than to Iustice his grace superabounding wher sinne aboundeth Rom. 5 10. It necessarily followeth that he hath giuen as great a power to his Pastours in the one as in the other therefore as they may impose so they may release Penance as they are executioners of his Iustice to punishe so they are also dispensours of his mercie to remitte and pardon Finally as the power of his Mat. 16 19. Keies doe extend to bind so they doe also extend to loose whatsoeuer is bound or loosed in heauen which shall be more largely shewed hereafter 2 What is an Indulgence or Pardon Than may we hereby plainely see what is an Indulgence or Pardon which beeing wel vnderstoode duely considered we shall not need any long discourse for the proofe and defence of the same An Indulgence therefore or Pardon is the remission of the Temporall punishemente due vnto sinne already forgeuen graunted by the Pastours of the Church for iust and conuenient cause vnto him which is in Gods grace fauour Hence it followeth that whosoeuer will be partaker of an Indulgence graunted first he must be in grace then performe that which is in the graunt of the Indulgence required as Fasting or Praier or Almes And so he shall enioy the fruite thereof 3 How many things are necessary to obtaine a Pardon But if we will consider all the wholle chaine of thinges concurring and necessarily required in this matter we may the better conceiue the malitiouse slaunders and cauills of our aduersaries heerein First therfore he that will gaine an Indulgence must be hartely sory for his sinnes Secondly hee must haue a full and resolute purpose to amend his life and neuer to fall into any mortal sinne Thirdly he must make a diligent search of his conscience calling exactly to mind so farre as the frailtie of mans memory can reach all the particulars of his thoughts wordes deedes offensiue vnto God Fourthly he must humbly syncerely lay them open before the Priest who in Gods steed is to iudge thereof Fiftly he is to accept that Penance which is imposed vpon him And all this is so necessarie for remission of sinnes that if there want but one of them either sorrowe or purpose or due examination or pure Confession or fulfilling the Penance enioined or at the least in the three last a full intent to execute them in due time no man can obtaine the grace of God much lesse such Pardons as we speake of which are not nor can be imparted but to those onely which are in Gods blessed fauour Nowe if there happen any opportunity of Indulgence or remission of this Penance enioined or of that which by the auncient Canons of the Church or by Gods secrete most iust iudgement should in rigour bee inioined for ordinarily the Penance in our age enioined in Confession is not equall vnto that which the auncient Canons of the Church Gods own determination hath allotted than sixtly there is required the fulfilling of that worke vnto which the Indulgence is annexed And so if the partie which seeketh the Indulgence be still in grace and the cause proportionable to the Indulgence infallibly he receiueth the same And yet some Diuines doe vpon probable groundes affirme that he which will obtaine an Indulgence must besides all this of necessitie either haue accepted of his Ghostly-father or purposed to take vpon himselfe so greate penance as were in it selfe sufficient to satisfie for that paine which in the Indulgence is remitted or at the least that he must haue a generall purpose to satisfie Gods Iustice in this life by Godly workes and deuout labours and sufferings otherwise except the worke exacted in the Indulgence be equiualent to the paine remitted he shall not enioy the benefitte Their reason is for that he which hath not this minde as much as in himselfe lieth to procure his owne succours for his negligence coldenesse and slackenesse deserueth not helpe of others and it seemeth as they say that Christ his Saintes intended not to yeeld such vnnecessary helpe whereby negligence might be increased But this opinion is by others worthily reiected Who say that if the Penitent haue this full conditionall resolution to fulfill his enioined Penance in Confession if he cannot obtaine by Indulgence the remission therof whether his Penance were great or little then shall he not beeing a liuely member of CHRIST be depriued of the participation of the common treasure of his wholle body A Purpose of satisfaction very profitable for him which will receiue an Indulgence and consequently of such Indulgence Yet certaiâ— it iâ— that such actuall purpose of satisfying Gods Iustice by owne penall workes doth make a maâ— more apte â—o receiue the wholl Indulgence and encreaseth the value of the cause and Gods acceptation of the recompence which is made vnto him by such an Indulgence as wee will shewe hereâ—fter 4 A comparison betweene the Catholickes Pardons and the Protestants Pardons THis therefore being the course of all Catholicks in obtaining Pardon of sinnes let vs on the contrary side examine a little howe many of these things are to be found in the Protestants Pardons For that they haue Pardons yea plenary Indulgences also none can doubte who heareth euery day that they are cleansed purged from all sinne and sure to goe to Heauen so soone as they shall die For in very deede this is not only a full remission of all paines and punishmentes but also a most certaine assurance of that singular gifte of God which is perseuerance to the ende Which if the Catholicke could perswade himselfe so easelye to be gotten he would with S. Paul 1. Cor. 15 19. account himselfe the most wretched of all men whereas he should so toile and labour in infidelity for that which he ought to assure himselfe that already he possesseth But whereas they doe so malitiously and contemptuously obiect vnto vs the Popes Pardons giuing
sinnes more easily The POPE or Caluin The POPE requiring those sixe thinges which I spoke of before and the Protestants allowing scant one of them 5 How wickedly our pardōs are slaūdred FOr whereas they doe so wickedly slaunder the Pastours of the Church as if they did graunt Pardons to licence men to sinne to dispense therby in Gods commaundements it is a thing which neuer any CATHOLICKE did yeelde nor euer anie POPE did challenge to himselfe but alwaies acknowledged that euery simple Priest might to those which are his subiects remit the mortal sinnes themselues although not the temporall punishements thereof in as high and ample manner as hee himselfe he hauing no authority to remitte out of Sacramentes any one mortall sinne in the worlde Much-lesse to permitte it as lawefull Whereas God himselfe in such things cannot according to the Doctrine of Diuines dispense who being a Soueraigne goodnesse cannot be the author of sinne and as the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 2 12. Heb. 6 18. cannot deny himselfe Let them turne ouer al our Bookes our Schoolemen our Canonistes and Summistes and if they finde in anie one Author of credite that all the thinges aboue mentioned must not of necessitie concurre and so hath alwaies bene vnderstood in the practise of the Church after the maner by vs declared they shall recouer their creditte of true and honest dealing Let them looke vpon our Extrauagants or Bulles where Iubeleis or other Pardons are graunted and published and if they doe not there finde that Particle or clause expressed that they which will obtaine such Indulgence must be Vere Poenitentes truely penitent then let them freely without shame blaspheme the iurisdiction of the Church Yea they shall for the moste parte finde that actuall Confession is a thing expresly required Actuall Confession not alwaies necessary as one parcell of such thinges as are causes of the Indulgence and then is it impossible to obtaine such indulgence without Confession although at other times when Confession is not expresly mentioned it is not necessarie but onely to those whose conscience is burdened with mortall sinne who cannot in the new lawe obtaine iustification but by Confession either actual or in vow and desire For of such as are not in grace must that be vnderstood which we haue saide before when we spoke of sixe thinges necessary in an Indulgence otherwise if one be already in grace hee hath virtually those fiue first things needeth nothing but to doe that which is the cause of the Indulgence whether it be Confession or Receiuing or Almes or Fasting or any other such deuout action As for the Simony which they charge vs withall in these Pardons No Simony in Pardons wee neither buy nor sell Pardons but sometimes the worke required for which they are graunted is Almes and yet few or none are now graunded for any Almes to the POPES cofers but onely to be giuen at the parties discretion thereby to take away all cause of scandall 6 Why Pardons are called remissions of sinnes whereas they take away the punishment onely BVt it may peraduenture somewhat moue our aduersaries that we call these Indulgences remissions of sinnes whereupon it seemteh we vnderstand the verie faults themselues not the punishments thereof But this we can easely declare vnto thē by an example of a Father who although he haue receiued into fauour his sonne whom he had disinherited which is to remitte him his fault and to receiue him into his grace yet doth he impose oftentimes some lighter punishment for the same faulte both as a cautell for that which is to come and as a iust reuenge for the offence remitted and then he may iustly be saide not to haue perfectly forgiuen his sonnes faulte So also doth the holy Scriptures call the guilte of punishment by the name of sinne Gen. 43 8. Vnlesse I shall saith IVDAS to IACOB bring againe the childe I will be guilty of a sinne vnto thee all my life And God is said to render the sinne of the fathers vpon the children Deut. 5 9. 3. Reg. 1 21. Pro. 16 6. I and my sonne SALOMON shall be sinners And by mercy and verity iniquitie is redeemed And although sometimes in Pardons it be said A CVLPA POENA What these wordes A Culpa Poena signifie From the fault and the punishment the true meaning of the Church therein is that the fault must be remitted either before the seeking of the Indulgence or else in the very worke which is the cause of the Indulgence when Confessiō is exacted for obtaining the same Or the otherwise by Contritiō the worke is performed in grace so that there is giuen both togither Whether all the workes for the Indulgence must be donne in grace yet by diuerse causes The first by Confession or Contrition the second by the Indulgence For although it be not necessary that for to obtaine an Indulgence al the works which are done for the same be done in Gods grace yet is it verie necessary that all those workes be throughly done and that the last worke of all in which the Pardon is to be receiued be not onely done with a certaine morall perferction but also in the grace fauour of God For example There is a Iubiley in which it is graunted that whosoeuer Fasteth three daies and giueth Almes and such a day visiteth such a Church praying for some particuler necessities shall haue a plenary Indulgence Although a man doe the other in state of mortall sinne yet if hee for the same good purposes doe throughly performe them and then hauing by the ordinary meanes obtained Gods grace visitte the Church he shall receiue the Indulgence and yet if the POPE should so graunt it that he must first Confesse and then Fast and giue Almes and visitte the Church then would I thinke that his intention were to haue al the thinges following performed in grace so if he fall in the midst of the weeke so that he fast not in grace he getteth nothing 7 Of diuerse kinds of Indulgences FOr the better declaration of the custome of the Church in this matter of Indulgences it is to be vnderstoode that wee may diuide Pardons two manner of waies First in respecte of the qualitie of the punishement released Secondly in respecte of the quantitie of the same punishment taken away The punishment it selfe sometimes is enioined in Penance by the Ghostly-Father sometimes it is due either by the Canons of the Church allotting certaine Penances for euery faulte or in the stricte examination of Gods iust iudgement who onely searcheth the hart and knoweth the depth of our desertes From all these kindes may the Church absolue for that soueraigne autority which it hath recriued as we haue partly shewed aboue shall more exactly be shewed hereafter Pardon of Penance enioined of other paines also And heerein is founded the first diuision of Indulgence into remission of Penance enioined and of penance which is in the
the grace of Baptisme but also by the medicine of Penance the hope of life euerlasting might be repaired that they which had violated the benefite of regeneration condemning themselues in their owne iudgement might come to remission of sinne the succours of Gods goodnesse being so ordained that pardon cannot be had at Gods hands but by the supplication of Priests For the Mediator of (g) 1. Tim. 2 5. God and Men Christ Iesus hath giuē this power to Prelates of the Church that they might both admitte vnto Penance those which confesse and receiue them beeing purged with holesome satisfaction to the Communion of the Sacraments by the gate of reconciliation 7 What ought we to thinke of Satisfaction TRuely thus much Greg. in cap. 9. lib. 1. Reg. Bas q. 12. in reg breu that there is one kind of Satisfaction proper vnto Christ our Redeemer and an other common to all faithfull penitents That was once accomplished in the (a) Heb. 9 25. Eph. 5 2.26 4 32. 1. Ioan. 2 2. Ioan. 1 29. body of Christ crucified when that immaculate Lamb tooke away the sinnes of the worlde that they which by nature were the Sonnes of (b) Eph. 2 3. 2. Cor. 5 18. Cypr. ep 59. 10. Tert. de paenit ca. 5. 7. 8. 9. Conc. Trid. sess 14. cap. 8 9. de sacr Paenit wrath might bee reconciled vnto God but this which belongeth vnto penitentes is done euery day in the church by the mēbers of Christ when beeing sorie for our sinnes we doe after Confession performe those thinges which the PRIEST when hee gaue absolution enioined or when of our owne accorde wee doe bring forth the worthy fruits of penance wherby we may in some part at the least recompence the faults and offences of our life past This is a certaine (c) Exod. 32 31. Nū 12 9 14 19.27 20 10.24 Psal 98 6.8 2. Reg. 12.7.13 Aug. l. 2. de pec mer. c. 34. l. 22. cont Faust c. 67. Greg. l. 9. mor. c. 27. 2. Reg. 24 10 Prou. 11 31. Eccli 5 2. Aug. tract 124. in Ioan Satisfaction both of reuengement of purgation and it is so farre from obscuring the benefit Satisfaction of Christ our Redeemer that it doth more commend set forth the same For that Satisfactiō of his going before especially cooperating (d) Chry. ho. 80. ad pop with vs we do according vnto the Scripture vse (e) Esa 56 1. Ezech. 18 21.27 Hier. 22 3. 2. Cor. 7 9. Ps 50 1.6 Chrys ibid. in Mat. 3. iudgement and Iustice taking reuengment vpon our selues for our sinnes and cleansing the relickes of sin that remaine in vs procuring and deseruing for our selues the more plentiful grace of God finally professing by these meanes that wee doe willingly embrace the Crosse of Christ denie (f) Luc. 9 23. Mat. 16 24. Ro. 6 2.6 Eph. 4 22. Col. 3 9. our selues mortifie our fleshe and being striken with an hatred of olde ADAM in vs doe endeuour to perfection whilest we do with feruent zeale and courage striue against the motions of a depraued minde After this sort did holy (g) 2. Reg. 12 13. 1. Paral. 21 16. Ps 34 13. 98 11. Ionae 3 5. 3. Reg. 21 27. 1. Mac. 2 14. 3 47. 2. Mac. 3 20. Mat. 11 21. Luc. 10 13. Iudith 4 8.16 7 4. 8 5. 9 1. Ioel. 2 12. Dan. 9 3. Iob. 42 6. Hier. 6 26. 4 8. 25 34. 48 37. 49 3. Ezech. 7 18. Thren 2 10 DAVID the Niniuites and others giue themselues to Satisfaction whome it is manifest to haue done Penance in Sackecloth Ashes Sighing Mourning Fasting and other afflictions they are read to haue bin grateful and approued vnto God therefore And this part of Penance the Scripture confirming and commending vnto vs crieth out (h) Ioel. 2 12 Turne ye to me with al your heart in Fasting in Weepeing Lamentation And in another place (i) Ezech. 18 30.31 Conuert and doe Penance for all your iniquities And iniquitie shall not be vnto you in destruction And S. PAVL teacheth also that the sadnesse which is according to God doth worke Penance (k) 2. Cor. 7 9. And hee giueth generall admonition that If (l) 1. Cor. 11 31. we did Iudge our selues wee shoulde not be Iudged of our Lord. And for that cause we shall not neede to discourse of the name of Satisfaction which certes in the Fathers is verie familiar seing that the thing it selfe is expressely set down in holy Scripture 8 Let vs see some sentences of the Fathers touching Satisfaction SAint CYPRIAN that most holy Martyr teacheth in this manner Looke howe much (a) De lapsis Idem ep 55. ad Corn. ep 10. ad Clerum Almightie God is prone to pardon by the piety of a Father so much is hee to bee feared by the Maiesty of a Iudge Let a deepe wounde haue diligent and long phisicke Let not the Penance be lesse than the faulte wee must pray more earnestly passe-ouer the day in lamenting the nightes in watching and weeping spend the whole time in mourneful teares lie vpon the ground in ashes and wallowe in sackeclothe and filthe And againe the same God is to bee (b) De lapsis vide eūd de elecmos beseeched and to bee pacified with our satisfaction our sinnes must be pondered our actions and secreat intentions surueied and the deserts of our conscience waighed And a little after The way of Penance which the Prieste sheweth vs let vs imbrace let vs vse the vitall remedies which he taketh out of heauenly Scriptures and laying open the burden of our conscience before him let vs demaunde the holesome medicine for those secreat woundes which we haue confessed And let vs not ceasse to doe Penance call vpon the mercie of our Lorde least that which seemeth but little in the qualitie of the sinne be augmented by the negligence of Satisfactiō And (c) Ho. 50. ex 50. cap. 5. vide in Ench. cap. 70. 71. 65. Saint AVGVSTINE hath saide verie plainely That it is not sufficient for a man to amende his manners to leaue his misdeeds vnlesse by the sorrowe of Penance by the sighings of humility and by the Sacrifice of a contrite hart together with the cooperation of almes Satisfaction be made to God for those thinges also that haue beene committed Then in S. HIEROME we find it thus writtē (d) In Epita Paul cap. 7. Chry. ho. 10. in Mat. The body is to be afflicted which hath spente much time indelicacy long laughter must bee recompensed with continuall weeping the softe linnen pretious silkes must be changed into the sharpenesse of haire-clothe To this end also is this speache of (e) Lib. 2. de paenit c. 5. et li. 1. cap. 16. S. AMBROSE He that doth Penance ought not only to washe away his sinne with teares
haue no time limitted to his iniquity nor that the Church will presume to define that Purgatory shall remaine so long it being to expire at the day of Iudgement But that it may so be that any persons sinnes though remitted haue lefte behind them so much guilte of temporall satisfaction or punishment For if the seuere estimation of the Primitiue Church hath adiudged euery notable mortall sinne to 7. yeeres Penance then how many yeeres Penance should so many thoughtes so many wordes so many actions deserue as are in this colde age of ours so little regarded It is wisedome to seeke many Pardons Wiselye therefore doe they who neuer ceasse to procure these Christian helpes of our frailty not contemning them as small because they are not Plenaries For it may so happen that to one which oweth 4 yeeres onely of satisfaction 7. yeeres may bee as good as a Plenary Moreouer of Plenary Indulgences none can be sure no nor of any Indulgence at all whereas they cannot be sure of their estate of grace in the seeking of them and if they be in grace yet of any certaine determination of theire deserts of temporal paine they cannot haue knowledge neither of the full obtaining of so manye yeeres as are graunted of Pardon The only way is therefore continually to embrace these motherly fauoures of holy Church and that so much the more for that in the race of our mortality continually our burden increaseth and whilest we seeke to cast off the olde vncertaine of our discharge◠we doe most certainely at the least with Veniall sinnes dogge our selues with new The true meaning therefore of these yeeres or daies is this The meaning of yeeres and daies that looke how much of the paines of Purgatory we could redeeme with one yeers Penance in this world such as might by reason be inioined vs our deuotion feruour and desire of satisfying Gods Iustice See page 640. considered so much now by the benignity and mercy of the Church is in one yeeres Indulgence released and so of other quantity of yeeres daies Which vnto him who considereth that by one yeere of Voluntary satisfaction in this life much more then a yeere of necessary sufferance in Purgatory may be recompensed will seeme no small benefitte And it must not moue vs that we cannot remaine so many thousand yeres in Purgatory for neither Purgatory is measured by our time yeeres daies God can by increase of the paine euen in the day next befor the generall Iudgement supply the wholle due of many thousand yeeres After which maner they which are found aliue at the daye of Iudgement shall not want their Purgatory 8 The right autority of Gods Church in giuing Pardons is largely proued A Learned famous Author very wel knowen vnto our aduersaries not vnworthily chargeth them with a common faulte which hee calleth SCIOMACHIA fightinge with a shadowe This fault if in any other matter they committe in this of Indulgences they surely are intolerable I haue sufficiently touched their slaunders aboue And whensoeuer they write or speake of this point they doe nothing else but either not vnderstanding or malitiously slaundering the true intent of the Church make themselues aduersaries where they haue none impugne certaine absurdities which wee more than they detest reprehende abuses which we roote Con. Trid sess 5. de reformat cap. 2. sess 21. de reform cap. 9. out finally like madde or dronken persons fight with a shadowe that also of thier owne making Wherefore least this poore labour of mine taken principally and only for my deere Catholicke Brethren or those who being out of the way would be glad to haue some direction vnto the trueth might by any missefortune fall into the handes of some SHADOVVE-KILLER I thought it expedient before I entered into any deepe demonstration of this matter first to set them down the simple trueth which being doone euen as it were by the very same Candel which first was shadowed by themselues nowe placed betweene them and their shadowe the shadowe vanishing the quarell might without any blowes at all be peacablely finished Yet nowe will I as well for the simple Catholickes vnderstanding as for the better breaking of such skittishe wittes from finding bugges where there is no cause make some farther consideration of the trueth shewing and prouing it out of holy Scriptures continuall practise of Gods Church But before we take this matter in hande we must warne our aduersaries that here we doe not intend to dispute whether there be any Temporall punishement after the remission of the sinnes thēselues necessarily to be suffered of the penitent person For this we suppose as certaine See pag. 209 and before sufficiently proued The like also doe we aduertise them of autority to remitte sinnes leafte by Christ in his Church which heere we touch not See pag. 209 as already shewed Nowe therefore thus we will briefely conclude our purpose Christ hath lefte in his Church the Mat. 16 19. Keies of the kingdome of Heauen autority to Io. 20 22 remitte sinnes the 2. Cor. 5 19. worde of reconcilement dispensours 1 Cor. 4 1. of his mysteries feeders Io. 21 15. of his sheepe stewardes Mat. 24 45. of his family to giue euerie one meate in due season But in euery one of these is without any limitation contained euery thing belonging to those seuerall offices of gouernmente feeding and remitting and consequently the remission of temporall Chastisement and correction most certainely therefore hath God lefte the same in his Church But such autoritie cannot be executed in the Sacrament of Penance which as we supposed is only ordained to remit the offence of God alwaies in as much as it hath in it selfe leauing a Temporall punishment Therefore it is to bee executed out of the Sacrament which is the very Indulgence which we defend Secondly S. PAVL in the The Heretickes falsely translate in the sight of Christ person of Christ 2 2. Cor. 2 10. at the request of the Corinthians pardoneth the incestuous person remitting him as THEODORET expoundeth and the wordes doe manifestly importe part of his deserued Penance But what autoritie Christ gaue vnto S. PAVL the same hath he lefte in his Church vntill Eph. 4 13. we meet al into the vnitie of Faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God into a perfecte man that is euen vnto the worldes ende The verie worde of Pardon in the Scriptures Pardons are alwaies giuen in the power of Christ Io. 8 11. Therefore doth there nowe remaine in the Pastours the same authoritie See heere the very word of Pardoning if the Heretickes haue not left it out or altered it in their Bible Where also is to be noted that S. PAVL executed this leuity in the Person of Christ and so doe our Pastours alwaies vsing this Phrase Mercifully in our Lorde we release Of which our Sauiour hath left vs sundrie examples in diuerse offendours particularly in the aduoutresse whose
temporall punishment hee released 3 Can. 11. Thirdly the first Councell of Nice vnto some which had fallen in persecution and whome the Councell calleth vnworthy of mercie yet determineth to shewe humanitie and imposing them Penance yet giueth liberty to the Bishoppe vpon the fruite of their repentance and demonstration of a sorroweful minde to deale yet more gently But what is this but a Pardon Can. 2. The like authority is giuen to Bishoppes in the Anciran Councell before the Nicen Councell concerning Deacons which in persecution for feare did sacrifice vnto Idolles and towardes others also that they may HVMANIVS AGERE Can. 5. Deale more fauorably Can. 75 76.77.79 Diuerse Canons wee haue also in the fourth Councell of Carthage where S. AVGVSTINE was present of the speedie or slowe reconciling of Penitentes Which is nothing else but to remitte them their temporall punishmente which they at that time fulfilled as nowe also sometimes is doone in the Church before reconciliation by the Sacrament of Penance Fourthly S. CYPRIAN in diuerse epistles complaineth of those which ouer-easely did giue peace vnto Penitents 4 Lib. 1 ep 3. lib 3 ep 14. 18 ser de lapsis for so he calleth that which we now call Pardons and he writeth vnto the holy Confessors of Christ then in Prisons to request them not to exceede herein For those which for some faultes were in the number of Penitents ordinarily had recourse vnto those which for Christes sake did suffer torments or imprisonment and by their letters commended to their Bishoppes were for their sakes released Of which custome TERTVLLIAN also is a notable witnesse exhorting the Martyrs to peace amongst themselues in lib. ad Mart. desig because they obtained peace for many which otherwise had not peace in the Church Fifthly the Penitentiall Canons of the Church were made and decreed by the Church and by the same they haue bene released as we haue shewed But to release the Punishments of this world and to leaue men with the debte of more bitter punishment in the other were not to prouide carefully for the welfare of Christes flocke Therefore the continual practise of the Fathers hath bene in remitting the Penances enioined to remitte all the deserte of chastisement euen in the other worlde But if one shoulde obiecte that they did no more then we are accustomed to doe who when we enioine Penance lesse then the deserte doe not withall pardon the wholle satisfaction so doth it not seeme that these Fathers pardoned their Penitents but onely were contented with a small Penance leauing the rest to Gods iudgement and their deuotion This cānot be any waies defended for they wholly pardoned them and gaue them Peace and neuer charged them with any care or study of farther satisfaction wherefore they much differed from our maner of Penance who neuer enioine it as a sufficient remedy but as a necessary parte of the sacrament and a medicine for the time to come hauing also regard in some parte to satisfie the Iustice of God still leauing the parties perswaded of their farther debte Penances now more easie and Pardons more commō then in times past Thus much be spoken of that feruent time of the Primitiue Church when deuotion abounding neither sinnes were so rise nor Penances so easie as now a daies And therefore in those daies were the Penances so greate and so long that those holy and learned Fathers thought them sufficient to make a full satisfaction vnto that which Gods iudgement had decreed vnto sinnes remitted Since which time the holy Church hath tenderly prouided for the delicatenes of her children least they should be 2. Cor. 2 11. circumuented by Satan and so quite ouerthrowen from their wholle course of Religion For which respect as she is more milde in imposing of Penances not remitting but leauing the greatest parte of the due correction to mens owne election so is she also more liberall at conuenient times in imparting of the Treasure of the Church to their release pardon not only remitting enioined Penances which would haue bene sufficient in the new spring of the Church according to the course of those daies but also in a most large maner absoluing from al maner of desert of Punishment Now therefore hauing shewed most manifestly this practise of the Church both in the Apostles time and in the time of the Martyrs What maner of aduersaries Pardons haue had and after them when a generall peace was giuen to the whole flock of Christ ther cannot be any question of the times following this verity neuer being called into doubt before IHON WICLEFFE with his scholler IHON HVSSE and MARTIN LVTHER three persons of eternall infamy began to perturbe not only the peaceable gouernment of the Church but also therewith all true Christian policy of ciuill common wealthes For one of WICLEFFS artickles is this Conc. Cōstatien sess 8. art 15. There is no man either a temporall Lord or Prelate or Bishop whilest hee is in mortall sinne And another art 29. Vniuersities Studies Collegies Degrees and mastershippes in the same are by vaine heathenisme brought in and as much profit the Church as the deuil And againe art 6. God must obey the deuil These articles were confirmed also by IHON HVSSE who more plainly vttereth there a good lesson of theirs which with the condemnation in the Councell of Constance we will also set downe Sess 15. Euery Tyran may and ought lawfully meritoriously to be slain by whatsoeuer his vassall or subiect yea by secret deceites subtill fawnings or flatterings notwithstanding any othe taken or confederacy made with him without expectation of any sentence or commission from any Iudge whatsoeuer This is the goodly doctrine of them who as they began at the first to derogate vnto the high iurisdiction of Christ his Church so they went forwarde to abolish asmuch as in the did lye all ciuill roialty so that worthely we may say that they were such as S PETER and S. IVDE did speake of 2. Pet. 2 10. Iudae Ver. 8 who despise dominion blaspheme maiestie being bould selfe pleasers and such as feare not to bring in sectes But that we may see how reuerend account the Catholike Church hath alwaies made of obedience due to temporall Princes 1. Pet. 2 18 not onely modest but euen to those which are waiwarde in al iust and lawfull actions for otherwise we must obey Act. 5.29 The Catholicks most exact defenders of temporall obedience God rather than man Let vs here the Councells graue sentence of this matter Against this errour this holy SYNODE endeuouring to oppose it selfe and vtterly to take it away doth declare and define that this doctrine is erroneous in faith and maners and condemneth and reprooueth it as hereticall scandalous and opening a way to fraudes deceites lies treasons periuries Moreouer it declareth and decreeth that whosoeuer doe stubbornely affirme this most perniciouse doctrine are Heretickes and as such according to the Canonicall decrees are to
treasure in the Church for to recompence the wholle debte of temporall punishement which is in all the liuely members of Christ But such treasure may be applied vnto these members by those which gouerne the family of Christ therefore may those which gouerne this family pardon and remitte vnto them the temporall punishment for sinnes Which reason is so manifestly deduced out of that which went before that we neede not to make any larger discourse 10 Diuerse Illations out of the Premisses concerning the nature of Pardons 1 A Pardon is not only an absolution but also a â— compenâ—ation for sinnes TO conclude this wholle Treatise of Indulgences we may gather out of that which is said First that although a Pardon be principally and properly an absolution from the debte of punishement giuen by the vertue of the KEIES Yet is it also a kind of compensation withal For the Prelate graunting a Pardon doth so absolue the Penitent that he maketh out of the treasure of the Chuch an equall paimenr vnto Almighty God for the wholle debte paying in the heade in other members that which shoulde without his sacred autority haue beene paied by the partie himselfe Or thus more plainly for the capacitie of the simpler sorte a Pardon is a mercifull release in respecte of the Penitente but in respecte of Gods iustice an equall payment made by the merits of others applied for a recompence of the Penitent his sinnes And heerein we may see howe this absolution differeth from the Sacramental absolution in penance Howe Pardons differ from the Sacrament of Penance For there is applied onely the Merits of Christ not of his Saintes whereas their merits coulde not reache vnto the taking away of the sinnes themselues nor of the euerlasting paine due vnto the same But here the merittes also of the Saintes in as much as they are Satisfactorious doe take place God hauing so disposed that according to the sweet gouernment of his Church his members doe in the course of their iustification deliuery from all punishements what they are able they being able by the concourse of his Spirite nowe dwelling within them to satisfie for temporall paine Besides in Penance the wholle euerlasting paine is taken away but heere not alwaies the wholle temporall correction but so much onely as it pleaseth the giuer according to the proportion of the cause Finally the Sacramente is an instrument of Christes eternall Priesthoode in which he himselfe remitteth sinnes by the instrumentary ministery of his priest But in Indulgences the Prelate is properly the worker by his autority receiued from Christ neither is it necessarie that he be a Priest or Bishop if he haue iurisdiction which may be in a Bishop elected yet not consecrated Secondly 2 Onely Bishoppes caâ— giue Pardâ—â— we inferre that onely Bishoppes can giue Pardons to those which are of theire Diocesse and that not onely for the restrainte made by the Church but also for the very nature and condition of Pardons For although vnto all Priestes be saide whose sinnes soeuer you forgiue they shall be forgiuen yet is this authoritie alwaies vnderstood according to the necessarie regiment which Christ hath ordained in his Church And therefore a Priest cannot by his Priesthood alone absolue except he haue iurisdiction also Likewise an ordinarie Priest although he be a Parish Priest and haue cure of soules cannot excommunicate and yet that autoritie belongeth vnto the Keies of the Church These thinges therefore doe require such soueraigne autoritie as is in the chiefe gouernours and Prelates of the Church and espeacialy in this present case where the common treasure of the familie being dispensed there must of necessitie be had the consent of the ruler of the same which is euery Bishop 3 Bishoppes power in graunting Pardons is iustly limited Thirdely we may gather that the POPE in limiting the Indulgences of Bishops hath not doone them any iniury at all For the Bishoppe hath not autoritie ouer the works of any which are not his subiects And those also being once dead belong no more to his diocesse than to another and consequently the application of their Merittes is out of his iurisdiction Wherefore his particular treasure beeing so vncertaine for it may so fall out that in his wholle Diocesse there may be very fewe superfluous satisfactions the POPE in limiting him hath prouided for all inconueniences least the Bishop deceiue the people in promising more than he may performe which in sacred matters is a pernitious thing And moreouer it is very probably to be thought that the POPE hath allowed those Indulgences which Bishops may giue as out of the common Treasure of the wholle Church and so there can be no doubt of the value of them at al nor any iniury in restraining the Bishop who is rather holpeÌ„ thereby Fourthly hence appeareth the reason 4 None caÌ„ receiue Indulgence with bâ— in deadlie sinne why an Indulgence cannot be receiued by him which is out of Grace For Grace is necessarie to participate the benefit of other mens Satisfactions And the Indulgence giueth me onlie so much as my owne Satisfaction could doe but my Satisfaction were nothing doone out of Gods fauour therefore can the Indulgence heere auaile me nothing Fifthly we may nowe vnderstand what difference there is betweene the Satisfaction of others applied by the Church and by one man vnto another 5 He which satisfieth for an other doth not graunt Indulgence For he which applieth his own Satisfaction to another cannot surely knowe whether himselfe be in Grace and consequently whether his Satisfaction be accepted of God But these Satisfactions applied in Indulgences are most certaine Besides another man applying his Satisfaction for my reliefe doth not absolue me from my debte of Satisfaction but only payeth for me Wherefore I am still bound to fulfil my Penance that beeing a meere personall worke to bee vndertaken by my selfe But the contrary is in Indulgences as hath beene declared before Last of al after the worke is past we cannot apply the Satisfaction of it vnto our neighbour but it either helpeth our selues or if it were not necessary for our selues it goeth into the common treasure But the Church applieth the Satisfactions of workes which are past to our reliefe in Indulgence Sixthly he which receiueth an Indulgence 6 Publicke nance enioined is not alway takeÌ„ away by Pardon is bound notwithstanding to fulfill all Penances which are publickely enioined him For indulgences onely take place in the court of Conscience and betweene God and vs vnlesse it be otherwise expressed And those Penances are to Satisfie the worlde scandalized by our faultes and to be a warning for others from committing the like 7 No blasphemie in saying that by Pardon recompence is made to God Seauenthly it is no blasphemy to say that in Pardons is made an equal recompence for paines of sinnes vnto Gods Iustice For it is Christ which paieth and maketh this recompeÌ„ce out of the merits of
vnto theÌ„ so much of Ecclesiastical helpe as may sufficiently recompence for theÌ„ But euen in these Pardon 's also is required a iust conuenient cause without the which they shall haue either none or not so greate force as the wordes doe soundâ— is we saide before The like also is to be iudged of the estate of grace of him which obtaineth the Indulgence for the deade Grace is not alwaies required in him which â—â—â—teth an Indulgence for the dead yet with some difference betweene these Indulgences and those which are graunted to them which liue in this worlde For two manner of workes may the POPE require in Pardon for the Dead The first are workes which haue no other goodnesse in them than that which they haue of sâ—eâ—dâ—eâ— as if the Pardon should runne thus Whososoeuer visiteth this Church or saieth such a Praier c. shall deliuer a soule out of Purgatory And such things being doone out of Gods grace because without his 〈◊〉 the worke hath â—o goodnesse in it there cannot be a sufficient cause of Pardon and therefore the Pardon auaileth nothing Other workes may haue some goodnesse in themselues or in some extrinsecal thing although they haue â—â—ne by the doer As if this should be the forme of the Indulgence Who saith MASSE or causeth to be said MASSE for such a cause or giueth Almes for the maintenance of such a place shal deliuer a soule out of Purgatory For certaine it is that MASSE ALMES doe good vnto the Church although they wh ch saide it or made them to bee giuen bee not in Grace And in such workes Nauarre Sotus if by some circumstance the minde of the POPE be not gathered to the contrary that is that he require that they be deuoutly and with grace perfourmed then may the Pardon be obtained for the dead by one which is not in grace For heere the POPE graunteth the Pardon for a iust cause which is Gods glory and honour by those charitable workes and the other doth nothing concurre vnto it but by determining the person to whome the POPE may apply it Euen so is it in the Dirige of a naughty Priest offered for one that is dead as for the MASSE it is certaine that it hath effecte of it selfe without any respect to him which saith it euen for those for whoÌ„ a naughty Priest doth offer it Who if he say this Dirige of his own deuotion priuately it is nothing auaileable But if he doe it to fulfill the bond of the Church whose Minister he is or in the Quire than doth it very much profite the Deade for in this he beareth the person of the wholle Church So also is it if my man being in sinne giue out of my Purse by my consent or generall leaue Almes to the poore For in these examples the workes are more â—f 〈◊〉 â—ersons than of those which doe execute thâ—◠〈…〉 it in the Suffrages and Indulgenâ—◠〈…〉 when the POPE respecteth the wâ—◠〈…〉 the goodnesse thereof in the effecte 〈…〉 recite from a naughty roote from wâ—◠〈…〉 no goodnes at al. For in such a case aâ—◠〈…〉 â—arâ—â—â—cantable of Pardon himselfe yet 〈…〉 a worke aâ— mothers appointment wherunto is annexed a Pardons for the Deade although perhaps the worke doth nothing profite the Deade but only in as much as it doth determine the POPES application of Pardon to this Particular party deceased No condition necessary in this life for Pardon in Purgatory or for participation of the suffrages of the Church Neither is that necessary which some doe require that a man for to be holpen by Indulgences after his death haue had whilest he heere liued a special deuotion to the autority of the Church and a diligent care to helpe the soules departed or a particular resolution to satisfie vnto God in this life although this last be singularly profitable to make at the least in the houre of death For it is sufficient that one be in Purgatory for then he is also in Grace And the want of those affections in life time in a higher degree than euery Christian is bounde vnto vnder paine of Mortall sinne although perhappes it hath increased the debte in Purgatory yet can it not hinder the common influence of Christes Passion and the participation of the Churches Suffrages or of the Treasure of Indulgence 12 The conclusion of this Treatise of the fruit of Indulgences THus much haue we saide according to the most sounde opinions of Learned Diuines of this 〈…〉 â—â—dulgences Which for that it was 〈…〉 â—â—IONIS ET PETRA SCANâ—◠〈…〉 offence and a rocke of scandall to 〈…〉 stumbling made Israell to sinne 〈…〉 which followe his Doctrine a comâ—â—◠〈…〉 blasphemy against the CHVRCH 〈…〉 it my part to handle more largely than the purpose of this BOOKE did require If nothing will suffice them no reason content them no autority conuince them then let them knowe that they beeing out of the number of GODS Children can neuer be troubled with Purgatory nor with Pardons which haue relation vnto Purgatory The one being a place of correction for children the other a mercifull fauour exhibited vnto the same children But of them which despise this Rodde of Discipline of our Almighty Father and contemne his Indulgence and Mildenesse is saide of the Apostle Heb. 12 8. If you be without Discipline whereof all be made partakers than are you Bastards and not children And that of the Prophet Esa 11 4 He shall strike the earth with the Rodde of his mouth with the breath of his lippes he shall kill the wicked But we whom God of his infinite mercy hath vnited vnto his misticall body of the holy Church as we must of necessity if we will remaine in the same vnity acknowledge and reuerence the sacred autority and power of giuing Indulgences so in seeking with diligence to obtaine them we shall reape three singular benefittes Three singâ—lar profits oâ— Indulgences First wee shall receiue encrease of meritte and consequently of grace in this life and glory in the other whilest wee deuoutely performe those good workes vnto which alwaies we are inuited by Indulgences Secondly we shall obtaine the release of the paines of Purgatory by diminishing in our mortall life the debte thereof which by those which feare the corrections of God and consider how farre as S. AVGVSTINE saieth In Psal â— those paines exceede whatsoeuer can be suffered in this life will be iudged a great felicitie Thirdly we shall shorten the time of our absence from God after our departure from hence and hasten that happy vision which God promised to MOISES when he saide I will shew thee all good Ex. 33 1. Which acceleration of so great a good how pretiouse it is wel vnderstoode S. PAVL Phil. 1 23. who so earnestly desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ And that other deuoute soule which complaining of the length of her Pilgrimage and dwelling amongst the inhabitants of darke and sorowfull CEDAR Ps 119 5. did wast consume with the desire of entering into the heauenly Courtes Ps 83 3. In which if according to the infallible veritie of Gods word one day be farre better than thousands of worldly treasures Ps 83 11. then surely that which not onely deliuereth from miserie but hasteneth and anticipateth so many yeeres and daies of so greate a blisse giuing also such helpe and occasion of a higher mansion in so rich a house Io. 14 2. cannot be valued with the treasures of wholle Kingdomes Psal 62 2. Come therefore O you who wander abroade in the deserte desolate and withered lande of Heresie and Schisme Come vnto the waters and you which haue not siluer make haste and buy Esa 55 1. and eate Come buy without amy exchange Wine and Milke Why doe your spend your money and not in bread why doe you bestow your labour and not in satiety Come vnto these liuely waters which proceeding from the fountaine of life will purge you from the mudde of your broken cisterns and quicken you with the spirite of God Hier. 2 12. â—o 4 14. â—o 9 2. and spring vp into life euerlasting Come drinke of that wine which the holy wisdome of God hath mingled vnto you And least you be terrified with the expectation of your fathers seuerity and discipline beholde your mother with her naked breasts cometh to meete you ready to embrace you and as new borne Infants to nourish you with the milke of her clemency and kindnes â—â— 15 22. Shee bringeth with her your very first stole which you once receiued of her in Baptisme now again again haue defiled And although that pure robe of innocency with which then she adorned you cannot bee recouered yet shall you no doubte by her diligent care and motherly piety be cloathed with an vnspotted garment of your recouered grace and if you haue hurte your soueraigne Lorde and Father in any thing or be in his debte you being once restored to his fauour shee hath wroten it with her owne hand shee will repay it Whose voice if you will heare Philem. vers 18. whose petition if you will graunt whose teares if you will respecte then shall you in steede of wasting your substance riotously by labouring vnto destruction Mat. 13 44. and euerlasting fire conuert most holsomely and profitablely your care and labours to the buying of that hidden treasure which shall fully recompence the sale of all worldly riches Laus Deo ac Beatissimae semper Virgini Matri DEI-PARAE MARIAE atque omnibus Sanctis 1. Cor. 11 16. If any man seeme to be coÌ„tentious we haue no such custome nor the Church of God S. Cyp. l. de simp Praelat Aug. l. 4. de simb ad cat c. 13. He shall not haue God to his Father Who will not haue the Church to his Mother FINIS
OF FAITH AND OF THE CREED 1 Who is to be called a (a) Act. 11 26. 1. Pet. 4 16. Christian HEE which doeth professe the holesome doctrine of Iesus Christ true God and man in his (b) Athanas contr Arrianos orat 2. Cypr. lib. 4. ep 2. de simp praelat Ignat. ad Magnes Aug. tract 113. in Ioa. ser 181. de temp ca. 12. Ench. cap. 5. Tert. lib. de praescript Church He therefore which is a true Christian doth vtterly condemne and detest all other Religions and Sectes that are else-where to be found in any Nation or cuntrey out of the doctrine Church of Christ as the Iewishe Heathenishe Turkishe or hereticall Secte And doth firmely staie himselfe in the very Doctrine of Christ 2 In what briefe summe may Christian Doctrine be comprehended THat a Christian do know obserue those things which do belong both to (a) Ecli 1 3◠wisedom Iustice Wisedome as S. Austen (b) Lib. 2. Retract cap. 63. Ench. cap. 2. 3. sheweth consisteth in the vertues Theological (c) 1. Cor. 13 13. Faith Hope Charitie which are both infused by God (c) 1. Cor. 13 13. beeing purely most feruently practised in this life they doe make men blessed diuine Iustice standeth in (d) Pros sen 98. ex Aug. two parts in declining frō euil doing good For hereūto belongeth that which the kingly Prophet saith (e) Psal 33 15. 36 27 1. Pet. 3 10. Turne from euill doe good Now out of these fountains to wit Wisedome and Iustice other things are easily drawē deduced whatsoeuer do appertaine to Christian Instruction Ro. 10 14. Heb. 11 6. Aug. serm 38. de temp sermo 1. de verbis Apost cap. 4. Leo. ser 4. de nat Dom. and Discipline 3 What is first taught in Christian Doctrine FAith that very gate entrāce to our saluation without the which none in this life can find cal vpō serue please almighty god For he that cōmeth to god must beleue (a) He. 11 6. saith the Apostle And (b) Mar. 16 16. he that beleeueth not shal be condemned is (c) Io. 3 18. already Iudged by the sentence of Christ 4 What is vnderstoode by the name of Faith A (a) Eph. 2 8. Heb. 11 1. Basil ser de fidei conf Ber. ep 190. Aug. cont ep sund c. 5. gifte of God and a light wherewith man beeing illuminated doth firmely assent cleaue vnto those things which are reuealed by God proposed vnto vs by the Church to be beleeued As are these that followe That God is (b) 1. Io. 5 7. one in three persons that the world was (c) Gen. 1 1. Io. 1 14. Luc. 2 7. Rom. 3 8. created of nothing that god was made mā suffered death for our sakes that MARY (d) Conc. Eph. cap. 13. Luc. 1 35. 1. Cor. 15 51. Io. 3 5. is both a Virgine the mother of God that all the deade are to be raised againe to life that man is borne againe of Water and the holie Ghost that Christ is wholly in the (e) Conc. Constantie Flor. Trid. B. Sacrament and other such of like sorte that are the reuerend mysteries of our religion which being reuealed by God cannot be comprehended by mans (f) Eccli 3 22. 2. Cor. 10 5. capacity but maie be conceiued onlie by faith Whereupō the Prophet saith (g) Esa 7 9. secundū 70. Basil in Psa 115. in moral Reg. 80. cap. 21. Greg. ho. 26. in Euang. Chrys in 1. ad Cor. homil 4. Vnlesse ye will beleeue yee shall not vnderstand For faith respecteth not the order of nature neither doth shee trust to experience of senses or relie vpon the might or reason of man but vpon the power authority of God holding this as a most vndoubted verity that the most soueraigne eternal trueth which is God cā neither deceiue nor euer be deceiued Wherfore it is the very cōdition property of faith to bring all vnderstanding into (h) 2. Cor. 10 5. captiuitie vnto the obedience of Christ with whom there is no (i) Lu. 1 37. Hier. 32 27. worde that is hard to be done much lesse impossible This (k) Euseb Emis ho. 2. de symb Cyr. catech 5. Illum Chrys serm de fide spe charit Cyril lib. 4. in Ioa. ca. 9. faith is the light of the soule the dore or entrance to life the foundation of eternal saluation 5 Is there any brief cōprehēsion of Faith and summe of all those thinges that we must beleeue There is that which the twelue Apostles haue deliuered in their Creed and which they haue aptely distinguished into twelue Sections and Articles A worke doubtlesse worthy of such (a) Clem. ep 1. ad sr Do. Amb. ep 81. serm 38. Aug. serm 181. de tēp Ruf. in sym Iren. lib. 1. c. 2. l. 3. c. 4. Hieron ad Pammach aduers errores Ioā Hieros cap. 9. Leo. ser 11. de pass ep 13. ad Pulc ser cont Eutyc Maxim ser de traditione symb The Creede is expoūded by these Authors following Cyril in Catech illum Chrys ho. 1. 2. in sym Aug in Enc. ad Laurent in lib. 4. de symb ad Catech. lib. de sid symb ser 115. 119. 123. 125. 131. 181. 192. 193. 194. de tēp Euseb Emi. ho. 1. 2. in symb Chrysol ser 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. Max. ho. 1. de diuersis authors which next vnto Christ our Lord were the principall and most holy founders of the Christian faith And this Creed surely is as it were a plaine euident marke whereby christians are to be distinguished discerned from those wicked persons which doe professe either none at all or not the right faith of Christ 6 Which be the Articles of this Creede I Beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of Heauen earth 2 And in IESVS CHRIST his onely Sonne our Lorde 3 Which was conceived by the holie Ghost borne of the VIRGINE MARY 4 Suffered vnder PONTIVS PILATE was crucified dead buried 5 He descended into hell the third day he rose againe from the dead 6 Hee ascended into Heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie 7 From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the deade 8 I beleeue in the Holy Ghost 9 The holy Catholicke Church the communion of Saints 10 The forgiuenesse of sinnes 11 The resurrection of the fleshe 12 And the life euerlasting Amen 7 To what end specially are these wordes of the Creede TO this end surely Hier. 9 23. Io. 17 3. 1. Cor. 2 2. 1. Pet. 1 8. cap. 13 1. that we may haue comprehended in a briefe summe the true knowledge of god of heauenly things which knowledge truly is necessary to euery mā that he may liue wel happily And in this Creed the acknowledging confessing
Luc. 24.47 Mat. 28 19. 16 18. Aug. ep 170 et 166. cont ep fund c. 4 et lib. de Verrel â—7 Pacia ep 1. ad sym pron Vinc. Lir. Hier. coÌ„ Luc. f. c. 9 Bed in 6. c. Cant. Catholike that is to say vniuersal so that she being dispersed throughout the world in her motherly bosome receaueth embraceth safe keepeth all persons of al times places nations so that they be of one mind consent in the faith doctrine of Christ Fourthly that there is in the same Church a communion of Saintes soe that those which liue (f). Eph. 4 11.16 Psa 118 63. Col. 1 12. Phil. 1 4. 2. Co. 8 14. 1. Io. 1 3. Ro. 12 4. 1. Cor. 12 4. Aug. Tr. 32. in Io. in the Churche as the house and family of Almightie God doe holde an vnseparable society and vnity amongste them selues and as members of one the selfe same body helpe assist one an other with mutuall benefites merites prayers Amongst theÌ„ there is vnity of faith consente of doctrine conformable vse of sacraments and notwithstaÌ„ding the disseÌ„tions errours what (g) Euse l. 7 cap. 19. Aug. 2. con Do. c. 6. ep 19. de vera rel c. 6. euer they be that by meanes of some fewe maye spring and growe vp yet are they all wayes carefull to * Eph. 4 3. keepe the vnitye of the Spirite in the bande of peace And in this CoÌ„munion vndoubtedly not only the Saintes of the Churche militant that doe traueyle as pilgriÌ„mes vpon earthe but also all the blessed Saintes of the Church moste happily triumphant with Christ in heauen (h) Aug. ser 181. de teÌ„p cap. 13. Euch. c. 56. as also the soules of the godly which hauing departed this life are not (i). Aug. lib. 20. ciui c. 9. Greg. l. 4. dial cap. 39 yet come to that happy estate of the blessed Saintes (k) Gen. 7 23. 1 Pet. 3 20 Esa 60 12 Aug. â—p 50 152. de vnit Ec. c. 4. 19. Ful. de fid ad Pet. c. 37.38.39 Pacia ep 2. ad smpto Ire l. 4. c. 43 Greg. l. 14. mor. cap. 2 Chrys ho. 11. in ep ad Eph. Conc. Later c. 1. Alcim Aul. l. 4. c. 19. Io 6 66 Iudae 18. are al together ioyntly compreheÌ„ded Out of this coÌ„munion of Saints like as out of the k Arke of Noe there is certainlye vndoubted destruction but no saluation for mortall men not for the Iewes or Heathens that neuer receaued the fayth of the Church not for Haeritikes that haue forsakeÌ„ the fayth once receaued or any way corrupted the same not for Schismatiks that haue deuided theÌ„ selues from the peace and vnity of the Churche finally not for (l) 1. Cor. 5 4. 1. Tim. 1 20 NuÌ„ 12 14. Mat. 18 17. 2 Io. 10. 2. The. 3 6.14 Cyp. ep 62. Aug. l. 1. coÌ„ adu le c. 17 Eus apud Damasc l. 3. Paral. cap. 45 ExcoÌ„municate persons that for any greuous crime or cause haue deserued to be cut of as hurtfull pernicious members from the body of the Church And all and euery of these because they do not appertaine vnto the Churche to her holy coÌ„munion they can-not be partakers of the grace of God )m). Aug. ser 181. de temp c. 12. in ps 88. conc 2 ep 2â—4 Cyp. ep 57. 52. aeternall saluation except they be first reconciled and restored vnto the same Church from which they through their owne defaulte haue once ben separated For most certaine is that Rule of (n) de simp Prae. Sainte CIPRIAN (o) De symb â—d cate c. 13. S. AVGVSTINE that he shall not haue God to be his Father that wil not haue the church to be his Mother 19. What doth the tenth Article set before vs REmission of sinnes without the which none can be iust or obtaine saluation And this most rich treasure Christ hath purchased (a) Esa 33 22. Mat 1 21 9 6. Apo. 1 5. Luc. 24 47. Act. 10 42. Heb. 9 13. 1â— Io. 1 7. Eph. 1 7. Col. 1 13. Heb 1 3. for vs by his bitter death and most pretious bloode that the whole worlde mighte be exempted from sinne and from the perpetuall punishmentes due vnto the same Of which treasure certes they only are made partakers by the grace of Christe that doe vnite theÌ„selues by faythe (b). Act 2 38. 8 12 36. Mar. 16 16. Io. 3 5. Aug. Euch. c. 65 de Ver. do ser 11. c. 2â— 22. and Baptisme to the church of Christ do abyde in the vnity obedience of the same TheÌ„ afterwarde they also that haue dilligentlye done (c). 2. Cor. 12 21. Act. 8 22. Io. 2â— 23 Apâ—c 2 5. poenance for their sinnes committed after Baptisme doe conuenieÌ„tly vse those medicines and remedies againste sinne that Christe hath ordayned to wit the holy Sacramentes of the Church And hereunto belongeth the power of the (d). Hier. ep 1. ad Heli. c. 7. Aug. ho. 49. c. 3. 50. c. 4. 5. inter quinquag hom Chrys l. 3. de Sacerd. Cypr. ep 54 Luc. 10 35. Mat. 18 18. Io. 20 22. keies as they call it which Christ for the remission of sinnes hath committed vnto the Ministers of the Church especially to thâ— Apostle S. (e). Mat. 16 Hilla c. 16. Mat. Bern. l. 2. de coÌ„sid c. 8. Con. Flor. 19. Io. 21.15 PETER his lawfull Successors as to the Supreame guydes and rulers of the Churche 20 What hath the eleuenth Article Esa 26 19. Iob. 19 25 Ezech. 37 1 1. Cor. 15 51. â— Thes 4 16. Io. 11 24. 5 25. Mat. 22 23. Dan. 12 2. Ph. 3 21. Hieron ad Miner Al. ep 152 ep 61. adu er Io. c. 9. seq Greg. l. 14. mor. c. 30 seq Aug. Euch. c. 84 seq l. 22. ciu c. 12. seq IT declareth the resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh which at the latter day shal be coÌ„moÌ„ to good bad For this frayl brickle body of ours that we beare about with vs pestered with so many disseases and subiecte to suche continuall griefes and miseries that must after our death become a pray for wormes shall then reuiue wheÌ„ at that last daye al the deade at the voyce of Christ the Iudge shal bee raised both to life iudgement All therfore shal appeare in flesh before the (a). 2. Cor. 5 10. Ro. 14 10. tribunal of Christ that euery one without exceptioÌ„ accordingly as he hath behaued him selfe in his body which theÌ„ shal be restored vnto him whole again so may receiue either good or euill And they that haue doone good thinges (b) Io. 5 29 Mat. 13 40. shal come forthe into the Resurrection of life but they that haue done euil into the Resurrection of iudgemente (c) Mat. 25 46. 13 10 Athan. in symb and punishment euerlasting In the
will loue him and will manifest my selfe vnto him The Commandemēts are thus distinguished by S. Aug. 9.71 in Exo. et ep 119. c. 11. Clemens Alexan. l. 6. strom comment Hier. in Ps 32. Ex. 20 1. 34 28. Levi. 19 1.37 Deut. 4 13. 5 6. 10 4. He that loueth mee not keepeth not my wordes 5 Which are the Commaundements of God specially belonging to Charity THE ten wordes of God first deliuered by MOYSES to the Iewes and afterward commended by Christ his Apostles to (a) Mat. 19 17. 5 18. 22 37. Mar. 10 19. 12 31. Luc. 18 19. 10 25. Ro. 2 13. 13 8. 7 12 Gal. 5 14. Jac. 2 8. 1 25. 4 11. 1. Tim. 1 5. Cō Tri. sess 6. c. 19.20 21 all Christians which are commonlie called the Decalogue or the ten Commaundementes and are thus set downe I am thy Lord God 1 Thou shalt not haue any strange gods before me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauē thing (b) Le. 26 1. The cōmādements are expounded by Orig. ho 8. in Exod. Aug. quaest 71. in Ex. tract de 10. plagis lib. de 10. chord to worshippe it 2 Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine 3 Remember thou keepe holy the Sabboth daie 4 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thou maiest liue long in the lande which thy Lord God will giue thee 5 Thou shalt not kill 6 Thou shalt not commit aduoutry 7 Thou shalt not steale 8 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 9 Thou shalt not (c) Deut. 5◠21 couet thy neighbours wife 10 Thou shalt not couet his house nor his fielde nor his seruant nor his handmaid nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his 6 What meaneth this beginning I am thy Lord God ALmightie God beginneth the ten Commaundementes with the knowledge of himselfe Deut. 6 1.15.24 4 23.40 10 16. Mal. 1 5.14 Hier. 32 17. Psal 46 3. with the insinuation of his Maiesty That the Law-maker being once known we may feare reuerence him the more the Commaundementes which he hath set down may bee of greater authority amongst al men For we are so seriously dealt withal that if euer we meane to be (a) Mat. 4.18 19 17 28 20. Heb. 5 9. Ps 118 1.4.1 Io. 3 24. Aug. quaest 140. sup Ex. saued we must first as in a most bright glasse here assuredly behold the wil of the diuine Maiestie the whole perfecte manner of liuing well then this most holy Lawe being once knowne by the (b) Ro. 8 26. Ioan. 1 17. Phil 4 13. helpe of Christs spirite exactly keepe obserue the same Neither truely doth our Lawemaker onelie giue Commaundements but doth withal promise his (c) Ps 83 8. Deut. 28 1. Leuit. 26 3. blessing and assisteth with his helping hand I will put saith hee my (d) Ezec. 36 27. 11 19.20 spirite in the middest of you and I wil cause that you may walke in my Commaundements and that you may keepe my iudgements and that you may worke For which cause when Christ also (e) Mat. 11 28.30 1. Ioan. 5 3. Conc. Trid. sess 6. ca. 11. Can. 18. Chrys l. 1. de com cor Bas q. 176. in reg breu Aug de nat gra c. 43. 69. ser 61. 191. de temp Hier. in sym ad Damas had commaunded Take vp my yoke vpon you least any man shoulde aleadge the difficulty thereof as an excuse hee added For my yoke is sweete and my burthen light Vnto those vndoubtedly that beeing indued with the spirite of grace doe walke in charitie not fained 7 What importeth the first Commaundement IT forbiddeth and condemneth Idolatry Deut 12 2. 4 15. 18 19. 1. Reg. 28 3. Psa 113 12. Leui. 19 26.31 20 6.27 Eccli 34 4. Superstitious obseruations and the vse of Arte-Magicke diuination It teacheth also and requireth that wee account (a) Aug. lib. 10. ciuit c. 1. ep 49 q. 3 no creature at all for God though it be neuer so excellent but that we beleeue confesse one only true eternall infinite God and that to him only we offer Sacrifice and giue that singular (b) Aug. l. 10 ciu c. 1. 4. l. 15. con Faust c. 9. l. 20. cap. 21. soueraigne honor which the GRAECIANS call Latria And by meanes heereof it commeth to passe that aboue (c) Io. 4 23. Rom. 10 11 1. Ioan. 4 8. Mat. 4 10. Luc. 4 8. Esa 43 1. 1. Tim. 6 13 all thinges we honour call vpon and adore that soueraigne and eternall good the most excellent mightie Maker Redeemer Sauiour one immortall God who (d) Ro. 9 5. Psal 83 12. is blessed aboue all thinges the giuer of all grace and glory 8 How and in what sort doe we besides Almighty God honor call vpon the Saints also OF Saintes to witte of all those that are sanctified and borne againe in Christ our meaning is not to speake in this place as S. PAVL (a) Ro. 1 7. 2. Cor. 1 1. Phil. 4 22. Col. 1 1. Philem. 7. doth often applie this name to all Christians but those we meane that haue obtained the true rewards of their holinesse in (b) Apo. 7 9 heauen Of whom the same S. PAVL doth testifie that (c) Heb. 11 33. Eph. 5 27. Apo. 5 8. 7 9. 21 2. 22.3 Eph. 4 30. 1. Cor. 6 19. by faith they ouercame Kingdomes wrought Iustice obtained Promises And these in very deed are Saints immaculate without spotte and wrinckell these are the most excellent members of the Church very choise instruments of Gods holy spirite vnto whome no sinne or euill can euer haue accesse Which Saintes doe consiste partly of Angelicall partly of humane nature Creatures certes of almost noble and blessed to whom it is graunted to be replenished with those most excellent and eternall good things that are in heauen to liue alwaies in most perfite loue and friendship with (d) Phi. 1 23 2. Cor. 5 1.6 Gregor 4. mor. c. 32. Niss de S. Ephr. Ephrem l. 1. comp c. vlt. Christ our Lorde Therefore by his fauour both they are able to (e) Greg. lib. 12. mor. cap. 13. lib. 4. dial c. 33. Aug. de cura pro mort c. 15. 16. Orig. lib. 8. con Cels 4. Reg. 5 26. 6 9. 1. Co. 14 25 vnderstande what thinges are done amongst vs vpon earth because they are inflamed with an exceeding Charitie towardes their breethren though farre absent from them they (f) Dā 10 12 Mat. 18 10. Heb. 1.14 Tob. 12 12. Luc. 15 7. Act. 5 19 12 7. Apoc. 5 8. 8 3. Cypr. de mort Naz. orat 19. are careful of our saluation they fauor vs and doe wishe vs all manner of good And
will can keepe (l) Act 20 29. Eze 33 6. 2. Tim. 2 23.25 4 2. Tit. 1 9.10.11 off the wolues defende the sheepe roote out the cockle confirme sound doctrine least otherwise the simple be seduced by the words writinges examples of deceiptful wicked persons (m) 2. Pet. 2 1. 3 3. Ro. 16 17. Iud 17.4 10 Mat. 7.15 from the kingly rode-way of truth but rather that all not only knowing the truth but practising the same may growe and goe forwarde in him that is the heade Christ our Lorde as the same Apostle S. PAVL (n) Ephes 4 15. hath also spoken 13 By what meanes may we obtaine these so singuler commodities BY this no doubt if we be not to highlye (a) Ro. 12 3. but soberly wise alwaies carefull to (b) Eph. 4 3. Io. 10 2. 21 17. keepe the vnitie of spirite in the bande of peace that so wee maye shewe our selues the humble and obedient sheepe of Christ Of which sheepe certes it is the propertie (c) Io. 10 2. Tit. 3 1. Heb. 13 17. Mat. 10 20. to flie the wolues and not to followe Aliens but their owne Pastours (d Bern. de praecep disp c. 12. to submit thēselues to thē as to the ordinarie Prefectes of our Lords folde and in them to heare the (e) Io. 15 26 et 14 17. et 16 13. spirite of truth That spirite it is which vouchsafeth euen by euill (f) Mat. 23 2. Phil. 1 15. Io. 11 51. Mat. 18.17 Deut. 17 12 Prelates to teach feed and preserue our Lords flocke and which by them commendeth vnto vs the precepts both of God our Father and the Church our Mother in thess wordes (g) Pro. 1 8. see Epiphan haer 75. Heare my sonne the discipline of thy father and doe not let goe the lawe of thy mother And againe the same doth inculcate Keepe saith (h) Pro. 6 20 he my sonne the preceptes of thy father and doe not let goe the lawe of thy mother 14 Which are the precepts of the Church THere are fiue principall necessarie doubtlesse to be knowne and obserued of euery Christian 1 (a) Conc. Lugdun apud Iuonē p. 4. c. 14. 2. Matiscon c. 1. Mogunt c. 36. et 37. Tribur c. 35. Ignat. ad Philip. The appointed holy daies of the Church doe thou celebrate 2 (b) Conc. Agath c. 47. et 21. Tribur c. 35. 1. Aurel ca. 28. The holy office of the Masse vpon holy daies doe thou heare with reuerence 3 (c) Canon Apost 68. Gangren c. 19. Ignat. ad Phil. Mog c. 34. et 35. Salegunst c. 1. et 2. Ber. in vig. S. Andreae See the places cited in the treatis of good works in the 4. question The Fastes on certaine daies and times appointed doe thou obserue For example as the Lent imber daies and the nexte daies before certaine solempne feastes which our forefathers haue (d) Tert. l. 2. ad Vxo c. 4. et in apolog cap. 2. called vigils or euens bicause they did vse at such times all night to watch in the Churches 4 (e) Sinod Lateran can 21. Triden sess 14. c. 8. Thy Sinnes to thy proper Priest doe thou euery yeere confesse 5 (f) Lateran Trident. sess 13. can 9. The holy Eucharist at the least once in the yeere and that about the feast of Easter doe thou receaue 15 What profite doth the obseruation of these precepts bring THese and other the like customes precepts of the Church so manie ages receiued and with great consent practise of deuoute Christians confirmed and very agreable to pietie and reason doe bring with them very notable and excellent commodities For they are holsome exercises of faith humilitie and Christian obedience they doe aduance honest (a) Phil. 4 8. 1. Cor. 14 26.40 discipline and concorde among the people they are goodly signes badges of Religion finally they giue markes and tokens of our inwarde pietie by which we oughte iointly to shine with the good and to shew our light to the euill for (b) Mat. 5 17. Ro. 15 2. Phil. 2 ◠14 their edification Breifly they doe helpe vs to this that we may exactly obserue that rule of the Apostle Let all thinges (c) 1. Cor. 14 40. be done honestly and according to order among you 16 Wherein is the authoritie of the Church necessarie vnto vs FIrst of all surely in this that we may certainlie (a) Gal. 2 2. 1. Tolc c. 25. Aug. ser 129 de tēp li. 13. contra Faust c. 4. 5. et l. 28. c. 2 4. discerne the true and canonicall Scripture from that which is counterfet and apocryphall Whereupon Saint HIEROME doth testifie we receiue saith he the (b) in sym ad Damasu et Aug. ser 19. 1. de tē Conc. Laod c. 59. Conc. 3. Carth. c. 47. Conc. Trid. sess 4. olde and new Testament in that number of bookes which the authority of the holy Catholike Church doth deliuer And (c) Cont. ep Fund c. 5. Saint AVGVSTINE I truely would not beleeue the Gospell excepte the authoritie of the Catholike Church did moue me thereunto It is also necessarie that we may be assured of the (d) Esa 59 21. Aug. l. 1. c. 33. cont Cresco et de vnit Eccle. c. 22. Trid. ses 4. Vin. Lir. contr nouatores true sense and apte interpretatiō of the Scripture least that otherwise we neuer make an end of doubting and disputing about the sense of the wordes For all Heretickes as the same holy Saint (e) lib. 1. de Trinit c. 3. Hillar l. 2. ad Constanti Vinc. Lir. hath written doe labour to defend their false and deceiptfull opinions by the holy Scriptures and yet the Scriptures doe not consist in reading but in vnderstanding as witnesseth (f) Cont. Lucif c. 9. in c. 1. ad Gal. Hilar. l. 2. de Trin. Saint HIEROME Thirdly that in the waightier questions (g) Deut. 17.8 and controuersies of faith that may fall out there may be some (h Act. 15 2 Iudge by whose authoritie matters may be moderated For as that is most true that (i) haer 61. cont Apostolicos EPIPHANIVS teacheth against Heresies that all thinges can not be had out of the Scriptures so doth (k) l. 11. con Faust c. 2 l. 7. c n. Donat c. 53. et in Ps 57. Saint AVGVSTINE most rightlye affirme that the authoritie of the Catholike Church is of speciall waighte and value for our faith and assurance in a doubtful case Neither can the holy Ghost be wanting to the Church to leade her as Christ hath (l) Io. 14 16. 16 13. promised into all trueth Againe that for the diuersitie of persons places and times canons (m) Can. Ap. 38. et Synod 1. Nic. c. 5. Lateran Can. 6. may be ordained perfite discipline preserued and iudgementes pronounced For to the Church
but also to couer his faultes with more reformed actions that sinne may not bee imputed vnto him And againe in another place For a great (f) Ad Virg. laps ca. 8. lib. 1. de paenit cap. 2. wound a deepe long medicine is necessarie Great wickednesse must of necessity haue great Satisfactiō Finally so saith S. GREGORY It is to be (g) Hom. 34. in Euan. vide Emis ad mon. ho. 5. 10. Theod. in epit diuinor decret ca. de paenit l. 4 haeret fab de Audianis seriously thought considered that he which knoweth himselfe to haue committed things vnlawefull must endeuour to abstaine from some things that are lawefull that thereby he may make Satisfaction vnto his Creatour 9 Is there any place for Satisfaction after Death FOr the explication of this point wee must consider the diuerse estates of them that die For some of them do keepe the grace of God and innocency of life euen to their end Vnto whom appertaineth that saying of (a) In orat Manassis MANASSES That Vnto iust persons and those which haue not sinned as ABRAHAM ISAAC and IACOB Penance was not ordained Others haue sinned indeed fallen from the grace of God which once they receiued but they haue purged in this life the filthe of their sinnes with the woorthy workes of Penance as (b) 2. Reg. 12 13. Psal 6 7. DAVID (c) Esa 38 15 EZECHIAS (d) Mat. 26 57. S. PETER (e) Luc. 7 37 S. MARY MAGDALEN Bothe these kindes haue no neede of Satisfaction after death but are altogether free from all bonde thereof But far more in number are those of a middle sorte and yet not verie euil as (f) Ench. ca. 11◠Beda in cap. 11. Pro. S. AVGVSTINE sheweth who haue not performed perfite Penance for their sinnes in their life time and therefore are to be saued (g) 1. Cor. 3 15. So doth Saint Augustine expoūd this place in Psal 37. l. 21. de ciuit c. 26. de fide oper cap. 16. in Psal 80. So doth also Origen ho. 12. 13. in Hier. 25. in Num. 6. in Exod. Amb. in 1. Cor. 3. ser 20. in Psal 118. Hieron in cap. 4. Amos. in fine vlt. libri in Esa lib. 2. in Iouin cap. 1◠Also Saint Gregory li 4. Dial. cap. 39. Beda in 3. cap. Luc. by fire that whatsoeuer was wanting of conuenient Satisfaction in this life may be paide vnto Gods Iustice in another For there (h) Apoc. 21 27. Psal 14 1. 23 3. shal not enter any polluted thing into that Cittie Therefore that we may aunswer to the question proposed such kind of persons departed must abide some Satisfaction yea that most painfull after their death Which yet neuerthelesse (i) Aug. vt supra li 21. ciu c. 24. ho. 16. ex 50. ser 41. de sāctis Greg. 4. Dial. cap. 39 Ber. de obitu Humb. Damasc in orat de def Conc. Flor. Trid. ses 6. can 30. ses 25. part 1 God of his great mercie is wonte to release by the deuout intercession of those that are aliue that so they which are depated being holpen in the Church by the Suffrages of their brethren and members may bee lightned of their sinnes of the terrible paines due vnto the same And hereunto belongeth that which the authority of holy Scripture deliuereth It (k) 2. Mach. 12 43. 1. Reg 31 13 Bedā ib. 2. Reg 1 12. 3 31 Tob. 4 18. Eccli 7 37. 17 18. 38 14. Hier. 16 6. 2. Tim. 1 17 1. Io. 5 16. is a holy and holesome cogitation to pray for the dead that they may bee loosened from their sinnes Whereupon IVDAS the Machabee was commended for that beeing mooued with a singular religious zeale he did with great care and sumptuosenesse procure that not only praiers but also (l) Ibidem sacrifice should be offered for the sinnes of the souls departed In this Doctrine doe agree the Reuerende (m) Conc. 4. Cart. ca. 79. 95. Tolet. 11. cap. 31. Bra. 1. c 34. Flor. Trid ses 25. ses 22. cap. 2. can 3. Councels and Fathers which haue deliuered the true Doctrine of the Church Of whō to alleadg one in steede of many him a witnesse most worthie of credite (n) Li. de cura mor. ca. 1. S. AVGVSTINE writeth thus In the bookes of the Machabees we reade Sacrifice to haue been offered for the dead But although it were no where extant in the olde Scriptures yet is the authority of the Vniuersall Church not small whose practise in this behalfe is most euident where in the praiers of the Priests which are made vnto our Lorde at his Altar the commendation also of those that are departed hath a peculiar place And againe It is to be thought saith hee that there shall bee no Purgatorie (o) Lib. 21. ciu ca. 16. vide Mat. 12 32. Which place is expounded of remission of sinnes in the other world by praiers of the Church By S. Aug. l. 21. ciu c. 24. l. 6. in Iul. c. 5. Greg. l. 4 Dial. ca. 39. Beda in c. 3. Mar. Bern. hom 66. in Cant. Pet. Clun in ep cōt Pet. Bru. Raban lib. 2 de inst cler cap. 44. vide etiam Mat. 5 26 Which place also is expoūded of Purgatorie By Tert. l. deanima cap. 17. Cypr. lib. 4. ep 2. Orig. ho. 35. in Luc. in ep ad Ro. Emis ho. 5. de Epiph. Amb. in Luc. 12. Hier. in Mat. 5. Bern. ser de obitu Humbert vide Mal. 3 3. Phil. 2 10. Apoc. 5 3.13 paines after that last and terrible iudgement And what can bee more plainelye spoken than those wordes It is not to bee doubted but that by the praiers of the (p) Aug. de verb. Apo. ser 32. cap. 1. 2. vide Isid lib. 1. de offic cap. 18. Raban lib. 2. de instit Cler. cap. 44. holy Church and by the most holesome Sacrifice by Almes which are bestowed for their soules those which are departed be holpen that our Lord may deal more mercifully with them than their sinnes haue deserued For this hath beene deliuered by the Fathers and the vniuersall Church obserueth that for those which are departed in the Communion of the Body and Bloode of Christ when their memory is made at the Sacrifice in the due place Praiers also are powred out vnto God it is expressely mentioned that the Sacrifice is offered for them And whē for the helping of them works of mercy are exercised who may doubt but that they are auaileable vnto them for whom praiers are not in vaine offered It is not at al to be doubted but these things doe profite the dead yet such only who liued so before death that these thinges might be profitable to them after death Thus writeth Saint AVGVSTINE aboue 1200. yeeres agone to omitte many also
more ancient than himselfe (q) Ep. 52. 66. S. CYPRIAN (r) Vt supra ORIGEN (s) De Eccle. Hier. cap. 7. S. DENIS (t) Ep. 1. lib. 6. const cap. 29. S. CLEMENT who with one consent doe all accorde in this Doctrine Wherefore (v) Ho. 3. in Phil 41. inâ—t Cor. 69 ad pop Damasc in orat de def Athan. Nyss apud Damasc S. CHRYSOSTOME doth in plaine termes exhorte both that we our selues to our power doe helpe them that are departed and put others in minde also to pray giue Almes for them For it was not vnadvisedly decreed by the Apostles that in the dreadfull Mysteries Commemoration should be made of those that are departed For they knewe well that they shoulde gaine much and reape no small commoditie thereby Thus writeth S. CHRYSOSTOME Finally this is that which to this day the holy Church a faithfull interpretour of the Scriptures hath taught against the (x) Epiph. haer 75. Aug. haer 53. Damasc de haeres Aerians that there is a certain Purgatory or emeÌ„datory (y) Trid. ses 25. 6. Flor. fire as (z) In Ps 37. l. 2. de GeÌ„ cont Ma. ca. 20. Greg. in 3. Ps Paenit li. 4. Dial. ca. 39. Bern. serm 66. in Cant. S. AVGVSTINE calleth it in which the faithfull soules departed in Christ must suffer and satisfie for the punishement of those sins for which wholely Satisfaction was not made in this life by Penance except as (a) Ench. ca. 110. de cura mort c. 1. 4. 18. Saint AVGVSTINE speaketh they bee releeued by the deuotion of their friendes that are aliue 10 What is the commendation and dignity of Penance PEnance is the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell Mat. 3 2. 4.17 Mat. 1 4. Luc. 15 7.10 Mat. 7 13. 11 12. the ioy of Angels in heauen the straite way vpoÌ„ earth that narrow gate by which the faithfull doe trauel towards life lay violent hands vpoÌ„ the kingdome of heauen Shee (a) Lib. de vera fals paenit c. 1. Bas in homil de ver paenit Chry. in ho. serm de paenit erecteth them that bee fallen cureth the wounded strengthneth the weake quickneth the deade restoreth those that are lost finally all things that sinne doth impaire Penance doth renue refreshe in vs. By her we giue a testimony of an hatred of our life past of the contempt of our selues of al submissioÌ„ She being our guide we mourning find (b) Mat. 5 5. comfort being wounded we are cured beeing humble we are exalted This is she whereby we ouercome the diuels the pestilence of vice we driue awaie deserued (c) Hier. 18 8 Ezech. 18 21. 33 11 Ionae 3 Mat. 3 8. 2. Cor. 7 10. Act. 11 18. punishments we pacifie Gods wrath we purchase grace get glory euerlasting Hereupon are those speeches of Christ in the Gospell (d) Mat. 4 17. Doe Penance for the kingdome of heauen is at hand (e) Luc 5 32 I came not to call the Iust but sinners to Penance Vnlesse (f) Luc. 13 6 you haue Penance you shall all likewise perishe But hee finally doth true Penance to conclude all these thinges with the wordes of S. CYPRIAN (g) Ep. 14. Who obaying the precepts of God the Priests with his obedience works of Iustice doth winne our Lord. OF THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREAME VNCTION 1 What ought to be our beleefe touching the Sacrament of Extream Vnction THat certes which the (a) Con. Nic. ex Arab. Latinum factuÌ„ can 69. Con. Const ses 15. Flor. Trid. sess 14. Innoc. 1. ep 1. ad Decentium ca. 8. Pet. Dam. ser 1. in dedicat Eccles Bern. in vita Mala. Conc. Worm can 72. Cabil 2. cap. 48. Melden apud Burchar lib. 4. can 75. apud Iuonem part 1. cap. 269. Aquisgr 2. can 8. Mogunt sub Rabano Alcuinus lib. de offic cap. 12. Hugo lib. 2. de Sacram. par 15. cap. 2. 3. Orig. hom 2. in Leuit. Chrys lib. 3. de Sacerd. Aug. in speculo in serm 215. de temp Catholike Church doth constantlye teache to witte that this is a sacred signe ordained in consecrated oile that thereby heauenly vertue may by Gods ordinance be applied vnto sicke persons for the health not only of their soules but of their bodies also Vnto which Sacrament Sainte IAMES the Apostle giueth most cleare and euident testimony for as much as he hath written these verie wordes (b) Iac. 5 14. Ibid. Beda Is any man sicke among you Let him bring in the Priestes of the church let theÌ„ pray ouer him anoiling him with oile in the name of our Lord. And the praier of faith shal saue the sick And our Lord shal lifte him vp And if he be in sinnes they shal be remitted him 2 What doth the Apostle teach by these wordes HEE sheweth first of all that the Elemente or matter of this Sacrament is oile consecrated as noteth well (a) In cap. â— Mar. in â— Luc in â— Iac. Innoc. 1. vt supra Conc. Meld vt supra S. BEDE by the benediction of a Bishoppe And it signifieth (b) Theoph. in ca. 6. Mar. cherefulnesse of minde an internall strengthening which through the grace of God the sicke man feeleth by the vertue of this Sacrament Then doth the same Apostle set downe the proper minister of this Sacramente to witte a (c) Chry. li. 3. de sacerd Orig. ho. 2. en Leuit. Priest who with praier is decently to exercise this holy vnction Neither was it without some signification of the minister of this Sacrament writteÌ„ of the Apostles that (d) Mar. 6 13 61. Theoph. Beda They annointed with oile many sicke and healed theÌ„ Furthermore the parties that receiue this Sacrament are by Saint IAMES called sicke persons (e) Pet. Cluâ— lib. 1. mirac cap 20. li. 2. cap. 32. because as the manner custome of the Church is this holy vnction is onelie celebrated in grieuous and daungerous sickenesses 3 What is the profite and effect of this Sacrament FIrst it auaileth to remission of (a) Bern. in vita Mal. Conc. Trid. vt supra Pet. Clun li. â— ep 1. such sinnes as the sicke person hath not already purged by the remedies of Penance that he may before all thinges be eased of the burden and cured of the maladie of his sinnes Then profiteth it also either to driue away or to (b) Ibidem Bern. asswage the infirmity of the body so farre forth as it is expedient for the sicke person to be deliuered of the same Last of all it is of force to minister comforte and confidence of which certes there is speciall neede in that last agony and departure at what time the (c) Cyril Al. in orat de â—xitu animae Greg. lib. 2. mor cap. 17.
Church they vsed imposition of (a) Act. 6 6. 13 3. 14 22. 1. Tim. 4 14 5 22. 2. Tim. 1 6. hands For by this as by a certain effectual tokeÌ„ of present grace which is exhibited and (b) Amb. li. de dignit Sacerd. c. 5. Niceph. lib. 12. cap. 14. receiued in the giuing of holy orders is this Sacrament which we speake of commended vnto vs. And therefore S. PAVL writing to TIMOTHY whom he had created Bishop and admonishing him of the grace that he had receiued in this Sacrament doth speake in this manner (c) 1. Tim. 4 14. ibid. Theoph. Haymo Neglect not the grace that is in thee which is giuen thee by Prophesie with impositioÌ„ of the hands of Priesthoode And againe writing to the same Bishoppe (d) 2. Tim. 1 6. ibid. Theoph. I admonishe thee that thou resuscitate the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my handes And because it is very much materiall (e) Leo. ep 87. ad Episc Maur. synod RoÌ„ sub Sylu c. 11. Trid. ses 23. c. 7. 12. reforma what kind of men be placed in euery of the Churches sunctions and doe receiue Ecclesiasticall power by meanes of this Sacrament therefore it is saide to euerie Bishop (f) 1. Tim. 5 22. Impose handes on no man lightly neither doe thou communicate with other mennes sinnes 4 Howe many degrees doth this Sacrament containe in it IT containeth in generall lesser greater orders the lesser are foure (a) Conc. Carth. 4. caÌ„ 6. sequ Laod. can 24. Trid. ses 23. Ignat. ad Antioch Dion eccles hierarch c. 3. Euseb hist l. 6. cap. 35. ex epist Corn. in number to witte of Ostiaries Lectors Exorcistes Acolites And the greater are three to wit of Sub-deacons Deacons and Priestes And of Priestes some are greater some lesser knowen to bee ordained (b) Luc. 9 1. 10 1. ibid. Beda Clem. ep 1. Anacl ep 2 3. by Christ For the greater sort of Priests are the Apostles and Bishops their (c) Hier. ad Marcel ep 54. Cypr. ep 69. 65. Ignat. ad Phila. Aug. in Psal 44. successors excelling doubtles with a great power and reuerend prerogatiue of dignitie For it is their office as the (d) Act. 20 28. 1. Pet. 5 1. Heb. 13 17. Tit. 1 5. Act. 14 22. Scripture testifieth to take heed to themselues to the wholle flocke which they doe receiue of the holy-Ghost to bee cured and fedde to rule the Church to reforme the things that are wanting to ordaine Priests by Cities And the lesser sort of Priests doe attende in the Ministerye of the Church vnder Bishops as those (e) Luc. 10 â— Leo. ep 88. ad Epi. Gall. Innoc. 3 l. 1. de myst Alt. cap. 6. 72. Disciples did vnder the Apostles doe (f) Heb. 5 1. 8 3. offer giftes and Sacrifices for sinnes and are next vnto the same Bishops as it were workemen (g) Mat. 9 37. Luc. 10 2. in our Lords haruest But the Clarkes of the foure lesser orders haue this proper office to (h) Carth. 4. caÌ„ 6. seq Isid lib. 2. de offic c. 11. seq lib. 7. â—tym c. 12. Raban lib. 1. de inst cler c. 9. sequ Con. Aquis 1. sub Ludouico Pio. ca. 2 sequ Râ—m sub Sylu. c. 3. 6. 9. attend vpoÌ„ Priests Bishops in many businesses and affaires to dispose the people that doe resorte to holy thinges that they themselues by little and little as it were by certaine degrees may be wel informed and prepared to vndertake greater offices in the Church But the other three (i) Carth. 4. caÌ„ 3. sequ Isid sup c 7. Rabanus c. 6. vbi sup Aquisgr ca. 6. Arator l. 1 in Acta cap. 1â— greater orders doe afforde greater power both in other things in the holie mysteries of the Euchatiste Therefore the Sub-deacon and Deacon may be present at the saide mysteries as Ministers be next vnto the Priests themselues And although as touching the Sacrament of Orders the authority of offering Sacrifice there be no difference between Bishoppes and Priests (k) Damasus ep 4. Isid lib. 2. de offic cap. 7. Hieron coÌ„t Lucif cap. 4. Leo. ep 88. Conc. Hisp 2. cap 7. Epiph. haeres 75. Acrianorum yet are they more excellent high thaÌ„ Priests if wee consider the power and authority of gouerning the Church of feeding soules of confirming the Baptised and of ordering Clearkes But it is not our intente at this present exactely to declare what functions and Lawes are prescribed to euery particular order Most certaine it is that al orders are to be had in great estimation diligently to be kepte and maintained For most firme testimony is giuen vnto the same by the holie Discipline of the Apostles Tradition and (l) Amb. in cap 4. ep ad Ephes the Churches obseruance which hath continued euen vnto this day 5 In what sort doe the auncient Fathers write of this Sacrament OF this doth Sainte AVGVSTINE a Doctor without doubt verie Catholike manifestly declare both his owne and the Churches minde in these wordes (a) Li. quaest Vet. Nou. Test quaest 93. vide lib. 2. cont ep Parm. c. 13. In that that our Lorde is read to haue breathed vpon his Disciples a fewe daies after his Resurrection and to haue saide receiue (b) Io. 20 21 yee the holy-Ghost Ecclesiasticall power is vnderstoode to haue beene giueÌ„ For because all thinges in the Tradition of our Lord are done by the holy-Ghost Therefore when a certaine rule forme of this Discipline is deliuered vnto them it is saide to them receiue yee the holie-Ghost And because it appertaineth truely to Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction he presently addeth saying whose sinnes you retaine shall be retained and whose you remitte shall be remitted Therefore this inspiration or breathing is a certaine grace which is infused by Tradition to those that receiue Orders whereby they may be accounted more commendadable Whereupon the Apostle saith to TIMOTHY (c) 1. Tim. 4 14. Neglect not the grace which is in thee which was giuen thee by the imposition of handes of a Priest Therefore once it ought to bee done that for euer after this Tradition might be thought not to be voide of the gifte of the holy-Ghost Hitherto S. AVGVSTINE There are extante also the Cannons of the Apostles in which it is thus (d) Can. 1. 2. decreed Let a Bishoppe bee created by two or three Bishops A Priest by one Bishâ—p So a Deacon others of the Cleargie Then a little after (e) Can. 68. vide canoneâ— insignes dist 59. seq If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon or Subdeacon or Lector or Chaunter doe not faste the holy Lent or the Wensdaie or the Parasceue which we nowe call Friday let him be put out of Orders vnlesse happely
(d) Eph. 5 11. with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes but rather reproue them Then that also of the same Apostle Withdrawe (e) 2. Thess 3 6. your selues from euery brother walking inordinately and not according to the Tradition which they haue receiued of vs. 2 How many in number are these alien sinnes NIne as they are for the moste parte committed nine manner of waies to wit by councel by commanding by consent by prouocation by praise or flatterie by silēce by winking or Indulgence by participation in the fault and by wicked defending or maintaining the same Eccli 27 28. 6 7. 8 20. 37 7.9 Iob. 5 13. 12 13.16 18 5.7 Esa 19 11.13 Psal 7 16. 9 16. Prou. 26 27. Eccles 10 8. 3 When is an alien sinne committed by Councell AT such time certes as we are the authors and instrumentes of euill counsell which others doe or maye followe Let CAIPHAS be an example (a) Io. 11 49 who by his coūsell incensed and prouoked the Senate of the Iewes to worke the death of Christ But commended on the contrarie parte is IOSEPH of Aramathia and is called a good and iust man because he had not consented (b) Luc. 23 50. Psal 1 1. Gen. 49 5. Iob. 21 16. to the counsell and actes of them̄ to wit of the high Preistes and Pharisies wickedlye conspiring to put Christ to (c) Io. 11 53. Mat. 26 3. death Of the same sorte of men was that (d) Act. 19 24. 2. Reg. 10 3. 16 20. 17 1.5 3. Reg. 12 4. 21 25. 2. Par. 22 3. 25 16.20 1. Esd 4 5 Hest 5 10. Dan. 6 5. 1. Mac. 1.12 2. Mach. 1 11. 4 32. Act. 14 18. DEMETRIVS who with other Artificers for the tendering of his owne lucre gaine filled in a maner the whole citie of the EPHESIANS with a greate tumulte and sedition against S. PAVL his doctrine Herin also did offend that infamous (e) Mar. 6 24 Mat. 14 8. HERODIAS Kinge HERODS aduoutres For her dauncing daughter by her counsell and persuasion did wickedly obtaine the bodiles heade of the glorious S. IHON Baptist which she cruelly before had requested 4 When is commanding an alien sinne 1. Reg. 22 17. Iudith 2 5. Hest 3 12 Dan. 3 5. 6 16.1 Mach. 1 43. 2. Mach. 6 1. Mar. 6 27. Act. 23 2. VVHen by our decree commission or commaundement any wrong doth redound to our neighbour or any euill whatsoeuer is committed In this manner DAVID the King killed innocent VRIAS (a) 2. Reg. 11 15. not certes with his owne or with his seruantes handes but working it and charging it by letter that he should be slaine in the battaile And PILATE the President (b) Io. 19 16 Luc. 23 25. was giltie of Christs death because for the fauour of the Iewes although otherwise after a manner vnwilling he adiudged him and deliuered him ouer by his authoritie to be crucified So did PHARAO (c) Exod 1 16. and HERODE (d) Mat. 2 16. binde them selues with a monstrous crime whē they made the Tirannicall lawe of murdering the Infantes of the Hebrues But (e) Esa 10 1. Mat. 15 3. Mar. 7 9. woe be vnto them that make vniust lawes Leu 20 4. Num. 16 24 26. Iudith 8 9. Hest 14.15 Luc. 11.47 5 When doth consent make vs guiltie of an alien sinne VVHen that which is wickedlye donne by others hath as it were our voice to go with it or is at the least in secret sorte (a) Iren. l. 4. cap. 46. by vs approued So sinned SAVL consentinge (b) Act. 7 60 to the deathe of the Protomartyr Saint STEVEN Also herein offended aboue fortie (c) Act. 23 12. men of the Iewes who by vowe bound armed themselues to put S. PAVL to death Finallye herein offended the Citizens of Hierusalē (d) Mat. 27 20. Mar. 15 11. giuing their voices to their Magistrates that Christ might suffer death so that S. PETER for that cause vpbraiding them saide The author (e) Act. 3 15 2 23. of life you killed Wherfore is that sentence of S. PAVL to be noted Not (f) Ro. 1 32. only they which doe euill thinges but they also which consent vnto the doers are worthy of death And hereunto may be referred that which we reade in S. CYPRIAN Hee is (g) ep 51. quae est Cleri Rom. ad Cypr. not free from wickednes that gaue commandement to haue it accomplishede nor hee cleare from crime whoe notwithstandinge hee neuer committed the same yet geuethe his consent that it shall be otherwise giuen out and publikely registred 6 When doe we contract an alien sinne by prouocation 1. Reg. 1 6. Psal 105 16 2. Mach. 14 27. Gal. 5 15.26 Eph. 6 4. Col. 3 21. VVHen we doe wittinglye prouoke another to anger reuenge blasphemie crueltie or other such like vices whether it bee done by worde or deede or any other meanes howsoeuer As when IOBS (a) Iob. 2 9. wife wantonly scorning her most patient husband did also persuade him so much as lay in her to blaspheme God And Tobies wife (b) Tob. 2 15. 3 7. as troublesome as the other often molesting exasperating her husband with her reprochfull speaches brought the matter to this passe that the afflicted man was constrained to bewaile his domesticall iniurie with sighes and teares and praiers vnto Almightie God But Ecclesiasticus admonisheth the contrarie saying Keepe (c) Eccli 28 10. Pro. 15 18. 18 6. 22 10. et 26 17. 29 22. 30 33. thy selfe from contention and thou shalt diminishe sinnes For an angry man doth kindle contention a man a sinner will molest his frendes and in the middest of them that are in peace soweth enmitie And so hath Salomon saide An euill man (d) Pro. 17 11. 3 30. Esa 33 1. alwaies seeketh chidings but the cruell Angell shal be sent against him 7 When are we spotted with an alien sinne by praise or flatterie Pro. 24 24.28 27 2.5.6 28 23 Psal 140 5. Esa 5 20. Chrys ho 2. de Dauid et Saule Cyp. de laps Basil hō in Psal 61. Aug. in Psa 134. VVHē we cōmend any man in misdeeds or lewd behauiour or as though the thing were very well done we giue a spurre to him that runneth amisse that he may holde on his wicked course But woe be vnto them (a) EZech. 13 18. that sowe coushens vnder euery elbow and doe make pillowes vnder the heade of euery age to take soules as the Prophet saith And into this vice do preachers (b) Hier. 14 13. 23 15 17. 27 9 28 15. 29.8 Thren 1 14 Mich. 3 5. 3. Reg. 22 6 sometime fall Magistrats naughtely flattering the common people whilest they doe openly fauour approue their licentiousnesse And therefore rightly saith ESAIE O my people
And yet more greeuously doe they sin who do manifestly make a gain vnto thēselues of an other mans filthinesse (c) Deut. 23 18. as bauds do or such as dare giue lodgeing harbour vnto theeues or notorious dishonest and factious persons where they may haue couer for thēselues or for their things 11 When doe we by defending committe an alien sinne VVHen we either protect malefactours or defend and publishe an other mans doctrine though it be peruerse and wicked When also by our care and endeuour we labour to further maintaine that which is appointed against equitie and Iustice Against such persons there thundreth out this diuine oracle Woe (a) Esa 5 20. 10 1. vnto you that call euill good and good euill making darkenes light light darkenes making bitter sweete and sweet bitter And againe Thou (b) Exod. 23 2. shalt not follow the multitude to doe euill neither shalt thou in iudgement yeelde to the sentence of many so to decline from the truth And this shall suffice touching Alien sinnes as they call thē which now certes in those daies doe reach very farre and are ouer licentiously committed euery daye espeacially by Magistrates And there is commonly so litle heede taken of them that most men doe thinke them not to be sinnes at all nor make any accounte of thē although often times with the filthe of these sinnes they defile and make guilty of perpetuall torments both their owne and other mens consciences And al these kindes mentioned before may be reduced to three kindes and in few words comprehended as sheweth S. BASIL (c) Bas ser 2. de Bap. ca. 9. For that we fall into the participation of an other mans error or sinne it commeth to passe either by Deede and Acte or by Will onely and a certaine purpose of the minde or by some carelesse negligence if at anie time others be defrauded of the duty that we owe in admonishing them and seeking their amendment But the worste kinde of sinning of all others without comparison is when a man sinneth against the holy-Ghost OF SINNES AGAINST THE HOLY-GHOST 1 What is a sinne against the Holy-Ghost Vide S. Tho mam in 2.2 quaest 14. IT is malitiously and contemptuously to reiecte the grace and liberality of God beeing offered which grace certes is peculiarly attributed to the holy-Ghost as to the fountaine of all goodnesse And this is to sinne without any remedy or redresse insomuch that according to the speech of Christ for such so great a sinne no forgiuenesse is obtained either (a) Mat. 12 31. Mar. 3 28. Luc. 12 10. in this worlde or in the worlde to come For after this maner Almighty God dealeth with vs that he giueth neither grace vpon earth nor glory in Heauen to anie other but vnto those onelie which hauing once knowne sinne doe detest it setting before their eies that which is good doe make choise of a righteous course of life But from these sinnes farre is banished both detestation of sinne and the choise also of that good which were to bee followed and that moreouer is cleane reiected whereby the holy-Ghost doth vse of his singular grace to withdrawe a man from sinne And for this reason they which are fettered with such kind of sinnes doe either neuer get the grace of God or seldome and very hardly For these sinnes are not committed of humane imbecillitie frailtie which were to sinne against the Father and the might and power of the Father as we see in S. PETER (b) Mat. 26 74. Vide Greg. lib. 25. Mor. cap. 16. the Apostle who denied Christ nor yet of ignorāce which were to sinne against the Sonne the wisdome of the Sōne as was SAVL (c) 1. Tim. 1 13. Act 9 1. his case when he persecuted the Church but that which is farre worse without comparison these sinnes are committed of malice and obstinacie of minde as we see for example in those most peruerse and obstinate Pharisies 2 How many sinnes are there against the holy Ghost THere are of that kinde accounted sixe and their names commonly vsed are these Presumption of the mercie of God or of the impunitie of sinne Desperation Oppugning of the knowne truth Enuying of brotherly charitie Obstinacie and impenitencie But more plainly and significantly they may be thus numbred 1 Confidently to abuse the mercie of God 2 Vtterly to despaire of the grace of God or of his owne saluation 3 Rebelliouslye to oppugne the truth of religion against his owne conscience 4 Vehemently to be moued with a setled Enuy because of the encrease of saluation vertue in his brother 5 With an obstinate minde to persiste wittingly in a faulte 6 Without purpose of amēdment neuer to make an end of a lewd and peruerse kinde of life 3 What manner of presumption maketh a sinne against the holy Ghost Greg. in c. 3. lib. 1. reg l 33. mor. c. 15. l. 6. ep 22. Fulg. de fid ad Pet. cap. 3. Bern. serm 38. ex paruis THat which maketh a man to trust only in the mercie of God and to be hardened and emboldened to sinne all manner of respect of Gods Iustice and feare being laid aside And thus certes doe very many sinne at this day who flattering themselues with an only faith (a) Aug. de fid op c. 14. 22. in Ench. ca. 67. haer 54. Hier. in c. 4. Osc in Christ doe like beastes (b) Ioel. 1 17 wallow and rotte in the middest of the filth of sinnes and not to themselues only but to others also dare promise (c) 2. Pet. 2 18 Eccles 8 14. Conc. Trid. sess 6. cap. 9. can 12.13.14 Hier. in cap. 4. Dan. securitie if only they haue confidence in the merites of Christ in the grace of God apprehended by faith although in the meane time the fruites (d) Luc. 3 8.9 13 3. Mat. 3 8.10 Act. 26 20. Eccli 2 22. of penance be nothing regarded But to all these doth the doctor of the Gentiles cry out Doest thou contemne saith hee the riches of the goodnes of God and patience (e) Ro. 2 4. Eccles 8 11. Eccli 15 21. Aug. trac 33 in Ioan. ho. 50. ex 50. ca 4. Isid de sum bo lib. 2. cap. 13. and longanimitie not knowing that the benignitie of God bringeth thee to penance And for that cause he in an other place is so farre (f) 1. Cor. 13 1 off frō willing men to vaunt of only faith that he biddeth euen the faithfull thēselues euery one to worke their saluation with feare and (g) Phil. 2 12 Psal 2 11. Pro. 28 14. Rom. 11 20 1. Cor. 4 4. 10 12. trembling commending vnto them a faith not deade and idle as Sainte (h) Iac. 2 14. IAMES calleth it but liuely effectuall which worketh duely by (i) Gal. 5 6. charitie Against this abominable sinne thus
remission or purging of their sinnes And as touching Faith they are vtterly destitute (d) Aug. tra 67. in Ioan. Leo. ser 4. de Nat. Dom. therof who not consenting with the Faith of the Church doe with a certaine vaine (e) See before of presumption pag. 315. confidence promise vnto themselues and others remission of sinnes and grace of Iustification through Christ But they that perseuering in the Faith and vnitie of the Church doe desire to bee deliuered from their sinnes haue many waies proposed vnto them in Scripture for the taking away of their (f) Orig. ho. 2. in Leuit. Aug. l. 2. cōt Cres cap. 12. Chry. Conc. 4. de Lazar. in finc ho. 6. in Io. sinnes amongest which the principall is the Sacrament of Penance Which beeing despised it is to no purpose to vse any (g) See before of the Sacrament of Penance pag. 196. other remedies for deadly sinnes For this hath Christ the Phisician of soules ordained not onely as a present but also as a necessary medicine to bee of force against any leaper of sin whatsoeuer commēding the same he hath said to the Priests Whose (h) Io. 20 22 sins you shall remit they are remitted them Secondlie sinnes are cleansed and purged by Almes because it is written Almes (i) Tob. 4 8. 12 8. Eccli 3 15.33 Pro. 13 8. 15 27. 16 6. Luc. 11 41. deliuereth from all sinne and from death and will not suffer a soule to goe into darkenesse Therefore the Prophet giueth this admonition (k) Dā 4 24 Esa 1 17.18 Heb. 13 16. See after of Almes Redeeme thy sinnes with Almes and thy iniquities with the mercies of the poore Thirdly sins are remitted when although wee haue beene neuer so much wronged yet we do forgiue our brother the offence our Lorde haueing saide If (l) Mat. 6 14. Luc. 6 37. Mar. 11 25. Eccli 28 2. you will forgiue men their offences your heauenly Father will forgiue you also your offences Fourthlye the same effecte is wrought whē by admonishing our brother that sinneth we doe winne him and bring him to amendment as it is written He (m) Iac. 5 20 which maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the error of his way shall saue his soule from death and couereth a multitude of sinnes Fiftely hereunto belongeth the aboundance of syncere Charitie which is very puissant mightie to obtain accōplishe al good things For which it is said of MARY MAGDALEN Many (n) Luc. 7 47 sinnes are forgiuen her because shee loued much For (o) Pro. 10 12. 1. Pet. 4 8. Charity couereth the multitude of sins Sixtly hereunto is auaileable the Sacrifice of a contrit (p) Ps 50 19. Luc. 18 13. Mat. 18 32. Eccli 21 1. hart which God neuer despiseth an humble knowledg of a mans selfe confession of his sins For our Lord hath respect (q) Psal 101 18. vpon the praier of the humble and doth not despise their petitions In somuch that hereupon holy DAVID also testifieth of him selfe (r) Psal 31 5. I haue saide I will confesse against my selfe my iniustice vnto our Lorde and thou hast remitted the impietie of my sinne And S. IHON generally to al that doe truely confesse promiseth this grace (s) 1. Io. 1 9. If we confesse our sinnes saith he he is faithfull and iust for to forgiue vs our sins to cleanse vs from all iniquitie Therefore the Niniuites (t) Ionae 3 5 Mat. 12 41. Luc. 11 32. 3. Reg. 21 29. Sap. 11 24. Cypr. ep 40.8.26 when they did earnestlye perseuer in workes of humilitie and Penance appeased the present wrathe of God and turned away the imminent destruction of their Cittie and cuntrey And therefore of them we reade it thus written God (v) Ione 5 10. Num. 25 11 Psal 105 30. sawe their workes because they were turned from their euill waies God tooke compassion of the euill which he had spoken that he would doe to thē did it not Thus finally we learne by the testimonie of holy Scripture that by (x) Pro. 10 2 Act. 8 22. 2. Cor. 7 10. these other meanes offices of true pietie done by the grace of Christ this effecte is wrought that the sinnes of faithfull penitents in the Church as wee saide before are purged and taken away in regard whereof the Apostle warneth Hauing (y) 2. Cor. 7 1. 2 Tim. 2 19.21 therefore these promises my dearest let vs cleanse our selues from all inquination of the fleshe and spirit perfiting sanctification in the feare of God And with no lesse vehemencie speaketh S. IAMES (z) Iac. 4 8. Ezec. 18 27. Cleanse saith he your handes you sinners purifie your hartes you double of minde Be miserable and mourne and weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning and ioy into sorow Be humble in the sight of our Lorde and he will exalte you For it is not sufficient for a man to amende his manners to leaue his misdedes that we may againe vse the wordes (a) Hom 50 ex 50. cap. 5. in Ench. cap. 70. Cypr. de lapsis in fine others as before of Satisfaction pag. 209. of S. AVGVSTINE Vnlesse by the sorow of penance by the sighings of humilitie and by the sacrifice of a contrite harte together with the cooperation of almes satisfaction he made to God for those thinges also that haue bene committed Otherwise who so shall knowe that any mortall sinnes doe beare sway in him as the same (b) Se◠41. de Sanctus Saint writeth except he worthely amende himselfe if he haue space doe penance along time and giue large almes refraine from the sinnes themselues he cannot be purged with that transtorie fire whereof the Apostle (c) 1. Cor. 5 15. Aug. lib 16. ex 50. Ench. ca. 67. de fid op ca. 16. quaest 1. ad Dulcitium hath spoken but shall be tormented without any redresse in the euerlasting flame For not deadly sinnes but litle sinnes are purged and clensed after this life 2 And what conceipte ought we to haue of litle sinnes Aug. Ench. cap. 78. li. 21. ciu 5.27 Isid lib. 2. de sum bo c. 18 THis surelie that such lighter sinnes as the wandering of the minde an idle worde immoderate laughter and such like which are called quotidian or veniall sinnes and without the which this life is not past ouer for in (a) Iac. 3 2. 1. Io. 1 8. Eccles 7 21. Pro. 24 16. Psal 31 6. many thinges we offend all as we also noted before although they are not deadly and do seeme litle in outward apparāce yet they are not to bee (b) Aug. de 10. chord c. 11. in Pse 129. ser 244. de tēp tr 12. in Ioan. contemned For somuch as they displease God or as S. PAVL speaketh they (c) Eph. 4 30 Chry. ho. 87. in Mat.
the simpler sort All which thinges we will close vp with one worde of Ecclesiastes as with a notable seale of the whole life of man making this conclusion Eccles 12 d Feare God and keepe his Commaundementes For this is all a man Psalm 67. Confirme this O GOD which thou hast wrought in vs. AN APPENDIX OR ADDITION OF THE FALL OF MAN AND IVSTIFIcation according to the sentence and doctrine of the Councell of Trent 1 Of the state fall of the first Man VVHen the first man Gen. 2 c 3 â— Aug. lib. 14. de ciuit Dei cap. 17. lib. 6 de Gen. ad lit cap. 26 27 in coÌ„cione ad Catech cont Iudae c. cap. 2. Fulg. de incarn grat Christ cap. 12. 13. Bern. ser 1. de Annun Prosp cont Collat. c. 21. ADAM hadde transegressed the Commandement of God in Paradise be presentlie loâ—t the holinesse and iustice in which he was created and further by the offence of that transgression incurred the anger and indignation of God and so consequently Gen. 2 c 3 d. Rom. 5 c. Conc. Mileuit can 1. Aug lib. 1. de ciuitat Dei cap. 12. lib. 1. de poâ— mer. cap. 2. 4. 6. Tertul de anima cap. 52. Fulgent de incarnat cap. 12. Chrys hom 17. in Gen. Ber. ad milit templi cap. 11. death which Almighty God had threatned vnto him before And with this same death he fell into the bondage and thraldome of the Aug. lib. 13. de Trin. cap. 12. lib. 3. Hypog cap. 2. Bern. ep 190. Diuell who from thence-forth had the Empire of Heb. 2 d death and finallie whole ADAM Concil ArausicanuÌ„ can 1. lib. de Eccles dogmat cap. 38. Aug. lib. 13. de Trin. cap. 12. lib. 14. de ciu Dei c. 15 by that same offence of preuarication was both in bodie and soule changed into worse 2 Of the sin of Adam transfused into al men NEither did ADAMS preuarication hurte himselfe alone but also his whole linage Ro. 5 c d 1. Cor. 15 c Eccli 25 d Conc. 2. A. raus can 2. Aug. in Enchir cap. 26. l. 2. Hypog cap 1. sequent l. 13. de ciuit Dei cap 3 14. lib 14. cap. 1. Prosp lib. 1. de vocat gent. c. 7. ad capitula Gallor c. 8. and posterity as who did loose both to himselfe Prosp cont Collat cap. 19 ad tria prima dub Genuen 9. Fulg. de incar gra Christi c. 13. and to vs the holinesse and iustice receiued from God and beeing polluted by the sinne of disobedience did transfuse into all mankinde not death only and the paines of the Gennad de Eccles dogmat c. 39. Aug. in Ench. c. 26. lib. 15. de ciuitate Dei cap. 1. de Predest gra c. 3. lib. 6. cont Iulian. cap. 12. 20. 24. 26. Fulgent de incar gratia Christi c. 14. 15. de fide ad Pet. cap. 25. Prosp lib 2. de vita contemplatiua c. 20. cont Collat. cap. 20. lib. de ingrat cap. 40. 27. Petrus Diaconus de incarnat gratia Christi cap. 6. bodie but also sinne which is the death of the soule Which the Apostle confirming hath said By one man Rom. 5 b sinne entred into the world and by sinne death And so vnto al men death did passe in which all sinned For which cause the sinne of ADAM which originally is one being by propagation Aug. l. 2. cont Pelag. Coelest c 15 16. lib. 1. de pec mer. cap. 9. 10. 11 12. 13. l. 2 Hypog c. 4. ep 86. 〈◊〉 lib. 6. cont Iul. cap. 2. serm 14. â—e verb. Apâ—â—â— cap. 14. â— sequent not by imitation transfused to all is in euery particular man his own Item lib. 3. de peccat mer. cap. 8. lib. 6. cont Iulian. cap. 10. must needs be purged by some remedie for the getting of life euerlasting For by it all men are made vncleane and as the Apostle Ephes 2 a Fulgent de â—ide ad Pet. cap. 26. saith by nature the Sonnes of wrathe and the slaues of sinne of the diuell of death excepting â—eere the immaculate Virgin Aug de nat gratia cap 36. vide extrauag comm lib. 3. de reliq veneratione Banct Conc. Trid. sess 3. in fine decret de peccato Origin MARY the mother of God whom in this place where we speake of Originall sinne we doe not comprehend 3 Of the remedy of Originall sinne THis Originall sinne which is in euerie man his owne as we haue saide is not taken away by the Aug. ep 28. Enchâ—c 48. Fulgent de incarn et gratia Christi cap. 16. forces of humane nature nor by any other remedie than by the merit of one Mediatour 1. Tim. 2 b our Lord Iesus Christ who hath reconciled vs Ro. 5 b Petrus Diaconus de incarn gratia Christi cap. 16. Bern. epist 190. vnto God in his bloude being made vnto vs 1. Cor. 1 d Bern ser â— de Purif Iustice Sanctification and Redemption And his merit Tit. â— b is applied as wel to those of discretion as to Infants by the Sacrament of Baptisme orderly ministred in such forme as the Church doth vse because there is no other name Act. 4 b vnder heaueÌ„ giuen vnto meÌ„ in which we must be saued And heÌ„ce is that speech Io 1 d Behold the Lambe of God beholde him that taketh away the sinne of the world And this also Gal. 3 d Aug. lib. 6. cont Iul. c. 4 As many of you as are Baptised in Christ haue put on Christ They therefore doe pernitiously erre who denie that Infants Concil Mileuit c. 2. Aphr. can 77. newely borne ought to be Baptised although they bee borne of Baptised Parents For these also are Baptised into remission of sinnes as hauing receiued Originall sinne from ADAM which must of necessitie bee purged by the Aug. lib. 1. de peccat mer. cap. 16. lib. 4. cont 2. ep Pelag. c. 4 Lauer of regeneration for the getting of life euerlasting because no otherwise is this to be vnderstood Ro. 5 b Aug. lib. 4. cont 2. ep Pelag. cap. 4. lib. 2. cont Pelagium Coelest cap. 40. By one man sinne entered into the world and by sinne death and so vnto all men death did passe in which all sinned But as the Catholicke Church all the worlde ouer hath allwaies vnderstood it For because of this rule of faith according to the Tradition of the Apostles euen Infants who coulde not as yet coÌ„mit any sinne in their owne persons are therefore truely baptised into remission of sinnes that in them by regeneration that may bee clensed which they haue coÌ„tracted by generatioÌ„ For Io. 3 â— vnlesse a maÌ„ be borne again of water and the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God 4 Of the relikes of originall sinne in the Baptised MOreouer we ought to acknowledge that the guilt of originall sinne is remitted by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ which is giuen in baptisme
and that in the baptized Aug. lib. 1. cont 2. ep Pelag c. 13. 14. l. 6. cont Iulia. cap. 13 seq lib. 2. cont Pelag. Coelest c. 39. 40. See the 3. question of Baptisme page 151 all that which hath in it the true and proper nature of sinne is quite taken away and not rased only or not imputed For in the regenerate God hateth nothing bccause there Ro. 8 a is no damnation vnto them that are truely Ibid. 6 a buried with Christ by baptisme vnto death That walke not according to the flesh but putting Eph. 4 c Col. 3 b off the olde man and putting on the new which is created according to God are made innocent immaculate pure voide of sinne and deare vnto Almightie God Ro. 8 c Heires certes of God and coheires of CHRIST so that nothing at all may staye them from entering into heauen And yet notwithstanding must we confesse that ther remaineth in the baptised Aug. lib. 2. de peccat mer. cap. 28. concupiscence which beeing lefte Idem lib. 2. cont Iul. cap. 9. 10. lib. 1. de pec mer. c. vlt. to striue withall cannot possibly hurte them that doe not consent and that doe Idem l. 1. ciu c. 25. lib. 5. con Iul. cap. 3. by the grace of Christ couragiously resist yea rather 2. Tim. 2 a hee that shall striue lawfully shall be crowned This Concupiscence which the Apostle sometime Ro. 7 b calleth sinne the Catholike Church neuer vnderstoode therefore to be called sinne because it is truely properly sinne in the regenerate but because it Aug. lib. 6. con Iul. c. 25. ser 6. de verb. Apost cap. 1. proceedeth of sinne and inclineth to sinne 5 Of the imbecillitie of nature and the lawe to Iustifie Men. TO come nowe somewhat nearer to the right and plaine vndestanding of the Doctrine of Iustification euerie man must acknowledge confesse thus much that when all men by ADAMS transgression had lost Innocencie Coelest primus ep 1. cap. 4. 1. Cor 15. c Ro. 5 c d being made vncleane and as the Apostle saith Eph. 2 a by nature the Sonnes of wrath as hath beene saide so far were they the slaues Ro. 6 c of sinne and in the power of death of the diuell that not only the Gentiles by the force Prosp cōtra Collat. cap. 22. Aug. ep 95. of nature but neither the Iewes by the very letter of the Law Fulgent de incar gratia Christi cap. 16. of MOYSES could be deliuered or rise from the same although in them free-will Aug. lib. 1. cont 2. ep Pelag. cap. 2. lib. 2. c. 5. cont Fortun. Manich. disput 2. lib. 3. de lib. arbit cap. 1. 3. lib. 3. de gra lib. arbit cap. 2. lib. 5. de ciu cap. 10. in expos cap. 5. ad Gal. qu. 24. ex 83. lib. 3. Hypog cap. 10. Orig. Philocal cap. 21. ho. 2. ex diuers in c. 13. Mat. Chry. ho. 30. in Mat. ho. 9. 11. in Ioan. Cyr. Hieros catech 4. illum Hier. in proaem lib. cont Pelag. lib. 2. cont Iouin cap. 2. was not extinguished howesoeuer Conc. 2. Araus cap. 13. 25. Aug. ep 95. Prosp lib. 1. de vocatione gentium cap. 8. it were weakened and decaied 6 Of the dispensation mystery of the comming of Christ VVHereby it came to passe that the Heauenly Father the Father of 2. Cor. 1 a mercies and God of all consolation when that happy Gal. 4 a fulnesse of time was come did sende vnto men CHRIST IESVS his Sonne declared and promised both before the Lawe and in the time of the Lawe to many holy Fathers Both that he might redeeme the Iewes who were vnder the Lawe that the Gentiles which did Ro. 9 g not followe Iustice might apprehend Iustice and all might receiue the adoption of sinnes Gal. 4 a Him hath God Ro. 3 d 5 b 1. Tim. 2 b proposed as a propitiatour by faith in his bloud for our sinnes and not only 1. Io. 2 a for ours but for the sinnes of the whole worlde 7 Who are iustified by Christ BVt although he died for 2. Cor. 5 a Prosp cap 9. ad obiect Gallor all yet not all doe receiue the benefite of his death but those onely vnto whom the merite of his Passion is communicated For as men indeede except they were borne as springing from the seede of ADAM Aug. ep 89. quaest 3. lib. 1. de pec mer. cap. 28. de natura et gratia cap. 41. l. 6. cont-Iulia c. 4. 24. should not be borne vniust whereas by that propagation through him they contracte whilest they are conceiued their owne proper iniustice so except they were borne againe in Christ they shoulde neuer be iustified whereas by that regeneration through the merit of his Passion grace is giuen them wherby they are made iust For this benefite the Col. 3 b Apostle exhorteth vs alwaies to giue thankes to the Father who hath made vs worthie vnto the part of the lot of the Saintes in the light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darckenesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of the Sonne of his loue In whom we haue redemption the remission of sinnes 8 A description of the Iustification of a wicked mā the manner thereof in the state of grace IN which wordes is insinuated the description of a wicked mans iustification so that it is a translation from that state in the which man is borne the Sonne of the first Gal. 4 a Tit. 3 b ADAM into the state of grace adoption of the Sonnes of God by the second ADAM IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour Which translation certes after the Gospell once published cannot be made without the lauer of regeneration or the desire thereof as it is written Io. 3 a Vnlesse a man bee borne againe of water and the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God 9 Of the necessity of preparation to Iustification in those of full age whereof it riseth FVrthermore the beginning of Iustification it selfe in those of full age is to be taken as from the Grace Aug. lib. cont 2. epist Pelag. cap. 9 10. de Praed Sanct c. 2. Gennad lib. de Eccles dogm c. 44. Fulg. de incarn gra Christ c. 18. preuenting of Almighty God by IESVS CHRIST that is to say by his vocation whereby they are called without al merite or desert on their part that they which were auerted from God by sinne may by his exciting and helping-grace be disposed to conuert themselues to their owne Iustification freely consenting and cooperating 1. Cor. 3. b 15 b 2. Cor. 6 a 7 a 2. Tim. 2 d Heb. 12 d Hier. 7 a Ezech. 18 e f Pro. 16 a Eccli 2 d Sap. 9 b Psal 26 c Ibid. Aug. enarr 2. serm 13. de verb. Apost cap. 9. sequent lib. 1. retract cap. 22. Leo. ser 5. de quadrag Fulgent de incarn gratia Christi cap. 20. to the same grace so that
posteritie if the day of iudgemeÌ„t be not ouer neare such senselesse demeanours the detestable brutishnes of heresie and infidelitie Heliseus 4. Reg. 2 23. was mocked by those vngratious children Saint Paul Act. 17 18. was saide to be a preacher of newe Gods our Sauiour was derided whan he saied Mar. 5 39. that the wench was not dead but slept yea his wholle working of miracles was attributed to Mat. 1â— 24. Beelzebub with as greate a shew of hypocriticall deuotioÌ„ as our new Phariseys caÌ„ shew when they pretend to be so zealous of Gods glory and such enemies of Idolatrie did their forefathers say to the blind man now illuminated Io. 9 24. onely indeed to deface the glorie of CHRIST Geue glory to God we know that this man is a sinner But we will answere them Ibidem vers 16. How can a man that is a sinner doe these things And Vers 30. In this it is marueilous that you know not whence he is and he hath opened my eies And we know that sinners God doth not heare but if a man be a seruer of God and doe his will him he heareth FroÌ„ the begining of the world it hath not bene heard that any man hath opened the eies of one borne blinde Vnlesse this man were of God he coulde not doe any thing Miracles are the worke of God Psal 71 18. 135 4 alone who sheweth his miracles and wonders to confirme the truth to be a testimony of Mar. vlt. vers 20. Heb. 2 4. his owne approbation Wherefore S. Augustine saieth that he was Lib. de vtil cred c. 17. lib. cont epist â—und cap. 4. held in the Church Vinculis miraculorum by the chaines of miracles And an auncient learned and famous Doctor was bould to say Ric. de S. Vict. lib. 1. de Trin. c. 2. O Lord if it be an errour which we beleeue wee haue bene deceiued by thee For these thinges amongst vs haue bene coÌ„firmed with such signes and wonders as could not be done but by thy selfe Whereas therefore God himselfe with so many miracles examined and approued by as zealous learned and Godlye Doctours as our new men I will not say now are but euen when they are become greate Saintes and true seruauntes of GOD which GOD graunt they may at the last are like to be hath commended vnto vs the honour of relickes and confirmed the generall receiued deuotion of the faithfull people towardes them he doth no lesse binde vs to beleeue that they are worthy of honour and reuerence than hee did in times past by his miracles exacte and demaund creditt of Exod. 4 8. Pharao Iudic. 6 17.37 Gedeon Luc. 1 20. Zachary Mar. 16 20. such other like yea and of those to whom the Apostles preached in those particular things which thaÌ„ he propouÌ„ded Now that which we haue hither to saied of the miracles wrought by relickes before relickes alwaies vnderstanding God the principall worker by theÌ„ as by his instrumeÌ„ts may also be applied vnto Images For as in both relickes and images the principall reason of the honour yelded vnto them is the Saint himselfe whose they are and whome they represent so is there equall reason of shewing miracles by them both Which how God hath in effect wrought in his Church many examples doe shew A certaine hearbe growing Euseb l. 7 hist cap. 14. Theoph. in Mat. 9. Sozom. lib. â— cap. 20. vnder the picture of CHRIST which the woman that by our Sauiour was cured of her bloody fluxe had erected whan it touched once the hemme of the garment in the same picture had vertue to heale al diseases Out of an Image of our Sauiour Ath. l. de pass Imag. Greg. Tur. de gloria Mart. cap. 21. Rhegin in Chron. anni 804. cruellye and barbarously cutte and mangled by the Iewes issued blood which healed many diseased persons At the Image of our Sauiours face sent by himselfe to Abagarus the King was in Edessa a great miracle Euag. lib 4. cap. 26. Damasc lib. 1. de Imaginibus wrought the deliuery of their Citie and of the daughter of Cosdroas being possessed Sabatius Constantinus Zonar in vit Michaelis Balbi the sonne of Michael Balbus whan he praied before the image of S. Gregory Nazianzen had miraculously his speach restored being dumme before A wicked image breaker Paulus Diac. lib. 21. rerum Rom hauing throwen stones at the Image of our Blessed Ladie and broken it in peeces in his sleepe saw the same most holy Virgin terrebly threatning and saying This hast thou done to thy owne destruction Who shortly after stroken crushed with a mighty stone had the due punishment of his horrible sacriledge Lib. 3. hist cap. 2. S. Bede affirmeth that innumerable miraculous cures were publickely knowen to haue bene donne at the deuoute Crosse of S. Oswalde a King of our Countrey And namely of the healing of one Bothelin his arme beeing broken by a peece of the woode which he had put in his bosome Many other miracles might be alleaged Vide Damasc lib. 3. de Imag. librum tertium totum Breeden bachij Collat. Sacr. Theod. li. 8. ad Graecos for the confirmation of this veritie the manifest defence of this third title of PILGRIMAGES But these shall suffice no doubte to all such as doe not wilfully harden their harts obstinately shut their eies eares from the manifest light sound doctrine of Christ his holy Church The fourth title of Pilgrimage is that therby IIII Satisfaction Penance for sins as by al painful laborious works we do bring forth fruites of Conc. Cabil 2. cap. 45 repentance take some kinde of reuenge of our sins coÌ„mitted mortifie our earthly members and take vp the Crosse of Christ with him suffer somewhat according to our frailty that we may with him also be glorified For which cause S. Paul amongest other his paineful meritorious workes reckoneth also these 2. Cor. 11 26. Night day haue I beene in the depth of the Sea in iourneing often perills of waters perills of theeues perills of my Nation perills of Gentiles perills in the Citie perills in the wildernesse perills in the Sea perills among false brethren in labour and miserie in much watchings in hunger thirst in Fastings often in colde nakednesse c. But of this satisfaction there hath bene enough saide before See pag. 209. V Exercise of diuerse Vertues Fifthly in Pilgrimage we exercise many and diuers vertues FAITH in that we beleeue the Saintes who were men passible like vnto vs now to raigne with CHRIST and that their bodies shall be raised againe and glorified HOPE in that we seeke by their intercession to attaine to that which they haue already receiued CHARITY in that wee for the loue of God principally also of them as our neighboures in the highest degree shew our selues readye to doe any gratefull thing vnto them HVMILITY in that wee humble our selues vnto them of what
expresse when he saieth Wee doe not worship or adore that is with diuine worshippe for so is his meaning I say not the Relickes of martyrs but neither the sunne or moone or Angels or Archangels or Cherubin or Seraphin or any name which is named either in this life or in the world to come least we should serue the creature rather then the Creatour who is blessed for euer But we honour the Relickes of Martyrs that wee may worshippe and adore him whose Martyrs they were We honour seruantes that the honour of the seruāts may redound vnto their Lorde who saieth Mat. 10. he that receiueth you receiueth me Thus much therefore against all Vigilantians Eunomians and Iconoclastes and their spirites reuiued againe in Lutherans and Caluinistes for the defence propagation of Relickes and Images Lett vs now returne vnto the titles of PILGRIMAGE VI Pardons in holy paces Last of all we may in PILGRIMAGE regard the holy Indulgences graunted vnto those which visitte the same places by the gouernours of the Church For whereas Pardons are nothing else but an application of the Satisfactions of Christes wholle mysticall bodye that is of himselfe and of his members to the releasing of the penalty of our sinnes remitted as we will expound hereafter a singular cause of such application besides the labour of the iorney may be the visiting of such holy places where they suffered and do lye so the effect thereof more large vndoubted Thus haue we set down as plainly as we could with as much briefnesse as the matter would permitte sixe reasons of Pilgrimage none of which such is the force of veritie 3. Esd 3 18 which ouercommeth al things any of our aduersaries shall euer be able to disproue But least they thinke we deceiue them by Philosophy vaine fallacie although we haue indeede deduced all that we haue said out of scriptures and Fathers Let vs now see what wee haue expresly concerning Pilgrimage in Scriptures and Fathers II What haue we in Scriptures and Fathers for the allowing of Pilgrimage NO better author of PILGRIMAGE can we either finde or desire than GOD himselfe who commaunded that thrise a yeare Deut. 16 16. all the people should come to Hierusalem or before the Temple was built vnto the Tabernacle No better practisers of the same thā Christ our Sauiour Luc. 2 41. his Blessed Mother and Sainte Ioseph by Gods owne word approued Mat. 1 19. iust That wee may say nothing of Helcana and 1. Reg. 1 7. Anna Samuells parents of the Gentiles who are Io. 12 20. mentioned in the Gospell to come to Hierusalem to worship the Aethiopian Eunuch Act. 8 27. whose deuotion was rewarded with his Baptisme and incorporation into Christ We haue moreouer an expresse Prophecie of Esaie Esa 11 10. who of our Sauiour spoke thus To him shall the Gentiles pray and his Sepulcher shall be gloriouse No doubt but euen to the worldes end as S. Hierome In ep ad Marcell vt migret Beth. expoundeth and experience sheweth And if wee well waigh this wholle matter we shall find that till our Sauiour CHRIST had wrought our saluation Ps 33 12. in the middest of the earth as the Prophet saith the Apostles had shed most gloriously their blood for testimony of Christs Godhead there were no places of Christian PILGRIMAGES no Mount CALVARIE no Sepulcher of CHRIST no BETHLEHEM no NAZARETH Monumentes of the first beginnings of our Religion nor memories of holy MARTYRS Passions Therefore must we not in Scriptures expecte mention to be expresly made of those thinges which were afterwarde doone but sufficient it is if wee haue examples of the like and Prophecies of the thing it selfe as fore wee haue shewed and may be also vnderstoode by those words of Dauid Psal 131. Vide Hier. ep 154. ad Desyderiū ep 17. ad Marcell vt migret Beth. We will adore in the place where his feete haue stoode But after that Christ had Sanctified those holy places leauing so manie testimonies of his loue as there were steps which he did tread the Martyrs with their bloode had watered the wholle world making it fertile with a newe fruite then beganne indeed our Sauiours Sepulcher to be glorious then were the Martyrs honorablely Entombed and Religiously translated Greg. l. 3 ep 30. Corn. ep 1. Ruff. l. 2 c. 28. Hicelib cont Vigilāt Amb. inexhortat ad Virgines Aug. lib. 9. conf cap. 7. Chrys lib. de S. Babila Sozom. l. 7. cap. 10. Theod. l. 5. cap. 36. hist Euagr. l. 1. cap. 16. from place to place then were their Bones inclosed in Aultars and no place esteemed fitte for the publicke Sacrifice of the Church but where there was the memorie of some Ambros supr 6. in ep ad soror de inuent SS Ger. Prot. Hier. supr Aug. ser 11. de SS Sozom. l. 5. c. 8. Conc. Carth. c. 14. liuely Sacrifice Hoste offered vp vnto God Finally then was Pilgrimage so frequented ouer the worlde that it is a woonder that any be founde so ignoraunt as not to knowe it or so impudent as to disallowe it And for the places of Christes appearing vnto vs S. Hierome ep 17. ad Marcel shal be a witnesse not of his owne opinion only but of the practise of the wholle worlde The Iewes in times past honoured the Sancta Sanctorum because there were the Cherubin and the Propitiatory and the Arke c. Doth not the Sepulcher of our Lord seeme vnto thee more honorable Which as often as wee enter into so ofte doe wee see our Sauiour lie in the Sindon and staying there a while we see the Angell sitte at his Feete and at his heade the Napkins wrapped togither The glory of whose Sepulcher wee knowe long before Ioseph hewed it out was foretoulde by the Prophesie of Esaie saying Esa 11. And his rest shall be honour because the place of our Lords Buriall should be honoured of all men He afterward out of Saint Mathew Cap. 27.58 prooueth that the Cittie of Hierusalem is holy who expressely saith that diuerse going out of their graues came into the holy Citty appeared to manie He alleadgeth also that Dauid commaundeth vs to woorshippe in the place where the Feete of our Sauiour stoode And speaking against those which despise Hierusalem because our Sauiour was there Crucified Howe doe they saith he thinke the places blessed in which Peter Paul the Captaines of the Christian Armie for Christ did shedde their bloude Rome holy If the profession of seruauntes and of men be glorious why is not the confession of our Lorde God glorious We euery where reuerence the Sepuchers of Martyrs and putting the holy Ashes to our eies if we may we also touche them with our mouthe And doe some thinke that the Sepulcher in which our Lord was laied is to be neglected If we beleeue not our selues let vs beleeue at the least the Diuel his Angels Deuills tormented at Christes Sepulcher who
sight of God due Where we must also note that vnlesse it be specified in the Bull or graunt of the Indulgence that it is only of Penance enioined it is to be vnderstood of al manner of Penance Pardons onlie of Penāce enioined is neuer vnderstoode but when it is so specified And when it is so specified then doth the Indulgence nothing profitte him which hath no Penance enioined Wherefore for the obtaining of such Pardons it is very good in this respecte to demaund of the Confessour so much extraordinary Penance as may bee taken away by the same intending to fulfill the Penance in deede if the release thereof bee not obtained And the greater the Penance is either in continuance or in sharpnesse the more punishment is released by the Pardon thereof As if the Pardon bee of seauen yeares of enioined Penance euen as more satisfaction is made by fasting thrise a weeke for that time than by once a weeke so the Pardon of the first is more auaileable than of the second It is good alwaies to performe Penance enioined notwistanding an Indulgence In like manner is it of the Pardon of a Penance of seauen yeeres in respect of the like Penance for fiue Yet this must we aduertise euerie deuoute Catholicke that he be not for respect of Indulgences slack in performing his ordinary enioined penance for that ordinary Penance which is enioined is not only in satisfactiō of that which is past but also for a remedy for future harmes And beeing enioined as an opposite thing vnto those in which he sinned teacheth him howe to ouercome himselfe in his euill inclinations to lay foundations of great singuler merits and vertues Secondly Pardons are diuided in respect of the quantity of the Punishmentes deserued For some are full remissions others are not full remissions The full remissions are by some great Diuines very probablely saide to be of three sortes Ful Pardons of diuerse sortes by some Diuines For they say that there is a Plenary a more Large a most full Indulgence The first they wil haue to be a remission of the punishmente of those sinnes onlie which are confessed The second of the punishement due to those which are Confessed besides to all mortall sinnes by forgetfulnesse not Confessed The third they will haue to containe aboue these the remission of the punishment euen of veniall sinnes so that then there is nothing remaining to be paide Yet other great Diuines also do vnder the name of a Plenary comprehend all these A Plenary but of one sorte affirming that a Plenary Indulgence taketh away all temporal punishement for all sinnes remitted And considering that this matter doth depende of the intention of the dispensour of the treasures of the Church it seemeth that this second opinion in our age standeth with trueth for that it seemeth that such is now the generall meaning of that worde Plenary Yet howsoeuer it be certaine it is Iubiley the most large of all that those Indulgences which are called Iubileys are the most Large Both because although the aforesaide distinction were true yet the Iubiley is in the highest degree and for that although we must reuerently thinke of all causes of Indulgences comming from our Superiours yet there can bee no iuster cause of Pardon than that which is the motiue of the Iubiley which therefore is most safe and sure A iust and proportionable cause alwaies necessarie For the better conceiuing of this point we will heere aduertise the Reader that in euery Indulgence there is required a iust and conuenient cause For the gouernours of the Church are dispensers only of Gods mysteries 1. Cor. 4 2. therefore it is a pointe of their fidelitie with iust causes and conuenient meanes to execute their office Wherefore although it bee a generall Axiome of Diuines that Indulgences are of such value as they sound yet this is to be vnderstoode Indulgentiae tantum valent quantū sonant if the cause be proportionable Otherwise although they doe somewhat profite yet so much only as the proportion of the cause requireth And so may it happen that although a cause be pretended as sufficient for a Plenary or other Indulgence which is in deede proportionable A sufficient cause to some not sufficient if it bee executed with great deuotion and feruour yet may it bee so coldely doone of some particular persons that it arriueth not to the full obtaining of the Pardon but only in some degree knowen to God alone Hereof may it appeare why I saide the Iubiley to be the safest What is a Iubiley For the Iubiley was first instituted in imitation of the Iubiley of the olde Lawe when a full release of many rigorous difficulties of that law was made according to MOISES his prescript And this our obseruation of certaine times wherein the people of God should more earnestly attend vnto aspirituall liberty Leuit. 25. and a speaciall vniting of the whole Church togither in that lincke of charity which Christ lefte vnto his members and most of all vnto a continuall communication and concord with the successours of Saint PETER how necessary and profitable it hath bene the experience of many yeeres doth euidently shew This Iubiley had wont to be obserued euery hundreth yeaer Yeere of Iubiley afterward for the shortnes of mans life was reduced to euery fiftith and nowe is obserued after euery fiue and twenty But besides this generall Iubiley Particuler Iubileis sometimes there are particular Iubileys sent forth for some singular greate necessitie of the Church in which for that the necessity is vrgent and great and solemne causes are enioined for the obteyning thereof and the wholle Church of Christ ouer all the worlde with one harte and one minde concurreth no doubte can be made at all but the cause is sufficient and Christes liberality is open vnto the world by which that cause which of it selfe is great and sufficient through the merites and praiers of his spouse is also made aboundant to euery one which with meane zeale and feruour fulfilleth the same Now to returne to our diuision of Indulgences Indugences not Plenaries Those Indulgences which are not full remissions are of diuerse sortes some are indeterminate others certaine and determinate Of the first kinde are those which remitte some proportionable parte of sinnes as the third parte or such other like In the second are those comprehended The thirde part of sins Quarantenes which doe speacifie a certaine number of daies as 7. 10. a quarentene that is of 40. daies or of yeres as of one of 10 of 100. 1000. or as it shall please the giuer according to the auncient custome of enioined Penances Conc. Ancyr c. 8. Nicen. 1. c. 11. 12. Elib cap. 5. The meaning of so many years in Pardons not that any man shall liue so long or as some Heretickes will grosly after their accustomed maner scoffe and taunt that a man hauing had such an Indulgence may be sure that he may
certaine it is that the first redoundeth onely to the good of him which w rketh Eccles 16 15 Rom. 2 6. For all mercy shall make a place to euery man according to the merite of his workes no pure creature hauing this priuiledge to merite for any other that being the priuiledge of Christ alone who hauing no neede of merite himselfe for the glory of his owne soule it being endowed with all wisdome grace and glory euen from the first moment of his conception deserued grace and glory for vs al. Who therefore is compared vnto a Nurse For euery other person by his ordinary nutriment receiuing benefitte substance for himselfe alone the nurse eateth for her selfe and for her child But the other two may effectually be donne for others for as a man may pray for another so may he also satisfie for another if both be in grace as we haue prooued Exod. 32 32 Rom. 9 3. Gen. 18 33. may be vnderstood also by MOISES and S. PAVL who desired of God to satisfie for their peoples faulte by those iust which if they had bene found in SODOME shoulde haue saued the wholle Citie Yet there is here to be obserued that although those which are in deadly sinne be not wholly excluded from the communication of the meritts of the Church this is onely in respect of her praiers in which they are included and of a certaine kinde of meritte which the Diuines call DE CONGRVO of conueniency farre inferiour to that which we spoke of and of no certainty But of this satisfaction by way of Iustice they are no way partakers because they be deade members Thirdly heereof doth followe that necessarily we must admitte some workes of Supererogation 3 Workes of Supererogation See pag. 410 which may be vnderstoode of two sorts First those are called workes of Supererogation which belong to the Euangelicall Councells of which enough hath beene saide before Secondly those are called workes of Supererogation which although in respecte of Meritte they be profitable to the person by which they bee wrought yet in respect of their Satisfaction which they haue in them were not necessarie to the doers of them They hauing not in Gods iudgement deserued so much penaltie as they heere suffered their euerlasting punishment first beeing remitted if euer they deserued it which I adde because of our Blessed LADY who was neuer subiecte to such deserte Such a one was first our Blessed LADY the most aboundant fountaine nexte vnto Christ of al Meritte and Satisfaction Col. 1 24. Such another was Saint PAVL who as he saith himselfe suffered for the wholle body of Christ Such a one was also the holy Patriarche IOB by Gods owne iudgement and testimony approoued Iob 42.7 Iob 6 2. who although he confessed that he had deserued wrath yet he bouldly saieth that the calamitie which he suffered in respecte of his desertes was heauier than the sande of the sea Such were the holy Christians of Hierusalem whom S. PAVL saieth to haue hadde aboundance of spiritual treasures 2. Cor. 8 14. Such also no doubt were the holy Apostles and infinite Martyrs other Saintes of God Gen. 16 12. And here no doubt an Hereticke like a reprobate Ismaelite whose hands are against al and all handes against him who alwaies pitcheth his tenthes opposite to his Brethren wil scoffe and taunt vttering the wholle stoare and talent of his scurrill religion But how shall we auoide him for if we exaggerate our sinnes and humbly seeke to confesse them then are we superstitious and butchers of our owne consciences if we with all humilitie 1. Cor. 1 31. glory in our Lorde who hath by his blessed Passion giuen such pretiouse 2. Pet. 1 4. giftes vnto vs that we 1. Io. 3 1. may be the sonnes of God receiue 2. Cor. 1 22. the pledge of his spirite in our hartes and haue him Mat. 10 20. 2. Cor. 13 3. speaking and Phil. 2 13. 1. Thes 2.13 working within vs by whose instinct and influence Ro. 8 3. we may doe workes acceptable vnto God then doe wee depresse the merittes of Christs death are enemies vnto his grace If we be very seuere in exacting rigorous Penances as in the Primitiue Church than doe we trust too much in our own Satisfaction If with the lenity mildnesse of Christ and his Apostles we remitte due necessarie Satisfactions then we vsurpe the office of Christ to pardon sinnes Quo teneam nodo mutantem Protea vultus Mat 11 18. So was Saint IHON Baptist by the Iewes reprehended for too much austeritie and our Sauiour for his kinde and liberall conuersation But letting alone al large discourses of this pointes least we should make a long volume to a Catholicke whome I intend onely heere to instructe this which I will nowe adde shal be a sure demonstration For if one be a Martyr An euident argument for works of Supererogation both according to the holy Scriptures and to the wholle consent of Fathers practise of the Church his only death is a sufficient satisfaction for all his temporal punishement Nowe if he doe not only die for iustice but be most barbarously Whipped Mocked Racked Mangled and that without any respecte of ordinary humanity as we knowe to haue beene doone in the Primitiue Church O let Num. 23 10. my soule die with the death of the iust how Psa 115 15. pretiouse in the sight of God is the death of his Saints our Lord Psal 23 31. keepeth all the bones of them one of them shall not perishe what superaboundance of Passions is heere Now these and such like workes in that they were Meritorious are rewarded in their own persons with glory but in that they are Satisfactorious Col. 1 24. they accomplishe that which wanteth in the Passions of Christ for his body They shall not want their correspondence of deserued remission applied vnto others their fellowe members No otherwise than when nature hauing serued the vitall members with due nourishement afterward deriueth her liberality vnto all other partes of the body And thus much of workes of Supererogation Fourthly hereof nowe is heaped an infinite masse The Treasure of Indulgences or treasure of the Satisfactions of Christ and of his Saints that is of the wholle mysticall body of Christ which is called the treasure of Indulgences For all the benefite of our satisfactions is first applied to our own necessities if we doe not otherwise apply them to the good of our neighbour which we may doe with very great Charity although we neede them our selues But if there be any thing in them superfluous vnto any Saint for his owne paiments not applied by himselfe in the very doing of them for some other than are they layed vp in the Churches Treasure to be applied as she shall with her wisedome decree Nowe therefore out of al these infallible foundations I gather my purpose in this manner An inuincible reason for Indulgences There is a sufficient
the people to vnderstand that the Pope graunteth leaue to sinne before-hand and too easely remitteth that which he should seuerely punish and that which is a horrible blasphemie that he doth make by his Pardon 's any thing lawfull vnto vs be it in it selfe neuer so repugnant to Gods holy commandementes Let vs compare our pardons with theirs our Iubeleis with theirs our remissions with theirs And to beginne first with Confession it is very well knowen in their iudgement for the moste parte to be accounted a thing little agreable with nature it selfe how many sinfull thoughtes doe they harbour how many shamefull blasphemous and iniurious wordes doe they vtter alwaies excepting some fewe of more ciuill and naturall disposition How many brutish actes doe they commit which they would neuer fall into or at the least they would auoide in parte if besides the iudgement of God before which all hidden thinges of darkenesse shall be lightened 1. Cor. 4 5. and all counsailes of hartes shall be manifested they knew they were to make before a man and a sinner perhaps as greate as themselues so straite and particular account I my selfe when I liued in my owne Countrey haue had sufficient experience of diuers whō neither loue of the worlde could with-hold nor custome of sinne allure nor feare of lawes keepe backe yet the onely shame of Confession could as I thinke doth as yet detaine from the vnitie of the Catholicke Church as our vnderstanding is often blinded by an infected wil maketh thē not to acknowledge in hart that which is the onely truth Let vs then goe to another condition And examine their austere kind of life strict satisfactiō to Almightie God And as for Fasting what better signe of a good Protestant then to eate flesh on the Friday without iudging betweene day and day For Almes if we mighte haue the Voices of all those which are poore needie in our Countrey in whom this gloriouse vertue doth more shine whether in Catholickes or in Protestants it would soone appeare what incomparable difference there is But for Praier I appeale to all greate house keepers or those which are the generall harbourers of all sortes of men yea and vnto all other persons who conuerse indifferentlye abroade whether if a man be not otherwise knowen to be a Protestāt it be not a manfest probability of a Papist to say his praiers deuoutly vpon his knees at his bedd-sid either morning or euening Sure I am that there be many honest matrons and diuerse simple persons amongst the Protestants who after the example of CORNELIVS Act. 10 2. endeuour according to their knowledge to serue Almightie God and to attend to workes of Charitie and Prayer whom I hope GOD doth now dispose by little and little with his preuenting-grace to receiue one day a perfecte knowledge of his will when they may by his cooperating-grace with such good workes builde vnto euerlasting saluation which in their present estate Heb. 11 6. Rom. 14 23 they cannot But euen these doe I call to witnesse earnestly intreating them for the honor of God without all vaine-glory as they haue little cause therof to shewe howe many examples they haue seene of the like deuotions Then let vs examine whether at the least there be to be found some great cause of Pardon and Indulgence which we propounded in the sixt place as necessarie in our remissions And perhappes wee shal find some building of Hospitals some erecting of Churches some enterprise against the Turkes the enemies of Christ and of Christendome some solemne and generall praier for the necessities of the Church which are the causes ordinarily pretended in our Indulgences But on our aduersaries side howe the matter doth stand the miserable ruines of antiquities doe shewe their rauenous gaping after Ecclesiasticall goodes doe testifie their intolerable vexations of their poore neighbours doe crie Exod. 22 23. vp to Heauen But these be outwarde thinges Confession Penance Workes of Deuotion It may be that the intenall things as Sorrowe purpose of Amendment a seuere examinatiō of their Actions Words and Thoughts doe so much excell that there can be no neede of those outwarde Ceremonies Espeacially whereas now the time is come when we must serue God in spirite and trueth And yet there is nothing lesse For howe can they settle themselues to the particular searche of their sinnes who neither purpose to Confesse them particularly to the Priest God knowing them already more particularly than themselues and besides if they stande to their Maisters doctrine maintaine that al our works are sins if God straitly examine them So that if this be credited they need not seeke to sort the good deeds from the badde But for purpose of keeping Gods Commaundementes they shoulde highly deceiue themselues if euer they should make it For they holde it an impossible thing to obserue the same And as for sorrowe that they thinke not necessary For that METANOIA which they cannot deny because it is so often commended vnto vs in the Scriptures they will not haue to signifie a sorrowefull repentance Beza vpon Mat. 3. and Luther ser de poenit but a RESIPISCENCE or waxing wise againe which God graunt they may doe without any sorrowe or affliction of minde for that which is past And although some of their Doctours doe require such sorrowe yet neither will they haue it the cause of remission of sinnes nor necessary for such effecte But onely they require Faith as a necessary sufficient cause after which as they most absurdly say by a necessary sequell followeth this sorrowe euen whether wee will or no. And yet here must I needes craue pardon if I say that they are also voide of Faith For there can be but one Ephes 4 5. Heretickes haue no Faith Faith and hee which denieth one pointe of Faith although hee giue credite to the rest that is not a Diuine Faith but a humane perswasion whereas if it were that Supernaturall Faith and Theological Vertue which is Conc. Araus 2. c. 5. necessarie for to beleeue a right it would encline a man to beleeue all thinges which God hath spoken as well as one Wherefor it is an infallible verity Concil Trid. sess 6. cap. 15. See page 479. that euē as grace is lost by euery mortall sinne so by infidelity in one only pointe the wholle substance of Faith doth perishe Nowe where there is not Diuine Faith how can there be a diuine hope Hope beeing grounded in Faith as S. PAVL Heb. 11 4. saith which although they brag neuer so much of their Iustification by Faith so long as in any one thing they dissent from the Church they cannot haue Wherefore although I might say that they require nothing at all for their iustification because they cannot beeing as they are haue so much as Faith the beginning foundation of all disposition thereunto yet supposing that they were in the right Faith consider good Reader who forgiueth