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
18. ho. 39. in Euang. Clim grad 6. Eus Emis ho. 1. ad monac Seuer Sulp de uaÌ„s S. Mart. dying man must haue very sore conflictes both with most bitter paines also with most horrible feendes Wherefore although bodily health bee not alwaies hereby restored vnto the sicke person who often chaunceth to die after this vnction receiued yet a peculiar grace is giuen in this Sacrament to beare the force troublesomnesse of the disease more coÌ„stantly to take death it selfe more easily And this is it that by his Apostles God hath promised (d) Iac. 5 15. The praier of faith shall saue the sicke And our Lorde shall lift him vp And if he be in sinnes they shal be remitted him To the signifieng certes of which effects euen the nature and natiue force of oile doth fitlie agree as (e) In cap. 6. Mar. THEOPHILACTE sheweth Wherfore it behoueth vs exactly to obserue that which (f) Ser. 215. de temp vide etiam de rect Cath. câ—nuers de visit insir lib. 2. c. 4. iteÌ„ in speculo S. AVGVSTINE doth most holesomelie admonishe So often as anie infirmitye chaunceth let him that is sicke receiue the Body and Bloode of Christ and after that let him annoint his body that that which is written may be accomplished in him Is (g) Iac. 5 14. any man sicke Let him bring in the Priests and let them praie ouer him annoiling him with oile in the name of our Lord. And the praier of faith shall saue the sicke And our Lorde shall lifte him vp And if he be in sinnes they shall be remitted him OF THE SACRAMENT OF ORDERS 1 What is the Sacrament of holy Orders Aug. lib. 2. cont ep Parmen c. 13. et de bono coÌ„iug c. 24 li. 1. coÌ„t DoÌ„ cap. 1. Leo. ep 81. ad Diosc Greg. in cap 10. 16 lib. 1. reg Nyss orat de sanct Bapt. Conc. Flor. Trid. ses 23. Amb. in 12. cap. 1. ad Cor. Theoph. in cap. 19. Luc. Pet Clun lib. 6. ep 1. IT is that whereby a singular grace and spirituall power is giuen to some that they may by open profession beare office in the Church This is the Sacrament by which as by a dore do necessarily enter the lawful dispensers of the (a) 1. Cor. 4 1. Mal. 2 7. 1. Tim. 3 1. 5 17. Ephes 4 11. 1. Cor. 14 2.19 12 28 mysteries and of the worde of God the Ministers of Christ his Church as Bishops Priestes Deacons Finallie all those whosoeuer they be that do exercise functions in the Church orderly and with authority For no man as the (b) Heb. 5 4. Act. 1 24. Cypr. ep 52. Tert de praescript ca. 41. Conc. l. at c. 3. Innoc. 3. ad Metens cap. cum ex iniuncto Tit. de haer Scripture testifieth Taketh or ought to take the honor to himselfe to witte of exercising the functions of the Church But he that is called of God as AARON that is vnlesse he be consecrated by the Sacrament of visible ordinatioÌ„ bee by a (c) Mat. 10 1 Luc. 9 1. Mar. 16 15. Io 20 21. 17 18. Act. 13 2. Tit. 1 5. Bishop lawefully ordered sent to the worke of some certaine Ministery which in his degree he may exercise in the Church according to the Lawes of Diuine and Apostolicall Tradition 2 Are not all Christians Priests a-like THey may surely be (a) Apo. 1 6. 5 10. 1. Pet. 2 9. so called in this sense that as Priests were wonte to exercise certaine externall Sacrifices sacred functions so as many are regenerated in Christ may and ought daily to offer and diligently to exercise certaine spirituall (b) 1. Pet. 2 5 Rom. 12 1. Psal 49 23. 50 19. Phil. 4 18. Heb. 13 15.16 vide â—as ser 2. de Fap cap 8. Aug. 20. ciu c. 10. Leo. ser 3. in anniuers Amb. lib. 4. Sacr. cap. 1. sacrifices to witte Praier Praises Thankes-giuings mortifying of the Fleshe and others of like sorte So that for this cause they are saide in holy Scripture to be spiritual Priests before God and to offer vp spirituall Sacrifices But if we take this name of Priesthoode properly all indifferentlie are not Priests but those only vnto whom the authority of the Church hath committed to be proper ministers (c) Ignat. ad Her Chry. â—i 3. 6. de sacerd ho. 60. ad pop Hier ad Heliod ep 1. ca. 7. aduers Lucif c. 8 ep 85. ad Euag Victor l 2 de persec Cypr. ep 54. of Sacramentes and hath granted power and right to consecrate offer and distribute the holy Euchariste and both to remitte and to retaine the sinnes of men And of these priests prelates of the new Lawe thus writeth S. PAVL The Priestes that rule (d) 1. Tim. 5 17. well let them be esteemed woorthy of double honour especially they that labour in the worde and Doctrine And this doubtlesse cannot appartaine to women whome (e) 1. Tim. 2 11. 1. Cor. 14 34 Tert. de praescrip cap. 41. Epiph. haer 42 40. the same Apostle forbiddeth to teach in the Church biddeth to be silent neither can it concern the (f) Leo. ep c 2. ad Maxi. Laity at all whose part it is after the manner of sheepe to be fedde (g) Io. 10 11 21 15. 1. Pet. 5 2. 2 13. Heb. 13 17. Rom. 13 1. Mat. 23 2. Luc. 10 16. 1. Io. 4 6. not to feede to be gouerned not to gouerne not to preferre but to submitte and humble themselues vnto their Prelates to heare obserue and doe whatsoeuer they sitting in the chaire shall say whether they be good or euill according as wee reade it commaunded by the worde of God Wherfore as in the Church Triumphant there are Angels different (h Eph. 1 2â— Col. 1 16. Dan. 7 10. Dion de caelest hier ca. 10. in order and power who with decent disposition doe faithfullie execute and fulfill the offices imposed vpon them So also the Church (i) 1. Tim. 3 15. Cant. 6 9. Anacl ep 1. 2. 3. Isid lib. 2. de offic ca. 5. sequ Militant which is the house of God as it were a certaine campe set in battle a-ray hath her peculiar Ministers distinct from other Christians and disposed in Godly order amongest themselues for the prosecuting of the publike common sunctions of the Church vpoÌ„ earth to witte that for the benefite of the Christian people they maie euen by publike profession and with due Comelinesse and Maiesty bestowe their labours in those (k) Heb. 5 1. 8 3. 13 17. 2. Cor. 5 20. thinges which belong vnto God and the health of soules 3 In what place doth the Scripture giue testimony vnto this Sacrament Tit. 1 5. THere truly where it teacheth of the Apostles that in choosing appointing ordering of the Ministers of the
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-holy-Ghost Therefore when a certaine rule forme of this Discipline is deliuered vnto them it is saide to them receiue yee the holie-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
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-holy-Ghost OF SINNES AGAINST THE holy-HOLY-GHOST 1 What is a sinne against the holy-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-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-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
exclameth the Ecclesiasticus Of (k) Eccli 5 4.5 Eccle. 9 1. vide Aug de perf lust cap 15. de corr gra c. 13. ho. 41. ex 50. ser 3. de Innoc Greg. li. 16. mor. c. 3. the remission of sinne be thou not without feare neither doe thou adde sinne vpon sinne And doe not say the mercie of our Lorde is great he will haue compassion vpon the multitude of my sinnes For mercie and anger doe soone approche frō him his anger doth looke vpon sinners rightly therfore saith the Prophet I will sing mercie (l) Ps 100 1. Bern. ser 52. ex paruis ser 6. in Cāt. Aug. de vtil poenit c. ult iudgement vnto thee o Lord. then in an other place The (m) Ps 98 4 honour of the King loueth iudgement 4 How doth a man sinne against the holy Ghost by desperation VVHen the contrarie vice vnto presumption Aug. ser 58. de temp in Psal 50. Greg. lib. 5. mor. c. 14. Isid lib. 2. de sum bo c. 14 Chry. ho. 2. in Psal 50. Ber. ser 5. de nat Dom. whereof we spake before doth so possesse the minde of a man that he casteth off all hope either of obtaining pardone before God or of attaining vnto life euerlasting After this sort sinned CAIN by despaire as himselfe testifieth by his speeche when he saith (a) Gen. 4 13 Bern. ser 11. in Cant. Greater is my iniquity than that I may deserue pardon Thus sinned also IVDAS that Traitour (b) Mat. 27 3. Act. 1 18. Ephes 4 19. 2. Reg. 2 26. vnto Christ at what time he being moued with despaire of saluatiō like an vnhappy wretch hanged himselfe But doubtlesse (c) Ezec. 18 21.27 33 11. 1. Io. 1 7.9 2 1. Hier. 3 1. Esa 1 18. Ps 144 8. Eccli 17 20.27 there is no penance too late as is manifest by the (d) Luc. 23 40. Aug. li. 1. retr c. 19. de cor gr ca. 15. ser 181. de tēp c. 16. Leo. ep 91. ad Theo. Conc. Trid. ses 14. cap. 7. example of that thiefe which vpon the Crosse euen in those last momentes of his life obtained great grace heauenly glory at the handes of Christ 5 When doth hee that oppugneth the trueth sin against the holy-Ghost VVHē * Leo. ep 10. ad Flau. c. 1. Aug. de Gē ad lit l. 7. c. 9 tra 18. in Euang. Ioa. de vtil cre ca. 1. l. 18. ciu ca. 51. lib. 21. c. 25. that trueth which cōcerneth the estate of Faith Religiō not of ignorance but of malice is purposely impugned that thereby the sinceritie of Catholike veritie may be blemished Of this sinne were the Pharisies (a) Mat. 12 24. 15 2. 21 45. 22 15. Io. 7 48. 12 10.19 guiltie whose chiefest care we see to haue bene as malitiously as falsly to blaspheme Christ to persecute the doctrine of the Gospell and to suppresse the testimonie (b) Act. 4 16. 5 18. of the Apostles and that euen against their own consciences Not vnlike vnto these are they that are said by the Prophet to sitte in the (c) Psal 1 1. chaire of pestilence and are called by S. PETER (d) 2. Pet. 2 1 lying maisters that doe bring in Sects of perdition Finally by S. (e) Tit. 3 10. PAVL Heretickes men corrupted (f) 2. Tim. 3 8. in mind reprobate concerning the faith attending (g) 1. Tim. 4 1. to spirites of errour subuerted condemned by their owne (h) Tit. 3 11 iudgement Among whom may be numbred that same seducer ELIMAS whom S. PAVL publikelie reprehending saide with great vehemencie O full (i) Act. 13 10. of all guile and all deceipte sonne of the deuill enemie of all iustice thou ceasest not to subuerte the right waies of our Lorde To this kind also is referred Blasphemie (k) Mat. 12 31 of the Spirite which sinne Christ doth greatly rebuke in the Iewes and maketh it worse then other sinnes And woulde to God that this sinne did not raigne in these our daies For against the holy Ghost doe they also blaspheme as writeth DAMASVS (l) Apud Gratianum 25. quaest 1. violatores who against the holy Canons of the Fathers endited by the instinct of the holy Ghost doe any thing willingly or malepertly or presume to speake or wilfully giue their consent to thē that haue a minde so to doe For it is manifest that such a presumption is one kinde of the blasphemies against the holy Ghost thus saith DAMASVS 6 How is Enuie of brotherly grace a sinne against the holy Ghost Aug. li. 1. de ser Dom. in monte cap. 22. 1. retr cap 19. VVHen we are striken with a greate greife and sorowe because of the splendor encrease of vertues Gods guiftes in which our brother doth excell Which sinne seemeth to be rather proper vnto the Deuill than vnto man whereas the Deuill doth most wrathfully take the encrease and continuance of (a) Sap. 2 24 the grace of God in man and for that cause he is not only an accuser (b) Apoc. 12 10. of our brethren but also an implacable aduersarie (c) 1. Pet. 5 8. of God of all good men who as a roring Lion goeth about seeking whom hee maye deuour There were among the Iewes such sonnes of Satan who did altogether enuie vnto the Gentiles the lately springing grace of the Gospell as we read in the Acts (d) Act. 11 2. 13 45. Gen. 4 5. of the Apostles 7 What kind of obstinacie is that which is a sinne against the holy Ghost Aug. in Enc. cap. 83. in Ps 58. conc 1. Greg. ho. 11. in Ezech. Bern. li. 1. de consid ca. 2. in ser de conuers ad Cler. cap. 4. THat certes which beareth an obstinate minde against him that giueth him good admonition so that he will not suffer him selfe by any meanes to be withdrawne from his damnable course With this sinne was King PHARAO (a) Exod. 7 seq Aug. quaest 18. 24. in Exod. ser 88. de temp Gerg 31. mor. c. 11 l. 11. ca. 5. notably attainted who although he were so often admonished by MOYSES and sometimes afflicted with very sore scourges frō God yet notwithstanding in his tirannicall purpose he (b) Exod. 14. obstinatly persisted and perished Famous also was that (c) Hier. 5 3. 8 5. Esa 48 4. Zach. 7 11. Gen. 49 7. incorrigible obstinacie of the Iewes whom S. STEVEN painting out as it were in their colours saith With a (d) Act. 7 51. hardnecke and with vncircumcised eares you haue all waies resisted the holy Ghost And not vnlike vnto them are those at this day that being addicted vnto new sectes may not abide so much as to heare or reade anye Catholike instructions but euen like to the serpent (e) Psal 57 5 called
cap. â—â— the Charitie of God is powred forth in their hartes that are iustified is inherent in theÌ„ And therfore in this iustificatioÌ„ togither with remission of sins a man receiueth by IESVS CHRIST vnto whom he is ingraffed all these thinges infused together to wit FAITH HOPE and CHARITY For FAITH excepte that HOPE and CHARITY bee adioined thereunto neither doth perfectly vnitie with CHRIST nor make a man the liuely meÌ„ber of his body In regarde whereof it is most truely saide Iac. 2 d that FAITH without workes is deade and idle And in Gal. 5 a Chrys ho. 5. in Io. Aug. l. 3. cot 2. ep Pelag. cap. 5. ho. 17. cap. 2 ex 50. lib. 15. Trin. cap. 18 Greg. l. 6. ep 15. Fulg. ep 2. c. 8. de incarn grat Christi c. 26. CHRIST IESVS neither Circumcision auailethe ought nor prepuce but FAITH that worketh by CHARITY This Faith before the Sacrament of Baptisme the Catechumens according to the TraditioÌ„ of the Apostles do demauÌ„d of the Church when they aske Faith which yeeldeth life euerlasting which truely without HOPE and CHARITY FAITH cannot afford And therefore they doe presently heare that word of CHRIST Mat. 19 c If thou wilt enter into life kepe the Commaundementes Therfore receiuing true and Christian Iustice that same euen as the first stole giuen vnto them by Iesus Christ for that which ADAM by his disobedience lost for himselfe vs they are presently after their regeneratioÌ„ coÌ„maunded to keep white vnspotted that they may bring the same before the iudgement seate of our Lord Iesus Christ haue life euerlasting 12. Howe it is vnderstoode that a wicked man by Faith freely is iustified ANd whereas the Apostle Ro. 3 â— Aug. de praedest sanct c. 7. ser 38. de temp saith that a man is iustified by FAITH and freely those wordes are to be vnderstood in that sense which the continuall consente of the Catholike Church hath helde and taught To wit that we are therefore said to be iustified by Faith because Faith is the beginning of mans saluation the foundation and roote of all Iustification Heb. 11 b without the which it is impossible to please God and to come to the societie of his children And we are therefore saide to be iustified Aug. l. 6. Hypog c. 4. l. 1. quaest ad Simplic qu. 2. lib. 1. cont Pelag. et Coelest cap. 31. serm 15. de verb. Apost c. 2. de spir et lit cap. 26. Prosp ad 3. prima dub Gennuen Haimo in Rom. 3. freely because none of all those thinges that goe before iustification whether it be Faith or Workes doe deserue the grace of Iustification For if it be Grace now not of workes otherwise as the same Apostle saith Ro. 11 â— Grace now is not grace 13 Against the vaine confidence of Hereticks ANd although it be necessarie to beleeue that sinnes neither are nor euer haue ben forgiuen but freely through the mercie of God for CHRIST his sake yet must wee saye that to no man which braggeth of a confidence and certaintie of the remission of his sinnes and which resteth only in that either are or euer were sinnes forgiuen whereas euen among Heretikes and Schismatikes this vaine confidence and voide of all pietie may be yea and is in these our daies with great contention is vaunted off against the Catholike Church But neither is this to bee affirmed that those which are truelie iustified ought for to assure themselues without any manner Iob. 9 d Psal 18 c Eccles 9 â— Eccli 5 b Pro 20 b 1. Cor. 4 a Aug. de perf iust cap. 15. in Psal 41 lib. 10. Conf. cap. 32. Hier. ep 127. ad Fabiol mansio 23. Chrys hom 11. in 1. Cor. Theod. in cap. 4. â— Cor. Bern. ep 42. 85. ser 2. in octa Pasch Haimo in cap. 4. ad Cor. Greg. lib. 6 ep 22. Cassian Col. 22. cap. 7. c the 1 question of sinnes against the holy Ghost page 315. of doubte that they are iustified and that no man is absolued from his sinnes and iustified but he who doth assuredly beleeue that he is absolued and iustified and that by this Faith only absolution and iustification is accomplished as though hee that beleeued not that must needs doubt of the promises of Almightie God or of the efficacie of CHRISTS death and Resurrection For as no godly person ought to dout of the mercie of GOD of the meritte of CHRIST and of the vertue and efficacie of the Sacraments so euery man considering himselfe and his owne infirmitie indisposition may iustly haue some feare of his owne grace whereas with certaintie of Faith in which there cannot be any falshood no maÌ„ can know that he hath obtained the Grace of God 14 Of the encrease of Iustification once receiued THey therefore who are thus iustified and made the frendes and Eph. 2 d domesticalls of God going from vertue to vertue Ps 83 b are renued as saieth the Apostle â— Cor. 4. d from day to day that is to say by mortifying Col. 3 a the members of the fleshe and Ro. 6 b Aug. de morib Eccles Cathol cap. vlt. lib. 14. de Trin. c. 17. l. 2. de peccat mer. cap. 7. 13. 17. lib. 6. cont Iul. c. 7. serm 16. de verb. Apost cap. 5. Fulg. ep 4. cap. 3. Bern. ep 91. Conc. Vien Clement ad nostrum de haeret exhibiting them as instrumentes of Iustice vnto sanctification by the obseruation of the commandementes of God and of the Church in that Iustice which they haue receiued by the grace of CHRIST Faith cooperating with good Workes they doe encrease are more iustified as it is written Apoc. 22 c He that is iust let him be iustified yet And againe Eccli 18 c Doe thou not feare to be iustified euen vnto death And again you doe see that by works a man is iustified and not by Faith only And this encrease of Iustice doth the holy Church demand when she praieth Giue vs O Lorde encrease of Faith Iac. 2 d In orat Domin 13. post Pent. Hope and Charitie 15 Of obseruing the Commaundements of the necessity possibility thereof BVt no man although he be iustified ought to thinke himselfe free Mat. 28 d Hier. Beda Theoph. ibidem Aug. lib. 3. cont 2. ep Pelag. cap. 4. Cyp. de vnitat Eccles Conc. Vien in Clem. ad nostrum de haeret See q. 5. of the ten Com. p. 64. q. 1. of the precepts of the Church page 90. froÌ„ obseruing the CoÌ„maundements nor vse that rash speach prohibited Hier. in expla Symb. ad Damas Conc. 2. Araus can 25. by the fathers vnder paine of excommune that the Commandementes of God are impossible to be obserued of a man that is iutified For God doth not commaund Aug. de natura grat c. 43. l. 2. de peccat mer. c. 6. de gratia lib arbit cap. 16. Chry. ho. 8. de poenit Leo. ser 5. de quadr
Chrys lib. 2. de coÌ„punct cord they that thinke themselues to stand let them take heed least they fall and Phil. 2 b Aug. de natura gtatia cap. 27. de dono perseuer cap. 13. let theÌ„ worke their owne saluation with feare trembling in 2. Cor. 6 a b Laboures in Watchings in Almes in Praiers and oblations in Fastings Chastitie For knowing that they are regenerate into the Rom. 52 hope of glorie not yet into glorie they ought to feare the combate which is yet behinde Bern ser 5 in vigil natiuit Dom. ser 5. in Psal Qui habitat meditat cap 14.15 with the worlde the flesh and the deuill In which combate they cannot be conquerours except being holpen with the grace of God they obey the Apostle saying We are debters not to the flesh Ro. â— c to liue according to the fleshe For if you liue according to the flesh you shall die But if by the spirite you mortifie the deeds of the fleshe you shal liue 18 Of them that are fallen their reparation BVt they which by sinne haue fallen froÌ„ the receiued grace of iustificatioÌ„ may Aug ho 50 ex 50. â—â— de quaest 1. 2. of the Sacrament of Penance be iustified again wheÌ„ Almighty God stirring theÌ„ vp by the SacrameÌ„t of Penance through the merits of Christ they shal procure to recouer the lost grace For this maner of Iustification is the reparation of him that is falne which the holy Fathers haue Vide of the Sacrament of Penance quaest 2. 199. aptlie called the second Table after the shipwracke of the losse of grace For in the behalfe of them that doe fall into sinne after Baptisme Christ Iesus hath instituted the Sacracrament of Penance when he saide Io. 20 c ibid. quaest 1. pag. 197. Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes you shall forgeue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retaine they are retained And therfore we must say that the Penance of a Christian man after his fall is farre different from that of Baptisme And that therein is contained not only a ceasing from sinne and a detestation thereof or a contrite Psal 50. See pag. 199 201. and humble hart but also that See qu. 3. 6. ibideÌ„ Sacramentall confession is to be made of the same at the least in desire and at due time and there is necessarie also the absolution of a Priest as also satisfaction See qu. 7. 8. ibideÌ„ by Fasting Almes Praiers and other deuout exercises of a spirituall life not certes for the euerlasting paine which either by the Sacrament or by the desire of the Sacrament is remitted together with the faulte but for the temporall punishment which as Num. 12 d â— Reg. 12 c 24 b See quâ—est 7. pag. 210. the holie Scripture doth teach is not as it is in Baptisme wholly remitted vnto them which being vngratfull vnto the grace of God which they once receiued haue Eph. 4 g contristated the holy Ghost haue not bene afraide 1. Cor. 3 d to violate the Temple of Almightie God Of which penance it is written Apo. 2 b Be mindfull from whence thou art fallen doe Penance and doe the first works And againe 2. Cor. 7 c The sorow that is according to God worketh Penance vnto saluation which is stable And againe Mat. â— c Doe Penance Luc. 3 c And yelde fruites worthie of Penance 19 That by euery mortal sinne grace is lost but not Faith ANd against the subtile deuises of some men who by sweete speaches Ro. 16 c benedictions doe seduce the harts of Innocents we must affirme that not only by infidelitie by which euen Faith it selfe is lost but also by euery other Iac. 2 b Bas lib. 1. de Baptis par 2 lib. 2 c. 9. mortall sinne whatsoeuer although Mat. 7 c d 25 a Luc. 12. f Io. 12 g 1. Cor. 13 a Iac. 2 c d Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. cap. 18. tract 10. in ep Io. Fulgent de incar gratia Christi c. 26. Faith be not lost yet the receiued grace of Iustificacion is lost defending hereby the doctrine of Gods lawe which excludeth from the Kingdome of God not only Infidells but also the Faithfull that are 1. Cor. 6 b Gal. 5 c d Ephes 5 b Apoc. 21 c Fornicatours Aduouterers Effeminate Liers with mankind Theues Couetous persons Drunkerdes Railers Extortioners and all others that coÌ„mitt mortall sinne froÌ„ which they may with the helpe of Gods grace abstaine and for which they are separated from the grace of Christ. 20 Of the fruite of Iustification that is to say of the merit of good workes of the reason of the same merit THerefore vnto those persons that are by these meanes Iustified whether they haue perpetually preserued the grace receiued or recouered it againe being lost these words of the Apostle are to be proposed 1. Cor. 15 g Abound ye in euerie good worke knowing that your labour is not vaine in our Lord. Heb. 6 b For god is not vniust that he should forget your worke and loue which you haue shewed in his name And Heb. 10 g Doe not leese your confidence which hath a great remuneration And therefore to such as worke well to the end and hope in Almighty God life euerlasting is to be proposed both as a grace mercifully promised through IESVS CHRIST to the sonnes of God and as a reward Aug. de grat de lib. arbit c. 8. 9. epist 105. 52. l. 1. cont aduersa â—eg Proph. c. 16. de morib Eccles Cathol c. 25 de correp gratia c. 13. tract de Epicur Stoicis c. 3. Cypr. de oper Eleemosy ep 56. 60. Chrys ho. 42 in Gen. ho. 43. in 1. ad Cor. Greg. ho. 17. in Euang. also by the promise of God himselfe faithfully to be rendered to their good workes and desertes For this is that crowne of Iustice which after his conflict and course the 2. Tim. 4 b Aug. ho. 14. ex 50. cap. 2. in Psal â—â— tract 3. in Ioan. Theoph. Oecum in cap. 4. ep 2. ad Tiâ— Apostle saide was laid vp for himselfe to be rendered vnto him by the iust Iudge and not only to him but also to all those that loue his comming For whereas Christ IESVS himselfe doth continuallie instill vertue into the iustified as the head into the members and the vine into the branches which vertue alwaies goeth before accompanieth followeth Conc. 2. Araus can 18. Aug. de correp gratia cap. 13. de grat lib. arbit cap. 6. ser 15 de verb. Apost cap. 2. Fulg. lib. 1. ad Moni cap. 11.12 their good workes and without which those workes can by no meanes be gratefull to God and meritorious it is to be thought that there is nothing now wanting vnto the iustified but that with those works which are done Io. 3 c in god they may bee deemed according to the state conditon of this life fully to haue satisfied the law of
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
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
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
The seuenth Age Anno. Dom. 600. Leontius Episc Sophronius Episc S. Isidorus Hispalen Episc Concilium Hispalense 2. Concilium Toletanum 4. Georgius Alexandrinus Episc hic sorte Concilium Braccarense 2. Concilium Toletanum 8. Concilium Braccarense 3. The sixt generall Councell of Constantinople Synodus Trullana Constātinopolitana * The eight Age Anno Dom. 700. Venerabilis Beda S. Ioannes Damascenus The seuenth general Coūcell of Nyce 2. * The ninth Age Anno. Dom. 800. Alcuinus Paulus Diaconus Concilium Moguntinum Ionas Aurelianens Episc Concilium Aquisgranense 1. 2. Haymo Episc Rabanus Episc Concilium Wormatiense Phocius Episc The eight general Councell of Constantinople Ioannes Diaconus Rom. Remigius Antisiod Episc Theophilactus Episc Concilium Triburiense Concilium Nannetens hic force * The eleventh Age Anno Dom. 1000. Burchardus Wormatiensis Episc Concilium Salegūstadiens S. Petrus Damianus Episc S. Lansiancus Episc Concilium Rom. sub Leone 9. cont Petergar Concilium Vercellense sub eodem Concilium Turonense sub Victore 2. Concilium Rom. sub Nicolao 2. Guitmundus Episc Algerus Concilium Rom. sub Gregor 7. contr eundem Berengarium S. Anselmus Episc Oecumenius S. Iuo Carnotensis Episc * The twelfth Age Anno Dom. 1100. Zonaras Rupertus Tuitiensis Gulielmus Abbas S. Bernardus Hugo Victorinus Gratianus Euthymius Concilium Lateran sub Alexandro 3. Lucius 3. Pont. Nicetas Innocentius 3. Pont. * The thirteenth Age Anno 1200. Concilium Lateran magnum sub Innocent 3 S. Thom Aquinas Concilium Lugdunen sub Gregor 10. Gulielmus Durand Episc * The fourteenth age Anno Dom. 1300. Nicephorus Calixtus Concilium Viennense sub Clemenet 5. * The fifteenth Age Anno Dom. 1400. Concilium Constantiense Concilium Basilcense Concilium Florentinum Bessarion Episc Sixtus 4. Pont. * The sixteenth Age Anno Dom. 1500. Concilium Tridentinum A TABLE CONTAINING the order and Summe of the whole Catechisme CHRISTIAN Doctrine consisteth in Wisedome Iustice To Wisedome maie bee referred these Chapters that followe in order CHAP. I. OF FAITH and the CREEDE where amongest other thinges are handled these that followe Of the author of the Apostles Creede q. 5. Of the descending of Christ into Hell q. 13. Of the Markes of the Church that it is Visible q. 18. One q. 18. Holy q. 18. Catholicke q. 18. CHAP. II. OF HOPE and our Lords Praier with the ANGELICALL Salutation as also Of Hope to be ioined with Feare q. 2. Of the Praise of our Blessed LADY q. 15. 16. 17 18 19. Of the Veneration of our Blessed LADY q. 15. 16. 17 18 19. Of the Inuocation of our Blessed LADY q. 15. 16. 17 18 19. CHAP. III. OF CHARITY and the Ten Commaundements Also Whether the Ten Commaundementes doe belong vnto Christians q 6. Whether they may be kepte q. 6. Of the Inuocation of Saintes q. 8. Of the Worshippe of Saintes q. 8. Of the Relickes of Saintes q. 8. Of the Holy-Daies of Saintes q. 8. Of the Images of Christ and the Saintes q. 9. Of the Preceptes of the Church namely Of Traditions Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall q. 1. as followeth Of the Church and her autorty q. 9 10. 16. Of the Bishoppe of ROME and the Church of ROME q. 9. Of Councelles q 11. Of the autority of holy Fathers Ibidem Of the fiue precepts of the Church q. 14. Of the holy Scripture and the interpretation thereof q. 16. CHAP. IIII. OF the SACRAMENTES in generall Of Ceremonies q. 8. Of the Sacrament of Baptisme Of Concupiscence in the Regenerate q. 3. Of the Sacrament of Confirmation Of Chrisme q. 4. Of the Blessed Sacrament Of the Reall Presence q. 4. Of Transubstantiation q 5. Of the adoration thereof q. 6. Of the sacrifice of the MASSE q. 7. Of communicating vnder both kindes q. 8. Of the Sacrament of Penance Of Contrition q. 4. Of Confession q. 5. 6. Of Satisfaction q. 7. 8. Of Purgatory and the faithfull departed q. 9. Of the Sacrament of Extreame-Vnction Of the Sacrament of Orders Whether al Christians be Priestes q. 2 8. Of honour due vnto PRIESTES whether they be good or euill q. 6. 7. Of the Sacrament of Matrimony Of diuorcement q. 3. Of Vowe breakers q. 4. Of the Marriage of Mounks Nunnes Ibidem Of the single life of PRIESTES q. 4. 5. Of VIRGINITY q. 5. and more at large in the question of the Euangelicall Councelles CHAP. V. OF CHRISTIAN IVSTICE The first part of the Chapter 1 Of sinnes in generall 2 Of the seauen deadly sinnes 3 Of Alien sinnes that is of sinnes of other men which by any defaulte of ours doe touche vs. 4 Of the sinnes against the holy-Holy-Ghost 5 Of the sinnes that cry into Heauen 6 Of the purging or expiation of sinne 7 Of small or Veniall-sinnes The second part of the Chapter 1 Three kindes of good Workes where also is intreated Of the fruite of good Workes q. 2. Of Fasting q. 4. and as followeth Of Praier q. 7. and as followeth Of Almes the workes of Mercy q. 10. as followeth 2 The Cardinall vertues 3 The gifts fruits of the Holy-Ghost 4 The eight Beatitudes 5 The Euangelical Counsels of the Gospel Of Euangelical Pouerty Chastity Obedience q. 3. 4. 5. Of Mounkes Religious Orders q. 5. 6 The foure last things of a Man To cōprehend the summe of al Christiā Doctrine in one worde this sentence of Ecclesiasticus is worthy the noting which saith My Sonne coueting WISEDOME Eccli 1 33. conserue IVSTICE and God will giue it vnto thee THE TABLE OF THE APPENDIX 1 Of the fall of the first Man 2 Of the transfusing of Adams sinne into all men 3 Of the remedy of Originall sinne 4 Of the relicks of Original sin in those which are baptised 5 Of the imbecility of nature of the law to iustify mē 6 Of the dispensation and mystery of the comming of Christ 7 Who are Iustified by Christ 8 A description of the Iustification of the wicked man the manner thereof in the state of the Lawe of Grace 9 Of the necessity of preparation to Iustification in those of full age and whereof it riseth 10 The manner of preparation to Iustification 11 What is the Iustification of a wicked Man and what are the causes thereof 12 Howe it is to be vnderstoode that a wicked Man is iustified by Faith and freely 13 Against the vaine confidence of Heretickes 14 Of the increase of Iustification once receiued 15 Of obseruing the Commaundements the necessity and possibilitie thereof 16 That the rashe presumption of Predestination is to be auoided 17 Of the gifte of perseuerance 18 Of those which are fallen of their reparation 19 That by euery mortall sinne Grace is lest but not Faith 20 Of the fruites of Iustification that is to say of the Merite of good workes and of the reason of the same Meritte A Table of the other Questions following 1 Of Hallowed Creatures in the Church 2 Of Pilgrim age vnto he ly places 3 Of Indulgences or Pardons THE FIRST CHAPTER
Bern. ser 3. de resur vnto euil we may rest and settle our mindes in the (b) Io. 4 34 5 30. 6 38. 1. Reg. 3 18. wil of God 10 What hath the fourth Petition Giue vs this day our daily bread VVE doe like poore folkes beggers craue of the author and fountaine of al goodnesse Iac. 1 5.17 Psal 39 18. Deut. 10 18 Gen. 28 20. 1 Tim. 6 8. Pro. 30 8. Ps 144 15. those thinges that bee sufficient for the daily maintenance of our corporal life to wit food cloathing also those thinges that doe serue to a better the life of the soule as the (a) Mat. 4 4. Am. 8 11. Eccli 15 3. Pro. 9 5. word of God the spiritual food of the soule the most holy (b) Mat. 26.26 6 11 Io. 6 51. Hier. in c. 6. Mat. Cypr. in ser de cr Do. Amb. l. 5. de Sacr. c. 4. Aug. l. 2. de ser Do. in mont c. 7. Thren 4 8. 1. Cor. 10 6 Leu. 26 14. Num. 5 6. 20. Exo. 32 27. Luc. 7 47. Tob. 12 10. Sap. 16 14. Ps 50 3.4.9.11 and B. Sacrament of the Altar that heauenly breade and other most holesome Sacraments and gifts of God which doe feede cure and confirme the inwarde man to a wel ordered happie kinde of life 11 How is the fifth Petition vnderstood Forgiue vs our trespasses IN this wee craue that God will mercifully purge vs from the spot of sinne which aboue all thinges is most foule and pestilent vnto the soule and that he will also remitte those verie debts which wee haue contracted by sinning And least our praier should not be auaileable by reason that we are euill affected towardes our neighbour we adde this besides that all secret hate (a) Ro. 12 17.19 Col. 3 12. Luc. 23 34. Act. 7 60 Mar. 11 25. Eph. 4 32. desire of reuenge being laide aside wee are at attonement with our neighbour haue forgiuen euery one that hath offended vs euen from the bottome of our heartes For this is that which Christ signified in an other place when he said (b) Lu. 6 37. Forgiue yee shal be forgiuen And againe (c) Mat. 6 14. 18 22 33. Eccli 22 1. Aug. in Enc cap. 74. If you will not forgiue men neither will your Father forgiue you your offences 12 What is the sense of the sixth Petitiō Lead vs not into temptation BEcause this present life is a very warfare vpon earth Iob. 7 1. Iudith 8 2◠Tob. 3 21. 12 13. Mat. 4 1. 26 41. Heb. 2 18. 2. Thes 3 3. 1. Io. 2 14 16. 5 4. Mat. 16 24. 1 Cor. 9 25.27 10 12. Iac. 4 4. 1 12. 1. Pet. 5 8.10 2. Pet. 2 9. Eph. 6 11. Col. 3 5. Apoc. 2 7.10.11.17.26 2. Tim. 4 7. whilest we are al-waies assaulted with diuers temptations and in an hard continuall conflict with the world the flesh and the deuill therfore being deuoutly carefull of our owne estate we sue for helpe at the hands of almightie God that we do not yeeld to such assaultes of our aduersaries and by yeelding incurr damnation but that standing al-waies in this continuall combate relieng vpon the mighte and hand of God we may valiantly resiste the power of the deuill haue the world in contempte chastice the fleshe and so finallye as inuincible souldiers of Christ be crowned after the victory for (a) 2. Tim. 2 3. no man is crowned as witnesseth the Apostle vnlesse he striue lawfully 13 What is in the seuenth and last petition deliuer vs from euill VVE pray at the last that God will not suffer vs to be ouer-throwne ◠Reg. 8 33. Pro. 10 25.28.30 Eccli 23.4 Hier. 2 14. Tob. 1 22. 2 10. Eccli 27 1.4.6 Ap. 3 10. Ps 24 15. 30 3.5.8.9.16 33 5.7.8.18 cast away with the wicked by the calamities of this worlde wherwith euen the Godly also are exercised but that by his benignitye he deliuer vs so farre forthe as is expedient for our saluation mercifully defend vs from all euill both of body and of soule as well in this life as in the life to come For so hath himselfe promised (a) Ps 49 15 Call vpon me in the day of tribulation I will deliuer thee thou shalt honour me Last of al we cōclude the whole prayer with this one worde Amen (b) 2. Cor. 1 20 Amb. in Ps 40. Hier. in c. 6. Mat. that we may shewe our confidence in praieng hope of obtaining in regarde as well of Christes promise that neuer faileth (c) Mat. 7 7. Luc. 11 9. Io. 16 23. Aske saith he and it shall bee giuen you as also of the infinite clemencye and ready mercie of God the Father in so much that hereupon S. IHON hath sayd (d) 1. Io. 5 14. What-soeuer wee shall aske according to his will hee heareth vs. 14 What is the summe of our Lords prayer IT containethe a perfite and absolute forme not only of asking that which is good but also of praieng to be deliuered from whatsoeuer is euill And amongst the things that be good this is first to be wished and praied for that all men may glorifie our heauenly Father at all times in all places then that we may be partakers of his Kingdome afterwarde that we may not want those helpes that are conuenient for the attaining vnto the same Kingdome As is on the behalfe of our soule to be conformable to the will of God and as touching our body to haue necessary liuing maintenance But those thinges that are added in the second place do continue to the end of the prayer do expresse the affect of one that craueth deliuery from euils which by the grace power of almighty God he desireth to haue either vtterly taken away to wit sinne the contagion of all goodnesse and the sinke and puddle of all euils or els that they may be so tempered that by their violence they hinder vs not in the way to saluation Such are diuers temptations that inuade vs in this worlde all calamities both present and to come Al other things that are to be said touching praier shal be reserued for that place where the three kinds of good works shal be expownded OF THE ANGELICALL SALVTATION 15 Which is commonly called the Angelicall salutation THat which was pronounced vnto the most holy Virgin Luc. 1 28. Chrysost Iacob in Liturg 116. Aug. ser 2. de annun Amb. in c. 1 Luc. Chrysol ser 140. seq Ber. hom 3. super Myssus est Fulg. ser de laud. B. Virg the mother of God in these wordes Haile MARY full of grace our Lorde is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is the fruit of thy wombe IESVS Holy MARIE mother of God pray for vs sinners now and in the houre of our death AMEN 16 Whereupon came this maner of
de nupt concup l. 1. c. 20. l. 2. c. 17. Item ser 14. de verb. Apost also not baptised should perish as of olde in the Synagogue of the Iewes children (h) Gen. 17 14. vncircumcised Nowe forasmuch as there is but one (i) Eph. 4 5. Bas de spir sanct c. 15. Baptisme of Christs faithfull people which once receiued it is very wicked to (k) Heb. 6 4. Clem. constit Apost l. 6. c. 15. Damas l. 4. c. 10. iterate whatsoeuer the long-since condemned Anabaptists (l) in Conc. Carth. 1. c. 1 Viennen Trid. sess 7. can 9. de Sacram 13 de Baptis Aug. tract 11. in Ioan. Beda in c. 3. Ioan. do pretend we must say with the Constantinopolitan CouÌ„saile I confesse one (m) in symb fid Baptisme for the remission of sinnes And with S. AVGVSTINE To (n) Ep. 103. in l. de vnic Bapt con Petil. c. 13. Leo. ep 79. ad Nic. 37. ad Leo. Ran. rebaptise an heretical man is certainly a sin but to rebaptise a Catholike is an horrible wickednes which for that cause is also prohibited by the Emperors (o) C. l. Ne san Bap. iteret Laws 2 What things are principally to be noted about this Sacrament THe Element that washeth and the signification thereof the worde the Minister and the effect of Baptisme The Element is simple (a) Io. 3 5. Eph. 5 26. Act. 8 36. 10 47. Trid. c. 2. de Bapt. et Flor Chry. hom 24. in Ioan. water the matter very necessary h reuâ—to which is naturally wonte to washe away the filthes of the body To which very aptly doth aunswer this signification that by Baptisme the soule is (b) Tit. 3 5. Act. 2 38. 1. Cor. 6 11. cleansed from sinne the man made iust as wee meane to shewe hereafter The Worde wherein consisteth the forme of the (c) Con LateraÌ„ Flor. Aug. l. 6. coÌ„t Donat. c. 25. Didym li. 2. de spir san Sacrament by Christ his appointmeÌ„t is this (d) Mat. 28 19. Amb. de iis qui myst initiant c. 4. I Baptise thee in the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy-Ghost And although it be properly the office of Priests to Baptise yet wher there is very vrgent necessity others (e) Aug. coÌ„t Parmen l. 2. ca. 13. de vnic Bap. c. 9 con Donat. l. 3. c 5. li. 7. c. 53. Hilar. in Psalm 67. Conc. Later c. 1. FloreÌ„t Trid. can 4. de Baptism also maie Baptise yea though they be wicked persons Heretiks so that they goe not froÌ„ the manner of the Church Her vsual words 3 What profite and effecte doth Baptisme yeelde THat doubtlesse which by the teaching of Christ (a) Mar. 16 16. Act. 2 38. 22 16. 1. Pet. 3 21. Ezec. 36 25. 1. Cor. 6 11 Rom. 6 3. Basil ho. 13. in exhort ad Bapt. l. de spir san c. 15 Aug. l. 1. coÌ„t 2. ep Pelag. c. 13. l. 3. c. 3. in Enc. c. 64. Bed in ca. 3. IoaÌ„ Damas lib. 4. cap. 10. Greg. l. 9. ep 39. Hier. ad Ocea Naz. in san Laua CleÌ„ Alex. l. 1. paedag ca. 6. Chrysost ad Neoph. ad Baptizand testimony of the Apostles S. PETER S. PAVL we learn to wit that by Baptisme both sins are remitted the Spirit is giuen wherby both the olde man is extinguished a newe creature is made in Christ For Baptism rightly receiued doth not only yeeld this that al sins be fully pardoned taken away from the wicked maÌ„ but also that he being once baptised is perfitly renued made truely innocent iust holy worthy in Christ of the heaueÌ„ly glory So that S. PAVL hath iustly said to al those that are Baptised You are (b) 1. Cor. 6 11. Amb. l. 1 de Sacr. c. 4. conc Flor. Trid. ses 5. can 5. washed you are sanctified you are iustified in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in the spirite of our God And in an other place (c) Tit. 3 5. Aug. ep 23. quaest 33. super Num. li. 4. conf c. 4 Lactant. l. 3. diuinarum instit cap. 26. Cyprian lib. 2. ep 2. he testifieth that Baptisme is the lauer of regeneration and of renouation of the holye-Ghoste the (d) Ephes 5 26. lauer also of water in the word of life And again he writeth As (e) Gal. 3 27 Ro. 6 3. many of you as are Baptised in Christ haue put on Christ. Very fitly and brieflie doth (f) Ser. in caena Do. vide Cyprian de bapt Christ ablut pedum Orig. in c. 6 ad Roma Retic Augustod apud Aug. l. 1. cont Iulian c. 3. S. BERNARD comprise the principall effects of this Sacrament We are washed in Baptisme saith he because the hand-writing of our daÌ„nation is caÌ„celed this grace is bestowed vpon vs that nowe concupiscence cannot hurt vs yet so that we keepe our selues from consent Which (g) Iac. 1 14. Ro. 6 12. 7 7. Trid. ses 5. caÌ„ 5. Aug. l. 1. de nupt concup c. 23. 25. l. 1. cont 2. ep Pelag. cap. 13. IteÌ„ l. 2. retract c. 15. l. 13. de Trin. c. 16. de pec mer. l. 1. c. 39 l. 2. c. 33. 34. coÌ„cupiscence remaining in the regenerate is not of it selfe a sinne but an inclination vnto sinne Fomes peccati as the Diuines doe cal it left vs Ad agonem to striue withal that the Baptised by this occasion may more watchefully seeke Gods grace more feruently practise vertue more valiantly striueing get themselues a greater crown Therfore as S. PAVL teacheth There (h) Ro. 8 1. is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirit that (i) Col. 3 9. Eph. 4 22. according to the Doctrine and example of Saint PAVL putting off the olde man are renued from day to day according to the inwarde (k) 2. Cor. 4 16. man which is indeede the very property of the (l) Ro. 6 4. baptised 4 What doth the benefite receiued of so great a Sacrament require at our handes FIrst it requireth of vs a speciall continuall gratitude of minde that we may praise loue and extoll him (a) Tit. 3 5. Who according to his mercie hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holy-Ghost whom hee hath powred vpon vs aboundantly by Iesus Christ our Sauiour that being iustified by his grace wee may bee heires according to hope of life euerlasting Then so is the mysterie of this Sacrament to bee (b) Orig. 1. in Numeros remembred that euery man doe oftentimes admonishe himselfe of that notable promise and Christian profession which by his (c) Dionys Areop ca. 7. Eccl. hierar Aug. de nup. coÌ„ l. 1 c. 20. IteÌ„ l. 1 de pec
l. 6. instit cap. 8. chaste (i) Aug. ad Ian. ep 118. cap. 6. fasting modest humble with (k) Orig. ho. 5. in diuers Cass Coll. 22. cap. 7. submission and without all indecencie But they that receiue the holy Eucharist vnworthely do not receiue life but iudgement vnto themselues and are (l) 1. Cor. 11 27. Chr. ho. 45. in Io. 61. ad Anti. Bas ser 2. de Bapt. cap. 3. Theodor. in 1. Cor. 11. Cassia Coll 22. c. 5. Pet. Clun lib. 1. mirac c. 25. guilty of the body and bloude of our Lorde as witnesseth the Apostle and shal be grieuosly condemned with Iudas the Iewes the blouddy enimies of Christ our Sauiour OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE 1 What is the Sacrament of Penance Trid. ses 14. c. 1. can 1 ses 6. c. 14. can 29. Flor. Cōst ses 15. Nyss in vita Moisis Bern. in vita Malach. IT is that in which is giuen the absolution of a Prieste from sinnes which a man hath truely detested rightly confessed Which power of absoluing to the intent that wee might haue certaine in the Church this diuine promise was made vnto (a) Trid. ses 14. c. 6. cā 10. Amb. l. 1 de poenit c. 2. 7. lib 2. cap. 2. Priests Receiue (b) Io. 20 23 ibid. Cyr. lib 12. cap. 56. Greg. ho. 26. in Euang. Chry. ho. 85 in Ioan. yee the holy-holy-Ghost whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall reteine they are reteined Then in an other place Amen I say to you saith our (c) Mat. 18 18. Cyp. ep 54. ad Corn. Hila. can 16 in Mat. Pacia ep 1. ad Sympr Hier ad Heliod ep 1. cap. 7. Aug. lib. 20. ciuit cap. 9. Chrys ho. 5. de ver Esaiae vidi Dominum Lorde Whatsoeuer you shall binde vpon earth shall be bounde also in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose vpon earth shal be loosed also in heauen By which it plainly apeareth that the effecte of this Sacrament is excellent and ful of comforte as being the meanes whereby are remitted all manner of sinnes though neuer so foule and abominable and they absolued without anie difference that haue guiltie consciences in the sight of Almightie God and this by the Ministery of a Prieste through the diuine ordinance of Christ And therefore the power and authority of Priestes is nowe farre more excellent and more to be accounted of than of (d) Leuit. 4 22.27 5 4 15. 6 2. 13 2.17 37. 14 2.18 Mat. 8 4 Luc. 17 14. olde it was as beeing those persons vnto whom it is granted I doe not say to allowe as already purged but altogether to purge not the leprosie of the body but the filthes of the soul as witnesseth (e) Chrys l. 3. de sacerd Saint CHRYSOSTOME And (f) Aug. de Verb. Dom. ser 8. ca. 1. 2. ser 44 in Io. tra 49. ho. 27 ex 50. in Psal 101. Conc. 2. S. AVGVSTINE What other thing doth the Church saith hee vnto whom it is saide what thinges you shall loose shall be loosed But that which our Lord said to his Disciples loose him (g) Io. 11 44. let him goe Amb. lib. de paenit 1. 2. Aug. lib. de adult coniug c. 28. lib. 2. ca. 16. Con. Later can 1. Trid. cap. 2. ses 14. Flor. Hier. li. 2. adu Pelag 2 Wherefore is this Sacrament of Penance needfull THat a man hauing fallen after Baptisme become the enemy of God obtaining by means of this Sacrament remission of sinnes may be reconciled vnto God and of a deade man bee made aliue and of wicked become iust For which cause the Fathers doe not vnaduisedly cal (a) Pacia ep 1. ad Sympr Hier. in ca. 3. Esa ep 8. ad Demetr de seruand Virg. cap. 6. Ambros ad Virg. laps c. 8. Trid. ses 6 c. 14. ses 14. can 2. Tert. de paenit c. 7. Ezech. 18 30. 33 11 Penance the second table after shipwracke to wit by the which euery man may be transported out of the whirle-poole of mortal sinne as out of a shipwracke into the grace fauor of almighty God though loaden pestered with manie and those very heinous sinnes 3 When is this Sacrament taken as it ought to be worketh effectually VVHhen he that sueth for remission of his sinnes Conc. Flor. Trid. ses 14. cap. 3. can 4. doth vse these three partes or actes Contrition Confession Satisfaction which do comprehend the ful conuersion of a man vnto God the duty of a penitent and his perfecte renuing Of which (a) Ser. de paenit 2. Reg. 16 5. Ps 50 19.5 6 7. 37 7.18 101 4.10 2. Reg. 12 13. 24 10 3. Reg. 21 25. Ionae 3 7 S. CHRYSOSTOME speaketh in this manner Perfect Penance doth constraine the sinner to suffer all thinges willingly Contritrition in his hearte Confession in his mouth and in his actions nothing but humility This to be holesome Penance S. CHRYSOSTOME affirmeth that by those very means that we offende God which certes we doe by heart worde and deede by the same we may be reconciled vnto God in hearte by Contrition in mouth by Confession in deede by Satisfaction To Contrition appertaineth that place A troubled spirit is a (b) Psal 50 19. sacrifice to God a contrite and humble hearte O God thou wilt not despise Confession S. LVKE doth notifie in these wordes (c) Act. 19 18. Num. 5 6. Manie of them that beleeued came confessing and declaring their deeds And the (d) Iac. 5 16. ibid. Be◠Apostle S. IAMES teacheth Confesse your sinnes one to another And to Satisfaction doe belong those woorthie fruites of Penance which (e) Mat. 3 2. Luc. 3 8. Act. 26 20. S. IHON Baptist requireth amongst them Almes is accounted Of these DANIEL the Prophet saith thus Redeeme (f) Dan. 4 24. thy sinnes with Almes thy iniquities with mercie towardes the poore A great offence hath neede of great Satisfaction saith (g) Amb. ad Virg. lap c. 8 S. AMBROSE And hereūto also is referred that which S. PAVL saith of mourning for those (h) 2. Cor. 12 21. Corinthians because they had not as yet doone Penance for the vncleannesse fornication and incontinency which they had committed Trid. ses 14. cap. 4. Flor. Aug. ser 3. in Nat. Do. c. 2. de paenit medicin seu ho. 50. ex 50. cap 15. Fulg. li. 1. de remiss pec c. 12. 4 What is Contrition IT is a griefe of minde and a detestation conceiued for sinne because Almighty God is therewith displeased ioined with a full purpose of amendment of life This Contrition is (a) Chrys in Ps 50. de compunct l. 1. 2. Aug. de paenit medic c. 9. Amb. c. 8. ad Virg. laps Trid. ses
14. can 5. procured if a man doe diligently beholde the foulnesse enormity multitude of his sinnes if hee carefully thinke vpon that soueraigne goodnesse offended of the grace of God and other giftes loste if he doe deepelie waighe and stand in awe of the ineuitable (b) Heb. 9 27. Sophō 1 15. Mat. 25 41. Mar. 9 43. necessitie of the vncertaine houre of death the horrible seuerity of the iudgement to come and the euerlasting paines prepared for sinners Hereūto appertaineth that of EZECHIAS (c) Esa 38 15. I wil recoūt vnto thee all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my soul And that of DAVID (d) Ps 118 120. I stoode in awe of thy iudgemēts And that which hee also in lamenting manner doth pray (e) Ps 37 9. I am afflicted too much hūbled I did rore with the sighs of my hart And a little after (f) Ibid. v. 19 I will declare my iniquity and I will thinke for my sinne Also it is an expresse speach of God himselfe vnto a sinner Thou (g) Apoc. 2 4. 2. ad Cor. 12.21 7 9. hast lefte thy first Charity be mindfull therefore from whence thou art fallē doe Penance (h) Luc. 12 5 Mat. 10 28. And Christ in the Gospell Feare him saith he who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell Yea I say vnto you feare him Nowe finally this griefe of Contrition doth prepare vs to remission of sinnes in-case it be ioined with (i) Amb. l. 1. de paenit c. 1. a confidence of Gods mercie and a desire of performing those thinges which do belong to the Sacrament of (k) Aug. de paenit med cap. 11. in Ench. ca. 65. Ambr. in Ps 37. c. 8. ad Virg. laps Penance 5 Is Confession necessary YEA verily but not only as some doe falsely suppose that interiour Confession which is to be done in the presence of God (a) Chry. ho. 42. in Mat. euerie day according to the example of holy DAVID who saith I haue (b) Ps 31 5. saide I will confesse against my selfe my vniustice vnto our Lord But also this exteriour confession which is done vnto a (c) Orig. in Ps 37. ho. 1. ho. 2. in Leu. Chry. l. 3. de sacer Niss orat in eos qui alios acerbius iudicant Pet. Clun l. 1. mirac c. 3. 4. 5. 6 l. 2. c. vlt. Priest of all the sinnes which doe come into a mans minde after diligent searche and examination of his conscience So is it written of men of the Primatiue Church Many of them that (d) Act. 19 18. beleeued came confessing and declaring their deedes Which manner of confessing to be very neecssary not only the holy lawes of the Church (e) Con. Lateran cā 21. Flor. Trid ses 14. cap. 5. and the reuerent writings (f) Clem. ep 1. ad frat Do. Dion ep 8. ad Demoph Tert. de paenit ca. 8. 9. 10. 12. Orig. in Ps 37. ho. 1. 2. ho. 2 in Leuit. Cyp. de laps Pacia in paraen ad paenit Hier. in c. 10. Eccle. Chry. ho. 30. in Gen. 16. in Mat. of the Fathers doe confirme but also the diuine words of Christ doe cōclude and declare when hee saith (g) Ioan. 20 23. Whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them And whose you shal retaine they are retained But to remitte retaine sinnes whereas this is an office of a Iudge no Priest can haue authority except he first examine and knowe verie perfectlie the sinners cause whereof hee hath to iudge Neither can this knoweledge be had before that the partie which committeth himselfe to bee iudged and absolued by the Prieste as his (h) Aug. lib. 20. ciu c. 9. Greg. ho. 26 in Euang. Chry. l. 3. de sacer ho. 5. de verb Esa Hier. ad Heliod ep 1. cap. 7. Iudge and (i) Con. Lat. can 21. Wormat. c. 25. Orig. ho. 1. 2. in Psal 37. Phisition doth so discouer and laie open his woundes in such distincte seuerall manner by voluntary Confession that the Priest may plainly perceiue where the sinnes are to bee loosened and where they are to be bounde 6 What doe the Fathers write of Confession THey certes doe with one consent not onely commend approue vnto vs the benefite of Confession and perpetuall practise of it in the Church but the bond also necessitie thereof And to alleadge amongest verie many a fewe and those most approued witnesses first (a) Quaest 288. in reg breu vide quaest 229. in ep 3. can ad Amphil can 73. S. BASIL the great saith thus It is iudged necessary that sinnes be confessed vnto those to whom is committed the dispensation of the mysteries of God for so the verie Penitents of auncient times are found to haue confessed their sinnes vnto holy mē Then (b) De laps vide ep 10. 55. S. CYPRIAN I beseech you my breethren saith he euery one to confesse his sinne whilest yet he that sinneth remaineth in this world whilest his confessiō may be admitted whilest euery mans Satisfaction remission giuen by the Priests is acceptable vnto our Lorde Hereunto accordeth the sentēce of S. AVGVSTINE Hom. 49. ex 50. cap. 3. ho. 41. 50 cap. 4. 5. who teacheth in this manner Doe yee Penance such as is done in the Church that the church may pray for you Let no man say within himselfe I doe it in secret I doe it before God alone God who pardoneth mee knoweth that I doe in heart Was it there foresaid in vaine (c) Mat. 18 18. Ioan 20 23. Whatsoeuer you shall loose in earth shall be loosed in Heauen Were the KEIES giuen to the Church of God in vaine Doe we frustrate the Gospell of God Doe we frustrate the wordes of Christ Doe we promise you that which he denieth Doe we deceiue you And in another place (d) Lib. 2 de visit infirm cap. 4. There are saith he that do thinke it sufficient for their saluation if they confesse their sinnes to God alone vnto whō nothing is hidden and euery mans conscience lieth open For they will not or they are ashamed or they disdaine to shew themselues vnto PRIESTS whō yet our Lord hath by MOISES ordained to discerne betweene (e) Leuit. 13 2. 14 12. Luc. 17 14. Mat. 8 4. Leaper Leaper But I will not haue thee deceiued with this opinion and bee ashamed thereby to confesse them vnto the vicegerent of our Lord either languishing with shamefastnesse or stiffe-necked with indignation For of reason in like manner must we admit him for our iudge which our Lorde doth not disdaine to bee his Vicar And it is no lesse euident that (f) Ep. 91. ad Theod. vide ep 80. ad Episc Camp LEO the great hath lefte in writing The manifold mercies of God doth so succour the falles of men that not only by
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.
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
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
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
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
betweene God and vs as well in Meritte as in Satisfaction The one is a certaine rigorous iustice the other a iustice of condignitie The first requireth a rigorous equality in the worke and that that which is offered vnto God be of the offerers goods not receiued of the liberality of him to whom it is offered And such iustice was in Christs Meritte and satisfaction vnto his Father for vs but in vs there can be nothing which we haue not liberally receiued of God and therefore in this rigorous manner we can neither meritte the least grace in the worlde nor satisfie for the least idle worde The second requireth nothing else but a certaine proportion of the worke which is offered and besides the fauour acceptation of God promise either of rewarde or of release of punishment which is alwaies founde in him which is in grace For hee which remaineth in Christ Io. 15 5. 1. Io 3 9. Io. 3 21. 1. Cor. 15 10. hee bringeth much fruite For he hath the seede of God within him and his workes are doone in God and the grace of God worketh with him Now hence it proceedeth that although we cannot bring any condigne satisfaction for our sinnes or for the paines of Hell due vnto them so long as we bee either withered braunches or altogither out of the vine we may notwithstanding vndoubtedly being quickened by the same liuely vine and hauing the holy ghost within vs perfectly doe the same for our temporall debt Yet by that which is Gods which we haue receiued of God Wherfore we must say with DAVID vnto God thine are all thinges 1. Par. 29 14 what we haue receiued of thy hand we haue giuen vnto thee After this manner doe we holde that life euerlasting which is indeede Ro. 1 23. grace is also most certainely a Mat. 20 8. 2. Tim. 4 8. See pag. 481 Crowne of iustice the day peny a reward And this in our present case of satisfaction is so much the more easie for that this satisfaction which is to be made is but only for temporall punishmente the euerlasting beeing by the Sacrament chaunged into temporall Anâ— what meruaile is it then by our workes to satisfie â—o this if we may by our workes deserue Heauen So that to satisfie for our temporall punishment is nothing else but as if a Traitour receiued into his Princes fauour againe shoulde by his goâ—d deserts holpen alsâ— by the same Princes creditte and grace be admitted into the felloweship of his Princely throne and who may doubt but that this man may with more ease obtaine the release of a small fine or amercement then he hath deserued so great a dignity One may satisfy for another if both be in grace Nowe therefore wil we account a most cleare trueth that he which is in Gods grace may satisfie for his temporal debte of Gods correction Secondly I make also this supposition that such a necessarie linke Ephes 4 4. Ro. 12 4. Gal. 6 2. 1. Cor. 12 12 Ps 118 63. Phil. 1 5. 1 Io. 1 3. Aug tra 32. in Io. there is amongest all those which are liuely members of Christ that as they receiue life and vigour from the heade so they communicate also helpe and comforte one to another which is the communion of Saintes And that in vertue of this communication and fellowship one which is in grace euen as he may of Iustice with equality as we haue said satisfie God for his own sinnes remitted So may he also of the like iustice equalitie satisfie for another being also in grace This doth S PAVL not once declare vnto vs when he saith that 2. Cor. 8 14. the aboundance in spiritual things of those in Hierusalem shall supply the wante of the Corinthians The like hath he of the Ro. 15 72. Romans And he Col. 1 24. reioiced in suffering for the Collossians accomplishing in his fleshe those things which wante of the Passions of Christ for his bodie which is the Church such beeing the disposition of Christes heauenly wisedome that although â—hâ—re be no insufficiencie in his owne Passions yet he will glorifie his wholle body vniting his Passions with the Passions of his mysticall meÌ„bers to his owne honour and the succour reliefe of his wholle Church And this second supposition must also be vnderstoode of those which are Deade and in Purgatorie For with them yet remaineh the same Communion And those which are aliue 1. Cor. 15 29. 2. Mach. 12 43. We may satisfie for the Deade may be Baptised for them as Saint PAVL saith that is may by their afflictions penance which is a baptisme of Cypr. serm de Caena Dom et in proaem l de exhort ad Martyr Greg Naz. orat de Epiph Mar. 10 38. Luc. 12 50. Three principall effects of our good workes teares make recompence for their sinnes Which will be somewhat for our purpose hereafter And for the better vnderstanding of this point thou shalt vnderstand good Reader that our good workes way be in 3. sortes beneficiall vnto vs from God They may bee Meritorious Satisfactorious Impetratorious that is obtaining at Gods hands any good thing They are Meritorious in that they be doone in grace for no good worke shall passe vnrewarded therefore euery particular good worke doone in Gods grace deserueth of Almighty God through his liberality and by the Merits of Christ which to one being in Gods fauor are vndoubtedly communicated both increase of grace and such degree of Gods glory in heauen as is correspondent to that grace They are satisfactorious in that they be laborious and painefull For these are two distincte thinges in euery good worke to proceede of grace and Charitie and to be a painefull exercise The one deserueth a mutuall loue of God vnto which is annexed a rewarde the other maketh iust and equall paiment for a deserued punishemente And although there be three speciall workes of satisfaction Praier Almes Fasting as hath beene saide vnto which al other are reduced yet whereas as the Philsophers doe teacch the obiecte of vertue is difficult for the corruptnesse of our nature there is no vertuous worke either inwarde or outwarde but besides that it is Meritorious it is also Satisfactorious They are finally Impetratorious or obtaining of God in as much as they are either Prayers or any thing offered vnto God by way of Petition or demaunde Which I adde for that any Satisfactorious worke may not onely be directed for the behalfe of another as it is Satisfactorious but if it bee deuoutely offered for the obtaining of anie good thing for our Neighbour it is also Impetratorious and a kinde of Praier As if one should Receiue or Fast to obtaine for his brother health or any vertue And this effecte of obtaining is founded in the liberality of our Sauior promise that whatsoeuer we shal aske in his name he wil graunt vnto vs. Now of these three thinges