their Casuists to all sorts amongst them nor must they fear any danger in it unless they will question the wisdom and goodness of their Church There can be no question but that this Doctrine is thus far owned by the Church of Rome whether it be delivered fallibly or infallibly by Councils or without is not at all here considerable It is enough that such is the Conduct provided for Roman Catholicks and that it is to be followed without apprehension of danger and cannot be declined by those that will keep the ordinary road of that Church though it lead directly to destruction When no other shift will serve to hinder those from being undeceived whom they would delude it is usual with them to make loud out-cries of false Citations and that their Doctrine is misrepresented I have been very careful to give no just occasion for this being apprehensive that he who doth it wrongs not them more than he doth himself and his Cause The places cited I have viewed again and again where there might be any doubt of misconstruction and set down their own words where it might seem scarce credible that Christians and Divines directing Conscience should speak at such a rate and where that would have been too tedious have given their sense faithfully so far as I could discern it and directed the Reader where he may find and judge thereof himself Yet if notwithstanding all the care and diligence I could use it hath been my unhappiness any where to mistake them upon notice from any I shall do them right and am capable to give them further satisfaction knowing well that I am yet far from representing their Doctrine fully so bad as it is Large Volumes might be fill'd with the corruptions of it I have but pointed at some and contented my self with few Authors in many particulars where plenty might have been produced I designed briefness and have waved much that was ready least I should be tedious considering that some who are most concerned in such Discourses will have nothing at all when they think too much is offered I have been less solicitous about the Style it doth not alwayes satisfie my self so that I can allow others to finde fault with it It may be thought sometimes less grave elsewhere too sharp and vehement I suffered it to be what the subject would have it and the quality thereof now and then over-ruled me somewhat against my own inclination Onely I make nothing ridiculous but find it so and should scarce do it right if I represented it otherwise than it is Where I seem too sharp or severe upon any occasion I found something in the nature of the Subject that forced me to it And it is not easie if it be congruous or just to speak of what is monstrously extravagant or pernicious with such calmness as we treat indifferent things It will be enough for me if through Gods blessing people will hereby be brought to understand that Popary designs not to trouble them either with the reality of Religion or the happiness which Christ has intailed thereon And that their Practical Doctrine is contrived accordingly will I doubt not be hereby manifest to all such as have a mind to see and are not willfully resolved to lose the way to Salvation and their souls together by shutting their eyes against so plain a discovery of so great a danger THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. BY the Doctrine of the Romanists it is not needful to worship God really in publick or private True Religion will have God to be worshipped really Real worship requires the concurrence of mind and heart In their Divine Service they require no act of the Will but an Intention beforehand to attend their service is enough though they be not Attentive when they are at it An in tentionto worship God there is scarce needful Their intention may be effectual though they act contrary to it They may imploy both Soul and Body about other things when they are at their Prayers The act of the mind which they seem to require is Attention but this need not be either Spiritual or Rational So that they need not mind God in their Prayers nor the things to be prayed for nor the sense of the words they use but only the pronouncing of them nor need they actually mind that The Churches holiness supplyes their Defects and makes those pass as such that pray devoutly who pray not at all All due Attention in Worship is not only unnecessary but impossible in their way As Attention so inward Reverence and Devotion likewise is not necessary in their Service Hereby their Worship is no better than a Prophane irreligious exercise They seem satisfied with less Worship for God than for their Images Sect. 1. to page 27. In the Mass by their Doctrine God may be less minded than in their Canonical hours where they tell us he need not be minded at all No inward Worship requisite in the Mass It is enough if their attendance there be but an humane act Nay the use either of Sense or Reason is not there required They may busie themselves in other imployments while they are at Mass They may sleep a while or laugh if they be not too loud Or talk of their worldly affairs all the while say some others would not have their Discourse so serious yea it may be immodest without transgressing the Precept And lascivious or very prophane Tunes to the Organ at Mass may be a small fault The Precept for Mass the chief part of their Religirn may be fulfilled by mortal wickedness Sect. 2. page 37. Of their ends in Worship They may lawfully Worship God for their own ends Sin may be their end in Worshipping and that without sin if not principally intended It is but a small fault to Worship God principally for vain Glory He that comes to Mass or Prayer with a design to satisfie his Lust or other mortal wickedness satisfies the command of the Church Sect. 3. to page 43. How unnecessary Preaching is counted in their Church and hearing the word in such circumstances where it would be accounted needful if ever Sect. 4. to page 45. In their Sacraments no good motions or actual dispositions such as are necessary in real Worshippers are required by that Church in any that Administer or partake thereof This shewed as to Baptism and Penance the Sacraments for the Dead Also in the other five for the living In all the precepts of the Church may be fully accomplished by impious and wicked acts Sect. 5. 6. to page 48. Even as to the Eucharist for which they profess they have the highest veneration they may partake worthily who are without any the least good act of mind or heart And to shut out good motions from their Souls on set purpose when they are communicating is but a venial fault such as will not hinder the effects of the Sacrament Those vagaries which are inconsistent with Attention and
to avoyd a venial sin since by their doctrine a world of them can never damn a man and therefore it is not necessary for any Papist to worship God otherwise than principally for vain glory or ends equally criminal i. e. it is not needful for them to worship him at all for no man can imagine that he is worshipped when he is in the highest degree dishonoured and affronted and what greater affront can be put upon him than under a pretence of worship to debase the great God and thrust him lower in our designs not only than our selves and earthly trifles but lower than sin the vilest thing on Earth yea or in Hell and this is evidently done when vain glory a capital sin hath the preheminence of God in addresses to him and is regarded as principal when the Lord of Heaven and earth hath no regard at all or only in a lower place It is not worshipping of God but a horrid impiety for men to serve themselves instead of God but more intolerably impious to worship sin and that hath the worship and is honoured in the place of God which hath the highest advancement and is principal in Religious addresses yet no better than this is all the worship which by the Roman Doctrine is necessary from their Catholicks In short whereas by their Doctrine of non-attention formerly exaamined it is so evident that they discharge themselves from all real worship as they have no colour to hide it no shift to evade it but a supposal of some praevious intention to serve God when they are addressing themselves to their service this their last reserve they themselves ruine by their Doctrine concerning the end of worship For they teach besides what is premised that a man who comes to Masse or Divine service with a purpose not to worship God but to serve his Lusts doth satisfie the Precept (a) Praeceptum audiendi missam non obligat nisi taliter audire ut sit actus humanus qualis esse potest etiamsi aliud simul ad sit sinistrum propositum de just jur l. 10. q. 5. art 5. We are not obliged saith Soto to hear Masse but only so that it may be a humane act which it may be though there be a sinister intention in it Yea though the thing intended be a sin and that highly criminal for he adds (b) Quod si quis attente oret quamvis id faciat adjunctam habens vanam gloriam imo quamvis simul habeat propositum aliud mortale satisfaciet praecepto quantum ad substantiam ita ut non teneatur officium iterare Ibid. if one attend prayer though he do it for vain glory that is a small matter to stick at yea though it be with a purpose mortally wicked yet he fulfills the precept substantially Such are the commands of the Church of Rome for her most Sacred worship they may be fully satisfied by deadly wickedness there needs no purity of heart or hand for her Devotions a design damnably evil will serve the turn c Non tamen est tenendum illud S. Antonini scilicet eum qui ecclesiam a lit princiâ—… liter ad videndum aut alloquendum faeminam pulchram aut ob aliud quodvis illiâ—iâ—… non satisfacere huic praecepto cap. 21. n. 7. with him concurs Medina Addendum 〈◊〉 est pravam intentionem adjunctam voluntati audiendi missam non esse contrariam impletioni hujus praecepti Itaque quamvis quis eat ad ecclesiam ex libidinosa intentione videndi faeminam vel etiamsi officio missae cum eadem intentione assâ—stat tamen si non excludat voluntatem implendi hoc praeceptum sufficientur sit attentus implet illud It a Medina in Suarez tom 3. desp 88. Sect. 3. That of Antoninus saith Navarre is not to be maintained that he doth not satisfie the precept who comes to Church principally to look on a handsome Woman or to talk with her or for any other sinful thing If a man in going to Masse designs to satisfie his curiosity or his lust or any thing else which is wicked that Church is so good natur'd she will be satisfied with it and think her precept for worship well observed and you must believe if you can that the is a good Christian-Church that will have Christ worshipped at this rate He adds reason for it a (d) Potest quis malo fine ecclesiam adire bene in ea missam audire Ibid. p. 469. man may come to Church for a wicked end and yet hear Masse well enough there (*) Qui ecclesiam adit causa videndi vel etiam concupiscendi libidinose faeminas satisfacit De legib Disp 1. q. 1. p. 9. n. 1. Bonacina instances in several sorts of wickedness whereby the command for worship may be fulfilled This is one amongst the rest if a man go to Church on purpose to gaze on or to lust after Women lecherously he satisfies the precept and for the general Rule vouches not only Sotus Navar Medina and others of greatest Reputation in their Church but also their Angelical Saint Thomas I need not censure these things let those that are impartial consider the premises and see if this be not their sense that the people in the Papacy by its order do not or are not obliged to give God any real worship in publick and by their leaders are taught and encouraged instead of worship to present him with grosse wickedness If the measures of Religion may be best taken by its worship what can any indifferent person judge of Popery where a service so palpably irreligious is the best and the most excellent worship they have if this were duely considered I think it alone might be sufficient to reduce those that are deluded and to secure those against Temptations who are not yet ensnared Sect. 4. There is another publick exercise which Christ makes as necessary as any Evangelical service what-ever and that is Preaching and hearing the word of God But the Romanists are not of his mind in this (e) Cum missa sit sub praecepto non praedicatio Sum. v. Domin n. 8. Audire missam est in praecepto audire autem concionem non ita Suar. 13. tom 3. disp 88. Sect. 1. vid. v. 2. defess The Masse is commanded but not Preaching saith Sylvester and he one of the order of Predicants Accordingly hearing Masse is commanded but hearing Sermons is only matter of Advice saith (f) Audire praedicationem in festis non est de praecepto simpliciter patet per praedicta ac etiam nullo jure cavetur sed solum de missa Sum. Rosell Dominic n. 4. another which may be neglected without imputation of sin and if observed is an act of Supererogation They conclude it no duty in such circumstances where it would be counted necessary if ever it is no duty on the Lords day (g) Jac. de Graff l. 2. c. 33. n. 8. 16. Sotus
worship to whose honour they are dedicated Vasquez (n) Ibid. c. 10. n. 344. will have them worshipped relatively as Images to whom he gives Divine adoration with respect to him in whose service they are used 'T is no sin to worship the word Jesus whether it be pronounced or written and some will have honour given to the word for it self so (o) Ipsi etiam voci secundum se câ—nset honorem aliquem tribui Ibid. n. 342. Corduba and others (p) Simul cum Christo quem significat vox illa Ibid. n. 343. Idem quod de imagine de voce quoque Jesus alijs rebus inanimis manifeste sequitur quamvis diceremus quia imagines exemplaribus substituuntur ideo cum ipsis adorari quis audeat asserere vocem Jesus aut scâ—iptam aut prolatam in locum significati non subrogari c. Ibid. n. 344. Some will have the word worshipped together with him that it signifies as the Image and the exemplar are both worshipped together So that they will have the word Jesus to be worshipped as the Image of Jesus 'T is no sin to worship the Accidents of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist where the object worshipped is not only Christ there nor is it the substance of Bread and Wine for they say there is no substance left but that which they worship is the colour figure or tast of the Elements The colour when there is nothing that is coloured the tartness when there is nothing that is tart the roundness when there is nothing that is round To these wonderful not to say monstrous accidents some will have a single (q) Alij vero recentiores eodem modo de speciebus Sacramentalibus atque de imaginibus docent nempe eas adorari posse eodem motu adoratione lâ—triae cum Christo sâ—b ipsis contento pâ—sse etiam secundum se propria adoratione coli quae non reseratur in Christum ibi contentum siâ—ut in terminum proximum adorationis sed tanquam in motivum remotum sicut de imaginibus de nomine Jesu docuerunt Idem Ibid. c. 11. n. 360. worship due but that the very same worship that is due to Christ and besides that Divine adoration which is common to them with Christ will have also a proper worship given without reference to Christ but all of them agree that they are to be adored with (r) Eandem adorationem qua Christum ibi colimus ad eas terminari dicendum est ut docet Claudus Cello 6. Sed per accidens sicut adoratio exemplaris in imaginem quoque terminatur Id expresse tradit Algelus l. 2. de Euch. c. 3. idem ibid. Divine worship and some say that this adoration is terminated on them as the worship of the Exemplar upon the Image They will not only have the Manger wherein Christ lay and the Thorns wherewith he was Crowned and the Spear that wounded him to be worshipped (s) Si autem pingeretur Sacrum praesepium vel lancea vel spinea corona vel aliquid simile non minus quam ipsa crux in veneratione esse debere Id vero quod de pictura vel sculptura dicimus de ijsdem rebus naturalibus dicendum esset si in ornamentum crucis monimentum passionis vel alterius mysterij publice ponerentur c. Idem ibid. l. 3. c. 6. disp 2. n. 73. but the Picture of these when they are but painted they are to have the same worship which the true Cross has that is Divine Adoration and so are natural Thorns or a common Manger or Spear to be worshipped when they are made use of to adorn the Cross or to set off the passion of Christ as they are wont Theatrically to represent it 'T is no sin to worship any thing that Christ touched or that touched him how injuriously soever Therefore they teach that the Ass upon which Christ rode is to be worshipped hereby it appears sayes (t) Inde etiam constat quo pacto recte possit asinus cui Christus insedit adorari Ibid. n. 76. Vasquez how rightly the Ass upon which Christ did ride may be worshipped and that the very (u) Nil tamen obest quo minus aliquis sincera fide recta intentione affectum animum solum in Christum intendens labia Judae alia quae injuste Christum tetigerunt reverenter osculetur ibid. lips of Judas that Traitor and Devil as Christ calls him for kissing Christ when he betrayed him for that very act wherein he shew'd himself a Traitor and Devil are to be worshipped If they had but those Traitors lips they would reverently and devoutly kiss that is adore them and it is strange if they have them not among their Sacred Relicks since they say they have the (x) Ex dictis infertur Christi praeputium sanguinem relictum in terris sive sit sub forâ—a sanguinis sive sub alia non secundum se hyperdulia sed ex affectu latriae circa Christum eodem motu adorationis cum ipso sicut alias ejus reliquias adorandum esse ut notavit Corduba Sylvest Idem ibid. disp 4. n. 125. foreskin of Christ cut off at his circumcision and his very (y) Antiqua etiam traditione constat vultum sanctum Domini tempore passionis suae in linteo expressum fuisse Qualis Romae in Hispania ostenditur Taurius vero magna cum veneratione servatur nec minori religione colitur sindon qua Christus in Sepulchro fuit involutus cui impressam reliquit sui corporis siguram Idem ibid. l. 2. disp 3. c. 1. n. 29. countenance impressed by him upon a white cloath for one would think these as hard to come by however in diverse places they worship something at a venture which they count so It is no sin to worship the imaginary blood which flowes from a Crucifix or Image of Christ when it is wounded for they being given up to believe the most ridiculous lyes (a) Vid. Aquinas 3. q. 54. art 2. do believe that such blood hath issued from a mere Picture or Image (b) One at Berytus in Syria pierced by a Jew related in a Book ascribed to Athanasius falsely as Bellarmine confesses de script Eccles p. 78. of which our Author l. 2. disp 3. c. 1. n. 29. they keep it as a most Sacred Relique and it is to be (c) Idem dicendum de sanguine qui ex aliqua imagine Christi fluxit nisi quod ille non ratione contactus sed repraesentationis tantum adorandus est idem ibid. l. 3. disp 4. c. 2. n. 125. worshipped with the same worship they give to Christ himself It is no sin to give Divine worship to any man not only the Saints in Heaven or holy persons on earth but any men whatever in the world the wickedest not excepted may together with God have divine worship as the Image has with the Exemplar
make a shift without it if any one among all the Members have it but. And one act of it in a whole life may serve The ruder sort may be help'd to this act which will serve once for all by making the sign of the Cross as their grave Divines direct them Sect. 3. to page 119. CHAP. V. NO necessity of true Repentance for any sort of sins by their Doctrine Of original sin or the corruption of our natures no man can be obliged to Repent Sect. 1. to page 121. It is as needless for those many and divers of them horrid sins which they count venial What pretty expedients they have to expiate these without Repentance Sect. 2. to page 123. For mortal sins some teach there is no Divine command to Repent And so to live and dye impenitently will be no Transgression No need of it any way either as a duty injoyn'd or as a Medium Sect. 3. to page 125. Others who confess there is a command for it will not have it oblige any sinner presently No sin nor danger to defer Repentance Nor will they have it needful at such times and occasions which if any would be the necessary seasons for it Not at solemn times of Worship Not on days of fasting Not when visited with great calamities Not when sins are brought to their Remembrance Not when they address themselves to their Sacraments no not that of Penance Sect 4. 5. to page 131. No need to Repent till one be at the point of death Nor is it so needful then or any time before but something else may serve without it A Repentance without any sensible sorrow for or actual resolution against sin is sufficient Or a penitence merely natural may suffice Or a slight remorse in the lowest degree possible one act of it dispatch'd in an instant and never repeated will be enough Or if a man conceive that he truly repents though really he does not this may serve the turn Or if he know that he does not repent sufficiently yet if he signifie that he would grieve more and is sorry that he does not this will be effectual Or attrition with the Sacrament will unquestionably justifie him Attrition with them far distant from true Repentance Several sorts of it Any of them seem sufficient by the Council of Trent The general concurrence of their Divines for the sufficiency of Attrition yet the best sort of it confessed to be morally evil Sect. 6. 7. to page 144. When they have excluded true Repentance by Attrition they reduce Attrition to nothing yet will have it still sufficient The least servile dislike of sin in the lowest degree though it be gone in a moment though it be merely natural is enough Or if there be but a dislike that this dislike is wanting Or a willingness to have it in those who have it not Or a mans thinking probably that he hath it when he hath it not Or a willingness without it to receive the Sacrament will serve the turn Yea even without their Sacrament of Penance Attrition with the Eucharist or extreme unction or the Mass or without any Sacrament at all may procure pardon What ways Attrition may secure them when they cannot have a Priest or the Rites proper to Priests while they live or after they are dead without them Sect. 8. to page 148. This Doctrine which makes saving saith love to God and true Repentance needless is established by the Council of Trent Their Sacrament of Penance hath no ground in the Word of God And being taught to depend on it for pardon and to neglect the things of most necessary importance to salvation it proves a most damning Imposture Their Doctrine thus making Repentance needless plainly destroyes Christianity debauches the Lives and ruines the Souls of sinners And is one of the most pernicious Heresies that ever was broached Sect. 9. 10. 11. to page 152. CHAP VI. THeir Doctrine leaves no necessity of Holiness of life It is enough to denominate their universal Church holy if there be but one holy man in it One act of charity the least of all may make one a holy man Other Maxims of this tendency How they destroy the necessity of holy life by making it needless to exercise vertue and avoid sin Sect. 1. to page 154. How they make the exercise of Christian vertues unnecessary in general more particularly hope one of the three Divine vertues fares no better than faith and love They leave themselves no good ground of hope Their hope a Conjecture founded upon a delusion The precept for hope obliges not but in the more grievous assaults of despair So that not one of a Thousand in Popery need have any hope in God No not any since the command for it may be satisfied by other acts Sct. 2. 3. page 157. Their Doctrine leaves no room for no ground of Humility no sense of sinfulness weakness unworthiness 'T is pregnant with Pride and Arrogance Sect. 4. to page 159. Brotherly love unnecessary by their Doctrine No need of love to any unless in necessity Nor then though the necessity be extreme if we help them though not out of Christian love This extended not only to external but spiritual necessities If the acts whereby we should relieve their Souls be neglected it may pass for a small fault Those who have no Christian love if they believe they have it may be excused from sin No precept requires any special act of love to our Brethren No affirmative command for such love 'T is enough that we do nothing against them Sect. 5. to page 162. In destroying the necessity of those radical Graces instanced in before they root out the rest Particularly those that depend upon love to God viz. Delight in God desires to injoy him hatred of sin sorrow for it as an offence to God and filial fear By their common Doctrine there 's no special command for any fear of God So that the want of all fear of God filial or servile is no special sin Since they need not act out of love they exempt themselves from all acts truly Christian and any other Christianity than honest Heathenism All exercise of vertues opposite to acts accounted but venially evil is with them needless The monstrous consequences of this Sect. 6. 7. 8. to page 164. A special expedient whereby they make the exercise of Christian vertues unnecessary is their turning the commands of God into Counsels such as need not be observed Such they count many of those excellent rules in Christ's Sermon on the Mount These and many others specified More instances in vertues which concern our selves God and others in acts of temperance and contentment in acts of Religion and in acts of Righteousness and Mercy Also Mortification crucifying the World self-denyal taking up the Cross and all growth in grace is but matter of Counsel So is every degree of grace above the lowest of all Yea all commands for
good acts are no more than Counsels but only in the article of necessity And all acts that have more than moral goodness And all actings in a vertuous manner and from a good principle Exercise of vertue not necessary either in Worship or common conversation Not in those cases where if in any at all it would be needful A way they have for any man to turn whatever precept pinches him into a Counsel There is no danger nor any sin at all in rejecting the counsel of God No not when Conscience dictates that it is good to follow them No nor when God further calls thereto by inspirations or motions of his Spirit They may be neglected out of Contempt And with some abhorrence of them They may boast and glory in such neglects They may bind themselves by Oaths not to observe Gods Counsels Sect. 9. to page 181. No exercise of vertue necessary but only during the Pope's pleasure for if be should forbid vertue as he hath done already in diverse instances the Church would be bound to believe those vertues to be evils and so to avoid them Further their Doctrine incourages the continual practice of such wickedness as is inconsistent with all holiness of life reduced to three heads Sect. 10. to page 183. CHAP. VII MAny hainous crimes are vertues or necessary duties with them Their Blasphemies waved because insisted on by others Also a great part of their Idolatry Their Plea in excuse of this Crime from the distinction of terminative and transient worship removed by their own Doctrine formerly opened Sect. 1. to page 185. Their Idolatry as to Relicks These are to be Religiously worshipped though many of them be ridiculous and loathsome though many Thousands be confessed to be counterfeit and great and detestable impostures be therein acknowledged To worship false Relicks or the Devil upon a mistaken belief is meritorious What worshipful things miscarriages in the Mass furnish them with Sect. 2. to page 188. They give Divine worship to Relicks though they give it not the name They give both name and thing expresly to vast multitudes All which they count Relicks of Christare to have Christs honour Among these they reckon all thidgs that were near him or touched him on earth even the earth water stones c. Not only the things but persons that touched him thereby become his Relicks and are to have his worship The Virgin Mary expresly and Thousands more may have it by the same reason they will not absolutely except the Ass on which he rode Yea all the Relicks of such persons may have it For they commonly teach that the Relicks may have the same worship with the person whose they are The best of their Relicks impostures that which passes for the foreskin of Christ his Shirt Coat Blood the Crown of Thorns Launce Nails Cross and its Liquor Their Relicks numerous beyond account How they came to be so their own Authors tell us The Devil furnished their Church with some of them and crafty knaves with others Yet their whole Religion in a manner consists in worshipping such things as these as some of themselves tell us Sect. 3. to page 203. Perjury necessary by their Doctrine If a Prince swear solemnly not to prosecute his supposed heretical subjects unless he break his Oath he is in danger to be damned No faith to be kept with Hereticks Their Doctrine ruines all securities that Popish Princes or Subjects can give to Protestants These can with prudence trust to nothing but what will keep them out of the Papal reach Sect. 4. to page 205. Robhery and Murder as necessary a Duty To deprive Hereticks of Estate or life a meritorious act All Papists Princes or others are bound in Conscience by that which is most obliging in their Religion utterly to root out all they account Hereticks and to seize on all they have A decree of a general Council for it which incourages the execution with promises of the greatest rewards and enforces it with threatnings of most dreadful import They must not be counted Catholicks unless they do it It hath been effected or attempted in all Countreys where the Papists had power to do it or but thought that they had it The reason why they do it not in England and some other places is as themselves declare because they have not yet power enough Sect. 5. to page 210. Sorcery and Conjuration part of their Religion This manifested in their Sacramentals where by their own rules there is a tacit invocation of the Devil Their excuses here insufficient Even their mode of praying too like conjuring Sect. 6. to page 215. The chief act of their Religion is to destroy Christ by Sacrificing him daily in the Mass which they maintain they do truly and really Sect. 7. to page 220. CHAP. VIII THeir Doctrine tends to destroy holiness of life by incouraging the continual practice of all sort of wickedness under the notion of venials What hatred of God What acts of Infidelity and Idolatry What distrustful cares What irreligiousness in all Religious exercises What use of Witches Or dealing with the Devil VVhat irreverence towards God in adjuration Sect. 1. to page 213. What impious Swearing almost at every word In horrid terms Without offering to break off this ungodly custome Binding themselves by Oaths and threatning God that they will sin against him And never comply with his will in things which he commends to them as most excellent What fraudulent Oaths What Perjuries of all sorts both as to assertory and promissory Oaths not worse for being most frequent and customary Sect. 2. to page 221. What Blasphemies Out of levity passion or inconsiderateness Or from wicked custome and contempt of a mans own Salvation The more habitual and customary Blaspheming is the better Sect. 3. to page 223. What Prophaning of holy time Where it is manifest that little or nothing at all of Religion need be made Conscience of amongst them even at the only time set apart for the acts and exercises of it Sect. 4. to page 228. What irreverence in Children to Parents They may be ashamed of them And curse them as Parents may curse them again VVhat unaffectionateness They may desire the death of their Parents for some outward advantage Or by accusations procure their death VVhat disobedience in all things out of negligence or sensuality And in matters of greatest importance as to this life Or in matters which concern their Salvation Parents have no right to oblige their Daughters not to be VVhores Sect. 5. to page 231. VVhat Murder of Soul or Body As to acts inward and outward VVhat hatred VVhat outragious anger VVhat revenge Desires of the death not only of Enemies but nearest Relations because they are poor or not handsome may be innocent Actual killing them without deliberation is no fault when not fully deliberate when ordinarily many things may hinder it from being so is but little worse Sect. 6. to page 233. VVhat
be without him in the World deliberately and out of choice They leave us not to rely for this upon consequences how evident and undeniable so ever they stick not to declare (*) Ut adverterem sufficere attentionem ad verba vel ad sensum verborum ex quo fit ut recitans divinum officium non teneatur meliorem attentionem querere sed satisfacere quam libet ex dictis eligendo Bonacin divin off disp 1 q. 3. p. 2. sect 2. n. 5. cum multis aliis that they may without sin voluntarily abandon the better sorts of Attention viz. both that which is Rational and that which is Spiritual this will be no fault at all if done upon a reasonable account for example if any one decline these (n) Infertur primo quamcunque attentionem ex dictis sufficere ut oratio sit honesta Et siquidem voluntaria omissio melioris attentionis sit rationabilis ut si quis nolit attendere ad perfectiorem ne caput de fatiget vel quid simile non impediet quo minus honesta sit vid. Suarez de orat l. 3. c. 4. that he may not tire his head therewith or any thing of like nature It seems reasonable with them not to trouble their heads with minding God or what becomes men in their worship of him The reason is because (o) In eo modo orandi nullum est peccatum per se loquendo ex vi naturalis legis ob solum defectum voluntarium melioris attentionis quia homo non tenetur orare meliori modo quam potest c. Idem ibid. they are not obliged to serve God as well as they can it is a received maxime amongst them that they (p) Vid. Melch. Canum Prelec de poenitent part 3. p. 841. Edit Colon. Agripp an 1605. are not bound to do their best (q) Angel sum v. Orat. n. 11. Sylvest sum v. Orat. n. 6. Navar. ibid c. 25. n. 105. Graff ibid. l. 2. c 51. n 9. Molanus Theol. Pract. Tract 3. c. 8. n. 14. The third sort of Attention is better than the second and the second is better than the first that is worst of all but when there are better and worse wayes of serving God before them they may choose the worse The worst attendance of all it seems is good enough for God even that wherein he is not at all regarded This Doctrine is so common that I find but two who demurr on it and one of them Cajetan but drawn in by consequence Only Navar though he as the rest counts the first and worst sort of Attention sufficient yet thinks it may be a venial fault to retain it so as voluntarily to exclude or hinder the better Yet both (r) Cajetan supra Navar. c. 25. n. 106. these hold that they may voluntarily want the better and may without fault turn their minds from God to other things so long as they observe it not or if they do observe it yet so long also as they do not reflect upon it as a Vagary And both maintain (s) Quod possit quis sine peccato orare dum se induit aut aliam similem actionem exercet quae actio licet admittat inferiorem attentionem tamen sine dubio impedit perfectiorem maxime spiritualem elevatam non licere tales actiones exercere est falsum contra usum omnium piorum Cajetan Navar. etiam fatentur Suarez ibid. n. 12. that any one may pray whilest he is dressing himself or is taken up with any other like employment And such action though it be consistent with the worse Attention yet undoubtedly they say it hinders the better especially that which is spiritual and elevated So that herein these Authours are either reconciled to the common opinion or fall out with themselves And that such employments though inconsistent with spiritual Attention i. e. with minding God are lawful while they are at their service is not only the sense of these two Casuists but to deny it is against the usage of all the Pious it seems the Roman Piety is without regarding God even in his worship All the Domicans are particularly obliged to it as we saw before and have a visible demonstration for it from the (t) Dixerim forsan venialiter quoniam non semper est peccatum immo in ordine nostro praeceptum nobis est ut surgentis officium virginis dicamus ut antiqua indicat dormitorij dispositio inter induendum se fratres illud inâ—hoabant Soâ—o ibid. l. 10. q. 5. art 5. Graff ibid. l. 2. c. 5 1. n. 10. ancient form of their Dormitories Thus one way or other all agree that God may voluntarily be neglected in their worship without sin Secondly as it is not necessary by their Doctrine to worship God so neither is there any necessity to intend it When they have encouraged all even their Religious not to pray at all by assuring them they need not mind God at all whilest they should be praying to him yet they would perswade them notwithstanding that they may pray by vertue of a former intention The vanity of this is shewed already where we prove both that this is not enough and that indeed they require not so much but because it is the only pretence that such can be worshippers of God who think it needless to mind him even in the most solemn addresses amongst them it will not be amiss to see it again pâ—fâ— quite away by their own Doctrine What must be designed in that previous intention upon which not only the efficacy but the reality of their prayers and solemn worship depends must they intend when they are going about it to mind the things they are to pray for or the God they should worship or the sense of the words they utter No as it is not necessary to mind any of these when they are at their worship so neither is it needful to intend it before-hand it will be sufficient if they do but intend to mind the senseless pronounciation of the words and neither God nor any thing else which becomes Christians or Men in acts of worship nothing but what Bruits or Birds are capable of the mere uttering of the words This is very manifest by their common Doctrine now before us concerning attention in Prayer Attendance to the words without the sense is sufficient but they need not purpose before-hand to have any sort of Attention more than that which is sufficient for they will not imagine there is any need of a purpose to do that which is not needful to be done and they declare expresly this is all which is requisite that they come to their service with a purpose to have any sort of Attention that is (u) Attentio necessaria consistit in habendo a principio horarum proposito actuali vel virtuali ad eas attendendi postea actualiter aut virtualiter attendendo
(l) Quod est incidere in opinionem Durandi ab omnibus damnatum dicentis imaginem non proprie sed abusive adorari non enim alia ratione illam vocavit abusivam adorationem imaginis nisi quia licet fiat coram ipsa vel juxta ipsam tamen animus adorantis ut sic longe est ab ipsa Suar. Tom. 3. disp 81. sect 8. p. 1075. not to be worshipped properly but only Abusively that is as they explain it though worship be exhibited before or about the Image yet the mind of the worshipper is far from it This his opinion is now damned as little less than Heretical being in their account no less than a denyal that any worship is to be given to an Image Yet this Abusive worship is all that they make necessary for the God of Heaven for requiring no Attention of Mind no Devotion of Soul in their service they allow both mind and heart to be far from him while they do something before or about him which they call worship So that what worship they count intolerably too little for a senseless Image not to say a detestable Idol they think enough in conscience for the true and living God I have not observed that any Idolaters in the world were ever so gross and stupid as by their avowed Doctrine thus to advance what they look upon as a mere Image and so to debase what they took to be the true God However hereby it appears that they count no worship at all needful for God since worship without the heart will by their Doctrine serve the turn which (m) Quamvis exterior actus rationem adorationis non habeat nisi ut est ab interiori seu ut manat a praediclo affectu nam si ab illo non oriatur non est adoratio sed irrisio potius seu fictio quaedam Idem Tom. 1. disp 51. sect 1. p. 757. in reference to an Image is with them no worship at all It is not true honour or worship but fiction and mockery This is their own Character of such worship when Images are concerned and under it I leave their Divine service Sect. 2. Let us in the next place view their Masse this is for the people (n) Sola missa communiter est in pracepto Cajetan sum v. fest Est communis sententia vid. infra and is the only publick worship injoyned them in any of their dayes for worship They call it (o) Bellarm. l. 1. de Missa c. 1. p. 679. the chief part of their Religion and this summons us to expect that herein if at all they will shew themselves Religious and worship God indeed however they think not themselves obliged to it in their Divine Office But all expectation hereof is quite blasted when they tell us (p) Attentionem vero quae necessaria est sub praecepto ad audiendam Missam dicimus non esse tantam quanta est in officio Divino de Graff ibid. l. 2. c. 34. n. 8 Neque in audienda missa requiritur tanta attentio sicut in recitatione horarum Lopez ibid. c. 52. p. 271. Ut Soto Navar. etiam annotant minor attentio in missa necessaria est quam in horis Canonicis recitandis that less attention is required at the Masse than at their canonical hours yet so they commonly determine and their reason is (q) Quia oratio est actio magis rationalis quam illa moralis praesentia quae necessaria est ad implendum praeceptum de audienda missa Suar. Tom. 3. disp 88. sect 3. Ex quo fit majorem attentionem requiri ad horas quam ad missam Ita Nugnus S. Antoninus Navar Sylvester Graffius Sotus Angelus Barthol ab Angelo Henriq in cum Bonacin de Sacrament disp 4. q. ult punct 11. n. 20. because prayer is a more rational act than that moral presence required at Masse So that their hearing Masse is a less rational act than that which is performed without understanding and requires less Attention of mind than that to which none at all is actually needful And we can not yet apprehend how that can be Divine worship which is so far from being reasonable service or how God can be thought to be worshipped when the Soul which is to worship him doth not take any notice of him The servant of servants at Rome would not think himself honoured if the holding out of his Toe were not regarded by such as have access to him But Roman-Catholicks may it seems mind God less at their Masse than one that minds him not at all and yet worship him well enough after their mode Besides all inward worship is clearly discharged for when they teach that the Masse is for the people the only worship on the Lords dayes or any other day set a part for worship they tell us expresly no inward worship is the duty of those dayes external worship alone is commanded (r) Ex praecepto colendi Deum homo tenetur duntaxat cultum externium ei exhibere Petr. a S. Joseph de 1 praecept art 5. Aquinas 22. q. 122. art 4. Cajetan sum v. fest p. 305. Navar. cap. 13. n. 2. Lopez c. 52. p. 266. de Graff l. 2. c. 33. n. 8. ibi Covarravius ver resol l. 4. c. 19. n. 6. So Aquinas Cajetan (s) Cum ergo Ecclesia cultum hoc praecepto inclusum perinde suo statuto exprimeret hoc suo praecepto ad cultum nos tantum arcteâ— palam est jure Divino non esse illic alium contentum quoniam alias nisi illum explicaret non fuisset fida juris Divini interpres Soto de Just jur l. 2. q. 4. art 4. so Navarr so de Graffijs so Lopez Dominicus a Soto also who asserts it with many reasons amongst which this is one because the Church requires no other than this external worship and if God had required more the Church had not been fida Divini juris interpres a faithful expounder of the Divine Law which rather than they will yield they will admit any thing though it be that God should never have any true worship amongst them Particularly and expresly they deny all acts of Contrition for sin to be the duties of Masse-dayes So (t) Sum v. Domin n. 8. Sylvester (u) v. Feriae Summa Rosellae (x) Praeâ—ect de poeniten pars 4. p. 864. Melchior Canus and all the other Authours (y) Cajetan ibid. Soto ibid. Navar. c. 13. n. 17. Lopez c. 52. p. 271. de Graff ibid. last mentioned Likewise all acts of Love to God (z) De cult Sanctorum l. 3. c. 10. p. 1609. Bellarmine and in him Aquinas so (aâ–ª Cap. 11. n. 19. c. 21. n 7. Navar and Pope (b) Ibid. Adrian de (c) Ibid. Graffis and Soto (d) Ibid. who would maintain this with many arguments one of the chief of them he calls it ingentissimum argumentum
They are a Church in the mean time that worthily profess godliness since nothing is done or needs be done by them even in the worship of God for him so much as for themselves and indeed Sylvester deals ingenuously when he tells us plainly without the cover of any pittiful shift (e) Licitum est etiam aliquid operari principaliter propter propriam uâ—ilitatem Sum. v. charitas n. 5. and that of Navar is plain enough diximus quod falsum est esse mortale facere ordinata ad cultum principaliter ob bona temporalia cap. 23. n. 14. p. 555. c. 13. n. 14. Solet circa hanc voluntatem inquiri an debeat esse honesta specialiter an voluntas confitendi propter humanum motivum scilicet inanem gloriam vel commodum temporale sufficiat ad valorem Sacramenti nam in caeteris Sacramentis certum est sufficere in hoc affirmant Soto dist 18. q. 3. art 3. Navar. c. 21. n. 40. Negant enim illam voluntatem ex illo fine esse peccatum mortale sed veniale tantum quod non repugnat valori Sacramenti Quae sententia per se loquendo vera mihi videtur Suarez tom 4. disp 20. sect 3. n. 4. p. 273. that it is no sin to serve God principally for their own profit Moreover and yet worse They teach it is no sin to worship God for an end that is in it self a sin if it be not principally intended it is lawful by their doctrine to Preach to Pray say Mass c. for praise of men though Christ will have those that design'd it as (f) Sum. v. praedicat p. 480. Cajetane notes even when he is excusing this to have no better reward or for vain glory though they reckon this amongst (a) Aquinas 22. q. 132 art 1. in eo Gregorius 31. Moral numerat inanem gloriam inter 7. vitia Capitalia ibid. art 4. capital crimes only he must not make so wicked a thing his chief end and then he is innocent enough though sin against God be his design in worshipping him b Nullum autem peccatum immo meritum est facere illa viz concionare missam celebrare precari id genus alia principaliter propter Deum secundario propter vanam gloriam vel laudem humanam in finem aptum relatum per ibi dicta post S. Thomam c. 23. n. 13. It is no sin yea it is meritorious to do these things viz. to Preach and say Mass and to do other things of like nature principally for God and secondarily for vain glory and praise of men aptly directed as our end Thus Navarre determins after their great Saint and Doctor Aquinas Now he had taught us before that these acts of worship are but done secondarily and so unlawfully for these criminal ends when they so much sway a man as that he would not worship God unless he were excited by them and that vain glory is not his principal end even when he is so much influenced thereby as that he would not Pray or Preach c. if this were not his motive this in the judgment of others as he acknowledgeth is to make sin his principal end and to advance wickedness above God even when he pretends to worship him But let us not interrupt this great Doctor in his way it is soul enough as himself makes it for hereby a man may serve God and that meritoriously after the Roman mode though he never would let him have an act of worship if pride and vain glory did not set him a-work He would never Pray or Preach c. if he were not more moved to it by sin and out of regard to some wickedness than out of respect to God Further yet They hold it is but a venial fault to worship God principally for vain glory and other designes of like quality c Ex quo infert quod mortale est praedicare aut missam celebrare hujusmodi propter inanem gloriam quod verum est solum ut dicit S. Thom. Si in ea ponatur ultimus finis ita quod ipsa intenditur principaliter actu habitu secus si actu tantum ut iste intendit Sum. v. vana gloria n. 2. Aquinas as he is represented by Sylvester determining that it is no mortal sin to serve God principally for vain glory if that be ones chief end actually only and not both habitually and actually d Ex quibus patet quod Sum. Ang. contra S. Thom. veritatem dicit quod est mortale quando ea quae ordinata sunt ad Dei gloriam facit ad gloriam suam ut Sacramenta Scripturae Sacrae ibid. Sylvester declares it as his own perswasion that it is both against Aquinas and the Truth to hold it is a mortal sin when those things which are ordained for the glory of God are used principally for a mans own glory He instances in the Sacraments saying Mass the Scriptures and Preaching (a) Veniale autem si vane propter gloriam aut spem quaestuariae eleemosynae praedicaretur receperunt enim mercedem suam Sum. v. praedicat p. 480. Cardinal Cajetan declares himself thus in one instant which involves the rest It is but venial to Preach for vain glory or hopes of a gainful almes signifying that he means such vain glory as Christ condemned in the Pharisees when he told them this was like to be their reward (b) Peccat qui res principaliter institutas ob honorem Dei cultum ejus salutem animarum principalius vel aeque principaliter ob vanam gloriam facit quale est concionari missam celebrare precari id genus alia secundum Abulensem Angelum quod post 〈◊〉 efficaciter confutavimus dicentes esse solum veniale c. 34. n. 13. p. 554. Dicendum est intentionem bonam simpliciter non esse de substantia orationis vocalis Itaque si quis habet intentionem orandi exilla proferet ve ba de se sufficientia ad orandum consentanea laudi vel reverentiae divinae licet hoc faciat ex intentione laudis humanae vel alicujus commodi temporalis in illud principaliter intuendo vere orat quamvis non bene orat Haec est communis sententia Talis oratio est sufficiens ad implendum praeceptum ecclesiasticum recitandi horas ut omnes fatentur Suar. de orat l. 3. cap. 3. n. 5. Navarre affirmes that to Preach or say Mass or Pray and such things as are instituted for the Honour and Worship of God and the Salvation of Souls for vain glory principally or more than principally is but a venial fault and that such as gain-say this who are but two have been confuted by others and by himself after them These are the chief of their Doctors whom the rest commonly follow and none of them Jesuits who unanimously assert this Now it is not necessary with them for any man
it into the dirt to be trampled on and (t) An hoc peccatum sit gravius homicidio aut adulterio vel omnibus peccatis contra naturam quidam enim Theologi ita existimant ut Gabriel Petr. Soto Ledesma Dominic Soto Suar. ibid. Sect. 2. many of them are positive that it is greater wickedness than murther or adultery or that uncleanness against nature which is most abominable (u) Dicendum est cum qui voluntarie suscipit sacramentum Eucharistiae etiamsi indigne sumat implere praeceptum communicandi etiamsi alias peccet mortaliter per sacrilegium indignae sumptionis Ita tenet in specie Corduba in genere Soto Covarruvius qui alios referunt ibid. disp 70. Sect. 3. do fully satisfy the precept of the Church for this Communion Thus Soto Corduba Covarruvius and others alledged by them And this is all derived from their St. Thomas that Maxim of his so generally received (x) Ratio autem sumitur ex principio generali quod tradit D. Thom. 1. 2. q. 101. art 9. quia lex praecipiens actum praecipit substantiam ejus non autem modum Ibid. vid. Bonacin and in him besides the principal of the society Azorius Valentia Suarez Sanchez Aquinas Sotus Navar Medina qui vero indigne sine devotione communicat tempore Paschatis satisfacit praecepto de leg d. 1. q. 1. p. 9. n. 2. 3. The Law commanding an act injoyns the substance of it but not the manner By which we must understand that the Church would have the thing done but regards not how they do it whether as Christians or as Atheists She is indifferent as to devotion or sacriledge in her Catholicks having something else in design than to be concerned in the honouring of God and the happiness of men which so much depends upon the manner of worshipping It is too plain to be denied that such a treatment of holy things to use their own words is not at all for the worship of God or the salvation of souls but opposite to both yet their Churches precept is intirely thereby fulfilled So that if God have no worship and men no salvation yet the Church is satisfied This and other outward acts must be visibly done that the World may not think but they have something like Religion amongst them but though in stead of the worship due to the Divine Majesty they perform the acts of it in such a manner as no less dishonours and provokes him than the crying sins of Murther or Sodomy their Church hath full contentment it 's all she requires Thus we have surveyed the Church-service amongst the Romanists in the several parts of it and cannot discern any real worship therein to which they are obliged but rather that all such worship of God in in publick is by their rules and orders rendred either impossible or unnecessary Sect. 8. Let us inquire in the next place whether they count it needful that God should have any worship from them in private and this we may discover by what they determine concerning Meditation reading the Scripture and private Prayer For Meditation the Casuists speak little of it nothing at all that I have met with of its necessity it is like they reserve it for their contemplative persons as a degree of perfection to which others need not aspire (*) Si patres theologi meditationem laudant consulunt non tamâ—n docent esse omnibus praeceptam (*) Ecclesiastici Clerici religiosi non tenentur ex vi sui status juris divini ad hunc meditandi recogitandi aut mentaliter orundi usum vid. Suar. de Orat. ment l. 2. c. 4. n. 7. Navar. Enchirid de Orat. l. 20. n. 61. The Perfectionists themselves may wave it but when they will be so over-good as to supererogate and do better than God commands them if they judge it necessary at any time sure it would be on those days when such acts are most proper and requisite But they conclude it no duty upon the Lords-day or any other devoted by them as they pretend to the observance of God For they generally agree that no inward worship is then required and (a) Neque praecipitur cultus divinus internus qui in meditando colendo Deo consistit Navar. Manual C. 13. n 2. Non praecipitur cultus divinus interior qui in meditatione interiori de Deo consistit Lopez C. 42. p. 266. meditation is discharged by name now if they need not think of God on his own day or any other wherein a particular observance of him is requisite it is ground enough to conclude they do not count it needful to think of him at all Who can imagine that they judge it necessary to think of God at any time who count it needless to have God in their thoughts when they are at his worship Sect. 9. As for the reading the Word of God in private they are so far from esteeming this a duty that they will scarce excuse it from a crime all that can be obtained for it is only a toleration as a thing that passeth under an ill character and that but in some places and there but for some persons with more restriction and caution than the publick Stews are tolerated by their holy Bishop in Rome So much friends are they to the Word of God or so little do they judge it a friend to them they are the best Catholicks in their account who do not desire to look into it or to understand from God what he would have them to be they think it advisable (b) Consil de stabiliend Rom. sede p. 6. that no mortal should be acquainted with more of the Scriptures than is in the Mass where they can understand nothing and need hear nothing of it at all Sect. 10. For private Prayer it is either vocal or mental (a) Vid. Suarez de Oration l. 3. cap. 6. n. 3. 5. 8. ut ibi Medina Uldericus dicit ad orationem vocalem ex divino praecepto non tenetur sed ex statuto Ecclesiae quae ministris suis missas horas canonicas indixit vel etiam ex injunctione confessoris hoc sequitur sum confes Pisa in Sylv. v. Orat. n. 8. ut Angelus sum v. Orat. n. 20. that which they call vocal they generally count not necessary by any Law either of God or Nature or the Church and so all praying with Families is quite cashiered from the rank of Christian duties there to call upon God's name together they are not concerned though some think the Heathen are they count it not a duty to say so much as the (b) Videtur tamen sufficere si quis sciat quod debemus a Deo petere omnia bona corporis animae hujusmodi licet nesciat pater noster idem v. scientia vid. sum Angel v. scientia Suarez ibid. n. 8. Lords Prayer if they understand but otherwise what
n. 9. Non tamen ad id tenemur quoties administramus aut accipimus Sacramenta quia non tenemur tunc habere contritionem ibid. n. 8. it is false saith Navarre that we are bound to fulfil this Command when we receive any Sacrament for it is enough that we be not in mortal sin or that we probably believe so although no such actual Love be conceived in the heart We are not bound to that Love saith he when we minister or receive the Sacraments because we are not then bound to have contrition Those that make such hard shifts to discharge themselves from the obligation of loving God when ever occasion is offered will scarce think it needful to love him upon no occasion and what occasion can we think of upon which it will be counted requisite if not on these already specified if not after sin if not upon the receipt of mercy if not on any day of worship if not in any part of worship if these be not occasions for it who can hope they will ever meet with any if an act of Love be not requisite once a week or once a year on such an account as would make it so if any imaginable could do it it will not be a duty in any week or any year in a whole life those that discharge themselves of it in such circumstances do plainly enough discharge it for ever But since they would make a shew of finding some time for it though their determinations all along are pregnant with a denyal of any let us proceed with them a little further If an act of Love be not due to God once a year yet may it be a duty once in four or five years Soto and Ledesma in Filliutius ventur'd to think it may be requisite once in five years and he gives this reason for it (b) Quia cum determinatum tempus non sit relinquitur arbitrio sapientum Sic autem sapientes theologi arbitrati sunt ut Soto Ledesma c. tr 22. l. 9. n. 290. aliqui pâ—tant satisfieri praecepto si semel in anno eliciatur actus amoris Dei alij si tertio quoque anno alij si non differatur ultra quinquennium Petr. a S. Joseph Sum. de 1. praecept art 4. Because the time is not determined but left to the judgment of the wise but saith he thus wise Divines have thought Thus Love to God the greatest duty that we owe the Divine Majesty and that which is the sum of all the rest is left to mens arbitrement and if two or three reputed wise shall judge that God is to have no love at all or but one act of Love in a whole life that must be the rule God and man must be determined by it Man will owe no more and the Lord must have no more Those of their Divines have had the repute of wise who thought it enough to love God once in a life time as well as such who conceive it probable that he should have an act of love once in five years or once in seven for thither it may be adjourned by our Authors leave The Jansenists charge this opinion upon the late Jesuits and would have all the odium cast upon them but they go about to lead us into a mistake if they would have us believe that these and other horrid conceits concerning an actual love to God are confined to that Society they are too common amongst those Doctors who are of greatest repute and judged free from extravagancies in their morality and more tenacious of what they would have accounted the genuine doctrine of their Church c Tr. 6. n. 208. There were many in the time of the Council of Trent when Jesuitisme was but in its Infancy who held it enough to love God actually but once in a life time One act of love (d) Semel in vita quod quidam satis arbitrantur de nat grat l. 1. c. 22. p. 58. once in a life which some count enough saith Soto and these some he tells us afterwards were very many In the time of Francis de Victoria who lived till the Council of Trent had sate a year this was the common doctrine that a man is but obliged to love God once in his life For upon the question when the Precept for love obligeth he says Nec videtur sufficiens solutio communis quod tenetur semel in vita Relect. part 3. n. 11. The common answer that one is bound to it once in a life seems not sufficient he speaks modestly as one loth to dissent from the common doctrine that Council who if it had been concerned for God and mens souls as it was for other things would have appear'd in all its thunder against such an error mends this as it did other matters by establishing a doctrine which makes it needless to love God so much as once in a life of which hereafter But when is that once They leave us at liberty for the time so it be but before we dye Suarez was not alone in this as he wants not followers so he had many that went before him in this conclusion and those not Jesuits only for it is grounded upon the notion which the Romish Doctors have of affirmative precepts when the time for their accomplishment is not expressed They teach that such divine commands divers of them are fulfilled and have sufficient observance if they be but obeyed semel in vita once in a life-time Those that are very cautious express it with a saltem once at least in a whole life intimating that though more may be better yet once is as much as is precisely needful and this they extend to such things as by the Lords constitution are means necessary to salvation (e) Alia vero praecepta sunt sine determinatione temporis quae videlicet nos obligant ut aliquando impleantur saltem semel in vita ut sunt media ad salutem necessaria pars 4. relect de paenit p. 968. There are Precepts saith Canus without determination of time which oblige us to observe them some times at least once in our life such as are the means necessary to salvation But in what part of our life must it be that the Lord must have this act of Love from us which is enough once in the whole Why since neither the Scripture nor the Church say they hath determined the time there is no reason for one time more than another it is left to a mans own discretion (*) Sed quaeras tandem quodnam sit tempus illud quo divina charitas obligat ante mortem ad babendam Dei dilectionem hoc est enim quod oppositum sentientes maxime movet nos etiam plurimum torquet quia non possumus tempus hoc in particulari certo definite designaâ—e Illud vero tempus si non sit positiva lege praescriptum prudenti arbitrio ipsius hominis vel
servile work is sufficient and of a sanctifying them WELL to which it is necessary that he who is in mortal sin should be contrite and turn to God and he that is in Grace should give himself to divine Contemplation and good works and both of them should abstain from new sin Yet observe saith he that a man is bound under mortal sin to SANCTIFY the day but not to Sanctifie it WELL. And after concludes So I am only obliged to these two things viz. presence at Mass and avoyding servile works but not to the end to wit sanctifying it well although it be very good Counsel to perform all the other upon this day Thus with him it is no necessary duty to which any are obliged on Lords days or any other days for worship to repent of sin and turn to God to meditate on divine things and do good works and abstain from any wickedness all these it seems are only matter of Counsel and herein he saith Soto Navarre and Cajetan concur with him And if they be only Counsels on all these days the world will scarce find a day when they will be duties However with them to do a thing is commanded to do it well is not necessary On all the days which either God or themselves would have kept holy it is mere Counsel either to do that which is good or to think of it either to be sorry for past wickedness or not to commit more And since it is no more on the holiest it may seem not so much as a Counsel on prophane and common days The means of honouring God being thus by them made unnecessary no wonder if they discharge us from the due use of them (p) Pia sedulitas inter consilia recenset Hunnaeus in Catechism ad finem Sum. Aquin. pious sedulity diligence for Heaven and our souls is but matter of Counsel we need not trouble our selves with it No more scarce with any thing else for (q) Evitatio otij non est in praecepto Soto ibid. l. 7. q. 5. art 2. p. 243. ad sin the shunning of Idleness is but Counsel yea and such as doth not oblige the Monks themselves though they will have none else obliged by Counsels in reference to them Soto says the avoyding of Idleness is not commanded Acts which concern others are either those of Righteousness or Charity for the former how favourable they are we saw before they (*) Quaecunque vultis ut faciant vobis c Scil. necessario aliter consilium est Angel Sum. v. praeceptum n. 17. discharge us from such desires thereof as Christ encourageth to the uttermost Matth. 5. 6. The latter they make corporal or spiritual That Mercy or Charity which affords outward relief even their (r) Eleemosynas erogare non est in religiosis virtus Soto ibid. Religious are not obliged to Nor need others exercise it by (s) In quibus vero duobus non est de praecepto subvenire donando sed satis est subvenire commodando vel mutuando Navar. cap. 24. n. 5. Non semper est necesse donare sed tunc solum cum egenti neque per mutuum neque per venditionem neque alia ratione succurri potest quamvis haec doctrina vera sit non solum a S. Thoma in 2. 2. q. 32. art 6. sed etiam ab alijs Theologis communiter tradi soleat Bellarm. de bon Operib l. 3. c. 8. Consule castiga remitte solare fer ora GIVING any thing no not to those that are in greatest necessity how much soever themselves have how extreamly soever others want Spiritual relief in affording of which the exercise of mercy consists they give an account of in many particulars viz. advising those that want Counsel teaching the Ignorant comforting the Dejected correcting Offenders remitting Offences bearing those that are burthensome and praying for others Now all these and as many more belonging to the other branch (t) Misericordia seu Eleemosyna sive sit spiritualis quae melior est corporali sive sit corporalis est de consilio vel saltem non de praecepto obligante ad mortale exceptis duobus casibus Idem ibid. subvenire necessitatibus proximorum corporalibus sicut propriis necessitatibus pertinet ad consilium vid. Aquin. Quodl 4. art 24. ad 1. Misericors cor proximi necessitatibus communibus praestare infaeticesque eventus corum condolere consilium in Jo. Sanc. disp 1. n. 1. are no necessary duties or which is all one in effect under no precept obliging to mortal guilt except in two cases only saith Navarre and those two concern only corporal relief so that all the other dutys which we owe to the souls of men are left arbitrary as mere roatters of advice without exception (*) Glossa in loc That of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 13. For subjection to Governours is with them a Counsel No more is that rule of Christ for Church Discipline government Math. 18. 15 16 17. if thy Brother shall Trespass against thee c. Mortification can scarce with them be so much as a Counsel for their doctrine will have nothing in us to be mortified that which is to be so treated is sin in us but they maintain that in a just man there is no sin after Baptisme Carnal concupisence it self is sinless it is natural to us and so innocent (u) Concupiscentia carnis naturalis nobis est Igitur cum ea quae nobis insunt a natura nec loude digna sint nec vituperio quis vel caecus dixerit concupiscentiam illam esse peccatum nisi forsan materialâ—ter ante baptismum Ut superius explicatum est Revera qua ratione id dixeris sequenter compulsus confiteberis visum auditum reliquos sensus qui nobis post peccatum Adae instrumenta sunt delinquendi delicta ipsos esse Quin vero aurum honores muliebrem formam quicquid nos pellicit pellitve ad malum Soto de nat grat l. 1. c. 12. p. 24. That which is in us by Nature they say is neither worthy of praise or dispraise Hence they conclude he is blind who will say concupisence is a sin They grant it induceth us to sin but it is no more sin upon that account than hearing seeing or other of our senses than Gold or Honour or Beauty or any thing else that may draw us to evil and so plainly we are no more bound to mortifie it if sin only is to be mortified than we are obliged to ruine our senses to destroy gold or to spoyle the beauty of a hansome Woman And the same must be said of other vicious habits contracted by a continued practice of sin for though they call these Vices yet Vices with them are no sins no more than Vertues are dutys (*) De habitu constat non esse peccatum How they would prove it see in Suar. l. 3. de
quamvis non habeat habitum pietatis 1. 2. q. 100. art 9. c. He is neither punished by God nor men as a transgressor of the Precept who paies his Parents due Honour though not out of a habit of piety Such Honour though it be no act of that Vertue Piety they call it from whence proceeds what we owe to Parents doth satisfie the Precept so that the person is free both from sin and the punishment Accordingly Soto (r) De nat grat lib. 1. c 22. p. 57. supra We are not commanded to pay what we owe out of the habit of Righteousness or liberality but only to pay it to the full By this one instance he would have us judge of all other Precepts concerning Vertues The habits i. e. the vertues need not be exercised let the thing be done and it is all the command of God requires though it be not done out of a vertuous principle nor be any act or exercise of it So Bellarmine (s) De grat liber arbitr l. 6. c. 7. p. 664. supra When God commands that we live righteously and soberly he commands not that we do this from a habit but only that we do it The external acts which Pious Sober and Righteous persons do are requisite but the exercise of any vertues therein whether they concern God others or our selves is not commanded (*) Per virtutem intel igimus habitum bonum Nav. c. 23. n. 1. The habit is that which they count the vertue since therefore they say that nothing need be done out of habit they thereby declare that no exercise of vertue is enjoyned nothing that we do need be the act or issue of a vertuous principle this will be but matter of Counsel and not under any obliging command Indeed they make the exercise of vertue universally needless since they declare it not requisite in all those cases where if in any at all it would be needful they find no necessity for it either in worship or common conversation all may be done very well without any act of grace or vertue They may pray effectually they may celebrate or hear Mass meritoriously and these are the sum of all their ordinary worship they may partake worthily of all their Sacraments they may obtain all the effects of Sacraments or Sacramentals these are evident by the premisses they may satisfie all the commands of God and peecepts of their Church so as to free both from sin and punishment in the judgment of Aquinas and his Followers yea they may merit too not only other things but grace and glory this is the point more stuck at than the rest but the (t) Non desint gravissimi authores qui sentiant omne opus bonum hominis justi habitu Charitatis praediti vitae aeternae meritorium esse Bellarm. de Justif l. 5. c. 15. p. 957. Ad meritum imperium charitatis non est necessarium proprie in rigore sufficit enim ut ab habente charitatem proficiscatur vid. Suar. tom 4. disp 37. Sect. 3. u. 3. gravest of their Authors maintain that it is sufficient for merit that a man be in the state of grace though he do not act it and this state consists but in that imaginary grace to which a Priest can help an impenitent Sinner It will be hard to divine for what ends the exercise of vertue can be by them counted needful since without it all the ends specified may be accomplished the chief not excepted However here 's enough to enter the exercise of vertue amongst mere Counsels If we should take into this account all these rules in Scripture the transgression of which is by their doctrine but Venial as Scotus Gabriel and others would have us Scotus Gabriel asserunt peccata mortalia esse contra praecepta venialia vero contra consilia Vasq in 1. 2. tom 1 disp 143. c. 4. n. 7. the number of Counsels would swell infinitely and all Conscience of the exercise of Vertue would be in a manner stifled under that notion but of Venials hereafter They have without this yet another expedient ready to do them universal and effectual service this way for by their principles any one may turn what divine precept soever pinches him into a Counsel and make no more Conscience of it if he have but some Doctors opinion for it ad praeceptum non teneris si te non teneri probabilis Doct. est sententia Medina Soto in Victorell ad Sa. v. dubium n. 2. Yea though he have but the opinion of some one Doctor that 's enough to secure him as Angelus Sylvest Navar Sairus Victorel ibid. in Jo. Sanc. d. 44. n. 61. and above 20. of their Authors conclude vid. infra So far is it from being the singular conceit of some Jesuites yea though that Doctor therein be opposed by all others idem ibid. after Lorca Villalobos and many more Not to be tedious where Christ intimates Math. 5. 19. that some of the commands are greater and some less the great commands some of their Writers will have to be Evangelical Counsels because they are better more meritorious and tend to greater perfection (u) Vid. Soto ibid. l. 3. c. 2. others will have the less commands to be but such Counsels because they are not necessary to be observed Now betwixt these two both the great commands and the less will be dissolved into Counsels and what then becomes of the exercise of Christian vertues If this be but matter of Counsel there is no necessity that any should trouble themselves about it For this is the difference saith Aquinas betwixt a Precept and a Counsel (x) Praeceptum importat necessitatem consilium autem in optione ponitur ejus cui datur 1. 2. q. 108. art 4. A Precept imports necessity Counsels are left to the free choyce of him to whom they are given So that he may mind or not mind them as he lists if he observe them not there is no fear of penalty either eternal or temporal (y) Consilium si non servetur nullam habet paenam De Monach. lib. 2. c. 7. There is no punishment saith Bellarmine if a Counsel be not observed (*) Operari vero contra consilium licet altissimum peccatum non est nullus enim Theologorum concedit fractionem consilij puniendum fore a Deo Jo Sanc. disp 7. n. 5. They all maintain this Not one of their Divines will yield that God may punish any one for acting against his Counsel though of the highest importance And no wonder for by their doctrine he no way sins mortally or venially that doth not observe it Though it may seem strange that it should be no sin to neglect Counsels given us from Heaven and not to follow the advice of the All-wise God yet it is past all doubt by their principles (z) Intermittere consilium nullum peccatum est Vega. de Justific l. 14.
the Eucharist it self without any actual disposition suitable to the nature of the duties without any good motion in mind or heart without any inward Attention Reverence or Devotion without any act of Faith Fear Love Desire or any other Grace or holy Affection though the want of these be voluntary is but a Venial fault It is no worse not only to make base and earthly things the end why we worship God but to make that which is a sin our design in any part of his Service yea to propose it as the chief and principal end why we worship him Though this be no less than to prefer sin and the pleasure of the Devil before God and his honour (a) Si est aliquis dispositus actualiter facere aliquod maleficium ut aliud destruat possum illo uti ad honum meum Petr. Aurcolus in 4. dist 34. q. 2. Angelus sum v. superstit n. 13. To make use of a Witch to dissolve some witchcraft is scarce so much as a Venial sin And so to use the Devils assistance instead of Gods and employ others disposed thereto to act as Witches and to practice with the Prince of darkness by a deputy in Diabolical Arts is not unlawful To deal with the Devil for to get some knowledg by him or obtain other things of him by such converse is but a Venial fault for Example (b) Si autem exorcizator imperet daemoni ut dicat curiosa et nihil ad expulsionem facientia non quia illi credat sed quadam levitate et curiositate ductus est peccatum grave licet illud non videatur mortale Silvest sum v. adjurat n. 3. Graff l. 2. c. 7. n. 4. Sotus de just et jur l. 8. q. 3. art 2. Cajetan Navar. in Suar. l. 4. de Adjurat cap. 2. n. 9. If an Exorcist require the Devil to satisfie him in some curious questions such as tend nothing to the expessing of him if he believe him not but does it out of lightness and curiosity he offends but venially To use (c) Si adjuratio fiat ad Deum vel homines vel Angelos vel Daemones aut irrationabilia leviter i. e. sine reverentia divini nominis aut necessitate modo septimo videtur veniale sicut et juratio levis Sylvest ibid. n. 5. adjurations to God or Man or Angels or Devils or irrational Creatures lightly without reverence of the Name of God or any necessity is but a slight fault SECT II. BY vertue of their Doctrine concerning Venial sins they have formed Rules to encourage men in the practice and constant use of all sorts of prophane and wicked Oaths They (d) Vid. Bonaventur 3 dist 19. art 2. Angelus sum v. Jurament 3. n. 8. acknowledg that the Oath is sinful unless it be made in truth and judgment and righteousness when that which is sworn is not true or not just and righteous or not with Reverence and Discretion yet they teach it is but a Venial fault to swear without (e) Veniale est regulariter dum deest judicium vel reverentia Lopez cap. 42. p. 225. Veniale vero cum non deest nisi judicium sive reverentia vel justitia levis Navar. cap. 12. n. 3. Juramentum assertorium cui deest tantum justitia quatenus contra religionem est regulariter est veniale Est affertio communis facilis Suar. de Juram l. 3. c. 12. n. 7. reverence or discretion or without righteousness also if that be not much So that though Swearing be an Act as they tell us of Gods Worship wherein Divine Honour is given to him whom we swear by yet this may be done without reverence and discretion as the rest of their Worship is and God may be solemnly called to witness that the man intends to sin against him if it be not much and this without any great fault (f) Malus jurandi habitus non est mortale peccatum quia non est actus Victorel ad Tol. l. 4. c. 22. p. 681. Praecepta non dantur de habitibus Aquinas 22. q. 31. art 4. Vid. Suares de Juram l. 3. c. 6. n. 1. A habit of Swearing thus or worse is no sin for habits of what wickedness soever are not forbidden to use this habit (g) Utrum jurans sine judicio discretionis peccet inortaliter sicut faciunt illi qui in quolibet verbo jurant Si jurat verum sic non erit mortale peccatum Angel sum v. Juram 3. n. 10. Lopez in eo Jo. de la Pinna Metina cap. 42. p. 226 227. Cajetan sum v. praecept p. 475. frequently so as to swear Customarily almost at every word tertio quoque verbo unless he regard not at all whether he swear true or false yea though he regard not that as much as he ought is no more a fault So to swear (h) Qui in re levissima atque inani jurant sive etiam frequenter et absque necessaria causa sicut ementes vendentes saepe facere novimus peccant quidem sed venialiter lantum si veritas non desuerit Graff l. 2. cap. 15. n. 5. Sotus ibid. l. 8. q. 2. art 3. Sylvest ibid. v. juram 2. n. 8. secundum oâ—nes doctores out of lightness and vanity upon any the slightest occasion without any advantage or the least necessity is as innocent a practice according to all their Doctors Juramentum assertorium cui inest vertas sufficienter cogitata cognita solumque illi deest necessitas vel utilitas nunquam est in individuo peccatum mortale dummodo absit contemptus Assertio est communis omnium theologorum summistarum Suar. l. 3. de juram c. 12. n. 3. And the common practice of their Catholicks is correspondent to these conscientious Rules You can scarce find any one says (i) De justit jur Ibid. p. 270. Non tamen peccat mortaliter qui non conatur ijusmodi consuetudinem eve ere eo quod ipsa non est occasio nisi labendi in veniala Pet. a S. Joseph de 2. praecept art 1. p. 85. approved by the Doctors of Paris Soto who will either begin or end the least discourse without an Oath for they use Oaths for Ornaments of speech at every word But should they not at least endeavour to leave this Custom of Swearing No never to endeavour it is but a small fault Although says one of their most approved Casuists he sins venially who swears true without any necessity and so the custom of swearing be evil and peruicious yet be sins not mortally who labours not to break off that Custom because it is but an occasion of falling into venial faults Hereby they have encouragement not only to accustom themselves to this impious practice wherein so much prosaneness irreverence and contempt of God is expressed but also never to give it over yea never to endeavour it And the reason whereby they warrant this reaches all the
sin greatly How can that be since he said immediately before that they sin not mortally why there is a latitude in their venial Faults some are great and some less and so wiâ—… him to neglect all Worship but the Mass is a great sin of the little size he gives the reason because hereby they give not to God the things that are Gods and as much as in them lies make the Festivals â—… Christians ridiculous according to that Lam. 1. 7. So that by him those who after Morning-Service spend this day in such Pastimeâ— they rob God of his due and they render Christians in their pretences to the sanctifying of the Lords day or others ridiculous to the World and yet this is but a Venial Sin or at worst but a greâ—… little-Fault not so great as any man need fear no not he who is most afraid of damnation Navar adds another reason why it should be a sin though but a Venial to consume these days in Recreations a Quia in hujusmodi occupationibus multa occurrunt peccata mortalia secundùm S. Antoninum ubi ait omnium lachrymis deflendam esse Christianorum Caecitatem qui graviùs Deum offendunt diebus festis ejusdem divino cultui dedicatis quà m tota hebdomada ad vitam parandam instituta Cap. 13. n. 15. because in such Employments many mortal sins occur according to Antoninus who says The blindness of Christians is to be lamented with the tears of all men who more grievously offend God on the days appointed for his Worship than the whole week besides Notwithstanding this is their way of sanctifying the Lords Day and all other times for Devotion of their own with prophane and irreligious Divertisements such as render their pretences to Religion ridiculous as the Cardinal notes accompanied with such debaucheries as make their holy-days the prophanest of all other It is but a Venial fault at most for many count it not so much to consume the whole day herein without any other religious Act or Exercise of any sort whatever (b) Vid. suprà cap. 1. et Suarez l. 2. de fest c. 16. Victorall infrà Qâ—i audit missam in contemptum diei festi satisfacit-praecepto Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 1. q. 1. punct 9. n. 1. they need hear no Sermous nor attend their Vespers nor use any Prayers publick or private nor read the Scriptures nor sing the praises of God nor meditate on him nor have any one act of Love or Conâ—rition nor any other act of inward Worship at all nor of outward Worship either but only part of the Mass this will serve for all so highly divine and religious a Service it is though they declare themselves not obliged therein either to mind God or divine things yea though they hear Mass when nothing else is needful for the sanctifying of the Day out of contempt of the day yet the Precept is satisfied But if they be not at Mass on those days though presence at Mass may make all other holy Duties unnecessary in other cases yet should they not make up that defect with some other prayers or religious Exercise lest God should have no service at all nor shew of it in publick or private on those dayes which alone are set apart for that purpose no (c) Qui absque excusatione ut peccando mortaliter omisit sacrum non tenetur eodem â—iâ— aliis actibus colere orare Deum ergo multo minùs tenebitur qui excusatur est 〈◊〉 optimum consilium nullum tamen est latum ea de re praeceptum latius docent Navar. cum Antonine Adriano aliis Suarez Tom. disp 88. sect 6. p. ult if they neglect Mass either upon reasonable or damnable occasions to wit if they spend the time when they should be at it in any other wickedness yet are they not obliged to Prayer or any other act of Worship on those days afterwards This is the Doctrine not only of their famous Navar but of Pope Adrian and their Saint Antoninus with others Yea after all other holy Exercises are cashiered as needless on any of their holy times the Mass it self may be dismissed too for company And because all their Religion necessary for the people consists in this at all times when any thing religious is by their Doctrine needful for them it will not be amiss to observe how easily they may be excused from this thereby we may discern of what moment it is in their account to have nothing at all of Religion amongst them Cardinal Cajetan will satisfie us herein he determines that (d) Quia sola missa communiter est in praecepto ideo sine rationabili causa omittâ—… missam in festo peccatum mortale reputatur Et hîc esto prudens admittendo pro â—…tionaâ—ili caâ—sa omne motivum rationi humanae consentaneum etiamsi non fuerit urgâ—… Ibid. p. 304. Angelus v. Feria n. 42. Citans Richardum quodl 1. q. 19. negat omissionem missae in die festo esse peccatuâ— mortale nisi ex contemptu formali vel virtuali fiat quod etiam affirmavit Sum. Rosellae v. miss Turrecremata Suar. ibid. sect 1. initio Sequitur posse Pontificem in hoc praecepto de missa audienda dispensare eâ—… Ecclesiasticum sit only to dispence with one that he should not all his life hear Mass when no reasonable occasion hinders him is not expedient Idem ibid. iâ— fine vid. Bonacin infra it is no mortal sin to neglect the Mass on a reasonable occasion though it be but such an occasion as is not urgent Yea he says (e) Quamvis si minus sufficienâ— sit ratio peccatur venialiter Et universaliter sic est qâ—ando quis bonâ fide putat se excusari ab auditione missae ideo omittit illam Cajetan ibid Et simile est si praeter intentionem ex aliqua negligentia missa omittitur Ibid. It is but a Venial fault to omit it upon no sufficient reason and universally it is no great fault to neglect it if a man thinks really he may be excused from hearing iâ— or if besides his intention out of some negligence it be omitted Yea they may be excused by custome for so he says (f) Hinc anim excusantur puellae non euntes ad missam quia sic est consuetum Ibid. p. 305. Maids are excused from hearing Mass till they be married and their Mothers too who are obliged to stay at home with them because so is the custome If so were the custome it seems all the rest might be excused So many ways at least may these Catholicks be excused from all their Religion by custome or necessity or opinion or which alone may suffice by an insufficient reason it will but be a Venial fault at most together with all religious Exercises to omit the Mass too and that at those times when alone if ever they are obliged to them Such being their Doctrine we need not wonder
if Religion be starv'd to death among them the life of it cannot be sustained no more than God can be honoured by man-kind without some acts of Worship and religious Exercises in ordinary practice their Teachers assure them that they are not ordinarily obliged to any of these on common days and to none of them all but the Mass on their days for Worship nor to any religious attendance on God or their Souls in that nor to any attendance on it at all but what they may decline without mortal sin If the life of Religion be preserved amongst any without its necessary supports and proper nourishment it must be by a Miracle but they seem so far from regarding the life or the power of it on which the honour of God and the salvation of Souls depends that they are not concerned for the carcass of it in exterior acts no not that of the Mass when they have reduced all to that further than the fear of a Venial sin will oblige ten millions of which cannot as they teach damn a man As for servile works abstaining from which they make the negative part of this Precept the avoiding of these is but that we may with more leasure attend on divine Worship it cannot be expected they will much insist on the means when they have overturned the end In short they determine that (g) Sive id quod committitur sit opus servile sive ab Ecclesia prohibitum si vero nec intentio suit violandi festum non incurritur peccatum mortale Cajetan ibid. p. 310. they who do any servile or forbidden works on the Lords day if they do it not with a design to prophane it offend but Venially Thus if they never all their life perform one religious act which God has commanded on his own day or others they scarce sin Venially or if they neglect that which themselves have made the religious Duty of these days they may do it without greater fault or danger And for the negative part if they consume these days in servile works without an intention needlesly perverse or which is worse in prophane divertisements yea or in acting the most enormous wickedness as we shall see in its place yet by their Doctrine they do nothing against this Precept or nothing which any of them need regard Thus their Doctrine of Venial sins is improved to possess them with a conceit that they may make what breaches they will upon the Commandments of God without doing any thing at all or any thing dangerously against them and so to render all sorts of ungodliness practicable with safety We have seen it in instances against precepts of the first Table let us see if those who make so bold with God in the Duties which more immediately concern himself will be more tender as to those which respect man SECT V. THE Duties which Children owe their Parents to instance for briefness onely in those which the Lord hath made the exemplar of the other and by which we may pass a judgment on the rest they reduce to those three Reverence Love and Obedience In reference to the first They conclude that those who have no more respect for their Parents (h) Filius qui sibi dedecori contumeliae futurum esse existimaret se pro silio illorum haberi si absque contemptu id facit ad vitandum aliquod incommodum sinistrae opinionis vel ob aliam hujusmodi causam non peccaret mortaliter maxime si parentes tacite vel expresse in eo consentirent Navar. c. 14. n. 12. Graff l. 2. c. 51. n. 12. Lopez c. 54. p. 279. thou to count it a disgrace and a shame to be counted their Children if it be for the inconveniences of a sinister opinion or such-like cause sin not mortally and the fault may be less still if the Parents consent to it expresly or tacitely to avoid some inconvenience It seems the Command calls for no such Reverence from Children but they may be ashamed of their Parents if they be poor and low in the World (i) Filius qui ex animo maledicit sive vivis sive jam saeculo defunctis â—… taâ—en ore tenus tantum maledicit non amplius quam venialiter offendit Navar. ibid. Children may curse their Parents if they do it but with their lips and this whether they be alive or dead the offence is but Venial And indeed they alâ—ow Parents to give their Children occasion enough to curse them when they will not have them obliged under mortal sin to teach them any more (k) Sylvest Sum. v. Scientia Graff l. 2. c. 58. n. 14. Ea quae parentes tenentur facere sub peccato mortali ut filii addiscant est signum crucis ut Credo parvum et Paâ—er-noster than the sign of the Cross the small Creed and Pater-noster nor teach them these in a language (l) Navar. Cap. 11. n. 22. they understand However Parents may come even with their Children and if they love and reverence their Father and Mother so much as to curse them their Parents may (m) Idem Cap. 23. n. 117. curse them again upon as easie terms only they should not desire mischief to them in their heart though their words express that desire When Parents curse their children having no inward desire of their mischief it is never a mortal sin says Soto (n) Cum parentes fillis maledicunt nullum intus habentes mali desiderium nunquam est peccatum mortale quamvis consuetudo profecto pessima est de just et Jur. l. 5. q. 12. art 1. Graff l. 2. c. 58. n. 20. and it may seem strange considering the account of it immediately added Although it be indeed a wicked custome and not at all for correction besides that the heat of cursing often raises anger into hatred and so alters the mind that they often desire that all the mischief imprecated may befall them besides the appellation of the Devil can scarce be excused from a mortal Evil for it is a kind of blasphemy and scandal to wish eternal death to any Yet all this it seems may be excused from deadly sin though not very easily For Love they may rejoyce at the death of their Father (o) Navar. C. 15. N. 10. because of some outward advantage they gain thereby They (p) Si filius scit patrem esse haereticum non solum sibi ipsi sed aliis prava sua doctrina nocere potest debet eum accusare Alexand. Alensis fecundum eum Graff l. 2. cap. 55. n. 8. quamvis tenetur filius ad denuntiandam haeresim patris ad testificandum de illa Nov. c. 25. n. 50. may accuse their Parents of Heresie though the effect of that will be a cruel death to those who gave them life As to Obedience in things that pertain not to (q) Idem ibid. C. 14. N. 12. paternal government it is no mortal sin to disobey
preference But then though none but pernicious Lyes need be shun'd yet not all of this sort neither they give liberty to tell mischievous lyes as many and as oft as you please so the mischief they do be not great though it prejudice others in spirituals or temporals or though ye do the (i) Mortalis autem est omnis sola illa quae fit animo notabiliter nocendi in bonis spiritualibus aut temporariis quamvis non noceat et illa quae fit nocendo notabiliter aut dando causam ita nocendi sine tali animo advertendo tamen aut advertere debendo per illam notabiliter nocere aut causam notabilis nocumenti dando alias non quamvis injuria gravissima sit juxta mentem S. Thom. declaratam utrobique per Cajetan Navar c. 18. n. 1. greatest mischief that can be done yet if you did not intend it to be great or if you should not or did not observe and consider that it would be so in such cases even pernicious lies will be harmless Venials They may by their Rules lye to the prejudice of others in Soul Body or Estate and that deliberately and with design to do it provided the damage be not great but when it will be great their Casuists cannot well determine this is not confined to a point there 's a fair latitude and liberty enough given for less or more it is much left to discretion and if he do much mischief instead of little the Lyar caunot be charged with mortal guilt for who can condemn any for transgressing bounds that are not set and how can they think that any injury done by lying can be great who count it better than innocent as we saw before to abuse the world with lyes in point of Religion Sure if the injury be not great there any will be small And in other matters they have fair leave to do great hurt by lying so they do it but by degrees and be not so hasty as to do it all at once Take but an instance of it in commerce (k) Mendaciis uti eo fine in venditione ut pervenire possit ad justum pretium vel ipsis uti tantum ad decipiendum in modico peccatum veniale est quamvis illis assidue utatur licet Hostiensis dicat esse mortale si assidue fiat quod falsum est quia veniale de se quantumcunque multiplicatur continuetur nunquam fit mortale ut Doctores notant c. Graff l. 2. c. 118. n. 10. Excusari tamen à mortali eum qui utitur amphibólogia in contractu cum juramento c. Idem Tom. 2. disp 4. q. 1. punct 12. n. 7. ubi Sayrus alii To use lies says de Graffiis in bargaining to get a good price or the using of them to deceive others in a little is but a Venial fault though it were a daily practice Hostiensis thought that this lying to cheat others if it were their continual practice might prove mortal but he is confuted by the common judgment of their Doctors who hold that a Veniâ—l how much soever multiplied or continued can never become mortal We see they may lie and deceive those that deal with them if they wrong them but a little at once this they may do daily and continually and so in time that little will be much yet the sin will be no more the pernitious Lye which does great injury will be as innocent as any Others teach that lying is Venial in Trading for Example if one affirm falsly that his Wine is so many years old or of such a Countrey which if the Buyer know to be a lie he would not buy it at all or would not give so much for it this seems no mortal sin provided all circumstances considered it be as good and as much worth or not much less Bonacin de contract disp 3. q. 1 punct 2. sect 2. n. 7. Or if the Sellers affirm with a lie that the thing cost so much or was sold to others at such a rate that they may draw the Buyer to a rigorous price by thus lying for the most part they sin but Venially and regularly they are not bound to restitution because such lyes are customary and men commonly know that these are the tricks of Sellers to which those who deal with them give no credit and for the same reason the same must be said of Buyers who affirm falsly that they bought the thing cheaper or had it offer'd them for less that they may get it at the lowest rate Idem ibid. disp 3. q. 2. punct 4. n. 3 1 after others yea if they not only lye but swear false too with some equivocation they may be probably excused from mortal sin if no great dammage be done thereby to another But though they have no more regard of truth in common conversation or in commerce yet it may be expected that they will be more tender of it in Judgment and Courts of Judicature since they cannot but acknowledge that the perverting of truth in Judgment is destructive of humane Society and tends to throw the World into confusion Notwithstanding they maintain lying there also and that in many cases I shall but mention some of them 1. To lye in Court if the end of it be but delight (l) Durandus Sylvester ibid. n. 5. is harmless Also Witnesses may lye there seriously if they do it not as Witnesses and in (m) Navar. secundum Cajetanum cap. 18. n. 3. matters judicial and (n) Mortalia sunt judicis ut â—…c mendacia reliqua sunt per accidens ideo venialia Cajetan Sum. v. Mendac the Judg too if he lye not as a Judg. Further (o) Testimonium falsum in favorem proximi non est mortalâ— neque adeo quando dicitur ut idem impediatur injuriam facere quoniam neque hoc est contra ipsum Praeceptum Ex. 20. sub illa forma constituitur Non loqueris contra proximum tuum falsum testionium Soto ibid. l. 5. q. 7. art 4. Victoriae visum est non esse damnondum de mortali falsitate qui ut suum tueatur innocentiam utitur testibus se ultra offerentibus ad testificandum salsum jurando Vid. Lopez pars 2. c. 44. p. 264. they may bear false witness in favour of another a false testimony for my Neighbour is not mortal with them and the reason is because the Precept forbids false Witness against another not for him And upon the same account Soto says a false testimony may be excused when it is to hinder one from doing injury Likewise when the matter in Judicial process is not of great consequence a lye is Venial whether it be for or against another So Navar (p) Concludendo nullum mendacium esse mortale to solo quod in judicio exteriori vel interiori dicatur quod extra illud dictum tale non esset Navar. cap. 18. n. 3. Censeo in
ostenderent virtutis apparentiam in abstinentiis vigiliis verborum ac gestorum disciplina quum apud saeculares essent sic eos sancta quadam hypocrisi ad fidei reverentiam virtutis amorem propensius invitarent Specul histor l. 29. c. 105. which are naturally ordained for the service of God with an intention not to serve him but for glory from men it is but such Hypocrisie and that with some extenuation it is not so bad explicitely seeing the intention to deceive is but implicite They have a reverence for Hypocrisy as a holy art they honour it and their Church with the same title both being holy alike so much alike some will think that it is hard to know the one from the other They extol their great Saints for their holy Hypocrisie It is amongst the commendations of Saint Deminick himself Vincentius Bishop of Beauvois in his praises spends one Chapter upon this Subject de sancta ejus Hypoerisie shewing that it was not only the practice of their Saint but that he commended the holy thing to his Brethren the Fryers Praedicaut Hypocrisie being such a holy quality in their account and a special ornament of their greatest Saints no wonder if they be so far from branding it as a crime that they declare it meritorious A Religious person that feigns himself to have more holiness than he hath that others may be edified sins not but rather merits so Rosella v. Hypoer n. 1. Thus they give us warning not to trust any shews of sanctity or mortification amongst them since they are so far from counting it a sin that they conclude it meritorious even for their Religious to deceive others with Hypocritical ostentation of what holiness they have not Indeed the Romanists are concern'd to speak favourably of Hypocrisie and treat it with kindness for since they require no more truth and sincerity in their dealings with men and make no more than exterior shews of piety if so much needful in the worship of God and yet would be accounted the best or only true Christians on earth if they should condemn Hypocrisie as a mortal sin that Religion and Righteousness which their Church counts sufficient would be branded by themselves as damnably criminal SECT XII DIsgracing and defaming others to their face by contumelies or behind their backs by detraction reproaching them with charges true or false to the impairing or ruining of their esteem or credit though some of them say this is worse than theft or robbery and others make it worse than adultery and in the Canon Law such are called murderers yet is allowed under the notion of a Venial in so many cases that he who is addicted thereto may satisfie his humour fully in the practice of it without scruple 'T is a Maxime with them that the (s) Aquinas Alexander Alensis in Sylv sum v. contumel n. 2. quality of sins in words is regulated by the intention 'T is this that gives this sin and others besides their formality which Cajetan often inculcates and without that they are no sins or but Venial Hence he tells us that the contempt (t) Hinc patet quod contemptus proximi est peccatum mortale formaliter loquendo hoc est ex intentione contemnendi Nullus enim formaliter contemnit proximum nisi qui speruit proximum ut spermat proximum sicut nullus detrahit formaliter nisi qui detrahit ut detrahat c. Cajetan sum v. contemptus of our Neighbour is a mortal sin speaking formally that is with an intention of contemning him for no man formally contemns another but he that despises him that he may despise him so no man is a detractor formally but he that back-bites that he may back-bite and no man is formally contumelious but he that speaks reproachfully that he may reproach So that if he intend not thus to sin let him say what he will against his Neighbour he is not guilty of the sin formally and in deed Accordingly he tells us that (u) Materialiter hoc est non ex intentione dehonorandi possunt verba contumeliosà etiam absque ullo peccato dici Ibid. v. contumelia Soto de Just l. 5. q. 10. art 2. materially i. e. without intention of dishonouring another contumelious words may be spoken either without any sin or any but what is Venial 'T is true some of them say words may be a crime if they grievously defame a person though they be uttered without a design to do it but then withall they allow of such reproaches as Venial which are of no better consequence but tend to disgrace him effectually To reproach him with natural defects of mind or body or birth is regularly but Venial all agree in this saies (x) Lib. 11 c. 6. n. 4. Detegere falsos defectus naturales puta quod est Luscus Claudus Mancus Gibbosus Ignarus alia hujusmodi que non pertinent ad bonam famam morum non est suo genere nec regulariter mortale Navar. cap. 18. n. 23. Vid. Bonacin de restit disp 2. q. 4. punct 2. Sairus To charge him with ignorance to say he has little wit and small jugment to call him a fool or an Hermaphrodite or a Bastard though the charge be false To report one to be infected with the French-disease is but Venial because that is no great disgrace Pet. Navar. Sairus alii communiter in Bonacin ibid. n. 9. y Imponere vel detegire veniale non est de se mortale Idem Navar. ibid. n. 24 Sylvest sum v. detractio n. 2. non esse mortale in his quae sunt modicae importantiae ut venialia quae communiter non infamant secundum Antoninum Angelus sum v. detract n. 2. Pet. Navar. Arragon in Bonacin ibid. n. 6. alii communiter Also to charge him falsly with any wickedness which they count Venial Thus they may calumniate any man and without crime charge him falsly as a Blasphemer a Thief a Lyar a Perjur'd Person a Cheat c since they count these in many degrees Venial and if they be consistent with the Honour and reputation of Roman Catholicks yet others either Christian or Heathen will think their credit blasted with such imputations Likewise to (z) Qui ex loquacitate profert ea quae pro mortali pro veniali possunt accipi ut dicendo talis est magnus superbus avarus iracundus vel hususmodi quae sumi possunt pro naturali inclinatione motu primo non peccet mortaliter quia audientes debent in meliorem partem interpraetari Sylvest secundum Antoninum ibid. Angelus ibid. Graff l. 2. cap. 137. n. 26. Pet. Navar. Sayrus Arragon alii communiter in Bonacin ibid. revile one in such terms as may signifie either great or lesser crimes to accuse him as one greatly proud covetous wrathful or any thing whatsoever which may denote either the natural inclination and first motions or the
desire of vain glory in its own nature is not mortal Angelus (f) Si aliquid aliud quod non pertinet ad divinam scripturam vel sacramenta propter gloriam faceret peccaret venialiter Sum. ibid. concludes that this may be a mans end in all things but the Scripture and the Sacraments but this limitation is too strict in the judgment of their Doctors which are of greatest repute for they determine that he who does those things which are (g) Navar. Cap. 23. n. 13. supra Quamvis eximius vir ille Angelus teneat concionari missam celebrare alia principaliter divino cultui dedicata facere propter honorem aut inanem gloriam esse mortale contrarium tamen tenendum est ut latissime demonstravimus Idem c. 21. n. 40. Vid. Soto in Suarez supra principally instituted for the honour and worship of God and the Salvation of Souls for vain glory as his chief end as for example he that in Preaching or Praying or celebrating makes vain glory his Principal end and aims at nothing higher sins but Venially Angelus had made it worse but others had confuted him effectually and Navar after them Aquinas the Angel of their Schools was it seems of this perswasion that vain glory may be actually our principal end in worshipping God without any mortal sin for Sylvester tells us that Angelus did (h) Contra S. Tho. veritatem dicit quod est mortale quando ea quae ordinata sunt ad gloriam Dei quis principaliter facit ad gloriam suam ut sacramenta scripturae sacrae Sum. v. van glor n. 4. contradict not only the truth but Saint Thomas in saying it is a mortal evil when those things which were ordained for the glory of God are done principally for a mans own glory as the Sacraments and the Scripture And they are highly concern'd to maintain this for says he if (i) Alias si is qui gloriatur de sacris vestibus aut cautu diviuorum vel conditions theologica actualiter nullum allum finem intendens peccaret mortaliter totus poene clerus esset in malo statu this were a mortal sin the whole Clergy in a manner were in an ill condition he means they were in a state of damnation So that it was high time for the Roman Doctors to form a Divinity of new Maxims since those of Scripture and Antiquity left them in a damnable condition One would think that to count it but a peccadillo to make vain glory the cause or motive without which a man would not Preach or pray or perform any worship should be a prodigious thing for any that calls himself a Christian but he that will allow it under no greater censure than that of a petty fault to be the principal end of worship and the great concern of Salvation (k) Vid. Navar. c. 20. n. 11. c. 21. n. 40. c. 23. n. 101. advances it higher He (l) Peccat Qui accipit beneficium Ecclesiasticum spirituale principaliter propter honorem aut utilitatem temporariam secundum S. Antonin Quod limito procedere in eo qui est eo indignus ob ignorantiam vel alium defectum Nam supra diximus quod falsum est esse mortale facere ordinata ad cultum divinum principaliter ob bona temporalia Idem c. 23. n. 15. that takes a Church-living or Spiritual benefice principally for honour or temporal profit offends but Venially unless he be unworthy because of his ignorance or other defect So that in their Church for any or all of them from the Pope to the meanest officer to make honour and profit their chief end in taking the charge of Souls or other place or imployment which concern the worship of God or the Salvation of the people is so slight a thing as needs never trouble them ten thousand faults of this nature ten thousand times over would never hazard their Souls These two last conclusions will help us to discern of what complexion Popery is upon what it is founded for what ends they may think it safe to maintain it and persist in it without or against any conscientious or Spiritual consideration And why they may make Religion all along serve a worldly interest and truckle under it There 's no danger in all this it 's a harmless Venial by their Doctrine to thrust the great God and his glory into an inferiour place below their honour and profit even in those things which they say were principally instituted for his Soveraign Honour this is a fault with them next to nothing If they should in the worship of God aim at him in the first place and at their own glory and profit in the next there might be some danger lest they should too much oblige him for thus to joyn God and their carnal interest together as their end in any religious concern is (m) Nullum autem peccatum immo meritum est sacere illa principaliter propter Deum vel quia honesta sunt Sancta secundario propter gloriam vel laudem humanam in finem aptum relatum Idem ibid. post Sanctum Thomum a meritorious act according to Aquinas Further (n) Peccat Qui per jactantiam se aut suos laudat cum irreverentia notabili Dei aut cum injuria vel scandalo proximi notabili alias enim solum est veniale juxta S. Tho. receptum Alexand. Allens Idem ibid. n. 16. vain glorious boasting though it be with irreverence to God and injury and scandal to others if that be not much is only Venial according to Aquinas and Alensis And a man may vain-gloriously praise himself for something that is good though it be false or something that is evil (o) Idem ibid. n. 13. Cajetan sum v. jactantia Angel sum v. van glor n. 1. if it be not deadly and yet offend but Venially when he does no great mischief to others SECT XVIII AVersation to or grief at Spiritual and Divine things is another capital crime in their reckoning which is called Acedia The object is God as to mans friendship and communion with him and the spiritual acts and duties requisite thereto the act they express by sloth and lothness to meddle with these things coldness tepidness about them not caring for them nausiating and accounting them a grievance This some of them do not deny to be a mortal sin but they will have it mortal only upon such strange terms that any one may have a great aversation for God and the things of God without danger of deadly guilt for they define (p) Definiri potest esse vitium inclinans ad tristandum de bono spirituali divino quatenus est diviâ—um secundum mentem utriusque Thomae 2. 2. q. 35 art 2. Navar. cap. 23. n. 124. Tristitia de bono spirituali in quantum est divinum Sylvest sum v. Acedia n. 1. it by an agrievedness at what
ut necromantici credo esse mortale quia pertinet ad amicitiam ibid. n. 3. for this would be as bad as Necromancy yet if he believe him not none can tell how the Devils answering him in those inquiries can contribute any thing to his expulsion They declare also (d) Hac etiam ratione non solum licet adjurare Daemones non obsidentes ne adjuvent obsidentes sed etiam superiores ut expellant inferiores id ibid. that it is lawful to use adjurations to the Devils who possess no person not to assist those that do or to apply themselves to the great Devils to cast out the less Sect. 2. So far we see and further they may deal with the Devil how they may deal with God we saw before though the whole body of Popery be corrupt yet there is nothing more leprous than their worship they think it not needful that it should be conformed to the divine (*) Ex sententia Cajetani Navar. in Vasquez Opusc moral dub 3. p. 24. rule in any thing either as to the End or Manner or Matter or Object yet it is transcendently good in their own eyes no sin in it even when there is nothing else For what fordid and wicked ends they think it fit to worship God we have discovered already and also in what an irreligious manner To this latter let me add what I meet with in Angelus (e) Quod attentionem vel devotionem Quaeritur utrum peccent mortaliter non dicenâ—… officium devote studiose Resp Glossa tenet quod sufficit dicere ore licet non corde cum ea concurrunt multi Canonistae in c. dolentes Angel Sum. v. horae n. 27. Similiter non peccat mortaliter qui verba quidem dicit sed ad illa non attendit quoniam cum praeceptum de dicendo horas sit de jure positivo non refertur nisi ad ea quae sub judicio humano cadere possunt ista sunt quae exercentur per actus exteriores non autem interiores Et hoc idem videtur voluisse Scotus in 4. Hostiensis etiam Idem Pet. de Palud Sum. Rosel v. Horae when he is inquiring whether attention or devotion be necessary in their divine service a strange question it might seem among any called Christians if their divine Service were the worship of God he tells us their Gloss maintains that it is sufficient to say it their Service with the mouth though not with the heart and that many other Canonists agree therein Thus it seems they understand the Pope's Law for divine worship so as to approve that in plain terms which Christ expresly and the Prophets before him condemns so as to declare to the world that the Church of Rome makes no other worship necessary than what Christ hath openly branded as vain false and hypocritical Isa 29. 14. and Matthew 15. 7 8 9. The sense of their Divines agrees so well with the Canonists and as little with Christ though it be expressed in other terms that the contradiction to him is not so open though it be as full (f) Verb. horae n. 27. supra Angelus himself and (g) Evagatio autem advertentis secundum actum interiorem solum licet sit temeraria gravis forte non tamen est mortale nisi propter contemptum Sylv. v. horae n. 13. Rosella v. horae secundum Petr. Paludan Sylvester after him with others determine that wandring in one that observes it when it is but as to the inward act though it be temerarious and grievous is not mortal unless it be out of contempt the plain English of which is this the departing of the mind and heart from God in worship willingly and wittingly how great soever it be is a small fault if any unless to this neglect of God a greater contempt be added whereas the contempt of God herein is very great his reason is that which others give (h) Quia Ecclesia non habet judicare de actibus interioribus mere Uterque ibid. because the Church is not to judge of mere inward acts and therefore (i) Propter quod Minister Ecclesiae licet dicendo officium aliud cogitet non videtur transgressor praecepti ex natura factâ— Angelus ibid. Rosella ibid. if a Minister of the Church when he is at Service mind something else he seems to be no transgressor of the Precept by that act He tells us out of Aquinas what we saw the rest of them do before that they need not continue actually attentive in worship but only vertually id est (k) Tunc videtur manere secundum virtutem quum accedit ad orationem cum intentione aliquid impetrandi vel Deo debitum obsequium reddendi etiamsi in prosecutione mens ad alia rapiatur idem ibid. Adverte tamen quod intentio debita actualis si adsit in principio vocalis orationis licet postea mens evagetur nisi talis evagatio interrumpat primam intentionem per contrariam intentionâ—m sic est meritoria impetrativa oratio vocalis sine attentione per virtutem primae intentionis idem v. oratio n. 10. Rosella v. hora. Scotus ibid. if they intend to perform Service when they are going about it that will make them pass for attentive enough all the while though their minds be carryed away after other things when they are at it and never heed the worship in hand This is the common sense of their Authors as if they should gravely tell us that a man who goes into company with some intent actual or vertual to be sober but presently falls to his Cups is overcome and continues Drunk divers hours yet he may be said to be Sober all the while he is Drunk by vertue of his first intention And so we should wrong the Romanists if we did not think they would have as much of true Worship and Religion in their Service as that man has of Sobriety all the time he is dead Drunk Sect. 3. But there is not any more horrid abuse of divine worship than that which they are guilty of in reference to its object for besides what they determine concerning divine worship to be given to other things besides God it is no sin with them to worship the Utensils of their worship the Vessels Books Tables Linnen and Priestly Vestments being once dedicated to divine Service and made holy by the charm of a Consecration Antonius Corduba says they are to be worshipped (l) Vasquez de adoratione l. 2. disp 8. c. 10. n. 342. posse secundum se cultum deferri rebus sacris sic docet Antonius de Corduba alij recentiores for themselves and in the judgment of (m) Vasis alâ—js rebus sacris inanimis concedit cultum aliquem distinctum a cultu illius in cujus honorem dicatae sunt idem ibid. c. 11. n. 360. Clychtovius they are to have a worship distinct from his
of what is said or done And the third to God and divine things Now the first of these they say (o) Haec satis est licet omnium imperfectissima Fill. tr 5. n. 214. Suarez Having premised that he believes there is no dissention or difficulty amongst them concerning attention at the time of Mass reckons after Aquinas the 3. sorts of attention and adds of the first Haec attentio est infima omnium tamen sufficiens quia illa saâ—is est ut illa missae auditio seu praesentia sit bumana moralis ex objecto religiosa Tom. 3. disp 88. sect 3. This being sufficient the Second and Third are more than needs and yet in the third this excluded as needless he acknowledges all inward reverence and worship is included Sub hac autom attentione ad Deum omnis interior reverentia cultus omnis oratio petitio includitur ut eleganter describit Gregorius 10. in c. decet ibid. is enough though it be the worst of all therefore the second to regard the meaning of what is said or done and the third to mind God or Divine things is more than needs So that plainly all that is required of a Papist by their Doctrine in order to the honour of God and the salvation of his soul on any of those days when these ought to be most minded is only being present at Mass without understanding what is said or done and without minding God or any thing divine Such is their worship of God and care of souls in the Church of Rome this is the sum of their Religion when it appears set forth to greatest advantage in its solemn exercises he that understands it and can be in love with it must be under the power of some other consideration than that of God and his soul Having seen how these days are sanctified or prophaned rather by their worship we might view what observance they have in reference to servile works And here they have little but what may be done without sin and indeed as they order the matter it may seem less sin to follow the works of their callings than to forbear them since their abstinence from them is not that they may better attend the worship of God for they think it not needful to worship him unless he can be said to be worshipped when he is not heeded but that they may be idle or worse imployed than in their daily business However whether it be to indulge their ease or serve their lusts or to make shew of some rest though far enough from a holy rest they will have some works forborn but herein they will be regulated by (*) Dicendum consuetudine fieri posse ut aliquae personae licite possint in Die festo aliqua opera servilia vel aliter in festo prohibita exercere Antoninus Slyvester Cajetan Soto Tabiena Armilla Navar. in Suar. l. 2. de fest c. 33. n. 12. custom not the divine Law Paludanus (p) Per Dominicum intelligitur generaliter omnis Dies festus de praecepto secundm Pet. de Balude quod sentire videtur â—etiam 1. Jo. Andr. doctores dicentes aliquos in Diebus festis excusari nisi missam omistant Et. est rationabile quia consuetudo legum interpres ita habet Sum. v. missa 2. n. 1. and others will have them excused who use manual labours on these days if they omit not the Mass And Sylvester says this is reasonable because Custom the interpreter of Laws will have it so This may so far regulate them that every (q) Unaquaeque provincia aut civitas observare teneturilla eo modo tantum quae quomodo quantum consuetudo ipsius praecepit observari Navar. c. 13. n. 5. Si usus haberet ut solum serventur usque ad meridiem vel usque ad solemnia missarum peracta postea possent opera servilia fieri idem ibid. Province and City must observe those days and those alone in that manner and so far only as custom requires Yea it must so far prevail that if it were the custom to observe these days no longer than till Noon or only till Mass were ended which may be dispatched in half an hour and that before (*) Gabriel cum Scoto dicunt licitum esseincho are missam una hora quarta partè alterius ante ortum solis Non erit peccatum hora dimidia ante ortum folis sacrificare Imo addit Paludanus clarius Victoria posse licite inchoari missam dimidia hora ante crepusculum ita ut finis missae sit sub initium crèpusculi plus minusve Et hoc est in praxi servandum Suarez tom 3. disp 80. sect 4. So Mass may be ended not only before Sun-rise but about break of day above an hour before the Sun is up Sun rise the rest may be spent in servile works They account it worse to spend these days in servile labour than prophane divertisements for this with them is only a Venial fault or (*) Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 5. p. 277. n. 25. p. 274. n. 3. none but that may be a mortal sin yet they declare there is no sin in the worst but what custom makes they are like to make Conscience of it when their own wills and practices are their rule This as many other by their doctrine which makes voyd the commands of God at pleasure is but a sin at discretion they may make it none when they please and render all days alike as easily as they can bring up a custom (*) Observatio Diei Dominicae non est de jure Divino sed Canonico ut aiunt communiter Doctores consequenter posse consuetudine vel humana potestate abrogari Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 5. n. 4. p. 272. Sayrus alij ibi such a one to which nature is forward But no wonder they think not these sacred days violated by working since they teach they are not prophaned by any acts of wickedness Their Divines (r) Cajetan Soto Sylvester Victoria Navar. Covarruvius alij quosirefext sequitur Suarez de fest l. c. 18. n. 3. inter quos etiam recenset S. Thom. vid. Bellarm de cultu sanct l. 3. c. 10. Graff l. 2. c. 33. n. 8. generally agree herein (s) Non continetur sub hoc praecepto contritio peccatorum nec vitatio aliorum peccatorum Sum. v. fest p. 305. Contrition for sins and the avoyding of other sins is not injoyned says Cajetan The day is not prophaned by Fornication (t) Non quod per fornicationem violetur festum de just jur l. 2. q. 4. art 4. says Soto nor by Lying Murder or Blaspheming says Bellarmin (u) Non enim violaâ—ur tempus sacrum per quaecunque peccata sed solum per ea quae opponuntur ipsi tempori sacro qualia sunt non audire sacrum operari corporaliter Ibid. l. 3. c. 10. p. 1610. Secunda
355. entertain filthy thoughts to delight in those thoughts and (m) Non tamen est peccatum mortale consentice in delectationem cogitationis que est de peccato mortali sed est Veniale quando cogitatio est inutilis vel nullum puta cum quis utiliter cogitat Sum. v. delect n. 2. Lopez ibid. to consent to that delight is either no sin or but venial says Sylvester and others They distinguish betwixt the unclean act and the thought of it Cajetan (n) Si delectatio sit de miris similibus modis non est delectatio morosa quam mod isti sint admirabilos naturaliter delectabiles cogitanti animae Sum. v. delect moros Sicut nec est mortale delectari in modo operandi scelus aliquod licet non in ipso scelesto opere ut in modis occupandi regnum sicut etiam in speculatione variorum modorum coituum dum absil periculum consentiendi Lopez c. 75. though he would not have the act to be the object of the delight yet he allowes any to take pleasure not only in the thought but in the special manner of the act If (o) Si circa id non adverteret quamvis diem integrum delectatio perduraret non peccaret mortaliter Neque satis est advertere nisi integre advertat secundum Cajetanum Navar c. 11. n. 12. Cajetan Sum. v. delectat p. 112. Graff l. 2. c. 77. n. 2. Si vero advertere incepit praevalente impetu concitatae passionis non plene advertit sed antequam plene advertit delectatio facit suum cursum peccatum non mortale sed veniale intervenit Cajetan ibid. Non sit signum sufficiens ad probandum consensum tacitum sola perseverentia delectationis post advertentiam ibid. a man do not observe what he is delighting in while he is pleasing himself with such thoughts yea if be do not fully consider it though he entertain himself with this mental pleasure a whole day together it will not be sinful delight Lust with an imperfect inadvertency will not be mortal when the delight of it so invades the mind says Lopez (p) Ad mortale requiritur advertentia plena quia non satis est imperfecta quae ex praevalente impetu passionis solet causari libido cum tali inadvertentia imperfecta non erit mortalis quando sic ejus complacentia impetit mentem cap. 85. p. 359. nor needs he resist such delight or repel these thoughts if (q) Navar cap. 11. n. 12. Lopez ex mente Cajetani Metinae ibid. Graff l. 2. c. 77. n. 3 4 5. Cajetan ibid. p. 113. he believe they will not ingage him further or if he thinks that by resistance they will grow upon him or (r) Non esset culpa si delectationem illam omisisset expellere ne suam occupationem honestam necessariam aut utilem derelinqueret quale est studium lectio rerum impudicarum ad hujusmodi delectationes provocantium Navar. ibid. if it would hinder him from some necessary or profitable or honest imployment such as the study or reading of filthy things which provoke such delight is in their account They are no more rigorous as to obscene words filthy Songs lascivious Writings and Discourses They sin not says Navar (s) Qui ad praedicandum c. aut alloquendum faeminas ex causa honesta cum sint ipsi viri vel contra viros cum sint ipsae faeminae vident legunt audiunt aut dicunt aliqua turpia aut talia quae illam provocant Ji enim quamvis possint non sunt tamâ—n obligati ad omittendum id quod faciunt quo pollutionis eventum impediant Idem c. 16. n. 7. whether they be Men or Women who see or read or hear or speak any filthy things Men to Women or Women to Men such as provoke to uncleanness if it be upon an honest occasion now it must needs be an honest occasion when this is done while they are at Church for Divine service and there they have used it Church (t) Hodie vero tanta est musicae licentia ut etiam una cum missae ipsius canone obscaenae cantiunculae etiam in organis pares vices habeant Corn. Agripp de Vanit Scient c. 17. Musick is now so licentious says one that filthy ditties are sung to the Organ and keep time even with the Canon of the Mass the most sacred part of that which they count most sacred and Cajetan informs us that in their Church this is the practice u every where to sing to the Organ amorous and filthy (x) Turpes amatorias cantilenas songs and that such cleanly stuff is in the person (y) loco antiphonarum divinae laudis offeruntur ex ipsius Ecclesiae persona prophana haec a falsariis ministris Sum. v. Organ p. 453. of the Church offered to God instead of Reponsals and Divine praises (a) Audientes ex illo sono excitantur ad illa prophana suâ— turpia ut experientia testatur ita quod non est locus inficiationi ibid. 454. and that experience witnesses that the hearers are thereby excited to prophane and filthy things he allows not this indeed but in some and with limitation laying the blame of the rest upon (b) Quia eâ—clesiastici pastores non quaesierunt quae Jesu Christi sunt the Pastours of their Church who seek not as he says the things of Christ and would have us believe the Church approves it not when yet he allows it to be the common practice (c) Ubique sic vident fieri every where It seems she does but tolerate filthiness in the Church as she does in the Stews that she may be holy uniformly every where d Si aliquis rustica simplicitate putaret licere dicino cultui recreandi animi gratia miscere cantilenas profanas turpes quia videt communiter in his usum invaluisse excusaretur a mortalis ita Navarrus cujus sententiam esse veram judico si loquatur de simplicibus rusticis c. cap. 51. p. 263. However if any one should out of simplicity think it lawful to mix prophane and filthy Songs with Divine Worship for Recreation sake because he sees that this custome hath commonly prevailed Navar would excuse him from mortal sin as Lopez tells us And so will Lopez excuse him too provided the Songs mixed with Divine service be not too grosly filthy and excessively lascivious (*) Dummodo talis cantus non sint adeo patenter turpes nimis lascivi part 2. cap. 31. p. 188. And so he may well excuse those (e) Addit vero Navarrus non esse lthale crimen sic extra divinum officium cantare in ecclesia cantilenam turpem lascivam videtur que excusare contra Sotum rithmos turpes sibi occinentes in nocte nativitatis Domini tempore quo petunt benedictiones licet non aperte eos
possit quod praedicti non teneatur ad horas Laud. Jo. de Lig. senserunt quod papa hoc potest c. Sum. v. hor. n. 9. So Sylvester after others concludes he adds indeed that though the Pope can discharge them from this Service yet he cannot disoblige them from making some recompence to their Benefactors for not praying for them y Sed circa istam suppletionem non oportet esse multum scrupulosum quia consurgit ex naturali lege potius quam Ecclesiae praecepto ut reompensetur benefactoribus quod etiam per minimam orationem fieri potest ibid. n. 5. but for this he says they need not trouble themselves for the least prayer that can be will sufficeÌ„ for that So an Ave Mary may serve that serves generally on all occasions a prayer if it may be so accounted of one petition to the Virgin and not a word to God not a syllable for their Benefactors they may be as well without it And so others leave them determining without any reserve that the Pope may dispense with their divine Service and may do so validly without any cause too So that the Pope when he list may leave no publick worship of God in the whole Roman world and when he does this it will be no sin wholly to neglect it He can dispense against the universal state of the Church so the Law of their Church will have it Only says Panormitan he should not deface it but there 's no danger of that though he should destroy it as he has done indeed they ascribe no power to him in this but what he has given the world proof of effectually for he cannot deface it unless he change the universal state of it without reason and this he can never want so long as his will is good reason as they say it is * Bonacin Divin Offic. disp 1. q. 6. p. 3. n. 1. * Sum Rosell v. papa He can as easily discharge them from all Righteousness towards men he can make it lawful for a Son to calumniate his Father or covet all he has or to wrest it from him by force yea to attempt his life and when he hath reduced him to want and misery to leave him perishing for want of relief this office he did for the Emperours heretofore and is (z) So the Emperour Henry 4. was used by his own Son excited by the Pope and Baronius will have it past denyal an eminent work of Piety Annal. tom 12. an â—1â—6 n. 14. commended for it He can take away any (a) In omnibus per omnia potest facere dicere quicquid placet auferendo etiam jus suum cui vult Specul Guliel Durand l. 1. par 1. de legit Sect. 6. n. 51. mans right and dissolve all Bonds Contracts Obligations whereby one man is bound to another (b) Utrum possit aliquem absolvere ab obligatione qua tenitur alteri homini dico secundum Innocentium quod hoc potest de plenitadine potestatis Sylvest v papa n. 13. and so can make it lawful to act against all Faith Truth Justice and common Honesty Further those whom God hath joyned together in lawful Matrimony the Pope they say hath power to separate and sometimes so as to Marry others and so live in Adultery without sin as he did with the Son of the Conde D'Olivares If there have been no Carnal knowledge they make no bones at all of the Popes dissolving Marriages how firmly soever contracted or solemnly celebrated No nor if they have had that full consummation with reluctancy But there is one rarer feat that the Pope can do he has power to dispense with persons to Marry and continue so not during life but for such time as they desire a year or two or till they can have a Child and then be Unmarryed again and freed from all bonds of that state without any Divorce or occasion for it Jo. Andreas a principle Rabbi of their Church Talmud says he had disputed this question whether the Pope might not dispense with a Kings only Son being a Monk to Marry for a while till he could get a Boy and after return to his Monastery and Unmarryed condition He answers That the Pope whose power is disputed may resolve it himself yet he may be advised to forbear but many maintain that if he should dispense the dispensation would stand good according to whom the Pope is not forbidden to dispense against the Gospel when he sees cause but only not to destroy it as before and this holds especially if the party would be content to be Marryed for a while rather than for ever So Andreas and the same it seems is defended by Jo. Antonius Bishop of Alexandria in Millain by Baldus by Fulgosius and Baptista Toruamala Our Author will not grant that the Pope cannot dispense with a Religious person to be Marryed a little but makes it a question whether he can let him Marry during life (*) Sum. Rosell v. papa n. 3. 4. (*) So Aquinas in Dian. v. matrim n. 56 Bonaventur Scotus Durand Alensis Richard Augustinus Triumph Cajetan Roffensis in Victorell ad Tol. l. 7. c. 9. c Fere omnes gradus Mosaica lege prohibiti sunt etiam prohibiti naturali Sylv. v. papa n. 17. Moreover he cannot only legitimate Adultery but Incest for they teach that he can dispense with Marriages in those degrees which Gods Law forbids even such as are acknowledged to be against the dictate of Nature They except no degree of Consanguinity but only the first in a direct line viz. Marriage betwixt Parent and Child they say he can license it in the first degree in the collateral line viz. betwixt Brother and Sister d Reperitur tamen Martinus 5. ut Archiepiscopus viz. Antoninus resert dispensasse cum eo qui cum sua germana contraxerat consummaverat habito consilio cum peritis theologi Canonistis Idem ibid. Angelus v. papa n. 1. Some indeed stick at this because they observe not that the Pope has dispensed in this case But the credit of their St. Antoninus will not be questioned who tells us that Pope Martin the fifth dispensed with one who had Marryed his own Sister Yea he takes upon him to dispense with Sodomy Sixtus the Fourth (e) Vid Myster iniquitatis 1310. gave License to the whole Family of Cardinal St. Lucy that they should use Sodomy in the three hotter Months June July and August And Alexander the Sixth (f) Ibid. 1328. gave the Cardinal De Valentia leave to Buggar the Marquis De Zaneta his own natural Son The most modest opinion at first blush which yet ends little better than the worst that I have observed amongst them concerning the Popes power iâ— reference to the Laws of God is that of Richard De Sancto Victore as Angelus reports it (g) Si occurreret casus particularis in quo deficeret ratio
legis tunc papa posset dispensare aliter ut dicit Ricar non videretur Deus fuisse bonus pater-familias v. papa n. 1. That the Pope can dispense with the divine Precepts when the reason of them ceaseth otherwise says he God if he had not so impowered him would not seem to be a good Master of his Houshold not wise say some not diligent say others for this is a common Argument for the Papal prerogative We must take heed how we question the Popes power herein for if we do they may question the Government of God And herein he is followed by (h) V. papa n. 16. Sylvester a Dominican and Angelus (i) Ibid. a Franciscan though in other things they often clash who tell us that besides Divines (k) Et in praedicta opinione concurrunt omnes Canonistae si bene intelligantur Idem ibid. all the Canonists agree in it if well understood And this the former (l) Potest ea interpretari in dubio authoritative scil utrum in aliquo determinato casu habeat locuni ratio divini aut naturalis statuti vel non Sylvest ibid. extends to particular cases whether in the natural or divine Law and the latter concludes it (m) Et quod dico de praeceptis secundae tabulae idem dic de omnibus praeceptis veteris novi Testamenti Angelus ibid. not only as to to the Precepts of the second Table but as to all the commands both in the Old and New Testament All the question is (n) Sed quis poter it scire quando ratio legis deficit in aliquo casu Resp quod istud aliquando habemus ex exemplo Dei qui multoties dispensavit in sua lege how one may know when the reason of Gods Law ceaseth in any case to which he answers that this we sometimes may learn by the examples of God himself who many times dispensed with his own Law So that in such cases it seems the Pope may do as much as God himself But this may not prove enough to serve the Popes turn So he adds (o) Sed quum talis dispensationis vel similis non habemus exemplum iâ— scriptuâ—a tunc ad solum pnpam pertinet ipsius declaratio Idem ibid. When we have not an example of that or the like dispensation in Scripture the declaration of it that is when the reason of the Law fails in any other case belongs to the Pope alone Accordingly (p) Supra Sylvester He may when there is any doubt Authoritatively explain whether or no in any certain case the reason of the divine or natural Precept takes place The Pope if he were God as they too often call him needs not herein desire more power than this he may declare that the reason of the divine Law ceases when he pleases and so he may dispense with it when he list Thus the Pope might discern the reason of the Law for Marriage to cease when Olivares had declared Julian Valeasor his Heir so gave him leave to Marry another Wife when he had one already lawfully Marryed yet his Holiness might be hastier herein than some Doctors would have him who though they hold the Pope can dispense with one to have two or more Wives at once yet think it not so very fit to be done whole Catholicks are so plentiful (*) Vid. Sum. Rosell v. papa n. 5. And he would have seen something more in Harry the Eights case than he let the world know if the Emperour Charles the Fifth had not stood in his light And so in that against Perjury Clement the Seaventh saw the reason of it cease when he saw it his interest that Francis the First should break his Oath And Sixtus the Fourth could well see that the reason of that Law against Sodomy ceased in the hotter months and so dispensed with it then though not in cooler seasons But what if the Pope should mistake in his Declaration about the Law and the reason of it and so err in dispensing with it this must not easily be supposed I firmly believe says Angelus (q) Ibid. n. 2. that if any one seeking a dispensation in any case against the Law of God not interposing the importunity of gifts and solicitations do put himself simply into the Pope's hands with a Declaration of his case that God will not suffer his Vicar to err in dispensing Yet if the worst should come to the worst and the Pope should err herein that will make no alteration in the case before us for though it may be a fault to dispense yet the crime he dispenses with may be no sin to him who has his holinesses leave to commit it (r) Arbitror autem quod licet dispensator peccet tamen dispensatus si bona fide nixus authoritate super ioris putat eam justa de causa esse datam excusatur donec satis noverit eam non fuisse sic datam Ibid. praelud 9. n. 13. 14. I judge says Navar that though the dispenser may be in fault yet he that is dispensed with is excused if relying honestly upon the Authority of his Superiour he thinks it was granted upon just cause till he be convinced that it was not justly granted For all this Bellarmine has the confidence to affirm that no Catholick ever held that the Pope could dispense any way with the Divine commands and yet what is it less that himself ascribes to the Pope when he says by his Indulgencies (s) Indulgentiae faciunt tamen ut pro ijs paenis quae nobis per indulgentiam condonantur non teneamur praecepto illo de faciendis dignis paenitentiae fructibus De paeniâ— l. 4. c. 13. p. 1068. we are disobliged from the command of bringing forth fruits worthy of Repentance These fruits are by their own account all good works And so in fine the Pope can make it to be no sin to live without the worship of God righteousness towards men and good works which respect either Sect. 14. But they need not make use of the Pope's Authority for this purpose there are other expedients nearer hand will serve to make any sin lawful One is probable ignorance and that when upon a probable ground error is conceived to be truth and that which is sin indeed is taken to be no sin When upon such a ground one ventures upon a crime it will not be criminal Now they give an account of several things each of which will serve them herein for a probable ground First a probable Reason (t) Quando homo occurrentibus rationibus in utramque partem suo judicio probabilibus eligit â—os quae sibi videntur probablliores quae tamen revera sunt contra veritatem cui ipse alias bene affâ—ctus â—st tunc isle licetcontra veritatem erret sic laborei ignorantia contraria nulla culpa errat sic Doctores Communiter Sancta Clara. Deus nat gr problem 15. p.
87. when there are Arguments pro and con all probable in his judgment that views them if he follows that which seems to him most probable he sins not though it lead him into sin They lay great weight upon Authority and think it safe to follow the herd in a common opinion yet one good reason (u) Navar. cap. 3. n. 8. they say is to be preferr'd before the common judgment of their Writers and one may venture against the stream being back'd with it Nor is there need to be very scrupulous about the probability of a reason 't is enough if it seems but probable to him that weighs it yea (x) Ignorantia excusat etiam cum quis in affectione ad suum Doctorem judicat probabiliter ut sibi videtur esse verum quod est falsum Sylvest sum v. opinio n. 1. though it seem but so out of affection to him that offers it And that may as well pass for more probable which is more favourable to the inclination of the Inquirer and he may be his own Judg in the case and act against the scruples of his Conscience when he has probable reason But when there are more reasons against it and but one probable for it must not the more sway us since that is safer and that which is safer is to be chosen according to the common Rule no we are not obliged for that rule even in matters of faith and practice is (y) Navar. c. 27. n. 281. only a Counsel not a precept we are only injoyned to do what is safe not to what is safer and a practice upon a probable reason is (z) Hoc potest facere viz. crebro contra scrupulos tuta conscientia ex consiâ—io proprio quando habet probabilem rationem Sylvest v. scrupul n. 3. Regul 5. safe enough Sect. 15. Secondly custome is another probable ground which with them will secure a person from sin in doing what is unlawful It is ordinary with their Casuists to conclude a practice innocent when there is custome for it though otherwise they condemn it as a sin So Navar (a) Cap. 13. n. 5. determines that if it were a custome to observe the Lord's day only till noon or till Mass were ended in the Morning it would be no sin to spend the rest of it in servile works And that of Cajetan is observable he takes notice that it is a practice in the Church of Rome to sing to the Organ prophane and filthy Songs when they are at Church for worship This the Cardinal reflects upon severely condemns it as a mortal sin and a crime of Sacrilegious Superstition yet in the conclusion thinks something of it (b) Excusandos tamen illos crediderim qui simplici corde credentes licere non turpia sed vana quasi pro recreatione pulsare pro eo quod vbique sic vident fieri erraverunt tales enim ex ignorantia probabili erraverunt Sum. v. Organ excusable upon the account of custome and probable ignorance (c) Qui habitu gestu cantu notabiliter lascivo in ludo chorearum utitur sicut faeminae inverecundae pectora lascive nudant viri partes inverecundas indecenter coopertas ostendunt peccant mortaliter Those who in dancing use Habit Gesture or Songs which are notoriously lascivious as immodest women who wantonly lay open their Breâ—sts and men who expose without due covering their shameful parts they sin mortally So de Graffijs had concluded as any person that is not past shame would do but then he presently corrects himself (d) Verum de hoc pro certo judicare non possumus sed standum est consuetudini patriae l. 2. cap. 120. n. 16. yet of this says he we can pass no certain judgment but must stand to the custom of the Countrey Though so much wantonness seem a mortal sin yet if it be the custome he cannot certainly judge it any In like manner (e) Sum. v. Ornar n. 7. Sylvester determines of a Habit that will not suffice to hide their shame if it be a custome though not laudable and without ill intention no general rule can be formed against it In (f) In his quae ideo sunt mala quia prohibita ut communiter positiva praecepta excusat consuetudo praescripta quia tollit legem est legum interpres Imo hac ratione dico quod excusat etiamsi non sit praescripta modo sit rationabilis scienter tolerata c. Idem ibid. v. scrupul n. 4. reg 5. positive precepts where things are evil because prohibited custom will excuse And so Fornication which in the judgment of (g) Supra Durandus and some others is of this nature needs nothing but custom to excuse it from being a sin So much they ascribe to custom that they will have the Scripture not to direct and regulate it but to follow it and be conformed to it even in its changes so that the sense and obligation of the Divine Rule shall be changed as the Romanists change fashions This Cardinal (b) Scripturasque esse ad tempus adopt atas varie intellectas ita ut uno tempore secundum currentem universalem ritum exponerentur mutato ritu iterum sententia mutaretur Epist 2. ad Bohem. de usu Com. Nec mirum si praxis ecclesiae uno tempore interpretatur scripturam uno modo alio tempore alio modo intellectus enim currit cum praxi Idem epist 7. Cusanus affirms the Scripture says he is fitted to the time and variably understood so that at one time it is expounded according to the currant fashion of the Church and when that fashion is changed the sense of Scripture is also changed and again no wonder if the practice of the Church do take the Scripture one time one way and another time another for the sense of it keeps pace with the practice This wa urged in the Council of (k) History of Council of Trent l. 2 â— 159. Trent and judged to be the meaning of the Lateran-Council when it decreed that the Scripture should be expounded according to the Doctors of the Church or as custome has approved Thus it must come to pass that what the word of God in its true meaning did once condemn as a sin if it become the Roman practice the Divine precept will change its sense and the act will be no sin It was a sin once by the word of God to deprive the people of the Cup in the Eucharist but since it was the custome of Rome the Scripture has changed its meaning and it is now no sin To worship Images was a crime condemned in Scripture as that which God most abhorred but being once the practice of the Romanists the Scripture renounced its former sense and it is now far from being criminal It has not only made a change in the word of God but in the nature of the thing and the same thing