his Church to determine how the Euchariste should be ordered and indeed the Church-goucrnours are the proper ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God 1. Cor. 4. in consequence of which the Church has authority to constitute and appoint in order to dispensing the Sacraments what she shall judge expedient according to tyme place and persons but with that prouiso that she alter nothing pertaining to the nature or essence of them muesting his Church with authority and power to dispense and order therein so the integrity and substance of the Sacrament be not prejudiced as in prudence she might thinke fit in regard of places tymes persons and circumstances (b) Communion vnder the form of bread onely was practiced in the primitiue Church according to the best antiquity prouing the lawfullness thereof out of the 2. and 20. chapter of the Acts. For example S. Austin Epis 6. ad Casulanum S. Bede in 20. Act. and indeed many of the first Christians were Nazarits who were bound by their vow not to drink any licour of grapes pum 4. wherfore since the legall ceremonies of the old law were in force as appears by the fame chapter of the Act. doubtless those new Christians receiu'd the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnder one kinde onely Besides S. Cyprian that liu'd in the first 300. yeares l. de lapsis set's down two examples of communion vnder one kinde Again S. Hierom in epitap Paul ad Eustach e. 23. S. Austin l. 3. de consensu Euang. c. 23. affirme that Christ gaue the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnder the form of bread onely vnto the Disciples going to Emmaous Moreouer Tertull. l. 2. ad vxor l. de Orat. attest's that it was a practice or custome to take Christs body forthwith or to carrie it home and defer the taking to an other tyme. Lay-communion vnder one kind only was practised in the primitiue Ages as plainly doe euidence scripture and Father-Testimonies preseruing of the Eucharist vnder one sole kinde as spirituall prouision for sick persons which though they were Priests did nor communicate in sickness but vnder one kinde de onely namely bread (c) The custome of communicating Infants continued in Some Churches till the dayes of Hugo de S. Victor who liu'd about the yeare 1130. for l. 1. c. 2. de caeremon he affirmes that the Priest with his finger dipt afore in consecrated wine ministred the Sacramen of the Euchariste vnder the form of wine vnto Babes newly born they being able to suck Besides in the ancient Roman office cap. de Sabbato parents are admonished not to suffer their children to suck milk vntill they had communicated But now the Church for good and iust reasons hath wholy abolished that custome and a principall motiue there of was to resist the heresy which euen in those days the Bohemian Hussits had spread teaching that Infants could not be sau'd without receiuing the Euchariste and an other reason of taking away that practice was the eminent danger of prophaning so holy a Sacrament because of the great number of children and the distribution of the Sacrament vnto Infants in one sole kinde also Namely wine for albeit these could not eat the sacramentall bread yet they might suck the sacramentall wine from the Priest's finger which truly they did according to the custome of some Churches Again lay-communion * ConueniÅt omnes Doctores Caetbolici communionem sub vtraque specie fuisse in vsu in quibusdam Ecclesijs eiusque meminerunt S. Dionys cap. 3. de Eccles Hierarch S. Iustinus Martyr Apolog 2. S. Gregor l. 3. Dial. cap. 36 alijque Patres vnder both kindes was anciently practised at some tymes in seuerall precincts of particular christian Churches as doe plainly shew the writings of primitiue Fathers And S. Leo the first being supream Pastor in Church-gouernment vnder Christ by a speciall ordinance commanded publick lay-communion at Easter vnder both kindes the chiefe intent whereof was to discouer the manichean heriticks who to conceale their heresy these sectaries did foolishly belieue that there was a good and euill God and as foolishly held wine to be created by the euill God and therfore had an abhorrence of it were obserued to receiue the sacramentall bread at Easter which sole kinde was then in practice with Catholicks promiscuously Again lay-communion vnder both kind's was abrogated absolutely and vniuersally because of certain Bohemian sectaries named Hussit's that condemned lay-communion vnder one kinde only teaching both kind's as necessarily required to all Christians vnto saluation In detestation of this heresie as also for other good reasons the generall Councell of Constance obliged all lay-Catholick's to communicate in one kinde and indeed the Church of God ought to exercise her authority to the crushing of all heresies in the bud Yet the Greek-Church continued lay-communion in both kind's though it did not esteem both the species of the Sacrament necessary to saluation For in the generall Councill of Florence which was called with design chiefly to setle concord and vnion between that and the latine Church neither the greek or latine Fathers did except against lay-communion as to the practise thereof vnder one sole or both kinds whereby it is euidently manifest that Christ hat left it in the Churches liberty to determine and appoint the distribution of the communion vnto meer lay-people in one only or both kind's as it shall think fit according to the various condition of tymes places persons and circumstances so that though in this present age lay-communion be giuen in sacramentall bread alone through all the precincts of the easterne Church neuertheless it is in the power of the supreme Pastour to change that into another vsage of both kind's if he shall see as good reasons to moue him thereunto as he seeth cause to continue it vnder one sole kinde viêªt videlicet in opposition and detestation of moderne heresies First in regard of many Lutherans who beleiue that Christs body only is contained with the bread and his blood only with the wine and not all Christ entirely which is a manifest ignorance for wheresoeuer Christ's body is truly really and substantially from the day of his Resurrection there it is truly * Rom. non amplius moritur Christus aliue being impossible for Christ to die again and since the life of the flesh * Leuit. 17. anima omnis carnis in sanguine is in the blood Leuit. 17. it followeth euidently that wheresoeuer Christs body is there his blood is also and since Christ hath deuested himself of no reall thing that he once assumed and whatsoeuer he assumed was vnited hypostatically to his diuine person it is again plainly euident that wheresoeuer * S. Ambrosius vbi carpus Christi Christus est Christs body blood or soul is there is all Christ entire without separation of one part from another and albeit the words that consecrate Christs body according to their proper
from equalling or adjusting of things due by right Iustice deriues its name which in order to God is meet exhibiting of praise and seruice in regard of his diuine perfections and thanksgiuing in reference to the infinit benefits he hath confer'd on mankind and a meet satisfying for sin whereby God is injured It is meet and just that we praise and serue God who is our soueraign lord of whom we hold all our goods both temporall and spirituall and which-indeed are rather his goods then ours he hauing deliuered them to us only vpon condition we render him faithfull seruice that is * Ad Epes 6. non ad oculum seruientes quasi hominibus placentes sed vt serui Christi facientes voluntatē eiuo ex animo not seruice to the eye as men-pleasers but as good seruants doing his will with a perfect heart and willing mind * S. Chrysos cum tali inquit vultu respicit Deus ea quae facis cum quali facis For God regardeth our seruice according to the manner we doe it he glorifyeth the good and casteth the euill seruants into vtter darknes wherfore whosoeuer will be for himselfe and not for God * S. Gregor de nihilo Deus fecit omniae qui sibi vult esse non tiói nihil vult esse inter omnia will be nothing amongst all things which God made of nothing besides it is meet and just that we praise and serue God in regard he is our Father we are the clay and he our potter and we all are the work of his hands Isa 64. if a child is bound to honour and serue his earthly Father in deed in word and in all patience Eccle. 30. from whom he receiueth his body much rather he ought to honour and serue his heauenly Father that both formes the same body and breathes into it a breath of life vnto making him a liuing soul and exalting him to a heauenly inheritance wherfore doubtless euery good Christian when he saith our Father which art in Heauen hath a great sense of his condition and taketh thought for pleasing God his heauenly Father lest he come to heare the heauy sentence of Iudgment declared to the wicked Iewes I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me Isa 50. or that other Io. 8. ye are of your Father the deuil and the lustes of your Father ye will doe Again t is meet and just that we celebrate the remembrance of Gods immense benefits bestowed on us with thanks-giuing for he * Ephes 2. Deus qui diues est in misericordia propter nimiam suam charitatem qua dilexit nos which is rich in mercy through the great aboundance of his loue where with he loued us euen When we were by nature the children of wrath and dead in sin hath quickened us together in Christ by whose grace we are deliuered from bondage death and made partakers of eternall life to the end we may raigne with him celestially Eph. 20. One of the ten lepers Luc. 17. was just fell down on his face at the feet of Christ and gaue him thankes for the healing of his corporall leprosy much rather we Christians ought to exalt the great mercy of God with thanks-giuing for as much as he hath cured vs through IESUS-CHRIST of our spirituall leprosy which is sin vnless we will be like the other euill nine lepers which returned not to praise God that had clensed them or like the pagan Philosophers Rom. 10. which God gaue vp to their vaine thoughts deceitfull vanities and their hearts filthy lusts because though they knew yet they did not glorify him neither were thankfull Again t is meet and just that we acknowledge our sins to God vnto repairing of the injuries done him thereby and when we (c) An humble confession of our sins appeaseth Gods wrath I did confess saith the Royall Prophet against my selfe my iniustice to our lord and he forgaue the impiety of my sin confess with a contrite heart against our selues our wickednes his mercy forgiues the punishment of our guilt * Ezechiel 18. si impius egerit poenitiam ab omnibus peccatis suis quae operatus est .... omnium iniquitatum eius non recordabor neither will God remember the iniquities of him that turnes from them and makes him a new heart and a new spirit Iustice in order to our neighbour is to pay to all men loue respect honour and duty that is to doe to euery man whatsoeuer we would * Haecest lex naturae Quod tibi nō vis facere alteri nefeceris that euery man should doe to vs for euery man is euery mans neighbour there being nothing of * Aug. in Psal 118. omnis homo omni homini est proximus nec vllae cogit anda est longinquitas generis vbi est natura communis distance as to birth or kindred where nature is common alike Besides Gods law of charity excepts none his will being to saue and bring all men vnto the knowledg of his truth (d) According to the generall practice of the Catholick Church publick prayers are offered on good friday for all men of what condition or profession soeuer they be which holy custome plainly demonstrates the sence of the whole Church in order to Christs offering his passion for the redemption of the world that is the Church beleiues that Christ excluded none from that oblation Pagans Iews and hereticks through the great mercy of God may cast from them their iniquities vnto iustification of life in respect wherof the Apostle Timo. 2. exhorteth that supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men in consequence of the premises as we would that our neighbour should doe to vs so must we doe to him likewise as we would that our neighbour should giue to vs loue respect honour and duty so must we giue to him likewise as we would that our neighbour should not prejudice us in word counsell or deed so must we doe to him likwise as we would that all men should keep their faith pawned to us so must likewise wee performe faithfully our ingagement with all men Furthermore Iustice in order to our neighbour is to fullfill (e) S. Gregor l. 4. Dial. c. 58. aduiseth vs as a thing more safe and profitable to procure in our life time those benefits and aduantages which after our death we exspect from those which are intrusted with our pious legacies saying t is better to depart out of this world vnliable to imprisonment then afterwards in prison to seek liberty the will of the dead according to the trust put in us and to powre out our prayers to giue of our aboundance alms and to vnder goe voluntary afflictions for the faithfull departed to the end that such as after their remouall out of their bodies stand liable (f) S. Bernard auerreth that the torments of faithfull souls
reason lay claim to that passage as a proof of their forbidden doctrine in order to communion in both kind's in regard they deny that any part of the said chapter of S. Iohn is meant of sacramentall eating or drinking lest by assenting thereto they might be forced to grant Christs reall presence in the Sacrament which the chapter plainly declares if it shall beare an interpretation of sacramentall eating and drinking Howeuer the precept so interpreted doth not euince communion vnder both kinds to be enjoyned of necessity in order to each Christian in particular since according to scripture vsage the particle * Julius Paulus insignis Jurisconsultus ait comparatum esse vt coniuncta pro disiunctis accipiantur Di gestis de verborum significatione l. saepe And is frequently taken in a disiunctiue sense only For example S. Peter Act. 3. sayes Siluer and Gold haue I none where the particle And is taken disiunctiuely the true meaning thereof being Siluer or gold haue I none In like manner it is written Exod. 21. He that smiteth his Father and Mother so it is read in Hebrew shall die the death Where And is taken for or Again Math. 20. it is said by thy words thou shalt be iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Where likewise the particle And is taken disiunctiuely for Or and Aristotle also taketh And in the disiunctiue sense when he defineth Nature to be Authour or cause of motion and rest all his interpreters vnderstanding the particle And in that definition to signify Or and truly by the latter particle And in the cited passage of scripture vêªt videlicet Except ye cate the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood See doubtless was meant Or as doe plainly demonstrate other word 's of Christ there set down wherby he explaines that precept saying v. 47. I am the bread of life v. 50. This is that bread that came down from Heauen If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I shall giue is my flesh which I shall giue for the life of the world Whereby is plainly euident that Christ did ascribe the effect of this Sacrament as common alike to the bread alone and to the bread and wine ioyntly Howeuer sectaries haue nothing of aduantage if the latter particle And in S. Iohn ought to be taken in the copulatiue sense for the precept euen so meant and indeed so catholick writers do vnderstand it importes an obligation only in order to the whole Church wherin there is neuer want of Priests that be obliged to communicate in both kinds as often as they offer sacrifice and not to each member therof In the old law God hauing iustituted Circumcision added this precept in generall tearmes viêªt videlicet Ye shall circumcise the foreskin of your flesh and notwithstanding only such had right to exercise that function as were deputed therunto by the Church or Synagegue which sheweth plainly that though the precept did oblige the whole Church or Synagogue yet it did not reach to each member thereof howeuer it seemes as if it had been enioyned in order to all vniuersally Again when God instituted the pascall lambe as a Sacrament and sacrifice also he imposed two precepts Exod. 12. the one Let euery man take vnto him a lambe the other all the multitude of the children of Israel shall kill it which two precepts though they be expressed in generall words to the obliging the whole Synagogue yet euery particular member therof had not right to choose and take vnto him a lamb and sacrifice it but the heads of each family only which executed Priestly function as to that sacrifice being a priuiledge giuen to them before Priesthood was appropriated to the family of Aaron as appeareth manifestly by the said chapter of Exod. As to the passages which some sectaries alledge out of S. Innocent Ep. 26. and S. Augustin lib. 7. against Iulian the Pelagian to proue a necessity of communion vnder both kinds in regard that these ancient Fathers expresly assert that Infants cannot be saued except they eate Christ's flesh and drinke his blood they make not a jot for them who require a presonall act of inward faith to the eating of Christ's body and drinking of his blood Infant 's being vncapable of exercising any such acction in consequence where of the alledged * Agunt Innocen Aug. contra Pelagium qui negabat peccatum originale in infantibus authorities afforde them nothing of aduantage But as to the true sense of these primitiue Fathers doubtless their meaning is only to shew that Infants cannot enter into the kingdome of God except they receiue sanctifying grace in baptism through the merits of Christ's body and blood that were offered for all men vnto remission of sins (d) According to Origin hom 29. in num we are said to drink of Christ's blood not only when we receiue the Sacrament but when wee heare his diuine word preach'd wherein is life according to Christ's own saying the Words vvhich I have spoken are spirit and life in as much as they be dispositions to diuine grace which is the life of the soul through the merits of Christ Again such as hear Mass deuoutly and ioyne in heart with the Priest receiue life and fruit by the Sacrament though they neither eate of Christ's body nor drink of his blood sacramentally Fourthermore in as much as Infants through baptism be made members of that Church which eateth Christ's flesh and drinketh his blood the same Church as it doth furnish them * Aug. Tom. 10. ser 10. de verbis Apostoli Mater Ecclesia inquit accommodat parvults alioruÌ„ pedes vt veniant ad Ecclesiam altorum cor vt credant alioruÌ„ linguam vt fatcantur it a Ecclesia accommodat aliorum ora vt comedant bibant with the feet of others to come vnto it with the heart of others to belieue and with the tongues of others to professe the christian faith in like manner according to a spirituall metaphoricall form of speech it may be said to furnish them with the mouths of others to eate Christ's flesh and drink his blood CHAR. X. OF PENANCE THE CONTENTS Penance hath a iust claim vnto all requisits necessary to a speciall Sacrament of the new law Christ after the similitude of an outward Court of iustice instituted an inward Tribunall where by diuine dispensation Priest's sit as Iudges of sinns committed after baptism whatsoeuer Priests judge here below God approu's aboue the power Christ gaue to the Apostles and heir successors in priestly function and authority was not onely to declare but effect indeed remission of hones in vertue of the word of reconciliation ioynt vnto a sinners sincere sorrow and humble Confession of his sinnes together with a full purpose to sin no more PEnance is a (a) There are three requisits necessary to the nature of a Sacrament of the
Ansel in cap. 3. 1. Cor. poenam quam patiuntur animae Purgatorij esse grauiorem omni poena huius vita is more grieuous then all the sufferings of this life for therein is the place and time of executing the diuine Iustice the instrument wherof is true and reall fire that is applyed * Aug l. 2. de ciuit c. 10. docet spirituÌ„ posse pati ab igne corporeo per omnipotentiam Dei for the tormenting of such souls truly and really according to the proportion of the guilt of petty-treasons and debt's they stand charged with yet in as much as they being departed in faith hope and charity which be the spirituall chaines of vnion in order to all the good members of Christ's mysticall body and in as much as it is proper and naturall to the (i) According to the Apostle 1. Cor. 12. members of one and the same body can mutuall helpe one another and it is an Article of Catholick faith that the soul 's in Purgatory are members of one and the same Church and can be help'd through her prayers and suffrages And as to this poynt of doctrine there was ful agreement between the Latin and Greek Fathers in the Council of Florence as clearly appear's by the letters ' of vnion Besides Aerius was counted an Hereâ—ick by S. Epipha haer 75. and S. Austin haer because he denyed that the dead might receiue reliefe through the suffrages of the liuing Moreouer this Catholick truth is asserted by the ancientest Fathers namely S Deny's l. de caeles Hierar c. 7. S. Cyprian Epis 66. and S. Austin l de curae pro mortuis agenda ser 22. de verbis Apos expresly teacheth that the doctrine which assert's that the faithfull departed receiue help by prayers sacrifices and Almes-deeds c. is approu'd by the vniuersall Church members of one and the same body to comfort and help one an other doubtless the souls of Purgatory can be comforted and helped by the prayers and suffrages of the liuing as plainly appeares by the testimonies and Liturgies of primitiue Fathers authorities of Councils and the vniuersall practice of the catholick church that offereth dayly and howerly prayers and suffrages for the faithfull souls of such as die in grace that they may be comforted and deliuered out of the grieuous paines which they endure in Purgatory Besides for as much as they are not (k) According to S. Austin l. 20. de Ciuit. c. 9. the souls of the faithfull departed are not seperated from the Church which euen now is the kingdom of God and indeed the good soul 's of Purgatory are vnited vnto us in charity in regard at their departure out of this world they were in the state of grace again they are vnited vnto vs in faith and hope because these two vertues are not euacuated before the soul's admittance into Heauen seperated from the Church they be in a capacity to receiue benefit euen by Indulgences it being in the Churches power to apply those spirituall treasures for the aduantage of all such children as abide in vnion with her through faith Hope and charity And though prayers Church-suffrages Indulgences c. doe not remit sinnes in the next life these requiring necessarily * Trid sess 6. cap. 7. docet peccatuÌ„ mortale non remit ti sine infusione gratiae at sola Sacramenta in re vel in voto suscepta in funduÌ„t gratiam ex eodeÌ„ Concil sess 6. cap. 4. sed Indulgentia noÌ„ est Sacramentum culpa venialis nunquam tollitur sine aliqua displicentia de tali peccato veniali infusion of grace if mortall or a detestation therof if veniall no man can say but that souls be deliuered thereby out of their pames and translated to the kingdome of heauen without contradicting the authority of ancient Fathers the definition of a generall Councill the Ordinances of sundry Popes and the vniuersall practice of the catholick Church For example S. Austin placeth souls after their purgation in the next life in heauen to expect their bodies lib. 15. de Trinitate cap. 25. Again S. Austin puts no longer bounds to tyme in Purgatory then the matter as to satisfaction for each sinne requireth The Council of Florence defineth the transplanting of suffering soul's out of Purgatory into Heauen before the generall Resurrection Pope Benedict the 12. decreto Benedictus Deus in donis suis rancketh such as hold with pertinacy the contrary doctrine in the number of Hereticks Pope Gregory the first and Pope Siluester afore granted (l) Although an Indulgence be an act of iurisdiction and although the Church militant hath nothing of iurisdiction ouer the souls suffering in Purgatory neuertheless she hath power ouer her spirituall Treasure In consequence of which Indulgences are not granted in order to the dead after the manner of a Iudges absolution but in nature of a suffrage vnto helping of such onely as remoue out of their bodyes in communion with Christ's body and blood wherfore when the Church-gouernours grant Indulgences for the dead they insert the particles per modum suffragij after the manner of suffrages wherby is signifyed that they doe not giue Indulgences in order to the dead as if the dead were continued vnder their iurisdiction but they grant them only as competent recompences or conuenient satisfactions for as much as the faithfull aliue offer them as satisfactory works vnto satisfying the pains due to the sinnes which the dead had committed before they were remou'd out of their bodyes Aud doubtless euery particular belieuer that is in the slate of grace may offer to God their fasting praying and giuing of almes as worthy satisfactions vnto compensing of the torment 's which good soul 's endure in Purgatory Indulgences to such Priests as offered the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood in a Chappel dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary called by the name of Mariae Liberatricis that they might free one soul out of Purgatory as doth appeare by the ancient Records of the said Chappell and Pope Pascall the first gaue deliuerance of one soul out of Purgatory to Priests celebrating fiue Masses in a Church consecrated to S. Praxes which Indulgence eleuen succeeding Popes confirmed whereunto may be added the Indulgence of Pope Iohn the eight that administred supream Church-gouernment in the yeare 878. granted to souldiers that should loose their life 's in the holy warr for the defeÌ„ce of the Church and this practice was neuer yet reproued by any Council Pope or catholick writer wherfore it seen eth a strange thing that Mr. Thomas White a priuate man and in outward profession a catholick christian should assume so vnauthorized a liberty and vnparalelled boldnesse as to publish a writing in the yeare 1653. entitled An Account of his husbanding the midle state of soul's in contradiction of the (m) According to S. Austin Tom. Epis 118. ad Ianua it is a manifest madnes to call in question
scripturae and comfort of the scripturs may haue hope Rom. 15. although they doe not define and iudge all matters of faith and religion yet they (l) The Apostle 2. Timot. 3. Saith that all scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach argue correct and instruct in iustice That is according to the ancient Fathers to resiste conuince and condemne false doctrines Wherfore according to the same Apostle ad Tit. l. a Bishop must be vnreproueable embracing the faithfull word and sound doctrine that he may be able to exhort and conuince those which say against it conduce mainly therunto tending specially to christian instruction and erudition besides they stir vs vp to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledg and with knowledg temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godliness and with godliness loue 2. Epis 2. Pet. which is the consistency and plenitude of the law Scripturs are liud * S. Ambros Epis 19. vocat sacras scripturas fontes viuos qui saliunt in vitam aeternam fountains springing vp vnto euerlasting life but the keeping and dressing of them is cōmitted only to the Church of Christ that was the rock whence they sprāg it is the christian catholick Church taught of the holy Ghost that cōprehēdeth the bredth lenght depth and hight of these heauenly fountaines which is to say it is a speciall prerogatiue giuen to the Church of Christ to interpret infallibly and iuridically the holy scripturs (m) According to S. Hierom Epis ad Paulum S Chrys hom 40. in Ioa. S. Austin l. 4. de doct christ cap. 3. the hardness of holy scrpitures proceeds from the profoundnes copiousnes compendiousnes therof in consequence of which a right vnderstanding of sundry passages of necessary depends of tradition as well obserues S. Austiu l. de fide oper and S. Hierom in his scripture prologue ingeniously confesseth that he could not vnderstandand the holy Prophets Isaias Ieremy and Daniel again S. Irenaeus l. 3. cap. 7. Orig. in explic Epis ad Rom. and S. Austin l. de fide oper cap. 14. confess with one accorde that S. Paul is hard to be vnderstood and especially in regard he vseth frequent hyperboles which proceeded from the vehemency of the spirit that guided his pen. which profoundness of misteries plenteousness of senses shortness of sentences haue rendred obscure hard and intricate as plainly appeareth by the holy writers of the old law namely Isay Ieremy Ezechiel Daniel and of the new law Saint Paul especially according to the testimony of Saint Peter 2. Pet. 3. wherein he speaketh of his writings thus * S. Irenaue l. 3. cap. 7. scribens de Haereticis testatur Paulū hyperbolis vti frequenter propter impetu spiritus qui in ipso fuit Idē sentiūt Origines explicat Epistolae ad Rō Aug. de fide operibus cap. 14. 15. our Brother Paul in all his Epis mentioneth things in which Epistles some things are hard to be vnderstood which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest as they doe also others scripturs vnto their own perdition for further proofe of this catholick assertion may be alledged the perpetuall contention between one sectary and an other concerning the interpretation of scripture Texts in reference to controuersies of faith for example from the words This is my body Luc. 22. Lutherans doe argue the true and real presence of Christs body in the Sacrament together with the substance of bread contrariwise Caluinists infer a meer figure of Christs body Anabaptists deduce out of the commission Christ gaue vnto his Apostles Math. 18. goe and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father c. That baptism ought not to be administrated but to such as are de facto apt to receiue instruction And the Arians misinterpreting that saying of Christ Io. * Apud S. Joan. dicit Christus Pater maior me est alibi ego Pater vnum sumus Posterior textus explicatur ab Arianis de vnitate consensus conformitate voluntatū My Father is greater then I denied his Godhead the holy scriptures are a great light of christian doctrine for they are the dictates of the holy Ghost yet not sufficient enough to let vs see the way to euerlasting life vnless they be set on the cādlestick of the * Vt luceat omnibus qui in domo sūt Mat. 5. Church it is not the same thing to be a light and to enlighten a light vnder a bushell is a light and shineth there howeuer it doth not giue light to all that are in the house but when it is put on the candlestick Math. 5. euen so the scripturs light put vnder a bushell that is vnder the interpretation of priuate wits continueth a shining light in it selfe neuertheless doth not enlighten vnto euerlasting life but when it is put on the candlestick of infallible authority proper to the Church of Christ Again the scripture is a booke written within and on the backside Apoc. 5. the outward writing is the letter that killeth the inward the spirit that giueth life 2. Cor. 3. as the soul quickneth the body (n) S. Austin ser 70. de tempore expounding the sacred Text Epis ad Cor. the letter killeth the spirit quikneth If saith he thou follow the true sense of scripture which is the spirit that giues life to the soule it will bring thee vnto saluation but if thou shalt neglect the true sense adhering to the outward letter presuming the true sense to be therein it will often tymes lead thee into errour And according to Tertul. l. de resur carnis Heresies spring vp in regard the scriptures are misinterpreted And he speaking of S. Pauls Epistles affirms that it ought not to seem a hard thing or any way strang that from thence errours should arise since heresies must be 1. Cor. 11. which notwithstanding would not be if the scriptures were interpreted aright Heresies must be not becaus God hath appointed that they should be but because he permitted that they might be and mans free will together with pride and malice makes them to be against Gods positiue will howeuer the supream prouidence from euil heresies draws good things soe the spirit or sense of the scriptures quickneth the letter but to come vnto the spirit of necessity there is required the opening of the booke which the Church onely can doe trusted with the key of authority that openeth it wherfore in as much as many men down from the begining of christianity to these times haue adhered rather to the letter then to the sense of scripture and thence cut out vnauthorized interpretations of their own many heresies haue sprung vp to the distruction of infinit souls wherof Christ prophesying said heresies must be He fore saw that euen of such as were incorporated into his Church would men rise * S. Cypri Epis 55. ad Cornelium Nec aliunde
that will prefer heauenly enjoyments before wordly pleasures ought to flye from the crafty dealings of the flesh as from a serpent lion or tyger CHAR. IV. OF THE VIRGIN MARY THE CONTENTS The Virgin MARY Mother of God Mother taken in the proper sense her maternity did not prejudice her virginity nor originall sin her conception which by diuine dispensation was immaculate the power of her Intercession vnto saluation to euery sinner that humbly seeketh vnto her THe Virgin MARY was the Royall Stemm (a) Isaias cap. 11. prophesied that there should come a rodde forth of the roote of Iesse and that a flower should grow out of his roote Where according to the ancient Fathers the Prophet meant by the rodde the Virgin MARY and by the flower her diuine son IESUS that sprung from the root of Iesse and from her root sprung the fairest branch of man kind For she was the woman * Gal. 4. misit Deus Filium suum factum ex muliere of whom the Son of God was made man whence arised her most excellent title of mother of God And Saint Elizabeth was not more truly the mother of S. Iohn Baptist then the Virgin Mary was Gods mother mother taken in the proper sense hauing all necessary requisites to a true maternity For the body that the son of God assumed was made of her and by her disposed to the reception of the reasonable soul that informed the said body also she cooperated to the vniting of that soul to the said body and bore to the world the singular person Christ God-man and man-God which was sufficient enough to inuest her in the eminent title of mother of God mother taken in the proper sense For to furnish all essentiall requisites to the making of Christ namely his diuine nature personality and reasonable soul are not necessarily required to make her maternity For if a mother could not be truly the mother of her son vnless she should furniâ—h whatsoeuer is essentiall to a son it would plainly and evidently follow that S. Elizabeth was not the mother of S. Iohn Baptist nor any other woman the mother of her child since a child essentially requires a reasonable soul that is not produced by the mother but created by God alone To declare how the son of God was conceiued of the Virgin Mary lies not within the reach of a naturall vnderstaÌ„ding the nuptiall conjunction of diuinity and humanity in the vnity of his diuine person was the diuine work of the holy Ghost in an admirable and vnexpressible manner howeuer it may bee illustrated thus (b) S. Greg. Thaumat l. de Incarn vseth that similitude vnto illustrating the manner of Christs Natiuity Naturalists haue observed that the shell fish which bringeth forth a precious stone called an vnion when the time of breeding comes naturally desirous of conception opens its mouth to receiue the dew descending from Heauen which afterwardes toucht by a heauenly lightning contracts that precious body of stone named vnion through the cooperation of the same shell fish The Virgin MARY is the pure shell the heauenly dew the son of God that descended from heauen into the Virginall wombe the heauenly lightning the holy Ghost that descended vpon the Apostles in form of lightning and fiery tongues at Pentecost the touch of the said lightning the diuine operation of the same holy Ghost in vertue wherof together with the concurrence and cooperation of the Virgin MARY the son of God contracted a precious body iustly named an vnion for he made one of two vnited Iuda and Ephraim the Iewes and the Gentiles demolishing the midle wall of the partition namly the old law that caused the diuision between them As in the Conception of the son of God the Virgin Mary was like the aforementioned shell fish so in his Natiuity she resembled a royall bird that in bignes little exceeds a sparrow and in colour represents the skie with some encrease of white and purple it sings amongst the low and humble reeds builds its nest of thornes vpon the sea brings forth its young ones in winter * Dies Alcionides and during the time of breeding the whol Ocean is quiet and calme The Virgin Mary is the royall bird in humility little and whom celestiall graces beautified with an aduantage of naturall gifts she sung amongst the low and humble reeds of a poor Cottage Behold the hand maid of our lord made her cradle of a thorny manger brought forth her diuine son the 25th of December and during the time of her trauelling with child (c) The Euangelist S. Luke cap. 2. writeth that it happened in those daies there came a decree from Augustus Cesar that all the world should be enrolled the whole world did obedience to Augustus Cesar acknowledging his soueraignity in a full enjoyment of peace As in the Conception of the son of God no human seed did interuene to diminish the sanctity of the Virgin Mary so in his Natiuity no vncleaues did occurr to prejudice her Virginity he went out of her pure wombe as the sun out of a bright morning he did not force his passage to a breach of the Virginall seal that as before so after his miraculous birth continued seal'd the Virgin Mary was the * S. Hierom. aduersies Iouianum haec Virgo Maria est inquit porta Orientalis Ezechiel c. 44. semper clausa per quam sol iustitiae PoÌ„tifex noster secundùm ordinem Melchisedech ingreditur egreditur Orientall door that gaue ingress and egress to our high Priest and still remained shut And though to her Conception concurred human seed notwithstanding by a diuine dispensation she was deliuered from all vncleanes and Originall infection which defiled the Conceptions of all others descending by the interuening of human seed from the race of Adam Quicksiluer infused into any whatsoeuer vessell of Gold siluer Iron c. saue a vessel of pure glass break 's throw it Originall sin is the quick siluer that broke all the vessells of human nature saue that of the Virgin Mary who was the vnbroken vessell of pure glass And it was necessary that she should be so * Eccl. 3. Pater sine honore est dedecus filij for a mother without honour is the dishonour of her son Neither was it probable as to the light of reason that she who in her eternall predestination was foreordain'd to be the mother of God should be made in her Conception an example of diuine wrath or who by an eternall decree was appointed to fight the infernall serpent and bruse his head should at any time be enslaued by sin wherof the serpent is sole author (d) S. Andrew the Apostle said as t is related in his history that as the first man was made of pure earth so it was necessary that Christ should be born of a pure Immaculat Virgin Besides sundry Popes haue named the blessed Virgins Conception Immaculate thereby ascribing to
only for the goodnes sanctity and perfection essentiall vnto him And God is not loued aright when he is loued for * Aug. in psa 52. Deus non propterea se amari vult quia dat aliquid praeter se sed quia dat se a reward besides himselfe who is the * Gen. 17. ego ait Deus Abrahamo protector tuus sum merces tua magna nimis great reward of right loue also the soul that loues God aright loues him with all its faculties strength and thought * Aug. medita 35. immensus es Domine ideò sine mēsura debes amari Et rursum totū amorem à te exigit Deus qui te tetum fecit for in the exhibition of loue God requires of man it all who made him all As a chast woman that loues her husband loues no other man besides him for to loue so where not at all or less to loue him then she ought so a chast soul that loues God its spouse loues no other reward besides him for that were not to haue at all or less affection for him who will not be loued for any reward that is not himselfe and indeed a riuer diuided into two riuolets or branches the more water it giues to one the less it bestowes on the other Furthermore as a woman doth not loue her husband that loues him for his mony goods and estate so a Christian soul doth not loue God that loues him for worldly enjoyments Aright louer of God does not stoope his loue to any creature but mount's vp and sixes it in the Creatour onely that is renounces all leagues of loue and friendship with the world And truly the. (a) According to S. Chrysostom hom 42. in Mat. a man if he loues God does not loue the world for if he loues the world he loues not God with all his heart a gain in an other place S. Chrysostom saith that whosoeuer will loue God of necessity must hate riches and whosoeuer will loue riches of necessity must hate God The loue of God and the loue of the world as contradictories are inconsistent together to loue God is to hate the world and to loue the world is to hate God * Iac. 4. amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei. whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God As the same eyes of the body cannot behold the heauen and the earth together so the same eyes of the soul cannot look on God and the world at once this cannot flie vp on high when the wings of its affections are glewed to earthly delights God and the world are two contrary Masters and command contrary wise God command's man to abandon all terrene things for him and his faith and he will giue him eternall life the world saies to man denie or dissemble thy faith and Religion and I will bestow on thee riches and honours bring thee out of trouble and misery and make thee liue in peace and plenly at thine own house with they wife children and family The obseruation of Gods commands is the proofe and evidence of Christi an charity for whosoeuer loueth God * Joan. 14. si diligitis me mādata mea seruate Et cap. 10. haec inquit est charitas Dei vt mādata eius custodiamus quo modo dicit Aug. dlligis eum cuius odisti praeceptum quis est qui dicat diligo Imperatorē sed odi leges eius keepeth his commandements and doth those things which are pleasing in his sight and good works proceeding from the root of charity are without guilt of sin and consequently gratefull sacrifices vnto God * Io. Deus charitas est qui manet in charitate in Deo manet who is charity it selfe and in whom a Christian soul abideth whiles it abideth in charity * Quod charitas de fasto deperdatur totaliter quolibet peccato mortali est assertio fide certa ex Tridentino sess 6. cap. 15. can 27. read the character of luxury vvherein this Catholick doctrine is clearely prou'd and it is as impossible for charity to remaine with mortall sin as fire to burn in water for as water extinguisheth fire so each mortall sin driueth away charitv Lucifer was depriued of charity by the sin of pride Adam by the sin of disobedience king Dauid by the sinns of adultery and homicide and S. Peter lost his charity by denying of Christ though not * Iuxta antiquos Patres S. Petrus peccauit ex timore non ex infidelitate charitatem amisit non fidem his faith he sinning through feare only And albeit that some naturall works may be (b) S. Austin ser 52. de tempore c. 2. besides diuine supernaturall acknowledges human naturall charity and expresly affirmes that such meer morall affection if no euil circunstance interuene is laudable lawfull and honest in consequence of which he teacheth that pagans Jewes and other vnbelieuers may loue one another namely pagan husbands may loue their wifes and parents their children with a loue that is no deadly sin although it be not grounded on Christian faith wherby t is plain that S. Austin did not think as the new Teachers of these daies impose vpon him that euery morall action done by a pagan or Iew is a mortall sin because of the want of Christian faith neither matt'ers it that t is said Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin Fot the Apostle meaneth only as appeares by the same chapter that whatsoeuer worke a man does against faith or contrary to conscience is a sin ant doubtles it is not meant thereby that an infidel sinneth in honouring his parents giuing of almes fighting for his Country tilling his ground and in all other morall good works where vnto an insidel is bound by the law of nature good morally without both diuine charity and diuine faith for if liberum arbitrium free will could produce no good morall action at all without Gods speciall helpe by necessary consequeuce it would follow that it were wholy extinct for example he who could perceiue nothing of any coulour without a speciall concurrence and assistance of God would be counted wholy blind that is it would be thought that his sight or faculty of seeing were totally extinct Howeuer meer works of nature inuested with morall goodnes onely haue but withered leaues wanting reall fruits such as tend * Aug. l. 4. con Julia nullum bonū beatificum sine charitate hoc inquit amore opus est vt sit bonum beatificum to the glory of Heauen which is the centre of Christian charity CHAR. XVIJ. OF CHARITY TOWARDS OVR NEIGBOUR THE CONTENTS The loue of God bringeth forth loue towards our neigbour whosoeuer loueth God as he ought loueth his neigbour also euery man is euery mans neigbour those come the nearest to God in imitation which loue their enemyes without dissimulation the highest praise
in Purgatory are shortned through the fasting praying and almes deeds of the faithfull on earth and moreouer saith ser 66. in Canti that the same happy souls perceiue the prayers and sacrifices of the liuing by the mediation of Angels which comfore them to temporall punishments due to their sins committed when they liued on earth may receiue refreshment vnto shortning of their painfull accounts S. Bernard writeth in the life of S. Malachias that this holy monck had so great an abhorrence of the wicked courses which a certain sister of his own imbraced that he made a vow neuer to see her in the flesh But saies S. Bernard she being remoued out of the body he was freed from his vow and whom he detested to see in the flesh (g) S. Austin l. de cura pro mor. c. 10. assertes apparitions of souls departed Jf vve shall ansvvere saith he that such apparitions vvere false vve shall seem impudently to contradict sundry faithfull vvriters and euen the sense of such as attest they haue seen them Other ancient Fathers and S. Bede especially affirm that such apparitions haue been alwaies counted amongst diuine 〈◊〉 racles besides Moyses and Elias truly and really appeared in 〈◊〉 Transfiguration of Christ and the true Samuell 1. Reg. according to the common opinion of orthodox writers appeared to Saul whereby is euidenced the impudency and manifest weaknes of those who name such apparitions old wiues tales saw in spirit for in a dream he heard a voice that said vnto him thy sister is in the court before thy door and hath receiued nothing of nourishment for the space of thirty daies wherwith being raised from sleep he apprehended suddenly the meaning of the vision and computing the time of her want of food with the time he had omitted to offer for her the sacrifice of mass he foūd the number of daies to be the very same then he saith S. Bernard that hated the sins but not the soul of his sister began againe to offer for her refreshment the heauenly bread of the altar the sacrifice wherof he had omitted during thirty daies afore and not in vain according to the same S. Bernard for a very litle while after he saw her before the doore of the Church clothed in a mourning weed yet not suffer'd to enter in and perseuering in his great work of piety saw her afterwards in a whitish habit admitted into the Church but not admitted to touch the Altar at lenght in a third vision he saw her inuested with a faire whit garment together with sundry others clothed in white robes which gaue euidence of her deliuerance out of the bitter afflictions which she had endured in Purgatory Wherby appeareth how much * Iacob 5. assidua iusti oratio multum valet the prayer of a just man auaileth if it be feruent truly the kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11. The extream feruor of S. Malachias piety as it were by force opened the gates of Heauen to his distressed sister whoobtained through the constant violence of his prayers a speedy enjoyment of hlessednes that was before denyed to her own merits CHAR. XXVJ OF TEMPERANCE THE CONTENTS Temperance is a bridle to the flesh wherby it is hindred from formenting of disquietnes and trouble to the mind the property of temperance is to purge out of mans body the malignant humours which tend to the preiudice of his soul human flesh is the euill seruant that requireth whipps correction and employment the rebellion of the flesh comes of idlenes and disorder many good fruits proceede from abstinence which is the daughter of temperance TEmperance is a morall vertue that enableth the soul to bridle the body as a bitt is put into the mouth of an horse that he may obey the rider so temperance is the bodyes bitt vnto obeying the soul in regard it suppresseth the iust of the flesh that foments disquietnes and trouble to the mind As God through wisdome hath form'd and tempered man in measure number and weight Sap. 11. disposing sweetly the members euery one of them in the body with proportion decency and order so through temperance he hath ordered him in measure number and weight moderating all his affections therby that he be not caried about with inordinat lustes of the flesh Astrologers teach that the planet called Mercury raignes in the house of the sign named Virgo and ruleth ouer the sign Gemini the two twins temperance is like this planet for in the House of Virgo she keepeth her Court that is to say virginity is the certain token and chief habitation of temperance again she beareth rule ouer Gemini viz the senses of the body which are two eyes two eares two nostrills c. as twins borne at one birth and committed to the care iurisdiction and gouernment of temperance it being proper to this vertue to obstruct the wanton waies of wickednes wherto the senses lead The only daughter of temperance and nurce to all other morall virtues is abstinence which coueteth nothing but what is consonant to the light of reason and rejecteth all things tending to the prejudice either of the body or soul a For it driueth out malignant humours vnto keeping the body in health purgeth away the leauen of originall concupiscence vnto preseruing the soul in sanctity and as hunger forceth a wolfe out of the wood he lurks in so it chaseth the diuid out of the soul he lodgeth in although no man in Iustice can destrov his own flesh neuertheless in reason he ought to keept it vnder * Hieron nihil magis aestuaet quā iuueniles medullae vino dapibus inflamatae For when it is inflamed through much aboundance of wine and meat it is like to a wild vnruly horse and cannot be tamed but with the bridle of abstinence The flesh is the euill seruant * Eccles 33. seruo maleuolo carni tortura compedes mitte illum in operationem ne vaeet that needs whipps correction and work lest it grow idle seek liberty become insolent and breed much sorow truble and vexation the fatter any ground is the more thistles it breedeth euen so the flesh the more it is pampered vp with dilicacies the more desires it bringeth forth to the (b) Boetius saith that we haue exceeding great need of integrity and honesty because we can doe nothing out of the sight of the judge that seeth all things and S. Bernard exhorteth us to reuerence our Angell in euery corner and forbiddeth to do that thing in our Angels presence which we dare not attempt in the presence of him or any other man disquieting * S. Pet. 2. obsecro vos abstinere a carnalibus desiderijs quae militāt aduersus spiritum of the spirit He saith Salomon that delicatly bringeth vp his seruant the flesh from youth at lengh it will become disobedient Besides such as from youth be delicatly nourished celebrat
the feast before the vigil that is they feast before they fast the present and the next life are as it were two dayes wherof one is the vigil the other the feast the present time is after the similitude of a vigil the time of rest to come after death is as a festiuall solemnity good Christians wisely consider this Wherfore in this present life as in a vigil they suffer many tribulations exercising often watching in hungre and thirst and often fasting in cold and nakednes but when the festiuall tyme of the next life is come they doe then feast for euer and are clothed in white robs of glory but the wicked which inuert the order that the supream prouidence hath appointed feasting in the vigil that is in the tyme of this life wheras they should haue prayed fasted watched put on sackcloath and suffered tribulation in punishment of their sins when the festiuall day shall come they will be spoiled of their rich garments depriued of their pleasures and cast into vtter darknes of hell to keep an euerlasting fast in torments Yet in regard the soul of man is a nobler part then the body the best abstinence is in order to it wherfore S. Paul 1. Coloss 4 declareth that it is the will of God our sanctification that is the command of God who hath not called vs vnto vncleanes but to holynes of life that we abstaine from fornication and S. Peter 1. Pet. 20. in the person of God beseecheth and exhorteth that we will abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soul and indeed to fast from and without sin * Cor sapiens inzelligibile abstinebit à peccatis is the true fast vnto saluation for he that fasteth with the guilt of a mortall offence offereth the body to God * Rom. 12. obsecro vos per misericordiā Dei vt exhibeatis corpora vestra hostiam vinentem nō mortuam as a dead carkeise only that wanteth the spirit of life but he that fasteth both from and without sin giueth the body a liuing sacrisice holy and acceptable vnto God Hereby appeareth the manifest blindnes of many carnall and sensuall men which say that they cannot abstaine from the pleasures of this life that t' is impossible to fast from vnclean affections that t' is not in the power of any whosoeuer to stop the course of the law of wantonnes written in the flesh to the mastring of fleshly lustes carnall loue when it engrosseth all power to it selfe and beareth rule maketh men foolishly mad for euen then the most carnall man can fast from meates which he thinkes will prejudice the body but not from sin though he know it will * Aug. omn◠seminarium voluptatis venenū puta ' id est voluptas est animae mortifera poyson the soul likewise shame can refrain him from the exercise of his fleshly lustes in the sight of a temporall Prince (a) S. Hierom compareth abstinence to a wine-press in as much as it purgeth out of our souls the aboundant humours of sin and indeed abstinence is able to driue away the deuil for according to S. Ambrose as fasting spitle is poyson to a serpent so abstiinence is to the deuil And some kind of deuils cannot be cast out but by prayer and fasting Mat. 17. howeuer he is not ashamed to commit fornication in the presence of God who is the Prince of Princes But the spirituall man that is wise and vnderstanding will abstaine from sin Eccle. 30. CHAR. XXVIJ OF FORTITVDE THE CONTENTS Fortitude taken in the proper sense inclineth neither to the right nor left hand that is attempteth nothing of danger out of vashnes and escheweth nothing of difficulty out of pusillanimity many enterprises begin happely which end vnhappely the gift of perseuerance only is able to crown the vertue of fortitude FOrtitude taken in the proper sense is strength whereby a iust man is enabled to ouercome the works of the flesh which are adultery fornication vncleanes wantonnes emmulations contentions seditions heresies euuy murder drunkennes glutony and such like Gal. 5. (a) S. Ambrose and S. Gregory ascribe true fortitude to such only as bear rule ouer their passions feight against all vices and endure persecution for Iustice sake cheerfully fortitude is the conquerer of all vices and the defender of all vertues in as much as it quencheth the heat of fleshly lustes extinguisheth the fire of vnclean delights refraineth the inbrdinat pleasures of this life moderateth the sweetnes of prosperity sweeteneth the bitternes of aduersity (b) S. Hierom. com in Esa counteth those which turn to the right rash and those which incline to the left hand faint hearted and S. Austin Epis ad Hierom teacheth that such as haue the vertue of fortitude neither attempte rashly nor feare vnaduisedly declineth neither to the right or left hand that is attempteth nothing of danger out of rashnes and flyeth nothing of difficulty out of feare loueth persecution for iustice vnto obtaining a crown of reward for merit but as fortitude is the armour of all vertues so all vertues respectiuely are the support of fortitude for example as fortitude is the sheild that defendeth faith (c) According to S. Austin faith is the ground of all good things and the root of all other vertues so faith is the root that bringeth forth fortitude for God giues fortitude to those who with a prefect heart beleiue in him 20. parae 16. as fortitude is the preseruer of hope so hope is the renewer of fortitude for they that hope in our lord shall renue their strength Esa 40. as fortitude rendreth * Cantico 8. fortis est vt mors dilectio charity as strong as death Can. 8. so charity giueth fortitude power (d) The Apostle 1. Cor. 13. denyeth that there is any meritorious work without charity and indeed Charitas est principium meriti and according to S. Austin if a man hath charity he can do what pleaseth him for nothing of wickednes can proceed from the root of charity for the meriting of life 1. Colos 13. yet there is but one vertue that crowneth fortitude which is perseuerance for he only that continueth strong in the exercise of good works to the end shall be saued Perseuerance is the coat of Ioseph reaching down to the feet the preistly garment coming down to the ancles the rump of the peace offering due to God the heel of good works that protecteth against the bite of serpents Augus ser 8. ad fratres in Erenio tom 10. no man that striueth for a prize is crowned except he striueth as he ought to doe perseuering to the end a good begining without a good ending hath nothing of profit Saul when he began to raign was humble and innocent as a child of one year 1. Reg. 13. Saul falling of from humility and innocency lost his kingdom together with his life if Salomon had perseuered in godlines he had
1. Pet. 5. and the greater thou art in wealth dignity and place the more humble thy selfe and thou shalt find mercy with blessednes before thy maker (f) S. Gregory saith that pride is an evident sign of reprobation and contrary wise humility a most clear token of election to glory as pride is an euident sign of reprobation so humility is a manifest token of predestination CHAR. XXX OF COVETOVSNES THE CONTENTS No greedines so vnsatiable as an inordinat loue to worldly riches a couetous man is but rich in imagination a meer dreamer that waken'd out of his sleep 〈◊〉 death findeth nothing of all his riches to carry with him vertues and holy sciences be mans proper goods worldly wealth in it selfe is not euil a rich man that distributeth the superfluiries of his temporall fortune to the poor profiteth his soul vnto iust fication of life Christs example hath rendred pouerty estimable aboue worldly riches COuetousnes is an inordinat desire of riches which are the seruice * Eph. 5 diuitiae appellantur Idolorum seruitus of Idolls in regard the Couetous man turnes Idolater of his goods thinking that felicity standeth therein * Chrysos 64. in mat sicut Jaolum inquit temples sie auari auruÌ„ clauâ—tris vectibus sepiunt c. as Idolaters saith S. Chry sostome enclose Idolls in temples so couetous men enclose and defend with barrs and lockes gold and siluer preparing in the room of temples chestes and afterwards adore their shut vp treasure and choose rather to lose their eyes or life then any part therof They be like vnto a certain people * Plutarchus in quas Gracis called AEneani who were perswaded by their Oracle that they should be spoiled of their country if they gaue away the least parcell of it for though they see their brother to haue need neuertheless * Auari ita clausos omnibus voluÌ„t benignitatis fontes vt quod est in sordido charactere apud Theophrastum neque salem alijs commodent neque illicmium they shut vp their compassion from him as if they were to lose all their goods by parting with the least piece of coyne to the helping of him besides there is no more (a) According to Isidorus l. 2. de summo beno The thirst of a couetous man is neuer satiated the more he has the more he coueteth vnsatiable greedines then is the loue of mony as the matter of fire is so it burneth and according to the aboundance of riches the desire thereof increaseth and cannot be satiated for as wine shut vp in a vessell quencheth not the corporall thirst so mony locked vp in a chest neuer putteth out the fire of auarice the soul which is the cabinet of loue because of its spirituallity cannot be filled with mony no more then the chest that is the cabinet of gold can be filled with loue in regard of its corporallity there being nothing of proportion between a corporall and spirituall thing again he that loueth riches inordinatly shall be without the fruit thereof Eccles 50. no good comes to the owner therby but the beholding of or wallowing in them as did the (b) Tranquillus writeth of the Emperour Caligula that he made a spatious room to be spread all ouer with heaps of gold and his chief delight was to walkein the mids of them barefoot and therin also to tumble himselfe couetous Emperour Caligula A warran keeper after he hath made his ferret very hungry then he sowes the mouth and puts it into a cunnyburrow where the famished beast tumbles among scratches with its nailes the rabbits but cannot deuour any one to the satiating of hunger the like stratagem the deuil vseth with the couetous man he stirreth vp in him a vehement loue and an vnsatiable greedines to keep vp riches but lets him not haue the enjoyment as to vsing them * S. Cypria cpis 2. nec intelligit miser auarus speciosa esse sibi supplicia auro se alligatum teneri possideri magis quam possidere opes nor saith S. Cyprian ep 2. the couetous man vnderstandeth that to be confined to gold and to be possessed by rather then to possesse his treasures are but honourable punishments Hereby appeareth that the poor man that dreame h a dream that he hath found a mine of gold is as rich as the couetous man that hath chests filled with wealth which he vseth not and indeed he that is couetously rich is a very * Psal 75. dormierant semnium suum nihil inuenerunt omnes viri diuitiarum in manibus suis Et Job 27. diues cum dormierit nihil secum auferet aperiet oculos suos nihil inueniet dreamer the time of his dream is the night of this present life the time when he wakeneth is the hour of death the dream it selfe a vain deluding imagination that he abounds with worldly treasures for death comes with his dart opens the door of his soul and seising on him says that he must depart suddenly from his goods where with wakened out of sleep and perceiuing an vnauoidable necessity of his departure looks on euery side thinking to beare somthing away but finds nothing only he sees to his greife and sorrow that he was but rich in his imagination and that the multitude of riches in which he delighted were turned into a dream Furthermore the rich man is like vnto a dog that followes two men and t is not perceiued to which of either he belongs till they part themselues but then the dog goes with him that is his own master for till the rich man departs this life t is not known whether the riches he enioyes be his or the worlds goods but their stay with the world after his departure giues euidence enough to beleiue that the world and not he had the supream dominion ouer them neither are worldly riches properly (c) According to S. Ambrose mercy only accompanies man after his death and the riches which he cannot carry to his graue ought not to be counted his proper goods the goods of man for such only be his proper goods as are within his soul namely vertues and sciences or within the body for example health strength beauty as a wall is not denominated whit of whitnes abiding in a subject distinct from it so no man can be named properly rich in regard of temporall riches these hauing norhing of inward connexion with either body or soul Outward worldly-goods be properly called goods fortune and in reason such frail treasures ought not to be counted mans goods because they turn him from the supream good which is God because they draw him to vice and hinder his aduancement in vertue because they are thornes which choke the good seed of the Euangelicall sower that is the word of God rendering it vnfruitfull filles the soul with vnprofitable desires prick teare and pine away the body through tormenting cares and lastly
wherefore t is manifest iniustice to exacte or contracte for lucre aboue the capitall stock that is lent and herein precisely lies the consistency of mutuum loane Besides t is vnlawfull to exacte interest of fruit from a thing that is vnfruitfull and wholy barren of it selfe but for example * Nummi noÌ„ pariunt alios nummos nec frumentum in arca vel iam consumptum parit aliud frumentum money cannot bring forth money being in it selfe fruitless Agam the selling of time is a transgressing of the diuine and naturall law that haue made tyme sun and aire common to all alike but such as in vertue of lending precisely namely money bread wine oyle which consume away with vsing for dayes weekes moneths yeares receiue or exacte interest aboue the principall stock sell tyme for since a thousand crowns exceed not the valeu of a thouland crowns to exact lucre or interest precisely in regard of the loan thereof for a moneth or a yeare is to exacte an encrease of riches for the tyme of the same loan which implies selling of tyme neither matters it though the party that lendes say that he does not exacte interest in respect of tyme loan or vsing of the thing lent but in vertue of the gain which the party that borroweth reaps thereby it matters not I say because t is vnlawfull to exacte an encrease of riches from any thing that is not ones own but he that lendes money can haue no iust claim to the lucre that comes of lending and vsing it because the loane transfers the dominion and vse of the money to the party that borrowes wherefore the gain pertaines in equity to him who has the property and vse of the thing of which the gain comes whereby appears clearly the difference that is between a thing lent taken in the proper sense afore mentioned and a thing let or set to hire * Conductor de proprietate rei locatae quaestionem referre non potest c. de pignore actione l. credito Proinde contractus locati conducti per quem vsus alicuius rei puta domus praedij equi quae vsu non consnmitur pretio concediturlicitus est item contractus deposite per quem sola custodia rei alteri coÌ„mittitur vèrum quando res quae in numero mensura pondere consistunt deponuntur facta potestate depositario vt eis vtatur tunc incipiunt esse mutua simul ac deposrtarius incipit eis vti qui sic deponit facta expressa vel tacita aut intentione principali vt aliquid lucri inde ei redeat committit peccatum vsurae quia qui sic deponit in effectu mutuat sperare principaliter lucrum ex re mutuata est vsura Item licitus est contractus commodati per quem conceditur vsus alicuius rei quae vsu non consumitur vt gratuita commodatie equi libri rursum licitus est contractus pignoris per quem debitor aliquid creditori in cautionem pignorat huiusmodi enim contractus non transferunt dominium sicut emptio venditio permutatio donatio mutuum for the dominion of what is let or set to hire it not transfered from him that letteth or setteth to hire so that the Hirer has noe good claim to the property of the thing hired and therefore t is lawfull for him that letteth or setteth to hire to exact or reciue lucre for the thing let or set to hire in regard of the vse of it being the dominion and property thereof belonges to him but for as much as the dominion of things lent which consum in vsing is transferd from the lender to the debtour t is impious and execrable to exacte or receiue encrease of riches vpon that scoare being the profit is due to him that can chalenge the property of the thing that yeeelds it wherefore the hazard or danger of losing a thing let or set to hire concernes him that letteth or setteth to hire and not the hirer soe that if a thing hired perish without any fault of the hirer the loss is his that letteth or setteth to hire but if a thing lent onely for example money bread wyne oyle perish by accident t is the debtours loss to whom the dominion thereof was transferd The premises clearly euidence the * Aug. cur miser homo faeneraris homini fanerare Deo centuplum accipies vitam aeterna possidebis wretched condition of an vsurer his life is cursed of God for he sels what is not his own to encrease his riches by vniust dealings and since such as did gather wood vpon the saboth day were stoned num 15. what shall become of an vsurer that gathers lucre on euery day selling all the dayes of the yeare for the encreasing of riches * Vsurarius omni die omni felto facit suos operarios nuÌ„mos operari Besides in his deadly sin he inuolues as many as he employes in his wicked practices and Notaries especially that compose vsurarious contracts for thereby they contract the guilt of perjury * Notarij quaÌ„do creaÌ„tur iurant sâ— non facturos instrumenta vsuraria Deinde perjurus testificari non potest quantumcunque poenitentiam egit cap. extra testibus which depriues them of power in the future either of making publick instruments or bearing legall witnes CHAR. XXXII OF LVXVRY THE CONTENTS Euill effects come of carnall lusts whores and whore keepers both are abomination to God the lawes of Christian commonwealths that tolerate whores to the eschewing of greater inconueniences are not vnjust to permit is not to commit a sin to doe wickednes that good may come of it is euil euery mortall sin expelleth charity out of the soul the daughters of lot retained nothing of charity in their outward sin LVxury is an inordinate coueting of carnall pleasures which are the works of the flesh namely adultery fornication vncleanes wantonnes * Iob. 31. ignis est vsque ad perditionem deuorans Luxury is a sire which deuoureth to destruction for as much as it * Hierom in cap. 4. Osea fornicatio voluptas peruertit sensum animam debilitat de rationabili homine brutum efficit animal Et S. Greg. l. mor. idem docetâ— dulle the sense weakenes the vnderstanding spoiles the memory darkenes the sight makes the body loath some to the sight ill fauoured pale ill sauoured stinking hastens old age and rootes out of the soul the young plantes of diuine grace * Isa 41. halitus eius â—diaboli prunas concupiscentiae ardere facit This sire is kindled by the deuil who is the author of carnall lusts and as a smith when he cannot temper a piece of yron to his mind putes it in the sire blowes the coales till it b red hot then workes it according to his own will and pleasure so the deuil when he cannot lead a soul into wickednes blowes the coales in the fire of luxury
vnto making it warme and therby drawes it into whatsoeuer sin he pleaseth besides * Isa 54. ecce ego creaui fabrum diabolum sufflantem in igne prunas proferentem vas in opus suum the bellowes of the deuils own mouth wherwith he blowes the coales in this sire of luxury he bringes forth other instruments to the worke for example old whores which keep a school of incontinency instruct young maides in all vnclean acts of carnall wantonnes and sell their * Ioel. 3. puellam veÌ„diderunt pro vino biberunt Virginity for wine to drink are the deuils incendiaries that worke in the furnace of luxury I * Ierâ—m 1. ollam incensam ego video id est vetulam nigram Olla enim quantumcunque alba si ad ignem frequeÌ„ter ponatur denigratur see saith the holy Prophet a seething pot that is an old harlot who boileth young women in the pleasures and lusts of the flesh vnto destruction both of body and soul As sire makes a pot black as a coal that was white afore and consumes it so at last the most beautifull men and women that frequente the fiery furnace of luxury become deformed and withered like a stock as to their bodies and in order to their souls most hatefull vnto God that * Deutro 23. Endures no whores of the daughters of his people nor no whore keepers of the sonns of his people for the one and the other is abomination in his sight Because the people of Israël began to commit whore dome with the daughthers of Moab God commanded Moses to take all the heads that is the principall among them and hang them vp against the sun in regard phinias slew Zambry fornicating with an Midianitisht woman he merited his priestly charge and dignity for euer Num. 25. and it matters not that lawes of some places namely in Italy suffer whores for the said lawes doe not consider the sin of whoredome but the peace and tranquillity of the common-wealth obtained through that indulgence in as much as adulteries and other great inconueniences tending to the disturbance therof are preuented and auoided therby to permit and to commit sin is not the same thing God permitteth wickednes which he doth not commit himselfe And though whores be exempt in regard of whore dome presisely from penall lawes of Magistratos which tollerat them neuertheless they are not deliuered therby from the tribunall of God that punisheth all wicked sinners In consequence of the premises t' is euident that no man ought (a) The common saying of two euills the lesser ought to be chosen is not meant of two sinnes which be spirituall euils but of corporall harms or dammages for according to the Apostle Rom. 8. noe man can lawfully commit the least sin although much good may come of it to commit a lesser for preuenting the doing of a greater sin wherfore S. Austin condemneth the fact of lot Gen. 19. that offered his innocent daughters to be deflowred for preuenting the filthy lusts of the Sodomits all though Lot was worthy of praise in regard of his abhorrence of so detestable a sin yet he deserued blame in seeking vnlawfull meanes to auoid it No wickednes ought to be done that good may come therby Furthermore the company * Tritum adagium est mare ignis mulier tria mala sed tamen minus tempestuosum est mare ignis minus inflammat in muliere omnia nocent oculi instar Basilisci vel solo aspectu venenant labia ora flammas vomunt vel leuis attactus inficit Et mulierem sacrae literae cum lcone vrso pardo colubro serpente comparant of wanton women is the deuils instrument that blowes the coales in this fire of luxury for through it loue is kindled as a fire vnto destruction Eccle. 9. a cat that sitteth neer the fire scorcheth her whit skin and a fly that toucheth the candle burneth its wings euen so a man that vseth (b) According to S. Hierom. à woman smiteth the conscience of a man with flams of fire and if young women dwell with men the deuil hath his snares among them the company of wanton women falleth into the snares of concupiscence and defileth his soul Besides as materiall fire is kindled by adding therto wood oyle and pitch so delicat meates * S. Hierâ— venter vino aestuans spumat in libidinem and strong wines taken immoderatly increase the flame of luxury and indeed whosoeuer eates and drinkes wantonly shewes no more willingnes to extinguish the burning coales of fiery lusts then he that castes into a house set on fire wood oyl and pitch shewes an inclination to quench it moreouer the body of man is not made for fornication or carnall vncleanes but for our lord that bought the whole man with the price of his precious blood to the end that both body and soul should serue to his glory our bodies are members of Christ and consequently a fornicatour is sacrilegious in as much as he giueth his body that is consecrated vnto God to any other likewise he is iniurious and contumelious to his body for he that committeth fornication (c) According to the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. fornication defileth the body with a peculiar kind of vncleanes so that carnall sensuality differs exceedingly from the inordinate delights of the other senses which haue nothing of brutall filthines howeuer carnall pleasure has no deformiry as to married people because of the vprightnes and integrity of conscience desire of issue holines of the Sacrament which therfore be called Bona matrimonij sinneth against his own Body where as other sins which a man doth are with out the body that is luxury defileth the body with a sordide brutall filthines which is not common a like to sinns committed by the other senses vix hearing seeing tasting smelling But notwithstanding all this euen among Christians of these daies doe rise cinick Philosophers which so flatter themselues in their carnall pleasures as to think that simple fornication hath nothing of mortall guilt Likewise the Digbean diuins so fool themselues as to beleiue that an outward sin for example outward fornication adultery incest murder doe not of necessity expell the loue of God out of the soul and in consequence therof do not obstruct the passage to Heauen and both the cinick Philosophy and the Digbean Theology lay claime to scripture testimony respectiuely for the proofe therof The cinick Philosophy alledgeth the first chapter of Osea where is mentioned that our lord said to Osea goe take vnto thee a wise of fornications and children of fornications and thence inferreth that luxury is lawfull as to simple fornication but t is a very weak inference for God commanded not the Prophet to commit fornication but matrimony with a woman that had fornicated afore that is to make an honest wife of a dishonest woman vnto representing a diuine mistery that might set forth
* Clemens Alex. anima inquit por saginam degenerat in corpus change the soul into the nature of a body and the whole man into the similitude of the Image of beasts Tigers of mighty strengh and courage when their bellies are filled become so cowardly that a company of Curres shall frighten and chase them away in like manner immoderateating and drinking conuert manly courage into effeminatnes besides as the rauenous animal named Gulo created doubtless to the shame of all gluttons after it hath fed so plenteously of a carrion that more cannot be cram'd down hasteneth to some narrow passage between two trees and there presseth its belly vnto making more room which done forthwith returnes to the same carryon and falles on afresh so a glutton after he hath discharged his stomach which immoderat eating or drinking had ouercharged afore hasteneth to the table again for a fresh charge which was the dayly practice of Vitellius the Emperour as Tranquillus writeth in consequence of the premises gluttony is an enimy to nature a shame to mankind a fawning deuil a pleasant poyson a sweet sin a cruell thiefe that spoileth the body * Prouerb 21. qui diligit epulas in egestate erit qui amat vinum pinguia non ditabitur of temporall goods depriueth the soul of euerlasting treasures and carrieth both of them * Psal 77. adhuc escae eorum erant in ore ipsorum ira Dei descendit super eos to hell CHAR. XXXVJ OF SLOTHFVLNES THE CONTENTS A slothfull man is the vnprofitable seruant that buryeth his masters talent in the earth making no aduantage therby a man that is not employed in good works cannot profit himselfe euery tree that bringeth forth nothing of good fruit shall be hewen down and cast into the fire SLothfulnes is a faint remisnes in the exercise of good works corporall and spirituall The slothfull man is the vnprofitable seruant that buryed his Masters money in the earth making nothing of aduantage therby Mat. 25. he hideth the treasure of diuine grace in his bosome and refuseth to employe it euen vnto helping himself if he would put it to encrease though he were naked he might be cloathed though poor he might be made rich and though he were blind he might procure eye-salue that might giue him clear sight Through heauines and want of courage he neglecteth the worke of his diuine master to his own disaduantage that is he refuseth to worke with the treasure of diuine grace that leadeth to blessednes he hath an abhorrence of painfull labour wherfore as * Prouerb 24. per agrum hominis pigrì transiui ecce totum repleuerant vritcae operuerant supersiciem eius spinae a feild that lies idle vnlaboured and vnsowen bringeth forth thornes netles and other vnprofitable herbes so the feild of his soul in as much as it is not exercised in good workes engendereth euill weeds of wicked vices and indeed his sole delight is to liue at ease without working * Prouerb 6. sicut ostium vertitur in caxdine suo ita piger in lectulo suo he cleaueth to the bolster of his bed as a doore to the hinges and turneth therin alike while he entertaineth his thoughts with delight he coueteth earthly and celestiall treasures but will not worke for the gitting of either His louing Master standes at his doore and knockes Apoc. 3. yet he will not rise to let him in he is afraid lest a lyon stand without laying waite for his blood Prouerb 22. That is he inuentes idle excuses to the excusing of his idlenes vnwilling to worke in the pursuance of his duty he thinketh to liue by desiring * Prouerb 21. desideria occidunt pigrum tota die concupiscit desiderat and his desires kill him The spider all day weaues a web to catch a fly the cat all night watches to surprise a mouse the pismire laboures all summer to prouide meat against winter in sum all liu'd beasts take paines respectiuely in order to the end wherto the supream prouidence hath ordained them notwithstanding man more vnreasonable then beasts with out reason through sluthfullnes neglecteth to worke for the obtaining the inheritance of Heauen which is the noble end of his creation the delight he hath in the dream of his vaine desires as cords bind and as heauy fetters load him and fille his heart with wickednes aboundance of idlenes causeth the execrable abominations into which the Sodomite fell Ezech. 16. Sampson while he was employed in assaulting the Philistians escaped their snares but as soon as idlenes carryed him into an inordinate affection towards a wicked woman God departed from him and suffered him to come into the hands of the same Philistians who bound him with fetters and put out his eyes Iud. 16. nor Salomon was defiled with luxury and Idolotry as long as he was busyed in building of the Temple a vessell when t is filled with wine is not capable to containe more a man full * Aug. non facile capitur tentatione qui bono vacat desiderio of godly employments giues no place to the deuil whose entertainment is among such onely as exempt themselues from the exercise of good works among such as liue at * S. Bernard est otiosus inquit tanquam mollis calcitra in qua diabolâ—s quiescit libenter ease and delight in sloghfull idlenes and among those which are vnprofitable seruants that put not their Masters excellent tallent to encrease and such will be cast into vtter darknes for euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen down and put into the fire Mat. CHAR. XXXVIJ OF A MISSIONARY PRIEST THE CONTENTS The honorable end of Priestly mission and what is requir'd of a Missionary Priest in the pursuance of his charge AMissionary Priest is the holy minister of Christ according to the order of Melchisedech the faithfull seruant rightly ordained approued and sent to worke in the vineyard of his lord the dispenser of the Euangelicall word (a) Malach. 2. The Priests lippes shall preserue knovvledg and they shall seek the lavv at his mouth for he is the Angel of the lord of Hostes the mouth of God by which God speakes to his people and declares his ordinances and since God is * 1. Io. 3. Deus charitas est charity the speeches and deeds of a Missionary Priest ought to come from him as the sanctuary of charity vnto saluation to euery sinner that will be conuerted to God whose charity is to saue and the honorable end of his mission is the zeal of soules which God created after his own Image in respect wherof amongst all diuine things (b) According to S. Gregory l. 1. in Ezech. hom 12. ther 's no sacrifice more agreeable to God then 2 holy zeal to saue souls which beare the Image of the blessed Trinity again according to S. Denys l. de caeles Hier. to cooperate with
God in the conuersion of sinners of all diuine things is the diuinest the diuinest as also amongst all facrifices the gratfullest to the diuine Majesty consisting in a dayly exercise of good works spirituall and corporall charitablely employed for the saluation of sinners The Panther by a naturall quality breathes forth a pleasant perfume the swetnes wherof allures beasts of the wood to his sanctuary and then he kills them the Priest is the Panther sinners the wild beasts the delicious odour of charity the sweet perfume that enticeth sinners to the Priests tribunall the sinkiller and the property of a Priest is with S. Peter * Act. 10. surge Petre occide to kill vncleane beasts As charity in a missionary is the loadstone that drawes sinners to saluation so the want therof is the Remora that keepes them from it nor can a golden tongue draw when the heart is made of yron Christ the cheif missionary Priest sent by his diuine Father to be Teacher and gouernour of souls first begun to doe well himselfe as to the law of charity and afterward to teach well as to the way of saluation Nothing better teaches others to liue well then the well ordered life of the Teacher who is the guid of others laudable deeds are more effectuall then fair speeches * Aug. super Ioan doctrina per malos est palmes in sepe Botrus inter spinas cautè aliquis colligit vuas inter spinas ne dum quaerit fructum laceret manum duÌ„ audit bona diceÌ„tem imitetur mala facientem good sayings coming from a Teacher that does ill are like a goodly bunch of grapes in a hedg of thornes whoeuer will attempt gathering them shall hazard the pricking of his fingers and tearing his hands so the hearer of a Teacher that speakes well and does ill runs a hazard of imitating euill doings while he heares good sayings A Priest does ill when he seekes praise and glory in order to himselfe or lookes more to * 1. Pet. 5. pascite qui in vobis est gregem Dei .... neque turpis lucri gratia sed voluntariè indignum est Sacerdote sacram functioneÌ„ suam quaestui habere worldly aduantages then his spirituall function preferring his own gain before the gaining of souls and while by holy sayings and good doings he might render himself capable (c) According to the Apostle 1. Timoth. 5. Priests which rule well ought to be had in double honour Which is meant of such specially as instruct the vnlearned in the mystcries of Christian Religion of double honour and judg of all others he contracts an incapacity of enjoying either and makes himself * S. Chrys ad id Mat. 13. super cathedram Moysis Si bene vixeris omnium Judex eris si malè vixeris bene docueris Iudex eris tui solius quia malè viuendo docès Deum quomodo te debet condemnare Porrò vt ait S. Bernardus misera Sacerdotum coÌ„uersatio fit misera dominicae plebis subuersio hinc illae in Ieremia lachrymae quia stultè egerunt pastores Dominum non qüaesiuerunt omnis grex meus dispersus est judg of himself only teaching God how to condemn him of vnfaithfullnes in the pursuance of his charge Hereby plainly appeares that the charitable zeal to worke in the vineyard of our lord that is to deliuer souls out of errour and sin is the compass by which a missionary Priest ought to steer the whole course of his life in consequence wherof he ought not to run after vaine sportes and worldly pleasures which haue nothing of relation to the end of his mission and which indeed prejudice the sacred dignity of his function neither euery thing though indifferent in it selfe and wherof the exercise is laudable as to a secularperson (d) According to the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. euen things which in themselues are lawfull be not at all times and to all persons expedient or profitable and indeed clamarous hunting in order to Priests was alwaise prohibited though it be an exercise in it selfe lawfull is lawfull to him For example the Churches ordinances * Semper fuit prohibita clericis venatio quae fit in saltibus syluis cum strepitu clamore forbid Priests to practice clamarous hunting after hares does bucks stags which is an honest recreation in order to lay-people but in Priests t is a great scandall to cry and hollow among the trees of forests and woods after dogs * Ioel. 2. plâ—rabunt Sacerdotes ministri Dei inter vestibulum altare dicent parce Domine parce populo tuo whose office is to weep between the porch and the altar and say Spare o lord spare thy people and giue not their inheritage into reproach that the lusts of the flesh should rule ouer them yet in as much as Priests exercise charitable works powre forth prayers and teares for the conuersion of sinners they be hunters too not of clean but of vnclean beasts namely sins they be spirituall hunters of souls vnto iustification of life in the vineyard of our lord the king of hunters and neuer any huntsman made such marueilous leaps in hunting beasts vnto destruction as the son of God made in hunting souls vnto saluation our lord the son of God to saue souls leapt from Heauen into the wombe of a Virgin from the Virginall wombe like a yong Hart came skipping into the world and leaped by the mountaines and by the little hills of Iudaea working miracles by word and example teaching all men euery where the way of God truly Afterwards he leapt into Mount-caluary where lift vp from the earth and put on the tree of the Cross gaue himselfe a full propitiation for the sinns of all men from his Cross he leapt into the sepulcher wherin his body remained for three dayes whilst his soul (e) Catholick faith teacheth that before the Incarnation of the son of God there were receptacles of good souls in the lower parts of the earth which the Prophet Zachary c. 6. names a lake vvithout vvater that is without water springing vp vnto euerlasting life according to the interpretation of Theodoret. S. Cyprian and other ancient Fathers yet S. Peter 1. Epis c. 3. calleth the same receptacles a prison where the good souls vnto which Christ at his descending into hell as to his soul preach'd were detained as prisoners And Christ preach'd according to S. Damascene l. 3. de fide ortho c. 9. as Angels speak one to an other by mutuall communication of thoughts Again Christ Luc. 16. stileth the said receptacles the bosom of Abram and all antiquity nameth them Limbus or Purgatory and truly the ancient Fathers Irenae l. 4. c. 19. Nazan Ora. ad pasch S. Ambros de mysterio paschatis attest that Christs descending into the lower parts of the earth releas'd many souls which he found in the bosom of Abram wherby appears that there was
an other place or receptacle besids the Heauen of the blessed and the Hell of the damned Caluin that he might the rather deny Purgatory he deny'd Limbus and that he might the better deny Limbus he denyed that Christ descended into hell otherwise then by suffering on his Cross the torments of a damned soul which saith Caluin in cap. 26. mat vvere so grieuous that euen vvords of dispaire came from him So impudently this great reformer of religion blasphem'd against Christ but the Catholick Church teacheth that Christ truly and properly descended into hell that is the soul of Christ remoued out of his body with its proper presence penetrated the lower receptacles of the earth where good souls were detained as prâ—sonners and brough with him from thence such as were ripe and fit for the kingdom of Heauen Lege S. Jgnat Epis ad Trallia Clem. Alex. l. 2. 6. stromatum Basil in Psal 48. visited the lower parts of the earth comforting such as were departed in perfect grace afore his coming thither From his sepulcher he leapt again into the world from whence after that he had setled a Priestly ministery that should be of perpetuall vse in his vineyard that is the Church like a hunter that gladly rejoyces in his obtained prey went with joy home leading captiuity captiue that is rendering happy the captiuity of just souls detained as it were in a prison vnder ground and carrying them with him in glorious triumph for he opened the gates of his Fathers Pallace which were euer afore shut against them As clamorous hunting so couetous playing * Aleae lusus Clericis interdictus à Concilijs Patribus Canonibus Aristoteles Aleatores latronum praedonumque societati inserit at cardes or dice for mony is an exercise vnworthy Priests which ought to seek no other lucre then the gaining of souls vnto Iesus-Christ who is their proper treasure and * Sacerdos dicit Christo tu es qui restituis haereditatem meam mihi heritage and mony betrayed him sould Ioseph and damned Iudas * Augustinus vocat Theatra cauâ—as turpitudinis publicaâ— professiones flagitiorum laudantur Massilienses quod sic abhorrebant à spectaculis vt mimis locum in scaena non concederâ—nt Again stage-playes as they be commonly exhibited in our country are incoÌ„sistent with Priestly function for as much as the outward words and counterfeited Gestures of the players representing reciprocall passages of wicked louers tend to carnall wantonnes and vncleanes and such a a Theater Saith S. Chrysostom is the chair of pestilence schole of incontinency and shop of luxury that sets out to sale the lusts of the flesh howeuer stage-playes are laudable recreations in order to lay-people while they represent but heroicall actions of gallant persons vnto imitation and vn godly enterprises of wicked men vnto detestation therof or while they exhibite delightfull fictions without obscenes Furthermore Missionary Priests must not affect to be counted * 2. Timoth. 2. homo militans Deo non se implicet negotijs saecularibus statesmen they being priuat persons professing a spirituall vocation which hath not any relation to the temporall affaires of state The supream prouidence hath set bounds to euery vocation * Tractent fabrilia fabri nec sutor vltra crepidam vt fert vetus pronerbium nor ought any man to put his sickle on strang ground Let Priests mannage what is theirs and Christs business and the affaires which pertaine to Caesar let them leaue to Caesar and the ministers of his Council yet there are some wanton witts which like the raging sea transcend their prefixed limits lifted vp aboue the hight of the clouds with an opinion of their own science fancying to themselues knowledg of all things though indeed the greatest part of what they know * Sapiens ille Mercurius Trismigistus maxima â—orum inquit quae scimus est minima pars eorum quae nescimus is the least part of what they know not and thus wantonly carried away entangle themselues with publick affaires of ciuill Magistrats before they be called thereto Howeuer Priests ought to know nothing * Apostolus Paulus profitetur se nihil scire praeter Iesum Christum hunc Crucifixum but Iesus-Christ and him crucified and if the supream prouidence hath bestowed on one alone a better memory and witt then on others contemporary with him he is to vse his aboundant abilities according to charity temperance and sobriety for otherwise he shall by his high attempts vnhappily verifie the old Prouerb much witt little iudgment Besids great wanton wits are not without a mixture of madnes And truly experience shewes that common wealths are vnfortunat when the things named witts manage the affaires therof t is iudgment not flashes of witt that makes gouernements happie FINIS I. BOOK The faultes escaped in printing a curteous Reader will easily correct and pardon THE SECOND BOOK OF HOLY CHARACTERS containing a Miscelany of Theologicall discourses THAT IS THEOLOGY Positiue Scholasticall Polemicall and Morall Built vpon the foundation of Scriptures Traditions Councils Fathers CHAR. I. OF SACRIFICE THE CONTENTS Proper sacrifice defined no Preists Priesthood taken in the proper sense if proper sacrifice be laid aside asserting of improper metaphoricall sacrifice onely bringeth confusion and rendereth priestly function common to all alike SAcrifice taken in a spirituall generall sense is euery * Aug l 10. de ciuit Dei c. 6. ait sacrificium generaliter sumptum esse omne opus quod agitur vt sancta sociâ—tate inbaereamus Deoâ— work that a belieuer imployeth to the end that he may continue in holy society and freindship with God There are (a) According to S. Thomas two kinds of sacrifice taken in the generall sense are offered vpon the altar of Christ whereof one is called deuotion in order to God the other pity or compassion in order to our neighbour two kinds thereof the one is deuotion towards God comprehending all such actioÌ„s inward and outward of the minde and body as tend to the honouring and praysing of God the (b) The Apostle Hebrae 13. exhorteth vs to do works of Almes and charity saying that such sacrifices promerite God that is procure his grace and fauour and according to Ecclesiastes cap. 5. Those offer sacrifice which shew mercy other is pity or compassion towards our neighbour including the works of mercy and iustice to both kinds of spirituall sacrifice the Royall Prophet Dauid exhorteth all God's people of whatsoeuer condition or sex saying * Psal 15. tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis Et psal 4. sacrificate sacrificium iustitiâ— Offer to God hosts of prayses and sacrifice sacrifices of Iustice and according to the Apostle spiri uall sacrificers of these kinds are * 1. Pet. 4. vos autem genus electum vegale SacerdotiuÌ„ Idem habetur Apoc. 5. kings and Preists investedwith the honour of royall Preisthood and indeed deuout
of other Saint's and no man hath euer thought fitting * Augus l. 10. de ciuit cap. 4. quis inquit sacrificandum ceÌ„suit nisi ei queÌ„ Deum sciuit vel putauit Et cap. 19. docet daemones ideo velle sibi offerri sacrificia vt sic pro Dijs habeantur Vnde Exod. 22. qui unmolat Dijs occidetur praeterquam Domino soli to sacrifice to any whom he ha h not known beleiued or feigned to bee a God 7. No other object interuening for God alone is the immediate object of proper sacrifice for as much as he containeth in himselfe alone the sole motiue thereof Wherby it plainly followeth that the oblation of tithe that is giuen immediately to the Ministers of God is not a proper sacrifice though it be exhibited for God's sake 8. Vnto destruction in recognition of God's supream excellency and power ouer his creatures this necessary requisite experience sheweth in all the sacrifices of the old law wherin the sensible thing offered was either killed if quick and aliue vêªt videlicet Ox lamb calf or broken or burnt if liueless (h) According to Leuiticus dry-offerings were either broken or burnt and liquid offerings were destroyed by pouring them out whereby appears that an vnbloody manner of effusion nothing derogats to the true nature or essence of a sacrifice hard and drie or consumed by effusion if liquid namely wine in testimony of God's omnipotency therby manifesting him to be Author of life and death and consequently to haue power to conserue his creatures as the thing before oblation was conserued and to destroy his creatures as the thing destroyed after oblation CHAR. II. OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE EVCHARIST OR MASS THE CONTENTS The sacrifices of the old law weak vnprofitable Element's Christ the night before his passion instituted and offered in the room of them all a sacrifice of his body and blood vnder the form's of bread and wine according to the Order of Melchisedech called sacrifice of the Eucharist sacrifice of the Altar sacrifice of Mass which is a perfect commemoration of the bloody sacrifice Christ offered on the Cross a propitiation whereby grace is obtain'd and sins remitted and the public seruice of euery true christian Church down from the Apostles till these tymes celebrated in one of the three holy tongues which be Hebrew Greek and Latin The Apostle 1. Cor. 14. forbiddeth not saying of publick or priuate prayers in an vnknown tongue THe sacrifice of the Eucharist is the speciall and proper externall sacrifice of the new law instituted and offered by Christ in his own body and blood vnder the forms of bread and wine * Hebrae 7. secundum similitudinem Mâ—lchisedech sic Apostolus interpretatur secundum ordinem Melchisedech after the similitude of Melchisedech his Sacrifice of whose order Christ was annointed high Priest for euer The law of Moyses and sacrifices thereof as they had institution and confirmation of God in respect of Christ only so they were to continue only till * Luc. 10. lâ—x Propheta vsque ad JoaÌ„nem Christ came that was the * Hebrae 6. lex vetus lata fuit duraxat donec veniret semeÌ„ promissum seed to which the promise was made of a new law and a new sacrifice vnto blessedness which the law of Moyses and the sacrifices therof could not effect The law written in Tables could not make the * Aug. lex in tabulis exarata non potuit efficere eam inscriptionem quae est iustificatio inscription which is iustification of life It * Chrysos lâ—x erat tantum iubens nihil afferebat auxilij shewed but could not heale the soar of mans soule And though the old sacrifices conferred * Hebrae 9. exterior legalis mundities appellatur iustitia caâ—nis emundatio carnis legall purity on the body neuertheless they could not giue spirituall sanctity to the soul vnto saluation Besides the commandement that went afore that is to say the old law was peculiar to one people only namely the Iew 's and the sacrifices therof were but (a) According to the Apostle Hebrae 10. the old law had the shadow of good things onely and not the very Image of the things Wherby appear's that the sacrifices and Sacraments of Moyses were vnperfect resemblances and dark representations of the good things procured by the sacrifice and Sacraments of the new law namely generall redemption and sanctifying grace wherfore S. Iohn cap. 1. saith that the Lavv vvas giuen by Moyses but grace and truth came by Jesus-Christ in consequence of which the new law is called the law of Christ the law of grace Christ being the law-maker and the Grace-giuer holy figures of a better oblation and those polluted through the sins of the Priests that offered them in so much that God had no affection for either of both because * Hebrae 1. Reprobatio quidem fit praecedentis maÌ„dati propter infirmitatem eius imbecillitateÌ„ promde Christus ait Io. 13. mandatum nouum do vobis of the weakness and vnprofitablenes of the sacrifices and the vncleaness and wickednes of the Priests wherfore he sent his own son to giue a new commandement that is the new law of sanctifying grace to the sauing both Iew and Gentile and to institute a new sacrifice of a cleane oblation to the exalting his name euen among the Gentiles that being to be celebrated (b) Malach. 10. From the rising of the sun euen to the going dovvn â—â—n euery place shall be sacrificing and a clean oblation shall be offered to my name In the room of sacrificing beasts and other creatures which were not able to purge out the leauen of sin and likewise often times were polluted through the vncleanes of the Priests that offered them God by the mouth of his Prophet promised a daily cleane and vndefilable sacrifice that should continue in all places of his Church for euer vnto celebrating his name And this is the sacrifice Christ instituted of his own body and blood vnder the forms of bread and wine according to the interpretation of the ancient Fathers S. Iustin the Martyr in dial cum Triphone S. Cyprian l. 1. c. 14. aduersus Iudaeos S. Damas l. 4. c. 14. de fide orthodoxa S. Austin l. 18. c. 35. de Ciuit. S. Chrysostome in psal 95 ora 2. con Iudaeos and all modern writers that are orthodox wherfore the Prophesy is fulfilled by the sacrifice of the Altar which is daily offered in the Catholick Church from the rising of the sun to the going down in euery place of the world from the rising of the sun to the going down therof according to the Prophecy of Malachias signifying that God was determined to abolish the said weak and polluted sacrifices and substitute in lieu thereof an effectuall and most pure oblation which is that Christ the son of God and man instituted of his body and blood
a perfect representation of Christ's death and Passion suffered on his Cross must precede the eating of that bread and drinking of that drink for Christ's death and Passion was (g) S. Austin l. 13. de Trinit c. 17 Epis 49. quaes 3. attestes that it is foretold in the old Testament that there should be in the law of grace a true proper outward visible sacrifice again it is foretold that in the last age of the new Law that is when Antichrist shall come the vsuall sacrifice shall cease which giue euidence enough of the continuance of som one sacrifice in the law of grace till the time of Antichrist Which cannot be meant of a Metaphoricall and invisible sacrifice being that kind of vnproper sacrifice will not cease in the dayes of Antichrist according to the holy Prophets Dan. 12. and Isaias cap. 10. a proper special sacrifice that cannot be represented perfecttly by a Sacrament but by a sacrifice wherin destruction must interuene necessarily either by death if what is offered by a liuing thing or by fraction if what is offered be a hard and drie thing as breard or by effusion if what is offered be a liquid thing as wine which experience sheweth in all the sacrifices of the law of nature and Moyses And indeed the end and innate propriety of a proper sacrifice being an externall sensible act of supream adoration is to signify God's omnipotency as to his power ouer life and death wheras a Sacrament signifieth the sanctifying of such as belieue in and serue God which is but the product or effect of Christ his bloody sacrifice If perfect representation of the sacrifice of the Cross could be attributed to any Sacrament it were to be ascribed to the Sacrament of Baptism wherby as the Apostle saith Heb. 9. Weare buried with Christ into his death Neuertheless Baptism doth not represent the death of Christ but the death and resurrection of him that is baptised Baptism signifying that he that is baptised doth die as vnto sin and rise as vnto newnes of life neither is Christ said to die in Baptism as he is belieued to be immolated in the sacrifice of the Eucharist Furthermore as * Sanguine hostiae obsignabatur vetus testamētum vt post Moysen declarat Apostolus Hebrae 1. Moyses began and dedicated the old Testament law or Religion in the blood of calfes contained in his cup saying This is the blood of the Couenant c. So Christ began and dedicated the new Testament in his own blood contained in the Chalice of his last supper saying This is the Chalice the new Testament in my blood c. Luc. 22. which the other Euangelist's more plainly expresse introducing Christ to say This is my blood of the new Testament wherby is euidently certaine that Christ's blood in the Chalice shed in an vnbloody manner was the blood of sacrifice and consequently in that sacrifice which is the sacrifice of the Eucharist consisteth the externall Religion and proper seruice of the new Testament as the outward Religion and soueraigne worship of God in the old law did consist in the sacrifices therof vnder which it was established Heb. 7. And though Christ hanging on his cross did confirme and ratify the new Testament yet he made it only at his last supper when he said This is the Chalice the new Testamēt in my blood or this is my blood of the new Testament For then Christ was free and aliue wheras on his cross he was deuested of liberty and depriued of life and consequently not in a condition to make it the making of a Testament being an act of a person free and aliue Also though Christs death and passion was the perfect sacrifice that (h) The Apostle Hebrae 1. teacheth that Christ By one oblation consummated for euer them that are sanctifyed where by one oblation is meant the sacrifice of the Cross which the Apostle there calleth sacrifice of consummation that is of generall redemption and indeed that sacred Text speak's onely of the sacrifice of the Cross not mentioning the sacrifice of application that is the sacrifice of Mass called the sacrifice of the Altar or the sacrifice of the Eucharist wherby the sacrifice of generall Redemption called the sacrifice of the Cross is particularly applyed and offered daily in all places of the Church vnto sanctification of life And indeed to affert that Christ onely once offered himselfe to God the Father were a manifest blasphemy since Scripture Testimonies shew euidently sundry oblations Christ made of himselfe For example he offered himselfe in the tyme of his conception and during his aboad on earth he made seuerall offerings in order to his own person for he offered his body his soul his life his fasting his praying his watching his sighs and teares howeuer the offering of his body in a bloody sacrifice was made once onely consummated the generall redemption or remission of all sins whatsoeuer as to sufficiency neuertheless that bloody sacrifice enduring only for a day of time could not be the externall sacrifice which the people of the new Testament might haue recourse vnto euen to the end of the world and to auerre the taking away of such externall sacrifice is to acknowledge the taking away also of externall Priesthood sacrifice and Priesthood being correlatiues and consequently the * S. Cypria de coena Dom. asserit nullam posse esse Religionem si sacrificium corporis sanguinis Christi auferatur abolishing of the new Testament for if the Priesthood and sacrifice therof be disannulled then of necessity must there be an abrogation of the law that was established vnder them Furthermore it is conuincingly manifest that it was an externall proper sacrifice which Christ offered at his last supper for the one oblation according to the order of Melchisedech which succeeded (i) That one sole sacrifice of Christs body and blood succeded in the room of many sacrifices is a catholick assertion vnanimously taught by the ancient Fathers And S. Aus l. 8. c. 27 l. 17. c. 20. de ciuit l. 3. de bap c. 19. names the sacrifice of Mass the sacrifice that sufficeth for all sacrifices which were offered in the old law for as much as the body of Christ is offered in the room of all those sacrifices in the room of all the sacrifices of the old law was that one or none was that one but that one was an externall proper sacrifice and cannot be meant of the sacrifice of the Cross that being rather after the order of Aaron since it was celebrated in reall effusion of blood then after the similitude of Melchisedech who offered no bloody oblation Besides all the necessary requisits vnto proper sacrifice are plainly obseruable in that action that Christ vsed in instituting and celebrating the Eucharist at his last supper 10. is obseruable Christ himself that is a Priest instituted by legall authority and more solemnly made then all the Priests
sacrifice vnder the forms of bread and wine wherin consist's the similitude of Melchisedechs sacrifice Again to deny that Christ instituted and appointed Priest's as his substitutes to offer euen to the end of the world the sacrifice that himselfe celebrated at his last supper were to deny Christ to be a Priest for euer there being no other meanes to establish his eternall Priesthood then by the sacrifice of Priest's instituted by and substituted vnder him Priesthood being but a power or faculty * Hebrae 5. omnis Sacerdos Pontisex est institutus vt offerat dona sacrificia to offer sacrifice which Christ sitting at the right hand of his diuine Father cannot do in his own person sacrifice taken in the proper sense for an outward visible act of supream worship as of necessity it must be taken wherby plainly followeth that whosoeuer does take away Christ his power to sacrifice does destroy his Priesthood also or render it vnprofitable and vseless and to allow Christ improper spirituall and metaphoricall sacrifice only is not enough to make good his Priesthood as to the order of Melchisedech who offered outward sensible sacrifice of bread and wine Neither can Christ in respect of spirituall sacrifice only be counted more a Priest then euery faithfull man or woman that offereth to God contrition of a penitent heart which is an insensible spirituall sacrifice Psalmo 50. Furthermore Melchisedech in meeting Abraham as he returned from the victory ouer the kings and blessing him is a mysterious representation of Christ who meeteth and blesseth his faithfull seruants returning to their Country of Paradise whence their first parent Adam was eiected with the spoiles of the deuill that eiected him lastly Melchisedeck in taking (e) Abraham payd Tithes to Melchisedech as a duty or homage and not for his own person onely but euen for Leui then vnborn and consequently for the whole Priesthood of Leui's stock acknowledging thereby Melchisedech to be Priest and his superior and of all the leuiticall order payment of tithes is a naturall duty which is done to Priests that thereby they may receiue both honour and liuelihood Iacob vowed to pay tithes Gen 28. Moses appointed them Leuit. 27. num 18. and the ancient Fathers proue them to be due to the Church Pastours Namely S. Cyprian Epis 66. S. Hierom. Epis 1 7. S. Austin ser 1 â—â— de Tempore tithe of Abraham is a type of Christ also who can in equity exact as tithe seruice and obedience of all reasonable creatures whom he hath deliuered out of captiuity by the merit of his death and passion CHAR. IV. OF SACRAMENTS THE CONTENTS The Sacraments of the new law by diuine institution are enabled to produce inward grace vnto iustification of life ex opere operato that is through their own outward sensible working They be soueraign remedies against all kinds of spirituall infirmities the Catholick Church the shop that keepeth the medicinall Sacraments Christ the diuine Apoâ—â—ecary no sinner ought to despaire of sâ—luation while he abideth in a shop of sauing remedies which is the catholick Church SAcraments taken in a large generall sense be outward visible ceremonies employed in corporall creatures or elements wherby men as birds of one feather flock together and * Aug. l. 9. Con. FaustuÌ„ cap 11. in nulla inquit religione homines colligantur inter se sine consortio SacramentoruÌ„ id est sine aliquibus caerâ—monijs sensibilibus Et S. Chrysos hom 83. ideo ait Deum nobis dedisse intelligibilia sub sensibilibus quia constamus anima corpore si vero essemus incorporei incorporea etâ—am dedisset dona id est Sacramenta vnite in the profession of some one Religion true or false the worship of a thing that is indeed or counted a God depending necessarily therof Pagans worshipped the sensible elements (a) Through human weaknes and the crafty dealing of the Deuil certaine people haue been brought to that height of madnes as to think and worship for Gods and godesses the four elements namely fire aire water and earth as likewise other parts of the vniuers especially such as conduced to the generation of any thing From hence the vitall spirit was called the God Iupiter fire the God Vulcan aire the godess Pallas and the earth the godess Ceres of their ceremonies ascribing a diuinity euen to the meanest creatures Iews worshipped the true God vnder corporall creatures wherin they vsed their ceremonies but the multitude therof being numerous difficult and greiuous made their Religion a yoke of bondage The society of christian people are deliuered from the Pagans Idolatry and the Iew 's seruitude being called vnto the liberty wherwith Christ hath made them free to serue and worship one true God vnder * Aug. l. 38. c. 9. ae doc Chris l. 19. con Faus cap. 13. Sacramenta inquit mutata sunt facta sunt faciliora pauciora salubriorae a few ceremonies most proper for an agreable exercise both of body and soul being sensible things most cleane in reference to the body and most precious in order to the soul to wit seuen Sacraments (b) The decree of Pope Eugenius set down in the end of the Councill of Florence asserteth seuen Sacraments which catholick assertion the Council of Trent hath defin'd sess 7. can 10. and Caluin l. 4. instit c. 19. confesseth that the opinion of seuen Sacraments is grounded in antiquity and was vniuersally approu'd mysteriously figured in the seuen pillars wisdome hewed out in the building of her howse Prouerb 1. that is which Christ the eternall wisdome hewed (c) According to S. John the Euangelist cap. 19. When the souldiers savv that Jesus vvas dead one of them vvith a speare pearced his side and fortvvith came there out blood and vvater wherby are signifyed mystically all the Sacraments though two especially namely Baptism which openeth the door vnto and the Euchariste which is the end of all the other Sacraments wherfore S. Austin c. 120. in Ioan. infer's that the Sacraments of the new law came from the side of Christ out of his side in the erecting of his Church Also mysteriously represented in Naamans washing himselfe seuen times in Iordan and in the fiue breads and two fishes wherwith Christ fed and satisfyed many Thousands and taken in the strict proper sense they be outward visible signes or rites of inward invisible sanctity and (d) The Council of Trent cast's an Anathema vpon those which shall assert that the Sacraments of the new law do not containe the grace which they signifie or that they be not effectuall instruments Ex opere operato through their own working of the same grace This Catholick assertion is conform to the doctrine of the ancient Fathers in the first Council of Nice which speaking of Baptism say Aquam vides considera viâ—tiâ—tem Dei in aqua absconditam Thou beholdest water consider the virtue of God that lie's hid
in the water Wherfore the new Teachers of these dayes impiously assert that outward works as are the Sacraments exercise no efficiency in the production of sanctifying grace But this their hereticall assertion Luther tought l. de captiuit Babilon effectuall instruments therof by diuine dispensation As God did enable the earth in it's creation to bring forth corporall fruit's to the nourishment of the body so he did enable the Sacraments in their institution to bring forth spirituall fruits to the refection of the soul and indeed t' is mad ignorance or extream madness to thinke that God is sufficient to giue effectuall vertue * Chrys hom 24. in illud Jo. 3. nisi quis renatus fuerit Docet quod quemadmodum terra accepit à Deâ— virtutem producendi fructus ita aqua in institutione baptismi accepit virtutem faciendi regenerationem spiritualâ—â—â— to vnliu'd seed vnto producing liuing bodyes in corporall generation and vnsufficient to infuse effectuall force into Sacraments vnto sanctifying soules in spirituall regeneration that is to say to exercise efficiency in the production of iustifying grace and truly when Christ instructed Nicodemus of the necessity of the Sacrament of Baptisme Io. 3. saying That except a man be borne again of water and the holy ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heauen vndoubtedly he did attribute the same kinde of causality vnto water as vnto the holy Ghost which the particle and sheweth clearly since it joynes both causes together and though an instrument in working be subordinat to the principall cause in vertue wherof it worketh neuertheless there is but one kinde of causality in both Wherfore since reall causality or efficiency is of necessity due to the holy ghost the same with subordination is belonging to the outward element of water in Baptism wherby is conuincingly prou'd that Baptism is not and consequently * Si Sacramenta à Christo instituta essent 7. duntaxat symbola quaedam externa quibus salus per ChristuÌ„ accepta velut sigillis obsignetur coÌ„firmetur noÌ„ dixisset Christus Io. 3 â—isi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua Spiritâ— sancto Nâ—c Apostolus dixisset muÌ„dans cum lauacro aquae in verbo vita Eph. 5. naÌ„ istae particulae non nudâ—m sonaÌ„t obsignationem salutis acceptae sed causalitatem vnde S. Grego Niss Ora. Catech. c. 33. extremae inquit dementiae est ignorantiae animi tribuentis Deo tantam vim semini in generatione hominis existimare eum esse imbecillem vt hoc idem tribuatur aqua ad iustificandum suscipientem Baptismum other Sacraments neither a naked sign only to stir vp or excite to an act of faith or a meer signet to seale the diuine promises for the outward element of water is an effectuall instrumentall cause of inward sanctity Ex opere operato that is doth with it's own outward visible action enabled by diuine institution produce inward grace vnto sanctification of life in such as receiue the Sacrament of Baptism aright Besides if sacramentall water were but a meer sign of justifying grace Christ Io. 3. had spoken as improperly saying except that a man be born again of water c. as if a man should say to his freind that is a thirst except that you drinke of the Iuy bush you cannot quench your thirst for as sacramentall water according to the contrary opinion is a naked sign of grace onely so an Iuy bush is a naked or a sign only of wine or other drink ready for sale wherby is plainly euident that Sacraments euen as outward works do exercise efficiency in the production of sanctifying grace Yet as the water of the pool named in the holy scripture Probatica Piscina did not cure corporall diseases by an innate quality proper to the water it self but through the motion of an Angell that went down at a certaine season and stir'd it so the Sacraments doe not heale spirituall infirmities that is sins but by a speciall extraordinary vertue which they receiue from the holy ghost or Christ who to that purpose did institute all of them Christ the son of God is our great Physician and Apothecary also the catholick Church his shop the Sacraments placed therein the pots boxes vesells that containe and preserue the heauenly medicines which Christ brought with him into the world and the sundry sacramentall graces diuinely prepared vnto effectuall healing of all spirituall wounds are the said heauenly remedies wherfore it is a most extream advantage to be log'd in the bosom of the catholick Curch wherin be present soueraign remedies against all manner of spirituall discases no man how sick or wounded soeuer can despaire of his health while he continueth in the shop of the diuine Apothecary that is furnisht with medicines which cannot miss in the cure of any infirmity if applied aright thervnto As a tree planted by the water's side want's not corporall nourishment to preserue it aliue so such as abide in the catholick Church want not spirituall help 's wherby to nourish them vnto eternall life which be the Sacraments that Christ hath left to his Church as certaine preseruatiues against the poyson of sin CHAR. V. OF CHVRCH-CEREMONIES THE CONTENTS Publick Church-seruice requireth outward acts of Religion namely ceremonies holy ceremonies set forth the majesty of God stirr vp attention moue reuerence beget deuotion Ceremonies pertaining to the sacrifices of Mass Answer to an objection against Church-ceremonies drawn from Christs conference with the Samaritan womaÌ„ Ioan. 4. The beginning of Schisms Hereticks and Schismaticks adore not in spirit and truth holy ceremonies warrantable without expresse authority of scripture CHurch-ceremonies are outward sensible Rites of christian religion yet are but the (a) An Ecclesiasticall ceremony is an outward secundary act of Religion that answer 's to the inward first act thereof which is to will or desire due exhibition of honour and worship vnto Gods and it comprehendes Sacraments sacrifice which is supream outward worship vnto professing Gods omnipotency Sacramental's namely Churches Altars Chalices Priestly ornaments bowing kneeling holy water the sign of the Cross c. secundary acts therof for the first is an insensible desire to aduance the worship due vnto God which Church ceremonies do execute only As ciuill ceremonies vsed in the consecration of temporall Princes they be inoyld inuested with royall robes presented with Scepters crowned with Diadems and beset round with armed guards doe demonstrate their eminent charge and dignity aboue the people which they rule ouer so Religious ceremonies employed in the exhibition of diuine worship doe set forth the majesty of God and his supreme dominion ouer all creatures besides they stir vp attention moue reuerence beget denotion and conduce vnto the vnderstanding of supernaturall mysteries which they imprint also in the memory of the faithfull As pictures so Church-ceremonies are the books of the vnlearned All the visible Rites employed in and about the sacrifice of the Mass tend
vnto instruction and * Hoc facite in mean coÌ„memorationem id est in memoriam passionis mortis meae Et 1. Pet. 4. Christo passo in carne vos eadem cogitatione armemini Vnde ait S. Bernardus passio Christi est vltimum resugium contra omnes illicitas voluptates visa inquit Christi passione quis tam deliciosus qui non abstineat quis taÌ„ iracundus vt non doleat quis tam malitiosus quem non poeniteat S. Augustinus nullum est ait remedium salubrius quam iugiter cogitare de passionâ— Christi full commemoration of Christ his death and passion in compliance with his own commande as it is plainly obseruable in the garments wherwith the Priest is inuested during the tyme of sacrifice as likewise in the Altar and ornament's therof for example 10. The Amice in as much as it is a linnen cloath which the Priest pulls ouer his face and fasten's in his neck doth signify the ragg of linnen wherwith the Iews blind-folded Christ in mockery when they smote and buffited him saying Prophesie to us o Christ who is he that smote thee Mat. 20.20 The Priests Albe that is a white linnen garment doth represent the rayment in which Herod inuested Christ after that he had despised and mocked him Luc. 23.30 The maniple that the Priest weareth on his left arme and the stole that hangeth about his neck doe figure the cord's and fetters with which the officers of the Iews bound Christ Io. 18. and led him from one place to an other from Annas to Caiphas from Caiphas to Pilat from Pilat to Herod and from Herod to Pilat again 40. The Chasuble that is the vppermost vestment doth express the purple garment the souldiers put on Christ Mar. 25. and the heauy cross also that Christ carried on his shouldiers to mount Caluary 50. The Priests (b) Tonsure that is a round crown made in the heads of Clergy-men is an ancient ceremony and according to S. Bede l. 5. 〈◊〉 S. Peter wore it in remembrance of the crown of thorns wherewith Christ's head was crown'd again S. Anicetus that was Chief Church-gouernour in the first 200. years in a certaine Epistle to the Bishops of France commanded all Priests to cut their haire to the end they might not appear delicate and effeminate like secular men that weare long hair for ornament sake Tonsure that is to say the crown of his head shaued in fashion of a round circle doth shew the crown of thornes which the souldiers platted and put about the sacred head of Christ Mar. 25.60 The sundry crosses that the Priest makes ouer the host and chalice before and after consecration are mysticall representations of the many greiuous torments which Christ endured in pursuance of the generall redemption 70. The eleuation of the host and chalice doth figure the lifting vp of Christ on the crosse and in as much as that ceremony is exhibited a part or seuerally it declares the seperatioÌ„ of Christ's soul from his body and his blood from his veins 80. The diuision of the host into three distinct parts doth shew the three substances in Christ vêªt videlicet the diuine of his person the spirituall of his soul and the materiall of his body and wheras one of the said parts is put into the chalice and as it were buried therin thereby is signify'd Christ's body in the sepulcher likewise the mingling therof with the blood demonstrates that the diuine personality was neuer seperated neither from his soul in his descent into Hell nor from his body lying in the sepulcher 90. The Priest's (c) According to the Decrees of Ancient Councils a Priest ought not to depart from the Altar before he giue his benediction again the people were bound to remaine in the Church till the Priest had blest them and indeed priestly benediction was euer practised In the law of nature Melchisedech blessed Abraham in the written law Moses and Aaron blessed the people of Israel and in the law of grace Christ blessed his Disciples benediction giuen in the end of the sacrifice of Mass relates vnto the peculiar recommendation whereby Christ did recommend his Church at the rendring of his soul into the hands of his diuine Father 10. The Altar representes Mount-Caluary and signifies the cross therin erected on which Christ offering as on an Altar a sacrifice of his own body and blood consummated for euer those that are sanctified Heb. 10. And truly as the name of smoak puts vs in minde of fire because of the necessary mutuall relation to each other for smoak of necessity comes from fire that is the cause therof so the name of an Altar doth relate vnto sacrifice necessarily this being included euen in the definition of an Altar taken in the proper sense for a reall Altar to sacrifice on And such is the Altar employed in the sacrifice of Mass called by the Ancient Fathers the Altar of Christ his body and so meant by the Apostle (d) The Apostle by saying Hebrae 13. that We haue an Altar vvhereof they haue no authority to eat vvich serue in the Tabernacle meant an Altar taken in the proper sense that is an Altar on which is offered the sacrifice of Christs body and blood according to the interpretation of the Ancient Fathers S. Greg. Nazian in ora desorore Gorgonia S. Chrysostom demons an Christus sit Deus S. Austin Epis 86. de ciuit l. 8. Confess c. 27. Theophy in 23. Mat. and of the sacrifice of this Altar those cannot eat which serue in the Tabernacle that is which follow the rites and custom's of the ancient Iews nor those which belieue not in the sacrifice of Christs body and blood But this holy Altar si sometymes cal'd Mensa Dominica The Table of our lord because of the heauenly meat our lords reall body and blood which is eaten and drunk there and indeed Mensa Table according to holy scripture often signifies an Altar namely Isa 65. Malach. 1. likewise S. Austin ser 103. de diuersis discoursing of S. Cyprian's Table so called in order to his holy Reliques which were put vnder the Table or Altar erected in the same place where S. Cyprian had suffered Martyrdom In the same place saith S. Austin a Table though erected to God neuertheless was nam'd S. Cyprians Table not because S. Cyprian had feasted there but in regard he had been sacrificed there and through his Martyrdom procured that Table not that he might feed or be fed at it but that vpon it sacrifice might be offered vnto God to whom himselfe had been made an oblation Haebr 13. saying Wee haue an Altar wherof such haue no authority to eate as serue the Tabernacle and for as much as Christs body is spirituall meate and his blood spirituall drink it is named also our lords Table 1. Cor. 10 you cannot say's the Apostle be partakers of our lords Table and the table of deuills
(i) Ephes 4. One lord one faith one Baptism Christ is our one sole lord vpon the score of generall redemption which he procured by his death and passion Faith is one onely because the object is but one and common alike to all the faithfull Baptism is one onely because by vertue of the fame baptism all men are incorporated in to the mysticall body of Christ which is the catholick Church one alone wheras if it were a Sacrament of sole man it should be many besid's it's cheife product of sanctifying grace wherby man is made a childe of God Heir of Heauen coheire and brother of Christ Ro. 8. in regard wherof it surpasseth circücision that figured only what it is indeed and verity and the (k) The baptism of S. Iohn Baptist was no Sacrament taken in the proper sense being a preparation there vnto onely howeuer Christ thought fit to be baptis'd of S. Iohn his precursor that thereby the water might be sanctifyed through a touch of his sacred body and likewise consecrated as the instrumentall cause vnto giuing ingress into his Church euen then design'd by him to be built forthwith for Christs baptism happened in that very yeare of his age when he began to preach the Gospel baptism of S. Iohn Baptist that prepared only thereunto it doth (l) S. Gregory Nazian Ora. 40. calleth baptism a seale or marke whereby a man is signed and marked for a souldier of Christ and S. Cyril Ierosol nameth it a sacred vndelible seale wherfore S. Austin l. 2. con Epis Parmeni c. 12. affirmes that as the mark 's made with a hot iron in souldiers that run from their colours abide in their flesh so baptism and holy order continue in Apostates that desert their faith and religion wherefore if such rebellious straglers returne after wards to the Church those two Sacraments ought not to be administred again because they imprinted characters which can neuer weare away imprint in the person baptised a Character which is a spirituall Mark wherby the soul is figured and fashioned in conformity to Christ as also known for his and distinguisht from such as are not his Wherfore it is a distinctiue sign and consequently indelible eternally permanent so that after a soul is once charactarised or sealed (m) Anabaptists are so nam'd because such as were baptised in their infancy those sectaries baptise again as soon as they come to perfect vse of reason as if the baptism conferred afore were invalide they ground their Heresy in Christs word 's Mat. 28. teach all nations baptising them c. but without cause as in the character is prou'd with the seale of baptisme it ought not to be sealed again As concerning the ceremonies belonging to the solemnity and meetness of this Sacrament they be outward sensible actions decently and profitably employed before in or after the administration thereof Before the receiuing of baptism as meet preparations required there unto are first * S. Hieron in cap. 28. Mat. non potest fieri vt corpus baptismi suscipiat Sacramentum nisi antea anima susceperit veritateÌ„ Loquitur de adultis instructions in the rudiments of christian religion if the person or persons suing for baptism are grown to full age of reason Math. 28. which scripture doth set down the order therin to be obserued according to the condition capacity or ripeness of each one such as are apt and capable to vnderstand christian doctrine ought to be instructed before they be admitted to the Sacrament which was the practice of the Apostles Act. 2. and 3. S. Philip the Deacon preached vnto the Eunuch Iesus and required credence therunto before he did baptize him Act. 8. and indeed it is impossible for the body to receiue the Sacrament of Baptism vnless the soul receiue afore the verity of faith when there is sufficient ripeness of judgment in the subject to receiue it Howeuer neither instruction nor any other disposition is of necessity as to the nature or essence of this Sacrament Infants in their infancy * Mar. 10. Luc. 18. Christus ait sinite paruulos nolite prohibere illos venire ad me talium â—nim est Regnum Coelorum being capable of heauenly blessedness are not vncapable of baptism though they want capacity for instruction Christ did expresse the necessity of baptism as to the new Testament after the same manner as God did explaine the necessity of circumcision as to the old Testament Gen 17. and consequently since infancy was no hindrance to circumcision neither is it a lâ—t to baptism Secondly * ScrutiniuÌ„ quo fides baptiz andoruÌ„ explorabatur agnoscit Aug. l. de side operibus c. 6. exprimitur hac caremonia in Rituali quande dicit Sacerdos infanâ—ulo quid petis patrinus respondet fidem deinde Sacerdos dicit abrenuncias Satanae Huius ceremoniae meminit Tertull. l. de spectaculis cap. 4. inspection or examination as to faith by interogatories Thirdly * Signi Crucis vsurpati in baptisme meminit Aug. l. de Catech. Rudibus cap. 20. sign of the cross which sheweth that Christ doth not work in this Sacrament vnto remission of sin 's by water only but by water and blood shed on the crosse It was IESUS-CHRIST that (n) Christ is said to come by water because he instituted the Sacrament of baptism in water signifyed by the sacred water that sprung out of his side hanging on the cross and he is said to come by blood in regard the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sinnes 1. Ioan. 10. came by water and blood vnto saluation of all men Io. 1. cap. 5. fourthly * Exorcismi meminit Iustinus Maertyr Dialogo de Tripho exorcism wherby the deuil is hindred so that he cannot obstruct the ministring of baptism or the effect therof Fiftly * Insufflationis qua vtitur Sacerdos solemniter baptizans dicens exi ab eo spriritus immuÌ„de meminit S. Ambros l. de ijs qui initiantur significat expulsionem Daemonis insufflation or breathing on the person that is to be baptized signifyeth the casting out of the deuill for euery one before baptism is a childe of wrath of Hell of damnation through originall sinne Sixtly * Gustus salis memenit Concil Carthag 4. can 5. transfertur ad significaÌ„dam sapientiam Vnde dicitur sal sapientiae salt giuen to tast which doth represent the wisdome of christian doctrine receiued in baptism Seauenthly * Mar. 7. misit JESVS digitos suos in auriculas eius expuens tetigit linguam eius inspiciens in caelum gemuit ait illi surdo muto Epheta quod est adaperire Huius contactus narium aurium meminit S. Ambrosius loco supra citato the putting of spittle into the nostrills and eares which signifyes the receiuing of faith and grace in vertue of the Sacrament And this ceremony is grounded Mar. 7. Eightly * Mar. 1.
A man must be made a christian through baptism before he can make a progress in christianity through confirmation A man must be made a member of Christ through baptism before he can be a soldier of Christ through confirmation A man must be endued with faith through baptism before he can be deputed to a speciall office in the exercise thereof which is to defend it against the assaults of Tyrants through confirmation A man must be invested with * Hieron diolog con Lucifer cap. 4. quemodo inquit ab Ecclesia recipiet confirmationeÌ„ qui nec dum remissionem peccatorum coÌ„secutus est Docet Arianos qui errabant contra formam baptismi non accepisse spiritum sanctuÌ„ per Sacramentum CoÌ„firmationis grace vnto remission of sins through baptism before he can receiue the holy Ghost vnto perfection through confirmation which does not confer sanctity after the manner of other Sacraments only but also doth * Omnes S. Patres qui agunt de Sacramento confirmationis doceÌ„t baptismi gratiam perfici consummari per gratiam coÌ„firmationis increase and perfect the sanctity receiued afore by baptism it being the complement or consummation thereof Whereby it is plainly euident that albeit this Sacrament is not as baptism a requisite absolutely necessary vnto obtaining eternall blessedness neuertheless it is conditionally necessary to wit as to the armour of grace and (h) According to Pope Vrban dist 5. de consecratione there is no perfect christian that hath not receiu'd the holy Ghost through the imposition of Episcopall hands and Hugo de S. Vict. l. 2. de Sacram. par 7. cap. 3. countes it dangerous to dye without being confirm'd afore which is conform to the doctrine of ancient Fathers S. Dionys Lâ—de Eccles Hierar c. 4. S. Cypr. Epis 72. ad Iubaian which assert that then a man has fulnes of sanctity and is made an adopted son of God when he receiues both the Sacraments baptism and confirmation perfection therof as also to a more ample measure of blessedness then baptisme alone doth effect so that christian catholicks especially such as liue vnder persecution ought to vse extraordinary endeauours for their admittance to this Sacrament the proper office there of being to strenghten them by grace that they may not fall from the Church of Christ * In Epis ad Fabium vti refert Eusebius l. 1. cap. 35. S. Cornelius affirmeth that Nouatus fell into Heresie for the want therof If they haue no conueniency in their own country to repaire vnto a catholick Bishop the spirituall aduantages which they may reape from the Sacrament of confirmation will compence the charges of a journey into forrain parts where catholick Bishops are to be found but this is to be vnderstood in reference to such catholicks as haue ability of body and a competency of temporall fortunes As touching the sensible rites or ceremonies employed in or about the Sacrament of confirmation the most remarkable are two only For example a Bishop in making of chrism breatheth three times in form of a cross on the mouth of the pot or flagon that containeth the said Chrism signifying thereby that euen at that time through episcopall consecration Chrism receiueth virtue from God wherby it is impowered as his instrument to confer strengthning grace to such as doe receaue the Sacrament aright and ceremonies signifying the thing that is done for the time they are employed are profitable by the confession of such * Caluinus in sua harmonia ad cap. 7. S. Marci fatetur caeremonias illas quae habent significationem eius quod tunc fit duÌ„ exercentur esse vtiles as impugne catholick ceremonies The other ceremonie is the reuerence a Bishop exhibiteth to the consecrated Chrism bowing down his head he saluteth saying Haile holy Chrism This ceremony hath nothing of Idolatry for an vnliu'd thing may challenge religious adoration in reference to an other distinct wherin excellency is contained to which religious adoration is due The ancient Iewes adored the Ark of the Testament because of the relation it had to God that is an increated excellency and all Christians doe religiously worship and adore the sacred books of the new Testament in reguard of the word of God therin comprehended And subjects of a temporall Prince do render ciuil reuerence to his chaire of state in relation to his sacred Person if a king or Emperour to which is due ciuill adoration by the law of God and nature in like manner religious worship is exhibited to holy Chrism in as much as it is the effectuall instrument of God to giue armour of grace to such as are baptised and is by speciall benediction deputed to the effecting therof CHAR. VIIJ. OF THE EVCHARISTE THE CONTENTS Christ the night before his passion made his last Testament gaue vnto his Church a legasy of his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Euchariste vnder the form's of bread and wine for to continue the spirituall food of souls till he come to Iudgment The express words of the Testament This is my body This Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood exclude each figure that is inconsistent with the litterall sense intended by the Testatour that vseth not to say one thing literally and mean an other mystically because Christ Said this is my body this Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood no man in reason ought to doubt of it Authorities of Councils testimonies of ancient Fathers and the warrantable practice of both primitiue and modern Churches euince the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Euchariste in vertue of the same word that was made flesh and made all things of nothing bread is transubstantiated in to the body and wine in to the bloud of Christ who is in Heauen and in the Sacrament at once One body can agree with many places by diuine dispensation Requisit's necessary to a worthy receiuing of Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament THe Euchariste is the (a) The blood of Christ shed vnto remission of sinnes is the proper legacy of the new Testament according to Christs owne words set down 1. Cor. 11. This Chalice is the nevv Testament in my blood legacy of the new Testament vnto eternall life that Christ bequeathed to his Church in a Sacrament of his body and blood the night before he suffered his passion in the presence of witnesses without exception which were his Apostles The same body and blood that Christ offered in a sacrifice on the cross visibly to the redeeming of man kind vnto liberty he left in a Sacrament vnder the elements of bread and wine invisibly to the feeding of man vnto eternall life In the bestowing of this legacy Christ who is faithfull in all he promiseth fulfilled the promise he had made long afore and which is set down Io. 6. (b) Christ Ioan. 6. promising and recommending the Sacrament of his body and blood said
proper to things spirituall Christ meant the orall eating of his flesh and orall drinking of his blood saying The words that I speak vnto you that is those things my flesh and blood are * Trid. sess 13. ait Christum instituisse SacrameÌ„tum Eucharistiae taÌ„quam spiritualem animaruÌ„ cibum spirit and life and that is to say are spiritually cloathed after the imitation of spirituall substances exempted from the carnall proprieties which naturally adhere to flesh and blood in this mortall life but are no essentiall requisits there vnto whereby it is plain that the eating of Christs body and drinking of his blood in the Sacrament of the Eucharist may be said spirituall in reference to the spirituall being they haue therein Besides Christs body and blood be indeed spirituall supersubstantiall meate and drink wherby the substance of humane souls is supported and nourished spiritually As corporall meate doth repaire materiall breaches which naturall heate mak's in a materiall body so this spirituall meate doth repaire the spirituall ruines that the fire of concupiscence doth cause in a spirituall soul Also the eating of Christs body and drinking of his blood may bee termed spirituall through faith for as much as a Christian that eateth and drinketh worthily is vnited to Christ by faith which is aspirituall quality Again the eating of Christs body and the drinking of his blood may be styled spirituall because of Christs death and passion figured therein and this Sacrament imports * QuotiescuÌ„quo ait Apostolus manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibetis mortem Domini annunciahitis donec veniat a commemoration thereof so that a Christian receiuing worthily doth communicate with Christs passion suffered on the cross and this manner of spirituall locution is vsed sometimes by ancient Fathers who neuertheless expresly affirm Christ to bee truly (e) The second Council of Nice Act. 6. declares euidently that the Sacrament of the Eucharist ought not to be called the Image of Christs body because he did not say take eate the Image of my body also declares that in the Sacrament is the true body of Christ because he said This is my body really and substantially in the Sacrament of the Eucharist neither is the literall sense of words inconsistent with the spirituall signification of thinges which they express taken in the literall sense For example though Isaac and Ismael doe literally signify the two sons of Abraham as the history of Genesis plainly sheweth neuertheless the Apostle Gal. 4. by Ismael that was born of Agar a seruant spiritually and figuratiuely vnderstands the old Testament that was a law of bondage and likewise by Isaac that was born of Sara a free woman spiritually and figuratiuely vnderstandeth the new Testament which is a law of liberty and grace and indeed all Sacraments whatsoeuer besides * Aug. l. 2. con aduers legis c. 9. ait Christi locutionem nisâ— manducaueritis c. codem modo esse figuratam ac duo filij Abraha fuâ—â—unt duo Test amenta Jsaac Ismael secuÌ„dum literam vere de facto fuerunt filij Abraha figurabant tamen duo Testamenta Idem Aug. l. 3. de doct Christ c. 16. ait illam Christi locutionem nisi manducaueritis c. figuratam esse quatenus praecipit communicandum passioni Christi vtiâ—â—ter recondendum in memoria quod pro nobis caro Christi crucifixa sit Non negat tamen dictam locutionem in sensu literali etïam intelligi de reali oralâ— manducatione corporit Christi bibition◠〈◊〉 sanguinis sub spocicbus consecratis panis vins their literall doe admit a spirituall or figuratiue construction being defined visible figures or signes of spirituall invisible grace The Sacrament of Circumcision according to the literall meaning thereof did signify corporall circumcision as to the foreskin of the flesh called prepuce and according to it 's spirituall and figuratiue signification did import spirituall circumcision as to the foreskin of the heart which is of spirituall vices as also did shadow grace giuen in the new law In like manner the words vttered in baptism I baptise thee taken in the literall sense which is expressed immediatly by the said words doe signify reall washing of naturall water as to the body and taken in the spirituall sense they signify spirituall washing of grace * Aug. vnde tanta vis aquae vt corpus tangat cor vero abluat as to the soul Furthermore the words whereby Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist in full performance of the promise afore mentioned Io. 6. giue cleare euidence of Christs meaning in recognition of a reall eating of his body and reall drinking of his blood The words of institution according to the consenting Testimonies of all ancient and modern writers are these This is my body which is giuen for you Luc. 22. This is my body which shall be deliuered for you This Chalice is the new Testament in my blood 1. Cor. 11. This is the blood of the new Testament which shall be shed for you Mar. 14. This is my blood of thenew Testament that shall be shed for many vnto remission of sins Mat. 26. Which words of Christ being as plainly and clearly vttered as to the litterall sense as those of God the Father in the Transfiguration of Christ to wit This is my son Mat. 30. and consequently there beeing no more reason to wrest the former then the latter words to a figuratiue signification it is a manifest blindnes in the Caluinists and other ancienter sectaries to wrest the proper cleare words and to substitute in their room improper obscure tropes and figures without any ground of reason for what can be more vnreasonable then to think that Christ saying This is my body which shall bee deliuered for you 1. Cor. 11. This is my blood which shall bee shed for many vnto remission of sins Mat. 26. meant a figure (f) Both canon and ciuil lawers treating of Testaments legasies and contracts teach that we must not recede from the words of the Testament nor from the rigour thereof and that we ought to presume of the Testatours intent and meaning according to the signification of the words taken in their proper sense of his body only and a figure of his blood only since a figure was not deliuered in a Sacrifice but Christ's true reall substantiall body nor a figure was shed vnto remission of sins but Christs true reall and substantiall blood Besides a thing that is mysterious vnheard of afore and instituted for an article of faith as is the Sacrament of the Eucharist of necessity ought to bee propounded (g) According to S. Chrysostome Hom. 83. in Mat. because Christ said This is my body we must not doubt of but belieue it to be so And S. Austin Tom. 8. in psal 33. saith expresly that when Christ gaue the Sacrament of the Eucharist he did that which no other could do for Christ saith
catholick doctrine For if perfect contrition together with the said desire shall allwaies be necessarily required vnto remission of sins and that before the outward working of the Sacrament it is evidently plain that the grace wherby a sinner is iustifyed ought neuer to to counted the product of the said Sacraments immediate working which inference if it were granted would prejudice catholick faith it teaching that the Sacraments of the new law in vertue of their institution do confer sanctifying grace ex opere operato that is through their own outward immediat working and efficacy For example the outward sensible washing of water in baptism together with the outward sensible vttering of certaine words viêªt videlicet I baptise thee doe actually produce grace and life if no impediment interuene being sensible actions instituted by Christ himselfe for that intent and purpose wherby is clearly manifest again that if * Facultas Parisiensis An. 1638. die Iulij 1. notauit censura banc propositioneÌ„ Attritione de peccatis insufficientem esse pro accipiedae remissione peccatoruÌ„ in Sacramento poenitentiae contritionem ex perfecta charitate ad id necessariaÌ„ esse cum hac altara propositione ex priori sequeÌ„te Absolutionem SacrameÌ„talem nihil aâ—â—ud esse quaÌ„ declarationem iuridicam peccati iam ramissi perfect contrition proceeding from a full loue of God which is inconsistent with deadly sin were of absolute necessity at all times the Sacrament of penance at no tyme should produce sanctifying grace by it's own outward working and efficacy because it would allwaies be preuented by perfect contrition which is opus operantis onely that is to say an action or working of a penitent sinner through an actuall motion of the Holy Ghost which of necessity would bring with it sanctifying grace before the sacramentall absolution and consequently before the perfecting of the Sacrament of penance sacramentall absolution being the sole form thereof Wherfore though contrition as it doth abstract from perfect and imperfect be an essentiall part of the Sacrament of penance yet perfect contrition is not because imperfect contrition or attrition as it is a supernaturall motion of God ioyned to the Sacrament (e) S. Austin l. de Catech. rudibus cap. 17. expresly affirm's that attrition which through speciall assistance of diuine grace is procur'd by the feare of Hell or by a desire of eternall life ioyn'd to the Sacrament of Baptism is a sufficient expedient vnto obtaining remission of deadly sinnes in order to those which are grown vp to full yeares of discretion But if attrition be a sufficient disposition to procure sanctifying grace in the Sacrament of baptism it must likewise be a sufficient disposition vnto producing the same effect in the Sacrament of penance being there is full parity between the one and the other Sacrament for both baptism and penance haue power by their institution to confer the first sanctifying grace vnto remitting of mortall sinnes and therefore be named Sacramenta mortuorum Sacrament's of the dead is a sufficient disposition vnto the obtaining remission of sins in so much that a penitent who is attrite only in vertue of the Sacrament is * Est axiâ—ma apud Theologos Attritus per Sacramentum sit contritus made contrite that is is enabled to receiue grace of iustification which is the proper effect of perfect contrition Wherfore a meer act of attrition founded * Isaiae 26. oculi Domini super metuentes eum in timoretuo Domine concepimus parturiuimus peperimus spirituÌ„ salutis Et Aug. ser 1. timor qui coÌ„cipit poeniteÌ„tiam parit compunctionem cordis quae importat remissionem peccati either in hope of eternall life or in feare of eternall death or in abhorrence of sin in respect of it's filthinesse being by the power of the Sacrament inuested with the power of perfect contrition draweth from the heart of a penitent the poyson of sin and as physick doth first afflict and afterward heale a diseased body so attrition made a soueraingn medecine in vertue of the Sacrament doth first trouble a soul sick of sin with bitternesse of grief and afterward worketh a perfect cure on it So that a sinner is truly reconciled to God that for feare of his iustice detesteth sin and turneth to penance (f) According to S. Austin ser 10. de tempore to confesse and not to abstain from sin is rather to excuse our faults then to amende them neither are our soul 's heal'd thereby Wherfore the holy scriptures commande sinners to cast from them their iniquities and neuer to returne to them again Iohn 5. Behold thou art made vvhole sinne no more lest a vvorse thing come vnto thee And Ioan. 8. goe and sinne no more confessing against himselfe his wicked ness together with a full purpose to make him a new heart and a new spirit for the future casting away all affection to his former transgressions and truly t' is impossible for a sinner to put on the new * Aug. trac de poenitentia nemo fue libero arbitrio potest inchoare nouam vitam nisi de priori se poeniteat huc spectat illud Ezech. c 18. si impius egerit poenitentiam ab omnibus peccatis suis quae operatus est omnium iniquitatum eius non recordabor hac est prudentia leonis qui ne inveniatur à venatoribus cauda sua vestigia operit without putting of the old man with his workes he must for sake the old wayes of death if he will enter into newnesse of life Howeuer acts of sorrow and detestation in order to sin euen ioyned to the Sacrament are drie vnlesse they be moystned * Psal 6. lauo per singulas noctes lectum meum lacrymis psal 118. ab oculis meis fluxerunt magni aquae riuuli quia non custodierunt legem tuam with teares which in as much as they flow from a heart truly penitent be Gods speciall delight (g) According to S. Gregory tears shed for our sinnes procure diuine mercy and according to S. Bernard the tear's of a Penitent soul are Angels wine which reioyce ouer a sinner doing penance the Angells wine and vndoubted tokens of a sinners renewed alliance with Heauen Philo the prime Historian among the Iewes relateth that Dauid and Ionathas did so passionatly loue eath other that at one tyme in their reciprocall embracements they shed tears in such plenteous measure that they were receiued in vessels and reserued as pledges of that vehement freindship mutuall expressed The hearty teares of a penitent sinner heauenly Angells receiue preserue and offer as the gratefullest libations to God wittnessing thereby that he hath cast away from him all his transgressions and made him a new heart and a new spirit and indeed no repentance that doth not bring with it newness of life is of any value or consequence as to eternall blessednesse Antiochus 2. Machab. 9. although he came to the
were not publick as attest Tertull. and S. Cyprian as had openly sinned to the disedifying of other belieuers whence they named them Penitentiaries and those so sinning Penitents and for distinction sake alotted them places in their Churches apart from the rest of their flocke yet now by vsage of speech the name of penitents is appropriated to all sinners joynt and seperat that confesse their sins to any Priest lawfully ordaind and approu'd Howeuer euen those publick offenders did confess their publick together with their secret offences vnto the penitentiary Priests secretly (d) Secret confession made to a Priest is no humane inuention but a diuine institution Concil Trid. fess 14. c. 6. and S. Chrysostom hom in Gen. de Lazaro names secret confession made to a Priest confession made to God himselfe because a Priest is Christ's Vicar or substitute and Iudge appointed by Christ vnto loosing and binding who is chief principall cause that work 's in euery Sacrament for example a Priest that ministereth Baptism though he truly baptizes neuertheless Christ specially is said to baptise according to the holy Euangelist Hic Christus est qui baptizat This is he Christ that baptiseth secret confession importing a diuine precept in order to both kinds of sins entire confession being an essentiall part of the Sacrament of penance and publick confession that was made in an open assembly was a meer iniunction as to satisfaction in flicted by the said Penitentiaries to whom power was giuen by their Bishops to impose publick confession of sundry publick sin's as in prudence they should thinke it expedient for the humbling of publick sinners and thereby vnto terrefying and edifying of others Yet in this and many ages before publick confession together with Penitentiary Priest's in order to the practice mentioned are laid aside * Socrater qui narrat factum nectarij ait eum tantum sustulisse quod Episcopi EcclejiaruÌ„ adiunxerant Canoni id est praecepto diuino confitendi propter haeresim Nouatianorum Nectarius Patriarch of Constantinople in respect of great inconueniences occasioned thereby annulled both they being Church additions only ioyned to the diuine precept of sacramentall confession and S. Chrysostome that succeeded Nectarius approued his proceeding therin iudging it vnreasonable and too heauy a burthen for sinners to confess vnto men t at might reproach them for their sins as be such as are no Priests and consequently such as are not concerned in the seal of sacramentall confession * Obligatio sigilli nascitur ex omni sola confessione Sacramentali id est quae suscipitur animo subyÌ„ciendi peccataclauibus Ecclesiae which is an obligation not to reueale what is confessed sacramentally the precept therof being of diuine right and whereas it includes a negation after the manner of meer negatiue precepts for example Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not tell a lie which be binding without exception the seale of sacramentall confession ought not to be broke in any case whatsoeuer again as confession in secret in order to the Sacrament of penance hath it's institution and command from Christ and as the seale of sacramentall confession hath institution and command from Christ also (e) The necessity of whole and entire confession euidently appeares by sundry generall Councils Namely Latera cap. omnis v. riusque sexus Flor. in Decreto Eugenij Trident. fess 14. cap. 5. so integrity as to confessing of sins committed after baptism hath it's institution and command from Christ in order to a Christian that will confess vnto full remission therof in so much that sacramentall confession of necessity must be perfect entire and vndiuided in order to all mortall sins which occurre to a Penitent's memory after sufficient examination of his conscience for that thing is a necessary requisite to sacramentall confession which if it were omitted the Priests absolution would be in vaine and of no effect or purpose and a Priest's absolution is of no value without integrity of confession in order to all mortall sins which occur to a Penitents memory after a serious examination of his conscience not confessed afore because one mortall sin confessed apart from another mortall alike cannot be pardoned Wherefore it is not enough as to the integrity of sacramentall confession to confess wittingly one mortall sin vnconfessed afore sacramentally to one Priest and another mortall alike to another Priest but all mortall sins ioynt and seperate ought to be confessed to one and the same Priest together with the * Trident. sess 14. docet eas circumstantias in confessione explicandas esse quae speciem peccati mutant quibus verbis damnat noÌ„nullos haereticos asserentes circumstantias peccatorum fuisse ab otiosis hominibus excogitatas circumstances that bring with them a new mortall malice to the making of a distinct sin for example it is not enough for a man that hath robbed a Church to confess that he hath committed theft because that circumstance import's a new and distinct sin integrity of sacramentall confession being inconsistent with voluntary omission of any one mortall sinne And for as much as a penitent cannot procure integrity of confession without * Eccles 18. ante indiciuÌ„ interroga to ipsum in conspectu Domini inuenies propitiationem a due inspection ouer his conscience (f) S. Athanas in illud Euangelij profecti in-Pagum writeth thus 1. letus examine our selues whether our fetters be loos'd whereby he requires inspection into our consciences before we come to confession 2. in case saith he the cord's of sin that tye vs fast be not loos'd already we must deliuer our selues vp to the Disciples of JESUS that is we must confess our sinnes to a Priest for they are those that can loose our cords by the power which they haue receiu'd from our sauiour IESUS who said Whatsoeuer yee shall binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and vvhatsoeuer yee shall loose on Earth shall be loos'd in Heauen in consequence of which Priests haue power to absolue iuridically as true Iudges in the Sacrament of penance it is expedient for him to call to his remembrance the howers of his life that are passed especially since his last confession what businesses he hath managed what persons he hath haunted and what sins he is inclined to most As a prudent Physician that vndertak's the cure of a diseased body giues preparatiues to the loosening or stirring vp of ill humours that are cause of the disease before he applies soueraign physick to the purging of them away wherby the cure is done so a discreet penitent in the cure of a sick soul prepares his conscience by examination vnto the remouall of malignant humours of sins which are the cause of it's sickness before he applies the remedy * Aug. de poenitent confessio est salus animarum dissipatrix vitiorum expugnatrix daemonum quid plura obstruit os inferni paradiso portas aperiâ—
of sacramentall confession to purge out the leauen therof wherby he is cured For as a wounded body cannot be healed while the arrow that gaue the wound continues therin so neither a wounded soul can be cured whiles sin remaines that wounded it Wherfore as an impostume that breaks not outwardly causeth corporall death so sin's that stay within the soul * S. Aug qui inconfessus lates inconfessus condemnaberis vnconfessed cause eternall death Wherby euidently appears the greatness of the hazard that sinners run which (g) S. Cyprian l. de lapsis writeth thus Let euery man confess his sinnes while he is aliue while his confession may be accepted while his satisfaction and remission giuen by a Priest is gratefull in the sight of God defer confession of their sins till great sickness sieze on them and such be like vnto malefactors that confesse their wickednes at the gallowes when they can sin no more being depriued of further opportunity to sinne so that their sins do rather leaue them then they their sins Besides this kinde of slow-negligent penitents seldome confesse vnto iustification of life retaining for the most part an affection to their former transgressious in consequence of which they die in their wickednesse for loue to and remission of sin are inconsistent together Furthermore as a man that is afflicted with many grieuous wounds cannot performe any hard work so a penitent oppressed with many deadly sins togegether with violent sickness cannot * Psalm 14. dereliquit me virtus mea stand against the difficult assaultes of the deuill CHAR. XIIJ. OF SATISFACTION THE CONTENTS The integrity of sacramentall penance requireth sacramentall satisfaction the propriety wherof is to discharge the debt of temporall punishments which euen after the pardoning of sin as to the guilt thereof oft remaines behind vnsatisfyed satisfaction hath nothing of weight with it vnlesse the penitent that satisfyes be in state of grace God scourgeth euery son whom he receiueth neither holy scriptures nor ancient Fathers exhorte sinners to turne to God with inward penance only outward penance is required namely fasting praying Almes deeds and other painfull afflictions outward penance doth not preiudice the satisfaction of Christ from the merits whereof proceed's whatsoeuer it hath as conducing to heauenly blessedness SAtisfaction is a painfull and laborious exercise of some one or more outward good works namely fasting praying or giuing of Almes c. which a Penitent (a) Satisfaction consistes in the exercise of painfull works appointed and enjoyned by a Ghostly-Father in manner of commande and indeed if such works were required by way of counsell onely the Penitent might choose whether he would receiue the whole entire Sacrament of Penance or not being satisfaction pertaines to the integrity fhereof by command of his Ghostly-father * Satisfactio debet esse actus voluntarius nam qui inuitus poenanae sustinct dicitur potius satispati quam satisfacere voluntarily embraceth for the remitting of temporall paine due to his sins as offences against God together with full purpose to sin no more The prime propriety of satisfaction is to discharge the debt of temporall punishment which after pardon of sin in order to it 's mortall malice and eternall paine if the sin be mortall often times (b) The Council of Trent fess 6. cap. 14. declar's that satisfaction is one part of sacramentall penance enjoyn'd to the remitting of temporall paine which according to holy scriptures is not all waies taken away wholy together with the guilt of sin and the Council of Trent fess 14. cap. 8. expresly teacheth and cap. 12. defineth Sub Anathemate that often tymes God remitteth the guilt of sin vvithout foregiuing the temporall pain due thereto and vponthis catholick assertion is grounded christian faith in order to Indulgences and Purgatory the fire whereof purgeth away temporall pains due to sinnes afore remitted remaines behind vnpaid Although a penitent sinner by a perfect act of contrition or reall receiuing of the Sacrament of Penance finde grace again in the sight of his Creatour Neuertheless he is not alwaise deliuered from temporall afflictions For example God as soon as he saw Dauid's contrition and detestation of the adultery which he had committed with Bersebe and the Murther that the had exercised on Vrias her husband remitted the guilt of those sins and receiued him into fauour again yet notwithstanding his happy reconciliation he was left to endure many temporall calamities euen in order to the offences pardoned afore For afterward God raised euill against him in a great measure The child that was borne vnto him died the sword neuer departed from his own house sundry of his seed were violently slain and his people rebelled against him In like manner although Moyses and Aaron long before their death 's got remission of the guilt of their incredulity contracted * Num. 20. Moyses Aaron Deo contradicebant non loquentes ad Petram in conspectu filiorum Israel quod tamen Deus praeceperat illis at the waters of contradiction Num. 20. belieuing not God to sanctify them in the presence of the children of Israël (c) According to S. Anstin l. 16. con Faus Manich. c. 16. Moses and Aarons sin of incredulity was remitted them long afore their death yet in punishment of that very fault committed afore they were not suffered to conduct his people into the land of promise which was the thing they passionately coueted Again (d) S. Chrysostom hom 80. ad popul Antich discoursing vpon those words Math. 12. The men of Niniue did penance at the preaching of Ionas writes thus Euery where sack-cloath euery where Ashes euery where Teares and the king of Niniue himselfe left his Throne laid aside his Royall Robes put on a hair shirt and powdered his head with ashes whereby the Town was deliuered from destruction the people of Nineue at the preaching of Ionas the Prophet belieued in God Ionas 3. and turned vnto him in tribulation of soul wherby doubtless they procured pardon of their transgressions in order to the guilt therof Neuertheless they voluntarily afterward exercised works of satisfaction for they proclaimed a fast of three dayes put on sack cloath euen from the greatest to the least of them and turned from their euill wayes in bitternesse of sorrow Besid's S. Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. after he had seuerly reproached the Iewes to whom he preached saluation for their grieuous sinnes and exhorted them to penance he inferred vpon it thus do therfore fruits * S. Hierâ—â— nymus in 2. Joells per fructus dignos poenitentiae intellig in ieiunium orationes eleemosynas id ganus alia worthy penance thereby distinguishing penance that is to say inward contrition and detestation of sins comitted from outward good works thence proceeding as obserueth S. Gregory hom 20. in Euangelia And indeed a sinner that is really penitent detesteth and abhorreth his sinnes and turneth to the
debt liable to satisfaction Neither doth this preiudice Christ's satisfaction for though in order to it 's own value and efficacy it is more then abundantly sufficient to ransome all sins whatsoeuer ioynt and seperate neuertheless it causeth remission only according to the disposition of the subject to which it is applyed after the similitude of naturall causes which how potent and actiue soeuer they are themselues yet the subjects on which they worke put bound's to their actiuity and efficacy in working wherfore as it doth not argue insufficiency in naturall causes though they doe not produce effect's proportionable to their efficacy through the indisposition of the subjects so neither doth it argue imperfection in Christ's satisfaction to the preiudice therof although sin's are remitted thereby as to their malice and eternall paine the temporall paine remaining vnremitted through remissnes of a penitent's contrition By the premises euidently appeares the extream weakness of modern sectaries that acknowledg inward penance only which is a detestation of sin together with a purpose of amendment (b) S. Cyprian l. de lapsis treating of Confession in order to secret sinnes mentions expresly satisfaction as a part of true penance Et confiteantur ait singuli delictum suum dum adhuc qui delinquit in saeculo est dum admitti confessio eius potest dum satisfactio remissio per Sacerdotem grata est apud Dominum and a litle after exhort's sinners to turne to God with their whole heart and to appease his wrath through fasting praying weeping and wailing and according to S. Ambrose trac ad Virginem lapsam cap. 8 if a sinner shall not be indulgent to himselfe God will shew him indulgence that is if he shall punish himselfe God will not punish him and reiect outward penance which is called satisfaction belicuing that God * Concil Trid. sess 6. can 30. si quis post acceptam iustificationis gratiaÌ„ cuilibet peccatori poenitenti it a culpam remitti reatum aternae poenadeleri dixerit vt nullus remaneat reatus poenae temporalis exoluenda vel in hoc saeculo vel in futuro in purgatorio antequaÌ„ ad regna caeloruÌ„ aditus patere possit anathema sit doth neuer inflict temporall punishment's for sin's whose mortall malice and eternall paine due thereto is pardoned afore for the scripture-testimonies alledged doe plainly demonstrate the contrary Besides although the malice or deformity of sin be the sole cause of temporall paine neuertheless it is no formall or materiall cause it is but the efficient morall cause only which is not allwaies in being together with it's effect as clear experience teacheth in things physicall and morall and therfore no man ought to infer from the remission of the malice of sin the remission of all paine corresponding thereto Again albeit that remission of eternall paine be a greater thing and far more difficult then is the remission of temporall paine neuertheless that doth not of necessity infer this for an outward Court of Iustice often times doth spare a malefactours life that deserueth death enioyning him a penalty that is a lesser thing To forgiue a greater punishment is not to forgiue a lesser that hath noessentiall connection with the greater and indeed though eternall pain be inconsistent with the remission of the deformity and malice of mortall sin in as much as sanctifying grace wherby such remission is purchased doth constitute a sinner a child of God Heir of Heauen and coheir of Christ howeuer sanctity and temporall paine are not incompatible together God tooke to mercy again the children of Israel that had made them God's of gold which they adored being pacified by the prayer of Moyses for their Idolatry Exod. 32 (i) Exod. 32. Our lord therfore plagu'd the people for the fault in order to the calfe that Aaron had made Where the particles Therfore for the fault giue euidence that the sole reason which mou'd God to punish them again that is after the prayer of Moses had appeas'd him was the sin of Idolatry afore pardoned as to the guilt thereof neither does Caluin deny in his Comment on the same Chap. of Exod. but that the fault was remitted afore yet afterward he did visit that very sin vpon them with temporall punishment's as doth euidence the same Chapter To conclude all primitiue Fathers of the new lawe doe not exhorte Christians only to turne vnto God with inward contrition of heart * S. Cypria ser 5. de lapsiâ— Oportet inquit orare impensius rogare diemluctu transigere vigilâ—â—s fletibus noctes ducere tempus omne lacrymosis lamentationibus óccupare but also with praying fasting mourning weeping Almes-deed's and other painfull afflictions Wherfore it is meer foolishness to belieue that God is pacified by inward penance which is detestation of sin and not by outward penance which is satisfaction for temporall paine due thereto together with reparation of the injury which God suffereth by sin Neither doth the saying of S. Paul Ephes 5. viz. No man euer ye hateth his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it infirme this christian doctrine for the same Apostle 1. Cor. 9. confesseth that himself punished his flesh saying I beat down my body and bring it into subiection Though no man can hate his flesh out of hatred to his flesh precisely yet he may punish his flesh out of hatred to the many miseries the rebellion therof brings to the soul and indeed God * Apo. 3. ego quos amo arguo castigo chasteneth the flesh of as many as he loueth CHAR. XIV OF INDVLGENCES THE CONTENTS The Church of God inheriteth the aboundant satisfactions of Christ and his Saincts vnto remitting of temporall paines due to sinnes pardoned afore as to the guilt thereof which is the consistency of the Churches Indulgences or pardons the dispensing whereof is proper to the Church-gouernours which vse less or more moderation in the releasing of temporall punishment's according to tymes places and persons greater-penances and fewer pardons agreed with primitiue christians that carryed about the dying mortifications of their crucified Lord there is nothing of substantiall difference between ancient and modern Indulgences as those so these import remission of temporall pains not onely in the Ecclesiasticall before men but likewise in the diuine Court of Iustice in the sight of God sundry kinds of Indulgences set down The state of grace necessarily required vnto the gaining of them INdulgences are remission of temporall pain due to sins pardoned afore through the application of the (a) Pope Clement the sixt Extra vnigenitus Tit. de poenit calleth the prize of Christ and the Saincts satisfaction 2 Treasure taken in spirituall signification after the similitude of a corporall Treasure laid vp and conseru'd for the common vses of a community or common wealth without being propriated to any particular person aboundant satisfactions of the blessed Saintes and Christ's specially the value and worth
wherof is the spirituall treasure laid vp in the Churches spirituall Treasurie and by her supream Pastour dispensed The end for which God ordained the mistery of the Incarnation was not to remit sin only but the pain of it also wherfore Christ did not giue the great price of his suffering's for sin alone but likewise for the paine corresponding thereunto in consequence of which t' is necessary that (b) According to the definition of Pope Leo the tenth that condemned Luther the Church of God possesses a spirituall Treasure of Indulgences consisting of the aboundant satisfactions of Christ and the blessed Saincts and this catholick assertion is set down in the Councils of Constance ses 8. and of Trent ses 21. c. 9. where Indulgence are named Celestiall Treasure likewise this latter Council declares that Christ hath giuen to his Church Indulgences and power to grant them when the price or satisfaction is abundant and exceedeth the greatness of the debt contracted something of it remaine vnexhausted and vnapplyed but the satisfaction of Christ was so aboundant that in respect of the infinite dignity thereof it was sufficient enough to redeeme the sins of all men joynt and seperate if it had been applyed * 1. Cor. 5. Christus mortuus pro omnibus 1. Jo. 2. ipse Christus est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris c. for Christ died for all 1. Cor. 5. and was a full propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only but also for the sins of the whole world 1. Io. 2. Wherfore something of Christ's satisfaction still remain's to shew in Ages to come the exceeding riches of his suffering's which are the spirituall Treasure reserued in the Treasury of his holy spouse the Church to the benefit of her and her children and truly the aboundant goods that a louing Husband purchaseth he leaues to the vse of his wife and children in consequence whereof Christ bath left all his aboundant and vndisposed riches of his aboundant satisfaction to the Church * Legatione pro Christo fungimur inquit Apostolus Paulus and the dispensation thereof to the supream Minister for him on earth Although all Christ's sufferings considered as merits precisely * Luc. 4. Nonne bac oportuit ChristuÌ„ pati sic intrare in regnum suum Et Philip. 2. humiliauit semetipsum vsque ad merteÌ„ mortem autem Crucis propter quod Deus exaltauit illum deâ—it ill◠〈◊〉 quod est super â—mne nomen were rewarded in the glory of his body (c) According to the holy scripture Philip. 2. Christ humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen the death of the cross wherfore God exalted him and gaue him a name aboue euery name and the exaltation of his holy name neuertheless they did not receiue a full reward therby for as concerning the body's glory of necessity it doth accompany the blessedness of the soul which by naturall consequence is deriued into it if no hindrance interuene wherfore since Christ did not merit the glory of his soul that had full enjoyment of the beatificall vision in the first moment of it's assumption the glory of his body cannot be the reward of his merits neither could the exaltation of his name exhaust all his merit's since one action of Christ alone was sufficient to deserue both the exaltation and the glory of his body wherby is plainly euident that many meritorious actions exercised by Christ are laid vp in the spirituall Treasury of the Church Howeuer though it were granted that the glory of Christ's body and the exaltation of his name did equall all his actions joynt and seperate considered as meritorious to a full reward yet it cannot be said shat his satisfactory actions are exhausted therby For satisfaction is only ordained to remit temporall paine due vnto sin which was inconsistent with Christ's impeccability and sithence all the sins of the world were not sufficient enough to exhaust his satisfactions they containing an intrinsecall infinity of worth and dignity for as much as they were the products (d) The infinit prize of Christ satisfaction proceeded from the infinite dignity of his diuine person that was intrinsecally annex'd vnto it for as S. Thomas teacheth actiones sunt suppositorum But if there were an infinite vnworthines or deformity in the sinnes of all men ioynt and seperat t is extrinsicall onely because it comes meerly of the object which is extrinsicall namely God whom a sinner offendes in consequence whereof the infinite valour or worthiness of Christ's satisfaction far exceeds the vnworthiness of sin taken in it's whole possible latitude of his diuine person doubtlesse some part of these satisfactions doe remain still in the Churches Treasury to be dispensed for the benefit of the faithfull vnto remission of temporall paines due to their sins which was the sole end and motiue of all his actions considered as satisfactory because it is proper to satisfaction only to remit temporall punishment's due to sins Neither is it inconuenient that one and the same action exercised by Christ should haue somthing of merit and somthing of satisfaction for by his bitter passion he merited the exaltation of his name and the glory of his body Luk 24. Philip 2. yet other scripture-testimonies plainly declare that he suffered for us and satisfyed for our sins 2. Cor. 4 and indeed euident experience sheweth different effects to proceede from one and the same indiuiduall cause for doubtless he that charitably prayeth for his enemies by one and the same prayer may obtaine somthing of aduantage in order to them and something of reward in order to himselfe as appeareth by the promises which God hath made to such as loue their enemies and wheras the sufferings of the blessed Saints (e) A good worke is counted meritorious for as much as it proceed's from a man inuested with sanctifying grace which is the ground of merit howeuer a meritorious work is satisfactory also when it is perform'd with pain and labour had something of merit and something of satisfaction for they were meritorious in as much as they proceeded from them through sanctifying grace which is the root and prime cause of good merits and in as much as the exercise therof was laborious and painefnll they were satisfactory it followeth clearly that though God hath rewarded them with blessedness * Deus praemiat vltra dignitatem euen beyond what they did merit and consequently all their merits are fully exhausted yet because remission of temporall pain due to sin is the reward of satisfaction painfull suffering as satisfactory had no full reward in the persons of sundry blessed Saint's and therfore remained vnrewarded and vnexhausted in order to them For (f) The Council of Trent defineth that the Virgin Mary neuer committed mortall or veniall sin example the Mother of God had not the least guilt of sinne yet * Et tuam ipsius inquit S. Lucas
signifies remission or fulnes of rest Iubilie which word Church-gouernours haue translated from the Hebrews to signifie full remission For in the times of the ancient Hebrews euery fifty yeare was named the yeare of Iubilie and holy vnto them for as much as each man did returne to his possession Gratis seruants were deliuered out of bondage and all inhabitants left their land vnlaboured enjoying full rest After the like manner in vertue of a christian Iubilie those temporall aduantages are supplyed by spirituall benefits namely rest from worldly delights employments and also deliuerance out of sin both in order to it's guilt and temporall pain corresponding therto for though the Iuâ—ilie it self be a releasing only of temporall paine yet through (o) According to the Popes intention the benefit of a Iubily cannot be obtain'd except confession of our sinnes goe afore and truly confession is required as a worke enjoynd and communion also according to the common opinion of catholick writers confession and contrition which ought to accompany it euen the guilt of sin is remitted in so much that a sinner which confesseth and detesteth his wickedness in compliance to the Iubily returneth to his possession of sanctifying grace lost afore The vsage of christian Iubilies was anciently practised though Pope Boniface the eight of that name about the year after Christ's Incarnation 1300. by an express written ordinance did institute that they should be celebrated in euery hundred yeare as appeareth by * In Extra de poenit remiss quae condita Juit anno 1630. iuxta Nauar notab 7. dicitur Antiquorum babet fida relatio quod accedentibus ad bonorabilem Basilicam principis Apostolorum in vrbe concessae fuerint magnae remissiones Indulgentiae peccatorum the Extra Antiquorum de poenitentijs remissionibus neuertheless they lay claim to a higher antiquity as doth plainly euidence the same extrauagant made in the yeare 1300. Wherefore it is an extream weakness in such as assert Iubilies to be new inuentions yet the Popes that succeeded in Church-gouernment afterward altered the institution of Boniface Clement the sixth reduced Iubilies to euery fifty yeare Vrban the second to euery thirty three yeare in memory honour and reuerence of the yeares Christ liued on earth again Paul the second and Sixtus the fourth contracted them to euery twenty fiue years and so they haue continued euer since CHAR. XV. OF PVRGATORY THE CONTENTS The soul 's of belieuing christians that remoue out of their bodyes in the state of grace and be not fully clensed from the dregs of sin endure punishment's in the lower part 's of the earth till they become fit for the enjoyment of their heauenly heritage which is inconsistent with vncleanes though some soul 's as soon as they depart out of their earthly Tabernacleâ— receiue the reward of faith and good works yet others are sent to prison Purgatory whence there is no deliuerance till the last sardin be paid God oft forgiues sin as to the mortall guilt thereof without remitting the veniall defects or temporall pains such soul 's onely goe to Purgatory as are liable to veniall fault 's or temporall satisfactions from which there is deliuerance before the generall Resurrection through the sacrifices suffrages fastings alms-deeds which the faithfull aliue offer to God to that intent and purpose The fire that by diuine dispensation tormentes good soul's in Purgatory is not imaginary or metaphoricall but true reall and corporall fire PVrgatory is a receptacle of soul 's deuested of their bodies which stand in need of the holy Churches suffrages and sacrifices for their deliuerance out of satisfactory pain 's due to the sinnes they committed when they were inuested with their bodyes Besides the receptacle of blessed souls which is the * CoeluÌ„ empyrcum est locus beatorum aterna vita fruentium highest Heauen (a) S. Austin in Psal 85. and Epis 99. calleth the receptacle of damned souls the Hell of Hell and according to the common opinion of diuin's Purgatory is not situated far from thence towards the Center of the earth Wherefore the holy Church sing's in the office of the Dead Deliuer o lord the souls of the faithfull departed from the pains of Hell that is from the pains of Purgatory So that S. Austin Epis 99. ad Euod expound's the scripture Act. 2. vvhom God rais'd vp loosing the sorrovves of Hell of Christ's discent into Hell that is into the lower parts of the earth which doubtless were not the Receptacle of damned souls whereby appears that the Hell of the damned was not the sole Receptacle of souls remou'd out of their bodyes and indeed holy scripture giues euidence enough of this catholick truth for Ecclesiasticus c. 24. personating Christ saith thus J vvill penetrate all the lovver part 's of the earth and vvill beholde all that sleepe and vvill enlighten all that hope in our lord From whence is plainly infer'd a Receptacle vnder earth different from the Hell of the damned in which soul's hope not in but blaspheme onr lord As to Christ's descending into the lower parts of the earth it is an article of christian faith and so euident a truth that S. Austin Epis 99. ad Euod expresly saith Who but an Jnfidel vvill deny that Christ descended into Hell and with intent according to the ancient Fathers to deliuer the Patriarchs and iust men which were detain'd there as Prisoners till his death and Resurrection and the receptacle of damned soul's which is the lowest Hell There is a third receptacle vnder earth of souls suffering vnto blessednes called Purgatory because the fire therof which is an instrument of the diuine Iustice purgeth out the leauen of veniall sinnes and weareth away temporall pains which euen iust men sometimes die liable vnto Though small faults and gentle debt's doe not vndoe the knott of reciprocall friendship that is once tyed between God and a sinner in vertue of perfect contrition or attrition with the helpe of sacramentall penance neuertheless they obstruct his passage to the kingdom of Heauen till they be fully compensed and satisfied for either in this life through voluntary act 's of sorrow and corporall afflictions or in the next through purgatiue fire wherby is meant Purgatory which is the (b) By the prison mention'd Mat. 4. the ancient Fathers vnderstand Purgatory for example S. Cyprian Epis 52. ad Antonia teacheth that some soul 's suddenly after their remouing out of their bodyes receiue the reward of faith and good works and a crown from our lord but others are sent to prison from which is no deliuerance till the last farthing be paid prison out of which there is no deliuerance till the vtmost farthing be paid Math. 5. for eternall life hath nothing of imperfection and consequently is inconsistent with all sort's of defects Wherefore since the soul 's euen of iust men after the quitting of their bodyes sometymes be lyable to satisfactory punishments
what the vniuersall Church practiseth constant and vniuersall practice that agreeth with so warrantable and euident testimonies as are set down Howeuer he produces but weake and incoÌ„sequent proof's for the establishing of his nouell doctrine for example from these words Maccab. For if he had not hoped that they which were slaine would rise again it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead he doth infer that the soul 's in Purgatory are not freed of their sufferings till the generall Resurrection and this inference he proueth only saying For if soul 's were released out of their pains through the prayers of the liuing before the Resurrection it would be extreame profit able to pray for the dead though no Resurrection should follow But where is the connection between the Scripture-Text and Mr. Whites inference shall it follow that good soul's must be imprisoned till the generall Resurrection because the noble and godly Iudas according to the profession of his Religion did belieue in the immortality of soul's and the Resurrection of their bodyes and indeed the true meaning of this scripture afore alledged according to all Orthodox writers is this viêªt videlicet if Iudas Maccabaeus had belieued soul 's to be mortall and to die with their bodyes which consequently should neuer rise again it had been superfluous and vain to pray for them and therfore religiously thinking of the Resurrection and fearing that the souls of his souldiers that were slaine in battell might be punished in the next life in respect of some sinnes they had committed vpon earth he commanded that prayers and sacrifice should be offered for their deliuerance from sin that is to say from temporall punishment due to their sinnes whence doubtlesse no wise and indicious man can infer the imprisonment of soul 's in Purgatory till the generall Resurrection which would neuer haue happened if souls had been mortall and died together with their bodies After the same manner he abuseth the new Testament Let the new iustrument saith he keepe time and harmony with the old let S. Paul be heard preaching to the same effect 1. Cor. 15. what shall they doe which are (n) by baptism for he dead the Apostle may mean water of tribulation and persecution wherewith primitiue Christians seem'd as it were baptised again may vnderstand voluntary afflictions for example praying fasting giuing of Almes c. which the liuing offer to God for the comfort and benefit of the dead moreouer the Apostle may mean the baptising of such as defer'd their baptism till the hower of death which Custome was vsuall in the primitiue Church and the Apostles sense is then if souls be mortall and in consequence therof no resurrection of the dead those which are baptised dying that is at the hower of their death reapo nothing of aduantage by their baptism baptised for the dead if the dead doe not rise at all From this holy text he inferreth that no benefit is obtained by baptism for the dead before the Resurrection not by so doing can soul 's till then be released But in earnest this is a pitifull deduction like vnto this God is in Heauen therfore Mr. Thomas White is at Roterdam for indeed there is nothing of connection between the antecedent and consequence and Mr. Whit's inference for it does not follow that soul's obtain nothing of profit before the Resurrection because S. Paul saith What shall they doe which are baptised for the dead meaning thereby to what purpose shall Christians pray fast giue Almes or suffer tribulation for Christ's sake if the dead rise not again Besides if Mr. Whit's inference were warrantable and vnquestionable the Apostle himself is not as yet in a capacity to obtaine that eminent benefit of being deliuered before the Resurrection For in the same Chapter he addeth to the word 's set down Why are we Apostles in icopardy euery hower if the dead rise not at all what aduantageth it me to haue prayed fasted endnred great persecution if the dead be not raised vp let us eat and drink for to morrow wee shall die that is if there be no Resurrection after death why doe wee giue our selues to any thing el's saue to eating and drinking Wherfore S. Paul himself according to Mr. White is but in the way to his blessed crowne for if his soul were already translated into Heauen his sufferings would haue aduantaged euen though no Resurrection should follow But it seemeth a strange thing that Mr. White should presume to gather from the words set downe that good souls shall not be released of the paines which they sufferin Purgatory before the generall Resurrection the said words not carrying the least sound that way for they neither speake of pain 's in order to the next life nor of releasing souls out of Purgatory and indeed the Apostles sole intent in the Chapter alledged is to proue the Resurrection of the dead and to that purpose brings sundry argument's The first whereof is that Christ our head is raised vp and therfore we his members shall rise again in regard of the fast connection that is between the head and the members thereof And what Mr. White alledgeth for the imprisonment of souls to the day of Iudgment is a secondary argument which S. Paul vseth only as a confirmation of his first argument to demonstrate the Resurrection of bodyes signifying therby that he himselfe together with the rest of the Apostles and primitiue Christians of those day 's had suffered in vain afflictions and tribulations if sou'ls had been mortall and consequently neuer to rise again for t' is clear by the very forme of the Apostles speech that he supposed the false opinion that teacheth souls to be mortall whence of necessity would follow that there should be no Resurrection at all and truly if the Apostle had not made that supposall he would haue concluded nothing for supposing souls to be immortall good works of this life would haue much aduantaged him for the obtaining of Heauenly blessedness though no Resurrection at all had followed And the same supposall is made by the holy writer of the Macchabies signisying therby if the dead were not to rise again it would follow that soul 's were mortall in consequence of which all prayers offered for them would be in vain where is obseruable that the Iewish sectaryes to wit Sadducies held that the soul 's were mortall and consequently denied the Resurrection of Bodies other Iewes which belieued aright professed immortality together with the Resurrection there being in each soul an innate desire to resume the body wherof it was the true form once and as to reason it is most consonant that God who createth nothing in vain will not frustrate that desire hence it was that the ancient Iew 's spoak of the immortality of souls and the Resurrection of bodyes alike and our Sauiour Christ Math. 22. to proue to the Sadducies the Resurrection of bodies infer's it from the
by Priests of the Church lay Elders because they are not Church-ministers taken in the proper sense neither is it their office to pray ouer the sick and to administer holy vnction vnto remission of sins and it matters not that the Apostle sayes let them bring in Priests wheras the practice of the catholick Church is to employ one sole Priest in the administration of Extrem-vnction for the true meaning therof is let him bring in some one of the Priests the Apostle vseth the signre which Gramarians call Enallogy putting the plurall for the singular number After the same manner Mat. 1. the Angell of our lord appearing to Ioseph says Take the Babe and his Mother and goe into the land of Israel for they are dead that sought the Babes life notwithstanding he mentioneth only Herod saying when Herod was dead c. Lastly in as much as the Apostle asserteth absolutly putting no limitation of time If any be sick among you he plainly sheweth Extrem-vnction (e) Since all the other precepts S. Iames inioyn's in his catholick Epistle concerne christians in all ages t' is not as to reason probable that the sole precept of anointing the sick should be giuen for a short tyme onely and according to Caluin scarcely for the space of one age but this his interpretation the Council of Trent has condemn'd sess 14. doct de Sacram. Extr. vnct and can 2. to be of perpetuall vse in the catholick Church to the worlds end which is essentiall to a Sacrament of the new law wherfore sundry ancient Fathers that liued in the subsequent ages when they speake of christian belieuers reduced through sicknesse to eminent danger of death recommend to them holy vnction as a Sacrament of the new law and alledge for it the authority of S. Iames set down * Hieron Epis 65. ad Pamach oceanum de erroribus Originis in simili re ad fidem spectūte de qua tamen prima concilia nihil definierant sic scribit Confessi sunt quod negabatur tacuerunt de quo nemo quarebat and though the first generall Councill's make no mention of Extrem-vnction neuertheless no man ought to infer from that negatiue authority an argument to the preiudice of so warrantable a doctrine for they declared and defined such point's of christian faith as were questioned and impugned by the Hereticks of those times respectiuely but then no controuersy arose concerning Extrem-vnction By the premises is plainly euidenced that the guift of healing through vnction or laying on of hands (f) S. Marke mentioneth sick persons whom the anoynting with oyle cured And in the last Chapter of S. Marke t' is promised that the imposition of hands shall heale the sick mentioned by S. Mark and practiced in the primitiue times was not this holy vnction that s. Iames prescribeth in the forenamed catholick Epistle for that was a miraculous end owment and no gifts of doing miracles did confer sanctifying grace vnto remission of sins which is proper to a Sacrament of the new law and truly that particular guift (g) Often tymes such as were not Priests heald the sick by anoynting them namely according to S. Hierom S. Hilarion that had not receiu'd the Sacrament of holy Order and according to Tertull. ad scap c. 4. A certain lay-christian named Proculus anoynted with oyle Seuerus the Emperour and recouered him thereby called the gift of healing was extended only to corporall infirmities it could cure the body but not the soul Besides one and the same spirit distributed that and all other guifts of doing miracles seuerally according to his own free will 1. Cor. 12 wherfore neither such only as by ordination were promoted to Priestly ordination nor all those had the guift of healing but to the administring of Extrem-vnction is necessary Priestly ordination for the Apostle sayth expresly If any be sick among you let him bring in Priests of the Church Also our Extrem-vnction requireth oyle of Oliues blessed (h) The Councils of Flor. in the Decree of Eugenius and of Trent sess 14. cap. 1. declare that the oyle that is applyed in and is proper to the Sacrament of Extream-vnction ought to be blessed and consecrated by a Bishop which vsage is conform to the generall practice of the catholick Church and consecrated by a Bishop neither is it applyed to euery sick person but to such only as be incorporated into Christ by faith hope and charity nor to euery part of the sick body but to the Organs of the fiue senses which be the windows that let in sin into the howse of the soul and although our Extrem-vnction be endowed with vertue euen as to the healing corporall infirmities when the supreme prouidence thinketh it expedient for the sick yet the cure of these is the secundary effect thereof only being instituted specially to heale the soul Furthermore to the forementioned healing vnction no determinat form of prayer was annexed as is to our Extrem-vnction for example the Roman Church vseth this form * Concil Trid. expressè docet ritum vsū Extremaevnctionis quem obseruat Romana Ecclesia esse optimum idque patet ex decreto Eugenij ad calcem Concilij Florentini which doubtlesse is the best our Lord in vertue of that holy vnction and his most benigne mercy grant vnto thee Indulgence of all thy offences committed by seeing hearing smelling tasting and touching and indeed the Priest that ministreth Extrem-vnction (i) The necessity of the precept requires that the form of sacramentall vnction which consistes of these word's Per istam sanctam vnctionem pijssimam suam misericordiam indulgeat tibi Dominus quicquid deliquisti per visum auditum c. ought to be repeated fiue seuerall tymes in fiue seuerall anoyntings of the fiue senses I say the precept of necessity requires this ceremony though perhaps neither a fiue fold repeating of the formall words nor a siue fold anoynting of the sick can lay claim to the essence of the Sacrament is bound to anointe the Organs of euery sense and express the name of each one particularly together with a repetition of the said form vnless he shall obserue that the sick person is seiz'd with pangs of present death for then one sole vnction and the naming of all the outward senses respectiuely is sufficient enough as to the essence of the Sacrament and vnto obtaining the fruites therof for example it sufficeth if anointing one Organ only the Priest say our Lord through that holy vnction and his most benigne mercy grant vnto thee Indulgence of all thy offences committed by seeing hearing smelling tasting and touching As to the anointing reins breasts and feet though these vnctions haue nothing of the essentiall matter yet as to them a Priest ought to obserue the custome of that particular Church wherunto he is subiect howeuer decency requireth that he omit to anointe the reins and breasts of sick women CHAR. XIX OF THE
faith The Apostle that if our earthly house of this habitation be destroyed vve haue a building giuen of God ... eternall in heauen From this sacred Text S. Anselme infers that good souls as soon as they are deuested of their bodyes haue full enjoyment of heauenly blessednes and according to Saint Austin l. 2. de ciuit cap. 15. martyrs as soon as they be deliuered from their earthly tabernacles reigne in Heauen with Christ And Christ himselfe according to the Apostle Ephes 4. led captiuity captiue in the day of his glorious ascention that is then the iust souls that were detained as captiues in the lower parts of the earth namely lymbus called Abrahams bosom were translated into Heauen And S. Hierom Epis de obitu letae Novv she for a smal labour hath the enioyment of eternall blessedness as the earthly house of their habitation is destroyed are translated into an other building giuen of God their Creator that is an house not made with hands but eternall in Heauen and as now euery creature is a dark glass whereby God is seen in part so in the next life * Verbum diuinum propter repraesentandi perfectionē vocatur speculum fine macula God himselfe is a clear glass wherin creatures see him fully as he is that is perfectly if nothing of sin interuene to obstruct their passage to Heauen Now saith the Apostle * 2. Cor. 5. mūc videmus per speculum in anigmate sed tūc videbimus facie ad faciem Aug. in illud Aposto Philip. 1. sic scribit inde incipit requies quae non interrumpitur resurrectione sed clarificatur quae nunt fide retinetur wee see through a glass darkely but then shall wee see face to face (b) 2. Cor. 5. the Apostle teacheth that while we are in the body we are absent from our lord for we walk by faith and not by sight Wherefore he coueteth to remoue out of the body and dwell with Christ in consequence of which good souls enioy the clear vision of God before the generall resurrection for otherwise the Apostles earnest desire to remoue out of his body and dwell with Christ had been vain and impertinent since he might not enioy thereby blessednes which consists in the clear vision of God before the generall resurrection besids according to S. Aus l. 14. de Trinit cap. 2. to be present and dwell with Christ includs sight and excludes faith 2. Cor. 5. which words plainly shew that then * begineth the eternall when the transitory life endeth in consequence of which pure souls without offence after they be deliuered from their earthly tabernacles do not expect the generall resurrection to put them in possession of the clear vision of God and truly the desire of S. Paul expressed Philip. 1. and Ephes 5. to be remoued out of the body and to be present with Christ had been very vnprofitable and impertinent if the clear sight of God wherein consisteth the souls blessedness were to be differred for soe long a series of yeares and it matters not that to be present with Christ doth not include of necessity a clear sight of his diuinity for it appeareth by the words of the Text that the Apostle desired a full clear sight of Christ vnto blessedness in regard he speaketh of that presence with him which excludeth faith saying We know while wee are at home in the body that we are absent from Christ for we walke by faith and not by sight signifying thereby that when we are remoued out of the body we walke by sight and not by faith but it is the clear sight of God that abolisheth faith according to the doctrine of all ancient Fathers besids 't is in reason conuincing that Christ hath not appointed prisons to keepe the Saints of the new Testament out of Heauen hauing in his ascention trāslated thither the Saints of the old Testament which were detained afore as prisoners in the lowest parts of the earth Again God is far more inclined to reward the iust then to punish the wicked for his mercyes * Psal 144. miserationes eius super omnia opera eius exceed all his other works but his diuine Iustice (c) According to the Councill of Florence God punisheth wicked souls with eternall sensible paines as soon as they remoue out of their bodys inflicteth eternall sensible paine vpon wicked men sudainly after their remouall out of their bodyes wherefore doubtless iust men doe quickly after their death receiue their blessed rewards nothing of offence interuening to obstruct their passage to Heauen moreouer God is more iust in giuing labourers their hire then any man whosoeuer but a iust man doth not suffer the workemans hire to abide with him till morning Leuit. 19. Wherefore Since eternall blessedness that consisteth in the clear vision of God is the hire of good labourers in the diuine vineyard (d) According to the Councill of Florence in the decree of Eugenius and of Treat sess 25. in decret de inuocatione sanct the souls of the faithfull that remoue out of their bodyes cleansed from all sin and vncleanes see immediately the essence of God And S. Gregorie Nyss ora funebri in pulcheriam writeth thus The plant pulcheria is pluckt from vs but transplanted in paradice she is translated out of one kingdom into an other She hath put of her purple robe and put on the clothing of Heauens kingdom And all the ancient Fathers assert this Catholick truth namly S. Austin trac 128. in Ioan. S. Cyp. li. de exhort ad martyres cap. vltimo payment of it is made quickly after the finishing of their worke that is suddenly after their death wherewith endeth all meritorious working but there be two kinds of blessedness the one complete and full in order to both body and soul the other which is the principall and essentiall blessedness is not perfect as to the whole man but in respect of the soul only Now when the holy scriptures declare that blessedness or reward for good works is to be giuen after the generall resurrection they mean only of the consummation thereof which is full blessedness named the double stole of felicity in order to both body and soul and indeed Christ in the generall iudgment as appeareth by the 25. Chapter of S. Mathew will say after the same manner to the blessed Come ye blessed of my Father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world as he will say to the damned depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels but Christ by this latter saying meaneth that after sentence of vniuersall iudgment is pronounced the damned whose souls were punished afore shall suffer euerlasting torments of fire in order both to the body and soul for the cōsummating of their misery wherefore by the other saying addressed to the blessed is meant that in the generall resurrection those
whose souls likwise must be allowed to haue essētiall blessednes afore shall receiue full blessedness that is shall be inuested with a double stole of glory whereof one regardeth the body and the other the soul Of this consummate and perfect felicity speaketh S. Mat. cap. 20. and the Apostle 2. ad Tit. 4. whereby the hire or reward there mentioned is signified full blessedness giuen to all the good labourers together when the euening was come that is to say to all the Saints at the day of the generall resurrection for though all of them were approued by the testimony of faith and translated into the kingdome of Heauen as to their souls neuertheless as the same Apostle teacheth Heb. 11. they receiued not the promiss God prouiding that they without vs shall not be consummate that is (e) S. Aug. ser 4. de festo Innocent nameth the full reward of the blessed which imports the glorification of soul and body the felicity of the generall resurrection And Epis 66. he calleth it the whole mans compleat immortality and Epis 99. he expounds the sacred Text Heb 11. of consummate blessedness and the particles When euening vvas come Mat. 20. of the generall iudgment shall not haue the enioyment of full and perfect felicity till the generall resurrection and indeed S. Paul doth not say that they should not be crowned without vs but that they should not be consummate without vs that is should not receiue the whole promised reward consisting in the blessedness of the soul togeather with the glory of the body which is S. Chris obseruation expressed in his 28. hom vpon the Epistle to the Hebrews and noe man can say that there the Apostle meaneth by promise blessedness as to the soul only without hauing him contradict himselfe for he says in the same Chapter that Dauid Samuel and the other Prophets had obtained promises or promised blessedness without vs which is meant of the souls blessedness obtained at Christs Ascention into Heauen and truly seeing that a pure soul remoued out of the body is capable of beatificall vision as the reward of its merits in reason it is fitting that it should be beatified before the resurrection of the body whereof Christ is our example whose soule was blessed before his resurrection and it matters not that S. Iohn saith Apoc. 6. that he saw the souls of martyrs vnder the Altar for by the word Altar he cannot meane an * Lutherus in gen ex Staphilo 2. p. de tripartita eius Theologia Et Cal. li. 3. Insti cap. 25. docent sanctos homines tātum esse in Atrio paradisi ibique exspectare diem vniuersalis iudicij outward Court or porch of Heauen where some sectaries will needs haue all the Saints to abide without knowing god vnto blessedness till the generall resurrection because the Apostle saith immediatly after in the same Chapter that white stoles were giuen to euery one which signifies the clear vision of God Besids in the following Chapter he expresly affirmeth that they were in the presence of the throne of God and serued him day and night in consequence of which it is plain that souls are not banished Heauen and depriued of the crowne of iustice which is the clear sight of God till the day of generall resurrection Wherefore of necessity the Apostle S. Iohn meant by the word Altar so ne secret intellectuall room vnknown to vs and in the house of God are many lodgings Io. 14. where those blessed souls offer continually sweet in cense of prayses to their Creatour notwithstanding all this the holy Church had not declar'd this catholick doctrine as an express article of faith before the time of Pope Bennet the twelth who was the first that defined it which is noe strang thing for though the present Church laies no claime to new reuelations neuertheless all reuealed doctrines were not at once propounded if the Church had defined the validity of baptism administrated by Hereticks before or in that age S. Cyprian liued he would neuer haue asserted an opinion contrary there to as witnesseth S. Aus who often excuseth him in regard that controuersie arose before the definition of a generall Council and the same may be said of sundry other controuersies pertaining to faith or generall manners which the authority of the Church guided by the holy Ghost hath determined according to the occurring exigence thereof in all times respectiuely in consequence of the premises such ancient Fathers if any such were as denyed the enioyment of the clear sight of God before the generall resurrection in any age preceding the definition of the Catholick Church in reference thervnto are excusable yet it is certaine that euen all Fathers generally doe declare in their writings the doctrine which the Church now propoundeth in her definitions in order to the said controuersy as doe plainly proue Coxius Egid. Bellar. c. and the common vnanimous consent of Fathers ought to be preferred before the priuate opinion of a few only howeuer truly no man can say that euen S. Irenaeus and S. Bernard which seem to speake darkly and as it were doubtfully in relation to the said catholick assertion S. Irenaeus li. 5. aduersus haereses cap. 31. S. Bern. ser 4. de omnibus sanctis did exclude Saints from the clear sight of God or did confine them to an outward Court or porch of Heauen till the generall resurrection without haueing them (f) Albeit S. Irenaeus in some parte of his writings may seem to exclud from heauenly blessedness good souls till the day of generall resurrection neuertheless l. 1. con Haer. cap. 29. l. 2. cap. 63. and in sundry other places he asserts the enioyment of beatificall vision in order to iust souls clensed from all vncleanes before the reassumption of their bodyes the same teacheth S. Bernard Epis ad Fratres de Hyber ser de obitu Humberti Monachi Epis 229. notwithstanding that in some places of his writings he may seem to incline to the contrary opinion Wherefore Sixtus Senensis l. 6. Biblio sanct annota 348. piously aduiseth euery man to expound the sayings of these Fathers in order to the fulnes of glory that blessed souls receiue in the generall resurrection when their resumed bodyes are glorified contradict themselues in other places of their writings and as to Pope Iohn 22. if it was his priuate opinion that the Saints doe not see God face to face till the generall resurrection yet he proceeded not to a definition in reference thereto * Benedictus 12. in extra quae incipit benedictus Deus ait Ioannem 22. morte praeuentum nil potuisse definire circa illam difficultatem as witnesseth Pope Bennet 12. his successour in the Pope dome Besides * Ocamus 2. par sui dialogi cap. 8. Ocham that was a profess'd enemy of Iohn 22. writeth that in a consistory of Cardinalls this Pope declared that as to that matter of controuersy
did not adding next Cyrillus for the holy Fathers and Bishops departed and of all vniuersally which are dead from amongst vs. Where is obseruable Mr. Whites crafty dealing for in the fift catechesis of S. Cyril the words set down by him appeare not that catechesis containing only an explication of faith in order to its definition which is substance of things hoped for and a conuiction of things vnseen Howeuer the said words cited by him are extant in the first mystigogicall catechesis of S. Cyril who before he coms at those words set down by Mr. White to proue that the Hierosolymitan Church prayed for the blessed writeth thus when we offer this sacrifice afterward we make commemoration of those also who are dead afore first of the Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles Martyres that God by their prayers and intercessions may receiue our prayers But Mr. White leaueth out these words which sheweth his crafty and subtill dealing Again the words of S. Cyril that * Uerba subsequētia hac sunt maximū est animarum iuuamen pro quibus offertur obsecratio sancti illius tremendi quod in altari positum est sacrificii quod exemplo demonstrare volumus scio enim multos dicere quid iuuat animam in peccatis ex hoc mundo decedentem etiamsi in hoc sacrificio mentio fiat illius Ansi rex aliquis eos à quibus offensus est in exilium pepulerit postea vero illorum propinqui coronam aliquam conficientes pro his qui in supplicio sunt exulibus eidem regi offerrent nonne condonationem aliquam suppliciorum dederit ad eūdem medū nos pro defunctis precationes adhibemus follow the words set down by Mr. White doe preiudice his doctrine of the midle state of soules and therefore on purpose he omits those likwise The same crafty dealing he employes about S. Marks lyturgy that is of Alexandria for there he omits mentioning the precedent of which the subsequent words depend and ioynes words together which haue nothing of connexion For example the words Of our Fathers and bretheren who haue slept in the saith of Christ down to the words and moreouer of those whose memory this day we celebrate and our holy Father Marke who taught vs the way of saluation doe not containe a prayer for the Saints because the Euangelist saith expresly grant vnto them rest mindfull of the Saints that is mindfull of them through the intercession of the Saints but truly the subsequent words to wit To thesoules of all those giue rest haue no relation to the precedent commemoration Neither doe the particles of all those giue rest comprehend the Saints commemorated afore in regard that both afore and after those words is recited the angelicall salutation Aue Maria and after this is expressed in the lyturgy that the Deacon readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the holy tables containing a Catalogue of all the faithfull departed afterward saith the lyturgy the Priest decently bows his body and prayeth vttering the words set downe viz To the souls of all those giue rest our supream lord that is to the souls of all those which be contained in the said Catalogue the names whereof the Deacon had read and whereas S. Marke concluds saying To their soules I say grant rest and admit them to the kingdom of Heauen that conclusion is only a repetition of the precedent prayer To the soules of all these giue rest our supream lord and God and consequently did not relate vnto the blessed Saints that had no need of such a prayer but to those named in the Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that receiued help After the like manner Mr. White dealeth in citing the Roman or S. Gregorie the greats lyturgy which is thus Remember alsoe O lord thy seruants N.N. that is such as I name or intend to pray for who haue gone before vs with the signe of faith and now rest in the sleep of peace After which words the Preist according to the rubricke there set down ioynes his hands together and prayes during a little while for the said N.N. which he nameth or intendeth to pray for * Innocentius Alexaner Sūmi Pontifices item Gabriel Albertus disertè docēt post verba illa dormiunt in somno pacis debere fieri memoriam specialē non vniuersalem vt perperam dicit Albius defunctorum parētum corū quibus missam specialster applicare voluerit sacerdos his potius credendum est quā Albio and afterward only it followeth To them O lord and all the rest in Christ we beseech thee grant a place of ease and light and peace whereby t is manifest that Mr. White weakly if not craftily goes about to proue from those words that S. Gregorie prayed for all who were baptized and departed in the communion of the Church And indeed soe it should follow that he prayed for the most blessed Virgin that is aboue intercession exceeding all the Angels in sanctity But t is great pity that the extream wantoness of Mr. Whits witt should so carry him away and soe harden his mouth and fortifie his stomack as to disgest a morsell of doctrine that by his own confession contradicts the generall practice of the whole Church Furthermore to cleare more amply all these and other obiections which sectaries commonly draw from vncertainties and intricacies of Church lyturgyes to preiudice Catholick verities there is nothing of absurdity or inconueniency if we answere them that the holy church represents therin the departure of Saints out of the world that is the exact time when their souls were remouing out of their bodyes for example in the Mass for the dead when t' is celebrated for such as died some hundred yeares afore the Church in that prayer of the offertory Our lord Iesus Christ deliuer the souls of all the faithfull departed from the paines of hell from the deep lake from the lions mouth let not bell swallow them vp represēts those souls vnto Christ as if euen then they were departing and considers them as if euen then they were in the agonie of death and therby noe lye is committed for a Priest celebrating the Mass of the fourth sunday in Aduent does truly say without lying Drop down yee Heauens from aboue and let the clouds raine the iust Send downe the lambe the ruler of the earth Because the Church therby only represents the humble supplications of the ancient Patriarks and Prophets for the accelerating of Christs preordained coming into the world as if they were present in that moment of time when those holy Fathers soe prayed And truly that glorious Emperour Charles the first by the aduice of his Ghostly Father commanded that his funerall should be celebrated and the office and the Mass likewise of the dead sung for him as if he had been dead indeed when he was aliue The premisses euidence enough the true sense and meaning of the Churches lyturgyes against all
* S. Basilius in ora de trac is good when he barketh against enimyes and naught when he hurteth friends that is if it so fall out that a man is angry and notwithstanding bridles his wrath according to reason and iustice without putting in wicked execution what he hath wickedly conceiued is not guilty of sin for moderate anger aduisedly managed is without reproofe as plainly euidenceth the Apostle Eph. 4. saying Be angry but sin not let not the sun goe down vpon your wrath which is to say He that is stirred vp vnto anger ought not to let himselfe be carried away vnto wicked enterprises or giue his passion one nights lodging in his bosome lest it be conuerted into hatred and reuenge irrationall and immoderate not rationall aÌ„d moderat anger beareth the guilt of transgression for example anger accoÌ„paned with inordinate desires is a grieuous sin and anger that seeketh iustice vniustly is damnable for as much as it either exceedeth in the pursuance or vseth crafty dealings for the execution therof But anger that artempteth wicked enterprifes kindleth strife breatheth forth injuries raiserh slanders and vttereth blasphemyes is an abomination to God The soueraigne cure of inordinate anger is integrity and innocence of life as storkes deuour venemous serpents and receiue noe hurt but nourishment thereby so the vertuous digest poisonous words calumnies detractions without suffering harme therby The sin of anger cannot enter into the heart of the spirituall man he that delighteth in godlines will not swear curse and blaspheme as doth the carnall man when he encountereth with any coÌ„tradiction or hard difficulty A stone cast into a fountaine that has a botome filled with dirty mudd easily trubleâ—h the water therof so euery small stone of offence trubleth such as haue fulness of wickednes in their hearts It is the spirituall man that gouerneth his assections vnto bridling of anger because he is meek lowly in mynd and liuely touched with the feeling of his Redeemers meeknes that did not once open his mouth while he was reproached and slandered or shewed trouble or vnquietnes while he was buffered whipped crowned with thornes and as a lambe carried to the slaughterhouse an innocent and godly life in imitation of Christ our Sauiour is a sure remedy against the sin of anger CHAR. XXXV OF GLVTTONY THE CONTENTS Excess in aboundance of meate or drink hath nothing of reason and preiudiceth nature a glutton pleaseth his gust vnto satisfying his belly and displeaseth his Creatour to the destroying of his soul drunkennes is a voluntary madnes GLuttony is an vnuaturall greedines of meat and drink a glutton passeth the bounds of nature that is content with moderat nourrishment and likewise of reason that detesteth transgression for example he requireth either meat for his Iust as did the Israëlits in the wildernes Psal 78. or lusteth after exquisit feeding as did the sons of Hely 1 Reg. 2. or exceedeth in aboundance of cheare as did the Sodomites Ezech. 16. or is hastily greedy euen after gross meates as was Esau that chose rather to sell away his birth right for bread and potage Gen. 25. then to refraine his greedy appetite one sole moment A glutton prefereth the present pleasure of eating and drinking before worldly riches or heauenly treasures his heart lodgeth in his belly * Philip. 3. quoruÌ„ Deus venter est gloria â—n confusione ipsorum queÌ„ locum explanans Tertulliamus Deus inquit venter puâ—mo templum a qualiculus altare quibus tota charitas in cacabis feruet fides in culina spes tota in ferculis which is the God he serueth and adoreth litle considering that such seruice will bring to him sham and destruction for whosoeuer soweth in the flesh of the flesh reapeth corruption Eph. 6. it were extream madnes to put good wine into a vessell which is sure to corrupt it such a vessell is the belly that corrupteth whatsoeuer it receiueth meat eaten in desight and * loel vlulate qui bibitis vinum in dulcedine quoniam perijt ab ore vestro Nomine vini intelligitur omne genus potus quod obrietateâ—n procurare potest wine drunken in sweetnes perish from us besides in the end therof they bite like a serpent and hurt deadly like a cockatrice To whom is woe to whom is sorrow to whom is strife and to whom be wounds without cause euen to them that tary long at the wine Prouerb 23. * Clemens Alex. Esca inquit ventriest venter Escae Deus autem hunc haÌ„c destruet to them that exceed in aboundance of chcare by surfeiting and drunkennes haue many thousands perished wherefore Christ IESUS Luc. 21. warneth us to take heed to our selues lest at any time our hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennes lest that day surprise us at vnawarres that is lest while we spend the tyme of this life in excess of meat and drinke death come * Iob. 21. ducunt in bonis dies suos in puncto descendunt ad inferos and carrie us down suddenly to hell The rich glutton Luc. 16. cloathed in purple and silke fared euery day delicately and splendidly but as soon as death seized on him he was buryed in hell where in lieu of delicat morsells his feeding was of Adders * Psal 6. ignis sulphur spiritus procellaruÌ„ pars calicis corum and fire and brimstone was the portion of his cup wherby clearly appeareth the extream madnes of such as to please their gust vnto satisfying their belly displease their Creatour vnto destroying their souls But if there were no place of torments appointed by the supream prouidence for the punishment of sinfull disorders after death Neuertheless inordinate eating drinking taking pastime liuing at ease and making full chear dayly is a detestable practice as to naturall reason because such as liue so murder themselues thereby the law of nature commandes conseruation of life which they shorten through voluntary excess * Luc. 21. attendite vobis ne fortè grauentur corda vestra crapula ebrietate again gluttony oppresseth nature and obstructeth all the faculties thereof the belly of a glutton is full while his soul is empty and he that delighteth in wine is destitute * Chrysologus ebrietatem qui habet homo noÌ„ est Aug. eam qui habet seipsum non habet Cicero recta inquit mente vti non potest qui multo cibo vinoque repletur Et Seneca vocat ebrietatem voliitariam insaniam of wisdom Prouerb 20. The excess of it is a voluntary madnes whosoeuer is drunk neither knoweth where he is nor what he doeth nor sensible of the euill whereto drunkennes bringeth him thinketh that he doeth well when he is faln into a deadly precipice Furthermore a glutton is a sham to mankind insomuch as he turneth the glory of an incorruptible soul into the similitude of a corruptible body and of beasts for inordinat eating and drinking
immortality of the soul vsing that scripture-testimony I am God of Abraham God of Isaack God of Iacob and subsumeth thus there is no God of the dead but of the liuing arguing therby that the dead rise again since their souls doe not die with their bodyes Besides it is obseruable (o) Oachinus an Apostata Capucin cutteth an argument out of the cited Chap. Macchabae 2. against Purgatory arguing thus If there were a Purgatory though there were no Resurrection of the dead neuertheless prayers offered for the dead might not be in vaiue because the souls thereby might obtain deliuerance from their pain 's that Ochinus an Apostat Capucin fryer abused the fore mentioned scripture-testimony 2. Macchab. 12. to destroy Purgatory and after the very same way of arguing Mr. White abuseth it to ouerthrow a catholick assertion that teacheth the deliuerance of souls out of Purgatory in vertue of holy Churches suffrages Likewise sundry hereticks haue made vse of the same Text to weaken the authority of the books of Machabies pretending that the words If those that were shain should not rise again containe a manifest errour namely that soul's die with their bodies and rise again wherby is plainly euident that it is no difficult business for a man that is wantonly ambitious to be singular in teaching to cut out of scripture abortiue interpretations and to fit them to his vain vnquiet fancy by which he is biassed But how happens it that Mr. White alledgeth scripture-authority vnto the deteyning of good souls in Purgatory till the generall Resurrection * Mr. White in Dimenso 2. affirmamus itaque nos euideter conuinci ex hoc testimonio non solus poenis Purgatorij animas ante Resurrectionem and to lay claime to euidence in his deduction from thence It is not his custome to fly to that sanctuary for protection of his Nouelties nor to acknowledg euidence enough in the scriptures themselues to determine any controuersy for he expresly writeth that It were as ridiculous to seeke the decision of controuersyes out of the Bible as to cut with a Beatle or knock with a straw howeuer it seemes he hath a good minde to cloath his doctrines in the scripture colour's when that holy liuery how vnhandsomly soeuer put on may serue him for a disguise From the premises is euidenced how little reason Mr. White hath to boast of the two mentioned scripture-Testimonies viz. 2 Machab 12. 1. Cor. 15. vauntingly saying These two texts therfore remaine inviolable as first not to be resisted without manifest violence secondly pointing at the very knot of the controuersy that souls once engaged are not capable of that eminent good of being deliuered from their pain 's before the Resurrection And from these pitifull inferences he passeth vnto other scripture-Testimonies wherby he endeauour's to proue that euen blessed souls haue need of prayers but of his vnnaturall and irrationall arguments as to this point the Character of the Church triumphant shall giue euidence enough CHAR. XVI OF HOLY ORDER THE CONTENTS As God in the old law constituted superiour and inferiour Ministers to serue in the Temple so in the new law he hath appointed Bishops Priests Deacons Sub-Deacons c. one more eminent then an other to dispense diuine misteries in the Church of Christ Though euery Bishop is a Priest neuertheless enery Priest is not a Bishop to confer the Sacraments of holy Order and Confirmation is proper to Episcopall authority onely there be seuen Ecclesiasticall Orders taken in the proper sense corresponding to as many distinct functions exercised in relation to the celebrating of the holy Euchariste clericall tonsure can make noe good claim to an Ecclesiasticall Order taken in the proper sense Episcopacy in an holy Order the noblest part of the Churches Hierarchy a proper Sacrament and imprint's a speciall character in the soul of him that is ordain'd a true Bishop Bishops and Priests down from the Apostles till these tymes embraced a single life answeres to sundry Arguments made in fauour of Priest's Marriages HOly Order taken in the restrained Ecclesiasticall sense (a) 1. Timoth. 4. Neglect not the grace S. Paul saith that is in thee vvhich vvas giuen thee by prophesy and imposition of hand 's of Priesthood S. Chrysostom hom 13. commenting vpon this sacred Text affirmes that the Apostle meant by imposition of hand 's the Sacrament of holy Order which Timothy receiu'd of him after the same manner Theodoret interprets the sacred Text 2. Timot. 1. Stirr vp the grace of god vvhich is in thee by the imposition of mine hands That is by my ordaining thee who am a Bishop and S. Ambrose writing vpon the same Text implyes in the imposition of hands all the outward actions and words which were done and said ouer himselfe when he was ordain'd a Priest Besides in the primitiue Church when a Bishop confer'd the holy Order of Priesthood he vsed to bless the party ordain'd lye his hands on his head and giue him power to offer sacrifice for the liuing and the dead in the name of our lord that is in the room of Christ In consequence of the premises since in the ordination of Priests grace is giuen by an outward sensible sign holy Order is a Sacrament of the new law and so is desin'd by the Council's of Florence In the Decree of Pope Eugenius And Trent sess 23. can 4. is a proper Sacrament of the new law whereby a reasonable creature of the male sex * Baptismus requiritur in eo qui ordinatur quia baptismus in re suscept us est Janua aliorū Sacramentorum cuius proinde characterem character Ordinis supponit vt patet ex cap. si quis presbyter and baptised is ordained and enabled to perform the ministery of the Euchariste or in the celebration therof to serue after a speciall manner (b) Diaconesses mentioned Epis ad Timoth. could make no more claim to an Ecclesiasticall Order taken in the proper sense then the Religions men and women of those dayes being they had no power or iurisdiction as to the accomplishing or administring of a Sacrament And although Deanship Arch-Deaconship Priorship and Abbat-ship lay claim to something of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction neuertheless by vertue of their institution and consecration they receiue no power to administer a Sacrament or to serue specially in the administration therof and t' is the same as to Arch Bishops and Patriarchs considered precisely in order to the dignity they haue ouer and aboue the Order of Bishops in vertue of his ordination * Hieron Epis 57. quae est ad Euagrium vt sciamus inquit traditiones Apostolicas sumptas de veteri Ecclesia puta ex Vaticinio Jsaiae cap. 6. Assumam exijs in Sacerdotes Leuitas quod Aaron filij eius Leuita in Templo fuerunt hoc sibi Epistopi Presbyteri Diaconi vendicant in Ecclesia S. Hieron locum Isaiae intelligit ad literam de Apostolis