not conferred till the sincerity of his Repentance is further cleared and rendred more probable Especially upon their discovery in any person such ill symptomes as these 1. That he hath sinned as frequently after his former Confession as before it 2. Hath neglected to use the means for avoyding such sin prescribed him in Confession Hath not removed or remedied the former occasions or temptations to sin to which he hath been advised or also hath engaged himself Or 3. That the sin is of very general practice from which men are more difficultly weaned The Sacrament I say on such a one not to be hastily conferred till some actual reformation for a certain time be practised and some penances used in order to the begetting a sound Contrition and former bad habits appear some way corrected and near occasions of sinning removed Vt possit de illius dispositione proposito vitandi peccata moraliter constare saith Suarez Which cautions of not admitting habitual and often relapsing sinners i. e. as to Mortal sins toties quoties to the Sacraments occurr frequently in the Roman Casuists and Schoolmen See Suarez De Paenitent Disp 38. §. 7. n. 7. Layman moral Theol. l. 5. tract 6. c 4. n. 10. And see the many Authorities to this purpose diligently collected by Monsieur Arnaud in his Book De la frequente Communion part 2. c. 45. and particularly the instructions to Confessors of St. Carlo Borromeo not long after the Council of Trent Ibid. c. 36. 38. The Council of Trent also in requiring Confessors not to impose slight Penances for great Crimes ne alienorum peccatorum participes efficiantur Seems much more to enjoyn the non-admittance of a slight profession of Repentance or amendment of life for great and inveterate Sinners in order to conferring on them the Sacraments in as much as a defect in their Repentance or Contrition is much more dangerous than a defect in their satisfaction the non-remission of the sin it self and its eternal punishment following the one the non-remission of some temporal suffering only the other § 21 This being the proceeding of the two Churches in this matter Both requiring Repentance and where life continued an actual Reformation but the latter exacting much more also besides these and laying many other yoaks upon Sinners as to the Sacrament of Penance which Protestants are not willing to bear consider what just cause this Author had in disparagement of its Laws and Discipline to speak on this manner ‖ p. 181. To what end should a man living in the Church of Rome put himself to the trouble of mortifying his passions and forsaking his sins if he commits them again he knows a present remedy toties quoties it is but confessing with sorrow and upon Absolution he is as whole as if he had not sinned Again ‖ p. 182. We cannot but declare to Sinners the necessity of a sincere Repentance and holy life in order to Salvation Again * p. 180. We believe that as no man can be saved without true Repentance so that true Repentance doth not lye meerly in Contrition or sorrow only for sins Repentance in Scripture implys a forsaking of sin and without this we know not what ground any man hath to hope for the pardon of it although he confess it and be absolved a thousand times over Hence the doctrine imputed to the Roman-Church wherein his Protestant Reader must believe him is in the first that no man needs to put himself to the trouble of forsaking his sin In the second that there is no necessity of a sincere Repentance or holy life in order to Salvation In the third that true Repentance where life continued implies not a forsaking of sin and upon this he chargeth the Doctrine of the Roman Church as prejudicial to piety Thus men write ad Populum and for those that can know nothing but as themselves inform them Now if these men in these things do speak of some matters of Fact or Practice only not Doctrine or of some Doctrines found to be held or taught by some in that Church but not owned by It let them then not censure the Churches Doctrine but such particular practices or doctrines But indeed should their stile run so as in truth it ought it could no way serve their design viz. the Disswading men from such a Churches Communion from which such partioular doctrines or practices cannot justly deter them because they are such things as none by embracing its communion are obliged to and any member of that Church may as freely censure as themselves do But supposing the very worst that such a harmful Doctrine did find many Patrons and some malignant Doctrine were very commonly taught in this Church yet doth this afford to none a just pretence for departing out of it so long as this Church obligeth none to the belief of such Doctrine or makes it part of their Faith and surely these persons that discover such a doctrine faulty receive no harm by it nor know they how soon the Governours of this Church the Divine Providence ever watching over it may take notice of and rectifie it § 22 III. I proceed to the Third The Roman Doctrine as he relates it of the Sacraments their conferring Grace ex opere operato on whatever subject or Receiver of them 3. Of a right disposition in the suscipient necessary to the Sacrament its conferring Grace though never so indisposed or unprepared only if all Mortal sin be confessed he saith not repented of and if there be no actual opposition in the will to the Sacrament as for instance If a man when he is going to be baptized resolves with himself that he will not be baptized or while he is baptizing that he will not believe in the Father Son and the Holy Ghost ‖ Roman Idol p. 206. i. e. that the party in receiving it resolves in himself against receiving the effect of it For the Contrary of this First see the express Declaration of the Council of Trent * Sess 14. c. 4. concerning that Sacrament that most concerns Sinners after Baptisme the Sacrament of Penance Falso quidam calumniantur Catholicos Scriptores quasi tradiderint Sacramentum Paenitentiae absque bono motu suscipientium gratiam conferre quod nunquam Ecclesia Dei docuit nec sensit To which this Author though pressed by his Adversary therewith ‖ See p. 200. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 returns no Answer So also Sess 7. can 7. it saith Dari gratiam per Sacramenta semper omnibus quantum est ex parte Dei but si recte ea suscipiant And can 6. Sacramenta Novae legis continere gratiam quam significant gratiam ipsam conferre But non ponentibus obicem This in General Come we to the particular Sacraments and see what particular dispositions and preparations are required for receiving any benefit by them 1. For the two Sacramenta Mortuoram as they are called
THE ROMAN DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE AND OF INDULGENCES VINDICATED From Dr. Stillingfleet's Misrepresentations Concil Trident. Sess 6. c. 14. Docendum est Christiani hominis Paenitentiam post lapsum multo aliam esse a Baptismali eaque contineri non modo Cessationem a Peccatis eorum detestationem aut Cor contritum humiliatum verum etiam eorundem Sacramentalem Confessionem saltem in voto suo tempore faciendam Sacerdotalem Absolutionem Itemque Satisfactionem per Jejunia eleemosynas Orationes c. Printed in the Year MDCLXXII The Roman Doctrine of Repentance Vindicated § 1 HItherto I have explicated and endeadeavor'd to vindicate the Roman Devotions The other matter of great consequence wherein that Church hath suffered much wrong from Doctor Stilling fleet as also before him from Bishop Taylor in his Disswasive is the Roman Doctrine concerning Repentance and a good life in these 5. Particulars following wherein this Author informs his Credulous Reader according to what the General current of his discourse represents 1st That the Roman Church holds no necessity of Repentance but only once in ones life i. e. in articulo mortis Rom. Idolat c. 3 §. 1. p. 181. Ibid. pag. 180. as he expresseth it out of Dr. Taylors Disswasive an Author of the same fidelity 2ly That the Roman Repentance or Contrition doth not include or oblige any to forsaking of their sin or Reformation of life 3ly That it holds the Sacraments to confer Grace ex opere operato on whatever subject Ibid. §. 6. p. 203. or receiver of them though never so indisposed or unprepared 4ly Of the easiness for any in the Church by this feat of the Sacrament of Penance Ibid. §. 2. p. 184. remitting sin and conferring Grace ex opere operato to change the Eternal punishment of sin which is certainly remitted always together with the sin it self into a Temporal one or to change Hell-torments into those of Purgatory and then of the easiness of getting out of these with a little Money or Friends 5. Lastly of the Roman Doctrine of Indulgences charged by him ‖ G. 6. §. 4 9 10. with many gross Absurdities and as excusing Roman Catholicks from doing the best parts of their Religion § 8 Lay these things together and see what a Monster this Author makes here of the Roman Catholick Religion and of that Church which before Luthers time when there was none besides any better than it was called in our Creed the Holy Catholick Church and which is so spread over the face of the Earth and the Nations flowing into it And who would think that a Church that taught such doctrines as he here presents to his Protestant Reader should keep such a doe about Abstinences fasting and Penance and Personal Satisfactions and the Justification by and Merit of Good Works about long Offices and many Hours of Prayer about Poverty Celibacy Solitude Silence Hair-cloath Disciplines which if he saith they are not really performed yet he must confess in this Church at least they are taught and called for Or if he saith they are only vaingloriously hypocritically performed so to speak truth he must know hearts Who would think I say a Church should make such a noise about these things of many of which among Protestants is deep silence unless to revile them when as after this Author hath cast up a true account of it this Church holds teaches Repentance only necessary to any person once in his life and that not extending to any reformation of it or forsaking of his sin nothing less but only to some sorrow for his sin and that but a little sorrow at one time and that at the hour of his death sufficient that the Sacraments freely confer Grace and put every one in the state of Salvation come and take them who will prepared or unprepared only if he that goes to them confesseth such his sins and doth not resolve against receiving any benefit by them Onely saith he ‖ c. 3. §. 6. p. 2.6 that there be no mortal sin unconfessed that there be no actual opposition in the Will to the Sacrament as for instance if a man that goes to be baptized resolves with himself not to be baptized i. e. not to have the benefit of Baptisme And that thus every one is rid of Sin and its Eternal punishment And then for the Temporal that remains the charges come to a very small matter and this punishment is redeemed too and so away straight to Heaven So that he saith of Catholicks That it is the hardest thing that may be Ibid. p. 212. for any one to want grace among them if they do but suffer the use of Sacraments upon them and that they are the gentlest givers of it imaginable for all they desire of their Patients for Grace is only for them to lye still but if they should chance to be unruly and kick away the Priests or their rites I know not then saith he what may become of them And page 181. he saith That it is impossible to imagine a doctrine that more effectually over-throws the necessity of a good life than theirs doth It seems the Protestants Justification by Faith alone is nothing to it In all which I think in common prudence he ought to have shewed a little more moderation if he intended to have gained belief even with his own party Now out of Charity to those who may be deceived by him I shall without much engagement in the particular controversies briefly shew to the pious Reader that this Author in none of these points fore-mentioned hath dealt faithfully or truly related the Doctrine of the Roman Church and I desire the Readers faith to my words no further than the following Testimonies make it appear § 3 1. For the first then the Non-necessity of Repentance save at the Hour of Death For the contrary hereof 1. Of Repentance not to be deferr'd First It is clear out of the Doctrine of the Council of Trent that no person that hath the use of Reason can enter into the state of Grace or Justification can be capable of the benefit of any Sacrament even that of Baptisme much less of the rest the Sacrament of Penance of the Eucharist c. without an Actual Repentance preceding See Conc. Trid. Sess 6. c. 6. Where speaking of the preparation for obtaining Justification it requires in such person sidem spem Dilectionem dei and adversus peccata odium detestationem hoc est eam paenitentiam quam ante Baptismum agi oportet propositum inchoandi novam vitam servandi mandata quoting the Text Act. 2.28 Paenitentiam agite baptizetur unusquisque restrum in nomine Jesu Christi and Mat. 24.19 Baptizantes eos in nomine Patris c. docentes eos servare quaecunque mandavi vobis Again for the Sacrament of Penance after a relapse the Council declares it to require yet a greater preparation by
For the remission of which Penances the Person is required first to examine the quality of his sins and to excite a Contrition sutable thereto to repair to the Sacrament of Penance Confession and Absolution and also to perform such penances as may be thought salutary and medicinal to the conquering his lusts and preventing the like miscarriages for the time to come and all this to be done by him to render himself capable of the benefit of an Indulgence I say after all this inveighing against such a practice of the Roman Church wherein as usually in all other Points contested she only stands upon her guard and defence of Customs descending to her from Ancient Times and the Accusers and Invaders are the other Party with what greater severity do the Protestant Ministers treat a Person that after the losing his Baptismal Grace labours under mortal sin What Penances what better thing than those Roman pious Works which they deride do they impose They indeed as Catholicks also exhort such a person to repentance of his sin and amendment of his life and tell him as Catholicks also do that these are necessary but then the surest way to acquiring a true repentance and the chiefest means of working in him a reformation of life i. e. solitude penance mortifications abstinences c. they press not to him and of the necessity also of the Churches Keys for remission of such Mortal sin committed after Baptism they do not inform him They tell him that he needs fear no further reckonings for his sin as to any punishment or sufferings for it if once repented of that sin all its punishments are wiped off at once for saith our Author * p. 519. Quest 2. how can that fault be said to be remitted which is yet punished and therefore that our doing any penance for avoiding such punishment is needless The Indulgences in the Catholick Church only somtimes used for remitting such penances yet this not without commutation are cried out of ‖ Rom. Idol p. 526. as excusing them from doing the best parts of their Religion Yet among Protestants such penances are remitted always in their being never at all imposed and yet their piety and Religion thrives well enough without them and they are neither required as the best nor any part of it They cry out of the lightening somtimes of mens burdens in the Church of Rome by Indulgences but themselves will not touch those lighter burdens mentioned before that are laid on them for gaining these Indulgences with one of their fingers Nothing is done right in the Church of Rome whilst among them nothing is done at all and therefore in the other is nothing done right § 81 To Conclude these discourses let all pious Christians in general beware of such a destructive and Negative Way of Religion as to so great a part of the Churches Practicals Which thus endeavours to pull down all that stands before it but it self builds nothing and under pretence of reforming Religion and Devotions only defaceth them and so leaves the ruines thereof to be trampled upon by Atheists Here are speaking of the most part and those that stand at a farther distance from the Roman Church no Mental prayer no Purgation or Mortification in order thereto no Abstraction of life no Contemplation no state of perfection no Aspirations no Active or Passive Vnions talked of No Evangelical Councils but those so called help precepts to some particular persons of which none finds himself to be one no recommending of solitude of single life of quitting the possession and cares of Riches Vt soliciti sint quae sunt Domini quo modo placeant Deo 1 Cor. 7.32 and ut facultatem praebeat sine impedimento Dominum obsecrandi No Sacerdotal Confession and so no Casuists to satisfie scruples so no liability of such to be misconstrued in stating such points as the Roman Casuists are most shamefully by Protestants citing their words and defalking Circumstances which continually alter the state of the Question No Penances or Satisfactions to appease Gods wrath for their sins those of Christ being sufficient and so no need of Indulgences No Sacrifice of the Altar No Corporal presence of our Lords Body there and so no solemn Ceremonies attending it No Adoration there and so no questioning of them for Idolatry No Sacrament of Penance for deliverance from Mortal sin and so no Grace expected from the Opus operatum of it When people are sick no care of confessing them or of not letting them depart hence without their Viaticum Jam. 5.15 and without Extreme Vnction in the name of the Lord. No recommending themselves to the Prayers of Saints to help them with their Intercessions to God No Purgatory or present Middle State of any faithful Souls however departed hence with imperfect reformation of life but all Christians sent immediatly to Hell that do not go immediatly to Heaven and to the Beatifical Vision of God and so no Prayers no Oblations no All-Souls-days no Anniversaries for benefiting of such Souls No saving so as by fire No sufferings to be endured hereafter if the most extreme be once escaped and what ever soul departing hence is not worthy of the lowest Misery 1 Cor. 3.15 instantly ascends into the highest Bliss And there too no Degrees of Glory but in Christ all equal But then if it be considered how few of those who seem to dye penitent are well prepared by reason of their repentance and imperfect reformation of manners to enter immediatly to the fruition of Gods presence and possession of eternal joyes and how much many Protestants disparage a death-bed Repentance whilst thus they send no Souls to Purgatory they send the more to Hell In extremes they are the one way or the other whilst the Church guided by Scripture expounded by Tradition goes in a middle way rather inclined to mercy than rigour Again No Vowes no macerations of the Body no Vigils no Observing Fasts hardly any Festivals much less their Octaves But every one left to pray to repent after his own way fast when he pleaseth do good works out of gratitude to him who hath done and suffered for him all that God requires to believe firmly and without wavering the remission of all his sins how hainous soever and so to magnifie the more Gods Mercy and Christs Merits to read the Scriptures without asking the Eunuck's Question Quomodo possum intelligere nisi quis ostenderit mihi c. and not to doubt but that God will illuminate him in the understanding of them as much as is necessary when as he stops his ears to the instructions of those Missioners sent by our Lord to teach him in them No such numerous Catalogue of the Articles of their Faith or Determinations of former obliging Councils nor yoke of Assent or Belief imposed but boasting of their indulging to all men liberty of opinon in those things where the former Church they say hath used Tyranny No sure Tradition save only that of the Scriptures for this alone serves their turn no Church-Infallibility and I had almost said no Church-Authority A fine contrived way of Religion for invading others and no need of defending it self For on Affirmes lies the Proofe All these Church-Practices before Luthers appearance are thrown off by many for I cannot say it of all Those among them I hope will consider whom these things concern Nor have they any reverence to their gray hairs or their great antiquity But for their defence against this not to be denied they bring in Antichrist to farther them bring him not into the world only in such early days but into the Church and in the Church place him also in the chiefest Chair therof in the latter end of the Fourth Age or beginning of the Fifth for many of these Customs rejected by them are then found in the Church and there he hath sate ever since and given laws to Christianity if we will believe them for a thousand years till the Reformation appeared notwithstanding our Lords Promise to the Church of Portae inferi non pravalebunt And since this his coming all these things are found Superstition Wil-worship Mandata Hominum with these Reformers and upon the same account many other Sects Sub-reformers of the Reformed are hard at work to pull down the remainder of Church Government Ceremonies Discipline which these first Demolishers have yet left standing And having thus dismissed and rid their hands of all these former Church-Customs they have now the leisure to make sport with them too and call them to an account And for fitting the Churches Tenants and Practices the better for their drollery they mis-relate and mis-represent them so far as that they can manifest them unreasonable and ridiculous and the extravagancy of any Casuist or Schoolman is applyed and imputed to the Church whilst the Protestant Reader though otherwise never so prudent and knowing yet unstudied and unexperienced in these things believes their relation as a truth and the Learned amongst Catholicks are astonished to see the Churches Doctrine so disguised and falsified Tuautem exaltare Domine in virtute tuâ and as there want not many to invade thy Truth so raise up alwaies those that may defend it with the strength not which they have of themselves that is none but which they receive from Thee who usest to confound the Wise of this world with things weak and despised that no flesh may glory in thy sight And as for the Enemies of thy Church and Truth whoever they be Imple facies eorum ignominiâ Domine ut quaerant nomen tuum
Bellarmin * De Indul l 1. c. 12. nisi quia ot osae manes irritae sunt quas quidam Ecclaesiarum Praelati facere non verentur claves Ecclesiae contemnuntur paenitentialis satisfactio enervatur decerninus c. Thus Innocentius 3. long ago in the great Lateran Council ‖ Can. 62. And Sixtus 4. having been somwhat Prodigal in this kind recalled many Indulgences formerly conceded by him See Extravag Commun l. 5. tit 9. c. 5. And so Clement 8. effusas nimis Indulgentiarum concessiones restringere aggressus est saith Baronius * A D. 147. And of the possibility of the failing of the Pope himself somtimes in this sufficiency of the cause thus speaks a Jesuite ‖ Sua ez De Indulg Disp 56. §. 3. Quamvis Pontifex expresse declararet se moveri propter talem causam quam reputat sufficientem ad tantam indulgentiam concedendam non esset infallibile vel causam esse talem vel quod consequens est totam indulgentiam esse validam Quia talis declaratio Pontisicis non est de doctrinâ ad sidem pertinente sed de quodam facto particulari quod ad prudentiam spectat in quo Pontisex non habet infallibilem assistentiam Spiritus Sancti sed in his tantum quae ad doctrinam sidei morum spectant And again Quamvis Pontifex existimet aut declaret talem causam subesse nihilominus decipi potest quia quoad hoc prudentiâ existimatione humanâ gubernatur possetque etiam humano affectu moveri Thus Suarez comparing the Popes dispensing in Penances with that in vows And thus Estius ‖ In. 4. Sent. Dist 20. §. 9. Si nullâ rationabili causâ movente Pâ—ntifex vel Episcopus Indulgentiam concederet existimandum non est eam alicujus efficaciae seu valoâ—is fore What a many Jests and Sarcasmes now hath this unserious Writer lost here in playing upon the Pope's infallibility in this matter the chief common-place of Protestants when seeking quarrels perhaps content to seem ignorant herein that he may shew wit Though mean while the Christian Humility and Obedience in the Subjects of this Church is far from distrusting the prudence or fidelity especially of this their chief Pastor assisted with so wise a Council in his dispensing these favours and far from weighing and discussing whether the cause of such promulgation be sufficient or no Which as it is a thing of difficult resolution where many circumstances are to be considered that are not so well known to Subjects and such cause not expressed or not totally in the Indulgence for the pious work may be diverse from the cause or motive of the promulgation of such a pardon ‖ See Suarez De Indulg Disp 56. §. 3 as I say it seems to be a matter of difficult resolution so the assurance thereof as I shall shew by and by is of little consequence § 53 As for Indulgences their Valent quantum sonant the sonant is to be understood not of that sense which an illiterate person not well instructed may possibly take them in but with those commonly-known limitations or suppositions belonging to them and particularly those now mentioned Valent quantum sonaent 1 To persons rightly prepared and 2 if passed upon a just and sufficient cause which are or ought to be common praecognita to all that make use of them Scarce any promise passed amongst men but includes some condition which being well known is thought not necessary to be expressed And when we find Remission in the Scriptures promised in several places to Faith to Almes to the Sacrament to the love of God to our For giving our Neighbours sins against us c. I hope we may rightly say these Texts valent quantum sonant and that the Holy Ghost in them intends no fraud and yet some other Conditions must be understood which are commonly known and learnt from other Scriptures without which none of these Texts rigidly and singly taken are true and valid If then some particular Indulgences upon the defect of some condition requisite to their validity should fail at least in part of what they promise yet as rashly and untruly as uncivilly doth our Author therefore pronounce the Promulgator a Cheat Because one may possibly be mistaken without a design to deceive and this Author himself when in a calmer temper may discover a Medium between speaking a truth and cheating Otherwise it will follow that himself also in all he saith is either infallible or a Cheat. § 45 3ly They are taught that though perhaps there should be some invalidity in an Indulgence by reason of some defect in the cause as to the full effect thereof yet is not the Indulgence therefore totally invalid any pious cause whatever serving for a partial effect and so that it would prove an oversight in any Christian to lose this benefit And if the releasment of some temporal punishment by the omitting our penances and the Indulgences failing of its full effect be not had yet 1st Some other pious work enjoyned by the Indulgence is performed which hath its reward 2ly Whilst some part of such temporal punishment that remains so uncompounded for may retard for some time ones future bliss yet his preparation to render himself in the state of Grace and so capable of the benefit of the Indulgence how dimuinitive soever this be may be of much more consequence to him than is such punishment uncancelled whilst it secures the main business i. e. his Salvation and this way he gains much more by the Indulgence than he loseth another 3ly It is also very considerable that the Penances now a-days remitted by Indulgences are such as are due indeed to Gods Justice and these as great as ever yet most of them are not now imposed as formerly they have been and so we should have as much omitted such a quantity of these Penances as is not enjoyned which is the most without as with our receiving an Indulgence for them And so indeed it is but a small penance that the most do forbear by gaining an Indulgence and as much temporal punishment we may think would remain unsatisfied for without such Indulgence granted to us as now we become answerable for by any defect in it and so if we have no gain by it neither is there any great loss I mean from our neglects in doing penance upon the security of the Indulgence But 4ly No loss there is but a sure gain by it if we take care both to perform all our penances enjoyned in these latter times not so burdensome nor bearing any porportion to those prescribed by ancient Canons and also to gain the Indulgence by doing the pious works it enjoyns for that wherein our penances performed may fall short of the satisfaction due If any then shall urge here that it is difficult to know the true validity of an Indulgence or the sufficiency of its cause I
de facto concedant super votis dispensent a perjuriis homicidiis peccatis aliis sibi consitentes absolvant male ablata incerta data sibi aliqua pecuniae quantitate remittant tertiam aut quartam partem de paenitentiis injunctis relaxent animas tres vel plures parentum vel amicorum illorum qui elecmosynas eis conferunt de purgatorio ut asserunt mendaciter extrahant ad gaudia paradisi perducant benefactoribus locorum quorum Quaestores existunt remissionem plenariam peccatorum Indulgeant aliqui ex ipsis eos a paenâ a culpâ ut eorum verbis utamur absolvant Nos abusus hujusmodi per quos censura vilescit Ecclesiastica cldvium Ecclesiae authoritas ducitur in contemptum omnimode aboleri volentes inhibemus c. Lastly the Council of Trent ‖ Sess 21. c. 9. after the lost labour of several precedent Councils to reform these persons who also gave so great scandal to Luther and his followers quite abrogated this Office and the priviledges belonging thereto and hath committed the publishing of such Indulgences and collection of Charities to the Ordâ—nary of the place and two of the Chapter joyned with him to be done nullâ prorsus mercede acceptâ i. e. when these Alms are directed to some certain publick work and not left to the peoples own distribution of them to what poor and necessitous persons themselves think good in such a quantity as every ones devotion shall move him to as in many Indulgences they are where we see that all the Sales Harvests Trading Avarice Cheating of the Pope and his Hucksters occurring almost in every page of our Authors discourse comes only to this the relieving of some poor and the occasioning of some deeds of Charity to the rich where themselves judg it best bestowed And doth this Author think in this liberty he takes to say what he pleases that if words spoken words also printed and those somwhat more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not be called to an account Mat. 12.36 But suppose it be a Collection of the peoples Charity for some publick work as the building of a Church or Hospital the maintaining of a just War against some Enemy and oppressor of Christianity and this amounting to some vast sum of money may every one therefore take the liberty to charge the Pope or the Churches Prelates with fraud covetousness putting all or a great part thereof in their own Coffers and pretending only not intending a publick benefit at pleasure and without proof Or this being a tâ—uth may he therefore deny the lawfulness of Indulgences and defame the Church that allows them upon such a Personal fault § 61 Personal abuses in Indulgences are granted whilst the Doctrine and practice allowed by the Church are justified A good Catholick this Author may be and be obliged to believe no more than now he doth several things which in this discourse he eagerly opposeth Doth he condemn concessions of Indulgences for frivolous causes and some slight work So do the Catholick Authors And doth he not hold the Popes judgment to be infallible in these Neither do they Is he for no Treasure of the Church If the infinite and inexhaustible treasure of the Merits and satisfactions of our Lord Jesus Christ be only allowed by him the Roman Divines hold no other Treasure necessary Will he have Indulgences only remit Canonical Penances Those Authors that hold so are not censured by the Roman Church Doth he think that some of the Roman Doctors in their stating of Indulgences have swerved from the Doctrine of the ancient Church he may enjoy the Churches Communion and hold with others of them those tenents that please him better I have here frequently quoted several of them to shew that nothing here said by me is singular Doth such a frequency of Iudulgences as ruines Church-Discipline and renders the Power of the Keys contemptible displease him So doth it the Council of Trent ‖ Sess 25. Decr. de Indulg desiring a greater moderation therein a reduction to the pattern of Antiquity So hath it likewise done several Popes as is said before Doth he detest the base Arts and mis-informations of the people for filthy lucres sake promising them much more than Indulgences extend to or the Churches Doctrine warrants So have Councils and Popes as I have shewn censured and endeavoured to suppress them Are such conplaints of the abuse of Indulgengences made now So were they in St. Cyprian's time Of which he said * Serma de Lapsis Irrita pax perniciosa dantibus nihil profutura accipientibus And ‖ Epist 11. Ad Martyres Confessor Ea concedere quae in perniciem vertuntur decipere est nec erigitur sic lapsus from the Indulgence sed per Dei offensam magis impellitur ad ruinam But not therefore for such abuses the use of Indulgences to be abrogated To conclude the present allowed practice of Indulgences by occasioning the examination of mens Consciences and a sence and sorrow for their sins a repairing to the Sacraments and performing many penances seems rather to improve Christian Discipline as the times are now degenerated from the ancient than to impair it And ordinarily by the Indulged his disposing of his own Alms this practice is sufficiently cleared from Covetousness Bargains Sales Cheating this Authors main charge Again the Doctrine of the Church concerning them is very compendious and general Nor is there any part of this Authors book wherein so much may be granted him without violating any thing taught by It. And as no Point commonly is more baited by Protestants than this of Indulgences so none seems to afford them less pretence of discontent or to give less cause of departing from the Churches Communion yet this is said to be the first that occasioned that of Luther and the Reformation since it is a Priviledg or Favour that none are compelled to make use of and those who have any fears or scruples concerning it and therefore would have no Indulgences may let them alone do their penances and all is well § 62 And here I might well pass by the Fifteen Questions every one also containing many sub-Questions in it with which this Author ‖ c. 6 §. 9. p. 5â—8 concludes his Discourse of Indulgences and saith the Roman Doctrine of Indulgences with a touch of these flyes in pâ—eces like a Glass-drop though this Doctrine hath been touched by the chiefest of these Questions long ago asked by Luther Calvin Chemnitius and others and the Catholicks Answers to them seem to have made them vanish away like so many water-bubbles Neither hath this Author for all his terrible and destructive touches had the courage to touch these Answers These I say I might pass by having already spoken to all that seems material and pertinent therein in the precedent Discourse Besides He that maintains a thing as a point of his Faith cannot therefore