to be the common Doctrine of their Church So it is unreasonable to except against our alledging the opinion of particular Doctors against them since their common Doctrine allowes any to follow the opinion of particular Doctors as to belief or practice Hereby a way is opened to leave no conscience of sin amongst them Sect. 16. to page 384. Their directions for the scrupulous of like tendency He sins not who breaks the law in a strict sense if he observe it in some benign sense He may make the interpretation himself and so such as will please him or choose that of others which is best for his purpose though he fear it is not probable and it be false indeed Or when the observance of the law is very difficult or incommodious And ordinarily he is like to judge it so Or when the observance of it is ridiculous as the observing of the Divine rule has been by their acknowledgment long since in their Church Or when there is apprehension of danger in complying with it Or when he observes it but according to the common usage of good Catholicks when amonst the most eminent of their Catholicks it is confessed there is little or no worship of God no regard of good life Righteousness or Godliness Their devices for justifying so much wickedness to the excluding all holiness of life where founded Sect. 18. to page 390. CHAP. X. GOod works not necessary by the Roman Doctrine This shewed in Fasting Prayer Alms-deeds to which they reduce all good works They do not they need not fast on their fasting days Their Church requires the observance of none of those things which they say are necessary to the being of a fast They may eat a Dinner a full meal at noon may be excessive therein so as to transgress the laws of Sobriety and to excite and cherish lust instead of repressing the flesh and yet fulfil the precept They may break their fast in the morning and yet keep it with Ale Wine Bread or other things They may eat a Supper too and that excessive great as big as custome will have it when they tell us it is their custome to sup with notorious excess They may sup out of sensuality And may take their supper in the morning And drink and eat every hour The quality of their fasting meat most delicious They may drink at any time and Wine too though that is confessed to be more contrary to a fast than flesh They may drink it till they be drunk and yet not break their fast Nothing Religious in their fast Neither Religious ends nor imployments And so it can be no good work nor necessary in their account Those that have tyred themselves with Gaming or Whoring are excused Yet this piece of mockery passes with them as satisfactory and meritorious Sect. 1. to page 397. Their praying no good work The people pray not in the Mass They neither express nor conceive any Petitions Nor concur with the Priest but by presence and posture of the body as an image may do or by vertually wishing the Priests prayers may succeed which they may do when they are asleep Nor do their Priests pray better in their publick service unless the bare pronouncing of the words which is all they count necessary be praying How far they acknowledg this Sect. 2. to page 401. Acts of mercy or charity not necessary with them but in two cases which seldom or rather never occurr at least together One is when they have superfluities both in respect of nature and state but they say it cannot easily be judged that any secular person no nor Kings and Princes have such superfluities The other is when the necessity is extreme except it be such if any had superfluities they would not be obliged to part with any thing When it is extreme they allow the poor to steal So charity is not needful but when stealing is lawful Or then he may be excused so many ways that he need never find himself obliged to relieve any gratis Good works not neceslary with them because to act from a good principle and for a good end is needless Their design to satisfie justice and merit grace and glory by what they do makes their pretended good works deadly evils No necessity of good works upon the account of their being injoyned for pennance So they are not done as good but suffered as evils Besides the Priest need not injoyn such Or the sinner need not submit thereto or need not perform it But may be released many ways Especially by Indulgencies 'T is counted better to give money for these than in ways of charity Sect. 3. 4. to page 408. The conclusion where from the premises in brief is inferred that the practical Doctrine of the Romanists tends to ruine Christianity and the Souls of all that follow it FINIS Books Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Tbree Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1. SErmons on the whole Epistle of the Collossians by John Dallie Author of the Right use of the Fathers Translated into English by F. S. with Dr. Goodwins and Dr. Owens Epistles before it 2. Exposition of Christ's Temptation and Peter's Sermon to Cornelius and a Discourse of Circumspect walking by Tho. Taylor D. D. 3. An Exposition on the Third Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians with a Treatise of the Godly man's Choice by Anthony Burges 4. Forty six Sermons on the whole 8 th chapter to the Romans 5. An Exposition on Four select Psalms viz. The Fourth the Forty second the Fifty first the Sixty third in Forty five Sermons both by Tho. Horton late of St. Hellens London 6. The Morning-Lecture against Popery wherein the principal Errors of the Church of Rome are detected and confuted in several Sermons at a Morning-Lecture Preached by several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London 7. An Apology for Religion by Math. Pool 8. The Fiery Jesuit or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuits 9. The Plain man's defence against Popery wherein many Popish Doctrines are proved to be flat against Scripture 10. The immortality of the Soul explained and proved by Scripture and Reason by Tho. Wadsworth 11. A Disputation of Original Sin by Rich. Baxter 12. Reformation or Ruine by Tho. Hotchkis 13. A Discourse of Excuses their nature and danger are discoursed by John Sheffield 14. The life of John Jeneway 15. Saints incouragement to diligence in God's service by James Janeway A Catalogue of some Books Printed and Sold by Nat. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry near Cornhil and in Chancery-lane near Fleet-Street EXercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual Redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated c. With an Exposition of and Discourses on the two first Chapters of the said Epistle to the Hebrews by John Owen D. D. in
they determine that there is no need of any act of love as was shew'd before 'T is no wonder therefore as to the second if they conclude it needless to act for God in what we do and make him alone our chief end In the Theory indeed they determine that an act is not good unless there be a concurrence of all conditions requisite thereto and that the end is the principal as much in morals as the form is in naturals so that without (l) Omne opus cujus finis est malus ipsum quoque malum est Navar. cap. 12. n. 30. a good end that act must be naught and no end good where God is not chief yet for practice they discharge them from any necessity to make God their principal end they conclude it lawful for a man to act (m) Sylvest Sum. v. Charitas n. 5. Navar. supra principally for his own advantage yea they account it but a Venial fault to do the best act principally for (n) Cajetan Sylvest Navar. supra The precept may be fully accomplished where the manner and end is naught Bonacin ibid. apud eum Aquinas Sotus Navar Medina alij a sinful end Now to avoid a Venial sin they hold it not necessary by any command of God and therefore it will not be needful to do any thing but principally for an end so far sinful and consequently unless the work can be good whose principal end is sin no good work at all will be necessary But it is a more wicked end which they openly avow when they design by what they do to merit grace and glory and make satisfaction to divine justice This is to make Christ a legg while they attempt his Crown and to offer him a Rush with an intent thereby to invest themselves in his prerogative They should shew us how it is possible such acts can be good before they pretend to account good works necessary Sect. 4. But though they find no necessity of good works by vertue of any divine Precept ordinarily yet they seem to make some when they will have the Priest to injoyn them for Penance and 't is like in this as in other cases they leave so little or nothing needful that God has commanded to render their own devices more necessary But good works being injoyned as penance become punishments and it signifies the Church of Rome is no good friend to good works when she counts or makes them punishments for punishment is properly evil to us and not to be done but suffered and thus she will have good works neither to be good nor to be done To be sure thus they cannot be done so as to be good or as becomes Christians to do them for he that must think it a suffering to do them does them with the spirit of a Slave not of a Christian But let us suppose they may be good works and well done too by way of Penance yet they are not necessary at all in their Church upon this account and so no way For first the Priest (o) Vid. Sylv. v. Confess 4. n. 2. Suarez 3. tom 4. disp 38. Sect. 6. n. 4. needs not injoyn good works as penance he may injoyn (p) Cajetan Navar. ibid. Sect. 3. n. 4. nothing at all if he pleases or some (q) D. Thomas Soto alii communiter ibid. Sect. 4. n. 4. slight thing that which is good for nothing or that which is worse or (r) Ibid. Sect. 6. n. 5. what the Confitent must have done if he had not sinned or he may dismiss him with this general (s) S. Thom. Paludanus Petr. Soto Navar. ibid. Sect. 6 n. 6. all the good thou doest or evil thou sufferest let it serve for satisfaction or he may commend something by way of (t) D. Thom. Paludanus Petr. Soto Victoria Ledesma ibid. Sect. 3. n. 2. Counsel without obliging him by any injunction or he may require him only to avoyd the sin he confesses for a while (u) Ibid. Sect. 6. n. 2. and when he shrives the woman that he has (x) Vid. Angel sum v. confess 5. n. 8. sin'd with it is like he may not prove very rigorous this way Or Secondly if he should injoyn this or any good work the Confitent (y) Scotus Gabriel Hostiensis Panormitan Medina Sylvester Armilla Navar in Suar. ibid. Sect. 7. n. 1. need not accept of or submit to it as many of their chief Doctors determine Or Thirdly if he do accept it yet he needs not perform it for all that he may be released by himself (z) Omittere satisfactionem est peccatum sed non mortale si desit contemptus quia non omittitur aliquid necessarium ad salutem Cajetan Sum. v. satisfact p. 520. To omit it will be but a small fault such as he needs not regard be the good work little or great if it be not out contempt Or (a) Communis sententia theologorum est possâ— paenitentem implere per alium satisfactionem sibi impositam Ita D. Thom. Paludanus Sylvester Alensis in Suar. ibid. Sect. 9. n. 1. another may undertake it and satisfie by suffering it for him Or a Priest may release him either he that injoyn'd it (b) Opinio communis est quam tenet Sylvest Angelus Navar Rosella Victoria Le desma Medina ibid. Sect. 10. n. 4. or another However Indulgences will do it effectually these serve to sweep away all good works all necessity of them on this account for ever This is their special use to release the Popes Subjects from the sad penalty of good works for though they have dealt hardly with good works to make them a punishment yet they will not deal so hardly with Catholicks as to have it necessary that they should be thus punished And therefore to ease them of this grievous suffering of doing good the Church in great tenderness has provided Indulgences which they may have at easie rates and thereby an acquittance discharging them from the good works they were to suffer And if the Priest should be so rigorous as to injoyn a Sinner to be doing good all his life or so impertinent as to require it for a hundred years he may meet with Indulgences will quit him of it every moment of his life and if he will many thousand years over and above And if this cannot be had unless he pay for it yet for his incouragement they teach (*) An sit melius dare argentum in Eleemosgnam quam dare in subsidium ad consequendam indulgentiam loquendo ex genere censeo esse melius subsidium facere ad consequendam indulgentium Idem ibid. disp 49. Sect. 5. n. 7. p. 633. that it is better to lay out his money for an Indulgence than in deeds of Charity So that there is no such goodness or necessity in the best work a Priest can injoyn but it may be better and more necessary to give the
without it no man is in the state of grace or favour with God This is the righteousness whereby they are justified and their sins pardoned i. e. abolished for that is pardon with them and their Souls sanctified for justification and sanctification is all one in their reckoning This is it which is the life and spirit of all other graces and vertues say they without which the best of them are dead and unactive things and deserve not the name of vertues (a) Nulla virtus nec ejus actus acceptatur sine charitate quae sola dividit inter silios regni perditionis Sta. Clar. probl 35. p. 244. And though they look not for Heaven unless they deserve it by their own works yet their works they say are of no worth without this (b) Nam opera quantumcunque moraliter bona si siant extra charitatem in statu peceati mortiferi absque dubio pereunt mortua reputantur quantum attinet ad gratiam gloriam promerendam Nav. c. 1. n. 29. Yea their indulgencies will not avail any thing without it (c) Bellarm. de paen tent l. 2. c. 14. p. 95â— So far therefore as love to God is unnecessary so far Regeneration and spiritual life a saving state and reconciliation with God justification pardon all graces and vertues all their own good works or their Churches indulgencies are unnecessary No further need of what either God or themselves have made necessary to salvation One would think if they had any desire of Heaven or fear of Hell or dread of their own Purgatory if they had any design for the salvation of Souls or any regard of what is saving they should be tender in this point above all and not abate any moment of its necessity But what they do herein let us see Indeed they make both the habitual and the actual love of God unnecessary First for habitual love they teach the Lord hath not at all commanded us to have the habit or principle of this love he no where requires that we should love him habitually (d) Certe non praecipit ut diligamus ex habitu infuso leges enim de actibus dantur non de habitibus De grat lib. arbitr l. 6. c. 7. p. 664. certainly saith Bellarmine the Lord hath not commanded that we should love him from an infused habit for Laws do not require habits Add to him one of the most eminent amongst the Dominicans (e) De amâ—citia habituali Dei nullum est praeceptum affirmativum pars 4. relect de paenitent p. 870. there is no affirmative precept for habitual love to God saith Melchior Canus I need alledge no more I find none of them questions it Now in that they do not make this love necessary as a duty they cannot account it necessary as a means For they (f) Aquinas 2. 2. q. 3. art 223. Ea quae sunt necessaria ad salutem cadere sub praecepto Canus ibid. p. 857. Ea omnia quae necessaria sunt necessitate medij censentur necessaria necessitate praecepti licet non quaecunque necessaria sunt necessitate praecepti sint etiam necessaria necessitate medij Bellarm. de paenit l. 2. c. 8. p. 935. Suarez l. 1. de Orat. c. 29. n. 2. ex D. Thom. 2. 2. q. 2. art 5. q. 3 art 2. 3. q. 68. a. 1. hold that all means necessary to salvation are commanded So that the habitual love of God by their Doctrine is no way necessary And this they teach not only of the habit of love but of all other graces the (g) Praeceptiones legis non sunt de habitibus non enim jubemur persolvere debita ex habitu justitiae aut liberalitatis sed tantum persolvere ad justum Nat. Grat. l. 1. c. 2â— p. 57. precepts of the Law are not for habits saith Soto we are not as he adds to pay what we owe from a habit of justice or liberality (h) Cum praecipit Deus ut juste sobrieque vivamus non imperat ut ista faciamus ex habitu sed tantum ut faciamus De grat lib. arb l. 6. c. 7. p. 664. When we are injoyned to live soberly and righteously we are not required to do so out of habit but only to do it saith Bellarmine and these instances they bring to shew that we are not obliged to do any thing out of a habit or principle of love to God Sect. 2. Secondly for actual love how can they account the acts of it needful when they make the habits or principle from whence the acts must flow to be unnecessary But let us view their Doctrine about this more distinctly The acts of love are either more forrain and remote which they call Imperate or native and proper which they call Elicite acts For the former all acts of Religion and Righteousness that they may be truly Christians such as the Gospel requires in order to Salvation that they may have a real tincture of Divine and supernatural goodness and be advanced above the pitch at which Heathen or graceless persons may arrive they must proceed from love to God and be ordered and directed by it This they sometimes not only confess but assert And yet notwithstanding they teach (*) Utrum tenemur conformare voluntatem in modo volendi cum Deo Resp secundum Alexand. Lombard in 1 dist 48. quod non absolute quoniam si homo honorat patrem suum non ex charitate sed ex benevolentia non peccat sed tenetur conditionaliter scil si vult mereâ—i vitam aeternam Angel sum v. voluntas n. 6. that it is not needful to perform any such acts or to observe any commands of God out of love to him (i) Praecepta Dâ—i non obligant ut perficiantur in charitate non enim peccat nec a Deo punitur qui debitum honorem impendit parentibus quamvis non habeat habitum pietatis ergo multo minus ecclesia obligat quenquam ut illud impleat in charitate Decis Aur. pars 2. l. 3. c. 17. n 10. p. 176. Non tamen tenemur semper operari ex charitate sed satis est operari ex aliqua honestate morali Suarez l. 1. de orat c. 30. n. 3. The commands of God saith de Graffijs doe not oblige us to perform them in love he clears his meaning by an instance For he sins not nor is punished of God who gives due honour to his Parents although he have not the habit of piety and so though he do it not out of such a principal much less adds he doth the Church oblige any one to observe the command in love (k) Non enim si finis praecepti charitas est tenemur proâ—inus omnia praecepta legis implere ex charitate Ex D. Thomae graviorum autorum sententia ad finem legislatoris minime teneamur sed ad media quae lex finis gratia
servile work is sufficient and of a sanctifying them WELL to which it is necessary that he who is in mortal sin should be contrite and turn to God and he that is in Grace should give himself to divine Contemplation and good works and both of them should abstain from new sin Yet observe saith he that a man is bound under mortal sin to SANCTIFY the day but not to Sanctifie it WELL. And after concludes So I am only obliged to these two things viz. presence at Mass and avoyding servile works but not to the end to wit sanctifying it well although it be very good Counsel to perform all the other upon this day Thus with him it is no necessary duty to which any are obliged on Lords days or any other days for worship to repent of sin and turn to God to meditate on divine things and do good works and abstain from any wickedness all these it seems are only matter of Counsel and herein he saith Soto Navarre and Cajetan concur with him And if they be only Counsels on all these days the world will scarce find a day when they will be duties However with them to do a thing is commanded to do it well is not necessary On all the days which either God or themselves would have kept holy it is mere Counsel either to do that which is good or to think of it either to be sorry for past wickedness or not to commit more And since it is no more on the holiest it may seem not so much as a Counsel on prophane and common days The means of honouring God being thus by them made unnecessary no wonder if they discharge us from the due use of them (p) Pia sedulitas inter consilia recenset Hunnaeus in Catechism ad finem Sum. Aquin. pious sedulity diligence for Heaven and our souls is but matter of Counsel we need not trouble our selves with it No more scarce with any thing else for (q) Evitatio otij non est in praecepto Soto ibid. l. 7. q. 5. art 2. p. 243. ad sin the shunning of Idleness is but Counsel yea and such as doth not oblige the Monks themselves though they will have none else obliged by Counsels in reference to them Soto says the avoyding of Idleness is not commanded Acts which concern others are either those of Righteousness or Charity for the former how favourable they are we saw before they (*) Quaecunque vultis ut faciant vobis c Scil. necessario aliter consilium est Angel Sum. v. praeceptum n. 17. discharge us from such desires thereof as Christ encourageth to the uttermost Matth. 5. 6. The latter they make corporal or spiritual That Mercy or Charity which affords outward relief even their (r) Eleemosynas erogare non est in religiosis virtus Soto ibid. Religious are not obliged to Nor need others exercise it by (s) In quibus vero duobus non est de praecepto subvenire donando sed satis est subvenire commodando vel mutuando Navar. cap. 24. n. 5. Non semper est necesse donare sed tunc solum cum egenti neque per mutuum neque per venditionem neque alia ratione succurri potest quamvis haec doctrina vera sit non solum a S. Thoma in 2. 2. q. 32. art 6. sed etiam ab alijs Theologis communiter tradi soleat Bellarm. de bon Operib l. 3. c. 8. Consule castiga remitte solare fer ora GIVING any thing no not to those that are in greatest necessity how much soever themselves have how extreamly soever others want Spiritual relief in affording of which the exercise of mercy consists they give an account of in many particulars viz. advising those that want Counsel teaching the Ignorant comforting the Dejected correcting Offenders remitting Offences bearing those that are burthensome and praying for others Now all these and as many more belonging to the other branch (t) Misericordia seu Eleemosyna sive sit spiritualis quae melior est corporali sive sit corporalis est de consilio vel saltem non de praecepto obligante ad mortale exceptis duobus casibus Idem ibid. subvenire necessitatibus proximorum corporalibus sicut propriis necessitatibus pertinet ad consilium vid. Aquin. Quodl 4. art 24. ad 1. Misericors cor proximi necessitatibus communibus praestare infaeticesque eventus corum condolere consilium in Jo. Sanc. disp 1. n. 1. are no necessary duties or which is all one in effect under no precept obliging to mortal guilt except in two cases only saith Navarre and those two concern only corporal relief so that all the other dutys which we owe to the souls of men are left arbitrary as mere roatters of advice without exception (*) Glossa in loc That of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 13. For subjection to Governours is with them a Counsel No more is that rule of Christ for Church Discipline government Math. 18. 15 16 17. if thy Brother shall Trespass against thee c. Mortification can scarce with them be so much as a Counsel for their doctrine will have nothing in us to be mortified that which is to be so treated is sin in us but they maintain that in a just man there is no sin after Baptisme Carnal concupisence it self is sinless it is natural to us and so innocent (u) Concupiscentia carnis naturalis nobis est Igitur cum ea quae nobis insunt a natura nec loude digna sint nec vituperio quis vel caecus dixerit concupiscentiam illam esse peccatum nisi forsan materialâ—ter ante baptismum Ut superius explicatum est Revera qua ratione id dixeris sequenter compulsus confiteberis visum auditum reliquos sensus qui nobis post peccatum Adae instrumenta sunt delinquendi delicta ipsos esse Quin vero aurum honores muliebrem formam quicquid nos pellicit pellitve ad malum Soto de nat grat l. 1. c. 12. p. 24. That which is in us by Nature they say is neither worthy of praise or dispraise Hence they conclude he is blind who will say concupisence is a sin They grant it induceth us to sin but it is no more sin upon that account than hearing seeing or other of our senses than Gold or Honour or Beauty or any thing else that may draw us to evil and so plainly we are no more bound to mortifie it if sin only is to be mortified than we are obliged to ruine our senses to destroy gold or to spoyle the beauty of a hansome Woman And the same must be said of other vicious habits contracted by a continued practice of sin for though they call these Vices yet Vices with them are no sins no more than Vertues are dutys (*) De habitu constat non esse peccatum How they would prove it see in Suar. l. 3. de
sung to the Organ at Mass Offered to God in the person of the Church for divine praises This was the custome every where in Caietan's time and since As intolerable obsceneness in their penitential confessions What licence they give to use such things as provoke lust Also to immodest touches and shameful sights No need to be resolute in resisting Temptations How servants may minister to the lust of their Superiours Actual whoredom hath excessive incouragement The Pope builds Stews for prostitutes They pay him a weekly tribute for liberty and accommodation to drive their Trade This condemned as mâ—st abominable to God and man even Barbarians but the Pope consenting to it it is no sin not indecency for his holiness to be maintained by the hire of whores Many things concluded by their Divines in favour of them How punctual in deciding at what rates all sorts of women may set themselves to sale They oblige them not to restitution but when their Religious make use of them who are to have it gratis Publick prostitutes compelled by law to commit lewdness with any that will hire them Hence the people instructed in their Religion know not that such Fornication is a sin He that keeps a Concubine at home is not to be denyed the Communion Nor will they oblige him to put her away if that would impair his Estate or Delight or his Reputation yea or hers either It is enough if he promise not to sin with her though he keep not promise Adultery no sin in diverse cases For the Clergy Adultery nor unnatural uncleanness not so much a sin as Marriage Burning lust innocent Better to burn than to marry whatever the Apostle with their Adversaries say The admired chastity of their votaries consists well enough with whoredom and is only violated by Marriage Their Priests have been allowed to keep whores at home paying a yearly Rent for it And those were to pay it who took not the liberty because they might Votaries incurr excommunication for laying aside their habit but not if they lay it aside to commit Fornication more readily Priests in no wise to be obliged by Oath to forsake their Concubines Extremely few chast by their own confession of those innumerably many that profess it A Priest not to be deposed for Fornication because there are very few not guilty Priests who keep many Concubines not irregular How they favour Sodomy Married persons may practice much of it together Their Clergy may act it to the uttermost and be neither suspended nor irregular unless they make a Trade of it and do that so publickly and notoriously as they can scarce do by their description hereof if they had a mind to it Mere mental Heresie a greater crime than Sodomy with them Yea petty Thievery a more hainous sin with some of them expresly and in consequence with most Sodomy hath ecclesiastical immunity All sorts of Religious places amongst them are Sanctuaries for Sodomites all sorts of uncleanness having such free and favourable entertainment in their Church no wonder if it be the sink of the Christian World Sect. 8. to page 360. 'T is no sin to take from Protestants or any counted Hereticks all they have All their Estates are confiscated immediately before any Declarative sentence from the first day of their pretended Heresie Though the Papists make not seisure presently yet those Hereticks are in the interim responsable for the mean profits And they cannot any way alienate or dispose of their Estates All Wills Sales Contracts for this purpose are null and void All may be taken from the purchaser without restoring the price he paid Children though R. Catholicks loose their portions Liberty given to all to spoil and bereave them All rules of righteousness which concern propriety are void here Papists owe them no observance 'T is no sin to burn their houses To deprive a Protestant Prince of his Throne To draw his Subjects into War against him To betray Garrisons to the Romanists To pay us no debts To detain what is deposited with them in trust There can be no lawful Parliament among Protestants No King No Peers No free-holders No laws that are valid can be enacted No Aids or Subsidies can be granted The fundamentals of the government in England and other such like Countreys quite blown up by their principles Sect. 9. to page 365. 'T is no sin with them to bear false witness against Protestants when their life or estate is concerned Or to use fraud and deceit in bargains to cheat them of all they have Or perfidiousness in promises compacts c. They leave little that can be sin in Papists towards themselves less towards Protestants Sect. 10. 11. to page 367. An aversation and contrariety to God and holiness a propensness and inclination to all ungodliness and unrighteousness in the horriddest instances when it is habitual raigning impetuous active is no sin at all in the temper and habit no nor in the acts and motions without consent Sect. 12. ibid. What expedients they have to justifie all sin in the World or make it no sin The Popes power herein If he command vice their Church is is bound to practise it He can make sin to be no sin He may dispense in all positive laws and in the divine law and against the Gospel at least where God can dispense particularly with Oaths and Vows such as are best and most inviolable With the observance of the Lords day so as to turn it into a working day With all publick worship amongst them both Mass and Divine service And against the universal state of the Church He can discharge them from righteousness towards men Take from any man his right Dissolve marriages Legitimate Adultery License persons to be married for a while and not during life Authorize incest dispensing with marriage betwixt any but Parents and Children and Sodomy He can dispense with any Divine law when the reason thereof ceaseth and can declare it to cease when he pleaseth If he should err in dispensing yet he that makes use of his licence to sin sins not He can free any from the obligation to fruits meet for Repentance Thus can he discharge all from acts of Religion Righteousness and good works Sect. 13. to page 376. He is excused from sin who ventures on it upon some probable reason though it seem but probable to him out of affection to the person that offers it and there be more reason against it Sect. 14. to page 377. Custome will excuse from sin and make it no sin Diverse instances The sense of Scripture must be conformed to the custome of their Church and vary from what it was as they change fashions Sect. 15. to page 380. He sins not who does what is sinful following the judgment of a grave Doctor One such Doctor may suffice as multitudes of their Divines conclude And will secure him in following his opinion though both less safe and less probable This granted
Folio Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews concerning the Priesthood of Christ wherein the Original Causes Nature Prefigurations and discharge of that holy Office are explained and vindicated The nature of the Covenant of the Redeemer with the call of the Lord Christ unto his Office are declared and the opinions of the Socinians about it are fully examined and their oppositions unto it refuted with a continuation of the exposition on the third fourth and fifth Chapters of the said Epistle to the Hebrews being the second Volumn by John Owen D. D. in Folio Î ÎΕΥΜΑΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ Or A Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit wherein an account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects his whole work in the old and new Creation is explained the Doctrine concerning it vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches The nature also and necessity of Gospel-Holiness the difference between Grace and Morality or a spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a course of Moral Vertues are stated and declared by John Owen D. D. in Folio A discourse of the Nature Power Deceit and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling-Sin in Believers together with the ways of its working and means of prevention by John Owen D. D. in Oct. The unreasonableness of Atheism made manifest in a discourse to a Person of Honour by Sir Charles Wolseley Baronet Third Impression The Reasonableness of Scripture-belief A discourse giving some account of those Rational Grounds upon which the Bible is received as the Word of God written by Sir Charles Wolsely Baronet Anti-Sozzo sive Sherlocismus Enervatus In Vindication of some Great Truths Opposed and Opposition to some Great Errors Maintained by Mr. William Sherlock Introduction THe danger of Popery in points of Faith hath been sufficiently discovered to the world by the Divines of the Reformation but their Doctrine which concerns Life and Practice hath not been so much insisted on And yet there is as much occasion for this for here the mischief is as great an unchristian heart and life being at least as damning as erronious belief and hereby the great Apostacy and degeneracy of the Papal Church is as apparent and herein they have proceeded with as much disregard of Christ and the souls of men Their design in this seems to have been not the promoting of Christs interest for that is manifestly prostituted but the securing and greatning of a Faction which under the profession of Christianity might be false to all its realities And their rule is the corrupt inclinations of depraved nature to which they have throughly conformed their practical Divinity which easeth it of the duties for which it hath an aversation how much soever enjoyned and clears its way to those sins to which it is disposed as though there were no need to avoid them This Rule serves their design with great advantage but souls are more endangered hereby and their principles become more pernitious because they are so taking Perswade a man that he may safely neglect the duties which he owes to God his own soul and others and may gratify the lusts he is addicted to and give him the maximes of Religion and the Authority and Conclusions of Divines and the Teachers whom he trusts for it and he will like that Religion because he loves his sin and is in danger to follow both though he perish for it eternally And indeed this is it which makes the condition of Papists deplorable for though the principles of their belief as it is Popish be mortally poysonous yet there might be some Antidote in the practicalls of Christianity retained and followed by those who are unavoidably ignorant of the danger of their more speculative errours and so some hopes of such but their Practical Doctrine being no less corrupted the remedy it self becomes poyson and their condition who freely let it down hopeless Whether their errours in matters of Faith be directly fundamental hath been with some of their Opposers a question but those who well view their practical Doctrine may discern that it strikes through the heart of Christianity casting off the vitalls of it as superfluities and cuts of those who will believe and follow it from the way of life not onely by encouraging them with security to live and die in all sorts of wickedness but also by obliging them to neglect as needless the greatest and most important concerns of Christians without which God cannot be honoured by us nor Salvation attained This will be apparent by observing what is determined in that Church by those who have the conduct of their lives and Consciences concerning the Worshipping of God Christian knowledge Love to God Faith in Christ Repentance from dead works and Holiness of life as to the Exercise of Christian Vertues the Abandoning of sin and the Practice of good works of all which in particular the following discourse gives an account CHAP. I. Real Worship of God not necessary in the Church of ROME THere is nothing wherein the Honour of God and the Happiness of men is more concerned than Divine Worship Religion provides for these great ends by obliging us to worship God this it doth indispensably and can do no less without abandoning it self for this is essential to it (a) Religio est Virtus per quam homines Dâ—o debitum cultum et reverentiam exhibent Tullius dicit 2. Rhet. quod religio est virtus quae superiori cuidam naturae quam divinam vocant cultum caeremoniamque affert Aquinas 2. 2. q. 81. Art 1. and gives it being And the truth and goodness of it depends as much thereon for no Religion is true and saving but that which obligeth to worship God really Now worship is not real unless mind and heart concur in it whatever it hath without this it wants (b) Nam spiritus interior adorationis qui est ipsa vita et anima adorationis exterioris apellatur quoque ipsa veritas adorationis Vasquez de Adorat l. 1. Disp 1. cap. 2 p. 18. its life and soul and is no more worship really than a picture is a man Hence Christ brands those who draw near to God with their lips without their hearts for hypocrites Matth. 15. 7 8. Mark 7. 6. Such as pretend to be what they are not and to do what really they do not who are but worshippers in shew and fiction no more so indeed than the Stage-Player is the Prince whose part he acts The Romanists seem to acknowledg all this and therefore ought not to deny but that it is as necessary that God should be really worshipped as it is needful that he should have any honour in the world or that there should be any true Religion amongst men or Salvation for them Yet notwithstanding their practical Doctrine makes it needless to worship God really That this may be fully and distinctly manifested let us observe First what they count requisite in Divine Service and in their Mass the former is
as it is the height of Charity (a) Ibid. Peacefulness also v. 9. Love to Enemies v. 44. more pressed by Christ than the rest v. 45 46 47 48. And before Popery taken to be the proper character of Christians but with them (b) Quae ad cumulatiorem virtutum perfectionem ornatumque attinet sub forma consilij admonet qualia sunt illa quae pertinent ad inimicorum dilectionem Prov. 25. Si esâ—rierit inimicus tuus ciba illum it is no duty nor any thing of like nature as that Prov. 25. If thy Enemy hunger feed him c. Yea (c) Et reliqua praecepta misericordiae Ut cap. 3. Idem ibid. l. 2. q. 3. art 2. p. 37. Acts of Mercy are no more our duty for these are another instance of the same Authour immediately adding Et reliqua praecepta misericordiae not only that Prov. 3. 4. Honour the Lord with thy substance but all the rest in Scripture of like nature So likewise not only (d) De magnificentia de magnanimitate non fuerunt danda praecepta sed magis consilâ—a Aquinas 2. 2. q. 140. art 2. ad primum Magnificence and magnanimity but (e) Dico virtutes Evangelicas dici illas quae colliguntur ex consiliis Evangelicis traditis a Chrisio Domino ducentes hominem ad perfectionem supra communem bonitatem potissimum Sex 1. pauperas spiritus 2 Castitas virginum 3. Obedientia praesertim religiosa 4. Hamilitas qua ita animi nostri comprimitur elatio ut ad altiora non se erigat 5. Paenitentia qua pro commissiâ— culpis Deo satisfacimus 6. Simplicitas quae posita est in quadam facilitate synceritate morum juxta rationis praescriptum Fill. tr 21. n. 194. 195. humility also with sincerity of Conversation and Christian simplicity or plain dealing If these be not enough all good works are in danger to become no duties Dominicus a Soto tells us (f) Vâ—nam gloriam a tribus operum generibus expulit ad quae cuncta officia reducuntur ex his enim tribus eo quod opera sunt supererogationis solent homines mundi auram ambere Ibid. l. 2. q. 9. art 2. p. 66. there are three kinds of good works to which all Christian Offices are reduced One respects a mans self the quelling of his own pleasures signified by fasting the other respects the Love of our Neighbours of which kind is Almes-deeds the third respects God and divine Worship denoted by Prayer and all these three with him are works of supererogation When they come to an account in particulars they vary not As to what concerns our selves (g) Licitis voluptatibus abstinere ad consilium continentiae attinet Idem ibid. art 3. p. 67. Consilia vero ea rescindunt quae etsi licita sint nec Charitati prorsus inimica tamen non nulla sunt ad culmen progredientibus obstacula l. 7. q. 5. art 1. p. 242. to abstain from our lawful pleasures even when they may be an impediment to holiness is but advice we need not follow it Also to avoid worldly cares to be content with Food and Raiment not to be eager after superfluities not to be too solicitous for the body not to affect dignities are but matter of Counsel by their common doctrine in Jo. Sanc. disp 7. n. 10. As for the concerns of God (h) Ex praecepto colendi Deum homo tenetur duntaxat cultam externum ei exhibere S. Joseph Sum. de 1. praecept art 5. Attentio ad Deum non est necessaria this is commonly asserted even when it is acknowledged that all inward worship is included in it sub hac autem attentione ad Deum ineluditur omnis interior reverentia cultus omnis oratio petitio ut eleganter describit Gregorius 10. in c. Decret de immunitat Eccl. in 6. Suarez tom 3. disp 88. Sect. 3. p. 1146. Solus exterior cultus cadit sub hoc praecepto sola missa communiter est in praecepto Utrum autem audiatur missa vel non sub praecepto non cadit Cajetan Sum. v. fest no inward worship in publick is under command nor any outward but the Mass and for the hearing of that no divine precept No more are we obliged to worship in private (i) Meditatio Scripturarum perfectionis instrumentum Soto ibid. Meditation is reckoned among Counsels of perfection (k) Uldericus Sum. confess Pisan alij in Sylvest v. orat n. 8. supra Vocal prayer is not enjoyned by God and so all publick prayer in Christian Families and Assemblies are under no divine injunction Mental prayer may be a duty (l) Supra when it is our duty to Love God but when that will be is not (m) De praecepto diligendi Deum aliorum nempe fidei spei non satis certo constat quando obligent quando violentur Fill. tr 22. n. 297. well known So mental prayer will be a duty no body well knows when But this is a Jesuite who minces the matter too precisely In the judgment of Aquinas (n) Ut orent mentaliter solum sub consilio ut tenet D. Thom. 2. â— q. 32. communiter Doctores Jo. Sanc. ibid. Oratio mentalis in qua omnes actus interni religionis comprehenduntur Suar. de Orat. l. 2. c. 7. n. 10. and the generality of their Doctors mental prayer is under Counsel only And it is the more considerable because they tell us that in mental prayer all the internal acts of Religion are comprehended so that hereby the very soul of Religion is dismissed as a thing of no necessity among Roman Catholicks And since in all worship publick or private they will have spiritual attention and devotion to be but matter of Counsel without which all that they call Worship is but a Cipher or a blot rather they leave no worship of God at all necessary Cardinal Tolet gravely distinguisheth (o) Adverte festum posse sanctificari posse bene sanctificari Ad sanctificandum duâ— sunt necessaria id est sacrum audire abstinere ab opere servili prohibito l. 4. c. 24. p. 685. ad bene autem santificandum ultra hoc aliud est necessarium puta ut qui est in mortali tunc conteratur ad Dominum converti studeat qui vero est in gratia divinae vacet contemplationi bonis operibus uterque autem a novo peccato abstineat Adverte tamen quod homo tenetur sub mortali ad sanctificandum festum sed non tenetur sub mortali ad bene sanctificandum Ita solum obligor ad illa duo in festo praestanda non ad sinem quamvis consilium sit optimum omnia ista exequi in die festo vid. Soto Navar Cajetan qui nobiscum sentiunt ibid. p. 687. of a SANCTIFYING the Lords day and all other holy days for which presence at Mass and abstaining from
it it is but Venial Yet the reason why they count the stealing of a small thing to be but a little fault is (o) Si minimi erit pretii-nemo mortalem esse culpam affirmabit ex D. Thom. et ratio est quia praesumitur non esse omnino contra voluntatem ejus qui hoc patitur Graff l. 1. c. 14 n. 5. Nav. ibid. n. 5. because the owner is presumed not unwilling the stealer should have it it being no considerable loss or trouble to him but this cannot be presumed in the now mentioned cases And if theft whether of small or great consequence whether with or without that which makes little theft to be Venial be still no worse than Venial than will no theft be mortal They also teach that (p) Tradunt Medina Angelus Pet. Navar Malderus Plures alii in Dian. p. 2. l. 3. mis. res 29. Quamvis non sit in necessitate extrema excusari tamen potest a toto furtive subripiendo Sylvest sum v. futum n. 10. Navar. ibid. vid. Angelum One in extream necessity may kill the owner if he would hinder him from stealing si a domino impediatur potest se tueri et occidere impedientem Bonacin de restit disp 1. q. 8. punct 3. n. 4. those who are in need though it be not extream but such only as would be counted great may steal from others for their relief (q) Communis est opinio quam reâ—ert Sylvest quod non teneatur ad restitutionem si ad pinguiorem fortunam pervenerit is qui in magna necessitate surripit Graff l. 2. c. 93. n. 11. nor are they bound to make restitution when they have got a good estate Thus theft will be made as common as moderate indigence and the practice being continued as long as there is need it may amount in a while to a considerable sum yea when the necessitous are grown rich those whose estates are impaired by such thefts shall have no reparation Thus a wide door is opened for common thievery in considerable quantities without any restraint either from respect to sin or to satisfaction Further (r) Corduba Navar. Lopez pars 2 Cap. 93. p. 414. when so many persons in no necessity take each of them a little fruit from a Vineyard or an Orchard or a little corn from a field that there is nothing at all left for the owner yet if they did not conspire together to do this it is a small fault And thus any men of estates since it holds in other cases no less than those specified may be utterly impoverished and yet those that ruine them be guilty of nothing that they need regard Moreover when any one without any need continues so long in the stealing matters of less worth from one person or many that in time they rise to a great value and the thief thrives into a good estate thereby without designing it this altogether is no more then a Venial fault nor will it be worse though he never make restitution if there was any considerable interval betwixt the acts of theft (s) Navar. c. 17. n. 139. Graff l. 2. c. 92. n. 18. say some no nor if there were no such intervals say (t) Angestus in Lopez ibid. p. 416. others The consequences of which is as Lopez observes (u) Tabernarius seu quilibet negotiator posset ditescere sine mortall et statum decentem fundare et singulos emptores in modico mensuras curtando defraudare totam civitatem sic depilando ibid. p. 14. that any Inn-keeper or Tradesman may grow rich and raise a fair estate without mortal sin by defrauding all that buy of them a little in false measures and so fleecing a whole Town And why might not they as well conclude that he who beats another so it be but with little blows though he beat him to death offends but Venially these of old were thought (x) Nihil resert an paulatim an simul aliquem interimas vel spolies Jerom. ibid. alike They conclude also that such a quantity may be stoln as is sufficient to make it a mortal sin without sinning mortally if it be for a good end These are some of the instances they give 1. A (y) Communis sententia ampliatur ut non tantum pro se sed etiam pro alio existente in extrema necessitate quis occulte subtrahere possit Graff c. 93. n. 12. Navar. c. 17. n. 118. If a man be in mortal sin his Wife may take of his goods privily and give them away in Alms for his conversion Bonacin de restit disp 2. q. 10. punct 2. n. 9. man may steal to give Alms We need not wonder at this since they think not much to rob Christ of his honour in all their good works and so commit the worst kind of robbery the highest Sacriledg in their best acts arrogating that to them which is Christs peculiar satisfaction and merit And then that the Charitable thief if he become rich is not bound to restore what is stoln is the (z) in Navar. ibid. common opinion Also one may steal (a) Antoninus quem sequitur Nav. ibid. n. 5. p. 282. money from another rather then he shall venture it in gaming for it it is good divinity with them whatsoever it was with the Apostle that one evil may be done to hinder another (b) Licet inducere ad minus malum paratum jam ad majus malum ut si quis proponit interficere aut adulterari quis licet ei persuadere percutere aut fornicari contra fratrem Josephum qui limitat hanc sententiam ad peccata quae non sunt intrinseca mala sed censeâ— sententiam hanc generaliter esse tenendam prout eam tenet Navarrus et Cajetanus Lopez pars 1. cap. 58. p. 297. Adrianus Cajetan Sotus quos sequitur Navar. cap. 14. n. 40. Luxurioso sancte consulitur ut non adulteretur sed fornicetur Cajetan sum v. Tyrannis Medina Sotus Adrian existimant non tantum licere suadere minus furtum latroni sed etiam ipsum comitari imo etiam adjuvare in Vasq opusc Moral p. 24. dub 2. Bonacin de rest disp 1. q. 2. punct 7. n. 9. and that not only in other sins as Fryer Joseph would limit it but such as are intrinsecally evil for example If one be about to commit adultery it will be a lawful a holy act to beseech and perswade him to commit fornication Or nearer the matter in hand if one be ready to steal an hundred pounds I may advise him to steal fifty and so perswade to a mortal sin with some moderation They think it not only lawful to perswade a thief to a smaller robbery but also to accompany and assist him therein Further a (c) Sylvest v. furtum n. 15. Navar. cap. 17. n. 154. Graff l. 2. c. 92. n. 26 woman if her Husband be profuse may against his command take away his goods
28. prodigalitas regulariter non est peccatum mortale ut S. Thom. detectio proprii peccati non est injustitia sed prodigalitas samae ibid. not only by blazoning his secret wickedness but by charging himself falsly with crimes he never acted thus to impair or utterly ruine his own credit is but regularly a Venial fault according to Adrian and Sotus and others for prodigality is but a Venial and this is but to be prodigal of ones credit SECT XIII FLattery also that falsness of every sort even the vilest may not miss of their favour and incouragement is reconciled to common practice under the notion of a Venial To (m) Est adulâ—tio prima quando quis adulatur vel attribuit alicui bonum virtutis quod ille non habet Secunda quando nimium vel ultra debitum extollit bonum quod habet utrumque istorum est veniale Graff decis pars 2. l. 3. c. 3. n. 5. praise one for the vertue which he has not or the good that he does not is little or no fault To extoll the good he does above measure and desert is as innocent yea (n) Quam aliquis debet ex officio aliquem de bono aliquo opere laudare etiamsi si stiat laudatum in superbiam mortalem se elaturum non tenetur propterea desistere à debito officio potest tamen debet deponere hujusmodi scientiam de futura ruina illius quia 12 horae suâ—t diei potest in instanti homo illuminari mutari à divina miserecordia Cajet Sum. v. adulatio when a man is to to be praised for a good work though you know he will thereby be transported with deadly pride such as will destroy his Soul yet you should not desist hut may and ought to lay aside the sense of his future ruine because saies Cardinal Cajetan there are twelve hours in the day and a man may in an instant be illuminated and changed by Divine mercy To (o) Est autem peccatum veniale quando vel laudatur aliquis de malis venialibus vel de bonis sola complacendi intentione absque ruina vel etiam ob aliquem utilitatem consequundam vel non impediendam ut de se patet Cajetan ibid. Graff p. 1. l. 2. cap. 138. n. 1. 161. Aquinas 2. 2. q. 115. art 2. Sylv. v. adulat n. 4. applaud one for his sins if they be not mortal is as harmless when it is out of a design to please the sinner without ruining him or to gain some advantage by such flattery So that when it is both wicked and sordid at once yet will they scarce count it a fault There 's no more hurt in giving flatterers reward and incouragement Sylvester inquires if this be (p) Utrum dare adulatoribus sit peccatum mortale dicit S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 168 quod non nisi nimius appetitus vanae gloriae sicut delectabatur Herodes quum ei Dei non hominis laudes dabantur vel nisi intendat quis cupiat laudationem de peccatis Et hoc est quod dicit Alexand. de Alis quod tale peccatum est ista datio quaele adulatio propter quam dat id est si venialis veniale c. Sum. v. adulatio n. 6. a mortal sin and in him Aquinas answers no unless a man affect as Herod to be extolled as a God or design and desire to be magnified for mortal crimes But (q) Imo virtus est consentire laudi sive se false laudanti de virtute tamen suo statui necessaria exemplum de uxore occulte adultera quae de fidelitate laudatur non eo intuitu ut laudetur sed ut per bonam opinionem quam alii habent scandalum evitetur Graff l. 2. cap. 138. n. 2. Navar. cap. 23. n. 13. it is a virtue to give consent to false flattery as when a woman who is secretly an adulteress is praised for faithfulness to her Husband that scandal may be avoided and others deluded by a good opinion of her And so we may understand how the praises of the Church of Rome for her faithfulness to Christ come to be a virtue Or if one be not in so complacent a humour as to flatter others he may curse them at as easie a rate for for it is but a Venial fault (r) Ore tantum maledicere non est mortale ut communiter maledicunt parentes siliis colonâ— muliones bobus mulis Idem ibid. n. 117. to curse in words if not from the heart any thing any person ones own Father not excepted to imprecate any mischief or misery to them to (s) Vid. Soto de Just l. 5. 5. q. 12. art 3. Navar. ibid. wish Gods curse on them or an ill end might befall them or the Devil might have them And when he is at it he may curse the Devil too (t) Peccat qui maledicit diabolo ratione suae naturae quia illa bona est a Deo facta secus si ratione suae culpae tradit S. Thom. modo nec plus nec aliter quam meretur Idem ibid. Cajetan sum v. maledictio 'T is no sin at all if it be for his fault and gives the Devil but his due Cursing (u) Quum malo usu bujusmodi profert est veniale peccatum Cajetan ibid. may be ones usual practice as innocently It is scarce so bad as a Venial (x) Contingit tamen inquit S. Tho. quod aliquando sit veniale vel propter affectum proferentis dum ex levi motu vel ludo talia verba profert quia peccata verborum ex affecta pensantur Sylvest v. maledict n. 3. sit veniale quod ex levi motu seu lusu Soto ibid. Aliquando etiam culpa veniali carere possit ut si fiat joco ludo vel causa recreationis honestae when cursing is used for honest recreation And he may (y) Si paenitens dicat se maledixisse creaturam irrationalem vel elementa interrogare debet confessarius maledixerit ne ore tantum vel ore animo nulla ratione Dei vel proximi habita quia in his casibus est tantum veniale peccatum Graff l. 2. c. 72. n. 3. Navar. ibid. n. 117. curse the irrational creatures or the Elements and if he do it with his mouth only or with both mouth and heart without respect either to God or man in these cases it is only a Venial fault SECT XIV I Have been long in viewing their account of Venial sins the pernicious use made of it to corrupt the whole body of practical Christianity and to give liberty to the acting of all sorts of wickedness with this modification Will excuse me They venture hard to leave in a manner no mortal sin and so none needful to be avoided This will be further manifest by what they determine concerning those few sins which they style mortal
quia satis est confiteri illa mortalia quae per predictam duritiam inquietudinem admittuntur Idem c. 2â— n. 76. is scarce ever mortal unless it become so accidentally by some other mortal acts and so there is no need to confesâ— it as a sin How well does this indulgence to such monstrous covetousness as quite swallows up at once Christian charity mercy and morality become those who cry up themselves as the sole Assertors of the necessity of good works But that they may not be partial they shew themselves as favourable to the crime in the other extream (c) Prodigalitas non est mortale peccatum si pura est â— quiae minus peccatum est quam avaritia liberalitati contraria quum sipura est constat non esse mortalem Et utriusque ratio est quia neutra agit contra charitatem Dei aut proximi sed prâ—…er illam Cajetan sum v. Prodigal pure prodigality is no mortal sin becausâ— iâ— is a less fault than covetousness contrary to liberality which is manifestly of it self no mortal sin and the reason of both iâ— neither of them is against charity to God or others but only besides it So Cajetan and others So (d) Cap. 18. n. 28. supra Navar prodigality including both thâ—… of a mans credit and his estate is regularly no mortal sin and this after (e) 22 q. 120. art 2. 3. Aquinas SECT XV. PRide is another capital crime they style it (f) Ipsa vitiorum regina superbia Gregor moral 31. Aquinas 2. 2. q. 162. art 8. the Queen of moâ—tal sins but then they will have it advanced so high before it be mortal that the proudest person amongst Christians can seldom reach it and so all pride which is not of an extraordinary size and such as is rarely found must pass for Venial In Aquinas (g) Exparte aversionis superbia habet maximam gravitatem quia in aliis peccatis homo à Deo avertitur vel propter ignorantiam vel propter infirmitatem sive propter disiderium cujuscunque alterius boni Sed superbia habet aversionem à Deo ex hoc ipso qui non vult Deo ejus regulae subject cujus natus est Dei contemptus Aquin. 22. q. 162. n. 6. it is an aversion to God in that he will not be subject to him â—…d his will not upon other accounts to wit desire of pleasure or profit c. but out of contempt So (h) Sum. v. superbia vid. Sylvest v. superbia Cajetan also â—… others after him Navar says (i) Requirunt uterque Thomas communiter recepti ad ejus essentiam actualem contemptum subjiciendi se Deo legi ejus cum id Gratia Deo pauci Christiani faciâ—… vâ—râ— omnes aliquo modo superbiamus c. 23. n. 5. certe paucissimi Christiani c. 2. 6. they make it an actual conteâ—… of being subject to God and adds thanks be to God this is but 〈◊〉 in few Christians though all are truly proud so that mortal pride by that account which the Oracle of their School and his followers give of it is rarely to be found in the Christian world 'T is questionable whether Scotus did count that pride mortal which Aquinas judg'd to be so he says (k) Quilibet tenetur vitare omne peccatum mortale tamen non tenetur scire in quo grade superbia est peccatum mortale quia nec multi experti sciunt Scotus in St. Clâ—r Probl. 15. p. 94. few learned men know in what degree it is deadly and others are not bound to know it However (l) Sum. v. superbia Cajetan ventures to tell us what pride is Venial and his account is worth our view It is thus at large He that shews himself so irreligious and ungrateful as if he had not received all from God is proud says he in the first kind for of a like effect the Apostle says what hast thou which thou hast not received why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received where by glorying as the effect the inward pride is manifested as though he had not received it Likewise when one is so affected as to be sâ—cure concerning the good he hath or querulous for the good which is lost or wonders that he is not heard of God this is the second kind of pride because such a one makes account that such things are due to him But he that prefers himself before others and is prone to spie in his mind or fancie the defects of others or to excuse his own naughtiness and to aggravate that of others has a third sort of pride when he will have himself to be great as if he alone were great Further he who caring little for the Hvaeenly countrey for the members of Christ for the expiation of his sins passing his days as one dreaming or scarce â—…ake has a fourth kind of pride for he presumes he is a Heavenly Citiâ—…h a friend of God a Son a Member when such negligence and carelesness are no evidence of his favours the love of God where it is produeing those great things And likewise in reference to his Neighbours crudeness of mind and incompassionateness to others counting injuries intolerable impatience not induring to be slighted indignation and the like do shew that the man thinks better of himself than he is c. So great a littler of this monster he exposes to our view telling us its issue is much more numerous and then stroaks all gently over calling them Venials (m) Sunt autem haec multa alia quae imperfectae sunt superbiae communiter venialia peccata propter imperfectionem actus dum per modum passionum occurrunt absque injuria Dei proximorum Impediunt autem hujusmo li peccata valde vitam spiritualem utpote ex genere superbiae existentia quum scriptum sit superbis Deus resistit Ibid. p. 548. These says he and many others are a sort of imperfect pride and are commonly Venial sins for the imperfectness of them since they occur in the manner of passions without injury to God or others Yet that we may be the more amazed to see all this pass for a little fault such sins he adds hinder spiritual life exceedingly being of the stock of pride when it is written that God resists the proud As for that pride which they count mortal and grown to its full heighth (n) 22 q. 142. art 4. Aquinas out of Gregory and (o) Angelus v. superb Sylvest v. superb Navar. c. 23. n. 7. alii communiter others after both give an account of it in some particulars the prime are these (p) Secundum hoc sumuntur duae primae superbiae species scilicet cum quis à semet ipso habere aestimat quod à Deo habet vel oum propriis meritis sibi datum desuper credit Sic est tertia species superbiae cum scilicet aliquis
opinio asserit peccatum etiam mortale in Die festo commissum non habere ex illa temporis circumstantia specialâ—m malitiam quae in confessione necessario operienda sit illam docent Cajetan Corduba Soto Victoria Almayn Sylvester Armilla Tabiena Angl. Navar. Covarruvias Gutier pro hac etiam sententia potest referri D. Thomas in 4. dist 32. art 5. q. 1. Suarez l. 2. de festis cap. 18. n. 3. vid. Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 5. p. 274. nor by any wickedness whatsoever is holy time prophaned but only by those opposite thereto viz. not hearing Mass and bodily labours So that the days may be sanctified well enough according to the holiness of that Church if after an irreligious presence at Mass for half an hour the precept for which may be satisfied without minding God or abstaining from wickedness while they are at it the rest thereof be spent in beastly Drunkenness or Gluttony in Perjuries Blasphemies or Cursing God or Man in Murders Whoring Sodomy or Bestiality or the most enormous debauches And though they are not bound as they teach to be at the pains of one good act of mind or heart in serving God at the only time set apart for his Service Scotus is almost worried by the Herd of their Divines (x) Scotus sentire videtur hoc nos praecepto juberi diebus festis bonum habere mentis actum circa Deum Soto de just jur l. 2. q. 4. art 4. p. 51. for seeming to think that a good act of mind towards God was injoyned on these days yet they may spend their bodys and toyl themselves more in the service of their lusts without prophaning them than in servile works The reason why they hold that no excess of wickness does prophane these days is (y) Nec valet dicere inter ista servilia computari peccatum quia hoc falsum est Sylv. Sum. v. Dominic n. 8. nisi esset opus servile in festis prohibitum quale non est peccatum juxta S. Thomam in 3. sent dist 37. art 5. q. 2. Navar. c. 6. n. 10. probatur a Cajetano caeteris quia opus peccati ut sic non est servile Suar. ibid n. 6. because wicked acts are not servile works It seems slavery to Sathan and the service of the vilest lusts is not servile whatsoever Christ or the Apostle thought thereof John 8. 34. Rom. 6. 16. that is consistent enough with the liberty and honour of such Christians as they are However hereby it is manifest that their Religious observation of all holy times and so all the Religiousness which that Church requires of her Catholicks is consistent with the lewdest acts of ungodliness and debauchery In fine God can have no honour from men nor they salvation from him without Religion this cannot be kept up in the world without the solemn exercises of it these cannot or will not be performed without time for that end therefore hath the Lord appointed time to be set apart for these purposes the Church of Rome hath reduced all religious Exercises at the times appointed by God or themselves to the peoples hearing of Mass and there will not have the precept oblige them to any real Religiousness not so much as to a thought of God or any thing Divine yea or the forbearance of wicked thoughts and acts while they are at Mass Thus far is Religion upon which the interest of God and Man so much depends sunk among them And it must of necessity sink all but the shadow or froth in any part of the world where these principles prevail But though they declare them not obliged to serve God any better at this or at any other time yet they maintain for them as much liberty to serve the Devil and their Lusts on these Holy times as any other Let all concerned judge of the Roman Religion and Holiness hereby if there were nothing else by which the measures thereof could be taken this would suffice Sect. 6. In the next place in reference to Hereticks to go no further for that is far enough since in their Charity the far greatest part of Christians are no better all Relatives are discharged of their respective dutys injoyned them by the Laws of God or Man Their Decretall the Law of their Church which presumes to over-rule all other Law Natural Divine or Civil deprives Hereticks immediatly of all (a) Ipso jure privatos esse haereticos omni debito fidelitatis Dominij obligationis obsequij quo illis quicunque tenebantur astricti Decretal Gregor 9. l. 5. c. ult de haeret due fidelity right duty observance which any whosoever do owe them (b) Amittunt omnia quae juris civilis sunt Graff l. 2. c. 11. n. 12. privantur jâ—…e Dominij naturalis oeconomici civilis vid. Ovandus in 4. dist 13. p. 347. They lose all which they have by civil right (c) Eorum vassalli absoluti sunt a debito fidelitatis totius obsequij idem de vassallis Dominorum qui contra haereticos sunt negligentes Sylvest v. haereses 1. n. 14. Angelus v. haeret n. 15. Subjects owe no Allegeance or duty at all to Princes or Magistrates (d) Perdunt patriam potestatem quia non habent filios in potestate Graff ibid. Fillj haereticorum ipso facto quo sententiatum est contra eorum parentes de haeresi efficiuntur sâ—i juris effecti intelliguntur a Die commissi criminis Angel ibid. n. 10. Sylvest ibid. Children owe no duty to their Parents they have by their Law no power over them and this from the first day of their Heresie (e) Viro debitum reddere non tenetur Simanca Instit Cathol c. 45. n. 27. Wives owe not conjugal duty to their Husbands and if (f) Uxoreâ— scienter cum haereticis contrahentis perdunt ipso facto dotem Sylvest ibid. Angelus ibid. n. 11. they knew they were not Papists when contracted they lose their Dowry (g) Et quicunque alij aliqua obligatione adstricti ut famuli liberti hujusmodi ipso facto liberantur Ut dicitur notatur in c. fi eo ti Angelus ibid. n. 15. Sylvest ibid. Servants are freed from all Fidelity to and observance of their Masters (h) Omnes haereticos obligatos ex juramento fidelitate obsequij pactione vel promissione liberari ita habetur c. ultimo de Haeret. Propterea si aliquis promisisset haereticis solvere sub paena vel juramento certo Die non tenetur ut notat Glossa ibid. Ego teneo quod eo ipso quod est manifestum in haeresin incidisse tales absoluti sunt quantumcunque sententia non feratur contra eos Angel ibid. n. 15. Sylvest ibid. n. 14. Armilla v. haeres n. 11. Ovandus in 4. dist 13. propos 30. p. 348. Yea Debtors are freed from paying what they owe to Hereticks though bound thereto either by Penalty or Oath They hereby oblige their
legis tunc papa posset dispensare aliter ut dicit Ricar non videretur Deus fuisse bonus pater-familias v. papa n. 1. That the Pope can dispense with the divine Precepts when the reason of them ceaseth otherwise says he God if he had not so impowered him would not seem to be a good Master of his Houshold not wise say some not diligent say others for this is a common Argument for the Papal prerogative We must take heed how we question the Popes power herein for if we do they may question the Government of God And herein he is followed by (h) V. papa n. 16. Sylvester a Dominican and Angelus (i) Ibid. a Franciscan though in other things they often clash who tell us that besides Divines (k) Et in praedicta opinione concurrunt omnes Canonistae si bene intelligantur Idem ibid. all the Canonists agree in it if well understood And this the former (l) Potest ea interpretari in dubio authoritative scil utrum in aliquo determinato casu habeat locuni ratio divini aut naturalis statuti vel non Sylvest ibid. extends to particular cases whether in the natural or divine Law and the latter concludes it (m) Et quod dico de praeceptis secundae tabulae idem dic de omnibus praeceptis veteris novi Testamenti Angelus ibid. not only as to to the Precepts of the second Table but as to all the commands both in the Old and New Testament All the question is (n) Sed quis poter it scire quando ratio legis deficit in aliquo casu Resp quod istud aliquando habemus ex exemplo Dei qui multoties dispensavit in sua lege how one may know when the reason of Gods Law ceaseth in any case to which he answers that this we sometimes may learn by the examples of God himself who many times dispensed with his own Law So that in such cases it seems the Pope may do as much as God himself But this may not prove enough to serve the Popes turn So he adds (o) Sed quum talis dispensationis vel similis non habemus exemplum iâ— scriptuâ—a tunc ad solum pnpam pertinet ipsius declaratio Idem ibid. When we have not an example of that or the like dispensation in Scripture the declaration of it that is when the reason of the Law fails in any other case belongs to the Pope alone Accordingly (p) Supra Sylvester He may when there is any doubt Authoritatively explain whether or no in any certain case the reason of the divine or natural Precept takes place The Pope if he were God as they too often call him needs not herein desire more power than this he may declare that the reason of the divine Law ceases when he pleases and so he may dispense with it when he list Thus the Pope might discern the reason of the Law for Marriage to cease when Olivares had declared Julian Valeasor his Heir so gave him leave to Marry another Wife when he had one already lawfully Marryed yet his Holiness might be hastier herein than some Doctors would have him who though they hold the Pope can dispense with one to have two or more Wives at once yet think it not so very fit to be done whole Catholicks are so plentiful (*) Vid. Sum. Rosell v. papa n. 5. And he would have seen something more in Harry the Eights case than he let the world know if the Emperour Charles the Fifth had not stood in his light And so in that against Perjury Clement the Seaventh saw the reason of it cease when he saw it his interest that Francis the First should break his Oath And Sixtus the Fourth could well see that the reason of that Law against Sodomy ceased in the hotter months and so dispensed with it then though not in cooler seasons But what if the Pope should mistake in his Declaration about the Law and the reason of it and so err in dispensing with it this must not easily be supposed I firmly believe says Angelus (q) Ibid. n. 2. that if any one seeking a dispensation in any case against the Law of God not interposing the importunity of gifts and solicitations do put himself simply into the Pope's hands with a Declaration of his case that God will not suffer his Vicar to err in dispensing Yet if the worst should come to the worst and the Pope should err herein that will make no alteration in the case before us for though it may be a fault to dispense yet the crime he dispenses with may be no sin to him who has his holinesses leave to commit it (r) Arbitror autem quod licet dispensator peccet tamen dispensatus si bona fide nixus authoritate super ioris putat eam justa de causa esse datam excusatur donec satis noverit eam non fuisse sic datam Ibid. praelud 9. n. 13. 14. I judge says Navar that though the dispenser may be in fault yet he that is dispensed with is excused if relying honestly upon the Authority of his Superiour he thinks it was granted upon just cause till he be convinced that it was not justly granted For all this Bellarmine has the confidence to affirm that no Catholick ever held that the Pope could dispense any way with the Divine commands and yet what is it less that himself ascribes to the Pope when he says by his Indulgencies (s) Indulgentiae faciunt tamen ut pro ijs paenis quae nobis per indulgentiam condonantur non teneamur praecepto illo de faciendis dignis paenitentiae fructibus De paeniâ— l. 4. c. 13. p. 1068. we are disobliged from the command of bringing forth fruits worthy of Repentance These fruits are by their own account all good works And so in fine the Pope can make it to be no sin to live without the worship of God righteousness towards men and good works which respect either Sect. 14. But they need not make use of the Pope's Authority for this purpose there are other expedients nearer hand will serve to make any sin lawful One is probable ignorance and that when upon a probable ground error is conceived to be truth and that which is sin indeed is taken to be no sin When upon such a ground one ventures upon a crime it will not be criminal Now they give an account of several things each of which will serve them herein for a probable ground First a probable Reason (t) Quando homo occurrentibus rationibus in utramque partem suo judicio probabilibus eligit â—os quae sibi videntur probablliores quae tamen revera sunt contra veritatem cui ipse alias bene affâ—ctus â—st tunc isle licetcontra veritatem erret sic laborei ignorantia contraria nulla culpa errat sic Doctores Communiter Sancta Clara. Deus nat gr problem 15. p.
dangerous amongst probable opinions and not to regard though he cannot answer the arguments against it it is enough that he believe what another says Or this (o) Bonacin de peccat disp 2. q. 4. punct 8. n. 3. ubi Sayrus alij n. 4. the Confessor may tell him that he should count no sin mortal but what is manifest to be such and so manifest sometimes that he cannot swear it is not or any else though they have store of like nature the former are sufficient to leave no Conscience of sin amongst them in ordinary practice and to incourage sinners commonly to venture upon any violation of the Divine Rule with warrant from their Doctrine that it will be no sin to them Thus they take a course to ease mens Consciences by leaving them none And what clearer way can there be to remove scruples than to perswade them who would retain some Conscience if they would suffer them that there is little or no sin to be scrupled at Sect. 18. This is abundantly sufficient to make it apparent that the Popish Doctrine is destructive to holiness of life since they have warranty thereby not only to neglect the proper acts and exercises of holiness but to give up themselves to practices of all sorts which are directly opposite thereto 'T is true they do not acknowledge those practices to be sins or dangerous but they may with as good reason justifie such acts which they cannot but condemn for crimes as they go about to excuse these from being criminal A son of Belial that has liv'd in the neglect of holiness and in the practice of ungodliness and unrighteousness all his time will scarce pass at the day of Judgment for one that is holy or innocent because he has had the confidence to think so or has found out some shift to support his presumption or because others like himself were of the same mind nor is he like to escape because he had wit enough to cozen his Conscience or boldness to stifle it or wariness to keep out the light which would have inform'd it or self-love to believe those who flatter'd him in what his corrupt inclination led him to or facilness to follow those blindfold who had no mind to see Those devices which they have found out to justifie innumerable Transgressions of the Divine Law and may serve as well to justifie them all have no countenance from Scripture nor from Antiquity faithfully following it This is not only acknowledged but charged home by some of the French Romanists upon a supposition that these pernicious Artifices are peculiarly the Jesuits but since it is apparent that the Divines and Casuists of all Orders and those of Universal repute are no more excusable the charge is justly fixed upon their Church and practical Doctrine in general Nor is their acknowledgment needful it is plain in the Writings of those who have the conduct of their Consciences that they consult not with Scripture in these determinations no more than with ancient Writers you shall find them very rarely meddle with either An allegation out of their Canon Law is an authentick Authority that passes for the Text a Schoolman or Casuist of note that went before them is a sufficient conduct if there be a concurrence of Five or Six it is then the common opinion and they are as secure in it as if they marched with a Caravan but if they have a mind to be singular and have but somthing like a reason for it they Supererogate though the reason be such that the next who examines it puffs it away as a trifle Such are the foundations of their practical Divinity the Masters of it the Casuists are follow'd by the Priests and Confessors and the Priests are follow'd by the people and so the blind follow the blind and those that see not those that will not see But it may be there was less need to be so long and particular in shewing how unnecessary it is with them to forsake sin It is manifest enough by their Doctrine of Repentance before insisted on that there 's no necessity they should break off their sins till they be obliged to be contrite and their Doctors cannot agree upon any time for this though some of them specifie the point of death though then indeed they do not account it indispensably necessary the people may think themselves excused if they do not resolve to leave their sins till their Teachers agree that they must do so and so live in them till they can live no longer If any particular Doctor fix a more early period and bring some reason for it though they may if they please yet they are not obliged to believe him for no reason is brought by any of them for a more timely turning from sin but is confuted and rejected by some or other among them as slight and insufficient and 't is no sin not to believe him who proposes to them upon frivolous reasons yea it would be an act of imprudence to do it as (p) Quando articuli fidei non modo debito proponuntur ut rationibus frivolis tunc enim credere esset actus imprudentiae secundum D. Tho. 2. 2. q. 1. art 4. Deus Nat. Gr. Probl. 15. p. 87. Sancta Clara assures us out of Aquinas and Victoria so they may hereupon go on in their sins till the approach of death and he whom they worship as a Saint and Reverence as the Angel of their Schools may incourage them herein since he declares (q) Permanentiam in peccato usque ad mortem non esse speciale peccatum sed quandam peccati circumstantiam Aquinas 2. 2. q. 14 a. 2. that continuance in sin unto death is not a special sin but only a circumstance of sin Nor need they be affraid of this circumstance as though it would make their case worse for by their Doctrine to sin and so to continue in sin upon confidence that they shall have pardon by Confession is so far from aggravating sin that it extenuates it So Cajetan and Navar (r) Peccans ob fiduciam quod postea pro confessionem veniam obtinebit non tenetur dâ— necessitate id confiteri quia non est circumstantia adeo peccatum aggravans imo potius minuit ut inquit Cajetanus in 2. 2. q. 21. art 2. Nav. cap. 6. n. 3. p. 98. after him And that nothing may discourage them from continuing in wickedness the Council of Trent declares without excepting the sinners perseverance in sin unto death that if he be attrite the Sacrament of Confession will secure him though attrition is confessed not to import so much as any pious or ingenuous purpose to forsake sin CHAP. X. The Roman Doctrine makes good works to be unnecessary SECT 1. BUt their good works possibly may satisfie for their other defects and extravagancies and in these they glory above all and have the confidence to condemn us upon a pretence though utterly
false and groundless that we deny the necessity of good works Is it imaginable that after this they themselves should hold them to be unnecessary and so run into the Heresie which they charge upon others I will not desire any to believe this unless I let him see it but their Writings make it visible to any who have a mind to see They reduce all good works to Fasting Prayer and acts of Mercy or alms-Deeds For their fasting I shall only say this It is no fast it is no good work nor is it in their account necessary To the making of a Fast there must as they tell us be the concurrence of these severals First there must be no more than once eating Gregory (s) Unica demum comestio nisi ad jejunium necessaria sit mentitur Gregorius Sum. v. jejunium p. 344. Unica comestio est de essentia jejunij Navar. cap. 21. n. 14. Sane si in jejunio bis cibum capere fas esset ecquae hic abstinentiae forma vel species quidem foret parvi enim refert quo vescaris cibo si modo te ad summum satiaveris Polyd. Vergil de suvent rer lib. 6. cap. 16. p. 372. lyes though both a Pope and a Saint with them if this be not true says Cajetan Secondly This eating must not be a Dinner Bellarmine makes this good (t) Unicam igitur refectionem eamque caenam esse debere nec prandium cum jejunio datur opera facile probari potest extant enim exempla scripturarum testimonia patrum perpetua consuetudo fidelium De Jejun l. 2. c. 2. p. 1034. Apud veteres inauditum est prorsus ut ante horam nonam quae est tertia post meridiem jejunium quodcunque solvatur Quemadmodum etiam nulla est apud veteres mentio binae refectionis cum de jejunio agitur ibid. p. 1035. vid. Victorel ad Tol. l. 6. c. 2. p. 992. by Scripture a Troop of Fathers and the perpetual custome of the faithful concluding that it was never heard in the ancient Church that they did eat either till night or before Three at afternoon Thirdly what they take must be less nourishing and delicious than their ordinary fare And so the Church forbids that (u) Certum genus cibi probibuit jejunaturis illud videlicet quod ex genere suo ut plurimum magis nutrit magis delectat Idem ibid. cap. 5. Nam finis jejunij est corporis concupiscentias edomare in servitatemredigere Ibid. p. 1043. which in its nature and for the most part is more nourishing and more pleasing the end of fasting requires it which is says he out of St. Austin to tame and subject the concupiscence of the body All these are necessary to the being of a Fast as they affirm and yet not one of these is observed in their Fasting For first they eat a Dinner a full meal at Noon or an hour or two sooner if they please at the same time and in as great quantity as they do any other day yea if they eat to great excess at a fasting Dinner yet they keep the fast (x) In continua autem quantitate prandij non est certa mensura ratione jejunij sed quamvis aliquis multum excedat non ob id solvit jejunium peccat tamen contra sobrietatem licet tamen tempore jejunij aliquid plus accipere in prandio Instruct l. 6. c. 2. p. 990. Qui intemperanter comedit dum prandet Die jejunij satisfit praeceâ—…o Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 1. q. 1. punct 9. n. 1. As to the quantity says another of their Cardinals who can best tell what belongs to fasting of a Dinner at a fast there is no certain measure but though one be very excessive and transgress the Law of Sobriety yet he fasts well enough and adds it is lawful to eat more than ordinary at Dinner upon a Fast day Others not of the Society may hit the sense of the Church herein more unquestionably when they teach that one who observing the quality of the meat stuffs his Belly so full as to be so far from any sense of the hardship of fasting or from repressing the sins of the flesh that he rather excites and cherishes lust thereby yet fulfils the precept for fasting So Covarruvius Abulensis Medina Cajetan and others in Bonacina and he after them (*) De praecept Eccles ult disp q. 1. punct 2. n. 6 where by the help of a distinction or two intemperance both in quality and quantity is made perfectly consistent with the fast and temperance of holy Church So that they Fast though they Dine and that lustily whatever the Scripture or the Fathers or all the faithful in Bellarmine say of the inconsistence of a Dinner with a Fast But this is too little for a Roman Fast though many that never dream they Fast eat constantly less they may eat a Breakfast too and yet keep a Fast after they have broke it They may drink Ale or Wine and eat Bread after it that the strong drink may not (y) Licitus est mane potus etiam vini sine fraude etiam licitum aliquid sumere pro stramento potus ne obsit Sylv. v. jejun n. 9. hoc expresse tenet S. Thomas Nec sumere in serotino jentaculo parum panis frangit jejunium quia ad hoc videtur serotinum ientaculum reductum ut non referat quid quisque sumat si modum non excedat Cajetan Sum. jejun it holds as well of a breakfast early as later hurt them or if Bread will not serve them though these together may make a Breakfast for a Festival they may eat other things else after their Mornings draught if it be not beyond measure and these both at their first and second Breakfast O! but thus they eat twice that the Cardinal was aware of where 's then their Fast when it is as they affirm essential thereto not to eat twice why says he (z) Sumere vero jentaculum serotinum ad sustentationem naturae est proculdubio iterum comedere ibid. Pie interpretandum est ut scilicet fiat ne potus noceat ibid. a pious construction must be put upon it it is that the drink may not hurt them and so taken it seems either they eat not twice when they eat once and again or they fast by a pious interpretation when in the sense of the universal Church and the World too they fast not Thus that they may be sure to afflict the flesh with a severe abstinence they may eat a Supper too And no wonder for if they can excuse the second eating it will be as they conclude (a) Sola autem secunda comestio peccatum est non autem tertia neque quarta vel ulterior quia illa sola jejunium frangit secundum Durandum quam sequuntur recte Angelus Sylvester Navar. c. 21. n. 14. Vid. Cajetan Sum. v. jejunium p. 392. no fault to
and so much drinking yea or but eating a Dinner he would have been thought out of his wits yet they must not be accounted ridiculous who tell us gravely that this is fasting and that they break not a fast unless they (k) Innocent Richard dicunt quod prandere pluries in Die jejunij est contra consuetudinem probatam ecclesiae Angel sum ibid. n. 3. Semel esse in Die prandendum seu manducandum qui vero pluries solvit jejunium Tol. l. 6 c. 2. p. 989. Dine twice on a fasting day And indeed some of their Writers (l) Jejunia nostra quae in vini copia natanâ— piscium varietate carnis delicias superant veteribus omnibus non modo fuisse incognita sed intolerabilia adeoque abhominanda constat Lindan Panopl l. 3. c. 11. inanem tantum veri jejunij retinet umbram Cassand defens lib. de Offic. viri p. 119. seem ashamed of this good work as they do it in their Church But suppose this were a fast when indeed it is no such thing and observed by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compend Doctrin Cathol If they sleep the whole day yet they accomplish the precept Jo. Sanc. disp 51. n. 2. explains it and so that they tasted nothing till Three a clock or till evening as of old yet by the Roman Order it would be no good work That it may be such there must be something Religious formere abstinence has no more goodness in it than eating it cannot be Religious unless it be subservient to some Religious design or imployment but they disjoyn it from all things of that nature we hear not a word from them of their taking notice of their sins or confessing them or afflicting their Souls for them they need not so much as pray when they fast either in publick or private yea they are not obliged to hear (n) Dixi festo quia nemo ullo alio Die hoc praecepto de audienda missa tenetur etiam clericus vel monachus imo neque Episcopus Nullo inquam alio Die etiam jejunii quadragesimae c. Navar. cap. 21. n. 2. Rosel v. miss n. 13. Sylvest v. miss 2. n. 1. Mass though that be the imployment of every day for worship So that their fasts are no days for worship or any religious exercise They are discharged also from religious ends two are commonly assigned the taming of the flesh and the elevating of the mind to God but though the flesh be more unruly and the mind move not in the least towards God on a fasting-day though they never mind these ends in their abstinence yet they intirely fulfill the precept of their Church for fasting as they commonly (o) Lâ—x quae praecipit aliquid non obligat ad finem sed ad media tendentia ad finem D. Tho. 1 2. q. 100. art 9. 10. Unde lex non obligat ad carnis petulantiam compescendam sed ad media quibus comprimi possit sicuti est jejunium Graff l. 2. c. 36. n. 20. Licet ecclesia nos quadrigesimali observatione extenuare in carne intendat ut liberior mens spiritualibus accommodetur tamen finis ille non est in praecepto sed tantum ciborum abstinentia Soto de nat gr l. 1. c. 22. p. 57. Finis praecepti jejunij est elevatio mentis si tamen quis jejanat non elevatur mente non est transgressor praecepti Cajetan Sum. v. matrim p. 430. Nec si lex jubet quadrigesimae jejunium ut mens elevetur in Deum astringimur proinde ex hujus praecepti vigore mentem in Deum elevare Canus Relect. de pâ—nit pars 4. p. 871. vid. Tol. instr l. 4. c. 12. p. 623. conclude upon this ground because the end of the precept is not commanded So that this practice which they call fasting is a mere bodily exercise amongst them and thus it is represented by Cajetan (p) Sum. v. jejuniurn p. 348. opera utriusque misericordiae meliora sunt quam jejunii juxta illud Apostoli corporalis exercitatio ad modicum utilis est pietas autem ad omnia valet applying that of the Apostle to it 1 Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little c. Where he denys it the character of a good work And since it is neither a true fast nor a good work if they made it never so necessary it would be no proof that by their doctrine there is any necessity either of real fasting or any good work But indeed they declare their pretended Fasts needless for their best Writers (q) Quantum est ex jure scripto nullum cognosco intervenire mortale peccatum in fractione jejunij Ecclesiae si contemptus desit Cajetan ibid. p. 352. vid. Aquin. Antoninum Archidiac Paludan Angelum alios in Sylvest v. Jejun n. 21. Communis opinio conclude it to be but a Venial fault not to observe them so that there is no more necessity with them to Fast after their mode than there is to avoyd a Venial sin which is none at all * So Jo. Sancius afters others Liberos a jejunio existimo qui culpa sua ita defatigati redduntur quod jâ—junare non valeant ut qui defatigatus esset ludo pilae aut nimis esset deditus faeminarum commistioni docent Medina Diana Ledesma Montesin c. disp 54. n. 20. Nonnulli doctores exâ—endunt ad eos qui defatigantur in ludis aut in quaerenda meretrice c. Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 2. q. 8. punct 1. n. 16. They have so many ways to excuse men from Fasting as leave no necessity of it This one may serve any that have no mind to fast If a man have tired himself with any imployment lawful or damnable not only with honest labour but with too much gaming yea or with excessive Whoreing he is thereby exempted from the obligation to Fast though he so wearied himself on purpose that he might be excused But one thing herein is more intolerable that this ridiculous piece of mockery which they call Fasting has the glory given it which is peculiar to Christ alone and is thought sufficient both to satisfie the Justice of God and to merit by way of condignity not only grace but eternal glory An opinion of such malignancy as is enough to poison the best work in the world into deadly guilt To hold that a person because he eats not two Dinners or abstains for a day from flesh though he stuff himself with other delicacies even to excess should be worthy of the glorious prerogative of Christ is a conceit to be entertained with scorn and laughter if the horrour of it did not call for another passion Yet such are points of Faith in that Church And this surely is enough to cloy any man with their Fasting Sect. 2. Come we to the next of their good works that is Prayer
this unquestionably is a good work but then sure it must be good praying but they are so far from judging it necessary to pray well that they conclude it sufficient to imploy themselves about this work in such a manner as cannot upon a just account be called praying at all The only publick prayers necessary for the people by the Roman orders are those of the Mass but how they pray therein I cannot apprehend They use not the words they need not hear them they cannot understand them now can it be imagined that he prays who neither expresses nor conceives any Petitions they do it not themselves they joyn not with the Priest for no man can possibly concur with the words or the sense of him whom he neither hears nor understands They cannot concur with the Priest as men with rational acts much less as Christians The Church of Rome has made it not only needless but impossible for the people to pray in their publick Service they must think something sufficient for them which is not praying Let us see what account their Authors give of this Sylvester proving that it is not needful to pray on the Lords Day or any of their days for publick worship tells us what will serve the people instead thereof (r) Unde sufficit astare oranti sacerdoti in missa quantum est exvi hujus praecepti Sum. v. Dominic n. 8. It suffices that they stand hy the Priest praying in the Mass and that 's all that is requisite by vertue of this Precept So that the Church requires no more than the presence and posture of the body And they that can make a prayer of this may make an Image in the Church to pray and if this would be a miracle it would be as wonderful that the other should be praying but thus it becomes those who will worship Images as if they were God to worship God as if themselves were Images Oh but they must concur with the Priest (s) Cum nemo teneatur ex praecepto audire minus intelligere verba sacerdotis quia satis est vel ex longinquo missanti adesse surgendo genua flectendo vel alias actualiter vel virtualiter exoptare ut sacerdos qui pro omnibus orat sacrificat a Deo exaudiatur Navar. cap. 21. n. 8. so far as either actually or vertually to wish that his prayers may be heard And if this be praying a man may pray in the Church while he is in his Bed at home for actually he may wish this if he be awake and vertually though he be asleep There is no prayer but what is either vocal or mental what the people do in the Mass is neither they say nothing nor do they understand any thing nor need they mind any thing of what is said and it is much if a mans mind can be imployed about that which he not only understands not but minds not at all The mind must necessarily attend actually (t) Cum ipsa eadem attentio sie ipsissima oratio Soto de just jur l. 10. q. 5. art 5. p. 340. in mental prayer but actual attention is not necessary to what they call praying So it is neither vocal nor mental not any at all unless they can devise a mode of prayer without either voyce or mind They know not what to mind nor whom person or thing they understand net whether the Priest be in confession or at prayer or in his Lauds no nor whether he be praying or reading unless the dumb signification of a posture tell them nor that way neither for they need not see no more than hear the Priest They know not whether he be addressing himself to God or to a Creature whether to another divine person than the Father for they have prayers in the Mass to Christ and the Holy Ghost though an ancient Council forbids it they know not whether he be praying to an Angel or to a Saint to a Man or to a Woman to an Image or to a Crucifix for they have addresses to all They can in no wise be thought to pray who do not who cannot so much as say Amen to a prayer and this they cannot say who understand not what is prayed for as (u) Quomodo enim dicet Amen cum quid orat nescit quia non potest intelligere quid boni dicas Comment in 1 Cor. 14. Manifesta sunt verba Apostolâ— cum qui â—… imperitiam quod dicitur non intelligit fieri non possâ— ut ad alterius gratiarum acâ—ionem Amen respondeat Cassand Defens lib. offic pij viri Aquinas himself assures us from the words of the Apostle But the Priest who celebrates seems to pray though the people at at Mass do not He seems so but the Church of Rome obliges not him to pray unless he can be said to pray who only reads the words of a form without minding any thing else which they must necessarily be concerned in who pray indeed Of the several sorts of attention requisite in prayer none with them is necessary but that which respects the pronouncing of the words right If the Priest mind but this only so as to read the words right it is sufficient he does all the Church requires and fully satisfies the Precept of saying Mass this is their common doctrine So that unless he can be said to pray who neither minds the God he should pray to nor the things to be prayed for no nor the sense of the words he uses their Church requires not the Priests to pray even when they are saying their Mass-Prayers Nor is it more needful on the same account in the Canonical hours as we have seen before So that praying indeed is not necessary for Priest or people in all the publick Service of the Romish Church much less is it (x) Ubi autem libere eitra obligationem oratur sola est culpa venialis indecenter orare quare destractio etiam meditata nisi contemptio adsit nunquam erit mortalis Soto de just jur l. 10. q. 5. art 5. p. 341. fine vid. Angel Sum. v. horae n. 27. Gabriel de Can. Miss Lect. 22. Graff l. 2. cap. 51. n. 11. needful in their private devotions which are not injoyned for there they declare it Lawful to be more neglectful of all the necessary concerns of prayer than in publick Now that they who mind nothing but the bare saying the words of a prayer do not pray indeed they themselves will acknowledge in their lucid intervals Cajetan tells us (y) Si quis corporaliter praesens sit missae sed mentem advertenter a missa divertat ad alâ—a non satisfacit praecepto missae quoniam ita ibi est ac si voluntarie ibi dormiret paria namque sunt longe a missa fieri per voluntarium somnum per voluntariam diversionem mentis ad alia Sum. v. fest p. 305. that if one be corporally present at
Mass but lets his mind considerately wander after other things he satisfies not the Precept because he is but so there as if he voluntarily slept at it for to be far from the Mass by voluntary sleeping and by voluntary wandring are both alike Hence it is clear that Priest or people whose minds voluntarily wander at Mass do no more pray there than if they were voluntarily asleep and consequently if they wander carelesly without observing it they pray no more than if they were carelesly asleep Yet many of them think the Church forbids not voluntary wandrings he himself thinks she forbids not careless wandrings therefore all of them must believe that she thinks it sufficient to pray as they may do who are fast asleep one way or other And yet none that are awake can well count sleeping to be praying (z) Alia est oratio tantum mentalis alia mentalis simul vocalis neque debet addi tertium membrum id est vocalis tantum Ea siquidem non est utilis ad placandum Deum sed magis ad provocandum ad iram juxta illud Populus hic labiis me honorat cor autem eorum longe est a me Isâ—i 29. De bonis oper l. 1. cap. 2. p. 974. Bellarmine reckoning the several sorts of prayer one says he is mental another is both mental and vocal But when he would add that which is vocal only he will not have that accounted prayer a third member of the division ought not to be added to wit that which is Vocal only and gives good reason for that says he is of no use to please God but rather to provoke him to anger according to that Isaiah 29. This people honour me with their lips c. Yet such is the praying in the Roman Church and no other needful in their divine Service as the Cardinal himself declares sufficiently in the same Book And if no other praying be needful no prayer that is a good work is necessary by their doctrine Sect. 3. Proceed we to the last sort of their good works to wit acts of Mercy or Charity comprized in Alms-deeds for the relief of the Indigent and we can scarce discover that these will ever be necessary by their doctrine Cardinal Cajetan one represented as more favourable to these acts of Charity than divers others tells us (a) Eleemosynam non facere est peccatum morale in duobus solummodo casibus primus est si quis habet de superfluo naturae personae secundus est quum apparet pauper in extrema necessitate constitutus juxta illud Pasce fame morientem Sum. v. Elemos p. 134. that to omit them is no mortal sin and therefore to do them will not be necessary by any command but only in two cases First when one hath superfluities both in respect of nature and state that is more than either nature or the quality of the person requires Secondly When the Poor are in extreme necessity not in common want only but such as is extraordinary And these two are so described to us that themselves confess they very seldom fall out and we may think hardly ever so that rarely or never will this good work be necessary For the former that a person (b) Superfluum in tali latitudine consistens judicandum est consideratis sumtibus honaribilibus etiam filiorum familiae status munificentia magnificentia communibus eventibus haeredibus aliis ejusmodi ita ne raro videatur contingere ut homo secundum stâ—tum gloriose vivens superfluum habeat Idem ibid. may be judg'd to have any thing superfluous without which he is not bound to relieve others it must be considered what is requisite for the honourable expences of himself his Children and Family and what for the munificence of his state and magnificence too what for common events and casualties to provide against them and other things of this nature Upon which he concludes it will rarely fall out that a man living splendidly according to his quality will have any thing superfluous And so very rarely if he had said never the premises would have borne it will it be the duty of such as have enough to live gloriously to spare any thing for the poor Less pride and vain-glory or prodigality than they allow them to have without any mortal guilt will leave nothing superfluous and so quite excuse them from these good works Navar is of the same mind and tells us (c) Sequitur item Rosellam sine justa ratione dixisse paucos divitum confessarios salvatum iri si eleemosyna in praedictis duobus casibus de praecepto foret non enim â—ot sunt quot putat hujusmodi divites quibus sit superfluum status cum nec reges magni principes superflua habere censeantur cap. 24. n. 6. Facile judicandum non esse aliquem Jaecularem plura quam quae suo statui necessaria sunt habere Cum etiam ille qui ad aliquod dominium emendum mutandum suum statum in alium majorem ad quem idoneus est pecunias congerit non habet plus quam suum statum deceat ibid. there are few rich men who have any thing superfluous since neither Kings nor great Princes can be thought to have superfluities having said a little before that it cannot easily be judg'd that any secular person hath more than is needful for his condition For he may heap up moneys to purchase more or to advance his condition higher and so still have no more than is requisite for his state and nothing at all will be due for charitable acts He expresses it more fully (d) Cap. 23. n. 74. Nec ob id dicitur habere tale superfluum quod de praecepto pauperibus teneatur erogare elsewhere and concludes for all this he cannot be said to have any such superfluities that he should be obliged by any command to give to the poor So that unless a man have so much as he neither has at present nor may have for the future occasion to use that is unless he has so much as no man will or can believe he hath an act of Charity will not be his duty If he do but desire to have more than he now has or do but design to rise any higher than he now is though but in such a degree as is found in all and may innocently be in any at least if he have but any thing of Covetousness or Ambition though far less than they determine he may have without any deadly guilt and so without any considerable danger he is discharged from all obligation to this good work The other case will make Charity no more necessary it is when the Poor are in extream necessity and this is (*) In sententiam Cajetan Navar. inclinant Sotus Sarmientus Vasques Opusc Moral de Eleemosgu dub 3. n. 20. Asserunt non esse praecepti obligationem ullam extra tempus
extremae necessitatis proximi quantumvis divitiae superfluant non tantum naturae sed statui etiam congruae sustentationi Gabriel Alexander Major Gerson reputant probabilem Antoninus Conradus Durandus Durandus asserit se non audere dicere esse aliud tempuâ— praecepti extra extremam necessitatem ne â—ot divites condemnet Idem ibid. n. 11. Jo. Medina in Sa. v. Elecmosyn only when it is apparent they will dye for want of necessaries if we relieve them not Now such a case rarely happens and a man may never meet with one in such extremity all his life but if he do yet he may be excused for want of evidence that his necessity is so great he need not take the party's word for it no not though in publick places there seem to be also clear signs of it he need not take the word of any other no not the judgment of his parish Priest or Confessor though upon their opinion he may safely venture upon acts of wickedness unless they can assure him thereof as eye witnesses (*) Bonacin 1. praecept d. 3. q. 4. p. 6. n. 3. or if he be morally certain of the extremity yet if there be a probability that any other will relieve the person ready to starve he may leave him to the mercy of others without doing any thing himself towards his relief for that is another limitation (e) Extreme egere dicitur non solum qui jam animam agit vel spirat sed etiam cum indicia probabilia apparent eo deventurum nisi ei subveniatur non se offert nec expectatur probabiliter alius qui ei subveniat juxta S. Thom. declarat Cajetan Idem cap. 24. n. 5. which they add in the case For example if he thought it likely that a Protestant would relieve the perishing party a Papist by their doctrine of good works might reserve his Money and Charity for another world nor would it be necessary to exercise one act thereof while he lives Or amongst themselves while each one expects that another may do it the Poor may perish and all that might relieve them are excused Besides in this case they conclude it lawful for the person in extremity to (f) Soto de just jur l. 4. q. 7. art 1. Licet alienum arripere sine peccato in extrema necessitate Sotus Cajetan Navar Adrian Armilla Covarruvius Et in urgenti Sylvest Angelus in Vasq ibid. dub 7. n. 28. in gravi licitum esse Sylvest Medina Angel Navar. Pet. Navarra Malderus plures alij apud Dian. p. 2. tr 3. Res 29. Bannes in 2. 2. q. 66. art 7. Steal either secretly or openly from those that have enough so that acts of Charity will not be necessary among them but when Theft is Lawful and no man need to relieve the Indigent with any thing he hath till they may justly take it from him But if it were possible in these cases whereto they confine it to find any place for the necessity of this duty yet one thing more added by their prime Doctors dashes all for they teach that it is not required to relieve the Necessitous (g) Adrian 4. de restit Navar. cap. 17. n. 61. cap. 24. n. 6. In quibus tamen duobus non est de praecepto subvenire donando sed satis est subvenire commodando vel mutuando Vid. Bellarm. de bon operibus l. 3. c. 8. haec doctrina vera non solum a S. Thom sed etiam ab aliis Theologis communiter tradi soleat Vid. plures in Vasq ibid. dub 6. n. 50. by giving them any thing but it is sufficient to Let or Sell or Lend to them Navar concludes it lawful (h) Licet eos emero illis emptioni suae consentire c. 23. n. 75. quia pater tempore famis extremae fi ium vendere potest tum quia nemo tenetur ad gratis subveniendum egenti etiam extreme modo commodando vel mutuando satis ei succurrat ibid. to buy persons in extream Necessity and lawful for them to consent to it his reasons among others are because a Father in time of extream Hunger may sell his Son also because no man is bound to relieve one though in extreme Necessity gratis if he can do it sufficiently by loan exchange c. So that if a man were in such extremity for want of Food that he might sell his Son to get it for the saving of his Life yet no Christian in that case were bound to give him relief freely by their doctrine it would suffice to let him have Money or Meat by the sale of his Child We cannot expect they will ever find it a duty To give to the Indigent if not in such circumstances and 't is a plain case where there is no obligation to give there 's no necessity to give Alms. But if they did make it necessary to give Alms yet is it not needful by their doctrine to do it so as it will be a good work or so to Fast or Pray or do any other act which have any goodness in them or pretend to it so good works will by their principles be still unnecessary For that any work may be good it must be from a right principle and for a good end but both these they make needless As to the former there 's no necessity as they teach to act out of (*) Alexander Alensis Petr. Lombard Aquinas Angelus Sylvester Canus Soto Jac. de Graffiis c. supra love to God for though this be the intention of God and the design of the Law in all good acts as they acknowledge from that Tim. 5. Rom. 13. yet they have a maxim generally received (i) Ex D. Thom. graviorum autorum sententia ad finem legislatoris minime teneamur sed ad media c. Canus Relect de paenit part 4. Soto de nat gr supra the intention of the command is not commanded herein they follow Aquinas and hence they conclude that (k) Modus talis charitatis non cadit sub praecepro c. Soto de just jur lib. 2. q. 3. art 10. such a mode of acting out of love to God is not required in any command of the divine Law but the whole and every part of it may be fulfilled sin avoyded if (*) Hinc ergo patet adimplentem praeceptum per actum ex aliqua circumstantia malum satisfacere praecepto etiamsi non adimpleat Modum aut etiam sinem a legislatore intentum Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 1. q. 1. punct 9. that which is required be done though not out of Love to God at all And particularly Soto takes much pains to argue us out of the love of God in all our actings and to prove that it is not necessary And all generally conclude that it is not needful in any acts of Piety Mercy or Charity required on their days for worship since there