re shall hind vppon earth shall be bound in Heauen which is meant of ecclesiasticall Censures the greatest of which is excommunication Again Act. 15. when the new christians referred their controuersie concerning circumcision and other ceremonies of the law of Moyses to the Apostles at Ierusalem sentence of iudgment was declared by one accord thus It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burthen vpon you then these necessary things c. Wherby it is cleare that the Apostles then the representatiue Church were inuested with authority to make ordinances (c) It appeares plainly by the sacred text Act. Jt seems good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burden vpon you then these that the Apostles had authority to commande and exact obedience to their ordinances For the particles it seems good to vs to lay no more burden Shew euidently that they were superiours inuested with authority to commande and exact obedience from the people who were bound to obey them But here is obseruable that as to the matter in debate mentioned in the Chapter set down viz. whether the conuerted Gentils were obliged to obserue the law of Moyses S. Peter in that Council cald to determine it was supream Iudge for t' is written that after much dispute Peter rose vp and as head of all spoke first and decided the controuersy in fauour of the said conuerted Gentils deliuering them from the bondage of the old law and all the multitude saith S. Hierom Tom. 2. Epis 89. Augus cap. 2. kept silence and into Peters sentence or definition the Apostles S. Iames and all the Priests past with one accorde and euer since the Popes of Rome as S. Peters lawfull successors haue had precedence and the deciding suffrage in all Councils which are of credit and authoritie in the Church of God and to oblige the faithfull in the obseruation of them for the words It seemed good to vs to lay no more burden vpon you doe signify the authority of superiours to commande inferiours and the obligation of inferiours to obey their superiours Thirdly that the Church is liuing visible and speaking which is the third propriety of this Iudg is clearly expressed Act. 20. take heed to your selues and the flock wherof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to rule the Church of god which he hath purchased with his own blood and Again Math. 5. (d) According to S. Aug. trac in 1. epis Ioan. those are blind which cannot fee so great a mountaine and shut their eyes against the clear light put on a candlestick which is the Church of God the Church is stiled a Citty that is set on a mountaine which cannot be bid but no man can conceiue how Bishops can gouerne a Church which they see not or how a Citty set on a high mountaine can lie hid Besids all the Church offices ioynt and seperate do declare it visible liuing ad speaking neither matters it that the Church is known by faith which is of things not seen for the Apostles when they conuersed with Christ vpon earth they both saw and belieued him to be Christ As the Apostles saw Christ to be aman and belieued him to be God soe wee doe see the Church to be a congregation of men outwardly professing the faith of Christ and doe belieue that it is directed by the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost and as it cannot be euinced that a man is inuisible because an inuisible soul gouerneth him soe neither can it be euinced that the Church is inuisible because the supernaturall gifts of the holy Ghost namly faith hope and charitie wherby the Church is gouerned and men made children therof be inuisible From the premises is euidently deducible (e) S. Austin li. 10. de doct christ disputing against such as pretended to the knowledge of holy scriptures by speciall reuelations dissuades euery man from so proud and dangerous a tentation as to presume that he is taught of God and not of men and this caueat he vrgeth by many examples that the priuate spirit which is to say the particular reuealing spirit wherby as many sectaries conceiue euery priuate belieuer is enabled to interpret scriptures and iudge all matters concerning faith and religion hath no good claime to the office of this suprem Iudge beeing neither seen nor heard to speak clearly nor known certainly to be infallible in what it reuealeth to each particular belieuer in priuat for it may prudently be doubted whether it be a good spirit or not since false ministers can transforme themselues into Apostles of Christ and Satan himselfe into an Angel of light 2. Cor. 11. in consequence of which no wise and iudicious man can rely his eternity on such a priuat reuealing spirit Again God according to his ordinary way doth not immediatly himselfe reueale verities of faith to euery one in particular or iudge himselfe between party and party from the begining of the creation down to these times his prouidence hath ordained men to declare his ordinances vnto men appointed men to teach men and constituted men suprem Iudges of men for the determining of all hard matters in debate concerning faith and religion In the law of nature Abraham was made Teacher of men I know speaking of Abraham that he will command his son and family after him that they keepe the way of our lord Gen. 18. In the written law Moyses was constituted to teach the people of God the diuine ordinances and to shew vnto them the way wherein they were to walke and the worke they were to doe Exod. 18. and Deut. 17. the Priests of the Leuits were deputed supreme Iudges of controuersies which might rise about religion also Malac. 2. it is written the Priests lips shall preserue knowledg and they shall seek the law from his mouth In our new law of grace the Apostles were sent into diuers parts of the world to preach christian religion Mar. vltime Act. 8. God appointed Saint Philip to teach the Eunuch of Ethiopia Act. 9. Christ sent Saul to be instructed of Ananias and Act. 10. Cornelius the Centurion was admonished by an Angel to repaire vnto Saint Peter that he might learn of him matters of câ—ristian faith wherfore Saint Paul says Rom. 10. Faith is by heating and hearing by the word of God and how shall they heare without a preacher because ordinarily God teacheth men by men the verities of faith and Gal. 1. the same Apostle doubted not to prefer the doctrine he preached before the doctrine of an Angel from Heauen that should preach otherwise and truly if it were lawfull for euery man to follow and adhere to his own priuate spirit there would rise almost as many contrary religions as there are men liuing vpon the earth and consequently in room of that peace that Christ hath promised to the Church nothing but disorder and confusion would happen wherfore both in the old and new law this
faith The Apostle that if our earthly house of this habitation be destroyed vve haue a building giuen of God ... eternall in heauen From this sacred Text S. Anselme infers that good souls as soon as they are deuested of their bodyes haue full enjoyment of heauenly blessednes and according to Saint Austin l. 2. de ciuit cap. 15. martyrs as soon as they be deliuered from their earthly tabernacles reigne in Heauen with Christ And Christ himselfe according to the Apostle Ephes 4. led captiuity captiue in the day of his glorious ascention that is then the iust souls that were detained as captiues in the lower parts of the earth namely lymbus called Abrahams bosom were translated into Heauen And S. Hierom Epis de obitu letae Novv she for a smal labour hath the enioyment of eternall blessedness as the earthly house of their habitation is destroyed are translated into an other building giuen of God their Creator that is an house not made with hands but eternall in Heauen and as now euery creature is a dark glass whereby God is seen in part so in the next life * Verbum diuinum propter repraesentandi perfectionē vocatur speculum fine macula God himselfe is a clear glass wherin creatures see him fully as he is that is perfectly if nothing of sin interuene to obstruct their passage to Heauen Now saith the Apostle * 2. Cor. 5. mūc videmus per speculum in anigmate sed tūc videbimus facie ad faciem Aug. in illud Aposto Philip. 1. sic scribit inde incipit requies quae non interrumpitur resurrectione sed clarificatur quae nunt fide retinetur wee see through a glass darkely but then shall wee see face to face (b) 2. Cor. 5. the Apostle teacheth that while we are in the body we are absent from our lord for we walk by faith and not by sight Wherefore he coueteth to remoue out of the body and dwell with Christ in consequence of which good souls enioy the clear vision of God before the generall resurrection for otherwise the Apostles earnest desire to remoue out of his body and dwell with Christ had been vain and impertinent since he might not enioy thereby blessednes which consists in the clear vision of God before the generall resurrection besids according to S. Aus l. 14. de Trinit cap. 2. to be present and dwell with Christ includs sight and excludes faith 2. Cor. 5. which words plainly shew that then * begineth the eternall when the transitory life endeth in consequence of which pure souls without offence after they be deliuered from their earthly tabernacles do not expect the generall resurrection to put them in possession of the clear vision of God and truly the desire of S. Paul expressed Philip. 1. and Ephes 5. to be remoued out of the body and to be present with Christ had been very vnprofitable and impertinent if the clear sight of God wherein consisteth the souls blessedness were to be differred for soe long a series of yeares and it matters not that to be present with Christ doth not include of necessity a clear sight of his diuinity for it appeareth by the words of the Text that the Apostle desired a full clear sight of Christ vnto blessedness in regard he speaketh of that presence with him which excludeth faith saying We know while wee are at home in the body that we are absent from Christ for we walke by faith and not by sight signifying thereby that when we are remoued out of the body we walke by sight and not by faith but it is the clear sight of God that abolisheth faith according to the doctrine of all ancient Fathers besids 't is in reason conuincing that Christ hath not appointed prisons to keepe the Saints of the new Testament out of Heauen hauing in his ascention trāslated thither the Saints of the old Testament which were detained afore as prisoners in the lowest parts of the earth Again God is far more inclined to reward the iust then to punish the wicked for his mercyes * Psal 144. miserationes eius super omnia opera eius exceed all his other works but his diuine Iustice (c) According to the Councill of Florence God punisheth wicked souls with eternall sensible paines as soon as they remoue out of their bodys inflicteth eternall sensible paine vpon wicked men sudainly after their remouall out of their bodyes wherefore doubtless iust men doe quickly after their death receiue their blessed rewards nothing of offence interuening to obstruct their passage to Heauen moreouer God is more iust in giuing labourers their hire then any man whosoeuer but a iust man doth not suffer the workemans hire to abide with him till morning Leuit. 19. Wherefore Since eternall blessedness that consisteth in the clear vision of God is the hire of good labourers in the diuine vineyard (d) According to the Councill of Florence in the decree of Eugenius and of Treat sess 25. in decret de inuocatione sanct the souls of the faithfull that remoue out of their bodyes cleansed from all sin and vncleanes see immediately the essence of God And S. Gregorie Nyss ora funebri in pulcheriam writeth thus The plant pulcheria is pluckt from vs but transplanted in paradice she is translated out of one kingdom into an other She hath put of her purple robe and put on the clothing of Heauens kingdom And all the ancient Fathers assert this Catholick truth namly S. Austin trac 128. in Ioan. S. Cyp. li. de exhort ad martyres cap. vltimo payment of it is made quickly after the finishing of their worke that is suddenly after their death wherewith endeth all meritorious working but there be two kinds of blessedness the one complete and full in order to both body and soul the other which is the principall and essentiall blessedness is not perfect as to the whole man but in respect of the soul only Now when the holy scriptures declare that blessedness or reward for good works is to be giuen after the generall resurrection they mean only of the consummation thereof which is full blessedness named the double stole of felicity in order to both body and soul and indeed Christ in the generall iudgment as appeareth by the 25. Chapter of S. Mathew will say after the same manner to the blessed Come ye blessed of my Father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world as he will say to the damned depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels but Christ by this latter saying meaneth that after sentence of vniuersall iudgment is pronounced the damned whose souls were punished afore shall suffer euerlasting torments of fire in order both to the body and soul for the cōsummating of their misery wherefore by the other saying addressed to the blessed is meant that in the generall resurrection those
separation of his soul from his body in euidence of his superabundant loue (d) According to S. Ambrose one sole drop of Christs precious blood had been sufficient to redeem all mankind for one only drop of that precious liquor had been sufficient for the redemption of all mankind His extraction as man is deriued from the most illustrious Tribe of (e) Rom. 15. Isaias saith there shall be the root of Iesse and he that shall rise to rule ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles hope Christ was the flower that grew out of the root of Jesse that came of the stock of Iuda Iuda wherof he was * Apoc. 5. ecce vicit leo de tribus Iuda the conquering lyon he ouercame the world the deuil and the flesh the world by contemning it the deuil by putting down his principallity the flesh by Crucifying it As a lyon he appeared in his natiuity for it is the innate propriety of that royall Beast to wipe out with his sterne the prints of his feet that his steps may not be discouered and Christ in his Natiuity hid with the stern of his humanity his God head that it should not be perceiued by the deuil as a lyon * Gen. 49. requiescens accubuisti vt leo quasi leaena quis suscitabit eum he slept in his sepulchre none daring to awake him as a lyon he waked himselfe rising gloriously * Mat. 27. soluite hoc templum e in triduo reaedificabo illud in the third day of his dead sleep by the vertue of his own power and as a lyon he will come to the generall judgment to put down the authority power and principallity of all his enemies * 1. Cor. 15. cum tradiderit Regnum Deo Patri and deliuer the kingdom which is the Congregation of the faithfull neuer after to be exercised by the tyranny of the wicked to his diuine Father to whom as God he is equall as man inferior CHAR. VJ. OF THE NAME ISEVS THE CONTENTS The origen excellency and marueillous vertue of the name IESUS IESVS is the proper name of the son of man * Luc. 19. venit filius hominisquaerere saluum facere quod perierat that came into the world to seek and saue that which was lost and to heal and quicken that which was mortally wounded This is to say that the son of the Virgin Mary who is also the son of God is properly named (a) Isaias cap. 62. prophesied of the name IESUS and thou shalt be called saith he by a nevv name vvhich the mouth of our lord hath named That is the Angell of God whom the Prophet Zachary calleth the mouth of our lord and t is set down Mat. 1. that the words thou shalt call his name Iesus c. were vttered by an Angell IESUS which signifieth Sauiour being born to saue his people from their sins (b) S. Austin treating of Christs comming into the world writeth thus take avvay vvounds take avvay death if man had not perished the son of man had not come because there vvould haue been no need of remedies wherby he meaneth that if Adam had not sinned the son of God had not been the son of man which are the wounds and death that procured his coming or temporall generation As in the administration of Ecclesiasticall and ciuill gouernment names are giuen to men sutable and proper to the charges or offices they vndergoe for example the names Pope Bishop Emperour King Generall Admirall Maior c. so the son of the Virgin Mary was by * Mat. 1. vacabis nomen eius Iesum ipse enim saluabit populū à peccatis eorum diuino dispensation named IESUS Sauiour the generall redemption being committed to his charge And allbeit that this name was giuen to some others long afore for the holy Scriptures make mention of (c) Iesus Naue according to Ecclesiast 46. was a valiant warrier one IESUS Naue and (d) Iesus the son of Iosedech succeeded his Father in the office of high Priest Hag. 5. IESUS the son of Iosedech high Priest yet it was new and extraordinary in the son of the Virgin Mary first as to his Person being God and man and consequently far more excelling the other two then substances their shadowes or things figured their naked figures And Iesus Naue though a Gallant Captain howeuer he conducted only the people of Israëll into the land of promise which Moses before had brought out of Egygt but Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary came a guide to all nations vnto conducting them into the kingdom of Heauen of which the land of promise was a figure only as likewise Iesus Naue was a Type onely of Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary And though Iesus the son of Iosedech was a high Priest yet he did not perpetuate his Priesthood that dying with him but Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary * Hebr. 6. tu es Sacerdos in aternum is a Priest for euer enjoying an euer lasting Priest hood Besides Iesus the son of the Virgin Mary saued his people from their sins of slaues vnto Satan (e) S. Iohn the Euangelist cap. 5. writeth that Christ gaue power to be the sous of God vnto as many as receiued him he made Children of God and shewed mercy * Isai cuius misericordia super omnem carnem on all flesh Secondly as to the name it selfe that was new and marueillous also (f) Philip. 2. at the name of Iesus euery knee shall bovv of those vvhich are in heauen of those vvihch are on Earth and of those vvhich are vnder the Earth that is in Purgatory for those which are vnder the earth in the hell of the damned giue nothing of reuerence to the name of Iesus being obdurate in an abhorrence from it S. Hieron l. 3. Comment in Isa attesteth that in those daies bowing at the name of Iesus was counted à distinctiue sign wherby Christians were known from Iews which shewed noe more respect and reuerence when they heard Iesus named then when they hear'd the name of Satan or Pharaoh Howeuer Catholicks doe not honour the name of Iesus in regard of the Syllables letters or sound that it carries but because of the relation it has to the Son of God called Iesus Neither does this exhibition of Religious worship render them more guilty of superstition then are the subjects of a king when they shew a ciuill reuerence while they heare him named for at the name of Iesus the Son of the Virgin Mary euery knee bow 's of Creatures in heauen in earth and vnder the earth * Act. 4. non est aliud nomen in quo homines saluari possūt nisi in nomine Iesu Nazareni and it is the sole name that procureth saluation for man in respect and consideration wherof it hath been a holy constant custome amongst ancient Catholick Christians to bow at the name of
Rom. 5. Inuisibilia Dei à creatura mundi per ea quae facta sunt intellecta conspiciuntur in his works visible CHAR. IJ. OF ADAM THE CONTENTS The integrity of Adams creation his fall from originall Iustice through the euill managing of his free will all his posterity concerned in his fall ADam was the first man that God made * Gen. 1. creauit Deus hominem ad imaginē similitudinē suam in his own image and after his likeness (a) S. Hieron l. 3. com in epis ad Ephes calleth Adam the first man and first Prophet because he fore told the mysterious Incarnation of the Son of God in saying This novv is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh which the Apostle nameth magnum Sacramentum For as much as it importes Christs nuptiall conjunction or marriage with the Church his Spouse the first Prophet that prophesied of the mysterious Incarnation of the Son of God and the first prodigall son that vnhappily managed his patrimony (b) Eccl 1. God made man vpright that is according to the interpretation of great S. Austin l. de cor gra God gaue him in his creation sanctifying grace And the same S. Austin l. 13. de civit Dei expresly teacheth that the first man was created in grace and l. 12. de civit affirmes that the Angels in their creation received grace together with their nature His heavenly Father had setled him in a fair estate of originall iustice as to his soul * Sap. 2. Creauit hominē inexterminabilē and immortallity as to his body and he made away with both wilfully for the obedience that was onely required to the conseruing thereof * Non foret homo animal rationale nisi ei inesset libera boni mali electio nec Deus foret iustus si impossibilia iuberet Aug. ser de tem laid in his power And it was necessary to injoyne * Aug. l. 8. gen oportebat vt homo sub Domino Deo positus aliundè prohiberetur him the performance of that vertue for if nothing had been commanded him or he forbidden from nothing he would haue had nothing to know his own inferiority and to acknowledge his Creatours superiority The Command that God laid vpon Adam was that he should not cate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill so named not in reference to the fruit that in it selfe was good * Gen. 1. omnia quae fecerat Deus erant valde bona for all that God created was very good but in order to transgression that taught him to discern between good and euill between the good of obedience as to the perpetuating of grace and life and the euill of disobedience as to the introducing of sin and death Yet God had no part in Adams transgression for his diuine goodnes had bestowed on him sufficient auxiliaries to continue him in obedience and did nothing to necessitate his disobedience (c) Ecclus. 15. God made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsel gaue him his commandements .... they shall conserue thee he hath set vvater and fire before thee stretch out thy hand vnto vvhich thou vvilt before man is life and death good and euill vvhat liketh him shall be giuen him This sacred Text giues clear euidence of Adams free will as to accepting or rejecting diuine grace that might haue led him to euerlasting life and indeed S. Austin infers from the same text free will in all men lib. de gra lib. arb arguing from thence that though God giues to euery one his mercifull grace vnto obtaining of heauenly blessednes neuertheles he necessitates none to accept of it being in the liberty of each one to reject it And herein according to the Council of Trent Consisteth the reconciling of mans free will and grace together Morouer the holy writer of Genesis clearly demonstrats mans free will after Adams fall for cap. 4. God said to Cain who was troubled and angry to see his brother Abel and his offerings respected aboue his own Why is thy Countenance cast dovvn if thou doe vveli shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not vvell sin lyeth at the door but the lust therof shall be vnder thee and thou shalt haue rule ouen it that is saith S. Austin l. 13. Civit. Dei cap. 7. thou shalt bear dominion ouer sin Where by is evident that mans free will was not extinct through Adams fall and this Catholick assertion is yet more plainly taught Deutr. 30. I call heauen and earth to vvithess this day saith Moses to the People of Israël that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing chuse therefore life These last particles evidence enough that God gaue man liberty to chuse good or euill which is the consistency of liberum urbitrium free will S. Ambros in Psal 40. v. 10. for he left him in the hands of his own counsell election and deliberation which euinces Adams free will for what is necessary or impossible requires noe consultation or deliberatnes these being manifest tokens of free actions Besides it is not agreeable vnto reason that he who was established absolute lord of all liuing thing created to the vse of man * Aug. l. de cor gra docet obseruationem praecepti Adamo impositi dependisse ab eius libero arbitrio should want dominion and free vse of his own will and liberty Howeuer Adams fall seems a strange thing he hauing nothing in himselfe that inclined to disloyalty for God had made him vpright and the integrity of his creation extended to all his faculties spirituall and sensible in his will was integrity of sanctifying charity in his vnderstanding integrity of both naturall and supernaturall knowledg and in his sensible parts integrity of order with subordination and peace with quietnes whereby plainly appeares that his fall did not proceed from himselfe originally Neuertheles t' is certain that he did fall yeelding to a weak temptation of which himselfe was not author Simple Eue whom God made for his meet helpe ill counsel'd by the crafty serpent propounded vnto him the eating of the forbidden fruit vnder a fair colour of bettering his and her own condition in the knowledg Of good and euill Adams condescention to this out ward suggestion occasioned his fall wherin he imbarqued all men to ruine leauing nothing behind him for their reparation * Zach. 13. Adam exeplum metem ab adolescentia mea saue his own example of sacrilegious disobedience to make them be wary how to ingage in the future against the vertue of obedience CHAR. IIJ. OF ORIGINALL SIN THE CONTENTS The innate propriety of Originall sin the difference between Originall sin and Adams personall offence and between Originall sin and carnall concupiscence ORiginall sin is the * Aug. Epis 130. vocat peccatum originale vitium haereditarium debitum paterni chyrographi
this Iesus in reuerence and reference not to the materiall elements or sound of the name it selfe but to the son of the Virgin Mary God and man which kind of Religious honour was neuer exhibited to the name of Iesus Naue or Iesus the son of Iosedech and the best antiquity counted the said Custom of bowing at the name of Iesus a distinctiue mark to the distinguishing of Christians from Iewes who hearing the name Iesus spoken did no more bow their stiffe neckes and proud heades then they did hearing the names Pharach or Satan * S. Hieron l. 3. Commentar ait suo tempore Christianos hac nota à Iudais cognitos fuisse quod hi nunquam genuflectereÌ„t audito nomine Iesu Besides the ancient Christians were piously accustomed to weare about their necks the name of this Iesus formed in Agnus Deies and Crosses which they counted as Religious table books to preserue the memory (g) According to S. Austin there is no such soueraign medicin against sin as is a reflexion on the grieuous sufferings which Christ God and man endured for our sake and who is writeth S. Bernard so voluptuous as will not abstain so ambitious that will not repent or so full of wrath that will not grieue when he takes into his serious consideration the passion and death of Christ of their God crucifyed dead and buried knowing well that if they would not carry the name of the diuine son in tables of their hearts they should not find their own names put down in the table book of the diuine Father which is the book of life since none can come to the Father but by the son and the merits of his passion Wherby is plain that to a good Christian the name of Iesus the Son of the Virgin Mary * Bonauoâ—tura in vitaâ— S. Francisci scribit eum solitum fuissa labia sua lambere diâ legerot nomeÌ„ Iesu S. Bernardus ser 13. in Cant. Iesus inquit mel in ore in aure melos in corde IubiluÌ„ is hony in the mouth melody in the care and gladnes in the heart Further more the very name of Iesus (h) Lactantius l. 4 c. 24. affirmes that many men were deliuered from deuils through the name of Iesus and the sign of the crosse that represents his passion and death The same is asserted by S. Justin the Martyr in his dialogue with Tryphon this name Iesus saith he forceth deuils to flie Again the name of Iesus according to Origen heales wounds cures diseases deliuers from death and expells deuils hath produced marueillous effects ouercame temptations expelled deuils and cured all manner of infirmities in reference to him whose proper name it is to witt the son of the Virgin Mary who is also the son of God CHAR. VIJ. OF THE NAME OF CHRIST THE CONTENTS The exposition of the word Christ his Priest hood wherby he was constituted Chief Gouernour of souls vnto bringing them to the knowledge of truth and to healing the wounds also which sin had inflicted in the Cure wherof Christ performed the seuen works of mercy CHrist is a second name properly belonging to the son of the Virgin Mary so named because he was anointed by the holy Ghost in respect of (a) Psal 44. thy God hath anointed thee vvith the oile of gladness aboue thy fellovvs Christ was anointed in regard of his hypostaticall vnion in consequence of which he was both peculiarly and incomparably anointed and endued with abilities and graces aboue all other kings and Priests the hypostaticall union of his diuine and human nature in one diuine person so that at once and in a most eminent degree he was both king and Priest and endued with guifts and abilities effectually necessary for the performance of each charge (b) The Royall Prophet Psal 49. assertes Christs rule and dominion ouer the whole world As king his inheritance was the whole world and the plenitude of all things therin contained though while he liued on the earth he did not exercise Regall power As Priest he was chief Gouernour of soules being maried to the Church in mercy and compassion * Oseae 2. Spensabo te mihi in aeternum for euer and this spirituall gouernment he executed in two kindes of waies As to the first (c) S. Iohn the Euangelist cap. 1. attesteth Christ to be the true light that enlighteneth euery man that cometh into the world from whence S. Austin l. 1. de Gen. Con. Manich. c. 3. inters that euery man may keep the Commandements if he will himselfe because saith he that light Christ lightneth all men that come into the world and indeed as S. Anselm teaches no man wanteth the light of grace because God doth not giue it but because man will not accept it being as S. Austin often inculcates left to the free will of each one to consent vnto or dissent from diuine grace which beginneth euery good work and if not hindred through the resistance of our flexible nature effectually perfects the work it beginneth he was a generall light offering on his part to enlighten euery one in darknes of ignorance and sin insomuch that such as are not enlightened it is because they * Ioa. 3. lux venit in mundum dilexeruns homines magis tenebras qua lucem loue darknes more then light like vnto certaine Ethiopians who haue so great an abhorrence from the clear beames of the sun that at the rising therof they retire into woods or dens to eschew the brightnes of it such are * S. Ansel homo noÌ„ habet gratiam non quia hanc noÌ„ dat Deus sed quia hanc noÌ„ accipit homo sinners which through willfull blindnes of errour doe * Job 24. ipsi eraÌ„t lumini rebelles declinaueruÌ„t oculos suos ne viderent solem rebell against the light of diuine grace shutting the eyes of their vnderstanding that it may not shine vpon them And as wood wherin is much water doth hardly take fire the form of water mainly resisting the introducing of the form of fire so such loue not the light of grace as are delighted with darknes of sin darknes being an enemy to light When Christ the son of the Virgin Mary was born the generall light of the world he offered his enlightning grace as the rising sun its shining beams to all though the celestiall quiers of Angells did communicate the glad tydings of this light vnto the shepherdes of Bethlem the place of his birth and diuinely sung glory to God in the highest heauens for sending it yet they did not proclaime peace as to the reconciling earth and heauen together but only to men Bonae voluntatis * Luc. 2. in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis of good will plainly shewing therby that the reconciliation of man vnto God should depend of the free will of each one prepared by the said light of grace * Aug.
him onely shalt thou serue the Greek has 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which importes supream worship proper onely to God in regard of his diuine excellency and to giue this kind of worship to a creature is idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in English diuine or supream adoration proper to God only for it is his glory * Mat. 4. Dominum Deum tuum adorabis illi soli seruies vnde illa scriptura gloriam meam alteri non dabo which he will not part with in so much that whosoeuer shall giue diuine or supream worship to any Creature as an Idolater turning the proper glory of God who is all things to an Idoll (b) The Apostle 1. Cor. 8 saith We knovv that an Idoll is nothing in the vvorld that is nothing as to increated excellency for which it is adored Notwithstanding all this supream adoration is due to Christ euen as man for Christ hath not (c) The Churches Councils and ancient Fathers condemn Nestorius for asserting two persons in Christ and likewise his inference from thence viz. that Christ lays claim to two distinct adorations one person as man and another as God (d) According to S. Chrysostome hom 3. in Epis ad Hebr. all the Angels adore the humanity of Christ in as much as it is vnited to the diuine word and hom 5 ... t is a great and marueilous thing saith he that our flesh vnited to the vvord should sit aboue and be adored by the Angels Arch-Angels Cherubins c. his humanity together with his diuinity is vnited in one and the same personality so that the singular person of Christ is the support of both natures and being a diuine increated excellency necessarily claimes exhibition of diuine worship neither is it requisite that excellency for which worship is offered should be in each part of the whole that is worshiped For example Solomon was honoured as to the whole singular man for wisdome that was in his soul and not in his flesh The other Religious or sacred adoration or worship in respect of superna urall created excellency called by vse which is the best arbitrator of words from the Greek Dulia is a midle worship between the supream and ciuill far exceeding this and infinitly exceeded by the other and is due to speciall friends seruants and Saints of God in regard of supernaturall created graces supernaturally cōferred on them (e) Nabuchodonosor adored Daniel Dan. 2. Abdias adored Elias 3. Reg. 18. Abraham adored three Angels which appeared vnto him in the form of young men Gen. 18. Balaam adored an Angel Num. 22. and Bethsabee bowed her face and adored the king 1. Reg. which Sacred Texts are not meant of diuine honour but of Religious worship which is due to seuerall creatures in order to their seuerall graces dignities and excellencies namely to Angels because of their supernaturall gifts and to other things and places in regard of their relations Nabuchodonosor adored Daniel for his supernaturall gift of interpreting Mysteries and consequently with religious adoration neither is it as to reason credible that so great a king as Nabuchodonosor should worship Daniel a priuate man and a captiue with ciuill worship in respect of ciuill or worldly dignity In like manner Abdias a Chief Prince of the kingdom where he liued religiously adored Elias vpon the same score that is for his supernaturall gift of prophecy and Abraham bowing himselfe towards the ground adored three Angels religiously doubtles in regard of their supernaturall excellency and charge for it cannot be conceiued that he should adore them with ciuill adoration since he had no ciuill conuersation with them for the Angels were Citisens of Heauen and Abraham only a Citisen of the earth besides the Angels were in possession of eternall life and Abraham a passenger only aspiring thereto in consequence of which the Angels were exalted to an eminent degree of excellency aboue him for otherwise Abraham ought not to haue adored them adoration taken in the proper sense being due only to exceeding excellency But though God will not part with his glory vnto any creature whatsoeuer that is will not part with his supream and diuine worship neuertheless be is wel pleased that honour or worship be giuen to his speciall seruants freinds and Saints conform to and agreeing with their conditions respectiuely * Luc. 10. qui vos audit me audit qui vos spernit me spernit Mat. 10. Ioan. 13. qui vos suscipit mo suscipit As he counteth himselfe despised when these are despised so he esteemeth himselfe honoured when they are honoured for their supernaturall created gifts which himselfe is sol Author of And indeed Christian Catholicks doe honour Saints (e) S. Hierome Epis 53. teacheth that we honour Relicks of Martyrs with intēt to adore him whose Martyrs they are we Honour the seruants that the honour exhibited to the seruants may-redound to the lord Again S. Ambrose ser 6. affirmes that as often as we celebrate the memories of Martyrs we are bound to render them worship since by the effusion of their blood they haue obtained for us safety and their Relicks with intent to honour God thereby whose Saints they are they honour his seruants to the end the honour of his seruants may returne back to him who is their Lord and Master that gaue them excellent graces for which they ought to be reuerenced religiously Lastly Religious and sacred adoration or worship as to the manner of exhibiting it is of two sorts one absolute in respect of excellency that is in and proper-to the subject adored and such is the forementioned adoration exhibited to God and his Saints the other Religious and sacred adoration or worship is relatiue offered in relation and for extrinsecall excellency And (f) The second Council of Nice Act. 7. in the definition concerning faith commandes exhibition of honorable worship in order to The venerable and life-giuing Cross so the ancient Fathers in that Council stile the Cross of Christ as to this kind of adoration the representatiue Cross of Christ is religiously worshipped for Christs sake whom it represent's dying and the (g) S. Damascene Orat. de Imag. saith that Christians in regard they are no longer vnder the Pedagogue ship or bondage of the old law and thereby less inclin'd to idolatry giue reuerence and honour to pictures which he nameth the books of the vnlearned because of the relations they haue to their prototypes and in deed exhibition of religious worship to pictures is approu'd by the second Council of Nice Act. 4. from the words of the bishop of Neopoleos Cypri which are these Euen as the book of the lavv is vvorship'd and not the parchement or inck thereof but the diuine vvord contain'd therein so vve vvorship the picture of Christ vvithout vvorshiping the vvood or colours there of Image of his blessed Mother for her sake whom it represents liuing * Concil Nice
only for the goodnes sanctity and perfection essentiall vnto him And God is not loued aright when he is loued for * Aug. in psa 52. Deus non propterea se amari vult quia dat aliquid praeter se sed quia dat se a reward besides himselfe who is the * Gen. 17. ego ait Deus Abrahamo protector tuus sum merces tua magna nimis great reward of right loue also the soul that loues God aright loues him with all its faculties strength and thought * Aug. medita 35. immensus es Domine ideò sine mēsura debes amari Et rursum totū amorem à te exigit Deus qui te tetum fecit for in the exhibition of loue God requires of man it all who made him all As a chast woman that loues her husband loues no other man besides him for to loue so where not at all or less to loue him then she ought so a chast soul that loues God its spouse loues no other reward besides him for that were not to haue at all or less affection for him who will not be loued for any reward that is not himselfe and indeed a riuer diuided into two riuolets or branches the more water it giues to one the less it bestowes on the other Furthermore as a woman doth not loue her husband that loues him for his mony goods and estate so a Christian soul doth not loue God that loues him for worldly enjoyments Aright louer of God does not stoope his loue to any creature but mount's vp and sixes it in the Creatour onely that is renounces all leagues of loue and friendship with the world And truly the. (a) According to S. Chrysostom hom 42. in Mat. a man if he loues God does not loue the world for if he loues the world he loues not God with all his heart a gain in an other place S. Chrysostom saith that whosoeuer will loue God of necessity must hate riches and whosoeuer will loue riches of necessity must hate God The loue of God and the loue of the world as contradictories are inconsistent together to loue God is to hate the world and to loue the world is to hate God * Iac. 4. amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei. whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God As the same eyes of the body cannot behold the heauen and the earth together so the same eyes of the soul cannot look on God and the world at once this cannot flie vp on high when the wings of its affections are glewed to earthly delights God and the world are two contrary Masters and command contrary wise God command's man to abandon all terrene things for him and his faith and he will giue him eternall life the world saies to man denie or dissemble thy faith and Religion and I will bestow on thee riches and honours bring thee out of trouble and misery and make thee liue in peace and plenly at thine own house with they wife children and family The obseruation of Gods commands is the proofe and evidence of Christi an charity for whosoeuer loueth God * Joan. 14. si diligitis me mādata mea seruate Et cap. 10. haec inquit est charitas Dei vt mādata eius custodiamus quo modo dicit Aug. dlligis eum cuius odisti praeceptum quis est qui dicat diligo Imperatorē sed odi leges eius keepeth his commandements and doth those things which are pleasing in his sight and good works proceeding from the root of charity are without guilt of sin and consequently gratefull sacrifices vnto God * Io. Deus charitas est qui manet in charitate in Deo manet who is charity it selfe and in whom a Christian soul abideth whiles it abideth in charity * Quod charitas de fasto deperdatur totaliter quolibet peccato mortali est assertio fide certa ex Tridentino sess 6. cap. 15. can 27. read the character of luxury vvherein this Catholick doctrine is clearely prou'd and it is as impossible for charity to remaine with mortall sin as fire to burn in water for as water extinguisheth fire so each mortall sin driueth away charitv Lucifer was depriued of charity by the sin of pride Adam by the sin of disobedience king Dauid by the sinns of adultery and homicide and S. Peter lost his charity by denying of Christ though not * Iuxta antiquos Patres S. Petrus peccauit ex timore non ex infidelitate charitatem amisit non fidem his faith he sinning through feare only And albeit that some naturall works may be (b) S. Austin ser 52. de tempore c. 2. besides diuine supernaturall acknowledges human naturall charity and expresly affirmes that such meer morall affection if no euil circunstance interuene is laudable lawfull and honest in consequence of which he teacheth that pagans Jewes and other vnbelieuers may loue one another namely pagan husbands may loue their wifes and parents their children with a loue that is no deadly sin although it be not grounded on Christian faith wherby t is plain that S. Austin did not think as the new Teachers of these daies impose vpon him that euery morall action done by a pagan or Iew is a mortall sin because of the want of Christian faith neither matt'ers it that t is said Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin Fot the Apostle meaneth only as appeares by the same chapter that whatsoeuer worke a man does against faith or contrary to conscience is a sin ant doubtles it is not meant thereby that an infidel sinneth in honouring his parents giuing of almes fighting for his Country tilling his ground and in all other morall good works where vnto an insidel is bound by the law of nature good morally without both diuine charity and diuine faith for if liberum arbitrium free will could produce no good morall action at all without Gods speciall helpe by necessary consequeuce it would follow that it were wholy extinct for example he who could perceiue nothing of any coulour without a speciall concurrence and assistance of God would be counted wholy blind that is it would be thought that his sight or faculty of seeing were totally extinct Howeuer meer works of nature inuested with morall goodnes onely haue but withered leaues wanting reall fruits such as tend * Aug. l. 4. con Julia nullum bonū beatificum sine charitate hoc inquit amore opus est vt sit bonum beatificum to the glory of Heauen which is the centre of Christian charity CHAR. XVIJ. OF CHARITY TOWARDS OVR NEIGBOUR THE CONTENTS The loue of God bringeth forth loue towards our neigbour whosoeuer loueth God as he ought loueth his neigbour also euery man is euery mans neigbour those come the nearest to God in imitation which loue their enemyes without dissimulation the highest praise
of Christian charity towards our neigbour is that it cannot be idle nor fall away and in Heauen it encreaseth CHarity towards our neigbour is a diuine loue deriued from the loue of God as a copy drawn from the originall * S. Greger ait quod per amorem Dei amor proximi gignitur per amorem proximi amor Dei nutritur Yet as the loue of God causeth loue to our neigbour so this doth nourish that passing from and for God vpon our neigbour in consequence of which both loues are reciprocally necessary to each other their consistency depeuds of their vniting together neither of them is loue to blessednes if diuided As God in the creation of time blessed the first day that was one only and is not said to haue blessed the second which made two that being a number of diuision so he blesseth the loue exhibited to himself and to our neighbour for his sake if vndiuided and one only * Aug. l. 4. confess c. 9. Beatus qui amat te amicum in te inimicum propter te he is blessed that loues God for himself and for and in him his neighbour Wherby it is plainly euident that the loue of such as loue by reflexion on worldly aduantages only or principally do not tend to blessednes which is the centre of charity towards our neighbour nor freindship is a right scoare to loue vpon if it be not with conformity and subordination to the loue of God * Mat. 5. qui facit solem oriri super bonos malos pluit super iustos iniustos who as he maketh the sun to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust so commandeth loue not only to freinds but euen to enemyes these as well as the others being our neighbours * Aug. in psal 115. tom 8. omnis homo inquit est omni homini proximice for each man is each mans neighbour neither is their any thing that makes a Christian * Secundum S. Chrysost nihil est quod sic Deo similes facit vt malignis laedentibus esse placabiâ—â—m so like to God as to loue them that curse him to do good to them that hate him and to pray for them that hurt and persecute him besides in an enemy is the image of God a possibility of iustification to life and capacity of blessednes which are the chief inducements to charity towards our neighbour Hence is euidenced that because the Image of God the possibility of iustification to life and the capacity of blessednes are proper to all men as well others as our selues pesants as kings foes as friends therefore we are bound to loue and respect all a like our neighbour as well as our selues poore as rich foes as friends for there is no iust difference where the true loues motiues are the same The praise and eminency of charity aboue the vertues of Hope and faith though all three are necessary to saluation consist's in the continuance therof after the enjoyment of blessednes the other two falling away and ceasing A Christian soul that shall depart out of this life in charity shall euer keep it in the kingdom of Heauen for charity neuer falleth away or wanteth the acts which are proper vnto it nay the blessed souls now loue * Aug. in Psal 91. si amamus inquit quem non videmus quomodo amaturi sumus cum viderimus more perfectly God whom they see then when they saw him nor and rejoyce in the glorification of the good through mercy * Psal 57. laetabitur iustus cum viderit vindictam Lucae 18. an inquit Deus noÌ„ facit vindictam electorum suorum clamaÌ„tium ad se die nocte and the punishment of the wicked through iustice Also they loue their neighbours more intensly for charity (a) The Apostle teacheth that charity neuer falleth away the prerogatiue of this diuine vertue is that it cannot be abolished in Heauen or cease from the exercise of its own proper innate actions which it had on earth and these it performes in a far higher degree of perfection according to S. Austin l. de cura pro mortuis c. 14. and S. Hierom. increaseth in Heauen whence by necessary consequence followeth that they intercede for their freinds on earth intercession or praier for freinds being the necessary office or act of charity and idle (b) S. Gregory hom 30. super Euang. teacheth that the loue of God is neuer idle if it abstaine from working it is not loue And l. 4. dial saith that exhibition of worke is the tryall of loue charity acting nothing is not charity neither in reason can it be objected to the blessed want of * S. Gregor l. 4. Dial. cap. 33. quid est quod ibi nesciunt vbi scientem omnia sciuÌ„t Loquitur de sanctis in coelo qui clarè intuentur diuinam essentiam knowledg who perfectly know and see him who knowes and sees all things Besides Abraham after his death though then he was not admitted into the kingdom of Heauen had knowledg of Moses and the Prophets books which he neuer saw while he was on Earth and the holy Prophet Ieremie (c) The holy writer of the Machabies 2. cap. 15. affirmes that Ieremy the Prophet dead afore prayed much for the people and Citty of Ierusalem As to this and other books of the Machabies S. Austin l. 18. de ciuit Dei auerres that though they be not comprehended in the Canon or Catalogue of the ancient Iews nenertheless the Catholick Church euer held them as Canonicall also the third Council of Charthage whereof S. Austin was a member counteth the books of the Machabies in the number of diuine Scriptures and for such they are set down in the Decree of Pope Gelasius in a Council of 70. Bishops after his death did pray much for the people and holy city of Ierusalem neither doth such intercession derogat from Christ it being effectuall only through his merits nor can it be displeasing to God * Psal 136. nimis honorati sunt amici tui Deus who will be honoured in his Saints and who promised protection to the Citty of Ierusalem * L. Reg. pretegam inquit Deus hane ciuitatem propter me seruuÌ„ meum Dauid for his own and his seruant Dauids sake CHAR. XVIIJ OF GODS CHARITY TO MAN THE CONTENTS God is an infinite louer of mankind desireth on his part to bring all men to saluation which is the end of their creation Gods will to saue on his part doth not take away free will on mans part life and death good and euill is put before man he can stretch out his hand to which he will God doth not necessitate him to either of both man of himself works euill vnto damnation and God furnisheth meet helps to doe good vnto saluation neither Pharaoh nor Esau had been rejected
our call or election vnto grace comes not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. being frank and Gratic bestowed on euery man come to the vse of reason so that it doth not depend of him that willeth nor of him that runneth * Rom. non est volentis neque curreÌ„tis sed miserentis Dei id est Dei vocatio seu electio ad primaÌ„gratiam neque est ex merito bonae voluntatis quod importat velle nec ex merito boni operis quod importat currere sed ex solo libero beneplacito Dei miserentis ideo gratia nominatur quia gratis datur ait Aug. but of God only that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. who if so he had pleased might haue left all mankind in the lump of perdition (c) S. Austin l. 1. ad simplicia q. 2. expresly teacheth that man iustification goes before his election to glory in the fore science of God from whence he infer's that God ordaines none to glory without a fore knowledge of his good works for he makes a difference between Gods will or purpose as to iustification and his will and purpose as vnto election in order to glory saying that Gods purpose to iustifie does not suppose in us works deseruing of iustification wherefore the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers call eternall glory a prize a iust crown a salary a reward because it supposeth good works and indeed eternall life properly beares the name of a reward and is only called grace in regard it is procured by good works which proceed from diuine grace neuertheless God doth not predestinat or elect any one to the glory of Heauen whose meritorious works proceeding from his grace he hath not a prescience or fore knowledge of * Aug. l.de gra lib. arb Paulus inquit post meritae bona consecutus est gloriam qui post mala merita consecutus est graetiam Act. enim 9. dicitur Saulus adhuc spirans caedis minarum in discipulos Christi Deus nobis inimicis confert gratiam ex meritis Christi Rom. 5. S. Paul in the mids of many ill meritts breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of Christ receiued diuine grace euen to iustification of life Gratis Yet he did not obtaine his incorruptible crown but after many good merits he had mist of eternall blessednes if he had not both willed well and run well in the sweet odour of that grace which he got through mercy without his own willing or his own running (d) According to holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers the present life is a course wherein the faithfull run that is endeauour by their good works to make their calling and election sure This present life is a race wherin only good runners obtaine the prize namely euerlasting blessednes which God giues only to those who perseuer running in sanctity of life and works of mercy to the end of the race that is to the hour of death for such only are the good runners in the race of predestination Brethren saith the Apostle Labour the rather that * 2. Pet. 1. Quapropter Fratres magis satagite vt per bona opera certaÌ„ vestram vocationem electionem faciatis sanè qui habet in sua potestate causam efficientem habet effectnm torrespondentem talt causae atqui efficax motiuum quo Deus deputat efficaciter homines ad gloriam aeternam consistit in bonis operibus factis ex gratia in statu gratiae in perseuerantia vtriusque vsque ad finem vitae inclusiuè hat sunt in potestate cuiuseunque adulti ergo efficax electio ad gloriam by good workes you may make sure your vocation and election whence plainly appears that Gods eternall election or predestination to life euerlasting is in order to our free will and good works In consequence of which t' is manifest weaknes and a clear sign that such are reprobate and will perish which say if we be predestinate doe what we will we shall be sau'd nay the Apostie biddeth vs if we Hope to be in the number of the predestinate for know we cannot without a speciall reuelation doe well that is exercise good works that thereby our predestination to glory may be assured and indeed as God doth distribute his glory as to execution in reserence to the deserts of those to whom he distributeth it so as to predestination he prepares it vpon the same score for God doth not distribute the prepared reward otherwise then he hath prepared it to be distributed whereby is euidenced that since God giues the inheritance of Heauen in respect of good works proceeding from his mercifull grace he doth predestinat also to the enjoyment thereof vpon the same scoare and consequently (e) S. Austin ser 1. de Verbis Domini c. 1. setteth down a double election for example one in order to grace the other in order to glory and teacheth that the first election which is to grace goes before and the other which is to glory followes in the diuine fore knowledge of good works God giues grace Graâ—is without any respect to our meritts but he giues glory according to our works Saul saith S. Austin l. de gra lib. arb c. 6. after many good works obtained glory who after many euill works obtained grace And S. Ambrose l. 1. de fide c. 2. obserues that the Apostle Rom. S. saith that those which God knew afore were predestinated for he did not predestinat before he knew but foresaw the works of such as he predestinated to rewards good works precede predestination in Gods prescience or fore knowledg those being the motiues vnto this Now ill runners in the race of predestination of the first class or ranck are Infidells who haue and do contemn still the mercifull helpes which God furnishes to make them run euen vnto saluation for he giues vnto these beside exteriour (f) S. Austin l. 10. confess c. 6. affirmes that though Heauen and earth and all things contained in each of both speak vnto us to loue God neuertheless they speak in vain outwardly if God shall not speak inwardly The diuinè goodnes bringeth no man to repentance without the working of some inward occult inspiration and infusion of grace The letter of the law saith S. Austin l. de spi lit c. 4. 5. 33. 34. that reacheth against sin rather hardneth and killeth the soul if the quickning spirit which is inward grace be wanting interiour grace to loue him and to keep his commandements which are the law of nature so firmly written in their heartes * Aug. lex tua Domine insita est in cordibus nostris quam nulia delet vel delebit iniquitas that no iniquity doth or can blot it out wherfore for as much as they willfully neglect these bountifull remedies * Aug infideles inquit magno bono se
priuant quod non credunt Euangelio experturi scilicet in supplicijs eius potestatem cuius misericordiam in donis cōtempserunt they depriue themselues of a great good or benefit and shall sind in punishments the power of him whose mercy in gifts they haue contemned Ill runners of the second Class are wicked Christians who willfully deuesting themselues of sanctifying grace receiued in or after baptism become seruants to sin which doth so * Psal 37. sicut onus graue grauatae sunt super me scilicet iniquitates meae Prouerb 5. iniquitates suae capiunt impiū funibus peccatorum cōstringitur ouerburden and with cords bind them that as Asses ouerloaden they cannot goe or fleas tyed in chaines they cannot leap so they cannot run * Haebr 12. Adulteri fornicatores c. nō possidebunt regnum Dei such are voluptuous luxurious wanton drunken and all vnjust Christians who will neuer obtaine the inheritance of Heauen not because they cannot (g) Oecumenius in cap. 2 1. ad Timoth. saith that-seeing it is the will of God to bring all men to the knowledge of his trueth why is not his will done he answereth that therefore it is not done because all men will not doe his will and God forceth or necessitateth no man to doe his will but because they will not take of their loads and deliuer themselues out of their cords (h) The Apostle Rom. 2. saith Dost not knovv O sinner that the bountifullnes of God leadeth thee to repentance but thou after thine hard and impenitent heart heapest vp as a treasure vnta thy selfe vvrath against the day of vvrath and of the reuelation of the just judgment of God where by the diuine bountifullnes is meant diuine grace which the sinfull Iews through their hardnes of heart resisted which is in their power to do through teares of true repentance whereto the diuine bountifullnes leadeth euery sinner By help of teares occasioned through diuine grace holy Dauid S. Peter and S. Paul and S. Mary Magdelen cast of the heauy loades and troublesom fetters which sin had caused and thereby restored to their liberty run happily vnto obtaining the prize which is eternall glory In the great day (i) According to the holy Euangelist S. Mathew cap. 25. Christ shall say in the day of generall Judgment Come yee blessed of my Father possess the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the fundation of the vvorld c. from this sacred text euidently appeares that the kingdom of Heauen is ordain'd for such as shall do good works of mercy namely giuing meat to the hungred drink to the thirsted cloathing to the naked c. in consequence of which God electeth those to glory whose good works he had foreseen of generall accounts when the great king of Heauen and earth shall distribute rewards * Mat. 16. tunc reddet vnicuique secundum opera eius according to the works of each one the good runners will be put on his right hand and among the sheep intituled the blessed of his Father for hauing giuen meat to the hungry drink to the thirsty clothes to the naked assistance to the sick and almes to the imprisoned which are the works of mercy contrary wise the ill runners wanting such merits and that through their own fault will be put on the left hand of the king among the goates and condemned to the euerlasting fire of hell and * Aug. non est indignū Deo dicere ijs ite in ignem eternū qui misericordiam eius contempserunt it is not an action vnworthy a king infinitly iust to say to such as haue contemned his mercy Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angells CHAR. XXJ. OF REPROBATION THE CONTENTS There is no positiue Act in the diuine will to reprobate that is to exclude any one from the kingdom of Heauen and to adjudge to euerlasting pains of hell without a foreknowledge of euil works God deserteth noe man before himselfe be deserted nor does he refuse to giue euen his plenteous grace that leadeth effectually vnto iustification of life if his call thereto be not rejected REprobation is a definitiue or absolute sentence of Gods iustice vnto excluding from his glory and punishing with euerlasting fire such as shall depart out of this life in mortall sin committed * Definita est reprobatio in ordine ad adultos by an act of their own will This double paine one of separation from God called Poena damni the other of sensible torment named Poena sensus is expressed in the sentence it selfe Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Angells Matt. 25. Where departure doth import separation from God and euerlasting fire sensible punishment but Gods knowledg of himselfe as iust reuenger doth not precede his foreknowledg of man as vniust offender for though God can deliuer without merits Gratis whom soeuer he pleaseth out of the lump of perdition that is out of originall and actuall sinns because he is infinitly good yet he doth not condemne any vnto euerlasting pains for noe fault because he is infinitly iust whereby is plainly euident that there (a) According to the Euaugelist S. Matthew c. 23. God on his part would Gather his children together as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her vvings and they vvill not that is God on his part is vnvvilling to depart from them though on their parts they vvill depart from him Isai 54. is noe positiue act in his diuine will to exclude from Heauen and adiudg to Hell without preuision of ill works proceeding from human free will besides it would contradict Gods generall condition will so often inculcated in holy scripture to saue all reasonable creatures which obserue his lawes and ordinances if he had an absolute priuate will to damne some without respect to transgression of the same lawes and ordinances again that proceeding might argue in God either forgetfullnes of his generall will or mutability in changing or illusion in inculcating it which to conceiue of God were both blasphemy and sacraledg for thereby he would be deuested of his goodnes and be also beleiued to necessitate man to ill leauing him without free will or to work as birds build their nests in the summer by naturall instinct and consequently to extinguish in him his own image and likenes Liberum arbitrium free will being an essentiall part thereof Neither can God be said according to truth and equity to harden any man whom pertiacy and obstinacy through perseuerance in wickedness hath not hardened before that is (b) According to S. Austin l. de nat gra c. 26. God neuer deserts any man that desertes not him first To desert or forsake God is to resist and cast away the inward helps of his mercy namely holy illuminations and inspirations which lead to iustification of life God doth
not been depriued of wisdom nor Sampson of his mighty strength if he had taken diligent ligent heed * Mat. 10. Iuda vna cuÌ„ alijs Apostolis dixit Iesus euntes praedicare dicentes quia appropinquauit Regnum calorum infirmos curate mortuos suscitate leproses mundate demones eijcite and what auaileth Iudas his election to the high dignity of an Apostle his familiarity with Christ his society with other Apostles and the power giuen him against vnclean spirits to cast them out to heal euery sicknes and to raise vp the dead Mat. 10. seeing his good begining ended in wicked treachery to the deliuering vp of his diuine lord vnto death many begin well that end ill many depart from Egypt and come to the wildernes which do not enter into the land of promise that is many are brought to the marueilous light of Christian faith euen vnto iustification of life that come not vnto glorification he that endureth to the end shall be saued Without (e) S. Bernard Epis 29. ad Ianuenses assureth that without perseuerance neither those which fight can gain the victory nor those which ouercome obtaine the prize perseuerance neither he that striueth to get the victory nor he that ouercometh obtaines the prize And although perseuerance be a diuine gift freely giuen * Aug. I de prad SS aliqua inquit danda praeparari à Deo non orantibus vt initium fidei alia vero non nisi orantibus vt donuÌ„ persenerantiae neuertheless the feruent (f) According to S. Austin I. de dono perseu c. 6. an humble prayer can merit the gift of perseuerance merito de congruo duntaxat and he means finall perseuerance And indeed t is but meet that a friend grant assurance of his friendship to his friend that humbly intercedes for it prayer of a just man conduceth some thing to the hauing of it Hereby is plainly euident that true fortitude does not consist in the arme of flesh or in the outward gallantry of euery man but in the spirit of a just Christian that ouercometh the lusts of the flesh vnto sanctifying and glorifying the soul in consequence of which the fortitude of Mutius Sceuola of Cocles of Attilius Regulus so much renowned and extoiled by the Roman writers was but a shadow of true fortitude in regard their braue enterprises and gallant sufferings tended meerly to get a name vnto perpetuating a memoriall of their own praise that therby the remembrance of their gallantry might be as hony sweet in all mouthes for the future No man how glorious soeuer his actions or passions appeare in the sight of the world can lay claim to true fortitude when they doe not tend to the glory of the soul Many heathen Captains which haue been renowned to the ends of the earth for valiantnes are not now crowned in heauen for fortitude for though with their courage they mastred fortresses of earth vnto winning of Cities yet they did not ouercome the works of the flesh vnto the obtaining of blessednes wherin is the consistency of true fortitude CHAR. XXVIIJ OF SIN THE CONTENTS God that made all things of nothing made not sin which is nothing The deuil is the sole author of sin wherby he maketh those his seruants which he ouercom's through a voluntary condescension thereto to whomsoeuer a man giueth himselfe to obey his seruant he is exceeding great miseries accompany the seruitude of sin to be deliuered from the bondage of sin is a worke of diuine grace whereby a finner turneth to God his maker whith a penitent heart confessing his wickednes against himselfe SIn taken in the formall sense (a) God made all things and vvithout him vvas made nothing 10. 10. where according to S. Austin by the particle nothing is meant sin which God made not and indeed sin taken in the formall sense hath nothing of a reall entity being a meer priâ—â—tion of that conformity to the law of God which ought to be in all in ward and outward human actions that is to say in all our outward deeds and inward thoughts Wherefore S. Austin l. 22. con Faustum Manichae defineth sin to be That vvich is done or said or coueted contrary to the eternall lavv so that outward deeds or sayings or inward thoughts are the acts only whereby sinnes are committed is nothing yet not that nothing of which God created all things that were very good but that nothing of which the deuil hath made all things which are very euill For example the deuil through sin ouercame man and thereby brought him into seruitude for of whomsoeuer one * 2. Pet. 2. à quouis superatus est huius seruus is ouercome euen vnto the same is he in bondage which is an euil thing because a slaue is tyed to the will of his master wherefore a sinner * S. Chris homo obligatus peccato per propriam voluntatem iaÌ„ non agit quod vult sed quod diabolus vult of necessity as it were walketh after the flesh in the lusts of vncleanes being it is the deuils will whose slaue he is that he doe so A stag that is once mastred by an other stag afterwardes resisteth him no more * Sic referuÌ„t naturales de ceruo victo but boweth down his head whensoeuer he passeth in presence of his conquerour in token of his subiection a maid that once suffereth her selfe to be deflowred will go whether it pleaseth the deflourer euen so he that is once ouercome of the deuil through voluntary condescention vnto sin afterwards is vnwilling to resist him some times it is in the power of man to make king whomsoeuer he pleases but once made he cannot vnking him at his pleasure for To whomsoeuer we giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are to whom we obey whether it be of sin vnto death or of obedience vnto iustice Rom. 6. Wherfore as a seruant cannot cast of the yoke of seruitude when or as he pleaseth so neither can a sinner according to the form of morall speech (b) The Apostle in his Epistle to the Rom. cap. 7. saith Not the good things vvhich I vvould but the euill vvhich I vvould not that doe I novv if I doe that I vvould not it is no more I that do it but the sin that dvvelleth in me whereby is meant that the iustest man carryed by the violence of carnall concupiscence which he calleth sin taken in a larg sense may do or suffer many things in his outward parts or faculties without the consent of his will in consequence whereof a man put in that condition is so far from sinning sin taken in the proper sense for a voluutary act of the will that according to S. Austin he neuer need say to God forgiue us our sins for sin vnless it be voluntary contractes nothing of guilt that is ther 's no sin taken in the proper sense without a free consent of the
though there is no regress out of this labyrinth full of all miseries howeuer not euen the wickedest man is necessitated to enter into it for God desireth not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Ezech. 33. and when the wicked casteth from him all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall furely liue and shall not dye Ezech. 18. (f) According to S. Prosper 1. sent ex S. Aug. there is no diuine vengeance if human vengeance goe afore that is God will not aueng himselfe of us if we will do vengeance on our selueÌ„â— by fasting praying c. God ceaseth from his iust vengeance when man turneth to humble repentance if we would judge our selues we should not be judged Cor. 11. that is we should not be tormented in hell if on earth we would examine our selues acknowledg to God our infirmities punish our transgressions in the Sacrament of Pennance master fleshly lusts and abstain from the pleasures of this life vnto the exercise wherof conduceth much an often reflexion on the greiuous torments and euerlasting afflictions which the damned endure a serious thought of hell encourageth vs to fight valiantly against the deuâ—l considering that if we be ouercome of him he will lead vs captiue thither and no ransom shall be accepted for our deliuerance out of his tyranny Often serious thougts of hell unable vs to subdue the Iusts of the flesh and despise the pleasures of this world seeing that if these raign and bear rule we must of necessity giue our members as weapons of iniquity vnto sin that brings death for they be the deuils in truments whereby wickednes is committed vnto the killing of our souls in consequence of which it is manifest madnes to take a sword and fall vpon it as Saul and his armour-bearer did that is to run wilfully after vn clean delights which are the deuils swords that destroy as many souls as fall vpon them if a child of one year will refraine from the milke which it delighteth in when at weaning time vnsauoured bitternes is applied to the breasts of the nurce much rather a man come to the age of discretion ought to abstaine from wanton pleasures considering they shall make him dye in the bitternes of his soul vnto euerlasting damnation And who in reason can tast a thing * 6 NuÌ„quid potest aliquis gustare quod gustatum affert mortem which tasted bringes eternall death Moreouer often serious thoughts of Heauen strenghen vs mainly against sin for as much as nothing of vncleanes be it coueted in the heart vttered with the mouth or exercised by outward works can haue admittance there But as sin is the deuils sword that sendes souls into hell so is it Gods sword that gards the way to the tree of life Gen. 30. And suffers no sinner to enter into Heauen Wherfore if the wickedest man that breatheth vpon the earth will take Heauen into his serious consideration he must of necessity abhorre and cast away his wickednes which obstructs the passage thither that is depriues him of the Summum bonum * Aug. quid per multa vagaris ô homuncis quaerendâ— anima tuae corpori hic ama summuÌ„ bonum which is the fountain of all good things for Heauen is a glorious Citty a secure dwelling and a country that * Iudic. 18. tradit nobis locum coelaÌ„ in quo nullius rei est penuria aboundeth in all delights in Heauen the iust shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the son of God Rom. 8. in Heauen the iust shall shine as the sun Mat. 13 in Heauen the iust shall be in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them Sap. 3. in Heauen the iust shall haue fullnes of joy Psal 16. and lack nothing they shall be cloathed with robes of immortallity they shall hunger no more Liue bread that descended from Heauen shall be their meat neither shall they thirst any more the water that springeth vp vnto life euerlasting shall be their drinke they shall endure no tormenting heates the wings of the almighty shall couer them They shall suffer no cold the sun of iustice shall warme them they shall desire no sleepe the bright rayes of the diuine majesty shall expell darknes from their rest the things which eye hath not seen neither eare heard neither come into mans heart God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 20. The sins which driue away thoughts of Heauen are seauen especially named capitall vices in regard they be the heads of all others for example Pride Auarice Luxury Enuy Gluttony Anger slothfullnes or wearines in the exercise of good works CHAR. XXIX OF PRIDE THE CONTENTS Pride the first sin that came into the world Lucifer and the confederat Angels pust vp with the brightnes and excellency of their own nature became proud whereby they fell from sanctifying grace which they had receiu'd in their creation the Angelicall pride was an inordinate desire of dominion ouer all other creatures and of independence in gouernement euen of their Creator God resisteth the proud and exalteth the humble PRide is an inordinat loue * Definitur superbia inordinatus amor propriae excellentiae of selfe excellency which is the * Eccles 10. dnitium omnis pecence est superbiae vnde Chrysost tolle inquit hoc vitium vt nom velint homines hominibus praestare sine labore catera vitia resecantur Origen of all euill affections For the proud man turneth his heart from God and disdaineth to be * Luc. 18. dixit superbus Pharisaeus noÌ„ sum sicut cateri homines ergo inquit S. Bernardus sicut cateri damones counted as other men wherefore he is indeed as other Angells which puft vp with pride because of their eminency and inordinately carryed away with the greatnes * Ezech. 28. eleuatum est cortuum in decore tuo of their brightnes coueted equallity with their maker as to similitude (a) S. Cyprian 1. de ieiunio tenta Christi Ascribes the cause of the deuils ruine vnto an ambitious desire of dominion and S. Austin l. 14. de ciuit c. 11. speaketh thus in order to the faln Angels That proud Angel and therefore enuious for enuy is not properly the cause of pride but pride is the cause of enuy by the same pride turning from God to himselfe and ambitiously seeking rather to haue subjects then to be subject fell dovvn from Heauen he inordinatly coueted rule ouer all other creatures and doubtles the Angels that sell neuer went about to equall God as to diuine perfection knowing by the light of nature the impossibility of such an enterprize in order to dominion affecting as it were with tyrannicall arrogancy rule and authority ouer all things created by him and independence in gouernment euen of him their lord and therefore God gaue them vp
an other place or receptacle besids the Heauen of the blessed and the Hell of the damned Caluin that he might the rather deny Purgatory he deny'd Limbus and that he might the better deny Limbus he denyed that Christ descended into hell otherwise then by suffering on his Cross the torments of a damned soul which saith Caluin in cap. 26. mat vvere so grieuous that euen vvords of dispaire came from him So impudently this great reformer of religion blasphem'd against Christ but the Catholick Church teacheth that Christ truly and properly descended into hell that is the soul of Christ remoued out of his body with its proper presence penetrated the lower receptacles of the earth where good souls were detained as prâ—sonners and brough with him from thence such as were ripe and fit for the kingdom of Heauen Lege S. Jgnat Epis ad Trallia Clem. Alex. l. 2. 6. stromatum Basil in Psal 48. visited the lower parts of the earth comforting such as were departed in perfect grace afore his coming thither From his sepulcher he leapt again into the world from whence after that he had setled a Priestly ministery that should be of perpetuall vse in his vineyard that is the Church like a hunter that gladly rejoyces in his obtained prey went with joy home leading captiuity captiue that is rendering happy the captiuity of just souls detained as it were in a prison vnder ground and carrying them with him in glorious triumph for he opened the gates of his Fathers Pallace which were euer afore shut against them As clamorous hunting so couetous playing * Aleae lusus Clericis interdictus à Concilijs Patribus Canonibus Aristoteles Aleatores latronum praedonumque societati inserit at cardes or dice for mony is an exercise vnworthy Priests which ought to seek no other lucre then the gaining of souls vnto Iesus-Christ who is their proper treasure and * Sacerdos dicit Christo tu es qui restituis haereditatem meam mihi heritage and mony betrayed him sould Ioseph and damned Iudas * Augustinus vocat Theatra cauâ—as turpitudinis publicaâ— professiones flagitiorum laudantur Massilienses quod sic abhorrebant à spectaculis vt mimis locum in scaena non concederâ—nt Again stage-playes as they be commonly exhibited in our country are incoÌ„sistent with Priestly function for as much as the outward words and counterfeited Gestures of the players representing reciprocall passages of wicked louers tend to carnall wantonnes and vncleanes and such a a Theater Saith S. Chrysostom is the chair of pestilence schole of incontinency and shop of luxury that sets out to sale the lusts of the flesh howeuer stage-playes are laudable recreations in order to lay-people while they represent but heroicall actions of gallant persons vnto imitation and vn godly enterprises of wicked men vnto detestation therof or while they exhibite delightfull fictions without obscenes Furthermore Missionary Priests must not affect to be counted * 2. Timoth. 2. homo militans Deo non se implicet negotijs saecularibus statesmen they being priuat persons professing a spirituall vocation which hath not any relation to the temporall affaires of state The supream prouidence hath set bounds to euery vocation * Tractent fabrilia fabri nec sutor vltra crepidam vt fert vetus pronerbium nor ought any man to put his sickle on strang ground Let Priests mannage what is theirs and Christs business and the affaires which pertaine to Caesar let them leaue to Caesar and the ministers of his Council yet there are some wanton witts which like the raging sea transcend their prefixed limits lifted vp aboue the hight of the clouds with an opinion of their own science fancying to themselues knowledg of all things though indeed the greatest part of what they know * Sapiens ille Mercurius Trismigistus maxima â—orum inquit quae scimus est minima pars eorum quae nescimus is the least part of what they know not and thus wantonly carried away entangle themselues with publick affaires of ciuill Magistrats before they be called thereto Howeuer Priests ought to know nothing * Apostolus Paulus profitetur se nihil scire praeter Iesum Christum hunc Crucifixum but Iesus-Christ and him crucified and if the supream prouidence hath bestowed on one alone a better memory and witt then on others contemporary with him he is to vse his aboundant abilities according to charity temperance and sobriety for otherwise he shall by his high attempts vnhappily verifie the old Prouerb much witt little iudgment Besids great wanton wits are not without a mixture of madnes And truly experience shewes that common wealths are vnfortunat when the things named witts manage the affaires therof t is iudgment not flashes of witt that makes gouernements happie FINIS I. BOOK The faultes escaped in printing a curteous Reader will easily correct and pardon THE SECOND BOOK OF HOLY CHARACTERS containing a Miscelany of Theologicall discourses THAT IS THEOLOGY Positiue Scholasticall Polemicall and Morall Built vpon the foundation of Scriptures Traditions Councils Fathers CHAR. I. OF SACRIFICE THE CONTENTS Proper sacrifice defined no Preists Priesthood taken in the proper sense if proper sacrifice be laid aside asserting of improper metaphoricall sacrifice onely bringeth confusion and rendereth priestly function common to all alike SAcrifice taken in a spirituall generall sense is euery * Aug l 10. de ciuit Dei c. 6. ait sacrificium generaliter sumptum esse omne opus quod agitur vt sancta sociâ—tate inbaereamus Deoâ— work that a belieuer imployeth to the end that he may continue in holy society and freindship with God There are (a) According to S. Thomas two kinds of sacrifice taken in the generall sense are offered vpon the altar of Christ whereof one is called deuotion in order to God the other pity or compassion in order to our neighbour two kinds thereof the one is deuotion towards God comprehending all such actioÌ„s inward and outward of the minde and body as tend to the honouring and praysing of God the (b) The Apostle Hebrae 13. exhorteth vs to do works of Almes and charity saying that such sacrifices promerite God that is procure his grace and fauour and according to Ecclesiastes cap. 5. Those offer sacrifice which shew mercy other is pity or compassion towards our neighbour including the works of mercy and iustice to both kinds of spirituall sacrifice the Royall Prophet Dauid exhorteth all God's people of whatsoeuer condition or sex saying * Psal 15. tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis Et psal 4. sacrificate sacrificium iustitiâ— Offer to God hosts of prayses and sacrifice sacrifices of Iustice and according to the Apostle spiri uall sacrificers of these kinds are * 1. Pet. 4. vos autem genus electum vegale SacerdotiuÌ„ Idem habetur Apoc. 5. kings and Preists investedwith the honour of royall Preisthood and indeed deuout
Christians in as much as they dayly serue God and haue dominion ouer their concupiscenâ—es declining whatsoeuer inclineth to sin are kings in a spirituall metaphoricall signification and in as much as they daily offer themselues a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto the diuine Majesty are Preists in a spirituall metaphoricall signification their works so offered being sacrifices in a spirituall metaphoricall signification Sacrifice taken in a speciall and proper sense is (c) Catholick definition of a sacrifice taken in the proper sense an outward oblation of a sensible visible thing by lawfull authority exhibited to God only no other object interuening vnto destruction or reall change of the thing offered in recognition of his supream excellency and dominion ouer all creatures In this Catholike definition of sacrifice are obseruable seuen sundry requisits's necessarily concurring vnto the compleating of a true proper sacrifice 1. Oblation for in euery sacrifice taken in the proper sense some sensible visible thing is offered to God and consequently euery true proper sacrifice is an oblation though * Secundum S. Thomam omne sacrificium est oblatio sed non è contra euery oblation is not a sacrifice in the proper sense for many things were offered in the old law namely brass siluer gold oile which were only sacrifices improperly and metaphorically 2. Outward oblation of a sensible thing for proper sacrifice is an act of heighest worship called by (d) This vsage and practise hath continued warrantable down from the begining of Christian Religion till these tymes Quem penes arbitrium est vis sorma loquendi vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherby God is honoured aÌ„d worshipped in respect of his supream excellency in consequence whereof proper sacrifice is the chiefest kind of adoration which consisteth of some externall thing signifying the internall esteem that such as adore haue of the thing adored 3. The sensible thing must be permanent because a proper sacrifice is an exhibition of tribute due to God as king of Heauen and earth but tribute is a permanent during thing as experience teacheth in the payment of tribute vnto temporall Princes which is not a meer locution or other action enduring only for a litle while but brass siluer gold or some other permanent thing that is not flitting as are naked words 4. Oblation instituted by lawfull authority For proper sacrifice if the will of God and his institution were excluded is not an act euen of morall vertue hauing of and in it's self no goodness worthy praise nor worthiness deseruing esteem For example in the old law the slaughter or death of Lambes sheep and calfes was not more laudable then the killing of dogs wolues and hogs nay it had been far less laudable to kill those then these if God had not instituted in the old law sacrifices of Lambs sheep and calues excluding the others Furthermore the death and passion of Christ that was the most excellent and proper sacrifice considered in it self only abstracting from the (e) According to S. John the Euangelist cap. 10. Christ after he had declared to the Pharisies his power to lay down his life immediately added This commandement haue I receiued from my Father command he had from his diuine Father to giue his life for the redemption of the world is not an action of vertue because the death of Christ participated it's goodness and worthiness from the diuine command and his own will and indeed Abraham's willingnes to kill his son Isack who was a type of Christ had been a detestable wickedness if he had not had God's warrantable authority for it who is Author of life and death 5. Exhibited by a lawfull Minister for euery man is not a proper Minister of proper sacrifice but he onely who is by lawfull authority designed ordained and consecrated for that speciall charge and * Hebrae 5. nec quisquaÌ„ sumit sibi honorem sed qui vocatur à Deo tanquam Aaron sic Christ is noÌ„ semetipsum clarificauit vt Pontisex fieret sed qui locutus est ad eum tu es Sacerdos in aeternum secuÌ„dum ordinem Melchisedech no man should take this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron neither did Christ take vnto himselfe the office of High-Priest For he gaue it him that said vnto him thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And though God declared vnto the children of Israel that if they would heare his voice and keepe his Couenant he would make them * Exod. 19. si audieritis voceÌ„ meam eritis mihi in Regnum Sacerdotale gens sancta a priestly kingdom and a holy nation neuertheless they were not all royall Priest's taken in the proper sense but (f) According to S. Hierom. in quaes Hebraicis it was a tradition amongst the ancient Iew 's that down from Noe vnto Abraham the eldest son of each family was a Priest by diuine dispensation but the family of Aaron was invested with priestly dignity long after the institution of the pascall Lamb Exod. 12. and 28. so that in order to that sacrifice the ancient priuiledge granted to the eldest son of the family continued in force only such as descended from Aaron and both Saul and * 2. Paralip 26. 4. Reg. 14. Osias lepra punitus Osias were seuerely reprehended and punishad for attempting to offer sacrifice to which they were not specially deputed If euery priuate man should turn Priest and minister of proper sacrifice such vnnaturall proceeding against the law of God and nature would cause as dangerous and execrable confusion in the spirituall Church-gouerment as in ciuill State-gouerment if euery priuate man should turne king affecting to rule as king howeuer euen such Priest's as assume to themselue speciall and proper priesthood and deny speciall and proper sacrifice acknowledging spirituall and metaphoricall only open a door to the said confusion giuing occasion to euery priuate man to count himselfe as lawfull a Priest as such are being by baptism designed and consecrated to offer spirituall sacrifice and consequently as to the proper function of a Priest which is to * Hebrae 5. omnis Sacerdos Pontifex institutus vt offerat dona sacrificia offer sacrifice there is no distinction between a priuate man so baptised and such Priest's afore mentioned 6. Exhibited to God only because the end and motiue of proper sacrifice which is omnipotency or supream dominion in recognition wherof sacrifice is offered is found in God only although the catholick Church (g) According to S. Austin c. 20. con Faustum c. 21. Though Altars were erected in memory and honour of Martyrs neuertheless it was not the custom to offer sacrifice to Martyrs but to the God of Martyrs erecteth Altars in memory and honour of Martyrs and other blessed Saint's neuertheless she doth not offer sacrifice but to the sole God of both Martyrs and
new law namely outward Rite or sign promise of sanctifying grace and the institution of Christ The outward Rite or ligh as to the Sacrament of Penance is the sensible absolution of a Priest The promise of grace appears by the words of Christ Ioan. 20. Whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and the institution of Christ is expres'd in the precedent words of the same Chapter As my Father sent me so send I you Wherfore the ancient Fathers treating of sacramentall Penance in order to such as are baptized teach that Christ giues power vnto a Priest to remit thereby euen occult sinnes in consequence of which they appropriate to Penance the name of a Sacrament as much as to baptism Tertull. l. de praescript adversus Haeret Ambros l. de poenit c. 7. and S. Austin l. 5. hom c. 5. compareth this Sacrament ministred by a Priest to the raising yp of Lazarus by Christ and to the vntying of his cords by the Apostles Sacrament of the new law taken in the proper sense vnto remission of sius committed after baptism and therefore named * Hieron ad Demetr vocat Sacramentum poenitentia secundam tabulam post naufragium the second spirituall boord or plank of a souls spirituall wrack Grace giuen by baptism restoreth sanctity that Originall sin tooke away grace receiued through Penance recouereth that sanctity being lost again through actuall sin A christians life on earth is a warfare against flesh and blood against principalities against powers against worldly Gouernours the Princes of the darknesse of this world and against all spirituall wickednesses which are the assaults of the deuill And for as much as humane nature is infirm and the power of this aduersary great it is impossible for any whomsoeuer to escape vnwounded without armour of extraordinary protection In regard whereof Christ hath prouided a soueraigne remedy as an effectuall cure for all the personall wound a christian might receiue in this warfare exercised after baptism and this is the Sacrament of Penance instituted by Christ himselfe (b) Christ Mat. 18. saying to his Apostles Whatsoeuer ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heauen and vvhatsoeuer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen only promised them and their successors in Priestly function authoritie and power to forgiue sinnes and inuested them in it Ioan. 20. saying vnto them Receiue the holy Ghosâ— vvhose sinnes you shall forgiue are forgiuen them Neither hath Christ left less power vnto Priest's to loose then to binde as S. Ambrose asserted against Nouatianus who taught that Priests had power to bind but not to loose 10.20 when he said to his Apostles Receiue the holy Ghost whosoeuers sius ye shall remit they are remitted and whosoeuers sins ye shall retain they are retained Although Christ alone had the * Apoc. 3. qui habet clauem Dauid c. key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Apocal. 30. as to supream excellency and power of remitting and retaining sins being enabled in vertue of his diuinity to open to and shut against sinners the kingdome of Heauen without help of a Sacrament neuertheless the same power as to participation and outward Ministery therof he communicated to his said Apostles and their successors in priestly function committing to them the Word of reconciliation 1. Cor. 5. That is to say the * Aug. accedit verbuÌ„ ad elementum fit Sacramentum ElemeÌ„tum seu materia proxima Sacramenti poenitentiae est confessio contritio word of sacramentall power implyed in the form of sacramentall absolution vêªt videlicet I absolue thee which ioyned to the elements contrition confession and actuall satisfaction makes the Sacrament of Penance these acts being the materiall parts therof And although Christ did not appoint this form in express tearmes neuertheless for as much as he instituted this Sacrament (c) Great is the dignity of a Priest saith S. Chrysostome hom 85. in Joan. For vvhose sinnes they shall remit are remitted to them and hom 5. de verbis Isa Vidi Dominum Speaking of the Sacrament of Penance writeth thus Heaven takes from the earth chief povver for the Iudge sitteth in earth our lord follovv's the seruant and vvhatsoeuer he shall judge here belovv God approu's aboue By the judge that sitteth in earth is meant a Priest whose judgment or sentence goes before and the sentence of God comes after In consequence of which seeing that a sentence meer declaratory cannot goe before but of necessity must follow it is euident that a Priest sacramentally absoluing a penitent is a judge taken in the proper sense wherefore S. Cyprian Epis 73. ad Iubaian S. Ambrose lapsis de poenit c. 1. 2. S. Austin l. 2. con Epis parmeni c. 11. and S. Chrysostome l. 3. de Sacerdot expound the particles vvhose sinnes ye shall forgiue of power and authority giuen vnto the Apostles as judges in order to remitting of sinnes after the similitude of an outward iudicatory Court or Tribunall wherin the penitent acts the accused and the witnesses too and the Priest supplies the part of the (d) The Council of Trent declares that no man can be restored by the Sacrament of Penance to that sanctity and integrity which he receiu'd by baptism without bitter tears and painfull labours judge in the room of Christ it is euidence enough to proue it As in an outward Court of iustice the judg giueth sentence and therby absolueth or condemneth the accused So Christ did thinke fit that a Priest as lawfull judg should pronounce sentence of absolution vnto remission of sins committed after baptisme for Christ in saying Whosoeuers sins ye shall remit are remitted substituted the Apostles * 1. Cor. 5. vbi dixisset Apostol is dedit nobis ministerium reconciliationis subiungit pro Christo ergo legatione fuÌ„givnur id est Sacardotes succedunt in munus seu ministerium reconciliationis eo modo quo Christus reconciliauit homines Deo ramitteÌ„do paccata corum vt constat av citato Textu Et Chryso hom 11. inâ—llam 2. Epis Pauli sic scribit quod igitur pro Christo legatioue fungimur idem est ac si dixisset Christi vice nos enim ipsius muneri successimus his speciall Legats to reconcile sinners to God neither is it of necessity required to the forme of a Sacrament that it be expresly set down in holy scripture the vniuersall tradition of the Church being testimony enough to proue it and euen Caluinists and sundry other sectaries doe vse in baptism the words I baptise thee for which they cannot alleadge any scripture-euidence Besides Caluin in his fourth book of institutions chapter 3. 5. 6. treating of imposition of hands exercised in the ordination of Church-minister's deriueth that ceremony from Church tradition and practice only and confesseth withall that it ought to be counted in lieu of a precept By the premises plainly
were not publick as attest Tertull. and S. Cyprian as had openly sinned to the disedifying of other belieuers whence they named them Penitentiaries and those so sinning Penitents and for distinction sake alotted them places in their Churches apart from the rest of their flocke yet now by vsage of speech the name of penitents is appropriated to all sinners joynt and seperat that confesse their sins to any Priest lawfully ordaind and approu'd Howeuer euen those publick offenders did confess their publick together with their secret offences vnto the penitentiary Priests secretly (d) Secret confession made to a Priest is no humane inuention but a diuine institution Concil Trid. fess 14. c. 6. and S. Chrysostom hom in Gen. de Lazaro names secret confession made to a Priest confession made to God himselfe because a Priest is Christ's Vicar or substitute and Iudge appointed by Christ vnto loosing and binding who is chief principall cause that work 's in euery Sacrament for example a Priest that ministereth Baptism though he truly baptizes neuertheless Christ specially is said to baptise according to the holy Euangelist Hic Christus est qui baptizat This is he Christ that baptiseth secret confession importing a diuine precept in order to both kinds of sins entire confession being an essentiall part of the Sacrament of penance and publick confession that was made in an open assembly was a meer iniunction as to satisfaction in flicted by the said Penitentiaries to whom power was giuen by their Bishops to impose publick confession of sundry publick sin's as in prudence they should thinke it expedient for the humbling of publick sinners and thereby vnto terrefying and edifying of others Yet in this and many ages before publick confession together with Penitentiary Priest's in order to the practice mentioned are laid aside * Socrater qui narrat factum nectarij ait eum tantum sustulisse quod Episcopi EcclejiaruÌ„ adiunxerant Canoni id est praecepto diuino confitendi propter haeresim Nouatianorum Nectarius Patriarch of Constantinople in respect of great inconueniences occasioned thereby annulled both they being Church additions only ioyned to the diuine precept of sacramentall confession and S. Chrysostome that succeeded Nectarius approued his proceeding therin iudging it vnreasonable and too heauy a burthen for sinners to confess vnto men t at might reproach them for their sins as be such as are no Priests and consequently such as are not concerned in the seal of sacramentall confession * Obligatio sigilli nascitur ex omni sola confessione Sacramentali id est quae suscipitur animo subyÌ„ciendi peccataclauibus Ecclesiae which is an obligation not to reueale what is confessed sacramentally the precept therof being of diuine right and whereas it includes a negation after the manner of meer negatiue precepts for example Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not tell a lie which be binding without exception the seale of sacramentall confession ought not to be broke in any case whatsoeuer again as confession in secret in order to the Sacrament of penance hath it's institution and command from Christ and as the seale of sacramentall confession hath institution and command from Christ also (e) The necessity of whole and entire confession euidently appeares by sundry generall Councils Namely Latera cap. omnis v. riusque sexus Flor. in Decreto Eugenij Trident. fess 14. cap. 5. so integrity as to confessing of sins committed after baptism hath it's institution and command from Christ in order to a Christian that will confess vnto full remission therof in so much that sacramentall confession of necessity must be perfect entire and vndiuided in order to all mortall sins which occurre to a Penitent's memory after sufficient examination of his conscience for that thing is a necessary requisite to sacramentall confession which if it were omitted the Priests absolution would be in vaine and of no effect or purpose and a Priest's absolution is of no value without integrity of confession in order to all mortall sins which occur to a Penitents memory after a serious examination of his conscience not confessed afore because one mortall sin confessed apart from another mortall alike cannot be pardoned Wherefore it is not enough as to the integrity of sacramentall confession to confess wittingly one mortall sin vnconfessed afore sacramentally to one Priest and another mortall alike to another Priest but all mortall sins ioynt and seperate ought to be confessed to one and the same Priest together with the * Trident. sess 14. docet eas circumstantias in confessione explicandas esse quae speciem peccati mutant quibus verbis damnat noÌ„nullos haereticos asserentes circumstantias peccatorum fuisse ab otiosis hominibus excogitatas circumstances that bring with them a new mortall malice to the making of a distinct sin for example it is not enough for a man that hath robbed a Church to confess that he hath committed theft because that circumstance import's a new and distinct sin integrity of sacramentall confession being inconsistent with voluntary omission of any one mortall sinne And for as much as a penitent cannot procure integrity of confession without * Eccles 18. ante indiciuÌ„ interroga to ipsum in conspectu Domini inuenies propitiationem a due inspection ouer his conscience (f) S. Athanas in illud Euangelij profecti in-Pagum writeth thus 1. letus examine our selues whether our fetters be loos'd whereby he requires inspection into our consciences before we come to confession 2. in case saith he the cord's of sin that tye vs fast be not loos'd already we must deliuer our selues vp to the Disciples of JESUS that is we must confess our sinnes to a Priest for they are those that can loose our cords by the power which they haue receiu'd from our sauiour IESUS who said Whatsoeuer yee shall binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and vvhatsoeuer yee shall loose on Earth shall be loos'd in Heauen in consequence of which Priests haue power to absolue iuridically as true Iudges in the Sacrament of penance it is expedient for him to call to his remembrance the howers of his life that are passed especially since his last confession what businesses he hath managed what persons he hath haunted and what sins he is inclined to most As a prudent Physician that vndertak's the cure of a diseased body giues preparatiues to the loosening or stirring vp of ill humours that are cause of the disease before he applies soueraign physick to the purging of them away wherby the cure is done so a discreet penitent in the cure of a sick soul prepares his conscience by examination vnto the remouall of malignant humours of sins which are the cause of it's sickness before he applies the remedy * Aug. de poenitent confessio est salus animarum dissipatrix vitiorum expugnatrix daemonum quid plura obstruit os inferni paradiso portas aperiâ—
portransibit gladius she endured grieuous afflictions and painefull sorrows S. Iohn Baptist who exceeded in sanctity all others of his sex by Christ's owne testimony did practice extream penance and the calamities that holy Iob suffered were greater then his sin 's required as himself witnesseth in the sixt Chapter of his book saying Oh that my sins were weighed wherby I haue desernad wrath and my miseries together in the ballance as the sand of the sea this would appeare heauier in like manner it may be turly said of the passions endured by other blessed Saint's wherfore since the supream prouidence doth reward euery good work beyond what it deserueth vndoubtedly he hath assigned reward 's suitable thereto that is both in order to merit and satisfaction according to that of S. Luke cap. 21. There shall not an hair of your heads perish Wherby Christ promiseth a recompence to each good work how litle soeuer it be But if the works of blessed Saint's as meritorious only and not as satisfactory should receiue reward many baires of their head 's would perish that is many of their good works as they are satisfactory should not be recompenced which is contrary to Christ's promise Sithence the coÌ„dition of satisfaction is such that it is applyable by him that satisfyes for others distinct from himselfe as appears by S. Paul that wished to be Anathema for his bretheren and by Moses that beseeched God to blot him out of the book of life for the conseruation of the Israëlites it is conformable to reason and diuine iustice which hath a reward for euery good work that the aboundant and exceeding satisfactions of blessed Saints that remaine vprecompenced be laid vp in the Treasury of the Church vnto the remission of temporall paine due to sin which is the reward that good works as satisfaction specially challenge and vndoubtedly * 2. Cor. 12. Ego autem libentissimè impendam super impendam ego ipse pro aniâ—â—bus vestris Et S. Timoth. 2. omnia sustineo propter electos the saints themselues now departed in as much as they were inuested with the grace of charity when they did exercise their voluntary satisfactions and endured their violent passions had at least a virtuall intention to assist and profit therby the rest of the faithfull the law of charity requiring that * Vnum inquit Paulus corpus in Christo sumus Et Gal. 6. alter alterius onera portate all members of the holy catholick Church concurre mutually to the perfecting of the whole body one bearing anothers burthen and one satisfying for an other applying a meer price for temporall paine due to sinne * In Bulla Pij 5. damnatur propositio Michaelis Baij diceÌ„tis per passiones sanctorum coÌ„municatas Jndulgentijs non propriè redimi debita which is the consistency of Communio Sanctorum that christians profess in the Nicene Creed and the Apostle practiced saying Now reioyce I in my suffering's for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christs in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Neither hence ought any man to infer the saint's to be our Redeemers because their satisfactions for others in order to remission of temporall punishment's if Christ's satisfactions were to be laid aside would signifie nothing being founded therin (g) Though the blood of Christ be sufficient enough to olenst a soul from both the guilt and the pain of sin neuertheless it does not procure that deliuerance vnless it be applyed by the Churches Sacraments or by acts of faith and contrition and indeed euen sectaries assert a necessity of saith and contrition vnto remission of sinnes In consequence wherof wheras Christ is said Hebra 10. with one oblation to haue consummated foreuer them that are sanctifyed it is meant as to sufficiency being that one oblation without the application thereof doth not sanctify indeed and effectually and he alone is properly our Redeemer in and by whose proper merit 's through the effusion of his blood was purchased our redemption vnto forgiueness of sinnes Collos 1. And that was Christ only One mediator of God and man and as no man ought to be said his own Redeemer according to the form of proper speech for as much as through good works of painfull satisfaction he payeth a ransome for temporall punishment's corresponding to his sins or for as much as he exerciseth an act of perfect contrition whereby his sin 's are remitted so the blessed saint's ought not to be called the Redeemers of such as receiue remission of temporall paines due to sinn's through the application of their satisfactions Neither hereby are Christ's satisfaction 's preiudiced For as the prayer that one belieuer on earth maketh for another doth nothing at all diminish the dignity of Christ's dayly praying for vs at the right hand of his diuine Father * Rom. 8. quotidie interpellat pro nobis Rom. S. since the efficacy of it is founded in the merit 's of his death and passion so the satisfactions of the blessed saint's applyed for the remission of paine due to sin doe dot lessen the infinite valour of Christ's satisfactions being they receiue from them all their worthiness and efficacy And doubtless Christ's own will was to haue it so to the end that his faithfull on earth might exercise reciprocall works of charity towards one an other and exhibit honour to such as he had translated to his kingdom of eternall blessedness being the honour done to a seruant doth redound to his lord and Master Power to dispence this spirituall Treasure of Indulgences or pardons is committed to the Catholick Church as appeareth euidently by Christ's own word's Mat. 16. saying And I will giue vnto thee the key 's of the kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shall be bound also in Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt * Quoad verba Christi quodcuÌ„que solueris nomine solutionis non intelligitur sola absolutio iudiciaria sed etiam omnis dispeÌ„satio imo omnis fauor gratia ex vi illius potestatis facta proinde Indulgentia concessa pro extensa ad defunctum à summo Pontifice eius enim solius est dare Indulgentias per defunctis infallibiliter prodest defuncto per modum suffragij id est pro modum auxilij adiutorij Ecclesiastici eidem defuncto applicata si caetera sint paria puta si Jndulgentia fiat ex rationabili causa sique defunctus existat in gratia c. his suppositis Indulgentia applicata defuncto alicui semper est valida rata apud Deum luxta tamen Caâ—etanum Henricum Indulgentia non babes infallibilem effectuâ— respectu animae defuncti sed liberum est Deo eam acceptare vel non acceptare loose an earth shall be loosed also in Heauen wherby Christ promiseth to S. Peter and his successors in Church-gouernment authority and power for the remouing of all
for a sinfull Brother and truly this kinde of forgiuing and loosing is common alike to all such as deuoutly and charitably recite that petition of our Lord's prayer Forgiue us our trespasses as we forgiue the trespasses against vs as witnesseth S. Augus trac 58. vpon S. Iohn and doubtless by the mentioned word 's of the Apostle viêªt videlicet Ye ought rather to forgiue and comfort him and whome yee forgiue any thing c. is meant of this generall manner of forgiuing and loosing which is common alike to all the faithfull of the Church but to demonstrate that he himself laid claime to a higher and better kinde of forgiuing and loosing he professeth that he exercised his forgiueness and power of loosing in the person or room of Christ Wherby again appear's that the Apostle did not forgiue this adulterer the rest of the paine enioyned him in order to the rigour of Church-discipline only that is to the intent only that it should aduantage him in the ecclesiasticall Court but also in order to the diuine Court of Iustice that it might benefit him before God and this is so manifest a truth that no sectary can say the contrary without contradicting the Apostles own words viêªt videlicet I forgaue it in the person of Christ that is in the room of Christ and as his Minister to whom Christ had committed his power of loosing and binding vpon earth and indeed S. Paul should haue extreamly preiudiced the said miserable adulterer which were great impiety to think if his forgiuenesse should haue had no weight * S. Cypria Epis 14. agens de relaxatione poenarum impositarum peccatoribus ait illam fieri per intercessionem martyrum vel aliorum fidelium quorum satisfactionibus suffragijs adiuuantur in delictis apud Dominum id est in foro Dei with the diuine Court and been of no value before God for according to that supposall he should haue pardoned a pain of this life in respect wherof the adulterer should haue suffered a far greater in the next because the punishment a man endureth vpon earth is a thousand times lesser then the torment 's of Purgatory and therby S. Paul would haue brought his penitent Corinthian out of the frying pan into the fyer That is out of the prison of the ecclesiasticall Court into the prison of the diuine Court Conformably vnto this catholick doctrine Bishops in the primitiue Church enjoyned sinners penances to satisfye God and to compence the iniury done to him through their sin 's (k) According to Tertullian l. ad martyres and S. Cyprian Epis 10.11.12.13.14 sundry Christians that through frailty fell from the Church in tyme of grieuous persecution were wont to recur vnto the Martyrs and Confessours that their penances might be remitted vnto them and these ancient Fathers did not mean penances or pains enioynd and due only in the Churches Court but due also in the Court of God wherfore S. Cyprian Epis 14. faith expresly that they receiued help and deliuerance from their pains apud Dominum that is in the diuine Court in consequence whereof Indulgences remit penances or pains at the Tribunall of God as due there and not as due onely in order to the Churches Canons as wanton schollars of these dayes vnaduisedly teach for otherwise according to S. Thomas q. 25. a. 1. Indulgences would be more vnprofitable then profitable reseruing the penitent to more grieuous pains in Purgatory Besides according to the holy scriptures whatsoeuer priest 's shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer they shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen in consequence of which God has a Court in Heauen that remits the guilt and paine of sinne accordingly as they be remitted in the Churches Court and indeed if there were no remitting of pains in the Court of Heauen there would be no need at all of the Churches spirituall Treasure consisting of the aboundant satisfactions of Christ and the blessed Saincts and yet that there is this spirituall Treasure is an article of Christian faith for as such a Treasure could not be necessary vnto remission of pains in a ciuil Court so it could not be necessary vnto remission in an ecclesiasticall Court The ground on which the Digbean diuines build their opinion is a damned heresy namely that God does not forgiue us our sinnes as to the guilt thereof except her pardon the pain also as is plainely clear according to the definition of the Council of Trent sess 6. can 30. and this practice was both in order to such as had publickly sinned in reference to which canonicall pain 's were instituted only as also in order to such as had sinned in secret as doe demonstrate Burchard in the 13th book of decretalls and sundry others which haue made a full collection of the canonicall pains Furthermore no man can say without running into manifest errour that the Apostles forgiuenesse or indulgence in order to the penitent Corinthian was but an absolution of excommunication or of his sinne giuen in the Sacrament of penance for first a deliuerance from an ecclesiasticall censure of excommunication is neuer named by scriptures or Fathers a condonation forgiueness or indulgence Again by the Apostles words appeareth that he forgaue part only of the punishment enioyned which cannot be meant of an absolution either from excommunication or sin 's in the Sacrament of penance where there is no sharing out by partes Yet notwithstanding all this the vsage of indulgences was not neer so frequent in the primitiue times as in the subsequent ages because primary Christians carrying the fresh memory of their crucifyed Redeemer and thereby much enflamed with loue towards his sufferings allwayes bore about his dying mortification that his life also might be made manifest in their mortall flesh 2. Cor. 4. so that then there was strict discipline and great penances enioyned sinners For example rigorous fasting much praying and other painfull afflictions * In 1. Concil Nicae cui intersuerunt 318. Patres indicitur poena vndecim annorum Item in Concil Ancyrano iniungitur poena septenij ijs qui bis vel ter Idolis sacrificauerant Porro vulgatum est vnicuique peccato mort ali poenitentiam septem annorum iniungendam esse iuxta Canones pro quo tam en nullus Textus reperiri potest Et contrarium tenet S. Tho. in 4. l. sent dis 20. sanè Gratianus qui allegatur pro contraria sententia non dicit Ecclesiam septemnem poenitentiam in singula peccata statuisse sed tantum pro grauissimis iniungi solitam fuisse deinde dicit illam poenit entiam non taxatam fuisse pro foro interiori sed exteriori constat illos Canones ad forum exteriùs pertinere as by the ancientest Councils appeareth Neuerthelesse such was their feruour of spirit and extream zeale in complyance to Christ's sufferings that they fullfilled them willingly and chearfully few sought after pardons vnto
signifies remission or fulnes of rest Iubilie which word Church-gouernours haue translated from the Hebrews to signifie full remission For in the times of the ancient Hebrews euery fifty yeare was named the yeare of Iubilie and holy vnto them for as much as each man did returne to his possession Gratis seruants were deliuered out of bondage and all inhabitants left their land vnlaboured enjoying full rest After the like manner in vertue of a christian Iubilie those temporall aduantages are supplyed by spirituall benefits namely rest from worldly delights employments and also deliuerance out of sin both in order to it's guilt and temporall pain corresponding therto for though the Iuâ—ilie it self be a releasing only of temporall paine yet through (o) According to the Popes intention the benefit of a Iubily cannot be obtain'd except confession of our sinnes goe afore and truly confession is required as a worke enjoynd and communion also according to the common opinion of catholick writers confession and contrition which ought to accompany it euen the guilt of sin is remitted in so much that a sinner which confesseth and detesteth his wickedness in compliance to the Iubily returneth to his possession of sanctifying grace lost afore The vsage of christian Iubilies was anciently practised though Pope Boniface the eight of that name about the year after Christ's Incarnation 1300. by an express written ordinance did institute that they should be celebrated in euery hundred yeare as appeareth by * In Extra de poenit remiss quae condita Juit anno 1630. iuxta Nauar notab 7. dicitur Antiquorum babet fida relatio quod accedentibus ad bonorabilem Basilicam principis Apostolorum in vrbe concessae fuerint magnae remissiones Indulgentiae peccatorum the Extra Antiquorum de poenitentijs remissionibus neuertheless they lay claim to a higher antiquity as doth plainly euidence the same extrauagant made in the yeare 1300. Wherefore it is an extream weakness in such as assert Iubilies to be new inuentions yet the Popes that succeeded in Church-gouernment afterward altered the institution of Boniface Clement the sixth reduced Iubilies to euery fifty yeare Vrban the second to euery thirty three yeare in memory honour and reuerence of the yeares Christ liued on earth again Paul the second and Sixtus the fourth contracted them to euery twenty fiue years and so they haue continued euer since CHAR. XV. OF PVRGATORY THE CONTENTS The soul 's of belieuing christians that remoue out of their bodyes in the state of grace and be not fully clensed from the dregs of sin endure punishment's in the lower part 's of the earth till they become fit for the enjoyment of their heauenly heritage which is inconsistent with vncleanes though some soul 's as soon as they depart out of their earthly Tabernacleâ— receiue the reward of faith and good works yet others are sent to prison Purgatory whence there is no deliuerance till the last sardin be paid God oft forgiues sin as to the mortall guilt thereof without remitting the veniall defects or temporall pains such soul 's onely goe to Purgatory as are liable to veniall fault 's or temporall satisfactions from which there is deliuerance before the generall Resurrection through the sacrifices suffrages fastings alms-deeds which the faithfull aliue offer to God to that intent and purpose The fire that by diuine dispensation tormentes good soul's in Purgatory is not imaginary or metaphoricall but true reall and corporall fire PVrgatory is a receptacle of soul 's deuested of their bodies which stand in need of the holy Churches suffrages and sacrifices for their deliuerance out of satisfactory pain 's due to the sinnes they committed when they were inuested with their bodyes Besides the receptacle of blessed souls which is the * CoeluÌ„ empyrcum est locus beatorum aterna vita fruentium highest Heauen (a) S. Austin in Psal 85. and Epis 99. calleth the receptacle of damned souls the Hell of Hell and according to the common opinion of diuin's Purgatory is not situated far from thence towards the Center of the earth Wherefore the holy Church sing's in the office of the Dead Deliuer o lord the souls of the faithfull departed from the pains of Hell that is from the pains of Purgatory So that S. Austin Epis 99. ad Euod expound's the scripture Act. 2. vvhom God rais'd vp loosing the sorrovves of Hell of Christ's discent into Hell that is into the lower parts of the earth which doubtless were not the Receptacle of damned souls whereby appears that the Hell of the damned was not the sole Receptacle of souls remou'd out of their bodyes and indeed holy scripture giues euidence enough of this catholick truth for Ecclesiasticus c. 24. personating Christ saith thus J vvill penetrate all the lovver part 's of the earth and vvill beholde all that sleepe and vvill enlighten all that hope in our lord From whence is plainly infer'd a Receptacle vnder earth different from the Hell of the damned in which soul's hope not in but blaspheme onr lord As to Christ's descending into the lower parts of the earth it is an article of christian faith and so euident a truth that S. Austin Epis 99. ad Euod expresly saith Who but an Jnfidel vvill deny that Christ descended into Hell and with intent according to the ancient Fathers to deliuer the Patriarchs and iust men which were detain'd there as Prisoners till his death and Resurrection and the receptacle of damned soul's which is the lowest Hell There is a third receptacle vnder earth of souls suffering vnto blessednes called Purgatory because the fire therof which is an instrument of the diuine Iustice purgeth out the leauen of veniall sinnes and weareth away temporall pains which euen iust men sometimes die liable vnto Though small faults and gentle debt's doe not vndoe the knott of reciprocall friendship that is once tyed between God and a sinner in vertue of perfect contrition or attrition with the helpe of sacramentall penance neuertheless they obstruct his passage to the kingdom of Heauen till they be fully compensed and satisfied for either in this life through voluntary act 's of sorrow and corporall afflictions or in the next through purgatiue fire wherby is meant Purgatory which is the (b) By the prison mention'd Mat. 4. the ancient Fathers vnderstand Purgatory for example S. Cyprian Epis 52. ad Antonia teacheth that some soul 's suddenly after their remouing out of their bodyes receiue the reward of faith and good works and a crown from our lord but others are sent to prison from which is no deliuerance till the last farthing be paid prison out of which there is no deliuerance till the vtmost farthing be paid Math. 5. for eternall life hath nothing of imperfection and consequently is inconsistent with all sort's of defects Wherefore since the soul 's euen of iust men after the quitting of their bodyes sometymes be lyable to satisfactory punishments
no definition was past and that vpon notice of any he should be most ready to embrace the sense and defend the sentence of the Church which testimony giueth euidence enough to belieue that Pope Iohn neuer defined the said controuersy As the Catholick Church guided by the holy Ghost asserteth the Saints reigning with Christ to haue actuall enioyment of blessedness so likwise declareth them to be our Aduocats mediatours and intercessours in the sight of God Although the office of aduocation mediation and intercession (g) Although Rom. S. Christ is said to make intercession for vs neuertheless the Churches custom is not to say Christ pray for vs but Christ haue mercy of vs. Thereby preferring his diuine before his human nature that is we pray vnto him as God and not as man and this Church practice taketh away the occasion of erring with the Arians which denyed the diuinity of our Sauiour Christ is proper to Christ alone as to the most excellent manner thereof for as much as he only without the helpe of man or of any Angel through the proper merits of his own passion and death on the crosle payed the full ransom or price of all sins whereby he reconciled vs to God in respect of which the Apostle calleth him the * Est vnicus mediator Christus ratione scilicet ac medio redemptionis qui proprio sanguine in cruce effuso nos ab inferno à diabolo ira Dei Patris redemit eidem nos reconciliauitâ—â—â— est aut◠〈◊〉 solus mediator ratioue medio intercessionis precum onely mediatour between God and man 1. Cor. 2. that is the sole singular mediatour taken in the singular sence of redemption after which sort also he is our sole Aduocate and Patron that by himselfe alone procured for vs mercy in the sight of his diuine Father and truly noe Christian asketh or obtaineth grace in this life or glory in the next but in vertue of his merits neuertheless the Apostles and Saints in Heauen and the faithfull on earth that deale with God by intercession and mediate with Christ by prayer also vnto procuring for vs saluation lay clame rightly to the office of an Aduocate and mediatour taken in a more large sense according to the common vsage of speech and the scriptures euidence as much which attribute the name of mediatour to Moyses Ieremy the Apostles and others as clearly proueth S. Cytill l. 12. Thom. cap. 10. also they giue the name of Sauiour and redemer to meer creatures Iud. 3.92 (h) S. Bernard ser that begins Signum magnum apparuit Teacheth that there is need of a mediatour to the mediatour Christ neither is there any better or more profitable then the Virgin Mary The obedient Virgin Mary saith he is made the aduocate of the inobedient Virgin Eue wherefore the holy Church calleth the Virgin Mary our Aduocate besids S. Greg. Nazian ora ad Grego Nysse asserts that Martyrs are mediatours between vs and God and so teacheth also S. Chrysostome in psal 50. and S. Hierom Epis ad Vigilant cap. 3. if the Apostles saith this great Doctour of the Church and Martyrs inuested with their bodyes did pray for others when they ought to haue been solicitous for themselues they pray rather for vs now being deliuered from their bodyes after their victories crownes and triumphs Again S. Austin Epis ad Paulinum calleth Bishops the peoples Aduocates in as much as they giue them their benediction Esdras 9.27 Act. 7.35 Wherefore Christ is our Aduocate after a far nobler manner then the Saints are Christ maketh intercession for vs in as much as he representeth to his diuine Father his own merits in our fauour The Saints in as much as they offer for vs their prayers through the merits of Christ Christ exhibiteth for vs what is his own Saints offer for vs what is Christs and therfore are but inferiour and secundary intercessours which neuer ask or obtaine any grace for vs but through Christ our lord which is the close of all Church prayers addressed to the blessed Saints in consequence of which the greatness of Christs glory suffereth nothing of preiudice but rather is illustrated thereby since through the immensity of his merits he did not procure only that his own prayers should be graciously heard and accepted in the sight of his diuine Father but likwise the prayers of euery one offered in his name aright in regard wherof the Apostles Martyrs and other Saints that reigne in Heauen hauing here on earth * S. Cypria magnus charoruÌ„ numerus nos in coelo exspectant .... de sua salute securi pro nostra soliciti espoused the generall interests of their neighbours and after the imitation of Christ their head promote by intercession the spirituall aduantages of all notwithstanding that their own concernments might haue exacted of them their whole employment in the behalfe of themselues being not then certain of heauenly blessedness doubtles whereas now they enioy a full assurance of the crownes of iustice which their victories haue merited their desires to aduance the spirituall interests of their friends on earth abound more and their charity soliciteth more for our admittance into Heauen to be partakers of their inheritance in the light of glory Coloss 1. * Tom. 1. Conciliorum Epis 1. S. Clemens in initio S. Clement in his Epistle to S. Iames called the brother of our lord auerreth that S. Peter encouraging him to accept after his death the gouerment of the Church promised that after his departure he would not cease to make intercession for him and his flock therby to ease him of his pastorall charge Likwise * Ser. 3. in anniuersario die assumptionis S. Leo the great that succeeded in the Church-gouerment ascribeth the good administration therof to the prayers of S. Peter to whom Christ said before his passion and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren and after his resurrection feed my sheepe my lambs And indeed S. Peter himselfe saith in the first Chap. of his second Epistle that he would endeauour after his decease that the Christians of those dayes might haue frequent remembrance of the things which he had taught them wherby it is euident enough that the Saints departed haue * S. Grego l. 4. dial ca. 33. quid est quod ibi nesciunt vbi scientem omnia sciunt Loquitur de sanctis in caelo Deum clarè intuentibus vnderstanding and memory and in earnest otherwise the comparison Christ made Math. 22. to wit the Saints are as the angels in Heauen had been very impertinent for * Euseb l. 6. cap. 4. refert Potamiena cum iret ad maatyrium promisisse se post mortem suam impetraturam à Deo misericordiam pro Basilide qui fuit vnus ex militibus qui ducebant illaÌ„ ad locuÌ„ supplicij the heauenly Angels (i) It appears euidently by Christs owne words Luc. 15. how
carefully heauenly Angels endeauour to bring mortalls vnto eternall blessedness being they reioyce in the repentance of a sinner Wherefore Orig. hom 1. in Ezech. prayeth his Angel to receiue him conuerted from his former errour reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Luc. 15. Besids according to the common vsage of the primatiue Church one beleeuing christian bargained with an other that he who went first to Heauen should pray for him that abided on earth Let vs saith S. Cyprian Epis 57. pray mutually one for an other and whether of vs two shall through the diuine mercy be first called for let his loue continue and his prayers not cease for his brethren and sisters in the world In like manner S. Hierome spoke to Heliodorus Epis 1. cap. 2. saying that when he is once in Heauen he will pray for him that exhorted and encouraged him to embrace a monasticall state of life Moreouer in the law of nature Abraham made intercession to an Angel for his sons Ioseph Ephraim and Manasse Gen. 48. the Angel which hath deliuered me from all euill bless these children And albeit it cannot be proued that in any time during the old Testament the people of God prayed directly to the holy Patriarkes and Prophets after their decease in regard then the Saints departed were not translated into Heauen and inuested with whiâ—e cloathes of glory their habitation being vnder the earth as in a prison 1. Petri 2. neuertheless they made intercession to God humbly asking of him mercy and grace through the merits of the said Patriarches and Prophets * Psal 131. memeÌ„to Domini Dauid omnis mansuetudinis eius propter Dauid seruum tuuÌ„ non auertas faciem Christi tui Salomon asked of God meet helpe in regard of his Father Dauids great merits * Exod. recordare Domine Abraham Isaac Jacob scruoruÌ„ tuum and Moyses in respect of the good workes of Abraham Isack and Israel the faithfull seruants of God Likewise the ancient Iews made intercession to God through the prayers of their progenitors departed And the holy Prophet Ieremy (k) Baruch cap. 3. prayeth thus O lord omnipotent God of Jsra Heare the prayer of the dead of Israel and though some sectaries count Baruch as apocryphall neuertheless the ancient Fathers and Councills haue ranked that book with diuine scripture both vnder the name of Ieremy Baruchs vncle and vnder the inscription of Baruch which is more proper Again the Councill of Laodicea in the last canon mentioneth Baruchs lamentations and Ieremyes Epistles Moreouer the Councils of Florence and Trent haue defined this catholick truth after his death praid much for the people of Israel 2. Mach. 75. Neither doth the Prophet Isaias preiudice this catholike truth saying cap. 63. Abraham knew vs not and Israel was ignorant of vs for he meant only that Abraham and Iacob did not acknowledge the Iews of those days for their children because of their greiuous sinns and iniquities as the ancient Fathers interpret that scripture Nor Ecclesiastes when hee saith the dead know noe more and haue reward noe more For his meaning is not to take all vnderstanding and knowledge from soules remoued out of their bodyes but to inculcate vnto vs that it is impossible after our departure out of this world to merit a reward the time of this life being a necessarie requisite there to according to Christs own testimony Io. 9. the night cometh when noe man can worke But now the ingagement mentioned in the character of Purgatory calleth for an answere vnto the Digbean White that hath studied diuinity 40. yeares who as to the contents of this character mainly resisteth the constant (l) Mr. White in the third account of the midle state of souls boldly asserts that though to pray for the blessed be against the common practice of the Church neuertheless he is not of so vveake a stomack as not to digest that morsell so that he maks not only the Church liable to errour as to manners and doctrines vniuersally receiued approued and practiced which is a manifest heresy but himselfe the Churches Reformer and vniuersall practice of the Catholick Church agreeing with so large and euident testimony of scriptures Councills and Fathers as are set down for example in the third accompt of his midle state of souls to proue that the ancient practice of the Church was to pray for the dead euen after their souls were beatified He alledged the 2. Epis and 1. cap. to Timothie where the Apostle thus prays for Onesiphorus Our lord grant him Onesiphorus to find mercy from our lord in that day by which words this knowing Master that hath studyed 40. years to build a Theology on Digbean peripateticks will of necessity proue that S. Paul prayed that Onefiphorus might find mercy after he was beatified Shall I deny saith he the Apostle prayed that Onesiphorus might find mercy euen after his soule was beatified the Text on all sides confessed for bids me what then will our aduersaries say this was not to pray for the blessed common sense permit's them not S. Paul did it But doubtless no knowing man in Theology or ecclesiasticall historie that is vnpartiall dare say for his credits sake that Mr. White doth clearly proue against the whole practice of the Church that the faithfull on earth must pray for the blessed because the Apostle prayed for Onesiphorus saying Our lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy of our lord in illo die in that day for Onesiphorus was not dead when S. Paul prayed that he might find mercy of our lord in illo die In consequence of which Mr. Whites inference from the words alledged carries no weight with it at all being grounded vpon a very false supposall Howeuer the good prayer of the Apostle was not in vain for according to the martyrologes both Latine and Greek Onesiphorus was honored afterward with a crown of martyrdom in Hellespont in consequence wherof doubtless he found mercy of our lord in that day that is in the day of particular iudgment after his death for it is the constant Tenet of the Catholick Church * Apoc. 14. Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur à modo iam dicit spiritus vt requiescant à laboribus suis Hic sacer textus osteÌ„dit beatos morientes id est martyres aliosque fideles decedentes perfectè iustos sine omni macula reatu poenae id est obligatione ad poenam noÌ„ expectaturos vniuersale iudicium vt accipiaÌ„t beatitudinem ita explicat S. Aug. l. 20. de ciuit cap. 9. that martyrs by their death suffered for the confessing of Christs faith be perfectly purged of sin both in order to the guilt and paines therof and immediatly possess their glorious crowns which is the beatificall vision as S. Austin lib. de peccatorum meritis expresly teacheth saying he that prayeth for a martyr doth an iniury to a martyr The same doctrine the Councill of Trent ses
did not adding next Cyrillus for the holy Fathers and Bishops departed and of all vniuersally which are dead from amongst vs. Where is obseruable Mr. Whites crafty dealing for in the fift catechesis of S. Cyril the words set down by him appeare not that catechesis containing only an explication of faith in order to its definition which is substance of things hoped for and a conuiction of things vnseen Howeuer the said words cited by him are extant in the first mystigogicall catechesis of S. Cyril who before he coms at those words set down by Mr. White to proue that the Hierosolymitan Church prayed for the blessed writeth thus when we offer this sacrifice afterward we make commemoration of those also who are dead afore first of the Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles Martyres that God by their prayers and intercessions may receiue our prayers But Mr. White leaueth out these words which sheweth his crafty and subtill dealing Again the words of S. Cyril that * Uerba subsequētia hac sunt maximū est animarum iuuamen pro quibus offertur obsecratio sancti illius tremendi quod in altari positum est sacrificii quod exemplo demonstrare volumus scio enim multos dicere quid iuuat animam in peccatis ex hoc mundo decedentem etiamsi in hoc sacrificio mentio fiat illius Ansi rex aliquis eos à quibus offensus est in exilium pepulerit postea vero illorum propinqui coronam aliquam conficientes pro his qui in supplicio sunt exulibus eidem regi offerrent nonne condonationem aliquam suppliciorum dederit ad eūdem medū nos pro defunctis precationes adhibemus follow the words set down by Mr. White doe preiudice his doctrine of the midle state of soules and therefore on purpose he omits those likwise The same crafty dealing he employes about S. Marks lyturgy that is of Alexandria for there he omits mentioning the precedent of which the subsequent words depend and ioynes words together which haue nothing of connexion For example the words Of our Fathers and bretheren who haue slept in the saith of Christ down to the words and moreouer of those whose memory this day we celebrate and our holy Father Marke who taught vs the way of saluation doe not containe a prayer for the Saints because the Euangelist saith expresly grant vnto them rest mindfull of the Saints that is mindfull of them through the intercession of the Saints but truly the subsequent words to wit To thesoules of all those giue rest haue no relation to the precedent commemoration Neither doe the particles of all those giue rest comprehend the Saints commemorated afore in regard that both afore and after those words is recited the angelicall salutation Aue Maria and after this is expressed in the lyturgy that the Deacon readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the holy tables containing a Catalogue of all the faithfull departed afterward saith the lyturgy the Priest decently bows his body and prayeth vttering the words set downe viz To the souls of all those giue rest our supream lord that is to the souls of all those which be contained in the said Catalogue the names whereof the Deacon had read and whereas S. Marke concluds saying To their soules I say grant rest and admit them to the kingdom of Heauen that conclusion is only a repetition of the precedent prayer To the soules of all these giue rest our supream lord and God and consequently did not relate vnto the blessed Saints that had no need of such a prayer but to those named in the Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that receiued help After the like manner Mr. White dealeth in citing the Roman or S. Gregorie the greats lyturgy which is thus Remember alsoe O lord thy seruants N.N. that is such as I name or intend to pray for who haue gone before vs with the signe of faith and now rest in the sleep of peace After which words the Preist according to the rubricke there set down ioynes his hands together and prayes during a little while for the said N.N. which he nameth or intendeth to pray for * Innocentius Alexaner Sūmi Pontifices item Gabriel Albertus disertè docēt post verba illa dormiunt in somno pacis debere fieri memoriam specialē non vniuersalem vt perperam dicit Albius defunctorum parētum corū quibus missam specialster applicare voluerit sacerdos his potius credendum est quā Albio and afterward only it followeth To them O lord and all the rest in Christ we beseech thee grant a place of ease and light and peace whereby t is manifest that Mr. White weakly if not craftily goes about to proue from those words that S. Gregorie prayed for all who were baptized and departed in the communion of the Church And indeed soe it should follow that he prayed for the most blessed Virgin that is aboue intercession exceeding all the Angels in sanctity But t is great pity that the extream wantoness of Mr. Whits witt should so carry him away and soe harden his mouth and fortifie his stomack as to disgest a morsell of doctrine that by his own confession contradicts the generall practice of the whole Church Furthermore to cleare more amply all these and other obiections which sectaries commonly draw from vncertainties and intricacies of Church lyturgyes to preiudice Catholick verities there is nothing of absurdity or inconueniency if we answere them that the holy church represents therin the departure of Saints out of the world that is the exact time when their souls were remouing out of their bodyes for example in the Mass for the dead when t' is celebrated for such as died some hundred yeares afore the Church in that prayer of the offertory Our lord Iesus Christ deliuer the souls of all the faithfull departed from the paines of hell from the deep lake from the lions mouth let not bell swallow them vp represēts those souls vnto Christ as if euen then they were departing and considers them as if euen then they were in the agonie of death and therby noe lye is committed for a Priest celebrating the Mass of the fourth sunday in Aduent does truly say without lying Drop down yee Heauens from aboue and let the clouds raine the iust Send downe the lambe the ruler of the earth Because the Church therby only represents the humble supplications of the ancient Patriarks and Prophets for the accelerating of Christs preordained coming into the world as if they were present in that moment of time when those holy Fathers soe prayed And truly that glorious Emperour Charles the first by the aduice of his Ghostly Father commanded that his funerall should be celebrated and the office and the Mass likewise of the dead sung for him as if he had been dead indeed when he was aliue The premisses euidence enough the true sense and meaning of the Churches lyturgyes against all
prinat spirit is condemned for example in the old law Numb 12. God was angry with Mary Moyses Sister and Aaron because they had detracted from Moyses she saying hath our lord spoken only by Moyses hath be not spoken also by vs and Ierem. 23. Heare not the words * S. Hieron ait falsos illos prophetas referre baereticos qui sequuntur spirituÌ„ suuÌ„ quia nequaquam inquit diuino instinctu sed proprio corde vaticinantur of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you and deceiue you they speak the visions of their own hearts and not out of the mouth of our lord and Ezech. 13. God saith thus woe vnto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit yet say the lord saith it albeit I haue not spoken likewise in the new law this priuat spirit is condemned for in the primary age of the Church (f) Eusebius l. 3. hist Eccles cap. 12. attests that Cherintus besides his other prophane nouelties fained subtil delusions as reuealed vnto him by the ministery of Angels and according to the same Eusebius l. 5. cap. 15. Montanus and Maximilla were carried away with delusions of the like nature for among the reasons why they were cut of from the Church of God one was because they pretended vnto speciall reuelations and the Church declared that it was a thing contrary to the custom and practice down from the Apostles till those times that any particular person should presume to haue a priuat spirit reuealing vnto him matters pertaning to christian faith Cherintus was counted an Heretick for pretending vnto priuat reuelations in the spreading of sundry absurd doctrines and in as much as he asserted that Iesus-Christ was not come in the flesh Saint Ioan. Apostle Epis 1. cap. 4. writeth to the faithfull against him thus Dearly beloued belieue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false prophets are gon out into this world hereby you shall know the spirit of God euery spirit which confesseth that Iesus-Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus-Christ is come in the flesh is not of God Yet althought the Apostle vsed that analogie in order to this true article of faith Iesus-Christ is come in the flesh as a certain signe to shew the falshood of Cherintus assertion neuertheless he did not mean to establish it for a generall rule to distinguish euery good from euery ill spirit or euery true from euery false doctrine for the Pelagians and sundry ancient sectaries are counted Hereticks both by Lutherans and Caluinists albeit they acknowleged the mistery of the Incarnation But the generall rule for the trying of spirits Saint Iohn clearly expresseth a very little after in his same Epistle saying Wee Apostles are of God he that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of god heareth vs not hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour In regard his first particular rule was not sufficient enough to discerne between euery true and false doctrine that is to say between all true and false Teachers therfore he addeth this generall rule viz. To heare or not to heare vs Apostles Gouernours of the Church alluding to Christs own words set down I uc 10. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Saint Iohn spoke in the person of all the Apostles and their successors in Church Gouerment with whom is deposited christian doctrine receiued from the mouth of Christ and truly it is very probable that no one of the other Apostles was aliue when Saint Iohn writ his Epistle yet what Christ promised Mat. 28. behold I am with you alwayes untill the end of the world remained then in him and euen now in the Prelats of the Church that succeed the Apostles in the administration therof wherby it is cleare that the office of supream Iudge of coÌ„trouersies in debate concerning faith and religion is proper to ecclesiasticall authoritie only howeuer in as much as no man can come vnto Christ except the Father which hath sent him draw him Ioa. 6. inward grace of the holy Ghost is necessarily required to belieue in and loue God aright vnto the obseruation of his ordinances and law of which is meant the prophesies Ierem. 31. I will put my law saith our lord in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Isa 50. and all thy children shall be taught of our lord to witt by inward grace which excludeth not outward Teachers for faith is by heareing and hearing importeth outward Teachers Moyses and the Prophets of those daies taught the people in as much as they declared vnto them outwardly the lawes of God affording nothing of inward help to the seeking of them but Christ truly God cloathed with human flesh taught by himselfe in our new law both outwardly preaching the doctrine of faith and inwardly instilling into the hearts of his people inward grace for the embracing of it and afterward before his ascention into heauen appointed outward visible Teachers and promised withall his own inward inuisible concurrence with them to the end of the world Wherfore doubtless the alledged scripturs will show only the maiority of Christ compared to Moyses and the Prophets in order to teaching matters of faith and religion together (g) According to holy scripture Io. 1. the law was giuen by Moyses but grace and truth came by Iesus-Christ The old law pointed at sin onely and made it known but the new law furnishes grace to fulfill it and purge out of our souls the leauen of sin with the plenteous measure of grace especially annexed to the new law in respect wherof it is stiled the law of grace neither is this necessity of outward Teachers excluded by the saying of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 2. he that is spirituall discerneth all things and he himselfe is iudged of noe man Ioa. 1. Eps cap. 2. ye need not that any man teach you but as his vnction teacheth you all things and it is true and is notlying and Saint Ioa. 1. Eps cap. 5. he that belieueth in the son of God hath the testimony of God in himselfe for as to the first text Saint Paul spoke of the spirituall man only that is to say of such beliuers as were perfect and knowing of christian doctrine and therby apt to discern false opinions and conceiue the high mysteries of faith declared by word of mouth or writing which is not to exclude outward Teachers and that this is the true meaning appeareth by the Apostle himselfe because he says in the very same Chapter set down We speak wisdom among them that are perfect and we speake wisdom in a mystery wherby he seâ—teth the spirituall maÌ„ against the naturall man that is versed only in the wisdom of the world or in the knowledge of naturall things and in the third Chapter of the same Epistle