a Priest so Aquinas in 4. dist 17. q. 3. art 3. or he may have the Eucharist administred to him without a Priest and it is their common doctrine that the Eucharist justifies one that is in mortal sin if he be attrite and thinks but himself contrite yea he may administer it to himself with the same effect in case of necessity divers of all sorts amongst them are of this opinion The Authority of Aquinas is alledged for it 3. q. 82. art 3. and Cajetan in Matth. 26. The example of the Queen of Scots commonly produced who having the Sacrament by her administred it to her self is highly approved by all Thus far Satan has prevailed with them to promote the Damnation of Sinners by hardning them in impenitence even when the interest of their Priests seems a little concerned But what if a Catholick Sinner relying upon such Impostors still neglect true Repentance and death surprize him so suddenly as to render these other devices unpracticable is not his case then desperate No he may have as good hopes of Salvation as other Catholicks have a probable ground for his hope and none must have any certainty Such a ground is the judgement of their Angelical Doctor who declares that if one sick desires pennance and before the Priest comes he dyes or is speechless the Priest may look on him as if he had confessed and may absolve him being dead Opusc 63. de offic Sacerd. Accordingly Clemens 8. Absolved one whom he saw falling from St. Peters Church in Rome Molfes t. 1. tr 7. c. 5. n. 48. So that any may be Absolved i. e. Pardoned and Sanctified for the sense of the Priests Absolvo is I give thee grace which pardons thy sins Impendo tibi gratiam remissivam peccatorum ut communiter Doctores in Jo. Sanc. disp 27. n. 18. even after they are dead if they did but desire confession before Now those amongst themselves who do not desire confession while they live are such only as will not have Salvation if they might upon the most trivial terms and so none need fear Damnation how impenitent soever otherwise they live and dye but such as are worse than any Devil now in Hell And who can accuse them as too rigid if they make true Repentance unavoidably necessary for such as these since this doctrine makes it needful for none besides All these ways any man may be saved without true Repentance if he will believe the Roman Doctors though if we believe Christ he shall certainly perish that repents not what-ever course he takes besides Any of these are probable and may be by their principles having grave Doctors more than enough to authorize them safely followed but that of the Councils prescribing is infallible and will not fail to secure those who practise it if any thing in their Church may have credit nor can fail to ruine those who follow it if the word of God may be trusted Thus while they would increase their party by having it thought that in their way scarce any Roman Catholick will be Damned they take the course in this as in other particulars that none who wâ—ll follow them can be saved unless salvation be for the impenitent Sect. 9. By this it is also manifest that the charge brought against them in the three last Articles for making Saving Faith Love to God and true Repentance needless in life or death is not founded only upon the opinion of their private Doctors or the greatest part of them but hath that which they count the surest ground of all the determination of a general Council confirmed by the Pope For if Attrition be sufficient as that Council declares then true Repentance is not necessary If grief for sin out of slavish fear or shame only without any love to God be enough then Love to God is needless and if Love be not needful then Faith which works by Love and is the only saving Faith is needless till there be no time for it to work But is it credible that they who sometimes seem to lay so great stress upon these graces as necessary to salvation should contradict not only the Scriptures but themselves and make them needless not only all a mans life before but even when he is dying sure they must have some device to supply in pretence at least the want of these if not before yet at the point of death and will substitute something in their stead of supposed equivalence to them Indeed they are fruitful in inventions tending to ruine souls and subvert the doctrine of salvation and one particularly they have in this case and that is what we before mentioned their Sacrament of Pennance When a man is near death if he be Attrite and confess his mortal sins to a Priest and be absolved by vertue thereof he hath remission of sins and together therewith infusion of grace particularly of Faith Hope and Charity Thus they come to have grace in a moment who lived graceless all their days before and had dyed so if such a Rite had not been provided for their relief By vertue of this Sacrament Love is planted in their heart and their Faith in God and sorrow for sin is formed by Love and becomes saving so that if they dye presently in that state their salvation is secured But what if they live must not these habits be afterwards exercised must not there be some act of contrition in those who never had any before No by their doctrine there is no necessity for it though there be no true actual Repentance without it The question is in one of their greatest Divines Whether (u) An etiam in lege gratiae post obtentam justificationem per Sacramentum paenitentiae cum sola attritione maneat haec obligatio habendi contritionem Dicendum est per se loquendo non manere in lege nova obligationem hanc post praedictam justificationem Ita sentiunt omnes qui putant Sacrameneum paenitentiae justificare cum sola attritione cognita Suarez tom 4. disp 15. Sect. 4. n. 12. 13. in the Law of Grace after justification obtained by the Sacrament of Pennance with Attrition alone there remain any obligation to have Contrition and it is resolved that there is no such obligation and that this is the judgment of all those who hold that the Sacrament of pennance doth justifie with Attrition alone known to be so and (x) Aquinas Scotus Paludanus Capreolus Durandus Adrian Antoninus Sylvester Cano ibid. disp 20. Sect. 1. n. 9. Corduba Vega Soto in Vasquoz Corduba docet quod qui justificatus est Sacramento paenitentiae cum contritione tantum existimata non tenetur eorundem peccatuoâ—m contriâ—ionem veram habere eam aperte colligere licet ex Soto ita Vega. in 3. Thom. q. 86. a 2. d. 2. n. 11. these are the most for number and the most considerable for authority in their Church and Schools Aquinas and Scotus both
44. art Yet as we saw before it is their common doctrine that the Eucharist may be worthily received without any act of love or other grace or any actual disposition that is gracious Maldonate and others Now if the precept of Love may be fulfilled by external acts or by endeavours to observe the other commands of God then it requires not the exercise of the inward act of love to him and so there will be no command for that at all nor will it be a duty and all these other commands may be satisfied without any act of love to God in the heart and we shall love him enough though we never conceive any actual love for him in our souls Fifthly It will satisfie the precept if a man believe that he loves God above all though indeed he do not So Lopez (d) Satis est ad evitandum peccatum omissionis hujus praecepti probabiliter quis credat se illud implere tempore quo occurrit ejus obligatio cap. 40. p. 217. It is enough to avoyd the sin of neglecting this Precept for one to believe probably that be fulfils it at the time when its Obligation occurrs Navar had concluded this before him (e) â—…de eum qui diligit Deum probabiliter cred ns se esse in statu gratiae subindeque suum amorem esse amorem Dei super omne aliud quamvis in rei veâ—itate non sit hujusmodi nâ—qâ—e sit in codem statu nihilominus tamen adimplere hoc praeceptum quoad effectum evitandi noâ—um peccalum quod admitteretur ob omissionem implementi ejus quoniam sine speciali revelatione scire non potest quis quando est in statu gratiae ut definit Conc. Trident. Et â—…a nisi hoc teneamus nequiremus scire quando hoc praeceptum impleremus Cap. 11. n. 10. He that believes God probably believing that he is in the state of Grace and that his Love is a love of God above all although in Truth it is no such thing nor he in such a state nevertheless the Precept is fulfilled by him so far that he is not then guilty of no sin for omitting the observance of it he adds this reason for it Because without special revelation no man can know when he is in the state of Grace as the Councel of Trent determines and so unless we maintain this we cannot know when we fulfil the Precept Thus though his determination seem strange and desperate yet the ground he proceeds on is a principle of their Faith and obligeth all to be of his perswasion who submit to that Council He declares himself further to this purpose (f) Peccat mortaliter qui eo tempore Deum amare negligit quo sub peccati mortalis reatu tâ—netur veluti quando mórtis periculum vel necessitas recipiendi vel administrandi aliquod Sacramentum se obtulit nisi probabiliter crederet se gratiam vel charitatem habere idem ibid. n. 20. He sins mortally who loves not God at that time when he is bound to do it under the pain of mortal sin that is when there is danger of death or necessity of receiving or administring a Sacrament unless he probably believe that he hath Grace or Charity For then he would have us believe it is not sin as his limitation shews Here we have the times specified wherein the Precept of loving God obligeth and these are but two and the latter of them himself expungeth concluding it false that we are bound to love God at a Sacrament (g) Ibid. n. 8. 9. supra So that a man is never bound to love God but when he apprehends death approaching no nor at the point of death neither if then he probably believe that he hath Grace and Charity though he have it not for such a presemption will excuse him from sin if he love not God as all his life before so even when he is dying Thus is the case resolved according to their common principles by the most learned and the most pious of their Casuists as (h) Martinus Aspilcaeta Navarrus vir doctissimus Pijssimus De script Eccles p. 313. Bellarmine honours him though he was none of the Society Sixthly attrition with the Sacrament of Pennance will excuse any from loving God actually living or dying and will secure him from perishing eternally though he never entertain an Act of love for God in life or death The Doctrine of their Church obligeth them all to believe this and if any of their Doctors seem to say otherwise they contradict either that or themselves For their Church requires nothing precisely to put a man into the state of Grace and Salvation living or dying how long so ever he hath persisted in enmity against God how highly so ever he hath expressed his hatred of him but only a due partaking of the Sacrament of Pennance and he is sufficiently qualified for such a participation if he be but attrite that is as they explain it if he have but some remorse for sin out of servile fear not out of love to God For (i) In quantum servilis est contrariatur charitati So Aquinas 2. 2. q. 19. art 4. that fear as servile is contrary to the love of God so that for this which they count sufficient to secure his eternal state even at last gasp he needs not any act of love to God and this is not only the opinion of particular Doctors but as I shall shew hereafter the Doctrine of the (*) Sess 14. c. 4. Council of Trent and so not only probable with them but certain If a man at the point of death who never had an act of love for God in all his life do thou ask his Confessor whether such an act be needful for him before he dye if the Priest tell him it is not necessary he may safely give up the Ghost and dye as he lived without any actual affection for God for though he be deluded by his Confessor yet consulting him he has done his endeavour and so his (*) Sum. Rosel v. ignorunt n. 1. Bonacin de peccat disp 2. q. 8. punct 3. p. 16. Sta. Clara. Problem 15. p. 87. Doctores communiter ignorance they say is invincible and will excuse him And the Priest must tell him that it is more than needs if he believe the Council of Trent since there it is declared that the Sacrament with attrition though this include something repugnant to such love is enough to justifie and pass any into a state of grace and consequently is sufficient for Salvation And thus they argue (*) Dicendum quod gratia est sufficiens causa gloriae unde omne illud sine quo obtineri poâ—est â—ratia non est de necessitate saluâ—is Aquinas in 4. dist 9. art 1. Grace is a sufficient cause of glory hence whatever it is without which grace may be obtained that is not necessary to Salvation By which
precept But are we bound to love our Brother when there is necessity No not when he is in such necessity as is extream and consequently never for though it be requisite that we help him in that condition yet we sin not if we do not help him out of Christian love it is enough to avoid sin if we relieve him out of natural affection Thus Navarre (b) Putamus non peccaturum eum qui hunc amorem charitativum non conciperet ergâ— eum qui eam pateretur extremam necessitatem vitae corporeae si modo alio amore naturaâ— inferiore diâ—ino ei opitularetur Navar. cap. 14. n. 9. Lopez cap. 53. p. 274. And this holds not only in the external necessities of others but also in those that are spiritual only he saith that it very rarely falls out that one can relieve spiritual necessities without this Christian love but he tells us also (c) Cap. 24. n. 9. Raro tamen ejusmodi necessitatem patitur Christianus quum pâ— contritionem absque alia ope salvari possit That a Christian is rarely in such necessity So that though it cannot be done without Christian love but very seldome that will not make such love a duty at any time because the external act needs not be done but seldome Yea if the external act also whereby we should relieve the Soul of our Brother be neglected it 's with them no great matter For as Cajetane determines (d) Pusillanimitas quando retrahit ex alijs utilibus proximo praecipue saluti animâ—rum licet veniale sit grave tamen est Sum. v. pusillan p. 485. That weakness of mind which witholds us from those things which are profitable to our Neighbour especially for the Salvation of Souls though it be grievous it is but a venial fault In short what ever be the circumstances of our Brother yet we may be excused from loving him indeed if we do but think we do it For Navarre (*) Lopez cap. 53. p. 275. Satisfacit praecepto de diligendo proximum qui extâ—… statum gratiae putans se verisimiliter in eo statu gratiae esse and others tell us that he who honestly thinks himself to be in the state of grace when he is not may satisfie this command for Christian love by some other kind of affection so that it is enough to think that we have this love when we have it not and this is confirmed by a Reason (e) Videtur nobis non peccare neve il'um qui bona side credens se esse in statu gratiae cum tamen non sit adimplet praeceptum de diligendo Deum ex charitate quando ad id est obligatus ita a fortiori satisfacere videtur praecepto de diligendo proximo ex charitate qui extra statum gratiae illud implet putans verisimiliter se in co esse Navar. ibid. a fortiori because it is so in our obligation to love God Thus one dangerous errour is grounded upon another and by such arts we are discharged from all Christian affection to God or Men. But we need not stay longer here All necessity of this love they quite take away by making it needless to love God the connexion between these being indissoluble by their own account (f) Amor supernaturalis divinus seu charitativus vel charitas infusa qua proximum amamus est ejusdem generis naturae cujus est amor Dei charitativus seu charitas secundum S. Thom. Nam licet objectum materiale amoris charitativi proximi sit idem proximus objectum tamen formale sive ratio vel causa amoris est ipsa divina infinita bonitas quae nihil aliud est quam ipse Deus ut idem S. Thom. explicatus ibi a Cajetano Idem ibid. n. 6. Charitas est dilectio qua diligitur Deus propter se proximus propter Deum vel in Deo Pet. Lombard dist 27. Dilectio proximi nihil aliud est quam quidam Dei amor Soto de Just l. 7. q. 5. a. 1. p. 242. vid. Suar. tom 3. disp 81. Sect. 8. p. 1078. If any will not rely upon consequences Cajetan tells them (1) Catherin annot adv Cajet p. 268. that the command to love our Neighbour as our self obliges not to a love of charity i. e. to that special love which was alwayes thought till the Roman Doctors taught otherwise to be the great duty required of all Christians by the Gospel By the Doctrine of Aquinas (2) 2. 2. q. 15. a 8. Quodl 4. art 24. ad 1. The precept requires no special act of love to our Brethren no formal or (3) Suar. de Charitate disp 5. Sect. 4. n. 4. Jo. Sanc. disp 1. n. 21. internal act at all nor any exterior that will signifie more than the want of hatred This is the common Doctrine amongst his devoutest followers the Dominicans (4) Vid. Acacium de Velasco in Guinen p. 139. Others express it thus (5) Vid Vasquez in 3. tom 3. q. 90. art 1. dub 40. dilectionis proximi ex cbaritate cujus praecepti affirmativi ego nullum tempus video Satis est nihil contra ipsum facere vid. Jo. Sanc. disp 1. n. 21. There is no affirmative precept for love to our Neighbour no time for it it is enough that we do nothing against him Thus so great a part of the whole sum of the Law and the Prophets and all the rules of the Gospel leading us to Brotherly love and the special expressions of it are snapt off short and we reach all that they oblige us to do by doing nothing we love them well enough though we neither will nor do them good if only we do them no mischief or do no more for them than may be done without inward affection or any Christian Charity Sect. 6. It would be tedious to pursue this in all particular vertues The generals which they acknowledge will serve for the rest They confess (g) Cognitio apprehensiva praeexigitur quidem ad fidem Bellarm. that knowledge must go before faith and that faith is (h) Fides est fundamentum spei charitatis Idem Fides generat spem spes charitatem Aquinas 1. 2. q. 65. art 4. the foundation of Charity and that charity or love to God which hath its rise and being from faith (i) Charitas est forma radix omnium virtutum Aquinas ibid. q. 62. art 4. is the form and root of all vertues They all agree in it nor is it only evident by their own confession but also by the nature of the things themselves that other vertues depend upon Knowledge Faith and Love for their being or exercise For example without love to God proceeding from faith there can be no delight in God nor desires to enjoy him Delight and desire are but love in several postures Desire is love in its motion and delight is love in its
rest There can be no (k) Spirituale gaudium quod de Deo habetur ex charitatis dilectione oritur Aquin. 2. 2. q. 28. art 1. delight in enjoying that which we love not nor can the enjoyment of it be desirable So also there can be no filial fear without love for love is essential to it and thereby it is distinguished from that which is slavish Ingenuous (l) Timor castus sive amicalis quo timemus ne Sponsus tardet ne discedat ne offendamus ne eo careamus timor iste de amore venit Mag. sentent 3. dist 34. Timor ex amore generatur Bonavent 3. dist 34. n. 83. quanto aliquis plus habet de spiritu amoris tanto plus habet de spiritu timoris Idem ibid. n. 87. vid. Aquin. 2. 2. q. 19. fear springs from love and is nourished by it and increaseth or declines with it It cannot be nor act but when and where love is and is acted So that together with love the fear of God and the acts of it are cashiered even all due Reverence of him and care not to offend him (*) Licet nonnulli existiment dari speciale praeceptum horum timorum ita ut eorum defectu speciale peccatum committatur oppositum tamen docetur communiter longeque est probabilius Pet. S. Joseph de 1 praecepto p. 55. It is their common Doctrine that there is no special command either for servile or filial fear of God so that the want of it need neither be confessed nor repented of So likewise There can be no hatred of sin or sorrow for it as it is an offence or dishonour to God (*) Nulla virtus est vera virtus sine charitate Aquinas nor any true vertue at all without love nor love without faith nor faith without knowledg Now these radical graces being rendred needless by their Doctrine as I have declared before They hereby stubb up all the rest by the Roots so that neither sprigg nor bud thereof can be expected To tell us after this that they count any exercise of Christian vertue needful is as if a man should take the spring out of his watch and then perswade us seriously that he counts it very necessary it should still go and the Wheels be always in regular motion Sect. 7. But let us stay here a little longer and observe how their principles concerning love particularly disingage all from any exercise of vertue and every act that is truly Christian They take notice in vertue of a goodness that is merely Moral such as may be found in Heathens and of a goodness that is Divine and supernatural such as ought to be in Christians This latter they tell us is derived from their end when in the exercise of them they are referred to God as our supernatural end and acted for his sake (m) Vid Navar. cap. 14. n. 7. with an intent to please him They (n) Convenit inter omnes ut opus referri debeat in Deum ut finem supernaturalem si futurum sit meritorium vitae aeternae at opera virtutum caeterarum non referuntur in Deum ut finem supernaturalem nisi a charitate imperentur dirigantur c. Bellarm. de justific l. 5. cap. 15. p. 958. declare further That they cannot be thus referred to God without affection for him nor done with a design to please him unless they be done out of love to him and so must be at least IMPERATE acts of love that they may be Choistian acts and any thing better than nature in the Heathen might reach And yet they conclude as appears before by variety of Testimonies that we are not obliged to observe any command or act any other vertue out of love to God They find no (o) Non obligat pro semper sed certis opportunisque temporibus extra quae ideo tempora non est cur obligemur caetera ex charitate praestare Soto de Just l. 2. q. 3. art 10. time at all when we are obliged to this unless it be when we are bound to have an inward act of love for God but when this is they never agree except in this that it may be never For those who seem to say that it should be sometime though but seldome or but once for all in other words signifie it need not be at all since they assign something else which may serve instead of it when ever it may be thought requisite Thus according to their Rule in indefinite precepts their wise men have determined if their School-Doctors or Casuists or their Council of Trent will pass for wise Now being thus discharged from doing any thing out of love They are thereby exempted from all Christian acts and any other Christianity as to the exercise of vertue their honest Heathenisme It 's true They hold they cannot be saved without meritorious acts and cannot well think them meritorious if they be no better than merely Heathenish they should one would think have some Christian character upon them and this of love (p) Vid. Bellarm. Supra particularly that they may merit Salvation and if they disingage their Catholicks from this they make it not needful for them to be saved But I cannot help that seeing they will have it so If they think there is no necessity their Catholicks should be Christians as they do when they make no Act truly Christian needful for them they conclude it not necessary for them to be saved unless they believe that such as are no Christians can be heirs of salvation Their Church Pope or Council or who-ever it is must provide them some other Heaven since that which is prepared for Christians they need not no one step of the way to it being needful for them All the necessity laid upon them by the Popish profession is not for salvation but for something else they must be Roman Catholicks but they need not be true Christians they must be the Popes subjects but they need not be Christs Disciples and this and the rest because they need not learn of him one Christian act while they live Sect. 8. Moreover all exercise of Virtues so opposite to Acts in their account but venially evil is with them unnecessary And this goeth neer not only to discharge all acts of Virtue which are required of Christians but such also as were found even in Pagans This is grounded upon their doctrine concerning venial sins these with them are not necessarily to be avoyded being either not prohibited by any command as most of them hold or by no command necessary to be observed as some of them had rather express it and therefore no need that the virtuous acts opposite to them should be practised Upon this account no exercise of Virtue will be necessary but what is consistent with the vicious acts contrary thereunto in any degrees of wickedness which they think Venial no acts of Temperance Sincerity Righteousness Truth or
make a shift without it if any one among all the Members have it but. And one act of it in a whole life may serve The ruder sort may be help'd to this act which will serve once for all by making the sign of the Cross as their grave Divines direct them Sect. 3. to page 119. CHAP. V. NO necessity of true Repentance for any sort of sins by their Doctrine Of original sin or the corruption of our natures no man can be obliged to Repent Sect. 1. to page 121. It is as needless for those many and divers of them horrid sins which they count venial What pretty expedients they have to expiate these without Repentance Sect. 2. to page 123. For mortal sins some teach there is no Divine command to Repent And so to live and dye impenitently will be no Transgression No need of it any way either as a duty injoyn'd or as a Medium Sect. 3. to page 125. Others who confess there is a command for it will not have it oblige any sinner presently No sin nor danger to defer Repentance Nor will they have it needful at such times and occasions which if any would be the necessary seasons for it Not at solemn times of Worship Not on days of fasting Not when visited with great calamities Not when sins are brought to their Remembrance Not when they address themselves to their Sacraments no not that of Penance Sect 4. 5. to page 131. No need to Repent till one be at the point of death Nor is it so needful then or any time before but something else may serve without it A Repentance without any sensible sorrow for or actual resolution against sin is sufficient Or a penitence merely natural may suffice Or a slight remorse in the lowest degree possible one act of it dispatch'd in an instant and never repeated will be enough Or if a man conceive that he truly repents though really he does not this may serve the turn Or if he know that he does not repent sufficiently yet if he signifie that he would grieve more and is sorry that he does not this will be effectual Or attrition with the Sacrament will unquestionably justifie him Attrition with them far distant from true Repentance Several sorts of it Any of them seem sufficient by the Council of Trent The general concurrence of their Divines for the sufficiency of Attrition yet the best sort of it confessed to be morally evil Sect. 6. 7. to page 144. When they have excluded true Repentance by Attrition they reduce Attrition to nothing yet will have it still sufficient The least servile dislike of sin in the lowest degree though it be gone in a moment though it be merely natural is enough Or if there be but a dislike that this dislike is wanting Or a willingness to have it in those who have it not Or a mans thinking probably that he hath it when he hath it not Or a willingness without it to receive the Sacrament will serve the turn Yea even without their Sacrament of Penance Attrition with the Eucharist or extreme unction or the Mass or without any Sacrament at all may procure pardon What ways Attrition may secure them when they cannot have a Priest or the Rites proper to Priests while they live or after they are dead without them Sect. 8. to page 148. This Doctrine which makes saving saith love to God and true Repentance needless is established by the Council of Trent Their Sacrament of Penance hath no ground in the Word of God And being taught to depend on it for pardon and to neglect the things of most necessary importance to salvation it proves a most damning Imposture Their Doctrine thus making Repentance needless plainly destroyes Christianity debauches the Lives and ruines the Souls of sinners And is one of the most pernicious Heresies that ever was broached Sect. 9. 10. 11. to page 152. CHAP VI. THeir Doctrine leaves no necessity of Holiness of life It is enough to denominate their universal Church holy if there be but one holy man in it One act of charity the least of all may make one a holy man Other Maxims of this tendency How they destroy the necessity of holy life by making it needless to exercise vertue and avoid sin Sect. 1. to page 154. How they make the exercise of Christian vertues unnecessary in general more particularly hope one of the three Divine vertues fares no better than faith and love They leave themselves no good ground of hope Their hope a Conjecture founded upon a delusion The precept for hope obliges not but in the more grievous assaults of despair So that not one of a Thousand in Popery need have any hope in God No not any since the command for it may be satisfied by other acts Sct. 2. 3. page 157. Their Doctrine leaves no room for no ground of Humility no sense of sinfulness weakness unworthiness 'T is pregnant with Pride and Arrogance Sect. 4. to page 159. Brotherly love unnecessary by their Doctrine No need of love to any unless in necessity Nor then though the necessity be extreme if we help them though not out of Christian love This extended not only to external but spiritual necessities If the acts whereby we should relieve their Souls be neglected it may pass for a small fault Those who have no Christian love if they believe they have it may be excused from sin No precept requires any special act of love to our Brethren No affirmative command for such love 'T is enough that we do nothing against them Sect. 5. to page 162. In destroying the necessity of those radical Graces instanced in before they root out the rest Particularly those that depend upon love to God viz. Delight in God desires to injoy him hatred of sin sorrow for it as an offence to God and filial fear By their common Doctrine there 's no special command for any fear of God So that the want of all fear of God filial or servile is no special sin Since they need not act out of love they exempt themselves from all acts truly Christian and any other Christianity than honest Heathenism All exercise of vertues opposite to acts accounted but venially evil is with them needless The monstrous consequences of this Sect. 6. 7. 8. to page 164. A special expedient whereby they make the exercise of Christian vertues unnecessary is their turning the commands of God into Counsels such as need not be observed Such they count many of those excellent rules in Christ's Sermon on the Mount These and many others specified More instances in vertues which concern our selves God and others in acts of temperance and contentment in acts of Religion and in acts of Righteousness and Mercy Also Mortification crucifying the World self-denyal taking up the Cross and all growth in grace is but matter of Counsel So is every degree of grace above the lowest of all Yea all commands for
is (e) Esset enim hoc Christianorum animos irretire in arctissimas angustias conjicere nempe quod tam crebro ad rem tam arduam teneremur ibid. that this would be to ensnare Souls and cast them into grievous straits if so harsh a duty as an act of love to God were injoyned so frequently Another is (f) Ejusmodi praecepta non obligant ad charitatis modum sed possunt quantum ad substantiam operis extra charitatem impleri ibid. that all the commands of God as to the substance of them may be fully accomplished without love to God and therefore this It is good Divinity with them That we are not bound to worship God out of love The Masse saith Navar (g) Nam missa quam in illis diebus praecipimur audire recte audiri potest sine tali amore actu concepto unde raâ—i vel nulli se hujus omissionis accusant Cap. 11. n. 7. fest de vid. Suar. l. 2. c. 16. which we are commanded to hear on those dayes and nothing else may be heard well enough without any such act of love So Bellarmine (h) Non tenemur in dicbus festis ex praecepto peculiari ad non peccandum sive ad actum contritionis vel dilectionis Dei ibid. we are not bound on these dayes by any particular precept not to sin or to have any act of contrition or any act of love to God what not one act of love to God no he will prove it one of his arguments is (i) Ecclesia determinavit tempus modum observandi jus divinum de observatione praeceptorum at Ecclesia nusquam praecipit actus illos interiores Ibid. because the Church hath determined the time and manner how Divine Law is to be observed in keeping this command but the Church no where requires inward acts she thinks it seems that God may be served sufficiently with the Masse without any sense oâ— sin or love to God And thus all those other graces and affections that flow from Repentance or love or necessarily depend thereon as filial fear spiritual desires delight in God c. will be no duty on their Masse-dayes their Masse hath nothing to do with them Confessions of sin there may be well enough without Godly sorrow and Petitions without desires and Praises without complacence or ingenuous gratitude because all is well enough without love to God or grief for offending him and that on all these dayes wherein they are obliged to hear Masse If you would see any thing of the worship of God in the Masse it is as if you look for the life and nature of a man in a Picture and such an one as will not so much as shew you his colour or figure but very rudely The precept for observing Masse-dayes as Sylvester (a) Non est simpliciter de sine i. e. ipsa vacatione circa Deum vel necessario requisitis ad illam sed de abstinentia a servilibus auditione missa v. Dominic n. 8. tells us requires not the end that is waiting upon God nor what is necessarily requisite thereto but the hearing of Masse Not waiting on God but hearing Masse These are distinct things and disjoyned in the sense of the Roman Doctors the one is commanded the other is not so that they may duly hear Masse all their lives and yet not wait on God one moment the former they must do the latter they are not obliged to regard nor any thing that necessarily belongs to it (b) Quamvis finis hujus praecepti sit vt homo Deo vacet ipsoque fruatur in eo quiescat ut docuit S. Thomas quando tamen finis praecepti est aliud a re praecepta tunc non cadit sub praeceptum sicut idem S. Thomas Communiter receptus c. 13. n. 2. p. 198. Navar asserts this and would prove it by reason and the Authority of Aquinas herein generally followed In short if there be any worship required in the Masse it is merely external and that disjoyned from the inward service of the Soul is but a mere shew or vizour of worship as they themselves confess in their lightsomer intervals well but is it worship in any sense is there any thing Religious required of the people herein for this they tell us it is enough if it be an humane act no more is enjoyned (c) Neque tale praeceptum obligat ad alium actum interiorem quam ad illum qui propter exteriorem est necessarius scil vere audire missam ea attentione ut sit actus humanus Soto ibid. p. 51. the precept obligeth not but to hear so that it may be an humane act saith (*) Praeceptum audiendi missam non obligat nisi taliter audire ut sit actus humanus Idem l. 10. q. 5. art 5. p. 341. Soto and (d) Saâ— est quod sit actus humanus Jac. de Graff l. 2. c. 34. n. 8. Satis est sit actus humanus Lopez c. 52. p. 271. others and if it suffice that it be a humane act it needs not be Religious Let it be deliberate that is enough to make it a humane act and then though there be no Religious motion or intention in it the precept is fulfilled Sylvester confirms us herein the precept saith he is given unto men and therefore the work must not be the issue only of the imagination which is common to us with Beasts it must proceed from deliberation which requires some attention (a) Praeceptum datur hominibus ideoque oportet ut non procedat opus ex sola imaginatione quae communis nobis est cum bestiis sed ex deliberatione quae attentionem requirit c. v. hora n. 13. vid. Angelus v. hor. n. 27. So that there is something more required of one that goes to Masse than of a Beast but that is before he comes there if he advance but to it as a man he may be excused even from humane acts when he is at it he needs neither exercise his understanding nor his senses He needs not (b) Nemo teneatur ex praecepto audire minus intelligere verba sacerdotis quia satis est vel ex longinquo missanti adesse Navar. c. 21. n. 8. understand it that is far from being a duty they have made it impossible it 's no sin either for Priests (c) Clerici vel laici qui Divinis intersunt si non intelligunt quae dicunt non peccant Jac. de Graff l. 2. c. 51. n. 12. or people not to know what they do so reasonable is their service The Latin makes it unintelligible enough but if it were in a Language less known if in (d) Si audiret missam Mocaravem compleret Lopez c. 42. Mosarabike or Greek those who are present without any but their Mother-Tongue fulfil the precept As (e) Qui Graecam missam audiret satisfaceret praecepto etiam
without it no man is in the state of grace or favour with God This is the righteousness whereby they are justified and their sins pardoned i. e. abolished for that is pardon with them and their Souls sanctified for justification and sanctification is all one in their reckoning This is it which is the life and spirit of all other graces and vertues say they without which the best of them are dead and unactive things and deserve not the name of vertues (a) Nulla virtus nec ejus actus acceptatur sine charitate quae sola dividit inter silios regni perditionis Sta. Clar. probl 35. p. 244. And though they look not for Heaven unless they deserve it by their own works yet their works they say are of no worth without this (b) Nam opera quantumcunque moraliter bona si siant extra charitatem in statu peceati mortiferi absque dubio pereunt mortua reputantur quantum attinet ad gratiam gloriam promerendam Nav. c. 1. n. 29. Yea their indulgencies will not avail any thing without it (c) Bellarm. de paen tent l. 2. c. 14. p. 95â— So far therefore as love to God is unnecessary so far Regeneration and spiritual life a saving state and reconciliation with God justification pardon all graces and vertues all their own good works or their Churches indulgencies are unnecessary No further need of what either God or themselves have made necessary to salvation One would think if they had any desire of Heaven or fear of Hell or dread of their own Purgatory if they had any design for the salvation of Souls or any regard of what is saving they should be tender in this point above all and not abate any moment of its necessity But what they do herein let us see Indeed they make both the habitual and the actual love of God unnecessary First for habitual love they teach the Lord hath not at all commanded us to have the habit or principle of this love he no where requires that we should love him habitually (d) Certe non praecipit ut diligamus ex habitu infuso leges enim de actibus dantur non de habitibus De grat lib. arbitr l. 6. c. 7. p. 664. certainly saith Bellarmine the Lord hath not commanded that we should love him from an infused habit for Laws do not require habits Add to him one of the most eminent amongst the Dominicans (e) De amâ—citia habituali Dei nullum est praeceptum affirmativum pars 4. relect de paenitent p. 870. there is no affirmative precept for habitual love to God saith Melchior Canus I need alledge no more I find none of them questions it Now in that they do not make this love necessary as a duty they cannot account it necessary as a means For they (f) Aquinas 2. 2. q. 3. art 223. Ea quae sunt necessaria ad salutem cadere sub praecepto Canus ibid. p. 857. Ea omnia quae necessaria sunt necessitate medij censentur necessaria necessitate praecepti licet non quaecunque necessaria sunt necessitate praecepti sint etiam necessaria necessitate medij Bellarm. de paenit l. 2. c. 8. p. 935. Suarez l. 1. de Orat. c. 29. n. 2. ex D. Thom. 2. 2. q. 2. art 5. q. 3 art 2. 3. q. 68. a. 1. hold that all means necessary to salvation are commanded So that the habitual love of God by their Doctrine is no way necessary And this they teach not only of the habit of love but of all other graces the (g) Praeceptiones legis non sunt de habitibus non enim jubemur persolvere debita ex habitu justitiae aut liberalitatis sed tantum persolvere ad justum Nat. Grat. l. 1. c. 2â— p. 57. precepts of the Law are not for habits saith Soto we are not as he adds to pay what we owe from a habit of justice or liberality (h) Cum praecipit Deus ut juste sobrieque vivamus non imperat ut ista faciamus ex habitu sed tantum ut faciamus De grat lib. arb l. 6. c. 7. p. 664. When we are injoyned to live soberly and righteously we are not required to do so out of habit but only to do it saith Bellarmine and these instances they bring to shew that we are not obliged to do any thing out of a habit or principle of love to God Sect. 2. Secondly for actual love how can they account the acts of it needful when they make the habits or principle from whence the acts must flow to be unnecessary But let us view their Doctrine about this more distinctly The acts of love are either more forrain and remote which they call Imperate or native and proper which they call Elicite acts For the former all acts of Religion and Righteousness that they may be truly Christians such as the Gospel requires in order to Salvation that they may have a real tincture of Divine and supernatural goodness and be advanced above the pitch at which Heathen or graceless persons may arrive they must proceed from love to God and be ordered and directed by it This they sometimes not only confess but assert And yet notwithstanding they teach (*) Utrum tenemur conformare voluntatem in modo volendi cum Deo Resp secundum Alexand. Lombard in 1 dist 48. quod non absolute quoniam si homo honorat patrem suum non ex charitate sed ex benevolentia non peccat sed tenetur conditionaliter scil si vult mereâ—i vitam aeternam Angel sum v. voluntas n. 6. that it is not needful to perform any such acts or to observe any commands of God out of love to him (i) Praecepta Dâ—i non obligant ut perficiantur in charitate non enim peccat nec a Deo punitur qui debitum honorem impendit parentibus quamvis non habeat habitum pietatis ergo multo minus ecclesia obligat quenquam ut illud impleat in charitate Decis Aur. pars 2. l. 3. c. 17. n 10. p. 176. Non tamen tenemur semper operari ex charitate sed satis est operari ex aliqua honestate morali Suarez l. 1. de orat c. 30. n. 3. The commands of God saith de Graffijs doe not oblige us to perform them in love he clears his meaning by an instance For he sins not nor is punished of God who gives due honour to his Parents although he have not the habit of piety and so though he do it not out of such a principal much less adds he doth the Church oblige any one to observe the command in love (k) Non enim si finis praecepti charitas est tenemur proâ—inus omnia praecepta legis implere ex charitate Ex D. Thomae graviorum autorum sententia ad finem legislatoris minime teneamur sed ad media quae lex finis gratia
consequendi praescribit pars 4. relect de paenit p. 871. for if the end of the precept be love saith Canus we are not forthwith bound to observe all the commands out of love The reason is premised for in the opinion of Aquinas and the most grave Authours we are not bound to observe the end or intention of the Law-giver i. e. of Christ but the means which the Law prescribes in order to it Soto discourseth this at large and concludes (l) Actus charitatis consideratur ut est universalis conditio modus omnium virtutum Modus talis cha itatis non cadit sub praecepto quod est dicere in hoc praecepto Honora patrem matrem non includitur ut sint parentes ex Dei charitate honorandi sed quod exhibeatur eis exterior reverentia De just jur l. 2. q. 3. art 10. p. 44. Love being considered as the universal condition and mode of acting all vertues and performing all obedience such a mode of acting out of love is not commanded as when we are enjoyned to honour Parents the precept binds us not to honour them out of love to God This he delivers as the Doctrine of Aquinas and finds but (m) Dionysius Cisterciensis one Doctor amongst them of opinion that we are bound to do all out of love to God but (n) Haec autem opinio non solum falsa verum errori quam proxima est Trid. Synodo Can. 7. adversus Lutheranos damnata nempe cuncta opera quae extra Dei gratiam fiunt esse peccata ibid. condemns this as false and very near the Lutheran error condemned by the Council of Trent because then all acts done without grace would be sins So we must believe if we will not venture to fall under the condemnation of their Council that it is no sin not to obey God out of love to him that all acts of vertue and obedience whatsoever may be performed without sin though they be done without love to God that any man Baptized may be saved though he never act out of love to God no not so much as once while he lives though he perform not one act of a true Christian while he is on earth He can never perish for want of love to God in any or all the acts of his life for he will never be damned but for sin and to act without love to God is no sin Thus their chief Doctors determine and this they must all do in conformity to the decrees of their infallible Council and be deluded infallibly in a matter of no less consequence than the way to Heaven believing that they may arrive there without acts of love filial obedience or ingenuous observance of God in any thing that he hath commanded without ever acting as and so without being at all true Christians Sect. 3. But though they do not transgress other commands when they observe them without Love yet they may violate that special command which requires inward acts of Love if at that time when this obligeth they do not act out of Love Some of them seem to say this and we shall see what they make of it in the next place The nature and proper issue of Love is its internal act when the heart being possessed with a principle of divine Love to God in Christ actually loves him above all If this actual Love the inward act of it be not necessary as there will be no need of the habit that being but in order to acts so there will be no place for the Imperate Acts for those who would have us sometimes observe other commands out of Love yet never think this requisite but when the precept obligeth us to actual Love (o) Neque hoc praeceptum universum obligat ad suum ipsius modum sed quando occurrit articulus interne diligendi Soto ibid. Tenemur secundum Bonaventur pro loco tempore quum viz. tenemur exire in actum charitatis Angeli sum v. voluntas n. 6. hoc si habemus Charitatem Si autem non habemus non tenemur ad hoc sed ad aequivalens quoniam tenemur facere quod in nobis est ut eam habeamus ibid. Now whether there be any command for this act of Love or whether it oblige or when they are not agreed only in the issue they conspire to make the Commandement of no effect Some of them determine that the command to Love God with all our mind is not obliging which is all one as if they should say there is no command for it at all thus Stapleton one of the greatest Divines amongst them in his time (p) Hoc praeceptum diligendi Deum ex tota mente doctrinale est non obligatorium De Justific l. 6. t. 10. The precept of loving God with all our mind is dectrinal and not binding To the same effect others conclude there is no special precept of Love to God So Joh. Samcius (q) Disp 1. n 21. There is no special command in the Law of God for this but general says he By which he would have us understand that there is no Precept in particular for loving God none besides those Commands that require other things which if they be done we are discharged from any act of Love or inward Affection to him Aquinas is vouched for this and much alledged out of him (r) 2. 2. q 44. art 1. ad 3. art 4. ad 2. art 6. ad 2. 484. art 3. ad 2. to shew he was of this perswasion If there be any special Precept for this affection to God it is that which requires us to Love him with all the heart and soul and strength But this as Cardinal Cajetan (s) Comment in Deut. 16. in Catherin adv Cajet p. 268. declares does not oblige to the love of Charity And Bannez (t) Sanctus ibid. teaches that for natural Love there is no special command and so amongst them they leave no such command for any sort of Love to God at all The command to God with all our hearts Maldonat (u) Respondâ—o illud non speciale sed generale praeceptum esse in Luc. 17. 10. Dr. Smith against Pet. Martyr so understands it And Sancta Clara quoting him approves it as being agreeable to the Sentiment of his great Master Scotus Probl. 12. p. 68. will have to be a general no special Precept Others of them confess there is a special command obliging us to Love God actually but they put such a construction upon it that it signifies little or nothing more than if there were no such thing They say it is requisite that we should Love God one time or other but what time this is needful you will never learn of them what period one fixeth another unfixeth and while they find no certain time for it in the end they leave no place for it They all agree in this that we are
alterius qui ejus conscientia cognita possit auxilium praestare committendum est Neque aliquam regulam certiorem aut magis particularem assignare possum tam in hoc praecepto quam in aliis affirmativis praesertim circa actus qui ad Deum ordinantur sola aâ—…uda ratione naturali perspectis Suarez tom 4. disp 15. Sect. 6. n. 20. to love God when he thinks fit let him but doe it before he dye and he may take his own time so some leave it But Vasquez would not leave it at such uncertainty so he fixeth the period and that is the period of a mans life he determins (*) Merito ergo diximus esse praeceptum dilectionis solum extrema necessitate obligare sicut praeceptum contritionis sed non quemcunque sed tantum existentem in mortali non suppleâ—tem suam justificationem per Sacramentum in 3. Th. tom 3. q. 90. art 1. dub 4 n. 40. So that the Command to Love God does not oblige any but at the point of death nor any then who are justified nor any other in the state of sin unless they cannot have the Sacrament the time for loving God is when a man is at the point of death Nor is this the doctrine of a Jesuite only for before his time and before the Society was founded it was the common opinion of the Romish Doctors so Dominicus Soto informs us (f) Plerique aiunt tempus hujus praecepti illud maxime esse quod est articulus mortis ibid. quando jam nullum superest tempus bene merendi de Deo ibid. Bâ—sides these many in Soto others determine with Vasquez that Love to God is never a duty but at the point of death So Jo. Sancius haec videtur verior sententia disp 1. n. 21. â—n Antonin Dian. alij velint solum obligare in articulo mortis Verb. Charitas And before them others in Bonacina alij dicunt obligare solum tempore mortis 1 praecept d. 3. q. 4. p. 2. n. 1. And we must take it to be the Opinion of all who hold that this Precept obliges not but when we are bound to an act of Contrition and they commonly maintain that none are obliged to this before the approach of death nor any that are in the state of grace then no nor any that are in mortal sin if they will use those other expedients which their general Council or other Doctors have devised to discharge them from the obligation of a duty to which not only the Gospel but the law of nature binds all rational Creatures eternally very many hold that the time for the observing of this Command is at the point of death that is as he explains it when there is not any time left for deserving ought of God Now every act of Love being meritorious with them either they contradict themselves or by this opinion they are not bound to love God actually till there be no time left for any acts of Love We are not by this doctrine obliged to love God till we can live no longer and are past acting at all But are we then bound to love him is it then necessary may not a man be saved who hath continued without Love to God all his life if he love him not actually neither when he is a dying For this observe what Aquinas tells us (g) Qui in via hoc praeceptum non implet viz. pefecte Nihil contra divinam dilectionem agens 22. q. 44. art 6. ad 2dum non peccat mortaliter That we do not break this Command but fulfil it so as to be free from all mortal guilt if we do nothing against the Love of God that is if we run not into mortal sin and so hate him as a Souldier satisfies his Captains command who though he get not the Victory yet doth nothing against Military discipline or as Bonaventure explains it (h) In 3. dist 27. n. 58. Per exclusionem affectus contrarij by the exclusion of the contrary affection as if it were sufficient that he do not hate him (*) Marsilius vir profecto inter theologos egregie doctus l. 2. q. 18. tenet lege hac dilectionis obligari homines servare gratiam amicitiam Dei perditam recuperare Soto De nat Grat. l. 1. c. 22. p. 57. Marsilius of great renown for learning amongst their Divines will have that which the command for love enjoyns to be the keeping of Grace and Friendship with God and the recovering of it when lost So that it doth not oblige to actual love but only to the avoiding of habitual enmity and hatred of God But what if he hate God and persist therein is it not absolutely necessary that he should beware of that it seems not for saith one of their Doctors There is no Precept that a Sinner should not persevere in enmity against God there is no negative Command which forbids him to persist in such hatred It may be you do not read this no more than I could without some horrour and trembling and I confess when I found Reginaldus quoted for this I was ready to think it was but the extravagancy of some singularly bold Jesuite but upon further enquiry I find it asserted by such whose writings have the greatest approbation of the Romish Church Melchior Canus a Dominican a Bishop cryed up as a most elegant Judicious and cautious Writer too and inferior to none of that Order their Angelical Doctor only excepted clearly delivers this doctrine (i) At ne simus inimici Dei secundum reatum nullo negativo praecepto simus astricti Sicut enim de amicitia habituali nullum praeceptum affirmativum est sic de inimicitia quae secundum reatum est quasi habitualis nullum est negativum pars 4. relect de paenit p. 870. We are not bound by any negative Precept that we should not be Enemies of God in respect of guilt He adds for as there is no affirmative Precept requiring habitual friendship with God so for habitual enmity against God in respect of guilt there is no negative Precept that forbids it So that to persist in Enmity and Hatred against God by their approved doctrine is no sin it is against no Command We need not alledge the words of any other since this is the plain and necessary consequent of their common doctrine and we must take it to be the judgment of all who hold that it is no sin to delay contrition i. e. Repentance and turning to God in which both their Antienter School Doctors and modern Divines agree For while it is no duty to turn to God habitual enmity and hatred of him will be no sin Now contrition and so conversion to God they say may be deferred till death Indeed by their doctrine it will never be a duty for even at death the last Attrition with their Sacrament of confession is all that is needful Sect. 4. However they make
it unnecessary to love God either living or dying For though they pretend that there is a time some or other when the Precept for it is obliging and make a shew as if then unavoidably he that will be saved must have an act of love for God in his heart yet when ever that time comes in life or death to which their several fancies have determined it they discover to them many ways whereby the Precept may be satisfied without any act of love that it requires and those which have a mind to be deceived with hopes of Heaven without ever loving God while they live may have their choice which way they will be deluded for they present them with variety First a natural love will serve the turn such as a graceless man may have k Non est impossibile hoc praeceptum observare quod est de actu charitatis quia homo potest se dispanere ad charitatem habendam quando habuerit eam potest ea uti 1. 2. q. 100. art 10. Corp. For Aquinas determines after others that he that hath no love to God may observe the Precept of loving him actually by disposing himself to receive this grace and whereas some think that this great Precept of loving God since Adams sin cannot be fulfilled but in the state of grace l Contra quod tamen facit quod homo sola virtute naturali etiam existens in peccato mortali potest concipere imo concipit partim Deum esse super omnia diligibilem finem omnium ultimum consequenter eum ut talem diligere potest Deinde quod datur dilectio Dei super omnia sine gratia ut probat Cajetanus Praeterea quod ipsemet S. Thomas affirmat posse quem sine gratia implere praeceptum diligendi Deum quoad substantiam actus licet non quoad meritum beatitudinis cap. 11. n. 7. V. Soto de just jur l. 2. q. 3. art 10. p. 44. Col. 2. Navar asserts the contrary both upon Reason and authority because a man by his natural power remaining also in mortal sin may and doth conceive God to be amiable above all and the last end of all and consequently can love him as such as also because there may be a love for God above all without grace as Cajetane proves moreover because St. Thomas affirmes that one may without grace fulfil the command of Loving God as to the substance of the act though not as to the meriting of blessedness Elsewhere he affirms (m) Universa ista 10. praecepta alia omnia possunt impleri ab illo qui est in peccato mortali quoad substantiam actus praecepti effectum evitandi novum peccatum quod incurreret si non adimpleret illud juxta definitionem Aquinatis communiter recepti quod Conc. Trindentinum sensit c. ibid. n. 17. that all the Ten Commandements and all other Precepts may be fulfilled by him who is in mortal sin as to the substance of the act so as to avoid all sin that would be incurred if they were not fulfilled and this according to the judgment of Aquinas commonly (*) Deum ab homine posse diligi super omnia viâ—ibus propriis sine auxiâ—io gratiae dicunt Scotus Cajetan Nominales Petr. Alliaco Ocham Almain Major Durandus apud Vasq in 1. 2. disp 194. cap. 1. followed and the sense of the Council of Trent They assign we see two ways whereby the divine Precept may be fulfilled One as to the substance of the act so as sin is avoided and the other as to the end of the Law-giver so as to deserve Heaven And they teach that any Precept may be accomplished the former way by such as are destitute of grace Now to observe the Command of loving God so far as not to sin against it is all that is required if Bellarmins arguing be good (n) Si non pecco ex sententia S. Thomae si amem Deum nisi uno gradu amoris câ—…e non teneor in rigore amplius amare ergo si addam alterum gradum amoris amoplâ—… quam teneor De Monach. l. 2. c. 13. p. 1162. If I sin not fiath he when I love God without degree of Love in the judgment of St. Thomas certainly I am not bound in strictness to love him more therefore if I add another degree I love him more than I am bound to do So that an unsanctified man loving God in such a degree as not to sin against the Precept of love hath all the affection for God that it requires and none will be obliged to any love but such as is natural and may be found in a graceless heart Secondly an inferiour degree of love will satisfie the Command such as is far short of what it enjoyns (o) Non est trausgressor praecepti qui non attingit ad medios perfectionis gradus durmodo attingat ad infimum 2. 2. q. 184. art 3. ad secundum He is no transgressour saith the Oracle of their Schools who attains not the intermediate degrees toward perfection if he reach but the very lowest of all To (p) Sufficit autem quilibet charitatis gradus ut quis servet verbum i. e. praecepta Domini De Purgat l. 2. c. 3. p. 1381. keep the divine Precepts saith Bellarmine any degree of love whatsoever is sufficient (q) Quemlibet actum charitatis quantumlibet remissum sufficere ad implendum omniâ— praecepta neque ullam determinatam intensionem requiri ut aliquis in hac vita adiâ—pleat praeceptum dilectionis Dei in 2. 2. q. 44. art 5. Dilectionis mandatum in quolibet gradu intentionis impleatur for this Jo. San. alledges Aquinas and near 20. more of their Divines besides Jesuites Disp 1. n. 21. Any act of Love saith Bannes how remiss soever is sufficient to fulfil all the Commands of God neither is there any certain intenseness requisite that one in this life may accomplish the Precept of Love to God The Lord requires that we love him with all our hearts i. e. with all the affection our hearts can contain they say that any the smallest degree will suffice He injoyns us to love him with all our might i. e. as much as we can They say it is enough to love him â—… little as we can we need not love him as much as we might if we would no more is commanded but as little as is possible The lowest degree of all will serve and if we advance but another step we supererogate and God is beholding to us for more than is due Their gross mistake about the perfection of obedience in this life intangles them in a necessity to maintain this and other impious absurdities For if every just person perfectly observes the Law the least degree must be sufficient for such an observance and when this command declared with such circumstance of loving God with all our hearts mind and strength doth
account no act of love nor of any other grace will be needful for them that they may be saved Thus in fine here 's a Religion which pretends to be Christian but excuseth and disingageth all that profess it from the love of Christ a Doctrine which bereaves Religion of that which themselves count its life and quite stifles all the spirits of Christianity chops off all Christian vertues all gracious acts and qualities in this one neck and leaves nothing but a gastly Carkase For obliging them to neglect love as needless it makes the rest impossible without it there can be no saving faith no godly sorrow no filial fear no delight in God no desire to enjoy him no genuine gratitude When the life of a true Christian should be made up of these they leave it not possible for him to have one act of true Christian vertue for without love they say themselves there cannot be any one true vertue Here is a way to Heaven for those that never loved God in life or death a path that pretends to Heaven but lies quite Cross to the way of Christ and leads directly to outer darkness A Doctrine that incourageth them to live in hatred of God all their dayes and in the end sends them out of the World under the dreadful sentence of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha To conclude this head It is a Doctrine which is damning not only meritoriously but effectually and will certainly ruine eternally all that believe and practise it and hath in it the mortal poyson and malignity of a hundred such speculative Opinions as pass for Heresies And beside the danger and horrible impiety of this Doctrine it is ridiculous to the very highest degree For can any thing be more senseless than to ask how often a man ought to love his best friend and Benefactor whether once in his life be not enough in all Conscience nay whether it be not very fair not to hate him And indeed they state the business all along in such a manner and manage it with such nicety and caution not as if they were afraid lest men should love God too little but as if all the danger lay on the other hand and their great care were that no body should love him too much or love him at all I do not believe that things so palpably impious and ridiculous were ever so solemnly debated by men of any Religion whatsoever CHAP. IV. There is no necessity of saving or justifying faith by the Romish Doctrine Sect. 1. THat no man can be justified or saved without faith is so evident in Scripture that none but an Infidel can question it The Romanists do not express any doubt of it and yet they make no other faith necessary than that which is neither justifying nor saving They have two sorts of faith one for the unlearned and ignorant which they call Implicite The other for the learned and more knowing which they say should be Explicite The former as they describe it is an assent to some general including many particulars with a mind to believe nothing contrary thereunto the general is this That what ever the Roman Church which cannot err believes is true the particulars included are they know not what for they are supposed ignorant Now this we say is no Christian faith and make it apparent that it is no such thing For first it is no belief of any one particular or article of the Christian faith It is only a belief of a general which is no truth at all much less Christian that the Church of Rome cannot err or believe any thing but what is true when the ignorant person neither knows what this Church is nor what she believes nor why he should give her such credit So that the act is a blind conceit unworthy of a Man or a Christian and the object a general error And then as to the particulars which are necessary for Christians to believe this implicite faith doth not actually believe any of them at all if it did it would not be what it is implicite It apprehends them not therefore cannot believe them for as themselves acknowledge (a) Neque enim credi potest quod non cognoscitur Fill. tr 22. n. 39. That cannot be believed which is not known To render this clear to us they thus explain it When (b) Bannes 22. q. 2. art 8. Sect. dubitatur secundo Sum. Rosel verb. fides n. 1. a man is asked whether Christ were born of the Virgin Mary and whether there be one God and three persons and he answers that he knows not but believes touching these things as the Church holds this is to believe implicitely So that a man may have this faith compleatly and yet not believe an article of the Creed and if this be Christian faith a man may have it who believes nothing of Christ They are believers at this rate who have a mind to hold what the Church doth concerning Christ or the Creed though they never know what that is They know not what the Church holds unless the Churches knowing be their knowledge and so believe nothing unless the Churche's believing be their faith and so have no faith to save them unless it be saving faith to believe by an Attorney Secondly as this faith may be without the knowledge and belief of any of the particular Articles which are necessary to be believed by Christians so which is yet more strange it may be with the belief of what is opposite and repugnant to the Christian faith This they acknowledge and clear it to us by instances A man may be disposed to believe what the Church holds and yet may believe that God the Father and God the Son are not equal but one greater and elder than the other or that the persons in the Trinity are locally distant Such is the vertue of implicite faith faith (c) In tantum valet fides implicita quod si quis habens eam falso opinaretur ratione naturali motus Patrem majorem vel priorem Filio vel tres personas localiter distare aâ— simile quid non sit haereticus non peccet dummodo hunc errorem pertinaciter non defendat hoc ipsum credat quia credat ecclesiam sic credere Verb. Credere Sum Rosel v. fides n. 2. After Pope Innocent and Hostiensis Altenstaig that if he who hath it believes these errors or any like them he would be no Heretick he would not sin provided he doth not maintain his error pertinaciously and that he believes because he thinks the Church believes it Or such a Catholick may believe (d) Ut puta vetula credit Trinitatem esse unam Faeminam quoniam credit ecclesiam sic tenere sic credit tamen non est haeretica quia conditionaliter credit si ecclesia sic tenet credit Verb. sides n. 6. that the
he be in danger to dye or run mad he should be so wise as to repent first but how he shall know when he is like to run mad or that his madness will be perpetual is a hard question and till he can resolve it they will go near to excuse him And if he can have a Confessor though he be at the point of death and distraction too he need not trouble himself with repenting that proviso they still add saltem quando non adest copia confessarij cui fiat confessio cum attritione this indeed is it that their Confessors serve for to save sinners the labour of going to Heaven by turning them out of the only way to it However by this it appears that any Papist hath warranty by their Doctrine to live impenitently till he be in danger to live no longer He need not grieve for offending God till he be dying nor resolve upon that account to forsake any sin till there be reason to think that he can live no longer to commit it What a Temptation is here for all wicked persons to turn Papists if they could but prevail with themselves to believe in this particular as the Church believes against all that God hath declared concerning repentance And since men easily believe what they desire should be true though against the word of truth how strange would it be if the World did not wonder after the Beast Sect. 7. But though they excuse a sinner from repenting all his lâ—…e before yet when he comes to dye do they not then make it needful they make some shew of it indeed but it is a mere delusive shew they are therein as false to their own pretensions as they are to the Souls of sinners For at the approach of death as at any period before wherein some of them seem to make Repentance necessary yet even then they abuse them with conceits that something else will serve without it The expedients which they have provided thus to delude perishing Souls all their lives and even when they are passing into eternity are many and various that those who do not like to be ruined one way may be taken with another and so that repenting which alone can secure them may be declined by all First Repentance without any sensible sorrow for sin will serve the turn This is the way of Scotus and Vega and others A will not to have sinned though it be without any (c) In Nâ—var cap. 1. n 3 grief for sin or without any actual consideration that he hath sinned is sufficient for pardon Such an act of the Will is the essence of that contrition which procures forgiveness (d) Ex mente Navarri Soti Paludani Scoti est quod contritio quoad suam essentiam est iste actus nollem peccasse Lopez cap. 10. p. 68. cap. 6. p. 38. vid. D. Thom. Paludan Soto Navar Ledesma Cajetan Concil Trident and others in Jo. Sanc. disp 1. n. 8. as not only Scotus but Paludanus Cajetane Soto Victoria and Navarre in Lopez (e) Per supradicta constet contritionem non esse dolorem essentialiter sed causam ex qua alijs ad id necessarijs nascitur dolor si aliunde non impediatur Nav. ibid. n. 14. Sorrow is not essential to Repentance but an effect and such a one as is contingent and separable and doth not necessarily follow it Correspondent to this is their Doctrine who teach that a vertual Repentance is sufficient (f) Sufficit actus qui licet non sit paenitentia talis formaliter est tamen virtualiter secundum Scotum communiter receptum ibid. n. 5. any act whatever which may be counted penitence vertually though it be no such thing actually or formally is enough by their common Doctrine any (g) n 30. love to God above all is such a vertual Repentance though without (h) Imo quilibet amor Dei quo plus quam omnia alia diligitur vid tur virtualis peccatorum paenitentia secundum communem quam sequitur Jo. Medina ibid. n. 5. any remembrance of sin this is not only the opinion of Medina but that which is commonly received Any kind of love will serve for this though it be but natural and such as may be had without the grace of God as (i) Cap. 11. n. 7. â— 13â— Supra Navarr expresseth it And the limitation which he would seem to add that such a vertual Repentance is but sufficient when there is no time for a formal Repenting is excluded by their common Doctrine For he and others with him generally teach that there is no space of time requisite for this but it may be sufficiently dispatched in a (k) Cap. 1. n. 38. Paenitudo momentanea ad remissionem peccaâ—i juxta comnunem susficiat moment And some of their chief Divines hold that a sinner being pardoned upon this vertual paenitence if he remember his sins afterwards is not bound to repent of them So Corduha Sotus Vega Bonacin ibid d. 5. q. 5. p. 2. n. 1. Thus we have Repentance sufficient to Salvation in the Roman Church without any sorrow without any sense or remembrance of sin And how can they count any more sorrow for sin necessary who hold (l) Nullus est adeo imprudens qui tempore confessionis peccata sua non detestatur formaliter vel virtualiter Major Victoria in Lopez c. 17. p. 100. That no prudent person doth confess his sins to a Priest but he detests them formally or vertually and so some way sufficiently when it is known to be their common practice to confess sins without any sorrow or detestation thereof Yea even in the hour of death asking God forgiveness without any remembrance of sin or actual Repentance is enough for pardon So Joseph the Minorite teacheth favouring their conceit as Lopez observes who think it repentance (m) Sufficere ad contritionem tunsionem pectoris aut prolationem Miserere mei Cap. 13 p. 90. Instante mortis prae angustia tollente recordationem peccatorum si quis toto corde petat veniam sine actuali paenitentia pâ—r orationem justificabitur enough to beat their breasts and say Lord have mercy Nor doth such pernicious presumption find encouragement only in the Minorites Divinity Pope Clement the 8th contributes more to it when in his indulgences sent to Poland he promiseth pardon to any one whoever that is dying if he have but the name Jesus once in his thoughts though he cannot express it As there can be no true Repentance without sorrow fot sin so neither without Resolution to forsake it and yet they teach Repentance may be as well without this as the other (n) Non est necessarium ad remissionem peccatorum formale propositum vitandi peccatum Vega. Concil Trident. l. 13. cap. 21. a vertual resolution may serve i. e. such a purpose to abandon sin as he may have who never thought of leaving it (o) Cap.
quam meretrix in lupanari tenet inde exeundi stare potest absoluta voluntas ibi manendi Cap. 15 p. 91. may stand with an absolute unwillingness to Repent sufficiently such a Will as a Whore may have to leave the Stews when she hath an absolute purpose to stay there and yet he himself (h) Non sufficit cum Sacramento Paenitentiae ad salutem nisi saltem attritio adsit ibid. vid. Suarez will have such a Velleity with attrition which is far from true Repentance to be sufficient in the want of it and this leads us further Sixthly Attrition though known by the Sinner to be short of true Repentance is sufficient without it to pass him into a saving state if the Sacrament be added Betwixt Contrition which with them is true or compleat Repentance and this Attrition the distance is great they give an account of it in (i) Vid. Soto in 4. sent dist 17. q. 2 art 3. Grasf l. 1. c. 2. n. 3. many particulars THAT is a grief for offending God THIS for temporal or eternal punishment as the greatest evil THAT proceeds from filial THIS from slavish fear THAT cannot be had without supernatural assistance THIS may be had by the power of nature say many of them THAT is an act formed by Grace and Love THIS an act unformed destitute of Grace and Love THAT can pass one into the state of Grace with a desire only of the Sacrament THIS cannot without an actual partaking of it So in fine THAT is compleat Repentance THIS but a defective remorse (k) Idem ibid. C. Judas C. Sceleratior de paen dist 3. such as was in Antiochus and Judas Attrition we see by their own account is very far from true Repentance yet being held sufficient for a saving state without it if the Sacrament be added by vertue hereof Repentance is most evidently rendred needless And such Attrition they think sufficient for this purpose as either ariseth from the turpitude of sin as it is disagreeable to reason or from fear of Hell or apprehensions of temporal punishments and damage as loss of Health Credit Estate c. The Council of Trent admitts of any of these (l) Quinimo minime malum est paenitere solum metu paenae infamiae vel alterius mali modo voluntatem peccandi excludat luculenter declarat Concil Trident. Sess 14. c. 4. Navar. cap. 1. n. 8. Vega lib. 13. in Trident. c. 14. Concedit detestationem ob metum aliarum paenarum esse attritionem contineri sub primo membro nam Conciâ—ium utrumque conjunxit scil ex metu gehennae paenarum in Suar. tom 4. disp 5. Sect. 2. n. 15. vid Bonacin ibid. punct 3. n. 3. Zerola Chamerota Pirigianus alij ibid. For Attrition by their declaration is either (m) Illam vero contritionem imperfectam quae Attritio dicitur quoniam vel ex turpitudinis peccati consideratione vel ex gehennae paenarum metu communiter concipitur Sess 14. cap. 4. that which proceeds from consideration of the turpitude of sin or fear of Hell or other punishment And such Attrition is with the Sacrament sufficient for pardon as is determined by that Councel in these words (n) Quo paenitens adjatus viam sibi ad justitiam parat quamvis sine paenitentiae Sacramento per se ad justificationem peccatorem perducere nequeat tamen eum ad Dei gratiam in Sacramento paenitentiae impetrandam disponit ibid. Hereby he makes his way to Righteousness and although without the Sacrament it Attrition cannot by it self bring a Sinner to justification yet it disposeth him to obtain the grace of God in the Sacrament of pennance So that by their doctrine Attrition so disposeth a Sinner for Justification that their Sacrament being added it actually justifies i. e. puts a Sinner into a state of Grace and Salvation From this sentence of the Council as Bellarmine tells us (o) Et de eo loquuntur theologi cum dicunt attritionem ex timore conceptam dispositionem esse ad justificationem Sacramento accedente revera justificari ut perspicuum est ex concilio Tridentino Sess 14. c. 4. de paenit l. 2. c. 18. p. 972. the Truth of what their Divines hold is conspicuous viz. That Attrition arising out of fear is a disposition to Justification and the Sacrament being added doth truly justifie How generally they hold with some difference of notion the sufficiency of Attrition with their Sacrament we may see in such as give an account of their Opinions distinctly not taking any of the Society into the reckoning it will be enough but to name some of them since their suffrages after the determination of a Council are less needful (p) Vid Suarez tom 4. disp 20. Sect. 1. n. 5. Some are for Attrition improved as Henricus Cajetan Ferrariensis Petrus Soto Some for Attrition mistaken for Contrition (q) n. 7. as Victoria Soto Ledesma Vega Corduba Some for Attrition known to be so (r) n. 9. as Aquinas Scotus Paludanus Capreolus Durandus Adrian Antoninus Sylvester Cano some (s) Soto Canus Vega n. for the opinion of Attrition without the reality But this is enough to shew that by the doctrine of their Church Attrition with the Sacrament is sufficient to put a Sinner into a saving state at any time living or dying Thus is true Repentance reduced to Attrition and this made enough to qualifie an impenitent Sinner for pardon so as he cannot fail of it and yet Attrition of what kind so ever can scarce pass for a good quality That sort of it which is rational a dislike of sin because it disagreeable to reason is not so good in their account as that which is servile because as such (t) Detestatio peccati quia est contra rationem non est sufficiens quia non respicit Deum ipsum nec peccatum ut est offensa ejus tum quia ex vi illius motivi non est supernaturalis Idem ibid. disp 4. Sect. 2. n. 11. Primum itaque genus imperfectae displicentiae est cum quis dolet de peccato propter humana naturaliaque motiva ut quia turpe est contra rationem Canus Relect. de paenit pars 3. p. 836. it is but a meer natural act and hath no respect to God and so hath nothing in it which looks like Godly sorrow As for that which is servile a dislike of sin only or principally for fear of punishment temporal or eternal this is so far from being spiritually good that it is morally evil So bad it is by the Authority and reason of their own Divines Thus Gregory Almain and Adrian conclude (u) Nonnuli Catholici operari ex timore tanquam ex fine proximo judicant esse malum ut Gregorius Almain Adrian Suar. ibid. disp 5. Sect. 2. n. 3. p. 65. Vid Angel Sum. v. Timor that it is evil to act out of fear
whom the rest most commonly follow concurring in it besides their great Council Sect. 10. This then is the doctrine of their Church introduced there instead of that of the Gospel the Habits must serve to save them without their Acts and the Sacrament of Pennance will help those that are attrite to those Habits Here 's all the hopes they have for sinners whom they have encouraged to continue all their days without Repentance saving Faith or Love to God even to the very Article of death If this Sacrament do not perform all this for them they will not deny but they are certainly damned But what ground have they for this upon which their everlasting estate depends None at all but their own opinion and the opinion of such men as themselves without any support from the word of God If their own word will secure them for Eternity they are safe enough otherwise trusting to this they are lost for ever the whole weight of their salvation hangs upon a Spiders Web spun out of their own conceits For this Sacrament of Pennance upon which all depends is a mere invention of their own there is no divine institution for it it was never authorized by God he never promised any thing to it or any part of it upon their terms much less any such thing as they expect And who but they who are under the power of strong delusions would trust to any thing for Salvation without a word from him who is the absolute Disposer of grace and the Soveraign Lord of life and death Some of themselves acknowledge that their Sacrament of pennance (x) Glossa quam nonnulli Canonistae secuti sunt Erasmus B. Rhenanus Bonaventure Alexander Alensis Hugo Victor Jansenius in Suarez tom 4. disp 17. Sect. 1. n. 9. was never instituted by Christ And many (y) The essentials of this pretended Sacrament are with them it 's matter and form The matter of it consists in contrition confession and satisfaction each of these are acknowledged by their own Authours to be either unnecessary any way or at least by Christ's institution Contrition and therewith true Repentance is dismissed as unnecessary to this Rite not only by their other Doctors but by the Council of Trent and another thing assumed instead of it as we saw before Satisfaction is as unnecessary in their account There 's no need either that the Priest should injoyn it D. Thomas Petrus Paludanus Petrus Soto Victoria Ledesma Cajetau Navar ibid. disp 38. Sect. 3. n. 2. 4. or that the confitent should submit to it Scotus Gabriel Medina Sylvester Armilla Navar Hostiensis Panormitan Cajetan ibid. disp 38 Sect. 7. n. 1. Thus all material in it is reduced to Confession and so the Rite has almost lost its name being now commonly styled the Sacrament of Confession Yet confession is acknowledged not to be of Divine institution by all their Canonists Sunt inter Catholicos qui putant nullum esse Divinum praeceptum de confessione ut omnes decretorum interpretes inter Scholasticos Scotus Maldonat Sum q. 18. art 4. And their best Divines deny the necessity of it as to this Rite Hunc modum Secretae confessionis non esse de necessitate hujus Sacramenti Ita docent frequentius Scholastici Alensis D. Thomas Major Richardus de Sancto Victore Paludanus Soto Adrian Richardus Medina Pet. Soto Vega Castro Cajetan Christum non instituisse auricularem confessionem Canus Et nunc censeo hanc doctrinam certam ex concilio Tridentino viz. quod neque in institutione posuit Christus Dominus modum Secretae confessionis Suar. ibid. disp 21. Sect. 2. n. 9. p. 290. Yea the form of it their mode of Absolution is denyed by their Divines who hold that the Priests cannot forgive sins properly as to the fault and eternal punishment Qui negant potestatem clavium extendi ad remissionem culpae mortalis So Magistersentent Hugo Richardus de Sancto Victore Alensis Bonavenâ—ura Gabriel Major Supplementum Gabr. Medina Adrian Petr. Soto Altisiodorensis Abulensis ibid. disp 20. Sect. 1. n 3. of them hold that the material parts of it have no such institution Now to trust to any device of man for spiritual effects of so high a nature is impious folly but to lay their Salvation on it is prodigious madness They may with as much reason expect the infusion of grace from the sprinkling of holy-water or the cleansing of a Soul at death from the guilt and stain of sin by a Priests spittle the Lord hath given them no more ground to expect any more from the one than from the other But I need not insist upon any thing which they may have the confidence to deny It will be plain enough by what they cannot but acknowledge that neither pardon nor grace can be expected from their Sacrament of Pennance as ordered by them For they assert (z) Unde in ipsa justificatione cum remissione peccatorum haec omnia simul infusa accepit homo per Jesum Christum cui inseritur fidem spem charitatem Concil Trident. Sess 6. c. 7. Gratia non praecedit sed simul infunditur cum remissione peccatorum Bellarm. de paenitent l. c. p. 954. Sperare a Deo remissionem peccatorum sine paeniteâ—tia modus praesamâ—pionis conjunctis cum haeresi Pet. S. Joseph De 1. praecept art 4. Aâ—uâ—nas Arragon Bannes Malderus alji in cum Bonacin in 1 praecâ—pt q. 3. p. 1. n. 4. that pardon and grace are alwayes inseparably conferred together So that he hath no infused grace that hath not pardon And it cannot be denyed but that pardon can never be had without true Repentance in Scripture nothing is more evident He therefore that comes to the Sacrament of Pennance with Attrition only and so without true Repentance he gets thereby nothing at all neither pardon which cannot be had without Repentance nor infused grace which is never had without pardon neither Love nor Faith working by love nor Godly sorrow nothing that is saving unless he can have it without God or against what he hath expresly declared So that if he comes to this their Sacrament in a damnable condition he certainly dyes so for any relief that Rite will afford him And therefore their Doctrine which incourageth sinners to live all their life without saving Faith or Love or Repentance in confidence that this rite will help them to these graces when they are dying is a damning imposture and their Sacrament of Pennance a most pernicious trap to draw sinners as they set and bait it out of the way of Salvation whilest they live and to plunge them into Hell when they dye without any apprehension of their danger till there be no way to escape it Sect. 11. Hereby they manifestly declare themselves to be enemies to Christianity and the Souls of men For what more effectual course could they take to destroy these and root out that than by concluding it certain
as certain as they would have a decree of the Council of Trent accounted that though sinners neglect the great Duties and Acts of Christians and live in any wickedness opposite to the rule of Christ yet the Church hath a device to save them and by it they may be sure to escape Hell without true Repentance What is this but to declare that the most damnable neglects and practices shall never damn them though they never repent thereof the Church hath a trick to secure them notwithstanding What is this but to proclaim that the Lawes of God and the rules of the Gospel are unnecessary impositions without the observance whereof Salvation may be had The knowledge of Christ explicite faith in him actual love of him which comprize all the rest as they teach are not necessary as means Salvation may be had without them and as for a necessity hereof by vertue of any Precept that is not considerable but in reference to the danger of not observing the precept and there 's no danger in this though the neglect hereof were in their account a mortal sin no more than in Venials or no sins at all if it will not damn those who never truly repent of it So that plainly by excusing sinners from Repentance they make all sins safe and all duties needless and give men assurance that they may live and dye impenitently in the neglect of all even the most important duties and in the practice of any the worst wickedness and yet be saved There never was any Heresie broached in the World more monstrous and pernicious than this which the Council of Trent hath brought forth it hath all the damnable wickedness both as to judgment and practice that ever was or can be on Earth in the bowels of it It promotes the Birth the Growth the continuance thereof for it promiseth safety to impenitency therein yea Salvation too by a knack of a very easie use and new invention It hath in it the venome of all damning opinions practices and neglects for that which makes them all deadly is impenitency not would they without this be finally and unavoydably destructive But this would have impenitency it self swallowed CHAP. VI. Their Doctrine leaves no necessity of Holiness of life and the exercise of Christian Vertues Sect. 1. HOliness of life is needless by the Popish Doctrine though the Lord hath made this every way necessary both as a duty which he indispensably requires and as a means without which he ordinarily will save no man it is declared necessary both wayes at once Heb. 12. 14. The Papists indeed boast much of it and seem sometimes to lay great stress on it as if they would have it to be a character of the true Church concluding theirs is the only true Church because there is no Holiness to be found in the World but amongst them only Thus they pretend it to be of greatest consequence but this is but to serve another turn the design is not for Holiness of life for their Doctors count that more than needs And really they are extream good Husbands here and make a little Holiness go a great way for it is enough to denominate the Universal Church holy if there be but one holy person in it so Costerus (a) Tametsi ejus plurima membra sint emortua impia non amittit tamen Sancti nomen quamdiu vel unus pietatem ex animo colens retinet sanctitatem Enchirid. l. 3. c. 8. Possibile est quod tota fides remaneret in uno solo verum esset dicere quod fides non deficit in ecclesia Abbas in Sylvest v. Concil n. 3. How many soever of its Members be dead and impious so long as there is any one man that retains Holiness the Church must be called holy And then to make this one man holy one act of vertue is enough and that a very slender one too for saith Bannes (b) Quilibet actus charitatis quantumlibet remissus sufficit ad implendum omnia praecepta in 2. 2ae q. 44. a 5. Any one act of Charity how weak soever it be is enough to fulfil all the commandements of God Now he is doubtless a holy man who fulfils all those Commandements Further this one act he need but do once and that not all his life he may defer it till he dye if he have no mind to trouble himself with it in any part of his life before as we have already shewed Yea and he may be excused from it when he is a dying too as well as whilest he lives if he can but get a Priest to absolve him and (c) Vid. above 40 Doctors for this in Jo. Sanc. disp 44. n. 34. Sacramenta Baptismi absolutionis posse conferri etiam ijs qui in periculo vitae sunt licet ipsi vi morbi oppressi non habeant usum rationis aut sensuum modo constét eos antea desiderasse ejusmodi Sacramenta Bellarm. de effect Sacrament l. 2. c. 8. p. 121. Actus charitatis semper requiritur ad justificationem seclusis tamen Sacramentis Sacramenta autem in non ponente obicem eundem habent effectum quem haberet charitas contritio sine Sacramento Canus Relect de paen t. pars 3. p. 844. Thus though an act of charity or repentance be requisite alwayes where the Sacraments cannot be had yet the Sacraments in him that gives no obstruction as he does not who has neither the use of sense or reason have the same effect that love to God or Repentance would have without the Sacrament i. e. the Sacrament will justifie and save them who have no act of love to God or true Repentance the Priest must absolve him if the dying man give but any sign which may be interpreted a desire of it And their Sacrament he must have and be absolved absolutely when speechless and senseless if any can but witness that he desired Confession Antonin 3. part tit 10. c. 2. Sylvest v confess 3. n. 16. Paludan dist 21. q. 2. a. 2. Concl. 2. Yea if he did not desire it nor ever give any sign of Repentance he may be conditionally absolved Rituale Pauli 5. And though he have lived wickedly without restraint all his days if at last gasp he be attrite and have but though it never appear the vertue of Judas â—only hoping better i. e. presuming more than he did by vertue of such absolution he will be as certainly saved as other good Catholicks though the other unfortunate wretch for want of a Priest as vertuous as himself to absolve and give him hope was unhappily damned See here a most compendious way to be holy who can imagine any other but that such principles as these make holiness of life extreamly needful But more particularly we may discover how necessary they judge it by what they determine concerning the necessity of exercising Christian vertues and the forsaking of sin There is no need of
as it is the height of Charity (a) Ibid. Peacefulness also v. 9. Love to Enemies v. 44. more pressed by Christ than the rest v. 45 46 47 48. And before Popery taken to be the proper character of Christians but with them (b) Quae ad cumulatiorem virtutum perfectionem ornatumque attinet sub forma consilij admonet qualia sunt illa quae pertinent ad inimicorum dilectionem Prov. 25. Si esâ—rierit inimicus tuus ciba illum it is no duty nor any thing of like nature as that Prov. 25. If thy Enemy hunger feed him c. Yea (c) Et reliqua praecepta misericordiae Ut cap. 3. Idem ibid. l. 2. q. 3. art 2. p. 37. Acts of Mercy are no more our duty for these are another instance of the same Authour immediately adding Et reliqua praecepta misericordiae not only that Prov. 3. 4. Honour the Lord with thy substance but all the rest in Scripture of like nature So likewise not only (d) De magnificentia de magnanimitate non fuerunt danda praecepta sed magis consilâ—a Aquinas 2. 2. q. 140. art 2. ad primum Magnificence and magnanimity but (e) Dico virtutes Evangelicas dici illas quae colliguntur ex consiliis Evangelicis traditis a Chrisio Domino ducentes hominem ad perfectionem supra communem bonitatem potissimum Sex 1. pauperas spiritus 2 Castitas virginum 3. Obedientia praesertim religiosa 4. Hamilitas qua ita animi nostri comprimitur elatio ut ad altiora non se erigat 5. Paenitentia qua pro commissiâ— culpis Deo satisfacimus 6. Simplicitas quae posita est in quadam facilitate synceritate morum juxta rationis praescriptum Fill. tr 21. n. 194. 195. humility also with sincerity of Conversation and Christian simplicity or plain dealing If these be not enough all good works are in danger to become no duties Dominicus a Soto tells us (f) Vâ—nam gloriam a tribus operum generibus expulit ad quae cuncta officia reducuntur ex his enim tribus eo quod opera sunt supererogationis solent homines mundi auram ambere Ibid. l. 2. q. 9. art 2. p. 66. there are three kinds of good works to which all Christian Offices are reduced One respects a mans self the quelling of his own pleasures signified by fasting the other respects the Love of our Neighbours of which kind is Almes-deeds the third respects God and divine Worship denoted by Prayer and all these three with him are works of supererogation When they come to an account in particulars they vary not As to what concerns our selves (g) Licitis voluptatibus abstinere ad consilium continentiae attinet Idem ibid. art 3. p. 67. Consilia vero ea rescindunt quae etsi licita sint nec Charitati prorsus inimica tamen non nulla sunt ad culmen progredientibus obstacula l. 7. q. 5. art 1. p. 242. to abstain from our lawful pleasures even when they may be an impediment to holiness is but advice we need not follow it Also to avoid worldly cares to be content with Food and Raiment not to be eager after superfluities not to be too solicitous for the body not to affect dignities are but matter of Counsel by their common doctrine in Jo. Sanc. disp 7. n. 10. As for the concerns of God (h) Ex praecepto colendi Deum homo tenetur duntaxat cultam externum ei exhibere S. Joseph Sum. de 1. praecept art 5. Attentio ad Deum non est necessaria this is commonly asserted even when it is acknowledged that all inward worship is included in it sub hac autem attentione ad Deum ineluditur omnis interior reverentia cultus omnis oratio petitio ut eleganter describit Gregorius 10. in c. Decret de immunitat Eccl. in 6. Suarez tom 3. disp 88. Sect. 3. p. 1146. Solus exterior cultus cadit sub hoc praecepto sola missa communiter est in praecepto Utrum autem audiatur missa vel non sub praecepto non cadit Cajetan Sum. v. fest no inward worship in publick is under command nor any outward but the Mass and for the hearing of that no divine precept No more are we obliged to worship in private (i) Meditatio Scripturarum perfectionis instrumentum Soto ibid. Meditation is reckoned among Counsels of perfection (k) Uldericus Sum. confess Pisan alij in Sylvest v. orat n. 8. supra Vocal prayer is not enjoyned by God and so all publick prayer in Christian Families and Assemblies are under no divine injunction Mental prayer may be a duty (l) Supra when it is our duty to Love God but when that will be is not (m) De praecepto diligendi Deum aliorum nempe fidei spei non satis certo constat quando obligent quando violentur Fill. tr 22. n. 297. well known So mental prayer will be a duty no body well knows when But this is a Jesuite who minces the matter too precisely In the judgment of Aquinas (n) Ut orent mentaliter solum sub consilio ut tenet D. Thom. 2. â— q. 32. communiter Doctores Jo. Sanc. ibid. Oratio mentalis in qua omnes actus interni religionis comprehenduntur Suar. de Orat. l. 2. c. 7. n. 10. and the generality of their Doctors mental prayer is under Counsel only And it is the more considerable because they tell us that in mental prayer all the internal acts of Religion are comprehended so that hereby the very soul of Religion is dismissed as a thing of no necessity among Roman Catholicks And since in all worship publick or private they will have spiritual attention and devotion to be but matter of Counsel without which all that they call Worship is but a Cipher or a blot rather they leave no worship of God at all necessary Cardinal Tolet gravely distinguisheth (o) Adverte festum posse sanctificari posse bene sanctificari Ad sanctificandum duâ— sunt necessaria id est sacrum audire abstinere ab opere servili prohibito l. 4. c. 24. p. 685. ad bene autem santificandum ultra hoc aliud est necessarium puta ut qui est in mortali tunc conteratur ad Dominum converti studeat qui vero est in gratia divinae vacet contemplationi bonis operibus uterque autem a novo peccato abstineat Adverte tamen quod homo tenetur sub mortali ad sanctificandum festum sed non tenetur sub mortali ad bene sanctificandum Ita solum obligor ad illa duo in festo praestanda non ad sinem quamvis consilium sit optimum omnia ista exequi in die festo vid. Soto Navar Cajetan qui nobiscum sentiunt ibid. p. 687. of a SANCTIFYING the Lords day and all other holy days for which presence at Mass and abstaining from
11. 40. Lopez c. 41. p. 224. Si adest solum oportunitas manifestandi Divinam gloriam aedisicandi ecclesiam martyrium est supererogationis non necessitatis Angel sum v. charit n. 5. Sylvest sum v. Martyr Secundum Bonavent S. Thom. sum Rosel v. charitas n. 10. when it serves for nothing more than the glory of God and the advancing of the Faith and this according to the judgment of Aquinas If it be no more than an opportunity of manifesting the divine glory and edifying the Church it is a work of supererogation and of no necessity saith another f Math. 19. Omnis qui reliquerit Domum vel fratres c. Vide quam cuâ—ctis rebus eum denudet qui optaverit esse perfectus Soto ibid. art 2. p. 244. Religio nihil aliud significat quam quod Christus Evangelicum adolescentulum docuit Sivis perfectus esse vade vende c. Et sequere me Parting with other things for Christ is no more a duty to forsake Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for Christ's sake Matth. 19. 29. is not a duty of any Christian but only such as profess perfection such forsaking all for Christ to follow him is more than needs it was so in (g) Et quod subinde Petrus subjunxit ecce nos reliquimus omnia secuti sumus te Ibid. art 3. the Apostles In short taking up the Cross is more than is commanded when it is joyn'd by Christ with self-denyal and following him as the best character of his Disciples Luk. 9. (h) De voto obedientiae intelligit Luc. 9. Si quis vult post me venire abneget semeipsum tollat crucem suam quotidie sequatur me Ibid. art 1. p. 243. vid. art 4. p. 247. They take it to be but matter of Counsel and so quit themselves of the full character of Christians at once If there be any vertue left requisite for the practice of a Christian which this Engine hath not yet demolished and brought to discretion by working it otherwise it will make clear work The least degree of vertue they say is all that is necessary (i) Bellarm. de paenit l. 2. c. 11. supra none can be assigned above the lowest in Faith Hope Love Repentance or other Vertues which is enjoyned Now that which is lowest of all is next to nothing and that which is no more can act no further so that all exercise of Vertue which their doctrine makes needful is either nothing or next to it All growth in grace with them is (k) Nisi forte in religioso qui tenetur habere propositum proficiendi quia nullibi est praeceptum ut istam curam habeamus sed consulitur tantum Sylvest v. peccat n. 4. c. needless for the first degree they attain is not only a sufficiency but all the perfection that is necessary (h) l Perfectio una necessaria ad esse altera necessaria ad bene esse quae consistit in consilijs Bellarm. de Monach l. 2. c. 12. p. 1158. what is more may be profitable but not simply needful The first and least degree of Vertue in every kind satisfies the precept and that being satisfied requires no more So all other degrees will be but under Counsel it will be no duty to look after more than the least nor will the grossest negligence as to endeavours for more be any sin And since encrease of Vertue is by the exercise of it where the increase is not necessary the exercise is needless Further no Act of Vertue in any degree is requisite but only in the article of necessity for then only affirmative precepts oblige at all other times they bind no more than mere Counsels nor than neither unless it can be known when this Article occurs and how shall it be known the Scriptures have not declared it they say nor Councels neither why they have a rule in the case (m) Quae indefinita relinquuntur a lege arbitrio boni viri sunt definienda Navar. Things not determined are left to the Arbitrement of an honest man so it is left to every mans will who can suppose himself honest if he never find time for any act of vertue he will not be obliged to any or if he will be so cautious to consult their Divines in the case some of them declare that such a vertuous Act is rarely needful nor can they certainly tell when others conclude there is no necessity of it all Now he may follow which please him best even those if he list which discharge him from all obligations to the acts in question and this he may do safely not only by their doctrine of probability but by the determination of their Oracle The Council of Trent will secure him though he never perform one act of Vertue all his life nor repent thereof at his death by a fine device which is neither Repentance nor a Vertue of which before Besides all acts which have more than moral goodness seem by their doctrine to be under Counsel and all acts supernatural and truly Christian more than needs They are not truly Christian unless they be done out of respect to God with an intent to please and honour him as the Apostle requires 1 Cor. 10. 30. But this rule as Soto tells us (n) Potest tamen accipi in sensu ut sit consilium hic videtur propinquior literae scilicet sive comeditis sive bibitis c. omnia actu referatis in Deum De nat grat l. 1. c. 23. p. 60. taken in that sense which is neerest to the letter that all be actually referred to God is but a Counsel But may not a vertual intent to glorifie God be necessary though an actual respect thereto be but advice No not that neither for without such a vertual reference the acts we speak of may be morally good as they say they were in those that knew not God and so no sin Now in any degree above this viz. wherein they are more than not sins or any thing better than meerly inculpable (o) Si addam alterum gradum viz. praeter eum quo non pecco eo modo facio actum supererogationis consilij De Monach. l. 2. c. 13. p. 1162. they are works of supererogation if their great Cardinal be not mistaken There is yet another Maxime pregnant for this purpose (p) Modus virtutis non cadit sub praecepto neque legis divinae neque legis humanae The mode of Vertue falls not under the Precept that is we are not enjoyn'd to act in a vertuous manner or as becomes vertuous persons viz. out of a vertuous habit or principle Aquinas who delivers and maintains this maxime explains it by this instance (q) Neque enim ab homine neque a Deo punitur tanquam praecepti transgressor qui debitum parentibus honorem impendit
the Eucharist it self without any actual disposition suitable to the nature of the duties without any good motion in mind or heart without any inward Attention Reverence or Devotion without any act of Faith Fear Love Desire or any other Grace or holy Affection though the want of these be voluntary is but a Venial fault It is no worse not only to make base and earthly things the end why we worship God but to make that which is a sin our design in any part of his Service yea to propose it as the chief and principal end why we worship him Though this be no less than to prefer sin and the pleasure of the Devil before God and his honour (a) Si est aliquis dispositus actualiter facere aliquod maleficium ut aliud destruat possum illo uti ad honum meum Petr. Aurcolus in 4. dist 34. q. 2. Angelus sum v. superstit n. 13. To make use of a Witch to dissolve some witchcraft is scarce so much as a Venial sin And so to use the Devils assistance instead of Gods and employ others disposed thereto to act as Witches and to practice with the Prince of darkness by a deputy in Diabolical Arts is not unlawful To deal with the Devil for to get some knowledg by him or obtain other things of him by such converse is but a Venial fault for Example (b) Si autem exorcizator imperet daemoni ut dicat curiosa et nihil ad expulsionem facientia non quia illi credat sed quadam levitate et curiositate ductus est peccatum grave licet illud non videatur mortale Silvest sum v. adjurat n. 3. Graff l. 2. c. 7. n. 4. Sotus de just et jur l. 8. q. 3. art 2. Cajetan Navar. in Suar. l. 4. de Adjurat cap. 2. n. 9. If an Exorcist require the Devil to satisfie him in some curious questions such as tend nothing to the expessing of him if he believe him not but does it out of lightness and curiosity he offends but venially To use (c) Si adjuratio fiat ad Deum vel homines vel Angelos vel Daemones aut irrationabilia leviter i. e. sine reverentia divini nominis aut necessitate modo septimo videtur veniale sicut et juratio levis Sylvest ibid. n. 5. adjurations to God or Man or Angels or Devils or irrational Creatures lightly without reverence of the Name of God or any necessity is but a slight fault SECT II. BY vertue of their Doctrine concerning Venial sins they have formed Rules to encourage men in the practice and constant use of all sorts of prophane and wicked Oaths They (d) Vid. Bonaventur 3 dist 19. art 2. Angelus sum v. Jurament 3. n. 8. acknowledg that the Oath is sinful unless it be made in truth and judgment and righteousness when that which is sworn is not true or not just and righteous or not with Reverence and Discretion yet they teach it is but a Venial fault to swear without (e) Veniale est regulariter dum deest judicium vel reverentia Lopez cap. 42. p. 225. Veniale vero cum non deest nisi judicium sive reverentia vel justitia levis Navar. cap. 12. n. 3. Juramentum assertorium cui deest tantum justitia quatenus contra religionem est regulariter est veniale Est affertio communis facilis Suar. de Juram l. 3. c. 12. n. 7. reverence or discretion or without righteousness also if that be not much So that though Swearing be an Act as they tell us of Gods Worship wherein Divine Honour is given to him whom we swear by yet this may be done without reverence and discretion as the rest of their Worship is and God may be solemnly called to witness that the man intends to sin against him if it be not much and this without any great fault (f) Malus jurandi habitus non est mortale peccatum quia non est actus Victorel ad Tol. l. 4. c. 22. p. 681. Praecepta non dantur de habitibus Aquinas 22. q. 31. art 4. Vid. Suares de Juram l. 3. c. 6. n. 1. A habit of Swearing thus or worse is no sin for habits of what wickedness soever are not forbidden to use this habit (g) Utrum jurans sine judicio discretionis peccet inortaliter sicut faciunt illi qui in quolibet verbo jurant Si jurat verum sic non erit mortale peccatum Angel sum v. Juram 3. n. 10. Lopez in eo Jo. de la Pinna Metina cap. 42. p. 226 227. Cajetan sum v. praecept p. 475. frequently so as to swear Customarily almost at every word tertio quoque verbo unless he regard not at all whether he swear true or false yea though he regard not that as much as he ought is no more a fault So to swear (h) Qui in re levissima atque inani jurant sive etiam frequenter et absque necessaria causa sicut ementes vendentes saepe facere novimus peccant quidem sed venialiter lantum si veritas non desuerit Graff l. 2. cap. 15. n. 5. Sotus ibid. l. 8. q. 2. art 3. Sylvest ibid. v. juram 2. n. 8. secundum oâ—nes doctores out of lightness and vanity upon any the slightest occasion without any advantage or the least necessity is as innocent a practice according to all their Doctors Juramentum assertorium cui inest vertas sufficienter cogitata cognita solumque illi deest necessitas vel utilitas nunquam est in individuo peccatum mortale dummodo absit contemptus Assertio est communis omnium theologorum summistarum Suar. l. 3. de juram c. 12. n. 3. And the common practice of their Catholicks is correspondent to these conscientious Rules You can scarce find any one says (i) De justit jur Ibid. p. 270. Non tamen peccat mortaliter qui non conatur ijusmodi consuetudinem eve ere eo quod ipsa non est occasio nisi labendi in veniala Pet. a S. Joseph de 2. praecept art 1. p. 85. approved by the Doctors of Paris Soto who will either begin or end the least discourse without an Oath for they use Oaths for Ornaments of speech at every word But should they not at least endeavour to leave this Custom of Swearing No never to endeavour it is but a small fault Although says one of their most approved Casuists he sins venially who swears true without any necessity and so the custom of swearing be evil and peruicious yet be sins not mortally who labours not to break off that Custom because it is but an occasion of falling into venial faults Hereby they have encouragement not only to accustom themselves to this impious practice wherein so much prosaneness irreverence and contempt of God is expressed but also never to give it over yea never to endeavour it And the reason whereby they warrant this reaches all the
scurrilitatem debere quidem esse aliena ab ore sanctificato fidelium non tamen ex genere suo talia esse que excludant ab haereditate Christi Dei. understanding thereby filthy words will have it be but a Venial and the same he determines not only of filthy talking but scurrility and Cardinal Cajetan (d) Scurrilitis qui homo ad risum provocat inverecande non est mortalis ex suo genere Sum. v. Scurril before him says in its own nature it is not a mortal sin though he describes it to be shameless mirth and Alensis (e) secundem Halensem resertur ad lasciviam affectionis Angelus sum v Scurril refers it to lascivious affection and in Angelus (f) Non peccat mortaliter ab hoc solum mulier quae vanae gloriae et venialis desiderio tacta absque alio fine mortali se fucat et ornal licet credat aliquos qui ipsam sic sucatam ornatam videbunt in ejus concupiscentiam mortalem exarsuros Attamen certum est eam absque in commodo verecundiae et dedecore suo posse ab hujusmodi ornatu temperare Navar. cap. 14. n. 27. it is a provoking others to laughter either by idle or obscene words A woman sins not mortally who being moved with the affection of a little vain glory without any other deadly intention does paint or adorn herself although she believe that some who see her in such a dress will be inflamed with mortal lust when it is certain also that without any disparagement or inconvenience she might abstain from such a garb (g) Non autem peccat mortaliter si facit illud ut ametur honeste licet carnaliter imo neque si id facit quo ametur inhoneste sed non mortaliter ad luxuriam videlicet tantum venialem Idem c. 16. n. 14. yea though she so trâ—ck up her self that some may be induced to love her honestly but earnally or with a dishonest affection either only not beyond the bounds of Venial uncleanness This being their Doctrine no wonder if Christian purity be abandoned in their practice Navar tells us (h) Cap. 16. n. 3. diluvium tam effrenatae luxuriae etiam inter cognatos adeo propinquos affines ut non audeamus exprimere inter conjugatas et virgines tam sacratas quam non sacratas c. there 's such a deluge of unbridled luxury amongst them who are so neer a kin that he dares not express it and amongst the married and unmarried amongst Virgins consecrated and not consecrated that divine and immense goodness may send upon them a horrible deluge of all calamities not only corporal but spiritual And because it is not lawful for one to take the profession of a Nun if she have committed uncleanness before he sayes (i) Ob quod forsitan paucis grandiorum sine cautela licite consecrare possunt ibid. that there are few grown up that without caution can be lawfully consecrated for Virgins SECT VIII FOR theft they teach that to steal any thing of small value is but a Venial fault for this is the Rule they universally proceed by (k) Aquinas 1 2. q. 88. art 5. 6. 22. q. 3. art 5. q. 59. art 4 5. Antoninus 2. per tit 4. c. 5. Sect. 7 8. Adrian quodlib 8 in Navar. c. 17. n. 2. the smalness of a thing in all causes excuses from mortal sin and thus far all are incouraged to stcal not only strangers but Children from (l) Cajetan sum v. furtum Adrian in 4. de restit Navar. c. 17. n. 138. Sylvest sum v. surtum n. 16. Graff l. 2. cap. 92. n. 25. their Fathers and Wives from their Husbands and Servants from their Masters 1 Bonacin de restit disp 2. q. 10. punct ult n. 2. A Servant may be excused from mortal guilt if he steal from his Master by little and little though in time it come to a considerable sum provided he convert it to his own use he should not it seems steal for others too unless he do it out of Charity 2 Pet. Navar. et Bonacin ibid. punct 1. n. 5. longe majorem summam A Son may steal more from his Father than strangers or servants may do he must be regulated herein by his fathers Estate this love and indulgence to him the greater that it is the more he may steal from him They excuse him if he steal from his Father the sum of three Crowns they say not that it may not be a greater but only it should not be a far greater sum 3 Lopez Navar. alii in Bonacin ibid. n. 6. in ludos recreationem etiam luxuriosam Accordingly he may spend what he gets from his Father in gaming or in recreations not only such as are honest but also luxurious without any more guilt 4 Sairus Saeonius alii cum Bonacin ibid possit filius clam accipere juxta prudentis confessarii arbitrium If his Father allow him not what others of his condition do he may filch from him privily what a prudent Confessor thinks fit Thus mens Estates will be at the Confessors discretion and as much may be stoln from them as their Priests please 5 Angelus Navar. Bartolus Baldus alii in Bonacin ibid. n. 8 Or if he do business for his Father his expences deducted he may keep to himself as much as a stranger would have for such Service Now that we may know when theft will be a mortal crime it must be known of what value the thing stoln must be to make it so and this not being determined by any law natural divine or humane they agree that (m) Quae tamen parvitas excusat a peccato mortale communis est opinio standum esse arbitrio boni viri Graff ibid. n. 20. vid. Navar cap. 17. n. 2. this must be determined by the judgment of a good man and who better than the Casuists since they ought and are presumed to be both knowing and Consciencious let but them conclude and they have done worse in many cases that things of greate worth are not of value sufficient to make the stealing thereof to be a mortal sin and then theft neither little nor great will be criminal Thus this command of God as the rest are will be made of none effect by this distinction An engine which as they work it serves to destroy both Law and Gospel and to sink Christianity in morals many degrees below Heathenism Let us see what progress they have made herein and whether they have not done it in effect already They teach (n) Navar ibid. Graff ibid. n. 16. that to steal any thing though in it self small yet of great value in the account of the owner and of much consequence to him so that the damage he suffers by it and the trouble it gives him is really great yet if the thief did not or could not know
out of ignorance or infirmity but with a high hand (t) Non quasi ipse contemptus vilipensio venialium sit mortale quia nullibi est praeceptum ut istam curam habeamus sed consulitur tantum Sylvest v. peccat n. 4. peccare venialiter ex contemptu infra limites venialis non est peccatum mortale Cajetan Sum. v. contemptus Lopez cap. 1. p. 8. Metina ibi Graff l. 1. c. 14. n. 8. ibid. Aquinas 2. 2. q. 107. art 3. out of contempt They (u) Navar. cap. 23. n. 13. 16. may praise themselves or others for them they may (x) Secus etiamsi gloriaretur de repeccati Venialis solum quoniam sic nou esset mortalis vana gloria Angel Sum. v. van Gl. n. 1. Cajetin Sum. v. glor vana Est mortale cum laudant aliot jactant de peccatis mortalibus quae fecerunt secus esset de Veniali quoniam non est contra Deum Angel v. Jactantia n. 1. boast of and glory in them they may perpetrate them (y) Contingit tamen propter imperfectionem actus esse Veniale peccatum ex malitia ut siquis vana mendacia eligit dicere ex intentione bujus mali quod est vane mentire non propter aliud Cajetan Sum. v. malitia out of malice They may be so far from resolving to leave them as it will be but a small fault (z) Juramentum de peccato Veniali peccatum est si tamen fiat cum proposito implendi illud non est mortale Cajetan Soto Antoninus Sylvest Tabien Navar. in Suar. de Juram l. 3. c. 19. n. 3. to bind themselves by Oath to commit them and call God to witness that they will thus sin against him They (a) Potest quis dum moritur habere voluntatem permanendi in peccato Veniali Bellarm. de Purgat l. 1. c. 7. p. 1359. may dye with resolution to continue therein if they might live yea they may breath out their souls with delight (b) Potest quis mori in complacentia peccati Idem ibid. cap. 10. p. 1370. Cum Venialis complacentia potest mori ac salvari Sylvest Sum. v. Contritio n. 3. and complacency in these sins and yet be saved To conclude mark how they may act and multiply and persist in them and then view the nature and quality and number of them or guess thereat by the severals premised and then suppose a man living after the rules of these conscientious Doctors and Casuists and taking but part of that liberty which the Roman Divinity allows such a man would pass for a good Catholick with them and be holy enough according to the Holiness left among them and made necessary by them yet even by the rules of Heathen morality he would appear little better than a Monster So faithfully do they retain and so much do they regard the rules of Christ in forming the Maxims of their new Divinity that sober Heathenism would be ashamed thereof and so like is practical Popery to true Christianity in that wherein the reality and triumphant splendour of it consists Innocency and Purity If an Atheist had a mind to render the Christian name odious and to represent Christianity with a black and detestable visage to the sober part of the world if he had a design to make men believe that Christ was a Minister of Unrighteousness and the Gospel a licencious doctrine tending to debauch mankind he would need no more but perswade them that the maxims of the Roman Divines were conformed to the rules of the Gospel but then if he should attempt to prove this conformity he might as easily demonstrate that darkness is light or the Alcoran the Christian Gospel CHAP. IX Many enormous Crimes are no Sins at all in the Roman account SECT 1. I Proceed to those sins which they will have to be no sins but need not stay long here having given a large account of those which they make Venial since betwixt these and no sins there is little difference in their Doctrine and none in their practice I need not stay to shew how it is no sin with them to vilifie the Scriptures the written Word of God or to rob him of the sole glory of his Mediation and to give much thereof to others in all its parts and specialities merit satisfaction intercession or to put their trust in others besides God for things which he alone can give and for which he only is to be relyed on and this not only in Saints and Angels but their Images and their imaginary Reliques And how it is no sin in their account to abide in ignorance unbelief impenitency or to live without the love and fear of God and the exercising of other graces by what is already premised this is sufficiently manifested (*) Si tamen contingat speciales inspirationes dari a'Deo quando se offâ—rt occasio frangendi aliquod praeceptum homo resistens inspirationibus praeceptum transgrediatur nullo modo speciale peccatum committit quia resistit inspirationi Jo. Sanc. select disp 7. n. 11. p. 36. To resist the inspirations of God drawing us to the observance of his commands or withdrawing us from wickedness is no special sin i. e. we contract no other kind of guilt thereby than if we had sinned without any such inspirations to with-hold us from it Thus it will be no fault at all to quench the motions of Gods spirit inducing us to turn to him to love him to repent c. or diswading us from Blasphemy Perjury Adultery Murder or any other crime And yet if a man be ready to commit any wickedness it will be no sin for another to invite him to do it Thus far men may promote all sin in others resist the spirit of God moving against it As for evil Spirits they conclude it no sin (a) Sylvest Sum. v. adjurat n. 2. for good men by special instinct or revelation to make use of the ministry of Devils they tell us that to apply themselves to Devils (b) Si quis eos adjuret ad aliquid ab ijs sciendum aut ad aliquod obsequium per eos consequendum est illicitum 1. quia hoc pertinet ad quandam societatem vel familiaritatem cum ipsis Sylvest Sum. v. adjura n. 2. Licite adjuramus in omnibus ut de corpore expellatur utputa quod suum nomen fateatur similiter ut dicat causam vexandi hominem licet non credamus c. to know or obtain any thing of them is to have some familiarity and society with those damned Spirits unless it be the better to expel them out of the possessed yet they teach it is no sin to inquire of the Devil in a possessed person what his name is and wherefore he vexes that person and what Devils are his associates and the like But he must not believe the Devil though he tell him (c) Quod si ei crederet
Pope money and this done through his Indulgence there may be no need to do any more The Conclusion BY the Premises it is manifest that Popery by its practical principles is destructive to Christanity and the souls of men As to Christianity whether we consider it in general as Religion or in its specialties as the best Religion it is both ways by the Popish-doctrine ruined This plucks up the Fundamentals of it and dissolves the whole structure and burys and confounds both the necessary materials and the peculiar excellencies thereof in its rubbish There can be no Religion in reality without real worship this being essential to it yet their doctrine declares it needless either for Clergy or People to be real worshippers of God being so far from ingaging them to be reverent or devout or sincere or affectionate towards God in Religious addresses that it will not have them obliged so much as actually to mind God when they pretend to worship him There needs not so much as one act of true and real worship to make them as Religious and as much Christians as is necessary by their Divinity So that Christianity as they form it is a Religion regardless of God even when if ever he should be most observed and honoured and thereby sunk lower then Heathenism and the notions of natural Religion retained by Infidels Further it discharges those acts and dutys of Christianity which are necessary and essential to it and allowes and incourages all that it forbids and condemns even what is most repugnant to and inconsistent with it It makes all Christian acts and dutys needless and all wickedness opposite thereto safe and practicable without fear of condemnation and there needs no more to ruine the Religion of Christ A great part of those dutys are by this doctrine mere matter of Counsel and thereby they are made no dutys all obligation to perform them being in that notion quite dissolved The remnant all conscience of which is not swallowed up in Counsels which they cannot but acknowledge to be dutys yet they will have them to be so but sometimes and that very rarely and when that is they cannot tell it is not certainly known when and the observance thereof must be correspondent no body knows certainly when Or if they guess at the time and point some out as probable yet when the time comes the acts though the life of Christianity consists therein and the salvation of the persons depends thereon need not to be done something else will serve instead thereof some natural act or faint wish or false conceit something or other though neither truly Christian nor Virtuous with the Sacrament at least will excuse them from all other Christian acts It is not the Accessaries of Religion only that they make thus bold with but thus they handle the very vitals of Christianity and make them unnecessary for Christians The very acts of Faith and Hope and Love yea Repentance it self and all the rest with these are thus made needless and they may be true Christians at their rate and saved in their conceit without ever exerting in a whole life so little as one act of grace or Christian vertue The world never saw Christianity into what hands soever it fell more clearly stript not only of its lustre and ornament but of its life and being If this suffice not to make an end of all Religion truly Christian they not only dismiss as more than needs what the doctrine of the Gospel makes most necessary but advance and incourage what is most opposite to it not only ignorance unbelief disaffection to Christ impenitency but therewith all disobedience unto the Gospel Instead of the holy rules thereof they have formed a doctrine of licentious Maxims which give security to the practice of any wickedness and take away when they had left no other restraint the fears of Hell from those who live and dye in damning sins Whatever it is that Christ forbids it is with them either no sin or not dangerous or the worst of all by vertue of some devices of their own not damning So that they may venture upon any wickedness freely and persist therein securely till death and yet by some evasions which they tell them of escape the wrath to come whatever Christ say to the contrary without either the fruits or acts of Repentance There are many sins and amongst them horrid and enormous crimes condemned by the Law of God and natural light and such as the practice of them is reproachful to the Christian name which yet with them pass for no sins and they are furnished with expedients to make any other so too when they see occasion and in these they will discern no shadow of danger There is a world of wickedness which by their doctrine is Venial abundance more than enough utterly to deface Christianity and to make any who takes but part of the liberty given by their Divines to look more like an Athiest or a Bruit a person of no Religion Conscience or Honesty than a true Christian They can gratifie any vicious disposition which way soever it leads with impiety and debauches enow to fill up a whole life and yet if he will be satisfied with any thing but the highest degrees of wickedness promise him security If he could swallow ten millions of their Venials every minute at a gulp they would not by their divinity indanger him though one that will follow the rules of Christ must choose death rather than venture upon some one of them There is with them no danger in thus sinning though the Christian doctrine never discovered any thing else in sin Or if their Catholicks will be outragiously wicked and cannot be satisfied with less than the practice of the most mortal crimes they will not disoblige them the party must be kept up though their souls sink they shall have their liberty upon easie terms deadly sins shall be as free for them and in a manner as safe as their harmless Venials That which makes Venial faults seem less dangerous than mortal is because they will not damne a man though he never repent of them but even herein they have made venial and mortal alike safe for by their doctrine he may he live in all sorts of deadly wickedness die therein without any act of true Repentance and yet escape damnation They commend to them several evasions to secure impenitent Sinners how damnable soever their neglects or practices have been to the last But that of the Trent Council must not be doubted of attrition which they confess alone to be no sufficient no saving Repentance with the Sacrament of confession will pass any Sinner into a saving state This one device of their own will serve instead of all that Christ hath prescribed if this be observed though they live and die in the neglect of all Christian vertues and in the practice of all wickedness which Christ condemns they need not fear this
Divines but Curacies Theologis nihilo pene praeter curata quae vocant sacerdotia reliquo facto as Espencaeus informs us in Tit. c. 1. p. 486. And the Praelate or Pope that hath studied the Laws needs no Divinity because the Law is learning enough immo juâ—ium aiunt isti bonus interpres Theologia non eget Cur ita quod in jure omnes disciplinae includuntur Idem ibid. p. 487. If he be but a Canonist as Peter no doubt was he is the Apostles undoubted Successor though he be no more a Divine than his Chair is or can make him and why may not the Chair inspire him with knowledge as much as holiness Pope Innocent the Tenth in our dayes since they have been more concerned for the Reputation of the Vatican Throne than as before to let Monsters of debauchery and ignorance ascend it declared (g) S. Amour part 3. cap. 12. that he had never studied Divinity nor was it his profession Pope Clement the Eighth began to study it when he was very old and then not to much purpose it seems for he could not at last decide the question that he had studied how much soever their Church was concerned in it None can understand their Church prayers but expert Divines as Soto tells us he means the matter of them indeed but Popes need not understand the words neither for many of them do not who pass for lawful Popes and such can neither understand the subject nor the words of the Bible for it is in Latine h Castrens haer c. 4. edit Paris 1534. And if Alphonsus deceives us not many of them have not gone so far as their Grammar (i) Adeoque plerique literarum ignari sunt ut vix sciant nomen suum Latine exprimere Platina in Jul 1. vid in Johann 24. yea very many of them have been so ignorant as they could not speak their own name in Latine Yet such knowledge of Scripture is enough in the Roman account for the infallible Interpreter of Scriptures the supream Judge in all matters of faith and the teacher of the Universe When we are ready to wonder at this they stop us presently by telling us (k) Bosius de sign l. 16. c. 9. that God did make Balaams Ass speak They seem to grant as much stupidity in a Pope as can be imagined but then the miracle of making an Ass speak does patly answer that objection Had the Bishops of Rome anciently been such ignorant dull Creatures as many of their later Popes and yet adored at that rate the Heathens might have had some colour for charging the Christians with worshipping an Asses head As for the people they are so farr from obliging them to get knowledge that they either make it impossible for them to attain it or encourage them never to looke after it They cannot attain it but either by reading or hearing They must not read the Scriptures as before and they cannot or need not hear If the Priests be ignorant as they are allowed to be (l) The Generals of the Regulars and others declared to the faces of the Bishops in the Council of Trent That the Bishops and Curats had wholly abandoned the Office of a Pastor so that for many Hundred years the people remained without Sermons in the Church and without the Doctrine of Divinity in the Schools Hist of Council of Trent l. 2. p. 169. And there also against the Regulars and Fryars the only Preachers beside those who had abandoned the Office it was a general complaint That though they were severely forbid to Preach and Teach yet they assumed the power And so the flock remained without either Shepheard or Hireling because those Preachers knew neither the need nor the capacity of the people and least of all the occasions to teach and edifie them Besides the end of these Preachers is not to edifie but to take Alms either for themselves or their Cloistets which that they may obtain they aim not to benefit the Soul but to delight the ear and sooth men in their pleasures that thereby they may draw more profit and the people in stead of learning the Doctrine of Christ learneth either novity â—… vanity at the least That it is aclear case that they exhort the people to nothing but to give ibid. How these things were reformed by that Council in the Praelates who would have the other severely forbidden to Preach appears by Espâ—nâ—aeus Quotuâ— quisque praelatorum majorum minorumve populum suum docere videtuâ— an illi ipsi decreti hujus authores unquam docuâ—runt quorum exemplo alij ad docendum aliaque munera sâ—… facienda excitarentur Ludimusne in re adeo serca an potius hac decretoâ—um spâ—…iâ— reformationem poscentibus illudimus Quid emendationis sperari potest a nobis nostra tam recens edita non observantibus in 1 Tim. l. 2. c. 2. p. 179. they are not able to instruct them if they be able they need not preach that 's sub consilio or the people need not hear no nor inquire of them in private no not those that are most ignorant The further they are from all knowledge the more excusable if they take no care nor pains about it Sancta Clarâ—… makes this Query (m) Petes annon tencantur saltem ad faciendam diiigentiam ut ignorantia talium expungatur Ad quod dico primo quod si aliquis fuerit qui nullam de his notitiam habeat unde moveretur ad quaerendam de illis doctrinam certum esse nullam requiri industriam sollicitudinem saltem si nullatenus dubitavit quia non tenetur ad id quod est impossibile est autem impossibile quod quis quaerat aliquid quod nunquam ipsi in mentem venit ut recte Angles Probl. 15. p 95. vid. Bonacin de peccat d. 2. q. 8. p. 3. n. 3. c. Are they not bound at least to some diligence to free themselves from this ignorance he answers if it be one who hath no knowledge of these things which may move him to seek instruction it is certain that no diligence or care is required of him especially if he do not at all doubt i. e. if he be confident that he knowes well enough and his ignorance makes him so senseless that he discerns it not His Reason is because he is not obliged to that which is impossible and it is not possible that one should seek that which never came into his mind as Angles also determins with him So that if knowledge never came into his mind there is no need that it ever should come there and he is not bound to take the least care or pains to make way for it CHAP. III. Their Doctrine makes it needless to love God LOve of God or as they had rather call it Charity is in their account as they seem sometimes to express themselves of greatest moment Regeneration and spiritual life they say consists in it
extremae necessitatis proximi quantumvis divitiae superfluant non tantum naturae sed statui etiam congruae sustentationi Gabriel Alexander Major Gerson reputant probabilem Antoninus Conradus Durandus Durandus asserit se non audere dicere esse aliud tempuâ— praecepti extra extremam necessitatem ne â—ot divites condemnet Idem ibid. n. 11. Jo. Medina in Sa. v. Elecmosyn only when it is apparent they will dye for want of necessaries if we relieve them not Now such a case rarely happens and a man may never meet with one in such extremity all his life but if he do yet he may be excused for want of evidence that his necessity is so great he need not take the party's word for it no not though in publick places there seem to be also clear signs of it he need not take the word of any other no not the judgment of his parish Priest or Confessor though upon their opinion he may safely venture upon acts of wickedness unless they can assure him thereof as eye witnesses (*) Bonacin 1. praecept d. 3. q. 4. p. 6. n. 3. or if he be morally certain of the extremity yet if there be a probability that any other will relieve the person ready to starve he may leave him to the mercy of others without doing any thing himself towards his relief for that is another limitation (e) Extreme egere dicitur non solum qui jam animam agit vel spirat sed etiam cum indicia probabilia apparent eo deventurum nisi ei subveniatur non se offert nec expectatur probabiliter alius qui ei subveniat juxta S. Thom. declarat Cajetan Idem cap. 24. n. 5. which they add in the case For example if he thought it likely that a Protestant would relieve the perishing party a Papist by their doctrine of good works might reserve his Money and Charity for another world nor would it be necessary to exercise one act thereof while he lives Or amongst themselves while each one expects that another may do it the Poor may perish and all that might relieve them are excused Besides in this case they conclude it lawful for the person in extremity to (f) Soto de just jur l. 4. q. 7. art 1. Licet alienum arripere sine peccato in extrema necessitate Sotus Cajetan Navar Adrian Armilla Covarruvius Et in urgenti Sylvest Angelus in Vasq ibid. dub 7. n. 28. in gravi licitum esse Sylvest Medina Angel Navar. Pet. Navarra Malderus plures alij apud Dian. p. 2. tr 3. Res 29. Bannes in 2. 2. q. 66. art 7. Steal either secretly or openly from those that have enough so that acts of Charity will not be necessary among them but when Theft is Lawful and no man need to relieve the Indigent with any thing he hath till they may justly take it from him But if it were possible in these cases whereto they confine it to find any place for the necessity of this duty yet one thing more added by their prime Doctors dashes all for they teach that it is not required to relieve the Necessitous (g) Adrian 4. de restit Navar. cap. 17. n. 61. cap. 24. n. 6. In quibus tamen duobus non est de praecepto subvenire donando sed satis est subvenire commodando vel mutuando Vid. Bellarm. de bon operibus l. 3. c. 8. haec doctrina vera non solum a S. Thom sed etiam ab aliis Theologis communiter tradi soleat Vid. plures in Vasq ibid. dub 6. n. 50. by giving them any thing but it is sufficient to Let or Sell or Lend to them Navar concludes it lawful (h) Licet eos emero illis emptioni suae consentire c. 23. n. 75. quia pater tempore famis extremae fi ium vendere potest tum quia nemo tenetur ad gratis subveniendum egenti etiam extreme modo commodando vel mutuando satis ei succurrat ibid. to buy persons in extream Necessity and lawful for them to consent to it his reasons among others are because a Father in time of extream Hunger may sell his Son also because no man is bound to relieve one though in extreme Necessity gratis if he can do it sufficiently by loan exchange c. So that if a man were in such extremity for want of Food that he might sell his Son to get it for the saving of his Life yet no Christian in that case were bound to give him relief freely by their doctrine it would suffice to let him have Money or Meat by the sale of his Child We cannot expect they will ever find it a duty To give to the Indigent if not in such circumstances and 't is a plain case where there is no obligation to give there 's no necessity to give Alms. But if they did make it necessary to give Alms yet is it not needful by their doctrine to do it so as it will be a good work or so to Fast or Pray or do any other act which have any goodness in them or pretend to it so good works will by their principles be still unnecessary For that any work may be good it must be from a right principle and for a good end but both these they make needless As to the former there 's no necessity as they teach to act out of (*) Alexander Alensis Petr. Lombard Aquinas Angelus Sylvester Canus Soto Jac. de Graffiis c. supra love to God for though this be the intention of God and the design of the Law in all good acts as they acknowledge from that Tim. 5. Rom. 13. yet they have a maxim generally received (i) Ex D. Thom. graviorum autorum sententia ad finem legislatoris minime teneamur sed ad media c. Canus Relect de paenit part 4. Soto de nat gr supra the intention of the command is not commanded herein they follow Aquinas and hence they conclude that (k) Modus talis charitatis non cadit sub praecepro c. Soto de just jur lib. 2. q. 3. art 10. such a mode of acting out of love to God is not required in any command of the divine Law but the whole and every part of it may be fulfilled sin avoyded if (*) Hinc ergo patet adimplentem praeceptum per actum ex aliqua circumstantia malum satisfacere praecepto etiamsi non adimpleat Modum aut etiam sinem a legislatore intentum Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 1. q. 1. punct 9. that which is required be done though not out of Love to God at all And particularly Soto takes much pains to argue us out of the love of God in all our actings and to prove that it is not necessary And all generally conclude that it is not needful in any acts of Piety Mercy or Charity required on their days for worship since there
they determine that there is no need of any act of love as was shew'd before 'T is no wonder therefore as to the second if they conclude it needless to act for God in what we do and make him alone our chief end In the Theory indeed they determine that an act is not good unless there be a concurrence of all conditions requisite thereto and that the end is the principal as much in morals as the form is in naturals so that without (l) Omne opus cujus finis est malus ipsum quoque malum est Navar. cap. 12. n. 30. a good end that act must be naught and no end good where God is not chief yet for practice they discharge them from any necessity to make God their principal end they conclude it lawful for a man to act (m) Sylvest Sum. v. Charitas n. 5. Navar. supra principally for his own advantage yea they account it but a Venial fault to do the best act principally for (n) Cajetan Sylvest Navar. supra The precept may be fully accomplished where the manner and end is naught Bonacin ibid. apud eum Aquinas Sotus Navar Medina alij a sinful end Now to avoid a Venial sin they hold it not necessary by any command of God and therefore it will not be needful to do any thing but principally for an end so far sinful and consequently unless the work can be good whose principal end is sin no good work at all will be necessary But it is a more wicked end which they openly avow when they design by what they do to merit grace and glory and make satisfaction to divine justice This is to make Christ a legg while they attempt his Crown and to offer him a Rush with an intent thereby to invest themselves in his prerogative They should shew us how it is possible such acts can be good before they pretend to account good works necessary Sect. 4. But though they find no necessity of good works by vertue of any divine Precept ordinarily yet they seem to make some when they will have the Priest to injoyn them for Penance and 't is like in this as in other cases they leave so little or nothing needful that God has commanded to render their own devices more necessary But good works being injoyned as penance become punishments and it signifies the Church of Rome is no good friend to good works when she counts or makes them punishments for punishment is properly evil to us and not to be done but suffered and thus she will have good works neither to be good nor to be done To be sure thus they cannot be done so as to be good or as becomes Christians to do them for he that must think it a suffering to do them does them with the spirit of a Slave not of a Christian But let us suppose they may be good works and well done too by way of Penance yet they are not necessary at all in their Church upon this account and so no way For first the Priest (o) Vid. Sylv. v. Confess 4. n. 2. Suarez 3. tom 4. disp 38. Sect. 6. n. 4. needs not injoyn good works as penance he may injoyn (p) Cajetan Navar. ibid. Sect. 3. n. 4. nothing at all if he pleases or some (q) D. Thomas Soto alii communiter ibid. Sect. 4. n. 4. slight thing that which is good for nothing or that which is worse or (r) Ibid. Sect. 6. n. 5. what the Confitent must have done if he had not sinned or he may dismiss him with this general (s) S. Thom. Paludanus Petr. Soto Navar. ibid. Sect. 6 n. 6. all the good thou doest or evil thou sufferest let it serve for satisfaction or he may commend something by way of (t) D. Thom. Paludanus Petr. Soto Victoria Ledesma ibid. Sect. 3. n. 2. Counsel without obliging him by any injunction or he may require him only to avoyd the sin he confesses for a while (u) Ibid. Sect. 6. n. 2. and when he shrives the woman that he has (x) Vid. Angel sum v. confess 5. n. 8. sin'd with it is like he may not prove very rigorous this way Or Secondly if he should injoyn this or any good work the Confitent (y) Scotus Gabriel Hostiensis Panormitan Medina Sylvester Armilla Navar in Suar. ibid. Sect. 7. n. 1. need not accept of or submit to it as many of their chief Doctors determine Or Thirdly if he do accept it yet he needs not perform it for all that he may be released by himself (z) Omittere satisfactionem est peccatum sed non mortale si desit contemptus quia non omittitur aliquid necessarium ad salutem Cajetan Sum. v. satisfact p. 520. To omit it will be but a small fault such as he needs not regard be the good work little or great if it be not out contempt Or (a) Communis sententia theologorum est possâ— paenitentem implere per alium satisfactionem sibi impositam Ita D. Thom. Paludanus Sylvester Alensis in Suar. ibid. Sect. 9. n. 1. another may undertake it and satisfie by suffering it for him Or a Priest may release him either he that injoyn'd it (b) Opinio communis est quam tenet Sylvest Angelus Navar Rosella Victoria Le desma Medina ibid. Sect. 10. n. 4. or another However Indulgences will do it effectually these serve to sweep away all good works all necessity of them on this account for ever This is their special use to release the Popes Subjects from the sad penalty of good works for though they have dealt hardly with good works to make them a punishment yet they will not deal so hardly with Catholicks as to have it necessary that they should be thus punished And therefore to ease them of this grievous suffering of doing good the Church in great tenderness has provided Indulgences which they may have at easie rates and thereby an acquittance discharging them from the good works they were to suffer And if the Priest should be so rigorous as to injoyn a Sinner to be doing good all his life or so impertinent as to require it for a hundred years he may meet with Indulgences will quit him of it every moment of his life and if he will many thousand years over and above And if this cannot be had unless he pay for it yet for his incouragement they teach (*) An sit melius dare argentum in Eleemosgnam quam dare in subsidium ad consequendam indulgentiam loquendo ex genere censeo esse melius subsidium facere ad consequendam indulgentium Idem ibid. disp 49. Sect. 5. n. 7. p. 633. that it is better to lay out his money for an Indulgence than in deeds of Charity So that there is no such goodness or necessity in the best work a Priest can injoyn but it may be better and more necessary to give the