87. when there are Arguments pro and con all probable in his judgment that views them if he follows that which seems to him most probable he sins not though it lead him into sin They lay great weight upon Authority and think it safe to follow the herd in a common opinion yet one good reason (u) Navar. cap. 3. n. 8. they say is to be preferr'd before the common judgment of their Writers and one may venture against the stream being back'd with it Nor is there need to be very scrupulous about the probability of a reason 't is enough if it seems but probable to him that weighs it yea (x) Ignorantia excusat etiam cum quis in affectione ad suum Doctorem judicat probabiliter ut sibi videtur esse verum quod est falsum Sylvest sum v. opinio n. 1. though it seem but so out of affection to him that offers it And that may as well pass for more probable which is more favourable to the inclination of the Inquirer and he may be his own Judg in the case and act against the scruples of his Conscience when he has probable reason But when there are more reasons against it and but one probable for it must not the more sway us since that is safer and that which is safer is to be chosen according to the common Rule no we are not obliged for that rule even in matters of faith and practice is (y) Navar. c. 27. n. 281. only a Counsel not a precept we are only injoyned to do what is safe not to what is safer and a practice upon a probable reason is (z) Hoc potest facere viz. crebro contra scrupulos tuta conscientia ex consiâ—io proprio quando habet probabilem rationem Sylvest v. scrupul n. 3. Regul 5. safe enough Sect. 15. Secondly custome is another probable ground which with them will secure a person from sin in doing what is unlawful It is ordinary with their Casuists to conclude a practice innocent when there is custome for it though otherwise they condemn it as a sin So Navar (a) Cap. 13. n. 5. determines that if it were a custome to observe the Lord's day only till noon or till Mass were ended in the Morning it would be no sin to spend the rest of it in servile works And that of Cajetan is observable he takes notice that it is a practice in the Church of Rome to sing to the Organ prophane and filthy Songs when they are at Church for worship This the Cardinal reflects upon severely condemns it as a mortal sin and a crime of Sacrilegious Superstition yet in the conclusion thinks something of it (b) Excusandos tamen illos crediderim qui simplici corde credentes licere non turpia sed vana quasi pro recreatione pulsare pro eo quod vbique sic vident fieri erraverunt tales enim ex ignorantia probabili erraverunt Sum. v. Organ excusable upon the account of custome and probable ignorance (c) Qui habitu gestu cantu notabiliter lascivo in ludo chorearum utitur sicut faeminae inverecundae pectora lascive nudant viri partes inverecundas indecenter coopertas ostendunt peccant mortaliter Those who in dancing use Habit Gesture or Songs which are notoriously lascivious as immodest women who wantonly lay open their Breâ—sts and men who expose without due covering their shameful parts they sin mortally So de Graffijs had concluded as any person that is not past shame would do but then he presently corrects himself (d) Verum de hoc pro certo judicare non possumus sed standum est consuetudini patriae l. 2. cap. 120. n. 16. yet of this says he we can pass no certain judgment but must stand to the custom of the Countrey Though so much wantonness seem a mortal sin yet if it be the custome he cannot certainly judge it any In like manner (e) Sum. v. Ornar n. 7. Sylvester determines of a Habit that will not suffice to hide their shame if it be a custome though not laudable and without ill intention no general rule can be formed against it In (f) In his quae ideo sunt mala quia prohibita ut communiter positiva praecepta excusat consuetudo praescripta quia tollit legem est legum interpres Imo hac ratione dico quod excusat etiamsi non sit praescripta modo sit rationabilis scienter tolerata c. Idem ibid. v. scrupul n. 4. reg 5. positive precepts where things are evil because prohibited custom will excuse And so Fornication which in the judgment of (g) Supra Durandus and some others is of this nature needs nothing but custom to excuse it from being a sin So much they ascribe to custom that they will have the Scripture not to direct and regulate it but to follow it and be conformed to it even in its changes so that the sense and obligation of the Divine Rule shall be changed as the Romanists change fashions This Cardinal (b) Scripturasque esse ad tempus adopt atas varie intellectas ita ut uno tempore secundum currentem universalem ritum exponerentur mutato ritu iterum sententia mutaretur Epist 2. ad Bohem. de usu Com. Nec mirum si praxis ecclesiae uno tempore interpretatur scripturam uno modo alio tempore alio modo intellectus enim currit cum praxi Idem epist 7. Cusanus affirms the Scripture says he is fitted to the time and variably understood so that at one time it is expounded according to the currant fashion of the Church and when that fashion is changed the sense of Scripture is also changed and again no wonder if the practice of the Church do take the Scripture one time one way and another time another for the sense of it keeps pace with the practice This wa urged in the Council of (k) History of Council of Trent l. 2 â— 159. Trent and judged to be the meaning of the Lateran-Council when it decreed that the Scripture should be expounded according to the Doctors of the Church or as custome has approved Thus it must come to pass that what the word of God in its true meaning did once condemn as a sin if it become the Roman practice the Divine precept will change its sense and the act will be no sin It was a sin once by the word of God to deprive the people of the Cup in the Eucharist but since it was the custome of Rome the Scripture has changed its meaning and it is now no sin To worship Images was a crime condemned in Scripture as that which God most abhorred but being once the practice of the Romanists the Scripture renounced its former sense and it is now far from being criminal It has not only made a change in the word of God but in the nature of the thing and the same thing
THE Practical Divinity OF THE PAPISTS Discovered to be Destructive of Christianity AND MENS SOULS And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thess 2. 11 12. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst and Nath. Ponder at the Bible and Three Crowns at the Lower End of Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the Peacock in Chauncery Lane near Fleetstreet MDCLXXVI AN Advertisement I Have alwayes thought since I considered and understood what Popery was that the knowing of it would be a sufficient Disswasive from it to those that regard God and their Souls This perswasion together with compassion for those that are seduced and desire to secure those that are in danger engaged me in this present Undertaking Wherein I have discovered what the Practical Divinity of that Church is how pernicious and inconsistent with the way to Salvation declared in the Scripture I have herein the concurrence of some few in comparison of that Church who are sensible of such Doctrine prevailing amongst them as they say is (a) Representation of Curez of Paris p. 3. absolutely opposite to the Rules and Spirit of the Gospel Such as (b) Pag. 4. no man that hath never so little tenderness of his own salvation but must conceive an horror at such as they call a (c) Their Remonstrance p. 2. Poysonous Morality more corrupt than that of Pagans themselves and (d) Their Answer maintaining the Factum p. 8. which permits Christians to do what Pagans Jews Mahometanes and Barbarians would have had in execration such as is in their Style the most palpable (e) Ibid. darkness that ever came out of the bottomless pit such as (f) Ibid. p. 12. overthrows the Essential Points of Christian Religion and the Maximes that are most important and of greatest necessity in order to the salvation of man Of this they have given the World notice in several Discourses (g) Provincial Letters Jesuits Morals two of which I have seen though unhappily not the latter till I had gone through the greatest part of what I intended As to the extent of this Execrable Divinity they declare That whole Societies (h) Remonstrance of Curez of Paris would have these Extravagancies accounted Roman Traditions that The Church is overgrown with this poysonous Morality that (i) Answer maintaining thâ— Factum It is ready to be overwhelmed with the deluge of these Corruptions that The Church is filled with this most palpable darkness Elsewhere they seem to fixe this Charge upon the Jesuits principally as if they would have it thought not to reach much further but withal tell us that the Jesuis (k) Ibid. are the most numerous and the most powerful body of men in the whole Church and have the disposal of the Consciences of all the greatest So that I can represent them no worse than some of themselves do and the worst that can be said falls by their own acknowledgment upon the most considerable part of their Church That they should so far accuse the whole cannot be expected whatever occasion there be for it so long as they think fit to continue in its Communion But then if we regard those who are so great a part of that Church upon the account of their numbers and more in respect of their Authority and Influences the Maximes so branded (l) Supra are Roman Traditions (m) Defence of the Factum the true Doctrine of Faith the true Morality of the Church not asserted by that Society alone but equally if not more by Catholick Writers of all sorts and those that quarrel thereat are factions spirits Hereby so far as the testimony of Adversaries against themselves can clear a matter in question there is evidence both that the Practical Doctrine amongst them is pernicious and damnable and also that it is common and generally followed I intend not here to impeach any Maxime peculiar to the Jesuites but that Doctrine of the Romanists which is far more extensive delivered by Canonists and Divines Secular and Regular of every sort and in part by the Canon Low and their Councils who sometimes glance at this Subject though they make it not their business that which in most particulars and those of greatest moment is ancienter than the Society and in many points such as the Censurers of the Jesuites Morality do not touch but either approve themselves or dare not condemn least they should involve the whole Church in the Condemnation I cannot discern that the Practical Divinity of the Jesuites is more corrupt then that of other Romish Writers their Contemporaries And those that view the Moral Discourses of both and compare them will if I much mistake not discern no other I never yet met with any Author of that Order so intollerably licentious but might be matched if not out-vied by others there is no need to except Escâ—bar or Bauny though most branded nor do their keen Antagonists do it when they speak of others whom they know to be no Jesuits (n) Remonstrance of the Curez of Paris as the most extravagant that ever were There is no reason why the Odium which a Community incurrs should be appropriated to a party nor that the Society only should be noted as the sinck when the corruption is apparent every where So far as the Jesuits are concerned herein it hath been sufficiently exposed by others upon which account I decline those of that Order not putting the Reader to relie upon any Evidence from their Writing Onely because it is requisite to shew their concurrence in some Points which otherwise might not pass for the Common Doctrine I make use of Bellarmine freely whom none can count a Corrupter of Popery however Christianity hath been treated by him and of Suarez sometimes whose Judgment alone is counted equivalent to a thousand others by some (o) Vid. Jâ— Sanc. Disp 44. n. 4â— that are none of the Society I alledge beside though rarely one or two more of those Fathers of like eminency and authority in that Church but none of them save in such points wherein they have not been noted for extravagancies by others or in such wherein those of other Orders concurre with or go beyond them The greatest advantage I make of them is to represent the opinions of others not their own and most herein of Suarez who usually gives an account of the Common Doctrine out of unexceptionable Authors Those whom I principally rely on to make good the Charge are the ancienter and better sort of their Divines and Casuists the strictect of them in points of Morality that I could meet with such as are so far from being Disciples of Ignatius that most of them are Dominicans most opposite of all Orders to the Jesuits and said to be the least tainted with these Corruptions and the greatest part of them
in Scotland (*) Hâ—st of Ch. of Scot. l. 2. p. 75. were accounted sufficiently qualified who it is said did think the New Testament to have been composed by Martin Luther The Priests even in Italy (k) Pudeat Italiae sacerdotes quos ne semel quidem legisse constat novam legem apud Thaboritas vix mulierculam invenias quae de novo veteri testamento respondere nescit Comment de dict fact Alsonsi regis liâ— 2. Apophtheg 17. if they had more notice of the Author yet scarce more acquaintance with the Contents of the New Testament they never read it and were much more ignorant thereof than the silly Women amongst the Thaborites as Aeneas Sylvius afterward Pope Pius 2. writes Knowledge of the Scriptures (m) Et non curent nescientes literas literas discere was not counted necessary for their Preachers either Regular or Secular The chief of their Regulars were the Franciscans and Dominicans In the rule of Fryar Francis approved by several Popes the Minorites one sort of Preaching Fryars are amongst other other vices to avoid learning if they were illiterate And those of the Dominicans (n) Illi rudes illiterati praedicabant urspergens in Cent. 13. Magd. Cap. 6. the other of Fryars Praedicant who were rude and illiterate did Preach notwithstanding As for their other Doctors (o) Si vero sacerdos est Doctor tenetur scire saltem rudimenta sidei Graff decis pars 2. l. 1. c. 11. n. 19. or Teachers that which they are bound to know is the rudiments of faith such as our Children who can scarce read will give an account of The Papacy had no Doctors or Divines more eminent than those of the Sorbon (p) Si illud apud Hieronymum aut in decretis legisse quid vero novum Testamentum esset ignorare Rob. Steph. Resp ad Censur Theol. Paris in Praefat. yet they seem little beholding to the Scripture for their Divinity Robert Stevens in the last age conversing with those Doctors would be asking in what part of the New Testament such or such a thing is written but had such answers returned They had read it in Jerom or the Decrees but what the New Testament was they knew not For a Confessor he is sufficiently qualified according to Aquinas Bonaventure and Albertus as Sylvester collects (q) Secundum istos sufficientem credo qui atâ—ente legit intellexit Defecerunt nisi sit aut naturaliter stultus aut praesumptuâ—sus ut non sciat dubitare vel nolit interrogare Sylv. sum v. Confessor 3. n. 2. vid. Tol. ibid. l. 3. c. 15. That which a Confessor is to know is which sins are mortal which venial Now this they cannot learn from Scripture as themselves go near to acknowledge Valent. Tom. 2. disp 6. q. 18. And so no need of Scripture for them vid. Angel sâ—m v. confess 4. n. 3. Sylvest ibid. if he have but read and understand not the Bible but Antoninus his Book entituled Defecerunt unless he be a mere natural or presumptuous fool And neither will doubt of any thing when he knows nothing nor enquire of others So that he may be a compleat Confessor and guide of consciences who knowes nothing of Scripture and little else if he have but the wit to discern his own ignorance and a will to learn of those that are wiser when he can meet with them Thus we see a Roman Priest is furnished for all points of the Office common or special without any acquaintance with the word of God As to Bishops they seem to agree that some knowledge of the Scripture is requisite in them and some venture to say a full and perfect knowledge of the old new Testament signified by their Mitres the two Horns whereof mystically demonstrate that they understand the two Testaments both alike And indeed since their Praelates Secular and Regular have honour power and plenty by the Papal contrivement and hopes of more and greater than other professions can offer their interest tyes them so fast to it that they may trust them if any with the sight of the word of God securely and not fear that any discovery of Popish corruptions through such a Medium will make any impressions on them to their prejudice or move them to believe or act any thing against that which is so much themselves there is no such danger in admitting these to some acquaintance with Scripture as others who have no expectations from Religion but for their Souls and Eternity Nevertheless their Rules which seem to make this knowledge necessary for Bishops are rather Counsels than precepts they are cautious and will not press this too much for conscience enlightned sometimes proves too hard for secular interest And their Praelates may be easily dispensed with if they be ignorant of Scripture or have little notice of it It 's one of Sylvesters and Angelus questions (r) Utrum peccet mortaliter Episcopus ignorans respon lendo in ordinatione sua cum interrogatur utrum sciat novum vetus Testamentum quod scit Resp secundum Rich. quod sic si est ita ignarus quod nesciat in generali mandata Dei articulos fidâ—i virtutes vitia eâ—iam sacramenta quoniam tunc mentitur perniciose Angel sum v. episc n. 26. Sylv. ibid. n. 5. whether an ignorant Bishop sin mortally if in his Ordination being asked whether he understand the whole Bible he should affirm he does this he so resolves after Richardus a Sancto victore If the Bishop be so ignorant that he knowes not in general the Commands of God the Articles of faith what are vertues vices and which the Sacraments then he so sins he lyes pernitiously Leaving us to judge that he doth not thus lye when he solemnly affirms that he hath as much knowledge of the old and new Testament as the Church of Rome requires in a Bishop if he do but know the Creed the Ten Commandements which are vertues and vices and which are Sacraments and have but some general perception of these They will not have the Bishops burthened with too much Scripture-learning since every Child they confirm should have no less than this This may pass for perfect knowledge of the Scripture and of an Episcopal pitch with those who count it no imperfection to be ignorant of that which they say (a) Iâ— indice lib. prohibit Regul 4. Pij 4. doth more hurt than good for so they are wont to blaspheme the Scriptures or the Holy Ghost whose inspiration they are The Bishop of Dunkeld (*) Putant peccatum esse si scripturas legerint in lege Domini meditabundos quasi garru os inutilesque contemnunt Espencaeus in 1. Tim. digress l. 2. c. 2. p. 180. in Tit. c. 1. p. 486. Edit Paris an 1619. thought he had enough of it when he said I thank God I have lived well these many years and never knew
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