put it in execution and a greater punnishment it is and inflicted for some greater sin for a man not to see nor knowe that which he is bounde to doe Of these secret sinnes which are committed through ignorance and yet for all that bee imputed by God and seuerelie by him punnished we haue many examples in holy scripture I will here onely make mention of two but those of the most notable to giue more light to that which hath beene saide God commaunded King Saul to inuade the countrey of the Amalachites and vtterly to destroye 1 Reg. 15. them not leauing either man or beast aliue because they did not shewe mercy but crueltie towardes the Israelites when they came out of Aegipt Saul went and conquered the coūtry slew men and beastes as he was commanded but yet he did spare the life of the king called Agag and some of the best cattell and in this facte hee neuer thought that hee had committed any sin at all for to saue the kinges life he did it vnder the title of piety and some of the beastes hee reserued for outwarde shewe of religion to offer them in sacrifice to God and therfore when the Prophet Samuell did reprehende him for not hauing kept the commaundement of God he answered confidentlie that he had done all that which God had willed and appointed him Albeit Saul sinned because hee should not haue interpreted the commandement of God according to his owne fancy nor to haue donne expreslie contrary to that which God gaue him in charge either vpon any pretext of piety or colour of religion yet he thought that he had not committed any sinne therein nay rather hee supposed that he had donne verye well and so that which hee reputed for no faulte God very iustlie did impute vnto him for a grieuous sinne and did punnish him most severelie for the same depriuing him of his kingdome and casting him out of his favour and suffering him by a naughtie death to 2 Reg. 24. ende his daies Dauid had a desire to number his people and to muster all the men of war in his kingdome he put this his desire in executiō This was in him a great sinne both because it was very chargeable to the king very troublesome to the people without any necessity or iust cause and also because it was a kinde of pride and vaine ostentation as Saint Gregory saith and to this may be also added howe it was against the law which commanded that when vpon necessitie the people were numbred that euery one shoulde offer a certaine quantity in almes to bee imployed about the vses of the tabernacle This being so grieuous Exod. 30. a sinne and for so many reasons contrary to the lawe of God yet when Dauid did it he thought it not any such vntill afterwarde he sawe the punnishment thereof to consume his people by so pitifull a pestilēce that there were alreadye dead thereof seauenty thousand persons Then he perceaued what a great sinne he had committed and did confesse it saying I haue sinned much in this fact and haue done Charthusianus 2 Reg. 24. foolishlie And Dauid fell into this sinne because beholding himselfe so potent in battaile and to ouercome al his enemies he suffered some presumption to enter into his hart and for this sin and for the sinnes of the people God did suffer him to fall into such an ignorance and blindnesse that hee knewe not howe greate a sinne that was which he then committed So that both Saul and Dauid offended God in doing these sinnes not knowing howe greate the faulte was which then they did and in like manner many fall into verie grieuous sinnes through culpable ignorance as hath bin saide and some of them as Saul neuer come to know or confesse them and so die in their sinnes and perishe for euer Others as Dauid come to the knowledge therof and doe purge them by true penance and contrition To the end therefore that wee may preserue ourselues from falling into so great blindnesse as this is and if we be already fallen that wee may come out of it let vs nowe see what remedies are for this purpose to be vsed and put in practise Chap. X. Of a very profitable remedye against the harme which commeth by secret sinnes and that is euery day to examine our conscience and the manner how this is to he done HAuing now declared how great an hinderāce it is to a good confessiō lightly to examine our consciēce the great harmes which from that negligence doe growe and that is for a mā to fall into those sins which he knoweth not requisite it is likewise to giue some instructions how we may ouercome this carelesnes deliuer our selues from these so great harmes The first is for a man willingly to take paines to enter vvith consideration into himselfe and to search all the corners of his conscience and crauing light at Gods handes that he may know himselfe to stay there for some space pondering the motions desires of his owne soule and the workes which from that doe spring For to applie carefully and with diligence the hearte troubled with such varietye of tentations to consider with quiet the inward actiōs of the soule and the outwarde of the body is a thing of trauaile paine and therefore necessary it is that a man should resolue him selfe to imbrace this labour and to overcome this difficultie And to the end that a man may by vse make this examination well and get a facility therein let him not thinke it enough to examine his conscience once before he goeth to confession but let him make it daiely And for that purpose at night when he goeth to bed let him retire himselfe into some secret place before some image and there let him call his soule to account how it hath bestowed that day and let him examine well all that hee hath thought said or done and such sins as he findeth himself to haue fallen into let him purge with the teares of pennance for so did holy Iob and this was his meaning when he saide I considered O Lord with feare all my workes because Cap. 9. I knowe that thou wilt not leaue any sin vnpunnished as though hee had said To preuent thy iudgment and punnishment I haue iudged and punnished my selfe and that euery day and euery hower because the holye man coulde not make this examination of all his workes had hee not vsed it very often And king Dauid so employed about the affaires of his kingdome and so charged with businesse of great weight was not for all that carelesse herein but did euery night recollect himselfe to make this examination of his conscience and to bewaile all the wickednesse which he had committed against the will of God This doth he plainly declare when he saith thus I haue labored in sorowe and sighing for my sins and euery night haue I exercised my felfe vntill I haue
those that shoulde haue them whether the debts be old or new To make collusions and monopolies that is for one man or place to ingrosse thinges that none may sell or gaine but hee likwise for many sellers to agree togither to the iniurie of the buiers and many buyers to the damage of the sellers To shewe parciality in diuision of common benefites or taxing of tributes or subsidies or in stopping and aresting of goodes charging some and exempting of others and that for fauour and friendship To gaine by play or to buy thinges of other mens children or such persons as cannot sell or do them away Not to performe faithfully so soone as may be the willes and testaments of others Not to administer honestly and according to conscience the goods of Wardes and other childrē during their nōage they being their Gardians and hauing the charge of their education To maintaine vniust sutes and in doubtfull cases not to vse first diligence to know whether they be iust or no by searching out that sincerely with a desire to bee assured there of and that of such as can enforme them truely and all this not to doe iniurye or hurte to any Chap. VII Of diuers kindes of wicked superstitions not knowne to many and somtimes not confessed through culpable ignorance AMongst other great sinnes whose malice are not of many so well perceiued diuers kindes of superstitions are numbred as to be desirous to know by superstitions meanes things past as thefts robberies and other secret sinnes or thoughtes of the hearte or to bee willing to knowe future thinges and those not naturall but such as depend vpon our owne free wil or thinges casuall for the effecting Deut. 18. Leuit. 29. of which the actiō of mans will must concurre as mariages getting or loosing of goodes whether such a man will come or such a blessing or curse shall light vpon such a one or no whether he that goeth on such a side of the streete shall be slaine or hurt with a stone whether hee that goeth ouer such a riuer shal be drowned and such other like thinges which God onely doth knowe for a man to be desirous to knowe such thinges as these either by the starres of heauen or by the lines or signes of a mans hand or by dreames lots or the chattering or singing of birdes or by the motions of a Cap. Illud cap. sed est cap. sors 26. q. 2. c. Non obseruetis 26. q. 7. Con. Trid. ses 22. D Aug. de doct Christian lib. 2. ca. 21. 22. de ciuit lib. 5. vsque ad cap. 6. Ambros in Hexam li. 4 cap. 4. D Tho. 1. p. q. 115. art 3. 22. q. 95. art 5. 96. mans body or by other such like meanes cannot be excused from superstition To be willing likwise for the recouery of some infirmity or to get a remedy for some malady to say such kinde of words or to make such signes or to carry such a wrighting about them and by such other like thinges which haue not any such naturall force to worke any such thing nor be ordayned of God for the producing of any such effectes Likewise to vse holy thinges and to put all the vertue and efficacie of them in circumstances or in ceremonies which be indifferent or vaine as to obtaine some temporall commodity at Gods handes to determine that so many praiers wordes are to be said and none other that they must be said iust so many times and not one more or lesse vpon such daies and no other or with so many candles and of such a fashion and colour and other like thinges which being such as it litle skilleth whether they bee donne in that manner or no yet therein doe they put the efficacie and effecte of theire prayer and not in the deuotion and feruour of spirit with which the prayers bee said nor in Gods prouidence who disposeth of all humane thinges as best serueth for his glorye and the good of our soules Into these and other such like superstitions many persons doe fal through culpable ignorance thinking that in them there is no sinne at all or else but small and veniall whereas in very trueth the sinne is verye great and very much and seuerely reprehended in the scripture and also by holy men and ecclesiasticall Canons vtterlye condemned as those thinges in which a secret couenant is made with the Diuell and in which he intermedleth to beguile christians And not longe since Sixtus Quintus by his publique letters hath condemned all such vaine artes and vpon greate paine forbidden them These be his wordes Besides that arte which In motu proprio entreateth of future effectes proceeding of naturall causes all other arts which professe to tell future and casuall thinges be guilefull and vaine and subiecte to the pernitiouse deceites of the Diuell who by them doe greatly thrust themselues in And therefore Astrologers Mathematicians who professe the vaine knowledge of the starres and the generation and birth of men and doe presume to knowe iudge and affirme of that estate and condition of life which men shall haue as what honoures shal befal them what riches what children what health what death what iorneyes what quarrelles what imprisonment and other such prosperous and aduerse chaunces doe offend God grieuouslie and are thēselues deceaued and so deceaue others And in like manner all others which by other like artes are desirous to know thinges that shall happen be secret as by signes in the hand in the water in the aire in the fire or in beastes or by lottes or such other tokens be vaine men curious wicked and without religion and those men women which seeke to know such like thinges of them or beleeue them do offend against their baptisme against the christian faith And he addeth besides that hee doth not onely forbid these artes and commande that such as vse them should be punnished when they affirme or assure men that these or these things shall fal out but also when they say the same though certainely they doe not affirme it All these bee the wordes of Pope Sixtus in his said constitution wherein also he commandeth all Prelats Inquisitors to proceede against such persons very seuerely and forbiddeth al bookes that intreate of any such artes And whereas he saith that those which enquire and would knowe such thinges or doe beleeue them that they do offend against their baptisme and the catholicke faith his meaning is that they offende against that which they professed in theire baptisme and against that which the catholicke faith doth teach which is to flie and detest al such pactes and couenants whether open or secret as the Diuell by any meanes hath any thinge to doe in Chap. VIII Of sinnes committed by playing gaming and beholding of vaine and hurtfull sightes into which many do fall through culpable ignorance AMong the former sinnes may bee
primatiue church the faithfull did communicate euery daie for then great deuotion did florish amongest them but after that charity waxed more colde that counsell which is to bee giuen to Christians is that they communicate euerye Sonday This is the opinion of S. Thomas and he doeth confirme it with the authoritie of Saint De ecclesi dogmat cap. 33. cap. quotidie dist 2. Augustine and the doctrine of Gods church Chap. XXII Of that discretion which ghostly fathers ought herein to obserue according to the doctrine of holy men OVT of this doctrine of holye men vvee maye gather vvhat discretion ghostlye fathers haue in these our dayes to obserue in grauntinge or denyinge leaue to communicate To such persons that be indeede trulie resolued to serue God license may be giuen to communicate once in a fortnight or once in eight daies Some Doctors thinke that leaue Soto in 4. dist 22. q. 1 ar 10. to cōmunicat euery eight daies ought not to bee giuen but to such as be of rare vertue but according to the counsell of S. Augustin in these times where there is much frequenting of the sacramentes it may be granted to all them which truly haue begon a newe life and doe with care auoide and flie from great sins To such as be very deuoute and of whome they haue experience that they do notably profit by frequenting the sacramēts and that they doe daily encrease in deuotion and puritie of life they may grant leaue to communicate twise a weeke and when any particular necessitie doeth occurre or in persons of greate perfection or vpon some special deuotion and hunger of this bread of life for a weeke or two to communicate once more seemeth not excessiue albeit great reason there is that the ghostlye father shoulde well consider thinke vpon the matter and not be moued so much for the comfort of the penitents as for that hee thinketh hee hath sufficient reason so to doe To such persons as haue begonne to frequent the holy cōmunion and doe reape litle profit thereby and experience teacheth that they doe not ouercome nor mortifie them selues as reason woulde nor aspire to more vertue and a better life but that through their own fault they liue in a colde kinde of sort and want deuotion conuenient it is to depriue them of some cōmunions to the ende they may learne to feare and by that meanes humble themselues make more account of the B. sacramēt and to prepare themselues vvith more deuotiō for the receauing thereof and especially this kind of rigor and proofe is to be vsed towardes those that desire for their owne pleasure to cōmunicate and that as a thinge due to them of iustice and bee grieued complaine if this leaue be denied thē for this is a very greate presumption and plaine token that such soules are farre from true humilitie and the knoweledg of their own vnworthynes and of that reuerence vvhich they oughte to bringe vnto so heauenlie a banquet And let not the ghostly father any thing feare that denying some tymes the sacred communion to all such persons as these and for such causes as these be that he doth them any harme in depriuing them of that profitte vvhich by communicating they mighte receaue because our Lorde that liketh wel to depriue his church of the infinite suffrages of holye Masses by not giuing licence ordinarily to celebrate anye more then once a daye for to preserue that reuerence which is due to this most sacred misterie as before hath beene saide it shall likewise Cap. 21. please him verye vvell that such persons bee depriued of many communions to preserue in them and others that reuerence which is due to this most holye sacrament And if they doe take this crosse and triall in good parte humblinge themselues and willingly obey they take not harme but profit because as holy Doctors affirme D Bonau 4. d. 12. ar 4. q. 1. Soto in 4. d 11. q. 2. ar 8. and experience doth teache the same that such as come to communicate with a colde kinde of deuotion through their ovvne faulte although they bee in the state of grace yet small is the encrease of grace which this most diuine sacrament doth vvorke whereas it is most plentifull and wonderfull which it doth effect in them that come with that disposition which is conuenient so by that feare and humilitye which they conceaue by this pūnishment it will come to passe that one communion will be vnto them more profitable thē many others vnto which they come with carelesse preparation And sufficient it is that this is the doctrine and counsell of holy men that the ghostlye father who is Gods seruant may beleeue it effectually put it in practise Saint In breuiloquio p. 6. cap. 9. Bonauenture speaking of this verie matter hath these wordes Those which intende to communicate and perceaue themselues not so pure or doe finde themselues without deuotion let them take this counsell and deserre their communion vntill they be better prepared And the holy man doth speake of those who though they bee confessed and in good state yet through their negligēce they finde themselues somwhat cold and drie and not so pure from veniall sinnes and so deuout as were cōueniēt for these he saith that it is better more holsome counsel to defer a day or somewhat longer their communion vntill they be better prepared And to that which some may obiecte against this aduise saying that although it be good for a man to abstaine from the communion vpon feare and reuerence to so holy a mistery that yet it is better to come vnto it vpon loue and for desire of so infinite good the holye Doctor doth answere in these wordes Both affections are commended praised in the Scripture and so we see that Zacheus is commended for that he receaued readily with ioy our Sauiour In fascicul cap. 8. into his house and the Centurion praised that for humilitie and reuerence and knowing his owne vnworthinesse and the maiestie of our Lorde hee did beseech him not to enter vnder his roofe and necessary it is for the holy communion to preserue both these affections and that we doe in such manner reuerence this moste highe sacramente in which GOD himselfe is giuen vs for meate that in like sorte we doe desire it and with confidence come vnto it and that we doe in such wise desire it and haue confidence in him that we lose not that feare and reuerence which wee owe vnto him And althoughe loue of his owne nature be better then feare yet in some cases and in some persons the affection of feare is more conuenient it would be more hurtfull and dangerous to be carried away with desire and that affection which seemeth to bee of loue All this is out of Saint Bonauenture And that which in briefe he wold say is that he which is with purity requisit deuotion