The Safe Way Leading All Christians, Section 11
Sect. 11. The teſtimonies of our Aduerſaries touching the greater ſafety, comfort, and benefit of the ſoule in the Proteſtant faith, then in the Romiſh.
FRom the certaine way I will proceed to the ſafer way, wherein it ſhall appeare that as our doctrine is more Catholique, more ſtable and certaine; ſo likewiſe it is more profitable, more ſafe and fruitfull (or to vſe their owne phraſe) of greater merit, euen by the teſtimonies of their beſt learned amongſt themſelues. Looke vponupon the all-ſufficiencie of the Scriptures: All thoſe things are written by the Apoſtles (ſaith Bellarmine) which are neceſſarie for all men, Bell. de verbo Dei nō ſcripto. l. 4 c. 11.and which the Apoſtles preached generally vntounto all. And although this Cardinall will allow the word of God to be but a partiall not a total rule, yet,De verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. ſaith he, Regula credendi certiſsima tutiſsima que eſt, The Scripture is a moſt certaine and moſt ſafe rule of beleeuing. So that it is a ſafer way to relye wholly vponupon the word of God that cannot erre, then vponupon the Pope or Church which is the authoritie of man and may erre; It is a ſafer way to adore Chriſt Ieſus ſitting at the right hand of the Father, then to adore the ſacramentall bread which depends vponupon the intention of the Prieſt, and may faile: It is a ſafer way, and wee liue more in ſafetie (ſaith Austin) if we giuegive all vntounto God, rather then if we commit our ſelues partly to ourſelues, and partly vntounto God: we will but it is God that worketh in vsus to worke according to his good pleaſure, this is behoofefull for vsus both to beleeue and to ſpeake, this is a godly, this is a true doctrine, that our confeſsion may bee humble and lowly, and that God may hauehave the whole.
Looke vponupon the Communion in both kinds,The Communion in both kinds. and the Deane of Louaine will tell vsus:Caſſand. ſub vtraque ſpecie. It were better the Communion were adminiſtred in both kinds, in reſpect of the perfection thereof, for it were more agreeable to Chriſts inſtitution, and it best agrees with the corporall feeding which is both in bread and drinke. And ſaith Vaſques, Probabilior ſententia ſē per mihi viſa eſt eorum qui dicunt maiorem frugem gratiae ex vtraque, &c. Chamier. de Euchar. l. 9. ca. 10. Caſſ. ab vtrá que ſpecie.Their opinion ſeemeth to vsus more probable, who ſay that greater fruits of grace are reaped by the Communion in both kinds then in one. And ſaith Caſſander, Although the Communion in both kinds be not ſimply neceſſarie nor contrary to Chriſts precept, yet it is much to bee preferred before the Communion in one kinde. And their owne Schooleman Alexander …b Hales profeſſeth, Though the order of receiuing in one kinde be ſufficient, Illa tamen quae eſt ſub duabus eſt maioru meriti. Alexand. Hal. in 4. Sentent. q. 53 membr. 1.yet the other of both kindes is: of greater merit, of greater fulneſſe and power.
Priuate Maſſe.Look vponupon priuate Maſſe and it will appeare by a generall confeſſion, that the Communion of Prieſts and people together,— quod huius ſanctiſſimi ſacrificij vberior fructus proveniret. &c. is more ſafe and profitable then priuate Maſſe: It is the confeſſion of their great and generall Councel of Trent:Concil. Trid. Cap. 6. Can. 8. Optaret quidem, &c. The Councel could wiſh the people would communicate together with the Prieſt, becauſe it would be more fruitful & more profitable: the like confeſſion is made by Mr. Harding: Iewel. Artic. 1. in Priuate Maſſe.I denie not (ſaith he) but that it is more commendable and more godly on the Churches part, Bellar.] Quia Miſſae celebratio no ſolum ad ſacrificium Deo offerendū ſed etiam ad populum nutriendum ſpirituali populo ordinatur, proptereà ex hac parte negari non potest quin ſit magi… perfecta & legitima M…ſ…a vbi communi…stes adſun… quam vbi deſunt.if many well diſpoſed and examined would be partakers of the bleſſed Sacrament with the Priest: and laſtly, Bellarmine himſelfe is forced to confeſſe: Becauſe the celebration of the Maſſe is ordained not onelyonly to offer Sacrifice to God, but alſo the ſpirituall foode to the people, therfore it cannot be denied, Bellar. de Miſſa. lib. 2. c. 10.that it is a more perfect and lawfull Maſſe, where the Communicants are preſent, then wherein the Priuate Maſſe, the Prieſt alone receiueth.
Priests Marriage.Looke vponupon the Marriage of our Miniſters, and it will appeare by their owne confeſſions that it is the ſafer way to liue chaſtly in matrimony, then by a ſingle life to hazard their ſoules by Incontinencie.In geſtis Concil. Baſil. lib. 2. Credo pro bo no & ſalute animarum ſtatutum vt non volentes continere poſſint contrahere quia experientia docente contrarios prorſus effectus ſequitur. Panor. de Cleric. Coning. cap. cum Olim. It was the opinion of Aeneas Syluius, afterwards Pope Pius: Perhaps it were not the worſt that many Prieſts were married, for by that meanes, many might be ſaued in married Prieſt-hood, which now in barren Prieſt-hood are damned: and Panormitan a great Canoniſt was ſenſible of the dangers that accompanied a ſingle life, and therupon reſolues: It were good and behoofefull for the ſoules of many, if Prieſts might marrie, becauſe we finde by experience, the Law of ſingle life hath brought forth contrarie effects: Caſs. de Celib. Sacerd. Art. 23.and Caſſander who well vnderſtood the life and conuerſation of Prieſts proclaimes it to his Church: If euer certes in theſe our daies the change of the Law (of ſingle life) may be thought neceſſarie, that thoſe which cannot attaine to the perfect degree of chaſtitie, may bee permitted to liue in the ſecond degree of chaſt marriage.
Looke vponupon our Prayer in a knowne tongue,Prayer in a knowne tongue Aquinas] Constat quod plus lucraiur qui orat & intelligit quod dicit. nam ille qui intelligit, reficitur & quantum ad intellectum & quantum ad effectum ſed mens ei…us qui non intelligit eſt ſine fructu refectionis. Si populus intelligit orationē ſacerdotis melius redu itur in Deū, & deuotius reſpondet Amen. Lyr. in 1. Cor. 14. and Aquinas their learned Schooleman tels vsus, It is manifeſt that he receiueth more benefit which prayeth and vnderſtandeth what he ſaith, for the minde of him that vnderſtandeth not, is without fruit and refection; and Lyra was of the ſame opinion, and withall giues a further reaſon: If the people vnderſtand the prayer of the Prieſt, they are better brought to the knowledge of God, and they anſwer Amen with greater deuotion: and Cardinall Caietan, Ex Pauli doctrinâ habetur quòd melius eſt ad Eccleſie edificationem, orationes publicas quae audiente populo dicuntur, dici linguà communi clerici & populo quā dici Latinè. Caiet Com in cap. 14.1. ad Cor. v. 17.who had often performed the publique ſeruice in an vnknowne tongue in the Church, yet contrarie to his practiſe profeſſeth: It is better by Saint Pauls doctrine for the edifying of the Church, that publique prayers were made in a vulgar tongue, to be vnderstood indifferently by Prieſts and people, then in Latine; and Gabriel Biel was ſo farre from approuing the vocal prayer in an vnknowne tongue,Oportet quod vocalis oratio immoteſcat populo &c. Jn Can. Miſs. lect. 62. that on the contrarie hee giues ſeuen ſpeciall reaſons why it ſhould be vnderſtood by the people: Firſt, becauſe it ſtirreth vp the mind to inward deuotion: Secondly, it inlightneth the minde: Thirdly, it cauſeth a better remembrance of things ſpoken in the time of prayer: Fourthly, it keepeth the thoughts from wandring: Fifthly, It cauſeth a more full performance of our dutie both in body and ſoule: Sixthly, there is a better redundance from the ſoule to the body, by a vehement affection and deuotion: Seuenthly, it is better for the inſtruction of our brethren: and which is obſeruable, the Rhemiſts themſelues in their Annotations vponupon Saint Pauls Epiſtle touching prayer in an vnknowne tongue make this confeſſion: When a man prayeth in a ſtrange tongue which himſelfe vnderſtandeth not, Rhem. Testā. in Annot. 1. Cor. 14.it is not ſo fruitfull for inſtruction to him as if hee knew particularly what he prayed.
Looke vponupon their worſhip of Images,Image Worſhip. and their owne Eraſmus tels vsus; Tulius, It is more ſafe to remoue Images out of Churches then to pray to them, Ʋt fàcilius eſt ita tutius quo que omnes Imagines è Templis ſummouere, &c. Eraſm. in Catecheſi.that the minde may be altogether free from ſuperſtition, for no man can be free from ſhew of ſuperſtition, that is proſtrate before an Image, and doth looke on it Intentionally, and doth ſpeake vntounto it, and kiſſe it; nay, although hee doe but (onelyonly) pray before an Image: and ſaith Caſſander, It were better in theſe times to inuite men to worſhip the true Image of God in releeuing the poore, Caſſ. Conſult. de Imaginibu….then to worſhip the work of mens hands: and withall concludes; Their opinion is more ſound, which ſay, that an Image neither as it is conſidered in it ſelfe as wood and ſtone, neither as it is conſidered in the nature of a ſigne or repreſentation is to be adored.
Laſtly,Merits. looke vponupon their doctrine of Merits: Dangerous (ſaith Bernard) is the habitation of thoſe that truſt in their owne merits: In Pſal. qui habitat. Vbi tuta firma que infirmis ſecuritas & requi… niſi in vulneribus ſaluatoru? tanto illi… ſecurior habito quantò ille poten… eſt ad ſaluandū Bernard. in Canti. Cantic. Serm. 61.Againe, he proclaimes our doctrine for the ſafeſt way in the ſole confidence of Chriſts merits: Vbi tuta, what ſafe reſt or ſecurity can the weake ſoule find, but in the wounds of our Sauiour? as he is mighty to ſaue, ſo dwell I there with more ſafety; and Fryer Walden accordeth with the Proteſtants in the ſame beleefe:Reputo igitur ſaniorē Theologū, fideliorē Catholicū & Scripturis ſacris magis cōcordem, qui tale meritum ſimplicitèr abnegat &c. Wald. Tom. 3. de ſacramental, tit. 1. C. 7. I repute him (ſaith he) the ſounder Diuine and more conſonant to the holy Scriptures, who doth ſimply denie ſuch merit, and (with the qualification of the Apoſtle,) confeſſeth, that ſimply no man meriteth the kingdome of heauen but by the grace of God or will of the giuer, as all the former Saints, vntill the late Schoolemen, and the vniuerſall Church hath written; and for a Concluſion of this point, Cardinall Bellarmine who doth labour and ſweate by ſubtiltie of wit, to maintaine merits of condignity and congruity, at laſt confidently reſolues: For feare of vaine glory, Propter incertuudinem propriae iuſtitiae & periculum inanis gloriae iutiſſimum est &c. Bellar. de Iuſtif. lib 5. c. 7.and by reaſon of the vncertaintie of our workes, Tutiſsimum, &c. It is the ſafeſt way to place all our truſt in the onelyonly merits and fauour of God: and from theſe ſeuerall confeſſions, I may inferre that the Proteſtant faith is more certaine, more ſafe and ſure, more comfortable, and eueryevery way more profitable then the Romiſh doctrine, by the teſtimonie of our Aduerſaries themſelues; for we proteſt againſt free will, againſt the Communion in one kinde, againſt Priuate Maſſe, againſt Prayer in an vnknowne tongue, againſt the worſhip of Images, againſt the doctrine of Merits, all which are receiued for principall Articles in the Church of Rome, and yet are acknowledged by the Romaniſts to want that aſſurance, that comfort, that benefit, that ſafety for the ſoules of the faithfull, which the Reformed Churches teach and profeſſe in a different doctrine at this day.