The Practical Divinity of the Papists Discovered to be Destructive, Discourse · Chapter 8 · Section 9
SECT. IX.
LET us ſee, in the next place, what truth may be expected in Popery, or thoſe that profeſs it: and whether their Rules, tend not to leave, neither truth in the world, nor amongſt themſelves, by giving liberty to all falſeneſs, and lying in words and deeds: A lye, as they define it, (y)Aquinas, 2. 2. q. 110. art. 1.is an aſſerting of what is falſe, with an intent to ſpeak falſely, and to deceive others. Now they teach that to deliver (a)Si dicatur falſum ſed defit voluntas dicendi falſum—non eſt mendacium proprit aut perfecte, & ſi diligentia eſſet adhibita, non eſſet peccatum, & ſi non ſit adh…bita, eſt veniale, 2. 2. q. 2. C. homines in Sylv. Sum. v. mendacinm. n. 1.what is falſe, if not on purpoſe, though it he without any care whether it be true or falſe; if it be a fault, is ſuch, as needs not be regarded; unleſs, where it is in teſtimony, or upon Oath (and there they will excuſe it too, by and by): becauſe this is but a material lie, and not in its formal perfection. But then, a perfect lye with a deſign to ſpeak what is falſe, and to deceive the hearers, is as innocent if it be for pleaſure or in ſport, ridentem dicere falſum quis …etat? to make a ſport of violating truth, or in offering it ſuch injury, to pleaſe himſelf, or others; any one may do it out of habit, and make a practice of it, and tell (b)Quod fit ſola mentiendi libidine quod procedit ex habitu: nam mendax ex to quod talis eſt ſecundum habitum ipſo mendacio gaudet, 4 Ethic.—reducitur ad jocoſum, cum ſit delectabile mentienti. Idem ibid. nec mendacium erat mortale ut in jocoſo & officioſ…, ibid. n. 3.lies when he liſt, out of meer pleaſure to be telling lies: yea (c)Contingit tamen propter imperfectionem actus eſſe veniale peccatum ex malitia: … ſi quis vana mendacia eligit dicere ex intentione hujus mali, quod eſt vane mentiri, & non propter aliud. Cajetan. Sum. v. malitia.or out of malice (though that be the higheſt aggravation of ſin). An officious lie is with them as harmleſs, they have warrant enough for the moſt compleat and perfect lies, (d)Officioſum (mendacium) quod fine alicujus injuria dicitur, ut alicui proſit, & hoc etiam eſt veniale. Cajet. ibid. v. Mendac.when they are of any advantage to ſome, and no hurt to others; how much ſoever truth be injur'd, or others deceived thereby. So that their true Catholicks, need leave no place for truth, either in their heart or words; when the excluding of it from both, will, without hurt, ſerve either their pleaſure or profit. However, herein they uſe true and plain dealing, in letting the world know, that in theſe caſes, they are never to be truſted, either in matters of Converſation, or Religion. This being their Principle, (e)Lex de non mentiendo jocoſe aut officioſe ſine dumno alterius—(ejus) tranſgreſſio eſt ſolum venialis, ſecundum omnes Catholicos. Navar. c. 23. n. 5.received by all Catholicks, and univerſally acknowledged; we need not wonder, that it hath been their common practice in ſeveral ages, and that they make no conſcience of it ſtill, to counterfeit falſe miracles, to forge falſe ſtories, to ſhew falſe Reliques, to divulge falſe Viſions, and Revelations, to obtrude on the world ſuppoſititious Writings; to corrupt the Monuments of former times, and expunge out of them all the truth that makes againſt them; to make even the dead ſpeak lies, or diſguiſe the truth. For, all this falſneſs is officious, it ſerves the intereſt of the Church, it is to commend her Doctrine, and to maintain her authority over mens Conſciences; and it does the world no hurt; For it is (they ſay) the duty of all men, and would be their advantage, to entertain her Doctrine, and ſubject themſelves to her Authority. Now if the reſt of mankind, Jews, Turks, Heathens, had retained no more conſcience nor reverence for truth, than theſe Catholicks: if upon their ſuppoſition (that their way was the beſt), they had proceeded by their rules and methods to broach any lies for them, or falſifie any Records againſt them: who ſees not, that this had been a direct courſe to have left no truth at all in the world, nor means to come to the knowledg of it? yet this practice with the Romaniſts (ſo great friends are they to Truth), is but a Venial fault. Did I ſay they count it ſo bad? I do them wrong; it is a great piece of piety, to make lies for their Religion, as ſome (f)Fuerunt qui magnae pietatis loco ducerent mendaciola pro religione confingere. Ludovicus Vives, & Eſpenſaeus, Com. in Tim. l. 1. c. 11. p. 156.of themſelves do acknowledg it has been accounted. To proceed, (g)Sylveſt. ibid. n. 5.there are five or ſix ſeveral ſorts of lyes, (that they may have room enough ſtill to avoid truth), which they may make their practice without danger. It is the pernicions Lye only that need be avoided, that which wrongs others, and is againſt juſtice; and thus no violation of truth, no injury to it, how great ſoever (ſo tender they are of it) will be a crime, unleſs withall, it be againſt Juſtice: and a Lie, (be it as groſs as can be) will not of itſelf, (h)Mendacium ſi aliam non habet maculam quam falſitatis, non est genere ſuo mortale, patet, quia neque eſt contra religionem (Romanam) neque contra juſtitiam. Soto, ibid. l. 5, q. 7. art. 4. p. 168.and in its own nature, be more than Venial, but only by accident; when it ſo falls out that it does miſchief: And it may be as innocent to tell lies as truth, and as criminal to ſpeak truth as lies; there will be no difference as to mortal guilt in their own nature: and by accident they may do hurt alike. However, conſidering that Truth and their Religion are ſo much at odds, the world is obliged to them for being ſo indifferent as to truth and lies, and that theſe have no more the preference. But then, though none but pernicious Lyes need be ſhun'd, yet not all of this ſort neither: they give liberty to tell miſchievous lyes, as many and as oft as you pleaſe, ſo the miſchief they do be not great, though it prejudice others in ſpirituals or temporals: or though ye do the (i)Mortalis autem eſt omnis, & ſola illa, quae fit animo notabiliter nocendi in bonis ſpiritualibus aut temporariis, quamvis non noceat, et illa quae fit nocendo notabiliter, aut dando cauſam ita nocendi ſine tali animo, advertendo tamen, aut advertere debendo per illam notabiliter nocere, aut cauſam notabilis nocumenti dando, alias non, quamvis injuria graviſſima ſit juxta mentem. S. Thom. declaratam utrobique per Cajetan. Navar. c. 18. n. 1.greateſt miſchief that can be done, yet if you did not intend it to be great; or if you ſhould not, or did not obſerve and conſider that it would be ſo; in ſuch caſes even pernicious lies will be harmleſs Venials. They may by their Rules, lye to the prejudice of others in Soul, Body, or Eſtate, and that deliberately, and with deſign to do it, provided the damage be not great; but when it will be great, their Caſuiſts cannot well determine; this is not confined to a point, there's a fair latitude, and liberty enough given for leſs or more, it is much left to diſcretion: and if he do much miſchief inſtead of little, the Lyar caunot be charged with mortal guilt; for who can condemn any for tranſgreſſing bounds that are not ſet? and how can they think, that any injury done by lying, can be great, who count it better than innocent (as we ſaw before) to abuſe the world with lyes in point of Religion? Sure if the injury be not great there, any will be ſmall. And in other matters, they have fair leave to do great hurt by lying, ſo they do it but by degrees, and be not ſo haſty as to do it all at once. Take but an inſtance of it in commerce. (k)Mendaciis uti eo fine in venditione, ut pervenire poſſit ad juſtum pretium, vel ipſis uti tantum ad decipiendum in modico, peccatum veniale eſt, quamvis illis aſſidue utatur: licet Hoſtienſis dicat eſſe mortale, ſi aſſidue fiat, quod falſum eſt, quia veniale de ſe, quantumcunque multiplicatur & continuetur, nunquam fit mortale, ut Doctores notant, &c. Graff. l. 2. c. 118. n. 10. Excuſari tamen à mortali eum qui utitur amphibólogia in contractu cum juramento, &c. Idem. Tom. 2. diſp. 4. q. 1. punct. 12. n. 7. ubi Sayrus & alii.To uſe lies, ſays de Graffiis, in bargaining, to get a good price, or the uſing of them to deceive others in a little, is but a Venial fault, though it were a daily practice. Hoſtienſis thought that this lying to cheat others, if it were their continual practice, might prove mortal: but he is confuted by the common judgment of their Doctors, who hold, that a Veni…l▪ how much ſoever multiplied or continued, can never become mortal. We ſee they may lie, and deceive thoſe that deal with them, if they wrong them but a little at once, this they may do daily and continually; and ſo in time, that little will be much, yet the ſin will be no more; the pernitious Lye which does great injury, will be as innocent as any.
Others teach, that lying is Venial in Trading; for Example, if one affirm falſly, that his Wine is ſo many years old, or of ſuch a Countrey, which if the Buyer know to be a lie, he would not buy it at all, or would not give ſo much for it, this ſeems no mortal ſin, provided all circumſtances conſidered it be as good, and as much worth, or not much leſs. Bonacin. de contract. diſp, 3. q. 1, punct. 2. ſect. 2. n. 7. Or if the Sellers affirm with a lie, that the thing coſt ſo much, or was ſold to others at ſuch a rate, that they may draw the Buyer to a rigorous price: by thus lying for the moſt part they ſin but Venially, and regularly they are not bound to reſtitution: becauſe ſuch lyes are cuſtomary, and men commonly know that theſe are the tricks of Sellers, to which thoſe who deal with them give no credit; and for the ſame reaſon the ſame muſt be ſaid of Buyers, who affirm (falſly) that they bought the thing cheaper, or had it offer'd them for leſs; that they may get it at the loweſt rate. Idem ibid. diſp. 3. q. 2. punct. 4. n. 3 1▪ after others; yea, if they not only lye but ſwear falſe too with ſome equivocation, they may be probably excuſed from mortal ſin, if no great dammage be done thereby to another. But though they have no more regard of truth in common converſation, or in commerce; yet it may be expected that they will be more tender of it in Judgment, and Courts of Judicature; ſince they cannot but acknowledge that the perverting of truth in Judgment is deſtructive of humane Society, and tends to throw the World into confuſion. Notwithſtanding they maintain lying there alſo, and that in many caſes, I ſhall but mention ſome of them. 1. To lye in Court, if the end of it be but delight, (l)Durandus & Sylveſter. ibid. n. 5.is harmleſs. Alſo, Witneſſes may lye there ſeriouſly, if they do it not as Witneſſes, and in (m)Navar. ſecundum Cajetanum. cap. 18. n. 3.matters judicial: and (n)Mortalia ſunt judicis ut …c mendacia, reliqua ſunt per accidens & ideo venialia. Cajetan. Sum. v. Mendac.the Judg too, if he lye not as a Judg. Further, (o)Teſtimonium falſum in favorem proximi, non eſt mortal…: neque adeo quando dicitur, ut idem impediatur injuriam facere: quoniam neque hoc eſt contra ipſum. Praeceptum Ex. 20. ſub illa forma conſtituitur. Non loqueris contra proximum tuum falſum teſtionium. Soto, ibid. l. 5. q. 7. art. 4. Victoriae viſum eſt non eſſe damnondum de mortali falſitate—qui ut ſuum tueatur innocentiam, utitur teſtibus ſe ultra offerentibus ad teſtificandum ſalſum—jurando. Vid. Lopez. pars 2. c. 44. p. 264.they may bear falſe witneſs in favour of another; a falſe teſtimony for my Neighbour, is not mortal with them; and the reaſon is, becauſe the Precept forbids falſe Witneſs againſt another, not for him. And upon the ſame account, Soto ſays, a falſe teſtimony may be excuſed, when it is to hinder one from doing injury. Likewiſe, when the matter in Judicial proceſs, is not of great conſequence, a lye is Venial, whether it be for, or againſt another. So Navar (p)Concludendo nullum mendacium eſſe mortale, to ſolo, quod, in judicio exteriori, vel interiori dicatur, quod extra illud dictum tale non eſſet. Navar. cap. 18. n. 3. Cenſeo in judicio mendacium circa rem ad id pertinentem leviſſimam tamen contingens, non eſſe mortale crimen quod—oſtendunt. Domin. a Soto, Covarruvius, Navar. Graff. l. 1. c. 14. n. 6. & l. 2. c. 143. n. 7.and in him Ledeſma, (whom he calls the Glory of the Dominican Order) with Soto, (of the ſame Order and no leſs renown) maintain, that no lye is mortal in any Court exterior (that of the Judge) or interior (that of the Confeſſor); which is but Venial, out of Court. So that if the lye be not ſignally injurious, it is not mortal, however or wherever it be delivered, though by a Witneſs in a Trial before a Judge▪ in the face of the Countrey. Moreover, it is as innocent in all thoſe caſes, wherein the Lyar is not obliged to ſpeak truth, which are not few. A Lye, ſaies Sylveſter (q)Mendacium de his quae ad judicium pertinent eſt pernicioſum & mortale: quia ſubvertit veritatem judicii, quod tendit, in perniciem univerſitatis, quod limita quantum ad ea, in quibus qui mentitur, tenetur dicere veritatem, non aliter. Ibid. n. 3.in judicial matters, is pernicious and mortal; becauſe it ſubverts the truth of Judgment, which tends to the ruine of the Ʋniverſe. But then he adds, this is to be limited to things, in which the Lyar is bound to ſpeak the truth, and not extended to any other. Now they hold, there are very many caſes in which they are not obliged to ſpeak the truth, no not in Courts: and in all theſe by their common Doctrine (not that of the Jeſuits only) either they may lye plainly; or (which is all one as to the juſtice of the practice, and as to the ſubverting of Judgment), ſecretly, by equivocation or mental reſervation. Antonius Corduba determines, that a perſon other wiſe virtuous, being unduly interrogated, whether ſuch a thing was done, which, confeſſed, might endanger him; he and the Witneſſes too, if they cannot otherwiſe evade, (by ſaying (r)Liceret ſibi & teſtibus injuſtè interrogatis ſic reſpondere: (quando tunc reſpondere neſcio, non recordor non prodaſſtt) non furatus ſum, intelligendo, ad jure revelandum tibi.—alias tenemur per verba, & modos aſſuetos, licèt aequivocos injuſte, interroganti, reſpondere. Lopez. cap. 51. p. 264.I know not, or I remember not); may ſay, though it be falſe, that it was not done, with this reſerve, To diſcover it unto thee; and ſays, ſuch Interrogatories may be anſwered or evaded, by any, with equivocal words, in uſual (*)Angel. Sum. v. Confeſſ. n. 1.form. So that he is not bound to tell the truth, though he be ſworn to declare it. Navar holds that not only virtuous, but any perſon whatever, may ſo anſwer in like caſe; denying that to be done, which was done, ſecretly meaning, In ſuch a Month; and this he aſſerts after Gabriel, Paludanus, Adrian, Vincentius Juſtinianus, and (s)Intelligendo intra ſe quod iſto vel illo menſe non fuerit id res furatus—Navarre opinio teſtimoniis Gabriel Adriani, Paludens & Vincent. Juſtiniani, rata habetur. Ibid.Lopez after him. Sylveſter (t)Quum juridice non procedet, vel quia accuſatus non eſt ei ſubjectus ſimpliciter vel in hoc caſu, aut quacunque alia cauſa, tune licèt mendacium ſic illicitum, non eſt tamen mortale—Immò non erit etiam veniale, ſi reſpondendo cauteloſe, &, ut aiunt Sophiſtice, dicat aliquid ſalſum, apud ſenſum judicis, & apud ſuum verum; quia eo caſu cum non ſit ejus ſubditus, non tenetur dicere veritatem ad ejus intentionem. Rationem dictorum aſſignat. Hen. de Gan. Sylv. Sum. v. accuſatio. n. 10.concludes, when the proceſs is not judicial, or the aceuſed not ſubject to the Judge; in this caſe mentioned, or any other cauſe whatſoever, though a lye he not lawful, yet it is not mortal, yea it will not be ſo much as Venial, if anſwering cautiouſly, and, as they ſay, ſophiſtically, he ſpeak that which is falſe in the Judges ſenſe, (u)Licèt ei uti aequivocatione, Soto de juſt. l. 5. q. 6. art. 2. Adrian dicit, talem reum poſſe dicere non ſeci, & Cajetan. Opuſc. 16. q. 5. Dicit poſſe reſpondere ſe non habuiſſe complices, quamvis habuerit, in Tol. Inſtr. l. 5. c. 58.and true in his own; (w)Non tenetur reſpondere etiamſi juraſſet dicere veritatem ſecundum, Henr. de Gand.—ſed dicetne mendacium? Reſp. quod non ſed utetur aliis verbis duplicibus & ſilatis. Angel. Surn. v. Confeſſ. n. 1.ſince not being under him, he is not obliged to ſpeak truth in his ſenſe, and alledges Henricus de Gandavo, with his reaſon for it. Soto allows him to uſe Equivication. Cajetan permits him to deny his Complices, though he had them. If the Judge demand of a Prieſt upon Oath, whether he knew ſuch a thing by confeſſion? (y)Quid. ſi judex inſtat, vel exigit juramentum à ſacerdote an per confeſſionem ſciat aliquid de tali facto? Et dico quod ſecundum, S. Tho. & omnes doctores, ſacerdos ſi ab eo quaeretur, de aliquo abſente, an aliquid ſciat quod audivit in confeſſione jurare poteſt, ſe neſcire illud: quia non ſcit illud in quantum homo—Secundùm Vervec, ſi alio modo iniquum judicem declinare non poteſt: reſpondere poteſt ſe nihil ſcire quia ſubintelligiter ut homo—& conſentit Rich. Bonav. Scot. & Pan. Sylveſt. v. confeſſio 3. n. 6.AQƲINAS, and all the Doctors conclude, that he may ſwear he knows it not, though it hath been confeſſed to him, Becauſe he knows it not as a man. And according to V…r…cellus, if he cannot otherwiſe decline the Judge, he may anſwer be knows nothing, with this inward reſerve, AS A MAN; and in this Richard. de Sancto Victore, Bonaventure, Scotus and Panormitan agree; yet Angelus thinks when he ſwears, he knows it not, it had better be with this reſerve, TO DISCOVER IT, becauſe it cannot be deny'd, but that he knows it AS A MAN: (z)Quod ejus dictum eſt contra omnem doctrinam ſuorum Doctorum et contra C. ſi ſacerd. intellectum juxta communem doctrinam: quia ibi dicitur ſacerdos hoc ſcire ut Deus.but this, ſaies Sylveſter, is ſaid againſt the judgment of all his Doctors, and againſt the Canon Law, underſtood according to their common Doctrine, becauſe the Prieſt is there ſaid, to know it AS GOD. This needs no aggravation; a Prieſt rather than ſpeak the truth (though (a)Certum eſt obligationem hujus precepti tantum eſſe, ut in nullo caſu, & propter nullum finem, etiam pro tuenda tota republice ab ingenti malo temporali aut ſpirituali, violare illud liceat. Ita docent theologi omnes contra unum Altiſiod tenet. D. Tho. S. Bonav. Richard, Scotus, Durand. Palud. Major. Capreol. Gabriel. Alenſis. Adrian. Medina. Viguer. Sylv. & alii ſummiſtae, omnes Pet. Soto. Domin. Soto. Navar. Covarruv. Simanca. Cajetan. Ledeſma in Suar. Tom. 34. diſp. 33. ſect. 1. n. 2.the diſcovery of it may be neneſſary to ſecure a Prince or a Nation from ruine), may with mental reſervation delude Authority, and blaſpheme God, and lye, and ſwear falſly in open Court; and be juſtified in all, by the authority of the chief Saints and Doctors that Church has had, and ſuch as ſhe gloried in, before Ignatius had any diſciples.
But though truth ſuffer ſo much by them in civil things; it may be ſhe may find ſanctuary in their divine Offices, and be ſecured there from ſuch ſhameful violations: no, even there ſhe is proſtituted before their Aſtars, in their Pulpits, and their penitential Tribunals. Their Lyturgies have been ſtuffed with Fables, and Lyes made both the ground and part of their publick devotion. Their own (1)Vid. Eſpenc. com. in 2 Tom. c. 4. digr. 21.Writers take notice of (2)Nuper Raphael. Volateranus auſus eſt ſcribere dolendum, aperta in horis Canonicis legi mendacia. Ibid. p. 424.plain lyes recited in their daily Prayers. And what ſtore of them there were in the whole, we may gueſs by a part. (3)Noſti quantum me pigeant falſa in Eccleſia Dei cantica, quantum nugae canorae mihi odibiles, inter quas, nam plurimae ſunt—mendacia ad minus 24 canticum id, citato percurrens animo, reperi. Ibid. p. 433. In res ſacras hanc quoque mentiendi licentiam irrepſiſſe, ſeu potius aperte invectam eſſe. Ludovic. Vives, l. 2. de corruptis artibus, Eſpenſ. in 1 Tim. digr. l. 1. c. 11. p. 156. Quae in Eccleſia legi ſolent—quanquam nonnulla ex his incerta ſunt, apocrypha levia, falſa. Loc. Theol. l. 11. c. 5. p. 911. In his prudentia deſideratur. Quidam namque dum reduviam curant, capiti incommodant, videlicet hiſtorias graves pro apocryphis reddunt quidem, ſed divinum Eccleſiae officium uſque eo praeter ſolitam immutant, ut vi… ulla antiqu… religionis forma in quotidianis precibus relicta eſſe videatur. Ibid. p. 910.Peter Abbat of Cluny declares, that in a Church hymn in praiſe of Saint Benet, though reading it curſorily, and not marking all; yet he found 24 lyes at leaſt. Some reformation hereof was thought repuiſite, for ſhame of the World. But though the old ſore ſmelt noiſomly even to the ſenſe of thoſe amongſt themſelves who had any; yet it muſt be touched tenderly, and not all the corruption let out, leaſt nothing at all of the old Service ſhould be leſt. Melchior Canus, (a Biſhop from whom better things might be expected than moſt in the Council of Trent where he ſate), acknowledged ſome years after, that there are things read in their Church-Service that are uncertain, counterfeit, frivolous and falſe too; but yet he thought it not adviſeable, to have this throughly purged. Thoſe that attempt it, in his account want prudence. They cure a ſore nail, but miſchief the head; They bring in grave ſtories inſtead of what were falſe, but they change the Church-Service ſo far from what it was, that ſcarce any ſhew of the old Religion ſeems leſs in the daily Prayers: whereby he lets us underſtand what their old Religion or religious Service is, ſince ſo little or nothing of it would be left, if no lyes or forgeries were left therein. Another learned Biſhop of their Church, who ſurvived the Trent-Council, and all the Orders there made for Reformation, not only complains ſtill of falſe and fooliſh things there; but of ſomething worſe too, in theſe words: (b)Epiſcopus ille Lugdunenſis qui dixit ſe in miſſaltbus & antiphonariis ſuperflu…, levia falſa ridicula; blaſpheme phantaſtica multa correxiſſe; ſi nunc viveret & ea con…iceret Deum immortalem! quo ea nomine depingeret? ſunt (enim) preces (noſtrae) turpiſſimis mendis conſpurcatae: com. in Tim. 1. l. 1. 157. Eſpencaeus, in the words of Lindanus.if the Biſhop of Lyons, ſays he, who declared that he had corrected ſuperfluous, and ridiculous, and blaſphemous things, in their Miſſalls and Antiphonaries; were now alive, and did behold them: Oh with what terms would be ſet them out? for our prayert are defiled with moſt filthy corruptions; but the reſt will admit of no reformation, through the fault of the Biſhops. He ſignifies, that there was ſomething worſe in their Service-Books, than that idle, falſe, ridiculous, and blaſphemous ſtuff, which that antient Biſhop Agohardus corrected, in the old Miſſals and Antiphonaries: declaring expreſly, that their prayers now were poluted with moſt filthy Corruptions, and that without hope of amendment. Nor is truth more ſecure amongſt them, in the Pulpit, though that (where is bears any ſway at all) is its Throne. A Preacher may lye, by Cajetans (c)Sam. v. mendicium, p. 437. omne mendacium predicatoris contra veritatem ſpectantem ad predicatoris officium (eſt mortale)—quoniam haec tantum ſunt predicatores ut ſic—mendacia: reliqua ſunt per accidens, & ideo venialia: niſi rationes ſcandali aliud occurrat cenſendum.leave, if he does it not as a Preacher, or in things which belong to him as ſuch. In other matters, it ſeems, he may take his liberty; and lying when he is Preaching, will be but Venial, unleſs it be ſcandalous. He may lye in the Pulpit, if he can do it wittily; (d)Quaeritur utrum fit peccatum mortale predicatori mentiri in ambone? & dico quod non, in eis quae non ſpectant ad doctrinam puta, … dicat aliqua jocoſa. Sylv. v. Mendac. n. 4. Graff. l. 2. cap. 143. n. 5. S. Thom. in opuſc. 4. precept. 8.he may min his Sermons with falſe ſtories, (if they be facetious) to pleaſe his auditory, (e)Immiſcere predicationi facetas fabellus delictaudi gratia quod B. Ambroſius reprehendit quia non debent, in tam gravi actione de rebus tam arduis qualia ſunt divina verba, immiſceri jocoſa & ridicula. Communiter tamen eſt hoc veniale. Cajetan. ſum. v. predicat: p. 481.that's commonly a Venial- He may (f)Qui concioni fabulam & facetias, aut aliquid ridiculum miſcet, peccat quidem juxta S. Antoninum & Cajetanum, ſed commaniter non pluſquam venialiter, juxta …undem, imo non ſemper venialiter, ut cum ad hilaritatem honeſtam breviter dicuntur, ut tradit, Auguſtin. Triumphus Navar. c. 25. n. 142-tell a tale in his Sermon, or any thing ridiculous, if he do it with ſome wit this is commonly no worſe than Venial; no nor ſo bad, if it be done ſuccinctly, to make the people merry, ſo the mirth be honeſt. He may lye too, as a ſerious Divine; and inſtill falſe Doctrine into the people without any fault but what is Venial, if it be done without contempt or ſcandal, ſo Summa Angelica, and Roſella, with others, conclude. (g)In pertinentibus ad doctrinam tenent. Sum. Angel. & Roſell. quod non ſit mortale, niſi ratione ſcandali vel contemptus doctrine annexi: vel niſi in his que ſunt de neceſſitate facienda, intellige etiam omittenda, ſecus ſi ex conſilio, Sylveſt. v. mendac. n. 4.They limit it indeed, to matters under Counſel; but this does not much ſtraiten them; for practical Divinity being the moſt proper Subject for Sermons, and vertues, with Chriſtian duties, (and the oppoſite ſins,) being, by their common Doctrine, in a manner all reduced to Counſels, ſome way or other (as we have ſhew'd before): they have liberty enough left them, to do nothing elſe but lye inſtead of Preaching. But in any matters of Divinity whatſoever, ſpeculative, or practical; injoyned, or but adviſed; they may lye at as eaſie a rate, if (h)Peccat qui mentitur in materia fidei, ſacrae ſcripturae vel morum—quod limitat Cajetanus, non procedere quando id fit per ſolum multiloquium, vel alias ſine animo & periculo nocendi notabiliter. Navar. c. 18. n. 4.it be but done out of a fluent faculty, or without danger, and deſign of doing ſignal miſchief. Their practice publickly allowed, has outdone their rules; for theſe, though licentious enough, muſt have now and then ſome ſhew of modeſty, and caution. Sylveſter takes notice of thoſe, who held it was no mortal ſin to lye in the Pulpit, and acted accordingly; (i) Credunt non eſſe mortale mentiri in ambone, niſi ut illi dicunt, predicant maximas falſitates, quae deinde à ſaecularibus deprehenduntur. Ibid.and thought themſelves concerned, only to avoid ſuch monſtrous lyes as the people would ſmell out. But this cautiouſneſs, was not always thought needful; he that reads the Legends, which ſerved the people heretofore for Sermons: will find there multitudes of ſuch ſtories, ſo abſurdly, ridiculouſly, horridly falſe; as may fully convince him, that the Spirit which acted them, was ſeven times worſe, than that which inſpired Ahabs Prophets. And where they are now diſuſed: its not with any acknowledgment, that ſuch notorious lyes, were not fit to be Preached; but for ſhame of that part of the world, which they could no longer delude, and abuſe. And even after their reformation, they could not quite leave their old habit; their Prieſts ſince, have this teſtimony from one of their own Doctors: (k)Verum lex periit à ſacerdotibus; recitant pro Hiſtoria fabulas, pro ſeriis joca, pro veritate mendacium,—pro virtute Dei fictitia miracula ne dicam portenta Dae… niorum. Eſpencaeus, Serm. 1. De officio paſtorum. After he hath premiſed ſomething of the preaching and writing of falſe Miracles, he adds: At facilius Augia ſtabulum, quam talibus fabellis multorum tam libros, tam concio nes repurges, in 2 Tim. c. 4. digr. 21. p. 424.The law ſaies he, is periſhed from Prieſts; for Hiſtory, they recite fables; for ſerious things, jeſts; for truth, lyes; for the power of God, feigned miracles, not to ſay the prodigies of Devils. That ſuch Doctrine, ſhould have ſome confirmation, is no more than needs: they provided ſuch as was anſwerable to it, ſuch are their falſe miracles, which their (now mentioned) Eſpenceous calls, Diviliſh prodigies. And (l)Peccat qui utitur falſis reliquiis aut veris, cauſa turpis quaeſtus. Navar. cap. 17: n. 169. Graff. l. 2. c. 134. n. 30. Idem dic de illo, qui utitur falſis reliquiis, Si cauſa turpis quaeſtus fiat, id eſt, eo fine aliquid accipiendi pro oſtenſione earum.falſe reliques, or miracles, they allow to be ſhew'd, or publiſhed; it is not a mortal ſin with them, unleſs it be done for filthy lucre; and it is not filthy lucre, (m)Navar. Ibid.if it be done principally for a good end, and leſs principally for gain.
And now I cannot deviſe where there can be any expectation, that they will be reſtrained from lying; unleſs in their Sacrament of Penance: that is, in their account, the holieſt Rite, wherein the partakers have liberty of ſpeech: Here they confeſs ſin, and profeſs to do it with a ſincere abhorrence of it, as before God, in order to pardon, which they then expect; one would think, in this act at leaſt they ſhould count themſelves obliged, to be far from ſuch a crime, as offering violence to truth; but hereby it appears, that truth can in no wiſe be faſtened to any part of their Religion; they let us know that there is nothing ſo holy amongſt them, where they will not find a place for lying and deceit: and that where-ever they have liberty of ſpeech, they muſt have leave to lye. 'Tis the (n)Angelus, v. Confeſſ. Sylveſt. v. Confeſſ. 1. n. 9. Nav. c. 21. n. 37. Graff. l. 1. c. 14. n. 6. Covarruvius. Petr. Soto in Victorell. p. 530. Bannes, Salonius, &c. in …ll…r. 4. n. 44. alii in Suar. Tom. 4. diſp. 22. ſect. 10. Circa eas circumſtantias, quae nullo modo pertinent ad materiam confeſſionis—non eſt peccatum mortale miſcere aliquod mendaciam, ſive affirmando ſive negando; ſed eſt veniale g…avias quam eſſet ſimile mendacium extra illum actum. In hoc conveniunt omnes doctores citandi, (viz. Richardus Paludan. Bonavent. Cajetan. Ledeſma, Armilla, Angel…, Sylveſt. Soto, Navar. Pen Soto.) Idem ibid. n. 3▪ & 6.common Doctrine, that they may lye in confeſſion, which yet they ſay, is directed principally to God; and they look upon the Confeſſors chair as the Divine Tribunal. The confient may deny (o)Navar. ibid. n. 37. Soto in opuſc. d… ſecret memb. 2. q. 7. Sylveſt. ibid. Eſt cert… mentiri in materia non neceſſaria negando factum, non eſſe peccatum mortale, in quo etiam omnes conveniunt quos ſtatim referemus (viz. jam laudati). Suar. ibid. n. 4.that ever he committed thoſe Venial ſins which he is guilty of, (p)Mendacium affirmativum de peccato veniali—non eſſe peccatum mortale per ſe l…quendo, hoc eſt ſecluſo ſcandalo & contemptu, tenet Angelus, Sylveſter, Soto, Pe…, Soto, Navar. Idem ibid. N. V.or affirm he is guilty when he is not, or he may deny either Venial or mortal ſin, to his Confeſſor, (q)Sylveſt. ibid. vel affirmando. Idem in Suar. ibid. n. 10.if he be not ſufficient. Or he may deny (r)Non peccare mortaliter, ut dirimus, confitentem negantem ſe admiſiſſe peccatum mortale, alias ligitime confeſſum. Navar. ibid. n. 38.that ever he acted thoſe mortal ſins which he has committed; if he has confeſſed them to another. And thus he may without mortal ſin delude and cheat his Confeſſor, even when he is upon his knees before him and looks upon him as God, and not as man (for ſo they are taught to do, as we ſaid before.) To this purpoſe, when their wickedneſs is too ſhameful to be made known to a ſober Prieſt; a perſon may have (s)Unde ſequitur non peccare mortaliter eos, qui ne ſuam exiſtimationem honeſtam a…ittant, confeſſario cuidem familiari ſuo confitentur omnia peccata ſua, etiam obſcaema, & poſtea alteri probo & gravi ſolum leviora,, quod de ſe non eſt malum, & ſi ſinis verialls fuerit, peccatum veniale erit, & ſi mortalis, mortale, & ſi bonus qualis frequen…r est, ſanctus & probus, immo interdum neceſſarius. Idem ibid. n. 40. Vid. Sylveſt. ibid. n. 8. Bonacina, (& in eo Victoria cum aliis) Tom. 1. diſp. 5. q. 6. ſect. 2. punct. 2.two Confeſſors, one a lewd fellow like himſelf, to whom he may, without ſhame, confeſs the worſt debauches; and the other more civil, to whom he may confeſs his leſſer ſins: denying, if he be asked, that he is guilty of any greater. And as they may abuſe their Confeſſors with plain lyes, ſo likewiſe with equivocations. Joh. Sanchez (no Jeſuite) offers us ſeveral inſtances; Select. diſp. 9. He that is not able to make reſtitution, may affirm he has done it; if he think his Confeſſor be ignorant, and would not abſolve him without it. He that is accuſtomed to ſome wickedneſs, and thinks the Confeſſor would not abſolve him if he confeſſed it; may with equivocation deny it is his cuſtom; to this ſenſe, I have no ſuch cuſtome, not abſolutely, but which I will confeſs at preſent. n. 7. yea he may deny it, though he believe the Prieſt would abſolve him, n. 8. Alſo he that is in the next occaſion to ſin, which he cannot avoid without great inconvenience or ſcandal; may, uſing equivocation, deny it, n. 9. Or if the penitent be known to the Confeſſor, who well underſtands that he has a Siſter with whom he commits uncleanneſs, not removed out of his houſe, and ſo will not believe but he is in ſuch occaſion to ſin: he may feign himſelf to be another, changing his voice, habit, name, Country, and the like, without plain lying; yet uſing equivocation (n. 10. after Navar) yea though he be a Religious perſon, he may do thus, and deny his order with equivocation (ibid.) And as the penitents may thus delude their Confeſſors, ſo they may have their ſatisfaction on them, and delude them likewiſe: pretending to abſolve them, when they neither do it, nor intend it, Idem diſp. 35. n. 1. n. 7, & 8. Antonin. Dian. reſol. v. equiv. Let the world judg where we may be aſſured of truth and honeſty in Romaniſts, that walk by theſe rules (which the holieſt of their Doctors give them); ſince they think not themſelves obliged thereto, in any of the caſes ſpecified. If by their Doctrine, they may without danger be falſe to private perſons, to Magiſtrates, to their Prieſts, to their God: where can they have credit? if they may practice lying and deceit in common converſation, in commerce, in Doctrine, in Worſhip, in Courts of Juſtice, and before that which they count Gods Tribunal; where may they be truſted?