The Practical Divinity of the Papists Discovered to be Destructive, Discourse · Chapter 8 · Section 14
SECT. XIV.
I Have been long in viewing their account of Venial ſins; the pernicious uſe made of it to corrupt the whole body of practical Chriſtianity, and to give liberty to the acting of all ſorts of wickedneſs, with this modification; Will excuſe me. They venture hard, to leave in a manner no mortal ſin; and ſo none needful to be avoided. This will be further manifeſt, by what they determine concerning thoſe few ſins, which they ſtyle mortal, or capital: they are reduced, in their ordinary reckoning, to ſeven. Some of theſe they conclude to be in their own nature, or regularly Venial; in others of them, they ſtate the mortalneſs ſo high, that thoſe who will be ſatisfied with wickedneſs, which is not rare, and prodigious, may live in the ſins, and not reach the mortalneſs; and ſo wickedneſs which is deadly, in their ſpeculative account, may be practiſed without mortal danger.
Covetuouſneſs is one of theſe capital crimes, which in general they heavily aggravate, and inveigh againſt, as moſt pernicious: yet when they come to direct conſcience, and give particular rules for practice; it is ſhrunk into a harmleſs Venial. Covetouſneſs ſays Cajetan (z)Simplititer & abſolute non eſt peceatum mortale ex ſuo genera quiá non eſt contra, ſed prater charitatem. Sum. v. Avaritia.ſimply and abſolutely, is not a mortal ſin in its own nature, becauſe it is not againſt, but beſides chartty. To deliver themſelves more diſtinctly, they conſider this ſin, either, as it is oppoſed to liberality, or to juſtice: as it is oppoſite to the former vertue, they generally determine, it is but a Venial fault; ſo the ſame Cardinal, (a)Ut contrariatur liberalitati, & ſic ſignificat inordin…um oppetitum pecu…ia: & ſic communiter eſt peccatum veniale. ibld.as it is contrary to liberality, and ſignifies an inordinate deſire of money, ſo commonly it is a Venial ſin: thus Navar (b)Cap. 23. n. 70.and Sotus (c)De Juſt. l. 4. q. 5. art. 2. p. 11 …and all after Aquinas. (d)2… q. 118. art. 4.So that by their Doctrine, if a rich man ſhould be ſo ſordidly ſo monſtrouſly tenacious, as not to perform one act of liberality to himſelf or others, in all his life; yet would not this be a mortal ſin, ſince the vice which is oppoſite to all liberality, and wholly excluſive of it, is but a Venial fault. Only when it is oppoſed to injuſtice, it may be a mortal ſin, that is, when a man gets riches by unjuſt practices and methods; or detains what he has, unrighteouſly. Thus covetouſneſs, however it comes into the account of mortal ſins; yet it will ſtand there as a cypher, and ſignifie no ſuch thing, unleſs injuſtice be added to it. Let a man have the moſt extravagant paſſion for riches, let him be as greedy as Hell, or the Grave; and penurious, as the worſt of miſers can be: yet if he be not withall, a thief, or a cheat, and attempt not to get or keep an eſtate by fraud or violence, there's no guilt upon him, that he need regard: (e)Ut opponitur juſtitiae & ſic ſignificat injuſtam voluntatem accipiend… ſen retinendi alienum, & eſt manifeſte mortale peccatum, et juxta hunc ſenſum, uſurarios, ſures, latrones, negotiatores fraudulentos, &c. avaros dicimus. Cajetan. ibid.In their ſenſe only thieves and robbers, extortioners or cheats, are covetous, when covetouſneſs is a crime. They ſpeak of covetouſneſs as little worſe than an indifferent thing: injuſtice added to an act, otherwiſe lawfull, will make it criminal; and this vice will be no crime, upon eaſier terms. But is covetouſneſs a mortal ſin, indeed, with them, when it is accompanied with injuſtice? they would ſeem to ſay ſo ſometimes; but then they unſay it again in their other deciſions. They allow men to gain unrighteouſly, and to keep what they have ſo gained. They declare them not obliged to reſtitution of what they have got by ſinful practices, yea, and ſuch as are moſt abominable. I have ſhew'd before what unjuſt and fraudulent methods of gaming they incourage under the favour of Venial faults; let me here inſtance in gaming only. This with them is (f)Multi ludo qui recreationis cauſa licitus & Sanctus eſt abutuntur, ut negotiatione ad lucrum—ludunt principaliter propter lucrum. Et hoc ſemper eſt peccatum: quoniam eſt dare operam turpi lucro, ſi tamen nulla alia deformitas immiſceatur, non eſt peccatum mortale. Cajetan. ſum. v. Ludere. p. 410. Na…ar. cap. 20. n. 3. Lopez. pars 2. c. 31. p. 183.Venial, though it be not only out of an ordinate, but an exceſſive deſire of gaining, if there be no other mortal ingredient; yea, though not only the ſubſervient, but the principal end, be lucre; and ſo that which is only for recreation, be turned into a trade. And this is not only the opinion of ſome particular Doctors, but ſeems to be the perſwaſion of them all: for ſays Navar, (g)In omnibus mundi partibus cujuſque ordinis laicos videamus magnam pecuniarum ſummam, & maximam eorum partem principaliter propter lucrum ludere, & à confeſſariis, ſine propoſito nunquam ita ludendi abſolvi quod ſacere nequirent, ſi in eo mortaliter peccar…nt. Navar. ibid. n. 11.we ſee in all parts of the world, all ſorts of people play for great ſums of money, and the greateſt part of them principally for gain; and yet the confeſſors abſolve them, though they ſign…fie no intention to give over the practice, which they could not do, if there were any mortal ſin in it. And (h)Q…eritur utrum & quomodo ludus diabolicus alearis ſit peccatum? & dico quod hic l…dus non …ſt pecca…um, vel eſt veniale quum luditur aliquid modicum, &c. Sylveſt. ſum. v. ludus. n. 4.ſuch gaming is allowed, even that which they call Diabolical, in any place, though in their account (i)Navar. ibid. n. 3.ſacred; at any time, for whole days, even the holieſt, that little time excepted wich will ſuffice the people to hear the chief parts of the Maſs, or in any perſon, even their cloyſter'd pretenders to perfection, ſo they omit not divine ſervice. Their mode of devotion needs be no hindrance, for with them it is lawful to make a game of their Prayers. Lopez enquires (an licitum fit ludere preces ſacras) if it be lawful to play at Prayers. He ſays it is the practice of devout perſons, and that Navar ſeems to approve it, part 2. c. 32. ſo does Bonacina after Navar. Rebellus and others, de reſtit. diſp. 2. q. 3. punct. 1. n. 8. and not only at Ave Mari's but other prayers alſo; and that it will be no irreverence againſt God to play with their prayers, if they do it reverently, ibid. To ſay nothing that (k)Peccat clericus vel monachus quiludum mortaliter malum ſpectat, ſi multo tempore ſpectat, ſaecus ſi parvo. Navar. ibid. n. 14.their Clergy and Monks may be ſpectators of games and ſhews that are mortally wicked, if they continue not a long time at it; and yet offend but Venially. They teach further, that it is not needful to (l)Nullus tenetur cum famae periculo rem alterius reſtituere. Eſt communis ſententia. Cajetan. v. reſtit. Navar. c. 19. n. 90. (Tol. l. 5. c. 27.) This will go near to excuſe moſt, if not all: dicitur non poſſe—qui commode non poteſt. Cap. 17. n. 56.reſtore what is wickedly gained. Sylveſter after others, ſays (m)Non tamen neceſſario tale turpe lucrum eſt reſtituendum ſecundum. Rodofred, ſ…d de conſilio ſolum. Sum. v. Emptio, n. 10. Vid. Lopez. ibid.that filthy lucre (that is, diſhoneſt or ſhameful gain,) is not neceſſarily to be reſtored, 'tis but matter of counſel. But he that hath loſt much at unlawful games, may take another courſe for his ſatisfaction; for Pope Adrian and others, allow him to ſteal it from him that has won it, Vid. Lopez. ibid. Or to ſave himſelf the trouble of ſtealing, he may refuſe to pay, what he loſes; or if he have bound himſelf by Oath to pay it (not only the Pope, but) any Biſhop may releaſe him from the obligation of his Oath, and that without the citation of the party. So Navar. Corduba. Sotus. Penna. & alii in Bonacin. ibid, punct. 3. n. 2. Yea, they will not have thoſe obliged to make reſtitution who have received any thing for acting enormous wickedneſs, for example, a Judg for paſſing an unjuſt Sentence, or a witneſs for falſe teſtimony and perjury, or a man for ſatisfying the luſt of a lewd woman, or any ſort of women for proſtituting themſelves, or an aſſaſſinate for murdering, or a rogue for firing Houſes or Towns: all are compriſed in this concluſion, (n)Acceptum voluntarie ab alio, ità ut ab utraque parte admittittur turpitudo, nulli eſt de precepto reſtituendum, S. Antoninus Monaldus, Angel…s, Sylveſter, (in) Navar. c. 17. n. 36. & n. 30. Senſit Thom. & Cajetan. quod quicquid turpiter accipit contra legis prohibitionem—ut in Simonia—lucro meretricis, (& idem diceret de datis & acceptis ob alia quaecunque crimina) quod non ſit reſtituendum, nec pauperibus, vid. Vaſq. opuſc. moral. p. 134. dub. 9. n. 84.that which is unjuſtly received, freely of the giver, where there is wickedneſs on both parts (as in giving, ſo in receiving), is not, by vertue of any command, to be reſtored to any. Only (for the incouragement of covetouſneſs, and injuſtice together) where money is given for the perpetrating of ſuch crimes, if they be not acted, it is to be reſtored: but if the wickedneſs be done, the villanous actor may conſcientiouſly detain it. As the Judg that receives a bribe for a falſe Sentence, (o)Quando malum ob quod datum fuit, non conſequitur, ut ſi datum eſt judici quo inique judicaret, & recte judicavit, &c. datori, & non pauperibus reſtituendum eſt ut doctiffimus Medina, efficaciter probat. Navar. ibid. n. 30. p. 295. &c. 25. n. 45.if he paſs a juſt one, he is obliged to reſtore; but not if he make an unjuſt award. And (p)Peccat qui mercedem accipit, ut verum teſtetur, cum obligatione reſtituendi ei qui dedit; & qui accipit, ut falſum teſtetur, ſine tamen neceſſitate reſtituendi, vid. Bonacin. de reſtit. diſp. 1. q. 3. punct. 2. n. 6. & punct. 3. n. 8.a witneſs if he receive money for a true teſtimony, is bound to reſtore it; but not for a falſe depoſition. He that is promiſed a reward for murdering a man, may not receive or keep it before he kill him: but after the murder is done, he may take it (and need not reſtore it) upon the account of his labour and hazard in killing him, and becauſe therein he has done a ſact profitable and delightful to him that hired him, Idem ibid. n. 5. Pet. Navar. & ali…. So an Aſtrologer who takes money for telling things, which he cannot know but by the help of the Devil, is not bound to reſtore it, after diligence and pains to get the Devils aſſiſtance therein; becauſe that diligence and pains (with the Devil) is valuable, though it prove ineffectual. But he that pretends but to this skill, and makes no uſe of the Devil, is bound to reſtore; Pet. Navar. & alli cum Bonacin. ibid. n. 10. And that the poor may be cut off every way by covetouſneſs, whether it be with injuſtice, or without it; though they ſay, what is received for the perpetrating of wicked acts, may be reſtored to the poor: yet it is a rule with them, (q)Eſt regula Vervecelli, recepta à. S. Antonino, Angel. Sylveſt. & ab aliis complurimis, quod reſtitutis, quae non eſt facienda alicui certae perſonae, ſed pauperibus non debetur ex praecepto, ſed ſolum ex conſilio. Navar. ibid. c. 17. n. 30.that reſtitution to the poor in this, and other caſts, is only a counſel, not a command; ſo that he who is hired to de villany, may reſtore what he received to the poor, if he will; but if he will not, he needs not; he may conſcientiouſly injoy the fruits of his villany, and the poor have nothing. In ſhort, not only diſquietment of mind (r)Cajetan. ſum. v. inquietudo.through the tumult of worldly diſtracting cares, and the reſtleſs agitation of a covetous humour; but alſo hardneſs of heart (s)Per duritiam cordis, & inquietudinem mentis peccant qui non ſubveniunt pauperi, quoties t…nentur de precepto obligante ad mortale—alias enim hac venialia tantum ſunt. Navar. c. 23. n. 76.againſt the poor, and unmercifulneſs to them in their diſtreſs, (the natural effect of extream covetouſneſs) is as innocent …s its cauſe, no worſe than Venial, unleſs, when one is obliged …der pain of mortal guilt to afford relief, And when is that? only (t)Idem. Cap. 24. n. 5.in extream neceſſity, when the ſtarving man may (u)Idem C. 23. n. 95.ſell his own child to get bread; or when it will be lawful (x)Vict. ſupra.to ſteal from him who would otherwiſe part with nothing; or when he may be compelled by Law (y)Gloſſa communiter recepta. Ibid. n. 74.to part with ſomething; then his heart muſt relent ſo far, as to let go what he cannot keep: but it is like he may never meet with ſuch a caſe while he lives, and then the miſer is excuſed; no moment of his life, need be imbittered with one act of charity; he may injoy the felicity of a petrified heart all his days, and not ſuffer by one dint in it. Or if he ſhould unhappily meet with one in ſuch extremity, yet may he eſcape without giving a farthing; it will be enough to exchange, or to lend: (x)(z) Idem ibid. n. 95.yea he may be excuſed from either giving or lending, (a)Idem c. 24. n. 5.if it be but likely that any other may do it. In fine, this unmercifulneſs, which admits no compaſſion from the diſtreſs of others, (b)Quia haec fere nunquam ſunt mortalia niſi conjungantur aliis actibus mortalibus, … ſunt neceſſario confitenda, quia ſatis eſt confiteri illa mortalia, quae per predictam duritiam & inquietudinem admittuntur. Idem c. 2…. n. 76.is ſcarce ever mortal; unleſs it become ſo (accidentally) by ſome other mortal acts, and ſo there is no need to confeſ… it as a ſin. How well does this indulgence to ſuch monſtrous covetouſneſs as quite ſwallows up at once Chriſtian charity, mercy, and morality, become thoſe, who cry up themſelves as the ſole Aſſertors of the neceſſity of good works?
But that they may not be partial, they ſhew themſelves as favourable to the crime in the other extream; (c)Prodigalitas non eſt mortale peccatum ſi pura eſt … quiae minus peccatum eſt, quam avaritia liberalitati contraria; quum ſipura eſt, conſtat non eſſe mortalem. Et utriuſque ratio eſt quia neutra, agit contra charitatem Dei aut proximi, ſed pr…er. illam. Cajetan. ſum. v. Prodigal.pure prodigality is no mortal ſin, becauſ… i… is a leſs fault than covetouſneſs, contrary: to liberality; which is manifeſtly of it ſelf no mortal ſin, and the reaſon of both i… ▪ neither of them is againſt charity to God or others, but only beſides it. So Cajetan and others. So (d)Cap. 18. n. 28. ſupra.Navar, prodigality (including both th… of a mans credit and his eſtate) is regularly no mortal ſin; and this after (e)22 q. 120. art. 2. & 3.Aquinas.