The Practical Divinity of the Papists Discovered to be Destructive, Discourse · Chapter 8 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
FOR the ſanctifying the Lords day, or any other which they count holy, all that is neceſſary, is the worſhip of the Maſs only, with abſtaining from ſervile works: (t)Licet cum abſtinentia a ſervilibus, ſolius miſſae cultus ſufficiat in feſto ad evitandum mortale peccatum. Cajetan. ſum. v. feſt. p. 316. Regula generalis eſt; hoc praeceptum colendi deum in die ſeſto, quatenus affirmativum eſt, non obligare ad exercendum intra illum diem alium actum divini cultus, ſive internum ſive externum, praeter miſſam—Aſſertio eſt communis—Ratio unica eſt, quia eccleſia nihil aliud praecipit. Suur. l. 2. de feſtis, c. 16. n. 1.this is enough on any feſtival for the avoiding of mortal ſin. It is their common Doctrine, and there is not any thing wherein they more generally agree. So it is to be obſerved, that the total ſum of all the holineſs, which is neceſſary for theſe Catholicks; even at thoſe times, when it ſhould appear if ever, and all which they themſelves are obliged to exerciſe, conſiſts in their being at Maſs, and evoiding ſervile work. What holy attendance at the Maſs they count neceſſary, we ſaw before, they may ſpend the time in ſleeping, or talking, or laughing, or ſcoffing; only with ſome little intermiſſions; that they may ſtand at the Goſpel, and kneel at the Conſecration, and how at the Elevation; but therein no inward (u)Vid. Bellarm. de miſs. l. c. p. 837.act being neceſſary, all the holineſs requiſite, lies in their legs, which ſhould be ordered, as the Prieſt gives the ſignal; yet even this, they are not obliged to, who neither hear, nor ſee what is done; and it is not needful at the Maſs, for any of the people, ſo much as to uſe their ſenſes. When the Maſs (which (x)Secundum Paludanum ſemper licet. miſſam facere, ita ut finis miſſae incidat in initium aurorae. vid. infra.may begin at break of day or before) is diſpatched in ſuch a holy manner, (with ſuch attendance as would ſcarce be counted civil, at leaſt ſufficient, at a ſtage-Play) they may ſpend the reſt of the day, according to this beginning. Th… (ſays Cajetan) (y)Qui feſtos dies poſt miſſam vanè conſumunt ludendo, jocando, otioſeque vagando, … venando, ſportaculis intendendo, et hujuſmodi, licèt ex ipſis operibus, utpote non ſer… libus, mortale non incurrant, ſum. v. feſt. de actibus corporalibus Muſicae—ut agitationibus corporum, quae in ſaltationibus, choreis & tripudiis fiunt. Vid. Angel. Sylveſt. Roſall. Abulenſ. Suarez, l. 2. de feſt. c. 27. n. 4. aliqui addunt, ſi totus dies feſtus, etiam auditâ miſſâ, in his actibus conſumatur, graviter peccare, quia feſta Chriſtiana ridiculo exponuntur.—non intelligunt autem eſſe mortale, ſed veniale, ut diſertè declarant—non refert quod intentio eſt vana, vel turpis, vel principalis, ibid.who after Maſs vainly conſume the reſt of theſe d… in ſports, in jeſting, in idle vagaries, in hunting, in ſeeing Shows … Plays, and any thing of this nature: by ſuch acts, becauſe they are … ſervile works, (upon which account they ſay, that no other acts of, wickedneſs are a prophaning of theſe days, or a breach of that Precep… they incur no mortal ſin. But then he (who is more preciſe herein, that the generality of their Divines), brings an after-reckoning: Yet, ſay… he, (z)Ex omiſſione tamen divini oultûs ad quem feſta inſtituta ſunt graviter peccant: quia non redaunt quae ſunt Dei Deo; & quia quantum in ſe eſt, ridiculo exponunt Chriſtiana feſta: juxta illud, viderunt cam hoſtes, & direſerunt ſabbata ejus. Ibid. Armill. v. feſt. n. 23.hereby becauſe they neglect that divine Worſhip, for which theſe days were inſtituted, they ſin greatly; How can that be, ſince he ſaid immediately before, that they ſin not mortally? why there is a latitude in their venial Faults, ſome are great, and ſome leſs; and ſo wi… him, to neglect all Worſhip but the Maſs, is a great ſin of the little ſize: he gives the reaſon, becauſe hereby they give not to God the things that are Gods, and as much as in them lies, make the Feſtivals … Chriſtians ridiculous, according to that Lam. 1. 7. So that by him, thoſe who after Morning-Service, ſpend this day in ſuch Paſtime…, they rob God of his due, and they render Chriſtians, in their pretences to the ſanctifying of the Lords day or others, ridiculous to the World: and yet, this is but a Venial Sin: or at worſt, but a gre… little-Fault, not ſo great, as any man need fear; no not he, who is moſt afraid of damnation. Navar adds another reaſon, why it ſhould be a ſin though but a Venial, to conſume theſe days in Recreations; (a) Quia in hujuſmodi occupationibus, multa occurrunt peccata mortalia ſecundùm S. Antoninum. ubi ait omnium lachrymis deflendam eſſe Chriſtianorum Caecitatem, qui graviùs Deum offendunt diebus feſtis ejuſdem divino cultui dedicatis, quàm tota hebdomada ad vitam parandam inſtituta. Cap. 13. n. 15.becauſe in ſuch Employments many mortal ſins occur, according to Antoninus, who ſays, The blindneſs of Chriſtians is to be lamented with the tears of all men, who more grievouſly offend God, on the days appointed for his Worſhip, than the whole week beſides. Notwithſtanding this is their way of ſanctifying the Lords Day, and all other times, for Devotion, of their own; with prophane and irreligious Divertiſements, ſuch as render their pretences to Religion ridiculous (as the Cardinal notes): accompanied with ſuch debaucheries, as make their holy-days the prophaneſt, of all other. It is but a Venial fault at moſt (for many count it not ſo much) to conſume the whole day herein without any other religious Act, or Exerciſe of any ſort whatever: (b)Vid. ſuprà cap. 1. et Suarez. l. 2. de feſt. c. 16. & Victorall. infrà. Q…i audit miſſam in contemptum diei feſti—ſatisfacit-praecepto. Bonacin. Tom. 2. diſp. 1. q. 1. punct. 9. n. 1.they need hear no Sermous, nor attend their Veſpers, nor uſe any Prayers publick or private, nor read the Scriptures, nor ſing the praiſes of God, nor meditate on him; nor have any one act of Love, or Con…rition, nor any other act of inward Worſhip at all; nor of outward Worſhip either, but only part of the Maſs: this will ſerve for all, ſo highly divine and religious a Service it is; though they declare themſelves not obliged therein, either to mind God, or divine things: yea though they hear Maſs (when nothing elſe is needful for the ſanctifying of the Day) out of contempt of the day; yet the Precept is ſatiſfied. But if they be not at Maſs on thoſe days, (though preſence at Maſs may make all other holy Duties unneceſſary in other caſes, yet) ſhould they not make up that defect with ſome other prayers, or religious Exerciſe; leſt God ſhould have no ſervice at all, nor ſhew of it, in publick or private, on thoſe dayes which alone are ſet apart for that purpoſe? no, (c)Qui abſ que excuſatione, ut peccando mortaliter, omiſit ſacrum, non tenetur eodem …i… aliis actibus colere & orare Deum; ergo multo minùs tenebitur qui excuſatur: eſt … optimum conſilium, nullum tamen est latum ea de re praeceptum, & latius docent, Navar. cum Antonine, Adriano, & aliis, Suarez. Tom. diſp. 88. ſect. 6. p. ult.) if they neglect Maſs, either upon reaſonable or damnable occaſions (to wit, if they ſpend the time when they ſhould be at it, in any other wickedneſs); yet are they not obliged to Prayer, or any other act of Worſhip, on thoſe days afterwards. This is the Doctrine not only of their famous Navar, but of Pope Adrian, and their Saint Antoninus, with others: Yea after all other holy Exerciſes are caſhiered as needleſs on any of their holy times; the Maſs it ſelf may be diſmiſſed too for company. And becauſe all their Religion neceſſary for the people, conſiſts in this, at all times, when any thing religious is by their Doctrine needful for them; it will not be amiſs, to obſerve, how eaſily they may be excuſed from this: thereby we may diſcern, of what moment it is in their account, to have nothing at all of Religion amongſt them. Cardinal Cajetan will ſatisfie us herein; he determines, that (d)Quia ſola miſſa communiter eſt in praecepto, ideo ſine rationabili cauſa, omitt… miſſam in feſto, peccatum mortale reputatur. Et hîc eſto prudens, admittendo pro … tiona…ili ca…ſa omne motivum rationi humanae conſentaneum, etiamſi non fuerit urg…. Ibid. p. 304. Angelus v. Feria, n. 42. Citans Richardum, quodl. 1. q. 19. negat omiſſionem miſſae in die feſto eſſe peccatu… mortale, niſi ex contemptu formali vel virtuali fiat, quod etiam affirmavit Sum. Roſellae. v. miſſ. & Turrecremata, Suar. ibid. ſect. 1. initio. Sequitur poſſe Pontificem in hoc praecepto (de miſſa audienda) diſpenſare, e… Eccleſiaſticum ſit, only to diſpence with one, that he ſhould not all his life hear Maſs, when no reaſonable occaſion hinders him, is not expedient. Idem ibid. i… fine, vid. Bonacin. infra.it is no mortal ſin, to neglect the Maſs on a reaſonable occaſion, though it be but ſuch an occaſion as is not urgent. Yea, he ſays, (e)Quamvis ſi minus ſufficien… ſit ratio, peccatur venialiter. Et univerſaliter ſic eſt, q…ando quis bonâ fide putat ſe excuſari ab auditione miſſae, & ideo omittit illam. Cajetan. ibid: Et ſimile eſt, ſi praeter intentionem ex aliqua negligentia miſſa omittitur. Ibid.It is but a Venial fault to omit it, upon no ſufficient reaſon, and univerſally it is no great fault to neglect it, if a man thinks really he may be excuſed from hearing i…, or if beſides his intention, out of ſome negligence it be omitted. Yea, they may be excuſed by cuſtome; for ſo he ſays (f)Hinc anim excuſantur puellae, non euntes ad miſſam, quia ſic eſt conſuetum. Ibid. p. 305.Maids are excuſed from hearing Maſs, till they be married, (and their Mothers too who are obliged to ſtay at home with them) becauſe ſo is the cuſtome. If ſo were the cuſtome, it ſeems, all the reſt might be excuſed. So many ways at leaſt, may theſe Catholicks be excuſed from all their Religion: by cuſtome, or neceſſity, or opinion, or (which alone may ſuffice) by an inſufficient reaſon; it will but be a Venial fault at moſt, together with all religious Exerciſes, to omit the Maſs too; and that at thoſe times, when alone (if ever) they are obliged to them. Such being their Doctrine, we need not wonder, if Religion be ſtarv'd to death among them, the life of it cannot be ſuſtained (no more than God can be honoured by man-kind) without ſome acts of Worſhip and religious Exerciſes in ordinary practice: their Teachers aſſure them, that they are not ordinarily obliged to any of theſe, on common days; and to none of them all, but the Maſs, on their days for Worſhip; nor to any religious attendance on God or their Souls, in that; nor to any attendance on it at all, but what they may decline, without mortal ſin. If the life of Religion be preſerved amongſt any, without its neceſſary ſupports, and proper nouriſhment, it muſt be by a Miracle: but they ſeem ſo far from regarding the life, or the power of it (on which the honour of God, and the ſalvation of Souls depends); that they are not concerned for the carcaſs of it, in exterior acts, no, not that of the Maſs (when they have reduced all to that) further than the fear of a Venial ſin will oblige; ten millions of which cannot as they teach, damn a man. As for ſervile works, abſtaining from which they make the negative part of this Precept; the avoiding of theſe is but, that we may with more leaſure attend on divine Worſhip: it cannot be expected they will much inſiſt on the means when they have overturned the end. In ſhort, they determine that (g)Sive id quod committitur, ſit opus ſervile, ſive ab Eccleſia prohibitum ſi vero nec intentio ſuit violandi feſtum—non incurritur peccatum mortale. Cajetan. ibid. p. 310.they who do any ſervile or forbidden works, on the Lords day; if they do it not, with a deſign to prophane it, offend but Venially. Thus if they never all their life, perform one religious act which God has commanded, on his own day or others, they ſcarce ſin Venially; or if they neglect that, which themſelves have made the religious Duty of theſe days, they may do it without greater fault or danger. And for the negative part, if they conſume theſe days in ſervile works (without an intention needleſly perverſe); or which is worſe, in prophane divertiſements; yea, or in acting the moſt enormous wickedneſs (as we ſhall ſee in its place): yet by their Doctrine they do nothing, againſt this Precept, or nothing which any of them need regard. Thus their Doctrine of Venial ſins, is improved to poſſeſs them with a conceit, that they may make what breaches they will upon the Commandments of God, without doing any thing at all (or any thing dangerouſly) againſt them; and ſo to render all ſorts of ungodlineſs practicable with ſafety. We have ſeen it in inſtances againſt precepts of the firſt Table; let us ſee if thoſe, who make ſo bold with God, in the Duties which more immediately concern himſelf, will be more tender, as to thoſe which reſpect man.