The Ancient Doctrine of the Church of England, Part 1 · Section 8
Concerning Indulgences, Spectacles, paragraph 8. a page 319. uſque ad 345.
THE Knight himſelfe granteth the uſe of giving Indulgences, to have been in the ancient Church, and that Biſhops had power to grant them.
Chriſts Merits lying in ſtore for the need of all men, may be fitly compared to a common Treaſure, and be called by that name. So farre forth then as thoſe Pardons were grounded on Chriſts merits, or granted by application of them to the penitent, there is no difference betweene theirs and ours.
Saint Paul forgave the inceſtuous Corinthian, not onelyonly in the perſon of Chriſt, but for their ſake alſo: which importeth, the prayer and deſerts of Saints to have ſome place in the beſtowing of that Indulgence; and ſo likewiſe, it was the practiſe of the Primitive Church: and what was this, but by applying the ſuperabundant merits in the one, to ſupply the want in the other?
That the merits of Martyrs were applied to others, appeareth by Tertullian, who being become now an Heretike, did reprehend that cuſtome, ſaying, that a Martyrs merits were little enough for himſelfe, without having any ſurpluſſage to helpe others withall.
Many a man continueth his great auſterity of Faſting, Watching, Praying, and other exerciſes of all vertues, after hee hath obtained pardon for the fault it ſelfe, by hearty contrition and by humble confeſsion obtained alſo remiſsion of the temporall puniſhment, within the ſpace of 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, or 12 yeares (for example ſake) hee then leading the ſame life for 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 yeares, as many have done; what ſhall become of all that ſatisfaction which is over and above, for that ſinne or ſinnes which hee committed before? It doth not periſh or paſſe without fruit, though not of him, yet of others: and if they be not applied preſently, why may they not then be ſaid to lye in depoſito, as money in a Treaſurie?
Sith all grant Indulgences for the living, why not for the dead, ſo long as they pertaine to the Communion of Saints, and have need thereof?
The authority which the Knight citeth, to make Indulgences applyed to the ſoules in Purgatorie to be ridiculous, out of the old Sarum booke of the houres of our Lady, doth not mention Purgatorie, but onelyonly ſaith, That whoſoever ſhall ſay theſe and theſe prayers, ſhall gaine ſo many thouſand yeares of pardon, which is no more for the dead than for the living.
It is falſe which the Knight averreth, that wee give Pardons for thouſands of yeares in Purgatory after death. For wee doe not ſo, neither doe wee underſtand thoſe Pardons, wherein are mentioned ſuch number of yeares ſo, as if men were without thoſe Pardons, to remaine ſo long in Purgatorie: but wee underſtand thoſe yeares according to the penitentiall Canons, by which, many yeares penance were due for one ſinne, and many mens ſinnes being both very grievous, and as a man may ſay, without number, according to the account of the ancient penitentiall Canons, they may ſoone amount to thouſands of yeares, which, though a man cannot live to performe here in this world, nor even in Purgatory, for the length of time; yet hee may in Purgatorie, in few yeares ſpace, nay, few months, or few weekes ſpace, ſuffer ſo much puniſhment as is anſwerable to all that penance of many thouſand of yeares, which a man ſhould have performed here, if hee could have lived ſo long.
The Authours alleaged by the Knight, againſt Indulgences, prove no more than wee grant, that there is not ſo expreſſe mention in Scriptures or ancient Fathers of them, as of many other points, becauſe there was not ſo much uſe of them in thoſe dayes.
Though ſome Fathers mention them not, wee prove the uſe of them out of others more ancient, to wit, out of Saint Cyprian and Tertullian, as you may ſee in Bellarmine, lib. de indul. c. 3. and beſides them, the authority of certaine Councels, as that of Nice, Ancyra, and Laodicea.
Though wee had not either the teſtimonie of theſe Fathers, nor of thoſe Councells, yet would not that follow which the Knight groundeth thereon, to wit, that wee want antiquitie, and conſent of Fathers for them; for it is a moſt ſtrong argument of antiquitie, that it is the practiſe of the Catholike Church, time out of mind, and of conſent, that no man is found to have ſpoken againſt them, but onelyonly knowne Heretikes,In contrariū eſt generalis conſuetudo & doctrina eccleſiae quae contineret falſitatem, niſi per indulgentias dimitteretur aliquid de paenâ peccatori debitâ. ſuch as the Waldenſes, who were the first impugners of Indulgences.
Durand, whom the Knight alleageth in the first place, having propounded the queſtion, in 4. ſent. diſ. 20. q. 5. an aliquid valeant indulgentiae, after the manner of the Schooles, putteth two arguments againſt them in the first place, and then commeth with his arguments. Sed contra, agreeing expreſly with his concluſion. On the contrarie, ſaith he, is the generall cuſtome and doctrine of the Church, which ſhould containe falſhood,13. De here ſibus, l. 8. tit. indulg. verum …tſi pro indulgentiarum approbatione ſacrae ſcripturae teſtimonium apertum de ſit, non tamen ideo contemnend e erunt, quoniam eccleſiae catho licae uſus a multis annorū centuriis tantae eſt autboritatis, ut qui illam contemnat haereticus merito cen ſeatur. if ſomething of the puniſhment due to a Sinner, ſhould not be forgiven by Indulgences; and preſently after, hee nameth Saint Gregory, and ſaith of him, that hee did inſtitute Indulgences at the ſtations in Rome.
Alfonſus a Caſtro, though hee confeſſe the uſe of Indulgences, not to have beene ſo much in thoſe ancient times as ſince; yet hee alloweth them ſo farre, as to condemne any man for an Haeretike that ſhall deny them.
14. The Knight prateth very freely of the Popes ſelling of Indulgences, and bringing money to his owne coffers by them: but to that I need to make no other anſwer, but that it is ſuch riff-raff-ſtuffe as their Miniſters are wont to eeke out their bookes, & Sermons, without being able to ſhew any Bull of Pope, or teſtimony of good authour of any Indulgence ſo granted.
For the Knights prophane jeaſt out of Guicciardine of playing a game at Tables for an indulgence, ſuppoſe that were true, might not a man thinke you tell as good a tale of ſome Proteſtants, who in their pots have made ſo bold with Almighty God himſelfe, as to drinke a health to him; and were not this a fine argument to prove that there is no God?
It is intollerable preſiemption in the Knight to take upon him to cenſure ſo great a Councell as that of Trent. Wherein the whole flower of the Catholique Church, for learning and ſanctity was gathered together, the ſplendour of which Councell, was ſo great, that your night owle Heretiques durſt not once appeare, though they were invited to goe and come freely with all the ſecurity they could wiſh.
Whoreas the Knight ſaith that it is a ſenſeleſſe and weake faith that giveth aſſent to doctrine, as neceſſary to be believed, which wanteth authority out of Scriptures and conſent of Fathers. I anſwer, he knoweth not what he ſaith, for all the Fathers agree, that there are many things which men are bound to believe upon unwritten traditions, whoſe authority you may ſee in great number in Bellarmine.De verbo Dei. l. 4. c 7.
The conſent of Doctours of the Catholique Church cannot more erre in one time then another, the authority of the Church, and aſsiſtance of the Holy Ghost being alwayes the ſame, no leſſe in one time then another,Tertull. de preſcript. cap. 28. quod apud multos unum invenitur, non eſt erratū ſed traditum. and Tertullians rule having ſtill place, as well in one age as another, that which is the ſame amongſt many, is not errour but a tradition.
St. Paul thought, he anſwered ſufficiently for the defence of himſelfe, and offence of his contentious enemy, when he ſaid (1 Cor. 11.) If any man ſeeme to be contentious, we have no ſuch cuſtome, nor the Churches of God.
It is falſe which the Knight againe repeateth, that an article of faith cannot be warantable, without authority of Scriptures, for faith is more ancient then Scripture; to ſay nothing of the times before Chriſt, faith was taught by Chriſt himſelfe without writing, as alſo by the Apoſtles after him, for many yeares without any word written.
As no leſſe credite is to be given to the Apoſtolicall preaching, then writing, ſo no leſſe credit is ſtill to be given to their words, delivered us by tradition, then by their writings: the credite and ſenſe of the writings depending upon the ſame tradition.
St. Auſtine defendeth many points of faith,De baptiſme. l. 2 c. 7. l. 5 c. 25. cont. Maximin: l. 3. c. 3. et Epiſt. 174. de Geneſi ad litteram. l. 10. c. 23. l. de cura pro mortuis. et Epiſt. 118. de unit. eccleſ. c. 22. et tract. 98. in Iohan. either onelyonly or chiefely by tradition, and the practiſe of the Catholique Church; as ſingle Baptiſme againſt the Donatiſts, conſubſtantiality of the Sonne, the divinity of the Holy Ghoſt, and even unbegottenneſſe of the Father againſt the Arrians, and the Baptiſme of children againſt the Pelagians: to ſay nothing of prayer for the dead, obſervation of the feaſts of Eaſter, Aſcention, Whitſontide, and the like. Nay, this truth was ſo grounded with him, that he accounted it moſt inſolent madneſſe to diſpute againſt the common opinion, and practiſe of the Catholique Church. In his booke of the unity of the Church, he ſaith, that Chriſt beareth witneſſe of his Church; and in his Tractates upon John, having occaſion to handle thoſe words of St. Paul. If we, or an Angell from Heaven, &c. wherewith the Knight almoſt concludeth every Section, he thus commenteth upon them, the Apoſtles did not ſay, if any man preach more then yee have received: but beſides that which you have received, for if he ſhould ſay, that he ſhould prejudicate, that is, goe againſt himſelfe, who coveted to come to the Theſſalonians, that he might ſupply that which was wanting to their faith, but he that ſupplieth, addeth that which was lacking, taketh not away that which was before: theſe are the Saints very words in that place, by which it is plaine, that he taketh the word praeter beſides, not in that ſenſe, as to ſignifie more then is written, as you would underſtand it, but to ſignifie the ſame that contra. St. Paul himſelfe uſeth the ſame word foreign, para, beſides, Rom. 16.17. for contra, and you in your owne Bibles tranſlate it ſo. I beſeech you brethren marke them which cauſe diviſions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them.
The Hammer.
AS Erucius the accuſer of Roſcius Amerinus having little to ſay againſt him,Cic. pro Roſc. Amer. to fill up the time, rehearſed a great part of an invective which he had penned in former time againſt another defendant: ſo the Ieſuit here, failing in his proofes for indulgences (for which little or nothing can be ſaid) to fill up the Section, tranſcribeth a diſcourſe of his, which he had formerly penned, concerning the neceſſity of unwritten traditions, which hath no affinity at all with the title of this Chapter, de Indulgentiis. In other paragraphs we finde him diſtracted, and raving; but in this he turneth Vagrant, and therefore I am to follow him with a whip as the law in this caſe provideth. Touching the point it ſelfe of Indulgences, which Rivet fitly termeth Emulgences, but the Ieſuit the Churches Treaſury: whoſoever relieth upon the ſuperabundant merits and ſatisfaction of Saints for his abſolution, for his temporall puniſhment of ſinne after this life, ſhall finde according to the Greeke proverbe foreign inſtead of treaſure, Eraſ. Adag. Theſauri Carbones.glowing coales heaped upon his head in hell. For neither are there any merits or ſuperabundant ſatisfactions of Saints,Luk. 17.10. Chriſt ſaying, when you have done all, you are unprofitable ſervants, nor were there any, could they be applied or imputed to any other men,2 Cor. 5.10. the Apoſtle teaching that every man ſhall receive according to that which himſelfe hath done in his body, whether it be good or evill, 2 Cor. 11.15.nor hath the Pope any more power to diſpoſe of this treaſury for the remiſſion of ſinnes; our Saviour, Matth. 18. v. 18. and Iohn, 20.23. conferring the ſame power of remitting ſinnes upon all the Apoſtles which he promiſed to S. Peter, Matth. 16. Neither, if the Pope had any ſpeciall power of granting Indulgences, could it extend to the ſoules in Purgatory, quia non ſunt de foro Papae, becauſe they are not ſubject to the Popes court,Serm 2. de defunct. 9 9. as Gerſon rightly concludeth. Neither laſtly, can it be proved, that there is any Purgatory fire for ſoules after this life, St. Iohn expreſly affirming, that the blood of Chriſt purgeth us from all our ſinnes. 1 Iohn 1.7.the fire therefore of Purgatory is rightly termed chymerica and chymica, chymericall and chymicall; chymericall, becauſe a meere fiction, and chymicall, becauſe by meanes of this fire, they extract much gold. The Apoſtle ſaith, there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus. If no condemnation, no puniſhment,Rom. 8.1. eternall or temporall. The Prophet ſaith,Mica. 7.18. he will caſt our ſinnes into the depth of the Sea, ſurely there is no fire to purge them: if we repent us of our ſinnes, Ezek. 18.22.God promiſed us that they ſhall be remembred no more, if they ſhall not be ſo much as mentioned, ſurely they ſhall not be ſentenced to be puniſhed with fire, either temporall or eternall. In that time, ſaith the Lord,Ierem. 50.20. the iniquity of Iſrael ſhall bee ſought for, and there ſhall be none, and the ſinnes of Iudah, and they ſhall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reſerve: from which text we thus argue. All their ſinnes whom God pardoneth, ſhall be found no more, if found no more, then to be purged no more, eſpecially after this life. Where there is no ſpot, there needs no purging, or clenſing, but in the ſoules of all beleevers there remaines no ſpot, as Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth,L. 2 de Indul. c. 3. cum dicimus ex ſancto Iohanne quod ſanguis Ieſu Chriſti purgat nos ab omni peccato, reſpondet Apoſtolum loqui de remiſsione culpae quae maculam proprie gignit in animâ, macula enim eſt quae ablutione tollitur, non paena quae debitorem non ſordidum facit. ſhaping this anſwer to our objection, out of St. Iohn (that the blood of Chriſt purgeth us from all ſinne) the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the remiſſion of the fault which properly begets a ſpot in the ſoule, for it is the ſpot which is taken away by waſhing. When we ſay that Chriſts merits are applied to us, our adverſaries jeare at us, holding it for a moſt abſurd doctrine, that the merits of one ſhould be imputed to another: and yet what they deny to Chriſt, they attribute to Saints: that which they deny to God, they attribute to the Pope: they will by no meanes heare that God imputeth to us the merits and ſufferings of his ſonne, although the Scripture is expreſſe for it: and yet they teach that the merits and ſatiſfactions of Saints by the Pope, may be applied to us, and that they ſatisfie for our temporall puniſhments. But to leave farther proſecution of the point in generall, and to graple with the Ieſuit in the enſuing particulars.
To the firſt. The Ieſuit playeth the Sophiſter, and faine would deceive the ſimple Reader with the ambiguitie of the word Indulgence, which the Knight accuratly diſtinguiſheth; and ſheweth, that the Indulgences now granted by the Pope, are no more like the Indulgences in uſe in the Primitive Church, than an Apple is like to a Nut. The Indulgences wherof we reade in the ancient Fathers, were mittigations of ſome cenſures of the Church, before inflicted on the living for their amendment:Cyp ad Demet. poſtquam hinc exceſſam eſt nullus datur penitentiae locus, nullus ſatisfactionis effectus. theſe are reluxations from ſatisfactorie paines in Purgatorie flames after this life. After which, notwithſtanding, as Saint Cyprian truly informeth Demetrian, there remaineth no place for repentance, no effect of ſatisfaction, here eternall life is either gained or loſt.
To the ſecond. As the Ieſuit doth ſometime anſwer to that wch we object not, ſo he oft proveth that we deny not. We attribute more to Chriſts merits than any Romaniſt doth; for we teach, that they are a Treaſure of infinite value, abundantly ſufficient, without the additiō of any Saints merits to them, to diſcharge the infinit debt of all mankind: to releaſe all who by faith apply them to themſelves, from all temporall, as well as eternall puniſhment. We profeſſe, with that religious Divine, Effuſio juſti ſanguinis Chriſti tam dives fuit ad pretium, ut ſi univerſitas captivorum redemtorem ſu…m crederet, nullum diaboli vincula retinerent: The effuſion of Chriſts righteous blood is ſo rich in price, that if all the captives did believe in their Redeemer, the devils bands could hold none. And in very deed, this is one of our maineſt exceptions againſt the Roman Church, that they infinitely wrong the infinite bounty of our Redeemer, by going about, as it were, to …ke out his merits by the excreſcenſie and ſuperabundancie of Saints ſatisfactions. What they arrogate to Saints in this kind, they derogate from our Saviour; wee acknowledge his merits to be a rich Treaſurie, containing in it, many millions of pure gold; whereunto, to adde the ſufferings of any Saints or Martyrs, were no better than to take away pure gold, and inſtead thereof (to fill up the roome, not the ſumme) to lay a few braſſe tokens. This ſeemed ſo abſurd to ſome of the acuteſt Schoolemen, as by name, Durandus a Sancto Portiano, Durand. in 4. ſent. diſt. 20. q. 3.and Iohannes de Mayro, that they excluded all Saints ſatisfactions out of this treaſurie: their reaſons are ſpecially theſe, Nothing needeth, or indeed can be added to that which is of infinite value, but ſuch are Chriſts merits and ſufferings. Secondly, the Saints are already abundantly rewarded, and that far above their deſert, as the Apoſtle witneſſeth, Rom. 8.18. I account, that the afflictions of this preſent life are not worthie the glorie which ſhall be revealed: and (2 Cor. 4.17.) our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie. Wherefore, the Saints ſufferings being ſo fully recompenſed already, cannot helpe towards the expiation of the ſinnes of others.Ego teneo cum Franciſco de Mayro in tractato de indulg. quod cum merita ſanctorum ſint ultra condignum remunerata a deo, et ſic exhauſta quod ſolum dantur (indulgentiae) ex merito Chriſti & paſsionis ejus, cujus minima gutta ſanguinis vel ſudoris ſufficeret ad expiationem omnium peccatorum quae unquam fuerunt perpetrata aut perpetrabuntur. To which point, Angelus de Clavatio, verbo Indulg. numero. 9. I hold, ſaith hee, with Francis Mayro, in his Treatiſe of Indulgences, that foraſmuch as the merits of Saints are rewarded of God beyond their merit, and thereby the treaſure of them is exhauſted, that Pardons are onelyonly given for the merit of Chriſt and his paſsion: the leaſt drop of whoſe blood, or ſweat, would have been ſufficient to expiate all the ſinnes that ever have beene or ſhall be committed. Thirdly, the intention of him that meriteth, is moſt neceſſarie required to this, that the fruit or reward of his merit redound to another: but, ſuppoſing that the Saints were ſo rich in merits and ſufferings, that they had any to beſtow upon others, yet it cannot be proved, that the Saints had ever any ſuch intention, to transferre the fruit of their paſsions upon others. Fourthly, if the Saints ſufferings could expiate our ſinnes, the Saints might be accounted our Redeemers, which Aquinas himſelfe bluſhed to affirme,Durand. in 4. ſent. diſ. 20. q. 3. quia intentio merentis eſt neceſſaria ad hoc quod fructus ſeu intenſio merent is redundet in alterum fic enim fructus metiti paſsionis Chriſti in nos redundat ex ejus epreſsâ intentione quod autem intentio quorumcunque ſanctorum fuerit fructum paſsionum ſuarum in nos transferre, nulla hiſtoria docet. Aquin. ſum: part. 3. q. 48. art. 2. paſsiones ſanctorum proficiunt eccleſiae non quidem per modum redemtionis, ſed per modum exempli. and therefore reſolveth the quite contrarie; the Sufferings of Saints profit the Church, not by way of Redemption, but by way of Example.
To the Third. The inſtance is not to the purpoſe: for the Corinthian, whoſe puniſhment Saint Paul releaſed, was alive; our queſtion is of Indulgences, releaſing ſoules after death. Secondly, the inceſtuous Corinthian was excommunicated, and thereby excluded for the time, from the Communion of Saints: our queſtion is of thoſe that died reconciled to the Church, in the ſtate of grace, Whether they by the Popes Indulgence, may receive ought out of the treaſurie of Saints ſufferings, to purchaſe their freedome from Purgatorie, or at leaſt, mittigation of their paines there? Thirdly, the Indulgence Saint Paul granted the Corinthian, was the releaſing the ſentence of Excommunication, not abating flames of Purgatorie. Fourthly, Saint Paul condeſcended more willingly to grant that excommunicate Corinthian his abſolution, for the earneſt prayers and intreatie of ſome of his neighbours and friends: hee did not impute the ſufferings or merits of his friends unto him, and in that conſideration abſolved him. Theſe things therefore, agree as well as Harpe and Harrow, to abſolve the living from ſentence of Excommunication, at the ſuit or requeſt of perſons that have well deſerved of the Church, or have a ſpeciall intereſt in our love: and to releaſe the dead out of Purgatorie, by imputing the ſurpluſſage of another mans merits and ſatisfactions unto him.
To the fourth. The Ieſuit might have learned of Dr. Francis White in his reply to Fiſher the Ieſuit, from whom hee borrow'd this objection, an Anſwer thereunto: or if hee thought much to learne of him, hee might have beene beholding to his owne Pamelius, ſo farre, as to informe him, that the Indulgences which Tertullian impugned, were not ſuch as wee treate of, but the ſame whereof Saint Cyprian ſpeaketh,Ep. 10.11.12. to wit a relaxation of canonicall cenſures, and penance to adulterers and other notorious ſinners upon the requeſt of martyrs, being in priſon and yet alive. Now it ſeemed to this Father to be unjuſt and unfitting, both that the Martyrs in ſuch caſes ſhould be intreaters, and that the Church ſhould grant abſolution to ſuch perſons, or mitigate the cenſures moſt iuſtly impoſed upon them. Whether Tertullian in this were in the right or not, it makes nothing for the Ieſuit, or againſt us, for he ſpeaketh of living Martyrs and not dead: of forgiving the crime it ſelfe, not only the temporall puniſhment, and that in this life, not in Purgatory. As this is one of the moſt impertinent allegations in his booke, ſo he handles it as ſtrangely and abſurdly; for firſt, he diſcrediteth and diſableth his witneſſe, by branding him with the note of an Heretique, and then he produceth him.
To the fift: What rope of ſands hath the Ieſuit here twiſted; firſt he can never prove that any man can fully ſatisfie for the leaſt finne committed againſt the infinite maieſty of God, much leſſe by any penance he can endure, though never ſo long, ſatisfie over and above as he ſpeaketh. Secondly, the continuance of his penance, if it bee done in true humility, and ſincerity, ſhall not be without fruit to himſelfe, for it ſhall be a meanes to mortifie his fleſhly luſts, and prevent future ſins and through faith in Chriſt, to obtaine a greater reward in heaven. Thirdly, had the Saints any ſuch ſurpluſſage of merits, and were there nothing allowed to themſelves for it here, or hereafter: yet could not theſe their merits be communicated to others for their behoofe, becauſe God hath ſet it downe in his law expreſſely,Ezek. 18.20. that as the ſin of the ſinner, ſo the righteouſneſſe of the righteous ſhall be upon himſelfe. To the Ieſuits quaere therefore. Why may not the over-plus of their ſufferings lie in depoſito as money in a treaſurie, for the benefit of others? I anſwer briefly, becauſe there is no ſuch money, nor ſuch treaſurie, nor order from the maſter of the houſe, to lay up ſuch ſuppoſed money in ſuch an imaginary treaſury, as it were in a Banke, for the benefit of others. Doe we ſay this onelyonly, doe not the Scriptures and the Fathers ſay the ſame.Iob 9.3. Doth not Iob demaund how ſhould man be juſt with God? if he contend with him, he cannot anſwer him one for a thouſand. Doth not David? Pſal. 19.12.Who knoweth how oft he off endeth? Pro. 20.9. Eſay, 64.6. Iames, 3.2.Doth not Solomon? Who can ſay, I have made my heart cleane? I am pure from my ſinne. Doth not Eſay ingenuouſly confeſſe?Baſ. l. de penit. non Angeli ſumus ſed homines, et cadimus et reſurgimus, id que ſaepius eâdem hora. Ambroſ. apol. David, c. 2. unuſquiſ que noſtrū per ſingulas horas quam multa delinquit Bernard de quadrup. Debit quis amplius grunniet dicens n…mium laboramus, nimium jejunamus nimium vigilamus, cum nec milleſsime nec minime parti debitorum ſuorum quis valeat reſpondere. Serm. de virgin. Stulta petitio, vix juſtus ſalvabitur, vix Sanctis juſtitiae ſuae oleum ſufficet ad ſalutem, quantò minus & ſibi & proximis. We are all as an uncleane thing, and all our righteouſneſſe is as filthy ragges, and St. Iames, in many things we offend all, and after him St. Baſil, We are not Angels, but mon, we fall and riſe againe, and that often times in one and the ſelfe-ſame houre. And Ambroſe. Every one of us how often doe we ſinne? every houre. And moſt fully of all, St. Bernard, Who dare gruntle from henceforth, ſaying? we labour too much, we faſt too much, wee watch too much, ſeeing that a man cannot anſwer the thouſandth, nay, not the leaſt part of his debt. And againe, commenting upon thoſe words, 25. of Matth. and the 8. Give us of your oyle, a fooliſh petition, the righteous ſhall ſcarce be ſaved, the oyle of their owne righteouſneſſe, hardly ſufficeth the Saints to ſalvation, how much leſſe will it ſerve themſelves and their neighbours.
To the ſixth. The reaſon is not alike, for Indulgences for the living, are the releaſing of Eccleſiaſticall cenſures inflicted upon their perſons, which undoubtedly the Biſhops have power to mittigate upon the ſubmiſſion of the party, whereof they can take notice: which can have no place, in the ſoules of the deceaſed, as the Church hath no power to enjoyne them penance for their miſdemeanour, ſo neither to take it off: for as the Ieſuit himſelfe confeſſeth, the Pope is no ſuperiour in reſpect of the ſoules in Purgatory, nor are they under his power. P. 328. Abſolution is a iuridicall act to be performed by a ſuperiour and judge towards an inferiour and a ſubject being under his power, which the ſoules in Purgatory are not in reſpect of the Pope.Here by the way, let the Reader obſerve how the Ieſuit unwittingly ſtriketh a blow at the Popes triple crowne. For if the ſoules in Purgatory are none of his ſubiects, where is his third Kingdome? Why ſhould he weare a triple crowne, if he may not beare his ſword in Purgatory? the word Myſterium anciently engraven upon the Popes Miter, was wont to be thus declared, that the three Crownes compaſſing it, ſignifie the rule he beares in Heaven, Earth, and Purgatory, but if he hath of late loſt that kingdom, and is not now as the Ieſuit ſaith, Superior to the ſoules that frie in Purgatory. What power hath he to mittigat their fine, or releaſe their mulct, or abate their fire? much leſſe wholly abſolve them from the guilt of temporall puniſhment there in toto? As for that he addeth, concerning communion of Saints, it yeelds no ſupport at all to his cauſe: for the communion of Saints, which all Chriſtians beleeve, is partly in the bleſſings of this life, partly in the uſe of ſpirituall graces, whereby they pray one for another, admoniſh, inſtruct, and comfort one the other; this communion no way extendeth to inward habits, as faith, hope & charity, nor to outward penall ſufferings, wch can be imparted to no other, as may be moſt evidently deduced out of Scriptures, and the joynt teſtimonies of the ancient Fathers. Firſt therefore wee ſay, that the Saints have no ſuperabundance of merits or ſatisfactions, as I have proved before: next that admitting they had any, they cannot diſpoſe of them to others, for every one ſhal beare his own burdens, every one ſhall receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath don, whether it be good or bad, not according to that wch he hath don or ſuffred in the body of another.Gal. 6.5. de pudicit. c. 22. Quis alienam mortem ſua ſolvet niſi ſolus fi…ius Dei, proinde qui illum emular is donando delicta ſi nihil ipſe deliquiſti plane patere pro me ſi vero peocator es quomodo oleum facuiae tuae ſufficere tibi & mihi porerit. In Iohan. tract. 24. Et ſi fratres pro fratribus moriantur, tamen in fraternorum peccatorum remiſs…one nullius ſanguis martyris funditur. Leo ep. ad Paleſt. Accepere juſti non dedere coronas, et de fortitudine fidelium nata ſunt exempla patientiae non dona juſtitiae ſingulares, quippe eorum mertes fuerunt, nec alterius quiſquam de bitum ſuo fine perſolvit. Bernard. ep. 198 cont. Abelard. Satisfactio unius omnibus imputatur, ſicut omnium pecca-ta ille unus portavit, nec alter invenietur qui fore fecit, alter qui ſatiſfecit, ſatisfecit ergo caput pro membris. the wiſe virgins ſaid to the fooliſh that begged of them oyle to fil their lamps, Not ſo, leſt there be not enough for us & for you; the righteouſnes of the righteous ſhalbe upon him, & the wickednes of the wicked ſhalbe upon him, Ez. 18.20. Who ever (ſaith Tertullian) ſatisfied by another mans death, his owne death, but only the Son of God: therfore thou, who imitateſt him in forgiving ſins, if thou haſt ſinned in nothing thy ſelfe I pray thee ſuffer for me; but if thou art…a ſinner as I am, how will the oyle of thy little lampe ſuffice for thee and for me? If Tertullians coyne be not currant, I am ſure St Auſtine & St Leos is, Although, ſaith St Auſtine, brethren dye for their brethren, yet the blood of no Martyr was ever ſhed for the remiſsion of their brothers ſinnes. For, as St. Leo teſtifieth, the righteous have received, they have not given crowns: from the fortitude of true beleevers; we receive examples of patience, not gifts of righteouſnes. For their death was ſingular; neither did any of thē by it diſcharg the death of another; the head hath ſatisfied for the members, & the ſatisfactiō of one is imputed to all. Marke, he ſaith of one, not of more, & the head ſatiſfied for the mēbers, not the mēbers one for another.
To the ſeventh. I freely ſubſcribe to the concluſion, and beleeve without any ſcruple, that the 56000. yeares of pardon granted by the Pope, to every one that ſhall ſay ſeven prayers before the Crucifix, and ſeven Paternoſters, and ſeven Avemaries, is no more for the dead then for the living. For done to ſuch an intent, neither are the better for it, neither the living nor the dead are gainers, but onelyonly the Pope himſelfe and his Agents, who ſell paper and lead at a deerer rate, than any Merchant or Stationer in Chriſtendome. Yet, by the Ieſuits leave, Pope Gregory granting 14000 yeares of Pardon, and Nicolas the firſt, as many, and Sixtus the fourth, twice as many, which make up the full number of 56000; muſt needs be thought, to intend benefit to the ſoules in Purgatorie, or in hell: unleſſe you will make the Pope to be ſo abſurd, as to ſuppoſe that any were to live upon earth ſo many thouſand yeares, which had beene an errour 55000 times worſe than the errour of the Millenaries. For they taught, that the Saints ſhould live a thouſand yeares with Chriſt on earth: but theſe, that ſinners ſhould live in durance here, or in Purgatorie 56000 yeares, which is 50000 yeares longer than by all computations, the World hath, or as moſt thinke, ſhall laſt.
To the eighth. What Scripture or Tradition hath the Ieſuit for this his incredible paradox? If wee ſhould grant him ſuch a Purgatorie as hee deſires, which no man yet could find either in the Map of this world, or in the Table of holy Scriptures: yet is it impoſſible to defend with any probability this poſition of his, that in few weekes ſpace, a ſoule might ſuffer puniſhment anſwerable to the Penance of many thouſand yeares. For, the learned Romaniſts generally accord, that Purgatorie fire differeth little from hell, but in time; that the one is eternall, the other temporall: they beleeve it to equalize, or rather exceed any fiery torment on earth. How then can they imagine ſo much fuell to be laid on that fire, and the torments in it ſo improved, that a man may ſuffer ſo much puniſhment in a few weekes, which may weigh downe, or beare ſcale with the penance of 56000 yeares; or if the torments could be ſo increaſed, what ſoule would be able to beare them for thoſe few weekes, nay rather a few houres?
To the ninth. The Authours alleaged by the Knight, namely, Durand, Sylveſter Prierias, Major, Fiſher Biſhop of Rocheſter, Alfonſus a Caſtro, Antoninus, Cajetan and Bellarmine, ſpeake not, as the Ieſuit would have it, comparatively, but poſitively. Durand ſaith,Durand. 4. ſent. diſt. 20. q. 3. de indulgētiis, pauca dici poſſum per certitudinem, quia nec ſcriptura expreſsè de iis loquitur, ſancti etiam patres Ambroſius, Hilarius, &c. minime loquuntur de indulgentiis. Prierias, cont. Luth. de Indul. Indulgentiae authoritate ſcripturae non intuere nobis ſed authoritate eccleſiae & Romanorum Pontificum. Major, in 4. ſent. diſt. 2. q. 2. Difficile eſt modum indulgentiarum fundare authenticè in ſcripturâ ſacrâ. Roffenſis, artic. 18. cont. Luther, Quamdiù nulla fuerat de purgatoria cura nemo queſivit indulgentias, nam ex illo pendet omnis indulgentiarum eſtimatio ceperunt igitur indulgentiae poſtquam ad purgatorii cruciatus aliquandiù trepidatum erat. The Scriptures ſpeak not expreſſely of Indulgences, neither the Fathers, Auſtine, Hilarie, Ambroſe, Jerome, &c. Sylveſter Prierias affirmeth, that Pardons have not beene knowne to us by the authority of Scriptures, but by the authority of the Church of Rome, and the Popes. Fiſher Biſhop of Rocheſter confeſſeth, that of Purgatorie there is little or no mention amongst the ancient Fathers, and that as long as Purgatory was not cared for, there was no man ſought for Pardons: ſith Purgatorie therefore hath beene ſo lately knowne and received of the whole Church, who can now wonder concerning Indulgences? And here Maſter Flood is at a ſtand, his Flumen is turned into Stagnum; for having made offer to anſwer Durand, and finding that his anſwer would not hold, his heart failed him, and hee durſt not venture to ſhape any anſwer at all to the Authours laſt mentioned, namely, Alfonſus a Caſtro, Alfon. de verbo Indulg. Harum uſus in eccleſiâ videtur ſerò receptus, de Tranſubst antiatime rara in antiquis mentio de purgatorio fere nulla, quid ergo mirum ſi ad hunc modum contigeret de indalgentiis ut apud priſcos nulla ſir mentio? Antonin part. 1. tit. 10. de indulgentiis nihil expreſsè habemus in ſacrâ ſcripturà aut etiam patrum ſcriptis. Cajet. opus. 15. 1. Nulla ſcriptura ſacra nulla priſcorum doctorum grecorum aut latinorum authoritas indulgentiarum ortum ad noſtram deduxit notitiam. Bellor. de indul. l. 1. c. 17. Neque mirum videri debet ſi authores antiquiores non habemus, qui harum mentiorum faciunt.whoſe words are; There is nothing in Scripture leſſe opened, or wherof the ancient Fathers have leſſe written, than of Indulgences; and it ſeemeth the uſe of them came but lately into the Church: there is ſeldome any mention of Tranſubſtantiation among the Ancients, almoſt none of Purgatorie. What marvell then, if it ſo fall out with Indulgences, that there ſhould be no mention of them by the Ancients? Antoninus; There is not any expreſſe teſtimonie, for proofe of Indulgences, either in Scriptures, or in the writings of the ancient Fathers. Cajetan; There is no authoritie of Scriptures, or ancient Fathers, Greeke or Latin, that bringeth the originall of Indulgences to our knowledge. Bellarmine; It is not to be wondered, if wee have not many ancient Authours which make mention of Indulgences; for, many things are re… ned in the Church onelyonly by uſe and cuſtome, without writing. See how the Romaniſts ſecond one the other: Bellarmine ſaith, That not many ancient Authours make mention of Indulgences. Cajetan and Antoninus ſay, Not any. Durand ſaith, that The Scriptures ſpeake not expreſly of them. Prierias ſaith, That they ſpeake not at all of them.
To the tenth. The Indulgences thoſe Fathers and Councells ſpeake of, have no more affinitie with the Pardons the Pope ſelleth now adaies, than the Rivers of Paradiſe have with Styx or Avernos; or Simon Peter with Simon Magus; or Phillip the Apoſtle with Phillip King of Macedon, as I ſhewed before.
To the eleventh. The Ieſuit hath neither proved the practiſe of the Catholike Church, nor of the Romane, time out of mind, for Indulgences: but onelyonly practiſes of later times, ſince manifold abuſes crept into the Roman Church. As for his negative Argument, to wit, that It is a ſtrong evidence of conſent, for Indulgences, becauſe none is found to have ſpoken againſt them: unleſſe hee otherwiſe qualifie it, it will no more prove Purgatorie, or the lawfull uſe of Indulgences, than it will prove there is a Commonwealth in Eutopia, or Cities, or Countries in the Moone, or many worlds; becauſe, peradventure none is found to have ſpoken or written againſt them. And for the Waldenſes, that they were the firſt impugners of Indulgences, is ſaid by the Ieſuit, but not proved; much leſſe, that theſe Waldenſes were known Heretikes. For they were farre from hereſie by the confeſſion of their greateſt adverſarie, the Inquiſitor Rainerius. Cont. Wald. cap. 4.They live, ſaith hee, justly before men, and believe all things well concerning God, and all the Articles contained in the Creed, Solummodo Romanam Eccleſiam blaſphemant. & Clerum, onelyonly they ſpeake evill of the Romane Church and Clergie.
To the twelfth. It was happy for Durand, that hee lived before the Inquiſition and Index Expurgatorius. Durand. in 4. ſent. diſt. 2. q. 3. Quod dictū eſt Petro. Mat. 16. tibi dabo claves, &c. intelligitur de poteſtate ei data in foro poenitentiae, de collatione autem indulgentiarum non eſt quomodò debeat intelligi, ſancti enim Ambroſius, Hilarius, Augustinus, Hieronimus, minime loquntur de indulgentiis.For he argueth ſo ſtrongly againſt Indulgences, ſaying, (that Little can be ſpoken of any certainty concerning them, becauſe the Scripture ſpeaketh not expreſſely of them; for what is ſpoken, Matthew the 16. to Peter, I will give thee the Keyes, and whatſoever thou bindeſt on earth ſhall be bound in heaven; is underſtood, of the power given him in the penitentiall Court, and cannot be underſtood of the beſtowing of Indulgences; for the holy Fathers, Ambroſe, Hilarie, Auguſtine, Jerome, ſpeake not at all of Indulgences) that his writings, if not his perſon, would have beene purged by fire, if hee had lived in theſe times: yet, true it is, that having argued ſtrongly againſt Indulgences, and the Church Treaſurie, ſo farre as it conſiſteth of the merit of Saints, hee bethought himſelfe, and pro formâ, alleageth to the contrarie, the Cuſtome and Doctrine of the Church, meaning the Romane Church; whoſe laſh hee feared, if hee ſhould not have given backe that by Whole-ſale, which hee had taken away from her by Re-tale. Its true alſo, that hee mentions Indulgences at the ſtations of Rome in the dayes of Saint Gregory: but let it be noted, that Gregory is without the compaſſe of the Primitive times, and that hee was intereſted in the cauſe; for, Purgatorie fiers began to ſinge men in his time, and thereupon, Indulgences to be in requeſt, which afterwards proved a Staple commoditie to the See of Rome. Laſtly,Mart. Epig. de Lab. Non es crede mihi bonus: quid ergo ut verum loquar optimus malorum Piſones Senecaſque Memmioſ que , et Criſpos mihi redde ſed priores fies protinus ultimus bonorum. as Martial writeth of Labulla, it may be truly ſaid of this Gregory, that hee was the worſt of the good, and beſt of the bad Popes.
To the thirteenth. The Knight, after Alfonſus, quoted Antoninus, Cajetan, and Bellarmine, to prove the noveltie of Indulgences, and that there is no ground for them in Scriptures, or the writings of the ancient Fathers: to whom, the Ieſuit anſwereth not a word; and here the ſecond time, hee is Gravelled in this Section. To Alfonſus hee ſeemeth to ſay ſomething, but upon due examination as good as nothing: firſt hee falſifieth his words, ſaying, page 334. that Alfonſus confeſſeth the uſe of Indulgences to be moſt ancient, and of many hundred yeares ſtanding; whereas his words are not; that the uſe of Indulgences was moſt ancient, but that it was ſaid by ſome, to be moſt ancient among the Romanes: Apud Romanos vetuſtiſsimus praedicatur illarum uſus; this praedicatur is of no more credit, than Plinie his fertur, or Solinus his aiunt. For notwithſtanding this report, Alfonſus reſolves in that very place, It ſeemes that the uſe of Indulgences came but lately into the Church. Secondly, the Ieſuit forceth a wrong Inference from Alfonſus his words. For albeit, hee affirmeth that Indulgences are not to be contemned, becauſe they have beene in uſe in the Church for ſome hundreds of yeares: yet hee condemneth not a man for an Haeretique that ſhall deny them, but any one that ſhall contemne the Church or deſpiſe her autority: his words are Quoniam eccleſiâ Catholicâ tantae eſt authoritatis ut qui illam contemnat Haereticus meritò cenſeatur, we ſay the ſame alſo,Matth. 18.17. and the Scripture beareth us out in it, tell the Church and if he refuſe to heare the Church, let him be unto thee as a Heathen or a Publican, but what if Alphonſus out of feare blowes hot and cold with one breath, whats that to us? He lived and died a profeſſed Papiſt, and therefore what he writeth againſt Proteſtants, is little to be ſet by, but what he writeth againſt the Church of Rome whom he had a minde to defend in all things, and whoſe feed advocate he was, muſt be thougt to be drawne from him by evidence of truth; howſoever let it be noted that Alphonſus calleth not him an Haereticke, who denieth Indulgences, as the Knight doth,Vid. Rain. Theſ. Romana ecclefia nec eſt Catholica nec ſanum membrum Catholicae eccleſie. but who contemneth the Catholike Church, which neither the Knight, nor any Proteſtant doth: we deny not, much leſſe doe we contemne the authority of the Catholike Church. But we deny that the Roman Church is the Catholike, or a ſound member thereof.
To the fourteenth. Our Miniſters doe not like Flood, and other Ieſuits, bring muddy ſtuffe in their ſermons, out of Petrus de Voragine, and the like fabulous Authors: but what they produce in this kinde againſt the Pope for his baſe ſale of Indulgences, and making merchandize of his ghoſtly power, they proove out of good Authors, grave Hiſtorians, Canoniſts, and Schoolemen, ſuch as are the author of the lives of Popes, and the booke called Taxa camerae Apoſtolicae & Centum granamina, together with Weſcelius Croningenſis, Guicciardine, Henricus de Gandavo, & Altiſiodorenſis. If Altiſiodorenſis words are not plaine enough, Summ: l. 4. d. relap. Dicunt quidam quod relaxatio non valeat quantum eccleſia permittit, ſed facit ut excitentur fideles ad dandum, et decipit eos eccleſia; ſome ſay that the Popes Indulgence prevailes not ſo much as the Church promiſeth, but that thereby men are ſtirred up to give more freely and that therein the Church deceaveth them; what ſay they to that note in Taxa camerae Apoſtolicae, Nota diligenter quod hujuſmodi gratiae non conſcedūtur pauperibus; quia non ſunt, nec poſſunt conſolari. Matth. par. in Hen. 3. Romanorum loculos impregnare.note diligently that ſuch favours, to wit, Indulgences are not graunted to poor… folke, becauſe they have not wherewithall, they cannot be comforted: or that pregnant phraſe of Matthew Paris; that Chriſts blood alone though it be all ſufficient to ſave ſoules, yet the ſame without ſaintly ſatisfaction applied by the Pope, is not ſufficient to impregnate his holineſſe Coffers. If the Ieſuit ſmell not in th…ſe ſentences the fat ſteame of the Popes Kitchin he hath no noſe.
To the fifteenth. It is well the Ieſuit termeth the drinking of a health to Almighty God, a tale, and by his quoting no authou… or it, ſheweth that it was a ſignal lye of his owne inventing, when he was betweene hawke and buzzard: Never any but himſelfe who can bluſh at nothing, affirmed any ſuch thing of any Proteſtant, that ever came to that height of impiety and prophannes, as to drinke a health to his Maker:Hiſtoria Ital. l. 13. Leo nullo temporum et locorum habito delectu per univerſam orbem ampliſsima privilegia quibus non modo vinis delictorum veniam conſequendi ſed & defunctorum animus, ejus ignis in quo delicta expiari dicuntur paenis eximendi facultatem pollicebatur, promulgavit, quae quia pecuniae tantum a mortalibus extorquendae gratia concedi notum erat & a queſtoribus hui… negotio praefectis impudenter administrabantur magnam pleriſ que locis indignationem offenſionem que concitarant, & preſertim in Germania ubi a multis ex ejus miniſtris hujuſmodi mortuos penis liberandi facultas parvo pretio vendi, vel in canponum tabernis aleae ſubiici cernebantur. but Luitprandus and Polonus, telleth us of one Iohn the twelfth, a Pope of Rome, and conſequently no Proteſtant: who made ſo bold with Almighty God, as to give Orders in a Stable, and ſo familiar with the Divell, as to drinke a health to him. As for the Knights prophane jeaſt as he calleth it: it is no jeaſt, but a ſerious teſtimony out of a grave hiſtorian, convincing the Popes agents of Atheiſme and prophannes, and the Popes themſelves, of ſordid covetouſneſſe, his words are, Leo publiſhed large privileges through the whole world without any diſtinction of times and places, by which he promiſed not onelyonly pardon to the living, but alſo power to deliver ſoules of the dead out of Purgatory paines; which becauſe it was knowne that they were granted onelyonly to fill the Popes coffers, and becauſe his farmers carried themſelves lewdly in the ſale of them, great offence was taken at them, eſpeceally in Germanie, where ſuch Indulgences were ſet at a low price, and ſeene to be ſtaked in Tavernes and Ale-houſes at games of Tables.
To the ſixteenth. The Trent Synod was not a Councell, but a Conventicle, wholly ſwayed by the Italian faction, wherein not the flower of the Catholique Church for learning: but the bran of the Romiſh, boulted by the Pope, was gathered together. Let Andreas Dudithius the Biſhop of Quinque eccleſ. Ep. ad Maximil.who was preſent at this Councell, ſpeake his minde of it, the matter came to that paſſe, through the wickedneſſe of thoſe hungry Biſhops that hung upon the Popes ſleeve, and were created on the ſuddaine by the Pope, for the purpoſe, that that Councell ſeemed to be an aſſembly, not of Biſhops, but of Hobgoblins, not of men, but of Images, moved like the ſtatues of Daedalus by the ſinewes of others. What the Ieſuit addeth of night owles, not daring to appeare in the ſplendour of that Councell, hath no colour of truth. For it is no newes for owles to appeare at popiſh Councells. At a Councell held at Rome by Pope Heldebrand, Faſcic. rerum expetend. & ſugiend.Ortwhinus Gratius writeth, there appeared an huge great Owle, which could not be frayed away, but ſcared all the Biſhops. As for Proteſtants, whom this Blacke-bird of Antichriſt termeth night Owles, if they had flocked to that Councell, they had ſhewed themſelves not Owles, by appearing in that twi-light at Trent, but very Wood-cocks, to truſt any ſecurity offerd them by thoſe, who after publike faith given to Iohn Huz, and Ierome of Prage, notwithſtanding the ſafe conduct of Sigiſmond the Emperour, for their going to, and comming from the Councell at Conſtance, moſt cruelly burned them at a ſtake to aſhes.
To the ſeventeenth. Divine faith muſt be grounded upon divine authority, and that cannot be the Catholike faith, which wanteth conſent of Fathers. As for thoſe Fathers whoſe authority Bellarmine draweth ob torto collo, to teſtifie for unwritten traditions de verbo Dei. lib. 4. cap. 7. the Ieſuit may ſee them fully anſwered in Iunius Whitaker, Daniel Chamierus, and Dr. Davenant Biſhop of Sarum, and a farre greater number of Fathers alleaged to the contrary, by Robert Abbot in his anſwer to William Biſhop, cap. 7. Phillip Morney in his preface to his booke, de ſacrâ Euchariſtiâ and Iacobus Laurentius in his ſingular tractate de Diſputationibus, and others.
To the eighteenth. The aſſiſtance of the Holy ghoſt was more ſpeciall in the times of the Apoſtles then in latter ages: they could not erre in their writings, others might; yet we charge not the Catholike Church of Chriſt in any age, with any fundamentall errour, though we may the Roman; Tertullian his rule may have ſtill place, and as well in one age as another if it be rightly taken, and not miſconſtrued and miſapplied; for if it be taken generally, that whatſoever is the ſame amongſt many, is no errour but tradition, it is it ſelfe a great errour. For the ſame opinion concerning the inequality of the Father and the Sonne is found amongſt many; to wit, the Arrian Churches: the ſame doctrine concerning the proceſſion of the Sonne from the Father onelyonly, is found amongſt many, namely, all the Greeke Churches at this day: the ſame practiſe of adminiſtring the Euchariſt to children, was found amongſt many; namely, all the Churches of Affrica in St. Auſtines time, yea, and in all Churches ſubject to the Biſhop of Rome for many ages, as Maldonat the Ieſuit confeſſeth; yet the above named Poſitions, and this latter practiſe are confeſſed on all ſides to be erroneous. But Tertullian by many underſtandeth not the practiſe of ſome particular Churches,Tertul. de preſcrip. Age nunc omnes eccleſiae erraverint veriſimile eſt ut tot et tante in unam fidem erraverint. much leſſe of factious perſons of one Sect, but the generall and uniforme doctrine and practiſe of the whole Church as his words in the ſame Chapter, quoted by the Ieſuit declare. Goe too now, admit that all Churches have erred, is it likely ſo many, ſo great Churches ſhould erringly conſpire in one faith?
To the nineteenth. We derogate nothing from any generall cuſtome of the Catholike Church, let the Ieſuit produce out of good Authors any ſuch cuſtome for Indulgences to redeeme ſoules out of Purgatory flames by Papall Indulgences, and this controverſie will ſoone be at an end; howſoever let me tell the Ieſuit the way, that this text of St. Paul is impertinently alleaged to prove this or any other article of the Trent faith. For St. Paul in this place ſpeaketh not of any Article of faith nor matter of manners neceſſary to ſalvation, but of habits, geſtures faſhions, and indifferent rites: in matter of which nature there is no queſtion at all, but that the cuſtome of the Churches of God ought to ſway, as is abundantly proved by Dr. Andrewes late Biſhop of Wincheſter, in his printed Sermon upon that text.
To the twentieth. Diſputabamus de alliis reſpondet Ieſuita de cepis, we diſpute of Indulgences, the Ieſuit anſwereth of Traditions in matter of Faith. Theſe are very diſtinct queſtions, and ſo handled by all that deale Work-man-like in points of difference betweene the Reformed, and the Romane Churches, but the Jeſuits common place of Indulgences was drawne drie, and therefore hee ſetteth his cocke of Traditions on running, which yeeldeth nothing but muddy water. What though Faith be ancienter than Scriptures, the Argument is inconſequent? Ergo, Scripture is not now the perfect rule of Faith. Faith neither is, nor can be more ancient than the Word of God, upon which it is built, this Word of God is now written; and ſince, the conſigning and confirming the whole Canon of the written Word, by Saint Iohn in the Apocalypſe, is become the perfect, and as the Schooles ſpeaketh, the adequate rule of Faith. It is true, Chriſt and his Apoſtles firſt taught the Church by word of mouth;Lib. 3. adverſ. heres. cap. 1. Non enim per alios diſpoſitionem ſalutis, nostrae cognovimus quam per eos per quos Evangelium pervenit ad nos, quod quidem tunc praeconiaverunt poſtea per dei voluntatem in ſcripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum & columnam fidei noſtrae futuram. but afterwards, that which they preached, was by the commandment of God, committed to writing, to be the foundation and pillar of Faith; as Irenaus teſtifieth in expreſſe words.
To the twentie one. If the Ieſuit could prove as undoubtedly any words of the Apoſtles that are not ſet downe in Scriptures, to be their owne words, as wee can prove the writings we have, to be theirs; wee would yeeld no leſſe credit to them, then to theſe: but that neither can hee, nor ſo much as undertaketh to doe. And whereas he further faith, that the credit of the Scripture depends upon Tradition; unleſſe hee qualifie the ſpeech ſome way, it is not onelyonly erroneous, but alſo blaſphemous; for it is all one, as if hee ſhould ſay, that man gives credit and authority to God (as Tertullian jeareth the Heathen,In Apolloget. not receiving Chriſt for God, becauſe the Romane Senate would not give their conſent and approbation to make him one, Iam homo deo propitius eſſe debet) or that the credit and authority of Gods Word dependeth upon mans receiving it. Whereas in truth, Gods Word is not therefore of divine and infallible authoritie, becauſe the Church delivereth it to be ſo; but on the contrary, the Church delivereth it to be ſo, becauſe in it ſelfe it is ſo; and the Church ſhould erre damnably, if ſhee ſhould otherwiſe conceive of theſe inſpired Writings, then as of the undoubted Oracles of God, to which we owe abſolute conſent and beliefe,Vid. Auguſt. ſupr. cit. without any queſtion or contradiction.
To the two and twentieth. Saint Auſtine defends no point of Faith againſt Heretikes, either onelyonly or chiefly, by the Tradition and practiſe of the Catholike Church; but either onelyonly or chiefly by the Scriptures. For example, in his booke of Baptiſme, againſt the Donatiſts, after hee had debated the point by Scriptures, hee mentioneth the cuſtome of the Church, and relateth Stephanus his proceeding againſt ſuch as went about to overthrow the ancient cuſtome of the Catholike Church in that point. But hee no where grounds his Doctrine upon that cuſtome, though hee doth well approve of it, as wee doe. Againe, in his booke againſt Maximinus, and his 174 Epiſt. to Paſcentius, hee confirmeth the faith of the Trinity by the written Word, againſt thoſe Heretikes: his words, Ep. 175,Haec ſiplacet audire quemadmodum è Scripturis ſacris aſſerantur. to the ſame Paſcentius are; Here thou maiſt heare, if thou wilt, how theſe points of our Faith are maintained by Scripture. So farre is hee from founding thoſe, or any other points of faith only, or chiefly upon unwritten Traditions. What the Ieſuit alleageth out of his tenth booke, De Geneſ. ad literam, cap. 23.Conſuetudo matris Eccleſiae in baptizandis parvulis nequaquam ſpernendus eſt, ne que ullo modo ſuperflua deputanda. no whit advantageth his cauſe; for there Saint Auſtine ſaith no more, but The cuſtome of the Church in baptizing Infants, is no way to be deſpiſed, or to be accounted ſuperfluous. Wee all ſay the ſame, and condemne the Pelagians of old, and Anabaptiſts of late, who deny Baptiſme to be adminiſtred to children, or any way derogate from the neceſſitie of that Sacrament. The Ieſuit ſaith, hee will ſay nothing of Prayer for the dead, yet hee quoteth Saint Auſtine, de curâ pro mortuis, as if in that booke hee taught Prayer for the dead, and grounded it upon unwritten Tradition. Whereas in that booke, hee neither maintaineth Prayer for the dead, nor maketh mention of any unwritten Tradition for it; but on the contrarie, ſolidly out of Scriptures proveth,Eſaias Propheta dicit, Abraham nos neſcivit, et Iſrael non cognovit nos: ſi tanti patriarchae, quid erga populum ex his procreatur, ageretur, ignoraverunt quomodo mortui vivorum rebus at que actibus cog noſcendis adjuvandiſque miſcentur; et paulo poſt ibi ergo ſunt ſpiritus defunctorum ubi non vident quecun que aguntur, aut eveniunt in iſtâ vitâ hominibus. Ep. 118. Si quid hocum ſic faciendum divinae Scripturae praeſcribat authoritas, non eſt dubitandum quin ita facere debeamus, ſimiliter ſi quid per orbem tota frequentat Eccleſia. that the Saints departed have no knowledge of our affaires upon earth: the Prophet Eſay ſaith, Abraham knoweth us not, and Iſrael is ignorant of us. If ſo great Patriarchs knew not what befell their poſteritie after their death; how can it be defended, that the dead intermeddle with the actions or affaires of the living, to helpe them onward, or ſo much as to take notice of them? A little after, he concludes flat upon the Negative, The Spirits therefore of the dead there remaine where they knowe not what befalleth to men in this life. To what end therefore, ſhould wee call upon them in our troubles and diſtreſſe here? Neither hath this Father any thing in his 118 Epiſtle for the Ieſuit, or againſt us; for there hee ſpeaketh of Eccleſiaſticall Rites and Cuſtomes, as appeares in the very title of that Epiſtle, not of Doctrines of Faith: and yet, even in theſe, hee giveth a preheminence to the Scriptures. If, ſaith hee, the authoritie of divine Scripture preſcribe any Rite or Cuſtome to be kept, there is no queſtion to be made of ſuch a Rite or Cuſtome: and in like manner, if the whole Church throughout the world conſtantly uſeth ſuch a Rite or Cuſtome. The Ieſuites next allegation out of this Fathers booke De unitate Eccleſ. cap. 22. falleth ſhort of his marke; hee ſaith there, that Chriſt beareth witneſſe to his Church, that it ſhould be Catholike, that is, ſpread over the face of the Earth, and not to be confined to any certaine place; as the Province of Affrica. Wee ſay the ſame, and adde, that the bounds of it, are no more the territories of the Biſhop of Rome, than the Provinces of Affrica. Wee grant, that Whoſoever refuſeth to follow the practiſe of the Church, to wit, the Catholike, or univerſall Church, reſisteth, or goeth againſt our Saviour, who promiſed by his ſpirit, to leade her into all truth, and to be with her to the end of the World. Which promiſe may yet ſtand good and firme, though any particular Church erre in Faith, or manners, as did the Churches of Aſia, planted by the Apoſtles themſelves, and the Church of Rome doth at this day.Cont. lit. Petil. l. 3. c. 6. Now, becauſe that teſtimonie of Saint Auſtine, wherewith the Knight concludes almoſt every Section; If wee, or an Angell from heaven, preach unto you any thing, whether it be of Chriſt, or of his Church, or any thing which concerneth Faith, or manners, beſides that which you have received in the Legall and Evangelicall Scriptures, let him be accurſed; is as a beame in all Papiſts eyes; therefore, they uſe all poſſible meanes to take it out, but all in vaine; for the words of the Apoſtle, on which Saint Paul commenteth, are not as the Ieſuit would have them: If any man preach unto you, Contra againſt; but if any preach unto you, Praeter beſides: Ep. ad Galat. foreign. Ne que enim inquit ſi contraria ſolum predicaverint intulit anathema eſto, ſed ſi evangelizaverint preter id quod ipſi evangeliſavimus, hoc eſt, ſi pluſculum quidpiam adjecerent.as Saint Chryſostome and Theophylact accutely obſerve. The Apoſtle ſaith not (if Chryſostome rightly underſtand him) if they ſhould preach any thing contrary; but if they ſhall in their preaching, adde any thing, be it never ſo little, beſides that which wee have preached unto you, let him be accurſed. And Theophylact is altogether as plaine as Chryſostome, in his Gloſſe upon the words, The Apoſtle inferreth not, if any man preach contrarie to that yee have received; but if any preach beſides that which wee have preached unto you, that is, if they ſhall preſume to adde any thing, though never ſo little, let them be accurſed. Neither doth Saint Auſtine in his tractate upon Saint Iohn, upon which Bellarmine, and after him, Flood, ſo much beare themſelves, any whit contradict the former interpretations of Saint Chryſostome and Theophylact. For his words in that place carry this ſenſe, The Apoſtle ſaith not, if any man preach more unto you, than you have already received, that is, perfectly conceived and apprehended: for then hee ſhould goe againſt himſelfe, who ſaith, that hee deſired to come to the Theſſalonians, to ſupply that which was lacking to their Faith; to ſupply, I ſay, that which was lacking to their Faith, not to the Goſpell which Saint Paul preached: hee ſaith not, let him be accurſed, who further informeth you in the Doctrine of the Scriptures, or delivereth you more out of them, than yee have yet received within that Rule; but hee that delivereth you any thing beſides that Rule. And that this is his meaning, appeareth by the words immediately following, which the Ieſuit cunningly ſuppreſſeth, to wit, theſe, Qui praetergreditur regulam fidei, non accedit in viâ, ſed recedit de viâ; Hee that goeth beſides the Rule of Faith, doth not goe on in the way, but departeth out of the way. Yea; but the word in the Greeke tranſlation, foreign, here uſed, is the ſame with that, Rom. 16.17. which wee in our Bibles tranſlate, againſt, not Praeter, beſides. Yea, but the Jeſuits in their owne Latine vulgar tranſlation, to which they are all ſworne, (as wee are not to ours) render this foreign, or Praeter beſides, and not Contra againſt: and that this tranſlation is moſt agreeable to the Apoſtles meaning, appeareth by comparing this text, Rom. 16.17. with a parralell'd text, 2 Theſ. 3.6. Withdraw your ſelves from every brother that walketh diſorderly, and not after the Tradition which you have received of us. There is no neceſſity therefore, of expounding foreign, in that text to the Romans, by Contra againſt; wee may as well (or better) expound it by Praeter, that is, beſides: yet, if in one place foreign might ſignifie Contra, it doth not follow that it muſt be ſo taken, Galathians 1.8. for it is well knowne, that the naturall and moſt uſuall ſignification of foreign in Greeke, is Praeter beſides, not Contra againſt; and words are to be taken in their moſt proper and uſuall ſignification, unleſſe ſome neceſſarie reaſon, drawne from the circumſtances of the text, or analogie of faith inforceth us to leave it, which here it doth not. As for Saint Auſtines judgement in the point it ſelfe, to wit, that Scripture is the perfect rule of Faith, hee plainely delivereth it, both in his 49 tractate upon Iohn, and in the ninth chapter of the ſecond booke De doctrinâ chriſtianâ; and in the laſt chapter of his ſecond booke De peccatorum meritis & remiſsione, and in his booke De bono viduitatis, cap. 11. What words can be more expreſſe and direct for the ſufficiencie of Scripture, than thoſe in his 49 tractate upon Iohn? The Lord Ieſus did, Quae ſaluti credentium ſufficere videbuntur. In iis quae aperte poſita ſunt in Scriptura inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem, moreſ que vivendi. G. ult. Credo etiam h…ic divinorū eloquiorū clariſsima authoritas eſſet, ſi homo illud ſine diſpendio ſalutis ignorare non poſſet. Sancta Scriptura noſtrae doctrinae regulam ſixit, ne auderemus ſapere ultra quam oportet.and ſpake many things which are not written, as the Evangeliſt testifieth; but thoſe things were choſen to be written, which ſeemed to ſuffice for the ſalvation of Beleevers: unleſſe thoſe in his ſecond booke, De doctrina chriſtiana, Among thoſe things which are openly or plainly ſet downe in Scriptures, all things are found which concerne or containe Faith or manners: or thoſe in his ſecond booke of the remiſſion of ſinnes, I beleeve that the authoritie of divine Scriptures, would have beene moſt cleere and evident in this point, if a man could not have beene ignorant of it, without perill of his ſalvation: or laſtly, thoſe in his booke in the commendation of Widowhood, What ſhould I teach thee more than that which thou readeſt in the Apoſtle? for the holy Scripture ſetleth the rule of our Doctrine, leſt wee ſhould preſume to be wiſe above that wee ought.