A Case for the Spectacles, Chapter 9 · 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,De heresibus, l. 8. tit. indulg. verum etsi pro indulgentiarum approbatione sacrae scripturae testimonium apertum de sit, non tamen ideo contemnende erunt quoniam ecclesiae catholicae usus a multis annorū centuriis tantae est authoritatis, ut qui illam contemnat haereticus merito censeatur. 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 presumption 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.
Whereas 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.
De baptismo. 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.St. Austine defendeth many points of faith, 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.
Cic. pro Rosc. Amer.AS Erucius the accuser of Roscius Amerinus having little to say against him, 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 punis…ed with fire, either temporall or eternall. In that time, sai h 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 paene 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: these are reluxations from satisfactorie paines in Purgatorie flames after this life. After which, notwithstanding,Cyp ad Demet. post quam hinc excessam est nullus datur penitentiae locus, nullus satisfactionis effectus. 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 suam crederet, nullum dia…oli 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 eeke 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 expiatiorem 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 intentia merentis est necessaria ad hoc quod fructus seu intensi… merentis redundet in alterum s… enim fructus meriti passionis Christi in nos redundat ex ejus epress â 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 sinne 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,Iob 9.3. doe not the Scriptures and the Fathers say the same. 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. Pro. 20.9. Esay, 64.6. Iames, 3.2. 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 nimium laboramus, nimium jejunamus, nimium vigilamus, cum nec millessime nec minime parti d…bitorum suorum quis valeat responders. Serm. de virgin. Stulta petitio, vix justus salvabitur, vix Sanctis justitiae suae oleum sufficet ad salutem, quantò minus & sibi & proximis.Who knoweth how oft he offendeth? Doth not Solomon? Who can say, I have made my heart cleane? I am pure from my sinne. Doth not Esay ingenuously confesse? 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 men, 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. The wise virgins said to the foolish that begged of them oyle to fil their lamps,Gal. 6.5. de pudicit. c. 22. Quis alienam mortem sua solvet nisi solus fi…ius Dei, proinde qui illum emularis donando de icta si nihil ipse deliquisti plane patere pro me si vero peccator es quomodo oleum faculae tuae sufficere tibi & mihi poterit. In Iohan. tract. 24. Et si fratres pro fratribus moriantur, tamen in fraternorum peccatorum remissione 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 mortes fuerunt, nec alterius quisquam debitum suo fine persolvit. Bernard. ep. 193 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. 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 ecclesia videtur serò receptus, de Transubstantiatione rara in antiquis mentio de purgatorio fere nulla, quid ergo mirum si ad hunc modum contigeret de indulgentiis ut apud priscos nulla sit 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. Bellar. 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 retained 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 dabe claves, &c. intelligitur de potestate ei data in foro poenitentiae, de collatione autem indulgentiarum non est quomodò de beat 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 Gr…gory, 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 …ontemned, because they have beene in use in the Church for some hundreds of yeares: yet hee condemneth not a man for an Hae…etique 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 ecclesia nec est Catholica nec sanum membrum Catholicae ecclesiae. 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 deceav th 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 poore 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 these 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 authour for 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 ex…iari di…untur paenis eximendi facultatem pollicebatur, promulgavit, quae quia pecuniae tantum a mortalibus extorquendae gratia concedi notum erat & a questoribus huic 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 cauponum 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. who was present at this Councell,Ep. ad Maximil. 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. & fugiend.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 Irenaeus 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 saith, 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 si placet 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, Consuetudo matris Ecclesiae in baptizandis parvulis nequaquam spernendus est, ne{que} ullo modo superflua deputanda.cap. 23. 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 cognoscendis 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 horum 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.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. 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.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 dispendeo salutis ignorare non posset. Sancta Scriptura nostrae doctrinae regulam fixit, 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.