A MODEST BRIEFE DISCVSSION OF SOME POINTS TAVGHT BY M. DOCTOVR KELLISON IN HIS TREATISE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HIERARCHY. BY NICHOLAS SMYTH.
In a Religious State, a man liues more purely, fals more rarely, rises more speedily, walks more circumspectly, dies more confidently, and is rewarded more aboundantly.
Printed, at ROVAN. Anno. M.DC.XXX.
TO MY WORTHY FRIEND Mr. A. M.
SrR, your letter contained a request, which I must needs say, was to my tast, bitter-sweet. It could not but be pleasing, as proceeding frō your selfe; and yet the quality of it, to my disposition, could not but seeme bitter. Your dem und was, that I should giue a briefe Censure in generall, and make some obseruations, vpon such particular passages, as might seeme to need explication, in M. Doctour Kellison his Treatise, of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy. You know the naturall antipathy of my complexion, with such businesses, as may haue any face of Controuersy; besids the want of many helpes, requisite for such an employment. Neuerthelesse, I haue submitted my iudgement, and will, to your Commaund, & do heere present you with such [Page]notes, as I haue gathered: professing not to haue set downe, all that occurred to my mind: and to say the truth, I was willing to beleeue the best, & for my owne ease, to omit the examine of some passages, which yet I might suspect would haue giuen iust aduantage. I doubt not but some more diligent, and exact pen will supply my defects. The method I hold, is to reduce all to certaine heades, or Questions, out of which may easily be drawne answere, to the particulars; for it had bene a tedious busines, to answere M. Doctour, line for line. Yet to the end the Reader may know, where to finde the answere of euery particular, my seauenth Question is imployed, in a suruey of M. Doctours booke, chapter by chapter, pointing in what Question of mine, euery chapter, and number of his, is answered. If this my labour doe not satisfy your expectation, yet I doubt not but my endeauour wilbe the more grateful, in that for your sake, I haue done my best. And so, you will remaine the more assured, that without any exception I am wholy
AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.
BE pleased (gentle Reader) to know that the Authour of this Discussion, while he liued, was wholy against the publishing thereof. But he being departed to a better life, the lay gentleman, a worthy, and vertuous Catholick, at whose request it was written, and whome the Authour by reason of distance could not satisfy by word of mouth, finding M. Doctour Kellisons Treatise, to be much dispersed, among all sorts of persons, many of which are not able of themselues, to iudge of some points therein contained, as they deserue, caused it, as thou seest, to be printed, for the right information, & common good of Catholicks in England.
A TABLE OF THE QVESTIONS CONTEINED IN THIS DISCVSSION.
- QVESTION 1. What Iudgement may be framed of M. Doctour his Treatise, in generall. pag. 1.
- Question 2. Whether without a Bishop, there can be a particular Church. pag. 11.
- Question 3. Whether by the deuine Law, euery particular Church must haue a Bishop. pag. 31.
- Question 4. Whether a Countrey, although the persecution should be increased by occasion of hauing a Bishop, could refuse one, if it were onely for the Sacrament of Confirmation. pag. 62.
- Question 5. Concerning M. Doctours cō parison betweene Bishops, Inferiour Pastours, and Religious men. pag. 92.
- Question 6. Whether Religious, as Religious, [Page]be of the Hierarchy of the Church. pag. 163.
- Question 7. Whether by the precedent Questions, we haue sufficiently answered M. Doctours Treatise, for such Points, as either deserued confutation, or required explication. pag. 181.
THE FIRST QVESTION. What iudgment may be framed of M. Doctour his treatise in generall.
1. MY meaning is not to set downe what Cē sure others, euen Secular Priests, to my certaine knowledg, giue of M. Doctour his booke, because my desire is to giue noe offence. My owne opinion, with d [...]e submission to better iudgment, may be reduced to the ensuing considerations.
2 It may iustly seeme strange, why M. Doctour should, at this very time, write against Caluin, concerning an argument in these daies not particularly spoken of, and already most learnedly, copiously, and eloquently handled by diuers, both in Latine, and vulgar languages: especially seeing [Page 2]men do not in M. D [...]tour b [...]oke discouer any thi [...], s [...]g [...], [...]o [...] [...], or manner, and altho [...]gh here [...]ere something more the [...]o [...]di [...]ry, yet the [...]ooke co [...]ld not be pu [...] into the h [...]ds of any her [...]ticle for his conu [...]sion, v [...]lesse [...] would haue him sc [...]n [...]dized, by sor [...]i [...]es of more vn [...]erfull disse [...]tion, then [...]ed th [...]e is. And as for C [...]tholickes, they h [...]ue no neede to be confirme [...] in the beliefe of the Ecclesi [...]ic [...]l Hierarchy: Wherfore it is easy to f [...]ll vpon the tr [...]e mot [...]e of his writing, that if he had vttered what he me [...]nt he should haue chaged the title, and insteed of (Against Caluin) put Against some other Persōs, whō he thought good not to name.
3 And whatsoeuer he speaketh of Charity, in his Epistle, and through his booke, yet he could haue giuen no greater blowe against that vertue, then by being the first to print a treatise, in the English tongue, which euery vnlearned person might vnderstand, and to which he could not but expect answere, whereby it would be almost impossible some office should not either be giuen, or taken, & with returne of new answeres, & replies, [Page 3]Charity more, and more indamaged.
4 This treatise hath renewed, that no lesse improfitable, then odious comparisō, betwixt the perfectiō of Secular Pastours, and that of Religious men: wheras it were to be wished, that men should rather be carefull to perfect themselues in their seuerall callings, then waxe curious in cō paring them with others.
5 If Regulars printed any booke, it was in latin; vpon a necessary occasion; for their owne defence; concerning one particular point: the cōtrary of [...]ll which circumstāces concu [...]re in M. Doctour his treatise. It is not (M. Doctour) beleeue me, the way to maintaine charity is not, to labour in writing of bookes, in the English tongue, with dedicatory epistles, full of verball exhortation to charity, but the true way requires no more pain [...]s, then only to let Religious men alone, with those priuiledges, of which for so many yeares they haue had peaceab [...]e poss [...]ss [...], and in practise whereof they haue faithfully l [...]boured, & many of them in sw [...]t of their b [...]oud, by g [...]o [...]ious M [...]tyrdome.
6 It would also much au [...]u [...] towards the conseruation of charity, if all Superiours, [Page 4]& Presidēts of Seminaries, were effect [...]lly [...]arefull, that their subiects speake of Religious mē with due respect, & Charity. Heli [...]hough for his owne perso [...],1. Reg. 1. a man of comm [...]ndable life, yet he was not free fr [...] blame, in not correcting his Childrē, othe [...]wise then in a cold remisse māner as if he had bene halfe consenting to their misdemeanour, whereby men were auerted frō the Sacrifices of God; as S. Thomas auoucheth,S. Thom. 2.2. q. 184. [...]7.8. Religion to be the most perfect of all Sacrifices, an Holocaust.
7 This treacise cannot [...]e pleasing to the Holy Sea Apostolick, frō whence it had bin good māners for vs to learne, what is by Christs i [...]stitution necessary for Gods Church ingeneral, & expediēt in particular cōcerning our hauing a Bishop in Englād. But to tel euery mā, & womā, in a lāguage vnderstood only by those who ought to obey (and which could not serue for information of those who were to be our Vmpiers) that it is a deuine commandement to haue a Bishop in England, is but to lead men into temptation of disobedience (in case his Holinesse should euer put in prctaise the contrary) and of condemning the iudgments, and facts of so many [Page 5]learned, and holy Popes, who for diuers yeares, deemed it nether necessary, nor expedient togrant vs a Bishop.
8 The greater, and better part of English Catholicks wilbe nothing well contented with this booke, wherein they are plainely enough taxed of want of Charity, and Obedience, in not being so vnited, & subordinate to my Lord of Calcedon, as it seemes M. Doctour thinkes they should. They are also in effect cōdemned of mortal sinne, by refusing so longe time a Bishop, against the law of God, & for being occasiō, on their partes, that our country wanted the Sacrament of Confirmation, which, according to M. Doctour, is so necessary in time of persecution, that neither any country, Chap: 14 [...]. [...]. nor any one of the country, for feare of persecutiō, can oppose against the comming in of a Bispop, though thereby only the Sacrament of confirmation should be wanting, auouching moreouer al those who haue not had the Sactament of Confirmation not to be perfect Christians, which is a saying by him more then once repeated, but how true it is, I hope, the reader wilbe able to iudge by what shalbe said in the follo [...]wing questions, as also how litle probability his [Page 6]other reasons carry for euincing the necessity of a Bishop in England.
9 Neither can my Lord of Chalcedon much like this booke, wherein the reader will finde some passages by me noted, whereby my Lord his Ordmariship is quite demolished, and other authority by him pretended, either extenuated, or made odious, & dreadfull to Catholicks.
10 It cannot be pleasing to Almighty God, to treate of holy things vpon particular designe, and humane respects. For I know not how deuotion is lessened euen towards sacred things, when they are commended by exaggeration, and for some priuate end, as in this treatise M. Doctour doth extoll Episcopall dignity aboue Religious state, vrge the necessity of Confirmation, prayse the Secular Clergy, and enforce the obligation of hauing a Bishop, much more then according to true deuinity he could, and more then, I feare, he would haue done, if all mortall men were as free from emulation, as the Saints in heauen. And as he hath written of the Hierarchie, so perhaps we shall in ty [...]e see some printed treatise of the Sa [...]rament of Confirmation, and the generall [Page 7]ambiguous speaches of some antient Fathers, or the particular opinions of some few deuines, misapplyed for the necessity of that Sacrament, or in proofe that it cannot be administred but by a Bishop, or some such like subject, & busines.
11 As for the manner hel [...] by M Doctour in proouing his Tenets, I feare it will not correspond to that opinion which hath bene conceiued of his learning: and in truth excepting those points which all Catholicks beleeue, there is no one thing in his whole booke, which will put a man to study for the answere.
12 Against all good Logicke, and as it may seeme, against pr [...]dence, he prooueth his conclusion by principl [...]s more harsh, and incredible, then the conclusion it selfe. For example, to prooue the necessity of a Bi [...]hop in Eng [...]and he serueth himselfe of these strāge, & vntoward propositiōs: That it is de iure diui [...], a deuine Law for euery such p [...]rticular Church, as England is, to haue a B [...]hop: That without a Bishop England cannot be a pa [...]ticular Church: That vnlesse euery [...]rticular Church haue is Bishop, or Bishops, the whole, and Vniuersall C [...]urch should not [Page 8](as Christ hath instituted) be a Hierarchie cōposed of diuers particular Churches: That without a Bishop we cannot haue Confirmation, which whosoeuer wants is not as M. Doctour sayth, a perfect Christian. All which principles are worse then the conclusion, and are by vs demonstrated to haue no ground at all.
13 He still doth not aright compare Religious with Secular Priests, alwayes reduplicating Religious, as Religious, but neuer [...]ecular, as Secular. For example he saith, that Religious, as Religious haue not authority to preach, gouerne the Church, or the like, but neuer telleth vs, whether Secular, as Secular, can do it, as certainly they cannot, till authority be granted thē, which being grā ted also to Religious, they may performe the same actions no lesse then Seculars, as in due place shalbe declared. In other points likewise, he speaketh, not so distinctly as a schollar would expect.
14 But the thing at which I most wōder, in a mā of his learning, is that those Fathers, & schoole Deuines, which he produceth for witnesses of his doctrine, are indeed against himselfe,S [...] quest. [...].3. [...]. as the reader wil see in his allegatiō of S. Cyprian, S. Clemēt, Sotus, Bānes et [...].
[Page 9] 15 Lastly, I desire the reader to be still carefully obseruing throughout his whole treatise, that whereas he maketh profession to abstaine from the mayne question, betwixt my Lord of Chalcedon, and others, and further affirmeth in his fiftenth chapter num. 10. that my Lord can challenge no Bishopricke, no not so much as the poorest parish in England: And whereas likewise my Lord of Chlacedon by his Breife of Delegation was to haue no power in England, or Scotland, till his arriuall in those Kingdomes, and then onely ouer Catholicks, and as long as his Holinesse should thinke good; all which are manifest arguments, that he is not Ordinary, as other Bishops in Catholicke countries are, who although they should neuer set foote in their owne Diocesses, yet they haue true Ordinary power ouer both Catholickes, and Hereticks within such diocesses, and are Ordinaries both personarum, et loci of persons, and place, both in fore interno & extern [...], and that not onely ad bene placitum, but permanently, as alwayes in the Church of God some Ecclesiasticall princes must be: Notwithstanding, I say, all this, yet the arguments by which M. Doctour [Page 10]would prooue the necessty of a Bishop in England, either proo [...]e nothing at all, or else more then he himselfe in [...]endeth, or my Lord of Chalcedon chall [...]geth (namely that he must haue authority [...]lso ouer heretickes; that he may lay claime to some, or all the Diocesses in England, as well as to that of Chalcedon; that he must not be onely ad beneplacetum &c.) and [...]o M. Doctour must be forced either to arswere his owne arguments, or else both contradict himselfe, & taxe his Holinesse, as hauing not yet sufficiently prouided for the Churches of England, and Scotland: because the Institution of Christ, the practise of the Church, the decrees of Canons, the sayings of anciēt Fathers, the doctrine of all Catholicks concerning the necessity of hauing some Bishops in Gods Church, cōcerne Ordinary Pastors, & Prelats, in the proper sence about mentioned, & not Delegates in an extraordinary manner. And therefore, as I said, M. Doctour must defend himselfe against his owne argumēts. But least I may seeme to wrong so learned a mā, I desire the reader not to giue me credit till in the following seuerall Questions, he finde by particulars, the truth of what [Page 11]I haue deliuered in generall.
THE SECOND QVESTION. Whether without a Bishop here can be a particular Church.
1 M. Doctor in diuers parts of his treatise doth teach, that without a Bishop there can be no particular Church, & in his 14. chapter, where he endeauoureth to prooue, that a particular courtry may not refuse Bishops, by reason of persecution, one of his maine argumēts is nū. 9. because without a Bishop there can be no particular Church; & thence deduceth, that Catholicks of England, al the while they had no Bishop, were no particular Church, & shall no longer be a particular Church, then they shall haue a Bishop, but shalbe a flocke with out a Pastour, [...] army without a General, a ship without a Pylot, a speritualkingdō without asperitualking, a family without a Goodman of the house.
2 This assertion he prooueth out of S. Cyprian, who sayth:Cypr. ep [...]. 69. ad [...]. that the Church is Sacerdo [...]i plebs adunata, et Pastori suo grex [...] ar [...]us, the Churches the people vrit [...]d to [Page 12]the Pre [...] (Bishop) and the flocke adhering [...]to its P [...]our. In the sime place M Do [...]to [...] a lioy [...] this reason, that as the [...]h [...]le Church hath me supre [...]me Bishop to gouerne it, so [...]ry particular Church must haue its Bishop [...] Bishops else it should not he a particular Church, and so the whole, and vn [...] sa [...] Church should not (as Christ hath instituted) he a Hierarchie composed of diuers particular Churches.
3. Three thing; I will endeauour to performe. First, that the alleadged wordes of S. Cyprian, vpon which M. Doctour doth so maynely, and extreamely often insist, make nothing against vs, but rather are for vs, against himselfe, and with all, that his application of them may seeme iniurious to English Catholickes.
Secondly, I will de nonstrate that England without a Bishop, may, & hath bene a particular Church, and that the contrary assertion must both wrong the Sea Apostolicke, and can subsist vpon no better ground, then by hereticks is wont to be obiected against the sayd holy Sea. Thirdly, I will shew, that although we should freely grant what M. Doctour assumeth (that without a Bishop we cannot be [Page 13]a [...]rticular Church) [...]et it could not proue hi [...] [...]ent, [...] particular country may not rosuse Bish [...]ps by reason of persecution.
4 For the first, it might be answered in a word, that S. [...]pr [...]m doth not define the Church to be the people vnited, and the flocke adbering to a particular Priest, and Pastour, but onely in [...]iffi [...]itely to the Priest, and Pastour, which is verified, as long as we haue for our Bishop, & Pastour the Pope of Rome Besides, S. Cypriā speaks of Ordinary Pastors with power ouer both places, & persons, Catholicks, & here [...]icks [...]permanently, and not onely ad b [...]neplacitum, & therefore by a Delegate [...]. Cyprians definition is not fulfdd, but still we must acknowledg the Pope for our immediate, and particular Ordinary.
5 But for the [...]e vnderstanding of S. Cyprians meaning, we are to know, that the foresayd epistle was written to one Florinus or Florentius, surnamed Pupianus, who, as Pamelius obserueth in his notes vpon that epistle, was a Nouatiā heretick, and with too much credulity, and temerity, had giuen credit to certayne fa [...]sly reported crimes against S. Cypriā, for which he esteemed that the Saint ought to haue [Page 14]beene fors [...]ken by the people of his Diocesse, as if he had not beene true Bishop. Against this false▪ & seditious imputation, S. Cyprian prooueth not that a Church wanting a Bishop is no particular Church, but that a Church ha [...]i [...]g its true, and lawfull Bishop, as S. C [...]prian was, yet deuiding it selfe, and falling in schisme with him, is indeed [...]oe Church at all, but a schismaticall congiegatiō. That this is so, S. Cyprians owne words demnostrate, for hauing alleadged out of Scripture Nos credimus, Ioan. 6. et cognouimus quia tu es filius Dei vini, addeth, Loquitur [...]llic Petrus supra quem adificatafuit Ecclesia; Ecclesia nomine docēs et ofterdes, quia et si contumax ac superba obedire nolemiū mult [...]udo discedat, Ecclesiatamē à Christo non recedit, et illi simt Ecclesia pl [...]bs [...]acerdoti adunata, et Pastori sui grex adhaerens: vnde scire debes Episcopum in Ecclesia esse, & Ecclesiā in Episcopo, & si qui cum Episcopo non sit, in Ecclesia non esse, & frustra sibi blandiri eos, qui pacem cum Sacordotibus Dei non habentes obrepunt, & latemer apud quosdam communica [...]e se credunt, quando Ecclesia, quae Catholica vna est scissa non sit, nequo diuisa, sed sit vrique connexa, et cohare [...] tium [Page 15]sibi inudeem Sacerdotum glutino copula [...]a. We bele [...]ue, and know, Ioan. 6. that thou art the sonn [...] of the liung God. These words are spoken by Peter, vpon whom the Church was builded, teaching vs in behalfe of the Church, that although the stubborne, and proude multitude of disobedient persons do go away, yet the Church doth not depart from Christ, and they are the Church the people vaited to the Priest, and the flocke adhering to its Pastour. Wherefore thou must know, that the Bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the Bishop; and that if any be not with the Bishop he is not in the Church, (marke) and they do in vaine flatter themselues, who hauing not peace with the Priests of God, creepe in, and beleeue that secretly they are in Communion with some, where as the Church, which is Catholicke, and one, cannot be rent, nor deuided, but must be conioyned, and vnited with the tye of priests, succeeding one to another.
6 Behould S. Cyprian neuer thinking of the necessity that euery particular Church hath of a Bishop, if it neane to be a particular Church, but affirming that theirue Church doth not depart from Christ; that he who is not with the bishop is not in [Page 16]the Church; that in vaine they flater thēselues, who haue not peace with the true priests of God, but are in secret communion with some schismaticall, or hereticall factions, whereas the Church which is Catholick, and one, can not be rent, nor deuided. And what is all this to prooue, that no particular Church can be such without a Bishop? no more then if one should say, King Henry the 8. and his adherents in Schisme, deuiding themselues from their lawfull Pastours, were no true Church: ergo, English Catholicks, liuing in perfect obedience to the Vicar of Christ, cannot be truely a Church: which in effect is as doughty an argument as this: The soule, and bo [...]y seperated can make no true ma [...]ergo if they be cōicy [...]ed they cannot make a true man; for as the coniunction of the soule with the body giues life to the body, so the life of the Church consisteth in obedience to true, & lawfull Pastours, to whom English Catholicks being still subordmate, they did, and do, most perfectly fulfill the definition of a Church giuen by S. Cyprian, which therefore maketh nothing against, but for vs: & that it is rather against M. Doctour himselfe, may be euinced out of an argument [Page 17]of his, chap. 12. num. 4. where hauing cited the sayd authority of S. Cyprian that the Church is the people vnited to the Bishop, he argueth thus: seeing there cannot be a people vnited to the Bishop without a Bishop, it foll [...]weth that there cannot be a Church without Bishops. Now, according to the cleare sence of S. Cyprians words, namely that a people which is in disobedience, & schisme against their lawfull Bishops, cannot be a true Church, I may vse the very same forme of argument, thus: Whosoeuer are not in schisme with any lawfull Bishop, do fulfill the definition of a Church giuen by S. Cyprian; but those who haue no Bishop are not in schisme with any lawfull Bishop, ergo, those who haue no Bishop do fulfill the definition of a Church giuen by S. Cyprian. This argument is directly against M. Doctour, & yet is more truely deduced out of S. Cyprians words then what he did [...] ferie. I know the Church must alwayes, for other respects, haue Bishops, and therefore what I haue here sayd, is onely ad hominem, to M. Doctours manner of disputing, and onely if we respect S. Cyprians words according to the true meaning, [Page 18]purpose, and occasion, as by him they were vttered.
7 That his application of S. Cyprians definition is iniurious to English Catholicks, is man [...]fest by euery word of the Saint, who affirmeth that they who are not vnited to the Bishop, in that sense, in which he speaketh, are not in the Church; that they haue not peace with the Priests of God; that they are in secret communion with schism [...]ticks; that they are opposite to that Catholicke Church which is one and not rent, nor deued [...]d [...], which gentle Epithetons, or rather most [...]o [...]le aspertions, to cast vpon the most [...]e [...]lo is Catholicks of England, who for their vnion with the Sea Apostolicke, constancy in profession of their Faith, ioyf [...]ll suffering losse of goods, liberty, and life, haue bene a spect [...]cle, grations in the sight of God, and his Angels, and admir [...]ble to the eyes of men; to apply, I say, such Epithetons to those glorious Confessours, & Martyrs, our English Catholicks, cannot be done without great iniury, and yet by M. Doctour the sayd definition of S. Cyprian is to them more then once applyed. And [Page 19]truely I should not be able to wonder enough, how a learned man could lay the foundation of so strange a doctrine, vpon a ground so weake, & so much mistaken (for the true vnderstāding wherof, was required no greater I bour, then looking on the booke, nor deeper learning, then vnderstanding latine) vnlesse I did consider, that such a doctrine could haue but such a foundation. But I will vrge this point no further. Onely M. Doctour may gather frō what hath bene said that the true explicatiō & reasō of those wordes in S. Cyprian alleadged by him in his 12 chap. num. 4 vnde seire debes Episcopū in Ecclesia esse, et Ecclesiam in Episcopo, where vpon thou must know that the Bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the Bishop (which words wee also euen now cited) is not that which M. Doctour giueth, because the Church cannot be without a Bishop nor a Bishop without a Church but that, supposing a Church haue a true Bishop, they must not be deuided, one from another; and therfore S. Cyprian immediatly after the said wordes, addeth; Qui cum Episcopo non est, in Ealesia non est: He that is not with the Bishop, is not in the [Page 20]Church: And yet, I hope, English Catholicks, while they wāted a Bishop, were in the Church, other wise they had not bene capable of falcation. But by this we may see how groundedly M. Doctour doth speake, and still confirmeth what I sayd of the i [...]ury done to English Catholicks, by applying to them the definition of S. Cyprian.
8 The second point, wich I vndertooke to make good, namely, that England may be a particular Church without a Bishop, is easily prooued. For the Pope, in defect of particular Bishops, is the particular Bishop, Ordinary & Diocesan of such Churches; as Philosophers doe teach, that almighty God, the supreme, and vmuc [...]sall cause of all effects, concurreth not only as immediate, but also as a Particular Agent, or Cause, to the producing of effects, when second particular causes doe faile. For seeing the Pope hath plenitudinem potestatis, fulnesse, & eminency of power, he may, and is to performe whatsoeuer belongeth to inferiour Pastours, when necessity so requireth: which is a doctrine so receaued by all Canomsts, and deuines, that I suppose M. Doctour will not ga [...]nesay [Page 21]it. Seing then Englād for many yeares was destitute of Bishops, the Pope himselfe was our particular Bishop: and to say, that while we wanted [...] Bishop, we were a flocke without a Pastour, an Army without a Generall, a ship without a Pylot &c. as M. Doctour avoucheth, seemeth iniurious to the Vicar of Christ, as if he wanted either power, or good will, to be our particular Bishop, and Pastour. And indeed to singular hath bene the care of Popes ouer our distressed Englād, that in fact they euer shewed themselues to be our particular Bishops, and may truly say to our Church, as Almighty God said to his elected people. Quid est quod debui vltrà facere vineae meae, & non feci? Isa. 5. v. 4 what ought I to haue done to my vinyard, more then I haue done. We erected Seminaries, we sent learned Priests, both Secular, and Regular, we indued them with a [...]ple faculties; as iudges we composed difrerences, as maisters, we resolued doubts; as Fathers, wee wrote letters of Comfor, of Exhortation, of Admonition; as Bishops, we prounded all spirituall helpes requisite for the times, in nothing belonging [...]o particular Pastours, we haue bene w [...]nting, [Page 22] Quid debuimus vltra fac [...]e, et non fecimus? what more could we haue done, then we haue performed for the good of our beloued English Catholicks?
The Church of S. Ihon Lateran, or the particular Diocesses of Rome, is, I trow, a pa [...]ticular Chu [...]ch, & a perfect o [...]e: yet it hath noe other Bishop for Ordinary, besids the Pope. Leo the 9. Famous for sanctity, and mi [...]cles, being before his Popedo [...] B [...]shop of Tul, for his affection to that Church did still remaine particular Ordinary thereof.Baron Tom. 11. ann. Dai. 1049. Leon. 9. ann. [...]. n. 6. Adeò fuit (saith Baro [...]ius) suae Tullensis Ecclesia amator, vt licet Romanus Pontifex creatus esset, tamen titulum priorem non reliquerit, volueritque, dum vixi [...], dici etiam Tullensis Episcopus. I demand, whether the Church of Tull, was not a particular Church, or rather, whether it was not a Fauourite Church singularly graced, by hauing him for particular Bishop, who was Pastour of the whole world? If Leo, onely for deuotion to that particular Church, thought he did it no wrong, in leauing it without any Ordinary, beside himselfe, with what shaddow of prob [...]b [...]ty, can any man say, that England, when of necessity it was destitute [Page 23]of Bishops, could not be a particular Church, and haue for imme [...]te partil [...]r Bishop, the Successon [...] of Leo the 9. Vrba [...]e the 8? whome I beseech God [...]ong to preserue, for the common good of his vniuersall Church, and particular comfort of our afflicted Catholicks.
10 Loreto, and Recanati, in Italy (and the like may be said of other pl [...]ces, but I willingly name that most saded house wherein the eternall Word was made flesh, and dwelled in vs) are two distincte Diocesses vnder one Bishop, and my Lord Bishop once styled himselfe Ordinary. both of England, and Scotland, beside the Church of Chalcedon: ergo euery particular Church need not haue it owne particular, distinct Bishop, & much more may the Pope be particular Bishop of more thē one Church.
In the Church of God, there are many places, & persons exempt from the iurisdiction of al Bishops, beside the Pope▪ neither did any mā euer dreame, that for that c [...]use, they ceased to be particular Churches: Rather, such exāptions were accoūted fauours, & such imme [...]iat subiectiō to the Pope, a great honour [...]til now M. Doctour [Page 24]tels the world, that the Church of Saiui Iohn Late [...]an, of Tull, of all exempted places, & persōs, neither haue bene, nor shalbe particular Churches, till they be taken from the Popes particular chardge, and put in the hands of some other Bishop; & that in co [...]setence they are obl [...]ged, to endure whatsoeuer presecution, for the enioying such a Bishop.
12 I thinke M. Doctour wil not say, if a Bishop, vpon iust causes, should take the particular care of some one parish, & gouerne it by his delegates, or Chaplines, himselfe remayning the only Ordinary Pastour of it, that it should therefore ce [...]se to be a particular parish: or if a King to grace some city, or Prouince of his Kingdom, should make himselfe the particular gouernour of such a prouince, or city, that therefore they should not be particular cityes, or prouinces: and the like may be sayd, of a Generall of an army, in respect of some particular Regiment: with what reason then can we say. that the Pope, who is Bishop of the whole Church, may not also be particular Bishop of some one country, and that country still remaine a particular Church? Truly [Page 25]I cannot imagin vpon what ground any man can frame such a conceit, except vpon this inference: The Pope is vniuersall Bishop, of the vniuersal Church: ergo he cannot be particular Bishop, of a particular Church, because vniuersal, and particular, are termes incompatible, and repugnant to be in one, and the same person; or subiect. To which argument, I will vouchsafe noe other answere, then that it seemeth the very same forme of disputing, which hereticks vulgarly vse against Catholicks, as vttering contradictories, and non-sence, while we ioyne together Ecclesia Catholica, Romana, the vniuersall, Roman Church, because, forsooth, a Church Vniuersal and Particular are contradictory tearmes.
13 But, let vs suppose, that which cā neuer be proued, or rather the cōtrary wherof is most manifest, let vs, I say, suppose, that the Pope cannot be a particular Bishop of a particular church; I aske, whether for the existēce of a particular church: it be not sufficiēt, that it be gouernd by such, as frō his Holines receiue Delegated power, for al occasions, that may require iurisdictiō. If he affirme that such a particular Church [Page 26]may be, then I inferre, that a Bishop is not necessary for the making a particular Church; because whatsoeuer iurisdictiō any Bishop hath, the like may be grated to others, not Bishops. If he deny that Delegate authority is sufficient to make a particular Church, then he must shew me how England, by hauing a Bishop, is yet become a particular Church, if so it be, that the sayd Bishop be onely Delegate, and not Ordinary, of place, of all sortes of persons, both Catholickes, and hereticks, not onely ad beneplacitum &c. as Scriptures, Fathers, and Canons speake of Bishops, which power, my Lord of Chalcedon doth not challenge, and M. Doctour professeth to abstayne from that whole controuersie, and so he must eyther answere his owne argument, or else confesse, that as yet we are no particular Church.
14 My last taske, was to shew, that although we shoul [...] freely yeild our selues to be no particular Church, without a Bishop; yet it were not sufficient to prooue, that a Bishop could not be refused, by reason of persecution. This is easily done, by requiring of M. Doctour, that, which [Page 27]of his owne accord, he should first of all haue performed; namely, seeing he will needs haue a particular Church, to be only that, which hath a particular Bishop, he ought to bring some precept, of God, or the Church, obligeing vs to be a particular Church in his sense, and why it is not sufficient for vs to be members of the Catholicke Church, in obediēce to our Supreame Pastour, the Vicar of Christ, as our constant Confessours, and glorious Martyrs, before we had a Bishop, liued in s [...]nctity, and dyed for iustice in profession of the Catholicke fayth.
15 Neyther were this sufficient [...], (though it be more then euer he wilbe able to performe) vnlesse he could further prooue, that such a precept were vndispensable, or did binde with whatsoeuer inconuenience, because there are many deuine precepts, for example, Vowes, materiall Integrity of Confession, Residence of Bishops &c. which do not binde alwayes, nor in all cases, or are not by the Vicar of Christ dispensable, and vntill he haue prooued, this his imaginary precept not to be of such a kinde, he is as neere as he was. For certain [...]ly, if any [Page 28]cause may yeild a lawfull excuse, or require dispensation, a iust fea [...]e of loosing goods, liberty, and life (which case M. Doctour directly supposeth in his assertiō) may yeild a most reasonable excuse, o [...] cause of dispensation, and for the transgressour plead, not guilty.
16 The reason which M Doctour added, that: as the whole Church hath one Supreame Bishop to gouerne it, so euery particular Church also, must haue us Bishop, or Bishops, else it should not be a particular Church, and so t [...]e whole▪ and Vniuersall Church should no: (as Christ hath instituted) be a Hierarchie, compose [...] of diuers particular Churches de [...]er [...]e [...]n no answere. For who dare say, that there is as much necessity, or obligation, to haue a Bishop, in ea [...]ry particular Church, as to haue one Supreame head of the whole Catholicke Church? When Gregory, Clement, Paule, and other Popes, stood in deliberation, whether it were expedient to haue a Bishop in England (as for many yeares it was by them iudged inconuement) might they as well haue doubted of the necessity, or [...]onueniency, of hauing any Pope of Rome, for the gouernement [Page 29]of the whole Catholick Church? to say, that a particular Bishop h [...]th not power to gouerne the whole Catholicke Church: ergo, the Bishop of the whole Catholicke Church cannot go [...]erne a particular one, is as good, as to say; the feete cannot guide the head: e [...]go, the head cannot guide the feete. His assertion, or inference vpō his own [...] p [...]emisses, that vnlesse euery particular Church haue a Bishop, the Vniuersall Church should not (as Christ hath instituted) be a Hierarchie, composed of diuert particular Churches, if it be vnderstood of particular Churches indeterminately, that is, the whole Church cannot be a Hierarchie, vnles some particular Churches haue Bishops, it is very true, but s [...]rueth nothing at all to his purpose of proouing, that England must haue a Bishop; because, although England, or some other particular, country want Bishops, other Churches, and countries may haue them, and so the Vniuers [...]ll Church shall still be a Hierarchie composed of diuers particular Churcher. But if he vnderstand (as his w [...]res (euery particular Church) and his whole drife seeme to demonstrate) that, vnlesse euery particular determinate [Page 30]Church haue a Bishop, the whole and Vuiuersall Church should not (as Christ [...]ath instituted) be a Hierarchie composed of diuers particular Churches: I must needs say, his doctrine is clearely subject, to a deeper Censure, then I am willing to expresse. For what Catholick dare a [...]onch, that because England, for the space of threescore yeares, wanted a Bishop, the Vniuersall Church all that time, was not (as Christ hath institutea) a Hierarchie composed of diuers particular Churches? yea, if my Lord of Chu [...]edon, be not properly Ordinary, both of England, and Scotland, M. Doctour must consequently affirme, that the Vniuersall Church (at this day) is not (as Christ hath instituted) a Hierarch [...] composed of diuers particular Churches O, to now great inconueniences is a man subject, if once he vndertake the defence of a very hard cause.
THE THIRD QVESTION. Whether by the deuine Law euery particular Church must haue it Bishop.
1 TO prooue, that a particular Country [...]y not refuse Bishops by reason of persecution, M. Doctour in his 14. chapter alleadgeth, that it is de lu [...]e diuino, of the diuine Law, to haue a Bishop in euery particular Church: And for proofe theoeof, citeth So [...]us, affirming,Sot. lib. 10. de [...]u [...]et iure q. 1. a. 4. pos [...] s [...] und [...] conclusion [...]. it to be de iure diuino of the deuine Law, quòd in genere singulis Ecclsi [...]s secundum Ecclesiasticum diuisionem sut a [...]plicentur Episcopi. That in generall to euery particular Church according to the Ecclesiasticall deuision proper Bishops are to be applyed. And Bannes teaching,Ba [...]es 2.2. q. 1. a 10. Coclu. 6. ad v [...]. that Bishops cannot by the Pope be remo [...]uea from the whole Church, or a great, or not able part of it. Hauing cited these two learned authours, he argueth thus: By the deuine Law there must be particular Bishops in the Church, but there is no more reason why the [Page 32]particular Church of France, (for I speake especially, of great particular Churches, which are not able parts of the whole Church) should be gouerned by a Bishop, or Bishops, rather then the Church of Spaine, or the Church of Spaine, rather then the Church of England: or Flanders: ergo France, Spaire, England, Flanders, and all other particular Churches of extent must be gouerned by Bishops.
2 These be the best grounds, that M. Doctour in the said chapter bringeth for proofe that it is de iure deuino a command of God, to haue a Bishop in England: & I wil adde such other arguments, as can be afforded from his 13. chapter, wherein although he affirme but that which al Catholicks do grant, speaking in general, that cuē in time of persecutiō, the whol Church may not be gouerned without some Bishops; yet because some of the proofes brought for the said verity, may perhaps seeme pertinent to this present question,Suar. tom. 4. in 3. p. d. 25. I will not dissemble them. Suare [...], saith he, concludeth that the Church cannot change this kinde of gouernment by Bishops. Then he alleadgeth examples of the African Church. When Hunericus began [Page 33]his raigne, he offered to the Catholicks of Carthage, to chuse in that Church a Bishop (which ornament (sayth Victor) Carthage had wanted for 24.Victor Vticen [...]t lib. 2. perseq. vad. in [...]o. yeares) but yet vpon this condition, that the Arrtans at Constantinople might enioy the free vse of their Churches; otherwise (saith Hunericus) not onely the Bishop that shalbe ordained in carthage with his Cleargy, but also all other Bishops of the African prouinces with their Cleargie, shalbe sent to the Moo [...]es. The which when Victor Primate of Africke, and others heard, they refused his courtesie with so cruell a condition, and says: [...]i [...]ita est, interposius his cond [...]tionibus periculosis, haec Ecclesia. Episcopum no [...] delectatur habere. Gubernat eam Christus qui semper dignatur guberuare. If it be so with these perilous conditions, the Church of Carthage is not dilighted to haue a Bishop. But the people so cryed out for a Bishop, that they could not be appeased without one.
3 A second argument M. Doctour [...]raweth from another example of Huneticus his cruelty, and of the African Catholicks zeale to their Bishops, and Pasto [...]rs.Victor V [...] censis lib 2. Hunericus his cruelty Victor V [...] censis descri [...]th rather by teares, then [Page 34]words saying: Quibus autem prosequar flum [...]bus [...]ry [...]a [...]um, quando [...]p [...]s [...]op [...]s, Presb [...]eros, D [...]cono [...] e [...]alia [...]lsiae membra, id est quatuor willia D.cccc Lxvi. ad exilium eremi dasti [...]au [...], in quibus [...] rant podagrici quamplurims, aly per aetatem an [...]o [...]u [...]n lumine [...]emporali priua [...] &c. But with what f [...]ds of teares shall I proosecute [...]rs his cruclt [...]. woen he sent Best ops Priests, Deacous, and other members of the Church [...]to [...]ashmēt in the wilaernesse amongst whom were [...]my troubled with the gout, others by age, [...]nd, and d [...]priue [...] of sight &c. Behould Hu [...]cus his cru [...]ty. Now let vs behould the zeale of the Catholicks of these countries for their Bishops, and Priests. They complantned p [...]uf [...]ly that they were deprined of their Pastours, sa [...]ing or rather crying,Victor lib. 2. pe [...]ses. Vad.Quibus nos miseros relinqui [...]ts, dum pergites ad coronas? qui [...]os baptizatu [...] sunt parunlos fon [...]bus aqua perernis? qui nobis paen [...]tentiae munus collaturi sunt, et reconciliationis induigent [...]s, obstrictos peccatorum vinculis sol [...]tu [...]i? qui [...] vobis dictum est, quaecunque solueritis super terram, erunt sol [...]a et on cales. Qui nos solēntbus or ation [...]bus sepulturi sunt mortentes quibus di [...]ni Sacrifict [...]tu [...] [...]xhibedus est [...] [Page 35]Vobiscum et not [...]eebat pergere, siliceret vs tali modo filios a patribus nulla necessit at separaret. To whom do you leane vs maser able wretches whilst you goe to receaue your crownes? Who shall giue vs the Sacrament of pennance, and loose vs tyed with the bords of sinnes, by the Indulgence of reconcilia [...]on? For to you it was said whatsoeuer you shall loose vpō earth, it shalbe loosed in heanē. Who shall bury vs with solemne prayers, when we shall dy to whom the rite of the acu [...] sacrifice is to be exhibited? We might haue gonne with you, that so no necess [...]t [...] might separate the children from their Fathers. After this example M. Doctour sayth thus: Wherefore a [...] for othe [...] poynts of our Fayth we must dye rather then deny them, so we must dye rather then a [...]y the Hierarchy of the Church, it being a poynt of Fayth.
4 His third example is out of Orosius relating, how the A [...]ian Tyrant Tr [...]samundus commanced that the African Bishops should not ordayne any more Bishops in the place of those that dyed. Orosius [...]. [...].10. The Bishops considering that without Bishops▪ their churches could not long subsist, but would fall without any other persecu [...]on, or violence vsed against them, resolued to call a Councell. [Page 36]And in that Councell all the Bishops with one cons [...]t decreed, notwithstanding the Tyrants Edict to the contrary, to ordaine Bishops. Cogitantes aut regis i [...] acund [...]am, siqua forsan existeret mitigandam, quo facilius ordinat [...] [...]suis plebibus v [...]uerent, aut si persecutionis violentia nasceretur, corana [...]dos etia [...] sides confessione, quos dignos inuentebant promotione &c. Thinking that the Kings wrath if any perchance should be, would be mitigated, or that they who were found worthy of promotion, would be crowned with confessio [...] of their ministerie, And good reason had they so to doe: For, as sayth Baronius: Quaenam shes de Ecclesi [...]s [...]astoribus destitutis vlterius reliqua esse poterat, Baron. An. Da [...]. 504. conuulsis earum fundamētis ip [...]is quibus initibantur Episcopis? What hope could there remayne for the Churches, when their foundations, to wit the Bishops, to which they leaned, and on which they depended were ruined, and pulled vp. Thus farre out of M. Doctour, whose words I hane related at large, that the reader might see all the force of these examples, and out of the narrations themselues, gather the answeres to them.
5 In this question, certaine it is, that [Page 37] de [...]ure diuino the Church must be goue [...]ned by Bishops, that is, in the whole Church of God, there must be some Bishops; but to affirme, as M. Doctour doth, that it is de iure diuino to haue a particular Bishop in the particular Church of England, & n [...]nely, that there is such a precept, but moreouer, that hoe persecuiō can excuse the obligation therof, or giue sufficiēt cause of dispensation (all which he must prooue, if he will speake home) is a paradox, to speake sparingly without any shew of probability, and which may seeme to taxe those Popes, as ignorant of the deuine Law, who for so many yeares esteemed it neither necessary, nor expedient to send a Bishop into England; neither when he was sent did they euer dispute [...], whether it was necessary [...]ure diuino, but all the deliberation was, quid expediret, what was expedient: yea M. Doctour must finally answere his owne arguments, which either prooue nothing at all, or else prooue that his Holinesse is obliged to give vs an Ordinary, (for his reasons, and examples are for such) which is more then M. Doctour himselfe will [...]uouch.
6 And truly I cannot in [...]agine, what [Page 38]way one should go about to prooue, that vpon noe cause whatsoeuer, the Pope can make himselfe particular Bishop of some particular Church, especially for a tyme, and gouerne it by his Delegates, endued with sufficient power, and still prouided, that the sayd particular Church within, or without it selfe, haue meanes to be furnished with sufficient Priests, and necessary Sacraments, and helps.
7 But although we should grant, that as M. Doctour affirmeth, a great, or notable part of the church could not iu [...]re diuino be gourned without a Bishop; yet that would be far from proouing, that England, as things now stand, must needes haue a Bishop. For if our country be considered not materially, but formally (as Deuines expresse themselues) that is not the extent of land, or multitude of people, but the number of Catholickes, which only can make a true church, we shall find it to be more then far from a great, or notable part of the Catholick church spred ouer the whole world, And God grant that I might not with truth, affirme the whole number of Catholicks in Englād, & Scotlād also to be much lesse thē the nūber of [Page 39]people in some one citty in this Kingdom. Sure I am, that my Lord of Chalo [...]don, or some other in his behalfe, in a certine writing called a Paral [...] sect. 4. saith, that all the Catholicks would scarce make one of diuers Bishopricks in England Now, to affirme, that one Dicocesse, or citty or indeede not so much as one Diocesse, or citty) is a great, or notable part, of that Church, which reacheth as far, as the rising, and setting of the sunne, and that it must therefore iure diuino haue a Bishop, so as no cause can excuse the want of one; is a thing, that I will not say noe deuine, but euen noe man in his right Iudgment can affirme. But by this we may see into what absurdities partiality may lead men, though other wayes learned.
8 Enough hath bene said to disprooue M. Doctours Tenet in this present question. yet nothing will more disadu [...]age his assertion, then when the reader shall by my answers clearely pērceiue, his owne arguments, either to go beside the matter, or to prooue against himselfe.
9 His first was taken out of Sotus affirming it to be deiure diui [...]e of the dideuine [Page 40]lawe, quôd in genere singulis &c. that in gener [...]l, to euery pa [...]ticular Church, according to the Ecclesiasticall diuision, proper Bishops are to be applyed. This authority is eyther against M. Doctour, or nothing against vs. For ether we suppose, that the antient diuision of diocesses remaine [...]ot in England, and Scotland, and then according to M. Doctours vnderstanding of Sotus, euery Diocesse in England, and Scotland, must [...]ure diuino haue a particular Bishop, which is absurd, & could neuer be the true meaning of so learned a man, as Sotus was. Or els we suppose, that al Ecclesiastical deuision of Diocesse [...] in England hath ceased; and then there is not by the deuine law, due to England any Bishop according to this authority of Soto, who only saith, it is deiure diuino, of deuine law, that to euery particular Church proper Bishops are to be applyed according to the Ecclesiasticall deuision, and therefore where there is no such diuision, the wordes of Sotus haue no [...] place, so that Deuine as he is alledged by M. Doctour is aginst himselfe.
10 If the Reader aske me, what indeed is the true meaning of Sotus? I answere: [Page 41]his meaning is not, that the Pope is obliged iure diūino, by deuine precept, to institute this, or that particular Diocesse, or to giue particular Bishops to euery such particular Diocesse instituted, but only, that when the Pope doth confirme, and consecrate a Bishop, and giues him charg of some particular Diocesse, in such eases he doth a particular action, which in generall was instituted, and commanded by our Sauiour Christ, who ordained in generall, that in the whole Church there should alwaies be some Bishops: which in effect is noe more thē we grant, but cometh far short of what M. Doctor intēdeth. That this is the true meaning of Sotus, is plaine by his onwe words. For hauing taught what M. Doctour cyted out of him, he proues it in this mānter: Dum Dei minister, id quod ips [...] instituit, ipsius iussu d [...]spensat, actio est de iure diuino censenda: cum autem Pupa Episcopum confirmat, et consecrat, alicuique attribuit Ecclesiae id exequitur quod Christus in genere instituit, quodque facere iussit: ergo, id iuris diuini censendū est. Whē the minister of God, by his command performeth that which he instituted such an action is to be esteemed of de [...]ine [Page 42]law. But when the Pope doth confirme, and co [...]secrate a Bishop, [...]d applies him to some Church he e [...]ec [...]et [...] that which Christ in generall (M [...]rke) did institute & which he cōmād [...]d him to [...]o the [...]fore su [...] an actiō ought to be said to be of the deuine lawe Can a [...]y thing be more de [...]re, or more direct to shew that according to Sot' the Institutiō & precept of Christ, was only in gineral which is plainly for vs against M. Doctour. Yet to take away all doubt Sotus bringeth this example: Sacrament [...] absilutio &c. sacramētal absolutio, & the like, although they be imm [...]d [...]a [...]ly pe [...]formed by the minesters of the Chu [...]ch, neuerthelesse they are to be esteemed a [...] of deuine law be [...]se Christ did [...]astitute them, and com [...]a [...]d [...]ed them, to be so done, and dispe [...]sed in his [...]me. [...]vere a [...]nesse by these words to [...]aser our of So [...]us that euery one hauing authority to administer sacraments, were therefore by deui [...]e law, and precept bound to do it, but all that could be rightly deduced, according to Sotus, would be, that in case he did administer such sacraments, such an action should be said to be de [...]ure diuin [...] of the deuine law. [...]s a thing, in generall, not of humane, but [Page 43] deuine enstitution. Mariage, in generall, was instituted, and commanded by God, & in the newe law, by Christs, institution, it is a Sacra [...]t, and therefore when Christiās marry they performe an actiō, in ge [...]erall commanded, and instituted to be a [...]cramē [...]: shall we therefore out of Sotus inter, that euery Christian, or communite is bound to marry? M. Doctonr, I suppose, knowes well enough, why Sotus did so much vrge this manner of speach, that the confirmation, consecration, and appling of Bishops to particular Churches, is of deuine insti [...]ution. The cause was, more strōgly against his antagonist Catharinus, to inforce the residence of Bishops to be a Deuyne and not only an Ecclesiasticall precept; which precept neuertheles, as Sotus himself affirmeth, & indeede none cādeny, doth not oblige in alt [...]ms, & place; & therfore although Sotꝰ should affirm that ther were a deuine precept, to apply Bishops to euery particular determinate Church, yet that precept being affi [...]mati [...] (as Deuines speak) it would not bind in al occasiōs, as Sotꝰ teacheth cōcerning the residēce of Bishops. Finally by this ocasion, M. D [...] [...]er I doubt not, wil be more circōspect in [Page 44] [...]adging authours least he doth wrong his o [...]ne reputation, the authors then deiues, the reader, and most of all the truth. For Sotus doth not speak only of such particular Churches, as are great, or notable parts of the whole Church, as M Doctour doth, but of particular Diocesses: & to say, that it is de [...]ure [...]iu [...] a deuine commaund, that euery Diocesse haue a particular Bishop, and in such māner, as for noe cause whatsoeuer it can be otherwa [...]es, is a proposition farre from Sotus his thoughts, & which neither M. Doctour, nor any other [...]ill, or can defend.
11 The second authour alleadged by M. Doctour is Bannes saying: that Bishops [...]n [...]a [...] by the Pope be remooued from the whole Church, or a great or not able part thereof. I wonder M. Doctour would alleadge this learned deame, to prooue that [...]s de iure deuino, to haue a Bishop in England, the coutrary whereof is clearely deduced from this very authority of the same authour, who hauing taught, that Bishops haue all their authority immediately from the Pope, frameth this obiection against himselfe: That if the Bishops haue their authority immediately from [Page 45]the Pope, it were in his power to remooue all Bishops from their Churches, and so the Catholick Church should be without Bishops. To this obiection Bānes answers, Quòd licet Summus Pontifex posset pros [...] arbetr [...]tu, vnum aut alterum Episcopum amouere, nec in locum corum ali quem design [...] re, non tamè admittendū est. quod in tota Ecclesia, aut in magna eius parte, tātemere sua potestate abuta [...]ur. Although the Pope might as he should thinke good, remooue one, [...] two Bishops, and designe none in their place, yet it is not to be admitted, that he can so rashly abuse his power in the whole Church, or in a great part thereof. By the only reading of Bannes his words (which M. Do [...]our ought to baue alleadged at large, & not by halfes, as much as might seeme for his purpose) the reader will quickly perceiue that it is not de iure diuino, a commandement of God, that euery particular Church haue a Bishop, seeing according to this Authour, the Pope may leaue some Churches without Bishops. Now I would aske M. Doctour, whether such Churches should cease to be particular Churches? and whatsoeuer he answereth, will either be against his other Principle, that without [Page 46]a Bishop there can be no [...] particular church, of else if he say, that they should not remaine particular Churches, he must consider that then a [...]cording to Bannes, it is not de iure diui [...]o, a deuire la [...], that euery Church should be a particul [...]r Church, because, as we haue seene. Bannes teacheth, that without breach of [...]e [...]e law, the Pope may leaue some churches without Bishops. Besides, the [...] will see that Bannes onely speaketh of remoouing Bishops from the whole Church, or from a great part of it, and thence he would deduce a contr [...]rio sensu, that seeing the flocke of Christ in England, is farre from being a great part of the Catholick church, and lesse then some one Dio [...]sse, from which Bannes granted the Pope may remooue a Bishop (yea he teacheth that all Bishops may be remooued from more Diocesses then one) he would, I say, out of his owne assertion deduce, that the Pope may, not onely deny a Bishop to England, but also, if the thinke good, remooue one already granted. Moreouer, the Reader cā not forget, how M. Doctour alleadged first Sotus▪ as teaching that iure diuino▪ by deui [...] Precept, euery particular Church [Page 47]must haue it Bishop: and afterwardes, to the s [...]me purpose, he [...]i [...]ed Bannes, who y [...] express [...] affirmeth the contrary, and teacheth that the Pope may le [...]ue some particular Chu [...]ches without Bishops. How do these two things cohere? It passeth my vnderstāding that two authours should be rightly alle [...]ged as teaching that very po [...], wherein they are cōtrary. Cōtrary, I say, as Sotus is vnderstood by M. Doctours for [...]ccording to his true meaning, he is nothing [...]g [...]inst Bannes, for as much as concernes out present purpose, as I haue she wed ou [...] of their owne words. And thus, I hope, to haue made good that Bānes allea [...]ged by M. Doctour▪ is indeed mainely ag [...]y [...]st him. And this is soe much the more strange, because Sotus, and Bannes were allea [...]ged, as teaching some singular matter in his fauour, who both, vpon exami [...]e are found to be his aduersaryes.
12. The reasō that M. Doctour did inser [...] frō the sayd authorities, maketh for him, iust as they did. It was this. By the deuine law there must be particular Bishop [...] in the Church; but there is noe more reason why the Church of France, for exāple, should be gouerned by a Bishop, then the [Page 48]church of England; ergo, England, and all other particular churches of extent, must be gouerned by Bishops. Truely I cannot but wonder, that a learned man should vse such a forme of argument, which he cannot but know doth fayle in a thousand instances. For example, some meate is absolutely necessary for the mainetenāce of man, but there is no more reason, why egs, or fish should be necessary to the maintenance of man rather, then other particular meates: ergo, eggs, fish, and all other particular meates are necessary for the mainetenance of man. Or, to bring an example neerer the purpose. It is of the law of God, and nature, that some men do marry for the preseruing of mankinde; but (if we precisely respect the law of nature) there is noe more reason, why one person, village, or citty should be obliged, rather then another: ergo, euery particular person, village, and citty is obliged to marry. To these instances M. Doct. must answere by distinguishing the minor proposition. If we compare one particular meate, to another paricular determinate meate, then the minor is true, that there is no more reason of one, then another, and so neither one, [Page 49]nor other determinately is necessary: But if we compare one particular meate, with other particular meates, taken in generall or indeterminately, then there is more reason why one particular meate is not so necessary as others taken indeterminatly, because in that indeterminate sence▪ they signify all particular meats in generall, which no doubt are more necessary for the maintenance of man, then any one determinate meate. Or to say all in one word, some meate is necessary, but not this or that in particular. And so we may easily answere M. Doctours argument by the like destruction, that iure diuino, Bishops are necessary in some parts of the church indeterminately, but not determinately in this, or that part of the church, And this were sufficient to answere that sophisme. Yet, that the reader may see how weake an argument it is, his Minor proposition might be easily denyed, although we should cō pare one particular church with another particular church determinately taken: for there may reasons occurre of persecution, or the like, to make the case of one church different from that of another. And as for England in particular (beside the knowne [Page 50]reason of persecution, different from other countries (which we also suppose should be encreased by the comming of a Bishop, for of that case M. Doctour speakes) ioyned neuerthelesse with the paternal care of Christs Vicar, whereby in so long tyme of persecution, we were abundantly prouided of all meanes for our soules good, euen according to M. Doctour his owne assumpt, there is a different reason of Englād, which, as it signifieth a particular true church, is neyther a great, nor not able part of the whole church, nor to vse M. Doctours owne words, a church of extent.
13 I desire to knowe of M. Doctour, whether this forme of argument be good. Religious institute in generall is of the deuine institution, and the Supreame Pastour of Gods church, by his office, is obliged on his part, to procure, that in the Catholicke church, so sacred an institution be maintayned; but there is noe more reason why it should be maintayned in France, or Spayne, then in England: ergo, the Pope is obliged to mainteyne the being of religious institute in England. When M. Doct. shall tell me what be thinketh of this manner of argument, I will then let him know [Page 51]what good vse I shalbe able to make of his answere, whatsoeuer it be.
14 Lastly, here also I must craue leaue to shew, that M. Doctor his māner of argument is rather against himselfe, and may be thus retorted, especiall if we take what he himselfe seemeth to confesse, & in it selfe is most euident, to wit, [...]h [...]t it is not de iure di [...]ino, to haue a Bishop in euery particular litle Church, or Diocesse, but at most, in such Churches, as are great, & of extent. It is nor de iure diuino, that there be a particula [...] Bishop in euery Diocesse of England; but (if we respect the deuine law) there is no more reason of o [...]e Diocesse, then of another: ergo, all the Diocesses of England may be without a Bishop: which is directly against that, which M. Doctour by his said argumēt intended to proue. Moreouer in the same manner one might go foreward, and say: There is noe more reason why all the Diocesses of England may be gouerned without a Bishop, then those of France, nor of France more then of Spaine, and so of all other particular Churches: ergo, all particular churches of the whole world may be gouernd with out Bishops. A thing both [Page 52]false in it selfe, and directly contrary to what M Doctour intendeth. Neuertheles it is the very same manner of disputing which he himselfe vseth, and so his owne arguments ouerthrow their owe grounds and distroie themselues.
15 And here I would be glad to knowe, wherther his arguments doe not prooue, that Scotlād must also haue it particular Bishop. Sure I am, that if they prooue any thing, they must prooue that; and so M. Doctour both tels my Lord of Chalcedon, that he cannot be Bishop of Scotland (which being a Country of extent must haue its particular Bishop) and lets his holynesse know, that he hath not satisfied the deuine lawe till he place a Bishop in Scotland. But I think M. Doctour will not proceed so far; yet by this he may see how his arguments outreach his owne intention, and so while they prooue too much, they effect nothing.
16 Neither need I againe put M. Doctour in mynd, that if he prooue any thing, his argument prooues that England, and Scotland also must iure diuino haue an Ordinarie, because by the deuine law beside the Supreme Pastour, there must be [Page 53]in the Church of God other Ordinaries. And this be saide concerning such arguments as M. Doctour hath in his 14 chapter. Let vs now examine those of his 13. chapter.
17 What he alleadgeth out of Suarez, to prooue that the gouernment of the Church by Bishops, speaking in generall, cannot be altered by the Church, is most true. Only I wish, M. Doctour had not so abruptly broken of Suarez his discourse, who being to prooue that in a Monarchy there must be, not only one supreme, but also other inferiour, as it were, Princes of the Church, saith thus: the minor is declared, both because a monarchy must haue somthing admixt of Aristocracy, because there must be in the Church many Princes, vnder one the first. Thus he cyteth Suarez, against all Grammar, not giuing any word answering to (both) which therefore I must do, and tell the reader, that in Suarez there followe immediatly these words: tum etiā quia in rep Christana erat hoc maximè necessarium, nam est amplissima, & vniuersalissima, & eius regimen est spirituale, & internum, quod non fit exactè [...]si per proprios Pastores, & Principes Ecclesiae: [Page 54]& also because in the Christian commō w [...]lth this (to haue some other Bishops beside the supreme Pastour) was most necessarie, because it is most large & most vniuersall, & the gouernment of it is spirituall, and internall, which is not exactly p [...]rformed, but by proper Pastours, & Princes of the Church. If M. Doctour, had not omitted this re [...]s [...], Imcane the amplitude, and vniuersality of Christes Church, the reader might haue seene, that what Suarez affirmed, with all Deuines, of the necessity to haue some Bishops in the Church in generall, could not be verified of the catholick Church in England, which is neither amplissima, nor vniuersalissima, mostlarge, nor most vneuersall, neither doth the want of a Bishop in Englād infer, that the Church shall not be a perfect Monarchie, gouerned by one supreme Pastour, & other inferiour Ecclesiasticall Princes, in some parts of it: For England is not the whole world. You see thē, that I had reason to wish Suarez had bene by M. Doctour cited not by halfes, for he being entirely cited makes for vs, against him.
18 His examples drawne from the African church, may be answered all at [Page 55]once, if we consider. First, that examples prooue little, vnlesse we were sure, that all circumstances concurre alike; and as those of Africke could best iudge, what was fit for that Church, so English men can best tell, how things stand in England, and what is most expedient for that Church. Secondly it is cleere, their case was farre different from ours in England. For the African Bishops, and people, had open meetings, yea the Bishops celebrated Councels: The Catholcks were many, & publicke, or rather the whole face of the country was catholicke: They had their knowne Primate, and other Bishops: and lastly (which I desire the reader still to obserue) if there had not bene Bishops in Africke, their Church would haue wholy f [...]yled, because for ordayning of Priests, they had noe such meanes as England, by the mercifull goodnesse of God, and singular care of Popes, haue had, and still enioy, with such education for Cleargy men, as God grant we may retayne the like, if England be catholicke. For other helps also, there was not betwixt Africke, and Rome, that entercourse which wee now enioy.
[Page 56] 19 And by this last obseruation is answered a demand of M. Doctour, in his 14. chap. num 2. Why the Popes, and Bishops, in the Primatiue Church, were so diligent in consecrating Bishops, ye [...] and making Popes, euen in the middest of the greatest persecutions, but that they thought it was iuris diuini that euery church should haue its Bishop. The true reason was, because in those times euery country needed his owne Bishop, for ordayning of Priests, and the like, without which their churches could not subsist, & least of all could the vniuersall Catholicke Church subsist, without a head the Pope: and I wonder at M. Doctour his (yea and making Popes) in his foresaid demaund, as if it were more strange, that Popes, then that particular Bishops should be ordayned in time of persecution.
20 All this that I haue said, of the different case betwixt Africke, and England, is cleere out of the history, and wordes alleadged by M. Doctour himselfe, which I cyted in the beginning of this question, and in particular of this last mayne difference, you shall fi [...]de in Baronius Anno [...]04. these wordes. Eo consilio ista preceperat [Page 57]Trasamundus, vt absque exerto ad persequendum gladio, ipsae Orthodoxorum Eccelsiae, aliquo temporis spatio orbatae vniuersae Pastoribus sponte concidereat. To that end Trasamundus had commanded those thinges (namely that no more Bishops should be ordayned in the place of those that dyed) to the end that without dint of sword, the Catholicke Churches being all for some space of tyme destitute of Pastours, might of themselues fall. And for this reason Baronius sayd: what hope could there remayne for the churches, when their foundations, to wit the Bishops, were taken away? And this I hope will satisfie the iudicious reader, that the three examples drawne from the African Church, prooue nothing for our case in England: yet by way of supererogation, I will touch euery one of them apart.
21 Concerning the first, of the peoples crying ont for a Bishop for the Church of Certhage, which Hunericus offered them, but vpon condition that the Arians of Constantinople, might enioy the free vse of their Churches, otherwise not onely the Bishop that should be ordayned in Carthage with his cleargy, but also all other Bishops of the African [...] [Page 58]prouinces with their cleargy, should be sent to the Moores. I aske M. Doctour, whether in good earnest he thinke it necessary, or lawfull, rather to admit such conditiōs, then [...]o lec a particular Diocesse (as Carth [...]ge was) be without a Bishops I doe not beleeue but he will grant that it is not lawfull, at least Victor, Primate of all Africke, with other Bishops, was of opinion that vpon such conditions a Bishop wos not to be desire [...]: Interposit [...]s his Conditionibus &c. (say they) with such conditions as these the church of Carthage is not willing to haue a Bishop. And therefore the people, who with such a resolution cryed for a Bishop, did either hope, that the threatned conditions would not take effect, or else their zeale is more to be admired, then imitated. Wherefore when M. Doctour, out of his zeale also to haue a Bishop, num 7. turnes his speach to Catholicks in England, desiring them to imitate this zeale of the Carthaginians for a Bishop, & to imprint it in their hearts (although it must be with characters of their owne blood) doth in effect say: O my deere c [...]atrymen, you Catholicks of Englād, be sure to cry for a Bishop, although it [Page 59]were vpon condition, [...] the blasphemous Arians, who den [...]our deare Sauiours Deuinity, in son [...]iefest Catholicke citty, haue free vse their abhominable churches, and th [...] otherwise not onely the Bishop that sh [...] ordayned in Englād with the whole tholicke Cleargy of that country, but a [...] all Bishops of some other large Catho [...]e Prouynces, with their Cleargy, shalb [...]nt to forrayne barbarous countries: an [...] [...]is you must doe, and not be appeased [...] though your Superiour, and the Super [...]ur of the Bishop himselfe, to wit your and his lawfull Primate, togeather with ther Bishops, should be of another mind, and should vtterly dislike the hauing o [...] Bishop, vpō such conditions; for so did [...]he people of Carthage, against the iudg [...]ent of Victor their Primate, and of the [...]ther African Bishops. Were not this a vey pious exhortation? teaching men with the same breath to desire a Bishop, and disobey Bishops: And yet M. Doctour in effect sayth so, while very pathetically, he beggs of English catholicks, an imitation of the Carthaginian peoples fact.
22 His second example maketh nothing [Page 58] [...] [Page 59] [...] [Page 60]to our present purpose. For it telleth vs onely, that the catholicks lamented (and who would not haue so done?) when their Bishops, Priests Deacons, & other Catholicks, to the number of foure thousand nine hundred six [...]e six (which number why did M. Doctour omit to translate into English, hauing translated the words immediately, both precedent, and subsequent?) were sent into banishment. But what is all this? Can we not haue Priests, be baptized, absolued from our sinnes, buryed, enioy the comfort of the holy Masse, without Bishops? and yet (as we haue seene) want of the sayd helps was that, which caused such lamentations amōg those good Catholicks, who at one time were depriued, not onely of Bishops, but also of their Preists, and Deacons. This example being so farre from the purpose, I meruaile he would coople with it a certayne (wherefore) saying: wherefore as for other poynts of fayth we must dye, so we must dye, rather then deny the Hier aroby of the church, Which consisteth principally of Bishops. To dye for the defence of the Hierarchie of the church, is indeed sufficient cause of martyrdome, but I neither [Page 61]vnderstand how that truth is aptly deduced from the sayd example, nor can any body beleeue, that he were a martyr, who should dye for defence of the necessity of a Bishop in Englard, or for defence of some particuler pretence of authority, which a Bishop in England might make: although perhapps M. Doctour might not thinke it impossible, but that his booke being in English, [...]ome vnlearned person might take all these for one, and so thinke himselfe a happy man, and a martyr, by defending, and dying for whatsoeuer authority a particular Bishop might pretend. I deleeue M. Doctour himselfe would be loath to die for such causes.
23 To his third example of Trasamundus commanding noe Bishops to be ordayned in place of those that dyed, that so without further persecution the churches might fa [...]le, I haue answered already, and now will onely note M. Doctours translation of a word, for his purpose. Cogitantes, [...]u [...]regis iracundiam mitig andam aut coronandos etiam sidei confessione, quos dignos inueniebant promotione: Thinking that cyther the Kings wrath would be mitigated, or that they who were found worthy of [Page 62]promotion, should also be crowned by the c [...] fession of their fayth; this M. Doctour translateth (with the confession of their ministery) that so some might thinke it a point of martyrdome to confesse the practise of some particular Bishops pretended authority: otherwise I see not why he should change fayth into ministery.
THE FOVRTH QVESTION whether a country, although the persecution should be e [...]creased by occasion of hauing a Bishop, could refuse one, if it were only for the sacrament of Confirmation.
1 FIRST, we protest that by Gods holy assistance, we doe, & euer will reuerence the sacrament of Confirmation, noe lesse then others, who nowe vpon particular designes, doe so much vrge the necessity thereof. And further I declate, that for my particular, I am ready to followe any m [...]st seuere opinions of whatsoeuer approoued Catholick Deuine, when that Sacrament may conueniently be had, [Page 63]and am persawded, that in such case, the neglect of so great a benefit, cannot be pleasing to almighty God. But to put vpon mens consciences so strict an obligation, notwithstanding whatsoeuer persecution, to be raised by the very occasion of enioying that Sacrament, is more then can be warranted by scripture, or any tradition, or definition of the Church, or by any Decree of any Pope, or, for ought I know, by the testimony of any one sin [...]le Catholick Deuine, whose works are come to publick view, or can be prooued by any good Theologicall argument. And besides this, to affirme that not withstanding whatsoeuer persecution, we must not only receiue that Sacrament, but must haue it only from a Bishop, and from a Bishop of England, or b [...]longi [...]g to that Kingdome (all which points M. Doctour must prooue before he prooue his intent) is a thing, which noe Author Thomist, Scotist, or Nominalist, not Doctour, Secular, or Regular euer taught, or cā enter into the deliberate thought of any reasonable Deuine, much lesse is it a doctrine to be broached vpō so weake, & mistaken, or ill applied grounds, as I hope todemōstrat [Page 64] M. Doctours reason to be.
2 True it is, the Sacrament of Confirmation was instituted for giuing of grace to professe our Faith, and S Thomas teacheth that by it a man receiueth augmentation,S. Tho. 3. p. q. 65. a [...]n. corp. and groweth: which yet cannot be so vnderstood, as if this Sacrament were the only meanes to attaine such spirituall groweth,Tanner. Tom. 4. disp. 4 q 4. dub. 2. n. 43. prof [...]ssio fide [...] debita, suo quidem tempore est necessaria, sed ad quā eliā ord: naria gratiae a [...]xilia su [...]iciut For the cof [...]ssio of our paith the ordinary be [...]ps of grace are su [...]c [...]e it. S. Tho. 3. p. q. 72. a. 2. ad. 1. because by other Sacraments, & ordinary helps of almighty God, we may receaue the effect of that same grace, which is giuen in confirmation; euery one according to the measure of grace communicated by God, and secōded with the cooperation of mans free-will, as the Apostles in Pentecost in an extraordinary measure receaued the holy Ghost, without the Sacrament of Confirmation, rem Sacramenti sine sacarmento faith S. Thomas, the grace of the Sacrament without the sacrament; and the like he teacheth of those Christians, of whom S. Peter Act. 11. Saieth: Cùm caepissem loqui cecidit Spiritus Sanctus super cos, sicut et in nos in principio: when I had begun to speake the Holy Gost descended vpon them, as it did vpon vs in the beginning.
[Page 65] 3 There is great difference betwixt corporall and spirituall growth: Corporal growth is by augmentation, or extention of Quantity, and although one should, neuer so much increase in health, strength, good colour, and the like, yet because these are within the compasse of the Predicament of Quality, different toto genere from the Predicament of Quantity a man notwithstanding whatsoeuer improouement in the foresaid Qualityes, might still remaine but a dwarfe, vnlesse he increased also in Quantity. But our souse is a spirit, & the gro [...]th of it [...]onsisteth in [...]us [...]fying grace, which is of the same nature, and offence, by whatsoeue [...] sacrament, or meritorious worke [...]t be giuen, and therfore is not ryed to one meanes, but may and is afforded by diu [...]rs, as neither the actuall helps, or motions of gra [...]e, are nec [...]ssarily to bo [...]d to one sacrament, that they cannot likewise be giuen for, and by the receiuing of other.
4 S. Thomas saith:S. Tho. 2.2. q. 18 4 a. 3. ad 3. If we compare the voluntary perfection of following the Enangelicall Counsells for the remoouing of all impediments of the acts of charity (which is the perfection of Religious [Page 66] state with that other necessary perfection of keepng the commandements, & remouing only those impediments, whereby we forfet, the grace of God, and charity (to which perfection all Christians are obliged) it is as if we should compare a man of perfect growth with a child. I demand of M. Doctour whether hence it follow, that all must be Religious mē, least otherwise they be like children without perfect growth? as M. Doctour avoucheth the necessity of confirmation, least otherwise we be without perfect growth, & stil like to children. And that this example, and demand is not wholy impertinent, I must craue leaue, giuing God all the glory, to say, that a Religious state, considering the secure meanes it hath of vncessant en [...]re as in grace by continuall merit of good workes, and frequent receiuing of other sacraments doth strengthen a man not to f [...]le in persecution, noe lesse, then the only receiuing of Confirmation commonly may be thought to strengthen people lining amoung continuall dangers, & distraction, in the world; alwaies supposed, that the same sacrament be not by such Religious men culpably omitted: and yet [Page 67]he were to blame who for this reason of greater growth would be as forward, as M. Doctour, in imposing I know not what obligatiōs, notwithstanding whatsoeuer persecution.
5 Baptisme, the most necessary of all sacraments, may be supplyed by death, vndergonne for the profession of our faith, when the sacrament it selfe cannot be had. Persecution is the neerest participation of martyrdome, and may well be tearmed a lingring death, or martyrdome: & therefore we may confide in the goodnesse of our God, for whose sake we suffer, that lie will not forsake vs for want of that sacrament, which we cannot haue, without increase of our many afflictions; and will effect, that the same pressure be ioyntly a wound, and a cure, in vertue of his sweete prouidence who facit cum tentatione prouentum, out of miseries drawes increase of merit: especially we being still in such disposition, and humble subiectiō to his Deuine will, that if we were once a certained of his greater glory, and good of soules, by hauing a Bishop in England, onely for the Sacrament of Confirmation (which is our present question) we would rather hazard [Page 68]goods, liberty, and life, (as by his grace for other matters we freely doe) then not performe therein his most blessed will.
6 The times haue bene, when our persecution was most bitter, and yet would to God we now could behould the zeale, feruour, charity, and constancy which in those daies without the sacrament of Cō firmation Catholicks shewed. I hold it noe rashnesse to affirme, that since Englāds enioying a Bishop, more harme hath befallen Catholicks in generall, by disagreement, and frequent breach of charity, then they haue receaued commodity, by the onely sacrament of Confirmation, administred to a few; and that more haue bene in danger to fall by these dissentions, then for want of the sayd sacrament.
7 Yet put c [...]se, that some perhaps haue, or hereafter might fall for want of confirmation, the whole body of Catholicks is not obliged to vndergoe a generall persecution, for au [...]yding the particular damage of a few, whose fal is voluntary, & to be ascribed only to thēselues, because they make not vse of other meanes, and sacraments, which may be had in England, and through their owne negligence, and liberty [Page 69]of life, do not cooperate with that particular grace, and assistance of Almighty God, which hitherto his goodnesse hath in aboundance offered to English Catholicks without the sacrament of confirmation. M. Doctour knowes, that when the danger, and occasion of sinne, is eyther not proximum, imminent, and such as morally will not be auoided, or else not of any determinate time, person, or place, but obely in generall (that such a state, or function morally speaking wilbe occasion of sinne, although euery particular occasion may be either auoided, or ouercome) he knowes, I say, that both a cōmonwealth may tollerate such a state, either for attaining some greater good, or auoiding some notable inconuenience, and also particular mē may without sinne embrace such a course of life, for example of a souldi [...]r, or the like: Much more then, the danger of falling for want of Confirmation, being neither proximum, not of any determinat person, time, place, or occasion, or which may not either be auoided, or ouercome by other meanes, Catholicks are not obliged for auoiding of such remote, and vncertaine, voluntary dangers of a few, to [Page 70]to cast themselues vpon present, certavne, and greate inconueniences. Nay, if I should affirme, that more might be in danger to fall by encrease of persecution voluntarily drawne vpon themselues, then for want of Confirmation, and that therefore catholicks could not in conscience admit a Bishop only for Confirmation (supposing as our present supposition is, that the persecution should be encreased by that occasion) how would M. Doctour demonstrate that my coniecture, and argument were not as good, or better then his? For wee know that in persecution some haue fallen, but we cannot knowe that their fall was for want of Confirmation. But I will not imitate M. Doctour in multiplying precepts, vpon vncertainties, nor forestall the decrees of Superiours, by denoū cing aforehand what in conscience they must do, vnlesse they will breake a deuine precept.
8 Well, but suppose Confirmation were as necessary, as he will haue it, must we therefore of necessity haue a Bishop? It is strange M. Doctour neuer obiected to himselfe, that Confirmation, by particular commission from the Pope, may be [Page 71]administred by a Priest:S. Tho. 3. p. q. 72. a. 11. which he knowes to be the doctrine of S. Thomas, & common among Deuines, in somuch as a learned moderne writer teacheth▪ that the cō trary is lesse, or not at all probable, Tanner [...]oin. 4 diss▪ 4. q. 4. dul. 3. asse [...]: 3. adding that the sayd common doctrine hath bene practised not onely by Gr [...]gory the Greate, (our Apostle) but often by other Popes also; that at this present it is practised in the indyes; that some Abbots by particular Priuiledge may conferre the sard Sacrament, as the Congregation of Cardinals haue declared vpon the 7 session of the Councell of Trent; that the same doctrine is declayed in the Councell of Florence decreto vnionts. I haue bene credibly informed that the Abbot of Monte Cassino of the holy order of S. Bennet hath authority to confirme; and Petrus Arcudius in a learned volume written of the agreement betwixt the Latine, Pelr. Arcudius de concordia Eccles [...]e Oc [...]idemalis & O [...]etalis in s [...]pt [...]m Sacramen or i [...] administration [...] [...]. 2, cap. and Greeke Church, in the administration of the seauen Sacraments, witnesseth that in the hearing of diuers other of the Greeke Colledge in Rome, he was told by a graue Father of the Society of Iesus, by name Petrus Fonseca, who came to Rome the yeare 1593. that some principal mē of the sayd Order, had authority to administer [Page 72]the Sacrament of Confirmation, and further the same Father certainely auouched, that himselfe was wont to administer the said Sacramēt in Brasile, where there was kept the Popes Graunt of such authority. Also the same Arcudius, writes that others relate, how Adrian the 6 (a very learned, and pious Pope) the yeare 1521. vpon the 25. of Aprill, graunted for the Indies, and countrie; destitute of Bishops, that Priests Minorites might confirme, and that an Authenticall of the Graunt is kept at Seuill, in the conuent of glorious S. Francis his Order. Moreouer, Arcudius alleadgeth anciēnt Greeke Fathers, to prooue that euen before the schisme, it was the practise of the Greeke Church, to haue confirmation administred by Priests (with particular commission to that effect.) And to take away all scruple,Ita Suarez, coninck, Henriquez, quos citat, & s [...]quitur Pau [...]us [...]at [...] lib. 5. tr [...]ct [...]t. 3. cap. [...]. a. 1 some great Deuines doe teach, that although such commission ought not to be grāted without iust cause, yet it is of force, and valid, howsoeuer it be graunted: because, it is not properly a dispensa [...]ion in the lawe of Christ, but rather a commission of power according to Christs insticution, which is, that the Extraordinary Minister of Confirmation, [Page 73]should be a Priest by cōmission from the supreame Pastour of Gods Church. If M. Doct. hold against the common doctrine of Deuines, and practise of most learned, and holy Popes, who haue committed the Sacrament of confirmation to Priests, then he must vndertake a new, and hard taske; and prooue that euen for that slender probability which his opinion hath (if it hath any) Catholicks must rather suffer increase of persecution, then not make all sure, by hauing a Bishop for cō firmation: which is a thing, he will neuer be able to prooue, espcially seeing Popes content themselues with the said doctrine, euen in countries where Bishops might be emoyed with lesse danger, then in England.
9 Yet although we should grant, that Catholicks were bound to receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation, and to receiue it from a Bishop, it followes not that it must be had from a Bishop subiect at least to all those penall lawes which are enacted against English Catholicks, and Priests. For matters might be so disposed, as some Bishop from abroad, and onely taking England, [...]s it were by the way, might cō firme [Page 74]more in three moneths, then my Lord of Chalcedon in seauen yeares, according to the proportion kept, since the tymes waxed more hard: especially if such a Bishop did administer Confirmation to children, according to the common practise of the Church in auntient times, and of the Easterne Church at this day, and as some relate, of some countrey neerer vs, where children, two, or three yeares old, are wont to be confirmed:See Layman lib. 5. tract. 3. cap. 6. n. 1. which practise may seeme very fit for our countrey, both because Confirmation cannot often, and easily be had; and also that by this meanes children during the time of innocency, when they are sure to receiue the grace of the Sacrament, might be armed, against the dangers of future persecution. But in this, if any difficulty appeare, his Holinesse would vouchsafe to ordaine, what might be most expedient for the particular case of England: and by this meanes, within some compasse of yeares, most Catholicks liuing, would finde themselues to haue the Sacrament of Confirmation.
10 Further if we did yeild to M. Doctour, that for some sort of persecution, though very great, we ought not to want [Page 75]the Sacrament of confirmation: yet when the persecution is of such nature, that it hindereth the Bishop from administring that very Sacrament for which he comes, except but to a fewe, no man can with reason say, that such a persecution, doth not excuse from obligation of receuing that Sacrament from a Bishop. That our persecution is of this quality experience tels vs.
11 Moueroner we must still remember the nūber of Catholickes in England, which I haue touched in the precedent question: and that of those Catholicks, all the clergy haue had Confirmation abroad, as likewise diuers of the layety, either in Seminaries, or otherwise in the [...]r trauels: those who are in England, being so secret, and dispersed as they are, diuers of them could scarcely haue that Sacrament, although a Bishop should be still in England: all which considered, we shall finde that the nūber of those who want, and can receiue the foresaid Sacrament, is not so great as at first sight may seeme, & therefore still the difficulty on M. Doctors side is greater to prooue, that for such a nūber, it is necessary to haue a Bishop for [Page 76]Confirmatiō, although by that meanes the persecutiō should be increased against all.
12 Finally, though we should grant all, and more then with reason can be desired; yet M. Doctour will not haue prooued his intent, till first he effect an impossibility, namely, that this his opinion, which he is the first to put in print, is so euident, and certaine, that the contray is voide of probability. For till then, Catholicks are sure, they may with a safe consience, keepe their goods, liberties, and liues for some more necessary, and better warranted o [...]casion, by conforming their practise to the cōtrary of that which M. Doctour teacheth; especially seeing he himselfe, in his 14. chap. n. 3. doth but fearefully deliuer this doctrine, saying: I am of opinion (which I humbly s [...]bmit to authority) that a particul [...]r Church cannot except any long time against hauing a Bishop, for feare of persecution. And n 8. he only sayth, I thinke neyther any Country nor any one of the Country, for feare of persecutiō can oppose against the comming in of a Bishop, though thereby only the sacrament of Confirmation should be wanting. We see; according to his owne [Page 77]confession it is but his opinion, and thinking, which I hope he will not not binde all other to followe, although it were in deede probable, as I haue demonstrated it not to be.
13 And I should wish M. Doctour to be of my mind, if it were but, least otherwise, he might seeme to dissent, in iudgment from my Lord of Chalcedon himselfe: who vpon occasion of speach, about some authority (nothing touching Confirmation) which his Lordship pretended, said plainely, that vnlesse he did compasse those pretences, he would leaue all; which my Lord, a man of so great learning and zeale, would neuer haue vttered, if he had conceiued, the very receiuing of Confirmation to be of so great necessity, that for it alone, all Catholicks are obliged to endure increase of persecution: for if the matter be so, that sacrament alone were likewise a verie sufficient cause of my Lords stay in England, although other pretences should not sucseede; especially it being a certaine doctrine of Deu [...]nes, that Bishops haue greater obligation to administer Confirmation, then people to receue it. Moreouer seeing my [Page 78]Lord hath stiled himselfe Ordinary of Scotland, doubtlesse he would extend his charity to that kingdome, if he were of M. Doct. opinion, cōcerning the necessity of Confirmation, in a countrey groaning vnder a heauy persecution, as at this present the Catholicks of Scotland do, and therfore stand in greater neede of that Sacrament. Neither do I thinke M. Doctour will condemne of deadly sinne the Catholicks of Scotland, for not seeking to haue a Bishop, to administer that Sacrament, or my Lord of Chalcedon, for not going to administer it. But now let vs see, what M. Doctour in his 14. chapter, where he handleth this point, doth bring in proofe of his doctrine.
14 His first argument is, because without confirmation we cannot be perfect Christians, seeing according to S. Thomas by confirmation we receiue our perfect growth. To this I haue already answered, & now onely wish the reader to be mindfull, that according to S. Thomas, confirmation (and consequently the effect thereof, for example, perfect growth, and whatsoeuer else) may be had without a Bishop, and so if M. Doctour will sticke to [Page 88] S. Thomas, his opinion must go downe. 15 Then he alleadgeth S. Clement Epist. 4. saying thus: Omnibus ergo festinandum est sine morarenasci Deo, & demum consignari ab Episcopo; id est, septiformem gratiam Spiritus Sancti percipere, quia incertus est vniuscuiusque exitus vitae. Quum autem regeneratus fuerit per aquam, & postmodum septiformis spiritus gratia ab Episcopo confirmatus, quia aliter perfectus esse Christianus nequaquam poterit &c. All therefore must make haste without delay to be regenerated to God, and then to be consigned by the Bishop, that is to receiue the seuenfold grace of the Holy Ghost, because the end of euery ones life is vncertaine. But when he shalbe regenerated by water, and afterwards confirmed by the Bishop, with the seuenfold grace of the Spirit, because otherwise he cannot be a perfect Christian &c. To this authority I answere.
16 First M. Doctour should not haue grounded so hard a doctrine, vpon an Epistle, which I suppose he knoweth, not to be so authenticall, as to settle thereon a doctrinall point, as he may see by Bellarmine in his booke de Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis. Secondly, I may answere, out of [Page 80] Estius, in that very place, which M. Doctour cyted out of him for the necessity of confirmation, in time of persecution: and it seemeth not faire dealing to bring Estius, as farre as he seemeth for his purpose, and not so much as take notice, or confute, what in the same authour, in the same place, and to the same purpose, he finds against him. Estius therefore obserueth, that the Fathers, when they say, that without Confirmation, faithfull people are not perfectly, or fully Christians, doe generally allude, to the name of Christ, which signifieth Annoynted, & therefore they deny, that they are fully Christians, who haue not receiued Episcopall Vnction, namely, hauing reference to the word Christians, as S. Augustinel 17. ciuit. cap. 4. sayth, that all who are annoynted with Chrisme, may rightly be called Christi, Christs. By this is clear [...] on what sense the words of Clement (cyted by M. Doctour) are to be vnderstood. Thus farre Estius; whom M. Doctour highly commends for a learned, and holy man, & the reader may see, how directly he doth not onely answere M. Doctours argument, but also saith that it is cleare in what sense the words of S. Clement are to be vnderstood. [Page 81]It seemes a hard case, when M. Doctour is forced to alleadge Estius as his chiefe Authour for the necessity of Confirmation (as afterwards we shall see) who in the very same place, destroyeth a maine gro [...]d, brought by M. Doctour for the necessity of the same Sacrament.
Thirdly, there occurreth an answere clearely deduced out of S. Clements owne words, and, I doubt not, but will fully satisfye the learned reader. The common practise of the antient Church was (and is yet in the Easterne Church, and at Rome when conuerted lewes, or Turkes ar [...] solemnely baptized) together with Baptisme to giue the Sacrament of Confirmation, and so, whosoeuer in those times was not confirmed, wanted also Baptisme, & hence S. Clement might well say that he that was not baptized, and confirmed, was not a perfect Christian. But this is farre from proouing that without confirmation, as separated from Baptisme, we cannot be perfectly Christians. This sense is manifest, if we ponder S. Clements words: for hauing sayd: All must make haste to be regenerated to God, and then to be consigned by the Bishop, he sayth not afterwards: But [Page 82]when he shalbe confirmed by the Bishop, because otherwise he cannot be a perfect christian, but still ioyneth it with baptisme, and sayth: But when he shalbe regenerated by water, and afterwards confirmed by the Bishop, because otherwise he cannot be a perfect Christian stil, as I said, repeating together both those sacraments, because they were wont to be administred at one time, and whosoeuer had, or wanted one infallibly, had or wanted both of them, & in that manner it was all one to say, one was not confirmed, as to say, he was not baptized. Besides S. Clements discourse (All must make hast to be regenerated to God, and then to be consigned by the Bishop, because the end of euery ones life as vncertaine, makes it cleare that his speach is of Baptisme. For howesoeuer necessary Confirmation be, yet certainely it is not of so great hast as S. Clement vrgeth: yea it is che [...]fly for those who are to liue, & haue occasion to professe there faith, as S. Thomas alledgeth out of Pope Melchiades, S. Tho. 3. p. q. 72. a. 8. [...]. 4. & therefore it had bene an vnfit reason of S. Clement, to hasten men to confirmation, because the end of euery ones life is vncertaine, for, as I said, the lesse certainety we haue of [Page 83]life, and more vicinity to death, the lesse necessity we haue of Confirmation: but for Baptisme his reason of the vncertainty of mans last end, is very fit, and vrgent: & therefore it is cleare, S. Clements speach is refered to the sacrament of Baptisme.
My fourth answere is, that S. Clement is not faithfully alledged by M. Doctour. For S. Clement, after he had said: When he shalbe regenerated by water, and afterward, Confirmed by the Bishop with the seuenfold grace of the Spirits, because otherwise he cannot be a perfect Christian (where M. Doctour ends with an &c.) immediatly addeth words, wherein the very point in [...]u [...]stion consisteth, saying: St non necessitate, sed incuria sic, aut voluntate remanserit: if he shall remaine so, not by necessity, but by carelesnesse, or voluntarily. What good dealing this is, I leaue to the censure of an vnpartiall reader. Our case is when Confirmation cannot be had without hazard of goods, liberty, & life. S. Clement speaketh in case it be omitted, not vpon necessity, but carelessely, and voluntarily. What is this against vs? Nay, is it not clearely for vs against M. Doctour? For S. Clement affirming, [Page 84]that without Confirmatiō, we cānot be perfect Christiās, if it be omitted without necessity, must be supposed to meane, that such as want it vpō necessity, & not by wil, may without i [...] be perfect Christiās, other wise his exception, of necessity, were in vaine Stil M. D. cites Authors, which proue against himselfe, whē they are cited aright. Fif [...]ly I answere to this, & al the like argumēts, or authorities that M Doct. stil [...]failes in his proofe [...]. For if he wil needs vrge, that without confirmation we are not perfect Christians in some particular sense, then he must proue that there is a precept for vs to be perfect Christiās in that sēse, & also that such a particular perfectiō cānot be had, but by Co [...]firmation. For as for absolute perfection (consisting in Grace, & Charity) without the sacrament of Confirmation [...]t hath bene, and is had, by many holy men militant on earth, and Blessed Saints triumphan [...] in Heauen; among who n [...]l may reckon many of our constant Confessours & glorious Martyrs, to whose powerful intercession, & plentiful merits I most humbly commend my imperfect soule. And I wonder M. Doctour would seeke to terrifie people with the Confused sound of imperfect [Page 85]Christs anity seeing when all comes to all, hee himselfe chap. 14 n. 7. doth not denie, but that in Catholike Countreyes, Confirmation may be omitted by particular persons without a morcall sinne; and n. 9 he further confesseth, that euery man in particular, cannot be condemned of sin [...]e for omitting Confirmation, for feare of loosi [...]g his life, landes, and libertie: and num. 7. he only sayth [...] that it may seeme pres [...]otion to omit it when it may commodiously be had. By all which it is cleare that not to be a perfect Christian in that sense, i [...] not so fearefull a thing as the words may see [...]e to import, before they be distinctly explicated, and resolued into their true meaning, as I haue endeauoured to doe in the beginning of this question, by occ [...]sion of S. Thomas his doctrine, that by con [...]irmation we get our perfect growth. And M. Doctor will not easily proue, that a whole Coūtrie is obliged rather to suffer inc [...]ease of persecution, then want a Bishop for Confirmation, seeing he graunteth, that euery man in particular, canno [...] be cond [...]mned of sinne, for omitting Confi [...]mation, f [...] feare of loosing, his life, landes, or liber [...]y [...] for as it is true, that the spirituall good of [Page 86]many, is more to be weighed, then of any one in particular: so like wise the generall persecution of a whole Countrie, is more to be auoided, then of any priu [...]te person who yet, as M. Doctour confesseth, is not obliged to hazard goods, or life, for enioying the Sacrament of Confirmation.
17. M. Doctour immediately before S. Clement citeth S. Dionysius Areopagita l. d [...] eccles. Hier. cap. 5. calling the Sacrament of Confirmation, a perfitting and consummating Vnction. But I feare M. Doctour, wil proue no more exact in this allegation, then he hath beene in so many other. For in Saint Denny, his fift chapter cited by M. Doctour, I find no such matter. In his fourth chapter, he speaketh expressely of the oyle vsed in Baptisme, which Sacrament he tearmeth diuinus ortus, a deuine birth, or regeneration, by which he saieth Originall sinne is forgiuen. Saint Dennys, speakes also sometime generally of the vertue of Oyle, or Vaction, vsed not only in diuers Sacraments, but also in consecration of Aultars. But what is this for M. Doctours purpose? Neuerthelesse, if S. Dennys eyther in the chapter cited by M. Doctour, or in any other place, call confirmation [Page 87]a perfitting and consummating Vnction, it is nothing against vs, who grant, that confirmation giueth indeed a perfection to the receyuer, but not such a perfection, as may not be gotten by other meanes, as aboue we haue demonstrated, and cannot be denyed.
18. His other chiefe argument is out of Estius, in these words:Es [...]ius in 4. a [...]s [...]. 7. u. 18. Quòd si quaer as &c. But if thou aske, whether the omission of Cō firmation when it can commodiously be had, be a mortall, or veniall sinne? I answere, that it cannot be omitted without mortall sinne, in tyme and place of persecution of fayth, when namely there is daunger to a man by reason of infirmity least he deny his faith in word or doed, or at least be ashamed to co fesse (his faith) when he should: otherwise I thinke it only a veniall, sinne, so there be not contempt. I answere, that although Estius in some thing concerning the Sacrament of Confirmation, hold against the common doctrine of other Deuines: yet in this particular he is nothing against vs For his very demaund as it is set downe by M. Doctour answereth for vs, seeing his question is, what sinne it is to omit Confirmation when it can commodiously he had, which is not [Page 88]our case, but the quite contrary, namely, that it cannot only not be had commodiously, by reason of the persecution, and liwes common to all Priests (which were enough to put it out of the case proposed by Estius) but also, because we expressely suppose, that the very hauing a Bishop for Confirmation, is to increase the persecution: which I wonder M. Doctour did not remember, it being his owne supposition in the very title of his 14. chapter, & in the same chapter is by him diuers times repeated. Yea, Estius by proposing the question as he doth, supposeth, that there cannot so much as question be made, of any obligation to receiue Confirmation, in case it cannot commodiously be had. And finally M. Doctour himselfe (as I related aboue) num. 7. only sayth: It may seeme a presumption to neglect it (cōfirmation) espec [...]lly in time of perse [...]ution, when it may cō modiously be haa: Ergo, M Doctou [...] seemes to suppose the omission of Confirmation to be noe sinne, when it cannot commodiously be had, which is our very case: Besides, Estius speaketh, in time, and place of such persecution of sayth, as bringeth with it danger of a mans denying has faith, which, [Page 89]thankes be to God, we may say, is not our case in England, where for so many yeares of most hoate persecution, without the Sacrament of Confirmation, the zeale, and constancy of Catholicks was so admirable, as God grant the like were seene, in these our dayes.
19 His last argument, is out of a coniecture that without Confirmation, if one fall not, others probably will, as (sayth he) Nouatus did for want of it, for which he cyteth Eusebius. This example of Nouatus he bringeth not onely here, but in diuers other places of his booke, as if it were some mayster peece. To his coniecture, I hope to haue giuen already a full answere. For Nouatus, I finde noe such thing in Eusebius as M. Doctour alleadgeth (and I haue seene,Euseb. lib. 6. Hist. ca. 35. edit. Col [...]. and considered more impressions then one) but only Eusebius, out of Cornelius, in an Epistle to Fabius, recounteth that he fell, persecutionis tempore, metis debilitatus, et ni [...]i a vite cupiditate adductus: In time of persecution, weak [...]ned with feare, and mooned with too much desire of life. Still M. Doctour hath ill fortune in alleadging authours. It may well be that Nouatur sell for want [Page 90]of Confirmation; yet I deny that Eusebius sayth soe, or that the case of our English Catholicks is not infinitely different from his. First, he differred to be baptized til he was forced with dāger of sicknesse, which delay was a thing vehemently reprehended, by the Fathers of au [...]cient times, in so much that when Nouatus was to take holy Orders, both the cleargy, and lay men, did oppose it; Quoni [...] (sayth Eusebius) minime licebat, quequam in lecto propter morbum baptizatum, sicut huic contigerat, in Clerum assumt. Because it was not lawfull, for any man baptized in bed, by reason of sicknesse, as he was, to be promoted to the Cleargy. Afterwards, morbo clapsus, neque catera quibus post Baptismum, secundum Ecclesia Canonem, imbui oportuer at, acquisiuit, neque Domine sigillo ab Episcopo obsignatus fuit. He being recouered, omitted both other things which after Baptisme according to the Canōt of the Church he should haue had, and also Confirmation; which Sacrament he might haue receiued without danger, as other Christians did: and besides, this neglect was, when he had a particular obligation to [...]ce [...]ue that Sacrament, [Page 91]namely before he tooke holy Orders. All which things considered, I leaue it to any indifferent mans iudgement, whether it be not some iniury to English Catholicks, that they should by M. Doctour be frighted with danger of lapse, by the example of Nouatus, in whom soe many soule causes of falling did concurre. For, besides all that hath bene sayd, there was another fault, which might assoone be cause of his fall as any other offence, according to the saying of our Sauiour. Quise exaltat, humiliabitur. Luc. 8.14. He who exalteth himselfe, shalbe humbled. For, as Eusebius in the place aboue cited expressely recordeth, the fellow was ambitious. What? Ambition in those primitiue ages? in those sad times of persecution? so it was. Wherin did his ambition consist? In desire to be a Bishop.
THE FIFTH QVESTION. Concerning M. Doctours Comparison betwen [...] Bishops, inferiour Pastours, and Religious men.
1 MVCH against my will, I am forced to handle this point, by occasion of M. Doctour his Treatise, through all which, and particularly in his 11. chapter, he speaketh with ouermuch partiality, and disaduantage of Religious state, in comparison of Bishops, and other inferiour Pastours, or Curates. First then we will speake of Bishops; and in the second place, of other Postours.
2 As for the first, to the end we may not erre in generalities, which breed confusion, nor deceaue our selues with specious words, not well vnderstood: it is to be obserued, that there be two States of perfection; the one, a state wherin we acquire perfection, the other, wherein we are to pr [...]ctise perfection already acquired, [Page 93]with this difference, that the former state yeildeth aboundant meanes, to get that perfection, which it professeth; the other is to practise perfection, for attaining whereof, within it selfe, it yeildeth not such meanes, but only presupposeth, that the person by other meanes, must haue gotten perfection, if he will exercise his function, and office as he ought. And hence resulteth a second difference, that the former state professeth to perfect a man in himselfe, and by consequence maketh him also more fit to perfect others: The second, of it selfe is ordayned to the perfecting of others, and vnlesse a man otherwise be perfect, humane frailty considered, may indanger his owne soule: and therefore that same diuisiō of states, which other authours giue vnder the tearmes: perfectionis acquisitae, et acquir [...]dae, of perfectiō already gotten, & to be go [...]ten: Caiet: 2.2. [...].189. a. 3 Suarez. de Rel. Tom. 3. lib. 1. cap. 14. n [...]. Caietan calles statum perfectionis propria, vel alienae, a state of perfecting a mans selfe, or of perfecting others, which, s [...]th Suarez, is all one with the other diu [...]sion
3 It ought not to be denied, that a man by doing workes to perfect others, doth performe actions, of themselues meritorious, [Page 94]and perfectiue of the doer: yet vnlesse they be also done with perfection (which cannot be, vnlesse a man by other meanes be perfect) they are more apt to hurt, then help, by reason of great imperfections, and manifold dangers, to which, by the euill performing of so noble actions, the party himselfe is subiect. Let vs heare that deuine Bishop, and Martyr,S. Dyonis. Eccles. Hie [...]rch. c. 3. S. Dionysius Ar [...]pag [...]ta speaking to this purpose: Vt in solis radijs tenuiores, limpidior esque, substantiae, primae influents luce replentur, sicque exuberante [...] lucemin subsequentes, solis vice transfundunt: ita non sine periculo diuinis in rebus, quibusque aliis se ducem praestare presumet, qui non per omnia euaserit similis De [...]. As in the sunne beames, the more transparent, & clearer parts are the first to be filled with infused light, and then insteed of th [...] sunne, doe transfuse an excessiue light into other ad [...]oyning parts: soe he who is not become like to God, shall not without danger presume to guide others in matters belonging to God. Hence it was, that all holy men did so much labour to auoide so high a dignity, as Histories are full: and not long since, a famous secular Doctour, comming [Page 95]to die, did say, that he tooke it frō God as a signe of Predestination to eternall blisse Quod non [...]uisset Episcopum fieri that he had not permitted him to be made Bishop.Hist. soc. Ies [...] Tom. 2. [...]b. 1. n. 135. Yet whosoeuer, against his will, is truly called to such a state, may, and ought to conside, that God who imposed the burthen, will afford strength to support it with great n [...]er [...]t.
4 But these two states (of perfect [...] already acquired, or, to be acquired, or, of perfecting ones selfe, & perfecting others) are not so distinguished, that they must of necessity be alwaies separated. For although a secular Bishop, be only in a state of perfecting others: yet a Bishop Regular, is in state of perfitting himselfe, and others; and those Religious men, who by there institute, beside their owne perfection, attend also to the help of there neyghbour▪ are both in state of perf [...]tting themselues, & also in the state of perf [...]tting others, according to that measure, perfection, and multiplicity of measure, wherewith they are furnished to helpe their neighbour. For within the latitude of obedience, vowed by such Religious men, the actions of illuminating, or perfitting [Page 96]others are comprehended: & such Religious, not only as they attend to their owne saluation, but also as they professe the helping of others, are properly in a state, because they haue a perpetuall obligatiō to both those kinde of workes; and euen as they are employed in help of their neighbours, in this respect, they excell Secular Curates, who according to S. Thomas. and M. Doctour himselfe, are not properly in a state (which requires immobility) as hereafter we shall see. The same Religious differ also, from a Regular Bishop; because to be a Regular is meerely accidentall to Episcopall state, but the very vowes of those Religious, whose proper Institute is to perfite, both themselues, and others, should wholy cease, if they were restrained, only to their owne perfection. Moreouer superiours in all Religions, if by their lawes they be perpetuall, are in a particular manner in both the foresaid states of perfection, as in my next question shalbe declared. Nowe, I speake of Religious in generall, abstracting from particular Institutes, or Offices, as also of Bishops, not considering, whether they be Secular, or Regular,
[Page 97] 5 This being presupposed, it is not hard to answere the first comparison: by saying, that a Bishop is in a state, which supposeth perfection already acquired, & a Religious man in a state, not supposing, but yielding meanes for acquiring perfection. The Bishop is in a state ordained of it selfe to perfect others: A Religious men in the state of perfecting himselfe. And this is a [...]l that Deuines vnderstand, when they say, that Bishops are Illuminatours, and Perfectours; others to be illuminated, and perfected. The Bishop then is in a state, which presupposeth, but doth not giue perfectiō, which a Religious state doth not presuppose, but giue: soe that we may truely say: The state of a Bishop is higher, the state of a Religious mon happier: That more to be honoured; this rather to be embraced. And hence it is, that the more voluntary, the election of a Religious life is, the more commendable it is, and contr [...]riwise, the state of a Bishop is so much more securely vndertaken, the lesse it hath of a mans owne will, and election, but proceedeth from necessity, o [...] such Obedience, as cannot be contradicted. For the more such a dignity [Page 98]is pretended, the greater danger it apporteth.
6 That the state of Bishops, doth not so wholy ouersway the Religious state, as that there be not many good things in Religion, which are wanting in Episcopal state, is manifest by many reasons. A vow made of not accepting a Bishopricke, is valid, and holy: A vow not to become Religious, is wicked, and of noe force. If one haue vowed Religion, he doth not satisfie his vowe by accepting a Bishopricke, as is defined cap. Pe [...]tuas de voto: where the Pope answereth to one, who after a vow of Religion, had accepted a Bishopricke: Vt si conscuntiam suam sanare desiderat, Episcopatum relinquat, et votum suum impleat. If he would cure his soule, he should relinquish his Bishoprick, and fulfill his vow. And that this was not onely a Counsell, or meerely for auoiding scandall, is prooued out of S. Thomas. For he brings it,S. Tho. [...]. [...]. q. 189. a 3. ad 1. in proofe of another matter, which certainely obligeth of it selfe, abstracting from scandall, namely, that a certaine Priest, who after a simple vow of Religion, accepted an Ecclesiasticall Benefice, was bound in conscience [Page 99]to leaue all, and enter into Religion, which, as I sayd, he prooueth by the aforesayd cap. Per tuas. What the Pope declared of him who had a vow of entring into Religion, may with proportiō be applyed to a purpose, or vocation to such a state, that it is not, in the sight of God, satisfyed by another course of life, although it were a higher calling. Besides, to desire a Religious state, is by the whole Church of God commended, and all vowes are changed into Religious Profession; To desire a Bishopricke, euen for what is best in it, namely for the good of soules, according to S. Thomas 2.2. q. 185. ar. 1. seemes presumption; Valent. Tom. 3. disput. 10. q. 3. punct. 2. & there wants not, who sayth, that commonly it is a deadly sinne, but this belongs not to me to define. Onely, out of the premises, I may inferre, that something there must be, wherein a Religious state, surpasseth that of a Bishop; otherwise it were not lawfull to vow, not to accept a Bishopricke, seeing no lawfull vow can be made of that, which hindereth matus bonum, a good in all respects greater: A vow of Religion might be fulfilled by being a Bishop, if to be a Bishop, were wholy better: [Page 100]To desire, yea to procure a Bishopricke, were noe lesse commendable, then the desire, or seeking to be a Religious man, if the state of a Bishop, doe contayne the whole perfection, and commodity of a Religious state. Moreouer to be made a Bishop doth not dissolue Matrimonium ratum, matrimony contracted, but not consummated,Ioan. 22. in extran [...]g. vnica de voto. as Ioannes 22. doth define of holy Orders: but it is a point of Faith, that Rel [...]gious Profession doth d [...]ssolue it. A Religious man when he is made Bishop doth still remaine a Religious man,S. Thom. 2 2. q. 185. [...]. 8. as S. Thomas teacheth out of the Canons, and it is the common consent of Deuines; so as if a Bishop with leaue renounce his Bishopricke, and returne to his religious Order, he neede not make a new Profession: A Bishop, if he become Reliligious, forsaketh all that belongs to the Iurisdiction, and office of a Bishop. The same Angelicall Doctour 2.2. q. 184. a. 8. ad 4. sayth, that it is an argument to proue the excellency of Religious mē aboue Pastours inferiour to Bishop, as Curates, or Archdeacons, that when such enter into Religion they wholy relinquish their former offices; whereas Religious men, being [Page 101]made Curates, neuer cease to be Religiou [...]. If this be so, I may likewise thence argue, some great perfect [...]iō in a Religious state, which for Episcopall dignity is not relinquished, whereas a Bishop entring into Religion leaueth all Episcopall I [...]risdiction, and functions:Vole [...]t tom. 3. disp. 10. q. 2. pi [...]cto 4. yea there want not who affirme, that a Religious man is not made Bishop without some dispensation; and Boniface the 8. in cap. si [...]eligiosus de elect. in 6. makes void the consent of a Religious man, accepting of his owne election to Prelacy, without leaue asked, & obtained of his Superiours, and in punishment of that fault, doth make inualide the election it selfe. Wherefore, as a Bishop cannot become Religious without leaue of the Pope; so a Religious man according to the Cano [...]s, cannot so much as ye [...]ld his consent to be elected a Bishop, without leaue of his Superiour: yea there is this difference, that the consent of a Religious man, without his Superiours leaue, is vnlawfull, and inualide: But a Bishop elected may freely without any leaue enter into Religion, becau [...] by his election, [...]ll he be confi [...]med in his Bishoprick, there is contracted noe spirituall mariage b [...]wixt [Page 102]him and his Church; and in this there is the same reason of a Bishop only Delegate, in respect of that countrey, for which he hath no more, then a Breue of Delegation, and ad beneplacitum, because a Bishops spirituall mariage is only with that Church. of which he hath his Tytle (for Mariages are not ad beneplacitum, but require permanency) yea a Bishop both elected, and confirmed, if without leaue he Professe in Religion, the act is valid; and that it is not also lawfull, proceedes not from the nature, or any intrinsecall, and inseparable perfection of Episcopall dignity, but only from the Churches prohibition; as likewise the inseparable Mariage, betwixt the Bishop, and his Church, ariseth only from Ecclesiasticall command, according to the truer opinion of Deuines: for we dayly see renunciations of Bishopricks, and translations of Bishops from one Diocesse to another, vpon ordinary occasions, which could neyther be lawfull, nor valid, if the mariage betwixt the Bishop, and his Church, were de iure diuino, a deuine precept. For, in deuine precepts, the Pope cannot validly dispense, without some particular cause, and yet if the Pope [Page 103]once giue leaue for a Bishop to renounce his Bishopricke, the renunciation is valid, although we should suppose no cause at all. And finally, to giue a Bishop leaue to become Religious, there is required no other cause, beside the priuate good of the Bishops soule, supposing his Church be otherwise prouided of a sufficient Pastour. All which considerations, are manifest arguments, that somewhat may be found in a Religious state, wanting in the state of a Bishop, although still it is true, that the state of a Bishop is higher.
If any demannd, wherein this particular perfection of a Religious state consists? My answere is, that for full satisfaction to this question, I wish the Reader could once peruse, that golden booke, of Hieronymus Platus, de bono Status Religiosi, where he shall finde this argumēt, so copiously, solidly, and eloquently handled, that he will neuer repent himselfe, of hauing red, so pleasant, and profitable a volume. In briefe, I say, that it may seeme to consist, in multitude, facility, continuation, & perfection of perpetuall acts of vertue, and effectuall meanes, speedily to get, securely to conserue, and plentifully to increase perfection, [Page 104]which if we speake properly as it is intended to be gotten by a sta [...]e of perfection, consisteth not in charity howsoeuer, but eyther in multitude, and perfection of Acts of charity, with as much continuation, and litle interruption, as our mortall life will giue leaue, or els in an Habit, with particular reference to the sayd frequency, and continuation of such Acts, as Su [...]rez doth well explicate this matter.Suarez. de Rel. tom. 3. l. c. 4. And cleare it is, that for attaining of such a perfection, as we haue described, vpon earth there is no state,Suarez. loc. cit. c. 19. n. 22. like to that of a Religious life, wherein (sayth the same learned Deuine) a man both auoydes the daūgers, to which Bishops are exposed, and by multitude of holy works, may recompense, the want, of some perfect actions, proper to Episcopall state.
8 To all which, we must add, that these aduantages are found in Religious state, in a particulari excellent manner, namely, in a kinde of life, proper to the time of Grace, by obseruance of the three Euangelicall Counsells, Pouerty, Chastity, & Obedience, which,S. Tho. 1.2. q. 104. a. 4. in corp. as [...]. Thomas teacheth, are proper to the New law. And truly, abstracting from all other respects, the Counsells of [Page 105] Pouerty, and Chastity, haue I knowe not what prerogatiue, by being in a manner consecrated by the Practise, and, as I may say, deïfied in the Person of him, who for our sake, and to giue example of all vertue, vouchsafed to assume our nature. And in this particular, there appeares a maine difference, betwixt a Religious man, and a Bishop, who is not at all bound to pouerty, and to chastity, he is obliged only as other Priests, by a vow annexed to holy Orders, which yet proceedes but from the Churches Ordination: in so much as a Bishop, not in holy Orders, Elected, may lawfully marry, and some also hold, that a Bishop confirmed, may doe the same, but of this I doe not dispute, yet if he marry it is valid. For my parte, I had rather want whatsoeuer perfection, wherein a Bishop may surpasse a Religious man, then be in a state, not requiring of its nature and essence Chastity, as the state of a Bishop doth not, whereas the state of a Religious man doth necessarily, and essentially imply that Angel-like perfection. Besides, if by occasion of sollicitous, & exact endeauour, to obserue the only vow of Chastity, with great purity, and perfection, all vertuous [Page 106]Priests by experience finde, how many other vertues must be practised, and come annexed with that one, what shall we say of the triple knot of Chastity, Pouerty, and Obedience? How many vertues must in it, be necessarily tied togeather?
9 With these commodities, proper to Religious state, are to be ioined, two other, most important considerations, of security, and Immobility, wherin a Religious state, exceedeth that of a Bishop. Security from euill, and Immobility in good, are great points of happynes, and participations of the Saints felicity in Heauen. And in the busines of our saluation, euery small addition to true, and not presumptuous Hope, ought to be greatly esteemed. For as Philosophers say, that a lesse knowledge of more perfect obiects, for example, of God, or Angels, is to be preferred, before a greater knowledge of inferiour things, as of the elements, or mixt bodies: so in maters that concerne Eternity, a state more secure, & lesse subiect to change, is in that, to be preferred, before a state, higher, but not so secure, or immoueable. It was a worthy saying, of a great Preacher, that men in election of Episcopall state, are apt to haue [Page 107]their eyes vpon certayne considerations, which would quickly vanish, if they made another reckoning, and duly pondered, for how many soules they are accountable; and perhaps they would finde, that euen in a rich Bishopricke, they pawne their owne soule, for so great a number of other mens, that for each one, they receaue in payement, not a shilling by the yeare, and inferiour pastours, scarce two pence for each soule comitted to their chardge. A dreadfull reckoning! It was likewise a wise, and witty conceipt, of another great man, that in this world, mē are most esteemed for Gratiis gratis datis, that is, for such guifts of God, as haue reference to our neighbour, as learning, power of working miracles &c. and I may adde, highnes of degree and the like; But in the next life he shalbe most regarded, who is most replenished, with gratiis gratium facientibus, such guifts, as render a soule amiable, in the eyes of almighty God, as Humility, Pouerty, Obedience, Chastity, mortification of our will, and passions, and the like; and that the distribution of Superiours, & Inferiours theare, wilbe in a farre different fashion, frō what we behold here. Whatsoeuer [Page 108]therefore in speculatiō, be truly sayd of the height, & dignity of Episcopall state (which indeed cannot be too much exalted) yet in practise, and for election, a Religious state by a particular man, ordinarily is to be preferred, as more secure [...] yea, for this respect of security, and in regard of innumerable other helps,Ita docent Rich. in 4. d 38. art. 6 quest. 1. Angel. verb Religio [...] num. 16. cited by Suar. de Rel. tom. 3. l. 5. c. 8. n. 2. who sayth that it is a thing to be noted. which make sweet, & easy the apprehended burthen, & yoke of a Religious life, some good Deuins expressely teach, that euery one should iudge a Religious state to be agreeable to his forces, vnlesse by certaine cōiecture, or experience, he be assured of the contrary. That a Religious state, is also more immoueable, then that of a Bishop, hath beene already sufficiently proued, because Bishops dayly leaue, or change their Bishopricks, by diuers wayes, but a Religious man, neuer ceaseth to be such, euen although he be assumed to the highest state in Gods Church, which is that of a Bishop. Besides, the immobility of a Religious state, ariseth from the obligation of perpetuall vowes, which certainely bind by the law of God; but it is not certayne, that the Mariage of a Bishop with his Church, proceedeth from any Deuine precept, yea it [Page 109]is more probable, that it comes only from the Ordination of the Church, as before hath beene touched.
10 Neither is this perfecton of a Religious state profit [...]ble to the Religious mā alone, but oftentimes disposeth him further, to the helping of his neighbours, with much security, profit, freedom, & extensiō, as S. Fer ardirus Senensis, after refusall of three Bishopricks, professed that he would not be tied to such a dignity, to the end he might mors plētiful [...]y, and freely bestowe himself vpon the helping of his neighbour: and a certaine famors preacher, after he had bene from Religion, assumed to a Bishopricke, was accustomed to say, that it hapened to him, as to a virgin, who before mariage is respected, & much sought after, but being placed in wedlock, is as it were forgotten: soe he while he remained a priuat Religious man, was followed by innumerable multituds, but after his contract with a particular Church, few did looke after him. And not vnlike to this was that prudent saying of a holy, learned, and wise Bishop, who was most willing that one of his clargie should enter into a certaine Religious Order, because [Page 110](said truly zealous Prelate) wheras otherwise might haue a Parish Priest, but in some one Church by taking a Religious course, he would be, as it were, a Curate, in many O [...]ocesses: And there haue not wanted Religious men, who refused a gre [...]ter honour, then Episcopall, not onely for humility, but particularly that by remayning in Religion, they might be more vsefull, for the common good of soules.
11 The perfection of a Bishop consists in this, that by his office he is obliged to enlighten others, & if occasion require, to giue his life for his flocke, which occasion seldom happeneth. To those two obligations, the Bishop is tyed by Iustice, in regard of maintenance, and honour afforded him by his flocke, or by the vertue of Fidelity, in respect of a centaine implicit pact, where by he obligeth himselfe when he is made Bishop. But Religions men, meerely vpon charity, or Religion (more noble vertues, then Iustice or, Fidelity) do illuminate others, & aduenture their liues for the sauing of soules: whereto some Religious are obliged, not only by their Institute, but by [Page 111]particular vowe, made to that effect. And here I cannot but cast my selfe, at the feete of our Reuerend, English Cleargy, who for sole Charity without expectation of any recompence except from God, doe faithfully labour the cōuersion of our Coū try, and I make bold to say, they would be vntimely Counsellers, if any should be making I know not what propositions, of Parishes, and Parish Priests, whereby nothing else could be in these times gayned, but the change of Charity, into some inferiour vertue, and forfeyture of that glory, comended by our Sauiour, to his Apostles; Gratis accop [...]stis; gratis date, Matt. 10.8. what you haue freely receiued, bestowe freely: to say nothing of the strict obligation, which by being Curates, they should vndergo for so poore wages as before hath bene touched. Sure I am, that diuers of our Clergly, would neuer haue bene Preists, but that by occasion of the present state of England, they might without any recompence, helpe, and voluntarily expose their liues for the good of others.
12 Merit doth not consist in office, but in the acts thereof. Let the whole worlds experience decyde, whether Secular Pastours, [Page 112]or Religious men, do in fact, more enlighten mankind, by preaching, reaching, filling libraries with learned volumes, reducing hereticks, through Europe; and conuerting infidels in both the Indies, Iaponia, China, &c. So as their vncessant labours, with howerly hazard of their liues, haue no more narrowe extent, then the vast course of the Sunnes motion: And the late Feast of one of these good men, namely, S. Francis Xauier, puts me in mind of a Disticke, made of him, to this very purpose:
This Charity of Religious men, in exposing their liues for the conuersion of Infidels, & of their greater fitnes, for that purpose thē of secular Priests, my Lord Phillip Rouenius, Archiepiscopus Philippensis, and the Popes vicar for Holland, doth plainely acknowledge, in his Treatise Demissionibus, parte tertia, with this addition, that, such places being once prepared by Religious [Page 113]men, the secular Clergy were to enter into them: as if there could be a better nurse for the Child, then the mother that brought it forth. S. Paul sayth: 1. Cor. 4.15. If you haue ten thousand Pedagogues, yet not many Fathers, for I begot you in Iesus Christ; insinuating, that one who hath begotten a soule in Christ, by his conuersion, ought with him to be in greater reckoning, then ten thousand Instructours, which yet the sayd Archbishop, a sauourer of the secular Clergy, makes secular Priests to be, compared to Religious men, into whose labours he would haue them enter. But of the fitnes of Religious men, to preach, administer Sacraments &c. I shall haue occasion to speake after a while, and now will addresse my selfe to the second comparison, betwixt Religious men, and Pastours inferiour to Bishops, to whose sacred Dignity we willingly yeild precedency, and therefore none can take it ill, that I haue made longer stay, in a lower place.
13 Yet before I end this point, I must set downe what M. Doctour, in the end of his 11. Chapter, sayth out of S. Thomas: S. Th. 2.2. q. 185. a 8. in co [...]p. That the State of Religion is in way to perfection, and the State of a Bishop, belonges [Page 114]to perfection as a certayne maistership of perfection, Hen [...] Gand. quod lib. 12. [...]. 29. and (sayth he) Henricus de Gandauo handling this question, whether the Religious [...]or the Bishop be in the greater state of perfection, concludeth in th [...]se words: Status Praelatorum so h [...]thet ad statum Religiosorum &c. the state of Prelates hath that Comparison to the state of Religious, which the st [...]te of maisters, hath to the state of schollers, but the maister ought to be perfecter th [...]n his sch [...]ller. And agayne: Quando aliques Religiosus deductus est ad summum aliquid & perfec [...]um, tunc primum est idoneus, vt assummatur in Praelatum. When a Religious man is brought ta an high, and perfect degree of perfection, then fi [...]st he is fit to be assumed for a Prelate. And so (sayth M. Doctour) where a Religious man endeth, there a Bishop or pastour beginneth, and the Bishop layeth his foundation, on the Religious mans toppe, and roofe. But truly this inference of M. Doctour is buil [...]ed vpon a sandy foundation, and he must eyther renounce the auctority of S. Thomas, or of Gandensis, for this Authour speakes of Prelates inferiour to Bishops, wherin his doctrine is directly against S Thomas, who as we shall see anone, ex prof [...]sso doth prefer Religious [Page 115]Priests, before such Pastours; And Henricus de Gandauo holdeth also, that all such Pastours, euen Parish Priests, are properly in a state, which is both agaynst S. Th. 2.2. q. 84. art. 6. and M. Doctour himselfe, who in his 11. chap. num. 14. expressely sayth: To a state immobility is required, which the Pastour, nor Bishop, hath not. And lastly, the same Gandensis, in the question by M. Doctour cyted, holds that to be in a State, is sufficient, to haue a purpose to remayne therein, without any other obligation, or immobility, which is not only against the common doctrine of Deuines, but also agaynst M. Doctour, in the sayd 11. Chapter num. 13. for which he alleadgeth likewise S. Thomas 2.2. q. 184. art. 4. where this doctrine is ex professo deliuered. And I wonder, M. Doctour would alleadge Gandensis particularly for Bishops, he speaking of inferiour Pastours; and why in his inference vpon the sayd Authours words, he should put in Bishop, or Pastour, saying, where a Religious man endeth, there a Bishop, or Pastour, beginneth, whereas before the sayd Authours words, he had put only Bishop saying, Henricus a Gandauo handling this question, whether the Religious, [Page 116]or the Bishop, be in the greater state of perfection concludeth &c. But most of all I wonder, that M. Doctour would ground his saying, that a Bishop layeth his foundation on the Religious mans top and roofe, vpon a doctrine not true, whatsoeuer the thing inferred be in it f [...]lfe, I meane, concerning the dignity of Bishops, whereof we haue already spoken at large. Certes, if Bishops lay their foundation, vpon the most perfect in Religious perfection, such as are taken immediatly from a secular life, haue reason to looke in good earnest, vpon what toppe of perfection they lay their foundation. And truly this doctrine of Gandensis ought to be a point of dayly meditation, for all secular P [...]stouis. Finally, out of this same place of Ga [...]densis, M. Doctour might rightly haue inferred, that Religious perfection is an excellent disposition to make a good, & worthy Pastour, with greater profit to others, and lesse daunger to ones selfe. For there is great diff [...]rence betwixt a maister of Perfection, (as Gandensis sayd Pastours are) & a maister of Sciences, by teaching whereof the maister himselfe both renewes the memory of old, & increaseth in new knowledg: [Page 115]But while a man teacheth his neighbour to be perfect, he may be in daunger to forget, and impaire his owne soules good, vnlesse he come well furnished with the spirituall substance of solid vertues.
14 Now, as for the second comparison of Religious men with inferiour Pastours, it may be done; eyther by comparing them absolutly, which o [...] them are more perfect in themselues; or els relatiuely to others, which of them is more fit to help soules, by preaching, teaching, administring Sacraments &c. In both questions, I will refer my selfe, to that Cherubim for knowledge, and Seraphim for sanctity, the Angelicall Doctour S. Thomas of Aquin. He therefore 2.2. q. 184. art. 8. hath this expresse question: Vtrum presbytri Curati, & Arch [...]d [...]acon [...], sint maior [...]s perfectionis, quam Religiosi: Whether Priests hauing c [...]re of soules, and Archdeacons, be of greater perfection, then Religious men. His resolut [...]on is, that in State, the Religious as Religious, excelleth the secular Pastour, as Secular: If both of them be Priests, and both haue care of soules, as (sayth he) plertque Monachi, & Canonici Regulares habent, Most part of [Page 118]Monks, and Canon Regulars haue, they wilbe equall in Order, and Office; so as the only question remaining, is; Whether a Religious Priest, by reason of his State, be of greater perfection, then a Secular Priest Curate, in regard of his Office? The Saints answere is, that in goodnesse the Religious Priest excells, and the secular Curate in difficulty; bonè conuersandi; of liuing vertuously, amongst so many occasiōs of dangers in the world; which difficulty, saith he, in his answere ad 6. doth not increase merit, because that difficulty only increaseth merit, which ariseth from the nature of the works in themselues, and not from extrinsecall occasions, not auoided by secular persons, which difficulty of works in themselues is greater in Religion, by reason of the strictnesse of Regular obseruance, besides that the Religions doe also merite much, by voluntary quitting themselues, of all such dangers, & impediments, as swarme in the world. Wherefore according to S. Thomas, the Religious Priest excelleth secular Pastours, in goodnesse, and in that difficulty, which is both full of merit, & security; beside that particular increase of merit, by flying from those impediments [Page 119]of the world which m [...]ke the paths of vertue far more difficult: in so much as the same Saint teacheth, that the Religious state, in comparison of the Office of Pastours, is like an Holocaust (the most perfect of all Sacrifices, wherein the whose victim was bestowed on almighty God) compared to other sacrifices, which were in a manner parted betwixt God, & man. The same verity S. Thomas proueth, because a Pastour may enter into Reli [...]ion & wholy cease to be a Pastour; but a Rel [...] gious man is neuer so made Pastour, as he doth not retaine his Religious stat; whi [...]h is a signe, that the calling of a Pastour, is not so perfect as is a Religious vocation. Moreouer, the Canons of the Church do not only permit, but also much commend the entering of Secular Pastours, into Religion, Quia meliorem vitam se [...]ui cupiunt: [...] Because they desire to embrace a better [...] de of life, saith the Toleran Councell. And Gregory the Great, lib. 10. epist. 39. exhotteth, that by all meanes such a spirit be nourished, saying: Quibus valetis adhortationibus, Pastorali admonitione su [...]endite, vt feruor huius desiderit in eo no [...]epe [...] eat. By the best exhortation you are a [...] [Page 120]inflame him (a secular Cleargy man, desirous to enter into Religion) that the feruour of such a desire may not in him wax cold. Yea S. Thomas 2.2. q. 189. art. 7. proueth out of the Canon law,19. q. 2. [...]. Due sunt leges. that a secular Curate may enter into Religion, although his Bishop should exprestely be against it: Etiam contradicente Episcopo, eat liber, nostra authoritate: Although the Bishop oppose himselfe, let him fr [...]el [...]e [...]ter your Authority, sayth the Pope. Now, as M. Doctour in his 11. Chapter n. 15. proueth out of S. Thomas▪ S. Th 22 q. 184. a. 7. that the state of a Bishop is a state of gre [...]ter perfection, then that of a Religiou [...] man, because otherwise it were not lawfull for him to be made a Bishop, because that were, retrò aspicere, to looke backe: So we may say, that seing secular Pastours, may enter into Religion, it must be an argument, that Religious state is more perfect, for the very same reason, least otherwise they should be conuinced, retrò aspicere; to looke back. Which reason will wax more strong on our side, if we call to mind, that a Religious man cannot yield consensent to his election to be a Bishop, without his own superiours leaue, whereas a secular Curate may lawfully enter [Page 121]into Religion, euen agaynst the will of his Bishop. This whole resolution of Saint Thomas, is much confirmed, by an other doctrine, deliuered by him in the same 184 question art. 6. That only Bishops, & not inferiour Prelates, are in a State of perfection, wheras in the next precedent Article, he bad purposely taught, that Religious men are in su [...]h a State.
15 To these determinations of S. Thomas, I will a [...]de nothing, saue only, that Religious state is of Deuine institution, as certaine [...]y Archdeacons, Deanes, Vicars &c. are not: and Suarez (in the same place,Suarez to. 4. in 3. p. disp. 25. n. 17. which M. Doctour cited, to prooue that Bishops are of Deume Ordinance) is of opinion that the Diuision of Parishes, with Institution of Parish Priests, (euen in generall) is not de iure diuino, of Deuine iustitution, because (sayth he) the Church might deuide more Bishopricks, and assigne to each one a lesse territory, ordayning that the Bishop himselfe, should be immediate Pastour, in his whole Diocesse, which he might gouerne by Vicars, and Chaplins, which, although were not perhaps vniuersally expedient, yet it is not directly, and clearly against the law of God. S. Thomas also, sayth of all [Page 122]inferiour Pastours, that in respect of the Bishop,S. Th. 2.2 q. 184. a 6. ad 2. they are sicut Baliui ad Regem; & in his answere ad [...]. he teacheth, that they haue not principall care of soules, but some particular administration by Commission from the Bishop. But howsoeuer this matter be, at least, it is not so certaine, that the Institution of Parish Priests is de iure Dirino, a Deuine institution, as it is, that Religious state was instituted, by our Sauiour Christ.
16 And this shall suffice for the comparison of Religious men with Curats, if their callings be considered in themselues. Which comparison is alwais to be vnderstood, betwixt Religious men, & such Secular Priests, as are Ordinary Pastours, or Curats. For in England, where all Priests both Regular, & Secular, attend to the help of soules only by particular Mission. Priuiledge, and Delegation, there is no doubt but Religious men are to be preferred; seeing both in Order, of Priesthood, & Iurisdiction, or Office they are equall, and still the state of Religious, as Rel [...]gious, is more noble thē that of Secular, as Secular, which no Catholike can deny.
17 For the second comparison, whether [Page 123]Religious, or secular, are more fit to help soules, by preaching, and other such Ecclesiasticall functions, let vs heare Saint Thomas teaching, that Religious men are made more fit for the performance of such functions of Preaching,S. Th. 2.2. q. 187. a. 1. teaching &c. by reason of the exercise of sanctity, which they haue vndertaken, adding: Stulium est dicere, quod per hoc quòd aliquis in sanctitate promouetur, efficiatur minus idoneus ad spiritualia officia exercenda. Et ideo stult a est quorundam opinto dicentium, quòd ipse status Religionis impedimentum affert, talia exequendi: It is a foolery to say, that by being improued in sanctity, as man is made lesse fit for the performance of Ecclesiasticall functions. And therefore the opinion of some, who say that the very state of Religion, brings an impediment to such functions, is a foolish opinion Quorum errorem (saith the same Saint) Bonifactus Papa exeludit, dicens, vt habetur 16. q. 1. Sunt nonnulls, nullo dogmate fulti, andacissimè quidem, zelo magis amaritudinis, quàm dilectionis inflammati, asserentes Monachos, qui mundo mortui sunt, & Deo vinunt, Sacerdot alis officii potenti â indignos. Sed omninò labuntur. Quod oftendit, primò quidem, quia non so [...]r [...]riatur Regulae; [Page 124]subdit enim: neque enim Beatus Benedictus, Monachorum Praeceptor Almificus, huiuscemodirei aliquo modofuit interdictor. Et similiter nec in aliis regulis hoc prohibetur. Secundò, improbat praedictum errorem, ex ideoneitate Monachorum, cum in fine Cap [...] tuli subdit: Quanto quisque est excellentior, tanto, & in illis (scilicet spiritualibus oper [...] bus) potentior. Whose errour Pope Boniface doth reiect, saying: There are some supported by no verity, who inflammed with zeale of bitternes, rather then of charity, do most boldly affirme, that Monks who are d [...]ad to the world, and liue to God, are not worthy of the power of Priestly office. But they are altogeather deceyued. Which he prooueth. First, because it is not agaynst the Rule: For [...]e addeth; S. Bennet, the Father of Monks, did not any way in his Rule forbid it. And likewise it is not forbid in other Rules. Secondly, he disproueth the foresayd errour, by the fitnes of Monks, for such functions, saying: By how much a man is more excellent, by so much he is more powerfull in those (spirituall functions.) Behold the doctrine of the greatest Prelate, and one of the greatest Schollers, vpon earth; a Pope, and a most learned Saint. To those vulgar obiections (Vita [Page 125]Monachorum &c. The life of Monks signifies subiection, not an office of teaching, or gouerning others: Monachus non Doctoris &c. The profession of a Morke is not teaching, but weeping, & the like) S. Thomas in the same place ad 3. answeres; that such sayings only signify, that Monks precisely by being Monks, doe not acquire authority to preach &c. but not that by being Monks, they haue any thing repugnant to the performance of such actions: And secular Priests, and Bishops, not only as secular, but also as Priests, or Bishops haue no power lawfully to performe such actions, till it be granted them by lawfull Superiours.
18 And conformable to this Doctrine, hath also bene the practise of Gods Church, which thought it selfe best furnished, whē Prelacy, & Religious state were ioyned together. For, as, Baronius witnesseth Negari non potest, Baron. Ann. 328. n. 25. fuisse Monachismū, Seminarium in Ecclefia Dei sanctissimorū Episcoporum: It cannot be denied, but that Monasticall Institute, hath bene in the Church of God, a Seminary of most holy Bishops. the same most famous Author in the same place num 23. hauing related, how that Conquerour of the Arians, S. [Page 126]Athanasius, chose Monks for Bishops of diuers Churches, giueth this reason for it: Quòd for [...]ssimos, hos fore sciret, aduersus ingruētem Ary haeresim in pugnatores, et quasi munitissimas turres contra Miletianos Schismaticos. Because he was sure, that they (Monkes) would prooue stoutest, against the approaching Arian haeresie, and as it were most strong Forts against the Miletian Schismaticks. It is therfore very strang, and full of partiality, what M. D. auoucheth, in his 8. Chap. num. 12. that the titles of Patriarhes, Archbishops, Priests, and Pastours, are not titles of Orders of Religious, as they are Religious, but only of the secular Cleargy. Doth the name of Bishop, Priests &c. signify only a secular Bishop, or Priest? I alwaies conceiued, that there had bene both Regular, and Secular Priests, till now I heare a new doctrine, that the title of Priest, is a title of the Secular Cleargy. The names of Bishop, and Priests, are, I grant, names of the Clergy, but that they are names of the Secular Cleargy, I doe not vnderstand. If I would make comparisons, I could say that Religious, men as Religious, although they haue not so much as prima [...] tousuram, [Page 127]which is but a disposition to Orders, yea euen before they be Religious, and are but in their Nouiship, or way to a Religious life, yet they enioy the Priuiledge, Canonis, & Fori, as if in act they were Cleargy men, which is not granted to Secular persons as Secular: But my meaning is not to say al, that with great truth might be spokē of a Religious state, in comparision of the Secular Cleargy; & therfore, I wil go foreward to note, what I finde in M. Doctours 9. Chapter. n. 19. That the assumption of Regulars to the Cleargy is extraorainary; and n. 13. that Regulars were admitted, and sent to preach to the Gentils, yet that office doth not appertaine to them, [...]ure ordinarto, by the ordinary lawe, but by Priniledg, and extraordinarily. I wish M. Doctour would explicat what he meanes, by extraordinary, or ordinary lawe. Is there any Lawe forbidding Religious men to be made Priests, or to receaue authority to preach, if once they be Priests? or will be saie that, Secular Priests, only by being Priests, may lawfully preach without any other Commissiō? I am sure, neither he, nor any Catholicke can say so. Wherein then consists this difference of Ordinary, and [Page 128] extrordinary, betwixt Secular, & Religious. It is well knowne that in some countries, none but Religious men can be made Bishops, and in our cuntry, the Monkes of S. Benets most holy Order, were so much of the Cleargy, that a mere comparatiue, or conditionall mention of like Right in these dayes, made such impression in some, that there was to that particular framed an answere, with title of a Paralel.
19 As for conuersion of Infidels, it is manifest, with how prosperous successe Religious men haue, & in these our daies do still employ themselues, in that laborious good worke, more then the secular Cleargy. And although some misapply the old saying; that Monkes out of their Monasteries, are like fish out of the water: yet they may be pleased to remember, that if those fishes, had neuer bene out of the water, English men might haue bene in an euerlasting fire. For such fishes are also Fishers of soules, as our Sauiour stiled his Apostles; and fishermen make no profession, to liue onely in the water. Yet Religious men cannot but acknowledge it, for a singular benefit, that for repayring [Page 129]the vigour of their soules, they may vpon occasion, retire themselues to their Religious houses, and so returne to the helpe of others, with lesse danger to thē selues. Moreouer that those Fishers, who conuerted England, were of the very same Order of S. Bennet, Apostolatus Benedictinorum in Angli [...]. which now is soe much impugned, hath bene prooued in a learned Treatise, by better arguments then M. Doctour will easily answere, if he chance to be of a contrary opinion.
20 And indeed, there is great reasō, why Religious persons, in regard of their state, should be fit for the conuersion of soules, because by s [...]nctity of life, they are more vnited to him, whose instruments mens endeauours are, in that great worke: and he who with profit, and security, will shine to others, must first burne within himselfe. Our Sauiour Christ hauing called a certaine person to be his follower,Luc. 9 [...] and he demanding [...]espit, only for the burying of his father, was bid, to leaue the dead, and that he should goe and preach the Ghosple; Tu [...]utem vade, e [...] annūtia regnum Det: whereby our Blessed Lord, gaue men to vnderstand, that a good disposition to be an excellant preacher, [Page 130]is a resolute, and actuall leauing all. S. Ambrose in this point is round, [...]. [...]ros [...]s. 10. in Luc. and cleare. Ille (sayth he) confirmare iubetu [...] fratres suos, qui dixit: Omnia reliquimus, et secuti sumus te. The charge of strengthening his brethren, is committed to him, who sayd: Behold we haue left all, and followed thee: Which are the very wordes, from which Catholicks prooue the three Euangelicall Counsels, of Pouerty, Chastity, and Obedience, vowed by Religious men.
21 M. Doctour in his 9. chap. n. 16. sayth: That Popes sent Regulars to conuert Countries, because Bishops, & Priests were busied in gouerning their subiects, and so could not be spared. But this reason is insufficient. For, besides Pastours, who haue subiects to be gouerned, there are numbers of the Secular cleargy, free from any such charge; yea all Pastours, except such Bishops as are maried to some particular Church, may easily leaue their charge, & employ thēselues vpon the conuersion of Infidels. And I know, M. Doctour will not approoue his owne reason, when he shall finde it to be so very like, to that of Beza, cited by Bre [...]lay, in his [Page 131]liues of Luther &c. chap. 7. Non magnop [...]r [...] (saith Beza) nobis de legatione ad vemotissimas aliquas gentes laborādum, cum nobis domi, et in propinquo sit satis, superque quod nos, & posteros nostros exerceat. Has igitur potius tā longinquas peregrinationes, locustis illis, lesu nomē ementiētibꝰ, relinquamus. We are not much to trouble ourselues, with missions to certaine remote coūtries, seing at home, and neere at hand there is enough, and more then enough to busie vs, and our posterity. Let vs then leaue such farre pilgrimages, to those locusts, who vsurp [...] the name of Iesus. Wherefore we must of necessity, finde some better cause, why Relious men, haue bene so much emploied in conuerting Infidels, then that which was by M. Doctour alleadged; which I doubt not, will be obuious to the reader, out of the reasons, which haue bene giuē, of the great fitnes of Religious men, to deale with soules. But it must not be expected from mee, who am resolued not to giue any offence, to yeild likewise a reason, why Secular Priests, do [...] not bestow themselue [...] vpon those [...]ssions, as much as Regulars doe.
22 Out of what hath [...]ine said, the [Page 132]indicious Reader will of himselfe infe [...] two thinges. First that for such as intend to be made fit, to be of the Cleargy, the neerer their education comes to a Religious life, the better it will dispose, and more enable them for their intended course, of profitably dealing with their neighbours. Secondly in how great an errour they are, who conceiue, that although it be not vnlawfull for Religious men, to imploy themselues in helpe of their neighbour, yet such functions are not so connaturall to them, as to Secular Preists, but do, as it were, put them out of their element, and straine their proper vocation, as if Religion, were ordamed only to perfect a mans owne soule. But the contrary is manifest, out of what hath bene said, in this Question. For seeing the proper, and essentiall end of Religious State, is the perfection of charity, which according to S. Thomas, consists not only in the loue of God,8. Tho. 2 2. [...]. 18 [...]. a 3. [...] corp. but also of our neighbour, it clearely followeth, that when Religious men attend to help their neighbours, either in regard of their proper Iustitute, or by particular commission, and Mission from lawfull Superiours [Page 133]they do a thing most connaturall to their state, as the end of euery thing, is most connaturall to that thing in respect whereof it is the end. That the loue of God, & our neighbour, is the very end of a Religious state, [...] Tho 2.2. q. 188. a. 2. in corp. is a propositiō by S. Thomas taught, in these expresse tearmes; Religiou [...]s Status ordinatur ad perfectionē charitatis, quae se extendit ad dilectionem Det, et proximi. A Religious State is ordained to the prefection of Charity which extends it selfe to the loue of God, and of our neighbour. Wherefore the Genericall Notion of Religious State, which tends to the perfection of charity, finds it self, as it were, in his naturall center, and at home, when it doth compasse the full latitude, & perfection of Charity, by being contracted by a Difference, or a Particular state, imploied in perfitting both our selues, and others: and the con [...]ary persuasion, cannot, I must needs say, be interta [...]ed by any man, well grounded in D [...]uinity, or who rightly vnderstands the nature, of a Religious state of perfection, for it were in effect to say, that it is not connaturall for Charity, to loue both God, and our neighbour, or for the, Beauficall vision, [Page 134]in God to represent created obiects. No, No: Mary, and Martha, Contemplation and Action are two; yet sisters: diuers; but not disagreing: noe more then the loue of God, doth hinder the louing of our neighbour.S. Th. 2.2. q. 188. [...].2. in corp S. Greg. Naz. [...]at. 20. For, as S. Thomas teacheth, Contemplation belongs to the loue of God, & Action to the loue of our neighbour. And therfore S. Gregory Nazianzen mentions it as a singular commendation of Saint Basil, that he conioyned the Actiue, and Contemplatiue life; vt quemadmodum terra & mare, ita etiam hae duae vita commoda sua inter se communicantes, ad vnicam Des gloriam concurrerent. That as the Sea and Land doe, so these two kindes of life, communicating with one another their seuerall commodites, might both concurre to the only glory of God.S. Th 2.2. q. 188. artis. [...].3.4. S. Thomas hauing taught that a Religion may be instituted for the works of an Actiue life, and also for a holy warfar; thence makes a most reasonable inference, that it is, Conuenientissimum, Most conuenient, that a Religion be instituted to preach, and exercise the like spirituall functions: which the Religious of [...]he sacred Order of S. Domiusck, who [Page 135]haue their very name frō Preaching, haue, and doe still most happily performe, to the vnspeakeable good of soules. If then, it be most conuenient, that Religious men should preach, heare confessions, and the like; certainely it is very cōnaturall to their vocation so to doe. And out of this discourse may be taken a cleare and weighty reason, in confirmation of all, that hath bene said, of the great fitnes of Religious men, to deale with soules. For in what proportion, a Religious state is more fit to attaine the perfection of Charity, then a secular vocation, in the same degree, it maketh a Religious man more fit, to help his neighbour, then secular as secular are, because, as hath bene said, charity extends it selfe also to our neighbour. I might add, that in Gods Church, there wāt not many, who either are about election of a Religious state, or else desier in the world, to imitate the practise of Religious men, by contemplation, and such like meanes of vnion with almighty God: and to the direction of those well minded persons, noe doubt but experience of such exercises, gotten in Religion, doth much conduce. And this shall s [...]ffice concerning [Page 136]the comparison of Religious men with secular Pastours or Prelates, wherein all that hath bene said is to be vnderstood only of the States, & Vocations in themselues, not of the Persons, whose merites, are knowne only to him,Act. 1. Qui cord a nouit omnium; Who knowes the hearts of all men. It remaineth that I explicate a point, or two, handled by M. Doctour obscurely, & with disaduantage to Religious state.
23 The first is: That perfection cōsists in Charity, and that the three Euangelicall Counsels are noe perfection, but instruments, and meanes to atraine perfection: by which manner of speach, so indistinctly proposed, the reacer may be apt to value the Luargelicall Counsels, much vnder their true worth. And therefore to cleare the matter: We must obserue, that the sayd Counsells may be considered either as of themselues they are apt to remooue impediments of Charity, and loue of God, for example, Pouerty, and Chastity euen of their owne nature, do necessarily free a man from the daungers, temptations, and impediments of the loue of God, which arise our of the actuall possession of riches, & enioying the pleasures [Page 137]of sensuall delights, and in this sen se they may be tearmed, but meanes, or instruments to get perfection: or else they may be considered, as proceeding from particular vertues of Religion, Temperance &c: and in this consideration, they are not onely bare meanes, or instrumēts. but also effects, properties, compamons, perfections, and causes of Charity, which alone makes not a man wholy perfect as the essence of a man without properties, & accidents is but imperfect. And therefore S. Thomas 2.2. q. 184. a. 3. in corp. sayth that: Secundariò et instrumentaliter perfectio cōsistit in Consili [...]s; secondarily, and instrumentally Perfection doth consist in the Counsels, which is a thing much different from only instrumentally, as in the same place he sayth, that the perfection of Christian life consists in charity, prin [...]ipaliter quidem secūdum dilectionem Dei. secundariò autem secundum dilectionem proximi; Principally in the loue of God, and secondarily in the loue of our neighbour: in which words, we see that secondarily, and onely instrumentally, are tearmes much different, for who will say, that the loue of our neighbour is only an instrument of [Page 138]christian perfection? It being indeed an act of charity, or perfection, although not the prime, but a secondary act of that vertue. And whosoeuer reades, the first Article▪ of the same Question, will quickly finde, that other vertues beside Charity, are more then instruments, or meanes of perfection, which M. Doctour could not but see, hauing cited the same place in his 11 chapt. num. 10. Yea S. Thomas further teacheth,S. Tho. 1. p. q. 5. a. 1. ad. 1. & q. 6. a. 3. that a creature is not absolutely good, nor perfect, by his essence, but by accidents, which perfect that essence; and this is particularly verified in charity, which is the essence of perfection, because it is increased by meritorius acts, not only of it selfe, but also of othervertues, whereas naturall substances, cannot be intrinsecally increased in their natures, by their accidents, or proprieties: yea if one do embrace Pouerty, Chastity, & Obedience, meerely out of loue to God, without the proper motiue of any othervertue, they are formall acts of charity, and in noe sense, can be properly tearmed only instruments thereof. Seing then the Euangelicall Counselles, sealed with a vowe, are acts of great, and noble vertues, it [Page 139]followeth, that they are not only most fit instruments to attaine perfection, which consists in charity, but also are causes, and perfections of perfection it selfe, not only remoouing impediments of Charity, but also affording it positiue helps, & increase. All which wilbe more confirmed, by what I am nowe going to say, concerning a second point of doctrine, auouched by M. Doctour, either confusedly, or not truly.
24 In his 11. Chap. num. 12. thus he writeth: There is only this difference, betwixt Religious, and other Christians, that the Religious leaue all things actually, other Christians must leaue them in preparation of mind. The former leauing of them actually, is noe perfection, but an instrument of perfection, vnlesse it be ioyned with the loue of God, in which consisteth perfection. By these words the Reader may be apt to conceiue, that Religious state, hath no perfection more then all other Christians, because they differ only in actuall leauing all things, which, as he sayth, is noe perfection. Yf therfore he vnderstand, that in the preparation of minde, common to all Christians, and that which is proper to Religious [Page 140]men, there is no difference, the doctrine is Vntrue, in [...]urious to Religious State, and against M. Doctour himselfe, who in the same place distinguisheth that perfection of Charity, necessary to all Christians, by which they are resolued not to offend God mortally, from another perfection of Charity, by which we so loue God, as we are ready, not only to obserue the commandements, but also the Counsells for his loue, & this is the Charity of Religious: Ergo, euen according to M. Doctour, the difference betwixt Religious, and other Christians, is not only in the actuall leauing of all things, but also in a precedent greater perfection of Charity, and readinesse of minde, of which the actuall leauing of all things, is but an effect: ergo, according to his owne doctrine, it cannot be true, that Religious men differ from others, only in leauing all things actually. If his meaning be, that betwixt Religious men, and other Christians, there is difference euen in preparation of minde, and not only in actuall leauing all things, then he spoke but confusedly, when he sayd, that only in leauing all things actually, Religious men differ from other Christians, who must leaue all things in preparatiō [Page 141]of minde. I therefore must craue leaue, to distinguish the preparation of mind, to leaue all things, proper to Religious men, from that other, which must be found in all Christians, if they meane to saue their soules: and I cannot doe it better then out of S. Thomas, who plainely tells vs: That it is the lowest degree of Charity, S. Th. 2.2. q. 184. art. 3. ad 2. to loue nothing aboue, or against or equally wih God. This is the necessary perfection of all Christians. But Religious men professe an higher degree of perfection by abandoning, not only what is contrary to the loue of God, as vtterly destroying it, but also whatsoeuer may be an impediment, to the very perfection thereof; which is a difference so remarkable, that the same holy Doctour in resp. ad 3. doubteth not to cō pare, the perfection of Secular men, to a child new borne, and that of Religious persons, to a man of perfect growth. Likewise a. 8. in resp. ad 6. he teacheth, that it diminisheth the perfection of vertue, when one doth not loue it so much, that he is resolute to auoyd the impediments thereof, according to the Apostle 1. cor. 9. Omnis qui in agone contendit, ab omnibus se abstinet: and thence he prooueth, that although secular [Page 142]Pastours be in a calling, wherein vertue is exercised with greater difficulty, then in Religion; yet their vocation, is not so perfect, as a Religious state, because the very auoiding of worldly impedimēts, is a thing very meritorious. And if S. Thomas speake thus of secular Pastours, we may easily imagine, what difference he puts betwixt Religious, and all Christian secular People. I thinke there is no Father, who will not make a great difference, betwixt two Sonnes, of which the one cared no more, for contenting his Father, then were precisely necessary, not to incurre danger of being put by his inheritance, but the other out of pure filiall loue, and respect to his Fathers pleasure, were sollicitous, and resolute, to performe his very propensions, and councels, although not seconded with any command, or commination of punishment. This is the difference betwixt a Religious and Secular state.
25 What M. Doctour sayth, that the actuall leauing of all things, is no perfection, but an instrument of perfection, must be vnderstood, as aboue I haue explicated, num. 23. For, as such actuall leauing of all things, proceeds from the vertues of Temperance, [Page 143]Religion &c. it is not a meere instrument, of charity, or perfection, but doth meritoriously greatly increase the same: yea, I add further, that according to the doctrine of S. Thomas, and others,S. Th. 2.2. q. 189. a [...] ▪ ad 2. that Religious profession, like to Baptisme, or Martyrdome, remits the whole payne, due to our sinnes, the very externall act of leauing all things, hath a particular effect, which the internall act should not haue without it: To say nothing of the Laurea, or accidentall Glory, of perpetuall Virginity, or of that prerogatiue of Iudicature, promised by our Sauiour to such as for his sake leaue al. Sedebitis &c. you shall sit vpon twelue seates, iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel. Matth. 1 [...] That also which M. Doctour saith: that the actuall leauing of all things is no perfection, but an instrument of perfection, vnles it be ioyned, with the loue of God, in which consistteh perfection; needeth some explication. For if he vnderstand, that the actuall leauing of all things, conduceth not to perfection, vnlesse it proceed from formall acts of Charity, the doctrine is not true, because, not only acts of the loue of God, but also of other vertues, being performed in state of grace, and with other requisite conditions, doe meritoriously increase [Page 144]grace, and charity. If his meaning be, that the actuall leauing of all things is but an instrument of perfection, vnlesse it be ioyned with the loue of God, that is; vnlesse a man be in state of grace, it is not meritorious of perfection, which consisteth in charity; he sayth no more of this leauing all, thē he might haue said, of the acts of Faith, and Hope, and all other whatsoeuer good works, euen acts of Charity it selfe, for example, perfect contrition, of which none are meritorious of Grace, vnles the doer of them be in Gods fauour: and yet it ought not to be denied, but that as other acts of vertue, so the leauing of all things, may dispose a man for returning to Gods grace, and in that sense, be an instrument, or meanes to get perfection. Moreouer, it is not cleare what M. Doctour meanes in saying, that the actuall leauing of all things, is but an instrument of perfection, vnles it be ioyned with the loue of God. For, when it is ioyned with the loue of God, is it more thē an instrument of perfection? If it be; then perfection consists not only in the loue of God, but also in other vertues; and so Pouerty, Chastity, and Obedience, shalbe more then instruments of perfection. If the [Page 145] actuall leauing all things, euen when it is ioyned with the loue of God, be noe more then an instrument of perfection, and not perfection it selfe, what then ment he by that exception (Vnlesse) saying, that actuall leauing all is but an instrumēt of perfectiō, Vnlesse it be ioyned with the loue of God? for these words seeme to signifie, that if it be ioyned with the loue of God, it is more then an instrumēt according to that Rules Exceptio firmat contrariam regulam.
26 Howesoeuer men may flatter themselues with a Preparation of minde; yet it is not an easie thing, to possesse riches for example, and not to affect, and be possessed by them. Seneca said well Qui non facit cum potest nunquam voluit. He who does not a thing when he may, giues to vnderstand that he neuer had a serious will to do it. If men do not loue what they enioy, why finde they so great renitency to depiiue themselues thereof? O howe fewe keepe riches, freedom of their will, and the like, meerely out of election, and iudgment, that so to do, redou [...]s to the greater glory of our Creatour [...] We think our affections are at freedom, when vpon triall we find it otherwise, like a bird, [Page 146]that thinks not it is in the net, till it make offer to fly; or as our soule, and body, neuer feele their mutuall loue, till by approaching death, they are vpon their parting. That wonder of wit, and miracle of sanctity, blessed saint Augustin, percerued not how much his affection was tyed to his most religious mothers life, till he beheld her depriued of life, and himselfe of her company. Q [...]oniam (saith he) dese [...]ebar ‘tam mag [...]o eius solatio,8. Aug. Cos. [...]9. c. 12. sauciabatur anima mea, & quasi dilaniabatur vita, quae vna facta erat examea & illius. Because, I was depriued of so great a comfort, my soule was wounded, and my life as it were torne in peeces, which till then had bene composed of hers and mine. And that which pierced his soule was, ex consuetudine simul viuendi dulcissima & charissima repentè dirupta, vulnus recens: a greene woūd made by the suddaine breaking off, of that custom, which I had to liue in her most sweete, and most deare conuersation.’ That young man in the Ghospel, felt not how much his heart was vpon his wealth, till by our Sauiour he was told of actuall leauing all, although before that time in preparation of minde [Page 147]he had left all, because he had keept the commandements: vade & v [...]nde omnia quae habes▪ & da pauneribus, & veni, & sequere me, said our blessed Sauiour.Matth. 19 Go sell all thou hast, and giue it to the poore, and then come & follow me. For vpon those words, he fell into a fit of melancholy, & rather chose to be rich thē perfect, athough persuaded to such a state, by the, words of the Word Incarnate. Let vs beare S. Augustin, speaking of that same young man to this very purpose: Nescio (saith he) ‘quomodo cum superflua & terrena diliguntur,S. Aug. epist 34. ad Paulin. et Therasiam. arctnis adepta, quam concupita cōstring unt: Nam vnde tristis ille dis [...]essit, qui consilium vitae a [...]ternae co [...]sequen [...]ae quaerebat à Domino, cùm a [...]dister vendē da esse omnia sua, si vellet esse perfectus, nisi quia maguas, vt Euangeli [...] loquitur, habebat diuitias? Aliud est e [...]n nolle incorporare quae [...]esunt, aliud ram incorporata diuellere: I [...]la velut cibi repudiantur, haec velut membra praeciduntur. I knowe not how when superfluous and earthly thinges are loued, they more straightly tye vs if once they be possessed, then when they are onely desired (and much more may I say then, when they are [Page 148]neither possessed, nor desired, but voluntarity contemned) for why did he, who asked our Sauiours aduise, howe he, might be saued, go away with a sad heart, vpon the hearing, that if he resolued to be perfect, he must sell all, but because, as the Ghopell witnesseth, he was in possession of great riches? For it is one thing, to haue a resolution, not to incorporate to vs those things we haue not, and an other to teare awaie things already incorporated: Those we refuse as we refuse meates; but these are cut off like parts of our body.’ The reason of this daily experience is, because the passion of loue, being agreable, and sympathising with ones naturall inclination, is of great power to sway our soule, but not so easie to be felt, and discerned, except by its effect, namely, so [...] row, when we finde ourselues depriued of what we loued. For sorrow being a sowre, and thornie passion, and much repugnant to our nature, is speedily discouered. To which purpose S. Thomas in proofe that in some respect,8. Tho. 1.2. q. 35. a. 6. men do more flie sorrow, then thirst after delight, alleadgeth S. Augustin saying: Amor magis sentitur, cum cum prodit indigentia. 8. Aug. 10. De [...]rinit. Loue is most felt, [Page 149]when it is discouered by want of the thing we loued: because, as S. Thomas saith, from such want procedeth sorrow. Therefore let not men trust the presumed indifferency of their affection, if they haue neuer tryed it by want of what they enioy.
27 Holy men were not ignorant, that perfection chiefly consisteth in Charity, & knewe as well, as men in th [...]se dayes knowe, what preparation of minde did signify: Neuerthelesse by word, writing, & example, they exhorted men to reall, & actuall leauing all. And indeed there is greate difference, betwixt that young man, who, to keepe his riches, refused to keepe our Sauiour company, and the blessed Apostles, in whose name, S. Peter could truely say;Matth. 19. Ecce nos reliquimus omnia: Behold w [...], (not onely in preparation of minde, but actually) haue left all, and followed thee. It is a case worthy to be deplored with many teares, that in worldly, and temporall affaires, men will vse their vttermost diligence, & employ all their wits, for comp [...]ssing such poore ends, with all possible security; and yet in the maine busines of our soule, we are willing to finde our any seeming probabilities [Page 150]or speculatiue distinctions, and all in effect to foster our already setled affections, by supposed preparatiō of minde, and the like goodly gay pretexts: whereas we cannot but knowe, that it is not an easie matter, to possesse riches, and enioy pleasures, vpon a pure motiue of vertue, or onely for the loue of God, not for the riches, or pleasures themselues; or to make sure, that our loue to them be not greater then it ought, & so make vs loue God either in a lesse degree, or with lesse frequented acts, while we loue other things, rather with him, then for him.
28 But, say these mentall Saynts, Abraham was rich, and yet a Saint: And I say, that when they shall haue but one onely sonne, the sole hope, not onely of the Posterity of Abraham, but of all faithfull beleeuers, & yet besides a meere preparation of minde, haue their arme actually stretched out, to be his executioner, and to offer him in sacrifice, vpon Gods commaund; then say I, most willing I should be, to proclaime these men also for Sa [...]nts, if I did not further consider, that the case of those auntient Fathers, was much different from ours; because in [Page 151]those times our Blessed Sauiour, had not promulgated the three Euangelicall Coū sails, the excellency whereof was reserued for the law of Grace. For as S. Bernard sayth: It was sufficient for the auntient Fathers, to follow the Spirit of God onely in spirit, but after the Word was made flesh, and dwelled in vs, S. Bern. Hom. Ecce nos reliquimus o [...] [...]. in himselfe he gaue vs a paterne of perfection, to be imitated in act, & as it were corporally, that following hym with both our feete, we may noe more like the Patriarch lacob hault in one of our thighes, namely by an imperfect halfe imitation, in preparation of minde & not in act, or to vse S. Bernards words onely in spirit, and not in act, and as it were corporally. Blessed S. Hierome speaking of chastity, one of the three Euangelicall Coū sells, hath these diuine words: Satim vt Filius Dei ingressus est super terram, nouam sibi familiam insli [...]uit, vt qui ab angel [...]s adorabatur in caelis, haberet Angelos et in terris. Assoone as the sonne of God came vpon earth, he made [...]o himselfe a new family, that he who r [...]s adored by Angells in heauen, should likewise haue his Angells on earth. I wil cōclude this point with the authority of two Saints vnder one: S. Thomas [Page 152]cyteth out of.S. Th. 2.2. q. 186. a. 4. ad 2. S. Augustine lib. de bon [...] coniugale cap. 22. these words: Melior est castitas coelibum, quàm castitas nuptiarū. Esse autem castus sine coniugio potuit (Abrahā) sed tunc non oportuit. The Chastity of single persōs, is better thē that of mariage, Abraham might haue bene chast without mariage, but it was not agreeable to those times. And then the Angellicall Doctour writes thus: Neither because the Fathers in the old law, did ioyne perfection with riches, and m [...]trimony, which proceeded frō heroicall vertue in them, therefore weaker persons ought to presume, that they haue so great vertue, as with riches, and matrimony, to attaine to perfection: as no man aduentures vnarmed to set vpon his enemies because Sampson with no other weapon, thē the [...]aw bone of an asse slew his enemies. For those auntient Fathers would haue kept Pouerty, and Chastity, more carefully then we, if it had bene sutable to those times. Thus far S. Thomas: and I only add, that by this very example of Abraham, we are taught, that the best way to know, how farre our affections be engaged, is an offer in good earnest, to be depriued, of what we possesse: in so much that God himselfe, [Page 153]after that great triall, sayd to Abraham: Now I know thou fearest God, Gen. [...], and for my sake, hast not spared thy only Sonne. Farre are they from Abrahams loue to God, who feare not to hinder their Children, from Sacrificing themselues to their Creatour, in a Religious life; therein passing the bounds of Parents authority, while to enioy their children a while on earth, they seeme content that both of them, for Eternity, in a lower degree enioy God in Heauen. For their Children to be Religious, is but of Counsell: but for them, or any els, not to hinder so good desires, is a strict Commaūd: And the holy Councell of Trent, Conc. Trid. sess. 25. c. 18. de Regular. doth inflict Excommunicatiō against all those: Qui sanctam Virginum, vel aliarum mulierum voluntatem veli accipiends, vel voti emittendi, quoquo modo sine iusta causa impedierint. Who without iust cause, shall any way, hinder the will of Virgins, or of any other women, to be veyled, or to make a Vow. And although the Councell, Excommunicate only such, as hinder women, because ordinarily they are more subiect to feare, and the like passions; yet thence we may gather, that in like manner to auert Men, from a Religious course, cannot be free from a great [Page 154]sinne: especially if with it be ioyned, some diminution of the perfection of Religious state in generall, or els detraction, from some Religious Order in particular, which may happen in such as are eyther inexperienced, or not well affected to such a course.
29 And heere I might make an end of this Question, if M. Doctour in his 9. Chapt. num. 9. Had not touched a point, which I cannot wholy passe ouer vnmentioned. In that place he writes, as if he were not vnwilling, the Reader should beleiue, that the Apostles made no vow of pouerty, and consequently were not Religious men. My meaning is not, purposely to handle this question, contenting my selfe, with saying; That it is the doctrine of the greatest Deuine, S. Thomas; S. Th. 2.2 q. 88. a. 4. ad 3. S Aug. 17. ciu. c. 4. of the greatest Doctour of Gods Church, S. Augustine; Of one, of the greatest authority vnder heauē, a Pope, namely Pius the fourth affirming, that certaine Religious mē are of that Order,Nau. comment. 4 de Regular. n. 7. apud Suar. Tom. 3. de R [...]l. lib. 3. [...].3. n [...]m. 6. which was instituted by the Apostles, as Nauar relateth. And no mā I thinke, can with reason deny, that the Apostles themselnes were Religious men, if once he grant, that they did institute a Religious Order, of Cleargy [Page 155]men. Lastly, M. Doctour, according to what himselfe writeth, must yeild to this verity. For in his 11 Chap. num. 9. He saith; that those words Matth. 19. (There are Eunuches which haue gelded themselues for the Kingdome of heauen) are most properly to be vnderstood, of those that vow Chastity, because such haue neither the act, nor morall, or lawfull power of generation. By the same reason, I may say, when the Apostles answered our Sauiour; Behold we haue left all, and followed thee, those words are most properly verified in those, who haue riches neither in act, nor power. For it is but an imperfect leauing of a thing, if it may be retaken at ones pleasure. And if M. Doctour, out of those words (Behold we haue left all) deduce not a vow of Pouerty, how will he out of the same words, prooue a vow of Chastity? because after our Sauiour had explicated the Counsell of Chastity, by the name of voluntary Eunuches, the Apostles said: Behold we haue left all, namely, both wiues, and goods: and to say, the same words (We haue left all) as they signify Chastity, imply a vow, and not as they signify Pouerty, or leauing of goods, were a meere voluntary explication. And therefore [Page 156] S. Augustine in the place aboue cited, explicated the words of the Apostles, (Behold we haue left all) of a vow of Pouerty, as S. Epiphaniu [...], out of those words of our Sauiour (There are Eunuches who haue gelded themselues &c.) teacheth, that the Apostles had a vow of Chastity, saying; Quinam hi fuerunt, S. Epiph. H [...]ref. 58. qui se castrauerunt, propter regnum caelorum, nisi generosi Apostoli, a [...] Monasticam vitam d [...]gentes? Who were those, who gelded themselues, for the Kingdome of Heauen, but the generous Apostles, and such as lead a Monasticall life.
30 And it is most conformable to all reason that the Apostles, who were not only Maisters, but also paternes of of all perfection, should haue all the perfection of other Christians, not repugnant to their state, as certainely Religious vowes are not, which is cleare in Regular Bishops, who still remaine true Religious men: yea, a Bishop not Regular, may with merit make a simple vowe of Pouerty, because there is no Deuine, or Humane law to the contrary, & by an happy necessity, it compelleth him more to auoide superfluous expences; besides that the vowe it selfe, as an act of Religiō, is very meritorious. As for [Page 157]Hospitality, Religious Bishops may keepe it, noe lesse then other not Religious, who are likewise bound, to imploy in good vses, what is superfluous to their state, and to more, Regular Bishops, are not obliged. It is well knowne, that in England, none kept greater Hospitality, then Religious men. Certainely, in all reason, none are more like to be liberall to others, then who by vowe are bound, not to make any thing their owne. If the Apostles obserued the Euangelicall Counsails, there is no reason to thinke, but that they did it by vowe, which of it selfe addeth a great perfection, and as S. Thomas saith, it is a point of perfection, Opusc. 18. de perf. vi [...]. spirit. c. 15. not only to performe a perfect worke, but also to vowe it, because both the worke, and the vowe, are Counsails: And who will deny, but the Apostles were carefull, to doe their works, in the most perfect manner? All this willbe much confirmed, if we call to minde, what in this Question I alleadged out of S. Thomas: That the Counsails, of which we speake, are proper to the New Law; S. Th. 1.2. q. 108. a. [...]. and it is no way credible that the Apostles would want a great perfection, proper to the Law, which they themselues [Page 158]first promulgated to the world.
31 What he citeth out of Vasquez, Vasq. 1.2. disp. 165. that the three vowes of Pouerty &c. are not sufficient to make a Religious man, vnles the Church by her Decree, or Consent, admit them, and ordaine that the same vowes, made before a Superiour, shall make a man Religious, is nothing against vs, who for the present, only intend, that the Apostles obserued the three Euangelicall Counselles, by obligation of vowe, and abstaine from other particular disputes, debated amōg moderne Deuines, as may be seene in Vasquez cited by M. Doctour &,Vasq loc. cit. Suar. de Rel. tom. 3. l. 2. c. 4.15.16. in Suarez at large; particularly in the places noted in the margent. Neither is it vnknowen to M. Doctour, that for diuers times, there haue bene different conditions required, to make one a Relious man; as also that Religious Profession, hath not alwaies had the same effects, which nowe do necessarily accompanie it. Only in generall, we must say, that if to be Religious men, did well agree to the Persons, and Office of the Apostles, as I haue already proued, none knew better then they, what was requisit to place them in that State, neither would they be [Page 159]carelesse in performing, whatsoeuer they knew, necessary to that end. M. Doctour, citeth also Vasquez, as affirming, that out of the facts of the Apostles, nothing could be gathered of certaintie, wheras Vasquez, although he saith the thing is not certaine, yet he expresly unbraceth the doctrine of S. Thomas, that the Apostles made a vow of Pouerty, which M. Doctour concealed, and only brought as much as seemed for his purpose. He also citeth Vasquez, in such a fashion, as one would easily thinke, that he prooued, the state of B [...]shops, not to require Pouerty, because they must be Hospitall, whereas Vasquez giueth no such reason. As for that which M. Doctour seemeth willing to hold, that Ananias and Saphira, vowed not Pouerty, Coffeteau a Reuerend,Coffeteau Discuss. cap. 12. lib. 2. 01 learned Father of the Order of glorious S. Dominicke in his booke against Marcus Antonius de Dominis, sheweth that it is against the whole streame of Fathers, citing to that purpose S. Augustine, S. Fulgentius, S. Gregory, S. Athanasius, Saint Basil, Ruffinus, Cassianus, and, (saith he) almost all besides. But truly I must needs say, M. Doctour seemeth propense enough, to take hold of any occasion, Authour, or [Page 160]Opinion, that may lesse exalt Religious state: whereas indeed through the sides of Religious men the whole Cleargy is wounded. For while he telleth mē (so indistinctly as he doth) that Vowes, are but instruments of perfection; that perfection consists in preparation of mind; that actuall leaning of all things is no perfection, and the like; Maried people may vse the same discourse, concerning the vowed Chastity of Priests, and so while he speaketh lesse honourably of our two Counsails, of Pouerty, and Obedience, he much extenuateth that of Chastity, common to Religious, and all Priests, in whome the Church is not content, with only preparation of minde, but in so perfect a profession, requireth actuall Chastity, which is a signe, that voluntary actuall Chastity, is some especiall perfection. Besides, this Euangelicall Counsaile of Chastity, is so prized by Gods Church, that in Concessions otherwise most ample, for chaunging Vowes, this is alwaies excepted, as likewise a vow to be Religious; wherein God grant people be as tender, as they ought, seeing vnlesse the cause be very sufficient, all such Dispensation is inualid, and can serue only to send a man to Hell, [Page 161]with a kind of quiet conscience.
32 I will not say, the spirit, but sure I am, the stile of some of this age, is far different, from the writers of ancient dayes, in commendation of Religious State: and some are wont to obserue, that oftentimes, those, who either haue had greatest obligation to Religious men, or vocation, to such a State, are the men who (to say no worse) speake most reseruedly, in commendation of Religion, which although perhaps (for its part) may well say,Tob. 3. as Sara said, of her husbands; Illi forsitan me non fuerunt digni: yet on their behalfe, I wish they may in this businesse so proceed, that when the true colour of things shall begin to appeare, by the light of an approaching future life, they may haue no iust cause, to frame a different iudgement, and fill their soules with other wishes, thē at this present they do. S. Thomas to prooue that it was conuenient, to Institute Euangelicall Counsels,S. Th [...]. 1.2. [...] 4. hath this weighty syllogisine; B [...]ms amici consiliis anima dulcoratur (Fr [...]tterb. 27.) Sed Christus maxime est sapi [...]ns, & amicus; ergo, eius consilia maximam vtilitatem continent. The soule is comforted by the good counsels of a friend (as Salomon saith) [Page 162]But our Sauiour Christ is most wise, & most friendly: Therefore his Counsels are most profitable. If it be so hearty a comfort, to heare the good, and wholesome Counsels of a friend; Let them consider, whether they may with ground looke for so sweet a cordiall, who reiect the Counsells not of a mortall man, but of God and man; not in some particular businesse, but for the whole course of their life. One thing, such men must giue me leaue not to conceale, because I hold it for a certaine truth, and it concerneth them to know so much: That one of the greatest punishments, which God can inflict, vpon such as haue neglected his vocation to a Religious State, is to permit them to runne a course in opposition against Religious men: who, (if they be carefull to answere to their vocation) may in all occasions, find comfort enough, in what they haue so often heard alleadged, out of that good Religious man, S. Bernard: S. Bern. Hā. Sur. est [...]eg [...]um Calor. hum. que [...]. bonas Marg. Quae est ista tam pretiosa Margarita, pro qua vuinersa dare debemus, id est, n [...]smetipsos (quia totum Deo dedit, qui seipsum obtulit) ve possimus eam habere? Nonne haec est Religio sancta? in qua homo viuit puriùs, cadit rariùs, surgit velociùs, incedit cautiùs, [Page 163]irroratur frequentiùs, moritur considentiùs, remuneratur copiosiùs. What is that so pretious aiewell, for which we ought to giue all, that is, our selues (because he giues all to God, who maketh an oblation of himselfe) for the obtaining of it? Is it not holy Religious State? wherein a man liues more purely, falls more rarely, rises more speedily, walks more circumspectly, receiues diuine influence more frequently, dies more confidently, and is rewarded more abundantly.
THE SIXTH QVESTION. Whether Religious, as Religious, be of the Hierarchie of the Church.
1 NOthing is more frequent, then that some persons, who I dare say, scarcely euer red S. Dennys, nor euer were much conuersant in S. Thomas of Aquin (from whom we haue the best and almost only Treatises of the Hierarchie) will be discoursing of the Secular Cleargy, as if they onely were of the Ecclesiasticall [Page 164] Hierarchie. And M. Doctour after his wonted manner, is heere reduplicating Religious, as Religious, but neuer Secular, as Secular, as he ought to haue donne, if he would make the comparison aright. But that had bene against his designe, for in such a comparison, it would instantly haue appeared, that Religious would haue had the better, who, if moreouer they be Priests, or Bishops, in those respects are equall to Secular Priests, or Bishops, and at least as much of the Hierarchie as they: which were enough for my purpose. Neuerthelesse, I will endeauour also to shew, that Religious, euen as Religious, according to S. Dennys, and S. Thomas, cannot be excluded from the Hierarchie of the Church: and so Religious Priests, Pastours, and Bishops, shalbe in more respects, of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, then Secular Priests, Pastours, and Bishops, namely, not onely as Priests, or Bishops, but also as they are Religious.
2 I grant, if we limit the name of Hierarchie to Bishops, Priests, Deacons &c. then to say, that Religious not Priests, or Bishops, are not of the Hierarchie, is noe [Page 165]more thē to say, that Religious not Priests, or Bishops, are noe Priests, or Bishops, which surely is noe great mystery. But it should be prooued, with what groūd the name of Hierarchie should be so limited. The holy Councell of Trent defineth against some moderne heretickes,Sess. 23. can. 6. who would take away all Order, and distinction of Degrees, in Gods Church; That there is a Hierarchie, and distinction consisting of Bishops, Priests, and other Ministers. But it were temerity, to affirme that the Councell intended to d [...]e as a matter of Faith, that vnder the name of Hierarchie, could be comprehended, only Bishops, Priests, or other Ministers, indued with Order, and Iurisdiction
3 And first of all, it cānot be demed, but that the name of Hierarchy hath a latitude. For, if it hath not; I demaund whether it signifieth onely Order, or only Iurisdiction. If onely Order; then Bishops, Archbishops. Primates, and Patriarches, clected, and confirmed, and consequently indued with full Iurisdiction of Ordinaries, shall not be of the Hierarchy, till they be consecrated: & so the Supreame Head of the whole Hierarchie, a Pope elected, shall not [Page 166]so much as be of the same Hierarchie, which, I suppose, M. Doctour will not grant. If the word Hierarchie, signify only Iurisdiction, then Priests, Bishops, Deacons &c. shall not be of he Hierarchie; till they be made Pastours, and receiue power of Iurisdiction, which likewise is against M. Doctour, chap. 8. n. 2. Therefore I inferre that the word Hierarchie, hath a latitude, and signifieth distinction, both in Order, and in Iurisdiction.
4 Moreouer, I demaund, whether the name of Hierarchie, must signify onely such Order, Iurisdiction, Office, or Ministerie, as haue their Institution immediately frō Christ: or else that to make one of the Hierarchie, it is sufficient they be instituted by the Church. If none be comprehēded, but such as are instituted by Christ, then it will remaine doubtfull, whether such as haue only lesser Orders, as Ostiarij, Lectours, Exorcists, and Acolythes be of the Hierarchie; because diuers Deuines hold, that those Orders were instituted onely by the Church: and Patriarches, Primates, Archbishops, Deanes, Vicar Generals, Archdeacons &c. shal certainly be excluded from the Hierarchie, because, [Page 167]as such, they are not of D [...]uine Institution: yea, parish Priest, (abstracting from their Orders) may doubt, whether they be of the Hierarchie, because it is not certaine, that their Institution is Deuine. If to make one of the Hierarchie, Deuine Institution be not requi [...]ed, it is a signe, that it hath a great latitude, and that it may comprehend Religious Superiours, whose particular Iuris [...]ictions, & Offices, are not immediately from the deuine Institution, as neyther Archbishops, Patriarches, Primates, Archdeacons, Vicars &c. are, although the Institution of Bishops in generall, be from our Sau [...]our Christ, who likewise instituted Re [...]s state in generall: So as Religious S [...] ours, must be of the Hierarchie, [...] we will also exclude Archbis [...]ps, P [...] archs &c. who ne no man [...]oth [...] exclude: yea seeing Superio [...]s to [...] ous Orders, are properly Ora [...] [...] Pastours of their sub [...]ects, i [...] that t [...] [...] of ordinary Iurisdiction, and as [...] Pastourship, they are more of the Hierarchy, then a Bishop only Dele [...]te in [...]espect of that place, for which [...] then Delegate. Mo [...]eo [...]er, those R [...]l [...]g [...]o [...] [Page 168]Superiours who by their Office are immoueable, and perpetuall, (whereby they are properly in a State) and are obliged to gouerne, illuminate, & perfect others (which are acts of perfection) are truly in a State of Perfectiō both to be acquired, & already acquired, & (in that respect) are in some particular manner, & degree, of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, more than Secular Bishops, euen Ordinaries, although no doubt in other respects Bishops do farre excell them.
5 That Religious Superiours as such, be of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, S. Bernard (cited by M. Doctour chap. 1. n. 17. to another purpose) doth expresly teach, while together which Primates, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, and Priests, he puts Abbots in Hierarchie of the Church, saying, as that there (in heauen) the [...]er [...]ph [...]s, and Cherubins, Caeteri quoqu [...] [...]s [...]ue ad [...]gelos, [...]. ca [...]. 4. & Archangelos, and all the rest, euen to the Angels, & Archangels (which M. Doctour translates, all the rest of the Angelles, and Archangels as if Seraphins, and Cherubins were Angels, and Archangels strictly vnderstood, and as they are of distinct orders, as S. Bernard heere taketh them) are ordered vnder [Page 169]one head, God; so here also vpon earth, vnder one cheife Bishop, Primates, or Patriarches, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, or Abbots, and the rest in the same manner. Behold, according to S. Bernard, Abbots, as distinct from Bishops, and Priests, belong to the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy: yea, he giueth the true reason thereof; namely, because all are ordered vnder one chief [...] Bishop, Christs Vicar. And heere, I haue reason, to complaine of M. Doctours dealing in the said place, for alledging S. Bernard, as if he said, that the Hierarchy of the Church is perturbed, when Abbots are subtracted from the Bishops Iurisdiction; whereas S. Bernard, in the very same place which M. Doctour cites, doth in expresse words, approue the exemption of Abbots from Bishops, and only disliketh exemption procured out of a spirit of disobedience, pride, and Ambition. His words are: Nonnulla tamen Monasteria, sita in diuersis Episcopatibus, quòd specialiùs pertinuerint, ab ipsa sua fundatione, ad Sedē Apostolicam pro volunt are fundatorum, quis nesciat? sed aliud est quod largitur deuotio, aliud quod molitur ambitio impatiens subicetionis: Neuerthelesse who can be [Page 170]ignorant, that some Monasteries, seated i [...] diuers Bishopricks, haue from their very foundation, particulary belonged to the Sea Apostolick, according to the will of the founders? But it is one thing what deuotion bestoweth, and another, what ambition, not brooking subiection, do [...]h atempt. But doth M. Doctour indeede thinke, that Pope [...] perturbe the Hierarchy of the Church, by exempting Religious men, from the Iurisdictiō of Bishops? or would he father on S. Bernard a thing, which neither himselfe, nor any good Catholick will auow? Mauclerus also, whom M. Doctour in his 10. chapter. n. 23. stileth a learned Doctour of Sorbon, Mancler. de Monarchia 1. partis l. 5. cap. 5. compareth Superiours in Religiō, to the Principalities; Secular Pastours, inferiours to Bishops, to Archangels; and Priests, not Curates, to Angeles: So that this learned Deuine, not only placeth Religious Superiours in the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, but also preferreth thē before Secular Pastours, & other Priests not Pastours; as in the Celestiall Hierarchy, Principalities are an Order aboue Archangels, & Angels. But let vs now out of S. Deunys, & S. Thomas, prooue that Religious, as Religious, be of the Hierarchy. This I will do, in that [Page 171]manner which M. Doctour, ought to haue vsed, by giuing the Definition of a Hierarchy, & by that to haue comprehended, or excluded Religious, or other persons whatsoeuer.
6 S. Dennys, de Eccles. Hierarch. cap. 1. defineth a Hierarchy in this manner. Qui Hierarchiam dixit, omnium simul sacrorum Ordinum dixit dispositionem. He that names a Hierarchy, names the disposition, or due ranking of all sacred Orders. What words are heere, to exclude Religious men? I am sure M. Doctour knowes well, that by sacred Orders, S. Dennys is farre from vnderstanding, as some vnlearned person might imagine, Holy Orders of Priesthood, Deacon, and Subdeacon. But by Orders, he vnderstands Professions, Institutes, Offices, Degrees &c. as before he had said; Hierarchia nostra dicitur, estque, ratio complectens sacra omnia quae ad eam pertinent: Our Hierarchy, is a certaine manner, comprchending all sacred things which belong to it. Otherwise all in lesser Orders, all Bishops, Archbishops, yea Popes, elected, but not consecrated, should not belong to the Hierarchy. But why should I seeke, a better interpreter of S. Dennys, then S. Dennys [Page 172]himselfe? Who in his 6. chapt. Titulo. Contemplatio; doth expressely put Monks to be one of the Orders in the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy: and a little after the beginning of the same Chapter, he plainely saith, Summus corum omnium qui initiantur, & perficiuntur, Ordo est sanctorum Monachorum. The highest of those, who are initiated, and perfected, is the Order of holy Monks. Before you heard him saying, that, a Hierarchy was the disposition of holy Orders, and now, almost word for word, he saith that Religiō is, Ordo sanctorum monachorū: The Order of holy Monks; & addeth, that this Order inde [...]uoureth to expresse the State of the perfecting Order of Bishops, with many other Encomiums of Religious Order, inculcating againe, that it is not Medij, eorum qui initiantur, Ordinis, sed summi omnium: That it is not of the midle Order, of these that are initiated, but of the chiefe of all. What could S. Dennys haue written more, for declaration that Religious are of the Hierarchy? And not only that they are of the Hierarchy, but that they are of it in a high Degree.
7 Out of S. Thomas it wilbe no lesse easy to prooue; That Religious men, are [Page 173]of the Hierarchy. He therefore 1. p. q. 108. art. 1. in corp. saith thus: Hierarchia est sacer principatus. In nomine autem principatus duo intelliguntur: scilicet ipse Princeps, & multitudo ordinata sub principe. A Hierarchy is a holy Principality. By which name of Principality, two things are vnderstood, namely the Prince himselfe, and a multitude ordered vnder the Prince. Are not, I pray you, Religious men, a multitude ordered vnder one Prince, the Vicar of Christ, & S. Peters successour? And if we will put force in the word Ordered, what multitude is more Ordered, thē that of Religious mē, which hath his very name from Order? In his second Article, he demands, Whether in one Hierarchy, there be more Orders (of Angels.) And he answers, that there are. Because it should not be an ordered, but a confused multitude, if in it there were not diuers orders. Which diuersity of Orders, is considered according to diuers offices, and acts, as in one Citty there are diuers orders, according to diuers actions: for their is one order of Iudges; another of fighting men; another of such as tille the ground. Marke how S. Thomas doth hold, that diuerse functions, and Acts, are sufficient for the distinction of Hierachies, although [Page 174]they do not alwaies presuppose Iurisdiction: And as temporall functions, not implying Iurisdiction, may make one of a Ciuill Commonwealth, so in the same manner spirituall Acts, professions, or functions, are sufficient to place one in the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy. This is also cleare out of S. Paul, in those very Texts, placed by M. Doctour in the Frontispice of his Booke, for proofe of diuerse Hierachicall Orders in the Church. Are all Apostles? are all Prophetes? are all Doctours? haue all the guift of Curing? Do all speake with Tongues? Do all Interpret? 1. Cor. 12. v. 28. Likewise; And he gaue some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some other Euangelists, and other some Pastours, and Doctours, to the consummation of the Saints, vnto the worke of the Ministery. Ephes. 4. v. 2. In which testimonies there are placed functions, ministeries, and acts, which import neither Order, nor Iurisdiction, as Prophets, Euangelists, Doctours, Working of Miracles, guift of Tongues &c.
8 S. Thomas goeth forward, saying; In Cities there is a threefold Order: Some are the highest, as the Chiefe men: Some of the lowest ranke, as the vulgar people: Some are [Page 175]of the midle sort; as Persons of better ranke; and so in euery Angelicall Hierarchy, Orders are distinguished. Out of which words, we may gather this ground; That all persons coipso, that they are parts of a Community, do belong to some Order thereof, according as the community it selfe is gouerned, by way of Democratie, Aristrocratie, or of a Monarchy; and so if it be a Monarchy, as the Church of Christ is, all persons that are parts of it, must like wise be of some Order. and ranke in such a Monarchy (for in Gods Church there is no confusion) yet so, as euery one haue a greater, or lesse eminent place, according to the perfection of his calling, and Profession, as we see S. Thomas placeth the common people in the lowest Order in a Citty, and S. Dennys c. 6. placeth in the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, Penitents, in infimo loco, scilicet, inter Purgandos, in the lowest place, namely, among such as were to be purged from their sinnes; and no Deuine will deny, that the very lowest Angels, belong to the Celestiall Hierarchy, as euen now we haue heard out of S. Thomas. Now, in what degree Religious men are to be placed, in the Monarchy of Gods Church, if themselues were to determine, [Page 176]they would according to our blessed Sauiours aduise, most gladly sit in the lowest place; but others who are well instructed, in the whole disposition of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, I [...]c. 14.10. come, and say, Amici ascendite superiùs. S. Greg. Nazian. orat. in laudem Basilii. Ascend higher. S. Gregory Nazianzen tells them, that their Order, is a very great one in the Church; Ecclesiae pars selectior, & sapientior: The more choise, and wiser part of the Church; and in another place, he tearmeth them: The Seruants, and Disciples of God; Orat 1. in Iulian. the first fruites ef our Lords stocke; Pillars, Crownes of Fayth; pretious Margarites &c. S. Hierom. ep. 17. ad Marcellam. S. Hierom saith, that the Quyre of Religious men is: Flos quidam, & pretiosissimus lapis, inter Ecclesiastica ornamenta; ‘A certaine Flowre, and most pretious stone among the ornaments of the Church.S. Bern. lib. de Praecepto & Dispens [...].’ S. Bernard, demaunding why a Religious life, is called a second Baptisme, giueth this answere: ‘Arbitror ob perfectam mundi abrenunciationem, ac singularem excellentiam vitae spiritualis, quae praeeminet vniuersis vitae humanae generibus. Huiuscemodi conuersatio, professores & amatores suos Angelis similes, & dissimiles facit, imò diuinam in homine reformat imaginem, configurans nos Christo instar Baptismi, [Page 177]& quasi denique secundò Baptizamur, dum per id quòd mortificamus membra nostra quae sunt super terram, Christum induimus, complantati similitudini mortis eius. I thinke (it is so called) by reason of perfect renunciation of the world, and singular excellency of spirituall life, which surpasseth all other kindes of humane life. This kind of conuersation makes the Professours thereof like, and vnlike to the Angels, yea it reformes in man the image of God, configuring vs to Christ like to Baptisme, and finally we receiue a second Baptisme, while by mortifying our members which are vpon earth, we put on Christ, being complanted to the similitude of his death.’ S. Augustine, by saying, that it is not in his power worthely to commend a Religious life,S. Aug. l. de [...]orth. Eccl. cap. 31. doth by such silence highly speake in commendation thereof. Hunc Ordinem (saith he) si laud are velim, neque dignè valeo, & vereor ne iudicare videar, per seipsum tantummodo, expositum, placere non posse. If I would praise this Order, I am not able worthily to doe it, and am afrayd least I should seeme to be of opinion, S. Diory [...]. eccles H [...]r. cap. 6. that of it selfe alone, it hath not power enough to please. What S. Dennys his esteeme was, of the [Page 178] Order of Religious, we haue already shewed; and in a word, he saith, that it is Ad summam perfectionem euectus, raised to the hight of perfection. Innumerable more praises of Religious life, I might alleadg out of the holy Fathers, but by these already produced, the reader cannot but rest satisfied, what place Religious men do ho [...]d in the Ecclessiasticall Hierarchy. Let vs returne to S. Thomas.
9 In the said Question a. 8. he demandes, whether Men be assumed to the Orders of Angels. And his resolution is: That by grace men may merit so great glory, that they may be made equall to Angels, according to euery degree of Angels, which is as much as to say, that men are assumed to the Orders of Angels. If Gratia consummata, Grace in his full perfectiō, can place Men in the same Orders with Angels, in the Celestiall Hierarchy; we haue no reason to doubt, but that, a profession, and star of life, most powerfull for attaining of perfection, in grace, and charity of this life, may suffice to place the professours thereof, among the cheifest Orders of the Ecclesi [...]sticall Hierarchy, which is framed to the similitude of that other in Heauen: [Page 179]yea seing the end of the whole Hierarchy, is the perfection of Charity; that profession cometh neerest to the very end, and scope of the whole Hierarchy, which tendeth most to perfection of our soules, consisting in Charity, and loue of God, without which, it importeth nothing to be, or not to be of the Hierarchy. And therefore S. Paule after he had set downe the Hierarchy of the Church,S. Paul. 1. Cor. 12. wherein he saith, God hath placed, Apostles, Doctours &c. cōcludeth: Aemulamini autē charismatameliora, let your cheife endeauour be, to attaine Charity, and other vertues.
10 What we haue labored, in proouing that Religious, as such, truly, and properly are of the Hierarchy, hath not bene, so much in regard of ourselues, as out of Duty, and Gratitude to those Pillars of Gods Church, those Counselours, and sole Electours of Christs Vicar, those whose sacred Roabes, signify their ardent charity, and ready mindes, freely to Sacrifice their life, for the good of the vniuersall Church, I meane, the most Illustrious Cardinals, of the holy Roman Church, whoso care, protecton, and sage aduice, next vnder God, and our [Page 180]Supreame Pastour, the Pope, haue kept our Church of England in a flourishing state, maugre all heate of a long continued persecution. For, if we restraine the Notion of a Hierarchy, only to such as are endued with Order, or Iurisdiction, those Peeres of Gods Church, must be excluded from the Churches Hierarchy, noe lesse then Religious men: Because the name of Cardinals, as Cardinals, that is, as they are Counsellers, and Electours of the Pope, signifies neither Iurisdiction, nor Order, although accidentally as Priests, or Bishops, they may haue both, as likewise Religious men may haue. And although a Cardinall hath power in his Church, and title, yet saith M. Doctour Chap. 10. n. 19. out of Belarmine, it is but like to the Iurisdiction, of a Parish Priest in his Parish; besides that such a power, is also of it selfe separable from the dignity of Cardinall, as Cardinall, whose charge is the vniuersall good, of the whole Church. But according to the grounds we haue laied, out of S. Dennys, S. Thomas, and reason itselfe, to proue that Religious are of the Hierarchy, it is euident, that the most Illustrious Cardinals, as Cardinals, are not [Page 181]only of the Hierarchy, but haue a most aminent place therein.
THE SEAVENTH QVESTION Whether by the precedent Questions, we haue sufficiently answered M. Doctours Treatise, for such points as eyther deserued confutation, or required explication.
1. I must ingenuously confesse that I haue not laboured to examine all, that might haue bene discussed in M. Doctours Treatise. But whether I haue sufficiently answered the points, by me handled, must in reason be left to the intelligent & vnpartiall Readers iudgement: whom I intreate to consider, whether I had not iust cause in my first Question, to saie, that the Reasons, and Authorities, by M. Doctour produced, for the most part proue against himselfe. Wherfo [...]e, in this Question, for the Readers ease, I will runne ouer, all the Chapters of M. [Page 182]Doctours Treatise; A suruey of M. Doctours and when any difficulty occurreth, point in what Question of mine, he may meete with the answere.
2 His Epistle in words exhorts to Charity,Epistle. but how much in deeds he hath by writing this Booke preiudiced Charity, the Reader will find in my first Question. What he saith n. 12. that Secular Priests, are by the deuine Institution gouernours of the Church I haue shewed to be a saying, without all ground, Question. 5. The Church must be gouerned by the Cleargy I grant, but I neuer heard that it must be gouerned by the Secular Cleargy. May not Bishops, and other Pastours, in Gods Church, be Religious men? How then is it the Deuine Institution, that the Church must be gouerned by the Secular Cleargy? In the same Number M. Doctour saith, the Seculars must honour the Regulars as helps, S. Paule vseth the word Opitulations. 1. Cor. 12. v 28. But he must giue vs leaue to hold, that in England, Regulars are no more ordained to help Secular Priests, then they to help Regulars: because all are Missionary Priests, equally sent by the Vicar of Christ, for the conuersion of soules. The literall sence of S. Paul, according [Page 183]to good Interpreters, is that by Opitulations, or Helpes, are vnderstood those, who helpe others, by exercising the works of mercy, towards the sicke, poore, distressed persons,S. Th 2.2. q. 184. a. 6. ad 2. Pilgrimes &c. S. Thomas, applies the word (Opitulations) to Archdeacons in respect of the Bishop. His saying n. 17 That without a Bishop English Catholiks are a stock without a Pastour; a spirituall Kingdom without, a spirituall King &c. (which similitudes, through his whole Treatise, he often, and tediously repeates) is disprooued Quest. 2. where also is confuted that other Assertion of his n. 18. That without a Bishop we can be no particular Chruch, and his proofe out of S. Cyprian, affirming, that the Church is the people vnited to the Bishop &c. is clearely answered. All that he hath in the same number, concerning the necessity of Confirmation (without which, he saith, we are not perfect Christians) and the fall of Nouatus, is answered, Quest. 4.
3 For his first seauen Chapters; as I imbrace the Doctrine;His first seauen Chapters in generall. so I cannot but be sory, that Articles of Faith, and Deuine verities, are no better imployed, then to vsher a fewe Chapters, writen vpon Humane [Page]designe.Chapter. 4. In his fourth Chapter. n. 2. he writeth: That an Ordinary must haue others to succeed him in the same authority, without any especiall new Graunt, and that in this consisteth the difference betwixt an Ordinary, and a Delegate. Out of these words, it most euidently followeth, that my Lord of Chalcedon is no Ordinary, because he hath no successour in his Authority, without an especiall new Grant.
4 To prooue that a Bishop is of an higher ranke in the Church, Chapter. 6. then a Priest, n. 4. he alleadgeth S. Ambrose in 1. Tim. 3. But I wish, he had brought a better proofe, for so true, and certain a Doctrine. For it is much doubted, whether those Commentaries vpon S. Paules Epistles, be indeed S. Ambrose his worke.Pet. Aroud. lib. 2.6.15. Petrus Arcudius writeth, that the Authour of the commentaries vpon the Epistles of S. Paul, affirmeth, Ecclesiasticall functions, to haue bene promiscuously performed in the primitiue Church, so that the Priest did the Office of the Bishop, and the Deacon that of a Priest, and in particular, that the Priests of Aegypt euen in those tymes did Confirme in absence of Bishops. How doth M. Doctour like this doctrine about Confirmation? In this same Chapter n. 7. M. [Page 185]Doctour, saith that the ancient Fathers relying on scriptures, haue euer taught that the Sacrament of Confirmation is to be ministred only by the Bishop, which hath also euer bene the practise of the Church. But concerning the Minister of Confirmation, I referre the Reader to my Quest. 4.
5 Heere, num. 14. He teacheth,Chapter. 7. that Catholicks ought to cōtribute maintenāce to my Lord of Chalcedon. This point toucheth lay Catholicks, nor will I further medle with it then to say, that M. Doctours arguments prooue only of an Ordinary as Scriptures, and Fathers commonly speake of Bishops. And accordingly S. Thomas sayeth: Plebs fidelis non tenetur, S. The. 2.2. q. 188. a. 4. ad 5. ex debito Iuris, ad sumptus ministrandos, nisi Ordinarijs Praelatis: Faithfull people are not bound, in Iustice, to prouide for the expenses of others, beside Ordinary Prelates. I know some do further say: That (except for the Sacramēt of Confirmation, which yet hath not been administred to many, and which also may be committed to a Priest) they find not what greater benefit, Lay Catholicks haue reaped by my Lord Bishop, then they may receiue from Secular, and Regular Priests: That rather since my Lords comming, some [Page 186]inconueniences haue happened, which they will not easily be perswaded, they are bound to buy with mony: That they cannot take much comfort to spare from their owne necessities (arising from daily pressures) for the maintenance of Agents, in diuers places, which they conceyue may help, to make that weed grow faster, which all should wish were wholy rooted out: That this point, of exacting maintenance, should haue been particularly made knowē to his Holinesse, when the sending a Bishop to England was treated: And finally, That all concurre in desire; that what they bestow may be giuen propriomotu, freely, and not importuned by the negotiation, or sollicitation of other men. These things, I say, & the like are spoken; but truly I haue no mind, to intermeddle in such matters, nor would I for a world diuert the charity of any man, from my Lord of Chalcedon, or any other Secular, or Regular Priest. Rather, I wish, all would excite themselues, wish that noble saying,Chrysost. [...]om. vlt. in [...]atth. of S. Iohn Chrysostome; That he is more honoured by almighty God, who hath receiued ability to help the poore, then if he had receiued the power, to vphold the Heauens if they were [Page 187]ready to fall. What happinesse then, O what an incomparable happinesse is it, to haue the occasion, power, and will, to maintaine those good seruants of God, without whose continued labours, the Heauen of mankind, true Religion, could not but fall in England?
6 In this Chapter he treateth;Chapter. 8 Who in particular belong to the Hierarchy of the Church. Which point I haue hādled Quest. 6. and prooued that Religious, as Religious, haue a very principall place in the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy. His example, of S. Frācis Xauiers respect to Bishops, prooues nothing, but where there are Ordinaries; & certaine it is, whatsoeuer submission he yeelded, euen to Ordinaries, it was of Humility, not of Obligation, himselfe being the Popes Legate, and aboue Ordinaries, to whome he could not in conscience subiect himselfe, if it had bene claimed as due, as likewise Religious men, cannot lawfully renounce Priuiledges, graunted by the Sea Apostolick. His saying n. 10. that the tytles of Patriarches, Archbishops, Priests, and Pastours, are tytles only of the Secular Cleargy, is reiected Quest. 5. and shewed to be full of partiality.
[Page 188] 7 Num. 13. Chapter. [...] He citeth the Councell of Trent Sess. 24. cap. 4. for bidding Regulars to preach, euen in the Churches of their owne Orders against the will of the Bishop. But why doth he not cite the Councell entirely? The words of the Councell are: Nullus autem Secularis, siue Regularis &c. Let no Secular, or Regular, enen in Churches of their owne Order, presume to preach agaynst the Bishops will. Heere is no more against Regulars, then Seculars: yea Regulars need no leaue of the Bishop, for preaching in their owne Churches: Only they must not do it, if he absolutely contradict them; which are two things much different. But Secular Priests, must haue leaue to preach in what place soeuer, vnlesse they be Curates, and so may do it by their Office, which also Religious may, if likewise they be Curates. Moreouer, the Coūcel speaketh only where there are Ordinaries: and according to the Councel, no Bishop can preach out of that Diocesse, of which he hath his Tytle, without particular Priuiledge; as also Religious men may do, if to that end they be priuiledged. Num. 15. He cites certaine sayings, as that, the Office of a Monke is not teaching but weeping &c. which out of S. Thomas [Page 189]I haue answered Quest. 5. where likewise is confuted the reason he giues n. 16. why Regulars came to haue care of the Church; and his saying, that their assumption to the Cleargy was extraordinary. Num. 18. he writeh thus: some may obiect, that some Religions Orders are instituted to preach, and to conuert Nations. Ergo, to these at least it appertaineth as well, as to the secular Cleargy to do these functions. I answere: that these Orders are indeed instituted to that purpose, but yet to help only, and assist the Cleargy; and to this they were not ordained by the deuine law, as Bishops, and Priests are, but by the Churches Institution. To this answere of M. Doctour, I answere, that, as I sad aboue, in England Regulars, are no more ordained to help Secular Priests, then Secular, to help Regulars, but both a like are sent, endued with Priuiledges to be helpers of soules; & Superious of Regulars, haue as much authority to send their subiects, as Presidents, or Rectours of Seminaries to send Secular Priests. And because M. Doctour, in the obiection speakes particularly, of conuerting Nations, where it is cleare there is no diuision of Parishes, or Diocesses, or institution of Parish Priests, [Page 190]and the like: I vnderstand not, how he can imagine that in such a worke, Regulars are only to help the Secular Priests: yea, according to my Lord Philip Rouenius (as I related in my 5. Question) Regulars are more sit for that employment then Seculars. What he saith, that such Religious, were not by the deuine law ordained to preach, as Bishops, and Priests are, hath been answered in the same 5. Question, where I shewed, that neither Secular, nor Regular Priests, cān preach without authority, and that Religious be as capable of such authority, and Office as Seculars: So as (if he compare a right Secular with Religious) he will in this find no difference. And I may add, that Regular Priests, of such orders as M. Doctour mentioned in the obiection, haue a particular kind of right, or, as I may say, dispositionem proximam, to such functions, which secular Priests, precisely by being Priests, haue not. For although Regular Priests of such Orders, haue no actuall Iurisdiction, or authority for the exercise of such Actions, till they receiue it from their Superiours; yet by their Institute, they haue a kind of right, to haue such authority graunted by their Superiours, who without [Page 190]iust cause, ought not to debarre them of that, to which they haue obliged themselues, by vndertaking that particular course of Religious life. But Secular Priests haue no obligation to such functions, vnlesse they be made Pastours, and take care of soules, which thousands neuer do, nor haue any obligation, to vndertake such a charge. Of the Apostles vow of pouerty, whereof n. 19. he taketh a needlesse occasion to treate by reason of an obiection which himselfe maketh, I haue spoken something in my 5. Question; & wish that some, more able, would do it more at large. In the end of the same number, he saith, that although we suppose the Apostles had bene Religious men, yet Christ gaue them not power to preach &c. as they were Religious, but as they were Bishops, and Priests; & so in this, not the Regulars, but the Seculars; to wit Bishops, & Priests, do succeed the Apostles. A strange speach! Because Bishops succeed the Apostles, therefore not the Regulars, but the Seculars succeed the Apostles: as if the name of Bishop, necessarily implied to be a Secular; or as if Religious Bishops, because they are not Secular, cannot succeed the Apostles in the office of preaching &c.
[Page 192] 7 In his 10.Chap. 10. Chapter. he treateth of the Dignity of Cardinals, whom we Quest. 6. haue shewed to be in a most eminent place, of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, euen abstracting from all Power of Order, or Iurisdiction.
8 Here he treateth of the state of Religious men, Chap. 11. and to this his Chapter answereth our 5. Question. Num. 10. To proue, that by loue two frindes are one soule, he aleadgeth S. Augustine lib. 4. Confesse cap. 6. saying, He thought himselfe halfe dead, when his other halfe, Nebridius was dead. But euery woman, that reades S. Augustines Confessions, translated into English, will see, that M. doctour in this is much mistaken. For, that friend, whose death S. Augustine, in that place mentioneth, died before the Saints owne conuersion, as is cleare out of the 4. chap. of the 4. booke by M. Doctour cited, whereas Nebridius was conuerted after S. Augustine; as may be seene lib. 9. chap. 3. That friend, died before S. Augustine went out of Africke; Nebridius was with him in Italy. And although this errour be not, for the matter, of much importance, yet it sheweth, how litle exact M. Doctour is, in looking vpon his [Page 193]Authours. In the 15 num, he saith: Some inferre that the Bishops mariage with his Church, is fi [...]mer and more indissoluble, then is mariage betwixt man a [...]d wif [...], which is contracted, but not consummated: because Matrimony conctracted only, is dissolued by entrance into Religion, but the mariage betwixt a Bishop and his C [...]urch, cannot so be disso [...]ued. But M Doctour might hēce haue rather inferred, the excellency of Religious Profession, which dissolueth Matrimony, only contracted, which Episcopall Dignity doth not dissolue. For certaine it is, that the Bond of Mariage, is more strict, then the conctract of a Bishop, with his Church; that being certainely of the Deuine lawe; this, at least probably, being only of the Churches Ordinance. Daily we see Bishops, leaue their Bishopricks, by renounciation, translation to some other Bishoprick, &c. But men cannot so leaue, or change their wiues, because the bond of mariage is more indissoluble. If a Bishop elected, and confirmed (not in holy Orders) do marry, it is valid, and the former contract with his Church is dissolued; But if he were first married, and afterward should take a Bishoprick, the first bond, as I said, still remaineth: [Page 194]All which are manifest arguments, that the contract of Matrimony, is stronger, then that of the Bishop with his Church. Wherfore the opinion of those [...]uthors by M. Doctour not named, must [...]ot (if we will haue it passe for good) be [...]nderstood absolutly, as he seemeth to al [...]adge them, but in some one particular respect, namely, that a Bishop cannot enter into Religion without particular leaue, as maried persons may after Matrimony only contracted. I say, particular leaue; for if we examine the matter well, it wilbe found, that the bound of Matrimony, is dissolued by Religious Profession, only in vertue of the Churches Ordination, and as it were by a generall dispensation, thereby to testify the singular excellency of Religious State: and so euen in this point, there is not much difference, bewixt maried persons, and a Bishop, who with leaue may also enter into Religion. Num 16. he alleadgeth out of S. Hierom: S. Hieron. Ep. ad Rust. Monach. Sic viue in M [...]nasterio, vt Clericus esse merearis: So liue in thy m [...]a [...]e [...]y, that thou mayst deserue to be a Clearke, to p [...]ooue that when a Rel [...]us man is made a Pastour, he is preferred to an higher calling, and to a vocation [Page 195]of greater perfection. But by M. Doctours good leaue, I find a man, whom I must prefer before him, bring a far different explication of S. Hieroms words.S. Tho. 2.2. q. 184. a. 8. ad. 4. For S. Thomas interprets those words, as exhorting lay Religious men, so to liue, as they may deserue to be made Clearkes; and noe doubt, but Religious men, being promoted to Orders, are in a more perfect calling, then Religious men, who haue no such Orders; and this interpretation saith S. Thomas, is apparent by the very manner of speaking vsed by S. Hierom. And it is worth the noting, that S. Thomas obiecteth against himselfe, the said words of S. Hierom (& answereth them in the manner we haue seene) in that very place, where, of set purpose, he teacheth, and prooueth, that Religious Priests, haue a more perfect calling, then Secular Pastours: So as M. Doctour both in the Assertion, and in his Proofe, expresly, and directly opposeth S. Thomas, whom yet he stiles the Prince of Deuines. Vtri credendum? Whom shall we beleiue? S. Thomas, or M. Doctour?
9 For as much as may seeme doubtfull in his 12. chapt. hath bene examined Quest. 2. and 3. Particularly in my 2. [Page 196] Question, his allegation, and inference out of S. Cyprians wordes, so often inculcated that the Church is Sacerdoti plebs adunata &c. and an explication he giues, of those other words of the same Father (Thou must knowe that the Bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the Bishop) are plainly confuted, as nothing consonant to S. Cyprians intention.
10 This 13. Chapter, the Reader will find answered (for as much as needes explication) in my 3. Question, Chapt. 13. where all the examples he draweth from the African Church are at large discussed. To prooue, that notwithstanding whatsoeuer persecution, raised particularly by occasion of Bishops, yet the Church must of necessity haue Bishops, n. 5. he writes thus: Wherfore, as we may gather out of the Ecclesiasticall histories, from the cruell Tyrant Nero, to the Clement Emperour Constantine the Great, there was scarce any Bishop of Rome, who was not a Martyr, or who at least suffered not great persecution. Twenty seuen of them are commonly auouched for Martyrs, to wit, Peter, Line &c. and in his margent he hath 27. Popes Martyrs before the time of Constantine. But in this account M. Doctour [Page 197]is much mistaken. For, the three last Popes by him reckoned, namely, Ioannes, Siluerius, and Martinus, were long after Constantine, who reigned the yeare of our Lord three hundred & six, & two hundred forty nine years after Nero, whose raigne was fifty seauen yeares after our Sauiour: wheras Ioannes was made Pope foure hundred sixty seauen yeares after Nero, and Siluerius thirteene yeares after Ioannes; & Martinus the yeare of our Lord six hūdred forty nine: after Nero fiue hundred ninety two years: so that vpon the whole account, in the first two, M. Doctour erreth more thē two hundred twenty yeares, in the space of only foure hundred sixty seauen; and in the last, namely, Martinus, he erreth three hū dred forty three yeares, in the space of fiue-hundred ninety two, which is more then halfe. Besids, these last three were made Popes in times, which did not particularly oppose the Creation of Popes, or Bishops, for which M. Doctour produceth them, but they suffered in time of Christianity, namely, Ioannes vnder Iustinus the elder, by the hereticall King Theodoricus [...] Siluerius by Theodora the Empresse; and Martinus vnder Constans the Hereticall [Page 198]Emperour. Still M. Doctour is found not to be so exact, as one would haue expected.
11 For the answere of his 14. Chapter, Chap. 14. the Reader may be pleased to read what I haue sayd, quest. 2.3.4. Num. 3. He sayth that England was long without a Bishop, because Superiours were informed, that he would presently be taken, and put to death. If any reasons were proposed to Superiours, concerning the difficulties, of hauing a Bishop in England, I suppose they were other reasons, then this mentioned by M. Doctour: But this is a businesse which belongs not to me. Neuerthelesse, M. Doct. in his next following 15. chapter, seemeth to contradict, what heere he sayth, and to make good this very reason, which heere he impugneth. For in that chapter n. 6. he telleth vs, that King [...]ames of famous memory, after he knew that the Bishop was entred, and was in London, he would not cō maund him to be apprehended, as he might easily both in London, and any part of England, Kings hauing long, and powerfull armes.
12 His 15. chapter, Chapt. 15. is to prooue, that to haue a Bishop in England, cannot probably [Page 199]increase persecution. It were easie to shew, how insufficient M. Doctours arguments are, if it were conuenient, to enter into some particulars, from which it is better to abstaine, although M. Doctour, hath taken the freedome to do otherwise. Wherefore the iudicious reader, wilbe pleased to excuse me, from answering M. Doctours arguments in patticular, which may be done onely by distinguishing, what indeed ought to be, and what is likely will, or rather hath already happened, by reason of the present circumstances in our countrey: and his arguments, do also prooue, that the whose profession, and practise of Catholicke Religion, ought in reason to be tollerated in England, which is a thing in it selfe most true, yet we finde the contrary by experience.
13 Num. 10. He sayth, that my Lord of Chalcedon, hath onely a generall [...]rituall power and Iurisdiction, ouer the Cleargy, and lay Catholicks in spirituall matters. I haue noe intention to dispute of my Lords authority: But this proposition of M. D. makes good what I said in my first Question: that he will either displease my Lord, by extenuating his Authority, or else make [Page 200]such his authority dreadfull to Catholicks. For if this generall authority which he giues to my Lord, be onely in foro interno, then it taketh from my Lord, power to make a certaine Hierarchy of Vicar Generals, Arch deacons, &c. (for such offices are for authority in f [...]ro externo) to meddle with Matrimoniall causes, to prooue Wills, dispose of pious Legacies, visit Catholicks houses, erect a Tribunall &c. and hence it further is clearely deduced, that my Lord is Ordinary, neyther in name, nor power: For Ordinaries can do these things mentioned: yea this is also manifest, by what M. Doctour teacheth, that my Lord of Chalcedon can challenge No Bishopricke, no not so much as the poorest Parish in England. Ergo, according to M. Doctour. my Lord of Chalcedō hath not for England all the Faculties, which other Ordinaries haue, who certainly can challenge some one particular Diocesse, and diuers particular Parishes. Moreouer, seeing M. Doctour teacheth, that my Lord hath noe Title giuen him, to any particular Bishopricke in England, but onely to Chalcedon, he must consequently auerte, that my Lord cannot giue the [...]les of Vicar Generall, Archdeacon [Page 201]&c. of London, or any other place, seeing my Lord himselfe hath noe such Title, nor is Bishop of London, or any other Diocesse. If M. Doctours meaning be, that my Lords generall spirituall power ouer lay Catholicks, is also in foro externo, and extēds it selfe to the things aboue mētioned, then Catholicks haue already told my L. in a letter directed to his Lordship, how preiudiciall such an Authority must be to them. To say, my Lord hath such power, but is resolued not to practise it, will not satisfy: because they are loath, all their security should depend vpon the free will, or particular dictamen of a man, although neuer soe learned, and wise, who either vpon some new occurring motiues, and reasons, or by the instigation of others, may alter his minde, and practise that, which himselfe once had no intention to practise. And they will thinke, that they are lesse to be blamed for such a feare, seeing my Lord claymed an authority (for example of approouing regulars, for hearing the Confessions of secular persons) which prooued not to be due vnto him, & which did concerne, euen the lay Catholicks, in highest degree (for who would not rather [Page 202]haue their bodies disioynted on the racke, then their soules tormented with scruple of inualid Confessions?) they will, I say, thinke it no vnreasonable feare, that if my Lord, in that particular, challenged an authority not due, he might in some occasion practise a Right granted as due. Finally, if such Authority be not practizable, why should it be pretended? especially with so great feare, and offence of many worthy Catholicks. Rather, the very pretending it, will put men in feare, that something else is intended, beside a bare power, neuer to be practised. But, as I sayd, my meaning is not, to meddle with my Lords Authority further thē is necessary for Discussion, of some propositions, deliuered by M. Doctour concerning that point.
14 Num. 11. He endeauours to prooue, that Religious neede not feare, least my L. Bishop incroach vpon their Priuiledges, and that although there be some difference betwixt him, and them concerning approbation, yet they neede not feare their other Priuiledges: as if their other Priuiledges, were more priuiledged then this, or had power to hinder men from making whatsoeuer clayme against them. Rather, by what [Page 203]hath bene attempted in one, we may coniecture what may befall the other.
Num. 12. He sayth there are no other lawes against a Bishop, then are already enacted, and in force against Priests, and Religious. What the lay gentlemen, who are skilfull in the moderne, and antient lawes of England, iudge of the particular danger, to which they might be hable, if they should accept my Lord as Ordinary, M. Doctour will finde in their sayd letter. That which more properly belongs to me, is, that although there were in this, the same reason of a Bishop, and Priests; yet the necessity of hauing Priests, and a Bishop is not alike. Without the one we cannot haue remission of our sinnes, the holy Sacrifice of the Masse, the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar &c. Without the other, we may haue all things, euen the Sacrament of Confirmation; for as for ordaining Priests in England, it is neither needfull, nor, for any thing I know, practised by my Lord of Chalcedon.
15 And thus hauing set downe, some few, of those many things, which might haue bene obserued, in M. Doctours Treatise, I will make an end, if first I haue sincerly [Page 204]told the reader, what was my wish, when I vndertooke this Discussion, and what at this present my harty desire is, & I hope in God for euer shall be. My wish at the first was: That, rather then I should vtter any thing, in diminution of Charity, in disparagement of sacred Episcopall Dignity, in preiudice of the common good of Catholicks; Almighty God would forbid my penne to cast inke, and (if that were not enough) benumbe my right hand, as it happened to the Emperour Valens, while he was penning a Decree, to banish that holy Monk, and Bishop, S. Basil the Great, out of his Church. My present desire is, that howsoeuer Regulars may by some be esteemed to oppose for their own ends, the hauing a Bishop in englād, or some authority by him chalēged; yet in testimony of the contrary, I, who acknowledg my selfe, of all others the most imperfect, am not so insensible of the good of soules, but that I would most willingly spend my bloud, for the purchasing of times, sutable with the enioying of a Catholick Bishop in England, endued with as much Authority, as any particular Bishop in the whole Church of God. And vpon this happy condition, [Page 205]I cordially wish, that the last moment of writing these lines, might prooue, the longest tearme of my life.
Faults escaped in the printing.
Page | Line | Fault | Correction. |
22 | 6 | Diocesses | Diocesse |
44 | 1 | he doth wronge | he wronge |
64 | 1 | reason | reasons |
95 | 24 | meanes | measure |
ibid | 25 | measure | meanes |
110 | 1 | (sayd truely | (said this truly |
123 | 15 | as man | a man |
131 | 17 | Relious | Religious |
151 | Add in the margent ouer against the word S. Hierome this Note: Ep. 22. de Custod. virg. ad Eustoch. |