The Sacraments of the living are their other five, Confirmation, Orders, Matrimony, extreme Unction, and the Eucharist: these they say were instituted for the increase of Grace, this is their proper effect; and that they may have their effect, there is not requisite in the partakers any actual disposition at all, not the least inward act or motion that is good; no, not so little as that of attrition, which in their account is of all others (k)the least and lowest disposition. And well may they count it so, since the best sort of it, with them, is but the issue of servile fear; which, as such, is below the least degree of moral goodness; and so far from being supernaturally good, that it is morally evil, as we shall see hereafter. All that is needful, is only that the partakers be in a state of Grace, (such as a Priest may put a sinner into who is impenitent, and never truly contrite) though he show it not by any act in the Sacraments where, if ever, it should appear. ⟨p. 48⟩(l)That the Sacraments may confer an increase of Grace, they only require an habitual disposition, i. e. that they be received in the state of Grace: this is the judgment of Aquinas and Scotus, whom the rest generally follow. So that to partake worthily of these Sacraments, no actual disposition, no act of reverence or devotion, not any inward motion (such as should be in true worshippers) is more required or expected than in the senseless Statues which they idolize. Their souls need act or move no more as worshippers of God herein, than if they were neither Christians nor men; than if they were so far from having grace, as to have no souls. Yea, these Sacraments may be valid, and duly celebrated, as their Church requires they should be; while the partakers are, not only void of all good motion towards God; but while their souls are in motion against him, and all that is divine and sacred. Their minds and hearts may, during the celebration, be taken up with acts, not only of folly and vanity, but of pride, or lusts, or revenge, or infidelity, or atheism, or what is most contrary to the most holy God and his worship, and yet partake as well as the Church requires. (m)For the precepts of their Church, concerning the administering of the Sacraments, and all other things by her enjoined, may be entirely satisfied by acts of wickedness. So notoriously holy is that Church, by the report of their chief Writers.
The Sacraments of the living are their other five, Confirmation, Orders, Matrimony, extreme Ʋnction, and the Eucharist: these they say were instituted for the increase of Grace, this is their proper effect; and that they may have their effect, there is not requisite in the partakers any actual disposition at all, not the least inward act or motion that is good; no, not so little as that of attrition, which in their account is of all others (k)the least and lowest disposition. And well may they count it so, since the best sort of it, with them, is but the issue of servile fear; which, as such, is below the least degree of moral goodness; and so far from being supernaturally good, that it is morally evil, as we shall see hereafter. All that is needful, is only that the partakers be in a state of Grace, (such as a Priest may put a sinner into who is impenitent, and never truly contrite) though he shew it not by any act in the Sacraments where, if ever, it should appear. ⟨p. 48⟩(l)That the Sacraments may confer an increase of Grace, they only require an habitual disposition, i. e. that they be received in the state of Grace: this is the judgment of Aquinas and Scotus, whom the rest generally follow. So that to partake worthily of these Sacraments, no actual disposition, no act of reverence or devotion, not any inward motion (such as should be in true worshippers) is more required or expected than in the sensless Statues which they idolize. Their souls need act or move no more as worshippers of God herein, than if they were neither Christians nor men; than if they were so far from having grace, as to have no souls. Yea, these Sacraments may be valid, and duly celebrated, as their Church requires they should be; while the partakers are, not only void of all good motion towards God; but while their souls are in motion against him, and all that is divine and sacred. Their minds and hearts may, during the celebration, be taken up with acts, not only of folly and vanity, but of pride, or lusts, or revenge, or infidelity, or atheism, or what is most contrary to the most holy God and his worship, and yet partake as well as the Church requires. (m)For the precepts of their Church, concerning the administring of the Sacraments, and all other things by her enjoyned, may be intirely satisfied by acts of wickedness. So notoriously holy is that Church, by the report of their chief Writers.
- (k)Est minima & imperfectissima dispositio quae in ordine supernaturali requiri potest.
- (l)Ut Sacramenta conferant augmentum gratiae solum requirunt habitualem gratiae dispositionem, id est, quod in statu gratiae recipiantur. Haec est sententia D. Thom. Scoti & aliorum in Suar. tom. 3. disp. 7. Sect. 4. All that is required to put them into this state, and free them from conscience of mortal sin, (and so to give them all the disposition necessary for the Eucharist, and so for the other Sacraments) is their ritual confession: yet even this they may neglect lawfully, or without any great fault, as divers amongst them (and those Dominicans) determine. Cajetan. sum v. communio. Fumus v. Paludanus, Sylvester in Ledesma de Eucharist. C. 11. Jo. de la Cruz de Eucharist. q. 5. concl. 2.
- (m)Praeceptum adimpleri potest peractum ex aliqua circumstantia malum it a S. Thom. Medina, Navarre, & alii in Bonac. supra. Nam alia praecepta tum sacramentorum tum in aliis materiis, impleri possunt per actum p•cc•minosum Suar. ibid. disp. 70. Sect. 3. after Corduba, Soto, Covarruvius, whether it be less or more wicked, is all one, disp. 88. Sect. 3.Praeceptum adimpleri potest peractum ex aliqua circumstantia malum it a S. Thom. Medina, Navar, & alii in Bonac. supra. Nam alia praecepta tum sacramentorum tum in aliis materiis, impleri possunt per actum p•cc•minosum Suar. ibid. disp. 70. Sect. 3. after Corduba, Soto, Covarruvius, whether it be less or more wicked, is all one, disp. 88. Sect. 3.
