Sylvester pretends to make more knowledge requisite than Rosella, but yet he determines, (x)That mere want of knowledge is no sin; that it ⟨p. 71⟩is not a sin to be ignorant of what he ought to know, but upon the account of negligence; that negligence to know things necessary to Salvation may be a mortal sin sometimes, but when, it is hard to tell, yea impossible. So that here is encouragement enough to continue carelessly in ignorance of things necessary to Salvation, and to neglect saving knowledge; for when this is a mortal sin, no man can tell; and a venial fault, no man needs avoid. In short, they not only justify simple ignorance, how gross so-ever, but that which has a worse character (ignorantia pravae dispositionis): and count it no crime not only to want the knowledge of the Articles of Faith, but out of Ignorance to entertain opinions contrary thereto. He that believes an Heresy, saith Navarre, (a)out of simplicity or ignorance, because he thinks the Church holds it, and is ready to relinquish it when the Truth shall be discovered, regularly he sins not mortally. And with Alphonsus a Castro, no kind of Heresy is a sin, if it be out of ignorance, & without pertinacy, (b)If their Teachers instill such Errors into the People, and they through Ignorance, receive impressions contrary to points of Faith, and follow such Guides blindfold; therein they sin not. (c)Yea, I say more, saith Angelus, Sometimes such an error may be meritorious; for example, One hears a famous Preacher or a Bishop preach some Error, and he simply believes it, with a mind to be obedient to the Faith, but ready to be reduced; for things are to be judged of by the intention. But (d)sometimes it may be a venial fault, as when an old Woman believes the Trinity to be one Woman; and because she thinks the Church so holds, therefore believes it.
Sylvester pretends to make more knowledge requisite than Rosella, but yet he determins, (x)That mere want of knowledge is no sin; that it ⟨p. 71⟩is not a sin to be ignorant of what he ought to know, but upon the account of negligence; that negligence to know things necessary to Salvation may be a mortal sin sometimes, but when, it is hard to tell, yea impossible. So that here is incouragement enough to continue carelesly in ignorance of things necessary to Salvation, and to neglect saving knowledge; for when this is a mortal sin, no man can tell; and a venial fault, no man needs avoid. In short, they not only justifie simple ignorance, how gross so-ever, but that which has a worse character (ignorantia pravae dispositionis): and count it no crime not only to want the knowledge of the Articles of Faith, but out of Ignorance to entertain opinions contrary thereto. He that believes an Heresie, saith Navar, (a)out of simplicity or ignorance, because he thinks the Church holds it, and is ready to relinquish it when the Truth shall be discovered, regularly he sins not mortally. And with Alphonsus a Castro, no kind of Heresie is a sin, if it be out of ignorance, & without pertinacy, (b)If their Teachers instill such Errours into the People, and they through Ignorance, receive impressions contrary to points of Faith, and follow such Guides blindfold; therein they sin not. (c)Yea, I say more, saith Angelus, Sometimes such an errour may be meritorious; for example, One hears a famous Preacher or a Bishop preach some Errour, and he simply believes it, with a mind to be obedient to the Faith, but ready to be reduced; for things are to be judged of by the intention. But (d)sometimes it may be a venial fault, as when an old Woman believes the Trinity to be one Woman; and because she thinks the Church so holds, therefore believes it.
- (x)Privatio ipsa scientiae secundum se non sit peccatum v. ignorant. n. 8. est peccatum ratione negligentiae ibid. negligentia addiscendi necessaria ad salutem, quae aliquando est mortale, licet hoc judicare sit difficile. v. acedia. n. 3. non potest sermone determinari. v. praedicat. n. 7. Supra. Ipsamet ignorantia vincibilis non est formaliter peccatum nec commissionis, nec omissionis, &c. Bonacina de peccat. d. 2. q. 8. p. 3. n. 31. After Corduba, and many others.
- (a)Idem ibid. n. 9. Si prae simplicitate aut ignorantia id credit, quia sibi videtur ecclesia ita tenere, & est paratus errorem deponere quandocunque veritatem fuerit edoctus—nec peccat mortaliter regulariter, l. 11. n. 22. p. 141.
- (b)Lib. 1. advers. Haeres. c. 9.
- (c)Immo plus dico, quod aliquando talis error possit esse meritorius, ut puta; aliquis audit aliquem praedicatorem famosum, vel Episcopum praedicasse aliquim errorem, & simplex credit animo obediendi fidei, paratus tamen corrigi. Nam ex intentione opera judicantur cum voluntate. de sent. excom. sum. Angel. v. fides. n. 6.
- (d)Aliquando cum peccato veniali, ut puta, vetula credit Trinitatem esse unam faemiram: & quoniam credit Ecclesiam sic tenere, sic credit, ib. ibid.
