Fifthly: It will satisfy the precept, if a man believe that he loves God above all, though indeed he do not. So Lopez. (d)It is enough ⟨p. 106⟩to avoid the sin of neglecting this Precept, for one to believe probably that be fulfils it at the time when its Obligation occurs. Navarre had concluded this before him. (e)He that believes God, probably believing that he is in the state of Grace, and that his Love is a love of God above all, although in Truth it is no such thing, nor he in such a state; nevertheless, the Precept is fulfilled by him so far, that he is not then guilty of no sin for omitting the observance of it; he adds this reason for it, Because without special revelation, no man can know when he is in the state of Grace, as the Council of Trent determines; and so unless we maintain this, we cannot know when we fulfil the Precept. Thus, though his determination seem strange and desperate, yet the ground he proceeds on, is a principle of their Faith, and obligeth all to be of his persuasion, who submit to that Council. He declares himself further to this purpose. (f)He sins mortally, who loves not God at that time when he is bound to do it, under the pain of mortal sin, that is, when there is danger of death, or necessity of receiving, or administering a Sacrament, unless he probably believe that he hath Grace or Charity; For then, he would have us believe it is not sin, as his limitation shows. Here we have the times specified, wherein the Precept of loving God obligeth, and these are but two, and the latter of them himself expungeth, concluding it false, that we are bound to love God at a Sacrament. (g)So that a man is never bound to love God, but when he apprehends death approaching: no, nor at the point of death neither, if then he probably believe that he hath Grace and Charity, though he have it not; for such a presumption will excuse him from sin, if he love not God, (as all his life before, so) even when he is dying. Thus is the case resolved according ⟨p. 107⟩to their common principles, by the most learned, and the most pious of their Casuists, as (h)Bellarmine honours him, though he was none of the Society.
Fifthly: It will satisfie the precept, if a man believe that he loves God above all, though indeed he do not. So Lopez. (d)It is enough ⟨p. 106⟩to avoyd the sin of neglecting this Precept, for one to believe probably that be fulfils it at the time when its Obligation occurrs. Navar had concluded this before him. (e)He that believes God, probably believing that he is in the state of Grace, and that his Love is a love of God above all, although in Truth it is no such thing, nor he in such a state; nevertheless, the Precept is fulfilled by him so far, that he is not then guilty of no sin for omitting the observance of it; he adds this reason for it, Because without special revelation, no man can know when he is in the state of Grace, as the Councel of Trent determines; and so unless we maintain this, we cannot know when we fulfil the Precept. Thus, though his determination seem strange and desperate, yet the ground he proceeds on, is a principle of their Faith, and obligeth all to be of his perswasion, who submit to that Council. He declares himself further to this purpose. (f)He sins mortally, who loves not God at that time when he is bound to do it, under the pain of mortal sin, that is, when there is danger of death, or necessity of receiving, or administring a Sacrament, unless he probably believe that he hath Grace or Charity; For then, he would have us believe it is not sin, as his limitation shews. Here we have the times specified, wherein the Precept of loving God obligeth, and these are but two, and the latter of them himself expungeth, concluding it false, that we are bound to love God at a Sacrament. (g)So that a man is never bound to love God, but when he apprehends death approaching: no, nor at the point of death neither, if then he probably believe that he hath Grace and Charity, though he have it not; for such a presemption will excuse him from sin, if he love not God, (as all his life before, so) even when he is dying. Thus is the case resolved according ⟨p. 107⟩to their common principles, by the most learned, and the most pious of their Casuists, as (h)Bellarmine honours him, though he was none of the Society.
- (d)Satis est ad evitandum peccatum omissionis hujus praecepti, probabiliter quis credat, se illud implere tempore, quo occurrit ejus obligatio. cap. 40. p. 217.
- (e)•de, eum qui diligit Deum, probabiliter cred ns se esse in statu gratiae, subindeque suum amorem esse amorem Dei super omne aliud, quamvis in rei ve•itate non sit hujusmodi, n•q•e sit in codem statu; nihilominus tamen adimplere hoc praeceptum, quoad effectum evitandi no•um peccalum quod admitteretur ob omissionem implementi ejus, quoniam sine speciali revelatione scire non potest quis, quando est in statu gratiae ut definit Conc. Trident. Et •a nisi hoc teneamus, nequiremus scire quando hoc praeceptum impleremus. Cap. 11. n. 10.
- (f)Peccat mortaliter, qui eo tempore Deum amare negligit, quo sub peccati mortalis reatu t•netur, veluti quando mórtis periculum, vel necessitas recipiendi vel administrandi aliquod Sacramentum se obtulit, nisi probabiliter crederet se gratiam vel charitatem, habere. idem ibid. n. 20.
- (g)Ibid. n. 8. & 9. supra.
- (h)Martinus, Aspilcaeta, Navarrus, vir doctissimus, & Pijssimus. De script. Eccles. p. 313.
