Sect. 1. Holiness of life, is needless by the Popish Doctrine, though the Lord hath made this every way necessary both as a duty, which he indispensably requires: and as a means, without which he ordinarily will save no man, it is declared necessary both ways at once, Heb. 12. 14. The Papists indeed boast much of it, and seem sometimes to lay great stress on it, as if they would have it to be a character of the true Church; concluding theirs is the only true Church; because there is no Holiness to be found in the World, but amongst them only. Thus they pretend it to be of greatest consequence, but this is but to serve another turn, the design is not for Holiness of life, for their Doctors count that more than needs. And really they are extreme good Husbands here, and make a little Holiness go a great way: for it is enough to denominate the Universal Church holy; if there be but one holy person in it, so Costerus. (a)How many soever of its Members be dead, and impious; so long, as there is any one man, that retains Holiness, the Church must be called holy. And then to make this one man holy, one act of virtue is enough; and that a very slender one too, for saith Bannes. (b)Any one act of Charity how weak soever it be, is enough to fulfil all the commandments of God. Now he is doubtless a holy man, who fulfils all those Commandments. Further, this one act he need but do once, and that not all his life, he may defer it, till he dye, if he have no mind to trouble ⟨p. 154⟩himself with it in any part of his life before, as we have already showed. Yea, and he may be excused from it, when he is a dying too, as well as whilst he lives, if he can but get a Priest to absolve him: and (c)the Priest must absolve him, if the dying man give but any sign, which may be interpreted a desire of it. And their Sacrament he must have and be absolved absolutely when speechless and senseless, if any can but witness that he desired Confession. Antonin. 3. part. tit. 10. c. 2. Sylvest. v confess. 3. n. 16. Paludan. dist. 21. q. 2. a. 2. Concl. 2. Yea if he did not desire it, nor ever give any sign of Repentance; he may be conditionally absolved, Ritual Pauli. 5. And though he have lived wickedly without restraint all his days, if at last gasp he be attrite, and have but (though it never appear) the virtue of Judas (only hoping better i. e.
Sect. 1. HOliness of life, is needless by the Popish Doctrine, though the Lord hath made this every way necessary both as a duty, which he indispensably requires: and as a means, without which he ordinarily will save no man, it is declared necessary both wayes at once, Heb. 12. 14. The Papists indeed boast much of it, and seem sometimes to lay great stress on it, as if they would have it to be a character of the true Church; concluding theirs is the only true Church; because there is no Holiness to be found in the World, but amongst them only. Thus they pretend it to be of greatest consequence, but this is but to serve another turn, the design is not for Holiness of life, for their Doctors count that more than needs. And really they are extream good Husbands here, and make a little Holiness go a great way: for it is enough to denominate the Universal Church holy; if there be but one holy person in it, so Costerus. (a)How many soever of its Members be dead, and impious; so long, as there is any one man, that retains Holiness, the Church must be called holy. And then to make this one man holy, one act of vertue is enough; and that a very slender one too, for saith Bannes. (b)Any one act of Charity how weak soever it be, is enough to fulfil all the commandements of God. Now he is doubtless a holy man, who fulfils all those Commandements. Further, this one act he need but do once, and that not all his life, he may defer it, till he dye, if he have no mind to trouble ⟨p. 154⟩himself with it in any part of his life before, as we have already shewed. Yea, and he may be excused from it, when he is a dying too, as well as whilest he lives, if he can but get a Priest to absolve him: and (c)the Priest must absolve him, if the dying man give but any sign, which may be interpreted a desire of it. And their Sacrament he must have and be absolved absolutely when speechless and senseless, if any can but witness that he desired Confession. Antonin. 3. part. tit. 10. c. 2. Sylvest. v confess. 3. n. 16. Paludan. dist. 21. q. 2. a. 2. Concl. 2. Yea if he did not desire it, nor ever give any sign of Repentance; he may be conditionally absolved, Rituale Pauli. 5. And though he have lived wickedly without restraint all his days, if at last gasp he be attrite, and have but (though it never appear) the vertue of Judas (•only hoping better i. e.
- (a)Tametsi ejus plurima membra sint emortua & impia, non amittit tamen Sancti nomen, quamdiu vel unus pietatem ex animo colens, retinet sanctitatem. Enchirid. l. 3. c. 8. Possibile est, quod tota fides remaneret in uno solo: & verum esset dicere, quod fides non deficit in ecclesia. Abbas in Sylvest. v. Concil. n. 3.
- (b)Quilibet actus charitatis, quantumlibet remissus, sufficit ad implendum omnia praecepta in 2. 2ae. q. 44. a 5.
- (c)Vid. above 40 Doctors for this in Jo. Sanc. disp. 44. n. 34. Sacramenta Baptismi & absolutionis posse conferri, etiam ijs qui in periculo vitae sunt, licet ipsi vi morbi oppressi non habeant usum rationis aut sensuum: modo constét eos antea desiderasse ejusmodi Sacramenta. Bellarm. de effect. Sacrament. l. 2. c. 8. p. 121. Actus charitatis semper requiritur ad justificationem seclusis tamen Sacramentis: Sacramenta autem in non ponente obicem, eundem habent effectum, quem haberet charitas & contritio sine Sacramento. Canus. Relect de paen t. pars. 3. p. 844. Thus, though an act of charity, or repentance be requisite always where the Sacraments cannot be had; yet the Sacraments in him that gives no obstruction (as he does not, who has neither the use of sense or reason) have the same effect, that love to God, or Repentance would have, without the Sacrament. i. e. the Sacrament will justify and save them, who have no act of love to God, or true Repentance.Vid. above 40 Doctors for this in Jo. Sanc. disp. 44. n. 34. Sacramenta Baptismi & absolutionis posse conferri, etiam ijs qui in periculo vitae sunt, licet ipsi vi morbi oppressi non habeant usum rationis aut sensuum: modo constét eos antea desiderasse ejusmodi Sacramenta. Bellarm. de effect. Sacrament. l. 2. c. 8. p. 121. Actus charitatis semper requiritur ad justificationem seclusis tamen Sacramentis: Sacramenta autem in non ponente obicem, eundem habent effectum, quem haberet charitas & contritio sine Sacramento. Canus. Relect de paen t. pars. 3. p. 844. Thus, though an act of charity, or repentance be requisite alwayes where the Sacraments cannot be had; yet the Sacraments in him that gives no obstruction (as he does not, who has neither the use of sense or reason) have the same effect, that love to God, or Repentance would have, without the Sacrament. i. e. the Sacrament will justifie and save them, who have no act of love to God, or true Repentance.
