A dissvvasive from popery to the people of Ireland By Jeremy Lord Bishop of Dovvn.

Sect. III.

THe Roman Doctrine of Indulgences was the first oc∣casion of the great Change and Reformation of the Western Churches, begun by the Preachings of Martin Luther and others; and besides that it grew to that intolerable abuse, that it became a shame to it self, and a reproach to Christendome, it was also so very an Innovation, that their great Antoninus confesses,* 1.1 that concerning them we have nothing expresly, either in the Scriptures, or in the sayings of the Ancient Doctors: and the same is affirmed by Sylvester Pri••rias. Bishop Fisher of Rochester sayes,* 1.2 that in the beginning of the Church there was no use of Indulgences; and that they began after the people were a while affrighted with the tor∣ments of Purgatory; and many of the School-men con∣fess that the use of Indulgences began in the time of Pope Alexander the third, towards the end of the XII Century: but Agrippa imputes the beginning of them to Boniface the VIII; who liv'd in the Reign of King Edward the First of England; 1300. years after Christ. But that in his time the first Jubilee was kept

we are assur'd by Crantzius. This Pope * 1.3 lived and died with very great infamy, and therefore was not likely from himself to transfer much honour and repu∣tation to the new institution. But that about this time Indulgences began, is more than probable; much before it is certain they were not. For in the whole Canon Law written by Graetian, and in the sentences of Peter Lombard there is nothing spoken of Indulgences: Now because they liv'd in the time of P. Alexander III. if he had introduc'd them, and much rather if they had been as antient as S. Gregory (as some vainly and weakly pre∣tend, from no greater authority than their own Le∣gends) it is probable that these great Men, writing Bo∣dies of Divinity and Law, would have made mention of so considerable a point, and so great a part of the Ro∣man Religion, as things are now order'd. If they had been Doctrines of the Church then, as they are now, it is certain they must have come under their cognisance and discourses.

Now least the Roman Emissaries should deceive any of the good Sons of the Church, we think it fit to ac∣quaint them, that in the Primitive Church, when the Bi∣shops impos'd severe penances,* 1.4 and that they were almost quite perform'd, and a great cause of pity intervened, or danger of death, or an excellent repentance, or that the Martyrs interceded, the Bishop did sometimes indulge the penitent,* 1.5 and relax some of the remaining parts of his penance; and according to the example of S. Paul, in the case of the incestuous Corinthian, gave them ease,* 1.6 least they should be swallowed up with too much sor∣row. But the Roman Doctrine of Indulgences is wholly another thing; nothing of it but the abused name re∣mains. For in the Church of Rome they now pretend

that there is an infinite of degrees of Christs merit and satisfaction beyond what is necessary for the salvation of his servants: and (for fear Christ should not have e∣nough) the Saints have a surplusage of merits,* 1.7 or at least of satisfactions more than they can spend, or themselves do need: and out of these the Church hath made her a treasure, a kind of poor mans box; and out of this, a power to take as much as they list to apply to the poor souls in Purgatory; who because they did not satisfie for their venial sins, or perform all their penances which were imposed, or which might have been imposed, and which were due to be paid to God for the temporal pains reserved upon them, after he had forgiven them the guilt of their deadly sins, are forc'd sadly to roar in pains not inferiour to the pains of hell, excepting onely that they are not eternal. * 1.8That this is the true state of their Article of Indulgences, we appeal to Bellarmine.

Now concerning their new foundation of Indulgences, the first stone of it was laid by P. Clement VI. in his ex∣travagant Vnigenitus, de poenitentiis & remissionibus, A. D. 1350. This constitution was published Fifty years after the first Jubilee, and was a new device to bring in customers to Rome at the second Jubilee, which was kept in Rome in this Popes time. What ends of pro∣fit and interest it serv'd, we are not much concern'd to enquire; but this we know, that it had not yet passed into a Catholick Doctrine, for it was disputed against by Franciscus de Mayronis a 1.9 and Durandus b 1.10 not long before this extravagant; and that it was not rightly form'd to their purposes till the stirs in Germany, rais'd upon the occasion of Indulgences, made Leo the tenth set his Clerks on work to study the point, and make something of it.

But as to the thing it self: it is so wholly new, so meerly devis'd and forged by themselves, so newly crea∣ted out of nothing, from great mistakes of Scripture, and dreams of shadows from antiquity; that we are to admonish our Charges, that they cannot reasonably expect many sayings of the primitive Doctors against them, any more than against the new fancies of the Quakers, which were born but yesterday. That which is not cannot be numbred, and that which was not could not be confuted. But the perfect silence of antiquity in this whole matter, is an abundant demonstration that this new nothing was made in the later laboratories of Rome.* 1.11 For as Duran∣dus said, the Holy Fathers, Ambrose, Hilary, Hierom, Au∣stin speak nothing of Indulgences. And whereas it is said that S. Gregory DC. years after Christ, gave Indulgences at Rome in the stations; Magister Angularis, who lived about 200 years since, says, He never read of any such any where; and it is certain there is no such thing in the writings of S. Gregory, nor in any history of that age, or any other that is authentick: and we could ne∣ver see any history pretended for it by the Roman Wri∣ters, but a Legend of Ledgerus brought to us the other day by Surius: which is so ridiculous and weak, that e∣ven their own parties dare not avow it as true story; and therefore they are fain to make use of Thomas A∣quinas upon the Sentences, and Altisiodorensis for story and record. And it were strange, that if this power of giving Indulgences to take off the punishment, reserv'd by God after the sin is pardoned, were given by Christ to his Church, that no one of the antient Doctors should tell any thing of it: insomuch that there is no one Writer of au∣thority and credit, not the more antient Doctors we have already named, nor those who were much later, Ruper∣tus

Tuitensis, Anselm or S. Bernard ever took notice of it; but it was a Doctrine wholly unknown to the Church for about MCC years after Christ: and Car∣dinal Cajetane told Pope Adrian VI. that to him that readeth the Decretals it plainly appears, that an Indul∣gence is nothing else but an absolution from that penance which the Confessor hath imposed; and therefore can be nothing of that which is now a dayes pretended.

True it is, that the Canonical penances were about the time of Burchard lessen'd add alter'd by commutations; and the antient discipline of the Church in imposing pe∣nances was made so loose, that the Indulgence was more than the Imposition, and began not to be an act of mer∣cy but remisness, an absolution without amends: It be∣came a trumpet, and a leavy for the holy War, in Pope Vrban the Seconds time; for he gave a plenary Indul∣gence and remission of all sins to them that should go and fight against the Saracens: and yet no man could tell how much they were the better for these Indul∣gences: for concerning the value of Indulgences, the complaint is both old and doubtful, said Pope Adrian; and he cites a famous gloss,* 1.12 which tells of four Opinions all Catholick, and yet vastly differing in this particular:* 1.13 but the Summa Angelica reckons seven Opinions concern∣ing what that penalty is which is taken off by Indul∣gences: No man could then tell; and the point was but in the infancy, and since that, they have made it what they please: but it is at last turn'd into a Doctrine, and they have devised new propositions, as well as they can, to make sense of it; and yet it is a very strange thing; a solution, not an absolution (it is the distinction of Bellarmine) that is, the sinner is let to go free without punishment in this World, or in the World to come; and

in the end, it grew to be that which Christendom could not suffer: a heap of Doctrines without Grounds of Scri∣pture, or Catholick Tradition; and not onely so, but they have introduc'd a way of remitting sins, that Christ and his Apostles taught not; a way destructive of the re∣pentance and remission of sins which was preached in the Name of Jesus: it brought into the Church, false and fantastick hopes, a hope that will make men asham'd; a hope that does not glorifie the merits and perfect satisfaction of Christ; a doctrine expresly dishonourable to the full and free pardon given us by God through Jesus Christ; a practise that supposes a new bunch of Keys given to the Church, besides that which the Apostles receiv'd to open and shut the Kingdome of Heaven; a Doctrine that introduces pride among the Saints, and advances the opinion of their works beyond the measures of Christ, who taught us,* 1.14 That when we have done all that is commanded, we are unprofitable servants, and therefore certainly cannot supererogate, or do more than what is infinitely recompenc'd by the Kingdome of Glory, to which all our doings and all our sufferings are not worthy to be compar'd; especially, since the greatest Saint can not but say with David, Enter not into judgement with thy servant; for in thy sight no flesh living can be justified; It is a practise that hath turn'd Penances into a Fayr, and the Court of Conscience into a Lombard, and the labors of Love into the labors of pilgrimages, superstitious and use∣less wandrings from place to place; and Religion into vanity, and our hope in God to a confidence in man, and our fears of hell to be a mere scarcrow to rich and con∣fident sinners: and at last, it was frugally employed by a great Pope to raise a portion for a Lady, the Wife of Franceschetto Cibo bastard son of Pope Innocent VIII.

and the merchandize it self became the stakes of Game∣sters, at dice and cards, and men did vile actions that they might win Indulgences; by gaming making their way to heaven easier.

Now although the H. Fathers of the Church could not be suppos'd in direct terms to speak against this new Doctrine of Indulgences, because in their days it was not: yet they have said many things which do perfectly de∣stroy this new Doctrine, and these unchristian practises. For besides that they teach a repentance wholly redu∣cing us to a good life; a faith that intirely relies upon Christs merits and satisfactions; a hope wholly depend∣ing upon the plain promises of the Gospel, a service perfectly consisting in the works of a good conscience, a labor of love, a religion of justice and piety and moral virtues: they do also expresly teach that pilgrimages to holy places and such like inventions, which are now the earnings and price of Indulgences, are not required of us, and are not the way of salvation, as is to be seen in an Oration made by S. Gregory Nyssene wholly against pil∣grimages to Ierusalem; in S. Chrysostoma 1.15, S. Austinb 1.16, and S. Bernardc 1.17: The sense of these Fathers is this, in the words of S. Austin: God said not, Go to the East, and seek righteousness; sail to the West that you may re∣ceive indulgence. But indulge thy brother, and it shall be indulg'd to thee: you have need to enquire for no other indulgence to thy sins; if thou wilt retire into the Clo∣set of thy heart, there thou shalt find it. That is, All our hopes of Indulgence is from GOD through IESVS CHRIST, and is wholly to be obtain'd by faith in Christ, and perseverance in good works, and intire mor∣tification of all our sins.

To conclude this particular: Though the gains, which the Church of Rome makes of Indulgences, be a heap almost as great as the abuses themselves, yet the greatest Patrons of this new doctrine could never give any cer∣tainty, or reasonable comfort to the Conscience of any per∣son that could inquire into it. They never durst determine whether they were Absolutions, or Compensations; whe∣ther they onely take off the penances actually impos'd by the Confessor, or potentially, and all that which might have been impos'd; whether all that may be paid in the Court of men; or all that can or will be required by the Laws and severity of God. Neither can they speak ra∣tionally to the Great Question, Whether the Treasure of the Church consists of the Satisfactions of Christ onely, or of the Saints? For if of Saints, it will by all men be acknowledged to be a defeisible estate, and being fi∣nite and limited, will be spent sooner than the needs of the Church can be served; and if therefore it be neces∣sary to adde the merits and satisfaction of Christ, since they are an Ocean of infinity, and can supply more than all our needs, to what purpose is it to adde the little minutes and droppings of the Saints? They cannot tell whether they may be given, if the Receiver do nothing, or give nothing for them: And though this last particular could better be resolv'd by the Court of Rome, than by the Church of Rome, yet all the Doctrines which built up this new Fabrick of Indulgences, were so dangerous to determine, so improbable, so unreasonable, or at best so uncertain and invidious, that according to the ad∣vice of the Bishop of Modena, the Council of Trent left all the Doctrines, and all the cases of Conscience quite alone, and slubber'd the whole matter both in the que∣stion of Indulgences and Purgatory in general and recom∣mendatory

terms; affirming, that the power of giving In∣dulgence is in the Church, and that the use is whole∣some: And that all hard and subtil questions (viz.) con∣cerning Purgatory, which (although (if it be at all) it is a fire, yet is the fuel of Indulgences, and maintains them wholly;) all that is suspected to be false, and all that is uncertain; and whatsoever is curious and super∣stitious, scandalous, or for filthy lucre, be laid aside. And in the mean time, they tell us not what is, and what is not Superstitious; nor what is scanda∣lous, nor what they mean by the general term of In∣dulgence; and they establish no Doctrine, neither curi∣ous, nor iucurious, nor durst they decree the very founda∣tion of this whole matter, The Churches Treasure: Nei∣ther durst they meddle with it, but left it as they found it, and continued in the abuses, and proceed in the practise, and set their Doctors, as well as they can, to defend all the new and curious and scandalous questions, and to up∣hold the gainful trade. But however it be with them, Doctrine it self is prov'd to be a direct Innovation, in the matter of Christian Religion, and that was it which we have undertaken to demonstrate.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Part. 1. Sum. tit. 10. c. 3.
• * 1.2

  In art. 18. Luther.
• * 1.3

  Intravit ut vulpes, regna∣vit ut leo, mo∣riebatur ut ca∣nis, de eo sae∣pius dictum.
• * 1.4

  Tertull. l. ad Martyr. c. 1. S. Cyprian. lib. 3. Ep. 15. apud Pameli∣um 11.
• * 1.5

  Concil. Nicen. 1. can. 12.
• * 1.6

  Conc. Ancyr. c. 5. Concil. Laodicen. c. 2. S. Basil. in Ep. canonicis ha∣bentur in No∣mocanone Pho∣tii. can. 73.
• * 1.7

  Communis o∣pittio DD. tam Theologorum, quaem Canoni∣corum, quod sunt ex abun∣dantiae merito∣rum quae ultrae mensuram de∣meritorum suo∣rum sancti su∣stinuerunt, & Christi. Sum. Angel. v. In∣dulg. 9.
• * 1.8

  Lib. 1. de in∣dulgent. cap. 2. & 3.
• a 1.9

  In 4. l. sent. dist. 19. q. 2.
• b 1.10

  Ibid. dist. 20. q. 3.
• * 1.11

  Ubi supra.
• * 1.12

  In lib. 4. sent.
• * 1.13

  Verb. Indul∣gentia.
• * 1.14

  Vt quid non praevides tib•• in die judicii, quando nemo poterit per ali∣um excusari, vel defendi; sed unusquisque sufficiens onus erit sibi ipsi. Th. ae Kempis. l. 1. de imit. c. 24.
• a 1.15

  Homil. 1. in ep. ad Philem.
• b 1.16

  Serm. de Martyrib.
• c 1.17

  Serm. 1. de Advent.