Christian He who hauing been baptized belieueth the true faith of Christ and liueth accordingly 11. How shall we learne to do this By the Christian doctrine that is by that doctrine which Christ Iesus came to teach and preach vnto the world 12. Where is this doctrine contained It is contained in God his holy word which is deliuered to vs at large partly by scripture and partly by tradition of the holy Catholike Church 13. How manie be the chiefe and principall heads of the Christian doctrine They may be reduced to six to wit the Creed the Pater noster the ten Commandements the seuen Sacraments Prayer and the Sacrifice of Masse 14. Wherefore are these six the principall heads of Christian doctrine Because whereas there are principally foure thinges necessary to saluation that is faith which giueth vs light to belieue well hope which giueth vs confidence to demand well charity which giueth vs strength to doe well and God his actuall assistāt grace which is the most necessary of all for without it we cannot get the other three nor make the least progresse in the way of saluation Now the Creed teacheth vs what belongs to faith the Pater noster what belongs to hope the ten Commandements what belongs to charity and the three last partes the Sacraments Prayer and Sacrifice of Masse are the meanes whereby to obtaine God his actuall assistant grace 15. Why do you account the Pater noster a distinct part from the rest seeing that it is included in prayer which you number as making one principall part by it selfe The reason of it is because the Pater noster is not only actually a prayer it selfe but it is also a generall instruction whereby we are taught how to pray and what to demand Now as it is actually a prayer it selfe it belongeth to Prayer which we haue reckoned for the fifth part of the Christian doctrine but as it is an instruction it maketh a part by it selfe because to instruct is a qualitie which is not essentiall to actuall praying and so it belongeth properly to hope which is the foundation of all actuall prayer and is practised by knowing what and how we are to demand 16. Why do you number but foure thinges necessary to saluation since that no man can be saued without inherent iustice or sanctifying grace which is a distinct thing from God his actuall assistant grace and therefore in all there are fiue thinges necessary The reason of it is because sanctifying grace is either charitie it selfe or at least it is a thing which cannot be separated from charitie and therefore whosoeuer hath charitie may be assured that he hath sanctifying grace and the meanes to obtaine one doth serue for both 17. What is the visible signe or badge of a Christian The signe of the holy crosse accompanied with these words In the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost 18. Wherefore is this the badge of a Christian Because by making this holy signe with these words we professe the three chiefest mysteries of our Christian faith which are the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God the mystery of the Incarnation and the mystery of our blessed Sauiour his sacred Passion 19. Why is the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God said to be contained in the signe of the crosse Because by saying in the name and not names we declare the Vnitie of one sole essence power and diuinitie in one only God and by naming the father sonne and holy ghost we plainely manifest the three distinct persons of the most blessed Trinitie 20. Why are the other two mysteries of the Incarnation and Passion of our blessed Sauiour said to be included in the signe of the crosse Because by putting our hand from the head vnder the breast we professe the sonne of God to haue descended from heauen to become incarnated in the wombe of the most blessed Virgin and by putting our hand from the left shoulder to the right we declare how he redeemed vs by dying vpon the crosse in forme whereof we make this holy signe 21. Wherefore hath it been the custome of all true Christians at the beginning of their chiefe actions to make so frequently the signe of the holy crosse pronouncing the former words For diuers good reasons and first thereby to consecrate their actions vnto the honour of the most blessed Trinitie Secondly to craue in all their actions God his diuine assistance through the merits of the sacred death and Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Thirdly to make a briefe profession of the Christian fayth the chiefe mysteries whereof we see are so liuely expressed vnder this signe Fourthly to declare thereby that they fight vnder this signe as vnder Christ his standard and so like faithfull souldiers to distinguish themselues from Pagās Turkes Iewes and all other his enemies Fifthly to arme ourselues by it against the Diuell and all his temptations for that he doth feare and flie this signe as the malefactour doth feare the Ministers and sharpe instruments of iustice Lastly by the helpe of this holy signe men do most frequently escape many both corporall and spirituall dāgers as innumerable most authentike histories and good Authors declare Now we make this signe so frequently because faith is the foundation and groundworke of Christianitie and therefore we ought to make a frequent profession of it LESSON XII Of Fayth 1. WHy is fayth the first foundation and groundworke of Christianity Because by naturall knowledge we cannot come to know the meanes which are prescribed for our saluation and therefore we haue need of a supernaturall helpe which is fayth and so the Apostle telleth vs that without fayth it is impossible to please God 2. What then is fayth Fayth is a gift of God and a light whereby we do firmely and without doubting belieue all that which is proposed to vs by the Catholike church to be belieued not because we see it but because it is reuealed by God who cannot speake vntruthes So that to an act of fayth necessary for saluation two thinges are required first in regard of God that it be an obiect reuealed by him and proposed to vs by the Church as such secondly in regard of man that he giue a firme assent to it 3. Is there no more required to an act of fayth No more is required to an inward act of fayth yet to practise this vertue perfectly we are some times obliged to declare our beliefe by an outward act when occasion requireth it for man being composed of body and soule he ought to acknowledge God his veracitie by both these partes by his soule in belieuing and by his body in professing with his mouth what he belieueth And therefore it is neuer lawfull to dissemble our fayth by professing one thing and belieuing an other for whosoeuer denyeth Iesus Christ before men will be denyed by him before his father 4. Why is fayth called a gift of God Because
diuine beliefe surpasseth the forces of our nature so that we cannot any way deserue it in so much that the holy Ghost doth inspire it into vs through his owne meere bounty And it is the first Theologicall gift of God by which we are disposed by litle and litle to obtaine the rest 5. Why is it called a light Because it enlightens our vnderstanding by making vs belieue the holy mysteries of our Christian fayth deliuered to vs by the Church 6. Why do you say deliuered to vs by the Church Because as I haue obserued before we cannot haue Catholike fayth but by the instruction of the church which proposeth to vs those truthes which God did reueale to his Apostles and disciples to the end that they should communicate them to others who were to succeed to themselues in the church and they againe to others and so till the end of the world 7. Who are those that succeeded to the Apostles and Disciples They are the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church whom the Apostles and Disciples left behind them to teach vs that doctrine which they themselues had taught and preached before to the whole world And therefore we are boūd to belieue what the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church teach because we are sure that the Catholike Church deliuereth to vs that same doctrine which the Apostles deliuered to her 8. How are we sure of this First because our Sauiour himselfe doth assure vs so for he telleth vs that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church so that the Church is the supreme and certaine guide to which Christ directeth vs for the knowledge of the true faith and true religion Secondly because abstracting from supernaturall meanes reason it selfe doth conuince as much for the Church being vniuersall that is a Congregation of Christians dispersed through the whole world it followeth that she cannot propose a falsehood seeing that the Christians dispersed in so many countries as are necessary to make vniuersality cannot meete together and agree to frame a lye and therefore if they consent together that such a thing was deliuered vnto them for the doctrine of Christ it cannot choose but be so And this is that which Diuines call Traditiō which descendeth from father to sonne in all nations where the Catholike fayth is professed and when it is contradicted or called in to doubt the question is decided by a generall Councel which is a congregation of Catholike Bishops and Doctours gathered together out of all partes where the Church is dispersed And to this I meane to vniuersall tradition no heresy layeth clayme and yet Religion is so grounded vpon it that euen all Heretikes must acknowledge this same authority for the receauing of scripture So that we see how the vniuersality of the Church is euen in grounds of nature and abstracting from all supernaturall aduantages as great a warrant as can be that what the Church teacheth is that same which the Apostles and Disciples of Christ dispersed through the whole world had taught before Lastly we are sure that what the Church sayeth is true not only because she is vniuersall but also because she is inuested with all the other motiues that are apt to beget beliefe as santity vnity antiquity c. and so she is credible of herselfe in whatsoeuer she affirmeth LESSON XIII Of the Creed 1. What is the doctrine which the Apostles and Christ his Disciples taught It is chiefly that which is comprised in the Creed 2. Say the Creed 1. I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. 3. Who was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie 4. Suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucified dead and buried 5. Descended into Hell the third day rose againe from the dead 6. Ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the father Allmighty 7. From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghost 9. The holy Catholike Church the communion of sanctes 10. Remission of sinnes 11. Resurrection of the flesh 12. Life euerlasting Amen 3. What is the Creed and who made it It is a briefe rule of our christian faith made by the 12. Apostles as a symbole or marke whereby to distinguish and know the true disciples of Iesus Christ from all others of what profession soeuer ARTICLE I. 4. What doth the first Article signifie I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth It teacheth vs that God the father is the source and first producer of all thinges hauing produced within himselfe the other two persons and out of him selfe all created thinges And this God is omnipotent because he can doe all that he will and hath made of nothing both heauen and earth with whatsoeuer is in them as well Angells as men and the whole vniuersall world and is able to create more and more worlds without end 5. The sonne and the holy Ghost are not they also omnipotent Yes and they created the world with the father but creation and omnipotencie are particularly attributed to the father for they belong to him in a particular manner because he is the first ofspring of all production within himselfe from whence is deriued all creation and being out of him selfe whereas the other two persons haue their production and being from him as from their source and because production of thinges is done by power therefore power also properly belōgeth to him who is the first origine of all thinges produced So wisedome is attributed to the sonne because he is produced by the vnderstanding which is the seate of wisedome and goodnesse to the holy Ghost because he proceedeth by loue which hath goodnesse for its obiect 6. Why do we professe God his omnipotencie in the first article To the end that we may be prepared to beleeue all that which followeth although it surpasse humane force and also to let vs know how he created the world which did require an infinite power in the creator for otherwise he could not haue done it 7. Why do we say I beleeue in God and not I beleeue God or I beleeue a God There is a great difference betwixt beleeuing a God beleeuing God and beleeuing in God The first doth import only I beleeue there is a God and the second I beleeue all that which God reuealeth but the third doth import not only an act of faith but an act of faith and loue together and so the Apostles vsed expressely this kinde of speach I beleeue in God to teach vs that faith is vnprofitable without loue ARTICLE II. 8. DEclare the second Article and in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. I beleeue also in Iesus Christ who is the sonne of God the Father not by adoption or grace but by nature and the onely begotten of his owne substance in so much that he cannot beget any
the stone the metall the painting c. for themselues but for their sakes who are represented by the images for the Persons themselues are honoured worshiped and prayed to in their images Wherefore S. Ambrose speaking of honouring images sayeth that he who crowneth the image of the Emperour doth honour him whose image he hath crowned And so Iacob did adore Ioseph in honouring the top of his rod or scepter for he made no account of the rod itselfe but only in consideration of him who held it No more doth the Church beare anie reuerence to iamges but meerly in consideration of them whom they represent and to denie them reuerence in this respect is a meere barbarousnesse and want of common sense 14. What kinde of worship is due to Images Certainly since that we worship the Saints in their Images by calling to minde their holines and that they are vnited in blisse to God the worship done to the image must needs be religious for iamges being vsed for a religious end they are belonging to God and holy and consequently to be vsed with respect for that reason since that no man can denie but that nature teacheth vs that all holy thinges ought to be vsed so And therefore it is a shortnesse of discourse in men to denie that vnto pictures which of they grant vnto other thinges 15. Must we also worship the Crosse Yes and in a more particular manner then other representatiue images and thinges because it was the instrument of our redemption and it calleth to our memorie the death and passion of our Sauiour In fine in all these points we do follow the custome of our fathers and the practise of the ancient Church and therefore all those who disallow them are condemned by the Church 16. What then are we commanded to doe by the first Commandement We are commanded to worship God by acknowledging him in our hearts to be our Supreme Lord and Master and to apprehend him as an incomprehensible essence not like to any thing fancyed by man 17. What are we forbidden to doe by this Commandement We are forbidden to giue this worship which is due to God to anie creature or to apprehend him like anie thing fancyed by vs. 18. What sinnes are reduced to this Commandement All those which are committed against Fayth Hope and Charitie for God is worshiped in our hearts by these three vertues and so in the first place the true religion is established and all false ones reiected by this Commandement 19. Who are those that offend against Faith First he offendeth against faith who doth not belieue at least implicitely by act or habitude firmely without doubting of their truth all that which the Catholike Church teacheth as matter of faith Now he belieueth implicitely by act who sayeth actually within himselfe I belieue whatsoeuer the Church teacheth as necessary to be belieued and he belieueth implicitely by habitude who hauing once made firmely the former act doth not afterwards recall it for by vertue of that act he is presumed still to be readie by Gods grace to make the like act whensoeuer he shall be obliged to it vpon anie occasion He also offendeth against faith who although he belieue implicitely all that the Church telleth vs yet is ignorant of that which he is bound to know explicitetly as that there is but one God that this God is iust good and perfect and in fine all the principall points which are contained in the Creede Those likewise offend against faith who belieue in generall and also in particular what they ought but yet doe dissemble their religion and forbeare to professe it when they are obliged either through feare or for other respects Those also who giue eare to Heretikes or reade hereticall bookes with danger to be peruerted or assist at the publike prayers of Heretikes All Magicians Coniurers and Witches who giue themselues to the Diuell or belieue in their hearts that diuells deserue anie honour from them offend against fayth All those likewise who vse the meanes of Coniurers to inuoke the Diuell for what end soeuer although it be to vndoe againe the mischieuous inchantments which they had made before yea though they doe not inuoke the Diuell yet if they desire to be assisted by their superstitious and magicall inuentions offend mortally All those offend against faith who vse certaine superstitions or put any confidence in them as some doe in hearbs gathered vpon the day of our Sauiours Ascension or on S. Iohn Baptists day others in a certain number of candles or the like In fine whensoeuer any thing hath not a vertue for that end for which it is vsed either by its owne naturall qualities or by some supernaturall force conferred vpon it through God his promise as Sacraments and such other remedies haue which the Church prescribeth it is to be esteemed superstitious and to make vse of such remedies either to cure diseases or to finde thinges that are lost is a mortall sinne 20. Who are those that offend against worshiping God by hope All those who dispaire of their saluation All those who presume so much in Gods mercie that they abādon themselues to all sorts of sinnes thinking that God will pardon them though they doe what wickednesse soeuer Those who through want of courage in miserie doe detest and hate their owne liues and being which God hath giuen them Those who being oppressed with calamities doe thinke that God hath abandoned them Those who hope so much in God that being sick or in other miseries they neglect humane meanes to relieue themselues thinking that God will cure them without their owne industrie 21. Who be those that offend against worshiping God by charitie All those who haue a distast against God because they doe not receiue what they desire Those who loue creatures more then him who is the creatour of them Those who are ashamed publickly to professe deuotion and loue towards God Those who mocke or disesteeme such persons as doe their dutie towards God calling them scrupulous persons Bigots or the like Those who despise the blessed who are vnited with God and mocke at their reliques at the Crosse at holy places miracles and other holy thinges it being euident that those doe not giue to God what charitie obligeth them vnto who doe not loue and reuerence that which hath a particular relation to God as holy thinges haue Lastly the sinne of pride is particularly reduced to this commandement for by pride we assume that to our selues which is due to God Now to conclud this first commandement you must note that this precept of charity is the summe of all the cōmandements for all are comprehended in this by which we are commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our strength and with all our soule in fine to loue him without measure or limits 22. How is it possible to accomplish this commandement which hath no measure nor limits It is true that this
first act that euer tooke possessiō of his heart newly moulded and rightly set for this purpose it could not choose but carry with it towards its beloued obiect the whole powers of his soule which then was free from all contrarie dispositions and so it could not choose but subiect them all vnto it and consequently he must needs remaine totally subiected to God as long as he remained in this state and he could not but remaine in this state vnlesse he lost it through his owne fault by destroying that constant inclination of louing God aboue all thinges which was now settled in his soule by this happy grace 3. But how could this grace which was in his soule only worke such good effects in his bodie The reason of it is because his corporall cōstitution being fitted to follow the inclination of the soule this grace of innocency actuated and encreased that fitnes which of it selfe it found in the bodie and so as long as man remained in that state the bodie could not choose but do that which it was fitted to that is follow the inclinatiō of the soule wherby all its actions were necessatily to expect the soules operation and so it could not choose but be preuented by reason since that the soule it selfe which was to moue the bodie could do nothing but by reason And thus you see how Adam his bodie being continually by this grace preuented with reason could not incline to anie thing before reason gaue it leaue and order and so this grace made his verie corporall desires subiect to reason 4. What would haue become of man at last He would haue liued in Paradise without euer being sick as long as it had pleased God and at last he should haue been translated into hauen without dying 5. How could this be For seeing that men must eate to grow and to keepe themselues aliue they could not auoyd but meats should haue their effect and so breed diseases If we looke into the cause of sicknes we shall see that it proceedeth from some excesse or defect which in that state would not haue been when man had wit and will to prouide against both Besides God allmightie had fitted the place of habitation to the man that there should be no ill aire or other occasion of harme vnto him Whence because wisdome kept him from mischance the place from infection he could not dye but of age against which God had prouided the tree of life to preserue him so in conclusion he would haue liued for euer 6. Was this grace ardained only for Adam No all his posteritie would haue been indued with the same deriued from him to all by their verie birth right as now we are all by our verie conception infected with originall finne deriued from him so all would haue liued in this world most happily and at last haue been translated to heauen 7. How could the grace of innocencie which is unmediately in our soule come to vs by birth from our parents who make only our bodie and haue nothing to doe with our soule but leaue that to be made by God alone You may easily conceiue this if you know how children come to be like to their fathers You must consider then that Adam his bodie being designed by God for a soule endowed with originall Iustice was fitted for the operations of such a soule and consequently it was imbued with all such speciall dispositions as were requisite to make it pliable and subiect to reason Now Adam procreating his sonns bodie with the same good dispositions which his owne body had and allmightie God who had promised by couenant the grace of innocencie to all his posteritie in case that he himselfe did continue in his due obedience finding those good dispositions in the childs bodie as an infallible token of his fathers actuall perseuerance in his first grace he could not faile to endow according to his promise the soule of Adams sonne with the same grace of originall iustice which his father had And so seeing that these good dispositions in the childs body which were antecedent to the creation of the soule and proceeded from the like dispositions in its parents would haue been as a seale of God his couenant with mankinde it followeth that they would haue drawne by a necessary cōsequence in vertue of the sayd couenant originall iustice euen in to the childe his soule And so you see how this first grace was to come to vs from our parents by our generation And it was most conformable to reason that it should come that way for as on the one side it was naturall that Adam should haue made his sonnes bodie like his owne and consequently disposed in a speciall manner to be subiect to reason so it was most reasonable that Allmighty God should fitt the soule to the sonnes bodie which would not haue been vnlesse he had giuen him a soule apt to loue God aboue all thīges seeing that the actuall subiection of the bodie to reason doth proceed from such a disposition in the soule And so you see how the grace to loue God aboue all thinges which is commōly called iustice or sanctitie was giuen to Adam so as to descend from him vnto his heyrs and therefore was called originall iustice and would haue come vnto vs who were to be borne to it as if it were by nature LESSON VII Of originall Sinne. 1. How did Adam and Eue make vse of this great grace Very ill for many are of opinion that they lost it in lesse then one day 2. How did this misfortune befall them Because they did not perseuer in their first loue of God aboue all thinges but fell from it by disobedience 3. What induced our first parents to commit this sinne Eue was induced principally by pride and vanitie for the Angell who was become à Diuell by pride did infect Eue with the same sinne that thereby he might make her and Adam companions of his miserie perswading her that if she did rebell against God by eating the fruit which he had forbidden them they should become greater then they were And although this was the chiefe motiue yet two other motiues did also concurre for by the same act she yeilded to three sinfull suggestions all which are expresly sett downe in scripture The first was of gluttonie She saw that it was good to eat and pleasant to behold The second was a curiositie of knowing You shall know good and euill The third was pride You shall be like Gods And although Adam was not seduced by the Diuell as Eue was yet he fell into the sinne of disobedience by yielding to the perswasions of his wife being loath to displease her And so that which induced Adam to sinne was a disordinate affectiō towards Eue choosing to offend God rather then to contristate her 4. What effect did this sinne produce It caused the quite contrarie to that which Eue pretended For it did cast both her
appetite the goods of our neighbour in any manner whatsoeuer to his losse although we should desire that we could possesse thē legally and lawfully for as we should be loath that another man should haue any designe vpon our goods or enuie vs for them or desire that they could depriue vs lawfully of that which we do lawfully possesse no more ought we to haue designe vpon the goods of other men or enuie them for them or desire that we could depriue them lawfully to their owne losse of that which they do lawfully possesse 72. How is this Commandement different from the seuenth The seuenth forbiddeth only iniustice that we should not desire our neighbours goods without a iust title but this forbiddeth all vncharitablenesse proceeding from auarice that we may not so much as wish we had a iust title thereby to accommodate our selues by our neighbours incommoditie 73. Why is this a different commandement from the former since that both do concerne a desiring of that which belongeth to our neighbour The reason is because in this is forbidden only the desire of our neighbours goods now his wife doth belong vnto him more nearly then his goods by a speciall vnion whereby the husband and his wife are but one flesh and therefore there is a speciall deformitie in coueting our neighbours wife and in desiring her to be separated from her husband and especially now in the law of grace where the mysterie of the Church vnited to Christ is signified by the vnion of marriage betwixt man and wife which vnion cannot be dissolued now but by the death of one partie Howsoeuer I know that some do ioyne these two commandements into one and diuide the first into two but that diuision is contrary to S. Augustines opinion which is for the present the more common and generally receaued in the Church and agreeth with that diuision of the commandements which we haue here set downe 74. Who transgresse against this Commandement All those who enuie another for his riches honours preferments prayses or any other externall goods All those who enuie a man for his knowledge learning beauty or any other internall gift of nature or grace All those who do deliberately desire any of these thinges meerely out of appetite without any further end tending to God his honour do likewise offend against this cōmandement which forbiddeth vs all inordinate appetite of profitable thinges as the former commandement forbiddeth vs all inordinate appetite of delightfull or pleasing thinges 75. Is then this inward appetite or desire allwayes a sinne Yes when it is accompanied with deliberation for there are three inward acts in man by which as by degrees we descend to sinne that is suggestion delectation and consent The first which is a proposition of some euill obiect made vnto vs by the Diuell or the flesh or the world is neuer any sinne in it selfe though the motions of our fancy be neuer so violent if our will do not accompany them vnlesse they did proceed through our owne fault or negligence as when one did foresee the danger of hauing such motions and did not auoide the occasions or neglected to preuent them when he might haue done it The second which is an act whereby our senses and fancy are fixed with pleasure and content vpon the proposed obiect is sometimes a sinne as when our reason doth admonish vs of the complaisance we take in the obiect or of the danger we put ourselues into of giuing a perfect consent to it and yet we neglect to reiect it which admonition of reason is called deliberation which is sometimes perfect sometimes imperfect and without which the delight it selfe that followeth the first motions or suggestiōs is no sinne The third which is an act of the will embracing after perfect discourse the proposed obiect or the pleasure it causeth is allwayes a sinne And so this third as also the second act so farre forth as it is done with deliberation and the first likewise when it happeneth through our owne fault or negligence are the thinges expressely forbidden by these two commandements 76. Is it not a sinne also to desire inwardly to do any thing that is forbidden in the other commandements although we should not do the act itselfe Yes and the transgression is against that commandement in which the thing desired is forbidden and the same is to be said of purposing not to do what is commanded And so those do deceaue themselues to their owne perdition who hauing had a resolution to commit a mortall sinne as to steale to commit fornication to sweare to kill not to heare Masse on a Sunday or the like do neglect to confesse these thoughts because afterwards they did not put these purposes in execution or because no outward act did follow 77. When and by whom were these ten commandements giuen to man First by God himselfe in the old Law and afterwards for as much as concernes the morall part they were confirmed by Iesus Christ in the new who abolished only the ceremoniall part of the old Law and therefore the ten commandements remaine entire for as much as concerneth the morall part for our Sauiour sayeth of himselfe that he came not to take away the Law but to fullfill it And before both these lawes God Allmighty had likewise imprinted the substance of them in the heart of man by the light of reason when he first created him 78. Hath no bodie power to make commandements but only God immediately himselfe Yes for as Allmightie God hath communicated to creatures and especially to man and Angells his diuine perfections according to their capacitie distributing some to one and some to others so also amongst the rest of his excellencies he hath communicated to some the power of making commandements and gouerning others LESSON XVIII Of the commandements or Precepts of the Church 1. TO whom hath God communicated this power To all our superiours both temporall and spirituall 2. Are we obliged then to obey them and to keepe their commandements Yes no lesse then we are bound to keepe the commandements of God because this power of making commandements is deriued to men from God himselfe particularly the power of the Pastours of the Church of whom our Sauiour himselfe speaking telleth vs that those who heare them heare him and those who despise them despise him 3. Hath the Church put this her power of making commandements in execution 4. Yes she hath done it and doth doc it dayly vpon seuerall occasions as she seeth it to be necessary for the good of the faithfull 4. How many kindes of precepts be there They are commonly diuided into two kindes the first are called affirmatiue which are all those that cōmand vs the doing of some thing as the precept of attention and deuotion at Masse and such like the second are called negatiue which do not command a thing to be done but forbid vs the doing of some thing as to reade or keepe hereticall
loue And to be vtterly depriued of hope to see God who can only comfort the soule when by death transitory comforts are lost is to be in the euerlasting torment of hell 16. Doth our future life then depend of this present life Yes all dependeth of performing our duty towards God in this life whereby those who faile in it deserue eternall punishment in the next as contrary wise those who performe it deserue eternall reward LESSON V. Of Mans Dutie towards God 1. What is the dutie which we owe to Allmightie God We are bound to feare to serue to honour and to loue him aboue all thinges 2. Wherefore are we bound to feare Allmightie God aboue all thinges Because he is omnipotent and so can dispose of vs as he will himselfe and because he is omniscient and so doth see the bottome of our hearts and sinfull condition and chiefly because he is our Lord on whom our saluation dependeth for we are all inuolued in one heape of perdition out of which he chooseth none but whom he pleaseth and therefore we ought allwaise to stand in feare of offending him as not knowing whether we be vessels of his wrath or mercy Besides we are guiltie of sinne and consequently of eternall damnation if he hath not pardoned vs and therefore he being our iudge all ought to stand in feare of him whom they haue offended 3. Wherefore are we obliged to serue God aboue all thinges We are obliged to serue him first in regard that both for our being and cōseruation we wholy depend on him Secondly in regard that the wages and recompences which he reserueth for his seruants exceede all rewards in the world by an infinite proportion 4. Why are we to reuerence and honour him aboue all thinges Because his maiestie and excellencie doth infinitely surpasse all thinges in the world and therefore he is worthie of all honour and respect 5. Wherefore are we bound to loue God aboue all thinges Because God of his owne meere goodnesse did first vouchsafe to make vs of nothing to be what we are wherefore if we are bound to loue our parents who are only God his instruments in making of vs how much more ought we to loue God Besides that our parents are not the thousanth part of the causes which God hath layed from the beginning of the world for the making of euery man in particular and so though our parents be our immediate causes yet there is not one thousanth part of our making belōging to them in comparison of what belongeth to God to whom we owe our selues totally and of all sides and from the very beginning Secōdly because he hath redeemed vs and suffered death for our sakes knowing euerie one for whom he suffered and of so great a nūber excluding none though neuer so great a sinner and with such excesse of loue as that there was not any for whō alone he would not haue suffered though there had been no other to suffer for as freely as we see he did make the sunne shine on Adam when he was alone no lesse then vpon the millions that now be Thirdly because he hath also conferred on vs by grace the great dignitie of being his adopted sonns and heirs to the kingdome of his eternall blisse Besides all other cōtinuall and innumerable both temporall and spirituall benefits which we receiue from him And lastly because God is goodnes it selfe the only true and proper obiect of loue 6. Which be the best signes to know whether we truly loue God or no The first and best signe is if we delight to keepe his commandements The secōd if we delight to thinke and often speake of him or to conuerse and speake with him by prayer or to haue him to speake frequently with vs by our reading pious bookes The third is if we desire to see him when by sicknes he giueth vs warning of his calling us to him by death The fourth is if we delight to practise vertue which is most pleasing to him And the last if we finde in our hearts true repentance and sorrow for our sinnes committed against him for so we ought to doe towards all whom we truly loue 7. Considering all these many strong and conuincing motiues which we haue both to loue feare and serue allmightie God and that by so doing we are assured of eternall felicitie as also of eternall torments in hell for the contrarie whence doth it proceed that so great a number transgresse and so few performe their dutie The reason is for that the Diuill and our corrupt sensualitie do so dazle vs with the pleasures wealth and honors of this world as that we do not truly apprehend either our dutie towards God or the felicitie of heauen or the woefull miserie of the damned in hell but being led away like little children by the present obiects of bables which delight our appetites we little reflect vpon eternall thinges which are not obuious to our corporall senses 8. Why then is Man so seuerely punished for not performing his dutie towards God if sensualitie hath such power to withdraw him from it Very deseruedly First because through the merits of Christ Iesus we haue sufficient grace whereby to ouercome this sensualitie if we will make vse of it Secōdly because allmightie God bestowed vpon Man so manie helps and graces at first when he did create him as that he would not haue been subiect to this sensualitie if he had not by his owne fault lost part of that which God bestowed vpon him and weakened the rest LESSON VI. Of originall Iustice 1. DId God then at the creating of man bestow on him anie helps more then we haue at our birth Yes he gaue both Adam and Eue the grace of originall iustice at the first moment of their creation with all the goods that flow from it whereby as they themselues were perfectly submitted in obedience to allmightie God so likewise were all thinges perfectly subiected to them as well those which were internall and within themselues as all other externall creatures in so much that they could not reioyce nor be contristated nor haue any other thought vnlesse they themselues would haue it And all creatures did obey them so that man was a greater king then any Prince now in the world for the greatest kings now are oftentimes disobeyed but man in the state of his first innocencie was so absolute that no creature could rebell against him nor would any man haue been disloyall to another 2. How did the grace of innocencie worke these great effects in man By making him know God and loue him aboue all thinges for you must know that the first thing represented to his vnderstāding was Allmighty God finishing the creation of all thinges in him and that his will embracing the strong motiues of so powerfull an obiect did at the same instant loue God most feruently aboue all thinges which act proceeding from the grace of God and being the