forbearing to communicate so frequently he findeth himselfe to decrease in vertue and in respect towards the Sacrament then he is to be exhorted to continue still his custome of communicating frequently But if he who communicateth frequently findeth himselfe still with the same imperfections without making any progresse in vertue or that his reuerence and respect towards the Sacrament is any way thereby diminished then he is to be aduised for a time to forbeare to communicate so frequently and to endeauour by workes of mortification and other spirituall exercises to rēder himselfe more worthy of so frequent accesse to that holy table vntill his Ghostly father shall iudge it conuenient for him to frequent the Sacrament as formerly 18. What communion ought to be esteemed frequent In those persons who are not subiect to the distractions of the world but haue leasure to dispose of themselues as they please and to attend to spirituall imployments it may be accounted frequent communion to communicate constantly once a weeke but in others whose vocation and condition doth tye them to worldly employments and continuall distractions I should esteeme it frequent communion though they should communicate but once in fifteene dayes or three weekes vnlesse their continuall distractions be supplied by extraordinarie vertue 19. What Sacrament followeth the holy Eucharist Pennance for when we are sicke we must first be cured of the disease it selfe before we can vse remedies to take away the relickes of it LESSON XXVII Of Pennance 1. WHat is the Sacrament of Pennance It is a Sacrament instituted by Christ for the remission of sinnes cōmitted after Baptisme whereby they that are baptized are restored againe vnto grace when by mortall sinne they haue lost the same 2. Where finde we the institution of this Sacrament In the 20. chapter of S. Iohn As my father sent me so do I send you receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them and whose sinnes yee shall retaine they shall be retained 3. What is the outward and sensible signe in this Sacrament It is the confession of the sinner and the wordes of absolution pronounced by the Priest for to the end that a crime may be remitted reason requireth that one should confesse it and make the quality of the crime manifest to him who is to remit it and also that he who hath authority to remit it should pronounce the sentence of absolution after that he hath iudged concerning the nature of the crime 4. Where is grace promised to this Sacrament It is promised in these words whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them for sinnes cānot be pardoned but by grace And we finde the practise of this Sacrament in the Acts where the people casting themselues at the feete of the Apostles declared the sinnes which they had committed 5. Who haue power to administer this Sacrament None but Priests who haue receiued it from God and the Church 6. What conditions are required in the Priests that administer this Sacrament They be many but for as much as ought to satisfy the Laity we may reduce them all to one that is to haue approbation and commission from the Bishop of the place to exercise that function For although besides authority or iurisdiction there is also required doctrine and intention yet he ought to be held sufficient in doctrine who hath been approued by his Bishop for such and likewise he is to be presumed to haue a reall intention to do what the Church intendeth to do by this Sacrament who hath demanded approbation to do that which the Church doeth 7. If a man be ashamed to confesse his sinnes to one priest may he make choice of an other Yes if he do declare vnto him truly the state of his conscience that is not only the sinnes he is guilty of but also whether he be accustomed to do them without amendment Howsoeuer it were better allwayes to keepe one ghostly father for otherwise he is in danger to get little profit by his confessions and so may put his saluation in hazard which dependeth mainely on the fruits of this Sacrament 8. What must we do to receiue this Sacrament First after a due examen of conscience we must confesse to a Priest approued by the Bishop all our sinnes that are mortall committed since our last confession or which we haue omitted or forgotten to declare in former confessions or if we haue not mortall ones we must confesse some veniall ones with hearty sorrow and firme purpose to endeauour to cōmit them no more and with the like purpose to do the pennance which shall be enioyned vs for satisfaction of our sinnes and so with all humility receiue absolution So that besides the absolution and imposing of pennance which are required on the Priests part three thinges are required on the penitents part to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction and the Sacrament doth consist of all these fiue partes CONTRITION 9. Why is Contrition necessary for this Sacrament Because this Sacrament was instituted to recouer God his grace and loue towards vs which we had lost by offending him now we see that when we haue offended one the readie way to gaine his loue againe is to repēt and acknowledge our fault this being the most naturall meanes to soder friendship vp againe when once it is broken And so we see that by nature euery noble heart perceiuing his enemy subiect vnto him taketh compassion of him and seeing him now no more the same he was thinketh meete to change likewise his course towards him 10. What is Contrition It is a sincere repentance proceeding from the motion of the holy Ghost touching our hearts which maketh vs to detest our sinnes and to conuert our selues to God For whereas by sinne a man is auerted from God by louing some vnlawfull obiect so by contrition his heart is auerted from the vnlawfull obiect formerly embraced and conuerted againe to God by louing him anew 11. How many sortes of Contrition be there It is deuided into two generall sortes the one is perfect which is absolutely called Contrition the other is imperfect which is vsually called Attrition Which difference ariseth from the seuerall degrees of conuerting our selues to God for sometimes our conuersion may be so perfect as to make vs not only forbeare our former sinfull actions and complaisance in vnlawfull obiects but also to detest them more then hell it selfe whereby through the powerfull working of God his grace in our hearts our affection towards God becometh greater then the loue of our selues and is more firmely rooted in vs then the loue of any vnlawfull obiect so that if it please God to preserue vs in this disposition we do easily afterwards ouercome any temptation be it neuer so great Sometimes againe our conuersion may be so weake as that although it be able to make vs forbeare and detest sinne for the present because it is greater then our present adhesion
immediately about the holy Eucharist and about the Priests person in the Sacrifice of Masse and so the Deacons who are next to the Priests haue also annexed to their office to assist the Priest in his function and consequently by commission from him or from the Bishop to administer some Sacramēts and also to catechize These two degrees of Ministers are also called Holy because for their greater purity they are obliged to obserue perpetuall chastity and to say the canonicall office The other foure degrees are called Lesser because they are imployed in functions and rites which are more remote and not immediately about the holy Eucharist or the Priests person at the altar 8. How many seuerall Orders be there in all They are commonly reckoned to be seuen to wit the Order of Potter Lector Exorcist Acolite Subdeacon Deacon and Priest 9. Why are not Bishops reckoned amongst the rest If you reckon Episcopacy and adde it to the rest then indeed they are in all eight Orders but commonly it is not named with the rest for two reasons first because it is an eminēt degree which surpasseth them all as being the source from whēce all the rest are deriued for they all proceed from it and end in it and so as in a kingdome the king is not reckoned in the number of the officers that gouerne vnder him because his power is transcendēt and runneth through all the magistrats of the kingdome no more is the Bishop reckoned ordinarily in the number of the other Orders for he is in his church as the king in his kingdome the prince and head of all Ecclesiasticall hierarchy or holy principality The second reason is because if we take priesthood in its full latitude Episcopacy is also included in it for the name and office of priesthood doth signify two thinges the first is ordinary authority or iurisdiction to gouerne men in order to saluation and to God his seruice the second is power to offer Sacrifice to God which two functiōs are expressed by two words or names appropriated commonly to Priests to wit Presbyter and Sacerdos for Presbyter and Presbyteriū which is a Greek word do import a superiority and power of gouerning as Senior and Senatus do in Latine Sacerdos and Sacerdotium haue relation to sacrifice and they come from Sacer or Sacrare which is to make holy and so they import power to offer vp sacrifice which is a holy and sacred function Now then from-hence it followeth that the order of priesthood is twofold the one being only of inferiour Priests who are those whom we commonly call Priests to whom it belongeth to Sacrifice but not to gouerne in chiefe the other of superiour and chiefe Priests who are only Bishops to whom it belongeth not only to Sacrifice but also to gouerne in chiefe Wherefore seeing that priesthood doth signify these two functions and that the first which is to gouerne in chiefe by ordinary authority conferred vpon men by Christ himselfe is the more principall absolutely speaking though in some respect the other may be preferred as being that by which the second is directed and ordered and belongeth only to Episcopacy it followeth that Episcopacy is included vnder the name of priesthood 10. Is the Sacrament of Order necessary We haue sayed aboue that it is absolutely necessary for the whole Church besides it is necessary for euery one in particular that vndertaketh the administration of Sacraments and also regularly speaking those who vndergoe the office of spirituall gouernmēt and preaching ought to receiue orders first vnlesse it be in such cases in which the Church or the Pope do vpon some occasions grant iurisdiction to some persons without Orders by commission and authority of the Sea Apostolike And here you must note that the giuing of Orders and Iurisdiction is that thing which is commonly called Mission which is a power to preach that doctrine which is taught by the Catholike Church as also to administer the Sacraments in the same manner and in the same sense as that Church intendeth and practiseth So that whosoeuer teacheth any thing contrary to the doctrine of the true church fromwhence all spirituall power is deriued doth put himselfe vpon a function which he hath no authority to do for want of Mission From whence it followeth that Luther Caluin and all founders of hereticall sects as also all their adherents and successours do want Mission and do not enter in by the gate but do breake in by stealth in presuming to aduance their owne inuentions insteed of preaching that doctrine which preachers are warranted to by Mission 11. What Sacrament is next after Order Matrimony which is the seuēth and last It is put after all the rest because it doth not belong either to euery one in the Church in particular or directly and immediately to the whole Church in generall as Order doth but it was instituted directly and immediately for one only particular state of persons although indirectly and remotely it belongeth to the preseruation of the whole in regard that the Church cannot subsist without procreation of mankinde for grace presupposeth nature as the ground to worke vpon LESSON XXX Of Matrimony 1. WHat is Matrimony It is a Sacrament instituted by IESVS CHRIST to establish a firme and faithfull fellowship betwixt man and woman in holy wedlock for the procreation of children who afterwards by their regeneratiō in Baptisme becoming the children of God may serue him and continue the succession of his holy Catholike Church 2. What is the sensible outward signe of this Sacrament It is the mutuall consent of the man and woman declared to each other by words or by some other outward expression 3. Where do we finde in Scripture that grace is promised to the contract of Marriage We finde it in the Apostle Eph. 5. where speaking of Marriage he sayeth This Sacrament is a great one which words are according to what the Church and the Fathers teach vs to be vnderstood of a Sacrament properly speaking now there is no Sacrament in the new law which doth not conferre grace Againe the wordes following but I say in Christ and the Church do signifie that marriage doth represent the vnion of Christ with his Church which vnion doth consist in grace and charity which sheweth that there is grace and mutuall charity conferred vpon the married people towards each other whereby Matrimony is truly a representation of Christ his vnion with his Church 4. Is this Sacrament necessary Marriage may be considered either as it is a Sacrament or else as it is a contract ordained to an office of nature and as such it is not necessary to any in particular but it is absolutely necessary to the whole world in generall and cōsequētly to the whole Church which is the principallest community in the world and so it was commanded by God from the beginning of the world and it must continue as long as the world shall continue But if we consider
we shall finde that they were instituted immediatly by Christ to rule and consequently commanded to be cōtinued and to be obeyed in his Church for he who instituteth an authority to rule by the very institution of it commandeth obedience to it and that it be perpetuated and vsed to that end for which it was instituted 11. For what end are Bishops necessarie in the Church For many ends whereof we shall speake in the Sacrament of Order and chiefly to take care of the common and to gouerne the Church for gouernment is a thing in it selfe absolutely necessarie vnto all Communities in so much that though we may see some communitie gouerned by superiours without lawes and prosper for a while yet we shall neuer finde that there was anie seene gouerned by lawes without superiours and if there were any such the lawes would be but occasions of quarrells and dissensions Wherefore as euerie man by his vnderstanding directeth himselfe so is the Bishop the vnderstanding that directeth the whole for Bishops are the heads and Princes from whom all inferiour Priests and directors in particular Churches are to take their rules and iudgement in all spirituall affaires 12. How doe we know that Christ instituted the gouernment of the Church himselfe and did not leaue it to the Church to doe it Because we know that he came into the world to erect and establish a Church which in it selfe should haue ordinarie power to conserue and propagate it selfe as we see all States and Communities doe Now he who hath vnderstanding knoweth that this cannot be done but by ordering of gouernours so that the institution of the verie Church it selfe which is a thing that no man can deny to come from Christ doth necessarily implie the institution of the gouernment of it 13. But how doe we know that those gouernours instituted by Christ were Bishops and not Priests or Lay Elders We know this first because we are told expresselie in scripture that Bishops were appointed by the holy Ghost to gouerne the Church of God Secondlie we know it by the same rule whereby we know all thinges that we beleeue in the Church for since you see that Bishops that is men consecrated by a speciall ordination are gouernours in the Church ouer all the Christian world if one should aske you who made them such I am sure you would say they were made such by others who are dead that were themselues such and those againe by others and so vpwards to the Apostles themselues who were made such immediately by Christ which is as strōg a motiue as anie we haue to receaue the Blessed Trinitie Incarnation Sacraments and all other mysteries of our faith And therefore he who denieth necessitie of gouernment by Bishops in Christ his Church is as absolute an hereticke as he who denieth anie thing that Christ hath taught and he who impugneth it impugneth Christ and seeketh to destroy his Church 14. Are all Bishops equall No for as S. Peter was chiefe amongst the Apostles so is the Bishop of Rome who succeeded to S. Peter chiefe amongst all Bishops and it belongeth to him as supreme Prince of the Church to pronounce the definitiue sentence in all matters of Church controuersies for as it is not fitting that there should be more then one king in a kingdome one master in a house and one pilot in a ship so is there but one head ouer the whole Church 15. If Christ be the head of all the Church what need is there of anie other head especially since you say there cannot be two heads Christ alone is the supreme and absolute head and the Bishop of Rome is only his Vicare and ministeriall head And this was necessarie because Christ being now ascended into heauen he doth not conuerse with his Church anie more in a visible manner but gouerneth it spiritually and inuisibly wherefore seeing that the members of his Church here vpon earth are corporall and visible it was necessary that they should haue also a visible head to gouerne them and instruct them according to the exigencie of their capacitie in this world 16. What then is the Church It is the societie or companie of those who are baptized and serue God by professing the true faith and by being vnited amōgst themselues and with their visible head the Bishop of Rome 17. Which be the markes to know the true Church from all false ones They are principally foure Sāctity Vniuersality Succession and Vnity that is to be holy to be vniuersall to be Apostolicall to be one 18. Is the true Church then allwaies holy Yes certainly both in doctrine and practise for holinesse is the thing which Christ came chiefely to settle in his Church 19. What is it to be holy It is to teach and practise those vertues which leade vs to heauē which is the life that Christ Iesus came to giue vs. And this can be no where but in the true Church faith being the first principall vertue that putteth vs in the waie to heauen and from it springeth good liuing and execution correspondent and also miracles wrought in token of holinesse which are the workes of God whereby his Church doth shine throughout the world not only to the confirmation of those faithfull who are weake but also to the cōuersion of Infidells And this marke of holinesse and miracles agreeth to none but to the Roman Church for although there may be more and greater wickednesse amongst Catholikes by reason of the multitude of the professors of the Catholike religion nay of it selfe the wickednesse must needs be greater for those who haue not so good thinges to offend against cannot be so wicked and as the Philosopher saith Corruptio optimi pessima a good thing when it is corrupted becomes starke naught yet is there also great and extraordinary holinesse Whereas amongst other sects there is neuer anie man heard of who whilest he liued had the reputation and credit amongst wise men to be a Saint or of extraordinary holinesse and deuotiō Congregations of men and woemen absteining from pleasures and separating themselues from the world none are found vnlesse such as were begun in Catholike times Extraordinary acts of pennance or heroicke vertues are not to be looked for And as for miracles they do not pretend vnto them in their churches In fine very little more then nature affordeth is to be seene amongst them sauing some bare words of God and Christ 20. Must the Church also be vniuersall Yes certainly for Christ commanded his Apostles to preach through the whole world and there can be no doubt but that they did what they were bidden And this also is a marke belōging only to the Roman Church for she alone is found in euery part of the Christian world all Heretikes being euery kinde in some countries but none in all 21. What is meant by the churches being Apostolicall To be Apostolicall is to receiue their beliefe from the Apostles by a continuated
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
preacher is not sufficient but that we must besides hearing the preacher addresse our selues to God and demand of him his holy spirit and his grace Secōdly the holy Ghost did afterwards reuiue in the hearts of Christ his disciples all that which he had told them during his life 16. In what manner did Iesus Christ dye As his life from the beginning to the end was full of pouerty subiection contradiction and affliction so was his death as full of all indignitie and torment as humane witt could inuent and humane nature keeping the shape of man indure yea it was so full of torments as to induce thē surpassed the strength of humane nature yet it was such and in that manner as he himselfe made choice of and as he himselfe had foretold by the Prophets without omitting anie of the circumstances which they pointed out verie particularly as the crosse the nails whips the two theeues and others 17. He dyed then freely and willingly Yes in so much that although the Iewes had often attempted to take him yet they could neuer doe it vntill he himselfe permitted it by deliuering himselfe into their hands that he might dye at the very houre which his father had ordained 18. Why was it necessarie for him to dye That he might accomplish the last worke necessarie for the redemption of mankinde for such was his fathers will as that all which he had done and suffered during his life had not been sufficient if he had not also shed his pretious bloud for vs vpon the crosse in order to his fathers sentence who ordained for the satisfying of his diuine iustice that his only sōne should destroy our spirituall death by his owne corporall death and although the least action he did was of it selfe sufficient so that all his actions being of infinite value no more had been necessary if his father had not ordained it otherwise for our greater good yet his loue was so great towards man that he himselfe did reioyce that his father had ordained him to suffer death it selfe for our redemption 19. Was it sufficient that he dyed No for as he dyed to destroy our death so it was necessary that he should rise againe from death to life to communicate his owne diuine life to vs and also to confirme vs in hope by considering that as our head is risen so shall we rise who are his members 20. Who did raise him againe from death to life The scripture telleth vs that his father did raise him againe to life and also that he did raise himselfe 21. Why is his father said to haue raised him againe from death to life Because as he is his father he is the fountaine and source of all his glorious and diuine life from whence all life is deriued And the father is said to doe it because it belongeth to the father to giue life to his sonne 22. How did the sonne raise himselfe from death By the power of his diuinitie which remained alwaies hypostatically vnited to the flesh he had taken without being separated at anie time either from his bodie or soule by vertue of which vnion eternall life was due both to his bodie and soule because the word to whom they were vnited is immortall in so much that our Sauiour could not haue dyed at all if God had not granted it to him through a particular dispensation for mans saluation 23. How did he communicate life to men through the vertue of his Resurrection By giuing them the holy Ghost his owne diuine spirit not long after that he had raised himselfe from death and much more afterwards vpon the day of Pentecost when his Resurrection being fully accomplished by being seated at the right hand of his father he sent the holy Ghost downe to them in a visible forme LESSON X. Of the Church 1. WHy was the holy Ghost sent into the world To render the disciples of Iesus Christ perfect and to begin in them his mysticall bodie 2. What perfection did he giue them The perfection of charitie which before was but weake and imperfect in them for the holy Ghost tooke away this weakenesse from them and made them strong and vigorous in the loue of Iesus Christ to serue him with intire fidelitie so that the stratagems of men and diuells could not afterwards diuert them from seruing him 3. How did the holy Ghost forme the mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ By vniting his disciples hearts with God and amongst themselues by charitie with which he did replenish them for the life of this bodie is the holy Ghost by the fire of his charitie 4. How is this bodie called It is called the Church whereof all the faithfull are members and Christ is the head in so much that there is made of Iesus Christ and of all the faithfull but one bodie and one Church 5. How can persons so farre separated from one an other be truly vnited into one and the selfe same bodie This is done by the holy Ghost who is euerie where for he is the linke and soule of this bodie vniting all these members more firmely together then man his soule doth vnite the members of the bodie it informeth 6. Why did he make this Church That he might thereby plant the doctrine which he had taught and which was altogether necessarie for the saluation of mankinde so firmely that it might continue for euer And for this end the holy Ghost according to the outward apparition in which he was sent filled the hearts of his Apostles who were to be the first teachers of it with fierie zeale and their tongues with the praises of allmightie God that they being vehemently cōceited themselues of the truth and of the great good the knowledge thereof brought vnto the world might be most earnestly desirous to breed the like conceit in others and that so it might descend in vertue of the first plantation to the end of the world 7. Who were the Apostles and of what condition They were those who being called by Christ left all to follow him and to serue him in the publication of the ghospell And as for their condition they were poore ignorant men of a contemptible ranke most of them being fishermen and the greater their weakenesse was so much the more did it set forth the power of the holy Ghost for in one day they became so learned and so powerfull to perswade as that they were able to confound and conuert the most learned Philosophers in the world 8. Of what partes doth the Church consist It consisteth of two partes in generall which are necessarie to all well ordered Communities that is of those who are gouerned and taught and of those who gouerne and teach 9. Who are those that Christ appointed to gouerne and teach They are chiefly Bishops and next vnder Bishops other inferiour Preists who are commonly called Curats 10. Are Bishops then necessarie in the Church Yes for if we looke into the institution of Bishops
doubted will faile health may thereby be restored if God so please or the sicke person be furnished with grace to resist the last assaultes of the diuell and therefore as this Sacramēt ought not to be demanded when there is no danger to dye so ought it not to be deferred so long vntill no hope remaines to liue 9. Of what age ought they to be to whom this Sacrament is administred They ought to be arriued to perfect discretion and iudged capable of malice and sinne for otherwise it would want matter to worke its proper effect Wherefore such as may be iudged capable of the vse of the Sacrament of pennance may also vndoubtedly be admitted vnto this 10. Wherefore is this Sacrament applied vnto our eyes eares nose lippes hands and feet Because they are the organs of our corporall senses whence sinne doth vsually take its beginning as being the windowes and proper dores whereby sinne makes entrance into the heart of man to wound his soule 11. What Sacrament followeth Extreme Vnction Order for according to nature partes are precedent to the whole which results out of them wherefore we were first to declare the Sacraments which concerne euery particular member of the Church and afterwards that which concernes the whole body and the procreation of new issue which is Order LESSON XXIX Of Order 1. What is Order It is a Sacrament instituted by IESVS CHRIST whereby power is giuen to men to vndergoe Ecclesiasticall functions and grace to performe them worthily 2. What is the visible signe of this Sacrament and where do you finde grace annected to it The visible signe is the imposition of hands to which S. Paul declareth grace to be annected 1. Tim. 4. Do not neglect the grace which is in thee which hath been giuen thee through prophecy with imposition of the hands of the presbitery 3. What doth Order correspond vnto in our corporall life It correspondeth to mariage and must consequently be to breed spirituall children who being generated by Baptisme must afterwards be bred vp instructed and gouerned and this is proportionably deuided into three actions which in the mysticall language are called purgare illuminare vnire The first is to withdraw the parties from the loue of naturall obiects to that which is supernaturall the secōd is to instruct them and lett them know what is necessary to supernaturall life and to enable them to liue accordingly the third is to induce them to do what is necessary according to their knowledge and ability The first is done partly and chiefly in the beginning by ceremonies and maiesty of holy rites at which sensible men standing in admiration begin to thinke there is some greater mystery included and so desire to learne and vnderstand it the second is done chiefly by the holy Sacraments and by catechizing by which the people vnderstand what is to be belieued hoped and put in practise and are enabled to performe it the third is done by gouernment and preaching by which men are set forward and kept in order to do what they haue vnderstood ought to be done Now according to these three functions the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy is constituted of Bishops Priests and Ministers and it is called Hierarchy that is holy principality 4. Which of these functions belongeth properly to the Bishop The third which is to gouerne and preach for gouernment is of greatest difficulty and most necessary seeing that it attendeth to make vs do what we know Now both the difficulty and necessity of doing is farre greater then of knowing for the obligation is greater after knowledge and the difficulty of doing no lesse so that to make vs do is the proper effect of the holy Ghost and the field where nature and grace vse their stratagemes and fight their pitched battaile Gouernment therefore by which we are set on to do what we know belongeth chiefly and properly to Bishops from whom all inferiour Priests as well as the people are to take their rule and directions And Christ to the end that their gouernment might be more authorized hath reserued to thē and to their character the Sacrament of Confirmation whereby we become perfect Christians by receiuing the manlike strength and growth of charity and also the Sacrament of Order by which authority is giuen to others to be gouerners Besides in regard of their gouernment Christ hath giuen to them iurisdiction in a more eminent degree then to other Priests that is an authoritie to excommunicate all publike and notorious sinners who being called to iudgement refuse to come or if they come refuse to obey the sentence of their iudge Which excommunication is not inflicted to destroy them but as a medecine to correct them that thereby they may be ashamed of their fault and seeing themselues depriued of the participation of Christ his merits giuen by the Sacraments and of the merits of the Church they may be moued to amend their liues and to returne to liue amongst Christian people like Christian men And as the Bishop hath power to excommunicate such persons so also hath he power to absolue them againe from excommunication when they are penitent and obedient So that these functions belong properly to Bishops to gouerne in chiefe to chastise the wicked and disobedient by excommunicating them to preach and exhort to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation and to administer the Sacrament of Order 5. Which function belongeth properly to Priests The second that is to instruct and administer the Sacraments to them also it belongeth to assist the Bishop and to gouerne vnder him and to preach by cōmission from him And Christ by reseruing to them the function of sacrificing and the administration of diuerse Sacraments hath dignified also their persons because it is necessary for their office that they be respected by the people So that the functions of Priests are chiefly these to assist the Bishop in gouerning and preaching by commission from him to offer vp to God the holy sacrifice of Masse and to administer all Sacraments excepting Confirmation and Order And from hence we may gather what respect is due to Priests for certainely if we owe respect to those who beare temporall offices in the common wealth we owe a farre greater respect to them whose persōs Christ himselfe hath dignified with the greatest and highests functions that are exercised vpon earth hauing made them his ministers not of riches and temporall commodities but by whose hands his heauenly graces and euerlasting treasures of his mercy are conueyed to the people 6. What function belongeth to Ministers The chiefe is to assist the Bishop and Priests in the administration of Sacraments and in the sacrifice and other Church seruices that so they may be performed with due maiesty by decent ceremonies and holy rites and discipline be obserued in the Church 7. How many degrees of Ministers be there They are in all six whereof the two first that is Deacons and Subdeacons are called Greater because they serue