did Simon Magus beginne first to teach that God is the authour of sinne not that he was the immediate causer of it but in that he had giuen vs such a nature as that we sinned of necessity and could not but sinne Which commeth to be the same as to deny freewill Cerdon and Cerinthus followed him in this blasphemy that God is the authour of sinne Yet it had soe ill a sound in their eares to impute sinne vnto God who is infinitly good that they would imagine another God whom they called the euill God and to him they imputed the euill of sinne The like doctrine hath bene auouched by latter haeretiks who amongst other old hâ—â—â—ys haue renewed this as may be seene in Catholike authours who haue confuted them but we will ground ourselues vpon this firme and easy principle established by the Church that God is good and infinitly hating the way of iniquity and infinitly iust that he could not punish vs for sinne if he himselfe were the cause of it therefor God is not the cause and authour of sinne The inordinate affection of creatures is the cause of sinne and men are the authors of the sinnes which they committe God hath ordained all creatures to a good end and to reasonable creatures he hath giuen reason and offereth grace to order their actions according to it they abusing the gift of God and breaking his ordinance committe sinne God permitteth his Law to be broken but is soe farre from breaking it himselfe or being the cause of breaking it that he allwais vseth sufficient meanes to hinder the breaking of it he calleth vs backe from sinne before we committe it inspiring and exciting vs to the contrary and giueth grace to resist temptations and to absteine from sinne if we will And when we haue sinned he rewardeth it not but punisheth it and rewardeth the contrary and therefor by noe meanes can be said to be the cause of sinne He vseth sinne to a good end manifesting his goodnes in rewarding the good and punishing the wicked who of their owne wills committe it being noe way moued by him to it S. Aug. l. de Gen. ad lit to 31. Augustine expresseth this by a very fitt similitude As â—ests in musicke saith he which are noe musicke and as discords of notes which are contrary to musicke are soe placed by skillfull musicians and composed with concords that they make a more sweet and gratefull harmony and as darke colours are intermingled with lightsome to giue more beauty and grace to pictures sic vitiorum nostrorum non est author Deus sed tamen ordinat ea perpeti cogit quae maerentur Soe God is not the authour of our vices but he ordaineth and forceth that which they deserue And as the notes of discorde are not discorde but concorde in effect as the musician ordereth them making of their discorde a perfect harmony soc sinnes are not euill as God permitteth them or as he createth creatures that committe them of as they are ordained to a good end by him but they are in themselues acts of discorde from the Diuine Law and are put into order and concord by him And as we cannot say that the musician causeth discorde or is the authour of discorde for vsing of discorde to perfect his harmony because he maketh concorde with it soe we cannot say that God is the cause or authour of sinne because it hath noe euill but good as he ordereth and vseth it And therefor good Diuines say that God is the cause of the materiall of the act of sinne but not of the malice or euill of sinne as the musician putteth together notes of discorde but maketh noe sounde of discorde by them Those that impute their sinnes to God saith S. Hierome haue that sheild of hart which the Prophet speaketh of saying Thren 3. thou shalt giue them a sheild of hart thy labour They stande as it were face to face against God and retort their sinnes vpon him as though he were to blame in permitting them to sinne and not they in sinning Hence it followeth that we haue freewill to sinne or to abstaine from it Freewill For otherwise sinne proceeding naturally and necessarily from vs the euill and malice of it could not be imputed to vs but to God the authour of our nature Neither is that destinction which some would make to any purpose saying that we haue free will to doe euill but not to doe good For to be free is to haue power to the act or to the contrary and if the act be euill the contrary is good It is true we haue noe power to doe good of ourselues without Gods grace but we can concurre or not concurre with it It is a thinge soe manifest saith S. Aug. ep 11. l. de duab animabus Augustine that man hath freewill and that he is not to be punished for that which is not in his power that shepheards sing it on the mountaines poets on stages the vnlearned in circles the learned in librarys masters in schooles bishops in sacred places and mankind thâ—ough out the world Yet this which is soe manifest was denyed by the Manichaeans the disciples of Manes who sometimes feigning himselfe to be the Holy Ghost and sometimes to be Christ chose twelue disciples to follow him and went vp and downe Affrica preaching against freewill and deceiuing many with such absurditys as are almost incredible to haue bene beleeued After a thousand yeares and more the same doctrine was reuiued againe by Luther and is still mainteined by his followers and by other sects that haue sprung out of him Pelagius an auncient and very learned authour but a prowde and obstinate haeretike was soe farre contrary to this doctrine that where as they deny free power to man to doe good works with Gods grace he affirmed that we haue not onely free power to doe good with Gods grace but also of ourselues without it But S. Augustine hath breifly confuted them both in these words If there be noe free will Aug. ep 46. how doth God iudge the world and if there be not diuine grace how doth he saue the world how can God iudge men to rewards or punishments if they haue not freewill and how doth he saue vs but by his grace strengthening and eleuating vs to good works Soe that we haue free will to doe good contrary to Luther but not to doe good of our owne freewill onely but by the diuine grace which is contrary to Pelagius The Manichaeans Lutherans and those that deny freewill make voide the seauenth article of the Creede that Christ is our iudge and the Pelagions make him noe Sauiour The Catholike Church hath allwais taught that man hath freewill to doe well by cooperating with Gods grace or to doe ill by reiecting it And soe our good works are cheefely attributed to God as proceeding cheefly from his grace and secondarily and instrumentally to our selues because we
tremble with feare and our leggs would scarce be able to beare vs and if we had any strength left we should imploy it all in crying out and in making haist to get away from it So let vs feare and fly from sinne Sonne hast thou sinned Eccli 21. doe see noe more as from the face of a serpent flee from sinnes The teeth of a lyon the teeth thereof killing the soules of men But let vs keepe order First we will speake of the nature and malice of sinne Secondly of the authour and cause of sinne Thirdly of the seuerall kindes of sinne But first of all we will salute the blessed Mother of God and pray for her intercession Haile Mary c. OF THE NATVRE AND MALICE OF SINNE Quest What is sinne Ans Sinne is that by which we depart from the diuine Law and are separated from God THE Law of God is the line and rule by which all our actions are to be ruled sinne is the forsaking of that rule and we forsaking it are presently separated from God soe that we are then cast out of his fauour and in the number of the gracelesse and wicked soules that are to be damned S. Augustine defineth sinne to be a thought Aug. l. â—2 cont Faust c. 17. word or worke contrary to the diuine Law and Diuines commonly call it the deformity of a reasonable creature displeasing to God All which is in substance the same to wiâ— that sinne is a deformity of thought word or worke by which we depart from the diuine Law and are diuided and put away from the grace and glory of God Hence it followeth first that sinne is voluntary Free will and that if we had not free will we could not sinne For God is not displeased without reason and he had noe reason to be displeased at our sinnes if they were of necessity and naturally in vs and not of malice The malice therefor of sinne is the malice of the will as it proceedeth from the malicious will of him that will not absteine from that which he knoweth oâ— ought to know to be a sinne But of this we shall speake afterwards Secondly it followeth that those things which are done ignorantly are noe sinnes except it be a culpable ignorance of that which we should and might haue knowne but did not for otherwise there is noe malice in such actions Sinnes against conscience Thirdly it followeth that those things which are done against conscience are allwais sinnes For our conscience is the iudgment which we make of euery particular action which we doe which iudgment being giuen vs of God as a guide to direct vs in his diuine Law we are bounde to follow it and to be directed by it And if we erre in our actions when we follow our conscience we erre not in that we follow them for that we ought to doe but we erre and offende in that we blindly resolue vpon such actions before that we haue informed our selues sufficiently of the lawfullnesse of them and in that we depose not and lay aside not first the errour of conscience which we haue Counsaile It is good therefor not to be too wise in our owne eyes and conceited of our owne knowledge but to aske of those that are to direct vs and if we chance to be taken on a suddaine thaâ— we haue not time and opportunity to informe our selues let vs commende it breâ—fly to God and then act resolutly according to our conscience all wais iudging that to be lawfull which we intende to doe least thinking or doubting it to be vnlawfull we be condemned by our owne conscience and at the tribunall of God for nor following the guide which he gaue vs. Sinne therefor is a voluntary act of the will by which we depart from the diuine Law and are separated from God Hence we may gather the first euill of sinne The first euill of sinne and that it is an incompreheÌ„sible and infinite euill in that it is contrary to God and separating from him an incomprehensible and infinite good For what is God but an infinite power an infinite wisdome an infinite goodnes beauty and glory nor can we say any thinge of God but by infinites Then what is sinne as it is contrary to God but an infinite of all euills contrary to that infinite good he that could lay what God were and could declare the goodnes of God might say what sinne were and declare the euill of it but this none at all can doe and therefor the euills of sinne are vnspeakeable and as the goodnes of God soe are they incomprehensible in that they separate vs from him Thinke with your selues sometimes of that supreme goodnes contemplate God and blesse him whom you can neither speake not thinke Hiero. l. 2. inc 2. abac â—as ho. 13. ex varijs qua est de side Aug. l. de Spiritu anima tract 4. Moyses saith S. Hierome called himselfe alogos irrationalis without speech and without reason when he was to speake of God and of diuine thinges and Dauid saith he called himselfe iumentum a dumbe â—reature in that respect S. Basil It is naturall for all to loue God but to speake rightly of him is aboue the nature of men Say saith S. Augustine say my soule to God who art thou O. Lord and whom shall I conceiue thee to be truely thou onely are what then art and who thou art That is to say that then which there is nothing to be thought that is greater or better or more delightsome the cheife good Ser. 1. de verb. Apost to 1. And in another place If thou desirest greatnes he is greater if beauty he is more beautifull if sweetnes he is sweeter if brightnes he is brighter if iustice he is iuster if strength he is stronger if piety he is more clement for it is written he that made strong things himselfe is stronger Sap. 13. and he that made the beautifull is more beautifull himselfe What would S. Augustine say by this for God to be the greatest the sweetest the most beautifull of all things we easily vnderstande it but to be greater then greatnes sweeter then sweetnes c. We vnderstande it not That which S. Augustine said in this was that God is a greatnes a sweetnes a glory a goodnes which can not be vnderstoode I tasted and became hungry Aug. l. 10. Confess c. 27. and thirsty thou touchedst mee and I burned with the loue of thy peace Saith he God is a ioy which none can vnderstande but which all doe loue and hungar and thirst after by nature A ioy which is aboue all ioyes and which conteineth all ioyes and is still desired by those that enioy him All that can be said of God is in breife but this that he is the supreme goodnes and that infinite How euill then is sinne that separateth from him A sort of robbers enter into Michas his house
that suppose he hath time of repentance granted whether he shall make good vse of it or nee and if he repent for that time whether he shall not fall againe into the same sinne for one sinne disposeth to another and if it be forgiuen the first time we are not sure of pardon the second or third time which we committe it One sinne damned all mankind to death and to loose the glory of God for euer The deuill told Eue that she should not dy if she sinned but it was a delusion of the deuill and soe it prooued God had said in what day soeuer thou shalt eate thou shalt dyâ— and eating she sinned Gen. 2. and died It is a delusion of the deuill to take from vs the feare of death after sinne and for any man to thinke that he shall not dy before he repent he being then subiect euery moment to death S. Hom. 22. in 2. ad Cor. c. 10. Iohn Chrysostome they say to themselues God hath granted the benefit of repentance to some euen in their last old age What thou saith he shalt thou also haue it perhaps I shall saith the sinner O why dost thou say perhaps I shall Say rather perhaps I shall not and then what will become of mee I shall be damned Thinke that it is thy soule which thou dost deliberate on If thou wert to goe to the warres wouldest thou say I will not dispose of my affaires first perhaps I shall returne againe many haue done soe Or if thou wert thinking to marty wouldst thou say I will marry a poore woman perhaps I shall grow rich many haue done soe Or if thou wert to build a house wouldst thou lay rotten foundations and say perhaps my house will stande why wilt thou then vpon rotten and vncertaine grounds build the saluation of thy soule all these are vncertaintys and soe is thy life and thy repentance Death commeth as a thelfe and we know not at what hower the theife will come The rich man was glorying in his riches and presently he heard a voice from God saying Luc. 12. this night they require thy soule of thee Absalom was domineering with a glorious army of rebells and presently his army is lost and himselfe riding away is hung by the haire in a tree and there commeth loab with three lances and sticketh them all in his hart Our liues are as the turne of a dy subiect to many vncertaintys and soe is our repentance If we are truly wise we will take the safest way and that is to fly sinne and to be allwais prepared for death He that were to passe through a dangerous wildernes in which many had bene killed would he not choose the safest way that he could The way of vertue is a safe way the way of sinne is full of danger thousands haue perished in it and none can perish but in it some indeede haue turned backe and forsaken that way againe but that is a hazard Fly grom drunkennesse Amb. exhort ad poenit saith S. Ambrose from concupiscence and from euill talke Man ought not onely after his sinne to refraine these thinges but also when he is sound and in good health because he knoweth not whether he shall repent and Confesse his sinne to God and to the Priest There are two thinges either he shall repent or he shall not Which of them shall come to passe I know not but that which I counsaile is to leaue the vncertaine and to choose the certaine All that can be said is that he may repent but this is vnâ—â—rtaine Certaine it is that if he hath sinned he hath deserued hell and that if he repent not he shall be damned Let not the sinner then flatter himselfe with presumption of the diuine mercy and of repentance It is a flattery of the deuill to delude and to draw him into hell Consider sinne as it is in it selfe and the euills that of themselues follow it Behold it as a monster that commeth to kill thee and to deliuer thee into the deuils power Thinke the most horrible spectacle that thou canst deuise to thinke and know that thy soule in sinne is more horrible and deformed then it Our soules saith S. Chrysostome in possession of the deuill is in worse state then our bodys possessed by him For although sinners saith he foame not at the mouth roare not with their voices nor writh their heades and eyes as possessed persons doe yet they are much more deformed inwardly and in the sight of God And in another place declaring how all things are confounded by sinne He affirmeth that it maketh men in some respects worse then deuills for the deuills saith he hurt not those of their owne kind but men by sinne care not what hurt they doe to one another and of malice will kill euen their neerest freinds and kindred Thus much of the malice of sinne Now OF THE AVTHOVR OF SINNE SVCH being the malice of sinne as is declared soe contrary to reason and to the goodnes of God it cannot stande with his diuine goodnes to impute the malice of it to him and to make not him the authour of it Some things there are soe manifest in themselues that euen at the first apprehension without disputing we assent vnto them and although strong and difficult arguments may seeme sometimes to arize against them as they may against all veritys whatsoeuer yet they are allwais to be granted and to be kept as firme and vndenyable principles Now if there be any thinge manifest in it selfe and to be kept as a firme and certaine principle it is that God is infinit in goodnes infinitly hating sinne and therefor can not be the authour of the euill which it conteines but it must proceede from some cause which is quite opposite to the goodnes of God And although some arguments might be obiected against this yet it is an extreme boldnes and prophanenesse in any man to question the truth of it but euen as all Philosophers agree to the Axiome that the whole is greater then any of its parts although arguments are often obiected against it soe ought we allwais to agree and much more firmely to ground ourselues vpon this verity that all goodnes is of God and that the euill which we doe is of ourselues according to that of the Prophet Perdition is thine O Israel Ose 13. onely in mee thy helpe But heretiks contemning all authority and denying the principles which the whole Catholike world receiueth to follow their owne fancys and conceits make the mysterys of faith to be more vncertaine then the principles of Philosophy They would be ashamed to be brought to deny that which all Philosophers had setled and are ashamed to deny that which Christ and the Holy Ghost and all the Doctors of the Catholike Church haue taught and established in faith but one arch haeretike will coÌ„tradict them all and gette followers to mainteine his singularity against them Thus
is Catholike 178. It is One 180. The honorable titles of the Church 181. The Church Triumphant and Militant 181. The gouernment of the Church 195. S. Peter was the head of the Church by the institution of Christ 196. c. The true Catholike Church is destinguished from all false Churches 214. The beginning of all false Churches 215.235 The Church proposeth pious obiects to our mindes to moue vs to pious considerations 564. The Church must decide all controuersys in religion 184.641.711 Commandements The ten Commandements oblige by the Law of nature 379. God the authour of the ten Commandements 381. Priests must see that the Commandements be kept 379. The Commandements possible to be kept 383. How the Commandements are to be diuided 387 Communion of Saints 182. Of deuout Communion 308. Vnder one kind 316. Communion at Easter time 664 Concupiscence 441. Degrees of Concupiscence 442. Confession 253.322 662. of intire confessions 337. Cleerenes in confession 344. Confession once a yeare and in diuerse circumstances is of obligation 662. The benefits of confession 663 Confirmation 296. The ceremonys of Confirmation 297. The effect of Confirmation 297 Conscience Sinnes against Conscience 674. Remorse and terrour of Conscience 695. Examine of Conscience 329. c. Continuance in sinne 359. 696 Contrition 329 Couetousnes 443. Remedys against Couetousnes 445. Councells Generall Councells 205. Generall Councells consist of bishops 209 Counsaile Good to aske Counsaile 674 Creede The authority of the Apostles Creede 76 Cros. The signe of the Cros. 49. How the signe of the Cros is to be made 4â— What is signifyed in the signe of the Cros. 51. The Cros is to be honored and worshipped by Christians 60. The power and vertue of the Cros. 63 Crownes shauen 368 Curiosity in points of faith is dangerous and groundlesse 10.16.17.18 c. Customes of the Church 64â— D DEtraction 434. Remedys against Detraction 439 Deuill The deuill is bounde in the Law of Christ 498 Distractions in prayer 473.506 Doctrine Obligation to learne the christian Doctrine 7 Duell 417 E. EAst Altares towards the East 603 Education of children 1 Ember dayes 654 Eucharist 298. 664. The Eucharist excelleth all the Sacraments 299. What is conteined in the Eucharist â—00 c The Eucharist a Sacrament 305. The effects of the Eucharist 321 Examine of conscience 329 Exorcismes 139.293.364.534 Extreme-Vnction 360. Extreme-Vnction a Sacrament 361. The effect of Extreme-Vnction 361. F FAith is supernaturall and therefor not to be sought into by naturall reason 12.13 c. 19. Faith accordeth with reason 21. Faith is allwais with obedience to the Church 25. How the true faith in the obedience to the true Church is to be prayed for 34. c. Faith alone iustifyeth not 482 Fasting commended in the Scriptures 646. Fasting includeth two things 657. Fasting dayes are to be obserued according to the intention of the Church 656 Father vide Parents God a Father 77.477 Font consecrated 291 Freewill 673.708 Frydayes fast 655 G GHost The Holy Ghost 56.142.173 Glory The state of glory 259. 480.481 God a Father 77.477 Plenty to the seruants of God 487. Angells and men giue testimony of God 84. Naturall feeling of God 91. Naturall reason doth demonstrate the supreme power of God 96. Creatures sometimes called Gods in the Scriptures 108. God in all places but especially in heauen 479. God not the authour of sinne 704. God the supreme and principall we the inferiour and instrumentall causes of our owne good 710. God a spirituall substance infinite in perfection 105.108.675 God fathers 3.292 Gouernment of the Church 195 Grace What Grace is 268 H HEauen Vide Glory Hell 160.682 c. Head The Head of the Church 196.215 c. Noe Secular Prince as such is the head of the Church of Christ 234 Haile Mary c. 508. The Haile Mary next vnto the Pater Noster is the best of all prayers 555 Hardnes of hart by much sinning 696. c. Heresy leadeth to atheisme 79.80.81 c. Heresy is a peruersednes and obstinacy of minde by which one will mainteine some doctrine contrary to the whole Church 216. c. Heretiks make the grounds of diuine faith to be as vncertaine as the grounds of Philosophy 705 Holydayes 404.659 Holy bread 656.625 Holy Ghost 56.142.173 Holy water 624 Honour The Honour of God first to be sought and prayed for 479.503 The honour of this world is vaine and vncertaine lost by sinne 687.690 I IESVS 111 Ignorance inuincible 674 Images to be worshipped 389. c. Immortality of the soule and the Resurrection of the body vnderstoode sometimes as the same thinge 257 Incarnation 57.142.532.556 The mystery of the Incarnation often commemorated in the Catholike Church 150 Iniurys to be pardoned 420.490 c. Inuocation of Saints 460. c. Iudaisme and Turcisme reiected 112.113 c. 250 Iudgment 169 K KIngdome of heauen 480. vid. Glory The Kingdome of God diuersly vnderstoode 482. Knowledge Too much desire of knowledge 10.53 Knowledge of the christian doctrine necessary to be had by all 7 L LAdy The Angelicall Salutation of our blessed Lady 509. c Our blessed â—ady was full of grace 510.515 The promises made vnto the Patriarks of Christs coming of their seede were fullfilled in our blessed Lady 513. The auncient fathers of the Catholike Church sing the praises of out blessed Lady 517. Protestants dishonour our blessed Lady 524. The Assumption of our blessed Lady 518. The summe of our blessed Ladys prayses out of the fathers 529. Our blessed Lady blessed among woemen 530.531 Our blessed Lady the Mother of God and to be honoured as such 538. c. It was meete and conuenient that our blessed Lady should excell all creatures in sanctity 541. The power of our blessed Lady in fauour of her freinds 544. c. and against her enemys 548. Our blessed Lady present at our deaths 553 Latine tongue vsed in the Church seruice 627 Lent 651 Luxury vid. Carnal M MArke S. Marks solemnity 655 Mary vid. Lady Masse 575. The Masse is the Christian Sacrifice 576. c. 582. The Sacrifice of Masse continueth for euer 584. Masse a commemoratiue sacrifice yet a true sacrifice 594. The caeremonys of the Masse 598. The diuision of the Masse 604. Meditations vpon the Masse 622. The authour of the Masse 621. Masse in Latine 626. The fruits and benefits of the Masse 633. And those not onely spirituall but also temporall 637. A commendable deuotion to heare Masse euery day 638. All are bound to heare Masse on holydayes 660 Matter the Matter and forme of the Sacraments and intention of him that administreth them 27â— Matrimony a Sacrament 369. The loue and duety of married folkes 369. c. The tribulations of marriage must be considered before hand 373. c. Those that marry must declare concerning three things 374 The vse of matrimony not conuenient at all times 375. Marriage forbidden to be celebrated in some times 640. Merits The Merits of Christ must be applyed
vnto vs by ourselues 155.156 c. 593 Messias 111 Christ the Messias true God 116.121 c. Iesus Christ the true Messias 122. c. Miracles prooue obedience to that Church in which they are wrought 28. The faith of Christ confirmed by miracles 130 Moderate affection of parents towards their children 411 Mortall sinne 717 N NAme The Name of God 398. Phantasticall Names reprooued in baptisme 295 Neighbour Who is our Neighbour 409. Charity towards our Neighbour v. Charity O OYle vsed in the consecration of holy things 291.603 Order 30.79.644.609 Orders a Sacrament 663 Seuerall degrees of orders in the Church 364 Originall sinne 715 Oths require three conditions to be lawfull 398 Oths imposed vpon Catholikes by Haereticks or any Infidels are allwais to be suspected 399 P PAganisme refuted 117. The Pagan Philosophers confounded themselues 15. They were replenished with sinne 697 Parents to be honored and obeyed 409. Parents must loue their children and prouide for them yet with discretion and moderation 411. c. Superiors are Parents 410. The good example of parents to their children 414. Parents haue a double obligation to instruct their children 2 Pastour The Pastours of the Church gathered together haue the authority of the whole Church and all false Churches beginne by disobedience to them 205.215 Patience the proper vertue of Christians 418 Pennance a Sacrament 322. The essentiall parts of Pennance 328. The effect of Pennance 328 Pleasure in sinne is false base and short 690 Poore The Poore to be releeued 473 Prayer The fruit and force of prayer 450. Preparation to prayer 455. What we are to pray for 457. Prayer to Saints 459. c. Prayer to particular Saints for particular benefits 470. Hinderances of obtaining our prayers 471. Attention in prayer 473. Prayer and good life must goe together 479. Sentences of holy Scriptures vertually Prayers 567. Perseuerance in Prayer 569 Praecepts of the Church 640. They oblige vnder a mortall sinne 641 Praesumption of Gods mercy 699 Pretences All Pretences of haeretiks obstructed 247. c. Priests must be called of God 210.367 Seuerall degrees of Priests 366. Chastity annexed to Priesthood 367. Priests Iudges 254. And they doe not onely declare sinnes to be forgiuen but doe truely forgiue sinnes 324. Priests must be able to giue satisfaction to the people in things necessary for them to know 54. The office of Priests to instruct and to see that the Commandements of God be kept 378 Purgatory 349. c. R REcreation Lawfull and modest Recreations are to be allowed of in seasonable times 406. Reliques and holy things to be worshipped 396 Remission of sinnes in confession 253.323 c. Remorse of conscience 495.695 Restitution 430.432 Resurrection of Christ 131. c. 162. The Resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soule were aunciently vnderstoode as the same 257 Reuerence to the Sacraments 277. to holy thinges vide Images Rogation dayes 654 Romane The Romane Church prooued by induction from all other religions in the world 250 Rosary vid. Beades S SAbaoth vide Holydayes Sacrament What a Sacrament is 266. The difference betwixt our Sacraments in the Law of grace and all former Sacraments 267. The necessity of Sacraments 271. The authour of the Sacraments 272. The Matter and forme of the Sacraments 272. The minister of the Sacraments 274. The Character of the Sacraments 275. Reuerence to the Sacraments 277 The number of the Sacraments 280 Sacrifice v. Masse Saints to be prayed vnto 459. c. Saints are present in spirit at our prayers 467.568 Satisfaction 346 Scandall 658 Sinne. The euills of sinne 495.675 c. None free from sinne 490. Sinne a monster 669. Sinnes by ignorance and sinnes against conscience 674. The miserable condition of sinners as slaues 679. Sinne the cause of temporall afflictions 684. Sinne punished in the freinds and allyance of sinners 688. The authour and cause of sinne 704. Diuerse kindes of sinne 715. Sinne by thought 441 Scruples in faith proceede from the weakenes of our reason 20 Soule two powers Superiour and Inferiour 152 Spirit The Spirit of God inspiring to the true faith is allwais with obedience to the Church 24.25 c. Not euery spirit is to be beleeued 25.26.27 c. Not euery one that prayeth hath the true spirit 31. How the good spirit is to be prayed for 34.35 c. 40 Superstition Noe Superstition to obserue a certaine number of prayers in relation to some pious mystery 571 Sweare vid. Oth. T TEmporall prosperity proceedeth from God and is lost by sinne 414.684 Temptations commune to all 497. How God is said to Tempt 498 Theft Diuerse kindes of Theft 430 Thought Sinne by Thought 441 Traditions 73.74 c. Transubstantiation 305 Trinity The blessed Trinity 53.142.174 The B. Trinity hath appeared in corporall shapes 144. V VEniall sinne 721 Vertue yeeldeth satiety of true pleasures and of temporall felicitys 480 Some prayers aske nothing expresly but they aske Vertually and in effect 567 Vigils 654 Vyande or Voyage bread the Eucharist 664 W WAges 4â—1 Will. Our owne Wills are our greatest enemys 483. Conformity to the Will of God 484 Witnesse False Witnesse 434 Worldly care in excesse 444.
signe of the Cros vpon her brest and that soe she should be cured She did soe and was restored to perfect health This happened in S. Augustines time in the city in which he liued and himselfe hauing had the examining of it caused it to be published We haue then S. Paul and those that liued in the Apostles times honoring the Cros as we now doe and we may see by the writings of their successors the Saints of the primitiue Church the power and vertue of the signe of the Cros and what deuotion was then borne to it He whom all this is not sufficient to moue but shall still oppose this blessed signe sheweth an intollerable obstinacy in himselfe and that he needeth rather some meanes to mollify his hart and to moue his will then any arguments to conuince his vnderstanding and therefor let him haue recourse vnto God by prayer as I shewed in the last title of the former discourse that he will enlighten and inspire him to the truth for he may deceiue himselfe but God can not deceiue him I haue now noe more to say of the signe of the Cros. You haue seene first how it is to be made Secondly what mysterys are conteined in it to wit the mysterys of the B. Trinity and of the Incarnation Thirdly what reuerence we ought to beare vnto it Let vs confesse the greatnes of God in the mystery of the blessed Trinity and feare him let vs acknowledge his loue in the mystery of the Incarnation and loue him and let vs honour that holy signe by which those mysterys are signifyed The Cros is the sword of Christ the glory of christians the terrour of deuils our armes and armour against all dangers both of body and soule It is saith S. Augustine the chaire in which our master satte to teach vs. Aug. tract 119. in lo. to 3 1. ad Tim. 3. He taught vs from thence a lesson of all vertues of perfect charity towards God and our neighbour of humility patience meekenesse fortitude pouerty and of perfect resignation with the will of God in all things If thou feelest thy selfe cold in the loue of God negligent in frequenting the Sacraments in comming to masse c. and hast but litle feeling of goodnes nor care of Gods seruice in thee behold Christ vpon the Cros heare him how he calleth vpon thee to see him paining vnto death for the loue of thy soule If thou art offended at thy enemy and dost not forgiue him behold thy master on thee Cros and heare him not onely forgiuing but excusing and praying for his enemys If thou feelest in thy selfe a desire of praise worldly glory and preferment behold the sonne of God in his passion become the abiect of men that a notorius condemned theefe was preferred before him If by sicknesse soares and other like afflitions thou art moued to impatience see him in his Passion how he gius his blessed head his face his hands his feete and his whole body as a lambe to his enemys to be bounde to be beaten to be nailed stabbed cut and wounded as they would themselues See the blood running out of his crowned head by drop after drop where the thornes pierced it and out of his hands and feete and wounded side not by drops but by a continuall course vntill they were left dry What did he say to those that tormented him and in his torments vpbraided him with false crimes all that time he answered not a word in his owne behalfe but with silence went on stoode still or layed downe as they would haue him that carried him from place to place and from one paine to another he neuer opening his mouth to desire any ease or to intreate for any thing to teach thee meekenesse He defended innocency against the power of kings priests and presidents to teach thee fortitude in Gods cause He became naked to teach thee pouerty He tooke the cuppe of his Passion willingly from the Angell and drunke it vp to the bottome more then ne needed for the health of mankind because it was for the honour of God and his diuine will that he should doe soe Learne thou to resigne thy will to the will of God and to be contented in all occasions as he shall dispose of thee Finally there is neither writing nor preaching nor any words whatsoeuer that imprinteth soe much the loue of God in our harts nor moueth soe efficaciously to all vertues noe not the holy scriptures themselues nor any remedy soe good against all kind of sinnes as the meditation of Christs Passion which is read vnto vs in the signe of the Cros. L. 6. in Ep. ad Rom. Origen asking by what meanes we shall performe the Apostles words that sinne reigne not in vs Rom. 6. answereth where the death of Christ is carried there sinne can not reigne for saith he the Cros of Christ hath such power that if we beare it before our eyes and keepe it in our mindes noe concupiscence noe lust noe anger noe enuy can ouercome vs He â—5 in Mâ—t. to 2. the whole army of sinne is put to slight S. Chrysostome let them attende that are ashamed of the Cros of Christs Passion For if the Prince of the Apostles S. Peter were called Satan when he had not learned the mystery of the Cros Mat. 16. because he said Lord be it farre from thee this shall not be vnto thee how shall they be pardoned that dare to deny the Cros now when it is preached all ouer let none be ashamed of these signes of our saluation but let vs carry the Cros of Christ about vs as a ioyfull crowne for all things that are conducing to saluation are accomplished in it When we are regenerated the Cros is present when we are fedd with the most sacred soode when we are placed in the order of consecrating all ouer and at all times that signe of victory is vsed Wherefor let vs haue that signe in our houses in our windowes on our foreheades and in our mindes with much deuotion It is the signe of our saluation of our vniuersall liberty of the mildnesse and humility of our Lord. When therefor thou signest thy selfe with the signe of the Cros thinke of the mystery of the Cros and extinguish the fire of wrath and other Passions in thee When thou signest thy selfe with the signe of the Cros arme thy face with confidence and thy minde with the thoughts of freedome For Paul exhorting to true freedome calleth vs to the memory of the Cros saying you are bought with a great price Cor. 1.6 This was the price of the Cros. We must not onely make it with our singars on the body but with consideÌ„ce on our soules and if soe thou make it none of the wicked deuills will dare to encounter thee when he seceth the speere of his mortall wound For if we are affraid to behold the place where condemned persons are executed what dost thou
there can be noe alteration without a cause Neither are the alterations which we call chances soe called because they are without a cause but because they are vncertaine in their causes as might be manifested by examples which were too long for this place But this answere is not to the purpose for reason is now required and reason requires reason and is not satisfyed with chance for that is to giue noe reason at all To say that the productions of creatures procede from infinite causes is a greater absurdity and indeede in termes an infinite ansurdity as making an infinite collection of men and soe of other creatures succeeding one another without beginning yet euety man of this infinite collection to haue had a beginning and time to be conceiued and disposed in But because I would keepe within the capacitys of all I will omitte much which might here be said and say noe more but this that if we should set vp such a succession of infinite effects from infinite causes for euer producing one another we should neuer come to the knowledge of any thinge nor assigne the cause of any thinge but still runne into infinites And by this very reason did Aristotle although a Pagan acknowledge one supreme omnipotent and eternall cause of all thinges and all to haue proceeded from him to auoide the absurdity and repugnance of infinite causes which otherwise he saw would follow Neither can there be any satisfaction to reason for this admirable order and harmony which creatures make but to come to one supreme power and highest reason which gaue vnto creatures their power and perfections in those limits and order which we see them to haue that Astronomers can fore tell to an instant the courses of the sunne moone and other planets and their certaine ecclypses many dayes before they come to passe and that priests and exorcists haue power ouer the deuils to commande them in possessed persons to those strange effects which we see None of which passages would prophane men beleeue if they were not seene Therefor we seeing such an order in natural thinges and also supernatural effects aboue nature we must of necessity grant a supreme cause of nature and supernaturall power that dispenseth with it when and as it pleaseth him and that this power being that it limited all is limited by none but is without limits one eternal and omnipotent God in whom and of whom all thinges are And soe the question is answered and reason is satisfyed hauing all that it desireth which is the rest of that motion and cause of that alteration which we see in creatures Thus by the light of reason God sheweth himselfe to vs and calleth vs to serue him and if any man shall for harden his hart by sinne and the loue of liberty as not to be moued with the general consent of all nations with that feare and feeling which he hath of God and with these plane and easy reasons he were rather to be looked vpon as a monster swâ—ruing from the nature of all men then to be esteemed as of the same nature and reason with them and if he haue any sense of man lefâ— is rather to be diswaded from vice by the reason and natural auersion which he hath from it then to be delt with by arguments And therefor I say noe more to such a man but this onely word let him fly vice and follow a vertuous and orderly life as reason dictateth that he should and then noe doubt but within a while he shall both see the power of God in all creatures and also shall obserue his diuine prouidence and goodnes by many occasions in particular to himselfe For there is nothing that dulleth reason and confoundeth it soe much in vs as the much following of our owne wills and long continuance in sinne without repentance nor is there any thinge which openeth our vnderstandings soe much to reason as the following of reason in order and goodnes of life You shall see now in a word or two how the master of Philosophers hath discoursed of God by naturall reason onely He seeing that some cause by reason should be assigned of creatures and not to leaue them to chance and perceiuing the absurdity and contradiction of running into infinite causes came to setle himselfe in one eternal and omnipotent God as the first and supreme cause of all thinges and spoke very honorably and with great reuerence of him giuing him such titles as might declare his soueraigne power and eminent perfections aboue all as hauing all thinges depending of him Sometimes he calleth him ens entium the Being of beings some times Primum Principium rerum omnium Lib. demundo ad Alex. The First Principle or Beginning of all thinges Metaph. l. 12. And speaking of the Intelligences that moue and guide the heauens he assirmeth one to be the head and Prince of all whom he calleth Deum God The Supreme Gouernour of the world and of all thinges And in his books of physicks rebuking the dullnes of some in this point he hath these admirable words L. 2. Phys c. 4. Some there aâ—e who haue referred the cause of all thinges to chance which is to be admired at in them because affirming of sensible thinges and plants that they are not by fortune but that they câ—me of some nature or reason or such like cause for that we haue not any thinge of euery seede but of such an one an oliue and of such a man and yet the heauens and those which amongst sensible thinges are more diuine they will haue to be by chance and to haue noe cause Thus did he discourse of God acknowledging him to be the cause of all and the source and fountaine of all perfections from whence all goodnes sprang He gaue vnto him the nature of a spirit as more perfect and free from the imperfections of corporal substances and confessed him to be infinite and incomprehensible Neither doth his doctrine of the worlds eternity disprooue his autority for this For as light is caused by the sunne and heate by fire and yet are allwais coexistent with their causes soe might he acknowledge God the authour and cause of the world and for want of faith imagine that it was eternally coexistent with him But if Aristotle discouered thus much of God and spoke soe honorably of him not hauing the light of faith but onely of natural reason How much ought we to loue and serue him in the Catholike faith Hier. 32. O most strong great and mighty the Lord of hosts is his name saith the Prophet great in councell and incomprehensible in cogitation whose eyes are open vpon all the wayes of the children of Adam to render vnto euery one according to his wayes and according to the fruite of his inuentions Let vs then that beleeue these words by faith prayse that blessed and powerfull name that we may haue in the end that rewarde which his
de obitu fratris Pauls authority And S. Cyprian and S. Ambrose signify that it is all one to say the Romane faith and the Catholike faith All which they would neuer haue said if they had not thought the Romane chaire to haue had preeminence and authority aboue all and vnderstoode the words of S. Paul in that sense that the faith of the Romanes was renowmed in the supreme authority of that sea and therefor we may rightly alleadge those scriptures according to the auncient fathers interpretations for the supremacy of the bishop of Rome But we will produce their plane testimonys immediatly from the Apostles times Anacletus who liued with the Apostles hath these words Ep. 3. ad omnes Epis This holy and Apostolicall Romane Church not onely from the Apostles but euen from our Lord and Sauiour himselfe hath obtained the principality and eminency of power ouer all Churches and ouer the whole flocke of the people of Christ he himselfe saying to S. Peter Mat. 16. Thou art Peter c. And they also themselues consented vnto it that he should be aboue all the rest of the Apostles and should be Cephas that is to say the head and beginning of the Apostle ship who deliuered the same forme to his successors and the rest of the Apostles to bishops to be held by them If any difficult causes arize amongst you referre them to this head that by the apostolicall iudgment they may be ended for such is the will of our Lord who hath soe determined as by the foresaid places is declared Therfor this Apostolical seate is constituted of none other but of our Lord himselfe to be the hinge and the head as is said before of all Churches That as the doore is guided by the hinges soe by the disposition of our Lord all Churches should be gouerned by this holy seate S. L. 3. c. 3. Irenaeus who liued in the next age after the Apostles reckoneth vp all the bishops of Rome vnto Eleutherius who then gouerned to shew the succession of that supreme authority from S. Peter and saith that in all cases of controuersy we should haue recourse vnto the Apostolical traditions and try them by the Church of Rome Tertullian L. depudicitia who liued in the same age with him calleth the bishop of Rome Pontificem Maximum Episcopum Episcoporum The highest Priest the Bishop of bishops S. Cyprian De vnitate Eccles who liued in the next age after them speaking of the beginning of heresys saith in substance all which I am saying to wit that all schismes and heresys haue begunne by disobedience to the head of the Church and particularly specifyeth to what head to wit to the successour of S. Peter that is for the time and saith that if we would seeke to that iudge all controuersys would soone be at an end And speaking of the bishops of Rome L. 4. ep 9. from hence saith he all heresys haue rizen and still arize because that bishop who is but one and presideth ouer the Whole Church is despised by the prowde presumption of certaine men and he whom God hath dignifyed is iudged by men as vnworthy of dignity In the next age liued S. Athanasius a glorious Confessour and for forty yeares and more in which he was bishop the prime pillar of the Catholike Church in the easterne parts against the Arian haeretiks Apud Theoâ—â—et â— 4. c. 3. He reckoneth vp the Churches of the seueral parts of the world and saith that they and the whole world consented to the Councell of Nyce in which the primacy of S. Syluester then bishop of Rome was acknowledged and declared And it is here to be obserued that the Arians who are the auncientest of all sects now extant out of the Catholike Church beganne but in these times when the Romane bishop had bene honored for about three hundred yeares as the Vicar of Christ vpon earth And the same saint together with the fathers of the Councell of Alexandria wrote vnto Felix 2. then bishop of Rome after this manner To the honorable holy father Felix Pope of the Apostolical seate of the city of Rome Athanasius and all the bishops of the Aegyptians Thebaians and Lybians by the grace of God assembled in the holy Councell of Alexandria We suggest vnto your holy Apostleship that you would vouchsafe to vs of your wounted care ouer vs c. Because most holy father our praedecessors and we haue receiued helpe of your Apostolical scate We implore that Apostolicall and according to the canons the cheife seate that we may haue helpe from thence from whence our auncestors haue had their doctrines orders and relcefe Vnto that we haue recourse as to our mother that we may be nourished at her breasts And as the mother own not forgett her child soe doe not you forgette vs committed to your charge For our enemys haue inuolued vs in noe small troubles apprehending and threatening vs with irons vnles we will yeeld to their errors Which without your knowledge we will not presume vpon the canons hauing decreed that in cases of moment nothing should be done without the Romane bishop Therfor God hath placed you and your praedecessors the bishops of Rome in the toppe of all that you might haue a care of all Churches hauing the iudgment of all bishops committed to you For we know that in the great Councell of Nyce of three hundred and eighteene bishops it was established by all that without the sentence of the Romane bishop noe Councell should be called nor any bishops condemned although these and many other necessary thinges be taken away from vs and burnt by turbulent haeretiks c. Likewise it was agreeably defined by the foresaid fathers that if any of the bishops shall haue in suspicion the Metropolitan Comprouinciales or Judges let him appeale to your holy seate of Rome to whom the power of binding and loosing was giuen by speciall priuilege by our Lord himselfe c. Thou art the deposer of prophane haeresys inuaders and infesters as the Head and Doctour and Prince of orthodoxe doctrine and vnspotted faith After S. Athanasius in the next age liued S. Optatus bishop of Mileuetum in Affricke who made a catalogue of all the Popes from S. Peter to Siricius who then gouerned and writing against the haeretike Parmention he telleth him that in setting vp a chaire contrary to the Chaire of Rome he could not pleade ignorance knowing that the first was giuen to S. Peter to be at Rome and particular chaires to the other Apostles L. 1. conc Parm. that he might be knowne for a schismatike and praeuaricatour that should set vp a chaire in opposition to it Amb. in 3. ad Tim. S. Ambrose speaking of Damasus then bishop of Rome saith that all the world being Gods yet the Church onely is hit house whose Rectour or Ruler at this time is Dumasus S. Hierome also liued in the time of this
33. l. 3. c. 43.44 l 2. cont Gauden c. 3 l. de vntco bap â—â—s c 15. ep 48. L. 2. cont Petâ—lâ— c. 19. as may be seene in The Authour of the Protestant Religion l. 2. c. 11. They must therefor shew some iust cause why they went forth and separated themselues For as S. Augustine alluding to the holy Prouerbe c. 30. often obiecteth against the Donatists The euill child calleth himselfe iust but he can not excuse his going forth And in another place You must come and giue an account of your separation But none of them haue a iuster cause nor can giue a better account of their separation then those whom they confesse to be false Churches therefor they are all false Churches I haue now sufficiently performed one thinge which I promised in the title of this booke The verity of the Roma â—e Cathelike faith is demonstrated by industion from aâ—l other religions to wit to demonstrate by induction from all the religions that are in the world the verity of the Romane Catholike faith As for the atheist he ought indeede to be excluded from all speech of religion for that he hath none yet his prophanesse is disprooued in the first article of the Creede in which the Apostles laid the foundation of religion saying I beleeue in God The Pagans religion is disprooued in the same article in that he beleeueth not in one God the maker of heauen and eaâ—th The Iewish and Turkish sects are disprooued in the second article for that they beleeue not in Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God All sects of Christians that are out of the Romane Church are disprooued in that they haue broken this ninth article of the Creede I beleeue the Cathâ—like Church disobeying its authority in the lawfull head and pastors of it Let them harken to the words of the Holy Ghost Deut 17. If thou perceiue that the iudgment with thee be hard and doubtfull c. Thou shalt come to the Priests of the Leuitical stocke and to the iudge that shall be at that time and thou shalt doe whatsoeuer they that are presidents of the place which our Lord shall choose shall say and teach thee according to his law and thou shalt follow their sentence neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand But he that shall be prowde refusing to obey the commandement of the priest which at that time ministreth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the iudge that man shall dy Here now I cry to all those christians that are out of the Romane Church Graecians Arians c. and to all the seueral Churches of Protestants and especially to you my very deere Countreymen for whose soules I haue long hazarded my corporall life You haue contemned this great authority or rather a greater then it was You haue refused to obey the commandement of the priest and priests not of the Leuitical stocke but of the institution of Christ to wit the Successour of S. Peter and his pastors that is to say the Bishop of Rome and his pastors who gouerned the primitiue Church of Christ and were then actually gouerning it when your Churches beganne These you know you haue disobeyed and stande still disobedient vnto General Councels haue declared against you all and especially against the seueral sects of Protestants the Councell of Trent consisting of two hundred and fifty fiue fathers besides the most eminent doctors of the Catholike Church All Romane Catholiks obey this Councell in all points of faith and you disobey it Disobedience to the Leuitical priest and priests by the law of Moyses was punished with death and your disobedience I am sorry with all my hart but I haue noe scruple to speake it shall without doubt if you repent not be punished with eternal death Therefor I coniure you by the sweet merites of Iesus Christ in whom you beleeue and whom you expect to be your iudge to reflect ypon your soules and vpon true religion Call to minde how your Churches beganne and how schismes and heresys beginne and if you finde as you shall easily finde that you haue begunne after the very same manner as they in disobedience to the head and pastors of the Church and to all but your owne wills your beginners were as Core Nu. 16. Dathan and Abiron that beganne diuisions in the Church of God their followers that liued with them were as the followers of the former whom God destroyed also with them and you rising vp to mainteine their disobedience when they are dead and gone are like to those who after their deaths rose vp to iustify their cause and were therefor by the iudgment of God consumed with fire Forsake their company desert that vnlawfull cause and returne againe into the sheepfold of Christ if you desire to be saued THE TENTH ARTICLE FOrgiuenesse of sinnes None can rightly consider these words as made by the Apostles to be an article of the Creede but he must needs conceiue some greater mystery to be conteined in them them onely to professe that God can or doth forgiue sinnes Neither can he in reason vnderstande any other thinge then that there is power of forgiuing sinnes in that Church which they had newly professed This was indeede a gift and priueledge worthy to be mentioned in the publike Creede Christ after his resurrection before he ascended into heauen appeared to his Apostles and breathing vpon them said Io. 20. Receiue ye the Holy Ghost whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen and whose you shall retaine they are retained This was a mystery which the Church of God had great reason to remember and often to inculcate vnto her people and therefor the Apostles hauing professed their beleefe in the Catholike Church in the next place would commemorate this gift and power which the Catholike Church hath of the forgiuenesse of sinnes that with gratitude we might remember it and make good vse of it It is a greater worke saith S. Aug. tract 52. Augustine to make an euill man good then to make the world of nothing Yet it is giuen vnto man to doe this great worke It is giuen I say vnto man for it is not of his owne power but of the gift of God God onely of his owne natural power can forgiue sinnes Esa 43. I am he that taketh cleane away thine iniquitys but he can if he will giue that power vnto men The Apostles had that power by the gift of God as they had of him to worke many miracles which were as hard and vnpossible to nature as to forgiue sinnes Iudges of themselues haue not power to iudge but when the king maketh them iudges and giueth them power then they haue power and may exercize it and the exercize of it is good and valid because the king who gaue them that power setteth them in his owne place giueth them to represent his owne person and ratifyeth the
it as not to be done is most insolent madnes Epist 118. To question that which the whole Church obserueth or curiously to dispute of it is full of danger and presumption but soe as to disallow of it and to condemne it is absolute madnes and the propper madnes of heresy Now as you haue seene the power of granting indulgences to be deriued from Christ soe you shall see the practise of it to haue bene in the primitiue Church Although then they were neither soe commune nor solemne as now a dayes First because in those times of persecution christians could not soe frequently meete together Secondly because the graces and gifts of the Apostles and their successors were then greater and aequiualent to the benefit of indulgences Thirdly the feruour and deuotion of those christians was also greater the blood of Christ being yet warme and as S. Hierome saith boyling in them That they neither stoode soe much neede of indulgences nor were their punishments often remitted Yet S. Paul exercized this power when in the person of Christ he gaue indulgence or pardon as he termeth it to the sinfull Corinthian least he should haue bene swallowed vp with sorrow at the greatnes of his punishment Cor. 2.2 And whom you haue pardoned any thinge I also For my selfe also that which I pardoned if I pardoned any thinge for you in the person of Christ Thus S. Paul pardoned him and not onely in the sight of the Church but also in the sight of God for otherwise this pardon had been to his hurt and he had not pardoned in the person of Christ who hurteth not by his pardons Tertullian lib. ad martyres c. 1. and S. Cyprian l. 3. c. 15. ser de laps affirme that it was then the custome of bishops at the intreaty of those who were designed to martyrdome to grant pardons to offenders from the penaltys of the Church That which S. Paul and these bishops did was the very same which the Catholike Church now doth in giuing of indulgences for they are nothing els but the releasing of punishments in the sight of God Diuerse examples and canons of the Church for this are to be seene in authors which for breuity I omitte Indulgences vpon a iust cause and for a good end may sometimes be granted without the enioyning of any penalty As those were which primitiuely were granted at the intercession of martyrs and those which are now granted to some at their deaths for some great deserts and good seruice allready done to the Church But ordinarily some pious worke is praescribed and soe a greater punishment is changed into a lesse That which is required to be done ought to be performed with much deuotion and to gaine the indulgence it must be done in state of grace and therfor Confession and Contrition are for the most part expresly required in euery indulgence Indulgences which are granted to the soules in purgatory are applyed vnto them onely by way of suffrage that is by a pious offering of ours to pay their debt and not by applying any power or iurisdiction of the Church ouer them For the pastors of the Church haue power and iurisdiction ouer the militant Church onely ouer which they can visibly exercize their power of gouernment By indulgences we are not to vnderstande that soe many yeares or dayes of purgatory are remitted but that soe much punishment is pardoned as soe many yeares or dayes pennance should haue satisfyed for according to the pennances of the primitiue Church A plenary indulgence is a full and totall pardon of all punishment in the sight of God A Quarentine is as much as to say an indulgence corresponding to the pennance of forty dayes which aunciently was a time of prayer fasting and other austeritys in those times often vsed and was called Quadragena a Quarentin and when it was with bread and water onely it was called Carentia an abstaining from meates A Iubily is a more solemne kind of indulgence It is is an hedrew word signifying ioy or reioycing The Israëlits euery fiftith yeare had a Iubily yeare which was soe solemne that they absteined from tillage in it Lands that were sold returned to their owner slaues were enfranchized banished men restored debtors set at liberty All but in figure of the spirituall ioy and liberty which we obtaine in Christ And therefor we haue now a yeare of iubily which at first was kept euery hundreth yeare then euery fiftith now euery twenty fift The faithfull being piously inuited to Rome a place allwais frequented for indulgences and where Saints haue soe much desired to liue that S. Catherine of Siena vsed to say I treade vpon the blood of martyrs at Rome There doth the holy Vicar of Christ himselfe entertaine his people wash their feete make exhortations to them and spareth nothing to promote the loue and seruice of God in them Thus much as to the declaration of satisfaction which is the third part of the Sacrament of pennance Hauing Confessed our sinnes and receiued our pennance and absolution from the priest we must remember well the aduises which were giuen vs and purpose to keepe them and performe our pennance presently least we should forgette it or any part of it It is a signe of loue and reuerence to God when we goe willingly and readily to pay that which we owe him I haue now but one word more to say of this Sacrament and that is to exhort all to frequent it and to coniure him vehemently that is fallen into any greater sinne presently to seeke out a priest and to gette his conscience cleered by Confession and if he hath not then the opportunity of a priest to fly instantly to an act of Contrition and to make it with all the feruour and humility that possibly he can and in the meane time to slippe noe occasion of Confession Truely I thinke I may say that amongst soe many good remedys as spiritual men haue praescribed for particular sinnes it is the best and most general against all sinnes whatsoeuer to repent presently by a good Confession of them For as great wounds are easily cured when they are brought presently into the surgeons hands and by differring and not applying remedy in time they become vncurable and without remedy soe the longer we differre our Confession the harder we make our Conuersion and if we stay long in sinne we harden our harts still more and more vntill we come in the end to the vtter contempt of God and of our owne soules And therefor I exhort all from this very instant to purpose with themselues that if they chance at any time through frailty to fall into some great sinne they will seeke presently to Confession after it O thou that fearest not to be in mortal sinne if thou didst but vnderstande the heinous condition in which thou art that thou standest then face to face at defyance with God who with one word of his will can strike
Gen. 39. Ioseph the Patriarke was assalted by a wicked woman tempting him to lust but by the helpe of God he ouercame the temptation Holy and chast Susanna was grieuously tempted falsely accused and brought euen to the vtmost danger of death but God vndertooke her cause and defended her It was a glorious victory that which Iob gott ouer the world the flesh and the deuill and as gloriously rewarded of God that gaue it Let vs pray to God and serue him and he will giue grace against temptations For this is the way to arme ourselues with prayer and vigilancy against them and to keepeallwais in our harts a vehement detestation of all mortall sinne in general and when any particular temptation beginneth in vs to resist it presently at first by making a contrary act to it and then without delay to fly the occasion of that kind of sinne Thus we shall gett victory and the glorious crowne which to the victorious is promised For the resisting of particular temptations see the Commandements THE SEAVENTH PETITION BVT deliuer vs from euill Here we repeate all which we prayed for in the former petitions redoubling our prayer againe for them for he that prayeth to be freed from euill prayeth to be freed from all that is opposite to the honour of God to the obtaining of his kingdome to the performance of his will and from any thinge that is contrary to the other petitions And we aske further more the remission of the punishment due to our sinnes and also to be freed from those corporal euils which euery hower we are subiect vnto I said at first that the Pater Noster was a perfect patterne and forme of prayer which our blessed Sauiour made for our instruction Let vs then obserue dilligently the methode of it First we are taught in it to desire aboue all things the honour of God and to direct all our prayers to that end that the name of God which is infinitly holy in it selfe may be hallowed also externally by vs. And hauing asked that the name of God be hallowed and also all things that are positiuely good for vs then we aske to be freed from that which is hurtfull and especially to be freed from sinne as the most hurtfull of all things and for the future that we fall not againe by temptation and lastly to be freed from all euills in general and in particular which God knoweth to be euill for vs and to be pardoned of the punishment for our sinnes And it is to be obserued that Christ would not onely teach vs to pray for ourselues but for all others that soe we might keepe ourselues in charity with all We say not my father giue mee forgiue mee lead mee not c. but our father giue vs forgiue vs lead vs not c. And we are taught also to forgiue our enemys and to pray for them In fine the art and mastership of this prayer is more then man can expresse or vnderstande much lesse can it be perfectly imitated by any prayer which we can make nor that the Angels can deuise Yet it was not the intention of Christ to binde vs to say noe other prayer but it for both he and the Apostles are read to haue said other prayers neither that we should allwais pray for all that is conteined in it but that we should allwais pray for all or for somethinge that is in it or conformable to it and with that order that the honour of God be first sought for in all our prayers and that all things be prayed for in order to it When therefor we pray for any temporal thinge we ought first to desire the honour of God and our owne spirituall good by it before that we aske for the thinge it selfe and we are to resigne our wills to the will of God and first seeke to be freed from our sinnes before that we pray to be freed from any other euill and not presently when any thinge troubleth vs to pray onely for our owne ease and content as some doe who if their head or their breast or backe ake or are in any affliction or danger they complaine presently where it paineth them and without any more adoe pray to be freed from it but this is not according to our patterne of prayer in which we are taught first to pray for the honour of God and our owne spiritual good saying at least in our hatts hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come c in the first place of our prayer and allwais to be pleased with that which pleaseth God not too earnestly desiring to be freed from temporal euills assuring ourselues that if we haue not our prayer we haue that which is better for vs such afflictions being many times sent of God as a speciall meanes of our saluation We must follow Christ our master It is not sitting saith S Bernard ser 5. de omnibus sanctis that the members should be pampered vnder a thorny hâ—ad The holy king sang these words for his comfort Ps 118. Princes haue persecuted mee without cause and my hart hath bene affraide of thy words I will reioyce at thy words as he that findeth many spoiles Let vs not therefor greiue at our afflictions nor seeke too earnestly to be freed from them but let vs goe willingly with the will of God and follow Christ in them Some adde to the Pater Noster for thine is the kingdome power and glory But Catholiks vse not to say those words because they are not in the scriptures but were added to the Pater Noster as Glory be to the father c. Was added to the end of the psalmes And the Pater Noster being the prayer which Christ left as a lesson for vs to learne to pray by we keepe it intirely by it selfe without adding any thinge to it Amen is an hebrew word much frequented by our Sauiour It is as much as to say verily Amen indeede certainely c. It is sometimes vsed in the beginning and sometimes in the end of a speech to confirme the verity and certainty of it But in this place we vnderstande it not as in the end of other prayers as it were to repeate and vrge them with more earnestnes but as an answere to shew that by the vertue and efficacy of this prayer our desire is acceptable and we are dismissed with the grant of our petition And therefor in the holy sacrifice of masse at the end of the Pater Noster the Clerke answereth not Amen as at the end of other prayers but leaueth it for the priest to say that he as the interpretour of God may denounce vnto the people that their prayer is granted And for this reason S. Hierome might well say that Amen is the seale of our Lords prayer to declare that God doth as it were set his hand to it You haue learned now how to pray and how to prepare your selues vnto prayer First we are to free