and to command the People to obey the Precepts of the Priests Now as to the explaining of this Commandment VII The way of explaining his Commandment pains must be taken to teach the Faithful in what things this Commandment agrees with the rest and in what it differs from them For by this means they shall know the cause and reason why we honor and keep Holy not the Sabbath but the Lord's Day There seems therefore a manifest Difference VIII How this Commandment differs from the other Nine because the other Commandments of the Decalogue are natural and perpetual nor may they be alterd for any Reason Whence it comes to pass that tho Moses's Law be abrogated yet Christians observe all the Commandments contain'd in the Two Tables Wich they do Note not because Moses commanded so but because they are agreeable to Nature by Vertue whereof Men are driven to observe them Now this Commandment of keeping Holy the Sabbath IX This Command as to time is ceremonial if we consider the appointed time it is not fixd and constant but alterable nor does it belong to Manners but to Ceremonies Nor is it Natural because we are not instructed or taught by Nature on that Day rather than on any other to give Worship to God But from that Time when the People of Israel were deliver'd from the Bondage of Pharaob they kept Holy the Sabbath Day But the Time when the Observance of the Sabbath was to be taken away X. Why and when the Sabbath Day ought to be changed into the Lord's Day was the same with that wherein the rest of the Jewish VVorship and antiquated Ceremonies were remov'd to wit at Christ's Death For since those Ceremonies were as it were certain shadows or images of the Light and Truth it was therefore but necessary that at the coming of that Light and Truth which is Jesus Christ they should be remov'd Gal. 4.10 for which cause S. Paul to the Galatians when he reprov'd the Observers of the Mosaical Rites wrote thus Ye observe Days and Months and Times and Years I am afraid of you lest haply I have bestow'd on you labor in vain Col. 2.16 On which score he wrote also to the Colossians And thus much concerning the Difference But this Commandment agrees with the rest XI Wherein this Commandment agrees with the rest not in Rites and Ceremonies but because it has something which belongs to Manners and the Law of Nature For God's Worship and Religion which is express'd in this Commandment has its Being from the Law of Nature since it is natural to spend some Hours about those things which belong to the Worship of God whereof this is an Argument That among all Nations we see there were certain appointed Days and those Public ones too which were consecrated to the performance of Sacred and Divine Matters For it is natural to Man to allow some certain Time to those things that are necessary to the discharge of Business as to the Sleep and Rest of the Body and such like And as to the Body Observe this Similitude so by the same Natural Reason it is that we allow some Time to the Mind that she may refresh her self with Divine Contemplation And therefore since there ought to be some part of Time for performance of Divine Matters and giving due Worship to God this belongs to the Commandments of Manners For which cause the Apostles decreed to consecrate the First day of the Seven XII Why the Sabbath chang'd into the Lords day Apoc. 1.10 1 Cor. 16.2 to Divine Worship which they call'd The Lord's Day For S. John in the Apocalyps makes mention of the Lord's Day and the Apostle on the Moon of the Sabbaths which is the Lord's Day as S. Chrysostom interprets it commands Collections to be made that we may know that even then already the Lord's Day was accounted Holy Chrysost Hom. 13. in Corinth Amb. item Theophylact. Vide etiam Can. Ap. c. 67. Ignat. Epist ad Magnes Just Apol. 2. Tertul. in Apol c. 16. de Coron Milit. c. 3. de Idol c. 14. Cypr. Epist. 33. Clement Alexand. l. 5. Strom. satis ante finem Orig. Hom. 7. in Exod. And now that the Faithful may know what they ought to do on that Day XIII Four Parts in this Commandment and from what Actions they ought to abstain it will not be amiss for the Curat diligently and to a Word to explain this Commandment which may well be divided into Four Parts The First therefore in general proposes what is prescrib'd in these words XIV What the Words teach Remember that thou sanctifie the sabbath-Sabbath-day Now for this cause in the beginning of the Commandment is that word Remember fitly added because the Sanctification of that Day belongs to Ceremonies Of which thing it seem'd the People are to be admonish'd First since tho the Law of Nature teaches that at some time or other God is religiously to be worship'd yet it has not appointed any certain Day whereon this ought chiefly to be done Moreover Secondly the Faithful are to be taught that from those Words may be gather'd the Way and Manner how it is convenient to do Work all the Week to wit so as always to have regard to the Holy-day on which Day seeing an Account is to be given to God as it were of our Works and Actions it must needs be that we do such Works as will neither be rejected by the Judgment of God and which 1 Reg. 2.5 as it is written shall not wound or offend our own Conscience Lastly Thirdly VVe are taught which we ought carefully to observe to wit That there are not wanting Occasions to make us forgetful of this Commandment either being led by the Example of others that neglect it or out of love to Shews and Plays whereby we are very much led away from the holy and religious Observance of this Day And now come we to the Signification of the Sabbath Sabbath is an Hebrew word XV. What the Sabbath is which in English signifies a Cessation to keep Sabbath is therefore call'd in English Gen. 23. Exod. 20.12 Deut. 5.14 to cease and rest In which Signification the Seventh day was call'd by the name of Sabbath because the whole VVorld being finish'd and perfected God rested from all his VVork which he had done for so the Lord in Exodus calls this Day But afterwards Note not only this Seventh Day but for the Dignity of that Day even the whole VVeek also was call'd by that name in which sense the Pharisee in S. Luke said Luc. 18.12 I fast twice in a Sabbath And thus much of the Signification of Sabbath Now the Sanctification of the Sabbath in Sacred Scripture is a Cessation from all Bodily Labor and Business XVI What it is to sanctifie as plainly appears from these words of the Commandment which
custom For there is no body ignorant that Children were us'd to be circumcis'd on the eighth Day Now if the Circumcision made with Hands in taking away the Body of Flesh could profit them it is evident then that Baptism which is the circumcision of Christ not made with Hands must needs profit them Lastly Fifthly Rom. 5.17 as the Apostle teaches If by the sin of One Death reign'd through One much more they that receive an abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life through One even Jesus Christ Since therefore by the sin of Adam Children by their very birth contract hurt much more by Christ our Lord may they obtain Grace and Righteousness to reign in life which verily without Baptism can by no means come to pass Conc. Trid. Sess 5. decret de peccat origin Sess 7. de Baptis c. 12 13 14. Dionys de Eccles Hier. c. 7. Cypria Ep. 59. Aug. Ep. 28. lib. 1. de peccat merit c. 23. Chrysost Hom. de Adam Eva. Concil Mil. vit c. 2. de consec dist 4. passim Wherefore the Pastors shall teach XXXII How Children baptiz'd are to be educated That by all means Infants are to be baptiz'd and then that by little and little their tender age is to be instructed to true Devotion by the Precepts of Christian Religion For as it is excellently said of the Wiseman Train up a Youth in the way he should go and when he grows old he will not depart from it Nor is it to be doubted XXXIII After what manner Infants baptiz'd receive Faith Epist. 23. ad Bon. but when they are baptiz'd they receive the Sacraments of Faith Not that they believe with the assent of their mind but because they are establish'd in the Faith of their Parents if their Parents were Faithful but if not to use S. Austin's words they are arm'd with the Faith of the whole company or the Saints For we rightly confess that they are offer'd in Baptism by all those Saints who were pleas'd to offer them and by whose charity they are joyn'd to the communion of the Holy Ghost And the Faithful are earnestly to be admonish'd to take care that their Children be brought to the Church so soon as may be without danger XXXIV Infants to be baptiz'd as soon as may be to be baptiz'd with the Solemn Ceremonies For since there is no other way left for Infants to attain Salvation unless they are baptiz'd We may easily perceive how great a guilt they bring upon themselves who suller them to want the Grace of that Sacrament longer than necessity requires especially since by reason of the weakness and tenderness of their age they are in continual danger of their life Aug. lib. 3. de Orig. animae c. 9. lib. 1. de peccat merit c. 2. Epist 28. But then the custom of the primitive Church declares that there is a different reason for those who are of ripe Years XXXV Adult persons to be invited and prepared for Baptism and have the perfect use of Reason to wit who are born of Infidel Parents for the Christian Faith is offer'd them and with all earnestness they are to be advis'd perswaded and invited to embrace it And if they are converted to our Lord God then they must be admonish'd that they defer not the Sacrament of Baptism beyond the time prescrib'd by the Church For seeing it is written First Delay not to be converted to the Lord and put not off froam day to day they are to be taught that perfect conversion is plac'd in the new Birth by Baptism Secondly And besides by how much the later they come to Baptism by so much the longer must they want the grace and use of the other Sacraments of Christian Religion because none can be admitted to them without Baptism And then Thirdly that they are also depriv'd of that excellent benefit we receive by Baptism for the Water of Baptism not only washes off and takes away every spot or blemish of all those sins which before were commiteed But it adorns us with Divine Grace by the aid and assistance whereof we can also avoid sin for the future and secure righteousnefss and innocence in which thing consists the sum of the Christian Life as all may easily perceive Tertul lib. de Poenit c. 6. de praescript c. 41. Cypr. Epist 13. de consecrat dist 4 c. 64. 65. Aug. lib de fide operib c. 9. But tho these things are so yet the Church has not bin us'd presently or hastily to bestow this Sacrament of Baptism upon this sort of Men XXXVI Why the Church is wont to defer the Baptism of those of ripe Age. The First Reason but has decreed that it should be deferr'd for a certan time For this delay has not joyn'd with it the same danger as was noted before to impend over Infants because the purpose and resolution that they who are endu'd with the use of Reason have of receiving Baptism and their Penance for their sore-past evil life will be available for Grace and Righteousness to them if any suddain accident should happen to hinder them from being Baptiz'd But on the contrary The Second The First Advantage this delay seems to be somewhat advantagious For first because the Church ought to be very provident that none come to this Sacrament through Hypocrisie and Dissimulation the Dispositions of those who desire Baptism will be more throughly try'd and discover'd For which cause we find it decreed by antient Councils that those Jews who come to the Catholic Faith before Baptism was administr'd to them were to be for some Months amongst the Catechumens The Second and then thereby they are more perfectly instructed in the Doctrin of that Faith which they ought to profess The Third and in the Rules of Christian Life Besides there is a greater and more religious veneration given to the Sacrament if with solemn Ceremony they receive Baptism only on the appointed days of Easter and Whitsuntide But notwithstanding the Time of Baptism XXXVII When Baptism of the Adult is to be deferr'd Act. 8.38.10.48 sometimes it is not to be deferr'd for some just and necessary cause as when there seems to be a present danger of Life and especially if the persons to be baptiz'd do fully understand the Mysteries of Faith which it is manifest that Philip and the Prince of Apostles did when the One baptiz'd Queen Candace's Eunuch and the other Cornelius and that without delay and as soon as ever they profefs'd that they embrac'd the Faith Furthermore XXXVIII They who are baptiz'd ought to desire Baptism it must be taught and explain'd to the people how they that are to be baptiz'd ought to be affected First of all therefore they must of necessity be willing and resolv'd to receive Baptism For since every one in Baptism dies to sin
rusty with the most filthy stains of sin And now we must speak concerning the Minister of this Sacrament And that he is a Priest LXXI An ordinary Priest the lawful Minister of Confession who has the Ordinary or Delegated Power of Absolving sufficiently appears from the Ecclesiastical Laws For he must have not only the Power of Order but of Jurisdiction also that discharges this Office A clear testimony of this Ministery we have from our Lords words in S. John Joh. 20.23 Whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retain'd And it is manifest that this was spoken not to all but to the Apostles only to whom the Priests succeeded in this Office And this is very consentaneous for whereas every kind of Grace which is given in this Sacrament is deriv'd to the Members from Christ the Head rightly ought they to administer this to Christ's mystic Body i. e. to the Faithful who only have power of consecrating his true Body especially seeing the Faithful by this Sacrament of Penance are made fit and well dispos'd for receiving the Sacred Eucharist But with how great Religion in old times Note in the Primitive Church the Right of the ordinary Priest was preserv'd is easily gather'd from the antient Decrees of the Fathers Whereby it is provided That no Bishop or Priest shall presume to act any thing in another's Diocess or Parish either by his authority who is over him or unless a great necessity seems to compel it And it was so decreed by the Apostle when he commanded Titus Tit. 1.5 That he should appoint Priests in every City to wit who might feed and educate the Faithful with the Heavenly Food of Doctrin and of the Sacraments Altho if there be imminent danger of Death LXXII At the Point of Death every Priest is the Minister of Confession and the proper Priest cannot be had that by this occasion none might perish the Council of Trent teaches That it has bin observ'd in the Church of God that it is lawful for any Priest not only to remit all kinds of sins to whose jurisdiction soever they belong but even to absolve them from the Bond of Excommunication also Sess 14. c. 6. de Peonit Now besides the Power of Order LXXIII The Qualities of the Minister of Confession and of Jurisdiction which are very necessary It is first Necessary that the Minister of this Sacrament be indu'd both with knowledg and Learning and Prudence For he bears the Person both of a Judg and of a Physician As to the First That he be Learn'd It is evident enough that it is not a common Knowledg which is necessary and which enables him to discover sins of the divers kinds of sins to judg which are weighty which are lighter according to the Rank and quality of the Person But as he is a Physician Prudent Ex Basilio in reg brâ—vib q. 229. he has need of the greatest prudence also For great care must be taken that those Remedies be apply'd to the sick person which seem to be proper to heal his Soul and to strengthen it for the future against the force of the Distemper Whence the Faithful may understand Of upright Life that every one ought to take extraordinary care to choose himself a Priest whose Integrity of Life Learning and prudent Judgment may commend him Who understands well of how grat weight and Moment the Office is wherein he is plac'd and what Punishment is suitable to every offence and who are to be absolv'd and who to be bound But because there is no one who does not earnestly desire LXXIV Most strictly forbid to reveal the sins of the Penitent that his Wickedness and Shame might be hid The Faithful are to be admonish'd that there is no reason to fear lest those things which they reveal in Confession shall ever be made known to any one by the Priest or lest he may at any time fall into danger thereby For the Sacred Laws will most severely revenge it upon those Priests who shall not have conceal'd with perpetual and religious silence all sins which any one shall have confess'd to them Wherefore in the great Council of Lateran we read thus Cap. 21. Let the Priest take special heed that neither by Word or Sign or by any other way he at any time betray the sinner And now the Order of the Matter requires LXXV The Negligence of sinners reprov'd since we have spoken of the Minister that some special Heads should be explain'd which are not a little suitable to the Use and Practice of Confession For a great part of the Faithful to whom commonly nothing seems more tedious than the passing away of those days which by Ecclesiastical Law are appointed for confession are so far from Christian Perfection that scarcely do they remember those sins which are to be reveal'd to the Priest nor yet do they diligently take care of those things which it is plain have a very great Power to reconcile the Divine Grace to them Wherefore since all endeavor must be us'd to further their Salvation The Priest shall carefully observe in the Penitent LXXVI It must be well observ'd whether the Penitent be contrite whether he have a true contrition for his sins and be stedfastly resolv'd for the time to come to leave them off And if they shall observe him to be so affected LXXVII When the Penitent is found contrite what he is to be exhorted to they shall earnestly admonish and exhort him that for so great and singular a benefit he give God his greatest thanks and never cease to seek of him the protection of his Heavenly Grace Wherewith being arm'd and secur'd he may easily resist and oppose his evil lusts He is also to be taught that he suffer no day to pass without meditating somewhat of the Mysteries of the Passion of our Lord and stir up and inflame himself to imitate him and to love him with the greatest Charity for by this Meditation he will obtain this that he will feel himself every day more and more safe from all the Temptations of the Devil For neither is there any other cause why we yield both our courage and our strength so soon and so easily to be overcome by the Enemy than that we labor not by the Meditation of heavenly things to conceive the Fire of divine Love whereby our Mind might be refresh'd and supported But if the Priest shall understand LXXVIII If he seem not to be contrite what is then to be done that he that is willing to confess does not so bewail his sins as that he may truly be said to be contrite he shall endeavor to affect him with an earnest desire of Contrition that thenceforth being inflam'd with the desire of this excellent Gift he may resolve with himself to beg and beseech it of the mercy of God But first of
follow Thou shalt not work Nor do's it signifie that only for otherwise it would be sufficient to say in Deuteronomy Observe the Day of the Sabbath Deut. 12. But seeing that in the same Place it is added to sanctifie it by this word is shew'd that the Day of the Sabbath is Religious and consecrated to divine Actions and holy Duties We therefore do then fully and perfectly celebrate the Sabbath-day XVII The true Sanctification of the Sabbath Esay 58.13 when we perform Duties of Piety and Religion to God And that this is evidently a Sabbath which Esay calls delightful because Holy-days are as it were the Delights of God and Pious Men. Wherefore if to this religious and holy Observance of the Sabbath we add Works of Mercy Esay 58.6 surely they are many and very great Rewards which in the same Chapter are propos'd to us The true and proper Sense of this Commandment therefore is XVIII What the true sense of this Commandment is That Man both in Soul and Body might be careful to set apart some certain determin'd Time from Bodily Business and Labor to worship and reverence God devoutly Now in the next part of this Commandment is shew'd XIX What the second Part of the Commandment requires That the Seventh day is dedicated by God to Divine Worship for thus it is written Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The meaning of which words is That Sabbath is consecrated to the Lord and that on that Day we pay him our Duties of Religion and that we know the Seventh day to be Sign of the Lord's Rest Now this Day is dedicated to God XX. Why this Day is dedicated to God because it was not fit that the rude People should have the power of chusing the Time after their own Will lest haply they might imitate the Religion of the Egyptians Therefore of the Seven days the last was chosen for the Worship of God XXI Why God chose One Day Which thing indeed is full of Mystery Wherefore in Exodus and in Ezekiel the Lord calls it a Sign See therefore says he that ye keep my Sabbath For it is a Sign between me and you in your Generations The First Reason that ye may know that I am the Lord who sanctifie you It was a Sign therefore which shew'd that Men ought to dedicate themselves to God and to keep themselves holy to him since we see even the very Day to be dedicated to him for that Day is Holy because then especially Men ought to exercise Holiness and Religion And then it is a Sign and Monument The Second as it were of the wonderful Creation of the World And it was moreover given as a Sign to remember and warn the Israelites The Third that they might remember that they were delivered and freed by God's help from the most hard Yoak of the Egyptian Bondage And this the Lord shew'd in these words Deut. 5.25 Remember that thou also didst serve in Egypt and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence with a strong hand and stretched-out arm therefore he has commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day The Fourth And it is also a Sign both of the Spiritual and Eternal Sabbath Now the Spiritual Sabbath consists in a holy and mystical kind of Rest XXII What the Spiritual Sabbath is to wit when the old Man being buried with Christ is renew'd to Life and studiously exercises it self in those Actions which are agreeable to Christian Piety Ephes 5 2. For they who sometimes were Darkness but now are Light in the Lord ought to walk as Children of the Light in all Goodnesâ— Justice and Truth and not to communicate with the unfruitful Works of Darkness But the Heavenly Sabbath as S. Cyril says upon that place of the Apostle XXIII What the Heavenly Sabbath is S. Cyril lat l. 4 in Jo. c. 5 1. There remains therefore a Rest to the People of God is that Life wherein we shall live with Christ and enjoy all good things and Sin be utterly pluck'd up by the Roots according to that Esa 53.8 There shall no Lion nor evil Beast go up thither but there shall be a pure way and it shall be called Holy For the Soul of the Saints in the Vision of God gets all good things Wherefore the Pastor must exhort and encourage the Faithful with these words Heb. 4.2 Let us make haste to enter into that Rest Now besides the Seventh day XXIV That Jews had other Feasts besides the Sabbaths the Jews had other Festival and Sacred Days appointed by God's Law whereby the Memory of their greatest Benefits was renew'd Of those other Feasts see Levit. 23. Num. 29. Deut. 16. and if you would know the moral meaning of the Feasts of this kind see Cyril de Adoratione in spiritu verit lib. 17. D. Thom. 1.2 q. 102. art 4. ad 10. But it pleas'd the Church of God XXV Why the Sabbath chang'd The First Reason that the Worship and Celebration of the Sabbath-day should be transferr'd to the lord's-Lord's-day For as on that Day the Light did first shine upon the World so by the Resurrection of our Redeemer which open'd us an Entrance to Eternal Life which hapned on that Day our Life was recall'd out of Darkness into Light and for this cause the Apostles would have it call'd The Lord's Day Besides The Second Reason in Sacred Scripture we find that this was a Solemn Day because therein the Creation of the World began and because the Holy Ghost was given to the Apostles But the Apostles in the beginning of the Church XXVI Why other Feasts apopointed and aftewards in the sollowing Times our Holy Fathers appointed other Holy-days that we might devoutly and holily call to remembrance God's Benefits Now among these are to be reckon'd as the most remarkable XXVII The Order of Holy-days those Days that are consecrated to Religion for the Mysteries of our Redemption and then those that are dedicated to the most Holy Virgin Mother Note and to the Apostles and Martyrs and the other Saints which reign with Christ in whose Victory the Goodness and Power of God is prais'd due Honor done to them and the Faithful stirr'd up to the Imitation of them And because to the keeping of this Commandment XXVIII Idleness forbidd'n that part of it has great Force which is express'd in these words Six Days shalt thou labor but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of God The Curat ought diligently to explain that part For from these words it may be gather'd That the Faithful are to be admonish'd that they lead not their Life in Sloth and Idleness But rather being mindful of the Apostles Advice 1 Thes 4.11 That every one do his own business and labor with his hands as he commanded Besides XXIX No
servile work to be put off to the Lords Day in this Commandment the Lord requires that In Six Days we do our Work Lest any of those things which ought to be done on the other Days of the VVeek should be put off to the Holy Day and so the Mind be call'd off from the care and study of Divine matters In the next place XXX What the third part of the Commandment forbids the third Part of the Commandment is to be explain'd which in a manner shews how we ought to keep Holy the Sabbath Day But especially it explain's what we are forbidden to do on that Day wherefore says the Lord Thou shalt not do any Work therein thou and thy Son and thy Daughter thy Servant and thy Maid thy Cattel and the Stranger that is within thy Gates By which VVords we are taught XXXI Whatever withdraws our mind from the divine Worship is forbidd'n first wholly to avoid whatsoever may hinder the VVorship of God For it may easily be perceived that every kind of servile VVork is forbidden not because it is naturally either base or evil but because it withdraws our mind from the VVorship of God which is the End of this Commandment VVhere Note and I teach this the Faithful are the rather to avoid those Sins which not only call off our Minds from the Study of Divine matters but wholly separate us from the Love of God Vid. Aug. tract 3. in Joan. in Psal 31. Serm. lib. de decem chordis c. 3. Yet those Actions and those VVorks which belong to Divine VVorship XXXII What works are not forbid'n on Holy Days The first sort altho they be servile as to cover or deck the Altar to adorn the Churches for some Festival Days and our like are not forbidd'n and therefore the Lord says The Priests in the Temple violate the Sabbath and yet are without Sin Nor is it to be thought The second sort that the doing of those things which otherwise will be lost if not done on the Holy Day are forbidden by this Commandment even as also it is permitted by the Sacred Canons There are many other things which our Lord in the Gospel has declar'd The third sort may be done on Holy Days which the Curat may easily observe in S. Matthew and S. John But that nothing may be omitted XXXIII Cattel not to be part to labor on Holy Days by the doing whereof the Sanctification of the Sabbath may be hindred here is mention made of Cattel by which sort of living Creatures Men are hindred from keeping the Sabbath For if on the Sabbath Day the use of Cattel be design'd to the doing of any VVork the Labor of Man is also necessary to make them work The Beast therefore can do no work of it self but helps the Man who manages him But on that Day it is not lawful for any to do work therefore not for the Cattel whose Labor Men make use of for their work This Commandment requires also XXXIV Cruel y to Cattel forbidd'n that if God would have Men to spare the Labor of their Cattel they ought surely to be so much the more wary that they be not cruel to them whose Labor and Industry they use Nor ought the Curat to omit XXXV What to be done on Holy Days To be present at Ma s. but diligently to teach in what VVorks and Actions Christians ought to exercise themselves on Holy Days Of which kind are these To come to Gods Church and to be there present at the Holy Sacrifice of Mass with a sincere and devout Attention of Mind Conc. Agath c. 47. Aurel. c. 8. Tribur c. 35. vide de consec dist 1. capite Missas cum ad celebrandas omnes Fideles Often to make use of the Sacraments of the Church To frequent the Sacraments which were instituted for our Salvation and to cure the VVounds of our Souls Aug. de Eccle. dogm c. 53. citatur de cons dist 2. c. quotidie Nor is there any thing which can be either more seasonable or better for Christians To confess Sins than often to confess their Sins to the Priests For doing of which the Curat may exhort the People taking for clearing of this matter a Pattern and Example from those things which have already in their proper place bin deliver'd and taught in the Sacrament of Penance Nor shall he only stir up the People to that Sacrament To receive the Eucharist but he shall diligently again and again exhort them to it that they may frequently receive the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist Moreover To hear Sermons the Sacred Sermons are diligently and attentively to be heard by the Faithful For there is nothing lesâ— to be indur'd nor indeed is there any thing so unworthy as to despise or negligently to hear Christs Word Justin Apol. 2. ex Actis Apost c. 20.7 Aug. lib. 50. Hom. hom 26. citatur 1. q. l. cap. interroga Also the Exercise and Study of the Faithful in Prayers To pray to and praise God and Praises of God ought to be frequent And hereof a chief care should be To be present at Catechising diligently to learn those things which belong to the Institution of a Christian Life And let him exercise himself in those Duties which contain Christian Piety To do works of Mercy by giving Alms to the Poor and Needy by visiting the Sick and piously comforting those that are in Heaviness and Affliction Jac. 1. For as S. James says Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherless and Widows in their tribulation So the ancient Christians did as do testifie Justin apol 2. Tertul. in apol in lib. ad Martyres in lib. 2. ad Vxorem prope finem From what has bin said XXXVI The fourth part of this Commandment it is easy to gather what things are committed contrary to the Rule of this Commandment And let the Curat reckon it as his Duty to gather Reasons and Arguments strongly to perswade the People with their utmost Study XXXVII How just it is to observe the Festivals Care and Diligence to keep the Law of this Commandment And to this end it will be very useful for the People to understand and perceive plainly how just and agreeable to Reason it is that we should have some certain Days which we may bestow wholly upon Divine Worship and wherein we may acknowledge worship and venerate our Lord from whom we have receiv'd most excellent and innumerable Benefits For if he had commanded us every Day to render him the Worship of Religion Note ought we not to do our utmost endeavour with a ready and cheerful mind for all Benefits towards us which are very great and infinite to hearken to his VVord But now there being but a few Days set apart to his VVorship there is no cause why