are now liuing but also those which haue ben from the beginning and shal be vntil the end of the world And therefore it is not only called one but also Catholike that is to say vniuersal because it is extended to all places and to all times S For what reason is the Church called one onlie if it conteine so great a multitude of men M It is called one onelie because it hath one onlie head which is Christ and his one Vicar in earth the Bishop of Rome and againe because it liueth by one and the same spirit and hath one and the same law As a kingdome is called one because it hath one onlie king and the same lawes though in that kingdome there be manie prouinces manie more Cities or townes S Wherefore is it saide that this Church is holie seeing there are manie wicked men in it M It is called holie for three reasons first because the head there of which is Christ is most holie like as one that hath a fayre faice is said to be a faire man though he haue some crooked finger or some blot on his breast or shoulders Secondly because all faithfull people are holy by faith and profession for they haue one moste true and diuine faith and make profession of the holie Sacraments and of a most iuste law which doth not command any thing but that which is good and forbiddeth nothing but that which is euill Thirdly because there are alwaies in the Church some assuredly good not onely by faith and profession but by vertues and maners also Whereas among Iewes Turkes Heretiks and such like people who are out of the Church none at all can truely be good S What signifyeth the Communion of Saints M It signifyeth that the body of the holie Church is in such sort vnited that of the good of one member all the rest doe participate whereby how many soeuer there bee in farre countries though we do not knowe them yet their Masses diuine offices other prayers and good workes helpe vs also And this Communion is not onely heere vpon earth but our Masses prayers and other good workes helpe those that be in Purgatorie And the prayers of such as are in heauen helpe vs the soules also in Purgatorie S If this be so it needeth not to pray for any in particular nor to procure Masse to be said for this or for that soule in Purgatorie seeing all good is common M It is not so Because Masse praiers and other good workes though they be in some sort cōmon vnto al yet they help more such as they are done for in particular then others S What shall wee say of such as are excommunicated do they also participate of the good workes of the faithfull or no M For this they are called excommunicated because they haue not the communion of the Saints for they are like bowes cut from the tree or like members separated from the bodie which do not enjoy the good humors that are spread amongst the other bowes and vnited members And by this you may gather what account is to be made of excommunication seeing he cannot haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother S Are then the excommunicated out of the Church as the Iewes and other Infidels be M So it is but there is this difference that the Iewes and Turkes are out of the Church because they neuer entred in being neuer baptised the Heretikes which are baptised and haue lost their faith are out because they are gone foorth and fled away of themselues and therefore the Church enforceth them by diuers punishments to returne vnto the Holy faith As when a sheepe flyeth from the fold the shepheard forceth him with his stafe to returne But other excommunicated which haue baptisme and faith and did enter in and not goe out of themselues are driuen out by force As when the shepheard driueth foorth an infected sheepe and leaueth the same a pray for the Wolfe Yet true it is that the Church driueth not out the excommunicated to the end they should euer remaine out but to the end they should repent of their disobedience and demaund to returne being humbled and so bee receiued againe into the bosome of their mother and to the communion of Saints Of the tenth article S VVHat is signified by the remission of sins which is the tenth article M This is the first of those three principal benefites which are found in the Church For which it is needful to know that al men are borne sinners and enimies to God and after increasing they passe from euil to worse vntil by the grace of God their sinnes be remitted and so become his friends and children This grace which is so great is not found other where thē in the holie church In which are the holie Sacramēts namely Baptisme Penance which as heauenlie medicins curemen of al spiritual diseases which are sinnes S I pray you declare vnto me a little better how great this benifite is of remission of sinnes M In the world is not found a greater euil then sinne is not onely for that al euills in this life and in the life to come do spring from it but also for that sinne is the cause that man becommeth an enemie to God And what can be said worse then to be enimie vnto him who can do al that he wil and none can resist him who can defend him with whom God is angrie And contrariwise in this life a greater good can not be found then to be in grace for who can hurt him whom God defendeth al things being in the hands of God Briefly you know that amongst corporal thinges life is most esteemed because it is the foundation of al other good things and death is most abhorred because it is contrarie vnto life So then seeing sin is the spiritual death of the soule and the remission of sin is the life of the same soule you may easely consider how great a benefit is receiued in the church seeing in it only is the remission of sins Of the eleuenth article S VVHAT meaneth the resurrection of the flesh which is the eleuenth article M This is the second principal benefite of the Holy Church to wit that in the last daye all those whose sins shall be remitted shal returne to life S And others which are out of the Church or haue not remission of their sinnes shall not they returne also to life againe M Touching naturall life all shall returne to liue as the good so the bad but because the resurrection of the bad shall be for their perpetuall torment not for any good to thē therefore that life of theirs is called rather a death then a true life so the true resurrection to wit vnto life worthy to be desired shall not be of any but of the good which shall be found without sinne S I would know if the same bodies which wee now haue shall
we often see that how much soeuer men labour to sowe and reape yet dearth doth happen for the sins of the world We demaund also that God giue vs our bread that is to say that not only he helpe vs to procure and gaine it but that he also blesse and sanctifie it when we vse it that it may do vs good and be profitable both to soule and bodie S Wherefore is annexed that worde this day M The word this day signifyeth the whole time of this temporal life and so we demand of God that during the time of this life he sustaine vs with spiritual and corporal bread vntill wee arriue vnto our heauenly cuntrey where we shall haue no need more of Sacraments of preachings nor of corporall foode It may be also said that we demand of God that he giue vs to day this bread because wee will not bee solicitous for the morrow not knowing whether wee shall be liuing to morrow or no. And so our Lorde hath taught vs not to trouble our selues with things that be not present So that we demand this daye the bread which is sufficient for this day that for the morrew we shal demand to morrow S There ariseth a new doubt to me of that which you haue saide for if wee ought not to trouble our selues with any thing but with that which is present they doe euill that make prouision of corne of wine and of other necessaries for the whole yeare M Our Lord when he taught vs not to trouble our selues with things not present meant nothing else but to deliuer vs of superfluous cares which do greatly hinder prayers other things of greater importance that belong vnto the gaining of eternal life And therefore when the care for things to come is not superfluous but necessarie as to make such prouision as you speake of it is not euil to think of that which is to come Yea rather such a thought is not of the morow but of this day for if we should not thinke of it vntill to morow we shuld not haue so fit time S The fift petition followeth What meaneth And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters M We haue already in the foure petitions that goe before demanded of god that he wil giue vs all things as wel eternall as temporal now in the three following we demand that he wil deliuer vs frō al euil past present to come And so you see it is true which I said before that in this praier is contained al that we can desire Wee demaund then in this petition that God deliuer vs from euill that is paste to witte from the sinnes which wee haue committed so for so our Lorde declared vnto the holy Apostles when he taught them this prayer that by debts they ought to vnderstand sinnes S For what cause are sinnes called debts M For three causes First because euery man that sinneth remaineth debter to satisfie God for the injurie which he hath done him Secondly because he that sinneth doth transgresse the law of God and because the same lawe promiseth rewarde to all that obserue it and punishment to him that doth not obserue it therefore he that obserueth it not remayneth debter to paye the penaltie Thirdly because each one of vs is bound to cultiuate or manure the vineard of his soule and to yeeld to God the fruite of his good workes Therefore hee that doth not good workes much more he that doth euil works insteed of good is debter to god who is the true lord of al vinyards because al we do often faile aswel in doing that we ought not as in doing that we ought therfore it is cōuenient that oftentimes euery day we humbly desire of God that hee remit our debts S Wherefore is it added as we also forgiue our debters M Here likewise by debtes are vnderstood the offences iniuries which we receiue of ouer neighbours And wee desire of God that hee will pardon our offences as wee pardon them that haue offended vs for that like as he who pardoneth the offences receiued of his neighbour is more disposed to receiue pardon of his offences committed against God so contrariwise he that will not pardon the iniuries of his neighbour doth make himselfe vnworthie that God should pardon him Finally in saying that we pardon the iniuries of our neighbours wee make knowne that mercie doth please vs and that we make account that to pardon is a magnanimous a notable thing To the ende that when we demande mercie of God he may not answere vs how wouldest thou that I should vse mercie towards thee seeing thou doest hate mercie towards others how doest thou demand pardon of me seing thou esteemest pardoning as an act of a base minde S Declare then vnto me I pray you the sixt petition And leade vs not into tentation M In this petitiō is demanded help against euil to come to wit against tentations which are occasions that make vs fall into sin Here you haue to know that principally it is demanded that God permit vs not to bee vanquished ouercome by tētations because tentatiōs are dangerous the victorie doubtful therefore we demand also that God permit vs not to bee tempted chiefly when he seeth that the victorie shall not be ours but the diuels of this you are to draw an excellent lesson to wit that not only the diuel cānot ouercome vs but also that he cānot so much as tempt vs if God doe not permit him S I doe not well vnderstande that speach Lead vs not into tentatiō for it may seeme to haue this sense that god vseth to lead men into tentatiōs and that we desire him not to do it M To bring or lead into tentations whether it be to tempt to euil or to cause one to fall into sinne is proper to the diuel pertaineth in no respect to God who greately hateth sinne But after the manner of speaking in Holie Scripture when God is said to induce or leade into tentation it is nothing else but to permit that one be tempted or ouercome by tentation so the sense of this petition is no other but as we haue said that knowing our owne weakenes frailtie and on the othet side the subtiltie and force of the diuel we desire of God not only that he wil not permit vs to be ouerthrowne by temptations but also that he permit vs not to be tempted if he see not that we shall remaine victorious S The last petition remaineth But deliuer vs from euill What euill is spoke of in this petition M This last petition doth in parte confirme the former petitions and partly it addeth some things more And therefore it saith But deliuer vs from euill that is I do not onely demand that thou remit vnto vs our sinnes past and defend vs from sins to come but moreouer that thou deliuer vs also from all present euil And marke well that
that the holie Ghost did this worke of the Incarnation Did not the Father and the Sonne also concurre therein M That which one Diuine Person worketh the other two worke likewise the same because they haue one and the same power wisdome and goodnesse yet notwithstanding the workes of power be attributed vnto the Father those of wisdome vnto the Son those of loue vnto the Holie Ghost and because this was a worke of the highest loue of God towards mankinde it is therefore attributed vnto the holy ghost S I would haue some example to vnderstand how all the three diuine Persons haue concurred to the Incarnation and yet the Sonne is onlie Incarnate M WheÌ„ one man putteth on a garment two others do help to cloth him three do then concur to the clothing of him yet one only is clothed so all the three diuine Persons concur to worke the Incarnation of the Sonne of God but onely the Sonne is incarnate and made man S Wherefore is it added in the article Borne of the Virgin Marie M Because in this also there is a strange mysterie that is that the Sonne of God came foorth of the wombe of his Mother at the end of the ninth moneth without paine or harme of his said Mother not leauing any signe there at all euen as hee did when rising from death he went out of the close Sepulchre and when he entred and went foorth of the chamber where his Disciples were the doores being shut there vpon it is saide that the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ was alwaies a Virgin before his birth in his birth and after his birth Of the fourth Article S VVHat meaneth that which followeth in the fourth article Hee suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucified dead buried M This Article conteineth the most profitable mysterie of our redemption and the summe is that Christ after he had conuersed in this world about thirtie three yeares and had taught with his most holy life his doctrine and his miracles the way of saluation was vnjustly caused by Pontius Pilate who was gouernour of Iewrie to be whipped and nayled vpon a Crosse vpon the which hee dyed and by certaine holy men was buried S Concerning this mysterie there do occurre vnto me some doubts I desire by you to be cleered of theÌ„ to the end I may be the more grateful vnto God for so great a benefite by how much I shall the better vnderstand it Tell me then if Christ be the Sonne of God omnipotent how happened it that he was not deliuered by his Father out of the handes of Pilate Or rather if the same Christ be God wherefore did hee not deliuer himselfe M Christ could if hee would haue deliuered himselfe by a thousande meanes out of the handes of Pilate Yea more the whole world had not bin able to do him any euil if he had not bin willing and this is clearely seene because he knew foretolde vnto his Disciples that the Iewes would seeke to put him to death that they would whippe him stone him and finallie kill him Yet he did not hide himselfe but went to meete his enemies And when they sought to take him and knew him not hee said vnto them himselfe hee was that man for whom they sought at which time also they al faling backwards as dead meÌ„ he did not depart thence as he might haue done but expected permitted them to recouer theÌ„selues after he suffred him selfe to be taken bound led like a meeke Lambe where they would S For What cause did Christ being innocent suffer him selfe to be vniustly crucified and slaine M For manie reasons But the principal reason was to satisfie vnto God for our sinnes For you haue to know that the offence is measured according to the dignitie of him who is offended and contrariewise the satisfaction is measured according to the dignitie of him who doth satisfie as for example if a seruant should geue his Prince a blow it should be esteemed a most greeuous offence according to the greatnes of the prince but if a prince should giue his seruant a blowe it were a smal matter according to the base estate of the seruant And contrariwise if a seruant take off his cappe vnto his Prince it is but little esteemed but if the Prince should take off his vnto his seruant it would be a notable fauour according to the rule we speake of Now because the first man and with him al we haue offended God who is of so infinite dignitie the offence did require infinite satisfaction and because there was neither man nor Angel of so great dignitie therefore the Sonne of God came who being God and of infinite dignitie hauing taken mortal flesh in the same flesh he submitted him selfe for the honour of God to the death of the Crosse and so satisfied with his paines for our faults S What other cause is there for which Christ would suffer so bitter a death M To teach vs by his example the vertues of Patience Humilitie Obedience and of Charitie which are foure vertues signified in the foure extreame parts of the Crosse because greater patience can not be found then to suffer vniustly so ignominious a death nor greater humilitie then for the Lord of all Lordes to submit him selfe to be crucified betwixt thieues nor greater obedience then to be willing rather to die then not to fulfil the commandement of his Father nor greater charitie then to yeeld his life to saue his enimies And you must know that Charitie is more shewed in deedes then in wordes more in suffering then in doing And so Christ who would not only bestow vpon vs infinit benifits but suffer also die for vs hath shewed that he loueth vs most ardently S Seeing Christ is God and man as you saied before and it semeth that God can not suffer nor die how do we then say that he suffered and died M Christ being God and man can suffer not suffer die not die for in that he is God could neither suffer nor die but as he is man he could both suffer and die and therefore I â—old you that being God hee was made man to satisfie for our sinnes suffering the paines of death in his most holie flesh which he could not haue done if he had not been man S If Christ haue satisfied his Father for the sinnes of all men whence â—ommeth it that so many are damned that we haue neede to doe penance for our sinnes M Christ hath satisfied for the sins â—f all men but it is necessarie to apâ—lie this satisfaction in particular to â—his man and to that man which is one by faith by the Sacraments by good workes and particularlie by penance therefore we haue neede â—o do penance other good works though Christ haue suffered and wrought for vs And the cause that many are daÌ„ned or remaine enemies to God is for that either they
rise or others like them M There is no doubt but the same bodies shall rise because otherwise it should not be a true resurrection if the same should not rise which is fallen and that same returne to liue which is dead And againe the resurrection is to the end that the bodie be partaker of the reward or punishment as it hath ben partaker of good workes or the sinnes there must be the same bodie because an other bodie should not merit either punishment or reward S How is it possible that bodie should return to liue which hath bin burned and the ashes scattered with the winde and cast into riuers M Yes for God can doe that which seemeth to vs impossible And there fore it is said in the beginning of the Creede that God is omnipotent And if you consider that God hath made the heauen and the earth of nothing it will not seeme hard vnto you to beleeue that he can bring againe to the former state that which is turned into ashes S I would know whether men shall returne to be men wemen to bee wemen or rather all to one maner M It is necessarie to beleeue that the men shall be men the wemen shall be wemen because otherwise they should not be the same bodies that they were before and as I haue already told you they are to be the same albeit in the life to come there shal not be any more bringing forth of children nor husbands nor wiues yet there shall be diuersitie of men and wemen to the ende that euerie one enjoy the reward of their proper vertues which they haue exercised in their owne sexe and as it shall be a goodly sight to behold the glorie of Martyrs of Confessors so shall it be to behold the glorie of the virgins and aboue all the Mother of our Lord. S I pray you tell me in what age stature we shal rise seeing that some doe die children some young-men others old M Al shal rise in that stature and in that state which they had or were to haue at the age of thirty three years in the which our Lorde rose So that the children shal rise so great as they should haue bene if they had arriued vnto thirtie three yeares and the olde men shall rise in that flowre of age which they had when they were thirtie and three yeares olde And if any in this life haue bene Blinde Crooked a Dwarfe or had anie other deformitie hee shall ryse whole sonnde and with all perfection Because the workes of GOD are perfecte And so in the resurrection which shal be his proper worke he wil correct the errors and defectes of nature Of the twelft article S VVHat signifieth Life euerlasting which is the last article M It signifieth a complete felicitie of the soule and of the bodie And this is the chiefe good and last end which wee gaine by being in the Church S Tel me I beseech you in particular what goodnes shal there be in life euerlasting M I wil teach you this mysterie by a similitude of the thinges in this world You know that here in earth we desier a bodie that is sound comelie nimble and strong a soule that is wise prudent and learned touching the vnderstanding ful of al vertues touching the wil besides these we desire exterior goods to wit riches honors powre and pleasures Euen so is eternal life the bodie for health shal haue immortalitie with impasibilitie that is to say that nothing can harme it for beautie it shal haue clearnes to wit it shal shine as the sun for nimblenes it shal haue agilitie that in one moment it shal be able to moue from one side of the worlde to the other and from the earth to heauen without anie labour for strength it shal haue such force that without eating drinking sleeping or other rest it shal be able to serue the spirit in al things that shal be necessarie neither shal it haue feare of anie thing Touching the soule the vnderstanding shal be ful of knowledge for it shall behold the cause of al things which is God The wil shal be ful of so much goodnes and charitie that it can not commit anie venial sinne The riches shal be to want nothing hauing all things in God Their honour to be the children of God equall to Angels for they shall be kings and spirituall Priests for euer their power agreeable for together with God they shall bee Lordes of the whole world be able to do all that they shall haue will to doe for that they shall alwaies be conformable to the will of God which nothing can resist Finally their delight shal be vnspeakeable because all their powers aswel of the soule as of the body shal be joyned vnto their proper objects Whereof will arise a full contentment a most perfect peace neuer proued before a perpetuall gladnes joy and exultation S If euery one shall haue all these things euery one shal be cōtented in one maner then shall not one be more blessed in heauē then an other M Yes assuredly For he who hath merited more in this life shall haue greater reward shal be more happie yet for al that there shal be no enuie nor any discontentment because each one shal be filled according to their capacitie those which haue merited more shal be more capable so shall haue more glorie As for example If a Father hauing manie children one greater then another according to their age should make to euery one of them a garment of cloth of gold proportionable vnto euery ones stature there is no doubt but that the greatest should haue the bigest garment of greatest valew yet euery one would remaine cōtented neither would hee that were lesse desire the garment of him that were greater because it would no be so fit for him S What is the cause of this beatitude of heauē is called life euerlasting shal not the damned liue for euer in hel M Life properly is saide to bee in other those things which mooue of themselues Whereupon in a certain maner the water of a fountaine is called Liue-water because it mooueth and water of Pooles is called dead because it standeth still So the blessed in heauē are said to haue eternal life for that they can worke all that they wil with all their inwarde and outwarde powers without any impediment And they doe alwaies worke and exercise themselues as they most desire But the damned in hell notwithstanding they liue for they shall neuer bee consumed yet they are said to haue eternall death because they are still tyed vnto the fire and torments and are enforced euer to suffer that which they would not neither can they do anie thing that they would So that the blessed in heauen enjoy all good without any mixture of euil and the damned in hell do suffer all euill not being able to fulfil any of their
obey or giue eare vnto them no otherwise then if they were our enimies Finally we are bound to reuerence our father mother in bearing them respect and honoring them in words exterior behauior as is conuenient so great account God made of this in the olde testament that he commanded that who soeuer durst curse his father or mother should be killed S I know not for what cause the law of God hath cōmanded the children that they should help their father mother to assist them hath not also commanded the fathers mothers that they should helpe succour their children especially whiles they are little haue need of helpe M Truely the bonde is reciprocall and all one betwixt the parents and the children For euen as the childrē are bound to help to reuerence and to obey their parents so the parents are bound to prouide for the children not only meate clothes but also that they be taught and instructed But the law of parents towardes their children is so naturall and ordinarie that there is no neede of any other written law to put Parents in mind of their bond towards their children But contrariwise it is often seene that children are not answerable in loue towardes their parents And therfore it was necessary to admonish them by this commandement of their dutie neither is God contented with a bare commandement but hath adjoyned a promise and a threatning to make them obserue it S I would gladly know what promise and threatning that is M Vnto this fourth commandemēt God adjoyneth these wordes that thou maist liue long vpon the earth Meaning that those who honour their father and mother shall haue for rewarde to liue long and those who do not honour them shall haue amongst other punishmēts this particular not to liue long And it is a very iust punishment For there is no reason thar he enioy long life who dtshonoreth those of whom he receiued the same life S There occurreth vnto me to demand whether this that hath been said of the father mother be vnderstood also of other superriors who towardes vs haue the place of parents M It is very wel considered of you For indeed this commandement is extended vnto al Superiors as wel Ecclesiastical as temporal Of the fifth Commandement S DEclare now if you please the fiifth commandement M This commandement chiefly forbiddeth murder to wit to kil men For to kil other liuing things is not forbidden by this precept And the reason is because liuing things wen created for man and therefore where it is needeful that he serue himself of the life of those liuing creatures he may kil them but one man is not created for an other man but for God and therefore one man is not maister of an other mans life And so it is not lawfull for one man to kill an other S Notwithstāding we see that Princes and Gouernours put thieues and other malefactors to death who neuerthelesse are men it is not holden that they do euil herein but wel M Princes and Gouernours that haue publique authoritie put malefactors to death not as masters of mens liues but as ministers of God as S. Paul saith Because God willeth and commandeth that malefactors be punished killed when they deserue it that good men may be safe and liue in peace And for this purpose God hath geuen the sword into the handes of Princes and Rulers to do iustice in defending the good and chastising the bad And so when by publique authoritie a malefactor is put to death it is not called murder but an act of iustice and whereas the commandement of God saith Thou shalt not kil it is vnderstood by thy priuat authority S I haue heare a doubt whether this commandement forbiddeth a man to kil him selfe as it forbiddeth to kil an other M Without all doubt this commandement forbiddeth to kil himselfe because no man is maister of his owne life man being made not by himself but by God And therefore no man by priuat authoritie can take the life from himself And if any holie men not to lose their faith or their chastitie haue killed them selues it is to be thought that they had particular and cleare inspiration from God to doe it which otherwise could not be excused frō most grieuous sinne For that who killeth himselfe killeth a man and so committeth murder which is a sin principally forbidden in this fift precept of the lawe S Wherfore do you say principally M Because not only to kill is forbidden but also to hurt to beat or to doe anie other injurie whatsoeuer to the body person of our neighbor Yea Christ our Lord in the holie Gospell declaring this commandement forbiddeth also disdaine hatred rancour reuiling other like passionat behauiour and speaches which vsually are the cause roote of murders And contrariwise willeth that we be meeke and curteous procuring peace and concord with all men Of the sixt Commandement S VVHat is contained in the sixt commandement M The prohibition of adulterie is principally therein cōtained Which is to sinne with an other mans wife And for that next vnto life honour or honestie is most esteemed in this world therefore next after the commandement not to kill with great reason adulterie is forbid by which honestie is lost S Wherefore doe you say principally M Because in the ten commandements which are lawes of Iustice those sinnes are principally forbid by which injustice is more manifestly committed of which sort is adulterie But besides this all other sortes of carnall sinnes are also secondarily forbidden as sacriledge which is to sinne with a person consecrated to God incest which is to sinne with those of our owne kindred deflowring which is to sinne with a virgin fornication which is to sinne with a woman corrupted and single as a Widow or a harlot and other sortes of sinnes more abhominable which ought not so much as to be named amongst Christians S Albeit I doe beleeue that all is true which you haue saide yet I would be glad to vnderstand where vpon it is grounded that fornication is a sinne for that he seemeth not to do any harme or injurie vnto any that committeth simply fornication M It is grounded in all lawes in the law of Nature in the written lawe and in the law of Grace In the lawe of nature it is found that the Patriarch Iudas would haue put to death a woman called Thamar who had bin his sonnes wife and being now widdow was founde with childe Whereby it appeareth that in that time before the Law of Moses was giuen by the instinct of nature men did know that fornication was sinne After in the lawe of Moses fornication is forbidden in many places And in the Epistles of S. Paul wee reade many times that fornicators shall not enter into the glorie of heauen Neither is it true that fornication doth no hurt nor injurie to anie For it hurteth the same
by speaking ill falsly or by telling some euill that is true but was secrete Whereby our neighbour looseth the good-name which he had with them who did not know his sinne before And this detraction is a very frequent sinne amongst men and very grieuous and dangerous because a mans name is more worth then his goods and by some it is more esteemed then life it selfe And therefore it is a great wrong to make them loose it And whereas it is an easie thing to find remedie for other losses a good name when it is lost is not recouered without great difficultie And besides all this hee that by his detraction hath taken it away is bound to restore it Wherefore it is a most profitable counsel to speake well alwaies of all men when it can be done with truth and when it can not then be silent S What meaneth cursing M Malediction or cursing is when one curseth his neighbour as by saying cursed be he or by vttering other sorts of maledictions against him as saying such an euil or such an one take thee And this cursing is a most grieuous sin when it is spoken with hatred with desire that such euils come vnto his neighbour in earneste But when it is done without hatred or euill desire as in ieast or to make sporte or vppon some suddaine disdaine without regarde to that hee speaketh it is lesse euill yet it is for all that alwaies euill for that from the mouth of a Christian who is the sonne of God by adoption nothing ought to passe but benediction Of the ninth Commandement S VVHAT doeth the ninth Commandement contayne M It contayneth the prohibition of the desire to haue thy neighbours wife For that albeit in the sixt Commandement adulterie is forbidden yet God would seueerely forbid the desire of adulterie to giue vs to vnderstād that these two are diuerse sinnes S It seemeth that in this Commandemēt the desire of adulterie which a woman committeth with the husband of an other woman is not forbidden but only the desire of adulterie which a man committeth with the wife of an other man seeing it is said thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife M It is not so But the desire of adulterie is forbidden aswel of a woman as of a man for albeit it is said thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife yet that is spoken vnto the man is vnderstood to be spoken also to the woman because in the man as more notable is contained also the womā And besids euery one knoweth that the adulterie of a woman is more infamous at leaste in the sight of the worlde then of a man as the honestie shamefastnes is also more commended in a woman then in a man Seeing then it is forbidden to a man to desire an other mans wife without doubt it is also forbidden to a woman to desire an other womans husband S You haue saide before that where adulterie is forbidden all other carnall sinnes are also forbidden I desire to knowe whether the same bee vnderstood of the desire M There is no doubt at all but that when the desire of adulterie is forbidden the desire also of fornication and of all other dishonesties is vnderstood to bee forbidden for that the same reason is of all these sinnes S I would know whether euery desire of an other mans wife be sinne although there be no consent of the will to such a desire M S. Gregory the Pope hath taugth vs that in an euill desire there are three degrees The first is called suggestion the second delectation the third consent Suggestion is when the diuell putteth into the minde a dishonest thought which is accompanied with a suddaine beginning of euill desire and if to this suggestion there be resistance made presently so that it come to no delight a man doth not sin but merite before God but if the suggestion passe to a sensuall delectation and there bee no consent of reason and will then a man is not without some veniall sinne but if to the suggestion and delectation the consent of reason and will be annexed so that a man perceiue it and desire it and willingly remaine in such a desire thought it is a mortall sinne and this is that which is properly forbidden in this commandement Of the tenth Commandement S VVHAT doth the tenth Commandement contayne M It contayneth the prohibition of the desire of an other mans goods aswell immooueable as are his house and landes as mooueable such as money cattle fruits other things And so is perfect iustice fulfilled when we doe injurie to our neighbour neither in worke nor in worde nor so much as in thought desire S I do maruel that God hauing forbidden murder adulterie and theft he doth not forbid the desire of murder as he forbiddeth the desire of adulterie and theft M The reason is this because a man doeth not desire principally any thing but that which bringeth him some good at the least in apparance And so hee desireth adulterie because it bringeth delight he desireth theft for that it bringeth profite murder bringeth no good at all therefore it is not desired for it selfe but only to attaine to adulterie or to theft or to some other his designements for this cause though the desire of murder be a most grieuous sin yet God did not forbid it particularly for that it might be vnderstood as forbidden when murder it selfe was forbidden Besides hauing shut the doores to disordinat desires of delectation and of commodities consequently were shut vp also the desires of murder which for most part is not desired but to attayne to some commoditie or delight S I would know for what cause the desire is neuer prohibited by humaine lawes as we see it is forbidden in this law of God M The reason is manifest for that men although they bee Popes or Emperours do not see the harts but onely the exteriour things therefore being not able to iudge the thoughts and desires much lesse can they punish them and so it is not conuenient they should busie themselues in forbidding them But God that discerneth the harts of all men can punishe the euill thoughts and desires and therefore he forbiddeth them in his holie law Cap. 7. The declaration of the precepts of the Church S BESIDES the Commandements of God I would know if there bee any other to bee obserued M There are the precepts of Holie Church which are these 1 To be present at Masse on commanded feasts 2 To fast the Lent the foure Imbre weeks cōmanded Eues of Feasts Also to abstaine from flesh vpon Friday and Saturday 3 To confesse at the least once in the yeare 4 To receiue the B. Sacrament at the least at Easter 5 To pay tithes to the Church 6 Not to solemnize Marriages in times ptohibited to wit from the first Sunday of Aduent vntill the Feast of the Epiphanie and from the first day of Lent till
wil not haue faith as Iewes Turkes Heritikes or because they wil not receiue the Sacraments as those that wil not be baptised or wil not confesse their sinnes or wil not do such penance as they can for their sins nor resolue to liue conformably to the law of God S I would haue some example to vnderstand this M Take the example of one which should take great paines and with sweate and labours should gaine so much money as were sufficient to pay al the debts of this citie and should put the same in a bank to the end it should be geuen vnto al such as should bring a warant from him this man surely had satisfied for al somuch as lieth in him yet manie might remaine stil in debt for that they would not either for pride or for slouth or for some other cause demand his warant and carie it to the bank to receiue the money S What signifieth He descended into hel and what doth hel signifie in this place M Hel is the lowest deepest place in this world to wit the midle of the earth And the Scripture in manie places putteth heauen as opposite vnto hel as the highest place vnto the lowest But in this depth of the earth there are foure as it were great caues one for the damned which is the deepest of al and so it is agreable that the proud Diuels and the men which imitate them be in the lowest place and furthest from heauen that can be In the second caue which is something higher are those soules which suffer the paines of Purgatorie In the third which is yet higher are the soules of those children that die with out Baptisme who do not suffer torments of fire but onely the perpetuall priuation of eternall felicity In the fourth which is the highest remained the soules of the Patriarchs Prophets and other Holie men that dyed before the comming of Christ for albeit those holy soules had not any thing to be purged yet they could not enter into glory before Christ by his death had opened the gate of eternall life therefore they remained in that higher place called the place of holy Fathers otherwise Abrahams bosome where they suffered no paines at all but enjoyed a sweete repose expecting the comming of our Lord with great joy And so we read in the Gospel that the soule of that poore beggar Lazarus was carried by an Angell to rest in the bosome of Abraham where hee was seene by the rich glutton who burning in flames of hell cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in a farre higher place remayning in great joy and consolation enjoying the fruits of his former patience S Into which of these foure partes of Hell did Christ descend after his death M There is no doubt but hee descended into the place of holy Fathers and suddainely made them blessed after led thē with him in to the kingdome of heauē He made himselfe also seene vnto all the other parts of hell terrifying the Diuels as a victorious Triumpher threatning the damned as a supreame Iudge comforting the soules in Purgatorie as their Aduocate and deliuerer So that Christ descended into Hell as a King vseth sometimes to repaire into prisons to visite prisoners and to shew fauour to whom it pleaseth him S If Christ was dead his body did lye in the sepulchre then he did not whollie descend into hell but onely the soule of Christ and how is it then said that Christ descended into hell M Death had force to separate the soule of Christ from his body but it could not separate either the soule or the bodie from the Diuine person of the same Christ And therefore we beleeue that the Diuine person of Christ remained with his bodie in the sepulcre that the same person descēded with his soule into hel Of the fift Article S HOw is it true that our Lord rose from death the third day seeing that from Friday in the euening when he was buried vnto the night before Sunday when hee rose there wanteth of two whole daies M We doe not say that Christ rose after three whole daies but the third daye which is most true For he was buried on Friday which is the first day though not a whole day and so hee remained in the Sepulchre all Saterday and a part of Sundaie which is the third day For the natural day beginning the night before at the setting of the Sunne the first houre after the Sunne-setting is the first of the day following S. For what cause did not Christ rise streight after his death but would expect the third day M Because he would shew that he was truely dead he would remaine there in the graue so long as sufficed to prooue this truth Moreouer I would haue you considder that like as Christ liued amongst men thirtie three or thirty foure yeares so hee would stay amongst the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres For so many they are if you put together one houre of Friday for hee was buried an houre before Sunne-setting twentie foure houres of the Saturday and eight or nine houres of Sunday For he rose after midnight towards the beginning of the morning S Why is it said of Christ that hee rose and of other dead as of Lazarus and the Widdowes sonne that they were raysed from death M The reason is because Christ being the Son of God rose of himself to wit by vertue of his God-head he reunited his soule to his bodie so began to liue againe But other dead men can not returne to life by their owne power And therefore it is said they were raised by others As we al at the day of Iudgment shal be raised by Christ S Is there anie other difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ of others which returned to life before him M There is this difference that the others rose mortal therefore they died againe but Christ rose immortal neither can he euer die anie more Of the sixt Article S Now let vs come vnto the sixt article which is of the Ascension I desire to know how long our Sauiour remained vpon earth after his Resurrection and for what cause M He remained fourtie dayes as you may consider by numbring the dayes betwixt the feasts of his Resurection and Ascension And the reason of his so long stay was because he would with manie diuers apparitions establish the Mysterie of his most true Resurrection For that the same seemeth as it were the most hard And he that beleeueth it hath no difficultie to beleeue the rest For he that riseth was certainly dead before And he that was dead was first borne And so he that beleueth the Resurrection of Christ findeth no labour in beleeuing his death and natiuitie And likewise for so much as the earth is not a conuenient place for glorious bodies but heauen therefore he that beleueth the Resurrection of our Sauiour can