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A37390 A Declaration of the principall pointes of Christian doctrine gathered out of diuerse catechismes and set forth by the English priests dwelling in Tournay Colledge. 1647 (1647) Wing D742; ESTC R17718 151,131 593

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How can this be It is a thing which we cannot comprehend for as God himselfe is incomprehensible to vs so is all that which is in God and particularly this mysterie of the most blessed Trinity 3. Is there no example to helpe vs to conceiue this mysterie Yes it may in some sort be exemplified in a fountaine which produceth a riuer and the riuer and it together a lake for the lake the riuer and the fountaine are distinguished from one another and yet the water by which they are all constituted is one and the same in euery one of them 4. What then meaneth the mysterie of the vnity and Trinity of God It meaneth that in God there is only one diuinity or as we say essence and diuine nature which neuerthelesse is in three diuine persons who are called Father Sonne and holy Ghost and so there is but one God and euery Person is truly that one God 5. Wherefore are the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three distinct persons Because they haue three distinct notions for though the being of the Godhead be most single and indiuisible and consequently the selfe same in all three yet the manner of this being is not the same but each one hath his speciall manner of being which cannot be common to the rest For the Father is the fountaine from-whence the other two persons do proceed and he hath no source himselfe to proceed from and therefore he produceth but is not produced The Sonne proceedeth from the father and only from him The holy Ghost proceedeth both frō the Father and the Sonne And hence it ariseth that the three persons are distinguished though not diuided one from another and therefore though we cannot say that the Godhead of the Sonne proceedeth from the Godhead of the Father or the Godhead of the holy Ghost from the Godhead of the Father and the sonne yet we are bound to belieue that the person of the sonne proceedeth from the person of the Father and the person of the holy Ghost from the persons of the Father and the sonne 6. How doth the sonne proceed from the father He is not made nor created but begotten of his fathers owne substance by his vnderstanding For the father knowing himselfe by an infinite knowledge produceth by his vnderstanding a most perfect word or expression of himselfe which is his sonne coeternall and equall in all thinges to himselfe and must needs possesse the same nature with him because he is produced of his owne substance 7. Why is he called his sonne Because his production is a true generation For as the end of generation in creatures is to make a thing like in nature to that from which it proceeds so doth the word of the diuine vnderstāding produced through the force of the fathers intellectuall nature by the manner of its production naturally expresse the thing which is vnderstood which is God the father himselfe 8. Hath God the father but one sonne begotten of his owne substāce No nether can he haue any more then one for it is otherwise in God then in men because no man can giue all that he himselfe is to any sonne and therefore he may haue many children but God allmigthy doth giue his owne substance so perfectly to his sonne by generation as that he giueth him all that is in himselfe and can be communicated in so much that there remaineth nothing to be giuen by way of generation to any other 9. How doth the holy Ghost proceed from the father and the sonne He doth proceed from them both as frō one only source and not as made or created nor as begotten but produced through the will by an ineffable way which diuines rearme Spiration 10. What is Spiration It is a breathing or impulse of the will by which it expresseth its affection for the father louing his sonne infinitely as being his only begotten and the sonne his father as the fountaine from whom he proceedeth they produce a mutuall bond of loue whereby the father and sonne are ineffably linked together and this is the holy Ghost the third person of the blessed Trinity eternall God and equall to both the other two persons 11. Why are these three persons one only God Because they haue one selfe same essence one selfe same power one selfe same wisedome one selfe same goodnesse one selfe same vnderstanding and one selfe same will 12. Did then all these three diuine persons create the world Yes for all three hauing from all eternity the same power the same will and the same vnderstanding whatsoeuer is done out of God by one is done by all LESSON III. Of the creation of the world 1. OF what did God make the world Of nothing 2. With what did he make it With his word alone 3. Had not he then need of some instruments to make it with all No for his power is so great and so infinite as that he can not only make what he will but allso in what manner he will 4. Was there an infinite power required to create the world Yes for the harder a thing is to be done the more force is required to the doeing of it and the more remote a thing as from the end to which it is to be moued the more force is required to moue it thither and therefore seeing that to create is to make a thing of nothing and that betwixt nothing and something there is an infinite distance it followeth that creation requireth an infinite force or power in him who createth 5. Why did he make the world That his greatnesse and goodnesse might be seene and adored 6. By whom would he haue it adored By men and Angells who only are able to consider the admirable workes of heauen and earth and by knowing them to loue and praise his goodnesse who made them for their vse and benefit 7. What moued God to create men and Angells did he want them or did he get any thing by them He did not want them for seeing he is all goodnesse he could want no good thing and for euill it is not to be desired nether could he get any thing by them for he who hath all getteth nothing So that he was moued merely through his owne goodnesse for being all goodnesse himselfe he needed no other cause why to do good then that himselfe by nature is goodnesse for as it is the nature of heate to make hot and of cold to coole so is it the nature of goodnesse to do good 8. What is an Angell An Angell is a spirituall creature subsisting completely by himselfe without a body 9. What became of the Angells whom God created Some of them remained in that holy estate wherein they were created and so were by God his grace established therein and became happy and blessed for euer Others kept it not but wilfully lost it by sinne and so became Diuells and are condemned to euerlasting torment in hell 10. How many Angells were there created The multitude of
and Adam lower then they were and made all other creatures rebell against them and rendred them slaues to their owne passions it rendred their bodies obnoxious to death and miserie their vnderstanding to ignorance and errors and their will to malice and the Diuell And no wonder for if the loue of God was the cause of those good effects in them the contrarie must needs breed contrarie effects 5. What comfort then did there remaine for them None at all but God his mercifull goodnesse for they had no meanes left in themselues to defend themselues from so manie enemies or to deliuer themselues from the miserie they were in they could not deserue so much as that God should take pittie of them for hauing lost intirely his grace they had of themselues no power anie more to doe the least good worke as it ought to be done not so much as to praie to God to assist them 6. This disaster was it to goe no farther then to Adam and Eue Yes to their children and to all their posteritie For as all the fruits of an ill roote are ill and cleare water cannot proceed from a fountaine which is infected no more could there be borne of our first parēts infected with sinne anie other but sinners For Adam his first sinne did not infect him only as a particular person but also as the generall roote of all mankinde 7. Are we all then borne in sinne Yes for as those who were borne of Adam and Eue were borne sinners by the infection of their Parents so were their children likewise for the same reason borne in sinne and the children of their children and so it must needs be for all their posteritie to the worlds end And the reason of this is because Adam falling from the loue of God to loue himselfe more then God which loue was contrarie to reason this change in his soule could not choose but worke a great change in his verie bodie and destroye its former good dispositions that were fitted to the grace of innocency by moulding in it others of a contrarie bias For we see by experience that our soules operations haue strong effects in our bodies we see that when we heare good newes the ioy in our soules maketh our very bodies light and iocond and when we grieue the griefe of our soules redoundeth to our bodies and maketh them dull and heauy Now then Adam being changed not only in his soule but also in his very bodie he could not make his sonnes bodie with a better disposition then his owne bodie had which was not now disposed to be subiect to reason but the quite contrarie for the soule by louing an other thing better then God carried the bodie along with it and put it into possession of command against reason and so it remained in rebellion with its proper motion independent of reason which bad disposition being deriued also to the childs bodie and being there as a marke of that transgression which we did all of vs incurre by Adam it rēdreth the same bodie through a necessarie consequence by reason of Gods couenant with Adam vncapable of anie other soule but such as is guilty of that losse which was inflicted by God vpon Adam and vpon all his posterity in case that he did breake his cōmandement From whence it followeth that no other soule could be due to such a bodie as Adam made to his sonne but such as was depriued of originall iustice And this is that which Christians call originall sinne to witt the missing of grace or originall iustice in the child as proceeding from the guilt which we contracted through the fault of our first father in whom we all sinned So that the want or priuation is particular to euery one the cause or actuall sinne only in Adam 8. But seeing that Adam after his fall did pennance and began to loue God anew did he not recouer againe the former good dispositions as well in his bodie as in his soule both for himselfe and his posteritie No for this second loue being preuented with dispositions in man contrarie to it selfe it could not according to the ordinarie course of God his prouidence produce that effect which the first loue did that found no such contratie dispositions but all thinges fitted to it selfe Nether can it on the suddaine extirpate those contrarie dispositiōs but with a great deale of paine and labour and neuer wholy because these affections and ill dispositions of sensuality goe before reason and are in some sort independent of it infecting the motions of sense before reason can espye it And so allmighty God hath most iustly ordained that these ill inclinations caused by this inordinate loue should alwayse remaine in mankinde as due punishment for his first sinne And this is that which is called concupiscence which is an inclination that draweth our harts to loue our selues more then God contrarie to the former good disposition that was in man by the grace of innocencie And no wonder if since the soule cannot be without loue and hauing lost the loue of God it runneth after sense and loueth those thinges which sense proposeth seeing that sense is the gate that openeth the way for obiects to enter into our soule LESSON VIII Of the Redemption of man 1. DId God allmighty abandon man in this his most miserable state No for Adam had no sooner sinned but God moued by compassion out of his meere goodnesse promised to relieue him by the meanes of Iesus Christ who being to descend from Adam and Eue by the blessed Virgin was to redeeme mankinde and to bruize the head of the serpent that is of the diuell by whom Eue was seduced 2. Did God fullfill this promise presently No he expected foure thousand yeares or there about 3. In what state was the world all that time In the state that the sinne of our first father had put it into 4. Were all men then in the state of sinne and damnation Yes in so much that those who were saued were only some few in whom God conserued his grace and a liuely faith of his promise so that of the whole world in Noes time hardly eight persons were found iust in the sight of God and presently againe not fiue men in fiue cities 5. Were the Iewes of the number of those few Not all but only those who had a liuely fayth of Iesus Christ as chiefly the Patriarkes and Prophets and some others 6. Was all the rest of mankinde damned Yes except some particulars whom God did fauour extraordinarily amongst the Gentiles as Melchisedec Iob and some others All the rest were vnder the power of the Diuell who abused them so farre as to make them adore stones beasts for Gods 7. Why did God expect foure thousand yeares before he redeemed mankinde To the end that men might know the grieuousnesse of sinne which was cōmitted against him seeing that it was the cause of the ruine of so manie soules and
first act that euer tooke possessiō of his heart newly moulded and rightly set for this purpose it could not choose but carry with it towards its beloued obiect the whole powers of his soule which then was free from all contrarie dispositions and so it could not choose but subiect them all vnto it and consequently he must needs remaine totally subiected to God as long as he remained in this state and he could not but remaine in this state vnlesse he lost it through his owne fault by destroying that constant inclination of louing God aboue all thinges which was now settled in his soule by this happy grace 3. But how could this grace which was in his soule only worke such good effects in his bodie The reason of it is because his corporall cōstitution being fitted to follow the inclination of the soule this grace of innocency actuated and encreased that fitnes which of it selfe it found in the bodie and so as long as man remained in that state the bodie could not choose but do that which it was fitted to that is follow the inclinatiō of the soule wherby all its actions were necessatily to expect the soules operation and so it could not choose but be preuented by reason since that the soule it selfe which was to moue the bodie could do nothing but by reason And thus you see how Adam his bodie being continually by this grace preuented with reason could not incline to anie thing before reason gaue it leaue and order and so this grace made his verie corporall desires subiect to reason 4. What would haue become of man at last He would haue liued in Paradise without euer being sick as long as it had pleased God and at last he should haue been translated into hauen without dying 5. How could this be For seeing that men must eate to grow and to keepe themselues aliue they could not auoyd but meats should haue their effect and so breed diseases If we looke into the cause of sicknes we shall see that it proceedeth from some excesse or defect which in that state would not haue been when man had wit and will to prouide against both Besides God allmightie had fitted the place of habitation to the man that there should be no ill aire or other occasion of harme vnto him Whence because wisdome kept him from mischance the place from infection he could not dye but of age against which God had prouided the tree of life to preserue him so in conclusion he would haue liued for euer 6. Was this grace ardained only for Adam No all his posteritie would haue been indued with the same deriued from him to all by their verie birth right as now we are all by our verie conception infected with originall finne deriued from him so all would haue liued in this world most happily and at last haue been translated to heauen 7. How could the grace of innocencie which is unmediately in our soule come to vs by birth from our parents who make only our bodie and haue nothing to doe with our soule but leaue that to be made by God alone You may easily conceiue this if you know how children come to be like to their fathers You must consider then that Adam his bodie being designed by God for a soule endowed with originall Iustice was fitted for the operations of such a soule and consequently it was imbued with all such speciall dispositions as were requisite to make it pliable and subiect to reason Now Adam procreating his sonns bodie with the same good dispositions which his owne body had and allmightie God who had promised by couenant the grace of innocencie to all his posteritie in case that he himselfe did continue in his due obedience finding those good dispositions in the childs bodie as an infallible token of his fathers actuall perseuerance in his first grace he could not faile to endow according to his promise the soule of Adams sonne with the same grace of originall iustice which his father had And so seeing that these good dispositions in the childs body which were antecedent to the creation of the soule and proceeded from the like dispositions in its parents would haue been as a seale of God his couenant with mankinde it followeth that they would haue drawne by a necessary cōsequence in vertue of the sayd couenant originall iustice euen in to the childe his soule And so you see how this first grace was to come to vs from our parents by our generation And it was most conformable to reason that it should come that way for as on the one side it was naturall that Adam should haue made his sonnes bodie like his owne and consequently disposed in a speciall manner to be subiect to reason so it was most reasonable that Allmighty God should fitt the soule to the sonnes bodie which would not haue been vnlesse he had giuen him a soule apt to loue God aboue all thīges seeing that the actuall subiection of the bodie to reason doth proceed from such a disposition in the soule And so you see how the grace to loue God aboue all thinges which is commōly called iustice or sanctitie was giuen to Adam so as to descend from him vnto his heyrs and therefore was called originall iustice and would haue come vnto vs who were to be borne to it as if it were by nature LESSON VII Of originall Sinne. 1. How did Adam and Eue make vse of this great grace Very ill for many are of opinion that they lost it in lesse then one day 2. How did this misfortune befall them Because they did not perseuer in their first loue of God aboue all thinges but fell from it by disobedience 3. What induced our first parents to commit this sinne Eue was induced principally by pride and vanitie for the Angell who was become à Diuell by pride did infect Eue with the same sinne that thereby he might make her and Adam companions of his miserie perswading her that if she did rebell against God by eating the fruit which he had forbidden them they should become greater then they were And although this was the chiefe motiue yet two other motiues did also concurre for by the same act she yeilded to three sinfull suggestions all which are expresly sett downe in scripture The first was of gluttonie She saw that it was good to eat and pleasant to behold The second was a curiositie of knowing You shall know good and euill The third was pride You shall be like Gods And although Adam was not seduced by the Diuell as Eue was yet he fell into the sinne of disobedience by yielding to the perswasions of his wife being loath to displease her And so that which induced Adam to sinne was a disordinate affectiō towards Eue choosing to offend God rather then to contristate her 4. What effect did this sinne produce It caused the quite contrarie to that which Eue pretended For it did cast both her
worke on festiuall dayes Secondly those who consent to such working or doe not hinder it when they may by authority doe it To this Commandement also may be reduced those thinges which are committed against the precept of the Church for hearing of Masse As first those who neglect to heare Masse on Sundayes and Holy dayes offend mortally Secondly those who though they be present at Masse yet are not attentiue at it but stand talking or gazing vp and downe Thirdly those who goe to Masse for some ill end Fourthly those who take no care to see that their children andd seruants satisfie this precept 38. May not one also be excused in some case from hearing Masse on festiuall dayes Yes when he cannot goe to Church without danger of some notable hurt to himselfe or to his neighbour or if he haue some lawfull impediment as for example if a man haue vndertaken a voyage for a busines of great importance either for himselfe or his neighbour and should be hindred by hearing Masse from performing his voyage in due time COMMANDEMENT IV. 39. DEclare the fourth Honour thy Father and Mother that thy life may be long in the land which our Lord thy God shall giue thee In regard that aboue all others our parents are most neere to vs and that we are most obliged to them both for our being and life therefore the first precept of the second table commandeth vs to obey and reuerence them both inwardly and outwardly and also to helpe them in their necessities for honour includeth both loue obedience and seruice 40. What meaneth the later clause That thou mayest liue long in the land which thy Lord thy God shall giue thee As it doth promise long life to dutifull and obedient children so also it is a most fearefull threat amongst other punishments to those who are vndutifull to their parents from whom they had receiued their life and being that they shall not liue long 41. What obedience do Children owe to their parents They owe them obedience in all iust thinges but not in such thinges as are contrary to the will of God for he is to vs more then our father and so must be preferred 42. What assistance are Children bound to giue them They are bound to assist them not only by their industrie but also with their goods and meanes if they haue any of their owne for it is reason that those that haue giuen vs our being should receiue from vs all that which may contribute to the conseruation of their being And the obligation is so great that if one should see his father and his sonne in imminent danger and were not able to helpe both he is bound to helpe his father rather then his owne sonne This obligation also is such that Religious persons may goe out of their Religion to assist their parents in extreme necessitie when by other meanes they cannot be relieued 43. Doth this Cōmandement oblige only children to their parents No for loue is mutuall of its owne nature and so by obliging children to loue their parents God obligeth also parēts to loue their children But it was not necessary to cōmand it expresly because the loue of parents towards their children is so naturall that it needed not to be expressed it sufficeth that nature hath imprinted it in the harts of all parents 44. Whom are we to vnderstand by our Fathers and Mothers First and principally our corporall fathers and mothers secondly our spirituall fathers who are the Prelates of the Church as also our ghostly fathers thi r dl our tēporall Magistrates fourthly husbāds in respect of their wiues fifthly our vncles and aunts sixthly tutours in respect of pupills seuenthly masters in respect of seruants eighthly those who teach in respect of schollers and lastly old and aged persons in respect of yonger people So that we owe to all these a more particular respect then to others according to their seuerall degrees As they likewise do owe a particular loue to their inferiours of each kinde respectiuely 45. How do children transgresse against this precept First all those do transgresse who do not loue and respect their carnall parents Secondly those who do not obey them Thirdly those who do not assist them in their necessities Fourthly those who do dispise them or are ashamed to acknowledge them by reason of their pouerty Fifthly those who treate them rudely and giue them iust occasion of choler Sixthly those who mocke at them and murmure against them and treate them with iniurious words Seuenthly those who do any vnreasonable action of importance contrary to their desire Eightly those that doe accuse their parents in publike courts except it be for treason Ninthly those who by excessiue expences and disorder hinder them from making restitution of goods ill gotten Tenthly those children who are not carefull to see that their fathers and mothers confesse at the hower of death sinne mortally in case that there be no bodie els to looke vnto it and that through their negligence their parents dye without confession Eleuenthly those who after their parents death do not execute their last will and testament Twelfthly those children who permit themselues to be induced to marry against their fathers will offend against this commandement And it is to be noted that the obligation which we haue to our parents is so great that they who transgresse against them do very often offend mortally 46. How do parents transgresse against this Commandement First by vsing their children with two much seuerity as those do who beat them and vse them ill vpon no occasion or vpon iust occasion but beyond measure Secondly those who marry them to persons that they cannot loue Thirdly those who make them become religious against their will do offend mortally Fourthly those who vse them with too much indulgence and do not correct them when they do ill Fifthly those who haue more care to see them rich then that they be brought vp in the feare of God Sixthly those that hinder them from entering into Religion when they seeme to be called to it by allmighty God Seuenthly those who giue them any ill example or put them vpon any euill action Eighthly those who disinherit them without any lawfull cause Ninthly those who giue their goods to any others though it be to the Church in case that thereby they depriue their children of that portion which is reasonably due vnto them and which is necessary to maintaine them in a competent manner do transgresse notably against this precept Tenthly those who send their children to begge that is make beggars of them when they are able to maintaine them Eleuenthly those who do not prouide for their bastards if they be able at least waies so farre as that they may not liue in misery 47 How do men trangresse against other persons who are mutually obliged by this Commandement First those persons transgresse against their spirituall fathers and temporall Magistrates who do not
Extreme Vnction we obtaine helpes from God to ouercome those extraordinary temptations which by occasion of our former sinfull life may befall vs at the hower of death By the grace of Order we obtaine those helpes which are necessary for performing worthily Ecclesiasticall functions And lastly by the grace of Matrimony those helpes are obtained which are peculiarly necessary for that state of life which is exposed more then any other to dangers by hauing a perpetuall conuersation with the world 4. Seeing that we receiue by the Sacraments so many helpes from Allmighty God how cometh it to passe that those who receiue the Sacraments are notwithstanding still in danger to fall and to loose their first sanctifying grace by yielding to temptations The reason of it is because although we receiue from God by meanes of the Sacramēts sufficient grace to ouercome temptations in all occasions yet we are become so corrupt through the sinne of our first parents as that we do oftentimes neglect to consider and regard with diligence and gratitude of minde the inspirations and wholsome motions of the holy Ghost and to embrace that grace which is offered vnto vs through Christ and which moueth vs to do good thinges And therefore we ought allwayes to pray to God that he will finish what he hath begun by encreasing his grace towards vs and by rendering it efficacious in vs for this is that great mercy of God on which we do all depend 5. What is this actuall and efficacious helping grace of God It is an internall motion from God cōmunicated to vs through the merits of Iesus Christ whereby we are enlightened and strēgthened so as to performe what God requireth at our hands 6. Are we able of our selues to merit this happy grace No we are not able of our selues to do any thing at all whereby we may obtaine or inuite God to grant vs that first grace which moueth our hartes and putteth vs in the way of saluation but it is purely giuen vs by Gods meere goodnesse and mercy by which he preuents and attracts all such as approach vnto him 7. Is this first grace sufficient alone for vs No for although by it we are put into the way to obtained God his happy fauour and to enter into his seruice yet we are not able to aduance one step vnlesse he do assist vs againe with new succour and new grace for each godly action which we shall do but with his grace nothing is impossible vnto vs. 8. Can we do any thing whereby to merit this second aduancement in the way of saluation By the helpe of God his first preuenting grace we may do some thīg whereby God may be moued through his goodnesse to grant vs a second grace and so againe other fauours and graces after it but we cānot do any thing whereby this second grace shall be due vnto vs. For although by workes done by vs in the state of grace we do merit de condigno as Diuines tearme it an encrease of sanctifying grace and a reward in heauen yet by them we cannot merit de condigno the gift of perseuerance or that efficacious actuall assistance of God without which we neuer do the least godly worke Howsoeuer if we vse our endeauours to shew our selues such as vnto whom the grace of God whereby we were inspired and moued at first was not giuen in vaine and if we be not deficient but being guilty of our owne weakenesse do still perseuer to call vpon God there is no doubt but that he who gaue vs the beginning will perfect it and worke in vs both to will and to performe for he is naturally good and willeth all men to be saued and hath prouided for them all thinges by which they may be saued except by their owne malice they will be euill For all such as do sinne and are damned are certainely the authors of sinne and damnation to themselues God is nether the author of sinne nor cause of damnation although he be the author of all good and of saluation for as I sayed before we cannot do the least godly worke without his grace 9. Do we then depend continually in this life on the pure mercy of God for the doing of godly workes Yes for let vs come to what we shall still haue need of a new continuall assistance from God to mantaine vs in it and to make vs to cōtinue to do godly workes which assistance we can neuer deserue so as to make it our due Howsoeuer although this actuall grace whereby we are enabled to do any godly thing proceedeth from the bounty of God alone and though we be at first inspired and moued to will without our owne endeauour yet to will actually that is to resist temptations to persist in goodnesse and to go forward in vertue is the ioynt worke both of the grace of God and of our owne free will and endeauour and therefore as on the one side we ought not so to extoll free will as to diminish the necessity and efficacity of God his grace no more ought we to preach the grace of God so as thereby to take awy free will 10. Whence proceeds this our great necessity of God his holy grace It proceeds from mans corrupt nature during this mortall life which by the holy Scripture is called Concupiscence for Adam and Eue by their first sinne infected the whole man both body vnderstanding and will by yeelding to those three sinfull suggestions of gluttony curiosity and pride whereby cōcupiscence seized entirely vpon them and descendeth to vs from them and stirreth vs vp continually to rebellion against the law of God by sinfull motions and temptations which can neuer be ouercome by vs without Gods helping grace afforded vs by the merits of Iesus Christ and all the vertue and exercise of a Christian in this world doth consist in fighting against this concupiscence and in diminishing it by little and little 11. Is there no other meanes but the Sacraments to obtaine from God his helping and preuenting grace which is so necessary for vs Yes there is also praier which is a generall meanes to obtaine all kindes of actuall grace LESSON XXXII Of Praier 1. What is Praier Praier is any eleuation of our minde to God but most vsually that act is called such whereby we do testifie to God our desire demanding him to grant it in effect 2. What be the effects and fruits of Praier They be very many and very great ones first it obteineth vs remission of sinne and God accepteth it for satisfaction of the paine remaining due to sinnes after that the guilt is remitted Secondly it encreaseth our hope and confidence in God for it is certaine that he who hath frequent accesse to any person becometh more familiar and confident with him Thirdly it enflameth charity for it is impossible to conuerse often with God who is all fire of loue without receiuing some heate from his sacred flames Fourthly it