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A31329 The catechism for the curats, compos'd by the decree of the Council of Trent, and publish'd by command of Pope Pius the Fifth / faithfully translated into English.; Catechismus Romanus. English Catholic Church. 1687 (1687) Wing C1472; ESTC R16648 482,149 617

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the other Powers of the Soul It is also call'd by the Holy Fathers Compunction of Heart Chrysost de Compunct co●dis Isidor de summo bono l. 2.12 who were pleas'd to entitle the Books they wrote of Contrition to be of Compunction of the Heart rather For as swelling Ulcers are cut with a Knife that the poisonous Corruption may be let forth So our Hearts are cut as it were with the Pen-knife of Contrition that the deadly Poyson of Sin might run out And therefore it is call'd by the Prophet Joel Joel 2.21 A cutting of the Heart Be ye converted to me says he with all your Heart in Fasting and in Weeping and in Mourning and cut your Hearts But that the greatest and deepest Grief is to be taken for sin committed XXXV Contrition ought to be the greatest Grief so that no greater can be imagin'd will be easie to evidence by these Reasons For whereas perfect Contrition is an Act of Love The First Reason 1 Joh. 3. which proceeds from a filial Fear it is plain that there ought to be the same measure both of Love and Contrition hence it comes That Contrition has joyn'd with it the most vehement Grief of Mind for as God is to be lov'd above all things so those things which estrange us from God are to be hated above all things Wherein this is also observable Note that after the same manner of speaking is signifi'd in Sacred Scripture the Greatness of Love and of Contrition Of Charity it is said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart And again as to Contrition the Lord cries out by the Prophet Be ye converted with your whole Heart Besides The Second Reason if as God is the supreme Good among all the things that are to be lov'd and so Sin the greatest evil among all the things that Men ought to hate This follows that for what cause we confess that God is above all things to be lov'd for the same cause again we must needs hate Sin above all things But that the Love of God is to be put before all other things so that we may not sin tho it were to save out very Lives those words of our Lord plainly teach us Matt. 10.27 Mar. 16.25 Mar. 8.35 He that loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me And He that will save his Life shall lose it But This also must be observ'd The Third Reason that as there is no End or Measure prescrib'd to Charity as S. Bernard testifies Lib. de di●●gendo Deo circa inod For says he The measure of loving God is to love him without Measure so there is no measure defin'd to the Detestation of Sin Besides XXXVI Contrition ought to be most vehement Deut. 4.27 Hierem. 2● 13 it ought to be not only the Greatest but also the most Vehement and therefore Perfect and excludes all slothfulness and laziness For in Deuteronomy it is written When thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if notwithstanding thou shalt seek him with thy whole Heart and in the tribulation of thy Soul And in Jeremy Ye shall seek me and shall find me when ye shall seek me with your whole Heart and I wil be found of you says the Lord. Now altho we cannot get to make it perfect XXXVII Contrition tho imperfect yet it may be true yet our contrition may be true and efficacious for it often comes to pass that those things which are subject to sense more affect us than spiritual things Wherefore sometimes some Men are more sorrowful for the Death of their Children than for the Filthiness of their sins The same judgment is to be made XXXVIII Tears tho to be desir'd yet not necessary Serm. 41. de Sanctis if Tears follow not the Bitterness of Grief which yet in Penance are much to be wish'd and commended For S. Austins sentence in this case is very excellent The Bowels of Christian Charity says he are not in thee if thou lamentest the Body from which the Soul is departed but dost not lament the Soul from which God is departed And hither tend those words of our Savior before recited Mat. 11.21 Wo to thee Chorazin wo to thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which have bin done in you had bin done in Tyre and Sydon they had done Penance long ago in Sack-cloth and Ashes Yet for the proof of this those most famous examples of the Ninivits of David of the Harlot of the Prince of Apostles will be sufficient All which sought pardon of their sins imploring the Mercy of God with very many Tears But the Faithful are specially to be exhorted and admonish'd XXXIX All Mortal sins to be detested with Contrition that they study to apply the proper Grief of Contrition to their several Mortal Sins For so Ezechias describes Contrition when he says I will recount to thee all my years in the bitterness of my soul For to recount all his years is severally to examine his sins to be sorry in mind for them And we read in Ezekiel Ezek. 28.21 If the wicked man do Penance for all his sins he shall live And agreeable hereto S Austin says Let the sinner consider the Quality of his sin at that Time in what Place against what Light and against whom Lib. de vera falsa Religione cap. 14. Let not the Faithful notwithstanding in this Case despair of the infinite Goodness and Mercy of God Note For since he is most desirous of our Salvation he will not delay to pardon us but will embrace the sinner with a Fatherly Love as soon as ever he shall have recollected himself and detested all his sins which thencesorth at any time according to his ability he can bring to remembrance and resolves in his mind to hate and converts himself to the Lord Ezek. 33.12 for so by the Prophet he commands us to ho e when he says The wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him at what day soever he will be converted from his wickedness From hence therefore may be gather'd what ' things are most necessary to true Contrition XL. How many things necessary to True Contrition concerning which the Faithful must be accurately taught that every one may know by what means he may get it and may have a certain Rule whereby he may judge how far he is from the Perfection of this Vertue For first The first it is necessary to hate and to gri ve for all the sins we have done Lest if we blot out some only the Penance we do may seem dissembl'd and counterfeit and not saving For as S. James says He that shall have kept the whole Law but Offends in One thing he is guilty of all The second is The second that This Contrition has a Will to Confess and to Satisfie for Sin join'd with it of which shall
him an help like himself And a little after But there was not found for Adam an help like himself therefore the Lord God sent a deep sleep upon Adam and while he slept he took one of his Ribs and clos'd up the Flesh instead thereof And the Lord God form'd the Rib that he took from Adam into a Woman and brought her to Adam and Adam said This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be call'd Woman because she was taken out of Man Wherefore a Man shall leave his Father and Mother and shall cleave to his Wife and they Two shall be One Flesh Which things Mat. 19.6 even by the Authority of our Lord himself in St. Matthew shew that Matrimony was of Divine Institution Nor did God institute Matrimony only XIII Matrimony made indissoluble but as the Holy Synod of Trent declares he added to it a perpetual and indissoluble Knot for our Savior says What God has join'd none may put asunder For tho it was convenient that Matrimony Sess 24. initio as it is an Office of Nature might not be dissolv'd yet much more so now as it is a Sacrament Mat. 19.6 for which cause it gains the highest perfections even in all things which are proper to it by the Law of Nature and yet that the Bond should be dissoluble would be repugnant to the bringing up of Children and the other benefits of Matrimony But XIV The Law of contracting Matrimony not laid upon all Gen. 1. that it was said of God Increase and multiply This tends hither that he might declare for what cause Matrimony was instituted not to put a necessity upon every man For Mankind being now increas'd the Law of Marriage is so far from compelling any that Virginity is rather highly commended and perswaded to every one and that by Sacred Scripture as being more excellent than the state of Matrimony and containing in it greater Perfection and Holiness For our Lord and Savior thus has taught He that can receive it let him receive it Mat. 19 12. And the Apostle says Concerning Virgins I have no command from the Lord but I give my Counsel as having obtain'd Mercy 1 Cor. 7.23 that I might be Faithful XV. Why Man and Woman ought to be join'd The first cause But now we must explain for what Reasons the Man and Woman ought to be join'd together The first therefore is That this very Society of the divers Sex is desir'd by natural Instinct there being Hope of mutual help that One being assisted by the help of the Other might the more easily bear the inconveniences of life and the weakness of old age Another is the desire of Procreation The second cause not so much for this End that we might leave behind us Heirs to enjoy our Honors and Riches as that they might be brought up in true Faith and Religion which that it was chiefly the Design of the Holy Patriarchs when they married sufficiently appears from Sacred Scripture Wherefore the Angel when he admonish'd Tobias by what means he might repel the force of the Devil Tob. 6. I will shew thee says he who they are that can prevail over the Devil for those who so enter into Wedlock as to exclude God from themselves and their Soul and so give themselves to their lust as the Horse and Mule which have no understanding the Devil has power over them And then he adds Thou shalt take a Virgin with the Fear of the Lord being led thereto rather by the Love of Children than Lust that thou mayst get in thy Children the blessing of the seed of Abraham And this also was One cause why God at first instituted Matrimony Note Wherefore their wickedness is very great who being join'd in Matrimony by Medicins hinder Conception or force out the Birth before time for this is to be look'd upon as design'd Murder The third The third cause and which began to take place after the Fall of our first Parents when thro the loss of Righteousness in which Man was created his Appetite began to oppose his right Reason to wit that being conscious to himself of his own weakness nor being willing to endure the Fight of the Flesh he might use the remedy of Matrimony to avoid the sins of Lust Of the which the Apostle thus 1 Cor. 7. Because of Fornication let every Man have his own Wife and let every Woman have her own Husband And a little after when he had taught that sometimes men ought to abstain from the Debt of Matrimony for the sake of Prayer and subjoins And return again to that very thing le●t Satan tempt you by your Incontinence These are the Causes Note whereof some or other every one who will contract Marriage piously and religiously as becomes the Children of the Saints ought to propose to himself But if to these Causes others be also added whereby men are induc'd to enter Marriage and in choosing a Wife they propose such as These to themselves as the desire of leaving an Heir Wealth Beauty Nobility or likeness of conditions These Reasons indeed are not to be condemn'd since they oppose not the Holiness of Matrimony Gen. 29. For neither in Sacred Scripture is the Patriarch Jacob reprehended because having chose Rachel for her Beauty he preferr'd her before Leah Thus far of Matrimony shall be taught as it is a Natural Conjunction XVI Of Matrimony as a Sacrament but as it is a Sacrament we must shew that the Nature of it is much more excellent and is wholly to be referr'd to a higher End For as Matrimony XVII Matrimony as a Sacrament far excels the Natural as it is a Natural Conjunction was instituted at the beginning for the Propagation of Mankind So afterwards that a People might be procreated and brought up to the Worship and Religion of the true God and of our Savior Christ the Dignity of a Sacrament was given to it When Christ our Lord was minded to give a certain sign of that most close Relation which is betwixt him and his Church XVIII The Union of Christ and his Church declar'd by Matrimony and of his immense love towards us he declar'd the Divinity of this Mystery chiefly in the Holy Conjunction of Man and Woman which that it was most fitly done may be understood from hence that among all human relations there is none bind so neerly as the bond of Matrimony and the Husband and VVife are bound together each to other in the greatest Love and Good will And therefore it is that the Holy Scriptures frequently put before our Eyes the Divine Copulation of Christ and the Church by the similitude of Marriage Now that Matrimony is a Sacrament XIX Matrimony prov'd to be a Sacrament the Church confirm'd by the Authority of the Apostle always held certain for thus he writes to the Ephesians Men ought to love
everlasting Fountain to wash away the Pollutions of Sin whereby we wish to he cleans'd and expiated God being our Guide and Benefactor when we pray thus of him Forgive us our Debts Now this Petition contains the Sum II. What this Petition contains Isa 27.9 as it were of those Goods which are heap'd upon Mankind thro Jesus Christ For so Esaias taught Iniquity shall be forgiven to the House of Jacob and all this Fruit is to take away Sin Which thing David also shews declaring them that could receive that saving Fruit to be blessed in these words Psal 34.11 Blessed are they whose so Iniquities are forgiven Wherefore the Pastors must observe and expound the meaning of this Petition accurately and deligently III. This Petition to be explain'd which we perceive to be so available to the attaining of the Life of Heaven Now we enter upon a new way of Praying IV. This ●●●ten d ●ers from the rest for hitherto we have begg'd of God not only Eternal and Spiritual Good things but Transitory Conveniencies and such as belong to this Life But now we pray to be deliv●r'd from the Evils both of Soul and Body both of this and the other Life Now because to the obtaining what we pray for V. What need we have to pray aright there is requir'd a proper way of Petitioning it seems fit to shew how they ought to be affected that will make Prayers to God The Curats therefore shall admonish the Faithful First first That it is necessary that he that will come to beg this first acknowledge his Sin And then Secondly that he be mov'd with the Sense of and Grief for it And then Thirdly that he throly perswade himself that God is willing to pardon those that have sinn'd if they are so affected and dispos'd as we have said lest haply after the bitter remembrance and acknowledgment of Sin there follow the despair of Pardon which long ago took hold upon the Souls of Cain and Judas Gen. 4 13. Mat. 27.4 who look'd upon God only as a Revenger and not also as Gracious and Merciful In this Petition therefore we ought so to be affected VI. With what Mind this Petition to be made that with grief acknowledging our Sins we fly to God as to a Father and not as to a Judge whom we pray to deal with us not in Justice but in Mercy Now we are easily brought to acknowledge our Sins VII How Men are to be brought to acknowledg their Sin Psal 13.52 if we but hearken to God himself admonishing us in such places of sacred Scripture as these For thus we read in David They are all gone out of the Way they are all together become unprofitable there is none that does good no not one To the same sense speaks Solomon There is no Man just upon the Earth that do s good and sins not Pertinent to which is this also Who can say My Heart is clean I am pure from Sin Prov. 20.9 Which very thing also for the deterring Men From Pride is written by S. John 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say that we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us And by Jeremy Hier. 2.35 Thou saidst I am without Sin and innocent and therefore let by Anger be turn'd from me Behold I will contend with thee in Judgment because thou saidst I have not sinn'd All whose Sentences VIII In what sense this Petition is to be understood agreeing in the same tho coming out of their several Mouths Christ our Lord confirm'd in the appointment of this Petition For the Authority of the Council of Milevis forbad that it should be otherwise interpreted after this manner c. 7 8 9. VVe decree That whosoever will have those VVords of the Lord's Prayer where we say Forgive us our Debts so to be said of the Saints as that it be said for humility but not truly Let him be Anathema For who can endure one to pray Note and at the same time to lie that not to Men but to the Lord himself who with his Lips tells him that he desires to be forgiven but in his Heart he says he has no Sins to be forgiven him Vide Trid. Sess 6. de Justificatione c. 11. Item Aug. in Ench. c. 17. But in the necessary acknowledgment of our Sins IX Sin is to be remember'd with grief it is not enough lightly to make mention of them For that the remembrance of them might be bitter to us there is need that we be prick'd at the Heart wounded at the Soul and grieve inwardly VVherefore the Curats shall diligently handle this Point Note that his faithful Hearers may not only bring to remembrance their Sins and VVickedness but that they may remember them with grief and sorrow that when they are griev'd at the Heart they may betake themselves to God their Father whom they humbly pray to pluck away the Stings of their Sins that stick within them Nor shall they labor to lay before the Eyes of the Faithful the Filthiness only of their Sin X. How the Peoples Sins are to be put before their Eyes but also Mens Indignity and Blemishes who being nothing else but stinking Flesh and the utmost Deformity dare after an incredible manner provoke the incomprehensible Majesty and inexpressible Excellency of God and especially since by him we have been created redeem'd and enrich'd with innumerable and exceeding great Benefits And why Note and Amplifie that being estrang'd from God the Father who is the Supream Good we dedicate our selves to the Devil for the basest Reward of Sin and to the most miserable Slavery For neither can it be express'd how cruelly he tyrannises in the Souls of them who having cast away the sweet Yoak of God and broken the most lovely Knot of Charity whereby our Soul is ty'd to God our Father they have fallen off to their most bitter Enemy Joh. 14.30 who for that Reason is call'd in Sacred Scripture the Prince and Ruler of the VVorld Ephes 6.12 Job 41.25 Isa 26.13 and the Prince of Darkness and King over all the Children of Pride And to them that are oppress'd with the Devils Tyranny does that VVord of Esay properly agree O Lord our God other lords besides thee have ruled over us If these broken Covenants of Love move us not XI How many and great Mischiefs Sin causes at least let the Calamities and Miseries into which we have plung'd our selves by Sin move us For the Sanctity of the Soul which we know is espous'd to Christ is violated and this same Temple of the Lord is prophan'd which those that pollute 1 Cor. 3. the Apostle threatens thus Now if any one violate the Temple of God him will God destroy Innumerable are the Evils which Sin brings upon Men. Which Plague being almost infinit Psal 37.4 David expresses in these Words There is
Bones and Sinews but also that whole Christ is contain'd in this Sacrament For they ought to teach That Christ is the name of God-Man to wit of one Person wherein the Divine and Human Nature are joyn'd together how it conteins both Substances and whatsoever are the consequences of each Substance the Divinity and the whole Human Nature which consists of all the parts of a Body and of Blood also all which we must believe to be in the Sacrament For since in Heaven the whole Humanity is joyn'd to the Divinity in one person and Hypostasis it would be wicked but to imagine that the Body which is in the Sacrament is disjoyn'd from the same Divinity Vide de Consecr dist 2. multis in locis Item Ambr. de iis qui myst init c. 9. D. Thom. 3. p. q. 76. a. 1. Where it will be necessary notwithstanding XXXII Whatsoever things are Christ's are not all contain'd in the Eucharist after the same manner that the Pastors observe that all things are not contein'd in this Sacrament after the same way or with the same vertue For there are some things which we say are in the Sacrament by the vertue and Efficacy of Consecration For seeing those Words effect what they signifie Sacred Writers have bin us'd to say That that Thing is in the Sacrament by vertue of the Sacrament which is express'd in the Form of Words So if it should happen that any thing should be wholly disjoyn'd from the other things That only is in the Sacrament which the Form signifies but the rest they have taught not to be so But there are some things contain'd in the Sacrament because they are joyn'd with the things which are express'd in the Form For seeing that the Form which is us'd at consecrating the Bread signifies the Lords Body when it is said This is my Body the very Body of Christ our Lord is in the Eucharist by vertue of the Sacrament But because his Body Blood Soul and Divinity are joyn'd together XXXIII What things are in the Eucharist by concomitancy all these will be also in the Sacrament not indeed by vertue of the Consecration but as those things which are joyn'd with his Body And these things are said to be in the Sacrament by concomitancy For which reason it is plain that whole Christ is in the Sacrament For if any two things are indeed knit together where the One is the other must needs be there also It follows therefore that whole Christ is so far contein'd as well in the species of the Bread as of the Wine that as not only the Body but also the Blood and whole Christ is truly in the species of the Bread So on the contrary not only the Blood but the Body also and whole Christ is truly in the species of Wine Now tho all the Faithful ought to be fully and assuredly perswaded of these things XXXIV Why the Bread and Wine separately consecrated Yet it was very fitly order'd That two Consecrations should be severally made First That the Passion of our Lord in which the Blood was divided from his Body might more lively be represented for which cause in the Consecration we make a memorial that Christs Blood was pour'd out And then it was most fit that because we are to use the Sacrament for the Nourishment of our Souls it should be appointed as Meat and Drink of which two it is evident that the perfect nourishment of the Body does consist Nor ought this to be pass'd over XXXV Whole Christ in every particle that whole Christ is contain'd not only in either species but in every particle of each species For thus S. Austin writes All severally receive Christ our Lord and he is whole in the several parts nor is he made the less by being distributed severally to many But he gives himself whole to all But this may easily be gather'd from the Evangelists also Citatur Aug. de Consecr dist 2. c. singulis For we are not to believe XXXVI Many particles of Bread not consecrated separately that the several Loaves of Bread were consecrated by our Lord with the proper Form of words but that all the Bread then us'd at the Sacred Mysteries and enough to be distributed among the Apostles was consecrated together with the same Form ' The same thing which appears to have bin done by the Chalice For he said Luc. 22.17 Take and divide it among you What has hitherto bin explain'd is intended that the Pastors may shew that the true Body and Blood of Christ is contain'd in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Now as to the Second thing propos'd XXXVII After the Consecration that the substance of the Bread and Wine remain not prov'd First by Reason they shall teach also that the Substance of Bread and Wine remains not in the Sacrament after Consecration Now tho this deservedly requires a very great admiration yet it is necessarily joyn'd with that which before was shew'd For if after Consecration there be the true Body of Christ under the species of Bread and Wine it is altogether necessary that seeing it was not there before this be done either by change of place by Creation or by Conversion of another thing into it But it is manifest that it cannot be that the Body of Christ in the Sacrament be that which came out of one place into another For so it would come to pass that he must be absent from Heaven because nothing is mov'd unless it leave the place from which it mov'd But it is less credible that the Body of Christ is created and this we cannot so much as conceive It remains therefore that in the Sacrament there is the Body of our Lord and that the Bread is chang'd into it Wherefore it must needs be that no substance of Bread remains Being led by this Reason Secondly by the decrees of Councils our Ancestors and Forefathers in the great Council of Lateran and that of Florence by evident Decrees confirm'd the truth of this Article But in the Council of Trent it was more fully defin'd thus If any one shall say that in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there remains the Substance of Bread and Wine together with the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Lat. Con. c. 1. Flor. in Ep. Eugenii IV. data ad Arm. à Concilio approbata Trid. Sess 13. Can. 4. And it was easie to gather these things from testimonies of Scripture Thirdly by the Authority of Scripture First that in the Institution of this Sacrament the Lord himself said This is my Body For this is the force of the word This to shew all the Substance of the thing present but if the Substance of the Bread remain'd it would seem by no means to be truly said Matt. 26.26 Mar. 14.2 Luc. 22.28 1 Cor. 11.24 Joh. 6.61 This is my Body And then Christ our Lord
was instituted of Christ our Lord for Two causes The One is that it might be the heavenly Food of our Souls wherewith we might preserve and sustain our spiritual Life The Other that the Church might have a perpetual Sacrifice whereby our sins might be expiated and our heavenly Father who has often times bin grievously offended by our wickedness might be turn'd from his Anger to his Mercy and from the severity of his just Revenge to Pity We may observe the Figure and Resemblance of this thing in the Paschal Lamb which was us'd to be offer'd as a Sacrifice and eaten as a Sacrament by the Children of Israel Vide Trid. de Sacrif Missae c. 1.3 Dionys l. 17. de Eccl. c. 3. Ignat. Epist ad Smyrn Tert. lib. de Orat. Iren. l. 4. c. 32. Aug. lib. 10. de Civit. Dei c. 10. Et lib. 17. c. 20. lib. 18. c. 35. lib. 19. c. 23. lib. 22. c. 8. alibi passim Nor indeed when our Savior was about to offer himself to God the Father upon the Altar of the Cross LXXVII How great the Benefit of the Eucharist is could he give any more illustrious signification of his immense Love towards us than when he left us a visible Sacrifice whereby might be restor'd that which was a little after to be sacrific'd once in Blood on the Cross and the memory thereof might every Day be honor'd by the Church spread abroad over all the World to her exceeding advantage even to the end of the World Now these Two ways are very different in themselves LXXVIII The Difference between a Sacrifice and a Sacrament for a Sacrament is perform'd or perfected in the Consecration but the force or vertue of a Sacrifice consists in this that it be Offer'd Wherefore the Sacred Eucharist while it is kept in the Pyx or carry'd to the Sick has not the Nature of a Sacrifice but of a Sacrament and besides as it is a Sacrament it gives them that receive the Divine Hoste or Sacrifice cause of Merit and all those other advantages which were before remembred but as it is a Sacrifice it has not only the Efficacy of Meriting but of Performing also For as Christ our Lord in his Passion merited and satisfi'd for us so they that offer this Sacrifice wherein they communicate with us do satisfie and merit the fruits of our Lord's Passion Now concerntng the Institution of this Sacrifice LXXIX By Whom and when the Sacrifice of Mass was instituted the Holy Synod of Trent has left no more room to doubt for she has declar'd that it was instituted by Christ our Lord at his last Supper and has condemn'd those with an Anathema that assert that a true and proper Sacrifice is not offer'd to God or that to Offer is nothing else than that Christ is given to be eaten Sess 22. de Sacrificio Missae c. 1. can 1. 2. Nor did she omit LXXX Sacrifice to be offer'd to God only and not to the Saints but diligently explain'd that Sacrifice is done to God only for altho' sometimes the Church uses to celebrate Masses in Memory and Honor of the Saints yet she never taught to offer Sacrifice to them but to One God only who has crown'd them with immortal Glory Wherefore neither is the Priest wont at any time to say I offer Sacrifice to Thee Peter or Paul but while the sacrifices to God only she gives thanks to him for the signal Victory of the blessed Martyrs and so implores their Patronage that they would vouchsafe to intercede for us in Heaven whose Memory we celebrate on Earth Now these things which have bin deliver'd by the Catholic Church concerning the Truth of this Sacrifice she receiv'd from our Lords own Words when in that last night commending to his Apostles these Sacred Mysteries 1 Cor. 10.24 Do this says he in Commemoration of me He then Note as has bin defin'd by the Holy Synod made them Priests and appointed that both they and those who were to succeed them in the Priests Office should Sacrifice and Offer his Body And this the Words of the Apostle written to the Corinthians evidently shew when he says 1. Cor. 10● Ye cannot drink the Chalice of the Lord and the Chalice of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Devils For as by the Table of Devils is to be understood the Altar whereon Sacrifice was done to them so also that what the Apostle proposes may by probable Argument be concluded the Table of the Lord can signifie nothing else but the Altar on which Sacrifice was done to the Lord. Now if from the Old Testament we would have some Figures and Oracles of this Sacrifice LXXXI Figures and Prophecies of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist first then Malachias has most plainly prophecy'd of it in these words From the rising up of the sun to the going down thereof my name is great among the Gentiles and in every place a clean oblation is offered to my name because my name is great among the Gentiles says the Lord of Hosts Besides this Hoste or Sacrifice was foreshew'd as well before as after the Law was given in divers kinds of Sacrifices for this one Sacrifice as the Perfection and Fulfilling of all the rest contains in it all those good things which were but signifi'd by those other Sacrifices But yet we cannot see the Figure of This better express'd in any thing thah in Melchizedechs Sacrifice for our Savior himself declaring himself to be a Priest forever according to the Order of Melchizedech at his last Supper offer'd his own Body and Blood to God the Father under the species of Bread and Wine We therefore acknowledge it to be LXXXII The Sacrifice of the Mass and of the Cross is one and the same Sacrifice and it ought to be accounted but One and the same Sacrifice which is done in the Mass and which was offer'd on the Cross even as it is One and the same Hoste to wit Christ our Lord who once only offer'd himself in his Blood upon the Cross For the Bloody and Vnbloody Hoste is not Two Hosts but one Hoste only Luc. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 the Sacrifice whereof is renew'd daily in the Church after that our Lord had commanded thus Do this in Commemoration of me And there is One and the same Priest Christ the Lord LXXXIII Christ and the Priests are but One Priest For the Ministers that make this Sacrifice undergo not their own but the Person of Christ when they consecrate his Body and Blood as is evident from the words of the very Consecration for the Priest says not This is Christ's Body but This is my Body to wit bearing the Person of Christ our Lord he changes the substance of the Bread and Wine into the true Substance of his Body and Blood Chrys hom 2. in 2. ad Tim.
thing only lest in any thing we may offend the Majesty of God we wholly forsake the custom of sinning By these Steps or Degrees therefore we come to this most excellent Vertue of Penance XII Heaven promis'd to Penance which may well be accounted a divine and heavenly Vertue Because to it the Holy Scripture promises the Kingdom of Heaven For in S. Matthew it is written Do Penance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matt. 4 17. And in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.21 If a wicked Man do Penance for all the sins which he has done and shall keep all my commandments and do justice and judgment he shall live And also in another place Ezek. 33.11 I will not the Death of a sinner but that the wicked Man be converted from his evil way and live Which that it is to be understood of that bless'd and eternal Life is plainly evident But of External Penance it is to be taught XIII External Penance which is the Sacrament that it is That wherein the Reason or Nature of the Sacrament consists and that it has some external things subject to the senses whereby those things are declar'd which are done inwardly in the Soul And First XIV Why Christ instituted this Sacrament The First Cause it seems necessary to be explain'd to the Faithful Why it was that Christ our Lord would have Penance in the Number of the Sacraments And hereof this was certainly the cause That we might doubt the less concerning the Remission of sins which God had promis'd us when he said Ezek. 18.12 If the wicked man do Penance c. For it must needs be that we be very dubious in our minds of our inward Penance seeing every one deservedly ought to fear concerning his own judgment of those things he does himself Now therefore that the Lord might relieve our sollicitude he instituted the Sacrament of Penance wherein through the Absolution of the Priest we may consider that our sins are forgiven us and our Consciences by the Faith which justly ought to be given to the vertue of the Sacraments are more quieted For neither are the words of the Priest legitimately pardoning our sins to be receiv'd otherwise than of Christ himself Mat. 6.22 who said to the Lame-man Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee Vide Concil Trid. Sess 14. c. 1. Innoc. 1. Epist 91. inter Epist Aug. And then The Second Cause seeing that no one can obtain Salvation but through Christ and the benefit of his Passion it was fit and very profitable to us that such a kind of Sacrament as this should be instituted by the Vertue and Efficacy whereof Christs Blood flowing to us might do away our sins committed after Baptism and that we might acknowledg with due thankfulness that we owe the Benefit of our Reconciliation to Christ our only Savior But that Penance is a Sacrament XV. Penance prov'd to be a Sacrament the Pastors may easily shew thus For as Baptism is a Sacrament because it blots out all our sins and especially that which was contracted by our Birth For the same reason Penance must truly and properly be call'd a Sacrament because it takes away all sins done after Baptism in the Will or in the Act. And then which is the chief seeing those things which are done outwardly both by the Penitent and by the Priest do declare those things which are inwardly wrought in the Soul who is there can deny that Penance is endued with the true and proper reason or nature of a Sacrament For a Sacrament is a sign of a Sacred thing But a sinner that does Penance by the Notes of Words and Things plainly expresses That he has withdrawn his mind from the Filthiness of sin And also from those things which are done and said by the Priest we easily understand the Mercy of God forgiving those sins Altho those words of our Savior plainly shew this thing Mar 16.19 I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shall loose in Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven For the Absolution of the Priest pronounc'd by words signs that Remission of sins which it works in the Soul Nor are the Faithful to be taught only that Penance is to be reckon'd in the number of the Sacraments XVI The Sacrament of Penance may be iterated but also that it is One of Those that may be iterated For to Peter asking Whether Forgiveness of sin might be given seven times Our Lord answer'd Matt. 18.22 I say not to thee till seven times but till seventy times seven Wherefore if we have to do with such men as seem to distrust the supreme Goodness and Mercy of God the Souls of such are to be confirm'd and to be supported with the Hope of Divine Grace Which they will easily do by the handling of this Point and of very many others which they meet with in the Holy Scriptures and also with those Reasons and Arguments which they may find in S. Chrysostoms book de Lapsis and S. Ambrose's books of Penance Chrysostom 5. lib. de Laps repar habetur de Poen dist 3. c. talis Ambr. de poen lib. 1. c. 1 2. vide Aug. lib. de vera falsa poen c. 5. citatur de poen dist 3. c. adhuc instant Now since the Faithful ought to know nothing more than the Matter of this Sacrament XVII The Matter of Penance what it must be taught that herein chiefly this Sacrament differs from the rest that the Matter of the other Sacraments is some natural thing or made by Art But that which is as the Matter of this Sacrament of Penance are the Actions of the Penitent to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction as has bin declar'd by the Council of Trent S ss 24 de poenit c. 3. can 4. because so far as by Gods institution they are requir'd in the Penitent to the Integrity of the Sacrament and to the full and perfect Remission of sins for this reason they are call'd Parts of Penance Nor are these Acts said by that Holy Synod to be as the Matter Note because they have not the true Reason of Matter But because they are not Matter of that kind which is us'd extrinsecally as Water in Baptism and Chrism in Confirmation But then XVIII In What sense sin is the Matter of Penance As to what is said of Others that the sins themselves are the Matter of this Sacrament there will seem to be no difference therein if we consider well For as we say that Wood is the Matter of Fire which by the force of the Fire is consum'd So sins which are blotted out by Penance may rightly be call'd the Matter of this Sacrament Now the explication of the Form also is not to be omitted by the Pastors XIX The Form of the Sacrament of Penance because the knowledg thereof will
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 br●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
their Wives even as their own Bodies He that loves his Wife loves himself for no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it even as Christ does the Church because we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones For this cause a Man shall leave his Father and his Mother and shall cleave to his Wife and they Two shall be One flesh This is a great Sacrament but I speak in Christ and in the Church For in that he says This is a great Sacrament no one ought to doubt that it is to be referr'd to Matrimony to wit because the Conjunction of the Man and of the VVoman whereof God is the Author is a Sacrament i. e. a Sacred Sign of the most Holy Bond wherewith Christ our Lord is join'd with his Church And that this is the proper and true sense of these words the antient Holy Fathers Tertul lib. de Monog Aug. de fide oper c. 7. lib. de Nup. concup c. 10. 12. Ambr. in Epist ad Eph. Ephes 3.25 who have interpreted this place have shew'd and the Holy Synod of Trent has explain'd the same thing It is evident therefore that the Husband is compar'd by the Apostle to Christ and the VVife to the Church That the Man is the Head of the Woman as Christ is of the Church and for that reason it is that the Husband ought to love his Wife and the Wife ought again to love and reverence her Husband for Christ lov'd his Church and gave himself for her And again as the same Apostle teaches the Church is subject to Christ But that in this Sacrament also Grace is signifi'd and given XX. The Sacrament of Matrimony give● Grace in which thing especially the Nature of a Sacrament consists these words of the Synod declare But the Grace which perfects that Natural Love and confirms that indissoluble Unity Sess 14. Christ himself the Author and Finisher of the Venerable Sacraments has merited for us by his Passion VVherefore it must be taught XXI The Effects of the Grace of this Sacrament Heb. 13.4 that by the Grace of this Sacrament it is brought to pass that the Husband and VVife being join'd together with the Bond of Mutual Love acquiesce together and rest in each others good will and seek no strange and unlawful Loves and Copulations but in all respects their Marriage is honorable and the Bed undefiled But how far the Sacrament of Matrimony excels all other Matrimonies XXII How much the Sacrament of Matrimony excels all other Matrimony we may know from hence because tho' the Gentiles themselves thought there was something in Matrimony that is Divine and for that reason judg'd that wandring Copulations were strange to the Law of Nature and also that Whoredom Adultery and other kinds of Lusts were to be punish'd yet their Marriages had no Vertue at all of a Sacrament But among the Jews the Laws of Matrimony were much more religiously observ'd XXIII The Matrimony of the Jews tho it were Holy yet it was no Sacrament Gen. 2 nor is it to be doubted but that their Marriages were indu'd with a greater Sanctity For seeing they receiv'd that Promise That all Nations should be bless'd in the seed of Abraham it justly seem'd to be an Office of great Piety among them to beget Children and to propagate the Off-spring of a chosen people of which Christ our Lord and Saviour as to his human Nature was to have his Birth but even those Marriages also wanted the true reason of a Sacrament To this may be added XXIV Matrimony before and under the Law was imperfect Deut. 24.1 Mat. 19.7 that whether we consider the Law of Nature after the corruption of it or the Law of Moses we may easily observe that Matrimony had fallen very much from the Excellency and Gracefulness of its first Original For while the Law of Nature was in force we find that there were many of the antient Fathers who had several Wives together and if occasion were giving them a Bill of Divorce discharged them Both which being taken away by the Evangelical Law Marriage has bin restor'd to its former state For XXV Plurality of Wives contrary to Matrimony that Polygamy or divers VVives was contrary to the Nature of Matrimony altho some of the antient Fathers are not to be accus'd because it was not without Gods indulgence that they married divers VVives Christ our Lord shews in these words Mat. 19.5 For this cause shall a man let go Father and Mother and shall cleave to his Wife and they Two shall be in One Flesh And then he adds Therefore now they are not Two but One Flesh By which words he has made it evident XXVI Matrimony is a Conjunction of Two only that Matrimony was so instituted of God that it should be defin'd in a Conjunction of Two only and no more VVhich elsewhere he has taught very plainly for he says Whosoever shall put away his Wife and marries another commits Adultery upon her and if the Wife put away her Husband and he married to another she committs Adultery For if it were lawful for a Man to marry many VVives there would seem no reason he should rather be said to be guilty of Adultery because he married another Wife besides that he had at home than because the former being put away he was join'd with another And for this cause we understand it to be Note that if any Unbeliever according to the manner and custom of his own Country had married many Wives when he was converted to the true Religion the Church commands him to leave the rest and to account the first only as his true and lawful VVife But it is easily prov'd by the same Testimony of Christ our Lord XXVII The Bond of Matrimony dissolv'd by no Divorce that the Bond of Matrimony can be dissolv'd by no Divorce For if after a Bill of Divorce a VVoman were freed from the Law of her Husband it might be lawful for her without any crime of Adultery to marry another Husband Mat. 19.8 But the Lord plainly denounces Every one that puts away his Wife and marries another commits adultery VVherefore it is plain XXVIII Death only dissolves Matrimony 1 Cor. 6.39 that the Bond of VVedlock is broken by nothing else but Death which the Apostle also confirms when he says A woman is bound to the Law for so long-time as her Husband lives but if her Husband die she is freed from that Law she may be marry'd to whom she pleases only in the Lord. And again to those who are join'd together in Matrimony I command yet no● I but the Lord that the Wife depart not from her Husband But if she depart let her abide unmarry'd or be reconcil'd to her Husband The Apostle has left this Choice to that VVoman who for a just cause has left her Husband either that she
might easily happen that she that was cast off by one Husband might be married to another For this Reason the Lord did forbid that either Men should be sollicited to leave their Wives XXIX Why this Law was made or that the Wives should behave themselves so sowr and churlish to their Husbands that for that cause there should be any necessity as it were laid on their Husbands to cast them off But now it is a greater Sin XXX A gri●vous Sin to covet another Mans Wife since it is not lawful for another to marry a Woman tho she be divorc'd from her Husband unless her Husband be dead He therefore that covets another Man's Wife easily slides out of one Covetousness into another For either he will wish her Husband dead Note or to commit adultery with her And the same thing may be said of those Women that are betrothed to another XXXI Or a Woman betroth'd to another for neither is it lawful to covet them since they that endeavour to break these Contracts violate the most holy Band of Faith And as it is utterly unlawful to covet her that is married to another XXXII Or a Virgin consecrated to God so it is by no means lawful to desire her for his Wife that is consecrated to Gods Worship and Religion But if any one desires to marry a VVoman Note this Case that is already married supposing her not to be married and would not desire to marry her if he knew that she were married to another which we read happen'd to Pharaoh and Abimimelech Gen. 12. 20. who wish'd to have Sarah to be their VVife supposing her not to be married but to be Abraham's Sister and not his VVife he verily that is thus minded seems not to break this Commandment But that the Curat may lay open the Remedies XXXIII Remedies against hurtful Desires that are fit to take away this Vice of Covetousness he ought to explain the other part of the Commandment which consists herein That if Riches increase we set not our Hearts upon them and that we be ready to apply them to the Study of Piety and of Divine Matters and that we freely bestow our Mony in relieving the Miseries of the Poor And if we are in want that we bear our want with an even and a chearful Spirit and indeed if in diposing of our Goods we use Liberality we shall quench our Covetousness of other Mens Goods Now concerning the Praises of Poverty and despising of Riches in Sacred Scriptures and in the Holy Fathers it will be easie for the Curat to gather a great many things and to teach them to the Faithful Vide Hier. Epist 1. ad Heliod 8. ad Demetriadem 150. and Haedipiam q. 1. 16. ad Pammach Item Basil in regul fusius disputatis Interrog 9. Chrys in Epist. ad Rom. ad haec verba Salutate Priscam Cassian lib. de institut Monach. c. 13 33. collat 24. c. 26. Greg. hom 18. Ezech. Ambr. in c. 6. Lucae Leonem Magn. in Serm. de omnibus sanctis Aug. lib. 17. de Civit. Dei Epist 98. ad Hilar. Epist 109. By this Law it is also commanded XXXIV The other part commanding That very earnestly and with our utmost desire we wish that thing chiefly to be done not which we our selves will but what God wills as is taught in our Lords Prayer Now it is the Will of God chiefly XXXV What the Will of God towards us is that we be made holy after a singular Manner and that we keep our Soul sincere and upright and clean from every Spot and that we exercise our selves in those Duties of Mind and Spirit which are contrary to our bodily Senses and that our sensual Desires being brought into subjection being guided by Reason and the Spirit we lead the course of our Life aright and further that we utterly beat down the Force of those Senses which afford matter to our Lusts and Desires But to the quenching this heat of our Desires XXXVI The Antidotes of evil Desires The First this also will be very prevalent to put before our Eyes the Inconveniences we suffer thereby The First Inconvenience is That by Obedience to our Lusts Sin gets the utmost force and power in our Soul Wherefore the Apostle admonishes Let not Sin reign in your mortal Body Rom. 6.12 that ye should obey the Lusts thereof For even as if we resist our Lusts the Power of Sin decays so if we yield to them we throw our Lord out of his Kingdom and place Sin in his room Besides The Second another Inconveniency is That from this force of Concupiscence as from a kind of Fountain all Sins flow as S. James teaches and S. John says Jac. 1. 2 John 2.16 All that is in the World is the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life The Third Inconvenience is The Third That the true Judgment of the Mind is darkned For Men being blinded with the darkness of their Lusts think all those things good and excellent whatsoever they desire Besides The Fourth by force of Concupiscence the Word of God is oppress'd which is sown in our Souls by God that great Husbandman For thus it is written in S. Mark Some was sown among Thorns These are they which hear the Word and the cares of the World and the deceitfulness of Riches and so other things entring in by Concupiscence choak the Word and so make it unfruitful But now those that above others labor under this Vice of Concupiscence XXXVII These are guilty of this Vice of Covetousness First and whom the Curat ought therefore more earnestly to exhort to observe this Commandment Are those that are delighted with dishonest Sports and that immoderately abuse Games As also Merchants Secondly who wish for scarcity of things and dearness of Provisions and take it ill that others besides themselves do sell Commodities and sell cheaper than they In which case they also Sin Thirdly that wish others to want that either by selling or buying they may make a Gain of them And those Soldiers also Fourthly that wish for War that they may get Plunder Fifthly And those Physitians that pray for Diseases Sixthly And those Lawyers that desire a Throng and Multitude of Contentions and Law Suits Seventhly And those Trades-men who being greedy of Gain wish for Scarcity of such things as are for Food and other Necessaries thereby to get Profit to themselves Eighthly And in this kind they also grievously sin that are greedy and covetous of other Mens Glory and Praise not without some slandering of other Mens Credit and specially if they that thus covet it are idle Persons and of no worth For Fame and the Glory of Vertue and Industry is not the Reward of Sloth and Idleness THE CATECHISM FOR THE CURATES BY THE DECREE
what kind of Life they lead Note and what kind of Manners they use that profess Religion just so is the Unlearned Multitude us'd to judge of Religion it self and of the Author of it Wherefore they that live according to Christian Religion XIII To what Christians are oblig'd in this part which they have undertaken and square their Discourse and Actions according to its Rules give a great occasion to others of praising and celebrating with all Honor and Glory the Name of our Heavenly Father For the Lord himself has requir'd this of us that by our vertuous and illustrious Actions we provoke Men to praise and glorifie the Name of God to whom he thus speaks in the Gospel Matth. 6. Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And the Prince of the Apostles 1 Pet. 2.4 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that considering you in your good Works they may glorifie God The SECOND PETITION Thy Kingdom come THe Kingdom of Heaven I The whole Gospel directs us to the Kingdom of God Mat. 3.2 which we pray for in this other Petition is of such a sort that thither is referr'd and terminated all the Preaching of the Gospel For thence S. John the Baptist began his Exhortation to Penance Do Penance says he for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Nor did the Saviour of Mankind take the ground of his own Preaching elsewhere And in that saving Sermon of his wherein on the Mount he shew'd his Disciples the way of Bliss for the intended Argument of his Discourse as it were he took his Text from the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed says he Mat. 4.17 are the Poor in Spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And to those that would have staid him he gave this Cause for the necessity of his Journy Mat. 5.3 Luc. 4.43 I must preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to other Cities also for therefore I am sent This Kingdom therefore he commanded the Apostles afterwards to preach as he answer'd him that said he would go bury his Father Mat. 10.17 Luc. 8. Act. 1.3 Go thou and preach the Kingdom of God And when he was risen from the Dead for those Forty days wherein he appear'd to his Apostles he spake concerning the Kingdom of God Wherefore the Curats shall diligently handle this Point of the second Petition II. The Pastors Duty that their Faithful Hearers may understand how great the Efficacy and Necessity of this Petition is And first III. Why this Petition distinct from the rest This Consideration will furnish them with abundance of Matter for the explaining of this Point well and wisely that tho this Petition be joyn'd with all the rest yet he commanded this also to be us'd separately from the rest that what we pray for we may seek with our utmost endeavor Mat. 6.33 For he says Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you And indeed so great a confluence and plenty of Heavenly Gifts is contain'd in this Petition IV. What this Petition comprehends that it contains all things necessary for the Security of our both Corporal and Spiritual Life But how shall we call him worthy of the Name of a King Note who takes no care of those things that concern the Welfare of the Kingdom Now if Men be careful for the Safety of their Kingdom with how great Care and Providence must it be believ'd that the King of all Kings defends the Life and Welfare of Men In this Petition therefore of the Kingdom of God V. All things necessary are here pray'd for are comprehended all things whatsoever which in this Pilgrimage or Exile rather we stand in need of which God graciously promises that he will grant for immediately he subjoins All these things shall be added to you VVhereby he plainly declares VI. How great Gods Bounty is that he is a King that largely and bountifully supplies Mankind Upon the consideration of which infinit Bounty David being fix'd sings thus The Lord is my King therefore I shall want nothing Psal 22.1 But it is not enough earnestly to seek the Kingdom of God VII To be heard in this Petition what is necessary unless together with our Petition we use all other Means whereby it is sought and found For those Five Foolish Virgins indeed earnestly sought it after this manner Lord Lord open to us Mat. 25.21 but yet because they did not well guard their Petition they were shut out and not without cause for that Sentence came out of God's own Mouth Mat. 7.21 Not every one that says to me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven VVherefore the Priests VIII How to stir up the Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and those that have Cure of Souls shall draw out of the most flowing Fountains of Sacred Scripture those things that may move in the Faithful the Study and Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and which may put before their Eyes their calamitous State and Condition and which may affect them so as that looking about them and recollecting themselves they may be brought back to the remembrance of that highest Bliss and those unspeakable good things wherewith the everlasting House of God our Father abounds For here we are but mere Exiles IX How many and great the Miseries of this Life are Gal. 5.17 and Inhabitants of that place wherein the Devils dwell whose spite against us can be mitigated by no means for they are most hurtful and implacable to Mankind And what shall we say of those domestic and intestine Quarrels which the Soul and Body the Flesh and Spirit daily make among themselves wherein we ought always to fear lest we should be worsted And it is to be fear'd yea we should presently fall were we not defended by the Protection of Gods right Hand which weight of Miseries when the Apostle perceiv'd Rom. 7.24 he said O wretched Man that I am who will deliver me from the Body of this Death This Misery of Mankind X. How we come to know more readily the greatness of Mans Misery altho it be well known of it self yet it may more easily be understood from the Contention of other Natures and created things For we see it seldom happen in them whether void of Reason or Sense that a-any of their Natures so decline from their proper Actions Sense or Motions that were implanted in them as to forsake their appointed and determin'd End This appears in the Beasts of the Field in Fishes and Birds so that the Matter wants nothing to be said for the clearing of it If you look up to Heaven do ye not perceive it to be most true which was said by David Psal 118.89 Thy Word O Lord endures for ever in Heaven to
of a certain Prince of the Pharisees on the Sabbath-day to eat Bread Luc. 14.1 by which word we see is signified whatsoever belongs to Meat and Drink For the perfect Signification of this Petition XIX We here pray for necessaries only we must further observe that by the Word Bread we are not to understand an abundant and exquisit plenty of Meat and Clothes but only what is simply necessary as the Apostle wrote Having Food and Raiment 1 Tim. 6.8 Prov. 30.8 let us therewith be content And Solomon as we said before pray'd Give me only necessary Food And of this Sparing and Frugality we are admonish'd in the next Word XX. We here pray for nothing for Luxury For when we say Our we pray for that Bread that is for our Need not for Wantonness Neither do we say Our as tho we were able to get it by our own Industry without God Psal 10● For David says All things wait on thee to give them Meat in season when thou givest it them they gather it when thou openest thy Hand all things are fill'd with Goodness And in another place The Eyes of all things hope in thee O Lord and thou givest them their Meat in due season but because it being necessary for us it is given us of God the Father of all who by his Providence feeds all things living And for this cause also it is call'd Our Bread XXI Why this Bread is call'd Ours because we are to get it lawfully not by Wrong Deceit or Theft For whatsoever we get to our selves by ill Arts it is not ours but other Mens and very commonly either the Getting of it or the Possession or at least the spending of it is very Calamitous but on the contrary according to the Sentence of the Prophet there is great Peace and Happiness in the honest and toilsom Profits of pious Men Psal 127.2 For says he because thou shalt eat the labors of thy hands happy art thou and well it will be for thee And now for those that seek their Bread by their honest Labor XXII God blesses the Laborious Deut. 28.8 God promises them the Fruit of his Blessing in that place The Lord will send his Blessing upon thy Stores and upon all the works of thy hands and he will bless thee Nor do we only beg of God for our selves XXIII What we pray for Thirdly that we may use that which thro our Sweat and Labor we have gotten by the help of his Bounty for that is truly call'd Ours but we pray also for a good Heart that what we have justly gott'n we may also well and wisely make use of Daily In this Word also lies an Admonition to Frugality and Parsimony XXIV By the word Daily we are taught Frugality of which we spake last for we pray not either for Dainties or many sorts of Meat but only for that which satisfies the Necessities of Nature so that here they may be asham'd who being weary of common Meat and Drink seek for the most rare sorts of Dainties and Wines Nor by this Word Daily XXV The same Word condemns Covetousness Isa 5.8 are they less blam'd against whom Isaias utters these dreadful Threats Wo to you that joyn house to house and field to feild even to the utmost extent of place will you only dwell in the midst of the Earth For the Covetousness of these Men is inexpressible of whom it is thus written by Solomon Eccle. 5.6 A covetous Man will not be satisfied with Mony Hitherto belongs also the Saying of the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.9 They that will become rich fall into temptation and the snare of the Devil Besides XXVI It shews us to be mortal we call it Our daily Bread because we are fed therewith for the Supply of our Vital Moisture which is daily consumed by the force of natural Heat Lastly XXVII It teaches us to pray diligently there is this Reason for this Word because it is to be pray'd for daily that we may be kept in this practice of loving and worshiping God and that we may assuredly perswade our selves as true it is that our Life and Health depends upon God Give us How much matter these two words afford XXVIII The Force of these words to be explain'd Luc. 4. to exhort the Faithful devoutly and holily to worship and reverence the infinite Power of God in whose hands are all things and to loath that wicked Pride of Satan All things are delivered to me and I give them to whom I will there is none that sees not for at the pleasure of God alone all things that are given are preserv'd and increas'd But what need is there XXIX The Rich beg their daily Bread may some one say for Rich Men to pray for their daily Bread seeing they abound with all things They have this Necessity for praying in this manner not that those things may be given them of which by Gods Bounty they have enough but that they lose not those things which they have in abundance Wherefore as the Apostle writes 1 Tim. 6.27 Let them hence learn not to be overwise nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who gives to all men all things liberally to enjoy Note Now S. Chrysostom gives this Reason for this necessary Petition Hom. 14. oper imperfect in Matth. not only that he would supply us with Food but that when the Hand of the Lord does relieve us with giving to our daily Bread a wholsom and therefore a healthful Vertue he would cause our Food to nourish our Body and our Body to be serviceable to our Soul But what is the Reason why we say XXX Why we pray here in the plural Number Give us in the the Plural Number and not Give me Because it is the Property of Christian Charity not that every one be careful for himself only but that he take pains for his Neighbor also and in taking care for his own Advantage that he remember others also Add hereto Another Reason that the Gifts which God gives to any one he gives not to the End that he alone should possess them but that he should communicate to others what things he has above Necessity For says S. Basil Hom. 6. varior arg S. Ambrose Serm. 81. It is the Bread of the Needy which thou detain'st it is the Cloaths of the Naked which thou loock'st up it is the Redemption the Freedom the Mony of the Miserable which thou hidest in the Earth This Day This Word admonishes us of our common Infirmity XXXI What this word to Day signifies For who is there that if by his only Labor he be past Hope to be able to provide the necessary Expences of Life for a long while does not trust at least that he shall provide Food for one Day But neither does God allow us the Power of this Confidence since
to undergo the Temptations and Violence of our Enemy the Devil for this our Nature our Weakness is not able to do But the Strength whereby we throw to the Ground Satans Accomplices XXVII Without Gods help we can do nothing 1 Reg. 2 4 Psal 17 3● is given of God Who makes our arms as a bow of brass by whose help the bow of the mighty is overcome and the weak are girded with strength who gives us the protection of Salvation whose right hand upholds us who teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight that we may ascribe the Thanks for the Victory to God alone by whose Help and Conduct only we can overcome which thing the Apostle did 1 Cor. 15. for he says But Thanks be to God that gives us the Victory thro our Lord Jesus Christ And that Voice in Heaven whereof we read in the Revelations proves the same to be the Author of our Victory Apoc. 12.10 Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ because the accuser of our Brethren is cast down and they bound him by reason of the blood of the Lamb. And the same Book testifies that the Victory gotten over the VVorld and the Flesh is Christ our Lords Apoc. 17.14 where we read These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them And thus much concerning the cause and manner of overcoming VVhich things being explain'd XXVIII The Rewards propos'd to them that fight Apoc. 5.5 the Curat shall propose to the Faithful the Crowns that are prepar'd and the everlasting fulness of the Rewards appointed of God for those that overcome Divine Testimonies whereof they may produce out of the same Revelations He that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second Death And in another place He that overcomes shall be clothed with white Garments and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life and I will confess his Name before my Father and before his Angels And a little after Apoc 5.12 God himself and our Lord thus spake to S. John Him that overcomes I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go forth no more And also he says To him that overcomes I will give to fit with me in my Throne as I also have overcome and sate with my Father in his Throne Lastly Apoc. 2.7 When he had shew'd the Glory of the Saints and that perpetual Store of Good Things which they shall enjoy in Heaven he added He that overcomes shall possess these things The SEVENTH PETITION But deliver us from Evil. THis last Petition I. This Petition comprehends all the rest wherewith the Son of God conclu●●s this Divine Prayer is all in a manner Whose Weight and Efficacy when he would shew at such time as he was about to go out of this Life he besought his Father for the Salvation of Men using the Close of this Prayer For says he Joh. 17.16 I pray that thou wouldst keep them from Evil. In this Form of Prayer therefore which he deliver'd by Precept and confirm'd by Example as in a kind of Epitome he summarily comprehended the Vertue and Efficacy of the other Petitions For when we have once but obtain'd what is contain'd in this Prayer there is nothing left as S. Cyprian says Lib de Orat. citato for us to ask further when once we have begg'd God's Defence against Evil which having obtain'd we stand secure and safe against all that the World and the Devil can do against us Wherefore since this Petition is such as we have said the Curat shall use his utmost Diligence in explaining it to the Faithful Now this Petition differs from the last II. The difference betwixt thi●● and the Sixth Petition because in the other we begg'd to escape Sin but in this to be deliver'd from Punishment Wherefore in this place there is no need to admonish the Faithful III. Why this Petition to be often repeated how many Inconveniences and Calamities they labor under and how much they stand in need of the help of Heaven For to how many and how great Miserie 's the Life of Men is expos'd besides that both Sacred and Profane Writers have very fully prosecuted this Argument there is scarcely any one but understands both to his own and others hazard For all are convinc'd of that which the Example of Job remember us of Job 14. Man that is born of a Woman has but a short time to live and is full of many Miseries He grows up as a Flower and is cut down he flees away as a Shadow and never continues in the same state And that there is no Day passes that may not be mark'd with some Trouble of its own as that Word of Christ our Lord witnesses Mat. 6.34 Sufficient to the Day is the Evil thereof Altho that Admonition of our Lord himself wherein he taught Luc. 9.23 That we must take up the Cross daily and follow him shews the Condition of Mans Life As therefore every one feels how painful and dangerous this Life is IV. We easily pray in Adversity so the Faithful will easily be perswaded that they are to beg of God Deliverance from Evil since Men are brought to pray by nothing more than by the Desire and Hope of Deliverance from those Evils wherewith they are opprest or which hang over their Heads For this is naturally implanted in the Souls of Men Note in their Distress presently to fly to God's Help of which matter it is thus written Psal 82.17 Fill thou their Faces with Ignominy O Lord and they will seek thy Name And if Men naturally do this V. The Curats to teach the manner how to pray and call upon God in their Calamities and Dangers surely they are specially to be taught by those to whose Trust and Prudence their Salvation is committed how to do it rightly For VI. An ill way of praying to be amended there are not wanting some who contrary to the Command of Christ our Lord use a preposterous Order of Prayer For he that commanded us to fly to him in the Day of Tribulation the same has prescrib'd us the Order of Prayer For before we pray to be deliver'd from Evil he would have us to pray That God's Name may be sanctified that his Kingdom may come and the rest whereby as by certain Steps we come at last to this But some there are that if their Head their Side their Foot ake if they suffer any loss in their Goods if they are threatned or are in danger of their Enemies in time of Famin of War of Pestilence omitting the other Degrees of the Lords Prayer pray only to be delivered out of those Evils but Christ our Lord's Command is against this Custom Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God Those therefore that pray
Dan. 3.49 which we read happen'd to the Three Children that were cast into the burning fiery Furnace Dan. 6.22 Dan. ● and to Daniel whom the Lions hurt not even as the Flame scorch'd not those Children But according to the Sense of the great S. Basil XVI The Dev l call'd Evil. S. Chrysostom and S. Austin the Devil is specially call'd the Evil one because he was the Author of Mans Fault that is of his Sin and VVickedness whom God uses as his Minister in punishing wicked and criminous Men for God appoints to Men all the Evil they suffer for their Sins which the Sacred Scripture means when it says Amos 3.6 Is there any evil in the City which the Lord has not done And Esa 45.7 I am the Lord and there is none other forming the Light and creating Darkness making peace and creating Evil. And the Devil is call'd Evil for this Cause Another Reason because tho we had done him no hurt yet he always makes VVar against us and persecutes us with mortal Hatred But if because we are armed with Faith Note and protected with Innocence he cannot hurt us yet he makes no end of tempting us with outward Evils and vexing us by all the means he is able wherefore we pray God that he would deliver us from the Evil one Chrysost hom 20. in Matth. hom 5. in Job Aug. in Ecclesiast dogmat c. 57. Basil in hom quod Deus non sit auctor malorum non procul à fine Now we say from Evil XVII Why we pray to be deliver'd from Evil and not from Evils not from Evils for this Reason because the Evils which happen to us from our Neighbors we lay upon him as the Author and Perswader that we may not therefore be angry against our Neighbors but turn all our Hatred and Anger against Satan himself by whom Men are driven to do us the Injury If therefore your Neighbor has hurt you in any kind Note when you pray to God our Father beg of him not only to deliver you from Evil i. e. from those Injuries which your Neighbor lays on you but that he would snatch that very Neighbor of yours out of the Power of the Devil by whose impulse Men are led into Deceit We must also know XVIII When we are not heard herein what we must do if by our Prayers and Vows we are not deliver'd from Evils that we ought patiently to endure those things that press us understanding that so it pleases God that we should patiently suffer them VVherefore it is by no means fit for us either to be angry or to grieve because God hears not our Prayers but we must referr all things to his VVill and Pleasure esteeming it to be profitable to us and for our Good which pleases God that it should be so and not that which we would have to be otherwise Lastly XIX Here all inconveniences are patiently to be endur'd 2 Tim. 3.12 the Devout Hearers are to be taught That whilst they are in the Stage of this Life they ought to be ready to bear all kinds of Inconveniences and Calamities not only with a patient but also with a chearful and glad Heart For all says the Apostle that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution And Act. 14.21 Thro many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Again Luc. 24.26 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his Glory for it is not fit that the servant should be greater than his Lord as it is very unfit according to S. Bernards Sense that the Members should be delicat under a thorny Head Serm. 5. de omnibus Sanctis The Example of Vriah is very excellent for our Imitation An Example who when David exhorted him to stay at home said 2 Reg. 11.11 The Ark of God and Israel and Judah dwell in Tents and shall I go into my house Being furnished with these Reasons and Meditations Other Examples if we come to pray we shall obtain that tho we were on all sides girded and compassed about with Evils yet we shall be kept safe even as those three Children that were untouch'd by the Fire or at least as the Machabees we should constantly and stoutly endure all Adversities In Reproaches and Torments we will imitate the Sacred Apostles Act. 5.41 Who being beaten with Stripes did heartily rejoyce that they were counted worthy to suffer Disgrace for Christ Jesus So we being thus prepar'd will sing with the greatest Pleasure of Mind Psal 118. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart was afraid for thy Word I will rejoyce in thy word as he that has found great Spoils The SEAL of the LORDS PRAYER Amen THis Word Amen I. Prayer must be rightly concluded or so it is S. Hierom in his Commentaries upon Matth 6.6 calls the Seal of the Lords Prayer Wherefore as we before admonish'd the Faithful concerning the Preparation which is to be made before we go about to pray to God so we thought it convenient that they should know the Cause and Reason of the Close and End of this Prayer For it is of no less moment devoutly to end Note than to be careful how to begin our Prayers to God Let the Faithful know therefore that the Fruits II. The fruit of this Particle we obtain by the End of our Lords Prayer are many and that very profitable but the most advantagious and welcome Fruit is the obtaining of those things which we have pray'd for whereof enough has already been spoken For by the former Part of this Prayer we not only obtain to have our Prayers heard but also some greater and more excellent things than can by Words be express'd For since Men in Praying III. The Advantage of Prayer discourse with God as S. Cyprian says the Divine Majesty is after an unutterable manner brought nearer to the Person that prays than to others and besides it adorns them with singular Gifts So that they who devoutly pray to God may be compared to them that come to the Fire who if they are cold begin to grow warm if they were warm begin to grow hot So they that come to God by Prayer according to the Measure of their Devotion and Faith go away more warm'd for their Minds are inflam'd for Gods Glory their Souls inlightned after an admirable manner they are exceedingly enrich'd with Divine Graces for thus it is written in Holy Scripture Psal 20 14. Thou hast prevented him with the blessing of sweetness Moyses in this case is an Example for all An Example Exod 34 35. 2 Cor. 3. ●3 who by reason of his walking and talking with God did shine so with a kind of Divine Brightness that the Israelites could not look on his Eyes or Countenance Verily they that pray with that earnest Study Note do wonderfully enjoy Gods Majesty
and Benignity I will stand early to pray says the Prophet and will see because thou art a God that willest not Iniquity By how much the more Men know these things with so much the more hearty Worship and Devotion do they reverence God Psal 5. and with so much the more Delight do they feel how sweet the Lord is and how truly blessed all they are that hope in him And then being compass'd about with that most clear Light IV. A singular effect of Prayer they consider how mean their own Lowliness is and how great the Majesty of God is for S. Austin's rule is If I know thee I may soon know my self Therefore not relying on their own Strength they commit themselves wholly to Gods Goodness not doubting but that he who has embrac'd them with his Fatherly and Admirable Love will abundantly supply them with all things which are necessary both for Life and Salvation for this cau●e therefore they apply themselves to the highest Thanksgivings they are able to conceive in their Minds and which in Prayer they can comprehend which we read that David did who when he made this Prayer Psal 7.2 Save me from all them that persecute me concludes thus I will pray to the Lord according to his justice and I will sing to the Name of the Lord most high Of this sort there are innumerable Prayers of the Saints V. Of what kind the Prayers of Saints are the Beginning of which are full of Fear but the End full fraught with good Hope and Joy but it is wonderful how David's Prayers excel in this respect for when being troubled with Fear he began to pray thus Psal 3.3 Many there are that rise up against me and many there are that say to my Soul there is no Salvation for him in his God a little after being somewhat confirm'd he subjoyns tho thousands of the People came about me I will not fear And in another Psalm when he had bewail'd his Miseries and at last having put his Confidence in God he rejoyces incredibly in the Hope of eternal Bliss and he says Psal 4.8 For that very thing I will sleep and rest in peace What think we of this Psal 6.2 Lord rebuke me not in thy Fury neither correct me in thy Anger with how great Trembling and Horror must we believe that the Prophet said this On the contrary with how confident and chearful a Soul did he utter that which presently follows Psal 33.3 Depart from me says he all ye that work Iniquity because the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping But when he was afraid of Sauls Anger and Fury how lowly and humbly did he implore Gods Help Save me O Lord for thy Names sake and judg me in thy Strength and yet in the same Psalm he cheerfully and confidently subjoyns For behold God helps me and the Lord is the upholder of my Soul Wherefore he that betakes himself to Sacred Prayer VI. How to come to pray Let him go to God arm'd with Faith and Hope and that he may obtain that which he has need of let him by no means be distrustful Now in this last word of the Lords Prayer Amen VII The Dignity of the word Amen there are many Seeds as it were of those Rules and Meditations which we before mentioned And indeed this Hebrew Word was so common in our Saviours Mouth VIII What it properly signifies that it pleased the Holy Ghost to have it still kept in the Church of God The meaning of which Word in a manner is this Know thou that thy Prayers are heard for it has the Effect of Gods answering and sending him away with his good Grace after that by Prayer he has obtain'd what he desir'd This Sense the perpetual Practise of the Church of God has approved IX The use of this word in Mass which in the Sacrifice of the Mass when the Lords Prayer is pronounc'd she has not given this Word Amen to the Minister of the Sacred thing whose part it is to say But deliver us from evil but has reserv'd it being fitted to the Priest himself who being Interpreter between God and Men answers the People that God has accepted them Not that this Right is common to all Prayers Note for in the rest it is the Ministers Office to answer Amen but that of the Lords Prayer is particular for in other Prayers it only signifies Consent and Desire but in this it is an Answer that God has consented to the Prayer of the Petitioner Now this Word Amen is indeed variously interpreted by many X. The word Amen variously interpreted The Seventy Interpreters translate it So be it Others translate it Verily Aquila turns it Faithfully but it is but a small matter whether it be rendred one way or the other so that we understand it to have the Vertue before mentioned to wit of the Priest confirming that the thing pray'd for is granted Of which Sense the Apostle witnesses in his Epistle to the Corinthians For says he as many promises as are of God in him are Yea and therefore thro him Amen in God to our Glory This Word therefore wherein is a kind of Confirmation of those Petitions which hitherto we have asked XI It raises Attention is suited to us which also makes them attentive that use Prayer for it often happens that Men are distracted in Prayer and drawn elsewhere by various Thoughts Yea XII It is a Repetition of the whole Prayer and we pray with the utmost Study in this very Word that all things may done i. e. may be granted which before we pray'd for he or rather understanding that we have already obtain'd all those things and perceiving the present Vertue of the Divine help we together with the Prophet sing Psal 53.7 For lo the Lord helps me the Lord takes care of my Soul And there is no cause for any one to doubt but that God is moved both by the Name of his Son and by this word which he used so very often Who as the Apostle says Heb. 5.7 was always heard for his Reverence FINIS THE INDEX A ABbats permitted sometimes to administer the Inferior orders Pa. 310 Abraham's Pilgrimage 339 Abraham's Bosom 58 Absolution the Form of it 245 Who are to be absolv'd 271 The Power of Absolution to whom given 267 The Accidents remain in the Sacrament of the Eucharist without the Subject 218 How great Misery Adam brought upon himself and his Posterity 510 Adam in the State of Innocency wanted Food to refresh his Strength ibid. How great difference there is betwixt Adam's Necessities and ours ibid. Adam had not wanted many things which we want if he had not sinn'd ibid. Adam tho in the Paradise of Pleasure yet was not to be idle ibid. Adam in Paradise had no Grief ibid. Adam's Posterity depriv'd of the Fruit of the Tree of Life and curs'd with