since all the right will be on God's side and all the wrong on ours IESUS will take his Fathers part and espouse his quarrell will do him justice for the injuries He received and judg us without favour or acceptance of persons â—phes 6. 9. 5. He will rejoyce exceedingly to satisfy his Father becaus his interests are dear and precious to him Impious and Idiots censure the Providence of God becaus they know not the reasons and the end of it they murmure that the just are humbled the poor afflicted the bad honoured and glutted with riches and delights they are astonished that the child of a devout woman dies without Baptisme and is reproov'd the child of a dishonest woman is predestinated and dies after Baptisme our Savior will justify his Father He will make clearly seen the Wisdom of his conduct the uprightness of his judgments the equity of his decrees and the admirable Economie of his Providence This rejoyces souls that love our Saviour this nourishes their hope and is the object of their devotion Let us elevate then our selves to God and say with the Psalmist make jubilation in the sight of the king our Lord becaus He coms to judg the earth Psal 97. 6. In the second place it is convenient there should be another Judgment besides that which is made in the hour of our death becaus in this the soul is judged only and the body ought to be judged also For The body contributs much to the merit and demerit of the soul it cooperats vsually to the good and to the evill which she practises it is the cause that a reprobate soul offends God by intemperance drunkennesse luxury idleness vain ornaments it is rhe cause that an elect soul pleases God in fasting whatching wearing hair cloath kneeling travelling keeping Virginity induring death for defense of Faith since then in the particular judgment these bodies receiv'd not the salary nor the paine which they merited in this life there ought to be another judgment which recompences or punishes them according to their deserts 7. In fine it is expedient that the elect may be praised honoured glorifyd and the reprobate dispraised reproched and confounded in the face of the whole world Our Lord will then give 1. Cor. 4. 5. to every one the praise which he deservs says the Apostle He will praise you for your Charity you for your patience you for your humility He will discover your secret penances your alms given to the poor your hidden hair shirt your nightly and early rising to prayers And consequently He will give also to the reprobate the blame and infamy which they deserve 8. To this effect he will enlighten the hidden things of darkness 1. Cor. 4. 5. and will manifest the counsells of the hearts as the Apostle says He will discover all thoughts words and actions of the reprobate in in the sight of that great assembly He will confound the hippocrisie of those that deceive the world reprove the craft and subtility of them who supplant the simple and thunder against the calumniators and diffamers of the innocent He will shew how unjustly the elect are contemn'd derided vilefied neglected and abused and how vainly and foolishly the reprobate are admired praised honored and preferr'd He will shew that He is good not only by praising approving and recompencing good but also by dispraysing condemning and persecuting the enemies of good 9. Cheer up then ô chosen Souls cheer up and rejoyce when we speak of judgment lift up your heads for behold your Redemption Luke 21. 28. is at hand What consolation what joy what gladness and what assurance for you when the whole world shal be moved at the terrible sound of the trumpet when the Iudg shal be in a throne of glory and of Majesty amidst thunders and lightnings when the rocks themselus shal tremble and people shal shake and shiver for fear when you shal see Hercules and Alexanders Cesars and Pompies Plato's and Aristotles the great Conquerors and Wise of the world dragg'd as Criminalls to the Tribunal of the Iudg reduced to an extream dispair not daring so much as to lift up their eyes expecting with horrour the sentence of their condemnation Then Then if you will believe me if you will indure a little here and keep exactly the commandements of God Then I say you will rejoyce heartily you who are esteem'd the lees and the scum of the world the objects of a thousand incommodities you will laugh with a celestial laughter you will be filled with a solid assurance you will acknowledg him whom you have so well serv'd and whilst others tremble you shal go to meet him in the Air obviam Thes. 4. â—6 Christo in aere you shal approach to him with confidence saying with joy which cannot be exprest behold my good Master that was crucifyd behold my Saviour whom I loved so ardently Look upon him now you worldly souls Is not this the Savior whom you so much despised heretofore you mocked us you called us hyppocrits scrupulous and superstitious people you held it simplicity to pardon injuries to indure affronts to deprive your selves of sensual pleasures to mortify your flesh and passions to contemn temporal goods through the hopes of eternal which you esteemd uncertain You see well now that we were not deceived you see it by experience O God! what extream favour to have serv'd well a king now so honour'd Sacred labors happy mortifications and persecutions which are now so divinely recompenced sweet austerities How great and admirable are the joyes you breed me Then Then ô Christion souls these bodys so often bowed and humbled before God shal be exalted and replenished with glory then you shal be justifyd from the faults of which at present you are so unjustly accused you shal be deliver'd from the persecutions they raise against you 9. But you on the contrary ô worldly soul you ought to tremble and shake when we speak of judgment You ought to consider that you must render an account to a Iudg infinitely powerfull to whose anger none can make resistance To a judg infinitely Wise and knowing who searches the bottom of the heart from whose knowledg you cannot hide your most secret thoughts to a Iudg infinitely good who is oblig'd by his nature to be mortal enemie to sin Hear then and put in practise his divine Words by which He vouchsafs to instruct you how to avoid the rigour of his justice behold how He concluds the sermon which He made of the last judgment Look well to your selves lest perhaps your hearts be aggravated Luke 21. with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life Watch therefore praying at all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape the things that are to com and to stand before the Son of man Amen DISCOURS X. OF THE SEUENTH ARTICLE From thence He will com to judg the quick and the dead 1. IT is
not been redeem'd by IESUS-CHRIST sayd to them Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy foul and with all thy forces what ought Christians to do after the Incarnation Redemption and Passion of our Saviour Ought they not to burn with love should they not if it were possible love JESUS above all their forces thoughts and activity of their hearts If I owe my self wholy to him for making me what shal I add now for repairing me and repairing me in such a manner 14. Let us love him then since He so loved us let 's not love him only in words and compliments let us not content our selves to say I honour much my Saviour I love him with all my heart But let us love him in worke and Verity in doing in giving and in suffering for him for so He loved us And since his goodness is so infinite and his love to us so excessive that He preferred us not only before Angells but also before himself it would be a horrible blindeness to preferr any other good before him it would be a strange folly to offend him to disoblige his goodness to lose his amity and his favour for honour pleasure profit or satisfaction of a Passion Do not so if you be wise Say rather with S. Austin all abundance all honour all felicity that is not you my God is but poverty vanity and misery say as S. Francis did my God You are my All Love him with all your heart since He his all your good love him with a sovereign love since He is sovereignly good love adore bless prayse glorify him now and ever Amen DISCOURS VII OF THE FIFTH ARTICLE He descended into Hell the third day He rose again from the dead IESUS appli'd himself so earnestly to our Salvation that whilst He was on earth He let not a moment pass without labouring for it And for this effect whilst his Body lay'd in grave He descended into Hell This world Hell signify's an inferiour and low place And therefore the holy Church makes use of it in divers occasions to signify divers inferiour places By this word she most often understands the place of everlasting damnation And so our Saviour called it in 1. Luke 36. S. Luk. where speaking of the unfortunate rich man says he was buried in hell Other times she uses this terme to signify Purgatory where they are who died in the grace of God but having not fully satisfyed the divine Iustice are further to be punished so in the Mass of the dead she prayes free ô Lord the souls of the faithfull departed from the paines of hell She makes use of it also to signify the place whither the souls of holy and just persons who were not subject to purgation or had duely satisfyd for their offences went before the death of the Saviour of the world expecting He should open them the gates of Heaven by his Passion 2. He descended not only by effect into these two last places making his power and goodness to appear by delivering the soules in them detained But in substance He descended into them his soul was really in those places and He honoured the soules that were in them and made them happy by his presence The third day he rose again from the dead He rose no sooner for to testify that He was truly dead and to fulfill the figure of Matt. 12. 40. him As Ionas was three days and three nights in the belly of a whale so shal be the Son of man in the bowells of the earth He would be three days subject to the law of death to teach us mystically that by his death and Passion He had satisfyd the three Persons of the B. Trinity for the sins committed in the three states of the world in the Law of nature in the Law of Moses and in the Law of grace And to shew us that his Passion was the cause of the delivery of the ancient Fathers out of hell of the Redemption of men on earth and of the reparation of the Angelical thrones in Heaven He rose again By which words the Apostles teach us that He S. Iohn 10. return'd to life by his own power He sayd also in the Gospell I have power to lay down my life and to take it up againe and in another place I will raise up my Body in three daies after death 3. I know well that S. Peter and S. Paul teach in many places that his Father raised Him up to life because this miracle S. Pater is an effâ—ct of the omnipotency of God which thô common Ast. c. 3. 26. and c. 5. 30. S. Paul in the 4. 8. and 10. to the Rom. Phil. 28. and 9. to all the 3. Persons of the B. Trinity yet is attributed commonly to the Father 'T is true then that He rose up by his own Power and 't is true also that the eternal Father raised him to the end He might shew his goodness both ro him and us 4. First to him that his Body might receive the Glory which He merited by his labors humiliations and sufferances For He humhled himself says the Apostle being obedient unto death for the which thing God hath exalted him Note exalted him for his Resurrection was not a simple return from death to life but an entrance into a glorious life That Body which He layd down passible and mortall He receives impassible and immortal that which was inglorious now is glorious which was infirm now is powerfull which was a natural Body now is becom a spiritual These are the excellent qualities which S. Paul attributes to every 1. cor 15. matt 13 43. glorifyd Body But that of Glory or clarity delights me most for the body of every saint shal shine by it as the sun fulgebunt justi sicut sol and nevertheless one shal differ from another in this Quality as much as he exceeded him here in good works or as S. Paul says as one starr differs in glory from another What glory then what admirable splendor what ravishing beauty was given to the adorable Body of JSUS in recompence of his merits And what satisfaction and felicity will it be to see it when our eyes shal be able to behold it as hereafter they shall be by their impassibility These four qualities belong to the Body of the Son of God as a body glorifyd But as a Body Deifyd as subsisting in the Divinity it hath yet a farr other Glory Jt hath a supereminent ineffable and incomprehensible Glory as we may see in the next Discours 5. Wherfore the Son of God thanks his Father for that He brought his soul out of hell and his Body out of the sepulcher and that He raised him up again Exaltabo te Domine quoniam suscepisti psal 29. me Eduxisti ab inferno animam meam And He esteems so much this favour that He exhorts us to thanke God to praise and glorify
the second to the Corinthians We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of CHRIST that every one may receive the proper things of the body according as he hath don either good or evill For justice requires that we be recompenced and chastised in the same things which have contributed to good or evill But the greater part of sins are caused or Committed by the body 't is then reason that it rise again and feel the punishments due to them It concurrs likewise to vertuous actions 't is mortifyd by holy souls subjected to rigours of penance and to labours of a christian life it sufferrs prisons and punishments in Confessors torments and death in Martyrs 't is deprived of its pleasures in Virgins and in Widows and crucifyd in all true Christians it is then very just that it should participate in the satisfactions pleasures and recompences of Heaven The flesh says Tertullian is the Tertull. de Resur Carnis hinge of our salvation and if the soul be united to God 't is it that gives her capacity the flesh is washed to the end the soul be cleansed the flesh is annointed that the soul be consecrated the flesh is shadowed by imposition of hands that the soul be illuminated in Spirit the flesh is fed with the Body and Blood of JESUS-CHRIST to the end the soul be nourished by God they cannot then be seperated in recompences having been so joyn'd in actions And 't is vain to alleadg against this Verity the low condition of the flesh for the same Father says the flesh which God form'd to the resemblance of a man-God which He animated by his breath to the resemblance of his life which He fortifyd with his Sacraments of which He loves the purity approves the austerity and esteems the labours and the sufferances shal it not rise again It will never be that He leave in eternal death the works of his hands the care of his Spirit the tabernacle of his Breath the heir of his Liberalities the keeper of his Law the Victime of his Religion and the Sister of his CHRIST It will then be raised up again and in this God does as a Potter who seeing his Pot ill made breaks it to repair it better so God having form'd man of earth and finding him deprav'd by sin broke him by death to which he doom'd him but with design to repair and make him better in the day of the Resurrection 2. But if any one should aske me how that which is withered and rotten can becom living and flourishing again He needs not but to consider the Omnipotency of the Creator or with S. Paul the grain of corne which rots to rise again Foole 1. Cor. 15. Cgrysol Ser. 59. it first do die All things in this world according to S. Chrysologue are images of our Resurrection the Sun sets and rises the day is buried in darkness and returns months years seasons fruits seeds die in passing and rise again returning and to touch you with a sensible example as often as you sleep and wake you die in a certain manner and rise again Let us now reflect upon the words of this Article 3. The Apostles say not The Resurrection of the man though this he true But of the flesh for to teach us that when the man dies his soul dies not and therefore in the Resurection is nor raised-up again but reunited only to the body since nothing can be raised again to life unless it first be dead 4. They say not the Resurrecton of the body but of the flesh becaus the holy Ghost would afford us a means to Confute the errour of certain Hereticks who would sustain as in the first ages of the Church some did that we should rise not in a body of flesh but form'd of air 5. They use moreover these terms to convince orhers who in the time of the Apostles thought that the Resurrection of which the Scripture speaks signifys not that of the body but only that by which the Soul is raised out of the death of sin to the life of grace 6. In fine this word Resurrection makes us understand that we shal receive the same bodys which we had for since rising again signifys returning to life again It must be the same flesh which was dead that rises and returns to life 7. We All then shal have the same bodys which now we have but intire and perfect without want or superfluity without the imperfection of youth or the defect of old age None shal rise blind or purblind deaf or dumb lame or crooked too great or too little nor with any other defect or imperfection Becaus 't is God alone whose works are perfect that will raise us up He will not in this work make use of natural causes from which all defects proceed 8. Nevertheless the Resurrection of the Elect and that of the Reprobate will be very different The blessed Souls shal receive bodys like to Christs endowed with Light Subtility Agility and Impassibility that will shine as clear as Starrs that will penetrate and pass through althings as beams of the Sun through glass that will move as swiftly as lightning That will be impassible and immortal so that nothing in the world can hurt them They will enter into their bodys with great joy and gladness with many benedictions and congratulations ô my body such a soul will Say ô my dear companion and most faithfull friend receive now with ioy the fruit of thy labours mortifications and pains in the works of holiness thou hast been in miseries and in sufferances be thou now in felicity and in happiness and let us praise together the Authour of our good but the reprobate Souls will reenter into their bodies with great a version rage and many maledictions of those members which they go to animate for to render them sensible of ineffable and eternal torments Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo aut quis requiescet in monte sancto tuo Lord says the Royal Prophet who shal dwell in thy tabernacle or who shal rest in thy holy hill He answers Psal 14. Qui ingreditur sine macula operatur justitiam He declares that two things are absolutely necessary to avoid evill and to do good one without the other suffices not Quis habitabit who shal be that happy that fortunate person that shal com to the glorious Resurrection and shal dwell amongst the Blessed O what happy lot attends him happy a thousand times the womb that bore him and the breasts which He did suck happie the paines taken to bring him up ô how well was it employd happie earth that he tramples under feet one ought to strew with flowers the paths which he honours with his steps happie air that he breaths one ought to sweeten it with all the perfumes of Arabia happie the bread which he eates one ought to nourish him with all that is most precious in nature and what deserves
more secure to go by the way of Innocencie than by the way penance to everlasting life Amen DISCOURS XLII of the Oblgations we contract in Baptisme I Will poure out upon you clean water and you shal be cleansed from all your contaminations I will give you a new heart and a new spirit sayd God by Ezechiel Which words the holy Fathers and the Interpreters of Scripure understand unanimously of Baptismal water He had reason to make this promise with so great pomp and majestie of words for if we cosider attentively we shal see that after the Incarnation of the Son of God and the Redemption of manking He never more oblig'd humane nature than by the institution of the Sacrament of Baptism which purges us from all sin makes us adoptive children of God members of IESUS CHRIST coheires of Heaven and Temples of the holy Ghost What honor what dignity and what admirable prerogatives They that are members of IESUS CHRIST and the children of God ought they not to lead a life conformable to this dignity thy that receiv'd the Spirit of God in Baptisme should they not act and speak according to this divine Spirit T is is that to which all Christians are oblig'd by Baptism It obliges them to die a morall and vertuous death and to lead a new life conformable to rhe excellencie of this birth as shal be shewn in this Discours 1. Before I proceed to the proofs of these important Points I explicate my self By the sin of the first man and by our own crimes we deserve to die effectually the death of soul and body and to be bâ—ried in hell eternally But the Son of God out of his infinite mercy to the end we might live and merit the crowns of heaven changes by Baptisme that horrible and eternall death into a morall and vertuous one He will that we die to sin to the world and to our selves To sin that is to all sorts of vices To rhe world and its pomps that is you must not set your heart upon the pride riches and passtimes thereof you must reject superfluities and content your self with necessaries and not according to the rules of the world but according to christian frugalitie modestie and humilitie To our selves this is that we call dying to the old Adam that is you must die to ill humours irregular passions vicious inclinations to the love of your own selves which we contracted by our carnal birth and extraction from the first man for by his sin our nature hath been so corrupted that if we follow it we have no other object of our thoughts words actions and affections than our selves and our own interests To all the aforesayd things we are oblig'd to die and see here the proofs of it 2. For when S. Paul says in the 6th chapter of his Epistle to the Romans that we are dead and buried with IESVS CHRIST Rom. 6. by Baptisme It is to prove what he would perswade us in the whole Chapter that we are oblig'd to kill in our selves sin with all its appurtenances and for ever so he says since we are dead to sin how shal we live therein We know that by Baptisme our old Rom. 6 man hath been crucifyd with IESUS CHRIST that the body of sin and the mass of evill inclinations may be destroyed And to the Galatians they that pertain to Christ have crucified their flesh with its vices and Gal. 5. concupiscences Can we be good Christians and not appertain to IESUS Nevertheless the Apostle of JESUS says that we appertain not to him if we crucify not our flesh He says not they that appertain to him in the quality of Religious or Priests But all they that appertain to IESUS CHRIST Crucify their flesh And S. Chrisostome Baptisme is to us that which the Cross and Sepulcher was to IESUS 24. hom 10. in ep Rom. C. 6. it ought to have in us the same effects it ought to crucify us to make us die and to hide us from the world 3. It imports much to note what is the Grace of each Sacrament and what charg it puts upon us for each sacrament conferrs a special grace and to this grace some charg is annexed to which we oblige our selves T is a Talent given us with a strict obligation to employ it The grace of Confirmation is a spirit of Fortitude which obliges us to make profession of the Faith in Presence of Tyrants also with perill of our lives The grace of Confession is a spirit of Penance which obliges us to satisfactory workes to fasts alms prayers and other actions which S. Iohn Baptist terms Fruits worthy of penance the grace of Baptime is a spirit of the Cross and death which obliges us to die to sin to the world and to our selves if then we have any voluntary affection to the Pomps of the world to the delights of the flesh to the satisfaction of unruly passions if we are wedded to our own conduct to our proper judgment and not to that of our Superiours we are wanting to the grace of this Sacrament for we are baptized to be made Christians that is Disciples of Christ and He says to us expresly He that renounces Matth. 16. Luke 9. 23. not himself note himself his unbridled passions bad humours his own judgment and self love and carrys not his Cross daily cannot be my disciple 4. But this death is like to that of the Phenix which dies not but to acquire a new life 'T is as that of IESUS who was spoyled of a mortal and fading life to resume a glorious and immortal We die not to sin to the world and to our selves but to live to God and to his grace we are not crucifyd with IESUS CHRIST but to rise again to a new life we devest not our selves of the old man but to put on the new For we are buried by baptisme with IESUS to die to sin that as the Son of God is risen by the glory of his Father So also we may Rom. 6. Ephes. 4. 24. walk in newness of life says S. Paul to the Romans And to the Ephesians Put ye on the new man which according to God is created in justice and sanctity When the Apostle commends to us a new life he demands of us a great change and an admirable metamorphosis says S. Chrysostom Then he adds I have great S Chrysost hom 10. in ep ad Rom. 6. Gal. 5. 3. caus to groan and weep abundantly considering on the one side the great obligations we have contracted in Baptisme and seeing on the other our great negligence For as S. Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians says every man that circumcises himself engages himself to observe all the law of Moyses So whosoever receives Baptisme obliges himself to keep the law of Christ Now since Christian Religion is a profession of penance mortification sanctity and perfection these things are not indifferent to them that
most holy Spirit and the Son likewise is a most holy Spirit But they appropriate this name to him because his Emanation or Procession is so farr above our thoughts and our expressions that there is no language in the world that can express his Person for want of a proper name And becaus we are accustomed to call those things spirits of whose origin and manner of production we are ignorant So we call the wind spectres Angells and our souls spirits and we are likewise very ignorant in the production and procession of the holy Ghost 4. Secondly the Apostles appropriate this name to him because He proceeds from the Father and the Son as from one only Source and not as made or created nor as begotten but produced by the Will by an ineffable way which Divines term Spiration a breathing and impulse of the Will towards the thing beloved 5. Thirdly this name is appropriated to him becaus He is the Spirit of our spirit the Soul of our soul the Life of our life For He is given to the Souls of the just to animate and govern them He is not given so to a Bishop or a Priest in his ordination if he be in the state of sin He is not in him to sanctify him but to operate and act by him Hence it is that a Bishop or a Priest that is in sin and hath not grace gives nevertheless the grace of God by the Sacraments becaus he is the instrument of the holy Ghost as a penne gives to paper characters which it hath not becaus it is the instrument of rhe Writer 6. The Church moreover appropriated to this glorious and holy Spirit the name of Love and Charity becaus He is produced by the Will the authour of Love or by the mutual love and dilection of the eternal Father and the Son 7. From this second name which the Church attributes to the holy Ghost proceeds the third which is that of Gift Donum Dei Altissimi the Gift of the most high For that which is dō by pure love is dō freely and liberally and donation is a free and liberal action The two first names appropriated to the holy Ghost referr him to the Father and the Son but this of Gift relates him to Creatures that are capable to receive him and to enioy him as are men and Angells only and this Gift is the first the most necessary and the most excellent of all gifts that God ever gave or can give to us 8. He is the first and cause of all the rest for there is a great difference 'twixt the love of God and the love of men When we love any one 't is becaus we find in him some goodness some beauty or other Perfection Gods love supposes not its object in any creature but He puts it in them God begins not to love us with a love of Benevolence becaus we are good but we are good becaus He loves us so when the eternal Father gives us his only Son in the Incarnation He gave us first his Love and He gave not to us his Son but by his holy Spirit and by his Love He was conceived of the holy Ghost So God loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son 9. This Gift is so necessary that without it all the other Benefits profit very little the work of creation is appropriated to the Father the Incarnation to the Son the Sanctification to the holy Ghost the two first Benefits are unprofitable to us without the third In the creation God gave us Being He made and design'd for our service all the creatures of this world But our Saviour says to us What profit hath a man if He should gaine the whole world and lose himself and he will lose himself infallibly Luke 9. 25. if the holy Ghost sanctifys him not The Incarnation and the Death of the Son of God would not much availe us without the comming of this holy Spirit the torments of JESUS would have made him die and not have made us live He might have satisfyd without restoring us to grace a king offended by his Vassal may receive from him satisfaction and not receive him into favour nor restore him to his former state and to the priviledges which he had lost When I see the Saviour in the Crib or on the Cross I know not whether it be to satisfy only or moreover to restore us to the rights we lost by sin when He rises up again from death I know not whether it be for recompence of his death or to give us life When He ascends to Heaven I know not whether it be to give a convenient place ro his Body or to prepare also a place for us But when He sends the holy Ghost to sanctify us He ascertains us that we reenter into grace and that He applys to us his merits He hath sealed us and given the pledg of the Spirit in our 2. Cor. 1. 22. 1. Ep. 4. 13. hearts says S. Paul And the beloved Disciple In this we know that we abide in him and He in us becaus He of his Spirit hath given to us 10 What admirable favour and what incomparable grace that God vouchsafs to give us his Spirit Love divine and admirable Heart If one should give to a Philosopher the spirit of Aristotle or of Plato to an Orator the spirit of Cicero or Demostenes to a Phisitian the spirit of Hypocrates or of Galen and to a Divine the spirit of S. Thomas or of S. Augustin would not this be a singular favour God gives you not the spirit of Aristotle Cicero Hypocrates but his own Spirit the Spirit of Verity Wisdom and Sanctity When one hath the heart of a person one hath all If you be in the state of grace you have the heart of God for properly speaking the holy Ghost is the heart of God ô Father of mercies and Father of the miserable how deigne you to give them your heart T is that chosen souls are your treasure and you put your heart upon your treasure Quid retribuam Domino 11. What acknowledgment what satisfaction and what return can we make Love is not pay'd but by love nothing corresponds to a heart but another heart and what heart can correspond to the heart of God What love can answer his Would you not desire to be all heart Would you not wish to have as many millions of hearts as there are drops of water and grains of sand in the sea would you not referr apply and consecrate them to the love of God And what would this be compared to the heart of God which He hath given us It would be less than a grain of dust compared to all in Heaven and in Earth But He desires not so much He demands but only one but He will have it all He commands you to give it him Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart and if you refuse it him He will damn you
he not who is Wisdom 3. 5. worthy of God Invenit illos dignos se Blessed a thousand times his holy and vertuous life which disposes him to such a glory blessed his happy death which will be to him as a door to enter into an immortall life Blessed his understanding which shal see one day openly and face to face the divine Essence his Will that will love God and enjoy him for all Eternity Blessed a thousand times his head upon which the holy Trinity will put a Crown of Glory in the presence of the Vnivers Blessed and happie his hands which shal carry always palmes as the ensignes of his Victories Blessed his feet and his steps since he shal walk upon the celestial Glob in the company of Angells Blessed and happy a thousand times all the members of his body and the powers of his soul which shal be filled and satiated with all sorts of delights joys glory happiness and with eternall Beatitude What I say of this elect Soule I say to every one that shal do violence to himself to rise out of the state of sin to overcom his passions to keep the commandements and to live according to the maxims of the Gospell Violenti rapiunt illud the Matthew 11. 12. Violent beare heaven away they that do violence to themselves to their vices and their passions obtain Heaven God grant us the grace to whom be honour glory praise and benediction for ever Amen DISCOURS XV. OF THE TWELFTH ARTICLE Life Everlasting Amen IN this last Article is declar'd to us the End for which we were created for which we were made Christians and to which all Laws Sacraments Vertues and other things are directed we ought then to believe firmly and to ruminate often that after the Resurrection there shal be in the Vnivers two conditions the one most happy the other most miserable and that neither of them shal ever end that every one of us shal be either of the one or of the other of the right hand or of the left of the number of the good or of the bad of them that go to heaven or of those that go to hell And that 't is now the time to look to our affairs fitting our selves to be of the happy side for after this there shal be no more time for us This doubtless we shal do if we consider and ponder well What is Eternal Life and how great are the goods of it 2. S. John in the Apocalyps speaking of sinners says their Apoc. 28. 8. part shal be in the pool burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death The second or everlasting death then is when the soul and the body are depriv'd of their Beatitude and confind to the fire of hell And on the contrary eternal life is when they are freed from those and all other evills and do enjoy the eternal Goods of heaven 3. These are so great that the Apostle who was rapt up into heaven would not describe the Greatness of them he speaks not of them but with astonishment neither eye hath seen says he nor eare hath heard nor hath the heart of man conceiv'd what God â—ath prepar'd for them that love him Nevertheless for to attain to some knowledg or rather to some slender conjecture of their greatness fourt hings shal be considered 4. First the liberality of God towards all men in this life cast the eyes of your consideration with S Austin upon the extent of the Vnivers see what stately buildings there are what chambers richly furnished what beauteous gardens what pleasant medows what odoriferous and coloured Flowers what sorts of savory fruits what delicious meats what delicate wines what sweet odours what melodious voices what sumptuous garments what dogs for chase what birds of prey for recreation It is God that gives all these things to men But to what men And who are they that more usually enioy them Atheists Infidells and others that forget him and incessantly offend him Now if He do so much good to his enemies what will he reserve for his friends If He be so liberal to give how much more to recompence if He be so charitable to those that offend him how much more to those who love him if He be so magnificent to those He owes but punishments how much more to those to whome He hath made so many promises Run through in your mind all that you have ever seen heard or imagin'd all that is great rich magnificent precious pleasant and desirable all that is nothing if compar'd with that which God hath prepar'd for you if you love him for all that may be seen recounted or desired and it is impossible to see decipher or desire the great goods which God hath promiss'd and prepar'd for those that love him 5. To have a second conjecture of them you need not but weigh and consider the iourneys and toyles of Apostles the torments of Martyrs the watchings and austerities of confessors the temptations combats and Victories of Virgins the alms and charities of Widdows the heroical vertues of other Saints and that after so many toyles so many sufferances penances mortifications good works services merits the Apostle says that Rom. 8. 18. the very sufferances and afflictions themselves of this life are little in comparison with the glory of heaven And again the tribulation which at present is momentary and light works above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory in us note above measure exceedingly 2. Ior. 4. 17. 6. Nevertheless a third consideration will make this weight of glory to surpass yet much more all value and esteem of it For Heaven is not only the Salary of the Saints but also the recompence of the merits of JESUS Consider what He is in his divine Person what He is with God his Father the ardent love He had for him the Zeal which He had for his Glory the great services He did him what He suffered for his honour what his pretious Blood is worth the Glory of Heaven is the Salary of all that given by a King most liberal in his gifts and most magnificent in his recompences 7. Hell also though very low may serve us for a footstool and a step to mount up to Heaven by contemplation and to make a guesse at the felicities of it What is hell 't is an abyss a Collection a Rendevow of the most excessive sorrows bitternesses and afflictions imaginable What is it to be damn'd 'T is to be eternally in a prison most deep most obscure and most incommodious to be eternally in captivity under a Tyrant most insolent most cruell and most barbarous not to have one mite of bread in an eternal and most ravenous hunger not a drop of water in a most burning thirst not a ray of light in the greatest darkness not a moment of rest in an unsuportable and eternal weariness to be eternally afflicted with all the miseries a humane body is
capable to be continually burning in a most violent fire without consuming To be in an eternity of regret sorrow vexation rage and horrible despair It is so great a good to be exempted from these pains that according to S. Austin and S. Gregory the justice of God leaves the reprobate in those miseries that the elect may know their great happiness and felicity in being freed from them by the grace of God Vt liberatus de non liberato discat quale supplicium sibi conveniret nisi gratia subveniret And they shal not only be perfectly deliver'd from them but they shal have quite contrary favours and not the contrary only which we may possibly conceive but moreover such as cannot com into the thoughts of a mortal man When then the Scriptures tell us that the Saints possess God perfectly that this infinite Good holding the place of all things satisfies all their desires and makes their souls most happy that they shal be brought into the house of God with eternal joy and gladness and that they shal be inebriated with the plenty of his house and in the torrent of his pleasures He will make them drink all these and the like expressions give us only some obscure notions imperfect images or shadows of that ineffable Glory which hath not ascended as the Apostle says into our hearts 8. And it is not only the Vision and the Fruition of God the joy and delectation which flow from them which the Apostle speaks of in those words But also the particular joys and accidental glorys and Laurells that Saints shal have given them there according to their combats and victories here to Martyrs such an one to Confessors such a one to Doctors such a one to Virgins another as it pleases him which particular Glorys what they shal be how inestimably delightfull they shal be to us and how gracefull in the sight of others we neither know nor can know here If then the lesser things be so great what is all Heaven What is God who is the summe and substance af all reward and felicity I doubt not but all Christians believe more then any man can say of them and I doubt as little but they thinke them well worthy their study and care and of their paines and cost 9. But what is the paines and cost that belongs to them which men and women so shrink at Is it loss of life or limme Not so but in case of Martyrdom Is it to give all to the Poor No though CHRIST advised it one if he desired to be perfect Is it to suffer burning or the paines of hell for them Not so and yet S. Austin and Venerable Bead wished with all their hearts to feel hells torments a good while to be sure of them so great was their apprehension and value of heavens greatness 10. Why do they not then to obtain a happy and eternal life that which they do to preserve this unhappy and languishing life Thy deprive themselves of meats which prejudice their health they renounce all divertisments which may probably distemper them and they quit all that is most pleasing when it may be hurtfull to them Why do they not as much to obtain the happy life When they labour so much to preserve this miserable life they defend themselves not from death and all that they can pretend to by the order of their diet and by their remedies is not to live always but only to die a little later Let them do as much for the other life and testify by their actions that they have beliefe love and esteem of it and they shal live eternally 11. How much would you give says S. Augustine to be Augustine ser 64. de Verb. Dom. exempt from suffering and to be ascertain'd to live always You would think all which you possess would not suffice to buy so great a good though also you should possess the whole world Nevertheless this good and what is yet infinitely more excellent is to be sold You may buy it if you will and you need not trouble your self about the price of it for it is rated but at what you have you may purchase it by alms obtain it by good works merit it by good desires acquire it by becomming a vertuous person Contemne then not so great a happiness which depends not but of grace and your free will and if you have any love of your salvation so run as the Apostle bids you that you may obtain The chief ennemie to this vertuous cours is an idle uncertain and unsetled life Let us busie our felves then always in something which is good Let us have a certain and setled form and method of our practises which we will not without necessity omit and we shal so run as by the grace of God we may obtain a most happy end Resolve from this present moment upon this cours exclude all dalliance and delay and pronounce after the Apostles with mouth and heart this word Amen DISCOURS XVI OF FAITH HE that shal examin by the touchstone of holy Scripture the value and worth of every thing will acknowledg vithout difficulty that amongst the christian vertues one of those that honour God the most And of the most important to our salvation is Faith the first Theological vertue For if S. Paul writing to the Romans says that when we employ Rom. 12. 1. our bodys in the service of God by mortification and the practise of good works we offer to God a very acceptable Host surely when we captivate our understandings in obedience to Faith and mortify them forcing them against their inclination to receive and approve the Articles of our Faith which are obscure and incomprehensible this sacrifice cannot fail to be much more acceptable and pleasing since we offer to him our Spirit which is incomparably more excellent and noble 2. If Faith be so glorious and acceptable to God it is no less profitable and necessary to men For He that believes and is baptized shal be saved but he that belives not shal be condemn'd By Faith the Mark 16. 16. Heb. 11. Ancient obtain'd testimony that they were just and pleased God But without Faith it is impossible to please him 3. A Dissenter or libertine Catholick hearing this will say I am assured of my salvation nothing is necessary to it but Faith and Baptisme thanks be to God I belive and am baptized I shal then infallibly be saved You say true if you have true and living Faith if you have such faith as God demands of you for there is Faith and Faith there is humane faith and divine Faith habitual faith and actual faith implicit faith and explicit faith Interiour faith and exteriour faith dead faith and living faith 4. Humane faith is an assent to a proposition upon the simple testimony of men 5. Divine faith is a special gift of God by which we firmly hold for true all verities revealed upon the assured and
one cannot practise effectually all good workes but a chosen soul is disposed to do them promptly whensoever God gives him abilitie and occasion These Words of S. Paul instruct us to employ the Talents and to cooperate with the grace that God gives us faithfully In what consists the fidelity of a servant in that he employes the goods of his Master to as much profit as he can and therefore the servant in the Gospell who had employ'd well the five talents which were given him to trafick was called faithfull servant S. Matt. 25. 26. serve bone fidelis and the other who gain'd not with his talent was term'd naughty servant This ought to admonish us Gregory hom 9 in Evang. sayes great S. Gregory to consider carefully lest we who have received more from God than others should be therefore judg'd more severely and rigorously than others for when the gifts of God are augmented in us the accompts which we must render of them also do increase every one of us ought then to be so much more humble and more diligent in the service of God how much he finds himself more oblig'd for the fovours he receiv'd from him 9. Nevertheless there are very many Christians that make not good use of them there are but few comparatively to whome one may not say as to the idle servant in the Gospell who hid his Talent serve nequam naughty servant Some have the Talent of a good wit and understanding And in what do they employ this fine wit to speak a witty word in company to jest pleasantly to study curiosities and complements to make ingenious replyes to the end they say there is a Lady that hath a great wit there is a man that knowes how to intertain company they do as that foolish Emperour who spent the day in chasing and killing flies with a golden bodkin they have golden understandings which are not employd but to catch flies the flies of vain glory of worldly praise of complacencie in them selves and at the best but in the affaires of this world God gave it them to consider his workes to contemplate his perfections to meditate upon the Mysteries of Faith to conceive acts of repentance to do good workes to assist the poore to confort the opprest to help widows and orphans and to instruct the ignorant and they do nothing less is not this to lose or abuse their Talent Others have the Talent of perfect health a body entire and well compos'd that they may bear the labours of good and vertuous workes and the austerities of penance and they let this health wâ—ste away in an idle slack and faint life Ladies if you are good Christians after you have don your devotions you ought to labor in some worke for the Poore since S. Paul does say so To others God hath given riches of this world to do good with them to buy heaven and to redeem their sins by alms if God had don this favour to one man only to be able to redeem eternal paines with temporal goods to be able to oblige his Saviour and to gaine his favour with money how happy would he be esteem'd when a rich man is upon his death-bed and dispair'd off by Phisitians we are wont to say ô if life and health could be bought with money how glad would this man be how willingly would he give the halfe of his fortune to free himself from present death Yes life and health may be purchased with money not the fragil and temporal health but the solid and eternal not this life which is full of miseries but the happy life which is a collection of all goods And instead of purchasing this life instead of redeeming their sins by alms instead of traficking with this Talent they keep it â—id and lock'd up in a Coffre or they throw it away in vanities superfluities and debaucheries Another Talent which God desires us to manage with more care is the time He gives us to do penance and other workes of holiness He desires so much that we make use of the present time that he leaves us vncertaine of the future we know not that after this year this month this week this day there will be any time for us Is it not then a great want of prudence to let it pass without making good use of it Consider well your life see in what you employ the precious time You rise at eight or nine a clock you lose two or three houres in dressing your selves you content your selves to hear a short mass the afternoon is spent in giving or receiving visites the evening in frivolous discourses in cardes or other pastimes is this the life of a Christian is this to bring forth much fruit is this to be a Pursuer of good Works But that with which we ought to cooperate most diligently is the grace of God Wherefore S. Paul cryes-out to us receive 2. Cor. 6. not the grace of God in Vaine Nevertheless holy Iob notes our abuse of it Ipsi fuerunt rebelles Lumini they have been rebells against the light Is it not true that this word is verifyd in you you Iob. 24. 23. do not sin through ignorance you know well that you live not as you ought you would not dye in the state of negligence Vanity worldliness in which you are you do many things which in the houre of death you will wish you had not don you do not many things which you will wish you had don you seek arguments and apparent reasons to flatter your selves in your imperfections and abuses of Gods graces But We need not to go out of the parable of the Gospel to confute them The Master sayd to the servant who had hid his Talent naughty servant why have you not put it out to profit He had not dissipated nor imploy'd ill the Talent but because he had not gain'd by it he sayd to him naughty servant take him and cast him into exteriour darkness Let us then apply our selves to good workes so that we may say with S. Paul the grace of God hath not been fruitless in me that 1. Cor. 15. 10. Colloss 4. 12. Apoc. 3. we may be of the number of those to whome 't is sayd You stand perfect and full in all the Will of God that we may not be subject to this reproach in the Apocalyps I find not thy workes full before God Consider what you would say to a workman that should rest two or rhree houres daily more then he ought what you would say to your farmer if he should bring you but half the rent he owes you These holy dispositions must com from God it belongs to him to give the beginning the progress and the accomplishment of our vertue Beg then these graces of him humbly fervently and frequently cooperate with them faithfully render to him all the glory of your actions and confess that when God shal crown your merits He will crown his
mercies and his favours Amen DISCOURS XXII OF NOT DEFERRING GOOD WORKES THat which learned Hypocrates sayd in a certain occasion we may apply to penance and the practise of other good Workes Life is short Art is long occasion flyes away swiftly the experience is dangerous Life is short it is but seventy or eighty years infancy and chilhood cuts off a good part of it another part is made unprofitable by extream old age sleep and other necessities of the body take up at least a third part of it all which being deducted the remainder will be found to be but short Art is long 't is a trade full of difficulty a high and hard enterprize for such as accustome themselves to the wayes of the world to do penance and satisfy an infinite Justice for many and great sins and after that to acquire vertue and perfâ—ction Occasion flyes away swiftly It slides away insensibly it is bald behind having escaped it cannot be retaken when the conveniency to do penance to acquire perfection is past we shal not recover it again The Experiment is dangerous for the dignity of a mans body sayes the Interpreter of Hypocrates and I 'le say to my purpose for the dignity of the reasonable soul It is an Experience very dangerous to try whether or no we have don true penance and practised solid vertue there is nothing less at stake than our soul than our eternal salvation if we experience in the hour of our death that our penance hath been fals that our vertues have been wanting or defective it is an irreparable fault we commit it but once but it is for all Eternity Whence comes it then that we lose so easily the fair occasions which God presents us to labor in a worke of so great consequence delaying our conversion to old age or to the time to com which perhaps will never be for us I desire to destroy utterly so penicious an abuse by three powerfull reasons First that the Conversion which you pretend to make hereafter is uncertaine Secondly harder and thirdly less fruitfull 2. It is a maxime in Divinity that God is absolute Master of his goods independent in his gifts and that He gives them as He pleases You say you will convert your self hereafter that nothing presses and you have leasure enough Know that you will never do it without a particular favour of God Know that He owes it not to any He hath refused it to many and when you delay to leave your evill and negligent life adding sin to sin you give him cause to refuse it to you also Consider the workes of God Amos 1. 2. sayes the holy Ghost by the mouth of the Wise man and see that none can correct whom He hath despised of this Predicament were those of Damascus Tyre Moab and others of whome the Creator sayes non convertam I will not Convert them of this number were the Iewes to whom the Son of God did say I go S. Iohn 8. S. Iohn 12. 33. and you will seek me and you will die in your sin and those of whom the Evangelist sayd that they could not believe bécause God had blinded them and hardned their hearts that they might not be converted It is rhen a strange folly It is to build upon quick sands it is to establish a designe of the greatest importance upon an uncertaine event to defer your conversion to old age or to future time You let the time slide away the occasions and inspirations which God gives you to do penance and advance in piety who hath ascertain'd you that He will give you them hereafter You dispose of your self and make the appointement of your life as if you were the Master of it you speak of your conversion as if it depended on you only you say I will now take my pleasure content my passion satisfy my inclination afterward I will convert myself will apply my self seriously to the affaires of my salvation Poor man you imagin that God will take your measures that He will accommodate himself to your little projects and regulate his thoughts designes and conduct according to the levell of your rash thoughts You deceive you self You imagin that you have leasure enough to convert your self But if God call you out of this world suddenly will you convert your self in old age if you dye in the flower of your age will you becom vertuous in declining years if you dye this year how will you do it The evill spirit deals with men as the Phisitian or Apothecarie with his Patient when he sees the sick cannot swallow a whole pill he devides it and makes him swallow it by piecemeal Satan to seduce our first parents and o make them fall boldly into sin sayd to them You shal not dye at present seeing it impossible to perswade you that you shal not dye because you see daily the contrary before your eyes he devides the pill to make you swallow it he says to you you shal not die so soon he makes you believe that you will not die this year afterward he perswades you that you will not dye in the following year nor in the year after that so by little and little he perswades you what you would not believe in general that you shal not dye ' til it happens to you as to our first parents that sad experience makes you see the contrary when on a sudden you will be surprized when you think least of it 3. But if you should not be surprized by sudden death and your life should be a hundred years 't is a folly to believe that you will convert your self more easily in the latter season of your age then in the present The word of God tells you so expressly Adolescens juxta viam suam etiam cum senuerit non recedet Prou. 22. 6. ab ea it rarely happens that a man withdraws himself in old age from the way he followed in his youth And by Hieremie He says if the Ethiopian can change his skin and the Leopard his spots you may Hierem. 13. 23. Iob. 20. 11. becom vertuous when you are accustomed to vice And therefore the holy Ghost sayes by the mouth of Iob of one that had not mortifyd but given himself to vices in his youth his bones shal be filled with the vices of his youth and shal accompany him to his grave for the infirmities of the soul the inclinations and vicious customs which we quit not in good time remain commonly with us until old age now old age being feeble weak impotent not able to do violence to it self and thinking of little els then of maintaining the short life that rests seldom purges it self from evill customs the old are as much inclin'd to ambition detraction anger as they were at the age of 30 years so that the first part of the maxime of the holy Ghost is verifyd in them that the infirmities of their youth have
amity Know brothers sayd S. Austin that there are Aug hom 5. ex 50. post medium two sorts of alms the one of the heart the other of the purs you may excuse your selves sometimes from this but not from that the alms of the heart is to pardon your enemies to love cordially your neighbors to have pity and compassion on the poor to be sorry you have not wherewith to succour them and to pray God that the rich may help them our Saviout says not only give and it shal be given to you but he says first pardon and you shal be pardoned Behold how easily and at how small a rate you may buy the kingdom of heaven see now when or in what time you must buy it The time of buying it is the time of this life only do not as the foolish Virgins who neglected to make provision of oyle till they were called before the Bridgroom and whilst they went to buy it the Bridchamber door was shut and they excluded for ever Imitate rather the wise Virgins make in time provision of oyle and be not surpriz'd by death Remember that two sorts of oyle are necessary for us shat of God on us for woe to the most laudable life if God examin it without mercy sayd S. Austine and ours upon our neighbor for judment without mercy to him who shal not have don mercy But if you open to your neighbour your bowells of mercy God will open his to you and so happy are the mercifull for they shal obtaine mercy Amen DISCOURS XXVII of the Commandements in general IT was with great reason that God giving the Law to his people did use this Preface Ego sum Dominus Deus tuus I am the Lord thy God For by many most just Titles He is our Lord and hath right to command us And to oblige us to pay dutys to his commandements and Orders and principally three we must study them we must keep them and we must love them 1. In the first place we must study them learn them and meditate upon them Some will say Who is he that is ignorant of them what little schoolboy is there amongst us that does not know the ten commandements Yes they can rehearse them but this is not enough We must study them learn the sense and meaning of them and search into the depth of them David was a great Prophet and he studied them searched into them meditated upon them and prayed God to teach him them Give me understanding sayd he to God and I will learn thy justifications and to learn them he contemplated them attentively And in effect if it be necessary to study the rules of grammer and of rhetorick to learn to speak well is it not necessary to study the Law of God and his Gospell to learn to live well sayd S. Austin And S. Ambrose makes us to consider that in she book of Ecclesiastes the holy Ghost says not only Mandata ejus serva keep his Commandements Eccles 12. 13. but observa Note them and search into them diligently For the Decalogue given to Moses does nor declare so clearly all things that are necessary to be don nor forbid so expressly many sins which render us most criminal before God we must then ponder them examin and consider all the words beg light of the holy Ghost to find out the sense meaning and intention of God 2. Moreover the Commandements of the Decalogue were given to men as men But God gave moreover many to the Iews as Iews which made S. Paul say He that made himself a Iew receiving Circumcission oblig'd himself to keep Gal. 5. 3. all the Law of Moses And to learn it well the Israelites in the time of the Prophet Esdras made a Lecture of it four times a day and in the time of S. Paul on all Saturdays so 2. Esdras 9. 3. also the Son of God hath given other Commandements to Christians as Christians which made the same Apostle say to the faithfull They who obey not the Gospell shal suffer eternal paines 2. Thes 1. 8. We must be then solicitous to learn the Evangellical Commandements to read the books which treat of them to assist at Sermons and Catechismes which teach them to beg the grace of God to understand them and to learn them not only nor chiefly for to know them but to keep them and to put them in practise Thou hast very much commanded thy commandements to be kept says the Royal Prophet Note very much very much 3. It is wonderfull to see with what earnestness and instance God recommended to his people the memory and observance of them First He wrote them upon Tables of stone to teach us to engrave in our hearts what He vouchsafed to write with his own hand Secondly He commanded a Tabernacle to be made and within it an Arke of incorruptible wood cover'd with fine gold to lodge therein the Tables In the third place that the king of the people should write with his own hand these holy Commandements In the fourth place He Commanded the people that having passed Jordan and entred into the land of promise they should place great stones upon the shore upon which the Commandements should be written that all might be ascertain'd if they kept them not they should not enjoy long that happy land And because they would not be always there to read them often He commanded them to be written upon the doores of all their houses to be imprinted in their hearts and in the hearts of their children Behold his words these wordes Deut. 6. 5. which I command thee shal be in thy heart and thou shalt tell them to thy children and thou shalt meditate upon them sitting in thy house and walking on thy journey sleeping and rising And thou shalt bind them as a signe in thy hand and thou shalt write them in the entrie and on the doores of thy house And becaus profit and recompence are the baits of humane hearts He makes promises so advantagious to the observers of them that they would be incredible if any other then himself did make them I will send you rain in time and season the earth Levit 26. shal bring forth its Spring and the trees shal be burdened with fruits I will give peace in your coastes you shal sleep and there shal be none to fright you five of yours shal pursue a hundred strangers and a hundred of you ten thousand I will respect you and make you increase you shal be multiplyd and I will establish my Covenant with you Note that 't was to the Iews He made these great promises whom He was wont to recompence with worldly goods when they observ'd his Commandements and chastise them with temporal punishments when thy transgrest them becaus they were material gross and terrestrial But to Christians He promises Spiritual and Celestial goods recompences that are eternal so great so charming and so excellent that
and unmaske it In the second place I put before your eyes its bad effects and in the third place remedies Calumnie says S. Thomas is to accuse our neighbor falsly of a sin which he hath not committed And detraction is to declare a fin which he hath committed or a notable imperfection that is in him This is not so great a sin as calumny But it is a great one When a thing is manifest if it be known to the most of the Town or neighbourhood and cannot be concealed if you speak of it it is not a mortal sin But if the thing be secret or known to few if you reveal it to them that know nothing of it you do against charity and justice and therefore you are oblig'd to restitution The light of nature and this maxime of IESUS teaches you this truth Do not to another What you would not have don to your self If your daughter sister or kinswoman has committed a fault your neigbour seeing it would you he should reveal it or he to whom he hath reveal'd it should publish it and say for excuse I did not invent it such a person saw it I relate it as I heard it would you not be troubled and griev'd notwithstanding this excuse Why then do you to another what you would not have don to your self 4. There are other yet more malicious they make shew that what they say coms from compassion and nevertheless it coms out of passion Our Saviour sayd Take heed of them who com to you in the cloathing of sheep and are inwardly ravinous Matt. 7. 10. wolves we may say again who com to you with the voice of sheep who prayse the absent and afterward do as wolves with our doubt say they he is one of the finest men of his profession in the world But he forgot himself very much he is much to be pitied he would have don very well 't is a great misfortune I say it with a feeling It was no fault of mine he did not avoyd that I have often admonished him of it they give poyson sweetned with hony they have the voice of sheep but the teeth of wolves 4. And in effect they hurt and kill three persons with one bite First themselves for their detraction deprives them of the life of grace and kills them spiritually it being a mortal sin in a matter of importance according to the scriptures We call it detraction in a matter of importance when you discover any thing that diminishes notably the reputation of your neigbour though the thing be true if it be secret and unknown That this is a mortal sin is prov'd out of S. Paul who recounting 1. Cor. 15 the sins which hinder our entrance into heaven and the sinners that shal not possess the kingdom of God names Detractors And in another place making a list of sins to which Pagans were addicted and which Christians must avoyd he adds no Epithite to other sins he names them all simply but speaking of detractors says detractores Deo odibiles detractors are odious to Rom. 1. 30. God hatefull and abominable to him 't is then a mortal sin since it makes us odious to God and shuts against us the gates of heaven The reason of it is evident Theft in a matter of importance is it not a mortall sin who doubts of it detraction is theft more notable unjust and dammagable For a good reputation is Prov. 21. 1. more precious than great riches says the wiseman he then that robs a man of his good name does him a greater injury than he that takes away his money And in effect what man of honor would not rather choose that one should cut his purs or burn his house than deprive him of his honor Divines then conclude by â—â— good consequence that detraction is a greater sin than Robery becaus it takes away a thing more precious Some may here propose a question There is for example a man addicted to swearing blasphemy or detraction he does so sometimes inconsiderately lightly and without reflection does he sin mortally as often as that happens to him Divinity answers with a distinction either he takes paines to correct himself or not If he takes paines if he does some penance when he falls into it then 't is not a mortal sin becaus it is not wholy voluntary but if he be careless if he endeavours not to correct his bad custome and to stand upon his guard every time heswears falsly or detracts in a thing of importance though lightly and inconsiderately he sins mortally for though such words are not entirely voluntary when he pronounces them they are yet voluntary in their cause 6. If the Detractor kills himself think not others safe for the second wound he makes is in him that heares and if there be twenty in the company perhaps he kills them all Which S. Thomas proves 22. q. 75. ar 4 Rom. 1 32. Psal 49. 18. by this of S. Paul That not only they who do ill but also they who consent to it are worthy of death And that the Prophet reprehends sharply not only them that rob with the theef but those also that acompany him And in that S. Bernard doubts whether of the two merits more damnation the dretractor or he that heares him lib. 1. de consid c. 13. and that he concludes that both have the Devill in them one in his mouth and the other in his eares If your neighbors house were set on fire would you not be oblig'd at least by charity to help him and to quench it if you can He suffers a greater loss in his reputation your obligation is then greater to defend him from this hurt if then you are in company where one detracts you are oblig'd to reprehend and correct the detractor if you have authority over him and if he detracts by a ly to shew that what he says is fals if what he says is true to excuse the absent discreetly to change the discours to leave the company but if you cannot do these things to shew unwillingness to hear and a displeased countenance for when he sees rhat you are not pleased with his tattle he will be asham'd and will learn to hold his peace The north wind dissipates raine and a sad look the tongue that detracts But if you are glad of the detraction if you say a word that contributs to it if you shew by Prov 25. 23. signes that it pleases you if you are cause that he proceeds in the discours if you make a shew to know it to the end he detract more boldly and without scruple you are as criminal as he and your soul is kill'd Behold two deaths already caused by detraction 7 The third is of the poor absent person whome it kills by a triple murther We have three sorts of lives the natural life the spiritual and the civil The natural life is the union of the soul with the
arme and fortify us against his enemies 3. That there hath been always in the Church a particular Sacrament to make us soldiers of IESUS CHRIST appears in the Acts Acts. 8. 17. where S. Peter and S. Iohn gave the holy Ghost by imposing Episcopal hands upon the Samarians whom Philip the deacon had converted and baptized The same S. Paul did to the disciples of Acts. 19. 5. and 6. Tertull de Prescrip c. 40. S. Iohn at Ephesus It apears also in Terâ—ullian who says that Satan Ape of the Divinitie and ambitious of the honor we give to God in our Mysteries incited the Idolaters to counterfeit in their superstitious ceremonies the Sacraments of the Church He proves it by induction in the first Sâ—craments Satan says he Counterfeits our Baptisme he baptizes those that belive in him our Confirmation he markes in the forehead those who are his souldiers and our Eucharist he makes an oblation of bread Oâ—her Fathers say that this Sacrament is Pentecost for us that is to say the holy Ghost is given to us in it with abundance of his grace and for the same end for which He was sent to the Apostles in the day of Pentecost IESUS ascending into heaven commanded them not to preach the Gospell not to appear abroad till they had received him He knew their frailty He knew that without his aide they would be overcom Behold S. Peter he had been baptized he came from communion and becaus he was not strengthned with this vertue he trembles and shrinks at the voice of a poor maid but after Penâ—ecost he is so couragious that he speaks undauntedly in a full Consistory he says to the Iudges and high Priests We must rather obey God than men You see then that this Sacrament makes souldiers of IESUS CHRIST and gives us force to fight for him wherefore it imprints a Character and it belongs to a Bishop only to conferr it He administers it with the thumb with Unction of sacred Chrisme composed of oyle and balme he makes the signe of the Cross upon the forehead and gives a little stroke upon the cheek 4. It imprints a character in our soul for characters are imprinted in us by some Sacraments to mark and distinguish us from other men and to designe us paticularly to the service of God by Baptisme we are made his subjects by holy Order Officers and Ministers of his Church and by Confirmation we are made his Soldiers 5. I know well that by Baptisme we are also made spiritual soldiers and for this we use unction in it But this is only to fight in our own quarrell against the Devill and other particular Enemies As the Burgesses of a Town though they are not by profession soldiers faile not to have arms and to fight in need in defence of their persones or their countrey 6. But by Confirmation we are made soldiers to fight not in our particular quarrells but in those of IESUS-CHRIST soldiers by office and profession to the end we fight for him against Tyrants against the World and against the Enemies of his Religion 7. And hence it proceeds that every one may Baptize in necessity and that a Bishop only may Confirm for to make a subject of a king we need not but to cause a child to be born in his kingdom But to raise and enrole soldiers belongs not but to Captaines so to make us Vassalls of IESUS on needs not but to make us to be borne in the Church his kingdom which is don by Baptisme But to make us his soldiers by Confirmation one must be a Bishop or Prelate of the Church 8. In making us soldiers He gives us arms and force by the grace of this Sacrament And hence it is that the Bishop gives it with his thumb the strongest of all the fingers He gives it by unction to signify the interiour Vnction and force by which we are fitted to appear in the field Balm is thereto added becaus we must fight publickly for IESUS and if we do well we are a good odour to the son of God and to his Church Christi bonus odor sumus in omni loco 9. This unction is made in the form of a Cross becaus the Cross is the standard and the ensigne of the warfare in which we enrole our selves 10. This Cross is made in the forehead the seat of bashfulness to teach us that thenceforth we must not be asham'd of the Cross of IESUS that we ought to embrace with a holy boldness the reproaches confusions humiliations and the mortifications which occurre in the practise of Christian vertues and to make us know that we must be ready to receive and endure affronts and ignominies for the defence of Iesus He gives us a little blow 11 It was not in vain nor without much reason that IESUS instituted a particular Sacrament so great a Sacrament a Sacrament which imprints a character which a Bishop only can conferr which gives such plenitude of the holy Ghost to arme and fortify us not only against Tyrants but also against the Persecutors of christian piety and devotion For christian Religion which is almost freed from the persecution of pagans is at present tyranized by the babble raillery and derision of wordly souls Wherefore S. Bernard sayd the Church may truly say In pace amaritudo mea amarissima my affliction is most bitter in the time of Isay 38. 17. peace It was bitter in the death that Tyrants made the Martyrs to endure more hitter in the infidelity of Hereticks But 't is most bitter in the ill life of Christians who mock and laugh at the piety of devout Souls For this is much more hurtfull than that of Tyrants In the persecution of Tyrants Christians dared not to pray nor to exercise devotion in publick they sought caves grotes and private houses but they served God freely at least in these places the persecution of worldlings is the caus that many dare not serve God as they ought in particular houses for fear to be called devotes they dare not frequent the Sacraments or be assiduous at divine service becaus they call them hypocrites they dare not be conscientious and restrain'd from unhandsom words and insolent actions becaus they call them scrupulous a sin detestable and wholy unnatural to persecute christianity in chrichristianity it self to have sworn fidelity to IESUS in the Sacrament of Baptisme and laugh at those who are faithfull to him not to serve God themselves and to deride those that serve him a sin not of frailty nor of ignorance but of malice and contempt which drawes from them the grace of God indurates and disposes them to impenitence and reprobation The children of Hely who averted the people from devotion 1. Kings 3. 14. committed an abominable crime in the sight of God which could not be expiated by victimes says the holy Scripture 12. This temptation is so dangerous also to devout souls that they who stand invincible
against other assaults permit themselves to be overcom by this becaus good natures are facile complaisant and condescending they have so much fear and confusion to do or omit any thing that may displeas another or which they apprehend may lessen their own honor or reputation that one only thought What will they think what will they say will render al predications remonstrances and exhortations uneffectual Say for example to this Gentleman or Duellist you live upon the brink of hell you may say every morning when you rise perhaps in the evening I shall go to bed in hell there needs no more than that a friend do pray you to serve him as a Second to be kill'd in this action and behold you are most meserable for an eternity Can there be any thing more foolish than to expose your self to be kill'd or to kill another man who never disoblig'd you to serve the caprice of a giddy and unreasonable head refuse couragiously these requests and they will trouble you no more with them I would willingly he will answer you But what will they say Say to this Lady the extravagance of your cloathes does prejudice much your salvation it consumes the best part of your time it fills your soul with pride and vanity it wedds your heart to trifles it renders you unable to pay debts to give necessary assistance to the Poor you would do well to cloath your self more simply and modestly I would do it willingly she will assure you But what will they say 13. But what are they you fear so much Atheists impious or at best light loose and libertine Christians good and vertuous soules solid and understanding persons will esteem and honour you If a Criple should laugh at you becaus you go straight would you do well to be asham'd of it and to counterfeit your self a criple If you study to pleas the humours and the fancies of the world you will never have don you will make your selves ridiculous regard them not Let them talk 't is your part do do well and theirs to speak ill you can no more hinder them from talking than you can doggs from barking 14. Whatsoever you do you will be the But of evill tongues your intentions will be judged your actions censured If you be meanly cloathed they esteem you a hypocrice if well cloathed according to your condition proud If thrifty avaricious if liberal prodigal if you pardon injuries a coward if you defend your right revengfull if you fast a dissembler If you nourish your self a glutton if peaceable negligent If vigilant in your duty turbulent If quick at mass indevout if long scrupulous if you preach mildly you lull people a sleep if vigorously you are passionate if you reprehend vices you are too violent if you reprehend them not a flatterer S. Iohn did neither eate nor drink they sayd he was possest IESUS did eate and drink they sayd He was a friend of good cheer All these overflowings of tongues are best stopt by a generous contempt of them when they shal have satisfyd their folly or their malice they will be weary of talking and will honor you for when you are vertuous the people of the world mock you in appearance but in effect they honor you they laugh at you exteriourly but interiourly esteem you 15. But suppose that in effect they laugh at you and contemne you Why are you confirmd the charg that Confirmation imposes on you is to endure affronts reproches and confusions for the glory of IESUS CHRIST to defend his doctrine and his Vertues with the peril of your honor and of your life as He hath endured confusions ignominies calumnies and a most infamouâ— and shamefull death for you He that shal be asham'd of me and of my words I will be asham'd of him before my Father And Mat. 10. .3 on the contrary He says He that shal confess me he that â—hal not be asham'd to acknowledg my Doctrine to practise my vertues and to be my Disciple I will confess him in the presence of my Father and his Angells I will acknowledg him for my servant praise his vertuous actions and adorn his head with a crown of Glory Amen DISCOURS XLIV of the Real Presence of the Body of IESVS CHRIST in the Eucharist IESUS CHRIST being both God and man hath always two intentions in his enterprizes He regards the glory of God and the salvation of men wherefore He willed that the Eucharist should be a Sacrifice and a Sacrament a Victime and a food In the quality of a Sacrifice and a Host it is referr'd to the glory of God in the quality of a Sacrament and food it is referr'd to the salvation of men I shal treat of it as a Sacrifice in another place In this I speak of it as a Sacrament and demonstrat that it contains really truly and substantially the precious Body of JESUS CHRIST 1. And to convince an understanding thar teceives the holy Scripture I need not other proof than the clear testimony of the Son Iohn 6. Matt. 26. 26. Mark 14 22. Luke 22. 19. 1. cor 11 Gal. 1. 12 of God who sayd The Bread which I will give you is my flesh And giving it to his Disciples in the last Supper This is my Body Which words He sayd not only before his death as the Evangelists depose But also after his Resurrection and Ascension as S. Paul does testify I have learned of our Lord says He and not of men that being in the last supper He sayd to his Disciples take eate This is my Body 2. Notwithstanding the evidence of these words Calvin is so bold as to say that what our Saviour held in his hand and gave to his Apostles was not his Body but bread a figure or shadow of his Body I would know if our Saviour deâ—iring to declare to us that He gave his Body could speak otherwise than He did If all the men in the world should employ a thousand years in seeking terms to express themselves could they speak more clearly than saying This is my Body And the bread which I will give you is my flesh 3. But suppose that these words are obscure to whom ought we to referr our selves for the meaning of them Either to Calvin who came more than fifteen hundred years after CHRIST or to the judgment of the Faithfull who lived in the times of the four first general Councells during which Calvin himself avows that the Church was in her purity The Gospell says that we must credit two or three good Witnesses behold here six authentik ones three of the Greek and three of the Latine Church S. Cyrill of Hierusalem who had place in the second 4. Mistagog cat general Council held in the year 381. teaching his people by the Scripture and according to the sense of the whole Church of his age speaks thus Since then our Saviour himself declares and says of bread This is my Body who
affairs or will leave suits not goods to his heires if my Father had left me a house and you would contest with me saying 't is a paper or painted house he means what Judg would hear you what impartial Arbiter would not condemn you would you not injure me and yet more my father if he had meant a paper house would he not have declared his intention IESUS our celestial Father makes his Testament He declares his last Will He says that He leaves me his precious Body and you say 't is not his true Body 't is a figure of his Body goe you are a mocker if it was not but his figure would He not have sayd so as well as you would He have sayd This is my Body instead of saying this is my figure He is upon his departure in his last supper He goes to death and afterward to the imperial heaven when a loving husband is vpon his deathbed or bids farwell to his dear spouse for a journey somewhat long is it not then that he opens his heart to her and discovers to her his secrets is it not then that he speaks to her without ambiguitie that he gives her testimonyes of his greatest affection and leaves her the more precious presents And JESUS being in the vigill of his death giving his farwell to the Church his Spouse and depriving her of his Visible presence shal He have spoken obscurely and equivocally to her shal He shal He have deceived her in a matter of so great importance and for all nuptial presents for the gage of his amity for the testimonie of his tender affections for a supplement of his absence shal He have left her only a morcell of bread The manner also in which He accomplishes this Mistery ought to be considered if this be but a morcel of bread Why promises He it so long before why speaks He of it with so much pomp Why prayses He the effects and necessitie of it so much Why prefers He it before the Manna the bread which I will give you is my flesh he that shal eate of this bread hath everlasting life If you eate not my flesh you shal not have life in in you This is not as the manna your fathers have eaten If that which He gives is but a mite of bread the manna was to be prefer'd before it It was the figure of the Body of IESUS CHRIST as well as Calvins bread and much more express for it was mouldedâ— by hands of Angells the bread of Calvinists by the hands of men that came from heaven and their bread from a bakers oven that had all sorts of tasts their bread hath but one After He had promised it so long time and so solemnly He gives it but washes first the feet of his Disciples He makes them a long and sublime sermon He recommends to them puritie and charitie He makes to his Father a very long prayer and if all this tended but to give them a piece of bread I make you judg 5. Let us consult moreover the practise and the Pietie of the primitive Christians and we shal see that their faith and the religious S. Ambr. lib. 3. de Spirit Sto. c. 12 S. Crysos hom 24. in 1. ad Cor. Et in orat de Philogonio Ceremonies which they practised in respect of the Eucharist were-very contrarie to the error of the Calvinists they adored the holy Sacrament upon the Altar with the worship of Latria which cannot be given but to God only we adore the flesh of CHRIST yet this day in the sacred Mysteries says S. Ambrose S. Augustine upon these words of the Psalme Adore his footstool sayd Christ hath given us his flesh to eate but nobody eates this flesh but after that he hath adored it S. Chrysostome Let us imitate at least the Mages who seeing Christ but in a manger adored Him with great fear and you see Him not in a manger but upon an altar 6. They feared extreamly to let fall upon the ground the least S. Aug. lib. 50. hom hom 26. Origen hom 13. in Exod. particle of the Eucharist or one drop of the chalice as S. Austin and Origen do testify They required not only purity of body and sanctitie of soul to touch or receive this Sacrament but they demanded sanctiâ—ie to see it and to look upon it as appears in the first epistle S. Chrysostome wrote â—o Pope Innocent where he complains that soldiers sent by his enemies had entred in a tumultuous manner into the Church and he exagerats as a bold attempt that many of them who were not yet baptized had seen the holy Hosts They exposed not also to the Catechumens the secret of this Sacrament it was the secret of the Church which was not revealed but to her Children and it was a crime to speak of it in the presence of Catechumens or of Infidells this is seen in the epistle which the Synod of Allexandria wrote to the Catholick Bishops where the Council complains that the Arians were not asham'd to speak of the Mysteries in the presence of Catechumens and what is wors before infidells 7. Now I appeal to your consciences if the Christians of the primitive Church did believe that the Eucharist is but a morcel of bread which minds us of the body of IESUS would they have adored it with supream worship would they have thought it so great an incongruitie to let fall the least crum of it would they have required such puritie of body and soul to receive it to touch it or to hear or speak of it 8. All the Articles of our faith are equally true but there are none of them so express in scripture none taught so clearly by the holy Fathers less opposed in primitive times confirmed by so many miracles received so unversally in Europe in Asia and in Africa as this For amongst all Catholicks Hereticks Schismaticks amongst Grecians Latines Hebrews Abyssins or Ethiopians which have been and which are at present Calvin only with his Partie hath obstinately denyed it I leave you to thinke with whom you should chuse to rise and appear at the day of judgment either with S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Chrysostom and all the other holy Doctors of the east west south and north who florished in the time when the Church was in her greatest puritie and vigour or with Calvin who came fifteen hundred years after the institution of this Sacrament 9. Follow the counsell which the holy Ghost gives you by the Wiseman Ne transgrediaris terminos antiquos quos posuerunt Patres tui Passe not the bounds which your Ancesters have put hold the beliefe of those primitive Christians and the doctrine of these holy Fathers who were taught by the Apostles or by their Successours who read the holy Scripture day and night who meditated upon it seriously who were particularly assisted by the holy Ghost to understand it well who were desinteressed and free from passion for
speaking of the future time as present according to custome of the Prophets sayd From the rising of the sun even to the going down great is my Name amongst the gentills and in every place is Sacrificed and offered to my name a clean Oblation He speaks not of the improper Sacrifice of contrition and other good works which according to Calvin and others are unclean nor of the Sacrifice of the Cross which was ofâ—er'd but in one place and but once and therefore the prophecie is not verifyd but in the Eucharist which is a true and proper Sacrifice since there is efâ—usion or oblation of blood for remission of sins This is the Chalice in my blood which is shed for you A clèan Sacrifice the Body and Blood of JESUS Offered in all times and places by vertue of these words of CHRIST Do this in commemoration of me And in effect the Apostles did so as it appeares in the Acts whilst they were ministring to our Lord Says S. Luke the holy Ghost sayd seperate me Paul and Barnabas that is whilst they were sacrificing for so the greek does signify and so Erasmus does translate The same hath been practised by their Successors ever since as Controvertists clearly shew out of the holy Fathers I will give you the words of three or four who lived during the times of the four first General Councills that you may see the beliefe and practise of those golden ages S. Ambrose upon the 38th Psalme says Though CHRIST Sc Ambr. in Psal 38. is not seen to offer now yet He himself is offered upon earth Nay He himself is manifested to offer in us whose speech does sanctify the Sacrifice which is offered S. Austin Since wee see this Sacrifice foretold by Malachias Aug lib. 18. de civit Dei c. 35 offered to God in every place by the Priesthood of CHRIST according to the order of Melchisaâ—eck and the Jews Sacrifice to cease why do they yet expect another CHRIST S. Chrysostome the Oracle of the greek and eastern Church sayd Becaus this Sacrifice is offered in many places are there many Christs No for as He who is offered every where is one body and not many bodys so the Sacrifice is but one Chrysost hom 17. in ep ad Heb. Nice 1. can 18. In fine the first most general Nicene Councill complaining that in some particular Churches Deacons gave communion to Priests made this Convincing determination Neither Rule nor Custome hath delivered that they who offer not present the Body of CHRIST to them that offer By which words 't is evident the Fathers of this great Councill believed the Eucharist was not only a Sacrament containing really the Body and Blood of JESUS CHRIST But moreover a true and proper Sacrifice offered by Priests 3. Would it not now grieve a Christian heart to see poor Catholicks of England so miserably harrassed pillaged emprisoned hated hanged by their own Allies and countreymen as they have been now a hundred years for the profession of that great worke of Christianity which Christ and his Apostles taught them and that they should undergoe the same disgrace and ruine by such as call themselves Christians yea the only pure ones for that very self same act of Religion for which both the Apostles themselves and all primitive Christians were so cruelly persecuted by Jew and Pagan But the God of mercies look in his good time upon our Persecutors favourably becaus they do it ignorantly and in incredulity and becaus they are the far greater Sufferers being deprived of a Sacrifice so acceptable and glorious to God and so profitable and necessary to men 4. If we consider Him who offers what He offers and the manner in which he offers we shal see that 't is a Sacrifice exceedingly glorious and pleasing to God For in this oblation the principal Offerer and Sacrificer is JESUS CHRIST the object of his Fathers complacence and the subject of his most tender loves who is equall to him in Greatness to whom He Sacrifices You are a a Priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedeck Psal 109 Heb. 5. 6. Gen 14. 18. says the Royal Prophet and S. Paul speaking of our Saviour becaus He offers continually by Priests unbloody Sacrifice under the species and formes of bread and wine which were the offerings of Melchisedeck The Priest is but his instrument and Minister when he says This is my Body it is evident that the Priest Speaks not of his own body but of that of JESUS CHRIST and seeing he says not This is the body of JESUS CHRIST But this is my Body 't is clear by this that it is not properly he that speaks but t is JESUS that speaks by his mouth who of the things proposed makes his Body and Blood says S. Chriysostom Hom. de Tradit Iudae 5. That which he offers is not dead and corruptible flesh of Lambs or other things as the ancient Sacrifices which were not pleasing to God in themselves nor in their substance as too base to be the objects of his delights but only pleased Him as they were figures shadows and representations of the Victime of this Sacrifice which is the precious flesh of the man-God Deifyd flesh living and enlivening holy and Sanctifying flesh flesh united to the Divinity subsisting with the Divine nature in the Persone of the Word 6. The manner in which He offers it is admirable and gives to God the greatest Glory Jt is offered as a most perfect holocaust since in this Sacrifice God is perfectly honoured as the Soveraign Authour of all Being for the man-God losing in honor of his Father the Sacramental Being which He hath here shews that God produced Him hath right to destroy Him and suffers no loss in his destruction He honors the justice of his Father in that He avows He hath deserved death and annihilation for the sins of men for whom He made himself a Propitiatour He honors his mercy in that He transfer'd upon his innocent son the debts of criminal servants and in that He accepts the sacrifice of his precious Body and mystical effusion of his Blood instead of the true and real death that we deserve He honors Him as the last end for losing the Being which He hath here to honor Him He shews that he holds it for the greatest happiness and felicity if his Father thinks it fit to be annihilated for his service 7. This august Sacrifice being so glorious and pleasing to God cannot fail to be extreamly profitable and advantagious to men T is a magasin of Spiritual treasures which furnishes us where with to satisfy the great abligations we have to God 't is a most powerfull meanes to obtaine of him all favours necessary for our souls and bodys T is a Host of praise and an Eucharisticall Sacrifice T is an impetratory Host and propitiatory Oblation Isaiah sayd if one should make a fire with all the wood of mount Libanus Isay
which the Sacrament excites And it would restore also health of body more effectually for when you are in or neere your agony and dispaired of by Phisicians if the Sacrament should repaire your force and strength this would be a miracle which God who disposes althings sweetly does not usually or without necessity But if you receive it sooner He would dispose second causes by the secrets of his providence to renew your health in case He should judg it necessary for your salvation 6. The third effect which the Apostle atributes to this Sacrament is the remission of sins And if he be in sins they shal be remitted him He says expressy If he be in sins becaus he supposes the Sicke hath already received Penance and that by absolution his sins have been remitted But if he hath not rightly accomplished Confession and Communion and knows it not or if by humane frailty he hath committed a mortal sin after his Confession and is ignorant of it such remainders with all venial sins would be remitted and a good part of the temporal punishment due to them relaxed by this Sacrament If then we are depriv'd of it by our fault or if we receive the Sacrament unfruitfully or if by our negligence a Soul depart out of this world without receiving the grace of it 't is a great fault and God does make this complaint of it The wound is not sured nor mollifyd with oyle 7. S. Bernard writes that S. Malachy was intreated to visit and Vitâ S. Malach. carry the holy oyles to a Gentlewoman dying near his monastery who so reioyced in the presence of the holy Prelate that she seem'd to be quite reviv'd she demanded the Sacrament but the Assisstant seeing her so changed desired the Prelate to forbeare The Saint condescended to their request and returned with the holy oyles No sooner he arrived at the Monastery but he heard the Cryes of divers who sayd that she was dead he runns and coms to her and finds her dead Behold him in the greatest sorrow in lamentations tears groans and complaints of himself for a fault whereof he was not guilty T is my fault Lord 't is my fault since she desired it I should not have defer'd it he protests to all the Assistants that he will weep in consolably that is Soul should never rest til he had restored to the dead the grace which she had lost he remains by the corps and instead of holy Oyle waters it all night with his precious tears This holy water frightens and puts death to flight for the next morning the dead opened her eyes as if she had been wakened out of sleep then sits up and making a low inclination to the Bishop says The prayer of faith hath saved the infirme By which you see how soliciâ—ous we should be to receive the effects and reap the fruits of this Sacrament 8. And to reap them with full hands and in abundance we must receive it with necessary dispositions and 't is certaine that Sacramental Confession must if possible precede it becaus this Sacrament is one of those which Divines call Sacramenta Vivorum that is which ought not to be received but by the faithfull who are already in the life of grace I say if possible for if one should be so depriv'd by a sudden accident that he cannot Confess we must neuertheless administer to him this Sacrament But there are three other dispositions which a devout soul should have in receiving it One in respect of God another in respect of himself and the third in respect of his neighbor 9. First you must offer to God a sacrifice of your life accepting death with resignation to his holy Will with great submission to the Orders of his Providence and to render honor and homage to his divine Perfections and say my God I submit with all my heart to the sentence of death you have pronounced against me from the beginning of the world I offer my life to you to do homage to your Souveraintie and Justice I acknowledg and protest that I have most justly deserv'd it not only by teason of original sin but as often as I have sinned in all my life 10. He that is in this disposition of a Victime and a Holocaust in the sight of God will have also the necessary spirit of humility He will renounce all pride ambition vain glory and ostentation he will abhorr the spirit of those vain souls who disire passionately to be praised in gazetts celebrated in histories that their hearts or bodys be emâ—auâ—med put into ledden coffins carried to the grave with pomp with famous and magnificent obsequies and funeral discourses who build for themselves or make to be built high and glorious tombes who fix their names and armes upon the walls of Churches and cause Epitaphes to be composed Aug. lib. 9. confess c. 13. in their praises S. Austin praises his Mother for that she had not the least thought of such a Vanity And the Scripture blames the ambition wherewith they buried the king Asa They buried him in his sepulcher which he digged for himself in the City of David and they layd him upon his bed full of Spices and odoriferous 2. Paral. 16. 14. oyntments and they burnt it upon him with exceeding ambition says the sacred Text. 12. In fine the holy oyle minds you of the Parable of the Virgins that they who had kept Virginity were not saved becaus they wanted the oyle of mercy with much more reason they cannot be saved who having committed impurities and other sins shal be presented to their Judg not having redeem'd their crimes by the workes of Charity You ought to do it all your life but if you have failed if you have not made the lamp to be carried before you make it at least to follow after you that you may not be wholy in darkness when you go into the other world JESUS having given us his sweat blood and life deserves well that you give him a good part of your goods also during your life when they are more necessary for you But since you have omitted it give him a little part of them at least in the houre of your death when your goods are useless to you 't is He who gave them to you who is the Proprietor of them and nevertheless desires for your good to receive of them in the persone of the Poor 13. I conclude with these words of S. Salvian You are avaricious But you are not enough I exhort you to be yet more you love Lib. 2. con Av. a ritiam in fine riches love them at your death as well as in your life you fear the poverty of this life fear also that of the other carry your riches with you into the other world they will be more necessary there than here to avoyd the paines of Purgatory in the way to redeem you in case you are cast in to that Prison and to make
is in credit or through avarice to have a rich Party If two are assembled in my name says our Saviour I will be in the midst of them He is not in the midst of those becaus they were not assembled in his name This ought to be the intention of Christians says S. Augustine to give children to IESUS and to his Church to have a posterity that may praise love and serve God in your place after your death 12 Honor marriage in the election and choise you make you must pray God much for this that He give you a convenient Party with whome you may worke youâ— Salvation it belongs to God only to know the persone and to give the same to you House and riches are given of the Parents but of our Lord properly a Proverb 19. 14. prudent Wife says the holy Ghost by the mouth of the wise man to obtain this favour you must live holily and do many good works before your marriage a good woman is a good portion she shal be given to a man for good deeds 13. Honor marriage in the treaty of it let there be no circumvention Ecclus. 26. 3. deceit nor fraud you would not be well content to be deceiv'd in a treaty of smal concerne why should you deceive another in a matter of such importance as is marriage where there is no reliefe and which is for all the life This is the câ—us of aversions complaints reproaches and horrible divisions 14. Honor marriage in the solemnization or celebration of it You must confess communicate hear Mass with great attention and beg of God an abundance of graces in this Sacrament Invocate the Sainrs that have been married especially the B. Virgin implore the intercession of those Angells that have been employ'd in making marriages as S. Gabriel that of the Son of God S. Raphael that of Tobias and another that of Isaac Banish those impudent persons who say such words especially in the brid-chamber which would make impudence it self to blush You would do better and draw down the benediction of God upon you if you would follow the counsell which the Angell Raphael gave to Tobias and his Wife to pass the three first days in continence and not to employ them in delights but prayers And he admonished them also that the Devill hath power over those that give themselves to lust as hors and mule which have not understanding 15. Honor in fine marriage in its Effects which is a perfect society of heart goods fortune and of all If husband and wife are divided and one will hot and the other cold one sower the other sweet one will negotiate in this manner the other in another the burdens of marriage are most heavy and insupportable their house is a hell a Place of sin and paine of brawling bitterness and despaire But if they live in union and ayde each other serve God and to keep his Commandements they are agreeable to Him For there are three things that please Him much the concord of bretheren the love of neighbors and Ecclus. 25. 2. a husband and wife that agree together IESUS will be in the midst of them to assist them their temporal affaires will have better issue their children will learn vertue of them and consigne it to posterity their people will serve them more faithfully Neighbors will be edifyd Parents and Friends rejoyced they will bear more easily the burdens of marriage and comfort one another their house will be like a terrestrial Paradise it will be an image a foretaste and prelude of the celestial into which they will one day enter Amen DEO GRATIAS I humbly submit these writings and my self also to the correction of the Catholick Church of which I desire to live and dye a member and a most obedient Child TABLE OF THIS BOOK A Absolution Authority to absolve from sins proved 73. The wonderfull Circumstances of it 74. Adore in the Scripture signifies all sorts of honour 170. Adultery is a very Enormous Crime 217. Alms all Christians are obliged to give them 155. To whome 157. How to be given 159. Exhor to give them 160. Anger Its Effects and Symtoms 204. It was not in our Saviour as God 204. It was in him as man but without imperfection 205. His was vertuous ours is vicious 205. Remidies for ours 207. Exhor to Patience 209. Attrition must be supernaturall 280. It leaves us in state of sin if not followed by absolution 281. Avarice is a pernicious and common vice 221. who is avarici ous 222. B Baptisme obliges to à morall and vertuous death 249. Jn what consists this death 249. It obliges to a new life 251. Excuses of worldly Souls removed 252. What life the primitive Christians lead to satisfy obligations of Baptisme 253. Exhort to imitate them 253. Beatitude See Heaven Blasphemy a detestable Vice 184. C Children are obliged to honour their Parents with the honour of Reverence 192. with the honour of Obedience which must â—e blind cordial and perseverant 193. with the honour of assistance 195. Motives to acquit themselves of these dutyes 196. Christ the true Messias Discours 3. we must live according to his Doctrine 20. What is Christ 21. Why called IESUS CHRIST only Son our Lord. Disc 4. he is not acknowledged Lord by many Christians 25. The Miracles wrought in his conception and Nativity 27. These Misteries declared by a natural Comparison 29 His Doctrine preached in the Crib contrary to that of the world 31. His Sufferances for men Disc 6. Exhor to love him 37. He Rose up againe by his own Power and his Father also raised him 39. We ought to thank the Father for it 40. How He contributed to his Resurrection and how we must to ours 41. His Ascension described 44. How He sits at the right hand of the Father 44. His Ascension very advantagious to him to the Virgin and to us 46 To follow him to heaven we must imitate his actions 48 Church 'T is necessary to submit to all the true Church proposes as an Article of faith 65 We must rely on her for true scriptures and for the sense and meaning of them 65 66 The true Church is One 67 The Romane Church only is One 67 The true Church is holy 68 The Roman Church only is holy 69 The true Church is Vniversall or general 70 The Roman Church only is so 70 'T is necessary to salvation to be united to the Roman Church 71 Commandements of God must be studied learnt and pondered 162 they may be kept 164 We must keep them with filial love 165 They are most reasonable just and amiable 165 Why called Testimonies Iudgments justifications wayes and paths 166 Catholicks divide them best 166 Confession of all mortall Sins to a Priest is necessary 281 Confirmation makes Soldiers of IESUS-CHRIST 255 'T is a true Sacrament 255 Imprints a Character and gives Special grace to fight against Tyrants and wordly souls 257 These hurt more
necessary to baptise an infant or the primitive Christians the holy Fathers nay or IESUS CHRIST himself who says so clearly and with such asseveration that it is necessary for him 7. From these Catholick Verities all married women ought to learn to have great care that their daughters and servants also know well all that is necessary for the essence of this sacrament and that they know well what I am about to say of it In case of necessity each one may baptize an infant also the Father or Mother in defect of another and if you will that the child be saved see what you must do You must take water not spittle aquavitae rosewater or any other made by art but natural water of fountaine sea river pit pond or well you must wet or wash the body of the infant with it the head if you can possibly and if you cannot wash the head you must put water upon the brest arme foot or upon some other naked part and the same persone that puts water must in putting it say distinctly with intention to purge him from original sin and to make him a member of the Church or at least to do what the Church does these words Infant I Baptise thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost But the Infant that should be perhaps baptized upon any other part than the head when the head appears you must baptise him again under condition saying Infant if thou art not baptized I baptise thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Becaus Baptisme that is given upon any other part 3. Part q. 66. ar 7. is not certen says S. Thomas And when you are not certen that the child is dead you ought to baptise him under condition and say If tbou art living I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost For as S Austin speaking of a Catechumen that fell into an Apoplexie having not demanded Baptisme says that he ought to be baptized becaus 't is better to put your self in danger of baptizing one unwilling than to be wanting to one willing So when you doubt if a child be living 't is better to put your self in danger of baptizing a dead child than not to baptize one living And becaus the life of these little creatures is sometimes so feeble and imperceptible that we thinke them wholy dead though a longtime after they give signes of life I say 't is good thar every woman should know all this for it happens sometimes that a woman falls into labour suddenly and unexpectedly and that the infant cannot be brought perfectly into the world alive or it is so weake that likely it will die before an ordinary Minister of this Sacrament can be had if those about her know not how to baptize the infant may be for want of this help depriv'd of Salvation and if this should happen but once in the whole world in a hundred years for to avoyd it every one should learn with great care how to apply this Sacrament so important is the salvation of a soul 8. And this again is of so great importance that very learned and pious Bishops and other Divines have counselled all Curates to baptise under condition all infants that had been baptized by women for though some know well the matter and the form of Baptisme they are nevertheless so surprized and in such a hurrie in these conjunctures that often they know not what they do and this is not only the judgment of those Bishops but Opus 65. parag vlt de Officio Sacerd. the express opinion of S. Thomas 9. In fine married women ought to learn that they are most culpable in the sight of God if their infant die before Baptisme becaus they defer it too long expecting Gossips or for other humane reasons or considerations or becaus they hurt themselves and lie down before their time if this happen with out your fault you may comfort your selves in your innocencie and adore the Providence of God but if you have hurt your selves by your fault leaping dansing putting your selves into great passion or by carrying too heavy burdens 't is an evill which hath no excuse and which deserves to be deplor'd all the rest of your life 10. But if it be so great a misfortune to those poor infantâ— not to receive the grace of Baptisme though without their fault It is no smal misery to lose it after we have receiv'd it and to lose it by our fault for a passion or a trifle especially since it is so hard to returne again by penance to the same newness in CHRIST and to obtain so full and entire remission of all sins as in Baptisme we receiv'd The justice of God exacts to this effect a second Baptisme a Baptisme not of elementary water but of teares a laborious painfull and sorrowfull Baptisme say the holy Fathers and the Council of Trent For sins commited after Baptisme are far greater more enormous and unworthy of pardon ss 14. c. 2 than the sins of infidells Christians that shal be damn'd will be more tormented in hell than Pagans they have the knowlegd of God they know or ought to know his holy will and his divine Commandements how great an evill it is to transgress them and to offend so high and so excellent a Majesty The Servant that knows the will of his Master and does it not shall be beaten Luk. 12. 47. with many stripes says IESVS CHRIST We are not strangers but domesticks of God his children and beloved We have the honor to be received to his table to eate of his bread and to be nourished with his flesh if then we offend him after so many favours he is very sensible of the offence it is a monstrous ingratitude as when one of your own betrays you you are wont to say if it were another it would not trouble me but such an one who pertains to me so neerly whom I have so much oblig'd ha this does pierce my heart so IESUS says si inimicus meus maledixisset mihi sustinuissem utique if a Turk a Iew a Pagan who is my enemy offend me the injury is not so sensible But you a Christian who have contracted amitle with me who have set at my table how have you the malice to commit sin which disobliges me extreamly we have receiv'd the grace of God by Baptisme the gifts of the holy Ghost the supernatural habits helps to overcom temptations if we sin notwithstanding these favours we have much less excuse Do not so if you be wise If you have yet baptismal grace If you are cloathed with this fine garment which S. Austin calls the Robe of silk with this robe of innocencie which is given you in Baptisme keep it carefully persever and walk in it til death for t is more honourable more pleasant more easie and