custom For there is no body ignorant that Children were us'd to be circumcis'd on the eighth Day Now if the Circumcision made with Hands in taking away the Body of Flesh could profit them it is evident then that Baptism which is the circumcision of Christ not made with Hands must needs profit them Lastly Fifthly Rom. 5.17 as the Apostle teaches If by the sin of One Death reign'd through One much more they that receive an abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life through One even Jesus Christ Since therefore by the sin of Adam Children by their very birth contract hurt much more by Christ our Lord may they obtain Grace and Righteousness to reign in life which verily without Baptism can by no means come to pass Conc. Trid. Sess 5. decret de peccat origin Sess 7. de Baptis c. 12 13 14. Dionys de Eccles Hier. c. 7. Cypria Ep. 59. Aug. Ep. 28. lib. 1. de peccat merit c. 23. Chrysost Hom. de Adam Eva. Concil Mil. vit c. 2. de consec dist 4. passim Wherefore the Pastors shall teach XXXII How Children baptiz'd are to be educated That by all means Infants are to be baptiz'd and then that by little and little their tender age is to be instructed to true Devotion by the Precepts of Christian Religion For as it is excellently said of the Wiseman Train up a Youth in the way he should go and when he grows old he will not depart from it Nor is it to be doubted XXXIII After what manner Infants baptiz'd receive Faith Epist. 23. ad Bon. but when they are baptiz'd they receive the Sacraments of Faith Not that they believe with the assent of their mind but because they are establish'd in the Faith of their Parents if their Parents were Faithful but if not to use S. Austin's words they are arm'd with the Faith of the whole company or the Saints For we rightly confess that they are offer'd in Baptism by all those Saints who were pleas'd to offer them and by whose charity they are joyn'd to the communion of the Holy Ghost And the Faithful are earnestly to be admonish'd to take care that their Children be brought to the Church so soon as may be without danger XXXIV Infants to be baptiz'd as soon as may be to be baptiz'd with the Solemn Ceremonies For since there is no other way left for Infants to attain Salvation unless they are baptiz'd We may easily perceive how great a guilt they bring upon themselves who suller them to want the Grace of that Sacrament longer than necessity requires especially since by reason of the weakness and tenderness of their age they are in continual danger of their life Aug. lib. 3. de Orig. animae c. 9. lib. 1. de peccat merit c. 2. Epist 28. But then the custom of the primitive Church declares that there is a different reason for those who are of ripe Years XXXV Adult persons to be invited and prepared for Baptism and have the perfect use of Reason to wit who are born of Infidel Parents for the Christian Faith is offer'd them and with all earnestness they are to be advis'd perswaded and invited to embrace it And if they are converted to our Lord God then they must be admonish'd that they defer not the Sacrament of Baptism beyond the time prescrib'd by the Church For seeing it is written First Delay not to be converted to the Lord and put not off froam day to day they are to be taught that perfect conversion is plac'd in the new Birth by Baptism Secondly And besides by how much the later they come to Baptism by so much the longer must they want the grace and use of the other Sacraments of Christian Religion because none can be admitted to them without Baptism And then Thirdly that they are also depriv'd of that excellent benefit we receive by Baptism for the Water of Baptism not only washes off and takes away every spot or blemish of all those sins which before were commiteed But it adorns us with Divine Grace by the aid and assistance whereof we can also avoid sin for the future and secure righteousnefss and innocence in which thing consists the sum of the Christian Life as all may easily perceive Tertul lib. de Poenit c. 6. de praescript c. 41. Cypr. Epist 13. de consecrat dist 4 c. 64. 65. Aug. lib de fide operib c. 9. But tho these things are so yet the Church has not bin us'd presently or hastily to bestow this Sacrament of Baptism upon this sort of Men XXXVI Why the Church is wont to defer the Baptism of those of ripe Age. The First Reason but has decreed that it should be deferr'd for a certan time For this delay has not joyn'd with it the same danger as was noted before to impend over Infants because the purpose and resolution that they who are endu'd with the use of Reason have of receiving Baptism and their Penance for their sore-past evil life will be available for Grace and Righteousness to them if any suddain accident should happen to hinder them from being Baptiz'd But on the contrary The Second The First Advantage this delay seems to be somewhat advantagious For first because the Church ought to be very provident that none come to this Sacrament through Hypocrisie and Dissimulation the Dispositions of those who desire Baptism will be more throughly try'd and discover'd For which cause we find it decreed by antient Councils that those Jews who come to the Catholic Faith before Baptism was administr'd to them were to be for some Months amongst the Catechumens The Second and then thereby they are more perfectly instructed in the Doctrin of that Faith which they ought to profess The Third and in the Rules of Christian Life Besides there is a greater and more religious veneration given to the Sacrament if with solemn Ceremony they receive Baptism only on the appointed days of Easter and Whitsuntide But notwithstanding the Time of Baptism XXXVII When Baptism of the Adult is to be deferr'd Act. 8.38.10.48 sometimes it is not to be deferr'd for some just and necessary cause as when there seems to be a present danger of Life and especially if the persons to be baptiz'd do fully understand the Mysteries of Faith which it is manifest that Philip and the Prince of Apostles did when the One baptiz'd Queen Candace's Eunuch and the other Cornelius and that without delay and as soon as ever they profefs'd that they embrac'd the Faith Furthermore XXXVIII They who are baptiz'd ought to desire Baptism it must be taught and explain'd to the people how they that are to be baptiz'd ought to be affected First of all therefore they must of necessity be willing and resolv'd to receive Baptism For since every one in Baptism dies to sin
contra duas Epist Pelag c. 13. lib 3. c. 5 in Ench. c. 64. lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 25. Item Greg. lib. 9. Epist 39. Conc. Vien Florent in Mater de Sacram. It most be confess'd indeed XLIII Concupiscence remaining in those thâ—t are baptiz'd is not sin Augâ—st as in the same place by authority of That Holy Synod has bin decreed that even in those that are baptiz'd there does remain Concupiscence or a kind of scum But that has not truly the Reason or Nature of sin For according to S. Austin In little Children baptiz'd the guilt of Concupiscence is absolv'd tho the Concupiscence it self remain till Death And elswhere he testifies The Guilt of Concupiscence in Baptism is loos'd but the Infirmity remains For Concupiscence which proceeds of sin is nothing else but an Appetite of the mind by its own nature repugnant to Reason Which motion notwithstanding if it have not the Consent of the Will or Negligence joyn'd with it is far from the true nature of sin But when S. Paul says I had not known Concupiscence to be sin Rom. 7.7 if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet By these words he means not the very Concupiscence it self but the Corruption of the Will The same Doctrine S. Gregory taught writing thus Lib 9 Regist Epist 39. If there be any who say that in Baptism sin is forgiven only superficially or as to the outward commission of it what can be spoken more like an Infidel than this since by the Sacrament of Faith the Soul is absolv'd from sin even to the very Roots thereof And to prove this he uses the testimony of our Savior when in S. John he says Joh. 13.10 He that is wash'd needs not but to wash his Feet but is clean throughout Now if any one would see an express Figure and resemblance of this matter XLIV A Figure of Bapti m. 4 Reg. 9.14 let him contemplate the History of Naaman the Syrian's Leprosie who when he had wash'd himself seven times in the Water of Jordan he was so cleans'd from his Leprosie as the Scripture witnesses That his Flesh became like the Flesh of a little Child Wherefore the proper Effect of Baptism is the Forgiveness of all sins whether contracted by Original Corruption or by our own Fault For which cause it was instituted by our Lord and Savior as to omit other Testimonies the Prince of Apostles shew'd in most clear words Act. 2.38 when he said Repent and let every one of you be baptiz'd in the name of Jesus Christ for the râ—mission of sins Of concupiscence remaining in those that are baptiz'd See Aug. lib. 1. de peccat merit remiss c. 39. Item lib. 1. cont duas Epist Pelag. c. 13. l. 3. c. 3. in medio lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 23. 25. Item lib. 6. cont Julian q. 5. de verb. Apost Serm 6. But now in Baptism not only sins are remitted XLV The Second effect of Baptism The remission of the Punishment due to sin Rom. 9.3 but also all the Punishments of sins and wickedness are graciously pardon'd of God For tho it be common to all the Sacraments that by them is communicated the vertue of Christ our Lords Passion yet of Baptism only is it said by the Apostle that through it we dye and are bury'd together with Christ Whence Holy Church always understood that without exceeding great wrong to this Sacrament it could not be that those Offices of Piety or Devotion which by a usuâ—â— name the Fathers call'd works of Satisfaction could be enjoyn'd to him that was to be cleans'd by this Sacrament That the Punishments due to sin are remitted in Baptism See Ambros in cap. 11. ad Rom. Aug. lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 33. in Ench. cap. 4. D. Thom. 3. Art p. q. 69. art 2. unde nec nulla est imponenda penitentia Greg. lib. 7 regist Epist 24. habetur de consecrat dist 4. cap. Ne quod absit D. Thom. p. q. 68. ar 5. Nor are the things which we here teach contrary to the practice or custom of the Ancient Church XLVI Works of Penance before Baptism to what purpose which antiently requir'd the Jews when they were to be baptiz d to fast forty days together For that was not ordain'd for satisfaction For those that receiv'd Baptism were by that means admonish'd that for the more reverencing of the Dignity of that Sacrament they should for some time without intermission give themselves to Fasting and Prayer But tho we ought to be assur'd that in Baptism the Punishment of Sin is pardon'd XLVII What Punishments are not remitted in Baptism yet no one is freed from that kind of punishment which is deserv'd of the Civil Judgement for any grievous Crime So as that he that deserves to dye should be freed by baptism from the punishment appointed by the Laws Note Notwithstanding the Religion and Piety of those Princes is highly to be commended who that the Glory of God in his Sacraments might be made the more illustrious do at the Fonts remit and pardon that punishment also Besides Baptism procures us after the stage of this life a freedom and discharge from all those punishments which follow Original Sin for by merit of our Lord's Death it is that we obtain these things But as was said before Rom. 5.6 by Baptism we dye with him For if as the Apostle says we are planted together with him in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection But if any one ask XLVIII Why after Baptism we are not freed from all Misery of Life why immediately after Baptism and even in this mortal life we are not freed from these inconveniences and are not carry'd by vertue of this Sacred Washing into that perfect state of life in which Adam the first Father of Mankind was plac'd before he sinn'd we must answer that this is thus done for Two reasons especially The First of which is The First Reason That we who by Baptism are knit to the Body of Christ and are made his Members might not receive greater dignity than our Head Since therefore Christ our Lord tho from his first birth he had the Fulness of Grace and Truth yet he laid not down the Frailty of Humane Nature which he took before he had endur'd the torments of his Passion and Death it self and then he rose to the Glory of Life Everlasting who can wonder when he sees the Faithful who have already by Baptism got the grace of the righteousness of Heaven to be notwithstanding yet cloath'd with weak decaying Bodies that afterwards having gone through many labors for Christ's sake and last of all even through Death it self they may be called again to life and be found worthy to enjoy an everlasting Age with Christ Another cause why after Baptism
a thing might be more remarkable to all when the very certain Time was set down when the thing was done as we find it done by the Apostle 1. Tim. 6.13 and also because in those words it is declar'd that the prophecies concerning our Saviour might be verifi'd by the event Mat. 20 19. for they says he will deliver him to the Gentiles to be mock'd to be scourg'd and to be crucifi'd But especially that he suffer'd death on the Tree of the Cross IV. Why Christ dy'd on the Cross this also is to be ascrib'd to the council of God to wit that whence death had its beginning thence life shou'd have its resurrection For the Serpent by the Tree seduc'd and overcame our first Parents himself was vanquish'd by Christ throw the Tree of his Cross Many other reasons may be produc'd for this matter which the Holy Fathers have largely treated of to shew that iâ— was convenient that our Redeemer shou'd undergo that death of the Cross rather than any other But the Curat may admonish that it is enough if the faithful believ that that kind of death was chosen by our Savior which seem'd indeed more proper and suitable to the redemption of mankind for certainly there could be none more odious and unbecoming For the punishment of the Cross was always not only among the Gentiles held accurs'd and full of shame and disgrace Deut. 21 23. Gal. 3.13 but also in the Law of Moses he is call'd accurs'd that hangs on a tree Nor may the Curat omit the history of This Article V. Why the explication of this Article ought to be often repeated which the Evangelist took such diligent care to expound but that the faithful may learn and know the chief heads at least of this Mystery which seem to be most necessary for the confirmation of the truth of our Faith For on this Article as upon a certain foundation our Christian Religion and Faith is establish'd and this being well grounded all the rest will hold well together For if any thing prove difficult to the mind and understanding of man certainly the mystery of the Cross may deservedly be accounted the hardest of all and we can very hardly imagine that our Salvation can depend upon the Cross and on him who was crucifi'd thereon but in this as the Apostle teaches we may admire the profound Providence of God 1 Cor. 8. for because in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleas'd God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believ Wherefore we are not to wonder if the Prophets before the coming of Christ and the Apostles after his death and resurrection so strenuously labour'd to perswade men that this is the Redeemer of men and to bring them into the Dominion and Obedience of him who was crucifi'd for them Wherefore seeing there is nothing so strange to humane reason as the Mystery of the Cross VI. Figures and Prophecies of the mystery of the Cross immediately after the commission of sin the Lord was not wanting both by Figures and the Oracles of the Prophets to signifie the death his Son was to undergo To touch a little upon the Figures Abel first who was kill'd by the malice of his Brother Gen. 4.8 Gen. 22.6 7 8. then the sacrificing of Isaac next the Lamb which the Jews kill'd at their going forth out of Egypt Exod. 12.5 6 7. then the Braz'n Serpent which Moses lifted up in the Wilderness Num. 21.8 9. all these as Figures foreshew'd the Death and Passion of Christ our Lord. But then as to the Prophets Job 3.4 how many were there that propheci'd of it is better known than to need to be told in this place But above all others to omit David who in his Psalms Ps 2. 12 66 109. has handl'd all the chief mysteries of our Redemption the Oracls of Isaiah are so plain and clear Is 53. that it may well be said Hier. Epist ad Paulin. ante fâ—nem that he rather told the story of a thing already done than foretold the Prophecy of a thing yet to be done Dead and Buried In explaining these words the Curat shall teach that we are to believ VII Christ truly dy'd that Jesus Christ after he was crucifi'd was truly dead and buried And indeed it is not without cause that this is severally propos'd to the faithful to be believ'd seeing there have bin some who have deny'd that he dy'd on the Cross The â—nostics the Apostls therefore deservedly thought it fit that this point of Faith shou'd be oppos'd to that error of the truth of which Article there is no room left to doubt Mat. 27.50 Mar. 15.37 Luc. 23.46 Joh. 19.30 For all the Evangelists agree together in this that Jesus gave up the Ghost Besides whenas Christ was true and perfect Man he also cou'd truly dye Now man dies when his Soul is separated from his Body Wherefore when we say that Jesus was dead VIII God was united to the Soul and Body of Christ tho separated when he was dead we mean that his Soul was divided from his Body and yet we do not grant that his Divinity was disjoyn'd from his body but rather we constantly believ and confess that when his Soul was divided from his Body his Divinity was always joyn'd both to his Body when it was in the Sepulchre and to his Soul when it was in Hell But it became the Son of God to dye Heb. 2.10 14 15. that by death he might destroy him who had the power of death i. e the Devil and rescue them who by the fear of death all their whole life were subject to bondage But this was singular in Christ our Lord IX Christ's death was voluntary not forc'd that he then did dye when himself had purpos'd to dye and he died a death rather voluntary than by constraint nor did he only appoint and determine his own death but likewise the Place and the Time when and where he wou'd dye for so says Isaiah He is offer'd a sacrifice because it was his will And the same our Lord Isai 53.9 before his Passion said of himself I lay down my life to take it up again Joh. 10 17. no man takes it from me but I lay it down of my self and I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again But then as to the Time and Place when Herod sought his life and to insnare him he said Luk. 13.32 33. Tell that Fox behold I cast out Devils and do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I am perfected nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following for it cannot be that a Prophet shou'd perish out of Jerusalem He therefore did nothing unwillingly or by force but willingly he offer'd himself and going to meet his enemies
Bliss and Glory which they waited for they were in a kind of Torment But Christ our Lord descended not to suffer any more but to free the Saints and Righteous Men from the Misery and Trouble of that Imprisonment and to bestow upon them the Fruits of his Passion That therefore he went down to Hell was no lessening of his supream Dignity and Power These things being explain'd IX Why Christ went down to Hell it must be taught that Christ our Lord went down to Hell that after he had spoil'd the Devils he might lead those Holy Fathers and other pious persons being now freed from Prison with him to Heav'n which wonderfully and gloriously he has accomplish'd For immediatly the sight of him gave transcendant Light to the Captiv's and fill'd their souls with immense joy and gladness on whom he also bestow'd that most desir'd Bliss which consists in the Vision of God which done it is manifest what it was he promis'd the Thief in these words Luc. 23.43 This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice But of this deliverance of the Godly the Prophet Osee so long before propheci'd in this manner O death I will be thy death O Hell I will be thy destruction The Prophet Zachary signifi'd the same thing when he said Thou also by the blood of thy Testament hast sent them that are bound out of the lake wherein there is no water Lastly the same thing the Apostle expresses in these words Col. 2.15 in taking the spoils of principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself But that we may understand the force of this mystery the better X. Who are sav'd by the benefit of Christs Passion we ought often to call to remembrance that devout men not only who were born after the coming of our Lord but those who after Adam were before him or who hereafter shall be to the end of the World have and shall attain Salvation by the benefit of his Passion Wherefore before he dy'd and rose again the Gates of Heav'n were never open to any but the Souls of the Godly when they departed this life were either carry'd into Abraham's Bosome or as now it fares with them who have somewhat to be purg'd or satisfi'd were cleans'd by the fire of Purgatory There is besides XI Another Reason of Christ's going down to Hell Phil. 2.10 another Reason why Christ our Lord went down to Hell namely that he might there shew his Might and Power as he had done in Heav'n and Earth and that as every knee both of things in Heav'n and things in Earth bow'd at the name of him so also of things below and under the Earth At consideration whereof who is there who admires not and even stands not amaz'd at the immense bounty of God towards mankind who was willing not only to undergo the most bitter Death for us but also to go down to the very lowest parts of the Earth that he might carry with him the Souls so very dear to him which he thence victoriously bore away to bliss and happiness Now follows the other part of the Article XII The other Part of the Article concerning the Resurrection 2 Tim. 2.8 in explaining whereof how painful the Curat ought to be appears by those words of the Apostle Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ arose again from the dead For what he commanded Timothy it is not to be doubted but that it is also commanded to all others that have the Cure of Souls And this is the meaning of the Article After that Christ our Lord had giv'n up the Ghost on the Cross upon Friday at the ninth hour of the day and the same day at Even he was bury'd by his Disciples who by leav of Pilate the President laid the body of our Lord when they had tak'n it down from the Cross into a new Tomb in a Garden near at hand the third day after his death which was the Lords day early in the morning his soul was again join'd to his body and so he who was dead those three days arose again and return'd to life out of which he departed by death but by the word Resurrection we are not to understand only that Christ was rais'd from the dead which was a thing common to many others but that he rose again by his own power and vertue which was a singular thing and proper to Him alone For it is contrary to Nature XIV No man can naturally rise again from the dead 2 Cor. 13.4 nor was it even granted to any man to be able by his own power to rais'e himself from death to life but this belongs to the supream power of God only as we learn from those words of the Apostle Altho he was crucifi'd throw weakness yet he liv's by the power of God which seeing it was never separated from Christ's Body in the Sepulchre nor from his Soul when it went down into Hell his Divine Power was both in his Body so that it cou'd be joyn'd again to his Soul and in his Soul so that it cou'd again be brought back to his Body so that by his own power he might revive and rise again from the dead And this thing XV. The Resurrection soretold Psa 97.2 David being full of the Spirit of God foretold in these words His right hand and his Holy arm hath gott'n himself the victory And the Lord himself by the divine testimony of his own mouth has confirm'd it I lay down my life and I will take it up again Joh. 10.17 and I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again And also to the Jews for confirmation of his doctrin he said Joh. 2.19 Dissolve this temple and in three days I will raise it up again Which tho they indeed understood of that Temple magnificently built of Stones yet he as is declar'd in the same place by the words of Scripture Act. 1.24 spake of the Temple of his Body Now although we sometimes read in Scripture that Christ our Lord was raised by the Father this is to be understood of Christ as Man ev'n as those things again relate to himself as God whereby is signifi'd that he rose again by his own Power And this also belongs specially to Christ XVI Christ first rose from the dead Apoc. 1.5 1 Cor. 15.20 that He was the First who enjoy'd this divine benefit of the Resurrection For in Scripture he is called the First begotten among the dead and the First begotten of the dead And as the Apostle has it Christ arose again from the dead being the First-fruits of them that sleep for verily by Man came death and by Man came the Resurrection of the dead and as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive but every one in his own order Christ the First fruits and afterwards those that are Christ's Which
our Wickedness by the Blood of his only begotten Son so that he freely endur'd the Punishment which for our sins we had deserv'd and the Just was condemn'd for the Unjust the Innocent was put to a most bitter death for the Guilty Wherefore when we seriously consider with our selves 1 Pet. 1.18 19. That we were not redeem'd with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot or blemish we shall easily conclude that nothing could possibly come to us more advantagious than this power of forgiving sins which shews the unutterable of Providence of God and his exceeding Love towards us And from this consideration it must needs be X. Mortal Sin how great an Evil. that a mighty advantage redound to us For he that offends God by any mortal Sin whatsoever Merits he before had by the Death of Christ and his Cross he straightway loses all and the Gate of Paradice which before being shut our Savior by his Passion has open'd to all he has shut again against himself Which when we remember we cannot chuse but that the consideration of Mans Misery will extreamly grieve us But if we bend our mind to this admirable Power which God has given to his Church and being confirm'd in the Faith of this Article believe that this Power is offer'd to every one so that being assisted by Gods help he may be restor'd to his former state of dignity then are we forc'd with the highest joy and gladness to exult and give immortal Thanks to God And truly if those Medicines are us'd to seem welcome and pleasant which the skilful and careful Physitian prepares for us when we are sick how much more pleasant ought those remedies to be which the Wisdom of God has appointed for the cure of our Souls and consequently for the recovery of Life and especially when they carry with them not a weak doubtful Hope of Health as those Medicines do which are apply'd to the Body but when they bring most certain Health to those who desire to be heal'd The Faithful therefore are to be admonish'd XI The Benefit of Remission of Sin diligently to be us'd after they have known the dignity of so ample and so excellent a Gift that they study religiously to convert it to their own advantage For it can hardly be that he who makes no use of a thing that is profitable and necessary can be suppos'd not to despise it and specially seeing the Lord has deliver'd to his Church this Power of forgiving sins to this end that all might use this wholsome remedy For as no one without Baptism can be expiated or cleans'd so whosoever is minded to recover the Grace of Baptism which he lost by mortal sin must necessarily betake himself to that other kind of expiation to wit the Sacrament of Penance But here the Faithful are to be warn'd XII The Easiness of obtaining Pardon not to be abus'd Aug. in Joan. Tract 33. lib. 50. Hom. 41. Amb. lib. 2. de poenit c. 1.2 11. that hearing of so large a Power of Pardon and that it is not to be limited to any term of Time not to take encouragement either to sin the more readily or to repent the more slowly For since by the one they are manifestly discover'd to be injurious to and to affront this Divine Power they are unworthy that God should bestow any Mercy upon them and by the other it is much to be fear'd lest being overtaken by Death in vain they confess the Forgiveness of Sins which by their sloth and putting off they have deservedly lost ARTICLE XI THe Resurrection of the Body That this Article has a great influence to establish the truth of our Faith I. How necessary the Belief of this Article This does abundantly evidence that it is propos'd to the Belief of the Faithful not only by the Holy Scriptures but is confirm'd by many reasons also Which since we see it not done in the other Articles of the Creed we may perceive that the Hope of our Salvation is grounded herein as on a most foundation as the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 15.14 If there be no Resurrection of the dead then is not Christ risen again but if Chrst be not risen again then is Our Preaching vain and your Faith is vain In explaining hereof therfore the Curat shall take no less pains and care than the wickedness of many has labour'd to overthrow it For that great and excellent advantages redound to the use of the Faithful by the knowledge hereof will by and by be shew'd But first of all this is to be noted II. Why the Resurrection of Men call'd the Resurrection of the Flesh That in this Article the Resurrection of Men is call'd the Resurrection of the Flesh. And this is not done without good reason For the Apostles would teach what is necessarily to be suppos'd That the Soul is immortal Wherefore lest any one might think that the Soul dy's together with the Body and that Both were to be restor'd to life again seeing that by many places of Holy Scripture it is plainly manifest that the Soul is immortal for this reason in this Article there is mention made of the Resurrection of the Flesh only And tho frequently in Holy Scripture the word Flesh signifies the whole man as in Esaias Isay 40.8 All Flesh is grass and in S. John The word was made Flesh Yet in this place the word Flesh signifies the Body that we may understand that of the Two Parts Soul and Body of which Man is made the One only to wit the Body is corrupted and returns into the Dust of the Earth out of which it was made that the Sout remains uncorrupt But then whereas none can be restor'd to Life III. The Soul not said to rise again 2 Tim. 2.14 unless he had been first dead the Soul is not properly said to rise again And there is mention made of the Flesh to confute that Heresie which during the Apostles life was Hymenaeus and Philetus's who taught that when in Holy Scripture mention was made of the Resurrection it was not to be understood of a Resurrection of the Body but of the soul whereby we rise from the death of sin to an innocent life From these words therefore it is plain that this error is taken away and the true Resurrection of the Body is confirm'd But it is the Curates Part to illustrate and clear this Truth by Examples taken out of the Old and New Testaments IV. How the Resurrection of the Flesh is to be prov'd and out of all other Church Histories For some were restor'd to life by Elilijah and Elisha in the Old Testament others besides those which Christ our Lord rais'd from death by the Holy Apostles and many others 3 Reg. 17.19 4 Reg. 4.34 which Resurrection of many confirms the Doctrine of this Article
very rapture Death shall seize us and as it were by a deep Sleep so soon as the Soul goes out it shall return in a moment for when they shall be carry'd up they shall dye that coming to the Lord at the Lords presence they may receive their Souls because with the Lord they cannot be dead And the same Opinion is approv'd by the Authority of S. Austin lib. 20. c. 20. in his Books concerning the City of God Seeing therefore it much concerns us to be throughly perswaded that this very and therefore the same Body which is each of our own tho it be corrupted and reduc'd to Ashes yet that it shall be rais'd to Life the Curate shall diligently undertake to teach this point This is the Apostles meaning when he says This corruptible must put on incorruption 1 Cor. 13.25 plainly shewing by the word This every ones own proper Body Job also has most clearly propheci'd hereof Job â—9 26 And in my flesh says he shall I see God whom I my self shall see and my Eyes shall behold and not another This very thing is gather'd from the Definition of the Resurrection Damasâ—n l. 4. de Fide Oâ—â—h â— 28. For the Resurrection as Damascen defines it is a Recalling back to the state from which you fell Lastly if we consider for what reason there will be a Resurrection as a little before has been shew'd 1 Cor. 5.10 we shall have no ground to doubt of this matter For therefore as we have taught will the Body be rais'd again that every one might give an account of his own works done in the Body whether Good or Evil. Man therefore must rise again with that very Body with the help whereof he has serv'd God or the Devil that with the same Body he might either receive his reward and Crown of Victory or else endure the most miserable pains and punishments Nor will the Body only rise again IX In what state the Body shall rise again S. Aug. l 22. de Civit. Dei c. 19 20 21. â—â—ch c. 86 87 88 89. Hier. Ep st 59. 6â— but whatsoever does belong to the Truth of its Nature and to the comliness and ornament of Man shall be restor'd Very excellent is the Testimony of S. Austin in this matter There shall then be no deformity or fault in our Bodies if any have been loaded or grown unweildy with Fat he shall not assume that Load of his Body but whatsoever exceeds the true measure thereof will be accounted supertiuous And on the contrary whatsoever either Sickness or Old Age has done in the Body shall by Christ's Divine Power be repair'd as if any have been overpin'd and made thin by Leanness baecause Christ not only has repair'd our Body but whatsover elses has been taken from us through the Miseries of this life And in another place S. Aug. Enâ—h c. 89. Man shall not have again that Hair which he had but that which would best become him according to that The hairs of your head are all number'd which according to the Divine Wisdom shall be repair'd And first X None mâ—â—'d after the Resurrection All the Members because they belong to the Truth of Humane Nature shall be restor'd together for those who were Blind even from their very Birth or by any Disease had lost their Sight the Lame and the Creeples and those who were impotent in any of their Members shall rise again with intire and perfect Bodies for otherwise the Desire of the Soul which is prone to conjunction with the Body would be dissatisfi'd whose desire notwithstanding in the Resurrection we believe without doubt shall be fulfill'd Besides it is sufficiently apparent that the Resurrection no less than the Creation is to be reckon'd among the Special works of God As therefore in the beginning of the Creation all things were made perfect by God so also we must affirm that it will be in the Resurrection Nor ought this to be allow'd concerning the Martyrs only XI Scars of the Martyrs wounds will remain after the Resurrection to their Glory but of the Wicked to their Msery S. Aug. lib. 22 de Civit. Dei c. 20. of whom S. Austin thus testifies They will not be without their Members for Martyrs that Dismembring which they suffer'd can be no blemish to the Body otherwise they who are Beheaded should rise again without a Head but yet in the parts of those Members shall remain the Scars of the Sword shining far above the Gold and Pretious Stones even as do the Scars of Christ's Wounds And this also is truly said of the Wicked tho their Members were cut off by their own fault for by how much the more Members they shall have with so much the more bitter Torment of Grief shall they be loaded Wherefore this restitution of Members will redound not to their Happiness but to their Calamity and Misery when their Merits will not be ascrib'd to the particular Members but to the Person to whose Body they were joyn'd For to those who have done Penance they shall be restor'd to be Rewarded but to those who neglected it to be punish'd Now if these things be seriously consider'd by the Curats they will never want Sentences and matter enough to stir up and inflame the minds of the Faithful to the study of Piety that considering the Troubles and Afflictions of this Life they may earnestly long for that blessed Glory of the Resurrection which is propos'd to the Just and Pious Now it remains that the Faithful understand XII The Body will rise again immortal in the consideration of those things which constitute or make up the substance of the Body altho that very same Body shall be rais'd from the dead which before dy'd yet the Condition thereof shall be far different For to omit other things all the Bodies at the Resurrection shall differ from themselves very much in this thing that whereas before they were subject to Death after their Resurrection to Life they shall all be Immortal without any difference of Good and Bad. And this admirable Restitution of Nature Christs famous Victory has merited XIII Whence our Bodys made immortal Esa 25.8 Oâ—c 13.14 1 Cor. 15.26 Apoc. 21.4 Apoc. 9.4 which he got over Death as the Holy Scripture testifies for it is written He shall throw down Death headlong for ever And elsewhere O Death I will be thy death Which the Apostle explaining says In the last place The enemy Death shall be destroy'd And we read in S. John Death shall be no more For it was very fit that by Christ's merit whereby the power of Death was overthrown the Sin of Adam at the long run should be overpower'd And it was agreeable to the same Divine Justice That the Good should for ever enjoy a bless'd Life And the Bad suffering eternal Torments should seek for Death but should not find it Should wish to dye but
to be given because with the benefit thereof our Soul is consecrated and joyn'd to God Wherefore to shew more fully what a Sacrament is X. A more full explication of a Sacrament it should be taught that it is a thing subject to Sense which by Gods appointment has vertue both to signifie and to work holiness and righteousness Whence it follows that any one may easily understand that the Images of the Saints Crosses and such like things tho they are Signs of Holy Things yet they are not to be call'd Sacraments Now the truth of this Doctrin it will be easie to prove by the example of all the Sacraments as before we observ'd of Baptism when we said that That solemn washing of the Body is a Sign and has the efficacy of a Holy Thing which is inwardly wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost any one may do the same thing in the other Sacraments But then this also specially belongs to these mystical Signs XI Every Sacrament signifies at least three things Present Grace the Passion of Christ and Life Everlasting which are instituted of God that by Gods appointment they signifie not any one thing only but more things together Which thing may be seen in all the Sacraments which shew not only our Holiness and Righteousness but declare two other things besides very nearly joyn'd with that Holiness to wit Christ our Redeemer's Passion which is the cause of our Holiness and Life Everlasting and the Bliss of Heaven to which our Holiness ought to be referr'd as to the End And this may be observ'd in all the Sacraments Rightly have the Holy Doctors taught that every Sacrament has in it a threefold vertue of signifying both because it brings to remembrance something already past and because it points at and shews another thing present and also because it foreshews something yet to come Nor is it to be suppos'd that these things have been thus taught of them as that it cannot be prov'd by testimony of Holy Scripture For when the Apostle says Rom 6.3 As many of us as have bin baptiz'd in Christ Jesus have bin baptiz'd in his death he plainly shews that Baptism is therefore to be call'd a Sign because it puts us in mind of the Death and Passion of our Lord. And then when he says We are bury'd together with him by Baptism into Death that as Christ rose again from the dead by the glory of the Father so also should we walk in newness of life From these words it is plain that Baptism is a Sign whereby the Divine Grace is shew'd to be pour'd into us by verture whereof is given to us that leading a new life we can easily and cheerfully perform all Offices of true Piety Lastly Rom. 6.5 when he adds For if we are planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also of his Resurrection it appears that Baptism has no dark signification of the Life Everlasting also which through it we shall obtain But besides these XII A Sacrament â—ometimes signifies not one thing only present divers kinds and ways of signifying which we have mention'd it oft happens that a Sacrament shews and notes not One thing only as present but more This is easie to be observ'd by any that consider the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist Wherein is signifi'd the presence of the true Body and Blood of the Lord which those who receive those Holy Mysteries not impurely do perceive From what has been said therefore the Pastors cannot want Arguments whereby to shew How great a Divine Power how many hidden Miracles are in the Sacraments of the New Law to prevail with all to revernce them and receive them with the greatest Devotioâ— But to teach the true use of the Sacraments XIII for what reason the Sacraments were instituted there can nothing seem more proper than diligently to explain the Reasons Why it was needful the Sacraments should be instituted Of these there are many Whereof the First is The First The weakness of Human Vnderstanding which by nature we see to be so fram'd that no One can aspire to the knowledg of those things which are comprehended by the mind and understanding unless by those things which are perceiv'd by some sense That therefore we might the more easily understand those things which are wrought by the hidden power of God the same supream Maker of all things has most wisely order'd that of his Good-will towards us he declares that very Power by some Signs which fall under some Sense For as S. Chrysostom excellently says Chrysost hom 83. in Matt. hom 60. ad pop Antioch If Man were but free from the conjunction of the Body those goon things would be offer'd him naked and not wrapp'd up in coverings But because the Soul is joyn'd with the Body it was altogether needful to use the help of sensible things to understand them Another Reason is The Second Aug l. 4. de Baptis con tra c. 24. Because our Minds are not easily wrought upon to believe those things which are promis'd us And therefore from the very beginning of the World God has bin us'd very frequently to shew by Words what he intended to do and sometimes also when he intended any work the Greatness whereof might shake the Belief of the Promise he add'd to the words some Signs alsso which had a kind of miracle in them sometimes For when God sent Moses to deliver the people of Israel Exod. 3.10 Exod. 3.42 but he not being assur'd of Gods assistance who sent him fear'd lest too heavy a burden should be laid upon him which he could not be able to hear or lest the people would not give credit to the Divine Oracles and Sayings The Lord confirm'd his promise by a great variety of Signs As therefore in the Old Testament God so ordered it that the Constancy or Truth of some great Promise might be testified by Signs so also â—n the New Law our Savior Christ when he promis'd us Forgiveness of Sins Heavenly Grace the Communion of the Holy Ghost instituted some certain Signs subject to our Eys and Senses by which as by pledges we might esteem him as it were oblig'd and so for the future might never doubt of the Faithfulness of the Promise A Third Reason was The Third â— mâ— .. â— de Saâ—â— â— 4. as S. Ambrose writes That the Soul might have ready at hand the remedies and medicines as it were of the Evangelical Samaritan for the recovery and preservation of her Health For the vertue which flows from Christ's Passion i. e. the Grace which he merited for us upon the Altar of the Cross must be deriv'd upon our selves by the Sacraments as it were by certain Pipes otherwise no one can have any hope of Salvation Wherefore our most merciful Lord would leave in his Church Sacraments firmly establish'd by his Word and Promise by which
sufficient For each of them ceases not to be a Sacrament though it were laid up in the Pyx And then in the making of the other Sacraments there is no change of the Matter and Element into another nature For the Water of Baptism or the Oyl of Chrism when those Sacraments are administer'd lose not their former nature of Water and Oyl But in the Eucharist that which was Bread and Wine before Consecration the Consecration being made is truly the substance of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Now altho there be Two Elements X. The Eucharist â—ut one Sacrament tho double in Matter to wit Bread and Wine of which the whole Sacrament of the Eucharist is made yet being taught by the Authority of the Church we confess that there is not many Sacraments but one Sacrament only Otherwise the Number of Seven Sacraments which number has always bin held and was determin'd in the Councils of Lateran Florence and Trent cannot stand For seeing the Grace of this Sacrament makes us one mystic Body that the Sacrament it self might agree to the thing it makes it must needs be but One and One too not as tho it were individual but because it has the signification of One thing For as Meat and Drink which are two different things but serve only to One purpose to wit to refresh and strengthen the Body so it is fit that those two different Species of the Sacrament should answer to them since they signifie the spiritual Meat wherewith our Souls are sustain'd and refresh'd Wherefore it is said by our Lord and Savior Joh. 6. â— My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed Ex Conciliis citatis Lateranense generale sub Innocent II. non numerat quidem distinctè septem Sacramenta sed ex variis Canonibus satis clarè colliguntur Florent in doct de Sacram. Trid. Sess 7. can 1. But it is diligently to be explain'd what the Sacrament of the Eucharist signifies The Eucharist signifies Three things that the Faithful beholding with their Eyes the Sacred Mysteries may also at the same time feed their Souls with the Contemplation of the Divine things Now there are Three things which are shew'd in this Sacrament The First is the Passion of Christ The Passion of Christ Luc. 22.19 1 Cor 11. which is now past for he taught Do this in Commemoration of me And the Apostle testifi'd As oft as ye shall eat this Bread and drink this Chalice ye will shew the Death of the Lord till he come The second is the Divine and Heavenly Grace Divine Grace which being present in this Sacrament is given to feed and preserve the Soul For as in Baptism we are begotten to a New life Tertul. de Râ—sur Carnis c. 8. and in Confirmation we are strengthen'd to resist Satan and openly to profess the name of Christ so in the Sacrament of the Eucharist we are nourish'd and sustained The Third Eternal Glory which foreshews somewhat to come is that Fruit of eternal Glory and Delight which we shall receive in Heaven by the promise of God These three therefore which are plainly distinguish'd by the variety of time past present and to come are so signifi'd in Holy Mysteries that the whole Sacrament altho it consists of divers Species may be apply'd to shew any of all these as it were to the signification of one thing But first of all XI The Double Matter of the Eucharist Bread and Wine the Pastors must know the Matter of this Sacrament both that they themselves may know how to consecrate it and also that the Faithful may be admonish'd of what thing it is a Symbol and also may be inflam'd with the love and desire of that thing which it signifies The Matter therefore of this Sacrament is double The one part is Bread made of Wheat of which we will speak first of the other will be spoken afterwards For as the Evangelists Matthew Mark and Luke do teach Mat. 26.20 Mar. 14.22 Luc. 22 19. Joh. 11. Christ our Lord took Bread into his Hands Bless'd and brake it saying This is my Body And in S. John the same our Savior call'd himself Bread when he said I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven Vide de Consecr dist 2. c. 1 2. 55. ubi habes de hac materia decret Alexand. Pap. in 1. Epist ad omnes Orthodoxos Cypr. lib. 2. Epist 3. Ambr. l. 4. de Sacram. l. 4. vide etiam Iren. l. 4. c. 34. l. 5. c. 2. Now since there are divers kinds of Bread XII Wheaten Bread the true Matter of the Eucharist D. Tho. 3. p. q. 74. a. 3. either because it is made of different matter as when some is made of Wheat some of Barley and some of Peas and other Fruits of the Earth or because it has different Qualities for some is leven'd and some is unleven'd As to the first our Saviors words shew that the Bread ought to be made of Wheat for by a common custom of speaking when Bread is absolutely nam'd it is plain enough that Wheaten-Bread is meant And this is declar'd by a Figure of the Old Testament Levit. 24.5 for the Lord commanded that the Loaves of Shew-Bread which signifi'd this Sacrament should be made of the like Matter Now as no Bread but Wheaten Bread can be thought fit to be Matter for this Sacrament XIII Unleven'd Bread the Matter of the Eucharist Ma. 26.17 Mar 14.12 Luc. 22.7 for so the Tradition of the Apostles teaches us and the authority of the Catholic Church has confirm'd so also it may easily be gather'd from what our Lord Christ did that it ought to be Vnleven'd For on the first day of Vnleven'd bread when it was unlawful for the Jews to have in their Houses any leven'd Bread he made and instituted this Sacrament Vide lib. 3. decretal tit de celebrat Missarum c. ulâ— ubi habes Auctoritatem Honorii Papae 3. But if any one hereto oppose the Authority of John the Evangelist XIV An Objection answer'd who says that all these things were done before the day of the Passover that reason may be easily solv'd For that day which the other Evangelists call the first day of unleven'd Bread because on the fifth day of the week at Evening the feast days of unleven'd Bread began at which time our Savior celebrated the Passover John 13.1 that same day S. John calls the day before the Passover as judging the space of a natural day which is begun at Sun-rising was chiefly to be observ'd Wherefore S. Chrysostom also In Mat. hom 38. interprets the first day of Vnleven'd Bread to be that day whereon at Evening Vnleven'd Bread was to be eaten But how suitable the Consecration of Vnleven'd Bread is to that Integrity and Cleanness of the Soul which the Faithful ought to bring to this Sacrament we are taught by
But this also is very wonderful VIII Christ not Man before God That so soon as ever the Soul of Christ was joyned with his Body his very God-head or Divinity was also knit together with his Soul and Body Wherefore his Body was at once both form'd and quickn'd and his Divinity joyn'd to his Soul and Body Whence it came to pass IX The Virgin truly Mother of God and Man That in the same moment of time he became perfect God and perfect Man and the most Holy Virgin truly and properly call'd Mother of God and of Man in the same moment wherein she conceiv'd God and Man This was signifi'd by the Angel when he said Luc. 1.31 Behold thou shalt conceiv in thy Womb and shalt bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and shall be call'd the Son of the most High By the event it was well prov'd what Isaiah foretold Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceiv and bring forth a Son That Elizabeth also perceiv'd this to be the Conception of the Son of God she being fill'd with the Holy Ghost declares in these Words Whence comes this thing to me Luc. 1.43 That the Mother of my Lord comes to me Now as the Body of Christ was form'd of the purest Blood of the purest Virgin X. Christ as soon as conceiv'd had all Grace without the help of Man as was said before but by the only Power of the Holy Ghost so also as soon as he was conceiv'd his Soul receiv'd an overflowing plenty and all abundance of the Chrism or anointing of the Holy Spirit For God gave not his Spirit to him by measure Job 3.34 as to other Men adorn'd with Grace and Holiness as S. John testifies but be pouer'd plentifully into his Soul all Grace Joh. 1.16 That of his fulness we might all receiv Nor may we call him The Adopted Son of God Note tho he had the Spirit wereby holy Men obtain the Adoption of the Sons of God for he being the Son of God by Nature we may not think that the Grace or name of Adoption can by any means be proper or suitable to him These are the things which seem proper to be explain'd XI How the fruits of the belief of this Article to be got concerning the wonderful Mystery of Christs Conception from whence that some wholsome Fruit and Advantage might redound to us the Faithful ought to fix these things in their Memories and frequently to consider in their Hearts That it is God who took Human flesh upon himself Yet such a way did he become Man that we cannot comprehend in our Minds nor express with Words Lastly that for this end he wou'd become Man That we might be born again and become the Children of God This when they have well consider'd and all the Mysteries contein'd in this Article let them with humble and faithful Minds believ and adore them not seeking to search or pry narrowly into them because they can scarce ever do it without great danger Born of the Virgin Mary This is the other Part of this Article XII Christ born of a Virgin in explaining whereof the Curat shou'd be very diligent because the Faithful are bound to believ not only That Christ our Lord was conceiv'd by the power of the Holy Ghost but that he was born and brought forth into the World by the Virgin Mary With how much sweetness joy and satisfaction of Mind the Belief of this mystery is to be entertain'd and meditated upon the Angel declares who first brought this joyful news to the world Luc. 2.10 Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all People And from that Song of the Heav'nly Host Luc. 2.14 Glory to God in the highest and in Earth peace to men of good will What the Angels sung is easie to understand Herein that most ample Promise of God to Abraham began to be fulfill'd to whom it was said Gen. 22.18 that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth shou'd be blessed For That Mary whom we declare and worship as the true Mother of God because she brought forth that person which was both God and Man together Mat. 1.39 had her Off-spring from David the King but as that conception does quite surpass the order and course of nature so in that birth we may not contemplate any thing but what is Divine And besides XIII How the Virgin brought forth Christ Joh. 20.19 than which nothing more wonderful can be either said or thought he was born of his Mother without any damage to or less'ning of his Mothers Virginity And as afterwards he went out of his Toom tho it were shut and seal'd and went in to his Disciples the doors being shut or to take a similitude from things we daily see come to pass by nature as the rays of the Sun penetrate the concrete hard substance of Glass and yet neither break nor hurt it in the least after a like but a higher sort I say Jesus Christ was brought forth out of his Mothers womb without any hurt to his Mothers Virginity for we celebrate her unstain'd and perpetual Virginity with the truest praises and commendations And this was wrought by the power of Holy Ghost who was present with the Mother in such a manner at the conception of the Son and birth of her Son that he gave her both Fruitfulness and perfect Virginity The Apostle uses sometimes to call Christ Jesus the new Adam XIV Christ compar'd to Adam Mary to Eve 1 Cor. 15.21 22. and to compare him with the first Adam for as in the first Adam all dye so in the second Adam all are call'd again to life And as Adam as to the natural state is the Father of all mankind so Christ is the Author of Grace and Glory After the same manner we may so compare the Virgin Mother with Eve that the second Eve which is Mary may answer to the first Eve as we have already shew'd that the second Adam which is Christ answers to the first Adam For Eve because she believ'd the Serpent brought death and a curse upon mankind and when Mary believ'd the Angel it came to pass by God's goodness that life and a blessing came down upon men Throw Eve we were born the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 5. but of Mary we have receiv'd Jesus Christ by whom we are born again the children of Grace It was said to Eve Gen. 3.16 in sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children Mary is freed from this Law as being she who having kept her Virgin Modesty safe and entire brought forth Jesus the Son of God without any feeling or sence of pain as before was said When therefore the mysteries of this wonderful Conception and Nativity are so many and so great XV. Figures of Christ's conception and nativity it pleas'd the divine Providence
he said I am he Joh. 18.5 and of his own accord freely he underwent all those punishments which unjustly and unmercifully they threw upon him Than which X. A strong motive to the love of Christ sure there is nothing in the World more powerful to move our compassion when we well consider in our minds all his sufferings and torments For if for our sakes any one should suffer all those sorrows not which he voluntarily underwent but which he cou'd not avoid this indeed we shou'd hardly account as a benefit of any great regard but if on our score only he freely endure death which he cou'd have refus'd verily this is such a kind of benefit that it bereaves even the most grateful person in the World not only of the power of paying due thankfulness but even of having it and hence the transcendant and superlative love of Christ Jesus and his divine and infinite deseits towards us may be perceiv'd But then when we confess that he was Bury'd XI Why we are to believ that Christ was bury'd this is not set down as a part of the Article which thing seems to have some new difficulty in it besides what has bin already spok'n of his death For if we believ that Christ was dead it is easie enough to perswade us That he was bury'd But this was added first that we may doubt the less of the Truth of his death it being the strongest proof that a person is dead if we can prove that his Body was bury'd And then that the Miracle of his Resurrection might be the more apparent and illustrious Nor do we believ this only Mat. 27.60 That Christs Body was bury'd but this especially is propos'd to our Belief in these Words That God was bury'd Mar. 15 46. as by the Rule of Catholic Faith we most truly say Luc. 23.53 That God was dead was born of a Virgin for since his Divinity was never divided from his Body no not even when it was laid in the Sepulchre rightly we confess That God was bury'd Joh. 19.38.42 And that will be sufficient for the Curat concerning the manner and place of Christ's burial which is spoken by the Holy Evangelists But first of all XII Two things to be noted Ps 15 10. Act. 2.31 two things are to be observ'd the one is That Christs Body was in no part corrupt'd in the Sepulchre concerning which the Prophet thus prophecies Thou shalt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption The other which belongs to all the parts of this Article is That the Burial Passion and Death of Jesus Christ have reference to him as Man not as God for to suffer and to dye are incident to the human Nature only Tho all these things are also attribut'd to God because as it is manifest they may rightly he said of that person who at once was perfect God and perfect Man These things being known the Curat may explain those things concerning Christs Passion and Death whereby the Faithful may at least contemplate if not comprehend the immensity of so great a Mystery And First XIII What we are to meditate of the Passion of Christ First Joh. 1.1 Heb. 1.2 3. It should be consider'd Who it is that suffers all these things And here we are not able by Words to relate or even in our Hearts to conceiv his Dignity S. John says he is the Word which was with God The Apostle with stately Expressions describes him in this manner That this is He whom God has appoint'd to be the Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds who is the brightness of his Glory and the Figure of his Substance and the Image of his Person who supports all things by the Word of his Power He therefore having wash'd away our sins sits at the Right-hand of the Majesty on High And to say all in a Word He who suffers is Jesus Christ God and Man Rom. 11.36 The Creator suffers for those whom he created The Lord for his Servants be by whom the Angels Men Heav'ns and Elements were made He I say in whom by whom and of whom are all things It is no wonder therefore if when he was wounded with so many Torments and Sufferings the whole Fabric of the World trembl'd for as the Scripture says Maâ—t 27.51 The Earth quak'd and the Rocks were rent Luc. 23 44. and there was Darkness over all the Earth 1 Pet. 2.5 and the Sun was dark'n'd Now if ev'n the dumb and insensible Creatures bewail'd the Sufferings of their Maker let the Faithful consider with how great and bitter Lamentation they as living Stones of this Building ought to evidence their Grief And now we come to shew the Causes of his Passion XIV What Secondly that thereby the Strength and Greatness of the Divine Love towards us may the better appear If therefore any one ask What shou'd be the Cause why the Son of God wou'd undergo such an extream bitter passion he will find it to be this chiefly besides the hereditary Contagion of our first Parents namely The Vices and Sins which Men have committed from the beginning of the World to this day and which they will hereafter commit to the end of the World For this was it That the Son of God our Savior intended in his Death and Passion to redeem and to blot out the sins of all Ages and richly and abundantly to make satisfaction to his Father for them Let this also be added to inhance the dignity of the thing XV. What Thirdly that Christ did not only suffer for sinners but also that those very sinners for whom he suffer'd were both the Authors and Inflicters of those Punishments he endur'd Of which the Apostle thus admonishes us writing to the Hebrews thus Heb. 12.13 Consider him who endur'd such contradiction of Sinners against himself lest ye be weary and faint in your Souls Of this Fault rightly may those be judg'd guilty Note who easily and often fall into sin For since our sins drove Christ our Lord to undergo the punishment of the Cross verily they who run into Sin and Wickedness do as much as in them lies crucisie to themselves the Son of God afresh Heb. 6.6 and put him to an open shame And this wickedness is by so much more insolent and heinous in us Note than it was in the Jews because they as the same Apostle bears them Witness 1 Cor. 2.8 if they had known they wou'd never have crucifi'd the Lord of Glory But we profess we have known him and yet in our Deeds denying him we seem in a manner to lay violent Hands upon him Now the Holy Scripture teftifies XVI What Fourthly Isay 53.8 That Christ Our Lord was deliver'd to Death both by the Father and by himself For in Isaiahs Prophecy he says For the ' wickedness of my people have I smitten him And the same
Prophet a little before when being full of the Spirit of God Isay 53.6 Isay 53.10 He saw the Lord full of Sores and Wounds All we like Sheep have gone astray every one after his own way and the Lord has layd upon him the Iniquity of us all But of the Son it is written When he shall have made his Soul an offering for Sin he shall see his seed long-liv'd But the Apostle has express'd this same thing in Words much more remarkable when yet from the other part he wou'd shew how we may advance our hope from the consideration of the infinite Mercy and Goodness of God For he says Rom. 8.32 He who spar'd not his own Son but deliver'd him up to Death for us all how shall he not also with him give us all good things It follows now XVII What Fifthly Luc. 22.44 That the Curat teach How great the bitterness of Christs passion was which if we keep fresh in our Memory That the Sweat of our Lord became like drops of Blood trickling down to the Ground when he but began to feel those Torments and Agonies of Mind which soon after he was to be loaded with Ibid. any one may easily understand that nothing cou'd be added to the weight of his Sorrows For if the very thought only of the Miseries approaching were so bitter as the Sweat of Blood manifested it to be what shall we think of the Suffering it self And yet it is plain that Christ our Lord endur'd the most extream Sorrows XVIII What Sixtly both of Mind and Body And first There was verily no one part of his Body which felt not the most grievous Punishments for both his Feet and Hands were fastn'd to the Cross with Nayls his Head scratch'd with Thorns and buffeted with a Kane or Reed his Face filth'd with Spittle beat'n with Fists and his whole Body all over wounded with Scourging And besides all this XIX What Seventhly Ps 2.2 Matt. 26. Men of all ranks and conditions were gather'd together against the Lord and against his Christ For both Gentiles and Jews were the Perswaders the Authors and Ministers of his Passion Judas betray'd him Peter deny'd him and all the rest forsook and left him And now XX. What Eightly while he was on the Cross shall we consider the bitterness of the Pains or the Shame or both together Verily there was no kind of Death either more shameful or more tormenting or spiteful cou'd be contriv'd which none were us'd to suffer but the most pestilent and wicked Malefactors only and in which the continuance and tediousness of that kind of death made them endure the most exquisite Pains and Torments And yet the Habit and Constitution XXI What Ninthly or Frame of the Body of Jesus Christ much increas'd the greatness of his Pains Which by the Power of the Holy Ghost was form'd much more perfect and was better temper'd than the Bodies of other Men can be and therefore had a more quick faculty of Sense or Feeling and endur'd all those Torments the more heavily But then XXII What Tenthly As to the inward grief of his Mind there is no one can doubt but that in Christ it was most extream for those Saints that have suffer'd Punishments and Torments wanted not Comfort in their Souls giv'n them from Heav'n which so cheer'd and refresh'd them that they were enabl'd patiently to undergo the force of their Torments yea ev'n in the very midst of their Torments many of them were transport'd with inward Joy Coloss 1.24 For the Apostle says I rejoyce in my Sufferings for your sakes and I fulfil those things which are yet behind of the Sufferings of Christ in my Flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church And in another place 2 Cor. 7.4 I am fill'd with comfort and over abound with joy in all our Tribulation But Christ our Lord temper'd the Cup of his most bitter Sufferings which he drank with no mixture of Sweetness For he permitt'd the Human Nature which he had taken to feel all kinds of Torments no otherwise than as if he had bin Man only and not God also It remains now That the Curat explain also what the Profits and Benifits are which we partake of by our Lords Passion First therefore XXIII How great the Benefits of Christs Passion are The First Rev. 1.5 Col. 2.13 14 The Passion of our Lord was our deliverance from Sin For as it is in S. John he lov'd us and wash'd us from our sins in his Blood and said the Apostle He has quick'n'd us together with him forgiving us all our Trespasses blotting out the Hand-writing of the Decree that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross Besides The Second Joh. 12.31 32. He has snatch'd us out of the tyrannical Power of the Devil For said the Lord himself Now is the Judgment of this World Now is the Prince of this World cast out and I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all things to my self Besides The Third He has discharg'd the punishment due to our sins And then The Fourth because there cou'd no Sacrifice be offer'd more grateful and acceptable to God he has reconcil'd us to his Father and render'd him propitious and favourable to us Lastly The Fifth In that he bore our Sins He has open'd us a Way to Heav'n which before was barr'd up by the common Sin of Mankind And this the Apostle signifies in these VVords Heb. 10.19 We have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus Nor was there wanting a Figure and Image of this Mystery XXIV The Figure of our Redemption Num. 35.15 28. even in the Old Law for those who were forbid to return into their own Country before the death of the High Priest did signifie thereby That there was no entrance into the heavenly Country open for any tho he led his life never so justly and piously before that most High and Eternal Priest Christ Jesus had suffer'd death which having done immediately the Gates of Heav'n were thrown open to all them who being cleans'd by the Sacraments and endu'd with Faith Hope and Charity were made partakers of his Sufferings All these passing-excellent XXV All good things redound to us by vertue of Christs Passion and Divine Benefits the Curat shall teach Come to us by the Passion of our Lord. And first Because the Satisfaction which after this wonderful manner Jesus Christ has paid to God the Father for our Sins is compleat and perfect in all respects For the price he paid for us was not ev'n or equal only to our Debt but far out-weigh'd it And besides This Sacrifice was most acceptable to God VVhich when the Son offer'd to him upon the Altar of the Cross he quite mitigated his Fathers Anger and Indignation and this Argument the
Apostle us'd Eph. 5.2 when he said Christ lov'd us and gave himself a Sacrifice and oblation for us to God for a sweet-smelling Savor Furthermore this is the Oblation whereof we read in the Prince of Apostles 1 Pet. 1.18.19 Ye were not redeem'd with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain conversation of the Tradition of your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Crist as of a Lamb without spot or blemish And the Apostle teaches us Gal. 3.13 That Christ was made a Curse for us that he might redeem us from the curse of the Law But besides these immense Benefits XXVI In Christs Passion are examples of all Vertues we have this very great one over and above that in this only Passion we have the most Glorious Patterns of all Vertues For he shew'd forth his Patience Humility the most profound Love Charity Meekness and Obedience and most unshaken Constancy and Resolution of Mind not only in suffering Injuries for Righteousness or Justice sake but also even in Death it self and that in such a manner as we can truly say That our Savior in the very height of his Sufferings did most lively express in himself all those Rules and Precepts of Life which throw all the time of his Preaching he taught by Words And this shall suffice to have bin spoken briefly of the most saving Death and Passion of Christ our Lord. And wou'd God these Mysteries were seriously impress'd upon our Souls and Hearts and that we wou'd learn to suffer to dye and to be bury'd together with our Lord that then every spot of Sin being wip'd away and rising with him to newness of Life by his Mercy we may be found worthy to be made partakers of his Kingdom of Heav'n and Glory ARTICLE V. HE descended into Hell the third Day He rose again from the Dead It is of very great use to know the glory of the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ I. 〈◊〉 very useful o undeâ—â—tâ—â—â— this Article of which we have spoken last But it more concerns the Faithful to know the glorious Triumphs he bore away by conquering the Devil and spoiling the Powers of Hell Of which and also of the Resurection we are now to speak Which Point altho it may well be handl'd distinctly and by it self yet we following the Authority of the Holy Fathers have thought fit to joyn it with that of his descent into Hell In the first part therefore this is propos'd to our Belief II. What is propes'd in the first Part. That Christ being now dead his Soul went down to Hell and there continu'd so long as his Body was in the Sepulchre But in these words we also confess That the very same person of Christ at the same time was both with the Spirits below and also lay in the Sepulchre Which when we say no one ought to wonder because as we have often said before That though his Soul departed from his Body yet his Divinity was never separated either from his Soul or his Body But because it may bring much light to the Explication of this Article III. The various signification of Hell if the Curat teach what in this place is to be understood by the Word Hell It is necessary to admonish That in this place by Hell is not meant the Sepulchre as some no less impiously than unskilfully have thought for by the former Article we are taught That Christ our Lord was bury'd neither was there any Reason why in the Creed the same thing shou'd by the Holy Apostles be repeated in another and a more obscure form of Speech But the Word Hell signifies those hidd'n Receptacles wherein the Souls are kept IV. The First The Receptacle of the damn'd Phil. 2.10 which have not attain'd to the Blessedness of Heav'n For so the Holy Scriptures use this Word in many places For thus we read in the Apostle At the name of Jesus every Knee shall bow of those in Heav'n of those in Earth and those under the Earth And in the Acts of the Apostles S. Peter testifies Act 2.24 That Christ the Lord was risen again having loos'd the Pains of Hell Nor are all those Receptacles of one and the same kind For there is that worst and most dismal place of all where the Souls of the damn'd together with the unclean Spirits shall be tormented for ever and that with unquenchable Fire which is call'd the Bottomles-Pit and by its own proper signification Hell There is besides V. The Fire of Purgatory The Fire of Purgatory wherein the Souls of the Pious for a certain determin'd time are cleans'd by Sufferings that so the entrance to the Heav'nly Country may be laid open into which no polluted thing can be admitted And of the truth of this Doctrin Apoc. 21 27. Con. Trent Sess 25. which the Holy Councils declare to be confirm'd both by Testimonies of Scripture and by Apostolic Tradition the Curat shall discourse and argue by so much the more industriously and frequently because we are fall'n upon those times wherein Men will not endure Sound Doctrin Lastly VI. Limbus where the Souls of the Father were The third kind of Receptacle is that wherein the Souls of the Saints were receiv'd before the coming of Christ our Lord and there being refresh'd with the bless'd hope of Redemption and free from all sense of Pain enjoy'd a peaceable Habitation The Souls therefore of these Pious Persons who in the bosome of Abraham expected the Savior Christ our Lord descending to Hell deliver'd Nor are we to think that he so descended to Hell VII Christ's Soul truly went down to Hell as that only his Influence and Vertue and not also his Soul went thither But we are verily to believ That his very Soul indeed and in presence descended to Hell Ps 15.10 of which there is this most certain Testimony of David Thou shall not leave my Soul is Hell But tho Christ went down to Hell yet this was no damage to his Supreme Power nor was the Splendor of his Holiness stain'd in the least seeing that by thus doing it rather was most evidently prov'd that all those things are most true which are celebrated concerning his Holiness and that he is the very Son of God as he had before made appear by so many prodigious Miracles And this we may easily perceiv VIII Two differences betwixt Christ's and the damned's going to Hell if we but consider the Causes why Christ and other Men came into those places For all others went thither as Captives but he as free among the Dead and Conquerer to Master the Devils by whom they were there kept shut up and imprison'd by reason of sin Furthermore All others who descended thither partly were tormented with most bitter pains and partly tho they wanted all other sense of sorrow yet being depriv'd of the sight of God and with-held in the Hope only of
words are to be understood of the compleat Resurrection because then we are rais'd to everlasting life all necessity of dying being wholly tak'n away And in this kind Christ our Lord obtains the First place For if we speak of such a Resurrection or of such a Return to life as after which there remains a necessity of dying again 3 Reg. 17.22 there were many others so rais'd from the dead 4 Reg. 4.34 Christ all which notwithstanding reviv'd on this condition that they were to dye again But Christ our Lord so arose again from Death which he had subdu'd and conquer'd that he cou'd dye no more And this is confirm'd by that most plain Testimony Rom. 6 9. Christ being now ris'n from the Dead dyes no more Death shall no more domineer over him And now follows what is added to the Article The third Day The Curat must instruct the Faithful not to believ that our Lord was all those three days in the Sepulchre XVII Christ rose again the third day For because he lay in the Sepulchre a Whole Natural Day and Part of the Day before it and Part of the Day after it for this Reason it is truly said That he lay in the Sepulchre Three days and that the Third Day he arose again from the Dead Now that he might manifest his Divinity XVIII Why the third day he wou'd not put off his Resurrection till the end of the World and again that we might believ him to be truly Man and to be truly dead he did not immediately after his death revive but on the Third Day after his Death Which space of time seem'd to be sufficient to prove he was truly dead The Fathers of the first Council of Constantinople have added to this place XIX Why according to the Scriptures is added in the Creed 1 Cor. 15.14 ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES Which being receiv'd from the Apostle they therefore plac'd in the Creed And that the Mystery of the Resurrection is very necessary the same Apostle has taught us in these words If Christ have not ris'n again then is our preaching vain and your Faith is vain And if Christ have not ris'n again your Faith is vain and you are yet in your sins Wherefore S. Austin admiring the Faith of this Article wrote thus De August in Ps 120. v. 4. It is no great matter to believ that Christ dyed for this do the Heathens Jews and all the wicked believ This all believ that he dy'd But the Resurrection of Christ is the Faith of Christians only This we account a great matter to believ that he rose again Hence it was that our Lord most commonly spake of his Resurrection Note and scarce ever did he talk with his Disciples about his Passion but he spake of his Resurrection When therefore he said Mat. 16.21 The Son of Man shall be deliver'd to the Gentiles and be mock'd and beat'n and spit upon and after that they have beat'n they will kill him Luc. 18.32 At last he added And the third day he shall rise again and when the Jews requir'd him to prove his Doctrin by some Sign or Miracle Luc. 11.29 he answer'd There shall no other sign be giv'n them than the sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas was three Days and three Nights in the Whales Belly so he affirm'd Mat. 12.39 That the Son of Man shou'd be three Days and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth Now the better to perceiv the Force and meaning of this Article XX. Three things to be explain'd here we must know and observ three things First Why it was needful that Christ shou'd rise again Then What the Scope and End of his Resurrection was And also what Profits and Advantages redound to us thereby As to the first XXI First The necessity of Christs Resurrection Phil. 2.8 9. It was necessary for him to rise again that the Justice of God might be manifest by whom it was very meet that he shou'd be rais'd up who in obedience to him was cast down and loaded with all kinds of Disgrace This Reason the Apostle brings when he says to the Philippians He humbl'd himself and became obedient to Death ev'n the death of the Cross wherefore God has also exalted him Besides for confirmation of our Faith without which Man can attain to no Righteousness For this ought to be a main Argument That Christ was the true Son of God because by his own Power he rais'd himself from the dead and then to cherish and support our Hope For since Christ rose again we have a sure Hope that we also shall rise again for it is necessary that the Members enjoy the same state and condition with the Head For so the Apostle seems to argue when he writes both to the Corinthians and Thessalonians and Peter the Prince of the Apostles says 1 Cor. 15.12 1 Thes 4.14 1 Pet. 2.8 Bless'd be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who of his great mercy has begott'n us again to a lively Hope throw the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead to an Inheritance incorruptible Lastly XXII The Second The End of the Resurrection For this reason also it must be taught That the Resurrection of our Lord was necessary That the Mystery of our Salvation and Redemption might be compleated For Christ by his Death has freed us from Sin but by Rising again he has restor'd us to all those good things which we lost by our sins Wherefore the Apostle says Rom. 4.15 Christ was deliver'd to Death for our Sins and Rose again for our Justification That nothing therefore might be wanting to the Salvation and Happiness of Mankind as it behov'd him to Dy so also it did to Rise again Now from what has bin said XXIII The Third The Advantages The first we may perceiv How great advantage the Resurrection of Christ our Lord brings to the Faithful For by his very Resurrection We acknowledg him to be God Immortal and full of Glory and conqueror of the Devil which without all doubt we are to believ and confess concerning Christ Jesus Besides The Second The Resurrection of Christ has produc'd the Resurrection of our Bodies also Because it was the efficient cause of this Mystery And also because after the example of our Lord we all ought to rise again For as to the Resurrection of the Body the Apostle thus testifies 1 Cor. 15. By Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For there is use of Christ's Humanity as of the efficient instrument to all those things whatsoever they are which God did in the Mystery of our Redemption Wherefore his Resurrection was a kind of Instrument to bring to pass our Resurrection And it may be call'd a Pattern because the Resurrection of Christ was of all the most perfect And as the Body of Christ rising to immortal
For as we believe that many were rais'd from death so must we believe that all shall be call'd again to life But that singular fruit which we ought to gather from Miracles of this kind Mat. 9.24 is this that we give the most certain belief to this Article There are many testimonies which even those Curates which are but indifferently skill'd in the Holy Scriptures may easily meet with but those places which are more clear in the Old Testament Job 19.25 are those we read in Job when he says that in his Flesh he shall see God and in Daniel concerning those who sleep in the dust of the earth Dan. 12.2 That some of them should awake to life everlasting and others to everlasting disgrace And in the New Testament Mar. 22.31 what S. Mathew relates of the dispute our Saviour had with the Sadducees besides what the Evangelists tell us of the last Judgment And hither is to be referr'd what the Apostle has exactly discours'd in his Epistle to the Corinthians and Thessalonians But tho to Faith this thing be most certain V. Similitudes where by the Resurrection is clear'd yet it will be very profitable both by Examples and Reasons to shew that That which Faith offers to be believ'd is not strange to Nature or Humane Understanding and therefore the Apostle to him that asks how the dead should rise again answers 1 Cor. 13.36 Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickn'd except it dye first and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body which shall be but bare grain perhaps of wheat or some other grain but God gives it a body as it has pleas'd him And a little after he says it is sown in corruption it shall rise in incorruption There may be many other similitudes of the like kind added S. Greg. lib. 14. moral c. 21 29 30. as S. Gregory shews For the Light says he is daily as it were by Dying withdrawn from our Eyes and as by Rising again it is recall'd again and that Trees lose their greenness and again as by a kind of Resurrection they are repair'd and the Seed by putrifying dies and again by springing it rises again Besides VI. The Resurrection prov'd by Reason The First Those reasons which are brought by Ecclesiastical Writers seem to be sufficiently accommodated or suited to this matter And first since the Souls are immortal and as a part of Man have a natural propensity or inclination to the humane Bodies it may be thought praeternatural that they should for ever remain separate from their Bodies But because that which is against Nature The Second as being Violent cannot last long it seems agreeable that at last they should be joyn'd with their Bodies Whence it also follows that there will be a Resurrection of the Bodies Which kind of argument our Savior seems to have us'd Mat. 22.32 when disputing against the Sadducees he concluded that there would be a Resurrection of the Body from the Immortality of the Soul And seeing that there are Punishments propos'd by the most just God to the Wicked The Third Damasc l 4. de fide Orthod c. 28. Amb. lib. de fide Resur S. Chrisost hom 49. 50. and Rewards to the Good and that of the one sort very many depart out of this world before they have suffer'd their due punishments and of the other sort in a great measure without the rewards of their vertues it must needs be that the Soul be again joyn'd with the Body that so either for the wickedness committed or for the good they have done the Body which man uses as a Companion in sin may together with the Soul be either punish'd or rewarded Which Point has been excellently handled by S. Chrysostom in his Homilie to the People of Antioch Wherefore the Apostle discoursing of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.19 If says he in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable Which words none has thought applicable to the Soul which being immortal tho the Body should not rise again might nevertheless enjoy Happiness in the life to come but they are meant of the whole Man For unless the Body were to be rewarded for her labour it must needs follow that those who as the Apostles did have endur'd so many afflictions and calamities in this life would be of all men most miserable The same thing he much more plainly teaches in these words to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 1.4 We glory in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which ye endure for an example of the just judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye suffer if yet it be just with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to us who are troubl'd rest with you at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire taking vingeance on them who have not known God and who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Add also The Fourth that men cannot so long as the Soul is separated from the Body enjoy compleat Happiness and full fraught with all good things For as every part being separated from the whole is imperfect so also is the Soul which is disjoyn'd from the Body Whence it follows that the Resurrection of the Body is necessary to make the Souls Happiness compleat It will be further necessary diligently to teach from the Apostles Doctrine VII The different condition of those that rise again 1 Cor. 15 22. Joh. 5.20 who they are that shall be rais'd to life For writing to the Corinthians he says As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive All difference and distinction therefore of Good and Bad being laid aside All shall shall rise again from the dead tho the Condition of All will not be alike those that have done Good shall rise to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Judgment But when we say All VIII We shall all rise again S. Hier. Ep. 152. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 20. c. 20. 1 Thes 4.16 in 1 Epist ad Thes c. 4. we mean as well those who shall be dead before the coming of the judgment as those who shall then dye For that the Church does acquiesce in this Sentence or Opinion which affirms that All shall dye none excepted and that this sense is most agreable to Truth S. Hierom has written and S. Austin conceives the same Nor are the Apostles words which he wrote to the Thessalonians against this sense The dead which are in Christ shall rise first and then we that are left alive shall be caught up with them in the Clouds to meet Christ in the air For. S. Ambrose explaining this place says thus In that
under these words II. What the Discipline of this Article is which in this place are us'd to declare our Happiness very many Mysteries lye closely hid they are so to be open'd that according to every mans capacity they may be clear'd The Faithful therefore are to be admonish'd That in these words Life Everlasting is signifi'd as well that Blessedness which satisfies the desire of the Bless'd as the Perpetuity of Life which the Devils and Wicked Men shall 1 also have Luc. 18.27 Matt 19.29 25.46 Aug. de Civ Dei l. 19. c 11 and so that Lawyer conceiv'd who in the Gospel asked of our Lord and Savior What he should do to possess everlasting Life as if he had said What must I do that I may come to that place where I may enjoy perfect felicity In this sense the Holy Scripture understands these words as may be gather'd from many places But by This name especially that most excellent Blessedness is call'd lest any one should think that it consists in corporeal and transitory things which cannot be Everlasting For neither could this word Blessedness sufficiently express what was design'd especially seeing there have not been wanting Men puffed up with an opinion of a vain kind of Wisdom who have plac'd the Chiefest Good in those things which are perceiv'd by the Senses For these things perish and grow old But Blessedness is to be limited by no term of Time yea rather these earthly things are farthest from true Happiness from which he is gone far away who is held with the Love and Desire of the World for it is written 1 Joh. 2.15 ibid. 17. 1 Pet. 2.11 Love not the World nor the Things of the World if any one love the World the Love of the Father is not in him And a little after The World passes away and the Concupiscence thereof These things therefore the Curats shall take diligent care to impress upon the minds of the Faithful that they may resolve to despise mortal things and know that in This life where we are not Citizens but Strangers they can have no Happiness Tho here also we may rightly be said to be Happy in Hope Tit. 2.13 If denying Vngodliness and worldly Desires we live soberly justly and godly in this World waiting for that blessed Hope and the coming of the Glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ These things when many who seem'd very wise understood not and thought that in This Life Happiness was to be sought they became Fools Rom. 1.2 and fell into the greatest Calamities But besides IV. Bliss must needs be Everlasting by Vertue of these words The Life Everlasting we perceive that Happiness once gotten can never be lost as some falsely have suppos'd for Happiness is made up of all kinds of Good without any mixture of evil Which seeing it satisfies the desire of Man it must necessarily consist in Eternal Life For neither can a Bless'd Man chuse but greatly desire forever to enjoy those good things which he has gotten Wherefore unless that Possession be sure and settl'd it must needs be troubl'd with an exceeding torment of Fear See S. Austin de Civit Dei lib. 12. c. 20. lib. 22. c. 29. 30. de libero arbit c. 15. de verb. Domini serm 64. serm 37 de Sanctis But how great the Happiness of the Bless'd who live in their Heavenly Country V. Everlasting Bliss cannot be express'd by Words is and that it can be comprehended unless merely in name by themselves only these very words which we name when we say The Bless'd Life sufficiently shew For if when to express any thing we use that name which is common to many other things we easily perceive that we want a proper name whereby plainly to express the thing When therefore Happiness is there signifi'd in words which suit no better with the Bless'd than with all the rest that live for ever this is an argument to us That there is some higher and more excellent thing which passes our Reason to signifie it perfectly by any proper name For tho in Holy Scripture there are very many other names given to this Heavenly Happiness such as are The Kingdom of God of Christ of Heaven Paradice the Holy City the New Jerusalem the House of our Father Yet it is plain that there is none of them all sufficient to explain the Greatness of it Wherefore the Curats may not pretermit the occasion offer'd them in this place VI. The force of this Article to perswade to Piety of inviting the Faithful by so ample rewards as are signified in these words Life Everlasting to Piety Justice and all Offices of Christian Religion For it is manifest that Life is us'd to be reckon'd among the greatest Goods of Nature and in this Good chiefly when we say The Life Everlasting is Blessedness said to be Now if we love nothing more if there be nothing more dear or more sweet to us than this slender and miserable Life which is subject to so many and so manifold Miseries that it may more truly be call'd a Death with what intention of mind with what earnestness ought we to seek after that Everlasting Life which being freed from all evils has a perfect and absolute supply of all good things For as the Holy Fathers have taught Chrysost in 30 c p. ad Theo. l. lapsum Aug. de Civit. Dei lib 22. c. 30. Aâ—se'm Ep. 2. de simil c. 47. seq Apoc 7.16 Ibid. 21.4 Serm. 64. de verb. Domini de Sâ—mb ad Catech. The Happiness of Eternal Life is to be defin'd A Freedom from all Evil and an enjoyment of all Good Of the Evil these Testimonies of Holy Scripture are very clear It is written in the Apocalyps or Revelation They shall hunger and thirst no more nor shall the Sun or the Heat fall upon them And again God shall wipe away every Tear from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death nor Sorrow nor Crying nor Grief because the first things are past away But then the Glory of the Bless'd will be boundless and the kinds of solid joy and pleasure will be innumerable The greatness of which Glory since our Understandings cannot conceive and since they can by no means enter into our Minds it is needsul that we enter into it to wit into the joy of our Lord that being every way compass'd about with it we may abundantly satiate the desire of our Heart But tho lib. 3. ult as S. Austin writes it seems more easie to number up the Evils we shall want than the Goods and Pleasures we shall enjoy yet it must be endeavored briefly and clearly to explain those things which may inflame the Faithful with the desire of getting this most excellent Happiness But first it is necessary to use this distinction VII Bliss twofold Essential Accidental which we have learn'd from the
thing only lest in any thing we may offend the Majesty of God we wholly forsake the custom of sinning By these Steps or Degrees therefore we come to this most excellent Vertue of Penance XII Heaven promis'd to Penance which may well be accounted a divine and heavenly Vertue Because to it the Holy Scripture promises the Kingdom of Heaven For in S. Matthew it is written Do Penance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matt. 4 17. And in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.21 If a wicked Man do Penance for all the sins which he has done and shall keep all my commandments and do justice and judgment he shall live And also in another place Ezek. 33.11 I will not the Death of a sinner but that the wicked Man be converted from his evil way and live Which that it is to be understood of that bless'd and eternal Life is plainly evident But of External Penance it is to be taught XIII External Penance which is the Sacrament that it is That wherein the Reason or Nature of the Sacrament consists and that it has some external things subject to the senses whereby those things are declar'd which are done inwardly in the Soul And First XIV Why Christ instituted this Sacrament The First Cause it seems necessary to be explain'd to the Faithful Why it was that Christ our Lord would have Penance in the Number of the Sacraments And hereof this was certainly the cause That we might doubt the less concerning the Remission of sins which God had promis'd us when he said Ezek. 18.12 If the wicked man do Penance c. For it must needs be that we be very dubious in our minds of our inward Penance seeing every one deservedly ought to fear concerning his own judgment of those things he does himself Now therefore that the Lord might relieve our sollicitude he instituted the Sacrament of Penance wherein through the Absolution of the Priest we may consider that our sins are forgiven us and our Consciences by the Faith which justly ought to be given to the vertue of the Sacraments are more quieted For neither are the words of the Priest legitimately pardoning our sins to be receiv'd otherwise than of Christ himself Mat. 6.22 who said to the Lame-man Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee Vide Concil Trid. Sess 14. c. 1. Innoc. 1. Epist 91. inter Epist Aug. And then The Second Cause seeing that no one can obtain Salvation but through Christ and the benefit of his Passion it was fit and very profitable to us that such a kind of Sacrament as this should be instituted by the Vertue and Efficacy whereof Christs Blood flowing to us might do away our sins committed after Baptism and that we might acknowledg with due thankfulness that we owe the Benefit of our Reconciliation to Christ our only Savior But that Penance is a Sacrament XV. Penance prov'd to be a Sacrament the Pastors may easily shew thus For as Baptism is a Sacrament because it blots out all our sins and especially that which was contracted by our Birth For the same reason Penance must truly and properly be call'd a Sacrament because it takes away all sins done after Baptism in the Will or in the Act. And then which is the chief seeing those things which are done outwardly both by the Penitent and by the Priest do declare those things which are inwardly wrought in the Soul who is there can deny that Penance is endued with the true and proper reason or nature of a Sacrament For a Sacrament is a sign of a Sacred thing But a sinner that does Penance by the Notes of Words and Things plainly expresses That he has withdrawn his mind from the Filthiness of sin And also from those things which are done and said by the Priest we easily understand the Mercy of God forgiving those sins Altho those words of our Savior plainly shew this thing Mar 16.19 I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shall loose in Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven For the Absolution of the Priest pronounc'd by words signs that Remission of sins which it works in the Soul Nor are the Faithful to be taught only that Penance is to be reckon'd in the number of the Sacraments XVI The Sacrament of Penance may be iterated but also that it is One of Those that may be iterated For to Peter asking Whether Forgiveness of sin might be given seven times Our Lord answer'd Matt. 18.22 I say not to thee till seven times but till seventy times seven Wherefore if we have to do with such men as seem to distrust the supreme Goodness and Mercy of God the Souls of such are to be confirm'd and to be supported with the Hope of Divine Grace Which they will easily do by the handling of this Point and of very many others which they meet with in the Holy Scriptures and also with those Reasons and Arguments which they may find in S. Chrysostoms book de Lapsis and S. Ambrose's books of Penance Chrysostom 5. lib. de Laps repar habetur de Poen dist 3. c. talis Ambr. de poen lib. 1. c. 1 2. vide Aug. lib. de vera falsa poen c. 5. citatur de poen dist 3. c. adhuc instant Now since the Faithful ought to know nothing more than the Matter of this Sacrament XVII The Matter of Penance what it must be taught that herein chiefly this Sacrament differs from the rest that the Matter of the other Sacraments is some natural thing or made by Art But that which is as the Matter of this Sacrament of Penance are the Actions of the Penitent to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction as has bin declar'd by the Council of Trent S ss 24 de poenit c. 3. can 4. because so far as by Gods institution they are requir'd in the Penitent to the Integrity of the Sacrament and to the full and perfect Remission of sins for this reason they are call'd Parts of Penance Nor are these Acts said by that Holy Synod to be as the Matter Note because they have not the true Reason of Matter But because they are not Matter of that kind which is us'd extrinsecally as Water in Baptism and Chrism in Confirmation But then XVIII In What sense sin is the Matter of Penance As to what is said of Others that the sins themselves are the Matter of this Sacrament there will seem to be no difference therein if we consider well For as we say that Wood is the Matter of Fire which by the force of the Fire is consum'd So sins which are blotted out by Penance may rightly be call'd the Matter of this Sacrament Now the explication of the Form also is not to be omitted by the Pastors XIX The Form of the Sacrament of Penance because the knowledg thereof will
Parts thereof shall be so taught that the Faithful may not only understand them perfectly but also by Gods help they may resolve indeed to perform them devoutly and religiously Of the SACRAMENT of EXTREAM VNCTION SInce the Holy Oracles of Scripture teach us thus I. Why this Sacrament is often to be treated of In all thy works remember thy last end and thou shalt not sin forever The Curats are tacitly admonish'd that no time is to be pretermitted of exhorting the Faithful Eccl. 7.40 to be daily conversant in the Meditation of Death But how can the Sacrament of Extream Unction choose but have the Memory of that Last day join'd with it Hence we may easily understand that this Sacrament must often be treated of not only for this Reason because it is very convenient to open and unfold the Mysteries of those things which belong to Salvation But also because the Faithful will restrain their evil Lusts when they consider in their minds that there lies upon all a Necessity of Dying wherefore also it will so come to pass that they will feel themselves less troubl'd at the Expectation of Death But let them give immortal thanks to God II. Thanks to be given to God for the Institution of this Sacrament who as in the Sacrament of Baptism he has laid open to us an entrance to the true Life so also when we depart out of this mortal life that we might have a more ready way to Heaven he has instituted the Sacrament of Extream Unction That therefore those things which are more necessary to explain it III. Why this Sacrament call'd Extream Unction may be open'd almost in the same Order which has bin observ'd in the other Sacraments It shall first be taught that This Sacrament is therefore call'd Extream Unction because this of all the Sacred Unctions which our Lord and Savior commended to his Church is last to be administer'd Wherefore this very Unction was also call'd by our Ancestors IV. Other Names of this Sacrament the Sacrament of the Vnction or Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of them that go out of the world By which Names the Faithful may easily be brought to the remembrance of their last End Vide Hugon de Sacr. part 15. c. 2. Pet. Dam. Serm. de Dedicat. Eccles But this will be made evident V. Extream Unction prov'd to be a Sacrament if we attend to the words wherewith St. James the Apostle has declar'd the Law of this Sacrament Is any one sick among you says he Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oyl in the Name of the Lord First and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall ease him Isai 5.14 and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him For Secondly because the Apostle affirms that sins are forgiven therein he declares the Force and Nature of a Sacrament Now that This was the perpetual Doctrin of the Catholic Church concerning Extream Unction Thirdly both many other Councils testifie and by the Council of Trent it has bin declar'd in such a manner Sess 43. de Extrema Vnct. c. 1. can 3. that she has decreed the Pain of an Anathema against all those who presume to teach or think otherwise And Innocent the First also very much commends this Sacrament to the Faithful Innocent Epist 1. ad Decent cap. 8. citatur dist 95. c. illud superfluum Item Conc. Cabilon cap. 48. Wormaciense c. 72. Constan. Florent It is therefore constantly to be taught of the Pastors VI. Extream Unction is a Sacrament that it is a true Sacrament and not many but One altho it be administer'd with many Unctions or Anointings to every one whereof are us'd proper Prayers and a peculiar Form It is One VII How Extream Unction is One Sacrament not in continuation of the Parts which may not be divided but in perfection of which sort are all other things which consist of many parts For as a House which is compos'd of many and divers things yet is but One only in perfect Form So the Sacrament altho it be made up of many Things and Words yet it is but One sign and has the Efficiency of One thing only which it signifies Moreover VIII This Sacrament has Matter and Form Isai 5.14 the Curats shall teach what the Parts of this Sacrament are The Element I say and The Word For these things are not pass'd over by S. James in every one whereof we may observe their own Mysteries The Element or Matter whereof IX What the matter is In the place before cited as the Councils and especially that of Trent has decreed is Oyl consecrated by a Bishop to wit the Liquor not press'd out of any fat and thick Nature but out of the Buries of the Olives only Now this Matter very fitly signifies that thing which by Vertue of this Sacrament X. How fit this matter is is inwardly wrought in the Soul for as Oyl is very profitable to mitigate the Pains of the Body So the Vertue of the Sacrament lessens the sorrow and grief of the Soul Besides Oyl restores sweetness makes chearful and feeds our Lights and also it is very suitable to refresh and strengthen a weary Body All which things declare what by the Divine Power is wrought upon a sick man thro the Administration of this Sacrament And This concerning the Matter is sufficient XI What the Form of this Sacrament is But the Form of this Sacrament is the Word and that solemn Prayer which the Priest uses at every Anointing when he says God indulge or pardon thee by this Holy Vnction whatsoever offence thou hast done thro the fault of thy Eyes or Nostrils or Touch. Now that This is the true and proper Form of this Sacrament XII This prov'd to be the proper Form the Apostle S. James signifies when he says Let them pray over him and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick Whence we know that the Form is to be us'd in manner of a Prayer altho with what Words chiefly it is to be conceiv'd the Apostle has not express'd But This we have from the Tradition of the Fathers XIII This Form us'd every where So that all Churches retain this manner of Form which the Roman Church the Mother and Mistress of all Churches uses For tho' some change some few Words as when for God indulge thee They put Remit or Spare and sometimes also Heal whatsoever thou hast committed But yet because there is no alteration of the sense it is evident that the same Form is religiously observ'd of all Nor let any one wonder why it is so XIV Why this Form is in the manner of a Prayer that the Form of other Sacraments either absolutely signifies what it effects as when we say I Baptize thee or I Sign
whom he uses as the Ministers of his Power has the Veneration of Men. Vid. Aug. lib. 5. de civit Dei c. 10 11 14 15. Nor do we reverence the Dishonesty or Wickedness of Men XIX When wicked Princes are to be obey'd if the Magistrates are such but the Divine Authority which is in them so that tho it may seem very wonderful perhaps altho they may be Spiteful Cruel and Implacable to us yet there is no cause sufficient why we should not most dutifully observe them For even the great Duties of David towards Saul are recorded when as notwithstanding he was very injurious to him Ps 119.7 which he shews in these Words With them that hated peace I was peaceable But if they command any thing wicked or unjust XX. When they are not to be obey'd since they do it not of Power but by Injustice and Perverseness of Mind they are by be no means to be obey'd When the Curat has explain'd these things severally XXI The Reward of this Commandment propos'd let him then consider what the Reward is and how agreeable it is to those that obey this Divine Commandment For herein is its excellent Fruit that they live long and therefore that they are worthy to enjoy a Benefit as long as may be the memory whereof they always preserve Seeing therefore that those that honor their Parents return them thanks from whom they have the use of Light and Life rightly and deservedly do they continue that Life even to the greatest Age. Then is to be added a clear Explanation of Gods Promise XXII This promis'd Reward to be explain'd 1 Tim. 4.8 For the Use not only of that blessed and eternal Life but even of this too which we live in the World is promis'd which Sentence S. Paul interprets when he says Piety is profitable for all things having the promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come Nor is this Reward either small or contemptible altho Death was desirable to the most Holy Men XXIII This no small Reward as to Job David Paul and the continuance of Life to miserable and afflicted Men be unpleasant For the addition of those Words Which the Lord thy God will give thee promises not only the length of Time to live in but Rest Quiet and Safety to live well For in Deuteronomy he says not only Deut. 5.16 That thou mayst live a long Time but adds this also Eph. 6.5 That it may be well with thee which was afterwards repeated by the Apostle Now we say that these good things are advantagious to them XXIV Many obedient Children enjoy not this Reward and why to whose Piety God gives Grace For otherwise there will be no assurance and steadiness of the Divine Promise Because sometimes those who are more dutiful to their Parents live not so long a Life as those to whom it happ'ns to live long Either because it is for their good who depart out of this Life before they forsake the Tye Vertue and Duty The First Reason For they are suddenly snatcht away Sap. 4.10 lest malice should alter their understanding or deceit beguil their Soul Or because whilst Destruction and Perturbation of all hings is impending The Second they are call'd out of this VVorld that they may escape the common bitterness of the Times For says the Prophet Isa 57.1 The righteous man is taken away from the face of evil And this is done lest either their Vertue or their Salvation might be endanger'd God takes Vengeance on Mortals for their VVickedness Or that they may not feel the sharpness of Sorrow in the saddest Times The Third for the Calamities of their Kindred and Friends Wherefore Note it is much to be fear'd when untimely Death happ'ns to good Men. Now as the Reward and Advantage of Duty is propos'd by God to those that are grateful to their Parents XXV Ungrateful Children to be punish'd grievously So ungrateful wicked Children are reserv'd for the heaviest Punishments for it is written Exod. 21.26 Levit. 20 29. Prov. 19.26 Prov 20 20. Prov. 30.17 He that curses Father or Mother let him die the Death And He that afflicts his Father and flies from his Mother is shameful and unhappy And He that curses Father or Mother his light shall be put out in the midst of darkness And The eye that mocks at his Father and despiseth the birth of his Mother let the Ravens of the Brook pick it out and let the young Eagles eat it We read of many that wrong'd their Parents against whom Gods anger grew hot For he left not David unreveng'd 2 Reg. 18.4 but paid Absolom the due reward of his Wickedness whom for his wickedness he punish'd being thurst thro with three Spears But of them that obey'd not the Priests XXVI How they are punish'd that obey'd nor the Priests it is written He that grows proud and will not obey the command of the Priest that ministers at that time to the Lord thy God that man shall die by the decree of the judge Vid. Clem. Epist 3. subinit Item Epist 1. etiam subinit Amb. lib. 2. Offic. c. 24. Hier. Epist 1. post med vide item 11. q. 3. c. 11 12 13. And as it is establish'd by the Divine Law XXVII The Duty of Parents toward their Children That Children should give Honor to their Parents obey them and be dutiful to them So the proper Duties of Parents are To train up their Children in most holy Instructions and Manners to give them the best Rules of Life that being instructed and prepar'd for Religion they may worship God holily and unblameably which we read to have bin done by the Parents of Susanna Let the Priest therefore admonish Parents Dan. 13.3 to shew themselves Masters to their Children of Vertue Equity Continence Modesty and Holiness Let them therefore beware of three things especially XXVIII Parents to beware of three things The First Col. 3.21 wherein they often use offend First not to speak or do any thing too severely against their Children which the Apostle in his Epistle to the Colossians commands thus Fathers provoke not your Children to indigation that they he not discouraged for there is danger lest they be of a broken and abject mind while they are afraid of every thing Wherefore let him warn them to avoid overmuch Severity and let them rather amend or correct than to revenge themselves on their Children And then when a Fault is committed The Second when Chastisement and Chiding is necessary not dissolutely thro Indulgence to pardon any thing to their Children For many times Children are utterly spoil'd by the too great Lenity and Indulgence of Parents wherefore let the Curat affright them from their too great Indulgence by the Example of Hell 1 Reg. 4.18 who because he was too indulgent to his Children suffer'd very great
what kind of Life they lead Note and what kind of Manners they use that profess Religion just so is the Unlearned Multitude us'd to judge of Religion it self and of the Author of it Wherefore they that live according to Christian Religion XIII To what Christians are oblig'd in this part which they have undertaken and square their Discourse and Actions according to its Rules give a great occasion to others of praising and celebrating with all Honor and Glory the Name of our Heavenly Father For the Lord himself has requir'd this of us that by our vertuous and illustrious Actions we provoke Men to praise and glorifie the Name of God to whom he thus speaks in the Gospel Matth. 6. Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And the Prince of the Apostles 1 Pet. 2.4 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that considering you in your good Works they may glorifie God The SECOND PETITION Thy Kingdom come THe Kingdom of Heaven I The whole Gospel directs us to the Kingdom of God Mat. 3.2 which we pray for in this other Petition is of such a sort that thither is referr'd and terminated all the Preaching of the Gospel For thence S. John the Baptist began his Exhortation to Penance Do Penance says he for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Nor did the Saviour of Mankind take the ground of his own Preaching elsewhere And in that saving Sermon of his wherein on the Mount he shew'd his Disciples the way of Bliss for the intended Argument of his Discourse as it were he took his Text from the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed says he Mat. 4.17 are the Poor in Spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And to those that would have staid him he gave this Cause for the necessity of his Journy Mat. 5.3 Luc. 4.43 I must preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to other Cities also for therefore I am sent This Kingdom therefore he commanded the Apostles afterwards to preach as he answer'd him that said he would go bury his Father Mat. 10.17 Luc. 8. Act. 1.3 Go thou and preach the Kingdom of God And when he was risen from the Dead for those Forty days wherein he appear'd to his Apostles he spake concerning the Kingdom of God Wherefore the Curats shall diligently handle this Point of the second Petition II. The Pastors Duty that their Faithful Hearers may understand how great the Efficacy and Necessity of this Petition is And first III. Why this Petition distinct from the rest This Consideration will furnish them with abundance of Matter for the explaining of this Point well and wisely that tho this Petition be joyn'd with all the rest yet he commanded this also to be us'd separately from the rest that what we pray for we may seek with our utmost endeavor Mat. 6.33 For he says Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you And indeed so great a confluence and plenty of Heavenly Gifts is contain'd in this Petition IV. What this Petition comprehends that it contains all things necessary for the Security of our both Corporal and Spiritual Life But how shall we call him worthy of the Name of a King Note who takes no care of those things that concern the Welfare of the Kingdom Now if Men be careful for the Safety of their Kingdom with how great Care and Providence must it be believ'd that the King of all Kings defends the Life and Welfare of Men In this Petition therefore of the Kingdom of God V. All things necessary are here pray'd for are comprehended all things whatsoever which in this Pilgrimage or Exile rather we stand in need of which God graciously promises that he will grant for immediately he subjoins All these things shall be added to you VVhereby he plainly declares VI. How great Gods Bounty is that he is a King that largely and bountifully supplies Mankind Upon the consideration of which infinit Bounty David being fix'd sings thus The Lord is my King therefore I shall want nothing Psal 22.1 But it is not enough earnestly to seek the Kingdom of God VII To be heard in this Petition what is necessary unless together with our Petition we use all other Means whereby it is sought and found For those Five Foolish Virgins indeed earnestly sought it after this manner Lord Lord open to us Mat. 25.21 but yet because they did not well guard their Petition they were shut out and not without cause for that Sentence came out of God's own Mouth Mat. 7.21 Not every one that says to me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven VVherefore the Priests VIII How to stir up the Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and those that have Cure of Souls shall draw out of the most flowing Fountains of Sacred Scripture those things that may move in the Faithful the Study and Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and which may put before their Eyes their calamitous State and Condition and which may affect them so as that looking about them and recollecting themselves they may be brought back to the remembrance of that highest Bliss and those unspeakable good things wherewith the everlasting House of God our Father abounds For here we are but mere Exiles IX How many and great the Miseries of this Life are Gal. 5.17 and Inhabitants of that place wherein the Devils dwell whose spite against us can be mitigated by no means for they are most hurtful and implacable to Mankind And what shall we say of those domestic and intestine Quarrels which the Soul and Body the Flesh and Spirit daily make among themselves wherein we ought always to fear lest we should be worsted And it is to be fear'd yea we should presently fall were we not defended by the Protection of Gods right Hand which weight of Miseries when the Apostle perceiv'd Rom. 7.24 he said O wretched Man that I am who will deliver me from the Body of this Death This Misery of Mankind X. How we come to know more readily the greatness of Mans Misery altho it be well known of it self yet it may more easily be understood from the Contention of other Natures and created things For we see it seldom happen in them whether void of Reason or Sense that a-any of their Natures so decline from their proper Actions Sense or Motions that were implanted in them as to forsake their appointed and determin'd End This appears in the Beasts of the Field in Fishes and Birds so that the Matter wants nothing to be said for the clearing of it If you look up to Heaven do ye not perceive it to be most true which was said by David Psal 118.89 Thy Word O Lord endures for ever in Heaven to
they are not to despair of Salvation because the Appetites of corrupt Nature are always striving and contending against Reason so that the Spirit persists in her Office and Resolution of Forgiving Injuries and of loving her Neighbors And because there have been some perhaps XXXVII Why this Prayer to be us'd by those that cannot as yet love their Enemies First who because they cannot yet resolve to forget Injuries and love their Enemies are therefore so frighted with the Condition before mentioned that they dare not use the Lords Prayer Let the Curat use these two Reasons for the taking away from them that Destructive Error For every one that is of the Number of the Faithful makes these Prayers in the Name of the whole Church wherein there must needs be some pious persons that have forgiven their Debtors those Debts that are here mentioned Add hereto Secondly that when we pray this of God we do at the same Time pray for whatsoever is necessarily to be bestow d upon us to do according to this Petition For we pray for Pardon of Sins and the Gift of true Penance We pray for the Faculty of inward Sorrow We pray that we may be able to hate our Sins and to confess them truly and devoutly to the Priest Therefore since it is necessary for us to pardon those that have done us any Wrong or Mischief when we pray God to pardon us we also pray him to give us Power to reconcile our selves to those against whom we have any Quarrel Wherefore they are to be deterr'd from this Opinion Note who are mov'd with that vain and wicked Fear lest by this Prayer they displease God the more against them And on the contrary they are to be exhorted to the frequent use of this Prayer that they pray to God our Father to give them a Heart to pardon those that have injur'd them and to love their Enemies And that our Prayer may be to good Purpose XXXVIII What is necessary to make this Prayer fruitful let us first take care and consider That we are Petitioners to God and seek Pardon of him which he gives not but to the Penitent and that we ought therefore to exercise so much Charity and Piety as is sutable to Penitents and that it is very convenient for such having their own Faults and Vices before their own Eyes to expiat them with Tears Together with this Consideration XXXIX The Occasions of Sin to be avoided there is to be joyn'd Caution for the future against those things which may give any Occasion of Sin and which may give us any Opportunity of Offending God our Father David was careful in this matter Psal 40.5 Psal 6.7 when he said My Sin is ever before me And in another place Every night will I wash my bed and water my couch with my tears Let every one further in their Prayers propose to himself the most ardent Intention of those who in their Prayers begg'd of God Pardon of their Sins XL. Examples to be followed as of that Publican who standing afar oâ—â— and for Shame and Grief casting down his Eyes to the Ground smote upon his Breast and only pray'd thus Luc 18.13 Luc. 2 38. God be merciful to me a Sinner As also of that Woman the Sinner who having with her tears wash'd our Lords Feet and wip'd them with the Hairs of her Head kissed them And lastly of Peter the Prince of Apostles Matth. 27. who went out and wept bitterly And then they must consider XLI What Remedies to be used Penance Eucharist by how much the weaker Men are and by how much they are more prone to the Diseases of the Soul which are her Sins by so much the more and the more frequent Remedies they stand in need of Now the Remedies of a Sick Soul are Penance and the Eucharist these things therefore the Faithful ought frequently to use And then Alms. as the Sacred Scriptures teach us Alms are Medicins very proper for the Cure of the Soul Those therefore that desire to use this Prayer devoutly let them according to their power be good to the Poor For how great vertue it has to wipe away the Pollutions of Sin the Holy Angel of the Lord testifies in Tobias whose words are these Tob. 12.8 Alms deliver from Death and it is that which purges away Sin and causes us to find Mercy and everlasting Life And Daniel testifies who thus admonishes King Nebuchodonosor Dan. 4.24 Redeem thy Sins with Alms and thy Iniquities by shewing Mercy to the Poor The best way of giving and of shewing Mercy XLII Which the best kind Alms. is the forgetting of Injuries and shewing your Good-will towards them that wrong you in your Goods your Reputation your Body or any of yours Whosoever he be therefore that desires God to be very merciful to him let him deliver up to God all his Ill-will let him pardon every Offence done against him and let him pray most heartily for his Enemies taking all Opportunities of doing them good But because this Argument has been already explain'd Note when we treated of Murder we refer the Curats thither But let them shut up this Petition with this Conclusion XLIII Nothing more unjust than a merciles Man That nothing is or can be imagin'd more unjust than that he that is so cruel to Men as to shew himself favorable to none should desire God to be merciful and gracious to him The SIXTH PETITION And lead us not into Temptation THere is no doubt but that the Children of God I. They that are newly converted to God easily fall back again after that they have obtain'd the Pardon of their Sins being inflam'd with the Desire of giving Worship and Veneration to God both heartily pray for the Kingdom of Heaven and paying all the Offices of Piety to God wholly depend upon his Fatherly Will and Providence But withal by so much the more do's the Enemy of Mankind study all Arts against them prepares all his Engins wherewith they are so oppos'd that it is to be fear'd lest their Resolution being tir'd out and chang'd they return again to their Vices and grow far worse than they were before Of whom may rightly be said that of the Prince of Apostles 2 Pet. 2.11 It were better for them not to have known the way of Justice than after having known it to return back again from that holy Commandment which was deliver'd them Wherefore the Command of making this Petition was given us of Christ our Lord II. Why this Petition added to the rest that we should commend our selves daily to God and implore his Fatherly Care and Defence being well assur'd that if we were forsaken of his Divine Protection we should be entangled in the Snares of our most bitter Enemy Nor did he command us only in this Rule of Prayer III. Christ commanded this Prayer twice and why
to undergo the Temptations and Violence of our Enemy the Devil for this our Nature our Weakness is not able to do But the Strength whereby we throw to the Ground Satans Accomplices XXVII Without Gods help we can do nothing 1 Reg. 2 4 Psal 17 3â— is given of God Who makes our arms as a bow of brass by whose help the bow of the mighty is overcome and the weak are girded with strength who gives us the protection of Salvation whose right hand upholds us who teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight that we may ascribe the Thanks for the Victory to God alone by whose Help and Conduct only we can overcome which thing the Apostle did 1 Cor. 15. for he says But Thanks be to God that gives us the Victory thro our Lord Jesus Christ And that Voice in Heaven whereof we read in the Revelations proves the same to be the Author of our Victory Apoc. 12.10 Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ because the accuser of our Brethren is cast down and they bound him by reason of the blood of the Lamb. And the same Book testifies that the Victory gotten over the VVorld and the Flesh is Christ our Lords Apoc. 17.14 where we read These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them And thus much concerning the cause and manner of overcoming VVhich things being explain'd XXVIII The Rewards propos'd to them that fight Apoc. 5.5 the Curat shall propose to the Faithful the Crowns that are prepar'd and the everlasting fulness of the Rewards appointed of God for those that overcome Divine Testimonies whereof they may produce out of the same Revelations He that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second Death And in another place He that overcomes shall be clothed with white Garments and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life and I will confess his Name before my Father and before his Angels And a little after Apoc 5.12 God himself and our Lord thus spake to S. John Him that overcomes I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go forth no more And also he says To him that overcomes I will give to fit with me in my Throne as I also have overcome and sate with my Father in his Throne Lastly Apoc. 2.7 When he had shew'd the Glory of the Saints and that perpetual Store of Good Things which they shall enjoy in Heaven he added He that overcomes shall possess these things The SEVENTH PETITION But deliver us from Evil. THis last Petition I. This Petition comprehends all the rest wherewith the Son of God concluâ—â—s this Divine Prayer is all in a manner Whose Weight and Efficacy when he would shew at such time as he was about to go out of this Life he besought his Father for the Salvation of Men using the Close of this Prayer For says he Joh. 17.16 I pray that thou wouldst keep them from Evil. In this Form of Prayer therefore which he deliver'd by Precept and confirm'd by Example as in a kind of Epitome he summarily comprehended the Vertue and Efficacy of the other Petitions For when we have once but obtain'd what is contain'd in this Prayer there is nothing left as S. Cyprian says Lib de Orat. citato for us to ask further when once we have begg'd God's Defence against Evil which having obtain'd we stand secure and safe against all that the World and the Devil can do against us Wherefore since this Petition is such as we have said the Curat shall use his utmost Diligence in explaining it to the Faithful Now this Petition differs from the last II. The difference betwixt thiâ—â— and the Sixth Petition because in the other we begg'd to escape Sin but in this to be deliver'd from Punishment Wherefore in this place there is no need to admonish the Faithful III. Why this Petition to be often repeated how many Inconveniences and Calamities they labor under and how much they stand in need of the help of Heaven For to how many and how great Miserie 's the Life of Men is expos'd besides that both Sacred and Profane Writers have very fully prosecuted this Argument there is scarcely any one but understands both to his own and others hazard For all are convinc'd of that which the Example of Job remember us of Job 14. Man that is born of a Woman has but a short time to live and is full of many Miseries He grows up as a Flower and is cut down he flees away as a Shadow and never continues in the same state And that there is no Day passes that may not be mark'd with some Trouble of its own as that Word of Christ our Lord witnesses Mat. 6.34 Sufficient to the Day is the Evil thereof Altho that Admonition of our Lord himself wherein he taught Luc. 9.23 That we must take up the Cross daily and follow him shews the Condition of Mans Life As therefore every one feels how painful and dangerous this Life is IV. We easily pray in Adversity so the Faithful will easily be perswaded that they are to beg of God Deliverance from Evil since Men are brought to pray by nothing more than by the Desire and Hope of Deliverance from those Evils wherewith they are opprest or which hang over their Heads For this is naturally implanted in the Souls of Men Note in their Distress presently to fly to God's Help of which matter it is thus written Psal 82.17 Fill thou their Faces with Ignominy O Lord and they will seek thy Name And if Men naturally do this V. The Curats to teach the manner how to pray and call upon God in their Calamities and Dangers surely they are specially to be taught by those to whose Trust and Prudence their Salvation is committed how to do it rightly For VI. An ill way of praying to be amended there are not wanting some who contrary to the Command of Christ our Lord use a preposterous Order of Prayer For he that commanded us to fly to him in the Day of Tribulation the same has prescrib'd us the Order of Prayer For before we pray to be deliver'd from Evil he would have us to pray That God's Name may be sanctified that his Kingdom may come and the rest whereby as by certain Steps we come at last to this But some there are that if their Head their Side their Foot ake if they suffer any loss in their Goods if they are threatned or are in danger of their Enemies in time of Famin of War of Pestilence omitting the other Degrees of the Lords Prayer pray only to be delivered out of those Evils but Christ our Lord's Command is against this Custom Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God Those therefore that pray