them is so great as that they exceed all kindes of creatures in the world both men beastes birds fisshes plants and all other speciesses of thinges which we see vpon the earth And they are distinguished into three rankes which are called Hierarchies and euery Hierarchie consisteth of three orders whereof the highest are called Seraphins and the lowest Angells and amongst the highest Lucifer is held by many to haue been the chiefe of all who fell through pride and so although he was the perfectest creature that euer God made he is now become through his owne fault the most miserable and damned creature of all others The next to him as some conceaue was S Michaël who is in nature the perfectest creature of all that enioy God all though both in grace glorie the Blessed Virgin doth farre surpasse both him and all the rest 11. How many men were created at the beginning Only one that is Adam and out of him Eue the woman was made from whom afterwards all mankinde did proceed LESSON IV. Of Man 1. WHat is man Man is a reasonable creature made of body and soule 2. Of what was his body made Of the slime of the earth 3. Of what was his soule made It was made of nothing 4. What is a soule It is a spirituall substance ordained to informe a body immediatly created by God endued with vnderstanding and freewill whereby man is truly made to gods owne image and by which also he resembleth the Angells and differeth from all other mortall creatures 5. For what end did he create man That he might know God and knowing loue him and louing praise him for these are the thinges in which man ought to employ his whole life And his last end is to enioy him in heauen 6. Why hath God made mans body who is so noble a creature of so base a substance as is earth and dust Thereby to abate his pride and so keepe him humble by the consideration of his extraction 7. Wherefore did he make his soule so noble a substance To the end that he might be capable of enioying God himselfe and also that knowing his owne worth and dignity to be so farre exceeding all other mortall creatures his actions should likewise be answerable and surpasse the actions of all other inferiour creatures 8. What goods hath God bestowed vpon men Two sorts of goods some internall and belonging to the constitution of himselfe as the three powers of his soule whereby he is endued with reason and the fiue senses of his body with all the partes belonging to it others externall as the heauens and earth and all the thinges contained in them which were made for the entertainement and seruice of man 9. Which preuaileth most in man sense or reason For the first seuen yeares sense hath the whole gouerment of man but after seuen yeares reason by little and little beginneth to get strength and groweth on to the age of thirty the Philosophers not admitting a time of wisedome and cōstant iudgemēt vntill we come to the standing part of mans life which is when we leaue growing Yet she can neuer quite conquer sense by reason that it is deepely rooted and accustomed to sway vs by hauing had at first a long possession ouer reason 10. Which ought to sway most with vs sense or reason Certainely reason for if man be a reasonable creature as we haue defined him to be then reason must be the nature of man and so to do against reason were to do against nature and consequently to sinne Againe sense only considereth the present and so it is apt to precipitate vs into future inconueniences whereas reasō which forecasteth what is to come keepeth vs out of such dangers Moreouer reason hath one conduct and gouerment through all and settleth vs in a stable way tending to one incommutable good whereas sense setteth our hearts vpon vncertaine goods and such as may be taken from vs and so it putteth vs in casuality to be euer grieued for who looseth what he is in loue with must needes be grieued according to the measure of his loue 11. What becomes of mans body and soule after his death The body returnes againe to earth of which it was made as the graues do well testify the soule retaines its being for all eternity ether in hell or heauen 12. Doth euery soule presently after that it is separated from the body go immediatly ether to heauen or to hell No for some go first to purgatory before they go to heauen but those who go to hell go all immediately thither as soone as they are separated from their bodies 13. Which be those that go immediately to heauen The soules of those that dye in the state of grace and haue in this life payed all debt due for their sinnes for these soules whilst they were in their bodies did loue God aboue all thinges as being good in himselfe and therefore they could not choose but also desire to know and see him whom they loued so much And this same desire because it is of an immutable good remaineth also after death yea it is then much increased because the soule hauing no more any distraction by its senses it is wholy set vpon that obiect and therefore it would be miserable if it did not obtaine it But God who is all goodnesse can not be so cruell as to let one be miserable for louing him and therefore he doth immediately let himselfe be seen vnto him which is to be in heauen or perfectly blessed And so you see how those who dye in that happy state go immediately to heauen 14. Which be those that go first to purgatory before they go to heauen The soules of them who dye in the state of grace and haue not fully satisfied for their sinnes in this life for those soules at their death are in such a state that though they firmely loue God as their greatest and finall good and so are content to forgoe all thinges rather then offend him mortally yet their loue is not pure because they loue worldly thinges withall by an inordinate affection being loath to leaue them though thereby they know they should see God the sooner Now soules departing with such affections are not fit to see God vntill they be purified from all such drosse and so they remaine in paine not being able to attaine that blisse which they chiefly desire vntill by suffering they paie what is due to God his iustice or vntill by the churches helpe God of his mercy rectifieth them 15. And which be those vnhappy soules that go to hell The soules of them who dye without repentāce in ther woefull state of mortall sinne whereby whilst they liued they did fasten their soules vpon some other object more then vpon God from which after their death they cannot turne themselues to God for want of gods grace and so they can not see or enioy God for how should they enioy that which they doe not
worke on festiuall dayes Secondly those who consent to such working or doe not hinder it when they may by authority doe it To this Commandement also may be reduced those thinges which are committed against the precept of the Church for hearing of Masse As first those who neglect to heare Masse on Sundayes and Holy dayes offend mortally Secondly those who though they be present at Masse yet are not attentiue at it but stand talking or gazing vp and downe Thirdly those who goe to Masse for some ill end Fourthly those who take no care to see that their children andd seruants satisfie this precept 38. May not one also be excused in some case from hearing Masse on festiuall dayes Yes when he cannot goe to Church without danger of some notable hurt to himselfe or to his neighbour or if he haue some lawfull impediment as for example if a man haue vndertaken a voyage for a busines of great importance either for himselfe or his neighbour and should be hindred by hearing Masse from performing his voyage in due time COMMANDEMENT IV. 39. DEclare the fourth Honour thy Father and Mother that thy life may be long in the land which our Lord thy God shall giue thee In regard that aboue all others our parents are most neere to vs and that we are most obliged to them both for our being and life therefore the first precept of the second table commandeth vs to obey and reuerence them both inwardly and outwardly and also to helpe them in their necessities for honour includeth both loue obedience and seruice 40. What meaneth the later clause That thou mayest liue long in the land which thy Lord thy God shall giue thee As it doth promise long life to dutifull and obedient children so also it is a most fearefull threat amongst other punishments to those who are vndutifull to their parents from whom they had receiued their life and being that they shall not liue long 41. What obedience do Children owe to their parents They owe them obedience in all iust thinges but not in such thinges as are contrary to the will of God for he is to vs more then our father and so must be preferred 42. What assistance are Children bound to giue them They are bound to assist them not only by their industrie but also with their goods and meanes if they haue any of their owne for it is reason that those that haue giuen vs our being should receiue from vs all that which may contribute to the conseruation of their being And the obligation is so great that if one should see his father and his sonne in imminent danger and were not able to helpe both he is bound to helpe his father rather then his owne sonne This obligation also is such that Religious persons may goe out of their Religion to assist their parents in extreme necessitie when by other meanes they cannot be relieued 43. Doth this Cōmandement oblige only children to their parents No for loue is mutuall of its owne nature and so by obliging children to loue their parents God obligeth also parēts to loue their children But it was not necessary to cōmand it expresly because the loue of parents towards their children is so naturall that it needed not to be expressed it sufficeth that nature hath imprinted it in the harts of all parents 44. Whom are we to vnderstand by our Fathers and Mothers First and principally our corporall fathers and mothers secondly our spirituall fathers who are the Prelates of the Church as also our ghostly fathers thi r dl our tēporall Magistrates fourthly husbāds in respect of their wiues fifthly our vncles and aunts sixthly tutours in respect of pupills seuenthly masters in respect of seruants eighthly those who teach in respect of schollers and lastly old and aged persons in respect of yonger people So that we owe to all these a more particular respect then to others according to their seuerall degrees As they likewise do owe a particular loue to their inferiours of each kinde respectiuely 45. How do children transgresse against this precept First all those do transgresse who do not loue and respect their carnall parents Secondly those who do not obey them Thirdly those who do not assist them in their necessities Fourthly those who do dispise them or are ashamed to acknowledge them by reason of their pouerty Fifthly those who treate them rudely and giue them iust occasion of choler Sixthly those who mocke at them and murmure against them and treate them with iniurious words Seuenthly those who do any vnreasonable action of importance contrary to their desire Eightly those that doe accuse their parents in publike courts except it be for treason Ninthly those who by excessiue expences and disorder hinder them from making restitution of goods ill gotten Tenthly those children who are not carefull to see that their fathers and mothers confesse at the hower of death sinne mortally in case that there be no bodie els to looke vnto it and that through their negligence their parents dye without confession Eleuenthly those who after their parents death do not execute their last will and testament Twelfthly those children who permit themselues to be induced to marry against their fathers will offend against this commandement And it is to be noted that the obligation which we haue to our parents is so great that they who transgresse against them do very often offend mortally 46. How do parents transgresse against this Commandement First by vsing their children with two much seuerity as those do who beat them and vse them ill vpon no occasion or vpon iust occasion but beyond measure Secondly those who marry them to persons that they cannot loue Thirdly those who make them become religious against their will do offend mortally Fourthly those who vse them with too much indulgence and do not correct them when they do ill Fifthly those who haue more care to see them rich then that they be brought vp in the feare of God Sixthly those that hinder them from entering into Religion when they seeme to be called to it by allmighty God Seuenthly those who giue them any ill example or put them vpon any euill action Eighthly those who disinherit them without any lawfull cause Ninthly those who giue their goods to any others though it be to the Church in case that thereby they depriue their children of that portion which is reasonably due vnto them and which is necessary to maintaine them in a competent manner do transgresse notably against this precept Tenthly those who send their children to begge that is make beggars of them when they are able to maintaine them Eleuenthly those who do not prouide for their bastards if they be able at least waies so farre as that they may not liue in misery 47 How do men trangresse against other persons who are mutually obliged by this Commandement First those persons transgresse against their spirituall fathers and temporall Magistrates who do not
in cloures layed vpon straw began to feele hunger and cold such like extremities as we see it fareth with all children ARTICLE IV. 19. DEclare the fourth Article Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried I belieue that Iesus Christ to redeeme the world with his pretious blood after that he had ended the time which his Father ordained for his dwelling vpon earth suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Gouernour of Iury being scourged crowned with thornes and nailed vpon the Crosse on the which after three houres he dyed and his body which remained allwayes vnited to his diuinity as was his soule being taken downe from the crosse was buried in a new sepulcher 20. Why did the Apostles presently after that they had declared our Sauiours birth passe to his death without making mention of his life For two reasons first to let vs know that the end of his coming into this world was to dye for vs. Secōdly because he who knoweth the miraculous birth of our Sauiour and the charity wherewith he suffered death for vs that is the beginning and ending of his life cannot choose but know that his whole life was full of miracles and goodnesse And therefore S. Paul professeth to know nothing but Iesus Christ crucified for by knowing this he knoweth all the rest and must needs be replenished both with hope in his merits and with loue to wards his person 21. Hew did Christ suffer He did not suffer in his Diuinity for his two natures diuine humane did each of them allwayes retaine that which is proper to each nature wherefore seeing that his Diuinity cannot be subiect to griefe it was impossible that he should suffer any thing as God but only as man and as man he suffered both in his body and in his soule 22. What did he suffer in his body He suffered the greatest torments that euer man endured in all his fiue senses and in euery part of his body from the very bottome of his feete to the toppe of his head 23. What did he suffer in his soule He suffered the greatest griefe that could be being not only tormented by his enimies but also abandoned by his friends and betrayed by one of his Apostles and he suffered chiefely by the sinnes of man which was the most cruell griefe to his goodnesse that could be Besides whereas all those who suffer for God receiue a celestiall comfort which doth strengthen them in their paines our blessed Sauiour that he might suffer the more did depriue him selfe of comfort and abandon his nature wholy to griefe and paine 24. How could he suffer seeing he was blessed from the first instant of his conception His beatitude did not hinder him from suffering because he restrained his whole blisse to the superiour part of his soule without letting it passe to the inferiour part or to his bodie 25. Where did he suffer At Hierusalem the place appointed by God for sacrifices for it was expedient that the true sacrifice should be accomplished at the same place where all the figuratiue sacrifices of the old law had been performed 26. Why did he suffer the death of the Crosse Because it was the most vnworthy death of all others and most ignominious inflicted only vpon rogues and notorious malefactors 27. How did he die By the separation of his soule from his body but neither part was separated from his Diuinity as when a bow is broken the two partes of the bow are separated from one another but the bowstring remaineth still fastened to both ARTICLE V. 28. DEclare the fifth Article Descended into hell the third day rose againe from the dead I belieue that Iesus Christ as soone as he was dead went with his soule into hell that is into Limbo to triumph ouer the diuell and to deliuer the soules of all the faithfull who dyed in the state of grace since the beginning of the world who were kept in Limbo as in a prison from whence they could not come forth vntill Christ had paied the price of their redemption and came himselfe to deliuer them I belieue also that the third day which was the Sunday Iesus Christ rose againe from death most triumphant and glorious 29. What is vnderstood by this word Hell Hell hah principally foure significations first it is vsed for the place where the damned are to be eternally secondly for the place where the children are that dye with originall sinne thirdly for the place of Purgatorie and fourthly for the place where the soules of holy men were kept before the coming of Christ And the word Hell in the Creed is principally to be vnderstood in this sense which place by his presence was made a Paradise to verifie what he had promised the good thiefe this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise 30. Why is Christ his resurrection called by S. Augustine the faith of Christians rather then his death Because it is no hard matter to belieue that Iesus Christ dyed for death is naturally due to euery man but it is very hard to belieue that he did rise againe from death because no man can raise himselfe from death to life And therefore his Resurrection is a cleare argument of his Diuinity In so much that the Iewes damanding of Iesus Christ some miracle for proofe of his doctrine he gaue them no other marke of it but only that he would rise againe from death so that his Resurrection is the miracle of miracles and the proper miracle of Christianisme ARTICLE VI. 31. DEclare the sixth Article Ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the Father allmighty I belieue that Iesus Christ after that he had remained forty dayes with the holy Apostles to instruct them and to proue with many apparitions his true Resurrection mounted vp in their sight to heauen and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father as Lord and gouernour of all creatures his body and soule being replenished with the glory of his Diuinity 32. How did Christ ascend into heauen He ascended into heauen not as God but as man for a God he was neuer absent from heauen yet he ascended by the force of his Diuinity which of its owne nature gaue him that power He did also ascend by the force of the glorie wherewith his soule and his body were replenished and which was due to him naturally by reason of his hypostaticall vnion And therefore although he was compassed round with all the Angells yet he had not the assistance of any to ascend but did ascend through his owne proper force And for this reason we say not commonly that he was carried but that he ascended into heauen whereas the Church speaking of our Lady sayeth that she was carried because she did not ascend by any force of her owne naturally due to her but by the force which she receiued from allmighty God 33. Why is Christ sayd to sit in heauen We must not imagine that Christ doth sit in heauen
loue And to be vtterly depriued of hope to see God who can only comfort the soule when by death transitory comforts are lost is to be in the euerlasting torment of hell 16. Doth our future life then depend of this present life Yes all dependeth of performing our duty towards God in this life whereby those who faile in it deserue eternall punishment in the next as contrary wise those who performe it deserue eternall reward LESSON V. Of Mans Dutie towards God 1. What is the dutie which we owe to Allmightie God We are bound to feare to serue to honour and to loue him aboue all thinges 2. Wherefore are we bound to feare Allmightie God aboue all thinges Because he is omnipotent and so can dispose of vs as he will himselfe and because he is omniscient and so doth see the bottome of our hearts and sinfull condition and chiefly because he is our Lord on whom our saluation dependeth for we are all inuolued in one heape of perdition out of which he chooseth none but whom he pleaseth and therefore we ought allwaise to stand in feare of offending him as not knowing whether we be vessels of his wrath or mercy Besides we are guiltie of sinne and consequently of eternall damnation if he hath not pardoned vs and therefore he being our iudge all ought to stand in feare of him whom they haue offended 3. Wherefore are we obliged to serue God aboue all thinges We are obliged to serue him first in regard that both for our being and cōseruation we wholy depend on him Secondly in regard that the wages and recompences which he reserueth for his seruants exceede all rewards in the world by an infinite proportion 4. Why are we to reuerence and honour him aboue all thinges Because his maiestie and excellencie doth infinitely surpasse all thinges in the world and therefore he is worthie of all honour and respect 5. Wherefore are we bound to loue God aboue all thinges Because God of his owne meere goodnesse did first vouchsafe to make vs of nothing to be what we are wherefore if we are bound to loue our parents who are only God his instruments in making of vs how much more ought we to loue God Besides that our parents are not the thousanth part of the causes which God hath layed from the beginning of the world for the making of euery man in particular and so though our parents be our immediate causes yet there is not one thousanth part of our making belōging to them in comparison of what belongeth to God to whom we owe our selues totally and of all sides and from the very beginning Secōdly because he hath redeemed vs and suffered death for our sakes knowing euerie one for whom he suffered and of so great a nūber excluding none though neuer so great a sinner and with such excesse of loue as that there was not any for whō alone he would not haue suffered though there had been no other to suffer for as freely as we see he did make the sunne shine on Adam when he was alone no lesse then vpon the millions that now be Thirdly because he hath also conferred on vs by grace the great dignitie of being his adopted sonns and heirs to the kingdome of his eternall blisse Besides all other cōtinuall and innumerable both temporall and spirituall benefits which we receiue from him And lastly because God is goodnes it selfe the only true and proper obiect of loue 6. Which be the best signes to know whether we truly loue God or no The first and best signe is if we delight to keepe his commandements The secōd if we delight to thinke and often speake of him or to conuerse and speake with him by prayer or to haue him to speake frequently with vs by our reading pious bookes The third is if we desire to see him when by sicknes he giueth vs warning of his calling us to him by death The fourth is if we delight to practise vertue which is most pleasing to him And the last if we finde in our hearts true repentance and sorrow for our sinnes committed against him for so we ought to doe towards all whom we truly loue 7. Considering all these many strong and conuincing motiues which we haue both to loue feare and serue allmightie God and that by so doing we are assured of eternall felicitie as also of eternall torments in hell for the contrarie whence doth it proceed that so great a number transgresse and so few performe their dutie The reason is for that the Diuill and our corrupt sensualitie do so dazle vs with the pleasures wealth and honors of this world as that we do not truly apprehend either our dutie towards God or the felicitie of heauen or the woefull miserie of the damned in hell but being led away like little children by the present obiects of bables which delight our appetites we little reflect vpon eternall thinges which are not obuious to our corporall senses 8. Why then is Man so seuerely punished for not performing his dutie towards God if sensualitie hath such power to withdraw him from it Very deseruedly First because through the merits of Christ Iesus we haue sufficient grace whereby to ouercome this sensualitie if we will make vse of it Secōdly because allmightie God bestowed vpon Man so manie helps and graces at first when he did create him as that he would not haue been subiect to this sensualitie if he had not by his owne fault lost part of that which God bestowed vpon him and weakened the rest LESSON VI. Of originall Iustice 1. DId God then at the creating of man bestow on him anie helps more then we haue at our birth Yes he gaue both Adam and Eue the grace of originall iustice at the first moment of their creation with all the goods that flow from it whereby as they themselues were perfectly submitted in obedience to allmightie God so likewise were all thinges perfectly subiected to them as well those which were internall and within themselues as all other externall creatures in so much that they could not reioyce nor be contristated nor haue any other thought vnlesse they themselues would haue it And all creatures did obey them so that man was a greater king then any Prince now in the world for the greatest kings now are oftentimes disobeyed but man in the state of his first innocencie was so absolute that no creature could rebell against him nor would any man haue been disloyall to another 2. How did the grace of innocencie worke these great effects in man By making him know God and loue him aboue all thinges for you must know that the first thing represented to his vnderstāding was Allmighty God finishing the creation of all thinges in him and that his will embracing the strong motiues of so powerfull an obiect did at the same instant loue God most feruently aboue all thinges which act proceeding from the grace of God and being the
and Adam lower then they were and made all other creatures rebell against them and rendred them slaues to their owne passions it rendred their bodies obnoxious to death and miserie their vnderstanding to ignorance and errors and their will to malice and the Diuell And no wonder for if the loue of God was the cause of those good effects in them the contrarie must needs breed contrarie effects 5. What comfort then did there remaine for them None at all but God his mercifull goodnesse for they had no meanes left in themselues to defend themselues from so manie enemies or to deliuer themselues from the miserie they were in they could not deserue so much as that God should take pittie of them for hauing lost intirely his grace they had of themselues no power anie more to doe the least good worke as it ought to be done not so much as to praie to God to assist them 6. This disaster was it to goe no farther then to Adam and Eue Yes to their children and to all their posteritie For as all the fruits of an ill roote are ill and cleare water cannot proceed from a fountaine which is infected no more could there be borne of our first parēts infected with sinne anie other but sinners For Adam his first sinne did not infect him only as a particular person but also as the generall roote of all mankinde 7. Are we all then borne in sinne Yes for as those who were borne of Adam and Eue were borne sinners by the infection of their Parents so were their children likewise for the same reason borne in sinne and the children of their children and so it must needs be for all their posteritie to the worlds end And the reason of this is because Adam falling from the loue of God to loue himselfe more then God which loue was contrarie to reason this change in his soule could not choose but worke a great change in his verie bodie and destroye its former good dispositions that were fitted to the grace of innocency by moulding in it others of a contrarie bias For we see by experience that our soules operations haue strong effects in our bodies we see that when we heare good newes the ioy in our soules maketh our very bodies light and iocond and when we grieue the griefe of our soules redoundeth to our bodies and maketh them dull and heauy Now then Adam being changed not only in his soule but also in his very bodie he could not make his sonnes bodie with a better disposition then his owne bodie had which was not now disposed to be subiect to reason but the quite contrarie for the soule by louing an other thing better then God carried the bodie along with it and put it into possession of command against reason and so it remained in rebellion with its proper motion independent of reason which bad disposition being deriued also to the childs bodie and being there as a marke of that transgression which we did all of vs incurre by Adam it rēdreth the same bodie through a necessarie consequence by reason of Gods couenant with Adam vncapable of anie other soule but such as is guilty of that losse which was inflicted by God vpon Adam and vpon all his posterity in case that he did breake his cōmandement From whence it followeth that no other soule could be due to such a bodie as Adam made to his sonne but such as was depriued of originall iustice And this is that which Christians call originall sinne to witt the missing of grace or originall iustice in the child as proceeding from the guilt which we contracted through the fault of our first father in whom we all sinned So that the want or priuation is particular to euery one the cause or actuall sinne only in Adam 8. But seeing that Adam after his fall did pennance and began to loue God anew did he not recouer againe the former good dispositions as well in his bodie as in his soule both for himselfe and his posteritie No for this second loue being preuented with dispositions in man contrarie to it selfe it could not according to the ordinarie course of God his prouidence produce that effect which the first loue did that found no such contratie dispositions but all thinges fitted to it selfe Nether can it on the suddaine extirpate those contrarie dispositiōs but with a great deale of paine and labour and neuer wholy because these affections and ill dispositions of sensuality goe before reason and are in some sort independent of it infecting the motions of sense before reason can espye it And so allmighty God hath most iustly ordained that these ill inclinations caused by this inordinate loue should alwayse remaine in mankinde as due punishment for his first sinne And this is that which is called concupiscence which is an inclination that draweth our harts to loue our selues more then God contrarie to the former good disposition that was in man by the grace of innocencie And no wonder if since the soule cannot be without loue and hauing lost the loue of God it runneth after sense and loueth those thinges which sense proposeth seeing that sense is the gate that openeth the way for obiects to enter into our soule LESSON VIII Of the Redemption of man 1. DId God allmighty abandon man in this his most miserable state No for Adam had no sooner sinned but God moued by compassion out of his meere goodnesse promised to relieue him by the meanes of Iesus Christ who being to descend from Adam and Eue by the blessed Virgin was to redeeme mankinde and to bruize the head of the serpent that is of the diuell by whom Eue was seduced 2. Did God fullfill this promise presently No he expected foure thousand yeares or there about 3. In what state was the world all that time In the state that the sinne of our first father had put it into 4. Were all men then in the state of sinne and damnation Yes in so much that those who were saued were only some few in whom God conserued his grace and a liuely faith of his promise so that of the whole world in Noes time hardly eight persons were found iust in the sight of God and presently againe not fiue men in fiue cities 5. Were the Iewes of the number of those few Not all but only those who had a liuely fayth of Iesus Christ as chiefly the Patriarkes and Prophets and some others 6. Was all the rest of mankinde damned Yes except some particulars whom God did fauour extraordinarily amongst the Gentiles as Melchisedec Iob and some others All the rest were vnder the power of the Diuell who abused them so farre as to make them adore stones beasts for Gods 7. Why did God expect foure thousand yeares before he redeemed mankinde To the end that men might know the grieuousnesse of sinne which was cōmitted against him seeing that it was the cause of the ruine of so manie soules and
other sonne after him whom he hath also established as he is man that which he was from all eternity as God Lord and king of all creatures and particularly of true Christians 9. Why is he called Iesus Because this name was giuen him by his Fathers appointment who commanded Ioseph to call him so And it signifyeth as much as Sauiour which holy name was giuen him with great reason because he caue to saue ād redeeme the world from the death of sinne and thraldome of the Diuell and it cost him his owne blood and his owne proper life to do it And so it is impossible to explicate the force and vertue of this name which is so efficacious as that it chaseth away diuell cureth diseases and worketh all sortes of miracles being pronounced with a liuely faith and it is honoured in heaven reuerenced on earth and feared in hell aboue all names 10. Why is he called Christ He is called Christ which signifieth annointed because Priests Kings and Prophets vsed to be annointed with oile which representeth grace to signify that their functions did represent the function of God whose Lieutenents they are in these charges for it belongeth properly to God to gouerne spiritually to gouerne temporally and to foretell thinges to come Now Christ Iesus is not only a Priest a King and a Prophet but the soueraine Priest of Priests King of Kings and Prophet of Prophets not annointed by men with a terrestiall ointment but by God with the plentitude of his graces So that the difference betwixt these two names is that Christ is a title belonging to his dignity Iesus is a title belonging to his merit which he purchased with the price of his blood and his life 11. Why is he called our Lord First because he is God and secondly also as man because he is our Redeemer for he who redeemeth a slaue as all we were is most properly master and Lord of him whom he redeemeth and the redeemed is most truly his seruant ARTICLE III. 12. DEclare the Third Article Who was conceaued of the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie I beleeue that Iesus Christ tooke vpon him for the redemption of the world our nature from the immaculate body of the blessed Virgin Marie not by any operation or power of man but by the diuine vertue of the holy Ghost who framed his body of the most pure blood of a virgin vniting a soule to it created expressely by God at the same instant in which instant also the second person of the blessed Trinity did vnite this body and this soule to himselfe and so he was borne on earth most pure and most holy And his Virgin Mother conceaued him and was deliuered of him remaining still a virgin yea she was more pure then before for both her body and soule receaued a greater purity and sanctity by the operation of the holy Ghost and by her coniunction to the sacred flesh of Iesus Christ 13. Why is the Conception of our Sauiour attributed to the holy Ghost To make vs understand that the great benefit and dignity bestowed vpon mankinde by the Incarnation of the sonne of God was a free gift proceeding purely from the loue of God and not from any merit of man and so although this operation was common to all the three persons of the blessed Trinity as all outward actions are yet it is peculiarly attributed to the holy Ghost because he proceedeth by loue and is called a gift 14. Why is not the holy Ghost called the Father of Iesus Christ since that he formed his body Because he did not forme it to the likenesse of his owne nature nor made it of his owne substāce which is required to make one a Father as a stone caruer who maketh a statue is not the father of the statue though he be the maker and former of it but he made it only of the pure blood of the Virgin And so Christ had in this second generation only a Mother and no Father 15. Wherein do consist the wonders of this mysterie First that his body was formed by the speciall operation of the holy Ghost Secondly that in the first instāt that it was formed it receaued a reasonable soule replenished with perfect knowledge of all thinges and with all graces as also with the full beatificall vision and fruition of allmighty God Thirdly that this body and this soule was in the same instant vnited to the second person of the bless◅ Trinity so that the childe conceaued in the wombe of the Virgin was both perfect God and perfect man Fourthly that his mother was both a virgin and a mother And lastly that she was mother both of God and of man which is the miracle of miracles that the same person should be God and man begotten from all eternity and borne in time omnipotent and infirme And yet it is most true for the nature of God and the nature of man were both in the second person of the Trinity without confusion or mingling one with another and also without making a diuersity of persons which may be some way exemplifyed in two grafts sett in the same stocke which keepe still their different natures since that they produce different fruits and yet make not diuers trees since that they are both in the same stocke 16. God then becoming man was not turned into man nor man into God nor both into a third thing No for God cannot be changed and so none of these three mutations could be made but man as we haue declared was ioyned to God and so God became man For seeing that what hath not the nature of man is not man and much lesse what hath not the nature of God is God we must acknowledge in Christ two distinct natures the one of God the other of man or else he should not be both God and man 17. Was man ioyned equally to God so that the thing made was equally God and man If we consider the two natures in themselues he had both of them truly and in all perfection but if we compare the natures together which are vnited in the same person certainly the maine thing must needs be God and man but a small portion of it As we see if a little other metall be cast into a great deale of gold the coine is principally gold and is commonly called so so since that God is infinitely greater then man the result of both remaineth principally God 18. How was he borne He was borne nine monthes after his conception as other children vse to be to shew that he was truly man He was borne without griefe to his Mother to shew that the blessed Virgin was opposite to Eue to whom it was said In dolore paries thou shalst bring forth with griefe He was borne in a stable and in as great pouerty as the poorest childe in the world thereby to hūble himselfe the more by how much the greater he was in himselfe He was swaddled
doth receiue profit by the sacrifice preaching doth instruct whosoeuer will heare euery man in the church may assist his companion by prayer the liuing do assist the dead in purgatorie by almes and good deeds and the blessed in heauen do assist the liuing vpon earth by their continuall intercession for them to allmighty God ARTICLE X. 45. DEclare the tenth Article Forgiuenesse of sinnes I belieue that to the holy Catholike church only and to no other society there is giuen by God power for true forgiuenesse of sinnes by meanes of the holy sacraments whereby men from being children of the diuell and guilty of eternall damnation do become the children of God and heires of Paradise 46. How doth the Church forgiue sinnes By the meanes of Priests who as God his Ministers haue power to forgiue sinne by vertue of the sacraments and particularly of Baptisme and of Pennance by Baptisme only once but by Pennance as often as man sinneth and truly repenteth for it And this benefit is so much the greater because it is particular to the law of grace for no man either in the law of nature or in the law of Moyses euer had power to remit sinne ARTICLE XI 47. DEclare the eleuenth Article Resurrection of the flesh I belieue that in the end of the world all men shall rise taking againe the selfe same bodies which they had when they were liuing and this by the power of God to whom nothing is impossible but the elect shall haue their bodies glorious and beautifull and shall be lifted vp with their bodies into the aire to meete Christ at the day of iudgement whereas the cursed shall remaine on earth hideous and woefull to behold 48. Why did not the Apostles say the resurrection of man but the resurrection of the flesh To shew to vs that whereas man doth consist of two parts soule and body the body is only that which perisheth by death the soule being immortall and consequently vncapable of resurrectiō for nothing is reuiued but that which is first dead 49. Shall we rise in the same bodies that we had whilst we liued Yes to the end that the same body which contributed in this world to our good or euill life may likewise receiue an eternall recompense or punishment And in effect if we did not receiue the same body which dyed it would not be a resurrection but a new production for since that to be resuscitated signifyeth to take life againe that which is resuscitated must be the same which dyed before 50. How shall this be done We are sure that it shall be done and S. Paul is so certaine of it that he telleth vs that if the dead shall not rise Christ hath not risen We are sure also that it shall not be done by our owne forces for Philosophers teach vs that that which is once corrupted cannot be naturally reproduced but it shall be done by the hand of allmighty God who can make againe when he pleaseth that same thing which he hath once made 51. Shall all bodies rise with the same defects they had whilst they lived as being dwarfes giants lame monsters and the like No for these defects and deformities proceed only from the excesse or defect of nature whose worke they properly were But the worke of their resurrection being properly the worke only of God it must needs be perfect and without all defeat and therefore it is generally belieued that all the blessed shall rise in that perfect stature which nature should haue giuen them at the three and thirtith yeare of their age at which age our blessed Sauiour did rise himselfe ARTICLE XII 52. DEclare the twelfth Article Life euerlasting I belieue that there is reserued for good Christians life euerlasting by enioying the sight of God full of felicity and free frō all kinde of euill as contrarywise for infidelles and bad Christians there is a life full of eternall punishment ouerwhelmed with misery and voide of all good 53. In what doth the happinesse of this eternall life consist In knowing and louing God for knowledge and loue are the pleasures of the soule or minde which must needs be greater then the pleasures of the body since that the body hath pleasure by the mīde for take away the mīde or reflexion vpon the obiect and it hath none Now the content of loue encreaseth to the proportion of knowledge and amongst knowledges the most vniuersall giueth the greatest pleasure What pleasure then must it be to see God in himselfe who is beyond all causes and in whom all thinges are conteined We shall discerne in him the essences and reasons of euery particular thing from the creation of the heauens and millions of Angells to the parting of two dusts in the high way so that no variety can be sought which is not found in him Neither can we desire any change for no body desireth a change or variety vntill he hath a satiety of what he enioyeth that is vntill he hath perfectly knowne it and found it lesse then his desires for till then he hath rest content and quiet in the obiect he enioyeth Now God is farre beyond the capacity of our desires so that for all eternity we shall finde in him more then we can desire and consequently for all eternity haue vnspeakable content and rest in him Besides euery ones memory shall contribute to this contentment by remembring the dangers they haue escaped of loosing so great a good and by calling to minde their owne good actions wrought by them through God his grace in this world especially those great ones martyrdome teaching and virginity which speciall contents caused by the memorie of those vertuous heroike actions are called by some Diuines Aureolae 54. In what shall the paine of the damned consist It will consist likewise chiefely in the soule for as pleasure cometh to the body from the soule so doth griefe and therefore as the pleasure of the soule is greater then the pleasure of the body so must the griefe of the soule by being depriued of this pleasure needes be a paine surpassing without comparison all corporall paines 55. Must this next life needs be eternall Yes for those who see God cānot choose but loue him aboue all thinges God as we sayd before doth neuer faile to blisse them that loue him wherefore since that nether the blessed can leaue to loue nor God will leaue to blisse those that loue him their happinesse can haue no end And as for the damned they can neuer begin to loue because they want God his grace without which we cannot loue God aboue all thinges and therefore they must needs remaine for all eternity in the same miserable state into which they haue cast them selues through their owne fault 56. Shall the glorie of the Saints be equall in heauen No some shall haue greater glorie then others according as they haue serued God more or lesse in this world Yet all shall be equally content in
obey the ordinances of the Church and of the Common wealth Secondly those who do murmure against their superiours either ciuill or ecclesiasticall and do censure their ordinances and manner of gouernment which murmuring is for the most part an occasion of great harme for such discourses do easilie beget in the harts of the hearers a contempt of their persons and authority which afterwards doth likewise infect the people and causeth contempt disobedience and disorder in the Common wealth Thirdly those who do speake ordinarily against the vocation behauiour and liues of Church-men and doe not beare a due respect vnto them And on the contrary side the Churchmen who haue care of soules offend greiuously if they do not administer the Sacraments and preach the word of God to those who are vnder their care and giue them spirituall instruction counsell and comfort As also if they do not giue almes to the poore as farre as they are able especially to such as are vnder their care Wiues offend against this commandement who do neglect or disdaine their husbands or do giue them an occasion of choler and doe not seeke to content them in all reasonable thinges As contrarywise husbands do abuse their authoritie which God hath giuen them ouer their wiues if they depriue them of honest liberty if they do not allow them commodities necessary for their entertainment if they treate them outragiously in words or deedes if without their consent they liue continually absent from them vpon any disgust or without a iust cause Pupills are bound to follow the counsell and aduise of their tutors And tutors offend if they take not care to instruct their pupills if they permit their goods to be dissipated through their negligence if they marry them disaduantageously either through fauour of for other respects Seruants offend by neglecting their seruice by murmuring against their Masters by speaking to their disaduantage by giuing them an occasion of choler by disposing of their goods without their consent c. Masters offend by too much rigour towards their seruants in exacting from them more then they are able to performe in not procuring their good as much as they can conueniently in reteining their wages from them that so they may be constrained to liue with them as also in hindering them from marrying or disswading them from any other course that may be notably disaduantageous to them to the end that they may thereby still haue them for their seruants COMMANDEMENT V. 48. DEclare the fifth Commandement Thou shalt not kill This forbiddeth vs to doe harme to any man in his life either corporall spirituall or ciuill and consequently it commandeth vs to protect and preserue him in all three so farre forth as we are able 49. Is it neuer lawfull to kill a man It is neuer lawfull to kill him spiritually but it may be lawfull to kill one corporally in these cases First if it be done by authority of Magistrates in way of iustice Secondly if it be done by souldiers in a iust warre by order of their Captaine Thirdly if it be done by any particular man in a iust defence of his owne or his neighbours life when in case he or his neighbour be sett on he cannot otherwise defend himselfe or his neighbour from being slayne and that these thinges be done without any rancour of minde or spirit of reuenge 50. Who are those that transgresse against this Commandement for as much as it concerneth corporall life First all those who kill voluntarily anie man excepting in one of the three former cases Secondly those who doe lame wound hurt or beate any man Thirdly those who desire counsell or when they may conueniently do not hinder any of the foresayd excesses And it is to be noted that the more cōsiderable the person is so much the sinne is greater as also if it be done in a place consecrated to God for it is a greater sinne to kill ones father brother kinsman churchman magistrate or one by whose industrie and labour a whole family liueth then to kill one that hath none of these qualities as also it is a greater sinne to perswade many then to perswade one only to commit any of the foresaid excesses Fourthly those iudges who condemne one that is innocent or also one that is guiltie without vsing all the formes that are requisite for his processe Fifthly those iudges who do not fauour the cause of an innocent person as also those who persecute him are guilty of his oppression Sixthly those magistrates who do not punish duells murders and all such like excesses Seuenthly those that praise and approue of such like excesses either before or after they are committed Eighthly all Phisitians Chirurgiens or Apothecaries who kill or hurt one notably although it be not done on purpose but by grosse and culpable ignorance for ignorance is esteemed malice in him who is obliged to know Ninthly those who procure to destroy the fruit in the wombe of a woman or if the woman herselfe should do it by dancing or any other excesse or by some grosse negligence though she thinke not of it for negligence also is esteemed malice where one ought to be diligent Tenthly those who see a poore man dying for hunger and do not relieue him Lastly those who kill themselues or without a iust cause expose themselues to imminent danger of death or being weary of liuing desire death yea if one should expose himselfe to martyrdome because he is weary of his life he would commit a grieuous sinne 51. Who be those that transgresse against this Commandement for as much as concerneth spirituall life First all those who infect others with Heresie or keepe those that are infected from returning to the true Church Secondly all those who either by word or by ill example do incite others to sinne or diuert them from doing good Thirdly those who do not correct their neighbour when they thinke probably their admonition would doe him good Fourthly Phisitians friends and seruants who assisting sicke persons do not aduertise them in time that they are in danger of death and to thinke of their conscience Fifthly all those who commit or resolue to commit any mortall sinne 52. Who be those that transgresse against this Commandement for as much as concerneth our ciuil life First all those who either by words or libells do diffame their neighbour whether it be by imposing a false crime vpon him or by discouering a true vice of his which was not knowne publikely before Secondly those who incite others to cōmit such diffamation against their neighbour or giue eare to them or do not diuert their discourse when they may Thirdly those who brag of their owne vices whereby they depriue themselues of that reputation with which they ought to liue in the world And it is to be noted that he who hath diffamed another man whether it be in a thing true or false is bound to restitution that is to repaire his honour
not wonder if in some cases the Priest imposeth so small a pennance in respect of the grieuous offences of the Penitēt as it happeneth in those who confesse great sinnes at the houre of death for the least outward act is significatiue and sufficient to testify our present intention 34. What do you gather from its being satisfactorie I gather from thence that the satisfaction ought to correspond to the grieuousnesse of the Penitents offences and that it ought to be a penall satisfaction that is such as doth chastise the body and manifest in the Penitēt zeale of God his iustice and a spirit of godly reuenge vpon himselfe for the sinnes he hath committed 35. What do you gather by its being medecinall I gather from thence that the pennance which the Priest imposeth ought to be proportioned to the diseased humour of the Penitent and such as may withdraw him from sinne and that it ought accordingly to be augmented or lessened as he findeth his Penitent to amend himselfe more or lesse 36. What do you gather by its being significatiue Since that its signification doth consist in testifying the sincerity of our inward repentance and an acknowledgement of our obligation to do worthy fruits of repentance in this life I gather first that when we haue performed the pennance imposed by the Priest we ought not therefore to desist but we must still go on in bewailing our sinnes all our life time for as S. Augustin sayth Poenitere est poenam tenere to repent is to perseuer in paine to the end sayeth he that one may punish by reuenging in himselfe that which he hath committed by sinning he therefore doth perseuer in paine who alwayes punisheth that which it grieueth him to haue committed Secondly I gather in case that the Priest should either through necessity as it happeneth when a Penitent is in danger of death or else through ignorance or by too much indulgence impose so small a pennance as would haue no proportion with the grieuousnesse of the sinnes whereof the Penitent is guiltie that then the Penitent by doing that small pennance must not thinke himselfe released of the debt he oweth for his sinnes nor acquitted of the obligation he hath to doe worthy fruits of repentance but he must do them voluntarily or by the aduise of his Ghostly father which will be more meritorious 37. Are we then obliged to do worthy fruits of repentance Yes for as by the Sacrament of Baptisme we do solemnly renounce the world and promise to abstaine from sinne so we do by the Sacrament of pennance which is a second Baptisme and called by the Fathers a laborious Baptisme not only renew our former promise made in Baptisme but also we do adde a new purpose signified by the pennance imposed by the Priest and accepted by the Penitent of repairing by worthy fruits of repentance the harme which we haue suffered by sinne And therefore the Councell of Trent teacheth that in the pennance for sinnes committed after Baptisme is contained not only a cessation from sinne a detestation of sinne and a contrite and humble heart which thinges are required in Baptisme but also satisfaction by fasting almes praier and other pious exercises of a spirituall life 38. From whence ariseth the obligation of worthy fruits of repentance It ariseth from two heads first from the precept for they are expressely commanded by God Secondly from the nature of the thing it selfe for the light of reason doth teach vs that we are bound both to satisfy God his iustice and also to repaire our owne losses when we are able the one being a kinde of restitution to be made to God and the other a kinde of restitution due to ourselues Wherefore to know how farre this precept of doing worthy fruits of repentance bindeth we must cōsider these two principall ends for which they were commanded And as for the first end which is to satisfy God his iustice for the temporall paine remaining after that the guilt of sinne is remitted you must note that the Minister of God cannot know how much repentance and contrition the Penitent hath nether can the Penitent nor the Minister know the value of the sayd contrition nor how much more he ought to do for due satisfaction and therefore in the primitiue Church they vsed to impose austere pennances for euery mortall sinne which they were to performe for a long time together yea for some sinnes they were to do pennance all their life time that so God his iustice might be more fully satisfied but in after ages the Church hath mitigated that former austerity releasing the Penitentiall Canons by frequent Indulgences which she granteth from time to time for the generall good of the Church which Indulgences vpon such occasions do likewise remit the paine due to sinne being granted by authority of the keies of the kingdome of heauen Wherefore it is certaine that we are not for the present obliged to the Penitentiall Canons but it sufficeth if the Priest impose such pennances as haue some proportion in chastising the sinner with as much paine and affliction as he tooke vnlawfull delight and content in his vnbridled passions by sinfull actions which also may be prudently moderated vpon iust occasions by remitting the Penitent for the rest to the generall fasts and mortifications obserued in the Church and to such voluntarie afflictions as he himselfe shall make choise of In which kinde it is to be noted that euery one is bound to vse voluntarily such pennances as he findeth necessary to keepe the spirit of compunctiō from decaying in his heart and to preserue him from danger of falling into a contempt of God his wrath and of reparation due to his iustice And therefore although it be true that we are not bound now to the actuall practise of the Penitentiall Canons yet we are obliged to be so prepared and disposed in minde as to be ready to vndergoe them in case they were absolutely necessary to satisfy the diuine iustice or that they were enioyned vs by the Church From whence it followeth that although those sinners who haue not leisure to do worthy fruits of repentance because they are surprised by death presently after their conuersion shall be purged by the paines of Purgatorie and so be saued as also those shall be who haue had leisure to do worthy fruits of repentance but haue performed them slackely and negligently yet those who neuer had an intention to do worthy fruits of repentance in this life or if they had such an intention did afterwardes when they had leisure totally neglect to do them will not finde a Purgatorie in the next world but eternall punishment in hell for their contempt of God his precept in not performing that which his iustice exacteth from vs in this life The second end for which the worthy fruits of repentance were commanded by God is medicinall and satisfaction as it hath relation to this end is defined thus Est
which we haue done by concupiscence and desire of the flesh against ourselues and our owne bodies Humble and deuout praier and especially dayly meditation of our Sauiour his Passion is a medecine to heale perfectly the pride of life the contempt of godlinesse and presumption of minde which are sinnes immediately against God The giuing of almes is a medecine to heale perfectly those sinnes which are committed by couetousnesse deceipt oppressiō and vniust dealing against our neighbour Now the Scripture ioyneth for the most part these three together because one without the other two is of little value for fasting without lifting vp our minde to God by praier and without mercy to a mans neighbour is little regarded by God and his praier who will not bridle the desires of his flesh or shutteth vp his mercy from his neighbour that needeth it is not heard by God no more are almes meritorious if they want the fellowship of praier or be ioyned with surfeiting on the pleasures of the world but when all three are ioyned together they are of great force to appease the wrath of God and to purge our soules from all filthinesse And here it is to be noted that vnder fasting are contained all bodily paines and labours as watching lying vpon the ground vsing of hairecloth disciplines and the like which ought not to be vsed but with discretion and by aduise of Ghostly fathers that they may correct but not destroy the body Vnder praier are contained the praiers of others as of Priests poore Schollers poore men and such as by our liberality are procured to pray for vs. Vnder almes are contained all the workes of mercy as well corporall as spirituall all which are of great value it being vndoubtedly the most efficacious meanes to obtaine mercy at God his hands to exercise first the same ourselues vnto our neighbour 41. Which workes are those that are called the workes of Mercy They are of two kindes seuen corporall and seuen spirituall The corporall are 1. To feed the hungry 2. To giue drinke to the thirsty 3. To clothe the naked 4. To harbour the Pilgrim 5. To visit the sicke 6. To helpe the imprisoned and to redeeme captiues 7. To bury the dead The spirituall are these 1. To giue counsel to those who want it 2. To instruct the ignorant 3. To correct the sinner 4. To comfort the afflicted 5. To pardon offences 6. To suffer patiētly iniuries 7. To pray for the liuing and the dead and for those who persecute vs. And this may suffice for this mportant part of the Sacrament of Pennance which is of such weight as that the neglect of it is the chiefe cause why so few are saued whereby that sentence of our Sauiour is verified multi sunt vocati pauci vero electi and which caused S. Ambrose to say that it is easier to finde one that hath kept his first innocency of Baptisme then one that hath done conuenient pennance And therefore we ought continually to stirre ourselues vp to do worthy fruits of repentance by considering that the sufferings and paines of this life are not equall to that fault which is remitted nor to that paine which we haue deserued nor yet to that glory which is reserued for vs. Now you must know that besides this satisfaction due to God his iustice and the reparation which we owe to ourselues for the recouery of our former strength and vigour in grace there is another due to our neighbour in case that our sinne be an act of iniustice towards him which reparation is done by restitution and making him an amends for the harme done to him and the Penitent is obliged to performe this whether the Priest imposeth it or no. And you must note as well concerning sacramentall satisfaction as also the restitution to our neighbour that it is sufficient for the validity of the Sacrament that you haue truly and really an intention when you go to confession to performe these thinges and therefore if afterwards you do not performe them though you commit a new sinne and so are bound to confesse it when you goe next time to confession yet your precedent confession was valide and needs not to be repeated 42. What Sacrament is next in order to Pennance Extreme Vnction for by it we recouer our former strength after our fall and take away those languishings which the mortall disease of sinne doth leaue behinde it LESSON XXVIII Of Extreme Vnction 1. WHat is Extreme Vnction It is a Sacrament instituted by our blessed Sauiour for the sicke to blot out the relickes of their sinnes remainīg through negligence after the former Sacramēts that thereby their soules may be strengthened against the last temptatiōs and fierce assaults of the diuell and of death or else thac they may recouer their bodily health if it be expedient to their saluation 2. What are these relickes of sinne They are a kinde of weakenesse or languishing left in the soules of them who haue neglected after they haue offended God to cure themselues perfectly by pennance and to re-establish themselues firmely in the state of grace 3. What is the outward and sensible signe of this Sacrament It is the annointing the sicke person with oile 4. Where do you finde in scripture grace promised to this visible ceremony In the Epistle of S. Iames in these words Is any one sicke amōgst yee lett him call in the Priests of the church and lett them pray ouer him annointing him with oile in the name of our Lord and the praier of faith shall saue him who is sicke and our Lord will comfort him and if he be in sinnes they shall be pardoned him 5. Who are the ministers of this Sacrament None but such as are Priests 6. Are we obliged to receiue this Sacrament Yes for the reason aboue alleaged in so much that if any man lying sicke in extreme danger of death hath sufficient opportunity to procure the administration of this Sacrament he is bound to procure it 7. What preparation is necessary for this Sacrament He who receiueth it is bound to be in the state of grace for he who is sicke cannot be a conualescent vnlesse he be first cured of his disease and freed from danger of death Besides he is bound to haue a desire to receiue the Sacrament to the end for which it was instituted in case he be in his senses when it is giuen him 8. At what time is this Sacrament to be receiued Many commit great folly and errour herein driuing it of vntill their very agony and losse of senses whereby for want of more ample disposition with which in their better iudgemēt they might receiue it they loose a great part of the grace which this Sacrament might happily conferre vnto them the true time therefore to receiue this Sacrament is when the physitians shall iudge the party to be in apparent danger of approaching death that heauēly remedies being applied when humane helpes are iustly
Masse and to these we ought to beare a particular respect and deuotion as being the most excellent of all others because they are the words of the vniuersall Church inspired by the holy Ghost and pronounced by the mouth of his Ministers LESSON XXXVI Of the Sacrifice of Masse 1. IS the Sacrifice of Masse selfe a meanes also to obtains God his helping grace Yes and in some sorte the most efficacious and most generall of all For by it we appease the wrath of God wonderfully and so draw his blessings vpon vs continually because in it doth consist the principall function of Religion by which we performe our chiefo dutie towards God 2. What is the Sacrifice of Masse It is the Christian sacrifice ordained by Iesus Christ to be offered vp to his Father to the worlds end in remembrance of that bloody sacrifice vpon the crosse where he by his owne sacred death offered vp himselfe a holocoust to God for the redemption of mankinde 3. Is the Sacrifice of Masse also it selfe a meanes whereby to pray Yes but it is such in a more eminent degree then all the rest for God is more honoured by it then by all our other actions and therefore as Saint Denis sayeth of Allmighty God that he is not goodnesse nor wisedome nor power nor beauty as we vse to call him because our conceptiōs are short of that which these perfections are in him so the honour which is giuen to God by other actions is so short of the honour which is giuen to him by the Sacrifice of Masse as that this sacrifice ought not to be reckoned as one of our other actions whereby we pray but it is to be placed in a ranke by it selfe aboue all the rest 4. What is a Sacrifice It is an outward action whereby we offer vp to allmighty God some creature by destroying or killing it protesting thereby both a supreme worthinesse in him as being Author of life and death to whom we should sacrifice euen our owne liues if it were profitable and necessary for his honour and also a readinesse in vs to doe so when he shall require it of vs. And the thing which is thus offered vp is called the host of the sacrifice 5. A sacrifice then is a kinde of worship due to God alone Yes and it is the greatest worship that we can exhibite to God both in respect of that perfection which we acknowledge in him which is the very Godhead it selfe for God signifieth as much as the Author of being to all thinges which is the very thing we acknowledge of him properly by the sacrifice as also in respect of that which we professe to be due to him which is our owne liues if he please to exact them of vs which is the greatest thing that we can giue in this world and therefore sacrificing was allwayes held the chiefest function in all religions 6. What is the host in the Sacrifice of Masse It is Christ Iesus himselfe whose body and blood are truly offered vp to his Father vnder the forme of bread and wine 7. How is this done It is done by the words instituted by Iesus Christ and pronounced by the Priest in his name in which words a diuine vertue is present to produce the effect they signifie 8. Why did Christ institute this Sacrifice To continue in the world the Sacrifice which he did offer for vs vpon the crosse to the end that he might render a perpetuall honour to his Father in sacrificing himselfe dayly to him and also that he might communicate to men the fruit of that Sacrifice by putting into their hands the victime it selfe which he offered to his Father 9. Is Christ then truly killed dayly in the Sacrifice of Masse No he is only killed mystically and not truly yet he is truly sacrificed because his true body and his true blood are really offered vp to God and not mystically only 10. How is he truly sacrificed if he be not truly killed Because his owne bodie and his owne blood being made by vertue of the consecration a true memoriall of his bloody death vpon the crosse they are by that outward action truly and really put into such a state as is fit to expresse that acknowledgement of Gods supreme power which sacrifices were instituted to signifie And therefore by the words of consecration Christ is truly and really sacrificed 11. Why did he institute this Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine To signifie the separation of his bodie and blood which was caused by his bitter Passion 12. Who is he that offereth vp Christ to his Father in the Sacrifice of Masse Christ himselfe and also tho Priest but Christ principally and the Priest only secondarily or instrumentally for the Priest is only Christ his Minister 13. What vertue hath the Sacrifice of Masse It hath vertue to appease the wrath of God and to moue him to forgiue vs our sinnes which is as much as to say that it is propitiatorie sacrifice it hath also vertue to obtaine for vs from God his diuine grace and other spirituall benefits of what kinde soeuer they be 14. What is the Masse It is the Sacrifice with all the array and ceremonies appointed by the Church for the edifying and decent celebrating of the same 15. With what affection should we come to Masse With that affection for which sacrifices were instituted that is with a deuout acknowledgement of our duties towards God with an earnest desire to appease the wrath of God which we haue deserued by our sinnes and also with thankesgiuing to our blessed Sauiour that he hath vouchsafed to leaue vnto his Church his owne body and blood as a pledge of his loue to be offered vp to his Father by vs in testimonie of the foresayed acknowledgement and as a meanes to appease his deserued wrath 16. What is the best way to heare Masse If one haue capacity and commoditie he should attend to all such passages as the Priest speaketh out plaine for the rest he should haue his priuate deuotions which be so much the better if they be accommodated to the course of the Masse but if not no great matter as long as his deuotion doth recall it selfe by a particular attention at the chiefe mysteries of Masse which are the consecration published to the people by the eleuation and the consummation which is done when the Priest receiueth the body and blood of Iesus Christ 17. Must we haue the same disposition for hearing of Masse which is required to receiue worthily the Sacrament The same disposition is not absolutely necessary for no man who findeth himselfe in the state of mortall sinne can receiue the Sacrament vnlesse he go first to confession which is not necessarie for hearing of Masse yet it were to be wished that all did so because those who heare Masse with deuotiō although they do not receiue the Sacramēt really yet they receiue it spiritually Howsoeuer since that one principall