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
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
acknowledge the greatnesse of his mercy and diuine grace when we looke vpon the miserie from whence he hath deliuered vs by Iesus Christ and therefore we ought to haue a perpetuall ioy and acknowledgment towardes God for that we are borne since the redemption of the world 8. How did God allmightie redeeme the world By the Incarnation Passion of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ LESSON IX Of the Incarnation of Iesus Christ 1. WHat is meant by the Incarnation It is a wonderfull mysterie whereby one of the three Persons of the blessed Trinitie was vnited to our nature after that it was become mortall and subiect to miserie by sinne 2. Which was that Person The second that is the sonne 3. Why the sonne rather then anie other Person of the blessed Trinitie Because he came to make vs sonnes to God and therefore it was fitting that amongst three Persons the sonne should be chosen to be our paterne and example and as it were our eldest brother Besides wisedome is appropiated to the sonne wherefore he coming also to be our master and teacher it was fitt that the wisedome of God that is the sonne and second Person should be chosen for that effect 4. Had the other Persons of the blessed Trinitie no hand in this mysterie Yes for the second Person was incarnated by their will and by their operation although he only was inuested with our flesh and with our nature remaining man as we are 5. Why was it necessarie that our redeemer should be both God and man It was necessarie that he should be God that his obedience and sufferings might be of infinite value as proceeding from such a person it was necessarie he should be man because the Godhead could not suffer besides it was conuenient that the same nature which had offended should suffer for the offence and that the same nature should ouercome the Diuell which had been ouercome by him and also that he who came to teach vs how to liue vertuously should haue the same nature and be composed of flesh and blood as we are that so we might haue a visible paterne and one whom we might imitate 6. Was he in all thinges like to other men Yes excepting only sinne concupiscence and ignorance And so the Apostle sayeth that he was made to the likenesse of the flesh of sinne whereby he doth not only except sinne it selfe but also concupiscence and ignorance for the flesh of sinne is not sinne it selfe but it signifyeth those peruerse dispositions in humane nature which do incline men to sinne which are comprehended vnder concupiscence and ignorance Yet the Apostle sayeth he was made to the likenesse of the flesh of sinne in regard that he was subiect to mortality and to painefull afflictions which are the direfull effects caused in man at first by sinne 7. Had he a father and mother like other men No for he was borne miraculously of the blessed Virgin without hauing a father here vpon earth as in heauen he had no mother For his bodie being framed by the power of the holy Ghost in the entrails of the blessed Virgin allmightie God breathed into this bodie as he did into Adams the breath of life in the wombe of his mother 8. How long did he liue Thirtie three yeares and three months or there aboute 9. How did he passe that time here He liued as other men doe vnlesse that his life was more heaped vp with woes When he was eight dayes old he was circūcised and his tender bodie painefully woūded After this he is thought to haue been kept in Bethleem vntill the three kings came out of the East to adore him vpon which king Herode growing iealous he fled into Aegypt and Herode executed his tyrannie vpon all the children from two yeares old and vnder in Bethleē and in all the confines of Bethleem In Aegypt we must imagine he was prouided as poore people are wont to be in strange countries yet he remained there for some yeares vntill the death of Herode After which being returned he liued in Nazareth for feare of Herode his sonne whence euerie yeare he went to Hierusalē at the solemne feasts and there was lost by his Parents at twelue yeares of age and after three dayes seeking found in the midst of the Doctors astonnishing them with his wise and learned answers As for the rest of his life he liued vntill he was thirty yeares old as a priuate mā leading an ordinarie course of life in the towne of Nazareth and other places without appearing to be more thē an ordinarie man and getting his liuing by working with his owne hands as a carpenter vnder S. Ioseph our ladies husband who for this reason was esteemed his father and although he was not so yet beeing married to his mother he had paternall iurisdiction ouer him and so he liued obedient both to him and to his mother 10. Why did he liue so priuately To giue vs an example of humilitie and to shew how those that are to be teachers in Gods church ought to prepare themselues by an humble and retired life 11. What did he doe after he was thirtie yeares old When S. Iohn the trumpet of God that came from the desert by summoning mankinde to pennance had soūded the march for him towards his eternall fathers worke for which he was sēt he was baptized by S. Iohn and receauing the visible testimonie of the holy Ghost he made his triall in the desert by a fast of fortie dayes and fortie nights and by the tentation of the Diuell all which he did for our instruction And then he began to exercise his charge in gathering of disciples and in preaching of the veritie of the ghospell by actiōs and words in prouing it by scriptures in cōfirming it by miracles through great contradictiōs and dangers and at last by effusion of his owne blood which he shed to maintaine this truth against them who did contradict it 12. What effect had his preaching It had no great effect as it seemes for all those whom he had made his disciples at least the chiefe of them did abandon him at the time of his Passion and so all that which he had done with so much labour was in a manner lost in one moment 13. How came it to passe that his word was of so small force in his owne disciples Because they had not as yet receiued the fullnesse of grace 14. How came it to passe that he had so few disciples since that he preached the Ghospell both by words and miracles to thousands of people Because the holy Ghost was not yet giuen for the word of the preacher though excellent and diuine worketh no effect at all vnlesse the holy Ghost do enter at the same time into the hearts of them who heare it to make them receiue it and keepe it 15. Was then Christ his preaching fruitlesse No for first it hath taught vs by experience that the word of the
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
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
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