AN AMPLE DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN doctrine COMPOSED IN Italian by the renowmed Cardinal Card. BELLARMINE Translated into English by RICHARD HADOCK D. of Diuinitie PRINTED at ROAN A DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE For the vse of those that teach children and other vnlearned persons Composed in forme of a Dialogue betweene the Maister and Scholar CHAP. I. What Christian doctrine is and what are the principall parts thereof SCHOLER SEEING I do vnderstand that it is necessarie to saluation to know the Christian doctrine I desire you to declare vnto mee what this doctrine is MASTER The Christian doctrine is a briefe summe of all those thinges which Christ our Lord hath taught to shew vs the way of saluation S How many be the principal and most necessary parts of this doctrine M Foure to wit the Creede the Pater noster the ten Commandements and the holy Sacraments S Wherefore are there foure and neither more nor fewer M Because there are three principal vertues Faith Hope and Charitie and Grace necessarie to saluation And so the Creede is necessarie for Faith because it teacheth vs that which we haue to beleeue the Pater noster is necessary for Hope because it teacheth vs what wee haue to hope the ten Commandements are necessarie for Charitie because they teach vs what we haue to doe to please God the sacraments are necessarie because they are the Instruments of Grace by which those vertues are receiued and conserued S I would be glad you should giue me some similitude to vnderstande better the necessitie of these foure parts of Christian doctrine M S. Augustine giueth vs the similitude of a house for as to make a house it is needfull first to place the fundation then to rayse the walles and last of all to couer it with the roofe and to doe these things there are some instruments necessarie so to make in our Soules the building of saluation we haue need of the foundation of Faith the walles of Hope the roofe of Charitie and the instruments which are the most holie Sacraments CHAP. 2. The declaration of the vsuall blessing with the signe of the Crosse S BEfore wee come vnto the first part of this doctrine I would be glad you should giue mee some taste of those things which are to be beleeued declaring vnto mee in grosse and in summe the most necessarie mysteries that are conteined in the Creede M You haue reason and so I will doe You must then know that the principall mysteries of our faith are two and both two are conteyned in the blessing that wee vse to make with the signe of the holie Crosse The first mysterie is the Vnitie and trinitie of God the second is the Incarnatiō Passion of our Sauiour S What meaneth the Vnitie and Trinitie of God M These are most high matters by litle and litle are to be declared in the progresse of this doctrine but for this time it shall suffice to learne the names to vnderstād so much as you may The Vnitie of God signifieth that besides all things created there is one thinge that hath not had beginning but hath alwaies been and euer shall bee and hath made all other thinges and maintaineth and gouerneth them and is aboue all most high most noble most glorious most potent absolutely Patrone of all thinges and this is called God who is one onely because there can not bee more then one true Diuinitie that is to saye one onely Nature and Essence infinitely potent Holie good and so foorth Yet notwithstanding this Diuinitie is founde in three persons which are called the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost which three persons are one onely God because they haue the selfe-same Diuinity and essence As for example if three persons here in earth called Peter Paul Iohn should haue one the same soul one the same bodie they should be called three persōs because one is Peter an other Paul and an other Iohn and yet they should be one man onely and not three men not hauing three bodies nor three soules but one bodie and one soule This is not possible amongst men because the being of a man is dererminat limited and therefore cannot be in many persons But the being of God his diuinitie is infinite And there fore the selfe-same being and the selfe-same Diuinitie of the Father may be and is found in the soone and in the Holie-Ghost There bee then three persons because one is the Father another is the Sonne and the third is the Holie-Ghost And yet they are one God onely because they haue the same Diuinitie the same being the same power wisedome goodnes c. S. Tell me now what signifyeth the Incarnatiō Passiō of our Sauiour M You are to know that the second Diuine person the which as wee haue said is called the Son besides his diuine being which he had before the world was created yea from all eternitie tooke the flesh soule of man that is to say our whole nature in the wombe of a most pure Virgin and so hee who was before only God came likewise to be Man And after hee had conuersed with men thirtie and three yeares teaching the way of saluation and working many miracles in the ende hee suffered himselfe to be nayled vpon a Crosse and on the same dyed to satisfie God for the sinnes of the whole world and after three daies he rose from death to life and after fourtie daies more ascended into heauen as wee shall shew in the declaration of the Creede this is the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour S Wherefore are these the principal mysteries of our Faith M Because in the first is contayned the first beginning and last end of man In the second the onely and most effectuall meanes to know the first beginning and how to attaine vnto the last end because in beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries we manifest our selues distinct from all the false Sectes of Gentils Turkes Iewes and Hereticks and lastly because without beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries no man can be saued S How are these mysteries conteyned in the signe of the Crosse M We make the signe of the Crosse when we say In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost and that in this forme putting the right hand vnder the forehead when we saye In the name of the Father then vnder the breast when we say of the Sonne lastly frō the left shoulder vnto the right when we say and of the holy Ghost And withall the word In the name doeth shew the vnitie of God because it is said in the name and not in the names by the word name is also vnderstood the diuine power and authoritie which is one only in all the three persons These words of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost doe shew vnto vs the Trinitie of persons The signing in forme of
wil not haue faith as Iewes Turkes Heritikes or because they wil not receiue the Sacraments as those that wil not be baptised or wil not confesse their sinnes or wil not do such penance as they can for their sins nor resolue to liue conformably to the law of God S I would haue some example to vnderstand this M Take the example of one which should take great paines and with sweate and labours should gaine so much money as were sufficient to pay al the debts of this citie and should put the same in a bank to the end it should be geuen vnto al such as should bring a warant from him this man surely had satisfied for al somuch as lieth in him yet manie might remaine stil in debt for that they would not either for pride or for slouth or for some other cause demand his warant and carie it to the bank to receiue the money S What signifieth He descended into hel and what doth hel signifie in this place M Hel is the lowest deepest place in this world to wit the midle of the earth And the Scripture in manie places putteth heauen as opposite vnto hel as the highest place vnto the lowest But in this depth of the earth there are foure as it were great caues one for the damned which is the deepest of al and so it is agreable that the proud Diuels and the men which imitate them be in the lowest place and furthest from heauen that can be In the second caue which is something higher are those soules which suffer the paines of Purgatorie In the third which is yet higher are the soules of those children that die with out Baptisme who do not suffer torments of fire but onely the perpetuall priuation of eternall felicity In the fourth which is the highest remained the soules of the Patriarchs Prophets and other Holie men that dyed before the comming of Christ for albeit those holy soules had not any thing to be purged yet they could not enter into glory before Christ by his death had opened the gate of eternall life therefore they remained in that higher place called the place of holy Fathers otherwise Abrahams bosome where they suffered no paines at all but enjoyed a sweete repose expecting the comming of our Lord with great joy And so we read in the Gospel that the soule of that poore beggar Lazarus was carried by an Angell to rest in the bosome of Abraham where hee was seene by the rich glutton who burning in flames of hell cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in a farre higher place remayning in great joy and consolation enjoying the fruits of his former patience S Into which of these foure partes of Hell did Christ descend after his death M There is no doubt but hee descended into the place of holy Fathers and suddainely made them blessed after led thē with him in to the kingdome of heauē He made himselfe also seene vnto all the other parts of hell terrifying the Diuels as a victorious Triumpher threatning the damned as a supreame Iudge comforting the soules in Purgatorie as their Aduocate and deliuerer So that Christ descended into Hell as a King vseth sometimes to repaire into prisons to visite prisoners and to shew fauour to whom it pleaseth him S If Christ was dead his body did lye in the sepulchre then he did not whollie descend into hell but onely the soule of Christ and how is it then said that Christ descended into hell M Death had force to separate the soule of Christ from his body but it could not separate either the soule or the bodie from the Diuine person of the same Christ And therefore we beleeue that the Diuine person of Christ remained with his bodie in the sepulcre that the same person descēded with his soule into hel Of the fift Article S HOw is it true that our Lord rose from death the third day seeing that from Friday in the euening when he was buried vnto the night before Sunday when hee rose there wanteth of two whole daies M We doe not say that Christ rose after three whole daies but the third daye which is most true For he was buried on Friday which is the first day though not a whole day and so hee remained in the Sepulchre all Saterday and a part of Sundaie which is the third day For the natural day beginning the night before at the setting of the Sunne the first houre after the Sunne-setting is the first of the day following S. For what cause did not Christ rise streight after his death but would expect the third day M Because he would shew that he was truely dead he would remaine there in the graue so long as sufficed to prooue this truth Moreouer I would haue you considder that like as Christ liued amongst men thirtie three or thirty foure yeares so hee would stay amongst the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres For so many they are if you put together one houre of Friday for hee was buried an houre before Sunne-setting twentie foure houres of the Saturday and eight or nine houres of Sunday For he rose after midnight towards the beginning of the morning S Why is it said of Christ that hee rose and of other dead as of Lazarus and the Widdowes sonne that they were raysed from death M The reason is because Christ being the Son of God rose of himself to wit by vertue of his God-head he reunited his soule to his bodie so began to liue againe But other dead men can not returne to life by their owne power And therefore it is said they were raised by others As we al at the day of Iudgment shal be raised by Christ S Is there anie other difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ of others which returned to life before him M There is this difference that the others rose mortal therefore they died againe but Christ rose immortal neither can he euer die anie more Of the sixt Article S Now let vs come vnto the sixt article which is of the Ascension I desire to know how long our Sauiour remained vpon earth after his Resurrection and for what cause M He remained fourtie dayes as you may consider by numbring the dayes betwixt the feasts of his Resurection and Ascension And the reason of his so long stay was because he would with manie diuers apparitions establish the Mysterie of his most true Resurrection For that the same seemeth as it were the most hard And he that beleeueth it hath no difficultie to beleeue the rest For he that riseth was certainly dead before And he that was dead was first borne And so he that beleueth the Resurrection of Christ findeth no labour in beleeuing his death and natiuitie And likewise for so much as the earth is not a conuenient place for glorious bodies but heauen therefore he that beleueth the Resurrection of our Sauiour can
easely beleeue his going vp into heauen S I would know the cause wherefore it is said that Christ went vp into heauen and of his most holie Mother it is said that she was assumpted or taken vp into heauen not that she ascended or went vp M The reason is easie For that Christ being God and man went vp into heauen by his owne powre as he also rose by his owne powre But his Mother who is a meere creature though most worthie amongst all others was raysed from death and assumpted vnto the kingdome of heauen not by her owne power but by the power of God S What meaneth He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie M You must not imagine that the Father is on the left-hande of the Sonne nor that the Father is in middest hauing his Sonne on the right-hand and the Holie-Ghost on the left corporally For as well the Father as the Sonne according to his God-head and the Holie Ghost are euery where Neither can it be properly said that one is on the right-hand of an other but to bee at the right hand in this article signifieth to be in equal height glorie and maiestie because when one is side by side of an other one is not higher nor lower then the other And to vnderstand this maner of speach the holie Scripture in the Psalme 109. which beginneth Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. doth once saye that the Sonne doeth sitte at the right hand of the Father and an other time saith that the Father is at the right hand of the Sonne instructing vs that they are in deed in equal height as we haue said So that Christ when he went vp into heauen ascended aboue all the Quyars and orders of the Angels of the blessed soules which he caried with him ariued vnto the high throne of God and there stayed not going aboue his Father neither remayning vnder him but resting as we may say side by his father as equal with him in glory greatnes S Seeing Christ is God and man I would know if he sit at the right hand of the Father as he is God onlie or as he is also man M Christ as he is God is equal to the Father as he is man he is lesse then the Father yet for so much as Christ God and man are not two Christes nor two persons but one Christ onelie and one person onlie therefore it is saide that Christ God and man sitteth at the right hand of the Father And so the humanitie of our Lord to wit his flesh and soule â—re in the throne of God on the right hand of God the father Not by their proper worthines but because they are vnited to the person of the true and natural Son of God S I would haue some similitude to vnderstande this M Take the similitude of a kings robe wheÌ„ the king being vested with his purple robe sitteth in his royal throne al the Princes of his kingdome sit below him the kings robe is in a more eminent place then the Nobles them selues are because it is in the selfe same throne with the King And this is done not because the robe is of equal dignitie with the king but because it is ioyned to the King as his proper garment So the flesh and the soule of Christ do sitte aboue al the Cherubims and Seraphims in the same seat with God not by the dignitie of their owne nature but because they are vnited vnto God not onely as the garment is vnto the king but in much nearer sorte to wit by personal vnion As hath bene said Of the seuenth Article S FRom thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead When shall this comming of our Lord be M It shal be at the end of the world For you are to vnderstand that this world is to haue an end and to bee destroied with an inundation of fire which wil burne all thinges vpon the earth And there shal be no more dayes nor nights nor Mariages nor marchandise or anie of these things which you now see So that in the last day of this world which no man can know how neere it is nor how long hence Christ wil come downe from heauen to make the general Iudgment And these words From thence he shal come do forewarne vs not to beleeue anie that shal cal him selfe Christ or that would deceiue vs as Antichrist wil endeuour to do towards the end of the world For that the true Christ wil not come forth of anie desert or obscure place but wil come from the highest heauen with so much glorie and maiestie as no man can doubt whether it be he or no. Like as when the Sun riseth it commeth with so much light as no man can doubt whether lt be the Sun or no. S Wherefore do we say that he shal iudge the quicke and the dead shall not al men be dead at that time and all then rise againe M By the quick and the dead may be vnderstood the good which liue with the spirituall life of grace and the bad which are spiritually dead by sin But it is true also that Christ will come to iudge the quicke and the dead corporally because at that day many shal be dead and manie shall be found aliue Who though they be liuing in that last daye and some also shall bee young or children yet all shall die in an instant and suddenly rise againe thereby to pay the debt of death S I haue heard many times that whosoeuer dyeth in mortall sinne goeth presently vnto hell and whosoeuer dyeth in the grace of God goeth presently to Purgatorie or to heauen how then are all to be judged the sentence being already giueÌ„ M At the death of euery one the particular judgement is giuen of that soule which departed from the bodie but after at the last day there shall be an vniuersall judgement of the whole world And this for manny causes First for Gods honour because manie nowe seeing bad-men in prosperitie and good-men afflicted imagine that God doeth not gouerne the world well But at that time it shall be cleerly seen how God hath seene noted all things and how with great justice he hath giuen vnto the bad some temporall prosperitie in recompence of some good works of theirs of smal momeÌ„t intending afterwards to giue them eternall paine for their mortall sins And contrariwise vnto the good he hath geuen temporal affliction for punishmeÌ„t of some veniall sinnes or to geue them occasion to make them do penance intending afterwards to reward them with an infinite treasure of glorie for their good workes Secondly for the glorie of Christ because he being vniustly condemned and by manie not knowne nor honored as he ought to be it is reason there should be a day when al the world shal know him honour him either by force or for loue as their true king Lord of al.
that either God is ignorant of the matter or that hee is a friend of lying and of antiquitie S Declare I pray in particular what is to sweare with truth M That one may sweare with truth it is necessary that he do not affirme with an oth any thing but that hee certainely knoweth to be true and that he promise not with an oth any thing but that he will vndoubtedly performe Whereupon they are periured and sinne greeuously that affirme with an oath such thinges as they know are false or do not know to be true And in like maner those that promise by oath that which they meane not to fulfil S What meaneth to sweare with iustice M The meaning is that a man promise not with an oath to do anie thing but that which is lawful And therfore they sinne most greeuously who promise with an oath to reuenge injuries or to do anie thing that displeaseth God Neither ought they to obserue such promises neither do they binde in anie sort For no man can be bound to do euil for so much as the law of God bindeth vs that we must not do it S What meaneth to sweare with iudgement M The meaning is to sweare with aduisement maturely cōsidering that it is not conuenient to call God to witnesse but in needful things of great importance and with much feare and reuerence And therefore they offend that for euerie trifle yea playing jeasting do sweare Who by this euil custome of swearing often do easely incurre perjurie which is one of the greatest sinnes that can be committed Whereupon aswell our Lord in the Gospel as S. Iames in his Epistle do command that wee do not sweare that is without necessitie And holie men doe yeelde the reasō thereof because an oath being inuented for remedy of the weaknes of a mans credit for that men doe hardly beleeue one an other therfore an oath ought to be vsed as we vse a medicine which is not oftē to be taken but as seldome as well may be S Declar then if you please the third part of this commandement which consisteth in vowes M A Vowe is a promise made to God of some good thing grateful to his diuine Majestie Where you haue to considder three things First that a Vowe is a promise and therefore it sufficeth not to the making of a Vowe to haue a purpose much lesse a desire to do any thing but the expresse promise is required either by word of mouth or at the least in heart Againe you haue to consider that this promise is to be made to God to whom Vowes doe properly belong And when you heare that a Vow is made to our Ladie or to other Saints you must vnderstande that the same is principally made to God but in the honour of our Lady or other Saints in whome God remaineth in a more particular maner and more excellently then in other creatures So that a Vow made to a Saint is nothing else but a promise made vnto God to honour the memorie of such a Saint with some present that is to honour God himself in his Saint Thirdly you haue to know that a Vow cannot be made but of a good thing and grateful to God as holy virginitie voluntarie pouertie and the like things Wherfore he that should vowe to commit anie sinne or anie act not pertaining to the seruice of God yea or anie good thing which should hinder a greater good should not make promise of a thing grateful to his diuine Maiestie and therefore should not do him honour but dishonour and he should sinne against this second commandement As he also sinneth greeuiously against the same commandement that maketh a vow and fulfilleth it not so soone as he can For God commandeth in holie Scripture that whosoeuer maketh a vowe do not only remember to fulfill it but also that hee slacke not to do it S Declare to me the last part which treateth of the praise of God and of blasphemie M God commādeth in the last part of this seconde commandement that a man shal not blaspheame but contrariwise that he praise blesse his holy name And first forasmuch as appertaineth to the praise there is no difficultie at all being manifest that all good things comming vnto vs from God and all the works of God being full of wisdome of justice and of mercie it is reason that in all things he be praised and blessed But touching blaspheamie it is necessary you know that blasphemy is nothing else but an injury done in wordes to God in himselfe or in his Saints And there are found six sorts of blasphemies The first when that is attributed to God which is false as that he hath hornes or like indignitie The second when that is denied to God which belongeth to him as Power Wisdome Iustice or other excellences As to say that God can not do or seeth some things or that he is not iust The third whē that is tributed to any creature which is proper to God as if one say that the diuel knoweth the things that are to come or can worke true miracles The fourth when one curseth God or our Ladie or other Saints The fift when some members of Christ or of Saints are named to doe some injurie as if there were any things in them to bee ashamed of as be in vs. The sixt when one nameth some parts of Christ or of Saints to jest at them as to saye To the bread of Christ or of Saint Peter or other like things which the enuie of the diuel and the wickednesse of man hath found out S I desire to know howe great the sin of blasphemie is M It is so great that it is in a maner the greatest of all other which may be vnderstood by the pain that it meriteth For that in the old Testament God commandeth that blasphemers should presently be stoned by al the people As the ciuil lawes do also punish blasphemers with death And S. Gregorie writeth that a litle child of fiue years old hauing learned to blaspheme God and not being corrected by his father died in his fathers lap and his soule was carried away by diuels that appeared visibly into hell fire Which was neuer read to haue happened for any other sinne Whereby wee may see what diligence ought to be vsed in auoyding so great an offence of his diuine Maiestie the auoyding of this sinne ought to be more easie seeing there is no commoditie nor pleasure gotten by it as by some other sin there is but the onely hurt which the sinne bringeth with it And yet wee ought neuer to sinne though wee could gaine neuer so great cōmoditie or pleasure thereby Of the third Commandement S I Haue vnderstood the two first commandements now I desire that you wil declare to me the third M The third commandemēt which is of keeping holie feasts is somthing differing from the others because al the others to wit the two
a Crosse representeth vnto vs the Passion and consequently the Incarnation of the Sonne of God the passing from the left shoulder to the right and not from the right to the left signifyeth that by the Passion of our Sauiour we are transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie things vnto eternall from death to life S To what purpose is this signe of the Crosse made M First it is made to shew that wee are Christians to wit souldiers of our chiefe Emperour Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the soldiers of Christ from all the enemies of the Holie Church to wit Gentils Iewes Turkes Heretiks besides this signe is made to call for Gods helpe in all our works because with this signe the most holie Trinitie is called to help by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therefore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed wheÌ„ they goe to sleepe and in the beginning of all other things which they haue to do finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the Deuill because the Diuel is a fraid of this signe and flyeth from it as malefactors doe when they see the signe of the officers of Iustice and often-times by meanes of this signe of the holie Crosse a man escapeth many dangers aswell spirituall as temporal when he maketh it with faith and trust of Gods mercy and of the merits of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. 3. The declaration of the Creede S NOwe comming to the first part of this doctrine I desire to learne the Creede M The Creede contayneth twelue parts which are called Articles and they are twelue according to the number of the twelue Apostles who composed the same and are these 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie Creator of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3 Who was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 Suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried descended into Hell 5 The third day he rose again from death 6 Ascended into heauen siâ—â—eth at the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 From thence hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holie Ghost 9 The holie Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 Remission of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen S May it please you declare to mee the first article word by word What signifyeth I beleeue M It signifyeth I hold for certaine and for most true all that is contayned in these twelue articles and the reason is this because the same God hath taught the holy Apostles these sentences and the holy Apostles the Church and the Church doth teach them vs and because it is impossible that God should saye that which is false I therefore beleeue these things more certainely then those I see with mine eyes and feele with my hands S What meaneth In God M It meaneth that we ought to beleeue firmely that there is a God albeit we do not see him with corporal eies this God is one only therefore it is said in God and not in Gods And you must not imagine that god is like to any corporal thing how great or faire so euer it be but you must thinke that God is a spiritual thing which euer was foreuer shal be hath made the whole filleth the whole gouerneth the whole knoweth seeth euery thing finally what thing soeuer is represented vnto our eies or vnto our imagination you must say that this which now is represeÌ„ted vnto me is not god because God is a thinge infinitelie better S Wherefore is it said that God is a Father M Because he is truly the Father of his onlie begotten Son of whom we shal speake in the second article and also because he is the Father of al good men not by nature but by adoption and finally because he is the father of al creatures not by nature or by adoption but by creation as we shal say hereafter in this same article S Wherefore is he called Almighty M Because it is a proper title of God and albeit God hath manie proper titles as eternal infinite vnmeasurable and others yet in this place the most fit is that he is omnipotent because it may not seeme hard vnto vs to beleeue that hee hath made heauen and earth of nothing as in the words following is added For that vnto him who can do al that he wil thereby is omnipotent nothing can be hard And if you should say vnto me God can not dye nor sinne and therefore it semeth not that he can do al things I would answere you that to dye or to sinne is not power but impotencie as when it is said of a most valiant soldier that hee can ouercome al and that he cannot be ouercome of anie it doth not preindicate his force to say that he cannot be ouercome because that he can be ouercome is not streÌ„gth but weaknes S What is signified by Creator M It signifieth that God hath made al thinges of nothing and he alone can bring them againe vnto nothing The Angels Men and also Diuels can make and vnmake some things but they can not make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake theÌ„ but by changing them into some other thing as a Maison cannot make a house of nothing but he must haue stones lyme and wood neither can he destroy it in bringing it to nothing but into stones dust wood and such like so that God only is called is a creator because he only hath no need of any matter to make all things S Why is he called creator of heaueÌ„ and earth hath not God also made the ayre the water stones trees men and all other things M By heauen and earth is also vnderstood all that is in heauen and earth as he that saith a man hath a bodie a soule meaneth also that he hath al things belonging to a bodie as veines bloud bones sinewes and the rest all things belonging vnto a soule as vnderstanding will memorie internal and external senses and the rest so that by heauen is vnderstood the ayre where birds vse to be all things aboue where the clouds the stars are wherevpon it is said the birds of heaueÌ„ the clouds of heauen the stars of heauen finally the Angels By the earth is vnderstood al that is compassed by the aire as the waters of the sea of the riuers which are in the lower partes of the earth also al liue creatures plants stones mettals and all other things which are found in the earth or in the sea it is therefore said that God is creator of heauen earth because these two are the principall parts of the world the one aboue in the which the Angels remaine and the other
ruleth the soules harts of good Christians giuing them spirite and grace to serue him willingly to seeke his glorie aboue all things The kingdome of glorie shal be in the other life after the day of iudgement for that then God wil raigne with all the Saints ouer all things created without any resistaÌ„ce For theÌ„ al the force of the diuels shal be taken away also of al peruerse men who shal be shut vp in eternall prison of hel In that time shal death also be extinguished corruption with al the tentations of the world of the flesh which now trouble the seruaÌ„ts of God So that shal be quiet peaceable kingdome with secure possessioÌ„ of perfect eternal felicity S Which of these three kingdomes â—s spoken of in this petition M Not of the first for that is not to come but is now come Neither of the second for that is spoken of in the first petition is in a great part already come But here is spoken of the third which is to come and is expected with great desire of al those that know the miserie of this life so in this petition we demand our chiefe good and the perfect glory of both soule and bodie S If the kingdome of God which we desire may comequickly shal begin after the day of Iudgment then we desire demand that this world should speedely end that the day of iudgement should come shortly M So it is for thought the louers of the world can haue no worse newes then to heare the day of Iudgement named yet the citiznes of heauen who liue now as pilgrimes and banished men here below in earth haue no other greater desire Where vpon S. Augustin saith that like as before Christ came into the world al the desires of the Saincts of the ancient law were directed to the first comming of Christ so now al the desires of holie men of the new law are directed to the second comming of the same Christ which wil bring vs perfect beatitude S Let vs passe vnto the third petition What do those wordes signifie Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen M In these words is demanded grace to obserue wel the law of god For that the eternal life which is the end of man being demanded in the second petition it was conuenient that the principal meanes to arriue vnto that end should be demanded next after this principal meanes is the obseruing of the commandements of God as our lord hath said if thou wilt enter into eternall life keep the commandements for so much as wee are not able of our selues to kepe all the commandements in such sorte as we ought therefore we demand of God that his wil be done by vs that is that he geue vs grace to fulfil his wil in obeying wholly and in al things his holie commandements S I desire to know whether that besides the fulfilling the wil of God in obseruing the commandements we are bound also to conforme our willes with Gods wil when he sendeth vs tribulations M We are bound at the lest not to murmour nor to grudge at the prouidence of God because al that he sendeth or permitteth he doth it to a good end to wit to giue vs occasion of greater merite if we be good or els to purge vs if we be bad S To what purpose is added In earth as it is in heauen M To teach vs that we ought to endeuour to obey God and to obserue his holie commandements with that perfection promptnes gladnes with which the Angels do obey in heauen who neuer committed anie litle default in obseruing al the commandements of God It may be also said that we desire and demaund that sinners signified by the earth may obey God as the Saints do obey him who are signified by heauen Or els that the whole Church signified by the earth may intirely obey God as Christ who is signified by heauen obeyd him S Let vs come vnto the fourth petition what meaneth Geue vs this day our daylie bread M With great reason bread is demanded that mainteineth life after that grace hath been demanded which is life it selfe For that the first thing that anie one begining to liue desireth is food where with life is maintained But you haue to vnderstande that in this prayer spirituall bread is principally demaunded which is the meate of the soule and secondarily corporall bread which is the food for the body And by spirituall bread is vnderstood the most holy Sacrament of the altar that is the celestial and diuine bread which merueilously nourisheth the life of the soule likewise the word of god is vnderstood which by preaching or reading of spirituall bookes helpeth no little to nourish the same life of the soule Finally is vnderstood the inspiration of God prayer and euery other thing which helpeth to maintaine and increase grace in vs the which as is saide is the life of the soule By corporall bread is vnderstood all that is needful vnto vs to maintaine the life of the bodie which is as an instrument of the soule to do good workes S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is ours M With great mysterie this bread is called ours for if we speake of the blessed Sacrament that is our bread because of our saluation it was formed by the holy ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin and in a certaine manner bakte in the Ouen of the holy Crosse serued vp on the table of the Altar by the handes of Priests And moreouer it is ours because it is the bread proper of the children and may not be giuen vnto dogges that is to say to Infidels nor to those that are in mortall sinne If wee speake of the doctrine wee call it our bread to witte that which is distributed by the true preachers vnto the children of the Holy Church and not the strange bread to wit that which al heretikes giue vnto their followers which is corrupt and pestiferous bread But if we speake of corporall bread we defire that God will giue vs our owne bread and not that which belongeth to others to wit that he wil help vs in iust and lawfull gaines And againe that he blesse our lands possessions and all our labours to the end that without injurie and fraud we may procure our liuing S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is dailie M It is called dailie that is to saye bread for euerie daye for that wee desire not superfluous or curious things but simply that which may suffice for the daies refection and as well for the soule as for the bodie especially knowing that wee are pilgrims and strangers in this life S Wherfore is it said Giue vnto vs M Because albeit we are willing to labour to haue bread as well spirituall as corporall yet wee know that our labours should all bee vaine if God concurred not with his grace as