we iudge it is aliue but if we see it not stirre we hold it for dead so when we see any man do many good workes and otherwise obserue no impiety or iniquity in him we haue iustreason to hope that he is in the state of grace and that he moueth by the life of charity 23. From whence proceedeth the incertitude of this knowledge It proceedeth from two heads first from the hidden corruption which lyeth in our hearts and infecteth those actions which we least suspect secondly from the hidden influences of those motions from God whereby out actions are purified and without which they are of no value which are not perceptible to any but to God himselfe 24. Can a man loose sanctifying grace when once he hath it Y s for otherwise all those who are baptized would be saued but alas it is easily lost vnlesse it be kept with great care and watchfullnesse LESSON XXII Of Sinne. 1. How is grace lost It cannot be lost by any thing but only by such actuall sinne as depriueth our soule of the loue of God 2. If so how is it possible to loose grace for loue cannot be lost but by hatred since one contrary is not expelled but by another and me thinkes no body can hate God If you remember we sayed that he who loueth one is bound by loue to do good for him whom he loueth if he can by performing all that towards him which is due vnto him whence it followeth that he who will not do these thinges to which he is bound by loue looseth his loue now a man may neglect to doe these thinges by louing some other thing the loue whereof hindreth him from performing what he oweth to God so that you see not only hatred of God but also loue of such thinges as hinder vs to doe what we ought to doe in loue to God that is all which he commandeth and is practised by the three Theologicall and foure Cardinall vertues taketh away our loue towards him 3. What then is actuall sinne It is a voluntary thinking speaking or doing something contrary to the law of God or a voluntary omitting to thinke speake or doe something commanded by the law of God 4. Is there no other sinne but actuall sinne Yes there is also originall sinne which is that wherewith we are all borne and which cometh to vs by inheritance from our first parents Adam and Eue. But we are freed from this sinne by baptisme when we first receaue grace and it neuer returneth more 5. How many sortes be there of actuall sinne Two generall ones mortall and veniall 6. How can any sinne be veniall since that all sinne is the neglect of our duty towards God and he who neglecteth his duty forbeareth to loue and so looseth charity which losse as you say is the death of our soule You must know that though we cannot loose charity but by neglecting our duty yet all neglect of duty looseth not charity for loue or charity is of its owne nature mutuall and therefore we cannot loose it but that we must loose also our friend his loue towards vs so that we do not loose charity by any other neglect but such as breaketh the mutuall bōd of loue if then not euery thing as the taking of a pinne is a sufficient cause for our neighbour to fall out with vs we loose not out loue towards him for taking a pinne from him but we loose it by those acts only which are a sufficient cause for ordinary wise men to breake of conuersation and friendship with vs and not by what is lesse then that And the same may be said of the duty which we owe to ourselues or to Allmighty God for whereas man oweth certaine duties to himselfe the neglect of them may come to be such as if another man should do it vnto you you would haue iust cause to fall out with him and so though you do not fall out with yourselfe for the like occasion yet it is not for want of cause Againe it may be also so little a neglect as that it would be vnreasonable for you to fall out with him now this second neglect of your duty towards your selfe is only a veniall sinne whereas the former is mortall And the same is to be said of misrespect towards God for if it were such as done to one to whom we owe all that we are should according to the rule and decrees of his iustice giue him an occasion to breake of friendship with vs it is a mortall sinne if not a veniall 7. Why are these two kindes of sinnes so called one mortall the other veniall Because by the one we breake friendship with God and so we are depriued of his grace and become guilty of eternall damnation and spiritually dead for charity or the loue of God is our spirituall life and for this reason it is called mortall by the other we make no breach of friendship nor loose God his grace or charity by them and so because they are such of their owne nature as that their pardon may be easily obtained by the workes of grace which still remaineth in vs they are called veniall 8. What then is mortall sinne It is a wilfull and witting transgression in a matter of weight against a known commandement of God of the Church or of some lawfull Superiour Where any of these three conditions are wanting it is at most but a veniall sinne as first if it be not against a known commandement secondly if it be not in a matter of weight thirdly if it be not done with perfect consent and deliberation 9. How many sortes of veniall sinnes be there There are three for some are such because the kinde or obiect of them is of its owne nature of small consideration and generally slightly respected by men others are such because they are slight by reason of the smallnesse of the matter though the deformity of the obiect be of a kinde in its owne nature considerable others againe are such because they are performed by ouersight or without deliberation for if one should kill a man by chance his sinne might be but veniall or none at all and yet if afterwards when he did reflect vpon it he should be pleased with the harme he had done this complaisance would be a mortall crime though the act it selfe were only veniall or no sinne at all 10. How many wayes is a veniall sinne made mortall Foure wayes first when one committeth a veniall sinne with such affection that he is resolued to commit it though it were mortall Secondly when the end of doing it is a mortall sinne as when one telleth a slight lye thereby to induce one to fornication the telling of a lye with this circumstance is a mortall sinne though he should not afterwards commit fornication Thirdly when one perceiueth that by committing a veniall sinne he shall giue an occasion to a mortall one by scandall or any other way Fourthly
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
bookes and the like 5. Which be the commandements of the Church Amongst diuerse others which cōcerne seuerall particular states of persons there be fiue which are commāded to all in generall First to be present at Masse vpon Sundayes and other commāded feasts and also to abstaine from seruile worke on the sayd feastes Secondly to fast the Lent the foure Ember weekes and commanded eues of feastes and to abstaine from flesh vpō Fridayes and Saturdayes Thirdly to confesse at the least once a yeare and to receaue the blessed Sacrament at Easter in our proper parish Church Fourthly to pay out tithes which shall be due Fifthly not to solemnize marriage within the prohibited times 6. Are the precepts of the Church different from the former commandements of God They are not different in effect they being all contained vnder that one wherein Allmighty God doth expressely command vs to obey and honour our father and mother by which he doth sufficiently oblige vs to obey the Church we being her children and she our parent and chiefe mother Besides that they serue as declarations of Gods commandements and as peculiar rules for their more exact and punctuall obseruation And so they are not to be accounted as burdens to the faithfull but as conuenient meanes to make them keepe exactly God his ten Commandements 7. How doth the first precept of the Church serue for this end By shewing vs the manner how we ought to fulfill God his third commandement for the light of nature doth only teach vs that we ought to giue some time particularly to God his seruice but how much time or what time rather then another and in what manner doth depend vpon the positiue institutiō of the Church and so as I noted aboue the Apostles haue changed the Sabaoth into our Lords day which is the day following Now the Church hath determined the manner by appointing vs to heare Masse and concerning the time she hath also ordained feuerall festiuall dayes besides our Lords day and she hath made choise of those dayes on which Allmighty God did worke the principall mysteries of our faith or did conferre by meanes of his seruants some singular benefits to his Church 8. How doth the second precept serue for this end It helpeth vs to obserue the sixth Commandement by mortifying our flesh and diminishing our sensuality 9. Why doth the Church make choise of those times rather then others to fast on The reason of it is first as for Lent because it was instituted by the Apostles to imitate our Sauiour in his fast of 40 dayes Ember dayes were also instituted by the Apostles at least the three first to consecrate the seasons of the yeare to God The eues of feastes are ordained by the Church to make vs more fitt to serue God the next day following Fridayes and Satturdayes are obserued by abstinence in memorie of our Sauiours passion who dyed on Friday and lay buried all Satturday 10. Is it a mortall sinne not to obserue the fasting dayes ordained by the Church Yes except they be excused by some necessary impediment which for the most part may be reduced to foure heades pouerty sicknesse imbecility of bodie and extraordinary labour of the bodie By the first beggars are excused and all that haue not meanes to get dayly one entire meale by the second those sicke are excused by licence obtained from their Curate whom the Physitian shall iudge vnable to fast by the third all personnes vnder twenty one compleat or aboue threescore and three yeares of age begun are likewise excused as also women great with child and nources by the fourth are excused labouring men and tradesmen who are forced to gaine their liuing by the sweat of their bodies Yet it is to be noted that all these persons are not excused from abstaining from flesh though they be permitted to eate two meales a day 11. Are all fasts to be obserued in the same manner No for in Lent it is forbidden not only to eate flesh but also to eate eggs and in some places white meats which notwithstanding are permitted on other fasting dayes but the rule to be obserued in this point is the custome of the countrie That which is to be obserued in all fasting dayes is that we eate but one entire meale a day and that at night we rest satisfyed with a small collation or drinking 12. What doth the third precept of the Church serue for It helpeth vs to obserue all the ten commandements in generall for whereas it consisteth of two partes to confesse and to communicate by confession we are purged from our sinnes and so haue lesse occasion to fall againe for nothing doth draw to sinne more then sinne it selfe by the holy communion we receaue strength to performe all that which we are obliged to doe in seruing God 13. Who are obliged to confession All those that are come to the vse of reason which is ordinarily conceaued to be at eight yeares of age and it is to be noted that the Church doth not by this precept of confessing once a yeare take of the obligation that euery man may haue of confessing oftener 14. What occasions be they that oblige a man to confession oftener then once a yeare First it must be supposed that none are obliged but such as are in mortall sinne amongst whom first those are obliged who by sicknesse or by reason of some other accident are in imminent danger of death as those are reputed to be who are to vndertake any long voyage at sea or who are in the warres and do vndergoe any actuall seruice with danger of being killed as also women that are ready to labour with childe and the like Secondly those who are to receaue the blessed Sacrament are also bound to goe first to confession in case they be in mortall sinne Thirdly those who hauing committed any mortall sinne do suspect that by deferring their confession they shall not remember it are bound to confesse it speedily 15. Who are obliged to communion All those who are of age sufficient to discern the greatnesse of this mystery which is conceaued to be ordinarily when one is 12 yeares old And it is to be noted that by Easter is vnderstood the eight dayes following and the eight dayes precedent to Easter day and also that those who communicate are bound to be fasting that is not to haue eaten or drunke any thing after midnight except it be in case of extreme sicknesse iudged such by Physitians 16. Ought one to communicate as often as he goeth to confession In the first aboue named cases he is bound to communicate when he confesseth if he hath opportuny but ordinarily speaking euery man would do well to confesse oftener then he communicateth especially those who for want of actuall deuotion or through spirituall slothfulnesse cōmunicate very seldome and if they fall often into mortall sinne they ought to prepare themselues by doeing worthy fruits of repentance whereof I shall speake
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