some things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they do the other Scriptures to their own Destruction Furthermore Tenthly the Sacred Scripture is defil'd by soul and dishonest Blots when wicked Men turn the Words and Sentences thereof which ought to be us'd with all reverence to any Prophaness as to Raillery fabulous and vain Conceits Flatteries Detractions Fortune-telling Enchantments and such like Of which Sin the Sacred Synod of Trent commands to beware And then as they honor God Eleventhly who implore his Aid and Help in their Calamities So he denies God his due Honor that calls not upon him for help whom David reproves when he says They have not call'd upon God Psal 15.5 they tremble for fear where no Fear was But they intangle themselves in a far more detestable Sin Twelfthly who with an impure and defil'd mouth presume to curse and blaspheme the Holy Name of God which is to be bless'd and extol'd by all Creatures with the highest Praises or even the Name of the Saints that reign with God Which Sin is verily of so high and cursed a Nature Note that sometime the Sacred Scripture 3 Reg. 21.13 Job 1.12.29 when the Discourse is of Blasphemy uses the word Benediction But because the terror of Pain and Punishment is us'd very much to restrain Men from the Liberty of Sinning XXIX The Appendix to the second Commandment Therefore the Curat the better to stir up the minds of Men and more easily to prevail with them to keep this Commandment shall diligently explain the other Part of it Exod. 27. which is as it were the Appendix For the Lord will not hold him guitless that takes his Name in vain And first he may teach XXX Why Threats joyn'd to this Commandment that it was very reasonably done to joyn Threatnings to this Commandment that so both the weight of the Sin and the goodness of God towards us who is not delighted with Men's Destruction might be acknowledg'd that we might not undergo his Wrath and Displeasure he terrifies us by these saving Threatnings to the end that we may rather experience his Kindness than his Displeasure The Curat may press this Point XXXI What the Curats are to do First and may insist earnestly upon it that the People may know the grievousness of the Sin and loath it the more heartily and use the greater diligence and caution against it He may further shew Secondly how prone and ready Men are to commit this Sin So that it was not enough to establish a Law about it without adding Threatnings also For it is incredible how profitable this Consideration is For as nothing is so hurtful as Carelesness and Security of Mind Thirdly So the knowledg of our own Weakness is very profitable And then he may also shew XXXII What mischiefs the Transgression of the second Commandment brings that there is no certain Punishment appointed of God but only that threatens in general that whosoever intangle themselves in this Sin shall not go unpuish'd Wherefore the various Punishments wherewith we are daily afflicted ought to warn us of this Sin For we may easily conjecture hence that Men fall into very great Calamities because they obey not this Commandment The Consideration whereof it is likely will make them more wary for the Time to come Let the Faithful therefore being terrifi'd with a Holy Fear with all their endeavour avoid this Sin Mat. 12.36 For if an Account must be given in the last Judgment of every idle word what shall be said concerning the most heinous Crimes which carry in them a great Spight and Contempt of Gods Name The Third COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbath Day Six Days shalt thou labor and do all thy Work But the seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Thou shalt not do every work therein thou and thy Son and thy Daughter and thy Servant and thy Maid thy Cattle and the Stranger that is within thy gates For in six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things that are in them and he rested in the Seventh Day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and sanctified it IN this Commandment of the Law I. What is commanded in this third Commandment the Outward VVorship which we owe to God is rightly and orderly appointed For this is a kind of Fruit as it were of the former Commandment Because whom we devoutly worship inwardly being led by the Faith and Hope we have in him we cannot chuse but honor him with external VVorship and render him thanks Vide Trid. Decr. de ciborum delectu festu diebus sess ult sub finem Item D. Thom. 2.2 q. 122. art 4 item de Consec dist 3. multis capitibus And because these things cannot easily be done by those who are occupi'd with worldly Businesses II How indulgent God is there is a certain Time appointed wherein they may conveniently be done Since therefore this Commandment is of that very kind III. Very useful often to explain this Commandment as brings forth admirable and profitable Fruit It much concerns the Curat to be very diligent in explaining thereof And to beget an ardent Study therein the first word of this Commandment Remember has great Force For as the Faithful ought to remember such a Commandment So it is the Office of the Pastor both by teaching and admonishing often to bring it into their Remembrance But how greatly it concerns the Faithful to obey this Commandment is perceiv'd from hence IV. How profitable to observe this Commandment That by a diligent Observance of this they are more easily induc'd to the keeping of the other Commandments of the Law For since among other things which they ought to do on Festival Days V. Why we must come to Church on Holy Days they have need to come to Church to hear Gods VVord and when they have learn'd what the VVill of God is that they also follow it that with their whole Heart they may keep the Law of the Lord VVherefore in Sacred Scripture the VVorship and Celebration of the Sabbath is very frequently commanded Exod. 16.20.31 Lev. 16.19.23 â—6 Deut 3. â—s 66. â—4 Hier. 1. â—ze 10.22.46 as we may see in Exodus Leviticus Deuteronomy and in the Prophecies of Isayah Jeremy and Ezekiel In all which places there is given a Commandment concerning this VVorship of the Sabbath De praedic verbi Dei Vide Trid. Sess 5. c. 2. Vide singularem hac de re libellum S. Caroli Borrom in actis Eccles Mediol Vide etiam acta Eccles Bononiens But Princes and Magistrates are to be exhorted to help the Prelates of the Church with their Authority VI. The Magistrates Duty to promote Gods worship in those things especially which belong to the Support and Increase of this Worship of God
remission both of Sin and Punishment Trid. Sess 5. Can. 5. Aug. 12. de â—eccat Meâ—â— c. 28. when at our first profession of Faith we are cleans'd by Holy Baptism is so fully given us that nothing either of Sin whether contracted by Birth or Wilfully committed remains to be wip'd away or of Punishment to be endur'd But yet by the Grace of Baptism no one is wholly freed from the Infirmity of Nature But rather whereas every one ought to strive against the motions of Concupiscence which forbear not to provoke us to sin hardly can there be found any one who resists either so stoutly or guards his own safety so watchfully as to be able to shun all miscarriages Since therefore it was needful that in the Church there should be a power of Forgiving Sins IV. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven deliver'd to the Church Matt. 16.19 and also by some other way than by the Sacrament of Baptism the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were committed to her Trust whereby sins might be forgiven to every penitent person altho he had sinn'd to the last day of his Life Of this matter we have most clear Testimonies in Holy Scripture Matt. 18.18 For in S. Matthew the Lord says thus to Peter I will give thee the Keys of Heaven and whatsoever Thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven So also Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven And then S. John testifies That the Lord when he breath'd upon the Apostles said Joh. 20.23 Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins soever ye remit they are remitted to them and whose soever Sins ye retain they are retain'd Nor are we to think that this Power is restrained to some certain kinds of Sins For there is no Sin so heinous can be either committed or imagin'd for pardoning whereof the Holy Church has not a Power even as there is no one so vile and wicked to whom if he truly repent him of his Errors a certain hope of Pardon ought not to be offer'd But neither is this very Power so limited as that it may be us'd at some appointed Time only For at what hour soever a sinner will return to Health he is not to be rejected as our Savior has taught when to the Prince of Apostles asking him how oft we must pardon those that offend whether seven times he answered Matt. 18.11 Not to seven times only but even to seventy times seven But if we consider the Ministers of this Divine Power VI. This Power committed to the Bishops and Priests Trid. Sess 14. c. 6. Hieron Ep. 1 pâ—st med Amb de Can Abet c. 4. it will seem not so large For the Lord gave not the Power of this so Holy a Gift to All but only to the Bishops and Priests The same thing is to be believ'd as to the Way or Manner of exercising this Power For by the Sacraments only so that the Form of them be kept sins may be forgiven but otherwise there is no Power of absolving from sin given to the Church Whence it follows that as well the Priests as the Sacraments are as it were Instruments to the forgiveness of Sins by which Christ our Lord who is the very Author and giver of Salvation works in us Forgiveness of Sins and Righteousness But that the Faithful may with the deepest thankfulness lay hold of and embrace this heavenly Gift VII How great a Grace the Remission of Sins is which by the special Mercy of God is given to his Church Trid. Sess 6. c. 7. Sess 14. c. 1. and that they may come to the use and practice thereof with the more ardent study of Piety the Curat shall endeavour to evidence the dignity and largeness of this Grace and this may be seen chiefly from hence if he shall have well expounded of what efficacy it is that sins are forgiven and that unjust men are made just For it is manifest that this is done by the infinite and immense Power of God which we must needs believe to be the very same with that of raising up the Dead and creating of the World But if Aug Tract 72. in Joan. Aug. lib. 1. de pâ—ccat merit c. 23. lib. 50. Hom. 23. Amb. de Abel c. 4. as is confirm'd by that saying of S. Austin it be to be thought a harder work to make a wicked Man Good than to create Heaven and Earth out of nothing since that creation cannot be but by an Infinite Power it consequently follows That the Forgiveness of Sinners is much more to be attributed to an Infinite Power Wherefore we own that those sayings of the ancient Fathers are most true wherein they confess that Sins are pardon'd to Men by God only Nor is so wonderful a work to be referr'd to any other Author Isay 43. than to his supream Goodness and Power I am He says the Lord himself by the Prophet I am he that blot out your Iniquities For there seems to be the same Reason in the forgiving of Sins as ought to be observ'd in a Debt of Mony As therefore Mony which is owing cannot be forgiven by any but the Creditor so when we are bound to God only by reason of Sin for we dayly pray Forgive us our Debts it is manifest our Debts can be forgiven us by no body but by himself But this admirable and divine Gift VIII Christ first of all had the Power of forgiving Sins Matt. 9.6 Mar. 2.9 before God was made Man was never imparted to any created Nature Christ our Savior first of all as Man tho he was true God also received this Gift of his Heavenly Father That ye may know that the Son of Man has power on Earth to forgive Sins says he to the lame Man Rise take up thy Couch and go to thy own Home When therefore he was made Man that he might bestow this Forgiveness of Sins upon Men before he ascended up into Heaven there to sit forever at the right-hand of God he granted this Power to the Bishops and Priests in the Church Altho as before we said Christ forgives sins by his own Authority but all the rest only as his Ministers Wherefore if we ought to admire and receive those things chiefly which are done by an Infinite Power IX The Power of forgiving Sins the greatest of Christ's Gifts 1 Pet. 3.18 we may wel enough perceive that this Gift which by the bounty of Christ our Lord is given to his Church is the most precious Yea very Reason also will powerfully stir up the minds of the Faithful to contemplate the greatness of this benefit whereby God our most merciful Father has determin'd to blot out the Sins of the World For he was willing to expiate
to signifie them before hand by many Signs Oracles and Prophecies The Holy Fathers therefore understood many of the things we read in the Holy Scriptures to belong to this matter but especially where we read of that Gate of the Sanctuary which Ezekiel saw shut also the Stone cut out of the mountain without hands as we read in Daniel which became a great Mountain and fill'd the whole Earth And Aarons Rod which only of all the Rods of the Princes of Israel budded Num. 17.8 Exod 3.4 and the Bush which Moses saw burn Luc. 2. and was not consumed The Holy Evangelist has largely describ'd the history of Christs Birth Of which therefore there is no need that we speak more since 't is easie for the Curate to read more there Great pains ought to be taken XVI In explaining this mystery what the people ought to be perswaded to Rom. 15.4 Job 26.11 that those mysteries which were written for our learning might be fixed and rooted in the minds of the Faithful And first of all in commemoration of so great a benefit that they be thankful to God the Author thereof and next that they always lay before their eyes for their example to imitate this so great and singular pattern of Humility For what can be more useful or profitable to check the pride and haughtiness of our hearts than often to think that God does so humble himself that he communicates his glory with men and takes on himself their weakness and frailty that God becomes Man and gives that supreme and infinite Majesty to Man at whose Nod the very Pillars of Heav'n as the Scripture says tremble and quake for fear and that he shou'd be born in earth whom the very Angels adore in Heav'n What therefore since God does these things for our sake what I say ought we to do in obedience to him How willingly and chearfully ought we to love embrace and perform all Offices of Humility The Faithful see how wholsom a Doctrine the Birth of Christ teaches us even before he began to utter his voice He is born needy he is born a Stranger in an Inn He is born in a vile Manger He is born in the depth of Winter Luc. 2.6 9. for thus writes St. Luke It came to pass that while they were there the days were accomplish'd that she should bring forth and she brought forth her first born Son and wrapp'd him in swadling cloaths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him in the Inn. Cou'd the Evangelist include all the whole Glory and Majesty of Heav'n and Earth in more bumble expressions Nor does he write that there was no room in the Inn Ps 49.12 but none for him who said The whole earth is mine and the fulness thereof Which also another Evangelist testifies saying He came to his own and his own receiv'd him not These things when the Faithful remember XVII How great grace and glory redounds to us by the Incarnation let them also remember that God was contented to undergo the lowliness and frailty of our flesh that he might raise mankind up to the highest degree of Dignity for this one thing sufficiently discovers that excellent dignity and worth which he has by the divine bounty obtain'd that He vouchsaft to become Man who also was true and perfect God so that now we may boast that the Son of God is our bone and our flesh which those Blessed Spirits cannot do for as the Apostle says He in no case took upon him the nature of Angels but he took upon him the seed of Abraham But then we ought to take heed XVIII A singular admonition that all this happ'n not to our extream hurt that as at Bethlehem where he was born they wou'd allow him no room so also since he is now born in our flesh he find no room in our hearts where he may be spiritually born For this it is he being most earnestly desirous of our salvation that he earnestly calls for For as by the power of the Holy Ghost he was beyond the Order of Nature made Man Joh. 1.13 Rom. 64 5. and 7.6 and giv'n to us was Holy yea Holiness it self so it behov's us to be born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh but of God and then as new creatures to walk in newness of Spirit and to keep that holiness and integrity of mind which much becomes men regenerated by the Spirit of God For by this means we shall express in our selvs a certain kind of image or resemblance of the holy conception and Nativity of this Son of God 2 Cor. 2.7 which we believ with a faithful heart and believing wisdom of God which was hidd'n in a Mystery we embrace and adore it ARTICLE IV. SUffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried How necessary the knowledge of this Article is and what diligent care the Curat ought to take that the faithful be often put in remembrance of our Lord's Passion the Apostle teaches who professes that he determin'd to know nothing else but Jesus Christ and him crucified Upon this account therefore all care and diligence ought to be us'd that the faithful being stirr'd up with the commemoration of so great a benefit may turn themselv's wholly to the Love of God and the embracing of his goodness Faith therefore in the former part of this Article for of the other shall be spok'n afterwards offers this to our Belief that when Pontius Pilate II. What is propos'd to be believ'd in this Article by command of Tyberius Caesar govern'd the Province of Judea Christ our Lord was fastn'd to a Cross for he was Taken Mock'd Suffer'd many kinds of Injuries and Torments and at last Crucifi'd Nor are we to think that as to his Inward Part his Soul was free from those torments for since he truly took the Humane Nature upon him we must needs confess that in his Soul he felt the most tormenting Grief Mat. 26.38 Mar. 14.34 wherefore he said my soul is exceeding sorrowful even to death For tho his Humane Nature was join'd to his Divine Person yet by reason of that very conjunction he no less felt the bitterness of his passion than if that conjunction had not been made since in that one person of Christ Jesus the proprieties of both natures the Divine and Humane were still preserv'd and therefore that which was passible and mortal still remain'd passible and mortal and again that which was impassible and immortal such as we understand the Divine Nature to be still restain'd its own propriety And where in this place seems fit to be diligently observ'd III. Why the Time of his Passion was thus noted the Curat shall teach that Jesus Christ suffer'd at that time when Pontius Pilate govern'd the Province of Judea and that this was done for this reason that the knowledge of so great and so necessary
words are to be understood of the compleat Resurrection because then we are rais'd to everlasting life all necessity of dying being wholly tak'n away And in this kind Christ our Lord obtains the First place For if we speak of such a Resurrection or of such a Return to life as after which there remains a necessity of dying again 3 Reg. 17.22 there were many others so rais'd from the dead 4 Reg. 4.34 Christ all which notwithstanding reviv'd on this condition that they were to dye again But Christ our Lord so arose again from Death which he had subdu'd and conquer'd that he cou'd dye no more And this is confirm'd by that most plain Testimony Rom. 6 9. Christ being now ris'n from the Dead dyes no more Death shall no more domineer over him And now follows what is added to the Article The third Day The Curat must instruct the Faithful not to believ that our Lord was all those three days in the Sepulchre XVII Christ rose again the third day For because he lay in the Sepulchre a Whole Natural Day and Part of the Day before it and Part of the Day after it for this Reason it is truly said That he lay in the Sepulchre Three days and that the Third Day he arose again from the Dead Now that he might manifest his Divinity XVIII Why the third day he wou'd not put off his Resurrection till the end of the World and again that we might believ him to be truly Man and to be truly dead he did not immediately after his death revive but on the Third Day after his Death Which space of time seem'd to be sufficient to prove he was truly dead The Fathers of the first Council of Constantinople have added to this place XIX Why according to the Scriptures is added in the Creed 1 Cor. 15.14 ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES Which being receiv'd from the Apostle they therefore plac'd in the Creed And that the Mystery of the Resurrection is very necessary the same Apostle has taught us in these words If Christ have not ris'n again then is our preaching vain and your Faith is vain And if Christ have not ris'n again your Faith is vain and you are yet in your sins Wherefore S. Austin admiring the Faith of this Article wrote thus De August in Ps 120. v. 4. It is no great matter to believ that Christ dyed for this do the Heathens Jews and all the wicked believ This all believ that he dy'd But the Resurrection of Christ is the Faith of Christians only This we account a great matter to believ that he rose again Hence it was that our Lord most commonly spake of his Resurrection Note and scarce ever did he talk with his Disciples about his Passion but he spake of his Resurrection When therefore he said Mat. 16.21 The Son of Man shall be deliver'd to the Gentiles and be mock'd and beat'n and spit upon and after that they have beat'n they will kill him Luc. 18.32 At last he added And the third day he shall rise again and when the Jews requir'd him to prove his Doctrin by some Sign or Miracle Luc. 11.29 he answer'd There shall no other sign be giv'n them than the sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas was three Days and three Nights in the Whales Belly so he affirm'd Mat. 12.39 That the Son of Man shou'd be three Days and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth Now the better to perceiv the Force and meaning of this Article XX. Three things to be explain'd here we must know and observ three things First Why it was needful that Christ shou'd rise again Then What the Scope and End of his Resurrection was And also what Profits and Advantages redound to us thereby As to the first XXI First The necessity of Christs Resurrection Phil. 2.8 9. It was necessary for him to rise again that the Justice of God might be manifest by whom it was very meet that he shou'd be rais'd up who in obedience to him was cast down and loaded with all kinds of Disgrace This Reason the Apostle brings when he says to the Philippians He humbl'd himself and became obedient to Death ev'n the death of the Cross wherefore God has also exalted him Besides for confirmation of our Faith without which Man can attain to no Righteousness For this ought to be a main Argument That Christ was the true Son of God because by his own Power he rais'd himself from the dead and then to cherish and support our Hope For since Christ rose again we have a sure Hope that we also shall rise again for it is necessary that the Members enjoy the same state and condition with the Head For so the Apostle seems to argue when he writes both to the Corinthians and Thessalonians and Peter the Prince of the Apostles says 1 Cor. 15.12 1 Thes 4.14 1 Pet. 2.8 Bless'd be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who of his great mercy has begott'n us again to a lively Hope throw the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead to an Inheritance incorruptible Lastly XXII The Second The End of the Resurrection For this reason also it must be taught That the Resurrection of our Lord was necessary That the Mystery of our Salvation and Redemption might be compleated For Christ by his Death has freed us from Sin but by Rising again he has restor'd us to all those good things which we lost by our sins Wherefore the Apostle says Rom. 4.15 Christ was deliver'd to Death for our Sins and Rose again for our Justification That nothing therefore might be wanting to the Salvation and Happiness of Mankind as it behov'd him to Dy so also it did to Rise again Now from what has bin said XXIII The Third The Advantages The first we may perceiv How great advantage the Resurrection of Christ our Lord brings to the Faithful For by his very Resurrection We acknowledg him to be God Immortal and full of Glory and conqueror of the Devil which without all doubt we are to believ and confess concerning Christ Jesus Besides The Second The Resurrection of Christ has produc'd the Resurrection of our Bodies also Because it was the efficient cause of this Mystery And also because after the example of our Lord we all ought to rise again For as to the Resurrection of the Body the Apostle thus testifies 1 Cor. 15. By Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For there is use of Christ's Humanity as of the efficient instrument to all those things whatsoever they are which God did in the Mystery of our Redemption Wherefore his Resurrection was a kind of Instrument to bring to pass our Resurrection And it may be call'd a Pattern because the Resurrection of Christ was of all the most perfect And as the Body of Christ rising to immortal
godly should even in the Public assembly and judgment of all mankind recover that esteem which by injustice they were depriv'd of among men And then whereas both the Good and the Bad did The Third not without their bodies whatsoever they did on all accounts it is just that whatsoever was well or ill done belongs also to their Bodies which were the Instruments of those Actions It was therefore very convenient that the due rewards of eternal glory or punishment should be difpens'd to the Bodies and Souls together which verily could not be done without a Ressurrection of all men and without a General Judgment Lastly The Fourth Because in mens adversity and prosperity which sometimes happen alike both to the Good and Bad it was to appear that nothing was done or over-rul'd without the Infinite Wisdom and Justice of God it was meet not only that Rewards should be appointed to the Good and Punishments to the Wicked in the world to come but also that this should be determin'd in a Public and General Judgment whereby they might be more known and conspicuous to all and that praise might by all be given to the Justice and Providence of God instead of that unjust complaint which even sometimes the Saints themselves as men have been used to make when they observ'd wicked Men prospering in Wealth and flourishing in Honors For Ps 72.2,3 says the Prophet My feet were amost mov'd my treadings had well nigh slipt because I was griev'd at the unjust seeing the peace of sinners And a little after Behold the very sinners and the wealthy of the world they get riches and I said Then have I cleans'd my heart in vain and have washed my hands in innocency I was punish'd every day and chastn'd every morning And this was the frequent complaint of many It was needful therefore that there should be a General Judgment Joh. 22.14 lest haply men should say That God indeed takes care of the motions of the Heavens but regards not what is done on the Earth This word of Truth therefore is rightly made One of the Twelve Articles of our Christian Faith that if the minds of any should doubt concerning the Providence and Jultice of God by means of this Doctrin they may be confirm'd Besides The Fifth at the apprehension of the Judgment it is fit that the Godly be comforted and the Wicked terrifi'd that considering the Justice of God the Good should not be dejected and the Evil may be recall'd from their wickedness by the fear and expectation of Eternal Punishment Wherefore our Lord and Saviour speaking of the Last Day has declar'd that there will sometime be a General Judgement Mat. 24 29. and has describ'd the Signs of the approach of the Time thereof that when we shall see those Signs come to pass we may know that the End of the World is at hand and then at his Ascension into Heaven he sent Angels who comforted the Apostles grieving for his absence in these words Act. 2.11 This Jesus which is taken from you up into Heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into Heaven But that this Judgment is given to Christ VI. Christ as Man also is Judge of all not only as God but as Man the Holy Scriptures declare For tho the power of Judging be common to all the persons of the Holy Trinity yet we specially attribute it to the Son Because we say that Wisdom suits to him But that as Man he will judge the World our Lord's testimony assures us who says Joh. 5.26 As the Father has life in himself so has he given to the Son to have life in himself and has given him power to Judge as he is the Son of Man And it was very meet VII Why Christ aâ— Man will be Judge that this Judgment should be exercised by Christ our Lord that when the Judgment was concerning Men they might see the Judge with their Eyes and with their Ears hear the Sentence which should be pronounc'd and truly perceive the Judgment with their Senses And it was moreover mosl just that That man who was condemn'd by the most unjust sentences of Men should be seen to sit afterwards as Judge of all wherefore the Prince of Apostles when in the House of Cornelius Act. 10.24 he was expounding the chief heads of Christian Religion and had taught that Christ was by the Jews hang'd on a Tree and kill'd and the third day rose again to life he subjoyn'd And he has commanded us to preach and to testifie to the people that This is he who was appointed of God to be the Judge of quick and dead And the Holy Scriptures declare VIII Signs foregoing the Judgment Damase de fide Orâ—hod lib. 4.7.27 that these Three principal Signs will go before the Judgment The Preaching of the Gospel throughout the world a Departure from the Faith and Antichrist For our Lord says This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preach'd through the whole world for a testimony to all the Gentils and then shall the End come And the Apostle warns us that we be not seduc'd by any as tho the Day of the Lord were at hand Mat. 22.14 2 Thess 2.3 Dan. 7.9 For unless there first come a departure and that Man of sin be reveal'd the judgment will not come But what will be the Manner and Way of the Judgment the Curate may easily know from the Oracles of Daniel and from the Doctrin of the Evangelists and of the Apostles Moreover IX The Pronouncing and Exposition of the Sentence of the last Judgment Mat. 24.34 the Sentence to be pronounc'd by the Judge should be in this place more diligently consider'd For Christ our Saviour beholding with a chearful countenance the Godly at his Right hand shall with the greatest love and good-will thus pronounce Sentence concerning them Come ye the blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom which is prepar'd for you from the foundation of the world Than which words they will know that there can be nothing heard more sweet who but compare them with the Sentence of Condemnation of the Wicked and when in their mind they shall have consider'd that by those words Pious and Just men are call'd from their Labours to Rest from a Vally of Tears to the highest Joy and from all their Miseries to everlasting Happiness which they by their Duties of Charity have deserv'd And then turning to those who stand at his Left hand he will pour forth his Justice upon them in these words Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels In those former words X. The Sentence of the Reprobate consider'd Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 23. August Ser. 181 de Temp. Greg. lib. 9. Moral c. 46. Mat. 25 4â— Depart from me is signifi'd that most extream punishment wherewith the wicked shall be tormented when they shall be
in the First Parents both of our Kind and of our Sin and even to this day we have offended by our Wickedness yet he continues his Love towards us nor do's he lay aside that special Care over us Whom if any one thinks that he forgets Men XII A great Sin to say that God forgets Men. Exod. 17.7 he is mad and most unworthily dishonors God God is angry at Israel for the Blasphemy of that Nation which thought it self forsaken of the Divine Care For we read in Exodus They tempted the Lord saying Is God among us or not And in Ezekiel Ezek 8.12 God is angry at the same People because they said God sees us not the Lord has left the Earth The Faithful therefore are to be deterr'd by these Authorities from that wicked Opinion That God can be unmindful of Men. In which sense we may hear the Israelites complaining of God in Esay's Prophecy Note and God on the contrary clearing himself from that their foolish Complaint in a gracious Similitude For thus we read there Isa 49.14 Sion said The Lord has forsaken me and the Lord has forgotten me To whom God answers Can a Woman forget her Infant that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb Tho she may forget yet will not I forget thee Behold I have carried thee in my Arms. By which Places tho this be clearly confirm'd XIII God never forgets Men. yet that the Faithful may be fully perswaded that God can at no time lay aside the Care of Men so as not to give them the Effects of his Fatherly Love the Curats shall prove this Matter from the most clear Example of the first of Mankind whom after the neglect and violation of God's Command when you hear them more sharply accus'd and condemn'd with that dreadful Sentence Gen. 3.17 Cursed is the Earth by thy Deed in labor shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy Life Thorns and Briars shall it bring thee forth and thou shalt eat the Grass of the Earth when you see them driven out of Paradice and to take away all hope of return thither when in the entrance of Paradice you read that there is plâ—c'd a Cherubin holding a Flaming Sword turning hither and thither when you understand that they were punish'd with both inward and outward Sorrows by God's revenging their Wrong Would you not think now Observe that Man's Business were done Would you not believe that he were stripp'd not only of all Divine Help but also expos d to all kinds of Wrongs But yet even in these so great Tokens of God's Wrath and Revenge there arise some Sparks of God's Love towards them Gen. 3.2 For says the Scripture The Lord God made for Adam and for his Wife Coats of Skins and he put them upon them And this was a very great Argument that God would never at any time be wanting to Men. The Efficacy of this Sentence XIV God's Love to Man never drawn dry by any Injury Psal 76. Habac 3.2 Mich. 7.18 That the Love of God is not to be exhausted by any Sinfulness of Man David express'd in these Words Will the Lord keep his Mercy in his Anger And this Habacuc speaking to God expounds while he says When thou art angry thou remembrest Mercy So Michaeas Who O God is like to thee who takest away Iniquity and put'st away the Sin of the Relique of thine Inheritance Thou wilt no more send forth thy Fury because thou lov'st Mercy Verily thus the Case is XV. God helps in extremity When we think our selves utterly lost and depriv'd of God's Protection then especially of his Infinite Goodness do's God seek and take care of us For in his Anger he restrains the Sword of his Justice nor do's he cease to pour out the inexhaustible Treasures of his Mercy God's Creation and Providence therefore have a very great Efficacy XVI How rightly God call'd a Father to shew how God loves and defends Mankind But yet that Work of Man's Redemption shines so bright between the other two that the most gracious God and our Father has illustrated his infinite Kindness towards us by pressing in this third Benefit upon the rest Wherefore the Curat shall declare to his Spiritual Children XVII Why we are call'd and are the Children of God and diligently inculcate into their Ears this passing excellent Love of God towards us that they may know that being redeem'd after a wonderful manner they are become the Sons of God For Joh. 1. â—1 says S. John He has given them power to become the Sons of God and they are born of God For which cause Note Baptism which we have as the first Pledge and Token of our Redemption is call'd the Sacrament of Regeneration for thereby we are born the Children of God for our Lord himself says Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and we must be born again And the Apostle S. Peter 1 Pet. 1.25 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible thro the Word of the living God By vertue of this Redemption we have both receiv'd the Holy Spirit XVIII How great the Benefit of Redemption is Rom. 15. and are dignified with Gods ' Grace by which Gift we are adopted the Sons of God as the Apostle S. Paul writes to the Romans Ye have not receiv'd the Spirit of Bondage again to Fear but ye have receiv'd the Spirit of Adoption of Sons in whom we cry Abba Father The Efficacy and Vertue of which Adoption 1 John 3.8 S. John explains after this manner Ye see how great Love the Father has given us that we should be call'd and be the Sons of God These things being explain'd XIX What we ow to God our Father the Faithful are to be admonish'd what return they ought to make to God our most loving Father that they may know what Love and Devotion what Obedience and Veneration they ought to perform to their Creator Governor and Redeemer and with what Hope and Affiance they ought to call upon him But to take away that Folly XX. A great Error to be remov'd and the better to guide the perversness of the Opinion of such as think a prosperous State and happy course of Life is the only Argument that God loves us but when we are exercis'd of God with Adversities and Calamities that that is a Sign that God is angry and has wholly estrang'd his good will from us It must be shew'd XXI When God chastises he loves Job 9.21 Psal 88.34 when the Lords hand touches that the Lord does not do this as an Enemy but that by striking he heals us and that a Wound that comes from God is a Medicine For he chastises sinners That by that Discipline he might make them better and by the present Punishment he redeems them from everlasting Destruction For indeed he visies our
his Tillage of those fruitful Gardens nor had his Labor or his Hope at all ever deceiv'd him But his Posterity is not only depriv'd of the Fruit of the Tree of Life VIII How great the Misery of Adams Posterity is but also is condemn'd with that dreadful Sentence Cursed is the Farth by thy act in labor shalt thou eat thereof all the Days of thy Life Briers and Thorns shall it bring thee forth and thou shalt eat the grass of the Earth in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy Bread till thou return to the Earth out of which thou wast taken for Dust thou art and into Dust shalt thou return To us therefore all things are fallen out contrary to what they had done to him and his Posterity IX Among these Miseries which is the greatest if Adam had bin obedient to Gods Command All things therefore are alter'd and chang'd for the worst Among which this is very lamentable that for our exceeding great Charges utmost Labor and Sweat we very often receive no Fruits when the Seed we sow turns to bad standing Corn or is choak'd with Weeds or is stricken with Storms Winds Hail Blasts Cankers and so perishes and is destroy'd so that all the whole Labor of the Year in a short Time by some Calamity of the Air or Earth comes to nothing And this happens for our Wickedness at which God being angry does not bless our Labors But that dreadful Sentence remains which at first he pronounc'd against us Gen. 3. The Pastors therefore in handling of this Point X. Mens Labor but vain unless God bless it shall labor that the Faithful may know that Men fell into these Streights and Miseries by their own Fault that they may understand that they must labor and sweat in getting those things that are necessary for Life but yet except God bless their Labor that all their Hope will deceive them and all their striving be in vain For neither is he that plants any thing nor he that waters but God that gives the Increase And Except the Lord build the House they labor but in vain that build it 1 Cor. 3.7 Psal 126.1 The Curats therefore shall teach XI Whence the Necessity of Prayer proved that there are almost innumerable things which if we want we either lose Life or render it very uncomfortable For this want of things and this Weakness of Nature being known Christians will be compell'd to go to their Heavenly Father and humbly to beg of him both Earthly and Heavenly good things They will imitate that Prodigal Son An Example Luc. 15. who when in a far Country he began to want nor was there any one that would give him so much as Peas-husks to eat when he was hungry returning afterwards to himself he understood that there was no Remedy to be expected any where for those Evils wherewith he was press'd but from his Father And here also the Faithful will come with more Confidence to pray XII How Faith given to them that pray if in their Minds they consider the Divine Goodness that his Fatherly Ears are always open to the Voice of his Children for while he exhorts us to seek our Bread he promises that he will bestow it abundantly upon them that rightly ask it of him for by teaching us how to ask it he exhorts us to ask it by exhorting he inforces us to ask it by inforcing us to ask he promises to give it by promising to give it us he leads us into a certain Hope of obtaining it The Minds of the Faithful therefore being stirr'd up and inflam'd XIII What we pray for in this Petition it now follows that we shew what is pray'd for in this Petition and First what Bread that is which here we ask We must know therefore that in Sacred Scripture by this Word Bread are signified many things XIV What is meant by the Word Bread but especially these two First whatsoever we use for Food and other Provisions for the Body for Preservation of Life and then whatsoever is given us of God's Blessing for the Life and Salvation of our Spirit and Soul Now here we ask Relief for that Life which we lead here in the Earth XV. What we here pray for First and this by the Authority of the Holy Fathers that thought so Wherefore they are not to be heard XVI Earthly good things may lawfully be pray'd for that say that Christians may not ask of God the Earthly good things of this Life For there are against this Error besides the concurring Sense of the Fathers very many Examples both of the Old and New Testament For Jacob vowing pray'd thus An Example Gen. 28.20 If the Lord will be with me and keep me in my way by which I walk and give me Bread to eat and Clothes to put on and that I return in safety to the House of my Father the Lord shall be my God and this Stone which I have put up for a Monument shall be call'd the house of God and of all that thou shalt give me I will offer to thee the Tithes And Solomon also pray'd for certain Relief of this Life Another Prov. 30.8 when he pray'd thus Give me neither Beggery nor Riches but give me only Necessaries for Food And what shall we say Others out of the New-Testament Matth. 24.20 when the Saviour of Mankind commands us to pray for those things which no one dares deny do belong to the use of the Body Pray ye says he that your flight be not in Winter or on the Sabbath And what say we of S. James Jac. 5.13 whose Words are these Is any of you sad let him pray Is any one cheerful let him sing And what of the Apostle who says thus to the Romans Rom. 15.30 I beseech you Brethren thro our Lord Jesus Christ and thro the Love of the Holy Ghost that ye help me in your Prayers to God for me that I may be delivered from the Infidels that are in Judea Wherefore XVII Earthly good things are here pr y'd for when God gives leave to the Faithful to ask the Comforts of human things and this perfect Form of Prayer was deliverd by Christ our Lord there is no doubt left that this is one of the seven Petitions Besides XVIII What we pray for Secondly we beg our daily Bread i. e. Necessaries for Food and under the name of Bread whatsoever is sufficient both for ◠lothes to cover us and for Food to sustain us whether it be Bread or Flesh or Fish or whatsoever else we can think on For we see that Eliseus us'd this manner of speaking An 〈…〉 ple. 4 Reg 6.22 when he admonish'd the King to give Bread to the Assyrian Soldiers to whom a great abundance of Meat was given And we know that it was written concerning Christ our Lord Another He entred into the House