THE CATECHISM FOR THE CURATS Compos'd by the DECREE OF THE Council of Trent And Publish'd by Command of Pope PIUS the Fifth Faithfully Translated into English PERMISSV SVPERIORVM LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel for him and Matthew Turner M.DC.LXXXVII AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CATECHISM ARTICLE I. Why and When the Synod of Trent decreed that this Catechism should be Publish'd WHen all things were full of Hatred and Dissention especially those Princes to whom was committed of God almost the whole Government of things Vide Diploma in Bullario p. 667. differing among themselves when the Unity of the Name of Christ was now almost pull'd and torn to pieces with Schisms and Heresies Paul III. of Sacred Memory willing to put a stop to those so great Evils in the Year of the Incarnation of our Lord 1537. appointed a General Council at Mantua but beyond expectation and by the suggestion of the Prince of Darkness the City Mantua could not be granted the Church for this purpose unless upon certain Conditions very far from the Reasons of Ecclesiastical Dignity and Liberty which for just Reasons being not yielded to 't was necessary to make choice of another Place Nor did any seem more fit and convenient than Vincentia a City large enough indeed and under the Authority and Power of the Venetians who granted it being both Safe and convenient to all Wherefore thither a General Council is call'd to begin on the Kalends of May 1538. in the mean while the Pope endeavor'd to reconcile Charles the Emperor and Francis King of France and therefore He and both those Princes came to Nice their Ambassadors being sent before to Vincentia to prepare for the Council There could be no Peace concluded betwixt the Emperor and the King but only a Truce was agreed upon for ten years Now hitherto the Council was once and again appointed and put off almost Three whole Years which time being spent the Holy Pope impatient at the loss of so many Souls altering the Place and having chosen the City of Trent at the Request of the Germans especially there he anew denounces a Council to be held on the Kalends of November in the Year of the Incarnation of our Lord 1542. A Bull was no sooner sent to the Princes but unhappily fresh War is vigorously pursu'd between the Emperor and the French King whence a thousand Disturbances arising on every side the Council could not be begun before the Thirteenth day of December Anno Dom. 1645. In the mean time it was wonderful to behold how greatly Luther's Heresie crept abroad and Impiety the Child of War had overspread almost all Europe and there scarcely remain'd so much as the bare Shadow of Religion Now to take away and reform these Evils the Fathers from all Parts hasten together to Trent but Good God! the Work appears Infinit and in the Lake Lerna there is not only one Hydra to be cut off but the Work requires many Hands which that the Fathers might furnish with Arms they undertake to inform the Curats who at that time were almost all void of both Learning and Religion that thereupon the ignorant Vulgar might the more easily be taught Now concerning the Way and Manner of holding this Divine Council it was afterwards long and diligently debated The Fathers met There were made by the Heretics not only vast Volumes Vid. Ind. Librorum prohibit whereby they endeavor'd to overthrow the Catholic Faith but also there were written almost infinit Books by them which carrying in them the Titles and Shews of Piety and Religion it is incredible how hard it was to discern the good Seed of Christ from the Tares of the Enemy and there were as many Catechisms carried about as there are Provinces in Europe yea and almost as many as there are Cities all which abounded with Heresies and wherewith the Minds of the Simple every where were deceiv'd and scarcely was there any one well grounded in the Faith Wherefore the Fathers of the General Council of Trent The Preface of the Catechism p. 4. being earnestly desirous to apply some wholesom Remedy to this so great and dangerous Evil thought it not enough to determin some of the Points of Catholic Doctrin against the Heresies of our Times but held it further necessary to appoint some certain Way and Rule of Instructing Christian People in the Rudiments of Faith which in all Churches they are to observe to whom is lawfully committed the Charge of Pastor and Teacher Observe O ye Pastors and own this your Book forasmuch as it was not only undertaken and publish'd for your sakes but also the Use of it by the very Council is thus appointed you That the Faithful may come with the greater Reverence and Devotion of Mind to the Receiving the Sacraments Sess 24. de Reformat c 7. this Holy Synod commands all Bishops That not only when the Sacraments are to be ministred to the People by themselves they first explain the Vse and Vertue of them according to the Capacity of the Receivers but also if there be need and if it can conveniently be done that they endeavor the same may be piously and prudently observ'd by all Curats even in the Vulgar Tongue According to a Form to be appointed by Holy Synod in a Catechism concerning all the Sacraments which the Bishops shall take care to have faithfully translated into the Vulgar Tongue and by all Curats to be explain'd to the People c. From whence it appears for what Reason and for whose sake the Holy Synod of Trent Decreed this Holy Work to be publish'd And from what was before cited it is not darkly hinted that even from the very beginning of the Council the Fathers foresaw it to be very necessary and decreed or at least which is very certain they appointed in the Eighteenth Session which was the Second under Pope Pius IV. That this Sacred Work should be compos'd S. Charles Borromaeus then procuring and with incredible diligence promoting whatsoever was profitable for Reformation of Manners For when it was there decreed concerning the Choice of Books and certain Fathers were chosen for that purpose That all pernicious and suspected Books should be set aside and prohibited by the Council it is not to be doubted that it was at the same time decreed concerning the Remedy to be apply'd to that postiferous Doctrin i. e. concerning the publishing our Catechism and that there were some Fathers chosen which we shall name by and by to labor in so great a Work This plainly appears from the Constitution of the Twenty fifth Session where it is decreed concerning the Index of Books and making our Catechism For thus it says The Holy Synod celebrated in the Second Session under our most Holy Lord Pope Pius IV. has committed to certain Fathers chosen for that end the Consideration of what is fit to be done
we should be negligent and uneasy in the Discharge of this Duty which without very grievous Sin we cannot omit Vide de Consecr dist 1. in Decret Titul de Feriis Conc. Matisc 2. c. 1. 37. Tribur c. 35. Ignat. in Epist ad Philip. Leon. serm 3. de Quadrag August Serm. 251. de tempore And then the Curat may shew XXXVIII How good and profitable it is to observe this Commandment how great the Vertue of this Commandment is since those who truly observe it seem to be in the Presence of God and to speak freely with him For in making Prayers we both contemplate the Majesty of God and freely talk with him And in hearing the Preachers we receive the Voice of God which throw their Labor who preach of Divine Matters holily and devoutly reaches even to our Ears And then we adore Christ our Lord present in the Sacrifice of tile Altar and these are the good things which they enjoy especially who diligently obey this Commandment But those who altogether neglect this Law XXXIX How great a Sin to break this Commandment seeing that they obey not God and his Church and hear not his Commandments are Enemies both of God and of his Holy Laws which may be observ'd from hence because this Precept is of such a kind as may be observ'd without any pains For since God imposes no labor upon us which yet were it the hardest in the VVorld we ought to undergo for his sake but only commands us to be free and quiet on the Holy Days from wordly cares it is a sign of great rashness to refuse Obedience to this Commandment Hereof the Punishments which God has inflicted upon those that violated it Numb 1.15 ought to be for an Example to us as we may see from the Book of Numbers That therefore we may not run into Gods Displeasure Note it will be worth our while often to think upon this word Remember and to lay before our Eyes those mighty Profits and Advantages which as has been shew'd before may be had by the â—bservance of Holy Days And many other things belonging to the same purpose which a good and diligent Pastor can largely and fully discuss as Occasion shall require The Fourth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Honor thy Father and thy Mother that thou mayst live long upon the Land which the Lord thy God shall give thee SInce the highest Vertue and Dignity is in the former Commandments I. How this Commandment agrees with the former those which we now proceed upon because they are very necessary rightly claim the next place For those directly have Regard to God as their End but these teach us Charity towards our Neighbor altho at the long Run they lead to God himself that is to that ultimate End for the sake whereof we love our Neighbor Matt. 22.39 Mar. 12.31 wherefore Christ our Lord said that those two Commandments of loving God and our Neighbor are like one to the other Vide Aug. in Psal 32. Serm. 1. item lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ cap. 10. lib. 50. Hom. hom 38. D. Thom. 2.2 quaest 17. art 8. Now it can hardly be express'd how great Advantages this Point has II. The Love of God shines forth in the Love of our Parents 1 Joh. 6.20 since it both bears its own fruits and those large and excellent and is as it were a Sign whereby the Obedience and Duty of the First Commandment is apparent He that loves not his Brother says S. John whom he sees how can he love God whom he sees not After the same manner if we do not Reverence and Honor our Parents whom we ought to love 〈◊〉 to God seeing they are almost always in our Sight what Honor what Worship will we give to God the Supream and Best Parent who is above our Sight Whence it is plain that both Commandments agree among themselves Now the use of this Commandment is very large III How large this Commandment is For besides those that have begotten us there are many other besides whom we ought to Honor as Parents by reason either of their Power or Dignity or Profitableness or some other excellent Function or Office Besides it eases the Labor of Parents and Superiors For seeing their chief Care is that those whom they have in their Power live well and agreeably to the Divine Law this Care will be very easy if all Men understood that even by Gods Authority and Admonition the greatest Honor is to be given to Parents Which that we may do it is needful to know a kind of Difference between the Commandments of the First and those of the Second Table These things therefore are first to be explain'd by the Curat and first of all let him Teach That the Divine Laws of the Decalogue were cut in Two Tables In one of which as we are taught by the Holy Fathers those Three were contain'd which have already been explain'd but the rest were included in the other Table Vide Clem. Alexand. lib. 6. Strom. satis ante finem August in Exod. q. 71. Epist 119. cap. 11. D. Thom. 1.2 q. 100. art 4. And this Description was very fit for us IV. Mark this Reason that the very Order of the Commandments might distinguish the Reason of them For whatsoever in Sacred Scripture is commanded by the Divine Law it arises from one of these Two Kinds For in every Duty our Love either towards God or towards Man is seen Now the Three first Commandments teach our Love towards God But that which belongs to the Conjunction and Society of Men is contain'd in the other Seven Commandments Wherefore it was not without Reason that such a Distinction was made that 〈◊〉 Commandments 〈…〉 to the First and others to the Last Table For in the Three first Commandments V. The first Difference betwixt the Commandments of the first and second Table whereof has bin spoken God who is the Supreme Good is as it where the subject Matter which they handle but in the rest the good of our Neighbor In the First is propos'd our greatest Love in the rest our next Love the First respect their End the rest those things that are referr'd to the End Vide Aug. in Psal 32. Ser. 1. D. Thom. 22. q. 122. art 1 2. in opusc 7. c. p. de primo praecept Besides The second difference the Love of God depends thereupon For God is of himself and not for the sake of any other thing to be lov'd above all things but the Love of our Neighbor has its beginning from our Love of God and is to be directed to it as to a certain Rule For if we account our Parents Dear if we obey our Masters if we reverence our Betters we must do it specially for this Cause because God is their Procreator and would have them above others by whose Labor he rules and defends the rest Who
Punishments Lastly The Third which is a very soul thing let them be advis'd not to take that preposterous Counsel in the Education and Teaching of their Children For very many are imploi'd in this only Study and Care to leave their Children Riches and Mony a fair and large Estate whom they perswade not to Religion or Piety or learning of good Arts but to Covetousness and to increase their Family Nor are they careful of the Esteem or Salvation of their Children so that they have but Mony and are very Rich than which what can be said or thought more base And so it comes to pass that they leave them not so properly their Wealth as their Wickedness and their Vices to whom they become Guides not towards Heaven but towards everlasting Punishment Let the Priest therefore instruct Parents with the best Precepts and stir them up to the Fxample and parallel Vertue of Tobias Tob. 4. that when they have well train'd up their Children to Holiness and the Worship of God they may receive the plentiful fruits of their Love Observance and Obedience The Fifth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not kill THe great Happiness which is propos'd to Peace-makers I. How profitable it iâ— to explain this Commandment because they shall be call'd the Children of God ought very much to move the Pastors diligently and exactly to teach the Faithful what is to be learn'd from this Commandment For there can be no better way to reconcile the minds of Men than that the Law of this Precept rightly explain'd be so holily kept as it ought to be of all because then we may hope that Men being joyn'd one to another with the strongest Agreement of Hearts may preserve Peace and Concord intire But how necessary it is that this Commandment should be explain'd II. How necessary appears from hence That immediately after the drowning of the whole Earth this was the only thing which God first forbad Men Gen. 9.5 The bloud of your Lives says he will I require at the hand of all Beasts and at the hand of Man And in the Gospel among the Old Laws which first were explain'd by our Lord this is first whereof it is thus written in S. Matthew Matth. 5.22 For it has been said Thou shalt not kill And the rest which in that very place are recorded concerning this Matter And the Faithful ought attentively and willingly to hear this Commandment III. How this Commandment to be heard For if the Force of it be observ'd it is very available to defend every ones Life because in those words Thou shalt not kill Man-slaughter is utterly forbidd'n Therefore all Men ought to receive it with so great a pleasure of mind IV. This Command pleasant to be heard as tho if Gods anger being propos'd it were specially forbidd'n under the heaviest Punishments that none should be hurt Therefore as this Commandment is pleasant to be heard So the caution against this Sin which is forbidden by this Commandment ought to be full of Delight But when our Lord explain'd the Force of this Law V. Two things here commanded he shews that two things are contain'd in it The One that we do not kill which we are forbidd'n to do The other which we are commanded to do That we embrace our Enemies with a friendly Agreement and Love have Peace with all Men and lastly patiently to suffer all Inconveniences Now that Killing is forbidd'n VI. What killing not forbidd'n here First Exod. 12. throughout it is first to be taught what kind of Killing is not forbidd'n by the Law of this Commandment For to kill Beasts is not forbidd'n for if it be allow'd of God that Men should be fed by them it is but meet they be kill'd Of which matter S. Austin says thus When we hear says he Thou shalt not kill we understand not this to be spoken of Fruits because they have no Sense nor of irrational Animals because they are joyn'd with us on no account De civit Dei lib. 1. c. 20. Item de morib Manich. lib. 2. c. 13 14 15. There is another sort of killing allow'd Secondly which belongs to such Magistrates as have the Power of Death whereby by the Rule and Judgment of the Laws they punish wicked Men and defend the Innocent In which Office so that they behave themselves justly they are not only not guilty of Murder but very exactly obey this Divine Law which forbids Murder For seeing the end of this Law is for the Preservation of Mans Life and Safety the Punishments appointed by the Magistrates who are the lawful Avengers of evil have respect hither that all Boldness and Injury being repress'd by Punishments Man's Life may be safe Wherefore David says Psal 108.8 I will soon slay all the Sinners of the Earth that I might destroy out of the city of the Lord all the workers of iniquity Aug. Epist 154. citatur 23. q. 5. c. de occidentibus Item Epist 54. citatur ibid. c. Non est iniquitatis vide adhuc Ibid. alia capita D. Thom. 2.2 q. 64. a. 2. q. 108. a. 3. For which reason Thirdly neither do they sin who in a just War not drivâ—â— by Lust or Cruelty but with the only desire of the Public Good take away the Lives of the Enemies Aug. de Civit. Dei c. 26. citatur 23. q. 5. c. Miles Vide item de Bello D. Thom. 2.2 q. 40 per A. Articulos There are other Slaughters besides of the same kind Fourthly which are done expresly by God's Command The Sons of Levi sinn'd not tho they kill'd so many thousand Men in one day upon which Slaughter done God thus spake to them Exod. 23.26 Ye have consecrated your Hands this Day to the Lord. Nor is he guilty of this Commandment Fifthly who kills a Man not willingly nor advisedly but by accident Concerning which matter it is thus written in the Book of Deuteronomy Deut. 19. He that ignorantly slays his Neighbor and is prov'd to have had no hatred against him in time past but went with him honestly into the Wood to fell Timber and in the hewing down of Timber his Ax flew out of his Hand and the Head of his Ax slipping off the Handle struck his Friend and kill'd him These Slaughters are of that kind which because they are done not with a Will or Design are therefore in no case to be reckon'd sinful which is prov'd by S. Austin's Sentence for he says God forbid that those things we do either for a good or lawful End if beyond our Intention any Evil happen it should be laid to our charge Vide Aug. Epist 154. citatur 23. q. 5. c. de Occidendis Item vide multa capita dist 5. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 64. a. 8. Trid. Sess 14. de Reform c. 7. Where VII Two Cases to be observ'd notwithstanding Sin may be committed
have Peace with all Men For interpreting this Place he says If thou offer thy Gift at the Altar and shalt there remember that thy Brother has any thing against thee leave there thy Gift before the Altar and go first be reconcil'd to thy Brother and what follows VVhich things shall so be explain'd by the Curat XXIII Catholic Charity commanded as that he teach That all without any Exception are to be embrac'd with Love VVhereto in the Explication of this Commandment he shall stir up the Faithful as much as may be because therein the Vertue of Loving our Neighbor shines most clearly For since Hatred is plainly forbidden by this Commandment XXIV Hatred forbidden 1 Joh. 3.5 because he that hates his Brother is a Murderer it certainly follows that here is given a Commandment of Love and Charity And since in this Law there is a Command concerning Love and Charity Offices of Love commanded there are Rules given of all those both Offices and Actions which use to follow that Charity Charity is patient Patience Luc. 21.19 says St. Paul Therefore we are commanded Patience in which we shall possess our Souls as our Saviour teaches Kindness next is the Companion and Associate of Charity XXV Offices of Kindness because Charity is kind But the Vertue of Benignity and Kindness largely extends it self and its Office is chiefly concern'd in these things to relieve the Poor with things necessary to give Meat to the Hungry Drink to the Thirsty to cloath the Naked and wherein any one most wants our Help therein to bestow our greater Liberality upon him These Offices of Kindness and Goodness XXVI Kindness to be shew'd towards our enemies Mat. 5.44 Rom. 18.20 which of themselves are illustrious are made so much the more illustrious if extended to our Enemies For our Saviour says Love your Enemies do good to them which hate you which the Apostle also advises in these words If thy Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him Drink for in doing thus thou wilt heap Coals of Fire on his Head Be not overcome of Evil but overcome Evil with Good Lastly XXVII Long-suffering and Gentleness if we consider the Law of Charity which is kind we must understand that by that Law we are commanded to do all Offices whatsoever that pertain to Long-suffering Gentleness and other Vertues of the like kind But that Office which is far the most excellent of all XXVIII A chief Office of Charity to forgive and which is most full of Charity wherein most of all we ought to exercise our selves is this With a cheerful Mind to forgive and pardon the Wrong we have receiv'd which to do fully the Scriptures of God as before was said often warn and exhort us since they do not only call them bless'd that really do so See Deuteron 32.35 Also 1 Reg. 25.32 33. Also 26.6 7 8.9 Also 2 Reg. 19.20 Psal 7.5 Eccles 28. throughout Isai 58.6 Matth. 6.14 And in the Gospel in many places See also Tertul. in Apolog. c. 31 37. Aug. in Joan. Tract 81. lib. 50. Hom. hom 6. Item Serm. 61 168. de tempore Note But they affirm that Pardon of their Sins is also given them of God but those who either neglect or utterly refuse so to do lose their own Pardon themselves But because the desire of Revenge is commonly rooted in Mens Minds XXIX Forgetting of Injuries to be inculcated it is necessary that the Curat use very great Diligence herein not only to teach but also earnestly to perswade the Faithful That a Christian ought to forget Injuries and to forgive them and since there is very much mention of this Matter made among Sacred Writers let him consult them for the overcoming of their Stubborness who are of an obstinate and fixt Resolution on the Lust of Revenge Let him have the Arguments in readiness which those Fathers devoutly us'd they being very weighty and very suitable to the Matter Vide quae citantur n. 18. But especially these Three are to be explain'd The First is XXX Three Arguments for this purpose The First That he that thinks he has receiv'd an Injury should be earnestly perswaded that he whom he desires to be aveng'd of was not the principal cause of his loss or Injury So that admirable Man Job did who being grievously assaulted by the Sabeans Chaldeans and by the Devil yet took no Regard of them but as an upright and right pious Man truly and devoutly us'd these Words Job 1.28 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away By the Words and Example of that most patient Man therefore XXXI Gods goodness in inflicting Punishments let Christians perswade themselves what is most true that all things whatsoever we suffer in this Life come from the Lord who is the Father and Author of all Justice and Mercy Nor does he punish us as Enemies which is his infinite Kindness but corrects and chastises us as Sons Nor indeed XXXII How they are to be accounted that persecute us if we rightly consider it are Men in these cases any other thing at all but the Ministers and Officers as it were of God And tho a Man may wrongfully hate another and wish him very ill yet unless by Gods Permission he can by no means hurt him For this Reason Joseph patiently endur'd the wicked Counsels of his Brethren Gen. 45.8 2 Reg. 16.10 so David did the Injuries done him by Shimei To this Matter also belongs properly that kind of Argument Tom 3 in Hom. Quod nemo laeditur nisi a seipso which S. Chrysostom gravely and excellently handl'd to wit That none is hurt but by himself For those that think themselves to be injuriously dealt with if they consider the matter well with themselves will certainly find that they have received no wrong or damage from others for tho the things are outward wherein they are hurt yet they most of all hurt themselves when they wickedly pollute their Soul with Hatred Lust Envy The Second is The second Argument That it contains two special Advantages which belong to those who being led with a pious Endeavour to please God freely forgive Injuries The First whereof is this Two Advantages The First Matth. 18.33 That God has promis'd that they shall obtain Pardon of their own Sins that forgive others their Offences from which Promise it easily appears how acceptable this Office of Piety and Love is to him The other Advantage is The second Advantage Matth. 5.46 That we get a kind of Nobility and Perfection because by forgiving Wrongs we are made in a manner like God Who causes his Sun to rise on the Good and Bad and rains on the Just and Vnjust Lastly The third Argument the Disadvantages are to be explain'd into which we then fall when we will not forgive the Wrongs that are done us Let the Curat therefore lay before
study and desire to God who is the chiefest Good And then we must desire those things that unite us most with God but those things that separate us from him or any way cause us to be disjoyn'd from him are utterly to be remov'd far from our studies and desires Hence we gather how all other things The Third which are call'd Good next after that chiefest and perfect Good are both to be wish'd and pray'd for of God our Father for those Goods that are outward and belong to the Body as Health Strength Beauty Riches Honors Glory which oftentimes afford matter and occasion to Sin for which cause it is that they are not at all devoutly and piously to be pray'd for that Petition shall be limited in these Bounds that we pray for the Conveniences of this Life for necessitie's sake which ground of Prayer is refer'd to God For tho we may in our Prayers ask those things which Jacob and Solomon pray'd for III. How bodily Goods are to be desir'd Gen. 28 20. Prov. 30.8 Jacob thus If he will give me Bread to eat and Clothes to put on the Lord shall be my God And Solomon thus Only give me necessary food Now since of Gods Liberality we are suppli'd with Food and Raiment It is but meet that we remember that Exhortation of the Apostle 1 Cor 7.30 Let them that buy be as tho they possess'd not and those that use this World as tho they us'd it not for the figure of this World passes away Again Psal 61.11 If Riches increase set not your heart upon them Whose fruit and use is only ours but yet so as that we communicate with others as we are taught by God himself If we have Ability IV. The true use of outward Goods if we abound with other outward Goods of the Body let us remember that they are therfore given us that we may serve God with more ease and lend our Neighbor all things of this kind And then for the Goods and Ornaments of the Understanding V. Under what condition Arts and Sciences to be pray'd for of which kind are Learning and Arts we may not pray for them but on this condition only if they will be profitable to us for God's Glory and our Salvation but that which is absolutely and without any adjunct or condition to be pray'd for wish'd and begg'd as we said before is the Glory of God and after that all things else that may joyn us to that most excellent Good as Faith the Fear of God and his Love of which we will speak more fully in the explication of the Petitions For whom we are to Pray NOw it being known what things are to be pray'd for I. There is no sort of Men which are not to be pray'd for the Faithful are to be taught for whom they are to pray Prayer contains Petition and Thanksgiving wherefore we will first speak concerning Petition We must therefore pray for all without any Exception either of Differences of Favour or of Religion For whether he be Enemy Stranger or Infidel he is our Neighbor whom because by God's Command we ought to love it follows that we ought to make Prayers also for them which is the Office of Love for thither tends that Exhortation of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.1 I beseech you that Prayers be made for all Men. In which Prayer we are first to beg those things which concern the Welfare of the Soul Note and then that of the Body Now we ought to perform this Office first for the Pastors of our Souls II. First We must pray for the Pastors of our Souls Col. 4.3 whereof we admonish'd by the Apostle from his own Example for he writes to the Colossians to pray for him that God would open him a Door of Speech which also he do's to the Thessalonians And in the Acts of the Apostles we read Acts 12.5 That Prayer was made by the Church without ceasing for Peter Of which Duty also we are admonish'd by S. Basil in his Books de Moribus For says he we must pray for them that are over us in the Word of Truth Basil lib. Moral Reg. 56. c. 5. item Homil. in Isaiam In the second place Secondly For Princes we must pray for Princes according to the Sentence of the same Apostle For how great Public Good we enjoy by just and pious Princes there is no one ignorant God therefore is to be entreated that those that are above other Men may be such kind of Persons as they ought to be Vide Tertul. Apolog. 30. ad Scap. c. 2. There are Examples of Holy Men Thirdly For Pious Men. whereby we are admonish'd to pray for good and pious Men for they also stand in need of the Prayers of others Which is so order'd of God that they may not be puff'd up with Pride while they see that they want the Prayers of their Inferiors Besides Fourthly For Enemies Our Lord has commanded us to pray for our Persecuters and Slanderers Matth. 5.44 For Fifthly For Strangers from the Church it is well known from the Testimony of S. Austin that this Practice of making Supplications and Prayers for those that were without the Church was receiv'd from the Apostles That Faith might be given to Infidels that Idol-worshippers might be deliver'd from the Error of their Impiety that the Jews the Darkness of their Souls being dispell'd might receive the Light of Truth that Heretics returning to Soundness of Mind might be instructed in the Precepts of Catholic Doctrin that Schismatics being bound with the Band of true Charity might be joyn'd in Communion with our most Holy Mother the Church from whom they fell away Now how great a force hearty Prayers made for this kind of Men has appears by so many Examples of Men of all sorts which God daily carries being snatch'd out of the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love and of Vessels of Wrath he makes them Vessels of Mercy In which Case no one in his right Mind can doubt that the Intercession of Devout Men prevails very much Vide S. Aug Epist 107. ad Vitel. Cyprian de Orat. Domin Item Caelestinum Papam Epist 1. c. 11. And Prayers for the Dead Sixthly For the Dead that they may be delivered from the Fire of Purgatory did flow from the Doctrin of the Apostles concerning which enough was said when we spake of the Sacrifice of the Mass Dionys cap. lib. de Eccles Hierarch c. 6 7. Clem. Pap. Epist 1. lib. Constit Apost Tert. de Coron Milit. in Exhort ad Castit in lib. de Monog Cypr. Epist 66. But those that are said to sin unto Death Seventhly For Sinners Intercessions and Prayers profit them but little yet it is the part of Christian Charity both to pray for them and even with Tears to wrestle for them if by any means they can render
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
Eucharist call'd Our daily Bread ibid. See Sacrifice The Event of things to be left to God 549 VVhen we suffer Evil we must fly to God for Help Pag. 544 VVe pray not for deliverance from all Evil. 546 Some things which are commonly accounted Evils are yet very advantageous ibid. VVe pray against those Evils that can bring no Advantage to the Soul 547 From what Evils we are to pray to be deliver'd ibid. The Evils our Neighbors do us are to be ascrib'd to the Devil 549 Deliverance from Evil to be begg'd of God 544 Examples of Human Infirmity 533 Examples which may encourage us to hope well 546 Extream-Vnction 283 The Sacrament of Extream-Vnction why so call'd ibid. The Matter and Form of Extream-Vnction 285 VVhat time the Sacrament of Extream-Vnction to be us'd 287 They are not fit to receive the Sacrament of Extream-Vnction that want the use of Reason 288 VVhat Parts of the Body are to be anointed ibid. The Sacrament of Extream-Vnction may be iterated 289 The Preparation of Extream-Vnction ibid. The Minister of Extream-Vnction ibid. The Utility of Extream-Vnction 290 The fittest time of Extream-Vnction Pag. 287 VVhy Sick Persons receiving the Sacrament of Extream-Vnction are not heal'd 291 F FAith necessary to Salvation 9 Many Degrees of Faith 10 VVhat we are first of all to believe 13 The Knowledge of Faith much more certain than that of Human Reason 16 The Faith of God's Almighty Power how necessary it is 24 The Faith of our Redemption was always necessary to Salvation 29 30 The Faith of the Old Fathers and ours is the same 30 Faith must go before Penance 241 Faith is necessary in Prayer 467 Firmness of Faith is a chief Point in Praying well ibid. False-witness what it is 427 The wrong done by False-witness 428 429 False-witness forbidden not only in Judgment but out of Judgment also 429 A Lie accounted amongst False-testimony 432 Fasting and Alms to be joyn'd with Prayer See Alms. VVhat the Name Father signifies in God see the First Article of the Greed. 14 VVhy the first Person of the Trinity call'd Father Pa. 21 Who are call'd Fathers 385 Fathers of what kind soever are to be honor'd 3â—6 God the Father of all 382 God-fathers at Baptism and what belongs to them see Baptism 158 c. See Parents Figures of Christ's Conception and Nativity 43 Figures of Christ's Cross 48 Figures of Confession 261 The Form of the Sacrament of the Eucharist 203 204 The Form of the Sacrament of Penance 245 The Form of the Sacrament of Baptism 151 The Form of the Sacrament of Extream-Unction 285 The Form of Confirmation 186 The Form of Praying to God and to the Saints different 464 Fornication the Calamities proper to it 409 The Detestableness of Fornication ibid. Frugality to be us'd 422 The Fruit of the Tree of Life 510 The excellent Fruit of Prayer is the obtaining our Desires 551 G IN honest Gain there is Peace 514 We ought not to be ignorant of the Person of the Holy Ghost 79 The proper Signification of the Holy Ghost Pag. 80 Why He has no proper Name given him ibid. The Holy Ghost in all things equal to the Father and Son 81 The Holy Ghost is God 82 The Holy Ghost proceeds from Father and Son 83 The admirable Effects of the Holy Ghost 85 Why the Holy Ghost call'd a Gift 84 Glory what it is 494 The Glory of God how pray'd for 485 The Glory of the Saints unutterable 119 We must confess One God only and no more 18 Why God call'd a Father 19 What the word Father signifies in God ibid. An Almighty Power attributed to God 22 God the Creator of all 27 What God created he preserves 27 28 God is the Author of the Law 334 It is easie to love God 335 Why God call'd Jealous 354 Why God threatens Punishment to the third and fourth Generation 355 God's Goodness overcomes his Justice ibid. How God's Name is honor'd 357 c. Many Names given to God 358 How God is to be prais'd ibid. God holds him not guiltless that takes his Name in vain Pag. 368 God is first to be lov'd and then our Parents 383 God's Providence towards Men. 474 God forgets not Men. 476 God's Good-will and Mercy towards Men. 477 God's Love towards Men shew'd in their Redemption 478 When God's Hand touches us he do's it in Love not as an Enemy ibid. Why God chastises whom he loves 478 God is not ignorant of our Calamities 479 God is the God of all ibid. God is every where and How 483 Why God is said to be in Heaven ibid. How God is to be lov'd from the Soul 484 What is first of all to be begg'd of God 485 How we pray God's Name to be sanctified 485 486 God's holy and terrible Name needs not Sanctification ibid. How God's Name is sanctified in all ibid. God's Name to be sanctified in our Deeds and not in our Words only 486 487 God's Providence concerning Man's Salvation 487 God has not call'd us to Sloth and Sluggishness 497 God never forsakes us Pa. 497. God affords us his Help to attain to the Kingdom of Heaven ibid. We cannot love God as we ought without the Help of his Divine Grace 500 Without God's Direction and Help we cannot so much as aspire to Christian Wisdom ibid. God heals the Soul of those that are justified not the Body 501 God requires our utmost Love in all that we do for him 506 All the Works of God are Good 506 507 God bestows his Goodness upon all his Works 507 Why above all thing 's we prefer God's Will 507 508 God's VVays past finding out 507 God do's better for us than we can desire 508 All Necessaries for our Life are to be referr'd to God's Glory ibid. God's Infinit Power to be worshipp'd 515 God is ready to forgive the Sins of the Penitent 524 God is offended at Sin ibid. God is a most bountiful Father ibid. God is most firm to his Justice 525 How God tempts those that are his 537 How God suffers Good Men to be tempted 598 How God is said to lead us into temptation Pag. 538 God gives us Power to tread down Satan 540 God gives Power to overcome our Enemies ibid. God's Goodness many ways frees us from Evils 547 God will not have us utterly free from all Inconveniences 548 God comforts those that are prest with Adversity ibid. God uses the Devil as his Servant in inflicting Punishments on the Wicked ibid. What Grace is 172 How the Eucharist confers Grace 198 H WHy God chose the Hebrew People 339 The Deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt ibid. Why God suffer'd the Hebrews to be so oppress'd 340 Why the Promises made to the Hebrews were perform'd Four hundred years after ibid. Hell the Signification of the word 57 How Christ descended into Hell 58 How many Places are thereby signified 57 What Arts Heretics use to disperse their impious Doctrins 3 â— Who may