AN AMPLE DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN doctrine COMPOSED IN Italian by the renowmed Cardinal Card. BELLARMINE Translated into English by RICHARD HADOCK D. of Diuinitie PRINTED at ROAN A DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE For the vse of those that teach children and other vnlearned persons Composed in forme of a Dialogue betweene the Maister and Scholar CHAP. I. What Christian doctrine is and what are the principall parts thereof SCHOLER SEEING I do vnderstand that it is necessarie to saluation to know the Christian doctrine I desire you to declare vnto mee what this doctrine is MASTER The Christian doctrine is a briefe summe of all those thinges which Christ our Lord hath taught to shew vs the way of saluation S How many be the principal and most necessary parts of this doctrine M Foure to wit the Creede the Pater noster the ten Commandements and the holy Sacraments S Wherefore are there foure and neither more nor fewer M Because there are three principal vertues Faith Hope and Charitie and Grace necessarie to saluation And so the Creede is necessarie for Faith because it teacheth vs that which we haue to beleeue the Pater noster is necessary for Hope because it teacheth vs what wee haue to hope the ten Commandements are necessarie for Charitie because they teach vs what we haue to doe to please God the sacraments are necessarie because they are the Instruments of Grace by which those vertues are receiued and conserued S I would be glad you should giue me some similitude to vnderstande better the necessitie of these foure parts of Christian doctrine M S. Augustine giueth vs the similitude of a house for as to make a house it is needfull first to place the fundation then to rayse the walles and last of all to couer it with the roofe and to doe these things there are some instruments necessarie so to make in our Soules the building of saluation we haue need of the foundation of Faith the walles of Hope the roofe of Charitie and the instruments which are the most holie Sacraments CHAP. 2. The declaration of the vsuall blessing with the signe of the Crosse S BEfore wee come vnto the first part of this doctrine I would be glad you should giue mee some taste of those things which are to be beleeued declaring vnto mee in grosse and in summe the most necessarie mysteries that are conteined in the Creede M You haue reason and so I will doe You must then know that the principall mysteries of our faith are two and both two are conteyned in the blessing that wee vse to make with the signe of the holie Crosse The first mysterie is the Vnitie and trinitie of God the second is the Incarnatiō Passion of our Sauiour S What meaneth the Vnitie and Trinitie of God M These are most high matters by litle and litle are to be declared in the progresse of this doctrine but for this time it shall suffice to learne the names to vnderstād so much as you may The Vnitie of God signifieth that besides all things created there is one thinge that hath not had beginning but hath alwaies been and euer shall bee and hath made all other thinges and maintaineth and gouerneth them and is aboue all most high most noble most glorious most potent absolutely Patrone of all thinges and this is called God who is one onely because there can not bee more then one true Diuinitie that is to saye one onely Nature and Essence infinitely potent Holie good and so foorth Yet notwithstanding this Diuinitie is founde in three persons which are called the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost which three persons are one onely God because they haue the selfe-same Diuinity and essence As for example if three persons here in earth called Peter Paul Iohn should haue one the same soul one the same bodie they should be called three persōs because one is Peter an other Paul and an other Iohn and yet they should be one man onely and not three men not hauing three bodies nor three soules but one bodie and one soule This is not possible amongst men because the being of a man is dererminat limited and therefore cannot be in many persons But the being of God his diuinitie is infinite And there fore the selfe-same being and the selfe-same Diuinitie of the Father may be and is found in the soone and in the Holie-Ghost There bee then three persons because one is the Father another is the Sonne and the third is the Holie-Ghost And yet they are one God onely because they haue the same Diuinitie the same being the same power wisedome goodnes c. S. Tell me now what signifyeth the Incarnatiō Passiō of our Sauiour M You are to know that the second Diuine person the which as wee haue said is called the Son besides his diuine being which he had before the world was created yea from all eternitie tooke the flesh soule of man that is to say our whole nature in the wombe of a most pure Virgin and so hee who was before only God came likewise to be Man And after hee had conuersed with men thirtie and three yeares teaching the way of saluation and working many miracles in the ende hee suffered himselfe to be nayled vpon a Crosse and on the same dyed to satisfie God for the sinnes of the whole world and after three daies he rose from death to life and after fourtie daies more ascended into heauen as wee shall shew in the declaration of the Creede this is the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour S Wherefore are these the principal mysteries of our Faith M Because in the first is contayned the first beginning and last end of man In the second the onely and most effectuall meanes to know the first beginning and how to attaine vnto the last end because in beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries we manifest our selues distinct from all the false Sectes of Gentils Turkes Iewes and Hereticks and lastly because without beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries no man can be saued S How are these mysteries conteyned in the signe of the Crosse M We make the signe of the Crosse when we say In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost and that in this forme putting the right hand vnder the forehead when we saye In the name of the Father then vnder the breast when we say of the Sonne lastly frō the left shoulder vnto the right when we say and of the holy Ghost And withall the word In the name doeth shew the vnitie of God because it is said in the name and not in the names by the word name is also vnderstood the diuine power and authoritie which is one only in all the three persons These words of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost doe shew vnto vs the Trinitie of persons The signing in forme of
beneath in which men do dwel which are the two most noble creatures of all others the which also all others do serue as they are also bound to serue God who hath made them of nothing and placed them in so high estate The declaration of the second Article S DEclare vnto me now the second article what signifyeth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord M The same God omnipotent of whom wee haue spoken in the first article hath one true and naturall Sonne who is called Iesus Christ that you may see in some sort howe God hath begotten this Sonne take the example of a looking-glasse whē one doth looke in a glasse presently he produceth an Image of himselfe so like as no difference can be found in so much as it is not onely like in shape but in moouing also for that if the man mooue the Image wil also mooue and this Image being so like is not made by any labour neither is it long in making nor with instruments but in a moment and with one looke onely In like manner you haue to thinke that God beholding him selfe with the eye of vnderstanding in the glasse of his Diuinitie doth produce an Image most like vnto him selfe And because God hath geuen vnto this Image al his owne substance his owne being which wee can not do in beholding our selues in a glasse therefore that Image is the true Sonne of God albeit our Images which wee see in glasses are not our sonnes Hereof you must gather that the Sonne of God is God as the Father and one the same God with the father seeing he hath the same substance that his Father hath furthermore you haue together that the Son of God is not yonger then his Father but was alwaies as his father alwaies was because he was begotten by Gods only beholding himselfe and God hath alwaies beholden him-selfe Lastly you haue togeather that the Sonne of God was not begotten with help of a woman nor in length of time nor in delight of concupiscence nor any other imperfection because as it hath bin said hee was begotten of the Father alone by the only beholding himselfe with the most pure eye of his diuine vnderstanding S What doth it meane that this Son of God is called Iesus Christ M This name of Iesus signifyeth a Sauiour Christ which is his surname signifyeth high Priest and king of all kings because as I haue told you in declaring the signe of the Crosse the Son of God became man to redeeme vs againe with his blood to bring vs to eternall saluation And so when hee became man he tooke this name Sauiour to shew that he was come to saue vs he was honoured by his Father with the title of Highest Priest and Supreame King for that Christ doeth signifye all this and hereof wee are called Christians S What is the reason that all men take off their caps or bowe downe when Iesus is named which is not done to other names of God M The reason is because this is the proper name of the Sonne of God and all other names are common and againe because this name doth represent vnto vs how God humbled himselfe for vs in making himself man Therefore we for gratitude bow our selues vnto him and not onely wee men but the Angels of heauen also and the diuels of hell doe bow to this name the one for loue and the other by force for that God will that all reasonable creatures do bowe vnto his sonne seeing that he hath abased himselfe for our loue to the death of the Crosse S Wherefore is it saide that Iesus Christ our Lord M Because he hath created vs together with his Father and so is our Master and Lord as his Father is And moreouer for that by his trauels and Passion hee hath brought vs againe from the captiuitie of the Diuel as we shall say by and by Of the third Article S IT Followeth that you declare vnto me the third Article what it meaneth who was conceiued by the Holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie M In this Article is declared the new and merueilous maner of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God You know that all other men are borne of father and mother that the mother remaineth not a Virgin after the conceiuing and bringing foorth of a childe But the Sonne of God intending to make him selfe Man would haue no Father in earth but a Mother onely to wit the perpetuall and most pure Virgin Marie in whose wombe the Holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie one and the selfe-same God with the Father and the Sonne by his infinite power formed of her moste pure blood the bodie of a most perfect childe at the same time created a most noble soule ioyning it to the same bodie all which the Sonne of God vnited to his owne Person And so Iesus Christ that before was onely God became man who as hee is God hath a Father without a Mother and as he is Man hath a Mother without a Father S I would haue some example or similitude to vnderstand how a Virgin can conceiue M The secrets of God must be beleeued although they be not vnderstood because God can do more thē we can easely vnderstand therefore it is said in the beginning of the Creed that God is omnipotent Yet there is a fit example in the creation of the world You know that ordinarily the ground doth not bring forth corne vnlesse it be plowed sowne watred with raine warmed with the sunne and yet in the beginning when corne was first brought forth the earth being neither tilled nor fowne watred nor warmed and so was a virgin in her kinde suddenly by the only commandement of God almighty by his powre it brought foorth corne euen so the vnspotted wombe of the B. Virgin MARIE without companie of man at the only commandement of God by the worke of the Holy Ghost brought foorth that precious corne of the liuing bodie of the Sonne of God S If Iesus bee conceiued by the Holie Ghost it seemeth that it may be said that the Holie Ghost is his Father as he is man M It is not so because to be a Father it is not sufficiēt to make a thing but it is necessarie that it be made of the substance of the maker and therefore we say that the Maison is not the father of the house because he maketh it of stones and not of his proper substance So the holie ghost hath made the bodie of the Sonne of God but he hath made it of the blood of the virgin not of his own proper substance and therefore the Son of God is not the Sonne of the Holie Ghost but the Sonne of God the Father as he is God because hee hath his Godhead of him and he is the Son of the B. virgin as he is man for that he hath mans flesh of her S Wherefore is it said
Thirdly for the glorie of the Saincts to the end it may be seene vnto all how God hath glorified them who were persecuted vexed in this world Fourthly for confusion of the proud enimies of God Fiftly because the bodie shal haue sentēce together with the soule of glorie or of punishment eternal Of the eight Article S THE eight article saith I beleeue in the Holie Ghost what signifieth the Holie Ghost M Here is declared the third Person of the most Holie Trinitie as in the first article was declared the first and in the other sixe the second so that the Holie Ghost is not the Father nor the Sonne but a third Person which procedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is true God as the Father and the Sonne yea the same God because he hath the same diuinitie which is in the Father and in the Sonne S I would haue some similitude of this M Diuine matters can not be perfectly declared by any examples of created things especially by corparal things Notwithstanding take you the example of a lake which is deriued from some riuer as the riuer is deriued from some fountaine and yet al is one and the same water so the eternal Father as a fountaine produceth the Sonne as a riuer the Father and the Sonne as a fountaine and a riuer produce the Holie Ghost as a lake yet the Father and the Sonne and the Holie Ghost are not three Gods but one onlie God S Wherefore is the third Person in Trinitie called holie ghost Are not also al Angels and al the blessed soules spirits and holie M God is called the Holie spirit by excelencie because he is the chiefest spirite and most holie and author of al created spirites and of al holines Like as a mongst mē ther are manie that are fathers and holie either by office or by goodnes of life to wit manie good Bishops or Priests or religious men and yet there is none called Holie Father but the Pope because this name belongeth vnto him alone by excellencie being the head of al other fathers and ought to be the most holie of al by goodnes of life as he is by office representing vnto vs the person of Christ S If the name of holie ghost belong vnto God by excellencie wherefore is it onely attributed vnto the third Person Is not the father also the Sonne a spirit holy by excellēcie M It is true But because the first Person hath a proper name to wit the Father the second hath a proper name to wit the Son to the third is left a commō name to distinguish him from the other two And moreouer you are to know that when it is said of the third diuine Person that he is the holy ghost these two words make one name only As whē a man is called Ioannes Maria they are one onely name though otherwise Iohn Mary are commonly two names S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted in the forme of a Doue especiallie ouer Christ and our Ladie M You must not thinke that the Holy Ghost hath a bodie or that he can be seene with corporall eyes but he is painted so that we may knowe the effects which he worketh vpon men And because the Doue is simple pure jealouse and fruitfull he is therefore painted ouer Christ and our Ladie to the ende we may vnderstand that Christ and our Ladie were full of grace and of the gifts of the Holy Ghost and in particular of holy simplicitie puritie zeale of soules and spirituall fecunditie by the which they haue gained infinite children to wit all the faithfull and good Christians S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted ouer the Apostles in forme of fyerie tongues M Because the Holie Ghost tenne daies after the ascention of our Lord came vpon the Apostles and replenished them with knowledge with charitie and with eloquence teaching them to speake with all tongues to the ende they might be able to preach the Holy faith through the whole world And in signe of these wonderfull effects he caused those tongues of fire to appeare because the light of that fire doth signifie wisdome the heate of the same doth signifie charitie and the forme of a tongue signifyeth eloquence and for that this was a most great benefite which God bestowed vpon his Church therefore we doe celebrate that great Feast called Penticost or the Feast of the Holie Ghost Of the ninth Article S VVHAT signifyeth that which is saide in the ninth article The Holie Catholike Church the communion of Saints M Here beginneth the second part of the Creede For the first parte belongeth vnto God the second vnto the Church the spouse of God And as in God we beleeue one Diuinity and three Persons so in the Church wee beleeue that there is one onely Church and that it hath three principall graces the first in the soule which is the remission of sinnes an other in the bodie which shal be the resurrection of the flesh and the third in the soule and bodie together which shall be life eternall as we shall see in the articles following S May it please you declare vnto me the whole article word by word first what meaneth the Church M It signifyeth a conuocation or congregation of men which are baptized and make profession of the faith and law of Christ vnder the obedience of the chiefe Bishop of Rome and it is called Conuocation because wee are not borne Christians as we are borne Englishmen Italians French or of any other countrey but wee are called Christians of Christ and wee enter into this congregation by baptisme which is as the doore of the church And to be in the Church it doeth not suffice to bee baptized but it is needeful to beleeue and confesse the holie faith and law of Christ as the Pastors and Preachers of the same Church do teach vs. Neither doth this suffice but it is necessarie to obey the chiefe Bishop of Rome as Vicar of Christ to wit to acknowledge and hold him for chiefe Superiour and Vicar of Christ S If the Church be a congregation of men how do we call those buildings Churches where Masse and other Seruice of God is said M Because the faithfull which are the true Church are gathered together in those buildings to practise the exercises of Christians therefore those buildings are also called Churches chiefly when they are dedicated and consecrated to the seruice of God But we in this Article doe not speake of the Churches made of stone wood but of the liuing Church which is the faithful baptised people and obedient vnto the vicar of Christ as hath been said S Why is it said The Church and not the Churches seeing manie congregations of the faithful are founded in diuers parts of the world M Because the Church is but one though it containe al the faithful which are dispersed through the whole world not only those which
that the holie Ghost did this worke of the Incarnation Did not the Father and the Sonne also concurre therein M That which one Diuine Person worketh the other two worke likewise the same because they haue one and the same power wisdome and goodnesse yet notwithstanding the workes of power be attributed vnto the Father those of wisdome vnto the Son those of loue vnto the Holie Ghost and because this was a worke of the highest loue of God towards mankinde it is therefore attributed vnto the holy ghost S I would haue some example to vnderstand how all the three diuine Persons haue concurred to the Incarnation and yet the Sonne is onlie Incarnate M WheÌ„ one man putteth on a garment two others do help to cloth him three do then concur to the clothing of him yet one only is clothed so all the three diuine Persons concur to worke the Incarnation of the Sonne of God but onely the Sonne is incarnate and made man S Wherefore is it added in the article Borne of the Virgin Marie M Because in this also there is a strange mysterie that is that the Sonne of God came foorth of the wombe of his Mother at the end of the ninth moneth without paine or harme of his said Mother not leauing any signe there at all euen as hee did when rising from death he went out of the close Sepulchre and when he entred and went foorth of the chamber where his Disciples were the doores being shut there vpon it is saide that the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ was alwaies a Virgin before his birth in his birth and after his birth Of the fourth Article S VVHat meaneth that which followeth in the fourth article Hee suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucified dead buried M This Article conteineth the most profitable mysterie of our redemption and the summe is that Christ after he had conuersed in this world about thirtie three yeares and had taught with his most holy life his doctrine and his miracles the way of saluation was vnjustly caused by Pontius Pilate who was gouernour of Iewrie to be whipped and nayled vpon a Crosse vpon the which hee dyed and by certaine holy men was buried S Concerning this mysterie there do occurre vnto me some doubts I desire by you to be cleered of theÌ„ to the end I may be the more grateful vnto God for so great a benefite by how much I shall the better vnderstand it Tell me then if Christ be the Sonne of God omnipotent how happened it that he was not deliuered by his Father out of the handes of Pilate Or rather if the same Christ be God wherefore did hee not deliuer himselfe M Christ could if hee would haue deliuered himselfe by a thousande meanes out of the handes of Pilate Yea more the whole world had not bin able to do him any euil if he had not bin willing and this is clearely seene because he knew foretolde vnto his Disciples that the Iewes would seeke to put him to death that they would whippe him stone him and finallie kill him Yet he did not hide himselfe but went to meete his enemies And when they sought to take him and knew him not hee said vnto them himselfe hee was that man for whom they sought at which time also they al faling backwards as dead meÌ„ he did not depart thence as he might haue done but expected permitted them to recouer theÌ„selues after he suffred him selfe to be taken bound led like a meeke Lambe where they would S For What cause did Christ being innocent suffer him selfe to be vniustly crucified and slaine M For manie reasons But the principal reason was to satisfie vnto God for our sinnes For you haue to know that the offence is measured according to the dignitie of him who is offended and contrariewise the satisfaction is measured according to the dignitie of him who doth satisfie as for example if a seruant should geue his Prince a blow it should be esteemed a most greeuous offence according to the greatnes of the prince but if a prince should giue his seruant a blowe it were a smal matter according to the base estate of the seruant And contrariwise if a seruant take off his cappe vnto his Prince it is but little esteemed but if the Prince should take off his vnto his seruant it would be a notable fauour according to the rule we speake of Now because the first man and with him al we haue offended God who is of so infinite dignitie the offence did require infinite satisfaction and because there was neither man nor Angel of so great dignitie therefore the Sonne of God came who being God and of infinite dignitie hauing taken mortal flesh in the same flesh he submitted him selfe for the honour of God to the death of the Crosse and so satisfied with his paines for our faults S What other cause is there for which Christ would suffer so bitter a death M To teach vs by his example the vertues of Patience Humilitie Obedience and of Charitie which are foure vertues signified in the foure extreame parts of the Crosse because greater patience can not be found then to suffer vniustly so ignominious a death nor greater humilitie then for the Lord of all Lordes to submit him selfe to be crucified betwixt thieues nor greater obedience then to be willing rather to die then not to fulfil the commandement of his Father nor greater charitie then to yeeld his life to saue his enimies And you must know that Charitie is more shewed in deedes then in wordes more in suffering then in doing And so Christ who would not only bestow vpon vs infinit benifits but suffer also die for vs hath shewed that he loueth vs most ardently S Seeing Christ is God and man as you saied before and it semeth that God can not suffer nor die how do we then say that he suffered and died M Christ being God and man can suffer not suffer die not die for in that he is God could neither suffer nor die but as he is man he could both suffer and die and therefore I â—old you that being God hee was made man to satisfie for our sinnes suffering the paines of death in his most holie flesh which he could not haue done if he had not been man S If Christ haue satisfied his Father for the sinnes of all men whence â—ommeth it that so many are damned that we haue neede to doe penance for our sinnes M Christ hath satisfied for the sins â—f all men but it is necessarie to apâ—lie this satisfaction in particular to â—his man and to that man which is one by faith by the Sacraments by good workes and particularlie by penance therefore we haue neede â—o do penance other good works though Christ haue suffered and wrought for vs And the cause that many are daÌ„ned or remaine enemies to God is for that either they
a Crosse representeth vnto vs the Passion and consequently the Incarnation of the Sonne of God the passing from the left shoulder to the right and not from the right to the left signifyeth that by the Passion of our Sauiour we are transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie things vnto eternall from death to life S To what purpose is this signe of the Crosse made M First it is made to shew that wee are Christians to wit souldiers of our chiefe Emperour Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the soldiers of Christ from all the enemies of the Holie Church to wit Gentils Iewes Turkes Heretiks besides this signe is made to call for Gods helpe in all our works because with this signe the most holie Trinitie is called to help by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therefore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed wheÌ„ they goe to sleepe and in the beginning of all other things which they haue to do finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the Deuill because the Diuel is a fraid of this signe and flyeth from it as malefactors doe when they see the signe of the officers of Iustice and often-times by meanes of this signe of the holie Crosse a man escapeth many dangers aswell spirituall as temporal when he maketh it with faith and trust of Gods mercy and of the merits of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. 3. The declaration of the Creede S NOwe comming to the first part of this doctrine I desire to learne the Creede M The Creede contayneth twelue parts which are called Articles and they are twelue according to the number of the twelue Apostles who composed the same and are these 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie Creator of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3 Who was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 Suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried descended into Hell 5 The third day he rose again from death 6 Ascended into heauen siâ—â—eth at the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 From thence hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holie Ghost 9 The holie Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 Remission of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen S May it please you declare to mee the first article word by word What signifyeth I beleeue M It signifyeth I hold for certaine and for most true all that is contayned in these twelue articles and the reason is this because the same God hath taught the holy Apostles these sentences and the holy Apostles the Church and the Church doth teach them vs and because it is impossible that God should saye that which is false I therefore beleeue these things more certainely then those I see with mine eyes and feele with my hands S What meaneth In God M It meaneth that we ought to beleeue firmely that there is a God albeit we do not see him with corporal eies this God is one only therefore it is said in God and not in Gods And you must not imagine that god is like to any corporal thing how great or faire so euer it be but you must thinke that God is a spiritual thing which euer was foreuer shal be hath made the whole filleth the whole gouerneth the whole knoweth seeth euery thing finally what thing soeuer is represented vnto our eies or vnto our imagination you must say that this which now is represeÌ„ted vnto me is not god because God is a thinge infinitelie better S Wherefore is it said that God is a Father M Because he is truly the Father of his onlie begotten Son of whom we shal speake in the second article and also because he is the Father of al good men not by nature but by adoption and finally because he is the father of al creatures not by nature or by adoption but by creation as we shal say hereafter in this same article S Wherefore is he called Almighty M Because it is a proper title of God and albeit God hath manie proper titles as eternal infinite vnmeasurable and others yet in this place the most fit is that he is omnipotent because it may not seeme hard vnto vs to beleeue that hee hath made heauen and earth of nothing as in the words following is added For that vnto him who can do al that he wil thereby is omnipotent nothing can be hard And if you should say vnto me God can not dye nor sinne and therefore it semeth not that he can do al things I would answere you that to dye or to sinne is not power but impotencie as when it is said of a most valiant soldier that hee can ouercome al and that he cannot be ouercome of anie it doth not preindicate his force to say that he cannot be ouercome because that he can be ouercome is not streÌ„gth but weaknes S What is signified by Creator M It signifieth that God hath made al thinges of nothing and he alone can bring them againe vnto nothing The Angels Men and also Diuels can make and vnmake some things but they can not make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake theÌ„ but by changing them into some other thing as a Maison cannot make a house of nothing but he must haue stones lyme and wood neither can he destroy it in bringing it to nothing but into stones dust wood and such like so that God only is called is a creator because he only hath no need of any matter to make all things S Why is he called creator of heaueÌ„ and earth hath not God also made the ayre the water stones trees men and all other things M By heauen and earth is also vnderstood all that is in heauen and earth as he that saith a man hath a bodie a soule meaneth also that he hath al things belonging to a bodie as veines bloud bones sinewes and the rest all things belonging vnto a soule as vnderstanding will memorie internal and external senses and the rest so that by heauen is vnderstood the ayre where birds vse to be all things aboue where the clouds the stars are wherevpon it is said the birds of heaueÌ„ the clouds of heauen the stars of heauen finally the Angels By the earth is vnderstood al that is compassed by the aire as the waters of the sea of the riuers which are in the lower partes of the earth also al liue creatures plants stones mettals and all other things which are found in the earth or in the sea it is therefore said that God is creator of heauen earth because these two are the principall parts of the world the one aboue in the which the Angels remaine and the other
wil not haue faith as Iewes Turkes Heritikes or because they wil not receiue the Sacraments as those that wil not be baptised or wil not confesse their sinnes or wil not do such penance as they can for their sins nor resolue to liue conformably to the law of God S I would haue some example to vnderstand this M Take the example of one which should take great paines and with sweate and labours should gaine so much money as were sufficient to pay al the debts of this citie and should put the same in a bank to the end it should be geuen vnto al such as should bring a warant from him this man surely had satisfied for al somuch as lieth in him yet manie might remaine stil in debt for that they would not either for pride or for slouth or for some other cause demand his warant and carie it to the bank to receiue the money S What signifieth He descended into hel and what doth hel signifie in this place M Hel is the lowest deepest place in this world to wit the midle of the earth And the Scripture in manie places putteth heauen as opposite vnto hel as the highest place vnto the lowest But in this depth of the earth there are foure as it were great caues one for the damned which is the deepest of al and so it is agreable that the proud Diuels and the men which imitate them be in the lowest place and furthest from heauen that can be In the second caue which is something higher are those soules which suffer the paines of Purgatorie In the third which is yet higher are the soules of those children that die with out Baptisme who do not suffer torments of fire but onely the perpetuall priuation of eternall felicity In the fourth which is the highest remained the soules of the Patriarchs Prophets and other Holie men that dyed before the comming of Christ for albeit those holy soules had not any thing to be purged yet they could not enter into glory before Christ by his death had opened the gate of eternall life therefore they remained in that higher place called the place of holy Fathers otherwise Abrahams bosome where they suffered no paines at all but enjoyed a sweete repose expecting the comming of our Lord with great joy And so we read in the Gospel that the soule of that poore beggar Lazarus was carried by an Angell to rest in the bosome of Abraham where hee was seene by the rich glutton who burning in flames of hell cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in a farre higher place remayning in great joy and consolation enjoying the fruits of his former patience S Into which of these foure partes of Hell did Christ descend after his death M There is no doubt but hee descended into the place of holy Fathers and suddainely made them blessed after led thē with him in to the kingdome of heauē He made himselfe also seene vnto all the other parts of hell terrifying the Diuels as a victorious Triumpher threatning the damned as a supreame Iudge comforting the soules in Purgatorie as their Aduocate and deliuerer So that Christ descended into Hell as a King vseth sometimes to repaire into prisons to visite prisoners and to shew fauour to whom it pleaseth him S If Christ was dead his body did lye in the sepulchre then he did not whollie descend into hell but onely the soule of Christ and how is it then said that Christ descended into hell M Death had force to separate the soule of Christ from his body but it could not separate either the soule or the bodie from the Diuine person of the same Christ And therefore we beleeue that the Diuine person of Christ remained with his bodie in the sepulcre that the same person descēded with his soule into hel Of the fift Article S HOw is it true that our Lord rose from death the third day seeing that from Friday in the euening when he was buried vnto the night before Sunday when hee rose there wanteth of two whole daies M We doe not say that Christ rose after three whole daies but the third daye which is most true For he was buried on Friday which is the first day though not a whole day and so hee remained in the Sepulchre all Saterday and a part of Sundaie which is the third day For the natural day beginning the night before at the setting of the Sunne the first houre after the Sunne-setting is the first of the day following S. For what cause did not Christ rise streight after his death but would expect the third day M Because he would shew that he was truely dead he would remaine there in the graue so long as sufficed to prooue this truth Moreouer I would haue you considder that like as Christ liued amongst men thirtie three or thirty foure yeares so hee would stay amongst the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres For so many they are if you put together one houre of Friday for hee was buried an houre before Sunne-setting twentie foure houres of the Saturday and eight or nine houres of Sunday For he rose after midnight towards the beginning of the morning S Why is it said of Christ that hee rose and of other dead as of Lazarus and the Widdowes sonne that they were raysed from death M The reason is because Christ being the Son of God rose of himself to wit by vertue of his God-head he reunited his soule to his bodie so began to liue againe But other dead men can not returne to life by their owne power And therefore it is said they were raised by others As we al at the day of Iudgment shal be raised by Christ S Is there anie other difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ of others which returned to life before him M There is this difference that the others rose mortal therefore they died againe but Christ rose immortal neither can he euer die anie more Of the sixt Article S Now let vs come vnto the sixt article which is of the Ascension I desire to know how long our Sauiour remained vpon earth after his Resurrection and for what cause M He remained fourtie dayes as you may consider by numbring the dayes betwixt the feasts of his Resurection and Ascension And the reason of his so long stay was because he would with manie diuers apparitions establish the Mysterie of his most true Resurrection For that the same seemeth as it were the most hard And he that beleeueth it hath no difficultie to beleeue the rest For he that riseth was certainly dead before And he that was dead was first borne And so he that beleueth the Resurrection of Christ findeth no labour in beleeuing his death and natiuitie And likewise for so much as the earth is not a conuenient place for glorious bodies but heauen therefore he that beleueth the Resurrection of our Sauiour can
easely beleeue his going vp into heauen S I would know the cause wherefore it is said that Christ went vp into heauen and of his most holie Mother it is said that she was assumpted or taken vp into heauen not that she ascended or went vp M The reason is easie For that Christ being God and man went vp into heauen by his owne powre as he also rose by his owne powre But his Mother who is a meere creature though most worthie amongst all others was raysed from death and assumpted vnto the kingdome of heauen not by her owne power but by the power of God S What meaneth He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie M You must not imagine that the Father is on the left-hande of the Sonne nor that the Father is in middest hauing his Sonne on the right-hand and the Holie-Ghost on the left corporally For as well the Father as the Sonne according to his God-head and the Holie Ghost are euery where Neither can it be properly said that one is on the right-hand of an other but to bee at the right hand in this article signifieth to be in equal height glorie and maiestie because when one is side by side of an other one is not higher nor lower then the other And to vnderstand this maner of speach the holie Scripture in the Psalme 109. which beginneth Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. doth once saye that the Sonne doeth sitte at the right hand of the Father and an other time saith that the Father is at the right hand of the Sonne instructing vs that they are in deed in equal height as we haue said So that Christ when he went vp into heauen ascended aboue all the Quyars and orders of the Angels of the blessed soules which he caried with him ariued vnto the high throne of God and there stayed not going aboue his Father neither remayning vnder him but resting as we may say side by his father as equal with him in glory greatnes S Seeing Christ is God and man I would know if he sit at the right hand of the Father as he is God onlie or as he is also man M Christ as he is God is equal to the Father as he is man he is lesse then the Father yet for so much as Christ God and man are not two Christes nor two persons but one Christ onelie and one person onlie therefore it is saide that Christ God and man sitteth at the right hand of the Father And so the humanitie of our Lord to wit his flesh and soule â—re in the throne of God on the right hand of God the father Not by their proper worthines but because they are vnited to the person of the true and natural Son of God S I would haue some similitude to vnderstande this M Take the similitude of a kings robe wheÌ„ the king being vested with his purple robe sitteth in his royal throne al the Princes of his kingdome sit below him the kings robe is in a more eminent place then the Nobles them selues are because it is in the selfe same throne with the King And this is done not because the robe is of equal dignitie with the king but because it is ioyned to the King as his proper garment So the flesh and the soule of Christ do sitte aboue al the Cherubims and Seraphims in the same seat with God not by the dignitie of their owne nature but because they are vnited vnto God not onely as the garment is vnto the king but in much nearer sorte to wit by personal vnion As hath bene said Of the seuenth Article S FRom thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead When shall this comming of our Lord be M It shal be at the end of the world For you are to vnderstand that this world is to haue an end and to bee destroied with an inundation of fire which wil burne all thinges vpon the earth And there shal be no more dayes nor nights nor Mariages nor marchandise or anie of these things which you now see So that in the last day of this world which no man can know how neere it is nor how long hence Christ wil come downe from heauen to make the general Iudgment And these words From thence he shal come do forewarne vs not to beleeue anie that shal cal him selfe Christ or that would deceiue vs as Antichrist wil endeuour to do towards the end of the world For that the true Christ wil not come forth of anie desert or obscure place but wil come from the highest heauen with so much glorie and maiestie as no man can doubt whether it be he or no. Like as when the Sun riseth it commeth with so much light as no man can doubt whether lt be the Sun or no. S Wherefore do we say that he shal iudge the quicke and the dead shall not al men be dead at that time and all then rise againe M By the quick and the dead may be vnderstood the good which liue with the spirituall life of grace and the bad which are spiritually dead by sin But it is true also that Christ will come to iudge the quicke and the dead corporally because at that day many shal be dead and manie shall be found aliue Who though they be liuing in that last daye and some also shall bee young or children yet all shall die in an instant and suddenly rise againe thereby to pay the debt of death S I haue heard many times that whosoeuer dyeth in mortall sinne goeth presently vnto hell and whosoeuer dyeth in the grace of God goeth presently to Purgatorie or to heauen how then are all to be judged the sentence being already giueÌ„ M At the death of euery one the particular judgement is giuen of that soule which departed from the bodie but after at the last day there shall be an vniuersall judgement of the whole world And this for manny causes First for Gods honour because manie nowe seeing bad-men in prosperitie and good-men afflicted imagine that God doeth not gouerne the world well But at that time it shall be cleerly seen how God hath seene noted all things and how with great justice he hath giuen vnto the bad some temporall prosperitie in recompence of some good works of theirs of smal momeÌ„t intending afterwards to giue them eternall paine for their mortall sins And contrariwise vnto the good he hath geuen temporal affliction for punishmeÌ„t of some veniall sinnes or to geue them occasion to make them do penance intending afterwards to reward them with an infinite treasure of glorie for their good workes Secondly for the glorie of Christ because he being vniustly condemned and by manie not knowne nor honored as he ought to be it is reason there should be a day when al the world shal know him honour him either by force or for loue as their true king Lord of al.
desires S What meaneth Amen which is put to the end of the Creede M It meaneth so is the trueth to wit all that which hath been said is true and certaine CHAP. IIII. The declaration of our Lords prayer S I haue learned through the grace of God that I am to beleeue I desire that you now teach me what I am to hope for desire what meanes I may haue to obtaine it M Al that you demaund is conteyned in our Lords prayer which wee call the Pater noster For in this praier is declared what thing is to be desired of whom we are to demand it and the selfe-same prayer is the meanes to obtaine it S Which is our Lords prayer M It is this Our father which art in heauen c. S For what cause do you prefer the Pater noster before all other praiers M First because it is the most excellent of all being made by Christ himselfe who is the supreame wisdome Secondly because this praier is shortest and so is easie to be learned and kept in memorie with al ful of substance conteyning all that we ought to demand of God thirdly because it is most profitable and effectual being made by him who is both our Iudge our Aduocate therefore knoweth better then any other how we ought to demaunde that we may obtaine Fourthlie it is the most necessarie of all others in regard that all Christians are bound to know it to repeate it euery day and therefore it is called the dailie praier that is to say prayer to be said euery day S Declare then I pray you those wordes Our Father which art in heauen M These few words are as it were a litle preface or a preparation to the praier For in saying that God is our Father we take corage confidèce to pray vnto him in saying hee is in heauē we remember our selues that we ought to go vnto him with great feare humilitie seeing he is notan earthly father but an heauēly again saying he is a Father wee consider that he is willing to pleasure vs in that wee demaund in saying hee is in heauen as Lord master of the world we vnderstande that he can do so much as he wil. Finally in saying he is a Father we remember that we are children of God heires of heauen in saying he is in heauen considering that we are on earth we remēber that we haue not the possession of our inheritance but that wee are pilgrims and trauellers in a land of our enemies and therefore stand in great neede of his helpe S Declare if you please vnto mee all the words in particular M The worde Father albeit it belongeth to God as he is Father of all things by creation yet in this prayer it is vnderstood of God as hee is the Father of good Christians by adoption It is true also that sinners may say vnto God Our father who desire to be conuerted to him to become his childrē And only those cannot truly saye the Pater noster who neither are nor desire to be the children of God not thinking at all of amending themselues S Wherefore is it said Our Father and not my Father M It is said Our Father to the end wee may vnderstand that we are all brethren and as brethren ought to loue and be vnited together being the children of one the same Father It is also said Our Father to teach vs that a cōmon praier is better then a priuate and more profitable also vnto him that doth pray for that whiles each one saith Our Father euerie one prayeth for al and al pray for euerie one S Wherefore is it said Which are in heauen is not God in al places M God is said to dwel in heauen not for that he is not in al places but because heauen is the most noble part of the world and in it doth appeare the greatnes powre and wisdome of God Finally in it God vouchsafeth to be seene face to face of the Angels and blessed men It may be also said that God is in heauen because he dwelleth in a perticuler manner in the Angels in holie mē who are spiritual heauens S Let vs now come vnto the first petition what meaneth Hallowed be thy name M Name in this place signifieth same and renoume as when we say that one hath a great name because he is knowne of manie Or that he hath a good name or an euil name because he hath a good fame or an euil fame being knowne of manie and commended for good or discommended for bad Wherefore to sanctifie the name of God is nothing els then to publish through the world the knowledge of God to conserue it pure and holie in the hartes and mouthes of men as in it selfe it is And because there are in the world manie infidels who know not God and manie euil Christians that blaspheme curse him therefore those that are the children of God and haue zeale of the honour of their father do praie with great desire that his name may be sanctified that is that it be through the whole world knowen adored cōfessed praised blessed as is conueniēt S Seing wee desire that God bee knowen and praised of men were it not better to demand it of men thē of God M Man is not able of him self neither to knowe nor to praise God therfore we demand of God that he wil worke with his grace in that maner that the Infidels and other sinners may be conuerred being conuered beginne to know praise his holie name S Wherefore is the prayer begune with demanding that the name of God be sanctified M We are bound to loue God aboue al things more then our selues therefore our first most frequent desire ought to be of the glorie of God and for this cause were we created and endued with reason to the end we may know and praise God wherein also doth consist our chifest good as we shal say here after S Declare vnto me now the second petition Thy kingdome come M In this petition in fit place we demand our owne saluation after that in the first we demanded the glorie of God S What is to be vnderstood by the kingdome of God M The kingdome of God may be vnderstood three maner of waies for we finde a kingdome of nature a kingdom of grace and a kingdome of glorie The kingdome of nature is that where with God gouerneth al the creatures as absolute Lord of al things For albeit peruerse men do euil and obserue not the law of God yet God doth raigne ouer thē for that when it pleaseth him he hindereth their disignmentes And though he permit them sometimes to haue their desires afterwardes hee punisheth them seuerely and there is none that can resist his wil nor that can do otherwise then he ordaineth or permitteth The kingdome of grace is that wherewith God gouerneth
worthy of honour for that she hath in her selfe but for that also which is in the fruit of her wombe Because the praise of the fruite redoundeth to the tree and the glorie of the child redoundeth to the mother And because Iesus is not onlie true man and blessed amongst men but is also God blessed aboue all things as S. Paul teacheth vs therefore his mother is not onely blessed amongst women but shee is blessed amongst all the creatures as well in earth as in heauen S Declare vnto me I pray you that which remaineth of the Aue Maria. M In the words following the holy Church repeating the principall praise of our Ladie which is to bee the mother of God and so shewing that she can obtain of the same God what shee pleaseth desireth her to make intercession for vs who haue great need thereof being sinners that she help vs while we liue and in particular at the poynt of death when we shal be in greatest danger S I would gladly know wherefore it ring to the Aue Maria three times in the day to wit in the morning at midday and in the euening M To the end we may vnderstand that we haue need to make recourse often to the helpe of God and of the Saints being in the middest of enemies visible inuisible And that we ought not to thinke it sufficient to haue recourse to the armour of praier in the beginning of our works but that we must do the same in the progresse and in the end There is also an other mysterie in this ringing thrise to the Aue Maria. That is holie Church would haue vs continually to remember the three principal mysteries of our RedemptioÌ„ the Incarnation the Passion and the Resurrection And therfore willeth that wee salute our B. Ladie in the morning in memorie of the Resurrection of our lord at midday in memorie of the passion at night in memory of the Incarnation Because as we are certaine that our Lord was mayled on the Crosse at midday rose in the morning so it is probably thought that the Incarnation was in the night Cap. VI. The declaration of the ten Commandements S HAuing now vnderstood the Creede and the Pater noster with the Aue Maria I desire that you would declare vnto mee the ten commandements of the law of God for that this is the third principall part of the christian doctrine as you told me in the beginning M You haue reason to desire to learne to vnderstand well the ten coÌ„mandements of the law of god be cause that faith and hope without charity without obseruing of the â—aw are not sufficient to saluation S What is the cause that seing in the world in the Church there are so many lawes and commandements this lawe of the Commandements is preferred before all the rest M Many reasons may be alleadged concerning the excellencie of this law First for that this law was made by God written by himselfe first of all in the hearts of men afterwards in twotables of stone secondly because this is most ancient lawe of all others as the fountain of all the rest Thirdly because this is most vniuersal law that is to be found for it bindeth not onely Christians but Iewes also Gentils aswell men as wemen aswell rich as poore aswell Princes as priuate men aswell the learned as the ignoraÌ„t Fourthly because this law is immutable caÌ„not be taken away nor dispensed withal by any Fiftly because it is necessary to euery one to saluation as our lord hath often taught vs in his holy gospel lastly bceause it was promulgat with greatest solemnity in mount Sinay with sound of Angelical truÌ„pets with great thunder and lightning from heauen in the presence of al the people of God S Before you come to the declaration of the commandementes in particular it would be gratful to me to vnderstand briefly the summe and order of them M The end of al the commandementes is the loue of God and of our neighbour for they al teach vs not to offend God nor our neighbour and for this cause they are diuided into two partes and were written as I haue already said in two tables of stone The first part contayneth three commandementes which instruct vs of the bond wee haue to God The second containeth seuen other precepts which teach vs the bond we haue to our neighbour But you must know that albeit in one table there were no more then three precepts in the other seaueÌ„ yet the two tables were equall and both full written for the three first were written with more words and the other seauen with fewer and so the seauen shorter precepts were equal touching the writing vnto the three longer S Wherefore are the Commandements of the first table three M Because they teach vs to loue God with hart with tongue with worke S Why are the commandementes of the second table seauen M Because one teacheth vs to do good to our neighbour the other six teach vs to do him no euil First in his person after in his honour lastly in his goodes And that neither in thought worde nor deede S Let vs now come vnto the commandementes them selues And first shew mee the wordes where with they were writen by God in those tables M The wordes are these I am the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of seruitude 1 Thou shalt not haue strange Gods in my sight 2 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine 3 Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbaoth day 4 Honour thy father thy mother 5 Thou shalt not murder 6 Thou shalt not commit adultrie 7 Thou shalt not steale 8 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 9 Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife 10 Thou shalt not couet the neighbours goods S What meane those wordes which goe before the commandementes M In those words are yelded foure reasons to shew that God can geue a law and that we are bounde to obserue it The first reason is in the word I am the Lord because God being our chief and highest Lord who hath created vs of nothing he may doubtles geue vs a law as to his proper seruants The second is in that word God because that word signifieth that our Lord is not only Lord or Maister but he is also supreme Iudge and gouernour and as such a one can geue a law and punish those that obserue it not The third is in that word thine because besides the bond which we haue to obey God as seruants their maister and as subiects their Prince we haue an other bond by reason of the packt which God doth make with vs and we with him in holie Baptisme For therein God taketh vs for his owne adopted children and we take him for our proper Father as God also taketh all the faithfull for his
if that be done vnto sainctes who raigne with Christ in heauen which is done vnto some men in earth S But what shal we say of the Reliques of Saincts which vnderstand nothing and yet we kneele and pray vnto them M We do not pray to the Reliques which we know wel do not vnderstand but we honour the holie Reliques as those which haue bin the instruments of the holy soules to do many good workes and shal againe in their times be liuing bodies and are to vs in the meane time deare pledges of the loue which the Saints did do beare vnto vs. And therefore we doe praye before the same Reliques vnto the Saintes desiring them by these deare pledges which we keepe of them that they remember to helpe vs as wee remember to honour them S The same perhaps may be said of Images M So it is for the Images of our Lord of our Ladie other Saints are not taken by vs for gods therefore they cannot be called Idols as those were of the Gentils but they are holden for Images which make vs to remember our Lord our Ladie and other Saints so they serue such as caÌ„not read in place of books For that by Images they learne many mysteries of our holy faith the life and death of many Saints And the honour we do vnto them we do it not because they are figures of paper or of mettal or because they are well-coloured wel made but because they represent vnto vs our Lord our Ladie or other Saints and for that we know that the Images do not liue nor haue sense being made by the hands of men we do not demand any thing of theÌ„ but we pray before them vnto those whom they represent vnto vs to wit our Lorde our Ladie or other Saints S If Reliques and Images doe not vnderstaÌ„d how then do they worke so many miracles to such as doe recommend themselues vnto them M God worketh al the miracles but he worketh them often by the intercession of Saints and chiefly of our blessed Ladie oftentimes he doth them vnto those who praye vnto the Sainctes before their Reliques or Images and sometimes hee vseth the Reliques and Images as instruments of such miracles to shew vnto vs that our deuotion towards the Saincts and towards their Reliques and Images doth please him S When therefore it is said that one is recommended to such Reliques or such Images and hath receiued grace it is to be vnderstood that he is recommended to that Sainct to whom those Reliuques or Images pertaine and that God by the intercession of that Sainct and by the meanes of those Reliques or Images hath done him that grace S So it is and I am glad that you haue well vnderstood al that I haue said vnto you S I would lastlie knowe for what cause God the Father is paynted like an old man and the Holy Ghost like a Doue and the Angels like young men with wings seeing God and the Angels are spirits and haue no corporall figure which can bee drawen by Painters as pictures of men may be M When God the Father is painted in forme of an old man and the Holie Ghost in forme of a doue and the Angles in forme of young-men that which they are in themselues is not painted because as you haue said they are spirits without bodies but that forme is painted in which they haue somtimes appeared And so God the Father is painted like an old-man because he appeared in that forme in a vision to Daniel the prophet And the Holie Ghost is painted in forme of a doue because in that forme he appeared vpoÌ„ Christ when he was baptised by Saint Iohn Baptist And the Angls are painted in forme of yong men for that they haue somtimes so appeared Moreouer you are to know that manie thinges are painted to make vs vnderstand not what they are in themselus but what properties they haue or what effecte they vse to worke So it may be said that God the Father is painted in forme of an olde man to make vs vnderstand that he is most ancient to wit eternal before al created things And the Holie Ghost is painted in likenes of of a doue to signifie the giftes of innocencie puritie sanctitie which the Holie Ghost worketh in vs. And the angels are painted like yong meÌ„ because they are alwaies faire ful of strength and with winges because they are readie to passe whyther it shal please God to send them and with white garments and with holie stoales because they are pure and innocent and ministers of his diuine Maiestie Of the second commandement S LEt vs come to the second coÌ„mandement what meaneth thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine M In this coÌ„mandement is handled the honour and dishonor of God touching wordes that is honour is commanded and dishonour is forbidden And this commandement may be deuided into foure partes because God is honored or dishonored by wordes in foure sortes First God is honored by naming him often with charitable affection and is dishonored by often naming him to no good purpose Secondly he is honored by an oath and he is dishonored by perjurie Thirdly he is honored by obseruation of vowes dishonored by breaking of vowes once made Fourthly hee is honored by calling vpon him and praising him and dishonored by blaspheaming and cursing him S Declare to me the first part M In simply naming God as also our Ladie and other Saintes one may well doe an euil For those that â—oue God much remember him often and often speake of him and they do it with deuotion affection as is seen in the Epistles of Saint Paul where the holie name of Iesus Christ is very often read For as S. Paul had Christ in his hart so he had him in his mouth But there be others who of an euil custome wheÌ„ they are angrie or when they iest not regarding what they say name God or some Saint because nothing els comes to their mind And this is euil for it is a kinde of tearing the most holie name of God Which is to geue you an example though not equal as if one hauing a pretious garment should weare it in all places and at al times not regarding the preciousnes thereof S Declare nowe the second part which concerneth swearing M An oath or swearing is nothing els but to cal God as witnes of the truth But that it be lawfully done three things ought to accompany it to wit truth justice judgement as God himselfe doth teach vs by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy And as God is honored by an oath made with dew circumstances we professing therby that he seeth al things and is the soueraigne truth defeÌ„der of the trueth so by the contrary the same god is greatly dishonoured when an oath is made without truth or without iustice or without judgement for he that so sweareth maketh shew
that go before and the seauen which follow are wholy natural and bind not only Christians but Iewes and Gentils also but this third is in part natural and bindeth all men in part is not natural neither bindeth it al for that to sanctifie the feasts that is to haue some daies for holie to be spent in holie works chiefly in the seruice of God is a naturall precept for that natural reason teacheth it to al men and so in al partes of the world some day is obserued festiual But the ordaining of such a day that is that it should be one rather then an other is not natural And therefore with the Iewes the principal feast was Saturdaye with Christians it is the Sunday S For what cause did God command that the Iewes should obserue the Saturday rather then anie other day M There are two principal reasons The first is because on the Saturday God finished the frame of the world and therefore he would that day should be sāctified in memory of this great benefite of the creation of the world Which serued also to conuince the error of certaine Philosophers who said that the world had alwaies bene for that celebrating the feast in memorie of the creation of the world it must needs be confessed that the worlde had a beginning The second reason is because a man hauing caused his seruants and hand-maides and his cattle to worke and wearie themselues sixe daies of the weeke God would that the seauenth daye which is the Saturday the same seruants maides yea his Oxealso and Asse should repose and that masters should learne to bee pittifull towardes their laborers and not to bee cruell but to haue compassion also of their very bruit beastes S What is the cause that we Christians do not obserue the Saturday as the Iewes doe seeing there is so good reason to obserue it M With great reasō god hath changed the Saterday into the Sunday as hee hath also done Circumcision into Baptisme the Paschal lambe into the blessed Sacrament al other good thinges of the old Testament into better thinges in the new Testament Wherefore if the Saturday was celebrated in memorie of the creation of the worlde because in that day the worke of the creation was ended with more reason the Sunday is celebrated in memorie of the same creation for that in the sunday the said creation was begune and if the Iewes did geue to God the last day of the weeke then Christians do better who geue him the first Moreouer vpon the Sunday memorie is made of three principal benefites of our Redemption For Christ was borne on the sunday on sunday he rose and vpon Sunday he sent the Holie Ghost to his Apostles Finally the Saturday did signifie the repose which the holie soules had in Limbo the Sunday signifieth the glorie which the holie souls haue now and the bodies shal haue hereafter in heauen And therefore the Iewes did celebrate the Saterday because when they died they went to repose in Limbo but christians celebrate the sunday because when they dye they go vnto the glorious blisse of heauen which yet is vnderstood if they haue done wel according to the holie Law which God hath geuen them S Is it necessarie to obserue other feastes besides the Sunday M It is necessarie to obserue manie other feasts as well of our Lord as of our Ladie and of other Sainctes to wit al those which are commanded by holie Church But we haue spoken in particular of the Sunday because it is the most ancient and oftner celebrared then anie other As amongst the Iewes there were also manie feaste◠but the most ancient most frequent and the greatest of al was the Sabboth And therefore in the ten commādements there is not expresse mention made of anie but of the Sabbaoth to which as we haue said the Sunday hath succeeded S What ought to be done to obserue the feastes M Two things are necessarie the first is to bstaine from seruil works which are those that seruants and artificers are accustomed to do who labour most specially with their bodies For those workes in which the vnderstanding doth principally labour cannot be called seruil though for helpe of the vnderstanding the tongue the hand or anie other corporal member be vsed The second thing is that in the commanded feastes we are bound to be present at the holie Sacrifice of Masse And albeit holie Church bindeth vs to no more yet is it conuenient that we spend the whole day of the feast or the greatest part thereof in prayer and spiritual reading in visiting Churches in hearing sermons and in doing like holie exercises for this is the end for which feastes were instituted S If seruil workes may not be done on the festiual dayes thē belles may not be rongue the table may not be made readie much lesse meate be dressed for al these are seruil workes M The commandement of not doing seruile works is vnderstood with two conditions The first that they bee not necessary to mans life and therefore it is permitted to dresse meate to make ready the table and such like that can not bee done the day before The second that they be not necessary for the seruice of God for which it is allowed to ring the Bels and to doe other workes in the Church that cānot be done another day And besides these conditions it is also lawfull to do seruile workes vpon the holie day when licence is granted by the Prelate for reasonable cause Of the fourth Commandement S THe fourth Commandement followeth which is of honoring our father and mother I desire to know wherefore the commandement of honoring our father mother is the first in the second table M The commandements of the second table belong to our neighbour as those of the first belong to God And because amongst all neighbours our father and mother are most neere to vs to whom wee are moste bounde as of whom wee haue our being and our life which is the foundation of all our temporall good thinges therefore with great reason the second table beginneth with the honour of our father and mother S What is vnderstood by this honour which is due to our father and mother M Three thinges are vnderstood helpe obedience reuerence First wee are bound to helpe assist our father mother in their necessities And this helpe in holy Scriptures is called honour And it is great reasō that children hauing receiued life of their father mother should procure to preserue vnto them the same life Further wee are bounde to obey our father mother as S. Paul saith in all things in our Lorde that is in all things which are conformable to the will of our Lord for that when our father or mother commandeth vs any thing which is contrary to the wil of God then we must according to the commaundemente of Christ hate our father and mother that is not
woman who thereby looseth her fame it hurteth the childe which is borne a bastard it doth injurie to Christ for we being all members of Christ hee that committeth fornication maketh the member of Christ the member of an harlot Finally hee doth injurie to the Holie Ghost for that our bodies are the temple of the Holie Ghost and so he that defileth his bodie with fornication defileth the temple of the Holie Ghost S Doth this sixt commandement forbid any other thing besides these kinds of sin which you haue named M It forbiddeth also al other dishonesties which are as allurements to adultery or fornication as lasciuious lookes vnchaste kissing and the like And so our Lorde taught vs in in the holie Gospel where declaring this sixt Commandement he saith Whosoeuer shall see a woman to lust after her hath already committed aduoutrie with her in his heart And therfore it is necessarie to those that will flie from such sinnes to haue great care of their outwarde senses and especially of their eyes which are as doores whereby death of the soule entreth Of the seuenth Commandement S VVHat doth the seuenth coÌ„mandement contain M It containeth the prohibition of theeft that is to take the goodes of an other againste the will of the owner And so in right order theft is forbiden after murder and adulterie For that amongst temporal or worldlie things next to life honour or honestie is estemed then the goodes or riches of this world S How manie wayes is this seuenth commandement broken M Two waies principally to which al others are reduced The first way is by taking an others goods secretly and this is properly called theft The second principal way is by taking an others goods openly and by force as robbers do by the highway and this is called roberie And albeit the commandement of God speaketh of the first saying Thou shalt not steale yet it is vnderstood also of the second for he that forbiddeth the lesse euil without doubt forbiddeth also the greater S What be the sinnes which are reduced to theft and roberie and are for bid by this commandement M They are these First al the frauds deceipts which are vsed in buying selling and other like bargaynes And these are reduced to theft because he that vseth such deceipts taketh secretly of his neighbours more then is due Secondly al vsuries which are made by lending of money with couenant that it shal be restored with something more And these are reduced to roberie because he that taketh vsurie exacteth manifestly more theÌ„ he hathlent Thirdly al the damages which are done to our neighbour though he that is the occasion thereof gaine nothing thereby As when one burneth an other mans house And this is reduced sometimes to theft and sometimes to roberie according as the harme is done secretly or manifestly Fourthly he that payeth not that he is bouud to pay sinneth against this commandement as much as if hee should steale in that hee keepeth an other mans goods against the wil of the owner Fiftly he sinneth against the same commandement and committeth theft that findeth any thing that an other hath lost and taketh it for himselfe I say that an other hath lost because it is not sinne to take that which belonged to no bodie As pretious stones which sometimes are found by the sea side Sixtly it is reduced to theft or to robberie wheÌ„ one appropriateth to himselfe anie thing which is common For he that doth appropriate thinges that are common depriueth the communitie of such things as belong to the whole bodie S I desire to know if theft be a great sinne M All mortall sinnes may bee called great for that they depriue a man of eternall life but theft hath this propertie that it bringeth greatest euils with it for we see that Iudas by the custome he had to steale appropriating to himselfe that was giuen him for the common vse of our Lord and his holie Apostles it brought him in the ende to betray his owne most holie Master And we see dailie that robbers sticke not to kill men whom they neuer did see before and to whom they haue no hatred nor enmitie onely for dedesire to take from them that more or lesse which they carry about theÌ„ God permitteth that coÌ„monly those which take froÌ„ other men enjoy it not long as it fel to Iudas who hanged himself al thieues ordinarily fal into the hands of justice Of the eight Commandement S VVHat doth the eight commandement containe M Hitherto hath been spoken of injuries which are committed against our neighbour in deedes now follow the iniuries which are done by wordes And therefore the eight commandement forbiddeth false witnes which is the most principal iniurie that is committed with wordes S I would know whether it bee against this commandement when one speaketh that is false without harme to any man M One may speake that is false three maner of waies First with damage to our neighbour as when one accuseth an other before the iustice that he hath stollen or killed or the like knowing that it is not true And this is a wicked and pernitious lie Secondly to helpe or excuse his neighbour as when one telleth a lie to saue an other from some danger And this is called an officious lie Thirdly when one telleth a lie without either harming or helping any man And this is called an idle lie The first of all these three maners is properly forbidden by this commandement because it is not onely a false testimonie but vniust also a most grieuous sinne The other two maners albeit they contain not alwaies iustice and are not so grieuous sinnes as the first yet they are alwaies sinnes at the least venial For that a lie ought not to bee tolde for any thing in the world S Doth this precept containe any thing besids the prohibitioÌ„ of a lie M It containeth the prohibition of three other sinnes which are committed by the tongue and in some sorte are reduced to false witnesse which are Contumelie Detraction and Cursing S What 〈◊〉 â—eante by Contumelie M A Contumelie is an iniurious worde spoken to the dishonour or discredite our neighbour As if one saye to an other that he is ignorant or of litle wit base infamous or the like And that this is a great sinne being spoken with an injurious meaning our Sauiour declareth in the holy Gospel where he saith that he that calleth his brother foole shal be guiltie of hel fire I said when it is spoken with an injurious minde for when it is spoken in iest or to admonish or correct as sometimes a father speaketh to his childe or a master to his Scholar without meaning to iniurie him then it is not coÌ„tumely nor any sin for most parte but sometimes it may be a venial sin S What is detraction M Detraction is to take away the fame of our neighbour in speaking euill of him And this iâ— done either
the Octaues of Easter But of these commandements I will say no more now partly because they are easie partly for that of the Masse of Confession and Communicating as also of Fasting we shall speake hereafter when we shal declare the holy Sacraments of the Church Cap. VIII The declaration of the Euangelicall Counsailes S I Desire to know if besides the commandements of our Lord there be any counsels also of his to liue more perfectly M There are many most holy counsels and most profitable to obserue the commandements with more perfection But there are three most principall voluntary pouertie chastitie and obedience S Wherein consisteth the counsell of pouertie M In not hauing any thing proper all his goodes being giuen to the poore or put into the common which likewise hath giuen all to the poore And this counsell Christe taught not onely in wordes but also by his example And after Christ the holy Apostles followed it as also all the first Christians who dwelled in Ierusalem in the time of the Primatiue Church and finally al religious persons make vow to obserue this holie counsaile of voluntarie pouertie S Wherein consisteth the counsaile of chastitie M In a resolution to be perpetually chast not only abstayning from all sortes of carnal sinnes but also from Mariage And this coūsaile also our Lord taught by word and example And our Ladie likewise obserued the same S. Iohn Baptist al the Apostles after they were called by Christ to the Apostleship And al religious persons make particular vow hereof as also al Ecclesiastical men that take holie Orders S Where in consisteth the counsaile of obedience M In renouncing our proper iudgment and proper wil which in the holie Gospel is called denying of a mans selfe and to subiect him selfe to the wil of his superior in al things that be not against God And this counsaile likewise the Sauiour of the world taught not only in word but also by his example obeying in all thinges his eternall Father and submitting himself when he was a child to his mother and to S. Ioseph his supposed Father the spouse of our B. Lady albeit indeede he was not his Father being borne of a mother who was alwaies a Virgin And this is the third counsaile to the vvhich all religious persons bind themselues by vowe S Wherefore are there three principall counsailes and no moe M Because these principall counsailes serue to take away the impediments of perfection that consisteth in charity for the impediments are three to witte the loue of goods which is taken away by pouerty the loue of carnall pleasures which is taken away by chastitie the loue of honour and power which is taken away by obedience Moreouer because a man hath but three sorts of goods to wit a soule a body and his exterior wealth therefore giuing the exterior goods to God by pouertie his bodie by chastitie and his soule by obedience he maketh a Sacrifice vnto God of all that he hath and so disposeth himselfe to perfection of charitie in the best maner that in this life is possible Chap. IX The declaration of the Sacraments of holie Church S I HAVE learned through the grace of our Lorde the three principal parts of Christiā doctrine it remaineth that you declare vnto me the fourth which if I well remember contayneth the seauen Sacraments of the Church M This part of doctrine is also very profitable therefore it is conueent that you learne it with great diligence You must then know that in the holie Church there is a great treasure to wit these holie Sacraments by meanes whereof we receiue the grace of God we keepe it we increase it and when by our defalt wee lose it wee may recouer it again I wil therfore declare vnto you what a sacrament is how many Sacraments there bee by whom they were instituted and some other fewe things and after we will come to the declaration of euerie one of them in particular S. Begin then I pray you to declare what a Sacrament is which I much desire to vnderstand M. A Sacrament is a holy Mystery by which God bestoweth his grace and with all it representeth exteriorly the inuisible effect which grace worketh in our soule For if wee were spirits without bodies as the Angels are God would giue vs his grace spiritually but because we are composed of a soule and a bodie therefore our Lord condescending to our nature geueth vs his grace by means of certayn corporal actions which as I haue said together with certain exterior signes declare to vs the inward effect of grace As for example holie Baptisme which is one of the Sacraments is done by washing the bodie with water and therwith calling vpon the most holie Trinitie By means of which ceremonious washing God geueth his grace putteth it in the soule of him that is baptised And it instructeth vs that as that water washeth the bodie so grace washeth the soule clenseth it from al sinne S If I haue wel vnderstood three conditions are requisit to the nature of a Sacrament first that it be a ceremonie or as we would say an exterior action the second that God by it giue his grace the third that the same ceremonie haue a similitude with the effect of grace and so represent and signifie it exteriorly M You haue vnderstood it very wel Now you haue to know further that these Sacraments are in al seauen are called Baptisme Confirmation or Chrisme Eucharist Penance Extreame Vnction Order and Matrimonie The reason wherfore they are seauen is this for that God would proceed in giuing vs spiritual life as he vseth to proceed in giuing vs our corporal life Touching corporal life first is needful to be borne secondly is needfull to grow thirdly is needfull to be nourished fourthly when a man falleth sicke it is needful he vse phisicke siftly when he must fight he hath need to arme himselfe sixtly is needfull that there bee some to gouerne and rule those that are now borne growne seuenthly is needfull there be some to multiplie mankind for seeing those that are borne do die if others should not succeed mankinde would soone decay So then touching the spiritual life first it is needfull that Gods grace bee borne in vs this is done by baptisme secondly it is needfull that the same grace increase and bee made strong this is done by Confirmation thirdly is needful that it be norished and maintained this doth the Eucharist worke fourthly is needfull that it be recouered whenit is lost and this is done be the medicine of Penance Fiftly is needfull that at the poynt of death a man arme himselfe against the infernal enimy who then more thē euer assalteth vs this doth extreme Vnctiō worke Sixtly is necessary that there be in the church such as may guid gouerne vs in spiritual life this is done by Orders Seuenthly is needfull that there bee in the Church
time so farre distant that in his proper forme wherefore can he not make that Christ be present in manie Hoasts vnder the forme of the same Hoast S Tel me I pray you if Christ depart from Heauen when he commeth into the Hoasts or remaineth he stil in Heauen M When our Lord beginneth to be present in the holie Hoast he departeth not from heauen but by diuine power hee is both present in Heauen and in the Hoast Take the example of our soule when one is a childe of few daies old and very little as you see and being measured is founde to bee but one Palme in length after increasing he becommeth double so bigge as he was before and so being measured he is aboue two Palmes Now I demande of you if the soule which was first in one palme only hath left that palme to come into the second or no Sure it is that it hath not left it neither is it inlarged because it is inuisible so that without leauing the first it commeth also into the second euen so our Lord leaueth not heauen to come into the Hoast neither leaueth the one Hoast to be in an other but he is present in Heauen in all the Hoastes at once S Now I haue learned that which is contained in this most holy Sacrament I desire to know what things are requisite to receiue it worthely M Three things are requuired the first is that the partie doe confesse himselfe of all his sinnes procure that he be in the grace of God when hee goeth to communicate for that one of the causes wherefore this Sacrament is giuen to vs vnder the forme of bread is to the end we vnderstand that it is giuen to liuing men not to dead-men to nourish the grace of God and to increase it The second thing is that wee be altogether fasting that is at the least from midnight forward we haue taken nothing no not somuch as a litle water The third that we wel vnderstand what we do and that we haue deuotiō vnto so great a mysterie therfore this sacrament is not giuen to children neither to fooles neither to any other that hath not the vse of reason S How oftē ought we to cōmunicat M The bond of holy Church is to communicate at least once a yeare that at Easter Yet it is conuenient to do it oftner so it be by the aduice of our ghostly father S Declare now vnto mee the fruite which is gotten by this Sacrament and the ende for which it was instituted M For three causes Christ our Lord hath instituted this most noble Sacrament First that it should be the meate of soules secondly that it should be a sacrifice of the new law thirdly that it might be a perpetuall memorie of his Passion and so a most deare pledge of his loue towards vs. S What effect doth it worke in respect it is the meate of soules M It worketh that effect which corporall meate worketh in bodies therfore it is giuen to vs in forme of bread for like as bread conserueth naturall heate wherein the life of the bodie consisteth so this most holie Sacrament when it is worthely receiued conserueth and increaseth charitie which is the life and health of the soule S What effect doth it worke as it is a Sacrifice M It reconsileth God vnto the world obteyneth manie benifits not only for the liuing but also for the dead that are in purgatorie You must vnderstand that in the old Testament they offered vnto God manie Sacrifices of beastes but in the new Testament in place of al those Sacrifices is succeeded the Masse in which by the hands of the Priest is offered vnto God the most acceptable Sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of his Sonne which was signified in al those sacrifices of the old Testament S What effect worketh it as the memorial and pledge of the loue of our Lord towards vs M It maketh vs mindful of so great a benifite and in flameth vs to loue him againe that hath loued vs so much And therefore like as God in the old Testament would haue the Iewes not only to eate Manna which he sent them from Heauen but also haue them keep one vessel ful of the same in memorie of all the benefits he shewed them when he brought them out of Egipt so Christ would that this most holie Sacrament should not only be eaten by vs but also that it be conserued on the Altar and sometimes carried in Procession that when soeuer we see it we may remember his infinite goodnes towards vs. But in particular the holie Masse is a briefe representation of the whole life of our lord that the same may stil remaine in our mindes S I would know how the Masse is a representation of the life of Christ that thereby I may become more deuout and attentiue when I am present thereat M I wil declare it briefly The Introitus or beginning of the Masse doth signifie the desire which the holie Fathers had of the comming of our Lord. The Keyrieleison signifieth the voice of the same Patriarches and Prophets demanding of God this comming of christ so long desired Gloria in excelsis signifieth the Natiuitie of our Lord. The prayers next following signifie his presentation offering in the Temple The Epistle which is reade at the lift end of the Altar signifieth the preaching of S. Iohn Baptist Who inuited al men to Christ The Gradual signifieth the conuersion of the people by the preaching of S. Iohn The gospel which is read at the right end of the altar signifieth the preaching of our Lord which bringeth vs from the left hand vnto the right that is from temporal things to eternall from sinne to grace lights also are carried incense burned to signifie that the holie Gospel hath lightened the world filled it with the good sauors of the glorie of God The Crede signifieth the first conuersion of the holie Apostles and other Disciples of our Lord. The secret prayers after the Creede signifie the secret practises of the Iewes against Christ The Preface which is songue with a lowd voice and endeth with Osanna in excelsis signifieth the solemne enterance which Christ made into Ierusalem on Palme-sunday The Canon signifieth the Passion of our Lord. The eleuation of the holie Hoaste and Chalice representeth to vs that Christ was eleuated vpon the Crosse The Pater noster signifieth the praier of our Lord whiles he did hang on the Crosse the breaking of the Hoast signifieth the wound made by the speare percing his side The Agnus Dei signifieth the lamentation of the Maries at the taking downe of Christ from the Crosse The communion of the Priest signifieth the burial of Christ The Post-communion song with ioy signifieth the Resurrectiō Ite missa est signifieth the Ascēsion The benediction of the Priest signifieth the comming of the Holie Ghost The Gospel at the end of Masse signifieth the preaching
exercised in the vertues of meekenesse and of patience considering the examples of holie men and of Christ himselfe who by supporting and suffering haue triumphed more gloriouslie then worldly men do by endeuoring to be reuenged of their enemies S What is Sloath what sinnes produceth it what is the remedie against it M Sloath is called in Greeke Acidia signifyeth tediousnes loathsomnes and griefe to doe well And it is a mortal sinne when one giueth taketh loathsomnes to do well is displeased for that he is bound to obserue the cōmandements of God and to walke in the way of vertue The sinnes which he produceth are light esteeming the commaundements easelie yeelding him selfe to vices desperation of wel-doing hatred and dislike of such as would draw or force a sinner to leaue sinne and to take a good way The remedie is neuer to be idle to read good bookes to consider the great reward which God promiseth to those that are diligent and obseruing his commandements and the eternall and intollerable punishments which is prouided for the negligent Cap. XX. Of the sinnes against the Holie Ghost VVHat how many be the sinnes against the Holie Ghost M They are sixe to wit despaire of our saluation presumption to bee saued without merits to impugne the knowen truth enuie at an other mans grace obstinacie in sinne and finall impenitence S Wherefore are they called sinnes against the Holie Ghost M Because they are committed vpon meere malice and speacially the third which is of all other properly a sinne against the Holie Ghost that is when a man knoweth the truth and yet will obstinatly hold and proue that it is not true To sin of malice is said to be against the Holie Ghost because goodnes is attributed to the Holie Ghost which is contrarie to malice like as to sinne of ignorance is said to be against the Son of God to whome wisdome is atributed and sinning of frailtie is said to be against the Father to whom power is attributed S What haue these sinnes proper M They haue this that they are not pardoned in this world nor in the other as our Lord admonisheth vs in the Gospel Which yet is thus vnderstood that they are hard to be pardoned because seldom hardly those that fal into these sinnes come to true repentance like as when wee say a disease is incurable we will not for all that say it can not be cured by anie meanes but that it is seldome cured or that ordinarily it is not cured Chap. XXI Of sinnes that crie vnto Heauen S HOw manie are they what bee the sinnes which crie vnto Heauen M They are four to wit wilful murder carnall sinnes against nature oppression of the poore and chiefly of orphans and widowes and to defraud workmen of their wages S Wherefore is it said that they crie to Heauen M Because the iniustice of these sinnes is so maniefest that it can not be couered or hidden by anie means Chap. XXII Of The foure last things S I Would haue some general document to flie sinne M The wise man saith Remember thou the last things and thou wilt neuer sinne The last things are foure Death the Generall Iudgement Hell and Heauen S Wherfore are these foure things called the last M Because death is the end of life and the last thing which is to happen in this world Finall iudgement is the last of all the iudgments that are to be geuen and therfore there is no appealing from it Hell is the last euil that melefactours are to haue and they are to remaine therin for euer without possibilitie euer to change Heauen is the last good which the good are to haue they are neuer to lose it S I would haue some considerations to exercise my self in these last things for that remembring my self often of them I should neuer sinne as the wise man saith whom you alleaged M Concerning death you may consider these four points First that death is most certaine and none can escape it The second that the houre of death is vncertaine and manie die when they least thinke of it The third that in death all the designments of this life do end and then the vanitie of the world appeareth The fourth that at their death euerie one repenteth the euill he hath done and the omission of good which he might haue done therfore it is great folie to do that wherof we are sure to repent vs. Touching Iugement you may consider these points First that the iudgement shal be geuen of a most important matter to wit of the chiefest good or the greatest euil Secondly it shal be geuen by the highest Iudge who knoweth all things and whom none can resist Thirdly it shall bee geuen in the presence of the whole world where none can hide themselues Fourthly there wil be no hope to flie the sentene or the execution of Gods Iustice Concerning Hell consider that it is large long high and deepe Large for that it conteyneth all the paines that can bee imagined Long for that they are eternall High for that they are all most bitter in the highest degree Depe because they are all absolute paynes without mixture of anie sort of consolation Concerning Heauen consider in like maner that it is large for that it conteyneth all the goodnes that can be imagined and more also then we can imagine or desire It is long because all those Beatitudes are eternal It is high because they are most high and noble It is deepe because they are pure good without any mixture of euill And here you may adde that the commodities of this life haue no one of these conditions for that they are few short little and alwaies mixed with vexations and troubles of mind And likewise the euils of this world are few short litle and alwaies tempered with some consolation Wherupon you are to conclude that all those haue truly lost their wittes that for loue of the commodities of this life or for feare of present tribulations lose the happines or fall into the euils of the world to come FINIS A Table of the Chapters and principall contents of this booke VVHat Christian Doctrine is and what are the principall partes thereof pag. 1 The declaration of the vsuall blessing with the signe of the Crosse 5 The declaration of the Creede 13 And first of the first Article 20 Of the second 20 Of the third 24 Of the fourth 29 Of the fifth 40 Of the sixt 43 Of the seauenth 44 Of the eight 53 Of the ninth 57 Of the tenth 68 Of the eleuenth 64 Of the twelfth 71 The declaration of our Lords prayer 77 The declaration of the Aue Maria. 105 The declaration of the ten command 111 And first of the first commandement 117 Of the second 130 Of the third 145 Of the fourth 148 Of the fifth 152 Of the sixt 156 Of the seuenth 159 Of the eight 147 Of the ninth 253 Of the tenth 168 Declaratiō of the precepts of the church 201 Declaration of Euangelical counsell 276 Declaration of the Sacramēts of the church 279 Of the Sacrament of Baptisme 215 Of the Sacrament of Confirmation 293 Of the Sacrament of the Eucharist 294 Of the Sacrament of Penance 241 Of the Sacrament of Extreme Vnctiō 217 Of the Sacrament of Order 220 Of the Sacrament of Matrimonie 220 Of vertues in generall 258 Of the Theologicall vertues 231 Of the cardinall vertues 221 Of the seauen gifts of the Holy Ghost 237 Of the eight Beatitudes 240 Of the seauen works of mercy corporall spirituall 253 A declaration of vices sins in general 284 Of mortall and venall sinne 254 Of Original sinne 259 Of the seuen capital sinne 296 Of the sinnes against the Holie Ghost 243 Of sinnes that crie to heauen 270 Of the foure last things 312 FINIS * Likewise beginning the day at mid-night our Sauiour rising as he did after mid-night rose the third day * Counting the day to end at Sunne-setting Or if you count to midnight there was more of Fridaye and some part of Sunday * Fridaye is also Fasting daye where custome so bindeth as it doth in England