there remain in us the infirmity of the Body The Second Reason Diseases sense of Grief and the motions of Concupiscence is This to wit that we may account them as the Husbandry and Matter whereupon our vertues are to exercise themselves whence we may get a more plentiful Harvest and larger Rewards For when with a patient mind we endure all the inconveniences of this life and by the Divine Assistance bring all the evil affections of our Hearts under the government of Reason we ought assuredly to hope that the time will come 1 Tim. 4.7 when if with the Apostle We have fought the good fight and finish'd the course and kept the faith the Lord the righteous judge in that day will give us also the crown of righteousness which is laid up for us And thus the Lord seem'd to do also with the children of Israel whom tho be deliver'd from the bondage of the Egyptians and drown'd Pharaoh A Figure and his armies in the Sea yet he did not immediately bring them into that blessed Land of Promise â— but first exercis'd them with many and various fortunes and then when he put them into the possession of the Promis'd Land he put the other Inhabitants out of the possessions of their Fathers and some other Nations which they could not destroy were left remaining that God's people might never want occasion of exercising their Warlike Vertue and Courage To these may added The Third Reason that if through Baptism besidse those heavenly gifts wherewith the Soul is adorn'd there were given Bodily endowments also it might well be suspected that many would come to Baptism seeking rather the advantages of This Life than the Glory which is to be hop'd for in the Future Whenas yet what is seen is not false and uncertain 2 Cor. 4. but those good things which a Christian ought always to propose to himself and which are not seen are true and eternal But yet in the mean time the condition of this Life which is full of Miseries XLIX Christians are not without comfort when they suffer wants not its pleasures and joys For what can be more pleasant or desirable to us who now by Baptism are grafted into Christ as branches than to follow him our Captain with the Cross on our Shoulders and not to be tir'd by any labours nor hinder'd by any dangers so as not to press forward with all diligence to the reward of the high calling of God Some to receive of the Lord the Laurel of Virginity others the Crown of Teaching and Preaching others the Palm of Martyrdom and others the other Ornaments of their Vertues Which excellent Badges of Renown and Tokens of Honor would not be given to any unless first we exercis'd our selves in the Stage of this troublesom Life and stoutly kept our ground in the Battel But to return to the Effects of Baptism I. The Third Effect of Baptism Infusion of Grace It must be explain'd that by vertue of this Sacrament we are not only deliver'd from those evils which are truly said to be the greatest of all but also We are enrich'd with the best and most excellent endowments For our Souls are fill'd with Divine Grace whereby being made just and the children of God Mar. 16.17 Eph. 5.26 Sess 6. c. 7. de justifie we are train'd up to be heirs of eternal Salvation also For as it is written he that believes and is Baptiz'd shall be sav'd and the Apostle testifies The Church is cleans'd by the Laver of Water in the Word But Grace as the Council of Trent has decreed to be believ'd of all under pain of an Anathema is not only that by which we have Remission of Sins but it is a Divine Quality inherent in tho Soul and as it were a kind of Splendor and Light which wipes away all the Stains and Spots of our Souls and makes our Souls more beautiful and glorious and this is plainly gather'd from Holy Scripture when it says that Grace is pour'd out and it is us'd to call that Grace the Pledge of the Holy Ghost And to This is added a most noble Train of all Vertues LI. The fourth Effect of Baptism Infusion of Vertues Tit. 3. D. Aug. 23. which together with Grace is pour'd of God into the Soul Wherefore when the Apostle to Timothy says He has sav'd us by the Laver of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost which he has pour'd abundantly upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour S. Austin expounds those words Abundantly pour'd to wit says he For the Remission of Sins and for an abundance of Vertues Of this Effect of Baptism see Chrysost hom ad Neoph. Baptiz Damasc lib. 2. de fide Orthod cap. 36. Lactant. lib. 3. Divin Instit c. 25. Aug. Epist 23. ad Bonifac. item l. 1. de peccat meritis remiss cap. 29. Prosp l. 1. de vocation gent. cap. 9. And then by Baptism we are joyn'd and knit to Christ as Members to the Head As therefore from the Head flows Vertue and Spirit LII The fifth Effect Connexion to Christ our Head whereby all the several parts of the Body are fitly mov'd to perform their proper functions so also of the Fulness of Christ our Lord is shed upon all those who are justifi'd Divine Grace and Vertue which renders us fit and ready for all Offices of Christian Piety That by Baptism we are knit to Christ as Members to the Head See Aug. Ep. 23. item l. 1. de peccat meritis remiss c. 16. Prosp de vocat Gent. lib. 1. c. 9. Bernard Serm. 1. in Coena Dom. D. Thom. 3. p. 7.69 art 5. Nor ought it to seem strange to any LIII Whence the Difficulty of doing well even in those that are Baptiz'd if tho thus we are furnish'd and adorn'd with plenty of vertues yet we find a great deal of difficulty and pains in the very beginning or at least before the compleating of pious and honest actions For it so happens for this reason not as though those vertues from which those pious actions spring are not given us of the Divine Bounty but because after Baptism there remains a sharp strugling of the carnal Desire against the Spirit in which contest notwithstanding it would ill become a Christian either to faint or grow cowardly Phil. 4.8 Since being encourag'd with the goodness of God we ought to strengthen our selves with an assur'd Hope that time will be when by daily use and exercise of living well 2 Cor. 3.11 Whatsoever things are comely whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are holy all these will seem easie and pleasant These things let us willingly consider these things let us chearfully perform that the God of Peace may be with us Besides LIV. The sixth Effect of Baptism A Character by Baptism we are sign'd with a Character which can never be blotted out of our Soul of which there is
shall shew that out of all the Nations under heaven God chose One which had its Original from Abraham whom he would have to be a Sojourner in the land of Canaan The possession whereof when he had promis'd him yet both he and his Posterity were Pilgrims for more than five hundred years before they inhabited the promis'd Land In which Pilgrimage he never left the care of them Psal 10.4 they went indeed from Country to Country and from one Kingdom to another People but yet he suffer'd no injury to be done them but punish'd even Kings for their sakes But before they went down into Egypt he sent a Man before by whose Wisdom both they and the Egpytians might be deliver'd from Famin. But in Egypt he embrac'd them with so much kindness that tho Pharaoh oppos'd and set himself upon their destruction yet were they increas'd after a wonderful manner and when they were grievously afflicted and very hardly us'd as Bondslaves he gave them Moses for their Leader who led them forth with a mighty hand Of this deliverance especially the Lord makes mention in the beginning of the Law in these words I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage From hence this is chiefly to be observ'd by the Curat III. Why God chose the small Family of Abraham Deut. 7. that there was One chosen out of all Nations by God which he call'd his People and to whom he was pleas'd to grant the knowledge and worship of himself not that this One was more just or numerous than the rest even as God admonishes the Hebrews but because so it pleas'd God rather to propagate and enrich a small and poor Nation whereby his Power and Goodness might be made more apparent and illustrious to all Seeing therefore that this was the Condition of those men Note he stuck close to them and lov'd them so that tho he were the Lord of Heaven and Earth yet he was not asham'd to be call'd their God Deut. 10.15 whereby he provok'd the other Nations to emulation that the Israelite's happiness being perfect all men might be take them selves to the worship of the true God even as S. Paul also testifies that he provok'd to emulation his own Flesh Rom. 11.14 by proposing the happiness of the Gentiles and the true knowledge of God wherein he had instructed them And then he shall teach the Faithful that God suffer'd the Hebrew Fathers to pilgrimage for a long while IV. Why the People of Israel suffer'd so long and permitted their Posterity to be oppressed with a cruel Bondage and to be vex'd for this cause that we might be taught that none are made God's Friends but the Worlds Enemies and Strangers in the Earth And therefore that we are more easily receiv'd into familiarity with God if we have nothing to do with the World And also that being restor'd to the service of God we may know how much more happy they are that serve God than they that serve the World Of which things the Scripture warns us 2 Par. 8. for it says Nevertheless they shall serve them that they may know the difference betwixt my service and the service of the kingdom of the Earth He shall further shew V. Why God perform'd not his promise so long that after five hundred years God perform'd his Promise that that People might be sustain'd with Faith and Hope For God will have his Children always to depend upon himself and put all their Hope in his Goodnesâ— as shall be said in the Explication of the first Commandment Lastly VI. Why the Law given at such a time and place he shall observe the Time and Place when and where the people of Israel receiv'd this Law from God to wit after they were brought out of Egypt and came into the Wilderness that being allur'd with the remembrance of a fresh benefit and yet affrighted with the ruggedness of the place in which they were they might be better dispos'd to receive the Law for Men are very much bound to those whose Bounty they have experienc'd and betake themselves to the Protection of God when they find themselves destitute of all human hope Whence we may learn Note that the Faithful are so much the more willing to receive the heavenly Doctrin by how much the more they have abstracted themselves from the deceits of the World and the pleasures of the Flesh as it is written by the Prophet Isay 28.9 Whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand doctrin them that are wean'd from the Milk and drawn from the Breasts The Curat therefore shall endeavor VII The beginning of the Law of God and as much as he can cause the Faithful always to have these words in their minds I am the Lord thy God Whence they may learn that they have the Creator by whom they were made are preserv'd for their Law-giver And therefore that they can rightly take up that saying He is the Lord our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand the frequent and earnest admonition of which words will have this Efficacy that the Faithful will be made more ready to observe the Law and abstain from sin But that which follows Who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt VIII A Motive of singular Piety out of the house of Bondage Altho this seems to agree only to the deliverance of the Jews from the Bondage of the Egyptians Yet if we consider the inward nature of universal Salvation it much more properly belongs to Christians Colos 1.13 who are taken of God not out of an Egyptian servitude but from the dominion of Sin and from the power of Darkness and are translated into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love The Greatness of which Benefit the Prophet Jeremy considering Hierom 10.14 propheci'd thus Behold the days come says the Lord and it shall no more be said The Lord lives who brought the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But the Lord lives who brought the Children of Israel out of the Land of the North and from all Countries whither I had scatter'd them and I will bring them back into their own Land which I gave to their Fathers Behold I will send many Fishers says the Lord and they shall fish them And the rest For our most indulgent Father thro his own Son has gather'd together his Children that were scatter'd abroad that now being no longer the servants of Sin Luc. 1.24 but of Justice We might serve him in Holiness and Justice before him all our days Wherefore against all Temptations the Faithful shall use as a Buckler IX How we must resist Temptations Rom. 6. that of the Apostle How shall we who are dead to Sin live any longer therein We are not now our own but his who dy'd and
to be another Commandment will have the two last to have the Force of one Commandment only◠but S. Austin dividing those last will have these Words to belong to the First Commandment which Opinion because it is most celebrated in the Church we willingly follow Altho we have in readiness that most true Reason that it was fit that every one's Reward and Punishment should be joynd with the First Commandment Vid. Aug. super Exod. quaest 71. in Ps 32. Serm. 2 sententia D. Aug. de praeceptorum distinctione magis placet Eccelesiae Vide D. Thom. 1 2 q. 100. art 4. And let no one think that the Art of Painting Carving or making Images is forbid by this Commandment XXXIII The use of Images not against this Commandment for in Scripture by God's Command we find that there were made Figures and Images of Cherubims and the Brasen Serpent It remains therefore that we teach Images to be forbidden for this Reason that nothing should be withdrawn from the true Worship of God to the Worshiping of Images as Gods Now as to this Commandment XXXIV Two things here forbidden First to worship Idols there are two VVays especially whereby it is evident that the Majesty of God is very grievously offended The One is when Idols and Images are worship'd as Gods or when it is believ'd that there is any Divinity or Vertue in them for which they are to be worship'd or that any thing is to be begg'd of them or that any Trust is to be put in them as of Old the Gentils did who plac'd their Hopes in Idols which thing the Sacred Scriptures in many places reprove The Other is Secondly by Art to frame any likeness of the Divinty when any one endeavours to make any Shape of the Divinity as tho he could be seen with bodily Eyes or express'd in Figures For who as Damascen says can describe God who cannot be seen who has no Body who can be circumscrib'd with no Limits nor describ'd under any Figure VVhich thing is more largly explain'd in the Second Council of Nice Damasc lib. 4. de Ortho. Fid. c. 17. Concil Nicen. 2. Act. 3. Therefore the Apostle said excellently Rom. 1.23 That they had changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of Birds Beasts and Serpents For they reverenec'd all these things as Gods when they put up their Images wherefore the Israelites when they proclaim'd before the Image of the Calf Exod. 24. These are thy Gods ô Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt were call'd Idolaters because they chang'd their Glory into the likeness of a Calf which eats Hay When therefore the Lord forbids other Gods to be worship'd XXXV The meaning of this last part of the Commandment Isay 40.18 Act. 7. utterly to take away all Idolatry he forbad any Image of the Divinity to be drawn or made in Metal or any other matter which Esaias declaring says Like to what will ye make God or what Image will ye make for him Now that this is the meaning of this Commandment besides the Writings of the Holy Fathers who as has bin shew'd in the seventh Council do thus interpret it Deut. 4.16 those words in Deuteronomy also do sufficiently declare where Moses willing to draw the People from Idolatry said Ye saw not any likeness in the Day wherein the Lord spake with you in Horeb out of the midst of the Fire Which the most wise Lawgiver therefore said lest being led by any error they might make the Image of the Divinity and give to a Creature the Honor due to God Moreover XXXVI It is lawful by some figures to shadow out the Trinity let no one think that any Offence is committed against Religion and the Law of God when any Person of the most holy Trinity is express'd by certain signs which have appear'd as well in the Old as in the New Testament For there is none so rude as to think that the Divinity is express'd by that Image but let the Pastor teach that by them are declar'd some Properties or Actions which are attributed to God As when by Daniel the Ancient of Days is describ'd siting in a Throne before whom the Books were opened there was signified Gods Eternity and infinite VVisdom whereby he beholds all both the Thoughts and Actions of Men that he might judge concerning them Angels also are painted in Human shape with Wings XXXVII The manner of Painting Angels approv'd that the Faithful may understand how prone and ready they are to perform Service of the Lord for Mankind for they all are ministring Spirits for them who receive the Inheritance of Salvation But the shape of a Dove XXXVIII Figures of the holy Ghost and Tongues like as of Fire which in the Gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles signifie the Properties of one Holy Ghost are much better known than to need a larger Explication Heb. 1.14 Matth. 3.16 Mar. 1.10 Luc. 3.21 Joan 1.32 Act. 2.2 But when Christ our Lord XXXIX The use of Images of Christ and of the Saints approv'd and his most Holy and Pure Mother and all the other Saints endu'd with Human Nature bore the likeness of Men To make and honor their Images was not only not forbidd'n by this Commandment but was always accounted Holy and a most certain Argument of a grateful mind which thing both the Monuments of the Apostles Times and of the General Council and the Writings of so many of the most Holy Fathers agreeing among themselves do evidence But the Curat shall shew not only that it is lawful to have Images in the Church and to give them Honor and Worship seeing that the Honor which is given to them is to be referr'd to the Prototype but he shall also declare That this has bin done to this very day with the great Advantage of the Faithful Lib. 4. de fid orth c. 17. Nic. Syn. passim as we may learn from Damascen's Book which he wrote concerning Images and from the Seventh Council which is the Second Council of Nice But because the Enemy of Mankind by his Deceits and Fallacies endeavors to abuse every the most holy Institution But if haply any Offence shall be committed by the People about this Matter following the Decree of the Council of Trent Trid. Conc. sess 25. as far as may be he shall study to correct it and shall explain the Decree it self also to the People when there is occasion Then he shall teach the unlearned LX. The lawful use of Images and those that understand not the use of Images that Images were made to learn the History of both Testaments and to renew the Memory thereof because being stirr'd up with the remembrance of Divine Matters they inflame more earnestly to the Worship and Love of God himself and he shall also shew that the Images of the Saints are plac'd in the Churches both
us that the Law is to be receiv'd with a pure and humble mind and if we neglect the Commandments that Punishment hangs over our heads from the Divine Justice And let the Curate shew also that the Commandments of the Law are not difficult XII It must be shew'd that the Law is easy Aug. Ser. 47 de tempore which he may teach even from this one reason of S. Austins when he says How I pray is it said to be impossible for Man to love I say to love the bountiful Creator the most loving Father and then also his flesh in our Brethren But now Rom. 13.8 He that loves has fulfill'd the Law VVherefore the Apostle S. John plainly testifies 1 Joh. 5.3 That Gods Commandments are not grievous for nothing could have bin requir'd of man more justly more deservedly and more profitably Lib. de diligendo Deo lib. 1 Confes c. 5. as S. Bernard wittnesses and therefore S. Austin admir'd the exceeding great kindness of God Speaking to God in this manner VVhat is Man that thou wouldst be lov'd by him and if he do not do it thou threatnest him mighty punishments is not this punishment great enough that I love thee not But if any one offer this excuse XIII The excuse of the Weakness of our Nature is vain Luc. 11.13 that he is hindred thro the Infirmity of Nature so that he cannot love God it must be taught that God who requires our Love does implant in our Hearts the Vertue of Love by his Holy Spirit Now thus good Spirit is given of our Heavenly Father to them that ask it So that S. Austin pray'd well Give what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Because therefore we have Gods help ready at hand XIV God's help is ready at hand and especially since the Death of Christ our Lord by which the Prince of this World was cast out there is no reason for any one to be discourag'd with the difficulty of the matter For there is nothing hard to a loving mind Aug. in Psal 111. Bernard Serm. de Dominica in ramis Palmer item in Sermone de Magdal Moreover to perswade the same thing it will very much avail XV. We all are necessarily oblidg'd to the Obedience of the Law if it be explain'd that the Law is necessarily to be obey'd especially seeing in our days there are not wanting those who are not affraid wickedly and to their great hurt to say That whether the Law be easie or difficult yet it is no ways necessary to Salvation Whose wicked and impious Opinion the Curat shall confute by Testimonies of Sacred Scripture and especially of the same Apostle by whose Authority they endeavour to defend their Impiety 1 Cor. 7.10 What therefore says the Apostle Circumcision and Vncircumcision are nothing but the Observation of the Commandments of God Now that he elsewhere repeats the same Opinion he says that a New Creature only avails in Christ 1 Cor. 6.15 we plainly understand that he calls him a Creature in Christ who observes God's commandments For he that has Gods Commandments and keeps them loves God John 14.2 as our Lord himself in S. John testifies If any one love me he will keep my Saying For tho a Man may be justified Note and of an impious person may be made pious before he fulfil all the Commandments of the Law in outward Actions yet it cannot be that he who is of Age to use his Reason can of wicked be made just unless he have a mind ready to keep all God's Commandments Lastly XVI What Fruits or Advantages the Keepers of the Law have that the Curat may not pass over any thing whereby the Faithful may be brought to keep the Law he shall shew how large and sweet the Advantages thereof are which he may easily prove by those things which are written in the 18th Psalm for therein are celebrated the Praises of the Law of God whereof this is very great which much more largely shews the Glory and Majesty of God than the very Heavenly Bodies themselves do by their Beauty and Order which as they draw all Nations even the very Barbarous ones into the Admiration of them So do they force them to acknowledge the Glory Wisdom and Power of the Maker and Creator of all things And indeed the Law of the Lord converts Souls to God For knowing his VVays and what the most holy VVill of God is by his Laws we turn our feet into the VVay of the Lord. And because they only who truly fear God are VVise he has bestow'd this Power upon it to give VVisdom to little ones Hence it is that they who observe Gods Law heap to themselves true and mighty joys both in this Life and the Life to come from the Knowledge of Divine Mysteries Nor is the Law to be observ'd of us so much for our own Advantage XVII The Law to be observ'd for God's sake as for Gods sake who has reveal'd his VVill in his Law to Mankind which seeing the other Creatures follow it is much more meer that Man himself should follow it Nor is this to be pass'd by in silence XVIII The Reward of obedience very great that even herein especially God has manifested his Mercy and the Riches of his Goodness towards us that seeing he could not oblige us to glorifie him without rewarding us he would notwithstanding join his own Glory and our Advantage together That what is profitable to Man the same should be to God's Glory Now because this thing is very great and excellent the Curat shall teach as the Prophet in the last place says In keeping them there is great reward For there are promis'd to us not only those Blessings which seem to belong rather to the earthly felicity that we should be bless'd in the City and bless'd in the Field but there is offer'd a full Reward in Heaven and good measure heap'd and thrust together and running over which by pious and just Actions by the help of the Divine Mercy we merit The First COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt not have strange Gods before me Thou shalt not make to thy self a graven thing c. ALtho this Law were given the Jews in the Mount from the Lord I. The words of the Law and the History of the people of Israel to be explain'd yet because by Nature it was long before impress'd and written in the minds of all and for that reason God would have all men always to obey it it will be very profitable diligently to explain those words wherein it was proclaim'd to the Hebrews by Moses the Minister and Interpreter of it and the History of the people of Israel which is full of Mysteries And first II. The History of the people of Is ael briefly explain'd he