nations Matt. 28 19. baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Again There are three which bear record in Heav'n 1 Joh. 5.7 the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one Yet let him diligently pray and beseech God and the Father who made all things of nothing and sweetly orders all things who gave us power to become the sons of God who has reveal'd this mystery of the Trinity to the soul of man let him I say who by the gift of God believs these things pray without ceasing that being at last receiv'd into everlasting Tabernacles he may be found worthy to see what the fruitfulness of God the Father is whereby beholding and understanding himself he cou'd beget a Son like and equal to himself And how of two the very same and an equal love of Charity which is the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son knits together both the Begetter and the Begotten each to other with an eternal and indissoluble Band. And thus these is but one Essence and yet a perfect distinction of the Three Persons of the divine Trinity Almighty The Holy Scripture is us'd to express that supream Power and infinite Majesty of God by many names XV. Why gloriouâ—l p theâ—â— are given God to shew with how great religion and devotion his most holy name is to be worshipp'd but chiefly let the Curat teach that An Almighty Power is most commonly attributed to him For so he says of himself I am the Lord Almighty Again Gen. 17.1 when Jacob sent his sons to Joseph Gen. 43.14 he thus prays for them Now God Almighty give you favour before the man It is also written in the Revelations Rev. 1.8.16.5 The Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come and elsewhere The great day is call'd the day of the Almighty God Sometimes also it is us'd to signifie the same thing in many words Pertinent to this place is that which is written Act. 2.20 Numb 11.23 â—â—nd 12.8 There is no word impossible with God Is the hand of the Lord weakend Thou canst doâ— whatsoever thou wilt There are many other expressions of the like kind In all which various forms of speech any one may easily perceiv the same to be understood which is comprehended in this single word Almighty Now by this Name of God we plainly perceiv XVI What the word Almighty signifies that there is nothing nay that we cannot so much as conceiv any thing in our mind or thought which God cannot bring to pass For he has power to do not those things only which fall under our apprehension tho they indeed are very great to wit to reduce all things into nothing and presently out of nothing again to make many worlds But he has power to do many mightier things than these and which our weak minds and understandings cannot conceive And yet tho God can do all things yet he cannot lye deceiv be deceiv'd or sin or be ignorant at all or perish for such things belong only to a Nature or Being whose actions are imperfect but we say God cannot do these things because his actions are always most perfect because to be able to do these things is a sign of weakness and not of that supreme and unlimited Power which God has We therefore so believ God to be Almighty that we abhor to think or imagine any thing of him which is not most agreeable to the most perfect Being The Curate may shew it was well and wisely done to omit other names of God in the Creed XVII Why in the Creed God is offerd to be believed Almighty and only to offer this one to us to believ For when we acknowledg God to be Almighty we must needs confess that he knows all things and that all things are subject to his Rule and Government And when we doubt not in the least of his Ability to do all things it must needs follow that we must allow all those other things which if he shou'd not have we cannot understand how he is Almighty Besides there is nothing so powerful to strengthen our Faith and Hope as to have this always settl'd in our mind that there is nothing which God cannot do For whatsoever we ought to believ tho it be great tho it be wonderful tho it exceeds the Order and Measure of things yet humane Reason easily and without any doubting yields and assents to it when once it owns that God is Almighty Yea rather by how much the greater those things are which the Oracles of God teach by so much the more readily does it account them to be believ'd And if any great good thing be promis'd and expected the mind is not discourag'd altho the thing it desires were too great But it chears and comforts it self often calling to remembrance that there is nothing which Almighty God cannot do With this Faith therefore we shou'd especially fortifie our selves XVIII The profitableness of Faith in God Almighty either when we are requir'd to do some wonderful works for the use and profit of our Neighbours or when we would beg any thing of God The one our Lord himself has taught us when reproving the Apostles for unbelief Matt. 17.20 he said If ye had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye might say to this Mountain remove from hence to another place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible to you But of the other S. James testifies Jam. 1.6 7. Let him says he ask in Faith nothing doubting For he that doubts is like a Wave of the Sea which is mov'd and carry'd about with the Wind let not that Man therefore think that he shall receiv any thing of the Lord. This Faith does moreover afford us many profits and advantages It first teaches us all humility and lowliness of mind 1 Pet 5.6 for so says the Prince of Apostles Be ye humbl'd under the Mighty hand of God It also teaches us not to fear where no fear is but to fear that One God in whose power both we and all that belongs to us is Luc. 12.5 for so says our Saviour I will shew you whom ye shall fear Fear ye him who after he has kill'd has power to cast into Hell This Faith serves us also both to know and celebrate the infinite benefits of God towards us for he that does but think that God is Almighty cannot be so ungrateful as not oft'n to cry out Luc. â— 49 He that is Mighty has done great things for me But now when in this Article we call the Father Almighty XIX In the Trinity there are not three Almight s. let no one be so far deceiv'd as to think that we so ascribe that name to him as tho it belong'd not to the Son and Holy Ghost also For as we say The Father is God the Son is
whom thou hast given me should be where I am And then This also Third as a very great benefit we have obtain'd that he has drawn up our love to Heav'n and inflam'd us with his Divine Spirit For most true is that saying Mat. 6.21 There our Heart is where our Treasure is And indeed if Christ our Lord were dwelling on the Earth all our thoughts wou'd be fix'd upon the face and acquaintance of the Man and we shou'd behold him only as Man who bestow'd so great benefits upon us and we shou'd affect him only with a kind of earthly Good Will But now being gone up into Heav'n he has render'd our Love Spiritual and makes us to love and reverence him as God whom we now consider as absent And this we understand partly by the Example of the Apostles Joh. 19.7 with whom while our Lord was present they seem'd to judge of him in a manner according to Human Sense And partly it is confirm'd by the testimony of our Lord himself when he says It is expedient for you that I go away For that imperfect Love wherewith they lov'd Jesus Christ when present with them was to be perfected by Divine Love and that by the coming of the Holy Ghost Wherefore he presently adds For if I go not away the Paraclet or Comforter will not come to you To this may be added Fourth that he has inlarg'd his House Eph. 4.22 i.e. his Church in the earth which was to be govern'd by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit and he left Peter the Prince of Apostles the chief Pastor and Prelate of the whole Church among Men and then he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers and so sitting at the Right Hand of his Father he always bestows divers gifts upon divers persons for the Apostle testifies Eph. 5.7 That to every one of us is giv'n grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ But lastly Fifth The Faithful are to believe the same thing also concerning Christ's Ascension which we taught before concerning the mystery of his Death and Resurrection for tho we owe our Salvation and Redemption to the Passion of Christ who by his own Merit open'd to the Just an entrance to Heav'n yet his Ascension is not only propos'd to us as an example whereby we learn to look up on high and ascend up into Heav'n in Spirit but it has giv'n us Divine Power whereby we are enabl'd to do it ARTICLE VII FRom thence he shall come to judge the quick and the Dead There are three of excellent Offices and Functions which our Lord Jesus Christ has for the adorning and illustrating of his Church I. The Three Offices of Christ Of Redemption Patronage or Defence and Judgment But whereas from the former Articles it is manifest that he has redeem'd mankind by his Passion and Death and that he has undertak'n sorever to defend and patronize our cause by his Ascension into Heav'n it remains that in this Article we declare his Judgment The reason and force of which Article is this II. What we must believe concâ—â—â—nig the last judgment That in the last day Christ our Lord will judge all mankind For the Holy Scriptures testifie that there are Two comings of Christ The One when for our salvation he took flesh and was made Man in the Womb of the Virgin The Other when he shall come to judge all men at the end of the World This Coming of his in Holy Scripture is call'd The Day of the Lord whereof the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 5.2 The day of the Lord so comes as a Thief in the night Maâ— 24.20 and our Saviour himself Maâ— 23.32 But of that Day and Hour no man knows 1 Cor. 5.10 Concerning which last judgment the authority of the Apostle is sufficient We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ that every one may give an account of what he has done in the body whether good or evil For the Holy Scripture is full of testimonies which the Curat may find scatter'd up and down not only for proof of this matter but to lay before the eyes of the Faithful that as from the begining of the World that Day of the Lord wherein he put on Human Flesh was always much longed for of all because in that Mystery they had the hope of their deliverance plac'd So from thence forth after the Death of the Son of God and his Ascension into Heav'n we might most earnestly desire that Other Day of the Lord waiting for that bless'd Hope and the coming of the Glory of the great God But for the explication of this matter the Curat shall observe and teach that there are Two times wherein every one must needs come in presnce before the Lord and give an account of all his particular Thoughts Actions and Words and must abide the present Sentence of the Judge The First is when every one of us goes out of this life for immediately he is placed before the Judgment-seat of God and there is a most just examination made of all things whatsoever he ever did spake or thought and this is call'd The Private Judgment But The Other is when in one day and in one place All men shall stand together before the Seat of Judgment that in the sight and hearing of all men of all ages every one may know what is judg'd and decree'd concerning himse lf The very Pronouncing of which Sentence to Ungodly and Wicked men will not be the least part of their punishments and torments And on the other side the Godly and the Just will from thence receive no small Reward and Profit when it shall truly appear what kind of persons every one of them was in this life And this is call'd the General Judgment Concerning which it must needs be shew'd what the Cause is V. Why a General Judgment to come why besides the Private Judgment concerning every one in particular there will also be held another Judgment concerning all men in general For since First Cause even when men are dead they sometimes leave behind them some surviving persons to imitate them as Children to imitate Parents Dependents and Scholars who are lovers and favourers of their Examples Discourses Actions whereby it must needs come to pass that the rewards and punishments of the dead shall be increas'd and whereas this either Advantage or Calamity which belongs to so very many cannot have an end before the coming of the last day of the World It was but meet that there should be a perfect examination of this General Account of good and evil Words and Actions And this could not be done except at one General Judgment of all men And besides The Second forasmuch as the Fame of the Godly is often times unjustly wounded and the wicked commended as innocent the justice of God requir'd that the
truly call'd Spirit that gives Life or quick'ning Spirit And now what follows VII How the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son Who proceeds from the Father and the Son the Faithful are to be taught That the Holy Ghost by eternal procession proceeds from the Father and the Son as from One Principle For this the Rule of the Church from which a Christian may not wander proposes to us to believe and it is confirm'd by the authority of Holy Scripture and Councils For Christ our Lord speaking of the Holy Ghost said Joh. 16.14 He shall glorifie me because he shall receive of mine This same thing is gather'd hence that in Holy Scripture the Holy Spirit is sometimes call'd the Spirit of Christ sometimes the Spirit of the Father One while he is said to be sent by the Father another while by the Son that it may be plainly signify'd that he does equally proceed from the Father Rom. 8.9 and the Son He that has not the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4.6 says S. Paul he is none of his And the same he calls the Spirit of Christ when he says to the Galatians God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father In S. Matthew he is call'd the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10.20 It is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father Joh. 15.25 And our Lord at his Supper said the Paraclet or Comforter whom I will send to you even the Spirit of Truth which proceeds from the Father he shall bear witness of me And elsewhere That the same Holy Ghost shou'd be sent from the Father Joh. 14.21 he affirms in these words Whom the Father will send in my name From whence when we understand the Procession of the Holy Ghost it is plain That the same Holy Ghost proceeds from Both. And these are the things which must be taught concerning the Person of the Holy Ghost It is needful moreover to teach VIII Of the Attributes of the Holy Ghost that there are certain wonderful Effects and some bountiful Gifts of the Holy Ghost which are said to spring and flow front him as from the everlasting Fountain of Good For tho the works of the most Holy Trinity which are done extrinsically are common to the Three Persons yet many of them are ascrib'd as proper to the Holy Ghost that we may know that they come to us of the immense Love of God For seeing that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Divine Will as being inflam'd with Love it may be perceiv'd That those Effects which are properly referr'd to the Holy Ghost do spring from the exceeding Love of God towards us Wherefore IX Why the Holy Ghost is call'd a Gift hence it follows That the Holy Ghost is call'd a Gift For by the word Gift is signify'd that which is kindly and freely given without any hope of Reward And then whatsoever good things or benefits are bestow'd on us from God for what have we as the Apostle says 1 Cor. 4.7 which we have not receiv'd of God those things we ought with a pious and thankful Heart to acknowledg were given us by the grant and gift of the Holy Ghost But there are other effects of his For to omit the Creation of the World and the Propagation and Government of created things of which we have made mention in the First Article it was a little before shew'd That the giving of Life is properly attributed to the Holy Ghost and it is so confirm'd by the Testimony of Ezekiel Ezek. 31.6 I will give you Spirit says he and ye shall live And yet the Prophet reckons up the principal Effects of the Holy Ghost X. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost Isa 11.3 Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. c. 18 19. and those which are most especially proper to him The Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. Sometimes also the name of the Holy Ghost is given to those things which are call'd the Gifts of the Holy Ghost Wherefore wisely does S. Austin admonish us to observe when in Holy Scripture there is mention made of this word Holy Spirit that we may discern whether it signifies the Third Person of the Trinity or his Effects and Operations For these two are to he distinguish'd with the same difference wherewith we believe also that the Creator differs from the things he created And these things are by so much the more diligently to be explain'd because from these Gifts of the Holy Ghost we draw Rules of Christian Life and may know whether the Holy Ghost be in us But above all other his bountiful Gifts XI Justifying Grace the Gift of the Holy Ghost that Grace is to be valued which justifies us and signs us with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance for this joyns our Mind to God in the most strict bond of Love whence it comes to pass That being inflam'd with the most ardent study of Piety we begin a new Life and being made partakers of the Divine Nature we are call'd and truly are the Children of God ARTICLE IX J Believe the Holy Catholic Church With how great diligence the Pastors ought to take care to explain the truth of this Ninth Article to the Faithful I. Why this Article is diligently to be explain'd S Aug. in Ps 30. v. 15. it may easily be understood if two things chiefly be consider'd For first as S. Austin witnesses The Prophets have spoken more plainly and openly of the Church than of Christ forasmuch as they foresaw That many more might err and be deceiv'd in this point than in the Mystery of the Incarnation Nor will there be wanting wicked Men who after the imitation of the Ape which fancies it self a Man wou'd profess that they are Catholics and no less wickedly than proudly would affirm the Catholic Church to be only with them And then he who has this Truth settled in a sound Mind shall easily avoid the horrible danger of Heresie For not every one II. Who is truly to be call'd a Heretick so soon as he has err'd in Faith is to be call'd a Heretic But he who neglecting the Authority of the Church stiffly defends his impious Opinions Since therefore it cannot be that any one can defile himself with the Plague of Heresie if he believe those things which in this Article are propos'd to be believ'd let the Pastors be very careful That the Faithful knowing this Mystery and being fortify'd against the Wiles of the Adversary persevere in the Truth of the Faith Now This Article depends upon the Truth of the Former Note Because seeing it has been already shew'd That the Holy Ghost is the Fountain and Giver of all Holiness we now confess That it is He who bestows Holiness on the church
and to command the People to obey the Precepts of the Priests Now as to the explaining of this Commandment VII The way of explaining his Commandment pains must be taken to teach the Faithful in what things this Commandment agrees with the rest and in what it differs from them For by this means they shall know the cause and reason why we honor and keep Holy not the Sabbath but the Lord's Day There seems therefore a manifest Difference VIII How this Commandment differs from the other Nine because the other Commandments of the Decalogue are natural and perpetual nor may they be alterd for any Reason Whence it comes to pass that tho Moses's Law be abrogated yet Christians observe all the Commandments contain'd in the Two Tables Wich they do Note not because Moses commanded so but because they are agreeable to Nature by Vertue whereof Men are driven to observe them Now this Commandment of keeping Holy the Sabbath IX This Command as to time is ceremonial if we consider the appointed time it is not fixd and constant but alterable nor does it belong to Manners but to Ceremonies Nor is it Natural because we are not instructed or taught by Nature on that Day rather than on any other to give Worship to God But from that Time when the People of Israel were deliver'd from the Bondage of Pharaob they kept Holy the Sabbath Day But the Time when the Observance of the Sabbath was to be taken away X. Why and when the Sabbath Day ought to be changed into the Lord's Day was the same with that wherein the rest of the Jewish VVorship and antiquated Ceremonies were remov'd to wit at Christ's Death For since those Ceremonies were as it were certain shadows or images of the Light and Truth it was therefore but necessary that at the coming of that Light and Truth which is Jesus Christ they should be remov'd Gal. 4.10 for which cause S. Paul to the Galatians when he reprov'd the Observers of the Mosaical Rites wrote thus Ye observe Days and Months and Times and Years I am afraid of you lest haply I have bestow'd on you labor in vain Col. 2.16 On which score he wrote also to the Colossians And thus much concerning the Difference But this Commandment agrees with the rest XI Wherein this Commandment agrees with the rest not in Rites and Ceremonies but because it has something which belongs to Manners and the Law of Nature For God's Worship and Religion which is express'd in this Commandment has its Being from the Law of Nature since it is natural to spend some Hours about those things which belong to the Worship of God whereof this is an Argument That among all Nations we see there were certain appointed Days and those Public ones too which were consecrated to the performance of Sacred and Divine Matters For it is natural to Man to allow some certain Time to those things that are necessary to the discharge of Business as to the Sleep and Rest of the Body and such like And as to the Body Observe this Similitude so by the same Natural Reason it is that we allow some Time to the Mind that she may refresh her self with Divine Contemplation And therefore since there ought to be some part of Time for performance of Divine Matters and giving due Worship to God this belongs to the Commandments of Manners For which cause the Apostles decreed to consecrate the First day of the Seven XII Why the Sabbath chang'd into the Lords day Apoc. 1.10 1 Cor. 16.2 to Divine Worship which they call'd The Lord's Day For S. John in the Apocalyps makes mention of the Lord's Day and the Apostle on the Moon of the Sabbaths which is the Lord's Day as S. Chrysostom interprets it commands Collections to be made that we may know that even then already the Lord's Day was accounted Holy Chrysost Hom. 13. in Corinth Amb. item Theophylact. Vide etiam Can. Ap. c. 67. Ignat. Epist ad Magnes Just Apol. 2. Tertul. in Apol c. 16. de Coron Milit. c. 3. de Idol c. 14. Cypr. Epist. 33. Clement Alexand. l. 5. Strom. satis ante finem Orig. Hom. 7. in Exod. And now that the Faithful may know what they ought to do on that Day XIII Four Parts in this Commandment and from what Actions they ought to abstain it will not be amiss for the Curat diligently and to a Word to explain this Commandment which may well be divided into Four Parts The First therefore in general proposes what is prescrib'd in these words XIV What the Words teach Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbath-day Now for this cause in the beginning of the Commandment is that word Remember fitly added because the Sanctification of that Day belongs to Ceremonies Of which thing it seem'd the People are to be admonish'd First since tho the Law of Nature teaches that at some time or other God is religiously to be worship'd yet it has not appointed any certain Day whereon this ought chiefly to be done Moreover Secondly the Faithful are to be taught that from those Words may be gather'd the Way and Manner how it is convenient to do Work all the Week to wit so as always to have regard to the Holy-day on which Day seeing an Account is to be given to God as it were of our Works and Actions it must needs be that we do such Works as will neither be rejected by the Judgment of God and which 1 Reg. 2.5 as it is written shall not wound or offend our own Conscience Lastly Thirdly VVe are taught which we ought carefully to observe to wit That there are not wanting Occasions to make us forgetful of this Commandment either being led by the Example of others that neglect it or out of love to Shews and Plays whereby we are very much led away from the holy and religious Observance of this Day And now come we to the Signification of the Sabbath Sabbath is an Hebrew word XV. What the Sabbath is which in English signifies a Cessation to keep Sabbath is therefore call'd in English Gen. 23. Exod. 20.12 Deut. 5.14 to cease and rest In which Signification the Seventh day was call'd by the name of Sabbath because the whole VVorld being finish'd and perfected God rested from all his VVork which he had done for so the Lord in Exodus calls this Day But afterwards Note not only this Seventh Day but for the Dignity of that Day even the whole VVeek also was call'd by that name in which sense the Pharisee in S. Luke said Luc. 18.12 I fast twice in a Sabbath And thus much of the Signification of Sabbath Now the Sanctification of the Sabbath in Sacred Scripture is a Cessation from all Bodily Labor and Business XVI What it is to sanctifie as plainly appears from these words of the Commandment which
follow Thou shalt not work Nor do's it signifie that only for otherwise it would be sufficient to say in Deuteronomy Observe the Day of the Sabbath Deut. 12. But seeing that in the same Place it is added to sanctifie it by this word is shew'd that the Day of the Sabbath is Religious and consecrated to divine Actions and holy Duties We therefore do then fully and perfectly celebrate the Sabbath-day XVII The true Sanctification of the Sabbath Esay 58.13 when we perform Duties of Piety and Religion to God And that this is evidently a Sabbath which Esay calls delightful because Holy-days are as it were the Delights of God and Pious Men. Wherefore if to this religious and holy Observance of the Sabbath we add Works of Mercy Esay 58.6 surely they are many and very great Rewards which in the same Chapter are propos'd to us The true and proper Sense of this Commandment therefore is XVIII What the true sense of this Commandment is That Man both in Soul and Body might be careful to set apart some certain determin'd Time from Bodily Business and Labor to worship and reverence God devoutly Now in the next part of this Commandment is shew'd XIX What the second Part of the Commandment requires That the Seventh day is dedicated by God to Divine Worship for thus it is written Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The meaning of which words is That Sabbath is consecrated to the Lord and that on that Day we pay him our Duties of Religion and that we know the Seventh day to be Sign of the Lord's Rest Now this Day is dedicated to God XX. Why this Day is dedicated to God because it was not fit that the rude People should have the power of chusing the Time after their own Will lest haply they might imitate the Religion of the Egyptians Therefore of the Seven days the last was chosen for the Worship of God XXI Why God chose One Day Which thing indeed is full of Mystery Wherefore in Exodus and in Ezekiel the Lord calls it a Sign See therefore says he that ye keep my Sabbath For it is a Sign between me and you in your Generations The First Reason that ye may know that I am the Lord who sanctifie you It was a Sign therefore which shew'd that Men ought to dedicate themselves to God and to keep themselves holy to him since we see even the very Day to be dedicated to him for that Day is Holy because then especially Men ought to exercise Holiness and Religion And then it is a Sign and Monument The Second as it were of the wonderful Creation of the World And it was moreover given as a Sign to remember and warn the Israelites The Third that they might remember that they were delivered and freed by God's help from the most hard Yoak of the Egyptian Bondage And this the Lord shew'd in these words Deut. 5.25 Remember that thou also didst serve in Egypt and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence with a strong hand and stretched-out arm therefore he has commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day The Fourth And it is also a Sign both of the Spiritual and Eternal Sabbath Now the Spiritual Sabbath consists in a holy and mystical kind of Rest XXII What the Spiritual Sabbath is to wit when the old Man being buried with Christ is renew'd to Life and studiously exercises it self in those Actions which are agreeable to Christian Piety Ephes 5 2. For they who sometimes were Darkness but now are Light in the Lord ought to walk as Children of the Light in all Goodnesâ— Justice and Truth and not to communicate with the unfruitful Works of Darkness But the Heavenly Sabbath as S. Cyril says upon that place of the Apostle XXIII What the Heavenly Sabbath is S. Cyril lat l. 4 in Jo. c. 5 1. There remains therefore a Rest to the People of God is that Life wherein we shall live with Christ and enjoy all good things and Sin be utterly pluck'd up by the Roots according to that Esa 53.8 There shall no Lion nor evil Beast go up thither but there shall be a pure way and it shall be called Holy For the Soul of the Saints in the Vision of God gets all good things Wherefore the Pastor must exhort and encourage the Faithful with these words Heb. 4.2 Let us make haste to enter into that Rest Now besides the Seventh day XXIV That Jews had other Feasts besides the Sabbaths the Jews had other Festival and Sacred Days appointed by God's Law whereby the Memory of their greatest Benefits was renew'd Of those other Feasts see Levit. 23. Num. 29. Deut. 16. and if you would know the moral meaning of the Feasts of this kind see Cyril de Adoratione in spiritu verit lib. 17. D. Thom. 1.2 q. 102. art 4. ad 10. But it pleas'd the Church of God XXV Why the Sabbath chang'd The First Reason that the Worship and Celebration of the Sabbath-day should be transferr'd to the Lord's-day For as on that Day the Light did first shine upon the World so by the Resurrection of our Redeemer which open'd us an Entrance to Eternal Life which hapned on that Day our Life was recall'd out of Darkness into Light and for this cause the Apostles would have it call'd The Lord's Day Besides The Second Reason in Sacred Scripture we find that this was a Solemn Day because therein the Creation of the World began and because the Holy Ghost was given to the Apostles But the Apostles in the beginning of the Church XXVI Why other Feasts apopointed and aftewards in the sollowing Times our Holy Fathers appointed other Holy-days that we might devoutly and holily call to remembrance God's Benefits Now among these are to be reckon'd as the most remarkable XXVII The Order of Holy-days those Days that are consecrated to Religion for the Mysteries of our Redemption and then those that are dedicated to the most Holy Virgin Mother Note and to the Apostles and Martyrs and the other Saints which reign with Christ in whose Victory the Goodness and Power of God is prais'd due Honor done to them and the Faithful stirr'd up to the Imitation of them And because to the keeping of this Commandment XXVIII Idleness forbidd'n that part of it has great Force which is express'd in these words Six Days shalt thou labor but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of God The Curat ought diligently to explain that part For from these words it may be gather'd That the Faithful are to be admonish'd that they lead not their Life in Sloth and Idleness But rather being mindful of the Apostles Advice 1 Thes 4.11 That every one do his own business and labor with his hands as he commanded Besides XXIX No
God and the Holy Ghost is God and yet they are not Three Gods but One God So we confess that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are equally Almighty and yet that there are not Three Almighties but One Almighty But as for a kind of special reason we call the Father because he is the Fountain of all beginning by this name and as we attribute to the Son who is the eternal Word of the Father Wisdom so we ascribe Goodness to the Holy Ghost because he is the Love of them Both Altho according to the Rule of the Catholic Faith these and such like names may well be given in common to all the three Persons Maker of Heav'n and Earth How necessary it is to instruct the Faithful about Gods Almighty Power will plainly appear from what is now to be spoken of the Creation of all things For the miracle of so great a work is more easie to be believ'd XX. Out of what how and when God made the World because there is no room left to doubt of the Infinite Power of the Creator For God made not the world out of any matter but created it out of Nothing and that not throw any powerful constraint or necessity but purely of his own free will and accord Nor was there any other cause which mov'd him to this work of Creation but only that he might impart his own goodness to those things which shou'd be made by him For the Nature or Being of God being most perfectly happy in it self stood not in need of any thing As David confesses Ps â—â— I said to the Lord Thou art my God for thou hast no need of my Goods Now as being led by his own goodness he did whatsoever he pleas'd So when he made all things he had no Form or Pattern which was without himself to go by but because in his divine Wisdom was contein'd the Pattern of all things this Pattern I say the great Creator beholding in himself and imitating as it were by his supream Wisdom and Infinite Power which are proper to him alone he produc'd the whole universe of things in the beginning For he spake the Word and they were made Ps 148.5 he commanded and they were created But then under the Name of Heav'n and Earth must be understood whatsoever the whole Heaven and Earth conteins For besides the Heav'ns which the Prophet calls the work of his Fingers Ps 8.3 He added moreover over the brightness of the Sun and of the Moon and the furniture of the other Stars and appointed them to be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years and has so dispos'd the heavenly Orbs in a certain and constant course that there is nothing can seem more swift in their perpetual running round and yet nothing can be more certain and regular than their motion Furthermore The Angels created and in what state he created out of nothing the Spiritual Nature and innumerable Angels to serv and wait upon him and these he adorned and beautifi'd with the admirable gift of his Grace and Power For seeing it is written in Holy Scripture Joh. 8. That the Devil kept not his first estate it is plain that he and the rest of the fallen Angels in the beginning and at their creation were endu'd with his Grace of whom S. Augustin writes thus He created the Angels Aug lib. 12. de Civit. Dei c. 9. with a good will that is with a pure Love whereby they cleav'd close to him at once giving them Being and bestowing Grace on them Whence it is that we can never believ the Angels themselves to have bin holy without a good will i. e. without the Love of God But then as concerning their Knowledge we have this Testimony in the holy Scripture 2 Reg. 14 20 Thou O my Lord the King art wise having Wisdom as an Angel of God to know all things on the Earth Lastly Holy David ascribes Power to them in these Words Ps â—â—2 29 Mighty in Power fulfilling his Word and for this Reason they are often call'd in Holy Scripture the Powers and the Hosts of the Lord. But altho they were thus adorn'd with all celestial Gifts yet many of them who fell from God their Creator and Father were thrown down from those most glorious Mansions and shut up in the dismal Dugeons and Prisons of the Earth there to suffer ever lasting Punishment for their Pride Of whom the Prince of the Apostles writes in this manner 2 Pet. 2.4 He spar'd not the Angels that sinn'd but casting them down headlong to Hell he deliver'd them to be there tormented and to be resâ—rv'd for the Judgment God also by his Word commanded that the Foundation of the Earth should be made fast XXI The Earth established and adorned Ps 103.5.9 and to stand in the middle of the World causing the Mountains to rise up and the Fields and Valleys to sink down to the places which he had appointed for them and that the Waters shou'd not overflow the Earth he appointed them their bounds which they may not pass nor turn again to cover the Earth And then he not only adorn'd and cloth'd it with Trees and all the various kinds of Herbs and Flowers but he replenish'd it with all kinds of living Creatures even as before he had fill'd the Air and Waters Lastly XXII How Man was qualified in the Creation He form'd Man who was so made and constituted of the Slime of the Earth that he was immortal and impassible yet not by the strength of Nature but by the divine Bounty But then as to his Soul he form'd him after his own Image and likeness and gave him a Freedom of Will and so temperd all the Motions and Appetites of his Mind in him that they shou'd never disobey the government of his Reason He added also the admirable Gift of Original Righteousness and gave him Rule over all the other Creatures Which things it will be very easie for the Curates to learn out of the sacred History of Genesis for the instruction of the Faithful These things therefore we are to know concerning the Creation of all things XXIII God the Creator of all Psal 88. â—â— of Heav'n and Earth all which the Prophet has briefly comprehended in these Words The Heav'ns are thine the Earth also is thine thou hast laid the foundations of the World and all that is therein But the Fathers of the Council of Nice have much more briefly signifi'd the same by those two Words added in their Creed Of all things Visible and Invisible For whatsoever things have Being in the World or were created by God either fall under Sense and are call'd Visible or else we may conceiv them with the Mind or Understanding and these are signifi'd by the Word Invisible Nor may we believ that God so created and made all things XXIV God the Preserver and Governour of all
persevere And altho both good and bad Men are within the limits of this Kingdom and consequently all Men do belong to it yet those chiefly and above the rest experience the most excellent Goodness and Bounty of our King who lead their life innocently and uprightly according to his Laws Not that this Kingdom came to him by any humane Birth-right or Inheritance tho he came of the stock of the noblest Kings But he was a King in this respect Because God bestow'd upon that Man whatsoever Power Excellency and Dignity the nature of Man was capable of To him therefore God deliver'd the government of the World and to him he subjected all things He has already begun his reign but in the day of Judgment he shall enjoy it fully and perfectly His only Son In these Words are yet higher Mysteries propos'd to the Belief and Contemplation of the Faithful concerning Jesus XIII Christ the Son of God and true God to wit that he is the Son of God and true God as the Father himself is who begat him from all Eternity We moreover do confess him to be the Second person of the Trinity and in all respects equal to the other two For there ought nothing to be no nor so much as phanci'd in the mind to be any thing unequal or unlike in the divine Persons since we acknowledg that they have only one Being one Will one Power This is plain from many Oracles of Holy Scripture but especially that Testimony of S. John does exceeding plainly shew it 1 Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God But when we hear that Jesus is the Son of God we ought not to imagine any earthly or mortal thing of his Birth XIV The eternal Generation of Christ ineffable But we ought constantly to believ and with the greatest devotion and affection of mind to honour that Birth whereby the Father from all Eternity begat the Son which to comprehend by Reason or perfectly to understand we can by no means do it But as amaz'd at the wonderfulness of the Mystery we ought with the Prophet to say Who can declare his Generation This therefore we ought to believ Isay 53.8 That the Son is of the same Nature of the same Power and Wisdom with the Father as we confess more largely in the Nicene Creed For it says And in Jesus Christ his only begott'n Son begott'n of the Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begott'n not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made But of all those things which are made use of as Similitudes to shew the manner and way of his Eternal Generation XV. A similitude that seems to come neerest the matter which is taken from the Thought of our mind wherefore S. John calls the Son his Word 1 Joh. 1. For as our mind after a sort understanding it self phancies its own Image which Divines call Word so God so far as humane things may be compar'd with divine understanding himself begets his eternal Word altho it is better to contemplate what Faith proposes and with a sincere Heart to believ and confess that Jesus Christ is true God and true Man begotten indeed as God of the Father before all Ages and Generations but as Man born in time of his Mother the Virgin Mary And tho we acknowledg his Twofold Nativity XVI Christ one person the only Son of his Father yet we believ him to be but One Son For it is One Person only in whom the Divine and Humane Nature meet together And as to his Divine Generation he has no Brethren or fellow Heirs he being the only Son of his Father but we Men the Potters-Clay and the work of his Hands But if we consider his Humane Generations he not only calls many by the name of Brethren Rom. 8.17 he uses them as Brethren That they together with him may obtain the glory of his Fathers Inheritance who by Faith have accepted Christ as their Lord and do in truth shew forth their Faith which they profess in his name by works of Charity Wherefore he is call'd by the Apostle The first begott'n among many Brethren Our Lord. Many are the things which in Holy Scripture are spok'n concerning our Savior XVII Why divers Epithets given to Christ whereof some as appears plainly agree to him as he is God Others as he is Man For he has different Properties according to his different Natures We therefore truly say That Christ is Almighty Eternal Infinite and this he has from his Divine Nature Agen we say of him That he suffer'd was dead and rose again and these things no one doubts but that they are agreeable to the Nature of Men. But besides these there are some things agreeable to both Natures as in this place where we say our Lord. If therefore this name be suitable to both Natures we may well surely call him our Lord. For as he is eternal God XVIII Why Christ is called our Lord. as the Father so also is he equally Lord and Father of all things And as he is not One and the Father Another God but One and the self same God so also is not he One Lord and the Father Another Lord but both One Lord. But rightly also for many reasons as he is Man is he call'd our Lord. And first because he is our Redeemer and has deliver'd us from our sins has he rightly got this power both to be and to be call'd our Lord. For so the Apostle teaches He humbl'd himself and became obedient to death Phil. 2.7 even the death of the Cross for which reason God has highly exalted him and giv'n him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every Knee should bow V. 10. of things in Heav'n and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every Tongue shou'd confess that Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father And after his Resurrection he says of himself Matt. 28.18 All Power is giv'n to me in Heav'n and in Earth For this other Reason also he is call'd Lord because in this one Person the two Natures Divine and Humane are joyn'd together For by this wonderful conjunction he merited to be made our Lord and Lord of all things that were created altho he had not dy'd for us but especially of the Faithful who obey and serve him with the utmost intention of Mind What remains therefore but that the Curate for this Reason perswade his faithful people to consider That it is most just that above all men in the World we who have our very name of him and are call'd Christians and cannot be ignorant what great Benefits he has bestow'd on us and this especially that by his Grace We know all these things by Faith It is most just
I say that we devote and consecrate our selv's forever to our Lord and Redeemer no otherwise than as his meanest Servants And indeed when we were receiv'd into Baptism XX. In Baptism we are devoted to Christ we did before the Church Doors solemnly promise that we wou'd do so For we declar'd that we renounc'd the Devil and the World and gave up our selv's wholly to Christ Jesus But if to be enroll'd in the Christian Camp we devoted our selves with so Holy and Religious a Prosession what punishment shall we deserv if after our entrance into the Church and have known the Will and Law of God if after we have receiv'd the Grace of his Sacraments we shall lead our Lives after the Rules and Commandments of the World and the Devil as if when we were wash'd in Baptism we had giv'n up our Names to the World and the Devil and not to Christ our Lord and Redeemer But what Heart is there which so great a Propensity so great kindness and good Will of so great a Lord toward us cannot enflame with ardent Love to him who tho he has us in his power and dominion as Servants bought with his own Blood yet embraces us with such Love that he calls us not his Servants Joh. 15.14 14. but his Friends yea his Brethren This verily is a most just cause and I know not whether it be not the greatest why we ought always to own and reverence and worship him as our Lord. ARTICLE III. WHo was Conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary That God bestow'd a fingular Blefling upon Mankind I. How great Gods Bounty towards us when he restor'd us to liberty from the slavery of the most cruel Tyrant the Faithful may perceiv by those things which have been already spoken in the former Article but then if we lay before our Eyes the counsel and way by which chiefly he wou'd accomplish this Verily there is nothing can possibly shine more glorious and magnificent than the Bounty and goodness of God towards us The greatness of this Mystery therefore II. The sense of this Article which the Holy Scripture proposes to us to consider as the chief point of our Salvation the Curat may begin to shew in the explaining this Third Article the meaning whereof he may teach to be this That we believ and confess that this very Jesus Christ our ohly Lord Matt. 1.23 Joh. 1.36 the Son of God when for our sakes he took upon himself Humane Flesh in the Womb of the Virgin was not as other Men conceiv'd of the Seed of Man but beyond all order of Nature was conceiv'd by the power of the Holy Ghost so that the same person remaining God which he was from all Eternity became Man which before he was not That these Words are so to be understood does plainly appear by confession of the Holy Council of Constantinople for thus it says Who for us Men and for our Salvation came down from Heav'n and was Incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man And this S. John the Evangelist has also explain'd as being he who drew the Knowledg of this most profound Mystery out of the Bosome of our very Lord and Saviour himself For when he had declar'd the Nature of the Divine Word in these Words In the beginning was the Word Joh. 1.1 and the Word was with God and the Word was God At last he concludes and the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us For the Word which was a Person of the Divine Nature did so take upon him the Humane Nature that the Hypostasis or Person both of the Divine and Human Nature was but one and the same whereby it came to pass that so admirable a Conjunction preserv'd the Actions and Properties of both Natures and as that great and holy Pope Leo has it Serm. 1. de Nat. That neither did the Glory of the Superior or Divine destroy the Inferior or Humane nor the assuming the Inferior diminish or lessen the Superior But because the Explication of Words ought not to be omitted It is requisite that the Curat teach IV. What works of God are attributed to the whole Trinity That when we say That the Son of God was conceiv'd by the Power of the Holy Ghost this one Person of the Divine Trinity did not make the Mystery of the Incarnation For tho the Son only took the Humane Nature upon him yet all the Persons of the Holy Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost were Authors of this Mystery for we must hold this Rule in our Christian Faith That all those things which God does extrà se without himself in the Creatures are common to all the Three Persons nor does one act more than another or one without another But that one One person proceeds from another V. And what to the several Persons this cannot be common to all for the Son is begotten of the Father alone the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son But whatsoever extra illas without them comes from or is done by them the whole three Persons without any difference do it and of this kind we are to believ the Incarnation of the Son of God to be Now tho these things are thus VI. Why Christ is said to be conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost yet the Holy Scripture is us'd to attribute to any one of the Three Persons those things which are common to all the Three Persons for example It ascribes the Power of all things to the Father Wisdom to the Son Love to the Holy Ghost And because the Mystery of the Incarnation of God does manifest the special and infinite Good Will of God toward us for this Reason therefore is this work attributed to the Holy Ghost In this Mystery we are to observ VII The Mystery of Christs Conception declar'd That there are many things done beyond the Order of Nature and some again by the Power of Nature For in that we believ the Body of Christ to be made of the most pure Blood of his Virgin-Mother we therein acknowledg his Human Nature it being common to the Bodies of all Men to be form'd of the Blood of the Mother But that which surpasses both the Order of Nature and the reach of Human Understanding is this That as soon as the Blessed Virgin consenting to the Words of the Angel Luc. 1.38 had said Behold the Hand-maid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word immediately the most holy Body of Chrift was form'd and a Reasonable or Human Soul joyn'd with it and so in that very moment of time he became perfect God and perfect Man Now that this was the strange and wonderful work of the Holy Ghost there is no one can doubt since by the Order of Nature no Body can be inform'd by or receiv a Humane Soul but at the limited term of time
Bliss and Glory which they waited for they were in a kind of Torment But Christ our Lord descended not to suffer any more but to free the Saints and Righteous Men from the Misery and Trouble of that Imprisonment and to bestow upon them the Fruits of his Passion That therefore he went down to Hell was no lessening of his supream Dignity and Power These things being explain'd IX Why Christ went down to Hell it must be taught that Christ our Lord went down to Hell that after he had spoil'd the Devils he might lead those Holy Fathers and other pious persons being now freed from Prison with him to Heav'n which wonderfully and gloriously he has accomplish'd For immediatly the sight of him gave transcendant Light to the Captiv's and fill'd their souls with immense joy and gladness on whom he also bestow'd that most desir'd Bliss which consists in the Vision of God which done it is manifest what it was he promis'd the Thief in these words Luc. 23.43 This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice But of this deliverance of the Godly the Prophet Osee so long before propheci'd in this manner O death I will be thy death O Hell I will be thy destruction The Prophet Zachary signifi'd the same thing when he said Thou also by the blood of thy Testament hast sent them that are bound out of the lake wherein there is no water Lastly the same thing the Apostle expresses in these words Col. 2.15 in taking the spoils of principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself But that we may understand the force of this mystery the better X. Who are sav'd by the benefit of Christs Passion we ought often to call to remembrance that devout men not only who were born after the coming of our Lord but those who after Adam were before him or who hereafter shall be to the end of the World have and shall attain Salvation by the benefit of his Passion Wherefore before he dy'd and rose again the Gates of Heav'n were never open to any but the Souls of the Godly when they departed this life were either carry'd into Abraham's Bosome or as now it fares with them who have somewhat to be purg'd or satisfi'd were cleans'd by the fire of Purgatory There is besides XI Another Reason of Christ's going down to Hell Phil. 2.10 another Reason why Christ our Lord went down to Hell namely that he might there shew his Might and Power as he had done in Heav'n and Earth and that as every knee both of things in Heav'n and things in Earth bow'd at the name of him so also of things below and under the Earth At consideration whereof who is there who admires not and even stands not amaz'd at the immense bounty of God towards mankind who was willing not only to undergo the most bitter Death for us but also to go down to the very lowest parts of the Earth that he might carry with him the Souls so very dear to him which he thence victoriously bore away to bliss and happiness Now follows the other part of the Article XII The other Part of the Article concerning the Resurrection 2 Tim. 2.8 in explaining whereof how painful the Curat ought to be appears by those words of the Apostle Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ arose again from the dead For what he commanded Timothy it is not to be doubted but that it is also commanded to all others that have the Cure of Souls And this is the meaning of the Article After that Christ our Lord had giv'n up the Ghost on the Cross upon Friday at the ninth hour of the day and the same day at Even he was bury'd by his Disciples who by leav of Pilate the President laid the body of our Lord when they had tak'n it down from the Cross into a new Tomb in a Garden near at hand the third day after his death which was the Lords day early in the morning his soul was again join'd to his body and so he who was dead those three days arose again and return'd to life out of which he departed by death but by the word Resurrection we are not to understand only that Christ was rais'd from the dead which was a thing common to many others but that he rose again by his own power and vertue which was a singular thing and proper to Him alone For it is contrary to Nature XIV No man can naturally rise again from the dead 2 Cor. 13.4 nor was it even granted to any man to be able by his own power to rais'e himself from death to life but this belongs to the supream power of God only as we learn from those words of the Apostle Altho he was crucifi'd throw weakness yet he liv's by the power of God which seeing it was never separated from Christ's Body in the Sepulchre nor from his Soul when it went down into Hell his Divine Power was both in his Body so that it cou'd be joyn'd again to his Soul and in his Soul so that it cou'd again be brought back to his Body so that by his own power he might revive and rise again from the dead And this thing XV. The Resurrection soretold Psa 97.2 David being full of the Spirit of God foretold in these words His right hand and his Holy arm hath gott'n himself the victory And the Lord himself by the divine testimony of his own mouth has confirm'd it I lay down my life and I will take it up again Joh. 10.17 and I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again And also to the Jews for confirmation of his doctrin he said Joh. 2.19 Dissolve this temple and in three days I will raise it up again Which tho they indeed understood of that Temple magnificently built of Stones yet he as is declar'd in the same place by the words of Scripture Act. 1.24 spake of the Temple of his Body Now although we sometimes read in Scripture that Christ our Lord was raised by the Father this is to be understood of Christ as Man ev'n as those things again relate to himself as God whereby is signifi'd that he rose again by his own Power And this also belongs specially to Christ XVI Christ first rose from the dead Apoc. 1.5 1 Cor. 15.20 that He was the First who enjoy'd this divine benefit of the Resurrection For in Scripture he is called the First begotten among the dead and the First begotten of the dead And as the Apostle has it Christ arose again from the dead being the First-fruits of them that sleep for verily by Man came death and by Man came the Resurrection of the dead and as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive but every one in his own order Christ the First fruits and afterwards those that are Christ's Which
And because the Latins have borrow'd the Name Ecclesia Church III. What is properly to be understood by the name Church from the Greeks after the publishing of the Gospel they transferr'd it to Sacred Matters But what the Meaning of this word is is to be shew'd The word Ecclesia Church signifies a Calling forth Act. 19.39 But Writers afterwards us'd it for a Council and Assembly Nor is it much to the matter whether that people worshipp'd the true God or a false Religion For in the Acts it is written of the Ephesians That when that Scribe had appeas'd the Rabble he said If ye enquire of any other matter it may be resolv'd in a lawful Church or Assembly He calls the Ephesians who were worshippers of Diana a lawful Church Nor are the Gentiles only which knew not God but the Councils also of Evil and Wicked Men sometimes call'd a Church I have hated says the Prophet Ps 25.5 the Church of the Wicked and I will not sit with the Vngodly But then by the common custom of the Scriptures This word is taken to signifie the Christian Common-wealth and the Congregations of the Faithful To wit those who are call'd to the light of Truth and the knowledg of God that casting away the darkness of ignorance and error they may worship the living and true God with Piety and Holiness and to say all in a Word The Church as S. Austin says S. Aug. in Ps 49. is the Faithful People dispers'd throw the whole World Nor are they trivial Mysteries which are contain'd in this Word IV. What Mysteries are contain'd in the word Church For in Calling forth which Ecclesia or Church signifies at first sight shines forth the Benignity and Splendor of Gods Grace and we understand That the Church differs very much from Other Common-wealths For They are establish'd by Human Reason and Prudence But This by the Wisdom and Counsel of God For he has Inwardly call'd us by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost but Outwardly by the Ministery and Labor of the Pastors and Teachers Besides from this Calling V. How the Church differs from a Synagogue what ought to be our end to wit the knowledg and passession of things Eternal he will best perceive who shall have consider'd why in old times the Faithful People under the Law were call'd a Synagogue i. e. a Congregation or flocking together For as S. Austin teaches They had this name given them because after the manner of Cattel to which it is more suitable to flock together they look'd only at earthly and transitory things And therefore rightly is the Christian People call'd not a Synagogue but a Church because despising earthly and mortal things it follows after those things only which are heavenly and eternal There are besides many other Names which are full of Mysteries VI. Other Names of the Church 1 Tim. 3.13 deliver'd to signifie the Christian Common-wealth For it is call'd by the Apostle the House and Building of God but if I tarry long says he to Timothy that thou mayst know how to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of God the Pillar and Ground of Truth And the Church is therefore call'd a House First because it is as it were one Family which one Father or Master governs and in which is a communion of all spiritual good things It is also call'd Christ's Flock of Sheep Second whereof he is the Door and Shepherd It is call'd the Spouse of Christ Third 2 Cor. 11.2 I have betrothed you as a chast Virgin to one Husband which is Christ says the Apostle to the Corinthians And the same Apostle to the Ephesians Men love your wives even as Christ loved the Church Eph. 2.5 And of Matrimony This is a great Mystery says he but I speak in Christ and in the Cburch Lastly Fourth Eph. 1.23 Col. 1.24 The Church is call'd the Body of Christ as may be seen in the Epistle to the Ephesians and that to the Colossians And all these severally avail very much to stir up the Faithful to behave themselves worthy of the immense goodness and mercy of God who has chosen them to be his people These things being explain'd VII The Church Militant and Triumphant Aug. Ench. c. it will be necessary to reckon up the several Parts of the Church and to teach the differences of them whereby the people may the better understand the Nature Properties Gifts and Graces of the Church so much belov'd of God and for that cause never intermit to praise the most holy Name of God Now of the Church there are especially Two Parts whereof the One is call'd Triumphant the Other Militant The Triumphant is that most glorious land happy company of the blessed Spirits VIII Which is Triumphant and those who have triumph'd over the World the Flesh and the Devil and being deliver'd and safe from the Troubles of this life enjoy eternal Bliss But the Church Militant is the company of all the Faithful IX Which Militant Aug. lib. 12. de Civ Dei c. 9. which yet live in the earth Which therefore is call'd Militant because she has continual War with those most implacable Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil Nor is it yet to be thought that there are Two Churches but that of the same Church as was said before there are Two Parts whereof the One is gone before and has already obtain'd the Heavenly Country The Other daily follows till at last being joyn'd with our Saviour she shall rest in everlasting Happiness Now in the Church Militant there are two sorts of Men Good and Bad X. In the Church Militant are both Good and Bad Men. 2 Tim. 2.19 Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 12. Mark this the Wicked being indeed partakers of the same Sacraments profess the same Faith as the Good do but in their Life and Manners are far unlike Now these in the Church are call'd Good who are conjoin'd and knit together not only in profession of Faith and communion of Sacraments but also in the Spirit of Grace and Bond of Charity of whom it is said The Lord has known who are his and Men also may think and conjecture who they are that belong to this number of Pious Men but no one can certainly know And therefore it is not to be thought that Christ our Saviour spake of This Part of his Church when he remitted us to his Church and commanded us to obey Her For since She is out of our knowledge who can be assur'd to whose Judgment we are to fly and whose Authority we must obey The Church therefore includes both the Good and Bad as both the Holy Scripture and the Writings of Holy Men Testifie according to which Sentence is written that of the Apostle Ephes 4.4 There is One Body and One Spirit Now this Church is known XI By what Figures and Similitudes
the Church was signifi'd Mat. 13.17 Mat. 13.24 Luc. 3.17 Mat. 15.12 being compar'd to a City built upon a Mountain which may be seen every where for seeing that all must obey her it is necessary that she be known Nor does she contain the Good only but the Bad also as the Gospel in many Parables teaches as when it commemorates that the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Church Militant is like to a Draw-net let down into the Sea or to a Field in which Tares were over-sown or to a Treshing-flore in which is contain'd the Corn with the Chaff or to the Ten Virgins whereof some were Wise some Foolish Gen. 7. And long before also in Noah's Ark in which not only those living Creatures which were Clean but the Unclean also were shut up together we may behold the figure and similitude of this Church But tho Catholic Faith truly and constantly affirms that both the Good and Bad do belong to the Church yet from the same rules of Faith the Faithful ought to be taught that there is a far different reason and account of either part For as the Chaff upon the Threshing-flore is mingled with the Corn or as sometimes dead members remain joyn'd to the Body Eph. 4.4 so also are Wicked Men contain'd in the Church Whence it comes XII Who are shut out of the Church that there are but three sorts of men only sut out of her First Infidels and then Heretics and Schismatics and lastly Excommunicate persons The Ethnics because they never were in the Church nor ever knew her nor were made partakers of any Sacrament in the Christian Society and the Heretics and Schismatics because they have fallen off from the Church nor do they belong to the Church any more than Vagabonds or Renegadoes belong to an Army from which they ran away Yet it is not to be deny'd but that they are in the power of the Church as those who may be judg'd by her and condemn'd with an Anathema Lastly The Excommunicate persons also in that by the judgment of the Church they are turn'd out of her they belong not to her Communion till they repent But as concerning the rest even the Wicked and Ungodly persons it is not to be doubted but that they yet continue in the Church And this is diligently to be taught the Faithful that if it chance the life of the Prelates to be wicked yet the Faithful are to assure themselves that they are in the Church that therefore they lose nothing of the power And then the Parts of the Universal Church are us'd to be signifi'd by the name of the Church XIII Private Families Pastors and Sacred Places also call'd the Church 2 Cor. 1.1 1 Cor. 16.19 Col 4.16 1 Thes 1.1 Rom. 6.4 Mat. 18.17 as when the Apostle names the Church which is at Corinth Galatia Laodicea Thessalonica and he also calls the Private Families of the Faithful Churches For he commands the Church in the House of Priscilla and Aquila to be saluted And in another place Aquila and Priscilla says he salute you much in the Lord with his domestic Church Also writing to Philemon he uses the same word Sometimes also by the name Church are signifi'd the Prelates and Pastors thereof If he bear not thee says Christ tell it to the Church in which place are design'd the Rulers of the Church And the Place also where the people meet together either to the Sermon or for the sake of any other sacred matter is call'd the Church But especially in this Article the Church signifies the Multitude of Good and Bad together and not those only who govern but those also who ought to obey And then the Properties of this Church are to be open'd to the Faithful XIV The Properties of the Church whereby they may know how great a Benefit God bestows on them who happen to be born and brought up in her Her First Property therefore is describ'd in the Creed of the Fathers First That she be One Cant. 6.8 that she is One My Dove is One says he my Beautiful One is One. But now so great a multitude of Men as is scatter'd far and wide is call'd One for those reasons which are written by the Apostle to the Ephesians for he preaches that there is only One Faith One Lord One Baptism Eph. 4.4 and there is also One Ruler and Governor Invisible which is Christ Ephes 1.21 whom the Eternal Father has made Head over all his Church which is his Body But the Visible Governor is He XV. A Visible Head necessary for the Churches Unity who by Lawful Succession possesses the Chair of Peter the Prince of Apostles of whom this was the approv'd Sentence and Judgment of all the Fathers that this Visible Head was necessary both to settle and preserve the Unity of the Catholic Church Which thing St. Hierom well saw and wrote against Jovinian in these words There is One elected that a Head being constituted the occasion of Schism might be taken away And to Damasus Let Envy slack let the ambition of the Roman Pride be gone I speak to the Successor of the Fisher and the Disciple of the Cross following no Chief but Christ I am consociated to your Holiness i. e. in Communion of Peters Chair I know that the Church is built upon that Rock Whosoever shall have eaten the Lamb without This House is profane If any one be not in Noahs Ark he shall perish by the prevalence of the Flood Which also was long before prov'd by Irenaeus and Cyprian Iraeu lib. 3. contra Haeres c. 3. B. Cypr. de Simpl Prelat in principio fere who speaking of the Unity of the Church says The Lord says to Peter I O Peter say to thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church He builds his Church upon One And tho after his Resurrection he gave part of this Power to all the Apostles and said As the Father sent me I also send you receive ye the Holy Ghost yet that he might manifest Vnity He by his own Authority dispos'd the Original of that same Vnity which was to begin in One c. And then Optatus of Milevis says Optatus initio lib. 2. ad Farmen It cannot be charg'd upon you as of ignorance seeing you know that in the City of Rome was first plac'd by Peter the Episcopal Chair in which Peter the Head of all the Apostles sate In which One the Vnity of the Church has been kept of all lest the other Apostles should challenge every one his own severally so that now he is a Schismatic and a Prevaricator who puts up another Chair in competition with this single one And afterwards St. Basil has left in writing thus Basil hom 29. quae est de poenit Peter is put in the Foundation for he said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God and he receiv'd
this Answer that he was a Rock for though he might be a Rock yet he was not a Rock as Christ was for Christ was a Rock truly immoveable but Peter only by virtue of that Rock for God bestows his own dignities upon others Mark this He is a Priest and he makes Priests He is a Rock and he makes a Rock and what things are his he bestows on his Servants Lastly St. Ambrose St. Ambrose says If any one object that the Church is content with One Head and Husband Jesus Christ and needs no other the answer is ready For as we account Christ our Lord not only the Author but the Bestower also of all the Sacraments for He it is that Baptizes and absolves and yet he makes Men the outward Ministers of the Sacraments So he has plac'd over his Church which he governs inwardly with his Spirit a Man to be the Vicar and Minister of his Power For seeing the Visible Church wanted a Visible Head our Saviour accordingly appointed Peter the Head and Pastor of all the Faithful when in most ample expressions he commended to him the feeding of his Sheep that he would have him who succeeded to have plainly the same power of ruling and governing the whole Church Besides XVI The way to preserve Unity for time to come 1 Cor. 12.11 12. Eph. 4.34 there is One and the same Spirit says the Apostle to the Corinthians who bestows Grace on the Faithful even as the Soul does Life on the Members of the Body To preserve which Vnity when he exhorts the Ephesians he says Be earnest to preserve the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace For as the Body of Man is made up of many Members and all are nourish'd by one Soul which gives Seeing to the Eyes Hearing to the Ears and divers Faculties to the other Senses So the Mystical Body of Christ which is the Church is made up of many Faithful People There is also One Hope Eph. 4.4 as the Apostle testifies in the same place to which we are call'd for we all hope for the same thing to wit Eternal Life and Happiness Lastly There is One Faith which all must hold and profess 1 Cor. 1.10 Let there be no Schisms among you says the Apostle And there is One Baptism which is a Sacrament of the Christian Faith Another property of the Church is XVII The Second That she be Holy 1 Pet. 2.9 First that she is Holy which thing we have learn'd from that place of the Prince of Apostles But ye are a chosen generation a Holy Nation But she is call'd Holy because she is consecrated and dedicated to God for so other things of this kind though they are corporeal are us'd to be call'd Holy when they are given and dedicated to divine worship Of which kind in the Old Law were the Vessels Vestments and Altars In which sense the First-born also who were dedicated to the Most High God were call'd Holy Nor should any one wonder Note that the Church is call'd Holy altho within her are contain'd many Sinners For the Faithful are call'd Holy because they are made the People of God and by receiving Baptism and Faith have consecrated themselves to Christ altho in many things they offend and perform not the things they have promis'd even as they who profess any Trade or Art tho they observe not the rules thereof are yet call'd Tradesmen Wherefore S. Paul calls the Corinthians Sanctifi'd and Holy 1 Cor. 1.2 amongst whom it is manifest there were some whom he sharply reproves as Carnal and charges with many other Crimes She is also to be call'd Holy Secondly because as the Body she is joyn'd with her Holy Head Christ the Lord who is the Fountain of all Holiness from whom are pour'd forth the anointings and riches of Divine Goodness Excellently does St. Austin interpret those words of the Prophet S. Aug. in Ps 85.8 Keep thou my soul because I am Holy He dares says he and the Body of Christ dares and that one Man crying out from the ends of the Earth with his Head and under his Head dares say I am Holy For she receiv'd the Grace of Holiness the Grace of Baptism and of Remission of sins And a little after If all Christians and all the Faithful being baptiz'd in Christ have put him on as the Apostle says Gal. 3.27 As many of you as have been baptiz'd have put on Christ if they are made Members of his Body and yet say that they are not Holy they do wrong to the very Head whose Members they are made Add to this Thirdly That the Church alone has the legitimate worship of Sacrifice and the saving use of the Sacraments by which as by the efficacious instruments of Divine Grace God works true Holiness in us So that whosoever are truly Holy cannot be out of this Church It is plain therefore that the Church is Holy and Holy indeed because she is the Body of Christ by whom she is sanctifi'd and wash'd in his Blood Concerning the Holiness of the Church see Justin Martyr in both his Apologies Tertul. in his Apologie August against Fulgen. c. 17. Greg. Moral b. 37. c. 7. The Third Property of the Church is The Third That she be Catholic S. Aug. Ser. 131. 181. de Tempore that she be stil'd Catholic to wit Vniversal which appellation is truly given her because as S. Austin testifies From the East to the West the Brightness of one Faith is spread abroad For the Church is not as in the Public Affairs of Men or in the Conventicles of Heretics bound to the limits of One Kingdom only or to One sort of Men But she embraces in the Bosom of her Charity all Men whether they be Barbarians or Scythians Servants or Free-men Male or Female Wherefore it is written Apoc. 5.6 10. Thou by thy blood hast redeem'd us O God out of every tribe and language and people and nation and hast made us a kingdom to our God And of the Church says David Ps 2. Ask of me and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession And I will remember Ps 86. Rahab and Babylon who shall know me and A man was born in her Besides all the Faithful which have ever been from Adam to this day or who shall be while the World endures and profess the true Faith belong to this very Church Eph. 2.20 which was built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets all which were constituted and founded upon that One Corner-stone Christ who made Both to be One who has proclaim'd Peace to them that are near and to them that are afar off And she is call'd Vniversal for this reason Because all that desire everlasting Salvation are bound to lay fast hold of and to embrace her no otherwise than they who went into
gravest Divines For say they There are Two sorts of Good things whereof the one belongs to the very Being of Bliss The other follows upon that Bliss Wherefore for the better understanding thereof the First may be call'd Essential Goods and the other Accessory And indeed that solid Bliss which we may call by the common name Essential is plac'd in the Vision of God and enjoyment of his Beauty who is the Fountain and Principle of all Goodness and Perfection This is Life Eternal Joh. 17.3 says Christ our Lord to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Which Sentence S. John seems to interpret when he says 1 Joh. 3.2 Behold now we are the Sons of God But it does not yet appear what we shall be because we know when he shall appear we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is For he shews that Bliss consists in these two things both that we shall behold God near at hand as he is in his own Nature and Substance and also because we our selves shall be made as Gods For they who enjoy him VIII What kind of Persons the Blessed shall be in Glory tho they retain their own proper substance yet do they put on a kind of admirable and almost divine Form so that they may seem rather Gods than Men. But why this is so appears plainly from hence That every thing is known either by its own Being or else by a similitude and resemblance thereof But because there is nothing like God by help of which resemblance we can come to a perfect knowledg of him it follows that no one can see his Nature and Being unless his very Divine Being be pleas'd to joyn it self with us And this the Apostles words shew We now see as through a Glass darkly but Then face to face 1 Cor. 23.12 Aug. lib. 15. de Civ c. 9. Dâ—on Areop de diÌ„vin nom c. 1. For that he says darkly S. Austin interprets of a Resemblance fitted to know God by which also S. Dennys plainly shews when he affirms That the things above cannot be perceiv'd by any resemblance of things below for neither can the Being and Substance of that which is incorporeal be known by the resemblance of any corporeal things Especially when it is necessary that the Resemblance of things be less gross and more spiritual than those things whose resemblance they bear as experience teaches us in the knowledg of all things Now because it cannot be that the resemblance of any created thing can be found equally pure and spiritual with God himself hence it comes that we cannot perfectly understand the Divine Essence by any resemblance We may add also that all created things are restrain'd within certain limits of Perfection But God is Infinite nor can the resemblance of any created thing reach his Immensity Wherefore there is left this one way only of knowing the Divine Substance that he joyn himself with us and by some way beyond our Belief raise our Understanding higher and so we may be fitted to contemplate the Beauty of his Nature But this in the Light of Glory we shall have when being illustrated with that splendor we shall see God who is the true Light by his own Light For the Blessed shall behold God always present X. The Fountain of Bliss 2 Pet. 1.4 by which superlative and most excellent Gift being made partakers of the Divine Essence they shall enjoy true and solid Bliss Which we ought so to believe as that with a sure Hope we may expect it of the goodness of God for our selves as is said in the Creed of the Fathers For it says I expect the Resurrection of the Dead and the Life of the World to come These things are plainly Divine nor can we by words express or so much as in thought conceive them But some small resemblance of that Bliss we may perceive by sensible things A Similitude out of Anselm l. de Simil. c. 1â— for as Iron put into the Fire receives fire into it and tho the substance thereof be not chang'd yet something may be seen in it of a different substance to wit the Fire After the same manner they who are admitted into the glory of Heaven being inflam'd with the Love of God are so wrought upon that tho they cease not to be that which they are yet they may deservedly be said to be much more different from those which are in this life than Iron which is red hot from that which has no force of heat in it To speak the whole matter therefore in few words XI Wherein Essential Bliss consists That superlative and absolute Bliss which we call Essential consists in the possession of God For what can he want to make his Happiness perfect who enjoys the most perfect and gracious God Now to this Bliss there are some Ornaments to be added XII The Accessories of Bliss Aug de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 30. Rom. 2.18 which are common to all the Bless'd Which because they are less strange to human Reason will be the more likely to influence and stir up our minds the more earnestly Of this kind are those of which the Apostle seems to mean in his Epistle to the Romans Glory Honur and Peace to every one that does good The First For the Blessed shall indeed throwly enjoy Glory but not that glory only which we have shew'd to be Essential Bliss or very nearly related to the nature thereof but that also which consists in the clear and plain knowledg which every one shall have concerning the great and excellent dignity of another But then how great must that Honor be accounted which is given them by the Lord himself when they shall no longer be call'd Servants but the Friends the Brethren and Children of God Wherefore our Savior will thus salute them with the most kind and courteous expressions Luc. 12.4 Come ye blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom prepar'd for you That we may deserv'dly cry out Matt. 25.34 Thy Friends O God are too much honour'd But they shall also be highly prais'd and commended by Christ our Lord Ps 138.17 before his Heavenly Father and the Angels Besides The Second if Nature have planted the desire of Honor in the Hearts of all Men and especially of the Honor of those Men who are most excellent for Wisdom because they look upon them as the most commendable Witnesses of their vertue how much may we think will this add to the glory of the Blessed when they shall every one exceedingly honor and reverence one another It would be endless to reckon up all the Delights which the Glory of the Bless'd shall be crouded with The Third And indeed neither can we in Thought conceive them But yet the Faithful ought to be assur'd That whatsoever delights happen to us in this life or can but be wish'd for whether
to be given because with the benefit thereof our Soul is consecrated and joyn'd to God Wherefore to shew more fully what a Sacrament is X. A more full explication of a Sacrament it should be taught that it is a thing subject to Sense which by Gods appointment has vertue both to signifie and to work holiness and righteousness Whence it follows that any one may easily understand that the Images of the Saints Crosses and such like things tho they are Signs of Holy Things yet they are not to be call'd Sacraments Now the truth of this Doctrin it will be easie to prove by the example of all the Sacraments as before we observ'd of Baptism when we said that That solemn washing of the Body is a Sign and has the efficacy of a Holy Thing which is inwardly wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost any one may do the same thing in the other Sacraments But then this also specially belongs to these mystical Signs XI Every Sacrament signifies at least three things Present Grace the Passion of Christ and Life Everlasting which are instituted of God that by Gods appointment they signifie not any one thing only but more things together Which thing may be seen in all the Sacraments which shew not only our Holiness and Righteousness but declare two other things besides very nearly joyn'd with that Holiness to wit Christ our Redeemer's Passion which is the cause of our Holiness and Life Everlasting and the Bliss of Heaven to which our Holiness ought to be referr'd as to the End And this may be observ'd in all the Sacraments Rightly have the Holy Doctors taught that every Sacrament has in it a threefold vertue of signifying both because it brings to remembrance something already past and because it points at and shews another thing present and also because it foreshews something yet to come Nor is it to be suppos'd that these things have been thus taught of them as that it cannot be prov'd by testimony of Holy Scripture For when the Apostle says Rom 6.3 As many of us as have bin baptiz'd in Christ Jesus have bin baptiz'd in his death he plainly shews that Baptism is therefore to be call'd a Sign because it puts us in mind of the Death and Passion of our Lord. And then when he says We are bury'd together with him by Baptism into Death that as Christ rose again from the dead by the glory of the Father so also should we walk in newness of life From these words it is plain that Baptism is a Sign whereby the Divine Grace is shew'd to be pour'd into us by verture whereof is given to us that leading a new life we can easily and cheerfully perform all Offices of true Piety Lastly Rom. 6.5 when he adds For if we are planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also of his Resurrection it appears that Baptism has no dark signification of the Life Everlasting also which through it we shall obtain But besides these XII A Sacrament â—ometimes signifies not one thing only present divers kinds and ways of signifying which we have mention'd it oft happens that a Sacrament shews and notes not One thing only as present but more This is easie to be observ'd by any that consider the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist Wherein is signifi'd the presence of the true Body and Blood of the Lord which those who receive those Holy Mysteries not impurely do perceive From what has been said therefore the Pastors cannot want Arguments whereby to shew How great a Divine Power how many hidden Miracles are in the Sacraments of the New Law to prevail with all to revernce them and receive them with the greatest Devotioâ— But to teach the true use of the Sacraments XIII for what reason the Sacraments were instituted there can nothing seem more proper than diligently to explain the Reasons Why it was needful the Sacraments should be instituted Of these there are many Whereof the First is The First The weakness of Human Vnderstanding which by nature we see to be so fram'd that no One can aspire to the knowledg of those things which are comprehended by the mind and understanding unless by those things which are perceiv'd by some sense That therefore we might the more easily understand those things which are wrought by the hidden power of God the same supream Maker of all things has most wisely order'd that of his Good-will towards us he declares that very Power by some Signs which fall under some Sense For as S. Chrysostom excellently says Chrysost hom 83. in Matt. hom 60. ad pop Antioch If Man were but free from the conjunction of the Body those goon things would be offer'd him naked and not wrapp'd up in coverings But because the Soul is joyn'd with the Body it was altogether needful to use the help of sensible things to understand them Another Reason is The Second Aug l. 4. de Baptis con tra c. 24. Because our Minds are not easily wrought upon to believe those things which are promis'd us And therefore from the very beginning of the World God has bin us'd very frequently to shew by Words what he intended to do and sometimes also when he intended any work the Greatness whereof might shake the Belief of the Promise he add'd to the words some Signs alsso which had a kind of miracle in them sometimes For when God sent Moses to deliver the people of Israel Exod. 3.10 Exod. 3.42 but he not being assur'd of Gods assistance who sent him fear'd lest too heavy a burden should be laid upon him which he could not be able to hear or lest the people would not give credit to the Divine Oracles and Sayings The Lord confirm'd his promise by a great variety of Signs As therefore in the Old Testament God so ordered it that the Constancy or Truth of some great Promise might be testified by Signs so also â—n the New Law our Savior Christ when he promis'd us Forgiveness of Sins Heavenly Grace the Communion of the Holy Ghost instituted some certain Signs subject to our Eys and Senses by which as by pledges we might esteem him as it were oblig'd and so for the future might never doubt of the Faithfulness of the Promise A Third Reason was The Third â— mâ— .. â— de Saâ—â— â— 4. as S. Ambrose writes That the Soul might have ready at hand the remedies and medicines as it were of the Evangelical Samaritan for the recovery and preservation of her Health For the vertue which flows from Christ's Passion i. e. the Grace which he merited for us upon the Altar of the Cross must be deriv'd upon our selves by the Sacraments as it were by certain Pipes otherwise no one can have any hope of Salvation Wherefore our most merciful Lord would leave in his Church Sacraments firmly establish'd by his Word and Promise by which
call to mind how he has by solemn promise oblig'd himself to God when he was initiated in Baptism and will also consider with himself whether in his Life and Conversation he has behav'd himself in such a manner as the very Profession of Christianity obliges and undertakes That therefore what is to be taught III. What the Name Batism signifies Eight kinds of Baptism See Damass lib. 4. de fide Orthod 10 might be made the more intelligible it must be declar'd what the Nature and Substance of Baptism is after that the signification of the word Baptism shall have bin explain'd There is none who know not that Baptism is a Greek word which tho in Holy Scripture it signifies not only that Washing or Cleansing which is joyn'd with this Sacrament but even all other kinds of Washing yea and sometimes is extended to signifie Suffering also Yet among Church-Writers it signifies not every kind of Washing of the Body but that which is annext to the Sacrament and is not ministred without the prescrib'd Form of Words which signification the Apostles by the Institution of Christ frequently made use of Now the Holy Fathers made use of other names also to signifie the same thing For S. Austin testifies that it was call'd the Sacrament of Faith IV. By what other names the Sacrament of Baptism is call'd D. Aug. Epist 25. in sin Heb. 10.15 because they who receiv'd it made profession of the Faith or Belief of the whole Christian Religion Others call'd this Sacrament Illumination because the heart is illuminated by the Faith we profess in Baptism For thus says the Apostle Remember the former days wherein being illuminated ye underwent a great fight of sufferings to wit signifying when they were Baptiz'd Besides S. Chry. 10.5 Chrysostom in his Oration to those who were baptiz'd calls it both a Purgation whereby through Baptism we purge away the Old Leven that we may be a New Lump and a Burying and a Planting and Christ's Cross The reason of all which Names may be gather'd from the Epistle to the Romans And why S. Denys call'd it the Beginning of the most Holy Commandments S. Dionys de Eccl. Hier. c. 2. is evident seeing that this Sacrament is the Gate as it were through which we enter into the fellowship of Christian Life and from thenceforth begin to obey Gods commands and this will suffice briefly to be taught concerning the Name of Baptism Of the various Names of Baptism See Greg. Naz. Orat. in Sancta Lumina Clem. Alex. lib. 1. Paedag. c. 6. But as to the Definition of the Thing Tho there may many others be gather'd out of Sacred Writers V. The Definition of Baptism yet That seems more fit and suitable which we may learn from our Lords own words in S. John's Gospel and from the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And the Apostle when he spake of the Church Ephes 5.26 Cleansing her in the Laver of Water in the Word For through Adam by nature we are born the Children of Wrath but by Baptism we are born again in Christ the Children of Grace For he gave power to men to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.13 even to them that believe in his Name who are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the wiâ—l of man but of God But in what words soever the nature of Baptism chances to be explain'd VI. How the Sacrament of Baptism is made the people are to be taught That this Sacrament is made by Washing with which according to the institution of our Lord and Saviour must needs be us'd certain and solemn words as the Holy Fathers have always taught as is shew'd by the plain testimony of S. Austin The Word is added to the Element and so the Sacrament is made But the Faithful must be carefully taught An Error to be mark'd not to fall into that Error not to think as it is vulgarly us'd to be said that That Water which is kept in the Holy Font to make the Sacrament is the Sacrament For then only is it to be call'd the Sacrament of Baptism when in truth we use Water to wash any one adding those words which were instituted by our Lord. Of this see Chrysost hom 24. in Joan. Aug. l. 6. contra Donatist c. 25. Conc. Florent Trid. item August Tract 80. in Joan. Now because in the Beginning when we spake of Sacraments in general VII The Matter of Bap â—â—m is natural Water we said that every Sacrament consists of Matter and Form therefore what each of these is in the Sacrament of Baptism must be declar'd by the Pastors The Matter therefore or the Element of this Sacrament is any kind of natural Water whether of the Sea or the River or a Pond or a Well or a Fountain that is us'd to be call'd Water without any adjunct Joh 3.5 For our Savior has taught Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God â— h. 2.26 and the Apostle says That the Church was cleans'd by the Laver of Water And we read in the Epistle of S. John 1 Joh. 5.8 There are Three which bear record in Earth The Spirit the Water and the Bloodâ— this may be prov'd also from other testimonies of Holy Scipture But that which S. John the Baptist said Maâ— 3. that the Lord was coming that would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire this can by no means be understood of the Matter of Baptism but ought to be apply'd either to the inward working of the Holy Ghost or at least to the Miracle which appear'd on the day of Pentecost Act. 2.3 when the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven upon the Apostles in the likeness of Fire whereof in another place Christ our Lord foretold Act. 1.5 John indeed baptiz'd with Water but ye shall be baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost not many days hence But this we may observe from the Holy Scriptures to have bin signifi'd before-hand by the Lord VIII The Matter of Baptism figur'd in the Old Testament Gen. 6.5 2 Pet. 3.10 both in Figures and in the Oracles of the Prophets For the Flood whereby the World was cleans'd because the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and all the thoughts of his heart wholly set upon evil carri'd the Figure and Resemblance of This Water as the Prince of Apostles in his former Epistle shews And the Passage through the Red-Sea signifi'd this Water 1 Cor. 10.1 as S. Paul writing to the Corinthians expounds it 4 Reg 5.24 to omit the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian and the admirable virtue of the Pool of Bethsaiday Job 5.2 and many others of the like kind Wherein it plainly appears
Quin Corpus When therefore Sacred Writers found that they could by no means shew in one Word IV. Why this Sacrament call'd the Eucharist the Dignity and Excellence of this admirable Sacrament they endeavour'd to express it in more Words or Names For sometimes they call'd it the Eucharist which word we may render in English The Good Grace or the Thanksgiving And indeed rightly is it call'd the Good Grace both because it foreshews the Life Everlasting Rom. 6.23 whereof it is written Eternal Life is the Grace of God And also because it contains in it Christ our Lord who is the true Grace and the Fountain of all Gifts Nor do we less fitly interpret it a Thanksgiving For when we offer this most pure Host or Sacrifice we daily give God infinite Thanks for all his benefits towards us and especially for so excellent a benefit of his Grace which he gives us in this Sacrament But that very Name also is very agreeable with those things which we read were done by Christ our Lord at the instituting this Mystery For Mat. 26.16 Mar. 14 22. 1 Cor. 11.24 Luc. 22.19 Ps 110.5 taking Bread he brake it and gave thanks David also when contemplated the greatness of this Mystery before he would pronounce that Verse The merciful and gracious Lord has made a remembrance of his Wonders he has given Food to them that fear him thought it good first to give Thanks Confession or Thanksgiving and Magnificence is his work Chrysost hom 24. in 7. ad Cor. ad haec verba Calix Benedictionis Cypr. l. de lapsis Ambr. lib. 5. de Sacram. c. 3. D. Thom. 3. p. q. 73. a. 4. It is also oft call'd a Sacrifice of which Mystery shall be spoken more largely afterwards It is also call'd a Communion V. Oâ—her names giv'n to the Eucharist Sacrifice Communion 1 Cor. 10.16 Damasc l. 4. â— l. Orthod c. 4. which name is taken from that place of the Apostle where he says The Chalice of Blessing which we Bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ and the Bread which we break is it not the participaton of the Body of Christ For as Damascen has explain'd it This Sacrament couples us to Christ and makes us Partakers of his Flesh and of his Deity and reconciles us to one another in the same Christ and consolidates us as it were into one Body See Iren. lib. 5. cap. 7. Chrys hom 44. 45. in Joan Cyril in lib. 7. in Joan. c. 13. Cyril Hier. Catech. 4. Aug. Tract 26. in Joan. Trid. Sess 13. de Euch. in Praefat. Conc. Nicaen 21. Carth. 4. c. 77. 26. q. 6. passim Whence it comes to pass that it is also call'd the Sacrament of Peace and Charity The Sacrament of Peace and Charity that we may know how unworthy they are of the name of a Christian who practise enmity and that Hatred Strife and Discord are by all means to be rooted out as the most odious plague of the Faithful Especially seeing that in the daily Sacrifice of our Religion we profess not to be so studious and careful of any thing as of Peace and Charity It is also by Sacred Writers commonly call'd a Viaticum Vlaticum or Travellers Bait on his Journey Both because it is our Spiritual Meat wherewith we are sustain'd in the Pilgrimage of this life and because it gives us strength to attain to eternal Glory and Happiness And therefore according to the ancient appointment of the Catholic Church none of the Faithful were to depart this life without this Sacrament And the most antient Fathers following the Authority of the Apostles A Supper 1 Cor. 11.24 Cypr. de Coena Domini sometimes call'd the Holy Eucharist by the name of a Supper because in that saving Mystery of the Last Supper it was institued by Christ our Lord. Not that we ought therefore after our Meat or drink to consecrate or receive the Eucharist VI. The Eucharist to be consecrated and taken fasting since that wholesome practice introduc'd by the Apostles as the antient Writers have noted has always bin kept and observ'd namely that it should be receiv'd fasting Aug. Ep. 188. c. 6. And now the Reason of the Names being explain'd VII The Eucharist truly a Sacrament it must be taught that this is truly a Sacrament and that it is one of those seven which Holy Church has always religiously observ'd and reverenc'd For when the Consecration of the Chalice is made it is call'd The Mystery of Faith Besides to omit almost infinite Testimonies of Sacred Writers who have ever thought That this ought to be reckon'd among the true Sacraments it is manifestly prov'd from the very Reason and Nature of a Sacrament for therein are outward and sensible Signs And then it has both the Signification and effectual working of Grace And besides all this neither the Evangelists nor the Apostles leave any room to doubt that it was instituted by Christ All which things coming together to confirm it to be a true Sacrament it is evident that all arguments to prove it to be so are needless August l. 3. de Trinit c. 4. l. 20. contra Faust c. 13. Ambr. l. 1. de Sacram. c. 2. Trid. Sess 13. de Euch. c. 5. D. Thom. 3. p. q. 73. art 1. Now this is diligently to be observ'd of the Pastors VIII The name Sacrament given to many things in the Eucharist that there are many things in this Mystery to which sometimes Sacred Writers have attributed the Name of a Sacrament For sometimes the Consecration and Receiving but frequently the very Body and Blood of our Lord which is contained in the Eucharist is us'd to be call'd the Sacrament For S. Austin says That this Sacrament consists of two things De Cate. rud l. 5. c. 16. viz. the Visible appearance of Elements and the Invisible Flesh and Blood os our very Lord Jesus Christ August hic ad sensum potius quam ad verba citatus sed lege hac de materia librum Lanfranci contra Berengarium constat 23. tantum capitibus Vide de Consecr dist 2. ferè tota And after the same manner we affirm Note That this Sacrament is to he ador'd Trid. Sess 15 de Euch c 5. can 6. to wit understanding the Body and Blood of the Lord. But it is plain that all these are not so properly call'd Sacraments But the Species of Bread and Wine have the true Reason of this name Sacrament But how much this Sacrament differs from all the rest is easily perceiv'd for the other Sacraments are perfected in the use of the Matter to wit while they are administer'd to any one For Baptism then takes the Nature of a Sacrament IX The Eucharist differs from the other Sacraments First Secondly when a person is indeed wash'd with Water But to the perfection of the Eucharist the Consecration of the Matter is
Christ our Lord the same has bin always us'd in the Catholic Church We might here forbear the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers By Fathers and Councils which to reckon up would be endless and the Decree of the Council of Florence which is open and ready for all to see especially since by those words of our Savior Do this in commemoration of me we plainly see the same thing In Decret de Sacram. Item Trid. Sess 13. cap. 1. For what the Lord commanded to be done Note ought to be referr'd not only to what he did but also to what he said And we must know that indeed it chiefly belongs to the Words which were utter'd no less for the sake of Effecting than for the sake of Signifying As to the Fathers see Amb. lib. 4. de Sacram. c. 4. 5. Chrys hom de Prodit Judae Aug lib. 3. de Trinit c. 4. Iren. lib. 4. cont Haer. c. 34. Orig. lib. 8. cont Celsum Hesich lib. 6. in Levit. c. 22. Cyril Alex. Epist. ad Calosorum Episcop Tertul. lib. 4. contr Marc. in Hier. Epist. 1. But this may easily be perswaded by Reason By Reason For the Form is that whereby is signifi'd that thing which is wrought in this Sacrament Now when these words signifie and declare that thing which is done i. e. the conversion of the Bread into the true Body of our Lord it follows that the Form is to be put in those very Words in which meaning we may take that which is written by the Evangelist He Blessed Mat. 26. For he seems to mean as if he had said Taking Bread he Blessed it saying This is my Body For tho the Evangelist plac'd these words Take and Eat before Note yet it is plain that thereby is signifi'd not the Consecration of the Matter but the Vse only Wherefore they ought indeed by all means to be pronounc'd by the Priest but to the making the Sacrament they are not necessary As also that Conjunction For is pronounc'd in the Consecration of the Body and Blood Note for otherwise it would come to pass that if this Sacrament were to be administer'd to no body it ought not or cannot be done Whereas there can be no doubt but the Priest pronouncing the words of our Lord after the manner and appointment of Holy Church doth truly consecrate the proper matter of Bread altho it may then chance that the Holy Eucharist be not administer'd to any body at all And now as to the Consecration of the Wine XXI The Form of the Eucharist as to the Winâ— defin'd and prov'd Decretal lib. 3. de celeb Miss c. 6. which is the other Matter of this Sacrament for the same reason before mention'd there is need that the Priest rightly know and understand the Form That therefore we must certainly believe is comprehended in these words This is the Chalice of my Blood of the New and Eternal Testament the Mystery of Faith which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sins â— Of which words there are many gather'd from Sacred Scripture By Scripture Luc. 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 Mat. 26.28 But some have bin preserv'd in the Church by Apostolical Tradition For that which is said This is the Chalice is written by S. Luke and by the Apostle But that which follows Of my Blood or my Blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins was partly said by S. Luke and partly by S. Matthew But those words Of the Eternal and Mystery of Faith Holy Tradition By Tradition the interpreter and keeper of Catholic Unity has taught us But of this Form no one can doubt And Reason if he mind in this place also what was said before of the Form of Consecration which is us'd over the Element of Bread For it is manifest that by these words which signifie the substance of the Wine to be converted into the Blood of our Lord the Form of this Element is chang'd Wherefore since those words plainly declare this thing it is plain that there is no other Form to be made But they express besides XXII Three Effects of Christ's Blood certain admirable Fruits of Christ's blood shed in his Passion which specially belong to this Sacrament One is an Entrance to the Eternal Inheritance which comes to us by right of the New and Eternal Testament Another is an Entrance to Righteousness by the Mystery of Faith For God has offer'd Jesus through Faith in his Blood to be our Reconciler that he might be just and the justifier of him who is of the Faith of Jesus Christ The Third is the Forgiveness of Sins But because these very words of Consecration are full of Mysteries XXIII The words of the Consecration of the Wine explain'd Decretal lib. 3. de celeb Miss c. 6. and are very suitable to the matter we must consider them more carefully Now that it is said This is the Chalice of my Blood it must be thus understood This is my Blood which is contain'd in the Chalice Rightly therefore and very fitly here whilst the Blood as it is the Drink of the Faithful is consecrated there is mention to be made of the Chalice or Cup For neither would Blood seem to signifie sufficiently this kind of drink unless it were in some Vessels It then follows Of the New Testament which for this reason is added that we may understand that the Blood of Christ our Lord is not now given to Men in a Figure as it was done in the Old Testament for we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews Without Blood a Testament is not dedicated Heb. 9.16 but really and truly which properly belongs to the New Testament Wherefore the Apostle says Therefore Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death those who are call'd might receive the promise of eternal inheritance But the Word Eternal is to be referr'd to the eternal inheritance which of right comes to us by the death of Christ our Lord the eternal Testator That whit follows The Mystery of Faith excludes not the Truth of the thing but that which lies close hid and farthest off from the sight signifies that it is to be believ'd with a steady Faith But these words in this place have another meaning than they have when they are attributed to Baptism sor it is call'd the mystery of Faith because by Faith we perceive Christ's Blood hid under the Species of Wine But we properly call Baptism the Sacrament of Faith as the Greeks call it the Mystery of Faith because it contains the whole profession of Christian Faith Altho for another reason also we call the Blood of our Lord the Mysterie of Faith to wit because therein especially human reason finds much difficulty and labor when Faith offers to us to believe that the Son of God both God and Man suffer'd Death for us which
in S. John says Which I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World to wit calling the Bread his Flesh And a little after he subjoyns Vnless you shall eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye will not have Life in you And again My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed When therefore in so plain and clear words he call'd his Flesh Bread and true Meat and his Blood true Drink It might well seem sufficient do have declar'd That there remains no Substance of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament And that all the Holy Fathers Fourthly by the Authority and consent of Fathers Lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 4. c. 5. always agreed in this Doctrin He that is so minded may easily understand For thus writes S. Ambrose Thou saist perhaps my Bread is us'd But that Bread is Bread before the words of the Sacraments But when the Consecration is added of Bread it is made the Flesh of Christ Which that he might the better make appear he thereupon brings divers examples and Similitudes And elsewhere De Cons dist 2. c. omnia interpreting those words All things whatsoever the Lord pleas'd he has done in Heaven and in Earth For tho says he the Figure of Bread and Wine be seen yet after consecration nothing is to be believ'd to be there but the Flesh and Blood of Christ The same sense St. Hilary has taught and almost in the same words Altho outwardly Bread and Wine appear yet there is truly the Body and Blood of the Lord. Hil. de Trin. l. 8. de Consec dist 2. c. 28. But let the Pastors admonish XXXVIII Why after the Consecration of of the Eucharist it is call'd Bread That in this place it is not to be wonder'd at if even after Consecration it be call'd Bread For the Eucharist is us'd to be call'd by this name both because it has the species or Resemblance of Bread and also because it still retains the natural vertue of feeding and nourishing the Body which is proper to Bread Now that it is the usual manner of the Holy Scripture to call things as they appear to be that plainly shews which is written in Genesis Gen. 18.2 Act. 1.10 That three Men appear'd to Abraham which yet were truly three Angels And those Two that appear'd to the Apostles at the Ascension of Christ our Lord into Heaven tho they were Angels yet are they call'd Men. See D. Thom. 3. p. q. 75. art 3 4. The explication of this Article is altogether extream difficult XXXIX How cautiously the Conversion which is in the Eucharist is to be explain'd to the people but yet the Pastors shall endeavor to instruct those who are more skill'd in the the Contemplation of Divine Matters for it may be fear'd that those who are yet more weak may be oppress'd with the Greatness of the thing they shall endeavor I say to teach the Manner of this admirable Conversion which is so done that the whole Substance of the Bread and Wine by the divine power is chang'd into the whole Substance of Christ's Body and the whole Substance of the Wine into the whole Substance of Christ's Blood and this without any change of our Lord. For Christ is neither begotten anew nor chang'd nor increases but remains whole in his own Substance Which Mystery when St. Ambrose had declar'd D. Amb. lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 4. Thou seest says he how operative Christ's Word is If therefore there be so great a power in the Word of the Lord Jesus that those things began to be which were not to wit the World how much more operative is it to make those things to be which were before and to change them into another thing According to which sense other very grave and antient Father have written Citatur de Consec dist 2 c. Nos Autem Lib. 4. de Orthod fid c. 14. St. Austin thus We faithfully confess that before Consecration it is Bread and Wine which Nature has form'd but after Consecration it is the Body and Blood of Christ which the Blessing has consecrated Damascen The Body according to Truth is join'd to the Divinity that Body which came of the Holy Virgin Not that that Body which he took comes down from Heaven but that this Bread and Wine are chang'd into the Body and Blood of Christ This admirable Change therefore is conveniently and properly call'd by the Catholic Church Transubstantiation XL. This Conversion call'd Transubstantiation as the sacred Council of Trent has taught For as the Natural Generation when the Form is chang'd in it may rightly and properly be call'd a Transformation so also because in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the whole Substance of One thing passes into the whole substance of another thing the word Transubstantiation was rightly and wisely invented by our Forefathers See Trid. sess 13. c. 4. de can de Consec dist 2. cap. Panis But the Faithful are to be admonish'd LXI We are not too narrowly to enquire into Transubstantiation that tho' this be very often repeated by the Holy Fathers yet that they enquire not too curiously by what means this Change is wrought for neither can it be perceiv'd by us neither have we any example of this matter in natural Changes or in the very Creation of things But whatsoever is here done it is to be known by Faith but how it is done must not too curiously be search'd into The Pastors ought also to give them no less a Caution in explaining that Mystery how the Body of Chritt our Lord is contain'd whole in the least particle of Bread XLII The whole Body of Christ contain'd in the smallest particle for scarce ever are there any disputations of this kind to be allow'd but yet when Christian Charity requires it let them first of all remember to fore-arm the minds of Faithful with this word Luke 1.37 There is no word impossible with God Vide D. Thom. 3. p. q. 76. Trid. sess 13. c. 5. can 3. Florentin Decret Eugenii And then let them teach XLIII After what manner Christ is in the Eucharist it is not in the Sacrament as in a Place for Place belongs to those things that have Magnitude But we say not that Christ is in the Sacrament after that manner as he is Great or Little because that belongs to Quantity but as he is a Substance For the Substance of Bread is chang'd into the Substance of Christ not into Magnitude or Quantity But no one doubts that a Substance is equally contain'd in a Little as in a Great space For it must needs be that the Substance of the Air and its whole Nature is the same in a little as in a great part of the Air so also the whole Nature of Water is no less in a little Pitcher than in a River When the Lords Body succeeds
the Substance of the Bread we must confess that it is in the Sacrament just after the same manner as the Substance of Bread before Consecration But to confess whether it be under a Great or under a Little Quantity is nothing at all to the purpose Now follows the Third thing which in this Sacrament seems very great and wonderful XLIV The Accidents remain in the Eucharist without the Subject which after the other two being explain'd must be suppos'd may be handl'd by the Pastors with more Ease to wit that the species of Bread and Wine in this Sacrament remain without any subject Matter For seeing it was shew'd before that the Lords Body and Blood are truly in the Sacrament so that there subsists no more any Substance at all of Bread and Wine because those Accidents cannot be inherent to the Body and Blood of Christ it remains that beyond all the order and course of Nature they uphold themselves without any other thing to suport them This has bin the perpetual and constant Doctrin of the Church which will be easie to confirm by the Authority of those testimonies by which it was before made evident that there remains no Substance of Bread or Wine in the Eucharist Vide de Consecr dist 2. c. Nos autem Decretal lib. 1. tit de celeb Miss c. Cum Matt. D. Thom. 3. p. q. 75 a. 3. q. 77. a. 1. But nothing is more suitable to the Devotion of the Faithful XLV The Duty of the Faithful towards the Eucharist than passing by all more nice and subtil questions that they adore and reverence the Majesty of this admirable Sacrament And then that therein they embrace the supream Providence of God that he has instituted these Holy Mysteries to be administred under the species of Bread and Wine For since it is the most horrid thing in the world to the Nature of Man to be fed with Man's Flesh XLVI Why under the species of Bread and Wine the Eucharist was instituted or to drink his Blood he most wisely order'd it that his most Holy Body and Blood should be administer'd to us under the species of those things of Bread and Wine I say by whose common and daily use and nourishment we are mostly delighted And there are adjoin'd these two Conveniencies whereof the first is that we are freed from the reproach of Infidels which we could not easily have avoided if we should be seen to eat our Lord under his own species The other is that while we thus take the Body and Blood of the Lord in such a manner as notwithstanding what is truly done cannot be perceiv'd by the senses this avails very much to increase Faith in our Souls which verily as Gregories known sentence is Faith has no Merit where Human Reason gives the Experiment Hom. 26. super Evangelia Vide Cyril lib. 4. in Joan. c. 22. Cypr. de Coena Domini Ambr. de Sacram. lib. 4. c. 4. Aug. Tract 27. in Joan. D. Thom. 3. p. q. 74. a. 1. q. 75. a. 1. But these things which have hitherto been expounded are not to be explain'd without great caution us'd according to the Capacity of the Hearers and the Necessity of Times But those things which may be said concerning the Influence and Fruits of this admirable Sacrament XLVII The Vertue and innumerable advantages of the Eucharist we must know that there is no sort of the Faithful to whom the Knowledge of these things belongs not and to whom it ought not to seem very necessary Now that the Faithful may understand the Vtility of the Eucharist for this cause chiefly those things which are with so many words discours'd concerning this Sacrament are to be known But because the immense Advantages and Fruits thereof can never by Words be express'd there may One or Two Points be handl'd by the Pastors to shew what a plenty and abundance of all good things are included in these Mysteries Vide Trid. Sess 13. c. 3. can 5. Iren. lib. 4. c. 14. Cyril lib. 4. in Joan. c. 11. 14. Chrys hom 45. in Joan. D. Thom. 3. p. q. 79. And this in part they will thus perform XLVIII The Eucharist the Fountain of all the Sacraments if the vertue and nature of all the Sacraments being laid open they compare the Eucharist to the Fountain and the other Sacraments to the smaller streams for we must needs call it and that truly the Fountain of all Graces because after an admirable manner it contains in it the very Fountain of Heavenly Gifts and Endowments and the Author of all the Sacraments Christ our Lord from which as from the Fountain is deriv'd or drawn to the other Sacraments whatsoever Goodness or Perfection they have From hence therefore the most ample endowments of Divine Grace which are bestow'd on us in this Sacrament may easily be collected It may seem profitable also to consider well the Nature of Bread and Wine XLIX What Food is to the Body that the Eucharist is to the Spirit which are the Symbols of this Sacrament For see of what Vse Bread and Wine is to the Body of the same but in a far better and more perfect manner is the Sacrament of the Eucharist to the Health and Delight of the Soul For neither is This Sacrament chang'd into our substance as the Bread and Wine is but after a certain sort it changes us into its own Nature So that rightly may that of St. Austin be transferr'd hither Lib. 7. Consess c. 10. I am the Meat of Great ones grow great and thou shalt eat me nor shalt thou change me into thee as thou dost thy Bodily meat but thou shalt be chang'd into me Vide Ambr. lib. 5. de Sacram. c. 4. Chrys hom 45. in Joan. Now if Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ L. Grace flows into the Soul thro the Eucharist Joh. 6.56 57. it must need flow into thy Soul when thou tak'st him purely and holily who said of himself He that eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood dwells in me and I in him for those who being affected with the study of Piety and Religion take this Sacrament no one ought to doubt but that they so take into themselves the Son of God as that they are grafted into his Body as living Members for it is written He that eats me even he shall live by reason of me And Lib. 4. in Joan. c. 12.14 Epist ad Nester 10. The Bread which I will give is my Flesh for the life of the World Which place Cyril interpreting says The Word of God uniting himself to his own Flesh made it quickning It therefore became him after a wonderful manner to be united to our Bodies thro his sacred Flesh and precious Blood which we have receiv'd in the Bread and Wine by his quickning or enlivening Benediction But forasmuch as it is said I.I. When the Eucharist does
was instituted of Christ our Lord for Two causes The One is that it might be the heavenly Food of our Souls wherewith we might preserve and sustain our spiritual Life The Other that the Church might have a perpetual Sacrifice whereby our sins might be expiated and our heavenly Father who has often times bin grievously offended by our wickedness might be turn'd from his Anger to his Mercy and from the severity of his just Revenge to Pity We may observe the Figure and Resemblance of this thing in the Paschal Lamb which was us'd to be offer'd as a Sacrifice and eaten as a Sacrament by the Children of Israel Vide Trid. de Sacrif Missae c. 1.3 Dionys l. 17. de Eccl. c. 3. Ignat. Epist ad Smyrn Tert. lib. de Orat. Iren. l. 4. c. 32. Aug. lib. 10. de Civit. Dei c. 10. Et lib. 17. c. 20. lib. 18. c. 35. lib. 19. c. 23. lib. 22. c. 8. alibi passim Nor indeed when our Savior was about to offer himself to God the Father upon the Altar of the Cross LXXVII How great the Benefit of the Eucharist is could he give any more illustrious signification of his immense Love towards us than when he left us a visible Sacrifice whereby might be restor'd that which was a little after to be sacrific'd once in Blood on the Cross and the memory thereof might every Day be honor'd by the Church spread abroad over all the World to her exceeding advantage even to the end of the World Now these Two ways are very different in themselves LXXVIII The Difference between a Sacrifice and a Sacrament for a Sacrament is perform'd or perfected in the Consecration but the force or vertue of a Sacrifice consists in this that it be Offer'd Wherefore the Sacred Eucharist while it is kept in the Pyx or carry'd to the Sick has not the Nature of a Sacrifice but of a Sacrament and besides as it is a Sacrament it gives them that receive the Divine Hoste or Sacrifice cause of Merit and all those other advantages which were before remembred but as it is a Sacrifice it has not only the Efficacy of Meriting but of Performing also For as Christ our Lord in his Passion merited and satisfi'd for us so they that offer this Sacrifice wherein they communicate with us do satisfie and merit the fruits of our Lord's Passion Now concerntng the Institution of this Sacrifice LXXIX By Whom and when the Sacrifice of Mass was instituted the Holy Synod of Trent has left no more room to doubt for she has declar'd that it was instituted by Christ our Lord at his last Supper and has condemn'd those with an Anathema that assert that a true and proper Sacrifice is not offer'd to God or that to Offer is nothing else than that Christ is given to be eaten Sess 22. de Sacrificio Missae c. 1. can 1. 2. Nor did she omit LXXX Sacrifice to be offer'd to God only and not to the Saints but diligently explain'd that Sacrifice is done to God only for altho' sometimes the Church uses to celebrate Masses in Memory and Honor of the Saints yet she never taught to offer Sacrifice to them but to One God only who has crown'd them with immortal Glory Wherefore neither is the Priest wont at any time to say I offer Sacrifice to Thee Peter or Paul but while the sacrifices to God only she gives thanks to him for the signal Victory of the blessed Martyrs and so implores their Patronage that they would vouchsafe to intercede for us in Heaven whose Memory we celebrate on Earth Now these things which have bin deliver'd by the Catholic Church concerning the Truth of this Sacrifice she receiv'd from our Lords own Words when in that last night commending to his Apostles these Sacred Mysteries 1 Cor. 10.24 Do this says he in Commemoration of me He then Note as has bin defin'd by the Holy Synod made them Priests and appointed that both they and those who were to succeed them in the Priests Office should Sacrifice and Offer his Body And this the Words of the Apostle written to the Corinthians evidently shew when he says 1. Cor. 10â— Ye cannot drink the Chalice of the Lord and the Chalice of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Devils For as by the Table of Devils is to be understood the Altar whereon Sacrifice was done to them so also that what the Apostle proposes may by probable Argument be concluded the Table of the Lord can signifie nothing else but the Altar on which Sacrifice was done to the Lord. Now if from the Old Testament we would have some Figures and Oracles of this Sacrifice LXXXI Figures and Prophecies of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist first then Malachias has most plainly prophecy'd of it in these words From the rising up of the sun to the going down thereof my name is great among the Gentiles and in every place a clean oblation is offered to my name because my name is great among the Gentiles says the Lord of Hosts Besides this Hoste or Sacrifice was foreshew'd as well before as after the Law was given in divers kinds of Sacrifices for this one Sacrifice as the Perfection and Fulfilling of all the rest contains in it all those good things which were but signifi'd by those other Sacrifices But yet we cannot see the Figure of This better express'd in any thing thah in Melchizedechs Sacrifice for our Savior himself declaring himself to be a Priest forever according to the Order of Melchizedech at his last Supper offer'd his own Body and Blood to God the Father under the species of Bread and Wine We therefore acknowledge it to be LXXXII The Sacrifice of the Mass and of the Cross is one and the same Sacrifice and it ought to be accounted but One and the same Sacrifice which is done in the Mass and which was offer'd on the Cross even as it is One and the same Hoste to wit Christ our Lord who once only offer'd himself in his Blood upon the Cross For the Bloody and Vnbloody Hoste is not Two Hosts but one Hoste only Luc. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 the Sacrifice whereof is renew'd daily in the Church after that our Lord had commanded thus Do this in Commemoration of me And there is One and the same Priest Christ the Lord LXXXIII Christ and the Priests are but One Priest For the Ministers that make this Sacrifice undergo not their own but the Person of Christ when they consecrate his Body and Blood as is evident from the words of the very Consecration for the Priest says not This is Christ's Body but This is my Body to wit bearing the Person of Christ our Lord he changes the substance of the Bread and Wine into the true Substance of his Body and Blood Chrys hom 2. in 2. ad Tim.
ad Heliod Chrysost lib. 3. de Sacerd. Hom. 5. de verbis Isaiae Gregor Hom. 26. in Evang. Amb. lib. 2. de Cain c. 4. Trid. Sess 14. de Poenit. c. 5. Can. 7. The Pastors therefore shall teach these things which have bin decreed by the Holy Synod of Trent LV. The Confirmation of what was said before and always deliver'd by the Catholic Church For if we attentively read the most Holy Fathers we shall every where meet with most plain testimonies whereby it will be confirm'd that this Sacrament and the Law of Sacramental Confession which they call'd in Greek Exomologesis and Exagoreusis as receiv'd from the very Gospel was instituted by Christ our Lord. But if we desire Figures of the Old Testament also without doubt those various kinds of Sacrifices which were made by the Priests for the expiating of divers kinds of sins do seem to belong to the Confession of sins But because the Faithful are to be taught that Confession was instituted by our Lord and Savior LVI Ceremonies us'd at Confession It is fit that there should be also some Rites and solemn Ceremonies added by the Authority of the Church to admonish them which tho they belong not to the vertue of the Sacrament yet they put more plainly before mens Eyes the dignity thereof and dispose the Souls of them that Confess being already kindl'd with devotion the more easily to obtain the Grace of God For when with uncover'd Head cast down at the Priests feet with countenance down towards the Earth and hands stretch'd forth in a beseeching posture and giving other such like signs of Christian Humility which are not indeed necessary to the Reason or Vertue of the Sacrament we confess our sins from these things we may evidently understand both that there is a Heavenly Vertue in the Sacrament and also that the divine Mercy is to be sought and procur'd by us with the greatest study And now let no one think that Confession was indeed instituted of the Lord LVII The Necessity of Confession but yet so as tho he had not told us that the Use of it is necessary For let the Faithful be assur'd of this that he who is opprest by any Mortal Sin ought to be call'd back to Spiritual Life by the Sacrament of Confession Which thing indeed by a very fair Tradition from our Lord we see plainly signifi'd when he call'd the Power of administring this Sacrament the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven For as no one can go in to any place Mat. 16.19 without the help of him to whom are committed the Keys so we understand that no one is admitted into Heaven except the Doors are open'd them by the Priests to whose Trust the Lord has committed the Keys Otherwise there will plainly seem to be no Use at all of the Keys in the Church and in vain will he to whom the power of the Keys is given prohibit any one the entrance of Heaven if notwithstanding some other way to enter in there may be open'd Now this was excellently observ'd by S. Austin when he said Lib. 50. hom 49. Let no one say to himself I do Penance secretly before God God knows who pardons me what I do in my Heart Mat. 18. Is it therefore without reason said What ye loose on Earth shall be loos'd in Heaven Were the Keys therefore without cause given to the Church of God And to the same sense S. Ambrose in the Book he has left written concerning Penance where he would root up the Heresie of the Novatians Lib. 1. de Poenit. c. 12. who asserted that the Power of forgiving sins was reserv'd to the Lord alone And who says he reverence God more those that obey or those that resist his Commandments God has commanded us to obey his Ministers whom when we obey we give honor to God only But seeing it cannot be doubted LVIII At what Age we are bound to confess that the Law of Confession was made and establish'd by the Lord himself it remains that we see at what time of Age and Years men ought to obey it First therefore by the Canon of the Council of Lateran Lateran Concil c. 21. whose beginning is Omnis Vtriusque sexûs it is evident that no body is bound by the Law of Confession before that Age wherein he may have the Use of Reason Nor yet is that Age by any certain number of years defin'd But this seems to be held in general that Confession ought to be enjoyn'd to a Child from the time when he has the power of discerning betwixt Good and Evil and when his mind is capable of sorrow For when any one comes to that time of his Life when he can consider of his eternal Salvation then ought he to begin to confess his sins to a Priest when otherwise no one can hope for Salvation who is loaded with the Conscience of wickedness But at what time especially Confession ought to be made LIX At what time Confession must be made Holy Church has decreed in that Canon before mentioned For it commands all the Faithful to confess their sins at least once a year But if we consider what the Reason of our Salvation requires verily as often as the danger of Death hangs over us or that we set about any thing the doing whereof does not suit with a person polluted with sin as when we administer or receive the Sacraments so often Confession is not to be pretermitted And the same thing we ought strictly to observe when we fear or are likely to forget any sin we have done Neither can we confess sins which we remember not Neither can we get Pardon of God for those sins unless the Sacrament of Penance by Confession blot them out But because in Confession LX. Confession only to be intire many things are to be observ'd whereof some belong to the Nature of the Sacrament and others are not so necessary concerning these things it must be carefully treat'd For neither are there Books and Commentaries wanting from whence it is easie to fetch the Explication of these things But first of all let the Curats teach this that in Confession there must be care taken that it be intire and absolute For all Mortal sins must be reveal'd to a Priest LXI All Mortal sins altho hid must be confess'd For Venial Sins which do not pluck us away from the Grace of God altho rightly and profitably we confess them as the practice of devout men shews yet they may be pretermitted without Fault and may be expiated many other ways But deadly sins as was said before must be reckon'd up altho they were done never so secretly and undiscover'd and were of that sort which are forbid in the Two last Heads of the Decalogue For it often happens that they wound the Soul more than those which men are use to commit plainly and openly For so it has bin
Parts thereof shall be so taught that the Faithful may not only understand them perfectly but also by Gods help they may resolve indeed to perform them devoutly and religiously Of the SACRAMENT of EXTREAM VNCTION SInce the Holy Oracles of Scripture teach us thus I. Why this Sacrament is often to be treated of In all thy works remember thy last end and thou shalt not sin forever The Curats are tacitly admonish'd that no time is to be pretermitted of exhorting the Faithful Eccl. 7.40 to be daily conversant in the Meditation of Death But how can the Sacrament of Extream Unction choose but have the Memory of that Last day join'd with it Hence we may easily understand that this Sacrament must often be treated of not only for this Reason because it is very convenient to open and unfold the Mysteries of those things which belong to Salvation But also because the Faithful will restrain their evil Lusts when they consider in their minds that there lies upon all a Necessity of Dying wherefore also it will so come to pass that they will feel themselves less troubl'd at the Expectation of Death But let them give immortal thanks to God II. Thanks to be given to God for the Institution of this Sacrament who as in the Sacrament of Baptism he has laid open to us an entrance to the true Life so also when we depart out of this mortal life that we might have a more ready way to Heaven he has instituted the Sacrament of Extream Unction That therefore those things which are more necessary to explain it III. Why this Sacrament call'd Extream Unction may be open'd almost in the same Order which has bin observ'd in the other Sacraments It shall first be taught that This Sacrament is therefore call'd Extream Unction because this of all the Sacred Unctions which our Lord and Savior commended to his Church is last to be administer'd Wherefore this very Unction was also call'd by our Ancestors IV. Other Names of this Sacrament the Sacrament of the Vnction or Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of them that go out of the world By which Names the Faithful may easily be brought to the remembrance of their last End Vide Hugon de Sacr. part 15. c. 2. Pet. Dam. Serm. de Dedicat. Eccles But this will be made evident V. Extream Unction prov'd to be a Sacrament if we attend to the words wherewith St. James the Apostle has declar'd the Law of this Sacrament Is any one sick among you says he Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oyl in the Name of the Lord First and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall ease him Isai 5.14 and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him For Secondly because the Apostle affirms that sins are forgiven therein he declares the Force and Nature of a Sacrament Now that This was the perpetual Doctrin of the Catholic Church concerning Extream Unction Thirdly both many other Councils testifie and by the Council of Trent it has bin declar'd in such a manner Sess 43. de Extrema Vnct. c. 1. can 3. that she has decreed the Pain of an Anathema against all those who presume to teach or think otherwise And Innocent the First also very much commends this Sacrament to the Faithful Innocent Epist 1. ad Decent cap. 8. citatur dist 95. c. illud superfluum Item Conc. Cabilon cap. 48. Wormaciense c. 72. Constan. Florent It is therefore constantly to be taught of the Pastors VI. Extream Unction is a Sacrament that it is a true Sacrament and not many but One altho it be administer'd with many Unctions or Anointings to every one whereof are us'd proper Prayers and a peculiar Form It is One VII How Extream Unction is One Sacrament not in continuation of the Parts which may not be divided but in perfection of which sort are all other things which consist of many parts For as a House which is compos'd of many and divers things yet is but One only in perfect Form So the Sacrament altho it be made up of many Things and Words yet it is but One sign and has the Efficiency of One thing only which it signifies Moreover VIII This Sacrament has Matter and Form Isai 5.14 the Curats shall teach what the Parts of this Sacrament are The Element I say and The Word For these things are not pass'd over by S. James in every one whereof we may observe their own Mysteries The Element or Matter whereof IX What the matter is In the place before cited as the Councils and especially that of Trent has decreed is Oyl consecrated by a Bishop to wit the Liquor not press'd out of any fat and thick Nature but out of the Buries of the Olives only Now this Matter very fitly signifies that thing which by Vertue of this Sacrament X. How fit this matter is is inwardly wrought in the Soul for as Oyl is very profitable to mitigate the Pains of the Body So the Vertue of the Sacrament lessens the sorrow and grief of the Soul Besides Oyl restores sweetness makes chearful and feeds our Lights and also it is very suitable to refresh and strengthen a weary Body All which things declare what by the Divine Power is wrought upon a sick man thro the Administration of this Sacrament And This concerning the Matter is sufficient XI What the Form of this Sacrament is But the Form of this Sacrament is the Word and that solemn Prayer which the Priest uses at every Anointing when he says God indulge or pardon thee by this Holy Vnction whatsoever offence thou hast done thro the fault of thy Eyes or Nostrils or Touch. Now that This is the true and proper Form of this Sacrament XII This prov'd to be the proper Form the Apostle S. James signifies when he says Let them pray over him and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick Whence we know that the Form is to be us'd in manner of a Prayer altho with what Words chiefly it is to be conceiv'd the Apostle has not express'd But This we have from the Tradition of the Fathers XIII This Form us'd every where So that all Churches retain this manner of Form which the Roman Church the Mother and Mistress of all Churches uses For tho' some change some few Words as when for God indulge thee They put Remit or Spare and sometimes also Heal whatsoever thou hast committed But yet because there is no alteration of the sense it is evident that the same Form is religiously observ'd of all Nor let any one wonder why it is so XIV Why this Form is in the manner of a Prayer that the Form of other Sacraments either absolutely signifies what it effects as when we say I Baptize thee or I Sign
Faithful from this Doctrin may gather very much Fruit of Piety and Devotion Of the SACRAMENT of ORDER IF any one consider the Nature and Reason of the other Sacraments I. Why the Sacrament of Order ought to be treated of before the People he will easily perceive that all the Rest so depend upon this Sacrament of Order that without This partly the other can by no means be made or administer'd And partly they will seem to want the Solemn Ceremony and ◠kind of Religious Rite and Honor. Wherefore it is necessary that the Pastors prosecuting the intended Doctrin of the Sacraments suppose themselves oblig'd to treat so much the more diligently of the Sacrament of Order For the explication hereof will be very profitable First first to themselves and then to others who are enter'd into the Rule of Ecclesiastical Life and lastly to the Faithful People also To Themselves That while they are imploy'd in the handling of this Point they may be mov'd the more to stir up that Grace which they have obtain'd in this Sacrament To others Secondly who are call'd into the Lot of the Lord Partly that they may be affected with the same study of Piety and partly that they may get the knowledg of those things wherewith being furnish'd they may the more easily prepare themselves a way to the higher Degrees To the rest of the Faithful Thirdly first that they may understand what Honor the Ministers of the Church are worthy of And then Fourthly because it often happens that many are present who either have design'd their Children being yet but Infants to the Ministery of the Church or who of their own Choice and Will are minded to follow that kind of life for whom to be ignorant what things chiefly belong to that Course of Life is very unfit What belongs to the Manners of those that are in any Ecclesiastical Order is to be seen yea and must be known in the later part of every Session of the Council of Trent which is of Reformation But what belongs to Order as it is a Sacrament See idem Conc. Sess 13. de singulis Ordinationibus Vid. Concil Carthag IV. sub Anastatio Pontifice Anno 398. First therefore the Faithful must be taught II The Dignity of this Sacrament how great the Nobility and Excellency of this Sacrament is if we consider the Degree thereof i. e. the Priest-hood For seeing the Bishops and Priests are as it were the Interpreters and Ambassadors of God First Let the Priests consider this who in Gods name teach Men the divine Law and the Rules of Life and personate God himself in the Earth it is evident that their Function is such as a greater cannot be conceiv'd Wherefore they are worthily call'd not only Angels but Gods also because they hold the Power and the Name of the immortal God among us Now altho in all Ages the Priests have had the highest Dignity Secondly yet the Priests of the New Testament far excel all the rest in Honor. For Power both of consecrating and offering the Body and Blood of the Lord and also of remitting sins which is given them far excels all Human Reason and Understanding nor can there be found any thing like it in the whole world And then even as our Savior was sent by the Father Thirdly and the Apostles and Disciples were sent by Christ into all the World Let the Priest observe this so the Priests being indu'd with the same Power as they are sent for the Perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery Eph. 4.22 for the Edification of the Body of Christ Of the Dignity of the Priesthood see Ignat. Epist ad Smyrnen Ambr. lib. 5. Epist. 32. lib. 10. Ep. 82. Chrysost hom 60. ad Pop. Antioch in Matth. hom 83. Nazian Orat. 17. ad suos cives The weight of this so great an Office therefore is not rashly to be laid upon any one III. Who are to be Ordain'd ought to be call'd and what kind of Persons Heb. 5.4 but upon them only who by their holiness of Life Learning Faith Prudence are able to bear it Nor let any one take this Office to himself but he who is call'd of God as Aaron But they are said to be call'd of God who are call'd by the lawful Ministers of the Church For they who arrogantly plant and intrude themselves into this Ministery Note it must be taught that of them the Lord meant when he said I sent not the Prophets and yet they ran Hier. 23.21 than which kind of men nothing can be more unhappy nothing can be more miserable and calamitous to the Church Vide dist 23 multis in capitibus But because in the undertaking of every Action IV. The Intention of those that are to be Ordain'd to be directed it is of very great moment What End every one appoints to himself for a good Intent will have a good Event Of This in the first place they are to be admonish'd who will be initiated into Sacred Orders that they propose nothing to themselves unworthy of so great an Office which Point is indeed by so much the more diligently to be handl'd by how much the more diligently at this Time the Faithful are us'd to offend in this Matter For some apply themselves to this way of Living V. An ill Intention 〈◊〉 with this design to get themselves necessaries for Meat and Cloaths So that they seem to respect nothing at all in the Priesthood but Gain as commonly all others do in any kind of base Trade For tho according to the Apostles sentence both the Law of God and Nature commands that he that serves the Altar should live of the Altar 1 Cor. 9.9 yet to come to the Altar for Gain and Lucres sake Note is the highest Sacriledge Others will be ordain'd VI. Another ill Intention that they may abound with Riches Whereof this is an Argument that unless some wealthy Ecclesiastical Benefice be bestow'd on them they have no Thought of Sacred Order But those are they Joh. 10.17 whom our Savior call'd Hirelings And who as Ezekiel says Ezek. 34.8 Feed themselves and not the sheep Whose Baseness and Dishonesty not only brings a thick darkness and reproach upon the Priesthood so that now nothing can be by the Faithful people accounted more contemptible and mean But it causes also that they themselves get nothing more by the Priesthood than Judas did by the Office of Apostleship which turn'd to his everlasting destruction But those are worthily to be said to enter into the Church by the Door VII The right Intention of them that are to be Ordain'd who being lawfully call'd of God do undertake the Ecclesiastical Functions for this one cause only that they may bring honor to God Nor yet is this to be taken Note as tho this Law did not equally oblige all For Men
were therefore created to honor God which the Faithful especially who have obtain'd the Grace of Baptism ought to do with all their Heart with all their Soul and with all their strength But those who will be initiated in the Sacrament of Order VIII The Intention of those to be Ordain'd ought to be higher than of others must needs propose This to themselves not only to seek the Glory of God in all things which thing is common to all but especicially to the Faithful but also that some being dedicated to any Ministry of the Church might serve him in holiness and righteousness For as in an Army all the Soldiers do indeed obey the command of the General But among them One is a Colonel and another a Captain and others have other Offices So altho all the Faithful ought to follow Piety and Innocence with all their study with which things God is most worshipp'd yet they who are initiated in the Sacrament of Order must perform some special Offices and Functions in the Church For they perform Sacred things both for themselves and for all the People IX Wherein those that are initiated Sacred Orders excel others and teach the Efficacy of the Divine Law and exhort and instruct the Faithful readily and chearfully to observe it and administer the Sacraments of Christ the Lord whereby all Grace is bestow'd and increas'd and to say all in a Word being separated from the rest of the people they exercise themselves in the far greatest and most excellent Ministry of all These things being explain'd X. Ecclesiastical Power double viz of Order and Jurisdiction the Curats shall come to the handling of those things which are proper to this Sacrament that the Faithful who desire to be receiv'd into Ecclesiastical Order may know to what kind of Office they are call'd and how great a Power is given of God to his Church and to the Ministers thereof Now this Power is double Of Order and of Jurisdiction The Power of Order is referr'd to the true Body of Christ the Lord in the Holy Eucharist But the whole Power of Jurisdiction is in the Mystic Body of Christ for to this Power belongs the Rule and Government of Christian people and to direct them to eternal and heavenly Bliss Now the Power of Order does contain not only the power of Consecrating the Eucharist XI To what things the Power of Order extends it self but fits and prepares the Souls of men to receive it and contains all those other things which may any way be referr'd to the Eucharist And hereof many testimonies may be brought out of Sacred Scripture XII This Power prov'd But those are very clear and weighty which we find in S. John and S. Matthew for the Lord said Joâ— 21.22 As the Father sent me even so send I you Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whose sins ye retain they are retained And Verily I say to you whatsoever things ye shall hind on earth shall be bound in heaven Matth. 18.18 and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loos'd in heaven Which places being by the Pastors explain'd from the Doctrin and Authority of the Holy Fathers may bring very much Light to this Truth But this Power very much excels that XIII How great this Power of Order is which in the Law of Nature is given to other Men who took care of Sacred Matters Vide de Consecr dist 2. cap. Nihil in Sacrific Conc. Trid. Sess 22. c. 1. Iren. lib. 4. c. 34. Aug. lib. 19. de Civit. Dei cap. 23. For it must needs be that that Age XIV There were Priests by the Law of Nature which was before the Law was written had her Priesthood and her spiritual Power since it is sufficiently manifest that she had a Law For these Two are so closely join'd together as the Apostle testifies that the One being taken away it must needs be that the other must be taken away also Seeing therefore that by natural Instinct Men know that God is to be worshipp'd it consequently follow'd that in every Common-wealth some should be plac'd over the charge of Sacred Things and the Worship of God whose Power in some sort might be call'd Spiritual This Power the Israelites had XV. Christ's Priesthood higher than that of Moses Let the Priests mark which tho it were higher in Dignity than that wherewith the Priests were indu'd by the Law of Nature yet is it to be thought far below the Spiritual Power of the Gospel For this is Heavenly and excels even all the Power of Angels For it has its beginning not from the Mosaical Priesthood XVI This Power is deriv'd from Christ but from Christ the Lord who was a Priest not according to the Order of Aaron but of Melchizedech For he it is that being indu'd with the supream Power of Giving Grace and Forgiving sins has left this Power altho definite in Vertue and ty'd to the Sacraments to his Church Wherefore to exercise or perform this Matter XVII The Consecration of the Ministers of the Church call'd the Sacrament of Order certain Ministers are appointed and consecrated in a solemn religious manner which Consecration is call'd The Sacrament of Order or Sacred Ordination But it pleas'd the Holy Fathers to use This Word because it has a very large signification to shew the Dignity and Excellency of the Ministers of God For Order XVIII What Order is if we take the proper Force and Notion of it is the Disposition of Superior and Inferior things which are so suited among themselves as that One may be referr'd to another Whereas therefore in this Ministry there are many Degrees and divers Functions XIX Why this Sacrament call'd Order but all things distributed and plac'd in a certain Rule rightly and conveniently does the name of Order seem to be given to it But that Sacred Ordination is to be reckon'd among the other Sacraments of the Church XX. Order is a Sacrament Sess 23. de Ordine the Holy Synod of Trent has prov'd by that reason which has often bin repeated For whereas a Sacrament is a sign of a Sacred Thing but that which in this Consecration is outward signifies Grace and Power which is given to him that is consecrated it very plainly follows that Order is truly and properly to be call'd a Sacrament That Order is a Sacrament see Trid. Sess 23. de Ordine c. 1. 3. can 3 4.5 Conc. Florent in decret de Sacr. Aug. lib. 2. contra Epist Parmen c. 13. de bono conjug c. 24. lib. 1. de Bap. contra Donat. c. 1. Leo Epist 18. Greg. in c. 10. lib. 1. Reg. Wherefore the Bishop reaching forth a Chalice with Wine and Water XXI When and by whom this Power is conferr'd and a Paten with Bread to him that is to be Ordain'd a Priest saying
Take thou power of offering Sacrifice c. by which words the Church has always taught while the Matter is exhibited that the Power of Consecrating the Eucharist a Character being impress'd on the Soul is deliver'd to which is adjoin'd Grace rightly and lawfully to discharge that Office Which thing the Apostle declares in these words 2 Tim. 1.9 I admonish thee that thou stir up the Grace of God which is in thee by the Imposition of my hands for God has not given us the Spirit of Fear but of Power and of Love and of Sobriety And now to use the words of Sacred Synod since the Administration of so great a Priesthood is so Divine a thing that it might be exercis'd so much the more worthily and with so much the greater Veneration it was fit that in the most comely and orderly Disposition of the Church there should be many and divers Orders in the Church who by their Office might serve the Priesthood and those indeed who thus are distributed are now to be known by their being shav'd in the manner of Clerks and ascend thro the lesser to the greater Orders It shall therefore be taught that these Orders are seven in number XXII How many Orders of Ministers of the Church and what they are as has always bin taught in the Catholic Church the Names whereof are these Door-keeper Reader Exorcist Acolyt Sub-deacon Deacon Priest These Orders have bin remember'd by Dionys lib. Eccl. hier cap. 3. Cornel. Papa in Ep. ad Fab. Epist Antioch extat apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 35. Conc. Carth. 4. Can. 4. sequ Ignat Ep. ad Antioch Now that this number of Ministers is rightly defin'd may be prov'd XXIII Why so many by reason of those Ministers which seem necessary to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to the consecrating and administring the Eucharist for which cause especially they were instituted Now of these there are some Greater XXIV Some Orders greater some lesser and which they are which are also call'd Sacred and there are Others Lesser The Greater or Sacred are the Orders of Priesthood of Deaconship and Sub-deaconship To the Lesser Orders are referr'd the Acolyts Exorcists Readers and Door-keepers of all which severally we will say a little that the Curats may have wherewith to instruct those chiefly whom they know are to be receiv'd into any Holy Order And we must begin at the First shaving XXV What the first shaving is which must be taught to be a kind of Preparation to Orders For as men are us'd to be prepar'd for Baptism by Exorcisms and for Matrimony by Betrothing So when by shaving the Hair of the Head they are dedicated to God there is an Entrance as it were open'd them to the Sacrament of Order For it is declar'd what kind of person he ought to be who desires to receive Ordination For the Name of Clerk XXVI Where the Name of Clerk is taken which is then first put upon him is taken from hence that he begins to have the Lords Lot and his Inheritance as those among the Hebrew people who were bound to the Divine Service to whom the Lord forbad any portion of Fields to be given in the Land of Promise Numb 18.20 when he said I am thy Part and Inheritance And tho this be common to all the Faithful yet in a special manner it must needs suit to them who have consecrated themselves to the Ministry of God Vide Hieron Epist 2. ad Nepot citatur 12. q. 1. c. Clericus And the Hair of their Head is cut in the fashion and likeness of a Crown XXVII Why the Hair of the Head cut in the shape of a Crown which they ought always to keep And as any one is afterwards plac'd in a higher Degree of Order so that Round Form is every way cut larger And this came indeed from the Tradition of the Apostles XXVIII From whence this Usage of cutting the Hair as the Church teaches since of this kind of cutting the Hair S. Dennys the Areopagite S. Austin S. Hierom the most antient and grave Fathers have taken notice Dionys de Eccles Hier. c. 6. part 2. Aug. Serm. 17. ad Fratres in Eremo Hier. in cap. 44. Ezek. vide Rhaban Maur. lib. de Institut Cleric Bed lib. hist 5. Angl. c. 22. Now they report XXIX Why Clerks appointed to bear the â—â—r â— of a Crown that the Prince of the Apostles first of all brought in this Custom for preserving the Remembrance of the Crown of Thorns which was put upon our Saviors Head that what wicked men intended for reproach and Torture the same the Apostles us'd for their Ornament and Glory The first Reas n. And they also signifi'd that the Ministers of the Church are to take care that in all things they carry the Resemblance and Figure of Christ our Lord. Altho some do assert The second Reaâ—on that by this Note is declar'd their Royal Dignity which seems suitable to those who are call'd into the Lot of the Lord. For that which the Apostle Peter attributed to the Faithful people Ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a Holy Nation we easily understand to belong to the Ministers of the Church in a kind of peculiar and more proper manner And there are not wanting some who think by this Circular or Round Figure The third Reason which of all others is most perfect is signified either the Profession of that more perfect life undertaken by Clerks or the Contempt of External things and the Freedom of the Soul from all human cares because the Hair of their Heads being a kind of superfluous Excrement of the Body is shorn of After the First shaving XXX The Order and Office of Door-keepers the first degree is us'd to be made to the Order of Door-keepers whose Office is to keep the Keys and Doors of the Church and to keep them from entring into it who are forbid He assisted also at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and took care that no one should come nearer to the Sacred Altar than was fit and answer'd the Priest doing Divine Service There were other Services also committed to him as may be perceiv'd by the Rites which are us'd at his Consecration For the Bishop taking the Keys off the Altar and delivering them to him says thus to him whom he makes a Door-keeper So behave thy self as thou wilt give an account to God for those things which are kept under these Keys Now that in the antient Church the Dignity of this Order was Great XXXI The Dignity of Door-keepers is understood from hence because to this time we observe it to be kept in the Church For the Office of Treasurer which was also the Keeper of the Sacristary which belong'd to the Door-keepers is even at this time accounted among the better Offices of the Church De Ostiario vide Trid. Sess 23. de
reform c. 17. Conc. Tolet. c. 6. citatur dist 25. Ostiar Isid l. de Eccl. c. 14. dist 25. c. pâ—rledis apud Baron Anal. Eccl. an 34. num 2â—7 an 44. num 78. num 78. num 80. The second degree of Order XXXII The Order and Office of Reader is the Function of Reader To him it belongs to recite with a clear voice and distinctly the Books of the Old and New Testament and especially what is us'd to be read at Nocturnals It was his Part also to teach the Faithful people the first Rudiments of Christian Religion The Bishop therefore in the presence of the People at his Ordination delivering him a Book wherein were put down those things which belong to this matter says Receive this and be thou a Relater of the Word of God and thou shalt have if thou faithfully and profitably fulfil thy Office thy part with them who from the beginning have minister'd well the Word of God Vide Cypr. Epist 33. Tertul. de Praescript c. 61. apud Baron Annal. Eccl. anno 34. n. 287. an 54.78 79. an 156. n. 93. an 456. n. 20. The third Order is that of Exorcists XXXIII The Order of Exorcists to whom the Power is given of calling upon the name of the Lord over those who are possess'd with unclean Spirits Wherefore the Bishop when he Institutes them holds forth a Book to them wherein are contain'd Exorcisms using this Form of Words Take this and commit it to memory and have thou power of laying hands on those that are possess'd whether they be Baptiz'd or Catechumens Of Exorcists see the Authors above cited apud Baron Annal. Eccl. an 34. n. 287. an 44. n. 78. n. 80. an 237. n. 89. an 56. n. 5. n. 8.9 10 11 12. The fourth degree is of Acolyts XXXIV The Order and Office at Acolyt and is the last of those which are call'd Lesser and not Sacred Their Office is to follow and serve the greater Ministers Sub-deacons and Deacons in the Ministery of the Altar Besides they carry and hold the Lights when the Sacrifice of Mass is celebrated but especially when the Gospel is read whence they are also call'd by the name of Waxlight-bearers When therefore they are ordain'd this Rite is us'd to be observ'd by the Bishop First after that he has diligently admonish'd them of their Office he delivers Lights to each of them saying in this manner Receive thou this Wax-light and know that thou art bound to kindle the Lights of the Church in the name of the Lord. And then he delivers them little Pitchers wherein Water and VVine is serv'd for the Sacrifice saying Receive these little Pitchers to serve Wine and Water for the Eucharist of the Blood of Christ in the name of the Lord. De Acolytis vide Cypri Epist 55. apud Baron Annal. Eccl. an 44. n. 79. n. 80. By the Lesser Orders XXXV The Order Dignity and Office of Sub-deacons not Sacred whereof has bin spoken already a lawful Enterance and Ascent lies open to the Greater and Sacred In the first Degree whereof is plac'd the Sub-deacon whose Office the very Name declares to serve the Deacon at the Altar For he ought to prepare the Linnen Vessels Bread and VVine necessary for the Use of the Sacrifice Now he gives VVater to the Bishop and Priest when they wash their hands for the Sacrifice of the Mass The Sub-deacon also reads the Epistle which formerly was recited by the Deacon at Mass And as a witness assists at Divine Service and takes care that the Priest be not disturb'd by any one at the Sacred Ministration Now those things which belong to the Ministery of the Sub-deacon XXXVI How Sub-deacons are ordain'd may be known by the Solemn Ceremonies which are us'd in his Consecration For first First the Bishop admonishes that the Law of perpetual Continence is laid upon him and plainly tells that no one is to be receiv'd â—nto the Order of Sub-deacons who resolve not freely to receive this Law And then after the Solemn Prayer of the Litanys he declares and expounds what the Offices and Functions of a Sub-deacon are These things done Secondly every one of those who are to be Ordain'd severally receive of the Bishop the Sacred Chalice and Paten But to Sub-deacons Thirdly that it may be understood that the Sub-deacon is to serve the Office of Deacon are given little Pitchers fill'd with Wine and Water together with a Bason and a Towel wherewith the Hands are wip'd and the Bishop says Look ye what kind of Ministery is given you I therefore admonish you so to behave your selves as that ye may please God There are added other Prayers besides Fourthly Fif hly and Sixthly At last when the Bishop has adorn'd the Sub-deacon with Sacred Vestments at putting on of every one of which proper Words and Ceremonies are us'd he delivers him the Book of the Epistles and says Receive the Book of the Epistles and have thou power of reading them in the Holy Chureh of God both for the living and for the Dead De Sub-Diaconis praeter auctores supra citatos vide Cypr. Epist 24. Epist 42. dist 17. cap. Presbyteris Can. Apost can 25. Conc. Carthag 4. Can. 5. Arelat 2. can 2. Aurel. 3. c. 2. Eliber can 33. Leo 1. Epist 82. item apud Baron Annal. Eccl. an 44. num 79. 80. an 253. num 72 79 97. an 239. num 21. an 324. num 128. an 588. num 58. an 489 num 6. an 1057. num 32. The Deacon takes the second Degree of Sacred Orders XXXVII The Offices of the Deacon whose Ministry is larger and was ever accounted very holy It belongs to him always to follow the Bishop to keep him when he is preaching and to be ready at the Bishops or Priests hand at the Sacred Offices or administring the Sacraments and to read the Gospel at the Sacrifice of Mass And formerly he did often stir up the Minds of the Faithful to attend diligently to the Sacrifice He also minister'd the Blood of the Lord in those Churches where it was customary for the Faithful to receive the Eucharist under both Species The Dispensation also of the Goods of the Church was committed to the Deacon that he might give to every one necessaries for Food It belongs also to the Deacon as the Eye of the Bishop to find out who in the Dioces led their life piously and religiously and who did otherwise who came together to the Sacrifice and the Sermon at the appointed times and who absented themselves that when he had certifi'd the Bishop of all these things he might either exhort and admonish every one privately or openly chide and correct them according as he thought most edifying He ought also to call over the names of the Catechumens and to place those before the Bishop who were to be initiated in the
him an help like himself And a little after But there was not found for Adam an help like himself therefore the Lord God sent a deep sleep upon Adam and while he slept he took one of his Ribs and clos'd up the Flesh instead thereof And the Lord God form'd the Rib that he took from Adam into a Woman and brought her to Adam and Adam said This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be call'd Woman because she was taken out of Man Wherefore a Man shall leave his Father and Mother and shall cleave to his Wife and they Two shall be One Flesh Which things Mat. 19.6 even by the Authority of our Lord himself in St. Matthew shew that Matrimony was of Divine Institution Nor did God institute Matrimony only XIII Matrimony made indissoluble but as the Holy Synod of Trent declares he added to it a perpetual and indissoluble Knot for our Savior says What God has join'd none may put asunder For tho it was convenient that Matrimony Sess 24. initio as it is an Office of Nature might not be dissolv'd yet much more so now as it is a Sacrament Mat. 19.6 for which cause it gains the highest perfections even in all things which are proper to it by the Law of Nature and yet that the Bond should be dissoluble would be repugnant to the bringing up of Children and the other benefits of Matrimony But XIV The Law of contracting Matrimony not laid upon all Gen. 1. that it was said of God Increase and multiply This tends hither that he might declare for what cause Matrimony was instituted not to put a necessity upon every man For Mankind being now increas'd the Law of Marriage is so far from compelling any that Virginity is rather highly commended and perswaded to every one and that by Sacred Scripture as being more excellent than the state of Matrimony and containing in it greater Perfection and Holiness For our Lord and Savior thus has taught He that can receive it let him receive it Mat. 19 12. And the Apostle says Concerning Virgins I have no command from the Lord but I give my Counsel as having obtain'd Mercy 1 Cor. 7.23 that I might be Faithful XV. Why Man and Woman ought to be join'd The first cause But now we must explain for what Reasons the Man and Woman ought to be join'd together The first therefore is That this very Society of the divers Sex is desir'd by natural Instinct there being Hope of mutual help that One being assisted by the help of the Other might the more easily bear the inconveniences of life and the weakness of old age Another is the desire of Procreation The second cause not so much for this End that we might leave behind us Heirs to enjoy our Honors and Riches as that they might be brought up in true Faith and Religion which that it was chiefly the Design of the Holy Patriarchs when they married sufficiently appears from Sacred Scripture Wherefore the Angel when he admonish'd Tobias by what means he might repel the force of the Devil Tob. 6. I will shew thee says he who they are that can prevail over the Devil for those who so enter into Wedlock as to exclude God from themselves and their Soul and so give themselves to their lust as the Horse and Mule which have no understanding the Devil has power over them And then he adds Thou shalt take a Virgin with the Fear of the Lord being led thereto rather by the Love of Children than Lust that thou mayst get in thy Children the blessing of the seed of Abraham And this also was One cause why God at first instituted Matrimony Note Wherefore their wickedness is very great who being join'd in Matrimony by Medicins hinder Conception or force out the Birth before time for this is to be look'd upon as design'd Murder The third The third cause and which began to take place after the Fall of our first Parents when thro the loss of Righteousness in which Man was created his Appetite began to oppose his right Reason to wit that being conscious to himself of his own weakness nor being willing to endure the Fight of the Flesh he might use the remedy of Matrimony to avoid the sins of Lust Of the which the Apostle thus 1 Cor. 7. Because of Fornication let every Man have his own Wife and let every Woman have her own Husband And a little after when he had taught that sometimes men ought to abstain from the Debt of Matrimony for the sake of Prayer and subjoins And return again to that very thing leâ—t Satan tempt you by your Incontinence These are the Causes Note whereof some or other every one who will contract Marriage piously and religiously as becomes the Children of the Saints ought to propose to himself But if to these Causes others be also added whereby men are induc'd to enter Marriage and in choosing a Wife they propose such as These to themselves as the desire of leaving an Heir Wealth Beauty Nobility or likeness of conditions These Reasons indeed are not to be condemn'd since they oppose not the Holiness of Matrimony Gen. 29. For neither in Sacred Scripture is the Patriarch Jacob reprehended because having chose Rachel for her Beauty he preferr'd her before Leah Thus far of Matrimony shall be taught as it is a Natural Conjunction XVI Of Matrimony as a Sacrament but as it is a Sacrament we must shew that the Nature of it is much more excellent and is wholly to be referr'd to a higher End For as Matrimony XVII Matrimony as a Sacrament far excels the Natural as it is a Natural Conjunction was instituted at the beginning for the Propagation of Mankind So afterwards that a People might be procreated and brought up to the Worship and Religion of the true God and of our Savior Christ the Dignity of a Sacrament was given to it When Christ our Lord was minded to give a certain sign of that most close Relation which is betwixt him and his Church XVIII The Union of Christ and his Church declar'd by Matrimony and of his immense love towards us he declar'd the Divinity of this Mystery chiefly in the Holy Conjunction of Man and Woman which that it was most fitly done may be understood from hence that among all human relations there is none bind so neerly as the bond of Matrimony and the Husband and VVife are bound together each to other in the greatest Love and Good will And therefore it is that the Holy Scriptures frequently put before our Eyes the Divine Copulation of Christ and the Church by the similitude of Marriage Now that Matrimony is a Sacrament XIX Matrimony prov'd to be a Sacrament the Church confirm'd by the Authority of the Apostle always held certain for thus he writes to the Ephesians Men ought to love
remain unmarry'd or that she be reconcil'd to her Husband Note For neither does Holy Church allow a Husband and a Wife to depart each from other without very weighty cause And that the Law of Matrimony may not seem rigorous XXIX How it comes that Indissolubility is more tollerable because it can never for any reason be dissolv'd it must be taught what the Advantages join'd with it are For first First Men should know that in joining Matrimony Vertue and Likeness of Manners are to be regarded rather than Riches and Beauty In which thing no one can doubt that the common Society is very much concern'd Besides Secondly if Matrimony could be dissolv'd by Divorce Men would scarce ever want causes of strife to be daily laid in their way by the old Enemy of Peace and Modesty But now when the Faithful consider with themselves Thirdly tho they want the bed and board of VVedlock yet that they are held bound with the Bond of Matrimony and that all hope of marrying another Wife is cut off for this cause it is that they are slower to anger and discord But if sometimes they proceed to make Divorce Fourthly and yet cannot long endure the want of a Mate they are easily reconcil'd by Friends and return to each other But here the wholsome Admonition of S. Austin is not to be pass'd over by the Pastors Fifthly Lib. de Adulter Conjug c. 6. 9. For he to shew the Faithful that they should not look upon it as a burdensome thing to receive again into favor their Wives which they had put away for the cause of Adultery if they repented of their sin Why says he should not the Faithful Husband receive his Wife again whom the Church receives Or why should not the Wife pardon her adulterous Husband whom even Christ has pardon'd Prov. 18.12 For that the Scripture calls him a Fool who keeps an Adultress it means of her which when she has offended repents not and refuses to leave off the filthiness she has begun From these things therefore it is plain that the Marriages of the Faithful far excel the Marriages both of the Gentiles and of the Jews in perfection and Nobility The Faithful are further to be taught XXX Three Benefits of Matrimony that there are three Benefits of Matrimony Children Faith Sacrament By recompense of which those inconveniencies are lessen'd which the Apostle shews in these words 1 Cor. 7.28 They that are married shall have Tribulation of the Flesh And thereby it comes to pass that the Conjunction of Bodies which without Matrimony are worthily condemn'd is render'd honest Vide Aug. lib. 5. cont Julian c. 5. The First Good therefore is Children The First which are begotten of a just and lawful Wife for this the Apostle reckons so much of 1 Tim. 2.25 that he said The Woman shall be sav'd by the begetting of Children Nor is this to be understood only of the Begetting of Children but also of the Education and discipline of them whereby Children are instructed in Piety So the Apostle presently adds If they remain in Faith The Scripture also admonishes Eccle. 7.25 Hast thou Children teach them and bend them from their Childhood The same thing the Apostle teaches And of this kind of Teaching Tobias Job and other Holy Fathers in Sacred Scripture afford us very fair Examples But what the Duties of Parents and Children are Note will be explain'd more at large in the Fourth Command Now follows Faith The Second which is another Benefit of Matrimony not that Habit of Vertue wherewith we are tinctur'd when we receive Baptism but a kind of Fidelity wherewith the Husband binds himself to his Wife and the Wife mutually binds her self to her Husband and that in such a manner that each of them deliver the power of their Bodies to each other and promises never to violate the Holy Covenant of Marriage This is easily gather'd from those words utter'd by our first Father Gen. 2.24 when he receiv'd Eve his Wife and which Christ our Lord afterwards approv'd in the Gospel Wherefore a Man shall leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they Two shall be One Flesh Also from that place of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.4 The Woman has not power of her own Body but the Man and in like manner the Man has not power of his own Body but the Woman Wherefore those more grievous Punishments were most justly appointed by the Lord in the Old Law against Adulterers Levit. 20. â—0 because they broke this Material Faith The Faith of Matrimony requires further Note that the Husband and Wife be joyn'd together in a kind of singular holy and pure love nor may they love as Adulterers do among themselves but as Christ lov'd the Church For this Rule the Apostle prescrib'd Ephes 3.25 when he said Men love your Wives as Christ also lov'd the Church which certainly he embrac'd with that immense Charity not for his own profits sake but proposing to himself the advantage only of his Bride The Third Good of Matrimony is call'd the Sacrament The Third to wit the Bond of Marriage from which they can never be dissolv'd 1 Cor. 7.19 For as the Apostle has it The Lord has commanded that the Wife depart not from her own Husband But if she depart that she remain unmarri'd or be reconcil'd to her Husband and that the Husband put not away his Wife For if Matrimony as it is a Sacrament signifie the Conjunction of Christ with his Church it must needs be that as Christ never separates himself from his Church so a Wife as to the Bond of Matrimony can never be separated from her Husband But that this holy Society may be the better preserv'd without Quarrel the Duties of the Husband and of the Wife as they are describ'd by S. Paul and S. Peter the Prince of Apostles are to be taught Vide Aug. lib. 1. de Adulterin conjug c. 21. 22. de bono Conjug c. 7. de Nupt. concupisc lib. 1. c. 10. It is the Part of the Husband therefore liberally and honorably to treat his Wife XXXI The Duty of the Husband towards the Wife First for which purpose it ought to be remembred that Eve was call'd the Companion of Adam when he said The Woman thou gavest me for a Companion For which cause it was as some of the Fathers have taught that she was not formed out of the Feet but out of the Side of the Man Ev'n as also she was not made of the Head that she might understand that she is not the Mistress of her Husband but rather subject to him Besides Secondly it is the Office of the Husband to be always imploy'd in the Study of some honest thing both to provide those things which are necessary for the Sustenance of his Family and also that he grow
not sluggish and idle from whence flow the Vices of almost all And then Thirdly rightly to order his Family to appoint them all their Business and to hold them in their Duty And again XXXII The Duty of the Wife First 1 Pet. 3.12 the Parts of the Wife are these which the Prince of Apostles reckons up when he says Let Women be subject to their own Husbands that if any believe not the Word by the Conversation of their Wives they may be gain'd without fear considering your holy Conversation in fear whose adorning let it not be outward in braided hair or glittering of Gold or of Clothes and Apparel but which is the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptibility of a quiet and modest Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price For so in times past the holy women which hop'd in God adorned themselves subjecting themselves to their own husbands even as Sara obey'd Abraham calling him Lord. Let it also be their chief study to educat their Children in true Religion Secondly and diligently to take care of the Houshold Affairs And let them willingly contain themselves at home Thirdly unless necessity compel them to go abroad and let them never presume so to do without the permission of their Husbands And then Fourthly it being the thing wherein chiefly the Marriage-Conjunction consists let them always remember that next to God they must love no one more than their Husband nor esteem any one more than he to whom in all things which are not against Christian Piety they must behave themselves and obey with the greatest alacrity of mind After the explication of these things XXXIII The Ceremonies of Matrimony it will follow that the Pastors teach the Rites also which ought to be observ'd in contracting Matrimony Whereof it is not to be expected that in this place Rules should be given seeing that by the Holy Synod of Trent those things which are chiefly to be observ'd concerning this matter have bin largely and exactly decreed Nor can the Pastors be ignorant of that Decree It will therefore suffice to admonish that they study to know those things which belong to this matter from the Doctrin of the Sacred Council and diligently expound them to the Faithful And First lest young Men and Maids XXXIV Of what Young persons are to be admonish'd whose very Age must needs want counsel and discretion being deceiv'd by a false shew of Matrimony should unwarily rush into the covenants of dishonest Loves they shall often teach that those Marriages are to be accounted neither true nor lawful which are not contracted in the presence of the Curate of the Parish or of some other Priest by the Licence of the Curate or of the Ordinary and of a certain number of Witnesses Also those things which hinder Matrimony are to be explain'd Upon which Argument very many grave and learned men XXXV The Impediments of Marriages to be taught who have written of Vices and Vertues have bin so diligently conversant that it will be easy for all to apply hither those things which they have deliver'd in their Writings especially seeing the Pastors account it necessary scarcely ever to lay those Books out of their hands Both those Rules therefore and also those things which have bin establish'd by Holy Synod concerning the Impediments which arise either from Spiritual Kindred or from the Justice of public Honesty or from Fornication they diligently read and take care that they be taught the Faithful Whence it may be perceiv'd XXXVI With what intention Matrimony is to be enterpris'd with what mind the Faithful ought to be affected when they contract Matrimony For neither ought they to think that they go about any Human matter but a Divine wherein that a singular Integrity of mind and Devotion is to be us'd the Examples of the Fathers of the Old Law sufficiently shew whose Marriages tho they were not indu'd with the Dignity of a Sacrament yet they always thought that they were to be us'd with the greatest Religion and Holiness And amongst other things XXXVII Clandestine Marriage not to be contracted the Sons and Daughters of a Family are to be exhorted to give that honor to their Parents and to those in whose Trust and Power they are as not to enterprise Matrimony without their knowledge and consent For in the Old Testament we may observe that Children were always dispos'd in Marriage by their Parents In which case that very much is to be given to their Wills the Apostle also seems to shew in these Words He that joyns his Virgin in Matrimony does well and he that joyns her not does better The last Part remains XXXVIII Two things to be advis'd concerning Matrimony which belongs to the Use of Matrimony concerning which the Pastors shall treat so that no word fall from their mouth which may seem unworthy the ears of the Faithful or may distast pious minds or move laughter For as the words of the Lord are chaste words Psal 11.7 So also it very much becomes the Teacher of Christian people to use such kind of discourse as carries in it singular Gravity and Integrity of mind Wherefore the Faithful shall be taught these Two things especially First The first that Marriage is not to be enterpriz'd for Pleasure or Lust's sake but they are commanded of the Lord to use it within those limits which we have shew'd before For it is convenient to remember what the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 7.29 They that have Wives let them be as tho they had not And also what is said by S. Hierom A wise man ought to love his Wife with judgment the violence of Pleasure reigns not with Passion nor will he be carried headlong to embraces There is nothing more filthy than for a man to love his Wife as an Adultress But because all good things are to be sought of God with Holy Prayers The second there is another thing which the Faithful must be taught that for the sake of praying and beseeching God they sometimes abstain from the Office of Matrimony And first let them know that this is to be observ'd by them for three days at least before they receive the Sacred Eucharist but more when they celebrate the solemn Fasts of Lent even as our Fathers have well and holily appointed For so it will come to pass that they shall feel those benefits of Matrimony increas'd daily with a greater heap of Divine Grace and following the study of Piety they shall not only pass away this life in Tranquility and Comfort but they shall be confirm'd with the certain and sure Hope of obtaining life eternal also by the Goodness of God which hope will not confound them Rom. 5.5 Vide 33. q. 4 per totam de Consecr dist 2. c. omnis homo Hier. in Apol. pro liberis contra Jovinian post medium inter Epist num
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
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
that they may be honor'd and that we being warn'd by their Example might conform our selves and our Manners to their holy Lives De cultu usu Imaginum vide Conc. Nicen. 2. Act. 6. Histor tripart lib. 6. c. 41. Euseb lib. 8. Hist Eccles c. 14. Cyril lib. 6. contr Jul. Aug. lib. 1. de consensu Evang. c. 10. Vide item Sextam Synod Can. 82. Conc. Rom. sub Greg. 3. Conc. Gentiliac item aliud Rom. Pontif. in vita Sylvestri Item Lactant. carm de Pass Domini Basil Orat. in S. Barlaham Greg. Nyss Orat. in Theod. Brud hym de S. Cas hym de S. Hippolyt Item apud Baron Annal. Eccles an 57. n. 116. deinceps Vide terum Aug. contr Faust lib. 22. c. 73. I am the Lord The Appendix to all the Commandments the Lord thy God strong jealous visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy upon thousands in them that love me and keep my Commandments XLI Two things to be explain'd There are in the last part of this Commandment two things diligently to be expounded The first is The first is the Reward That altho for that most heinous wickedness of the breach of the first Commandment and the ready inclination of Men to commit it the Punishment is fitly laid down in this place yet this Appendix is common to all the Commandments For ev'ry Law leads Men to the keeping of the Commandments by Reward and Punishment Hence come those so frequently repeated Promises of God in sacred Scripture For to omit the Testimonies of the Old Testament which are almost innumerable it is written in the Gospel Mat. 19.17.5 6 7. Mat. 5.10 If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments and elsewhere He that do's the Will of my Father which is in Heaven he shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 6.23 and also Every tree which brings not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire and Every one that is angry with his brother shall be guilty of the judgment and elsewhere If ye forgive not men neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your sins The other is The other is Punishment That the Perfect are to be taught this Appendix for a far different Reason than Carnal Men are For XLII Punishment displeases not the Perfect to the Perfect who are mov'd by the Spirit of God and obey him with a ready and chearful mind it is like a kind of glad tidings and a great Argument of God's good-will towards them for they own the Care of their most loving God who in a manner compels them to his Worship and Reverence sometimes with Rewards sometimes with Punishments they acknowledge his infinite good-will towards them who will command them and use their Labor to the Glory of his divine Name Nor do they only acknowledge this but they are in good hope that he commanding what he pleases will also give ability whereby they may obey his Command But to the Carnal XLIII Punishment moves the carnal most who as yet are not freed from the Spirit of Bondage and abstain from Sin more out of fear of Punishment than love of Vertue the sense of this Appendix is grievous and bitter Wherefore they are to be assisted with pious Exhortations Note and led by the hand as it were to the Obedience of the law But the Curat as often as there is occasion to explain any Commandment shall propose these same things to himself That there are two Spurs XLIV Two Spurs as it were to be used both to the Carnal and Spiritual which being put in this Appendix do very much rouse Men up to the observation of the Law For in that God is call'd Strong The first is The Strong God it is by so much the more diligently to be explain'd by how much the Flesh which is little mov'd by the Terrors of God's Threatning oftentimes fansies to her self divers ways whereby she may avoid the Wrath of God and escape the Punishment threatned Now he that is verily persuaded that God is strong Psal 138 7â— will say that of King David Whither shall I go from thy Spirit and whither shall I fly from thy Presence And sometimes also the Flesh distrusting the Promises of God believes the Power of the Enemy to be so great that she thinks her self not able to endure it But he that by a firmâ—â—nd stable Faith doubting nothing relies upon the Strength and Power of God this Consideration will certainly recreate and confirm Psal 26. â— for he says The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear But the other Spur is God's Zeal or Jealousie For sometimes Men think that God takes no care of Human Matters The other is the Zeal of God nor whether we keep or break his Laws whence follows a great disorder of Life But when we believe that God is Zealous the Meditation hereof easily holds us in our Duty Now the Jealousie which is attributed to God XLV What Zeal is attributed to God signifies no Disturbance of Mind but that Divine Love and Charity whereby God suffers no Soul that goes a whoring from him to go unpunish'd but as many as commit Fornication against him he destroys God's Jealousie therefore is his most calm and most upright Justice XLVI God's Zeal defin'd whereby a Soul corrupted with false Persuasions and wicked Lusts is rejected and cast off by God as an Adulteress Now we feel this Jealousie of God to be most sweet and delightful XLVII When we feel God's Zeal when in that Jealousie is evidenc'd his most excellent and incredible Good-will towards us for neither can there be found either a more ardent Love or a greater and stricter Conjunction amongst Men than that of those that are married Therefore God shews how dearly he loves us Note when often comparing himself to a Bridegroom or a Husband he calls himself Jealous Wherefore let the Curat teach from hence XLVIII With how great Zeal God is to be worship'd That Men ought to be so earnestly bent upon the Worship and Honor of God that they may rather be rightly called Jealous than Lovers by his Example who says of himself I am jealous with Jealousie for the Lord God of Hosts Yea and let us imitate Christ himself who says thus The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up But the meaning of the Commination is to be explainâ—â— XLIX The Transgressors of the Law not unpunish'd Deut. 7.9 That God will not endure any Sinners but either he will chastise them as a Father or punish them sharply and severely as a Judge Which Moses signifying in another place That thou mayst know says he that the Lord thy God is the strong God and faithful keeping covenant and mercy for them that love him and for them that
the Eyes of them who cannot bring themselvs to forgive their Enemies not only that the Sin is grievous but also that by the continuance of the Sinâ— it grows greater For whereas he XXXIII The perverseness of Hatred whose Mind is thus affected thirsts after his Enemies Bloud being full of Hope of being reveng'd on him is Night and Day so imploy'd in the continual agitation of his wicked Mind that he seems never to be quiet from the contriving of Murder or some other heinous thing whence it comes to pass that either never or with very great Labor is he driven to it either wholly to pardon or at least in some measure to remit Injuries And therefore it is rightly compar'd to a Wound Note wherein the Arrow sticks fast There are moreover many Inconveniences and Sins XXXIV The attenddants of Hatred 1 Joan. 2.11 which are chain'd as it were to this one Sin of Hatred And therefore S. John according to this Sense spake thus He that hates his Brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and knows not whither he goes because Darkness has blinded his Eyes Therefore he must needs fall oftentimes for how can it be that a man can allow the Words and Actions of him whom he hates Hence proceed rash and unjust Judgments Anger Envy Reviling and such like wherein even they also are insnar'd who are related in Kinddred or Friendship And therefore it often happens that out of one Sin Note spring a great many Nor is this wrongfully call'd the Devils Sin XXXV Hatred the Devils Sin Joh. 8. Because he was a Murderer from the beginning Wherefore our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God when the Pharisees sought to put him to Death said That they were begotten of their Father the Devil But besides these which have been mentioned XXXVI Remedies against Hatred there are other Remedies deliver'd in the Monuments of Holy Scripture and those indeed very fit whence Reasons may be had for detestation of this Wickedness And the first and greatest Remedie of all The First is the Example of our Saviour which we ought to imitate For he tho he could not in the least be suspected to be guilty of any Sin yet when he was beaten with Rods crown'd with Thorns and at last Crucifi'd he made this Prayer so full of Piety Luc. 23.4 Father forgive them for they know not what they do The sprinkling of whose Bloud Heb. 12.24 as the Apostle testifies Speaks better than that of Abel Another Remedy propos'd by Ecclesiasticus The Second Is to remember Death and the Day of Judgment Remember Ecclus 7.40 says he thy last things and thou wilt not sin for ever The meaning whereof is as if he had said Often times consider this again and again that shortly thou must die and because at that time thou wilt have very much to do and that it will he highly necessary to obtain the infinite Mercy of God it is necessary for thee to put it now and always before thy Eyes for so it will come to pass that that unruly desire of Revenge will leave thee since for the obtaining of Gods Mercy thou canst find no Remedy fitter or greater than Forgetfulness of Injuries and to love them who have wrong'd either thee or thine in Deed or Word The Sixth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not commit Adultery BEcause the Bond between the Husband and Wife is the strictest I. Why this Commandment plac'd in this Oâ—der and nothing can happen more delightful to both of them than to know that they are belov'd with a mutual and singular kind of Love and on the contrary nothing more grievous than to perceive their lawful and due Love to be bestow'd elswhere rightly and in good order does this Law concerning Whoredom and Adultery follow that which defends the Life of Man from Murder So that no one by the Wickedness of Adultery dares violate or break off the Holy and Honorable Conjunction of Matrimony wherein there is us'd to be the great Power of Love But yet in explaining of this very thing II. This Commandment to be explain'd with caution let the Curat be very cautious and prudent and handle the Matter with modest Expressions a Matter which rather wants Restriction than copious Discourse for it is to be fear'd lest while he endeavours too largly and fully to explain by what Means Men depart from the Rule of this Law they haply fall upon the Discourse of those things from whence uses to arise Matter rather of provoking Lust than the way of restraining it But because in this Commandment many things are contain'd which are not to be pretermitted III. The Division of this Commandment The first Part forbidding those things shall be explain'd in their proper places The Force of it therefore is double The One wherein Adultery is plainly forbidd'n Vide 32. q. 4. c. Meretrices Item ibid. multa alia capita Item Amb. de Abraham c. 4. Hier. contra Jovin l. 1 l. 2. item in c. 5. Epist ad Galat. ad illa verba Manifesta autem item in c. 5. ad Eph. ad haec verba Viri diligite Aug. de bono conjug c. 16. lib. 22. cont Faust c. 47.48 item in quaest Deut. q. 37. ad c. 23. iterum Amb. in Serm. de S. Joan. qui sic incip Diximus superiore Dominica est 65. item Greg. in moral lib. 12. c. 21. D. Th. 1 2. q. 100. a. 5. 2.2 q. 122. a. 6. The Other The other part requiring which requires us to keep Chastity both of Mind and Body But to begin with that which is forbidd'n IV. What Adultery is Adultery is the wrong of a Lawful Bed whether it be a Man's'own or anothers for if a Man that is an Husband has to do with a single Woman he wrongs his own Bed But if a single Man have to do with another Mans Wife the other Man's Bed is polluted with the stain of Adultery Now by this Prohibition of Adultery V. All impure Lust forbidden here as S. Ambrose and S. Austin testifie all things whatsoever are dishonest and immodest are forbidd'n Amb. lib. 1. Officior c. 50. in fine Aug. q. 71. super Exod. That these words are so to be understood VI. The Scriptures confirm this Commandment Gen. 38.24 Deut. 23.16 may be gather'd from the Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament For besides Adultery there are other kinds of Lust punishd in Moses's Writings In Genesis there is the Judgment of Judah against his Daughter in Law In Deuteronomy there is that excellent Law of Moses That none of the Daughters of Israel should be Whore There is the like Exhortation of Tobias to his Son Tob. 4.13 Look to thy self my Son Ecclus 41.25 beware of all Fornication And Ecclesiasticus Be ashamd ' says he in respect of a whorish Woman And in the Gospel Christ our Lord says
dissembling forbidd'n in the former part of this Commandment Dissembling is forbidden and not only those things which are spoken dissemblingly but which are done so are joyn'd with this Sin For as well Words as Actions are Notes and certain Signs of those things which are in the Mind of any one and for this Reason our Lord often chiding the Pharisees calls them Hypocrites And thus much of the former Law of this Commandment which has relation to things forbidden Vide. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 211. per totam Now we will explain what the Lord commands in the other And the force and vertue of this part of this Commandment tends hither XX. The other part of the Commandment That all Judgments of Courts be justly exercis'd and according to Law and that Men do not wrest and usurp Judgment For it would not be fit to judg another Man's Servant XXI A Judg cannot condemn one not subject to him Rom. 14.4 as the Apostle writes lest they give Sentence before the Matter or Cause be known In which respect the Counsel of the Priests and Scribes was fault y who gave Judgment concerning S. Stephen and this was the Fault also of the Philippian Magistrates of whom the Apostle says Act. 7 59. Act. 16.37 They have sent us after having bin publickly beaten into Prison being Romans and uncondemned and now they would thrust us away privily Vide in 6 lib. 5. titul 7. de privilegiis c. 1. ibid. lib. 2. lit 2. de foro competenti Let them not condemn the Innocent XXII What is required of Judges or discharge the Guilty let them not be mov'd with Reward or Favor with Hatred or Love For so Moses admonishes the Elders whom he had made Judges of the People John 7.19 Judg ye what is just whether he be citizen or stranger there shall be no difference of persons so shall ye bear the Little as the Great neither shall ye accept any ones person because the Judgment is Gods Now concerning the Guilty XXIII The Guilty being ask'd by the Judg ought not to lye God will have them confess the Truth when they are ask'd according to the Form of Judgment For that Testimony and Declaring is a kind of Confession of the Praise and Glory of God as appears from Joshuah's Sentence who exhorting Achan to the Confession of the Truth Jos 7.19 says My Son give glory to the Lord the God of Israel Vide. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 96. per totos 4. Articulos But because this Commandment chiefly concerns the Witnesses XXIV The Witnesses chiefly concern'd here the Curat shall diligently treat concerning them also For such is the Force of the Commandment that it not only forbids false Testimony but also commands the Truth to be told For in human Affairs there is very great Use of the Testimony of Truth XXV The chief use of Witness-bearing because there are innumerable things whereof we must needs be ignorant unless we know them by the Credit of Witnesses Wherefore there is nothing so necessary as the Truth of Testimonies in those things which we neither know of our selves and yet ought not to be ignorant of Concerning which the Sentence of S. Austin is memorable He that conceals the Truth and he that utters a Lye are each of them guilty the one because he will do no good the other because he would do hurt Haec Sententia citabatur olim a Gratiano ex August sed apud August non est inventa Similiter legitur apud Isidorrm Lib. 3. c. 59. Yet sometimes it is lawful to conceal the Truth XXVI When we may conceal the Truth but out of Judgment For in Judgment when the Witness is lawfully ask'd by the Judg the Truth is wholly to be laid open Yet here the Witnesses are to take heed XXVII lest trusting too much to their own Memory Note they affirm that for certain which they are not well assur'd of The rest are Counsellors and Advocates Atturneys and Sollicitors XXVIII What is requir'd of Counsellors these therefore ought not to be wanting in their Labor and Defence when Men have need of them and kindly to help those that are needy not to undertake to defend unjust Causes nor by Calumny to prolong Suits nor for gains sake to encourage them And as to the Reward of their Labor and Service Note let them measure it according to Justice and Equity Vide 14. q. 5. c. non sane D. Thom. 2.2 q. 71. Art 5. Sollicitors and Accusers are to be admonish'd not to create danger to any one by unjustly charging them with Crimes XXIX What requir'd of Officers and Sollicitors being led thereto either by Love or Hatred or any other Lust Lastly this Commandment is given of God to all pious Persons that in all their Entertainments and Discourses they always speak the Truth from their Heart to say nothing that may hurt anothers Reputation no not even of those by whom they know themselves to have bin provoked and injur'd since they ought always to remember that there is between them so great a Nearness and Society that they are Members of the same Body But that the Faithful may the more freely take heed of this Vice of Lying XXX Things to be aganst Lying the Curat shall propose to them the exceeding great Misery and Baseness of this Sin For in Sacred Scripture the Devil is call'd Joh. 8.44 The Father of Lyes For because the Devil stood not in Truth he is a Lyar and the Father of Lyes And to overthrow this so great a Sin Secondly he shall add those Mischiefs which follow a Lye and because they are innumerable he shall shew the Fountains and Heads of those Inconveniences and Calamities And First Thirdly so far as it is an Offence to God and how far a vain and lying Person incurrs his Hatred he shall declare from Solomon's Authority in that place Prov. 6. There are Six things which the Lord hates and the Seventh his Soul abhors a proud Look a lying Tongue Hands that shed innocent Blood a Heart devising evil Thoughts Feet that are swift to run to Mischief him that tells Lyes and a deceitful Witness and so forth Who is there therefore that can promise him Safety Fourthly who is so notably hated of God that he shall not be most grievously punish'd And what is there more base or foul Fifthly as S. James says Jac. 3.6 Than with the same Tongue wherewith we bless God and the Father to slander Men that are made after the Image and Likeness of God So that out of the same Fountain does flow sweet and bitter Water For the Tongue Sixthly which before gave Praise and Glory to God afterward as much as in it lies does disgrace and reproch it by Lying Wherefore it comes to pass Seventhly That Lyars are excluded from the Possession of the Bliss of Heaven For when David
OF THE Council of TRENT PART IV. Of PRAYER AMong the Duties and Offices of a Pastor I. The Curat 's Duty in this Matter the Teaching of the Faithful to Pray after a Christian manner is one of the Chiefest the Way and Efficacy whereof many must needs be ignorant of unless by the pious and faithful Diligence of the Pastor it be shew'd them Wherefore the chief Care of the Curat ought to be us'd herein that Devout Hearers might understand for What and How they are to pray to God Now that Divine Form which Christ our Lord would have known to his Apostles II. The Lord's Prayer to be â—otten by Heart and thro them and their Successors to all Men that should embrace the Christian Religion contains all the necessary Parts of Prayer The Words and Sentences whereof we ought so to comprehend in Mind and Memory as to have them always in a readiness Now for the Curat 's Assistance in teaching the Faithful to pray we have here propos'd those things that seem more convenient being taken from those Writers whose Learning and Ability in this respect is easily granted and as for the rest if there be need the Pastors may draw them from the very same Fountains Concerning Prayer have written Tertullian Cyprian August Epist 111. ad Probam Chrysost Hom. 15. Cassian lib. 9. collat D. Thom. in Opusc 2.2 q. 85. per 17. Articulos Of the Necessity of PRAYER FIrst therefore I. Prayer is necessary it must be taught how Necessary Prayer is the Precept whereof is not delivered only as a Counsel but also has the force of a necessary Command as is declar'd by Christ our Lord in these Words We ought always to pray Luc. 8. Now II. The Reasons this Necessity of Praying the Church shews even in that Proem as it were of the Lord's Prayer First Being admonish'd by wholesom Precepts and taught by Divine Institution we are bold to say Secondly Seeing therefore that Prayer is necessary to Christians and that his Disciples ask'd him Lord teach us to pray Luc. 11.1 the Son of God prescrib'd them a Form of Prayer and gave them hope of obtaining those things they pray'd for Thirdly And he himself was an Instruction to them of Prayer Luc. 6.12 which he not only diligently us'd but even watch'd therein all night Fourthly Of which Duty afterwards the Apostles were not wanting to give Precepts to those who would devote themselves to the Faith of Jesus Christ Fifthly 1 Pet. 3.7 For both S. Peter and S. John very diligently instruct the Faithful about it Sixthly And the Apostle being mindful of the same thing admonishes Christians in many Places of the Necessity of Prayer to Salvation Besides Seventhly we want so many Goods and Conveniencies for the necessary defence both of the Soul and Body that we must needs have recourse to Prayer as to the only and best Interpreter of all our Wants and Procurer of those things we stand in need of For since God owes nothing to any Body Eighthly verily it remains that we beg of him by Prayer those things we have need of which Prayer he has given us as a necessary Instrument to obtain that we desire especially since there are manifestly some things which we cannot obtain but by help thereof For Sacred Prayers have this excellent Vertue Ninthly Mat. 17.22 as to cast out Devils For there is a sort of Devils which is not cast out but by Fasting and Prayer Wherefore Tenthly those Men deprive themselves of the Faculty of many singular Gifts who use not this Practice and Exercise of diligent and devout Prayers For there is need not only of good but also of diligent Prayer for obtaining what you desire For as S. Hierom says It is written To every one that asks Mat. 11.9 it shall be given if therefore it be not given thee it is not given thee because thou dost not ask it Ask therefore and ye shall receive Hier. in cap. 7. Matth. Of the Advantage of PRAYER NOw this Necessity of Prayer has this great Advantage I. The Fruits of Prayer that of it self it brings forth an abundance of Fruits a sufficient plenty whereof the Pastors shall gather out of Sacred Scripture since there will be need of teaching them to the Faithful We out of that abundance have made choice of some which we thought fit for this Opportunity Now The First the first Advantage which we gather from thence is this That we honor God in praying to him For Prayer is a certain Argument of Religion which in Sacred Scripture is compar'd to a sweet Perfume Psal 140.9 for says David Let my Prayer be directed in thy sight as Incence Wherefore by this means we profess our selves subject to God whom we acknowledge and declare to be the Author of all Good from whom only we look for Refuge and Defence for Safety and Salvation Of this Advantage we are admonish'd in these words Psal 39.15 Call upon me in the day of Tribulation and I will deliver thee and thou shalt honor me Another very large and sweet Fruit of Prayer follows The Second when God hears our Prayers For according to S. Austin's Sentence Serm. 226. de Tempore Prayer is the Key of Heaven For Prayer says he ascends and God's Mercy descends tho the Earth be low and Heaven high yet God hears the Voice of Man The Force and Advantage of which Duty of Prayer is so great II. How many and great Gifts Prayer obtains that thereby we obtain the Fulness of Heavenly Gifts For we get to our selves the Holy Ghost to be our Guide and Helper and the Security and Preservation of our Faith and escaping of Punishments and the Protection of God in Temptations and Victory over the Devil There is a real Crowd or Heap of singular Joy in Prayer Wherefore the Lord says thus Joh. 16.14 Ask and ye shall receive that your Joy may be full Nor is there left any room to doubt III. How ready God is to hear Prayer but that God's Goodness is ready at hand and meets our Prayers which many Testimonies of the Divine Scriptures prove which because they are ready at hand to all we will only touch those of Isaiah for an Example Isa 58.9 For then says he thou shalt call and the Lord shall hear thou shalt cry and he shall say Here I am And again Isa 65.24 It shall be that before they cry I will hearken and while they yet speak I will hear And as for the Examples of those that have obtain'd of God their Petitions because they are in a manner infinite and evident to all Men we omit them But sometimes it happens IV. Why God sometimes hears not our Prayers that what we ask we obtain not of God It is so But then God takes the greatest care of our
our Prayers Thirdly Refraining from Cruelty as Murder and Oppression we must restrain our hands from Cruelty and Violence of which Wickedness God speaks thus by the Mouth of Esay Esay 2.15 When ye stretch forth your hands I will turn amy Eyes from you and when ye multiply Prayers I will not hear for your hands are full of blood Anger and Discord are to be avoided Fourthly Anger to be avoided which greatly hinder our Prayers from being heard concerning which the Apostle says I will that men pray in every place lifting up pure hands without anger and debate 1. Tim. 2.8 We must further take heed that we be not irreconcilable to any that wrong us Fifthly Forgetfulness of Injuries for if we are of that temper we cannot by our Prayers prevail with God to pardon us For says he when ye stand to pray if ye have ought against another forgive it And if ye forgive not men neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your sins Mar. 11.25 Matth. 6.15 We must also take heed that we be not hard hearted and unmerciful to the Needy Sixthly Works of Mercy for thus it is spoken against such kind of Men He that stops his ear at the cry of the Poor even he shall cry and shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 And what shall we say of Pride Seventhly Pride to be subdu'd whereby how greatly God is offended that word witnesses God resists the Proud but gives Grace to the Humble Jac. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 And what Eighthly Gods word to be heard of the contempt of the Divine Oracles against which says Solomon He that turns away his ear from hearing the Law his Prayer shall be accurs'd Prov. 28.9 In which case notwithstanding the Acknowledgment of Wrong done Note or of Murder or of Anger or of Hard-heartedness to the Poor or of Pride or of contempt of God s Oracle or lastly of other Sins is not excluded if Pardon be sincerely begg'd Now to this Preparation of Mind Ninthly Faith to be exercis'd Faith also is necessary which if it be wanting there can be no knowledge of the Omnipotence of the Supreme Father nor of his Mercy from which notwithstanding springs the Confidence of him that prays Math. 28.22 even as Christ our Lord has taught All things says he whatsoever ye ask in Prayer if ye believe ye shall receive them Of this kind of Faith S. Austin writes De verbis Domini If thy Faith fails thy Prayer perishes A chief point therefore in praying well as was even now said is to be well grounded and fix't in Faith which the Apostle shews by its contrary Rom. 10.14 How shall they call upon him on whom they have not believ'd We must therefore believe that we may be able to pray And that that Faith whereby we pray to good purpose fail us not for it it is Faith that pours out Prayers let us pray that all doubtfulness being remov'd our Faith might be firm and stable To this effect S. Ignatius exhorted those that came to God with intention to pray Epist. 10. ad Hier. Be not in Prayer of a distrustful mind blessed is he that has not doubted Wherefore to the obtaining of God the thing we desire Faith and an assured Hope of Success is of very great moment which thing S. James admonishes Jac. 1.6 Let him ask in Faith nothing doubting II. How Faith to be stir'd up First Now there are many things whereof in this Duty of Prayer we ought to be confident There is evidently seen the good-will and Bounty of God towards us since he commands us to call him Father to let us understand that we are his Children Second Then there is the almost infinite number of those that have obtain'd their Requests of God Then there is that chief Advocat Christ our Lord Third who is always assistant to us of whom it is thus written in S. John If any Man sin we have an Advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the just and he is the Propitiation for our Sins And the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 8.32 It was Christ Jesus that di'd yea and that rose again that sits at the right hand of God who also intercedes for us And so in Timothy 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediator of God and of Men the Man Christ Jesw And to the Hebrews Heb. 2.27 For which cause he ought in all respects to be made like to his Brethren that he might become a merciful and faithful high Priest to God VVherefore tho we are unworthy to obtain any thing yet by the Dignity of our most excellent Mediator and Intercessor Jesus Christ we ought to hope and to be very confident that God will grant all things that we ask aright thro him Lastly Fourth there is the Holy Ghost the Author of our Prayer by whose conduct our Prayers must needs be heard Rom. 8.15 For we have receiv'd the Spirit of Adoption of the Sons of God in whom we cry Abba Father which very Spirit helps our Infirmity and Ignorance in this Duty of Prayer yea says he he prays for us with groans unutterable VVhat then Fifth if any should chance sometimes to stumble nor know themselves to be strong enough in Faith let them use that word of the Apostle Lord increase our Faith And that of the Blind man Help my unbelief Luc. 17.5 Mark 9.28 But then when we are grown strong in Faith and Hope The tenth Preparation to Prayer we shall obtain of God all that we desire when according to his Law and VVill we shall conform all our Mind Actions and Prayers Joh. 15. for says he If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you Altho as we said before for this Power of obtaining all things of him the forgetting of Injuries Liberality and good-will towards our Neighbors is in the first place necessary What way is requir'd in PRAYER NOW it highly concerns Men how they perform their Sacred Prayers for tho Prayer is a wholsom Good I. Prayer unless rightly perform'd profits nothing Jac. 4.3 yet if it be not rightly apply'd it profits not For what we ask we oftentimes do not obtain as S. James says for this Reason because we ask amiss The Curats therefore shall teach the Faithful what the best way of Praying well both privately and publicly is and what Rules have bin deliver'd by the direction of Christ our Lord for Christian Prayer VVe must therefore ask in Spirit and Truth II. We must pray in Spirit and in Truth Joh. 4.23 For our heavenly Father seeks such as worship him in Spirit and in Truth Of this way of praying in Spirit and in Truth vide Cyrill Alexandr per 17 libros integros item D. Thom. 2.2 q. 83. a. 12. Now He prays after that manner that exercises an
by Fasting we cleanse away the Spots of our own Life And altho all these are profitatable for all kinds of Sin yet they are suitable and fit in a proper manner for those several Sins which we mention'd before The LORD'S PRAYER Our Father which art in Heaven SInce this Form of Christian Prayer deliver'd by Jesus Christ I. The Entrance of the Lord's Prayer has such Vertue that before we come to the Requests and Petitions we are to use certain Words for a Preface or Entrance whereby when we come devoutly to God we may do it with the greater assurance it is the Curat 's Duty to shew them distinctly and clearly that pious Persons may go the more chearfully and may know that they are to deal with God as with a Father Orationem Dominicam explicant Tertul. in lib. de Orat. Cyprian in lib. de Orat. Dom. Cyril Hierosol Catech. 5. Mystag Chrysost Hom. de Orat. Dom. Hieron Theoph. Euthim. in cap. 6. Matth. Amb. lib. 4. de Sacram. c. 4. Aug. Epist 121. ad Probam Item de Serm. Domini in Monte lib. 2. c. 5 6 7 8 16. Hom. 42. Item de Bono perseverantiae c. 2. sequ Serm. 126 135 182. de Temp. Item Cassian collat 7. c. 18 19 20 21. D. Thom. in Opuscul 2.2 q. 83. c. 9. Now as for the Entrance Note if you respect the Words it is very short but if you consider the Matter it is very weighty and full of Mysteries And the first Word which by God's Command and Institution II. Why God call'd Father we use in this Prayer is Father For tho our Saviour could have begun this Divine Prayer with any Word that had more Majesty in it The first Reason of Creator for example or of Lord yet these which might also strike us with Dread he omitted But he made use of that Word that might minister Love and Affiance to them that pray to or beg any thing of God For what is more sweet than the Name of Father which carries in it Love and Indulgence Vide D. Leon. Serm. 6. de Nat. Dom. D. Thom. 1. p. q. 33. a. 1. But for what Reasons the Name of Father is suitable to God III. Why the Name Father given to God The first Reason the Faithful may be taught from those Heads of Creation Government and Redemption For when God created Man after his own Image he bestow'd not that Image upon the other Creatures For this singular Privilege wherewith he adorn'd Man he is rightly in Sacred Scripture call'd the Father of all Men not only of the Faithful but also of Infidels And from his Government may be taken an Argument The second That by regarding and advising well of Man's Advantage by a special kind of Care and Providence he affords us his Fatherly Love But that in the Explication of this Argument we may the better understand God's Fatherly Care over Men IV. Of the Ministers of God's Providence it seems proper to say somewhat of the Guardianship of Angels in whose Protection Men are For by God's Providence V. To every one is given of God a Guardian Angel this Business is committed to the Angels that they should keep Mankind and be at hand with all Men that they receive no great damage For as Parents if their Children are to go any infested and dangerous Journy appoint Keepers to go with them and secure them from harm so our Heavenly Father in this Journy wherein we are making towards our Heavenly Country has put Angels over every one of us by whose help and diligence being guarded we may escape the Snares privily laid by our Enemies and beat back their terrible Assaults made against us and by their direction we may hold on strait in our Journy lest any Error being cast in our way by our treacherous Adversary he might entice us out of the Way that leads to Heaven Now VI. The Advantage of the Guard of Angels of how great advantage to Men this Care of God and his singular Providence is the Charge and Administration whereof is committed to the Angels who have a middle Nature betwixt God and Men appears by Examples whereof the Sacred Scriptures furnish us with abundance which testifie that oftentimes by God's Goodness it came to pass that in the very sight of Men the Angels wrought wonderful things Whereby we are admonish'd that innumerable things of this kind which do not fall under Sight are profitably and savingly wrought by the Angels the Guardians of our Safety The Angel Raphael VII Raphael's Benefits to Tobias who was Tobias's Companion and the Guide of his Journy appointed by God brought him on his Journy and home again in safety And he was Assistant to him that he might not be devour'd of that great Fish and shew'd him how great Vertue there was in the Liver Gall and Heart of that Fish He drove out the Devil Tob. 1.2 and fettering and hindring his Power he kept him from hurting Tobias Tob. 6. And taught the young Man the true and lawful Use and Institution of Matrimony Tob. 12. And restor'd Sight to blind Tobias Also that Angel that deliver'd the Prince of Apostles VIII The Benefits of the Angel that guarded S. Peter affords plentiful Matter to the Curats for Instruction of their devout Flock concerning the admirable Advantage of the Care and Custody of Angels when they shall shew that the Angels illustrating the Darkness of the Prison and raising Peter from Sleep by touching his Side loosing his Chains breaking his Bands warning him to rise and taking his Sandals and his other Apparel to follow him and when they shall teach that by the same Angel Peter being set at liberty was led out of Prison thro the Watch and lastly that the Gates being open'd he was put into safety Of this kind of Examples IX Profitable to relate these Examples as was said before the History of Sacred Scripture is full whereby we see how great the Power of those Benefits is which God bestows upon Men by the Ministry and Service of Angels Nor are they sent only upon some certain and particular account but even from our very first beginning they are charg'd with the Care of us and plac'd over Men in particular for defence of their Safety Now X. The profitableness of the Doctrin of the Guardianship of Angels this Advantage will follow upon the diligent handling of this Doctrin That the Minds of the Hearers will be attentive and rous'd up to the acknowledging and reverencing this Fatherly Care and Providence of God towards them He that will read more concerning the Creation and Excellency of the Angels let him look back to the First Article of the Creed pag. 13. And here the Curat shall commend and highly extol the Riches of God's Goodnes's towards Mankind XI How great the Riches of God s Gooâ—ness towards us is whom tho
in the First Parents both of our Kind and of our Sin and even to this day we have offended by our Wickedness yet he continues his Love towards us nor do's he lay aside that special Care over us Whom if any one thinks that he forgets Men XII A great Sin to say that God forgets Men. Exod. 17.7 he is mad and most unworthily dishonors God God is angry at Israel for the Blasphemy of that Nation which thought it self forsaken of the Divine Care For we read in Exodus They tempted the Lord saying Is God among us or not And in Ezekiel Ezek 8.12 God is angry at the same People because they said God sees us not the Lord has left the Earth The Faithful therefore are to be deterr'd by these Authorities from that wicked Opinion That God can be unmindful of Men. In which sense we may hear the Israelites complaining of God in Esay's Prophecy Note and God on the contrary clearing himself from that their foolish Complaint in a gracious Similitude For thus we read there Isa 49.14 Sion said The Lord has forsaken me and the Lord has forgotten me To whom God answers Can a Woman forget her Infant that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb Tho she may forget yet will not I forget thee Behold I have carried thee in my Arms. By which Places tho this be clearly confirm'd XIII God never forgets Men. yet that the Faithful may be fully perswaded that God can at no time lay aside the Care of Men so as not to give them the Effects of his Fatherly Love the Curats shall prove this Matter from the most clear Example of the first of Mankind whom after the neglect and violation of God's Command when you hear them more sharply accus'd and condemn'd with that dreadful Sentence Gen. 3.17 Cursed is the Earth by thy Deed in labor shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy Life Thorns and Briars shall it bring thee forth and thou shalt eat the Grass of the Earth when you see them driven out of Paradice and to take away all hope of return thither when in the entrance of Paradice you read that there is plâ—c'd a Cherubin holding a Flaming Sword turning hither and thither when you understand that they were punish'd with both inward and outward Sorrows by God's revenging their Wrong Would you not think now Observe that Man's Business were done Would you not believe that he were stripp'd not only of all Divine Help but also expos d to all kinds of Wrongs But yet even in these so great Tokens of God's Wrath and Revenge there arise some Sparks of God's Love towards them Gen. 3.2 For says the Scripture The Lord God made for Adam and for his Wife Coats of Skins and he put them upon them And this was a very great Argument that God would never at any time be wanting to Men. The Efficacy of this Sentence XIV God's Love to Man never drawn dry by any Injury Psal 76. Habac 3.2 Mich. 7.18 That the Love of God is not to be exhausted by any Sinfulness of Man David express'd in these Words Will the Lord keep his Mercy in his Anger And this Habacuc speaking to God expounds while he says When thou art angry thou remembrest Mercy So Michaeas Who O God is like to thee who takest away Iniquity and put'st away the Sin of the Relique of thine Inheritance Thou wilt no more send forth thy Fury because thou lov'st Mercy Verily thus the Case is XV. God helps in extremity When we think our selves utterly lost and depriv'd of God's Protection then especially of his Infinite Goodness do's God seek and take care of us For in his Anger he restrains the Sword of his Justice nor do's he cease to pour out the inexhaustible Treasures of his Mercy God's Creation and Providence therefore have a very great Efficacy XVI How rightly God call'd a Father to shew how God loves and defends Mankind But yet that Work of Man's Redemption shines so bright between the other two that the most gracious God and our Father has illustrated his infinite Kindness towards us by pressing in this third Benefit upon the rest Wherefore the Curat shall declare to his Spiritual Children XVII Why we are call'd and are the Children of God and diligently inculcate into their Ears this passing excellent Love of God towards us that they may know that being redeem'd after a wonderful manner they are become the Sons of God For Joh. 1. â—1 says S. John He has given them power to become the Sons of God and they are born of God For which cause Note Baptism which we have as the first Pledge and Token of our Redemption is call'd the Sacrament of Regeneration for thereby we are born the Children of God for our Lord himself says Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and we must be born again And the Apostle S. Peter 1 Pet. 1.25 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible thro the Word of the living God By vertue of this Redemption we have both receiv'd the Holy Spirit XVIII How great the Benefit of Redemption is Rom. 15. and are dignified with Gods ' Grace by which Gift we are adopted the Sons of God as the Apostle S. Paul writes to the Romans Ye have not receiv'd the Spirit of Bondage again to Fear but ye have receiv'd the Spirit of Adoption of Sons in whom we cry Abba Father The Efficacy and Vertue of which Adoption 1 John 3.8 S. John explains after this manner Ye see how great Love the Father has given us that we should be call'd and be the Sons of God These things being explain'd XIX What we ow to God our Father the Faithful are to be admonish'd what return they ought to make to God our most loving Father that they may know what Love and Devotion what Obedience and Veneration they ought to perform to their Creator Governor and Redeemer and with what Hope and Affiance they ought to call upon him But to take away that Folly XX. A great Error to be remov'd and the better to guide the perversness of the Opinion of such as think a prosperous State and happy course of Life is the only Argument that God loves us but when we are exercis'd of God with Adversities and Calamities that that is a Sign that God is angry and has wholly estrang'd his good will from us It must be shew'd XXI When God chastises he loves Job 9.21 Psal 88.34 when the Lords hand touches that the Lord does not do this as an Enemy but that by striking he heals us and that a Wound that comes from God is a Medicine For he chastises sinners That by that Discipline he might make them better and by the present Punishment he redeems them from everlasting Destruction For indeed he visies our
iniquities with a rod and our Sins with Scourges but his Mercy he takes not away from us Wherefore XXII What we are to do when God chast'ns us Job 18. the Faithful are to be admonish'd that in this kind of Chastisement they acknowledge Gods Fatherly Love and let them have that Saying of patient Job in their Memory and in their Mouth He wounds and he heals he smites and his hand will heal That they may take up that that Jeremy wrote under the Person of the Israelites Hier. 31.18 Thou didst chastise me and I am taught even as an heifer that was untam'd convert me and I shall be coverted because thou O Lord art my God And to follow Tobias's Example who when he felt the Fatherly Hand of God punishing him in that Affliction of Blindness cry'd out Tob. 11.17 I bless thee O Lord God of Israel because thou hast chastis'd me and thou hast sav'd me But here the Faithfull must be very careful XXIII We must not murmur in afflictions Luc. 21.18 lest when they are afflicted with any Trouble and griev'd with any Calamity they think that God knows it not for he says A hair of your head shall not perish Yea rather let them chear up themselves with that Comfort of the divine Oracle Apoc. 3.19 which we read in the Revelations Whom I love I rebuke and chasten Let them rest satisfied in that Exhortation of the Apostle to the Hebrews My Son neglect not the Chastning of the Lord Heb. 12.5 nor be thou weary while thou art reprov'd by him for whom the Lord loves he chastises and corrects every Son whom he receives but if ye are without Chastisment ye are Bastards and not Sons We have had Fathers of our flesh that instructed us and we reverenc'd them shall we not much rather obey the Father of Spirits and live Our XXIV Why of particular persons God is call'd Our Matth 23 8. When every one of us calls him Father and Our Father we are taught that it necessarily follows from the Gift and Right of the Divine Adoption that all the Faithful are Brethren and ought to love one another as Brethren For says he ye are all Brethren for there is one your Father who is in Heaven Wherefore the Apostles also in their Epistles call all the Faithful Brethren Whence also it is a necessary Consequence XXV How we are now Brethren of Christ and of one another that by the same Adoption of God not only all the Faithful are joyn'd together among themselves in the relation of Brotherhood but because the only begotten Son of God was Man they are call'd and are his Brethren For in the Epistle to the Hebrews the Apostle speaking of the Son of God Heb 2.11 wrote thus He is not asham'd to call them Brethren saying I will declare thy Name to my Brethren Which things so long before David foretold concerning Christ our Lord. Yea Psal 21. and Christ himself in the Gospel says to the Women Mattth 21.10.26.66 Go tell my Brethren to go into Galilee there they shall see me And it is manifest that this was then spoken of him XXVI Christ our Brother even in Heaven when being risen from the Dead he had gotten Immortality that none might think that this Fraternal Relation was dissolv'd by his Resurrection and Ascent into Heaven For Christs Resurrection was so far from destroying this Conjunction and Charity as we have bin taught that even from the very Seat of his Majesty and Glory Matth. 25.31 and even then when he shall judg all Men of all Ages the very least of all the Faithful shall be call'd by the Name of Brethren And how can it be XXVII We are Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Heb. 1.2 but that we must needs be Christs Brethren since we are call'd his Heirs for he is the first begott'n appointed Heir of all but we in the second place begotten joynt Heirs with him according to the measure of heavenly Gifts according to the Degree of Love whereby we yielded our selves the Servants and Fellow Laborers of the Holy Ghost Who being our Guide to Vertue and good Works Note we are carried on and inflam'd to enter valiantly into the Combate of Salvation being arm'd with his Grace which being wisely and constantly perform'd and the Course of this Life being run we receive of our Heavenly Father the just Reward of a Crown which is appointed for all that hold this same Course Heb. 6.10 For as the Apostle says God is not unjust to forget your Labor and Love But how we ought from our Heart to utter this word Our XXVIII God is to be call'd Ours from the Heart and why the Sentence of S. Chrysostom shews who says That God freely hears a Christian praying not only for himself but for another because Nature teaches every one to pray for himself but Grace teaches to pray for others Need compels Men to pray for themselves but brotherly Charity exhorts to pray for others To which he subjoyns That Prayer is more acceptable to God which brotherly Charity puts up Note than that which is made for necessity Chrysost hom 14. operâ—s imperfecti in Matth. Concerning this so weighty a matter of saving Prayer XXIX An Admonition of great moment the Curat ought to exhort all of every Age Condition and Rank that being mindful of this common Relation of Brotherhood they behave themselves courteously and brotherlike each to other and that they carry not themselves insolently to one another For tho in the Church of God there are divers Degrees of Offices Note yet that variety of Degrees and Offices does not take away the nearness of Brotherly Relations Even as in the Body of Man A Similitude the various Uses and different Offices of the Members does not cause this or that part of the Body to lose the Name and Office of a Member Consider him that is in Kingly Power XXX An equality among Christians is he not therefore if he be faithful Brother of all them that are within the Communion of the Christian Faith Yes Why so Because there is not one God of the Rich and another of the Poor not one God of Kings and another of those that are under the Power of Kings But there is one God and Father and Lord of all All therefore have the same Nobility of Spiritual Birth XXXI The Nobility of Christians is equal all have the same Dignity the same Lustre of Family seeing we are all born the Sons of God of the same Spirit by the same Sacrament of Faith and are all Co-heirs of the same Inheritance Nor have Wealthy and great Men one Christ for their God and the Poor and Beggarly another they are not initiated by other Sacraments nor do they look for another Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven We are all Brethren and as the Apostle to the Ephesians says Ephes
wit That Heaven is carried about with a steddy and perpetual Motion so that it does not in the least forsake the Law appointed it of God If you consider the Earth and all other Creatures you may easily perceive that they fall off either not at all or but very little But miserable Mankind very often falls XI Nothing more inconstant than Man and seldom does it proceed in any good purposes but for the most part leaves off good Actions when begun and despises them and the best Sense which pleas'd for a while presently displeases and that being rejected it falls into ill Counsels and such as are pernicious to it self What therefore is the cause of this Misery and Inconstancy XII What the causes of Man's Misery are It must needs be the Contempt of divine Inspiration for we shut our Ears to Gods Admonitions we will not cast our Eyes upon those things that would give us Divine Light nor do we hearken to our Heavenly Father commanding us those things which are for our Salvation Wherefore the Curats are to be very careful to lay these Miseries before the Eyes of the Faithful XIII The Curats Duty in thiâ— case and let them shew the causes of their Miseries and the vertue of the Remedies to do which they will not want means if they read those very Holy Men John Chrysostom and Austin and especially what we have set down in the Exposition of the Creed For those things being known who is there even of the most wicked Men in the World but by the Help of Gods Grace preventing them will endeavour by the Example of the Prodigal Son in the Gospel Luc. 15. to bestir and raise himself up and come into the presence of this heavenly King and Father Vide Chrysost in Psal 118. in cap. 4. Isai hom 62. ad Popul Antioch Item hom 69. in hom de vanit brevit Vitae Aug. lib. 10. Confess c. 28. 31. lib. 21. de Civit. Dei c. 14. lib. 22. c. 22. Having explain'd these things XIV What is here understood by the Kingdom of God they shall then shew how this Petition becomes advantagious to the Faithful and what it is that in these words we beg of God especially seeing that this word the kingdom of God signifies many things the declaring whereof will be useful both to the understanding of other places of Scripture and is necessary to the knowledge of this place The common Signification therefore of the Kingdom of God First and which is frequent in the Sacred Scripture is not only that Power which he has over all Men and Creatures in the World but his Providence also which rules and governs all things For as the Prophet says Psal 94.4 In his hands are all the Ends of the Earth By which Ends are also understood those things which are secret and hidden in the inmost parts of the Earth and of all things else According to this Sense spake Mordochaeus in these words Esther 13.9 O Lord God thou art an Almighty King for in thy Power are all things and there is none that can resist thy Will thou art Lord of all nor is there any that resists thy Majesty Again Secondly by the Kingdom of God is signified that special and singular Rule of Providence whereby God defends and takes care of pious and holy Men. Of which mighty care so proper to God it is said of David The Lord governs me therefore shall I want nothing And Isaiah says The Lord our King he shall save us Psal 22.1 Isay 32.22 In which Kingly Power of God XV. Christ's Kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 tho even in this Life those pious and holy Men are after a special Manner of whom we have made mention yet Christ our Lord admonish'd Pilat that his Kingdom is not of this World i. e. it has not its Beginning from this World which is made to perish for after that manner as we have said Emperors Kings Common-wealths Rulers and all they that either have obtain'd and are chosen of Men to be over Cities and Provinces or by Violence and Wrong to possess the Government have the Rule or Mastery But Christ our Lord is appointed of God to be King XVI What Christ's Kingdom is as the Prophet says whose Kingdom as the Apostle says is Justice for he says The Kingdom of God is Justice and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Psal 2.6 Rom. 24.15 Now Christ our Lord reigns in us by internal Vertues Faith Hope and Charity XVII How Christ reigns in us by which Vertues we are made parts as it were of his Kingdom and being subject to God after a special manner we are consecrated to his Worship and Reverence that as the Apostle said Gal. 2. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me so we may say I reign yet not I but Christ reigns in me Now this Kingdom is call'd Justice XXIII Why God's Kingdom is Justice because it is constituted by the Justice of Christ our Lord. And of this Kingdom thus speaks our Lord in S. Luke The kingdom of God is within you Luc. 17.21 For tho Jesus Christ reigns by Faith in all Note that are contain'd in the Lap and Bosom of our most Holy Mother the Church yet in a special manner he reigns over them who being endu'd with Faith Hope and Charity yield themselves as pure and living Members to God And in these the Kingdom of Grace is said to be Now Thirdly The Kingdom of God is eternal Glory Matth. 25.34 Luc. 23.42 that is God's Kingdom of Glory whereof we hear Christ our Lord speaking in S. Matthew Come ye Blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom prepar'd for you from the beginning of the World Which very Kingdom that Thief in S. Luke admirably ackowledging his Wickedness begg'd of him in this manner Lord remember me when thou com'st into thy Kingdom S. John also makes mention of this Kingdom John 3.5 Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And the Apostle to the Ephesians mentions it Eph. 5. For no Whoremonger or Vnclean person or Covetous man who is an Idolater has any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Matth. 13. â—1 Hither do belong some Parables of Christ our Lord speaking of the Kingdom of Heaven But first it is necessary to establish the Kingdom of Grace XIX The double Kingdom of Grace and Glory nor can Gods Glory reign in any except his Grace first rule in them But Grace XX. What Grace is according to the Sense of our Savior himself is A fountain of living water sprining up to eternal life John 4.14 And what shall we call Glory but Grace made perfect and absolute For so long as we are cloth'd with this frail and mortal Body while weak and wandring in
everlasting Fountain to wash away the Pollutions of Sin whereby we wish to he cleans'd and expiated God being our Guide and Benefactor when we pray thus of him Forgive us our Debts Now this Petition contains the Sum II. What this Petition contains Isa 27.9 as it were of those Goods which are heap'd upon Mankind thro Jesus Christ For so Esaias taught Iniquity shall be forgiven to the House of Jacob and all this Fruit is to take away Sin Which thing David also shews declaring them that could receive that saving Fruit to be blessed in these words Psal 34.11 Blessed are they whose so Iniquities are forgiven Wherefore the Pastors must observe and expound the meaning of this Petition accurately and deligently III. This Petition to be explain'd which we perceive to be so available to the attaining of the Life of Heaven Now we enter upon a new way of Praying IV. This â—â—â—ten d â—ers from the rest for hitherto we have begg'd of God not only Eternal and Spiritual Good things but Transitory Conveniencies and such as belong to this Life But now we pray to be delivâ—r'd from the Evils both of Soul and Body both of this and the other Life Now because to the obtaining what we pray for V. What need we have to pray aright there is requir'd a proper way of Petitioning it seems fit to shew how they ought to be affected that will make Prayers to God The Curats therefore shall admonish the Faithful First first That it is necessary that he that will come to beg this first acknowledge his Sin And then Secondly that he be mov'd with the Sense of and Grief for it And then Thirdly that he throly perswade himself that God is willing to pardon those that have sinn'd if they are so affected and dispos'd as we have said lest haply after the bitter remembrance and acknowledgment of Sin there follow the despair of Pardon which long ago took hold upon the Souls of Cain and Judas Gen. 4 13. Mat. 27.4 who look'd upon God only as a Revenger and not also as Gracious and Merciful In this Petition therefore we ought so to be affected VI. With what Mind this Petition to be made that with grief acknowledging our Sins we fly to God as to a Father and not as to a Judge whom we pray to deal with us not in Justice but in Mercy Now we are easily brought to acknowledge our Sins VII How Men are to be brought to acknowledg their Sin Psal 13.52 if we but hearken to God himself admonishing us in such places of sacred Scripture as these For thus we read in David They are all gone out of the Way they are all together become unprofitable there is none that does good no not one To the same sense speaks Solomon There is no Man just upon the Earth that do s good and sins not Pertinent to which is this also Who can say My Heart is clean I am pure from Sin Prov. 20.9 Which very thing also for the deterring Men From Pride is written by S. John 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say that we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us And by Jeremy Hier. 2.35 Thou saidst I am without Sin and innocent and therefore let by Anger be turn'd from me Behold I will contend with thee in Judgment because thou saidst I have not sinn'd All whose Sentences VIII In what sense this Petition is to be understood agreeing in the same tho coming out of their several Mouths Christ our Lord confirm'd in the appointment of this Petition For the Authority of the Council of Milevis forbad that it should be otherwise interpreted after this manner c. 7 8 9. VVe decree That whosoever will have those VVords of the Lord's Prayer where we say Forgive us our Debts so to be said of the Saints as that it be said for humility but not truly Let him be Anathema For who can endure one to pray Note and at the same time to lie that not to Men but to the Lord himself who with his Lips tells him that he desires to be forgiven but in his Heart he says he has no Sins to be forgiven him Vide Trid. Sess 6. de Justificatione c. 11. Item Aug. in Ench. c. 17. But in the necessary acknowledgment of our Sins IX Sin is to be remember'd with grief it is not enough lightly to make mention of them For that the remembrance of them might be bitter to us there is need that we be prick'd at the Heart wounded at the Soul and grieve inwardly VVherefore the Curats shall diligently handle this Point Note that his faithful Hearers may not only bring to remembrance their Sins and VVickedness but that they may remember them with grief and sorrow that when they are griev'd at the Heart they may betake themselves to God their Father whom they humbly pray to pluck away the Stings of their Sins that stick within them Nor shall they labor to lay before the Eyes of the Faithful the Filthiness only of their Sin X. How the Peoples Sins are to be put before their Eyes but also Mens Indignity and Blemishes who being nothing else but stinking Flesh and the utmost Deformity dare after an incredible manner provoke the incomprehensible Majesty and inexpressible Excellency of God and especially since by him we have been created redeem'd and enrich'd with innumerable and exceeding great Benefits And why Note and Amplifie that being estrang'd from God the Father who is the Supream Good we dedicate our selves to the Devil for the basest Reward of Sin and to the most miserable Slavery For neither can it be express'd how cruelly he tyrannises in the Souls of them who having cast away the sweet Yoak of God and broken the most lovely Knot of Charity whereby our Soul is ty'd to God our Father they have fallen off to their most bitter Enemy Joh. 14.30 who for that Reason is call'd in Sacred Scripture the Prince and Ruler of the VVorld Ephes 6.12 Job 41.25 Isa 26.13 and the Prince of Darkness and King over all the Children of Pride And to them that are oppress'd with the Devils Tyranny does that VVord of Esay properly agree O Lord our God other lords besides thee have ruled over us If these broken Covenants of Love move us not XI How many and great Mischiefs Sin causes at least let the Calamities and Miseries into which we have plung'd our selves by Sin move us For the Sanctity of the Soul which we know is espous'd to Christ is violated and this same Temple of the Lord is prophan'd which those that pollute 1 Cor. 3. the Apostle threatens thus Now if any one violate the Temple of God him will God destroy Innumerable are the Evils which Sin brings upon Men. Which Plague being almost infinit Psal 37.4 David expresses in these Words There is
Dan. 3.49 which we read happen'd to the Three Children that were cast into the burning fiery Furnace Dan. 6.22 Dan. â— and to Daniel whom the Lions hurt not even as the Flame scorch'd not those Children But according to the Sense of the great S. Basil XVI The Dev l call'd Evil. S. Chrysostom and S. Austin the Devil is specially call'd the Evil one because he was the Author of Mans Fault that is of his Sin and VVickedness whom God uses as his Minister in punishing wicked and criminous Men for God appoints to Men all the Evil they suffer for their Sins which the Sacred Scripture means when it says Amos 3.6 Is there any evil in the City which the Lord has not done And Esa 45.7 I am the Lord and there is none other forming the Light and creating Darkness making peace and creating Evil. And the Devil is call'd Evil for this Cause Another Reason because tho we had done him no hurt yet he always makes VVar against us and persecutes us with mortal Hatred But if because we are armed with Faith Note and protected with Innocence he cannot hurt us yet he makes no end of tempting us with outward Evils and vexing us by all the means he is able wherefore we pray God that he would deliver us from the Evil one Chrysost hom 20. in Matth. hom 5. in Job Aug. in Ecclesiast dogmat c. 57. Basil in hom quod Deus non sit auctor malorum non procul à fine Now we say from Evil XVII Why we pray to be deliver'd from Evil and not from Evils not from Evils for this Reason because the Evils which happen to us from our Neighbors we lay upon him as the Author and Perswader that we may not therefore be angry against our Neighbors but turn all our Hatred and Anger against Satan himself by whom Men are driven to do us the Injury If therefore your Neighbor has hurt you in any kind Note when you pray to God our Father beg of him not only to deliver you from Evil i. e. from those Injuries which your Neighbor lays on you but that he would snatch that very Neighbor of yours out of the Power of the Devil by whose impulse Men are led into Deceit We must also know XVIII When we are not heard herein what we must do if by our Prayers and Vows we are not deliver'd from Evils that we ought patiently to endure those things that press us understanding that so it pleases God that we should patiently suffer them VVherefore it is by no means fit for us either to be angry or to grieve because God hears not our Prayers but we must referr all things to his VVill and Pleasure esteeming it to be profitable to us and for our Good which pleases God that it should be so and not that which we would have to be otherwise Lastly XIX Here all inconveniences are patiently to be endur'd 2 Tim. 3.12 the Devout Hearers are to be taught That whilst they are in the Stage of this Life they ought to be ready to bear all kinds of Inconveniences and Calamities not only with a patient but also with a chearful and glad Heart For all says the Apostle that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution And Act. 14.21 Thro many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Again Luc. 24.26 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his Glory for it is not fit that the servant should be greater than his Lord as it is very unfit according to S. Bernards Sense that the Members should be delicat under a thorny Head Serm. 5. de omnibus Sanctis The Example of Vriah is very excellent for our Imitation An Example who when David exhorted him to stay at home said 2 Reg. 11.11 The Ark of God and Israel and Judah dwell in Tents and shall I go into my house Being furnished with these Reasons and Meditations Other Examples if we come to pray we shall obtain that tho we were on all sides girded and compassed about with Evils yet we shall be kept safe even as those three Children that were untouch'd by the Fire or at least as the Machabees we should constantly and stoutly endure all Adversities In Reproaches and Torments we will imitate the Sacred Apostles Act. 5.41 Who being beaten with Stripes did heartily rejoyce that they were counted worthy to suffer Disgrace for Christ Jesus So we being thus prepar'd will sing with the greatest Pleasure of Mind Psal 118. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart was afraid for thy Word I will rejoyce in thy word as he that has found great Spoils The SEAL of the LORDS PRAYER Amen THis Word Amen I. Prayer must be rightly concluded or so it is S. Hierom in his Commentaries upon Matth 6.6 calls the Seal of the Lords Prayer Wherefore as we before admonish'd the Faithful concerning the Preparation which is to be made before we go about to pray to God so we thought it convenient that they should know the Cause and Reason of the Close and End of this Prayer For it is of no less moment devoutly to end Note than to be careful how to begin our Prayers to God Let the Faithful know therefore that the Fruits II. The fruit of this Particle we obtain by the End of our Lords Prayer are many and that very profitable but the most advantagious and welcome Fruit is the obtaining of those things which we have pray'd for whereof enough has already been spoken For by the former Part of this Prayer we not only obtain to have our Prayers heard but also some greater and more excellent things than can by Words be express'd For since Men in Praying III. The Advantage of Prayer discourse with God as S. Cyprian says the Divine Majesty is after an unutterable manner brought nearer to the Person that prays than to others and besides it adorns them with singular Gifts So that they who devoutly pray to God may be compared to them that come to the Fire who if they are cold begin to grow warm if they were warm begin to grow hot So they that come to God by Prayer according to the Measure of their Devotion and Faith go away more warm'd for their Minds are inflam'd for Gods Glory their Souls inlightned after an admirable manner they are exceedingly enrich'd with Divine Graces for thus it is written in Holy Scripture Psal 20 14. Thou hast prevented him with the blessing of sweetness Moyses in this case is an Example for all An Example Exod 34 35. 2 Cor. 3. â—3 who by reason of his walking and talking with God did shine so with a kind of Divine Brightness that the Israelites could not look on his Eyes or Countenance Verily they that pray with that earnest Study Note do wonderfully enjoy Gods Majesty
to three Heads 176 The Ceremonies and Rights of Confirmation 192 The Ceremonies us'd at the Sacrament of Penance 261 The Ceremonies us'd in the Sacrament of Extream Unction 286 A Character the Effect of three Sacraments 143 What a Character performs 144 Christ's Spiritual Kingdom 34 Christ from his different Natures took different Properties 36 Why Christ call'd our Lord. ibid. Christ not call'd the Son of God by Adoption but by Nature 41 Christ came of David according to the Flesh 42 Why Christ call'd the last Adam ibid. Christs Humility an Example fitted for the beating down our pride 44 Christs Birth teaches us a saving Lesson ibid. Christ's Blood washes away our Sins 105 Christ the Author of all the Sacraments 139 Christ is our Brother 480 Christ's Resurrection destroys not his Brotherhood with Men. ibid. How Christ reigns in us 493 For Christ's sake we must be willing to be counted Fools 504 We must imitate Christ in submitting our Will to Gods Will. ibid. Christ our Lord is Bread 517 The Mystery of Christ's Passion evidently shews Gods Power and Goodness 519 Under the Protection of Christ's Passion we get Pardon of our Sins 525 Christians have all the same Spiritual Original 481 The Knowlege of a Christian comprehended under one Head 5 8 Wherein the Labor of a Christian Teacher ought to be imploy'd 5 Wherein Christian Wisdom differs from that of the World 16 How much a Christian is bound to Christ 37 By the Name Church what is properly to be understood 86 The Difference between Church and Synagogue Pag. 87 The Church call'd by many Names 88. Why the Church call'd Militant and Triumphant 89 The Figures and Similitudes of the Church 90 Who are shut out of the Church ibid. The Properties and Prerogatives of the Catholic Church 91 c. The visible Head of the Church 92 The Unity of the Church 93 The Church call'd Holy 94 The Church is Catholic 95 A certain Rule to know the the true Church from falfe ones 96 The Church is Apostolic ibid. The Church cannot err ibid. Without the Church there is no true Worship 97 God is the Author of the Church 98 We understand by Faith that the Church has the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven ibid. Why we say believe the Church and not in the Church ibid. The Name of Clerk whence deriv'd 300 VVhence the Clerk's Crown had its beginning and what it signifies ibid. The first Commandment of the Decalogue 338 The Reason of the Order of the Commandments 342 A double Precept contain'd in the first Commandment 342 The first and greatest of all the Commandments 343 VVho break the first Commandment ibid. In the first Commandment is not forbidden the Art of Graving Painting or Limning 348 VVhy the first Commandment separate from the second 356 VVhat is forbidden and commanded in the second Commandment 357 The use of that Command about loving our Parents is very extensive 382 The Ten Commandments grav'd in Two Tables and why ibid. VVhy the Command of loving our Parents expresses our Mother 386 VVhy the two last Commandments are joyn'd together 439 A two fold necessity of the two last Commandments ibid. Communion one of the names of the Eucharist 195 Before Communion what Preparation ought to be and how necessary it is 225 One Preparation to the Communion is to have Peace with all 226 Another is to love God 227 All ought to Communicate at least at Easter ibid. VVhy the Church approv'd the practise of Communicating in one Kind only Pag. 231 What things are common to three Divine Persons and what are not common 39 Concupiscence remains in the Regenerate but has not truly the Nature of Sin 167 Evil Concupiscence the Root of all Evil. 438 Concupiscence of other Mens Goods and Wife how it differs 439 What Concupiscence is 441 The Power of Concupiscence not always to be accounted vicious ibid. The Power of Concupiscence implanted in us by Nature yet by God's Appointment ibid. The Concupiscence of our First Parents corrupted by Sin ibid. The Power of Concupiscence if moderated is profitable ibid. Why S. Paul call'd Concupiscence Sin 442 What is meant by Thou shalt not covet 443 Another's Wife not to be coveted 445 Not to covet another's Wife what it signifies ibid. How dangerous it is to covet another's Wife ibid. Who are most guilty of Concupiscence 448 The Antidotes of evil Concupiscence 447 How Concupiscence is known to be a Sin 44â— Covetous Men reprehended Pag. 443 Whence Confidence in God begins 467 Confidence in God is increas'd by calling him in Prayer Our Father ibid. How we come to have Confidence in Prayer ibid. The Creed divided into Four Parts 14 Confession of Sins and the Necessity of it 262 why instituted ibid. its Profitableness 258 its Vertue and Nature ibid. its Definition ibid. its Rites and Ceremonies 259 it is call'd an Accusation and why 261 The Ecclesiastical Judgment made in Confession is far unlike to the Civil Judgment ibid. Confession instituted by Christ of his Goodness and Mercy 258 A Figure of Confession ibid. Whom the Law of Confession obliges 263 At what Age a Child is requir'd to confess ibid. When Confession is to be iterated 26â— Who the due and lawful Minister of Confession 267 In Confession Sins are not to be excus'd 270 The Fault of them that dare not for shame confess their Sins ibid. Diligent search is to be made in our Conscience for Sin Pag. 271 When a Confessor ought to send back a Penitent ibid. The Sacrament of Confirmation 181 The Name of Confirmation ib. Confirmation is truly a Sacrament 182 The Sacrament of Confirmation very different from that of Baptism 183 The Original of the Sacrament of Confirmation 184 Christ the Author of the Sacrament of Confirmation ib. The Sacrament of Confirmation why call'd Chrism ibid. The Matter of Chrism ibid. Chrism made by Consecration of a Bishop ibid. Why Chrism made of Oyl and Balsom 185 When and with what Ceremonies Chrism is made 185 186 The Form of the Sacrament of Confirmation ibid. In Confirmation Three things to be observ'd ibid. The proper Ministers of the Sacrament of Confirmation 187 Why a Godfather requir'd at Confirmation 188 The Assinity contracted with Godfathers at Confirmation ibid. What Age they ought to be that are to be confirm'd 189 The Sacrament of Confirmation belongs equally to all the Faithful Pag. 189 The Adult receiving Confirmation ought to grieve for their Sins 190 The Sacrament of Confirmation gives new Grace ibid. Whence the Word Confirmation deriv'd 191 The Effects of Confirmation 190 c. Confirmation cannot be iterated 192 The Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrament of Confirmation ibid. When chiefly the Sacrament of Confirmation is administred 193 What Contrition is 250 Contrition is not only a new Life but the hatred of a Life misled and the Expiation we ought to make ibid. The Vertue and Efficacy of Contrition ibid. The Grief of Contrition how vehement it ought to be 252
every year communicate at Easter shall be driven away from the Church Concil Lateran c. 28. habetur l. 5. decretal tit de Poenis remiss c. Omnis utriusque sexus Trid. Sess 13.9 Neither let the Faithful think that this is enough LXIII The Faithful to be exhorted to the frequent use of the Eucharist that obeying the authority of this Decree they only once a year receive the Lords Body but let them know that they ought oftner to receive the Communion of the Eucharist But whether it be more expedient so to do every Month or every Week or every Day Aug. there can be no certain Rule prescrib'd for all But yet this is S. Austins most sure Rule So live that thou mayst receive every Day Wherefore the Curats shall be ready to exhort the Faithful diligently that as they think it necessary to afford nourishment to their Bodies every Day so also that they cast not off the care of feeding and nourishing their Soul every day with the Sacrament for it is plain that the Soul no less wants her Spiritual Meat than the Body her natural Food And it will be extreamly profitable in this place to repeat those exceeding great and divine Benefits which as was before shew'd we obtain by Sacramental Communion of the Eucharist And this figure also shall be added that every day the Israelites ought to refresh the strength of their Bodies with Manna Exod. 16. And also the authorities of the Holy Fathers which greatly commended the frequent receiving of this Sacrament Neither was it the Opinion of that one only Holy Father S. Austin Thou daily sinnest daily receive but whosoever diligently observes will easily find that the same was the sense of all the Fathers that have written of this matter To frequent Communion do exhort Aug. de verb. Dom. serm 28. sed hic serm cum non sit Aug. sed Ambr. l. 5. de Sacram. c. 4. rejectus est in apendicem tomi 10. Item vide eund Aug. Epist 118. c. 3. Item Ignat. ad Ephes satis ante fin Basil Epist ad Caesar patr Ambr. lib. 3. de Sacram. c. 4. Chrys hom 61. ad pop Antioch Cypr. de Orat. Domin ad haec verba Panem nostrum quotid Hieron Epist 28. ad Lucin. vers finem Cyril lib. 3. in Joan. c. 34. de consec dist 2. per multa capita hac de re And in former daies there was a time when the Faithful daily receiv'd the Eucharist LXIV Antiently the Faithful communicated every day Act. 2.42 as we understand from the Acts of the Apostles For all who then profess'd the Christian Faith did so burn with true Christian Charity that when without intermission they were at leisure for Prayers and other duties of Piety or Devotion they were always found ready prepar'd daily to receive the Sacred Mysteries of the Lords Body The most holy Martyr and Pope Anacletus in some measure renew'd this De consec dist â— c. 1â— For he commanded That the Ministers who perform'd Masse should communicate Which thing he affirm'd to have bin ordain'd by the Apostles And it was a long while a Custom in the Church that the Priest as soon as the Sacrifice was ended when he took the Eucharist turning to the people that were present invited the Faithful to the Sacred Table in these words Come Brethren to the Communion Then those that were prepar'd took the Sacred Mysteries with the most profound Devotion Of daily Communion See Dionys de Eccles Hierar c. 3. parte 2. Hieron Epist 28. ad Lucin. Greg. l. 2. dialog c. 23. Item lib. de Ecclesiast dogmat c. 53. citatur de de consec dist 1. c. 23. But when Charity and Devotion grew so cold LXV Thrice a year antiently appointed to communicate that the Faithful very rarely came to the Communion is was decreed by Pope Fabian That all should receive the Eucharist thrice every year at the Nativity of our Lord at Easter and at Whitsuntide and the same thing was afterwards confirm'd by many Councils and especially by the First Council of Agath Fabiani decretum habes de Concer dist 2. c. 16. ibid. citatur Concil Agathem sec 18. c. Saeculares But when the matter grew to that pass LXVI When commanded to communicate once a year that that holy and wholesome precept was not observ'd but the Communion of the Eucharist was put off for many years together it was decreed in the Council of Lateran That all the Faithful should once a year at least receive the Sacred Body of the Lord But those who neglected to do so were forbid to enter into the Church Citatur lib. 5. decret tit de Poenit. remiss bap Omnis utriusque sexus Now altho this Law LXVII Before the use of Reason none may communicate establish'd by the Authority of God and his Church belong to all the Faithful Yet it must be taught that they are excepted who by reason of the tenderness of Age have not yet the use of Reason for these know not how to make a difference betwixt the Sacred Eucharist and Prophane and common Bread Nor can they bring that devotion of Heart and Religion to the receiving thereof as is fit and it also seems very disagreeable to the Institution of Christ our Lord Mat. 26.26 for he says Take and Eat LXVIII The Eucharist antiently given to Infants but it is manifest enough that Infants are not capable to take and eat In some places it was indeed an antient custom to give the Sacred Eucharist even to Infants but yet both for the reasons before mention'd and for Others also very agreeable to Christian Piety the same has long-a-go Note by the Churches Authority bin forborn Cypr. de Lapsis post med But at what age the Sacred Mysteries are to be given to Children no one can better determine than the Father and Priest to whom they confess their sins for it belongs to Them to try and examine the Children whether they have learn'd the knowledg of this admirable Sacrament and have any rellish to it Moreover to Mad-men LXIX When the Eucharist ought not to be given to Mad people Con. Carth. 4.76 who then are far from the sense of Devotion the Sacraments ought not to be given Altho if before they fell into madness they evidenc'd a pious and religious disposition of mind the Eucharist may be administer'd to them at the end of their Life as was decreed by the Council of Carthage so that there be no danger to be fear'd of Vomitting or other Indignity and Inconvenience But now as to the Rite or manner of Communicating LXX The Priests only may communicate under â—oâ—h Species the Curats may teach That by the Law of the Church it is prohibited that any one without the Authority of the Church except the Priests who consecrate the Lords Body in the Sacrifice should take the Sacred Eucharist in both kinds
Sess 21. de coâ—â— sub uâ—raque specie can 1 2 3. For as has bin explain'd by the Council of Trent altho Christ at his last Supper instituted and deliver'd to the Apostles this most profound Sacrament in the Species of Bread and Wine Yet it does not follow from hence That this was made by our Lord and Savior to be a Law that the Sacred Mysteries should be administer'd to all the Faithful under both kinds For the same our Lord when he spake of this Sacrament frequently made mention but of One Species only Joh. 6.51 as when he says If any one shall eat of this Bread he shall live forever and the Bread which I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World And He that eats this Bread shall live forever That the use of One species only is sufficient to a perfect Communion may be gather'd ex Tertul. lib. 2. ad Vxor Cypr. de Lapsis Orig. Hom. 13. in Exod. Basil Epist ad Caesar patr Aug. Epist. 86. Hier. in Apol. ad Pammach Chrysost hom 41. operis impers in Matth. It is evident that the Church was led by very many LXXI Why the use of both species is not permitted to the Lay people and indeed by very weighty Reasons not only to approve but also to establish by the Authority of a Decree this Custom of communicating chiefly under one species For first The first Reason great heed was to be taken lest the Blood of our Lord should be spilt on the Ground which thing seem'd not easie to be avoided if it should be administer'd in a great multitude of people Besides The second when the Sacred Eucharist ought to be in a Readiness for the Sick it was much to be fear'd lest if the species of Wine were to be kept somewhat longer it might grow sower Besides there are very many who can by no means indure the Tast The third nor so much indeed as the very smell of Wine Wherefore lest that which was given for spiritual Healths sake The fourth might hurt the Health of the Body it was very wisely establish'd by the Church that the Faithful should receive only the species of Bread And this may be added to the other Reasons The fifth that in very many Countries they have a very great scarceness of Wine nor can they procure it from elsewhere but with very great charges and very tedious and difficult travel And then The sixth which is most of all to the purpose the Heresie of them was to be rooted up who deny'd that whole Christ is in each species but asserted that the Body only without the Blood is contain'd in the species of Bread and that the Blood was contain'd under that of the Wine Now therefore that the Truth of Catholic Faith might the more evidently be put before our eyes the Communion of One Species i. e. of Bread was wisely brought in There are other Reasons also collected by them who treat of this Argument which if it shall seem needful the Curats may make use of And that nothing might be pass'd by LXXII The Minister of this Sacrament is only a Priest that seems to belong to the Doctrin of this Sacrament we are now to speak of the Minister altho' there can be no body in a manner ignorant hereof it must be taught therefore that the Power to make and to distribute this Sacrament to the Faithful is given only to the Priests Now that this Manner has always bin kept in the Church that the Faithful People receive the Sacraments from the Priests and that the Priests who consecrate communicate themselves the Holy Synod of Trent has explain'd and shew'd Sess 13. c. 10. that This custom has bin always religiously observ'd as being sprung from Apostolic Tradition Mat. 26.26 especially seeing that Christ our Lord has left us a clear Example hereof who both consecrated his own most Holy Body Mar. 14.22 and did reach it forth to his Disciples with his own Hands But that by all means the Dignity of so great a Sacrament might be consulted LXXIII Lay people prohibited to touch the Sacred Vessels and Linnen not only the Power of Administring it is given only to Priests the Church by Law has also forbid every one that is not consecrated to presume so much as to handle or to touch the Sacred Vessels Linnen and other Instruments that are necessary to the consecration thereof unless there be some very great necessity Whence both the Priests themselves and the rest of the Faithful may understand with how great Religion and Holiness they ought to be qualified that come to the Eucharist either to consecrate to administer or to take it Altho' as was before said of the other Sacraments they are no less truly administred by Evil men LXXIV The wickedness of the Minister diminishes not the Holiness of the Eucharist provided that those things which belong to the perfect reason or nature of them be duly observ'd the same thing avails in the Sacrament of the Eucharist for neither are we to believe that all these things are done by the merit of the Ministers but by the Vertue and Power of Christ the Lord These are the things which are to be explain'd concerning the Eucharist as it is a Sacrament Now what remains to be spoken must explain it as it is a Sacrifice LXXV Of the Eucharist as it is a Sacrifice that the Curats may understand what chiefly they are to teach the Faithful people upon Sundays and Holy-days concerning this Mystery according as Holy Synod has decreed For this Sacrament is not only a Treasure of heavenly riches Sess 22. princip which if we use well we may reconcile the Grace and Love of God towards us but there is in it also a kind of special Mean whereby we return him some thanks for his immense benefits bestow'd on us But this Victim or Sacrifice if it be rightly and legitimately offerd how grateful and acceptable it is to God is gather'd from hence If the Sacrifices of the Old Law whereof it is written Psal 39.7 Sacrifices and Oblations thou would'st not Psal 50.8 And again If thou would'st have Sacrifice I would give it thee accordingly but thou delightest not in burnt Offerings so pleas'd the Lord that God as the Scripture testifies Gen. 2. smelt a sweet savor i. e. were grateful and acceptable to him what may we hope for from this Sacrifice wherein he himself is sacrific'd and offer'd of whom that voice from Heaven was twice heard Mat. 3 17â— This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Let the Curats therefore diligently explain this Mystery that when the Faithful come together to Divine Service they may learn attentively and religiously to meditate on those things at which they are present And first let them teach LXXVI The Eucharist instituted for Two causes that the Eucharist
all LXXIX What is to be done with one who excuses or lessens his sins the Pride of some is to be reprov'd who endeavor either to defend their wickednesses by some excuse or to lessen them For for example when any one confesses that he was somewhat overmuch mov'd with Anger he presently charges another with the cause of that Disturbance who as he complains first did him the Wrong He is therefore to be admonish'd That this is the sign of an exalted or proud mind and of a Man that either despises or else is ignorant of the greatness of his sin And also that such kind of Excuse does rather increase than lessen the sin For he that strives thus to approve his Fact seems to profess that he then will use Patience when no body hurts nor wrongs him than which nothing can be more unbecoming a Christian For whereas he ought very much to bewail the condition of him who did the Injury yet is not mov'd with the naughtiness of the sin but is angry at his Brother And when a fair occasion was offer'd him to honor God with his Patience and amend his Brother with his Meekness he turns the matter of his Salvation to his Hurt But more pernicious is the Fault of those to be thought LXXX What to be done with those who are asham'd to confess who being hinder'd by a foolish kind of Bashfulness dare not confess their sins They must by Exhortation be encourag'd therefore and admonish'd That there is no cause why they should be afraid to reveal their Vices and that no one ought to wonder if he knows that Men sin which is indeed the common Disease of all and is properly incident to Human Weakness There are others LXXXI What with the slothful and those that neglect Conscience who either because they are us'd very seldom to confess their sins or because they take no care and thought to find out their sins and know not well how to begin that Office and having begun Confession know not how to dispatch it There is need certainly that such as these be more sharply chid and to teach first of all that before any one go to a Priest there must be great care and diligence us'd that he be mov'd with contrition of his sins but This can by no means be done unless he study to recollect and remember them severally Wherefore if the Priest find such Men as these LXXXII See what is to be done wholly unprepar'd he shall with kind expressions send them away and exhort them that they take some longer time the better to think upon their sins and then they may return again But if haply they affirm that they have us'd all their Diligence and endeavor therein already because that they have endeavor'd as they affirm it is very much to be fear'd lest being once sent away they return no more they are to be heard and especially if they shew an endeavor of amendment of Life and can be wrought upon to accuse their own negligence for which they promise another time to make amends by diligent and exact Meditation But in this Case there is great caution to be us'd For if Note when he has heard his Confession he shall judge that neither diligence in reckoning up his sins nor Grief in detesting them have bin altogether wanting in the Penitent he may be absolv'd But if he shall observe both of them to be wanting in him he shall exhort and perswade him as was said before to use greater care in examining his Conscience and shall send him away handl'd with all the respect and kindness he can But because it sometimes happens that Women LXXXIII The remedy to be us'd for the Bashfulness of some having forgot some sin in their former Confession dare not return again to the Priest because they are afraid lest they may be suspected by the people of some very great dishonesty or else may be thought to look for the praise of bein singularly religious it must often both publickly and privately be taught that no one is of so excellent a memory as to be able to remember all his Actions Words and Thoughts Wherefore the Faithful are in no case to be frighted so as not to return to the Priest if they afterwards remember any sin which before they pretermitted These therefore and many other things of this kind shall in Confession be observ'd by the Priests LXXXIV Of Satisfaction And now we come to the Third Part of Penance which is call'd Satisfaction First therefore the Name and Vertue of Satisfaction is to be expounded For from hence the Enemies of the Catholic Church have taken a large occasion of Difference and Discord to the exceeding great Damage of Christians Now Satisfaction is a full Payment of a thing that is due LXXXV What satisfaction is for nothing seems to be wanting to that which is satisfactory or enough Wherefore when we speak of Reconciliation to Grace To satisfie signifies the same thing as to give another so much as may be suffictent to an angry mind to recompense the injury And so Satisfaction is nothing else than a Recompence for an Injury done to another But as to this place the Doctors of Divinity have us'd the word Satisfaction to signifie that Recompence when a Man pays something to God for the sins he has committed In which kind LXXXVI The various degrees of Satisfaction because there may be many Degrees hence it is that Satisfaction is taken differently And the First and most excellent is that whereby The First is Christ's Satisfaction according to the nature of our sins is paid abundantly to God whatsoever is owing to him from us altho he would deal with us according to the utmost Justice Now this is said to be of that kind which renders God appeas'd and propitious to us And This we have receiv'd from Christ our Lord only who upon the Cross having paid the price for our sins most fully satisfi'd God Nor could there be any created thing of so great worth as to free us from so grievous a debt and as S. John testifies 1 Joh. 2.2 He is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World This Satisfaction therefore is full and compleat equally answering to the Nature of all the sins which are committed in the World by the vertue whereof the Actions of Men prevail very much with God and without him they would be accounted worthy of no regard And hither the Words of David seem to have respect who considering with himself after that he had said thus Ps 11.52 What shall I give to the Lord for all the things which he has given me He could find nothing but this Satisfaction which he express'd by the name of a Chalice worthy so many and so great Benefits Wherefore he subjoyns I will take the Chalice of Salvation and will call
upon the Name of the Lord. Another kind of Satisfaction is call'd Canonical LXXXVII The Second is Canonical satisfaction which being defin'd is perfected in a certain space of Time Wherefore it has bin receiv'd by the most antient usage of the Church That when Penitents are absolv'd from sins some Punishment is requir'd of them the undergoing of which Punishment is us'd to be call'd Satisfaction By the same Name also is any kind of Punishment signifi'd LXXXVIII The Third is any Punishment freely undertaken which for sins we endure not as appointed by any Priest but of our own free accord undertaken and laid upon our selves by our selves for sins Note But this belongs not to Penance as a Sacrament But that only is to be thought a part of the Sacrament which as we said is to be paid to God for sins by the command of the Priest This being added That we stedfastly purpose and resolve in our Hearts with our utmost labor and care to avoid sin for the Future For so some define it LXXXIX What it is to satisfie To satisfie is to pay due Honor to God But it is sufficiently evident that no one can give due Honor to God but he that resolves to avoid sin by all means And to satisfie is to cut oft the Causes of sins and not to indulge any entrance to their Suggestions According to which Sentence Mark this Definition some have thought that Satisfaction is a Cleansing whereby whatsoever Uncomeliness by reason of Stain remains in the Soul is wash'd away and we are absolv'd from the Temporal Punishments wherewith we were held Which things seeing they are so XC How Satisfaction is prov'd necessary it will be easie to perswade the Faithful how necessary it is for Penitents to exercise themselves in this study of Satisfaction For they are to be taught that there are two things which follow sin to wit Stain and Punishment And altho together with the Fault committed the Punishment of Eternal Death with the Damn'd be forgiven Yet it does not always happen as has bin declar'd by the Council of Trent Sess 14. c. 8. Can. 12. 15. Gen. 3.17 Num. 12.21 2 Reg 12.23 That the Lord remits the Relics of sin and the temporal Punishments which are due to sin Of which thing there are plain Testimonies in Sacred Scripture Genesis ch 3. Numbers 12 and 22. and in many other places But we will see that most clear and illustrious place of David To whom altho Nathan said The Lord also has took away thy sin Thou shalt not dye Nevertheless he freely underwent very grievous punishments Night and Day imploring the Mercy of God in these Words Psal 50.4 Wash me further from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin because I acknowledg my Iniquity and my sin is ever against me In which words is begg'd of God that he would pardon not only the Crime but also the Punishment due to the Crime and that he would restore him being purg'd from the Relics of sin into his former state of Excellency and Integrity And this he begg'd with most earnest Prayers Yet the Lord afflicted him Both with the Death of the Child gotten in Adultery and with the Rebellion and Death of Absalom whom he dearly lov'd and with other Punishments and Calamities which he had before threatned him with In Exodus also Exo. 32.8.9 Altho the Lord were intreated by the Prayers of Moses to spare the people for their Idolatry yet he threatens That he will recompence them with grievous Punishments for so great a Wickedness And Moses himself testifies That so it will be that the Lord would most severely revenge it even to the Third and Fourth Generation Now that these things have bin always deliver'd by the Holy Fathers in the Catholic Church i◠most evidently prov'd by their authority Vide Aug. lib. 2. de peccat merit remiss cap. 34. contra Faust lib. 22. cap. 66. praesertim in Joan. tract 124. paulò ante med Greg. lib. 9. Moral cap. 24. Chrysost hom 8. ad Popul Antioch Iterum Aug. Ench. cap. 30. Amb. de Poenit. lib. 2. c. 5. Vide item Canones Poenitentiales apud Anton. August vel in Actis Eccl. Mediolan But for what cause it is XCI In Penance as in Baptism the Punishment of sin is not remitted that all Punishment is not equally forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance as in the Sacrament of Baptism is excellently explain'd by the Holy Synod of Trent in these words The Nature or Reason of the Divine Justice seem'd to require that they should by him be receiv'd into Grace after one sort who before Baptism sinn'd through Ignorance and those after another sort who being once freed from the slavery of Sin and the Devil and after having receiv'd the Gift of the Holy Ghost do violate the Temple of God and are not afraid to grieve the Holy Ghost And it becomes the Divine Mercy that our sins should not be forgiven us without any Satisfaction That taking that occasion thinking our sins to be more light than they are as those that are injurious and contumelious to the Holy Spirit we fall into greater sins treasuring up to our selves Wrath against the day of Wrath. For without all doubt XCII Canonical Satisfaction profitable these Satisfactory Punishments do greatly restrain Penitents from sin and hold them back as with a Bridle and make more cautious and watchful for the future And besides First Secondly Ezek. 6. they are as it were certain Testifications of the Grief we take for having committed sin By which means we satisfie the Church who by our wickedness is grievosly offended For as S. Austin affirms God despises not a Contrite and humble Heart but because for the most part the Grief of one Man's Heart is hid from another Man nor does it come forth into the knowledg of other Men by Words or any other Sign rightly are the Times of Penance appointed by those who preside in the Church That so the Church might be satisfi'd in which sins are remitted Besides Thirdly The Examples of our Penance teach others how they ought to order their life and to follow Piety For seeing other Men behold the Punishments laid upon us for our sins they will perceive that they are to use the greatest caution through all their Life and that their former Manners are to be corrected and amended Wherefore it is most wisely observ'd by the Church XCIII Public Penance wisely instituted That when a Heynous Wickedness has bin publicly committed by any one he must undergo public Penance also That others being affrighted with Fear might thenceforth more warily avoid sin Which thing also has bin us'd sometimes to be done even in hidden sins which have bin great Vide Aug. lib. 5. de Civit. Dei cap. 26. Epist 54. l. 50. hom hom 49. de vera falsa Poenit. passim Ambr. lib. 2.
of God tho they durst write it as tho the Divine Power were in those Letters and not in the thing But tho this be put in the singular Number Thou shalt not take the Name of God VII The same honor to be given to all the Names of God This is not to be understood of any one Name but of all the Names which are us'd to be attributed to God for there are many Names ascrib'd to God as Lord Almighty Lord of hosts King of Kings Strong and others of the like sort which we read in Scripture all which have the like and the same Veneration And then it must be taught VIII We are bound to know and to honor Gods Name after what manner due Honor is to be given to Gods Name for it is not fit that any should be ignorant how very profitable and necessary it is to Christian People in whose mouth the Prayers of God are daily celebrated Now tho there be many ways of honoring Gods Name IX By what means Gods Name to be honor'd First yet in those whereof we are presently to speak the whole force and weight of all seems to be First therefore God is honor'd when in the face of all the World we faithfully confess him to be God and our Lord and both acknowledge and declare Christ to be the Author of Salvation As also when we give holy and diligent heed to Gods Word Secondly wherein his Will is reveal'd and are daily meditating thereon and studiously learn it according to every ones Ability and Imployment And again Thirdly we honor and worship Gods Name when for Duty and Religion sake we celebrate Gods Praises and render him singular Thanks for all things Psal 20.2 as well for Adversity as for Prosperity For thus says the Prophet Bless the Lord ô my Soul and forget not all his Benefits And there are very many of Davids Psalms wherein with an excellent kind of Piety toward God he most sweetly sings the Divine Praises There is the Admirable Example of the Patience of Job who when he fell into those exceeding great and horrible Calamities yet he never forbore to praise God with an exalted and unconquer'd Soul When therefore we are afflicted with grief of Mind or Body with Miseries and Troubles let us presently turn all our Study and all the Powers of our Souls to praise God saying that of Job Job 1.21 The Lords Name be praised Nor is Gods Name less honor'd if we faithfully implore his help Fourthly to wit that either he would free us from them or else would give us Constancy and Strength couragiously to endure them Psal 49.15 For this the Lord requires Call upon me says he in the day of tribulation and I will deliver thee and thou shalt honor me Clear Examples of which kind of Imploring God are found both in many other places and especially in the 26.13 and 118 Psalms Moreover Fifthly we honor Gods Name when for more assurance and belief we call God to be a witness and this way differs much from the former For those things which we mentioned before are of their own nature so good and excellent that to Man nothing can be more happy nothing can be more desirable than diligently to exercise himself Night and Day in performing them I will bless the Lord Psal 33.1 says David at all times his praise shall ever be in my mouth But tho an Oath be good X. Why the frequent use of Swearing forbidd'n yet the frequent use thereof is not commendable Now the reason of this difference lies herein that an Oath is appointed for this cause only to be a kind of Remedy of Human Frailty and a necessary means to prove what we say For as it is not fit to take Physick for the Body A Similitude unless there be need and the frequent use thereof is very hurtful so also it is not good to use any Oath but when there is some just and weighty cause which to use frequently is so far from being profitable that indeed it is very hurtful Wherefore S. Chrysostom excellently teaches XI Whence the Custom of Swearing Ad pop Antioch hom 26. That Not at the beginning of the World but when it began to grow old and when Wickedness had far and wide spread it self over the whole Earth and when nothing contain'd it self in its own Place and Order but all things being jumbled together and troubled were tumbled upside down and brought into utter Confusion then at last after a long time that Custom of Swearing broke in upon Men For when Mens Perfidiousness and Wickedness was grown to that pass that no one could easily be brought to believe one another then did they call God as a Witness But whereas in this part of the Commandment XII The first way of Swearing the best way is to teach the Faithful how they ought to Swear piously and holily it must first be said That to Swear is nothing else but to call God as a Witness by what Form or Conception of Words soever it be done For to say God it Witness and by God is the same thing That is also an Oath XIII The second way of Swearing when for more Belief we swear by Creatures as by the Holy Gospel of God by the Cross by the Relics of the Saints their Name and such like Yet these things of themselves give not any Strength or Authority to an Oath but it is God himself that does it the Splendor of whose Divine Majesty shines forth in those things VVhence it follows that they who Swear by the Gospel Swear by God himself whose Truth is contain'd and declar'd in the Gospel And in like manner they that do Swear by the Saints who are the Temple of God and who believ'd the Truth of the Gospel and with all Reverence obey'd it and dispers'd it abroad in all Countries and Nations That Oath that is made with a Curse XIV The third way of Swearing is of the same nature such as is that of S. Paul I call God to witness upon my Soul For by this means he that swears thus subjects himself to the Judgment of God as to the Revenger of a Lye Yet we deny not therefore that some of these Forms may so be tak'n as not to have the Force of an Oath but yet it is useful even in these cases also to observe what was said concerning an Oath and wholly to direct and reduce them to the same Rule and Order Now there are two kinds of an Oath XV. An Oath Twofold Assertory The First is that which is Assertory to wit when we religiously affirm any thing concerning any Matter present or past as the Apostle in the Epistles to the Galatians Gal. 1.20 Behold before God I lye not But the other is call'd Promissory Promissory to which also belong Threatnings and have Ralation to the Time to
come VVhen we certainly promise and confirm it that such a thing shall be so Of which kind is that of David who swearing to Bersabe his VVife by the Lord his God promis'd that Solomon his Son should be the Heir of his Kingdom 2 Reg. 1 17. and succeed him in his room Now tho to an Oath XVI How many things requir'd to a lawful Oath it be sufficient to use God as a VVitness yet to make it just and holy there are many more things requir'd which are diligently to be explain'd but those things as S. Jerom testifies Jeremy briefly reckons up when he says S. Hierom. in hunc locum Hier. 4. Thou shalt swear the Lord lives in Truth and in Judgment and in Justice In which words are briefly and summarily contain'd those things wherein all the Perfection of an Oath lies to wit Truth Judgment and Justice Truth therefore has the first Place in an Oath XVII What it is to Swear in asserting Truth to wit that what is asserted be the very Truth and that he that swears it be assur'd that it is so not to be led to it rashly or by light conjecture but by the most certain Arguments But the other kind of Oath XVIII What in Promising whereby we promise any thing requires Truth in the same measure For he that promises any thing ought to be so minded that when the Time comes he truly perform and fulfil his Promise nor will any honest Man ever undertake to do what he thinks to be against the most Holy Commandments and VVill of God but whatsoever was lawful for him to promise or swear he never will alter it being once promis'd unless by chance the Condition of Matters being alter'd the things begin to be such that now if he would keep his Word and stand to his Promise he might undergo the hatred and displeasure of God But that Truth is necessary to an Oath David also shews in these words Psal 14. He that swears to his neighbor and disappoints him not In the second place follows Judgment XIX What it is to swear in Judgment for it is fit that an Oath should not be taken rashly and inconsiderately but with good counsel and advice He therefore that is about to swear should first consider well whether there be any necessity that compels him or not and should carefully consider the whole matter whether it be of such a nature as seems to stand in need of an Oath Let him moreover consider the Time and the Place and very many other Circumstances and let him not be mov'd to it by Love or Hatred or any other violent Passion of the Mind but by the quality and necessity of the thing it self For without this Consideration and diligent Attention XX. What a rash Oath is certainly the Oath must needs be rash and hasty Of which sort is the irreligious Affirmation of them who in any the most trivial and vain matter without any Reason or Advice burn as it were with this evil Habit. And this almost every where we daily see done by Buyers and Sellers Observe and reprove For the one sort that they may sell as dear as they can and the other sort on the other hand that they may buy as cheap as may be are not afraid even with an Oath either to commend or discommend the things to be bought or sold Since there is need therefore of Judgment and Prudence Note and that Children as yet by reason of their Age cannot so exactly perceive and distinguish therefore it was Decreed by that Holy Man Pope Cornelius That an Oath should not be requir'd of Children before they came to maturity i. e. before their Fourteenth year 22. q. 5. c. Honestum c. pueri The other is Justice XXI What it is to swear in Justice which in Promises especially is requir'd Wherefore if any one promises any thing unjust or dishonest and sin by swearing and in making Promises he adds sin to sin there is in the Gospel the Example of this thing in King Herod who having bound himself with a rash Oath gave John Baptist's Head to the Dancing Girl Mar. 6.23 as the Reward of her Dancing For such was the Oath of those Jews who as it is in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 23.12 bound themselves under a Curse on this Condition That they would eat nothing till they had kill'd Paul These things thus explain'd XXII When and how an Oath is lawful there can be no doubt but that he may safely swear who observes all these things and who establishes his Oath with these Conditions as it were with a kind of Bulwarks But it is easie to prove this by many Arguments Prov'd First Psal 18.8 Deut. 6.10 18. For the Law of the Lord which is spotless and holy has commanded it for it says Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and thou shalt swear by his Name And David wrote Secondly All they that swear by him shall be commended Besides Thirdly the Sacred Scripture shews That those Lights of the Church the most holy Apostles did sometimes use an Oath and this appears by the Epistles of the Apostle Add also Fourthly That the Angels themselves sometimes swear for S. John the Evangelist Apoc. 10.3 in the Apocalyps writes That the Angel swore by him that lives for ever Yea Fifthly Heb. 6.17 Gen 22.10 Exod. 3â— and God himself also who is the Lord of the Angels swears And in the Old Testament in many places God confirms his Promises by an Oath as to Abraham and to David who says thus concerning God's Oath Psal 109.4 The Lord sware says he and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Nor is it hard to shew Sixthly That an Oath is commendable if any one carefully consider the whole Matter By Reason and mark the beginning and end thereof For an Oath hath its beginning of Faith whereby Men believe God who can neither ever be deceiv'd himself or deceive others to be the Author of all Truth to whose Eyes all things are open and naked who by his admirable Providence takes care of all human Affairs and governs the World Men therefore being season'd with this Faith use God as a Witness of Truth to whom not to give credit would be impious and wicked But as to the End XXIII The End and Design of an Oath an Oath tends thither and wholly has respect to this to prove the Justice and Innocence of Man and to put an end to all Wranglings and Controversies Heb. 9. which the Apostle also in his Epistle to the Hebrews teaches Nor are the Words of our Saviour in S. Matthew against this sense An Objection Mat. 5.3 Ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt pay to
this blind Pilgrimage we are absent from the Lord XXII Our Instability in the Kingdom of Grace we often slip and fall casting off the Admonitions of the Kingdom of Grace wherewith we were secur'd but when the Light of the Kingdom of Glory which is perfect shall have enlightned us we shall always stand firm and stable for every Fault and Inconveniency shall be taken away every Infirmity being confirmed shall be strengthen'd Lastly God himself will reign in our Soul and Body But this thing has bin more fully handled in the Creed when we discours'd of the Resurrection of the Flesh These things therefore XXIII What things are here pray'd for First which shew the common Sense of the Kingdom of God being explain'd we must shew what this Petition properly prays for Now we beg of God that Christs Kingdom which is the Church may be propagated that all Infidels and Jews Schismatics and Heretics may turn themselves to the Faith of Christ our Lord and receive the Knowledg of the true God and return to Soundness of Mind and to the Communion of the Church of God from whence they are fallen that it may be fulfil'd and brought to that Issue which the Lord spake by the Mouth of Isaiah Isa 54.2 Enlarge the place of thy Tents and stretch out the Borders of thy Tabernacles make thy Lines long renew thy Rule for thou shalt penetrate to the right and left Hand because he that made thee shall reign over thee And again The Gentils shall walk in thy Light Isa 60.5 and Kings in the brightness of thy rising lift up thy Eyes round about and see all these are gather'd together they came to thee thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughter shall rise from beside thee But because in the Church there are some that in their Words confess God Secondly but in their Deeds deny him and yet boast of their deform'd Faith in whom by Reason of Sin the Devil dwells and rules as in his own Houses we pray also that the Kingdom of God may come upon them whereby the Darkness of their Sins being dispell'd and being illustrated with the Rays of the Divine Light they may be restor'd into their former Dignity of being the Children of God that all Heretics and Schismatics being taken away and all Offences and all causes of Sin cast forth out of his Kingdom our Heavenly Father may purge the Floor of his Church that in worshipping God devoutly and holily she may enjoy a quiet Peace and Tranquillity Lastly Thirdly we pray that God alone may live in us and he alone may reign in us that hereafter there be no place for Death but that it may wholly be swallowed up in the Victory of Christ our Lord who having scattered and dispersed all the Principality of the Enemies by his own Power and Might he may subject all things under his Government And it shall be the Curats Care XXIV The Curats Duty in this case to teach the Faithful what the Reason of this Petition requires with which Thoughts and Meditations being furnish'd they may make these Prayers devoutly to God And First they shall exhort them to consider the Force and Meaning of that Parable us'd by our Saviour The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Treasure hidden in a Field which he that found it in the Ground hid and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has and buys that Field For he that knows the Riches of Christ our Lord XXV All things seems vile when we know Gods Kingdom will despise all things in comparison of them all Excellencies Riches and Power will seem mean to him for nothing can be compar'd to that most precious Jewel or be able to stand before it Wherefore those that know it Phil. 8. will cry out with the Apostle I account all things but loss and esteem them but as Dung that I may gain Christ This is that famous Jewel of the Gospel Matth. 13.45 for which he that sells all his Goods and gives the Mony thereof shall enjoy everlasting Happiness O happy we XXVI How precious this Jewel of didivine Grace is Rom. 8.15 if Jesus Christ would give us so much Light as to see this Jewel of Divine Grace whereby he reigns in those that are his for we would sell all that we have yea and our very selves to buy and secure this for then at last we might assuredly say Who shall separate us from the love of Christ But if we would know what is the exceeding Excellency of the Kingdom of Glory let us hear the Words and Sentences of the Prophet and Apostle agreeing in the same Isa 64.2 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye has not seen neither has Ear heard nor has it enter'd into the Heart of Man what things God has prepar'd for them that love him Now XXVII That we may be heard we must pray with Humility for the obtaining what we desire it will be very profitable to consider with our selves what we are i. e. the Offspring of Adam justly cast out of Paradice and Exiles whose unworthiness and Perverseness might rather deserve God's utmost Hatred and eternal Punishments XXVIII The Advantage of self-despising The First Wherefore it then behoves us to be of an humble and lowly Spirit Our Prayer also will be full of Christian Humility And wholly distrusting our selves The Second we will betake our selves as that Publican did to God's Mercy And ascribing all to his Bounty Third Rom. 8.15 we will give him immortal Thanks who has given us his Holy Spirit incourag'd by whom we may be embolden'd to cry Abba Father And we shall take Care and Consideration what we are to do The Fourth and on the contray what to avoid that we may come to the Kingdom of Heaven For we are not call'd of God to Idleness and Sloth Note for says he Matth. 11.12 the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence and the violent take it by force And if thou wilt enter into Life Matth. 19.17 keep the Commandments It is not enough therefore to seek the Kingdom of God XXIX We must labor together with Grace unless Men labor and toil for it for they ought to help and serve that Grace of God in holding that Course which leads to Heaven God never forsakes us Note for he has promis'd to be with us always How ought this one thing therefore to be regarded of us that we forsake not God and our selves And in this Kingdom of God XXX The defence of our Salvation and how great which is his Church are all things wherewith he defends the Life of Man and perfects their eternal Salvation Multitudes of Angels which are invisible and the Benefit of visible Sacraments full of Celestial Treasures in these things there is so much Security appointed us by God that we may be safe not only from the Government of our worst Enemies but