we iudge it is aliue but if we see it not stirre we hold it for dead so when we see any man do many good workes and otherwise obserue no impiety or iniquity in him we haue iustreason to hope that he is in the state of grace and that he moueth by the life of charity 23. From whence proceedeth the incertitude of this knowledge It proceedeth from two heads first from the hidden corruption which lyeth in our hearts and infecteth those actions which we least suspect secondly from the hidden influences of those motions from God whereby out actions are purified and without which they are of no value which are not perceptible to any but to God himselfe 24. Can a man loose sanctifying grace when once he hath it Y s for otherwise all those who are baptized would be saued but alas it is easily lost vnlesse it be kept with great care and watchfullnesse LESSON XXII Of Sinne. 1. How is grace lost It cannot be lost by any thing but only by such actuall sinne as depriueth our soule of the loue of God 2. If so how is it possible to loose grace for loue cannot be lost but by hatred since one contrary is not expelled but by another and me thinkes no body can hate God If you remember we sayed that he who loueth one is bound by loue to do good for him whom he loueth if he can by performing all that towards him which is due vnto him whence it followeth that he who will not do these thinges to which he is bound by loue looseth his loue now a man may neglect to doe these thinges by louing some other thing the loue whereof hindreth him from performing what he oweth to God so that you see not only hatred of God but also loue of such thinges as hinder vs to doe what we ought to doe in loue to God that is all which he commandeth and is practised by the three Theologicall and foure Cardinall vertues taketh away our loue towards him 3. What then is actuall sinne It is a voluntary thinking speaking or doing something contrary to the law of God or a voluntary omitting to thinke speake or doe something commanded by the law of God 4. Is there no other sinne but actuall sinne Yes there is also originall sinne which is that wherewith we are all borne and which cometh to vs by inheritance from our first parents Adam and Eue. But we are freed from this sinne by baptisme when we first receaue grace and it neuer returneth more 5. How many sortes be there of actuall sinne Two generall ones mortall and veniall 6. How can any sinne be veniall since that all sinne is the neglect of our duty towards God and he who neglecteth his duty forbeareth to loue and so looseth charity which losse as you say is the death of our soule You must know that though we cannot loose charity but by neglecting our duty yet all neglect of duty looseth not charity for loue or charity is of its owne nature mutuall and therefore we cannot loose it but that we must loose also our friend his loue towards vs so that we do not loose charity by any other neglect but such as breaketh the mutuall bōd of loue if then not euery thing as the taking of a pinne is a sufficient cause for our neighbour to fall out with vs we loose not out loue towards him for taking a pinne from him but we loose it by those acts only which are a sufficient cause for ordinary wise men to breake of conuersation and friendship with vs and not by what is lesse then that And the same may be said of the duty which we owe to ourselues or to Allmighty God for whereas man oweth certaine duties to himselfe the neglect of them may come to be such as if another man should do it vnto you you would haue iust cause to fall out with him and so though you do not fall out with yourselfe for the like occasion yet it is not for want of cause Againe it may be also so little a neglect as that it would be vnreasonable for you to fall out with him now this second neglect of your duty towards your selfe is only a veniall sinne whereas the former is mortall And the same is to be said of misrespect towards God for if it were such as done to one to whom we owe all that we are should according to the rule and decrees of his iustice giue him an occasion to breake of friendship with vs it is a mortall sinne if not a veniall 7. Why are these two kindes of sinnes so called one mortall the other veniall Because by the one we breake friendship with God and so we are depriued of his grace and become guilty of eternall damnation and spiritually dead for charity or the loue of God is our spirituall life and for this reason it is called mortall by the other we make no breach of friendship nor loose God his grace or charity by them and so because they are such of their owne nature as that their pardon may be easily obtained by the workes of grace which still remaineth in vs they are called veniall 8. What then is mortall sinne It is a wilfull and witting transgression in a matter of weight against a known commandement of God of the Church or of some lawfull Superiour Where any of these three conditions are wanting it is at most but a veniall sinne as first if it be not against a known commandement secondly if it be not in a matter of weight thirdly if it be not done with perfect consent and deliberation 9. How many sortes of veniall sinnes be there There are three for some are such because the kinde or obiect of them is of its owne nature of small consideration and generally slightly respected by men others are such because they are slight by reason of the smallnesse of the matter though the deformity of the obiect be of a kinde in its owne nature considerable others againe are such because they are performed by ouersight or without deliberation for if one should kill a man by chance his sinne might be but veniall or none at all and yet if afterwards when he did reflect vpon it he should be pleased with the harme he had done this complaisance would be a mortall crime though the act it selfe were only veniall or no sinne at all 10. How many wayes is a veniall sinne made mortall Foure wayes first when one committeth a veniall sinne with such affection that he is resolued to commit it though it were mortall Secondly when the end of doing it is a mortall sinne as when one telleth a slight lye thereby to induce one to fornication the telling of a lye with this circumstance is a mortall sinne though he should not afterwards commit fornication Thirdly when one perceiueth that by committing a veniall sinne he shall giue an occasion to a mortall one by scandall or any other way Fourthly
them is so great as that they exceed all kindes of creatures in the world both men beastes birds fisshes plants and all other speciesses of thinges which we see vpon the earth And they are distinguished into three rankes which are called Hierarchies and euery Hierarchie consisteth of three orders whereof the highest are called Seraphins and the lowest Angells and amongst the highest Lucifer is held by many to haue been the chiefe of all who fell through pride and so although he was the perfectest creature that euer God made he is now become through his owne fault the most miserable and damned creature of all others The next to him as some conceaue was S Michaël who is in nature the perfectest creature of all that enioy God all though both in grace glorie the Blessed Virgin doth farre surpasse both him and all the rest 11. How many men were created at the beginning Only one that is Adam and out of him Eue the woman was made from whom afterwards all mankinde did proceed LESSON IV. Of Man 1. WHat is man Man is a reasonable creature made of body and soule 2. Of what was his body made Of the slime of the earth 3. Of what was his soule made It was made of nothing 4. What is a soule It is a spirituall substance ordained to informe a body immediatly created by God endued with vnderstanding and freewill whereby man is truly made to gods owne image and by which also he resembleth the Angells and differeth from all other mortall creatures 5. For what end did he create man That he might know God and knowing loue him and louing praise him for these are the thinges in which man ought to employ his whole life And his last end is to enioy him in heauen 6. Why hath God made mans body who is so noble a creature of so base a substance as is earth and dust Thereby to abate his pride and so keepe him humble by the consideration of his extraction 7. Wherefore did he make his soule so noble a substance To the end that he might be capable of enioying God himselfe and also that knowing his owne worth and dignity to be so farre exceeding all other mortall creatures his actions should likewise be answerable and surpasse the actions of all other inferiour creatures 8. What goods hath God bestowed vpon men Two sorts of goods some internall and belonging to the constitution of himselfe as the three powers of his soule whereby he is endued with reason and the fiue senses of his body with all the partes belonging to it others externall as the heauens and earth and all the thinges contained in them which were made for the entertainement and seruice of man 9. Which preuaileth most in man sense or reason For the first seuen yeares sense hath the whole gouerment of man but after seuen yeares reason by little and little beginneth to get strength and groweth on to the age of thirty the Philosophers not admitting a time of wisedome and cōstant iudgemēt vntill we come to the standing part of mans life which is when we leaue growing Yet she can neuer quite conquer sense by reason that it is deepely rooted and accustomed to sway vs by hauing had at first a long possession ouer reason 10. Which ought to sway most with vs sense or reason Certainely reason for if man be a reasonable creature as we haue defined him to be then reason must be the nature of man and so to do against reason were to do against nature and consequently to sinne Againe sense only considereth the present and so it is apt to precipitate vs into future inconueniences whereas reasō which forecasteth what is to come keepeth vs out of such dangers Moreouer reason hath one conduct and gouerment through all and settleth vs in a stable way tending to one incommutable good whereas sense setteth our hearts vpon vncertaine goods and such as may be taken from vs and so it putteth vs in casuality to be euer grieued for who looseth what he is in loue with must needes be grieued according to the measure of his loue 11. What becomes of mans body and soule after his death The body returnes againe to earth of which it was made as the graues do well testify the soule retaines its being for all eternity ether in hell or heauen 12. Doth euery soule presently after that it is separated from the body go immediatly ether to heauen or to hell No for some go first to purgatory before they go to heauen but those who go to hell go all immediately thither as soone as they are separated from their bodies 13. Which be those that go immediately to heauen The soules of those that dye in the state of grace and haue in this life payed all debt due for their sinnes for these soules whilst they were in their bodies did loue God aboue all thinges as being good in himselfe and therefore they could not choose but also desire to know and see him whom they loued so much And this same desire because it is of an immutable good remaineth also after death yea it is then much increased because the soule hauing no more any distraction by its senses it is wholy set vpon that obiect and therefore it would be miserable if it did not obtaine it But God who is all goodnesse can not be so cruell as to let one be miserable for louing him and therefore he doth immediately let himselfe be seen vnto him which is to be in heauen or perfectly blessed And so you see how those who dye in that happy state go immediately to heauen 14. Which be those that go first to purgatory before they go to heauen The soules of them who dye in the state of grace and haue not fully satisfied for their sinnes in this life for those soules at their death are in such a state that though they firmely loue God as their greatest and finall good and so are content to forgoe all thinges rather then offend him mortally yet their loue is not pure because they loue worldly thinges withall by an inordinate affection being loath to leaue them though thereby they know they should see God the sooner Now soules departing with such affections are not fit to see God vntill they be purified from all such drosse and so they remaine in paine not being able to attaine that blisse which they chiefly desire vntill by suffering they paie what is due to God his iustice or vntill by the churches helpe God of his mercy rectifieth them 15. And which be those vnhappy soules that go to hell The soules of them who dye without repentāce in ther woefull state of mortall sinne whereby whilst they liued they did fasten their soules vpon some other object more then vpon God from which after their death they cannot turne themselues to God for want of gods grace and so they can not see or enioy God for how should they enioy that which they doe not
and Adam lower then they were and made all other creatures rebell against them and rendred them slaues to their owne passions it rendred their bodies obnoxious to death and miserie their vnderstanding to ignorance and errors and their will to malice and the Diuell And no wonder for if the loue of God was the cause of those good effects in them the contrarie must needs breed contrarie effects 5. What comfort then did there remaine for them None at all but God his mercifull goodnesse for they had no meanes left in themselues to defend themselues from so manie enemies or to deliuer themselues from the miserie they were in they could not deserue so much as that God should take pittie of them for hauing lost intirely his grace they had of themselues no power anie more to doe the least good worke as it ought to be done not so much as to praie to God to assist them 6. This disaster was it to goe no farther then to Adam and Eue Yes to their children and to all their posteritie For as all the fruits of an ill roote are ill and cleare water cannot proceed from a fountaine which is infected no more could there be borne of our first parēts infected with sinne anie other but sinners For Adam his first sinne did not infect him only as a particular person but also as the generall roote of all mankinde 7. Are we all then borne in sinne Yes for as those who were borne of Adam and Eue were borne sinners by the infection of their Parents so were their children likewise for the same reason borne in sinne and the children of their children and so it must needs be for all their posteritie to the worlds end And the reason of this is because Adam falling from the loue of God to loue himselfe more then God which loue was contrarie to reason this change in his soule could not choose but worke a great change in his verie bodie and destroye its former good dispositions that were fitted to the grace of innocency by moulding in it others of a contrarie bias For we see by experience that our soules operations haue strong effects in our bodies we see that when we heare good newes the ioy in our soules maketh our very bodies light and iocond and when we grieue the griefe of our soules redoundeth to our bodies and maketh them dull and heauy Now then Adam being changed not only in his soule but also in his very bodie he could not make his sonnes bodie with a better disposition then his owne bodie had which was not now disposed to be subiect to reason but the quite contrarie for the soule by louing an other thing better then God carried the bodie along with it and put it into possession of command against reason and so it remained in rebellion with its proper motion independent of reason which bad disposition being deriued also to the childs bodie and being there as a marke of that transgression which we did all of vs incurre by Adam it rēdreth the same bodie through a necessarie consequence by reason of Gods couenant with Adam vncapable of anie other soule but such as is guilty of that losse which was inflicted by God vpon Adam and vpon all his posterity in case that he did breake his cōmandement From whence it followeth that no other soule could be due to such a bodie as Adam made to his sonne but such as was depriued of originall iustice And this is that which Christians call originall sinne to witt the missing of grace or originall iustice in the child as proceeding from the guilt which we contracted through the fault of our first father in whom we all sinned So that the want or priuation is particular to euery one the cause or actuall sinne only in Adam 8. But seeing that Adam after his fall did pennance and began to loue God anew did he not recouer againe the former good dispositions as well in his bodie as in his soule both for himselfe and his posteritie No for this second loue being preuented with dispositions in man contrarie to it selfe it could not according to the ordinarie course of God his prouidence produce that effect which the first loue did that found no such contratie dispositions but all thinges fitted to it selfe Nether can it on the suddaine extirpate those contrarie dispositiōs but with a great deale of paine and labour and neuer wholy because these affections and ill dispositions of sensuality goe before reason and are in some sort independent of it infecting the motions of sense before reason can espye it And so allmighty God hath most iustly ordained that these ill inclinations caused by this inordinate loue should alwayse remaine in mankinde as due punishment for his first sinne And this is that which is called concupiscence which is an inclination that draweth our harts to loue our selues more then God contrarie to the former good disposition that was in man by the grace of innocencie And no wonder if since the soule cannot be without loue and hauing lost the loue of God it runneth after sense and loueth those thinges which sense proposeth seeing that sense is the gate that openeth the way for obiects to enter into our soule LESSON VIII Of the Redemption of man 1. DId God allmighty abandon man in this his most miserable state No for Adam had no sooner sinned but God moued by compassion out of his meere goodnesse promised to relieue him by the meanes of Iesus Christ who being to descend from Adam and Eue by the blessed Virgin was to redeeme mankinde and to bruize the head of the serpent that is of the diuell by whom Eue was seduced 2. Did God fullfill this promise presently No he expected foure thousand yeares or there about 3. In what state was the world all that time In the state that the sinne of our first father had put it into 4. Were all men then in the state of sinne and damnation Yes in so much that those who were saued were only some few in whom God conserued his grace and a liuely faith of his promise so that of the whole world in Noes time hardly eight persons were found iust in the sight of God and presently againe not fiue men in fiue cities 5. Were the Iewes of the number of those few Not all but only those who had a liuely fayth of Iesus Christ as chiefly the Patriarkes and Prophets and some others 6. Was all the rest of mankinde damned Yes except some particulars whom God did fauour extraordinarily amongst the Gentiles as Melchisedec Iob and some others All the rest were vnder the power of the Diuell who abused them so farre as to make them adore stones beasts for Gods 7. Why did God expect foure thousand yeares before he redeemed mankinde To the end that men might know the grieuousnesse of sinne which was cōmitted against him seeing that it was the cause of the ruine of so manie soules and
preacher is not sufficient but that we must besides hearing the preacher addresse our selues to God and demand of him his holy spirit and his grace Secōdly the holy Ghost did afterwards reuiue in the hearts of Christ his disciples all that which he had told them during his life 16. In what manner did Iesus Christ dye As his life from the beginning to the end was full of pouerty subiection contradiction and affliction so was his death as full of all indignitie and torment as humane witt could inuent and humane nature keeping the shape of man indure yea it was so full of torments as to induce thē surpassed the strength of humane nature yet it was such and in that manner as he himselfe made choice of and as he himselfe had foretold by the Prophets without omitting anie of the circumstances which they pointed out verie particularly as the crosse the nails whips the two theeues and others 17. He dyed then freely and willingly Yes in so much that although the Iewes had often attempted to take him yet they could neuer doe it vntill he himselfe permitted it by deliuering himselfe into their hands that he might dye at the very houre which his father had ordained 18. Why was it necessarie for him to dye That he might accomplish the last worke necessarie for the redemption of mankinde for such was his fathers will as that all which he had done and suffered during his life had not been sufficient if he had not also shed his pretious bloud for vs vpon the crosse in order to his fathers sentence who ordained for the satisfying of his diuine iustice that his only sōne should destroy our spirituall death by his owne corporall death and although the least action he did was of it selfe sufficient so that all his actions being of infinite value no more had been necessary if his father had not ordained it otherwise for our greater good yet his loue was so great towards man that he himselfe did reioyce that his father had ordained him to suffer death it selfe for our redemption 19. Was it sufficient that he dyed No for as he dyed to destroy our death so it was necessary that he should rise againe from death to life to communicate his owne diuine life to vs and also to confirme vs in hope by considering that as our head is risen so shall we rise who are his members 20. Who did raise him againe from death to life The scripture telleth vs that his father did raise him againe to life and also that he did raise himselfe 21. Why is his father said to haue raised him againe from death to life Because as he is his father he is the fountaine and source of all his glorious and diuine life from whence all life is deriued And the father is said to doe it because it belongeth to the father to giue life to his sonne 22. How did the sonne raise himselfe from death By the power of his diuinitie which remained alwaies hypostatically vnited to the flesh he had taken without being separated at anie time either from his bodie or soule by vertue of which vnion eternall life was due both to his bodie and soule because the word to whom they were vnited is immortall in so much that our Sauiour could not haue dyed at all if God had not granted it to him through a particular dispensation for mans saluation 23. How did he communicate life to men through the vertue of his Resurrection By giuing them the holy Ghost his owne diuine spirit not long after that he had raised himselfe from death and much more afterwards vpon the day of Pentecost when his Resurrection being fully accomplished by being seated at the right hand of his father he sent the holy Ghost downe to them in a visible forme LESSON X. Of the Church 1. WHy was the holy Ghost sent into the world To render the disciples of Iesus Christ perfect and to begin in them his mysticall bodie 2. What perfection did he giue them The perfection of charitie which before was but weake and imperfect in them for the holy Ghost tooke away this weakenesse from them and made them strong and vigorous in the loue of Iesus Christ to serue him with intire fidelitie so that the stratagems of men and diuells could not afterwards diuert them from seruing him 3. How did the holy Ghost forme the mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ By vniting his disciples hearts with God and amongst themselues by charitie with which he did replenish them for the life of this bodie is the holy Ghost by the fire of his charitie 4. How is this bodie called It is called the Church whereof all the faithfull are members and Christ is the head in so much that there is made of Iesus Christ and of all the faithfull but one bodie and one Church 5. How can persons so farre separated from one an other be truly vnited into one and the selfe same bodie This is done by the holy Ghost who is euerie where for he is the linke and soule of this bodie vniting all these members more firmely together then man his soule doth vnite the members of the bodie it informeth 6. Why did he make this Church That he might thereby plant the doctrine which he had taught and which was altogether necessarie for the saluation of mankinde so firmely that it might continue for euer And for this end the holy Ghost according to the outward apparition in which he was sent filled the hearts of his Apostles who were to be the first teachers of it with fierie zeale and their tongues with the praises of allmightie God that they being vehemently cōceited themselues of the truth and of the great good the knowledge thereof brought vnto the world might be most earnestly desirous to breed the like conceit in others and that so it might descend in vertue of the first plantation to the end of the world 7. Who were the Apostles and of what condition They were those who being called by Christ left all to follow him and to serue him in the publication of the ghospell And as for their condition they were poore ignorant men of a contemptible ranke most of them being fishermen and the greater their weakenesse was so much the more did it set forth the power of the holy Ghost for in one day they became so learned and so powerfull to perswade as that they were able to confound and conuert the most learned Philosophers in the world 8. Of what partes doth the Church consist It consisteth of two partes in generall which are necessarie to all well ordered Communities that is of those who are gouerned and taught and of those who gouerne and teach 9. Who are those that Christ appointed to gouerne and teach They are chiefly Bishops and next vnder Bishops other inferiour Preists who are commonly called Curats 10. Are Bishops then necessarie in the Church Yes for if we looke into the institution of Bishops
doth receiue profit by the sacrifice preaching doth instruct whosoeuer will heare euery man in the church may assist his companion by prayer the liuing do assist the dead in purgatorie by almes and good deeds and the blessed in heauen do assist the liuing vpon earth by their continuall intercession for them to allmighty God ARTICLE X. 45. DEclare the tenth Article Forgiuenesse of sinnes I belieue that to the holy Catholike church only and to no other society there is giuen by God power for true forgiuenesse of sinnes by meanes of the holy sacraments whereby men from being children of the diuell and guilty of eternall damnation do become the children of God and heires of Paradise 46. How doth the Church forgiue sinnes By the meanes of Priests who as God his Ministers haue power to forgiue sinne by vertue of the sacraments and particularly of Baptisme and of Pennance by Baptisme only once but by Pennance as often as man sinneth and truly repenteth for it And this benefit is so much the greater because it is particular to the law of grace for no man either in the law of nature or in the law of Moyses euer had power to remit sinne ARTICLE XI 47. DEclare the eleuenth Article Resurrection of the flesh I belieue that in the end of the world all men shall rise taking againe the selfe same bodies which they had when they were liuing and this by the power of God to whom nothing is impossible but the elect shall haue their bodies glorious and beautifull and shall be lifted vp with their bodies into the aire to meete Christ at the day of iudgement whereas the cursed shall remaine on earth hideous and woefull to behold 48. Why did not the Apostles say the resurrection of man but the resurrection of the flesh To shew to vs that whereas man doth consist of two parts soule and body the body is only that which perisheth by death the soule being immortall and consequently vncapable of resurrectiō for nothing is reuiued but that which is first dead 49. Shall we rise in the same bodies that we had whilst we liued Yes to the end that the same body which contributed in this world to our good or euill life may likewise receiue an eternall recompense or punishment And in effect if we did not receiue the same body which dyed it would not be a resurrection but a new production for since that to be resuscitated signifyeth to take life againe that which is resuscitated must be the same which dyed before 50. How shall this be done We are sure that it shall be done and S. Paul is so certaine of it that he telleth vs that if the dead shall not rise Christ hath not risen We are sure also that it shall not be done by our owne forces for Philosophers teach vs that that which is once corrupted cannot be naturally reproduced but it shall be done by the hand of allmighty God who can make againe when he pleaseth that same thing which he hath once made 51. Shall all bodies rise with the same defects they had whilst they lived as being dwarfes giants lame monsters and the like No for these defects and deformities proceed only from the excesse or defect of nature whose worke they properly were But the worke of their resurrection being properly the worke only of God it must needs be perfect and without all defeat and therefore it is generally belieued that all the blessed shall rise in that perfect stature which nature should haue giuen them at the three and thirtith yeare of their age at which age our blessed Sauiour did rise himselfe ARTICLE XII 52. DEclare the twelfth Article Life euerlasting I belieue that there is reserued for good Christians life euerlasting by enioying the sight of God full of felicity and free frō all kinde of euill as contrarywise for infidelles and bad Christians there is a life full of eternall punishment ouerwhelmed with misery and voide of all good 53. In what doth the happinesse of this eternall life consist In knowing and louing God for knowledge and loue are the pleasures of the soule or minde which must needs be greater then the pleasures of the body since that the body hath pleasure by the mīde for take away the mīde or reflexion vpon the obiect and it hath none Now the content of loue encreaseth to the proportion of knowledge and amongst knowledges the most vniuersall giueth the greatest pleasure What pleasure then must it be to see God in himselfe who is beyond all causes and in whom all thinges are conteined We shall discerne in him the essences and reasons of euery particular thing from the creation of the heauens and millions of Angells to the parting of two dusts in the high way so that no variety can be sought which is not found in him Neither can we desire any change for no body desireth a change or variety vntill he hath a satiety of what he enioyeth that is vntill he hath perfectly knowne it and found it lesse then his desires for till then he hath rest content and quiet in the obiect he enioyeth Now God is farre beyond the capacity of our desires so that for all eternity we shall finde in him more then we can desire and consequently for all eternity haue vnspeakable content and rest in him Besides euery ones memory shall contribute to this contentment by remembring the dangers they haue escaped of loosing so great a good and by calling to minde their owne good actions wrought by them through God his grace in this world especially those great ones martyrdome teaching and virginity which speciall contents caused by the memorie of those vertuous heroike actions are called by some Diuines Aureolae 54. In what shall the paine of the damned consist It will consist likewise chiefely in the soule for as pleasure cometh to the body from the soule so doth griefe and therefore as the pleasure of the soule is greater then the pleasure of the body so must the griefe of the soule by being depriued of this pleasure needes be a paine surpassing without comparison all corporall paines 55. Must this next life needs be eternall Yes for those who see God cānot choose but loue him aboue all thinges God as we sayd before doth neuer faile to blisse them that loue him wherefore since that nether the blessed can leaue to loue nor God will leaue to blisse those that loue him their happinesse can haue no end And as for the damned they can neuer begin to loue because they want God his grace without which we cannot loue God aboue all thinges and therefore they must needs remaine for all eternity in the same miserable state into which they haue cast them selues through their owne fault 56. Shall the glorie of the Saints be equall in heauen No some shall haue greater glorie then others according as they haue serued God more or lesse in this world Yet all shall be equally content in
the same manner as we see in a feast a Giant eateth more then a dwarfe and a man more then an infant and yet all are equally satisfyed because euery one is fed fully to his capacity 57. Shall not this happy life of the blessed bring some perfection to their bodies as well as to their soules Yes for first in regard of health they shall haue their bodies vncapable of any harme so that nothing shall be able to hurt them which perfection is called impassibility For strength they shall haue a power to the which nothing can resist which is called Penetrability For agility they shall haue a power to go in any neuer so short a time as farre as they list without limitation though it be from one end of the world to the other in one moment and this without paine or labour And lastly for beauty they shall haue power to shine brighter then the sunne and to shew them selues in what glory they please so that finally they shall haue whatsoeuer they can desire by possessing God who is all thinges to them 58. What signifieth Amen Amen is vsed to expresse an agreement and consent to that which hath been sayd which signifieth as much as if one should say it is so so it is in truth 59. Doth the Creed conteine all that Christians are obliged to belieue It doth not conteine all in expresse words but only in substance and this supposing that it be vnderstood as the Apostles and their Successours did vnderstand it But Heretikes hauing oftentimes corrupted it by their errours the church hath been forced to adde many explications to it contained in seuerall Creeds a in that which is read in the Masse and others 60. What be the thinges which are not conteined expressely in the Creed They be many which Christians learne by litle and litle according to the diligence they vse in seeking to be instructed as the holy Eucharist and the other sacraments which the church thought not good to discouer but only to those who had been first well instructed in the beliefe of the Creed 61. Are we obliged equally to belieue all those thinges No for the thinges which we belieue are of two kindes some we are bound to belieue explicitely others it is sufficient to belieue implicitely by the faith of the Roman Catholike church which is done by saying within our selues that we belieue all that which the church belieueth though we do not know distinctly what it is Againe amongst those thinges which we are bound to belieue explicitely some are absolutely necessary for saluation others are so necessary as that although we may in 〈◊〉 case be saued without the knowledge of them yet we are obliged to seeke to be instructed in them so that we shall sinne if we know them not through our owne negligence That which is absolutely necessary for all Christians to belieue is the misterie of the blessed Trinitie the Incarnation of the Sonne of God and that he hath redeemed mankinde by his sacred death that God will reward the good and punish the wicked and all other thinges which we haue notice of with assurance that the Church proposeth them So that generally speaking no Christian after that he is come to the vse of reason can be excused by ignorance from belieuing these points explicitely for the case of inuincible ignorance can scarcely happen in these points if euer one reflect that he is a Christian That in which we are obliged to seeke to be instructed is all that which is contained in the former Articles of the Creed and likewise the Sacrament of Baptisme the Sacrifice of the Masse the holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Pennāce and such other thinges as are ordinarily taught the people by the Pastours of the Church yet so that we shall be excused before God as long as our ignorance of them proceedeth not through our owne fault 62. Is faith alone sufficient for our saluation No Hope also is required LESSON XIV Of Hope 1. WHat is hope Hope is a vertue that giueth vs an humble and firme confidence in God that he will make vs happy for euer in the next world by seeing and possessing him there fully whom here we know only obscurely by faith and also that he will giue vs all thinges requisite and necessary in this world for that end both corporall and spirituall 2. What reason hath man to haue such confidence in God He hath very good reason considering the infinite goodnesse of God and his loue towards man whom he hath created out of nothing and also redeemed with his owne bloud only to make him capable on this happinesse besides the promises which he hath made of eternall blisse to those who loue him and his fidelity in performing what he hath promised and lastly the infinite desire which in the holy scripture he hath often expressed himselfe to haue to saue all sinners and to see them truly conuerted 3. The greatest sinner in the world then may haue hope Yes he is bound to haue it for otherwise he would do a great wrong to allmighty God if he should think that his mercy and goodnesse were not infinite and consequently greater then all the sinnes of the world 4. Cannot a man haue to much hope or confidence in God No as long as he vseth his diligence to do what is required on his part for the obtaining of that which he hopeth for and relieth more vpon God his grace then vpon himselfe But to rely vpon God without vsing his diligence to do that which is required on his part would not be hope but presumption for God giueth not blisse vnto any but to those who vse the meanes prescribed by him to obtaine it 5. Where are we taught what we are to hope for and how to aske it We are taught this in our Lord his prayer called the Pater noster which is an abridgement of all what we are to hope for and to aske of allmighty God And it is vsually diuided into seuen petitions or demands LESSON XV. Of the Pater noster 1. SAy the Pater noster Our Father which art in heauen 1. Hallowed be thy name 3. Thy kingdome come 3. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen 4. Giue vs this day our dayly bread 5. And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters 6. And lead vs not into temptation 7. But deliuer vs from euill Amen 2. What is contained in the Pater noster All that which we can demand and hope for from God for in the first foure petitions we demand all necessary good in the three following that he deliuer vs from all euill And againe as concerning what is good we first demand the glory of God Secondly our owne finall and greatest good in heauen Thirdly our greatest good on earth which is a vertuous life Fourthly the meanes to get and keepe the said good which is Gods actuall grace And touching that which is euill
WHat is Charity Charity is a vertue whereby we loue God aboue all thinges for his owne sake only and our neighbour as ourselues also for God his sake 2. What is it to loue God aboue all thinges It is to loue him more then any creature and more then ourselues so as to be ready to depriue ourselues of all thinges and of our life also rather then to offend him 3. What is it to loue God for his owne sake only It is to loue him principally for no other reason but because he is infinitely good excellent and worthy to be beloued 4. What is it to loue our neighbour as our selues It is to desire to him for Gods sake that is because God will haue vs to do so the same goods which we desire to our selues and to treate him in the same manner as we would haue him to treate vs for he being of the same nature with vs and made by God for the same end it were vnreasonable and contrary to God his determination not to desire the same goods to him which we desire to our selues since that God hath fitted him for them as well as vs. 5. May one loue himselfe also Yes and we are bound to do it in some manner but in some manner we may not for there are two manners of louing ones selfe one naught the other good 6. Which is the naughty manner It is when we do not referre to God the affection which we beare to our selues but rest wholy in our selues by seeking inordinately our owne contentment 7. Which is the good manner It is when we desire any thing for ourselues because God will haue vs desire it intending thereby to fulfill in ourselues Gods holy will concerning ourselues 8. The loue which we beare to ourselues in this manner doth it proceed from the loue which we beare to God Yes for by louing God truly we loue all that which he loueth and we do will all that which he willeth as well in ourselues as in our neighbour for God hauing made vs to a determinate end in so making vs he hath directed vs to some actions and functions and so we owe to God our endeauours conformable to such actions and also the conseruation of our selues whereby we may be able to do them 9. What are the goods which God will haue vs desire for our selues Those which make vs capable to attaine that end for which he hath created vs that is to loue him and to serue him eternally 10. Which are these goods They are God his holy grace whereby we are sanctified and all that both corporall and spirituall which helpeth vs to gett the same and to conserue in according to the rules of the Ghospell 11. Must we desire these same goods to all men Yes but still with conforming ourselues to the eternall decrees which God made concerning the giuing of them to each man in particular 12. Is it thus then that we do satisfy the precept of Charity which we owe to our neighbour Yes supposing that this affection be truly settled in our heart and that we do testify the same by effects when occasion is giuen 13. Who is our neighbour All men in the world but not all in the same manner nor in the same degree 14. How are all men in the world our neighbours Because all men are issued out from one and the same father and mother Adam and Eue all are composed of one and the same nature and all are capable of the same euerlasting blisse which maketh that they are all not only neighbours but also brethren and for this reason obliged to loue one an other sincerely 15. Why are not all men neighbours in the same manner Because some are neighbours only in respect of their humane and corporall birth others are also neighbours in respect of their diuine and spirituall birth by Baptisme whereby all Christians do become children of Iesus Christ their common father 16. Thy are not all men neighbours in the same degree Because some haue a greater alliance with vs then others as well in respect of our humane and naturall birth as our parents who begot vs and our kindred who come from the same race and family are nearer to vs then other men in generall as also in respect of our diuine and supernaturall birth by Baptisme for Prelates and Pastors who are in the Church as second fathers to vs and our Godfathers and Godmothers who are our spirituall kindred are more neare vnto vs then other Christians who are our spirituall brethren only because they are borne of the same common father Iesus Christ And likewise amongst our Christian brethren we owe more to them who are more holy and more vertuous then to others because they are as our elder brethren and as the first begotten in the family of Iesus Christ 17. Who are more neare vnto vs those who are our neighbours by corporall birth or those who are our neighbours by spirituall birth Those who are our neighbours by spirituall birth yea they are nearer to vs then our owne kindred if they be not Christians for our kindred appertaine vnto vs only by reason we are borne of the bloud of the same man but Christians are borne of the bloud of the same God who is Iesus Christ 18. How then must we exercise Chrity We must exercise it according to the aforesaid degrees by preferring allwayes our kindred before other men and Christians before Pagans and Catholiques before Heretikes and Schismatikes 19. Must we loue Catholikes only because they are our brethren borne of the same bloud of Iesus Christ This is one reason why we must loue them but besides this we must loue them also because they are our fellow members and compose together with vs truly and really one and the selfe same mysticall bodie whereof Iesus Christ is the head 20. Must we not then loue Catholikes also as members of Iesus Christ Yes and not only so but in some sorte as Iesus Christ himselfe for we finde Iesus Christ himselfe in them in some sorte First because they make but one bodie and one selfe same mysticall person with him and secōdly because his owne diuine spirit the Holy Ghost is the common soule of this body and so by being deriued from Iesus Christ as from the head vnto all the other members it maketh vs all to partake of Iesus Christ And therefore he sayeth in the Ghospell that all that one shall doe to the least of the faithfull he will hold it as done to himselfe 21. Is it then a great sinne to offend against the Charity we owe to our neighbour Yes because it is an offence done not only to our brethren and to the mysticall members of our owne bodie but also to Christ himselfe LESSON XVII Of the Decalogue or ten Commandements 1. WHat is the best signe to know whether we loue God and our neighbour as we ought That is best knowne by keeping his Commandements for who
Christian vnto they ought in affection of minde to embrace them in their full latitude by withdrawing their hearts from those thinges which their state of life doth oblige them to possesse and make vse of And by doing this although by reason of their vocation they be hindred and disenabled from the actuall execution of the said counsells and consequently are not in so perfect a state of life yet they may attaine to as great perfection of sanctity as the most holy Religious men who do actually forsake all and possesse nothing I say not this as if the state of Religion were not to be honoured and esteemed aboue the state of ordinarie Christians since that by obseruing strictly the three Euangelicall counsells whereunto Religious men haue tyed themselues by vowe the perfection of charity is not only more easily attained but also for the most part more perfectly practised then it is by laymen but what I say is to the end that those who liue in the world may know the dignity of that state whereunto they are called when they are baptized and consequently that they do not neglect to aspire to that height of perfection whereof all Christians are capable notwithstanding their secular vocations and conditions wherein they liue And it is to be noted that euen lay-men themselues may sometimes be obliged to practise actually these Euangelicall counsells no lesse then if they were precepts for as we are bound vnder paine of mortall sinne to vndergoe austere mortifications when we finde them absolutely necessary to withdraw vs frō mortall sinne so if a man finde that the possessing of riches honours pleasures and other worldly thinges do absolutely hinder his saluation he is bound by his solemne promise made to God in baptisme to forsake and renounce them all LESSON XX. Of the foure Morall or Cardinall Vertues 1. WHat is left in mans nature after his fall whereby to concurre with God his grace and by the assistance of it to obserue the commandements and to practise charity with perfection They are principally two thinges free will and the light of reason or first principles of the foure Morall Vertues commōly called Cardinall 2. What is vertue It is a qualitie in the soule which maketh a man good for as science maketh a good scholler and art a good artificer so vertue maketh a good man and causeth him to do that which is good with readinesse and facility 3. How many vertues be there They are all reduced to seuen to wit the three Theologicall Vertues fayth hope and charity of which we haue spoken already and the foure Morall Vertues of which we are now to treate to wit Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance so that he who hath these seuen qualities is a perfect good man 4. Why are the three first called Theologicall Because their principall obiect is only God himselfe for the obiect of fayth is Gods veracity or infallibility in speaking truth the obiect of hope is Gods infinite inclination to doe good to all the obiect of charity is Gods infinite perfection whereby he is worthy of all loue 5. Wherefore are the other Vertues called Morall Because they concerne the manners or behauiour belonging properly to the actions of man only as he is man from the Latine word Mores which signifyeth manners 6. Why are they called Cardinall Because they are the hinges on which all other Morall Vertues depend 7. How do these foure Vertues helpe vs to practise charity By inclining vs to giue to God to our neighbour and our selues that which is each ones due for all vertue is reduced to these three heads And to begin with our selues since that we are created to a determinate end and so directed to some determinate actions these actions depend of two principles the first not to preferre a lesser good before a greater the second not to choose a greater harme before a lesser Now the first is done by Temperance by which we abstaine from a lesser good to get a greater 8. What then is Temperance Temperance is a vertue which ruleth the appetite and brideleth our sensuall delights and maketh a man content to moderate himselfe in them in that manner as reason requireth that is according to the former principle And it is diuided into diuerse sortes and kindes according to seuerall matters in which it is employed for temperāce towards womē is called chastity in drinke and meate sobriety in action modesty c. 9. By what vertue do we abstaine from choosing a greater harme before a lesser By Fortitude for we cannot abstaine to choose a greater harme before a lesser when one is necessary but by vndergoing the lesse harme that we may auoid the greater 10. What then is Fortitude Fortitude is a vertue that moderateth the irascible power according to reason and so it helpeth vs to ouercome those difficulties which require courage in choosing one harme to auoid another according to the former principle And it hath diuerse kindes for Fortitude in an action full of difficulty is called courage in suffering patience in length perseuerance in warre valour c. 11. What is the vertue by which we giue to our neighbours that which is their due It is Iustice for whereas our neighbours are either our equalls our betters or our inferiours to our inferiours we owe loue and to be ready to do them any good we can as others our betters haue done and dayly do for vs to our equalls the same in substance although in another degree and to our superiours and betters duty and obedience all which is done by Iustice 12. What then is Iustice Iustice is a vertue whereby the will of man is so ordered as to giue to euery one his due and so it is the foundation of peace and quietnesse amongst men And the seuerall kindes of it are these Iustice towards our country and parents is called piety towards lawes and superiours obedience towards our equalls and inferiours in honour courtesie in words affability c. 13. What is the vertue by which we giue to God what is due It is also Iustice and because God is essentially our superiour we haue an essentiall tye to him and a greater obligation to obey him then any other and so it is called Religion or Deuotion from the Latine words Religare which signifieth to tye and binde fast and Deuouere which signifieth a solemne bequeathing of ones-selfe to an other And so we see how these three vertues make a mans affections right in order to performe humane actions 14. What then is Prudence necessary for It is necessary for all the three former vertues for although a man haue his affections right yet if he hath not skill to carry thinges well his action will oftentimes not correspond to his affection and so in the whole be naught now this skill in humane actions is had by Prudence 15. What is Prudence It is a vertue apt to direct mans vnderstanding in shewing the due of euery
action as also the right meanes how to do it according to the proportion of mans knowledge and therefore it is fitly compared to the other three vertues as salt is to meate or as the sūne to the world And so you see how the whole man is ordered by these foure Morall Vertues his vnderstanding by Prudence his will by Iustice his irascible power by Fortitude and his concupiscible power by Temperance 16. But since many men haue little knowledge and so want that skill which is called Prudence ought such men to haue a scruple of the actions which they doe Truly though it is certaine that not any action done without skill can be compleatly good yet they need not make scruple of what is passed because they did their endeauour but before the action be done they ought to aske some body that knoweth but if they cannot aske or when they haue asked finde no bodie that can tell they may do what they thinke best themselues and whether they misse or no neuer make scruple of it as long as they are sure that no ill affection was guide in their choise but that it proceeded out of the loue of God and a good conscience 17. But what if the actions of those foure Morall Vertues are done with skill but without charity are they then naught No for although they be not absolutely good yet they are not naught because they haue in themselues a kinde of good for as in a faire picture garden or house or any such thing made by art there is left in them from the Artist an impressiō of reason that makes them delightsome and conformable to our nature so also is there an impression of reason called decorum or honestas in morall actions which giueth content both to the doer and spectatour and enticeth morall men to do such actions as being conformable to mans nature But to make them absolutely good and meritorious they must be done for the loue of God for vnlesse we loue God no action will auaile vs any thing towards our last end so that charity is all in all And thus you see how these foure Morall Vertues do helpe vs to obserue the commandements and how by obseruing the commandements we liue a vertuous and Christian life 18. What is a christian life It is the practise of the three Theologicall Vertues chiefly and consequently of the foure Cardinall Vertues that is of all vertues through the spirit of charity which giueth life to all the rest 19. Why do you say chiefly the three Theologicall Vertues Because those three vertues do cōpound or constitute peculiarly the state of a Christian for the foure Morall Vertues are common to all men and may be found now and then in Gentills themselues as well as in Christiās as depending on the principles of nature but the other three are supernaturall and proper only to Christians 20. Why do yon say that charity giueth life to all the rest Because to liue is to haue power in it selfe to moue or stirre it selfe now charity is that which moueth vs to walke towards God and giueth vs power by all other vertues to tend towards him loue being that which moueth all reasonable creatures to action Besides the loue of God is the immediate step to heauen which is our euerlasting life and so whatsoeuer taketh away from vs the loue of God bringeth death to our soules in lieu of life and therefore no action can haue life where the loue of God is wanting LESSON XXI Of the state of Grace 1. Why doe those three vertues fayth hope and charity constitute the state of a Christian Because by them a man is made capable to performe all the functions and acts which we said do belōg properly to a Christian 2. Are we then in this state though we be sleeping or not doing those acts Yes if we haue the vertues by which they are done for this state doth not consist properly in the acts themselues but in the habit whereby we are enabled to produce such acts 3. Why so Because a state doth signify a permanencie whereas our acts as soone as they are done remaine no longer as act but the habitudes or vertues remaine still within vs. 4. Are all these three vertues necessary to constitute this state Yes for as the vnderstanding memory and will do constitute the naturall being of our soule so do these three vertues constitute her supernaturall being for by fayth our vnderstanding is perfected by hope our memory and our will by charity yet it doth consist chiefly in charity both because as hath been sayd charity is the mistresse and life of the other two and also because charity is neuer found without the other two whereas the other two are sometimes without charity 5. How is this state called It is called the state of grace for the same vertue hath diuerse names as it moueth vs to action and to produce acts of loue it is called charity as it is the consummation of our spirituall life and constituteth the state of a Christian it is called grace inherent iustice habituall grace sanctity all with signifie the same thing and if they be not charity it selfe at leastwise they cannot be separated from it not it from them 6. Why is it called a state First because it exempteth a man out of the slauery of sinne and putteth him into that condition of spirituall freedome which is proper to the children of God Secondly because it is the chiefest end of God his prouidence towards his elect in this life and so those who haue it are sayd to be in the state of grace because they are arriued to that happy condition which God intended to worke in them by all his former motions and diuine inspirations Thirdly it is called a state because by it we haue a permanent title in vs to God his continuall assistant grace as children haue a peculiar title to be continually assisted and ayded by their parents Yet you must note that it is called a state only improperly and in a large sense because immobility is a cōdition requisite to a state properly speaking whereas these vertues are not in vs so firmely but that we loose them againe 7. Why is it called grace Because when it is first giuen to vs it is bestowed vpon vs meerely through Gods mercy without being due to vs by any precedent deserts of our owne And also because it is the beauty and ornamēt of our soule whereby we become gracefull in the sight of God 8. Why is it called inherent iustice Because it is a quality inherent or permanent in our soules whereby we are truly iustified and cleansed from sinne and acknowledged and owned by God as his adoptiue children 9. Why is it called habituall grace Because as a habit of any vertue doth beget in vs a facilitie to produce acts of the same nature so doth this diuine quality enable vs to produce acts of grace that is supernaturall acts
to any vnlawfull obiect yet it settleth not in vs the loue of God so strongly as our former sinfull affections had settled the loue of our selues and so it is not so firmely rooted in vs as our present sensuall inclinations are and therefore we are afterwards easily ouercome againe by new temptations And this is ordinarily the condition of penitent Christians in the beginning who do often rise by God his grace and yet fall againe by their owne weakenesse vntill by pennance that is by workes of mortification which are the worthy fruites of repentance and by often receiuing the Sacraments their inclination to loue God aboue all thinges becometh greater and more firmely rooted in them then their sinfull inclination to selfe loue Now the detestation of sinne arising from the former perfect conuersion is called Contrition the other Attritiō which is a metaphore taken from any hard thing bruzed by a harder for if you only grate it against the harder you may bring it into what fashion you list but it will still remaine hard at the middle but if you do not only grate it but beate it in a morter you will turne it all into dust 12. What is the motiue of perfect Contrition It can be no other but the pure loue of God for his owne sake only proceeding from the consideration of his goodnesse and of the obligation we haue by reason of it to serue him and not to offend him And when I say it can be no other but the pure loue of God I do not intend to affirme that it cannot be accompanied with other pious affectiōs as the feare of hell the apprehension of God his iudgements the desire of heauen and the like which are not only consistent with the pure loue of God but also good dispositions to procure it and conserue it for such is the condition of humane infirmity as that the inferiour stepps by which we ariue to perfection are oftentimes necessary to maintaine vs in it But that which I intend to say is that the pure loue of God for his owne sake only without regard to our owne proper interest must be the principall motiue and immediate ground of contrition because no other motiue but God himselfe as he is our last end can conuert vs wholy to God and make vs detest sinne more then hell it selfe Now this perfect contrition and pure loue of God hath diuers degrees for sometimes it proceedeth purely and simply out of the consideration of God in himselfe without relation to his creatures who by reason of his owne infinite perfections and infinite goodnesse deserueth to be beloued aboue all thinges all loue being due to him meerely for that goodnesse which is in himselfe and this is the highest motiue of diuine loue Sometimes this pure loue proceedeth from the consideration of God his goodnesse towards his creatures expressed in his benefits bestowed on them and particularly in the benefits of creation redemption and euerlasting saluation proposed to all who do not through their owne faults depriue themselues of it Now the consideration of God his infinite loue expressed towards vs by these benefits doth moue vs in gratitude to loue him againe which reciprocall loue of ours when it cometh to that height of gratitude as to loue him againe not for our owne interest but for his owne sake only and so to auoid sinne and to do good meerely because it is gratefull to him that is because he would haue vs to do so it is also a sufficient motiue for true contrition though not so perfect as the former Againe this perfect contrition hath diuers degrees not only by reason of the motiues on which it is grounded but also by reason of the effects it produceth in vs for although this loue of God aboue all thinges when it produceth true contrition be alwayes stronger and more intense in vs then the loue of ourselues or then the loue of our owne interest euen in the ioyes of heauen if they could be separated from God and consequently doth make vs to detest sinne more then hell it selfe without which it would not be an act of true contrition yet it is not alwayes so perfect as not to leaue in vs some little affection to worldly thinges and some relickes of our former inclinations acquired by euill habites Sometimes againe it is so perfect as that it transporteth our affection from all created thinges whatsoeuer and settleth it wholy vpon God so that we do not loue any thing but with relation to him whereby we cannot thinke of any vnlawfull obiect but hate it such as we may suppose to haue been in S. Paul and S. Marie Magdalene at the first instant of their conuersion and so it extirpateth by the very roote our euill inclinations formerly acquired by peruerse habits And this is that eminent degree of contrition which doth not only cleanse vs from the guilt of sinne but also freeth vs from the paines due to our sinne in Purgatorie 13. What is the motiue of Attrition or imperfect Contrition Sometimes it may be the pure loue of God only proceeding from the consideration of his goodnesse but not working so strongly in vs as that perfect loue which we haue sayd to be the ground of Contrition because it is not yet so strong in vs as our inclination to selfe loue For although we may be disposed by this loue to preferre the glory of God before any interest of our owne in vnlawfull obiects yet if we reflect vpon the paines of hell we shall finde that we are more easily carried to detest and feare them then sinne which is a signe that the loue of God aboue all thinges is not yet so strong in vs as our inclination to loue our selues Howsoeuer this degree of the loue of God aboue all thinges is sufficient for attrition because it is greater in vs then the actuall loue of any vnlawfull obiect and so it is of sufficient force to make vs forbeare to offend God by mortall sinne Sometimes also the principall ground of our attrition may be the feare of hell the ioyes of heauen the enormity of sinne reflecting vpon them with the eye of our owne interest for these motiues also are sufficient to withdraw vs from sinne whereby we know we shall be depriued of heauen and incurre the euerlasting paines of hell Howsoeuer although as I say these may be the principall grounds of attrition because they may be so strong as to make vs to detest sinne for our owne interest and although they be of their owne nature good and laudable because they do for the most part prepare the way to loue yet vnlesse they do bring with them some degree of the loue of God which is a beginning of louing him they would not be sufficient for true attrition And the reason of it is because if they be not oyned with some kinde of beginning to loue God though imperfectly they do not actually conuert vs to
it as a Sacrament it is necessary for euery one in particular that embraceth the state of wedlock in the Church in so much that it would be a great sinne for any Christians to cōtract a marriage without obseruing those conditiōs which are necessary to make it a Sacrament or which are required to make the administration of it lawfull and therefore diligence must be vsed before-hand to see that there be no impediment that may render the Sacrament either inualide or the reception of it vnlawfull 5. What impediments do render the Sacrament of Marriage vnlawfull They are many as for example the prohibition of the Church that is of the Bishop or of any other in his place who may vpon iust occasions forbid for a certaine space of time such or such persons to marry together As also if either person hath made a simple vow of chastity or a vow to enter into Religion or to be a Priest or not to marry 6. What impediments be they which make the Sacrament inualide and the contract of Marriage of no force They are foureteene concluded in these verses Error conditio votum cognatio crimen Cultus disparitas vis ordo ligamen honestas Si sis affinis si forte coire nequibis Si Parochi duplicis desit praesentia testis Raptaue sit mulier nec parti reddita tutae Where you must note concerning Consanguinity that the marriage is inualide if the parties be allyed to one another within foure degrees of kindred inclusiuè and the same is also of Affinity 7. What is the end of Matrimony The immediate end is corporall generation of children the remote end is their spirituall regeneration by Baptisme and proportionably their nurriture and education conformable to these two generations 8. Are then all Fathers and Mothers bound to instruct carefully their children Yes and to teach them exactly not only by words but also by example all that which cōcernes faith and Christian behauiour that they may serue God euery one according to his condition for a father ought to be in his family as the Bishop is in his Church according to S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine 9. How cometh it to passe notwithstanding that the Apostle doth preferre a single life before Marriage that marriage should haue this excellency aboue a single life as to be a Sacrament Because it is an Image of the sacred vnion betwixt Iesus Christ and his Church for as Iesus Christ is one with his Church so that they cannot be separated so is the husband inseparably one with his wife and as Iesus Christ hath loued his Church and her children so much as to dye for them so ought a husband to loue his wife and the children which God hath giuen him most perfectly and cordially Besides the state of marriage hath many burdens and therefore men haue need of a speciall grace to sustaine them which is conferred to them by this Sacrament 10. Which be the fruites and good effects that spring from the grace of this Sacrament First by the grace of this Sacrament the married people are much enabled to preserue true loue and mutuall loyalty to each other Secondly it conferreth to them grace to giue good and vertuous education to their children Thirdly it giueth strength to support with Christian courage the great and many tribulations which the Apostle assures vs that the state of marriage is subject vnto 11. What is the reason that we finde so few of these happy effects to proceed from the grace of this Sacrament but see very often the quite contrary in their place The reason is because so few dispose themselues with due preparation to receiue this Sacrament some aiming only at their owne temporall wealth or sensuall pleasure others imploying their whole industrie in meere profane thoughts as in prouiding sumptuous great cheere costly apparell and jouiall mirth scarce admitting one serious cogitation for the spirituall disposition of their soules vnto this holy Sacrament Others finally by their sinfull life and brutall sensuality do loose the grace of God and by this meanes they also frustrate both the grace and the former many good fruites of this Sacrament and are most iustly punished with the quite contrary most vnhappy effects of impatience brawling hatred and jealosy LESSON XXXI Of God his Actuall grace 1. Were the Sacraments instituted for no other end but only to produce in vs habituall or sanctifying grace Yes they were instituted also to be principall instruments for the obtaining of God his assistant actuall grace that is euery Sacrament doth obtaine from God that actuall grace for vs which shall be necessary when we are to performe those thinges for which each Sacrament was instituted 2. How is this done This is done through the vertue of sanctifying grace receiued by the Sacramēt for Sacraments haue this property that they do conferre vnto vs together with habituall grace a speciall title whereby God is ready to giue vs more abundantly his actuall assistant grace when any occasion requireth it which title is nothing else in the opinion of many but the habituall grace it selfe as conferred by the Sacraments From-whence we may gather how carefull we ought to be to preserue this habituall grace for by loosing it we loose not only the habituall grace it selfe but together with it we loose also the speciall title which we had by the Sacrament to God his assistant actuall grace and so we are depriued of the same speciall title for euer vnlesse through God his infinite mercy we do recouer againe by true repentance our former habituall grace And this is to be vnderstood in respect of our selues only for where the particular helpes obtained by the Sacrament do concerne the good of others as they do in the Sacrament of Order then though the Minister be neuer so wicked yet his functions will be valide and he himselfe oftentimes be assisted with speciall helpes or discharge his office though peraduenture not for his owne profit yet for the benefit of those he gouerneth 3. Why do you say that the Sacraments do giue vs a title to that actuall grace for which each Sacrament was instituted Because each Sacrament was instituted for a peculiar end and so euery one of them doth not conferre vnto vs a speciall title to any grace but only to that for which it was instituted for by the grace of Baptisme we obtaine those helpes from God which are necessary to ouercome the temptatiōs that occurre through the common condition of humane frailty in a more plentifull measure then ordinarie By the grace of Confirmation we obtaine those helpes which are necessary to ouercome extraordinary temptations as persecution of Tyrants and the like By the grace of the holy Eucharist we obtaine those helpes which are necessary to make vs loue God feruently and to do heroicke workes of charity By the grace of Pennance we obtaine God his assistance to produce worthy fruites of repētance By the grace of