How can this be It is a thing which we cannot comprehend for as God himselfe is incomprehensible to vs so is all that which is in God and particularly this mysterie of the most blessed Trinity 3. Is there no example to helpe vs to conceiue this mysterie Yes it may in some sort be exemplified in a fountaine which produceth a riuer and the riuer and it together a lake for the lake the riuer and the fountaine are distinguished from one another and yet the water by which they are all constituted is one and the same in euery one of them 4. What then meaneth the mysterie of the vnity and Trinity of God It meaneth that in God there is only one diuinity or as we say essence and diuine nature which neuerthelesse is in three diuine persons who are called Father Sonne and holy Ghost and so there is but one God and euery Person is truly that one God 5. Wherefore are the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three distinct persons Because they haue three distinct notions for though the being of the Godhead be most single and indiuisible and consequently the selfe same in all three yet the manner of this being is not the same but each one hath his speciall manner of being which cannot be common to the rest For the Father is the fountaine from-whence the other two persons do proceed and he hath no source himselfe to proceed from and therefore he produceth but is not produced The Sonne proceedeth from the father and only from him The holy Ghost proceedeth both frō the Father and the Sonne And hence it ariseth that the three persons are distinguished though not diuided one from another and therefore though we cannot say that the Godhead of the Sonne proceedeth from the Godhead of the Father or the Godhead of the holy Ghost from the Godhead of the Father and the sonne yet we are bound to belieue that the person of the sonne proceedeth from the person of the Father and the person of the holy Ghost from the persons of the Father and the sonne 6. How doth the sonne proceed from the father He is not made nor created but begotten of his fathers owne substance by his vnderstanding For the father knowing himselfe by an infinite knowledge produceth by his vnderstanding a most perfect word or expression of himselfe which is his sonne coeternall and equall in all thinges to himselfe and must needs possesse the same nature with him because he is produced of his owne substance 7. Why is he called his sonne Because his production is a true generation For as the end of generation in creatures is to make a thing like in nature to that from which it proceeds so doth the word of the diuine vnderstāding produced through the force of the fathers intellectuall nature by the manner of its production naturally expresse the thing which is vnderstood which is God the father himselfe 8. Hath God the father but one sonne begotten of his owne substāce No nether can he haue any more then one for it is otherwise in God then in men because no man can giue all that he himselfe is to any sonne and therefore he may haue many children but God allmigthy doth giue his owne substance so perfectly to his sonne by generation as that he giueth him all that is in himselfe and can be communicated in so much that there remaineth nothing to be giuen by way of generation to any other 9. How doth the holy Ghost proceed from the father and the sonne He doth proceed from them both as frō one only source and not as made or created nor as begotten but produced through the will by an ineffable way which diuines rearme Spiration 10. What is Spiration It is a breathing or impulse of the will by which it expresseth its affection for the father louing his sonne infinitely as being his only begotten and the sonne his father as the fountaine from whom he proceedeth they produce a mutuall bond of loue whereby the father and sonne are ineffably linked together and this is the holy Ghost the third person of the blessed Trinity eternall God and equall to both the other two persons 11. Why are these three persons one only God Because they haue one selfe same essence one selfe same power one selfe same wisedome one selfe same goodnesse one selfe same vnderstanding and one selfe same will 12. Did then all these three diuine persons create the world Yes for all three hauing from all eternity the same power the same will and the same vnderstanding whatsoeuer is done out of God by one is done by all LESSON III. Of the creation of the world 1. OF what did God make the world Of nothing 2. With what did he make it With his word alone 3. Had not he then need of some instruments to make it with all No for his power is so great and so infinite as that he can not only make what he will but allso in what manner he will 4. Was there an infinite power required to create the world Yes for the harder a thing is to be done the more force is required to the doeing of it and the more remote a thing as from the end to which it is to be moued the more force is required to moue it thither and therefore seeing that to create is to make a thing of nothing and that betwixt nothing and something there is an infinite distance it followeth that creation requireth an infinite force or power in him who createth 5. Why did he make the world That his greatnesse and goodnesse might be seene and adored 6. By whom would he haue it adored By men and Angells who only are able to consider the admirable workes of heauen and earth and by knowing them to loue and praise his goodnesse who made them for their vse and benefit 7. What moued God to create men and Angells did he want them or did he get any thing by them He did not want them for seeing he is all goodnesse he could want no good thing and for euill it is not to be desired nether could he get any thing by them for he who hath all getteth nothing So that he was moued merely through his owne goodnesse for being all goodnesse himselfe he needed no other cause why to do good then that himselfe by nature is goodnesse for as it is the nature of heate to make hot and of cold to coole so is it the nature of goodnesse to do good 8. What is an Angell An Angell is a spirituall creature subsisting completely by himselfe without a body 9. What became of the Angells whom God created Some of them remained in that holy estate wherein they were created and so were by God his grace established therein and became happy and blessed for euer Others kept it not but wilfully lost it by sinne and so became Diuells and are condemned to euerlasting torment in hell 10. How many Angells were there created The multitude of
Christian He who hauing been baptized belieueth the true faith of Christ and liueth accordingly 11. How shall we learne to do this By the Christian doctrine that is by that doctrine which Christ Iesus came to teach and preach vnto the world 12. Where is this doctrine contained It is contained in God his holy word which is deliuered to vs at large partly by scripture and partly by tradition of the holy Catholike Church 13. How manie be the chiefe and principall heads of the Christian doctrine They may be reduced to six to wit the Creed the Pater noster the ten Commandements the seuen Sacraments Prayer and the Sacrifice of Masse 14. Wherefore are these six the principall heads of Christian doctrine Because whereas there are principally foure thinges necessary to saluation that is faith which giueth vs light to belieue well hope which giueth vs confidence to demand well charity which giueth vs strength to doe well and God his actuall assistāt grace which is the most necessary of all for without it we cannot get the other three nor make the least progresse in the way of saluation Now the Creed teacheth vs what belongs to faith the Pater noster what belongs to hope the ten Commandements what belongs to charity and the three last partes the Sacraments Prayer and Sacrifice of Masse are the meanes whereby to obtaine God his actuall assistant grace 15. Why do you account the Pater noster a distinct part from the rest seeing that it is included in prayer which you number as making one principall part by it selfe The reason of it is because the Pater noster is not only actually a prayer it selfe but it is also a generall instruction whereby we are taught how to pray and what to demand Now as it is actually a prayer it selfe it belongeth to Prayer which we haue reckoned for the fifth part of the Christian doctrine but as it is an instruction it maketh a part by it selfe because to instruct is a qualitie which is not essentiall to actuall praying and so it belongeth properly to hope which is the foundation of all actuall prayer and is practised by knowing what and how we are to demand 16. Why do you number but foure thinges necessary to saluation since that no man can be saued without inherent iustice or sanctifying grace which is a distinct thing from God his actuall assistant grace and therefore in all there are fiue thinges necessary The reason of it is because sanctifying grace is either charitie it selfe or at least it is a thing which cannot be separated from charitie and therefore whosoeuer hath charitie may be assured that he hath sanctifying grace and the meanes to obtaine one doth serue for both 17. What is the visible signe or badge of a Christian The signe of the holy crosse accompanied with these words In the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost 18. Wherefore is this the badge of a Christian Because by making this holy signe with these words we professe the three chiefest mysteries of our Christian faith which are the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God the mystery of the Incarnation and the mystery of our blessed Sauiour his sacred Passion 19. Why is the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God said to be contained in the signe of the crosse Because by saying in the name and not names we declare the Vnitie of one sole essence power and diuinitie in one only God and by naming the father sonne and holy ghost we plainely manifest the three distinct persons of the most blessed Trinitie 20. Why are the other two mysteries of the Incarnation and Passion of our blessed Sauiour said to be included in the signe of the crosse Because by putting our hand from the head vnder the breast we professe the sonne of God to haue descended from heauen to become incarnated in the wombe of the most blessed Virgin and by putting our hand from the left shoulder to the right we declare how he redeemed vs by dying vpon the crosse in forme whereof we make this holy signe 21. Wherefore hath it been the custome of all true Christians at the beginning of their chiefe actions to make so frequently the signe of the holy crosse pronouncing the former words For diuers good reasons and first thereby to consecrate their actions vnto the honour of the most blessed Trinitie Secondly to craue in all their actions God his diuine assistance through the merits of the sacred death and Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Thirdly to make a briefe profession of the Christian fayth the chiefe mysteries whereof we see are so liuely expressed vnder this signe Fourthly to declare thereby that they fight vnder this signe as vnder Christ his standard and so like faithfull souldiers to distinguish themselues from Pagās Turkes Iewes and all other his enemies Fifthly to arme ourselues by it against the Diuell and all his temptations for that he doth feare and flie this signe as the malefactour doth feare the Ministers and sharpe instruments of iustice Lastly by the helpe of this holy signe men do most frequently escape many both corporall and spirituall dāgers as innumerable most authentike histories and good Authors declare Now we make this signe so frequently because faith is the foundation and groundworke of Christianitie and therefore we ought to make a frequent profession of it LESSON XII Of Fayth 1. WHy is fayth the first foundation and groundworke of Christianity Because by naturall knowledge we cannot come to know the meanes which are prescribed for our saluation and therefore we haue need of a supernaturall helpe which is fayth and so the Apostle telleth vs that without fayth it is impossible to please God 2. What then is fayth Fayth is a gift of God and a light whereby we do firmely and without doubting belieue all that which is proposed to vs by the Catholike church to be belieued not because we see it but because it is reuealed by God who cannot speake vntruthes So that to an act of fayth necessary for saluation two thinges are required first in regard of God that it be an obiect reuealed by him and proposed to vs by the Church as such secondly in regard of man that he giue a firme assent to it 3. Is there no more required to an act of fayth No more is required to an inward act of fayth yet to practise this vertue perfectly we are some times obliged to declare our beliefe by an outward act when occasion requireth it for man being composed of body and soule he ought to acknowledge God his veracitie by both these partes by his soule in belieuing and by his body in professing with his mouth what he belieueth And therefore it is neuer lawfull to dissemble our fayth by professing one thing and belieuing an other for whosoeuer denyeth Iesus Christ before men will be denyed by him before his father 4. Why is fayth called a gift of God Because
other sonne after him whom he hath also established as he is man that which he was from all eternity as God Lord and king of all creatures and particularly of true Christians 9. Why is he called Iesus Because this name was giuen him by his Fathers appointment who commanded Ioseph to call him so And it signifyeth as much as Sauiour which holy name was giuen him with great reason because he caue to saue ād redeeme the world from the death of sinne and thraldome of the Diuell and it cost him his owne blood and his owne proper life to do it And so it is impossible to explicate the force and vertue of this name which is so efficacious as that it chaseth away diuell cureth diseases and worketh all sortes of miracles being pronounced with a liuely faith and it is honoured in heaven reuerenced on earth and feared in hell aboue all names 10. Why is he called Christ He is called Christ which signifieth annointed because Priests Kings and Prophets vsed to be annointed with oile which representeth grace to signify that their functions did represent the function of God whose Lieutenents they are in these charges for it belongeth properly to God to gouerne spiritually to gouerne temporally and to foretell thinges to come Now Christ Iesus is not only a Priest a King and a Prophet but the soueraine Priest of Priests King of Kings and Prophet of Prophets not annointed by men with a terrestiall ointment but by God with the plentitude of his graces So that the difference betwixt these two names is that Christ is a title belonging to his dignity Iesus is a title belonging to his merit which he purchased with the price of his blood and his life 11. Why is he called our Lord First because he is God and secondly also as man because he is our Redeemer for he who redeemeth a slaue as all we were is most properly master and Lord of him whom he redeemeth and the redeemed is most truly his seruant ARTICLE III. 12. DEclare the Third Article Who was conceaued of the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie I beleeue that Iesus Christ tooke vpon him for the redemption of the world our nature from the immaculate body of the blessed Virgin Marie not by any operation or power of man but by the diuine vertue of the holy Ghost who framed his body of the most pure blood of a virgin vniting a soule to it created expressely by God at the same instant in which instant also the second person of the blessed Trinity did vnite this body and this soule to himselfe and so he was borne on earth most pure and most holy And his Virgin Mother conceaued him and was deliuered of him remaining still a virgin yea she was more pure then before for both her body and soule receaued a greater purity and sanctity by the operation of the holy Ghost and by her coniunction to the sacred flesh of Iesus Christ 13. Why is the Conception of our Sauiour attributed to the holy Ghost To make vs understand that the great benefit and dignity bestowed vpon mankinde by the Incarnation of the sonne of God was a free gift proceeding purely from the loue of God and not from any merit of man and so although this operation was common to all the three persons of the blessed Trinity as all outward actions are yet it is peculiarly attributed to the holy Ghost because he proceedeth by loue and is called a gift 14. Why is not the holy Ghost called the Father of Iesus Christ since that he formed his body Because he did not forme it to the likenesse of his owne nature nor made it of his owne substāce which is required to make one a Father as a stone caruer who maketh a statue is not the father of the statue though he be the maker and former of it but he made it only of the pure blood of the Virgin And so Christ had in this second generation only a Mother and no Father 15. Wherein do consist the wonders of this mysterie First that his body was formed by the speciall operation of the holy Ghost Secondly that in the first instāt that it was formed it receaued a reasonable soule replenished with perfect knowledge of all thinges and with all graces as also with the full beatificall vision and fruition of allmighty God Thirdly that this body and this soule was in the same instant vnited to the second person of the bless◅ Trinity so that the childe conceaued in the wombe of the Virgin was both perfect God and perfect man Fourthly that his mother was both a virgin and a mother And lastly that she was mother both of God and of man which is the miracle of miracles that the same person should be God and man begotten from all eternity and borne in time omnipotent and infirme And yet it is most true for the nature of God and the nature of man were both in the second person of the Trinity without confusion or mingling one with another and also without making a diuersity of persons which may be some way exemplifyed in two grafts sett in the same stocke which keepe still their different natures since that they produce different fruits and yet make not diuers trees since that they are both in the same stocke 16. God then becoming man was not turned into man nor man into God nor both into a third thing No for God cannot be changed and so none of these three mutations could be made but man as we haue declared was ioyned to God and so God became man For seeing that what hath not the nature of man is not man and much lesse what hath not the nature of God is God we must acknowledge in Christ two distinct natures the one of God the other of man or else he should not be both God and man 17. Was man ioyned equally to God so that the thing made was equally God and man If we consider the two natures in themselues he had both of them truly and in all perfection but if we compare the natures together which are vnited in the same person certainly the maine thing must needs be God and man but a small portion of it As we see if a little other metall be cast into a great deale of gold the coine is principally gold and is commonly called so so since that God is infinitely greater then man the result of both remaineth principally God 18. How was he borne He was borne nine monthes after his conception as other children vse to be to shew that he was truly man He was borne without griefe to his Mother to shew that the blessed Virgin was opposite to Eue to whom it was said In dolore paries thou shalst bring forth with griefe He was borne in a stable and in as great pouerty as the poorest childe in the world thereby to hūble himselfe the more by how much the greater he was in himselfe He was swaddled
whensoeuer one cōmitteth that which in it selfe is only a veniall sinne and yet he thinketh in his conscience that it is a mortall one 11. Why is a veniall fault called a sinne Because although it be not a crime as mortall sinne is yet it is an offense against God and although indeed it doth not depriue vs of grace yet it weakeneth the soule and putteth it in danger to fall into other sinnes which at length will make it fall mortally and loose God his grace if it correcteth not it selfe in time by due repentance As a small sicknesse by encrease cause that last a mortall indisposition if it be neglected 12. How many degrees be there of veniall sinne Three the first by thinking speaking or doing something vpon a suddaine but yet without marking fully that he offendeth God the second when he fully marketh that he offendeth venially and yet continueth the third when he both marketh that he offendeth and also hath some good motion to giue ouer but reiecteth it The first argueth frailty the second a neglect of Gods Maiesty and so is dangerous the third resisteth his holy inspirations and so is more dangerous and disposeth to mortall sinne from which it differeth in nothing but only in weightinesse of matter 13. Which be the sinnes which crie to heauen for vengeance and wherefore do we say so of them They are foure to wit wilfull murder carnall sinne against nature oppression of the poore and chiefely of orphās and widowes and to defraud seruants and workemen of their wages They are so called because their iniustice and vnlawfullnesse is so manifest that it cannot be couered or hidden by any ignorance 14. Which be the sinnes against the holy Ghost and why are they so called They be six to wit despaire of saluation presumption of God his mercy that is that he will saue vs without our owne endeauour and without good workes done by his grace to impugne a known truth to enuy another mans grace obstinacy in sinne and finall impenitence They are said to be against the holy Ghost because they argue in those who cōmit them a present or former malice deepely rooted in them for malice is opposite to goodnes attributed to the holy Ghost In the same manner the sinne of ignorance is sayd to be against the sonne of God to whom wisedome is attributed and the sinne of frailty against the Father to whom power is peculiarly attributed 15. What is to be vnderstood by saying that these sinnes are not pardoned in this world nor in the other It is as much as to say that they are hard to be pardoned because seldome and hardly those who fall into them come vnto true repentance For as when we say a disease is incurable we do not intend to affirme that it cannot by any meanes possibly be cured but only that it is seldome and not so ordinarily to be cured as other diseases so we say of these sinnes that they are not pardoned in this or the next world because they are seldome pardoned except only the last which is finall impenitence for that is neuer pardoned at all 16. What are the most efficacious motiues to keepe vs from sinning Those which the holy Ghost himselfe hath prescribed in these few words Remember the last things and thou shalt neuer sinne 17. What be these last thinges They are foure Death Iudgement Heauen and Hell 18. Why are these called the last thinges Death is called so because it is the last thing that happeneth to vs in this world Iudgement also is our last sentence without appeale Heauen is our last and finall happinesse which the blessed shall enioy eternally in a most perfect possession of God And Hell is the last and greatest miserie without any release or change for eternity 19. What is the roote of all sinne Selfeloue and from thence springeth those other rootes noted by S. Iohn which are concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes by which is meant the vnderstanding and pride of life which may be called concupiscence of the will for whereas man doth cōsist of body and soule and the soule of two principall powers vnderstanding and will vnder these three concupiscences is comprehended the whole sinnefull state of man And these againe are diuided into seuen branches called commonly the seuen capitall sinnes 20. Which be the seuen capitall sinnes and why are they called so They be Pride Couetousnesse Lechery Anger Gluttony Envy and Slouth They are called capitall because they are heads of many others which proceed from them as branches from their roote and as riuers from their source and fountaine For Pride doth incline vs to breake the first and fourth commandement Auarice the seuenth Lechery the sixth Envy the ninth and tenth Gluttony the first and sixth Anger the second and fifth Slouth the third and vpon occasions any one of these vices may cause vs to breake euery one of the commandements Besides these seuen vices are also called the seuen deadly sinnes because whereas all the vicious affections of man are reduced to these seuen heades if it chance that the obiect of any one of them be more predominant ouer our affection then the loue of God it putteth vs into a state of habituall mortall sinne and depriueth vs of God his grace And although peraduenture such a man may notwithstanding by reason of his naturall inclination or of some other more powerfull worldly interest forbeare to commit those grosse and palpable sinnes which such vicious affections do vsualy draw men into yet this will not excuse him As for example a couetous man who for feare of the temporall lawes or for feare of loosing his reputation or for other worldly respects doth not commit vsury nor robbe or steale from his neighbour will not be saued if his heart be so set vpon riches as to be wholy occupied in seeking and laying vp worldly wealth but this man is of the number of those whom S. Paul declareth to be excluded from the kingdome of heauen because although he do not steale nor coozen his neighbour yet he is truly couetous And the same is to be sayd of those who set their thoughts and endeauours wholy vpon honours vanities pleasures feasting gaming contentions factions and the like placing wholy their delight in them for though the particular actions of these men considered singly by themselues may seeme veniall yet the whole number becometh damnable because it doth argue that their affectiōs are placed in those obiects as in their last end and so they transgresse the first precept For how can we iudge of our affections but by our actions And if these obiect take vp our whole employment is it not euident that they are predominant ouer our affections and that it is not God but they that reigne in vs as the last and principall end we aime at Wherefore reflecting vpon our selues if we finde that our life actions and designes are bent in the bottome of our hart
must we come prepared to receiue this Sacrament The preparation due to infants resideth in the Church which supplying their want of age doth offer them vp to Iesus Christ But those who are come to the vse of reason require more for they must be instructed in the chiefe mysteries of the Catholike fayth they must beleeue them all actually they must detest all sinne they must loue God actually they must haue a resolution to liue well they must in fine voluntarily offer themselues to be children of God by Baptisme 11. What Sacrament folleweth next after Baptisme Confirmation for ordinarily according to nature we must first grow and get strength before we can feed of solide meat such as is the holy Eucharist which the holy Fathers call the meat of the perfect LESSON XXV Of Confirmation 1. WHat is Confirmation It is a Sacrament instituted by Christ to conferre vnto our soules the holy Ghost and an increase of our baptismall grace with a manly strength to resist and encounter couragiously with all our ghostly enemies and to professe constantly the faith of Iesus Christ 2. Who are our enemies The Diuell the world and the flesh The Diuell that is all the power of hell The world that is all the contagious infection which proceedeth from the mutuall conuersation of men The flesh that is the naturall inchnation to euill which we all feele within our selues 3. Who is the holy Ghost which is conferred by this Sacrament He is the third person of the blessed Trinitie with his graces and giftes 4. How do we receiue him by this Sacrament seeing that we receiued grace before by Baptisme We receiue him here more particularly because by this Sacrament his graces and gifts are more radicated in our soules whereby we become strong and vigorous in vertue by receiuing the perfection of Charitie for the ghostly life which we receiue by Baptisme is but weake and feeble in respect of that improuement which we receiue by Confirmation And so this Sacrament is called by the holy Fathers the accomplishment and perfection of Baptisme 5. What is the outward sensible signe in this Sacrament It is the annoynting with holy Chrisme by the hands of the Bishop which is called in the scripture the imposition of hands 6. Where do we finde a promise of grace in scripture to this outward signe We finde it in the 16. Chap. of S. Iohn where Christ told his Apostles that when he went away himselfe he would send the holy Ghost vnto them And the performance of this Sacrament appeareth in the act when the holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles and when those that were baptized receiued the holy Ghost anew by the imposition of the Apostles hands which is a signe that Christ instituted this ceremony for it is certaine that the Apostles could not by such a ceremonie haue giuen the holy Ghost if he had not ordained it for that end 7. What is Chrisme It is a holy ointment composed of oyle and baulme by oyle is represented the strengch which we receiue by this Sacrament as souldiers of Iesus Christ by baulme is represented the effusion of all vertues by the holy Ghost into our soule which send forth a sweet odour before God and Angells as baulme doth before men wherevpon S. Paul sayeth that we are before God the sweet odour of Iesus Christ So that by this Sacrament we become perfect members of the militant Church and receiue weapons and courage to enter confidently into the battell which we are to vndergoe in this world to receiue at last an eternall crowne with Iesus Christ Which also is signified by the little blow which the Bishop giueth when he confirmeth by which signe he teacheth vs to begin to suffer with patience all the encounters that the enemies of our soule and saluation shall make against vs. 8. Why are we annoynted in our forehead when we receiue this Sacrament To let vs know that the holy Ghost is giuen vnto vs by this Sacrament to imbolden vs and to expell from vs shame and feare of professing the faith of Christ which shame and feare principally haue their seate in the forehead or countenāce of man 9. With what preparation ought we to receiue this Sacrament First we must be baptized before we receiue it Secondly we must be in the state of grace for the preparation required to all Sacraments that were instituted to conferre only an encrease of grace is to haue the first grace and so those that are in mortall sinne must first receiue the Sacrament of Pennance or at least haue an act of Contrition before they can be confirmed And the reason of it is euident for as it is impossible that a dead body should grow corporally so it is impossible that a dead soule should grow spiritually vnlesse it be first reuiued 10. Are we obliged to receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation Yes we are obliged vnder paine of sinne to seeke it and to receiue it if we can conueniently for this much at least is gathered out of the holy Fathers who say that without it we are not perfect Christians this Sacrament hauing been instituted by Christ to conferre vnto vs the plenitude of the holy Ghost and the full perfection of Baptisme Besides the seuen Sacraments hauing been instituted by Christ as certaine principall knots of Christian life his very instituting this a Sacrament obligeth vs to make vse of it for institution in a thing of such weight is equiualent to a command and so he who neglecteth to receiue it when opportunity of hauing it is giuen sinneth For it would be a strange kinde of spirituall slouth not to seeke and much more to neglect that meanes when opportunity is offered to receiue it which Christ hath purposely established in his Church to strengthen and arme vs against our spirituall enemies we being on all sides so straitly beset and infested with them during this life but especially when before persecutours and Tyrants we are obliged to make profession of our fayth 11. Wherefore is it that this Sacrament as also Baptisme and holy Order cannot be reiterated or taken againe the second time It is because besides the particular grace proper to each seuerall Sacrament these Sacraments haue also a second effect which they cause in our soules called by Diuines a Character that is a spirituall signe imprinted in our soules whereby we are knowne to belong to Christ Iesus as persons deputed to some certaine functions in his familie 12. Why do these three Sacraments conferre a Character Because by these we are put into seuerall states or vocations according to the seuerall functions whereunto we are deputed by receiuing them 13. What is a state It is an immutable or perpetuall condition of life whereby a man is solēnely deputed and obliged to some certaine acts and workes worthy his vocation which is truly to be seene in those who receiue the three mentioned Sacraments For by Baptisme we become seruants of Iesus