AN AMPLE DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN doctrine COMPOSED IN Italian by the renowmed Cardinal Card. BELLARMINE Translated into English by RICHARD HADOCK D. of Diuinitie PRINTED at ROAN A DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE For the vse of those that teach children and other vnlearned persons Composed in forme of a Dialogue betweene the Maister and Scholar CHAP. I. What Christian doctrine is and what are the principall parts thereof SCHOLER SEEING I do vnderstand that it is necessarie to saluation to know the Christian doctrine I desire you to declare vnto mee what this doctrine is MASTER The Christian doctrine is a briefe summe of all those thinges which Christ our Lord hath taught to shew vs the way of saluation S How many be the principal and most necessary parts of this doctrine M Foure to wit the Creede the Pater noster the ten Commandements and the holy Sacraments S Wherefore are there foure and neither more nor fewer M Because there are three principal vertues Faith Hope and Charitie and Grace necessarie to saluation And so the Creede is necessarie for Faith because it teacheth vs that which we haue to beleeue the Pater noster is necessary for Hope because it teacheth vs what wee haue to hope the ten Commandements are necessarie for Charitie because they teach vs what we haue to doe to please God the sacraments are necessarie because they are the Instruments of Grace by which those vertues are receiued and conserued S I would be glad you should giue me some similitude to vnderstande better the necessitie of these foure parts of Christian doctrine M S. Augustine giueth vs the similitude of a house for as to make a house it is needfull first to place the fundation then to rayse the walles and last of all to couer it with the roofe and to doe these things there are some instruments necessarie so to make in our Soules the building of saluation we haue need of the foundation of Faith the walles of Hope the roofe of Charitie and the instruments which are the most holie Sacraments CHAP. 2. The declaration of the vsuall blessing with the signe of the Crosse S BEfore wee come vnto the first part of this doctrine I would be glad you should giue mee some taste of those things which are to be beleeued declaring vnto mee in grosse and in summe the most necessarie mysteries that are conteined in the Creede M You haue reason and so I will doe You must then know that the principall mysteries of our faith are two and both two are conteyned in the blessing that wee vse to make with the signe of the holie Crosse The first mysterie is the Vnitie and trinitie of God the second is the Incarnatiō Passion of our Sauiour S What meaneth the Vnitie and Trinitie of God M These are most high matters by litle and litle are to be declared in the progresse of this doctrine but for this time it shall suffice to learne the names to vnderstād so much as you may The Vnitie of God signifieth that besides all things created there is one thinge that hath not had beginning but hath alwaies been and euer shall bee and hath made all other thinges and maintaineth and gouerneth them and is aboue all most high most noble most glorious most potent absolutely Patrone of all thinges and this is called God who is one onely because there can not bee more then one true Diuinitie that is to saye one onely Nature and Essence infinitely potent Holie good and so foorth Yet notwithstanding this Diuinitie is founde in three persons which are called the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost which three persons are one onely God because they haue the selfe-same Diuinity and essence As for example if three persons here in earth called Peter Paul Iohn should haue one the same soul one the same bodie they should be called three persōs because one is Peter an other Paul and an other Iohn and yet they should be one man onely and not three men not hauing three bodies nor three soules but one bodie and one soule This is not possible amongst men because the being of a man is dererminat limited and therefore cannot be in many persons But the being of God his diuinitie is infinite And there fore the selfe-same being and the selfe-same Diuinitie of the Father may be and is found in the soone and in the Holie-Ghost There bee then three persons because one is the Father another is the Sonne and the third is the Holie-Ghost And yet they are one God onely because they haue the same Diuinitie the same being the same power wisedome goodnes c. S. Tell me now what signifyeth the Incarnatiō Passiō of our Sauiour M You are to know that the second Diuine person the which as wee haue said is called the Son besides his diuine being which he had before the world was created yea from all eternitie tooke the flesh soule of man that is to say our whole nature in the wombe of a most pure Virgin and so hee who was before only God came likewise to be Man And after hee had conuersed with men thirtie and three yeares teaching the way of saluation and working many miracles in the ende hee suffered himselfe to be nayled vpon a Crosse and on the same dyed to satisfie God for the sinnes of the whole world and after three daies he rose from death to life and after fourtie daies more ascended into heauen as wee shall shew in the declaration of the Creede this is the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour S Wherefore are these the principal mysteries of our Faith M Because in the first is contayned the first beginning and last end of man In the second the onely and most effectuall meanes to know the first beginning and how to attaine vnto the last end because in beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries we manifest our selues distinct from all the false Sectes of Gentils Turkes Iewes and Hereticks and lastly because without beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries no man can be saued S How are these mysteries conteyned in the signe of the Crosse M We make the signe of the Crosse when we say In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost and that in this forme putting the right hand vnder the forehead when we saye In the name of the Father then vnder the breast when we say of the Sonne lastly frō the left shoulder vnto the right when we say and of the holy Ghost And withall the word In the name doeth shew the vnitie of God because it is said in the name and not in the names by the word name is also vnderstood the diuine power and authoritie which is one only in all the three persons These words of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost doe shew vnto vs the Trinitie of persons The signing in forme of
worthy of honour for that she hath in her selfe but for that also which is in the fruit of her wombe Because the praise of the fruite redoundeth to the tree and the glorie of the child redoundeth to the mother And because Iesus is not onlie true man and blessed amongst men but is also God blessed aboue all things as S. Paul teacheth vs therefore his mother is not onely blessed amongst women but shee is blessed amongst all the creatures as well in earth as in heauen S Declare vnto me I pray you that which remaineth of the Aue Maria. M In the words following the holy Church repeating the principall praise of our Ladie which is to bee the mother of God and so shewing that she can obtain of the same God what shee pleaseth desireth her to make intercession for vs who haue great need thereof being sinners that she help vs while we liue and in particular at the poynt of death when we shal be in greatest danger S I would gladly know wherefore it ring to the Aue Maria three times in the day to wit in the morning at midday and in the euening M To the end we may vnderstand that we haue need to make recourse often to the helpe of God and of the Saints being in the middest of enemies visible inuisible And that we ought not to thinke it sufficient to haue recourse to the armour of praier in the beginning of our works but that we must do the same in the progresse and in the end There is also an other mysterie in this ringing thrise to the Aue Maria. That is holie Church would haue vs continually to remember the three principal mysteries of our RedemptioÌ„ the Incarnation the Passion and the Resurrection And therfore willeth that wee salute our B. Ladie in the morning in memorie of the Resurrection of our lord at midday in memorie of the passion at night in memory of the Incarnation Because as we are certaine that our Lord was mayled on the Crosse at midday rose in the morning so it is probably thought that the Incarnation was in the night Cap. VI. The declaration of the ten Commandements S HAuing now vnderstood the Creede and the Pater noster with the Aue Maria I desire that you would declare vnto mee the ten commandements of the law of God for that this is the third principall part of the christian doctrine as you told me in the beginning M You haue reason to desire to learne to vnderstand well the ten coÌ„mandements of the law of god be cause that faith and hope without charity without obseruing of the â—aw are not sufficient to saluation S What is the cause that seing in the world in the Church there are so many lawes and commandements this lawe of the Commandements is preferred before all the rest M Many reasons may be alleadged concerning the excellencie of this law First for that this law was made by God written by himselfe first of all in the hearts of men afterwards in twotables of stone secondly because this is most ancient lawe of all others as the fountain of all the rest Thirdly because this is most vniuersal law that is to be found for it bindeth not onely Christians but Iewes also Gentils aswell men as wemen aswell rich as poore aswell Princes as priuate men aswell the learned as the ignoraÌ„t Fourthly because this law is immutable caÌ„not be taken away nor dispensed withal by any Fiftly because it is necessary to euery one to saluation as our lord hath often taught vs in his holy gospel lastly bceause it was promulgat with greatest solemnity in mount Sinay with sound of Angelical truÌ„pets with great thunder and lightning from heauen in the presence of al the people of God S Before you come to the declaration of the commandementes in particular it would be gratful to me to vnderstand briefly the summe and order of them M The end of al the commandementes is the loue of God and of our neighbour for they al teach vs not to offend God nor our neighbour and for this cause they are diuided into two partes and were written as I haue already said in two tables of stone The first part contayneth three commandementes which instruct vs of the bond wee haue to God The second containeth seuen other precepts which teach vs the bond we haue to our neighbour But you must know that albeit in one table there were no more then three precepts in the other seaueÌ„ yet the two tables were equall and both full written for the three first were written with more words and the other seauen with fewer and so the seauen shorter precepts were equal touching the writing vnto the three longer S Wherefore are the Commandements of the first table three M Because they teach vs to loue God with hart with tongue with worke S Why are the commandementes of the second table seauen M Because one teacheth vs to do good to our neighbour the other six teach vs to do him no euil First in his person after in his honour lastly in his goodes And that neither in thought worde nor deede S Let vs now come vnto the commandementes them selues And first shew mee the wordes where with they were writen by God in those tables M The wordes are these I am the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of seruitude 1 Thou shalt not haue strange Gods in my sight 2 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine 3 Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbaoth day 4 Honour thy father thy mother 5 Thou shalt not murder 6 Thou shalt not commit adultrie 7 Thou shalt not steale 8 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 9 Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife 10 Thou shalt not couet the neighbours goods S What meane those wordes which goe before the commandementes M In those words are yelded foure reasons to shew that God can geue a law and that we are bounde to obserue it The first reason is in the word I am the Lord because God being our chief and highest Lord who hath created vs of nothing he may doubtles geue vs a law as to his proper seruants The second is in that word God because that word signifieth that our Lord is not only Lord or Maister but he is also supreme Iudge and gouernour and as such a one can geue a law and punish those that obserue it not The third is in that word thine because besides the bond which we haue to obey God as seruants their maister and as subiects their Prince we haue an other bond by reason of the packt which God doth make with vs and we with him in holie Baptisme For therein God taketh vs for his owne adopted children and we take him for our proper Father as God also taketh all the faithfull for his
that either God is ignorant of the matter or that hee is a friend of lying and of antiquitie S Declare I pray in particular what is to sweare with truth M That one may sweare with truth it is necessary that he do not affirme with an oth any thing but that hee certainely knoweth to be true and that he promise not with an oth any thing but that he will vndoubtedly performe Whereupon they are periured and sinne greeuously that affirme with an oath such thinges as they know are false or do not know to be true And in like maner those that promise by oath that which they meane not to fulfil S What meaneth to sweare with iustice M The meaning is that a man promise not with an oath to do anie thing but that which is lawful And therfore they sinne most greeuously who promise with an oath to reuenge injuries or to do anie thing that displeaseth God Neither ought they to obserue such promises neither do they binde in anie sort For no man can be bound to do euil for so much as the law of God bindeth vs that we must not do it S What meaneth to sweare with iudgement M The meaning is to sweare with aduisement maturely cōsidering that it is not conuenient to call God to witnesse but in needful things of great importance and with much feare and reuerence And therefore they offend that for euerie trifle yea playing jeasting do sweare Who by this euil custome of swearing often do easely incurre perjurie which is one of the greatest sinnes that can be committed Whereupon aswell our Lord in the Gospel as S. Iames in his Epistle do command that wee do not sweare that is without necessitie And holie men doe yeelde the reasō thereof because an oath being inuented for remedy of the weaknes of a mans credit for that men doe hardly beleeue one an other therfore an oath ought to be vsed as we vse a medicine which is not oftē to be taken but as seldome as well may be S Declar then if you please the third part of this commandement which consisteth in vowes M A Vowe is a promise made to God of some good thing grateful to his diuine Majestie Where you haue to considder three things First that a Vowe is a promise and therefore it sufficeth not to the making of a Vowe to haue a purpose much lesse a desire to do any thing but the expresse promise is required either by word of mouth or at the least in heart Againe you haue to consider that this promise is to be made to God to whom Vowes doe properly belong And when you heare that a Vow is made to our Ladie or to other Saints you must vnderstande that the same is principally made to God but in the honour of our Lady or other Saints in whome God remaineth in a more particular maner and more excellently then in other creatures So that a Vow made to a Saint is nothing else but a promise made vnto God to honour the memorie of such a Saint with some present that is to honour God himself in his Saint Thirdly you haue to know that a Vow cannot be made but of a good thing and grateful to God as holy virginitie voluntarie pouertie and the like things Wherfore he that should vowe to commit anie sinne or anie act not pertaining to the seruice of God yea or anie good thing which should hinder a greater good should not make promise of a thing grateful to his diuine Maiestie and therefore should not do him honour but dishonour and he should sinne against this second commandement As he also sinneth greeuiously against the same commandement that maketh a vow and fulfilleth it not so soone as he can For God commandeth in holie Scripture that whosoeuer maketh a vowe do not only remember to fulfill it but also that hee slacke not to do it S Declare to me the last part which treateth of the praise of God and of blasphemie M God commādeth in the last part of this seconde commandement that a man shal not blaspheame but contrariwise that he praise blesse his holy name And first forasmuch as appertaineth to the praise there is no difficultie at all being manifest that all good things comming vnto vs from God and all the works of God being full of wisdome of justice and of mercie it is reason that in all things he be praised and blessed But touching blaspheamie it is necessary you know that blasphemy is nothing else but an injury done in wordes to God in himselfe or in his Saints And there are found six sorts of blasphemies The first when that is attributed to God which is false as that he hath hornes or like indignitie The second when that is denied to God which belongeth to him as Power Wisdome Iustice or other excellences As to say that God can not do or seeth some things or that he is not iust The third whē that is tributed to any creature which is proper to God as if one say that the diuel knoweth the things that are to come or can worke true miracles The fourth when one curseth God or our Ladie or other Saints The fift when some members of Christ or of Saints are named to doe some injurie as if there were any things in them to bee ashamed of as be in vs. The sixt when one nameth some parts of Christ or of Saints to jest at them as to saye To the bread of Christ or of Saint Peter or other like things which the enuie of the diuel and the wickednesse of man hath found out S I desire to know howe great the sin of blasphemie is M It is so great that it is in a maner the greatest of all other which may be vnderstood by the pain that it meriteth For that in the old Testament God commandeth that blasphemers should presently be stoned by al the people As the ciuil lawes do also punish blasphemers with death And S. Gregorie writeth that a litle child of fiue years old hauing learned to blaspheme God and not being corrected by his father died in his fathers lap and his soule was carried away by diuels that appeared visibly into hell fire Which was neuer read to haue happened for any other sinne Whereby wee may see what diligence ought to be vsed in auoyding so great an offence of his diuine Maiestie the auoyding of this sinne ought to be more easie seeing there is no commoditie nor pleasure gotten by it as by some other sin there is but the onely hurt which the sinne bringeth with it And yet wee ought neuer to sinne though wee could gaine neuer so great cōmoditie or pleasure thereby Of the third Commandement S I Haue vnderstood the two first commandements now I desire that you wil declare to me the third M The third commandemēt which is of keeping holie feasts is somthing differing from the others because al the others to wit the two
the Octaues of Easter But of these commandements I will say no more now partly because they are easie partly for that of the Masse of Confession and Communicating as also of Fasting we shall speake hereafter when we shal declare the holy Sacraments of the Church Cap. VIII The declaration of the Euangelicall Counsailes S I Desire to know if besides the commandements of our Lord there be any counsels also of his to liue more perfectly M There are many most holy counsels and most profitable to obserue the commandements with more perfection But there are three most principall voluntary pouertie chastitie and obedience S Wherein consisteth the counsell of pouertie M In not hauing any thing proper all his goodes being giuen to the poore or put into the common which likewise hath giuen all to the poore And this counsell Christe taught not onely in wordes but also by his example And after Christ the holy Apostles followed it as also all the first Christians who dwelled in Ierusalem in the time of the Primatiue Church and finally al religious persons make vow to obserue this holie counsaile of voluntarie pouertie S Wherein consisteth the counsaile of chastitie M In a resolution to be perpetually chast not only abstayning from all sortes of carnal sinnes but also from Mariage And this coūsaile also our Lord taught by word and example And our Ladie likewise obserued the same S. Iohn Baptist al the Apostles after they were called by Christ to the Apostleship And al religious persons make particular vow hereof as also al Ecclesiastical men that take holie Orders S Where in consisteth the counsaile of obedience M In renouncing our proper iudgment and proper wil which in the holie Gospel is called denying of a mans selfe and to subiect him selfe to the wil of his superior in al things that be not against God And this counsaile likewise the Sauiour of the world taught not only in word but also by his example obeying in all thinges his eternall Father and submitting himself when he was a child to his mother and to S. Ioseph his supposed Father the spouse of our B. Lady albeit indeede he was not his Father being borne of a mother who was alwaies a Virgin And this is the third counsaile to the vvhich all religious persons bind themselues by vowe S Wherefore are there three principall counsailes and no moe M Because these principall counsailes serue to take away the impediments of perfection that consisteth in charity for the impediments are three to witte the loue of goods which is taken away by pouerty the loue of carnall pleasures which is taken away by chastitie the loue of honour and power which is taken away by obedience Moreouer because a man hath but three sorts of goods to wit a soule a body and his exterior wealth therefore giuing the exterior goods to God by pouertie his bodie by chastitie and his soule by obedience he maketh a Sacrifice vnto God of all that he hath and so disposeth himselfe to perfection of charitie in the best maner that in this life is possible Chap. IX The declaration of the Sacraments of holie Church S I HAVE learned through the grace of our Lorde the three principal parts of Christiā doctrine it remaineth that you declare vnto me the fourth which if I well remember contayneth the seauen Sacraments of the Church M This part of doctrine is also very profitable therefore it is conueent that you learne it with great diligence You must then know that in the holie Church there is a great treasure to wit these holie Sacraments by meanes whereof we receiue the grace of God we keepe it we increase it and when by our defalt wee lose it wee may recouer it again I wil therfore declare vnto you what a sacrament is how many Sacraments there bee by whom they were instituted and some other fewe things and after we will come to the declaration of euerie one of them in particular S. Begin then I pray you to declare what a Sacrament is which I much desire to vnderstand M. A Sacrament is a holy Mystery by which God bestoweth his grace and with all it representeth exteriorly the inuisible effect which grace worketh in our soule For if wee were spirits without bodies as the Angels are God would giue vs his grace spiritually but because we are composed of a soule and a bodie therefore our Lord condescending to our nature geueth vs his grace by means of certayn corporal actions which as I haue said together with certain exterior signes declare to vs the inward effect of grace As for example holie Baptisme which is one of the Sacraments is done by washing the bodie with water and therwith calling vpon the most holie Trinitie By means of which ceremonious washing God geueth his grace putteth it in the soule of him that is baptised And it instructeth vs that as that water washeth the bodie so grace washeth the soule clenseth it from al sinne S If I haue wel vnderstood three conditions are requisit to the nature of a Sacrament first that it be a ceremonie or as we would say an exterior action the second that God by it giue his grace the third that the same ceremonie haue a similitude with the effect of grace and so represent and signifie it exteriorly M You haue vnderstood it very wel Now you haue to know further that these Sacraments are in al seauen are called Baptisme Confirmation or Chrisme Eucharist Penance Extreame Vnction Order and Matrimonie The reason wherfore they are seauen is this for that God would proceed in giuing vs spiritual life as he vseth to proceed in giuing vs our corporal life Touching corporal life first is needful to be borne secondly is needfull to grow thirdly is needfull to be nourished fourthly when a man falleth sicke it is needful he vse phisicke siftly when he must fight he hath need to arme himselfe sixtly is needfull that there bee some to gouerne and rule those that are now borne growne seuenthly is needfull there be some to multiplie mankind for seeing those that are borne do die if others should not succeed mankinde would soone decay So then touching the spiritual life first it is needfull that Gods grace bee borne in vs this is done by baptisme secondly it is needfull that the same grace increase and bee made strong this is done by Confirmation thirdly is needful that it be norished and maintained this doth the Eucharist worke fourthly is needfull that it be recouered whenit is lost and this is done be the medicine of Penance Fiftly is needfull that at the poynt of death a man arme himselfe against the infernal enimy who then more thē euer assalteth vs this doth extreme Vnctiō worke Sixtly is necessary that there be in the church such as may guid gouerne vs in spiritual life this is done by Orders Seuenthly is needfull that there bee in the Church
each one would be cōtent with his own not couet that belōgeth to an other ther should neuer be war nor discorde S What bee the vices contrarie to Iustice M They are two One is Iniustice that is when one taketh that which belongeth to an other or in cōtracts giueth lesse then he ought or taketh more then is due to him The other is too much justice that is whē one is too rigorous wreasteth things by pretence of justice more seueerely then reason requireth For in some cases it is necessarie that compassion bee mixed with justice As if a poore man can not pay all he oweth presently without his great losse or damage it is a reasonable thing and just that he haue a litle time graunted him and to denie him the same is to great rigour S What is Fortitude and what is the office thereof M It is a vertue which maketh vs ready to ouercom al difficulties that would otherwise hinder vs frō doing wel it reacheth euen to suffering death whē it is necessary for the glorie of god or for performing our duty so al holy martirs haue triūphed ouer their persecutors by this vertue in like maner al valiāt soldiars which in iust wars haue made so great proofe of their valour haue become glorious by the same vertue S what be vices cōtrary to fortitude M They are cowardlines audacious temeritie For cowardlines maketh one to yeeld too easely Which cōmeth of the lacke of fortitude audatious temeritie maketh one put himselfe in danger when there is no need Which so to tearme it is too much fortitude And it deserueth no praise but blame and therefore is no vertue but a vice S What is Temperance and what is the office thereof M Temperance is a vertue that bridleth sensuall delights maketh a man to content himselfe with such pleasures and in that measure as reason alloweth S What are the vices contrarie to Temperance M They are Intemperance and Insensibility Intemperance is when one is too much giuen to delights and therefore committeth excesses in eating and such thinges as doe hurt both the soule and the bodie Insensibilitie is when a man vseth the other extreame and so flyeth all pleasures that he wil not eate things necessarie for his health to auoyd that little delectation which conuenient meats doe naturally bring But the vice of intēperance is much more common amongst men then the vice of insensibilitie And therefore all holie men by word and example haue exhorted vs to fasting to mortification of the flesh Cap. XIII Of the seauen gifts of the Holie Ghost S VVHich be the seuen gifts of the Holie Ghost M They are those which the Prophet Isaie hath taught vs to wit Wisdome Vnderstanding Counsaile Fortitude Knowledge Pietie and the Feare of our Lord. S Whereto do these gifts help vs M To attaine to the perfection of Christian life For they are as the ladder by which wee clime vp from the state of sinne by diuers degrees euen to the highest of sanctitie But you must knowe that the Prophet numbreth these steppes comming downwards For he did see as it were a ladder which came from Heauen Neuertheles we will recoont the ascending as going vpwards ascending from earth to heauen The first degree then is the Feare of our lord which doth terrifie a sinner whē he thinketh that he hath God almighty his enemiet the second degree is Pietie For he that feareth punishment which God threatneth against a sinner beginneth to become godlie desireth to obey and serue God and to worke his holie will in all things The thirde degree is Knowledge for that hee vvho desireth to vvorke the vvill of God demaundeth of God that he will teach him his holie commandements God partly by Preachers partly by books partly by inwarde inspirations teacheth him all that is necessarie The fourth degree is Fortitude for hee that knoweth and is willing in all thinges to serue God findeth many difficulties tentatiōs of the world the flesh the diuel And therefore god at that time of need giueth him the gift of Fortitude that he may ouercome al difficulties The fift degree is Counsell for when the diuell cannot preuaile by force he turneth himself to decepts and vnder pretence of good prouoketh the just man to fall yet God doth not abandon him but giueth him the gift of Counsell by which he preuaileth against the deceipts of the enemy the sixt is the gift of Vnderstāding for when a mā is wel exercised in actiue life and hath had many victories against the diuel god doth draw him exalt him to contemplatiue life and with the gifte of vnderstanding maketh him to vnderstande and penitrate diuine Mysteries The seauenth is the gift of Wisdome which is the cōplement of perfection For he is wise that knoweth the first cause of all thinges and according thereto formeth al his actions which none can doe but hee that joyneth perfect charitie to the gift of vnderstanding For by the vnderstanding he knoweth the first cause and by charitie hee directeth and disposeth all thinges vnto it as vnto the last ende And because wisdome joyneth the affection to vnderstanding therefore it is called wisdome that is sauorie knowledge as Saint Barnard teacheth vs. Cap. XIIII Of the eight beatitudes S VVHat are the eight beatitudes which our Lord taught vs in the Gospel M They are an other ladder to clime vnto perfection like vnto that of the gifts of the Holie Ghost For that in seauen sentences are conteyned seauen degrees to arriue vnto beatititude And lastly the eight doth geue vs a signe to know whether a man haue ascended vp these degrees or no. S Declare vnto mee this ladder briefly M Christ our Lord in the three first degrees teacheth vs to take away the impediments of perfection whereby we ascend vnto felicitie The generall and ordinarie impediments are three the desire of goods of honors and pleasures So Christ saith in the first degree that the poore in spirit are blessed that is those who willingly dispise goods In the second he saith that the meeke are blessed that is those that geue place to all not resisting those that put themselues before and thrust them behinde In the third he saith that those are blessed that weepe that is those that seeke not the delights and pleasures of the world but attend to do penance and to be waile their sinnes In other two degrees he teacheth vs the perfection of the actiue life which consisteth in fulfilling all that wee are bound vnto by iustice and by charitie Therefore he saith in the fourth degree that those are blessed that hunger and thirst iustice And in the fift he saith that the mercifull are blessed In the last two he draweth vs to perfection of the contemplatiue life and therfore he saith in the sixt that they are blessed that haue a cleane hart for they shall see God that is they shall