nations Matt. 28 19. baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Again There are three which bear record in Heav'n 1 Joh. 5.7 the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one Yet let him diligently pray and beseech God and the Father who made all things of nothing and sweetly orders all things who gave us power to become the sons of God who has reveal'd this mystery of the Trinity to the soul of man let him I say who by the gift of God believs these things pray without ceasing that being at last receiv'd into everlasting Tabernacles he may be found worthy to see what the fruitfulness of God the Father is whereby beholding and understanding himself he cou'd beget a Son like and equal to himself And how of two the very same and an equal love of Charity which is the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son knits together both the Begetter and the Begotten each to other with an eternal and indissoluble Band. And thus these is but one Essence and yet a perfect distinction of the Three Persons of the divine Trinity Almighty The Holy Scripture is us'd to express that supream Power and infinite Majesty of God by many names XV. Why gloriouâ—l p theâ—â— are given God to shew with how great religion and devotion his most holy name is to be worshipp'd but chiefly let the Curat teach that An Almighty Power is most commonly attributed to him For so he says of himself I am the Lord Almighty Again Gen. 17.1 when Jacob sent his sons to Joseph Gen. 43.14 he thus prays for them Now God Almighty give you favour before the man It is also written in the Revelations Rev. 1.8.16.5 The Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come and elsewhere The great day is call'd the day of the Almighty God Sometimes also it is us'd to signifie the same thing in many words Pertinent to this place is that which is written Act. 2.20 Numb 11.23 â—â—nd 12.8 There is no word impossible with God Is the hand of the Lord weakend Thou canst doâ— whatsoever thou wilt There are many other expressions of the like kind In all which various forms of speech any one may easily perceiv the same to be understood which is comprehended in this single word Almighty Now by this Name of God we plainly perceiv XVI What the word Almighty signifies that there is nothing nay that we cannot so much as conceiv any thing in our mind or thought which God cannot bring to pass For he has power to do not those things only which fall under our apprehension tho they indeed are very great to wit to reduce all things into nothing and presently out of nothing again to make many worlds But he has power to do many mightier things than these and which our weak minds and understandings cannot conceive And yet tho God can do all things yet he cannot lye deceiv be deceiv'd or sin or be ignorant at all or perish for such things belong only to a Nature or Being whose actions are imperfect but we say God cannot do these things because his actions are always most perfect because to be able to do these things is a sign of weakness and not of that supreme and unlimited Power which God has We therefore so believ God to be Almighty that we abhor to think or imagine any thing of him which is not most agreeable to the most perfect Being The Curate may shew it was well and wisely done to omit other names of God in the Creed XVII Why in the Creed God is offerd to be believed Almighty and only to offer this one to us to believ For when we acknowledg God to be Almighty we must needs confess that he knows all things and that all things are subject to his Rule and Government And when we doubt not in the least of his Ability to do all things it must needs follow that we must allow all those other things which if he shou'd not have we cannot understand how he is Almighty Besides there is nothing so powerful to strengthen our Faith and Hope as to have this always settl'd in our mind that there is nothing which God cannot do For whatsoever we ought to believ tho it be great tho it be wonderful tho it exceeds the Order and Measure of things yet humane Reason easily and without any doubting yields and assents to it when once it owns that God is Almighty Yea rather by how much the greater those things are which the Oracles of God teach by so much the more readily does it account them to be believ'd And if any great good thing be promis'd and expected the mind is not discourag'd altho the thing it desires were too great But it chears and comforts it self often calling to remembrance that there is nothing which Almighty God cannot do With this Faith therefore we shou'd especially fortifie our selves XVIII The profitableness of Faith in God Almighty either when we are requir'd to do some wonderful works for the use and profit of our Neighbours or when we would beg any thing of God The one our Lord himself has taught us when reproving the Apostles for unbelief Matt. 17.20 he said If ye had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye might say to this Mountain remove from hence to another place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible to you But of the other S. James testifies Jam. 1.6 7. Let him says he ask in Faith nothing doubting For he that doubts is like a Wave of the Sea which is mov'd and carry'd about with the Wind let not that Man therefore think that he shall receiv any thing of the Lord. This Faith does moreover afford us many profits and advantages It first teaches us all humility and lowliness of mind 1 Pet 5.6 for so says the Prince of Apostles Be ye humbl'd under the Mighty hand of God It also teaches us not to fear where no fear is but to fear that One God in whose power both we and all that belongs to us is Luc. 12.5 for so says our Saviour I will shew you whom ye shall fear Fear ye him who after he has kill'd has power to cast into Hell This Faith serves us also both to know and celebrate the infinite benefits of God towards us for he that does but think that God is Almighty cannot be so ungrateful as not oft'n to cry out Luc. â— 49 He that is Mighty has done great things for me But now when in this Article we call the Father Almighty XIX In the Trinity there are not three Almight s. let no one be so far deceiv'd as to think that we so ascribe that name to him as tho it belong'd not to the Son and Holy Ghost also For as we say The Father is God the Son is
as to imagine the Work being perfected and finish'd the things made by him cou'd be able to remain without his infinite Power to support them For as the Creator made all things by his supreme Power Wisdom and Goodness So also if his perpetual Providence were not always at hand with the things he created and preserv'd them by the very same Power he made them by they would presently fall back into their first nothing And this the Scripture declares when it says Wisd 11.25 How can any thing continue unless thou pleasest or that which thou callest not be preserv'd Now God not only defends and governs all things that have Being by his Providence but also by a secret kind of Vertue he moves those things which are mov'd and which act to move and act in such a manner that tho he hinders not the efficacy of second causes yet he does prevent and his secret power reaches to all things Wisd 8.1 and as the Wiseman witnesses It reaches powerfully from End to End and sweetly orders all things And therefore when the Apostle would declare that God to the Athenians whom they ignorantly worship'd Act. 17 27 28. he said He is not far from every one of us For in him we live move and have our Being And this is sufficient for the explication of the First Article XXV The Creation to be ascribed to all the three Persons when we shall have given this Admonition that the Work of Creation is common to all the Persons of the Holy and Undivided Trinity For in this place according to the Doctrine of the Apostles we confess the Father to be the Creator of Heav'n and Earth Job 1.3 Of the Son we read in the Holy Scripture All things were made by him Gen. 1.2 And of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Lord mov'd upon the Waters and in another place By the Word of the Lord the Heav'ns were made Ps 32.6 and all the Power thereof by the Breath of his Mouth ARTICLE II. ANd in Iesus Christ his only Sâ—on our Lord. That the Benefit is wonderful and satisfactory I. The utility of this Article which throw the Belief and Confession of this Article redounds to Mankind this Testimony of S. John declares He that confesses that Jesus is the Son of God 1 Joh 4.15 God dwells in him and he in God And that commendation of Happiness which Christ gave to the Prince of the Apostles Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona Mat. 16.17 for Flesh and Blood has not reveal'd this to thee but my Father which is in Heav'n For this is the surest foundation of our Salvation and Redemption But because the Fruit of this admirable Benefit is best understood II. Whence the explication of this Article is to be begun Come Trent Sess 3. Can. 1 2. Gen. 2.6 from the ruine of that most happy State wherein God at first plac'd Man the Curate is to take diligent heed that the Faithful may come to the right understanding of the cause of these common Miseries and Calamities For when Adam had fallen from his Obedience to God and violated that Prohibition Of every Tree of the Garden thou mayst eat but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil thou mayst not eat for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye He fell into that most extream Misery that he lost the Holiness and Righteousness in which he was created and fell into the rest of those Mischiefs which the Holy Council of Trent more largely has explain'd But besides this Ibid. Sess 6. Can. 1. 2. we are taught That Sin and the Punishment of Sin remain'd not in that one Adam only but from him as from the Seed and Cause it justly flow'd and pass'd over to all his Posterity Seeing therefore that our whole Kind fell from the highest pitch of dignity not possibly to be restor'd to its former station by any power of Men or Angels there was this only Remedy left to repair our miseries and ruines that the infinite Power of the Son of God having first assum'd the weakness of our Flesh shou'd himself bear the infinite weight of our Sin and in his own Blood reconcile us to God Now the Belief and Confession of this Redemption is III. The confession of this Article necessary and always was necessary to Men to Salvation as God from the beginning has shew'n For in that first condemnation of Mankind which presently followed upon the Sin there was also shew'd a Hope of Redemption in these Words in which he denounces the Devil his doom which he was about to accomplish in the deliverance of Men from his thraldom I will put enmity between thee and the Woman Gen. 13.15 betweeen thy Seed and her Seed she shall break thy Head and thou shalt bruise her Heel He moreover often confirm'd the same Promise IV. The promise of a Savior made and confirmed and more plainly signifi'd his purpose to those Men especially whom he had a singular love for and among the rest where both he had frequently signifi'd this Mystery to Abraham the Patriarch and also more plainly declar'd it at that time when in obedience to Gods command he was ready to offer up in Sacrifice his only Son Isaac For he says Because thou hast done this thing Gen. 22.17 18. and hast not spar'd thy only begotten Son I will bless thee and will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heav'n and as the Sand which is on the Sea-shore and thy Seed shall possess the Gates of thy Enemies and in thy Seed all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed because thou hast obey'd my Voice From which Words it may easily be gather'd that it shou'd be one of the Seed of Abraham who shou'd bring Salvation to all them who are deliver'd from the most cruel Tyranny of Satan It was necessary therefore that the very Son of God according to the Flesh should be born of the Seed of Abraham Not very long after V. The same Promise renewed Gen. 28.12 the Lord to consecrate the memory of this Promise made the same Covenant with Jacob Abraham's Grandson for when in a Vision he saw a Ladder reaching from Earth to Heav'n and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it as the Scripture witnesses he heard the Lord Gen. 28.13 standing upon the Ladder saying I am the Lord the God of thy Father Abraham and the God of Isaac the Land whereon thou sleepest I will give to thee and to thy Seed and thy Seed shall be as the dust of the Earth And thou shalt stretch forth thy self to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South and in thee and in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Nor was God after this VI. The memory of this Promise is renewed wanting in â—â—hewing the memory of the same Promise
godly should even in the Public assembly and judgment of all mankind recover that esteem which by injustice they were depriv'd of among men And then whereas both the Good and the Bad did The Third not without their bodies whatsoever they did on all accounts it is just that whatsoever was well or ill done belongs also to their Bodies which were the Instruments of those Actions It was therefore very convenient that the due rewards of eternal glory or punishment should be difpens'd to the Bodies and Souls together which verily could not be done without a Ressurrection of all men and without a General Judgment Lastly The Fourth Because in mens adversity and prosperity which sometimes happen alike both to the Good and Bad it was to appear that nothing was done or over-rul'd without the Infinite Wisdom and Justice of God it was meet not only that Rewards should be appointed to the Good and Punishments to the Wicked in the world to come but also that this should be determin'd in a Public and General Judgment whereby they might be more known and conspicuous to all and that praise might by all be given to the Justice and Providence of God instead of that unjust complaint which even sometimes the Saints themselves as men have been used to make when they observ'd wicked Men prospering in Wealth and flourishing in Honors For Ps 72.2,3 says the Prophet My feet were amost mov'd my treadings had well nigh slipt because I was griev'd at the unjust seeing the peace of sinners And a little after Behold the very sinners and the wealthy of the world they get riches and I said Then have I cleans'd my heart in vain and have washed my hands in innocency I was punish'd every day and chastn'd every morning And this was the frequent complaint of many It was needful therefore that there should be a General Judgment Joh. 22.14 lest haply men should say That God indeed takes care of the motions of the Heavens but regards not what is done on the Earth This word of Truth therefore is rightly made One of the Twelve Articles of our Christian Faith that if the minds of any should doubt concerning the Providence and Jultice of God by means of this Doctrin they may be confirm'd Besides The Fifth at the apprehension of the Judgment it is fit that the Godly be comforted and the Wicked terrifi'd that considering the Justice of God the Good should not be dejected and the Evil may be recall'd from their wickedness by the fear and expectation of Eternal Punishment Wherefore our Lord and Saviour speaking of the Last Day has declar'd that there will sometime be a General Judgement Mat. 24 29. and has describ'd the Signs of the approach of the Time thereof that when we shall see those Signs come to pass we may know that the End of the World is at hand and then at his Ascension into Heaven he sent Angels who comforted the Apostles grieving for his absence in these words Act. 2.11 This Jesus which is taken from you up into Heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into Heaven But that this Judgment is given to Christ VI. Christ as Man also is Judge of all not only as God but as Man the Holy Scriptures declare For tho the power of Judging be common to all the persons of the Holy Trinity yet we specially attribute it to the Son Because we say that Wisdom suits to him But that as Man he will judge the World our Lord's testimony assures us who says Joh. 5.26 As the Father has life in himself so has he given to the Son to have life in himself and has given him power to Judge as he is the Son of Man And it was very meet VII Why Christ aâ— Man will be Judge that this Judgment should be exercised by Christ our Lord that when the Judgment was concerning Men they might see the Judge with their Eyes and with their Ears hear the Sentence which should be pronounc'd and truly perceive the Judgment with their Senses And it was moreover mosl just that That man who was condemn'd by the most unjust sentences of Men should be seen to sit afterwards as Judge of all wherefore the Prince of Apostles when in the House of Cornelius Act. 10.24 he was expounding the chief heads of Christian Religion and had taught that Christ was by the Jews hang'd on a Tree and kill'd and the third day rose again to life he subjoyn'd And he has commanded us to preach and to testifie to the people that This is he who was appointed of God to be the Judge of quick and dead And the Holy Scriptures declare VIII Signs foregoing the Judgment Damase de fide Orâ—hod lib. 4.7.27 that these Three principal Signs will go before the Judgment The Preaching of the Gospel throughout the world a Departure from the Faith and Antichrist For our Lord says This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preach'd through the whole world for a testimony to all the Gentils and then shall the End come And the Apostle warns us that we be not seduc'd by any as tho the Day of the Lord were at hand Mat. 22.14 2 Thess 2.3 Dan. 7.9 For unless there first come a departure and that Man of sin be reveal'd the judgment will not come But what will be the Manner and Way of the Judgment the Curate may easily know from the Oracles of Daniel and from the Doctrin of the Evangelists and of the Apostles Moreover IX The Pronouncing and Exposition of the Sentence of the last Judgment Mat. 24.34 the Sentence to be pronounc'd by the Judge should be in this place more diligently consider'd For Christ our Saviour beholding with a chearful countenance the Godly at his Right hand shall with the greatest love and good-will thus pronounce Sentence concerning them Come ye the blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom which is prepar'd for you from the foundation of the world Than which words they will know that there can be nothing heard more sweet who but compare them with the Sentence of Condemnation of the Wicked and when in their mind they shall have consider'd that by those words Pious and Just men are call'd from their Labours to Rest from a Vally of Tears to the highest Joy and from all their Miseries to everlasting Happiness which they by their Duties of Charity have deserv'd And then turning to those who stand at his Left hand he will pour forth his Justice upon them in these words Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels In those former words X. The Sentence of the Reprobate consider'd Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 23. August Ser. 181 de Temp. Greg. lib. 9. Moral c. 46. Mat. 25 4â— Depart from me is signifi'd that most extream punishment wherewith the wicked shall be tormented when they shall be
has therefore a proper name and is call'd Son because his eternal Birth of the Father is properly call'd Generation as has bin explain'd in the former Article As therefore that Birth is signify'd by the name os Generation So that Person which flows we properly call Son and him from whom he flows we properly call Father Now whereas there is no proper name giv'n to the production of the Third Person but is call'd Spiration and Procession it follows That the Person also which is produc'd want his own proper name Now his Emanation has no proper name because we are forc'd to borrow from creat'd things those Names which are giv'n to God Wherein because we know no other way of communicating of Nature and Being but by vertue of Generation for this cause it is that we cannot express by any proper word the way whereby God communicates his whole self by vertue of his Love Wherefore the Third Person is call'd by the common name of Holy Spirit which verily we understand very well to suit with him from hence because he pours spiritual Life into us and without the inspiration of his most Holy Deity we can do nothing worthy of eternal Life And now the signification of the Name being explain'd IV. The Holy Ghost prov'd God equal with the Father and Son the people are first of all to be taught That the Holy Ghost is equally God with the Father and the Son that he is equal with him equally Almighty Eternal and of infinite Perfection the supreme Good and most Wise and of the and same Nature with the Father and the Son Which also the propriety of the word In sufficiently shews First when we say I believe in the Holy Ghost which is fitted to express the force of our Faith in the several persons of the Trinity And this also is confirm'd by plain Testimonies of Holy Scripture Secondly for when S. Peter in the Acts of the Apostles had said Act. 5. Ananias why has Satan tempted thy Heart to lye to the Holy Ghost he presently says Thou hast not ly'd to Men but to God Whom before he call'd Holy Ghost the same he presently after calls God And the Apostle to the Corinthians interprets him to be the Holy Ghost Thirdly 1 Cor. 12.6 whom he had call'd God There are says he divisions of operations but the same God which works all in all and then he subjoyns But all these things works that One and the selfsame Spirit dividing to every one severally as he will Besides in the Acts of the Apostles Fourâ—hly that which the Prophets attribute to God only he ascribes to the Holy Ghost For Esayah had said Isay 6.8 I heard the voice of the Lord saying Whom shall I send and he said to me Go thou and say to this people Harden the heart of this people and make heavy their ears and close up their eyes lest haply they see with their eyes and bear with their ears Which words when the Apostle had cited Act. 28.25 Well says he did the Holy Ghost speak by Esayas the Prophet And then Fifthly when the Scripture joyns the Person of the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Son that when he commands That the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost should be mention'd in Baptism there is no room left us to doubt of the Truth of this Mystery For if the Father be God and the Son God we must be forc'd to confess that the Holy Ghost who is joyn'd with them in the same Degree of Honour is God also And this may be added Sixthly That he who is baptiz'd in the name of any created thing can reap no fruit thereby Were ye 1 Cor. 13. says he baptiz'd in the name of Paul to shew that this cou'd profit them nothing to the attaining Salvation When therefore we are baptiz'd in the name of the Holy Ghost we must needs confess that he is God And we may observe this order of the Three Persons in S. John's Epistle also Seventhly whereby is prov'd the Divinity of the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.7 There are Three which bear record in Heav'n the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. And also in that famous Elogy or Hymn or Praise of the Holy Trinity wherewith the Divine Lands and Psalms are concluded Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Lastly Eighthly And which most of all belongs to the confirmation of this Truth whatsoever we believe to be proper to God the same the Holy Scriptures testifie to agree to the Holy Ghost And therefore they attribute to him the honour of Temples 1 Cor. 6.19 2 Thess 2.13 Joh. 6.63 2 Cor. 3.6 2 Cor. 2.10 As when the Apostle says Know ye not that your Members are the Temple of the Holy Ghost so also Sanctification and Vivification or quick'ning and to search into the Depths of God And to speak by the Prophets and to be every where All which things are to be attributed only to the Divine Deity And this moreover is carefully to be explain'd V. The Holy Ghost a distinct person from the Father and the Son That the Holy Ghost is God so as that we must confess him to be the Third Person in the Divine Nature distinct from the Father and the Son and produc'd by their Will For to omit other Testimonies of Scripture the Form of Baptism which our Savior has taught most plainly shews Matt. 28.19 That the Holy Ghost is the Third Person which in the Divine Nature stands of it self and is distinct from the rest Which also the words of the Apostle declare when he says 1 Cor. 13.15 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communication of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen The same thing but much more plainly do those things evidence which the Fathers in the first council of Constantinople have added in this place to confute the impious madness of Macedonius And in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of Life who proceeds from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is worshipp'd and glorified Who spake by the Prophets That therefore they confess the Holy Ghost to be Lord they declare in this how much he excels the Angels which yet are most noble Spirits created of God For S. Paul witnesses That they all are ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 sent forth to minister for them who receive the Inheritance of Salvation And they call him the Giver of Life VI. Why the Holy Ghost call'd the Giver of life because the Soul being joyn'd with God does more truly live than the Body when it is nourish'd and sustain'd by conjunction with the Soul And because the Holy Scriptures attribute to the Holy Ghost this Conjunction of the Soul with God it appears plainly that he is most
truly call'd Spirit that gives Life or quick'ning Spirit And now what follows VII How the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son Who proceeds from the Father and the Son the Faithful are to be taught That the Holy Ghost by eternal procession proceeds from the Father and the Son as from One Principle For this the Rule of the Church from which a Christian may not wander proposes to us to believe and it is confirm'd by the authority of Holy Scripture and Councils For Christ our Lord speaking of the Holy Ghost said Joh. 16.14 He shall glorifie me because he shall receive of mine This same thing is gather'd hence that in Holy Scripture the Holy Spirit is sometimes call'd the Spirit of Christ sometimes the Spirit of the Father One while he is said to be sent by the Father another while by the Son that it may be plainly signify'd that he does equally proceed from the Father Rom. 8.9 and the Son He that has not the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4.6 says S. Paul he is none of his And the same he calls the Spirit of Christ when he says to the Galatians God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father In S. Matthew he is call'd the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10.20 It is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father Joh. 15.25 And our Lord at his Supper said the Paraclet or Comforter whom I will send to you even the Spirit of Truth which proceeds from the Father he shall bear witness of me And elsewhere That the same Holy Ghost shou'd be sent from the Father Joh. 14.21 he affirms in these words Whom the Father will send in my name From whence when we understand the Procession of the Holy Ghost it is plain That the same Holy Ghost proceeds from Both. And these are the things which must be taught concerning the Person of the Holy Ghost It is needful moreover to teach VIII Of the Attributes of the Holy Ghost that there are certain wonderful Effects and some bountiful Gifts of the Holy Ghost which are said to spring and flow front him as from the everlasting Fountain of Good For tho the works of the most Holy Trinity which are done extrinsically are common to the Three Persons yet many of them are ascrib'd as proper to the Holy Ghost that we may know that they come to us of the immense Love of God For seeing that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Divine Will as being inflam'd with Love it may be perceiv'd That those Effects which are properly referr'd to the Holy Ghost do spring from the exceeding Love of God towards us Wherefore IX Why the Holy Ghost is call'd a Gift hence it follows That the Holy Ghost is call'd a Gift For by the word Gift is signify'd that which is kindly and freely given without any hope of Reward And then whatsoever good things or benefits are bestow'd on us from God for what have we as the Apostle says 1 Cor. 4.7 which we have not receiv'd of God those things we ought with a pious and thankful Heart to acknowledg were given us by the grant and gift of the Holy Ghost But there are other effects of his For to omit the Creation of the World and the Propagation and Government of created things of which we have made mention in the First Article it was a little before shew'd That the giving of Life is properly attributed to the Holy Ghost and it is so confirm'd by the Testimony of Ezekiel Ezek. 31.6 I will give you Spirit says he and ye shall live And yet the Prophet reckons up the principal Effects of the Holy Ghost X. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost Isa 11.3 Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. c. 18 19. and those which are most especially proper to him The Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. Sometimes also the name of the Holy Ghost is given to those things which are call'd the Gifts of the Holy Ghost Wherefore wisely does S. Austin admonish us to observe when in Holy Scripture there is mention made of this word Holy Spirit that we may discern whether it signifies the Third Person of the Trinity or his Effects and Operations For these two are to he distinguish'd with the same difference wherewith we believe also that the Creator differs from the things he created And these things are by so much the more diligently to be explain'd because from these Gifts of the Holy Ghost we draw Rules of Christian Life and may know whether the Holy Ghost be in us But above all other his bountiful Gifts XI Justifying Grace the Gift of the Holy Ghost that Grace is to be valued which justifies us and signs us with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance for this joyns our Mind to God in the most strict bond of Love whence it comes to pass That being inflam'd with the most ardent study of Piety we begin a new Life and being made partakers of the Divine Nature we are call'd and truly are the Children of God ARTICLE IX J Believe the Holy Catholic Church With how great diligence the Pastors ought to take care to explain the truth of this Ninth Article to the Faithful I. Why this Article is diligently to be explain'd S Aug. in Ps 30. v. 15. it may easily be understood if two things chiefly be consider'd For first as S. Austin witnesses The Prophets have spoken more plainly and openly of the Church than of Christ forasmuch as they foresaw That many more might err and be deceiv'd in this point than in the Mystery of the Incarnation Nor will there be wanting wicked Men who after the imitation of the Ape which fancies it self a Man wou'd profess that they are Catholics and no less wickedly than proudly would affirm the Catholic Church to be only with them And then he who has this Truth settled in a sound Mind shall easily avoid the horrible danger of Heresie For not every one II. Who is truly to be call'd a Heretick so soon as he has err'd in Faith is to be call'd a Heretic But he who neglecting the Authority of the Church stiffly defends his impious Opinions Since therefore it cannot be that any one can defile himself with the Plague of Heresie if he believe those things which in this Article are propos'd to be believ'd let the Pastors be very careful That the Faithful knowing this Mystery and being fortify'd against the Wiles of the Adversary persevere in the Truth of the Faith Now This Article depends upon the Truth of the Former Note Because seeing it has been already shew'd That the Holy Ghost is the Fountain and Giver of all Holiness we now confess That it is He who bestows Holiness on the church
persevere And altho both good and bad Men are within the limits of this Kingdom and consequently all Men do belong to it yet those chiefly and above the rest experience the most excellent Goodness and Bounty of our King who lead their life innocently and uprightly according to his Laws Not that this Kingdom came to him by any humane Birth-right or Inheritance tho he came of the stock of the noblest Kings But he was a King in this respect Because God bestow'd upon that Man whatsoever Power Excellency and Dignity the nature of Man was capable of To him therefore God deliver'd the government of the World and to him he subjected all things He has already begun his reign but in the day of Judgment he shall enjoy it fully and perfectly His only Son In these Words are yet higher Mysteries propos'd to the Belief and Contemplation of the Faithful concerning Jesus XIII Christ the Son of God and true God to wit that he is the Son of God and true God as the Father himself is who begat him from all Eternity We moreover do confess him to be the Second person of the Trinity and in all respects equal to the other two For there ought nothing to be no nor so much as phanci'd in the mind to be any thing unequal or unlike in the divine Persons since we acknowledg that they have only one Being one Will one Power This is plain from many Oracles of Holy Scripture but especially that Testimony of S. John does exceeding plainly shew it 1 Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God But when we hear that Jesus is the Son of God we ought not to imagine any earthly or mortal thing of his Birth XIV The eternal Generation of Christ ineffable But we ought constantly to believ and with the greatest devotion and affection of mind to honour that Birth whereby the Father from all Eternity begat the Son which to comprehend by Reason or perfectly to understand we can by no means do it But as amaz'd at the wonderfulness of the Mystery we ought with the Prophet to say Who can declare his Generation This therefore we ought to believ Isay 53.8 That the Son is of the same Nature of the same Power and Wisdom with the Father as we confess more largely in the Nicene Creed For it says And in Jesus Christ his only begott'n Son begott'n of the Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begott'n not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made But of all those things which are made use of as Similitudes to shew the manner and way of his Eternal Generation XV. A similitude that seems to come neerest the matter which is taken from the Thought of our mind wherefore S. John calls the Son his Word 1 Joh. 1. For as our mind after a sort understanding it self phancies its own Image which Divines call Word so God so far as humane things may be compar'd with divine understanding himself begets his eternal Word altho it is better to contemplate what Faith proposes and with a sincere Heart to believ and confess that Jesus Christ is true God and true Man begotten indeed as God of the Father before all Ages and Generations but as Man born in time of his Mother the Virgin Mary And tho we acknowledg his Twofold Nativity XVI Christ one person the only Son of his Father yet we believ him to be but One Son For it is One Person only in whom the Divine and Humane Nature meet together And as to his Divine Generation he has no Brethren or fellow Heirs he being the only Son of his Father but we Men the Potters-Clay and the work of his Hands But if we consider his Humane Generations he not only calls many by the name of Brethren Rom. 8.17 he uses them as Brethren That they together with him may obtain the glory of his Fathers Inheritance who by Faith have accepted Christ as their Lord and do in truth shew forth their Faith which they profess in his name by works of Charity Wherefore he is call'd by the Apostle The first begott'n among many Brethren Our Lord. Many are the things which in Holy Scripture are spok'n concerning our Savior XVII Why divers Epithets given to Christ whereof some as appears plainly agree to him as he is God Others as he is Man For he has different Properties according to his different Natures We therefore truly say That Christ is Almighty Eternal Infinite and this he has from his Divine Nature Agen we say of him That he suffer'd was dead and rose again and these things no one doubts but that they are agreeable to the Nature of Men. But besides these there are some things agreeable to both Natures as in this place where we say our Lord. If therefore this name be suitable to both Natures we may well surely call him our Lord. For as he is eternal God XVIII Why Christ is called our Lord. as the Father so also is he equally Lord and Father of all things And as he is not One and the Father Another God but One and the self same God so also is not he One Lord and the Father Another Lord but both One Lord. But rightly also for many reasons as he is Man is he call'd our Lord. And first because he is our Redeemer and has deliver'd us from our sins has he rightly got this power both to be and to be call'd our Lord. For so the Apostle teaches He humbl'd himself and became obedient to death Phil. 2.7 even the death of the Cross for which reason God has highly exalted him and giv'n him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every Knee should bow V. 10. of things in Heav'n and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every Tongue shou'd confess that Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father And after his Resurrection he says of himself Matt. 28.18 All Power is giv'n to me in Heav'n and in Earth For this other Reason also he is call'd Lord because in this one Person the two Natures Divine and Humane are joyn'd together For by this wonderful conjunction he merited to be made our Lord and Lord of all things that were created altho he had not dy'd for us but especially of the Faithful who obey and serve him with the utmost intention of Mind What remains therefore but that the Curate for this Reason perswade his faithful people to consider That it is most just that above all men in the World we who have our very name of him and are call'd Christians and cannot be ignorant what great Benefits he has bestow'd on us and this especially that by his Grace We know all these things by Faith It is most just
I say that we devote and consecrate our selv's forever to our Lord and Redeemer no otherwise than as his meanest Servants And indeed when we were receiv'd into Baptism XX. In Baptism we are devoted to Christ we did before the Church Doors solemnly promise that we wou'd do so For we declar'd that we renounc'd the Devil and the World and gave up our selv's wholly to Christ Jesus But if to be enroll'd in the Christian Camp we devoted our selves with so Holy and Religious a Prosession what punishment shall we deserv if after our entrance into the Church and have known the Will and Law of God if after we have receiv'd the Grace of his Sacraments we shall lead our Lives after the Rules and Commandments of the World and the Devil as if when we were wash'd in Baptism we had giv'n up our Names to the World and the Devil and not to Christ our Lord and Redeemer But what Heart is there which so great a Propensity so great kindness and good Will of so great a Lord toward us cannot enflame with ardent Love to him who tho he has us in his power and dominion as Servants bought with his own Blood yet embraces us with such Love that he calls us not his Servants Joh. 15.14 14. but his Friends yea his Brethren This verily is a most just cause and I know not whether it be not the greatest why we ought always to own and reverence and worship him as our Lord. ARTICLE III. WHo was Conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary That God bestow'd a fingular Blefling upon Mankind I. How great Gods Bounty towards us when he restor'd us to liberty from the slavery of the most cruel Tyrant the Faithful may perceiv by those things which have been already spoken in the former Article but then if we lay before our Eyes the counsel and way by which chiefly he wou'd accomplish this Verily there is nothing can possibly shine more glorious and magnificent than the Bounty and goodness of God towards us The greatness of this Mystery therefore II. The sense of this Article which the Holy Scripture proposes to us to consider as the chief point of our Salvation the Curat may begin to shew in the explaining this Third Article the meaning whereof he may teach to be this That we believ and confess that this very Jesus Christ our ohly Lord Matt. 1.23 Joh. 1.36 the Son of God when for our sakes he took upon himself Humane Flesh in the Womb of the Virgin was not as other Men conceiv'd of the Seed of Man but beyond all order of Nature was conceiv'd by the power of the Holy Ghost so that the same person remaining God which he was from all Eternity became Man which before he was not That these Words are so to be understood does plainly appear by confession of the Holy Council of Constantinople for thus it says Who for us Men and for our Salvation came down from Heav'n and was Incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man And this S. John the Evangelist has also explain'd as being he who drew the Knowledg of this most profound Mystery out of the Bosome of our very Lord and Saviour himself For when he had declar'd the Nature of the Divine Word in these Words In the beginning was the Word Joh. 1.1 and the Word was with God and the Word was God At last he concludes and the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us For the Word which was a Person of the Divine Nature did so take upon him the Humane Nature that the Hypostasis or Person both of the Divine and Human Nature was but one and the same whereby it came to pass that so admirable a Conjunction preserv'd the Actions and Properties of both Natures and as that great and holy Pope Leo has it Serm. 1. de Nat. That neither did the Glory of the Superior or Divine destroy the Inferior or Humane nor the assuming the Inferior diminish or lessen the Superior But because the Explication of Words ought not to be omitted It is requisite that the Curat teach IV. What works of God are attributed to the whole Trinity That when we say That the Son of God was conceiv'd by the Power of the Holy Ghost this one Person of the Divine Trinity did not make the Mystery of the Incarnation For tho the Son only took the Humane Nature upon him yet all the Persons of the Holy Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost were Authors of this Mystery for we must hold this Rule in our Christian Faith That all those things which God does extrà se without himself in the Creatures are common to all the Three Persons nor does one act more than another or one without another But that one One person proceeds from another V. And what to the several Persons this cannot be common to all for the Son is begotten of the Father alone the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son But whatsoever extra illas without them comes from or is done by them the whole three Persons without any difference do it and of this kind we are to believ the Incarnation of the Son of God to be Now tho these things are thus VI. Why Christ is said to be conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost yet the Holy Scripture is us'd to attribute to any one of the Three Persons those things which are common to all the Three Persons for example It ascribes the Power of all things to the Father Wisdom to the Son Love to the Holy Ghost And because the Mystery of the Incarnation of God does manifest the special and infinite Good Will of God toward us for this Reason therefore is this work attributed to the Holy Ghost In this Mystery we are to observ VII The Mystery of Christs Conception declar'd That there are many things done beyond the Order of Nature and some again by the Power of Nature For in that we believ the Body of Christ to be made of the most pure Blood of his Virgin-Mother we therein acknowledg his Human Nature it being common to the Bodies of all Men to be form'd of the Blood of the Mother But that which surpasses both the Order of Nature and the reach of Human Understanding is this That as soon as the Blessed Virgin consenting to the Words of the Angel Luc. 1.38 had said Behold the Hand-maid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word immediately the most holy Body of Chrift was form'd and a Reasonable or Human Soul joyn'd with it and so in that very moment of time he became perfect God and perfect Man Now that this was the strange and wonderful work of the Holy Ghost there is no one can doubt since by the Order of Nature no Body can be inform'd by or receiv a Humane Soul but at the limited term of time
cast out far from the sight of God nor can they receive any comfort from any Hope that they shall ever enjoy so great a Good And This by Divines is call'd the Pain of Loss viz. That the Wicked in Hell shall for ever want the Light of the Vision of God But that which is added ye Cursed does wonderfully increase their misery and calamity For if when they are to be driven out from the presence of God they might be thought worthy of some small Blessing this might truly be some considerable comfort to them But for as much as they must expect nothing that can alleviate their misery when they are cast out the Divine Justice will rightly follow them with every Malediction and Curse And then follows Into everlasting-fire which other kind of Pain Divines call the Pain of Sense because it can be felt by the bodily Senses as in Stripes Buffetings and other more grievous kinds of punishments among which there can be no doubt that the torments of Fire do cause the most exquisite sense of Pain to which evil when it is added that all this wilt be For ever it is thereby shew'd that the pains of the Damn'd will be loaded with all kinds of punishments And This those words which are plac'd in the latter part of the Sentence more fully declare Which is prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels For whereas so it is that we can more easily endure all troubles if we have some Companion and Consort of our Calamity by whose prudence and humanity we may in some measure be reliev'd what at last will be the Misery of the Damn'd who tho loaded with so great Torments shall notwithstanding never be deliver'd from the company of the most accursed Devils And this indeed is the Sentence that shall most justly be denounc'd by our Lord and Savior upon the Wicked as being they who neglected all works of true Piety and gave neither Meat nor Drink to the Hungry and Thirsty took not in the Stranger cloath'd not the Naked and visited not the Sick and Imprison'd These are the things which the Curats ought often to inculcate into the ears of the Faithful XI Discourse of the last Judgment should be frequent and why Eccles 40. Aug. Ser. 120. de Temp. Greg. Hom. 3 9. in Eâ—â—â—ng Bernaâ—â— Serm. 1. in sesto omnium sanctorum For the Truth of this Article being rightly believ'd will have great force to bridle the wicked desires of the mind and hold men back from sinning Wherefore in Ecclesiasticus it is said In all thy works remember thy latter end and thou wilt not sin forever And indeed hardly will any one be carri'd head-long into wickedness whom this Consideration cannot recal to the study of Piety That sometime or other he must give an Account before the most just Judge not only of all his Actions and Words but also of his most hidden Thoughts and must suffer Punishment according to his desert But it must needs be that the Just will be more stirr'd up to do Justice and to rejoyce exceedingly tho he here lead his life in Want in Disgrace and Afflictions when he thinks in his mind of that Day when after the combat of this troublesome life he shall in the hearing of all Men be proclaim'd a Conquerer and shall be receiv'd into his heav'nly Country and adorn'd with Divine Honour What remains therefore but that the Faithful be exhorted to take the best manner of life and exercise themselves in the study of all Piety that so they may with the greater Joy and Security of Mind wait for and expect the coming of that great Day of the Lord and so as becomes Children with the greatest Earnestness to desire it ARTICLE VIII I Believ in the Holy Ghost Hitherto those things have bin expounded I. Fith in the Holy Ghost necessary so far as the Reason of the Argument seem'd to require which belong'd to the First and Second Person of the Holy Trinity Now it follows That those things also which in the Creed are deliver'd concerning the Third Person that is the Holy Ghost shou'd be explain'd In treating of which matter the Pastors shou'd use their utmost Endeavor and Diligence Act. 19.2 seeing it is to be suppos'd That a Christian Man may no more be ignorant of This part or not believe rightly concerning it than of the other former Articles Wherefore the Apostle would not suffer certain of the Ephesians to be ignorant of the Person of the Holy Ghost Of whom when he ask'd Whether they had receiv'd the Holy Ghost and when they answer'd That they knew not whether there was an Holy Ghost he presently ask'd them In whom therefore were ye baptiz'd In which words he signify'd That the distinct knowledg of this Article is necessary to the Faithful from which they have this Fruit especially that when they consider attentively That whatsoever they have they have it of the Gift and Bounty of the Holy Ghost then do they begin to think more modestly and humbly of themselves and to place all their Hope in Gods Protection which ought to be the First Step of a Christian to the highest Wisdom and Happiness We must therefore begin the explanation of this Article from the Force and Notion which here is included in that Name of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit for the very same may indifferently and rightly be said both of the Father and of the Son II What the Holy Ghost properly signifies for either of them is a Spirit and Holy for we confess that God is a Spirit and besides that the Angels and the Souls of the Pious are signify'd by this word there must care be taken lest the people by the ambiguity of the Word be led into Eror In this Article therefore it must be taught That the Third Person of the Trinity is understood by the name of the Holy Ghost after which manner in the Holy Scriptures both of the Old Testament sometimes and of the New Testament very frequently he is taken for David prays Ps 50.12 Wisd 9 17. 〈◊〉 1.9 Matt. 1.20 Luc. 1.35 And take not thy Holy Spirit from me In the Book of Wisdom we read Who has known thy counsel except thou give Wisdom and send thy Holy Spirit from above And elsewhere He created it by his Holy Spirit And in the New Testament we are commanded to be baptiz d In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And we read That the most Holy Virgin did conceive by the Holy Ghost and we are also sent by S. John to Christ Joh. 1.15 who baptizes us with the Holy Ghost and in many other places besides in reading we may meet with this Word And no one ought to wonder III. Why the H ly Ghost hâ—s no proper name That a proper name is not giv'n to the Third Person as there is to the First and Second for the Second Person
remission both of Sin and Punishment Trid. Sess 5. Can. 5. Aug. 12. de â—eccat Meâ—â— c. 28. when at our first profession of Faith we are cleans'd by Holy Baptism is so fully given us that nothing either of Sin whether contracted by Birth or Wilfully committed remains to be wip'd away or of Punishment to be endur'd But yet by the Grace of Baptism no one is wholly freed from the Infirmity of Nature But rather whereas every one ought to strive against the motions of Concupiscence which forbear not to provoke us to sin hardly can there be found any one who resists either so stoutly or guards his own safety so watchfully as to be able to shun all miscarriages Since therefore it was needful that in the Church there should be a power of Forgiving Sins IV. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven deliver'd to the Church Matt. 16.19 and also by some other way than by the Sacrament of Baptism the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were committed to her Trust whereby sins might be forgiven to every penitent person altho he had sinn'd to the last day of his Life Of this matter we have most clear Testimonies in Holy Scripture Matt. 18.18 For in S. Matthew the Lord says thus to Peter I will give thee the Keys of Heaven and whatsoever Thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven So also Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven And then S. John testifies That the Lord when he breath'd upon the Apostles said Joh. 20.23 Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins soever ye remit they are remitted to them and whose soever Sins ye retain they are retain'd Nor are we to think that this Power is restrained to some certain kinds of Sins For there is no Sin so heinous can be either committed or imagin'd for pardoning whereof the Holy Church has not a Power even as there is no one so vile and wicked to whom if he truly repent him of his Errors a certain hope of Pardon ought not to be offer'd But neither is this very Power so limited as that it may be us'd at some appointed Time only For at what hour soever a sinner will return to Health he is not to be rejected as our Savior has taught when to the Prince of Apostles asking him how oft we must pardon those that offend whether seven times he answered Matt. 18.11 Not to seven times only but even to seventy times seven But if we consider the Ministers of this Divine Power VI. This Power committed to the Bishops and Priests Trid. Sess 14. c. 6. Hieron Ep. 1 pâ—st med Amb de Can Abet c. 4. it will seem not so large For the Lord gave not the Power of this so Holy a Gift to All but only to the Bishops and Priests The same thing is to be believ'd as to the Way or Manner of exercising this Power For by the Sacraments only so that the Form of them be kept sins may be forgiven but otherwise there is no Power of absolving from sin given to the Church Whence it follows that as well the Priests as the Sacraments are as it were Instruments to the forgiveness of Sins by which Christ our Lord who is the very Author and giver of Salvation works in us Forgiveness of Sins and Righteousness But that the Faithful may with the deepest thankfulness lay hold of and embrace this heavenly Gift VII How great a Grace the Remission of Sins is which by the special Mercy of God is given to his Church Trid. Sess 6. c. 7. Sess 14. c. 1. and that they may come to the use and practice thereof with the more ardent study of Piety the Curat shall endeavour to evidence the dignity and largeness of this Grace and this may be seen chiefly from hence if he shall have well expounded of what efficacy it is that sins are forgiven and that unjust men are made just For it is manifest that this is done by the infinite and immense Power of God which we must needs believe to be the very same with that of raising up the Dead and creating of the World But if Aug Tract 72. in Joan. Aug. lib. 1. de pâ—ccat merit c. 23. lib. 50. Hom. 23. Amb. de Abel c. 4. as is confirm'd by that saying of S. Austin it be to be thought a harder work to make a wicked Man Good than to create Heaven and Earth out of nothing since that creation cannot be but by an Infinite Power it consequently follows That the Forgiveness of Sinners is much more to be attributed to an Infinite Power Wherefore we own that those sayings of the ancient Fathers are most true wherein they confess that Sins are pardon'd to Men by God only Nor is so wonderful a work to be referr'd to any other Author Isay 43. than to his supream Goodness and Power I am He says the Lord himself by the Prophet I am he that blot out your Iniquities For there seems to be the same Reason in the forgiving of Sins as ought to be observ'd in a Debt of Mony As therefore Mony which is owing cannot be forgiven by any but the Creditor so when we are bound to God only by reason of Sin for we dayly pray Forgive us our Debts it is manifest our Debts can be forgiven us by no body but by himself But this admirable and divine Gift VIII Christ first of all had the Power of forgiving Sins Matt. 9.6 Mar. 2.9 before God was made Man was never imparted to any created Nature Christ our Savior first of all as Man tho he was true God also received this Gift of his Heavenly Father That ye may know that the Son of Man has power on Earth to forgive Sins says he to the lame Man Rise take up thy Couch and go to thy own Home When therefore he was made Man that he might bestow this Forgiveness of Sins upon Men before he ascended up into Heaven there to sit forever at the right-hand of God he granted this Power to the Bishops and Priests in the Church Altho as before we said Christ forgives sins by his own Authority but all the rest only as his Ministers Wherefore if we ought to admire and receive those things chiefly which are done by an Infinite Power IX The Power of forgiving Sins the greatest of Christ's Gifts 1 Pet. 3.18 we may wel enough perceive that this Gift which by the bounty of Christ our Lord is given to his Church is the most precious Yea very Reason also will powerfully stir up the minds of the Faithful to contemplate the greatness of this benefit whereby God our most merciful Father has determin'd to blot out the Sins of the World For he was willing to expiate
the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.7 when he says Purge out the old Leven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleven'd For Christ our Passover is sacrificed therefore let us banquet not with the old Leven nor with the Leven of malice and wickedness but with the unleven'd Bread of Sincerity and Truth Not that this Quality is to be thought so necessary XV. The Eucharist may be made of Leven'd Bread that if the Bread have it not the Sacrament cannot be made For either kind of Bread has the true and proper nature and name of Bread Altho no one ought by his own private authority or rashness rather alter the laudable Rite of his Church And by so much the less is it permitted to the Latin Priests to do it Conc. Floren. Sess ult lib. 3 decret de cel b Miss c. final whom the Popes have moreover commanded to perform the Sacred Mysteries with unleven'd Bread only And let this suffice for the explication of One part of the Matter of this Sacrament Where notwithstanding it is to be noted that it is not determin'd how much Matter ought to be us'd in making this Sacrament since the certain number of them who either may or ought to receive the Sacred Mysteries cannot be defin'd It remains now that we speak of the other Part of the Matter and Element of this Sacrament XVI Wine of the Grape the other Matter of the Eucharist And that is Wine press'd out of the fruit of the Vine wherewith a little Water is mixt For that our Lord and Savior us'd Wine in the Institution of this Sacrament the Catholic Church has ever taught seeing he himself said Mat 26.29 Mar. 14.25 I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until that day In which place S. Chrysostom Hom. 83. in Mat. Of the fruit of the Vine says he which surely brought forth Wine not Water that so long before-hand he might be seen to pluck up by the roots the Heresy of them who thought that Water only was to be us'd in these Mysteries Yet the Church of God always mingl'd Water with the Wine XVII Water to be mingl'd with Wine Cypr. lib. 2. Epist. 3. Trid. Sess 22. de Saâ—ris Miss c. 7. Can. 9. Apoc. 17.15 First because our Lord Christ himself did so as is prov'd by the authority of Councils and by the testimony of S. Cyprian And then that the memory of the Blood and Water which came out of his Side might be renew'd And then as we read in the Apocalyps Water signifies the People Wherefore Water mingl'd with Wine signifies the Conjunction of the Faithful with Christ their Head And this by Apostolical Tradition Holy Church has always observ'd But altho the Reasons for mingling the Water with the Wine are so weighty Note that it may not be neglected under mortal sin yet tho it should be wanting the Sacrament remains But the Priests ought to take care XVIII A little Water to be mingl'd that as in the Sacred Mysteries they ought to mingle Water with the Wine so also that they pour but a little thereinto For by the Opinion and Judgment of Ecclesiastical Writers That Water is turn'd into Wine Wherefore Pope Honorius writes thus concerning it There has bin for a long time in your parts a pernicious abuse to wit that there is us'd a greater quantity of Water in the Sacrifice Habetur lib. 3. Decretal dâ— celeb Miss c. 13. than of Wine when according to the reasonable practice of the general Church there ought to be us'd a far greater quantity of Wine than of Water Of this Sacrament therefore there are only these Two Elements Note and it has bin rightly setl'd by many Decrees Et vide de consec dist 2. c. 1 2. seq That none may offer any thing but Bread and Wine notwithstanding which there were some presum'd to do so But now we must see how sit these two Symbols of Bread and Wine are XIX How convenient this Matter of the Eucharist is First John 9. to declare those things whereof we believe and confess them to be Sacraments And first they signifie Christ to us as he is the true life of Men. For the Lord himself says My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed Seeing therefore the Body of Christ our Lord yields nourishment of eternal Life to them who do purely and holily receive the Sacrament thereof rightly is it made of those things wherein this Life is contain'd that the Faithful may easily understand that by the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ their mind and Soul is fed These Elements also are somewhat available to this end Secondly Damasc lib. 4. de fide Orthod c. 14. that Men may learn and know that the Truth of Christ's Body and Blood are in the Sacrament for when we observe that Bread and Wine is dayly chang'd into human Flesh and Blood by the strength of Nature We may the more easily be led by this similitude to believe that the Substance of Bread and Wine by the Heavenly Benediction is converted into the true Flesh and true Blood of Christ Thirdly This admirable Change of the Elements helps also to shadow what is done in the Soul For as tho there appears outwardly no change of the Bread and Wine yet their substance truly passes into the Flesh and Blood of Christ so also tho nothing seems to be chang'd in us yet inwardly we are renew'd to life while we receive the true life in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Add hereto Fourthly that since the Body of the Church is compos'd of many Members this conjunction is not by any thing more clear'd than by the Elements of Bread and Wine For Bread is made of many Grains and Wine is press'd out of a Multitude of Grapes And so we tho we are Many yet they shew us to be strictly held together by the bond of this Divine Mystery and as it were made One Body Now it follows that we treat of the Form which ought to be us'd at the consecrating the Bread XX. The Form of the Eucharist as to the Bread defin'd and prov'd Not that the faithful people need to be much taught these Mysteries unless there be necessity for it is not necessary to instruct those persons in these matters who are not initiated in Sacred Things But lest by ignorance of the Form the Priests in making this Sacrament may make any foul mistakes We are taught therefore by the Holy Evangelists Matthew and Luke By Scripture Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luc. 26.19 1 Cor. 14.22 and by the Apostle that This is the Form This is my Body for it is written when they had supp'd Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Disciples and said Take and eat This is my Body Which Form of consecration seeing it was observ'd of
minister and steward 〈◊〉 25.23 and like a good and faithful servant may be found worthy to be preserr'd by his Lord over many things Nor ought he to think that men of one temper only are committed to his charge XVII The fifth Or that one certain Rule or prescrib'd Form is suitable and sufficient to teach and instruct all the faithful in Christian piety But whereas some are as it were 1 Pet. 2.2 infants new born others begin to grow to man-hood in Christ and some do grow in a manner to full age It is necessary to consider who they are that have need of milk who of more solid meat 1 Cor. 3.2 and so to provide for all such food of doctrin as may give spiritual increase Heb. 5.22 13. till we all come into the unity of the faith into the perfect man-hood of the knowledge of the Son of God into the measure of the stature of the fulness or age of Christ The Apostle yielded himself an example to be observ'd by all herein when he said Rom. 1.14 That he was debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise to wit That those that are call'd to the ministery might know that they ought so to accommodate their doctrin to the capacity and reach of their hearers in delivering the mysteries of faith and rules of life that when they have fill'd the souls of them Heb. 5.14 who have their senses exercis'd with spiritual meat they suffer not in the mean time the little ones to perish with hunger who ask for bread and there is none to distribute it to them Nor ought it at all to discourage any ones endeavors in teaching XVIII The sixth because it is sometimes necessary for the hearers to be taught the rules of those things which are common and despicable altho frequently it is not without some difficulty that they are handl'd by those whose minds are taken up with and take a kind of pleasure in the contemplation of the more sublime and lofty matters For 1 Thess 8.8 if the wisdom of the eternal Father came down to the earth in the meanness of our flesh to teach us the rules of the heav'nly life who is there whom the love of Christ cannot constrain to become little among his brethren and as a nurse fostering her little infants so earnestly to desire and endeavour the salvation of his neighbour 1 Thess 2.8 That as the Apostle testifies of himself he wou'd not only deliver the Gospel to them but even his own life for them Now the Rule of all that doctrin which the faithful are to be taught XIX Whence the Christian doctrin is to be fetched is contain'd in the word of God and is divided into Scripture and Tradition The Pastors therefore shou'd night and day be meditating on these things Always remembering S. Pauls admonition which he wrote to Timothy which also all that have cure of souls shou'd reckon as belonging to themselves and this is the admonition 1 Tim 4.13 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Attend to reading exhortation and doctrin For all Scripture written by divine inspiration is profitable for doctrin for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God might be perfect and ready to every good work But because the things deliver'd of God are many and divers XX. Whence is had the division of this Catechism that they cannot easily be comprehended in the mind and being comprehended cannot be kept in memory Therefore when there is offer'd an opportunity of teaching that the explaining of those things may be fit and easie our Ancestors have very wisely reduced the whole power and substance of the doctrin of salvation into these four heads viz. The Apostles Creed The Sacraments The Decalogue or ten Commandments And The Lords Prayer For all those things which are to be held by the discipline of Christian faith XXI The First part or which belong to the knowledge of God or to the Creation and Government of the world or to the Redemption of mankind or to the Rewards of the good or Punishment of the wicked are contain'd in the doctrin of the Creed But those things which are Signs and instruments XXII The Second part as it were for the obtaining of divine grace these the doctrin of the Seven Sacraments contains But those things which have reference to the Law XXIII The Third part 1 Tim. 1.5 the end whereof is Charity are set down in the Decalogue Lastly Whatsoever may be savingly wish'd XXIV The Fourth hop'd or pray'd for by any man is comprehended in the Lord's Prayer Whence it follows that these four which are as it were the common places of the holy Scriptures being explain'd there can be nothing wanting in a manner for the understanding of those things which are to be learn'd of a Christian It seem'd good therefore to admonish the parish Curates XXV The manner of dividing the Catechism into several Sundays that as often as it came in their way to interpret any place of the Gospel or any other place of holy Scripture they may know the meaning of that place whatsoever it be falls under one of these heads we have even now mention'd whither they may have recourse as to the fountain of all doctrin for explanation of it For example If the Gospel of the first Sunday in Advent be to be explain'd Luc. 21 25. There shall be signs in the sun and in the moon c. What is pertinent to the explanation thereof is handl'd under the article of the Creed He shall come to judge the quick and the dead which being thence taken the Pastor may with the same pains instruct the faithful people both in the Creed and in the Gospel Wherefore in all the parts of teaching and interpreting he will do well to hold to this practice of directing all things to those four chief points to which we thought fit to refer the whole power and doctrin of holy Scripture but yet to take that order in teaching as will be most proper both to the persons to be taught and to the season We following the authority of the Fathers XXVI Why it begins with the explication of the Creed who in bringing men to Christ our Lord and in instructing them in his discipline began at the doctrin of Faith have thought fit first to handle those things which belong to Faith But because in the word of God XXVII What Faith is the signification of Faith is manifold we here speak of that by vertue whereof we wholly assent to those things which are deliver'd by God Now that this Faith is necessary to the attaining everlasting salvation no one can justly doubt especially seeing it is written Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God For whereas the end proposed to man for his happiness is far higher than for
him to attain to by any human understanding it was necessary that he receive the knowledg thereof from God Now this knowledg is nothing else but Faith by vertue whereof it comes to pass that we assuredly hold that for truth which the authority of our most holy mother the Church approves as deliver'd by God For the faithful can by no means doubt of those things whereof God who is the very truth it self is the author Whence we perceive how great a difference there is betwixt this Faith which we have towards God and that which we bear towards the writers of human stories Now tho Faith extends very far and disters both in greatness and dignity for thus we read in holy Scripture Matt. 14.31 Luc. 17.5 Gal. 5.6 Jam. 2 14. Wherefore didst thou doubt O thou of little Faith and Great is thy Faith And Increase our Faith So Faith without works is dead And Faith which works by charity Yet in kind it is the same thing And the same definition or description and reason does agree to the different Degrees of Faith But how fruitful and advantagious it is to us will be said in the explication of the Articles of Faith Those things therefore which Christians ought chiefly to hold are the same which the Captains and Doctors of Faith the holy Apostles who were inspir'd by the holy Ghost have distinguish'd in the twelve articles of the Creed For when they receiv'd commandment from the Lord to go his Ambassadors into all the World XXVIII Why the creed was composed Mar. 16.15 and to preach the Gospel to every creature they thought fit to compose a form of Christian Faith to the end that all might think and speak the same thing and that there might be no schism or division amongst them 1 Cor. 1.10 whom they call'd to the unity of the Faith But that they might be made perfect in the same mind and in the same judgment This profession of Christian Faith and hope compos'd by themselves the Apostles call'd a Symbol either because it was made up of the various sentences which they severally cast into the common stock or because they wou'd use it as a certain kind of note or character whereby they might easily discover those false brethren who having deserted and withdrawn themselves corrupted the Gospel from those who had bound themselves by oath to fight under Christs Banner THE CATECHISM FOR THE CURATES BY THE DECREE OF THE Council of TRENT PART I. Of the twelve Articles of the Creed I Believ in God There are in Christian Religion many things propos'd to the faithful I. What the Creed contains whereof there must be had either severally or universally an assur'd and firm Faith But then This first of all and necessarily all are bound to believe which as the very foundation of truth God himself has taught us to wit concerning the Unity of the divine Essence and Distinction of the three Persons and their actions and for what special reason they are attributed to them The Curate is to teach that the doctrin of this mystery is briefly comprehended in the Apostles Creed For as our fore-fathers II. The division of the Creed who were both piously and learnedly skill'd in this point have observ'd it seems to be divided into Three principal parts so as in one The First person of the divine nature and wonderful work of the creation is describ'd In the other the Second person and the mystery of man's redemption In the third part is concluded the doctrin of the Third person the head and fountain of our holiness all in various and fit sentences Now those sentences by a kind of similitude often us'd by our fore-fathers we call Articles For as the members of our body are distinguisht by joynts So also in this confession of Faith whatsoever is to be believ'd by us separately and distinctly from another thing we rightly and fitly call an Article ARTICLE I. I Believ in God the Father Almighty I. What this article contains maker of Heav'n and Earth The meaning of these words is this I certainly believ and without any doubting do profess God the Father to wit the first person in the Trinity who by his Almighty power created out of nothing the very Heav'ns and the Earth and all things contain'd in them and having created them he defends and governs them all Nor do I only in heart believ or by my mouth profess but with my utmost endeavour and strongest affection I reach towards him as my supreme and most compleat good This then is a short account of the first Article But because in almost every one of these words there lies hid mighty mysteries the Curate ought to weigh them more diligently that as far as God shall permit the faithful may be brought with fear and trembling to the contemplation of the glory of his Majesty The word Believ does not therefore in this place signifie II. What it is to believ to think to suppose to be of opinion but as the holy Scriptures teach it signifies a most firm and sure assent whereby the mind does firmly and constantly adhere to God in the revelation of his mysteries Wherefore he does rightly believ in the sense here meant who is fully and certainly perswaded of a thing without any doubt or wavering Nor ought any one to think that the knowledg of Faith is less certain III. The assurance of faith because those things which Faith offers to us to be believ'd are not presently beheld For the divine light by which only we perceiv those things although it makes them not so very clear yet it suffers us not to doubt of them For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 Ibid. 3. he has shin'd in our hearts that the Gospel might not be hid to us as it is to them that perish And now from what has bin already said IV. Faith excludes curiosity it follows That he that has this heav'nly knowledg of Faith is freed from all curious enquiry For when God commanded us to Believ he did not require of us to search narrowly into his divine judgments or to pry into the reason or cause of them but commands us firmly and immutably to Believ And this Belief makes the mind contented in the knowledg of his eternal truth And indeed since the Apostle witnesses That God is true but every man a lyar and since none but an arrogant or impudent fellow will refuse to give credit to a grave and wise person when he affirms any thing for truth but presses him further to prove what he said by reason and witnesses What rashness and folly must it needs be for one that hears the very word of God himself to demand reasons for the heav'nly doctrin of salvation Faith therefore must be held free not only from all doubtfulness but even from the very desire of more certain evidence or
demonstration The Curate is further to teach V. The outward profession of faith necessary That he who says I Believ besides that he declares the inward assent of his mind which is an interior act of Faith ought also openly to confess and declare that which he imbraces and holds inwardly in his heart by a free and open profession of his Faith and this with the greatest cheerfulness and alacrity For the faithful ought to have the same Spirit which the Prophet had when he said Psal 115.1 I believ'd and therefore did I speak And to imitate the Apostles who answer'd boldly even before the princes of the people We cannot but speak those things which we have seen and heard Acts 4.20 and be mov'd with the excellent saying of S. Paul Rom. 1.11 I am not asham'd of the Gospel for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes And again Rom. 10.11 that the truth of this sentence might sufficiently be confirm'd With the heart man believes to righteousness but with the mouth confession is made to salvation In God Hence they VI. How far faith excels the wisdom of the world to whom it is given may learn what the worth and excellency of Christian wisdom is and thereby how much we are beholden to the goodness of God and may climb up as by the steps or degrees of Faith to the knowledg of the most excellent and most desirable thing in the world For herein does the Christian philosophy manifestly differ from the wisdom of the world That the wisdom of the world guided by the light of nature only from the effects of these things which are perceiv'd by the senses making very slow progress and that not without mighty toyl and difficulty at length hardly reaches to the contemplation of the invisible things of God and to acknowledg and perceiv the first cause and author of all things But on the contrary the Christian philosophy does so sharp'n the edge and illuminate the understanding of the mind of man that without difficulty it can mount up to Heav'n and being illustrated with the divine brightness can truly behold first of all the very eternal fountain of light and then those things which are below him So that with the greatest sweetness of mind we can experimentally feel 1 Pet. 2.9 and with unutterable joy we can exult that we are called out of darkness into unspeakable light as the prince of the Apostles has it Rightly therefore in the first place do the faithful profess to believ in God Ibid. 18. Jer. 22.19 whose Majesty we with the Prophet Jeremy declare to be incomprehensible For as the Apostle says He dwells in light inaccessible which no man ever saw and which no man is able to behold For so he said to Moses No man can see my face and live For there is need for that mind that will soar up to God than whom nothing is higher to be altogether abstracted and withdrawn from sense And this by nature in this life we cannot attain to Now tho the case be really thus VII How God manifests himself Act. 14.16 yet as the Apostle says God has not left himself without a testimony of his goodness giving rain from Heav'n and fruitful seasons filling mens hearts with food and gladness which was the reason why the Philosophers did not think meanly of God not attributing by any means any thing corporeal any thing gross or mingl'd to him to whom also they ascrib'd the perfect strength and fulness of all good so that from him as from an eternal never-failing fountain of goodness and bounty does flow all that good that all created beings and perfect natures do enjoy Whom they call'd wise author of truth loving just bountiful and by other names signifying the supream and most absolute perfection Whose infinite power and immense influence they confess'd fills every place and extends it self to all things But this is far better and more clearly understood from the holy Scriptures as in that place where it is said Joh. 4.24 Matt. 5.48 Heb. 4.13 Rom. 11.23 Rom. 3.4 Joh. 14.6 Ps 47.11 Ps 144.16 God is a spirit and Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect And All things are naked and open before his eyes and that O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! And God is true And I am the way the truth and the life And again Thy right hand is full of righteousness And Thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living creature Lastly Whither shall I go from thy presence And If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I go down into Hell thou art there also if I take wings in the morning and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea c. And Do not I fill Heaven and Earth says the Lord These are great and excellent things which even the Philosophers by searching into nature and the effects of things have consequently discover'd concerning the nature of God and agreeable to the authority of holy Scripture And tho even hence we may learn how necessary this doctrine which came down from Heav'n is VIII Faith is more easie and yet more excellent than knowledge if we observ that Faith is very excellent not only in this That those things which only wise men and that by long study and much labor can attain to do lye open and plain and become easie and familiar even to the unlearned as was said before but that that knowledge of things which is got by Faith is much more certain and much more frees the mind from error than any humane knowledge can possibly do But how much more excellent then is the knowledge of God himself to be thought to the attaining whereof not the contemplation of nature but the light of Faith opens the way properly to believers But this is contein'd in the articles of Faith which teach us the unity of the divine essence and the distinction of the three persons as also that God is man's ultimate end from whom we are to expect the possession of heav'nly and everlasting happiness For so S. Paul teaches us That God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him How great these things are and whether they are goods of this kind to which mere humane wisdom can reach the Prophet Isaiah before the Apostle Isa 6.4 shews in these words From the very beginning they have never heard nor has any one told them neither without thee ô God has any eye seen what things thou hast prepar'd for them that wait for thee From what has bin already said IX There is only one God we must confess That there is but one God not more Gods For seeing we ascribe the supreme good and perfection to God it is not possible that what is most absolute and supreme can be in more than one But if any thing be wanting
to make a supremacy to any one he is thereby plainly confess'd to be imperfect Wherefore such want is inconsistent with the nature of God This is prov'd by many places of holy Scripture for it is written Hear ô Israel The Lord our God is one God Deut. 6.4 Exod. 20.3 â—â— 41.9.44 6 Eph. 4.5 Besides God's commandment is Thou shalt have none other gods before me or in my sight And by the Prophet he often admonishes I am the first and the last and besides me there is no God The Apostle also plainly witnesses There is one Lord one Faith and one Baptism Nor need we therefore wonder because sometimes even the holy Scripture it self seems to ascribe the name of God to Creatures For that it so calls Prophets and Judges Gods this is not done after the same manner which the Gentiles us'd which foolishly and wickedly phanci'd that there were more Gods than one But by a certain custom or form of speaking it wou'd signifie some excellent vertue or office which by the Grace of God was bestow'd upon them Christian Faith therefore believs and confesses That God in his nature substance and essence is but one As for the confirmation of the truth it is declar'd in the Creed of the Council of Nice But rising yet higher it so understands One as it worships Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity Of which mystery we are now to begin to speak for it follows in the Creed Father But because the word Father is attributed to God X. How the name Father is proper to God not for one reason only it must therefore first be declar'd what is the most proper signification of this place Some even of those whose blindness Faith never illuminated did yet think God to be an eternal substance from which all things had their beginning and by whose providence they are govern'd and kept in their proper state and order By a similitude therefore taken from humane affairs they call'd him Father as they do him from whom is sprung a Family and by whose counsel and command it is rul'd So for this it was that they call'd God a Father whom they acknowledg'd the Maker and Governour of all things The same name also have the holy Scriptures used when speaking of God they wou'd shew that the creation power and admirable providence over all is to be ascrib'd to him For thus we read Deut. 32.6 Is not he thy Father who bears thee who made and created thee And elsewhere Have we not all one Father Has not one God created us But much more commonly XI God the Father of Christ in a special manner Rom. 8.15 1 Joh. 3.1 Rom. 8.17 Heb. 1.21 and by a kind of peculiar name especially in the books of the new Testament God is called the Father of Christians who have not receiv'd the spirit of bondage to fear but the spirit of adoption to be the sons of God by whom they cry Abba Father For such love has the Father bestow'd upon us that we shou'd be call'd the sons of God and be so But if we be sons then heirs heirs indeed of God and joynt-heirs with Christ who is the first begotten among many brethren and is not asham'd to call us brethren Whether therefore you regard the common reason of creation and providence or that special one of adoption rightly do the faithful profess that they believ God to be a Father But besides those notions we have already explain'd the Curates shou'd teach that at the hearing the name Father the mind is to mount up to higher mysteries For that which is hid and shut up in that inaccessible light where God dwells and which humane reason and understanding cou'd never attain to nor so much as suspect That the divine oracles under this name Father begin to unfold to us For this name shews us XII The name Father shews a plurality of persons That in the being of God not one Person only but a distinction of Persons is to be believ'd For there are three Persons in one God-head The Person of the Father who is begotten of none Of the Son who was begotten of the Father before all worlds Of the Holy Ghost who from all eternity also proceeds from the Father and the Son But the Father in this substance of the Godhead is the first Person who together with his only begotten Son and holy Spirit is one God and one Lord not in the singularity of one person but in the Trinity of one substance But now these three Persons are to be understood as distinct only in their proprieties for it would be a great wickedness but to imagine that there is any thing unlike or unequal in them For the Father is not begotten The Son is begotten of the Father The holy Ghost proceeds from them both And thus we confess that the three Persons have the same being and the same substance So that in the confession of the true and eternal Godhead we do holily and religiously worship both a propriety in the Persons an unity in the essence and equality in the Trinity For when we say that the Person of the Father is First XIII How the First person is a Father it it not so to be understood as if we thought any thing to be first or last greater or less in the Trinity Far be it from all the faithful to think so impiously since Christian Religion teaches that the same Eternity the same Majesty and Glory is alike in all the three Persons But we truly and confidently affirm That the Father forasmuch as he is the beginning without beginning is the first Person which as it is very distinct by the propriety of Father so is it suitable to this one Person chiefly for this reason Because he begat the Son from all eternity For it is plainly signifi'd to us That he always was both God and Father together whensoever in this Confession we pronounce these names together of God and Father But because we cannot be either more dangerously busi'd XIV That we should not too nicely search into the Trinity or more miserably wander in the search or notion of any thing than of this point which is of all others the most profound and difficult the Curats ought to teach That the terms by which this mystery is signifi'd and which are proper both to the Essence and Persons are religiously to be retain'd and let the Faithful understand that there is both Unity in the Essence and distinction in the Persons But that they ought not more narrowly to pry into these things Prov. 25.27 always bearing in mind that saying He that is a searcher of Majesty shall be oppress'd with the glory of it For this which our Faith assures us of ought to satisfie us that thus we are taught of God whose Oracles not to give credit to wou'd be the highest folly and misery in the world Go says he and teach all
God and the Holy Ghost is God and yet they are not Three Gods but One God So we confess that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are equally Almighty and yet that there are not Three Almighties but One Almighty But as for a kind of special reason we call the Father because he is the Fountain of all beginning by this name and as we attribute to the Son who is the eternal Word of the Father Wisdom so we ascribe Goodness to the Holy Ghost because he is the Love of them Both Altho according to the Rule of the Catholic Faith these and such like names may well be given in common to all the three Persons Maker of Heav'n and Earth How necessary it is to instruct the Faithful about Gods Almighty Power will plainly appear from what is now to be spoken of the Creation of all things For the miracle of so great a work is more easie to be believ'd XX. Out of what how and when God made the World because there is no room left to doubt of the Infinite Power of the Creator For God made not the world out of any matter but created it out of Nothing and that not throw any powerful constraint or necessity but purely of his own free will and accord Nor was there any other cause which mov'd him to this work of Creation but only that he might impart his own goodness to those things which shou'd be made by him For the Nature or Being of God being most perfectly happy in it self stood not in need of any thing As David confesses Ps â—â— I said to the Lord Thou art my God for thou hast no need of my Goods Now as being led by his own goodness he did whatsoever he pleas'd So when he made all things he had no Form or Pattern which was without himself to go by but because in his divine Wisdom was contein'd the Pattern of all things this Pattern I say the great Creator beholding in himself and imitating as it were by his supream Wisdom and Infinite Power which are proper to him alone he produc'd the whole universe of things in the beginning For he spake the Word and they were made Ps 148.5 he commanded and they were created But then under the Name of Heav'n and Earth must be understood whatsoever the whole Heaven and Earth conteins For besides the Heav'ns which the Prophet calls the work of his Fingers Ps 8.3 He added moreover over the brightness of the Sun and of the Moon and the furniture of the other Stars and appointed them to be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years and has so dispos'd the heavenly Orbs in a certain and constant course that there is nothing can seem more swift in their perpetual running round and yet nothing can be more certain and regular than their motion Furthermore The Angels created and in what state he created out of nothing the Spiritual Nature and innumerable Angels to serv and wait upon him and these he adorned and beautifi'd with the admirable gift of his Grace and Power For seeing it is written in Holy Scripture Joh. 8. That the Devil kept not his first estate it is plain that he and the rest of the fallen Angels in the beginning and at their creation were endu'd with his Grace of whom S. Augustin writes thus He created the Angels Aug lib. 12. de Civit. Dei c. 9. with a good will that is with a pure Love whereby they cleav'd close to him at once giving them Being and bestowing Grace on them Whence it is that we can never believ the Angels themselves to have bin holy without a good will i. e. without the Love of God But then as concerning their Knowledge we have this Testimony in the holy Scripture 2 Reg. 14 20 Thou O my Lord the King art wise having Wisdom as an Angel of God to know all things on the Earth Lastly Holy David ascribes Power to them in these Words Ps â—â—2 29 Mighty in Power fulfilling his Word and for this Reason they are often call'd in Holy Scripture the Powers and the Hosts of the Lord. But altho they were thus adorn'd with all celestial Gifts yet many of them who fell from God their Creator and Father were thrown down from those most glorious Mansions and shut up in the dismal Dugeons and Prisons of the Earth there to suffer ever lasting Punishment for their Pride Of whom the Prince of the Apostles writes in this manner 2 Pet. 2.4 He spar'd not the Angels that sinn'd but casting them down headlong to Hell he deliver'd them to be there tormented and to be resâ—rv'd for the Judgment God also by his Word commanded that the Foundation of the Earth should be made fast XXI The Earth established and adorned Ps 103.5.9 and to stand in the middle of the World causing the Mountains to rise up and the Fields and Valleys to sink down to the places which he had appointed for them and that the Waters shou'd not overflow the Earth he appointed them their bounds which they may not pass nor turn again to cover the Earth And then he not only adorn'd and cloth'd it with Trees and all the various kinds of Herbs and Flowers but he replenish'd it with all kinds of living Creatures even as before he had fill'd the Air and Waters Lastly XXII How Man was qualified in the Creation He form'd Man who was so made and constituted of the Slime of the Earth that he was immortal and impassible yet not by the strength of Nature but by the divine Bounty But then as to his Soul he form'd him after his own Image and likeness and gave him a Freedom of Will and so temperd all the Motions and Appetites of his Mind in him that they shou'd never disobey the government of his Reason He added also the admirable Gift of Original Righteousness and gave him Rule over all the other Creatures Which things it will be very easie for the Curates to learn out of the sacred History of Genesis for the instruction of the Faithful These things therefore we are to know concerning the Creation of all things XXIII God the Creator of all Psal 88. â—â— of Heav'n and Earth all which the Prophet has briefly comprehended in these Words The Heav'ns are thine the Earth also is thine thou hast laid the foundations of the World and all that is therein But the Fathers of the Council of Nice have much more briefly signifi'd the same by those two Words added in their Creed Of all things Visible and Invisible For whatsoever things have Being in the World or were created by God either fall under Sense and are call'd Visible or else we may conceiv them with the Mind or Understanding and these are signifi'd by the Word Invisible Nor may we believ that God so created and made all things XXIV God the Preserver and Governour of all
of his to stir up both in Abraham's Seed and in many other Men the expectation of a Saviour For when once the Jewish Commonwealth and Religion became Setled This began to grow more common and known to his people For there were many things which signifi'd and many Men which foretold What and how great good things that Saviour and our Redeemer Jesus Christ was to bring us And indeed the Prophets whose Minds were illuminated with Light from Heav'n foretold the people of the Birth of the Son of God Isa 7.15 8.3.9.6.11.1.53 throughout Jer. 23.5.30.9 Dan. 7 13.9.24 and the wonderful works which he shou'd perform when he shou'd be made Man his Doctrin Manners Kindred Practice Death Resurrection and other Mysteries of him and all this they taught so plainly as tho they had bin done before their Faces So that excepting the difference of time only we cou'd not discover any diversity between the Predictions of the Prophets and the preaching of the Apostles between the Faith of the old Patriarchs and our own But now we will speak of the several parts of the Article Iesus is his proper name VII What the name Jesus signifies and by whom it was given Luc. 1.31 who is God and Man and it signifies a Saviour and this name was given him not by chance nor by the judgment or will of Men but by the counsel and command of God For so the Angel told Mary his Mother Behold thou shalt cenceiv in thy Womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus and afterwards he not only commanded Joseph the Husband of the Virgin to call the Child by that name but also tells the reason why he was to be so call'd For he says Joseph thou Son of David Mat. 1.21 fear not to take to thee Mary thy Wife for that which is born in her is of the Holy Ghost And likewise her Son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their Sins We read in Holy Scripture of many who were of this name As the son of Nun VIII The name Jesus suitable to Christ especially who succeeded Moses and led the people whom Moses deliver'd out of Egypt into the Land of Promise which was deny'd to Moses Josedech the son of a Priest was call'd by the same name But how much more truly ought we to believ That our Saviour ought to be call'd by this name who has brought light liberty and salvation not to one People or Nation only but to all Men of all ages oppress'd not with Famine or with Egyptian or Babylonian Bondage but sittng in the shadow of Death and miserably fetterd in Sin and the chains of the Devil and has purchas'd for them a Right and Inheritance in the Kindom of Heav'n and reconcil'd them to God the Father In them we see Christ our Lord shadow'd who heaps upon mankind those Blessings here mention'd Now all those names before spoken of which by divine appointment were to be given to the Son of God are all to be referr'd to this one name Jesus For whereas all the other in some measure had only touch'd the Salvation he was to give us this one conteins the whole weight and vertue of the compleat Salvation of Mankind And to the name of Iesus IX Why the name Christ added to the name Jesus this name of Christ is also added which signifies Anointed and is a name both of Honour and Office nor is it proper to one thing but common to more For our old Fathers were us'd to call Priests and Kings whom God had commanded to be anointed for the dignity of their Office Christs The Priests were they Reg 12 3.24.6 who in their daily Prayers recommended the people to God and offer'd Sacrifice to God for them Kings had the government of the people committed to them and to them chiefly belongs the power of the Laws to protect the Innocent and to correct the boldness of the Wicked Because therefore both of these Offices seem to relate to the Majesty of God in the Earth therefore those that were chosen to the Office of King or Priest were anointed with Oyl It was customary also to anoint the Prophets who as the Interpreters and Ambassadors of the immortal God open'd to us the Secrets of Heav'n and by wholesome Precepts and foretelling things to come warn'd Men to mend their manners But when Jesus Christ our Saviour came into the World X. Christ a Prophet King and Priest he undertook the Part and Office of all these three Persons Prophet Priest and King and for these causes he is call'd Christ and anointed for the discharge of those Offices not by the act of any mortal but by the influence and vertue of his Heav'nly Father not with earthly Oyntment but with spiritual Oyl when the fulness of the Holy Spirit and Grace and a more plentiful measure of all gifts was pour'd into his most Holy Soul than the Being or Nature of any other Creature was able to receiv and this the Prophet plainly shews when speaking to the Redeemer himself he said Ps 44.7 Thou hast lov'd Righteousness and hated Iniquity therefore God even thy God has anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows The same thing but much more plainly has the Prophet Isaiah shew'd in these Words Isay 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has sent me to preach to the meek Jesus Christ therefore was that great Prophet and Teacher XI How Christ a Prophet Priest and King who taught us the Will of God and by whose teaching the whole World has receiv'd the knowledg of our Heav'nly Father and this name does much more truly and excellently belong to him because all whatsoever that were honour'd with this name of Prophet were but his Disciples and for this cause chiefly were they sent That they shou'd prophesie of this Prophets coming to save all Men. The same Christ was a Priest not of the same Order as the Priests of the tribe of Levi under the old Law were but of that of which the Prophet David sings Ps 189 4â— Heb. 5.7 Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech Which Argument the Apostle writing to the Hebrews handles excellently But we acknowledg Christ to be a King also not only as he is God but as he is Man and partakes of our Nature Luc. 1.33 Of whom the Angel testifies He shall reign for ever in Jacob and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Now this Kingdom of Christ is Spiritual and Eternal XII How and by whom Christs Kingdom is govern'd begun indeed on Earth but perfected in Heav'n And by his wonderful Providence performs the Office of King of his Church He governs it he defends it from the snares and violence of its enemies he gives it not only Holiness and Righteousness but also Power and Strength to
to signifie them before hand by many Signs Oracles and Prophecies The Holy Fathers therefore understood many of the things we read in the Holy Scriptures to belong to this matter but especially where we read of that Gate of the Sanctuary which Ezekiel saw shut also the Stone cut out of the mountain without hands as we read in Daniel which became a great Mountain and fill'd the whole Earth And Aarons Rod which only of all the Rods of the Princes of Israel budded Num. 17.8 Exod 3.4 and the Bush which Moses saw burn Luc. 2. and was not consumed The Holy Evangelist has largely describ'd the history of Christs Birth Of which therefore there is no need that we speak more since 't is easie for the Curate to read more there Great pains ought to be taken XVI In explaining this mystery what the people ought to be perswaded to Rom. 15.4 Job 26.11 that those mysteries which were written for our learning might be fixed and rooted in the minds of the Faithful And first of all in commemoration of so great a benefit that they be thankful to God the Author thereof and next that they always lay before their eyes for their example to imitate this so great and singular pattern of Humility For what can be more useful or profitable to check the pride and haughtiness of our hearts than often to think that God does so humble himself that he communicates his glory with men and takes on himself their weakness and frailty that God becomes Man and gives that supreme and infinite Majesty to Man at whose Nod the very Pillars of Heav'n as the Scripture says tremble and quake for fear and that he shou'd be born in earth whom the very Angels adore in Heav'n What therefore since God does these things for our sake what I say ought we to do in obedience to him How willingly and chearfully ought we to love embrace and perform all Offices of Humility The Faithful see how wholsom a Doctrine the Birth of Christ teaches us even before he began to utter his voice He is born needy he is born a Stranger in an Inn He is born in a vile Manger He is born in the depth of Winter Luc. 2.6 9. for thus writes St. Luke It came to pass that while they were there the days were accomplish'd that she should bring forth and she brought forth her first born Son and wrapp'd him in swadling cloaths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him in the Inn. Cou'd the Evangelist include all the whole Glory and Majesty of Heav'n and Earth in more bumble expressions Nor does he write that there was no room in the Inn Ps 49.12 but none for him who said The whole earth is mine and the fulness thereof Which also another Evangelist testifies saying He came to his own and his own receiv'd him not These things when the Faithful remember XVII How great grace and glory redounds to us by the Incarnation let them also remember that God was contented to undergo the lowliness and frailty of our flesh that he might raise mankind up to the highest degree of Dignity for this one thing sufficiently discovers that excellent dignity and worth which he has by the divine bounty obtain'd that He vouchsaft to become Man who also was true and perfect God so that now we may boast that the Son of God is our bone and our flesh which those Blessed Spirits cannot do for as the Apostle says He in no case took upon him the nature of Angels but he took upon him the seed of Abraham But then we ought to take heed XVIII A singular admonition that all this happ'n not to our extream hurt that as at Bethlehem where he was born they wou'd allow him no room so also since he is now born in our flesh he find no room in our hearts where he may be spiritually born For this it is he being most earnestly desirous of our salvation that he earnestly calls for For as by the power of the Holy Ghost he was beyond the Order of Nature made Man Joh. 1.13 Rom. 64 5. and 7.6 and giv'n to us was Holy yea Holiness it self so it behov's us to be born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh but of God and then as new creatures to walk in newness of Spirit and to keep that holiness and integrity of mind which much becomes men regenerated by the Spirit of God For by this means we shall express in our selvs a certain kind of image or resemblance of the holy conception and Nativity of this Son of God 2 Cor. 2.7 which we believ with a faithful heart and believing wisdom of God which was hidd'n in a Mystery we embrace and adore it ARTICLE IV. SUffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried How necessary the knowledge of this Article is and what diligent care the Curat ought to take that the faithful be often put in remembrance of our Lord's Passion the Apostle teaches who professes that he determin'd to know nothing else but Jesus Christ and him crucified Upon this account therefore all care and diligence ought to be us'd that the faithful being stirr'd up with the commemoration of so great a benefit may turn themselv's wholly to the Love of God and the embracing of his goodness Faith therefore in the former part of this Article for of the other shall be spok'n afterwards offers this to our Belief that when Pontius Pilate II. What is propos'd to be believ'd in this Article by command of Tyberius Caesar govern'd the Province of Judea Christ our Lord was fastn'd to a Cross for he was Taken Mock'd Suffer'd many kinds of Injuries and Torments and at last Crucifi'd Nor are we to think that as to his Inward Part his Soul was free from those torments for since he truly took the Humane Nature upon him we must needs confess that in his Soul he felt the most tormenting Grief Mat. 26.38 Mar. 14.34 wherefore he said my soul is exceeding sorrowful even to death For tho his Humane Nature was join'd to his Divine Person yet by reason of that very conjunction he no less felt the bitterness of his passion than if that conjunction had not been made since in that one person of Christ Jesus the proprieties of both natures the Divine and Humane were still preserv'd and therefore that which was passible and mortal still remain'd passible and mortal and again that which was impassible and immortal such as we understand the Divine Nature to be still restain'd its own propriety And where in this place seems fit to be diligently observ'd III. Why the Time of his Passion was thus noted the Curat shall teach that Jesus Christ suffer'd at that time when Pontius Pilate govern'd the Province of Judea and that this was done for this reason that the knowledge of so great and so necessary
he said I am he Joh. 18.5 and of his own accord freely he underwent all those punishments which unjustly and unmercifully they threw upon him Than which X. A strong motive to the love of Christ sure there is nothing in the World more powerful to move our compassion when we well consider in our minds all his sufferings and torments For if for our sakes any one should suffer all those sorrows not which he voluntarily underwent but which he cou'd not avoid this indeed we shou'd hardly account as a benefit of any great regard but if on our score only he freely endure death which he cou'd have refus'd verily this is such a kind of benefit that it bereaves even the most grateful person in the World not only of the power of paying due thankfulness but even of having it and hence the transcendant and superlative love of Christ Jesus and his divine and infinite deseits towards us may be perceiv'd But then when we confess that he was Bury'd XI Why we are to believ that Christ was bury'd this is not set down as a part of the Article which thing seems to have some new difficulty in it besides what has bin already spok'n of his death For if we believ that Christ was dead it is easie enough to perswade us That he was bury'd But this was added first that we may doubt the less of the Truth of his death it being the strongest proof that a person is dead if we can prove that his Body was bury'd And then that the Miracle of his Resurrection might be the more apparent and illustrious Nor do we believ this only Mat. 27.60 That Christs Body was bury'd but this especially is propos'd to our Belief in these Words That God was bury'd Mar. 15 46. as by the Rule of Catholic Faith we most truly say Luc. 23.53 That God was dead was born of a Virgin for since his Divinity was never divided from his Body no not even when it was laid in the Sepulchre rightly we confess That God was bury'd Joh. 19.38.42 And that will be sufficient for the Curat concerning the manner and place of Christ's burial which is spoken by the Holy Evangelists But first of all XII Two things to be noted Ps 15 10. Act. 2.31 two things are to be observ'd the one is That Christs Body was in no part corrupt'd in the Sepulchre concerning which the Prophet thus prophecies Thou shalt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption The other which belongs to all the parts of this Article is That the Burial Passion and Death of Jesus Christ have reference to him as Man not as God for to suffer and to dye are incident to the human Nature only Tho all these things are also attribut'd to God because as it is manifest they may rightly he said of that person who at once was perfect God and perfect Man These things being known the Curat may explain those things concerning Christs Passion and Death whereby the Faithful may at least contemplate if not comprehend the immensity of so great a Mystery And First XIII What we are to meditate of the Passion of Christ First Joh. 1.1 Heb. 1.2 3. It should be consider'd Who it is that suffers all these things And here we are not able by Words to relate or even in our Hearts to conceiv his Dignity S. John says he is the Word which was with God The Apostle with stately Expressions describes him in this manner That this is He whom God has appoint'd to be the Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds who is the brightness of his Glory and the Figure of his Substance and the Image of his Person who supports all things by the Word of his Power He therefore having wash'd away our sins sits at the Right-hand of the Majesty on High And to say all in a Word He who suffers is Jesus Christ God and Man Rom. 11.36 The Creator suffers for those whom he created The Lord for his Servants be by whom the Angels Men Heav'ns and Elements were made He I say in whom by whom and of whom are all things It is no wonder therefore if when he was wounded with so many Torments and Sufferings the whole Fabric of the World trembl'd for as the Scripture says Maâ—t 27.51 The Earth quak'd and the Rocks were rent Luc. 23 44. and there was Darkness over all the Earth 1 Pet. 2.5 and the Sun was dark'n'd Now if ev'n the dumb and insensible Creatures bewail'd the Sufferings of their Maker let the Faithful consider with how great and bitter Lamentation they as living Stones of this Building ought to evidence their Grief And now we come to shew the Causes of his Passion XIV What Secondly that thereby the Strength and Greatness of the Divine Love towards us may the better appear If therefore any one ask What shou'd be the Cause why the Son of God wou'd undergo such an extream bitter passion he will find it to be this chiefly besides the hereditary Contagion of our first Parents namely The Vices and Sins which Men have committed from the beginning of the World to this day and which they will hereafter commit to the end of the World For this was it That the Son of God our Savior intended in his Death and Passion to redeem and to blot out the sins of all Ages and richly and abundantly to make satisfaction to his Father for them Let this also be added to inhance the dignity of the thing XV. What Thirdly that Christ did not only suffer for sinners but also that those very sinners for whom he suffer'd were both the Authors and Inflicters of those Punishments he endur'd Of which the Apostle thus admonishes us writing to the Hebrews thus Heb. 12.13 Consider him who endur'd such contradiction of Sinners against himself lest ye be weary and faint in your Souls Of this Fault rightly may those be judg'd guilty Note who easily and often fall into sin For since our sins drove Christ our Lord to undergo the punishment of the Cross verily they who run into Sin and Wickedness do as much as in them lies crucisie to themselves the Son of God afresh Heb. 6.6 and put him to an open shame And this wickedness is by so much more insolent and heinous in us Note than it was in the Jews because they as the same Apostle bears them Witness 1 Cor. 2.8 if they had known they wou'd never have crucifi'd the Lord of Glory But we profess we have known him and yet in our Deeds denying him we seem in a manner to lay violent Hands upon him Now the Holy Scripture teftifies XVI What Fourthly Isay 53.8 That Christ Our Lord was deliver'd to Death both by the Father and by himself For in Isaiahs Prophecy he says For the ' wickedness of my people have I smitten him And the same
Apostle us'd Eph. 5.2 when he said Christ lov'd us and gave himself a Sacrifice and oblation for us to God for a sweet-smelling Savor Furthermore this is the Oblation whereof we read in the Prince of Apostles 1 Pet. 1.18.19 Ye were not redeem'd with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain conversation of the Tradition of your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Crist as of a Lamb without spot or blemish And the Apostle teaches us Gal. 3.13 That Christ was made a Curse for us that he might redeem us from the curse of the Law But besides these immense Benefits XXVI In Christs Passion are examples of all Vertues we have this very great one over and above that in this only Passion we have the most Glorious Patterns of all Vertues For he shew'd forth his Patience Humility the most profound Love Charity Meekness and Obedience and most unshaken Constancy and Resolution of Mind not only in suffering Injuries for Righteousness or Justice sake but also even in Death it self and that in such a manner as we can truly say That our Savior in the very height of his Sufferings did most lively express in himself all those Rules and Precepts of Life which throw all the time of his Preaching he taught by Words And this shall suffice to have bin spoken briefly of the most saving Death and Passion of Christ our Lord. And wou'd God these Mysteries were seriously impress'd upon our Souls and Hearts and that we wou'd learn to suffer to dye and to be bury'd together with our Lord that then every spot of Sin being wip'd away and rising with him to newness of Life by his Mercy we may be found worthy to be made partakers of his Kingdom of Heav'n and Glory ARTICLE V. HE descended into Hell the third Day He rose again from the Dead It is of very great use to know the glory of the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ I. 〈◊〉 very useful o undeâ—â—tâ—â—â— this Article of which we have spoken last But it more concerns the Faithful to know the glorious Triumphs he bore away by conquering the Devil and spoiling the Powers of Hell Of which and also of the Resurection we are now to speak Which Point altho it may well be handl'd distinctly and by it self yet we following the Authority of the Holy Fathers have thought fit to joyn it with that of his descent into Hell In the first part therefore this is propos'd to our Belief II. What is propes'd in the first Part. That Christ being now dead his Soul went down to Hell and there continu'd so long as his Body was in the Sepulchre But in these words we also confess That the very same person of Christ at the same time was both with the Spirits below and also lay in the Sepulchre Which when we say no one ought to wonder because as we have often said before That though his Soul departed from his Body yet his Divinity was never separated either from his Soul or his Body But because it may bring much light to the Explication of this Article III. The various signification of Hell if the Curat teach what in this place is to be understood by the Word Hell It is necessary to admonish That in this place by Hell is not meant the Sepulchre as some no less impiously than unskilfully have thought for by the former Article we are taught That Christ our Lord was bury'd neither was there any Reason why in the Creed the same thing shou'd by the Holy Apostles be repeated in another and a more obscure form of Speech But the Word Hell signifies those hidd'n Receptacles wherein the Souls are kept IV. The First The Receptacle of the damn'd Phil. 2.10 which have not attain'd to the Blessedness of Heav'n For so the Holy Scriptures use this Word in many places For thus we read in the Apostle At the name of Jesus every Knee shall bow of those in Heav'n of those in Earth and those under the Earth And in the Acts of the Apostles S. Peter testifies Act 2.24 That Christ the Lord was risen again having loos'd the Pains of Hell Nor are all those Receptacles of one and the same kind For there is that worst and most dismal place of all where the Souls of the damn'd together with the unclean Spirits shall be tormented for ever and that with unquenchable Fire which is call'd the Bottomles-Pit and by its own proper signification Hell There is besides V. The Fire of Purgatory The Fire of Purgatory wherein the Souls of the Pious for a certain determin'd time are cleans'd by Sufferings that so the entrance to the Heav'nly Country may be laid open into which no polluted thing can be admitted And of the truth of this Doctrin Apoc. 21 27. Con. Trent Sess 25. which the Holy Councils declare to be confirm'd both by Testimonies of Scripture and by Apostolic Tradition the Curat shall discourse and argue by so much the more industriously and frequently because we are fall'n upon those times wherein Men will not endure Sound Doctrin Lastly VI. Limbus where the Souls of the Father were The third kind of Receptacle is that wherein the Souls of the Saints were receiv'd before the coming of Christ our Lord and there being refresh'd with the bless'd hope of Redemption and free from all sense of Pain enjoy'd a peaceable Habitation The Souls therefore of these Pious Persons who in the bosome of Abraham expected the Savior Christ our Lord descending to Hell deliver'd Nor are we to think that he so descended to Hell VII Christ's Soul truly went down to Hell as that only his Influence and Vertue and not also his Soul went thither But we are verily to believ That his very Soul indeed and in presence descended to Hell Ps 15.10 of which there is this most certain Testimony of David Thou shall not leave my Soul is Hell But tho Christ went down to Hell yet this was no damage to his Supreme Power nor was the Splendor of his Holiness stain'd in the least seeing that by thus doing it rather was most evidently prov'd that all those things are most true which are celebrated concerning his Holiness and that he is the very Son of God as he had before made appear by so many prodigious Miracles And this we may easily perceiv VIII Two differences betwixt Christ's and the damned's going to Hell if we but consider the Causes why Christ and other Men came into those places For all others went thither as Captives but he as free among the Dead and Conquerer to Master the Devils by whom they were there kept shut up and imprison'd by reason of sin Furthermore All others who descended thither partly were tormented with most bitter pains and partly tho they wanted all other sense of sorrow yet being depriv'd of the sight of God and with-held in the Hope only of
Glory was chang'd so our Bodies also which before were weak and mortal shall be restor'd and adorn'd with Glory and Immortality For as the Apostle teaches Phil. 3.20 21. We wait for the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it shall be like to his glorious Body And this may be said concerning the Soul The Third dead in Sins to which on what score the Resurrection of Christ is offer'd as an Example or Pattern to us the same Apostle shews in these Words Rom. 6.4 As Christ rose again from the Dead by the Glory of the Father so shou'd we also walk in Newness of Life For if we have bin planted together with him in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection And a little after he says knowing that Christ being ris'n from the Dead now dyes no more Death shall no more domineer over him For in that he dy'd to Sin be dy'd once but in that he lives he lives to God So reck'n ye your selves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to God in Jesus Christ Two Examples therefore we ought to seek from Christ's Resurrection The one is XXIV Two Examples from Christ's Resurrection That after we have wip'd away the stains of sin we lead a new kind of Life in which way clearly shine forth Uprightness Innocence Holiness Modesty Justice Beneficence and Humility The other is That we so persevere in that kind of life that by Gods help we fall not off from the way of Righteousness whereinto we have once enter'd Nor do the Apostles Words shew only XXV The Fourth Advantage of Christs Resurrection Rom. 6.6 That the Resurrection of Christ is propos'd to us as an Example of our Resurrection but they declare That it gives us Power to rise again and bestows Strength and Courage whereby we may continue in Holiness and Righteousness For as by his Death we not only take Example of dying to sin but draw Vertue also whereby we may dye to sin So his Resurrection brings us Strength to obtain Righteousness that thenceforth worshipping God piously and holily we may walk in Newness of 〈◊〉 to which we are ris'n For this especially did our Lord bring to pas's by his Resurrection that we who before were dead with him to sin and to the world might also with him rise again to a new way and course of life The Signs of this Resurrection XXVI The signs of Resurrection from sin Coloss 3.1 which are chiefly to be observ'd the Apostle teaches us For when he says If ye be ris'n with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God he plainly shews That those who desire to have Life Honours Rest and Riches there Phil. 4.8 where Christ specially is are truly ris'n with Christ But when he adds Relish those things which are above not those which are on the Earth he has giv'n this as a kind of Note whereby we may perceive whether we be ris'n with Christ For as the Taste or Relish is wont to discover the Temperature and Health of the Body so if Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are comly whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are holy do relish with a person and if he can perceive with the inward sense of his Soul the sweetness of heav'nly things this is a good Argument That he that is thus affected is ris'n with Jesus Christ to a new and spiritual Life ARTICLE VI. HE ascended into Heav'n sitteth at the right-Hand of God the Father Almighty When the Prophet David full of Gods Spirit contemplated the bless'd and glorious Ascension of our Lord I. What kind of Solemnity and Faith of Christ's Ascension there ought to be Ps 46.1.6 he exhorts all to celebrate that Triumph with the greatest joy and gladness in these Words saying Clap Hands for joy O all ye Nations sing to God with the Voice of Rejoycing God is gone up with a merry noise Whence the Curat may understand That this Mystery is to be explain'd with the greatest study and that he ought to take diligent care That the Faithful embrace it not only with Faith and with the Mind but as far as may be and with Gods help they endeavor in their Life and Actions also to express the same As to the Explication of this Sixth Article therefore II. The former part of this Article wherein chiefly is treated concerning this Divine Mystery we must begin at the former part thereof and shew what is the effect and meaning thereof For concerning Christ Jesus III. What we are here to believe the Faithful must believe this also without any wavering That the Mystery of our Redemption being now perfected he as Man with his Soul and Body went up into Heaven For as he was God he never was absent thence because he fills all things with his Divinity And let the Curat teach that he went up by his own Power First Secondly 4 Reg. 2.11.35 n 14. Thirdly Act. 8.39 and not by the Power of another as Elias did who was carry'd into Heaven in a fiery Chariot or Abaccuc the Prophet or Philip the Deacon who by the Divine Power being carry'd through the Air past through the remote parts of the Earth Nor did he ascend to Heaven only by the mighty Power of his Divinity but also as he is Man For tho this could not be by any Natural Power Fourthly yet that Power wherewith the bless'd Soul of Christ was endu'd could move his Body as he liâ—â—ed And his Body which was now glorify'd Fifthly did readily obey the Government of his Soul moving it And in this manner Sixthly We believe that Christ as he was God and as he was Man went up into Heaven by his own Power Now follows the other part of the Article He sitteth at the right-Hand of the Father In which place we may observe a Trope IV. The use and necessi y of Trope that is the change of a Word frequent in Holy Scripture when we attribute to God Human Affections and Members suitable to our Understanding sor he being a Spirit we cannot think any thing corporeal in him But because in Human Affairs we esteem a great honour done to him who is plac'd at the Right-hand transferring the same thing to heavenly matters to the explaining of the Glory of Christ which as he is Man he has merited above all others we confess him to be at the Right-hand of the Father But to sit V. What is here meant by Sâ—â—ing in this place does not signifie the Gesture and Figure of Body but it shews the firm and sure Possession of supream Power and Glory which he has receiv'd of the Father Of which the Apostle says Arian Ser. 1 cont Arian Basil lib de Spirit sâ—nâ—t c. 6. Heb. 1.13 Raising him up from the Dead and placing him at
whom thou hast given me should be where I am And then This also Third as a very great benefit we have obtain'd that he has drawn up our love to Heav'n and inflam'd us with his Divine Spirit For most true is that saying Mat. 6.21 There our Heart is where our Treasure is And indeed if Christ our Lord were dwelling on the Earth all our thoughts wou'd be fix'd upon the face and acquaintance of the Man and we shou'd behold him only as Man who bestow'd so great benefits upon us and we shou'd affect him only with a kind of earthly Good Will But now being gone up into Heav'n he has render'd our Love Spiritual and makes us to love and reverence him as God whom we now consider as absent And this we understand partly by the Example of the Apostles Joh. 19.7 with whom while our Lord was present they seem'd to judge of him in a manner according to Human Sense And partly it is confirm'd by the testimony of our Lord himself when he says It is expedient for you that I go away For that imperfect Love wherewith they lov'd Jesus Christ when present with them was to be perfected by Divine Love and that by the coming of the Holy Ghost Wherefore he presently adds For if I go not away the Paraclet or Comforter will not come to you To this may be added Fourth that he has inlarg'd his House Eph. 4.22 i.e. his Church in the earth which was to be govern'd by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit and he left Peter the Prince of Apostles the chief Pastor and Prelate of the whole Church among Men and then he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers and so sitting at the Right Hand of his Father he always bestows divers gifts upon divers persons for the Apostle testifies Eph. 5.7 That to every one of us is giv'n grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ But lastly Fifth The Faithful are to believe the same thing also concerning Christ's Ascension which we taught before concerning the mystery of his Death and Resurrection for tho we owe our Salvation and Redemption to the Passion of Christ who by his own Merit open'd to the Just an entrance to Heav'n yet his Ascension is not only propos'd to us as an example whereby we learn to look up on high and ascend up into Heav'n in Spirit but it has giv'n us Divine Power whereby we are enabl'd to do it ARTICLE VII FRom thence he shall come to judge the quick and the Dead There are three of excellent Offices and Functions which our Lord Jesus Christ has for the adorning and illustrating of his Church I. The Three Offices of Christ Of Redemption Patronage or Defence and Judgment But whereas from the former Articles it is manifest that he has redeem'd mankind by his Passion and Death and that he has undertak'n sorever to defend and patronize our cause by his Ascension into Heav'n it remains that in this Article we declare his Judgment The reason and force of which Article is this II. What we must believe concâ—â—â—nig the last judgment That in the last day Christ our Lord will judge all mankind For the Holy Scriptures testifie that there are Two comings of Christ The One when for our salvation he took flesh and was made Man in the Womb of the Virgin The Other when he shall come to judge all men at the end of the World This Coming of his in Holy Scripture is call'd The Day of the Lord whereof the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 5.2 The day of the Lord so comes as a Thief in the night Maâ— 24.20 and our Saviour himself Maâ— 23.32 But of that Day and Hour no man knows 1 Cor. 5.10 Concerning which last judgment the authority of the Apostle is sufficient We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ that every one may give an account of what he has done in the body whether good or evil For the Holy Scripture is full of testimonies which the Curat may find scatter'd up and down not only for proof of this matter but to lay before the eyes of the Faithful that as from the begining of the World that Day of the Lord wherein he put on Human Flesh was always much longed for of all because in that Mystery they had the hope of their deliverance plac'd So from thence forth after the Death of the Son of God and his Ascension into Heav'n we might most earnestly desire that Other Day of the Lord waiting for that bless'd Hope and the coming of the Glory of the great God But for the explication of this matter the Curat shall observe and teach that there are Two times wherein every one must needs come in presnce before the Lord and give an account of all his particular Thoughts Actions and Words and must abide the present Sentence of the Judge The First is when every one of us goes out of this life for immediately he is placed before the Judgment-seat of God and there is a most just examination made of all things whatsoever he ever did spake or thought and this is call'd The Private Judgment But The Other is when in one day and in one place All men shall stand together before the Seat of Judgment that in the sight and hearing of all men of all ages every one may know what is judg'd and decree'd concerning himse lf The very Pronouncing of which Sentence to Ungodly and Wicked men will not be the least part of their punishments and torments And on the other side the Godly and the Just will from thence receive no small Reward and Profit when it shall truly appear what kind of persons every one of them was in this life And this is call'd the General Judgment Concerning which it must needs be shew'd what the Cause is V. Why a General Judgment to come why besides the Private Judgment concerning every one in particular there will also be held another Judgment concerning all men in general For since First Cause even when men are dead they sometimes leave behind them some surviving persons to imitate them as Children to imitate Parents Dependents and Scholars who are lovers and favourers of their Examples Discourses Actions whereby it must needs come to pass that the rewards and punishments of the dead shall be increas'd and whereas this either Advantage or Calamity which belongs to so very many cannot have an end before the coming of the last day of the World It was but meet that there should be a perfect examination of this General Account of good and evil Words and Actions And this could not be done except at one General Judgment of all men And besides The Second forasmuch as the Fame of the Godly is often times unjustly wounded and the wicked commended as innocent the justice of God requir'd that the
And because the Latins have borrow'd the Name Ecclesia Church III. What is properly to be understood by the name Church from the Greeks after the publishing of the Gospel they transferr'd it to Sacred Matters But what the Meaning of this word is is to be shew'd The word Ecclesia Church signifies a Calling forth Act. 19.39 But Writers afterwards us'd it for a Council and Assembly Nor is it much to the matter whether that people worshipp'd the true God or a false Religion For in the Acts it is written of the Ephesians That when that Scribe had appeas'd the Rabble he said If ye enquire of any other matter it may be resolv'd in a lawful Church or Assembly He calls the Ephesians who were worshippers of Diana a lawful Church Nor are the Gentiles only which knew not God but the Councils also of Evil and Wicked Men sometimes call'd a Church I have hated says the Prophet Ps 25.5 the Church of the Wicked and I will not sit with the Vngodly But then by the common custom of the Scriptures This word is taken to signifie the Christian Common-wealth and the Congregations of the Faithful To wit those who are call'd to the light of Truth and the knowledg of God that casting away the darkness of ignorance and error they may worship the living and true God with Piety and Holiness and to say all in a Word The Church as S. Austin says S. Aug. in Ps 49. is the Faithful People dispers'd throw the whole World Nor are they trivial Mysteries which are contain'd in this Word IV. What Mysteries are contain'd in the word Church For in Calling forth which Ecclesia or Church signifies at first sight shines forth the Benignity and Splendor of Gods Grace and we understand That the Church differs very much from Other Common-wealths For They are establish'd by Human Reason and Prudence But This by the Wisdom and Counsel of God For he has Inwardly call'd us by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost but Outwardly by the Ministery and Labor of the Pastors and Teachers Besides from this Calling V. How the Church differs from a Synagogue what ought to be our end to wit the knowledg and passession of things Eternal he will best perceive who shall have consider'd why in old times the Faithful People under the Law were call'd a Synagogue i. e. a Congregation or flocking together For as S. Austin teaches They had this name given them because after the manner of Cattel to which it is more suitable to flock together they look'd only at earthly and transitory things And therefore rightly is the Christian People call'd not a Synagogue but a Church because despising earthly and mortal things it follows after those things only which are heavenly and eternal There are besides many other Names which are full of Mysteries VI. Other Names of the Church 1 Tim. 3.13 deliver'd to signifie the Christian Common-wealth For it is call'd by the Apostle the House and Building of God but if I tarry long says he to Timothy that thou mayst know how to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of God the Pillar and Ground of Truth And the Church is therefore call'd a House First because it is as it were one Family which one Father or Master governs and in which is a communion of all spiritual good things It is also call'd Christ's Flock of Sheep Second whereof he is the Door and Shepherd It is call'd the Spouse of Christ Third 2 Cor. 11.2 I have betrothed you as a chast Virgin to one Husband which is Christ says the Apostle to the Corinthians And the same Apostle to the Ephesians Men love your wives even as Christ loved the Church Eph. 2.5 And of Matrimony This is a great Mystery says he but I speak in Christ and in the Cburch Lastly Fourth Eph. 1.23 Col. 1.24 The Church is call'd the Body of Christ as may be seen in the Epistle to the Ephesians and that to the Colossians And all these severally avail very much to stir up the Faithful to behave themselves worthy of the immense goodness and mercy of God who has chosen them to be his people These things being explain'd VII The Church Militant and Triumphant Aug. Ench. c. it will be necessary to reckon up the several Parts of the Church and to teach the differences of them whereby the people may the better understand the Nature Properties Gifts and Graces of the Church so much belov'd of God and for that cause never intermit to praise the most holy Name of God Now of the Church there are especially Two Parts whereof the One is call'd Triumphant the Other Militant The Triumphant is that most glorious land happy company of the blessed Spirits VIII Which is Triumphant and those who have triumph'd over the World the Flesh and the Devil and being deliver'd and safe from the Troubles of this life enjoy eternal Bliss But the Church Militant is the company of all the Faithful IX Which Militant Aug. lib. 12. de Civ Dei c. 9. which yet live in the earth Which therefore is call'd Militant because she has continual War with those most implacable Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil Nor is it yet to be thought that there are Two Churches but that of the same Church as was said before there are Two Parts whereof the One is gone before and has already obtain'd the Heavenly Country The Other daily follows till at last being joyn'd with our Saviour she shall rest in everlasting Happiness Now in the Church Militant there are two sorts of Men Good and Bad X. In the Church Militant are both Good and Bad Men. 2 Tim. 2.19 Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 12. Mark this the Wicked being indeed partakers of the same Sacraments profess the same Faith as the Good do but in their Life and Manners are far unlike Now these in the Church are call'd Good who are conjoin'd and knit together not only in profession of Faith and communion of Sacraments but also in the Spirit of Grace and Bond of Charity of whom it is said The Lord has known who are his and Men also may think and conjecture who they are that belong to this number of Pious Men but no one can certainly know And therefore it is not to be thought that Christ our Saviour spake of This Part of his Church when he remitted us to his Church and commanded us to obey Her For since She is out of our knowledge who can be assur'd to whose Judgment we are to fly and whose Authority we must obey The Church therefore includes both the Good and Bad as both the Holy Scripture and the Writings of Holy Men Testifie according to which Sentence is written that of the Apostle Ephes 4.4 There is One Body and One Spirit Now this Church is known XI By what Figures and Similitudes
the Ark to escape drowning in the Flood This is to be taught as a most certain rule whereby the true Church may be discern'd from the false And we may also know the true Church from its Original XVIII Another Rule yo know the True Church from the False which it has from the Grace reveal'd by the Apostles For her Doctrine is True not New not lately sprung up but long ago deliver'd by the Apostles and dispers'd through all the World and hence it is that none can doubt That the impious Doctrines of Heretics are far different from the Faith of the Church seeing they are against that Doctrine of the Church which has been preach'd from the Apostles to this day And therefore that all may understand which is the true Catholic Church the Fathers by Divine Inspiration have added this word APOSTOLIC Of the marks of the True Church see August contra Epist Fundamenti c. Tertul. lib. toto de Praescript For the Holy Ghost who presides in the Church governs it by no other than Apostolical Men. Which Spirit was first given to the Apostles and afterwards by the infinite goodness of God has always continu'd in the Church But as this One Church cannot err in the delivery of Faith and Discipline of manners XIX Why the Church is call'd Apâ—stolic Aug. contra Crescen lib. 1. c. 33. seeing she is govern'd by the Holy Ghost so it must needs be that all others which falsely claim to themselves that Name and being also led by the Spirit of the Devil are most dangerously out of the way both in Doctrine and Practice But because the Figures of the Old Testament have a great influence to stir up the minds of the Faithful to call to remembrance those excellent things XX. Two figures of the Church for which cause chiefly the Apostles us'd them The Curat may not pass over that part of Docrine also which is so profitable And amongst these The First Gen. 6. Noahs Ark has an excellent signification which for this reason only was made by Gods command that there might be left no room to doubt but that it signifies the Church Which God has so constituted That whosoever by Baptism enters therein may be safe from all danger of eternal Death But they who were out of it as it happen'd to them who were not receiv'd into the Ark were overwhelm'd with their own wickedness Another Figure is that great City Jerusalem The other under the Name whereof many times the Holy Scriptures understand the Holy Church to wit That in her alone it is lawful to offer Sacrifice Because also in the Church of God only and no where else the true Worship and the true Sacrifice which can any ways be pleasing to God may be found And now in the last place XXI The Church to be believ'd by Faith and bow concerning the Church it must be taught After what manner that we are to believe the Church belongs to the Articles of Faith For tho any one perceives by reason and sense That the Church i. e. that Company of Men is in the World which are dedicated and consecrated to Christ our Lord Nor does there seem any need of Faith to conceive this when neither Jews nor Turks do at all doubt of it Yet those Mysteries which as has already been declar'd in part and partly will be said further in he Sacrament of Orders are contain'd in the Holy Church of God that mind which is illuminated by Faith only and not convinc'd by any reasons can understand Seeing therefore that this Article no less than the rest quite surpasses the strength and reach of our understanding We very rightly confess That we come not to know the Church's Original Gifts and Dignity by Huaman Reason but behold them with the Eyes of Faith For neither were Men the Authors thereof XXII Who the Author of hte Church Ps 89.5 but the very Immortal God who has built it upon a most firm Rock as the Prohet witnesses The most High has sounded it For which reason it is call'd Gods Inheritance and the people of God And the Power it has is not of Man but given her by the gift of God Wherefore as by the mere Power of Nature we cannot attain to her so also by Faith only we understand That in the Church are the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and that to her is given Power to Forgive Sins to Excommunicate and to consecrate the true Body of Christ and then that the Citizens which belong to her Heb. 13.14 have not here a lasting City but seek one to come It is necessary therefore to believe XXIII We must believe the Church but not in the Church Aug Ser 1.31 de Temp. That there is One Holy and Catholic Church For so we believe the Three Persons of the Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost as to place our Faith In them But now changeing the manner of speaking we profess to believe the Holy not In the Holy Church That by this different way of speaking God who is the Author of all things may be distinguish'd from the things which were created and to acknowledg that all those excellent benefits which are bestow'd on the Church were receiv'd of the Divine Goodness The Communion of Saints When S. John the Evangelist wrote to the Faithful XXIV This part of the Article to be diligently explain'd 1 Joh. 1.13 of the Divine Mysteries why he taught them therein he gives this Reason That you also says he might have Fellowship with us and our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ This Fellowship is plac'd in the Communion of Saints of which we are to speak in This Article And would to God in explaining hereof Aug. in Joan Trâ—act 32. the Teachers of the Church would imitate the diligence of Paul and the other Apostles For it is not only a kind of Interpretation of the former Article and a Doctrine full of profit and advantage but it also shews what the Use of those Mysteries is which are contain'd in the Creed For we are to search into and learn all those things for this end that we may be admitted into this so blessed and glorious a Fellowship of the Saints and being once admitted consequently to persevere Coloss 1.12 giving Thanks with Joy to God the Father who has made us worthy to partake of the Lot of the Saints in Light Firft therefore XXV Wherein is plac'd the Communion of Saints the Faithful are to be taught That This Article is as it were a kind of Explication of that which goes before concerning One Holy Catholic Church For the Unity of that Spirit by which she is govern'd causes that whatsoever the Church has is Common For the Fruit and Benefit of all the Sacraments belongs to all the Faithful by which Sacraments as by Sacred Bands they are coupl'd and joyn'd with Christ
and above all by Baptism by which as by the Door Aug. lib. 9. contr Faust. c. 11. we enter into the Church Now that by this Communion of Saints we ought to understand the Communion of Sacraments the Fathers signifie in this Creed by these words Damasc lib. 4. de Fide Orthodox c. 12. I confess one Baptism But after Baptism first follows the Eucharist and then the other Saraments For tho this name be suitable to all the other Sacraments since they joyn us to God and make us partakers of him whose Grace we receive yet it is more proper to the Eucharist which makes this Communion But there is another Communion in the Church to be consider'd For whatsoever things are piously and holily perfom'd by One these things belong to All and by Charity which seeks not her own they are made profitable to them This is well prov'd by the Testimony of S. Ambrose S. Ambros in Ps 118. Serm. 1 v. 69 who explaining that place of the Psalm I am a Partner of all them that seek thee says thus As we say that the Member is a Partaker of the whole Body so is he that is a Partner with them that fear God Wherefore Christ has taught us this Form of Prayer Matt. 6. to say Our Bread not mine and the rest after the same manner not taking care for our selves only but for the salvation and profit of all But now this Communication of good things is XXVI A singular Similitude in Holy Scripture often represented by a fit Similitude taken from the Members of the Body of Man for in the Body there are many Members But tho they are Many yet they make but One Body in which all the Members discharge each their own proper Office and not all the same Office 〈◊〉 12.15 Nor have they all the same Dignity to execute alike the useful and comely functions nor do they seek each its own profit but the commodity and conveniency of the whole Body And then they are all so fitly knit together among themselves that if one be griev'd the rest also by Consent and Nearness of Nature do grieve and on the contrary if one be well dispos'd all the rest rejoyce with it The same thing we may contemplate in the Church in which tho there be divers Members to wit various Nations of Jews and Gentiles Bond and Free Poor and Rich yet when by Baptism they are initiated they are made one Body with Christ whereof he is the Head Moreover in this Church is assign'd to every one his own Office Note for as there were plac'd in it some Apostles some Teachers but all for the public benefit so it is the Office of some to Rule and to Teach and of others to Obey and to be Subject But then they only reap the Benefit of those so many and so great Functions Note and good things thus appointed by God who lead a Christian Life in Charity and are just and dear to God But the dead Members XXVII What benefit of the Communion of Saints they are depriv'd of who are in mortal sin Aug. in Ps 70. Serm. 2. to wit those who are as it were bound in wickedness and estrang'd from the Grace of God are not depriv'd of this Good so as to cease to be Members of this Body but being dead they perceive not that spiritual Fruit and Advantage which just and pious Men have and yet seeing that they are in the Church they are assisted towards the recovery of that Grace and Life which they had lost by those who live spiritually and receive those benefits which there can be no doubt that they are void of who are altogether cut off from the Church Nor are those Gifts common only which render men just and dear to God XXVIII Grace fro Grace are common Gifts but there is also given Grace for Grace among which is reckon'd Knowledg Prophecy and the Gift of Tongues and Miracles and the rest of that sort which Gifts are also granted to the Wicked not for Private but Publick Advantage to the Edification of the Church For the Gift of Healing is given not for his sake who has the Gift but for the Sick Mans sake who is to be healed And indeed a Christian has nothing in possession which he ought not to reckon as common to himself and all others And therefore they ought to be ready and prepar'd to relieve the Miseries of the Needy for he that has such kind of Goods and sees his Brother in want 1 Joh. 3.17 and will not help him he is plainly convin'd to have none of the Love of God in him Which things seeing they are so it is manifest enough that those who are in this Holy Communion enjoy a kind of Happiness and can truly say Ps 83. Ps 33. O how lovely are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soul longs and even faints for the Courts of the Lord and Blessed are they which dwell in thy House O Lord ARTICLE X. The Forgiveness of Sins There is no One I. The Belief of this Article necessary to Salvation who when he sees this Article Of the Forgiveness of Sins number'd among the other Articles of Faith can doubt not only that there is some Divine Mystery but also that there is something very necessary to the attaining Salvation contain'd in it For as was said before Without a certain belief of those things which in the Creed are propos'd to be believ'd there can be no entrance to any Body to Christian Piety But if that which of it self ought to be known of all Men seems fit to be confirm'd by some Testimony that surely will be sufficient which our Savior a little before his Ascension into Heaven witness'd concerning this matter when he open'd the Understanding of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Luc. 24.46 It behov'd says he Christ to suffer and to rise again the third day from the dead and that in his name Penance and Remission of sins should be preach'd to all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Which words if the Curats consider II. The Curats Duty in explaining this Article they will easily perceive That there lies upon them a great Necessity and Charge from the Lord of diligently explaining this Article especially when the other things which belong to Religion are to be taught It is the Curats Duty therefore as to this Point to teach not only that Forgiveness of Sins may be had in the Catholic Church of which Esayah prophesi'd Isa 33.24 Aug. Hom. 49. c. 3. Iniquity shall be taken away from the people which dwell in her but also that in her there is a power of Forgiving Sins Which if the Priests use aright Let the confessors observe this and according to the Laws prescrib'd by Christ our Lord it must be believ'd That Sins are truly forgiven and pardon'd But this Pardon III. In Baptism there is
our Wickedness by the Blood of his only begotten Son so that he freely endur'd the Punishment which for our sins we had deserv'd and the Just was condemn'd for the Unjust the Innocent was put to a most bitter death for the Guilty Wherefore when we seriously consider with our selves 1 Pet. 1.18 19. That we were not redeem'd with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot or blemish we shall easily conclude that nothing could possibly come to us more advantagious than this power of forgiving sins which shews the unutterable of Providence of God and his exceeding Love towards us And from this consideration it must needs be X. Mortal Sin how great an Evil. that a mighty advantage redound to us For he that offends God by any mortal Sin whatsoever Merits he before had by the Death of Christ and his Cross he straightway loses all and the Gate of Paradice which before being shut our Savior by his Passion has open'd to all he has shut again against himself Which when we remember we cannot chuse but that the consideration of Mans Misery will extreamly grieve us But if we bend our mind to this admirable Power which God has given to his Church and being confirm'd in the Faith of this Article believe that this Power is offer'd to every one so that being assisted by Gods help he may be restor'd to his former state of dignity then are we forc'd with the highest joy and gladness to exult and give immortal Thanks to God And truly if those Medicines are us'd to seem welcome and pleasant which the skilful and careful Physitian prepares for us when we are sick how much more pleasant ought those remedies to be which the Wisdom of God has appointed for the cure of our Souls and consequently for the recovery of Life and especially when they carry with them not a weak doubtful Hope of Health as those Medicines do which are apply'd to the Body but when they bring most certain Health to those who desire to be heal'd The Faithful therefore are to be admonish'd XI The Benefit of Remission of Sin diligently to be us'd after they have known the dignity of so ample and so excellent a Gift that they study religiously to convert it to their own advantage For it can hardly be that he who makes no use of a thing that is profitable and necessary can be suppos'd not to despise it and specially seeing the Lord has deliver'd to his Church this Power of forgiving sins to this end that all might use this wholsome remedy For as no one without Baptism can be expiated or cleans'd so whosoever is minded to recover the Grace of Baptism which he lost by mortal sin must necessarily betake himself to that other kind of expiation to wit the Sacrament of Penance But here the Faithful are to be warn'd XII The Easiness of obtaining Pardon not to be abus'd Aug. in Joan. Tract 33. lib. 50. Hom. 41. Amb. lib. 2. de poenit c. 1.2 11. that hearing of so large a Power of Pardon and that it is not to be limited to any term of Time not to take encouragement either to sin the more readily or to repent the more slowly For since by the one they are manifestly discover'd to be injurious to and to affront this Divine Power they are unworthy that God should bestow any Mercy upon them and by the other it is much to be fear'd lest being overtaken by Death in vain they confess the Forgiveness of Sins which by their sloth and putting off they have deservedly lost ARTICLE XI THe Resurrection of the Body That this Article has a great influence to establish the truth of our Faith I. How necessary the Belief of this Article This does abundantly evidence that it is propos'd to the Belief of the Faithful not only by the Holy Scriptures but is confirm'd by many reasons also Which since we see it not done in the other Articles of the Creed we may perceive that the Hope of our Salvation is grounded herein as on a most foundation as the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 15.14 If there be no Resurrection of the dead then is not Christ risen again but if Chrst be not risen again then is Our Preaching vain and your Faith is vain In explaining hereof therfore the Curat shall take no less pains and care than the wickedness of many has labour'd to overthrow it For that great and excellent advantages redound to the use of the Faithful by the knowledge hereof will by and by be shew'd But first of all this is to be noted II. Why the Resurrection of Men call'd the Resurrection of the Flesh That in this Article the Resurrection of Men is call'd the Resurrection of the Flesh. And this is not done without good reason For the Apostles would teach what is necessarily to be suppos'd That the Soul is immortal Wherefore lest any one might think that the Soul dy's together with the Body and that Both were to be restor'd to life again seeing that by many places of Holy Scripture it is plainly manifest that the Soul is immortal for this reason in this Article there is mention made of the Resurrection of the Flesh only And tho frequently in Holy Scripture the word Flesh signifies the whole man as in Esaias Isay 40.8 All Flesh is grass and in S. John The word was made Flesh Yet in this place the word Flesh signifies the Body that we may understand that of the Two Parts Soul and Body of which Man is made the One only to wit the Body is corrupted and returns into the Dust of the Earth out of which it was made that the Sout remains uncorrupt But then whereas none can be restor'd to Life III. The Soul not said to rise again 2 Tim. 2.14 unless he had been first dead the Soul is not properly said to rise again And there is mention made of the Flesh to confute that Heresie which during the Apostles life was Hymenaeus and Philetus's who taught that when in Holy Scripture mention was made of the Resurrection it was not to be understood of a Resurrection of the Body but of the soul whereby we rise from the death of sin to an innocent life From these words therefore it is plain that this error is taken away and the true Resurrection of the Body is confirm'd But it is the Curates Part to illustrate and clear this Truth by Examples taken out of the Old and New Testaments IV. How the Resurrection of the Flesh is to be prov'd and out of all other Church Histories For some were restor'd to life by Elilijah and Elisha in the Old Testament others besides those which Christ our Lord rais'd from death by the Holy Apostles and many others 3 Reg. 17.19 4 Reg. 4.34 which Resurrection of many confirms the Doctrine of this Article
For as we believe that many were rais'd from death so must we believe that all shall be call'd again to life But that singular fruit which we ought to gather from Miracles of this kind Mat. 9.24 is this that we give the most certain belief to this Article There are many testimonies which even those Curates which are but indifferently skill'd in the Holy Scriptures may easily meet with but those places which are more clear in the Old Testament Job 19.25 are those we read in Job when he says that in his Flesh he shall see God and in Daniel concerning those who sleep in the dust of the earth Dan. 12.2 That some of them should awake to life everlasting and others to everlasting disgrace And in the New Testament Mar. 22.31 what S. Mathew relates of the dispute our Saviour had with the Sadducees besides what the Evangelists tell us of the last Judgment And hither is to be referr'd what the Apostle has exactly discours'd in his Epistle to the Corinthians and Thessalonians But tho to Faith this thing be most certain V. Similitudes where by the Resurrection is clear'd yet it will be very profitable both by Examples and Reasons to shew that That which Faith offers to be believ'd is not strange to Nature or Humane Understanding and therefore the Apostle to him that asks how the dead should rise again answers 1 Cor. 13.36 Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickn'd except it dye first and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body which shall be but bare grain perhaps of wheat or some other grain but God gives it a body as it has pleas'd him And a little after he says it is sown in corruption it shall rise in incorruption There may be many other similitudes of the like kind added S. Greg. lib. 14. moral c. 21 29 30. as S. Gregory shews For the Light says he is daily as it were by Dying withdrawn from our Eyes and as by Rising again it is recall'd again and that Trees lose their greenness and again as by a kind of Resurrection they are repair'd and the Seed by putrifying dies and again by springing it rises again Besides VI. The Resurrection prov'd by Reason The First Those reasons which are brought by Ecclesiastical Writers seem to be sufficiently accommodated or suited to this matter And first since the Souls are immortal and as a part of Man have a natural propensity or inclination to the humane Bodies it may be thought praeternatural that they should for ever remain separate from their Bodies But because that which is against Nature The Second as being Violent cannot last long it seems agreeable that at last they should be joyn'd with their Bodies Whence it also follows that there will be a Resurrection of the Bodies Which kind of argument our Savior seems to have us'd Mat. 22.32 when disputing against the Sadducees he concluded that there would be a Resurrection of the Body from the Immortality of the Soul And seeing that there are Punishments propos'd by the most just God to the Wicked The Third Damasc l 4. de fide Orthod c. 28. Amb. lib. de fide Resur S. Chrisost hom 49. 50. and Rewards to the Good and that of the one sort very many depart out of this world before they have suffer'd their due punishments and of the other sort in a great measure without the rewards of their vertues it must needs be that the Soul be again joyn'd with the Body that so either for the wickedness committed or for the good they have done the Body which man uses as a Companion in sin may together with the Soul be either punish'd or rewarded Which Point has been excellently handled by S. Chrysostom in his Homilie to the People of Antioch Wherefore the Apostle discoursing of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.19 If says he in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable Which words none has thought applicable to the Soul which being immortal tho the Body should not rise again might nevertheless enjoy Happiness in the life to come but they are meant of the whole Man For unless the Body were to be rewarded for her labour it must needs follow that those who as the Apostles did have endur'd so many afflictions and calamities in this life would be of all men most miserable The same thing he much more plainly teaches in these words to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 1.4 We glory in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which ye endure for an example of the just judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye suffer if yet it be just with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to us who are troubl'd rest with you at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire taking vingeance on them who have not known God and who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Add also The Fourth that men cannot so long as the Soul is separated from the Body enjoy compleat Happiness and full fraught with all good things For as every part being separated from the whole is imperfect so also is the Soul which is disjoyn'd from the Body Whence it follows that the Resurrection of the Body is necessary to make the Souls Happiness compleat It will be further necessary diligently to teach from the Apostles Doctrine VII The different condition of those that rise again 1 Cor. 15 22. Joh. 5.20 who they are that shall be rais'd to life For writing to the Corinthians he says As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive All difference and distinction therefore of Good and Bad being laid aside All shall shall rise again from the dead tho the Condition of All will not be alike those that have done Good shall rise to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Judgment But when we say All VIII We shall all rise again S. Hier. Ep. 152. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 20. c. 20. 1 Thes 4.16 in 1 Epist ad Thes c. 4. we mean as well those who shall be dead before the coming of the judgment as those who shall then dye For that the Church does acquiesce in this Sentence or Opinion which affirms that All shall dye none excepted and that this sense is most agreable to Truth S. Hierom has written and S. Austin conceives the same Nor are the Apostles words which he wrote to the Thessalonians against this sense The dead which are in Christ shall rise first and then we that are left alive shall be caught up with them in the Clouds to meet Christ in the air For. S. Ambrose explaining this place says thus In that
very rapture Death shall seize us and as it were by a deep Sleep so soon as the Soul goes out it shall return in a moment for when they shall be carry'd up they shall dye that coming to the Lord at the Lords presence they may receive their Souls because with the Lord they cannot be dead And the same Opinion is approv'd by the Authority of S. Austin lib. 20. c. 20. in his Books concerning the City of God Seeing therefore it much concerns us to be throughly perswaded that this very and therefore the same Body which is each of our own tho it be corrupted and reduc'd to Ashes yet that it shall be rais'd to Life the Curate shall diligently undertake to teach this point This is the Apostles meaning when he says This corruptible must put on incorruption 1 Cor. 13.25 plainly shewing by the word This every ones own proper Body Job also has most clearly propheci'd hereof Job â—9 26 And in my flesh says he shall I see God whom I my self shall see and my Eyes shall behold and not another This very thing is gather'd from the Definition of the Resurrection Damasâ—n l. 4. de Fide Oâ—â—h â— 28. For the Resurrection as Damascen defines it is a Recalling back to the state from which you fell Lastly if we consider for what reason there will be a Resurrection as a little before has been shew'd 1 Cor. 5.10 we shall have no ground to doubt of this matter For therefore as we have taught will the Body be rais'd again that every one might give an account of his own works done in the Body whether Good or Evil. Man therefore must rise again with that very Body with the help whereof he has serv'd God or the Devil that with the same Body he might either receive his reward and Crown of Victory or else endure the most miserable pains and punishments Nor will the Body only rise again IX In what state the Body shall rise again S. Aug. l 22. de Civit. Dei c. 19 20 21. â—â—ch c. 86 87 88 89. Hier. Ep st 59. 6â— but whatsoever does belong to the Truth of its Nature and to the comliness and ornament of Man shall be restor'd Very excellent is the Testimony of S. Austin in this matter There shall then be no deformity or fault in our Bodies if any have been loaded or grown unweildy with Fat he shall not assume that Load of his Body but whatsoever exceeds the true measure thereof will be accounted supertiuous And on the contrary whatsoever either Sickness or Old Age has done in the Body shall by Christ's Divine Power be repair'd as if any have been overpin'd and made thin by Leanness baecause Christ not only has repair'd our Body but whatsover elses has been taken from us through the Miseries of this life And in another place S. Aug. Enâ—h c. 89. Man shall not have again that Hair which he had but that which would best become him according to that The hairs of your head are all number'd which according to the Divine Wisdom shall be repair'd And first X None mâ—â—'d after the Resurrection All the Members because they belong to the Truth of Humane Nature shall be restor'd together for those who were Blind even from their very Birth or by any Disease had lost their Sight the Lame and the Creeples and those who were impotent in any of their Members shall rise again with intire and perfect Bodies for otherwise the Desire of the Soul which is prone to conjunction with the Body would be dissatisfi'd whose desire notwithstanding in the Resurrection we believe without doubt shall be fulfill'd Besides it is sufficiently apparent that the Resurrection no less than the Creation is to be reckon'd among the Special works of God As therefore in the beginning of the Creation all things were made perfect by God so also we must affirm that it will be in the Resurrection Nor ought this to be allow'd concerning the Martyrs only XI Scars of the Martyrs wounds will remain after the Resurrection to their Glory but of the Wicked to their Msery S. Aug. lib. 22 de Civit. Dei c. 20. of whom S. Austin thus testifies They will not be without their Members for Martyrs that Dismembring which they suffer'd can be no blemish to the Body otherwise they who are Beheaded should rise again without a Head but yet in the parts of those Members shall remain the Scars of the Sword shining far above the Gold and Pretious Stones even as do the Scars of Christ's Wounds And this also is truly said of the Wicked tho their Members were cut off by their own fault for by how much the more Members they shall have with so much the more bitter Torment of Grief shall they be loaded Wherefore this restitution of Members will redound not to their Happiness but to their Calamity and Misery when their Merits will not be ascrib'd to the particular Members but to the Person to whose Body they were joyn'd For to those who have done Penance they shall be restor'd to be Rewarded but to those who neglected it to be punish'd Now if these things be seriously consider'd by the Curats they will never want Sentences and matter enough to stir up and inflame the minds of the Faithful to the study of Piety that considering the Troubles and Afflictions of this Life they may earnestly long for that blessed Glory of the Resurrection which is propos'd to the Just and Pious Now it remains that the Faithful understand XII The Body will rise again immortal in the consideration of those things which constitute or make up the substance of the Body altho that very same Body shall be rais'd from the dead which before dy'd yet the Condition thereof shall be far different For to omit other things all the Bodies at the Resurrection shall differ from themselves very much in this thing that whereas before they were subject to Death after their Resurrection to Life they shall all be Immortal without any difference of Good and Bad. And this admirable Restitution of Nature Christs famous Victory has merited XIII Whence our Bodys made immortal Esa 25.8 Oâ—c 13.14 1 Cor. 15.26 Apoc. 21.4 Apoc. 9.4 which he got over Death as the Holy Scripture testifies for it is written He shall throw down Death headlong for ever And elsewhere O Death I will be thy death Which the Apostle explaining says In the last place The enemy Death shall be destroy'd And we read in S. John Death shall be no more For it was very fit that by Christ's merit whereby the power of Death was overthrown the Sin of Adam at the long run should be overpower'd And it was agreeable to the same Divine Justice That the Good should for ever enjoy a bless'd Life And the Bad suffering eternal Torments should seek for Death but should not find it Should wish to dye but
under these words II. What the Discipline of this Article is which in this place are us'd to declare our Happiness very many Mysteries lye closely hid they are so to be open'd that according to every mans capacity they may be clear'd The Faithful therefore are to be admonish'd That in these words Life Everlasting is signifi'd as well that Blessedness which satisfies the desire of the Bless'd as the Perpetuity of Life which the Devils and Wicked Men shall 1 also have Luc. 18.27 Matt 19.29 25.46 Aug. de Civ Dei l. 19. c 11 and so that Lawyer conceiv'd who in the Gospel asked of our Lord and Savior What he should do to possess everlasting Life as if he had said What must I do that I may come to that place where I may enjoy perfect felicity In this sense the Holy Scripture understands these words as may be gather'd from many places But by This name especially that most excellent Blessedness is call'd lest any one should think that it consists in corporeal and transitory things which cannot be Everlasting For neither could this word Blessedness sufficiently express what was design'd especially seeing there have not been wanting Men puffed up with an opinion of a vain kind of Wisdom who have plac'd the Chiefest Good in those things which are perceiv'd by the Senses For these things perish and grow old But Blessedness is to be limited by no term of Time yea rather these earthly things are farthest from true Happiness from which he is gone far away who is held with the Love and Desire of the World for it is written 1 Joh. 2.15 ibid. 17. 1 Pet. 2.11 Love not the World nor the Things of the World if any one love the World the Love of the Father is not in him And a little after The World passes away and the Concupiscence thereof These things therefore the Curats shall take diligent care to impress upon the minds of the Faithful that they may resolve to despise mortal things and know that in This life where we are not Citizens but Strangers they can have no Happiness Tho here also we may rightly be said to be Happy in Hope Tit. 2.13 If denying Vngodliness and worldly Desires we live soberly justly and godly in this World waiting for that blessed Hope and the coming of the Glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ These things when many who seem'd very wise understood not and thought that in This Life Happiness was to be sought they became Fools Rom. 1.2 and fell into the greatest Calamities But besides IV. Bliss must needs be Everlasting by Vertue of these words The Life Everlasting we perceive that Happiness once gotten can never be lost as some falsely have suppos'd for Happiness is made up of all kinds of Good without any mixture of evil Which seeing it satisfies the desire of Man it must necessarily consist in Eternal Life For neither can a Bless'd Man chuse but greatly desire forever to enjoy those good things which he has gotten Wherefore unless that Possession be sure and settl'd it must needs be troubl'd with an exceeding torment of Fear See S. Austin de Civit Dei lib. 12. c. 20. lib. 22. c. 29. 30. de libero arbit c. 15. de verb. Domini serm 64. serm 37 de Sanctis But how great the Happiness of the Bless'd who live in their Heavenly Country V. Everlasting Bliss cannot be express'd by Words is and that it can be comprehended unless merely in name by themselves only these very words which we name when we say The Bless'd Life sufficiently shew For if when to express any thing we use that name which is common to many other things we easily perceive that we want a proper name whereby plainly to express the thing When therefore Happiness is there signifi'd in words which suit no better with the Bless'd than with all the rest that live for ever this is an argument to us That there is some higher and more excellent thing which passes our Reason to signifie it perfectly by any proper name For tho in Holy Scripture there are very many other names given to this Heavenly Happiness such as are The Kingdom of God of Christ of Heaven Paradice the Holy City the New Jerusalem the House of our Father Yet it is plain that there is none of them all sufficient to explain the Greatness of it Wherefore the Curats may not pretermit the occasion offer'd them in this place VI. The force of this Article to perswade to Piety of inviting the Faithful by so ample rewards as are signified in these words Life Everlasting to Piety Justice and all Offices of Christian Religion For it is manifest that Life is us'd to be reckon'd among the greatest Goods of Nature and in this Good chiefly when we say The Life Everlasting is Blessedness said to be Now if we love nothing more if there be nothing more dear or more sweet to us than this slender and miserable Life which is subject to so many and so manifold Miseries that it may more truly be call'd a Death with what intention of mind with what earnestness ought we to seek after that Everlasting Life which being freed from all evils has a perfect and absolute supply of all good things For as the Holy Fathers have taught Chrysost in 30 c p. ad Theo. l. lapsum Aug. de Civit. Dei lib 22. c. 30. Aâ—se'm Ep. 2. de simil c. 47. seq Apoc 7.16 Ibid. 21.4 Serm. 64. de verb. Domini de Sâ—mb ad Catech. The Happiness of Eternal Life is to be defin'd A Freedom from all Evil and an enjoyment of all Good Of the Evil these Testimonies of Holy Scripture are very clear It is written in the Apocalyps or Revelation They shall hunger and thirst no more nor shall the Sun or the Heat fall upon them And again God shall wipe away every Tear from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death nor Sorrow nor Crying nor Grief because the first things are past away But then the Glory of the Bless'd will be boundless and the kinds of solid joy and pleasure will be innumerable The greatness of which Glory since our Understandings cannot conceive and since they can by no means enter into our Minds it is needsul that we enter into it to wit into the joy of our Lord that being every way compass'd about with it we may abundantly satiate the desire of our Heart But tho lib. 3. ult as S. Austin writes it seems more easie to number up the Evils we shall want than the Goods and Pleasures we shall enjoy yet it must be endeavored briefly and clearly to explain those things which may inflame the Faithful with the desire of getting this most excellent Happiness But first it is necessary to use this distinction VII Bliss twofold Essential Accidental which we have learn'd from the
to be given because with the benefit thereof our Soul is consecrated and joyn'd to God Wherefore to shew more fully what a Sacrament is X. A more full explication of a Sacrament it should be taught that it is a thing subject to Sense which by Gods appointment has vertue both to signifie and to work holiness and righteousness Whence it follows that any one may easily understand that the Images of the Saints Crosses and such like things tho they are Signs of Holy Things yet they are not to be call'd Sacraments Now the truth of this Doctrin it will be easie to prove by the example of all the Sacraments as before we observ'd of Baptism when we said that That solemn washing of the Body is a Sign and has the efficacy of a Holy Thing which is inwardly wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost any one may do the same thing in the other Sacraments But then this also specially belongs to these mystical Signs XI Every Sacrament signifies at least three things Present Grace the Passion of Christ and Life Everlasting which are instituted of God that by Gods appointment they signifie not any one thing only but more things together Which thing may be seen in all the Sacraments which shew not only our Holiness and Righteousness but declare two other things besides very nearly joyn'd with that Holiness to wit Christ our Redeemer's Passion which is the cause of our Holiness and Life Everlasting and the Bliss of Heaven to which our Holiness ought to be referr'd as to the End And this may be observ'd in all the Sacraments Rightly have the Holy Doctors taught that every Sacrament has in it a threefold vertue of signifying both because it brings to remembrance something already past and because it points at and shews another thing present and also because it foreshews something yet to come Nor is it to be suppos'd that these things have been thus taught of them as that it cannot be prov'd by testimony of Holy Scripture For when the Apostle says Rom 6.3 As many of us as have bin baptiz'd in Christ Jesus have bin baptiz'd in his death he plainly shews that Baptism is therefore to be call'd a Sign because it puts us in mind of the Death and Passion of our Lord. And then when he says We are bury'd together with him by Baptism into Death that as Christ rose again from the dead by the glory of the Father so also should we walk in newness of life From these words it is plain that Baptism is a Sign whereby the Divine Grace is shew'd to be pour'd into us by verture whereof is given to us that leading a new life we can easily and cheerfully perform all Offices of true Piety Lastly Rom. 6.5 when he adds For if we are planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also of his Resurrection it appears that Baptism has no dark signification of the Life Everlasting also which through it we shall obtain But besides these XII A Sacrament â—ometimes signifies not one thing only present divers kinds and ways of signifying which we have mention'd it oft happens that a Sacrament shews and notes not One thing only as present but more This is easie to be observ'd by any that consider the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist Wherein is signifi'd the presence of the true Body and Blood of the Lord which those who receive those Holy Mysteries not impurely do perceive From what has been said therefore the Pastors cannot want Arguments whereby to shew How great a Divine Power how many hidden Miracles are in the Sacraments of the New Law to prevail with all to revernce them and receive them with the greatest Devotioâ— But to teach the true use of the Sacraments XIII for what reason the Sacraments were instituted there can nothing seem more proper than diligently to explain the Reasons Why it was needful the Sacraments should be instituted Of these there are many Whereof the First is The First The weakness of Human Vnderstanding which by nature we see to be so fram'd that no One can aspire to the knowledg of those things which are comprehended by the mind and understanding unless by those things which are perceiv'd by some sense That therefore we might the more easily understand those things which are wrought by the hidden power of God the same supream Maker of all things has most wisely order'd that of his Good-will towards us he declares that very Power by some Signs which fall under some Sense For as S. Chrysostom excellently says Chrysost hom 83. in Matt. hom 60. ad pop Antioch If Man were but free from the conjunction of the Body those goon things would be offer'd him naked and not wrapp'd up in coverings But because the Soul is joyn'd with the Body it was altogether needful to use the help of sensible things to understand them Another Reason is The Second Aug l. 4. de Baptis con tra c. 24. Because our Minds are not easily wrought upon to believe those things which are promis'd us And therefore from the very beginning of the World God has bin us'd very frequently to shew by Words what he intended to do and sometimes also when he intended any work the Greatness whereof might shake the Belief of the Promise he add'd to the words some Signs alsso which had a kind of miracle in them sometimes For when God sent Moses to deliver the people of Israel Exod. 3.10 Exod. 3.42 but he not being assur'd of Gods assistance who sent him fear'd lest too heavy a burden should be laid upon him which he could not be able to hear or lest the people would not give credit to the Divine Oracles and Sayings The Lord confirm'd his promise by a great variety of Signs As therefore in the Old Testament God so ordered it that the Constancy or Truth of some great Promise might be testified by Signs so also â—n the New Law our Savior Christ when he promis'd us Forgiveness of Sins Heavenly Grace the Communion of the Holy Ghost instituted some certain Signs subject to our Eys and Senses by which as by pledges we might esteem him as it were oblig'd and so for the future might never doubt of the Faithfulness of the Promise A Third Reason was The Third â— mâ— .. â— de Saâ—â— â— 4. as S. Ambrose writes That the Soul might have ready at hand the remedies and medicines as it were of the Evangelical Samaritan for the recovery and preservation of her Health For the vertue which flows from Christ's Passion i. e. the Grace which he merited for us upon the Altar of the Cross must be deriv'd upon our selves by the Sacraments as it were by certain Pipes otherwise no one can have any hope of Salvation Wherefore our most merciful Lord would leave in his Church Sacraments firmly establish'd by his Word and Promise by which
call to mind how he has by solemn promise oblig'd himself to God when he was initiated in Baptism and will also consider with himself whether in his Life and Conversation he has behav'd himself in such a manner as the very Profession of Christianity obliges and undertakes That therefore what is to be taught III. What the Name Batism signifies Eight kinds of Baptism See Damass lib. 4. de fide Orthod 10 might be made the more intelligible it must be declar'd what the Nature and Substance of Baptism is after that the signification of the word Baptism shall have bin explain'd There is none who know not that Baptism is a Greek word which tho in Holy Scripture it signifies not only that Washing or Cleansing which is joyn'd with this Sacrament but even all other kinds of Washing yea and sometimes is extended to signifie Suffering also Yet among Church-Writers it signifies not every kind of Washing of the Body but that which is annext to the Sacrament and is not ministred without the prescrib'd Form of Words which signification the Apostles by the Institution of Christ frequently made use of Now the Holy Fathers made use of other names also to signifie the same thing For S. Austin testifies that it was call'd the Sacrament of Faith IV. By what other names the Sacrament of Baptism is call'd D. Aug. Epist 25. in sin Heb. 10.15 because they who receiv'd it made profession of the Faith or Belief of the whole Christian Religion Others call'd this Sacrament Illumination because the heart is illuminated by the Faith we profess in Baptism For thus says the Apostle Remember the former days wherein being illuminated ye underwent a great fight of sufferings to wit signifying when they were Baptiz'd Besides S. Chry. 10.5 Chrysostom in his Oration to those who were baptiz'd calls it both a Purgation whereby through Baptism we purge away the Old Leven that we may be a New Lump and a Burying and a Planting and Christ's Cross The reason of all which Names may be gather'd from the Epistle to the Romans And why S. Denys call'd it the Beginning of the most Holy Commandments S. Dionys de Eccl. Hier. c. 2. is evident seeing that this Sacrament is the Gate as it were through which we enter into the fellowship of Christian Life and from thenceforth begin to obey Gods commands and this will suffice briefly to be taught concerning the Name of Baptism Of the various Names of Baptism See Greg. Naz. Orat. in Sancta Lumina Clem. Alex. lib. 1. Paedag. c. 6. But as to the Definition of the Thing Tho there may many others be gather'd out of Sacred Writers V. The Definition of Baptism yet That seems more fit and suitable which we may learn from our Lords own words in S. John's Gospel and from the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And the Apostle when he spake of the Church Ephes 5.26 Cleansing her in the Laver of Water in the Word For through Adam by nature we are born the Children of Wrath but by Baptism we are born again in Christ the Children of Grace For he gave power to men to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.13 even to them that believe in his Name who are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the wiâ—l of man but of God But in what words soever the nature of Baptism chances to be explain'd VI. How the Sacrament of Baptism is made the people are to be taught That this Sacrament is made by Washing with which according to the institution of our Lord and Saviour must needs be us'd certain and solemn words as the Holy Fathers have always taught as is shew'd by the plain testimony of S. Austin The Word is added to the Element and so the Sacrament is made But the Faithful must be carefully taught An Error to be mark'd not to fall into that Error not to think as it is vulgarly us'd to be said that That Water which is kept in the Holy Font to make the Sacrament is the Sacrament For then only is it to be call'd the Sacrament of Baptism when in truth we use Water to wash any one adding those words which were instituted by our Lord. Of this see Chrysost hom 24. in Joan. Aug. l. 6. contra Donatist c. 25. Conc. Florent Trid. item August Tract 80. in Joan. Now because in the Beginning when we spake of Sacraments in general VII The Matter of Bap â—â—m is natural Water we said that every Sacrament consists of Matter and Form therefore what each of these is in the Sacrament of Baptism must be declar'd by the Pastors The Matter therefore or the Element of this Sacrament is any kind of natural Water whether of the Sea or the River or a Pond or a Well or a Fountain that is us'd to be call'd Water without any adjunct Joh 3.5 For our Savior has taught Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God â— h. 2.26 and the Apostle says That the Church was cleans'd by the Laver of Water And we read in the Epistle of S. John 1 Joh. 5.8 There are Three which bear record in Earth The Spirit the Water and the Bloodâ— this may be prov'd also from other testimonies of Holy Scipture But that which S. John the Baptist said Maâ— 3. that the Lord was coming that would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire this can by no means be understood of the Matter of Baptism but ought to be apply'd either to the inward working of the Holy Ghost or at least to the Miracle which appear'd on the day of Pentecost Act. 2.3 when the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven upon the Apostles in the likeness of Fire whereof in another place Christ our Lord foretold Act. 1.5 John indeed baptiz'd with Water but ye shall be baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost not many days hence But this we may observe from the Holy Scriptures to have bin signifi'd before-hand by the Lord VIII The Matter of Baptism figur'd in the Old Testament Gen. 6.5 2 Pet. 3.10 both in Figures and in the Oracles of the Prophets For the Flood whereby the World was cleans'd because the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and all the thoughts of his heart wholly set upon evil carri'd the Figure and Resemblance of This Water as the Prince of Apostles in his former Epistle shews And the Passage through the Red-Sea signifi'd this Water 1 Cor. 10.1 as S. Paul writing to the Corinthians expounds it 4 Reg 5.24 to omit the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian and the admirable virtue of the Pool of Bethsaiday Job 5.2 and many others of the like kind Wherein it plainly appears
and undertakes to lead a new way and manner of Life it is but just not to grant Baptism to any one that is unwilling to receive it or that refuses it but to them only who chearfully and freely receive it Wherefore by Holy Tradition it has bin receiv'd Aug. de poen Mediâ— c. 2. D. Thom. 2. p. q. 68. sect 7. and always observ'd Not to administer Baptism to any before he be ask'd whether he wills it Nay even in Children and Infants it must be suppos'd that that Will is not wanting Since the Will of the Church which answers for them is not obscure Besides Madmen and Furious XXXIX Wheter Mad persons ought to be baptiz'd and when D. Thom. 3.3 p. q. 86. art 12. who being sometimes in their Wits and then falling again into Madness have at that time no Will to receive Baptism are not to be baptiz'd unless there be danger of Life But when they are in such danger of Life if before they began to fall mad they gave any Tokens of their Will to be baptiz'd they are to be baptiz'd Note .. But if not we must abstain from administring it to such The same thing ought to be judg'd of them that sleep But if they never were in a sound mind so that they had no use of Reason they are to be baptiz'd in the Faith of the Church no otherwise than Children are who want reason as both the Authority and Practice of the Church sufficiently declare But besides the Will of Baptism XL. Three things requir'd in Adult persons to be baptiz'd Faith Penance and a Purpose to forsake sin Marc. 16.19 Faith also is very necessary to attain the Grace of that Sacrament for the same reason as was said concerning the Will For our Lord and Savior has taught He that believes and is baptiz'd shall be sav'd And then there is need that every one repent of his Sins and of his ill-spent life and resolve for the future to abstain from all sin For otherwise he that desires Baptism so as that he will not amend his custom of sinning is by all means to be rejected for there is nothing so contrary to the Grace and Vertue of Baptism as the Mind and Purpose of those is who never put to themselves an end of sinning Seeing therefore that Baptism is to be desir'd for this end that we might put on Christ and be joyn'd with him it is plainly manifest that he is deservedly to be rejected from Holy Baptism who purposes to persevere in sin and Vice Note But especially because none of all those things which belong to Christ and his Church are to be undertaken in vain And we know well enough if we consider the Grace of Righteousness and Salvation that Baptism will be in vain to him who purposes to live according to the Flesh Rom. 8.1 and not according to the Spirit Altho as to the Sacrament it self without all doubt he does receive the perfect Reason thereof only if so be when he is rightly baptiz'd he purposes to receive what by Holy Church is administr'd Wherefore the Prince of Apostles answer'd to that great multitude which as the Scripture says being prick'd at the Heart Act. 2.50 ask'd of him and the rest of the Apostles what they should do Do Penance says he and be baptiz'd every one of you And in another place Do Penance and be converted that your sins may be blotted out And S. Paul writing to the Romans plainly shews him who is baptiz d that by all means he ought to dye to sin and therefore he warns us not to yield our members as weapons of iniquity to sin but to yield our selves to God as those that are risen from the Dead Now if the Faithful often meditate on these things XLI How profitable this Doctrine of Baptism is they will be compell'd earnestly to admire that infinite goodness of God who being led by his own mercy only has bestow'd so singular and so divine a benefit upon them who deserv'd no such matter And then when they put before their Eyes how free their life ought to be from every crime who are adorn'd with so great a gift They will easily understand that this is first of all requir'd of Christians to study to lead every day of their Life so holily and religiously as if that very day they had receiv'd the Sacrament and grace of Baptism Altho to inflame their Souls with the study of true Piety there can be nothing more profitable than for the Pastors diligently to explain what the Effects of Baptism are Of these things therefore because it must often be treated XLII The Effects of Baptism The fi st Remâ—ssion of sins that the Faithful may the better perceive that they are plac'd in the highest degree of dignity and never suffer themselves at any time to be cast down thence by any wiles or violence of the adversary it is necessary to teach them this thing first of all that sin whether contracted by birth from our first-parents or committed of our selves altho it is so necessary that it seems not able to be imagin'd by the admirable vertue of this Sacrament is remitted and pardon'd This was long before prophesi'd by Ezekiel Ezek. 36.25 by whom our Lord God says thus I will pour clean Water upon you and ye shall be cleans'd from all your filthithiness And the Apostle to the Corithians after a long reckoning up of sins 1 Cor. 6.11 subjoyn'd And these things ye were but ye are Wash'd but ye are sanctified And it is manifest that this Docttine has bin always deliver'd by the Catholic Church For S. Austin in his Book which he wrote of the Baptism of Infants testifies thus Lib. 1 de peccat met remiss c 15 Eph. 85 ante medium Sess 5. can 5. By carnal generation we contract only original sin but by regeneration of the Spirit there is Forgiveness not only of orginal but also of wilful sins And S. Hierom to Oceanus All sins says he in Baptism are forgiven And that no one may doubt any more of this matter after the Definition of other Councils the Council of Trent has declar'd the same thing when she decreed an Anathema against those who presum'd to think otherwise or who doubted not to assert That tho in Baptism sin were forgiv'n yet it is not wholly taken away or pull'd up by the Roots but rac'd or scarr'd in a manner so that the roots of sin yet remain fasten'd in the Soul For to use the words of the same Holy Synod God hates nothing in the Regenerate because there is no condemnation to those who are truly bury'd with Christ by Baptism into death who walk not according to the Flesh But putting off the Old man and putting on the New which is created according to God they are made innocent spotless pure without hurt and lov'd of God Of this effect of Baptism See Aug. lib. 1.
there remain in us the infirmity of the Body The Second Reason Diseases sense of Grief and the motions of Concupiscence is This to wit that we may account them as the Husbandry and Matter whereupon our vertues are to exercise themselves whence we may get a more plentiful Harvest and larger Rewards For when with a patient mind we endure all the inconveniences of this life and by the Divine Assistance bring all the evil affections of our Hearts under the government of Reason we ought assuredly to hope that the time will come 1 Tim. 4.7 when if with the Apostle We have fought the good fight and finish'd the course and kept the faith the Lord the righteous judge in that day will give us also the crown of righteousness which is laid up for us And thus the Lord seem'd to do also with the children of Israel whom tho be deliver'd from the bondage of the Egyptians and drown'd Pharaoh A Figure and his armies in the Sea yet he did not immediately bring them into that blessed Land of Promise â— but first exercis'd them with many and various fortunes and then when he put them into the possession of the Promis'd Land he put the other Inhabitants out of the possessions of their Fathers and some other Nations which they could not destroy were left remaining that God's people might never want occasion of exercising their Warlike Vertue and Courage To these may added The Third Reason that if through Baptism besidse those heavenly gifts wherewith the Soul is adorn'd there were given Bodily endowments also it might well be suspected that many would come to Baptism seeking rather the advantages of This Life than the Glory which is to be hop'd for in the Future Whenas yet what is seen is not false and uncertain 2 Cor. 4. but those good things which a Christian ought always to propose to himself and which are not seen are true and eternal But yet in the mean time the condition of this Life which is full of Miseries XLIX Christians are not without comfort when they suffer wants not its pleasures and joys For what can be more pleasant or desirable to us who now by Baptism are grafted into Christ as branches than to follow him our Captain with the Cross on our Shoulders and not to be tir'd by any labours nor hinder'd by any dangers so as not to press forward with all diligence to the reward of the high calling of God Some to receive of the Lord the Laurel of Virginity others the Crown of Teaching and Preaching others the Palm of Martyrdom and others the other Ornaments of their Vertues Which excellent Badges of Renown and Tokens of Honor would not be given to any unless first we exercis'd our selves in the Stage of this troublesom Life and stoutly kept our ground in the Battel But to return to the Effects of Baptism I. The Third Effect of Baptism Infusion of Grace It must be explain'd that by vertue of this Sacrament we are not only deliver'd from those evils which are truly said to be the greatest of all but also We are enrich'd with the best and most excellent endowments For our Souls are fill'd with Divine Grace whereby being made just and the children of God Mar. 16.17 Eph. 5.26 Sess 6. c. 7. de justifie we are train'd up to be heirs of eternal Salvation also For as it is written he that believes and is Baptiz'd shall be sav'd and the Apostle testifies The Church is cleans'd by the Laver of Water in the Word But Grace as the Council of Trent has decreed to be believ'd of all under pain of an Anathema is not only that by which we have Remission of Sins but it is a Divine Quality inherent in tho Soul and as it were a kind of Splendor and Light which wipes away all the Stains and Spots of our Souls and makes our Souls more beautiful and glorious and this is plainly gather'd from Holy Scripture when it says that Grace is pour'd out and it is us'd to call that Grace the Pledge of the Holy Ghost And to This is added a most noble Train of all Vertues LI. The fourth Effect of Baptism Infusion of Vertues Tit. 3. D. Aug. 23. which together with Grace is pour'd of God into the Soul Wherefore when the Apostle to Timothy says He has sav'd us by the Laver of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost which he has pour'd abundantly upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour S. Austin expounds those words Abundantly pour'd to wit says he For the Remission of Sins and for an abundance of Vertues Of this Effect of Baptism see Chrysost hom ad Neoph. Baptiz Damasc lib. 2. de fide Orthod cap. 36. Lactant. lib. 3. Divin Instit c. 25. Aug. Epist 23. ad Bonifac. item l. 1. de peccat meritis remiss cap. 29. Prosp l. 1. de vocation gent. cap. 9. And then by Baptism we are joyn'd and knit to Christ as Members to the Head As therefore from the Head flows Vertue and Spirit LII The fifth Effect Connexion to Christ our Head whereby all the several parts of the Body are fitly mov'd to perform their proper functions so also of the Fulness of Christ our Lord is shed upon all those who are justifi'd Divine Grace and Vertue which renders us fit and ready for all Offices of Christian Piety That by Baptism we are knit to Christ as Members to the Head See Aug. Ep. 23. item l. 1. de peccat meritis remiss c. 16. Prosp de vocat Gent. lib. 1. c. 9. Bernard Serm. 1. in Coena Dom. D. Thom. 3. p. 7.69 art 5. Nor ought it to seem strange to any LIII Whence the Difficulty of doing well even in those that are Baptiz'd if tho thus we are furnish'd and adorn'd with plenty of vertues yet we find a great deal of difficulty and pains in the very beginning or at least before the compleating of pious and honest actions For it so happens for this reason not as though those vertues from which those pious actions spring are not given us of the Divine Bounty but because after Baptism there remains a sharp strugling of the carnal Desire against the Spirit in which contest notwithstanding it would ill become a Christian either to faint or grow cowardly Phil. 4.8 Since being encourag'd with the goodness of God we ought to strengthen our selves with an assur'd Hope that time will be when by daily use and exercise of living well 2 Cor. 3.11 Whatsoever things are comely whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are holy all these will seem easie and pleasant These things let us willingly consider these things let us chearfully perform that the God of Peace may be with us Besides LIV. The sixth Effect of Baptism A Character by Baptism we are sign'd with a Character which can never be blotted out of our Soul of which there is
to God Balsom has this other property or vertue that whatsoever is cover'd therewith it keeps it from corruption or rottenness And this seems excellently well suited to signifie the vertue of this Sacrament since it is plainly manifest that the souls of the Faithful being well dispos'd or prepar'd by that heavenly Grace which is given in Confirmation can easily be secur'd from the contagion of Sin Now the Chrism is consecrated by the Bishop with solemn ceremonies For that our Savior so taught at his last Supper VIII Why Chrism consecrated only by Bishops when he left with his Apostles the way or manner of making Chrism Pope Fabian a man very famous for his Sanctity and glory of Martyrdom S. Fab. Papa ubi supra has deliver'd altho why it ought to be so may be shew'd even from Reason it self For in most of the other Sacraments Christ so appointed the Matter of them that he gave Holiness to it For he will'd not only that Water should be the Element of Baptism when he said Joh. 3.5 Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God But when himself was baptiz'd he caus'd that thenceforth the Water should be endu'd with a power of Sanctisying And therefore S. Chrysostom said Hom. 4. oper imperf habetus de Consecr dist 4. nunquid The Water of Baptism could not purge away the sins of Believers unless it self had bin sanctifi'd by the touch of the Lords Body Because therefore the Lord himself did not hallow this Matter of Confirmation by the very use and handling thereof it is therefore necessary that with Holy and Devout Prayers it be consecrated Nor can this Confection belong to any other but a Bishop who is appointed the ordinary Minister of this Sacrament And now is to be explaln'd the other Part whereof this Sacrament consists IX The Form of the Sacrament of Confirmation to wit the Form and the Words which are to be us'd at the anointing And the Faithful are to be admonish'd That in the receiving of this Sacrament they then especially when they hear them pronounc'd apply their minds to Piety Faith and Devotion that there may be nothing to hinder the Heavenly Grace In these words therefore the Form of Confirmation is perfom'd I sign thee with the sign of the Cross and I confirm thee with the Chrism of Salvation in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost But yet if to the Truth hereof we also add the Reason it is easie to prove the same For the Form of the Sacrament ought to contain all those things which explain the Nature and Substance of the Sacrament But especially these three things ought to be observ'd in Confirmation The Divine Power which as the principal cause works in the Sacrament and then the strength of Soul and Spirit which is given to the Faithful for Salvation And lastly the Sign wherewith he is mark'd that is entring into the Combat of the Christian Camp And first these words In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which are put in the last place Secondly these I confirm thee with the Chrism of Salvation which are plac'd in the middle Lastly those which are plac'd in the beginning of the Form I sign thee with the sign of the Cross sufficiently declare Altho if it could not by any reason be prov'd that this is the true and perfect Form of this Sacrament the authority of the Catholic Church by whose Rule we are always taught suffers as not to doubt in the least concerning this matter The Pastors ought to teach also to whom the administration of this Sacrament is committed X. The Bishop the ordinary Minister of Confirmation for seeing that there are many as the Prophet complains that run and yet are not sent it is needful to teach who are the true and lawful Ministers thereof that the Faithful may have the very Sacrament and Grace of Confirmation The Holy Scriptures therefore shew that the Bishop only has the ordinary power of making this Sacrament For we read in the Acts of the Apostles Trid. Sess 23. c. 4. can 7. Act. 8.14 When Samaria had receiv'd the word of God That Peter and John were sent to them who pray'd for them That they might receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he had not come upon any one of them but they were baptiz'd only In which place we may see that he who baptiz'd for as much as he was a Deacon only had no power of Confirming but this Office was reserv'd for the more perfect Ministers i. e. the Apostles And besides wheresoever the Holy Scriptures make mention of this Sacrament the same thing may be observ'd nor are there wanting the most clear testimonies of Holy Fathers and Popes Vrban Eusebius Damasus Innocent Leo as may be seen in their Decrees And S. Austin grievously complains of the corrupt custom of those of Egypt and Alexandria where the Priests presum'd to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation That a Bishop is the ordinary Minister of Confirmation these do teach Vrbanus Papae Epist ad omnes Christianos in fine Euseb Papa Epist 3. ad Episcop Tusciae Campaniae Damasus Papa Epist 4. ad Pros caeteros Epis Orthod circa med Innocentius Pap. Epist ad Episc Hispaniae Clemens item Pap. Epist 4. Concil Wormaciens c. 8. Florent de Sacram. Horum summorum Pontificum Epistolae habentur in Tomis Conciliorum ferè omnes in primo juxta cujusque aetatem Vide insuper Aug. in Quaest Novi Testam quaest 42. And that this is well and rightly done XI Why a Bishop the Minister Confirmation to defer this Office to the Bishops the Pastors may shew by this similitude For as in the building a House altho the Workmen who are the inferior Servants prepare the Mortar Lime Timber and the other Materials and make them fit yet the perfecting of the work belongs to the Architect or chief builder So also this Sacrament whereby the Spiritual Building is perfected as it were is fit to be administred by no other person but by the Chief Priest or Bishop There is also to be a God-father XII Why God-fathers added as has bin shew'd to be done at Baptism For if they who are to fence have need of a Fencing-Master by whose skill and counsel they may be taught what stroaks to make to wound the Enemy and yet to save themselves harmless How much more will the Faithful want a Captain and Monitor when cover'd and secur'd with the Sacrament of Confirmation as with the strongest Armor they enter into this Spiritual Fight the reward whereof is eternal Salvation Rightly therefore are God-fathers to be had at the Administration of this Sacrament Trid. Sess 24. c. 2 â—â—esâ—r matrim with whom there is such an Affinity contracted as hinders the contracts of Matrimony
among them to be lawful as before was said when we treated of the God-fathers that are to be us'd at Baptism But because it comes often to pass XIII What the Curats are to teach those that are to be confirm'd that the Faithful in receiving this Sacrament are either too hasty or too dissolutely negligent and trifling for we have nothing to say of those that contemn and despise it the Pastors must shew who of what Age and how religiously they ought to be dispos'd to whom Confirmation ought to be given And first they must teach XIV How justly the Church desires that all be confirm'd That this Sacrament is not of so great necessity as that without it a Man cannot be sav'd But tho it be not necessary yet it is not to be pretermitted by any But rather very great care ought to be taken lest in a matter so full of Holiness and through which the divine gifts are so liberally bestow'd on us any negligence should be committed For that which God has offer'd to all in common for their Sanctification De consec dist 3. c. 2. 1. item Conc. Aurel. c. 3. Hugo de S. dict de Sacram l. 2. p. 7. ca. 39. Act. 2.2 is to be desir'd of all with the sincerest affection And indeed S. Luke describing this admirable effusion of the Holy Ghost says thus And suddenly there came down from Heaven a sound as of a rushing mighty Wind and it fill'd the whole House And then a little after And they were all fill'd with the Holy Ghost Whence we may understand that because that House bore the Figure and representation of Holy Church that the Sacrament of Confirmation which took its beginning from that day belongs to all the Faithful And this is easily gather'd also from the very Reason of that Sacrament For they ought to be confirm'd with Holy Chrism who have need of Spiritual Increase and who are to be brought to a perfect Stature of Christian Religion But there are none which this is not proper for For as Nature designs that those who are born into the World should thrive and come to perfect Age altho sometimes she misses of what she design'd So the Catholic Church the common Mother of us all earnestly wishes that in those whom by Baptism she has regenerat'd the Form of a Christian Man might be perfectly compleated But because this is done in the Sacrament of this mystic Vnction it is manifest that it equally belongs to all the Faithful Wherein this is to be noted XV. What Age is require'd in those that are to be confirm'd That after Baptism the Sacrament of Confirmation may indeed be administer'd to all but yet this is not expedient to be done before Children shall come to the Vse of Reason Wherefore if it seem not convenient to stay to the twelfth year of age yet it is very convenient to deferr this Sacrament at least to the seventh year For Confirmation is not instituted as of necessity to Salvation but that by vertue thereof we may be found prepar'd and in a good readiness when we are to fight for the Faith of Christ to which kind of Fight no one sure can judge Children to be fit who as yet want the use of Reason Hence therefore it comes XVI With how great reverence we must come to Confirmation D. Tho. 3. p. q. 7â— a. 8. ad 2. Concil Aur. c. 2. that those of ripe Age that are to be confirm'd if they desire to have the Grace and gift of this Sacrament must not only bring with them Faith and Devotion but they must blot out of their minds all the more grievous sins they have committed To which purpose the Pastors must perswade them first to confess their sins and then stir them up to Fasting and other Exercises of Devotion and admonish them to renew that laudable practice of the antient Church that none should receive this Sacrament but fasting And it must needs be thought no hard matter to perswade the Faithful to these things if they rightly understand the gifts and admirable effects of this Sacrament Therefore the Pastors shall teach XVII The Effects of Confirmation The First that Confirmation has this thing common with the other Sacraments that unless there be some hinderance on his part who receives it it gives new Grace For it has bin shew'd that these Sacred and mystic Signs are of that sort which both declare and work Grace The Second But besides those things which are to be thought common with this and the other Sacraments these things are proper to Confirmation First that it perfects the Grace of Baptism For those who by Baptism are made Christians as Infants new-born have yet a kind of Tenderness and Softness but then by the Sacrament of Ghrism they are made stronger against the utmost violence of the Flesh the World and the Devil and their Souls are confirm'd to confess and glorifie the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom also that that very Name is invented there is none can doubt For neither XVIII A certain error refuted as some no less unlearnedly than impiously have phanci'd is the Name of Confirmation deriv'd hence that in former times Infants that were baptiz'd Trid. Sess 7. can 1. de Cons when they were now grown Men were brought to the Bishop that they might confirm the Christian Faith which in Baptism they undertook So that Confirmation seems pot in this Notion to differ from Catechizing Of which practice there can be brought no proof But from hence it was that it receiv'd this name That by vertue of this Sacrament God confirms that thing in us which by Baptism was begun to be wrought and brings us to the Perfection of Christian Solidity Nor does it Confirm only The Third Effect De Consce dist 5. c. Spiritus Euseb Emiss hom in die Pent. but it gives Increase also of which Melchiades witnesses thus The Holy Ghost who by his saving descent came upon the Water of Baptism in the Font gave a Fulness Sufficiency to Innocency but in Confirmation he gives Increase to Grace And then it not only increases but increases after a wonderful sort This the Scripture has very elegantly signifi'd and express'd by the wearing of a Coat For says our Lord and Savior when he spake of this Sacrament Luc. 14 4â— Stay ye in the City till ye shall be cloth'd with vertue from on high Now if the Pastors will shew the divine Efficacy of this Sacrament XIX The efficacacy of Confirmation declar'd by an Exampleâ— and that this will have a great influence on the minds of the Faithful there can be no doubt it will be sufficient to explain what happen'd to the Apostles themselves For they either before the Passion or at the hour of the Passion were so weak and remiss that when our Lord was apprehended they all ran away But Peter who was design'd to be
in S. John says Which I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World to wit calling the Bread his Flesh And a little after he subjoyns Vnless you shall eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye will not have Life in you And again My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed When therefore in so plain and clear words he call'd his Flesh Bread and true Meat and his Blood true Drink It might well seem sufficient do have declar'd That there remains no Substance of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament And that all the Holy Fathers Fourthly by the Authority and consent of Fathers Lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 4. c. 5. always agreed in this Doctrin He that is so minded may easily understand For thus writes S. Ambrose Thou saist perhaps my Bread is us'd But that Bread is Bread before the words of the Sacraments But when the Consecration is added of Bread it is made the Flesh of Christ Which that he might the better make appear he thereupon brings divers examples and Similitudes And elsewhere De Cons dist 2. c. omnia interpreting those words All things whatsoever the Lord pleas'd he has done in Heaven and in Earth For tho says he the Figure of Bread and Wine be seen yet after consecration nothing is to be believ'd to be there but the Flesh and Blood of Christ The same sense St. Hilary has taught and almost in the same words Altho outwardly Bread and Wine appear yet there is truly the Body and Blood of the Lord. Hil. de Trin. l. 8. de Consec dist 2. c. 28. But let the Pastors admonish XXXVIII Why after the Consecration of of the Eucharist it is call'd Bread That in this place it is not to be wonder'd at if even after Consecration it be call'd Bread For the Eucharist is us'd to be call'd by this name both because it has the species or Resemblance of Bread and also because it still retains the natural vertue of feeding and nourishing the Body which is proper to Bread Now that it is the usual manner of the Holy Scripture to call things as they appear to be that plainly shews which is written in Genesis Gen. 18.2 Act. 1.10 That three Men appear'd to Abraham which yet were truly three Angels And those Two that appear'd to the Apostles at the Ascension of Christ our Lord into Heaven tho they were Angels yet are they call'd Men. See D. Thom. 3. p. q. 75. art 3 4. The explication of this Article is altogether extream difficult XXXIX How cautiously the Conversion which is in the Eucharist is to be explain'd to the people but yet the Pastors shall endeavor to instruct those who are more skill'd in the the Contemplation of Divine Matters for it may be fear'd that those who are yet more weak may be oppress'd with the Greatness of the thing they shall endeavor I say to teach the Manner of this admirable Conversion which is so done that the whole Substance of the Bread and Wine by the divine power is chang'd into the whole Substance of Christ's Body and the whole Substance of the Wine into the whole Substance of Christ's Blood and this without any change of our Lord. For Christ is neither begotten anew nor chang'd nor increases but remains whole in his own Substance Which Mystery when St. Ambrose had declar'd D. Amb. lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 4. Thou seest says he how operative Christ's Word is If therefore there be so great a power in the Word of the Lord Jesus that those things began to be which were not to wit the World how much more operative is it to make those things to be which were before and to change them into another thing According to which sense other very grave and antient Father have written Citatur de Consec dist 2 c. Nos Autem Lib. 4. de Orthod fid c. 14. St. Austin thus We faithfully confess that before Consecration it is Bread and Wine which Nature has form'd but after Consecration it is the Body and Blood of Christ which the Blessing has consecrated Damascen The Body according to Truth is join'd to the Divinity that Body which came of the Holy Virgin Not that that Body which he took comes down from Heaven but that this Bread and Wine are chang'd into the Body and Blood of Christ This admirable Change therefore is conveniently and properly call'd by the Catholic Church Transubstantiation XL. This Conversion call'd Transubstantiation as the sacred Council of Trent has taught For as the Natural Generation when the Form is chang'd in it may rightly and properly be call'd a Transformation so also because in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the whole Substance of One thing passes into the whole substance of another thing the word Transubstantiation was rightly and wisely invented by our Forefathers See Trid. sess 13. c. 4. de can de Consec dist 2. cap. Panis But the Faithful are to be admonish'd LXI We are not too narrowly to enquire into Transubstantiation that tho' this be very often repeated by the Holy Fathers yet that they enquire not too curiously by what means this Change is wrought for neither can it be perceiv'd by us neither have we any example of this matter in natural Changes or in the very Creation of things But whatsoever is here done it is to be known by Faith but how it is done must not too curiously be search'd into The Pastors ought also to give them no less a Caution in explaining that Mystery how the Body of Chritt our Lord is contain'd whole in the least particle of Bread XLII The whole Body of Christ contain'd in the smallest particle for scarce ever are there any disputations of this kind to be allow'd but yet when Christian Charity requires it let them first of all remember to fore-arm the minds of Faithful with this word Luke 1.37 There is no word impossible with God Vide D. Thom. 3. p. q. 76. Trid. sess 13. c. 5. can 3. Florentin Decret Eugenii And then let them teach XLIII After what manner Christ is in the Eucharist it is not in the Sacrament as in a Place for Place belongs to those things that have Magnitude But we say not that Christ is in the Sacrament after that manner as he is Great or Little because that belongs to Quantity but as he is a Substance For the Substance of Bread is chang'd into the Substance of Christ not into Magnitude or Quantity But no one doubts that a Substance is equally contain'd in a Little as in a Great space For it must needs be that the Substance of the Air and its whole Nature is the same in a little as in a great part of the Air so also the whole Nature of Water is no less in a little Pitcher than in a River When the Lords Body succeeds
spoken concerning those things which somewhat displease which before pleas'd without any Consideration whether they be Good or Bad So all repent whose sorrow is according to the World 1 Cor. 7.10 and not according to God Such kind of Penance brings not Salvation but Death Another Penance is when any one for the sin he has committed The Second which yet before delighted him conceives Grief not for Gods but for his own sake The Third is The Third when not only for the sake of the sin committed we grieve with an inward sense of the Soul or shew some outward token also of that grief but are in that grief for God's sake only And indeed to all these kinds of Penitence the word Penance properly agrees For when we read in Holy Scripture that God did penance III. How God does Penance it is evident that that is done by translation For the Holy Scriptures use that kind of speech which is accommodated to the manners of Men when they declare that God had determin'd to alter any thing Gen. 6.6 which he may seem to do no otherwise than Men 1 Reg. 15.11 whom if they repent of any thing labor with their utmost endeavors to change or alter it Psal 105.45 It is thus written therefore Jer. 26.3 That it repented him that he made man And in another place that he had made Saul King But among these significations of Penance IV. The true Acceptation of Penance we ought to observe a great difference For the first is to be accounted vicious The second is a kind of Commotion and Affection of a disturb'd mind The third we say is both vertuous and also a Sacrament which signification is proper in this place And first we will treat of it as it is a Vertue V. Why we begin with Penance as it is a Vertue Not only because the Faithful ought to be instructed by the Pastors to every kind of Vertue but also because the actions of this Vertue do as it were afford matter wherein the Sacrament of Penance is imploy'd and unless it be rightly understood first what the Vertue of Penance is it must needs be that the Force of the Sacrament cannot be known Wherefore in the first place VI. Penance internal and external the Faithful are to be admonish'd and exhorted to labor with all earnestness and study for the inward Penance of the Soul without which that which is perform'd outwardly will profit them but very little Vide Amb. in serm de poenit citatur de poenit dist 3. c. poenitentia Aug. lib. de vera falsa poenit c. 8. habetur de poenit 3. c. 4. Greg. hom 34. in Evang. lib. 9. Regist. Epist. 39. But the inward Penance is this VII What internal Penance is When from our very Soul we turn to God and detest and hate the wickedness committed by us and also stedfastly purpose and resolve with our selves to amend the evil custom and naughty manners of our life not without Hope of obtaining Pardon of Gods Mercy Now after this there follows as the companion thereof Grief and Sorrow which is a Disturbance and Affliction and by many is call'd a Passion joyn'd with the Detestation of sin Wherefore according to many of the Holy Fathers the Definition of this kind of Penance is declar'd in the grief of the Soul But in him that does Penance VIII How Faith belongs to Penance it is necessary that Faith go before Penance For neither can any one turn himself to God that wants Faith whence it comes to pass that Faith can by no means be call'd a Part of Penance Vide Trid. Sess 14. de poenit c. 3. can 4. But that this inward Penance IX Penance is a Vertue as before was said belongs to Vertue many Rules or Precepts which have bin deliver'd concerning Penance plainly shew For the Law gives Rule concerning those things only which are begun with Vertue Besides no one can deny but that to grieve when how and so far as one ought belongs to Vertue but the Vertue of Penance performs this For sometimes it comes to pass that Men grieve less for their sins Prov. 2.4 than is meet as Solomon says There are some that rejoyce when they have done ill And again there are some that so give themselves over to grief and disorder of mind that they even altogether despair of their Salvation Such a one Cain perhaps may seem to be who said Gen. 4.13 My iniquity is greater than that I can obtain pardon for And such a one haply was Judas Matt. 3.27 who being led by Penance and hanging himself lost both Life and Soul That therefore we may keep a measure in sorrow we are holpen by the Vertue of Penance But the same may be gather'd from these things X. The Motives of the Vertue of Penance which he proposes to himself as his End who truly does Penance for his sins The First is The First That he purposes to abolish sin and to wipe away every fault and spot of the Soul The Second is The Second That he make satisfaction to God for the sins he has committed and that this is to be referr'd to Justice is evident For tho betwixt God and Men there can be no proper Measure of Justice since there is so great a distance betwixt them yet it is manifesf there may be some kind of Justice such as is betwixt a Father and his Children betwixt a Lord and his Servants The Third is The Third That a Man return into the Grace of God into whose displeasure and hatred he has run by reason of the Filthiness of sin Now all these things sufficiently declare that Penance has relation to Vertue But it must be taught also by what degrees we may ascend to this divine Vertue First XI Five Degrees of Penance The First Thren 3.1 The Second Heb. 11.6 therefore the Mercy of God prevents us and converts our Hearts to him Which when the Prophet Pray'd for he said Convert us O Lord and we shall be converted And then being enlighten'd with this Light we tend towards God in Soul by Faith For he that comes to God as the Apostle testifies must believe that He is and that he is a Rewarder of them that seek him Then follows the Motion of Fear The Third and the Bitterness of Punishment being propos'd the Soul is call'd back from sin and hither those words of Isayah seem to have regard Isa 26.17 As a Woman which has conceiv'd when she draws near to her travel grievously laments So are we fall'n in her Pains And then comes Hope of obtaining Mercy from God The Fourth wherewith being encourag'd we resolve to amend our Life and Manners Lastly The Fifth our Hearts are kindled with Charity whence that liberal Fear worthy honest and ingenuous Children arises And so fearing this one
thing only lest in any thing we may offend the Majesty of God we wholly forsake the custom of sinning By these Steps or Degrees therefore we come to this most excellent Vertue of Penance XII Heaven promis'd to Penance which may well be accounted a divine and heavenly Vertue Because to it the Holy Scripture promises the Kingdom of Heaven For in S. Matthew it is written Do Penance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matt. 4 17. And in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.21 If a wicked Man do Penance for all the sins which he has done and shall keep all my commandments and do justice and judgment he shall live And also in another place Ezek. 33.11 I will not the Death of a sinner but that the wicked Man be converted from his evil way and live Which that it is to be understood of that bless'd and eternal Life is plainly evident But of External Penance it is to be taught XIII External Penance which is the Sacrament that it is That wherein the Reason or Nature of the Sacrament consists and that it has some external things subject to the senses whereby those things are declar'd which are done inwardly in the Soul And First XIV Why Christ instituted this Sacrament The First Cause it seems necessary to be explain'd to the Faithful Why it was that Christ our Lord would have Penance in the Number of the Sacraments And hereof this was certainly the cause That we might doubt the less concerning the Remission of sins which God had promis'd us when he said Ezek. 18.12 If the wicked man do Penance c. For it must needs be that we be very dubious in our minds of our inward Penance seeing every one deservedly ought to fear concerning his own judgment of those things he does himself Now therefore that the Lord might relieve our sollicitude he instituted the Sacrament of Penance wherein through the Absolution of the Priest we may consider that our sins are forgiven us and our Consciences by the Faith which justly ought to be given to the vertue of the Sacraments are more quieted For neither are the words of the Priest legitimately pardoning our sins to be receiv'd otherwise than of Christ himself Mat. 6.22 who said to the Lame-man Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee Vide Concil Trid. Sess 14. c. 1. Innoc. 1. Epist 91. inter Epist Aug. And then The Second Cause seeing that no one can obtain Salvation but through Christ and the benefit of his Passion it was fit and very profitable to us that such a kind of Sacrament as this should be instituted by the Vertue and Efficacy whereof Christs Blood flowing to us might do away our sins committed after Baptism and that we might acknowledg with due thankfulness that we owe the Benefit of our Reconciliation to Christ our only Savior But that Penance is a Sacrament XV. Penance prov'd to be a Sacrament the Pastors may easily shew thus For as Baptism is a Sacrament because it blots out all our sins and especially that which was contracted by our Birth For the same reason Penance must truly and properly be call'd a Sacrament because it takes away all sins done after Baptism in the Will or in the Act. And then which is the chief seeing those things which are done outwardly both by the Penitent and by the Priest do declare those things which are inwardly wrought in the Soul who is there can deny that Penance is endued with the true and proper reason or nature of a Sacrament For a Sacrament is a sign of a Sacred thing But a sinner that does Penance by the Notes of Words and Things plainly expresses That he has withdrawn his mind from the Filthiness of sin And also from those things which are done and said by the Priest we easily understand the Mercy of God forgiving those sins Altho those words of our Savior plainly shew this thing Mar 16.19 I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shall loose in Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven For the Absolution of the Priest pronounc'd by words signs that Remission of sins which it works in the Soul Nor are the Faithful to be taught only that Penance is to be reckon'd in the number of the Sacraments XVI The Sacrament of Penance may be iterated but also that it is One of Those that may be iterated For to Peter asking Whether Forgiveness of sin might be given seven times Our Lord answer'd Matt. 18.22 I say not to thee till seven times but till seventy times seven Wherefore if we have to do with such men as seem to distrust the supreme Goodness and Mercy of God the Souls of such are to be confirm'd and to be supported with the Hope of Divine Grace Which they will easily do by the handling of this Point and of very many others which they meet with in the Holy Scriptures and also with those Reasons and Arguments which they may find in S. Chrysostoms book de Lapsis and S. Ambrose's books of Penance Chrysostom 5. lib. de Laps repar habetur de Poen dist 3. c. talis Ambr. de poen lib. 1. c. 1 2. vide Aug. lib. de vera falsa poen c. 5. citatur de poen dist 3. c. adhuc instant Now since the Faithful ought to know nothing more than the Matter of this Sacrament XVII The Matter of Penance what it must be taught that herein chiefly this Sacrament differs from the rest that the Matter of the other Sacraments is some natural thing or made by Art But that which is as the Matter of this Sacrament of Penance are the Actions of the Penitent to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction as has bin declar'd by the Council of Trent S ss 24 de poenit c. 3. can 4. because so far as by Gods institution they are requir'd in the Penitent to the Integrity of the Sacrament and to the full and perfect Remission of sins for this reason they are call'd Parts of Penance Nor are these Acts said by that Holy Synod to be as the Matter Note because they have not the true Reason of Matter But because they are not Matter of that kind which is us'd extrinsecally as Water in Baptism and Chrism in Confirmation But then XVIII In What sense sin is the Matter of Penance As to what is said of Others that the sins themselves are the Matter of this Sacrament there will seem to be no difference therein if we consider well For as we say that Wood is the Matter of Fire which by the force of the Fire is consum'd So sins which are blotted out by Penance may rightly be call'd the Matter of this Sacrament Now the explication of the Form also is not to be omitted by the Pastors XIX The Form of the Sacrament of Penance because the knowledg thereof will
stir up the minds of the Faithful to receive the Grace of this Sacrament with the greatest Devotion Now the Form is I absolve thee Which we may gather not only from these words Matt. 18 16. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven but we receive the same as deliver'd by the Apostles from the same Doctrin of Christ our Lord. And because the Sacraments do signifie that which they effect Those words I absolve thee shew that Remission of sins is wrought in the Administration of this Sacrament it is evident that This is the perfect Form of Penance For sins are as it were Bands wherewith the Soul is held bound and from which by the Sacrament of Penance it is discharg'd Note Which verily the Priest may pronounce no less truly concerning that Man also who by vertue of a most ardent Contrition yet so as that he has the Wish of Confession has obtain'd from God the Pardon of his sins There are added moreover many Prayers XX. Why Prayers added to the Form of Penance not as necessary to the Form but that those things may be remov'd which may hinder the Vertue and Efficacy of the Sacrament through his Fault to whom it is administer'd Wherefore let sinners give great thanks to God who has given so large a Power to the Priests in his Church For neither XXI The Priests of the New more excellent than those of the Old Law Lev. 13.9 as in old times and under the old Law declar'd only by the Priests Testimony that some one was freed from Leprosie is there now a Power in the Church given to Priests only to declare any person to be absolv'd from sin But they do as the Ministers of God truly absolve them the same thing which God himself does who is the Author and Father of Grace and Righteousness Now the Faithful shall diligently observe the Rites also XXII What must be observ'd in coming to Penance which are us'd at this Sacrament for so it will come to pass that they will have those things better in their mind which they get in this Sacrament That as Servants they are reconcil'd to their most merciful Lord or as Children rather to their most dear Father and they will also more easily understand what they ought to do who are willing for all ought to be willing to approve themselves grateful for and mindful of so great a Benefit for he that does Penance for his sins will cast himself down with an humble and dejected mind at the Feet of the Priest that behaving himself so humbly he may plainly acknowledg that the Roots of Pride are to be pluck'd up from whence all those sins he bewails spring and had their beginning But in the Priest who sits over him as his lawful Judg he venerates the Power and Person of Christ the Lord. For the Priest as in other Sacraments so in the ministring of the Sacrament of Penance discharges the Office of Christ And then the Penitent so reckons up his sins that he confesses himself worthy of the greatest and severest punishment and humbly begs pardon of his sins All which things have most sure Evidence and Testimony of their Antiquity from S. Dennys In Ep. ad Demoph vide Tertul. lib. de Poenit. c. 9. But nothing verily so much profits the Faithful XXIII What wholsome Fâ—ui s may be taken by Penance and nothing gives them a greater chearfulness to undergo Penance as for the Pastors often to explain how great profit we may gather thence for they will understand that it may truly be said of Penance That the Roots thereof ore bitter indeed but the Fruits are most sweet All the Vertue therefore of Penance lies herein The First that it restores us to the Grace of God and joins us with him in the greatest Friendship Con. Trid. Sess 14. can 3. c. 1. de Poenit. Now after this Reconciliation The Second and Third follows sometimes in devout Men who receive this Sacrament holily and religiously the greatest Peace and Tranquâ—lity of Conscience together with the sweetest spiritual Delight For there is no wickedness The Fourth how grievous and heinous soever which the Sacrament of Penance blots not out once and again and ost-times Of which matter the Lord by the Prophet says Ezek. 18 21 If the Wicked Man do Penance for all his sins which he has done and will keep my Precepts and do my Judgment and Justice he shall live and not dye I will not remember all his iniquities which he has done And S. John If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins And a little after If any man sin says he we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World Note But whereas we read in Scripture that some have not obtain'd Mercy of the Lord altho they earnestly implor'd it This we understand to have bin so because they did not do Penance truly and from their Heart for their sins When therefore such Sentences occur XXIV How it is to be understood that some sins are unpardonable either in Holy Scripture or in the Writings of the Holy Fathers wherein they seem to affirm that some certain sins cannot be pardon'd We must interpret them so as that we understand the Procureing of Pardon to be very difficult For as some diseases are therefore said to be incurable because the Sick person is so affected that he loaths the vertue of the Medicine that should cure him So there is a kind of sin which is not remitted nor forgiven for this reason because it repels the proper Medicine of Salvation which is the Grace of God In this sense it is said by S. Austin Aug. l. 1. de Serm. Dom. in monte c. 42. 44. Retract li. c. 8 19. So great is the pollution of that sin when after the knowledg of God through the Grace of Christ any one opposes himself to the fellowship thereof and maliciously acts against that Grace that he cannot undergo the Humility of begging Pardon altho by his evil Conscience he be forc'd to acknowledg and declare his sin Vide Aug. Serm. 1. de verb. Dom. Epist 50. ad Bonif But to return to Penance XXV Without Penance there is no Remission of sins Luc. 13.3 This is so much the Property thereof to blot out sin that without Penance we can by no means get or so much as hope for Pardon of sin For it is written Except you have Penance ye shall all likewise perish which indeed was spoken by our Lord of grievous and deadly sin altho the Lesser sins also which are call'd Venial do need some kind of Penance For S. Austin says Since there is a kind of Penance which is daily done in the Church for Venial sins That
verily would be vain if Venial could be forgiven without Penance Aug. lib. 50. Hom. â—0 item Epist 168. Ench. cap. 71. But because it is not enough to speak of those things which in a manner proceed into Act XXVI What the Three intire Parts of Penance are the Pastors shall take care to teach those things severally by which the Reason and Nature of true and saving Penance may be perceiv'd by the Faithful For it is proper to This Sacrament only that besides the Matter and Form which are common to all the Sacraments it has also those Parts as we said before which do as it were make Penance whole and intire to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Of which S. Chrysostom speaks in these words Hom 2. quae est de Poenit. Penance forces the sinner to endure all things willingly for in his Heart there is Contrition in his Mouth is Confession and in his Actions a perfect Humility and fruitful Satisfaction Vide Concil Trid. 14. de Poenit. c. 3. can 4. Item Concil Floren. in doctrin de Sacram. But these Parts are said to be of that kind of Parts XXVII The Quality of the Parts of Penance explain'd which are necessary to make up some Whole Because as the Body of Man consists of many members as Hands Feet Eyes and other such like Parts whereof if any be wanting he deservedly seems to be imperfect but perfect if no Part be wanting After the same manner also Penance is made up of these Three things so that altho as to the Nature thereof Contrition and Confession be sufficient to justifie a Man yet unless the Third Part also which is satisfaction be added it must needs be that something be wanting to make it perfect Wherefore these Parts are so knit together XXVIII The conneâ—ion of the Parts of Penance that Contrition has included in it the Counsel and Purpose of Confessing and Satisfying Contrition and the Will of making Satisfaction goes before Confession But they both go before Satisfaction But of these Three Parts we may give this Reason XXIX Why Penance consists of these three Parts that in Mind in Word and in Deed we commit sin against God Wherefore it was fit that subjecting our selves to the Keys of the Church by those very things wherein the most holy name of God was violated by us we should endeavor also to appease his Anger and to procure of him the Pardon of our sins But the same thing may be confirm'd by another Reason also For Penance is as it were a Compensation or Recompence for Offences proceeding from the Will of him that offended and appointed by the Will of God against whom the sin was committed Wherefore the Will of making recompense is also requir'd about which chiefly Contrition is conversant And it is necessary that the Penitent subject himself to the judgment of the Priest who bâ—ars the Person of God That according to the Greatness of the sin he may appoint him his Punishment From whence both the Reason and the Necessity of Satisfaction is perceiv'd Now because the Faithful must be taught the Vertue and Nature of these Parts XXX Contrition defin'd and explain'd we must begin first with Contrition and diligently explain That for neither at no Instant of Time when we remember our past sins or whensoever we offend ought the Soul to be free from Contrition Now the Fathers of the Council of Trent define it thus Ead. Sess 14. Contrition is the Grief of the Soul and a Detestation of sin committed with a Purpose to sin no more for the time to come And a little after concerning the Motion of Contrition it is subjoyn'd And so at last it prepares us for Remission of sins if it be joyn'd with a Confidence of the Mercy of God and an earnest desire of performing the rest of those things which are requir'd to the due performing of this Sacrament By this Definition therefore the Faithful understand XXXI Wherein the Power and Efficacy of Contrition is plac'd that the Force of Contrition is not plac'd in this only That a Man cease to sin or that he purposes to lead a New Life or has already begun it but he is first of all to hate and to expiate his former ill-spent Life This thing do those bitter cries of the Holy Fathers which we read scatter'd about in Holy Scripture abundantly confirm Ps 6.7 I have labour'd says David in my mourning I will every night wash by Bed And The Lord has heard the voice of my Weeping Ezek. 38.15 And Another I will recount to thee all my years in the Bitterness of my Soul Which without doubt and many other such like expressions some vehement hatred of a fore-past-life and detestation of sin utter'd But whereas Contrition has bin defin'd a Grief XXXII Contrition is a Grief of the Soul not of the Body Hom. â—0 the Faithful are to be warn'd not to suppose that that Grief belongs to the Bodily Senses For Contrition is an Act of the Will And S. Austin testifies That Grief is not Penance but the Companion of Penance But the Fathers signifi'd the Detestation and Hatred of Sin by this word Grief Both because the Sacred Scriptures so use it for David said Psal 12.2 How long shall I put Counsel in my Soul and Grief in my Heart daily And also because from that Contrition arises Grief in the lower part of the Soul which has the Force of desiring So that Contrition was not improperly defin'd in Grief because it causes Grief Note and Penitents to declare that Grief have bin us'd to change their Garments also Of this our Lord spake in S. Matthew Matâ— 11.21 Woe to thee Chorazin Wo to thee Bethsaida because if the mighty works had bin done in Tyre and Sydon which have bin done in you they had done Penance long ago in Sackcloth and Ashes Rightly therefore is this name Contrition giv'n to the Detestation of sin XXXIII How properly this Part of Penance is call'd Contrition of which we speak to signifie the Force of Grief taken from a Similitude drawn from corporeal things which are broken by little and little by a Stone or some harder Matter that by that Name it might be declar'd that our Hearts which by Pride are harden'd by vertue of Penance might be beaten and made soft Wherefore no other Grief Note whether at the Death of Parents or Children or for any other Calamity is call'd by this Name But this Name is proper to that kind of Grief wherewith we are affected at the loss of Gods Grace and Innocence Now the same thing is us'd to be call'd by other Names XXXIV Contrition call'd by other Names for it is call'd Contrition of Heart because the Sacred Scriptures do frequently use the Word Heart for the Will For as from the Heart the Bodily Motion has its beginning so the Will governs and rules all
Parts thereof shall be so taught that the Faithful may not only understand them perfectly but also by Gods help they may resolve indeed to perform them devoutly and religiously Of the SACRAMENT of EXTREAM VNCTION SInce the Holy Oracles of Scripture teach us thus I. Why this Sacrament is often to be treated of In all thy works remember thy last end and thou shalt not sin forever The Curats are tacitly admonish'd that no time is to be pretermitted of exhorting the Faithful Eccl. 7.40 to be daily conversant in the Meditation of Death But how can the Sacrament of Extream Unction choose but have the Memory of that Last day join'd with it Hence we may easily understand that this Sacrament must often be treated of not only for this Reason because it is very convenient to open and unfold the Mysteries of those things which belong to Salvation But also because the Faithful will restrain their evil Lusts when they consider in their minds that there lies upon all a Necessity of Dying wherefore also it will so come to pass that they will feel themselves less troubl'd at the Expectation of Death But let them give immortal thanks to God II. Thanks to be given to God for the Institution of this Sacrament who as in the Sacrament of Baptism he has laid open to us an entrance to the true Life so also when we depart out of this mortal life that we might have a more ready way to Heaven he has instituted the Sacrament of Extream Unction That therefore those things which are more necessary to explain it III. Why this Sacrament call'd Extream Unction may be open'd almost in the same Order which has bin observ'd in the other Sacraments It shall first be taught that This Sacrament is therefore call'd Extream Unction because this of all the Sacred Unctions which our Lord and Savior commended to his Church is last to be administer'd Wherefore this very Unction was also call'd by our Ancestors IV. Other Names of this Sacrament the Sacrament of the Vnction or Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of them that go out of the world By which Names the Faithful may easily be brought to the remembrance of their last End Vide Hugon de Sacr. part 15. c. 2. Pet. Dam. Serm. de Dedicat. Eccles But this will be made evident V. Extream Unction prov'd to be a Sacrament if we attend to the words wherewith St. James the Apostle has declar'd the Law of this Sacrament Is any one sick among you says he Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oyl in the Name of the Lord First and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall ease him Isai 5.14 and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him For Secondly because the Apostle affirms that sins are forgiven therein he declares the Force and Nature of a Sacrament Now that This was the perpetual Doctrin of the Catholic Church concerning Extream Unction Thirdly both many other Councils testifie and by the Council of Trent it has bin declar'd in such a manner Sess 43. de Extrema Vnct. c. 1. can 3. that she has decreed the Pain of an Anathema against all those who presume to teach or think otherwise And Innocent the First also very much commends this Sacrament to the Faithful Innocent Epist 1. ad Decent cap. 8. citatur dist 95. c. illud superfluum Item Conc. Cabilon cap. 48. Wormaciense c. 72. Constan. Florent It is therefore constantly to be taught of the Pastors VI. Extream Unction is a Sacrament that it is a true Sacrament and not many but One altho it be administer'd with many Unctions or Anointings to every one whereof are us'd proper Prayers and a peculiar Form It is One VII How Extream Unction is One Sacrament not in continuation of the Parts which may not be divided but in perfection of which sort are all other things which consist of many parts For as a House which is compos'd of many and divers things yet is but One only in perfect Form So the Sacrament altho it be made up of many Things and Words yet it is but One sign and has the Efficiency of One thing only which it signifies Moreover VIII This Sacrament has Matter and Form Isai 5.14 the Curats shall teach what the Parts of this Sacrament are The Element I say and The Word For these things are not pass'd over by S. James in every one whereof we may observe their own Mysteries The Element or Matter whereof IX What the matter is In the place before cited as the Councils and especially that of Trent has decreed is Oyl consecrated by a Bishop to wit the Liquor not press'd out of any fat and thick Nature but out of the Buries of the Olives only Now this Matter very fitly signifies that thing which by Vertue of this Sacrament X. How fit this matter is is inwardly wrought in the Soul for as Oyl is very profitable to mitigate the Pains of the Body So the Vertue of the Sacrament lessens the sorrow and grief of the Soul Besides Oyl restores sweetness makes chearful and feeds our Lights and also it is very suitable to refresh and strengthen a weary Body All which things declare what by the Divine Power is wrought upon a sick man thro the Administration of this Sacrament And This concerning the Matter is sufficient XI What the Form of this Sacrament is But the Form of this Sacrament is the Word and that solemn Prayer which the Priest uses at every Anointing when he says God indulge or pardon thee by this Holy Vnction whatsoever offence thou hast done thro the fault of thy Eyes or Nostrils or Touch. Now that This is the true and proper Form of this Sacrament XII This prov'd to be the proper Form the Apostle S. James signifies when he says Let them pray over him and the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick Whence we know that the Form is to be us'd in manner of a Prayer altho with what Words chiefly it is to be conceiv'd the Apostle has not express'd But This we have from the Tradition of the Fathers XIII This Form us'd every where So that all Churches retain this manner of Form which the Roman Church the Mother and Mistress of all Churches uses For tho' some change some few Words as when for God indulge thee They put Remit or Spare and sometimes also Heal whatsoever thou hast committed But yet because there is no alteration of the sense it is evident that the same Form is religiously observ'd of all Nor let any one wonder why it is so XIV Why this Form is in the manner of a Prayer that the Form of other Sacraments either absolutely signifies what it effects as when we say I Baptize thee or I Sign
him an help like himself And a little after But there was not found for Adam an help like himself therefore the Lord God sent a deep sleep upon Adam and while he slept he took one of his Ribs and clos'd up the Flesh instead thereof And the Lord God form'd the Rib that he took from Adam into a Woman and brought her to Adam and Adam said This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be call'd Woman because she was taken out of Man Wherefore a Man shall leave his Father and Mother and shall cleave to his Wife and they Two shall be One Flesh Which things Mat. 19.6 even by the Authority of our Lord himself in St. Matthew shew that Matrimony was of Divine Institution Nor did God institute Matrimony only XIII Matrimony made indissoluble but as the Holy Synod of Trent declares he added to it a perpetual and indissoluble Knot for our Savior says What God has join'd none may put asunder For tho it was convenient that Matrimony Sess 24. initio as it is an Office of Nature might not be dissolv'd yet much more so now as it is a Sacrament Mat. 19.6 for which cause it gains the highest perfections even in all things which are proper to it by the Law of Nature and yet that the Bond should be dissoluble would be repugnant to the bringing up of Children and the other benefits of Matrimony But XIV The Law of contracting Matrimony not laid upon all Gen. 1. that it was said of God Increase and multiply This tends hither that he might declare for what cause Matrimony was instituted not to put a necessity upon every man For Mankind being now increas'd the Law of Marriage is so far from compelling any that Virginity is rather highly commended and perswaded to every one and that by Sacred Scripture as being more excellent than the state of Matrimony and containing in it greater Perfection and Holiness For our Lord and Savior thus has taught He that can receive it let him receive it Mat. 19 12. And the Apostle says Concerning Virgins I have no command from the Lord but I give my Counsel as having obtain'd Mercy 1 Cor. 7.23 that I might be Faithful XV. Why Man and Woman ought to be join'd The first cause But now we must explain for what Reasons the Man and Woman ought to be join'd together The first therefore is That this very Society of the divers Sex is desir'd by natural Instinct there being Hope of mutual help that One being assisted by the help of the Other might the more easily bear the inconveniences of life and the weakness of old age Another is the desire of Procreation The second cause not so much for this End that we might leave behind us Heirs to enjoy our Honors and Riches as that they might be brought up in true Faith and Religion which that it was chiefly the Design of the Holy Patriarchs when they married sufficiently appears from Sacred Scripture Wherefore the Angel when he admonish'd Tobias by what means he might repel the force of the Devil Tob. 6. I will shew thee says he who they are that can prevail over the Devil for those who so enter into Wedlock as to exclude God from themselves and their Soul and so give themselves to their lust as the Horse and Mule which have no understanding the Devil has power over them And then he adds Thou shalt take a Virgin with the Fear of the Lord being led thereto rather by the Love of Children than Lust that thou mayst get in thy Children the blessing of the seed of Abraham And this also was One cause why God at first instituted Matrimony Note Wherefore their wickedness is very great who being join'd in Matrimony by Medicins hinder Conception or force out the Birth before time for this is to be look'd upon as design'd Murder The third The third cause and which began to take place after the Fall of our first Parents when thro the loss of Righteousness in which Man was created his Appetite began to oppose his right Reason to wit that being conscious to himself of his own weakness nor being willing to endure the Fight of the Flesh he might use the remedy of Matrimony to avoid the sins of Lust Of the which the Apostle thus 1 Cor. 7. Because of Fornication let every Man have his own Wife and let every Woman have her own Husband And a little after when he had taught that sometimes men ought to abstain from the Debt of Matrimony for the sake of Prayer and subjoins And return again to that very thing leâ—t Satan tempt you by your Incontinence These are the Causes Note whereof some or other every one who will contract Marriage piously and religiously as becomes the Children of the Saints ought to propose to himself But if to these Causes others be also added whereby men are induc'd to enter Marriage and in choosing a Wife they propose such as These to themselves as the desire of leaving an Heir Wealth Beauty Nobility or likeness of conditions These Reasons indeed are not to be condemn'd since they oppose not the Holiness of Matrimony Gen. 29. For neither in Sacred Scripture is the Patriarch Jacob reprehended because having chose Rachel for her Beauty he preferr'd her before Leah Thus far of Matrimony shall be taught as it is a Natural Conjunction XVI Of Matrimony as a Sacrament but as it is a Sacrament we must shew that the Nature of it is much more excellent and is wholly to be referr'd to a higher End For as Matrimony XVII Matrimony as a Sacrament far excels the Natural as it is a Natural Conjunction was instituted at the beginning for the Propagation of Mankind So afterwards that a People might be procreated and brought up to the Worship and Religion of the true God and of our Savior Christ the Dignity of a Sacrament was given to it When Christ our Lord was minded to give a certain sign of that most close Relation which is betwixt him and his Church XVIII The Union of Christ and his Church declar'd by Matrimony and of his immense love towards us he declar'd the Divinity of this Mystery chiefly in the Holy Conjunction of Man and Woman which that it was most fitly done may be understood from hence that among all human relations there is none bind so neerly as the bond of Matrimony and the Husband and VVife are bound together each to other in the greatest Love and Good will And therefore it is that the Holy Scriptures frequently put before our Eyes the Divine Copulation of Christ and the Church by the similitude of Marriage Now that Matrimony is a Sacrament XIX Matrimony prov'd to be a Sacrament the Church confirm'd by the Authority of the Apostle always held certain for thus he writes to the Ephesians Men ought to love
remain unmarry'd or that she be reconcil'd to her Husband Note For neither does Holy Church allow a Husband and a Wife to depart each from other without very weighty cause And that the Law of Matrimony may not seem rigorous XXIX How it comes that Indissolubility is more tollerable because it can never for any reason be dissolv'd it must be taught what the Advantages join'd with it are For first First Men should know that in joining Matrimony Vertue and Likeness of Manners are to be regarded rather than Riches and Beauty In which thing no one can doubt that the common Society is very much concern'd Besides Secondly if Matrimony could be dissolv'd by Divorce Men would scarce ever want causes of strife to be daily laid in their way by the old Enemy of Peace and Modesty But now when the Faithful consider with themselves Thirdly tho they want the bed and board of VVedlock yet that they are held bound with the Bond of Matrimony and that all hope of marrying another Wife is cut off for this cause it is that they are slower to anger and discord But if sometimes they proceed to make Divorce Fourthly and yet cannot long endure the want of a Mate they are easily reconcil'd by Friends and return to each other But here the wholsome Admonition of S. Austin is not to be pass'd over by the Pastors Fifthly Lib. de Adulter Conjug c. 6. 9. For he to shew the Faithful that they should not look upon it as a burdensome thing to receive again into favor their Wives which they had put away for the cause of Adultery if they repented of their sin Why says he should not the Faithful Husband receive his Wife again whom the Church receives Or why should not the Wife pardon her adulterous Husband whom even Christ has pardon'd Prov. 18.12 For that the Scripture calls him a Fool who keeps an Adultress it means of her which when she has offended repents not and refuses to leave off the filthiness she has begun From these things therefore it is plain that the Marriages of the Faithful far excel the Marriages both of the Gentiles and of the Jews in perfection and Nobility The Faithful are further to be taught XXX Three Benefits of Matrimony that there are three Benefits of Matrimony Children Faith Sacrament By recompense of which those inconveniencies are lessen'd which the Apostle shews in these words 1 Cor. 7.28 They that are married shall have Tribulation of the Flesh And thereby it comes to pass that the Conjunction of Bodies which without Matrimony are worthily condemn'd is render'd honest Vide Aug. lib. 5. cont Julian c. 5. The First Good therefore is Children The First which are begotten of a just and lawful Wife for this the Apostle reckons so much of 1 Tim. 2.25 that he said The Woman shall be sav'd by the begetting of Children Nor is this to be understood only of the Begetting of Children but also of the Education and discipline of them whereby Children are instructed in Piety So the Apostle presently adds If they remain in Faith The Scripture also admonishes Eccle. 7.25 Hast thou Children teach them and bend them from their Childhood The same thing the Apostle teaches And of this kind of Teaching Tobias Job and other Holy Fathers in Sacred Scripture afford us very fair Examples But what the Duties of Parents and Children are Note will be explain'd more at large in the Fourth Command Now follows Faith The Second which is another Benefit of Matrimony not that Habit of Vertue wherewith we are tinctur'd when we receive Baptism but a kind of Fidelity wherewith the Husband binds himself to his Wife and the Wife mutually binds her self to her Husband and that in such a manner that each of them deliver the power of their Bodies to each other and promises never to violate the Holy Covenant of Marriage This is easily gather'd from those words utter'd by our first Father Gen. 2.24 when he receiv'd Eve his Wife and which Christ our Lord afterwards approv'd in the Gospel Wherefore a Man shall leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they Two shall be One Flesh Also from that place of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.4 The Woman has not power of her own Body but the Man and in like manner the Man has not power of his own Body but the Woman Wherefore those more grievous Punishments were most justly appointed by the Lord in the Old Law against Adulterers Levit. 20. â—0 because they broke this Material Faith The Faith of Matrimony requires further Note that the Husband and Wife be joyn'd together in a kind of singular holy and pure love nor may they love as Adulterers do among themselves but as Christ lov'd the Church For this Rule the Apostle prescrib'd Ephes 3.25 when he said Men love your Wives as Christ also lov'd the Church which certainly he embrac'd with that immense Charity not for his own profits sake but proposing to himself the advantage only of his Bride The Third Good of Matrimony is call'd the Sacrament The Third to wit the Bond of Marriage from which they can never be dissolv'd 1 Cor. 7.19 For as the Apostle has it The Lord has commanded that the Wife depart not from her own Husband But if she depart that she remain unmarri'd or be reconcil'd to her Husband and that the Husband put not away his Wife For if Matrimony as it is a Sacrament signifie the Conjunction of Christ with his Church it must needs be that as Christ never separates himself from his Church so a Wife as to the Bond of Matrimony can never be separated from her Husband But that this holy Society may be the better preserv'd without Quarrel the Duties of the Husband and of the Wife as they are describ'd by S. Paul and S. Peter the Prince of Apostles are to be taught Vide Aug. lib. 1. de Adulterin conjug c. 21. 22. de bono Conjug c. 7. de Nupt. concupisc lib. 1. c. 10. It is the Part of the Husband therefore liberally and honorably to treat his Wife XXXI The Duty of the Husband towards the Wife First for which purpose it ought to be remembred that Eve was call'd the Companion of Adam when he said The Woman thou gavest me for a Companion For which cause it was as some of the Fathers have taught that she was not formed out of the Feet but out of the Side of the Man Ev'n as also she was not made of the Head that she might understand that she is not the Mistress of her Husband but rather subject to him Besides Secondly it is the Office of the Husband to be always imploy'd in the Study of some honest thing both to provide those things which are necessary for the Sustenance of his Family and also that he grow
rose again for us He is the Lord our God who has bought us for himself with his own Blood how shall we be able to Sin against the Lord our God and crucifie him again As therefore being made truly free and with that Liberty too wherewith Christ has made us free as formerly we yielded our Members to serve Injustice so let us now yield them to serve Justice to Sanctification Exod. 10. Thou shalt not have strange Gods before me The Curat shall teach that those things that belong to God X. The Division of the Decalogue have the first place in the Decalogue and those that belong to our Neighbor have the last because those things which we do to our Neighbor we do for Gods sake for then in Obedience to Gods Command we love our Neighbor when for Gods sake we love him now those things are laid down in the First Table In the second place XI Here are two Precepts in the words propos'd there is contain'd a twofold Precept whereof the One has the Vertue of commanding and the Other of Forbidding For in that it is said Thou shalt not have strange Gods before me The meaning is Thou shalt worship me the true God thou shalt give no worship to strange Gods In the First is contain'd the Precept of Faith XII What the first Part contains Hope and Charity For when we say that God is immoveable unchangeable remains always the same faithful we confess aright without any fault whence assenting to his Oracles we must needs attribute all Faith and Authority to him But he that considers his Omnipotency Mercy and Promptitude and Propensity to do good can he chuse but place all his Hope in him But if he contemplate the Riches of his Goodness and Love shed upon us can he chuse but love him Hence this is the Beginning hence this the Conclusion which God uses in Scripture in Commanding and Charging I am the Lord. But this is the other Part of the Precept XIII What the latter Part commandâ— and why â—â— is addâ—d Thou shalt have no strange Gods before me Which Form of Speech the Lawgiver us'd not as tho this Sentence had not bin sufficiently explain'd by the Affirmation of the Commandment in this manner Thou shalt worship me the only God For if he be God he is One But because of the blindness of very many those who in Old Times profess'd themselves to worship the true God did worship a multitude of Gods Of which sort there were very many among the Hebrews themselves who as Elias objected against them halted between two Opinions which thing the Samaritans also did who worship'd the God of Israel and the Gods of the Nations These things being explain'd it must be added XIV The first Commandment of the Decalogue excels the rest That this is the First and Chiefest of all the Commandments not only in Order but in Nature Dignity and Excellence For God ought to have more Love and Authority among us by infinite degrees than Lord or King He created us he governs us and we were nourish'd by him in our Mothers Womb and brought forth thence into the World he supplies us with things necessary for Life and Food Now they sin against this Commandment XV. The chief Sins against the first Commandment who have not Faith Hope and Charity the Sin of whom lies plainly open For in this Number are those who fall into Heresy which believe not those things which our Holy Mother the Church proposes to be believ'd those who give credit to Dreams Fortune-telling and such like Vanities those who cast off the Hope of their Salvation and trust not in the goodness of God those who take Pleasure in Riches only or in the Health and Strength of the Body which things are more largely explain'd by those who have wrote concerning Vices and Sins De variis istis peccatis Vide dist 24. quaest 2. multis in capitibus Aug. in lib. de divinat daemon cap. 5. citatur 26. q. 4. secundum Origen Hom. 5. Josue habet 26. q. 2. c. sed illud Aug. lib. 2. de doct Christian c. 19. 20. citatur eodem c. illud quod est Conc. Carth. 4. c. 89. vide plura 26. q. 2.3 5. Of the WORSHIP and INVOCATION of SAINTS BUt this is also diligently to be taught in the Explication of this Commandment XVI The Honor of the Saints not against this Commandment That the Veneration and Invocation of Saints and Angels and Blessed Souls which enjoy the Glory of Heaven or even the Honor which the Catholic Church has always given to the very Bodies and Ashes of the Saints is not against the Law For who is so mad that when the King requires that no one shall take upon himself to be King or suffer himself to be worship'd or honor'd as King will therefore presently think it to be the Kings Will that no Honor shall be done to his Magistrates for Christians are said to adore the Angels by the Example of the Saints of the Old Testament yet they give not that Veneration to them which they give to God Vide Trid. sess 17. de Sacrif Missae c. 3. sess 25. sub princip cap. de invocati Sanctorum Item vide Synod 7. act 6. in fine Item Aug. lib. 8. de civit Dei c. 27. lib. 10. c. 1. lib. 21. contra Faust c. 21. Basil hom 20. in 40. Mar. 26. de Mar. Mamon Item Nazianz. orat in laud. sancti Cypriani Now whereas we read that the Angels refus'd to be worship'd by Men XVII Why the Angels sometimes would not be worship'd Apoc. 19.10 Apoc. 22.9 it must be understood that they did so because they would not have that Honor done to them which was due to God alone For the Holy Spirit who says Honor and Glory be to God only the same has commanded to honor our Parents and Elders Besides holy Men who worship'd One God only did adore Kings also as we see in Holy Scripture i e. they did humbly reverence them 1 Tim. 17. Exod. 19.2 Lev. 19.11 Deut. 5.16 But if Kings XVIII Angels to be worship'd and why by whom God governs the World are so highly honor'd shall we not give so much the greater Honor to Angelical Spirits whom God has bin pleas'd to make his Ministers and whose labor he makes use of not only for the Government of his Church but of other matters also and by whose Aid we are deliver'd from the greatest Dangers both of Soul and Body altho they suffer not themselves to be seen by us by how much those blessed Spirits excel Kings themselves in Dignity Dan. 10.15 Add hereto their Love wherewith they love us being led by which they pour out Prayers for those Provinces over which they are plac'd as is easily understood from Scripture which also is not to be doubted but they do for those whose Guardians
they are for they offer our Prayers and Tears to God Wherefore in the Gospel our Lord has taught that little ones are not to be offended Mat. 18.10 because their Angels in Heaven always behold the Face of their Father which is in Heaven Therefore they are to be invocated both because they always behold God XIX Angels to be invocated and most willingly undertake the Patronage of our Salvation committed to them The Holy Scriptures are Testimonies of this Invocation For Jacob beg'd of the Angel with whom he wrestl'd yea and compel'd him to bless him Gen. 32.27 for he professes he would not let him go before he bless'd him Nor did he beg a Blessing to be given him of him only whom he saw but of him also whom he saw not when he said Gen. 48.16 The Angel who deliver'd me out of all evil bless the Children Whence it may also he gathered XX. The Honor given to the Saints lessens not the Glory of God That the Glory of God is so far from being lessen'd by the Honor and Invocation of the Saints who sleep in the Lord and by reverencing their Reliques and Ashes that thereby it is very much increased and Men's Hope the more stirr'd up confirm'd and exhorted to the Imitation of the Saints Which Duty is prov'd from the Second Council of Nice the Council of Gangre and the Council of Trent and from the Authority of the Holy Fathers Nicen. Conc. 2. Act. 6. Gangr can 20. citatur dist 30. c. Siquis per Superbiam Trid. sess 25. item Conc. Chalced. sub finem in 6. Synod general c. 7. Conc. Geron. c. 3. Aurel. 1. c. 29. Damasc de Ortho. Fid. lib. 4. c. 6. But that the Curat may be better prepar'd to refute those that are Adversaries to this Truth XXI The same confirmed by the Fathers let him chiefly read S. Hierom let him chiefly read S. Hierom against Vigilantius and Damascen Libro 4. de Orth. Fid. c. 16. According to whose Account XXII The same prov'd from Apostolical Tradition which is a principal thing is added the Practice receiv'd from the Apostles and always kept and preserv'd in the Church of God Dionys c. 7. Hier. Eccles Iren. lib. 5. contra haeres c. 19. Athan. Serm. in Evang. de sancta Deip. Euseb lib. 13. Praepar Evang. c. 7. Cornel. Pap. Ep. 1. Hil. in Psal 126. Ambr. in lib. de Viduis Of which thing who can desire a more strong or clear Argument than the Testimony of Holy Scripture XXIII The same testified by Scripture which wonderfully celebrates the Praises of the Saints for there are divine Commendations of some Saints whose Praises seeing they are celebrated in Sacred Scripture what reason is there that Men should not have a singular honor for them Altho for this cause also they are the rather to be Honor'd and Invocated XXIV The Saints help us with their merits because they earnestly Pray for the Salvation of Men and for their Sake and Merit God bestows many Benefits upon us For if there be joy in Heaven over one Sinner doing Penance XXV Prov'd Luc. 15.15 will not the Cittizens of Heaven also help the Penitent being requested will they not beg Pardon of Sin for us and Reconcile the Grace of God to us But if it be said as said it is by some XXVI The Patronage of the Saints not superfluous that the Patronage of the Saints is needless because God without an Interpreter hears our Prayers those Words of S. Austin easily convince these Sayings of Impious Men There are many things which God grants not unless by a Mediator and Intercessor Aug. quaest 149. super Exod. Serm. 2. 4. de S. Steph. And this is confirmed by the clear Examples of Abimelech and Job's Friends XXVII Confirmed by Examples whose sins God forgave not but by the Prayers of Abraham and Job Gen. 20. Job 42. But if it be said XXVIII Objections answered Mat. 8.10 Luc. 7.3 That this is done thro the want and weakness of Faith that we use the Saints as Intercessors and Patrons how will answer to the Example of the Centurion who tho he had that singular Commendation for his Faith which our Lord God bestow'd upon him yet he sent the Elders of the Jews to our Savior to beg Health for his sick Servant Wherefore XXIX The Invocation of the Saints hurts not the Unity of the Mediator Heb. 9.12 if we must acknowledge that there is only One Mediator propos'd us Christ our Lord to wit He who only has reconcil'd us thro his Blood to our Heavenly Father and who having finish'd our Redemption and once entred into the Holies ceases not to intercead for us yet it can by no means follow from hence that we may not have Recourse to the Favour of the Saints For if it be therefore unlawful to use the Assistance of the Saints because we have one Patron Jesus Christ the Apostle would never have done it nor would he ever have committed himself so earnestly to the Prayers and Assistance of the Brethren yet alive For surely the Prayers of the Living do not less diminish the Glory and Dignity of Christ the Mediator Note than the Intercession of those Saints that are in Heaven But who is there XXX The Invocation of Saints prov'd lawful by many Miracles whom the wonderful things that have bin done at the Graves as the Blind the Lame the Maim'd and otherwise diseased Persons restor'd to Health and Soundness the Dead recover'd to Life the Devils cast out of Mens Bodies do not convince of the Honor which is due to the Saints and of our Protection which they undertake which things S. Ambrose and S. Austin in their Writings have largly testified not that they heard of them as many others have done or that they have read of such things as very many very grave Men have done but that they themselves saw them Amb. Epist 85. Serm. 95. Aug. de civit Dei lib. 22. c. 8. Epist. 137. What need is there of many Proofs for this If the Clothes XXXI The Vertue of Reliques confirms the same if the Handkercheifs if the very of Shadow of the Saints before they departed out of this Life drove away Diseases and restor'd the Sick to Health who can be so bold as to deny that God by the Sacred Ashes the Bones and other Reliques of the Saints does wonderfully work the same things This is shew'd by that dead Body 4 Reg. 13.21 which being haply let down into Elisha's Grave upon the touching of his Body immediatly reviv'd But that which follows XXXII These words contain not a distinct Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self a graven thing nor every likeness which is in Heaven and which is in the Earth beneath nor of those things which are in the Waters under Earth Thou shalt not adore them nor worship them Some thinking this
come VVhen we certainly promise and confirm it that such a thing shall be so Of which kind is that of David who swearing to Bersabe his VVife by the Lord his God promis'd that Solomon his Son should be the Heir of his Kingdom 2 Reg. 1 17. and succeed him in his room Now tho to an Oath XVI How many things requir'd to a lawful Oath it be sufficient to use God as a VVitness yet to make it just and holy there are many more things requir'd which are diligently to be explain'd but those things as S. Jerom testifies Jeremy briefly reckons up when he says S. Hierom. in hunc locum Hier. 4. Thou shalt swear the Lord lives in Truth and in Judgment and in Justice In which words are briefly and summarily contain'd those things wherein all the Perfection of an Oath lies to wit Truth Judgment and Justice Truth therefore has the first Place in an Oath XVII What it is to Swear in asserting Truth to wit that what is asserted be the very Truth and that he that swears it be assur'd that it is so not to be led to it rashly or by light conjecture but by the most certain Arguments But the other kind of Oath XVIII What in Promising whereby we promise any thing requires Truth in the same measure For he that promises any thing ought to be so minded that when the Time comes he truly perform and fulfil his Promise nor will any honest Man ever undertake to do what he thinks to be against the most Holy Commandments and VVill of God but whatsoever was lawful for him to promise or swear he never will alter it being once promis'd unless by chance the Condition of Matters being alter'd the things begin to be such that now if he would keep his Word and stand to his Promise he might undergo the hatred and displeasure of God But that Truth is necessary to an Oath David also shews in these words Psal 14. He that swears to his neighbor and disappoints him not In the second place follows Judgment XIX What it is to swear in Judgment for it is fit that an Oath should not be taken rashly and inconsiderately but with good counsel and advice He therefore that is about to swear should first consider well whether there be any necessity that compels him or not and should carefully consider the whole matter whether it be of such a nature as seems to stand in need of an Oath Let him moreover consider the Time and the Place and very many other Circumstances and let him not be mov'd to it by Love or Hatred or any other violent Passion of the Mind but by the quality and necessity of the thing it self For without this Consideration and diligent Attention XX. What a rash Oath is certainly the Oath must needs be rash and hasty Of which sort is the irreligious Affirmation of them who in any the most trivial and vain matter without any Reason or Advice burn as it were with this evil Habit. And this almost every where we daily see done by Buyers and Sellers Observe and reprove For the one sort that they may sell as dear as they can and the other sort on the other hand that they may buy as cheap as may be are not afraid even with an Oath either to commend or discommend the things to be bought or sold Since there is need therefore of Judgment and Prudence Note and that Children as yet by reason of their Age cannot so exactly perceive and distinguish therefore it was Decreed by that Holy Man Pope Cornelius That an Oath should not be requir'd of Children before they came to maturity i. e. before their Fourteenth year 22. q. 5. c. Honestum c. pueri The other is Justice XXI What it is to swear in Justice which in Promises especially is requir'd Wherefore if any one promises any thing unjust or dishonest and sin by swearing and in making Promises he adds sin to sin there is in the Gospel the Example of this thing in King Herod who having bound himself with a rash Oath gave John Baptist's Head to the Dancing Girl Mar. 6.23 as the Reward of her Dancing For such was the Oath of those Jews who as it is in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 23.12 bound themselves under a Curse on this Condition That they would eat nothing till they had kill'd Paul These things thus explain'd XXII When and how an Oath is lawful there can be no doubt but that he may safely swear who observes all these things and who establishes his Oath with these Conditions as it were with a kind of Bulwarks But it is easie to prove this by many Arguments Prov'd First Psal 18.8 Deut. 6.10 18. For the Law of the Lord which is spotless and holy has commanded it for it says Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and thou shalt swear by his Name And David wrote Secondly All they that swear by him shall be commended Besides Thirdly the Sacred Scripture shews That those Lights of the Church the most holy Apostles did sometimes use an Oath and this appears by the Epistles of the Apostle Add also Fourthly That the Angels themselves sometimes swear for S. John the Evangelist Apoc. 10.3 in the Apocalyps writes That the Angel swore by him that lives for ever Yea Fifthly Heb. 6.17 Gen 22.10 Exod. 3â— and God himself also who is the Lord of the Angels swears And in the Old Testament in many places God confirms his Promises by an Oath as to Abraham and to David who says thus concerning God's Oath Psal 109.4 The Lord sware says he and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Nor is it hard to shew Sixthly That an Oath is commendable if any one carefully consider the whole Matter By Reason and mark the beginning and end thereof For an Oath hath its beginning of Faith whereby Men believe God who can neither ever be deceiv'd himself or deceive others to be the Author of all Truth to whose Eyes all things are open and naked who by his admirable Providence takes care of all human Affairs and governs the World Men therefore being season'd with this Faith use God as a Witness of Truth to whom not to give credit would be impious and wicked But as to the End XXIII The End and Design of an Oath an Oath tends thither and wholly has respect to this to prove the Justice and Innocence of Man and to put an end to all Wranglings and Controversies Heb. 9. which the Apostle also in his Epistle to the Hebrews teaches Nor are the Words of our Saviour in S. Matthew against this sense An Objection Mat. 5.3 Ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt pay to
some things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they do the other Scriptures to their own Destruction Furthermore Tenthly the Sacred Scripture is defil'd by soul and dishonest Blots when wicked Men turn the Words and Sentences thereof which ought to be us'd with all reverence to any Prophaness as to Raillery fabulous and vain Conceits Flatteries Detractions Fortune-telling Enchantments and such like Of which Sin the Sacred Synod of Trent commands to beware And then as they honor God Eleventhly who implore his Aid and Help in their Calamities So he denies God his due Honor that calls not upon him for help whom David reproves when he says They have not call'd upon God Psal 15.5 they tremble for fear where no Fear was But they intangle themselves in a far more detestable Sin Twelfthly who with an impure and defil'd mouth presume to curse and blaspheme the Holy Name of God which is to be bless'd and extol'd by all Creatures with the highest Praises or even the Name of the Saints that reign with God Which Sin is verily of so high and cursed a Nature Note that sometime the Sacred Scripture 3 Reg. 21.13 Job 1.12.29 when the Discourse is of Blasphemy uses the word Benediction But because the terror of Pain and Punishment is us'd very much to restrain Men from the Liberty of Sinning XXIX The Appendix to the second Commandment Therefore the Curat the better to stir up the minds of Men and more easily to prevail with them to keep this Commandment shall diligently explain the other Part of it Exod. 27. which is as it were the Appendix For the Lord will not hold him guitless that takes his Name in vain And first he may teach XXX Why Threats joyn'd to this Commandment that it was very reasonably done to joyn Threatnings to this Commandment that so both the weight of the Sin and the goodness of God towards us who is not delighted with Men's Destruction might be acknowledg'd that we might not undergo his Wrath and Displeasure he terrifies us by these saving Threatnings to the end that we may rather experience his Kindness than his Displeasure The Curat may press this Point XXXI What the Curats are to do First and may insist earnestly upon it that the People may know the grievousness of the Sin and loath it the more heartily and use the greater diligence and caution against it He may further shew Secondly how prone and ready Men are to commit this Sin So that it was not enough to establish a Law about it without adding Threatnings also For it is incredible how profitable this Consideration is For as nothing is so hurtful as Carelesness and Security of Mind Thirdly So the knowledg of our own Weakness is very profitable And then he may also shew XXXII What mischiefs the Transgression of the second Commandment brings that there is no certain Punishment appointed of God but only that threatens in general that whosoever intangle themselves in this Sin shall not go unpuish'd Wherefore the various Punishments wherewith we are daily afflicted ought to warn us of this Sin For we may easily conjecture hence that Men fall into very great Calamities because they obey not this Commandment The Consideration whereof it is likely will make them more wary for the Time to come Let the Faithful therefore being terrifi'd with a Holy Fear with all their endeavour avoid this Sin Mat. 12.36 For if an Account must be given in the last Judgment of every idle word what shall be said concerning the most heinous Crimes which carry in them a great Spight and Contempt of Gods Name The Third COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbath Day Six Days shalt thou labor and do all thy Work But the seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Thou shalt not do every work therein thou and thy Son and thy Daughter and thy Servant and thy Maid thy Cattle and the Stranger that is within thy gates For in six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things that are in them and he rested in the Seventh Day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and sanctified it IN this Commandment of the Law I. What is commanded in this third Commandment the Outward VVorship which we owe to God is rightly and orderly appointed For this is a kind of Fruit as it were of the former Commandment Because whom we devoutly worship inwardly being led by the Faith and Hope we have in him we cannot chuse but honor him with external VVorship and render him thanks Vide Trid. Decr. de ciborum delectu festu diebus sess ult sub finem Item D. Thom. 2.2 q. 122. art 4 item de Consec dist 3. multis capitibus And because these things cannot easily be done by those who are occupi'd with worldly Businesses II How indulgent God is there is a certain Time appointed wherein they may conveniently be done Since therefore this Commandment is of that very kind III. Very useful often to explain this Commandment as brings forth admirable and profitable Fruit It much concerns the Curat to be very diligent in explaining thereof And to beget an ardent Study therein the first word of this Commandment Remember has great Force For as the Faithful ought to remember such a Commandment So it is the Office of the Pastor both by teaching and admonishing often to bring it into their Remembrance But how greatly it concerns the Faithful to obey this Commandment is perceiv'd from hence IV. How profitable to observe this Commandment That by a diligent Observance of this they are more easily induc'd to the keeping of the other Commandments of the Law For since among other things which they ought to do on Festival Days V. Why we must come to Church on Holy Days they have need to come to Church to hear Gods VVord and when they have learn'd what the VVill of God is that they also follow it that with their whole Heart they may keep the Law of the Lord VVherefore in Sacred Scripture the VVorship and Celebration of the Sabbath is very frequently commanded Exod. 16.20.31 Lev. 16.19.23 â—6 Deut 3. â—s 66. â—4 Hier. 1. â—ze 10.22.46 as we may see in Exodus Leviticus Deuteronomy and in the Prophecies of Isayah Jeremy and Ezekiel In all which places there is given a Commandment concerning this VVorship of the Sabbath De praedic verbi Dei Vide Trid. Sess 5. c. 2. Vide singularem hac de re libellum S. Caroli Borrom in actis Eccles Mediol Vide etiam acta Eccles Bononiens But Princes and Magistrates are to be exhorted to help the Prelates of the Church with their Authority VI. The Magistrates Duty to promote Gods worship in those things especially which belong to the Support and Increase of this Worship of God
seeing he requires it of us to reverence such kind of persons we ought therefore to do it to them who by God are dignfied with this Honor Whence it comes to pass that the Honor we have for our Parents we seem to have it for God rather than for Men. For so it is in S. Matthew when mention is made of Observance to Speriors Mat. 10.40 He that receives you receives me And the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 6.5 teaching Servants Servants says he give obedience to your Masters according to the Flesh with fear and trembling in the simplicity of your heart as to Christ not with eye-service as pleasing Men but as the Servants of Christ Vide Aug. lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 12. l. 4. Confess c. 9 10 11 12. Prosper l. 3. de Vita contempl c. 13. Bernard de Diligendo Deo Add hereto The third Difference That no Honor no Piety no Worship is given to God that is worthy enough towards whom our Love may be infinitly encreas'd And therefore it is necessary that our Love towards him grow more ardent 〈…〉 by his own Commandment we ought to love with all our Heart Deut. 6.5 with all our Soul Luc. 10.27 and with all our Strength But the Love we bear to our Neighbor is bounded within its proper Limits Mat. 22.32 for the Lord commands us to love our Neighbor as our selves But if any one exceed these Limits VI. so as to love his Neighbor equally with God Note he grievously sins If any one come to me Luc. 14.26 says our Lord and hates not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple According to which sense it is also said Luc. 9.60 Suffer the Dead to bury their Dead when one would first go bury his Father and afterwards follow Christ The Explication of which thing is more clear in S. Matthew Mat. 10.37 Ho that loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Nor is it yet to be doubted VII How Parents to be lov'd but that Parents are highly to be lov'd and observ'd But yet in the first place it is necessary to Piety to pay the chief Honor and Worship to God who is the Father and Creator of all and so to love our mortal Parents that the whole force of our Love he referr'd to our Heavenly and Everlasting Father But if at any time the Commandments of Parents are against the Commandments of God VIII When Parents not to be obey'd there is no doubt but that Children are to prefer the Will of God before the Pleasure of their Parents being always mindful of that Divine Sentence Act. 5.29 We must obey God rather than Man Which things being explain'd IX What it is to Honor. the Curat shall interpret the words of the Commandment And first he shall shew what it is to Honor. And it is to think honorably of some one and very highly to esteem of all that is his Now X. How sitly the word Honor is here us'd to this Honor all these things are join'd Love Observance Obedience and Worship or Reverence Now in the Law this word Honor is excellently plac'd rather than that of Love or Fear altho Parents are very much to be lov'd and fear'd For he that loves does not always observe and reverence and he that fears does not always love But whomsoever a Man honors from his Heart him he also loves and fears When the Curat has explain'd these things XI First They are call'd Fathers that beget he shall then treat concerning Fathers and who they are that may be call'd by this Name For tho the Law speak of those Fathers chiefly of whom we were begotten yet this Name belongs to others also as we easily gather from very many places of Holy Scripture Besides those therefore that begat us Secondly The Prelats of the Church and Priests there are other sorts also of Fathers in Sacred Scripture as we touch'd before to all which their proper Honor is due First then the Rulers of the Church the Pastors and Priests are call'd Fathers as it is manifest from the Apostle who writing to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.14 says I write not these things to shame you but I warn you as my most dear Children For tho you had ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I begat you thro the Gospel And in Ecclesiasticus it is written Ecclus 44.1 Let us praise Men glorious and who were our Fathers in their Generation And then those are call'd Fathers to whom is committed the Government Thirdly Magistrat â—â— Magistracy or Power who govern the Commonwealth so Naamam was call'd by his Servants Father Furthermore Fourthly Tutors and Masters We call them Fathers to whose Care Trust Honesty and Wisdom others are committed Of this kind are Tutors and Guardians Teachers and Masters Wherefore the Sons of the Prophets call'd Elijah and Elisha Father 1 Reg. 5. 4 Reg. 2. 4 Reg. 13. Lastly Fifthly The Aged We call Old Men and Aged Fathers whom we ought also to reverence And let this be a chief Matter in the Precepts of the Curat XII Why Parents are to be honor'd to teach That Fathers of what kind soever but especially those of whom we were begotten are to be honor'd by us concerning whom the Divine Law makes special mention For they are Note as it were Here there are Ten Reasons certain Images of the Immortal God and in them we behold the Image of our own Beginning Life is given us by them God made use of them to bestow on us Mind and Soul by them being brought to the Sacraments and train'd up to Religion to Civil and Manly Education we are taught Integrity and Holiness of Manners Of the Duties of Children towards their Parents Vide Antonium Augustinum lib. 10. tit 19. And let the Curat teach XIII Here is rightly men son made of Mother That the Name of Mother is deservedly express'd in this Commandment that we may consider the Benefits and Merits of a Mother towards us with how great Care and Trouble she carried us in her Womb with how great Labor and Grief she brought us forth and bred us up Moreover XIV The first Honor due to Parents Parents are so to be observ'd that the Honor which we pay them may be seen to proceed from our Love and the inmost sense of our Soul to whom this Office is due especially seeing they are so well affected towards us as to refuse no Labor no Striving no Dangers for our sakes and nothing more pleasant can happen to them than to find that they are dear to their Children whom they love very dearly Joseph when he was in Egypt Gen. 46.19 was next to the King in Honor and
for two Reasons The one is If any one being imploy'd in an unjust matter kills a Man For example If any one with his Fist or Foot strike a Woman with Child The First whereupon follows an untimely Birth This happens indeed beyond the Design of the Striker yet he is not blameless because it was no means lawful for him to strike a Woman with Child The other is The Second If he carelesly and heedlesly kill any one not looking well about him For which cause also Sixthly if any one for defence of his own Safety using all the care he can kill another it appears plain enough that he is not guilty of this Law And these are the Slaughters we have now mention'd VIII What Killing is forbidden here which are not contain'd in this Commandment of the Law which being excepted all the rest are forbidden whether we consider the Slayer or the Person slain or the Means by which the Slaughter was done As to those that are the Slayers IX Who forbidden to kill there is none excepted neither Men of Wealth nor of Power neither Masters nor Parents but without all difference and distinction all are forbidden to kill If we consider those who are kill'd X. Who may not be kill'd this Law belongs to every one nor is there any one of so mean and base a Condition but he is defended by vertue of this Law Nor is it lawful for any one to kill himself XI None may kill himself seeing no one has so much the power of his own Life that at his own pleasure he may kill himself And therefore by the words of this Law it is not thus appointed Thou shalt not kill another but simply Thou shalt not kill But then if we respect the manifold ways of Murder XII Every way of killing forbidden there is none excepted For it is not only unlawful to take away any Mans Life either with his Hands or Sword or Knife or with a Stone or with a Staff or with a Halter or with Poison but it is utterly forbidden to be done either by Counsel Help or Assistance or by any other Means And here the great Dulness and Stupidity of the Jews appears Note in that they believ'd that they observ'd this Commandment if they restrain'd their Hands only from Murder But to a Christian XIII None may be angry at nor kill another who as Christ has interpreted it has learn'd that this Law is Spiritual and teaches us not only to have our Hands clean but our very Souls chaste and sincere that is not enough which the Jews thought sufficient to themselves For in the Gospel we are taught That it is not lawful so much as to be angry since our Lord says But I say to you Every one that is angry at his Brother shall be guilty of the Judgment but he that says to his Brother Racha shall be guilty of the Council but he that shall say Thou Fool shall be guilty of Hell-fire De ira vide Basil. hom 10 Chrysost hom 29. ad Pop. Antioch D. Thom. 2.2 q. 158. per totam From which words it is evident XIV This place of the Gospel explain'd That he is not free from Sin that is inwardly inrag'd at his Brother tho he contain his Anger shut up in his Mind but he that gives any Token of that Anger sins grievously but he sins yet much more grievously who is not afraid to handle his Brother hardly and to reproach him Vide Aug. de Serm. Dom. in Monte lib. 1. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 158. a. 3. And verily this is true XV. What Anger not forbidden if there be no cause of Anger For the Cause of Anger which is allow'd by God and his Laws is This When we are displeas'd at those who being under our Government and Power are guilty of a Fault for a Christians Anger ought to proceed not from Carnal Sense but from the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.17 seeing it is fit that we be the Temples of the Holy Ghost in which Jesus Christ may dwell There are XVI The perfect Observation of this Commandment besides many other things taught by our Lord which belong to the perfect following of this Law of which sort are these Not to resist Evil but if any one smite thee on thy right Cheek turn to him the other also and he that will go to Law with thee and take away thy Coat give him thy Cloak also and he that will compel thee to go a Mile go with him two Vide Aug Epist 5. ad Marcel de Serm. Domini in Monte lib. 2. c. 20. From what has been already said XVII How many offend against this Commandment we may observe how prone Men are to those Sins which are forbidden in this Commandment or how many may be found who tho they commit not Wickedness with their Hands yet do it in their Hearts And because there are Remedies for this Disease in the Sacred Scripture XVIII The Curat 's Duty it is the Curat 's Duty to teach them diligently to the Faithful And this is the Chief XIX How great a Crime it is to kill a Man That they understand how wicked a Sin the killing of a Man is And this may be seen from very many and very evident Testimonies of Holy Scripture for God in Holy Scripture so detests Murder that he says he will punish even the very Beasts for the killing of Men Gen. 9.6 and commands that Beast to be kill'd that hurts a Man Nor would he have Man abhor Blood for any other cause Note but that by all means he should restrain his Mind and his Hand from the Wickedness of killing a Man For Men-slayers are the worst Enemies of Mankind XX. Murderers injure God himself and consequently of Nature who as much as in them lies overthrow the universal Work of God when they destroy a Man for whose sake he testifies that he made all things whatsoever were created Yea and even in Genesis since it is forbidden to kill a Man because God created him after his own Image and Likeness he do's a notable Injury to God and seems as it were to lay violent hands upon him who removes his Image out of the way David having with Divine Cogitation of Mind meditated hereof XXI How prone Man is to Murder Psal 13.36 very grievously complain'd of Blood-thirsty Men in these words Their Feet are swift to shed Blood Nor did he simply say They kill but They shed Blood Which words he uttered for amplification of that Wickedness and to shew their exceeding Cruelty and to shew especially how headlong they are carried by the impulse of the Devil to that VVickedness he says Their Feet are swift But now the things which Christ our Lord in this Commandment requires us to observe XXII The end and scope of this Commandment Mat. 5.24 tend to this That we may
the Eyes of them who cannot bring themselvs to forgive their Enemies not only that the Sin is grievous but also that by the continuance of the Sinâ— it grows greater For whereas he XXXIII The perverseness of Hatred whose Mind is thus affected thirsts after his Enemies Bloud being full of Hope of being reveng'd on him is Night and Day so imploy'd in the continual agitation of his wicked Mind that he seems never to be quiet from the contriving of Murder or some other heinous thing whence it comes to pass that either never or with very great Labor is he driven to it either wholly to pardon or at least in some measure to remit Injuries And therefore it is rightly compar'd to a Wound Note wherein the Arrow sticks fast There are moreover many Inconveniences and Sins XXXIV The attenddants of Hatred 1 Joan. 2.11 which are chain'd as it were to this one Sin of Hatred And therefore S. John according to this Sense spake thus He that hates his Brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and knows not whither he goes because Darkness has blinded his Eyes Therefore he must needs fall oftentimes for how can it be that a man can allow the Words and Actions of him whom he hates Hence proceed rash and unjust Judgments Anger Envy Reviling and such like wherein even they also are insnar'd who are related in Kinddred or Friendship And therefore it often happens that out of one Sin Note spring a great many Nor is this wrongfully call'd the Devils Sin XXXV Hatred the Devils Sin Joh. 8. Because he was a Murderer from the beginning Wherefore our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God when the Pharisees sought to put him to Death said That they were begotten of their Father the Devil But besides these which have been mentioned XXXVI Remedies against Hatred there are other Remedies deliver'd in the Monuments of Holy Scripture and those indeed very fit whence Reasons may be had for detestation of this Wickedness And the first and greatest Remedie of all The First is the Example of our Saviour which we ought to imitate For he tho he could not in the least be suspected to be guilty of any Sin yet when he was beaten with Rods crown'd with Thorns and at last Crucifi'd he made this Prayer so full of Piety Luc. 23.4 Father forgive them for they know not what they do The sprinkling of whose Bloud Heb. 12.24 as the Apostle testifies Speaks better than that of Abel Another Remedy propos'd by Ecclesiasticus The Second Is to remember Death and the Day of Judgment Remember Ecclus 7.40 says he thy last things and thou wilt not sin for ever The meaning whereof is as if he had said Often times consider this again and again that shortly thou must die and because at that time thou wilt have very much to do and that it will he highly necessary to obtain the infinite Mercy of God it is necessary for thee to put it now and always before thy Eyes for so it will come to pass that that unruly desire of Revenge will leave thee since for the obtaining of Gods Mercy thou canst find no Remedy fitter or greater than Forgetfulness of Injuries and to love them who have wrong'd either thee or thine in Deed or Word The Sixth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not commit Adultery BEcause the Bond between the Husband and Wife is the strictest I. Why this Commandment plac'd in this Oâ—der and nothing can happen more delightful to both of them than to know that they are belov'd with a mutual and singular kind of Love and on the contrary nothing more grievous than to perceive their lawful and due Love to be bestow'd elswhere rightly and in good order does this Law concerning Whoredom and Adultery follow that which defends the Life of Man from Murder So that no one by the Wickedness of Adultery dares violate or break off the Holy and Honorable Conjunction of Matrimony wherein there is us'd to be the great Power of Love But yet in explaining of this very thing II. This Commandment to be explain'd with caution let the Curat be very cautious and prudent and handle the Matter with modest Expressions a Matter which rather wants Restriction than copious Discourse for it is to be fear'd lest while he endeavours too largly and fully to explain by what Means Men depart from the Rule of this Law they haply fall upon the Discourse of those things from whence uses to arise Matter rather of provoking Lust than the way of restraining it But because in this Commandment many things are contain'd which are not to be pretermitted III. The Division of this Commandment The first Part forbidding those things shall be explain'd in their proper places The Force of it therefore is double The One wherein Adultery is plainly forbidd'n Vide 32. q. 4. c. Meretrices Item ibid. multa alia capita Item Amb. de Abraham c. 4. Hier. contra Jovin l. 1 l. 2. item in c. 5. Epist ad Galat. ad illa verba Manifesta autem item in c. 5. ad Eph. ad haec verba Viri diligite Aug. de bono conjug c. 16. lib. 22. cont Faust c. 47.48 item in quaest Deut. q. 37. ad c. 23. iterum Amb. in Serm. de S. Joan. qui sic incip Diximus superiore Dominica est 65. item Greg. in moral lib. 12. c. 21. D. Th. 1 2. q. 100. a. 5. 2.2 q. 122. a. 6. The Other The other part requiring which requires us to keep Chastity both of Mind and Body But to begin with that which is forbidd'n IV. What Adultery is Adultery is the wrong of a Lawful Bed whether it be a Man's'own or anothers for if a Man that is an Husband has to do with a single Woman he wrongs his own Bed But if a single Man have to do with another Mans Wife the other Man's Bed is polluted with the stain of Adultery Now by this Prohibition of Adultery V. All impure Lust forbidden here as S. Ambrose and S. Austin testifie all things whatsoever are dishonest and immodest are forbidd'n Amb. lib. 1. Officior c. 50. in fine Aug. q. 71. super Exod. That these words are so to be understood VI. The Scriptures confirm this Commandment Gen. 38.24 Deut. 23.16 may be gather'd from the Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament For besides Adultery there are other kinds of Lust punishd in Moses's Writings In Genesis there is the Judgment of Judah against his Daughter in Law In Deuteronomy there is that excellent Law of Moses That none of the Daughters of Israel should be Whore There is the like Exhortation of Tobias to his Son Tob. 4.13 Look to thy self my Son Ecclus 41.25 beware of all Fornication And Ecclesiasticus Be ashamd ' says he in respect of a whorish Woman And in the Gospel Christ our Lord says
unlucky XIII To bear false Witness is injurious even to the person that gives it that he is known to him whom by his Oath he did help and assist to be false and perjur'd and which evil succeeds to him of Sentence he daily takes a greater Practice and Custom of Lewdness and Impudence As therefore the Vanities XIV The lies of Lawyers forbidd'n Lies and Perjuries of Witnesses so also of Accusers of the Guilty of Patrons Kinsfolks Proctors and Advocates and even of all that are concern'd in Judgment are forbidd'n Lastly XV. To Witness a Falshood every where forbidd'n Levit. 19.11 God forbids all Testimony not only in Judgment but out of Judgment that may bring any wrong or hurt to another For in Leviticus where these Commandments are repeated we read thus Ye shall not steal ye shall not lye neither shall any one deceive his Neighbor So that no one can doubt but that every Lye is rejected of God and condemn'd in this Commandment VVhich thing David very plainly testifies in this manner Psal 5.7 Thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies Now by this Commandment is forbidd'n XVI The vice of Detraction detestable not only false Testimony but even the hateful Will and practice of speaking ill or another from which Plague it is incredible how many and how grievous Inconveniences and Evils do spring This Vice of Reviling and disparaging another secretly the Holy Scripture in many places reproves I did not so much as eat with such a One Psal 100.5 says David And S. James Jac. 4.11 Speak not evil one of another my Brethren But the Sacred Scriptures do not only afford us Precepts An Example Hester 13. but Examples also whereby the greatness of this Sin is shewn for Aman by forg'd Crimes had so incens'd Assuerus against the Jews that he commanded all that Nation to be kill'd Sacred History is full of Examples of this kind by remembrance whereof the Priests shall endeavour to deter the Faithful from the foulness of this thing But that the greatness of this Sin XVII Who are Detractors whereby anothers Credit is injur'd may evidently appear We must know that Mens Reputation is hurt First not only by Calumny or Slander But by increasing and amplifying their Faults Secondly and if any thing secretly has by any one bin committed which when it comes to be known becomes dangerous and hurtful to a Man's Credit he that publishes that matter where when and to whom there is no need so to do is truly call'd a Reviler and Slanderer But of all Slander there is none more deadly than that of those Thirdly who slander the Catholic Doctrin and the Preachers of it Fourthly They are in the same Fault that commend the Teachers of Errors and false Doctrins Nor are they to be left out of the Number of these Men Fifthly nor are they free from this Fault who lending their Ears to Revilers and Slanderers reprove them not but willingly assent to or belive them For to slander or to hearken to a Slanderer as S. Hierom and S. Bernard write it is not easily manifest whether of the two is more damnable For there would be no Slanderers if there were none to listen to their Slanders S. Hierom. Epist. ad Nepotianum circa finem D. Bernard lib. 2. de Consider ad Eugen. in fine Of the same sort are those Sixthly who by their Artifices cause Men to fall out and quarrel among themselves and are greatly delighted in keeping Differences So that breaking the strictest Friendships and Societies by their feigned words they compel the most friendly Men in the World to immortal Hatred and Quarrels This Plague the Lord exceedingly hates Lev. 19.6 Thou shalt not be a Tale-carrier nor Whisperer among the People Such were many of Sauls Counsellers who strove to estrange his Love from David and to provoke the King against him Lastly meer fair-spoken Men and Flatterers Seventhly Flatterers who by their smoothing and dissembling Praises buzz into those men's Ears and Minds whose Favors Mony and Honor they would purchase calling as the Prophet has it Isa 5.20 Evil good and good Evil offend against this part whom to drive away and rid our doors of them David admonishes us in that Saying Ps 140.5 Let the Just Man reprove me with mercy and let him chide me but let not the Oyl of the wicked anoint my Head For tho they revile not their Neighbor yet they wound him grievously who even by commending his Sins afford him a cause of persevering in his vices as long as he lives And indeed of this kind of Flattery The First kind of Flattery that is worst which is us'd for the Calamity and Hurt of our Neighbors So Saul when he desir'd to expose David to the Fury and Sword of the Philistines he sooth'd him with these words Behold my eldest Daughter Moreb 1. Reg. her will I give thee to wife only be thou valiant and fight the Lords battels So the Jews in that treacherous Speech of theirs thus spake to Christ our Lord Master Marc. 12.14 we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in Truth But far more hurtful is the Speech of those Friends The worst sort of Flattery Relations and Kinsfolks which they sometimes flatteringly use to those who being sick to Death are now at their last Breath while they tell them that even then they are in no danger of Death and bid them be merry and cheerful and keep them from Confession of their Sins as from a sad melancholy Thought And lastly while they divert their Minds from all Care and Thought of their utmost Dangers in which they are very greatly involv'd Wherefore all kinds of Lyes are to be avoided But especially that whereby any one may be most damnifi'd But most wicked of all is that Lye which is made against Religion Note or about Religion God is also grievously offended with those Slanders and Reproaches which are committed by Libels Eighthly The Author of Libels such as they call Libellous Pamphlets and other Contumelies of the like kind De libel famos Vide Bull. Pij V. 147. datam Ann. 1572. Bull. Greg. XIII 4. datam eodem anno Besides XVIII A merry Lie forbidden either for Sport or for Office sake to deceive by a Lye altho no one thereby have any Gain or Loss yet it is altogether unworthy a Man For so the Apostle admonishes us Ephes 4.25 Putting away lying speak ye the Truth Vide D. Thom. 2.2 q. 110. art 3 4. For thereby comes a great Proneness to frequent and more grievous Lying Note the Reason and from telling of Lyes for Mirth Men take a custom of Lying whence they fall into a Reputation of not speaking Truth at all wherefore to gain Belief they are necessitated to swear at all times Lastly XIX All
fulfil the Desires of the Flesh That natural and well-govern'd Power of Concupiscence therefore XIV Two good sorts of Concupience which transgresses not its Limits is not forbidden and much less that spiritual Desire of an upright Mind whereby we are stirr'd up to desire those things that are against the Flesh For to this kind of Desire the Holy Scriptures exhort us Covet ye my Sayings and Come unto me all ye that desire me Wisd 6.1 Eccles 24.26 In this Interdict therefore XV. What Concupiscence is here forbidden not the very Power it self of Coveting which we use as well for that which is Good as for that which is Evil but the use of corrupt Desire which is call'd the Concupiscence of the Flesh and the Incentive to Sin and if it have the Assent of the Mind join'd with it it is always to be accounted vicious and is utterly forbidden That Lust of Concupiscence therefore only is forbidden XVI The Concupiscence of the Flesh explain'd which the Apostle calls the Concupiscence of the Flesh to wit those Motions of Desire which have no measure of Reason and which are not contain'd within the Limits appointed by God This Covetousness is condemn'd XVII Reasons why Concupiscence is forbidden The First The Second either because it desires that which is evil as Adultery Drunkenness Murder and such like heinous Wickedness of which the Apostle says Let us not covet evil things even as they coveted them 1 Cor. 10.6 Or else because tho the things themselves were not by Nature evil yet there is some other cause why it is evil to desire them Of which sort are those things which God or his Church forbids us to have for we may not so much as desire those things which it is unlawful for us to have Such kind of things in the Old Law were the Gold and Silver whereof Idols had been made which the Lord in Deuteronomy Deut. 7.26 forbad that any one should covet Besides The Third for this Reason this vicious Covetousness is forbidden because those things it desires are anothers as House Servant Maid Field Wife Ox Ass and many other things which being anothers the Law of God forbids to covet them And the very Desire of things of this kind is wicked XVIII This Concupiscence is Sin and when it is committed and to be reckon'd among the worst of Sins when the Mind yields her Assent to the Desire of them For then it becomes Sin when after the Impulse of evil Desires the Mind is delighted with that which is evil or do's not resist it as S. James when he shews the Beginning and Progress of Sin teaches in these Words Jac. 1.14 Every one is tempted being drawn away and enticed by his Concupiscence And then when Concupiscence has conceiv'd it brings forth Sin and Sin when it is finish'd begets Death Vide D. Thom. 1.2 q 4. art 7. 8. item Aug. lib. 12. de Trinit c. 12. item de Serm. Dom. in Monte c. 23. Greg. hom 19. in Evang. l. 4. Moral c. 27. in Respons 11. ad Interrog Aug. Hieron in Amos c. 1. Seeing therefore it is thus by Law provided XIX The Scope of the Ninth and Tenth Commandments Thou shalt not covet the meaning of these Words is that we restrain our Desires from those things which belong to others For the Thirst of Desire of other Mens Things is immense and infinite nor can it ever be satisfied as it is written A covetous Man will not be satisfied with Mony Eccl. 3.5 Of whom it is thus said in Isaiah Esa 5.8 Wo to you that join House to House and Field to Field But by the Explication of the several Words XX. The Words expounded the Foulness and Greatness of this Sin is more easily understood Wherefore the Curat shall teach XXI What House here signifies That by the Word House is signified not only the Place which we dwell in but the whole Inheritance as is observ'd from the Use and Custom of Divine Writers In Exodus it is written Exod. 1.21 That Houses were built of the Lord for the Midwives to signifie that God had better'd and enlarg'd their State and Condition From this Interpretation therefore we observe XXII What is here meant by coveting another's Hou e. That in the Law of this Commandment we are forbidden greedily to covet Riches and to envy other Mens Wealth Power Nobility but to be content with our own State whatsoever it be whether low or high And then we ought to know that the coveting another Man's Glory is forbidden for this also belongs to House Now follows XXIII What by Ox and Ass Nor Ox nor Ass Which shews that we may not covet not only those things that are of greater concern as House Nobility and Glory because they belong to others but also things of small moment whatsoever they are whether Animate or Inanimate And then it follows XXIV What by Servant Nor his Servant Which is to be understood as well of Slaves as of other Servants which as the rest of the Goods of another Person we may not covet And as for Freemen XXV They that serve others are not to be entic'd away who serve at pleasure either for Wages or Love and Observance no one ought to corrupt or persuade them either by Words or Hope or Promises or Rewards to forsake them to whose Service they have freely oblig'd themselves Yea Note and if they depart from their old Masters before their time the sooner to come to the new ones by authority of this Commandment they are to be admonish'd by all means to return till their full time be expir'd Now that in this Commandment there is mention made of our Neighbor XXVI Why here is mention made of Neighbor the meaning is That the Vice of those Men might be shewd that use to covet the Neighboring Fields and the nearest Houses or any such things that border upon them For Neighborhood Note which consists in Friendship is betray'd and turn'd from Love into Hatred by the Vice of Covetousness Yet they do not break this Commandment XXVII He that desires to buy other Mens Goods does not sin that desire to buy of their Neighbor those things they have to sell or give them a just price for them For such Persons not only do not injure their Neighbor but they very much help him seeing he has more need of and benefit by the Mony than of the things he sells Now after this Law of not coveting anothers Goods XXVIII The Law of not coveting another Mans Wife explain'd there follows another which forbids us to covet another Mans Wife By which Law not that Lust of Concupiscence only whereby an Adulterer desires another Mans Wife is forbidd'n but also that wherewith any one being affected desires to marry anothers Man's Wife For at that time when a Bill of Divorce was allow'd it
Advantage either because he bestows upon us other greater and larger Blessings or else because what we desire is neither necessary nor profitable for us yea and perhaps it would be not only unnecessary but hurtful to us if he should give it us For as S. Austin says God in mercy denies us some things which sometimes in anger he grants and sometimes also we pray so carelesly and negligently that even we our selves regard not what we say Aug. init Serm. 33. de Verb. Dom. item in Joan. tract 73. Now since Prayer is the mounting up of our Souls to God V. What Prayer is if in Prayer the Mind which ought to be carried to God go a wandring and without any care or devotion we rashly utter the Words of a Prayer how shall we call this empty Noise of a Prayer a Christian Prayer De Orationis definitione vide Damascen lib. 3. de Fide Orthod c. 24. Aug. de Sermone Domini in Monte c. 7. Serm. 230. de Tempore Wherefore it is no wonder Mark this Reason if God give us not our Desire since we prove our selves by the Negligence and Ignorance of our Prayer to be in a manner unwilling to have the thing we pray for or else pray for that which would hurt us But VI. To those that ask aright more is given than ask'd Luc. 15. on the contrary much more is given of God to those that carefully and diligently pray than they pray'd for Which also the Apostle testifies in his Epistle to the Ephesians and is declar'd in the Parable of the Prodigal Son who thought he should have been well dealt with if his Father would but have entertain'd him as one of his hir'd Servants And to those that rightly consider it God heaps his Favors not only on us that ask them and that not only in an abundance of Gifts but also in the speedy granting of them as the Holy Scriptures shew when they use that form of speaking Psal 9.17 The Lord hears the Desire of the Poor For God meets the inward and silent desires of the needy Note not staying for the Voice of their Cry To these is added another Advantage The third Advantage of Prayer that by Prayer we exercise and increase the Vertues of the Mind and especially Faith For as they cannot Pray aright that have not Faith in God for it is said Rom. 10.14 How can they call upon him on whom they have not believ'd So the Faithful with how much the greater Intention they Pray by so much the greater and more assured Faith they have of God's Care and Providence which chieffly requires of us that referring our selves to him for those things we have need of we ask all of him God can indeed give us all things abundantly VII Why God will have us pray tho we ask not nor think of them even as he gives all things necessary for the Sustenance of Life to Creatures void of Reason but our most bountiful Father will be call'd upon by his Children he will have us by daily praying aright to pray with the greater Confidence he will daily testifie and declare his good Will towards us bestowing upon us the things we pray for Our Charity also is inlarg'd The Fourth Advantage for acknowledging him the Author of all our good Things and Advantages we embrace him with the greatest Love we are able And as those that Love by Freedom of Discourse and Conversation come to a higher degree of Love So devout persons by how much the more frequently they make Prayers to God and implore his Goodness as discoursing with him with so much the greater Joy are they affected in all their Prayers and are stirr'd up to Love and Worship him the more ardently He will therefore have us use this Exercise of Prayer The Fifth that being intent upon the Desire of begging what we wish for we might profit so far by that Diligence and Desire that we might be made worthy to have those Gifts bestow'd on us which before our starv'd and narrow Souls were not able to Receive Vide August Epist 121. c. 8. Besides The Sixth God will have us to know and always to remember what is really true if we should be forsaken and depriv'd of the Help of his Heavenly Grace that by our own Industry we can get nothing and therefore to give our whole Heart to Prayer And these Weapons as it were of Prayer The Seventh are most prevalent against the most violent Enemies of our Nature for says S. Hilary We must wrestle against the Devil and his Forces with the Cry of our Prayers Hilar. in Psal 63. Moreover we obtain this excellent Fruit of Prayer The Eighth that seeing by the Corruption of our natural Infirmity we are prone to evil and to the various Appetites of our Lusts he suffers himself to be conceiv'd in our Thoughts that while we pray and importune to be made worthy of his Gifts we become desirous of Innocency and cleanse our selves from every Fault by cutting off of our Sins Lastly The Ninth according to S. Hieroms Sentence Prayer withstands Gods Anger Exod. 32.10 God therefore spake thus to Moses Let me alone when by his Prayers he hinder'd him from punishing that People for there is nothing that so much appeases God when he is angry or that so much hinders and turns him from his Fury when he is ready to bring Punishments upon wicked Men as the Prayers of Devout Men. De his Orationis fructibus agunt Isidor lib. de summo bono c. 87. Aug. Ser. 230. de tempore Ep. 121. ad Probam Of the Parts and Degrees of PRAYER THE Necessity and Profitableness of Christian Prayer being expounded I. It must be taught of what Parts Prayer consists the Faithful ought further to know of what Parts that Prayer consists for that this belongs to the Perfection of this Duty the Apostle testifies who in his Epistle to Timothy exhorting to pray devoutly and holily he diligently reckons up the Parts of Prayer 1 Tim. 2.1 I bescech you says he that first of all Prayers Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men Now that there is a kind of subtil Difference of these Parts if the Curat shall think it convenient to explain it to their Hearers they shall consult S. Hilary and S. Austin Hilar. in Ps 140. ad illa Verba Dirigatur Oratio Aug. Epist 59. ad Paulin. ante med Vide item Cassian Collat. 9. c. 9. seq item D. Thom. 2.2 q. 83. But because there are two special Parts of Prayer II. What the chief Parts of Prayer are Petition and Tanksgiving from whence all the rest flow as from the Head we thought not fit to pass them over For we approach to God paying Worship and Veneration either to beg somewhat of him or to give him Thanks for his Benefits wherewith of his Liberality we
Dan. 3.49 which we read happen'd to the Three Children that were cast into the burning fiery Furnace Dan. 6.22 Dan. â— and to Daniel whom the Lions hurt not even as the Flame scorch'd not those Children But according to the Sense of the great S. Basil XVI The Dev l call'd Evil. S. Chrysostom and S. Austin the Devil is specially call'd the Evil one because he was the Author of Mans Fault that is of his Sin and VVickedness whom God uses as his Minister in punishing wicked and criminous Men for God appoints to Men all the Evil they suffer for their Sins which the Sacred Scripture means when it says Amos 3.6 Is there any evil in the City which the Lord has not done And Esa 45.7 I am the Lord and there is none other forming the Light and creating Darkness making peace and creating Evil. And the Devil is call'd Evil for this Cause Another Reason because tho we had done him no hurt yet he always makes VVar against us and persecutes us with mortal Hatred But if because we are armed with Faith Note and protected with Innocence he cannot hurt us yet he makes no end of tempting us with outward Evils and vexing us by all the means he is able wherefore we pray God that he would deliver us from the Evil one Chrysost hom 20. in Matth. hom 5. in Job Aug. in Ecclesiast dogmat c. 57. Basil in hom quod Deus non sit auctor malorum non procul à fine Now we say from Evil XVII Why we pray to be deliver'd from Evil and not from Evils not from Evils for this Reason because the Evils which happen to us from our Neighbors we lay upon him as the Author and Perswader that we may not therefore be angry against our Neighbors but turn all our Hatred and Anger against Satan himself by whom Men are driven to do us the Injury If therefore your Neighbor has hurt you in any kind Note when you pray to God our Father beg of him not only to deliver you from Evil i. e. from those Injuries which your Neighbor lays on you but that he would snatch that very Neighbor of yours out of the Power of the Devil by whose impulse Men are led into Deceit We must also know XVIII When we are not heard herein what we must do if by our Prayers and Vows we are not deliver'd from Evils that we ought patiently to endure those things that press us understanding that so it pleases God that we should patiently suffer them VVherefore it is by no means fit for us either to be angry or to grieve because God hears not our Prayers but we must referr all things to his VVill and Pleasure esteeming it to be profitable to us and for our Good which pleases God that it should be so and not that which we would have to be otherwise Lastly XIX Here all inconveniences are patiently to be endur'd 2 Tim. 3.12 the Devout Hearers are to be taught That whilst they are in the Stage of this Life they ought to be ready to bear all kinds of Inconveniences and Calamities not only with a patient but also with a chearful and glad Heart For all says the Apostle that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution And Act. 14.21 Thro many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Again Luc. 24.26 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his Glory for it is not fit that the servant should be greater than his Lord as it is very unfit according to S. Bernards Sense that the Members should be delicat under a thorny Head Serm. 5. de omnibus Sanctis The Example of Vriah is very excellent for our Imitation An Example who when David exhorted him to stay at home said 2 Reg. 11.11 The Ark of God and Israel and Judah dwell in Tents and shall I go into my house Being furnished with these Reasons and Meditations Other Examples if we come to pray we shall obtain that tho we were on all sides girded and compassed about with Evils yet we shall be kept safe even as those three Children that were untouch'd by the Fire or at least as the Machabees we should constantly and stoutly endure all Adversities In Reproaches and Torments we will imitate the Sacred Apostles Act. 5.41 Who being beaten with Stripes did heartily rejoyce that they were counted worthy to suffer Disgrace for Christ Jesus So we being thus prepar'd will sing with the greatest Pleasure of Mind Psal 118. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart was afraid for thy Word I will rejoyce in thy word as he that has found great Spoils The SEAL of the LORDS PRAYER Amen THis Word Amen I. Prayer must be rightly concluded or so it is S. Hierom in his Commentaries upon Matth 6.6 calls the Seal of the Lords Prayer Wherefore as we before admonish'd the Faithful concerning the Preparation which is to be made before we go about to pray to God so we thought it convenient that they should know the Cause and Reason of the Close and End of this Prayer For it is of no less moment devoutly to end Note than to be careful how to begin our Prayers to God Let the Faithful know therefore that the Fruits II. The fruit of this Particle we obtain by the End of our Lords Prayer are many and that very profitable but the most advantagious and welcome Fruit is the obtaining of those things which we have pray'd for whereof enough has already been spoken For by the former Part of this Prayer we not only obtain to have our Prayers heard but also some greater and more excellent things than can by Words be express'd For since Men in Praying III. The Advantage of Prayer discourse with God as S. Cyprian says the Divine Majesty is after an unutterable manner brought nearer to the Person that prays than to others and besides it adorns them with singular Gifts So that they who devoutly pray to God may be compared to them that come to the Fire who if they are cold begin to grow warm if they were warm begin to grow hot So they that come to God by Prayer according to the Measure of their Devotion and Faith go away more warm'd for their Minds are inflam'd for Gods Glory their Souls inlightned after an admirable manner they are exceedingly enrich'd with Divine Graces for thus it is written in Holy Scripture Psal 20 14. Thou hast prevented him with the blessing of sweetness Moyses in this case is an Example for all An Example Exod 34 35. 2 Cor. 3. â—3 who by reason of his walking and talking with God did shine so with a kind of Divine Brightness that the Israelites could not look on his Eyes or Countenance Verily they that pray with that earnest Study Note do wonderfully enjoy Gods Majesty
a horrible Sentence Pa. 510 Adam and Christ compar'd 42 Adultery what it is 405 In Adultery what Sins are forbidden 406 The Detestableness of Adultery ibid. In the forbidding of Adultery every kind of Uncleanness and Immodesty whereby the Body is polluted is forbidden ibid. In Adultery is forbidden the inward Lust of the Mind 407 Adultery brands a Person with a notable Mark of Reproach 409 The Inconvenience and Punishment of Adultery ibid. The Necessity of Alms-deeds 421 An Exhortation to Alms-deeds ibid. We are to labor with our Hands to relieve the Needy 422 Alms to be added to Prayer 472 Alms is a Medicin prepar'd to cure the Wounds of the Soul 531 Affestions of the Flesh not in the power of a Man tho regenerate to subdue them so as never to rise again Pag. 505 Affinity of Godfathers with whom contracted 159 Amen what it signifies for the End of the Lord's Prayer 553 The Interpretation of Amen ibid. Why in the Sacrifice of the Mass Amen is reserv'd to be pronounc'd only by the Priest ibid. Angels their Creation 26 Angels from their very first Original endu'd with Grace ibid. Angels were adorn'd with Wisdom and Power ibid. To the Angelical Salutation the Church has added Prayer and Imploring of the Blessed Virgin 463 An Angel taught Tobias many things 474 475 How the Angels are ador'd 344 Why the Angels are pictur'd in the shape of Men. 350 In the Angelical Salutation God is honor'd 463 The Angels Care of Men. 474 Their Obedience to God 505 Anger when it is sinful when not 398 We ought not to be angry when God hears not our Prayers 452 The Appetite of its own proper Good implanted in all things 498 What is got by ill Arts is not ours 514 The Articles of the Creed The First 14 The Second 29 The Third 38 The Fourth 45 The Fifth 56 The Sixth 66 The Seventh 72 The Eighth 79 The Ninth 86 The Tenth 101 The Eleventh 107 The Twelfth 117 The Article of Christ's Ascension declares his Majesty and Glory 68 The Causes of Christ's Ascension into Heaven ibid. Christ as Man ascended up into Heaven with his Soul and Body 67 B OF the Sacrament of Baptism 145 The Knowledg of Baptism very necessary ibid. At what time Baptism to be treated of by the Curats 146 What the word Baptism signifies ibid. The Sacrament of Baptism to what Men signified ibid. The Definition of Baptism as a Sacrament 147 The Sacrament of Baptism of what Matter it is made 148 The Water put into the Sacred Font for the Use of Baptism is not the Sacrament Pag. 149 The Matter of Baptism is the Element of Water ibid. The Figures of Baptism ibid. In Baptism what kind of Chrism is added 150 The Form of Baptism 151 The Form of Baptism disterent among the Greeks ibid. Why the Apostles baptiz'd in the Name of Jesus 152 Baptism may be perform'd three ways 153 In Baptism it is not material whether there be only one or three Ablutions ibid. In Baptism the Words are to be utter'd in the Ablution ibid. In Baptism the Head is to be wash'd ibid. Baptism was instituted by Christ our Lord and when 154 When the Power of Sanctifying was given to the Water ibid. When Men began to be oblig'd by the Law of Baptiâ—m 155 The Ministers of Baptism 156 Why Priests may baptize in presence of the Bishop ibid. Order to be observ'd among the Ministers of Baptism 157 Who may not be Godfathers at Baptism 160 Baptism necessary to Salvation 161 The Sacrament of Baptism to be given to Infants Pag. 161 Infants are baptiz'd in the Faith of their Parents and of the Church 162 Infants to be baptiz'd as soon as may be ibid. In baptizing of the Adult a different way is to be observ'd from that of Infants 163 When Baptism is immediately to be given to the Adult 164 How they that are to be baptiz'd ought to be affected ibid. They that are to be baptiz'd are demanded of their willingness ibid. When Mad-men and they that sleep are to be baptiz'd 165 For the obtaining of the Grace of Baptism Faith is necessary ibid. He that is to be baptiz'd ought to repent of his Sins ibid. In the Sacrament of Baptism every Sin is forgiven 166 In Baptism Sin is wholly taken away and pluck'd up by the Roots 167 Concupiscence remains in them that are baptiz'd but it has not the true nature of Sin ibid. The proper Effect of Baptism is the Forgiveness of all Sins 168 By Baptism both the Sin and Punishment of Sin are forgiven 168 169 By Baptism are not forgiven the Punishments due from civil Magistrates Pag. 169 Why after Baptism we are not restor'd to the State of Uncorrupt Nature 170 The Fruits of Baptism 171 c. Baptism imprints a Character 173 It is Sacriledge to iterate Baptism ibid. Baptism throws open an Entrance to Heaven 175 The Fountain of Baptism consecrated by adding the Oyl of Mystic Unction 176 Certain Days appointed for consecrating the VVater of Baptism ibid. What Names to be given to them that are Baptiz'd 180 The Cermonies of Baptism explain'd 176 c. The Evangelical Acceptation and Possession of this word I believe in a matter of Faith 14. Who it is that believes 15. What we are first to believe 13 He that believes is freed from the Curiosity of searching 15 We must believe in God 14 He that believes ought to produce the inward Acts of Faith in the open Profession of his Faith 15 Gods Benignity many ways delivers us from evil 340 341 A Bishops Office what 308 A Bishop only confers Orders Pag. 310 Blasphemy against the Name of God and of the Saints a detestable Wickedness 368 Gods Blessings take place of our Endeavours 413 Of Bliss See the whole Twelfth Article of the Creed 117 and the Eleventh 107 Essential Bliss wherein plac'd 117 By the Light of Glory we are rais'd up to the Vision of the Divine Essence 122 The Images and Resemblances of Bliss 122 Accidental Bliss wherein it consists 123 By the name Bread many things signified in holy Scripture 512 513 In asking Bread what we pray for of God 513 By asking daily Bread we ask necessaries for Food ibid. Bread is to be pray'd for for necessity not Wantoness ibid. We must get our Bread lawfully not by Fraud or Wrong 514 Why it is call'd daily Bread ibid. Why we are diligently to beg our Bread of God 515 How rich Men ought to beg their daily Bread ibid. We are to beg our Spiritual Bread 516 What Spiritual Bread signifies 517 That Bread which is Christ pours incredible Joy into the Souls of the Pious 517 Christ is our substantial Bread contain'd in the Sacrament of the Eucharist ibid. All the Faithful are Brethren 480 C THE necessity of Catechising 4 The teaching of Catechism fitted to every Capacity 6 7 Caution to be us'd in avoiding the Occasions of Sin 410 The Ceremonies and Prayers made in Baptism reduc'd
the first Person of the Trinity call'd Father Ibid. What belongs to the Divine Persons ought not to be curiously search'd into Ibid. Christian Philosophy differs from the wisdom of the World 16 What the Philosophers thought of God Ibid. The Pope of Rome is the Head of the Catholic Church 92 The Supreme Dignity and Jurisdiction of the Pope of Divine Right Ibid. The Pope is the Supreme Governour of the Universal Church the Successor of St. Peter and Christ's true and lawful Vicar Ibid. God is first to be pray'd to and then the Saints 464 The best way of praying 457 For whom we must pray 461 The Saints are to be pray'd to and after what manner we beg them to take pity on us 464 The manner of Prayer 469 We must pray in Spirit and Truth Ibid. Infidels cannot pray in Spirit and Truth 470 We must pray in Christ's name 471 By praying to God we honour him 452 The Divine Majesty approaches to him that prays 551 They that pray converse with God Ibid. The benefits and advantages of such as pray 452 Many degrees of Prayer and Thanksgiving 455 c. The manner of vocal Prayer 469 What sinners God hears and helps when they pray 558 Prayer to God necessary 450 Christ pray'd all night 470 The power that Prayer has with God 471 The profitableness and advantage of Prayer 452 c. Prayer is an argument of Religion Ibid. By Prayer we acknowledge our subjection to God Ibid. Prayer is the Key of Heaven Ibid. The Vertue and Advantage of Prayer Ibid. Of what parts Prayer consists 455 The two principal parts of Prayer 456 The Prayer of such as have not yet receiv'd the light of Faith 458 The Prayer of such as God hears not 459 Prayers for the wicked have great influence 462 Prayers for the Dead in Purgatory flow'd from the Apostles Ibid. Prayers for such as are in mortal sin not very efficacious Ibid. What he ought to think that pronounces the Lord's Prayer before the Images of the Saints 465 Prayer must be humble Ibid. The preparation of Prayer Ibid. What sins they must avoid that would have their Prayers heard of God 466 Contempt of God's Laws makes our Prayers execrable Ibid. Prayer admits of no doubting 467 Mental Prayer excludes not vocal 469 Mental Prayer is more excellent Ibid. The proper advantage and necessity of vocal Prayer Ibid. Private and public Prayer 470 The Exposition of the Lord's Prayer 472 The Preface of the Lord's Prayer Prayer made for another profits himself 481 Prayer is a weapon against the Devil 541 The order to be observed in Prayer 545 The preposterous order us'd by some in their Prayers 544 The Preaching of God's word never to be intermitted In the Preface The authority of the Preachers of God's word Ibid. Preparation to Prayer wherein it consists 465 Preparation before the Communion what it ought to be and how necessary 225 226 Preparation to the Communion requires us to come fasting 227 The Priest alone has the power of consecrating the Eucharist 232 VVhen Christ instituted Prists 235 Priests are to conceal in perpetual silence the sins reveal'd to them in Confession 268 Priests call'd Gods and Angels 293 The Priests of the New Testament more excellent than all others 293 297 The Priests Power very great 294 VVhat they ought to propose to themselves that are to be initiated into Holy Orders Ibid. Mercenary Priests 294 295 Priests entring in by the door of the Church 295 VVhen the Power is given to the Priest by the Bishop Pag. 298 The Ceremonies used in Ordaining Priests and other Clerks 298 c. The Order of Priesthood tho it be burdensom yet it has divers degrees of Dignity and Power 308 VVhat is requir'd in him that is to be made Priest 311 VVhat knowledge is required in a Priest Ibid. Two duties of a Priest Ibid. The Nobility and Excellency of a Priest 236 The charge of a Priest to be lay'd upon none rashly 310 VVho are said to be call'd to the Priesthood 294 The Power of the Priesthood double 296 The Power of the Priesthood of the Law of the Gospel far more excellent than that of the written Law or Law of Nature 297 The Power of the Priesthood of the Gospel has its Original from Christ Ibid. That Priesthood two-fold 306 The Office of the Priesthood 307 The duty of Prosecutors and Advocates 434 God's Providence towards Men. 490 c. Purgatory 57 R REdemption the great benefits we receive thereby 54 Remedies against evil desires Pag. 447 The remedies of a sick soul are Penance and the Eucharist 289 Remission of sins to be had in the Church 102 With how great thankfulness the benefit of remission of sins is to be receiv'd 103 Christ has given the power of remitting sins in the Church to the Bishops and Priests Ibid. Our sins remitted by Christ's blood 105 None can obtain remission of sins without Penance 526 Restitution necessary to a Penitent 419 Who are to be compell'd to make restitution 419 420 The Resurrection of Christ and the glorious Mystery of it 62 c. Christ rose again by his own power 61 By the benefit of the Resurrection Christ is become the first fruits of all Ibid. That Christ rose again the third day how to be understood 62 The mystery of Christ's Resurrection very necessary 63 The end of Christ's Resurrection 64 What examples Christ's Resurrection proposes to us 65 The signs of spiritual Resurrection Ibid. Our Faith establish'd by the belief of the Resurrection of the dead 107. Why the Resurrection of man is called the Resurrection of the Flesh 107 The Resurrection of the Flesh proved by Examples and Testimonies 108 The different condition of them that shall rise again 111 Before the Resurrection all then alive shall die without exception Ibid. Our Bodies shall rise again immortal 114. The powers of those that rise again Ibid c. What fruits we gather by the Article of the Resurrection 116 Robbery and its kinds 417 Robbery a greater sin than Theft 414 Robbery and the various kinds of Rapine 417 S THe celebration of the Sabbath why so often commanded in holy Scripture 369 What Sabbath signifies 373 What the signification of Sabbath is ibid. Why the Sabbath consecrated to God 375 The Sabbath was a sign Ibid. The Sabbath in Heaven Ibid. Why the Sabbath transferr'd to the Lord's day 376 After what manner the Sabbath is to be observ'd 377 The name Sacrament how taken 127 What a Sacrament is 128 Justice and Salvation attain'd by the Sacraments 128 St. Austin's definition of a Sacrament Ibid. Sacraments referr'd to those things they signifie 129 c. Sacraments are signs appointed of God 130 A sacred thing and the Grace of God 131 A Sacrament signifies and works Holiness Ibid. Sacraments signifie divers things 132 The Sacraments of the Law of the Gospel why instituted 133 Every Sacrament consists of two things Matter and Form 135 Among all signs words have
towards us by how much the more assistances or helps they shall understand God has furnish'd us with for our Salvation and Happiness The Sacraments of the Church then XVIII There are only Seven Sacraments Trid. S ss 7. câ—n â— de S cr in gen Con. Fl rent in Doc. ad Arm. as may be prov'd by Scripture and by the constant Tradition of the Fathers down to our times and by the Authority of Councils are Seven in number But why they are neither more nor fewer may be probably shew'd from those things which by a Similitude are transferr'd from the Natural to the Spiritual life For these Seven things seem necessary to a Man to live and to preserve his life and to be made profitable to the Common-wealth To wit A notable Simil tude D. Thom. 3. p q 63. art 1. that he be Born Grow and be Nourish'd If he fall into Sickness that he be recover'd that the weakness of strength be restor'd And then as to the Common-wealth that the Magistrates be not wanting on their part to rule him by their Authority and Government And lastly that by a lawful propagation of his Family he preserve both himself and mankind All which things seeing they answer well to that life which the Soul lives to God from hence it may easily be gather'd what the number of Sacraments is For the First is Baptism Baptism the Gate as it were of all the rest Confirmation whereby we are born again in Christ Then Confirmation by vertue whereof we grow bigger and stronger in the grace of God For as S. Austin testifies D. Aug. Ep. 105. Luc. 24.49 It was to the Apostles already baptiz'd that the Lord said Stay ye in the City till ye shall be endu'd with power from above Then the Eucharist The Eucharist wherewith as with the Food of Heaven our Spirit is nourish'd and sustain'd For of this our Savior speaks Joh. 6.55 when he says My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed In the Fourth place follows Penance Penance by help whereof our lost Health is restor'd after we have bin wounded by Sin Then Extream Vnction Extream Unction Isa 5.14 by which the remains of sin are taken away and the powers of the Soul refresh'd for S. James writing of this Sacrament testifies thus Orders And if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him Then follows Orders by which the public ministration of the Sacraments is exercis'd in the Church and a power given to discharge or perform the Sacred Functions Lastly Matrimony is added Matrimony that by the lawful and holy Conjunction of the Man and the Woman Children may be begotten and religiously brought up to the Service of God and the Conservation of Mankind But This is specially to be observ'd XIX The necessity of all the S craments not alike That tho all the Sacraments contain in them a Divine and Admirable Vertue yet all have not a like and equal necessity or dignity or One and the same signification But there are Three of them which are more necessary than the rest Trid. 1. Sess 7 can 3.4 de Sacr. in en D. Tho. 3. p q. 65 â—r 4.7.3.5 tho not for the same reason For Baptism is necessary for every one without any exception at all as our Savior shews in these words Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And Penance is necessary to them only who after Baptism have intangl'd themselves with some mortal sin nor can they escape eternal Destruction unless they truly do Penance for the sin admitted And Orders is altogether necessary tho not to all the Faithful in particular yet to the whole Church in general But then if we consider the Dignity of the Sacraments XX. The Eucharist excels the other Sacraments in Dignity the Eucharist far excels all the rest in Sanctity in the number of Mysteries and in Magnitude All which things will be better understood when we shall come to handle in their proper place those things which belong to the particular Sacraments Dionys lib. de Eccles Hier. c. 3. We must next see Whence it is we receive these Holy and Divine Mysteries XXI Christ the Author of the Sacraments Amb. l. 4. de Sacr. c. 6. D. Tho. 3. p. 4.62 Trid. Ses 7. can 1. de Sacr. in gen l. de Eccles dog Cassian Col. 7.18 For there is no doubt but that the value of any excellent Gift is much increas'd by the worth and excellency of him from whom it came But that Question is not difficult For seeing it is God which justifies Men but the Sacraments are the wonderful Instruments of obtaining Righteousness it is plain that one and the same God in Christ must be acknowledg'd to be the Author both of Justification and of the Sacraments Besides the Sacraments have such a and Efficacy as to penetrate into the inmost Soul since therefore it is the Property of Gods Power alone to search into the Hearts and Souls of Men from This also it is easy to see That the Sacraments are instituted of God himself throw Christ even as we must firmly and constantly believe that they are inwardly dispens'd by him For S. John affirms that he receiv'd this Testimony from him when he says He that sent me to baptize in Water the same said to me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him that same is he that baptizes in the Holy Ghost But tho God be the Author and Dispenser of the Sacraments XXII Men only are Ministers of the Sacraments yet he would have them administred in the Church not by Angels but by Men For to the making the Sacraments there is no less need of the Office of Ministers than of Matter and Form as is confirm'd by the constant Tradition of the Holy Fathers And because these Ministers in that Holy Function carry or represent not their own XXIII The unworthiness of Ministers hinder not the efficacy of the Sacraments Trid Sess 7. de Sac. in gen ca. 11 12. Greg. Naz. in Orat. in S. Bap. Amb. de bis qui myst init c. 5. Chrysost hom 8. in 1 Cor. Aug. contra Donat. l. 1. c. 4. l. 2. cont lit Patil c. 47. 1 Cor. 3.6 A similitude S. Aug. Tract in Joan. Act. 19.5 but the person of Christ for this reason it is that whether they be Good or Bad so they use the Form and Matter which by Christs Institution the Catholic Church has always held and intend to do the same thing which the Church in the ministration does they truly make and confer the Sacraments So that nothing can hinder the Fruit of Grace unless those who receive them wilfully defraud themselves of so great a good and resist the Holy Spirit That this was always the constant and undeniable sense of the Church
S. Austin in his Disputations he wrote against the Donatists most clearly shews And if we require Testimonies of Scripture we may hear the very Apostle speaking in these Words I says he have planted and Apollo has water'd but God gave the Increase For neither is he that plants any thing nor he that waters But God that gives the increase Whence it may sufficiently be understood that as in planting of Trees the naughtiness of those that planted them is no hindrance to the Trees So there can no hurt light upon them by anothers fault who were planted in Christ by the Ministery of Bad Men. Wherefore as from S. John's Gospel our Holy Fathers have taught us Judas Iscariot baptiz'd many of whom nevertheless we read not that any were baptiz'd again so as S. Austin has excellently written Judas baptiz'd and yet after Judas none baptiz'd whom he baptiz'd John baptiz'd and yet after John's Baptism they were baptiz'd again because the Baptism given by Judas was Christs Baptism but the Baptism which John gave was his own And yet we rightly prefer not Judas before John but Christ's Baptism tho given by the hands of Judas before John's Baptism tho given by the hands of S. John himself Nor may the Pastors XXIV It is a great wickedness to administer the Sacraments with as evil Conscience Aug. in Joan. Tract 5. contra Cresc l 3. c. 6. D. Thom. p. 3. q. 93. art 4. or other Ministers of the Sacraments when they hear this think it enough taking no regard to the uprightness of their Manners and purity of their Consciences to take care only how rightly to minister the Sacraments for tho they ought to be very careful therein yet all those things which belong to that Function are not plac'd in this one thing But they ought always to remember That the Sacraments indeed never lose that Divine Vertue which is in them but yet that they bring eternal Death and ruine to those that minister them impurely For Holy things as once and again and oftentimes over and over we ought to admonish should be handled Holily Ps 49 16. Con Trid. ibid. Can. 6. and Religiously To the Sinner as the Prophet has it God has said Why dost thou declare my Righteousness and takest my Testament into thy Mouth whereas thou hatest Discipline Now if it be unlawful for a man polluted with sin to Treat only of Divine Matters How great wickedness must we needs judge him guilty of who being conscious to himself of many crimes is yet not afraid with his polluted mouth to make those Holy Mysteries or to take into his foul hands and handle and to reach them forth and minister them to others especially since it is written by S. Denys To the wicked the Symbols for so he calls the Sacraments it is not permitted so much as to touch them The Ministers of Holy things therefore S. Dyon de Eccles Hier. c. 1. are first of all to follow Holiness and come purely to minister the Sacraments and let them so exercise themselves in Piety that through the frequent handling and use of them by Gods help they may attain a greater plenty of Grace thereby And now these things being explain'd XXV The effects of the Sacraments it must be taught what the Effect of the Sacraments is for this seems likely to afford no small light to the Definition of the Sacraments before mention'd The principal of those Effects are reduc'd to Two And that Grace which of the Holy Doctors we have learn'd usually to call justifying XVI The first Justifying Grace common to all Eph. 25.26 deservedly takes the chief place for so the Apostle has most plainly taught when he said That Christ lov'd his Church and gave himself for her that he might sanctifie her cleansing her by the laver of water in the Word But by what means so great and admirable a thing is wrought by the Sacrament that as S. Austin says S. Aug. in Joan. Tract 80. The Water cleanses the Body and touches the Heart this verily connot be comprehended by human reason and understanding For it is certain that no sensible thing of its own nature is endu'd with such a Power as can penetrate to the Soul But by the Light of Faith we know that the Power of the Almighty God is in the Sacraments because they effect that which the natural things themselves by their own power cannot do Of this Efficacy of the Sacraments see Trid. Sess 7. Can. 6.7 8. De Sacram. Aug. Tract 26. in Joan. cont Faust c. 16. 17. in Psal 77. v. 15 16. Wherefore that there might never any distrust or doubt of this Effect XXVII The Receiving of Grace in the Sacraments why of old prov'd by Miracles arise in the minds of the Faithful When the Sacraments began to be administred it pleas'd the most merciful God by the evidence of Miracles to shew what the Sacraments inwardly effected that we might most constantly believe the same things to be always inwardly wrought tho they were far enough distant from our Senses Therefore to omit Aug l. quart Vet. Nov. Test q. 93. Mat. 3.16 Mar. 1.10 Luc. 3.22 that when our Savior was baptiz'd in Jordan the Heavens were open'd and the Holy Ghost appear'd in the shape of a Dove to admonish us that when at the Saving Font we are wash'd he pours his Grace into our Souls To pass by this I say for this belongs rather to the Signification of Baptism than to the Ministration of the Sacrament Do not we read that on the day of Pentecost when the Apostles receiv'd the Holy Ghost whereby they were thenceforth made more chearful and couragious to Preach the Truth of Faith and to undergo many hazards for the glory of Christ Act. 2.3 then a noise from Heaven being made all of the suddain as it were of a mighty rushing wind there appered cloven tongues like as of Fire Whence it is understood that in the Sacrament of Confirmation the same Spirit is given to us and the same strength bestow'd on us whereby we stoutly resist and encounter those irreconcileable Enemies to us to wit the Flesh the World and the Devil and these Miracles as oft as the Apostles minister'd those Sacraments in the infancy of the Church were for some time to be seen till the Faith being confirm'd and strengthen'd they began to cease From those things therefore which have bin shew'd concerning the former effect of the Sacraments XXVIII How great the Difference of the Sacraments of the Old and New Law is Aug. lib. 19. cont Fault c. 13. in Ps 83. Amb. lib. de Sacr. c. 4. Heb. 9.14 to wit Justifying Grace it plainly appears that there is in the Sacraments of the New Law a better and more excellent vertue than the Sacraments of the Old Law had which seeing they were weak and beggarly Elements did sanctifie the Polluted to the cleansing