ruleth the soules harts of good Christians giuing them spirite and grace to serue him willingly to seeke his glorie aboue all things The kingdome of glorie shal be in the other life after the day of iudgement for that then God wil raigne with all the Saints ouer all things created without any resistaÌ„ce For theÌ„ al the force of the diuels shal be taken away also of al peruerse men who shal be shut vp in eternall prison of hel In that time shal death also be extinguished corruption with al the tentations of the world of the flesh which now trouble the seruaÌ„ts of God So that shal be quiet peaceable kingdome with secure possessioÌ„ of perfect eternal felicity S Which of these three kingdomes â—s spoken of in this petition M Not of the first for that is not to come but is now come Neither of the second for that is spoken of in the first petition is in a great part already come But here is spoken of the third which is to come and is expected with great desire of al those that know the miserie of this life so in this petition we demand our chiefe good and the perfect glory of both soule and bodie S If the kingdome of God which we desire may comequickly shal begin after the day of Iudgment then we desire demand that this world should speedely end that the day of iudgement should come shortly M So it is for thought the louers of the world can haue no worse newes then to heare the day of Iudgement named yet the citiznes of heauen who liue now as pilgrimes and banished men here below in earth haue no other greater desire Where vpon S. Augustin saith that like as before Christ came into the world al the desires of the Saincts of the ancient law were directed to the first comming of Christ so now al the desires of holie men of the new law are directed to the second comming of the same Christ which wil bring vs perfect beatitude S Let vs passe vnto the third petition What do those wordes signifie Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen M In these words is demanded grace to obserue wel the law of god For that the eternal life which is the end of man being demanded in the second petition it was conuenient that the principal meanes to arriue vnto that end should be demanded next after this principal meanes is the obseruing of the commandements of God as our lord hath said if thou wilt enter into eternall life keep the commandements for so much as wee are not able of our selues to kepe all the commandements in such sorte as we ought therefore we demand of God that his wil be done by vs that is that he geue vs grace to fulfil his wil in obeying wholly and in al things his holie commandements S I desire to know whether that besides the fulfilling the wil of God in obseruing the commandements we are bound also to conforme our willes with Gods wil when he sendeth vs tribulations M We are bound at the lest not to murmour nor to grudge at the prouidence of God because al that he sendeth or permitteth he doth it to a good end to wit to giue vs occasion of greater merite if we be good or els to purge vs if we be bad S To what purpose is added In earth as it is in heauen M To teach vs that we ought to endeuour to obey God and to obserue his holie commandements with that perfection promptnes gladnes with which the Angels do obey in heauen who neuer committed anie litle default in obseruing al the commandements of God It may be also said that we desire and demaund that sinners signified by the earth may obey God as the Saints do obey him who are signified by heauen Or els that the whole Church signified by the earth may intirely obey God as Christ who is signified by heauen obeyd him S Let vs come vnto the fourth petition what meaneth Geue vs this day our daylie bread M With great reason bread is demanded that mainteineth life after that grace hath been demanded which is life it selfe For that the first thing that anie one begining to liue desireth is food where with life is maintained But you haue to vnderstande that in this prayer spirituall bread is principally demaunded which is the meate of the soule and secondarily corporall bread which is the food for the body And by spirituall bread is vnderstood the most holy Sacrament of the altar that is the celestial and diuine bread which merueilously nourisheth the life of the soule likewise the word of god is vnderstood which by preaching or reading of spirituall bookes helpeth no little to nourish the same life of the soule Finally is vnderstood the inspiration of God prayer and euery other thing which helpeth to maintaine and increase grace in vs the which as is saide is the life of the soule By corporall bread is vnderstood all that is needful vnto vs to maintaine the life of the bodie which is as an instrument of the soule to do good workes S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is ours M With great mysterie this bread is called ours for if we speake of the blessed Sacrament that is our bread because of our saluation it was formed by the holy ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin and in a certaine manner bakte in the Ouen of the holy Crosse serued vp on the table of the Altar by the handes of Priests And moreouer it is ours because it is the bread proper of the children and may not be giuen vnto dogges that is to say to Infidels nor to those that are in mortall sinne If wee speake of the doctrine wee call it our bread to witte that which is distributed by the true preachers vnto the children of the Holy Church and not the strange bread to wit that which al heretikes giue vnto their followers which is corrupt and pestiferous bread But if we speake of corporall bread we defire that God will giue vs our owne bread and not that which belongeth to others to wit that he wil help vs in iust and lawfull gaines And againe that he blesse our lands possessions and all our labours to the end that without injurie and fraud we may procure our liuing S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is dailie M It is called dailie that is to saye bread for euerie daye for that wee desire not superfluous or curious things but simply that which may suffice for the daies refection and as well for the soule as for the bodie especially knowing that wee are pilgrims and strangers in this life S Wherfore is it said Giue vnto vs M Because albeit we are willing to labour to haue bread as well spirituall as corporall yet wee know that our labours should all bee vaine if God concurred not with his grace as
time so farre distant that in his proper forme wherefore can he not make that Christ be present in manie Hoasts vnder the forme of the same Hoast S Tel me I pray you if Christ depart from Heauen when he commeth into the Hoasts or remaineth he stil in Heauen M When our Lord beginneth to be present in the holie Hoast he departeth not from heauen but by diuine power hee is both present in Heauen and in the Hoast Take the example of our soule when one is a childe of few daies old and very little as you see and being measured is founde to bee but one Palme in length after increasing he becommeth double so bigge as he was before and so being measured he is aboue two Palmes Now I demande of you if the soule which was first in one palme only hath left that palme to come into the second or no Sure it is that it hath not left it neither is it inlarged because it is inuisible so that without leauing the first it commeth also into the second euen so our Lord leaueth not heauen to come into the Hoast neither leaueth the one Hoast to be in an other but he is present in Heauen in all the Hoastes at once S Now I haue learned that which is contained in this most holy Sacrament I desire to know what things are requisite to receiue it worthely M Three things are requuired the first is that the partie doe confesse himselfe of all his sinnes procure that he be in the grace of God when hee goeth to communicate for that one of the causes wherefore this Sacrament is giuen to vs vnder the forme of bread is to the end we vnderstand that it is giuen to liuing men not to dead-men to nourish the grace of God and to increase it The second thing is that wee be altogether fasting that is at the least from midnight forward we haue taken nothing no not somuch as a litle water The third that we wel vnderstand what we do and that we haue deuotiō vnto so great a mysterie therfore this sacrament is not giuen to children neither to fooles neither to any other that hath not the vse of reason S How oftē ought we to cōmunicat M The bond of holy Church is to communicate at least once a yeare that at Easter Yet it is conuenient to do it oftner so it be by the aduice of our ghostly father S Declare now vnto mee the fruite which is gotten by this Sacrament and the ende for which it was instituted M For three causes Christ our Lord hath instituted this most noble Sacrament First that it should be the meate of soules secondly that it should be a sacrifice of the new law thirdly that it might be a perpetuall memorie of his Passion and so a most deare pledge of his loue towards vs. S What effect doth it worke in respect it is the meate of soules M It worketh that effect which corporall meate worketh in bodies therfore it is giuen to vs in forme of bread for like as bread conserueth naturall heate wherein the life of the bodie consisteth so this most holie Sacrament when it is worthely receiued conserueth and increaseth charitie which is the life and health of the soule S What effect doth it worke as it is a Sacrifice M It reconsileth God vnto the world obteyneth manie benifits not only for the liuing but also for the dead that are in purgatorie You must vnderstand that in the old Testament they offered vnto God manie Sacrifices of beastes but in the new Testament in place of al those Sacrifices is succeeded the Masse in which by the hands of the Priest is offered vnto God the most acceptable Sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of his Sonne which was signified in al those sacrifices of the old Testament S What effect worketh it as the memorial and pledge of the loue of our Lord towards vs M It maketh vs mindful of so great a benifite and in flameth vs to loue him againe that hath loued vs so much And therefore like as God in the old Testament would haue the Iewes not only to eate Manna which he sent them from Heauen but also haue them keep one vessel ful of the same in memorie of all the benefits he shewed them when he brought them out of Egipt so Christ would that this most holie Sacrament should not only be eaten by vs but also that it be conserued on the Altar and sometimes carried in Procession that when soeuer we see it we may remember his infinite goodnes towards vs. But in particular the holie Masse is a briefe representation of the whole life of our lord that the same may stil remaine in our mindes S I would know how the Masse is a representation of the life of Christ that thereby I may become more deuout and attentiue when I am present thereat M I wil declare it briefly The Introitus or beginning of the Masse doth signifie the desire which the holie Fathers had of the comming of our Lord. The Keyrieleison signifieth the voice of the same Patriarches and Prophets demanding of God this comming of christ so long desired Gloria in excelsis signifieth the Natiuitie of our Lord. The prayers next following signifie his presentation offering in the Temple The Epistle which is reade at the lift end of the Altar signifieth the preaching of S. Iohn Baptist Who inuited al men to Christ The Gradual signifieth the conuersion of the people by the preaching of S. Iohn The gospel which is read at the right end of the altar signifieth the preaching of our Lord which bringeth vs from the left hand vnto the right that is from temporal things to eternall from sinne to grace lights also are carried incense burned to signifie that the holie Gospel hath lightened the world filled it with the good sauors of the glorie of God The Crede signifieth the first conuersion of the holie Apostles and other Disciples of our Lord. The secret prayers after the Creede signifie the secret practises of the Iewes against Christ The Preface which is songue with a lowd voice and endeth with Osanna in excelsis signifieth the solemne enterance which Christ made into Ierusalem on Palme-sunday The Canon signifieth the Passion of our Lord. The eleuation of the holie Hoaste and Chalice representeth to vs that Christ was eleuated vpon the Crosse The Pater noster signifieth the praier of our Lord whiles he did hang on the Crosse the breaking of the Hoast signifieth the wound made by the speare percing his side The Agnus Dei signifieth the lamentation of the Maries at the taking downe of Christ from the Crosse The communion of the Priest signifieth the burial of Christ The Post-communion song with ioy signifieth the Resurrectiō Ite missa est signifieth the Ascēsion The benediction of the Priest signifieth the comming of the Holie Ghost The Gospel at the end of Masse signifieth the preaching
AN AMPLE DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN doctrine COMPOSED IN Italian by the renowmed Cardinal Card. BELLARMINE Translated into English by RICHARD HADOCK D. of Diuinitie PRINTED at ROAN A DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE For the vse of those that teach children and other vnlearned persons Composed in forme of a Dialogue betweene the Maister and Scholar CHAP. I. What Christian doctrine is and what are the principall parts thereof SCHOLER SEEING I do vnderstand that it is necessarie to saluation to know the Christian doctrine I desire you to declare vnto mee what this doctrine is MASTER The Christian doctrine is a briefe summe of all those thinges which Christ our Lord hath taught to shew vs the way of saluation S How many be the principal and most necessary parts of this doctrine M Foure to wit the Creede the Pater noster the ten Commandements and the holy Sacraments S Wherefore are there foure and neither more nor fewer M Because there are three principal vertues Faith Hope and Charitie and Grace necessarie to saluation And so the Creede is necessarie for Faith because it teacheth vs that which we haue to beleeue the Pater noster is necessary for Hope because it teacheth vs what wee haue to hope the ten Commandements are necessarie for Charitie because they teach vs what we haue to doe to please God the sacraments are necessarie because they are the Instruments of Grace by which those vertues are receiued and conserued S I would be glad you should giue me some similitude to vnderstande better the necessitie of these foure parts of Christian doctrine M S. Augustine giueth vs the similitude of a house for as to make a house it is needfull first to place the fundation then to rayse the walles and last of all to couer it with the roofe and to doe these things there are some instruments necessarie so to make in our Soules the building of saluation we haue need of the foundation of Faith the walles of Hope the roofe of Charitie and the instruments which are the most holie Sacraments CHAP. 2. The declaration of the vsuall blessing with the signe of the Crosse S BEfore wee come vnto the first part of this doctrine I would be glad you should giue mee some taste of those things which are to be beleeued declaring vnto mee in grosse and in summe the most necessarie mysteries that are conteined in the Creede M You haue reason and so I will doe You must then know that the principall mysteries of our faith are two and both two are conteyned in the blessing that wee vse to make with the signe of the holie Crosse The first mysterie is the Vnitie and trinitie of God the second is the Incarnatiō Passion of our Sauiour S What meaneth the Vnitie and Trinitie of God M These are most high matters by litle and litle are to be declared in the progresse of this doctrine but for this time it shall suffice to learne the names to vnderstād so much as you may The Vnitie of God signifieth that besides all things created there is one thinge that hath not had beginning but hath alwaies been and euer shall bee and hath made all other thinges and maintaineth and gouerneth them and is aboue all most high most noble most glorious most potent absolutely Patrone of all thinges and this is called God who is one onely because there can not bee more then one true Diuinitie that is to saye one onely Nature and Essence infinitely potent Holie good and so foorth Yet notwithstanding this Diuinitie is founde in three persons which are called the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost which three persons are one onely God because they haue the selfe-same Diuinity and essence As for example if three persons here in earth called Peter Paul Iohn should haue one the same soul one the same bodie they should be called three persōs because one is Peter an other Paul and an other Iohn and yet they should be one man onely and not three men not hauing three bodies nor three soules but one bodie and one soule This is not possible amongst men because the being of a man is dererminat limited and therefore cannot be in many persons But the being of God his diuinitie is infinite And there fore the selfe-same being and the selfe-same Diuinitie of the Father may be and is found in the soone and in the Holie-Ghost There bee then three persons because one is the Father another is the Sonne and the third is the Holie-Ghost And yet they are one God onely because they haue the same Diuinitie the same being the same power wisedome goodnes c. S. Tell me now what signifyeth the Incarnatiō Passiō of our Sauiour M You are to know that the second Diuine person the which as wee haue said is called the Son besides his diuine being which he had before the world was created yea from all eternitie tooke the flesh soule of man that is to say our whole nature in the wombe of a most pure Virgin and so hee who was before only God came likewise to be Man And after hee had conuersed with men thirtie and three yeares teaching the way of saluation and working many miracles in the ende hee suffered himselfe to be nayled vpon a Crosse and on the same dyed to satisfie God for the sinnes of the whole world and after three daies he rose from death to life and after fourtie daies more ascended into heauen as wee shall shew in the declaration of the Creede this is the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour S Wherefore are these the principal mysteries of our Faith M Because in the first is contayned the first beginning and last end of man In the second the onely and most effectuall meanes to know the first beginning and how to attaine vnto the last end because in beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries we manifest our selues distinct from all the false Sectes of Gentils Turkes Iewes and Hereticks and lastly because without beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries no man can be saued S How are these mysteries conteyned in the signe of the Crosse M We make the signe of the Crosse when we say In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost and that in this forme putting the right hand vnder the forehead when we saye In the name of the Father then vnder the breast when we say of the Sonne lastly frō the left shoulder vnto the right when we say and of the holy Ghost And withall the word In the name doeth shew the vnitie of God because it is said in the name and not in the names by the word name is also vnderstood the diuine power and authoritie which is one only in all the three persons These words of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost doe shew vnto vs the Trinitie of persons The signing in forme of
a Crosse representeth vnto vs the Passion and consequently the Incarnation of the Sonne of God the passing from the left shoulder to the right and not from the right to the left signifyeth that by the Passion of our Sauiour we are transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie things vnto eternall from death to life S To what purpose is this signe of the Crosse made M First it is made to shew that wee are Christians to wit souldiers of our chiefe Emperour Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the soldiers of Christ from all the enemies of the Holie Church to wit Gentils Iewes Turkes Heretiks besides this signe is made to call for Gods helpe in all our works because with this signe the most holie Trinitie is called to help by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therefore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed wheÌ„ they goe to sleepe and in the beginning of all other things which they haue to do finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the Deuill because the Diuel is a fraid of this signe and flyeth from it as malefactors doe when they see the signe of the officers of Iustice and often-times by meanes of this signe of the holie Crosse a man escapeth many dangers aswell spirituall as temporal when he maketh it with faith and trust of Gods mercy and of the merits of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. 3. The declaration of the Creede S NOwe comming to the first part of this doctrine I desire to learne the Creede M The Creede contayneth twelue parts which are called Articles and they are twelue according to the number of the twelue Apostles who composed the same and are these 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie Creator of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3 Who was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 Suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried descended into Hell 5 The third day he rose again from death 6 Ascended into heauen siâ—â—eth at the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 From thence hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holie Ghost 9 The holie Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 Remission of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen S May it please you declare to mee the first article word by word What signifyeth I beleeue M It signifyeth I hold for certaine and for most true all that is contayned in these twelue articles and the reason is this because the same God hath taught the holy Apostles these sentences and the holy Apostles the Church and the Church doth teach them vs and because it is impossible that God should saye that which is false I therefore beleeue these things more certainely then those I see with mine eyes and feele with my hands S What meaneth In God M It meaneth that we ought to beleeue firmely that there is a God albeit we do not see him with corporal eies this God is one only therefore it is said in God and not in Gods And you must not imagine that god is like to any corporal thing how great or faire so euer it be but you must thinke that God is a spiritual thing which euer was foreuer shal be hath made the whole filleth the whole gouerneth the whole knoweth seeth euery thing finally what thing soeuer is represented vnto our eies or vnto our imagination you must say that this which now is represeÌ„ted vnto me is not god because God is a thinge infinitelie better S Wherefore is it said that God is a Father M Because he is truly the Father of his onlie begotten Son of whom we shal speake in the second article and also because he is the Father of al good men not by nature but by adoption and finally because he is the father of al creatures not by nature or by adoption but by creation as we shal say hereafter in this same article S Wherefore is he called Almighty M Because it is a proper title of God and albeit God hath manie proper titles as eternal infinite vnmeasurable and others yet in this place the most fit is that he is omnipotent because it may not seeme hard vnto vs to beleeue that hee hath made heauen and earth of nothing as in the words following is added For that vnto him who can do al that he wil thereby is omnipotent nothing can be hard And if you should say vnto me God can not dye nor sinne and therefore it semeth not that he can do al things I would answere you that to dye or to sinne is not power but impotencie as when it is said of a most valiant soldier that hee can ouercome al and that he cannot be ouercome of anie it doth not preindicate his force to say that he cannot be ouercome because that he can be ouercome is not streÌ„gth but weaknes S What is signified by Creator M It signifieth that God hath made al thinges of nothing and he alone can bring them againe vnto nothing The Angels Men and also Diuels can make and vnmake some things but they can not make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake theÌ„ but by changing them into some other thing as a Maison cannot make a house of nothing but he must haue stones lyme and wood neither can he destroy it in bringing it to nothing but into stones dust wood and such like so that God only is called is a creator because he only hath no need of any matter to make all things S Why is he called creator of heaueÌ„ and earth hath not God also made the ayre the water stones trees men and all other things M By heauen and earth is also vnderstood all that is in heauen and earth as he that saith a man hath a bodie a soule meaneth also that he hath al things belonging to a bodie as veines bloud bones sinewes and the rest all things belonging vnto a soule as vnderstanding will memorie internal and external senses and the rest so that by heauen is vnderstood the ayre where birds vse to be all things aboue where the clouds the stars are wherevpon it is said the birds of heaueÌ„ the clouds of heauen the stars of heauen finally the Angels By the earth is vnderstood al that is compassed by the aire as the waters of the sea of the riuers which are in the lower partes of the earth also al liue creatures plants stones mettals and all other things which are found in the earth or in the sea it is therefore said that God is creator of heauen earth because these two are the principall parts of the world the one aboue in the which the Angels remaine and the other
beneath in which men do dwel which are the two most noble creatures of all others the which also all others do serue as they are also bound to serue God who hath made them of nothing and placed them in so high estate The declaration of the second Article S DEclare vnto me now the second article what signifyeth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord M The same God omnipotent of whom wee haue spoken in the first article hath one true and naturall Sonne who is called Iesus Christ that you may see in some sort howe God hath begotten this Sonne take the example of a looking-glasse whē one doth looke in a glasse presently he produceth an Image of himselfe so like as no difference can be found in so much as it is not onely like in shape but in moouing also for that if the man mooue the Image wil also mooue and this Image being so like is not made by any labour neither is it long in making nor with instruments but in a moment and with one looke onely In like manner you haue to thinke that God beholding him selfe with the eye of vnderstanding in the glasse of his Diuinitie doth produce an Image most like vnto him selfe And because God hath geuen vnto this Image al his owne substance his owne being which wee can not do in beholding our selues in a glasse therefore that Image is the true Sonne of God albeit our Images which wee see in glasses are not our sonnes Hereof you must gather that the Sonne of God is God as the Father and one the same God with the father seeing he hath the same substance that his Father hath furthermore you haue together that the Son of God is not yonger then his Father but was alwaies as his father alwaies was because he was begotten by Gods only beholding himselfe and God hath alwaies beholden him-selfe Lastly you haue togeather that the Sonne of God was not begotten with help of a woman nor in length of time nor in delight of concupiscence nor any other imperfection because as it hath bin said hee was begotten of the Father alone by the only beholding himselfe with the most pure eye of his diuine vnderstanding S What doth it meane that this Son of God is called Iesus Christ M This name of Iesus signifyeth a Sauiour Christ which is his surname signifyeth high Priest and king of all kings because as I haue told you in declaring the signe of the Crosse the Son of God became man to redeeme vs againe with his blood to bring vs to eternall saluation And so when hee became man he tooke this name Sauiour to shew that he was come to saue vs he was honoured by his Father with the title of Highest Priest and Supreame King for that Christ doeth signifye all this and hereof wee are called Christians S What is the reason that all men take off their caps or bowe downe when Iesus is named which is not done to other names of God M The reason is because this is the proper name of the Sonne of God and all other names are common and againe because this name doth represent vnto vs how God humbled himselfe for vs in making himself man Therefore we for gratitude bow our selues vnto him and not onely wee men but the Angels of heauen also and the diuels of hell doe bow to this name the one for loue and the other by force for that God will that all reasonable creatures do bowe vnto his sonne seeing that he hath abased himselfe for our loue to the death of the Crosse S Wherefore is it saide that Iesus Christ our Lord M Because he hath created vs together with his Father and so is our Master and Lord as his Father is And moreouer for that by his trauels and Passion hee hath brought vs againe from the captiuitie of the Diuel as we shall say by and by Of the third Article S IT Followeth that you declare vnto me the third Article what it meaneth who was conceiued by the Holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie M In this Article is declared the new and merueilous maner of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God You know that all other men are borne of father and mother that the mother remaineth not a Virgin after the conceiuing and bringing foorth of a childe But the Sonne of God intending to make him selfe Man would haue no Father in earth but a Mother onely to wit the perpetuall and most pure Virgin Marie in whose wombe the Holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie one and the selfe-same God with the Father and the Sonne by his infinite power formed of her moste pure blood the bodie of a most perfect childe at the same time created a most noble soule ioyning it to the same bodie all which the Sonne of God vnited to his owne Person And so Iesus Christ that before was onely God became man who as hee is God hath a Father without a Mother and as he is Man hath a Mother without a Father S I would haue some example or similitude to vnderstand how a Virgin can conceiue M The secrets of God must be beleeued although they be not vnderstood because God can do more thē we can easely vnderstand therefore it is said in the beginning of the Creed that God is omnipotent Yet there is a fit example in the creation of the world You know that ordinarily the ground doth not bring forth corne vnlesse it be plowed sowne watred with raine warmed with the sunne and yet in the beginning when corne was first brought forth the earth being neither tilled nor fowne watred nor warmed and so was a virgin in her kinde suddenly by the only commandement of God almighty by his powre it brought foorth corne euen so the vnspotted wombe of the B. Virgin MARIE without companie of man at the only commandement of God by the worke of the Holy Ghost brought foorth that precious corne of the liuing bodie of the Sonne of God S If Iesus bee conceiued by the Holie Ghost it seemeth that it may be said that the Holie Ghost is his Father as he is man M It is not so because to be a Father it is not sufficiēt to make a thing but it is necessarie that it be made of the substance of the maker and therefore we say that the Maison is not the father of the house because he maketh it of stones and not of his proper substance So the holie ghost hath made the bodie of the Sonne of God but he hath made it of the blood of the virgin not of his own proper substance and therefore the Son of God is not the Sonne of the Holie Ghost but the Sonne of God the Father as he is God because hee hath his Godhead of him and he is the Son of the B. virgin as he is man for that he hath mans flesh of her S Wherefore is it said
wil not haue faith as Iewes Turkes Heritikes or because they wil not receiue the Sacraments as those that wil not be baptised or wil not confesse their sinnes or wil not do such penance as they can for their sins nor resolue to liue conformably to the law of God S I would haue some example to vnderstand this M Take the example of one which should take great paines and with sweate and labours should gaine so much money as were sufficient to pay al the debts of this citie and should put the same in a bank to the end it should be geuen vnto al such as should bring a warant from him this man surely had satisfied for al somuch as lieth in him yet manie might remaine stil in debt for that they would not either for pride or for slouth or for some other cause demand his warant and carie it to the bank to receiue the money S What signifieth He descended into hel and what doth hel signifie in this place M Hel is the lowest deepest place in this world to wit the midle of the earth And the Scripture in manie places putteth heauen as opposite vnto hel as the highest place vnto the lowest But in this depth of the earth there are foure as it were great caues one for the damned which is the deepest of al and so it is agreable that the proud Diuels and the men which imitate them be in the lowest place and furthest from heauen that can be In the second caue which is something higher are those soules which suffer the paines of Purgatorie In the third which is yet higher are the soules of those children that die with out Baptisme who do not suffer torments of fire but onely the perpetuall priuation of eternall felicity In the fourth which is the highest remained the soules of the Patriarchs Prophets and other Holie men that dyed before the comming of Christ for albeit those holy soules had not any thing to be purged yet they could not enter into glory before Christ by his death had opened the gate of eternall life therefore they remained in that higher place called the place of holy Fathers otherwise Abrahams bosome where they suffered no paines at all but enjoyed a sweete repose expecting the comming of our Lord with great joy And so we read in the Gospel that the soule of that poore beggar Lazarus was carried by an Angell to rest in the bosome of Abraham where hee was seene by the rich glutton who burning in flames of hell cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in a farre higher place remayning in great joy and consolation enjoying the fruits of his former patience S Into which of these foure partes of Hell did Christ descend after his death M There is no doubt but hee descended into the place of holy Fathers and suddainely made them blessed after led thē with him in to the kingdome of heauē He made himselfe also seene vnto all the other parts of hell terrifying the Diuels as a victorious Triumpher threatning the damned as a supreame Iudge comforting the soules in Purgatorie as their Aduocate and deliuerer So that Christ descended into Hell as a King vseth sometimes to repaire into prisons to visite prisoners and to shew fauour to whom it pleaseth him S If Christ was dead his body did lye in the sepulchre then he did not whollie descend into hell but onely the soule of Christ and how is it then said that Christ descended into hell M Death had force to separate the soule of Christ from his body but it could not separate either the soule or the bodie from the Diuine person of the same Christ And therefore we beleeue that the Diuine person of Christ remained with his bodie in the sepulcre that the same person descēded with his soule into hel Of the fift Article S HOw is it true that our Lord rose from death the third day seeing that from Friday in the euening when he was buried vnto the night before Sunday when hee rose there wanteth of two whole daies M We doe not say that Christ rose after three whole daies but the third daye which is most true For he was buried on Friday which is the first day though not a whole day and so hee remained in the Sepulchre all Saterday and a part of Sundaie which is the third day For the natural day beginning the night before at the setting of the Sunne the first houre after the Sunne-setting is the first of the day following S. For what cause did not Christ rise streight after his death but would expect the third day M Because he would shew that he was truely dead he would remaine there in the graue so long as sufficed to prooue this truth Moreouer I would haue you considder that like as Christ liued amongst men thirtie three or thirty foure yeares so hee would stay amongst the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres For so many they are if you put together one houre of Friday for hee was buried an houre before Sunne-setting twentie foure houres of the Saturday and eight or nine houres of Sunday For he rose after midnight towards the beginning of the morning S Why is it said of Christ that hee rose and of other dead as of Lazarus and the Widdowes sonne that they were raysed from death M The reason is because Christ being the Son of God rose of himself to wit by vertue of his God-head he reunited his soule to his bodie so began to liue againe But other dead men can not returne to life by their owne power And therefore it is said they were raised by others As we al at the day of Iudgment shal be raised by Christ S Is there anie other difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ of others which returned to life before him M There is this difference that the others rose mortal therefore they died againe but Christ rose immortal neither can he euer die anie more Of the sixt Article S Now let vs come vnto the sixt article which is of the Ascension I desire to know how long our Sauiour remained vpon earth after his Resurrection and for what cause M He remained fourtie dayes as you may consider by numbring the dayes betwixt the feasts of his Resurection and Ascension And the reason of his so long stay was because he would with manie diuers apparitions establish the Mysterie of his most true Resurrection For that the same seemeth as it were the most hard And he that beleeueth it hath no difficultie to beleeue the rest For he that riseth was certainly dead before And he that was dead was first borne And so he that beleueth the Resurrection of Christ findeth no labour in beleeuing his death and natiuitie And likewise for so much as the earth is not a conuenient place for glorious bodies but heauen therefore he that beleueth the Resurrection of our Sauiour can
Thirdly for the glorie of the Saincts to the end it may be seene vnto all how God hath glorified them who were persecuted vexed in this world Fourthly for confusion of the proud enimies of God Fiftly because the bodie shal haue sentēce together with the soule of glorie or of punishment eternal Of the eight Article S THE eight article saith I beleeue in the Holie Ghost what signifieth the Holie Ghost M Here is declared the third Person of the most Holie Trinitie as in the first article was declared the first and in the other sixe the second so that the Holie Ghost is not the Father nor the Sonne but a third Person which procedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is true God as the Father and the Sonne yea the same God because he hath the same diuinitie which is in the Father and in the Sonne S I would haue some similitude of this M Diuine matters can not be perfectly declared by any examples of created things especially by corparal things Notwithstanding take you the example of a lake which is deriued from some riuer as the riuer is deriued from some fountaine and yet al is one and the same water so the eternal Father as a fountaine produceth the Sonne as a riuer the Father and the Sonne as a fountaine and a riuer produce the Holie Ghost as a lake yet the Father and the Sonne and the Holie Ghost are not three Gods but one onlie God S Wherefore is the third Person in Trinitie called holie ghost Are not also al Angels and al the blessed soules spirits and holie M God is called the Holie spirit by excelencie because he is the chiefest spirite and most holie and author of al created spirites and of al holines Like as a mongst mē ther are manie that are fathers and holie either by office or by goodnes of life to wit manie good Bishops or Priests or religious men and yet there is none called Holie Father but the Pope because this name belongeth vnto him alone by excellencie being the head of al other fathers and ought to be the most holie of al by goodnes of life as he is by office representing vnto vs the person of Christ S If the name of holie ghost belong vnto God by excellencie wherefore is it onely attributed vnto the third Person Is not the father also the Sonne a spirit holy by excellēcie M It is true But because the first Person hath a proper name to wit the Father the second hath a proper name to wit the Son to the third is left a commō name to distinguish him from the other two And moreouer you are to know that when it is said of the third diuine Person that he is the holy ghost these two words make one name only As whē a man is called Ioannes Maria they are one onely name though otherwise Iohn Mary are commonly two names S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted in the forme of a Doue especiallie ouer Christ and our Ladie M You must not thinke that the Holy Ghost hath a bodie or that he can be seene with corporall eyes but he is painted so that we may knowe the effects which he worketh vpon men And because the Doue is simple pure jealouse and fruitfull he is therefore painted ouer Christ and our Ladie to the ende we may vnderstand that Christ and our Ladie were full of grace and of the gifts of the Holy Ghost and in particular of holy simplicitie puritie zeale of soules and spirituall fecunditie by the which they haue gained infinite children to wit all the faithfull and good Christians S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted ouer the Apostles in forme of fyerie tongues M Because the Holie Ghost tenne daies after the ascention of our Lord came vpon the Apostles and replenished them with knowledge with charitie and with eloquence teaching them to speake with all tongues to the ende they might be able to preach the Holy faith through the whole world And in signe of these wonderfull effects he caused those tongues of fire to appeare because the light of that fire doth signifie wisdome the heate of the same doth signifie charitie and the forme of a tongue signifyeth eloquence and for that this was a most great benefite which God bestowed vpon his Church therefore we doe celebrate that great Feast called Penticost or the Feast of the Holie Ghost Of the ninth Article S VVHAT signifyeth that which is saide in the ninth article The Holie Catholike Church the communion of Saints M Here beginneth the second part of the Creede For the first parte belongeth vnto God the second vnto the Church the spouse of God And as in God we beleeue one Diuinity and three Persons so in the Church wee beleeue that there is one onely Church and that it hath three principall graces the first in the soule which is the remission of sinnes an other in the bodie which shal be the resurrection of the flesh and the third in the soule and bodie together which shall be life eternall as we shall see in the articles following S May it please you declare vnto me the whole article word by word first what meaneth the Church M It signifyeth a conuocation or congregation of men which are baptized and make profession of the faith and law of Christ vnder the obedience of the chiefe Bishop of Rome and it is called Conuocation because wee are not borne Christians as we are borne Englishmen Italians French or of any other countrey but wee are called Christians of Christ and wee enter into this congregation by baptisme which is as the doore of the church And to be in the Church it doeth not suffice to bee baptized but it is needeful to beleeue and confesse the holie faith and law of Christ as the Pastors and Preachers of the same Church do teach vs. Neither doth this suffice but it is necessarie to obey the chiefe Bishop of Rome as Vicar of Christ to wit to acknowledge and hold him for chiefe Superiour and Vicar of Christ S If the Church be a congregation of men how do we call those buildings Churches where Masse and other Seruice of God is said M Because the faithfull which are the true Church are gathered together in those buildings to practise the exercises of Christians therefore those buildings are also called Churches chiefly when they are dedicated and consecrated to the seruice of God But we in this Article doe not speake of the Churches made of stone wood but of the liuing Church which is the faithful baptised people and obedient vnto the vicar of Christ as hath been said S Why is it said The Church and not the Churches seeing manie congregations of the faithful are founded in diuers parts of the world M Because the Church is but one though it containe al the faithful which are dispersed through the whole world not only those which
rise or others like them M There is no doubt but the same bodies shall rise because otherwise it should not be a true resurrection if the same should not rise which is fallen and that same returne to liue which is dead And againe the resurrection is to the end that the bodie be partaker of the reward or punishment as it hath ben partaker of good workes or the sinnes there must be the same bodie because an other bodie should not merit either punishment or reward S How is it possible that bodie should return to liue which hath bin burned and the ashes scattered with the winde and cast into riuers M Yes for God can doe that which seemeth to vs impossible And there fore it is said in the beginning of the Creede that God is omnipotent And if you consider that God hath made the heauen and the earth of nothing it will not seeme hard vnto you to beleeue that he can bring againe to the former state that which is turned into ashes S I would know whether men shall returne to be men wemen to bee wemen or rather all to one maner M It is necessarie to beleeue that the men shall be men the wemen shall be wemen because otherwise they should not be the same bodies that they were before and as I haue already told you they are to be the same albeit in the life to come there shal not be any more bringing forth of children nor husbands nor wiues yet there shall be diuersitie of men and wemen to the ende that euerie one enjoy the reward of their proper vertues which they haue exercised in their owne sexe and as it shall be a goodly sight to behold the glorie of Martyrs of Confessors so shall it be to behold the glorie of the virgins and aboue all the Mother of our Lord. S I pray you tell me in what age stature we shal rise seeing that some doe die children some young-men others old M Al shal rise in that stature and in that state which they had or were to haue at the age of thirty three years in the which our Lorde rose So that the children shal rise so great as they should haue bene if they had arriued vnto thirtie three yeares and the olde men shall rise in that flowre of age which they had when they were thirtie and three yeares olde And if any in this life haue bene Blinde Crooked a Dwarfe or had anie other deformitie hee shall ryse whole sonnde and with all perfection Because the workes of GOD are perfecte And so in the resurrection which shal be his proper worke he wil correct the errors and defectes of nature Of the twelft article S VVHat signifieth Life euerlasting which is the last article M It signifieth a complete felicitie of the soule and of the bodie And this is the chiefe good and last end which wee gaine by being in the Church S Tel me I beseech you in particular what goodnes shal there be in life euerlasting M I wil teach you this mysterie by a similitude of the thinges in this world You know that here in earth we desier a bodie that is sound comelie nimble and strong a soule that is wise prudent and learned touching the vnderstanding ful of al vertues touching the wil besides these we desire exterior goods to wit riches honors powre and pleasures Euen so is eternal life the bodie for health shal haue immortalitie with impasibilitie that is to say that nothing can harme it for beautie it shal haue clearnes to wit it shal shine as the sun for nimblenes it shal haue agilitie that in one moment it shal be able to moue from one side of the worlde to the other and from the earth to heauen without anie labour for strength it shal haue such force that without eating drinking sleeping or other rest it shal be able to serue the spirit in al things that shal be necessarie neither shal it haue feare of anie thing Touching the soule the vnderstanding shal be ful of knowledge for it shall behold the cause of al things which is God The wil shal be ful of so much goodnes and charitie that it can not commit anie venial sinne The riches shal be to want nothing hauing all things in God Their honour to be the children of God equall to Angels for they shall be kings and spirituall Priests for euer their power agreeable for together with God they shall bee Lordes of the whole world be able to do all that they shall haue will to doe for that they shall alwaies be conformable to the will of God which nothing can resist Finally their delight shal be vnspeakeable because all their powers aswel of the soule as of the body shal be joyned vnto their proper objects Whereof will arise a full contentment a most perfect peace neuer proued before a perpetuall gladnes joy and exultation S If euery one shall haue all these things euery one shal be cōtented in one maner then shall not one be more blessed in heauē then an other M Yes assuredly For he who hath merited more in this life shall haue greater reward shal be more happie yet for al that there shal be no enuie nor any discontentment because each one shal be filled according to their capacitie those which haue merited more shal be more capable so shall haue more glorie As for example If a Father hauing manie children one greater then another according to their age should make to euery one of them a garment of cloth of gold proportionable vnto euery ones stature there is no doubt but that the greatest should haue the bigest garment of greatest valew yet euery one would remaine cōtented neither would hee that were lesse desire the garment of him that were greater because it would no be so fit for him S What is the cause of this beatitude of heauē is called life euerlasting shal not the damned liue for euer in hel M Life properly is saide to bee in other those things which mooue of themselues Whereupon in a certain maner the water of a fountaine is called Liue-water because it mooueth and water of Pooles is called dead because it standeth still So the blessed in heauē are said to haue eternal life for that they can worke all that they wil with all their inwarde and outwarde powers without any impediment And they doe alwaies worke and exercise themselues as they most desire But the damned in hell notwithstanding they liue for they shall neuer bee consumed yet they are said to haue eternall death because they are still tyed vnto the fire and torments and are enforced euer to suffer that which they would not neither can they do anie thing that they would So that the blessed in heauen enjoy all good without any mixture of euil and the damned in hell do suffer all euill not being able to fulfil any of their
our Lord with great wisdome teacheth vs to demand to be deliuered from all euill and commeth not to particulars as to pouertie sicknes persecutions the like For that oftentimes it doth seeme vnto vs that a thing is good for vs which God doth see is euill And contrariwise it seemeth to vs that a thing is euil which God seeth is good for vs. And therefore according to the instruction of our Lord we demand that he deliuer vs from all that which he seeth is euil for vs be it prosperitie or aduersitie S What meaneth Amen M This is an Hebrew word as I haue already said vnto you it signifyeth so be it or so it is And as in the end of the Creed Amen signifyeth so it is and so I beleeue In like maner in the end of the Pater noster Amen signifyeth so be it so I desire and so I pray that it may be done Cap. V. The declaration of the Aue Maria. S NOw you haue declared to me the Pater noster I desire that you declare also the Aue Maria M I wil do it willingly for I desire that you be most deuout to our blessed Ladie The Aue Maria in our vulgar tongue is this Haile Marie ful of grace c. S What meaneth it that to the Pater noster the Aue Maria is ioyned rather then anie other prayer M For so much as we haue no aduocate nor intercessor with Christ more potent then his Mother therfore when wee haue said the praier which Christ hath taught vs we repaire also to his mother to the end that she by her intercession may helpe vs to obtaine that we haue demanded in saying the Pater noster like as in this world when we haue geuen a supplication to the Prince wee recommend the busines vnto the most potent that is in the court S Who composed the Aue Maria M God himselfe hath composed it For albeit hee taught it not by his owne mouth yet he taught it by the mouth of the Archangel Gabriel of S. Elizabeth and of the Church For those wordes Haile Marie full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women were spoken by the Archangel Gabriel but hee spake them as Gods embassadour so hee spake them as from God and God spake them by the mouth of his Embassadour Those other wordes blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Saint Elizabeth spake but she spake them whē she was replenished with the Holy Ghost as the Euangelist Saint Luke testifyeth Whereby it appeareth that the holy Ghost spake them by the mouth of S. Elizabeth Al the rest holy church hath added which is gouerned taught by the same holy ghost so it may welbe said that after the pater noster which christ taught vs by his owne mouth the Aue Maria is the most excellent prayer that can be found being cōposed by the same God taught vs by the mouth of his seruants S Let vs come thē to the declaratiō Wherefore do we say Haile Marie M This is a salutation which we geue vnto her to shew that we are friendes and of acquaintance and therefore dare come to speake vnto her and we vse the words of the Angel for that we know that she is pleased to heare often that newes which the Angell brought her when hee spake the same wordes and shee rejoyceth also that wee are mindefull thereof and that we are gratefull to God for so great a benefite S What meaneth Full of grace M The grace of God worketh three principall effects in the soule It wipeth out the sinnes which are as spottes that defile the soule it adorneth the same soule with giftes and vertues and finallie it in-ableth to doe meritorious workes gratefull to the diuine Majestie Our Ladie is full of grace because touching the first effect she neuer had any spot of sinne neither Original nor Actuall neither mortal nor venial Touching the second she had al the vertues gifts of the holy ghost in the highest degree Touching the third she did works so gratefull vnto God and so meritorious that she was worthie to be assumpted in bodie and soule aboue al the orders of Angels S It seemeth not that our Ladie had more grace then other Saints For I haue often heard that S. Stephen other Saints were full of grace M How much soeuer it is said of other Saints that they were full of grace yet our Ladie had most grace of them al for that she was made by God capable of more grace then any other Saints as for example if manie vessels one greater then an other were filled with balme al should be ful yet in the greatest should be more balme then in the others And the reason of this is because God doeth make men capable of more or lesse grace according to the offices which he geueth them And for so much as the greatest office that hath been geuen to a meere creature was to be the Mother of God therefore our Ladie was made capable of filled with more grace then anie other meere creature S What meaneth Our Lord is with thee M this is an other singular praise of the blessed virgin which signifieth to vs that our Lord hath bene with our Ladie from the beginning of her conception with a perpetual assistance gouerning her directing her and defending her And hereof it commeth that she neuer committed anie sinne either in thought in worde or in deed Wherevpon God hath not only adorned this most holy virgin with al graces but he would also remaine alwaies with her as guardian of so great a treasure S What meaneth Blessed art thou among women M This is the third praise which is geuen to our B. Ladie in which is declared that she is not only ful of al the graces which can belong to a virgin but of those also which can belong vnto a wife and therby doth absolutly surpasse al other women which haue bene or shal be The benediction of a married woman is fecunditie and this was not wanting to the blessed Virgin seeing shee hath brought foorth a childe which is more worth then a hundreth thousand Children It may also be said that shee is a Mother of a verie great number of Children for that all good Christians are brothers to Christ and consequently are childrē to our Ladie not by birth and nature in which maner only Christ is her childe but by loue and motherlie affection which she had towards all Whereupon she is worthely said to bee blessed amongst all women because others had either the glorie of virginitie without fecunditie or the benediction of fecunditie without Virginitie she only had joyntlie by a singuler priuiledge of God the honour of perfect virginitie with the benediction of the highest and most happie fecunditie S What meaneth And blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Iesus M This is the fourth praise which is giuen to our Ladie that she is not onely
the Octaues of Easter But of these commandements I will say no more now partly because they are easie partly for that of the Masse of Confession and Communicating as also of Fasting we shall speake hereafter when we shal declare the holy Sacraments of the Church Cap. VIII The declaration of the Euangelicall Counsailes S I Desire to know if besides the commandements of our Lord there be any counsels also of his to liue more perfectly M There are many most holy counsels and most profitable to obserue the commandements with more perfection But there are three most principall voluntary pouertie chastitie and obedience S Wherein consisteth the counsell of pouertie M In not hauing any thing proper all his goodes being giuen to the poore or put into the common which likewise hath giuen all to the poore And this counsell Christe taught not onely in wordes but also by his example And after Christ the holy Apostles followed it as also all the first Christians who dwelled in Ierusalem in the time of the Primatiue Church and finally al religious persons make vow to obserue this holie counsaile of voluntarie pouertie S Wherein consisteth the counsaile of chastitie M In a resolution to be perpetually chast not only abstayning from all sortes of carnal sinnes but also from Mariage And this coūsaile also our Lord taught by word and example And our Ladie likewise obserued the same S. Iohn Baptist al the Apostles after they were called by Christ to the Apostleship And al religious persons make particular vow hereof as also al Ecclesiastical men that take holie Orders S Where in consisteth the counsaile of obedience M In renouncing our proper iudgment and proper wil which in the holie Gospel is called denying of a mans selfe and to subiect him selfe to the wil of his superior in al things that be not against God And this counsaile likewise the Sauiour of the world taught not only in word but also by his example obeying in all thinges his eternall Father and submitting himself when he was a child to his mother and to S. Ioseph his supposed Father the spouse of our B. Lady albeit indeede he was not his Father being borne of a mother who was alwaies a Virgin And this is the third counsaile to the vvhich all religious persons bind themselues by vowe S Wherefore are there three principall counsailes and no moe M Because these principall counsailes serue to take away the impediments of perfection that consisteth in charity for the impediments are three to witte the loue of goods which is taken away by pouerty the loue of carnall pleasures which is taken away by chastitie the loue of honour and power which is taken away by obedience Moreouer because a man hath but three sorts of goods to wit a soule a body and his exterior wealth therefore giuing the exterior goods to God by pouertie his bodie by chastitie and his soule by obedience he maketh a Sacrifice vnto God of all that he hath and so disposeth himselfe to perfection of charitie in the best maner that in this life is possible Chap. IX The declaration of the Sacraments of holie Church S I HAVE learned through the grace of our Lorde the three principal parts of Christiā doctrine it remaineth that you declare vnto me the fourth which if I well remember contayneth the seauen Sacraments of the Church M This part of doctrine is also very profitable therefore it is conueent that you learne it with great diligence You must then know that in the holie Church there is a great treasure to wit these holie Sacraments by meanes whereof we receiue the grace of God we keepe it we increase it and when by our defalt wee lose it wee may recouer it again I wil therfore declare vnto you what a sacrament is how many Sacraments there bee by whom they were instituted and some other fewe things and after we will come to the declaration of euerie one of them in particular S. Begin then I pray you to declare what a Sacrament is which I much desire to vnderstand M. A Sacrament is a holy Mystery by which God bestoweth his grace and with all it representeth exteriorly the inuisible effect which grace worketh in our soule For if wee were spirits without bodies as the Angels are God would giue vs his grace spiritually but because we are composed of a soule and a bodie therefore our Lord condescending to our nature geueth vs his grace by means of certayn corporal actions which as I haue said together with certain exterior signes declare to vs the inward effect of grace As for example holie Baptisme which is one of the Sacraments is done by washing the bodie with water and therwith calling vpon the most holie Trinitie By means of which ceremonious washing God geueth his grace putteth it in the soule of him that is baptised And it instructeth vs that as that water washeth the bodie so grace washeth the soule clenseth it from al sinne S If I haue wel vnderstood three conditions are requisit to the nature of a Sacrament first that it be a ceremonie or as we would say an exterior action the second that God by it giue his grace the third that the same ceremonie haue a similitude with the effect of grace and so represent and signifie it exteriorly M You haue vnderstood it very wel Now you haue to know further that these Sacraments are in al seauen are called Baptisme Confirmation or Chrisme Eucharist Penance Extreame Vnction Order and Matrimonie The reason wherfore they are seauen is this for that God would proceed in giuing vs spiritual life as he vseth to proceed in giuing vs our corporal life Touching corporal life first is needful to be borne secondly is needfull to grow thirdly is needfull to be nourished fourthly when a man falleth sicke it is needful he vse phisicke siftly when he must fight he hath need to arme himselfe sixtly is needfull that there bee some to gouerne and rule those that are now borne growne seuenthly is needfull there be some to multiplie mankind for seeing those that are borne do die if others should not succeed mankinde would soone decay So then touching the spiritual life first it is needfull that Gods grace bee borne in vs this is done by baptisme secondly it is needfull that the same grace increase and bee made strong this is done by Confirmation thirdly is needful that it be norished and maintained this doth the Eucharist worke fourthly is needfull that it be recouered whenit is lost and this is done be the medicine of Penance Fiftly is needfull that at the poynt of death a man arme himselfe against the infernal enimy who then more thē euer assalteth vs this doth extreme Vnctiō worke Sixtly is necessary that there be in the church such as may guid gouerne vs in spiritual life this is done by Orders Seuenthly is needfull that there bee in the Church
such as do multiplie mankinde and the number of the faithfull thereby and this is done by the Sacrament of Matrimonie S Who found out and instituted so marueilous things M These Sacraments being so admirable could not be deuised otherwise then by diuine wisdome nor instituted by any other then by God who can giue vs grace and so Christ our Lorde who is God and man deuised and instituted them Moreouer all the Sacraments are as certaine condicts by which the vertue of Christs Passion is deriued vnto vs. And sure it is that none can bestow the treasure of Christs passion but in that maner and by those meanes which christ hath ordained S I would gladly know if in the time of the old Testament there were Sacraments and if they were so excellent as ours M There were many Sacraments in the olde Testament but they were different from ours in foure things First those were moe in number thē ours and therefore the old law was harder then the new law Secondly those were not so easie to be obserued as ours are Thirdly those were more obscure whereby fewe vnderstood what they signifyed whereas ours haue so cleere signifycation that euery one may vnderstande them Fourthly those did not giue grace which ours do but did onely figuratiuely foreshew and promise it So that our Sacraments are much more excellent being fewer more easie more cleere and more effectuall then those were S I would also know which amongst our seauen Sacraments is the greatest of all M They are al great euerie one of them hath some peculiar greatnes The greatest of al is the most holie Sacrament of the Eucharist for in it is contained the Author of grace and of al goodnes which is Christ our Lord yet touching the necessitie the most necessarie of all are Baptisme Penance In respect of the dignitie of those that can minister the Sacramentes the more worthie are Confirmatiō Order because these two Sacraments can not be geuen ordinarily but by a Bishop In respect of the facilitie the most easie is Extreme Vnction because by it sinnes are remitted with out trouble of penance touching the signification Matrimonie is the greatest because it signifieth the vnion of Christ with the Church Of Baptisme S BEgin if you please to declare the first Sacrament and first tel me wherefore is it called Baptisme M This name of baptisme is a greek word and it signifieth washing but holie Church vseth this greeke word because the word washing is to cōmon and is vsed euerie day in common thinges And therefore to the end this Sacrament should haue a proper name and should be the better knowen and honored it is called Baptisme S What things are necessarie to the Sacrament of Baptisme M Three things at the least are necessarie learne them wel because in certaine cases of necessitie as wee shal say hereafter euerie one may baptise and therefore it is good that euerie one know how to do it First is required true and naturall water which must be applied to the partie that is Baptised Secondly at the same time when the water is vsed these wordes must be spoken I Baptise thee in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost Thirdly it is necessarie that the person that baptiseth haue intention to baptise that is to giue the Sacrament which Christ hath instituted and which Holie Church vseth to giue when shee baptiseth For if one had intention only to iest or to wash only the body of some foulenes hee should sinne most grieuously and it were no baptisme and so the poore soule were not baptised S What effect worketh Baptisme M It worketh three effects First it reneweth a man perfectly giuing him the grace of God by which being before the childe of the diuel he becommeth the childe of God and of a sinner becommeth iust and it doth not only wash the soule from all spot of sinne but it deliuereth it also from all the paines of Hell and of Purgatorie In so much that if one should die immediatly after Baptisme hee should goe directly into Heauen as if he had neuer committed sin Secondly Baptisme leaueth in the soule a certain spiritual marke which cannot by any meanes be taken away by which it shall for euer be knowne yea also in those which goe to Hell that they receiued Baptisme and that they had been of the sheepe of Christ As by the peculiar marks it is knowne in this world to whom slaues or cattle do belong And this is the cause why Baptisme can not bee taken oftner then once for it is neuer lost this effect thereof remayning for euer printed in the soule Thirdly by Baptisme a man entreth into the Church and is partaker of all the benefits thereof as a childe of holie Church and maketh profession to bee a Christian and to be readie to obey those that in place of Christ gouerne the Church S To whom doth it belong properly to giue Baptisme M It belongeth to a Priest by proper office and chiefely to those who haue charge of soules But when a Priest can not be had it belongeth to a Deacon and in case of necessitie to wit when there is danger that the partie should die without Baptisme it belongeth to euery one aswell Priest as Lay-man as well man as woman but alwaies order is to be obserued that a woman baptise not if a man may be had and that a Lay man baptise not if any Ecclesiastical person be present and amongst Ecclesiasticall alwaies the lesse must giue place to the greater S I maruell that Baptisme is giuen to litle children scarce borne who do not know what they take M The necessitie of Baptisme is so great that who dyeth without it or at the least without desiring it can not enter into heauen and because litle infants are in great danger to die easely and can not at that age haue any such desire of Baptisme it is therefore necessarie to baptise thē with all speede that may be And although they knowe not what they take the Church supplyeth the defect which by the godfather godmother answereth and promiseth for them and this sufficeth because as by the meanes of Adam wee are fallen into sin and into the offence of God not knowing any thing so God is contented that by meanes of Baptisme and of the Church we bee deliuered from sinne and turne into his grace yea though we know nothing thereof S What meaneth godfather and godmother of whom you spoke and what is their office M To the administration of Baptisme by ancient custome of the Church concurreth a man who is called a godfather and also a woman who is called a godmother that is an other father and mother in things pertayning to God And these two or on of them holdeth the child whiles it is christned and answereth for it when the Priest demādeth of the child if it wil be baptised and if it beleue the
Articles of the faith and other such like things And after when the child groweth in yeares the godfather and godmother are bound to haue care to instruct it in matters of faith and in good maners if the father and mother be herein negligent And moreouer it is to be noted that by Baptisme they become alyed by a spiritual affinitie to the partie that is baptised and to his father and mother as wel he that baptiseth as the godfather and godmother Of the Sacrament of Confirmation S VVE haue spoken sufficiently of Baptisme tel me now I pray you what meaneth confirmation or Chrisme which is the second Sacrament M The second Sacrament is called Confirmation because the effect therof is to confirme the baptised in faith as we shal say by and by It is also called Chrisme which is a greeke word and signifieth vnction because in this Sacrament the forehead of the person that receiueth this Sacrament is anointed with holie Chrisme For as in Baptisme the baptised is washed with water to signifie that the grace of God washeth his soule from all spot of sinnes so in Chrisme the forehead is anointed to signifie that the grace of God anoynteth the soule so comforteth and fortifieth it that it may fight against the diuel and confesse boldly the holy faith without feare of torments or of death it selfe S In what time ought this Sacrament to be receiued M It ought to bee receiued when the childe is come to vse of reason because then hee beginneth to confesse his faith and hath need to bee confirmed and established in the grace of God S Doth this Sacrament worke any thing else besides the fortifying of the soule M It leaueth a caracter or marke fixed and printed in the soule which neuer can bee scraped out therefore this Sacrament can not bee receiued oftner then once S What neede is there to imprint in the soule any other marke seing that of baptisme may suffice M This second caractar or marke is not imprinted without cause For that by the first a mā is only knowen to be a Christian that is of the familie of Christ but by this second it is knowne that he is a souldier of christ and therefore he carrieth in his soule the armes of his captaine as in the world souldiers carrie them on their garments whosoeuer receiue this Sacrament and goe into hell shall haue the greater confusion for that euery one shall see that they made professiō of the souldiers of christ are after so fowly reuolted from him Of the Sacraments of the Eucharist S MAY it please you declare to me nowe the third Sacrament first tel me what meaneth this word Eucharist M This is a greeke word also it signifyeth gratefull memorie or thanks giuing For in this Sacramēt memorie is made thanks are giuen to God for the most excellent benefite of the holy Passion of our Sauiour and withall there is giuen the true bodie bloud of our Lord for which wee are bound to render perpetuall thanks to God S Declare to me more fullie all that is contained in this holy Sacrament that knowing the greatnes thereof I may the better honour it M The Hoast which you see vpon the Altar before it be consecrated is nothing else but a litle bread made in forme of a thin Wáfer cake but immediatly when the Priest hath pronounced the consecration there is present in the Hoast the true bodie of our Lord and because the true bodie of our Lord is liuing and vnited to the Diuinitie in the person of the Sonne of God therefore together with the bodie is the blood also and the soule and the Deitie and so whole Christ God and man In the same maner in the Chalice before the consecration there is nothing else but a litle wine with a litle water but suddenly the consecration being ended there is the true blood of Christ and because the blood of Christ is not forth of his bodie therefore in the Chalice together with the blood are the body the soule and the Deitie of the same Christ and so whole Christ God man S I doe yet see that the Hoast after the consecration hath the figure of bread as before and that which is in the Chalice the figure of Wine as before M So it is that in the Hoast there remaineth the figure and also the colour and the taste of bread which was there before but not the substance of bread which was before And so vnder the forme of bread there is not bread but the bodie of our Lorde And the better to vnderstand this I wil giue you an example You haue heard that Lots wife was conuerted into a statute of salt those that saw the statute did see the figure of Lot his wife which then was not any more Lots wife but vnder the figure of a woman was salt As there fore in that conuersion the inward substance was changed the outward shape remayned so in this Mysterie the inward substance is changed from bread into the bodie of our Lord the outward figure of bread remaining which was there before The same also you are to vnderstand of the Chalice that is that there is the figure the taste the colour the smel of wine yet is there not the substance of wine but the blood of our Lord vnder that forme of wine S It seemeth to me a great thing that a great body as that of our lord can be vnder so litle a forme as that of the consecrated Hoast M It is certainely a great thinge but the power of God is also great who can do greater things then we can vnderstand and so Christ when he said in the holie gospel that God could make a camel which is a beast bigger thē a horse to passe through the eye of a nedle he added that with mē these things are impossible but with God al things are possible S I would be glad to haue some example how the same bodie of our Lord can be in so manie hostes as are in so many Altars M It is not needfull to vnderstand the wonders of God but it sufficeth to beleue them seeing we are certain that God cānot deceiue vs. Yet I wil giue you an example for your consolation It is sure that our soule is but one is whole in al the members of the body al wholly in the head al in the feet yea whole in euery litle part of our bodie what marueill is it then that God can make the body of his Sonne to be in many Hoasts seeing one and the same soule to bee whole intire in so many so diuers and distinct parts of the bodie It is read in the life of S. Anthonie of Padua that the same time hee was Preaching in a citie of Italie he was also by Gods power in Portugal to do some other good works And if God could make Saint Anthonie to be in two places at one
of the holie Apostles when being filled with the holie Ghost they began to preach the Gospel through the whole world and so begane the conuersion of the Gentils Of the Sacrament of Penance S THERE followeth nowe the fourth Sacrament which is called Penance declare therefore I pray you what this Sacrament is M Penance signifieth three things First it signifieth a certaine vertue by which a man repenteth himselfe of his sinnes and the contrarie vice is called impenitence to wit when a man wil not repent but wil perseuer in sinne Secondly we cal penance the paine affliction which a man taketh to satisfie to God for the euil he hath done And so we say that one doth great penance because he afflicteth himselfe much with fastings and other austeritie Thirdly penance signifieth a Sacrament instituted by Christ to remit sinnes of those who after Baptisme haue lost the grace of God and do againe repent the same and desire to returne into his fauour S Wherein doth this Sacrament principally consist M In two things in the confession of the sinner and the absolution of the Priest For that christ hath made the Priest judges of sinnes committed after Baptisme and giuen them authoritie in his place to remitte them so the sinner confesse them and bee otherwise disposed as hee ought to be So in this consisteth the Sacrament that like as the sinner confesseth his sinnes exteriorly and the Priest exteriorly pronounceth absolution so God inwardly by meanes of those words of the Priest looseth that soule from the band of sinne with which it was tyed and restored it to grace and deliuereth it from that it had deserued to haue been cast head-long into hell S What is necessarie for the receiuing of this Sacrament M Three things are necessary Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Which are three parts of Penance S What meaneth Contrition M That the hard-hart of the sinner become soft and in a certaine manner breake it selfe with sorrowe for that it hath offended God But in particular Contrition contayneth two things the one sufficeth not without the other First that the sinner be earnestly sorie for all his sins committed after Baptisme therefore it is necessarie to examine well and to consider all his actions and to be sorrowfull that he hath not done them according to the law of God Secondly that the sinner haue firme purpose to sinne no more S What meaneth confession M The sinner must not be content with only contrition but he must go to the feet of the Priest as Magdalen went vnto the feete of Christ and confesse his sins with truth not adding nor diminishing nor mixing any lye with simplicitie not excusing himself nor laying the fault on others neither multiplying superfluous words with integritie vttering them all not leauing any thing for shamfastnes telling the number of euery sorte and the circumstances which any way do agrauate the sinne so far as he can remember Finally with shamefastnesse and humilitie not recounting his sinnes as if he tolde an historie but telling them as thinges deseruing shame and vnworthie of a Christian and humbly desiring pardon S What meaneth satisfaction M That the sinner haue purpose to doe penance and therefore he must willingly accept that punishment which his ghostly father shal appoint him and performe it with speede considering that God doth him most high fauour in pardoning him the eternall paine of hell and is contented with a temporal paine much lesse then his sinnes haue deserued S Tell mee now what fruit this Sacrament bringeth M We reape foure very great commodities by this Sacrament The first is that which was saide euen now that God doth pardon vs the sinnes committed after Baptisme and doth change the eternall paine of hell into a temporall paine to bee suffered in this life or in Purgatory The second that the good workes which wee had wrought during the time we were in grace and were lost by sin are restored to vs by meanes of this Sacrament The third is that we bee loosed from the band of Excommunication if perhaps we were tyed therewith For you must knowe that Excommunication is a most grieuous punishment which depriueth vs of the prayers of Holye church of lawfully receiuing the sacraments likewise of conuersing with faithful people finally of holy buriall and from this so terrible a punishmēt wee are deliuered by the Sacrament of penance according to the authority which the Confessors haue of the Bishoppe or of the Pope Albeit this absolution from Excommunication may also be geuen without the Sacrament by the Prelate though he be no Priest The fourth and last fruit is that wee are made capable of the indulgences which the Popes do often geue S. What is meant by indulgences M. Indulgence is a Liberty which God doth vse by meanes of his Vicar with his faithful by pardoning their temporall paine either all or some part which they were to suffer for their sinnes in this life or in purgatory S. What is required for the gaining of Indulgence M. That a man bee in the grace of God and therefore he must confesse himself if he be in sin that he fulfil so much as the Pope appointeth when he granteth the Indulgence S. Howe often is it necessary to receaue the Sacrament of Penance M. Holy Church commaundeth that euery one confesse at the least once in the yeere But it is further necessarie to confesse euerie time that the partie will communicate if hee bee in mortall sinne And likewise when he is in peril of death or goeth about any thinge wherein is danger he may die And besides these it is verie well done to confesse often to keepe cleane a mans conscience especially for that hee that confesseth seldom can hardly do it well S. There remaineth lastly that Idemaund of you what the workes bee that are gratefull to God to satisfie for sinnes M. Al are reduced to three to-wit Prayer Fasting and Almes For so the Angell Raphel taught Tobie The reason whereof is for that a man hauing a soule a body and externall goods by prayer he offereth vnto God the goods of the soule by fasting the goods of the bodie by almes the externall goods By prayer is vnderstoode the hearing of Masse saying of the seuen Psalmes the Offfice of the dead and other like things By fasting is vnderstood all corporall austeritie as wearing of heare-cloth whipping lying on the ground pilgrimages and the like By almes is vnderstood all other works of charitie seruice done to our neighbour for the loue of God S What is required to fast aright M Three thinges are required to eate once only in the day and that about midday and the longer it is deferred the better and to abstaine from flesh and in Lent from egges and whit meates S Whether is it better to make satisfaction our selues to God by these works or to take Indulgence M It is better that our selues satisfie by these wordes