their Tribulation and to make and keep ones self unspotted from this World James 1.27 3. Perfect Charity because if I should have all Faith and have not Charity I am nothing And if I should distribute all my Goods to the Poor and have not Charity it profits me nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 3. Therefore When you shall stand to Pray forgive if you have ought against any Man that also your Father who is in Heaven may forgive you your Sins Mark 11.25 Forgive thy Neighbour hurting thee and then shall thy Sins be loosed to thee when thou prayest c. Ecclus 28.2 c. But if you will not forgive Men neither will your Father forgive you your Offences Mat. 6.15 And if thou offerest thy Gifts at the Altar and there remember'st that thy Brother has ought against thee leave there thy Offering before the Altar and go first to be reconciled to thy Brother and then coming thou shalt offer thy Gift Mat. 5.24 25. Hence it appears that Charity towards our Neighbour ought always to accompany and sometimes take place of Divine Worship and God's more immediate Service Because to do Mercy and Judgment does more please our Lord than Victims And to love ones Neighbour as himself is a greater thing than all Holocausts and Sacrifices without Charity Prov. 21.3 Mark 12.33 See also Hosea 6.6 Mat. 12.7 Besides these three Conditions mention'd 1 Tim. 1.5 you must also have 4. A good Intention to which the Apostle directs you saying Whatsoever you do in Word or in Work do all things unto the Glory of God and in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ giving Thanks to God and the Father by Him 1 Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.17 5. True Devotion must inspirit the whole Body of your Religious Actions and make you serve God with a perfect Heart and a willing Mind 1 Par. 28.9 For God is a Spirit and they that adore him must adore in Spirit and Truth John 4.24 by offering Spiritual Sacrifices or Acts of Faith Hope Charity and other Interior Vertues acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 without which all outward Respects and Signs of Godliness are no better than Counterfeit Piety and downright Hypocrifie See Ps 77.36 37. Ecclus 1.40 Luke 20.47 In fine To keep Sundays and other Feasts Holy you must not only serve God in Holiness and Justice but you must be also in all Conversation Holy Luke 1.74 75. and 1 Pet. 1.15 CHAP. XXIV Of Working and Business Whatsoever you do work it from the Heart as to our Lord and not to Men. Col. 3.23 § I. BEfore you take in Hand any Work or Business make the Sign of the Cross and let it be your Intention and Aim to please Him thereby who ought to be the Beginning Progress and End of all your Actions and for that Purpose say this short Prayer Lord God of Mercy give me Wisdom from thy Holy Heavens that she may be with me and labour with me that I may know and do what is acceptable to thee Wisd 9. § II. In all thy Works be quick and Infirmity shall not chance unto thee Ecclus 31.27 The Slothful Hand has wrought Poverty the Hand of the Strong gets Riches Prov. 10.4 In all thy Works be exquisite or exact give no stain to thy Glory thro' Negligence Ecclus 33.23.24 Hence it appears that Industrious and Diligent Labour is a great Friend to Health Wealth and Reputation and it is as Advantagious to Salvation when Sanctified with Spiritual Recollection 1. By calling to mind the Presence of God or the Subject of your Mornings Meditation 2. By using Jaculatory Prayers and Silent Elevation of the Heart to God 3. By Singing with Heart and Voice Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs whilst you are at Work Col. 3.16 § III. When you have finished your Work offer it to God its principal Author Phil. 2.13 together with the Labours and Pains undergone by Christ on Earth for us Men and for our Salvation and pray that what you have done may be acceptable to the Divine Majesty thro' the Merits of our Saviour's Works c. CHAP. XXV Of Eating and Drinking Whether you Eat or Drink or do any other thing do all things to the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 THE first Christians took their Meat with Joy and Simplicity or Sincerity of Heart praising God Acts 2.46 Do you in like manner And § I. Before Meat say Grace not for fashion-sake and meerly out of Custom but with that inward Devotion and outward Respect which is due to God in whose presence you are and to whom you speak for this Lesson Christ taught when looking up to Heaven he Blessed the Five Loaves and Two Fishes Mat. 14.19 * ⎠* What Virtue the Blessing of our Meat has you may see in the Annotations of the Rhemes Testament upon 1 Tim. 4.5 § II. At Table if thou be set in the midst of many stretch not forth thy Hand before them neither do thou first ask to Drink Vse as a frugal Man those things that are set before thee Leave off first for Manners-sake and exceed not lest perhaps thou Offend Watching and Choler and Torment to an Vnsatiable Man Sleep of Health is in a Man of spare Diet and his Soul with him shall be delighted Sober Drinking is Health to Soul and Body Ecclus 31. passim Eat what suffices but be not greedy in all Feasting and pour not out thy self upon all Meat for in many Meats there shall be Infirmity and Greediness shall approach even to Choler Because of Surfeit many have Died but he that is abstinent shall add Life both to Body and Soul Prov. 25.16 Ecclus 37.32 c. § III. After Meat say Grace again with Devotion and Reverence and let thy Soul magnifie our Lord for that he has filled the Hungry with Good Things and thee amongst the rest for no other end than that when thou hast Eaten and art Full thou may'st Bless the Lord thy God Luk. 1.53 Deut. 8.10 CHAP. XXVI Of Discourse If any Man think himself to be Religious not Bridling his Tongue this Man's Religion is Vain But if any Man Offend not in Word this is a Perfect Man Jam. 1.26 c. 3. v. 2. § I. B Before you fall into Discourse make your Intention to keep up thereby true Charity and Friendship with your Neighbour in Honour and Imitation of Christ's Holy Conversation on Earth with all sorts of People And then Pray thus Set O Lord a Guard to my Mouth and a Door to my Lips Decline not my Heart into Words of Malice that I fall not by Them and my Tongue destroy me Psal 140.3 4. Ecclus 22.33 § II. In Discourse speak nothing but what is Good Eph. 4.29 and Edisying * and better than Silence in regard that of every Idle Word that Men shall Speak they shall give an Account in the Day of Judgment For by thy Words thou shalt be Justified and by thy Words thou shalt be Condemned Mat. 12.36
all Conversation Holy c. Rom. 13.12 c. and 1 Pet. 1.15 See also Eph. 5.8 c. * ⎠* Now tho' the Sacrament of Baptism and Remission of Sins thereby can be received no more than once Heb. 6.4 c. yet the Memory of so great a Benefit both may and ought frequently to be renew'd as long as we live on Earth Therefore mark well the Manner and the Time of discharging this Duty And § 1. As to the Manner You are to consider the Happy Effects and Wonderful Change wrought in your Souls by Baptism the perfect State of Grace and Innocence to which it restor'd you c. as aforesaid § II. and § III. N. 1. and 2. Next Look narrowly into the present State of your guilty Conscience and say Jer. 9.1 Who will give Water to my Head and to my Eyes a Fountain of Tears And I will weep Day and Night for that both Day and Night I have broken the Covenant made for me at the Font I have forsaken God to take part with the Devil his Works and Pomps by me so solemnly there renounced I have stain'd the White Robe of Innocence there given me c. Then Sprinkle your self with the Holy Water in remembrance of Christ's Baptism and of your own Regeneration wishing you could revive in your Soul the Grace thereby received and say Job 29.1 c. Who will grant me that I may be according to former Months according to the Days in which God kept me When his Lamp shined over my Head c. the Priest saying to me Accipe Lampadem ardentem c. Thou Lord shall sprinkle me with Hysop Contrition and Sorrow for my Sins and I shall be cleansed Thou shalt wash me in the Baptism of Penance or Penitential Tears and I shall be made whiter than Snow Ps 50.9 Lastly Exhort your self and resolve to comply more faithfully with the Obligations of a Christian c. as before § III. N. 3. § II. As to the Time It may be done most properly 1. On the Epiphany or Twelf-Day when the Church makes a Commemoration of Christ's Baptism 2. On Easter-Eve and Whitsun-Eve those being Days appointed by the Church for Hallowing of the Font and for the Solemn Baptism of Catechumens or Unbaptized Converts 3. On the Anniversary-Day of your own Baptism or on the Saints-Day whose Name you bear 4. As often as you chance to be present at the Administration of this Sacrament 5. As often as you take H. Water c. CHAP. II. Of Confirmation He that Confirms us with you in Christ and he that has Anointed us is God Who also has Sealed us with a Spiritual Character and has given the Pledge of his Spirit in our Hearts 2 Cor. 1.21 22. COnfirmation is a Sacrament of the Gospel in which after Baptism we receive the Holy Ghost (e) Act. 8.14 c. c. 19. v. 5 6. and are made perfect Christians because the Charity of God is pour'd forth in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given us (f) Rom. 5.5 And in like manner also the Spirit helps our Infirmity (g) Rom. 8.26 to overcome all Difficulties in the Profession and Practice of Christianity that neither Tribulation nor Persecution nor Death nor any Creature may be able to separate us from the Charity of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (h) ibid. v. 35 c. Now that such as are come to the Use of Reason may receive and retain the Vertue Grace and Gifts of the Holy Ghost by means of this Sacrament They must observe Before At and After Confirmation what follows And §. 1. Before Confirmation 1. They must be well instructed and made sensible of the Necessity and Vertue of this Sacrament 2. They must put themselves in the State of Grace by going first to Confession with all the Dispositions of a Soul truly Penitent and Converted Because Wisdom with the rest of the Gifts * Isa 11.2 of the Holy Ghost will not enter into a malicious Soul nor dwell in a Body subject to Sin Wis 1.4 3. They must give themselves some time before to holy Retirement and fervent Prayer in imitation of the Apostles Who in order to receive the Holy Ghost went into an Vpper Room where all of them were persevering with one Mind in Prayer Act. 1.13 14. Pray therefore with bended Knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he give you according to the Riches of his Glory Power to be strengthned by his Spirit in the inner Man Eph. 3.14 16. And for that end say the Hymns Vent Creator Spiritus c. and Veni Sancie Spiritus c. with the Office of the Holy Ghost as in the Manual and Primer 4. The laudable Custom of the Church requires that Healthful People of riper Years receive this Sacrament Fasting §. II. At Confirmation Whilst the Bishop anoils your Forehead with H. Chrism in form of a Cross saying I Sign thee with the Sign of the Cross I Confirm thee with the Chrism of Salvation In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and gives you a light Blow on the Cheek saying Peace be with thee Reflect how by these solemn Proceedings you are made the Soldier of Christ whose Standard is the Cross (i) Mat. 24.30 whose Armor is the Armor of God to wit the Helmet of Hope the Breast-plate and Shield of Faith Charity and Justice the Girdle of Continency and Truth the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God c. (k) Eph. 6.13 c. 1 Thess 5.8 Heb. 4.12 1 Pet. 1.13 whose Enemies are the World the Flesh and the Devil who are sure to affront them with repeated Blows that will live Godly in Christ Jesus (l) 2 Tim. 3.12 But thou Lord wilt give Peace to us (m) Isa 26.12 and there is much Peace to them that love thy Law (n) Ps 118.165 even amidst their greatest Sufferings (o) Jo. 16.33 2 Cor. 4.8.9 16. c. 6. v. 9 10. c. 7. v. 4. For whereas Wickedness is fearful it gives Testimony of Condemnation against it self For a a troubled Conscience doâ—s always presume cruel Things c. (p) Wis 17.10 But a secure Mind the effect of a good Conscience is as it were a continual Feast Prov. 15.15 §. III. After Confirmation 1. Let every one imagine a Voice from Heaven says to him Thou therefore be strong in the Grace which is in Christ Jesus Labour thou as a good Soldier of Christ Jesus For he that strives for the Mastery is not Crown'd unless he strives lawfully Dread not at sudden Terror and the Power of the wicked Falling upon thee For our Lord will be at thy side and will keep thy â—â—â—t that thou be not taken Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Be thou faithful until Death and Christ Jesus will gâ—â—â— thee the Crown of Life 2 Tim. 2.1 Prov. 3.25
or abated by the Benefit of Indulgences For gaining of which 1. You must have true Repentance consisting of Hearty Sorrow for all your Sins and a firm Purpose of Amendment See Chap. 3. § 1. 2. You must perform with due Zeal all the Pious Works enjoin'd you that is you must Fast Pray give Alms visit Churches Confess Communicate c. according to the Intention of the Giver and the Tenor of the Grant of the Indulgence which commonly allows choice of Two Three or more things to be done as every one's Estate Ability Opportunity and other Circumstances require 3. You must do the last part at least of the said Works in the State of Grace that being a Disposition without which no Indulgence can be gain'd And tho' Faith assures us Conc. Trid Sess 25. c. 21. That the Power of granting Indulgences was given and left to the Pastors of the Church by Jesus Christ and that the use of them is wholsome and beneficial to Christians yet notwithstanding this general Warrant any particular Indulgence may be Invalid and Unbeneficial either for want of Authority in the Giver or thro' Deficiency in the Cause or by reason of Indisposition of the Receiver And therefore all well-advised Christians says Bellarmin so accept of Papal and Episcopal Indulgences as besides them to be careful to perform Works worthy of Penance and to make Satisfaction for their Sins by voluntary Mortifications and patient Sufferings As aforesaid Ch. III. § III. N. 5. CHAP. V. Of H. Communion Take ye and eat This is my Body c. Mat. 26.26 GReat and diligent Care is to be had in using all the Sacraments of the Catholick Church Religiously and Holily but most especially in receiving the most H. Sacrament of the Eucharist than which the Church of God has nothing more worthy nothing more Sacred and Admirable because in it is contain'd the principal and greatest Gift of God and the very Fountain and Author of all Grace and Holiness to wit Christ our Lord. Therefore be thou O Christian prepar'd to meet thy God For the Work is great neither is an Habitation to be prepar'd for Man but for God Amos 4.12 1 Par. 29.1 § I. Before Communion 1. Ponder well the Immense Difference betwixt Receiving Worthily or Holily and Unworthily or in the State of Mortal Sin Of the former Christ says My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that cats my Flesh and drinks my Blood abides in me and I in him And he that eats me the same shall live by me He that eats c. has Life Everlasting and I will raise him up in the last Day and he shall live for ever John 6. From all which 't is plain that the Life of Grace here and of Glory hereafter is the happy Effect and Fruit of receiving Worthily Of the latter S. Paul assures us Whosoever shall eat the Bread or drink the Chalice of our Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord. And again He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks Judgment to himself Therefore viz. for receiving Unworthily are there among you many weak and feeble in Body and Soul and many sleep i. e. Die both Temporally and Eternally 1 Cor. 11. O Dismal Guilt Judgment and Punishment of Unworthy Receiving But why should I wonder hereat since the Blood of Christ cries to Heaven for Vengeance like that of Abel against every Unworthy Communicant Gen. 4.10 who Crucifying again to himself the Son of God and making him a Mockery has trodden the Son of God under Foot and esteem'd the Blood of the Testament polluted wherein he is sanctified Heb. 6.6 c. 10. v. 29. Whereas on the contrary Heb. 12.24 The Mediator of the New-Testament Jesus and the sprinkling of his Blood speak better than Abel and plead effectually both Mercy and Pardon in Behalf of worthy Communicants 2. You cannot be Partakers of the Table of our Lord and of the Table of Devils (a) 1 Cor. 10.21 For what Participation has Justice with Iniquity Or what Society is there between Light and Darkness And what Agreement with Christ and Belial (b) 2 Cor. 6.14 15. Therefore before Receiving Purge away the old Leaven of Mortal Sins and Affections thereto by the Sacrament of Penance that you may become a new Paste and let us Feast at the Table of our Lord not in the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but in the Azims of Sincerity and Truth (c) 1 Cor. 5.7 8. And because a little Leaven corrupts the whole Paste (d) Gal. 5.9 to be wholly Clean and Unleaven'd you must purge your Souls likewise from Venial Sins and from all Affections to them and to Worldly Vanities This is what the Apostle insinuates saying Let a Man prove himself by Examining and Rectifying his Conscience and so let him eat c. 1 Cor. 11.28 3. You must not only lay away the old Man Eph. 4.24 c. who is corrupted according to the Desires of Error but you must also be renew'd in the Spirit of your Mind and put on the new Man who according to God is created in Justice and Holiness of the Truth That is besides the Cleansing of your Soul from Sins and Sinful Affections you must Adorn it with Holy Thoughts Affections and Acts of Vertue Put ye on therefore Col. 3.12 c. as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved the Bowels of Mercy Benignity Humility Modesty Patience supporting one another and pardoning one another if any one have a Quarrel against any Man as our Lord pardon'd us so you also But above all these things have Charity which is the Band of Perfection c. Lest after your Happiness in being call'd to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb you become so unfortunate as to be cast into utter Darkness for coming without the Wedding-Garment of Charity Apoc. 19.9 and Mat. 22.11 c. Hence that your Inward Man may be adorn'd in a manner suitable to the Divine Guest you are to entertain say the Prayers before Receiving as in the Manual or Primer eliciting Acts of Faith Hope Charity Humility and other Vertues whilst you say them 4. Besides Purity and Piety of Soul you must bring along with you to the Table of our Lord Dispositions of Body agreeable thereto that is 1. You must be Fasting so as not to have eat or drunk any thing at least from the Midnight before you Communicate 2. Married Persons are advis'd by Mutual Consent to practise Continency some Days and Nights before they come to Holy Communion that they may give themselves to Prayer with more Freedom from Tribulation of the Flesh and with less Impediment in the Service of God 1 Cor. 7.5 28 35. Such Continency being a Disposition requir'd in those that were to eat the Hallowed Bread of the Old Law and much rather for them that by eating the Eucharistical Bread of the New Law are to partake of the
Bed-rid Man after his Cure whom when Jesus found in the Temple he said to him Behold thou art made Whole Sin no more lest some worse thing chance to thee Jo. 5.14 CHAP. XIX Of Assisting Dying Persons Comfort him that lies a Dying in the Departure of his Spirit Ecclus 38.24 HE loves at all times that is a Friend and a Brother is proved in distresses Prov. 17.17 But no time is of greater Consequence than the Hour of Death and the Entrance into Eternity nor any Distress comparable to our last Agony Therefore he is our best Friend and kindest Brother who assists us most in those our greatest Extremities Now the best Service you can do an Agonizing Person is as follows § I. Admonish him to Pronounce often with a Contrite Heart the most Holy Name Jesus and Help him whilst he is able to make Acts of Faith Hope Charity and other Vertues after this manner I Believe firmly all the Articles of Faith which the Holy-Catholick-Apostolick and Roman Church Believes and Teaches I Hope that Christ our Lord for his Immense Goodness will be merciful to me and that I shall obtain Life Everlasting thro' the Merits of his most Holy Passion I Love God with my whole Heart and I desire above all things to Love him as the Angels and Saints in Heaven do Love him I am Sorry from my Heart for the Love of God that I ever Offended him or my Neighbour in any kind I Pardon from my Heart for the Love of God all my Enemies and those that have any way Molested me I Crave Pardon of all those I have at any time Offended either in Word or Deed. I Accept with Patience the Pain I Endure and the Anguish of my Sickness for God's sake in Punishment and Expiation of my Sins I Resign my self freely to the Pangs of Death for the Love of him that Died upon the Cross to Save me from â—â—dless Misery I Resolve if God Restores my Health to avoid Sin hereafter and to keep his Commandments as much as in me lies And I would rather Die in the State I now am in than Live to Offend my God any more § II. Exhort him to Pray at least in Heart as often as he 's able after this manner Have Mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy Psal 50.1 In thee O Lord have I hoped let me not be Confounded for ever Psal 30.2 Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Psal 30.6 O God incline unto my Aid O Lord make haste to help me Psal 69.2 Be thou Lord God to me a protector Psal 30.3 God be Merciful to me a Sinner Luk. 18.13 Most Sweet Lord Jesus in Virtue of thy Passion receive me into the Number of thy Elect. Lord Jesus Christ receive my Spirit Acts 7.59 Mary Mother of Grace Mother of Mercy protect us from the Enemy and at the Hour of Death receive us Angel-Guardian Assist me All ye Holy Angels and Saints Intercede for me and Succour me These and such like Prayers you may suggest to a Dying Person according to his Capacity § III. During his Agony sprinkle him with Holy Water offer him the Crucifix to Kiss by Efficacious words put him in hopes of Eternal Life and place the Crucifix before him that in beholding it he may conceive hopes of his Salvation thro' him who Died upon the Cross Admonish the Domesticks and By-standers to join with you in Prayer for the Dying Party and then on your Knees read Devoutly the Recommendation of a Soul departting as in the Manual But when the Soul is at the point of leaving the Body then all present must Pray most earnestly for its happy Departure and one of the Assistants applying his Mouth towards the Ear of the Person Dying must pronounce in a Hain and Comfortable Tone Jesu Jesu Jesu and as often as it shall seem fitting he may repeat that Sacred Name as also the following Sentences Into thy Hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Lord Jesus Christ receive my Spirit c. as before 4. As soon as the Soul is gone out of the Body Pray thus Succour speedily O ye Saints of God hasten O ye Angels of our Lord receive this Soul and offer it in Presence of the Highest May Jesus Christ who has call'd thee receive thee and may his Angels carry thee into Abraham's Bosom Eternal Rest give her O Lord and let perpetual Light shine unto her Lord have Mercy on us Christ have c. Lord have c. Our Father c. Vers And lead us not c. Resp But deliver us c. V. From the Gate of Hell R. O Lord deliver this Soul V. Let her rest in Peace R. Amen V. O Lord hear my Prayer R. And let my Cry come to thee We recommend to thee O Lord the Soul of thy Servant N. that being Dead to the World he or she may live to thee and the Sins he or she has committed thro' Frailty of Human Conversation do thou mercifully Pardon and Wipe away Thro' Christ our Lord. Amen In the Interim let thy Passing-Bell be rung according to the Custom of the Place that they who hear it may pray for the Soul newly departed Afterwards let the Corps be order'd handsomly and placed in a decent Room with Candle-Light and let a small Cross be set between the Hands join'd on the Breast of the Dead Body or for want of a Cross let its Hands be laid over one another in form of a Cross and let it be sprinkled with H. Water and whilst it remains in the House let all present pray for the Soul of the Party deceased CHAP. XX. Of Burying the Dead Blessed be you to our Lord who have shewn Mercy to your Lord Saul and have Buried him And now truly our Lord will render you Mercy c. 2 Kings 2.5 6. See Tob. 12.12 IN going to and assisting at Funerals there is offer'd you an Opportunity to exercise Three several Acts of Charity viz. Edifying of your self Comforting of the Sorrowful and Praying for the Dead And § I. As to Edifying of your self There is no better a Preservative against Sin than the Remembrance of Death and therefore 't is written In all thy Works remember thy last things and thou shalt not Sin Ecclus 7.40 Neither is there any livelier Memorial of Death than a Funeral Wherefore it is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Banqueting for in that the end of all Men is signified and he that lives thinks what shall be Eccles 7.3 Hence at Funerals follow the Advice of Ecclesiasticus viz. Son upon the Dead shed Tears c. and according to Discretion cover his Body and neglect not his Burial Remember the last things and forget not Imagin the deceased Party says to thee Be mindful of my Judgment for thine also must be so To me Yesterday and to thee to Day Ecclus 38.16 c.