the end his blessed and glorious sight we purposing to vse those meanes which he hath procured for our obtaining of it Thirdly at Masse we are inflamed vnto acts of charity and vehement loue of God hauing before our eyes such a testimony of his loue towards vs that he would send his beloued sonne to take vpon him the imperfections of our nature and to be soe vnworthily treated and killed to redeeme vs that killed him This should make the hart of a Christian to melt with the loue of God and without doubt it would doe soe if we could rightly consider and apprehende it and the whole scope of the Masse tendeth to this to imprint in our mindes a liuely apprehension of our Sauiours Passion We then praise and extoll in the highest manner that we can his sacred merits we set him in the sight of God and propose him as our mediatour before his eternall father beseeching him that he will not looke vpon our sinnes but vpon his owne deere Sonne soe handled for the loue of vs to obtaine our pardon and to reconcile vs to him Fourthly the Masse is a thanks giuing to God for the infinite and immense benefits which he bestoweth allwais vpon vs and especially for the mystery of the Incarnation If we giue but a litle almes or doe neuer soe small a curtesy to our neighbour we expect at least to hatie thanks returned presently for it Why then shall not we be as thankefull to God as we would haue our neighbour to be to vs and we hauing nothing of our owne with which we could worthily gratify the benefits of God therefor Christ would leaue to vs the Sacrifice of his owne body that in it we might haue a worthy offering and a rich and pretious gift by which our gratitude might be acceptable to him Fiftly by being present at Masse we are disposed to repentance for our mortall sinnes and to come to the state of grace by a good Confession For as the Israelits that were stung by the fiery serpents were cured by beholding the brazen serpent erected soe we by meditating vpon the Passion of our Sauiour and by beholding him eleuated on the Cros are cuted of the wounds of the fiery serpents of hell and those that heare Masse in the state of grace obtaine a plentifull remission of their venial sinnes much more then by any other good worke Sixtly the Masse is not onely beneficiall to the liuing but also to the dead and the most efficacious worke of charity which can be done for them by the generall commemoration which is then made for the soules of purgatory and they when they are released are not forgetfull of those that helped them in misery Seauenthly those that are present at Masse may receiue the B. Sacrament with more deuotion at least spiritually in hart and minde vniting themselues with an ardent desire to the life giuing flesh of our Sauiour and noe doubt but shall carry away the effect of that sacred foode in their harts For as it were not fitting that those who wait at the tables of Princes or at great feasts should goe away hungry for want of meate soe those that attende at this blessed feast shall not depart vnsatiated with it but euen as one that entreth into a wine cellar of strong and pretious wines is comforted and strengthened with the strength and smell of them although he tast them not soe those that are present at this sacred banquet ate spiritually refreshed comforted and filled with the vertue and strength of the B. Sacrament although corporally they receiue it not Finally not onely the Priest that saith Masse but all that are present offering vp that Masse with him teceiue spirituall distributions at the hands of God who giueth something to euery one of them for the offering which they gaue to him And not onely spirituall but also temporall benefits are obtained by the Masse because as it is a Sacrifice it may be offered vp for the obtaining of any good or the auoiding of any euill whatsoeuer Iacob offered Sacrifice for the good successe of his iourney Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in thanks-giuing for his victory Noe in thanks-giuing for his preseruation in the deluge Iob for his children Sacrifices were offered for women before their deliuery and after their deliuery for their purification Chrys ho. 21. in act Aug. l. 22 cap. 1. de ciu Dei and for bodily health and cleansing from leprosy and other impuritys Saint Chrysostome mentioneth how that Sacrifice was offered in his time for the fruits of the earth and for temperatnes of ayre Saint Augustine relateth how that himselfe caused it to be offered in houses hanted with euill spirits and that they were expelled by it Saint Bede as you haue heard of a gentleman that was miraculously deliuered out of captiuity by hauing Masse said for him And Saint Anthony Archbishop of Florence commonly called Saint Anthonine relateth of the men the one of which who had not heard Masse on a holy day was suddenly strucke dead with thunder and the other was saued by miracle for that he had heard Masse By all which we may see that there is no kind of benefit but it may be obtained by the Masse and that there is nothing so efficacious for the obtaining of benefits as to procure Masses to be said for that end And therefore it is a deuotion very acceptable to God that which many pious people haue of hearing Masse euery day and a deuotion which Saint Augustine hath commended in his mother Saint Monica that she let no day passe without being present at the Sacrifice of the Church For as parents are pleased to see their children come euery day to acknowledge their superiority and to doe their filial duety to them so it is a thing very pleasing to God to see vs his children come euery day as it were to aske his blessing by the holy Sacrifice as the worship due and proper to him from vs and as parents are moved with tendernesse towards their children to pardon their falts and to cherish and bestow gifts on them when they see them continue this daily submission and duety to them so the loue and mercy of God must needs be moued towards vs to pardon our sinnes and to bestow graces vpon vs when he seeth vs euery day at Masse Wee ought then to conceiue a very great deuotion to this holy Sacrifice and with all modesty silence and reuerence to be present at it Allways when we are going to Masse let vs thinke that we are then going to present our selues before the diuine Maiesty to offer to him a very rich and precious offering the greatest that is in the world that which astonished heauen and earth when it was offered on the Crosse and we may imagine that we were going to Mount Caluary to see the very crucifying of Christ and that ioyning our selues to the company of our blessed Lady and of Saint Iohn Euangelist
it It is the doctrine of Catholike Diuines that all the euills of this world noe not the eternall torments of all the damned spirits put together is aequall to the euill of one mortall sinne I will rather be sent into hell Mach. 2.6 saith Elcazarus when they perswaded him to dissemble against his conscience For although at this present time I be deliuered from the punishments of men yet neither aliue nor dead shall I escape the hand of the almighty Greg. hâ— 34. in Euang Victorinus whilst he liued in the wildernes being drawne into the sinne of fornication by a wicked delusion of the deuill was soe vexed in conscience afterwards that fastening his hands into a peece of clouen wood he liued three yeares with onely raw herbes and water After that he wrought miracles became a bishop and at last a glorious martyr The Magdalen moued to repentance came presently into the Pharisys house Luc. 7. and was not ashamed to weepe in publike soe many teares that she washed the feete of Christ with them S. Peter after his sinne went out presently and wept bitterly And soe great was his sorrow euer after that he is recorded by S. Clement who liued with him Clem. in recognit to haue carried allwais in his hand a litle linnen napkin to dry his face from teares But the example of our Sauiour weeping for the sinnes of others should moue vs more then these who wept for their owne sinnes Christ as he came downe Mount Oliuet hauing before his eyes a full view of the city of Hierusalem was strucken with such an apprehension of the sinnes of that people that beginning to speake he was interrupted with teares and could not goe on for weeping And he wept also for Lazarus long dead and putrifyed that was to signify the sinner dead and putrifyed in long continued sinnes that we might see how much he loued our soules and how he lamenteth at their spirituall death Mat. 16. What doth it profit a man if he gaine the whole world and susteine the dammage of his soule My soule is all the world to mee and when I come to dy I shall finde it soe Grant vs O Lord that we may saue our soules the whole world beside we will loose it willingly And this is the effect of mortall sinne that he that committeth but one and dyeth in it is as sure to suffer shippwracke of his soule and to be damned into hell as though he were guilty of all the mortall sinnes in the world Ia. 5. according to that of S Iames whosoeuer but offendeth in one is made guilty of all To wit soe farre as to the guilt and punishment of hell I haue bene desired by some to giue them some such destinction betwixt Mortall and Veniall sinne as that they might allwais know by it when the sinne which they committe is mortall But this is vnpossible for that the circumstances are infinite which may aggrauate or lessen the malice of sinne soe that litle sinnes may become great and great sinnes litle ones and sometimes noe sinnes at all Besides God will not haue vs to know for certaine whether we be in state of grace or noe according to that of Ecclesiastes Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred and Iob allthough I shall be simple Eccl. 9. Iob. 9. the same shall my soule be ignorant of Yet thus much may be said for their satisfaction that sinnes against any of the tenne Commandements or against any of the Praecepts of the Church when they come to a notable degree of malice or deformity or if they be intended thought or doubted to be soe they are Mortall Veniall is as much as to say easily pardonable and soe a Veniall sinne is a sinne which easily obtaineth pardon A litle sinne which diminisheth the feruour of diuine grace in vs but taketh not the grace of God from vs soe as to put vs in state of damnation It maketh vs to grow colder and colder in deuotion and disposeth by litle and litle to some mortall sinne and then by that we loose quite the diuine grace and are in state of damnation Soe that Mortall sinne is quite opposite and incompatible with the diuine grace Veniall sinne is compatible and may stande with it Authors commonly declare this by the similitude of a traueler going out of his way He may either goe a quite contrary way or he may goe wrong yet not quite contrary to the right way By Mortall sinne we goe the quite contrary way from heauen to wit to hell by Veniall sinne we goe not to hell yet we goe wrong and out of the way to heauen S. Augustine compareth Veniall sinnes to scabbs that deforme and disfigure the body but kill it not soe Veniall sinne deformeth and deminisheth the beauty of our soules but leaueth them still with spirituall life And declaring some Veniall sinnes in particular he saith that it is a Veniall sinne to laugh immoderately Aug. l. de Nat gra c 38. to iest too much to desire somethinge intemperately to plucke fruit ouer greedily and the like Finally whatsoeuer we thinke that we doe not well in we may accuse ourselues of it as at least of a Veniall sinne That all sinnes are not damnable to hell but that there are some such lesser sinnes which we call Veniall it is manifest by diuerse places of the holy Scriptures Prou. 24. Seauen times shall the iust fall and shall rise againe but the impious shall fall into euill Where we see that a man may fall into some sinnes and yet be iust He that contemneth small thinges shall fall by litle and litle Eccl. 19. By which we see that one may sinne by small things and by litle and litle before that he fall from the diuine grace Ia 3. S. Iames saith that in many things we offende all And he cannot be thought to speake of mortall sinnes S. Iohn hauing declared that by the blood of Christ we are clensed from sinne adde h presently Io. 1.1 If we shall say that we haue noe sinne we seduce ourselues and the truth is not in vs. By which it appeareth that we may be soe purged from sinne as to be in state of grace by the merits of Christs Passion and yet to haue some sinnes This is also most congruous to reason and agreeable with the diuine goodnes and mercy For if it be an vnreasonable seuerity for Kings and Common wealths to punish euery litle falt with the sentence of death farre must it be from the mercy of God to punish euery litle excesse or defect euery litle anger neglect distraction in our prayers and the like with the eternall death of hell Mortall sinnes are neuer taken away but by the Sacraments in deede or in desire Veniall sinnes are blotted out by euery good worke which we doe For as euery Venial sinne deminisheth the feruour of the loue of God in vs and
subiecteth vs as lyable to some punishment soe euery good worke which we doe in the state of grace aduanceth vs in the diuine grace and taketh away some of our due punishment But allthough Veniall sinnes depriue vs noâ— of the diuine grace nor make vs as the enemys of God guilty of eternall damnation yet we ought to beware of them and to be carefull especially that we gett noe euill habite nor affection to any Veniall sinne for that is very dangerous and if we gett not also a habit of repenting presently for it it will without doubt draw vs in the end into some Mortall sinne And in this sense we may say of Veniall sinnes that they depriue vs of Gods grace and euen kill our soules dispositiuely that is they dispose vs to Mortall sinnes bâ— which our soules are immediatly killed euen as a litle hole or leck in a shippe neglected causeth a greater breach by which she is suddenly ouer charged and sinketh downe to the bottome soe litle falts neglected bring great sinnes and are sometimes bewailed with euerlasting teares in hell And therfor to preuent great sinnes we must haue an eye ouer our lesser falts to mende them by times Besides a good and louing seruant will feare to offende in any thinge least by committing that by which his masters affection should bellessened towards him he might come in the end quite to loose his fauour This is that saith S. Hiero to 7. instrueÌ„s amicum quemdam Hierome which the Apocalypse reprooueth in the bishop of Ephesus who is called an Angell for that he had in his conscience the merits of many good works much labour and sufferings for Christs sake But because the edge of his former piety was somethinge dulled and the heate of his loue beganne to abate he is called and stirred vp to repentance Apoc. 2. I know thy works and labour and patience that thou canst not beare euill men and hast tryed them that say themselues to be Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars And thou hast borne for my name and hast not sainted But I haue against thee a few things because thou hast left thy first charity Be mindfull therefor from whence thou art fallen and doe pennance And what pennance may we read that the Saints of God haue done euen for litle Veniaâ—â— sinnes because they knew that by all such sinnes the grace of God was endangered and that the least degree of his grace was better to them and in it selfe more pretious then all this world S. Theresa conceiued soe greatly against the least oâ— her sinnes that she spoke of them as heinous offences and if it happened that in singing in the quire she missed in any thinge presently in the sighâ— of all she prostrated her selfe to the ground with such true shame and sorrow that the rest of thâ— Nunnes were interrupted from singing and could not goe on for teares Grant vs O Lord by the merits of thy Passion and by the prayers of thy blessed Mother and of the whole court of heauen that we may neuer loose thy grace by mortall sinne and may allwais feare to offende by veniall I haue done now my deere Reader that which I intended in this booke I haue giuen thee for thy instruction a breife Summe of the whole Christian Doctrine in a few short answeres to be gotten without booke and the declaration of them at large in their propper places I haue sett before thee in the Apostles Creede one supreme eternall and omnipotent Power God the beginner and conseruer of all creatures to be worshipped by thee And for thy comfort and Confirmation in the Catholike faith I haue shewed that there is noe true worship of God but in the Catholike Church of Christ The Catholike Church reacheth that an eternall retribution ofteward or punishment remaineth according to our works good or euill Good works by Gods grace are in our owne hands if we will What now remaineth but to excite our wills This also I haue done according to my ability exhorting thee to vertue and holinesse of life And now at last I intreate and coniure thee by the omnipotent power and infinite goodnesse of God that made thee by his iustice and mercy which one day thou must try by the torments of the damned and ioyes of the blessed soules by all which thou canst imagine to be feared or desired that thou feare 〈…〉 loue him Looke downe to hell and feare him in that horrible eternity Looke vp to heauen and loue him seeke him and enioy him in that happy state Resolue from this very instant vpon a vertuous life Beginne now a new and perseuer to the gaining of that euerlasting life which is the end of the Creede and of all Instruction Live sweet Iesu King of eternall glory Liue Liue and reigne in our soules here and in heauen for euer and euer Amen Laus Deo Dei genitrici Virgini Maria. A TABLE A ACTVALL sinne 715 Altare 603. Altares towards the east 603. Almes deeds 473 Amen 505 Angell Gabriel 510. 532. The time and place of the Angell Gabriel his apparition to the blessed Virgin 533. c. Anger 415. Remedys against anger 420 The Apostles preaching 137 The Ascension of our Sauiour 164 Atheisme and Atheists 78. 79. 80. c. Attributes of the diuine Persons in the Blessed Trinity 142 B BAptisme The necessity of Baptisme 283. Baptisme a Sacrament 284 The effect of Baptisme 285. The Baptisme of S. Iohn 286. The caeremonys of Baptisme 287 Beades 555. blessings of Beades 572 Aue Mary Bell. 564 Bloody sinnes horrible to nature 416 C CArnall sinnes 412. seuerely punished of God 422. the causes and rootes of Carnality 428. Remedys against Carnall sinnes 428 The Catholike Church prooued by induction from all other religions that are in the world 250. Catholikes according to their grounds can not with reason seeke vnto any other Church not doubt of their faith but all other Churches euen according to their owne grounds ought to doubt allwais and can neuer be satisfyed till they come to the Catholike Church 35. Character Vide Sacraments 275 Charity towards God and our neighbour 409.491 amongst the primitiue Christians 418 Ceremonys 287.598 Two kinds of Ceremonys 290. Childrens education 1 Christ 109. The faith of Christ euer from the beginning of the world 113. Christ the Messias was to be true God 120. Iesus Christ our Sauiour was the true Messias foretold by the Prophets 122. Christianity demonstrated by holy Scriptures and miracles 113. vnto 140. Christ was more sensible of paine then others 151. Christ prophecyed of his Passion 153. Christs Passion was voluntary 154. Christ the annointed as he was Prophet Priest and King 112. Christmas day 148 Church The Church must try the priuate spirits of all men 24.184.641 Noe order in religion but by the authority of the Church ibid. The Church can not erre 35. The authority of the Church 184.641 The Church is holy 177. It
himselfe signifying his death on the Cros Io. 3. said as Moyses exalted the serpent in the desert soe must the sonne of man be exalted Christ suffered voluntarily of his owne free-will Christ suffered voluntarily and could if it had peased him haue escaped all or any part of his Passion and death This he often shewed in his life time Sometimes when they would haue killed him he became presently inuisible to their sight and walked through the midst of them without being seene Sometimes he preuented them absenting himselfe seeing their inward thoughts and harts to be bent against him Sometimes he shewed that he had power ouer their mindes mouing them as he would and asswaging the malice which was in them vntill the hower of his suffering came and when his hower was come he came forth amongst his enemys and euen then he moued multitudes of people to follow and to glorify him but a few dayes after when they came to apprehende him he would then be taken and would not defende himselfe or be defended by others He would with a word of his mouth strike them downe to the ground to shew that he had them in his power and could haue freed himselfe but he would let them rize againe and would goe away prisoner with them to fullfill the will of his father by suffering and dying for vs. Christ suffered for the redemption of all and redeemed all that is by his Passion he purchased meanes for the saluation of all These meanes are the Sacraments of the Catholike Church Those that are baptized and receiue worthily the rest of the Sacraments as they are necessary for them are saued by the merits of Christ in them Those that are not baptized or receiue not the Sacraments as they are necessary for them perish not through any defect in the Passion of Christ by which they had sufficient meanes to be saued but through their owne sinne because they will not apply those meanes to themselues which Christ by his Passion procured for their saluation The least paine of our Sauiours Passion or the least action which he did in his life time had bene sufficient to haue redeemed the whole world and a thousand worlds if it had bene offered to that end by him as the full price of our redemption because it proceeded from the diuine Person which was of infinite dignity but it was not intended soe by him He ouervalued the purchase of our soules and by a superabundant grace would giue more then he needed when he gaue his life for them and would haue nothing to stande for the price of our redemption without his death This he would doe to testify his loue towards vs and to giue vs an example of many vertues Quest What doe we gett by Christ redeeming vs Answ We gett the forgiunesse of our sinnes and the acceptance of our good works by the merits of Christs Passion applyed vnto vs in the Catholike Church The Sacraments of the Catholike Church haue their vertue and effect by the Passion of Christ Those that worthily receiue them are sanctifyed and haue the remission of their sinnes and being then in the state of grace the good works which in that state are done by them are acceptable to God and haue proportion to supernatural glory The Sacraments therefor hauing by the merits of Christs Passion power and vertue to sanctify vs we haue by his merits the forgiunesse of our sinnes and the acceptance of our good works Man had committed sinne in paradise and all mankind was infected with that sinne and our nature being once tainted it corrupted still more and more and we fall in our life times into many actuall sinnes All the good works which we could doe were of noe value nor could we by any meanes make satisfaction for any sinne either originall or actuall because there is noe condignity in person and works betwixt vs and God that was offended The Sonne of God was therefor incarnated in Christ that the diuine nature vniting to it selfe the nature of man might soe dignify it by that vnion in him that he could make satisfaction for our sinnes and obtaine for vs the remission of them and that our good works being then done in the state of grace might become acceptable to God and proportionable to glory which of themselues they could not be We could haue sinned still more and more heaping sinne vpon sinne and increasing our damnation but we could haue done nothing in that state by which we could rise from any sinne Soe that the remission of our sinnes and the acceptance of our good works to the obtaining of euerlasting glory is to be attributed to the merits and power of Christs Passion which is actually applyed vnto vs by the Sacraments of the Catholike Church The Apostles would particularly professe in the Creede the Passion of Christ and that he dyed to confounde those haeretiks that should deny his death as some haue done These are sufficiently refuted by this article and by all the Euangelists affirming that he gaue vp the ghost That is is to say that his ghost spirit or soule which is all one departed and was separated from his body death being nohting els but the departure or separation of the soule from the body For this reason also the Apostles would declare that Christ was buried to confirme his being dead But although he would haue his body to be buried as the bodys of other men yet he would preserue it from corruption in the earth because it was most decent that that sacred body which was soe miraculously framed by the Holy Ghost without corrupting the Virginity of his mother should after death be free from all corruption according to that which the holy king had prophecyed thou shalt not giue thy holy one to see corruption Ps 15. To conceiue somethinge of the greatnesse of this mystery we may consider who it was that suffered these thinges that it was one whose person infinitly surpassed in power wisdome beauty riches and all kind of dignity and goodnesse the most renowned Prince that euer was in the world And if it be a horrible thinge to thinke of the murthering of any man and much more of some great and gracious Prince and a cruell spectacle to behold it what feeling ought christiins to haue of the Passion of Christ when they consider it But it is but a weake comparison to compare Christ to any earthly Prince Io. 1. S. Iohn saith that he was the Word which was with God and that this Word was God O almighty God what then shall we say or thinke of this mystery thy power and maiesty seemeth here to be lessened thy wisdome is dispised thy goodnes questioned brought to tryall and condemned O blessed Sauiour whom S. Paul describeth to be he whom God hath made the heire of all Heb. 1. the brightnesse of his glory and the figure of his substance how comes thy brightnesse to be
to that bold persuasion of some who perswade themselues that saluation may be had in any religion or in either of some two religions or in any faith soe that they beleeue in Christ for they shall finde one day that disobedience to the true Church is a sinne which deserueth damnation S. Augustine againe in another place Epist. 104. Being out of the Church and diuided from the heape of vnity and the bond of charity thou shouldst be punished with eternal fire although thou shouldst be burned aliue for the name of Christ The Church is honored in the scriptures with many noble and glorious titles The titles of Church It is called the kingdome of God the house of God his spouse his faire one his onely one and the very body of Christ He gouerneth it as his kingdome he prouideth for it as his household and loueth it as his deere spouse and as his owne body pleasing and delighting himselfe in the soules of good Catholikes that serue him It is compared to the holy city of Hierusalem in which the true worship of God flourished and in which diuine sacrifice was duely offered It is compared to the arke of Noë out of which there was noe saluation but a general death and destruction Infidels that haue not the faith of Christ are out of the Church Haeretiks Schismatiks and excommunicated persons although they beleeue in Christ yet because they heare not the Church that is obey it not they are also our of it as heathens that participate not the benefits of it The Catholike Church hath two parts The triumphans and militant Church the one Triumphant the other Militant The Triumphant Church is the company of blessed soules in heauen who hauing gotten victory ouer their spirituall enemys in this life are now triumphing in euerlasting glory The Militant Church is the company of the faithfull vpon earth liuing as it were in a warrfare where we are allwais fighting with the enemys of our soules and by perseuering vnto the end in the seruice of God we shall be crowned like good and faithfull souldiers The Militant Church conteineth both good and euill liuers Mat. 3. and therefor it is compared to a field that beareth both good corne and cockle to a nette that gathereth together both good and euill fish The good are kept Mat. 13. but the bad are throwne away It is compared to tenne virgins fiue of which were wise and had prepared the light of good works against the comming of Christ to reward them Mat. 25. and therefor they were admitted into his heauenly nuptials but the other fiue came like fooles and although they had the faith of Christ and were christians yet wanting the oile of the loue of God and the light of good works they were excluded from his blessed ioyes By these and the like places we are giuen to vnderstande that it is not enough to haue the true faith and to be Catholikes if our liues be dissonant from our profession that we liue not like good Catholikes for there are many euill liuers in the Catholike Church who as bundles of cockle shall be throwne into the fire The Communion of Saints Communion of Saints S. Iohn Euangelist writing to the faithfull giueth them as the cause of his writing that you also may haue society with vs Io. 1.1 and our society may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ That is that you may keepe in the society and Communion of the Church and be partakers of those good works and meanes of saluation which are to be had in it For there in is the Catholike Church such a participation of good works that all Catholikes that are in the state of grace participate with one another in them and receiue benefit by the good works of others The reason is because the Catholike Church is as it were one body and all the members of it liue by the same spirit of the Holy Ghost and of Iesus Christ who keepe them in that holy vnion and Communion together And as all the members of the body concurre and helpe to the good of each other soe euery member of the Catholike Church helpeth to the good of the rest and receiueth good by the rest participating of their good works Ps 118. â—am partaker of all that seare thee Saith he holy psalme And in the Pâ—ter nester our Sauiour hath taught vs soe to pray that euery one should aske in the name of all saying giue vs forgiue vs c. Those who are guilty of mortall sinne as they haue noe reward of grace for any worke of their owne which is done in that state soe they loose the benefit which they should receiue by the good works of others For although they be members of the Catholike Church yet wanting the life of grace they are as dead and rotten members into which the rest haue noe spirituall influence The benefit which is reaped by the good works of others is participated by euery one in measure and proportion to the disposition which he hath for it and according to the intention of him that performeth the worke for as we are more or lesse in his intention soe doe we participate more or lesse benefit by the worke which he doth For this it is enough to say that our good works are offerings which we make to God and are therfor receiued and applyed by him according to the offerers intention By all which we may see what a happinesse it is to be in the Catholike Church Ps 83. and in the state of grace Blessed are they who dwell in thy house ô Lord. Now let vs speake OF THE AVTHORITY of the Church BY these words of the Creede it appeareth that the Catholike Church is of diuine authority for euery article of the Creede being of diuine authority and we being by this article bound to beleeue the Church it followeth that the Church hath diuine authority and that we are bounde to beleeue and to obey it as hauing the authority of God And therefor this article was most profitably and necessarily made by the Apostles as the ground and foundation of diuine faith and worship For although in the scriptures it be plane and by reason must needes be true that we are allwais to be gouerned by the authority of the Church yet this article being soe commonly and often professed it is agreat curbe to the rizing of new sects and haeresys all which beginne in the disobedience of some priuate men to the authority of the whole Church and it can not but be a horrour to their mindes and a greeuous wounde to their owne consciences to see how they contradict the common Creede of the Apostles And therefor S. Paul might well say that a man that is an haeretike is subuerted and sinneth Tit. 3. being condemned by his owne iudgment The authority of the Church is diuine in that it is declared also by the
proceedeth from the loue of concupiscence which is in vs by which we regard our owne interest And therefor such shame or feare is not sufficient for an â—act of true contrition which includeth the the loue of God aboue all things This is an act of contrition I loue thee ô God aboue all things in the world and for thy owne sake I am sorry to haue offended thee And this act if it be truely conceiued and made in our harts is the most gratefull act to God that we can possibly make for by it we offer vp our selues all our actions and all creatures to God as his owne and as it were one sacrifice due to him And soe a purpose of amending and of confessing our sinnes and of keeping all the commandements of God is included in this act and it is soe perfect and pleasing to him that he that should haue it and should dy before he could come to confession should haue his mortal sinnes forgiuen him and be saued by vertue of it For if Martyrs haue all their sinnes forgiuen them by Martyrdome because they loue God more then their liues and more then the whole world soe shall he that hath a Martyrs charity and is in the preparation of his minde a Martyr in that he loueth God more then his owne life and aboue all thinges in the world and feareth more to offende him then he doth the paines of death or torments of hell Therefor it is good for all to make such acts of inward contrition especially before confession and to accustome themselues often to make such acts that in all dangers when they haue not the opportunity of a priest for confession thy may fly vnto an act of contrition as to a sanctuary which in time of neede shall saue them He that hath not soe perfect a loue of God as true contrition requireth must haue at least attrition for his sinnes which is a more imperfect loue mixed with feare of punishment of losse of reward or the like which being ioyned to confession is perfected by it and becommeth contrition in effect giuing grace and forgiuenesse of sinnes For it can not be thought but that the Sacrament being added to an act of attrition more perfection must be added to it and that is to giue grace For as the Councell of Trent hath declared the Sacrament of pennance is the Sacrament of the dead because it reuiueth to the state of grace those who were in the state of sinne which they could not be with true contrition The third thinge which the poenitent must haue before confession is a firme purpose of amendement which purpose although it be included in an act of contrition yet it is good to make it alwais expresly by it selfe because we know not when we haue true contrition And it is good allwais to make a purpose to amende and to fly the occasions of that sinne in particular which we offende most in Neither is this purpose euer to be omitted because it is often broken for if we should runne on still in sinne and neuer purpose to amende we should neuer amende and if for all the good purposes which we make we still fall into sinne what would become of vs if we made not those purposes and contrary acts to it The purposes which we make and the detestations of sinne are a great meanes to hinder it and a most soueraigne remedy it is against all sinne and especially against euill customes presently to make a contrary act in detestation of them and to gett to confession as soone as we can OF CONFESSION HAVING prepared our selues with due examine of conscience sorrow for our sinnes and purpose of amendment the next part of this Sacrament is confession We come then to the priest and with reuerence to the Sacrament we kneele downe at his feete full of sorrow and confusion We may thinke then of the Magdalene how she came to the feete of Christ confessing her sinnes not in particular for that she needed not to him who knew them allready and saw the secrets of her hart yet she confessed them in general if not by word of mouth yet by many expressions of sorrow for them and of much loue of God Luc. 7. And therfor she deserued to heare thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Thinke thou I say of her example and prepare the like sorrow and loue in thy selfe when thou comest to cleare thy conscience in confession The poenitent kneeling downe saith Benedicite that is to desire the blessing of God and of the priest for the worthy performing of that action The priest then prayeth for him then he saith I confesse mee to almighty God to the blessed Virgin Mary to S. Michael the Archangell to S. Iohn Baptist to S. Peter and to S. Paul and to all the Saints in heauen that I haue offended by thought word and worke through my fait through my falt through my most greeuous falt The meaning of which is to prostrate himselfe before God and the whole court of heauen and before the priest as the Vicar of God vpon earth to acknowledge and confesse his falts Then he beginneth to declare in particular what he hath offended in For the rightly performing of which he may vnderstande three conditions to be principally necessary for a good confession to wit that it be intire cleare and obedient For the first condition of integrity it is necessary that we confesse all the mortal sinnes which we know ourselues to be guilty of expressing euery one of them in particular the number and the circumstances aggrauating them Venial sinnes are not absolutly necessary to be confessed because they are not quite opposite to the effect of the Sacrament but may stande with grace yet of deuotion we confesse them for many reasons aboue mentioned Children and some very wicked persons breake sometimes this condition of integrity and either because they vnderstande not or consider not the worke which they haue in hand they conceale sometimes their sinnes from the priest but this is indeede either very childish or very impious and sheweth that they haue not a true apprehension of the dignity of a Sacrament nor of the state of their soules who onely receiue good or euill by that which they then doe it importing nothing to any other whether they confesse well or ill Let these therefor vnderstande and consider that this is the profanation of a Sacrament a heinous mortall sinne not as other mortall sinnes of frailty but of malice against the first commandement directly opposite to diuine worship He that hideth his wicked deedes saith the holy Prouerbe shall not be directed Prou. 28. but he that shall forsake them shall obtaine mercy He bringeth vpon himselfe not one but many euills First not confessing any mortall sinne he committeth a new mortal sinne and that of a higher nature Secondly the sinnes which he doth Confesse are not forgiuen Thirdly all the sinnes which he hath committed euer since
pray by it For this we will implore the intercession of our Bessed Lady Haile Mary c. Christ the best Pastour that euery was and the forme of all good Pastours teaching his disciples all that was necessary for them to know would not leaue them ignorant in a matter of soe much importance as prayer is and therefore he would not only deliuer vnto them some circumstances to be obserued in prayer as to pray with humility confidence and the like but would also giue them an expresse forme of words to be vsed by them that they might haue it as a pattern and perfect modele to frame all their prayers by there being nothing that can be asked of God but it is conteined in some of the petitions of the Pater Noster But before we come to declare the petitions in particular we will say something of prayer in general and first OF THE BENEFITS AND fruits of Prayer THE benefits and fruits of Prayer are so many and generall that we neede not name any but say all For there is nothing that can be good for vs or worthy of asking but it may be obtained by deuout prayer Io. 15. our Blessed Sauiour hauing promised without exception If you abide in mee and my words abide in you you shall aske what thing soeuer you will Mat. 7. and it shall be done to you And the more to incite vs to pray he saith Aske and it shall be giuen you seekö and you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you For euery one that asketh receiueth and that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened And in another place the saith Luc. 18 it behoueth allways to pray and not to be weary What more could bee said to commende prayer to vs and to shew the force and fruit of it it is as necessary as our very breath For as we can not liue without continuall breathing noe more can our soules without continuall prayer we will say then that prayer is the breath of our soules And although this be verifyed by continuing in faith hope and charity and in all good works which as prayers please God and obtaine benefits of him yet he would commende all by the name of prayer and bid vs pray always to increase in vs the esteeme of it The seruants of God haue found by experience the force of prayer Deut. 6. What shall we say of Moyses who remained diuerse times forty dayes and forty nights in prayer for the people as himselfe witnesseth and when they were in batle with Amalech as long as he lifted vp his hands to pray they ouercame and when he was weary as his armes failed soe they failed against their enemys In imitation of which Theodosius the Christian Emperour being to ioyne batle with the tyrant Lugenius went first vp vnto a high place where he might behold both armys and besought God that being that the vndertaking of that warre was for his sake he would giue him victory ouer his enemys His prayer was heard Baron an 394. the two Apostles S. Iohn and S. Philip being seene to sigâ—t for him and to turne the weapons of their enemys against themselues Dauid being a King could finde leasure to giue praise to God seauen times a day In imitation of which the Catholick Church commandeth the seauen Canonicall Houres to be said euery day by Ecclesiasticall persons Tob. 8. vnder a mortall sinne Toby being married remained the three first nights with his wife in prayer before that he had knowledge of her professing vnto God that he married her not for fleshly lust but for the loue of posterity in which his diuine name might be honored And she who on the very first nights of her former marriages had buried seauen husbands enioyed Toby with life and health the deuill who had killed them hauing no power ouer him S. Bartholomew is recorded to haue prayed a hundred times euery day and as often euery night and diuerse other Saints are read to haue followed his example Hist trip l. 8. c. 1. S. Paul the Ermit is affirmed to haue said euery day three hundred prayers which he remembred by three hundred little stones before he attended to any other busines And Gregory Lopez a holy man who liued lately in the Kingdome of new Spaine is thought for many yeares at euery drawing of his breath to haue said in his hart in vitu cus Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen Amen Iesus By all which we may see the great esteeme which the Saints haue had of prayer and the benefit which they expected by it But now we will speake of that which it hath in particular as its proper and peculiar fruit The first is that by prayer we keepe our harts in humility and submission to God acknowledging by our prayers that he is the supreme power and high perfection from whence all benefits proceed and that we depending of him as his creatures Apoc. 8. come for succour and releife to him and therefore S. Iohn saw the prayers of the Saints as incense which was to be offered on the Altare and the Catholike Church prayeth with the holy King saying Ps 440. Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight Because it is a kind of inferiour sacrifice and hath the effect of it to doe homage vnto God and to keepe vs in humility towards him The second fruit of prayer is that it pacifyeth the diuine wrath prouoked by sinne For although the prayers of a sinner as long as he is in mortal sinne haue noe proportion to the remission of his sinnes or to the releasing of his punishment yet it is congruous and most agreeable to the infinite goodnesse and liberality of God that he should accept of the endeauours of our nature and should grant vs his grace for such endeauours and soe sinners that are out of the state of grace obtaine grace of congruity by praying for it But the prayer of the iust is soe powerfull that after a certaine manner it forceth God as it were by violence to grant that which he desireth and holdeth his hands from punishing of others Euen as strong dammes well fortifyed with stone and timber resist huge inundations of waters and suport their mighty weight soe the prayer of the iust resist the wrath of God and beare of the weight of his indignation from sinners This is expressed in the words of God to Moyses when Israel had adored the molten calfe and the diuine indignation was comming as a torrent to sweepe them quite away from the face of the earth the prayers of Moyses had such power to withstande it that God said Exod. 23. Suffer me that my fury may be angry against them as though he had held him by force from destroying them Thirdly as I said before of sinners that the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and punishments are obtained as it were by violence
These words are commonly applyed by authors to this purpose Honey is pleasant to the tast and necessary for many vses but it must be caten with moderation onely what is sufficient many by eating too much honey haue hurt themselues for our stomacks are not capable of much honey As honey is to our bodys soe is knowledge to our soules both pleasant and profitable What more pleasant to the vnderstanding then the knowledge of truth and some knowledge is necessary euen of the points of faith but many haue receiued hurt by too much desire and greedinesse of knowledge by seeking too curiously without humility into the mysterys of faith for our vnderstandings are too weake and of themselues vncapable of those glorious mysterys He that is a searcher of the maiesty shall be oppressed of the glory saith the same chapter of holy prouerbes This weakenesse I humbly acknowledge in my selfe and feare that I shall speake obscurely of this subiect and therefor I will craue the intercession of our blessed Lady Haile Mary c. Quest What is faith Answ Faith is à supernatural light and gift of God by which we beleeue and firmely adhere to the doctrine of the Church God giueth vs his diuine light and holy inspiration to beleeue the Catholike Church we by that superuatural light and gift of inspiration beleeuing it haue then the true faith Vnder three titles I wil comprehende all that is necessary to be said of this In the first place I will shew how that faith is à supernatural light and gift of God In the second I will shew how that this supernatural light and gift of God is all wais with obedience to the Church And although by these two titles the nature of faith be sufficiently declared and in all points we shall rest satisfyed with the authority of the Church yet I will adde one title more for the good of those that are out of the Catholike Church in which I will shew how this supernatural light and gift of God directing to the true Church is to be sought for and obtained by them THAT FAITH IS A SVPERNAtural light and gift of God ALthough such be the condition of mans vnderstanding that by the visible thinges which he seeeth made he may discouer something of the maker of them as is the omnipotent power and eternal diuinity of him that made them yet it cannot be thought that either man or any other creature can by its owne natural light onely attaine to glory which is supernatural but he must be eleuated by à supernatural power to produce such acts as haue proportion to the obtaining of it The apostle hath said this in plane termes Eph. 2. By grace you are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gifâ— of God That which is natural is with in the sphaâ—e of nature but supernatural thinges are in a higher sphaere and therefor the state of glory which is supernatural can not be attained vnto but by à supernatural light of faith as being without the sphaere of nature God hauing ordained all creatures to his scruice serues himselfe of them according to their nature He appointeth vnto euery one its propper office and setteth it within the limits of its owne sphaere out of which of it selfe it can not passe Now the most blessed vision of God in glory which is obtained by true faith and the loue of him is supernatural to vs and therefor is not to be attained vnto by the light of natural reason as being out of that sphaere Seeing hearing and feeling are in different sphaeres and therefor they can not reach into nor medle with each others offices The sight tends to colours the hearing to soundes the feeling to palpable thinges and they keepe themselues within their owne sphaeres We see not voices we heare not the light nor colours nor doe we feele either of them Children and fooles catch at shaddowes and hearing the Eccoès which their voyces make they looke about to see them But wisemen know that this is foolish Why because they are in different sphaeres Euen soe it is à childish and foolish thing for men to study by natural reason to comprehende the mysterys of faith and to thinke by the natural light of humane faith to attaine to supernatural glory there being à farre gâ—eater distance betwixt natural and supernatural thinges then there is betwixt the sphaeres of hearing and seeing both of which are within the compasse of nature Therefor the state of glory which is supernatural can not be attained vnto by faith which is à natural light of reason but by faith which is a supernatural light and gift of God Secondly we see that there are many natural thinges which we can not vnderstande much lesse then should we thinke to comprehende the mysterys of diuine faith Who can vnderstande how the loadstone and Iett draw to themselues iron or litle sticks without either corporally touching them or hauing any spiritual influence in to them who can vnderstande the nature of the Remora à litle fish which yet is reported to stoppe the mighty force of a shippe vnder saile by onely cleauing vnto it Who can vnderstande the cause of those vast mountaines of water which mariners call Gusts and say they see in their Indian voyages to fly in the ayre and sometimes happen to fall vpon their shippes and to breake them into peeces Who can vnderstande the tydes of the flowing and ebbing of the sea depending as they say vpon the course of the moone yet soe different in seueral harbors All which thinges and many more hath God concealed from vs to keepe vs in humility and shall we thinke to make the mysterys of faith to be subiect to our vnderstandings We know not how the parts of a litle chippe or straw are continuated together and the best Philosophers acknowledge their ignorance in it and blesse God that hath humbled them in those obuious thinges and shall we presume vpon the mysterys of faith Those wise disputers that held disputation soe long with holy Iob prooued in the end to haue spoken vnwisely and our Lord appearing in à whirlwinde rebuked them saying Who is this that wrappeth in sentences with vnskillfull words Iob. 38. Gird thy loynes like à man I will aske thee answere thou mee And then he putteth seueral hard questions which he continueth in the 38.39.40 and 41. Chapters of Iob admirable to reade and which indeede noe man can sufficiently answere although they were but of natural thinges Now if man with all his witt can not vnderstande many thinges which are obuious in nature what proportion hath he in himselfe to the mysteries of diuine faith and if God will haue vs to see and to confesse our weakenesse in these lower and lesser thinges will he haue vs to rely vpon our owne reason in the mysterys of faith vpon which our saluation dependeth Eccl. 3. Seeke not thinges higher then thy selfe and search
Apostle As in Adam all dy soe in Christ all shall be made aliue Neither doe his words to the Thessalonians make against this Thes 1.4 where he saith The dead that are in Christ shall rize againe first Then we that liue that are left with all shall be taken vp with them in the clouds to meete Christ For those that be liuing on the earth when Christ shall come to iudgment shall dy and rize againe to receiue their sentence And of this there can be noe doubt if we consider the cause of the resurrection which is generall to all Cor. 2.5 that euery one may receiue the propper things of the body according as he hath done either good or euill All men being constituted of body and either seruing or not seruing God by it must rize againe that they may receiue in their bodys according to the works which they did in them S. De ciu Dâ—â— l. 22. c. 19. Augustin hath declared with what beauty and ornaments the bodys of the iust shall rize againe free from the deformitys and imperfections which before they had They shall haue noe defects of litlenes weaknes crookednes c. There shall be noe excesse in bignesse the fatt and corpulent shall deminish of their bulke and those that want of their natural pitch shall come to their perfect syze and stature There shall be then noe tendernesse of infants noe feeblenes of old age noe sicknes lamenesse or infirmity in any part They shall rize all full of ioy and content neither as yong nor as old but in a midle perfect age The haire and other ornaments of the body neither too much nor too litle all indecency being changed into comlines and decency that the body and soule may both together praise their creatour as well in corporall as in spirituall glory THE TWELFTH ARTICLE LIfe euerlasting Because life is the most pretious of all things to vs all the happinesse which we enioy in this world being enioyed by life and lost by death therfor the euerlasting felicity of heauen is called euerlasting life and the losse of it may very well be termed an euerlasting death the eternall separation of our soules from God being infinitly more miserable to them then their separation from their miserable bodys and therfor as dying creatures carne and anhele for life soe ought we to earne and anhele after that blessed life Some times that happy state is called the kingdome of God the house of God paradise the holy city thus in the scriptures and all to enamour vs with it The cheife felicity of the blessed which is called their Essentiall blesse consisteth in the cleere vision that is to say the perfect knowledge which they haue of God that they know him with full content as one doth his freind when he is present with him Cor 1.13 Io. 17. and beholdeth him face to face We see now by a glasse in a darke sort But then face to face saith the Apostle and Christ saith This is life euerlasting that they know thee the onely true God The glory of the Saints is giuen to them according to the measure of their grace for as they dy in a higher state of grace soe shall they receiue a higher reward of glory the scriptures frequently declaring that the reward is to be giuen according to our works Cor 1.3 Euery one saith the Apostle shall receiue his reward according to his labour Luth in Natiuit Maria Virgni By which we may see how false that inference of Luther was Christs iustice is imputed vnto euery one alike therefor euery one is as holy as our blessed lady For Christs iustice is imputed vnto euery one in that degree in which euery one applyeth it to himselfe and vnto all the saints alike soe farre as to obtaine glory S. Aug tract 67. in Io. but not in the same degree S. Augustine shall answere him The penny indeede is giuen vnto euery one alike but the many mansions signify the diuerse dignitys of merits in that one eternall life And presently after he citeth the Apostle Cor. 1.15 where speaking of the resurrection of the body he saith one glory of the sunne another glory of the moone and another of the starres for starre differeth from starre in glory Soe saith he is the resurrection of the dead the Saints as starres haue different mansions Greg. mor. l. 1. c. vltime and different claritys in the kingdome of heauen S. Gregory confirmeth S. Augustins words as it were repeating the very same ouer againe Because the elect of God haue different works in this life in the next without doubt there shall be a difference of dignitys and therefor in my fathers house there be many mansions Now to speake of the greatnes of this glory I know not how to beginne for it is neither in the tongue of man to speake nor in his hart to thinke the liberality of God in rewarding of his friends The Saints are then vnited in perfect friendshipp with him and are receiued into his innermost tabernacles where they shall neuer feare to loose his grace nor their place of glory And by that neere and intimate vnion with God the diuine power wisdome and goodnes appeareth soe resplendently in them that euen as iron when it is redd hott seemeth to be all fire by the fire which it conteineth soe the saints by that bright glory and sublime light by which God dwelleth in them and ioyneth himselfe to them seeme to haue put on the very nature of God It ought to be a great comfort in the way of vertue and an encouragement to vndergoe labors for Gods sake to thinke of the reward which we shall haue in the end Dauid a yong man comming into king Sauls campe to visit his brethren that were souldiers in it saw the huge army of their enemys ouer against them and a mighty gyant standing in the midst of both formidably armed challenging all Israël to a single duell with him and although he saw all the Israëlits to fly from his face forvery feare yet hearing by chance of a great reward which was promised to any that should kill him to wit that he should haue the Kings daughter to wife and other things He hearkened after it and when he had informed himselfe well and vnderstoode that such was indeede the kings promise his spirits were raised with the hopes of reward and his hart was on fire to be in hand with the gyant and allthough he knew neither how to weare armour nor manage armes but without either sword or speare or any defence for himselfe was to venture his life with an old tryed souldier he feared nothing but went downe vnto him as though it had bene to beate a dogge and seeing his enemy to approch he ranne towards him threw a stone onely in his face and closing presently with him with his owne sword he cut of his head Soe in our spirituall combats
against the deuils power Sixtly the corporal life of man as he is ordained to the society of other men requireth a superiour authority to be in some for the gouerning of others and soe an orderly gouernment is necessary for vs in the Church of God and for this we haue the Sacrament of orders in which power is giuen to some in spiritual things Seauenthly for the continuance and conseruation of humane nature a continuall succession and propagation of mankind is necessary in the world and for this the spiritual life of man requireth that it be done by a Sacrament for the orderly propagation of men and the increase of soules to the worship of God This is by the Sacrament of Matrimony which as it is a duety of nature is onely for corporal generation but as it is a Sacrament it giueth grace for the increase of soules in the diuine worship The number of the Sacraments shall appeare furthermore out of the scriptures in that which I haue to say of euery Sacrament in particular The same is declared by diuerse Councels And although the fathers haue had noe occasion in their writings to name them alltogether yet they haue made mention of them all as occasion serued Neither is it necessary that we should assigne the time when euery Sacrament in particular was instituted of Christ We know the times of the institution of some of them and we know that for forcy dayes betwixt his resurrection and his Ascension he frequently appeared vnto his Apostles and taught them many things which they were to obserue in the Church which are not mentioned in the scriptures and we know that the Sacraments of the Church must be of Christs teaching and ordaining We haue for the number of the Sacraments the same authority that we haue for any of the scriptures to wit the authority of the Church which although it declare not the time when the scriptures were written yet it assureth vs of all their verity and soe it doth of the number of the Sacraments ad Casulan S. Augustine giueth vs this rule that for those thinges which are generally receiued by the Church if their beginnings be not knowne they are to be taken for Apostolical traditions but such is the number of seauen Sacraments therefor they are of Apostolical tradition Thus much of the Sacraments in general let vs now come to their particular declarations OF BAPTISME OF THE NECESSITY OF baptisme BAptisme is commonly called the doore of the Sacraments because it is the entrance to the rest necessary to be had before them For vntill we be christened we are not christians and vntill we be made christians we can not receiue the Sacraments of the people of Christ Baptisme is our first spiritual generation and before generation we haue noe operation because we are not soe before baptisme we haue noe spiritual being in grace and therefor it is to be supposed before the rest of the Sacraments be receiued the words of S. Iohn being then verifyed he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God Io. 1. For as we are borne the children of Adam and of wrath in our corporal births soe in baptisme we are borne the sonnes of God by grace through the merits of Iesus Christ As necessary then as generation is to the corporal being of all men soe necessary is baptisme to the being of all soules in the diuine grace and fauour and as necessary as birth is to the perfection of man in this world soe necessary is baptisme to come to the perfect state of glory Vnles a man be borne againe of water and the spirit he can not enter into the kingdome of God Iâ— 3. By which words it appeareth that Baptisme is a Sacrament that is to say an outward rite or signe that causeth grace in vs. Baptisme a Sacrament We haue a rite and outward signe in the water and we haue the effect of grace in that the kingdome of heauen is obtained by it Heretiks that would confounde all things in the Church of God haue gone about to take away our christendome from vs affirming quite contrary to the words of Christ that a man not borne of water may enter into the kindome of heauen pretending that children are sanctifyed by their parents faith and therefor will not baptize them But this as I haue said is directly contrary to the words alleadged and in it selfe most absurde in that it maketh the kingdome of heauen to come to children not by grace but by inheritance from faithfull parents and supernaturall glory to be obtained by natural and corporal meanes Children are not absolutly holy in that they come of holy parents good parents are indeede a meanes to thee sanctification of their children by procuring for them that which God hath ordained for their sanctification but the goodnes of the parent can not merit grace for the child nor sanctify him This must be done by applying the merits of Christs passion to children in some Sacrament And soe the children of the Iewes in the law of Moyses were saued by the faith of their parents in this sense that they hauing the true faith applyed vnto their children those meanes of sanctification which God then ordained for them but neither in the law of Moyses nor of nature were children euer sanctifyed by onely being borne of good parents but somethinge was allwais done to them as Circumcision or some other outward signe for their sanctification which although it were farre inferiour to our baptisme yet it was necessarily required there being noe proportion betwixt kinred in blood and the diuine grace and glory S. Augustin Doe not beleeue Aug. l. 3. de anima eâ—â—s origineâ— 9. doe not say that children before baptisme can haue their original sinne forgiuen them if thou wilt be a Catholike OF THE EFFECT OF BAPTISME THE propper and particular effect of Baptisme is to make him that receiueth it to become a member of the body of Christ as being admitted into his Church by it and to dispose and prepare him for the rest of the Sacraments after it The general effect of Baptisme which it hath commune with all the Sacraments is to giue grace to the sanctification of soules and this it doth after soe full and plentifull a manner that it remitteth all sinne whatsoeuer original and actual great and litle and forgiueth all punishment due to it in the next world Rom. 6. We are buried saith the Apostle together with him by Baptisme vnto death That is to the death and destruction of sinne and of all punishment after it We haue a figure of this in Naaman the leptose Prince of Syria who washing himselfe in the waters of Iordan Reg. 4 5. as the Prophet had praescribed to him he came forth soe cleane and perfectly cured that the Holy Ghost saith his flesh was restored as the flesh of a litle child Ezechiel prophecyed of this saying I will powre out
doth he not dishonour his christendome and the merits of Christ in which he was christened It is a saying more propper for some prophane miscreant and atheist that wil not beleeue in God then for one that professeth himselfe to know God and to loue him He that knoweth God knoweth him to be an infinite perfection and by consequence a iust God and he that loueth him wil giue him that report but what iustice were there in commanding vnpossible things and in punishing for not performing such Commandements Or what loue doth he shew to God in reporting this of him That seruant that should report of his master that he commanded his seruants to doe things that were vnpossible to be done and punished them for not doeing such things did he shew any loue to his master by speaking soe of him Or did he not rather complaine of his master as an vniust man and cruel tyrant It were a cruelty and vniustice of God to punish for not performing of impossible Commandements therefor the Commandements of God are possible to be kept It is indeede impossible for vs by nature onely without grace to kepe the Commandements soe as to obtaine supernatural glory but by supernatural grace it is not onely possible but easy to obtaine that blessed state by keeping of the Commandements God Commands vs noe more but to doe our endeauours to the fulfilling of the Commandements he giueth grace to make good our endeauours and to fullfill them It is as though a louing fathers hould commande his sonne to cooperate with him in the doeing of somethinge which he will helpe to doe and will doe chiefly himselfe Such a father is God to vs he commandeth vs nothing but that to which he himselfe will put his hand and doe more in it then we doe It is as when a new scholler is brought to a master to learne to write The master biddeth him take his penne and write and then taking him by the hand and guiding it behold with his masters helpe a faire letter is made and his kind master giueth him a reward for that litle which he did which was noe more but to permitte himselfe to be guided by him Such a master we haue of God he requireth noe more of vs but onely that we will cooperate with him and be guided by him the worke he will doe it cheifly himselfe and yet he will giue vs an eternall reward for the litle which we doe in it with his grace Now if God giue grace for the performing of the Commandements it is noe matter how hard they be in themselues for with his grace they are easy and light S. Iohn Io. 1.5 His Commandements are not heauy And S. Paul who said of himselfe that he was nothing Cor. 2.12 yet he saith I can all things in him that strengtheneth me And S. Augustine de bono perseu c. 10. Phil. 4. Cor. 1.10 Giue what thou commandest and commande what thou wilt And vpon those words of the Apostle he that loueth hath fullfilled the law he hath a very fine discourse Rom. 13. to prooue that the Commandements are not onely possible but easy to be fullfilled For saith he who can but loue that infinite goodnes that infinite power infinite beauty infinite riches infinite liberality and infinite blesse of all perfections and he that loueth hath fullfilled the law Let vs not then murmure at the hardnes of the Commandements nor pretende impossibilitys in them God is a louing father let vs blesse him who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able Cor. 1.10 but will both helpe vs to keepe them and rewarde vs for keeping them Christ hath said that the whole law and the Prophets depende on these two Commandements to wit to loue God with our whole hart Mat. 22. soule and minde and to loue our neighbour as our selfe That is to say that all whatsoeuer was commanded in the law and written by the Prophets tendeth to this that we loue God for his owne sake and our neighbour for Gods sake Because God in himselfe deserueth loue and our neighbour for his sake deserueth to be loued How easy then by the grace of God are the Commandements to be kept They are all included in these two and these two are reduced to one to wit the loue of God an easy Commandement Thus much of the ten Commandements in general now in particular THE FIRST COMMANDEMENT I AM the Lord thy God which brought thee forth of the land of Aegypt Exod. 20. from the house of seruitude Thou shalt not haue strange Gods before mee Thou shalt not make to thee a grauen thinge nor any similitude that is in heauen aboue and that is in the earth beneath neither of those things that are in the waters vnder the earth Thou shalt not adore them nor serue them The substance of all this is conteined in those words Thou shalt not haue strange Gods before mee That which goeth before are words of maiesty to begette reuerence to the Commandements of God and to oblige the Israëlits to the keeping of them by commemorating the benefits which they had receiued of him and especially in being soe miraculously deliuered out of the intollerable bondage of Aegypt But if this were a benefit soe much obliging them how much more obligation haue we to keepe the Commandements who haue bene deliuered out of soe great and miserable a seruitude that the other of the Israëlits was but as a figure to signify it and a cypher which may stande for nothing in comparison of it Hier. 16. Behold the dayes shall come saith our Lord and it shall be said noe more the Lord liueth that brought forth the children of Israël out of the land of Aegypt But the Lord liueth that brought forth the children of Israël out of the Land of the North and out of all the Lands to the which I did cast them out I will bring them againe into their Land which I gaue to their fathers Behold I will send many fishers and they shall fish them We are these Israëlits whom God hath fished by the Apostles which he sent to draw vs out of the state of idolatry a darke cold and barren Land signifyed by the North and hath brought vs into the admirable light and happy state of the faith of Christ The redemption out of Aegypt is not to be any more mentioned nor named a redemption in comparison of this This we ought with gratitude to remember and to loue and serue God hartily for it because by it he hath freed vs from hell The words that follow are in declaration of the Commandement by which the worship of strange Gods is prohibited The Commandements were deliuered in two tables in the first were written the three first which immediatly concerned the loue of God In the second the seauen last which concerne not soe immediatly the loue of God but are with relation to our
when the iust pray for them soe also we may say of all others benefits for that the goodnes and liberality of God is such that he is forced as it were to grant all and can deny nothing which is worthily asked of him This he would shew euen in the granting of a temporall benefit at the prayers of Iosue when the Israelits wanting day to pursue the victory Iosue praying commanded the Sunne and Moone to stande still and they stoode still till the people reuenged themselues of their enemys And to shew how powerfull the prayer of the iust is the Holy Ghost would make so remarkeable an expression as to say that God obeyed the voice of a man as though Iosue by his prayers had had God at obedience And although heauen be gained as well by all good workes as by praying Ser. de temp 226. yet S. Augustine calleth prayer the kea of Heauen Let vs learn then how to pray OF THE PREPARATION TO PRAYER THAT we may pray with profit Eccl. 18. and reape the fruite of prayer we must prepare ourselues duely to it Before prayer prepare thy soule saith the Holy Ghost The first and most necessary preparation is to bee cleere from mortall sinne For prayer which is made in mortall sinne hath but litle force and noe condignity at all to the obtaining of supernatural gifts which must proceed from the diuine grace And therefor he that will pray effectually must first make cleere his conscience by a good confession that being restored to the grace of God his prayer may be acceptable to him But if he haue not the opportunity of a Confessour let him in the meane time make an act of contrition which may supply confession vntill it can be had and let him pray for contrition and for a fitt disposition for prayer as the man of the Ghospell Marc 9. who when Christ required of him to beleeue he said I doe beleeue Lord help my incredulity Soe may the sinner endeauour before prayer to make an act of contrition and pray for that which is wanting in him The Publican was a sinner when he began to pray but praying with humility and sorrow he obtained the remission of his sinnes when standing a farre of Luc. 18. and knocking of his breast he prayed God be mercifull to mee a sinner By his standing a farre of his humility by the knocking of his breast and the words which he spoke his great sorrow is denored and by so praying although he were at first a sinner yet by prayer he obtained contrition and by contrition his sinnes were forgiuen Act. 10. and he went away iustifyed So Cornelius the Centurion prayed and gaue almes and although then as a Gentil he were out of the state of grace yet by continual prayer for the Euangelist commendeth him as allways praying to God he obtained the vision of an Angell and S. Peter was sent to enlighten him with the Faith of Christ Those therefore that are out of the state of grace and haue not the opportunity of confession let them pray for contrition and endeauour to stirre vp in themselues a true and feruerous loue of God Wicked Antiochus was grieued at his sinnes or rather at his punishments and although he acknowledged the truth that they came from God yet it is said Mach 2.9 He prayed to our Lord of whom he was not to obtaine mercy because he was not truely penitent nor sought the honour of God but his owne ease only by prayer The next preparation to prayer is to come with much humility and reuerence considering who it is to whom we are going to speake and who we are that are admitted to speake It is God to whom we speake God the Lord of Heauen and Earth that made vs of noe better thing then the slime of the earth a peece of dead clay breathing life and giuing reason to it and that peece of earth being thus framed of God hath rebelled against him and abused his maker and euen then not being quite free from sinne is permitted neuertheles to appeare in his sight and to petition him Eccli 35. The prayer of him that humbleth himselfe shall penetrate the clowdes Thus did holy Abraham pray with humility saying Gen 18. I will speake to my Lord where as I am dust and ashes Thirdly we must pray with much loue and confidence in the goodnes and bounty of God We may consider then that he is as he is indeede our father allwais desiring our good and that he is infinitly liberall of all those things which he knoweth to be good for vs and that we will kneele downe to him as a louing and gracious child would doe to his father to aske blessings of him and that we will aske with confidence that which is necessary for vs and will obey him Thus the holy King prepared himselfe with humility loue and confidence and then powred forth his prayer in the sight of God Let vs then remember to prepare ourselues to prayer with these three things First with a cleere conscience by confession or contrition Secondly with humility and reuerence to God Thirdly with loue and confidence in him Let vs see now FOR WHAT THINGS AND FOR whom we are to pray THE cheife thing which we are to pray for is that which is the cheife good and that is that God be honored his blessed name being hallowed byvs and that we may soe serue him here that we may enioy him in heauen All temporall things as health wealth strength beauty and the like are to be prayed for conditionally if they be conducing to our future happines but it is dangerous to pray to excell much in them and therefore the wise man durst not pray for riches but for necessarys Prou. 30. Beggery and riches giue mee not giue mee onely things necessary for my sustenance Charity humility patience and all vertues may absolutly without any condition be prayed for because they of themselues aduance the honour of God in vs and helpe vs to euerlasting glory We pray for all men because we are bounde to desire the good of all as our neighbors But of all men we pray especially for the Catholike Church and of the Catholike Church we pray especially for the Popes holines as the head of the Church Then we pray for our particular prelates and pastors and generally for all the pastors of the Church that they may excell with such vertues as may illustrate it and render it a more amiable spouse to God in the sanctity of her subiects which dependeth most vpon the goodnes of Church men And therefor as the Euangelist sayth prayer was made without intermission for Peter Act. 12. he being then Pope and in the hands of his enemys And S. Paul desired the prayers of the faithfull that his seruice might be acceptable We pray also for our temporal superiors the king and his officers that they may gouerne according to
vpon whom the holy Ghost in the feast of Pentecost descended are said to haue bene replenished that is made full of the holy Ghost But it is not so much in the sense of that place to bee full of the holy Ghost as it is to he full of grace For there the gifts only of the holy Ghost are vnderstoode to wit of speaking in strange tongues of prophecy of casting forth deuils curing diseases and working other the like miracles which gifts were giuen to them and which may and are sometimes given to those who are farre from being full of grace nay sometimes euen to graceles men who are out of the state of grace as the gift of prophecy was giuen to Caiphas the enemy of Christ then sitting in iudgement against him and to Balaam an idolatour Mat. 7. and as Christ himselfe hath declared one day Many shall say Lord Lord haue not we prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out deuils and in thy name wrought many miracles and then I will confesse vnto them that I neuer knew you So that it is not so much to bee full of the holy Ghost that is of the gifts of the holy Ghost as it is to bee full of grace Saint Steuan is said to haue bene full of grace Steuan full of grace and fortitude did great wonders and signes amongst the people But Saint Steuans grace was as you see in the same sense and manner as we haue said of the Apostles for the working of wonders and signes But our blessed Lady was full of a higher grace to wit of sanctifying grace by which she was gracious in the sight of God as the Angell presently interpreted his owne words when seeing her to bee troubled at his speech he comforted her declaring what kind of grace hers was to wit grace with God saying Thou hast found grace with God Which is farre more then the grace of miracles and was the greatest comfort that he could possible giue her Act. 6. For declaring that her grace was with God she was giuen to vnderstande that she was then in state of diuine grace and fauour which is the greatest comfort that a soule can desire and to be assured of it by an Angell from Heauen was a most singular and high priuiledge and without doubt aboue all measure of content to her So that the grace of which the Angell spoke to our blessed Lady was sanctifying grace and she was saluted full of it And if wee should vnderstande the fulnesse of saint Steuans grace to haue bene spoken of sanctifying grace as our blessed Ladys was and as his was not yet it had bene a greater honour and priuiledge to her then it had bene to him for that it was said of him onely after his death but it was neuer reuealed vnto him in his life time that we know of that he was full of grace much lesse was he euer soe saluted by an Angell This was then such a salutation as before was neuer heard And it was good reason that it should be soe in this embassage which was the most honourable that euer was in the world both in respect of the busines which it concerned of the Incarnation of the sonne of God then presently to be fullfilled and also in respect of our Blessed Lady who was the most honorable personage that euer was created and who of all pure creatures was to haue the greatest honour and neerest relation to this mystery as the natural mother of our Sauiour Which dignity was soe high and eminent in her that as I shall shew afterwards abstracting from the graces with which her soule was endowed it was without comparison greater then any pure creature was euer aduanced vnto and soe great that there was noe grace euer giuen vnto any but it was due to her for this dignity as she was the mother of God And therefor this embassage required a more honorable salutation and higher title to be giuen to her This was in substance the same embassage that was deliuered many hundreds of veares before to the holy Patriarks and which filled the hart of Abraham soe full of content that he laughed for ioy to heare of it for as it was reuealed to our B. Lady that Christ should be borne of her soe was it vnto them that he should be borne of them and it was also reuealed by Angels to them But there is a great difference in the circumstances and manner of Christ his comming of them and of her He came not immediatly of their seede but onely as our blessed Lady came of their seede and he from her and therefor the Angell vsed noe such respect vnto them as he did vnto her When he spoke vnto Abraham he said nothing of the grace which he had he did not commende him as fullfilling of Gods Commandements but rather exhorted him to fullfill them and spoke as it were by authority to him as his superiour saying in the person of God Gen. 17. I am the God almighty walke before mee and be perfect But he came with much reuerence and submission to our B. Lady not exhorting her to perfection but rather commending her as perfect when he saluted her full of grace that is to say eminent in sanctity and persected with grace to that dignity to which God had designed her Yet if it were such ioyfull newse to Abraham that Christ should come of his seede and if it were made knowne by Angels to him and to other Patriarks as a singular priuilege and honour which God would doe to them although after many ages and descents how much more honourable was it to our blessed Lady to whom the immediate Conception of Christ was reuealed as now presently to be brought to passe in her their embassages were but preparations to this and but inferiour and partiall honours in them to be completed and perfected in her It was then noe meruaile if this mystery were deliuered with much submission by the Angell to her who had the summe of the Patriarks praises and their perfections gathered together in her She might with good reason be saluted full of grace who was prepared with sanctity for the cheife grace and highest fauour that euer God would doe to the world to be done immediatly by her as the speciall meanes and neerest instrument of it To vnderstande how our B. Lady was full of grace we may destinguish three kindes or as it were measures of fullnes of grace euery one full in their measure The first and cheife fullnes of grace is that which Christ had Secondly that which our B. Lady had Thirdly that of the Angels and Saints Christ was after a more high and eminent manner full of grace aboue all in that he was the authour of all grace Io. â—â— The glory of him saith S. Iohn glory as it were of the father full of grace and verity And in respect of the vnion which his soule had with the diuine
words and signifying it also in action consecrating vnder two destinct formes to represent the separation of his Body and Blood in his Passion This although it be a commemoratiue and representatiue sacrifice representing and cōmemorating hisbeing offered on the Cros yet that bindereth not but it is a true Sacrifice as that was and of the very same thing after a different manner offered For if the figuratiue sacrifices of the law of Moyses were true sacrifices which represented this not as yet come but when it was to come after many hundreds of yeares how much more may that of the last supper be a true sacrifice which represented it as immediatly to bee offered and how much more may ours be a true sacrifice which representeth it as all ready offered Those were representations of a true sacrifice yet themselues also true sacrifices therefore it is not contrary to the nature of a sacrifice to be the representation of a sacrifice But they say that the sacrifices before Christ were true and reall creatures representing a future sacrifice different from them but we say that we offer vp the same thing that is represented in it how can it be the same and yet a representation of it Yes we offer vp the same Body that was offered on the Crosse and represent the same body offered in a different manner The same thing in a different state and condition may represent it selfe as it was before or shall be bereafter in another manner and state If a champion that had ouercome his enemy should represent afterwards the manner of his encounter then he should represent himselfe in a different state and that which represented should be the same as the thing which it did represent If Dauid for his greater glory had in his owne person exhibited to the people his victory ouer the Philisthaean Gyant then he had bene both a representation of Dauid and true Dauid representing the victory which himselfe had gotten so the Body of our Lord as it is offered at Masse representeth it selfe as it was offered on the Crosse and is the same in a different manner and state on the Crosse it was after a cruell and bloody manner as fighting on the Altare it is after an vnbloody manner as in peace after the victory Thus also the same sacred Body of our Lord in his glorious Transfiguration represented it selfe as it was to be in the state of glory afterwards Soe that the same thing may represent it selfe and the Masse may be a representatiue and commemoratiue sacrifice of that of the Cros and yet offer the same thing that was then offered Nay by how much more vnion that which representeth hath to that which it doth represent the more liuely and naturall is the representation of it as it were a more liuely and naturall representation of Dauids victory represented by himselfe then by another because it had more connexion and relation to the former action The being therefore a commemoratiue and representatiue sacrifice doth not hinder the Masse for being a true sacrifice of the same thing which is represented in it It representeth the oblation of the Crosse and in all places wheresoeuer Masse is said there the death of our Redeemer is commemorated and the same thing is offered all ouer and the very same that was offered on the Crosse The words of S. Chrysostome shall declare this point of the Christian doctrine What doe we saith he doe not we offer euery day we doe offer indeede Hom. in 7. ad hob and that in commemoration of his death And this is but one host and not many because he was but once offered and this Sacrifice is an example of that We offer still the same thing not to day one Lambe and to morrow another but allways the very same Because it is offered in many places are there therefore many Christs No! but the same Christ Here he is intirely and there intirely the same body This is enough in confirmation of the Catholike verity and we will dispute no more of it but blesse God for it Attende then ô Christian and consider the diuine loue to thee and how much thou art honoured in this mistery Thou by thy sinnes hadst lost the fauour of God and wert condemned for euer to be banished from him he to redeeme thee out of that state sent his onely sonne to suffer doath for thee who hauing giuen his life to restore thee to the state of grace would not leaue thee so but would remaine allwais with thee and be offered euery day for thee to keepe thee in that happy state With what loue and reuerence then ought we to be present at Masse Hauing said thus much of the Masse as it is a Sacrifice Let vs now come to THE PARTS AND CHREMONYS OF MASSE BEFORE that I speake of the parts and ceremonys of the Masse in particular I will say something of the nature of ceremonys in generall The vse of ceremonys in the seruice of God is grounded vpon the condition of our nature for man being a corporall creature must honour God according to his nature after a corporall manner Angels onely by intellectuall and and spirituall acts honour God because they are onely Spirits but men being both spirituall and corporall both spiritually and corporally according to there nature must honour him spiritually with inward acts of minde and corporally with outward actions of the body and therefore we pray not onely by spirituall and mentall prayer as the Angels doe but also with vocall words and vse ceremonys to signify outwardly our inward reuerence to the mysterys which are signifyed by them So that ceremonys are in vertue and effect words being altogether as proper signes and indeede more naturall to expresse our affections then words are The Sonne of God hauing assumed the nature of man by humane actions glorifyed his Father not onely spiritually with his minde but also corporally with his body by words and ceremonys when he prayed sometimes lifting vp his hands sometimes his eyes sometimes kneeling and prostrating himselfe and he iustifyed the like ceremonys in his disciples as when in that glorious solemnity in which they and the Hebrew children conducted him solemnly into Hierusalem they vsed both words and ceremonys to expresse their affection and ioy in him They cryed out Luc. 19. Mat. 21. Blessed is he that commeth King in the Name of our Lord Peace in Heauen and glory on the High And they carried boughs and spred their garments for him to treade vpon and when the Pharisys desired him to rebuke them they were rebuked themselues for desiring it The Magdalene comming to be cleansed at the fountaine of life spoke not with words but by many ceremonys her earnest repentance weeping washing and wipeing our Saviours feete kissing his sacred Body and annointing his head and when the Pharisy murmured at it Christ iustifyed those actions in her and gaue him to vnderstande that if he also had done