Christ our Lord the same has bin always us'd in the Catholic Church We might here forbear the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers By Fathers and Councils which to reckon up would be endless and the Decree of the Council of Florence which is open and ready for all to see especially since by those words of our Savior Do this in commemoration of me we plainly see the same thing In Decret de Sacram. Item Trid. Sess 13. cap. 1. For what the Lord commanded to be done Note ought to be referr'd not only to what he did but also to what he said And we must know that indeed it chiefly belongs to the Words which were utter'd no less for the sake of Effecting than for the sake of Signifying As to the Fathers see Amb. lib. 4. de Sacram. c. 4. 5. Chrys hom de Prodit Judae Aug lib. 3. de Trinit c. 4. Iren. lib. 4. cont Haer. c. 34. Orig. lib. 8. cont Celsum Hesich lib. 6. in Levit. c. 22. Cyril Alex. Epist. ad Calosorum Episcop Tertul. lib. 4. contr Marc. in Hier. Epist. 1. But this may easily be perswaded by Reason By Reason For the Form is that whereby is signifi'd that thing which is wrought in this Sacrament Now when these words signifie and declare that thing which is done i. e. the conversion of the Bread into the true Body of our Lord it follows that the Form is to be put in those very Words in which meaning we may take that which is written by the Evangelist He Blessed Mat. 26. For he seems to mean as if he had said Taking Bread he Blessed it saying This is my Body For tho the Evangelist plac'd these words Take and Eat before Note yet it is plain that thereby is signifi'd not the Consecration of the Matter but the Vse only Wherefore they ought indeed by all means to be pronounc'd by the Priest but to the making the Sacrament they are not necessary As also that Conjunction For is pronounc'd in the Consecration of the Body and Blood Note for otherwise it would come to pass that if this Sacrament were to be administer'd to no body it ought not or cannot be done Whereas there can be no doubt but the Priest pronouncing the words of our Lord after the manner and appointment of Holy Church doth truly consecrate the proper matter of Bread altho it may then chance that the Holy Eucharist be not administer'd to any body at all And now as to the Consecration of the Wine XXI The Form of the Eucharist as to the Winâ— defin'd and prov'd Decretal lib. 3. de celeb Miss c. 6. which is the other Matter of this Sacrament for the same reason before mention'd there is need that the Priest rightly know and understand the Form That therefore we must certainly believe is comprehended in these words This is the Chalice of my Blood of the New and Eternal Testament the Mystery of Faith which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sins â— Of which words there are many gather'd from Sacred Scripture By Scripture Luc. 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 Mat. 26.28 But some have bin preserv'd in the Church by Apostolical Tradition For that which is said This is the Chalice is written by S. Luke and by the Apostle But that which follows Of my Blood or my Blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins was partly said by S. Luke and partly by S. Matthew But those words Of the Eternal and Mystery of Faith Holy Tradition By Tradition the interpreter and keeper of Catholic Unity has taught us But of this Form no one can doubt And Reason if he mind in this place also what was said before of the Form of Consecration which is us'd over the Element of Bread For it is manifest that by these words which signifie the substance of the Wine to be converted into the Blood of our Lord the Form of this Element is chang'd Wherefore since those words plainly declare this thing it is plain that there is no other Form to be made But they express besides XXII Three Effects of Christ's Blood certain admirable Fruits of Christ's blood shed in his Passion which specially belong to this Sacrament One is an Entrance to the Eternal Inheritance which comes to us by right of the New and Eternal Testament Another is an Entrance to Righteousness by the Mystery of Faith For God has offer'd Jesus through Faith in his Blood to be our Reconciler that he might be just and the justifier of him who is of the Faith of Jesus Christ The Third is the Forgiveness of Sins But because these very words of Consecration are full of Mysteries XXIII The words of the Consecration of the Wine explain'd Decretal lib. 3. de celeb Miss c. 6. and are very suitable to the matter we must consider them more carefully Now that it is said This is the Chalice of my Blood it must be thus understood This is my Blood which is contain'd in the Chalice Rightly therefore and very fitly here whilst the Blood as it is the Drink of the Faithful is consecrated there is mention to be made of the Chalice or Cup For neither would Blood seem to signifie sufficiently this kind of drink unless it were in some Vessels It then follows Of the New Testament which for this reason is added that we may understand that the Blood of Christ our Lord is not now given to Men in a Figure as it was done in the Old Testament for we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews Without Blood a Testament is not dedicated Heb. 9.16 but really and truly which properly belongs to the New Testament Wherefore the Apostle says Therefore Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death those who are call'd might receive the promise of eternal inheritance But the Word Eternal is to be referr'd to the eternal inheritance which of right comes to us by the death of Christ our Lord the eternal Testator That whit follows The Mystery of Faith excludes not the Truth of the thing but that which lies close hid and farthest off from the sight signifies that it is to be believ'd with a steady Faith But these words in this place have another meaning than they have when they are attributed to Baptism sor it is call'd the mystery of Faith because by Faith we perceive Christ's Blood hid under the Species of Wine But we properly call Baptism the Sacrament of Faith as the Greeks call it the Mystery of Faith because it contains the whole profession of Christian Faith Altho for another reason also we call the Blood of our Lord the Mysterie of Faith to wit because therein especially human reason finds much difficulty and labor when Faith offers to us to believe that the Son of God both God and Man suffer'd Death for us which
him to attain to by any human understanding it was necessary that he receive the knowledg thereof from God Now this knowledg is nothing else but Faith by vertue whereof it comes to pass that we assuredly hold that for truth which the authority of our most holy mother the Church approves as deliver'd by God For the faithful can by no means doubt of those things whereof God who is the very truth it self is the author Whence we perceive how great a difference there is betwixt this Faith which we have towards God and that which we bear towards the writers of human stories Now tho Faith extends very far and disters both in greatness and dignity for thus we read in holy Scripture Matt. 14.31 Luc. 17.5 Gal. 5.6 Jam. 2 14. Wherefore didst thou doubt O thou of little Faith and Great is thy Faith And Increase our Faith So Faith without works is dead And Faith which works by charity Yet in kind it is the same thing And the same definition or description and reason does agree to the different Degrees of Faith But how fruitful and advantagious it is to us will be said in the explication of the Articles of Faith Those things therefore which Christians ought chiefly to hold are the same which the Captains and Doctors of Faith the holy Apostles who were inspir'd by the holy Ghost have distinguish'd in the twelve articles of the Creed For when they receiv'd commandment from the Lord to go his Ambassadors into all the World XXVIII Why the creed was composed Mar. 16.15 and to preach the Gospel to every creature they thought fit to compose a form of Christian Faith to the end that all might think and speak the same thing and that there might be no schism or division amongst them 1 Cor. 1.10 whom they call'd to the unity of the Faith But that they might be made perfect in the same mind and in the same judgment This profession of Christian Faith and hope compos'd by themselves the Apostles call'd a Symbol either because it was made up of the various sentences which they severally cast into the common stock or because they wou'd use it as a certain kind of note or character whereby they might easily discover those false brethren who having deserted and withdrawn themselves corrupted the Gospel from those who had bound themselves by oath to fight under Christs Banner THE CATECHISM FOR THE CURATES BY THE DECREE OF THE Council of TRENT PART I. Of the twelve Articles of the Creed I Believ in God There are in Christian Religion many things propos'd to the faithful I. What the Creed contains whereof there must be had either severally or universally an assur'd and firm Faith But then This first of all and necessarily all are bound to believe which as the very foundation of truth God himself has taught us to wit concerning the Unity of the divine Essence and Distinction of the three Persons and their actions and for what special reason they are attributed to them The Curate is to teach that the doctrin of this mystery is briefly comprehended in the Apostles Creed For as our fore-fathers II. The division of the Creed who were both piously and learnedly skill'd in this point have observ'd it seems to be divided into Three principal parts so as in one The First person of the divine nature and wonderful work of the creation is describ'd In the other the Second person and the mystery of man's redemption In the third part is concluded the doctrin of the Third person the head and fountain of our holiness all in various and fit sentences Now those sentences by a kind of similitude often us'd by our fore-fathers we call Articles For as the members of our body are distinguisht by joynts So also in this confession of Faith whatsoever is to be believ'd by us separately and distinctly from another thing we rightly and fitly call an Article ARTICLE I. I Believ in God the Father Almighty I. What this article contains maker of Heav'n and Earth The meaning of these words is this I certainly believ and without any doubting do profess God the Father to wit the first person in the Trinity who by his Almighty power created out of nothing the very Heav'ns and the Earth and all things contain'd in them and having created them he defends and governs them all Nor do I only in heart believ or by my mouth profess but with my utmost endeavour and strongest affection I reach towards him as my supreme and most compleat good This then is a short account of the first Article But because in almost every one of these words there lies hid mighty mysteries the Curate ought to weigh them more diligently that as far as God shall permit the faithful may be brought with fear and trembling to the contemplation of the glory of his Majesty The word Believ does not therefore in this place signifie II. What it is to believ to think to suppose to be of opinion but as the holy Scriptures teach it signifies a most firm and sure assent whereby the mind does firmly and constantly adhere to God in the revelation of his mysteries Wherefore he does rightly believ in the sense here meant who is fully and certainly perswaded of a thing without any doubt or wavering Nor ought any one to think that the knowledg of Faith is less certain III. The assurance of faith because those things which Faith offers to us to be believ'd are not presently beheld For the divine light by which only we perceiv those things although it makes them not so very clear yet it suffers us not to doubt of them For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 Ibid. 3. he has shin'd in our hearts that the Gospel might not be hid to us as it is to them that perish And now from what has bin already said IV. Faith excludes curiosity it follows That he that has this heav'nly knowledg of Faith is freed from all curious enquiry For when God commanded us to Believ he did not require of us to search narrowly into his divine judgments or to pry into the reason or cause of them but commands us firmly and immutably to Believ And this Belief makes the mind contented in the knowledg of his eternal truth And indeed since the Apostle witnesses That God is true but every man a lyar and since none but an arrogant or impudent fellow will refuse to give credit to a grave and wise person when he affirms any thing for truth but presses him further to prove what he said by reason and witnesses What rashness and folly must it needs be for one that hears the very word of God himself to demand reasons for the heav'nly doctrin of salvation Faith therefore must be held free not only from all doubtfulness but even from the very desire of more certain evidence or
demonstration The Curate is further to teach V. The outward profession of faith necessary That he who says I Believ besides that he declares the inward assent of his mind which is an interior act of Faith ought also openly to confess and declare that which he imbraces and holds inwardly in his heart by a free and open profession of his Faith and this with the greatest cheerfulness and alacrity For the faithful ought to have the same Spirit which the Prophet had when he said Psal 115.1 I believ'd and therefore did I speak And to imitate the Apostles who answer'd boldly even before the princes of the people We cannot but speak those things which we have seen and heard Acts 4.20 and be mov'd with the excellent saying of S. Paul Rom. 1.11 I am not asham'd of the Gospel for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes And again Rom. 10.11 that the truth of this sentence might sufficiently be confirm'd With the heart man believes to righteousness but with the mouth confession is made to salvation In God Hence they VI. How far faith excels the wisdom of the world to whom it is given may learn what the worth and excellency of Christian wisdom is and thereby how much we are beholden to the goodness of God and may climb up as by the steps or degrees of Faith to the knowledg of the most excellent and most desirable thing in the world For herein does the Christian philosophy manifestly differ from the wisdom of the world That the wisdom of the world guided by the light of nature only from the effects of these things which are perceiv'd by the senses making very slow progress and that not without mighty toyl and difficulty at length hardly reaches to the contemplation of the invisible things of God and to acknowledg and perceiv the first cause and author of all things But on the contrary the Christian philosophy does so sharp'n the edge and illuminate the understanding of the mind of man that without difficulty it can mount up to Heav'n and being illustrated with the divine brightness can truly behold first of all the very eternal fountain of light and then those things which are below him So that with the greatest sweetness of mind we can experimentally feel 1 Pet. 2.9 and with unutterable joy we can exult that we are called out of darkness into unspeakable light as the prince of the Apostles has it Rightly therefore in the first place do the faithful profess to believ in God Ibid. 18. Jer. 22.19 whose Majesty we with the Prophet Jeremy declare to be incomprehensible For as the Apostle says He dwells in light inaccessible which no man ever saw and which no man is able to behold For so he said to Moses No man can see my face and live For there is need for that mind that will soar up to God than whom nothing is higher to be altogether abstracted and withdrawn from sense And this by nature in this life we cannot attain to Now tho the case be really thus VII How God manifests himself Act. 14.16 yet as the Apostle says God has not left himself without a testimony of his goodness giving rain from Heav'n and fruitful seasons filling mens hearts with food and gladness which was the reason why the Philosophers did not think meanly of God not attributing by any means any thing corporeal any thing gross or mingl'd to him to whom also they ascrib'd the perfect strength and fulness of all good so that from him as from an eternal never-failing fountain of goodness and bounty does flow all that good that all created beings and perfect natures do enjoy Whom they call'd wise author of truth loving just bountiful and by other names signifying the supream and most absolute perfection Whose infinite power and immense influence they confess'd fills every place and extends it self to all things But this is far better and more clearly understood from the holy Scriptures as in that place where it is said Joh. 4.24 Matt. 5.48 Heb. 4.13 Rom. 11.23 Rom. 3.4 Joh. 14.6 Ps 47.11 Ps 144.16 God is a spirit and Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect And All things are naked and open before his eyes and that O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! And God is true And I am the way the truth and the life And again Thy right hand is full of righteousness And Thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living creature Lastly Whither shall I go from thy presence And If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I go down into Hell thou art there also if I take wings in the morning and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea c. And Do not I fill Heaven and Earth says the Lord These are great and excellent things which even the Philosophers by searching into nature and the effects of things have consequently discover'd concerning the nature of God and agreeable to the authority of holy Scripture And tho even hence we may learn how necessary this doctrine which came down from Heav'n is VIII Faith is more easie and yet more excellent than knowledge if we observ that Faith is very excellent not only in this That those things which only wise men and that by long study and much labor can attain to do lye open and plain and become easie and familiar even to the unlearned as was said before but that that knowledge of things which is got by Faith is much more certain and much more frees the mind from error than any humane knowledge can possibly do But how much more excellent then is the knowledge of God himself to be thought to the attaining whereof not the contemplation of nature but the light of Faith opens the way properly to believers But this is contein'd in the articles of Faith which teach us the unity of the divine essence and the distinction of the three persons as also that God is man's ultimate end from whom we are to expect the possession of heav'nly and everlasting happiness For so S. Paul teaches us That God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him How great these things are and whether they are goods of this kind to which mere humane wisdom can reach the Prophet Isaiah before the Apostle Isa 6.4 shews in these words From the very beginning they have never heard nor has any one told them neither without thee ô God has any eye seen what things thou hast prepar'd for them that wait for thee From what has bin already said IX There is only one God we must confess That there is but one God not more Gods For seeing we ascribe the supreme good and perfection to God it is not possible that what is most absolute and supreme can be in more than one But if any thing be wanting
And because the Latins have borrow'd the Name Ecclesia Church III. What is properly to be understood by the name Church from the Greeks after the publishing of the Gospel they transferr'd it to Sacred Matters But what the Meaning of this word is is to be shew'd The word Ecclesia Church signifies a Calling forth Act. 19.39 But Writers afterwards us'd it for a Council and Assembly Nor is it much to the matter whether that people worshipp'd the true God or a false Religion For in the Acts it is written of the Ephesians That when that Scribe had appeas'd the Rabble he said If ye enquire of any other matter it may be resolv'd in a lawful Church or Assembly He calls the Ephesians who were worshippers of Diana a lawful Church Nor are the Gentiles only which knew not God but the Councils also of Evil and Wicked Men sometimes call'd a Church I have hated says the Prophet Ps 25.5 the Church of the Wicked and I will not sit with the Vngodly But then by the common custom of the Scriptures This word is taken to signifie the Christian Common-wealth and the Congregations of the Faithful To wit those who are call'd to the light of Truth and the knowledg of God that casting away the darkness of ignorance and error they may worship the living and true God with Piety and Holiness and to say all in a Word The Church as S. Austin says S. Aug. in Ps 49. is the Faithful People dispers'd throw the whole World Nor are they trivial Mysteries which are contain'd in this Word IV. What Mysteries are contain'd in the word Church For in Calling forth which Ecclesia or Church signifies at first sight shines forth the Benignity and Splendor of Gods Grace and we understand That the Church differs very much from Other Common-wealths For They are establish'd by Human Reason and Prudence But This by the Wisdom and Counsel of God For he has Inwardly call'd us by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost but Outwardly by the Ministery and Labor of the Pastors and Teachers Besides from this Calling V. How the Church differs from a Synagogue what ought to be our end to wit the knowledg and passession of things Eternal he will best perceive who shall have consider'd why in old times the Faithful People under the Law were call'd a Synagogue i. e. a Congregation or flocking together For as S. Austin teaches They had this name given them because after the manner of Cattel to which it is more suitable to flock together they look'd only at earthly and transitory things And therefore rightly is the Christian People call'd not a Synagogue but a Church because despising earthly and mortal things it follows after those things only which are heavenly and eternal There are besides many other Names which are full of Mysteries VI. Other Names of the Church 1 Tim. 3.13 deliver'd to signifie the Christian Common-wealth For it is call'd by the Apostle the House and Building of God but if I tarry long says he to Timothy that thou mayst know how to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of God the Pillar and Ground of Truth And the Church is therefore call'd a House First because it is as it were one Family which one Father or Master governs and in which is a communion of all spiritual good things It is also call'd Christ's Flock of Sheep Second whereof he is the Door and Shepherd It is call'd the Spouse of Christ Third 2 Cor. 11.2 I have betrothed you as a chast Virgin to one Husband which is Christ says the Apostle to the Corinthians And the same Apostle to the Ephesians Men love your wives even as Christ loved the Church Eph. 2.5 And of Matrimony This is a great Mystery says he but I speak in Christ and in the Cburch Lastly Fourth Eph. 1.23 Col. 1.24 The Church is call'd the Body of Christ as may be seen in the Epistle to the Ephesians and that to the Colossians And all these severally avail very much to stir up the Faithful to behave themselves worthy of the immense goodness and mercy of God who has chosen them to be his people These things being explain'd VII The Church Militant and Triumphant Aug. Ench. c. it will be necessary to reckon up the several Parts of the Church and to teach the differences of them whereby the people may the better understand the Nature Properties Gifts and Graces of the Church so much belov'd of God and for that cause never intermit to praise the most holy Name of God Now of the Church there are especially Two Parts whereof the One is call'd Triumphant the Other Militant The Triumphant is that most glorious land happy company of the blessed Spirits VIII Which is Triumphant and those who have triumph'd over the World the Flesh and the Devil and being deliver'd and safe from the Troubles of this life enjoy eternal Bliss But the Church Militant is the company of all the Faithful IX Which Militant Aug. lib. 12. de Civ Dei c. 9. which yet live in the earth Which therefore is call'd Militant because she has continual War with those most implacable Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil Nor is it yet to be thought that there are Two Churches but that of the same Church as was said before there are Two Parts whereof the One is gone before and has already obtain'd the Heavenly Country The Other daily follows till at last being joyn'd with our Saviour she shall rest in everlasting Happiness Now in the Church Militant there are two sorts of Men Good and Bad X. In the Church Militant are both Good and Bad Men. 2 Tim. 2.19 Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 12. Mark this the Wicked being indeed partakers of the same Sacraments profess the same Faith as the Good do but in their Life and Manners are far unlike Now these in the Church are call'd Good who are conjoin'd and knit together not only in profession of Faith and communion of Sacraments but also in the Spirit of Grace and Bond of Charity of whom it is said The Lord has known who are his and Men also may think and conjecture who they are that belong to this number of Pious Men but no one can certainly know And therefore it is not to be thought that Christ our Saviour spake of This Part of his Church when he remitted us to his Church and commanded us to obey Her For since She is out of our knowledge who can be assur'd to whose Judgment we are to fly and whose Authority we must obey The Church therefore includes both the Good and Bad as both the Holy Scripture and the Writings of Holy Men Testifie according to which Sentence is written that of the Apostle Ephes 4.4 There is One Body and One Spirit Now this Church is known XI By what Figures and Similitudes
that it is much better to be cast into Prison than to be cast into everlasting Torments in Hell and that it is far more grievous to be condemn'd by the Judgment of God than of Men And moreover that they ought humbly to fly to Gods Help and Mercy of whom they may obtain whatsoever they have need of There are other kind of Excuses Note which the Prudent Curats and such as are careful in the discharge of their Office may easily meet with and so at length make their People carefully to follow those works that are good The Eighth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not hear false Witness against thy Neighbor OF how great I. The frequent explication of this Commandment necessary Jac. 3.2 not only Advantage but Necessity also the Diligent Explication and Admonition of the Duty of this Commandment is the Authority of S. James warns us in these words If any one offend not in Words he is a perfect Man And again The Tongue is indeed but a little Member and yet it boasts great things Behold a little Fire how great a Wood it kindles And so forth to the same purpose Whereby we are admonish'd of two things First II. The vice of the Tongue very extensive Psal 11.5.31 That the Vice of the Tongue extends very far which is also confirmed by that saying of the Prophet All Men are Lyars That it is in a manner the only Sin which seems proper to all Men. The Other III. The Tongue the instrument of innumerable mischiefs That thence proceeds innumerable Mischiefs since often times by the fault of an ill-tongu'd Person the Estate Fame Life yea and the Salvation of the Soul are lost either of him who is wrong'd because he cannot patiently endure the Disgrace but is pievishly discontented at it or of Him that does the wrong because being deterr'd with a little Shame and a false Opinion of any ones Credit he cannot be brought to make Satisfaction to him that is wrong'd Wherefore the Faithful are here to be admonish'd IV. How this Commandment to be receiv'd To give very great Thanks to God for this so wholsom a Command of not bearing false Witness Whereby not only we our selves are forbidden to wrong others but also by this Obedience we are forbidd'n to be wrong'd by others But we will proceed in this Commandment after the same way and manner V. In this Commandment are two Laws Forbidding Commanding as we did in the rest to wit observing therein two Laws The One forbidding to bear false Witness The other commanding to measure all our Words and Works with naked Truth all Dissembling and Deceit being layd aside Of which Duty the Apostle admonishes the Ephesians in these words Doing the Truth in Love Ephes 4.15 let us increase in him in all things Now the First part of this Commandment has this Sense VI. What this Commandment forbids That tho by the Name of false Testimony is signified whatsoever is constantly said of another either in good or evil part whether in Judgment or out of Judgment Yet that Testimony is especially forbidd'n which in Judgment is falsly given by one that is sworn For a Witness swears by God because the VVords of one so justifying them and using the name of God thereupon have very much VVeight and Belief Now because this Testimony is dangerous Note it is therefore specially forbidd'n for sworn VVitnesses unless debarr'd for weighty Reasons or that their Dishonesty and Naughtiness be manifest the Judge himself cannot refuse since it is the express Command of the Divine Law Matth. 18. that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word should stand But that the Faithful may plainly understand this Commandment VII Who is said to be our Neighbor they are to be taught what this word Neighbor signifies against whom it is unlawful to bear false VVitness Now our Neighbor as is gather'd from the Doctrin of Christ our Lord is any one whosoever that wants our help whether he be related to us or not whether of the same City or Town or a stranger whether a Friend or an Enemy Vide Aug. Epist. 52. ad Macedon de Cath. rudibus 26. For it is wicked to believe that it is lawful to speak any thing falsly in Evidence against Enemies VIII It is wicked to bear false Witness against Enemies whom by the Command of God and our Lord we ought to Love Yea IX Unlawful to bear false Witness against â—â—les self Lib. 2 de civit Dei c. 20. and because every one in a certain sort is Neighbor to himself it is not lawful for any one to bear false VVitness against himself which thing they that commit branding themselves with the mark of Shame and Disgrace wound both themselves and the Church whose Members they are after the same manner as they trouble the City who willfully kill themselves For so says S. Austin Nor to those that rightly understand could it seem not to be forbidd'n that any one should be a false VVitness against himself because in the Commandment it is added Against thy Neighbor If any one therefore bear false VVitness against himself let him not therefore think that he is not guilty of this Sin since he that loves takes his rule of loving his Neigbor from himself But because we are forbidd'n to wrong our Neighbor by false VVitness X. For Friendship 's sake we may not bear false Witness let no one therefore think the contrary to be allow'd us by Perjury to profit or advantage him that is related to us by Nature or Religion For we must not gratifie any Body by a Lye or by Vanity much less by Perjury VVherefore S. Austin de mendacio ad Crescentium c. 12.13 14. teaches from the Sentence of the Apostle that a Lie is to be reckoned among false Testimonies altho it be spoke in the false Commendation of any one For handling that place 1 Cor. 1.5 But we are found false Witnesses of God if we bear witness against God that he rais'd Christ from the Dead whom he raisd not if the Dead rise not The Apostle says he calls it false Testimony if any one lies concerning Christ and what seems to belong to his Praise But it very often happens XI He that favors one hurts another that he that favors one Person wrongs another and is a certain means of causing the Judge to err who sometimes being misled by false Witnesses is forc'd to determine somtimes injuriously against that which is right And sometimes it happens XII How dangerous it is to make use of false Witnesses that he that has overcome in Judgment by means of any ones false Testimony and goes away unpunish'd rejoycing in his unjust Victory he takes up a custom of corrupting and using false VVitnesses by whose help he hopes to attain to whatsoever he desires But this even to the Witness himself falls out very
to make a supremacy to any one he is thereby plainly confess'd to be imperfect Wherefore such want is inconsistent with the nature of God This is prov'd by many places of holy Scripture for it is written Hear ô Israel The Lord our God is one God Deut. 6.4 Exod. 20.3 â—â— 41.9.44 6 Eph. 4.5 Besides God's commandment is Thou shalt have none other gods before me or in my sight And by the Prophet he often admonishes I am the first and the last and besides me there is no God The Apostle also plainly witnesses There is one Lord one Faith and one Baptism Nor need we therefore wonder because sometimes even the holy Scripture it self seems to ascribe the name of God to Creatures For that it so calls Prophets and Judges Gods this is not done after the same manner which the Gentiles us'd which foolishly and wickedly phanci'd that there were more Gods than one But by a certain custom or form of speaking it wou'd signifie some excellent vertue or office which by the Grace of God was bestow'd upon them Christian Faith therefore believs and confesses That God in his nature substance and essence is but one As for the confirmation of the truth it is declar'd in the Creed of the Council of Nice But rising yet higher it so understands One as it worships Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity Of which mystery we are now to begin to speak for it follows in the Creed Father But because the word Father is attributed to God X. How the name Father is proper to God not for one reason only it must therefore first be declar'd what is the most proper signification of this place Some even of those whose blindness Faith never illuminated did yet think God to be an eternal substance from which all things had their beginning and by whose providence they are govern'd and kept in their proper state and order By a similitude therefore taken from humane affairs they call'd him Father as they do him from whom is sprung a Family and by whose counsel and command it is rul'd So for this it was that they call'd God a Father whom they acknowledg'd the Maker and Governour of all things The same name also have the holy Scriptures used when speaking of God they wou'd shew that the creation power and admirable providence over all is to be ascrib'd to him For thus we read Deut. 32.6 Is not he thy Father who bears thee who made and created thee And elsewhere Have we not all one Father Has not one God created us But much more commonly XI God the Father of Christ in a special manner Rom. 8.15 1 Joh. 3.1 Rom. 8.17 Heb. 1.21 and by a kind of peculiar name especially in the books of the new Testament God is called the Father of Christians who have not receiv'd the spirit of bondage to fear but the spirit of adoption to be the sons of God by whom they cry Abba Father For such love has the Father bestow'd upon us that we shou'd be call'd the sons of God and be so But if we be sons then heirs heirs indeed of God and joynt-heirs with Christ who is the first begotten among many brethren and is not asham'd to call us brethren Whether therefore you regard the common reason of creation and providence or that special one of adoption rightly do the faithful profess that they believ God to be a Father But besides those notions we have already explain'd the Curates shou'd teach that at the hearing the name Father the mind is to mount up to higher mysteries For that which is hid and shut up in that inaccessible light where God dwells and which humane reason and understanding cou'd never attain to nor so much as suspect That the divine oracles under this name Father begin to unfold to us For this name shews us XII The name Father shews a plurality of persons That in the being of God not one Person only but a distinction of Persons is to be believ'd For there are three Persons in one God-head The Person of the Father who is begotten of none Of the Son who was begotten of the Father before all worlds Of the Holy Ghost who from all eternity also proceeds from the Father and the Son But the Father in this substance of the Godhead is the first Person who together with his only begotten Son and holy Spirit is one God and one Lord not in the singularity of one person but in the Trinity of one substance But now these three Persons are to be understood as distinct only in their proprieties for it would be a great wickedness but to imagine that there is any thing unlike or unequal in them For the Father is not begotten The Son is begotten of the Father The holy Ghost proceeds from them both And thus we confess that the three Persons have the same being and the same substance So that in the confession of the true and eternal Godhead we do holily and religiously worship both a propriety in the Persons an unity in the essence and equality in the Trinity For when we say that the Person of the Father is First XIII How the First person is a Father it it not so to be understood as if we thought any thing to be first or last greater or less in the Trinity Far be it from all the faithful to think so impiously since Christian Religion teaches that the same Eternity the same Majesty and Glory is alike in all the three Persons But we truly and confidently affirm That the Father forasmuch as he is the beginning without beginning is the first Person which as it is very distinct by the propriety of Father so is it suitable to this one Person chiefly for this reason Because he begat the Son from all eternity For it is plainly signifi'd to us That he always was both God and Father together whensoever in this Confession we pronounce these names together of God and Father But because we cannot be either more dangerously busi'd XIV That we should not too nicely search into the Trinity or more miserably wander in the search or notion of any thing than of this point which is of all others the most profound and difficult the Curats ought to teach That the terms by which this mystery is signifi'd and which are proper both to the Essence and Persons are religiously to be retain'd and let the Faithful understand that there is both Unity in the Essence and distinction in the Persons But that they ought not more narrowly to pry into these things Prov. 25.27 always bearing in mind that saying He that is a searcher of Majesty shall be oppress'd with the glory of it For this which our Faith assures us of ought to satisfie us that thus we are taught of God whose Oracles not to give credit to wou'd be the highest folly and misery in the world Go says he and teach all
truly call'd Spirit that gives Life or quick'ning Spirit And now what follows VII How the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son Who proceeds from the Father and the Son the Faithful are to be taught That the Holy Ghost by eternal procession proceeds from the Father and the Son as from One Principle For this the Rule of the Church from which a Christian may not wander proposes to us to believe and it is confirm'd by the authority of Holy Scripture and Councils For Christ our Lord speaking of the Holy Ghost said Joh. 16.14 He shall glorifie me because he shall receive of mine This same thing is gather'd hence that in Holy Scripture the Holy Spirit is sometimes call'd the Spirit of Christ sometimes the Spirit of the Father One while he is said to be sent by the Father another while by the Son that it may be plainly signify'd that he does equally proceed from the Father Rom. 8.9 and the Son He that has not the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4.6 says S. Paul he is none of his And the same he calls the Spirit of Christ when he says to the Galatians God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father In S. Matthew he is call'd the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10.20 It is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father Joh. 15.25 And our Lord at his Supper said the Paraclet or Comforter whom I will send to you even the Spirit of Truth which proceeds from the Father he shall bear witness of me And elsewhere That the same Holy Ghost shou'd be sent from the Father Joh. 14.21 he affirms in these words Whom the Father will send in my name From whence when we understand the Procession of the Holy Ghost it is plain That the same Holy Ghost proceeds from Both. And these are the things which must be taught concerning the Person of the Holy Ghost It is needful moreover to teach VIII Of the Attributes of the Holy Ghost that there are certain wonderful Effects and some bountiful Gifts of the Holy Ghost which are said to spring and flow front him as from the everlasting Fountain of Good For tho the works of the most Holy Trinity which are done extrinsically are common to the Three Persons yet many of them are ascrib'd as proper to the Holy Ghost that we may know that they come to us of the immense Love of God For seeing that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Divine Will as being inflam'd with Love it may be perceiv'd That those Effects which are properly referr'd to the Holy Ghost do spring from the exceeding Love of God towards us Wherefore IX Why the Holy Ghost is call'd a Gift hence it follows That the Holy Ghost is call'd a Gift For by the word Gift is signify'd that which is kindly and freely given without any hope of Reward And then whatsoever good things or benefits are bestow'd on us from God for what have we as the Apostle says 1 Cor. 4.7 which we have not receiv'd of God those things we ought with a pious and thankful Heart to acknowledg were given us by the grant and gift of the Holy Ghost But there are other effects of his For to omit the Creation of the World and the Propagation and Government of created things of which we have made mention in the First Article it was a little before shew'd That the giving of Life is properly attributed to the Holy Ghost and it is so confirm'd by the Testimony of Ezekiel Ezek. 31.6 I will give you Spirit says he and ye shall live And yet the Prophet reckons up the principal Effects of the Holy Ghost X. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost Isa 11.3 Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. c. 18 19. and those which are most especially proper to him The Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. Sometimes also the name of the Holy Ghost is given to those things which are call'd the Gifts of the Holy Ghost Wherefore wisely does S. Austin admonish us to observe when in Holy Scripture there is mention made of this word Holy Spirit that we may discern whether it signifies the Third Person of the Trinity or his Effects and Operations For these two are to he distinguish'd with the same difference wherewith we believe also that the Creator differs from the things he created And these things are by so much the more diligently to be explain'd because from these Gifts of the Holy Ghost we draw Rules of Christian Life and may know whether the Holy Ghost be in us But above all other his bountiful Gifts XI Justifying Grace the Gift of the Holy Ghost that Grace is to be valued which justifies us and signs us with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance for this joyns our Mind to God in the most strict bond of Love whence it comes to pass That being inflam'd with the most ardent study of Piety we begin a new Life and being made partakers of the Divine Nature we are call'd and truly are the Children of God ARTICLE IX J Believe the Holy Catholic Church With how great diligence the Pastors ought to take care to explain the truth of this Ninth Article to the Faithful I. Why this Article is diligently to be explain'd S Aug. in Ps 30. v. 15. it may easily be understood if two things chiefly be consider'd For first as S. Austin witnesses The Prophets have spoken more plainly and openly of the Church than of Christ forasmuch as they foresaw That many more might err and be deceiv'd in this point than in the Mystery of the Incarnation Nor will there be wanting wicked Men who after the imitation of the Ape which fancies it self a Man wou'd profess that they are Catholics and no less wickedly than proudly would affirm the Catholic Church to be only with them And then he who has this Truth settled in a sound Mind shall easily avoid the horrible danger of Heresie For not every one II. Who is truly to be call'd a Heretick so soon as he has err'd in Faith is to be call'd a Heretic But he who neglecting the Authority of the Church stiffly defends his impious Opinions Since therefore it cannot be that any one can defile himself with the Plague of Heresie if he believe those things which in this Article are propos'd to be believ'd let the Pastors be very careful That the Faithful knowing this Mystery and being fortify'd against the Wiles of the Adversary persevere in the Truth of the Faith Now This Article depends upon the Truth of the Former Note Because seeing it has been already shew'd That the Holy Ghost is the Fountain and Giver of all Holiness we now confess That it is He who bestows Holiness on the church
For as we believe that many were rais'd from death so must we believe that all shall be call'd again to life But that singular fruit which we ought to gather from Miracles of this kind Mat. 9.24 is this that we give the most certain belief to this Article There are many testimonies which even those Curates which are but indifferently skill'd in the Holy Scriptures may easily meet with but those places which are more clear in the Old Testament Job 19.25 are those we read in Job when he says that in his Flesh he shall see God and in Daniel concerning those who sleep in the dust of the earth Dan. 12.2 That some of them should awake to life everlasting and others to everlasting disgrace And in the New Testament Mar. 22.31 what S. Mathew relates of the dispute our Saviour had with the Sadducees besides what the Evangelists tell us of the last Judgment And hither is to be referr'd what the Apostle has exactly discours'd in his Epistle to the Corinthians and Thessalonians But tho to Faith this thing be most certain V. Similitudes where by the Resurrection is clear'd yet it will be very profitable both by Examples and Reasons to shew that That which Faith offers to be believ'd is not strange to Nature or Humane Understanding and therefore the Apostle to him that asks how the dead should rise again answers 1 Cor. 13.36 Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickn'd except it dye first and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body which shall be but bare grain perhaps of wheat or some other grain but God gives it a body as it has pleas'd him And a little after he says it is sown in corruption it shall rise in incorruption There may be many other similitudes of the like kind added S. Greg. lib. 14. moral c. 21 29 30. as S. Gregory shews For the Light says he is daily as it were by Dying withdrawn from our Eyes and as by Rising again it is recall'd again and that Trees lose their greenness and again as by a kind of Resurrection they are repair'd and the Seed by putrifying dies and again by springing it rises again Besides VI. The Resurrection prov'd by Reason The First Those reasons which are brought by Ecclesiastical Writers seem to be sufficiently accommodated or suited to this matter And first since the Souls are immortal and as a part of Man have a natural propensity or inclination to the humane Bodies it may be thought praeternatural that they should for ever remain separate from their Bodies But because that which is against Nature The Second as being Violent cannot last long it seems agreeable that at last they should be joyn'd with their Bodies Whence it also follows that there will be a Resurrection of the Bodies Which kind of argument our Savior seems to have us'd Mat. 22.32 when disputing against the Sadducees he concluded that there would be a Resurrection of the Body from the Immortality of the Soul And seeing that there are Punishments propos'd by the most just God to the Wicked The Third Damasc l 4. de fide Orthod c. 28. Amb. lib. de fide Resur S. Chrisost hom 49. 50. and Rewards to the Good and that of the one sort very many depart out of this world before they have suffer'd their due punishments and of the other sort in a great measure without the rewards of their vertues it must needs be that the Soul be again joyn'd with the Body that so either for the wickedness committed or for the good they have done the Body which man uses as a Companion in sin may together with the Soul be either punish'd or rewarded Which Point has been excellently handled by S. Chrysostom in his Homilie to the People of Antioch Wherefore the Apostle discoursing of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.19 If says he in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable Which words none has thought applicable to the Soul which being immortal tho the Body should not rise again might nevertheless enjoy Happiness in the life to come but they are meant of the whole Man For unless the Body were to be rewarded for her labour it must needs follow that those who as the Apostles did have endur'd so many afflictions and calamities in this life would be of all men most miserable The same thing he much more plainly teaches in these words to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 1.4 We glory in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which ye endure for an example of the just judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye suffer if yet it be just with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to us who are troubl'd rest with you at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire taking vingeance on them who have not known God and who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Add also The Fourth that men cannot so long as the Soul is separated from the Body enjoy compleat Happiness and full fraught with all good things For as every part being separated from the whole is imperfect so also is the Soul which is disjoyn'd from the Body Whence it follows that the Resurrection of the Body is necessary to make the Souls Happiness compleat It will be further necessary diligently to teach from the Apostles Doctrine VII The different condition of those that rise again 1 Cor. 15 22. Joh. 5.20 who they are that shall be rais'd to life For writing to the Corinthians he says As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive All difference and distinction therefore of Good and Bad being laid aside All shall shall rise again from the dead tho the Condition of All will not be alike those that have done Good shall rise to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Judgment But when we say All VIII We shall all rise again S. Hier. Ep. 152. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 20. c. 20. 1 Thes 4.16 in 1 Epist ad Thes c. 4. we mean as well those who shall be dead before the coming of the judgment as those who shall then dye For that the Church does acquiesce in this Sentence or Opinion which affirms that All shall dye none excepted and that this sense is most agreable to Truth S. Hierom has written and S. Austin conceives the same Nor are the Apostles words which he wrote to the Thessalonians against this sense The dead which are in Christ shall rise first and then we that are left alive shall be caught up with them in the Clouds to meet Christ in the air For. S. Ambrose explaining this place says thus In that
S. Austin in his Disputations he wrote against the Donatists most clearly shews And if we require Testimonies of Scripture we may hear the very Apostle speaking in these Words I says he have planted and Apollo has water'd but God gave the Increase For neither is he that plants any thing nor he that waters But God that gives the increase Whence it may sufficiently be understood that as in planting of Trees the naughtiness of those that planted them is no hindrance to the Trees So there can no hurt light upon them by anothers fault who were planted in Christ by the Ministery of Bad Men. Wherefore as from S. John's Gospel our Holy Fathers have taught us Judas Iscariot baptiz'd many of whom nevertheless we read not that any were baptiz'd again so as S. Austin has excellently written Judas baptiz'd and yet after Judas none baptiz'd whom he baptiz'd John baptiz'd and yet after John's Baptism they were baptiz'd again because the Baptism given by Judas was Christs Baptism but the Baptism which John gave was his own And yet we rightly prefer not Judas before John but Christ's Baptism tho given by the hands of Judas before John's Baptism tho given by the hands of S. John himself Nor may the Pastors XXIV It is a great wickedness to administer the Sacraments with as evil Conscience Aug. in Joan. Tract 5. contra Cresc l 3. c. 6. D. Thom. p. 3. q. 93. art 4. or other Ministers of the Sacraments when they hear this think it enough taking no regard to the uprightness of their Manners and purity of their Consciences to take care only how rightly to minister the Sacraments for tho they ought to be very careful therein yet all those things which belong to that Function are not plac'd in this one thing But they ought always to remember That the Sacraments indeed never lose that Divine Vertue which is in them but yet that they bring eternal Death and ruine to those that minister them impurely For Holy things as once and again and oftentimes over and over we ought to admonish should be handled Holily Ps 49 16. Con Trid. ibid. Can. 6. and Religiously To the Sinner as the Prophet has it God has said Why dost thou declare my Righteousness and takest my Testament into thy Mouth whereas thou hatest Discipline Now if it be unlawful for a man polluted with sin to Treat only of Divine Matters How great wickedness must we needs judge him guilty of who being conscious to himself of many crimes is yet not afraid with his polluted mouth to make those Holy Mysteries or to take into his foul hands and handle and to reach them forth and minister them to others especially since it is written by S. Denys To the wicked the Symbols for so he calls the Sacraments it is not permitted so much as to touch them The Ministers of Holy things therefore S. Dyon de Eccles Hier. c. 1. are first of all to follow Holiness and come purely to minister the Sacraments and let them so exercise themselves in Piety that through the frequent handling and use of them by Gods help they may attain a greater plenty of Grace thereby And now these things being explain'd XXV The effects of the Sacraments it must be taught what the Effect of the Sacraments is for this seems likely to afford no small light to the Definition of the Sacraments before mention'd The principal of those Effects are reduc'd to Two And that Grace which of the Holy Doctors we have learn'd usually to call justifying XVI The first Justifying Grace common to all Eph. 25.26 deservedly takes the chief place for so the Apostle has most plainly taught when he said That Christ lov'd his Church and gave himself for her that he might sanctifie her cleansing her by the laver of water in the Word But by what means so great and admirable a thing is wrought by the Sacrament that as S. Austin says S. Aug. in Joan. Tract 80. The Water cleanses the Body and touches the Heart this verily connot be comprehended by human reason and understanding For it is certain that no sensible thing of its own nature is endu'd with such a Power as can penetrate to the Soul But by the Light of Faith we know that the Power of the Almighty God is in the Sacraments because they effect that which the natural things themselves by their own power cannot do Of this Efficacy of the Sacraments see Trid. Sess 7. Can. 6.7 8. De Sacram. Aug. Tract 26. in Joan. cont Faust c. 16. 17. in Psal 77. v. 15 16. Wherefore that there might never any distrust or doubt of this Effect XXVII The Receiving of Grace in the Sacraments why of old prov'd by Miracles arise in the minds of the Faithful When the Sacraments began to be administred it pleas'd the most merciful God by the evidence of Miracles to shew what the Sacraments inwardly effected that we might most constantly believe the same things to be always inwardly wrought tho they were far enough distant from our Senses Therefore to omit Aug l. quart Vet. Nov. Test q. 93. Mat. 3.16 Mar. 1.10 Luc. 3.22 that when our Savior was baptiz'd in Jordan the Heavens were open'd and the Holy Ghost appear'd in the shape of a Dove to admonish us that when at the Saving Font we are wash'd he pours his Grace into our Souls To pass by this I say for this belongs rather to the Signification of Baptism than to the Ministration of the Sacrament Do not we read that on the day of Pentecost when the Apostles receiv'd the Holy Ghost whereby they were thenceforth made more chearful and couragious to Preach the Truth of Faith and to undergo many hazards for the glory of Christ Act. 2.3 then a noise from Heaven being made all of the suddain as it were of a mighty rushing wind there appered cloven tongues like as of Fire Whence it is understood that in the Sacrament of Confirmation the same Spirit is given to us and the same strength bestow'd on us whereby we stoutly resist and encounter those irreconcileable Enemies to us to wit the Flesh the World and the Devil and these Miracles as oft as the Apostles minister'd those Sacraments in the infancy of the Church were for some time to be seen till the Faith being confirm'd and strengthen'd they began to cease From those things therefore which have bin shew'd concerning the former effect of the Sacraments XXVIII How great the Difference of the Sacraments of the Old and New Law is Aug. lib. 19. cont Fault c. 13. in Ps 83. Amb. lib. de Sacr. c. 4. Heb. 9.14 to wit Justifying Grace it plainly appears that there is in the Sacraments of the New Law a better and more excellent vertue than the Sacraments of the Old Law had which seeing they were weak and beggarly Elements did sanctifie the Polluted to the cleansing
call to mind how he has by solemn promise oblig'd himself to God when he was initiated in Baptism and will also consider with himself whether in his Life and Conversation he has behav'd himself in such a manner as the very Profession of Christianity obliges and undertakes That therefore what is to be taught III. What the Name Batism signifies Eight kinds of Baptism See Damass lib. 4. de fide Orthod 10 might be made the more intelligible it must be declar'd what the Nature and Substance of Baptism is after that the signification of the word Baptism shall have bin explain'd There is none who know not that Baptism is a Greek word which tho in Holy Scripture it signifies not only that Washing or Cleansing which is joyn'd with this Sacrament but even all other kinds of Washing yea and sometimes is extended to signifie Suffering also Yet among Church-Writers it signifies not every kind of Washing of the Body but that which is annext to the Sacrament and is not ministred without the prescrib'd Form of Words which signification the Apostles by the Institution of Christ frequently made use of Now the Holy Fathers made use of other names also to signifie the same thing For S. Austin testifies that it was call'd the Sacrament of Faith IV. By what other names the Sacrament of Baptism is call'd D. Aug. Epist 25. in sin Heb. 10.15 because they who receiv'd it made profession of the Faith or Belief of the whole Christian Religion Others call'd this Sacrament Illumination because the heart is illuminated by the Faith we profess in Baptism For thus says the Apostle Remember the former days wherein being illuminated ye underwent a great fight of sufferings to wit signifying when they were Baptiz'd Besides S. Chry. 10.5 Chrysostom in his Oration to those who were baptiz'd calls it both a Purgation whereby through Baptism we purge away the Old Leven that we may be a New Lump and a Burying and a Planting and Christ's Cross The reason of all which Names may be gather'd from the Epistle to the Romans And why S. Denys call'd it the Beginning of the most Holy Commandments S. Dionys de Eccl. Hier. c. 2. is evident seeing that this Sacrament is the Gate as it were through which we enter into the fellowship of Christian Life and from thenceforth begin to obey Gods commands and this will suffice briefly to be taught concerning the Name of Baptism Of the various Names of Baptism See Greg. Naz. Orat. in Sancta Lumina Clem. Alex. lib. 1. Paedag. c. 6. But as to the Definition of the Thing Tho there may many others be gather'd out of Sacred Writers V. The Definition of Baptism yet That seems more fit and suitable which we may learn from our Lords own words in S. John's Gospel and from the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And the Apostle when he spake of the Church Ephes 5.26 Cleansing her in the Laver of Water in the Word For through Adam by nature we are born the Children of Wrath but by Baptism we are born again in Christ the Children of Grace For he gave power to men to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.13 even to them that believe in his Name who are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the wiâ—l of man but of God But in what words soever the nature of Baptism chances to be explain'd VI. How the Sacrament of Baptism is made the people are to be taught That this Sacrament is made by Washing with which according to the institution of our Lord and Saviour must needs be us'd certain and solemn words as the Holy Fathers have always taught as is shew'd by the plain testimony of S. Austin The Word is added to the Element and so the Sacrament is made But the Faithful must be carefully taught An Error to be mark'd not to fall into that Error not to think as it is vulgarly us'd to be said that That Water which is kept in the Holy Font to make the Sacrament is the Sacrament For then only is it to be call'd the Sacrament of Baptism when in truth we use Water to wash any one adding those words which were instituted by our Lord. Of this see Chrysost hom 24. in Joan. Aug. l. 6. contra Donatist c. 25. Conc. Florent Trid. item August Tract 80. in Joan. Now because in the Beginning when we spake of Sacraments in general VII The Matter of Bap â—â—m is natural Water we said that every Sacrament consists of Matter and Form therefore what each of these is in the Sacrament of Baptism must be declar'd by the Pastors The Matter therefore or the Element of this Sacrament is any kind of natural Water whether of the Sea or the River or a Pond or a Well or a Fountain that is us'd to be call'd Water without any adjunct Joh 3.5 For our Savior has taught Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God â— h. 2.26 and the Apostle says That the Church was cleans'd by the Laver of Water And we read in the Epistle of S. John 1 Joh. 5.8 There are Three which bear record in Earth The Spirit the Water and the Bloodâ— this may be prov'd also from other testimonies of Holy Scipture But that which S. John the Baptist said Maâ— 3. that the Lord was coming that would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire this can by no means be understood of the Matter of Baptism but ought to be apply'd either to the inward working of the Holy Ghost or at least to the Miracle which appear'd on the day of Pentecost Act. 2.3 when the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven upon the Apostles in the likeness of Fire whereof in another place Christ our Lord foretold Act. 1.5 John indeed baptiz'd with Water but ye shall be baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost not many days hence But this we may observe from the Holy Scriptures to have bin signifi'd before-hand by the Lord VIII The Matter of Baptism figur'd in the Old Testament Gen. 6.5 2 Pet. 3.10 both in Figures and in the Oracles of the Prophets For the Flood whereby the World was cleans'd because the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and all the thoughts of his heart wholly set upon evil carri'd the Figure and Resemblance of This Water as the Prince of Apostles in his former Epistle shews And the Passage through the Red-Sea signifi'd this Water 1 Cor. 10.1 as S. Paul writing to the Corinthians expounds it 4 Reg 5.24 to omit the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian and the admirable virtue of the Pool of Bethsaiday Job 5.2 and many others of the like kind Wherein it plainly appears
iniâ—ientur c. â— l. 2. c. 104. ascrib'd so much to this Sacrament that he doubted not to say That Novatus the Heretic could not receive the Holy Ghost because when he was baptiz'd he was not sign'd with the Seal of Chrism in his great Sickness But of this matter we have most clear Testimonies both from S. Ambrose which he wrote concerning those who are initiated and also from S. Austin in his Books which he wrote against the Epistles of Petiliâ—â— the Donatist both of which were so confident that there could be no doubt of the truth of this Sacrament that they taught and confirm'd it by many places of Scripture Wherefore the One testifies that those words of the Apostle Eph. 4.30 Psal 132. Rom. 5.5 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are seal'd And the Other that which is read in the Psalms As the oyntment on the Head which went down to the Beard even Aarons Beard as also that of the same Apostle The love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts through the Holy Spirit which is given us are to be apply'd to the Sacrament of Confirmation That Confirmation is a Sacrament see it prov'd Ambr. de Sacr. lib. 3. c. 2. l. de Spiritu Sancto c. 6. 7. Item Aug. de Trinit lib. 15. c. 26. in Epist Joan. Tract 3. 6. in Psal 26. And above all these Tertul. lib. de Resurr carn Cypr. Epist 7. Origen hom 9. in Levit. Hieron contra Lucifer Cyril Hierot Catech. 2. But altho by Melchiades it be said that Baptism is very nearly joyn'd to Confirmation IV. The difference of Confirmation and Baptism yet it is not to be accounted the same Sacrament but far disjoyn'd from the other For it is manifest that the Truth of Grace which all the Sacraments do severally give and the Truth also of the sensible thing which signifies that Grace do make them to be various and different Sacraments Epist ad Episc Hisp in medio Since therefore by the Grace of Baptism Men are begotten to a new life The First difference but by the Sacrament of Confirmation those who are already begotten grow to be Men and put away Childishness 1 Cor. 12.11 it is well enough known how much difference there is in the natural life betwixt Generation and Growth in stature the same difference there is between Baptism which regenerates us and Confirmation by vertue whereof we increase and receive perfect strength of Mind Besides The Second because there ought to be a new and distinct kind of Sacrament when the Soul runs into any new difficulty it may easily be perceiv'd that as we want the Grace of Baptism to reform the Soul by Faith so also it is very expedient that the Souls of the Faithful be strengthen'd or confirm'd that they may not be terrifi'd by the fear or danger of any pains punishments or death from the Confession of their Faith Which being done by the sacred Chrism of Confirmation it is thence plainly gather'd that the Reason or Nature of this Sacrament Loc. citato is plainly divers from that of Baptism Wherefore Pope Melchiades accurately prosecutes the difference betwixt them writing thus In Baptism Man is lifted into the Camp but in Confirmation he is arm'd for the Battel In the Font of Baptism the Holy Ghost gives Fulness of Innocence but in Confirmation he gives perfection of Grace In Baptism we are regenerated to Life Regeneration by it self saves those that receive Baptism in Peace but Confirmation adorns and prepares for the encounters But these things have not only been deliver'd by other Councils but especially decreed by the Sacred Council of Trent so that we may not now not only be of another opinion but neither may we by any means doubt hereof Laod. can 48. Meli. c. 6. Florent Constant Trid. Sess 7. But because it was shew'd before how necessary it was to teach of all the Sacraments in common V. Christ the Author of the Sacrament of Confirmation of whom they had their beginning We must therefore teach the same thing here of Confirmation that the Faithful may be more affected with the Sanctity of this Sacrament The Pastors therefore must teach that Christ our Lord was not only the author thereof as S. Fabian Bishop of Rome witnesses Epist 2. initio but appointed the Rite of Chrism and the words which Holy Church uses in the administration thereof which thing is easily allow'd by them who confess Confirmation to be a Sacrament seeing that all Sacred Mysteries are above the reach of humane nature nor can they be instituted by any but by God himself And now we must speak of the Parts thereof VI. The Matter of the Sacrament of Confirmation is Chrism and first of the Matter of it which is call'd Chrism which Name being borrow'd from the Greeks although thereby Prophane Writers signifi'd any sort of Oyntment yet Sacred Writers have made use thereof by a common custom of speech to signifie that Oyntment only which is made of Oyl and Balsom with the Solemn Consecration of the Bishop Wherefore the Two aforesaid corporeal things make the Matter of Confirmation Which composition of divers things as it declares the manifold Grace of the Holy Ghost which is given to those that are confirm'd so does it also shew the excellency of this Sacrament Now that This is the Matter of this Sacrament both Holy Church and Councils have always taught and also it has bin deliver'd by S. Dennys and very many others of the gravest Fathers but chiefly by Pope Fabian Epist 3. 〈◊〉 Episc Orient who witnesses that the Apostles receiv'd of the Lord the Confection of Chrism and left it to us See Aug. in Ps 44. vers 9. lib. 13. de Trinit cap. 27. Greg. in 1. cap. Cant. Conc. Laod. c. 48. Carth. 2. c. 3. 3. cap. 39. Dionys de Eccl. Hierar c. 2. 4. Of the Oyl See Amb. in Ps 118. lib. de Spirit Sanct. cap. 3. Cypr. Epist 70. Nor could any other Matter than that of Chrism VII Why Chrism appointed the Matter of Confirmation seem more proper to declare that thing which is wrought by this Sacrament For Oyl which is fat and is naturally durable and spreads it self does lively express that fulness of Grace which through the Holy Ghost runs down from Christ the Head and is pour'd upon his Members as the Oyntment which ran down Aarons beard even to the skirts of his garments Psal 132 2. Psal 4.48 Joh. 1.16 For God anointed him with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows And of his fulness have we all receiv'd Now what else does Balsom whose smell is most pleasant signifie but that the Faithful when by the Sacrament of Confirmation they are perfected send abroad such a sweetness of all vertues as that they can say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. We are the sweet savour of Christ
wish which is offer'd them from whence tho they get not all the Fruits of the Eucharist yet without doubt they have those which are very great Lastly Sacramentally and Spiritually there are some who receive the Sacred Eucharist both Sacramentally and Spiritually who when according to the Apostles Doctrine they shall first have prov'd themselves and being adorn'd with the wedding Garment come to this Divine Table receive most plentiful Fruits from the Eucharist as we said before Wherefore it is plain Note That they bereave themselves of the greatest celestial Good things who when they may come prepar'd even to take the Sacrament of the Lords Body think it enough to receive the Sacred Communion spiritually only And now it must be taught how the Souls of the Faithful ought to be prepar'd before they come to the Sacramental receiving of the Eucharist And first LVIII Who come to the Eucharist ought to be prepar'd and why First John 13.5 that it may appear that that preparation is very necessary the Example of our Savior ought to be propos'd For before he gave his Apostles the Sacraments of his Body and Blood altho they were already clean he wash'd their Feet that he might declare that all diligence is to be us'd that there be nothing wanting to us to the highest integrity and innocence of Soul when we go about to receive these sacred Mysteries And then the Faithful may understand Secondly that if any one receive the Eucharist with a Soul well dispos'd and prepar'd he is adorn'd with the most ample endowments of celestial Grace So on the contrary if he receive it unprepar'd he not only receives no advantage thereby but also he takes exceeding great damage and hurt For this is proper to the best and most wholesome things that if we use them in season they mightily profit us but if we use them in a wrong season they hurt and destroy us Wherefore it is not to be wonder'd at that those mighty and transcendent Gifts of God when they are receiv'd by a Soul well dispos'd are very helpful to us to get the Glory of Heaven but when we offer to receive them unworthily they bring eternal Death This is prov'd from an Example of the Ark of the Lord An example For the Ark of the Covenant than which the People of Israel had nothing more excellent to whom also by it the Lord gave very great and innumerable Benefits and yet it carri'd with it calamity joyn'd with eternal reproach So also to those who having by the Mouth receiv'd and so let fall into a well affected Stomach they nourish and sustain the Body but to those who use to pour them into a Stomach full of vicious humors they cause grievous diseases De praeparatione ad Euch. requisita vide Trid. Sess 13. c. 7. can 11. Basil q. 172. regul hrev Serm. 2. de Bapt. Cypr. toto fere lib. de Lapsit agendo de Poenit. Aug. Serm. 1. de Temp. Chrys hom 44 45 46. in Joan. in Matt. hom 83. Let the Faithful therefore use this First Preparation LIX Preparations of the Soul to the Eucharist The First To discern Table from Table This Sacred Table from other profane Tables This Bread of Heaven from Common-bread And this is done when we certainly believe that the true Body and Blood of our Lord is present whom the Angels adore in Heaven at whose Nod the Pillars of Heaven tremble and shake for fear 1 Cor. 11.19 of whose Glory the Heaven and Earth is full This is to difference the Lords Body which the Apostle admonishes us to do the greatness of which Mystery notwithstanding we must reverence rather than curiously search into the Truth of it in subtle Disputations But another Preparation exceeding necessary is The Second that every one examin himself whether he have peace with others Matt. 5.24 whether he love his Neighbor truly and with all his Soul If therefore thou offer thy Gift at the Altar and there shalt remember that thy Brother has any thing against thee leave there thy Gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconcil'd to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift And then we ought diligently to search our Conscience The third lest haply we may be polluted with any deadly sin for which it is necessary to do Penance that first by the Medicine of Contrition and Confession it might be done away Sess 13. can 21. For it has bin defin'd by the Holy Council of Trent That no one may receceive the Sacred Eucharist whom the Conscience of any mortal sin pricks if a Priest is to be had before he shall have purg'd himself by Sacramental Confession no not tho he seem to himself to be contrite Chrys hom 30. in Genes 20. in Mat. Cypr. in lib. de Lapsis Fourthly The Fourth Let us think with our selves how unworthy we are that the Lord should bestow on us this divine Benefit Wherefore let us say from our Hearts that of the Centurion of whom our Savior himself testifies Matt. 8.10 That he found not so great Faith no not in Israel Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof Let us also examine our selves The Fifth Joh. 21.15 whether we can truly take up that of S. Peter to our selves Lord thou knowest that I love thee For we must remember that he that sat down at the Lords Feast without a Wedding-Garment was cast into Prison and condemn'd to eternal Punishment Nor is there need of the Souls preparation only LX. The Preparations of the Body for the Eucharist but of the Bodie 's also For we ought to come Fasting to that Sacred Table so that at least from the mid-night of the day before even to that very point of Time wherein we receive the Eucharist we should not either eat or drink any thing at all See Aug. Epist 118. c. 6. lib. 1. ad in quisit Januarii c. 6. And the Dignity of this Sacrament requires LXI 1 Reg. 21.5 that marri'd people abstain from mutual embraces for some days being admonish'd by Davids Example who when he was to receive some Show-Bread of the Priest profess'd that he kept himself and his Servants clean from the communication of their Wives for those three days These are in a manner the things the Faithful are to observe to prepare themselves before hand profitably to receive the Sacred Mysteries For the rest which may seem fit to be taken care for in this matter may easily be reduc'd to these very Heads But lest any grow more sluggish or backward to the receiving this Sacrament bacause they think it a very weighty and hard matter to make so great a Preparation The Faithful are often to be admonish'd That the Law obliges all to receive the Sacred Eucharist Besides it has been decreed by the Church that he that will not at least once
was instituted of Christ our Lord for Two causes The One is that it might be the heavenly Food of our Souls wherewith we might preserve and sustain our spiritual Life The Other that the Church might have a perpetual Sacrifice whereby our sins might be expiated and our heavenly Father who has often times bin grievously offended by our wickedness might be turn'd from his Anger to his Mercy and from the severity of his just Revenge to Pity We may observe the Figure and Resemblance of this thing in the Paschal Lamb which was us'd to be offer'd as a Sacrifice and eaten as a Sacrament by the Children of Israel Vide Trid. de Sacrif Missae c. 1.3 Dionys l. 17. de Eccl. c. 3. Ignat. Epist ad Smyrn Tert. lib. de Orat. Iren. l. 4. c. 32. Aug. lib. 10. de Civit. Dei c. 10. Et lib. 17. c. 20. lib. 18. c. 35. lib. 19. c. 23. lib. 22. c. 8. alibi passim Nor indeed when our Savior was about to offer himself to God the Father upon the Altar of the Cross LXXVII How great the Benefit of the Eucharist is could he give any more illustrious signification of his immense Love towards us than when he left us a visible Sacrifice whereby might be restor'd that which was a little after to be sacrific'd once in Blood on the Cross and the memory thereof might every Day be honor'd by the Church spread abroad over all the World to her exceeding advantage even to the end of the World Now these Two ways are very different in themselves LXXVIII The Difference between a Sacrifice and a Sacrament for a Sacrament is perform'd or perfected in the Consecration but the force or vertue of a Sacrifice consists in this that it be Offer'd Wherefore the Sacred Eucharist while it is kept in the Pyx or carry'd to the Sick has not the Nature of a Sacrifice but of a Sacrament and besides as it is a Sacrament it gives them that receive the Divine Hoste or Sacrifice cause of Merit and all those other advantages which were before remembred but as it is a Sacrifice it has not only the Efficacy of Meriting but of Performing also For as Christ our Lord in his Passion merited and satisfi'd for us so they that offer this Sacrifice wherein they communicate with us do satisfie and merit the fruits of our Lord's Passion Now concerntng the Institution of this Sacrifice LXXIX By Whom and when the Sacrifice of Mass was instituted the Holy Synod of Trent has left no more room to doubt for she has declar'd that it was instituted by Christ our Lord at his last Supper and has condemn'd those with an Anathema that assert that a true and proper Sacrifice is not offer'd to God or that to Offer is nothing else than that Christ is given to be eaten Sess 22. de Sacrificio Missae c. 1. can 1. 2. Nor did she omit LXXX Sacrifice to be offer'd to God only and not to the Saints but diligently explain'd that Sacrifice is done to God only for altho' sometimes the Church uses to celebrate Masses in Memory and Honor of the Saints yet she never taught to offer Sacrifice to them but to One God only who has crown'd them with immortal Glory Wherefore neither is the Priest wont at any time to say I offer Sacrifice to Thee Peter or Paul but while the sacrifices to God only she gives thanks to him for the signal Victory of the blessed Martyrs and so implores their Patronage that they would vouchsafe to intercede for us in Heaven whose Memory we celebrate on Earth Now these things which have bin deliver'd by the Catholic Church concerning the Truth of this Sacrifice she receiv'd from our Lords own Words when in that last night commending to his Apostles these Sacred Mysteries 1 Cor. 10.24 Do this says he in Commemoration of me He then Note as has bin defin'd by the Holy Synod made them Priests and appointed that both they and those who were to succeed them in the Priests Office should Sacrifice and Offer his Body And this the Words of the Apostle written to the Corinthians evidently shew when he says 1. Cor. 10â— Ye cannot drink the Chalice of the Lord and the Chalice of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Devils For as by the Table of Devils is to be understood the Altar whereon Sacrifice was done to them so also that what the Apostle proposes may by probable Argument be concluded the Table of the Lord can signifie nothing else but the Altar on which Sacrifice was done to the Lord. Now if from the Old Testament we would have some Figures and Oracles of this Sacrifice LXXXI Figures and Prophecies of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist first then Malachias has most plainly prophecy'd of it in these words From the rising up of the sun to the going down thereof my name is great among the Gentiles and in every place a clean oblation is offered to my name because my name is great among the Gentiles says the Lord of Hosts Besides this Hoste or Sacrifice was foreshew'd as well before as after the Law was given in divers kinds of Sacrifices for this one Sacrifice as the Perfection and Fulfilling of all the rest contains in it all those good things which were but signifi'd by those other Sacrifices But yet we cannot see the Figure of This better express'd in any thing thah in Melchizedechs Sacrifice for our Savior himself declaring himself to be a Priest forever according to the Order of Melchizedech at his last Supper offer'd his own Body and Blood to God the Father under the species of Bread and Wine We therefore acknowledge it to be LXXXII The Sacrifice of the Mass and of the Cross is one and the same Sacrifice and it ought to be accounted but One and the same Sacrifice which is done in the Mass and which was offer'd on the Cross even as it is One and the same Hoste to wit Christ our Lord who once only offer'd himself in his Blood upon the Cross For the Bloody and Vnbloody Hoste is not Two Hosts but one Hoste only Luc. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 the Sacrifice whereof is renew'd daily in the Church after that our Lord had commanded thus Do this in Commemoration of me And there is One and the same Priest Christ the Lord LXXXIII Christ and the Priests are but One Priest For the Ministers that make this Sacrifice undergo not their own but the Person of Christ when they consecrate his Body and Blood as is evident from the words of the very Consecration for the Priest says not This is Christ's Body but This is my Body to wit bearing the Person of Christ our Lord he changes the substance of the Bread and Wine into the true Substance of his Body and Blood Chrys hom 2. in 2. ad Tim.
50. in c. 12. Zach. super illud In die planctûs magnus erit fructus thori immaculati THE CATECHISM FOR THE CURATES BY THE DECREE OF THE Council of TRENT PART III. Of Gods COMMANDMENTS contain'd in the DECALOG THat the Decalogue is the Sum and Epitome of all Laws S. Augustin has observ'd in his Writings For tho the Lord spake many things I. The Decalog the Sum of all Laws Quaest. 140. super Exod. Matth. 22. yet there were but Two Tables of Stone given to Moses which are call'd the Tables of the Testimony to be in the Ark. And all the other things which God commanded if they are diligently observ'd so as to be understood do depend upon those Ten Commandments which were written in the Two Tables And how again those Ten Precepts depend upon these Two to wit of the Love of God and of a man's Neighbor upon which depends the whole Law and the Prophets Seeing therefore that it is the Sum of the whole Law II. The Pastors rightly to understand and explain the Decalog the Pastors ought to be conversant in the contemplation thereof Day and Night not only to direct their own Life according to this Rule but also to instruct the People committed to their charge in the Law of the Lord. For Mal. 2.7 Let the Priests mark this the Priests Lips preserve Knowledge and they enquire of the Law at his mouth because he is the Angel of the Lord of Hosts Which thing most especially belongs to the Pastors of the New Law who are nearer to God and ought to be transformed from Brightness to Brightness as by the Spirit of the Lord And seeing that Christ our Lord call'd them by the name of Light it is properly their Parts 2 Cor. 3. â— Gal. 6.1 to be a Light to those that are in Darkness the Teachers of the Vnwise the Instructors of Babes and if any one be overtaken in any fault those who are Spiritual ought to restore such a one But in Confessions they bear the person of a Judge III. The knowledg of the Decalog very necessary to Confession and give Sentence according to the quality and kind of the Offence Wherefore unless they are minded that their own Ignorance shall betray themselves and deceive others it is necessary that they be very watchful and very well skill'd in the Interpretation of the Divine Laws that they may make a right Judgment concerning every Action and the Omission of every Duty and as the Apostle has it 2 Tim. 4.16 That they teach found Doctrin i.e. free from Error and that they heal the Diseases of Souls Tit. 2.14 which are their Sins that the People may be acceptable to God following good works And now in Discourses of this kind IV. Why the Decalog so religiouâ—â—ly to be observ'd the Pastor shall propose both to himself and to others such Arguments as may perswade to the Obedience of the Law And amongst other things which may well drive men to the Observance of the Commands of this Law This has very great force That God is the Author of this Law For tho it be said to be given by Angels Gal. 13.29 yet no one can doubt that God himself is the Author of the Law Of the truth whereof not only the Words of the Lawgiver himself which shall by and by be explain'd afford sufficient testimony but almost infinite other places of Scripture which the Pastors will easily meet with For there is no one who feels not V. God the Author of the Law of Nature that a Law is implanted in his Soul by God whereby he can discern good from evil that which is honest from that which is dishonest what is just from what is unjust The force and Vertue of which Law seeing it differs not from that which is written who is there that dares deny that God is the Author as of the inward so also of the written Law Therefore when God gave the Law to Moses VI. Why he gave the Written Law it must be taught that he rather made this Divine Light which by ill manners and daily perversness was now almost darkn'd much more illustrious than that he gave a new one lest happly the People hearing the Law of Moses spoken irreverently of might think themselves not bound to the Observation of it For most certain it is that we are not to obey these Commandments because they were given by Moses VII Why we must obey the Laws of the Decalog but because they are implanted in our Souls and are explain'd and confirmed by Christ our Lord. Now this Consideration will help much VIII Obedience to the Law of God how to be enforc'd and has great force to perswade that it is God who made this Law Of whose Wisdom and Justice we cannot doubt nor can we escape his infinite Power and Vertue Wherefore when by the Prophets God commanded that the Law should be observ'd he said that he was the Lord God and in the beginning of the Decalog I am the Lord thy God Exod. 20.1 and elsewhere Malach. 1.6 If I am a Lord where is my Fear Now that God has declar'd his Will IX God to be thanked for the giving of the Law wherein is contain'd our Salvation will stir up the minds of the Faithful not only to keep the Commandments of God but also to be thankful to him And therefore the Scripture in many places declaring this very great Benefit warns people to observe its Dignity and God's Beneficence as in Deuteronomy Deut. 4.6 This says it is your Wisdom and your Understanding before the People that all hearing these Commandments may say This is a wise and an understanding People and a great Nation And again in the Psalms Psal 147.10 He has not dealt so with every Nation and he has not manifested his judgments to them But if the Curat shall moreover declare the manner of the giving of the Law from the Authority of Scripture X. With how great Majesty the Law was given the Faithful will easily understand how piously and humbly they ought to honor or reverence the Law receiv'd from God himself Exod. 19.10 for it was commanded of God to all that Three Days before the giving of the Law they should wash their Clothes and not touch their Wives that so they might be more holy and better prepar'd to receive the Law and be present on the Third Day and then when they were brought to the Mountain from whence the Lord by Moses was about to deliver the Law Moses alone was commanded to ascend up into the Mountain whither the Lord came with very great Majesty and fill'd the place with Thunder and Lightning with Fire and thick Clouds and began to speak with Moses and gave him the Law Which thing the Divine Wisdom would not have done XI Why the Law given in this terrible manner but to admonish
come VVhen we certainly promise and confirm it that such a thing shall be so Of which kind is that of David who swearing to Bersabe his VVife by the Lord his God promis'd that Solomon his Son should be the Heir of his Kingdom 2 Reg. 1 17. and succeed him in his room Now tho to an Oath XVI How many things requir'd to a lawful Oath it be sufficient to use God as a VVitness yet to make it just and holy there are many more things requir'd which are diligently to be explain'd but those things as S. Jerom testifies Jeremy briefly reckons up when he says S. Hierom. in hunc locum Hier. 4. Thou shalt swear the Lord lives in Truth and in Judgment and in Justice In which words are briefly and summarily contain'd those things wherein all the Perfection of an Oath lies to wit Truth Judgment and Justice Truth therefore has the first Place in an Oath XVII What it is to Swear in asserting Truth to wit that what is asserted be the very Truth and that he that swears it be assur'd that it is so not to be led to it rashly or by light conjecture but by the most certain Arguments But the other kind of Oath XVIII What in Promising whereby we promise any thing requires Truth in the same measure For he that promises any thing ought to be so minded that when the Time comes he truly perform and fulfil his Promise nor will any honest Man ever undertake to do what he thinks to be against the most Holy Commandments and VVill of God but whatsoever was lawful for him to promise or swear he never will alter it being once promis'd unless by chance the Condition of Matters being alter'd the things begin to be such that now if he would keep his Word and stand to his Promise he might undergo the hatred and displeasure of God But that Truth is necessary to an Oath David also shews in these words Psal 14. He that swears to his neighbor and disappoints him not In the second place follows Judgment XIX What it is to swear in Judgment for it is fit that an Oath should not be taken rashly and inconsiderately but with good counsel and advice He therefore that is about to swear should first consider well whether there be any necessity that compels him or not and should carefully consider the whole matter whether it be of such a nature as seems to stand in need of an Oath Let him moreover consider the Time and the Place and very many other Circumstances and let him not be mov'd to it by Love or Hatred or any other violent Passion of the Mind but by the quality and necessity of the thing it self For without this Consideration and diligent Attention XX. What a rash Oath is certainly the Oath must needs be rash and hasty Of which sort is the irreligious Affirmation of them who in any the most trivial and vain matter without any Reason or Advice burn as it were with this evil Habit. And this almost every where we daily see done by Buyers and Sellers Observe and reprove For the one sort that they may sell as dear as they can and the other sort on the other hand that they may buy as cheap as may be are not afraid even with an Oath either to commend or discommend the things to be bought or sold Since there is need therefore of Judgment and Prudence Note and that Children as yet by reason of their Age cannot so exactly perceive and distinguish therefore it was Decreed by that Holy Man Pope Cornelius That an Oath should not be requir'd of Children before they came to maturity i. e. before their Fourteenth year 22. q. 5. c. Honestum c. pueri The other is Justice XXI What it is to swear in Justice which in Promises especially is requir'd Wherefore if any one promises any thing unjust or dishonest and sin by swearing and in making Promises he adds sin to sin there is in the Gospel the Example of this thing in King Herod who having bound himself with a rash Oath gave John Baptist's Head to the Dancing Girl Mar. 6.23 as the Reward of her Dancing For such was the Oath of those Jews who as it is in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 23.12 bound themselves under a Curse on this Condition That they would eat nothing till they had kill'd Paul These things thus explain'd XXII When and how an Oath is lawful there can be no doubt but that he may safely swear who observes all these things and who establishes his Oath with these Conditions as it were with a kind of Bulwarks But it is easie to prove this by many Arguments Prov'd First Psal 18.8 Deut. 6.10 18. For the Law of the Lord which is spotless and holy has commanded it for it says Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and thou shalt swear by his Name And David wrote Secondly All they that swear by him shall be commended Besides Thirdly the Sacred Scripture shews That those Lights of the Church the most holy Apostles did sometimes use an Oath and this appears by the Epistles of the Apostle Add also Fourthly That the Angels themselves sometimes swear for S. John the Evangelist Apoc. 10.3 in the Apocalyps writes That the Angel swore by him that lives for ever Yea Fifthly Heb. 6.17 Gen 22.10 Exod. 3â— and God himself also who is the Lord of the Angels swears And in the Old Testament in many places God confirms his Promises by an Oath as to Abraham and to David who says thus concerning God's Oath Psal 109.4 The Lord sware says he and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Nor is it hard to shew Sixthly That an Oath is commendable if any one carefully consider the whole Matter By Reason and mark the beginning and end thereof For an Oath hath its beginning of Faith whereby Men believe God who can neither ever be deceiv'd himself or deceive others to be the Author of all Truth to whose Eyes all things are open and naked who by his admirable Providence takes care of all human Affairs and governs the World Men therefore being season'd with this Faith use God as a Witness of Truth to whom not to give credit would be impious and wicked But as to the End XXIII The End and Design of an Oath an Oath tends thither and wholly has respect to this to prove the Justice and Innocence of Man and to put an end to all Wranglings and Controversies Heb. 9. which the Apostle also in his Epistle to the Hebrews teaches Nor are the Words of our Saviour in S. Matthew against this sense An Objection Mat. 5.3 Ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt pay to
unlucky XIII To bear false Witness is injurious even to the person that gives it that he is known to him whom by his Oath he did help and assist to be false and perjur'd and which evil succeeds to him of Sentence he daily takes a greater Practice and Custom of Lewdness and Impudence As therefore the Vanities XIV The lies of Lawyers forbidd'n Lies and Perjuries of Witnesses so also of Accusers of the Guilty of Patrons Kinsfolks Proctors and Advocates and even of all that are concern'd in Judgment are forbidd'n Lastly XV. To Witness a Falshood every where forbidd'n Levit. 19.11 God forbids all Testimony not only in Judgment but out of Judgment that may bring any wrong or hurt to another For in Leviticus where these Commandments are repeated we read thus Ye shall not steal ye shall not lye neither shall any one deceive his Neighbor So that no one can doubt but that every Lye is rejected of God and condemn'd in this Commandment VVhich thing David very plainly testifies in this manner Psal 5.7 Thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies Now by this Commandment is forbidd'n XVI The vice of Detraction detestable not only false Testimony but even the hateful Will and practice of speaking ill or another from which Plague it is incredible how many and how grievous Inconveniences and Evils do spring This Vice of Reviling and disparaging another secretly the Holy Scripture in many places reproves I did not so much as eat with such a One Psal 100.5 says David And S. James Jac. 4.11 Speak not evil one of another my Brethren But the Sacred Scriptures do not only afford us Precepts An Example Hester 13. but Examples also whereby the greatness of this Sin is shewn for Aman by forg'd Crimes had so incens'd Assuerus against the Jews that he commanded all that Nation to be kill'd Sacred History is full of Examples of this kind by remembrance whereof the Priests shall endeavour to deter the Faithful from the foulness of this thing But that the greatness of this Sin XVII Who are Detractors whereby anothers Credit is injur'd may evidently appear We must know that Mens Reputation is hurt First not only by Calumny or Slander But by increasing and amplifying their Faults Secondly and if any thing secretly has by any one bin committed which when it comes to be known becomes dangerous and hurtful to a Man's Credit he that publishes that matter where when and to whom there is no need so to do is truly call'd a Reviler and Slanderer But of all Slander there is none more deadly than that of those Thirdly who slander the Catholic Doctrin and the Preachers of it Fourthly They are in the same Fault that commend the Teachers of Errors and false Doctrins Nor are they to be left out of the Number of these Men Fifthly nor are they free from this Fault who lending their Ears to Revilers and Slanderers reprove them not but willingly assent to or belive them For to slander or to hearken to a Slanderer as S. Hierom and S. Bernard write it is not easily manifest whether of the two is more damnable For there would be no Slanderers if there were none to listen to their Slanders S. Hierom. Epist. ad Nepotianum circa finem D. Bernard lib. 2. de Consider ad Eugen. in fine Of the same sort are those Sixthly who by their Artifices cause Men to fall out and quarrel among themselves and are greatly delighted in keeping Differences So that breaking the strictest Friendships and Societies by their feigned words they compel the most friendly Men in the World to immortal Hatred and Quarrels This Plague the Lord exceedingly hates Lev. 19.6 Thou shalt not be a Tale-carrier nor Whisperer among the People Such were many of Sauls Counsellers who strove to estrange his Love from David and to provoke the King against him Lastly meer fair-spoken Men and Flatterers Seventhly Flatterers who by their smoothing and dissembling Praises buzz into those men's Ears and Minds whose Favors Mony and Honor they would purchase calling as the Prophet has it Isa 5.20 Evil good and good Evil offend against this part whom to drive away and rid our doors of them David admonishes us in that Saying Ps 140.5 Let the Just Man reprove me with mercy and let him chide me but let not the Oyl of the wicked anoint my Head For tho they revile not their Neighbor yet they wound him grievously who even by commending his Sins afford him a cause of persevering in his vices as long as he lives And indeed of this kind of Flattery The First kind of Flattery that is worst which is us'd for the Calamity and Hurt of our Neighbors So Saul when he desir'd to expose David to the Fury and Sword of the Philistines he sooth'd him with these words Behold my eldest Daughter Moreb 1. Reg. her will I give thee to wife only be thou valiant and fight the Lords battels So the Jews in that treacherous Speech of theirs thus spake to Christ our Lord Master Marc. 12.14 we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in Truth But far more hurtful is the Speech of those Friends The worst sort of Flattery Relations and Kinsfolks which they sometimes flatteringly use to those who being sick to Death are now at their last Breath while they tell them that even then they are in no danger of Death and bid them be merry and cheerful and keep them from Confession of their Sins as from a sad melancholy Thought And lastly while they divert their Minds from all Care and Thought of their utmost Dangers in which they are very greatly involv'd Wherefore all kinds of Lyes are to be avoided But especially that whereby any one may be most damnifi'd But most wicked of all is that Lye which is made against Religion Note or about Religion God is also grievously offended with those Slanders and Reproaches which are committed by Libels Eighthly The Author of Libels such as they call Libellous Pamphlets and other Contumelies of the like kind De libel famos Vide Bull. Pij V. 147. datam Ann. 1572. Bull. Greg. XIII 4. datam eodem anno Besides XVIII A merry Lie forbidden either for Sport or for Office sake to deceive by a Lye altho no one thereby have any Gain or Loss yet it is altogether unworthy a Man For so the Apostle admonishes us Ephes 4.25 Putting away lying speak ye the Truth Vide D. Thom. 2.2 q. 110. art 3 4. For thereby comes a great Proneness to frequent and more grievous Lying Note the Reason and from telling of Lyes for Mirth Men take a custom of Lying whence they fall into a Reputation of not speaking Truth at all wherefore to gain Belief they are necessitated to swear at all times Lastly XIX All
study and desire to God who is the chiefest Good And then we must desire those things that unite us most with God but those things that separate us from him or any way cause us to be disjoyn'd from him are utterly to be remov'd far from our studies and desires Hence we gather how all other things The Third which are call'd Good next after that chiefest and perfect Good are both to be wish'd and pray'd for of God our Father for those Goods that are outward and belong to the Body as Health Strength Beauty Riches Honors Glory which oftentimes afford matter and occasion to Sin for which cause it is that they are not at all devoutly and piously to be pray'd for that Petition shall be limited in these Bounds that we pray for the Conveniences of this Life for necessitie's sake which ground of Prayer is refer'd to God For tho we may in our Prayers ask those things which Jacob and Solomon pray'd for III. How bodily Goods are to be desir'd Gen. 28 20. Prov. 30.8 Jacob thus If he will give me Bread to eat and Clothes to put on the Lord shall be my God And Solomon thus Only give me necessary food Now since of Gods Liberality we are suppli'd with Food and Raiment It is but meet that we remember that Exhortation of the Apostle 1 Cor 7.30 Let them that buy be as tho they possess'd not and those that use this World as tho they us'd it not for the figure of this World passes away Again Psal 61.11 If Riches increase set not your heart upon them Whose fruit and use is only ours but yet so as that we communicate with others as we are taught by God himself If we have Ability IV. The true use of outward Goods if we abound with other outward Goods of the Body let us remember that they are therfore given us that we may serve God with more ease and lend our Neighbor all things of this kind And then for the Goods and Ornaments of the Understanding V. Under what condition Arts and Sciences to be pray'd for of which kind are Learning and Arts we may not pray for them but on this condition only if they will be profitable to us for God's Glory and our Salvation but that which is absolutely and without any adjunct or condition to be pray'd for wish'd and begg'd as we said before is the Glory of God and after that all things else that may joyn us to that most excellent Good as Faith the Fear of God and his Love of which we will speak more fully in the explication of the Petitions For whom we are to Pray NOw it being known what things are to be pray'd for I. There is no sort of Men which are not to be pray'd for the Faithful are to be taught for whom they are to pray Prayer contains Petition and Thanksgiving wherefore we will first speak concerning Petition We must therefore pray for all without any Exception either of Differences of Favour or of Religion For whether he be Enemy Stranger or Infidel he is our Neighbor whom because by God's Command we ought to love it follows that we ought to make Prayers also for them which is the Office of Love for thither tends that Exhortation of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.1 I beseech you that Prayers be made for all Men. In which Prayer we are first to beg those things which concern the Welfare of the Soul Note and then that of the Body Now we ought to perform this Office first for the Pastors of our Souls II. First We must pray for the Pastors of our Souls Col. 4.3 whereof we admonish'd by the Apostle from his own Example for he writes to the Colossians to pray for him that God would open him a Door of Speech which also he do's to the Thessalonians And in the Acts of the Apostles we read Acts 12.5 That Prayer was made by the Church without ceasing for Peter Of which Duty also we are admonish'd by S. Basil in his Books de Moribus For says he we must pray for them that are over us in the Word of Truth Basil lib. Moral Reg. 56. c. 5. item Homil. in Isaiam In the second place Secondly For Princes we must pray for Princes according to the Sentence of the same Apostle For how great Public Good we enjoy by just and pious Princes there is no one ignorant God therefore is to be entreated that those that are above other Men may be such kind of Persons as they ought to be Vide Tertul. Apolog. 30. ad Scap. c. 2. There are Examples of Holy Men Thirdly For Pious Men. whereby we are admonish'd to pray for good and pious Men for they also stand in need of the Prayers of others Which is so order'd of God that they may not be puff'd up with Pride while they see that they want the Prayers of their Inferiors Besides Fourthly For Enemies Our Lord has commanded us to pray for our Persecuters and Slanderers Matth. 5.44 For Fifthly For Strangers from the Church it is well known from the Testimony of S. Austin that this Practice of making Supplications and Prayers for those that were without the Church was receiv'd from the Apostles That Faith might be given to Infidels that Idol-worshippers might be deliver'd from the Error of their Impiety that the Jews the Darkness of their Souls being dispell'd might receive the Light of Truth that Heretics returning to Soundness of Mind might be instructed in the Precepts of Catholic Doctrin that Schismatics being bound with the Band of true Charity might be joyn'd in Communion with our most Holy Mother the Church from whom they fell away Now how great a force hearty Prayers made for this kind of Men has appears by so many Examples of Men of all sorts which God daily carries being snatch'd out of the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love and of Vessels of Wrath he makes them Vessels of Mercy In which Case no one in his right Mind can doubt that the Intercession of Devout Men prevails very much Vide S. Aug Epist 107. ad Vitel. Cyprian de Orat. Domin Item Caelestinum Papam Epist 1. c. 11. And Prayers for the Dead Sixthly For the Dead that they may be delivered from the Fire of Purgatory did flow from the Doctrin of the Apostles concerning which enough was said when we spake of the Sacrifice of the Mass Dionys cap. lib. de Eccles Hierarch c. 6 7. Clem. Pap. Epist 1. lib. Constit Apost Tert. de Coron Milit. in Exhort ad Castit in lib. de Monog Cypr. Epist 66. But those that are said to sin unto Death Seventhly For Sinners Intercessions and Prayers profit them but little yet it is the part of Christian Charity both to pray for them and even with Tears to wrestle for them if by any means they can render
the greatest efficacy 136 The Sacraments of the New Law have a form of words prescrib'd without which there is no true Sacrament Ibid. The Ceremonies of the Sacraments cannot be omitted without sin 137 If the Ceremonies of the Sacrament should be omitted the nature of the Sacrament is not lessen'd Ibid. Why the Sacraments administred with solemn Ceremonies Ibid. The necessity of the Sacraments 138 The number of the Sacraments 137 The excellency of the Sacraments 139 The difference of the Sacraments among themselves Ibid. Christ the Author of the Sacraments Ibid. Why God would have the Sacraments administred by men 140 The Ministers of the Sacraments represent the person of Christ Ibid. The Sacraments confer justifying Grace 142 How dangerous it is to such Ministers as minister the Sacraments of the New Law with polluted consciences 141 The effects of the Sacraments Ibid. The excellencie of the Sacraments of the New Law compar'd with those of the Old 143 Three Sacraments imprint a Character Ibid. By the use of the Sacrament the Edifice of Christians is propp'd up 145 Wicked men may minister the Sacraments if they observe what belongs to the nature and truth of the Sacraments 140 The difference between a Sacrament and a Sacrifice 234 A Sacrifice is offer'd to God not to the Saints 235 The bloody and unbloody Sacrifice is one and the same 236 The Sacrifice offer'd on the Cross and that in the Mass is one and the same Ibid. The Communion of Saints how profitable and what it signifies 99 By Communion of all Christians are made one Body 100 The members of Christ's body tho dead do not cease to be his members Ibid. What things in the Church are common to Christians 101 God's Glory is not diminish'd by the worship of the Saints but increas'd 345 The Patronage of the Saints is not superfluous 346 Tho Christ be offer'd to us as our Mediator yet it does not follow but that we may have recourse to the favour of the Saints 347 It is not forbidden by God's Law to paint the Images of the Saints 348 Satan's Attempts See Devil The necesity of Satisfaction 274 Whence the name of Satisfaction 272 Satisfaction variously taken Ibid. c. What Satisfaction reconciles God to us 252 253 Christ's Satisfaction is for almost all sins 273 Canonical Satisfaction Ibid. Satisfaction taken of us Ibid. Satisfaction as a part of the Sacrament Ibid. Satisfaction defin'd 272 The virtue of Satisfaction 298 Our Satisfaction does not obscure Christ's Satisfaction but rather illustrates it Ibid. Painful and afflictive works undertaken in satisfaction 279 280 All kinds of satisfaction referr'd to 3 chief heads 279 True Satisfaction requires that he that satisfies be himself just 279 Inconveniences and labors sent of God have a virtue of satisfying if born with patience 280 One may satisfie for another Ib. Before a Penitent that has wrong'd his Neighbor in his Goods or Repute be absolved he ought to promise to make satisfaction 281 In appointing the punishment of satisfaction what is to be observed 282 The manner of satisfaction shou'd answer to the degree of the fault Ibid. The Penitent ought of his own accord often to repeat the works of satisfaction which the Priest appointed him Ib. The Seal of the Lord's Prayer 550. Some Sins irremissible how to be understood 248 The punishment of sin and sinners flows to us from Adam 29 VVe ought to confess our sins of thought 265 Two consequences of sin 277 God is so provok'd by our sins that he blesses not our labors 522 All are subject to sin 520 VVhat our acknowledgment of sin ought to be 521 The baseness of sin Ibid. The plague of sin 522 Tho the act of sin pass away yet the guilt of it remains 523 God's anger always follows sin Ibid. How necessary the sense of and grief for sin is 521 God is always ready to forgive the sins of Penitents 524 VVe cannot avoid sin without God's help 505 Swearing See Perjury T BEing tost with the waves of Temptation we must fly to the Port of Prayer 540 VVe must pray God that we be not led into Temptation 532 VVhat Temptation is 536 The many kinds of Temptations 533 God tempts and how 537 Men tempted for evil Ibid. VVhy the Devil is call'd the Tempter Ibid. VVhen we are led into Temptation ibid. He tempts that does not hinder Temptation 538 Man 's whole life a Temptation on Earth 539 Temptations to be patiently endur'd 540 VVhat we beg of God in Temptation 539. c. The Commandment about Theft is as a Protection whereby our outward goods are defended 413 This Commandment divided into two parts Ibid. VVhy the 7th Commandment makes mention of Theft and not of Robbery 414 VVhat is understood by the word Theft Ibid. God's great love shew'd to us in this Commandment about Theft 413. Theft which is an unjust possession and use of other mens things known by divers names 414 The will of stealing forbidden in this Command 415 How grievous a sin Theft is Ibid. The consequences of Theft manifest the greatness of the sin Ibid. Many kinds of Thefts 416 The various kinds of Thieves Ibid. God accepts no excuse for Theft 423 Theft not excusable Ibid. The excuses which men use to defend their Theft withal Ibid. c. The Thief dishonors God's Name 424 V THe Vice of the Tongue very extensive 326 Of the Vice of the Tongue come innumerable mischiefs ibid. Vnction See Extreme-Vnction W WAtching overcomes Temptations 541 The Wife to be subject to her Husband 328 The Wife must abide at home 328 The Duties of a Wife 327 c. Why Woman was taken out of the side of man Ibid. Why we pray God's Will be done 505 VVho especially ought to pray God's Will be done 503 VVho says thy Will be done what he ought to think 505 The Commandment of not bearing false Witness 426 The Command of not bearing false Witness restrains the Vice of the Tongue Ibid. In the Command against false Witness are containd two Precepts one commanding the other forbidding 427 What is forbidden in false Witness Ibid. A Judge cannot well reject sworn Witness Ibid. VVhat false Witness is 428 429 The mischiefs of false Witness 429 False Witness forbidden not only in Judgment but out of Judgment Ibid. How many ways a man's esteem is wounded by Lies 429 c. Witness-bearing is a confession of God's Praise 433 True Witness-bearing of very great use in human affairs Ibid. Witnesses to be very careful not to affirm for truth what they are not very sure of 434 The Word of God the Food of the Soul 517 The Word of the Pastors of the Church to be receiv'd as the VVord of God See the Preface Words of all signs have the greatest Virtue See Sacrament By the preaching of the Word and use of the Sacraments the Christian Building is firmly lay'd 145 Incarnation of the Word See Incarnation Z WHat Zeal to be attributed to God 354 FINIS