example of Temperance fasted with great facilitie and cheerefulnesse when it is needfull and hee fasteth perfectly expecting the conuenient houre and eating meates appoynted and once only but he that hath not this vertue or contrariwise is a glutton it seemeth a death to him to fast and if perhaps hee fast he can not well expect the due houre of dinner and after at night in place of a drinking as the custome is he will make so large a collation as wanteth little of a supper S How manie vertues be there M The vertues are very manie but the more principall to which all the rest are reduced are seuen to wit the three Theological Faith Hope Charitie foure Cardinall Prudence Iustice Fortitude Temperance according to this number there are seuen giftes of the Holie Ghost and the Euangelical Beatitudes which guide vs to the perfection of Christian life There be also seuen workes of mercie corporall seuen spirituall Of all which I will geue you a briefe instruction Chap. II. Of the Theologicall Vertues S VVHat is faith M Faith is the first of the Theological vertues that is of those vertues which haue immediat relation to God And the proper office of faith is to illuminate and eleuate the vnderstanding to beleue firmely all that God by his Church reueileth vnto vs although it bee otherwise heard and aboue naturall reason S What is the cause that wee must beleeue matters of faith so firmly M The cause is for that faith doth relie vpon infallible veritie for so much as all that faith proposeth vnto vs is reueiled from God God is veritie it self Wherefore it is impossible that which God sayeth should be false And so when faith proposeth anie thing vnto vs which appeareth contrarie to reason as for example that a virgin should bring forth a child it is necessarie to consider that humaine reason is feeble may easely be deceiued but God can not be deceiued nor deceiue vs. S What is necessarie to be beleued by this vertue of faith M It is necessarie to beleue distinctly al the Articles of the Crede which before I haue declared And specially those Articles whereof Feasts are kept euerie yeare in holie Church as the Incarnation of our Lord the Natiuitie the Passion the Resurrection the Ascension the comming of the Holie Ghost the most Holie Trinitie Moreouer wee must be readie to beleeue al that shal be declared vnto vs by holie Church And finally in all out ward behauiour to shunne and auoide those things which haue anie shew of infidelitie as to carrie the habit of a Turke or of the Iewes the eating of flesh on daies forbidden as Heretikes do and such like For that it is necessarie to confesse the true faith not only in hart with mouth but also with exterior deeds to shew our selues to dislike of all Sects that are contrary to holie Church S What is hope M Hope is the second Theological vertue so called because it also hath immediat relation to God For as by faith we beleue in God so by hope we trust or hope in God S What is the office of Hope M It is to eleuate our mind to hope for eternall felicitie And because this is so heigh a benefit that it was not possible to reach thereto by humaine abilitie therfore God geueth vs this supernaturall vertue that by it we may trust to attaine to so great a good S Whereupon is this hope grounded and whereupon doth it relie M It is grounded and doth relie vpon the infinite goodnesse mercie of God whereof wee haue most certaine signes seeing hee hath giuen vs his owne Sonne and by his meanes adopted vs for his children and promised vs the inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen if we doe works cōformable to the dignity receiued hath also giuen vs grace sufficient help to do such works S What is Charitie M It is the third Theologicall vertue hauing immediat relation to God by this vertue our soule is eleuated to loue God aboue all things Not only as Creator Author of al our natural good but also as the g◅ of grace and of glorie which are supernaturall S I would know whether charitie be also extended vnto creatures M Charity is properly extended vnto all men and to all things which God hath made But with this difference that God is to bee loued for himselfe he being infinitly good it is further extended to all other things which are to be loued for the loue of God And in particular our neighbour our parents or frends are not onely to be vnderstood but also euerie man though he would be our enemie because euerie man is the Image of God and for the same is to be loued S Is Charitie a great vertue M It is the greatest of all others it is so great that whosoeuer hath it can not lose his saluation if he first lose not charitie And he that hath it not can by no meanes be saued though he had al the other vertues and gifts of God Of the cardinall vertues S VVHAT is Prudence M It is the firste of the foure Cardinal vertues which haue this name because they be principal vertues and as fountaines of all the other moral and humaine vertues For that Prudence gouerneth the vnderstanding Iustice gouerneth the wil. Fortitude gouerneth the irascible power And Temporance gouerneth the appetite of concupiscence S What is the office of Prudence M It is to shew the due end of euerie action the conuenient meanes and all the circumstances to wit the time the place the manner such like that the worke may be wei done in all points perfectly And therfore it is called the mystris of other vertues and is as salt to meats and as the sunne in the world S Which be the vices contrarie to Prudence M Vertue consisteth in the middest and hath alwayes two contrarie vices which are in the extreames One vice contrarie to Prudence is Imprudence that is inconsideration and rashnes and it is in those that do not consider what they haue to do so either they looke not to the true end or they vse not the true meanes The other vice is subtiltie or carnal pollicie and it is in those that with great diligence think of the end of the meanes but they direct al things to their priuat commoditie for the gaining of some worldlie benefit And therfore they endeuour subtilly to deceiue their neighbour to bring to passe their busines to their owne purpose But in the end it will appeare that such are most impudent losing the most soueraigne good for the loue of things of no impotence S What is Iustice and what is the office therof M Iustice is a vertue which geueth euery one that is his own and so the office thereof is to make things iust to put equalitie in humaine contracts which is the foundation of quietnes of peace For if
AN AMPLE DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN doctrine COMPOSED IN Italian by the renowmed Cardinal Card. BELLARMINE Translated into English by RICHARD HADOCK D. of Diuinitie PRINTED at ROAN A DECLARATION OF THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE For the vse of those that teach children and other vnlearned persons Composed in forme of a Dialogue betweene the Maister and Scholar CHAP. I. What Christian doctrine is and what are the principall parts thereof SCHOLER SEEING I do vnderstand that it is necessarie to saluation to know the Christian doctrine I desire you to declare vnto mee what this doctrine is MASTER The Christian doctrine is a briefe summe of all those thinges which Christ our Lord hath taught to shew vs the way of saluation S How many be the principal and most necessary parts of this doctrine M Foure to wit the Creede the Pater noster the ten Commandements and the holy Sacraments S Wherefore are there foure and neither more nor fewer M Because there are three principal vertues Faith Hope and Charitie and Grace necessarie to saluation And so the Creede is necessarie for Faith because it teacheth vs that which we haue to beleeue the Pater noster is necessary for Hope because it teacheth vs what wee haue to hope the ten Commandements are necessarie for Charitie because they teach vs what we haue to doe to please God the sacraments are necessarie because they are the Instruments of Grace by which those vertues are receiued and conserued S I would be glad you should giue me some similitude to vnderstande better the necessitie of these foure parts of Christian doctrine M S. Augustine giueth vs the similitude of a house for as to make a house it is needfull first to place the fundation then to rayse the walles and last of all to couer it with the roofe and to doe these things there are some instruments necessarie so to make in our Soules the building of saluation we haue need of the foundation of Faith the walles of Hope the roofe of Charitie and the instruments which are the most holie Sacraments CHAP. 2. The declaration of the vsuall blessing with the signe of the Crosse S BEfore wee come vnto the first part of this doctrine I would be glad you should giue mee some taste of those things which are to be beleeued declaring vnto mee in grosse and in summe the most necessarie mysteries that are conteined in the Creede M You haue reason and so I will doe You must then know that the principall mysteries of our faith are two and both two are conteyned in the blessing that wee vse to make with the signe of the holie Crosse The first mysterie is the Vnitie and trinitie of God the second is the Incarnatiō Passion of our Sauiour S What meaneth the Vnitie and Trinitie of God M These are most high matters by litle and litle are to be declared in the progresse of this doctrine but for this time it shall suffice to learne the names to vnderstād so much as you may The Vnitie of God signifieth that besides all things created there is one thinge that hath not had beginning but hath alwaies been and euer shall bee and hath made all other thinges and maintaineth and gouerneth them and is aboue all most high most noble most glorious most potent absolutely Patrone of all thinges and this is called God who is one onely because there can not bee more then one true Diuinitie that is to saye one onely Nature and Essence infinitely potent Holie good and so foorth Yet notwithstanding this Diuinitie is founde in three persons which are called the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost which three persons are one onely God because they haue the selfe-same Diuinity and essence As for example if three persons here in earth called Peter Paul Iohn should haue one the same soul one the same bodie they should be called three persōs because one is Peter an other Paul and an other Iohn and yet they should be one man onely and not three men not hauing three bodies nor three soules but one bodie and one soule This is not possible amongst men because the being of a man is dererminat limited and therefore cannot be in many persons But the being of God his diuinitie is infinite And there fore the selfe-same being and the selfe-same Diuinitie of the Father may be and is found in the soone and in the Holie-Ghost There bee then three persons because one is the Father another is the Sonne and the third is the Holie-Ghost And yet they are one God onely because they haue the same Diuinitie the same being the same power wisedome goodnes c. S. Tell me now what signifyeth the Incarnatiō Passiō of our Sauiour M You are to know that the second Diuine person the which as wee haue said is called the Son besides his diuine being which he had before the world was created yea from all eternitie tooke the flesh soule of man that is to say our whole nature in the wombe of a most pure Virgin and so hee who was before only God came likewise to be Man And after hee had conuersed with men thirtie and three yeares teaching the way of saluation and working many miracles in the ende hee suffered himselfe to be nayled vpon a Crosse and on the same dyed to satisfie God for the sinnes of the whole world and after three daies he rose from death to life and after fourtie daies more ascended into heauen as wee shall shew in the declaration of the Creede this is the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour S Wherefore are these the principal mysteries of our Faith M Because in the first is contayned the first beginning and last end of man In the second the onely and most effectuall meanes to know the first beginning and how to attaine vnto the last end because in beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries we manifest our selues distinct from all the false Sectes of Gentils Turkes Iewes and Hereticks and lastly because without beleeuing and confessing these two mysteries no man can be saued S How are these mysteries conteyned in the signe of the Crosse M We make the signe of the Crosse when we say In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost and that in this forme putting the right hand vnder the forehead when we saye In the name of the Father then vnder the breast when we say of the Sonne lastly frō the left shoulder vnto the right when we say and of the holy Ghost And withall the word In the name doeth shew the vnitie of God because it is said in the name and not in the names by the word name is also vnderstood the diuine power and authoritie which is one only in all the three persons These words of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost doe shew vnto vs the Trinitie of persons The signing in forme of
that the holie Ghost did this worke of the Incarnation Did not the Father and the Sonne also concurre therein M That which one Diuine Person worketh the other two worke likewise the same because they haue one and the same power wisdome and goodnesse yet notwithstanding the workes of power be attributed vnto the Father those of wisdome vnto the Son those of loue vnto the Holie Ghost and because this was a worke of the highest loue of God towards mankinde it is therefore attributed vnto the holy ghost S I would haue some example to vnderstand how all the three diuine Persons haue concurred to the Incarnation and yet the Sonne is onlie Incarnate M WheÌ„ one man putteth on a garment two others do help to cloth him three do then concur to the clothing of him yet one only is clothed so all the three diuine Persons concur to worke the Incarnation of the Sonne of God but onely the Sonne is incarnate and made man S Wherefore is it added in the article Borne of the Virgin Marie M Because in this also there is a strange mysterie that is that the Sonne of God came foorth of the wombe of his Mother at the end of the ninth moneth without paine or harme of his said Mother not leauing any signe there at all euen as hee did when rising from death he went out of the close Sepulchre and when he entred and went foorth of the chamber where his Disciples were the doores being shut there vpon it is saide that the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ was alwaies a Virgin before his birth in his birth and after his birth Of the fourth Article S VVHat meaneth that which followeth in the fourth article Hee suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucified dead buried M This Article conteineth the most profitable mysterie of our redemption and the summe is that Christ after he had conuersed in this world about thirtie three yeares and had taught with his most holy life his doctrine and his miracles the way of saluation was vnjustly caused by Pontius Pilate who was gouernour of Iewrie to be whipped and nayled vpon a Crosse vpon the which hee dyed and by certaine holy men was buried S Concerning this mysterie there do occurre vnto me some doubts I desire by you to be cleered of theÌ„ to the end I may be the more grateful vnto God for so great a benefite by how much I shall the better vnderstand it Tell me then if Christ be the Sonne of God omnipotent how happened it that he was not deliuered by his Father out of the handes of Pilate Or rather if the same Christ be God wherefore did hee not deliuer himselfe M Christ could if hee would haue deliuered himselfe by a thousande meanes out of the handes of Pilate Yea more the whole world had not bin able to do him any euil if he had not bin willing and this is clearely seene because he knew foretolde vnto his Disciples that the Iewes would seeke to put him to death that they would whippe him stone him and finallie kill him Yet he did not hide himselfe but went to meete his enemies And when they sought to take him and knew him not hee said vnto them himselfe hee was that man for whom they sought at which time also they al faling backwards as dead meÌ„ he did not depart thence as he might haue done but expected permitted them to recouer theÌ„selues after he suffred him selfe to be taken bound led like a meeke Lambe where they would S For What cause did Christ being innocent suffer him selfe to be vniustly crucified and slaine M For manie reasons But the principal reason was to satisfie vnto God for our sinnes For you haue to know that the offence is measured according to the dignitie of him who is offended and contrariewise the satisfaction is measured according to the dignitie of him who doth satisfie as for example if a seruant should geue his Prince a blow it should be esteemed a most greeuous offence according to the greatnes of the prince but if a prince should giue his seruant a blowe it were a smal matter according to the base estate of the seruant And contrariwise if a seruant take off his cappe vnto his Prince it is but little esteemed but if the Prince should take off his vnto his seruant it would be a notable fauour according to the rule we speake of Now because the first man and with him al we haue offended God who is of so infinite dignitie the offence did require infinite satisfaction and because there was neither man nor Angel of so great dignitie therefore the Sonne of God came who being God and of infinite dignitie hauing taken mortal flesh in the same flesh he submitted him selfe for the honour of God to the death of the Crosse and so satisfied with his paines for our faults S What other cause is there for which Christ would suffer so bitter a death M To teach vs by his example the vertues of Patience Humilitie Obedience and of Charitie which are foure vertues signified in the foure extreame parts of the Crosse because greater patience can not be found then to suffer vniustly so ignominious a death nor greater humilitie then for the Lord of all Lordes to submit him selfe to be crucified betwixt thieues nor greater obedience then to be willing rather to die then not to fulfil the commandement of his Father nor greater charitie then to yeeld his life to saue his enimies And you must know that Charitie is more shewed in deedes then in wordes more in suffering then in doing And so Christ who would not only bestow vpon vs infinit benifits but suffer also die for vs hath shewed that he loueth vs most ardently S Seeing Christ is God and man as you saied before and it semeth that God can not suffer nor die how do we then say that he suffered and died M Christ being God and man can suffer not suffer die not die for in that he is God could neither suffer nor die but as he is man he could both suffer and die and therefore I â—old you that being God hee was made man to satisfie for our sinnes suffering the paines of death in his most holie flesh which he could not haue done if he had not been man S If Christ haue satisfied his Father for the sinnes of all men whence â—ommeth it that so many are damned that we haue neede to doe penance for our sinnes M Christ hath satisfied for the sins â—f all men but it is necessarie to apâ—lie this satisfaction in particular to â—his man and to that man which is one by faith by the Sacraments by good workes and particularlie by penance therefore we haue neede â—o do penance other good works though Christ haue suffered and wrought for vs And the cause that many are daÌ„ned or remaine enemies to God is for that either they
each one would be cōtent with his own not couet that belōgeth to an other ther should neuer be war nor discorde S What bee the vices contrarie to Iustice M They are two One is Iniustice that is when one taketh that which belongeth to an other or in cōtracts giueth lesse then he ought or taketh more then is due to him The other is too much justice that is whē one is too rigorous wreasteth things by pretence of justice more seueerely then reason requireth For in some cases it is necessarie that compassion bee mixed with justice As if a poore man can not pay all he oweth presently without his great losse or damage it is a reasonable thing and just that he haue a litle time graunted him and to denie him the same is to great rigour S What is Fortitude and what is the office thereof M It is a vertue which maketh vs ready to ouercom al difficulties that would otherwise hinder vs frō doing wel it reacheth euen to suffering death whē it is necessary for the glorie of god or for performing our duty so al holy martirs haue triūphed ouer their persecutors by this vertue in like maner al valiāt soldiars which in iust wars haue made so great proofe of their valour haue become glorious by the same vertue S what be vices cōtrary to fortitude M They are cowardlines audacious temeritie For cowardlines maketh one to yeeld too easely Which cōmeth of the lacke of fortitude audatious temeritie maketh one put himselfe in danger when there is no need Which so to tearme it is too much fortitude And it deserueth no praise but blame and therefore is no vertue but a vice S What is Temperance and what is the office thereof M Temperance is a vertue that bridleth sensuall delights maketh a man to content himselfe with such pleasures and in that measure as reason alloweth S What are the vices contrarie to Temperance M They are Intemperance and Insensibility Intemperance is when one is too much giuen to delights and therefore committeth excesses in eating and such thinges as doe hurt both the soule and the bodie Insensibilitie is when a man vseth the other extreame and so flyeth all pleasures that he wil not eate things necessarie for his health to auoyd that little delectation which conuenient meats doe naturally bring But the vice of intēperance is much more common amongst men then the vice of insensibilitie And therefore all holie men by word and example haue exhorted vs to fasting to mortification of the flesh Cap. XIII Of the seauen gifts of the Holie Ghost S VVHich be the seuen gifts of the Holie Ghost M They are those which the Prophet Isaie hath taught vs to wit Wisdome Vnderstanding Counsaile Fortitude Knowledge Pietie and the Feare of our Lord. S Whereto do these gifts help vs M To attaine to the perfection of Christian life For they are as the ladder by which wee clime vp from the state of sinne by diuers degrees euen to the highest of sanctitie But you must knowe that the Prophet numbreth these steppes comming downwards For he did see as it were a ladder which came from Heauen Neuertheles we will recoont the ascending as going vpwards ascending from earth to heauen The first degree then is the Feare of our lord which doth terrifie a sinner whē he thinketh that he hath God almighty his enemiet the second degree is Pietie For he that feareth punishment which God threatneth against a sinner beginneth to become godlie desireth to obey and serue God and to worke his holie will in all things The thirde degree is Knowledge for that hee vvho desireth to vvorke the vvill of God demaundeth of God that he will teach him his holie commandements God partly by Preachers partly by books partly by inwarde inspirations teacheth him all that is necessarie The fourth degree is Fortitude for hee that knoweth and is willing in all thinges to serue God findeth many difficulties tentatiōs of the world the flesh the diuel And therefore god at that time of need giueth him the gift of Fortitude that he may ouercome al difficulties The fift degree is Counsell for when the diuell cannot preuaile by force he turneth himself to decepts and vnder pretence of good prouoketh the just man to fall yet God doth not abandon him but giueth him the gift of Counsell by which he preuaileth against the deceipts of the enemy the sixt is the gift of Vnderstāding for when a mā is wel exercised in actiue life and hath had many victories against the diuel god doth draw him exalt him to contemplatiue life and with the gifte of vnderstanding maketh him to vnderstande and penitrate diuine Mysteries The seauenth is the gift of Wisdome which is the cōplement of perfection For he is wise that knoweth the first cause of all thinges and according thereto formeth al his actions which none can doe but hee that joyneth perfect charitie to the gift of vnderstanding For by the vnderstanding he knoweth the first cause and by charitie hee directeth and disposeth all thinges vnto it as vnto the last ende And because wisdome joyneth the affection to vnderstanding therefore it is called wisdome that is sauorie knowledge as Saint Barnard teacheth vs. Cap. XIIII Of the eight beatitudes S VVHat are the eight beatitudes which our Lord taught vs in the Gospel M They are an other ladder to clime vnto perfection like vnto that of the gifts of the Holie Ghost For that in seauen sentences are conteyned seauen degrees to arriue vnto beatititude And lastly the eight doth geue vs a signe to know whether a man haue ascended vp these degrees or no. S Declare vnto mee this ladder briefly M Christ our Lord in the three first degrees teacheth vs to take away the impediments of perfection whereby we ascend vnto felicitie The generall and ordinarie impediments are three the desire of goods of honors and pleasures So Christ saith in the first degree that the poore in spirit are blessed that is those who willingly dispise goods In the second he saith that the meeke are blessed that is those that geue place to all not resisting those that put themselues before and thrust them behinde In the third he saith that those are blessed that weepe that is those that seeke not the delights and pleasures of the world but attend to do penance and to be waile their sinnes In other two degrees he teacheth vs the perfection of the actiue life which consisteth in fulfilling all that wee are bound vnto by iustice and by charitie Therefore he saith in the fourth degree that those are blessed that hunger and thirst iustice And in the fift he saith that the mercifull are blessed In the last two he draweth vs to perfection of the contemplatiue life and therfore he saith in the sixt that they are blessed that haue a cleane hart for they shall see God that is they shall
because by Indulgence is satisfied onely for the bond of paine or punishment but by these workes we do both satisfie and withall merite eternall life but best of all is to vse both their helps satisfying our selues so much as wee can withall taking Indulgences Of the Sacrament of extreame Vnction S VVHat is Extreame Vnction M Extreame Vnction is a Sacrament which our Lord instituted for the sick It is called Vnction because it consisteth in annoynting the sicke with holie Oyle and receyting ouer him certaine prayers And it is called Extreame as being the last amongst the Vnctions which are vsed in the Sacramēts of the church For the first vnction is giuen in Baptisme the second in confirmatiō the third in Priesthood the last in sicknes it may also be called extreme for that it is giuē at the end of the life S What be the effects of this Sacrament M They are three The first is remission of sins that remaine sometimes after the other Sacraments to wit those which the party did not remember or not know and which if he had knowen and remembred he would willingly haue repented and confessed them The second is to cōsort the sicke to make him stronger in spirite in that time when hee findeth himselfe oppressed with bodely infirmities and with temptations of the diuel The third is to restore the health of the bodie if that be expedient for the eternal saluation of the same sicke person And these three effects are signifyed by the oyle which is vsed in this Sacrament for that oyle refresheth strengthneth and healeth S At what time ought this Sacrament to be receiued M In this many doe commit great error who wil not take this Sacramēt but when they are in departing this life for the true time to take it is whē the phisitions iudge the disease to be dangerous for when humane remedies seem to be insufficient the celestial remedies are chiefly to besought for And so sometimes it hapneth that by the meanes of this holy oyle the sicke party doth recouer health therefore as this Sacrament ought not to bee demanded when there is no danger to die so ought it not to be deferred so long till there bee no hope remaining And this is the cause why holie oyle is not giuen to those that are put to death by justice because such are neither sicke nor haue hope of life Of the Sacrament of Order S VVHat is the Sacrament of Order M It is a Sacrament in whtch power is giuen to consecrate the most holie Eucharist and to minister the other Sacraments to the people or to serue by proper offiee those that haue receiued such power And it is called Order because there are manie degrees in this Sacrament one subordinate to an other As Priests Deacons and other inferiors But of these there is no neede to tell you any more seing this Sacrament doth not pertaine to all but only to men of yeares and learning who are not to learne the Christian doctrine but rather it belongeth to them to teach others Of the Sacrament of Marriage S VVHat is the Sacrament of Matrimonie M The Sacrament of Matrimonie is the lawfull joyning of man and woman in holie wedlocke which signifyeth and representeth the Vnion of Christ with his Church by the Incarnation and the vnion of God with the soule by grace S What effects worketh this Sacrament M First it giueth grace to the husband the wife to comport thēselues wel to loue each other spiritually as Christ loueth his Church and as God loueth a faithful just soule Secondly it conferreth grace to know and to desire to bring vp their children in the feare of God Thirdly it produceth a bonde betweene the husband and the wife so straight that it is not possible to bee dissolued like as betweene Christ his Church And hereof it commeth that no bodie can dispence that the husband leaue his first wife take an other neither that the wife leaue her first husband and take an other S What is necessarie to the making of Mariage M Three things are necessarie First that the parties be without impediment to be ioyned together that is that they be not kinsfolkes within the fourth degree that they haue no solemne vowe of chastitie nor the like Secondly that in contracting of Matrimonie there be witnesses and that in particular the Curate or proper Pastor be present or as wee cal him the Parrish Priest Thirdly that the consent of both parties be free not forced by any great feare that it be expressed by wordes or some equiualent signe And if anie of these three things shal be wanting the Mariage is not of force S Whether is it better to take the Sacrament of matrimonie or to kepe virginitie M The Apostle S. Paul hath cleered this doubt hauing written that who ioyneth himselfe in Mariage doth wel but he that doth not ioyne himself but keepeth virginitie doth better And the reason is because Mariage is a thing humane virginitie is Angelical Mariage is according to nature Virginitie is aboue nature And not only virginitie but widowhood also is better then mariage Therefore whereas our Sauiour said in a parable that the good seede yelded in one field thirtie fold fruit in an other threescore in an other a hundred fold the holie Doctors haue declared that the thirtie fold fruite is of Matrimonie the threescore fold of widowhood hundereth fold of virginitie Cap. X. Of vertues in general YOv haue declared the foure principall partes of Christian Doctrine I desire to know if there be any thing else to learne M The necessarie thinges to bee knowne are those foure which I haue already shewed you But there be some other things profitable also to the end we pretend of obtayning eternall saluation to wit Vertues and Vices good workes and sinnes For albeit wee haue spoken alreadie of these things in general in the declaration of the Creede and of the Commandements yet it will be very profitable to speake of them more distinctly and in particular S Tell me then what is vertue M Vertue is a qualitie which is receiued in the soule and maketh a man good For as science maketh a man a good Philosopher and art maketh one a good artificer so vertue maketh a good man and causeth him to doe that which is good and that with facilitie readinesse and perfection Whereas hee that hath not vertue though hee may sometimes do well yet he shall not doe it without difficultie and imperfection whereof to giue you some example vertue is like to art and practise For you see one that hath art to play on the Citerone or Lute playeth both wel with facilitie although he neuer look vpō the strings where as an other that hath not the art or hath not practise may well touch the strings and make them sounde but hee shall neither doe it readily nor so well Euen so hee that hath the vertue for