INSTRUCTION CONCERNING PENANCE AND HOLY COMMUNION The Second Part OF THE Instruction of YOUTH Containing the Means how we may return to God by Penance and remain in his Grace by the good and frequent use of the Sacraments By CHARLES GOBINET Doctor of Divinity of the House and Society of SORBON Principal of the College of PLESSIS-SORBON The Last Edition in French now render'd into English LONDON Printed by J. B. and are to be Sold by Mathew Turner at the Lamb in High Holborn and John Tootell at Mr. Palmers the Bookbinder in Silverstreet in Bloomsbury Together with the First Part of the Instruction of Youth in Christian Piety 1689. A DEDICATORY PRAYER TO OUR LORD JESVS CHRIST MY Lord and my God permit me also to consecrate this Second Instruction to thee and lay it at the foot of thy Cross to which I invite thy Children and beg the favour of thy Benediction That which thou hast been pleased to bestow upon the First I made gives me hopes that thou hast yet reserv'd a blessing for this Second and that in respect of the things therein contained which are the Sacraments thy own work thou wilt not fail to bless it It s whole design is to instruct thy Children to teach them to frequent and make good use of the Sacraments Sacraments which with so much Charity thou hast instituted that thereby thou mightest conferr thy Grace upon us We see to our great grief that they have not that esteem which is due to them and that for want of the knowledge of their worth and grandure and the advantage which from thence arises to us many either neglect to approach unto them or at least do not always take care to provide themselves with convenient dispositions when they come Thou presentest them with holy Penance that thereby they may be freed from the Slavery of their Sins but it often happens that like the Israelites in the Aegyptian Bondage they choose rather to continue captives as before then to accept thy offer Thou bestowest upon them Celestial food for their nourishment and to strengthen them whom once thou hast received into thy Grace but by reason they are ignorant of the excellence of the gift they either refuse or neglect to take it and permit themselves Spiritually to be starv'd in the Desart of this Mortal Life This Bread of Angels agrees not with their tast so deprav'd it is that they preferr the Onions of Aegypt before this Heavenly Manna Divine Jesus open their eyes who live thus contented in their misery Make them feel the weight of their Chains make them sensible of the danger of that Servitude wherein they are detained by Sin make them ashamed so to affront thee and debase themselves as to serve the Devil that Enemy of thy Glory and their own Salvation Grant them Grace to aspire to that liberty which thy Children the Children of God enjoy that to this end they may embrace Holy Penance and thereby be entirely converted to thee and that their actions may testify the sincerity of their hearts That they may encrease and be strengthen'd in thy Grace by means of this Celestial Bread and that by frequently feeding upon thy pretious Body and Blood they may happily pass through the dangers of this Life to the Land of Promise which is thy Heavenly Kingdom where thou livest and Reignest Eternally AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER I Here present you Dear Reader with this Second Instruction for the use of young People and also of all such as are pleased to make use of it that they may learn how they may rightly employ these two grand means Penance and the Holy Eucharist instituted by Christ for our Salvation I have discoursed already of these two Sacraments in the Second Part of the First Instruction But I did it with that brevity which is necessary to be observed in matters which one treats of only in passant or by the by as accessories to the main point he designs to handle Since that time I have often observed that what I had said of them was not enough to give young People a full view or a perfect understanding of these two Sacraments and to facilitate the use thereof Therefore it seemed to me very convenient that they should have a Book wherein they might be solidly instructed in what concerns these two important Subjects and benefit themselves thereby upon either of these two occasions viz. 1. When they find themselves moved to return to God by a sincere Repentance and to consecrate themselves wholly to his Service by a true change of their former course of life and to this effect have need to make a general Confession of their life past as we have said in the Second Part the Sixth Chapter of the first Instruction 2. When after this general Confession they are willing to continue in the frequent use of these two Sacraments that they may do it as far as it may be needfull to conserve them in the grace of God and to advance in Virtue And this was the motive I had to undertake this Instruction wherein I supply what was defective in the former aend perform the two things I have but even now spoken of For in the four first parts of the Instruction concerning Penance I shew them the proper means whereby they may return to God The first of which is an exhortation to change our life and totally to addict our selves to Virtue In the Second I shew them the way to compass this design by treating at large of Contrition of the enormity of Sin and the practice of this great Virtue In the Third and Fourth I treat of Sacramental Confession and Satisfaction and whatsoever else is necessary for the worthy receiving of that Sacrament Afterwards in the Fifth Part I speak of the means to conserve the Grace which one hath received by the Sacrament and to persever in a truly holy and Christian life And the Instruction which follows concerning Communion may also serve for the same end For it is most certain that this Divine Sacrament is one of the chiefest means which God hath bestowed upon us to conserve us in his Grace Hence it is easy to perceive that this Instruction is not so much a Second Book as a continuation or conclusion of the first I made I have taken an occasion to intermix some necessary points which one is obliged to know as the explication of the Principal Mysteries of our Faith which I have plac'd in the first Part of the Instruction concerning Communion and that of the three Theological Virtues Faith Hope and Charity which you will find in the Second Part of the same Instruction Virtues which are the ground-work of our Salvation and upon which as St. Augustin de Verb. Apost hath it the house of God which is raised up by his Grace is built I have also taken occasion to explain the Commandments of God in the examen of Sins which I have plac'd at
sincerity of Intention both which are necessary to Communicate worthily as we have already said there remains a third disposition that we may Communicate with more Fruit and get a larger portion of his grace and it is actual Devotion which we ought to have when we Communicate There are almost infinite ways to practice this devotion which several Books teach in several manners But I am persuaded there is none more profitable and at the same time more solid then that which is reduced to the practice of the three Theological Virtues Faith Hope Charity These three comprehend the practice of all other Christian Virtues And as it is necessary that our Souls be possessors of them to be in a condition to Communicate worthily and as we ought that is in the State of Grace One cannot better receive Jesus Christ nor afford him a more gratefull entertainment then if when he actually Communicates he practice the acts of these three great and Divine Virtues as we shall shew in the three following Chapters CHAP. I. Of Faith inasmuch as it serves for Communion ARTICLE I. How necessary it is and in what manner WE have already declar'd in the first part that Faith is a gift of God by which we believe the truth which he hath revealed unto us And this makes us to remark a distinction which we must observe as well in this virtue as in the other two viz. betwixt Faith as it is a Virtue and the same as it is an Action The Virtue of faith is that interiour light which is given us by God that we may know and believe the truth The Action or act is the actuall credit or belief which we give to the truth revealed when we say I believe this truth The One and the Other are necessary for Communion whosoever is not endowed with faith as it is a Virtue is an unworthy Communicant and he that approaches to the Communion without an Act of faith shall not receive the fruits thereof The greatest difficulty we find in this place is not in having the Virtue of faith for all those who are baptized have received this in Baptisme and they conserve it still except they have lost it either by misbelief or any willfull doubt In which case it must be repaired by believing and doing penance But as to what concerns the acts of faith they require an application of the mind and heart to practice them as we ought that is to say with necessary knowledge and the constancy which is fit Whereof we are about to treat ARTICLE II. That to Communicate well it is not sufficient to have Faith but we must practice the Acts thereof and how profitable they are in Communion WHosoever then is without Faith is an unworthy Communicant since without faith it is impossible to please God as the Apostle affirms Heb. 11.6 and he that doth not please God cannot be worthy to receive It is also necessary to have faith not only of all the misteries of our Religion but we must have it in particular of this here and it is required that we have made acts of faith which we have never revoked nor changed But I say moreover that to receive the benefit of Communion we must practice the Acts of this Faith before at the time and after Communion and that the chiefest fruit of this grand and important action depends upon the punctuall performance of the acts of these three virtues of Faith of Hope and of Charity The reason is very obvious for it is certain that the Sacraments work their effects proportionably to the measure of the disposition of the receiver and that they give a far greater plenty of graces to those who are interiourly better disposed and render themselves more worthy of them Now this perfecter preparation of the heart is made by the acts of Christian virtues particularly by those of Faith Hope Charity which are the first in dignity and contain all the rest That which St. Cyprian Epist ad Don. affirms of the Sacrament of Baptism is verified in all the others but more especially in that of the Holy Eucharist That we draw from thence more grace according to the greatness and capacity of the Faith we bring with us to receive One needs no more then ardently to desire it and open his heart to God and give him room to fill it Quantum illic fidei capacis afferimus tantum gratiae inundantis haurimus nostrum tantum sitiat pectus pateat Where it is to be observed that this Holy Father in these excellent words points at the three Virtues we have already spoke of He saith that with this strong Faith it is necessary that we desire the grace of God and open our hearts to receive it Now we desire by Hope and we open our hearts by Charity and the love of God. Moreover let us add as the proper and peculiar reason in the Sacrament of the Eucharist that it is a Celestial Banquet wherein we receive the nourishment of our Souls Now who is there but he knows that Meat except it be eaten with a good appetite and with a stomach well disposed to digest the food by its natural heat and change it into its own substance doth little good This is yet more certain in Spiritual nutriment which requires not either less action or co-operation and concurrence of our Soul on our side to benefit it as we ought And without question we need not seek for any other causes of the small advantage we draw from our Communions altho' otherwise we receive in the State of Grace then the coldness and indevotion with which we perform this duty which stops the hands of Jesus Christ and hinders him from imparting his favours to those who receive him with so much indifference and so unconcerned If this reason were not sufficiently efficacious I should add also without leaving the comparison of a Feast that we ought indeed to come cloath'd with the Nuptial Garment that is with Sanctifying Grace to this Sacred Banquet of Holy Communion but this ought not to satisfie or be enough for those who desire to Communicate with the advantage they are capable to receive from thence for to let this suffice would be as if a man being invited to a Feast by a Person of Quality should content himself to go thither well cloath'd and in his best Apparel but when he comes should refuse to discourse with him or speak one word What should we say of such an action as this Had we not just cause to judge that this Person had but little regard or esteem for him whose invited Guest he was and that he contemned or at least slighted his friendship and the particular favours which he might receive at his hands and yet this is what you your self are guilty of Theotime in respect of Jesus Christ when you Communicate unconcerned carelesly with tepidity and indevotion Remember I beseech you that it is not enough to
152. Chap. 3. Excellent Reasons out of the Council of Trent to shew why God remitting the Sin by Penance obliges the penitent Sinner to a Temporal punishment Pag. 156. Chap. 4. Wherein Satisfaction consists and whether it be essential to the Sacrament of Penance Pag. 159. Chap. 5. Of the Conditions which Satisfaction ought to have on behalf of the Ghostly Father Pag. 161. Chap. 6. Of the Conditions of Satisfaction in respect of the Penitent Pag. 167. Chap. 7. Of the Works which may be enjoined for Penance Pag. 172. Chap. 8. That the Penitent who truly desires to work his Salvation ought not to content himself with the Penance enjoined him in the Sacrament but he ought to perform others and how Pag. 175. Chap. 9. Of Sacramental Absolution what it is wherein it consists and what are its effects Pag. 178. Chap. 10. Of the dispositions necessary to receive Absolution and of the cases wherein it ought to be denied or deferr'd Pag. 179. Chap. 11. Of the Choice of a Confessor Pag. 182. PART V. OF the Preservation of Grace after Confession against relapse into Sin. Pag. 187. Chap. 1. Of the importance of this Subject Ibid. Chap. 2. How the relapse into Sin is a very great Evil. Pag. 190. Chap. 3. Of three great indignities which occur in the Sin of relapse the Ingratitude the Perfidiousness and the Contempt of God. Pag. 192. Chap. 4. That those who relapse frequently into their Sins have reason to dread their Salvation Pag. 196. Chap. 5. A further Confirmation of this truth from other proofs and first from the uncertainty of their Confessions who relapse frequently into their Sins Pag. 201. Chap. 6. An excellent Advertisement of St Gregory concerning the false Repentance of those who relapse into their former Sins Pag. 205. Chap. 7. That by relapsing into Sin we lose great part of the fruit of our precedent good Confessions Pag. 207. Chap. 8. That by frequent relapse into Sin one always falls into a worse condition then before Pag. 209. Chap. 9. That frequent relapse into Sin leads to final Impenitence and to an Evil death or to dye in mortal Sin. Pag. 212. Chap. 10. Of the remedies against relapse into Sin. Pag. 216. Chap. 11. Of the means which Penitents ought to observe to avoid any relapse into Sin. Pag. 224. A Table of Sins or an Examen of Conscience upon the Commandments of Gods Law and of the Church and upon the Seven Deadly Sins Pag. 229. The Examen upon the first Commandment Pag. 230. The Sins against Faith. Ibid. The Sins against Hope Pag. 234. The Sins against Charity Pag. 236. The Sins against the Virtue of Religion Pag. 238. The Sins against the care we ought to have of our Salvation Pag. 241. The Examen upon the Second Commandment Pag. 244. The Examen upon the Third Commandment Pag. 247. The Examen upon the Fourth Commandment Pag. 249. The Examen upon the Fifth Commandment Pag. 254. The Examen upon the Sixth Commandment Pag. 255. The Examen upon the Seventh Commandment Pag. 259. The Examen upon the Eighth Commandment Pag. 261. The Examen upon the 9. 10. Commandment Pag. 264. The Examen upon the precepts of the Church Pag. 265. The Examen concerning the Seven Deadly Sins Pag. 266. Of the Sin of Pride Ibid. Of Covetousness Luxury and Sloth Pag. 270. Of Gluttony Ibid. Of Envy Pag. 271. Of the Sin of Anger Pag. 272. The Examen of the Sins which one commits by another Pag. 274. The Examen of the Sins of Students Pag. 279. A TABLE of the Parts and Chapters contained in the Instruction concerning the Holy Communion THe Preface Pag. 281. Of the necessity of this Instruction and the order observed therein ibid. The Division of the Treatise Pag. 282. The First Part. Pag. 283. Of the Doctrine that is to say of the Truths it imports us to know concerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist ibid. Chap. 1. Of Faith. Pag. 284. Quest 1. What is it that we are obliged to know concerning Faith in general Pag. 285. Qu. 2. What is Faith ibid. Qu. 3. Who is the Author of Faith ibid. Qu. 4. What is the Action Object and Motive of Faith Pag. 286. Qu. 5. By what ways it hath pleas'd God to convey these Truths unto us ibid. Qu. 6. What is the Rule of Faith Pag. 287. Qu. 7. What Qualities or Conditions ought our Faith to have Pag. 291. Chap. 2. Of the things we are obliged to believe Pag. 294. Art. 1. What are we obliged to believe of God Pag. 295. Art. 2. What are we obliged to believe of Jesus Christ Pag. 296. Qu. 1. What is Jesus Christ ibid. Qu. 2. Why was he made man Pag. 297. Qu. 3. In what doth the Incarnation consist ibid. Qu. 4. How was this Divine Vnion accomplish'd Pag. 298. Qu. 5. What is it that the Son of God hath done for our Redemption Pag. 299. Art. 3. What are we obliged to believe concerning the Church Pag. 300. Art. 4. What are we obliged to believe concerning the Sacraments Pag. 303. Chap. 3. Of the Holy Eucharist Pag. 306. Art. 1. Of the real prefence of the Son of God in the Eucharist and of what we are to believe concerning this Sacrament Pag. 307. Art. 2. Of the Wonders which occur in this Saerament Pag. 309. Art. 3. Of the Effects of the Holy Eucharist Pag. 311. Art. 4. Of the Dispositions required to Communicate well and as we ought Pag. 314. Art. 5. Of an unworthy Communion Pag. 316. Of the Damages which follow from an unworthy Communion Pag. 320. Art. 6. Of the end we ought to propose to our selves in the Holy Communion Pag. 322. PART II. OF the Practice of Communion or what we must do to Communicate well and as we ought Pag. 325. Chap. 1. Of Faith in as much as it serves for Communion Pag. 326. Art. 1. How necessary it is and in what manner Ib. Art. 2. That to Communicate well it is not sufficient to have Faith but we must practice the acts thereof and how profitable they are in Communion Pag. 327. Art. 3. The Practice of the acts of Faith for Communion Pag. 331. An Act of Faith upon the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament Pag. 332. Vpon the wonders which occur in the Blessed Sacrament Pag. 333. Vpon the effects which the Holy Eucharist is capable to produce in the Soul. Pag. 335. Chap. 2. Of Hope the second disposition for Communion Pag. 339. Art. 1. What is Hope ibid. Art. 2. Of the good which we expect by Hope Pag. 341. Art. 3. That it is necessary to distinguish well betwixt True and False Good and Bad Hope Pag. 344. Art. 4. Of the great Blessings which Hope derives upon us Pag. 347. Art. 5. That the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist is of great use to fortify and augment Hope the Virtue in us Pag. 351. Art. 6. That the Practice of Hope is a good and great disposition to the Holy Communion
better the grievousness thereof SInce it is most certain that the best way to know a cause is to consider its effects doubtless the best means to discover the grievousness of Mortal Sin is to reflect on the Sad effects which followed from it We have said before that we could not perfectly know Sin in it self because it is the Supreme evil which is infinite no more then we can understand in it self the Supreme and Sovereign good which is God. But as by the effects which we see of his Power of his Wisdom of his Goodness we arrive at some knowledge of God So on the Contrary we may find out in some sort the heinousness of Sin if we do but consider attentively the Dreadful effects it causes and the horrible misfortunes which it carries with it And all these effects are as so many Powerfull motives of Contrition to make us detest and abhor Sin. To discover it the better we shall observe some order and search for it in several places viz. in our selves in Heaven in Hell in God himself and in his Son Jesus Christ ARTICLE I. Of the death of the Soul or the sad effects which Sin produceth in his Soul who commits it I Begin with the Death of the Soul because this is the first effect which Sin produceth as soon as ever is is committed Peccatum cum consummatum fuerit generat mortem Jac. 1. And I would to God it were as sensible as it is real and that those who are so unfortunate as to fall into Mortal Sin might exactly know the greatness of the evil which thereby they draw upon themselves as really in it self it is and resent it as it deserves It is for this reason that I desire to explicate it unto you and make you understand it Sin then saith the Scripture is no sooner finished but immediately it causeth Death It 's certain that it is not the death of the Body for a man doth not dye in the moment he hath committed it It is then the death of the Soul a thousand times more dreadfull then that of the Body for this doth but separate the Soul from the Body but the Death which is caused by Sin is a Separation of the Soul from God who is a Supernatural Life as St. Aug. saith vita corporis anima est vita animae Deus est And as this life which God gives the Soul is infinitely more estimable then that which the Soul confers upon the Body which it animates so the Death which causeth the loss of that Divine Life is infinitely more dreadfull and Lamentable then naturall Death To understand this well you must know what God hath reveal'd and we believe concerning a Soul which hath the Blessing to be in the State of the Grace of God And it is this when God receives a Soul into his Friendship he Cloathes her with the Robe of Sanctifying Grace a supernatural and Divine quality which cleanseth the Soul from all the spots of Sin and renders her agreeable to the eyes of God. And at the same moment he replenisheth her with Divine gifts as Faith Hope Charity and other Christian Virtues Then by the means of that Grace God dwells in that Soul after a particular manner he makes her his Temple and Habitation where he is pleased to be adored and loved by the Souls that possess him Lastly he interchangeably communicates himself unto her filling her with his holy Spirit and Divine Inspirations All these truths are drawn from the express words of the Sacred Scripture As from that where God promises That he will pour upon us a clean water which will cleanse us from all our stains Ezek. 36. This water is Sanctifying Grace From that where he saith That the Charity of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. That we are the Temples of the Living God and that the Spirit of God doth dwell in us 1. Cor. 3. from those words where our Saviour saith If any one love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our Dwelling with him Joh. 14. From those words of St. John. God is Charity and he who remains in Charity remains with God and God with him 1. Joh. 4. There are a great number of the like passages which clearly represent unto us the state of a Soul Sanctifyed by Grace and the great happiness she enjoys in that condition wherein she possesses God himself and is possessed by him Now all this felicity is constant and permanent as to what relates to God whose gifts are without repentance as the Scripture saith only the Soul can deprive her self of and destroy in her self this happiness This misfortune befalls us when forgetfull of the infinite blessing we possess and permitting our selves to be surprized by the allurements of Sin we break that happy League and Alliance which God had made with us And this we do by a criminal disobedience whereby we incur the displeasure of God and lose in a moment all those inestimable goods which before we happyly enjoyed O God Theotime who can worthily express the dreadfull misfortune which happens to a Soul by one mortal sin and paint to the life the deplorable state to which it is reduced in the moment she offends in which the Soul in that very instant is deprived of the grace of God and of one beautifull and as an Angel in his sight becomes as hideous and hatefull as a Devil Quomodo obscuratum est aurum mutatus est color optimus Thren 4. Is there any subject where we may more sitly apply those dolefull words of Jeremy how comes it to pass that this Soul should be so defaced what is become of that grace which made her more bright then gold how is that divine beauty changed into so hideous a form It is an effect of the divine Anger which hath justly fill'd that Soul with cloudy darkness which before had unjustly banisht the light of Grace But that which is most to be lamented is that that Soul which formerly had the honour to be employ'd as the Temple of God now sees her self rejected by him with horrour and detestation and the Holy Ghost retired from her having abandoned her to be the dwelling-place of the Devil according to that sentence of the same Prophet repulit Dominus Altare suum maledixit sanctificationi suae God hath rejected his Altar and laid a curse upon the place where he was adored and sanctified Thren 2. Is it possible Theotime that you can read these words without trembling if you are in the state of Mortal Sin It is this forsaking of God and this loss of his grace which properly causes the death of the Soul infinitely more to be feared then that of the Body forasmuch as by the death of the body we are only deprived of the presence of the Soul death being only a separation of the Soul from
words it follows that the flesh of the Son of God as a Divine nourishment works in the Soul of the worthy receiver the same effects Spiritually which the best Corporal nourishment produceth corporally in the body of those who take it Now the effects of corporal nourishment are four or five 1. It conserves life 2. It makes one grow or encrease 3. It fortifies us 4. It preserves us against distempers Infine it gives us strength to be able to labour and to comply with all our respective duties By these we may judge of the effects of the Holy Eucharist The first is to conserve Grace which is the life of the Soul and therefore it is called the Bread of Life the Bread which gives Life unto the World. The Second is to augment the same grace and encrease the Christian Virtues Faith Hope and Charity This effect however it be common to all the Sacraments yet it is more peculiar to this as being more particularly instituted for the nourishment of the Soul and to make us increase and proceed from Virtue to Virtue till we come to the house of God. The third is to strengthen us against sin and the temptations which incline that way hence the Councill of Trent affirm'd Sess 13. c. 2. that this Sacrament is a preservative against Mortal and a remedy against Venial Sin. The fourth effect is that it heals the distempers that is the passions and disorderly affections of the Soul. It weakens concupiscence or gives new strength to overcome it It diminishes Choler Envy Pride and other Vices as St. Bernard Serm. de Coena Domini excellently well observes If any one says he does not find so frequent or so violent motions of Anger Envy Impurity or of other like passions let him give thanks to the body and blood of our Lord for it is the vertue of the Sacrament which produces in him these effects and let him rejoyce that the worst of Vlcers begin to heal Lastly the Holy Eucharist gives perseverance in the grace of God and in the way of Salvation in the midst of the various imminent dangers which we encounter in this Life and particularly when we draw near death whence it was given sometimes to Martyrs when they were ready to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ and the Church always takes care to Communicate the sick when they are in danger of Death that so they may be Strengthened in that dangerous passage and happily arrive at the haven of Salvation by means of this divine nourishment then called the Viaticum which is as much as to say the Provision for that voiage All these admirable effects evidently prove the greatness and excellence of this divine Sacrament and ought effectually to move us frequently to approach unto it and not neglect so many and so signal favours as God there presents unto us Yet we are to take notice that it doth not produce these Effects except in such persons as are rightly disposed to receive it as it deserves Of these dispositions we will now discourse ARTICLE IV. Of the dispositions required to Communicate well and as we ought WE shall inferr the dispositions from the same principle from which we gathered the effects viz. from the nature of the nourishment and Spiritual food we receive in the Holy Euchrist and as it produces the same effects in the Soul that food doth into the Body so also it requives proportionable dispositions in the Soul that nourishment doth to be beneficial to the Body Now Corporall nourishment we know requires three dispositions Life Health Action for a dead body is uncapable to be nourished an infirm Stomack can never make a good digestion nor is it possible to convert the food into our substance except that health be accompanied with our action which is the reason that the body to be nourished requires to be alive to be sound and well and to have an action of its own Thus the Eucharist that Celestiall food requires three dispositions in the Soul and without them it doth no good but harm The first is Sanctifying Grace which is the life of the Soul as mortall Sin is the death incompatible with it depriving us of this Supernatural life of the Soul Without this life the Soul not only receives no benefit from Communion but suffers also much detriment from this holy Table inofmuch as she becomes guilty of a new mortall Sin a Sacriledge which she commits by inviting the Authour of Life into the habitation of Death the author of Light into the place of Darkness and Jesus Christ into the company of the Devil This made St. Paul 1 Cor. 21.28 advertise all Communicants to examen themselves well when they approach to this holy table because saith the Apostle he who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himself The Second disposition is the interiour Health of the Soul which requires 1st that she be free from any affection to veniall Sin. 2ly that she be not actually moved either with Passions or Affections which may hinder her in her application and address to Jesus Christ And altho' these defects do not render the Communicant absolutely unworthy or the Communion Sacrilegious yet they cause very ill effects and considerably diminish the fruits which otherwise it would produce They hinder the Soul from digesting this sacred food by good thoughts and holy affections And as nutriment which lies indigested upon the Stomack begets crudities and causes Sickness in the body so this divine sustenance by means of these indispositions becomes prejudicial to the Soul. Thereby we contract tepidity and coldness in devotion Charity and other Virtues are considerably diminish'd our good actions weak and feeble our selves by degrees insensible of all good things which conduce to Piety And thus by degrees at last we are often brought into mortall Sin. The Third disposition is Action that is actual devotion To receive the fruits of this Sacrament it is not sufficient that we be not indisposed or that we do not put any obstacle to its effects it is necessary also that in this so religious an action wherein we receive the Holy of Holys and the Author of Holiness it self we concur with dispositions of our own which consist in the practice of Christian Virtues Of which we shall speak below in the Second Part of this Instruction ARTICLE V. Of an Vnworthy Communion AN ancient Lawgiver being ask'd why he had made no Laws against Paricides made answer because he esteemed that crime impossible that there could not be found Children so degenerate and unnaturall as to attempt the life of their own Parents I would to God we could say the same with truth in the point of Instruction concerning unworthy Communion or that we could truly say that it is not necessary to advertise Christians to avoid that so horrid Sacriledge because it is impossible for a man professing himself a Christian ever to be guilty of so enormous a crime against
produce in the Soul. IF you have yet time before Communion acknowledge in the presence of God the admirable effects which it produceth desire earnestly to be partaker of them and say from the bottom of your heart as follows I acknowledge O Saviour of Souls the wonderfull effects which thou workest in those who worthyly receive thee The many and singular tokens of thy love thou bestowest upon them the favours thou communicatest unto them I acknowledge that thou hast made thy self my meat to fill my Soul with so divine repast thou conservest in us the life of thy grace thou makest us encrease more and more therein thou strengthenest us in our weakness thou curest our infirmities thou preservest us from Sin thou givest us strength to persevere in thy grace and to walk so far and so secure amidst the dangers of this mortall till we come to immortall and everlasting life O my God! Blessed be thy holy name for these so many favours thou hast bestowed upon us Make me worthy to partake of all thy mercies in this holy Communion Approach to the Communion with this faith saying with the infirm woman in the Gospell Mat. 9.21 If I shall but touch the hem of his Garment I shall be cured After Communion withdrawing your self from the Holy Table into some convenient place adore profoundly our Lord who hath vouchsafed to come and dwell within you and considering attentively the great favours which he hath bestowed upon you by his divine presence pronounce from your heart those excellent words of S. David Psal 106.8.9 Confiteantur Domino misericordiae ejus mirabilia ejus filiis hominum quia satiavit animam inanem animam esurientem satiavit bonis Let the divine mercy proclaim and praise him every where and let his wonders be made known to the whole world because he hath fully satisfyed a dry and fill'd an empty Soul hath replenished her with blessings of all sorts O my God be thou blessed for so many favours which thou hast now bestowed upon me and for all the blessings with which thou hast enrich'd me after the great want and miseries which I endured when by my pleasures and my passions I had departed from thee Was not I most miserable and blind to seek in these vain pleasures repose and happiness which are not to be found but in thee alone I removed my self a far distance from thee to ruin my self for ever but thy goodness was such that it withdrew me from the precipice whether I was running to throw my self headlong down enlightning me with thy rays and calling me back unto thee by thy grace Thou hast pardoned me all my Sins and for the accomplishment of all these favours thou gavest thy self present with me to the end I may dwell with thee O my God! be thou blessed for all these infinite mercies and let all the Saints supply my defects and praise thee in my stead Confiteantur tibi Domine omnia opera tua Sancti tui benedicant tibi Ps 144.10 Stirr up your Soul that is your self to praise God for all the benefits which he hath at present conferred upon you with those gratefull sentiments of the same Prophet Psal 102. Benedic anima mea Domino Considering them attentively one after another O my Soul bless our Lord and let all that is within me praise and magnify his holy name Bless our Lord and never be unmindfull of the favours which he even now hath done thee Our Lord I say who hath pardoned all thy offences and hath cured all thy Infirmities Who hath preserved thee from death and who hath Crowned thee with the effects of his bounty He hath replenished thee with all the blessings which thou could'st wish considering all these favours now thou shalt mend thy Life and renewing thy forces grow young like an Eagle in the service of thy God. After you have Ponder'd well upon these Sacred words and have raised up in your self all the motions of gratitude and acknowledgment to God for the many and great favours he hath done you you shall conclude with a strong resolution to renew your self that is to say totally to change your life to amend your faults to dedicate your self from henceforth entirely to the Service of God. You shall demand grace at his hands and to this effect you shall beg of him a steady and constant Faith whose acts you have endeavoured to practice in this Communion You shall beseech him that he will vouchsafe to augment it not only in respect of this Holy Mystery but also in regard of all the other Christian Verities and Principles of Eternal Life to the end that by this Faith you may surmount all the difficulties and impediments you shall meet with in your Journey thither for it is most certain that those who have this great Virtue strongly imprinted in their Soul overcome all whatsoever difficulties occurr in the way of Salvation as St. Paul hath clearly shewn in his Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 11.33 Per fidem vicerunt regna operati sunt justitiam adepti sunt repromissiones By Faith they conquered Kingdoms they have done Justice they have obtained promises But all this is to be understood of an ardent faith enlivened with the flames of Charity as he himself elsewhere declares Gal. 5.6 Faith that worketh by Charity Read I entreat you the advice which hereafter shall be given you in the Seventh Article of the Third Chapter CHAP. II. Of Hope the second disposition for Communion HAving not as yet said any thing of this Virtue farther then what concern'd the Examen upon the First Commandment where I related the Sins which are opposite unto it I shall treat of it in this place so far as may be necessary to make it well known to all those who are not yet sufficiently instructed in it ARTICLE I. What is Hope IT is the Second of the three Theological Virtues so called because they respect God not only as their motive and their end as all other Christian Virtues do but also as their first and principal object To expect from the hand of God the things he hath promised us and which he hath prepar'd for his Servants is the proper effect of this Virtue wherefore it is defined a certain expectation of Eternal bliss and of the means to attain unto it This expectation is the proper act of this Virtue Hope which is a certain judgment which we form that God will be pleased to grant us Everlasting Life if we correspond with his mercies and be Faithfull in the Dispensations he hath commended to us for as St. Bernard observes very well in Psal 90. Serm. 10. Faith tells us that there are great rewards prepared for Gods Faithfull Servants Hope says that these are reserved for me Charity is the third and saith I run that I may reach to them and enjoy them It is of this expectation which the Prophet speaks Thren 3.24 Our Lord is my portion
Heaven taking his pleasure in this Life should love his Inn better then his own House 4. This Hope makes the Just Man labour for his Salvation and becoming daily better and better render himself worthy of his heavenly vocation as St. John saith 1 Jo. 3.3 Every one who hath this hope in God doth Sanctify himself as God is holy This hope gives him strength to conquer all difficulties and wings to fly in the way of Gods commandments as the Prophet Isay 40.31 speaks They who hope in God says he shall change their strength that is receive a new force they shall have wings as an Angel they shall run with ease they shall travel without failing by the way 5ly This same Hope encourageth us in temptations it gives us strength to encounter them For what greater encouragement can there be in these occasions then to know that God is with us that he assists us in the fight and gives us strength to overcome and that he hath prepared an eternal reward for those that conquer He whose heart is replenished with Hope doth he not say with David whensoever he is tempted Ps 22.4 O my God I will not be afraid of any harm being thou art with me Ps 26.1 Our Lord is my light and my Salvation whom should I fear v. 3. If war shall be rais'd against me I will hope in him Ps 7.1 O Lord I hope in thee save me and deliver me from all my persecutors For this reason St. Paul 1. Thes 5.8 calls hope the Helmet of Christians Take says he for thy helmet the hope of Salvation For as a head-peice it preserves us from the blows of the enemy and the mortall wounds which he endeavours to give us In fine Hope guards us excellently well and is of infinite use in afflictions of which this mortall life is full Herein it is that we find our refuge our comfort and our strength when we consider with attention that these miseries cannot last always they will have an end and will be followed with an eternall joy if we suffer them with patience as it is but fit and just we should And when we ponder well upon those excellent words of St. Paul 2. Cor 4.17 wherein he assures us That the momentary and light afflictions which we at present endure work exceedingly above measure a weight of unconceivable glory and happiness which shall never end It is then when after the example of this glorious Apostle we shall rejoyce and esteem our selves happy in our afflictions being assured of this truth wherein he affirms Rom. 5.3 that Affliction causeth Patience Patience trys our strength this tryall confirms our Hopes and Hope will never confound us so as to permit our expectations to be frustrate Wherefore the same Apostle says Heb. 6.19 That this holy hope is to Christians that which the anchor is to a Ship which keeps it secure and steady amidst the tempestuous waves and preserves it against the violence of the winds O holy Virtue what blessings by thy means accrue unto us did we but fall into the account and know them Endeavour Theotime to make thy self master in an happy hour of this great virtue and to practise it with advantage to thy Soul and to this effect peruse carefully and with attention this little we shall say upon this Subject ARTICLE V. That the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist is of great use to fortify and augment Hope the Virtue in us GOD endowed us with this Virtue when first he justified us in Baptism where we received Sanctifying Grace with the gifts of Faith Hope and Charity and other Christian Virtues It is encreased I confess together with the other Virtues by the frequent acts which we elicite and by good works which we perform in the State of Grace but it is also certain that it receives much strength and wonderfull growth by the most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist which may easily be evinced from the two things which as is above said are the object of Hope viz. Grace in this Life and in the next the Glory as well of Body as of Soul. As for Glory there is not any thing that confirms us more in the Hope of it then this Divine Sacrament wherein we receive the very Person himself the possession of whom compleats all our glory and our happiness for what greater security can we have that we shall one day enjoy God himself then by this bounty he hath shewed in communicating himself unto us in this life Could he afford us a more secure pledge then he himself is to which he hath also vouchsafed to add the assurance of his word saying Jo. 6.58 that he who eateth this bread shall live for ever And for the glory of the body it is no less confirmed unto us by this Sacrament being the Son of God hath told us Ibid 56. that he who eateth his body and drinketh his blood shall have life Everlasting and that he will raise him again at the last day And in effect the Fathers of the Church have often proved the Resurrection from the holy Eucharist and they have held that the life-giving flesh of Jesus Christ as they have frequently called it hath a particular vertue to raise from death to life those bodies it shall touch and conserve them to immortality much more efficaciously then the bones of Elizeus had vertue by their touch to raise a dead man to life This truth is no less certain in respect of grace For if we consider habituall or Sanctifying grace this divine Sacrament is a powerfull means to conserve it as also to increase it in the Soul in an high degree as often as we shall worthyly receive it And as for actuall graces which are as we said so many helps illuminations good and pious motions which the divine goodness hath bestowed upon us for the conservation of his grace and with which he inspires us that we may avoid evil and employ our selves totally in good so many protections which he affords us in the time when our Salvation is in danger it is questionless to this Sacrament that we owe the greatest part thereof as we clearly made out Part 1. Chap. 3. Art. 3. The reason is evident because this Sacrament containing as it really and truly doth Jesus Christ who is the Author and source of all Blessings it cannot be but that it must needs communicate them in abundance to those who worthily receive it If by the other Sacraments we are enrich'd with so many Graces by the only vertue which the Son of God hath granted to them how many more may we in reason expect from this where the same Son of God is present not only by some communication of his vertue but by himself in Person God once gave Manna to the Israelites and he sustained them therewith for the full space of forty years the time which their Pilgrimage towards the land of Promise endur'd in the Desert This Manna fell
these great acts of Faith and Hope are of no use If then these two Virtues without Charity are useless in respect of Salvation it is certain that of themselves without Charity they are not sufficient dispositions to receive into our brest the author of Salvation The Son of God entring into us by the Holy Communion would willingly find there a dwelling place prepared and worthy of him which cannot be except Charity be there For as S. Augustin says excellently well Faith is the foundation of the house of God in our Soul by Hope the Walls are raised but Charity is the roof and perfection of the work Domus Dei credendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur This is the reason why Salomon as it is recorded in Holy Writ building a Temple to God was not satisfied to lay the ground-work upon a Mountain and build it with stones of great value but over and above he caused 3. Reg. 6.20 that part of the Temple where the Ark of the Testament was to be placed to be covered and seeled with the purest Gold. The Holy Ghost teaching us by this figure that the house of God ought to be adorned with the most refined Gold of Charity without which it cannot be an agreeable or pleasing habitation for him In this divine Sacrament we receive the Bread of Life whereby as by Celestial food our Soul is nourished and preserv'd in the Life of Grace It is then required that it find the Soul alive no dead thing being capable of nourishment Now the life of the Soul is Charity and as the beloved Disciple saith 1. Jo. 3.14 He that loveth not is already dead This Celestial bread is the bread of the Children of God it is made for them and it is an horrible Sacrilege for any one to receive it who is not of that Number as we have said above Part. 1. Chap. 3. Art. 5. Vere panis filiorum non mittendus canibus Now what is it that makes men the Children of God and what is it by which they are distinguished from Children of the Devil St. Augustin Tract 5. in Epist 1. Jo. saith that it is Charity and nothing else Dilectio sola discernit inter filios Dei filios Diaboli The sign of the Cross Baptism frequenting the Church and the other marks of Christianity do not sufficiently distinguish betwixt the one and the other Charity alone is the only distinctive sign betwixt them He who loves God is the Child of God he who loves him not is the Child of perdition or of the Devil In fine it is a Heavenly banquet where our Lord gives himself for our food his body for meat and his blood for drink and to which he invites us with a love great beyond all comparison but he invites only his friends Eat says he Cant. 5.2 my friends and drink Now he is not a friend of Jesus Christ who doth not love him who doth not comply with his will in all things If you love me says he Jo. 14.14 keep my Commandments v. 21. He who knows my Commandments and observes them he and he alone it is that loves me It is his will that every one should come to this Banquet with that preparation which such a feast deserves that we bring with us the Nuptial garment if he find here any one so rash and temerarious as to present himself before him without this Ornament he rejects him as unworthy Now this robe is nothing else but that of Charity which renders our Soul acceptable to God and worthy to approach unto him Ps 44.14 In vestitu deaurato circundata varietate In a word it is most certain that to communicate well and as we ought we must be in the state of grace which without Charity it is impossible to be and this is the reason why we cannot communicate worthily without the Queen of Virtues ARTICLE II. That we must have a special care to distinguish false Charity from true THere is not any one who questions the precedent truth all agreeing that to receive worthily there must of necessity be the love of God in our heart since he hath bestowed himself upon us with such an admirable so unexpressible a love But all do not agree in the nature and quality of this love forasmuch as there are many who judge of it rather according to their own inclinations then consequent to the rules of truth There is not any one except perhaps some furious desperate Person who will not love God whom he knows to be the Author of all good and who does not at least think he loves him but there are almost infinite numbers of People who deceive themselves in this their belief and have nothing but a false and imaginary hope of God whereas they think they truly love him Such is their Charity who say they love God and yet hate their Neighbour or who will not pardon an injury or deny to be reconciled to their Enemy for as St. John says very well 1. Jo. 4.20 If any one shall say he loves God and hates his brother he is a Lyar. Such is their Charity who say they love God yet they have ill gotten goods which they will not restore who continue in an evil habit of Mortal Sin without having a firm purpose to amend and theirs who neglect to acquit themselves of the obligations of their State In a word all theirs who fail in the observance of Gods Commandments in any thing whatsoever This being an undoubted Maxim that the true and only mark of the love of God is to keep his Commandments If any one love me saith our Lord Jo. 14.23 he will keep my words that is my Commandments he who doth not love me observes them not And St. John after him 1. Jo. 2.4 assures us that he who says that he knoweth him God that is in the Scripture phrase he who saith he loves God and does not keep his Commandments is a Lyar and the truth is not in him All and every one of these sorts of Charity are false and deceitfull those who love God in this manner do not love him at all and those who Communicate only with this kind of love are unworthy Communicants and eat and drink Damnation to themselves The true love of God is only that which makes us observe his Commandments in all things which makes us fearfull to incurr his displeasure by any Mortal Sin and which makes us preferr his friendship before all whatsoever is most dear unto us as before our Pleasures our Estate our Honour and our Life it self being ready to loose all or any of these things when otherwise we might preserve them rather then offend God. Behold Theotime what it is that is the love of God without which it is impossible to be in the State of Grace or Communicate worthily and as we ought and that you may understand it better read what follows ARTICLE III. What is Charity IT is a Virtue
to be faithfull to thee and to be all thine to serve thee with Body and Soul to correct the evil inclinations of them both to fight against my self and deny my self my wonted pleasures my Delights my Passions my Concupiscence my Anger my Ambition my own will and lastly all whatsoever may offend thee O my God. A Prayer to Jesus Christ DOmine Deus 1. Par. 29.18 Custodi in aeternum hanc voluntatem O my Saviour conserve in my Soul this holy resolution which thou hast given me and grant me grace to put it faithfully in execution I can do nothing of my self and without thy assistance I beg it of thee with all my heart that I may conquer all tho' almost innumerable difficulties which occurr in the way of my Salvation Regard me with the eyes of thy Mercy strengthen me daily with thy Grace Psal 24.16 Respice in me miserere mei quia unicus pauper sum ego Tribulationes cordis mei multiplicatae sunt de necessitatibus meis erue me When you have finished all these acts you may proceed and make use of the Prayers in your Manuall after Communion or other vooal Prayers according as your Devotion shall dictate to you And I say the same also of the Prayers which the same Manuals have as a preparation to Communion But all this is to be understood provided still that you apply your chief endeavours to the practise of the acts of some one or more of the precedent Virtues ARTICLE VII Advices concerning the precedent practices of Faith Hope and Charity THese are some prescriptions to be be observed concerning the practice which we have given you of these three Virtues in order to Communion The First is that it is not necessary to employ them all equally every time we Communinicate because they may be too long But it is enough that we insist particularly upon the practice of some one of the three and to direct the principall fruit of the Commmunion to that End. Thus you may choose for one Communion the practice of Faith for the next that of Hope and Charity for the third Secondly That you may reap the benefit of any of these Virtues you must prepare your self beforehand by reading the practices which we have given thereof you shall read then that which you intend to practice and take notice of the acts and endeavour to understand them well and make them your own Thirdly When the time of Communion shall be at hand you shall practice these acts as you reade them here But remember that your heart go along with your words that is to say that you reade them with attention and perform them with heart and mind To this end you must read them softly repeat and ruminate upon them within your self insisting upon those which move you most They are for the most part words taken out of Holy writ which I collected on purpose that you may learn them with more ease and that they may more efficaciously move you being the very words of the Holy Ghost In fine to conclude and reap the benefit of the practice of these three Virtues employ some part of the day of your Communion in pondering upon what you have practiced in the morning to this end reade the whole Chapter which concerns that Virtue and let it be the Spirituall Lesson for the day of your Communion ARTICLE VIII Another Advice of Prayer to the Blessed Virgin before and after Communion THis is what I recommend unto you most earnestly Dear Theotime that you do not forget the prayer to the Blessed Virgin before and after Communion Before Communion that you may obtain by her intercession the grace to Communicate worthyly conceiving as she did the Son of God in your heart before you receive him in your body as St. Ambrose affirm'd of her Prius concepit mente quam corpore And that you may be replenish'd with those holy dispositions whereby she merited to receive the Son of God himself into her womb and particularly with those of Purity and Humility which were the two virtues by which according to St. Bernard she attracted to her the Son of God She pleased him by her Virginity and conceived him by her Humility Virginitate placuit humilitate concepit For this reason you shall address your self unto her in this or some such like manner A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin before Communion O Blessed Virgin most worthy mother of God behold me upon the point of receiving him the very same person whom thou didst conceive in thy chast bowells and ready to partake of the adorable body and blood which he received from thee It concerns thee that he be received with all the respect and honour he deserves and that he be not unworthyly treated by those upon whom he bestows himself with so much love This is the cause why I address my self unto thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe to obtain of him in my behalf all the blessings which I stand in need of in this Communion Obtain of him that he take possession of my heart by love before he enter into my body by the Sacrament And that loving him I may be worthy to receive him Beg and by thy powerfull intercession obtain of him these dispositions for me these two important virtues which assured him unto thee and render'd thee deservedly his worthy mother I mean Purity and Humility That he find nothing in me which may tast either of Impurity or Pride And for this reason it is that I detest from my heart these two Sins which infinitely displease both him thee And I am fully resolv'd to use all my endeavours that I may perfectly acquire these two excellent virtues by which I heartily desire to please him and to imitate thee begging for this end his grace by thy holy intercession which I implore with all my heart After Communion YOu shall pray to her that by her intercession you may obtain grace to conserve her Son Jesus Christ whom you have corporally received also Spiritually in your Soul as she her self after she had conceived brought him into the world preserved him always in her heart by means of that love which kept her Soul continually fixed upon her dearly beloved Son a love whereby she enjoy'd a greater happiness then she did by being chosen the Mother of God according to the sentiment of a Father of the Church It is true says Venerable Bede in Luc. the Mother of God was truly happy upon this account that she became his Mother in the Incarnation and conceived him in her body but questionless she was much more happy for that she conserved him perpetually in her heart by love as she always did Form in your understanding a right conceit of this happiness and pray to the Blessed Virgin that she will obtain it for you for ever To this end direct the following prayer to her A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin after Communion IT is just O Blessed
the crimes that caused them and have recourse to God for our deliverance but they ought not to serve as a motive to detest our sins because that would be only a pure natural sorrow which avails nothing to restore us unto the grace of God. We must have a higher motive and returning to God by afflictions detest our sins by reason of the danger to which they exposed our Eternal Salvation or the honour of God which they have infinitely offended Whosoever hath not these motives in view or one of them hath not the Contrition which disposes to grace In the third place we have said that Contrition must not be only supernatural but also Sovereign that is most powerfull The meaning hereof is that it doth not suffice to detest sin upon a supernatural motive but that this motive should over-rule and keep above the other which come into our mind so that we should rather detest the sin by reason of the damage it brings to our Salvation or the injury done to God then for any natural evils it may produce and be resolved to suffer them all rather then commit one Mortal sin This is what Divines call detesting sin supra omne detestabile that is above all that which in the world may stir up our hatred and detestation And the reason is most clear because sin is the Sovereign evil and the greatest of all evils For if we consider the offence there is none more heinous then that which it commits against God and if we cast our eye upon the punishment there is none more Dreadfull This is the reason why one cannot detest it sufficiently but by detesting it above all naturall misfortunes Herein yet we must mark well that this greater detestation doth not consist in being more sensible more lively or more vehement then the hate and detestation of other evils because that is not necessary nor always in our power but this is to be understood of the esteem or judgment which we make of Sin accounting it really the greatest of all evils as in effect it is and detesting it in this quality above all others and purposing firmly not to commit it any more upon any account whatsoever But we are yet to observe that to have that detestation of Sin above all evils in our heart it is not at all necessary that every evil in particular should be proposed as Death Torments Infamy and the like but it suffices that they should be proposed in general Likewise it is not convenient they should be propos'd severally lest their representation should make the mind to waver in its Resolution or make resolutions lightly and with presumption of its own forces which would not be perform'd when occasions were offered as it happened to St. Peter It is sufficient to esteem Sin the greatest of all evils which can ever befall us To hate and detest it as such to make a new resolution not to commit it any more but rather to undergo whatever misfortune may happen to us trusting in the mercy of God and hoping he will either free us from those mischiefs or that he will give us strength to support them by his Grace then offend him The 4th condition of Contrition is that it must be Universal in respect of all Mortal Sins that is by it we must detest all without excepting any and have a resolution never more to commit any one mortal Sin. The Holy Ghost pointed at this Condition when he said that we must do Penance for all the Sins we have committed If the Sinner shall do Penance for all his Sins he shall Live. Ezech. 18. We must convert our selves to God with all our hearts that is the heart must totally be offered to God and not divided so as to give one part to God and the other to Sin. Their hearts says he elsewhere are divided therefore shall they dye Hosea 10. The reason is evident because Mortal Sins cannot be remitted but altogether not one without the rest Man cannot reserve in his heart an affection to any one Mortal Sin but he will of necessity incur the hatred and displeasure of God. The Contrition which one may think he hath of other Sins if yet he affect any cannot justify him in the sight of God for it is absolutely false and imaginary because if he really hates any he hates all Sins there not being any one which doth not cause his damnation and infinitely offend God. Hence it is that those deceive themselves who pretend to do Penance and yet refuse to pardon injuries or to be reconciled to their Enemies those also who will not restore the goods they have unjustly gotten and those who are careless in avoiding the immediate occasions of Sin and such other like In a word all those whosoever they be that have any willfull tye upon them to any particular Sin which yet they are not fully resolved to break asunder are imaginary but not true Penitents CHAP. V. Of perfect and imperfect Contrition THis distinction is grounded upon that which we said even now of the two sorts of evils which are found in Sin to wit the one of the injury done to God and the other of the damage which thereby we bring to our own Souls When we hate Sin by reason of the Supernaturall goods which it deprives us of as of the Grace of God and Life eternal or because of the Punishment it draws upon us from Almighty God it is an act of Contrition but an imperfect one by reason we consider nothing in it so much as our own Interest and this act is called Attrition But when above this motive we raise our thoughts higher and hate Sin by reason it is an affront to the supreme goodness of God which deserves to be beloved above all things which we ought to affect more then our selves and which we are obliged to love altho' there were neither Paradice nor Hell it is an act of perfect Contrition which proceeds from Charity and the pure love of God. The first Contrition is good and profitable it is supernatural by reason of its motive and because it is an effect of the inspiration of the Holy Ghost but it doth not restore man unto Grace except it be assisted by the Sacrament because it is not of it self without the assistance of the Sacrament an act of Charity which can justify but only an act of the Virtue of Hope which is not able to confer Grace The Second is excellent and perfect and restores the Soul to the grace of God even before the receiving of the Sacrament but not without respect to the Sacrament because it includes a will or disposition of mind to receive it when occasion serves In either of them both there is a fear and love of God but differently For in Attrition there is a servile fear and an imperfect love which makes us only regard our own advantage In Contrition there is a filial fear and a perfect love or Charity
either to errour or Impiety 10. The Tenth is to scoff at holy things the ceremonies of the Church to contemn them in his heart or by any action whatsoever 11. The Eleventh to abuse the words of the holy Scripture in applying them to wicked or prophane senses making them serve for jests or other ill uses 12. The Twelfth is to desire to know such things to come as appertain to God alone or those which are either past or present but totally hidden from us and for this end to employ unlawfull means as Soothsayers Magicians Fortune-tellers observe Omens cast Lotts or make use of other Superstitious Inventions 13. The thirteenth is to give credit to Dreams and Superstitions to employ Prayers or Sacred Names to ill uses to use Charms or other Inventions to the end to make ones self beloved to cure Diseases or to give a Spell whether to Men or Beasts All these are Mortal Sins even when the means seem innocent as Prayers or Sacred words if one believe they will certainly take effect For then as St. Augustin saith De medicin animae contra sortileg These are not remedies given us by Jesus Christ but rather Poyson which the Devil hath spread amongst holy things Non est in eis remedium Christi sed venenum Diaboli Sins against Hope Anchora quae nostrae stat pes bene fida salutis Motibus his quatitur dum Desperatio mentem Dejicit aut falsas addit Praesumptio vires I. 1. Hinc qui scelerum furiis agitantibus omnem Desperat veniam 2. vel ab his cessare modumque Ponere posse negans vitiis dimittit habenas Divinae contemptor opis spem laedit Et ille II. 1. Qui male confisus sperat placabile numen Dum nova praeteritis adjungens crimina 2. mores Mutare extremae differt in tempora vitae 3. Quique Deum tentans levis imprudensque periclis 4. Corporis aut animae sese objicit 5. auxiliique Non poscit coelestis opem praesentia cingunt Dum mala 6. praesidiis spernit melioribus uti Quae Deus ad nostram voluit conferre salutem 7. Rebus in adversis qui frangitur atque superbis Vocibus impatiens hominesque Deumque fatigat Hope is a Theological Virtue whereby we expect from the hand of God Eternal Salvation and the means whereby we may obtain it Two Sins there are diametrically opposit both contrary to this Virtue The one is hoping too little the other confiding too much the first is called Despair the other Presumption I. One sins by Despair 1. When one distrusts in the mercies of God or despairs to be ever able to obtain of God the remission of his Sins as it happened to Cain 2. When one despairs of amending ones Life and in this Despair abandons himself to all wickedness which is a mistrust or contempt of the grace of God. This Sin is but too common II. One sins by Presumption 1. When one hopes that God will allways forgive his Sins whatsoever life he leads and living in this hope he doth not at all concern himself to mend his Life 2. When one defers his conversion 'till the end of his life or puts off his Repentance 'till the honr of Death 3. When one willingly exposes himself to any danger of offending God as to Company Reading or any other thing by which he runs the hazard to offend This is what we call to tempt God. 4. When without necessity one exposes himself to some Corporal danger as Sickness Wounds or Death 5. When in these so remarkable dangers of Body or Soul one neglects his application and recourse to God by Prayer to implore his assistance 6. When in these same dangers one neglects the remedies which God hath instituted and appointed as those of Physick for the Body and those of Prayer and Sacraments for the Soul. One sins also against this Virtue in adversities when he is discouraged to that degree that he puts not his trust in God and more still when one is impatient or murmures against his Providence in Adversity or is exalted in his own thoughts in time of Prosperity attributing the good success or Honour to himself The Sins against Charity CHarity is a Theological Virtue which makes us to love God above all things whence it follows that every Mortal Sin is directly opposite to it totally destroys it Because the Sinner in every such Sin prefers the affection he bears to the thing wherein he offends before the love and bounden duty he owes to God who forbids the Sin. However there are some Sins more particularly opposed to this great Virtue whereof behold some examples Caelestem nullum non laedit crimen amorem Quod male divinum humano postponit amori Praecipuè tamen his virtutum maxima damnis Impetitur 1. Summae si quis bonitatis amarum Infandumque furens scelerata forte recepit Mente odium execrans blasphemans sancta Deique Dextram indignatus ferientem aut Judicis aequi Iram exhorrescens infensum quem timet odit 2. Praeterea ille nocens sanctum qui numen amore Diligit exiguo bona nec super omnia summum Prosequitur redamatque bonum peccare paratus Vt serventur opes vel honos aut vita caducis Postponens aeterna bonis 3. Hominum quoque amorem Posthabito quaesisse Deo quem non piget qui Esse suo gratus Domino nil curat at omnem Stultis ut placeat curam admovet atque laborem 4. Quem pudor aut vani revocat formido pericli Ne cupiat bona vel faciat quae conscius ipse Sancta jubere sibi novit mandata malumque Quod prohibent patrat humano compulsus amore 5. Inque Deum raro conversus segnius illum Cogitat aut loquitur tacito sub corde monentem Non andit Benefacta sui nec mente revolvens Auctoris dignas contemnit reddere grates The greatest sin against Charity is the hatred of God. This is a Sin the very thought whereof causes an horrour in the Soul and it is proper to the Devils and damned Souls Yet however sometimes it is found amongst men when a wicked Conscience oppress'd with misfortunes gives it self over to complaints against God as if he were the cause of them to execrations to Blasphemys and in fine to hate him whom he believes to be the cause of his miseries or from whom he fears the punishment of his crimes 2. The second is not to bear God the love which he requires at our hands that is the love above all things as he is the greatest and most amiable of all goods This happens when one is so disposed in mind that he will rather choose willfully to offend God then loose either some Honour Riches or life it self if it were necessary This Sin is but too common and one does not take notice of it 3. The third is to prefer the love of men before the love of God to be more fearfull of their
and which will yet more confirm that pardon confirming me in the resolution I have conceived to be faithfull to thee Come then O Divine Saviour enter and take possession of me speak to my Soul a word of comfort Psa 34.3 Dic animae meae salus tua ego sum tell her that thou art her strength her Salvation and her Sovereign good Tell her as once thou didst Abraham Gen. 15.1 Fear not I am thy Protector amidst the greatest dangers of this Life I will secure thee I am thy exceeding great Reward an infinite and incomprehensible recompence in the next grant I beseech thee that I may rightly understand these high Mysteries these important truths and that this may be the fruit of the Communion which I am about to receive When you have ponder'd well upon these holy thoughts approach to the Sacred Table full with desire to take possession of and enjoy your God and replenished with hope to receive in this Communion an abundant plenty of Graces to conserve him in you and you in him After Communion AS soon as you are retired from the Holy Table prostrate in heart before him adore with all humility our Lord whom you have received return him innumerable thanks for the infinite favour he hath done in coming to you and consequent to this you shall insist upon the practice of these three acts of the Virtue of Hope An earnest desire of Eternal Salvation A strong resolution to labour that you may attain unto it Prayer to demand at the hands of God grace and the means to obtain it Adoration First then addressing your thought to our Lord whom you have received represent to your self how you possess him the very same whose sight causeth all that bliss which maketh the Angels and Saints in Heaven blessed and all the Celestial Spirits desire and esteem themselves happy to behold him 1. Pet. 1.12 In quem desiderant Angeli prospicere in this belief speak to him and let your heart pronounce as followeth I Adore thee O Infinite greatness O Divine Majesty who fillest both Heaven and Earth and art adored in Heaven by all the Blessed Spirits Angells and Saints who incessantly praise and cry out before thee Esai 6.3 Sanctus Sanctus sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth how is it possible O my God that thou shouldst stoop so low as to descend unto me and to enclose thy self within me 2. Par. 6.18 Is it credible O All-mighty God that thou wouldst vouchsafe to dwell amongst men upon the Earth If the Heavens and Heavens of Heavens do not contain thee how much less this habitation which I have prepared for thee But thy goodness O great God knows full well how to humble it self when it pleases thee Thou knowest well how to conceal the amazing splendors of thy glory and by condescending to our weak capacity to communicate thy self more freely to us This thou didst begin to do in thy adorable Incarnation in which thou mad'st thy self like unto us to attract our love And this method thou holdest on in this Mystery where thou bestowest thy self upon us for our food and nourishment that thou may'st more closely unite thy self unto us and make us aspire to that Celestial Banquet which thou hast made for all the Blessed in Heaven who glut themselves without loathing and are perpetually satiated with and yet always desire thy Divine presence O my God grant me grace that I may dayly more and more aspire to and long after this eternal banquet that the desire to enjoy it may make me slight all the goods and pleasures of this mortall life and labour continually to render my self worthy of it and happily at last to arrive unto it This is my resolution which at present I make before thee I resolve to renounce all whatsoever my irregular affections and may too much incline me to the vain and deceitfull goods or possessions of this life I know they are apt to endanger and make me loose everlasting happyness and for this reason I will discharge my heart of them that I may love nothing but thee alone and place my whole trust in thee as David did Ps 72.28 It is good for me to cleave to God and to put my hope in our Lord. I firmly resolve to watch over all my actions and fly from Sin and avoid whatsoever may displease thee And as the same Psalmist expresseth himself Ps 17.24 I will be by his grace immaculate in his sight and will observe to keep my self from all iniquity I will labour to work my Salvation by keeping thy holy commandments And I protest before thee O my God and I hope I shall be faithfull to thee Ps 118.106 I have Sworn and determin'd with my self to keep the Judgments which thou hast form'd and manifested to me of thy justice But I am not able to perform this resolution without the assistance of thy grace wherefore I most humbly demand it of thee O Jesus save me ibid. 35. Conduct me thro' all the ways of thy Commandments which I now enter upon and Embrace with all my heart Incline my heart and make me love thy divine truths which thou hast so abundantly attested and not to covetousness or the immoderate desire of the goods of this world Divert my Eyes that they may not see that is be fixed on Vanity or the promising but indeed vain and empty delights of this present life Enliven and strengthen me in thy way that is in the holy path of Virtue and good works Grant that I may find nothing amiable whereon to fix my affection but thee alone Assist my weakness that I may be able to advance towards thee Cant. 1.4 Draw me to thee O divine Jesus that being so attracted I may run after the odours of thy perfumes that is of thy divine Virtues by an holy imitation of them and following thee by that way even as far as Heaven where thou livest and raignest for all Eternity CHAP. III. Of Charity the third disposition for the worthy receiving the blessed Sacrament ARTICLE I. How necessary Charity is and how much is requir'd to Communicate well and as we ought THis is the third disposition to a good Communion and no less necessary then the former two yea without it those two great Virtues would not at all conduce or dispose the soul better for the worthy receiving of Jesus Christ Altho' your Faith were as great as that of the Apostles and your hope equalled that of the Prophets if you have not Charity you are not in a condition fit to entertain him who is Charity himself and who cannot dwell with him who is without it Altho' I should have so strong a Faith says St. Paul 1. Cor. 13.1 so that I could move Mountains without Charity it avails nothing and proceeding he affirms v. 3. Altho' I should distribute all my goods amongst the poor and deliver my body to be burnt as the Martyrs have done if I am void of Charity all
infused or given by God which makes us love him above all things and our Neighbour as our selves This definition is taken from the Commandment which God hath given us to love him Luc. 10.27 Thou shalt love says he the Lord thy God with thy whole heart with thy whole Soul with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy Neighbour as thy self These words with thy whole heart signify what we have already said that we must love God above all things and that our heart ought to be wholly his loving nothing either equal with him or more then him but under and less then him and only in order to his Service This greater love doth not consist in having a more ardent a more tender and a more affective love for God then for any other thing altho' this were to be wished for But it lies in this that we esteem God more then all the things of this world and that in our heart and effectually we preferr his friendship before all other goods and whatsoever it is we love So that we resolve to abandon and loose them all rather then be deprived of the grace of God. This preference and this resolution are so necessarily required in the love of God that they are the only distinctive signs it hath and it cannot subsist without them So that in the moment in which any one willingly and in effect breaketh this resolution he looseth the love of God. However to make this preference and resolution we need not represent in particular all the things before which we ought to preferr the love of God This is neither necessary nor always expedient It sufficeth that we have a general but an effectual resolution never to loose the grace of God for any thing of the world nor to do any thing whereby we may mortally offend him This resolution is the fruit and off-spring of the Virtue of Charity which is that Divine quality which God powers into our Souls when he receives us into his grace by the holy Spirit which is given us as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.5 It continues with us as long as we conserve this resolution but as soon as we come to loose it by any either action or desire which is contrary unto it we are immediately deprived of this holy Charity which is the Queen and Mother of the other Virtues and without which all others are insignificant in order to Salvation I do not here examine the motives which ought to induce us to the love of God viz. whether it be that of the reward we expect from him or that of friendship and benevolence which we owe him Charity easily unites these two together although it be not built or grounded upon the reward yet it doth not exclude it but the Soul which is endowed with Charity loving God for himself expects at his hands the reward of that love which is him himself She loves God because of the recompence but she takes care that she do not say that she loves him by reason of the reward alone for she would love him although she looked for nothing from him and as St. Bernard de diligendo Deo says excellently well We never love God without a reward altho' we ought to love him without minding the reward for tho' true Charity be never fruitless yet it is not mercenary she seeks not her own Interest It is an affection of the Soul not a contract It is neither it self obtain'd nor doth it get any thing by bargain as Merchants do It is a voluntary affection and makes one give himself freely to his God. True love is satisfied with it self its reward is our beloved We have already spoken of this Virtue abstractedly and in it self in other places as in the Instruction of Youth Part. 4. Chap. 3. 16. and in that of Penance in the Examen upon the First Commandment Wherefore I shall only add here what concerns it in relation to the Sacrament of the Eucharist and in as much as it serves for the Holy Communion ARTICLE IV. Of the Motives of the love of God. IT was an admirable expression of St. Bernard ibid. that the reason of loving God is God himself and therefore when any one asks why we ought to love God One cannot answer better then by saying because he is God. But being God contains in himself an infinity of perfections and qualities which render him infinitely amiable this general reason of loving God because he is God is divided into many particular Motives which are so many several obligations to love that infinite goodness which can never be sufficiently loved Thus when I consider that God is great and perfect in himself an that he circles within himself all possible perfections all Power Goodness Wisdom Justice I find reason to love him above all other things because there is nothing amongst Creatures which is so amiable as he and he deserves to be beloved altho' supposing a thing impossible he should never have done us any good If I descend to the benefits which he hath bestowed upon us and consider him as Creator of Heaven and Earth and of all those excellent pieces which he hath made for our sake I find reason to love him above all things for how can I but love so great a bounty which hath wrought such wonders for us Heaven and Earth and all things in them says St. Augustin l. 10. Conf. c. 6. tell me on every side to love thee they declare the same to all that none may be excus'd if they do not love thee If I reflect upon my self I acknowledge I am the work of that immense goodness which out of nothing hath made me what I am and I cannot refrain from loving him if I love my self and own my self for what I am viz. the workmanship of God. This made St. Bernard ibid. say that God deserves to be loved for his own sake even by the very Infidel who although he be ignorant of Jesus Christ yet he knows himself therefore even the Infidel is inexcusable if he do not love his Lord with all his heart with all his Soul with all his strength viz. A certain innate or natural equity not unknown to Reason cries out aloud to him from within that he ought to love him with all his power from whom he cannot but know that he hath received all whatsoe're he hath If I consider the Redemption I there find a bottomless Abyss of love an unexhaustible fountain from whence motives to love that great and singular goodness which hath delivered me from an eternal ruine continually flow For as St. Bernard ibid. very well observes If I owe my self totally to God for that I am Created by him how much more do I owe him for that he hath Redeemed me and in such a manner For I was not so easily Redeemed as I was at first Created At my Creation it was said of me as well as of all other things