preacher is not sufficient but that we must besides hearing the preacher addresse our selues to God and demand of him his holy spirit and his grace Secōdly the holy Ghost did afterwards reuiue in the hearts of Christ his disciples all that which he had told them during his life 16. In what manner did Iesus Christ dye As his life from the beginning to the end was full of pouerty subiection contradiction and affliction so was his death as full of all indignitie and torment as humane witt could inuent and humane nature keeping the shape of man indure yea it was so full of torments as to induce thē surpassed the strength of humane nature yet it was such and in that manner as he himselfe made choice of and as he himselfe had foretold by the Prophets without omitting anie of the circumstances which they pointed out verie particularly as the crosse the nails whips the two theeues and others 17. He dyed then freely and willingly Yes in so much that although the Iewes had often attempted to take him yet they could neuer doe it vntill he himselfe permitted it by deliuering himselfe into their hands that he might dye at the very houre which his father had ordained 18. Why was it necessarie for him to dye That he might accomplish the last worke necessarie for the redemption of mankinde for such was his fathers will as that all which he had done and suffered during his life had not been sufficient if he had not also shed his pretious bloud for vs vpon the crosse in order to his fathers sentence who ordained for the satisfying of his diuine iustice that his only sōne should destroy our spirituall death by his owne corporall death and although the least action he did was of it selfe sufficient so that all his actions being of infinite value no more had been necessary if his father had not ordained it otherwise for our greater good yet his loue was so great towards man that he himselfe did reioyce that his father had ordained him to suffer death it selfe for our redemption 19. Was it sufficient that he dyed No for as he dyed to destroy our death so it was necessary that he should rise againe from death to life to communicate his owne diuine life to vs and also to confirme vs in hope by considering that as our head is risen so shall we rise who are his members 20. Who did raise him againe from death to life The scripture telleth vs that his father did raise him againe to life and also that he did raise himselfe 21. Why is his father said to haue raised him againe from death to life Because as he is his father he is the fountaine and source of all his glorious and diuine life from whence all life is deriued And the father is said to doe it because it belongeth to the father to giue life to his sonne 22. How did the sonne raise himselfe from death By the power of his diuinitie which remained alwaies hypostatically vnited to the flesh he had taken without being separated at anie time either from his bodie or soule by vertue of which vnion eternall life was due both to his bodie and soule because the word to whom they were vnited is immortall in so much that our Sauiour could not haue dyed at all if God had not granted it to him through a particular dispensation for mans saluation 23. How did he communicate life to men through the vertue of his Resurrection By giuing them the holy Ghost his owne diuine spirit not long after that he had raised himselfe from death and much more afterwards vpon the day of Pentecost when his Resurrection being fully accomplished by being seated at the right hand of his father he sent the holy Ghost downe to them in a visible forme LESSON X. Of the Church 1. WHy was the holy Ghost sent into the world To render the disciples of Iesus Christ perfect and to begin in them his mysticall bodie 2. What perfection did he giue them The perfection of charitie which before was but weake and imperfect in them for the holy Ghost tooke away this weakenesse from them and made them strong and vigorous in the loue of Iesus Christ to serue him with intire fidelitie so that the stratagems of men and diuells could not afterwards diuert them from seruing him 3. How did the holy Ghost forme the mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ By vniting his disciples hearts with God and amongst themselues by charitie with which he did replenish them for the life of this bodie is the holy Ghost by the fire of his charitie 4. How is this bodie called It is called the Church whereof all the faithfull are members and Christ is the head in so much that there is made of Iesus Christ and of all the faithfull but one bodie and one Church 5. How can persons so farre separated from one an other be truly vnited into one and the selfe same bodie This is done by the holy Ghost who is euerie where for he is the linke and soule of this bodie vniting all these members more firmely together then man his soule doth vnite the members of the bodie it informeth 6. Why did he make this Church That he might thereby plant the doctrine which he had taught and which was altogether necessarie for the saluation of mankinde so firmely that it might continue for euer And for this end the holy Ghost according to the outward apparition in which he was sent filled the hearts of his Apostles who were to be the first teachers of it with fierie zeale and their tongues with the praises of allmightie God that they being vehemently cōceited themselues of the truth and of the great good the knowledge thereof brought vnto the world might be most earnestly desirous to breed the like conceit in others and that so it might descend in vertue of the first plantation to the end of the world 7. Who were the Apostles and of what condition They were those who being called by Christ left all to follow him and to serue him in the publication of the ghospell And as for their condition they were poore ignorant men of a contemptible ranke most of them being fishermen and the greater their weakenesse was so much the more did it set forth the power of the holy Ghost for in one day they became so learned and so powerfull to perswade as that they were able to confound and conuert the most learned Philosophers in the world 8. Of what partes doth the Church consist It consisteth of two partes in generall which are necessarie to all well ordered Communities that is of those who are gouerned and taught and of those who gouerne and teach 9. Who are those that Christ appointed to gouerne and teach They are chiefly Bishops and next vnder Bishops other inferiour Preists who are commonly called Curats 10. Are Bishops then necessarie in the Church Yes for if we looke into the institution of Bishops
other sonne after him whom he hath also established as he is man that which he was from all eternity as God Lord and king of all creatures and particularly of true Christians 9. Why is he called Iesus Because this name was giuen him by his Fathers appointment who commanded Ioseph to call him so And it signifyeth as much as Sauiour which holy name was giuen him with great reason because he caue to saue ād redeeme the world from the death of sinne and thraldome of the Diuell and it cost him his owne blood and his owne proper life to do it And so it is impossible to explicate the force and vertue of this name which is so efficacious as that it chaseth away diuell cureth diseases and worketh all sortes of miracles being pronounced with a liuely faith and it is honoured in heaven reuerenced on earth and feared in hell aboue all names 10. Why is he called Christ He is called Christ which signifieth annointed because Priests Kings and Prophets vsed to be annointed with oile which representeth grace to signify that their functions did represent the function of God whose Lieutenents they are in these charges for it belongeth properly to God to gouerne spiritually to gouerne temporally and to foretell thinges to come Now Christ Iesus is not only a Priest a King and a Prophet but the soueraine Priest of Priests King of Kings and Prophet of Prophets not annointed by men with a terrestiall ointment but by God with the plentitude of his graces So that the difference betwixt these two names is that Christ is a title belonging to his dignity Iesus is a title belonging to his merit which he purchased with the price of his blood and his life 11. Why is he called our Lord First because he is God and secondly also as man because he is our Redeemer for he who redeemeth a slaue as all we were is most properly master and Lord of him whom he redeemeth and the redeemed is most truly his seruant ARTICLE III. 12. DEclare the Third Article Who was conceaued of the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie I beleeue that Iesus Christ tooke vpon him for the redemption of the world our nature from the immaculate body of the blessed Virgin Marie not by any operation or power of man but by the diuine vertue of the holy Ghost who framed his body of the most pure blood of a virgin vniting a soule to it created expressely by God at the same instant in which instant also the second person of the blessed Trinity did vnite this body and this soule to himselfe and so he was borne on earth most pure and most holy And his Virgin Mother conceaued him and was deliuered of him remaining still a virgin yea she was more pure then before for both her body and soule receaued a greater purity and sanctity by the operation of the holy Ghost and by her coniunction to the sacred flesh of Iesus Christ 13. Why is the Conception of our Sauiour attributed to the holy Ghost To make vs understand that the great benefit and dignity bestowed vpon mankinde by the Incarnation of the sonne of God was a free gift proceeding purely from the loue of God and not from any merit of man and so although this operation was common to all the three persons of the blessed Trinity as all outward actions are yet it is peculiarly attributed to the holy Ghost because he proceedeth by loue and is called a gift 14. Why is not the holy Ghost called the Father of Iesus Christ since that he formed his body Because he did not forme it to the likenesse of his owne nature nor made it of his owne substāce which is required to make one a Father as a stone caruer who maketh a statue is not the father of the statue though he be the maker and former of it but he made it only of the pure blood of the Virgin And so Christ had in this second generation only a Mother and no Father 15. Wherein do consist the wonders of this mysterie First that his body was formed by the speciall operation of the holy Ghost Secondly that in the first instāt that it was formed it receaued a reasonable soule replenished with perfect knowledge of all thinges and with all graces as also with the full beatificall vision and fruition of allmighty God Thirdly that this body and this soule was in the same instant vnited to the second person of the bless◅ Trinity so that the childe conceaued in the wombe of the Virgin was both perfect God and perfect man Fourthly that his mother was both a virgin and a mother And lastly that she was mother both of God and of man which is the miracle of miracles that the same person should be God and man begotten from all eternity and borne in time omnipotent and infirme And yet it is most true for the nature of God and the nature of man were both in the second person of the Trinity without confusion or mingling one with another and also without making a diuersity of persons which may be some way exemplifyed in two grafts sett in the same stocke which keepe still their different natures since that they produce different fruits and yet make not diuers trees since that they are both in the same stocke 16. God then becoming man was not turned into man nor man into God nor both into a third thing No for God cannot be changed and so none of these three mutations could be made but man as we haue declared was ioyned to God and so God became man For seeing that what hath not the nature of man is not man and much lesse what hath not the nature of God is God we must acknowledge in Christ two distinct natures the one of God the other of man or else he should not be both God and man 17. Was man ioyned equally to God so that the thing made was equally God and man If we consider the two natures in themselues he had both of them truly and in all perfection but if we compare the natures together which are vnited in the same person certainly the maine thing must needs be God and man but a small portion of it As we see if a little other metall be cast into a great deale of gold the coine is principally gold and is commonly called so so since that God is infinitely greater then man the result of both remaineth principally God 18. How was he borne He was borne nine monthes after his conception as other children vse to be to shew that he was truly man He was borne without griefe to his Mother to shew that the blessed Virgin was opposite to Eue to whom it was said In dolore paries thou shalst bring forth with griefe He was borne in a stable and in as great pouerty as the poorest childe in the world thereby to hūble himselfe the more by how much the greater he was in himselfe He was swaddled
must we come prepared to receiue this Sacrament The preparation due to infants resideth in the Church which supplying their want of age doth offer them vp to Iesus Christ But those who are come to the vse of reason require more for they must be instructed in the chiefe mysteries of the Catholike fayth they must beleeue them all actually they must detest all sinne they must loue God actually they must haue a resolution to liue well they must in fine voluntarily offer themselues to be children of God by Baptisme 11. What Sacrament folleweth next after Baptisme Confirmation for ordinarily according to nature we must first grow and get strength before we can feed of solide meat such as is the holy Eucharist which the holy Fathers call the meat of the perfect LESSON XXV Of Confirmation 1. WHat is Confirmation It is a Sacrament instituted by Christ to conferre vnto our soules the holy Ghost and an increase of our baptismall grace with a manly strength to resist and encounter couragiously with all our ghostly enemies and to professe constantly the faith of Iesus Christ 2. Who are our enemies The Diuell the world and the flesh The Diuell that is all the power of hell The world that is all the contagious infection which proceedeth from the mutuall conuersation of men The flesh that is the naturall inchnation to euill which we all feele within our selues 3. Who is the holy Ghost which is conferred by this Sacrament He is the third person of the blessed Trinitie with his graces and giftes 4. How do we receiue him by this Sacrament seeing that we receiued grace before by Baptisme We receiue him here more particularly because by this Sacrament his graces and gifts are more radicated in our soules whereby we become strong and vigorous in vertue by receiuing the perfection of Charitie for the ghostly life which we receiue by Baptisme is but weake and feeble in respect of that improuement which we receiue by Confirmation And so this Sacrament is called by the holy Fathers the accomplishment and perfection of Baptisme 5. What is the outward sensible signe in this Sacrament It is the annoynting with holy Chrisme by the hands of the Bishop which is called in the scripture the imposition of hands 6. Where do we finde a promise of grace in scripture to this outward signe We finde it in the 16. Chap. of S. Iohn where Christ told his Apostles that when he went away himselfe he would send the holy Ghost vnto them And the performance of this Sacrament appeareth in the act when the holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles and when those that were baptized receiued the holy Ghost anew by the imposition of the Apostles hands which is a signe that Christ instituted this ceremony for it is certaine that the Apostles could not by such a ceremonie haue giuen the holy Ghost if he had not ordained it for that end 7. What is Chrisme It is a holy ointment composed of oyle and baulme by oyle is represented the strengch which we receiue by this Sacrament as souldiers of Iesus Christ by baulme is represented the effusion of all vertues by the holy Ghost into our soule which send forth a sweet odour before God and Angells as baulme doth before men wherevpon S. Paul sayeth that we are before God the sweet odour of Iesus Christ So that by this Sacrament we become perfect members of the militant Church and receiue weapons and courage to enter confidently into the battell which we are to vndergoe in this world to receiue at last an eternall crowne with Iesus Christ Which also is signified by the little blow which the Bishop giueth when he confirmeth by which signe he teacheth vs to begin to suffer with patience all the encounters that the enemies of our soule and saluation shall make against vs. 8. Why are we annoynted in our forehead when we receiue this Sacrament To let vs know that the holy Ghost is giuen vnto vs by this Sacrament to imbolden vs and to expell from vs shame and feare of professing the faith of Christ which shame and feare principally haue their seate in the forehead or countenāce of man 9. With what preparation ought we to receiue this Sacrament First we must be baptized before we receiue it Secondly we must be in the state of grace for the preparation required to all Sacraments that were instituted to conferre only an encrease of grace is to haue the first grace and so those that are in mortall sinne must first receiue the Sacrament of Pennance or at least haue an act of Contrition before they can be confirmed And the reason of it is euident for as it is impossible that a dead body should grow corporally so it is impossible that a dead soule should grow spiritually vnlesse it be first reuiued 10. Are we obliged to receiue the Sacrament of Confirmation Yes we are obliged vnder paine of sinne to seeke it and to receiue it if we can conueniently for this much at least is gathered out of the holy Fathers who say that without it we are not perfect Christians this Sacrament hauing been instituted by Christ to conferre vnto vs the plenitude of the holy Ghost and the full perfection of Baptisme Besides the seuen Sacraments hauing been instituted by Christ as certaine principall knots of Christian life his very instituting this a Sacrament obligeth vs to make vse of it for institution in a thing of such weight is equiualent to a command and so he who neglecteth to receiue it when opportunity of hauing it is giuen sinneth For it would be a strange kinde of spirituall slouth not to seeke and much more to neglect that meanes when opportunity is offered to receiue it which Christ hath purposely established in his Church to strengthen and arme vs against our spirituall enemies we being on all sides so straitly beset and infested with them during this life but especially when before persecutours and Tyrants we are obliged to make profession of our fayth 11. Wherefore is it that this Sacrament as also Baptisme and holy Order cannot be reiterated or taken againe the second time It is because besides the particular grace proper to each seuerall Sacrament these Sacraments haue also a second effect which they cause in our soules called by Diuines a Character that is a spirituall signe imprinted in our soules whereby we are knowne to belong to Christ Iesus as persons deputed to some certaine functions in his familie 12. Why do these three Sacraments conferre a Character Because by these we are put into seuerall states or vocations according to the seuerall functions whereunto we are deputed by receiuing them 13. What is a state It is an immutable or perpetuall condition of life whereby a man is solēnely deputed and obliged to some certaine acts and workes worthy his vocation which is truly to be seene in those who receiue the three mentioned Sacraments For by Baptisme we become seruants of Iesus
forbearing to communicate so frequently he findeth himselfe to decrease in vertue and in respect towards the Sacrament then he is to be exhorted to continue still his custome of communicating frequently But if he who communicateth frequently findeth himselfe still with the same imperfections without making any progresse in vertue or that his reuerence and respect towards the Sacrament is any way thereby diminished then he is to be aduised for a time to forbeare to communicate so frequently and to endeauour by workes of mortification and other spirituall exercises to rēder himselfe more worthy of so frequent accesse to that holy table vntill his Ghostly father shall iudge it conuenient for him to frequent the Sacrament as formerly 18. What communion ought to be esteemed frequent In those persons who are not subiect to the distractions of the world but haue leasure to dispose of themselues as they please and to attend to spirituall imployments it may be accounted frequent communion to communicate constantly once a weeke but in others whose vocation and condition doth tye them to worldly employments and continuall distractions I should esteeme it frequent communion though they should communicate but once in fifteene dayes or three weekes vnlesse their continuall distractions be supplied by extraordinarie vertue 19. What Sacrament followeth the holy Eucharist Pennance for when we are sicke we must first be cured of the disease it selfe before we can vse remedies to take away the relickes of it LESSON XXVII Of Pennance 1. WHat is the Sacrament of Pennance It is a Sacrament instituted by Christ for the remission of sinnes cōmitted after Baptisme whereby they that are baptized are restored againe vnto grace when by mortall sinne they haue lost the same 2. Where finde we the institution of this Sacrament In the 20. chapter of S. Iohn As my father sent me so do I send you receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them and whose sinnes yee shall retaine they shall be retained 3. What is the outward and sensible signe in this Sacrament It is the confession of the sinner and the wordes of absolution pronounced by the Priest for to the end that a crime may be remitted reason requireth that one should confesse it and make the quality of the crime manifest to him who is to remit it and also that he who hath authority to remit it should pronounce the sentence of absolution after that he hath iudged concerning the nature of the crime 4. Where is grace promised to this Sacrament It is promised in these words whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them for sinnes cānot be pardoned but by grace And we finde the practise of this Sacrament in the Acts where the people casting themselues at the feete of the Apostles declared the sinnes which they had committed 5. Who haue power to administer this Sacrament None but Priests who haue receiued it from God and the Church 6. What conditions are required in the Priests that administer this Sacrament They be many but for as much as ought to satisfy the Laity we may reduce them all to one that is to haue approbation and commission from the Bishop of the place to exercise that function For although besides authority or iurisdiction there is also required doctrine and intention yet he ought to be held sufficient in doctrine who hath been approued by his Bishop for such and likewise he is to be presumed to haue a reall intention to do what the Church intendeth to do by this Sacrament who hath demanded approbation to do that which the Church doeth 7. If a man be ashamed to confesse his sinnes to one priest may he make choice of an other Yes if he do declare vnto him truly the state of his conscience that is not only the sinnes he is guilty of but also whether he be accustomed to do them without amendment Howsoeuer it were better allwayes to keepe one ghostly father for otherwise he is in danger to get little profit by his confessions and so may put his saluation in hazard which dependeth mainely on the fruits of this Sacrament 8. What must we do to receiue this Sacrament First after a due examen of conscience we must confesse to a Priest approued by the Bishop all our sinnes that are mortall committed since our last confession or which we haue omitted or forgotten to declare in former confessions or if we haue not mortall ones we must confesse some veniall ones with hearty sorrow and firme purpose to endeauour to cōmit them no more and with the like purpose to do the pennance which shall be enioyned vs for satisfaction of our sinnes and so with all humility receiue absolution So that besides the absolution and imposing of pennance which are required on the Priests part three thinges are required on the penitents part to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction and the Sacrament doth consist of all these fiue partes CONTRITION 9. Why is Contrition necessary for this Sacrament Because this Sacrament was instituted to recouer God his grace and loue towards vs which we had lost by offending him now we see that when we haue offended one the readie way to gaine his loue againe is to repēt and acknowledge our fault this being the most naturall meanes to soder friendship vp againe when once it is broken And so we see that by nature euery noble heart perceiuing his enemy subiect vnto him taketh compassion of him and seeing him now no more the same he was thinketh meete to change likewise his course towards him 10. What is Contrition It is a sincere repentance proceeding from the motion of the holy Ghost touching our hearts which maketh vs to detest our sinnes and to conuert our selues to God For whereas by sinne a man is auerted from God by louing some vnlawfull obiect so by contrition his heart is auerted from the vnlawfull obiect formerly embraced and conuerted againe to God by louing him anew 11. How many sortes of Contrition be there It is deuided into two generall sortes the one is perfect which is absolutely called Contrition the other is imperfect which is vsually called Attrition Which difference ariseth from the seuerall degrees of conuerting our selues to God for sometimes our conuersion may be so perfect as to make vs not only forbeare our former sinfull actions and complaisance in vnlawfull obiects but also to detest them more then hell it selfe whereby through the powerfull working of God his grace in our hearts our affection towards God becometh greater then the loue of our selues and is more firmely rooted in vs then the loue of any vnlawfull obiect so that if it please God to preserue vs in this disposition we do easily afterwards ouercome any temptation be it neuer so great Sometimes againe our conuersion may be so weake as that although it be able to make vs forbeare and detest sinne for the present because it is greater then our present adhesion
of nothing to giue limits both to the being and to the power of the thing he maketh which is done by prescribing its end and by laying downe in particular all the chaine of actions that euer it shall doe it followeth that no creature shall doe any action at all but only that which God hauing first particularly foreseen doth ordaine or permit it to doe and consequently that his eternall decrees do concurre to the doeing of euery action on whom also the being of all actions doth depend both in their continuation and in their beginning And so it is cleare that God is the Author of all our actions by giuing them existence as well as of our being as the Architect who by ouerseeing the building hath influence into euery-particular of a house doth build the house more truly then the workemen by whose meanes those thinges are executed which he or daineth about it So that God in fine is both the maker of all thinges the keeper of all thinges in being and also the chiefe doer of all thinges 10. As God is the chiefe doer and maker of all thinges so doe you not also beleeue that he seeth and knoweth all thinges whatsoeuer Yes vndoubtedly for we account him but very simple who knoweth not what he doeth himselfe God therefore not only giuing vs the power but euen also doing all our actions with vs much more then our selues he must needs know farre better then our selues what we doe And so you see that God knoweth all and euery thing that is done great and little to the number of the thoughts of men and Angells to the diuision of dust and sandes yea he knoweth whatsoeuer can be done or made yea though it nether be done or made nor euer to be done or made And because he doth not only know but also setteth on worke the causes of all thinges cleare it is that all thinges are done by his disposition and gouerment and consequently that he is the gouernout of all thinges in the world 11. If God then be the chiefe Authour and principall cause of all our actions doth it not follow from-thence that he is also the cause and Authour of our sinnes No for sinne is but a want and defect of our doing or rather a misdoing or missing to doe wherefore as in a scriuener the writeing proceedeth chiefely from the scriuener but the ill writeing by blotting or blurring proceedeth from the fault of the pens ill slit bad fashion or foulenesse so in like manner all mans actions proceed chiefely from God but sinne which is the ill doeing them proceedeth meerly from some defect in man himselfe and not from God at all For as cold cannot proceed from heate nor drinesse from water so the missing to doe and want of goodnesse cannot spring from the author of doeing and fountaine of goodnesse 12. But what now finally is this God who both maketh and knoweth all thinges and was himselfe from all eternity This is a question we can not answer fully vntill we come to enioy him in heauen where we shall see him clearely Here vpon earth we know him but imperfectly for he is not like vnto any thing which can be seen by the eie of man or framed by humane fantasie 13. What then must we conceiue him to be We must conceiue him to be a spirituall substance hauing his being from himselfe most single incomprehensible omnipotent immutable remaineing allwayes in the same state without any alteration at all omniscient infinitely wise and infinitely good eternall without all beginning or end who dependeth of nothing hath need of nothing and by whom all thinges were created and on whom all thinges both in heauen and earth depend 14. Where is God his chiefe and proper mansion place Although we conceiue God to be chiefely n heauen because he doth there chiefely manifest the greatnesse of his glory vnto the blessed yet you must know that he is euery where not only by his power but also by his presence and essence 14. What do you meane by Gods being euery where by power by presence and by essence God is euery where by power as is the king in his kingdome where by his lawes and officers he is morally present in his whole kingdome and obeyed by his subiects and so God conserueth euery thing and doeth all that is done in seuerall partes of the world sinne onely excepted as we saied before He is euery where by presence as is the king in his chamber by his personall being there and so he seeth all that which is in the world as the eie seeth that which is before it And finally he is also euery where by essence as is the king in his throne where with his body he filleth vp the whole place God is also sayed to be particularly present with the iust by grace with the blessed by glory and with the very damned in hell by iustice 16. Must we beleeue that there is but one God Yes as there is but one sunne in the world one king in a kingdome one soule in a body so is there but one God in heauē who gouerneth the whole world And the reason of it is because he who is absolutely soueraine cannot haue any thing distinct from himselfe as a companion equall to himselfe for absolute souerainty doth signify a superiority aboue all now God who hath all perfections must consequētly haue souerainty for otherwise he would want that perfection which is the chiefe of all And the notiō of Godhead doth proue that it cannot be otherwise for if there be two Gods ether both of them haue all being that is do possesse being in its full latitude and perfection or one hath it so and the other not if both haue all being in its full latitude and perfection then there cānot be any kynd of being in the one which is not in the other whereby they may differ in their beings and if they do not differ in their beings they must needs haue one and the selfe same being and so they cannot be two thinges but one and the selfe same thing for thinges are multiplied by different beings If one hath all being and the other not this second cannot be God who is being it self and so must needs possesse all being in its full latitude and perfection LESSON II. Of the mysterie of the blessed Trinity 1. WAs God then solitarie and all alone before the creation of the world No he was from all eternity the most sacred company of the blessed Trinity for as he is the cause of all fruitfulness in creatures so is he first of all most fruitfull within himselfe in regard of his fecundity both in his vnderstanding and in his-will and therefore although there were no more thinges but himselfe and he himselfe was but one thing yet this one thing was allwayse existent with three diuine personalities And this is that which we call the mysterie of the blessed Trinity and vnity of God 2.
and Adam lower then they were and made all other creatures rebell against them and rendred them slaues to their owne passions it rendred their bodies obnoxious to death and miserie their vnderstanding to ignorance and errors and their will to malice and the Diuell And no wonder for if the loue of God was the cause of those good effects in them the contrarie must needs breed contrarie effects 5. What comfort then did there remaine for them None at all but God his mercifull goodnesse for they had no meanes left in themselues to defend themselues from so manie enemies or to deliuer themselues from the miserie they were in they could not deserue so much as that God should take pittie of them for hauing lost intirely his grace they had of themselues no power anie more to doe the least good worke as it ought to be done not so much as to praie to God to assist them 6. This disaster was it to goe no farther then to Adam and Eue Yes to their children and to all their posteritie For as all the fruits of an ill roote are ill and cleare water cannot proceed from a fountaine which is infected no more could there be borne of our first parēts infected with sinne anie other but sinners For Adam his first sinne did not infect him only as a particular person but also as the generall roote of all mankinde 7. Are we all then borne in sinne Yes for as those who were borne of Adam and Eue were borne sinners by the infection of their Parents so were their children likewise for the same reason borne in sinne and the children of their children and so it must needs be for all their posteritie to the worlds end And the reason of this is because Adam falling from the loue of God to loue himselfe more then God which loue was contrarie to reason this change in his soule could not choose but worke a great change in his verie bodie and destroye its former good dispositions that were fitted to the grace of innocency by moulding in it others of a contrarie bias For we see by experience that our soules operations haue strong effects in our bodies we see that when we heare good newes the ioy in our soules maketh our very bodies light and iocond and when we grieue the griefe of our soules redoundeth to our bodies and maketh them dull and heauy Now then Adam being changed not only in his soule but also in his very bodie he could not make his sonnes bodie with a better disposition then his owne bodie had which was not now disposed to be subiect to reason but the quite contrarie for the soule by louing an other thing better then God carried the bodie along with it and put it into possession of command against reason and so it remained in rebellion with its proper motion independent of reason which bad disposition being deriued also to the childs bodie and being there as a marke of that transgression which we did all of vs incurre by Adam it rēdreth the same bodie through a necessarie consequence by reason of Gods couenant with Adam vncapable of anie other soule but such as is guilty of that losse which was inflicted by God vpon Adam and vpon all his posterity in case that he did breake his cōmandement From whence it followeth that no other soule could be due to such a bodie as Adam made to his sonne but such as was depriued of originall iustice And this is that which Christians call originall sinne to witt the missing of grace or originall iustice in the child as proceeding from the guilt which we contracted through the fault of our first father in whom we all sinned So that the want or priuation is particular to euery one the cause or actuall sinne only in Adam 8. But seeing that Adam after his fall did pennance and began to loue God anew did he not recouer againe the former good dispositions as well in his bodie as in his soule both for himselfe and his posteritie No for this second loue being preuented with dispositions in man contrarie to it selfe it could not according to the ordinarie course of God his prouidence produce that effect which the first loue did that found no such contratie dispositions but all thinges fitted to it selfe Nether can it on the suddaine extirpate those contrarie dispositiōs but with a great deale of paine and labour and neuer wholy because these affections and ill dispositions of sensuality goe before reason and are in some sort independent of it infecting the motions of sense before reason can espye it And so allmighty God hath most iustly ordained that these ill inclinations caused by this inordinate loue should alwayse remaine in mankinde as due punishment for his first sinne And this is that which is called concupiscence which is an inclination that draweth our harts to loue our selues more then God contrarie to the former good disposition that was in man by the grace of innocencie And no wonder if since the soule cannot be without loue and hauing lost the loue of God it runneth after sense and loueth those thinges which sense proposeth seeing that sense is the gate that openeth the way for obiects to enter into our soule LESSON VIII Of the Redemption of man 1. DId God allmighty abandon man in this his most miserable state No for Adam had no sooner sinned but God moued by compassion out of his meere goodnesse promised to relieue him by the meanes of Iesus Christ who being to descend from Adam and Eue by the blessed Virgin was to redeeme mankinde and to bruize the head of the serpent that is of the diuell by whom Eue was seduced 2. Did God fullfill this promise presently No he expected foure thousand yeares or there about 3. In what state was the world all that time In the state that the sinne of our first father had put it into 4. Were all men then in the state of sinne and damnation Yes in so much that those who were saued were only some few in whom God conserued his grace and a liuely faith of his promise so that of the whole world in Noes time hardly eight persons were found iust in the sight of God and presently againe not fiue men in fiue cities 5. Were the Iewes of the number of those few Not all but only those who had a liuely fayth of Iesus Christ as chiefly the Patriarkes and Prophets and some others 6. Was all the rest of mankinde damned Yes except some particulars whom God did fauour extraordinarily amongst the Gentiles as Melchisedec Iob and some others All the rest were vnder the power of the Diuell who abused them so farre as to make them adore stones beasts for Gods 7. Why did God expect foure thousand yeares before he redeemed mankinde To the end that men might know the grieuousnesse of sinne which was cōmitted against him seeing that it was the cause of the ruine of so manie soules and
acknowledge the greatnesse of his mercy and diuine grace when we looke vpon the miserie from whence he hath deliuered vs by Iesus Christ and therefore we ought to haue a perpetuall ioy and acknowledgment towardes God for that we are borne since the redemption of the world 8. How did God allmightie redeeme the world By the Incarnation Passion of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ LESSON IX Of the Incarnation of Iesus Christ 1. WHat is meant by the Incarnation It is a wonderfull mysterie whereby one of the three Persons of the blessed Trinitie was vnited to our nature after that it was become mortall and subiect to miserie by sinne 2. Which was that Person The second that is the sonne 3. Why the sonne rather then anie other Person of the blessed Trinitie Because he came to make vs sonnes to God and therefore it was fitting that amongst three Persons the sonne should be chosen to be our paterne and example and as it were our eldest brother Besides wisedome is appropiated to the sonne wherefore he coming also to be our master and teacher it was fitt that the wisedome of God that is the sonne and second Person should be chosen for that effect 4. Had the other Persons of the blessed Trinitie no hand in this mysterie Yes for the second Person was incarnated by their will and by their operation although he only was inuested with our flesh and with our nature remaining man as we are 5. Why was it necessarie that our redeemer should be both God and man It was necessarie that he should be God that his obedience and sufferings might be of infinite value as proceeding from such a person it was necessarie he should be man because the Godhead could not suffer besides it was conuenient that the same nature which had offended should suffer for the offence and that the same nature should ouercome the Diuell which had been ouercome by him and also that he who came to teach vs how to liue vertuously should haue the same nature and be composed of flesh and blood as we are that so we might haue a visible paterne and one whom we might imitate 6. Was he in all thinges like to other men Yes excepting only sinne concupiscence and ignorance And so the Apostle sayeth that he was made to the likenesse of the flesh of sinne whereby he doth not only except sinne it selfe but also concupiscence and ignorance for the flesh of sinne is not sinne it selfe but it signifyeth those peruerse dispositions in humane nature which do incline men to sinne which are comprehended vnder concupiscence and ignorance Yet the Apostle sayeth he was made to the likenesse of the flesh of sinne in regard that he was subiect to mortality and to painefull afflictions which are the direfull effects caused in man at first by sinne 7. Had he a father and mother like other men No for he was borne miraculously of the blessed Virgin without hauing a father here vpon earth as in heauen he had no mother For his bodie being framed by the power of the holy Ghost in the entrails of the blessed Virgin allmightie God breathed into this bodie as he did into Adams the breath of life in the wombe of his mother 8. How long did he liue Thirtie three yeares and three months or there aboute 9. How did he passe that time here He liued as other men doe vnlesse that his life was more heaped vp with woes When he was eight dayes old he was circūcised and his tender bodie painefully woūded After this he is thought to haue been kept in Bethleem vntill the three kings came out of the East to adore him vpon which king Herode growing iealous he fled into Aegypt and Herode executed his tyrannie vpon all the children from two yeares old and vnder in Bethleē and in all the confines of Bethleem In Aegypt we must imagine he was prouided as poore people are wont to be in strange countries yet he remained there for some yeares vntill the death of Herode After which being returned he liued in Nazareth for feare of Herode his sonne whence euerie yeare he went to Hierusalē at the solemne feasts and there was lost by his Parents at twelue yeares of age and after three dayes seeking found in the midst of the Doctors astonnishing them with his wise and learned answers As for the rest of his life he liued vntill he was thirty yeares old as a priuate mā leading an ordinarie course of life in the towne of Nazareth and other places without appearing to be more thē an ordinarie man and getting his liuing by working with his owne hands as a carpenter vnder S. Ioseph our ladies husband who for this reason was esteemed his father and although he was not so yet beeing married to his mother he had paternall iurisdiction ouer him and so he liued obedient both to him and to his mother 10. Why did he liue so priuately To giue vs an example of humilitie and to shew how those that are to be teachers in Gods church ought to prepare themselues by an humble and retired life 11. What did he doe after he was thirtie yeares old When S. Iohn the trumpet of God that came from the desert by summoning mankinde to pennance had soūded the march for him towards his eternall fathers worke for which he was sēt he was baptized by S. Iohn and receauing the visible testimonie of the holy Ghost he made his triall in the desert by a fast of fortie dayes and fortie nights and by the tentation of the Diuell all which he did for our instruction And then he began to exercise his charge in gathering of disciples and in preaching of the veritie of the ghospell by actiōs and words in prouing it by scriptures in cōfirming it by miracles through great contradictiōs and dangers and at last by effusion of his owne blood which he shed to maintaine this truth against them who did contradict it 12. What effect had his preaching It had no great effect as it seemes for all those whom he had made his disciples at least the chiefe of them did abandon him at the time of his Passion and so all that which he had done with so much labour was in a manner lost in one moment 13. How came it to passe that his word was of so small force in his owne disciples Because they had not as yet receiued the fullnesse of grace 14. How came it to passe that he had so few disciples since that he preached the Ghospell both by words and miracles to thousands of people Because the holy Ghost was not yet giuen for the word of the preacher though excellent and diuine worketh no effect at all vnlesse the holy Ghost do enter at the same time into the hearts of them who heare it to make them receiue it and keepe it 15. Was then Christ his preaching fruitlesse No for first it hath taught vs by experience that the word of the
as men vse ordinarily to do for this kinde of position is a token of wearinesse but in heauen there is no wearinesse and therefore no bodie sitteth there but all shall stand vp right as it is generally conceaued which is the naturall position of man yet our Sauiour is sayd to sit because by this manner of speach is expressed the perfect repose which he enioyeth and shall enioy for all eternity in heauen 34. Why is he sayd to sit at the right hand of his Father He is not sayd to sit so as that we should imagine the Father to be at the left hand of his Sonne or in the middle betwixt the Sonne the Holy Ghost for seeing that these three persons are one only Diuine essence which is essentially in all places it is impossible that one person should be in one place and another in another place but euery one is euery where Wherefore he is sayd to sit at the right hand of his Father thereby to signifie that as man he excells all creatures whatsoeuer in glory maiesty and power and also to signifie that he is equall to his Father in Maiesty and glory which equality though it be principally to be vnderstood as he is God for as man he is without comparison inferiour to his Father yet the same honour from vs is to be giuen to Christ man which is due to him as God by reason of the vnion his humanity hath with his diuine person for seeing that adoration is directed to the person who is adored if one should adore him as man with one kinde of worship and as God with another he would diuide Christ and suppose him to be two persons ARTICLE VII 35. DEclare the seuenth Article From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead I belieue that this our blessed Redeemer Iesus Christ in the end of the world after the raigne of Antichrist shall come from heauen with most great power and glory to iudge all men both liuing and dead giuing to euery one the reward or punishment which he hath deserued saying to the iust come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world and to the wicked Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angells 36. Shall Christ iudge vs as man or as God He shall iugde vs both as man and as God for it is reasonable that he should iudge as man to reward those who deserued it through the merits of his owne humanity and likewise to giue sentence against those who haue neglected to make vse of his sacred death for their owne saluation He shall iudge vs also as God and not only he but also all the blessed Trinity although it be particularly attributed to the second person because it is an act of wisedome the acts whereof are attributed to the sonne because they depend of the vnderstanding 37. When shall he iudge those that are dead There are two iudgements the one particular which is when euery man dyeth the other generall which will be when all men shall take their bodies againe for then the body and the soule being vnited they shall receiue ioyntly the iudgement which they did ioyntly deserue and they shall receiue it with shame or glory before the whole world and all together to the end that as soone as the sentence is giuen the earth opening it selse may swallow vp all the wicked at once and the heauens receiue all the blessed ARTICLE VIII 38. DEclare the eight Article I belieue in the holy Ghost I belieue in the holy Ghost who is the third person of the blessed Trinity and proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is in all and euery thing equall to the Father and to the Sonne that is he is God eternall infinite omnipotēt creatour and lord of all thinges as much as the Father and the Sonne 39. Why is the holy Ghost represented ordinaryly in the forme of a doue and sometimes also in the forme of fiery tongues and of a cloude The reason of it is because he hath appeared vnder these formes to make vs by these visible thinges apprehēd the effects which he worketh in vs as by a doue innocency by fire charity by a cloude a plenitude of glory wherewith we shall be enuironed in heauen 40. Were these creatures vnited to the holy Ghost as the nature of man is vnited to the sonne of God No for they were meere figures made by the hands of Angells or by God to represent vnto vs the effects of the holy Ghost which being represented these signes remained no more but did vanish presently away ARTICLE IX 41. DEclare the ninth Article The holy Catholike Church Communion of Saints I belieue also that there is a Church that is to say a societie of reasonable creatures vnited to God by supernaturall gifts Which church hath two principall members whereof one is called the church triumphant which conteineth all the blessed in heauen the other is called the church militant which consisteth of mortall men who fight perpetually with the flesh the world and the diuell which church is a visible congregation of all faithfull Christians that are baptized and vnited here vpon earth into one common body I belieue also that each member of this congregation doth partake of the assistance of all the rest and likewise of the assistance of the church triumphant 42. Why is this Church called holy and catholike It is holy because it hath the head which is Christ holy and also for that it hath many holy members besides the faith law and Sacraments are all holy and lastly because the holy Ghost doth neuer forsake it but doth allwayes informe it with sanctitie and glorify it with miracles And it is called Catholike that is vniuersall both for time and place It is also called such because all the faithfull in what part soeuer of the world they be must be vnited to it to be saued 43. Why did the Apostles sett downe in the Creed these two conditions of holinesse and vniuersality Because they are two infallible markes of the true Church to which vnity is also added as a third marke seeing that the Apostles call it the Church in the singular number and not Churches 44. What signifyeth the Communion of Saints It signifyeth that all the holy members of the church are so vnited to one another by the same faith and by brotherly vnion that as in a mans body all the members are partakers of the good or euill of each member thereof so do they partake of the goods and sufferings of one another according to the charity which euery one hath himselfe and according as it shall please the holy Ghost to distribute them who doth deuide the spirituall goods of the church as well as his graces as he pleaseth himselfe Besides all the goods of the church are common the sacraments are instituted for all euery one
whensoeuer one cōmitteth that which in it selfe is only a veniall sinne and yet he thinketh in his conscience that it is a mortall one 11. Why is a veniall fault called a sinne Because although it be not a crime as mortall sinne is yet it is an offense against God and although indeed it doth not depriue vs of grace yet it weakeneth the soule and putteth it in danger to fall into other sinnes which at length will make it fall mortally and loose God his grace if it correcteth not it selfe in time by due repentance As a small sicknesse by encrease cause that last a mortall indisposition if it be neglected 12. How many degrees be there of veniall sinne Three the first by thinking speaking or doing something vpon a suddaine but yet without marking fully that he offendeth God the second when he fully marketh that he offendeth venially and yet continueth the third when he both marketh that he offendeth and also hath some good motion to giue ouer but reiecteth it The first argueth frailty the second a neglect of Gods Maiesty and so is dangerous the third resisteth his holy inspirations and so is more dangerous and disposeth to mortall sinne from which it differeth in nothing but only in weightinesse of matter 13. Which be the sinnes which crie to heauen for vengeance and wherefore do we say so of them They are foure to wit wilfull murder carnall sinne against nature oppression of the poore and chiefely of orphās and widowes and to defraud seruants and workemen of their wages They are so called because their iniustice and vnlawfullnesse is so manifest that it cannot be couered or hidden by any ignorance 14. Which be the sinnes against the holy Ghost and why are they so called They be six to wit despaire of saluation presumption of God his mercy that is that he will saue vs without our owne endeauour and without good workes done by his grace to impugne a known truth to enuy another mans grace obstinacy in sinne and finall impenitence They are said to be against the holy Ghost because they argue in those who cōmit them a present or former malice deepely rooted in them for malice is opposite to goodnes attributed to the holy Ghost In the same manner the sinne of ignorance is sayd to be against the sonne of God to whom wisedome is attributed and the sinne of frailty against the Father to whom power is peculiarly attributed 15. What is to be vnderstood by saying that these sinnes are not pardoned in this world nor in the other It is as much as to say that they are hard to be pardoned because seldome and hardly those who fall into them come vnto true repentance For as when we say a disease is incurable we do not intend to affirme that it cannot by any meanes possibly be cured but only that it is seldome and not so ordinarily to be cured as other diseases so we say of these sinnes that they are not pardoned in this or the next world because they are seldome pardoned except only the last which is finall impenitence for that is neuer pardoned at all 16. What are the most efficacious motiues to keepe vs from sinning Those which the holy Ghost himselfe hath prescribed in these few words Remember the last things and thou shalt neuer sinne 17. What be these last thinges They are foure Death Iudgement Heauen and Hell 18. Why are these called the last thinges Death is called so because it is the last thing that happeneth to vs in this world Iudgement also is our last sentence without appeale Heauen is our last and finall happinesse which the blessed shall enioy eternally in a most perfect possession of God And Hell is the last and greatest miserie without any release or change for eternity 19. What is the roote of all sinne Selfeloue and from thence springeth those other rootes noted by S. Iohn which are concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes by which is meant the vnderstanding and pride of life which may be called concupiscence of the will for whereas man doth cōsist of body and soule and the soule of two principall powers vnderstanding and will vnder these three concupiscences is comprehended the whole sinnefull state of man And these againe are diuided into seuen branches called commonly the seuen capitall sinnes 20. Which be the seuen capitall sinnes and why are they called so They be Pride Couetousnesse Lechery Anger Gluttony Envy and Slouth They are called capitall because they are heads of many others which proceed from them as branches from their roote and as riuers from their source and fountaine For Pride doth incline vs to breake the first and fourth commandement Auarice the seuenth Lechery the sixth Envy the ninth and tenth Gluttony the first and sixth Anger the second and fifth Slouth the third and vpon occasions any one of these vices may cause vs to breake euery one of the commandements Besides these seuen vices are also called the seuen deadly sinnes because whereas all the vicious affections of man are reduced to these seuen heades if it chance that the obiect of any one of them be more predominant ouer our affection then the loue of God it putteth vs into a state of habituall mortall sinne and depriueth vs of God his grace And although peraduenture such a man may notwithstanding by reason of his naturall inclination or of some other more powerfull worldly interest forbeare to commit those grosse and palpable sinnes which such vicious affections do vsualy draw men into yet this will not excuse him As for example a couetous man who for feare of the temporall lawes or for feare of loosing his reputation or for other worldly respects doth not commit vsury nor robbe or steale from his neighbour will not be saued if his heart be so set vpon riches as to be wholy occupied in seeking and laying vp worldly wealth but this man is of the number of those whom S. Paul declareth to be excluded from the kingdome of heauen because although he do not steale nor coozen his neighbour yet he is truly couetous And the same is to be sayd of those who set their thoughts and endeauours wholy vpon honours vanities pleasures feasting gaming contentions factions and the like placing wholy their delight in them for though the particular actions of these men considered singly by themselues may seeme veniall yet the whole number becometh damnable because it doth argue that their affectiōs are placed in those obiects as in their last end and so they transgresse the first precept For how can we iudge of our affections but by our actions And if these obiect take vp our whole employment is it not euident that they are predominant ouer our affections and that it is not God but they that reigne in vs as the last and principall end we aime at Wherefore reflecting vpon our selues if we finde that our life actions and designes are bent in the bottome of our hart
not wonder if in some cases the Priest imposeth so small a pennance in respect of the grieuous offences of the Penitēt as it happeneth in those who confesse great sinnes at the houre of death for the least outward act is significatiue and sufficient to testify our present intention 34. What do you gather from its being satisfactorie I gather from thence that the satisfaction ought to correspond to the grieuousnesse of the Penitents offences and that it ought to be a penall satisfaction that is such as doth chastise the body and manifest in the Penitēt zeale of God his iustice and a spirit of godly reuenge vpon himselfe for the sinnes he hath committed 35. What do you gather by its being medecinall I gather from thence that the pennance which the Priest imposeth ought to be proportioned to the diseased humour of the Penitent and such as may withdraw him from sinne and that it ought accordingly to be augmented or lessened as he findeth his Penitent to amend himselfe more or lesse 36. What do you gather by its being significatiue Since that its signification doth consist in testifying the sincerity of our inward repentance and an acknowledgement of our obligation to do worthy fruits of repentance in this life I gather first that when we haue performed the pennance imposed by the Priest we ought not therefore to desist but we must still go on in bewailing our sinnes all our life time for as S. Augustin sayth Poenitere est poenam tenere to repent is to perseuer in paine to the end sayeth he that one may punish by reuenging in himselfe that which he hath committed by sinning he therefore doth perseuer in paine who alwayes punisheth that which it grieueth him to haue committed Secondly I gather in case that the Priest should either through necessity as it happeneth when a Penitent is in danger of death or else through ignorance or by too much indulgence impose so small a pennance as would haue no proportion with the grieuousnesse of the sinnes whereof the Penitent is guiltie that then the Penitent by doing that small pennance must not thinke himselfe released of the debt he oweth for his sinnes nor acquitted of the obligation he hath to doe worthy fruits of repentance but he must do them voluntarily or by the aduise of his Ghostly father which will be more meritorious 37. Are we then obliged to do worthy fruits of repentance Yes for as by the Sacrament of Baptisme we do solemnly renounce the world and promise to abstaine from sinne so we do by the Sacrament of pennance which is a second Baptisme and called by the Fathers a laborious Baptisme not only renew our former promise made in Baptisme but also we do adde a new purpose signified by the pennance imposed by the Priest and accepted by the Penitent of repairing by worthy fruits of repentance the harme which we haue suffered by sinne And therefore the Councell of Trent teacheth that in the pennance for sinnes committed after Baptisme is contained not only a cessation from sinne a detestation of sinne and a contrite and humble heart which thinges are required in Baptisme but also satisfaction by fasting almes praier and other pious exercises of a spirituall life 38. From whence ariseth the obligation of worthy fruits of repentance It ariseth from two heads first from the precept for they are expressely commanded by God Secondly from the nature of the thing it selfe for the light of reason doth teach vs that we are bound both to satisfy God his iustice and also to repaire our owne losses when we are able the one being a kinde of restitution to be made to God and the other a kinde of restitution due to ourselues Wherefore to know how farre this precept of doing worthy fruits of repentance bindeth we must cōsider these two principall ends for which they were commanded And as for the first end which is to satisfy God his iustice for the temporall paine remaining after that the guilt of sinne is remitted you must note that the Minister of God cannot know how much repentance and contrition the Penitent hath nether can the Penitent nor the Minister know the value of the sayd contrition nor how much more he ought to do for due satisfaction and therefore in the primitiue Church they vsed to impose austere pennances for euery mortall sinne which they were to performe for a long time together yea for some sinnes they were to do pennance all their life time that so God his iustice might be more fully satisfied but in after ages the Church hath mitigated that former austerity releasing the Penitentiall Canons by frequent Indulgences which she granteth from time to time for the generall good of the Church which Indulgences vpon such occasions do likewise remit the paine due to sinne being granted by authority of the keies of the kingdome of heauen Wherefore it is certaine that we are not for the present obliged to the Penitentiall Canons but it sufficeth if the Priest impose such pennances as haue some proportion in chastising the sinner with as much paine and affliction as he tooke vnlawfull delight and content in his vnbridled passions by sinfull actions which also may be prudently moderated vpon iust occasions by remitting the Penitent for the rest to the generall fasts and mortifications obserued in the Church and to such voluntarie afflictions as he himselfe shall make choise of In which kinde it is to be noted that euery one is bound to vse voluntarily such pennances as he findeth necessary to keepe the spirit of compunctiō from decaying in his heart and to preserue him from danger of falling into a contempt of God his wrath and of reparation due to his iustice And therefore although it be true that we are not bound now to the actuall practise of the Penitentiall Canons yet we are obliged to be so prepared and disposed in minde as to be ready to vndergoe them in case they were absolutely necessary to satisfy the diuine iustice or that they were enioyned vs by the Church From whence it followeth that although those sinners who haue not leisure to do worthy fruits of repentance because they are surprised by death presently after their conuersion shall be purged by the paines of Purgatorie and so be saued as also those shall be who haue had leisure to do worthy fruits of repentance but haue performed them slackely and negligently yet those who neuer had an intention to do worthy fruits of repentance in this life or if they had such an intention did afterwardes when they had leisure totally neglect to do them will not finde a Purgatorie in the next world but eternall punishment in hell for their contempt of God his precept in not performing that which his iustice exacteth from vs in this life The second end for which the worthy fruits of repentance were commanded by God is medicinall and satisfaction as it hath relation to this end is defined thus Est
immediatelie accomplished in her that our Lord the word of God the second person of the Blessed Trinitie was to descend into her to rake flesh of her body and to remaine in her not only by charitie and grace but also personally 4. Declare the second sentence of this praier Blessed art thou amongst all women The Angel doth by these words denounce from heauen a benediction to the blessed Virgin seeing that she was to be the instrument to banish out of the world that generall malediction which an other woman had brought vpon the world Blessed because it is a benediction not to be sterile and a benediction proper only to her to bring forth him who is the Father of all the world Blessed aboue all because none but she hath the benediction of marriage and the perfection of virginitie none but she euer was or shall be both a Virgin and a Mother Blessed in fine because she is chosen out of the whole Progenie of Adam to be the Mother of God who is author of all benedictions 5. Declare the third sentence Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Saint Elizabeth by these wordes inspired by the holy Ghost with zeale towards our Sauiour after that she and the Angel had praised the blessed Virgin doth turne to her sonne to shew that the merits of the Mother did proceed from the sonne who is the fountaine of all blessings The Virgin in blessed aboue all women through the benediction conferred vpon her by the fruit of her wombe and the fruit of her wombe is blessed aboue all thinges by his owne proper benediction which he conferreth and which is spread ouer the whole world by creation and Redemption and so he is not sayd blessed amongst men as our Lady is sayd blessed amongst women because he is absolutely and essentially blessed without relation or comparison The word Iesus which signifieth Sauiour is added by the Church to shew that our redemption is the fruit of his benediction 6. Declare the last sentence The last sentence is our praier to our Lady whereby we desire her to assist vs by her powerfull intercession Now that is euery moment and with great reason seeing that we haue continually need of her assistance being continually a assaulted by three powerfull enemies the world the flesh end the Diuell and she hath both will and power to assist vs will because she is full of charitie power because she is the Mother of him by whose grace we are to ouercome our enemies We desire her also to assist vs at the houre of our death because seeing we are to be judged according to the state we dye in we haue then most need of her assistance to obtaine by her intercession the grace of God to strengthen vs and to keepe vs in that last moment in such a state as that we may come to a happie eternitie victorious ouer all our enemies 7. Wherefore doth our Mother the Church vsually appoint her children after the Pater noster to adjoyne the Aue Maria It is with great reason that after we haue humbly proposed out suite vnto the Father of our blessed Redeemer we should next addresse our selues vnto his Mother whose power vndoubtedly doth exceed the power of all other creatures in heauen and in earth to desire her to pray to her sonne that he would be our Mediatour towards his Father and to make vs obtaine what we desire 8. Is it a good and laudable deuotion to make so many repetitions of the selfe same words as some vse to do of the Aue Maria Truly if some Saints did with so great comfort and deuotion spend frequently whole nights in repetition of these only six words vt nouerim te vt nouerim me And Saint Francis the like in these Quis es tu quis sum ego And if the Seraphins in praise of their creatour repeate without count or tearme of time that Holie Holie Holie c. why may not we in like manner finde profitable imployment for one halfe houre at least in repetition of that Angelicall salutation whereby we make so often a gratefull commemoration of the most blessed Incarnation of the sonne of God the only meanes designed by God for our eternall redemption 9. But are we to place any hope of merit in those determinate numbers of Aue Maries to be sayd on our Beades No for these determinate numbers serue only to awake in vs some pious thought as thirtie three in remembrance of the thirtie three yeares wherein our blessed Sauiour wrought our Redemption vpon earth crauing thereby the application of his blessed merits vnto our soules and sixtie three in remembrance of the yeares which our blessed Ladie did liue crauing her intercession for grace to imitate the vertues she practised in that time and so by all the rest which are accommodated vnto some holy mysteries both for our instruction and to helpe for deuotion especially for the vnlearned and simple people who are not fit for contemplation and cannot reade or vnderstand the Psalmes for by the repetition of those two praiers which are plaine to euery ordinary vnderstanding those people are prouided of a meanes whereby to spend their time in praier with no lesse profit then those who say the holy Psalmes or giue themselues to contemplation 10. What is the best way to vse in saying of the Beades As for the vse of the Beades it is hard giue a generall rule that may be sutable to all wherefore I would aduise euery one to take the counsel of his spirituall Director and to read the treatises that haue beene written of this subject where euery one may marke what is most conformable to his priuate deuotion Only this in generall 1 should aduertise them that in saying the Aue Marie at those words Marie and Iesus to remēber some passage or benefit of our Redeemer towards mankinde for which we blesse not only him but also his holy Mother for seeing she brought forth him who bestowed such benefits vpon vs it is reason she should pertake of the blessings which we heape vpon her sonne for them And likewise in the latter pare where we desire her to pray for vs we may determine some good we haue need of which additions are to be spoken only with our heart for by doeing so euery Aue Marie will be made a iaculatory commemoration of some mystery and our heart will be lifted vp and go together with our mouth which is the true vse of vocall praier Which will be done more easily if we allot a certaine number of Aue Maries and not many to euery pointe or mystery of our Sauiours life for so we shall be lesse subject to distractions 11. Is there no manner of praying vocally but by the Pater noster and the Aue Marie Yes there are many other wayes set downe in the Primer or Manuall and particularly all those that are practised in the office of the Church and the Sacrifice of the
Masse and to these we ought to beare a particular respect and deuotion as being the most excellent of all others because they are the words of the vniuersall Church inspired by the holy Ghost and pronounced by the mouth of his Ministers LESSON XXXVI Of the Sacrifice of Masse 1. IS the Sacrifice of Masse selfe a meanes also to obtains God his helping grace Yes and in some sorte the most efficacious and most generall of all For by it we appease the wrath of God wonderfully and so draw his blessings vpon vs continually because in it doth consist the principall function of Religion by which we performe our chiefo dutie towards God 2. What is the Sacrifice of Masse It is the Christian sacrifice ordained by Iesus Christ to be offered vp to his Father to the worlds end in remembrance of that bloody sacrifice vpon the crosse where he by his owne sacred death offered vp himselfe a holocoust to God for the redemption of mankinde 3. Is the Sacrifice of Masse also it selfe a meanes whereby to pray Yes but it is such in a more eminent degree then all the rest for God is more honoured by it then by all our other actions and therefore as Saint Denis sayeth of Allmighty God that he is not goodnesse nor wisedome nor power nor beauty as we vse to call him because our conceptiōs are short of that which these perfections are in him so the honour which is giuen to God by other actions is so short of the honour which is giuen to him by the Sacrifice of Masse as that this sacrifice ought not to be reckoned as one of our other actions whereby we pray but it is to be placed in a ranke by it selfe aboue all the rest 4. What is a Sacrifice It is an outward action whereby we offer vp to allmighty God some creature by destroying or killing it protesting thereby both a supreme worthinesse in him as being Author of life and death to whom we should sacrifice euen our owne liues if it were profitable and necessary for his honour and also a readinesse in vs to doe so when he shall require it of vs. And the thing which is thus offered vp is called the host of the sacrifice 5. A sacrifice then is a kinde of worship due to God alone Yes and it is the greatest worship that we can exhibite to God both in respect of that perfection which we acknowledge in him which is the very Godhead it selfe for God signifieth as much as the Author of being to all thinges which is the very thing we acknowledge of him properly by the sacrifice as also in respect of that which we professe to be due to him which is our owne liues if he please to exact them of vs which is the greatest thing that we can giue in this world and therefore sacrificing was allwayes held the chiefest function in all religions 6. What is the host in the Sacrifice of Masse It is Christ Iesus himselfe whose body and blood are truly offered vp to his Father vnder the forme of bread and wine 7. How is this done It is done by the words instituted by Iesus Christ and pronounced by the Priest in his name in which words a diuine vertue is present to produce the effect they signifie 8. Why did Christ institute this Sacrifice To continue in the world the Sacrifice which he did offer for vs vpon the crosse to the end that he might render a perpetuall honour to his Father in sacrificing himselfe dayly to him and also that he might communicate to men the fruit of that Sacrifice by putting into their hands the victime it selfe which he offered to his Father 9. Is Christ then truly killed dayly in the Sacrifice of Masse No he is only killed mystically and not truly yet he is truly sacrificed because his true body and his true blood are really offered vp to God and not mystically only 10. How is he truly sacrificed if he be not truly killed Because his owne bodie and his owne blood being made by vertue of the consecration a true memoriall of his bloody death vpon the crosse they are by that outward action truly and really put into such a state as is fit to expresse that acknowledgement of Gods supreme power which sacrifices were instituted to signifie And therefore by the words of consecration Christ is truly and really sacrificed 11. Why did he institute this Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine To signifie the separation of his bodie and blood which was caused by his bitter Passion 12. Who is he that offereth vp Christ to his Father in the Sacrifice of Masse Christ himselfe and also tho Priest but Christ principally and the Priest only secondarily or instrumentally for the Priest is only Christ his Minister 13. What vertue hath the Sacrifice of Masse It hath vertue to appease the wrath of God and to moue him to forgiue vs our sinnes which is as much as to say that it is propitiatorie sacrifice it hath also vertue to obtaine for vs from God his diuine grace and other spirituall benefits of what kinde soeuer they be 14. What is the Masse It is the Sacrifice with all the array and ceremonies appointed by the Church for the edifying and decent celebrating of the same 15. With what affection should we come to Masse With that affection for which sacrifices were instituted that is with a deuout acknowledgement of our duties towards God with an earnest desire to appease the wrath of God which we haue deserued by our sinnes and also with thankesgiuing to our blessed Sauiour that he hath vouchsafed to leaue vnto his Church his owne body and blood as a pledge of his loue to be offered vp to his Father by vs in testimonie of the foresayed acknowledgement and as a meanes to appease his deserued wrath 16. What is the best way to heare Masse If one haue capacity and commoditie he should attend to all such passages as the Priest speaketh out plaine for the rest he should haue his priuate deuotions which be so much the better if they be accommodated to the course of the Masse but if not no great matter as long as his deuotion doth recall it selfe by a particular attention at the chiefe mysteries of Masse which are the consecration published to the people by the eleuation and the consummation which is done when the Priest receiueth the body and blood of Iesus Christ 17. Must we haue the same disposition for hearing of Masse which is required to receiue worthily the Sacrament The same disposition is not absolutely necessary for no man who findeth himselfe in the state of mortall sinne can receiue the Sacrament vnlesse he go first to confession which is not necessarie for hearing of Masse yet it were to be wished that all did so because those who heare Masse with deuotiō although they do not receiue the Sacramēt really yet they receiue it spiritually Howsoeuer since that one principall