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A37390 A Declaration of the principall pointes of Christian doctrine gathered out of diuerse catechismes and set forth by the English priests dwelling in Tournay Colledge. 1647 (1647) Wing D742; ESTC R17718 151,131 593

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it as a Sacrament it is necessary for euery one in particular that embraceth the state of wedlock in the Church in so much that it would be a great sinne for any Christians to cōtract a marriage without obseruing those conditiōs which are necessary to make it a Sacrament or which are required to make the administration of it lawfull and therefore diligence must be vsed before-hand to see that there be no impediment that may render the Sacrament either inualide or the reception of it vnlawfull 5. What impediments do render the Sacrament of Marriage vnlawfull They are many as for example the prohibition of the Church that is of the Bishop or of any other in his place who may vpon iust occasions forbid for a certaine space of time such or such persons to marry together As also if either person hath made a simple vow of chastity or a vow to enter into Religion or to be a Priest or not to marry 6. What impediments be they which make the Sacrament inualide and the contract of Marriage of no force They are foureteene concluded in these verses Error conditio votum cognatio crimen Cultus disparitas vis ordo ligamen honestas Si sis affinis si forte coire nequibis Si Parochi duplicis desit praesentia testis Raptaue sit mulier nec parti reddita tutae Where you must note concerning Consanguinity that the marriage is inualide if the parties be allyed to one another within foure degrees of kindred inclusiuè and the same is also of Affinity 7. What is the end of Matrimony The immediate end is corporall generation of children the remote end is their spirituall regeneration by Baptisme and proportionably their nurriture and education conformable to these two generations 8. Are then all Fathers and Mothers bound to instruct carefully their children Yes and to teach them exactly not only by words but also by example all that which cōcernes faith and Christian behauiour that they may serue God euery one according to his condition for a father ought to be in his family as the Bishop is in his Church according to S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine 9. How cometh it to passe notwithstanding that the Apostle doth preferre a single life before Marriage that marriage should haue this excellency aboue a single life as to be a Sacrament Because it is an Image of the sacred vnion betwixt Iesus Christ and his Church for as Iesus Christ is one with his Church so that they cannot be separated so is the husband inseparably one with his wife and as Iesus Christ hath loued his Church and her children so much as to dye for them so ought a husband to loue his wife and the children which God hath giuen him most perfectly and cordially Besides the state of marriage hath many burdens and therefore men haue need of a speciall grace to sustaine them which is conferred to them by this Sacrament 10. Which be the fruites and good effects that spring from the grace of this Sacrament First by the grace of this Sacrament the married people are much enabled to preserue true loue and mutuall loyalty to each other Secondly it conferreth to them grace to giue good and vertuous education to their children Thirdly it giueth strength to support with Christian courage the great and many tribulations which the Apostle assures vs that the state of marriage is subject vnto 11. What is the reason that we finde so few of these happy effects to proceed from the grace of this Sacrament but see very often the quite contrary in their place The reason is because so few dispose themselues with due preparation to receiue this Sacrament some aiming only at their owne temporall wealth or sensuall pleasure others imploying their whole industrie in meere profane thoughts as in prouiding sumptuous great cheere costly apparell and jouiall mirth scarce admitting one serious cogitation for the spirituall disposition of their soules vnto this holy Sacrament Others finally by their sinfull life and brutall sensuality do loose the grace of God and by this meanes they also frustrate both the grace and the former many good fruites of this Sacrament and are most iustly punished with the quite contrary most vnhappy effects of impatience brawling hatred and jealosy LESSON XXXI Of God his Actuall grace 1. Were the Sacraments instituted for no other end but only to produce in vs habituall or sanctifying grace Yes they were instituted also to be principall instruments for the obtaining of God his assistant actuall grace that is euery Sacrament doth obtaine from God that actuall grace for vs which shall be necessary when we are to performe those thinges for which each Sacrament was instituted 2. How is this done This is done through the vertue of sanctifying grace receiued by the Sacramēt for Sacraments haue this property that they do conferre vnto vs together with habituall grace a speciall title whereby God is ready to giue vs more abundantly his actuall assistant grace when any occasion requireth it which title is nothing else in the opinion of many but the habituall grace it selfe as conferred by the Sacraments From-whence we may gather how carefull we ought to be to preserue this habituall grace for by loosing it we loose not only the habituall grace it selfe but together with it we loose also the speciall title which we had by the Sacrament to God his assistant actuall grace and so we are depriued of the same speciall title for euer vnlesse through God his infinite mercy we do recouer againe by true repentance our former habituall grace And this is to be vnderstood in respect of our selues only for where the particular helpes obtained by the Sacrament do concerne the good of others as they do in the Sacrament of Order then though the Minister be neuer so wicked yet his functions will be valide and he himselfe oftentimes be assisted with speciall helpes or discharge his office though peraduenture not for his owne profit yet for the benefit of those he gouerneth 3. Why do you say that the Sacraments do giue vs a title to that actuall grace for which each Sacrament was instituted Because each Sacrament was instituted for a peculiar end and so euery one of them doth not conferre vnto vs a speciall title to any grace but only to that for which it was instituted for by the grace of Baptisme we obtaine those helpes from God which are necessary to ouercome the temptatiōs that occurre through the common condition of humane frailty in a more plentifull measure then ordinarie By the grace of Confirmation we obtaine those helpes which are necessary to ouercome extraordinary temptations as persecution of Tyrants and the like By the grace of the holy Eucharist we obtaine those helpes which are necessary to make vs loue God feruently and to do heroicke workes of charity By the grace of Pennance we obtaine God his assistance to produce worthy fruites of repētance By the grace of
we shall finde that they were instituted immediatly by Christ to rule and consequently commanded to be cōtinued and to be obeyed in his Church for he who instituteth an authority to rule by the very institution of it commandeth obedience to it and that it be perpetuated and vsed to that end for which it was instituted 11. For what end are Bishops necessarie in the Church For many ends whereof we shall speake in the Sacrament of Order and chiefly to take care of the common and to gouerne the Church for gouernment is a thing in it selfe absolutely necessarie vnto all Communities in so much that though we may see some communitie gouerned by superiours without lawes and prosper for a while yet we shall neuer finde that there was anie seene gouerned by lawes without superiours and if there were any such the lawes would be but occasions of quarrells and dissensions Wherefore as euerie man by his vnderstanding directeth himselfe so is the Bishop the vnderstanding that directeth the whole for Bishops are the heads and Princes from whom all inferiour Priests and directors in particular Churches are to take their rules and iudgement in all spirituall affaires 12. How doe we know that Christ instituted the gouernment of the Church himselfe and did not leaue it to the Church to doe it Because we know that he came into the world to erect and establish a Church which in it selfe should haue ordinarie power to conserue and propagate it selfe as we see all States and Communities doe Now he who hath vnderstanding knoweth that this cannot be done but by ordering of gouernours so that the institution of the verie Church it selfe which is a thing that no man can deny to come from Christ doth necessarily implie the institution of the gouernment of it 13. But how doe we know that those gouernours instituted by Christ were Bishops and not Priests or Lay Elders We know this first because we are told expresselie in scripture that Bishops were appointed by the holy Ghost to gouerne the Church of God Secondlie we know it by the same rule whereby we know all thinges that we beleeue in the Church for since you see that Bishops that is men consecrated by a speciall ordination are gouernours in the Church ouer all the Christian world if one should aske you who made them such I am sure you would say they were made such by others who are dead that were themselues such and those againe by others and so vpwards to the Apostles themselues who were made such immediately by Christ which is as strōg a motiue as anie we haue to receaue the Blessed Trinitie Incarnation Sacraments and all other mysteries of our faith And therefore he who denieth necessitie of gouernment by Bishops in Christ his Church is as absolute an hereticke as he who denieth anie thing that Christ hath taught and he who impugneth it impugneth Christ and seeketh to destroy his Church 14. Are all Bishops equall No for as S. Peter was chiefe amongst the Apostles so is the Bishop of Rome who succeeded to S. Peter chiefe amongst all Bishops and it belongeth to him as supreme Prince of the Church to pronounce the definitiue sentence in all matters of Church controuersies for as it is not fitting that there should be more then one king in a kingdome one master in a house and one pilot in a ship so is there but one head ouer the whole Church 15. If Christ be the head of all the Church what need is there of anie other head especially since you say there cannot be two heads Christ alone is the supreme and absolute head and the Bishop of Rome is only his Vicare and ministeriall head And this was necessarie because Christ being now ascended into heauen he doth not conuerse with his Church anie more in a visible manner but gouerneth it spiritually and inuisibly wherefore seeing that the members of his Church here vpon earth are corporall and visible it was necessary that they should haue also a visible head to gouerne them and instruct them according to the exigencie of their capacitie in this world 16. What then is the Church It is the societie or companie of those who are baptized and serue God by professing the true faith and by being vnited amōgst themselues and with their visible head the Bishop of Rome 17. Which be the markes to know the true Church from all false ones They are principally foure Sāctity Vniuersality Succession and Vnity that is to be holy to be vniuersall to be Apostolicall to be one 18. Is the true Church then allwaies holy Yes certainly both in doctrine and practise for holinesse is the thing which Christ came chiefely to settle in his Church 19. What is it to be holy It is to teach and practise those vertues which leade vs to heauē which is the life that Christ Iesus came to giue vs. And this can be no where but in the true Church faith being the first principall vertue that putteth vs in the waie to heauen and from it springeth good liuing and execution correspondent and also miracles wrought in token of holinesse which are the workes of God whereby his Church doth shine throughout the world not only to the confirmation of those faithfull who are weake but also to the cōuersion of Infidells And this marke of holinesse and miracles agreeth to none but to the Roman Church for although there may be more and greater wickednesse amongst Catholikes by reason of the multitude of the professors of the Catholike religion nay of it selfe the wickednesse must needs be greater for those who haue not so good thinges to offend against cannot be so wicked and as the Philosopher saith Corruptio optimi pessima a good thing when it is corrupted becomes starke naught yet is there also great and extraordinary holinesse Whereas amongst other sects there is neuer anie man heard of who whilest he liued had the reputation and credit amongst wise men to be a Saint or of extraordinary holinesse and deuotiō Congregations of men and woemen absteining from pleasures and separating themselues from the world none are found vnlesse such as were begun in Catholike times Extraordinary acts of pennance or heroicke vertues are not to be looked for And as for miracles they do not pretend vnto them in their churches In fine very little more then nature affordeth is to be seene amongst them sauing some bare words of God and Christ 20. Must the Church also be vniuersall Yes certainly for Christ commanded his Apostles to preach through the whole world and there can be no doubt but that they did what they were bidden And this also is a marke belōging only to the Roman Church for she alone is found in euery part of the Christian world all Heretikes being euery kinde in some countries but none in all 21. What is meant by the churches being Apostolicall To be Apostolicall is to receiue their beliefe from the Apostles by a continuated
succession And this also none hath done but the Roman Church nether doth anie Protestant lay claime vnto it for aske any Protestāt whether they receiued their doctrine from the Apostles or no they will answer yes by whose hands they will answer by the scripture But a Catholike saieth by succession from his forefathers and they by succession from theirs and so vpwards to the Apostles themselues without interruption Now the question of being Apostolicall is not only whether they beleiue the same thing that the Apostles did belieue but withall whether those who now are did receiue their beliefe from the Apostles by a true continuated succession or no. 22. How is the true Church also one It is such first because it hath one principle in which all that are of it do agree wherein if others should agree they could not be of any other Religion but Catholike and this is Tradition to which none layeth claime but the Roman Church Neither haue other Churches any one such principle as to make all that agree in it to be of the same Religion with themselues for the scripture which is their only supreme rule is of itselfe subiect to the seuerall misinterpretations of euery priuate spirit Secondly it is one because all that are in it professe one and the same faith and vse the same Sacraments Thirdly it is one in gouernment because the members of it are all vnited vnder one head the Bishop of Rome for as S. Peter had amongst the Apostles so haue his Successours amongst Bishops the princely and definitiue sentence And this is a marke to be found no where but in the Roman Church although it be a thing verie necessarie for the ending of controuersies which cannot be ended where equality is on both sides a thing that may easily fall out if there be not one supreme head ouer all as we see by dayly experience 23. What thinges are necessary to make a member of the Church Three that is Baptisme true faith with the profession thereof and vniō And therefore Pagans are not of it because they want baptisme nor Heretikes because they professe not the true faith nor Schismaticks because although they be baptized and professe the true faith yet they do not keepe that vnion which is necessarie to knitt the members of Christ his mysticall bodie together 24. Are all Catholikes of the Church Yes except only excommunicated persons 25. Are ill liuing Catholikes of the Church Yes but they are as dead members of a liuing bodie for they want the loue of God and his grace which is the life of this mysticall bodie But at the end of the world these also shall be cast out of the Church and be separated from the blessed in heauen where the Church shall remaine only triumphant for all eternitie 26. Are all Christians of the Church No for all schismatikes heretikes and excommunicated persons are Christians though imperfect ones and yet they are not of the Church LESSON XI Of a Christian 1. WHo is he properly whom we call Christian He who hauing been baptized professeth to belieue in Iesus Christ 2. From whom doth the name of Christian distinguish vs From Iewes Turkes and all Infidells 3. Who is a Catholike Christian That Christian who belieueth and professeth the true faith of Iesus Christ and cōmunicateth in Sacraments and publike seruice of God with that Christian Church which is dispersed through the world and is vnited in one visible head the Bishop of Rome 4. From whom doth this word Catholike distinguish vs From Heretikes and Schismatikes 5. Who is an Heretike That Christian who refuseth to belieue any point taught as a matter of faith by the Roman Catholike Church when it is sufficiently proposed to him as such 6. Who is a Schismatike That Christian who in Sacraments and publike seruice of God refuseth to communicate with the Roman Catholike Church or with the head of the Roman Catholike Church or with anie member of the Roman Catholike Church 7. Why do you call it the Roman Catholike Church We do not call it Roman as if there were any other Catholike Churches besides the Roman Catholike nether do we call it so as if the particular Church of Rome were the whole Catholike Church for as it is a particular Diocesse it is only one part of the Catholike Church but we call it so because all the Catholikes of the world are vnited in the Bishop of that particular Church as in their generall Pastour And so the word Roman is not limited to the particular territorie of Rome but it doth signifie a property belonging to the whole Church to wit that relation which the whole Church and euery member of it acknowledgeth towardes the Bishop of Rome as to their head appointed by Christ to gouerne his whole flock And therefore the word Roman taken in this sense is of no lesse extent then the Church it selfe so that he who is not a Roman Catholike is no Catholike at all 8. Is it sufficient to make one a Catholike in point of faith that he b●…eue the same thinges that the Catholike Church belieueth No vnlesse the Catholike Church be also the ground of his beliefe for whosoeuer doth belieue any point vpon no other groūd but only because it seemes to his priuate iudgement to be contained in scripture or to be in it selfe true yea though he should belieue in this manner euery thing that the Church belieueth yet he would not be a Catholike and so may be damned for want of faith And the reason of it is because seeing that faith is to belieue a thing because God reuealeth it and that there is no infallible way without a miracle whereby God his reuelation cometh to vs but only by the Churches propositiō it followeth that we cannot belieue anie thing certainly vpon the motiue of God his reuelatiō vnlesse our beliefe be likewise grounded vpon the Churches proposition Wherefore the faith of a Catholike must consist in submitting his vnderstanding and adhering to the Church and in belieuing euery thing because she proposeth it for all other perswasiōs of our owne discourse are resolued at last into our particular iudgements or els into the iudgements of other particular men and so cannot breed in vs Catholike and diuine faith but only opinion or human beliefe 9. What signe is there whereby to know whether ones beliefe is grounded vpon the Catholike Churches proposition or no The best signe is when you do without difficultie assent to any thing as soone as you know that it is proposed by the Catholike Church for if you haue the least doubt of any thing which you know to be proposed by the Church it is an infallible signe that your beliefe in all the rest relyeth vpon some other groūds which sway more with you then the authority of the Church or els that you haue no firme beliefe at all but only an opinion or coniecture grounded vpon your owne discourse 10. Who is a good
attributing to God that which doth not become his diuine perfection as those do who say he is cruell vniust partiall that he damneth men actually to eternall punishment without their demerits c. Those who denie him to haue that perfection which belongeth to him as those doe who murmure against him and say he is not good c. Those who affirme of him that which he hath in some sense but they doe it as if it were threatning or otherwise irreuerently as those doe who haue in their mouths so often these words God his bloud God his wounds or the like Those who sweare by the Diuell or by false Gods for none ought to be sworne by as if the were God but he who is the first truth and by whom all thinges are true Those who sweare by S. Peter or other Saints by heauen by the earth or by any other creature as they represent vnto vs the truth and maiesty of their Creatour Those who speake ill of Saints and of holy thinges who laugh at scripture and vse it prophanely in a sporting way or diffamatorie libells c. For the name of God which we are forbidden to take in vaine doth not signifie that materiall word only but also all that which hath a particular relation and vnion with God Adn therefore those also offend against this Cōmandement who in a place consecrated to God as in a Church or in a Church yarde do commit any action vnworthy the purity of the place COMMANDEMENT III. 31. DEclare the third Commandement Remember to keepe holy the Sabaoth day The two former commandements doe conteine our duty in heart and word here we are commanded to sanctifie the day of God allmightie his repose by actuall seruice which day before the resurrection was the seauenth day but now it is the eighteth for as God after he had created the first world as I may terme it in six dayes did repose the seauenth so our Sauiour after that with great labour he had made vp the second world which is the Church reposed the eighteth day which is the day of his resurrection for all eternity 32. Wherefore did God command the Iewes to obserue the Sabaoth day In memorie of that great benefit which man receaued by the worlds creation which he finished vpon this day 33. Wherefore is it that Christians obserue the Sunday and not Saturday the former Sabaoth which was commanded by God himselfe You must note that there is this defference betwixt this commandement and the other nine that all the others do follow in euery particular out of the law of nature and therefore they are perpetuall and cannot be changed whereas this commandement for as much as concerneth the determination of the time is ceremoniall and therefore it may be changed in this point for although the law of nature doth teach vs that we ought to giue some particular time to God his seruice yet it doth not determine the time but leaueth the determination to the positiue lawes of God or his Church Wherefore as our Sauiour had formerly changed diuers of the ceremonies in the ancient law by taking away the figure to giue vs the truth itselfe as Baptisme in place of Circumcision the blessed Sacrament in place of the Paschall Lambe so also his Apostles inspired by the holy Ghost appointed vnto Christians insteed of the former Sabaoth the obseruation of Sunday or our Lords day of repose which is worthily called our Lords day for that our blessed Redeemer Iesus Christ did not only rise gloriously from death this day but also according to the common opinion he was borne this day and he sent the holy Ghost vpon this day to his dearest spouse the Church We doe also keepe still on this day a memorie of the Creation of the world which was begunne on this day if we take it as the first day of the weeke 34. What is required of vs for the fulfilling of this precept of sanctifying the Sabaoth day It is required that we abstaine from all seruile workes forbidden by the Church and that we giue to God vpon this day that solemne and publike worship which the Church prescribeth Besides to obserue this commandement with perfection we are to employ the whole day excepting only that time which is required for our sustinance and necessities in diuine seruice as in prayer hearing sermons reading good bookes and the like and therefore those who spend this day in idle sports or vnnecessary voyages and the like do not comply fully with the end of this commandement nor with the Churches desire concerning it and therefore are reprehensible Wherefore all people should be exhorted to spēd at least some part of the day in hearing of sermons or other pious exercises for by little and little Christians become like Pagans without apprehension of the next world at all vnlesse they be often stirred vp by sermons and such pious exercises And therefore to neglect them totally cannot choose but be a great abuse and the cause that many goe headlong to hell 35. What is vnderstood by seruile workes All corporall workes whereby men vse to gaine their liuing by labouring for other men which are commōly called meckanicke workes and so workes which are common to Masters and seruāts as dancing and singing and the like are not esteemed seruile But the best rule to know which are such and which are not is the practise of the Church for the law of nature doth not forbid seruile workes on dayes dedicated to God his seruice but only so farre forth as the said workes may be a hindrance either to the inward or outward worship which men professe peculiarly towards God on those dayes and therefore as it belongeth to the Church to determine the dayes of publike and solemne worship so it belongeth to her also to determine what temporall workes are to be permitted and what to be forbidden as preiudiciall to the publike solemnitie of diuine worship intended by her on those dayes And so we see that she doth forbid certaine workes which are not altogether mechanicke as buying and selling in markets keeping open shoppes or selling in them c. and she doth also allow some seruile workes which are dayly necessary for the subsistance and entertainment of men as most household businesses are 36. Is it neuer lawfull vpon our Lord his day to doe such seruile workes as the Church forbiddeth Yes when the not doing them may be a cause of any notable harme as the taking in of haruest when there is danger that it may be spoiled with ill weather as also the shooing of an horse that is in a iournie vpon the high way c. For although in these cases a temporall gaine be gotten by those who doe these workes yet that particular gaine is not the principall end of permitting these workes but the good of the common wealth 37. Who be those that transgresse against this Commandement First all those labourers and tradesmen who
immediately about the holy Eucharist and about the Priests person in the Sacrifice of Masse and so the Deacons who are next to the Priests haue also annexed to their office to assist the Priest in his function and consequently by commission from him or from the Bishop to administer some Sacramēts and also to catechize These two degrees of Ministers are also called Holy because for their greater purity they are obliged to obserue perpetuall chastity and to say the canonicall office The other foure degrees are called Lesser because they are imployed in functions and rites which are more remote and not immediately about the holy Eucharist or the Priests person at the altar 8. How many seuerall Orders be there in all They are commonly reckoned to be seuen to wit the Order of Potter Lector Exorcist Acolite Subdeacon Deacon and Priest 9. Why are not Bishops reckoned amongst the rest If you reckon Episcopacy and adde it to the rest then indeed they are in all eight Orders but commonly it is not named with the rest for two reasons first because it is an eminēt degree which surpasseth them all as being the source from whēce all the rest are deriued for they all proceed from it and end in it and so as in a kingdome the king is not reckoned in the number of the officers that gouerne vnder him because his power is transcendēt and runneth through all the magistrats of the kingdome no more is the Bishop reckoned ordinarily in the number of the other Orders for he is in his church as the king in his kingdome the prince and head of all Ecclesiasticall hierarchy or holy principality The second reason is because if we take priesthood in its full latitude Episcopacy is also included in it for the name and office of priesthood doth signify two thinges the first is ordinary authority or iurisdiction to gouerne men in order to saluation and to God his seruice the second is power to offer Sacrifice to God which two functiōs are expressed by two words or names appropriated commonly to Priests to wit Presbyter and Sacerdos for Presbyter and Presbyteriū which is a Greek word do import a superiority and power of gouerning as Senior and Senatus do in Latine Sacerdos and Sacerdotium haue relation to sacrifice and they come from Sacer or Sacrare which is to make holy and so they import power to offer vp sacrifice which is a holy and sacred function Now then from-hence it followeth that the order of priesthood is twofold the one being only of inferiour Priests who are those whom we commonly call Priests to whom it belongeth to Sacrifice but not to gouerne in chiefe the other of superiour and chiefe Priests who are only Bishops to whom it belongeth not only to Sacrifice but also to gouerne in chiefe Wherefore seeing that priesthood doth signify these two functions and that the first which is to gouerne in chiefe by ordinary authority conferred vpon men by Christ himselfe is the more principall absolutely speaking though in some respect the other may be preferred as being that by which the second is directed and ordered and belongeth only to Episcopacy it followeth that Episcopacy is included vnder the name of priesthood 10. Is the Sacrament of Order necessary We haue sayed aboue that it is absolutely necessary for the whole Church besides it is necessary for euery one in particular that vndertaketh the administration of Sacraments and also regularly speaking those who vndergoe the office of spirituall gouernmēt and preaching ought to receiue orders first vnlesse it be in such cases in which the Church or the Pope do vpon some occasions grant iurisdiction to some persons without Orders by commission and authority of the Sea Apostolike And here you must note that the giuing of Orders and Iurisdiction is that thing which is commonly called Mission which is a power to preach that doctrine which is taught by the Catholike Church as also to administer the Sacraments in the same manner and in the same sense as that Church intendeth and practiseth So that whosoeuer teacheth any thing contrary to the doctrine of the true church fromwhence all spirituall power is deriued doth put himselfe vpon a function which he hath no authority to do for want of Mission From whence it followeth that Luther Caluin and all founders of hereticall sects as also all their adherents and successours do want Mission and do not enter in by the gate but do breake in by stealth in presuming to aduance their owne inuentions insteed of preaching that doctrine which preachers are warranted to by Mission 11. What Sacrament is next after Order Matrimony which is the seuēth and last It is put after all the rest because it doth not belong either to euery one in the Church in particular or directly and immediately to the whole Church in generall as Order doth but it was instituted directly and immediately for one only particular state of persons although indirectly and remotely it belongeth to the preseruation of the whole in regard that the Church cannot subsist without procreation of mankinde for grace presupposeth nature as the ground to worke vpon LESSON XXX Of Matrimony 1. WHat is Matrimony It is a Sacrament instituted by IESVS CHRIST to establish a firme and faithfull fellowship betwixt man and woman in holy wedlock for the procreation of children who afterwards by their regeneratiō in Baptisme becoming the children of God may serue him and continue the succession of his holy Catholike Church 2. What is the sensible outward signe of this Sacrament It is the mutuall consent of the man and woman declared to each other by words or by some other outward expression 3. Where do we finde in Scripture that grace is promised to the contract of Marriage We finde it in the Apostle Eph. 5. where speaking of Marriage he sayeth This Sacrament is a great one which words are according to what the Church and the Fathers teach vs to be vnderstood of a Sacrament properly speaking now there is no Sacrament in the new law which doth not conferre grace Againe the wordes following but I say in Christ and the Church do signifie that marriage doth represent the vnion of Christ with his Church which vnion doth consist in grace and charity which sheweth that there is grace and mutuall charity conferred vpon the married people towards each other whereby Matrimony is truly a representation of Christ his vnion with his Church 4. Is this Sacrament necessary Marriage may be considered either as it is a Sacrament or else as it is a contract ordained to an office of nature and as such it is not necessary to any in particular but it is absolutely necessary to the whole world in generall and cōsequētly to the whole Church which is the principallest community in the world and so it was commanded by God from the beginning of the world and it must continue as long as the world shall continue But if we consider
states of life be so diuerse it happeneth out that euery man may haue examples in their owne kinde to be affected vnto and many times this maketh a greater profit by such an affinity to their owne condition then by a great deake of preaching or good counsel And so you may see what obligation there is to honour Saints and to pray vnto them towit when the Church for the cōmon good of her children presseth it then that is to be done whatsoeuer she commandeth and it is a sinne to omit it But in other occasions and at other times euery particular man as farre as he findeth need or helpe by this variety in his priuate deuotion so farre he doth very well to follow it especially if he findeth that it stirreth vp a failing deuotion in him for the end of this as of all all other pious exercices must be God himselfe and the better performing of our duty towards him 6. What thinke you of the vse of pictures and hanging of lampes before them in honour of the blessed Virgin and other Saints First as for pictures if we belieue nature and experience the vse of them in generall is very profitable and in some sort necessary in the Church of God for the instruction and spirituall profit of the faithfull First for memories sake for as often as we see pictures so often do we remember the thing painted and whether we haue need of often remēbring heauen and heauenly thinges let euen our cold and euill life beare testimony Secondly when a man saith his praiers before a picture of our Sauiour or of any Saint by addressing himselfe vnto it he maketh thereby a great apprehension of the Saint as if he himselfe were present vnto whom he praieth and by cōsequēce praieth with a greater respect and attention Thirdly it serueth for an addresse of the praier and especially if he vse any corporall gestures withall for as the ancient Christians were vsed to turne themselues to the East and the Iewes towards the Temple when they would adore God the East and Temple seruing for a determination of their action so much more when I bow or do any other reuerence or pray before a picture it is a determination of my praier or respect vnto God or vnto that Saint whose picture it is Lastly it is a helpe to him that praieth for pictures beare with them an expression oftentimes which would cost many words and workes of our memory As he who looketh on a crucifixe if he desire to represent to himselfe and fixe in his heart the wounds and passion of our blessed Sauiour he may finde a great facility and quickenesse to do it by hauing the picture before his eyes As for hanging lampes before pictures of Saints it is to represent their glory in heauen or the burning charity with which they were endued here on earth and so these and such like expressions are apt to breed a greater apprehension in men which is a meanes to make them pray the better and consequently obteine more at God his hands and therefore are allowed and recommended in the Catholike Church 7. How are we to pray to Saints By honouring them here vpon earth and by obseruing their feastes according to the order of the Church and also by reading their liues by saying such praiers to them as are approued by our Pastours and chiefely of all by imitating the vertues which they did particularly excell in 8. Are we to pray to all the Saints alike No for we ought to haue a particular deuotiō to our blessed Lady aboue all the rest because she is the Mother of God and most neare vnto him of any creature And amongst the other blessed we ought chiefely to pray to our Angell Gardien seeing that it hath euer been the constant faith of Christians that euery one hath an Angell for his gouernour for our Sauiour hath told vs that the Angells of the little ones see the face of his heauenly Father And next we are to pray to such particular Saints as we our selues make choise of to be our Patrons 9. What praier is ordinarily vsed to our blessed Lady The Aue Maria. LESSION XXXV Of the Aue Maria. 1. SAy the Aue Maria Haile Marie full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst all women and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Iesus Holy Marie Mother of God pray for vs sinners now and in the houre of our death Amen 2. Who made this prayer The holy Catholike Church borrowing the words wherewith the Angel and Saint Elizabeth did salute the blessed Virgin The first words Haile full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst all women were spoken by the Angel Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe were spoken by Saint Elizabeth The Church hath added the other words which make the second part of the praier or rather the holy Ghost hath made the whole praier by whom all three the Angell Saint Elizabeth and the Church haue been inspired 3. Declare the first sentence of this praier Haile Marie full of grace our Lord is with thee The first word vsed by the Angell is a salutation which importeth all happinesse which one can desire for in Latin it is Aue which cometh from aueo which signifieth to desire or wish for and there is vnderstood some nowne as salutem pacem gaudium c. but none is expressed in particular because he who vseth this word wisheth to him whom he saluteth all kinde of happinesse that he himselfe will ioyne to the word and can imagine or desire Which expression was most proper from the Angel to the blessed Virgin since that the cause of his coming to her was to bring her the newes from whence all happinesse was to come both to her selfe and to the whole world The second word Marie doth signifie her person and her dignitie Her Person because it was her owne proper name giuen vnto her by the inspiration of tho holy Ghost as we may piously belieue her dignitie because it signifieth in Hebrew Mistresse or Ladie and who can be more truly Mistresse and Ladie of all thīges then she who is Mother to the Creatour of all thinges It signifieth also the sea starre and she is truly a starre that conducts all those who take her for their guide through the sea of the world into a secure hauen By the next word the Angel doth shew that she was replenished with grace and worthily is her soule declared full of graces because she had the priuiledge as it is piously belieued and taught by the Church neuer to be infected with originall sinne and most certainly neuer to commit any the least veniall actuall sinne Full of Grace because her life was a true mirrour of chastity humilitie meekenesse obedience patience faith hope charity and in fine of all vertues By those other words our Lord is with thee the Angel doth aduertise the blessed virgin of the mystery which was
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
the same manner as we see in a feast a Giant eateth more then a dwarfe and a man more then an infant and yet all are equally satisfyed because euery one is fed fully to his capacity 57. Shall not this happy life of the blessed bring some perfection to their bodies as well as to their soules Yes for first in regard of health they shall haue their bodies vncapable of any harme so that nothing shall be able to hurt them which perfection is called impassibility For strength they shall haue a power to the which nothing can resist which is called Penetrability For agility they shall haue a power to go in any neuer so short a time as farre as they list without limitation though it be from one end of the world to the other in one moment and this without paine or labour And lastly for beauty they shall haue power to shine brighter then the sunne and to shew them selues in what glory they please so that finally they shall haue whatsoeuer they can desire by possessing God who is all thinges to them 58. What signifieth Amen Amen is vsed to expresse an agreement and consent to that which hath been sayd which signifieth as much as if one should say it is so so it is in truth 59. Doth the Creed conteine all that Christians are obliged to belieue It doth not conteine all in expresse words but only in substance and this supposing that it be vnderstood as the Apostles and their Successours did vnderstand it But Heretikes hauing oftentimes corrupted it by their errours the church hath been forced to adde many explications to it contained in seuerall Creeds a in that which is read in the Masse and others 60. What be the thinges which are not conteined expressely in the Creed They be many which Christians learne by litle and litle according to the diligence they vse in seeking to be instructed as the holy Eucharist and the other sacraments which the church thought not good to discouer but only to those who had been first well instructed in the beliefe of the Creed 61. Are we obliged equally to belieue all those thinges No for the thinges which we belieue are of two kindes some we are bound to belieue explicitely others it is sufficient to belieue implicitely by the faith of the Roman Catholike church which is done by saying within our selues that we belieue all that which the church belieueth though we do not know distinctly what it is Againe amongst those thinges which we are bound to belieue explicitely some are absolutely necessary for saluation others are so necessary as that although we may in 〈◊〉 case be saued without the knowledge of them yet we are obliged to seeke to be instructed in them so that we shall sinne if we know them not through our owne negligence That which is absolutely necessary for all Christians to belieue is the misterie of the blessed Trinitie the Incarnation of the Sonne of God and that he hath redeemed mankinde by his sacred death that God will reward the good and punish the wicked and all other thinges which we haue notice of with assurance that the Church proposeth them So that generally speaking no Christian after that he is come to the vse of reason can be excused by ignorance from belieuing these points explicitely for the case of inuincible ignorance can scarcely happen in these points if euer one reflect that he is a Christian That in which we are obliged to seeke to be instructed is all that which is contained in the former Articles of the Creed and likewise the Sacrament of Baptisme the Sacrifice of the Masse the holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Pennāce and such other thinges as are ordinarily taught the people by the Pastours of the Church yet so that we shall be excused before God as long as our ignorance of them proceedeth not through our owne fault 62. Is faith alone sufficient for our saluation No Hope also is required LESSON XIV Of Hope 1. WHat is hope Hope is a vertue that giueth vs an humble and firme confidence in God that he will make vs happy for euer in the next world by seeing and possessing him there fully whom here we know only obscurely by faith and also that he will giue vs all thinges requisite and necessary in this world for that end both corporall and spirituall 2. What reason hath man to haue such confidence in God He hath very good reason considering the infinite goodnesse of God and his loue towards man whom he hath created out of nothing and also redeemed with his owne bloud only to make him capable on this happinesse besides the promises which he hath made of eternall blisse to those who loue him and his fidelity in performing what he hath promised and lastly the infinite desire which in the holy scripture he hath often expressed himselfe to haue to saue all sinners and to see them truly conuerted 3. The greatest sinner in the world then may haue hope Yes he is bound to haue it for otherwise he would do a great wrong to allmighty God if he should think that his mercy and goodnesse were not infinite and consequently greater then all the sinnes of the world 4. Cannot a man haue to much hope or confidence in God No as long as he vseth his diligence to do what is required on his part for the obtaining of that which he hopeth for and relieth more vpon God his grace then vpon himselfe But to rely vpon God without vsing his diligence to do that which is required on his part would not be hope but presumption for God giueth not blisse vnto any but to those who vse the meanes prescribed by him to obtaine it 5. Where are we taught what we are to hope for and how to aske it We are taught this in our Lord his prayer called the Pater noster which is an abridgement of all what we are to hope for and to aske of allmighty God And it is vsually diuided into seuen petitions or demands LESSON XV. Of the Pater noster 1. SAy the Pater noster Our Father which art in heauen 1. Hallowed be thy name 3. Thy kingdome come 3. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen 4. Giue vs this day our dayly bread 5. And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters 6. And lead vs not into temptation 7. But deliuer vs from euill Amen 2. What is contained in the Pater noster All that which we can demand and hope for from God for in the first foure petitions we demand all necessary good in the three following that he deliuer vs from all euill And againe as concerning what is good we first demand the glory of God Secondly our owne finall and greatest good in heauen Thirdly our greatest good on earth which is a vertuous life Fourthly the meanes to get and keepe the said good which is Gods actuall grace And touching that which is euill
our bread Because this spirituall nourriture doth appertaine to those only who are children of the Church and not to those who are out of it Secondly because Christians haue a certaine kinde of right to it through the merits of Christ Iesus if they aske it duely And lastly because it is necessary for vs for our spirituall or temporall nourrishment 17. Why do we call it our dayly bread First we call it so because we stand dayly in need of it Secōdly we call it so to note thereby the differēce betwixt the nourriture which God giueth to his militant Church ād that which he giueth to his triumphāt Church for this is eternall and consequently cannot be lost when once it is giuen the other is subiect to be lost euery moment and therefore is designed by the short course of one day 18. Why do we adioyne that other word this day By ioyning this word our Sauiour doth giue vs two documents the first that it was his will that we should say this prayer euery day seeing we pray but for one day that so we may depend cōtinually on him The other is that we should not be sollicitous or troubled with anxiety for future thinges especially as farre as they belong to God allmighty but enioy the present with thankesgiuing and repose a confidence in his goodnesse for the future 19. Declare the fift and forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters We demand in the fift that God deliuer vs from euill past that is from sinne already committed and which we do dayly commit by remitting the debt of the fault and the paine which for it we haue incurred And we add as we forgiue our debters that is as we pardon the offences of our enimies for that it is not a reasonable thing that God forgiue vs our sinnes if we will not pardon the iniuries done vnto vs which are offences of so small importance 20. Why do we call our sinnes against God our debts Because whosoeuer offendeth God doth owe to him a reparation of his offence Where it is to be noted that we owe diuers thinges to God some by reason of his perfection and goodnesse as loue seruice and the like others by reason of our imperfection and malice to wit reparation for our sinnes Now we do not aske of God that he remit vs the first kinde of debt because they are of their owne nature irremissable for it is impossible to be a creature and not to owe loue and seruice to his creatour besides those debts are aduantagious for vs. But we demand to be discharged of those debts which our owne malice hath caused 21. Why do we call them our debts We call them so in a quite contrary sense to the former petition where we asked our dayly bread for we call that bread ours because God doth giue it vs and nothing is a mans owne more truly then that which is giuen him But sinne is called ours not that it is giuen by God at all but because we cōmit it through our owne proper wills and malice contrary to gods inspirations 22. Must we pardon our enimies to be able to say this prayer Yes and not only this prayer but any other in so much that whosoeuer hateth his neighbour and doth perceiue it cannot pray to God at all without great presumption vnlesse he do first lay aside all hatred by pardoning his enimy in his hart or at least demand of God his grace to do it since that our Sauiour himselfe doth tell vs that that sacrifice is fruitlesse which is offered vp by him who is in enmity with his neighbour 23. Why will not God forgiue him who wisheth harme to those by whom he hath been offended Because it is against reason that God should forgiue him who is not in loue and charity and whosoeuer wisheth harme to his neighbour loueth him not and so he is voide of charity 24. Must we then forgiue our enimies although they do not repent that they haue offended vs Yes although they should not only not repent but continue to offend vs for it is otherwise with men then with God for reuenge belongeth to God because his iustice doth oblige him to punish where the offender repenteth not and so God doth neuer forgiue vnlesse man repent but as for man God commands him to leaue reuenge to himselfe alone and therefore man is obliged to pardon whether his enimy repent or no. 25. What is it to pardon To pardon is to depose all manner of rancour against one and not to wish him any harme meerely because it is a harme wherefore he is not excluded from this prayer who wisheth due punishment to an offender as long as he wisheth it ether for the offender his owne amendment or for the example of others and good of the common wealth Neither is he excluded from this prayer who wisheth by a legall way a reasonable satisfaction from the offender which by reason of the offence may be due out of iustice to the offended ether for the conseruation of his honour or of his life or same or wealth 26. Declare the sixt And lead vs not into temptation We demand in the sixt that God will not permit vs to be tempted without the assistance of his efficacious grace to make vs ouercome for he only is lead or gone into temptation whom temptation compasseth round about so that he findeth no way out and not he who is as it were but touched with it on one side 27. Declare the seuenth but deliuer vs from euill We demand in the seuenth that God will deliuer vs from all euill to come both spirituall and corporall as farre as it may be preiudiciall to our eternall happinesse And therefore our Sauiour hath taught vs to pray for our deliuerāce from all euill in generall without specifying in particular the euill ether of pouerty sickenesse or the like because it often happeneth that we conceiue that to be inconuenient for vs which God notwithstanding well knowes to be much conducing to our blisse And thus we see what it is we are to aske and hope for from God 28. What signifyeth Amen It is a holy epilogue or succinct repetition of all this prayer whereby we demand in one word all that which went before and it signifieth in this place as much as so be it or God grant it to be so It is an hebrew word which was often in our Sauiours most sacred mouth and so it is most proper to conclude the prayers which we present to God 29. Who gaue this instruction of prayer to the Church Iesus Christ himselfe at the instance of his disciples who desired him to teach them how to pray 30. Is it sufficient for saluation to haue faith and hope No we must haue also charity because these three vertues faith hope and charity do compound the state of a christian and charity is the cheifest and most perfect of all LESSON XVI Of Charity 1.
obey the ordinances of the Church and of the Common wealth Secondly those who do murmure against their superiours either ciuill or ecclesiasticall and do censure their ordinances and manner of gouernment which murmuring is for the most part an occasion of great harme for such discourses do easilie beget in the harts of the hearers a contempt of their persons and authority which afterwards doth likewise infect the people and causeth contempt disobedience and disorder in the Common wealth Thirdly those who do speake ordinarily against the vocation behauiour and liues of Church-men and doe not beare a due respect vnto them And on the contrary side the Churchmen who haue care of soules offend greiuously if they do not administer the Sacraments and preach the word of God to those who are vnder their care and giue them spirituall instruction counsell and comfort As also if they do not giue almes to the poore as farre as they are able especially to such as are vnder their care Wiues offend against this commandement who do neglect or disdaine their husbands or do giue them an occasion of choler and doe not seeke to content them in all reasonable thinges As contrarywise husbands do abuse their authoritie which God hath giuen them ouer their wiues if they depriue them of honest liberty if they do not allow them commodities necessary for their entertainment if they treate them outragiously in words or deedes if without their consent they liue continually absent from them vpon any disgust or without a iust cause Pupills are bound to follow the counsell and aduise of their tutors And tutors offend if they take not care to instruct their pupills if they permit their goods to be dissipated through their negligence if they marry them disaduantageously either through fauour of for other respects Seruants offend by neglecting their seruice by murmuring against their Masters by speaking to their disaduantage by giuing them an occasion of choler by disposing of their goods without their consent c. Masters offend by too much rigour towards their seruants in exacting from them more then they are able to performe in not procuring their good as much as they can conueniently in reteining their wages from them that so they may be constrained to liue with them as also in hindering them from marrying or disswading them from any other course that may be notably disaduantageous to them to the end that they may thereby still haue them for their seruants COMMANDEMENT V. 48. DEclare the fifth Commandement Thou shalt not kill This forbiddeth vs to doe harme to any man in his life either corporall spirituall or ciuill and consequently it commandeth vs to protect and preserue him in all three so farre forth as we are able 49. Is it neuer lawfull to kill a man It is neuer lawfull to kill him spiritually but it may be lawfull to kill one corporally in these cases First if it be done by authority of Magistrates in way of iustice Secondly if it be done by souldiers in a iust warre by order of their Captaine Thirdly if it be done by any particular man in a iust defence of his owne or his neighbours life when in case he or his neighbour be sett on he cannot otherwise defend himselfe or his neighbour from being slayne and that these thinges be done without any rancour of minde or spirit of reuenge 50. Who are those that transgresse against this Commandement for as much as it concerneth corporall life First all those who kill voluntarily anie man excepting in one of the three former cases Secondly those who doe lame wound hurt or beate any man Thirdly those who desire counsell or when they may conueniently do not hinder any of the foresayd excesses And it is to be noted that the more cōsiderable the person is so much the sinne is greater as also if it be done in a place consecrated to God for it is a greater sinne to kill ones father brother kinsman churchman magistrate or one by whose industrie and labour a whole family liueth then to kill one that hath none of these qualities as also it is a greater sinne to perswade many then to perswade one only to commit any of the foresaid excesses Fourthly those iudges who condemne one that is innocent or also one that is guiltie without vsing all the formes that are requisite for his processe Fifthly those iudges who do not fauour the cause of an innocent person as also those who persecute him are guilty of his oppression Sixthly those magistrates who do not punish duells murders and all such like excesses Seuenthly those that praise and approue of such like excesses either before or after they are committed Eighthly all Phisitians Chirurgiens or Apothecaries who kill or hurt one notably although it be not done on purpose but by grosse and culpable ignorance for ignorance is esteemed malice in him who is obliged to know Ninthly those who procure to destroy the fruit in the wombe of a woman or if the woman herselfe should do it by dancing or any other excesse or by some grosse negligence though she thinke not of it for negligence also is esteemed malice where one ought to be diligent Tenthly those who see a poore man dying for hunger and do not relieue him Lastly those who kill themselues or without a iust cause expose themselues to imminent danger of death or being weary of liuing desire death yea if one should expose himselfe to martyrdome because he is weary of his life he would commit a grieuous sinne 51. Who be those that transgresse against this Commandement for as much as concerneth spirituall life First all those who infect others with Heresie or keepe those that are infected from returning to the true Church Secondly all those who either by word or by ill example do incite others to sinne or diuert them from doing good Thirdly those who do not correct their neighbour when they thinke probably their admonition would doe him good Fourthly Phisitians friends and seruants who assisting sicke persons do not aduertise them in time that they are in danger of death and to thinke of their conscience Fifthly all those who commit or resolue to commit any mortall sinne 52. Who be those that transgresse against this Commandement for as much as concerneth our ciuil life First all those who either by words or libells do diffame their neighbour whether it be by imposing a false crime vpon him or by discouering a true vice of his which was not knowne publikely before Secondly those who incite others to cōmit such diffamation against their neighbour or giue eare to them or do not diuert their discourse when they may Thirdly those who brag of their owne vices whereby they depriue themselues of that reputation with which they ought to liue in the world And it is to be noted that he who hath diffamed another man whether it be in a thing true or false is bound to restitution that is to repaire his honour
Fourthly those who do laugh at other men do discourse and talke of their defects do censure their actions do breake bitter iests vpon them and in fine do speake freely in preiudice of persons either presēt or absent And whereas many make no scruple of doing these thinges vnder pretence that they discourse only for recreation and passetime or that they say nothing that seemes to be of importance they do deceiue themselues exceedingly for ordinarily these kinde of discourses do cause a confusion and distaste in him who findes himselfe laughed at despised or ill spoken of wherevpon proceed oftentimes enmities and auersions from one another and a breach of mutuall correspondence and fraternall charitie Fifthly all those offend against this precept who do not carry to each other a due respect Where it is to be noted that many yea sometimes man and wife make little scruple when they haue vpbraided one another with all sort of contumelies and vented their whole choler but esteeme them as words spoken in the aire because no other harme followeth out of them not considering that God is more offended with the malice of the heart from whence such iniuries proceed then with the effects that follow out of them and therefore they deceiue themselues if they thinke it not a grieuous offence since that our Sauiour himselfe sayeth that he who calleth his brother foole is guilty of hell fire Sixthly whosoeuer hauing had some falling out with his neighbour doth disdaine him or put of to be reconciled vnto him or auoideth his company meerly out of rancour of minde offendeth against this cōmandement nether will it excuse him to say that he wisheth no more harme to him then to himselfe for God doth not only forbid vs to do or wish harme to our neighbour but also he commandeth vs to doe him good and expresse kindenesse to him vpon occasiōs both in deedes and in words Lastly those offend grieuously against this commandement who cause factions and seditions amongst parties as also those who nourish such disvnion of mindes by siding with either partie and doe not seeke rather to vnite them together by peace and quietnesse and the offence is the greater when by siding with either party they meddle in that which doth not belong vnto them as when Lay-men meddle in Ecclesiasticall affaires or matters of Religion for although differences in these kindes may oftentimes in Ecclesiasticall persons proceed from zeale in both parties yet in Lay-men it can neuer be excused from faction except it be where the Church hath publikely censured one partie COMMANDEMENT VI. 53. DEclare the sixth Commandement Thou shalt not commit adulterie We are forbidden by this commandement all sorts of actions words and thoughts contrary to chastitie and chiefly to violate the bond of Marriage 54. How many kindes of carnall sinnes be there There be seuen Adultery Simple fornication Incest Defloration Rape Sacrilege and sinne against nature Adulterie is a carnall act betwixt man and woman where one or both parties are married to a third person Fornication is when nether partie is married nor hath vowed chastitie nor are virgins nor allyed to one another Incest is when there is kindred or affinitie betwixt the two parties Defloration is when one or both parties are virgins Rape is when one of the parties of what condition soeuer the person be is forced to the act Sacriledge is when one or both parties are consecrated to God or when by any other persons a carnall action is committed in a holy place Sinne against nature hath also diuerse kindes which are not necessary to be explicated 55. Why is Adulterie named i● the prohibition of this Commandement rather then any of the other kindes Because besides the impurity of the act and the iniustice against our neighbour it containeth also a wrong done against the cōmonwealth in regard that lawfull heirs are depriued of their due by bastards and therefore a married woman that knoweth for certaine that she hath bastards who are accounted as her lawfull children is bound by sparing and other meanes to endeauour to recompence the losse that her husbands lawfull children or next heires shall receiue by her bastards 56. Who doe transgresse against this Commandement All those who either by thoughts words lookes or actiōs incite themselues or others to any of the former kindes of sinnes or to any kinde of carnall delight and although it proceed to no other deformity but only to the delight it selfe and in thought only yet it is a mortall sinne of it be with full deliberation and consent though it indure but a moment All those parents husbands and tutors who permit their children wiues or pupills to be drawne to such sinnes The same persons also though they should not consent to those indignities yet if they giue so much liberty to their daughters wiues or pupills as that they may be debauched they are guilty of their sinnes The same persons are also guiltie if through toe much rigour by denying to their children wiues or pupills that which is necessary to entertaine them according to their condition they should giue them occasion to yeeld to such persons as seeke to corrupt them Those who by their ill example do giue occasion to others to doe the like Those who by charmes and witchcrafts seduce other persons or cause them to be seduced Those who vse extraordinary meanes only to prouoke lust offend grieuously although they be married people and not only they but also Physitians and Apothecaries who furnish them with receipts and druggs for that end Those who by stealth or otherwise carry away a mans daughter or pupill against their parents or tutors consent if she be not past the yeares of tutelage commit a rape although it be done with designe of marriage and that she herselse consent to it They also who runne away with a widdow with intention to marry her against her will commit a rape as also do those who runne away with a mans wife And it is to be noted that those who seduce yong maides vnder pretence of marrying them whether they confirme their promise by oath or no or whether they intend to performe or no yet if the maide and her parents require it they are bound in conscience to marry her and sinne mortally if they do not except they be of a condition altogether vnequall or that the maide doe breake first with the man by being disloyall to him or that there should be danger of some notable infamie or scandall by the marriage in which cases he is bound to recompence the maide by giuing her a portion to marry her Lastly this commandement being made specially for the benefit and right vse of marriage all those married people do offend grieuously against it who expose themselues to danger of sinne by abstaining from the duty of marriage only for feare of hauing children especially seeing that multiplicity of children is the greatest benediction that married people can haue marriage
appetite the goods of our neighbour in any manner whatsoeuer to his losse although we should desire that we could possesse thē legally and lawfully for as we should be loath that another man should haue any designe vpon our goods or enuie vs for them or desire that they could depriue vs lawfully of that which we do lawfully possesse no more ought we to haue designe vpon the goods of other men or enuie them for them or desire that we could depriue them lawfully to their owne losse of that which they do lawfully possesse 72. How is this Commandement different from the seuenth The seuenth forbiddeth only iniustice that we should not desire our neighbours goods without a iust title but this forbiddeth all vncharitablenesse proceeding from auarice that we may not so much as wish we had a iust title thereby to accommodate our selues by our neighbours incommoditie 73. Why is this a different commandement from the former since that both do concerne a desiring of that which belongeth to our neighbour The reason is because in this is forbidden only the desire of our neighbours goods now his wife doth belong vnto him more nearly then his goods by a speciall vnion whereby the husband and his wife are but one flesh and therefore there is a speciall deformitie in coueting our neighbours wife and in desiring her to be separated from her husband and especially now in the law of grace where the mysterie of the Church vnited to Christ is signified by the vnion of marriage betwixt man and wife which vnion cannot be dissolued now but by the death of one partie Howsoeuer I know that some do ioyne these two commandements into one and diuide the first into two but that diuision is contrary to S. Augustines opinion which is for the present the more common and generally receaued in the Church and agreeth with that diuision of the commandements which we haue here set downe 74. Who transgresse against this Commandement All those who enuie another for his riches honours preferments prayses or any other externall goods All those who enuie a man for his knowledge learning beauty or any other internall gift of nature or grace All those who do deliberately desire any of these thinges meerely out of appetite without any further end tending to God his honour do likewise offend against this cōmandement which forbiddeth vs all inordinate appetite of profitable thinges as the former commandement forbiddeth vs all inordinate appetite of delightfull or pleasing thinges 75. Is then this inward appetite or desire allwayes a sinne Yes when it is accompanied with deliberation for there are three inward acts in man by which as by degrees we descend to sinne that is suggestion delectation and consent The first which is a proposition of some euill obiect made vnto vs by the Diuell or the flesh or the world is neuer any sinne in it selfe though the motions of our fancy be neuer so violent if our will do not accompany them vnlesse they did proceed through our owne fault or negligence as when one did foresee the danger of hauing such motions and did not auoide the occasions or neglected to preuent them when he might haue done it The second which is an act whereby our senses and fancy are fixed with pleasure and content vpon the proposed obiect is sometimes a sinne as when our reason doth admonish vs of the complaisance we take in the obiect or of the danger we put ourselues into of giuing a perfect consent to it and yet we neglect to reiect it which admonition of reason is called deliberation which is sometimes perfect sometimes imperfect and without which the delight it selfe that followeth the first motions or suggestiōs is no sinne The third which is an act of the will embracing after perfect discourse the proposed obiect or the pleasure it causeth is allwayes a sinne And so this third as also the second act so farre forth as it is done with deliberation and the first likewise when it happeneth through our owne fault or negligence are the thinges expressely forbidden by these two commandements 76. Is it not a sinne also to desire inwardly to do any thing that is forbidden in the other commandements although we should not do the act itselfe Yes and the transgression is against that commandement in which the thing desired is forbidden and the same is to be said of purposing not to do what is commanded And so those do deceaue themselues to their owne perdition who hauing had a resolution to commit a mortall sinne as to steale to commit fornication to sweare to kill not to heare Masse on a Sunday or the like do neglect to confesse these thoughts because afterwards they did not put these purposes in execution or because no outward act did follow 77. When and by whom were these ten commandements giuen to man First by God himselfe in the old Law and afterwards for as much as concernes the morall part they were confirmed by Iesus Christ in the new who abolished only the ceremoniall part of the old Law and therefore the ten commandements remaine entire for as much as concerneth the morall part for our Sauiour sayeth of himselfe that he came not to take away the Law but to fullfill it And before both these lawes God Allmighty had likewise imprinted the substance of them in the heart of man by the light of reason when he first created him 78. Hath no bodie power to make commandements but only God immediately himselfe Yes for as Allmightie God hath communicated to creatures and especially to man and Angells his diuine perfections according to their capacitie distributing some to one and some to others so also amongst the rest of his excellencies he hath communicated to some the power of making commandements and gouerning others LESSON XVIII Of the commandements or Precepts of the Church 1. TO whom hath God communicated this power To all our superiours both temporall and spirituall 2. Are we obliged then to obey them and to keepe their commandements Yes no lesse then we are bound to keepe the commandements of God because this power of making commandements is deriued to men from God himselfe particularly the power of the Pastours of the Church of whom our Sauiour himselfe speaking telleth vs that those who heare them heare him and those who despise them despise him 3. Hath the Church put this her power of making commandements in execution 4. Yes she hath done it and doth doc it dayly vpon seuerall occasions as she seeth it to be necessary for the good of the faithfull 4. How many kindes of precepts be there They are commonly diuided into two kindes the first are called affirmatiue which are all those that cōmand vs the doing of some thing as the precept of attention and deuotion at Masse and such like the second are called negatiue which do not command a thing to be done but forbid vs the doing of some thing as to reade or keepe hereticall
doubted will faile health may thereby be restored if God so please or the sicke person be furnished with grace to resist the last assaultes of the diuell and therefore as this Sacramēt ought not to be demanded when there is no danger to dye so ought it not to be deferred so long vntill no hope remaines to liue 9. Of what age ought they to be to whom this Sacrament is administred They ought to be arriued to perfect discretion and iudged capable of malice and sinne for otherwise it would want matter to worke its proper effect Wherefore such as may be iudged capable of the vse of the Sacrament of pennance may also vndoubtedly be admitted vnto this 10. Wherefore is this Sacrament applied vnto our eyes eares nose lippes hands and feet Because they are the organs of our corporall senses whence sinne doth vsually take its beginning as being the windowes and proper dores whereby sinne makes entrance into the heart of man to wound his soule 11. What Sacrament followeth Extreme Vnction Order for according to nature partes are precedent to the whole which results out of them wherefore we were first to declare the Sacraments which concerne euery particular member of the Church and afterwards that which concernes the whole body and the procreation of new issue which is Order LESSON XXIX Of Order 1. What is Order It is a Sacrament instituted by IESVS CHRIST whereby power is giuen to men to vndergoe Ecclesiasticall functions and grace to performe them worthily 2. What is the visible signe of this Sacrament and where do you finde grace annected to it The visible signe is the imposition of hands to which S. Paul declareth grace to be annected 1. Tim. 4. Do not neglect the grace which is in thee which hath been giuen thee through prophecy with imposition of the hands of the presbitery 3. What doth Order correspond vnto in our corporall life It correspondeth to mariage and must consequently be to breed spirituall children who being generated by Baptisme must afterwards be bred vp instructed and gouerned and this is proportionably deuided into three actions which in the mysticall language are called purgare illuminare vnire The first is to withdraw the parties from the loue of naturall obiects to that which is supernaturall the secōd is to instruct them and lett them know what is necessary to supernaturall life and to enable them to liue accordingly the third is to induce them to do what is necessary according to their knowledge and ability The first is done partly and chiefly in the beginning by ceremonies and maiesty of holy rites at which sensible men standing in admiration begin to thinke there is some greater mystery included and so desire to learne and vnderstand it the second is done chiefly by the holy Sacraments and by catechizing by which the people vnderstand what is to be belieued hoped and put in practise and are enabled to performe it the third is done by gouernment and preaching by which men are set forward and kept in order to do what they haue vnderstood ought to be done Now according to these three functions the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy is constituted of Bishops Priests and Ministers and it is called Hierarchy that is holy principality 4. Which of these functions belongeth properly to the Bishop The third which is to gouerne and preach for gouernment is of greatest difficulty and most necessary seeing that it attendeth to make vs do what we know Now both the difficulty and necessity of doing is farre greater then of knowing for the obligation is greater after knowledge and the difficulty of doing no lesse so that to make vs do is the proper effect of the holy Ghost and the field where nature and grace vse their stratagemes and fight their pitched battaile Gouernment therefore by which we are set on to do what we know belongeth chiefly and properly to Bishops from whom all inferiour Priests as well as the people are to take their rule and directions And Christ to the end that their gouernment might be more authorized hath reserued to thē and to their character the Sacrament of Confirmation whereby we become perfect Christians by receiuing the manlike strength and growth of charity and also the Sacrament of Order by which authority is giuen to others to be gouerners Besides in regard of their gouernment Christ hath giuen to them iurisdiction in a more eminent degree then to other Priests that is an authoritie to excommunicate all publike and notorious sinners who being called to iudgement refuse to come or if they come refuse to obey the sentence of their iudge Which excommunication is not inflicted to destroy them but as a medecine to correct them that thereby they may be ashamed of their fault and seeing themselues depriued of the participation of Christ his merits giuen by the Sacraments and of the merits of the Church they may be moued to amend their liues and to returne to liue amongst Christian people like Christian men And as the Bishop hath power to excommunicate such persons so also hath he power to absolue them againe from excommunication when they are penitent and obedient So that these functions belong properly to Bishops to gouerne in chiefe to chastise the wicked and disobedient by excommunicating them to preach and exhort to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation and to administer the Sacrament of Order 5. Which function belongeth properly to Priests The second that is to instruct and administer the Sacraments to them also it belongeth to assist the Bishop and to gouerne vnder him and to preach by cōmission from him And Christ by reseruing to them the function of sacrificing and the administration of diuerse Sacraments hath dignified also their persons because it is necessary for their office that they be respected by the people So that the functions of Priests are chiefly these to assist the Bishop in gouerning and preaching by commission from him to offer vp to God the holy sacrifice of Masse and to administer all Sacraments excepting Confirmation and Order And from hence we may gather what respect is due to Priests for certainely if we owe respect to those who beare temporall offices in the common wealth we owe a farre greater respect to them whose persōs Christ himselfe hath dignified with the greatest and highests functions that are exercised vpon earth hauing made them his ministers not of riches and temporall commodities but by whose hands his heauenly graces and euerlasting treasures of his mercy are conueyed to the people 6. What function belongeth to Ministers The chiefe is to assist the Bishop and Priests in the administration of Sacraments and in the sacrifice and other Church seruices that so they may be performed with due maiesty by decent ceremonies and holy rites and discipline be obserued in the Church 7. How many degrees of Ministers be there They are in all six whereof the two first that is Deacons and Subdeacons are called Greater because they serue
which may draw your minde to distractions and therefore it ought to be the first thing you do after you are risen Secondly shortly to remember that all other businesses of the world or studies whatsoeuer be bables and thinges not concerning you in respect of this and that it is the maine helpe to do you good in this life and the next For the rest I remit you to seeke it in treatises of purpose made of this subiect amongst others I recommend vnto you one made by Antonius Molina a Carthusian whose printed meditations also are very good for beginners to practise themselues in 5. In what is vocall praier better then mentall praier and mentall praier better then it Vocall praier hath two excellences aboue mentall the first is that ordinarily the praier is made by some who haue more skill then we haue and therefore is more perfect for the most part then one of our mentall praiers Secōdly it keepeth from distractions much because our eyes and when we say them without bookes our memories hold our vnderstanding to the matter better then when we haue no such determination But likewise on the other side it hath two disaduantages one that it doth not so well fill our soules being nether so much laboured as what we make our selues nor so naturally proportioned to vs as what we do our selues Secondly the affections conceiued by vocall praier do not moue vs to action so strōgly as those which proceed from meditation But that which giueth weight both to the one and other sort of praying is attention so that two Aue Maries sayd with thinking of what you say is better then two paire of beades tumbled ouer with your minde vpon an other businesse LESSON XXXIV Of praying to Saints 1. MAy we not pray also to God by the mediation of others to grant vs his diuine assistance Yes and especially by the Saints and Angells for the praiers of the blessed in heauen are afficacious with allmighty God and by praying to them we get them to pray for vs. 2. Is it lawfull then to pray to Saints Yes but we must not do it in the same manner as we vse to pray to God for we pray to God as to our soueraine Lord that he will haue mercy vpon vs and giue vs his grace but the Saints can nether forgiue vs our sinnes nor conferre grace vpon vs and to demād it of them were to wrong our creator and to attribute that homage to a creature which is due to God alone but our praier to them is that they will pray to God for vs as being most neerely vnited to his diuine Maiesty by charity and eternall blisse Which kinde of praier hath alwayes been practised in the Church for if we may desire men here vpon earth to pray for vs much more may we desire the Saints in heauen to do it who being confirmed in charity cannot be lesse willing to assist vs and being more perfectly vnited to God cannot choose but haue as much power to obtaine from him what they demand in our behalfe nether can they be ignorant of our miseries or of their owne fauour with allmighty God 3. May we pray to Saints in the same manner as to our blessed Sauiour No for first our blessed Sauiour is God as well as man secondly he only is the immediate intercessour betwixt God and vs who hath power and authority of himselfe to intercede for vs whereas the Saints do intercede only by the force of his intercession Thirdly he is the only vniuersall mediatour betwixt God and vs for he only redeemed vs and so he only hath power to obtaine what he pleaseth for all the world by vertue of his owne infinite dignity and proper merit whereas the Saints can obtaine nothing but only through his merites Fourthly he is the only person vpon whose consideration all graces are granted Yet all these prerogatiues do not hinder but that we may pray to the Saints in an inferiour way and that they also may pray for vs without doing any wrōg to our blessed Sauiours soueraine mediation Which is euident by the like example in Princes here vpon earth for a king may loue one of his Fauorits so much as that he may resolue not to grāt any grace but through his consideration yet this doth not hinder but that one may employ other persons towards this Fauorite to obtaine of the king the graces which they desire and also that one may demand a thing from the king himselfe vnder the fauour and protection of his Fauorite In the same manner although allmighty God doth not grant any grace but by the merits of Iesus Christ yet this doth not hinder but that the Saints may demand the same for vs through themerits of Iesus Christ since we doe the like dayly for one another and also that we may desire them to intercede for vs to Iesus Christ himselfe 4. How can the Saints heare our praiers You must not thinke that they heare with eares that is that they haue this sensible passion which we call hearing But by hearing in this question is vnderstood knowing and there can be no doubt but that the Saints may know all thinges that concerne them since that they know God in whom all thinges are contained and who is the doer of all thinges that are done Besides the Scripture assureth vs that Angells know what men doe here vpon earth and the same Scripture telleth vs also that the Saints in heauen are like Angells 5. What obligation haue we to pray to Angells and Saints To answer your questiō you must know that Angells and Saints are in perfect blisse and happinesse whether we pray to them or no from whence you will perceiue that all seruice and honour done to Saints by vs redoundeth rather to our owne profit then to theirs And therefore although honour in it selfe be due vnto them yet they are then best honoured when we ourselues do profit by it and grow better by honouring them for this is euen to them an increase of an accidentall kinde of glory From-whence it followeth that the keeping of holy dayes building churches and setting vp altars to God in memorie of Saints is to be moderated according to the vtility which redoundeth to the Church by it and in proportion the praiers or what sort of deuotions soeuer are vsed in priuate to their honours are to be gouerned by the same principle Now the vtility redounding to the Church is first that whereas humane nature is easily weary of being carried aboue it selfe by praier and other spirituall exercises the wearinesse of deuotion is in part holpen by this holy variety Secondly the memory of God his goodnesse and benefits towards mankinde is made familiar vnto vs by making often commemoration of his Saints vpon whō he bestowed his graces most plentifully and who were many times the instruments he vsed to conferre many singular benefits vpon his whole Church Againe whereas mens humours and
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