Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	priest_n	6,450	5	6.6355	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
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

we shall finde that they were instituted immediatly by Christ to rule and consequently commanded to be coÌ„tinued 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 stroÌ„g 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 amoÌ„gst 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 SaÌ„ctity 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 heaueÌ„ 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 coÌ„uersion 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 deuotioÌ„ 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 beloÌ„ging 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

forbearing to communicate so frequently he findeth himselfe to decrease in vertue and in respect towards the Sacrament then he is to be exhorted to continue still his custome of communicating frequently But if he who communicateth frequently findeth himselfe still with the same imperfections without making any progresse in vertue or that his reuerence and respect towards the Sacrament is any way thereby diminished then he is to be aduised for a time to forbeare to communicate so frequently and to endeauour by workes of mortification and other spirituall exercises to reÌ„der himselfe more worthy of so frequent accesse to that holy table vntill his Ghostly father shall iudge it conuenient for him to frequent the Sacrament as formerly 18. What communion ought to be esteemed frequent In those persons who are not subiect to the distractions of the world but haue leasure to dispose of themselues as they please and to attend to spirituall imployments it may be accounted frequent communion to communicate constantly once a weeke but in others whose vocation and condition doth tye them to worldly employments and continuall distractions I should esteeme it frequent communion though they should communicate but once in fifteene dayes or three weekes vnlesse their continuall distractions be supplied by extraordinarie vertue 19. What Sacrament followeth the holy Eucharist Pennance for when we are sicke we must first be cured of the disease it selfe before we can vse remedies to take away the relickes of it LESSON XXVII Of Pennance 1. WHat is the Sacrament of Pennance It is a Sacrament instituted by Christ for the remission of sinnes coÌ„mitted after Baptisme whereby they that are baptized are restored againe vnto grace when by mortall sinne they haue lost the same 2. Where finde we the institution of this Sacrament In the 20. chapter of S. Iohn As my father sent me so do I send you receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them and whose sinnes yee shall retaine they shall be retained 3. What is the outward and sensible signe in this Sacrament It is the confession of the sinner and the wordes of absolution pronounced by the Priest for to the end that a crime may be remitted reason requireth that one should confesse it and make the quality of the crime manifest to him who is to remit it and also that he who hath authority to remit it should pronounce the sentence of absolution after that he hath iudged concerning the nature of the crime 4. Where is grace promised to this Sacrament It is promised in these words whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them for sinnes caÌ„not be pardoned but by grace And we finde the practise of this Sacrament in the Acts where the people casting themselues at the feete of the Apostles declared the sinnes which they had committed 5. Who haue power to administer this Sacrament None but Priests who haue receiued it from God and the Church 6. What conditions are required in the Priests that administer this Sacrament They be many but for as much as ought to satisfy the Laity we may reduce them all to one that is to haue approbation and commission from the Bishop of the place to exercise that function For although besides authority or iurisdiction there is also required doctrine and intention yet he ought to be held sufficient in doctrine who hath been approued by his Bishop for such and likewise he is to be presumed to haue a reall intention to do what the Church intendeth to do by this Sacrament who hath demanded approbation to do that which the Church doeth 7. If a man be ashamed to confesse his sinnes to one priest may he make choice of an other Yes if he do declare vnto him truly the state of his conscience that is not only the sinnes he is guilty of but also whether he be accustomed to do them without amendment Howsoeuer it were better allwayes to keepe one ghostly father for otherwise he is in danger to get little profit by his confessions and so may put his saluation in hazard which dependeth mainely on the fruits of this Sacrament 8. What must we do to receiue this Sacrament First after a due examen of conscience we must confesse to a Priest approued by the Bishop all our sinnes that are mortall committed since our last confession or which we haue omitted or forgotten to declare in former confessions or if we haue not mortall ones we must confesse some veniall ones with hearty sorrow and firme purpose to endeauour to coÌ„mit them no more and with the like purpose to do the pennance which shall be enioyned vs for satisfaction of our sinnes and so with all humility receiue absolution So that besides the absolution and imposing of pennance which are required on the Priests part three thinges are required on the penitents part to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction and the Sacrament doth consist of all these fiue partes CONTRITION 9. Why is Contrition necessary for this Sacrament Because this Sacrament was instituted to recouer God his grace and loue towards vs which we had lost by offending him now we see that when we haue offended one the readie way to gaine his loue againe is to repeÌ„t and acknowledge our fault this being the most naturall meanes to soder friendship vp againe when once it is broken And so we see that by nature euery noble heart perceiuing his enemy subiect vnto him taketh compassion of him and seeing him now no more the same he was thinketh meete to change likewise his course towards him 10. What is Contrition It is a sincere repentance proceeding from the motion of the holy Ghost touching our hearts which maketh vs to detest our sinnes and to conuert our selues to God For whereas by sinne a man is auerted from God by louing some vnlawfull obiect so by contrition his heart is auerted from the vnlawfull obiect formerly embraced and conuerted againe to God by louing him anew 11. How many sortes of Contrition be there It is deuided into two generall sortes the one is perfect which is absolutely called Contrition the other is imperfect which is vsually called Attrition Which difference ariseth from the seuerall degrees of conuerting our selues to God for sometimes our conuersion may be so perfect as to make vs not only forbeare our former sinfull actions and complaisance in vnlawfull obiects but also to detest them more then hell it selfe whereby through the powerfull working of God his grace in our hearts our affection towards God becometh greater then the loue of our selues and is more firmely rooted in vs then the loue of any vnlawfull obiect so that if it please God to preserue vs in this disposition we do easily afterwards ouercome any temptation be it neuer so great Sometimes againe our conuersion may be so weake as that although it be able to make vs forbeare and detest sinne for the present because it is greater then our present adhesion

succession And this also none hath done but the Roman Church nether doth anie Protestant lay claime vnto it for aske any ProtestaÌ„t 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 vnioÌ„ 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 coÌ„municateth 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 bâ—â€¦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 grouÌ„d 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 propositioÌ„ it followeth that we cannot belieue anie thing certainly vpon the motiue of God his reuelatioÌ„ 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 perswasioÌ„s 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 grouÌ„ds 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

diuine beliefe surpasseth the forces of our nature so that we cannot any way deserue it in so much that the holy Ghost doth inspire it into vs through his owne meere bounty And it is the first Theologicall gift of God by which we are disposed by litle and litle to obtaine the rest 5. Why is it called a light Because it enlightens our vnderstanding by making vs belieue the holy mysteries of our Christian fayth deliuered to vs by the Church 6. Why do you say deliuered to vs by the Church Because as I haue obserued before we cannot haue Catholike fayth but by the instruction of the church which proposeth to vs those truthes which God did reueale to his Apostles and disciples to the end that they should communicate them to others who were to succeed to themselues in the church and they againe to others and so till the end of the world 7. Who are those that succeeded to the Apostles and Disciples They are the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church whom the Apostles and Disciples left behind them to teach vs that doctrine which they themselues had taught and preached before to the whole world And therefore we are bouÌ„d to belieue what the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church teach because we are sure that the Catholike Church deliuereth to vs that same doctrine which the Apostles deliuered to her 8. How are we sure of this First because our Sauiour himselfe doth assure vs so for he telleth vs that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church so that the Church is the supreme and certaine guide to which Christ directeth vs for the knowledge of the true faith and true religion Secondly because abstracting from supernaturall meanes reason it selfe doth conuince as much for the Church being vniuersall that is a Congregation of Christians dispersed through the whole world it followeth that she cannot propose a falsehood seeing that the Christians dispersed in so many countries as are necessary to make vniuersality cannot meete together and agree to frame a lye and therefore if they consent together that such a thing was deliuered vnto them for the doctrine of Christ it cannot choose but be so And this is that which Diuines call TraditioÌ„ which descendeth from father to sonne in all nations where the Catholike fayth is professed and when it is contradicted or called in to doubt the question is decided by a generall Councel which is a congregation of Catholike Bishops and Doctours gathered together out of all partes where the Church is dispersed And to this I meane to vniuersall tradition no heresy layeth clayme and yet Religion is so grounded vpon it that euen all Heretikes must acknowledge this same authority for the receauing of scripture So that we see how the vniuersality of the Church is euen in grounds of nature and abstracting from all supernaturall aduantages as great a warrant as can be that what the Church teacheth is that same which the Apostles and Disciples of Christ dispersed through the whole world had taught before Lastly we are sure that what the Church sayeth is true not only because she is vniuersall but also because she is inuested with all the other motiues that are apt to beget beliefe as santity vnity antiquity c. and so she is credible of herselfe in whatsoeuer she affirmeth LESSON XIII Of the Creed 1. What is the doctrine which the Apostles and Christ his Disciples taught It is chiefly that which is comprised in the Creed 2. Say the Creed 1. I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. 3. Who was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie 4. Suffered vnder PoÌ„tius Pilate was crucified dead and buried 5. Descended into Hell the third day rose againe from the dead 6. Ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the father Allmighty 7. From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghost 9. The holy Catholike Church the communion of sanctes 10. Remission of sinnes 11. Resurrection of the flesh 12. Life euerlasting Amen 3. What is the Creed and who made it It is a briefe rule of our christian faith made by the 12. Apostles as a symbole or marke whereby to distinguish and know the true disciples of Iesus Christ from all others of what profession soeuer ARTICLE I. 4. What doth the first Article signifie I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth It teacheth vs that God the father is the source and first producer of all thinges hauing produced within himselfe the other two persons and out of him selfe all created thinges And this God is omnipotent because he can doe all that he will and hath made of nothing both heauen and earth with whatsoeuer is in them as well Angells as men and the whole vniuersall world and is able to create more and more worlds without end 5. The sonne and the holy Ghost are not they also omnipotent Yes and they created the world with the father but creation and omnipotencie are particularly attributed to the father for they belong to him in a particular manner because he is the first ofspring of all production within himselfe from whence is deriued all creation and being out of him selfe whereas the other two persons haue their production and being from him as from their source and because production of thinges is done by power therefore power also properly beloÌ„geth to him who is the first origine of all thinges produced So wisedome is attributed to the sonne because he is produced by the vnderstanding which is the seate of wisedome and goodnesse to the holy Ghost because he proceedeth by loue which hath goodnesse for its obiect 6. Why do we professe God his omnipotencie in the first article To the end that we may be prepared to beleeue all that which followeth although it surpasse humane force and also to let vs know how he created the world which did require an infinite power in the creator for otherwise he could not haue done it 7. Why do we say I beleeue in God and not I beleeue God or I beleeue a God There is a great difference betwixt beleeuing a God beleeuing God and beleeuing in God The first doth import only I beleeue there is a God and the second I beleeue all that which God reuealeth but the third doth import not only an act of faith but an act of faith and loue together and so the Apostles vsed expressely this kinde of speach I beleeue in God to teach vs that faith is vnprofitable without loue ARTICLE II. 8. DEclare the second Article and in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. I beleeue also in Iesus Christ who is the sonne of God the Father not by adoption or grace but by nature and the onely begotten of his owne substance in so much that he cannot beget any

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 SacrameÌ„ts 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 emineÌ„t degree which surpasseth them all as being the source from wheÌ„ce 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 transcendeÌ„t 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 functioÌ„s are expressed by two words or names appropriated commonly to Priests to wit Presbyter and Sacerdos for Presbyter and PresbyteriuÌ„ 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 gouernmeÌ„t 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 seueÌ„th 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 regeneratioÌ„ 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 coÌ„sequeÌ„tly 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

Christian He who hauing been baptized belieueth the true faith of Christ and liueth accordingly 11. How shall we learne to do this By the Christian doctrine that is by that doctrine which Christ Iesus came to teach and preach vnto the world 12. Where is this doctrine contained It is contained in God his holy word which is deliuered to vs at large partly by scripture and partly by tradition of the holy Catholike Church 13. How manie be the chiefe and principall heads of the Christian doctrine They may be reduced to six to wit the Creed the Pater noster the ten Commandements the seuen Sacraments Prayer and the Sacrifice of Masse 14. Wherefore are these six the principall heads of Christian doctrine Because whereas there are principally foure thinges necessary to saluation that is faith which giueth vs light to belieue well hope which giueth vs confidence to demand well charity which giueth vs strength to doe well and God his actuall assistaÌ„t grace which is the most necessary of all for without it we cannot get the other three nor make the least progresse in the way of saluation Now the Creed teacheth vs what belongs to faith the Pater noster what belongs to hope the ten Commandements what belongs to charity and the three last partes the Sacraments Prayer and Sacrifice of Masse are the meanes whereby to obtaine God his actuall assistant grace 15. Why do you account the Pater noster a distinct part from the rest seeing that it is included in prayer which you number as making one principall part by it selfe The reason of it is because the Pater noster is not only actually a prayer it selfe but it is also a generall instruction whereby we are taught how to pray and what to demand Now as it is actually a prayer it selfe it belongeth to Prayer which we haue reckoned for the fifth part of the Christian doctrine but as it is an instruction it maketh a part by it selfe because to instruct is a qualitie which is not essentiall to actuall praying and so it belongeth properly to hope which is the foundation of all actuall prayer and is practised by knowing what and how we are to demand 16. Why do you number but foure thinges necessary to saluation since that no man can be saued without inherent iustice or sanctifying grace which is a distinct thing from God his actuall assistant grace and therefore in all there are fiue thinges necessary The reason of it is because sanctifying grace is either charitie it selfe or at least it is a thing which cannot be separated from charitie and therefore whosoeuer hath charitie may be assured that he hath sanctifying grace and the meanes to obtaine one doth serue for both 17. What is the visible signe or badge of a Christian The signe of the holy crosse accompanied with these words In the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost 18. Wherefore is this the badge of a Christian Because by making this holy signe with these words we professe the three chiefest mysteries of our Christian faith which are the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God the mystery of the Incarnation and the mystery of our blessed Sauiour his sacred Passion 19. Why is the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God said to be contained in the signe of the crosse Because by saying in the name and not names we declare the Vnitie of one sole essence power and diuinitie in one only God and by naming the father sonne and holy ghost we plainely manifest the three distinct persons of the most blessed Trinitie 20. Why are the other two mysteries of the Incarnation and Passion of our blessed Sauiour said to be included in the signe of the crosse Because by putting our hand from the head vnder the breast we professe the sonne of God to haue descended from heauen to become incarnated in the wombe of the most blessed Virgin and by putting our hand from the left shoulder to the right we declare how he redeemed vs by dying vpon the crosse in forme whereof we make this holy signe 21. Wherefore hath it been the custome of all true Christians at the beginning of their chiefe actions to make so frequently the signe of the holy crosse pronouncing the former words For diuers good reasons and first thereby to consecrate their actions vnto the honour of the most blessed Trinitie Secondly to craue in all their actions God his diuine assistance through the merits of the sacred death and Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Thirdly to make a briefe profession of the Christian fayth the chiefe mysteries whereof we see are so liuely expressed vnder this signe Fourthly to declare thereby that they fight vnder this signe as vnder Christ his standard and so like faithfull souldiers to distinguish themselues from PagaÌ„s Turkes Iewes and all other his enemies Fifthly to arme ourselues by it against the Diuell and all his temptations for that he doth feare and flie this signe as the malefactour doth feare the Ministers and sharpe instruments of iustice Lastly by the helpe of this holy signe men do most frequently escape many both corporall and spirituall daÌ„gers as innumerable most authentike histories and good Authors declare Now we make this signe so frequently because faith is the foundation and groundworke of Christianitie and therefore we ought to make a frequent profession of it LESSON XII Of Fayth 1. WHy is fayth the first foundation and groundworke of Christianity Because by naturall knowledge we cannot come to know the meanes which are prescribed for our saluation and therefore we haue need of a supernaturall helpe which is fayth and so the Apostle telleth vs that without fayth it is impossible to please God 2. What then is fayth Fayth is a gift of God and a light whereby we do firmely and without doubting belieue all that which is proposed to vs by the Catholike church to be belieued not because we see it but because it is reuealed by God who cannot speake vntruthes So that to an act of fayth necessary for saluation two thinges are required first in regard of God that it be an obiect reuealed by him and proposed to vs by the Church as such secondly in regard of man that he giue a firme assent to it 3. Is there no more required to an act of fayth No more is required to an inward act of fayth yet to practise this vertue perfectly we are some times obliged to declare our beliefe by an outward act when occasion requireth it for man being composed of body and soule he ought to acknowledge God his veracitie by both these partes by his soule in belieuing and by his body in professing with his mouth what he belieueth And therefore it is neuer lawfull to dissemble our fayth by professing one thing and belieuing an other for whosoeuer denyeth Iesus Christ before men will be denyed by him before his father 4. Why is fayth called a gift of God Because

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 omnipoteÌ„t 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 appreheÌ„d 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

doth receiue profit by the sacrifice preaching doth instruct whosoeuer will heare euery man in the church may assist his companion by prayer the liuing do assist the dead in purgatorie by almes and good deeds and the blessed in heauen do assist the liuing vpon earth by their continuall intercession for them to allmighty God ARTICLE X. 45. DEclare the tenth Article Forgiuenesse of sinnes I belieue that to the holy Catholike church only and to no other society there is giuen by God power for true forgiuenesse of sinnes by meanes of the holy sacraments whereby men from being children of the diuell and guilty of eternall damnation do become the children of God and heires of Paradise 46. How doth the Church forgiue sinnes By the meanes of Priests who as God his Ministers haue power to forgiue sinne by vertue of the sacraments and particularly of Baptisme and of Pennance by Baptisme only once but by Pennance as often as man sinneth and truly repenteth for it And this benefit is so much the greater because it is particular to the law of grace for no man either in the law of nature or in the law of Moyses euer had power to remit sinne ARTICLE XI 47. DEclare the eleuenth Article Resurrection of the flesh I belieue that in the end of the world all men shall rise taking againe the selfe same bodies which they had when they were liuing and this by the power of God to whom nothing is impossible but the elect shall haue their bodies glorious and beautifull and shall be lifted vp with their bodies into the aire to meete Christ at the day of iudgement whereas the cursed shall remaine on earth hideous and woefull to behold 48. Why did not the Apostles say the resurrection of man but the resurrection of the flesh To shew to vs that whereas man doth consist of two parts soule and body the body is only that which perisheth by death the soule being immortall and consequently vncapable of resurrectioÌ„ for nothing is reuiued but that which is first dead 49. Shall we rise in the same bodies that we had whilst we liued Yes to the end that the same body which contributed in this world to our good or euill life may likewise receiue an eternall recompense or punishment And in effect if we did not receiue the same body which dyed it would not be a resurrection but a new production for since that to be resuscitated signifyeth to take life againe that which is resuscitated must be the same which dyed before 50. How shall this be done We are sure that it shall be done and S. Paul is so certaine of it that he telleth vs that if the dead shall not rise Christ hath not risen We are sure also that it shall not be done by our owne forces for Philosophers teach vs that that which is once corrupted cannot be naturally reproduced but it shall be done by the hand of allmighty God who can make againe when he pleaseth that same thing which he hath once made 51. Shall all bodies rise with the same defects they had whilst they lived as being dwarfes giants lame monsters and the like No for these defects and deformities proceed only from the excesse or defect of nature whose worke they properly were But the worke of their resurrection being properly the worke only of God it must needs be perfect and without all defeat and therefore it is generally belieued that all the blessed shall rise in that perfect stature which nature should haue giuen them at the three and thirtith yeare of their age at which age our blessed Sauiour did rise himselfe ARTICLE XII 52. DEclare the twelfth Article Life euerlasting I belieue that there is reserued for good Christians life euerlasting by enioying the sight of God full of felicity and free froÌ„ all kinde of euill as contrarywise for infidelles and bad Christians there is a life full of eternall punishment ouerwhelmed with misery and voide of all good 53. In what doth the happinesse of this eternall life consist In knowing and louing God for knowledge and loue are the pleasures of the soule or minde which must needs be greater then the pleasures of the body since that the body hath pleasure by the miÌ„de for take away the miÌ„de or reflexion vpon the obiect and it hath none Now the content of loue encreaseth to the proportion of knowledge and amongst knowledges the most vniuersall giueth the greatest pleasure What pleasure then must it be to see God in himselfe who is beyond all causes and in whom all thinges are conteined We shall discerne in him the essences and reasons of euery particular thing from the creation of the heauens and millions of Angells to the parting of two dusts in the high way so that no variety can be sought which is not found in him Neither can we desire any change for no body desireth a change or variety vntill he hath a satiety of what he enioyeth that is vntill he hath perfectly knowne it and found it lesse then his desires for till then he hath rest content and quiet in the obiect he enioyeth Now God is farre beyond the capacity of our desires so that for all eternity we shall finde in him more then we can desire and consequently for all eternity haue vnspeakable content and rest in him Besides euery ones memory shall contribute to this contentment by remembring the dangers they haue escaped of loosing so great a good and by calling to minde their owne good actions wrought by them through God his grace in this world especially those great ones martyrdome teaching and virginity which speciall contents caused by the memorie of those vertuous heroike actions are called by some Diuines Aureolae 54. In what shall the paine of the damned consist It will consist likewise chiefely in the soule for as pleasure cometh to the body from the soule so doth griefe and therefore as the pleasure of the soule is greater then the pleasure of the body so must the griefe of the soule by being depriued of this pleasure needes be a paine surpassing without comparison all corporall paines 55. Must this next life needs be eternall Yes for those who see God caÌ„not choose but loue him aboue all thinges God as we sayd before doth neuer faile to blisse them that loue him wherefore since that nether the blessed can leaue to loue nor God will leaue to blisse those that loue him their happinesse can haue no end And as for the damned they can neuer begin to loue because they want God his grace without which we cannot loue God aboue all thinges and therefore they must needs remaine for all eternity in the same miserable state into which they haue cast them selues through their owne fault 56. Shall the glorie of the Saints be equall in heauen No some shall haue greater glorie then others according as they haue serued God more or lesse in this world Yet all shall be equally content in

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 ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 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 PennaÌ„ce 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

bookes and the like 5. Which be the commandements of the Church Amongst diuerse others which coÌ„cerne seuerall particular states of persons there be fiue which are commaÌ„ded to all in generall First to be present at Masse vpon Sundayes and other commaÌ„ded feasts and also to abstaine from seruile worke on the sayd feastes Secondly to fast the Lent the foure Ember weekes and commanded eues of feastes and to abstaine from flesh vpoÌ„ Fridayes and Saturdayes Thirdly to confesse at the least once a yeare and to receaue the blessed Sacrament at Easter in our proper parish Church Fourthly to pay out tithes which shall be due Fifthly not to solemnize marriage within the prohibited times 6. Are the precepts of the Church different from the former commandements of God They are not different in effect they being all contained vnder that one wherein Allmighty God doth expressely command vs to obey and honour our father and mother by which he doth sufficiently oblige vs to obey the Church we being her children and she our parent and chiefe mother Besides that they serue as declarations of Gods commandements and as peculiar rules for their more exact and punctuall obseruation And so they are not to be accounted as burdens to the faithfull but as conuenient meanes to make them keepe exactly God his ten Commandements 7. How doth the first precept of the Church serue for this end By shewing vs the manner how we ought to fulfill God his third commandement for the light of nature doth only teach vs that we ought to giue some time particularly to God his seruice but how much time or what time rather then another and in what manner doth depend vpon the positiue institutioÌ„ of the Church and so as I noted aboue the Apostles haue changed the Sabaoth into our Lords day which is the day following Now the Church hath determined the manner by appointing vs to heare Masse and concerning the time she hath also ordained feuerall festiuall dayes besides our Lords day and she hath made choise of those dayes on which Allmighty God did worke the principall mysteries of our faith or did conferre by meanes of his seruants some singular benefits to his Church 8. How doth the second precept serue for this end It helpeth vs to obserue the sixth Commandement by mortifying our flesh and diminishing our sensuality 9. Why doth the Church make choise of those times rather then others to fast on The reason of it is first as for Lent because it was instituted by the Apostles to imitate our Sauiour in his fast of 40 dayes Ember dayes were also instituted by the Apostles at least the three first to consecrate the seasons of the yeare to God The eues of feastes are ordained by the Church to make vs more fitt to serue God the next day following Fridayes and Satturdayes are obserued by abstinence in memorie of our Sauiours passion who dyed on Friday and lay buried all Satturday 10. Is it a mortall sinne not to obserue the fasting dayes ordained by the Church Yes except they be excused by some necessary impediment which for the most part may be reduced to foure heades pouerty sicknesse imbecility of bodie and extraordinary labour of the bodie By the first beggars are excused and all that haue not meanes to get dayly one entire meale by the second those sicke are excused by licence obtained from their Curate whom the Physitian shall iudge vnable to fast by the third all personnes vnder twenty one compleat or aboue threescore and three yeares of age begun are likewise excused as also women great with child and nources by the fourth are excused labouring men and tradesmen who are forced to gaine their liuing by the sweat of their bodies Yet it is to be noted that all these persons are not excused from abstaining from flesh though they be permitted to eate two meales a day 11. Are all fasts to be obserued in the same manner No for in Lent it is forbidden not only to eate flesh but also to eate eggs and in some places white meats which notwithstanding are permitted on other fasting dayes but the rule to be obserued in this point is the custome of the countrie That which is to be obserued in all fasting dayes is that we eate but one entire meale a day and that at night we rest satisfyed with a small collation or drinking 12. What doth the third precept of the Church serue for It helpeth vs to obserue all the ten commandements in generall for whereas it consisteth of two partes to confesse and to communicate by confession we are purged from our sinnes and so haue lesse occasion to fall againe for nothing doth draw to sinne more then sinne it selfe by the holy communion we receaue strength to performe all that which we are obliged to doe in seruing God 13. Who are obliged to confession All those that are come to the vse of reason which is ordinarily conceaued to be at eight yeares of age and it is to be noted that the Church doth not by this precept of confessing once a yeare take of the obligation that euery man may haue of confessing oftener 14. What occasions be they that oblige a man to confession oftener then once a yeare First it must be supposed that none are obliged but such as are in mortall sinne amongst whom first those are obliged who by sicknesse or by reason of some other accident are in imminent danger of death as those are reputed to be who are to vndertake any long voyage at sea or who are in the warres and do vndergoe any actuall seruice with danger of being killed as also women that are ready to labour with childe and the like Secondly those who are to receaue the blessed Sacrament are also bound to goe first to confession in case they be in mortall sinne Thirdly those who hauing committed any mortall sinne do suspect that by deferring their confession they shall not remember it are bound to confesse it speedily 15. Who are obliged to communion All those who are of age sufficient to discern the greatnesse of this mystery which is conceaued to be ordinarily when one is 12 yeares old And it is to be noted that by Easter is vnderstood the eight dayes following and the eight dayes precedent to Easter day and also that those who communicate are bound to be fasting that is not to haue eaten or drunke any thing after midnight except it be in case of extreme sicknesse iudged such by Physitians 16. Ought one to communicate as often as he goeth to confession In the first aboue named cases he is bound to communicate when he confesseth if he hath opportuny but ordinarily speaking euery man would do well to confesse oftener then he communicateth especially those who for want of actuall deuotion or through spirituall slothfulnesse coÌ„municate very seldome and if they fall often into mortall sinne they ought to prepare themselues by doeing worthy fruits of repentance whereof I shall speake

in the Sacrament of Pennance for some time before they communicate for by vertue of the Sacrament of Pennance of ten reiterated being ioyned with the worthy fruits of repentance they will afterwardes communicate more worthily Wherefore I should aduise those who communicate but once a yeare to confesse at least euery three monthes once and those who communicate euery quarter to goe to confession at least once a moneth as others who goe to communion more frequently would do well to confesse more frequently it hauing been the practise of many holy Saintes to confesse dayly though they did sometimes abstaine from communion LESSON XIX Of the three Euangelicall Counsells 1. IS there no more required for the practise of charity but only to obserue the commandements of God and his Church and other superiours Whosoeuer doth this hath as we haue sayed an assured marke of charity and therefore it cannot be doubted but that he hath charity in some measure Yet euery one that obserueth the commandements hath not charity in the same measure for he who obserueth them so as not to breake them in any matter of weight which maketh a mortall sinne remaineth in charity but for the perfection of charity there is required a more exact performance of them and especially of that great precept conteined in the first commandement of directing all our actions and thoughts to God his honour and glory the marke whereof is when we do auoyde euen veniall sinnes so farre forth as the condition of humane frailty will permit vs for although these smaller offences do not depriue vs of the grace of God yet they are vngratefull and displeasing to him because they do intrench in some sort vpon his commandements by hindering vs from performing them readily and with alacrity and by bringing vs into danger of breaking them grieuously Now as we see that one who loueth his friend entirely will not only do what he coÌ„mandeth but he will do it also with alacrity and vse the best meanes he can for that end so shall we do the like towardes God if we loue him feruently 2. How shall we know which be the meanes to attaine to this perfection We may know this by looking vpon the life of our blessed Sauiour and by seeing what thinges those were which he exhorted those to who were nearest about him for certainly seeing that out Sauiour came to teach vs not only perfection itselfe but also the meanes to attaine vnto it and this by making himselfe our patterne that is by leauing vnto vs an example in his owne life for vs to imitate there can be no doubt but that those thinges which he himselfe embraced for our instruction and which he inured his most familiar friends vnto are the most efficacious meanes to attaine to the height of Christian perfection 3. Where shall we finde these thinges We shall finde them at large in the foure Euangelifts who writ the life of our blessed Sauiour and for that reason they are called the Euangelicall counsells and the practise of them is called particularly the imitation of Christ 4. How many be the Euangelicall counsells There be very many set downe in the Ghospell whereof there are three which are the principall called voluntary pouerty perpetuall chastitie and entire obedience of which the religious orders do make their essentiall vowes and by them they are mainely assisted to extirpate those three pernicious rootes from which most sinnes do proceed to wit luxury auarice and pride 5. What is meant by the counsell of Pouerty We vnderstand by it a voluntary renouncing all worldly wealth a thing which our Sauiour did teach both by word and example and after him the holy Apostles followed it and the first Christians did practise it at Hierusalem in the primitiue Church 6. Wherein doth consist the counsell of perpetuall chastity It consists in a resolution to abstaine perpetually not only from all sorts of carnall sinne but euen from lawfull marriage it selfe which also our Sauiour Christ did both teach and practise 7. Wherein consisteth the counsell of entire obedience It consists in renouncing our owne proper will and iudgemeÌ„t which in holy scripture is called the denying of our selues by submitting our selues to the will of a superiour for the honour and loue of God which counsell our Sauiour not only taught by word but also by perfect example submitting himselfe for so many yeares to his mother the blessed Virgin and to S. Ioseph his supposed father on earth 8. What fruit and profit is there gotten by obseruing these holy counsells They mainely helpe to take away the impediments of Christian perfection which consisteth in charity the impediments whereof are chiefly three to wit the loue of temporall goods which is taken away by pouerty the loue of carnall pleasures which is taken away by chastity and finally the loue of worldly honour and power which is takeÌ„ away by obedience Moreouer whereas a man hath but three sorts of goods a soule a bodie and his exteriour wealth by giuing his exteriour goods to God by pouerty his body by chastity and his soule by obedience he maketh a perfect sacrifice to God of all he hath and thereby disposeth himselfe to the perfection of charity in the best manner that in this life is possible 9. Were these three Euangelicall counsells giuen to all Christians in generall Yes for although the embracing of them by vowe and in that manner as we haue declared them here belongeth properly to Religious men whereby they are afterwards tyed to them no lesse then if they were precepts and so are obliged to performe them more strictly then others are yet all Christians are called to that perfection which is attained by these three Euangelicall counsells and consequently ought to practise actually these three vertues pouerty chastity and obedience in some measure proportionable to the state and condition in which they liue as pouerty by giuing actually part of their goods to the poore and by enduring with patience and alacrity the want of such commodities which they themselues haue need of chastity by moderating the vse of lawfull marriage obedience by submitting themselues to the direction of some prudent and deuout person and by yeelding in indiffereÌ„t thinges to the will and iudgement of others with whom they coÌ„uerse mortifying thereby their owne will and proper inclinations For since these are meanes to attaine to perfection of Christianity Christ who biddeth all Christians without exception to be perfect as his Father is in heauen doth also propose to all the practise of these his holy counsells which are the meanes that all who will attaine vnto perfection haue neede to practise in some degree or other so that there is no Christian whom these holy counsells do not concerne And whereas their condition of life will not permit laymen to practise actually these counsells in that latitude as Religious men do yet if they will attaine to that height of perfectioÌ„ which Christ calleth euery

element in lieu of the substance of bread and therefore it must be in euery part of the element where it was bread before wherefore seeing that when bread is cut into ten twenty or into as many pieces as you will euery piece is bread it doth follow also that the consecrated element being cut into as many pieces euery piece must be Christ his bodie for otherwise Christ his bodie would not be in euery part where bread was for a legge only or an arme is not Christ his bodie no more then one wheele of a clock is a clock From whence it followeth that Christ his bodie is not deuided when the visible element is broken or cut in pieces for that which is whole in euerie part of the element cannot be deuided but still remaineth when the elemeÌ„t is deuided into partes whole in each part 10. Is not Christ his bodie then by being really in the Sacrament made subiect to receiue corporall impressions as to be burned annoyed c. No for as his being whole in euery part which is done by being depriued of locall extension maketh his body that it cannot be deuided so it doth also make it that it cannot receiue any corporall action or impression for there can be no corporall impression where there is no locall extension And so though men may be irreuerent to the Sacrament by burning it or by giuing it to a dog yet Christ his bodie is not burned or torne in pieces nether is it annoyed or disgraced though it be cast into indecent places no more then God is harmed or disgraced who by his Godhead is in the same places 11. Doth the communion or receiuing of the holy Eucharist by Laicks belong to the act of sacrificing No for the act of sacrificing consists in the Priest his giuing or offering vp the hoste to God but the communion is a gift from God to man for after that the Eucharist hath been offered vp by the Priest to the honour of God he doth giue it to men to sanctify them and so God doth render to men the same gift which men did present vnto him 12. What then is the Communion It is not the act of sacrificing but it is a partaking of the altar or Christian sacrifice after that the hoste is sacrificed whereby we receiue or eate some part of the sacrificed hoste as a meate made holy by hauiÌ„g been offered vp to God in sacrifice in acknowledgement that we do approoue of and professe that religion wherevnto the sacrifice belongeth 13. Is it necessary then to receiue in both kindes since both are vsed in the Sacrifice No for the Church assures vs of the contrary and this reason may be alleaged because to make vs partakers of the sacrifice it if sufficient if we receiue any part of the host which is sacrificed especially in this sacrifice where one part doth containe as much as both Yet the Priest who sacrificeth is bound to receiue both kindes because his receiuing is a consummation of the offering and so he is bound to consummate in both kindes what he offereth in both kindes for all that which is offered must be consummated that the sacrifice may be fully accomplished and because the consummation of the sacrifice belongeth to the act of sacrificing from thence it followeth that the Priest only to whom alone the act of sacrificing or offering is reserued and not the Laity can receiue the Sacrament in this nature that is as offering it vp to God in consummation of the sacrifice 14. What state and disposition is required for our worthily receiuing this blessed Sacrament It is necessarily required to be in the state of grace and to come to the Sacrament with a reuerent and deuout heart and that we may reape a more full benefit by communicating we ought also to auoid actuall distractions whilst we communicate Moreouer Sales the holy Bishop of Geneua is of opinion that it is further requisite for frequent communion that one should haue no affection to any veniall sinne and withall that he haue a great desire or spirituall hunger of that sacred food Now by affection to veniall sinnes is vnderstood a tacite resolution to persist in them that is such an adhesion or loue to them as makes a man not only to commit them often but also not to care or endeauour to auoid them being so insensible of their malice as to make little or no account of it 15. Why must we be in the state of grace to receiue the holy Eucharist Because the holy Eucharist is of the number of those Sacraments which were instituted not to conferre the first grace but to encrease grace alreadie coÌ„ferred And the reason of this is because to be in the state of grace is to be in charity with God and our neighbour which is a thing necessary for communion considering the nature of this SacrameÌ„t for Christ inuiteth vs in this Sacrament to a banquet but none vse to be inuited to banquets but such as are his friends who maketh the banquet and also friends to one an other for feare of turning mirth and loue for which banquets were instituted into sorrow and contention And for this reason the ancient Christians when the Pax is giuen in Masse were wont to kisse one an other in token of peace and charitie and to communicate together And therefore not without reason this Sacrament is called the Sacrament of charitie whereof bread and wine are also emblems signifying that our wills ought to be one and the same firmely vnited by loue as thousands of cornes or grapes are fast together in one loafe or one cup of wine 16. Why is so perfect a disposition required for frequent communion as that one should not deliberately adhere to any sinne so much as veniall Because this Sacrament is a pledge of Gods great loue towards vs and the meanes which he hath chosen to make a perfect friendship with vs and so euery one ought to be more feruent in loue by how much he maketh himselfe more familiar to this sacred table and consequently it is requisite that he should be free not only from mortall sinne but also from affection to veniall ones or if he finde himselfe intangled in such affections he should at leastwise come with a spirit and designe to free himselfe of them 17. Ought all men to be exhorted to frequent communion Yes certainely for the oftener one communicateth the more grace he receiueth supposing that he cometh with that disposition and reuerence which behoueth those to haue that come frequently to so great a Sacrament Wherein this rule in generall ought to be obserued that if one findeth by experience taking the iudgemeÌ„t and aduise of his Ghostly father along with him that whilest he vseth frequent coÌ„municating he maketh progresse in vertue in bridling of his passions and in diminishing of his affections euen to veniall sinnes whereof we spake before without diminution of reuerence due to the Sacrament or if

not wonder if in some cases the Priest imposeth so small a pennance in respect of the grieuous offences of the PeniteÌ„t as it happeneth in those who confesse great sinnes at the houre of death for the least outward act is significatiue and sufficient to testify our present intention 34. What do you gather from its being satisfactorie I gather from thence that the satisfaction ought to correspond to the grieuousnesse of the Penitents offences and that it ought to be a penall satisfaction that is such as doth chastise the body and manifest in the PeniteÌ„t zeale of God his iustice and a spirit of godly reuenge vpon himselfe for the sinnes he hath committed 35. What do you gather by its being medecinall I gather from thence that the pennance which the Priest imposeth ought to be proportioned to the diseased humour of the Penitent and such as may withdraw him from sinne and that it ought accordingly to be augmented or lessened as he findeth his Penitent to amend himselfe more or lesse 36. What do you gather by its being significatiue Since that its signification doth consist in testifying the sincerity of our inward repentance and an acknowledgement of our obligation to do worthy fruits of repentance in this life I gather first that when we haue performed the pennance imposed by the Priest we ought not therefore to desist but we must still go on in bewailing our sinnes all our life time for as S. Augustin sayth Poenitere est poenam tenere to repent is to perseuer in paine to the end sayeth he that one may punish by reuenging in himselfe that which he hath committed by sinning he therefore doth perseuer in paine who alwayes punisheth that which it grieueth him to haue committed Secondly I gather in case that the Priest should either through necessity as it happeneth when a Penitent is in danger of death or else through ignorance or by too much indulgence impose so small a pennance as would haue no proportion with the grieuousnesse of the sinnes whereof the Penitent is guiltie that then the Penitent by doing that small pennance must not thinke himselfe released of the debt he oweth for his sinnes nor acquitted of the obligation he hath to doe worthy fruits of repentance but he must do them voluntarily or by the aduise of his Ghostly father which will be more meritorious 37. Are we then obliged to do worthy fruits of repentance Yes for as by the Sacrament of Baptisme we do solemnly renounce the world and promise to abstaine from sinne so we do by the Sacrament of pennance which is a second Baptisme and called by the Fathers a laborious Baptisme not only renew our former promise made in Baptisme but also we do adde a new purpose signified by the pennance imposed by the Priest and accepted by the Penitent of repairing by worthy fruits of repentance the harme which we haue suffered by sinne And therefore the Councell of Trent teacheth that in the pennance for sinnes committed after Baptisme is contained not only a cessation from sinne a detestation of sinne and a contrite and humble heart which thinges are required in Baptisme but also satisfaction by fasting almes praier and other pious exercises of a spirituall life 38. From whence ariseth the obligation of worthy fruits of repentance It ariseth from two heads first from the precept for they are expressely commanded by God Secondly from the nature of the thing it selfe for the light of reason doth teach vs that we are bound both to satisfy God his iustice and also to repaire our owne losses when we are able the one being a kinde of restitution to be made to God and the other a kinde of restitution due to ourselues Wherefore to know how farre this precept of doing worthy fruits of repentance bindeth we must coÌ„sider these two principall ends for which they were commanded And as for the first end which is to satisfy God his iustice for the temporall paine remaining after that the guilt of sinne is remitted you must note that the Minister of God cannot know how much repentance and contrition the Penitent hath nether can the Penitent nor the Minister know the value of the sayd contrition nor how much more he ought to do for due satisfaction and therefore in the primitiue Church they vsed to impose austere pennances for euery mortall sinne which they were to performe for a long time together yea for some sinnes they were to do pennance all their life time that so God his iustice might be more fully satisfied but in after ages the Church hath mitigated that former austerity releasing the Penitentiall Canons by frequent Indulgences which she granteth from time to time for the generall good of the Church which Indulgences vpon such occasions do likewise remit the paine due to sinne being granted by authority of the keies of the kingdome of heauen Wherefore it is certaine that we are not for the present obliged to the Penitentiall Canons but it sufficeth if the Priest impose such pennances as haue some proportion in chastising the sinner with as much paine and affliction as he tooke vnlawfull delight and content in his vnbridled passions by sinfull actions which also may be prudently moderated vpon iust occasions by remitting the Penitent for the rest to the generall fasts and mortifications obserued in the Church and to such voluntarie afflictions as he himselfe shall make choise of In which kinde it is to be noted that euery one is bound to vse voluntarily such pennances as he findeth necessary to keepe the spirit of compunctioÌ„ from decaying in his heart and to preserue him from danger of falling into a contempt of God his wrath and of reparation due to his iustice And therefore although it be true that we are not bound now to the actuall practise of the Penitentiall Canons yet we are obliged to be so prepared and disposed in minde as to be ready to vndergoe them in case they were absolutely necessary to satisfy the diuine iustice or that they were enioyned vs by the Church From whence it followeth that although those sinners who haue not leisure to do worthy fruits of repentance because they are surprised by death presently after their conuersion shall be purged by the paines of Purgatorie and so be saued as also those shall be who haue had leisure to do worthy fruits of repentance but haue performed them slackely and negligently yet those who neuer had an intention to do worthy fruits of repentance in this life or if they had such an intention did afterwardes when they had leisure totally neglect to do them will not finde a Purgatorie in the next world but eternall punishment in hell for their contempt of God his precept in not performing that which his iustice exacteth from vs in this life The second end for which the worthy fruits of repentance were commanded by God is medicinall and satisfaction as it hath relation to this end is defined thus Est

causas peccatorum exscindere earum suggestionibus aditum non indulgere Satisfaction of pennance is to cut away the occasions of sinne and to giue no entrance to their suggestions Where you must obserue that there is this difference in satisfaction as it hath relation to these two ends that in respect of the former end of satisfying for the temporall paine it may be released by indulgences of the Church and one member of the Church may also satisfy for another but the workes of satisfaction as it is a medicine cannot be dispensed with by any authority of the Church nor can one man performe them for another but euery man is bound to performe them himselfe otherwise they will be of no value for that end And therefore the Councel of Trent doth seriously admonish all Priests that they should not winke at the sinnes of their Penitents by enioyning small pennances for great sinnes least that thereby they themselues become partakers of other mens sinnes Now you must know that the immediate occasions of sinne which we are bound to cut of are of three sortes some are externall and outward to vs and consequently such as we may readily separate our selues from as for example the hanting of such or such persons the frequeÌ„ting of such places the doing of such actions the vndertaking of such employmeÌ„ts and the like whereby we are vsually drawne into any mortall sinne of what sort soeuer as of enuy detraction conteÌ„tion sedition faction drunkennesse lechery or any other all which occasions are readily cut of by auoiding the sayd persons places actioÌ„s employments c. Other occasions are within ourselues which although we do carry them about vs yet are such as we may in time totally free ourselues from and these are the reliques of actuall sinne that is the peruerse habits and stiffe inclinations to sinne which the custome of sinning leaueth in vs which habits we are bound to endeauour to roote out by the worthy fruits of repentance that so we may restore ourselues to the former state we were in before we sinned The third sort of occasions are also within ourselues and such as will beare vs company to our graues because we can neuer totally separate ourselues from them and these are the inclinatioÌ„s co seuerall sinnes proceeding from the naturall disposition of our bodies ioyned to the generall coÌ„cupiscence wherewith all mankinde is infected by originall sinne And although we are not able to separate ourselues totally from these peruerse inclinations of nature yet we may abate them so as to take away all immediate danger of being drawne by them into mortall sinne and this we are bound to do especially hauing found by experience in sinning actually after Baptisme our owne weakenesse and hauing discouered in particular those inclinations by which the Diuell and our concupiscence do draw vs into sinne And because this caÌ„not be done but by doing worthy fruits of repentance therefore we are obliged to do them that thereby we may cut of all as well inward as outward immediate occasions of sinne In so much that it is to be feared of those who neglect to do this that either they neuer had that contrition which is necessary for the Sacrament of pennance or if they had it that it is decayed in them for true repentance sheweth it selfe in effects and as the Apostle sayeth it worketh stedfast pennance to saluation Nether must any man who hath vsed the austerity of pennance for some time thinke himselfe afterwards secure as if he had no need any longer to do worthy fruits of repeÌ„tance for this is the sinne of pride the most odious sinne of any in the sight of God for the cure whereof he doth ofteÌ„times permit such persons to fall into some palpable grosse sinne Wherefore the fruits of repentance so farre forth as they are medecinall are alwayes necessarie and must neuer be layed aside in this world for that originall concupiscence which drew vs into the first relapse after Baptisme and can neuer be rooted out in this life ought to render vs wary all our life time and to teach vs after a wound to take more heed and to worke our saluation with feare and trembling For to vse the wordes of the Councell of Trent since that we know that we are not as yet regenerated into glory but only into the hope of glory we ought to stand in feare of that strife which yet remaineth in vs with the flesh the world and the Diuell 39. What are the worthy fruits of repentance You must obserue that pennance is done two wayes the one inward consisting in the contrition of the heart the other outward consisting in the affliction of the flesh when we do condemne and reproue our sinne then we haue repentance when we do by ensuing satisfaction punish and correct our sinne then we begin to do the worthy fruits of repentance and when our paine in punishing and our diligence in correcting sinne is no lesse then our pleasure was in doing the sinne and our care in pursuing it then we do accomplish the worthy fruits of repentance As for example if one hath stolne other mens goods besides the ceasing from sinne and the restitution of the same goods let him begin to giue his owne if he hath vsed fornication a long time let him chastise his flesh as long time if he hath done iniury to any man in word or deed let him not only make amends with humble and good words but let him labour to reconcile his enemies with kindenesse and benefits In fine as a sinner before his conuersion was wholy occupied and busied in the workes of sinne so after his conuersion he ought to be as feruent and diligent in doing of good workes to the honour of God and his soules saluation according to that of S. Paul As you haue giuen the partes and members of your body and soule to serue vncleanesse heaping iniquity vpon iniquity so giue and apply the same partes and meÌ„bers of your body and soule to serue rightiousnesse for your iustification That is to say take as much paines to purge and wash away the dreggs and filthinesse of your sinnes gathered by your naughty liuing as yee tooke pleasure before to defile and infect your soules by the same 40. What workes of pennance are the most proper to redeeme the paine due to sinne and to purge vs from the filthinesse it leaueth in vs Although all good workes in generall do helpe to both these ends yet you must note that those workes are most proper to satisfy for the paine which are in themselues painefull and do chastise the flesh whereas those are most proper to cure the diseased humours left by sinfull habits which are ioyned with the practise of their contrary vertues Howsoeuer there be three principall workes of satisfaction specially commeÌ„ded in the Ghospel for both these ends which are fasting praier and almesdeeds Fasting is a medicine to heale perfectly those sinnes

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 coÌ„tract a marriage without obseruing those conditioÌ„s 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 inclusiuÃ¨ 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 coÌ„cernes 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 SacrameÌ„t 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 temptatioÌ„s 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 repeÌ„tance By the grace of

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 SacrameÌ„t 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 secoÌ„d 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 theÌ„ 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 coÌ„mission 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 persoÌ„s 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

Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Text snippets containing the quad