Priests and Ministers and so to build his Church included the creating all these And whoever impugns these impugns Christ and seeks to destroy his Church But can you tel me how this is known that Christ set Bishops to govern his Church S. I who know nothing of the command how should I tell you M. Do you not see Bishops over al the Christian world ask who made them you shal find others who now are dead and that their fore fathers told them they had receiv'd order to do so from Christ and his Apostles by perpetual succession And I pray you have you stronger motives to receive the blessed Trinity Incarnation and Sacraments From this follows if any for ambition or indirect ends should believe or â—each that Bishops are not necessary in the Church of God he is an absolute Heretick as if he beleev'd or taught there were no Trinity Incarnation Blessed Sacrament oâ— holy Scripture But are there no degrees in the people or Subjects correspondent to these of the Hierarchy S. Yes sure there must be severall Classes answerable to those of the Clergy as persons employing their spirits some in the Purgative some in the Illuminative and some in the Unitive way But who they are I know not M. You must distinguish them according to their states The first are such as live in the world whom wee ordinarily cal the People or Lay-men The other two sorts are of Religious persons One of these who dedicate their lives to works of mercy as hospital-keepers and the like The other who addict themselves to Contemplation But know you wherin these differ from the ordinary people S. By the three vows of Poverty Chastity and Obedience By Poverty they forsake riches honours and such pleasures as follow them By Chastity the comfort of Marriage And by Obedience they subject themselvs to the direction of a Superiour for their instruction in spiritual life M. Can you tel mee which among divers Religions is the perfectest S. No Sir But I would gladly learn if peradventure it be my own fortune or of some of my friends to have a mind to Religion M. Attend then Religious life is a wâ—y to seek perfection which perfectly consists in loving God and in nothing but in order to God The means they take is abstinence from whatever may draw their love to any other thing and to think often of God If then we consider this later part which is the chiefest so the most contemplative are the best which are ordinarily thought among us to be the Carthusians But if we consider the other part then those that live in more austerity are the perfectest among which I wil not determin the controveâ—sy because here are many Competitours onely this I add that this want of corporal commodities is to be judg'd not by Metaphysical obligations but by real practise And so whoever is best those who have no real practice of corporal wants must needs be the worst in the nature of Religious however for their particular lives they may be Saints In these three Conferences the Catechist has occasion to recommend the use of Mass Sacraments to his Catechumen and also to let him understand which be the Superiours instituted by Christ over his Church to whom he ows duty which vertuous and good men to whom he ows respect and honour that so he may give every one his due FIFTEENTH CONFERENCE S. SIr you have all this while commanded my answers let me now beg leave to offer you some of my doubts I have heard talk of an other Hierarchy of Angels if I wel remember wherof methinks you speak not M. I do not intend to tel you al I know but what appertains to you to know As for the orders of Angels you may without inconvenience be ignorant of them til it shall please God to bring you to the sight of them 'T is sufficient for you to know that God has ordain'd Angels to govern us to every one one for our Saviour tels us that the Angels of the little ones see the face of his heavenly Father it has been the constant faith of Christians that every one has an Angel for his Governour or Guardian to whom you may do wel often to recommend your self S. Since you are faln upon that point I pray what obligation have I to pray to Angels and Saints and how can they hear me having no ears nor other corporal senses by which to come to the knowledge of my prayers M. If we remember Angels and Saints are in perfect bliss and happiness we shall easily discover that all service or ho nour done to Saints by us is not for their good but for ours And so the keeping holy dayes building Churches and setting up Altars unto God in memory of Saints is to be moderated according to the utility which redounds to the Church by it and in proportion the prayers or what sort of devotions soever are in private us'd to their honours are to be govern'd by the same principle Now the utility redounding to the Church is that wheras human nature is easily weary of being carri'd above it self by prayer and other spiritual exercises and on the other side delighted with variety and novelty the weariness of devotion is help'd and in part remedy'd by the variety which is artificially order'd in it Again mens humours and states of life being so diverse it happens wel that every one may have examples in his own kind to affect him and many times they make a greater profit by such an affinity to their own condition than by a great deal of preaching or good counsel By this you may see what obligation there is to honour Saints and pray to them namely when the Church for the common good of her children prescribes it then that 's to be done whatsoever she commands Otherwise as far as particular persons find need or help by the variety of devotion so far they do very well to follow it S. Sir I hear good men say 't is of great importance towards living well to have the assistance of some special Saints which are in high favour with Almighty God particularly of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God and have been told stories how she ha's obtain'd remission of sins for some persons to whom Christ our Saviour her Son has deny'd it nay if I remember wel could not obtain it of his heavenly Father for them And for this cause I understand some make themselves by vow as I think her Slaves and use extraordinary devotions to her and have great confidence in such actions M. There can be no doubt but the intercession of the holy Angels and Saints works wonderful effects and has a strong force to obtain of Almighty God what 's convenient for our salvation if they pray for us nor yet can there be doubt but they pray for us seeing they
such dross but til then remaining in pain partly for their temporal losses by death but chiefly for their spirituall want being not able to attain Bliss which they infinitly desire til by the Churches help God of his mercy rectifies them and accomplishes their purgation yet so as by Fire S. Me thinks Sir in al this you talk not of burning or gnashing of teeth or such corporeall pains which I have been taught are in Hell and Purgatory M. These things are said to be in Hell metaphorically when spoken of souls which want their bodies and signify no more than that they are tormented by fire as who is frighted or dazel'd is tormented though not burn'd But are you able to tel me why and when souls shall receive their bodies S. The time is at dooms-day The cause why they receive them is I think their love to them M. Do you not remember you told me the wicked have not their desires and the just desire nothing but according to God's will If so it seems your consequence wil not be very good But to make it so you must know naturally a man desires every thing because 't is good and good is as much as convenient to the desirer who is not onely Soul but Body too wherfore if naturall desire cannot be frustrated or disappointed by God the Authour of nature and the desires of our life remain after death it follows that the desire of good to our person is naturall and remaining after death and therefore must needs be supply'd Can you tell me how this great work is to be done S. Sir I know we shal al arise at the great day more I know not M. I le help you when that Day comes Christ shall appear in the ayr over Hierusalem as 't is thought and suddenly all parts of the earth and sea shall render their carcases and whole Mankind be restor'd to their Bodies Where on the one part the Saints shall be carry'd in the ayr to meet Christ the others shall remain below viewing their glory dreading their own misery till judgment being given those rest happy for ever with our Saviour the other are swallow'd into hell After which day all motion shall cease and there shall be no change or alteration but a state of permanency for ever S. Yes Sir but I doubt not there will be other great differences betwixt the Saints and the damned if you would please to tell me them M. Do you not remember the gifts you told me were conferr'd on Adam as to his Body those very same shal be perfected in the Saints As for health they shall have impassibility so that nothing can hurt them For their strength they shall have a power which nothing can resist call'd Impenetrability For Agility they shal have a power in the twinckling of an eye to pass beyond any determin'd distance whatsoever And lastly for Beauty they shall have power to shine and shew themselvs in what glory they please As for the Damned the heaviness of their minds shall make them not onely uncapable of all these advantages but such distemper'd deform'd and every way ill-compos'd Bodies as are most sutable to so sadly and so outragedly distemper'd mindes S. What shall the Saints do with these perfections if there be no motion M. These are not for use but powers and qualities necessarily following the state of the soul in the body of which shee is to be Mistress and to have power to use it as her self pleases And so you see what good life brings you to both in this transitory and the next eternall world Can you shew me now that the Blessed have all that even wicked men can desire S. Sir I see they have more pleasure then this world can affoord And as for honour I see Saints are more honour'd then Alexanders and Augustuses Power I know not how they have or wealth M. Wealth is not here desir'd but for necessity or magnificence the time of both which is pass'd and for power sure they want not that who have all they wish and can meet with nothing to resist their will The Catechist also here hath great occasion to press his Catechumen to good life by lively representing him the greatness of the Ioyes and Pains of the next world which are most incomparably moving if he declare them well ELEVENTH CONFERENCE M. NOw you are so learn'd as to know what it was to which Christ labour'd so much to bring mankind I pray tell me what means he us'd to plant his doctrin so that it should continue so many ages so deeply rooted in the heart of man as we see it has and beleeve it shall S. Teaching and Miracles which are the greatest Confirmations that can be M. Thus much you told me long ago but what more do you not know Si me vis stere dolendum est primum ipsi tibi I mean that if a man be not perswaded affectionately of a thing himself he cannot well perswade another Consider then how necessary it was to send the Holy Ghost that is the plenitude of it upon his Apostles after his Ascension Which according to the outward apparition fill'd their hearts with fiery zeal and their tongues with the praises of Almighty God that they might be vehemently conceited themselves of the truth and of the great good the knowledge thereof brought to the world and earnestly desirous to breed the like conceit in others and so it might descend in vertue of the first plantation by ordinary means to the end of the world But tel me who were those chiefly that receiv'd the Holy Ghost S. The Apostles were the chief and all others who came since have learn'd of them and so I see the Church is truly Apostolical M. Yes and onely shee ask any Hereticks whether they receiv'd their doctrin from the Apostles they will answer yes By whose hands they answer by the scripture But a Catholike says from his Forefathers they from theirs c. so that none lays claym to have their Church Apostolical but onely Catholicks For the question 's not whether there were al the while some of their Religion but whethese who now are were taught and receiv'd it from them by true succession For if two studying one thing in divers times finde the same the one does not receive it from the other and so 't is not true succession But where did the Apostles preach S. Through the whole world for such was Christs command nor can there be any doubt but they did what they were bid And so I see the Church is Catholik over the world M. How can that be seeing the Alcâ—ran is in as great a part of the world as Christ's Gospel Nay some Heresies have been spred in the greater part of the Christian world But because you are no very great Historian I wil read you this riddle You ought
therefore to know that the true Church is the onely Catholick in three respects First because it alone was at first planted by the Apostles in the whole world which is clear since only one pretends her doctrin by succession from Them which al planted by them must needs do Secondly because it alone is found in the whole compass of the Christian world all Hereticks being every kind in some Countries but none in all Thirdly because it alone commands in that part of Christianity where Religion is in vigour And these three come out of it's very nature for being the Truth it alone can overcome So you have now two signes or marks of the true Church The third is sanctity can you tel how the true Church is onely Holy S. Sir I see ther 's more praying more works of charity devotion penance austereness and the like in the Catholick Church than among Protestans But what is among others I know not M. 'T is wel answer'd but to go more orderly you know sanctity is nothing but the practise or Confirmation in those virtues that lead us to heaven which is the life God Almighty sent his onely Son to give us This consists in Three things First in Faith and Doctrin wherein you shall find all hereticks in the points of difference swarve from this end and the Catholick Church hold to it as in praying to Saints praying for the dead and the like Secondly in Laws and Customs which because they are according to Faith must needs be different according to it Thirdly in Life and executions of those Rules wherein likewise the difference must hold with this caveat that there may be more and greater wickedness among Catholicks by reason of the multitude of the professors of that Religion nay of it self for who have not so good things to offend against cannot be so wicked S. How then can Holiness be a sign of the true Church if there be so much wickedness in the members of it M. Though there be much and perhaps more wickedness among Catholicks yet is there more Sanctity also For among others there is hardly ever any man of extraordinary devotion heard of Congregations of men and women abstaining from pleasures and separating themselvs from the world none are found unless such as were begun in Catholick times extraordinary acts of penance or heroick virtue are are not to be look'd for In fine very little more then nature affooâ—ds besides some bare words of God and Christ And this follows of necessity from the nature of being the true Church which by the soundness of its root needs must confiâ—m and have effect whâ—m the false ones fail But is there no other mark of the Church besides these three Apostolik Catholik and Holy S. Yes and I have been taught 't is Unity M. You say well And to be One It must first have one principle in which all of this Religion agree wherein if others should also agree they could not be of another Religion This Principle is Tradition to which none lay claym but onely Catholicks Secondly it must bee One in the Trofession of this faith that is in Sacraments For seeing Catholick Religion sprung from one Master Jesus Christ necessary 't is that it 's Râ—tes as it were Essentiall Actions which being outward Expressions of our Faith and so proportion'd to it are delivered by the same Jesus Christ be the same also whence no congregation but his Church can agree in all these no more then any other can agree in all Faith Thirdly in Government his Church must be One that there may be some end of controversies Civil and Theological which happen betwixt her children and this in Eqâ—ality cannot be Therefore amongst the Apostles S. Peter amongst Bishops His Successours have the supreme and definitive sentence What touches Faith we have already sufficiently explicated For the second can you tel me what a Sacrament is S. No indeed for though I have often heard of it I cannot remember it M. Sacramentum comes of sacer or sacrando and it is by which somewhat is made holy or an holy deed and because a Secret by an Oath becomes holy it being a sacriledge to reveal it after oath such an Oath is call'd Sacramentum and from the oath the secret sworn is also styl'd Sacramentum and in Greek Sacramentum is call'd Mysterium that is a Mystery So because Christians us'd their rites amongst themselves and kept them from the knowledge of Infidels they were called Sacramenta As the rites of Ceres or other false Gods which were done hiddenly were called Mysteria But you must distinguish a little more exactly betwixt other ceremonies and Sacraments S. Sir I know not what you mean for I am a meer stranger in this matter M. Then you must know there were Sacraments in the Jew's law there are in Christs law as also things called Sacramentalia that is Sacramentals Which are all to be distinguish'd For Sacraments are as wee may so call them the main hinges or knots of a Christian life and their institution is from Christ Sacramentals are instituted by the Church and are but certain formalities and Blessings As for the Sacraments of Jews you are to understand that as God Almighty brought them to love and serve him by temporal promises and rewards that he might give them celestial in the next world so their Sacraments made them but capable of temporal blessings as Circumcision made the Jew one whose part was in the land of promise their Purifications made a man one who might offer sacrifice be heard for children for good years for peace for long life c. wherefore were they said to cleanse the body not the soul to be empty poor instruments or elements Now the Sacraments of Christians give the inward thing which their promises signify As Baptism makes a man one of those whose share is in Heaven Penance one to enter the Christian Church and be heard when he prays for Heaven And the like These Sacraments therefore when receiv'd as they ought are efficacious give true goods that is spiritual graces to those who participate of them But can you tel me how many Sacraments there are S. Seven Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Penance Order Extreme-Unction and Matrimony Please you tel me why there are so many M. Did not I tel you they were the hinges of Christian life Now the soul being in a body proportionate to it Christian life is also proportion'd to this temporal Consider then that our corporal life is maintain'd by these degrees In birth it takes t 's beginnining next it gets greatness and strength to live among so many contraries and difficulties as this world is ful of Then it conserves it self while it may perform the actions for which 't was made And lastly gives life to others to succeed it's defect
relate and so distinguish the Substance yet not substantially And. a Son being a Living thing proceeding from a Living thing of the same nature as from a Principle remaining in it and Knowledge in God being such in respect of he Divine Essence known That is truly call'd Son This Father Likewise God loving Himself the same thing is Loving and Loved yet as such distinct therefore there is besides in God a a third call'd Divine Love Also Love intelligent things proceeding from their proper Good which is Truth consisting in this that the Object be in the Knowledge Divine Love proceeds from the Divine Essence as Object in the Divine Knowledge that is from Father and Son Whiâ—h Love is call'd Holy Spirit because He makes us Holy by inspiring us with Love of God or Charity as also Comforter Again â— Person being an Individuall or One Intelligent substance and God having no Accidents The distinction in him must bee of Persons There are then in One God three Persons yet not necessarily Three Things Of these the Second took our Nature not by charging God but by joyning Man to God's Person And therefore the Second because 't is proper to Knowledge or Wisedome to teach us or be our Master A shore History of some signal passages belonging to our Saviour Godâ— being made Man to redeem Mankind from Sin and put him in the way to Heaven which consists see in seeing God and Love of God disposing and determining necessarily to this Man is to love God as being All-Good Our most bountifull benefactour and whose Likeness or Image we bear And our Neighbour being made for the same End wee are that is for God we ought to wish him that End and means to it that is love him as our self Also Love of God necessarily disposing to see â—â—m who loves God has great reason to hope to see him grounded in his Goodness and faithfulness to his promise put none can love or hope un ess knowing the things which motives why taught by Faith which se-curely relies On God's Truth saying such things and Tradition or the Infallible Attestation of the Church that he 〈◊〉 them There are then three virtues call'-Theologicall or immedily respecting God necessary to mankind's saluation Faith Hope and Charity Faith being a Knowledge of supernaturall things the way to advance Faith is to increase that Knowledge by Study of such things that is by Prayer of which Mentall has three parts To Know the truth of the point To resolve according to that Knowledge and To raise the heart to God expecting a Blessing Vocall Prayer is better than Mentall as being compos'd by able men and less distractive But worse as â—ess satiating the Soul Less proportion'd to it and Desective the two first parts mention'd Hence of Mental the written are bâ—st for beginners of Vocall Those which are best understood and Well attended to Lastly â— Prayer being the use of Considerations â—â—â—i caâ—ioâ—sly moving to â—ove of God The fruit of Prayer is to advance Charity that iâ— Prayer is the high way to Heaven wheresore without Iâ— Retreat in vertue is inevitable Moreover Charity or â—ove obliging us to give what 's due to those wee love 't will make us render To God Service To our selves what 's best for us that is 't will make us prefer a greater good before a less which is perform'd by Temperance and avoyd a greater harm before a less which is done by Fortitude To our Neighbour If Infeiour or Equall Love Good will If superiour Obedience and Respect which belong to Justice Yet these three Virtues unexcited by Love of Heaven avail not to It though in some sort conformable to Nature They become severall particular Virtues as respecting severall Objects Also Discretion being The right se 〈…〉 of ouâ— Affectiâ—â—â— in oâ—dâ—r to Act on and the three fore and Virtues giving this who has thâ—m has also Dscretion or Prudence There are then â—our Morall or Cardinall Virtues according to which who acts since not byast by ill affections needs not scruple his action though it hap to be imperfect in some other respect Christian Life is a Practice of the three Theologicall and four Morall virtues for God's sake which is done by Chariâ—y Whâ—r fore since the Life of a Christian is to move towards God and Love of God or Charity makes us do so It onely is a Christians Life and he dead without It. Wherefore what causes ibis death is Mortall Sin which springs from love of Creatures above all things bringing neglect of our Duties yet not every such neglect Mortall but In those to our Neighbour such as would absolutely break Friendship In those to our selves such as done us by another would make us fall out with him In those towards God such misrespect as to our Neighbour were want of â—ove Other Neglects are Venial From what 's said follows is most full of Pleasure and Credit Also It fits us for the next world For who loves God or aâ—y thing for it's self is dispos'd to love it ever Wherefore Love of God or desire to see him remaining in a soul separated It shall see him else would bee miserable for loving him and God cruell Further The pleasure of the Mind had by Knowledge infinitly surpassing that of the body and The seeing all Truths in God as in the supreme Cause being the highest Knowledge the Sight of God beatifies a Soul To which is consequent content in our own former Actions and Friend But the things desired by the wicked are temporall fading therefore the dâ—sires of them remaining â—xâ—â—ssively tâ—rments with Greeâ— which inflicted by another is truly Pain Infinit as being in the Soul and Enledss In regard Those Desires must ever remain unchang'd The Soul as indivisible being unaccessive Yet Veniall Affections are changeble therefore may be purg'd Also Souls shal finally receiue their Bodies because Their desires of them are naturall The manner â—ow with The endowments of Glorify'd and contrary Dispositions of damned Bodies Hence A virtuous life finally brings Insinit more Pleasure Honour and Power than a wicked and is above need of wealth The means to bring corrupt Mankind to loue God being Miracles and Teaching and this ineâ—â—icacious unless lively conceited by the Teachers therefore Divine Love or the Holy Ghost was to descend upon the Apostles in virtue of which primitive vâ—gour Christ's doctrin was brought down from them to us that is the Church is truly Apostolical and Catholik as planted by the Apostles universally as having some of her profession in each câ—untry as the only eminent Congregation in Câ—â—istendome Also Having an entire Body of Faith or Doctrin fit to promote Sanctity Laws Customes conformable to that Faith and extraordinary Sanctity attainable by her Principles and practis'd by her children she is likewise Holy Lastly Her rule of Faith Tradition Her externall Profession of Faith and Her Government being the same all ovâ—r She is also One