desires S What meaneth Amen which is put to the end of the Creede M It meaneth so is the trueth to wit all that which hath been said is true and certaine CHAP. IIII. The declaration of our Lords prayer S I haue learned through the grace of God that I am to beleeue I desire that you now teach me what I am to hope for desire what meanes I may haue to obtaine it M Al that you demaund is conteyned in our Lords prayer which wee call the Pater noster For in this praier is declared what thing is to be desired of whom we are to demand it and the selfe-same prayer is the meanes to obtaine it S Which is our Lords prayer M It is this Our father which art in heauen c. S For what cause do you prefer the Pater noster before all other praiers M First because it is the most excellent of all being made by Christ himselfe who is the supreame wisdome Secondly because this praier is shortest and so is easie to be learned and kept in memorie with al ful of substance conteyning all that we ought to demand of God thirdly because it is most profitable and effectual being made by him who is both our Iudge our Aduocate therefore knoweth better then any other how we ought to demaunde that we may obtaine Fourthlie it is the most necessarie of all others in regard that all Christians are bound to know it to repeate it euery day and therefore it is called the dailie praier that is to say prayer to be said euery day S Declare then I pray you those wordes Our Father which art in heauen M These few words are as it were a litle preface or a preparation to the praier For in saying that God is our Father we take corage confidèce to pray vnto him in saying hee is in heauē we remember our selues that we ought to go vnto him with great feare humilitie seeing he is notan earthly father but an heauēly again saying he is a Father wee consider that he is willing to pleasure vs in that wee demaund in saying hee is in heauen as Lord master of the world we vnderstande that he can do so much as he wil. Finally in saying he is a Father we remember that we are children of God heires of heauen in saying he is in heauen considering that we are on earth we remēber that we haue not the possession of our inheritance but that wee are pilgrims and trauellers in a land of our enemies and therefore stand in great neede of his helpe S Declare if you please vnto mee all the words in particular M The worde Father albeit it belongeth to God as he is Father of all things by creation yet in this prayer it is vnderstood of God as hee is the Father of good Christians by adoption It is true also that sinners may say vnto God Our father who desire to be conuerted to him to become his childrē And only those cannot truly saye the Pater noster who neither are nor desire to be the children of God not thinking at all of amending themselues S Wherefore is it said Our Father and not my Father M It is said Our Father to the end wee may vnderstand that we are all brethren and as brethren ought to loue and be vnited together being the children of one the same Father It is also said Our Father to teach vs that a cōmon praier is better then a priuate and more profitable also vnto him that doth pray for that whiles each one saith Our Father euerie one prayeth for al and al pray for euerie one S Wherefore is it said Which are in heauen is not God in al places M God is said to dwel in heauen not for that he is not in al places but because heauen is the most noble part of the world and in it doth appeare the greatnes powre and wisdome of God Finally in it God vouchsafeth to be seene face to face of the Angels and blessed men It may be also said that God is in heauen because he dwelleth in a perticuler manner in the Angels in holie mē who are spiritual heauens S Let vs now come vnto the first petition what meaneth Hallowed be thy name M Name in this place signifieth same and renoume as when we say that one hath a great name because he is knowne of manie Or that he hath a good name or an euil name because he hath a good fame or an euil fame being knowne of manie and commended for good or discommended for bad Wherefore to sanctifie the name of God is nothing els then to publish through the world the knowledge of God to conserue it pure and holie in the hartes and mouthes of men as in it selfe it is And because there are in the world manie infidels who know not God and manie euil Christians that blaspheme curse him therefore those that are the children of God and haue zeale of the honour of their father do praie with great desire that his name may be sanctified that is that it be through the whole world knowen adored cōfessed praised blessed as is conueniēt S Seing wee desire that God bee knowen and praised of men were it not better to demand it of men thē of God M Man is not able of him self neither to knowe nor to praise God therfore we demand of God that he wil worke with his grace in that maner that the Infidels and other sinners may be conuerred being conuered beginne to know praise his holie name S Wherefore is the prayer begune with demanding that the name of God be sanctified M We are bound to loue God aboue al things more then our selues therefore our first most frequent desire ought to be of the glorie of God and for this cause were we created and endued with reason to the end we may know and praise God wherein also doth consist our chifest good as we shal say here after S Declare vnto me now the second petition Thy kingdome come M In this petition in fit place we demand our owne saluation after that in the first we demanded the glorie of God S What is to be vnderstood by the kingdome of God M The kingdome of God may be vnderstood three maner of waies for we finde a kingdome of nature a kingdom of grace and a kingdome of glorie The kingdome of nature is that where with God gouerneth al the creatures as absolute Lord of al things For albeit peruerse men do euil and obserue not the law of God yet God doth raigne ouer thē for that when it pleaseth him he hindereth their disignmentes And though he permit them sometimes to haue their desires afterwardes hee punisheth them seuerely and there is none that can resist his wil nor that can do otherwise then he ordaineth or permitteth The kingdome of grace is that wherewith God gouerneth
a Crosse representeth vnto vs the Passion and consequently the Incarnation of the Sonne of God the passing from the left shoulder to the right and not from the right to the left signifyeth that by the Passion of our Sauiour we are transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie things vnto eternall from death to life S To what purpose is this signe of the Crosse made M First it is made to shew that wee are Christians to wit souldiers of our chiefe Emperour Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the soldiers of Christ from all the enemies of the Holie Church to wit Gentils Iewes Turkes Heretiks besides this signe is made to call for Gods helpe in all our works because with this signe the most holie Trinitie is called to help by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therefore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed wheÌ„ they goe to sleepe and in the beginning of all other things which they haue to do finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the Deuill because the Diuel is a fraid of this signe and flyeth from it as malefactors doe when they see the signe of the officers of Iustice and often-times by meanes of this signe of the holie Crosse a man escapeth many dangers aswell spirituall as temporal when he maketh it with faith and trust of Gods mercy and of the merits of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. 3. The declaration of the Creede S NOwe comming to the first part of this doctrine I desire to learne the Creede M The Creede contayneth twelue parts which are called Articles and they are twelue according to the number of the twelue Apostles who composed the same and are these 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie Creator of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3 Who was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 Suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried descended into Hell 5 The third day he rose again from death 6 Ascended into heauen siâ—â—eth at the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 From thence hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holie Ghost 9 The holie Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 Remission of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen S May it please you declare to mee the first article word by word What signifyeth I beleeue M It signifyeth I hold for certaine and for most true all that is contayned in these twelue articles and the reason is this because the same God hath taught the holy Apostles these sentences and the holy Apostles the Church and the Church doth teach them vs and because it is impossible that God should saye that which is false I therefore beleeue these things more certainely then those I see with mine eyes and feele with my hands S What meaneth In God M It meaneth that we ought to beleeue firmely that there is a God albeit we do not see him with corporal eies this God is one only therefore it is said in God and not in Gods And you must not imagine that god is like to any corporal thing how great or faire so euer it be but you must thinke that God is a spiritual thing which euer was foreuer shal be hath made the whole filleth the whole gouerneth the whole knoweth seeth euery thing finally what thing soeuer is represented vnto our eies or vnto our imagination you must say that this which now is represeÌ„ted vnto me is not god because God is a thinge infinitelie better S Wherefore is it said that God is a Father M Because he is truly the Father of his onlie begotten Son of whom we shal speake in the second article and also because he is the Father of al good men not by nature but by adoption and finally because he is the father of al creatures not by nature or by adoption but by creation as we shal say hereafter in this same article S Wherefore is he called Almighty M Because it is a proper title of God and albeit God hath manie proper titles as eternal infinite vnmeasurable and others yet in this place the most fit is that he is omnipotent because it may not seeme hard vnto vs to beleeue that hee hath made heauen and earth of nothing as in the words following is added For that vnto him who can do al that he wil thereby is omnipotent nothing can be hard And if you should say vnto me God can not dye nor sinne and therefore it semeth not that he can do al things I would answere you that to dye or to sinne is not power but impotencie as when it is said of a most valiant soldier that hee can ouercome al and that he cannot be ouercome of anie it doth not preindicate his force to say that he cannot be ouercome because that he can be ouercome is not streÌ„gth but weaknes S What is signified by Creator M It signifieth that God hath made al thinges of nothing and he alone can bring them againe vnto nothing The Angels Men and also Diuels can make and vnmake some things but they can not make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake theÌ„ but by changing them into some other thing as a Maison cannot make a house of nothing but he must haue stones lyme and wood neither can he destroy it in bringing it to nothing but into stones dust wood and such like so that God only is called is a creator because he only hath no need of any matter to make all things S Why is he called creator of heaueÌ„ and earth hath not God also made the ayre the water stones trees men and all other things M By heauen and earth is also vnderstood all that is in heauen and earth as he that saith a man hath a bodie a soule meaneth also that he hath al things belonging to a bodie as veines bloud bones sinewes and the rest all things belonging vnto a soule as vnderstanding will memorie internal and external senses and the rest so that by heauen is vnderstood the ayre where birds vse to be all things aboue where the clouds the stars are wherevpon it is said the birds of heaueÌ„ the clouds of heauen the stars of heauen finally the Angels By the earth is vnderstood al that is compassed by the aire as the waters of the sea of the riuers which are in the lower partes of the earth also al liue creatures plants stones mettals and all other things which are found in the earth or in the sea it is therefore said that God is creator of heauen earth because these two are the principall parts of the world the one aboue in the which the Angels remaine and the other
wil not haue faith as Iewes Turkes Heritikes or because they wil not receiue the Sacraments as those that wil not be baptised or wil not confesse their sinnes or wil not do such penance as they can for their sins nor resolue to liue conformably to the law of God S I would haue some example to vnderstand this M Take the example of one which should take great paines and with sweate and labours should gaine so much money as were sufficient to pay al the debts of this citie and should put the same in a bank to the end it should be geuen vnto al such as should bring a warant from him this man surely had satisfied for al somuch as lieth in him yet manie might remaine stil in debt for that they would not either for pride or for slouth or for some other cause demand his warant and carie it to the bank to receiue the money S What signifieth He descended into hel and what doth hel signifie in this place M Hel is the lowest deepest place in this world to wit the midle of the earth And the Scripture in manie places putteth heauen as opposite vnto hel as the highest place vnto the lowest But in this depth of the earth there are foure as it were great caues one for the damned which is the deepest of al and so it is agreable that the proud Diuels and the men which imitate them be in the lowest place and furthest from heauen that can be In the second caue which is something higher are those soules which suffer the paines of Purgatorie In the third which is yet higher are the soules of those children that die with out Baptisme who do not suffer torments of fire but onely the perpetuall priuation of eternall felicity In the fourth which is the highest remained the soules of the Patriarchs Prophets and other Holie men that dyed before the comming of Christ for albeit those holy soules had not any thing to be purged yet they could not enter into glory before Christ by his death had opened the gate of eternall life therefore they remained in that higher place called the place of holy Fathers otherwise Abrahams bosome where they suffered no paines at all but enjoyed a sweete repose expecting the comming of our Lord with great joy And so we read in the Gospel that the soule of that poore beggar Lazarus was carried by an Angell to rest in the bosome of Abraham where hee was seene by the rich glutton who burning in flames of hell cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in a farre higher place remayning in great joy and consolation enjoying the fruits of his former patience S Into which of these foure partes of Hell did Christ descend after his death M There is no doubt but hee descended into the place of holy Fathers and suddainely made them blessed after led thē with him in to the kingdome of heauē He made himselfe also seene vnto all the other parts of hell terrifying the Diuels as a victorious Triumpher threatning the damned as a supreame Iudge comforting the soules in Purgatorie as their Aduocate and deliuerer So that Christ descended into Hell as a King vseth sometimes to repaire into prisons to visite prisoners and to shew fauour to whom it pleaseth him S If Christ was dead his body did lye in the sepulchre then he did not whollie descend into hell but onely the soule of Christ and how is it then said that Christ descended into hell M Death had force to separate the soule of Christ from his body but it could not separate either the soule or the bodie from the Diuine person of the same Christ And therefore we beleeue that the Diuine person of Christ remained with his bodie in the sepulcre that the same person descēded with his soule into hel Of the fift Article S HOw is it true that our Lord rose from death the third day seeing that from Friday in the euening when he was buried vnto the night before Sunday when hee rose there wanteth of two whole daies M We doe not say that Christ rose after three whole daies but the third daye which is most true For he was buried on Friday which is the first day though not a whole day and so hee remained in the Sepulchre all Saterday and a part of Sundaie which is the third day For the natural day beginning the night before at the setting of the Sunne the first houre after the Sunne-setting is the first of the day following S. For what cause did not Christ rise streight after his death but would expect the third day M Because he would shew that he was truely dead he would remaine there in the graue so long as sufficed to prooue this truth Moreouer I would haue you considder that like as Christ liued amongst men thirtie three or thirty foure yeares so hee would stay amongst the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres For so many they are if you put together one houre of Friday for hee was buried an houre before Sunne-setting twentie foure houres of the Saturday and eight or nine houres of Sunday For he rose after midnight towards the beginning of the morning S Why is it said of Christ that hee rose and of other dead as of Lazarus and the Widdowes sonne that they were raysed from death M The reason is because Christ being the Son of God rose of himself to wit by vertue of his God-head he reunited his soule to his bodie so began to liue againe But other dead men can not returne to life by their owne power And therefore it is said they were raised by others As we al at the day of Iudgment shal be raised by Christ S Is there anie other difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ of others which returned to life before him M There is this difference that the others rose mortal therefore they died againe but Christ rose immortal neither can he euer die anie more Of the sixt Article S Now let vs come vnto the sixt article which is of the Ascension I desire to know how long our Sauiour remained vpon earth after his Resurrection and for what cause M He remained fourtie dayes as you may consider by numbring the dayes betwixt the feasts of his Resurection and Ascension And the reason of his so long stay was because he would with manie diuers apparitions establish the Mysterie of his most true Resurrection For that the same seemeth as it were the most hard And he that beleeueth it hath no difficultie to beleeue the rest For he that riseth was certainly dead before And he that was dead was first borne And so he that beleueth the Resurrection of Christ findeth no labour in beleeuing his death and natiuitie And likewise for so much as the earth is not a conuenient place for glorious bodies but heauen therefore he that beleueth the Resurrection of our Sauiour can
easely beleeue his going vp into heauen S I would know the cause wherefore it is said that Christ went vp into heauen and of his most holie Mother it is said that she was assumpted or taken vp into heauen not that she ascended or went vp M The reason is easie For that Christ being God and man went vp into heauen by his owne powre as he also rose by his owne powre But his Mother who is a meere creature though most worthie amongst all others was raysed from death and assumpted vnto the kingdome of heauen not by her owne power but by the power of God S What meaneth He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie M You must not imagine that the Father is on the left-hande of the Sonne nor that the Father is in middest hauing his Sonne on the right-hand and the Holie-Ghost on the left corporally For as well the Father as the Sonne according to his God-head and the Holie Ghost are euery where Neither can it be properly said that one is on the right-hand of an other but to bee at the right hand in this article signifieth to be in equal height glorie and maiestie because when one is side by side of an other one is not higher nor lower then the other And to vnderstand this maner of speach the holie Scripture in the Psalme 109. which beginneth Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. doth once saye that the Sonne doeth sitte at the right hand of the Father and an other time saith that the Father is at the right hand of the Sonne instructing vs that they are in deed in equal height as we haue said So that Christ when he went vp into heauen ascended aboue all the Quyars and orders of the Angels of the blessed soules which he caried with him ariued vnto the high throne of God and there stayed not going aboue his Father neither remayning vnder him but resting as we may say side by his father as equal with him in glory greatnes S Seeing Christ is God and man I would know if he sit at the right hand of the Father as he is God onlie or as he is also man M Christ as he is God is equal to the Father as he is man he is lesse then the Father yet for so much as Christ God and man are not two Christes nor two persons but one Christ onelie and one person onlie therefore it is saide that Christ God and man sitteth at the right hand of the Father And so the humanitie of our Lord to wit his flesh and soule â—re in the throne of God on the right hand of God the father Not by their proper worthines but because they are vnited to the person of the true and natural Son of God S I would haue some similitude to vnderstande this M Take the similitude of a kings robe wheÌ„ the king being vested with his purple robe sitteth in his royal throne al the Princes of his kingdome sit below him the kings robe is in a more eminent place then the Nobles them selues are because it is in the selfe same throne with the King And this is done not because the robe is of equal dignitie with the king but because it is ioyned to the King as his proper garment So the flesh and the soule of Christ do sitte aboue al the Cherubims and Seraphims in the same seat with God not by the dignitie of their owne nature but because they are vnited vnto God not onely as the garment is vnto the king but in much nearer sorte to wit by personal vnion As hath bene said Of the seuenth Article S FRom thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead When shall this comming of our Lord be M It shal be at the end of the world For you are to vnderstand that this world is to haue an end and to bee destroied with an inundation of fire which wil burne all thinges vpon the earth And there shal be no more dayes nor nights nor Mariages nor marchandise or anie of these things which you now see So that in the last day of this world which no man can know how neere it is nor how long hence Christ wil come downe from heauen to make the general Iudgment And these words From thence he shal come do forewarne vs not to beleeue anie that shal cal him selfe Christ or that would deceiue vs as Antichrist wil endeuour to do towards the end of the world For that the true Christ wil not come forth of anie desert or obscure place but wil come from the highest heauen with so much glorie and maiestie as no man can doubt whether it be he or no. Like as when the Sun riseth it commeth with so much light as no man can doubt whether lt be the Sun or no. S Wherefore do we say that he shal iudge the quicke and the dead shall not al men be dead at that time and all then rise againe M By the quick and the dead may be vnderstood the good which liue with the spirituall life of grace and the bad which are spiritually dead by sin But it is true also that Christ will come to iudge the quicke and the dead corporally because at that day many shal be dead and manie shall be found aliue Who though they be liuing in that last daye and some also shall bee young or children yet all shall die in an instant and suddenly rise againe thereby to pay the debt of death S I haue heard many times that whosoeuer dyeth in mortall sinne goeth presently vnto hell and whosoeuer dyeth in the grace of God goeth presently to Purgatorie or to heauen how then are all to be judged the sentence being already giueÌ„ M At the death of euery one the particular judgement is giuen of that soule which departed from the bodie but after at the last day there shall be an vniuersall judgement of the whole world And this for manny causes First for Gods honour because manie nowe seeing bad-men in prosperitie and good-men afflicted imagine that God doeth not gouerne the world well But at that time it shall be cleerly seen how God hath seene noted all things and how with great justice he hath giuen vnto the bad some temporall prosperitie in recompence of some good works of theirs of smal momeÌ„t intending afterwards to giue them eternall paine for their mortall sins And contrariwise vnto the good he hath geuen temporal affliction for punishmeÌ„t of some veniall sinnes or to geue them occasion to make them do penance intending afterwards to reward them with an infinite treasure of glorie for their good workes Secondly for the glorie of Christ because he being vniustly condemned and by manie not knowne nor honored as he ought to be it is reason there should be a day when al the world shal know him honour him either by force or for loue as their true king Lord of al.
that go before and the seauen which follow are wholy natural and bind not only Christians but Iewes and Gentils also but this third is in part natural and bindeth all men in part is not natural neither bindeth it al for that to sanctifie the feasts that is to haue some daies for holie to be spent in holie works chiefly in the seruice of God is a naturall precept for that natural reason teacheth it to al men and so in al partes of the world some day is obserued festiual But the ordaining of such a day that is that it should be one rather then an other is not natural And therefore with the Iewes the principal feast was Saturdaye with Christians it is the Sunday S For what cause did God command that the Iewes should obserue the Saturday rather then anie other day M There are two principal reasons The first is because on the Saturday God finished the frame of the world and therefore he would that day should be sāctified in memory of this great benefite of the creation of the world Which serued also to conuince the error of certaine Philosophers who said that the world had alwaies bene for that celebrating the feast in memorie of the creation of the world it must needs be confessed that the worlde had a beginning The second reason is because a man hauing caused his seruants and hand-maides and his cattle to worke and wearie themselues sixe daies of the weeke God would that the seauenth daye which is the Saturday the same seruants maides yea his Oxealso and Asse should repose and that masters should learne to bee pittifull towardes their laborers and not to bee cruell but to haue compassion also of their very bruit beastes S What is the cause that we Christians do not obserue the Saturday as the Iewes doe seeing there is so good reason to obserue it M With great reasō god hath changed the Saterday into the Sunday as hee hath also done Circumcision into Baptisme the Paschal lambe into the blessed Sacrament al other good thinges of the old Testament into better thinges in the new Testament Wherefore if the Saturday was celebrated in memorie of the creation of the worlde because in that day the worke of the creation was ended with more reason the Sunday is celebrated in memorie of the same creation for that in the sunday the said creation was begune and if the Iewes did geue to God the last day of the weeke then Christians do better who geue him the first Moreouer vpon the Sunday memorie is made of three principal benefites of our Redemption For Christ was borne on the sunday on sunday he rose and vpon Sunday he sent the Holie Ghost to his Apostles Finally the Saturday did signifie the repose which the holie soules had in Limbo the Sunday signifieth the glorie which the holie souls haue now and the bodies shal haue hereafter in heauen And therefore the Iewes did celebrate the Saterday because when they died they went to repose in Limbo but christians celebrate the sunday because when they dye they go vnto the glorious blisse of heauen which yet is vnderstood if they haue done wel according to the holie Law which God hath geuen them S Is it necessarie to obserue other feastes besides the Sunday M It is necessarie to obserue manie other feasts as well of our Lord as of our Ladie and of other Sainctes to wit al those which are commanded by holie Church But we haue spoken in particular of the Sunday because it is the most ancient and oftner celebrared then anie other As amongst the Iewes there were also manie feaste◠but the most ancient most frequent and the greatest of al was the Sabboth And therefore in the ten commādements there is not expresse mention made of anie but of the Sabbaoth to which as we haue said the Sunday hath succeeded S What ought to be done to obserue the feastes M Two things are necessarie the first is to bstaine from seruil works which are those that seruants and artificers are accustomed to do who labour most specially with their bodies For those workes in which the vnderstanding doth principally labour cannot be called seruil though for helpe of the vnderstanding the tongue the hand or anie other corporal member be vsed The second thing is that in the commanded feastes we are bound to be present at the holie Sacrifice of Masse And albeit holie Church bindeth vs to no more yet is it conuenient that we spend the whole day of the feast or the greatest part thereof in prayer and spiritual reading in visiting Churches in hearing sermons and in doing like holie exercises for this is the end for which feastes were instituted S If seruil workes may not be done on the festiual dayes thē belles may not be rongue the table may not be made readie much lesse meate be dressed for al these are seruil workes M The commandement of not doing seruile works is vnderstood with two conditions The first that they bee not necessary to mans life and therefore it is permitted to dresse meate to make ready the table and such like that can not bee done the day before The second that they be not necessary for the seruice of God for which it is allowed to ring the Bels and to doe other workes in the Church that cānot be done another day And besides these conditions it is also lawfull to do seruile workes vpon the holie day when licence is granted by the Prelate for reasonable cause Of the fourth Commandement S THe fourth Commandement followeth which is of honoring our father and mother I desire to know wherefore the commandement of honoring our father mother is the first in the second table M The commandements of the second table belong to our neighbour as those of the first belong to God And because amongst all neighbours our father and mother are most neere to vs to whom wee are moste bounde as of whom wee haue our being and our life which is the foundation of all our temporall good thinges therefore with great reason the second table beginneth with the honour of our father and mother S What is vnderstood by this honour which is due to our father and mother M Three thinges are vnderstood helpe obedience reuerence First wee are bound to helpe assist our father mother in their necessities And this helpe in holy Scriptures is called honour And it is great reasō that children hauing receiued life of their father mother should procure to preserue vnto them the same life Further wee are bounde to obey our father mother as S. Paul saith in all things in our Lorde that is in all things which are conformable to the will of our Lord for that when our father or mother commandeth vs any thing which is contrary to the wil of God then we must according to the commaundemente of Christ hate our father and mother that is not
time so farre distant that in his proper forme wherefore can he not make that Christ be present in manie Hoasts vnder the forme of the same Hoast S Tel me I pray you if Christ depart from Heauen when he commeth into the Hoasts or remaineth he stil in Heauen M When our Lord beginneth to be present in the holie Hoast he departeth not from heauen but by diuine power hee is both present in Heauen and in the Hoast Take the example of our soule when one is a childe of few daies old and very little as you see and being measured is founde to bee but one Palme in length after increasing he becommeth double so bigge as he was before and so being measured he is aboue two Palmes Now I demande of you if the soule which was first in one palme only hath left that palme to come into the second or no Sure it is that it hath not left it neither is it inlarged because it is inuisible so that without leauing the first it commeth also into the second euen so our Lord leaueth not heauen to come into the Hoast neither leaueth the one Hoast to be in an other but he is present in Heauen in all the Hoastes at once S Now I haue learned that which is contained in this most holy Sacrament I desire to know what things are requisite to receiue it worthely M Three things are requuired the first is that the partie doe confesse himselfe of all his sinnes procure that he be in the grace of God when hee goeth to communicate for that one of the causes wherefore this Sacrament is giuen to vs vnder the forme of bread is to the end we vnderstand that it is giuen to liuing men not to dead-men to nourish the grace of God and to increase it The second thing is that wee be altogether fasting that is at the least from midnight forward we haue taken nothing no not somuch as a litle water The third that we wel vnderstand what we do and that we haue deuotiō vnto so great a mysterie therfore this sacrament is not giuen to children neither to fooles neither to any other that hath not the vse of reason S How oftē ought we to cōmunicat M The bond of holy Church is to communicate at least once a yeare that at Easter Yet it is conuenient to do it oftner so it be by the aduice of our ghostly father S Declare now vnto mee the fruite which is gotten by this Sacrament and the ende for which it was instituted M For three causes Christ our Lord hath instituted this most noble Sacrament First that it should be the meate of soules secondly that it should be a sacrifice of the new law thirdly that it might be a perpetuall memorie of his Passion and so a most deare pledge of his loue towards vs. S What effect doth it worke in respect it is the meate of soules M It worketh that effect which corporall meate worketh in bodies therfore it is giuen to vs in forme of bread for like as bread conserueth naturall heate wherein the life of the bodie consisteth so this most holie Sacrament when it is worthely receiued conserueth and increaseth charitie which is the life and health of the soule S What effect doth it worke as it is a Sacrifice M It reconsileth God vnto the world obteyneth manie benifits not only for the liuing but also for the dead that are in purgatorie You must vnderstand that in the old Testament they offered vnto God manie Sacrifices of beastes but in the new Testament in place of al those Sacrifices is succeeded the Masse in which by the hands of the Priest is offered vnto God the most acceptable Sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of his Sonne which was signified in al those sacrifices of the old Testament S What effect worketh it as the memorial and pledge of the loue of our Lord towards vs M It maketh vs mindful of so great a benifite and in flameth vs to loue him againe that hath loued vs so much And therefore like as God in the old Testament would haue the Iewes not only to eate Manna which he sent them from Heauen but also haue them keep one vessel ful of the same in memorie of all the benefits he shewed them when he brought them out of Egipt so Christ would that this most holie Sacrament should not only be eaten by vs but also that it be conserued on the Altar and sometimes carried in Procession that when soeuer we see it we may remember his infinite goodnes towards vs. But in particular the holie Masse is a briefe representation of the whole life of our lord that the same may stil remaine in our mindes S I would know how the Masse is a representation of the life of Christ that thereby I may become more deuout and attentiue when I am present thereat M I wil declare it briefly The Introitus or beginning of the Masse doth signifie the desire which the holie Fathers had of the comming of our Lord. The Keyrieleison signifieth the voice of the same Patriarches and Prophets demanding of God this comming of christ so long desired Gloria in excelsis signifieth the Natiuitie of our Lord. The prayers next following signifie his presentation offering in the Temple The Epistle which is reade at the lift end of the Altar signifieth the preaching of S. Iohn Baptist Who inuited al men to Christ The Gradual signifieth the conuersion of the people by the preaching of S. Iohn The gospel which is read at the right end of the altar signifieth the preaching of our Lord which bringeth vs from the left hand vnto the right that is from temporal things to eternall from sinne to grace lights also are carried incense burned to signifie that the holie Gospel hath lightened the world filled it with the good sauors of the glorie of God The Crede signifieth the first conuersion of the holie Apostles and other Disciples of our Lord. The secret prayers after the Creede signifie the secret practises of the Iewes against Christ The Preface which is songue with a lowd voice and endeth with Osanna in excelsis signifieth the solemne enterance which Christ made into Ierusalem on Palme-sunday The Canon signifieth the Passion of our Lord. The eleuation of the holie Hoaste and Chalice representeth to vs that Christ was eleuated vpon the Crosse The Pater noster signifieth the praier of our Lord whiles he did hang on the Crosse the breaking of the Hoast signifieth the wound made by the speare percing his side The Agnus Dei signifieth the lamentation of the Maries at the taking downe of Christ from the Crosse The communion of the Priest signifieth the burial of Christ The Post-communion song with ioy signifieth the Resurrectiō Ite missa est signifieth the Ascēsion The benediction of the Priest signifieth the comming of the Holie Ghost The Gospel at the end of Masse signifieth the preaching
each one would be cōtent with his own not couet that belōgeth to an other ther should neuer be war nor discorde S What bee the vices contrarie to Iustice M They are two One is Iniustice that is when one taketh that which belongeth to an other or in cōtracts giueth lesse then he ought or taketh more then is due to him The other is too much justice that is whē one is too rigorous wreasteth things by pretence of justice more seueerely then reason requireth For in some cases it is necessarie that compassion bee mixed with justice As if a poore man can not pay all he oweth presently without his great losse or damage it is a reasonable thing and just that he haue a litle time graunted him and to denie him the same is to great rigour S What is Fortitude and what is the office thereof M It is a vertue which maketh vs ready to ouercom al difficulties that would otherwise hinder vs frō doing wel it reacheth euen to suffering death whē it is necessary for the glorie of god or for performing our duty so al holy martirs haue triūphed ouer their persecutors by this vertue in like maner al valiāt soldiars which in iust wars haue made so great proofe of their valour haue become glorious by the same vertue S what be vices cōtrary to fortitude M They are cowardlines audacious temeritie For cowardlines maketh one to yeeld too easely Which cōmeth of the lacke of fortitude audatious temeritie maketh one put himselfe in danger when there is no need Which so to tearme it is too much fortitude And it deserueth no praise but blame and therefore is no vertue but a vice S What is Temperance and what is the office thereof M Temperance is a vertue that bridleth sensuall delights maketh a man to content himselfe with such pleasures and in that measure as reason alloweth S What are the vices contrarie to Temperance M They are Intemperance and Insensibility Intemperance is when one is too much giuen to delights and therefore committeth excesses in eating and such thinges as doe hurt both the soule and the bodie Insensibilitie is when a man vseth the other extreame and so flyeth all pleasures that he wil not eate things necessarie for his health to auoyd that little delectation which conuenient meats doe naturally bring But the vice of intēperance is much more common amongst men then the vice of insensibilitie And therefore all holie men by word and example haue exhorted vs to fasting to mortification of the flesh Cap. XIII Of the seauen gifts of the Holie Ghost S VVHich be the seuen gifts of the Holie Ghost M They are those which the Prophet Isaie hath taught vs to wit Wisdome Vnderstanding Counsaile Fortitude Knowledge Pietie and the Feare of our Lord. S Whereto do these gifts help vs M To attaine to the perfection of Christian life For they are as the ladder by which wee clime vp from the state of sinne by diuers degrees euen to the highest of sanctitie But you must knowe that the Prophet numbreth these steppes comming downwards For he did see as it were a ladder which came from Heauen Neuertheles we will recoont the ascending as going vpwards ascending from earth to heauen The first degree then is the Feare of our lord which doth terrifie a sinner whē he thinketh that he hath God almighty his enemiet the second degree is Pietie For he that feareth punishment which God threatneth against a sinner beginneth to become godlie desireth to obey and serue God and to worke his holie will in all things The thirde degree is Knowledge for that hee vvho desireth to vvorke the vvill of God demaundeth of God that he will teach him his holie commandements God partly by Preachers partly by books partly by inwarde inspirations teacheth him all that is necessarie The fourth degree is Fortitude for hee that knoweth and is willing in all thinges to serue God findeth many difficulties tentatiōs of the world the flesh the diuel And therefore god at that time of need giueth him the gift of Fortitude that he may ouercome al difficulties The fift degree is Counsell for when the diuell cannot preuaile by force he turneth himself to decepts and vnder pretence of good prouoketh the just man to fall yet God doth not abandon him but giueth him the gift of Counsell by which he preuaileth against the deceipts of the enemy the sixt is the gift of Vnderstāding for when a mā is wel exercised in actiue life and hath had many victories against the diuel god doth draw him exalt him to contemplatiue life and with the gifte of vnderstanding maketh him to vnderstande and penitrate diuine Mysteries The seauenth is the gift of Wisdome which is the cōplement of perfection For he is wise that knoweth the first cause of all thinges and according thereto formeth al his actions which none can doe but hee that joyneth perfect charitie to the gift of vnderstanding For by the vnderstanding he knoweth the first cause and by charitie hee directeth and disposeth all thinges vnto it as vnto the last ende And because wisdome joyneth the affection to vnderstanding therefore it is called wisdome that is sauorie knowledge as Saint Barnard teacheth vs. Cap. XIIII Of the eight beatitudes S VVHat are the eight beatitudes which our Lord taught vs in the Gospel M They are an other ladder to clime vnto perfection like vnto that of the gifts of the Holie Ghost For that in seauen sentences are conteyned seauen degrees to arriue vnto beatititude And lastly the eight doth geue vs a signe to know whether a man haue ascended vp these degrees or no. S Declare vnto mee this ladder briefly M Christ our Lord in the three first degrees teacheth vs to take away the impediments of perfection whereby we ascend vnto felicitie The generall and ordinarie impediments are three the desire of goods of honors and pleasures So Christ saith in the first degree that the poore in spirit are blessed that is those who willingly dispise goods In the second he saith that the meeke are blessed that is those that geue place to all not resisting those that put themselues before and thrust them behinde In the third he saith that those are blessed that weepe that is those that seeke not the delights and pleasures of the world but attend to do penance and to be waile their sinnes In other two degrees he teacheth vs the perfection of the actiue life which consisteth in fulfilling all that wee are bound vnto by iustice and by charitie Therefore he saith in the fourth degree that those are blessed that hunger and thirst iustice And in the fift he saith that the mercifull are blessed In the last two he draweth vs to perfection of the contemplatiue life and therfore he saith in the sixt that they are blessed that haue a cleane hart for they shall see God that is they shall