as to imagine the Work being perfected and finish'd the things made by him cou'd be able to remain without his infinite Power to support them For as the Creator made all things by his supreme Power Wisdom and Goodness So also if his perpetual Providence were not always at hand with the things he created and preserv'd them by the very same Power he made them by they would presently fall back into their first nothing And this the Scripture declares when it says Wisd 11.25 How can any thing continue unless thou pleasest or that which thou callest not be preserv'd Now God not only defends and governs all things that have Being by his Providence but also by a secret kind of Vertue he moves those things which are mov'd and which act to move and act in such a manner that tho he hinders not the efficacy of second causes yet he does prevent and his secret power reaches to all things Wisd 8.1 and as the Wiseman witnesses It reaches powerfully from End to End and sweetly orders all things And therefore when the Apostle would declare that God to the Athenians whom they ignorantly worship'd Act. 17 27 28. he said He is not far from every one of us For in him we live move and have our Being And this is sufficient for the explication of the First Article XXV The Creation to be ascribed to all the three Persons when we shall have given this Admonition that the Work of Creation is common to all the Persons of the Holy and Undivided Trinity For in this place according to the Doctrine of the Apostles we confess the Father to be the Creator of Heav'n and Earth Job 1.3 Of the Son we read in the Holy Scripture All things were made by him Gen. 1.2 And of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Lord mov'd upon the Waters and in another place By the Word of the Lord the Heav'ns were made Ps 32.6 and all the Power thereof by the Breath of his Mouth ARTICLE II. ANd in Iesus Christ his only Sâ—on our Lord. That the Benefit is wonderful and satisfactory I. The utility of this Article which throw the Belief and Confession of this Article redounds to Mankind this Testimony of S. John declares He that confesses that Jesus is the Son of God 1 Joh 4.15 God dwells in him and he in God And that commendation of Happiness which Christ gave to the Prince of the Apostles Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona Mat. 16.17 for Flesh and Blood has not reveal'd this to thee but my Father which is in Heav'n For this is the surest foundation of our Salvation and Redemption But because the Fruit of this admirable Benefit is best understood II. Whence the explication of this Article is to be begun Come Trent Sess 3. Can. 1 2. Gen. 2.6 from the ruine of that most happy State wherein God at first plac'd Man the Curate is to take diligent heed that the Faithful may come to the right understanding of the cause of these common Miseries and Calamities For when Adam had fallen from his Obedience to God and violated that Prohibition Of every Tree of the Garden thou mayst eat but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil thou mayst not eat for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye He fell into that most extream Misery that he lost the Holiness and Righteousness in which he was created and fell into the rest of those Mischiefs which the Holy Council of Trent more largely has explain'd But besides this Ibid. Sess 6. Can. 1. 2. we are taught That Sin and the Punishment of Sin remain'd not in that one Adam only but from him as from the Seed and Cause it justly flow'd and pass'd over to all his Posterity Seeing therefore that our whole Kind fell from the highest pitch of dignity not possibly to be restor'd to its former station by any power of Men or Angels there was this only Remedy left to repair our miseries and ruines that the infinite Power of the Son of God having first assum'd the weakness of our Flesh shou'd himself bear the infinite weight of our Sin and in his own Blood reconcile us to God Now the Belief and Confession of this Redemption is III. The confession of this Article necessary and always was necessary to Men to Salvation as God from the beginning has shew'n For in that first condemnation of Mankind which presently followed upon the Sin there was also shew'd a Hope of Redemption in these Words in which he denounces the Devil his doom which he was about to accomplish in the deliverance of Men from his thraldom I will put enmity between thee and the Woman Gen. 13.15 betweeen thy Seed and her Seed she shall break thy Head and thou shalt bruise her Heel He moreover often confirm'd the same Promise IV. The promise of a Savior made and confirmed and more plainly signifi'd his purpose to those Men especially whom he had a singular love for and among the rest where both he had frequently signifi'd this Mystery to Abraham the Patriarch and also more plainly declar'd it at that time when in obedience to Gods command he was ready to offer up in Sacrifice his only Son Isaac For he says Because thou hast done this thing Gen. 22.17 18. and hast not spar'd thy only begotten Son I will bless thee and will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heav'n and as the Sand which is on the Sea-shore and thy Seed shall possess the Gates of thy Enemies and in thy Seed all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed because thou hast obey'd my Voice From which Words it may easily be gather'd that it shou'd be one of the Seed of Abraham who shou'd bring Salvation to all them who are deliver'd from the most cruel Tyranny of Satan It was necessary therefore that the very Son of God according to the Flesh should be born of the Seed of Abraham Not very long after V. The same Promise renewed Gen. 28.12 the Lord to consecrate the memory of this Promise made the same Covenant with Jacob Abraham's Grandson for when in a Vision he saw a Ladder reaching from Earth to Heav'n and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it as the Scripture witnesses he heard the Lord Gen. 28.13 standing upon the Ladder saying I am the Lord the God of thy Father Abraham and the God of Isaac the Land whereon thou sleepest I will give to thee and to thy Seed and thy Seed shall be as the dust of the Earth And thou shalt stretch forth thy self to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South and in thee and in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Nor was God after this VI. The memory of this Promise is renewed wanting in â—â—hewing the memory of the same Promise
Apostle us'd Eph. 5.2 when he said Christ lov'd us and gave himself a Sacrifice and oblation for us to God for a sweet-smelling Savor Furthermore this is the Oblation whereof we read in the Prince of Apostles 1 Pet. 1.18.19 Ye were not redeem'd with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain conversation of the Tradition of your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Crist as of a Lamb without spot or blemish And the Apostle teaches us Gal. 3.13 That Christ was made a Curse for us that he might redeem us from the curse of the Law But besides these immense Benefits XXVI In Christs Passion are examples of all Vertues we have this very great one over and above that in this only Passion we have the most Glorious Patterns of all Vertues For he shew'd forth his Patience Humility the most profound Love Charity Meekness and Obedience and most unshaken Constancy and Resolution of Mind not only in suffering Injuries for Righteousness or Justice sake but also even in Death it self and that in such a manner as we can truly say That our Savior in the very height of his Sufferings did most lively express in himself all those Rules and Precepts of Life which throw all the time of his Preaching he taught by Words And this shall suffice to have bin spoken briefly of the most saving Death and Passion of Christ our Lord. And wou'd God these Mysteries were seriously impress'd upon our Souls and Hearts and that we wou'd learn to suffer to dye and to be bury'd together with our Lord that then every spot of Sin being wip'd away and rising with him to newness of Life by his Mercy we may be found worthy to be made partakers of his Kingdom of Heav'n and Glory ARTICLE V. HE descended into Hell the third Day He rose again from the Dead It is of very great use to know the glory of the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ I. 〈◊〉 very useful o undeâ—â—tâ—â—â— this Article of which we have spoken last But it more concerns the Faithful to know the glorious Triumphs he bore away by conquering the Devil and spoiling the Powers of Hell Of which and also of the Resurection we are now to speak Which Point altho it may well be handl'd distinctly and by it self yet we following the Authority of the Holy Fathers have thought fit to joyn it with that of his descent into Hell In the first part therefore this is propos'd to our Belief II. What is propes'd in the first Part. That Christ being now dead his Soul went down to Hell and there continu'd so long as his Body was in the Sepulchre But in these words we also confess That the very same person of Christ at the same time was both with the Spirits below and also lay in the Sepulchre Which when we say no one ought to wonder because as we have often said before That though his Soul departed from his Body yet his Divinity was never separated either from his Soul or his Body But because it may bring much light to the Explication of this Article III. The various signification of Hell if the Curat teach what in this place is to be understood by the Word Hell It is necessary to admonish That in this place by Hell is not meant the Sepulchre as some no less impiously than unskilfully have thought for by the former Article we are taught That Christ our Lord was bury'd neither was there any Reason why in the Creed the same thing shou'd by the Holy Apostles be repeated in another and a more obscure form of Speech But the Word Hell signifies those hidd'n Receptacles wherein the Souls are kept IV. The First The Receptacle of the damn'd Phil. 2.10 which have not attain'd to the Blessedness of Heav'n For so the Holy Scriptures use this Word in many places For thus we read in the Apostle At the name of Jesus every Knee shall bow of those in Heav'n of those in Earth and those under the Earth And in the Acts of the Apostles S. Peter testifies Act 2.24 That Christ the Lord was risen again having loos'd the Pains of Hell Nor are all those Receptacles of one and the same kind For there is that worst and most dismal place of all where the Souls of the damn'd together with the unclean Spirits shall be tormented for ever and that with unquenchable Fire which is call'd the Bottomles-Pit and by its own proper signification Hell There is besides V. The Fire of Purgatory The Fire of Purgatory wherein the Souls of the Pious for a certain determin'd time are cleans'd by Sufferings that so the entrance to the Heav'nly Country may be laid open into which no polluted thing can be admitted And of the truth of this Doctrin Apoc. 21 27. Con. Trent Sess 25. which the Holy Councils declare to be confirm'd both by Testimonies of Scripture and by Apostolic Tradition the Curat shall discourse and argue by so much the more industriously and frequently because we are fall'n upon those times wherein Men will not endure Sound Doctrin Lastly VI. Limbus where the Souls of the Father were The third kind of Receptacle is that wherein the Souls of the Saints were receiv'd before the coming of Christ our Lord and there being refresh'd with the bless'd hope of Redemption and free from all sense of Pain enjoy'd a peaceable Habitation The Souls therefore of these Pious Persons who in the bosome of Abraham expected the Savior Christ our Lord descending to Hell deliver'd Nor are we to think that he so descended to Hell VII Christ's Soul truly went down to Hell as that only his Influence and Vertue and not also his Soul went thither But we are verily to believ That his very Soul indeed and in presence descended to Hell Ps 15.10 of which there is this most certain Testimony of David Thou shall not leave my Soul is Hell But tho Christ went down to Hell yet this was no damage to his Supreme Power nor was the Splendor of his Holiness stain'd in the least seeing that by thus doing it rather was most evidently prov'd that all those things are most true which are celebrated concerning his Holiness and that he is the very Son of God as he had before made appear by so many prodigious Miracles And this we may easily perceiv VIII Two differences betwixt Christ's and the damned's going to Hell if we but consider the Causes why Christ and other Men came into those places For all others went thither as Captives but he as free among the Dead and Conquerer to Master the Devils by whom they were there kept shut up and imprison'd by reason of sin Furthermore All others who descended thither partly were tormented with most bitter pains and partly tho they wanted all other sense of sorrow yet being depriv'd of the sight of God and with-held in the Hope only of
Glory was chang'd so our Bodies also which before were weak and mortal shall be restor'd and adorn'd with Glory and Immortality For as the Apostle teaches Phil. 3.20 21. We wait for the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it shall be like to his glorious Body And this may be said concerning the Soul The Third dead in Sins to which on what score the Resurrection of Christ is offer'd as an Example or Pattern to us the same Apostle shews in these Words Rom. 6.4 As Christ rose again from the Dead by the Glory of the Father so shou'd we also walk in Newness of Life For if we have bin planted together with him in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection And a little after he says knowing that Christ being ris'n from the Dead now dyes no more Death shall no more domineer over him For in that he dy'd to Sin be dy'd once but in that he lives he lives to God So reck'n ye your selves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to God in Jesus Christ Two Examples therefore we ought to seek from Christ's Resurrection The one is XXIV Two Examples from Christ's Resurrection That after we have wip'd away the stains of sin we lead a new kind of Life in which way clearly shine forth Uprightness Innocence Holiness Modesty Justice Beneficence and Humility The other is That we so persevere in that kind of life that by Gods help we fall not off from the way of Righteousness whereinto we have once enter'd Nor do the Apostles Words shew only XXV The Fourth Advantage of Christs Resurrection Rom. 6.6 That the Resurrection of Christ is propos'd to us as an Example of our Resurrection but they declare That it gives us Power to rise again and bestows Strength and Courage whereby we may continue in Holiness and Righteousness For as by his Death we not only take Example of dying to sin but draw Vertue also whereby we may dye to sin So his Resurrection brings us Strength to obtain Righteousness that thenceforth worshipping God piously and holily we may walk in Newness of 〈◊〉 to which we are ris'n For this especially did our Lord bring to pas's by his Resurrection that we who before were dead with him to sin and to the world might also with him rise again to a new way and course of life The Signs of this Resurrection XXVI The signs of Resurrection from sin Coloss 3.1 which are chiefly to be observ'd the Apostle teaches us For when he says If ye be ris'n with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God he plainly shews That those who desire to have Life Honours Rest and Riches there Phil. 4.8 where Christ specially is are truly ris'n with Christ But when he adds Relish those things which are above not those which are on the Earth he has giv'n this as a kind of Note whereby we may perceive whether we be ris'n with Christ For as the Taste or Relish is wont to discover the Temperature and Health of the Body so if Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are comly whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are holy do relish with a person and if he can perceive with the inward sense of his Soul the sweetness of heav'nly things this is a good Argument That he that is thus affected is ris'n with Jesus Christ to a new and spiritual Life ARTICLE VI. HE ascended into Heav'n sitteth at the right-Hand of God the Father Almighty When the Prophet David full of Gods Spirit contemplated the bless'd and glorious Ascension of our Lord I. What kind of Solemnity and Faith of Christ's Ascension there ought to be Ps 46.1.6 he exhorts all to celebrate that Triumph with the greatest joy and gladness in these Words saying Clap Hands for joy O all ye Nations sing to God with the Voice of Rejoycing God is gone up with a merry noise Whence the Curat may understand That this Mystery is to be explain'd with the greatest study and that he ought to take diligent care That the Faithful embrace it not only with Faith and with the Mind but as far as may be and with Gods help they endeavor in their Life and Actions also to express the same As to the Explication of this Sixth Article therefore II. The former part of this Article wherein chiefly is treated concerning this Divine Mystery we must begin at the former part thereof and shew what is the effect and meaning thereof For concerning Christ Jesus III. What we are here to believe the Faithful must believe this also without any wavering That the Mystery of our Redemption being now perfected he as Man with his Soul and Body went up into Heaven For as he was God he never was absent thence because he fills all things with his Divinity And let the Curat teach that he went up by his own Power First Secondly 4 Reg. 2.11.35 n 14. Thirdly Act. 8.39 and not by the Power of another as Elias did who was carry'd into Heaven in a fiery Chariot or Abaccuc the Prophet or Philip the Deacon who by the Divine Power being carry'd through the Air past through the remote parts of the Earth Nor did he ascend to Heaven only by the mighty Power of his Divinity but also as he is Man For tho this could not be by any Natural Power Fourthly yet that Power wherewith the bless'd Soul of Christ was endu'd could move his Body as he liâ—â—ed And his Body which was now glorify'd Fifthly did readily obey the Government of his Soul moving it And in this manner Sixthly We believe that Christ as he was God and as he was Man went up into Heaven by his own Power Now follows the other part of the Article He sitteth at the right-Hand of the Father In which place we may observe a Trope IV. The use and necessi y of Trope that is the change of a Word frequent in Holy Scripture when we attribute to God Human Affections and Members suitable to our Understanding sor he being a Spirit we cannot think any thing corporeal in him But because in Human Affairs we esteem a great honour done to him who is plac'd at the Right-hand transferring the same thing to heavenly matters to the explaining of the Glory of Christ which as he is Man he has merited above all others we confess him to be at the Right-hand of the Father But to sit V. What is here meant by Sâ—â—ing in this place does not signifie the Gesture and Figure of Body but it shews the firm and sure Possession of supream Power and Glory which he has receiv'd of the Father Of which the Apostle says Arian Ser. 1 cont Arian Basil lib de Spirit sâ—nâ—t c. 6. Heb. 1.13 Raising him up from the Dead and placing him at
whom thou hast given me should be where I am And then This also Third as a very great benefit we have obtain'd that he has drawn up our love to Heav'n and inflam'd us with his Divine Spirit For most true is that saying Mat. 6.21 There our Heart is where our Treasure is And indeed if Christ our Lord were dwelling on the Earth all our thoughts wou'd be fix'd upon the face and acquaintance of the Man and we shou'd behold him only as Man who bestow'd so great benefits upon us and we shou'd affect him only with a kind of earthly Good Will But now being gone up into Heav'n he has render'd our Love Spiritual and makes us to love and reverence him as God whom we now consider as absent And this we understand partly by the Example of the Apostles Joh. 19.7 with whom while our Lord was present they seem'd to judge of him in a manner according to Human Sense And partly it is confirm'd by the testimony of our Lord himself when he says It is expedient for you that I go away For that imperfect Love wherewith they lov'd Jesus Christ when present with them was to be perfected by Divine Love and that by the coming of the Holy Ghost Wherefore he presently adds For if I go not away the Paraclet or Comforter will not come to you To this may be added Fourth that he has inlarg'd his House Eph. 4.22 i.e. his Church in the earth which was to be govern'd by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit and he left Peter the Prince of Apostles the chief Pastor and Prelate of the whole Church among Men and then he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers and so sitting at the Right Hand of his Father he always bestows divers gifts upon divers persons for the Apostle testifies Eph. 5.7 That to every one of us is giv'n grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ But lastly Fifth The Faithful are to believe the same thing also concerning Christ's Ascension which we taught before concerning the mystery of his Death and Resurrection for tho we owe our Salvation and Redemption to the Passion of Christ who by his own Merit open'd to the Just an entrance to Heav'n yet his Ascension is not only propos'd to us as an example whereby we learn to look up on high and ascend up into Heav'n in Spirit but it has giv'n us Divine Power whereby we are enabl'd to do it ARTICLE VII FRom thence he shall come to judge the quick and the Dead There are three of excellent Offices and Functions which our Lord Jesus Christ has for the adorning and illustrating of his Church I. The Three Offices of Christ Of Redemption Patronage or Defence and Judgment But whereas from the former Articles it is manifest that he has redeem'd mankind by his Passion and Death and that he has undertak'n sorever to defend and patronize our cause by his Ascension into Heav'n it remains that in this Article we declare his Judgment The reason and force of which Article is this II. What we must believe concâ—â—â—nig the last judgment That in the last day Christ our Lord will judge all mankind For the Holy Scriptures testifie that there are Two comings of Christ The One when for our salvation he took flesh and was made Man in the Womb of the Virgin The Other when he shall come to judge all men at the end of the World This Coming of his in Holy Scripture is call'd The Day of the Lord whereof the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 5.2 The day of the Lord so comes as a Thief in the night Maâ— 24.20 and our Saviour himself Maâ— 23.32 But of that Day and Hour no man knows 1 Cor. 5.10 Concerning which last judgment the authority of the Apostle is sufficient We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ that every one may give an account of what he has done in the body whether good or evil For the Holy Scripture is full of testimonies which the Curat may find scatter'd up and down not only for proof of this matter but to lay before the eyes of the Faithful that as from the begining of the World that Day of the Lord wherein he put on Human Flesh was always much longed for of all because in that Mystery they had the hope of their deliverance plac'd So from thence forth after the Death of the Son of God and his Ascension into Heav'n we might most earnestly desire that Other Day of the Lord waiting for that bless'd Hope and the coming of the Glory of the great God But for the explication of this matter the Curat shall observe and teach that there are Two times wherein every one must needs come in presnce before the Lord and give an account of all his particular Thoughts Actions and Words and must abide the present Sentence of the Judge The First is when every one of us goes out of this life for immediately he is placed before the Judgment-seat of God and there is a most just examination made of all things whatsoever he ever did spake or thought and this is call'd The Private Judgment But The Other is when in one day and in one place All men shall stand together before the Seat of Judgment that in the sight and hearing of all men of all ages every one may know what is judg'd and decree'd concerning himse lf The very Pronouncing of which Sentence to Ungodly and Wicked men will not be the least part of their punishments and torments And on the other side the Godly and the Just will from thence receive no small Reward and Profit when it shall truly appear what kind of persons every one of them was in this life And this is call'd the General Judgment Concerning which it must needs be shew'd what the Cause is V. Why a General Judgment to come why besides the Private Judgment concerning every one in particular there will also be held another Judgment concerning all men in general For since First Cause even when men are dead they sometimes leave behind them some surviving persons to imitate them as Children to imitate Parents Dependents and Scholars who are lovers and favourers of their Examples Discourses Actions whereby it must needs come to pass that the rewards and punishments of the dead shall be increas'd and whereas this either Advantage or Calamity which belongs to so very many cannot have an end before the coming of the last day of the World It was but meet that there should be a perfect examination of this General Account of good and evil Words and Actions And this could not be done except at one General Judgment of all men And besides The Second forasmuch as the Fame of the Godly is often times unjustly wounded and the wicked commended as innocent the justice of God requir'd that the
this Petition aright not to satisfie our Desires for this purpose of Mind has some difficulty that we seem in a sort to hate our selves while we pray thus which those Men account no better than Folly who are wholly bent upon the Flesh But let us willingly undergo the repute of Folly for Christ's sake Note for this is his Sentence If any one will follow me let him deny himself Mat. 16.24 Luc. 9.23 Especially since we know it to be much better to pray for that which is right and just XXIV Better to wish what is good than to obtain what is unjust than to obtain that which is against Reason and the Power and Laws of God And certainly he is in a worse condition whosoever he be that attains to whatsoever he rashly and thro the impulse of his Lust desir'd than he that obtains not that thing which he excellently pray'd for Altho we do not only pray God not to grant us what we desire of our selves since it is manifest that our Desires are corrupt but also not to give us what by the perswasion and impulse of the Devil we sometimes pray for as a Good That VVish of the Prince of the Apostles seem'd very excellent Note An Example and very full of Devotion when he would have perswaded our Lord from his Purpose of proceeding to Death and yet our Lord did sharply chide him because he was led by Human Sense and not by Divine Reason VVhat could seem to have been greater Love to our Lord Another Example than to pray as those Holy Men James and John who being angry at the Samaritans who would not entertain their Master besought him to command Fire to come down from Heaven to consume those hard-hearted and cruel Men But they were reprehended by Christ our Lord in these words Ye know not what Spirit ye are of for the Son of Man came not to destroy Mens Souls but to save them Luc. â— 54 Nor ought we to pray God that his VVill may be done What ninthly only when we desire what is evil or has the shew of evil but also when indeed it is not evil as when the VVill follows that first Inclination of Nature that it desires those things which preserve Nature and rejects those things that seem contrary to it VVherefore when we are come to that Point A singular Example as to pray for any thing of that kind then let us heartily say Thy Will be done Let us imitate himself from whom we receive both our Salvation and the Direction to Salvation who when he was mov'd with a natural Fear of Torments and the Bitterness of Death yet even in that utmost Horror of Grief he submitted his own VVill to his Fathers Not my Will says he but thine be done Luc. 22.42 But Mankind is wonderfully corrupt XXV Without Grace we cannot avoid Sin who when they have us'd Force upon their Desires and have subjected their own to the VVill of God yet without God's Help by which we are protected from Evil and directed to Good we cannot escape Sin VVe must therefore have recourse to this Petition What tenthly and beg of God to perfect those things he has begun in us What eleventhly That he would suppress the insolent Motions of our Desire What twelfthly That he would make our Appetites to be obedient to our Reason What thirteenthly That he would conform us wholly to his VVill. VVe also pray What fourteenthly That the whole VVorld may receive the Knowledge of his VVill and that the Mystery of God which was hidden from all Ages and Generations may be made known and evident to all VVe pray further for the Form and Prescription of this Obedience What f fâ—teenthly to wit that it be directed according to that which the Blessed Angels observe in Heaven and the other Quire of Celestial Souls do keep that as they do freely and with the utmost willingness obey God so we may most chearfully obey his VVill in the exact manner as he would have us And in the VVork and Service we do for God XXVI How God must be serv'd He requires of us our utmost Love and highest Charity that tho in hope of the Reward of Heaven we have wholly devoted our selves to him yet that we so hope for it as it has pleas'd his Divine Majesty that we should enter upon that Hope VVherefore let all our Hope be resolv'd into Love towards God who has offer'd to our Love eternal Bliss For there are some who chearfully serve another XXVII Imperfect Love but yet it is for the sake of the Reward whither they refer their Love Besides Perfect Love there are some who being mov'd only with Love and Devotion regard nothing in him whom they serve but his Goodness and Vertue in consideration and admiration whereof they esteeem themselves happy that they can do him any Service And this is the meaning of that Apposition As in Heaven so in Earth For we must endeavour with our utmost Labor to be obedient to God XXVIII The manner of our Obedience Ps 102. â—1 as we say that the Blessed Souls are whose Commendations for their exact performance of Obedience David sets forth in the Psalm Bless ye the Lord all ye Powers of his ye Servants of his that do his Will VVhich XXIX The Explication of S. Cyprian if any one following S. Cyprian thus interpret it as tho by In Heaven were meant among good and devout Persons and by In Earth were meant among the Wicked and Impious VVe also approve of that Sense that by Heaven may he understood the Soul and by the Earth may be understood the Flesh that all Men and all Things may in all things obey the VVill of God This Petition does also contain a Thanksgiving XXX In this Petition there is also Thanksgiving For we reverence his most holy VVill and being fill'd with the greatest Joys we celebrate all his VVorks with the highest Praises and Gratulations certainly knowing that he does all things well For seeing it is manifest that he is God Almighty it necessarily follows that we know that all things were made at his Command and when we affirm also That he is as he is indeed the Supream Good we confess that there is none of all his Works which is not good since he imparts his Goodness to all But if we reach not the Divine Reason in all things XXXI Our Understanding to be brought into Obedience to God yet in all things the Cause of all Doubtfulness not regarded and all Distrust being laid aside we confess with the Apostle That his ways are past finding out Rom. 11.33 But for this very Reason also we very much honor Gods Will that we are dignified with his Heavenly Light For having snatcht us out of the power of Darkness he has put us in the Kingdom of the Son of his love Colos
demonstration The Curate is further to teach V. The outward profession of faith necessary That he who says I Believ besides that he declares the inward assent of his mind which is an interior act of Faith ought also openly to confess and declare that which he imbraces and holds inwardly in his heart by a free and open profession of his Faith and this with the greatest cheerfulness and alacrity For the faithful ought to have the same Spirit which the Prophet had when he said Psal 115.1 I believ'd and therefore did I speak And to imitate the Apostles who answer'd boldly even before the princes of the people We cannot but speak those things which we have seen and heard Acts 4.20 and be mov'd with the excellent saying of S. Paul Rom. 1.11 I am not asham'd of the Gospel for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes And again Rom. 10.11 that the truth of this sentence might sufficiently be confirm'd With the heart man believes to righteousness but with the mouth confession is made to salvation In God Hence they VI. How far faith excels the wisdom of the world to whom it is given may learn what the worth and excellency of Christian wisdom is and thereby how much we are beholden to the goodness of God and may climb up as by the steps or degrees of Faith to the knowledg of the most excellent and most desirable thing in the world For herein does the Christian philosophy manifestly differ from the wisdom of the world That the wisdom of the world guided by the light of nature only from the effects of these things which are perceiv'd by the senses making very slow progress and that not without mighty toyl and difficulty at length hardly reaches to the contemplation of the invisible things of God and to acknowledg and perceiv the first cause and author of all things But on the contrary the Christian philosophy does so sharp'n the edge and illuminate the understanding of the mind of man that without difficulty it can mount up to Heav'n and being illustrated with the divine brightness can truly behold first of all the very eternal fountain of light and then those things which are below him So that with the greatest sweetness of mind we can experimentally feel 1 Pet. 2.9 and with unutterable joy we can exult that we are called out of darkness into unspeakable light as the prince of the Apostles has it Rightly therefore in the first place do the faithful profess to believ in God Ibid. 18. Jer. 22.19 whose Majesty we with the Prophet Jeremy declare to be incomprehensible For as the Apostle says He dwells in light inaccessible which no man ever saw and which no man is able to behold For so he said to Moses No man can see my face and live For there is need for that mind that will soar up to God than whom nothing is higher to be altogether abstracted and withdrawn from sense And this by nature in this life we cannot attain to Now tho the case be really thus VII How God manifests himself Act. 14.16 yet as the Apostle says God has not left himself without a testimony of his goodness giving rain from Heav'n and fruitful seasons filling mens hearts with food and gladness which was the reason why the Philosophers did not think meanly of God not attributing by any means any thing corporeal any thing gross or mingl'd to him to whom also they ascrib'd the perfect strength and fulness of all good so that from him as from an eternal never-failing fountain of goodness and bounty does flow all that good that all created beings and perfect natures do enjoy Whom they call'd wise author of truth loving just bountiful and by other names signifying the supream and most absolute perfection Whose infinite power and immense influence they confess'd fills every place and extends it self to all things But this is far better and more clearly understood from the holy Scriptures as in that place where it is said Joh. 4.24 Matt. 5.48 Heb. 4.13 Rom. 11.23 Rom. 3.4 Joh. 14.6 Ps 47.11 Ps 144.16 God is a spirit and Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect And All things are naked and open before his eyes and that O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! And God is true And I am the way the truth and the life And again Thy right hand is full of righteousness And Thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living creature Lastly Whither shall I go from thy presence And If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I go down into Hell thou art there also if I take wings in the morning and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea c. And Do not I fill Heaven and Earth says the Lord These are great and excellent things which even the Philosophers by searching into nature and the effects of things have consequently discover'd concerning the nature of God and agreeable to the authority of holy Scripture And tho even hence we may learn how necessary this doctrine which came down from Heav'n is VIII Faith is more easie and yet more excellent than knowledge if we observ that Faith is very excellent not only in this That those things which only wise men and that by long study and much labor can attain to do lye open and plain and become easie and familiar even to the unlearned as was said before but that that knowledge of things which is got by Faith is much more certain and much more frees the mind from error than any humane knowledge can possibly do But how much more excellent then is the knowledge of God himself to be thought to the attaining whereof not the contemplation of nature but the light of Faith opens the way properly to believers But this is contein'd in the articles of Faith which teach us the unity of the divine essence and the distinction of the three persons as also that God is man's ultimate end from whom we are to expect the possession of heav'nly and everlasting happiness For so S. Paul teaches us That God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him How great these things are and whether they are goods of this kind to which mere humane wisdom can reach the Prophet Isaiah before the Apostle Isa 6.4 shews in these words From the very beginning they have never heard nor has any one told them neither without thee ô God has any eye seen what things thou hast prepar'd for them that wait for thee From what has bin already said IX There is only one God we must confess That there is but one God not more Gods For seeing we ascribe the supreme good and perfection to God it is not possible that what is most absolute and supreme can be in more than one But if any thing be wanting
nations Matt. 28 19. baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Again There are three which bear record in Heav'n 1 Joh. 5.7 the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one Yet let him diligently pray and beseech God and the Father who made all things of nothing and sweetly orders all things who gave us power to become the sons of God who has reveal'd this mystery of the Trinity to the soul of man let him I say who by the gift of God believs these things pray without ceasing that being at last receiv'd into everlasting Tabernacles he may be found worthy to see what the fruitfulness of God the Father is whereby beholding and understanding himself he cou'd beget a Son like and equal to himself And how of two the very same and an equal love of Charity which is the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son knits together both the Begetter and the Begotten each to other with an eternal and indissoluble Band. And thus these is but one Essence and yet a perfect distinction of the Three Persons of the divine Trinity Almighty The Holy Scripture is us'd to express that supream Power and infinite Majesty of God by many names XV. Why gloriouâ—l p theâ—â— are given God to shew with how great religion and devotion his most holy name is to be worshipp'd but chiefly let the Curat teach that An Almighty Power is most commonly attributed to him For so he says of himself I am the Lord Almighty Again Gen. 17.1 when Jacob sent his sons to Joseph Gen. 43.14 he thus prays for them Now God Almighty give you favour before the man It is also written in the Revelations Rev. 1.8.16.5 The Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come and elsewhere The great day is call'd the day of the Almighty God Sometimes also it is us'd to signifie the same thing in many words Pertinent to this place is that which is written Act. 2.20 Numb 11.23 â—â—nd 12.8 There is no word impossible with God Is the hand of the Lord weakend Thou canst doâ— whatsoever thou wilt There are many other expressions of the like kind In all which various forms of speech any one may easily perceiv the same to be understood which is comprehended in this single word Almighty Now by this Name of God we plainly perceiv XVI What the word Almighty signifies that there is nothing nay that we cannot so much as conceiv any thing in our mind or thought which God cannot bring to pass For he has power to do not those things only which fall under our apprehension tho they indeed are very great to wit to reduce all things into nothing and presently out of nothing again to make many worlds But he has power to do many mightier things than these and which our weak minds and understandings cannot conceive And yet tho God can do all things yet he cannot lye deceiv be deceiv'd or sin or be ignorant at all or perish for such things belong only to a Nature or Being whose actions are imperfect but we say God cannot do these things because his actions are always most perfect because to be able to do these things is a sign of weakness and not of that supreme and unlimited Power which God has We therefore so believ God to be Almighty that we abhor to think or imagine any thing of him which is not most agreeable to the most perfect Being The Curate may shew it was well and wisely done to omit other names of God in the Creed XVII Why in the Creed God is offerd to be believed Almighty and only to offer this one to us to believ For when we acknowledg God to be Almighty we must needs confess that he knows all things and that all things are subject to his Rule and Government And when we doubt not in the least of his Ability to do all things it must needs follow that we must allow all those other things which if he shou'd not have we cannot understand how he is Almighty Besides there is nothing so powerful to strengthen our Faith and Hope as to have this always settl'd in our mind that there is nothing which God cannot do For whatsoever we ought to believ tho it be great tho it be wonderful tho it exceeds the Order and Measure of things yet humane Reason easily and without any doubting yields and assents to it when once it owns that God is Almighty Yea rather by how much the greater those things are which the Oracles of God teach by so much the more readily does it account them to be believ'd And if any great good thing be promis'd and expected the mind is not discourag'd altho the thing it desires were too great But it chears and comforts it self often calling to remembrance that there is nothing which Almighty God cannot do With this Faith therefore we shou'd especially fortifie our selves XVIII The profitableness of Faith in God Almighty either when we are requir'd to do some wonderful works for the use and profit of our Neighbours or when we would beg any thing of God The one our Lord himself has taught us when reproving the Apostles for unbelief Matt. 17.20 he said If ye had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye might say to this Mountain remove from hence to another place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible to you But of the other S. James testifies Jam. 1.6 7. Let him says he ask in Faith nothing doubting For he that doubts is like a Wave of the Sea which is mov'd and carry'd about with the Wind let not that Man therefore think that he shall receiv any thing of the Lord. This Faith does moreover afford us many profits and advantages It first teaches us all humility and lowliness of mind 1 Pet 5.6 for so says the Prince of Apostles Be ye humbl'd under the Mighty hand of God It also teaches us not to fear where no fear is but to fear that One God in whose power both we and all that belongs to us is Luc. 12.5 for so says our Saviour I will shew you whom ye shall fear Fear ye him who after he has kill'd has power to cast into Hell This Faith serves us also both to know and celebrate the infinite benefits of God towards us for he that does but think that God is Almighty cannot be so ungrateful as not oft'n to cry out Luc. â— 49 He that is Mighty has done great things for me But now when in this Article we call the Father Almighty XIX In the Trinity there are not three Almight s. let no one be so far deceiv'd as to think that we so ascribe that name to him as tho it belong'd not to the Son and Holy Ghost also For as we say The Father is God the Son is
Bliss and Glory which they waited for they were in a kind of Torment But Christ our Lord descended not to suffer any more but to free the Saints and Righteous Men from the Misery and Trouble of that Imprisonment and to bestow upon them the Fruits of his Passion That therefore he went down to Hell was no lessening of his supream Dignity and Power These things being explain'd IX Why Christ went down to Hell it must be taught that Christ our Lord went down to Hell that after he had spoil'd the Devils he might lead those Holy Fathers and other pious persons being now freed from Prison with him to Heav'n which wonderfully and gloriously he has accomplish'd For immediatly the sight of him gave transcendant Light to the Captiv's and fill'd their souls with immense joy and gladness on whom he also bestow'd that most desir'd Bliss which consists in the Vision of God which done it is manifest what it was he promis'd the Thief in these words Luc. 23.43 This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice But of this deliverance of the Godly the Prophet Osee so long before propheci'd in this manner O death I will be thy death O Hell I will be thy destruction The Prophet Zachary signifi'd the same thing when he said Thou also by the blood of thy Testament hast sent them that are bound out of the lake wherein there is no water Lastly the same thing the Apostle expresses in these words Col. 2.15 in taking the spoils of principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself But that we may understand the force of this mystery the better X. Who are sav'd by the benefit of Christs Passion we ought often to call to remembrance that devout men not only who were born after the coming of our Lord but those who after Adam were before him or who hereafter shall be to the end of the World have and shall attain Salvation by the benefit of his Passion Wherefore before he dy'd and rose again the Gates of Heav'n were never open to any but the Souls of the Godly when they departed this life were either carry'd into Abraham's Bosome or as now it fares with them who have somewhat to be purg'd or satisfi'd were cleans'd by the fire of Purgatory There is besides XI Another Reason of Christ's going down to Hell Phil. 2.10 another Reason why Christ our Lord went down to Hell namely that he might there shew his Might and Power as he had done in Heav'n and Earth and that as every knee both of things in Heav'n and things in Earth bow'd at the name of him so also of things below and under the Earth At consideration whereof who is there who admires not and even stands not amaz'd at the immense bounty of God towards mankind who was willing not only to undergo the most bitter Death for us but also to go down to the very lowest parts of the Earth that he might carry with him the Souls so very dear to him which he thence victoriously bore away to bliss and happiness Now follows the other part of the Article XII The other Part of the Article concerning the Resurrection 2 Tim. 2.8 in explaining whereof how painful the Curat ought to be appears by those words of the Apostle Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ arose again from the dead For what he commanded Timothy it is not to be doubted but that it is also commanded to all others that have the Cure of Souls And this is the meaning of the Article After that Christ our Lord had giv'n up the Ghost on the Cross upon Friday at the ninth hour of the day and the same day at Even he was bury'd by his Disciples who by leav of Pilate the President laid the body of our Lord when they had tak'n it down from the Cross into a new Tomb in a Garden near at hand the third day after his death which was the Lords day early in the morning his soul was again join'd to his body and so he who was dead those three days arose again and return'd to life out of which he departed by death but by the word Resurrection we are not to understand only that Christ was rais'd from the dead which was a thing common to many others but that he rose again by his own power and vertue which was a singular thing and proper to Him alone For it is contrary to Nature XIV No man can naturally rise again from the dead 2 Cor. 13.4 nor was it even granted to any man to be able by his own power to rais'e himself from death to life but this belongs to the supream power of God only as we learn from those words of the Apostle Altho he was crucifi'd throw weakness yet he liv's by the power of God which seeing it was never separated from Christ's Body in the Sepulchre nor from his Soul when it went down into Hell his Divine Power was both in his Body so that it cou'd be joyn'd again to his Soul and in his Soul so that it cou'd again be brought back to his Body so that by his own power he might revive and rise again from the dead And this thing XV. The Resurrection soretold Psa 97.2 David being full of the Spirit of God foretold in these words His right hand and his Holy arm hath gott'n himself the victory And the Lord himself by the divine testimony of his own mouth has confirm'd it I lay down my life and I will take it up again Joh. 10.17 and I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again And also to the Jews for confirmation of his doctrin he said Joh. 2.19 Dissolve this temple and in three days I will raise it up again Which tho they indeed understood of that Temple magnificently built of Stones yet he as is declar'd in the same place by the words of Scripture Act. 1.24 spake of the Temple of his Body Now although we sometimes read in Scripture that Christ our Lord was raised by the Father this is to be understood of Christ as Man ev'n as those things again relate to himself as God whereby is signifi'd that he rose again by his own Power And this also belongs specially to Christ XVI Christ first rose from the dead Apoc. 1.5 1 Cor. 15.20 that He was the First who enjoy'd this divine benefit of the Resurrection For in Scripture he is called the First begotten among the dead and the First begotten of the dead And as the Apostle has it Christ arose again from the dead being the First-fruits of them that sleep for verily by Man came death and by Man came the Resurrection of the dead and as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive but every one in his own order Christ the First fruits and afterwards those that are Christ's Which
remission both of Sin and Punishment Trid. Sess 5. Can. 5. Aug. 12. de â—eccat Meâ—â— c. 28. when at our first profession of Faith we are cleans'd by Holy Baptism is so fully given us that nothing either of Sin whether contracted by Birth or Wilfully committed remains to be wip'd away or of Punishment to be endur'd But yet by the Grace of Baptism no one is wholly freed from the Infirmity of Nature But rather whereas every one ought to strive against the motions of Concupiscence which forbear not to provoke us to sin hardly can there be found any one who resists either so stoutly or guards his own safety so watchfully as to be able to shun all miscarriages Since therefore it was needful that in the Church there should be a power of Forgiving Sins IV. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven deliver'd to the Church Matt. 16.19 and also by some other way than by the Sacrament of Baptism the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were committed to her Trust whereby sins might be forgiven to every penitent person altho he had sinn'd to the last day of his Life Of this matter we have most clear Testimonies in Holy Scripture Matt. 18.18 For in S. Matthew the Lord says thus to Peter I will give thee the Keys of Heaven and whatsoever Thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven So also Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven And then S. John testifies That the Lord when he breath'd upon the Apostles said Joh. 20.23 Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins soever ye remit they are remitted to them and whose soever Sins ye retain they are retain'd Nor are we to think that this Power is restrained to some certain kinds of Sins For there is no Sin so heinous can be either committed or imagin'd for pardoning whereof the Holy Church has not a Power even as there is no one so vile and wicked to whom if he truly repent him of his Errors a certain hope of Pardon ought not to be offer'd But neither is this very Power so limited as that it may be us'd at some appointed Time only For at what hour soever a sinner will return to Health he is not to be rejected as our Savior has taught when to the Prince of Apostles asking him how oft we must pardon those that offend whether seven times he answered Matt. 18.11 Not to seven times only but even to seventy times seven But if we consider the Ministers of this Divine Power VI. This Power committed to the Bishops and Priests Trid. Sess 14. c. 6. Hieron Ep. 1 pâ—st med Amb de Can Abet c. 4. it will seem not so large For the Lord gave not the Power of this so Holy a Gift to All but only to the Bishops and Priests The same thing is to be believ'd as to the Way or Manner of exercising this Power For by the Sacraments only so that the Form of them be kept sins may be forgiven but otherwise there is no Power of absolving from sin given to the Church Whence it follows that as well the Priests as the Sacraments are as it were Instruments to the forgiveness of Sins by which Christ our Lord who is the very Author and giver of Salvation works in us Forgiveness of Sins and Righteousness But that the Faithful may with the deepest thankfulness lay hold of and embrace this heavenly Gift VII How great a Grace the Remission of Sins is which by the special Mercy of God is given to his Church Trid. Sess 6. c. 7. Sess 14. c. 1. and that they may come to the use and practice thereof with the more ardent study of Piety the Curat shall endeavour to evidence the dignity and largeness of this Grace and this may be seen chiefly from hence if he shall have well expounded of what efficacy it is that sins are forgiven and that unjust men are made just For it is manifest that this is done by the infinite and immense Power of God which we must needs believe to be the very same with that of raising up the Dead and creating of the World But if Aug Tract 72. in Joan. Aug. lib. 1. de pâ—ccat merit c. 23. lib. 50. Hom. 23. Amb. de Abel c. 4. as is confirm'd by that saying of S. Austin it be to be thought a harder work to make a wicked Man Good than to create Heaven and Earth out of nothing since that creation cannot be but by an Infinite Power it consequently follows That the Forgiveness of Sinners is much more to be attributed to an Infinite Power Wherefore we own that those sayings of the ancient Fathers are most true wherein they confess that Sins are pardon'd to Men by God only Nor is so wonderful a work to be referr'd to any other Author Isay 43. than to his supream Goodness and Power I am He says the Lord himself by the Prophet I am he that blot out your Iniquities For there seems to be the same Reason in the forgiving of Sins as ought to be observ'd in a Debt of Mony As therefore Mony which is owing cannot be forgiven by any but the Creditor so when we are bound to God only by reason of Sin for we dayly pray Forgive us our Debts it is manifest our Debts can be forgiven us by no body but by himself But this admirable and divine Gift VIII Christ first of all had the Power of forgiving Sins Matt. 9.6 Mar. 2.9 before God was made Man was never imparted to any created Nature Christ our Savior first of all as Man tho he was true God also received this Gift of his Heavenly Father That ye may know that the Son of Man has power on Earth to forgive Sins says he to the lame Man Rise take up thy Couch and go to thy own Home When therefore he was made Man that he might bestow this Forgiveness of Sins upon Men before he ascended up into Heaven there to sit forever at the right-hand of God he granted this Power to the Bishops and Priests in the Church Altho as before we said Christ forgives sins by his own Authority but all the rest only as his Ministers Wherefore if we ought to admire and receive those things chiefly which are done by an Infinite Power IX The Power of forgiving Sins the greatest of Christ's Gifts 1 Pet. 3.18 we may wel enough perceive that this Gift which by the bounty of Christ our Lord is given to his Church is the most precious Yea very Reason also will powerfully stir up the minds of the Faithful to contemplate the greatness of this benefit whereby God our most merciful Father has determin'd to blot out the Sins of the World For he was willing to expiate
S. Austin in his Disputations he wrote against the Donatists most clearly shews And if we require Testimonies of Scripture we may hear the very Apostle speaking in these Words I says he have planted and Apollo has water'd but God gave the Increase For neither is he that plants any thing nor he that waters But God that gives the increase Whence it may sufficiently be understood that as in planting of Trees the naughtiness of those that planted them is no hindrance to the Trees So there can no hurt light upon them by anothers fault who were planted in Christ by the Ministery of Bad Men. Wherefore as from S. John's Gospel our Holy Fathers have taught us Judas Iscariot baptiz'd many of whom nevertheless we read not that any were baptiz'd again so as S. Austin has excellently written Judas baptiz'd and yet after Judas none baptiz'd whom he baptiz'd John baptiz'd and yet after John's Baptism they were baptiz'd again because the Baptism given by Judas was Christs Baptism but the Baptism which John gave was his own And yet we rightly prefer not Judas before John but Christ's Baptism tho given by the hands of Judas before John's Baptism tho given by the hands of S. John himself Nor may the Pastors XXIV It is a great wickedness to administer the Sacraments with as evil Conscience Aug. in Joan. Tract 5. contra Cresc l 3. c. 6. D. Thom. p. 3. q. 93. art 4. or other Ministers of the Sacraments when they hear this think it enough taking no regard to the uprightness of their Manners and purity of their Consciences to take care only how rightly to minister the Sacraments for tho they ought to be very careful therein yet all those things which belong to that Function are not plac'd in this one thing But they ought always to remember That the Sacraments indeed never lose that Divine Vertue which is in them but yet that they bring eternal Death and ruine to those that minister them impurely For Holy things as once and again and oftentimes over and over we ought to admonish should be handled Holily Ps 49 16. Con Trid. ibid. Can. 6. and Religiously To the Sinner as the Prophet has it God has said Why dost thou declare my Righteousness and takest my Testament into thy Mouth whereas thou hatest Discipline Now if it be unlawful for a man polluted with sin to Treat only of Divine Matters How great wickedness must we needs judge him guilty of who being conscious to himself of many crimes is yet not afraid with his polluted mouth to make those Holy Mysteries or to take into his foul hands and handle and to reach them forth and minister them to others especially since it is written by S. Denys To the wicked the Symbols for so he calls the Sacraments it is not permitted so much as to touch them The Ministers of Holy things therefore S. Dyon de Eccles Hier. c. 1. are first of all to follow Holiness and come purely to minister the Sacraments and let them so exercise themselves in Piety that through the frequent handling and use of them by Gods help they may attain a greater plenty of Grace thereby And now these things being explain'd XXV The effects of the Sacraments it must be taught what the Effect of the Sacraments is for this seems likely to afford no small light to the Definition of the Sacraments before mention'd The principal of those Effects are reduc'd to Two And that Grace which of the Holy Doctors we have learn'd usually to call justifying XVI The first Justifying Grace common to all Eph. 25.26 deservedly takes the chief place for so the Apostle has most plainly taught when he said That Christ lov'd his Church and gave himself for her that he might sanctifie her cleansing her by the laver of water in the Word But by what means so great and admirable a thing is wrought by the Sacrament that as S. Austin says S. Aug. in Joan. Tract 80. The Water cleanses the Body and touches the Heart this verily connot be comprehended by human reason and understanding For it is certain that no sensible thing of its own nature is endu'd with such a Power as can penetrate to the Soul But by the Light of Faith we know that the Power of the Almighty God is in the Sacraments because they effect that which the natural things themselves by their own power cannot do Of this Efficacy of the Sacraments see Trid. Sess 7. Can. 6.7 8. De Sacram. Aug. Tract 26. in Joan. cont Faust c. 16. 17. in Psal 77. v. 15 16. Wherefore that there might never any distrust or doubt of this Effect XXVII The Receiving of Grace in the Sacraments why of old prov'd by Miracles arise in the minds of the Faithful When the Sacraments began to be administred it pleas'd the most merciful God by the evidence of Miracles to shew what the Sacraments inwardly effected that we might most constantly believe the same things to be always inwardly wrought tho they were far enough distant from our Senses Therefore to omit Aug l. quart Vet. Nov. Test q. 93. Mat. 3.16 Mar. 1.10 Luc. 3.22 that when our Savior was baptiz'd in Jordan the Heavens were open'd and the Holy Ghost appear'd in the shape of a Dove to admonish us that when at the Saving Font we are wash'd he pours his Grace into our Souls To pass by this I say for this belongs rather to the Signification of Baptism than to the Ministration of the Sacrament Do not we read that on the day of Pentecost when the Apostles receiv'd the Holy Ghost whereby they were thenceforth made more chearful and couragious to Preach the Truth of Faith and to undergo many hazards for the glory of Christ Act. 2.3 then a noise from Heaven being made all of the suddain as it were of a mighty rushing wind there appered cloven tongues like as of Fire Whence it is understood that in the Sacrament of Confirmation the same Spirit is given to us and the same strength bestow'd on us whereby we stoutly resist and encounter those irreconcileable Enemies to us to wit the Flesh the World and the Devil and these Miracles as oft as the Apostles minister'd those Sacraments in the infancy of the Church were for some time to be seen till the Faith being confirm'd and strengthen'd they began to cease From those things therefore which have bin shew'd concerning the former effect of the Sacraments XXVIII How great the Difference of the Sacraments of the Old and New Law is Aug. lib. 19. cont Fault c. 13. in Ps 83. Amb. lib. de Sacr. c. 4. Heb. 9.14 to wit Justifying Grace it plainly appears that there is in the Sacraments of the New Law a better and more excellent vertue than the Sacraments of the Old Law had which seeing they were weak and beggarly Elements did sanctifie the Polluted to the cleansing
call to mind how he has by solemn promise oblig'd himself to God when he was initiated in Baptism and will also consider with himself whether in his Life and Conversation he has behav'd himself in such a manner as the very Profession of Christianity obliges and undertakes That therefore what is to be taught III. What the Name Batism signifies Eight kinds of Baptism See Damass lib. 4. de fide Orthod 10 might be made the more intelligible it must be declar'd what the Nature and Substance of Baptism is after that the signification of the word Baptism shall have bin explain'd There is none who know not that Baptism is a Greek word which tho in Holy Scripture it signifies not only that Washing or Cleansing which is joyn'd with this Sacrament but even all other kinds of Washing yea and sometimes is extended to signifie Suffering also Yet among Church-Writers it signifies not every kind of Washing of the Body but that which is annext to the Sacrament and is not ministred without the prescrib'd Form of Words which signification the Apostles by the Institution of Christ frequently made use of Now the Holy Fathers made use of other names also to signifie the same thing For S. Austin testifies that it was call'd the Sacrament of Faith IV. By what other names the Sacrament of Baptism is call'd D. Aug. Epist 25. in sin Heb. 10.15 because they who receiv'd it made profession of the Faith or Belief of the whole Christian Religion Others call'd this Sacrament Illumination because the heart is illuminated by the Faith we profess in Baptism For thus says the Apostle Remember the former days wherein being illuminated ye underwent a great fight of sufferings to wit signifying when they were Baptiz'd Besides S. Chry. 10.5 Chrysostom in his Oration to those who were baptiz'd calls it both a Purgation whereby through Baptism we purge away the Old Leven that we may be a New Lump and a Burying and a Planting and Christ's Cross The reason of all which Names may be gather'd from the Epistle to the Romans And why S. Denys call'd it the Beginning of the most Holy Commandments S. Dionys de Eccl. Hier. c. 2. is evident seeing that this Sacrament is the Gate as it were through which we enter into the fellowship of Christian Life and from thenceforth begin to obey Gods commands and this will suffice briefly to be taught concerning the Name of Baptism Of the various Names of Baptism See Greg. Naz. Orat. in Sancta Lumina Clem. Alex. lib. 1. Paedag. c. 6. But as to the Definition of the Thing Tho there may many others be gather'd out of Sacred Writers V. The Definition of Baptism yet That seems more fit and suitable which we may learn from our Lords own words in S. John's Gospel and from the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And the Apostle when he spake of the Church Ephes 5.26 Cleansing her in the Laver of Water in the Word For through Adam by nature we are born the Children of Wrath but by Baptism we are born again in Christ the Children of Grace For he gave power to men to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.13 even to them that believe in his Name who are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the wiâ—l of man but of God But in what words soever the nature of Baptism chances to be explain'd VI. How the Sacrament of Baptism is made the people are to be taught That this Sacrament is made by Washing with which according to the institution of our Lord and Saviour must needs be us'd certain and solemn words as the Holy Fathers have always taught as is shew'd by the plain testimony of S. Austin The Word is added to the Element and so the Sacrament is made But the Faithful must be carefully taught An Error to be mark'd not to fall into that Error not to think as it is vulgarly us'd to be said that That Water which is kept in the Holy Font to make the Sacrament is the Sacrament For then only is it to be call'd the Sacrament of Baptism when in truth we use Water to wash any one adding those words which were instituted by our Lord. Of this see Chrysost hom 24. in Joan. Aug. l. 6. contra Donatist c. 25. Conc. Florent Trid. item August Tract 80. in Joan. Now because in the Beginning when we spake of Sacraments in general VII The Matter of Bap â—â—m is natural Water we said that every Sacrament consists of Matter and Form therefore what each of these is in the Sacrament of Baptism must be declar'd by the Pastors The Matter therefore or the Element of this Sacrament is any kind of natural Water whether of the Sea or the River or a Pond or a Well or a Fountain that is us'd to be call'd Water without any adjunct Joh 3.5 For our Savior has taught Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God â— h. 2.26 and the Apostle says That the Church was cleans'd by the Laver of Water And we read in the Epistle of S. John 1 Joh. 5.8 There are Three which bear record in Earth The Spirit the Water and the Bloodâ— this may be prov'd also from other testimonies of Holy Scipture But that which S. John the Baptist said Maâ— 3. that the Lord was coming that would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire this can by no means be understood of the Matter of Baptism but ought to be apply'd either to the inward working of the Holy Ghost or at least to the Miracle which appear'd on the day of Pentecost Act. 2.3 when the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven upon the Apostles in the likeness of Fire whereof in another place Christ our Lord foretold Act. 1.5 John indeed baptiz'd with Water but ye shall be baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost not many days hence But this we may observe from the Holy Scriptures to have bin signifi'd before-hand by the Lord VIII The Matter of Baptism figur'd in the Old Testament Gen. 6.5 2 Pet. 3.10 both in Figures and in the Oracles of the Prophets For the Flood whereby the World was cleans'd because the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and all the thoughts of his heart wholly set upon evil carri'd the Figure and Resemblance of This Water as the Prince of Apostles in his former Epistle shews And the Passage through the Red-Sea signifi'd this Water 1 Cor. 10.1 as S. Paul writing to the Corinthians expounds it 4 Reg 5.24 to omit the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian and the admirable virtue of the Pool of Bethsaiday Job 5.2 and many others of the like kind Wherein it plainly appears
no need to speak more in this place seeing any one may transfer hither matter enough pertinent to this point from what has bin spoken before when we treated of the Sacraments in general See Aug. lib. 6. contra Donatist c. 1. in Ep. Joan. Tract 5. Trident. Sess 7. But because from the Nature and Vertue of this Charater LV. Baptism not to be iterated and why it has bin defin'd by the Church that the Sacrament of Baptism is for no reason in the world to be iterated for this cause the Faithful should be admonish'd often and diligently by the Pastors that they suffer not themselves at any time to be led into error For this thing the Apostle has taught us Rom. 6.10 saying There is One Lord One Faith One Baptism And then when he exhorts the Romans that being dead with Christ by Baptism they beware that they lose not the life they had receiv'd from him when he says for in that Christ dy'd to sin be dy'd once he seems plainly to signifie This that as he cannot dye again so may not we dye again by Baptism Wherefore also Holy Church openly professes that she believes One Baptism Which that it is extreamly agreeable to the Nature and Reason of the thing is understood from hence that Baptism is a kind of Spiritual Regeneration or Birth As therefore by the power of Nature we are born and brought forth into the world Once only and as S. Austin says In Joan. Tract 11. The Birth of the Womb cannot be repeated So also is there only One Spiritual Birth nor is Baptism at any time ever to be repeated Of this matter see Trid. Sess 7. de Baptismo Can. 11. 12. item Concil Cartha Can. 1. Vien ut habetur in Clem. 1. lib. de Sum. Trinit D. August Tract 11. in Joan. Beda in cap. 3. Joan. Leo Magn. Ep. 37. 39. D. Thom. 3. p. q. 66. a 9. Nor let any one think that Baptism is iterated by the Church LVI Baptism not iterated when ministred with a Condition when she washes any one of whom it is uncertain whether he were before Baptiz'd using this Form of Words If thou art already Baptiz'd I Baptize thee not again but if thou art not yet Baptiz'd I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost For so Baptism is not to be said to be wickedly iterated but to be administer'd holily with the Adjunct In which case notwithstanding there are some things diligently to be heeded of the Pastors LVII How cautiously Baptism is to be administred with a Condition wherein almost daily offence is committed not without great wrong to this Sacrament For there are not wanting some that think that no sin can be admitted if altho without differencing they Baptize with this Adjunct Wherefore if an Infant be brought to them they think they ought to make no question whether it were Baptiz'd before and forthwith they proceed to give it Baptism but tho they are confident that that Sacrament had bin administer'd at home yet they doubt not to repeat with the Adjunct this Holy Washing in the Church Lib. 1. decretal tit de Baptism de quidam together with the Solemn Ceremony which yet without Sacriledge they cannot do and so bring upon themselves that blot which Sacred Writers call Irregularity For by authority of Pope Alexander That form of Baptism is permitted to them only of whom after diligent enquiry it remains doubtful whether they rightly receiv'd Baptism but otherwise it is never lawful to administer Baptism again no not even with the Adjunct Of the Irregularity here mention'd See Apostat rett Baptis c. Ex Literarum Consecr dist 4. cap. Eos qui l. 3. decretal de Baptismo ejus effectu c. de quibus But besides the other things which we obtain by Baptism LVIII The seventh Effect of Baptism The Opening of Heaven Beda in 3. c. Luc. Mat. 1.16 Mar. 2.10 3 â—a 3.21 This is as it were the Last whither all the rest seem to be referr'd to wit that it opens to every one of us the Gate of Heaven which before through sin was shut Now these things which by vertue of Baptism are wrought in us can in us perform plainly the same things which we read in the Gospel to have happn'd in the Baptism of our Savior For the Heavens were open'd and the Holy Ghost appear'd descending upon Christ our Lord in the likeness of a Dove Whereby is signifi'd to them that are baptiz'd that Divine Gifts are bestow'd on them and Heaven Gates open'd to them not indeed that so soon as they are Baptiz'd but at a more fit opportunity they may enter into that glory when being freed from all their miseries which in that blessed state can have no place for their mortal life they shall have Immortality And these truly are the Fruits of Baptism LIX Whence the inequality of Grace in Baptism which fruits as to the vertue of that Sacrament that they equally belong to all there can be no doubt But if we consider with what mind and affection every one comes to receive it it must needs be confess'd that one receives more and another less of this heavenly Grace and the other fruits of Baptism It remains now that we plainly and briefly explain LXX The Prayers Rites and Ceremonies of Baptism to be explain'd what is fit to be handl'd concerning the Prayers Rites and Ceremonies of this Sacrament For what the Apostle admonish'd concerning the gift of Tongues that it is unprofitable to speak what the Faithful understand not The same thing may be said concerning Rites and Ceremonies for they carry in them the Image and Signification of those things which are done in the Sacrament Now if the Faithful know not the meaning and vertue of those signs it will seem that the profit of those Ceremonies cannot be very great The Pastors therefore are to take pains to make the Faithful understand them and to assure themselves That tho they are not so exceeding necessary yet that they are to be much accounted of and had in great Honor. And this both the Authority of those that appointed them who without all dispute were he Holy Apostles and also the End for which they would have those Ceremonies us'd sufficiently teaches for so it is plain That the Sacrament is administer'd with the greater Devotion and Holiness and those excellent and transcendent Gifts which are contain'd therein are put before our Eyes as it were and Gods immense bounty the more impress'd upon the Souls of the Faithfulh Of these Rites see Dionys c. 2. de Eccl. Hier. Clem. Epist â— 3. Tertul lib. de Corona milit de Bapt. passim Origin hom 12 in num Cyp. Epist 70. item vide de consecr dist 4. But all the Ceremonies and Prayers which the Church uses in the administration of Baptism LXI The explication of
in S. John says Which I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World to wit calling the Bread his Flesh And a little after he subjoyns Vnless you shall eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye will not have Life in you And again My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed When therefore in so plain and clear words he call'd his Flesh Bread and true Meat and his Blood true Drink It might well seem sufficient do have declar'd That there remains no Substance of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament And that all the Holy Fathers Fourthly by the Authority and consent of Fathers Lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 4. c. 5. always agreed in this Doctrin He that is so minded may easily understand For thus writes S. Ambrose Thou saist perhaps my Bread is us'd But that Bread is Bread before the words of the Sacraments But when the Consecration is added of Bread it is made the Flesh of Christ Which that he might the better make appear he thereupon brings divers examples and Similitudes And elsewhere De Cons dist 2. c. omnia interpreting those words All things whatsoever the Lord pleas'd he has done in Heaven and in Earth For tho says he the Figure of Bread and Wine be seen yet after consecration nothing is to be believ'd to be there but the Flesh and Blood of Christ The same sense St. Hilary has taught and almost in the same words Altho outwardly Bread and Wine appear yet there is truly the Body and Blood of the Lord. Hil. de Trin. l. 8. de Consec dist 2. c. 28. But let the Pastors admonish XXXVIII Why after the Consecration of of the Eucharist it is call'd Bread That in this place it is not to be wonder'd at if even after Consecration it be call'd Bread For the Eucharist is us'd to be call'd by this name both because it has the species or Resemblance of Bread and also because it still retains the natural vertue of feeding and nourishing the Body which is proper to Bread Now that it is the usual manner of the Holy Scripture to call things as they appear to be that plainly shews which is written in Genesis Gen. 18.2 Act. 1.10 That three Men appear'd to Abraham which yet were truly three Angels And those Two that appear'd to the Apostles at the Ascension of Christ our Lord into Heaven tho they were Angels yet are they call'd Men. See D. Thom. 3. p. q. 75. art 3 4. The explication of this Article is altogether extream difficult XXXIX How cautiously the Conversion which is in the Eucharist is to be explain'd to the people but yet the Pastors shall endeavor to instruct those who are more skill'd in the the Contemplation of Divine Matters for it may be fear'd that those who are yet more weak may be oppress'd with the Greatness of the thing they shall endeavor I say to teach the Manner of this admirable Conversion which is so done that the whole Substance of the Bread and Wine by the divine power is chang'd into the whole Substance of Christ's Body and the whole Substance of the Wine into the whole Substance of Christ's Blood and this without any change of our Lord. For Christ is neither begotten anew nor chang'd nor increases but remains whole in his own Substance Which Mystery when St. Ambrose had declar'd D. Amb. lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 4. Thou seest says he how operative Christ's Word is If therefore there be so great a power in the Word of the Lord Jesus that those things began to be which were not to wit the World how much more operative is it to make those things to be which were before and to change them into another thing According to which sense other very grave and antient Father have written Citatur de Consec dist 2 c. Nos Autem Lib. 4. de Orthod fid c. 14. St. Austin thus We faithfully confess that before Consecration it is Bread and Wine which Nature has form'd but after Consecration it is the Body and Blood of Christ which the Blessing has consecrated Damascen The Body according to Truth is join'd to the Divinity that Body which came of the Holy Virgin Not that that Body which he took comes down from Heaven but that this Bread and Wine are chang'd into the Body and Blood of Christ This admirable Change therefore is conveniently and properly call'd by the Catholic Church Transubstantiation XL. This Conversion call'd Transubstantiation as the sacred Council of Trent has taught For as the Natural Generation when the Form is chang'd in it may rightly and properly be call'd a Transformation so also because in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the whole Substance of One thing passes into the whole substance of another thing the word Transubstantiation was rightly and wisely invented by our Forefathers See Trid. sess 13. c. 4. de can de Consec dist 2. cap. Panis But the Faithful are to be admonish'd LXI We are not too narrowly to enquire into Transubstantiation that tho' this be very often repeated by the Holy Fathers yet that they enquire not too curiously by what means this Change is wrought for neither can it be perceiv'd by us neither have we any example of this matter in natural Changes or in the very Creation of things But whatsoever is here done it is to be known by Faith but how it is done must not too curiously be search'd into The Pastors ought also to give them no less a Caution in explaining that Mystery how the Body of Chritt our Lord is contain'd whole in the least particle of Bread XLII The whole Body of Christ contain'd in the smallest particle for scarce ever are there any disputations of this kind to be allow'd but yet when Christian Charity requires it let them first of all remember to fore-arm the minds of Faithful with this word Luke 1.37 There is no word impossible with God Vide D. Thom. 3. p. q. 76. Trid. sess 13. c. 5. can 3. Florentin Decret Eugenii And then let them teach XLIII After what manner Christ is in the Eucharist it is not in the Sacrament as in a Place for Place belongs to those things that have Magnitude But we say not that Christ is in the Sacrament after that manner as he is Great or Little because that belongs to Quantity but as he is a Substance For the Substance of Bread is chang'd into the Substance of Christ not into Magnitude or Quantity But no one doubts that a Substance is equally contain'd in a Little as in a Great space For it must needs be that the Substance of the Air and its whole Nature is the same in a little as in a great part of the Air so also the whole Nature of Water is no less in a little Pitcher than in a River When the Lords Body succeeds
ask'd thus of God Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle The Holy Spirit answers He that speaks the Truth from his Heart and has us'd no Deceit in his Tongue There is in a Lye this further very great Disadvantage Eighthly That this Disease of the Mind is almost incurable For when a Sin is committed by falsly laying a Crime to any ones Charge XXXI How a Lye is incurable or by slandering his Fame or Reputation it cannot be pardon'd unless the Slanderer satisfie the Person whom he slander'd for the wrong he did him But this is very hard to be done as we learn'd before by Men deterr'd with vain shame and a certain Opinion of their Dignity So that there is no doubt that he is destin'd to the eternal Punishments of the Damned who remains in this Sin Nor may any one hope to obtain Pardon for his Calumnies or Slanders Let Slanderers observe this unless he first satisfie him whose Worth and Credit he has wrong'd either publicly in Judgment or in private and familiar Conversation Besides this Damage spreads it self very wide XXXII How great hurt comes of Lying and falls upon others whereby thro Vanity and Lyes Faith and Truth which are the straitest Bands of human Society are taken away and these being once gone Life's greatest Confusion follows so that Men seem to differ nothing at all from Devils The Curat shall further teach XXXIII Pratling discommended That Pratling is to be avoided by shunning whereof both other Sins will be escaped and also great Security against Lying from which Vice Pratlers cannot easily restrain themselves Lastly XXXIV The first Excuse of a Lye to be rejected the Curat shall take away that Error from them that excuse themselves for vain Babling and defend their Lyes by the Example of Wise-men whose part it is say they to lye in season He shall tell them what is most true That the Wisdom of the flesh is Death He shall exhort his Hearers in their Difficulties and Streights to trust in God Note and not to fly to the Artifice of Lying For those that use a cover plainly declare That they put more Confidence in their own Prudence than in God's Providence Those that charge others with the cause of their Lyes The second Excuse null by whom they were deceiv'd by Lyes are to be taught That it is not lawful for Men to revenge themselves and that Evil is not to be recompens'd with Evil Rom. 12.17 but rather That Evil is to be overcome with Good But if it were meet to make such a Return yet this could not be profitable to any one to be reveng'd to his own loss but this would be the greatest Damage which we do by telling a Lye To those that bring in the Frailty and Weakness of human Nature The third Excuse vain this Precept of Duty shall be taught to wit To implore Gods help and not to yield to human Infirmity Those that alledge Custom The fourth Excuse foolish are to be admonish'd if they have bin us'd to Lye that they endeavour to take the contrary custom of speaking Truth and especially seeing that they that Sin by Use and Custom sin more grievously than others And because there are some that cover themselves with the excuse of other Men The fifth Excuse ridiculous whom they say do commonly lye and forswear themselves they are to be drawn from this Opinion by this means that ill Men are not to be imitated but to be reprov'd and corrected but when we our selves lye our Admonition will have less Authority in reproving and correcting of another As for others thus defending themselves The Sixth Excuse evil that by speaking Truth Men oftentimes have brought Inconvenience on themselves or others the Priests shall deal thus with them That this is an Excuse not a Defence Since it is the Duty of a Christian to suffer any Loss rather than to Lye There remains two sorts of those that excuse themselves in Lyes The one is of those that say Two other Excuses to be remov'd they tell Lyes for Mirth's sake the other is of those that do it for Advantage sake because they can neither buy nor sell without the Use of Lyes Both these sorts the Curat ought to turn from their Error And the former of them he shall draw from this Vice both by teaching how much the Use of Lying increases the Practice in that kind of Sin and by often inculcating Matth. 12.26 that Of every idle word an account is to be given But the last sort he shall chide more sharply in whose very Excuse there is their greater Accusation that make their boast that they give no Credit or Authority to those Words of God Seek first the kingdom of God and the justice thereof and all these things shall be added to you The Ninth and Tenth COMMANDMENTS of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbors House Nor shalt thou desire thy Neighbors Wife nor his Servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is his IN these two Commandments I. The force and extent of these Commandments which are delivered in the last place we are to know first of all that the same Order in a manner is followed as was observed in the other Commandments For that which is here appointed in these words tends hither That if any one be careful to keep the former Commandments of the Law let him chiefly do this let him not covet because he that does not covet being content with that that is his own seeks not what is anothers rejoyces at other Mens welfare he will give Glory to the immortal God and will offer him the greatest Thanks will honor the Sabbath i. e. he will enjoy a perpetual rest and he will reverence his Betters Lastly he will hurt no body either in Deed or in Word or any other way For the root and seed of all Evils is evil Concupiscence wherewith those that are inflam'd are carried headlong into every kind of Wickedness and Mischief Vide Aug. lib. 1. Retract c. 15. Epist 200. lib. 9. de Civit. Dei c. 4 5. These things being observ'd Note the Curat will be more diligent in teaching that which follows and the Faithful will be more attentive to hear it But tho we have therefore joyn'd these two Commandments together II. Why these two Commandments here deliver'd together because since the Argument of them is not unlike they have the same way of teaching yet the Curat in exhorting and admonishing may handle them either together or apart as he shall think more convenient But if he undertake the Office of Interpreting the Decalogue or Ten Commandments he shall shew what the Dissimilitude of these Two Commandments is and how the one Concupiscence or Covetousness differs from the other which difference S. Austin declares in his Book of Questions upon Exodus Quaest 77.
God and the Holy Ghost is God and yet they are not Three Gods but One God So we confess that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are equally Almighty and yet that there are not Three Almighties but One Almighty But as for a kind of special reason we call the Father because he is the Fountain of all beginning by this name and as we attribute to the Son who is the eternal Word of the Father Wisdom so we ascribe Goodness to the Holy Ghost because he is the Love of them Both Altho according to the Rule of the Catholic Faith these and such like names may well be given in common to all the three Persons Maker of Heav'n and Earth How necessary it is to instruct the Faithful about Gods Almighty Power will plainly appear from what is now to be spoken of the Creation of all things For the miracle of so great a work is more easie to be believ'd XX. Out of what how and when God made the World because there is no room left to doubt of the Infinite Power of the Creator For God made not the world out of any matter but created it out of Nothing and that not throw any powerful constraint or necessity but purely of his own free will and accord Nor was there any other cause which mov'd him to this work of Creation but only that he might impart his own goodness to those things which shou'd be made by him For the Nature or Being of God being most perfectly happy in it self stood not in need of any thing As David confesses Ps â—â— I said to the Lord Thou art my God for thou hast no need of my Goods Now as being led by his own goodness he did whatsoever he pleas'd So when he made all things he had no Form or Pattern which was without himself to go by but because in his divine Wisdom was contein'd the Pattern of all things this Pattern I say the great Creator beholding in himself and imitating as it were by his supream Wisdom and Infinite Power which are proper to him alone he produc'd the whole universe of things in the beginning For he spake the Word and they were made Ps 148.5 he commanded and they were created But then under the Name of Heav'n and Earth must be understood whatsoever the whole Heaven and Earth conteins For besides the Heav'ns which the Prophet calls the work of his Fingers Ps 8.3 He added moreover over the brightness of the Sun and of the Moon and the furniture of the other Stars and appointed them to be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years and has so dispos'd the heavenly Orbs in a certain and constant course that there is nothing can seem more swift in their perpetual running round and yet nothing can be more certain and regular than their motion Furthermore The Angels created and in what state he created out of nothing the Spiritual Nature and innumerable Angels to serv and wait upon him and these he adorned and beautifi'd with the admirable gift of his Grace and Power For seeing it is written in Holy Scripture Joh. 8. That the Devil kept not his first estate it is plain that he and the rest of the fallen Angels in the beginning and at their creation were endu'd with his Grace of whom S. Augustin writes thus He created the Angels Aug lib. 12. de Civit. Dei c. 9. with a good will that is with a pure Love whereby they cleav'd close to him at once giving them Being and bestowing Grace on them Whence it is that we can never believ the Angels themselves to have bin holy without a good will i. e. without the Love of God But then as concerning their Knowledge we have this Testimony in the holy Scripture 2 Reg. 14 20 Thou O my Lord the King art wise having Wisdom as an Angel of God to know all things on the Earth Lastly Holy David ascribes Power to them in these Words Ps â—â—2 29 Mighty in Power fulfilling his Word and for this Reason they are often call'd in Holy Scripture the Powers and the Hosts of the Lord. But altho they were thus adorn'd with all celestial Gifts yet many of them who fell from God their Creator and Father were thrown down from those most glorious Mansions and shut up in the dismal Dugeons and Prisons of the Earth there to suffer ever lasting Punishment for their Pride Of whom the Prince of the Apostles writes in this manner 2 Pet. 2.4 He spar'd not the Angels that sinn'd but casting them down headlong to Hell he deliver'd them to be there tormented and to be resâ—rv'd for the Judgment God also by his Word commanded that the Foundation of the Earth should be made fast XXI The Earth established and adorned Ps 103.5.9 and to stand in the middle of the World causing the Mountains to rise up and the Fields and Valleys to sink down to the places which he had appointed for them and that the Waters shou'd not overflow the Earth he appointed them their bounds which they may not pass nor turn again to cover the Earth And then he not only adorn'd and cloth'd it with Trees and all the various kinds of Herbs and Flowers but he replenish'd it with all kinds of living Creatures even as before he had fill'd the Air and Waters Lastly XXII How Man was qualified in the Creation He form'd Man who was so made and constituted of the Slime of the Earth that he was immortal and impassible yet not by the strength of Nature but by the divine Bounty But then as to his Soul he form'd him after his own Image and likeness and gave him a Freedom of Will and so temperd all the Motions and Appetites of his Mind in him that they shou'd never disobey the government of his Reason He added also the admirable Gift of Original Righteousness and gave him Rule over all the other Creatures Which things it will be very easie for the Curates to learn out of the sacred History of Genesis for the instruction of the Faithful These things therefore we are to know concerning the Creation of all things XXIII God the Creator of all Psal 88. â—â— of Heav'n and Earth all which the Prophet has briefly comprehended in these Words The Heav'ns are thine the Earth also is thine thou hast laid the foundations of the World and all that is therein But the Fathers of the Council of Nice have much more briefly signifi'd the same by those two Words added in their Creed Of all things Visible and Invisible For whatsoever things have Being in the World or were created by God either fall under Sense and are call'd Visible or else we may conceiv them with the Mind or Understanding and these are signifi'd by the Word Invisible Nor may we believ that God so created and made all things XXIV God the Preserver and Governour of all
I say that we devote and consecrate our selv's forever to our Lord and Redeemer no otherwise than as his meanest Servants And indeed when we were receiv'd into Baptism XX. In Baptism we are devoted to Christ we did before the Church Doors solemnly promise that we wou'd do so For we declar'd that we renounc'd the Devil and the World and gave up our selv's wholly to Christ Jesus But if to be enroll'd in the Christian Camp we devoted our selves with so Holy and Religious a Prosession what punishment shall we deserv if after our entrance into the Church and have known the Will and Law of God if after we have receiv'd the Grace of his Sacraments we shall lead our Lives after the Rules and Commandments of the World and the Devil as if when we were wash'd in Baptism we had giv'n up our Names to the World and the Devil and not to Christ our Lord and Redeemer But what Heart is there which so great a Propensity so great kindness and good Will of so great a Lord toward us cannot enflame with ardent Love to him who tho he has us in his power and dominion as Servants bought with his own Blood yet embraces us with such Love that he calls us not his Servants Joh. 15.14 14. but his Friends yea his Brethren This verily is a most just cause and I know not whether it be not the greatest why we ought always to own and reverence and worship him as our Lord. ARTICLE III. WHo was Conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary That God bestow'd a fingular Blefling upon Mankind I. How great Gods Bounty towards us when he restor'd us to liberty from the slavery of the most cruel Tyrant the Faithful may perceiv by those things which have been already spoken in the former Article but then if we lay before our Eyes the counsel and way by which chiefly he wou'd accomplish this Verily there is nothing can possibly shine more glorious and magnificent than the Bounty and goodness of God towards us The greatness of this Mystery therefore II. The sense of this Article which the Holy Scripture proposes to us to consider as the chief point of our Salvation the Curat may begin to shew in the explaining this Third Article the meaning whereof he may teach to be this That we believ and confess that this very Jesus Christ our ohly Lord Matt. 1.23 Joh. 1.36 the Son of God when for our sakes he took upon himself Humane Flesh in the Womb of the Virgin was not as other Men conceiv'd of the Seed of Man but beyond all order of Nature was conceiv'd by the power of the Holy Ghost so that the same person remaining God which he was from all Eternity became Man which before he was not That these Words are so to be understood does plainly appear by confession of the Holy Council of Constantinople for thus it says Who for us Men and for our Salvation came down from Heav'n and was Incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man And this S. John the Evangelist has also explain'd as being he who drew the Knowledg of this most profound Mystery out of the Bosome of our very Lord and Saviour himself For when he had declar'd the Nature of the Divine Word in these Words In the beginning was the Word Joh. 1.1 and the Word was with God and the Word was God At last he concludes and the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us For the Word which was a Person of the Divine Nature did so take upon him the Humane Nature that the Hypostasis or Person both of the Divine and Human Nature was but one and the same whereby it came to pass that so admirable a Conjunction preserv'd the Actions and Properties of both Natures and as that great and holy Pope Leo has it Serm. 1. de Nat. That neither did the Glory of the Superior or Divine destroy the Inferior or Humane nor the assuming the Inferior diminish or lessen the Superior But because the Explication of Words ought not to be omitted It is requisite that the Curat teach IV. What works of God are attributed to the whole Trinity That when we say That the Son of God was conceiv'd by the Power of the Holy Ghost this one Person of the Divine Trinity did not make the Mystery of the Incarnation For tho the Son only took the Humane Nature upon him yet all the Persons of the Holy Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost were Authors of this Mystery for we must hold this Rule in our Christian Faith That all those things which God does extrà se without himself in the Creatures are common to all the Three Persons nor does one act more than another or one without another But that one One person proceeds from another V. And what to the several Persons this cannot be common to all for the Son is begotten of the Father alone the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son But whatsoever extra illas without them comes from or is done by them the whole three Persons without any difference do it and of this kind we are to believ the Incarnation of the Son of God to be Now tho these things are thus VI. Why Christ is said to be conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost yet the Holy Scripture is us'd to attribute to any one of the Three Persons those things which are common to all the Three Persons for example It ascribes the Power of all things to the Father Wisdom to the Son Love to the Holy Ghost And because the Mystery of the Incarnation of God does manifest the special and infinite Good Will of God toward us for this Reason therefore is this work attributed to the Holy Ghost In this Mystery we are to observ VII The Mystery of Christs Conception declar'd That there are many things done beyond the Order of Nature and some again by the Power of Nature For in that we believ the Body of Christ to be made of the most pure Blood of his Virgin-Mother we therein acknowledg his Human Nature it being common to the Bodies of all Men to be form'd of the Blood of the Mother But that which surpasses both the Order of Nature and the reach of Human Understanding is this That as soon as the Blessed Virgin consenting to the Words of the Angel Luc. 1.38 had said Behold the Hand-maid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word immediately the most holy Body of Chrift was form'd and a Reasonable or Human Soul joyn'd with it and so in that very moment of time he became perfect God and perfect Man Now that this was the strange and wonderful work of the Holy Ghost there is no one can doubt since by the Order of Nature no Body can be inform'd by or receiv a Humane Soul but at the limited term of time
his Right-hand in the Heavens far above all Principality and Power and Vertue and Domination and every Name that is Named not only in this World but in the World to come And has subjected all things under his Feet From which Words it appears That this Glory is so proper and peculiar to our Lord that it is not agreeable to any other created Being And therefore in another place it is said To which of the Angels has he at any time said Sit thou at my Right-hand But the Curat prosecuting the History of the Ascension VI. All Mysterys â—o â—e â—eâ—eâ—â—â—â— to the Aâ—câ—nsion Act. 1. shall more fully explain the sense of this Article which History S. Luke the Evangelist describes after a wonderful manner in the Acts of the Apostles In explaining whereof it is necessary chiefly to observe this That all other Mysteries have relation to the Ascension as to their end and that the perfection and completion of all the rest is contained in This For as all the Mysteries of our Religion have their beginning from the Incarnation or our Lord so in his Ascension their progress is concluded Furthermore VII The â—â—â—t of Christ Life compar'd with his Ascension The other Heads of the Creed which belong to Christ our Lord shew his exceeding Humility and Lowliness Nor can there any thing be conceiv'd more abject and mean than that the Son of God for our sakes should take upon him the nature and weakness of Man and be willing to suffer and dye for us But then as in the former Article we confess that he rose again from the dead but is now ascended up into Heaven and sits at the Right-hand of God the Father there can nothing be spoken more magnificently and wonderfully towards the declaring of his supream Glory and Divine Majesty These things being already explain'd VIII The causes of his Ascension First we must diligently teach for what Reason Christ our Lord ascended up into Heaven For First he ascended for this Reason because in this earthly and obscure habitation there could be no place suitable to his Body which in his Resurrection was adorn'd with the glory of Immortality None but the most high and glorious dwelling of Heaven could be suitable to him Nor did he ascend only to pssess the Throne of his Glory and Kingdom which he merited with his Blood Second but also to take care of those things which concern'd our Salvation Besides Third Joh. 18.36 He ascended to evidence in truth that his Kingdom is not of this World For the Kingdoms of the World are Earthly and Flitting and are establish'd by much Wealth and by Carnal Power But the Kingdom of Christ is not Earthly as the Jews expected but Spiritual and Eternal his Riches also are Spiritual Riches as he shews when he plac'd his Seat in Heaven in which Kingdom they verily are to be accounted more rich and flowing with plenty of all good things who diligently seek those things which are of God For St. James testifies Jam. 2.5 that God has chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which God has promis'd to them that love him And this our Lord Fourth ascending up into Heaven was desirous to effect that we with our mind and desires might follow him ascending thither For as by his Death and Resurrection he left us an example of Dying and Rising again in Spirit So by his Ascension he instructs and teaches us that tho we are confin'd on Earth yet that in Thought and Desire we raise our selves up to Heaven Heb. 11.63 Confessng that we are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth Eph. 2.19 and that we are citizens of the saints and domestics of God seeking our own country For Phil. 3.20 as the same Apostle says our conversation is in heaven Divine David IX The advantages of Christ's Ascension Ps 67.19 Eph. 2.8 First as the Apostle interprets him long before sang of the force and greatness of those unutterable good things which the Love of God has shed upon us in these words He ascended up on high he led captivity captive he gave gifts to men for in the tenth day after he gave his Holy Spirit by whose power and plenty he fill'd the whole multitude of the faithful then present And he truly fulfill'd those so large promises of his Second Joh. 16.8 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Paraclet or Comforter will not come to you but if go I will send him to you And according to the sentence of the Apostle Third he ascended into Heav'n that he might now appear before God on our behalf to discharge the Office of Advocate with the Father Heb. 9.24 My little children 1 Joh. 2. says St. John these things write I to you that ye sin not but if any man sin we have an Anvocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sins Nor is there any thing whence the faithful shou'd take more comfort and refreshing of mind than that Jesus Christ takes our part and prays the Father for our salvation who has the greatest favour and regard with the Eternal Father Lastly Fourth He has prepar'd a place for us Joh. 14.2 which also he promis'd he wou'd do and as our Head in the name of us all Jesus Christ has tak'n possession of the glory of Heav'n For at his going to Heav'n Fifth he open'd those Gates which by Adam's sin were barr'd up and has clear'd us a Way by which we may come to Celestial happiness as in his Supper he foretold his Disciples he wou'd do which that the event of the matter might plainly prove it he carri'd with him into the regions of eternal happiness the souls of the pious which he had fetch'd out of Hell This blessed rank of Advantages follow'd upon that wonderful plenty of heav'nly gifts For first here is happen'd deservedly a great advantage to our Faith X Other Benefits of the Ascension First for Faith is conversant about those things which we cannot see and which are far beyond the reason and understanding of men If therefore the Lord had not gone away the Merit of our Faith had been much lessen'd Joh. 10.24 For they are said of Christ our Lord to be bless'd who have not seen and yet have believ'd Moreover Christ's Ascension into Heav'n has a mighty influence to confirm Hope in our Hearts Second for since we believe that Christ as Man went up into Heav'n and has plac'd the Human Nature at the Right Hand of God the Father we conceive a strong Hope that there will be a time when We also that are his Members shall ascend thither and be there joyn'd with our Head which thing our Lord himself testifies in these words Joh. 17.29 Father I will that those also
has therefore a proper name and is call'd Son because his eternal Birth of the Father is properly call'd Generation as has bin explain'd in the former Article As therefore that Birth is signify'd by the name os Generation So that Person which flows we properly call Son and him from whom he flows we properly call Father Now whereas there is no proper name giv'n to the production of the Third Person but is call'd Spiration and Procession it follows That the Person also which is produc'd want his own proper name Now his Emanation has no proper name because we are forc'd to borrow from creat'd things those Names which are giv'n to God Wherein because we know no other way of communicating of Nature and Being but by vertue of Generation for this cause it is that we cannot express by any proper word the way whereby God communicates his whole self by vertue of his Love Wherefore the Third Person is call'd by the common name of Holy Spirit which verily we understand very well to suit with him from hence because he pours spiritual Life into us and without the inspiration of his most Holy Deity we can do nothing worthy of eternal Life And now the signification of the Name being explain'd IV. The Holy Ghost prov'd God equal with the Father and Son the people are first of all to be taught That the Holy Ghost is equally God with the Father and the Son that he is equal with him equally Almighty Eternal and of infinite Perfection the supreme Good and most Wise and of the and same Nature with the Father and the Son Which also the propriety of the word In sufficiently shews First when we say I believe in the Holy Ghost which is fitted to express the force of our Faith in the several persons of the Trinity And this also is confirm'd by plain Testimonies of Holy Scripture Secondly for when S. Peter in the Acts of the Apostles had said Act. 5. Ananias why has Satan tempted thy Heart to lye to the Holy Ghost he presently says Thou hast not ly'd to Men but to God Whom before he call'd Holy Ghost the same he presently after calls God And the Apostle to the Corinthians interprets him to be the Holy Ghost Thirdly 1 Cor. 12.6 whom he had call'd God There are says he divisions of operations but the same God which works all in all and then he subjoyns But all these things works that One and the selfsame Spirit dividing to every one severally as he will Besides in the Acts of the Apostles Fourâ—hly that which the Prophets attribute to God only he ascribes to the Holy Ghost For Esayah had said Isay 6.8 I heard the voice of the Lord saying Whom shall I send and he said to me Go thou and say to this people Harden the heart of this people and make heavy their ears and close up their eyes lest haply they see with their eyes and bear with their ears Which words when the Apostle had cited Act. 28.25 Well says he did the Holy Ghost speak by Esayas the Prophet And then Fifthly when the Scripture joyns the Person of the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Son that when he commands That the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost should be mention'd in Baptism there is no room left us to doubt of the Truth of this Mystery For if the Father be God and the Son God we must be forc'd to confess that the Holy Ghost who is joyn'd with them in the same Degree of Honour is God also And this may be added Sixthly That he who is baptiz'd in the name of any created thing can reap no fruit thereby Were ye 1 Cor. 13. says he baptiz'd in the name of Paul to shew that this cou'd profit them nothing to the attaining Salvation When therefore we are baptiz'd in the name of the Holy Ghost we must needs confess that he is God And we may observe this order of the Three Persons in S. John's Epistle also Seventhly whereby is prov'd the Divinity of the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.7 There are Three which bear record in Heav'n the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. And also in that famous Elogy or Hymn or Praise of the Holy Trinity wherewith the Divine Lands and Psalms are concluded Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Lastly Eighthly And which most of all belongs to the confirmation of this Truth whatsoever we believe to be proper to God the same the Holy Scriptures testifie to agree to the Holy Ghost And therefore they attribute to him the honour of Temples 1 Cor. 6.19 2 Thess 2.13 Joh. 6.63 2 Cor. 3.6 2 Cor. 2.10 As when the Apostle says Know ye not that your Members are the Temple of the Holy Ghost so also Sanctification and Vivification or quick'ning and to search into the Depths of God And to speak by the Prophets and to be every where All which things are to be attributed only to the Divine Deity And this moreover is carefully to be explain'd V. The Holy Ghost a distinct person from the Father and the Son That the Holy Ghost is God so as that we must confess him to be the Third Person in the Divine Nature distinct from the Father and the Son and produc'd by their Will For to omit other Testimonies of Scripture the Form of Baptism which our Savior has taught most plainly shews Matt. 28.19 That the Holy Ghost is the Third Person which in the Divine Nature stands of it self and is distinct from the rest Which also the words of the Apostle declare when he says 1 Cor. 13.15 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communication of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen The same thing but much more plainly do those things evidence which the Fathers in the first council of Constantinople have added in this place to confute the impious madness of Macedonius And in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of Life who proceeds from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is worshipp'd and glorified Who spake by the Prophets That therefore they confess the Holy Ghost to be Lord they declare in this how much he excels the Angels which yet are most noble Spirits created of God For S. Paul witnesses That they all are ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 sent forth to minister for them who receive the Inheritance of Salvation And they call him the Giver of Life VI. Why the Holy Ghost call'd the Giver of life because the Soul being joyn'd with God does more truly live than the Body when it is nourish'd and sustain'd by conjunction with the Soul And because the Holy Scriptures attribute to the Holy Ghost this Conjunction of the Soul with God it appears plainly that he is most
under these words II. What the Discipline of this Article is which in this place are us'd to declare our Happiness very many Mysteries lye closely hid they are so to be open'd that according to every mans capacity they may be clear'd The Faithful therefore are to be admonish'd That in these words Life Everlasting is signifi'd as well that Blessedness which satisfies the desire of the Bless'd as the Perpetuity of Life which the Devils and Wicked Men shall 1 also have Luc. 18.27 Matt 19.29 25.46 Aug. de Civ Dei l. 19. c 11 and so that Lawyer conceiv'd who in the Gospel asked of our Lord and Savior What he should do to possess everlasting Life as if he had said What must I do that I may come to that place where I may enjoy perfect felicity In this sense the Holy Scripture understands these words as may be gather'd from many places But by This name especially that most excellent Blessedness is call'd lest any one should think that it consists in corporeal and transitory things which cannot be Everlasting For neither could this word Blessedness sufficiently express what was design'd especially seeing there have not been wanting Men puffed up with an opinion of a vain kind of Wisdom who have plac'd the Chiefest Good in those things which are perceiv'd by the Senses For these things perish and grow old But Blessedness is to be limited by no term of Time yea rather these earthly things are farthest from true Happiness from which he is gone far away who is held with the Love and Desire of the World for it is written 1 Joh. 2.15 ibid. 17. 1 Pet. 2.11 Love not the World nor the Things of the World if any one love the World the Love of the Father is not in him And a little after The World passes away and the Concupiscence thereof These things therefore the Curats shall take diligent care to impress upon the minds of the Faithful that they may resolve to despise mortal things and know that in This life where we are not Citizens but Strangers they can have no Happiness Tho here also we may rightly be said to be Happy in Hope Tit. 2.13 If denying Vngodliness and worldly Desires we live soberly justly and godly in this World waiting for that blessed Hope and the coming of the Glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ These things when many who seem'd very wise understood not and thought that in This Life Happiness was to be sought they became Fools Rom. 1.2 and fell into the greatest Calamities But besides IV. Bliss must needs be Everlasting by Vertue of these words The Life Everlasting we perceive that Happiness once gotten can never be lost as some falsely have suppos'd for Happiness is made up of all kinds of Good without any mixture of evil Which seeing it satisfies the desire of Man it must necessarily consist in Eternal Life For neither can a Bless'd Man chuse but greatly desire forever to enjoy those good things which he has gotten Wherefore unless that Possession be sure and settl'd it must needs be troubl'd with an exceeding torment of Fear See S. Austin de Civit Dei lib. 12. c. 20. lib. 22. c. 29. 30. de libero arbit c. 15. de verb. Domini serm 64. serm 37 de Sanctis But how great the Happiness of the Bless'd who live in their Heavenly Country V. Everlasting Bliss cannot be express'd by Words is and that it can be comprehended unless merely in name by themselves only these very words which we name when we say The Bless'd Life sufficiently shew For if when to express any thing we use that name which is common to many other things we easily perceive that we want a proper name whereby plainly to express the thing When therefore Happiness is there signifi'd in words which suit no better with the Bless'd than with all the rest that live for ever this is an argument to us That there is some higher and more excellent thing which passes our Reason to signifie it perfectly by any proper name For tho in Holy Scripture there are very many other names given to this Heavenly Happiness such as are The Kingdom of God of Christ of Heaven Paradice the Holy City the New Jerusalem the House of our Father Yet it is plain that there is none of them all sufficient to explain the Greatness of it Wherefore the Curats may not pretermit the occasion offer'd them in this place VI. The force of this Article to perswade to Piety of inviting the Faithful by so ample rewards as are signified in these words Life Everlasting to Piety Justice and all Offices of Christian Religion For it is manifest that Life is us'd to be reckon'd among the greatest Goods of Nature and in this Good chiefly when we say The Life Everlasting is Blessedness said to be Now if we love nothing more if there be nothing more dear or more sweet to us than this slender and miserable Life which is subject to so many and so manifold Miseries that it may more truly be call'd a Death with what intention of mind with what earnestness ought we to seek after that Everlasting Life which being freed from all evils has a perfect and absolute supply of all good things For as the Holy Fathers have taught Chrysost in 30 c p. ad Theo. l. lapsum Aug. de Civit. Dei lib 22. c. 30. Aâ—se'm Ep. 2. de simil c. 47. seq Apoc 7.16 Ibid. 21.4 Serm. 64. de verb. Domini de Sâ—mb ad Catech. The Happiness of Eternal Life is to be defin'd A Freedom from all Evil and an enjoyment of all Good Of the Evil these Testimonies of Holy Scripture are very clear It is written in the Apocalyps or Revelation They shall hunger and thirst no more nor shall the Sun or the Heat fall upon them And again God shall wipe away every Tear from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death nor Sorrow nor Crying nor Grief because the first things are past away But then the Glory of the Bless'd will be boundless and the kinds of solid joy and pleasure will be innumerable The greatness of which Glory since our Understandings cannot conceive and since they can by no means enter into our Minds it is needsul that we enter into it to wit into the joy of our Lord that being every way compass'd about with it we may abundantly satiate the desire of our Heart But tho lib. 3. ult as S. Austin writes it seems more easie to number up the Evils we shall want than the Goods and Pleasures we shall enjoy yet it must be endeavored briefly and clearly to explain those things which may inflame the Faithful with the desire of getting this most excellent Happiness But first it is necessary to use this distinction VII Bliss twofold Essential Accidental which we have learn'd from the
towards us by how much the more assistances or helps they shall understand God has furnish'd us with for our Salvation and Happiness The Sacraments of the Church then XVIII There are only Seven Sacraments Trid. S ss 7. câ—n â— de S cr in gen Con. Fl rent in Doc. ad Arm. as may be prov'd by Scripture and by the constant Tradition of the Fathers down to our times and by the Authority of Councils are Seven in number But why they are neither more nor fewer may be probably shew'd from those things which by a Similitude are transferr'd from the Natural to the Spiritual life For these Seven things seem necessary to a Man to live and to preserve his life and to be made profitable to the Common-wealth To wit A notable Simil tude D. Thom. 3. p q 63. art 1. that he be Born Grow and be Nourish'd If he fall into Sickness that he be recover'd that the weakness of strength be restor'd And then as to the Common-wealth that the Magistrates be not wanting on their part to rule him by their Authority and Government And lastly that by a lawful propagation of his Family he preserve both himself and mankind All which things seeing they answer well to that life which the Soul lives to God from hence it may easily be gather'd what the number of Sacraments is For the First is Baptism Baptism the Gate as it were of all the rest Confirmation whereby we are born again in Christ Then Confirmation by vertue whereof we grow bigger and stronger in the grace of God For as S. Austin testifies D. Aug. Ep. 105. Luc. 24.49 It was to the Apostles already baptiz'd that the Lord said Stay ye in the City till ye shall be endu'd with power from above Then the Eucharist The Eucharist wherewith as with the Food of Heaven our Spirit is nourish'd and sustain'd For of this our Savior speaks Joh. 6.55 when he says My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed In the Fourth place follows Penance Penance by help whereof our lost Health is restor'd after we have bin wounded by Sin Then Extream Vnction Extream Unction Isa 5.14 by which the remains of sin are taken away and the powers of the Soul refresh'd for S. James writing of this Sacrament testifies thus Orders And if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him Then follows Orders by which the public ministration of the Sacraments is exercis'd in the Church and a power given to discharge or perform the Sacred Functions Lastly Matrimony is added Matrimony that by the lawful and holy Conjunction of the Man and the Woman Children may be begotten and religiously brought up to the Service of God and the Conservation of Mankind But This is specially to be observ'd XIX The necessity of all the S craments not alike That tho all the Sacraments contain in them a Divine and Admirable Vertue yet all have not a like and equal necessity or dignity or One and the same signification But there are Three of them which are more necessary than the rest Trid. 1. Sess 7 can 3.4 de Sacr. in en D. Tho. 3. p q. 65 â—r 4.7.3.5 tho not for the same reason For Baptism is necessary for every one without any exception at all as our Savior shews in these words Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And Penance is necessary to them only who after Baptism have intangl'd themselves with some mortal sin nor can they escape eternal Destruction unless they truly do Penance for the sin admitted And Orders is altogether necessary tho not to all the Faithful in particular yet to the whole Church in general But then if we consider the Dignity of the Sacraments XX. The Eucharist excels the other Sacraments in Dignity the Eucharist far excels all the rest in Sanctity in the number of Mysteries and in Magnitude All which things will be better understood when we shall come to handle in their proper place those things which belong to the particular Sacraments Dionys lib. de Eccles Hier. c. 3. We must next see Whence it is we receive these Holy and Divine Mysteries XXI Christ the Author of the Sacraments Amb. l. 4. de Sacr. c. 6. D. Tho. 3. p. 4.62 Trid. Ses 7. can 1. de Sacr. in gen l. de Eccles dog Cassian Col. 7.18 For there is no doubt but that the value of any excellent Gift is much increas'd by the worth and excellency of him from whom it came But that Question is not difficult For seeing it is God which justifies Men but the Sacraments are the wonderful Instruments of obtaining Righteousness it is plain that one and the same God in Christ must be acknowledg'd to be the Author both of Justification and of the Sacraments Besides the Sacraments have such a and Efficacy as to penetrate into the inmost Soul since therefore it is the Property of Gods Power alone to search into the Hearts and Souls of Men from This also it is easy to see That the Sacraments are instituted of God himself throw Christ even as we must firmly and constantly believe that they are inwardly dispens'd by him For S. John affirms that he receiv'd this Testimony from him when he says He that sent me to baptize in Water the same said to me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him that same is he that baptizes in the Holy Ghost But tho God be the Author and Dispenser of the Sacraments XXII Men only are Ministers of the Sacraments yet he would have them administred in the Church not by Angels but by Men For to the making the Sacraments there is no less need of the Office of Ministers than of Matter and Form as is confirm'd by the constant Tradition of the Holy Fathers And because these Ministers in that Holy Function carry or represent not their own XXIII The unworthiness of Ministers hinder not the efficacy of the Sacraments Trid Sess 7. de Sac. in gen ca. 11 12. Greg. Naz. in Orat. in S. Bap. Amb. de bis qui myst init c. 5. Chrysost hom 8. in 1 Cor. Aug. contra Donat. l. 1. c. 4. l. 2. cont lit Patil c. 47. 1 Cor. 3.6 A similitude S. Aug. Tract in Joan. Act. 19.5 but the person of Christ for this reason it is that whether they be Good or Bad so they use the Form and Matter which by Christs Institution the Catholic Church has always held and intend to do the same thing which the Church in the ministration does they truly make and confer the Sacraments So that nothing can hinder the Fruit of Grace unless those who receive them wilfully defraud themselves of so great a good and resist the Holy Spirit That this was always the constant and undeniable sense of the Church
we look more closely into the matter we may easily perceive that there was wanting in that Form none of those things which our Savior commanded to be observ'd For he that but names Jesus Christ signifies at the same time the Person of the Father also by whose appointment he was anointed and the Holy Ghost who anointed him And yet it may seem doubtful Whether or no the Apostles did at all baptize any in this kind of Form XVI Not certain that the Apostles baptiz'd Christ's name Ambr. l. 1. â—â— Sâ—â—â—â—â— Sâ—â—â—ct c. â— Pasiâ— l. 1. de â—pâ—â— Sâ—â—ct c. 12. Gâ—l 3.27 if we will follow the Opinion of those Holy and Grave Fathers Ambrose and Basil who interpret Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ so as they say by those words is signifi'd Baptism not that which was given of John but of our Lord Christ altho the Apostles departed not from that common and usual Form wherein are express ' d the distinct names of the Three Persons Now this kind of speech S. Paul seems to use in his Epistle to the Galatians when he says As many of you as have bin Baptiz'd in Christ have put on Christ To signifie that they were baptiz'd in the Faith of Christ but yet that they us'd no other Form than that which the same our Lord and Savior cammanded to be observ'd Thus much therefore XVII Three manners of Washing it will be sufficient to teach the Faithful concerning the Matter and Form which chiefly belong to the Substance of Baptism Now because in celebrating this Sacrament we ought to observe the right way of Washing therefore the Pastors must teach how that Part also ought to be done and briefly let them understand that the Church has bin us'd to celebrate Baptism after any one of these three manners For those that are baptiz'd Plunging Pouring Sprinkling Eph 5.26 are either plung'd into the Water or Water is pour'd upon them or they are sprinkl'd with Water Now whichsoever of these three ways is observ'd we ought to believe Baptism to be valid For Water is us'd in Baptism to signifie the Washing of the Soul which it performs And therefore the Apostle calls Baptism a Laver. But he cannot be more properly said to be wash'd who is plung'd into Water which fashion was long observ'd in the Primitive times of the Church Act. 2.41 Greg. l. 1. Regist Ep. 41. than He who has water pour'd on him which is the manner now adays or than He who is sprinkl'd with Water as it may be suppos'd S. Peter did when in one day he convert'd and baptiz'd Three Thousand Men. But whether Baptism be perform'd with One single Washing or with a threefold pouring of Water on the Baptiz'd is not to be thought of any moment For that by any of these three ways Baptism was formerly rightly perform'd in the Church and may be so again does plainly enough appear from the Epistle of S. Gregory the Great written to Leander Yet the Faithful are to retain that Custom or Rite which they observe to be us'd in their own Church But it is fit to give them this warning especially XVIII Three things chiefly to be noted that in Baptism not any part of the Body but the Head where all both internal and external Senses have their strength is to be wash'd and that he that baptizes ought at the very same time of the Washing with Water and not either before or after it to pronounce the words which are the Form of the Sacrament These things being explain'd XIX When Baptism was instituted and commanded it will be convenient to teach the Faithful and to put them in mind that Baptism as all the other Sacraments were was instituted by Christ our Lord. This therefore the Pastors shall frequently teach and explain That there are Two different Times of Baptism to be noted The One when our Savior instituted it The other when the receiving of it became a settl'd Law and Obligation As for the First It is plain that this Sacrament was then Instituted of our Lord when himself being baptiz'd of John gave Power of Sanctifying to the Water For S. Gregory Nazianzen and S. Austin testifie That at that time Greg. Orat. in Nat. Salv. ci ca sinem Aug. Serm. 29 36 37. de Temp. Matt. 3.26 Marc. 1.10 Luc 3.21 the vertue of begetting in us the Spiritual Life was bestow'd on Water And in another place he writes From the time that Christ was plung'd in Water Water washes away all sins And in another place The Lord is baptiz'd not as wanting to be cleans'd but by the Touch of his pure Body cleansing the Waters that they may have power of cleansing And to this purpose This may well serve for an argument that the most Holy Trinity in whose name Baptism is perform'd have manifested their divine presence at it For then was heard the Voice of the Father then was present the person of the Son and then descended the Holy Ghost in likeness of a Dove besides all This the Heavens were open'd whither by Baptism we also may now ascend But if any one desire to know XX. The Waters sanctifi'd by the touch of Christs Body by what means so great and so divine a vertue was bestow'd on the Waters by our Lord. This indeed exceeds Mans understanding yet this we understand well enough that when our Lord receiv'd Baptism the Water was consecrated to the saving use of Baptism by the Touch of his most Holy and Pure Body yet so as that tho this Sacrament were instituted before the Passion yet it must be believ'd that of the Passion which was as the End of all Christ's Actions it took its vertue and Efficacy See Hieron in com in 3. cap. Mat. Aug. Serm 36. de Temp. And now of the Other XXI When Baptism began to be of Obligation Mar. 16 10. Matt. 28.19 to wit at what time the Law of Baptism began to be obligatory there can be no doubt For the Holy Fathers agree That after the Resurrection of our Lord when he commanded his Apostles saying Go ye and teach all Nations baptizing them it the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost from that time forward all Men that were to attain everlasting Salvation began to be oblig'd by the Law of Baptism And this is gather'd from the authority of the Prince of Apostles when he says 1 Pet. 1 3â— He has begotten us again to a lively Hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead As also we may learn from that place of S. Paul Eph. 5 2â— He gave himself for her that he might sanctifie her he speaks of the Church cleansing her with the laver of Water in the Word Both which places seem to refer the Obligation of Baptism to the time immediately following our Lords Death So that it can by no means be doubted that those words of our
among them to be lawful as before was said when we treated of the God-fathers that are to be us'd at Baptism But because it comes often to pass XIII What the Curats are to teach those that are to be confirm'd that the Faithful in receiving this Sacrament are either too hasty or too dissolutely negligent and trifling for we have nothing to say of those that contemn and despise it the Pastors must shew who of what Age and how religiously they ought to be dispos'd to whom Confirmation ought to be given And first they must teach XIV How justly the Church desires that all be confirm'd That this Sacrament is not of so great necessity as that without it a Man cannot be sav'd But tho it be not necessary yet it is not to be pretermitted by any But rather very great care ought to be taken lest in a matter so full of Holiness and through which the divine gifts are so liberally bestow'd on us any negligence should be committed For that which God has offer'd to all in common for their Sanctification De consec dist 3. c. 2. 1. item Conc. Aurel. c. 3. Hugo de S. dict de Sacram l. 2. p. 7. ca. 39. Act. 2.2 is to be desir'd of all with the sincerest affection And indeed S. Luke describing this admirable effusion of the Holy Ghost says thus And suddenly there came down from Heaven a sound as of a rushing mighty Wind and it fill'd the whole House And then a little after And they were all fill'd with the Holy Ghost Whence we may understand that because that House bore the Figure and representation of Holy Church that the Sacrament of Confirmation which took its beginning from that day belongs to all the Faithful And this is easily gather'd also from the very Reason of that Sacrament For they ought to be confirm'd with Holy Chrism who have need of Spiritual Increase and who are to be brought to a perfect Stature of Christian Religion But there are none which this is not proper for For as Nature designs that those who are born into the World should thrive and come to perfect Age altho sometimes she misses of what she design'd So the Catholic Church the common Mother of us all earnestly wishes that in those whom by Baptism she has regenerat'd the Form of a Christian Man might be perfectly compleated But because this is done in the Sacrament of this mystic Vnction it is manifest that it equally belongs to all the Faithful Wherein this is to be noted XV. What Age is require'd in those that are to be confirm'd That after Baptism the Sacrament of Confirmation may indeed be administer'd to all but yet this is not expedient to be done before Children shall come to the Vse of Reason Wherefore if it seem not convenient to stay to the twelfth year of age yet it is very convenient to deferr this Sacrament at least to the seventh year For Confirmation is not instituted as of necessity to Salvation but that by vertue thereof we may be found prepar'd and in a good readiness when we are to fight for the Faith of Christ to which kind of Fight no one sure can judge Children to be fit who as yet want the use of Reason Hence therefore it comes XVI With how great reverence we must come to Confirmation D. Tho. 3. p. q. 7â— a. 8. ad 2. Concil Aur. c. 2. that those of ripe Age that are to be confirm'd if they desire to have the Grace and gift of this Sacrament must not only bring with them Faith and Devotion but they must blot out of their minds all the more grievous sins they have committed To which purpose the Pastors must perswade them first to confess their sins and then stir them up to Fasting and other Exercises of Devotion and admonish them to renew that laudable practice of the antient Church that none should receive this Sacrament but fasting And it must needs be thought no hard matter to perswade the Faithful to these things if they rightly understand the gifts and admirable effects of this Sacrament Therefore the Pastors shall teach XVII The Effects of Confirmation The First that Confirmation has this thing common with the other Sacraments that unless there be some hinderance on his part who receives it it gives new Grace For it has bin shew'd that these Sacred and mystic Signs are of that sort which both declare and work Grace The Second But besides those things which are to be thought common with this and the other Sacraments these things are proper to Confirmation First that it perfects the Grace of Baptism For those who by Baptism are made Christians as Infants new-born have yet a kind of Tenderness and Softness but then by the Sacrament of Ghrism they are made stronger against the utmost violence of the Flesh the World and the Devil and their Souls are confirm'd to confess and glorifie the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom also that that very Name is invented there is none can doubt For neither XVIII A certain error refuted as some no less unlearnedly than impiously have phanci'd is the Name of Confirmation deriv'd hence that in former times Infants that were baptiz'd Trid. Sess 7. can 1. de Cons when they were now grown Men were brought to the Bishop that they might confirm the Christian Faith which in Baptism they undertook So that Confirmation seems pot in this Notion to differ from Catechizing Of which practice there can be brought no proof But from hence it was that it receiv'd this name That by vertue of this Sacrament God confirms that thing in us which by Baptism was begun to be wrought and brings us to the Perfection of Christian Solidity Nor does it Confirm only The Third Effect De Consce dist 5. c. Spiritus Euseb Emiss hom in die Pent. but it gives Increase also of which Melchiades witnesses thus The Holy Ghost who by his saving descent came upon the Water of Baptism in the Font gave a Fulness Sufficiency to Innocency but in Confirmation he gives Increase to Grace And then it not only increases but increases after a wonderful sort This the Scripture has very elegantly signifi'd and express'd by the wearing of a Coat For says our Lord and Savior when he spake of this Sacrament Luc. 14 4â— Stay ye in the City till ye shall be cloth'd with vertue from on high Now if the Pastors will shew the divine Efficacy of this Sacrament XIX The efficacacy of Confirmation declar'd by an Exampleâ— and that this will have a great influence on the minds of the Faithful there can be no doubt it will be sufficient to explain what happen'd to the Apostles themselves For they either before the Passion or at the hour of the Passion were so weak and remiss that when our Lord was apprehended they all ran away But Peter who was design'd to be
Death is indeed signifi'd in the Sacrament of the Blood Wherefore fitly in this place rather than in the Consecration of the Body is the Passion of the Lord commemorated in these words Which shall be shed for the remission of Sins For the Blood being separately consecrated by it self with relation to the Passion of the Lord has greater force and power to lay before the eyes of all Mat. 26.28 Luc. 22.20 both the Death and kind of suffering But those words which are added For you and for many are taken severally from S. Matthew and S. Luke which notwithstanding Holy Church taught by the Spirit of God has join'd together but they belong to the fruit of the Passion and shew the profitableness thereof For if we look at the vertue of it it must be confess'd that our Savior shed his Blood for the salvation of all men But if we look at the fruit which men gather from thence we may easily understand that it comes not to all to advantage but only to some When therefore he said For you he signifi'd either them that were then present or those whom he had chosen out of the Jewish people such as were his Disciples except Judas with whom he spake But when he added For many he would have the rest that were elected either Jews or Gentiles to be understood Rightly therefore was it done that it was not said for all seeing that in this place the design of the discourse extends only to the fruits of the Passion which brought the Fruit of Salvation only to the Elect. And hither do belong those words of the Apostle Christ was once offer'd to take away the sins of many Heb. 9. and that which our Lord himself said in S. John I pray for them I pray not for the World Joh. 17.8 but for those whom thou hast given me because they are thine There are many other Mysteries wrapp'd up in these words of the Consecration which the Pastors by the daily meditation and study of Divine Matters and God assisting them may easily discover But now to return to the explication of those things which the Faithful must by no means be ignorant of And because the Apostle admonishes XXIV We must judge of the Eucharist by Faith not by Sense 1 Cor. 11.29 that they are guilty of a most heinous sin who difference not the Lords Body let the Pastors chiefly teach that the Mind and Reason is here to be call'd off from sense For if the Faithful perswade themselves that those things only are contain'd in this Sacrament which are perceiv'd by the senses they must needs be led into the greatest impiety when with their Eyes their Feeling their Smell their Taste perceiving nothing at all but the Species of Bread and Wine they will judge that there is only Bread and Wine in the Sacrament There must be care tak'n therefore that as much as may be the minds of the Faithful may be abstracted or withdrawn from the judgment of sense and stirr'd up to contemplate the immense Power and Vertue of God Now there are three wonderful and stupendious things XXV Three things done in the Eucharist by Consecration which in this Sacrament Holy Church without all doubt believes and confesses to be wrought by the words of Consecration The First is The First That the true Body of Christ that very same which was born of the Virgin and now sits in Heaven at the Right-hand of the Father is contain'd in this Sacrament See Dionys de Eccl. Hierarch c. 3. Ignat. Epist ad Smyr Just Apol. 2. Iren. lib. 4. c. 34. l. 5. c. 2. Trid. Sess 13. c. 1. de Euch. The Second is that no substance of the Elements remains in it The Second Altho nothing seems more strange and distant to the senses Cyp. de coena Domini Euseb Emiss hom 5. de Pasch Cyr. Hier. Catech. 1 3 4. Ambr. l. 4. de Sacra c. 4. Chrysost hom 83. in Matt. 60. ad Pop. Antioch The Third The Third which is easily gather'd from both the former tho the words of Consecration fully express it is that what is beheld by the Eyes or perceiv'd by the other Senses is in a wonderful and unspeakable manner without any subject matter And one may see indeed all the Accidents of Bread and Wine which yet are inherent in no substance but they consist of themselves because the Substance of the Bread and Wine is so chang'd into the Body and Blood of the Lord that the substance of the Bread and Wine altogether ceases But that the first may be first handl'd XXVI The true Body of Christ prov'd to be in the Eucharist Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.20 Luc. 22.19 Let the Pastors endeavor to shew how plain and clear the Words of our Savior are which shew the Truth of Christ's Body in the Sacrament for when he says This is my Body This is my Blood There is no one in his right mind can be ignorant what we are to understand Especially seeing the design of the discourse is concerning the human Nature which the Catholic Faith suffers none to doubt that Christ truly had As that very holy and learn'd Man Hilarius has written concerning the Truth of Christ's Flesh and Blood S. Hilar. l. 8. de Trinit super illa verba velut unum 1 Cor. 11.28 when according to the very profession of our Lord and our Faith his Flesh is truly our Food that there is no room left us to doubt thereof But there is another point to be open'd by the Pastors whence it may plainly be known that the true Body and Blood of the Lord is contain'd in the Eucharist For after that the Apostle had remember'd That the Bread and Wine was consecrated by our Lord and the Sacred Mysteries administer'd to his Apostles he subjoyns But let a Man prove himself and so let him eat of that Bread and Drink of that Chalice for he that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself not differencing the Lords Body But if as Heretics say that nothing else were to be venerated in the Sacrament besides the memory and sign of Christ's Passion what need was there that the Faithful should be exhorted with such weighty words to prove themselves For by that weighty word Judgment the Apostle has declar'd that some horrid wickedness is committed by him who impurely taking the Lords Body which lies hid in the Eucharist does not difference it from other kinds of Meat Which also before in the same Epistle he more fully explain'd in these words 1 Cor. 11.26 The Chalice of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communication of the Blood of Christ and the Bread which we break is it not the participation of the Lords Body Which words verily shew the true substance of the Body and Blood of Christ our Lord. These places of Scripture therefore shall be explain'd by the Pastors
XXVII The same confirm'd by consent of Fathers and first it must be taught that there is nothing doubtful or uncertain in them Especially since the authority of Gods Church has thus interpreted them To the knowledg of which sense we may come by a twofold way and means The first is by consulting the Fathers who flourish'd both in the beginning and so down through every Age of the Church and were the best Witnesses of the Doctrin of the Church But all these by an exact consent and agreement have most plainly taught the truth of this Opinion Of which to bring the several Testimonies because it would be a most tedious labor it shall be sufficient to mark or rather to shew a few things whereby a judgment may easily be made of the rest S. Ambrose therefore first produces his Faith who in his Book of those that are initiated in the Mysteries testifies Lib. 4. de Sacra de tis qui Myster init c. 9. vide de consec dist 2. plutib in locis Chrys ad Popul Antioch homil 60 61. That the true Body of Christ is taken in this Sacrament as his true Body was taken of the Virgin and this is to be held with most certain Faith And in another place he teaches That there is Bread before the Consecration but after the consecration the Body of Christ Another witness hereof is S. Chrysostom one of no less Fidelity and Gravity who professes and teaches this Truth both in many other places and especially in his 60th Homily of those who unworthily receive the Sacred Mysteries as also in his 41 and 45. Homilies upon S. John For he says Let us obey and not contradict God tho that which is spoken seem to be contrary to our Reason and our very Eyes for his Word is infallible our Senses are easily deceiv'd To these exactly agrees what S. Austin the vigorous defender of Catholic Faith always taught And first expounding the Title of the 33. Psalm he writes To carry himself in his own hands is to Man an impossible thing and is proper to Christ alone For He was carri'd in his own hands when giving that Body of his he said This is my Body And besides Cyril Justin and Irenaeus in his fourth Book upon S. John so plainly affirm the true Flesh of Christ to be in this Sacrament that his words cannot be rendred obscure by any sallacies or captious interpretations But if the Pastors want any other Testimonies of the Fathers it is easie to add more as S. Dennys Hilary Hierom Damascen and innumerable others The grave Sentences of whom concerning this matter we may read collected and gather'd together by the Labor and Industry of learn'd and pious Men. Divus Augustinus in Ps 33. Conc. 1. a medio ad finera usque Cyril l. 4. in Joan. c. 33. 14. l. c. 13. Just Apolog. 2. sub finem ad Antonium l'ium lren l. 5. cont haeret c. l. 5. in Joan. c. 34. Dionys Eccles Hier. c. 3. Hilar. l. 8. de Trinit Hierom Epist ad Damasum Damasc l. 4. de Orthod fid c. 14. There remains another way whereby we may find out the judgment of Holy Church in those things which belong to Faith to wit the contrary Doctrin and Opinion being condemn'd And it is manifest that the Truth of the Body of Christ in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist was so scatter'd and spread abroad through the whole Church XXVIII The same further confirm'd by Decrees of Councils and willingly embrac'd by all the Faithful that when Berengarius five hundred years ago presum'd to deny it and asserted That there was only a Sign he was forthwith condemn'd by the Sentence of all in the Council of Verceils which by Authority of Leo IX was conven'd and himself retracted his Opinion and condemn'd it with an Anathema Who afterwards returning to the same impiety was condemn'd in three other Councils one at Tours and two at Rome whereof the one was call'd together by Pope Nicholas II. and the other by Pope Gregory VII And afterwards the Faith of the same Truth was more fully declar'd and settl'd in the Councils of Florence and Trent If therefore the Pastors shall diligently have explain'd these things not to say any thing of those XXIX And by Reason who being blinded and harden'd in their Errors hate nothing more than the Light of Truth they will be able to confirm the weak and to affect the Souls of the devout with the greatest joy and delight Especially since the Faithful may not doubt but that the Belief of this Perswasion is to be reckon'd among the other Articles of Faith For when they believe and confess God's Power to be supream over all things The First they must needs believe that he wants not Power to effect this great Work which we admire and worship in the Sacrament of the Eucharist And then The Second when they believe the Catholic Church it must needs follow that they believe also that this is the truth of this Sacrament as we have explain'd it And indeed there can be no greater sweetness and profit to the Faithful XXX How great the Churches Dignity by reason of the Sacrament of the Eucharist than to contemplate the dignity of this most profound Sacrament For first they perceive how great the Perfection of the Law of the Gospel is which has the priviledge to have that thing in Truth and Reality which in the time of the Mosaical Law was only shadow'd by Signs and Figures Wherefore it was divinely said of S. Dennys De Eccl. Hier. c. 3 p. 1. That our Church is in the middle between the Synagogue and the upper Jerusalem and participates of both And indeed the Faithful can never sufficiently admire the perfection of Holy Church and the height of her Glory seeing there seems to be but one step or degree only betwixt her and the Bliss of Heaven For This we have common with those in Heaven that both of us have Christ God and Man present with us But we are below them this one step They being present there enjoy the blessed Vision But We with a firm and constant Faith worship him being present with us but hiding himself far from the sense of our Eyes under the admirable cloathing of the Sacred Mysteries Besides in this Sacrament the Faithful experience the most perfect Love of our Savior Christ For it highly became his goodness never to withdraw from us that Nature which he took of us but as much as may be to be and to be conversant among us That at all times that might seem to be truly and properly said Prov. 8. My delight is to be with the Children of Men. And now in this place the Pastors must explain XXXI Whole Christ as God and Man contain'd in the Eucharist not only that the true Body of Christ and whatsoever belongs to the true Nature of a Body as
thing only lest in any thing we may offend the Majesty of God we wholly forsake the custom of sinning By these Steps or Degrees therefore we come to this most excellent Vertue of Penance XII Heaven promis'd to Penance which may well be accounted a divine and heavenly Vertue Because to it the Holy Scripture promises the Kingdom of Heaven For in S. Matthew it is written Do Penance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matt. 4 17. And in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.21 If a wicked Man do Penance for all the sins which he has done and shall keep all my commandments and do justice and judgment he shall live And also in another place Ezek. 33.11 I will not the Death of a sinner but that the wicked Man be converted from his evil way and live Which that it is to be understood of that bless'd and eternal Life is plainly evident But of External Penance it is to be taught XIII External Penance which is the Sacrament that it is That wherein the Reason or Nature of the Sacrament consists and that it has some external things subject to the senses whereby those things are declar'd which are done inwardly in the Soul And First XIV Why Christ instituted this Sacrament The First Cause it seems necessary to be explain'd to the Faithful Why it was that Christ our Lord would have Penance in the Number of the Sacraments And hereof this was certainly the cause That we might doubt the less concerning the Remission of sins which God had promis'd us when he said Ezek. 18.12 If the wicked man do Penance c. For it must needs be that we be very dubious in our minds of our inward Penance seeing every one deservedly ought to fear concerning his own judgment of those things he does himself Now therefore that the Lord might relieve our sollicitude he instituted the Sacrament of Penance wherein through the Absolution of the Priest we may consider that our sins are forgiven us and our Consciences by the Faith which justly ought to be given to the vertue of the Sacraments are more quieted For neither are the words of the Priest legitimately pardoning our sins to be receiv'd otherwise than of Christ himself Mat. 6.22 who said to the Lame-man Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee Vide Concil Trid. Sess 14. c. 1. Innoc. 1. Epist 91. inter Epist Aug. And then The Second Cause seeing that no one can obtain Salvation but through Christ and the benefit of his Passion it was fit and very profitable to us that such a kind of Sacrament as this should be instituted by the Vertue and Efficacy whereof Christs Blood flowing to us might do away our sins committed after Baptism and that we might acknowledg with due thankfulness that we owe the Benefit of our Reconciliation to Christ our only Savior But that Penance is a Sacrament XV. Penance prov'd to be a Sacrament the Pastors may easily shew thus For as Baptism is a Sacrament because it blots out all our sins and especially that which was contracted by our Birth For the same reason Penance must truly and properly be call'd a Sacrament because it takes away all sins done after Baptism in the Will or in the Act. And then which is the chief seeing those things which are done outwardly both by the Penitent and by the Priest do declare those things which are inwardly wrought in the Soul who is there can deny that Penance is endued with the true and proper reason or nature of a Sacrament For a Sacrament is a sign of a Sacred thing But a sinner that does Penance by the Notes of Words and Things plainly expresses That he has withdrawn his mind from the Filthiness of sin And also from those things which are done and said by the Priest we easily understand the Mercy of God forgiving those sins Altho those words of our Savior plainly shew this thing Mar 16.19 I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shall loose in Earth shall be loos'd also in Heaven For the Absolution of the Priest pronounc'd by words signs that Remission of sins which it works in the Soul Nor are the Faithful to be taught only that Penance is to be reckon'd in the number of the Sacraments XVI The Sacrament of Penance may be iterated but also that it is One of Those that may be iterated For to Peter asking Whether Forgiveness of sin might be given seven times Our Lord answer'd Matt. 18.22 I say not to thee till seven times but till seventy times seven Wherefore if we have to do with such men as seem to distrust the supreme Goodness and Mercy of God the Souls of such are to be confirm'd and to be supported with the Hope of Divine Grace Which they will easily do by the handling of this Point and of very many others which they meet with in the Holy Scriptures and also with those Reasons and Arguments which they may find in S. Chrysostoms book de Lapsis and S. Ambrose's books of Penance Chrysostom 5. lib. de Laps repar habetur de Poen dist 3. c. talis Ambr. de poen lib. 1. c. 1 2. vide Aug. lib. de vera falsa poen c. 5. citatur de poen dist 3. c. adhuc instant Now since the Faithful ought to know nothing more than the Matter of this Sacrament XVII The Matter of Penance what it must be taught that herein chiefly this Sacrament differs from the rest that the Matter of the other Sacraments is some natural thing or made by Art But that which is as the Matter of this Sacrament of Penance are the Actions of the Penitent to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction as has bin declar'd by the Council of Trent S ss 24 de poenit c. 3. can 4. because so far as by Gods institution they are requir'd in the Penitent to the Integrity of the Sacrament and to the full and perfect Remission of sins for this reason they are call'd Parts of Penance Nor are these Acts said by that Holy Synod to be as the Matter Note because they have not the true Reason of Matter But because they are not Matter of that kind which is us'd extrinsecally as Water in Baptism and Chrism in Confirmation But then XVIII In What sense sin is the Matter of Penance As to what is said of Others that the sins themselves are the Matter of this Sacrament there will seem to be no difference therein if we consider well For as we say that Wood is the Matter of Fire which by the force of the Fire is consum'd So sins which are blotted out by Penance may rightly be call'd the Matter of this Sacrament Now the explication of the Form also is not to be omitted by the Pastors XIX The Form of the Sacrament of Penance because the knowledg thereof will
it came so to pass also that Pardon of Sins should be deny'd but to a very few Wherefore it was needful that the most merciful Lord should â—rder the common Salvation of Mankind after an easier way which by his admirable Counsel he has done when he deliver'd to his Church the Keys of the Kindgom of Heaven For by the Doctrin of Catholic Faith XLVII Confession perfects Contrition All must believe and constantly affirm If any one be so affected in mind as to bewail his sins and also to sin no more for the future altho he be not affected with such a kind of sorrow as may be sufficient to get him Pardon Yet when he has rightly confess'd his sins to a Priest by Vertue of the Keys all his wickednesses and sins are remitted and forgiven him That worthily by the most Holy Men our Fathers was it celebrated That an Entrance into Heaven is open'd by the Keys of the Church Whereof it is not fit for any one to doubt since we read it decreed by the Council of Florence That the Effect of Penance is Absolution from Sins Amb. Serm. 1. de Quadrag citatur de Poenit. dist 1. c. ecce nunc August lib. 2. de adult conjug 59. Chrysost de sacerd lib. 3. in Decreto Eugenii IV. And we may further learn from hence XLVIII Confession a most sure way of amending manners how much advantage Confession brings because we find by experience that there is nothing so profitable for the amendment of manners to those whose custom of Life has bin corrupt as if they lay open to some Prudent and Faithful Friend who can help him with his pains and counsel all the secret Thoughts of his Heart his Actions and Words Wherefore according to the same Reason it must be thought very wholsom for those who are conscious of the guilt of Sin to open the Sicknesses and Wounds of their Souls to a Priest as to the Vicar of Christ our Lord who is under the most severe Law of perpetual silence For they presently find Remedies prepar'd for them D. Poenit. dist 6. c. Sacerdot which have such a heavenly Vertue of curing not only the present Sickness but also of disposing the Soul in such a manner that thenceforth it will not be easie for the future to fall into the like kind of Disease and Vice Nor is this advange of Confession to be pretermitted XLIX Confession exercises the Bad. which is very pertinent to the society and conjunction of Life For it is evident that if you take away Sacramental Confession from Christian Discipline all things will be full of hidden and horrid wickedness Which afterwards and many others also much more heinous Men deprav'd by the custom of Sin will not fear to commit openly For the modesty and shame of Confessing calls a Bridle as it were upon the desire and liberty of offending and restrains Dishonesty And now the advantages of Confession being laid open L. The Description of Sacramental Confession the Pastors must teach what the Nature and Vertue thereof is They therefore define it to be an Accusation of sins which belongs to a kind of Sacrament done to this End that by vertue of the Keys we may get Pardon And it is rightly call'd an Accusation LI. With what mind sins are to be declar'd in Confession because sins are not so to be commemorated as tho we boasted of our wickedness as they do who are glad when they have done mischief nor are they altogether to be told as if for divertisement or sport to some idle Hearers we were telling some matter that had bin done but they are so declar'd by a mind accusing it self as that we desire also to revenge them in our selves But we confess our sins to the End that we may get pardon LII We must confess to get Pardon Chrys 20. in Genes because this Judgment is far unlike those Courts which make inquisitions of Capital Causes where the Pain and Punishment of Confession is not made to be a Discharge of the Fault or a Pardon of the Offence In the same sense in a manner altho in other words the most holy Fathers seem'd to have defin'd Confession as when S. Austin says Aug. Serm. 4. de Verbis Domini Greg hom 40. in Evang Confession is that by which the Disease which lay hid is laid open by the Hope of Pardon And S. Gregory Confession is the Detestation of sins either of which because it is contain'd in the definition above mentioned may easily be referr'd to it And now LIII Confession instituted of Christ which is above all the Curats shall teach and without any doubtfulness deliver to Faithful that this Sacrament was instituted by Christ our Lord who did all things well and for the sake of our Salvation For after his Resurrection the Apostles being gather'd together into one place he breath'd upon them saying Joh. 20.22 Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whose sins ye retain they are retained Vide Trid. Sess 14. de poenit c. 5. can 6. Aug. lib. hom 64. citatur de poenit dist 1. c. agite Orig. hom 1. in Ps 37. Chrysost de Sacerd. lib. 3. When therefore the Lord gave power to the Priests of Retaining and Remitting sins LIV. Confession to be made to the Priest it is plain that they were made Judges of the Matter And the Lord seem'd to signifie the same thing when he gave his Apostles that imployment to loose Lazarus Joh. 11. when he was rais'd from the Dead from those Bands wherewith he was bound For S. Austin explains that place thus Aug. de vera falsa poenit â—tia c 16. Serm. 8. de verb. Domini They says he the Priests can now profit more they can spare more those that confess to whom they forgive sin to wit the Lord by the Apostles deliver'd Lazarus whom he had rais'd from the Dead to his Disciples to be loos'd shewing that the Power of Loosing was now granted to his Church Whither also belongs that which he commanded those who on their journey were cleans'd of their Leprosie that they should shew themselves to the Priests and undergo their judgment Since therefore the Lord has given to the Priests a Power of Remitting and Retaining sins it is evident that they are appointed Judges of that Matter and because as the Holy Synod of Trent has wisely admonish'd Sess 14. c. 5. can 7. de Poenit. that a true judgment cannot be made concerning any thing and in appointing punishments of sins there can be no Measure of Justice held unless the Cause be truly known and searched into from hence it follows that by the Confession of Penitents all sins are severally to be laid open to the Priests That the Priests are Judges of sins S. Austin teaches lib. 20. de civit Dei c. 9. Hieron Epist 1.
were therefore created to honor God which the Faithful especially who have obtain'd the Grace of Baptism ought to do with all their Heart with all their Soul and with all their strength But those who will be initiated in the Sacrament of Order VIII The Intention of those to be Ordain'd ought to be higher than of others must needs propose This to themselves not only to seek the Glory of God in all things which thing is common to all but especicially to the Faithful but also that some being dedicated to any Ministry of the Church might serve him in holiness and righteousness For as in an Army all the Soldiers do indeed obey the command of the General But among them One is a Colonel and another a Captain and others have other Offices So altho all the Faithful ought to follow Piety and Innocence with all their study with which things God is most worshipp'd yet they who are initiated in the Sacrament of Order must perform some special Offices and Functions in the Church For they perform Sacred things both for themselves and for all the People IX Wherein those that are initiated Sacred Orders excel others and teach the Efficacy of the Divine Law and exhort and instruct the Faithful readily and chearfully to observe it and administer the Sacraments of Christ the Lord whereby all Grace is bestow'd and increas'd and to say all in a Word being separated from the rest of the people they exercise themselves in the far greatest and most excellent Ministry of all These things being explain'd X. Ecclesiastical Power double viz of Order and Jurisdiction the Curats shall come to the handling of those things which are proper to this Sacrament that the Faithful who desire to be receiv'd into Ecclesiastical Order may know to what kind of Office they are call'd and how great a Power is given of God to his Church and to the Ministers thereof Now this Power is double Of Order and of Jurisdiction The Power of Order is referr'd to the true Body of Christ the Lord in the Holy Eucharist But the whole Power of Jurisdiction is in the Mystic Body of Christ for to this Power belongs the Rule and Government of Christian people and to direct them to eternal and heavenly Bliss Now the Power of Order does contain not only the power of Consecrating the Eucharist XI To what things the Power of Order extends it self but fits and prepares the Souls of men to receive it and contains all those other things which may any way be referr'd to the Eucharist And hereof many testimonies may be brought out of Sacred Scripture XII This Power prov'd But those are very clear and weighty which we find in S. John and S. Matthew for the Lord said Joâ— 21.22 As the Father sent me even so send I you Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted to them and whose sins ye retain they are retained And Verily I say to you whatsoever things ye shall hind on earth shall be bound in heaven Matth. 18.18 and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loos'd in heaven Which places being by the Pastors explain'd from the Doctrin and Authority of the Holy Fathers may bring very much Light to this Truth But this Power very much excels that XIII How great this Power of Order is which in the Law of Nature is given to other Men who took care of Sacred Matters Vide de Consecr dist 2. cap. Nihil in Sacrific Conc. Trid. Sess 22. c. 1. Iren. lib. 4. c. 34. Aug. lib. 19. de Civit. Dei cap. 23. For it must needs be that that Age XIV There were Priests by the Law of Nature which was before the Law was written had her Priesthood and her spiritual Power since it is sufficiently manifest that she had a Law For these Two are so closely join'd together as the Apostle testifies that the One being taken away it must needs be that the other must be taken away also Seeing therefore that by natural Instinct Men know that God is to be worshipp'd it consequently follow'd that in every Common-wealth some should be plac'd over the charge of Sacred Things and the Worship of God whose Power in some sort might be call'd Spiritual This Power the Israelites had XV. Christ's Priesthood higher than that of Moses Let the Priests mark which tho it were higher in Dignity than that wherewith the Priests were indu'd by the Law of Nature yet is it to be thought far below the Spiritual Power of the Gospel For this is Heavenly and excels even all the Power of Angels For it has its beginning not from the Mosaical Priesthood XVI This Power is deriv'd from Christ but from Christ the Lord who was a Priest not according to the Order of Aaron but of Melchizedech For he it is that being indu'd with the supream Power of Giving Grace and Forgiving sins has left this Power altho definite in Vertue and ty'd to the Sacraments to his Church Wherefore to exercise or perform this Matter XVII The Consecration of the Ministers of the Church call'd the Sacrament of Order certain Ministers are appointed and consecrated in a solemn religious manner which Consecration is call'd The Sacrament of Order or Sacred Ordination But it pleas'd the Holy Fathers to use This Word because it has a very large signification to shew the Dignity and Excellency of the Ministers of God For Order XVIII What Order is if we take the proper Force and Notion of it is the Disposition of Superior and Inferior things which are so suited among themselves as that One may be referr'd to another Whereas therefore in this Ministry there are many Degrees and divers Functions XIX Why this Sacrament call'd Order but all things distributed and plac'd in a certain Rule rightly and conveniently does the name of Order seem to be given to it But that Sacred Ordination is to be reckon'd among the other Sacraments of the Church XX. Order is a Sacrament Sess 23. de Ordine the Holy Synod of Trent has prov'd by that reason which has often bin repeated For whereas a Sacrament is a sign of a Sacred Thing but that which in this Consecration is outward signifies Grace and Power which is given to him that is consecrated it very plainly follows that Order is truly and properly to be call'd a Sacrament That Order is a Sacrament see Trid. Sess 23. de Ordine c. 1. 3. can 3 4.5 Conc. Florent in decret de Sacr. Aug. lib. 2. contra Epist Parmen c. 13. de bono conjug c. 24. lib. 1. de Bap. contra Donat. c. 1. Leo Epist 18. Greg. in c. 10. lib. 1. Reg. Wherefore the Bishop reaching forth a Chalice with Wine and Water XXI When and by whom this Power is conferr'd and a Paten with Bread to him that is to be Ordain'd a Priest saying
for God and then what we desire for our selves And because this Desire and Petition is about such things as we want V. What may be desir'd in this Petition nor can there be any Accession to the true God i. e. to his Nature nor the Divine Substance be any way increas'd because after an inexpressible manner it is fill d with all Perfection it is to be understood that what we pray for of God concerning himself belongs not to this Matter but to his external Glory For we beg and pray Note these three things that God's Name may be better known to all Nations that his Kingdom may be enlarg'd that there may daily be more that yield Obedience to his Divine Name Which three things his Name Kingdom and Obedience are not his internal Good but are assum'd from without Now when we desire that God's Name may be sanctified VI. What is first desir'd in this Petition our meaning is that the Holiness and Glory of God's Name may be increas'd And here the Curat shall observe and teach his devout Hearers That our Saviour says not that it be sanctified in the same measure in Earth as it is in Heaven i. e. that the Earthly Sanctification of it should equal the Heavenly for this can by no means be done but that it be done out of Love and an inward Endeavor of the â—oul Altho most true it is VII To sanctifie God's name H w it may be done that God's Name of it self wants not Sanctification since it is Holy and Terrible even as God himself of his own Nature is Holy Ps 100.10 nor can any Holiness be added to him wherewith from all Eternity he was not endu'd Mark the Sense Yet because in Earth he is far less honor'd than is fit and sometimes also is abus'd with Curses and wicked Expressions therefore we desire and pray that he may be celebrated with Praise Honor and Glory after the example of that Honor and Glory which is given him in Heaven i. e. that his Honor and Worship may be so frequent in our Heart in our Soul and Mouth that we magnifie him with all Veneration both inward and outward and celebrate the Holy and Glorious God after the Pattern of the Citizens of Heaven above For as they in Heaven A Similitude with the exactest agreement give Glory and Renown to God so we pray that the same may be done in Earth and that all Nations may know worship and reverence God that there may no where be found any of Mankind who embrace not the Christian Religion and dedicate their whole Selves to God believing that in him is the Fountain of all Holiness and that there is nothing Pure or Holy which comes not from the Holiness of his Divine Name For the Apostle testifies Note Eph. 5.26 That the Church is cleans'd by the Laver of Water in the Word of Life But the Word of Life signifies the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost in which we are Baptiz'd and Sanctified Because therefore there can be no Expiation for any VIII What secondly no Purity no Integrity upon whom God's Name is not call'd we wish and pray God that all Mankind leaving the Blindness of their impure Infidelity and being illuminated with the Rays of the Divine Light may come to know the Vertue of this Name so as in him to seek true Holiness and by God's Mercy receiving the Sacrament of Baptism in the Name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity they may obtain the Vertue of perfect Holiness IX What thirdly Our Prayer and Petition therefore belongs no less to those that being polluted with Sin and Wickedness have lost the pure Integrity of Baptism and Robe of Innocency whereby it came to pass that in those most miserable Wretches that most unclean Spirit has again taken up his Seat We wish therefore and pray God that in them also his Name may be sanctified that returning to a due Consideration and Soberness of Mind they may by the Sacrament of Penance redeem their former Holiness and yield themselves a pure and holy Temple and Dwelling to God Lastly X. What fourthly Jac. 1.17 They shall pray That God would illuminate the Souls of all that they may see that every good and perfect Gift coming down from the Father of Lights is given us of God whereby they freely obtain Temperance Justice Life Salvation and lastly all good things of the Soul and of the Body for Life and Salvation from whom as the Church declares proceeds all good things and whatsoever Benefits Mankind enjoys by the Light of the Sun and by the Motion and Course of the other Stars that by this Spirit every where diffusing it self we are nourish'd that the Earth sustains our Life with plenty of all her Fruits and Provisions that by the Care of the Magistrats we enjoy Quiet and Tranquillity Now these and innumerable other Benefits of this kind God's infinit Bounty affords us And for those which Philosophers call Second Causes we ought to intepret them as the Hands of God wonderfully made and fitted for our Use wherewith he distributes us his good things and pours them out upon us far and wide But that which contains the chief Point in this Petition XI What fifthly and lastly is this That all Men may know and reverence the most Holy Bride of Jesus Christ and our Mother the Church in whom alone is that most plentiful and everlasting Fountain that cleanses and washes away all the Spots of Sin and from whom we have all the Sacraments of Salvation and Sanctification whereby as by a kind of Heavenly Pipes that Dew and Liquor of Holiness is convey'd from God to us to whom alone and to those whom she embraces in her Bosom and Lap belongs the imploring of that Divine Name Act. 4.12 which alone under Heaven is given to Men whereby they must be sav'd Vide August Serm. 181. de Tempore Greg. l 35. Moral c. 6. Now the Curat must drive this Point home Let the Pastor mark and teach this That it is the part of a good Child not only in Word to pray to God his Father but also to endeavor in Deed and in Work that the Sanctification of God's Name may shine forth in him And would to God there were none XII How contrary an ill Life is to this Petition who while they daily pray for the Sanctification of God's Name do violate it as much as lies in them by their Deeds by whose Fault sometimes God himself is ill spoken of against whom it is said of the Apostle The Name of God thro you is blasphem'd among the Gentiles And we read in Ezekiel They went to the Gentiles among whom they enter'd and polluted my Holy Name while it was said of them This is the People of the Lord and they came out of his Land Rom. 2.24 Ezek. 37.20 For see
what kind of Life they lead Note and what kind of Manners they use that profess Religion just so is the Unlearned Multitude us'd to judge of Religion it self and of the Author of it Wherefore they that live according to Christian Religion XIII To what Christians are oblig'd in this part which they have undertaken and square their Discourse and Actions according to its Rules give a great occasion to others of praising and celebrating with all Honor and Glory the Name of our Heavenly Father For the Lord himself has requir'd this of us that by our vertuous and illustrious Actions we provoke Men to praise and glorifie the Name of God to whom he thus speaks in the Gospel Matth. 6. Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And the Prince of the Apostles 1 Pet. 2.4 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that considering you in your good Works they may glorifie God The SECOND PETITION Thy Kingdom come THe Kingdom of Heaven I The whole Gospel directs us to the Kingdom of God Mat. 3.2 which we pray for in this other Petition is of such a sort that thither is referr'd and terminated all the Preaching of the Gospel For thence S. John the Baptist began his Exhortation to Penance Do Penance says he for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Nor did the Saviour of Mankind take the ground of his own Preaching elsewhere And in that saving Sermon of his wherein on the Mount he shew'd his Disciples the way of Bliss for the intended Argument of his Discourse as it were he took his Text from the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed says he Mat. 4.17 are the Poor in Spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And to those that would have staid him he gave this Cause for the necessity of his Journy Mat. 5.3 Luc. 4.43 I must preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to other Cities also for therefore I am sent This Kingdom therefore he commanded the Apostles afterwards to preach as he answer'd him that said he would go bury his Father Mat. 10.17 Luc. 8. Act. 1.3 Go thou and preach the Kingdom of God And when he was risen from the Dead for those Forty days wherein he appear'd to his Apostles he spake concerning the Kingdom of God Wherefore the Curats shall diligently handle this Point of the second Petition II. The Pastors Duty that their Faithful Hearers may understand how great the Efficacy and Necessity of this Petition is And first III. Why this Petition distinct from the rest This Consideration will furnish them with abundance of Matter for the explaining of this Point well and wisely that tho this Petition be joyn'd with all the rest yet he commanded this also to be us'd separately from the rest that what we pray for we may seek with our utmost endeavor Mat. 6.33 For he says Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you And indeed so great a confluence and plenty of Heavenly Gifts is contain'd in this Petition IV. What this Petition comprehends that it contains all things necessary for the Security of our both Corporal and Spiritual Life But how shall we call him worthy of the Name of a King Note who takes no care of those things that concern the Welfare of the Kingdom Now if Men be careful for the Safety of their Kingdom with how great Care and Providence must it be believ'd that the King of all Kings defends the Life and Welfare of Men In this Petition therefore of the Kingdom of God V. All things necessary are here pray'd for are comprehended all things whatsoever which in this Pilgrimage or Exile rather we stand in need of which God graciously promises that he will grant for immediately he subjoins All these things shall be added to you VVhereby he plainly declares VI. How great Gods Bounty is that he is a King that largely and bountifully supplies Mankind Upon the consideration of which infinit Bounty David being fix'd sings thus The Lord is my King therefore I shall want nothing Psal 22.1 But it is not enough earnestly to seek the Kingdom of God VII To be heard in this Petition what is necessary unless together with our Petition we use all other Means whereby it is sought and found For those Five Foolish Virgins indeed earnestly sought it after this manner Lord Lord open to us Mat. 25.21 but yet because they did not well guard their Petition they were shut out and not without cause for that Sentence came out of God's own Mouth Mat. 7.21 Not every one that says to me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven VVherefore the Priests VIII How to stir up the Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and those that have Cure of Souls shall draw out of the most flowing Fountains of Sacred Scripture those things that may move in the Faithful the Study and Desire of the Kingdom of Heaven and which may put before their Eyes their calamitous State and Condition and which may affect them so as that looking about them and recollecting themselves they may be brought back to the remembrance of that highest Bliss and those unspeakable good things wherewith the everlasting House of God our Father abounds For here we are but mere Exiles IX How many and great the Miseries of this Life are Gal. 5.17 and Inhabitants of that place wherein the Devils dwell whose spite against us can be mitigated by no means for they are most hurtful and implacable to Mankind And what shall we say of those domestic and intestine Quarrels which the Soul and Body the Flesh and Spirit daily make among themselves wherein we ought always to fear lest we should be worsted And it is to be fear'd yea we should presently fall were we not defended by the Protection of Gods right Hand which weight of Miseries when the Apostle perceiv'd Rom. 7.24 he said O wretched Man that I am who will deliver me from the Body of this Death This Misery of Mankind X. How we come to know more readily the greatness of Mans Misery altho it be well known of it self yet it may more easily be understood from the Contention of other Natures and created things For we see it seldom happen in them whether void of Reason or Sense that a-any of their Natures so decline from their proper Actions Sense or Motions that were implanted in them as to forsake their appointed and determin'd End This appears in the Beasts of the Field in Fishes and Birds so that the Matter wants nothing to be said for the clearing of it If you look up to Heaven do ye not perceive it to be most true which was said by David Psal 118.89 Thy Word O Lord endures for ever in Heaven to
this blind Pilgrimage we are absent from the Lord XXII Our Instability in the Kingdom of Grace we often slip and fall casting off the Admonitions of the Kingdom of Grace wherewith we were secur'd but when the Light of the Kingdom of Glory which is perfect shall have enlightned us we shall always stand firm and stable for every Fault and Inconveniency shall be taken away every Infirmity being confirmed shall be strengthen'd Lastly God himself will reign in our Soul and Body But this thing has bin more fully handled in the Creed when we discours'd of the Resurrection of the Flesh These things therefore XXIII What things are here pray'd for First which shew the common Sense of the Kingdom of God being explain'd we must shew what this Petition properly prays for Now we beg of God that Christs Kingdom which is the Church may be propagated that all Infidels and Jews Schismatics and Heretics may turn themselves to the Faith of Christ our Lord and receive the Knowledg of the true God and return to Soundness of Mind and to the Communion of the Church of God from whence they are fallen that it may be fulfil'd and brought to that Issue which the Lord spake by the Mouth of Isaiah Isa 54.2 Enlarge the place of thy Tents and stretch out the Borders of thy Tabernacles make thy Lines long renew thy Rule for thou shalt penetrate to the right and left Hand because he that made thee shall reign over thee And again The Gentils shall walk in thy Light Isa 60.5 and Kings in the brightness of thy rising lift up thy Eyes round about and see all these are gather'd together they came to thee thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughter shall rise from beside thee But because in the Church there are some that in their Words confess God Secondly but in their Deeds deny him and yet boast of their deform'd Faith in whom by Reason of Sin the Devil dwells and rules as in his own Houses we pray also that the Kingdom of God may come upon them whereby the Darkness of their Sins being dispell'd and being illustrated with the Rays of the Divine Light they may be restor'd into their former Dignity of being the Children of God that all Heretics and Schismatics being taken away and all Offences and all causes of Sin cast forth out of his Kingdom our Heavenly Father may purge the Floor of his Church that in worshipping God devoutly and holily she may enjoy a quiet Peace and Tranquillity Lastly Thirdly we pray that God alone may live in us and he alone may reign in us that hereafter there be no place for Death but that it may wholly be swallowed up in the Victory of Christ our Lord who having scattered and dispersed all the Principality of the Enemies by his own Power and Might he may subject all things under his Government And it shall be the Curats Care XXIV The Curats Duty in this case to teach the Faithful what the Reason of this Petition requires with which Thoughts and Meditations being furnish'd they may make these Prayers devoutly to God And First they shall exhort them to consider the Force and Meaning of that Parable us'd by our Saviour The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Treasure hidden in a Field which he that found it in the Ground hid and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has and buys that Field For he that knows the Riches of Christ our Lord XXV All things seems vile when we know Gods Kingdom will despise all things in comparison of them all Excellencies Riches and Power will seem mean to him for nothing can be compar'd to that most precious Jewel or be able to stand before it Wherefore those that know it Phil. 8. will cry out with the Apostle I account all things but loss and esteem them but as Dung that I may gain Christ This is that famous Jewel of the Gospel Matth. 13.45 for which he that sells all his Goods and gives the Mony thereof shall enjoy everlasting Happiness O happy we XXVI How precious this Jewel of didivine Grace is Rom. 8.15 if Jesus Christ would give us so much Light as to see this Jewel of Divine Grace whereby he reigns in those that are his for we would sell all that we have yea and our very selves to buy and secure this for then at last we might assuredly say Who shall separate us from the love of Christ But if we would know what is the exceeding Excellency of the Kingdom of Glory let us hear the Words and Sentences of the Prophet and Apostle agreeing in the same Isa 64.2 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye has not seen neither has Ear heard nor has it enter'd into the Heart of Man what things God has prepar'd for them that love him Now XXVII That we may be heard we must pray with Humility for the obtaining what we desire it will be very profitable to consider with our selves what we are i. e. the Offspring of Adam justly cast out of Paradice and Exiles whose unworthiness and Perverseness might rather deserve God's utmost Hatred and eternal Punishments XXVIII The Advantage of self-despising The First Wherefore it then behoves us to be of an humble and lowly Spirit Our Prayer also will be full of Christian Humility And wholly distrusting our selves The Second we will betake our selves as that Publican did to God's Mercy And ascribing all to his Bounty Third Rom. 8.15 we will give him immortal Thanks who has given us his Holy Spirit incourag'd by whom we may be embolden'd to cry Abba Father And we shall take Care and Consideration what we are to do The Fourth and on the contray what to avoid that we may come to the Kingdom of Heaven For we are not call'd of God to Idleness and Sloth Note for says he Matth. 11.12 the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence and the violent take it by force And if thou wilt enter into Life Matth. 19.17 keep the Commandments It is not enough therefore to seek the Kingdom of God XXIX We must labor together with Grace unless Men labor and toil for it for they ought to help and serve that Grace of God in holding that Course which leads to Heaven God never forsakes us Note for he has promis'd to be with us always How ought this one thing therefore to be regarded of us that we forsake not God and our selves And in this Kingdom of God XXX The defence of our Salvation and how great which is his Church are all things wherewith he defends the Life of Man and perfects their eternal Salvation Multitudes of Angels which are invisible and the Benefit of visible Sacraments full of Celestial Treasures in these things there is so much Security appointed us by God that we may be safe not only from the Government of our worst Enemies but
the first Person of the Trinity call'd Father Ibid. What belongs to the Divine Persons ought not to be curiously search'd into Ibid. Christian Philosophy differs from the wisdom of the World 16 What the Philosophers thought of God Ibid. The Pope of Rome is the Head of the Catholic Church 92 The Supreme Dignity and Jurisdiction of the Pope of Divine Right Ibid. The Pope is the Supreme Governour of the Universal Church the Successor of St. Peter and Christ's true and lawful Vicar Ibid. God is first to be pray'd to and then the Saints 464 The best way of praying 457 For whom we must pray 461 The Saints are to be pray'd to and after what manner we beg them to take pity on us 464 The manner of Prayer 469 We must pray in Spirit and Truth Ibid. Infidels cannot pray in Spirit and Truth 470 We must pray in Christ's name 471 By praying to God we honour him 452 The Divine Majesty approaches to him that prays 551 They that pray converse with God Ibid. The benefits and advantages of such as pray 452 Many degrees of Prayer and Thanksgiving 455 c. The manner of vocal Prayer 469 What sinners God hears and helps when they pray 558 Prayer to God necessary 450 Christ pray'd all night 470 The power that Prayer has with God 471 The profitableness and advantage of Prayer 452 c. Prayer is an argument of Religion Ibid. By Prayer we acknowledge our subjection to God Ibid. Prayer is the Key of Heaven Ibid. The Vertue and Advantage of Prayer Ibid. Of what parts Prayer consists 455 The two principal parts of Prayer 456 The Prayer of such as have not yet receiv'd the light of Faith 458 The Prayer of such as God hears not 459 Prayers for the wicked have great influence 462 Prayers for the Dead in Purgatory flow'd from the Apostles Ibid. Prayers for such as are in mortal sin not very efficacious Ibid. What he ought to think that pronounces the Lord's Prayer before the Images of the Saints 465 Prayer must be humble Ibid. The preparation of Prayer Ibid. What sins they must avoid that would have their Prayers heard of God 466 Contempt of God's Laws makes our Prayers execrable Ibid. Prayer admits of no doubting 467 Mental Prayer excludes not vocal 469 Mental Prayer is more excellent Ibid. The proper advantage and necessity of vocal Prayer Ibid. Private and public Prayer 470 The Exposition of the Lord's Prayer 472 The Preface of the Lord's Prayer Prayer made for another profits himself 481 Prayer is a weapon against the Devil 541 The order to be observed in Prayer 545 The preposterous order us'd by some in their Prayers 544 The Preaching of God's word never to be intermitted In the Preface The authority of the Preachers of God's word Ibid. Preparation to Prayer wherein it consists 465 Preparation before the Communion what it ought to be and how necessary 225 226 Preparation to the Communion requires us to come fasting 227 The Priest alone has the power of consecrating the Eucharist 232 VVhen Christ instituted Prists 235 Priests are to conceal in perpetual silence the sins reveal'd to them in Confession 268 Priests call'd Gods and Angels 293 The Priests of the New Testament more excellent than all others 293 297 The Priests Power very great 294 VVhat they ought to propose to themselves that are to be initiated into Holy Orders Ibid. Mercenary Priests 294 295 Priests entring in by the door of the Church 295 VVhen the Power is given to the Priest by the Bishop Pag. 298 The Ceremonies used in Ordaining Priests and other Clerks 298 c. The Order of Priesthood tho it be burdensom yet it has divers degrees of Dignity and Power 308 VVhat is requir'd in him that is to be made Priest 311 VVhat knowledge is required in a Priest Ibid. Two duties of a Priest Ibid. The Nobility and Excellency of a Priest 236 The charge of a Priest to be lay'd upon none rashly 310 VVho are said to be call'd to the Priesthood 294 The Power of the Priesthood double 296 The Power of the Priesthood of the Law of the Gospel far more excellent than that of the written Law or Law of Nature 297 The Power of the Priesthood of the Gospel has its Original from Christ Ibid. That Priesthood two-fold 306 The Office of the Priesthood 307 The duty of Prosecutors and Advocates 434 God's Providence towards Men. 490 c. Purgatory 57 R REdemption the great benefits we receive thereby 54 Remedies against evil desires Pag. 447 The remedies of a sick soul are Penance and the Eucharist 289 Remission of sins to be had in the Church 102 With how great thankfulness the benefit of remission of sins is to be receiv'd 103 Christ has given the power of remitting sins in the Church to the Bishops and Priests Ibid. Our sins remitted by Christ's blood 105 None can obtain remission of sins without Penance 526 Restitution necessary to a Penitent 419 Who are to be compell'd to make restitution 419 420 The Resurrection of Christ and the glorious Mystery of it 62 c. Christ rose again by his own power 61 By the benefit of the Resurrection Christ is become the first fruits of all Ibid. That Christ rose again the third day how to be understood 62 The mystery of Christ's Resurrection very necessary 63 The end of Christ's Resurrection 64 What examples Christ's Resurrection proposes to us 65 The signs of spiritual Resurrection Ibid. Our Faith establish'd by the belief of the Resurrection of the dead 107. Why the Resurrection of man is called the Resurrection of the Flesh 107 The Resurrection of the Flesh proved by Examples and Testimonies 108 The different condition of them that shall rise again 111 Before the Resurrection all then alive shall die without exception Ibid. Our Bodies shall rise again immortal 114. The powers of those that rise again Ibid c. What fruits we gather by the Article of the Resurrection 116 Robbery and its kinds 417 Robbery a greater sin than Theft 414 Robbery and the various kinds of Rapine 417 S THe celebration of the Sabbath why so often commanded in holy Scripture 369 What Sabbath signifies 373 What the signification of Sabbath is ibid. Why the Sabbath consecrated to God 375 The Sabbath was a sign Ibid. The Sabbath in Heaven Ibid. Why the Sabbath transferr'd to the Lord's day 376 After what manner the Sabbath is to be observ'd 377 The name Sacrament how taken 127 What a Sacrament is 128 Justice and Salvation attain'd by the Sacraments 128 St. Austin's definition of a Sacrament Ibid. Sacraments referr'd to those things they signifie 129 c. Sacraments are signs appointed of God 130 A sacred thing and the Grace of God 131 A Sacrament signifies and works Holiness Ibid. Sacraments signifie divers things 132 The Sacraments of the Law of the Gospel why instituted 133 Every Sacrament consists of two things Matter and Form 135 Among all signs words have
dissembling forbidd'n in the former part of this Commandment Dissembling is forbidden and not only those things which are spoken dissemblingly but which are done so are joyn'd with this Sin For as well Words as Actions are Notes and certain Signs of those things which are in the Mind of any one and for this Reason our Lord often chiding the Pharisees calls them Hypocrites And thus much of the former Law of this Commandment which has relation to things forbidden Vide. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 211. per totam Now we will explain what the Lord commands in the other And the force and vertue of this part of this Commandment tends hither XX. The other part of the Commandment That all Judgments of Courts be justly exercis'd and according to Law and that Men do not wrest and usurp Judgment For it would not be fit to judg another Man's Servant XXI A Judg cannot condemn one not subject to him Rom. 14.4 as the Apostle writes lest they give Sentence before the Matter or Cause be known In which respect the Counsel of the Priests and Scribes was fault y who gave Judgment concerning S. Stephen and this was the Fault also of the Philippian Magistrates of whom the Apostle says Act. 7 59. Act. 16.37 They have sent us after having bin publickly beaten into Prison being Romans and uncondemned and now they would thrust us away privily Vide in 6 lib. 5. titul 7. de privilegiis c. 1. ibid. lib. 2. lit 2. de foro competenti Let them not condemn the Innocent XXII What is required of Judges or discharge the Guilty let them not be mov'd with Reward or Favor with Hatred or Love For so Moses admonishes the Elders whom he had made Judges of the People John 7.19 Judg ye what is just whether he be citizen or stranger there shall be no difference of persons so shall ye bear the Little as the Great neither shall ye accept any ones person because the Judgment is Gods Now concerning the Guilty XXIII The Guilty being ask'd by the Judg ought not to lye God will have them confess the Truth when they are ask'd according to the Form of Judgment For that Testimony and Declaring is a kind of Confession of the Praise and Glory of God as appears from Joshuah's Sentence who exhorting Achan to the Confession of the Truth Jos 7.19 says My Son give glory to the Lord the God of Israel Vide. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 96. per totos 4. Articulos But because this Commandment chiefly concerns the Witnesses XXIV The Witnesses chiefly concern'd here the Curat shall diligently treat concerning them also For such is the Force of the Commandment that it not only forbids false Testimony but also commands the Truth to be told For in human Affairs there is very great Use of the Testimony of Truth XXV The chief use of Witness-bearing because there are innumerable things whereof we must needs be ignorant unless we know them by the Credit of Witnesses Wherefore there is nothing so necessary as the Truth of Testimonies in those things which we neither know of our selves and yet ought not to be ignorant of Concerning which the Sentence of S. Austin is memorable He that conceals the Truth and he that utters a Lye are each of them guilty the one because he will do no good the other because he would do hurt Haec Sententia citabatur olim a Gratiano ex August sed apud August non est inventa Similiter legitur apud Isidorrm Lib. 3. c. 59. Yet sometimes it is lawful to conceal the Truth XXVI When we may conceal the Truth but out of Judgment For in Judgment when the Witness is lawfully ask'd by the Judg the Truth is wholly to be laid open Yet here the Witnesses are to take heed XXVII lest trusting too much to their own Memory Note they affirm that for certain which they are not well assur'd of The rest are Counsellors and Advocates Atturneys and Sollicitors XXVIII What is requir'd of Counsellors these therefore ought not to be wanting in their Labor and Defence when Men have need of them and kindly to help those that are needy not to undertake to defend unjust Causes nor by Calumny to prolong Suits nor for gains sake to encourage them And as to the Reward of their Labor and Service Note let them measure it according to Justice and Equity Vide 14. q. 5. c. non sane D. Thom. 2.2 q. 71. Art 5. Sollicitors and Accusers are to be admonish'd not to create danger to any one by unjustly charging them with Crimes XXIX What requir'd of Officers and Sollicitors being led thereto either by Love or Hatred or any other Lust Lastly this Commandment is given of God to all pious Persons that in all their Entertainments and Discourses they always speak the Truth from their Heart to say nothing that may hurt anothers Reputation no not even of those by whom they know themselves to have bin provoked and injur'd since they ought always to remember that there is between them so great a Nearness and Society that they are Members of the same Body But that the Faithful may the more freely take heed of this Vice of Lying XXX Things to be aganst Lying the Curat shall propose to them the exceeding great Misery and Baseness of this Sin For in Sacred Scripture the Devil is call'd Joh. 8.44 The Father of Lyes For because the Devil stood not in Truth he is a Lyar and the Father of Lyes And to overthrow this so great a Sin Secondly he shall add those Mischiefs which follow a Lye and because they are innumerable he shall shew the Fountains and Heads of those Inconveniences and Calamities And First Thirdly so far as it is an Offence to God and how far a vain and lying Person incurrs his Hatred he shall declare from Solomon's Authority in that place Prov. 6. There are Six things which the Lord hates and the Seventh his Soul abhors a proud Look a lying Tongue Hands that shed innocent Blood a Heart devising evil Thoughts Feet that are swift to run to Mischief him that tells Lyes and a deceitful Witness and so forth Who is there therefore that can promise him Safety Fourthly who is so notably hated of God that he shall not be most grievously punish'd And what is there more base or foul Fifthly as S. James says Jac. 3.6 Than with the same Tongue wherewith we bless God and the Father to slander Men that are made after the Image and Likeness of God So that out of the same Fountain does flow sweet and bitter Water For the Tongue Sixthly which before gave Praise and Glory to God afterward as much as in it lies does disgrace and reproch it by Lying Wherefore it comes to pass Seventhly That Lyars are excluded from the Possession of the Bliss of Heaven For when David