godly should even in the Public assembly and judgment of all mankind recover that esteem which by injustice they were depriv'd of among men And then whereas both the Good and the Bad did The Third not without their bodies whatsoever they did on all accounts it is just that whatsoever was well or ill done belongs also to their Bodies which were the Instruments of those Actions It was therefore very convenient that the due rewards of eternal glory or punishment should be difpens'd to the Bodies and Souls together which verily could not be done without a Ressurrection of all men and without a General Judgment Lastly The Fourth Because in mens adversity and prosperity which sometimes happen alike both to the Good and Bad it was to appear that nothing was done or over-rul'd without the Infinite Wisdom and Justice of God it was meet not only that Rewards should be appointed to the Good and Punishments to the Wicked in the world to come but also that this should be determin'd in a Public and General Judgment whereby they might be more known and conspicuous to all and that praise might by all be given to the Justice and Providence of God instead of that unjust complaint which even sometimes the Saints themselves as men have been used to make when they observ'd wicked Men prospering in Wealth and flourishing in Honors For Ps 72.2,3 says the Prophet My feet were amost mov'd my treadings had well nigh slipt because I was griev'd at the unjust seeing the peace of sinners And a little after Behold the very sinners and the wealthy of the world they get riches and I said Then have I cleans'd my heart in vain and have washed my hands in innocency I was punish'd every day and chastn'd every morning And this was the frequent complaint of many It was needful therefore that there should be a General Judgment Joh. 22.14 lest haply men should say That God indeed takes care of the motions of the Heavens but regards not what is done on the Earth This word of Truth therefore is rightly made One of the Twelve Articles of our Christian Faith that if the minds of any should doubt concerning the Providence and Jultice of God by means of this Doctrin they may be confirm'd Besides The Fifth at the apprehension of the Judgment it is fit that the Godly be comforted and the Wicked terrifi'd that considering the Justice of God the Good should not be dejected and the Evil may be recall'd from their wickedness by the fear and expectation of Eternal Punishment Wherefore our Lord and Saviour speaking of the Last Day has declar'd that there will sometime be a General Judgement Mat. 24 29. and has describ'd the Signs of the approach of the Time thereof that when we shall see those Signs come to pass we may know that the End of the World is at hand and then at his Ascension into Heaven he sent Angels who comforted the Apostles grieving for his absence in these words Act. 2.11 This Jesus which is taken from you up into Heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into Heaven But that this Judgment is given to Christ VI. Christ as Man also is Judge of all not only as God but as Man the Holy Scriptures declare For tho the power of Judging be common to all the persons of the Holy Trinity yet we specially attribute it to the Son Because we say that Wisdom suits to him But that as Man he will judge the World our Lord's testimony assures us who says Joh. 5.26 As the Father has life in himself so has he given to the Son to have life in himself and has given him power to Judge as he is the Son of Man And it was very meet VII Why Christ aâ— Man will be Judge that this Judgment should be exercised by Christ our Lord that when the Judgment was concerning Men they might see the Judge with their Eyes and with their Ears hear the Sentence which should be pronounc'd and truly perceive the Judgment with their Senses And it was moreover mosl just that That man who was condemn'd by the most unjust sentences of Men should be seen to sit afterwards as Judge of all wherefore the Prince of Apostles when in the House of Cornelius Act. 10.24 he was expounding the chief heads of Christian Religion and had taught that Christ was by the Jews hang'd on a Tree and kill'd and the third day rose again to life he subjoyn'd And he has commanded us to preach and to testifie to the people that This is he who was appointed of God to be the Judge of quick and dead And the Holy Scriptures declare VIII Signs foregoing the Judgment Damase de fide Orâ—hod lib. 4.7.27 that these Three principal Signs will go before the Judgment The Preaching of the Gospel throughout the world a Departure from the Faith and Antichrist For our Lord says This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preach'd through the whole world for a testimony to all the Gentils and then shall the End come And the Apostle warns us that we be not seduc'd by any as tho the Day of the Lord were at hand Mat. 22.14 2 Thess 2.3 Dan. 7.9 For unless there first come a departure and that Man of sin be reveal'd the judgment will not come But what will be the Manner and Way of the Judgment the Curate may easily know from the Oracles of Daniel and from the Doctrin of the Evangelists and of the Apostles Moreover IX The Pronouncing and Exposition of the Sentence of the last Judgment Mat. 24.34 the Sentence to be pronounc'd by the Judge should be in this place more diligently consider'd For Christ our Saviour beholding with a chearful countenance the Godly at his Right hand shall with the greatest love and good-will thus pronounce Sentence concerning them Come ye the blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom which is prepar'd for you from the foundation of the world Than which words they will know that there can be nothing heard more sweet who but compare them with the Sentence of Condemnation of the Wicked and when in their mind they shall have consider'd that by those words Pious and Just men are call'd from their Labours to Rest from a Vally of Tears to the highest Joy and from all their Miseries to everlasting Happiness which they by their Duties of Charity have deserv'd And then turning to those who stand at his Left hand he will pour forth his Justice upon them in these words Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels In those former words X. The Sentence of the Reprobate consider'd Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 23. August Ser. 181 de Temp. Greg. lib. 9. Moral c. 46. Mat. 25 4â— Depart from me is signifi'd that most extream punishment wherewith the wicked shall be tormented when they shall be
gravest Divines For say they There are Two sorts of Good things whereof the one belongs to the very Being of Bliss The other follows upon that Bliss Wherefore for the better understanding thereof the First may be call'd Essential Goods and the other Accessory And indeed that solid Bliss which we may call by the common name Essential is plac'd in the Vision of God and enjoyment of his Beauty who is the Fountain and Principle of all Goodness and Perfection This is Life Eternal Joh. 17.3 says Christ our Lord to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Which Sentence S. John seems to interpret when he says 1 Joh. 3.2 Behold now we are the Sons of God But it does not yet appear what we shall be because we know when he shall appear we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is For he shews that Bliss consists in these two things both that we shall behold God near at hand as he is in his own Nature and Substance and also because we our selves shall be made as Gods For they who enjoy him VIII What kind of Persons the Blessed shall be in Glory tho they retain their own proper substance yet do they put on a kind of admirable and almost divine Form so that they may seem rather Gods than Men. But why this is so appears plainly from hence That every thing is known either by its own Being or else by a similitude and resemblance thereof But because there is nothing like God by help of which resemblance we can come to a perfect knowledg of him it follows that no one can see his Nature and Being unless his very Divine Being be pleas'd to joyn it self with us And this the Apostles words shew We now see as through a Glass darkly but Then face to face 1 Cor. 23.12 Aug. lib. 15. de Civ c. 9. Dâ—on Areop de diÌ„vin nom c. 1. For that he says darkly S. Austin interprets of a Resemblance fitted to know God by which also S. Dennys plainly shews when he affirms That the things above cannot be perceiv'd by any resemblance of things below for neither can the Being and Substance of that which is incorporeal be known by the resemblance of any corporeal things Especially when it is necessary that the Resemblance of things be less gross and more spiritual than those things whose resemblance they bear as experience teaches us in the knowledg of all things Now because it cannot be that the resemblance of any created thing can be found equally pure and spiritual with God himself hence it comes that we cannot perfectly understand the Divine Essence by any resemblance We may add also that all created things are restrain'd within certain limits of Perfection But God is Infinite nor can the resemblance of any created thing reach his Immensity Wherefore there is left this one way only of knowing the Divine Substance that he joyn himself with us and by some way beyond our Belief raise our Understanding higher and so we may be fitted to contemplate the Beauty of his Nature But this in the Light of Glory we shall have when being illustrated with that splendor we shall see God who is the true Light by his own Light For the Blessed shall behold God always present X. The Fountain of Bliss 2 Pet. 1.4 by which superlative and most excellent Gift being made partakers of the Divine Essence they shall enjoy true and solid Bliss Which we ought so to believe as that with a sure Hope we may expect it of the goodness of God for our selves as is said in the Creed of the Fathers For it says I expect the Resurrection of the Dead and the Life of the World to come These things are plainly Divine nor can we by words express or so much as in thought conceive them But some small resemblance of that Bliss we may perceive by sensible things A Similitude out of Anselm l. de Simil. c. 1â— for as Iron put into the Fire receives fire into it and tho the substance thereof be not chang'd yet something may be seen in it of a different substance to wit the Fire After the same manner they who are admitted into the glory of Heaven being inflam'd with the Love of God are so wrought upon that tho they cease not to be that which they are yet they may deservedly be said to be much more different from those which are in this life than Iron which is red hot from that which has no force of heat in it To speak the whole matter therefore in few words XI Wherein Essential Bliss consists That superlative and absolute Bliss which we call Essential consists in the possession of God For what can he want to make his Happiness perfect who enjoys the most perfect and gracious God Now to this Bliss there are some Ornaments to be added XII The Accessories of Bliss Aug de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 30. Rom. 2.18 which are common to all the Bless'd Which because they are less strange to human Reason will be the more likely to influence and stir up our minds the more earnestly Of this kind are those of which the Apostle seems to mean in his Epistle to the Romans Glory Honur and Peace to every one that does good The First For the Blessed shall indeed throwly enjoy Glory but not that glory only which we have shew'd to be Essential Bliss or very nearly related to the nature thereof but that also which consists in the clear and plain knowledg which every one shall have concerning the great and excellent dignity of another But then how great must that Honor be accounted which is given them by the Lord himself when they shall no longer be call'd Servants but the Friends the Brethren and Children of God Wherefore our Savior will thus salute them with the most kind and courteous expressions Luc. 12.4 Come ye blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom prepar'd for you That we may deserv'dly cry out Matt. 25.34 Thy Friends O God are too much honour'd But they shall also be highly prais'd and commended by Christ our Lord Ps 138.17 before his Heavenly Father and the Angels Besides The Second if Nature have planted the desire of Honor in the Hearts of all Men and especially of the Honor of those Men who are most excellent for Wisdom because they look upon them as the most commendable Witnesses of their vertue how much may we think will this add to the glory of the Blessed when they shall every one exceedingly honor and reverence one another It would be endless to reckon up all the Delights which the Glory of the Bless'd shall be crouded with The Third And indeed neither can we in Thought conceive them But yet the Faithful ought to be assur'd That whatsoever delights happen to us in this life or can but be wish'd for whether
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
and scarcer Which thing belongs also to all things necessary for Food and Life to whom pertains that Curse of Solomon He that with-holds Corn shall be cursed by the People Which kind of Persons the Curats shall admonish of their Wickedness and chide them soundly and plainly shew them the Punishments threatned to those Sins Thus far of what is forbidden XXI Of Restitution Now we come to what is commanded Where Satisfaction or Restitution has the first place for the Sin is not forgiven unless the Thing taken away be restor'd But because not He only who committed the Theft XXII Who are bound to Restitution or who stole ought to restore it but all they also who were Partakers of the Theft are bound to this Law of Restitution it must be shew'd who they are that cannot be excus'd from this Necessity of making Satisfaction and Restitution Now there are many sorts of them First Those that command Theft and the first is of those that command others to steal and these are not only the Companions and Authors of Thefts but even the very wors t Thieves of all Another sort is of those Secondly Thâ—se that perswade to it who being like the former in Will but not in Powor are notwithstanding to be rank'd in that Degree of Thieves who tho they cannot command are yet the Persuaders and Procurers of Thefts Thirdly Those that consent to it The third sort is of those that consent with Thieves The fourth sort is of those Fourthly Those that partake od it Psal 49. that being Partners in the Thefts make a Gain to themselves from thence if so be that it may be call'd Gain which unless they reject exposes them to eternal Torments to whom David speaks thus When thou saw'st a Thief thou consentedst with him The fifth sort of Thieves is of those Fifthly Those that do not hinder it who when they could hinder Thefts to be done are so far from opposing and hindring them that they permit and give them leave The sixth sort is of those Sixthly Those that do not discover it who certainly know both that the Theft was committed and where it was done and yet do not discover it but make as tho they were ignorant of it The last sort is that which contains all the Helpers Seventhly Those that protect the Thief Concealers and Defenders of Thieves and those who give them House and Harbor All which kind of Persons ought to satisfie those who had the Damage and are earnestly to be exhorted to that Duty Nor are they altogether clear of this Sin Eighthly Those that com nend him Ninthly who approve and commend Theft Nor are those Children and Wives free from this Fault that privily take Mony from their Fathers and Husbands But now XXIII Of Works of Mercy in this Commandment there is this further Meaning That we compassionate the Poor and Needy and relieve their Streights and Hardships with our Ability and Power Which Argument because it is very often and very largely to be handled the Curats may gather Matter enough whereby to perform this Duty out of the Books of these most Holy Men Cyprian John Chrysostom Gregory Nazianzen and others who have wrote excellently of Alms-deeds Cyprian lib. de Opera Eleemosyn Chrysost Hom. 32. ad Pop. Antioch Hom. 32. 34. in Matth. Vide etiam Hom. 16.37 ad Pop. Antioch Nazianz Orat. de Pauperum amore Aug. Serm. 50. 227. de Tempore item Hom. 18 19 28 45. XXIV Motives to persuade to Mercy The First For the Faithful are to be inflam'd to the Study and Chearfulness of helping those who are to live upon others Mercy And they are also to be taught how necessary Alms-deeds are to wit that we be liberal in our Work and Deed towards those that want and that by the most true Argument That in the last Day of Judgment God will detest and condemn to everlasting Flames those that omit and neglect the Duties of Alms-deeds but will commend and bring into his Heavenly Kingdom those that have been bountiful to the Needy Both which Sentences were pronounc'd by the Mouth of Christ our Lord Come ye blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom prepar'd for you and Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire Besides The Second Luke 6.38 the Priests shall use those Places very fit to perswade hereto Give and it shall be given you They shall produce the Promise of God The Third than which nothing can be imagin'd more full nothing more glorious For Mar. 10.29 there is no one that shall have left c. that shall not only receive an hundred-fold now in this World but in the World to come Life everlasting And they shall add that which was spoken by Christ our Lord The Fourth Luc. 16.9 Make ye Friends of the Mamnton of Vnrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting Tabernacles And they shall expound the Parts of this necessary Duty XXV We must lend freely for nothing that those that cannot give to the Needy for Maintenance of Life may yet at least lend to the Poor according to Christ our Lord 's Appointment Lend ye to them that need Luc. 6.34 hoping for nothing from thence And the Blessedness of so doing David has express'd Psal 111.5 Blessed is the Man that takes pity and lends Now it is the Part of Christian Piety XXVI We must labor to relieve the Poor unless they have some other way of doing them good who have need of other Mens Mercy to relieve them with Food as also for avoiding of Idleness with their Work their Labor and their Hands to get those things whereby they may relieve the Want of the Needy To this the Apostle exhorts all by his own Example in his Epistle to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 5.7 1 Thess 4. â—1 in these words For ye know how ye ought to imitate us And to the same Do your endeavor to be quiet and to do your Business and labor with your Hands as we have commanded you Eph. 4.25 And to the Ephesians Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labor working with his Hands that which is good that he may have wherewith to give to him that suffers want We must also use Frugality XXVII We must have frugally and not be over-chargeable to others lest we be troublesom and burdensom to them And this kind of Temperance was very apparent in all the Apostles but it shone most bright in S. Paul who wrote thus to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2 9. Ye remember Brethren our Labor and Travel laboring night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you we preach'd to you the Gospel of God And the same Apostle in another place In labor and travel working night and day that we might not be burdensom to any of you But that the
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
wit That Heaven is carried about with a steddy and perpetual Motion so that it does not in the least forsake the Law appointed it of God If you consider the Earth and all other Creatures you may easily perceive that they fall off either not at all or but very little But miserable Mankind very often falls XI Nothing more inconstant than Man and seldom does it proceed in any good purposes but for the most part leaves off good Actions when begun and despises them and the best Sense which pleas'd for a while presently displeases and that being rejected it falls into ill Counsels and such as are pernicious to it self What therefore is the cause of this Misery and Inconstancy XII What the causes of Man's Misery are It must needs be the Contempt of divine Inspiration for we shut our Ears to Gods Admonitions we will not cast our Eyes upon those things that would give us Divine Light nor do we hearken to our Heavenly Father commanding us those things which are for our Salvation Wherefore the Curats are to be very careful to lay these Miseries before the Eyes of the Faithful XIII The Curats Duty in thiâ— case and let them shew the causes of their Miseries and the vertue of the Remedies to do which they will not want means if they read those very Holy Men John Chrysostom and Austin and especially what we have set down in the Exposition of the Creed For those things being known who is there even of the most wicked Men in the World but by the Help of Gods Grace preventing them will endeavour by the Example of the Prodigal Son in the Gospel Luc. 15. to bestir and raise himself up and come into the presence of this heavenly King and Father Vide Chrysost in Psal 118. in cap. 4. Isai hom 62. ad Popul Antioch Item hom 69. in hom de vanit brevit Vitae Aug. lib. 10. Confess c. 28. 31. lib. 21. de Civit. Dei c. 14. lib. 22. c. 22. Having explain'd these things XIV What is here understood by the Kingdom of God they shall then shew how this Petition becomes advantagious to the Faithful and what it is that in these words we beg of God especially seeing that this word the kingdom of God signifies many things the declaring whereof will be useful both to the understanding of other places of Scripture and is necessary to the knowledge of this place The common Signification therefore of the Kingdom of God First and which is frequent in the Sacred Scripture is not only that Power which he has over all Men and Creatures in the World but his Providence also which rules and governs all things For as the Prophet says Psal 94.4 In his hands are all the Ends of the Earth By which Ends are also understood those things which are secret and hidden in the inmost parts of the Earth and of all things else According to this Sense spake Mordochaeus in these words Esther 13.9 O Lord God thou art an Almighty King for in thy Power are all things and there is none that can resist thy Will thou art Lord of all nor is there any that resists thy Majesty Again Secondly by the Kingdom of God is signified that special and singular Rule of Providence whereby God defends and takes care of pious and holy Men. Of which mighty care so proper to God it is said of David The Lord governs me therefore shall I want nothing And Isaiah says The Lord our King he shall save us Psal 22.1 Isay 32.22 In which Kingly Power of God XV. Christ's Kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 tho even in this Life those pious and holy Men are after a special Manner of whom we have made mention yet Christ our Lord admonish'd Pilat that his Kingdom is not of this World i. e. it has not its Beginning from this World which is made to perish for after that manner as we have said Emperors Kings Common-wealths Rulers and all they that either have obtain'd and are chosen of Men to be over Cities and Provinces or by Violence and Wrong to possess the Government have the Rule or Mastery But Christ our Lord is appointed of God to be King XVI What Christ's Kingdom is as the Prophet says whose Kingdom as the Apostle says is Justice for he says The Kingdom of God is Justice and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Psal 2.6 Rom. 24.15 Now Christ our Lord reigns in us by internal Vertues Faith Hope and Charity XVII How Christ reigns in us by which Vertues we are made parts as it were of his Kingdom and being subject to God after a special manner we are consecrated to his Worship and Reverence that as the Apostle said Gal. 2. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me so we may say I reign yet not I but Christ reigns in me Now this Kingdom is call'd Justice XXIII Why God's Kingdom is Justice because it is constituted by the Justice of Christ our Lord. And of this Kingdom thus speaks our Lord in S. Luke The kingdom of God is within you Luc. 17.21 For tho Jesus Christ reigns by Faith in all Note that are contain'd in the Lap and Bosom of our most Holy Mother the Church yet in a special manner he reigns over them who being endu'd with Faith Hope and Charity yield themselves as pure and living Members to God And in these the Kingdom of Grace is said to be Now Thirdly The Kingdom of God is eternal Glory Matth. 25.34 Luc. 23.42 that is God's Kingdom of Glory whereof we hear Christ our Lord speaking in S. Matthew Come ye Blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom prepar'd for you from the beginning of the World Which very Kingdom that Thief in S. Luke admirably ackowledging his Wickedness begg'd of him in this manner Lord remember me when thou com'st into thy Kingdom S. John also makes mention of this Kingdom John 3.5 Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And the Apostle to the Ephesians mentions it Eph. 5. For no Whoremonger or Vnclean person or Covetous man who is an Idolater has any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Matth. 13. â—1 Hither do belong some Parables of Christ our Lord speaking of the Kingdom of Heaven But first it is necessary to establish the Kingdom of Grace XIX The double Kingdom of Grace and Glory nor can Gods Glory reign in any except his Grace first rule in them But Grace XX. What Grace is according to the Sense of our Savior himself is A fountain of living water sprining up to eternal life John 4.14 And what shall we call Glory but Grace made perfect and absolute For so long as we are cloth'd with this frail and mortal Body while weak and wandring in
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
we are able to cast down and tread under our feet even the very Tyrant himself and his wicked Accomplices Wherefore let us lastly pray earnestly of Gods Spirit to command us to do all things according to his Will XXXI What we pray for in this Petition in the Fourth place that he would take away the Kingdom of Satan that he may have no Power over us in that great Day that Christ may overcome and triumph that his Laws may prosper thro the whole World that his Decrees may be kept that he may have no Traytor or Deserter but that all may behave themselves so that they may come chearfully into the presence of Gods Kingdom and may come to the Possession of the Kingdom of Heaven appointed for them from all Eternity where they shall be blessed and enjoy an everlasting Age with Christ The THIRD PETITION Thy Will be done SEeing that it is said of Christ our Lord I. How properly this Petition follows the other Not every one that says to me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that does the Will of my Father which is in Heaven he shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whoever they be that desire to enter into that Heavenly Kingdom ought to pray that his Will may be done Wherefore this Petition is put immediately after that of the Kingdom of Heaven Now that the Faithful may understand how necessary that is to us II. The necessity of this Petition which we pray for in this Petition and how great a heap of saving Gifts we obtain by the begging thereof the Curats shall shew from the Miseries and Afflictions wherewith Mankind was oppress'd by reason of the Sin of our first Parents For at the Beginning God implanted in all Created things the desire of their proper Good III. The state of Nature as intire that by a kind of natural Propension they might seek and find their own proper End from whence they might never turn aside unless hinder'd from without themselves Now in the Beginning this Power of desiring God who is the Author and Parent of his Happiness was by so much the more clear and excellent in Man because he was capable of Reason and Counsel Now when as the other Creatures void of Reason IV. How great mischief the fall by Sin caus'd kept this desire which was naturally inbred in them which as at first they were created good by Nature stood so in that State and Condition and continue so to this Day but miserable Man kept not his course for he not only lost the good of Original Justice wherewith he had bin dignified and adorn'd by God above the Power of his own Nature but has also obscur'd the chief Study of Vertue in his Mind Psal 52.3 For all are gone out of the way they are alltogether become unprofitable there is none that does good no not one For the Thoughts and Imaginations of Mans heartâ— are set upon evil V. How corrupt Man is Gen. 8.21 from his youth upwards So that it may easily be perceiv'd that there is no one of himself wife to Salvation but that all Men are prone to Evil and that the evil Thoughts of Men are innumerable while they are carried headlong with rageing desire of Anger Pride Ambition and almost all kinds of evil In which Evils VI. The exceeding great misery of Man by the fall tho we are daily busied yet which is the utmost Misery of Mankind there are many of those Evils which seem to us to be not at all evil and this shews the notable Calamity of Men who being blinded with their Lusts and Desires see not and think those things to be for their Welfare which are very infectious yea and are carried headlong in pursuit of those things that are dangerously Evil as to a desirable and excellent Good and abhor those things that are honest and good as the contrary thereof This false Opinion and Judgment God detests in these words VII Man by the Fall fell into Gods Hatred Wo to them that call evil good and good evil putting Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness putting Bitter for Sweet and Sweet for Bitter Isa 5.20 Therefore to put these Miseries before Mens Eyes VIII Two â—â—â—ellent Similitudes the Scripture compares us with them that have lost the true Sense of Taste whence it comes to pass that they are Strangers to wholsom Food and seek the contrary And they further compare us with Sick persons for as they while their Distemper lasts cannot discharge the Offices and Parts of healthy and sound Men So neither can we do those things that are acceptable to God without the Assistance of divine Grace But if IX Man void of Grace can do no hing towards his Salvation while we are thus affected we go about any such things they are but trivial and such as are of little or no moment to the obtaining the Bliss of Heaven But to love and serve God as is fit it being a matter too great and high for us we could never be able to do it without the Help of Divine Grace Altho that Comparison is also very proper An excellent Similitude to signifie the miserable Condition of Mankind when we are said to be like Children who being left to their own Will are rashly mov'd at all things We are I say Children and foolish wholly given to idle Chat and frivolous Actions if forsaken of the Divine Assistance for thus Wisdom reproves us Prov. 1.22 How long ye little ones do ye love Infancy and Fools desire those things that are for their Hurt 1 Cor. 14.20 And after the same manner the Apostle exhorts Be not Children in Vnderstanding X. The great need we have of divine Help altho we are imploi'd in greater Vanity and Error than little Children who yet want the Wisdom of Men to which notwithstanding in time they may come of themselves but to the Divine Wisdom which is necessary to Salvation we can never aspire but by Gods teaching and assisting us For except Gods help be present with us we cast away those things that are truly good and wilfully rush upon our own Destruction Now he that by Gods Grace has this Darkness of Mind remov'd XI How profitable the knowledge 〈◊〉 our own Darkness is can see these Miseries of Men and being awakn'd from his dead Sleep can feel the Law of his Members and perceive his Sensual Desires fighting aga nst the Spirit and can despise every Propensity of Nature to Evil who is there that can chuse but with an earnest Study seek out a fit Remedy against this so great an Evil wherewith we are so oppress'd by the Corruption of Nature and search out that Rule to which the Life of a Christian is to be directed and conform'd Now this is the very thing which we beg XII In this Petition is desir'd a Remedy for all
Dan. 3.49 which we read happen'd to the Three Children that were cast into the burning fiery Furnace Dan. 6.22 Dan. â— and to Daniel whom the Lions hurt not even as the Flame scorch'd not those Children But according to the Sense of the great S. Basil XVI The Dev l call'd Evil. S. Chrysostom and S. Austin the Devil is specially call'd the Evil one because he was the Author of Mans Fault that is of his Sin and VVickedness whom God uses as his Minister in punishing wicked and criminous Men for God appoints to Men all the Evil they suffer for their Sins which the Sacred Scripture means when it says Amos 3.6 Is there any evil in the City which the Lord has not done And Esa 45.7 I am the Lord and there is none other forming the Light and creating Darkness making peace and creating Evil. And the Devil is call'd Evil for this Cause Another Reason because tho we had done him no hurt yet he always makes VVar against us and persecutes us with mortal Hatred But if because we are armed with Faith Note and protected with Innocence he cannot hurt us yet he makes no end of tempting us with outward Evils and vexing us by all the means he is able wherefore we pray God that he would deliver us from the Evil one Chrysost hom 20. in Matth. hom 5. in Job Aug. in Ecclesiast dogmat c. 57. Basil in hom quod Deus non sit auctor malorum non procul à fine Now we say from Evil XVII Why we pray to be deliver'd from Evil and not from Evils not from Evils for this Reason because the Evils which happen to us from our Neighbors we lay upon him as the Author and Perswader that we may not therefore be angry against our Neighbors but turn all our Hatred and Anger against Satan himself by whom Men are driven to do us the Injury If therefore your Neighbor has hurt you in any kind Note when you pray to God our Father beg of him not only to deliver you from Evil i. e. from those Injuries which your Neighbor lays on you but that he would snatch that very Neighbor of yours out of the Power of the Devil by whose impulse Men are led into Deceit We must also know XVIII When we are not heard herein what we must do if by our Prayers and Vows we are not deliver'd from Evils that we ought patiently to endure those things that press us understanding that so it pleases God that we should patiently suffer them VVherefore it is by no means fit for us either to be angry or to grieve because God hears not our Prayers but we must referr all things to his VVill and Pleasure esteeming it to be profitable to us and for our Good which pleases God that it should be so and not that which we would have to be otherwise Lastly XIX Here all inconveniences are patiently to be endur'd 2 Tim. 3.12 the Devout Hearers are to be taught That whilst they are in the Stage of this Life they ought to be ready to bear all kinds of Inconveniences and Calamities not only with a patient but also with a chearful and glad Heart For all says the Apostle that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution And Act. 14.21 Thro many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Again Luc. 24.26 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his Glory for it is not fit that the servant should be greater than his Lord as it is very unfit according to S. Bernards Sense that the Members should be delicat under a thorny Head Serm. 5. de omnibus Sanctis The Example of Vriah is very excellent for our Imitation An Example who when David exhorted him to stay at home said 2 Reg. 11.11 The Ark of God and Israel and Judah dwell in Tents and shall I go into my house Being furnished with these Reasons and Meditations Other Examples if we come to pray we shall obtain that tho we were on all sides girded and compassed about with Evils yet we shall be kept safe even as those three Children that were untouch'd by the Fire or at least as the Machabees we should constantly and stoutly endure all Adversities In Reproaches and Torments we will imitate the Sacred Apostles Act. 5.41 Who being beaten with Stripes did heartily rejoyce that they were counted worthy to suffer Disgrace for Christ Jesus So we being thus prepar'd will sing with the greatest Pleasure of Mind Psal 118. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart was afraid for thy Word I will rejoyce in thy word as he that has found great Spoils The SEAL of the LORDS PRAYER Amen THis Word Amen I. Prayer must be rightly concluded or so it is S. Hierom in his Commentaries upon Matth 6.6 calls the Seal of the Lords Prayer Wherefore as we before admonish'd the Faithful concerning the Preparation which is to be made before we go about to pray to God so we thought it convenient that they should know the Cause and Reason of the Close and End of this Prayer For it is of no less moment devoutly to end Note than to be careful how to begin our Prayers to God Let the Faithful know therefore that the Fruits II. The fruit of this Particle we obtain by the End of our Lords Prayer are many and that very profitable but the most advantagious and welcome Fruit is the obtaining of those things which we have pray'd for whereof enough has already been spoken For by the former Part of this Prayer we not only obtain to have our Prayers heard but also some greater and more excellent things than can by Words be express'd For since Men in Praying III. The Advantage of Prayer discourse with God as S. Cyprian says the Divine Majesty is after an unutterable manner brought nearer to the Person that prays than to others and besides it adorns them with singular Gifts So that they who devoutly pray to God may be compared to them that come to the Fire who if they are cold begin to grow warm if they were warm begin to grow hot So they that come to God by Prayer according to the Measure of their Devotion and Faith go away more warm'd for their Minds are inflam'd for Gods Glory their Souls inlightned after an admirable manner they are exceedingly enrich'd with Divine Graces for thus it is written in Holy Scripture Psal 20 14. Thou hast prevented him with the blessing of sweetness Moyses in this case is an Example for all An Example Exod 34 35. 2 Cor. 3. â—3 who by reason of his walking and talking with God did shine so with a kind of Divine Brightness that the Israelites could not look on his Eyes or Countenance Verily they that pray with that earnest Study Note do wonderfully enjoy Gods Majesty
of his to stir up both in Abraham's Seed and in many other Men the expectation of a Saviour For when once the Jewish Commonwealth and Religion became Setled This began to grow more common and known to his people For there were many things which signifi'd and many Men which foretold What and how great good things that Saviour and our Redeemer Jesus Christ was to bring us And indeed the Prophets whose Minds were illuminated with Light from Heav'n foretold the people of the Birth of the Son of God Isa 7.15 8.3.9.6.11.1.53 throughout Jer. 23.5.30.9 Dan. 7 13.9.24 and the wonderful works which he shou'd perform when he shou'd be made Man his Doctrin Manners Kindred Practice Death Resurrection and other Mysteries of him and all this they taught so plainly as tho they had bin done before their Faces So that excepting the difference of time only we cou'd not discover any diversity between the Predictions of the Prophets and the preaching of the Apostles between the Faith of the old Patriarchs and our own But now we will speak of the several parts of the Article Iesus is his proper name VII What the name Jesus signifies and by whom it was given Luc. 1.31 who is God and Man and it signifies a Saviour and this name was given him not by chance nor by the judgment or will of Men but by the counsel and command of God For so the Angel told Mary his Mother Behold thou shalt cenceiv in thy Womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus and afterwards he not only commanded Joseph the Husband of the Virgin to call the Child by that name but also tells the reason why he was to be so call'd For he says Joseph thou Son of David Mat. 1.21 fear not to take to thee Mary thy Wife for that which is born in her is of the Holy Ghost And likewise her Son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their Sins We read in Holy Scripture of many who were of this name As the son of Nun VIII The name Jesus suitable to Christ especially who succeeded Moses and led the people whom Moses deliver'd out of Egypt into the Land of Promise which was deny'd to Moses Josedech the son of a Priest was call'd by the same name But how much more truly ought we to believ That our Saviour ought to be call'd by this name who has brought light liberty and salvation not to one People or Nation only but to all Men of all ages oppress'd not with Famine or with Egyptian or Babylonian Bondage but sittng in the shadow of Death and miserably fetterd in Sin and the chains of the Devil and has purchas'd for them a Right and Inheritance in the Kindom of Heav'n and reconcil'd them to God the Father In them we see Christ our Lord shadow'd who heaps upon mankind those Blessings here mention'd Now all those names before spoken of which by divine appointment were to be given to the Son of God are all to be referr'd to this one name Jesus For whereas all the other in some measure had only touch'd the Salvation he was to give us this one conteins the whole weight and vertue of the compleat Salvation of Mankind And to the name of Iesus IX Why the name Christ added to the name Jesus this name of Christ is also added which signifies Anointed and is a name both of Honour and Office nor is it proper to one thing but common to more For our old Fathers were us'd to call Priests and Kings whom God had commanded to be anointed for the dignity of their Office Christs The Priests were they Reg 12 3.24.6 who in their daily Prayers recommended the people to God and offer'd Sacrifice to God for them Kings had the government of the people committed to them and to them chiefly belongs the power of the Laws to protect the Innocent and to correct the boldness of the Wicked Because therefore both of these Offices seem to relate to the Majesty of God in the Earth therefore those that were chosen to the Office of King or Priest were anointed with Oyl It was customary also to anoint the Prophets who as the Interpreters and Ambassadors of the immortal God open'd to us the Secrets of Heav'n and by wholesome Precepts and foretelling things to come warn'd Men to mend their manners But when Jesus Christ our Saviour came into the World X. Christ a Prophet King and Priest he undertook the Part and Office of all these three Persons Prophet Priest and King and for these causes he is call'd Christ and anointed for the discharge of those Offices not by the act of any mortal but by the influence and vertue of his Heav'nly Father not with earthly Oyntment but with spiritual Oyl when the fulness of the Holy Spirit and Grace and a more plentiful measure of all gifts was pour'd into his most Holy Soul than the Being or Nature of any other Creature was able to receiv and this the Prophet plainly shews when speaking to the Redeemer himself he said Ps 44.7 Thou hast lov'd Righteousness and hated Iniquity therefore God even thy God has anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows The same thing but much more plainly has the Prophet Isaiah shew'd in these Words Isay 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has sent me to preach to the meek Jesus Christ therefore was that great Prophet and Teacher XI How Christ a Prophet Priest and King who taught us the Will of God and by whose teaching the whole World has receiv'd the knowledg of our Heav'nly Father and this name does much more truly and excellently belong to him because all whatsoever that were honour'd with this name of Prophet were but his Disciples and for this cause chiefly were they sent That they shou'd prophesie of this Prophets coming to save all Men. The same Christ was a Priest not of the same Order as the Priests of the tribe of Levi under the old Law were but of that of which the Prophet David sings Ps 189 4â— Heb. 5.7 Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech Which Argument the Apostle writing to the Hebrews handles excellently But we acknowledg Christ to be a King also not only as he is God but as he is Man and partakes of our Nature Luc. 1.33 Of whom the Angel testifies He shall reign for ever in Jacob and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Now this Kingdom of Christ is Spiritual and Eternal XII How and by whom Christs Kingdom is govern'd begun indeed on Earth but perfected in Heav'n And by his wonderful Providence performs the Office of King of his Church He governs it he defends it from the snares and violence of its enemies he gives it not only Holiness and Righteousness but also Power and Strength to
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
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
For as we believe that many were rais'd from death so must we believe that all shall be call'd again to life But that singular fruit which we ought to gather from Miracles of this kind Mat. 9.24 is this that we give the most certain belief to this Article There are many testimonies which even those Curates which are but indifferently skill'd in the Holy Scriptures may easily meet with but those places which are more clear in the Old Testament Job 19.25 are those we read in Job when he says that in his Flesh he shall see God and in Daniel concerning those who sleep in the dust of the earth Dan. 12.2 That some of them should awake to life everlasting and others to everlasting disgrace And in the New Testament Mar. 22.31 what S. Mathew relates of the dispute our Saviour had with the Sadducees besides what the Evangelists tell us of the last Judgment And hither is to be referr'd what the Apostle has exactly discours'd in his Epistle to the Corinthians and Thessalonians But tho to Faith this thing be most certain V. Similitudes where by the Resurrection is clear'd yet it will be very profitable both by Examples and Reasons to shew that That which Faith offers to be believ'd is not strange to Nature or Humane Understanding and therefore the Apostle to him that asks how the dead should rise again answers 1 Cor. 13.36 Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickn'd except it dye first and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body which shall be but bare grain perhaps of wheat or some other grain but God gives it a body as it has pleas'd him And a little after he says it is sown in corruption it shall rise in incorruption There may be many other similitudes of the like kind added S. Greg. lib. 14. moral c. 21 29 30. as S. Gregory shews For the Light says he is daily as it were by Dying withdrawn from our Eyes and as by Rising again it is recall'd again and that Trees lose their greenness and again as by a kind of Resurrection they are repair'd and the Seed by putrifying dies and again by springing it rises again Besides VI. The Resurrection prov'd by Reason The First Those reasons which are brought by Ecclesiastical Writers seem to be sufficiently accommodated or suited to this matter And first since the Souls are immortal and as a part of Man have a natural propensity or inclination to the humane Bodies it may be thought praeternatural that they should for ever remain separate from their Bodies But because that which is against Nature The Second as being Violent cannot last long it seems agreeable that at last they should be joyn'd with their Bodies Whence it also follows that there will be a Resurrection of the Bodies Which kind of argument our Savior seems to have us'd Mat. 22.32 when disputing against the Sadducees he concluded that there would be a Resurrection of the Body from the Immortality of the Soul And seeing that there are Punishments propos'd by the most just God to the Wicked The Third Damasc l 4. de fide Orthod c. 28. Amb. lib. de fide Resur S. Chrisost hom 49. 50. and Rewards to the Good and that of the one sort very many depart out of this world before they have suffer'd their due punishments and of the other sort in a great measure without the rewards of their vertues it must needs be that the Soul be again joyn'd with the Body that so either for the wickedness committed or for the good they have done the Body which man uses as a Companion in sin may together with the Soul be either punish'd or rewarded Which Point has been excellently handled by S. Chrysostom in his Homilie to the People of Antioch Wherefore the Apostle discoursing of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.19 If says he in this life only we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable Which words none has thought applicable to the Soul which being immortal tho the Body should not rise again might nevertheless enjoy Happiness in the life to come but they are meant of the whole Man For unless the Body were to be rewarded for her labour it must needs follow that those who as the Apostles did have endur'd so many afflictions and calamities in this life would be of all men most miserable The same thing he much more plainly teaches in these words to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 1.4 We glory in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which ye endure for an example of the just judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye suffer if yet it be just with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to us who are troubl'd rest with you at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire taking vingeance on them who have not known God and who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Add also The Fourth that men cannot so long as the Soul is separated from the Body enjoy compleat Happiness and full fraught with all good things For as every part being separated from the whole is imperfect so also is the Soul which is disjoyn'd from the Body Whence it follows that the Resurrection of the Body is necessary to make the Souls Happiness compleat It will be further necessary diligently to teach from the Apostles Doctrine VII The different condition of those that rise again 1 Cor. 15 22. Joh. 5.20 who they are that shall be rais'd to life For writing to the Corinthians he says As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive All difference and distinction therefore of Good and Bad being laid aside All shall shall rise again from the dead tho the Condition of All will not be alike those that have done Good shall rise to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Judgment But when we say All VIII We shall all rise again S. Hier. Ep. 152. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 20. c. 20. 1 Thes 4.16 in 1 Epist ad Thes c. 4. we mean as well those who shall be dead before the coming of the judgment as those who shall then dye For that the Church does acquiesce in this Sentence or Opinion which affirms that All shall dye none excepted and that this sense is most agreable to Truth S. Hierom has written and S. Austin conceives the same Nor are the Apostles words which he wrote to the Thessalonians against this sense The dead which are in Christ shall rise first and then we that are left alive shall be caught up with them in the Clouds to meet Christ in the air For. S. Ambrose explaining this place says thus In that
good learning and liberal Arts so also is it necessary that those who at the Font of Baptism begin to live a Spiritual Life should be committed to the trust and prudence of some one of whom they may learn the precepts of Christian Religlon and be taught the whole Practice of Piety and so by little and little to grow to Manhood in Christ till at last by God's help they come to be perfect Men Especially seeing the Pastors who have the public Cure and Charge of their Parishes can scarcely have so much spare time as to undertake that private care of instructing Children in the Faith Of this most anocient practice S. Dionis de Eccl s Hier. c 7. part 3. we have the clear testimony of S. Dennys It was says he the Invention and determination of our Divine Captains and Leaders for so he calls the Apostles to receive Infants according to that Holy Manner and as the natural Parents of a Child deliver him to one learn'd in Divine Matters as to a Schoolmaster under whom as under a Divine Father and undertaker of his Holy Salvation the Child might lead the rest of his life The same Sentence does the Testimony of Higinius confirm As may be seen de Consec dist 5. c. 100. Leapp ibid. cap. 181. Conc. Mogunt ibid. c. 101 30. q. 1. Wherefore it has bin very wisely decreed by Holy Church XXVI What kind and between whom Affinity is contracted in Baptism that not only be that Baptizes is affianc'd with him that is baptiz'd by him but the God-father and God-mother are also affianc'd with the God-child and with his true Parents So that amongst all these there can be no lawful Marriage and if they should be marri'd such marriage becomes void Moreover the Faithful must be taught what the Duty of God-fathers is For this Office is so carelesly undertaken that there is only the Name of this Office remaining but that there is any thing Holy contain'd in it Men seem not to have the least apprehension This thing therefore in general let all God-fathers always consider That they are strictly oblig'd always to account those who are committed to them as their Spiritual Children and to take very great care of them concerning those things which belong to the institution of a Christian Life that through all the course of their life they behave themselves in such a manner and be such kind of persons as they in most solemn manner promis'd that they should be Let us hear what S. Dennys writes concerning this matter expressing the words of a God-father I promise to train up this Child when he shall come to understanding of sacred things with my careful exhortations that he may renounce all things contrary to his profession and that he may profess and perform those divine things which he promis'd And S. Austin D. Aug. ser 163. de tâ—mâ— ser 215. You who undertake for others in Baptism as well Men as Women I admonish before all things to consider that you stand as Sureties before God for those whom you were pleas'd to undertake for at the Holy Font. And indeed it very much becomes him who undertakes any Office never to grow slack or weary in the diligent discharge of it and he who has profest himself to be anothers Guide and Teacher ought not to suffer him to be destitute whom he has once receiv'd into his charge and protection while he sees him stand in need of his help and defence Now those things which Spiritual Children are to be taught Ser. 165. de tâ—mp de conec dist 4. c. 120. S. Austin has comprehended in few words speaking of this very Office of God-Fathers for says he They ought to admonish them to keep Chastity to love Justice to preserve Charity and above all things they ought to teach them the Creed and the Lords Prayer as also the Decalogue or ten Commandments and those things which are the first Rudiments of Christian Religion Which things being so XXVIII Who not to be taken as God-fathers we may easily perceive to what sort of Men the administration of this Holy Tuition is not to be committed to wit to them who either will not discharge it faithfully or cannot perform it wisely and diligently Wherefore besides the Natural Parents who may not undertake this charge that thereby it might appear how far this Spiritual Education is different from the Carnal First of all Heretics Jews and Insidels are altogether to be prohibited from this Office because they are always contriving and studying to blacken the truth of our Faith with their Lies and to overthrow all Christian Piety It has bin decreed by the Council of Trent XXIX how many God-fathers to be taken That there shall not be many God-fathers to one person baptiz'd but one only either God-father or God-mother or at most one God-father and one Godmother Both because the order of teaching and instructing might be disturb'd or hinder'd by a multitude of Masters and also because it was necessary to provide that such kind of Affinities might not be made amongst so very many which might streighten the society of people that they cannot lawfully enter into Wedlock onâ— with another Now if the knowledg of those things which have bin already explain'd XXX The Law of receiving Baptism laid upon all by the Lord. is to be esteem'd so very profitable to the Faithful Then surely there can nothing seem more necessary than to be taught that the Law and necessity of Baptism was prescrib'd by our Lord himself to all Men so that unless by the Grace of Baptism they are born again to Godward they are begotten of their parents whether Faithful or Infidel it is no matter to eternal misery and Destruction The Pastors therefore ought often to explain what is read in the Gospel Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Hereof see Clem. Epist 4. in med Aug. in Joan. tract 13. de Eccles dogm c. 24. Amb. de iis qui Myst initiantur c. 4. Conc. Lateran c. 1. Trid. Sess 7. can 51. Which Law or Necessity that it is not meant of those only who are of ripe age but of Children and Infants also and that the Church has receiv'd this by Apostolical Tradition the common consent and Authority of the Fathers confirms Besides it must needs be believ'd That Christ our Lord would not deny the Sacrament of Baptism and Grace to Infants of whom he said Matt. 19.14 Mar. 10.10 Suffer ye and forbid not the little Children to come to me For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven whom he embrac'd laid his Hands upon them and bless'd them And then when we read Thirdly that a whole Family was baptiz'd of Paul It sufficiently appears that Children also who were in the number of them were baptiz'd And then Circumcision which was a Figure of Baptism much commends this
ad Heliod Chrysost lib. 3. de Sacerd. Hom. 5. de verbis Isaiae Gregor Hom. 26. in Evang. Amb. lib. 2. de Cain c. 4. Trid. Sess 14. de Poenit. c. 5. Can. 7. The Pastors therefore shall teach these things which have bin decreed by the Holy Synod of Trent LV. The Confirmation of what was said before and always deliver'd by the Catholic Church For if we attentively read the most Holy Fathers we shall every where meet with most plain testimonies whereby it will be confirm'd that this Sacrament and the Law of Sacramental Confession which they call'd in Greek Exomologesis and Exagoreusis as receiv'd from the very Gospel was instituted by Christ our Lord. But if we desire Figures of the Old Testament also without doubt those various kinds of Sacrifices which were made by the Priests for the expiating of divers kinds of sins do seem to belong to the Confession of sins But because the Faithful are to be taught that Confession was instituted by our Lord and Savior LVI Ceremonies us'd at Confession It is fit that there should be also some Rites and solemn Ceremonies added by the Authority of the Church to admonish them which tho they belong not to the vertue of the Sacrament yet they put more plainly before mens Eyes the dignity thereof and dispose the Souls of them that Confess being already kindl'd with devotion the more easily to obtain the Grace of God For when with uncover'd Head cast down at the Priests feet with countenance down towards the Earth and hands stretch'd forth in a beseeching posture and giving other such like signs of Christian Humility which are not indeed necessary to the Reason or Vertue of the Sacrament we confess our sins from these things we may evidently understand both that there is a Heavenly Vertue in the Sacrament and also that the divine Mercy is to be sought and procur'd by us with the greatest study And now let no one think that Confession was indeed instituted of the Lord LVII The Necessity of Confession but yet so as tho he had not told us that the Use of it is necessary For let the Faithful be assur'd of this that he who is opprest by any Mortal Sin ought to be call'd back to Spiritual Life by the Sacrament of Confession Which thing indeed by a very fair Tradition from our Lord we see plainly signifi'd when he call'd the Power of administring this Sacrament the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven For as no one can go in to any place Mat. 16.19 without the help of him to whom are committed the Keys so we understand that no one is admitted into Heaven except the Doors are open'd them by the Priests to whose Trust the Lord has committed the Keys Otherwise there will plainly seem to be no Use at all of the Keys in the Church and in vain will he to whom the power of the Keys is given prohibit any one the entrance of Heaven if notwithstanding some other way to enter in there may be open'd Now this was excellently observ'd by S. Austin when he said Lib. 50. hom 49. Let no one say to himself I do Penance secretly before God God knows who pardons me what I do in my Heart Mat. 18. Is it therefore without reason said What ye loose on Earth shall be loos'd in Heaven Were the Keys therefore without cause given to the Church of God And to the same sense S. Ambrose in the Book he has left written concerning Penance where he would root up the Heresie of the Novatians Lib. 1. de Poenit. c. 12. who asserted that the Power of forgiving sins was reserv'd to the Lord alone And who says he reverence God more those that obey or those that resist his Commandments God has commanded us to obey his Ministers whom when we obey we give honor to God only But seeing it cannot be doubted LVIII At what Age we are bound to confess that the Law of Confession was made and establish'd by the Lord himself it remains that we see at what time of Age and Years men ought to obey it First therefore by the Canon of the Council of Lateran Lateran Concil c. 21. whose beginning is Omnis Vtriusque sexûs it is evident that no body is bound by the Law of Confession before that Age wherein he may have the Use of Reason Nor yet is that Age by any certain number of years defin'd But this seems to be held in general that Confession ought to be enjoyn'd to a Child from the time when he has the power of discerning betwixt Good and Evil and when his mind is capable of sorrow For when any one comes to that time of his Life when he can consider of his eternal Salvation then ought he to begin to confess his sins to a Priest when otherwise no one can hope for Salvation who is loaded with the Conscience of wickedness But at what time especially Confession ought to be made LIX At what time Confession must be made Holy Church has decreed in that Canon before mentioned For it commands all the Faithful to confess their sins at least once a year But if we consider what the Reason of our Salvation requires verily as often as the danger of Death hangs over us or that we set about any thing the doing whereof does not suit with a person polluted with sin as when we administer or receive the Sacraments so often Confession is not to be pretermitted And the same thing we ought strictly to observe when we fear or are likely to forget any sin we have done Neither can we confess sins which we remember not Neither can we get Pardon of God for those sins unless the Sacrament of Penance by Confession blot them out But because in Confession LX. Confession only to be intire many things are to be observ'd whereof some belong to the Nature of the Sacrament and others are not so necessary concerning these things it must be carefully treat'd For neither are there Books and Commentaries wanting from whence it is easie to fetch the Explication of these things But first of all let the Curats teach this that in Confession there must be care taken that it be intire and absolute For all Mortal sins must be reveal'd to a Priest LXI All Mortal sins altho hid must be confess'd For Venial Sins which do not pluck us away from the Grace of God altho rightly and profitably we confess them as the practice of devout men shews yet they may be pretermitted without Fault and may be expiated many other ways But deadly sins as was said before must be reckon'd up altho they were done never so secretly and undiscover'd and were of that sort which are forbid in the Two last Heads of the Decalogue For it often happens that they wound the Soul more than those which men are use to commit plainly and openly For so it has bin
shall shew that out of all the Nations under heaven God chose One which had its Original from Abraham whom he would have to be a Sojourner in the land of Canaan The possession whereof when he had promis'd him yet both he and his Posterity were Pilgrims for more than five hundred years before they inhabited the promis'd Land In which Pilgrimage he never left the care of them Psal 10.4 they went indeed from Country to Country and from one Kingdom to another People but yet he suffer'd no injury to be done them but punish'd even Kings for their sakes But before they went down into Egypt he sent a Man before by whose Wisdom both they and the Egpytians might be deliver'd from Famin. But in Egypt he embrac'd them with so much kindness that tho Pharaoh oppos'd and set himself upon their destruction yet were they increas'd after a wonderful manner and when they were grievously afflicted and very hardly us'd as Bondslaves he gave them Moses for their Leader who led them forth with a mighty hand Of this deliverance especially the Lord makes mention in the beginning of the Law in these words I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage From hence this is chiefly to be observ'd by the Curat III. Why God chose the small Family of Abraham Deut. 7. that there was One chosen out of all Nations by God which he call'd his People and to whom he was pleas'd to grant the knowledge and worship of himself not that this One was more just or numerous than the rest even as God admonishes the Hebrews but because so it pleas'd God rather to propagate and enrich a small and poor Nation whereby his Power and Goodness might be made more apparent and illustrious to all Seeing therefore that this was the Condition of those men Note he stuck close to them and lov'd them so that tho he were the Lord of Heaven and Earth yet he was not asham'd to be call'd their God Deut. 10.15 whereby he provok'd the other Nations to emulation that the Israelite's happiness being perfect all men might be take them selves to the worship of the true God even as S. Paul also testifies that he provok'd to emulation his own Flesh Rom. 11.14 by proposing the happiness of the Gentiles and the true knowledge of God wherein he had instructed them And then he shall teach the Faithful that God suffer'd the Hebrew Fathers to pilgrimage for a long while IV. Why the People of Israel suffer'd so long and permitted their Posterity to be oppressed with a cruel Bondage and to be vex'd for this cause that we might be taught that none are made God's Friends but the Worlds Enemies and Strangers in the Earth And therefore that we are more easily receiv'd into familiarity with God if we have nothing to do with the World And also that being restor'd to the service of God we may know how much more happy they are that serve God than they that serve the World Of which things the Scripture warns us 2 Par. 8. for it says Nevertheless they shall serve them that they may know the difference betwixt my service and the service of the kingdom of the Earth He shall further shew V. Why God perform'd not his promise so long that after five hundred years God perform'd his Promise that that People might be sustain'd with Faith and Hope For God will have his Children always to depend upon himself and put all their Hope in his Goodnesâ— as shall be said in the Explication of the first Commandment Lastly VI. Why the Law given at such a time and place he shall observe the Time and Place when and where the people of Israel receiv'd this Law from God to wit after they were brought out of Egypt and came into the Wilderness that being allur'd with the remembrance of a fresh benefit and yet affrighted with the ruggedness of the place in which they were they might be better dispos'd to receive the Law for Men are very much bound to those whose Bounty they have experienc'd and betake themselves to the Protection of God when they find themselves destitute of all human hope Whence we may learn Note that the Faithful are so much the more willing to receive the heavenly Doctrin by how much the more they have abstracted themselves from the deceits of the World and the pleasures of the Flesh as it is written by the Prophet Isay 28.9 Whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand doctrin them that are wean'd from the Milk and drawn from the Breasts The Curat therefore shall endeavor VII The beginning of the Law of God and as much as he can cause the Faithful always to have these words in their minds I am the Lord thy God Whence they may learn that they have the Creator by whom they were made are preserv'd for their Law-giver And therefore that they can rightly take up that saying He is the Lord our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand the frequent and earnest admonition of which words will have this Efficacy that the Faithful will be made more ready to observe the Law and abstain from sin But that which follows Who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt VIII A Motive of singular Piety out of the house of Bondage Altho this seems to agree only to the deliverance of the Jews from the Bondage of the Egyptians Yet if we consider the inward nature of universal Salvation it much more properly belongs to Christians Colos 1.13 who are taken of God not out of an Egyptian servitude but from the dominion of Sin and from the power of Darkness and are translated into the Kingdom of the Son of his Love The Greatness of which Benefit the Prophet Jeremy considering Hierom 10.14 propheci'd thus Behold the days come says the Lord and it shall no more be said The Lord lives who brought the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But the Lord lives who brought the Children of Israel out of the Land of the North and from all Countries whither I had scatter'd them and I will bring them back into their own Land which I gave to their Fathers Behold I will send many Fishers says the Lord and they shall fish them And the rest For our most indulgent Father thro his own Son has gather'd together his Children that were scatter'd abroad that now being no longer the servants of Sin Luc. 1.24 but of Justice We might serve him in Holiness and Justice before him all our days Wherefore against all Temptations the Faithful shall use as a Buckler IX How we must resist Temptations Rom. 6. that of the Apostle How shall we who are dead to Sin live any longer therein We are not now our own but his who dy'd and
that they may be honor'd and that we being warn'd by their Example might conform our selves and our Manners to their holy Lives De cultu usu Imaginum vide Conc. Nicen. 2. Act. 6. Histor tripart lib. 6. c. 41. Euseb lib. 8. Hist Eccles c. 14. Cyril lib. 6. contr Jul. Aug. lib. 1. de consensu Evang. c. 10. Vide item Sextam Synod Can. 82. Conc. Rom. sub Greg. 3. Conc. Gentiliac item aliud Rom. Pontif. in vita Sylvestri Item Lactant. carm de Pass Domini Basil Orat. in S. Barlaham Greg. Nyss Orat. in Theod. Brud hym de S. Cas hym de S. Hippolyt Item apud Baron Annal. Eccles an 57. n. 116. deinceps Vide terum Aug. contr Faust lib. 22. c. 73. I am the Lord The Appendix to all the Commandments the Lord thy God strong jealous visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy upon thousands in them that love me and keep my Commandments XLI Two things to be explain'd There are in the last part of this Commandment two things diligently to be expounded The first is The first is the Reward That altho for that most heinous wickedness of the breach of the first Commandment and the ready inclination of Men to commit it the Punishment is fitly laid down in this place yet this Appendix is common to all the Commandments For ev'ry Law leads Men to the keeping of the Commandments by Reward and Punishment Hence come those so frequently repeated Promises of God in sacred Scripture For to omit the Testimonies of the Old Testament which are almost innumerable it is written in the Gospel Mat. 19.17.5 6 7. Mat. 5.10 If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments and elsewhere He that do's the Will of my Father which is in Heaven he shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 6.23 and also Every tree which brings not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire and Every one that is angry with his brother shall be guilty of the judgment and elsewhere If ye forgive not men neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your sins The other is The other is Punishment That the Perfect are to be taught this Appendix for a far different Reason than Carnal Men are For XLII Punishment displeases not the Perfect to the Perfect who are mov'd by the Spirit of God and obey him with a ready and chearful mind it is like a kind of glad tidings and a great Argument of God's good-will towards them for they own the Care of their most loving God who in a manner compels them to his Worship and Reverence sometimes with Rewards sometimes with Punishments they acknowledge his infinite good-will towards them who will command them and use their Labor to the Glory of his divine Name Nor do they only acknowledge this but they are in good hope that he commanding what he pleases will also give ability whereby they may obey his Command But to the Carnal XLIII Punishment moves the carnal most who as yet are not freed from the Spirit of Bondage and abstain from Sin more out of fear of Punishment than love of Vertue the sense of this Appendix is grievous and bitter Wherefore they are to be assisted with pious Exhortations Note and led by the hand as it were to the Obedience of the law But the Curat as often as there is occasion to explain any Commandment shall propose these same things to himself That there are two Spurs XLIV Two Spurs as it were to be used both to the Carnal and Spiritual which being put in this Appendix do very much rouse Men up to the observation of the Law For in that God is call'd Strong The first is The Strong God it is by so much the more diligently to be explain'd by how much the Flesh which is little mov'd by the Terrors of God's Threatning oftentimes fansies to her self divers ways whereby she may avoid the Wrath of God and escape the Punishment threatned Now he that is verily persuaded that God is strong Psal 138 7â— will say that of King David Whither shall I go from thy Spirit and whither shall I fly from thy Presence And sometimes also the Flesh distrusting the Promises of God believes the Power of the Enemy to be so great that she thinks her self not able to endure it But he that by a firmâ—â—nd stable Faith doubting nothing relies upon the Strength and Power of God this Consideration will certainly recreate and confirm Psal 26. â— for he says The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear But the other Spur is God's Zeal or Jealousie For sometimes Men think that God takes no care of Human Matters The other is the Zeal of God nor whether we keep or break his Laws whence follows a great disorder of Life But when we believe that God is Zealous the Meditation hereof easily holds us in our Duty Now the Jealousie which is attributed to God XLV What Zeal is attributed to God signifies no Disturbance of Mind but that Divine Love and Charity whereby God suffers no Soul that goes a whoring from him to go unpunish'd but as many as commit Fornication against him he destroys God's Jealousie therefore is his most calm and most upright Justice XLVI God's Zeal defin'd whereby a Soul corrupted with false Persuasions and wicked Lusts is rejected and cast off by God as an Adulteress Now we feel this Jealousie of God to be most sweet and delightful XLVII When we feel God's Zeal when in that Jealousie is evidenc'd his most excellent and incredible Good-will towards us for neither can there be found either a more ardent Love or a greater and stricter Conjunction amongst Men than that of those that are married Therefore God shews how dearly he loves us Note when often comparing himself to a Bridegroom or a Husband he calls himself Jealous Wherefore let the Curat teach from hence XLVIII With how great Zeal God is to be worship'd That Men ought to be so earnestly bent upon the Worship and Honor of God that they may rather be rightly called Jealous than Lovers by his Example who says of himself I am jealous with Jealousie for the Lord God of Hosts Yea and let us imitate Christ himself who says thus The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up But the meaning of the Commination is to be explainâ—â— XLIX The Transgressors of the Law not unpunish'd Deut. 7.9 That God will not endure any Sinners but either he will chastise them as a Father or punish them sharply and severely as a Judge Which Moses signifying in another place That thou mayst know says he that the Lord thy God is the strong God and faithful keeping covenant and mercy for them that love him and for them that
5.20 We are Members of Christs Body of his Flesh and of his Bone Which very thing the Apostle signifies in his Epistle to the Galatians Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ for as many as were baptiz'd in Christ have put on Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither Servant nor Freeman there is neither Male nor Female for ye all are one in Christ Jesus Now this is a Matter diligently to be consider'd of the Pastors of Souls XXXII This Doctrin often to be taught to Christians and they are wittingly to abide on this Consideration for it is a Point very fit no less to comfort and encourage the Poor and Forelorn than to beat down the Presumption of the Rich and Mighty To cure which Frailty of Men the Apostle urg'd this Brotherly Charity and did inculcate it in the Ears of the Faithful When therefore XXXIII With what Affection we ought to say Our Father O Christian you are going to make these Prayers to God remember that you go as a Son to God your Father When therefore you order your Prayer and pronounce that word Our Father consider into what a State the infinite Love of God has rais'd you who has not commanded you to come as an abash'd and fearful Servant to his Lord but as a glad Child to fly securely to him as a Father Consider with what Attention and Regard XXXIV With how great Devotion we are to pray with what Care and Devotion you are to pray for you must endeavour to behave your self so as becomes a Child of God i e. that your Prayers and Actions be not unbeseeming that Divine Linage wherewith it has pleas'd your most gracious God to ennoble you To this kind of Duty the Apostle exhorts Ephes 5.11 saying Be ye therefore Imitators of God as most dear Children That it may truly be said of us what the Apostle wrote to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.5 Ye are all the Children of Light and the Children of the Day Which art in Heaven All that think rightly of God XXXV How God is every where agree that God is in all Places which is not so to be understood as tho he were divided into Parts and does supply and defend one place with one part and another place with another part for God is a Spirit and cannot be divided for who dares circumscribe God in the limits of any place as held to any point Hier. 13.14 since he says of himself Do not I fill Heaven and Eearth Which again is thus to be understood XXXVI God is whole every where That God by his Power and Might comprehends the whole Heaven and Earth and whatsoever is contain'd in Heaven and Earth but that himself is not contain'd in any place for God is present with all things either creating them or preserving them being created but himself ty'd to no Country nor limited by any Bounds or so defin'd as that being every where present he cannot dispose his Nature and Power which thing blessed David express'd in these words Psal 138.8 If I ascend up to Heaven thou art there Aug. lib. 1. Con. c. 3. D. Thom. 1. p. q. 8. a. 2. But tho God be present at hand in all places and things XXXVII Why God is said to be in Heaven not bound to any limits as was said before yet in Sacred Scripture he is often said To have his dwelling in Heaven VVhich we see to be so done Thr First Reason because Heaven which we see is the noblest part of the VVorld and remains undecay'd excelling all other Bodies in Power Greatness Beauty and is endu'd with certain and steady Motions To stir up the Minds of Men therefore to contemplate his infinite Power and Majesty The Second Reason which shines most gloriously in the work of Heaven God in Sacred Scripture testifies that he dwells in Heaven He also often declares as indeed the Truth is that there is no part of the VVorld which is not comprehended by Gods Nature and Power present every where Altho in this Consideration the Faithful shall propose to themselves the Image The Third Reason not only of the common Father of all but also reigning in the Kingdom of God that when they are about to pray they may remember that their Mind and Soul is to be carried to Heaven and see how much Hope and Affiance the name of Father gives it so much Christian Humility and Devotion let that excellent Nature and Divine Majesty of our Father which is in Heaven add to it Which words beforehand determine what is to be pray'd for by those that make Prayers The Fourth Reason for all our Requests for the Necessities and Uses of this Life unless joyn'd with the good things of Heaven and directed to that End are vain and unworthy a Christian VVherefore the Curats shall admonish their Hearers of this Order of Prayer Note and they shall prove their Admonition by that Authority of the Apostle Colos 5.2 If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right Hand of God Rellish those things which are above not those things which are on the Earth The FIRST PETITION Hallowed be thy Name WHat we are to ask of God I. When Prayer is well dispos'd and in what Order it is to be done the Master and Lord of all has himself taught and commanded For since Prayer is the Messenger and Interpreter of our Cares and Desires we then pray well and according to Reason when the Order of our Requests follows the Order of the things to be pray'd for But true Charity admonishes us to offer our whole Soul and Thoughts to God II. The Order of Charity because he alone in whom is truly the chiefest Good is to be lov'd with a kind of special and singular Love Nor can God be lov'd alone and from the Heart III. What the true Love of God is unless his Honor and Glory be preferr'd before all things and Natures in the VVorld besides for both our own and others Goods yea and all whatsoever is call'd by the name of Good proceeding from him give place to him the Chiefest Good VVherefore IV. Why this the First Petition that our Prayer may proceed orderly our Savior has appointed this Petition concerning the Chiefest Good to be the Principal and Head of all the other Petitions Teaching us The First Reason before we pray for any thing that either we or our Neighbor have need of that we ought to pray for those things that are proper to God's Glory and to declare to God himself our Study and Desire of that thing By doing whereof Another Reason we shall continue in the Duty of Charity whereby we are taught both to love God more than our own selves and first to beg those things that we wish
to undergo the Temptations and Violence of our Enemy the Devil for this our Nature our Weakness is not able to do But the Strength whereby we throw to the Ground Satans Accomplices XXVII Without Gods help we can do nothing 1 Reg. 2 4 Psal 17 3â— is given of God Who makes our arms as a bow of brass by whose help the bow of the mighty is overcome and the weak are girded with strength who gives us the protection of Salvation whose right hand upholds us who teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight that we may ascribe the Thanks for the Victory to God alone by whose Help and Conduct only we can overcome which thing the Apostle did 1 Cor. 15. for he says But Thanks be to God that gives us the Victory thro our Lord Jesus Christ And that Voice in Heaven whereof we read in the Revelations proves the same to be the Author of our Victory Apoc. 12.10 Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ because the accuser of our Brethren is cast down and they bound him by reason of the blood of the Lamb. And the same Book testifies that the Victory gotten over the VVorld and the Flesh is Christ our Lords Apoc. 17.14 where we read These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them And thus much concerning the cause and manner of overcoming VVhich things being explain'd XXVIII The Rewards propos'd to them that fight Apoc. 5.5 the Curat shall propose to the Faithful the Crowns that are prepar'd and the everlasting fulness of the Rewards appointed of God for those that overcome Divine Testimonies whereof they may produce out of the same Revelations He that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second Death And in another place He that overcomes shall be clothed with white Garments and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life and I will confess his Name before my Father and before his Angels And a little after Apoc 5.12 God himself and our Lord thus spake to S. John Him that overcomes I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go forth no more And also he says To him that overcomes I will give to fit with me in my Throne as I also have overcome and sate with my Father in his Throne Lastly Apoc. 2.7 When he had shew'd the Glory of the Saints and that perpetual Store of Good Things which they shall enjoy in Heaven he added He that overcomes shall possess these things The SEVENTH PETITION But deliver us from Evil. THis last Petition I. This Petition comprehends all the rest wherewith the Son of God concluâ—â—s this Divine Prayer is all in a manner Whose Weight and Efficacy when he would shew at such time as he was about to go out of this Life he besought his Father for the Salvation of Men using the Close of this Prayer For says he Joh. 17.16 I pray that thou wouldst keep them from Evil. In this Form of Prayer therefore which he deliver'd by Precept and confirm'd by Example as in a kind of Epitome he summarily comprehended the Vertue and Efficacy of the other Petitions For when we have once but obtain'd what is contain'd in this Prayer there is nothing left as S. Cyprian says Lib de Orat. citato for us to ask further when once we have begg'd God's Defence against Evil which having obtain'd we stand secure and safe against all that the World and the Devil can do against us Wherefore since this Petition is such as we have said the Curat shall use his utmost Diligence in explaining it to the Faithful Now this Petition differs from the last II. The difference betwixt thiâ—â— and the Sixth Petition because in the other we begg'd to escape Sin but in this to be deliver'd from Punishment Wherefore in this place there is no need to admonish the Faithful III. Why this Petition to be often repeated how many Inconveniences and Calamities they labor under and how much they stand in need of the help of Heaven For to how many and how great Miserie 's the Life of Men is expos'd besides that both Sacred and Profane Writers have very fully prosecuted this Argument there is scarcely any one but understands both to his own and others hazard For all are convinc'd of that which the Example of Job remember us of Job 14. Man that is born of a Woman has but a short time to live and is full of many Miseries He grows up as a Flower and is cut down he flees away as a Shadow and never continues in the same state And that there is no Day passes that may not be mark'd with some Trouble of its own as that Word of Christ our Lord witnesses Mat. 6.34 Sufficient to the Day is the Evil thereof Altho that Admonition of our Lord himself wherein he taught Luc. 9.23 That we must take up the Cross daily and follow him shews the Condition of Mans Life As therefore every one feels how painful and dangerous this Life is IV. We easily pray in Adversity so the Faithful will easily be perswaded that they are to beg of God Deliverance from Evil since Men are brought to pray by nothing more than by the Desire and Hope of Deliverance from those Evils wherewith they are opprest or which hang over their Heads For this is naturally implanted in the Souls of Men Note in their Distress presently to fly to God's Help of which matter it is thus written Psal 82.17 Fill thou their Faces with Ignominy O Lord and they will seek thy Name And if Men naturally do this V. The Curats to teach the manner how to pray and call upon God in their Calamities and Dangers surely they are specially to be taught by those to whose Trust and Prudence their Salvation is committed how to do it rightly For VI. An ill way of praying to be amended there are not wanting some who contrary to the Command of Christ our Lord use a preposterous Order of Prayer For he that commanded us to fly to him in the Day of Tribulation the same has prescrib'd us the Order of Prayer For before we pray to be deliver'd from Evil he would have us to pray That God's Name may be sanctified that his Kingdom may come and the rest whereby as by certain Steps we come at last to this But some there are that if their Head their Side their Foot ake if they suffer any loss in their Goods if they are threatned or are in danger of their Enemies in time of Famin of War of Pestilence omitting the other Degrees of the Lords Prayer pray only to be delivered out of those Evils but Christ our Lord's Command is against this Custom Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God Those therefore that pray
to three Heads 176 The Ceremonies and Rights of Confirmation 192 The Ceremonies us'd at the Sacrament of Penance 261 The Ceremonies us'd in the Sacrament of Extream Unction 286 A Character the Effect of three Sacraments 143 What a Character performs 144 Christ's Spiritual Kingdom 34 Christ from his different Natures took different Properties 36 Why Christ call'd our Lord. ibid. Christ not call'd the Son of God by Adoption but by Nature 41 Christ came of David according to the Flesh 42 Why Christ call'd the last Adam ibid. Christs Humility an Example fitted for the beating down our pride 44 Christs Birth teaches us a saving Lesson ibid. Christ's Blood washes away our Sins 105 Christ the Author of all the Sacraments 139 Christ is our Brother 480 Christ's Resurrection destroys not his Brotherhood with Men. ibid. How Christ reigns in us 493 For Christ's sake we must be willing to be counted Fools 504 We must imitate Christ in submitting our Will to Gods Will. ibid. Christ our Lord is Bread 517 The Mystery of Christ's Passion evidently shews Gods Power and Goodness 519 Under the Protection of Christ's Passion we get Pardon of our Sins 525 Christians have all the same Spiritual Original 481 The Knowlege of a Christian comprehended under one Head 5 8 Wherein the Labor of a Christian Teacher ought to be imploy'd 5 Wherein Christian Wisdom differs from that of the World 16 How much a Christian is bound to Christ 37 By the Name Church what is properly to be understood 86 The Difference between Church and Synagogue Pag. 87 The Church call'd by many Names 88. Why the Church call'd Militant and Triumphant 89 The Figures and Similitudes of the Church 90 Who are shut out of the Church ibid. The Properties and Prerogatives of the Catholic Church 91 c. The visible Head of the Church 92 The Unity of the Church 93 The Church call'd Holy 94 The Church is Catholic 95 A certain Rule to know the the true Church from falfe ones 96 The Church is Apostolic ibid. The Church cannot err ibid. Without the Church there is no true Worship 97 God is the Author of the Church 98 We understand by Faith that the Church has the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven ibid. Why we say believe the Church and not in the Church ibid. The Name of Clerk whence deriv'd 300 VVhence the Clerk's Crown had its beginning and what it signifies ibid. The first Commandment of the Decalogue 338 The Reason of the Order of the Commandments 342 A double Precept contain'd in the first Commandment 342 The first and greatest of all the Commandments 343 VVho break the first Commandment ibid. In the first Commandment is not forbidden the Art of Graving Painting or Limning 348 VVhy the first Commandment separate from the second 356 VVhat is forbidden and commanded in the second Commandment 357 The use of that Command about loving our Parents is very extensive 382 The Ten Commandments grav'd in Two Tables and why ibid. VVhy the Command of loving our Parents expresses our Mother 386 VVhy the two last Commandments are joyn'd together 439 A two fold necessity of the two last Commandments ibid. Communion one of the names of the Eucharist 195 Before Communion what Preparation ought to be and how necessary it is 225 One Preparation to the Communion is to have Peace with all 226 Another is to love God 227 All ought to Communicate at least at Easter ibid. VVhy the Church approv'd the practise of Communicating in one Kind only Pag. 231 What things are common to three Divine Persons and what are not common 39 Concupiscence remains in the Regenerate but has not truly the Nature of Sin 167 Evil Concupiscence the Root of all Evil. 438 Concupiscence of other Mens Goods and Wife how it differs 439 What Concupiscence is 441 The Power of Concupiscence not always to be accounted vicious ibid. The Power of Concupiscence implanted in us by Nature yet by God's Appointment ibid. The Concupiscence of our First Parents corrupted by Sin ibid. The Power of Concupiscence if moderated is profitable ibid. Why S. Paul call'd Concupiscence Sin 442 What is meant by Thou shalt not covet 443 Another's Wife not to be coveted 445 Not to covet another's Wife what it signifies ibid. How dangerous it is to covet another's Wife ibid. Who are most guilty of Concupiscence 448 The Antidotes of evil Concupiscence 447 How Concupiscence is known to be a Sin 44â— Covetous Men reprehended Pag. 443 Whence Confidence in God begins 467 Confidence in God is increas'd by calling him in Prayer Our Father ibid. How we come to have Confidence in Prayer ibid. The Creed divided into Four Parts 14 Confession of Sins and the Necessity of it 262 why instituted ibid. its Profitableness 258 its Vertue and Nature ibid. its Definition ibid. its Rites and Ceremonies 259 it is call'd an Accusation and why 261 The Ecclesiastical Judgment made in Confession is far unlike to the Civil Judgment ibid. Confession instituted by Christ of his Goodness and Mercy 258 A Figure of Confession ibid. Whom the Law of Confession obliges 263 At what Age a Child is requir'd to confess ibid. When Confession is to be iterated 26â— Who the due and lawful Minister of Confession 267 In Confession Sins are not to be excus'd 270 The Fault of them that dare not for shame confess their Sins ibid. Diligent search is to be made in our Conscience for Sin Pag. 271 When a Confessor ought to send back a Penitent ibid. The Sacrament of Confirmation 181 The Name of Confirmation ib. Confirmation is truly a Sacrament 182 The Sacrament of Confirmation very different from that of Baptism 183 The Original of the Sacrament of Confirmation 184 Christ the Author of the Sacrament of Confirmation ib. The Sacrament of Confirmation why call'd Chrism ibid. The Matter of Chrism ibid. Chrism made by Consecration of a Bishop ibid. Why Chrism made of Oyl and Balsom 185 When and with what Ceremonies Chrism is made 185 186 The Form of the Sacrament of Confirmation ibid. In Confirmation Three things to be observ'd ibid. The proper Ministers of the Sacrament of Confirmation 187 Why a Godfather requir'd at Confirmation 188 The Assinity contracted with Godfathers at Confirmation ibid. What Age they ought to be that are to be confirm'd 189 The Sacrament of Confirmation belongs equally to all the Faithful Pag. 189 The Adult receiving Confirmation ought to grieve for their Sins 190 The Sacrament of Confirmation gives new Grace ibid. Whence the Word Confirmation deriv'd 191 The Effects of Confirmation 190 c. Confirmation cannot be iterated 192 The Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrament of Confirmation ibid. When chiefly the Sacrament of Confirmation is administred 193 What Contrition is 250 Contrition is not only a new Life but the hatred of a Life misled and the Expiation we ought to make ibid. The Vertue and Efficacy of Contrition ibid. The Grief of Contrition how vehement it ought to be 252
aright VII A good Order of Prayer when they pray against Calamities Inconveniences and freedom from Evil refer it to God's Glory So David to that Prayer Lord rebuke me not in thine anger added the Reason whereby he shew'd himself very desirous of God's Glory Psal 6. for he says Because in Death there is no one that remembers thee and in Hell who shall confess to thee And when he pray'd God to have mercy upon him Psal 50.2 subjoyns this I will teach the Vnrighteous thy Ways and the Wicked shall be converted to thee To this excellent way of Praying VIII The evil Prayers of Infidels and to follow the Example of the Prophet the Faithful are to be incited and to be taught how much difference there is between the Prayers of Infidels and those of Christians They also pray God heartily to recover of their Diseases and Wounds to be deliver'd from their pressing and imminent Dangers but yet they put their special Hope of that Deliverance in the Remedies prepar'd either by Nature or the Industry of Men yea without any Religion they use any Medicin given them by any one tho made by Inchantment Witchcraft or the help of the Devil so that they have but any hope of Recovery thereby But the way of Christians is far otherwise IX The Prayers of Christians who when they are in any Sickness or Adversity have God for their Highest Refuge and Protection of Health they have Him only for the Author of all their Good and own and worship Him for their Deliverer and certainly reckon that all the Vertue of Healing that is in Medicins is given them of God and that they are profitable to the Sick only so far as God pleases For Medicin is given of God to Mankind to heal their Sicknesses Eccl. 38. hence is that Saying of Ecclesiasticus The most High created Medicins out of the Earth and he that is prudent will not abhor them They therefore that have given their Name to Christ Note put not their highest Hope of the Recovery of Health in those Remedies but trust most in God the Author of those Medicins Wherefore in Sacred Scripture they are reprov'd X. We must not use unlawful Remedies 2 Chron. 16. who thro confidence of the Medicins seek no help of God yea they that lead their Life according to God's Laws abstain from all Remedies whatsoever which it is manifest are not appointed of God and if by the use of those Medicins they might have certain Hope of Recovery yet they would abhor them as the Enchantments and Artifices of the Devil But the Faithful must be exhorted to put their Confidence in God XI In Sickness we must trust in God only for for that Reason our most bountiful Father has commanded us to beg of him Deliverance from Evils that because he has commanded it therefore we should have hope of obtaining In Sacred Scripture there are many Examples of this Matter that they who are not led by Reason may be compell'd to have Hope and Confidence by a multitude of Examples Among whom Abraham Jacob Loth Joseph David are sufficient Witnesses of God's Goodness The Sacred Scriptures of the New Testament reckon up so many that have been deliver'd out of the greatest Difficulties by the prevalency of devout Prayer that the thing wants not the Proof of Examples We will therefore content our selves with that one Sentence of the Prophet Note which may confirm any even the most weak Psal 38.18 For says he the Just cry and the Lord hears them and delivers them out of all their Tribulations Now follows the Force and Vertue of the Petition XII The Force of tâ—is Petition that the Faithful may understand that in this place we do not pray to be deliver'd wholly from all Evil For there are some things which are commonly thought Evil 2 Cor. 2. which yet are profitable to those that suffer them as that Prick which the Apostle had 2 Cor. 12. that by the Assistance of Gods Grace his Power might be perfected in our weakness These things if their Vertue were known Note do wonderfully please the pious that they are far from praying to have them remov'd Wherefore we pray against those Evils only which do not at all profit the Soul XIII From what evils we here pray to be dâ—livered but not against the rest if we get but any Advantage by them The meaning hereof therefore is that being freed from Sin and the danger of Temptation we may be delivered from Evil both inward and outward that we may be safe from Water and Fire and Lightning that the Hail hurt not the Fruits of the Earth that we may not suffer scarcity of Provisions Sedition or War We beg of God to drive away Diseases Pestilence Desolation to keep us from Imprisonment Bonds Banishment Treasons Snares and all other Inconveniences wherewith the Life of Man is used to be greatly terrified and oppressed and lastly that he would turn away all the Causes of Sin and Wickedness Nor do we pray against those things only which even by the Consent of all are evil but also against those things which almost all Men account good as Riches Honors Health Strength yea and this Life it self rather than that should turn to our hurt and to the Destruction of our Souls We also pray God not to be oppressed by suddain Death that we provoke not Gods Anger against us that we may never suffer the Punishments which attend the Wicked that we may not be tormented with the Fire of Purgatory from which that others also may be delivered we make holy and devout Prayers This Petition both in the Mass and Litanies Note the Church thus expounds to wit that we pray against Evil past present and to come Now the Goodness of God delivers us out Evil XIV God delivers us from evil many ways not after one manner only for he hinders those Evils that hang over our Heads as we read that that great man Jacob was delivered from his Enemies whom the Slaughter of the Sichemites had provoked against him Gen. 35.3 For it is said The terror of the Lord came upon all the Cities round about and they durst not follow them returning back And indeed blessed are all they who when they reign with Christ our Lord in Heaven are by Gods help delivered from all Evil. But us that remain in this Pilgrimage he will not have to be free from all Inconveniences but he delivers us from some But yet those Comforts which God sometimes gives to those that are press'd with Hardships XV. The Comforts he gives Psal 93.8 is as good as a Freedom from all Evils In these the Prophet comforted himself when he said According to the multitude of the Sorrows in my heart try comforts rejoyc'd my Soul Besides God delivers Men from Evil when he keeps them safe and sound when brought to the utmost Difficulties