in Exod. Vide item D. Thom. 2.2 q. 122. a. 7. ad 3 4. For the one of them has respect only to Profit and Advantage III. The difference of the Ninth and Tenth Commandments the other to Lust and Pleasure If therefore any one covet a Field or a House he rather follows his Gain and Profit than his Pleasure but if he desires another Man's Wife he burns with the desire not of Profit but of Pleasure Now of these Commandments there is a double necessity The One IV. The necessity of these Commandments The first Necessiy that the meaning of the Sixth and Seventh Commandments might be explain'd for altho by a kind of light of Nature we may understand that the desire of enjoying another Man's Wife is forbidd'n because Adultery is forbidden For if it were lawful to covet it were lawful also to enjoy Yet many of the Jews were so blinded with Sin that they could not be perswaded to believe that this was forbid'n of God yea tho this Law of God was publish'd and known yet there were many who profess'd themseves Interpreters of the Law that were involv'd in this Error as we may observe from that Speech of our Lord in S. Matthew Matth. 5. Ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit Adultery but I say to you c. The other necessity of these Commandments is V. The Second Necessity that some things are distinctly and explicitly forbidd'n which in the Sixth and Seventh were not so For for example the Seventh queryCommandment forbids every one unjustly to seize another Mans Goods or to endeavor to take them away But this forbids every one so much as in the least to covet them altho by Right and Law he may obtain the thing by getting whereof he sees his Neighbor damnified But first of all VI. Why God added these two Commandments to the rest before we come to the Explication of the Commandment the Faithful are to be taught That by this Law we are not only learn'd to restrain our Desires but also to observe the Love of God to us which is infinite For when VII For our sake these Commandments were added by the former Commandments of the Law he had fenc'd us about as it were with Walls that no one should wrong either us or ours by this Commandment join'd to the former he was pleas'd to provide that we should not hurt our selves by our own Appetites which we might easily do if we might freely and fully covet and desire all things By this Law therefore of Not coveting God provided that the Spurs of Desires wherewith we are prick'd forward to all hurtful things by vertue of this Law are in a manner blunted that they sting us the less and we have therefore the longer space of time to free our selves from the troublesom Importunity of our Desires to perform those many and very great Duties of Piety and Religion which we owe to God Nor do's this Law teach us this only VIII God's Law is to be obâ—v'd not only in our outward but in our inward Actionâ— but it shews us also that it is of such a kind as is to be kept not only in outward Performances of our Duties but also in the inward Sense of the Soul So that there is this difference between the Laws of God and the Laws of Men that the Laws of Men are satisfied with outward Performances only but the Laws of God forasmuch as God looks at the Heart require a pure Soul and a sincere Chastity and Integrity God's Law therefore is as it were a kind of Looking-glass A singular Similitude wherein we may see the Corruptions of Nature Rom. 7. â— Wherefore the Apostle said I had not known Concupiscence if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet For since Concupiscence i. e. the Fuel of Sin which had its beginning from Sin always sticks fast in us hence we perceive that we are born in Sin wherefore we humbly fly to him who alone is able to wipe away the Spot of Sin Yet these several Commandments have this thing common with the rest Note that they partly forbid something and partly command somewhat As to the Vertue of Forbidding IX All Concupiscence is not here forbidden lest haply any one should think that that Concupiscence which is indeed blameless is in any measure a Vice as for the Spirit to lust against the Flesh or to covet the Justifications of God at all times the very thing which David so earnestly desir'd the Curat may teach what that Concupiscence is which by appointment of this Law we are to shun Wherefore X. What Concupiscence is it must be known that Concupiscence is a certain Commotion and Force of the Mind whereby Men are provok'd to desire those delightful things which they have not And as the other Motions of our Minds are not always evil XI Harmless Concupiscence so this Force of Concupiscence is not always to be accounted vicious nor is it therefore ill to desire Meat or Drink or when we are cold to desire to be warm or on the contrary when we are hot to desire to be cold And indeed this Power of Concupiscence XII Concupiscence corrupted by Sin by the Will of God was rightly put into us by Nature but by the Sin of our First Parents it came that overpassing the Bounds of Nature it grew so far deprav'd that it oftentimes is incited to lust after those things that are against the Spirit and Reason And yet this Power XIII The Advantages of a right Concupiscence The First if well govern'd and kept within its own Limits do's oftentimes afford no small Advantages For first It makes us with earnest Prayers to supplicate God and humbly to beg of him those things we most earnestly desire For Prayer is the Interpreter of our Desires but if this well order'd Power of Concupiscence were wanting there would not be so many Prayers in the Church of God Besides The Second it makes God's Gifts the more dear to us For by how much we are inflam'd with a more earnest Desire of any thing by so much the more dear and delightful will that thing be to us when we have gotten it And then The Third the Delight it self which we feel from the thing desir'd makes us with the greater Devotion to give Thanks to God If therefore it be lawful at any time to covet we must needs confess that the whole Power of Concupiscence is not forbidden And tho S. Paul said Rom 7.20 that Concupiscence is Sin yet that must be taken in the same meaning in which Moses spake Exod. 10.16 whose Testimony he brings the same that the Apostle's Words declare for in his Epistle to the Galatians he calls it Gal. 5.10 the Concupiscence of the Flesh Walk ye in the Spirit says he and ye shall not
keep his Commandments Jos â—4 19 to a thousand generations and forthwith recompensing those that hate him And Joshua Ye cannot says he serve the Lord for God is Holy and Strong and he hates and will not pardon your wickedness and your sins if ye forego the Lord and serve strange Gods he will turn and will afflict you and overthrow you Now the Peple are to be taught L. This Point to be explain'd That the Punishment here threatned belongs to the third and fourth Generation of the Impious and Wicked not that the Children always suffer the Punishments of their Forefathers but tho they and their Children may go unpunish'd yet all their Posterity shall not escape the Wrath and Punishment of God And this hapned to King Josias 2 Par. 34.27 For when God had spar'd him for his singular Piety and had granted him to be carried to the Grave of his Ancestors in Peace that his Eyes might not see the Evil of the following Times which for the Wickedness of his Grandfather Manasseh were to come upon Judah and Jerusalem he being dead 4 Reg. 23.30 the Vengeance of God fell upon his Posterity so that he spar'd not even the Children of Josiah But why these words of the Law are not against that Sentence pronounc'd by the Prophet An Objection answered Ezek. 18.4 The Soul that sins it shall die the Authority of S. Gregory agreeing with all the other ancient Fathers plainly shews for he says Whosoever imitates the Iniquity of a wicked Father is also bound under his Sin but whosoever imitates not the Iniquity of a wicked Father shall by no means suffer for his Sin Whence it comes that the wicked Son of a wicked Father suffers Punishment not only for his own Sins which he has added but for his Father's Sins also seeing he is not afraid to add moreover his own Wickedness also to his Father's Vices whereat he knew God to be angry And just it is that he who under an offended Judge fears not to imitate the wicked ways of a wicked Father shou'd be forc'd in this present Life to suffer Punishments for the Sins of his wicked Father also Extat locus Greg. lib. 15. moral c. 31. Vide Aug. Epist 75. D. Thom. 1 2. q. 87. art 8. And then the Curat shall observe how much God's Goodness and Mercy excels his Justice LI. Gods Goodness overcomes his Justice God is angry to the third and fourth Generation but he bestows his Mercy upon thousands But in that it is said LII Sinners hate God Of them that hate me The greatness of Sin is shewd For what can be more wicked and abominable than to hate the Supream Goodness that most excellent Truth Now this does therefore belong to all Sinners because as he that has Gods Commandments and keeps them loves God so he that despises the Law of the Lord and keeps not his Commandments is deservedly said to hate God But that which is last LIII The Law to be obey'd out of Love And them that love me teaches the way and manner of keeping the Law for it is necessary that they that keep the Law of God be led to the Obedience of it by the same Love and Charity as they bear towards God which things must be remembred hereafter in all the several Commandments The Second COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain ALtho this Commandment which follows in the Second place I. Why this Commandment is dâ—stinguish'd from the First be necessarily contain'd in the First Commandment of Gods Law wherein we are commanded to worship God piously and holily For he who will have honor done him requires us to speak most reverently of him and forbids the contrary which the Words of the Lord by Malachy plainly shew Malach. 1.16 A Son honors his Father and a Servant his Master if therefore I be a Father where is my honor Yet God for the weightiness of the matter would make this Law distinct concerning the Honoring of his Divine and most Holy Name and this he has commanded in plain and evident Words Which thing ought indeed in the First place to be an Argument to the Curat II How diligently this Commandment to be explain'd by no means to think it enough to speak generally of this Matter but that this is a Point which 't is necessary that he stay longer upon and that whatsoever belongs to the Handling thereof to explain it to the Faithful distinctly plainly and diligently De hoc Praecept vid. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 122. art 3. item 1 2. q. 100. art 5. Nor is this to be thought a needless Diligence III. How frequently and rashly men swear since there are not wanting those that are so far blinded with the darkness of Error that they are not afraid to treat him rudely in their talk whom the Angels glorifie for neither are they by the Law once declar'd terrifi'd so as not most shamefully to dare daily to lessen the Majesty of God For who sees not that all things are affirmed with an Oath that all things are stuff'd with Imprecations and Execrations And that to so high a degree that there is scarce any one that either sells or buys any thing or does any other Business without the religious Bond of an Oath and does not rashly use the most holy Name of God a thousand times about the most trivial and vain matter Note For which Reason the Curat ought to use the greater care and diligence often to admonish the Faithful how grievous and detestable this Sin is But now in the Explication of this Commandment IV. Here is a Command and a Prohibition it is first to be taught That together with that thing which the Law forbids there is joyn'd a Command of those things also which Men ought to perform Now each of these is to be taught severally And First V. What is requir'd in this Commandment that those things which are to be taught may the more easily be expounded it must be known what this Law requires and then what it forbids Now this is it that it requires That Gods Name be honor'd and to swear holily by it Again this is it that it forbids That no one despise Gods Name that no one take it in vain nor swear by it falsly or vainly or rashly In that part therefore wherein we are commanded to give Honor to Gods Name VI. How Gods Name to be honor'd the Curat may warn the Faithful that the Name of God that the Letters and Syllables of it I say or the naked VVord alone of it self is not here altogether to be regarded but that we must seriously consider what that VVord which signifies the Almighty and Eternal Majesty of the Tri-une God-head means Now from hence it is easily gather'd Note that the Superstition of some Jews was vain who durst not pronounce the Name
Matth. 25.19 Out of the Heart proceed Adulteries and Fornications which pollute a Man And S. Paul the Apostle detests this Vice with many and weighty Expressions 1 Thes 4.19 This says he is the will of God even your Sanctification 1 Cor. 5.9 that ye abstain from Fornication And Avoid Fornication And 1 Cor. 6.18 Be not Companions of Fornicators But Fornication Eph. 5.3 says he and all Vncleanness and Covetousness 1 Cor. 6.9 let it not be nam'd among you And Neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind shall possess the Kingdom of Heaven But Especially for this cause is Adultery so plainly forbidd'n because besides the Foulness of it VII Why Adultery especially forbidd'n which is common to that with other kinds of Intemperance it has joyn'd with it the Sin of Injustice also not only against our Neighbor but also against civil Society But this is certain that he that abstains not from the Intemperance of other Lusts will easily fall into that Incontinence of Adultery Wherefore VIII Even the inward Lust of the Mind is here forbidd'n by this forbidding of Adultery we may easily perceive That every kind of uncleanness and immodesty whereby our Body is polluted is forbidd'n Yea and that even every inward Lust of the Mind is forbidd'n by this Commandment both the very Force of the Law it self shews which as it is manifest is Spiritual and also Christ our Lord has taught in these Words Matth. 18. Ye have heard that it has been said by them of old Time Thou shalt not commit Adultery But I say to you that every one that sees a Woman to lust after her has already committed Adultery with her in his Heart These are the things which we have thought fit should be taught publickly IX Things to be observ'd by the Curats but if these things be added which have bin decreed by the holy Synod of Trent against Adulterers and those that keep Bawds and Harlots and passing over many and divers kinds of Immodesty and Lust Ses 24. c. 24. de reform whereof every one shall be admonish'd by the Curat privately as the State of the Time and Persons shall require It now follows to explain those things X. Chastity to be kept by every one in his condition which have the Force of Commanding The Faithful therefore are to be taught and earnestly exhorted to keep Modesty and Continence with all their Study and to cleans themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God And First they are to be admonish'd That tho the Vertue of Chastity shines more bright in that sort of Men that holily and religiously hold that most commendable and truly divine purpose of Virginity yet it is suitable to them also that lead a Married Life or being married keep themselves clear from forbidd'n Lust But because by the Holy Fathers many things have bin deliver'd XI Remedies to be propos'd against â— Lust whereby we are taught to conquer our Lusts and bridle our Pleasures The Curat shall study to expound them accuratly to the People and let him be very industrious on this Account Vide. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 151. Trid. 24. de matrim c. 3. ses 25 de regular And they are such as consist partly in Thought XII Remedies against unclean Thoughts The First and partly in Action The Remedy which concerns Thought consists in this That we understand How great the Foulness and Hurtfulness of this Sin is Which being known the way of detesting it will be much more easie But that it is a hurtful Wickedness may be understood from hence because by reason of this Sin Men are taken and thrust out of the Kingdom of God and this is the worst of all Evils And that Calamity is indeed common to all Sins The Second But this thing is proper to this Sin That they that commit Fornication are said to sin against their own Bodies according to S. Paul who writes thus 1 Cor. 5.18 Avoid Fornication for every Sin that a Man do's is without his Body but he that commits Fornication sins against his own Body Which is therefore said because he wrongs his Body when he violates the Sanctity of it 1 Thess 4.5 of which matter he writes thus to the Thessalonians This says he is the Will of God even your Sanctification that ye abstain from Fornication that every one of you may know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honor not in the Passion of Concupiscence as the Gentiles do which know not God And then The Third which is yet more wicked a Christian by the foul Act of giving himself to a Whore â— Cor. 6.17 makes Christ's Members the Members of an Harlot for so St. Paul says Know ye not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ Shall I therefore take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot God forbid Know ye not that he that is join'd to an Harlot is made one Body Besides The Foâ—rth 1 Cor. 6.17 as S. Paul testifies A Christian is the Temple of the Holy Ghost to violate which is nothing else but to cast the Holy Ghost out of it But in the Sin of Adultery there is great Injustice XIII The great Injustice of A ulâ—ery â— Cor. 7. For if as the Apostle has it they that are join'd in Matrimony are under the power of each other so that neither of them has the power or dispose of their own Body but are so bound with a kind of mutual Bond of Service as it were each to other that the Husband ought to comply to the Will of his Wife and again the Wife ought to accommodate her self to the Will and Dispose of her Husband certainly if either of them separate their Body which is the others Right from that Person to whom it is bound he or she is very unjust and wicked And because the fear of Disgrace vehemently stirs Men up to those things that are just XIV The notable Filthiness of Adultery and deters Men greatly from things forbidden the Curat shall teach That Adultery brands Men with a notable Mark of Baseness For in Sacred Scripture it is thus written Prov. 6.32 33. He that is an Adulterer thro lack of Vnderstanding will lose his Soul he gathers to himself Disgrace and Ignominy and his Reproach shall not be blotted out Now the greatness of this Sin may be easily perceiv'd from the Severity of its Punishment XV. The punishment of Adultery For Adulterers by God's Law in the Old Testament were ston'd to death yea and even for one Man's Lust not only he that committed the Sin but sometimes a whole City has been overthrown Levit. 20.10 Joh. 8.5 Gen. 34.25 There are in Sacred Scripture many Examples of God's Vengeance XVI Examples of the Punishment of Adultery which
move the Ancients to Theft Now since this our Age also is miserably prone to the like Sins III. The Curat 's Duty in this Case and the Inconveniences and Calamities of them after the Example of the Holy Fathers the Masters of Christian Discipline the Curats shall urge this Point and shall carefully and diligently explain the Force and Meaning of this Commandment And first IV. Herein Gods Love towards us is manifested they shall exercise their Office and Diligence to shew the infinite Love of God towards Mankind who not only in those two former Commandments Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery as it were by Fences defends our Life our Body and our Fame and Esteem but also in this Commandment Thou shalt not steal secures and defends our outward Goods and Estates by a kind of Protection For what can be the meaning of these VVords but that which we have already said when we spake of the other Commandments To wit That God do's forbid these our Goods which are under his Protection to be hurt or taken away by any one Vide D. Thom. 1.2 q. 100. a. 3. 2.2 q. 122. art 6. Now by how much the greater this Benefit of the Law of God is by so much the more thankful ought we to be to God V. How willingly we are to obey this Commandment the Author of that Benefit And because the best way both of being thankful and paying our Thanks is not only willingly to hearken to his Commandments but also to manifest them in Deed the Faithful are to be excited and inflam'd to the performance of the Duty of this Commandment Now this Commandment VI. This Commandment divided into two Parts as the former is divided into two Parts whereof the former which forbids Theft is plainly declared but the force and meaning of the other wherein we are commanded to be kind and liberal to our Neighbor lies hid and wrapp'd up in the former We will first speak of the First Thou shalt not steal VVhere it is to be observ'd VII What is here understood by Theft That by the Name of Theft is to be understood not only the taking away of any thing from the right Owner privily and without his knowledge but also when a Man possesses that which is another Man's against the VVill and Knowledge of the true Owner thereof unless we would think that he that forbids Theft do's not disallow that violent taking away of other Mens Goods by Force and VVrong 1 Cor. 6.10 since the Apostle has declar'd that Extortioners shall not possess the kingdom of God All the practice and ways whereof are to be avoided as the same Apostle teaches Vide Aug. q. 7.1 in Exod. citatur 32. q. 4. c. Mâ—retrices But tho forcible taking away of any thing from another VIII Robbery or Rapine worse than Theft be a greater Sin than Theft because besides the thing taken away from any one they moreover use force and give greater affront Vide D. Thom. 2.2 q. 66. art 4 9. item 14. q. 4. c. Poenale Yet it is not to be wondred at IX Why that name of Theft is here used that the Precept of this Divine Law uses the lighter Term of Theft and not of Robbery for it is so done on a very weighty Account because Theft is of a larger signification and extends to more things than Robbery which they only can commit who have Power and Strength Altho there is no one that sees not that the greater Enormities are also forbidd'n Note when the lesser Sins of the same kind are prohibited For the unjust Possession and use of anothers things is known by divers names X. The various kinds of Theft according to the diversity of those things that are taken away without the Will an Knowledge of the Owners For if any private thing be taken from a private Person Theft it is call'd Theft If from a public Person Pecculatus it is call'd in Latin Pecculatus If a Free-man or anothers Servant be carried into Slavery Man-stealing it is call'd Man-stealing But if a Sacred thing be taken away Sacriledg it is call'd Sacriledg which Wickedness the most horrid and lewd of all is so common that the Goods which were piously and wisely given to the necessary use of Divine Worship and to the Ministers of the Church and to the Benefit of the Poor are converted to private Covetousness and pernicious Lusts But besides the Theft it self XI The will of Stealing forbidd'n that is the outward Act the very Will and Desire of Theft is forbidd'n by Gods Law For the Law is Spiritual which regards the Soul the Fountain of our Thoughts and Designs for out of the Heart as our Lord says in S. Matth Matth. 15.19 proceed evil Thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications Thefts False Witness Now how grievous a Sin Theft is XII Theft a grievous Sin even the very natural Light and Reason sufficiently shew For it is contrary to Justice which renders to every one his own For the Distributions and Assignments of Goods even from the very first beginning have bin determin'd by the Law of Nations and confirmed by Divine and Human Laws and ought to be ratifi'd That every one unless we will take away all human Society may enjoy those things which he has rightly gott'n for as the Apostle says 1 Cor. 6.10 Neither Thieves nor Covetous Persons nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God Now there are very many evils XIII The mischiefs following Theft which follow Theft which shew the Savageness and Enormity of this Sin For hereby many rash and unadvis'd Judgments are made of many Persons Hatred breaks forth Differences are begun Sometimes innocent Men are most cruelly condemned And what shall we say concerning that necessity XIV The necessity of Restitution which by God himself is laid on all of satisfying him that is wrong'd For as S. Austin says The Sin is not forgiven unless Restitution be made Epist 54. Of making which Restitution XV. How difficult Restitution is when a Man has accustomed himself to enrich himself with other Mens Goods how great must the Difficulty needs be besides that which every one may judge both from the Discourse of others and from his own Sense we may understand it from the Testimony of the Prophet Abacuc Abac. 26. for he says Wo to him that increases that which is not his how long and to him that gathers together against himself a thick clay He calls the Possesion of other mens Goods a thick Clay Note from whence it is very hard for Men to rid and get themselves out But there are so many kinds of Theft XVI Many kinds of Theft that it is very hard to number them wherefore it is suffcient to have spoken of these Two Theft and Robbery to which all the rest we shall speak
fulfil the Desires of the Flesh That natural and well-govern'd Power of Concupiscence therefore XIV Two good sorts of Concupience which transgresses not its Limits is not forbidden and much less that spiritual Desire of an upright Mind whereby we are stirr'd up to desire those things that are against the Flesh For to this kind of Desire the Holy Scriptures exhort us Covet ye my Sayings and Come unto me all ye that desire me Wisd 6.1 Eccles 24.26 In this Interdict therefore XV. What Concupiscence is here forbidden not the very Power it self of Coveting which we use as well for that which is Good as for that which is Evil but the use of corrupt Desire which is call'd the Concupiscence of the Flesh and the Incentive to Sin and if it have the Assent of the Mind join'd with it it is always to be accounted vicious and is utterly forbidden That Lust of Concupiscence therefore only is forbidden XVI The Concupiscence of the Flesh explain'd which the Apostle calls the Concupiscence of the Flesh to wit those Motions of Desire which have no measure of Reason and which are not contain'd within the Limits appointed by God This Covetousness is condemn'd XVII Reasons why Concupiscence is forbidden The First The Second either because it desires that which is evil as Adultery Drunkenness Murder and such like heinous Wickedness of which the Apostle says Let us not covet evil things even as they coveted them 1 Cor. 10.6 Or else because tho the things themselves were not by Nature evil yet there is some other cause why it is evil to desire them Of which sort are those things which God or his Church forbids us to have for we may not so much as desire those things which it is unlawful for us to have Such kind of things in the Old Law were the Gold and Silver whereof Idols had been made which the Lord in Deuteronomy Deut. 7.26 forbad that any one should covet Besides The Third for this Reason this vicious Covetousness is forbidden because those things it desires are anothers as House Servant Maid Field Wife Ox Ass and many other things which being anothers the Law of God forbids to covet them And the very Desire of things of this kind is wicked XVIII This Concupiscence is Sin and when it is committed and to be reckon'd among the worst of Sins when the Mind yields her Assent to the Desire of them For then it becomes Sin when after the Impulse of evil Desires the Mind is delighted with that which is evil or do's not resist it as S. James when he shews the Beginning and Progress of Sin teaches in these Words Jac. 1.14 Every one is tempted being drawn away and enticed by his Concupiscence And then when Concupiscence has conceiv'd it brings forth Sin and Sin when it is finish'd begets Death Vide D. Thom. 1.2 q 4. art 7. 8. item Aug. lib. 12. de Trinit c. 12. item de Serm. Dom. in Monte c. 23. Greg. hom 19. in Evang. l. 4. Moral c. 27. in Respons 11. ad Interrog Aug. Hieron in Amos c. 1. Seeing therefore it is thus by Law provided XIX The Scope of the Ninth and Tenth Commandments Thou shalt not covet the meaning of these Words is that we restrain our Desires from those things which belong to others For the Thirst of Desire of other Mens Things is immense and infinite nor can it ever be satisfied as it is written A covetous Man will not be satisfied with Mony Eccl. 3.5 Of whom it is thus said in Isaiah Esa 5.8 Wo to you that join House to House and Field to Field But by the Explication of the several Words XX. The Words expounded the Foulness and Greatness of this Sin is more easily understood Wherefore the Curat shall teach XXI What House here signifies That by the Word House is signified not only the Place which we dwell in but the whole Inheritance as is observ'd from the Use and Custom of Divine Writers In Exodus it is written Exod. 1.21 That Houses were built of the Lord for the Midwives to signifie that God had better'd and enlarg'd their State and Condition From this Interpretation therefore we observe XXII What is here meant by coveting another's Hou e. That in the Law of this Commandment we are forbidden greedily to covet Riches and to envy other Mens Wealth Power Nobility but to be content with our own State whatsoever it be whether low or high And then we ought to know that the coveting another Man's Glory is forbidden for this also belongs to House Now follows XXIII What by Ox and Ass Nor Ox nor Ass Which shews that we may not covet not only those things that are of greater concern as House Nobility and Glory because they belong to others but also things of small moment whatsoever they are whether Animate or Inanimate And then it follows XXIV What by Servant Nor his Servant Which is to be understood as well of Slaves as of other Servants which as the rest of the Goods of another Person we may not covet And as for Freemen XXV They that serve others are not to be entic'd away who serve at pleasure either for Wages or Love and Observance no one ought to corrupt or persuade them either by Words or Hope or Promises or Rewards to forsake them to whose Service they have freely oblig'd themselves Yea Note and if they depart from their old Masters before their time the sooner to come to the new ones by authority of this Commandment they are to be admonish'd by all means to return till their full time be expir'd Now that in this Commandment there is mention made of our Neighbor XXVI Why here is mention made of Neighbor the meaning is That the Vice of those Men might be shewd that use to covet the Neighboring Fields and the nearest Houses or any such things that border upon them For Neighborhood Note which consists in Friendship is betray'd and turn'd from Love into Hatred by the Vice of Covetousness Yet they do not break this Commandment XXVII He that desires to buy other Mens Goods does not sin that desire to buy of their Neighbor those things they have to sell or give them a just price for them For such Persons not only do not injure their Neighbor but they very much help him seeing he has more need of and benefit by the Mony than of the things he sells Now after this Law of not coveting anothers Goods XXVIII The Law of not coveting another Mans Wife explain'd there follows another which forbids us to covet another Mans Wife By which Law not that Lust of Concupiscence only whereby an Adulterer desires another Mans Wife is forbidd'n but also that wherewith any one being affected desires to marry anothers Man's Wife For at that time when a Bill of Divorce was allow'd it
might easily happen that she that was cast off by one Husband might be married to another For this Reason the Lord did forbid that either Men should be sollicited to leave their Wives XXIX Why this Law was made or that the Wives should behave themselves so sowr and churlish to their Husbands that for that cause there should be any necessity as it were laid on their Husbands to cast them off But now it is a greater Sin XXX A griâ—vous Sin to covet another Mans Wife since it is not lawful for another to marry a Woman tho she be divorc'd from her Husband unless her Husband be dead He therefore that covets another Man's Wife easily slides out of one Covetousness into another For either he will wish her Husband dead Note or to commit adultery with her And the same thing may be said of those Women that are betrothed to another XXXI Or a Woman betroth'd to another for neither is it lawful to covet them since they that endeavour to break these Contracts violate the most holy Band of Faith And as it is utterly unlawful to covet her that is married to another XXXII Or a Virgin consecrated to God so it is by no means lawful to desire her for his Wife that is consecrated to Gods Worship and Religion But if any one desires to marry a VVoman Note this Case that is already married supposing her not to be married and would not desire to marry her if he knew that she were married to another which we read happen'd to Pharaoh and Abimimelech Gen. 12. 20. who wish'd to have Sarah to be their VVife supposing her not to be married but to be Abraham's Sister and not his VVife he verily that is thus minded seems not to break this Commandment But that the Curat may lay open the Remedies XXXIII Remedies against hurtful Desires that are fit to take away this Vice of Covetousness he ought to explain the other part of the Commandment which consists herein That if Riches increase we set not our Hearts upon them and that we be ready to apply them to the Study of Piety and of Divine Matters and that we freely bestow our Mony in relieving the Miseries of the Poor And if we are in want that we bear our want with an even and a chearful Spirit and indeed if in diposing of our Goods we use Liberality we shall quench our Covetousness of other Mens Goods Now concerning the Praises of Poverty and despising of Riches in Sacred Scriptures and in the Holy Fathers it will be easie for the Curat to gather a great many things and to teach them to the Faithful Vide Hier. Epist 1. ad Heliod 8. ad Demetriadem 150. and Haedipiam q. 1. 16. ad Pammach Item Basil in regul fusius disputatis Interrog 9. Chrys in Epist. ad Rom. ad haec verba Salutate Priscam Cassian lib. de institut Monach. c. 13 33. collat 24. c. 26. Greg. hom 18. Ezech. Ambr. in c. 6. Lucae Leonem Magn. in Serm. de omnibus sanctis Aug. lib. 17. de Civit. Dei Epist 98. ad Hilar. Epist 109. By this Law it is also commanded XXXIV The other part commanding That very earnestly and with our utmost desire we wish that thing chiefly to be done not which we our selves will but what God wills as is taught in our Lords Prayer Now it is the Will of God chiefly XXXV What the Will of God towards us is that we be made holy after a singular Manner and that we keep our Soul sincere and upright and clean from every Spot and that we exercise our selves in those Duties of Mind and Spirit which are contrary to our bodily Senses and that our sensual Desires being brought into subjection being guided by Reason and the Spirit we lead the course of our Life aright and further that we utterly beat down the Force of those Senses which afford matter to our Lusts and Desires But to the quenching this heat of our Desires XXXVI The Antidotes of evil Desires The First this also will be very prevalent to put before our Eyes the Inconveniences we suffer thereby The First Inconvenience is That by Obedience to our Lusts Sin gets the utmost force and power in our Soul Wherefore the Apostle admonishes Let not Sin reign in your mortal Body Rom. 6.12 that ye should obey the Lusts thereof For even as if we resist our Lusts the Power of Sin decays so if we yield to them we throw our Lord out of his Kingdom and place Sin in his room Besides The Second another Inconveniency is That from this force of Concupiscence as from a kind of Fountain all Sins flow as S. James teaches and S. John says Jac. 1. 2 John 2.16 All that is in the World is the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life The Third Inconvenience is The Third That the true Judgment of the Mind is darkned For Men being blinded with the darkness of their Lusts think all those things good and excellent whatsoever they desire Besides The Fourth by force of Concupiscence the Word of God is oppress'd which is sown in our Souls by God that great Husbandman For thus it is written in S. Mark Some was sown among Thorns These are they which hear the Word and the cares of the World and the deceitfulness of Riches and so other things entring in by Concupiscence choak the Word and so make it unfruitful But now those that above others labor under this Vice of Concupiscence XXXVII These are guilty of this Vice of Covetousness First and whom the Curat ought therefore more earnestly to exhort to observe this Commandment Are those that are delighted with dishonest Sports and that immoderately abuse Games As also Merchants Secondly who wish for scarcity of things and dearness of Provisions and take it ill that others besides themselves do sell Commodities and sell cheaper than they In which case they also Sin Thirdly that wish others to want that either by selling or buying they may make a Gain of them And those Soldiers also Fourthly that wish for War that they may get Plunder Fifthly And those Physitians that pray for Diseases Sixthly And those Lawyers that desire a Throng and Multitude of Contentions and Law Suits Seventhly And those Trades-men who being greedy of Gain wish for Scarcity of such things as are for Food and other Necessaries thereby to get Profit to themselves Eighthly And in this kind they also grievously sin that are greedy and covetous of other Mens Glory and Praise not without some slandering of other Mens Credit and specially if they that thus covet it are idle Persons and of no worth For Fame and the Glory of Vertue and Industry is not the Reward of Sloth and Idleness THE CATECHISM FOR THE CURATES BY THE DECREE
the greatest efficacy 136 The Sacraments of the New Law have a form of words prescrib'd without which there is no true Sacrament Ibid. The Ceremonies of the Sacraments cannot be omitted without sin 137 If the Ceremonies of the Sacrament should be omitted the nature of the Sacrament is not lessen'd Ibid. Why the Sacraments administred with solemn Ceremonies Ibid. The necessity of the Sacraments 138 The number of the Sacraments 137 The excellency of the Sacraments 139 The difference of the Sacraments among themselves Ibid. Christ the Author of the Sacraments Ibid. Why God would have the Sacraments administred by men 140 The Ministers of the Sacraments represent the person of Christ Ibid. The Sacraments confer justifying Grace 142 How dangerous it is to such Ministers as minister the Sacraments of the New Law with polluted consciences 141 The effects of the Sacraments Ibid. The excellencie of the Sacraments of the New Law compar'd with those of the Old 143 Three Sacraments imprint a Character Ibid. By the use of the Sacrament the Edifice of Christians is propp'd up 145 Wicked men may minister the Sacraments if they observe what belongs to the nature and truth of the Sacraments 140 The difference between a Sacrament and a Sacrifice 234 A Sacrifice is offer'd to God not to the Saints 235 The bloody and unbloody Sacrifice is one and the same 236 The Sacrifice offer'd on the Cross and that in the Mass is one and the same Ibid. The Communion of Saints how profitable and what it signifies 99 By Communion of all Christians are made one Body 100 The members of Christ's body tho dead do not cease to be his members Ibid. What things in the Church are common to Christians 101 God's Glory is not diminish'd by the worship of the Saints but increas'd 345 The Patronage of the Saints is not superfluous 346 Tho Christ be offer'd to us as our Mediator yet it does not follow but that we may have recourse to the favour of the Saints 347 It is not forbidden by God's Law to paint the Images of the Saints 348 Satan's Attempts See Devil The necesity of Satisfaction 274 Whence the name of Satisfaction 272 Satisfaction variously taken Ibid. c. What Satisfaction reconciles God to us 252 253 Christ's Satisfaction is for almost all sins 273 Canonical Satisfaction Ibid. Satisfaction taken of us Ibid. Satisfaction as a part of the Sacrament Ibid. Satisfaction defin'd 272 The virtue of Satisfaction 298 Our Satisfaction does not obscure Christ's Satisfaction but rather illustrates it Ibid. Painful and afflictive works undertaken in satisfaction 279 280 All kinds of satisfaction referr'd to 3 chief heads 279 True Satisfaction requires that he that satisfies be himself just 279 Inconveniences and labors sent of God have a virtue of satisfying if born with patience 280 One may satisfie for another Ib. Before a Penitent that has wrong'd his Neighbor in his Goods or Repute be absolved he ought to promise to make satisfaction 281 In appointing the punishment of satisfaction what is to be observed 282 The manner of satisfaction shou'd answer to the degree of the fault Ibid. The Penitent ought of his own accord often to repeat the works of satisfaction which the Priest appointed him Ib. The Seal of the Lord's Prayer 550. Some Sins irremissible how to be understood 248 The punishment of sin and sinners flows to us from Adam 29 VVe ought to confess our sins of thought 265 Two consequences of sin 277 God is so provok'd by our sins that he blesses not our labors 522 All are subject to sin 520 VVhat our acknowledgment of sin ought to be 521 The baseness of sin Ibid. The plague of sin 522 Tho the act of sin pass away yet the guilt of it remains 523 God's anger always follows sin Ibid. How necessary the sense of and grief for sin is 521 God is always ready to forgive the sins of Penitents 524 VVe cannot avoid sin without God's help 505 Swearing See Perjury T BEing tost with the waves of Temptation we must fly to the Port of Prayer 540 VVe must pray God that we be not led into Temptation 532 VVhat Temptation is 536 The many kinds of Temptations 533 God tempts and how 537 Men tempted for evil Ibid. VVhy the Devil is call'd the Tempter Ibid. VVhen we are led into Temptation ibid. He tempts that does not hinder Temptation 538 Man 's whole life a Temptation on Earth 539 Temptations to be patiently endur'd 540 VVhat we beg of God in Temptation 539. c. The Commandment about Theft is as a Protection whereby our outward goods are defended 413 This Commandment divided into two parts Ibid. VVhy the 7th Commandment makes mention of Theft and not of Robbery 414 VVhat is understood by the word Theft Ibid. God's great love shew'd to us in this Commandment about Theft 413. Theft which is an unjust possession and use of other mens things known by divers names 414 The will of stealing forbidden in this Command 415 How grievous a sin Theft is Ibid. The consequences of Theft manifest the greatness of the sin Ibid. Many kinds of Thefts 416 The various kinds of Thieves Ibid. God accepts no excuse for Theft 423 Theft not excusable Ibid. The excuses which men use to defend their Theft withal Ibid. c. The Thief dishonors God's Name 424 V THe Vice of the Tongue very extensive 326 Of the Vice of the Tongue come innumerable mischiefs ibid. Vnction See Extreme-Vnction W WAtching overcomes Temptations 541 The Wife to be subject to her Husband 328 The Wife must abide at home 328 The Duties of a Wife 327 c. Why Woman was taken out of the side of man Ibid. Why we pray God's Will be done 505 VVho especially ought to pray God's Will be done 503 VVho says thy Will be done what he ought to think 505 The Commandment of not bearing false Witness 426 The Command of not bearing false Witness restrains the Vice of the Tongue Ibid. In the Command against false Witness are containd two Precepts one commanding the other forbidding 427 What is forbidden in false Witness Ibid. A Judge cannot well reject sworn Witness Ibid. VVhat false Witness is 428 429 The mischiefs of false Witness 429 False Witness forbidden not only in Judgment but out of Judgment Ibid. How many ways a man's esteem is wounded by Lies 429 c. Witness-bearing is a confession of God's Praise 433 True Witness-bearing of very great use in human affairs Ibid. Witnesses to be very careful not to affirm for truth what they are not very sure of 434 The Word of God the Food of the Soul 517 The Word of the Pastors of the Church to be receiv'd as the VVord of God See the Preface Words of all signs have the greatest Virtue See Sacrament By the preaching of the Word and use of the Sacraments the Christian Building is firmly lay'd 145 Incarnation of the Word See Incarnation Z WHat Zeal to be attributed to God 354 FINIS
and above all by Baptism by which as by the Door Aug. lib. 9. contr Faust. c. 11. we enter into the Church Now that by this Communion of Saints we ought to understand the Communion of Sacraments the Fathers signifie in this Creed by these words Damasc lib. 4. de Fide Orthodox c. 12. I confess one Baptism But after Baptism first follows the Eucharist and then the other Saraments For tho this name be suitable to all the other Sacraments since they joyn us to God and make us partakers of him whose Grace we receive yet it is more proper to the Eucharist which makes this Communion But there is another Communion in the Church to be consider'd For whatsoever things are piously and holily perfom'd by One these things belong to All and by Charity which seeks not her own they are made profitable to them This is well prov'd by the Testimony of S. Ambrose S. Ambros in Ps 118. Serm. 1 v. 69 who explaining that place of the Psalm I am a Partner of all them that seek thee says thus As we say that the Member is a Partaker of the whole Body so is he that is a Partner with them that fear God Wherefore Christ has taught us this Form of Prayer Matt. 6. to say Our Bread not mine and the rest after the same manner not taking care for our selves only but for the salvation and profit of all But now this Communication of good things is XXVI A singular Similitude in Holy Scripture often represented by a fit Similitude taken from the Members of the Body of Man for in the Body there are many Members But tho they are Many yet they make but One Body in which all the Members discharge each their own proper Office and not all the same Office 〈◊〉 12.15 Nor have they all the same Dignity to execute alike the useful and comely functions nor do they seek each its own profit but the commodity and conveniency of the whole Body And then they are all so fitly knit together among themselves that if one be griev'd the rest also by Consent and Nearness of Nature do grieve and on the contrary if one be well dispos'd all the rest rejoyce with it The same thing we may contemplate in the Church in which tho there be divers Members to wit various Nations of Jews and Gentiles Bond and Free Poor and Rich yet when by Baptism they are initiated they are made one Body with Christ whereof he is the Head Moreover in this Church is assign'd to every one his own Office Note for as there were plac'd in it some Apostles some Teachers but all for the public benefit so it is the Office of some to Rule and to Teach and of others to Obey and to be Subject But then they only reap the Benefit of those so many and so great Functions Note and good things thus appointed by God who lead a Christian Life in Charity and are just and dear to God But the dead Members XXVII What benefit of the Communion of Saints they are depriv'd of who are in mortal sin Aug. in Ps 70. Serm. 2. to wit those who are as it were bound in wickedness and estrang'd from the Grace of God are not depriv'd of this Good so as to cease to be Members of this Body but being dead they perceive not that spiritual Fruit and Advantage which just and pious Men have and yet seeing that they are in the Church they are assisted towards the recovery of that Grace and Life which they had lost by those who live spiritually and receive those benefits which there can be no doubt that they are void of who are altogether cut off from the Church Nor are those Gifts common only which render men just and dear to God XXVIII Grace fro Grace are common Gifts but there is also given Grace for Grace among which is reckon'd Knowledg Prophecy and the Gift of Tongues and Miracles and the rest of that sort which Gifts are also granted to the Wicked not for Private but Publick Advantage to the Edification of the Church For the Gift of Healing is given not for his sake who has the Gift but for the Sick Mans sake who is to be healed And indeed a Christian has nothing in possession which he ought not to reckon as common to himself and all others And therefore they ought to be ready and prepar'd to relieve the Miseries of the Needy for he that has such kind of Goods and sees his Brother in want 1 Joh. 3.17 and will not help him he is plainly convin'd to have none of the Love of God in him Which things seeing they are so it is manifest enough that those who are in this Holy Communion enjoy a kind of Happiness and can truly say Ps 83. Ps 33. O how lovely are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soul longs and even faints for the Courts of the Lord and Blessed are they which dwell in thy House O Lord ARTICLE X. The Forgiveness of Sins There is no One I. The Belief of this Article necessary to Salvation who when he sees this Article Of the Forgiveness of Sins number'd among the other Articles of Faith can doubt not only that there is some Divine Mystery but also that there is something very necessary to the attaining Salvation contain'd in it For as was said before Without a certain belief of those things which in the Creed are propos'd to be believ'd there can be no entrance to any Body to Christian Piety But if that which of it self ought to be known of all Men seems fit to be confirm'd by some Testimony that surely will be sufficient which our Savior a little before his Ascension into Heaven witness'd concerning this matter when he open'd the Understanding of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Luc. 24.46 It behov'd says he Christ to suffer and to rise again the third day from the dead and that in his name Penance and Remission of sins should be preach'd to all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Which words if the Curats consider II. The Curats Duty in explaining this Article they will easily perceive That there lies upon them a great Necessity and Charge from the Lord of diligently explaining this Article especially when the other things which belong to Religion are to be taught It is the Curats Duty therefore as to this Point to teach not only that Forgiveness of Sins may be had in the Catholic Church of which Esayah prophesi'd Isa 33.24 Aug. Hom. 49. c. 3. Iniquity shall be taken away from the people which dwell in her but also that in her there is a power of Forgiving Sins Which if the Priests use aright Let the confessors observe this and according to the Laws prescrib'd by Christ our Lord it must be believ'd That Sins are truly forgiven and pardon'd But this Pardon III. In Baptism there is
to be given because with the benefit thereof our Soul is consecrated and joyn'd to God Wherefore to shew more fully what a Sacrament is X. A more full explication of a Sacrament it should be taught that it is a thing subject to Sense which by Gods appointment has vertue both to signifie and to work holiness and righteousness Whence it follows that any one may easily understand that the Images of the Saints Crosses and such like things tho they are Signs of Holy Things yet they are not to be call'd Sacraments Now the truth of this Doctrin it will be easie to prove by the example of all the Sacraments as before we observ'd of Baptism when we said that That solemn washing of the Body is a Sign and has the efficacy of a Holy Thing which is inwardly wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost any one may do the same thing in the other Sacraments But then this also specially belongs to these mystical Signs XI Every Sacrament signifies at least three things Present Grace the Passion of Christ and Life Everlasting which are instituted of God that by Gods appointment they signifie not any one thing only but more things together Which thing may be seen in all the Sacraments which shew not only our Holiness and Righteousness but declare two other things besides very nearly joyn'd with that Holiness to wit Christ our Redeemer's Passion which is the cause of our Holiness and Life Everlasting and the Bliss of Heaven to which our Holiness ought to be referr'd as to the End And this may be observ'd in all the Sacraments Rightly have the Holy Doctors taught that every Sacrament has in it a threefold vertue of signifying both because it brings to remembrance something already past and because it points at and shews another thing present and also because it foreshews something yet to come Nor is it to be suppos'd that these things have been thus taught of them as that it cannot be prov'd by testimony of Holy Scripture For when the Apostle says Rom 6.3 As many of us as have bin baptiz'd in Christ Jesus have bin baptiz'd in his death he plainly shews that Baptism is therefore to be call'd a Sign because it puts us in mind of the Death and Passion of our Lord. And then when he says We are bury'd together with him by Baptism into Death that as Christ rose again from the dead by the glory of the Father so also should we walk in newness of life From these words it is plain that Baptism is a Sign whereby the Divine Grace is shew'd to be pour'd into us by verture whereof is given to us that leading a new life we can easily and cheerfully perform all Offices of true Piety Lastly Rom. 6.5 when he adds For if we are planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also of his Resurrection it appears that Baptism has no dark signification of the Life Everlasting also which through it we shall obtain But besides these XII A Sacrament â—ometimes signifies not one thing only present divers kinds and ways of signifying which we have mention'd it oft happens that a Sacrament shews and notes not One thing only as present but more This is easie to be observ'd by any that consider the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist Wherein is signifi'd the presence of the true Body and Blood of the Lord which those who receive those Holy Mysteries not impurely do perceive From what has been said therefore the Pastors cannot want Arguments whereby to shew How great a Divine Power how many hidden Miracles are in the Sacraments of the New Law to prevail with all to revernce them and receive them with the greatest Devotioâ— But to teach the true use of the Sacraments XIII for what reason the Sacraments were instituted there can nothing seem more proper than diligently to explain the Reasons Why it was needful the Sacraments should be instituted Of these there are many Whereof the First is The First The weakness of Human Vnderstanding which by nature we see to be so fram'd that no One can aspire to the knowledg of those things which are comprehended by the mind and understanding unless by those things which are perceiv'd by some sense That therefore we might the more easily understand those things which are wrought by the hidden power of God the same supream Maker of all things has most wisely order'd that of his Good-will towards us he declares that very Power by some Signs which fall under some Sense For as S. Chrysostom excellently says Chrysost hom 83. in Matt. hom 60. ad pop Antioch If Man were but free from the conjunction of the Body those goon things would be offer'd him naked and not wrapp'd up in coverings But because the Soul is joyn'd with the Body it was altogether needful to use the help of sensible things to understand them Another Reason is The Second Aug l. 4. de Baptis con tra c. 24. Because our Minds are not easily wrought upon to believe those things which are promis'd us And therefore from the very beginning of the World God has bin us'd very frequently to shew by Words what he intended to do and sometimes also when he intended any work the Greatness whereof might shake the Belief of the Promise he add'd to the words some Signs alsso which had a kind of miracle in them sometimes For when God sent Moses to deliver the people of Israel Exod. 3.10 Exod. 3.42 but he not being assur'd of Gods assistance who sent him fear'd lest too heavy a burden should be laid upon him which he could not be able to hear or lest the people would not give credit to the Divine Oracles and Sayings The Lord confirm'd his promise by a great variety of Signs As therefore in the Old Testament God so ordered it that the Constancy or Truth of some great Promise might be testified by Signs so also â—n the New Law our Savior Christ when he promis'd us Forgiveness of Sins Heavenly Grace the Communion of the Holy Ghost instituted some certain Signs subject to our Eys and Senses by which as by pledges we might esteem him as it were oblig'd and so for the future might never doubt of the Faithfulness of the Promise A Third Reason was The Third â— mâ— .. â— de Saâ—â— â— 4. as S. Ambrose writes That the Soul might have ready at hand the remedies and medicines as it were of the Evangelical Samaritan for the recovery and preservation of her Health For the vertue which flows from Christ's Passion i. e. the Grace which he merited for us upon the Altar of the Cross must be deriv'd upon our selves by the Sacraments as it were by certain Pipes otherwise no one can have any hope of Salvation Wherefore our most merciful Lord would leave in his Church Sacraments firmly establish'd by his Word and Promise by which
contra duas Epist Pelag c. 13. lib 3. c. 5 in Ench. c. 64. lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 25. Item Greg. lib. 9. Epist 39. Conc. Vien Florent in Mater de Sacram. It most be confess'd indeed XLIII Concupiscence remaining in those thâ—t are baptiz'd is not sin Augâ—st as in the same place by authority of That Holy Synod has bin decreed that even in those that are baptiz'd there does remain Concupiscence or a kind of scum But that has not truly the Reason or Nature of sin For according to S. Austin In little Children baptiz'd the guilt of Concupiscence is absolv'd tho the Concupiscence it self remain till Death And elswhere he testifies The Guilt of Concupiscence in Baptism is loos'd but the Infirmity remains For Concupiscence which proceeds of sin is nothing else but an Appetite of the mind by its own nature repugnant to Reason Which motion notwithstanding if it have not the Consent of the Will or Negligence joyn'd with it is far from the true nature of sin But when S. Paul says I had not known Concupiscence to be sin Rom. 7.7 if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet By these words he means not the very Concupiscence it self but the Corruption of the Will The same Doctrine S. Gregory taught writing thus Lib 9 Regist Epist 39. If there be any who say that in Baptism sin is forgiven only superficially or as to the outward commission of it what can be spoken more like an Infidel than this since by the Sacrament of Faith the Soul is absolv'd from sin even to the very Roots thereof And to prove this he uses the testimony of our Savior when in S. John he says Joh. 13.10 He that is wash'd needs not but to wash his Feet but is clean throughout Now if any one would see an express Figure and resemblance of this matter XLIV A Figure of Bapti m. 4 Reg. 9.14 let him contemplate the History of Naaman the Syrian's Leprosie who when he had wash'd himself seven times in the Water of Jordan he was so cleans'd from his Leprosie as the Scripture witnesses That his Flesh became like the Flesh of a little Child Wherefore the proper Effect of Baptism is the Forgiveness of all sins whether contracted by Original Corruption or by our own Fault For which cause it was instituted by our Lord and Savior as to omit other Testimonies the Prince of Apostles shew'd in most clear words Act. 2.38 when he said Repent and let every one of you be baptiz'd in the name of Jesus Christ for the râ—mission of sins Of concupiscence remaining in those that are baptiz'd See Aug. lib. 1. de peccat merit remiss c. 39. Item lib. 1. cont duas Epist Pelag. c. 13. l. 3. c. 3. in medio lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 23. 25. Item lib. 6. cont Julian q. 5. de verb. Apost Serm 6. But now in Baptism not only sins are remitted XLV The Second effect of Baptism The remission of the Punishment due to sin Rom. 9.3 but also all the Punishments of sins and wickedness are graciously pardon'd of God For tho it be common to all the Sacraments that by them is communicated the vertue of Christ our Lords Passion yet of Baptism only is it said by the Apostle that through it we dye and are bury'd together with Christ Whence Holy Church always understood that without exceeding great wrong to this Sacrament it could not be that those Offices of Piety or Devotion which by a usuâ—â— name the Fathers call'd works of Satisfaction could be enjoyn'd to him that was to be cleans'd by this Sacrament That the Punishments due to sin are remitted in Baptism See Ambros in cap. 11. ad Rom. Aug. lib. 1. de nupt concupisc c. 33. in Ench. cap. 4. D. Thom. 3. Art p. q. 69. art 2. unde nec nulla est imponenda penitentia Greg. lib. 7 regist Epist 24. habetur de consecrat dist 4. cap. Ne quod absit D. Thom. p. q. 68. ar 5. Nor are the things which we here teach contrary to the practice or custom of the Ancient Church XLVI Works of Penance before Baptism to what purpose which antiently requir'd the Jews when they were to be baptiz d to fast forty days together For that was not ordain'd for satisfaction For those that receiv'd Baptism were by that means admonish'd that for the more reverencing of the Dignity of that Sacrament they should for some time without intermission give themselves to Fasting and Prayer But tho we ought to be assur'd that in Baptism the Punishment of Sin is pardon'd XLVII What Punishments are not remitted in Baptism yet no one is freed from that kind of punishment which is deserv'd of the Civil Judgement for any grievous Crime So as that he that deserves to dye should be freed by baptism from the punishment appointed by the Laws Note Notwithstanding the Religion and Piety of those Princes is highly to be commended who that the Glory of God in his Sacraments might be made the more illustrious do at the Fonts remit and pardon that punishment also Besides Baptism procures us after the stage of this life a freedom and discharge from all those punishments which follow Original Sin for by merit of our Lord's Death it is that we obtain these things But as was said before Rom. 5.6 by Baptism we dye with him For if as the Apostle says we are planted together with him in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection But if any one ask XLVIII Why after Baptism we are not freed from all Misery of Life why immediately after Baptism and even in this mortal life we are not freed from these inconveniences and are not carry'd by vertue of this Sacred Washing into that perfect state of life in which Adam the first Father of Mankind was plac'd before he sinn'd we must answer that this is thus done for Two reasons especially The First of which is The First Reason That we who by Baptism are knit to the Body of Christ and are made his Members might not receive greater dignity than our Head Since therefore Christ our Lord tho from his first birth he had the Fulness of Grace and Truth yet he laid not down the Frailty of Humane Nature which he took before he had endur'd the torments of his Passion and Death it self and then he rose to the Glory of Life Everlasting who can wonder when he sees the Faithful who have already by Baptism got the grace of the righteousness of Heaven to be notwithstanding yet cloath'd with weak decaying Bodies that afterwards having gone through many labors for Christ's sake and last of all even through Death it self they may be called again to life and be found worthy to enjoy an everlasting Age with Christ Another cause why after Baptism
every year communicate at Easter shall be driven away from the Church Concil Lateran c. 28. habetur l. 5. decretal tit de Poenis remiss c. Omnis utriusque sexus Trid. Sess 13.9 Neither let the Faithful think that this is enough LXIII The Faithful to be exhorted to the frequent use of the Eucharist that obeying the authority of this Decree they only once a year receive the Lords Body but let them know that they ought oftner to receive the Communion of the Eucharist But whether it be more expedient so to do every Month or every Week or every Day Aug. there can be no certain Rule prescrib'd for all But yet this is S. Austins most sure Rule So live that thou mayst receive every Day Wherefore the Curats shall be ready to exhort the Faithful diligently that as they think it necessary to afford nourishment to their Bodies every Day so also that they cast not off the care of feeding and nourishing their Soul every day with the Sacrament for it is plain that the Soul no less wants her Spiritual Meat than the Body her natural Food And it will be extreamly profitable in this place to repeat those exceeding great and divine Benefits which as was before shew'd we obtain by Sacramental Communion of the Eucharist And this figure also shall be added that every day the Israelites ought to refresh the strength of their Bodies with Manna Exod. 16. And also the authorities of the Holy Fathers which greatly commended the frequent receiving of this Sacrament Neither was it the Opinion of that one only Holy Father S. Austin Thou daily sinnest daily receive but whosoever diligently observes will easily find that the same was the sense of all the Fathers that have written of this matter To frequent Communion do exhort Aug. de verb. Dom. serm 28. sed hic serm cum non sit Aug. sed Ambr. l. 5. de Sacram. c. 4. rejectus est in apendicem tomi 10. Item vide eund Aug. Epist 118. c. 3. Item Ignat. ad Ephes satis ante fin Basil Epist ad Caesar patr Ambr. lib. 3. de Sacram. c. 4. Chrys hom 61. ad pop Antioch Cypr. de Orat. Domin ad haec verba Panem nostrum quotid Hieron Epist 28. ad Lucin. vers finem Cyril lib. 3. in Joan. c. 34. de consec dist 2. per multa capita hac de re And in former daies there was a time when the Faithful daily receiv'd the Eucharist LXIV Antiently the Faithful communicated every day Act. 2.42 as we understand from the Acts of the Apostles For all who then profess'd the Christian Faith did so burn with true Christian Charity that when without intermission they were at leisure for Prayers and other duties of Piety or Devotion they were always found ready prepar'd daily to receive the Sacred Mysteries of the Lords Body The most holy Martyr and Pope Anacletus in some measure renew'd this De consec dist â— c. 1â— For he commanded That the Ministers who perform'd Masse should communicate Which thing he affirm'd to have bin ordain'd by the Apostles And it was a long while a Custom in the Church that the Priest as soon as the Sacrifice was ended when he took the Eucharist turning to the people that were present invited the Faithful to the Sacred Table in these words Come Brethren to the Communion Then those that were prepar'd took the Sacred Mysteries with the most profound Devotion Of daily Communion See Dionys de Eccles Hierar c. 3. parte 2. Hieron Epist 28. ad Lucin. Greg. l. 2. dialog c. 23. Item lib. de Ecclesiast dogmat c. 53. citatur de de consec dist 1. c. 23. But when Charity and Devotion grew so cold LXV Thrice a year antiently appointed to communicate that the Faithful very rarely came to the Communion is was decreed by Pope Fabian That all should receive the Eucharist thrice every year at the Nativity of our Lord at Easter and at Whitsuntide and the same thing was afterwards confirm'd by many Councils and especially by the First Council of Agath Fabiani decretum habes de Concer dist 2. c. 16. ibid. citatur Concil Agathem sec 18. c. Saeculares But when the matter grew to that pass LXVI When commanded to communicate once a year that that holy and wholesome precept was not observ'd but the Communion of the Eucharist was put off for many years together it was decreed in the Council of Lateran That all the Faithful should once a year at least receive the Sacred Body of the Lord But those who neglected to do so were forbid to enter into the Church Citatur lib. 5. decret tit de Poenit. remiss bap Omnis utriusque sexus Now altho this Law LXVII Before the use of Reason none may communicate establish'd by the Authority of God and his Church belong to all the Faithful Yet it must be taught that they are excepted who by reason of the tenderness of Age have not yet the use of Reason for these know not how to make a difference betwixt the Sacred Eucharist and Prophane and common Bread Nor can they bring that devotion of Heart and Religion to the receiving thereof as is fit and it also seems very disagreeable to the Institution of Christ our Lord Mat. 26.26 for he says Take and Eat LXVIII The Eucharist antiently given to Infants but it is manifest enough that Infants are not capable to take and eat In some places it was indeed an antient custom to give the Sacred Eucharist even to Infants but yet both for the reasons before mention'd and for Others also very agreeable to Christian Piety the same has long-a-go Note by the Churches Authority bin forborn Cypr. de Lapsis post med But at what age the Sacred Mysteries are to be given to Children no one can better determine than the Father and Priest to whom they confess their sins for it belongs to Them to try and examine the Children whether they have learn'd the knowledg of this admirable Sacrament and have any rellish to it Moreover to Mad-men LXIX When the Eucharist ought not to be given to Mad people Con. Carth. 4.76 who then are far from the sense of Devotion the Sacraments ought not to be given Altho if before they fell into madness they evidenc'd a pious and religious disposition of mind the Eucharist may be administer'd to them at the end of their Life as was decreed by the Council of Carthage so that there be no danger to be fear'd of Vomitting or other Indignity and Inconvenience But now as to the Rite or manner of Communicating LXX The Priests only may communicate under â—oâ—h Species the Curats may teach That by the Law of the Church it is prohibited that any one without the Authority of the Church except the Priests who consecrate the Lords Body in the Sacrifice should take the Sacred Eucharist in both kinds
spoken concerning those things which somewhat displease which before pleas'd without any Consideration whether they be Good or Bad So all repent whose sorrow is according to the World 1 Cor. 7.10 and not according to God Such kind of Penance brings not Salvation but Death Another Penance is when any one for the sin he has committed The Second which yet before delighted him conceives Grief not for Gods but for his own sake The Third is The Third when not only for the sake of the sin committed we grieve with an inward sense of the Soul or shew some outward token also of that grief but are in that grief for God's sake only And indeed to all these kinds of Penitence the word Penance properly agrees For when we read in Holy Scripture that God did penance III. How God does Penance it is evident that that is done by translation For the Holy Scriptures use that kind of speech which is accommodated to the manners of Men when they declare that God had determin'd to alter any thing Gen. 6.6 which he may seem to do no otherwise than Men 1 Reg. 15.11 whom if they repent of any thing labor with their utmost endeavors to change or alter it Psal 105.45 It is thus written therefore Jer. 26.3 That it repented him that he made man And in another place that he had made Saul King But among these significations of Penance IV. The true Acceptation of Penance we ought to observe a great difference For the first is to be accounted vicious The second is a kind of Commotion and Affection of a disturb'd mind The third we say is both vertuous and also a Sacrament which signification is proper in this place And first we will treat of it as it is a Vertue V. Why we begin with Penance as it is a Vertue Not only because the Faithful ought to be instructed by the Pastors to every kind of Vertue but also because the actions of this Vertue do as it were afford matter wherein the Sacrament of Penance is imploy'd and unless it be rightly understood first what the Vertue of Penance is it must needs be that the Force of the Sacrament cannot be known Wherefore in the first place VI. Penance internal and external the Faithful are to be admonish'd and exhorted to labor with all earnestness and study for the inward Penance of the Soul without which that which is perform'd outwardly will profit them but very little Vide Amb. in serm de poenit citatur de poenit dist 3. c. poenitentia Aug. lib. de vera falsa poenit c. 8. habetur de poenit 3. c. 4. Greg. hom 34. in Evang. lib. 9. Regist. Epist. 39. But the inward Penance is this VII What internal Penance is When from our very Soul we turn to God and detest and hate the wickedness committed by us and also stedfastly purpose and resolve with our selves to amend the evil custom and naughty manners of our life not without Hope of obtaining Pardon of Gods Mercy Now after this there follows as the companion thereof Grief and Sorrow which is a Disturbance and Affliction and by many is call'd a Passion joyn'd with the Detestation of sin Wherefore according to many of the Holy Fathers the Definition of this kind of Penance is declar'd in the grief of the Soul But in him that does Penance VIII How Faith belongs to Penance it is necessary that Faith go before Penance For neither can any one turn himself to God that wants Faith whence it comes to pass that Faith can by no means be call'd a Part of Penance Vide Trid. Sess 14. de poenit c. 3. can 4. But that this inward Penance IX Penance is a Vertue as before was said belongs to Vertue many Rules or Precepts which have bin deliver'd concerning Penance plainly shew For the Law gives Rule concerning those things only which are begun with Vertue Besides no one can deny but that to grieve when how and so far as one ought belongs to Vertue but the Vertue of Penance performs this For sometimes it comes to pass that Men grieve less for their sins Prov. 2.4 than is meet as Solomon says There are some that rejoyce when they have done ill And again there are some that so give themselves over to grief and disorder of mind that they even altogether despair of their Salvation Such a one Cain perhaps may seem to be who said Gen. 4.13 My iniquity is greater than that I can obtain pardon for And such a one haply was Judas Matt. 3.27 who being led by Penance and hanging himself lost both Life and Soul That therefore we may keep a measure in sorrow we are holpen by the Vertue of Penance But the same may be gather'd from these things X. The Motives of the Vertue of Penance which he proposes to himself as his End who truly does Penance for his sins The First is The First That he purposes to abolish sin and to wipe away every fault and spot of the Soul The Second is The Second That he make satisfaction to God for the sins he has committed and that this is to be referr'd to Justice is evident For tho betwixt God and Men there can be no proper Measure of Justice since there is so great a distance betwixt them yet it is manifesf there may be some kind of Justice such as is betwixt a Father and his Children betwixt a Lord and his Servants The Third is The Third That a Man return into the Grace of God into whose displeasure and hatred he has run by reason of the Filthiness of sin Now all these things sufficiently declare that Penance has relation to Vertue But it must be taught also by what degrees we may ascend to this divine Vertue First XI Five Degrees of Penance The First Thren 3.1 The Second Heb. 11.6 therefore the Mercy of God prevents us and converts our Hearts to him Which when the Prophet Pray'd for he said Convert us O Lord and we shall be converted And then being enlighten'd with this Light we tend towards God in Soul by Faith For he that comes to God as the Apostle testifies must believe that He is and that he is a Rewarder of them that seek him Then follows the Motion of Fear The Third and the Bitterness of Punishment being propos'd the Soul is call'd back from sin and hither those words of Isayah seem to have regard Isa 26.17 As a Woman which has conceiv'd when she draws near to her travel grievously laments So are we fall'n in her Pains And then comes Hope of obtaining Mercy from God The Fourth wherewith being encourag'd we resolve to amend our Life and Manners Lastly The Fifth our Hearts are kindled with Charity whence that liberal Fear worthy honest and ingenuous Children arises And so fearing this one
stir up the minds of the Faithful to receive the Grace of this Sacrament with the greatest Devotion Now the Form is I absolve thee Which we may gather not only from these words Matt. 18 16. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven but we receive the same as deliver'd by the Apostles from the same Doctrin of Christ our Lord. And because the Sacraments do signifie that which they effect Those words I absolve thee shew that Remission of sins is wrought in the Administration of this Sacrament it is evident that This is the perfect Form of Penance For sins are as it were Bands wherewith the Soul is held bound and from which by the Sacrament of Penance it is discharg'd Note Which verily the Priest may pronounce no less truly concerning that Man also who by vertue of a most ardent Contrition yet so as that he has the Wish of Confession has obtain'd from God the Pardon of his sins There are added moreover many Prayers XX. Why Prayers added to the Form of Penance not as necessary to the Form but that those things may be remov'd which may hinder the Vertue and Efficacy of the Sacrament through his Fault to whom it is administer'd Wherefore let sinners give great thanks to God who has given so large a Power to the Priests in his Church For neither XXI The Priests of the New more excellent than those of the Old Law Lev. 13.9 as in old times and under the old Law declar'd only by the Priests Testimony that some one was freed from Leprosie is there now a Power in the Church given to Priests only to declare any person to be absolv'd from sin But they do as the Ministers of God truly absolve them the same thing which God himself does who is the Author and Father of Grace and Righteousness Now the Faithful shall diligently observe the Rites also XXII What must be observ'd in coming to Penance which are us'd at this Sacrament for so it will come to pass that they will have those things better in their mind which they get in this Sacrament That as Servants they are reconcil'd to their most merciful Lord or as Children rather to their most dear Father and they will also more easily understand what they ought to do who are willing for all ought to be willing to approve themselves grateful for and mindful of so great a Benefit for he that does Penance for his sins will cast himself down with an humble and dejected mind at the Feet of the Priest that behaving himself so humbly he may plainly acknowledg that the Roots of Pride are to be pluck'd up from whence all those sins he bewails spring and had their beginning But in the Priest who sits over him as his lawful Judg he venerates the Power and Person of Christ the Lord. For the Priest as in other Sacraments so in the ministring of the Sacrament of Penance discharges the Office of Christ And then the Penitent so reckons up his sins that he confesses himself worthy of the greatest and severest punishment and humbly begs pardon of his sins All which things have most sure Evidence and Testimony of their Antiquity from S. Dennys In Ep. ad Demoph vide Tertul. lib. de Poenit. c. 9. But nothing verily so much profits the Faithful XXIII What wholsome Fâ—ui s may be taken by Penance and nothing gives them a greater chearfulness to undergo Penance as for the Pastors often to explain how great profit we may gather thence for they will understand that it may truly be said of Penance That the Roots thereof ore bitter indeed but the Fruits are most sweet All the Vertue therefore of Penance lies herein The First that it restores us to the Grace of God and joins us with him in the greatest Friendship Con. Trid. Sess 14. can 3. c. 1. de Poenit. Now after this Reconciliation The Second and Third follows sometimes in devout Men who receive this Sacrament holily and religiously the greatest Peace and Tranquâ—lity of Conscience together with the sweetest spiritual Delight For there is no wickedness The Fourth how grievous and heinous soever which the Sacrament of Penance blots not out once and again and ost-times Of which matter the Lord by the Prophet says Ezek. 18 21 If the Wicked Man do Penance for all his sins which he has done and will keep my Precepts and do my Judgment and Justice he shall live and not dye I will not remember all his iniquities which he has done And S. John If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins And a little after If any man sin says he we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World Note But whereas we read in Scripture that some have not obtain'd Mercy of the Lord altho they earnestly implor'd it This we understand to have bin so because they did not do Penance truly and from their Heart for their sins When therefore such Sentences occur XXIV How it is to be understood that some sins are unpardonable either in Holy Scripture or in the Writings of the Holy Fathers wherein they seem to affirm that some certain sins cannot be pardon'd We must interpret them so as that we understand the Procureing of Pardon to be very difficult For as some diseases are therefore said to be incurable because the Sick person is so affected that he loaths the vertue of the Medicine that should cure him So there is a kind of sin which is not remitted nor forgiven for this reason because it repels the proper Medicine of Salvation which is the Grace of God In this sense it is said by S. Austin Aug. l. 1. de Serm. Dom. in monte c. 42. 44. Retract li. c. 8 19. So great is the pollution of that sin when after the knowledg of God through the Grace of Christ any one opposes himself to the fellowship thereof and maliciously acts against that Grace that he cannot undergo the Humility of begging Pardon altho by his evil Conscience he be forc'd to acknowledg and declare his sin Vide Aug. Serm. 1. de verb. Dom. Epist 50. ad Bonif But to return to Penance XXV Without Penance there is no Remission of sins Luc. 13.3 This is so much the Property thereof to blot out sin that without Penance we can by no means get or so much as hope for Pardon of sin For it is written Except you have Penance ye shall all likewise perish which indeed was spoken by our Lord of grievous and deadly sin altho the Lesser sins also which are call'd Venial do need some kind of Penance For S. Austin says Since there is a kind of Penance which is daily done in the Church for Venial sins That
the other Powers of the Soul It is also call'd by the Holy Fathers Compunction of Heart Chrysost de Compunct coâ—dis Isidor de summo bono l. 2.12 who were pleas'd to entitle the Books they wrote of Contrition to be of Compunction of the Heart rather For as swelling Ulcers are cut with a Knife that the poisonous Corruption may be let forth So our Hearts are cut as it were with the Pen-knife of Contrition that the deadly Poyson of Sin might run out And therefore it is call'd by the Prophet Joel Joel 2.21 A cutting of the Heart Be ye converted to me says he with all your Heart in Fasting and in Weeping and in Mourning and cut your Hearts But that the greatest and deepest Grief is to be taken for sin committed XXXV Contrition ought to be the greatest Grief so that no greater can be imagin'd will be easie to evidence by these Reasons For whereas perfect Contrition is an Act of Love The First Reason 1 Joh. 3. which proceeds from a filial Fear it is plain that there ought to be the same measure both of Love and Contrition hence it comes That Contrition has joyn'd with it the most vehement Grief of Mind for as God is to be lov'd above all things so those things which estrange us from God are to be hated above all things Wherein this is also observable Note that after the same manner of speaking is signifi'd in Sacred Scripture the Greatness of Love and of Contrition Of Charity it is said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart And again as to Contrition the Lord cries out by the Prophet Be ye converted with your whole Heart Besides The Second Reason if as God is the supreme Good among all the things that are to be lov'd and so Sin the greatest evil among all the things that Men ought to hate This follows that for what cause we confess that God is above all things to be lov'd for the same cause again we must needs hate Sin above all things But that the Love of God is to be put before all other things so that we may not sin tho it were to save out very Lives those words of our Lord plainly teach us Matt. 10.27 Mar. 16.25 Mar. 8.35 He that loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me And He that will save his Life shall lose it But This also must be observ'd The Third Reason that as there is no End or Measure prescrib'd to Charity as S. Bernard testifies Lib. de diâ—â—gendo Deo circa inod For says he The measure of loving God is to love him without Measure so there is no measure defin'd to the Detestation of Sin Besides XXXVI Contrition ought to be most vehement Deut. 4.27 Hierem. 2â— 13 it ought to be not only the Greatest but also the most Vehement and therefore Perfect and excludes all slothfulness and laziness For in Deuteronomy it is written When thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if notwithstanding thou shalt seek him with thy whole Heart and in the tribulation of thy Soul And in Jeremy Ye shall seek me and shall find me when ye shall seek me with your whole Heart and I wil be found of you says the Lord. Now altho we cannot get to make it perfect XXXVII Contrition tho imperfect yet it may be true yet our contrition may be true and efficacious for it often comes to pass that those things which are subject to sense more affect us than spiritual things Wherefore sometimes some Men are more sorrowful for the Death of their Children than for the Filthiness of their sins The same judgment is to be made XXXVIII Tears tho to be desir'd yet not necessary Serm. 41. de Sanctis if Tears follow not the Bitterness of Grief which yet in Penance are much to be wish'd and commended For S. Austins sentence in this case is very excellent The Bowels of Christian Charity says he are not in thee if thou lamentest the Body from which the Soul is departed but dost not lament the Soul from which God is departed And hither tend those words of our Savior before recited Mat. 11.21 Wo to thee Chorazin wo to thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which have bin done in you had bin done in Tyre and Sydon they had done Penance long ago in Sack-cloth and Ashes Yet for the proof of this those most famous examples of the Ninivits of David of the Harlot of the Prince of Apostles will be sufficient All which sought pardon of their sins imploring the Mercy of God with very many Tears But the Faithful are specially to be exhorted and admonish'd XXXIX All Mortal sins to be detested with Contrition that they study to apply the proper Grief of Contrition to their several Mortal Sins For so Ezechias describes Contrition when he says I will recount to thee all my years in the bitterness of my soul For to recount all his years is severally to examine his sins to be sorry in mind for them And we read in Ezekiel Ezek. 28.21 If the wicked man do Penance for all his sins he shall live And agreeable hereto S Austin says Let the sinner consider the Quality of his sin at that Time in what Place against what Light and against whom Lib. de vera falsa Religione cap. 14. Let not the Faithful notwithstanding in this Case despair of the infinite Goodness and Mercy of God Note For since he is most desirous of our Salvation he will not delay to pardon us but will embrace the sinner with a Fatherly Love as soon as ever he shall have recollected himself and detested all his sins which thencesorth at any time according to his ability he can bring to remembrance and resolves in his mind to hate and converts himself to the Lord Ezek. 33.12 for so by the Prophet he commands us to ho e when he says The wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him at what day soever he will be converted from his wickedness From hence therefore may be gather'd what ' things are most necessary to true Contrition XL. How many things necessary to True Contrition concerning which the Faithful must be accurately taught that every one may know by what means he may get it and may have a certain Rule whereby he may judge how far he is from the Perfection of this Vertue For first The first it is necessary to hate and to gri ve for all the sins we have done Lest if we blot out some only the Penance we do may seem dissembl'd and counterfeit and not saving For as S. James says He that shall have kept the whole Law but Offends in One thing he is guilty of all The second is The second that This Contrition has a Will to Confess and to Satisfie for Sin join'd with it of which shall
defin'd by the Holy Synod of Trent and has always bin deliver'd by the Catholic Church even as the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers declare For in S. Ambrose it is declar'd after this manner Sess 14. de Poenit. c. 5. can 7. No one can be justifi'd from his sin unless he confess his sin And S. Hierom upon Ecclesiastes says Lib. de Parad c. 4. If the Serpent the Devil have secretly bit any one and no one know of it he had infected him with the Poison of sin C. 1. Super illud si mordâ—at sâ—rpens circa finem If he hold his Peace and do not do Penance and is not willing to confess is wound to his Brother or Master his Master who has a Tongue to cure him cannot profit him Furthermore S. Cyprian in his Sermon de Lapsis most plainly teaches this in these words Altho they are fetter'd by no such heinous crime as Sacrificing to Idols or Libelling yet because they had thoughts of doing so they ought with grief to confess it to the Priests of God Lastly This is the common voice and sentence of all the Doctors of the Church That all Mortal sins ought severally to be confess'd do teach Aug. lib. de vera falsa Poenit. cap. 10. Greg. hom 10. super Ezekiel Ambr. lib. de parad cap. 14. Hieron in Ecclesiast cap. 10. Cypr. de Lapsis circa finem Vide de Poenit. dist 3. cap. sunt plures c. pluit ibid. dist 1. cap. quem poen ibid pass But in Confession that very great Care and Diligence is to be used LXII How by Confession sins are pluck'd up by the Roots which we are wont to use in the weightiest Matters and all our study ought so to be imploy'd herein that we may cure the Wounds of our Souls and destroy the very Roots of Sin Nor ought we only by a Declaration of them to explain our grievous sins but also all the several Circumstances of every sin which either greatly increase or lessen the sins For some Circumstances are so weighty LXIII The Circumstances which increase the sin must be confess'd that the Nature of the Deadliness of the sin consists only in them wherefore all these things must always be confess'd For if any one shall have kill'd a Man it must be explain'd whether he were a Clerk or a Lay man As also it is necessary that he declare if he lay with a Woman whether she were free from the Law of Marriage or were another Man's Wife or of his Kindred or Consecrated to God by the Betroathing of any Vow For these things make the kinds of sins different So that the first by the Doctors of Holy things is call'd simple Fornication The Second Adultery The Third Incest The Fourth Sacriledge Also Theft is to be reckon'd among sins But if any one shall steal a piece of Gold he certainly sins less than he that steals away a hundred or two hundred pieces or a great quantity of Gold and of especially who stole the Sacred Mony And this Reason belongs also to Place and Time Examples whereof are more known in the Books of many than that we should make mention of them in this place These things Note as we have said are to be numbr'd but those things which do not much increase the wickedness of the thing may without sin be omitted But to Confession it is so necessary LXIV To conceal sin in Confession a great Crime the Confession to be iterated as we said before that it be intire and absolute that if any one in Confession pass over some of those things which ought to have bin explain'd and confess'd only some of them he not only by that Confession reaps no advantage but also fetters himself in a new wickedness Nor is such a kind of reckoning up of sin to be call'd by the name of Confession in which is the Vertue of a Sacrament but rather it is necessary for the Penitent to repeat again his Confession and to acknowledge himself guilty of that sin that he violated the Holiness of that Sacrament by a counterfeit Confession But if for any other cause there may seem to be any defect in the Confession LXV Confession not to be iterated by reason of sin forgot either because the Penitent has forgot some sins or because he has not so narrowly search'd into the secret corners of his Conscience yet because he had it in his mind intirely to confess all his sins he has no need to iterate his Confession But it will be sufficient if when he remembers the sins before forgot he confess them to a Priest at another time Wherein care must be taken LXVI Negligence in examining must be avoided that we do not haply search our Consciences too dissolutely and remissly and so negligently study to bring our sins to remembrance that we may deservedly seem to be willing indeed not to remember them For if we do so we must by all means iterate our Confession Moreover we must take heed LXVII Confession must be naked simple and plain that our Confession be Naked Simple and Plain not artificially compos'd as is done by some who seem rather to lay down the Rule of their Life than to confess their sins For such ought to be our Confession as it may shew us to the Priest to be such Persons as we know our selves to be and may shew things certain for certain and doubtful for doubtful But if sins are not disclos'd or recited Note or the words we make use of be far from the matter we have in hand it is evident that this Confession wants this Vertue They also are much to be commended who use Prudence and Modesty in explaining things LXVIII Prudent and Modest for neither ought there too many words to he us'd but those things which belong to the Nature and Reason of every sin are to be open'd in a short Speech which is joyn'd with Modesty But this must be endeavour'd both by the Confessing Person LXIX Secret and by the Priest that their speech in Confession be secret For which cause it is not lawful for any by any means Note either by Messenger or by Letter to confess their sins because according to reason nothing by that means can be done secretly But nothing so much requires the Care of the Faithful LXX Frequent as to study to cleanse their Soul by a frequent Confession of their Sins For when any one is tempted with any deadly sin there can be to him nothing more wholesome or saving by reason of the many dangers which hang over our life than presently to confess his sins For it is a foul thing for any one to promise himself a long time to live when we are so diligent in cleansing the spots of our Body or of our Cloaths and not to use at least the same diligence that the splendor of our Soul grow not
rusty with the most filthy stains of sin And now we must speak concerning the Minister of this Sacrament And that he is a Priest LXXI An ordinary Priest the lawful Minister of Confession who has the Ordinary or Delegated Power of Absolving sufficiently appears from the Ecclesiastical Laws For he must have not only the Power of Order but of Jurisdiction also that discharges this Office A clear testimony of this Ministery we have from our Lords words in S. John Joh. 20.23 Whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retain'd And it is manifest that this was spoken not to all but to the Apostles only to whom the Priests succeeded in this Office And this is very consentaneous for whereas every kind of Grace which is given in this Sacrament is deriv'd to the Members from Christ the Head rightly ought they to administer this to Christ's mystic Body i. e. to the Faithful who only have power of consecrating his true Body especially seeing the Faithful by this Sacrament of Penance are made fit and well dispos'd for receiving the Sacred Eucharist But with how great Religion in old times Note in the Primitive Church the Right of the ordinary Priest was preserv'd is easily gather'd from the antient Decrees of the Fathers Whereby it is provided That no Bishop or Priest shall presume to act any thing in another's Diocess or Parish either by his authority who is over him or unless a great necessity seems to compel it And it was so decreed by the Apostle when he commanded Titus Tit. 1.5 That he should appoint Priests in every City to wit who might feed and educate the Faithful with the Heavenly Food of Doctrin and of the Sacraments Altho if there be imminent danger of Death LXXII At the Point of Death every Priest is the Minister of Confession and the proper Priest cannot be had that by this occasion none might perish the Council of Trent teaches That it has bin observ'd in the Church of God that it is lawful for any Priest not only to remit all kinds of sins to whose jurisdiction soever they belong but even to absolve them from the Bond of Excommunication also Sess 14. c. 6. de Peonit Now besides the Power of Order LXXIII The Qualities of the Minister of Confession and of Jurisdiction which are very necessary It is first Necessary that the Minister of this Sacrament be indu'd both with knowledg and Learning and Prudence For he bears the Person both of a Judg and of a Physician As to the First That he be Learn'd It is evident enough that it is not a common Knowledg which is necessary and which enables him to discover sins of the divers kinds of sins to judg which are weighty which are lighter according to the Rank and quality of the Person But as he is a Physician Prudent Ex Basilio in reg brâ—vib q. 229. he has need of the greatest prudence also For great care must be taken that those Remedies be apply'd to the sick person which seem to be proper to heal his Soul and to strengthen it for the future against the force of the Distemper Whence the Faithful may understand Of upright Life that every one ought to take extraordinary care to choose himself a Priest whose Integrity of Life Learning and prudent Judgment may commend him Who understands well of how grat weight and Moment the Office is wherein he is plac'd and what Punishment is suitable to every offence and who are to be absolv'd and who to be bound But because there is no one who does not earnestly desire LXXIV Most strictly forbid to reveal the sins of the Penitent that his Wickedness and Shame might be hid The Faithful are to be admonish'd that there is no reason to fear lest those things which they reveal in Confession shall ever be made known to any one by the Priest or lest he may at any time fall into danger thereby For the Sacred Laws will most severely revenge it upon those Priests who shall not have conceal'd with perpetual and religious silence all sins which any one shall have confess'd to them Wherefore in the great Council of Lateran we read thus Cap. 21. Let the Priest take special heed that neither by Word or Sign or by any other way he at any time betray the sinner And now the Order of the Matter requires LXXV The Negligence of sinners reprov'd since we have spoken of the Minister that some special Heads should be explain'd which are not a little suitable to the Use and Practice of Confession For a great part of the Faithful to whom commonly nothing seems more tedious than the passing away of those days which by Ecclesiastical Law are appointed for confession are so far from Christian Perfection that scarcely do they remember those sins which are to be reveal'd to the Priest nor yet do they diligently take care of those things which it is plain have a very great Power to reconcile the Divine Grace to them Wherefore since all endeavor must be us'd to further their Salvation The Priest shall carefully observe in the Penitent LXXVI It must be well observ'd whether the Penitent be contrite whether he have a true contrition for his sins and be stedfastly resolv'd for the time to come to leave them off And if they shall observe him to be so affected LXXVII When the Penitent is found contrite what he is to be exhorted to they shall earnestly admonish and exhort him that for so great and singular a benefit he give God his greatest thanks and never cease to seek of him the protection of his Heavenly Grace Wherewith being arm'd and secur'd he may easily resist and oppose his evil lusts He is also to be taught that he suffer no day to pass without meditating somewhat of the Mysteries of the Passion of our Lord and stir up and inflame himself to imitate him and to love him with the greatest Charity for by this Meditation he will obtain this that he will feel himself every day more and more safe from all the Temptations of the Devil For neither is there any other cause why we yield both our courage and our strength so soon and so easily to be overcome by the Enemy than that we labor not by the Meditation of heavenly things to conceive the Fire of divine Love whereby our Mind might be refresh'd and supported But if the Priest shall understand LXXVIII If he seem not to be contrite what is then to be done that he that is willing to confess does not so bewail his sins as that he may truly be said to be contrite he shall endeavor to affect him with an earnest desire of Contrition that thenceforth being inflam'd with the desire of this excellent Gift he may resolve with himself to beg and beseech it of the mercy of God But first of
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
the Lord all thy Oaths But I say to you Swear not at all neither by Heaven because it is God's Throne neither by the Earth because it is his Footstool neither by Jerusalnm because it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou swear by thy Head because thou canst not make one Hair white or black but let your speech be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoever is more than this comes of evil For in these Words an Oath is not said to be condemn'd generally and universally Answer'd since we have already seen that our Lord himself and his Apostles did frequently swear But our Lord would reprove the perverse Judgment of the Jews whereby they thought that nothing was to be regarded in Swearing but to beware of Lying They did therefore both swear very commonly themselves and requir'd an Oath of others and that in Matters very trivial and of no moment This Custom our Saviour reproves and condemns and teaches wholly to abstain from Swearing unless Necessity require it For an Oath was appointed because of human Frailty XXIV Why an Oath was instituted and indeed it came of evil because it shews Inconstancy either in him that swears or the Contumacy of him for whose sake we swear who cannot otherwise be brought to believe Note But yet the Necessity of Swearing has an Excuse And indeed when our Saviour says XXV That place of the Gospel explain'd Mat. 5.37 Let your speech be Yea yea Nay nay by this manner of speaking he sufficiently declares that he forbids the Custom of swearing in our Discourses of ordinary and trivial Matters Wherefore our Lord warns us of this especially that we be not so easie and prone to swear And this must diligently be taught and inculcated into the Ears of the Faithful for that almost infinite Mischiefs do come from the too frequent Custom of Swearing is prov'd from the Authority of Sacred Scripture and from the Testimonies of the most H. Fathers In Ecclesiasticus it is written Ecclus 23. Accustom not thy mouth to swear for there are many hazards therein Again A Man accustomed to swear shall be filled with iniquity and sorrow shall not depart from his house Much more may be read concerning this Matter in S. Basil and S. Austin in his Books contra Mendacium And thus far of what is Commanded Now we are to speak of what is Forbidden Basil in Psal 14. ad haec verba Qui jurat proximo suo Aug. lib. de Mendac 14. Vide 22. q. 2. c. primum est We are forbidden to take the Name of God in vain XXVI A great Fault to swear rashly For it appears that he binds himself under a grievous Sin who is hurried by Rashness not led by Counsel to swear Now that this is a very grievous Sin these words also shew Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain as tho he would shew a Reason why this is so heinous and wicked a Sin to wit because thereby his Majesty is disrespected whom we profess to be our God and Lord. By this Commandment therefore Men are foridden to swear falsly XXVII When he that swears falsly do's injury to God for he that will not take heed to escape so great a Sin as falsly to call God as a Witness do's notable injury to God because he would charge him either with Ignorance while he thinks that the Truth of any thing can be kept secret from him or else of Dishonesty and Ill-affection as to confirm a Lie with his Testimony Now XXVIII Sins against this Commandment First not only He swears falsly who with an Oath affirms that to be true which he knows to be false Vide Aug. de Verbis Apost Serm. 28. citatur 21. q. 2. c. homines But he also Secondly who with an Oath asserts that which Note tho it be true yet he believes it to be false For since a Lie is therefore a Lie What a Lie is because it is produc'd contrary to the mind and meaning of the Soul it is manifest that such an one evidently lies and is perjur'd For the like reason He also is perjur'd Thirdly who swears that which he thinks to be true and yet indeed it is false unless he us'd what care and diligence he could fully to know and understand the matter for tho his Words agree to the sense of his Mind yet he is guilty of this Commandment And He is to be thought guilty of this Sin Fourthly who promises with an Oath to do something when notwithstanding he either intended not to fulfil his Promise or if he did yet he do's not indeed perform it And this belongs to those also Note who having oblig'd themselves by Vow to God perform it not Moreover Fifthly Sin is committed against this Commandment if Justice be wanting which is One of the Three Companions of an Oath Therefore if any one swear that he will do some Mortal Sin for example that he will kill a Man he is guilty of this Commandment altho he declare it seriously and from his Heart and his Oath be true which we said in the first place that an Oath ought to be To these may be added that kind of Oaths which proceed from a kind of Contempt Sixthly as when one swears that he will not obey the Evangelical Counsels such as are Exhortations to the Unmarried Life and Poverty for tho no one is needs bound to follow those Counsels yet if any one swear that he will not obey them by that very Oath he despises and violates those Divine Counsels Besides Seventhly He violats this Law and Sins in Judgment who Swears what is true and believes it to be so but is led thereto only by light and far-fetch't Conjectures For altho the Truth do accompany an Oath of this kind yet in the bottom there is in a certain manner a Falshood for he that swears so carelesly is in great danger of Perjury Besides Eigthly he Swears falsly who swears by false Gods For what is more contrary to Truth than to call as VVitnesses lying and false Gods as tho they were the true God Vide Aug. Ep. 54. But because the Scripture when it forbids Perjury Ninthly Levit. 19.22 says Neither shalt thou pollute the Name of thy God Disrespect is forbidd'n which is to be avoided in the other things to which by Authority of this Commandment Honor is due such as is the Word of God The Majesty whereof not only pious Men but even the Wicked too somtimes reverence Judic 3.20 as it is recorded of Eglon King of the Moabites in the History of Judges Now he does highly wrong God's Word whoever he be that stretches the Sacred Scripture from its true and proper meaning to establish the Opinions and Heresies of impious Men Of which Wickedness the Prince of Apostles warns us in these Words 2 Pet. 3. There are
we should be negligent and uneasy in the Discharge of this Duty which without very grievous Sin we cannot omit Vide de Consecr dist 1. in Decret Titul de Feriis Conc. Matisc 2. c. 1. 37. Tribur c. 35. Ignat. in Epist ad Philip. Leon. serm 3. de Quadrag August Serm. 251. de tempore And then the Curat may shew XXXVIII How good and profitable it is to observe this Commandment how great the Vertue of this Commandment is since those who truly observe it seem to be in the Presence of God and to speak freely with him For in making Prayers we both contemplate the Majesty of God and freely talk with him And in hearing the Preachers we receive the Voice of God which throw their Labor who preach of Divine Matters holily and devoutly reaches even to our Ears And then we adore Christ our Lord present in the Sacrifice of tile Altar and these are the good things which they enjoy especially who diligently obey this Commandment But those who altogether neglect this Law XXXIX How great a Sin to break this Commandment seeing that they obey not God and his Church and hear not his Commandments are Enemies both of God and of his Holy Laws which may be observ'd from hence because this Precept is of such a kind as may be observ'd without any pains For since God imposes no labor upon us which yet were it the hardest in the VVorld we ought to undergo for his sake but only commands us to be free and quiet on the Holy Days from wordly cares it is a sign of great rashness to refuse Obedience to this Commandment Hereof the Punishments which God has inflicted upon those that violated it Numb 1.15 ought to be for an Example to us as we may see from the Book of Numbers That therefore we may not run into Gods Displeasure Note it will be worth our while often to think upon this word Remember and to lay before our Eyes those mighty Profits and Advantages which as has been shew'd before may be had by the â—bservance of Holy Days And many other things belonging to the same purpose which a good and diligent Pastor can largely and fully discuss as Occasion shall require The Fourth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Honor thy Father and thy Mother that thou mayst live long upon the Land which the Lord thy God shall give thee SInce the highest Vertue and Dignity is in the former Commandments I. How this Commandment agrees with the former those which we now proceed upon because they are very necessary rightly claim the next place For those directly have Regard to God as their End but these teach us Charity towards our Neighbor altho at the long Run they lead to God himself that is to that ultimate End for the sake whereof we love our Neighbor Matt. 22.39 Mar. 12.31 wherefore Christ our Lord said that those two Commandments of loving God and our Neighbor are like one to the other Vide Aug. in Psal 32. Serm. 1. item lib. 3. de Doctr. Christ cap. 10. lib. 50. Hom. hom 38. D. Thom. 2.2 quaest 17. art 8. Now it can hardly be express'd how great Advantages this Point has II. The Love of God shines forth in the Love of our Parents 1 Joh. 6.20 since it both bears its own fruits and those large and excellent and is as it were a Sign whereby the Obedience and Duty of the First Commandment is apparent He that loves not his Brother says S. John whom he sees how can he love God whom he sees not After the same manner if we do not Reverence and Honor our Parents whom we ought to love 〈◊〉 to God seeing they are almost always in our Sight what Honor what Worship will we give to God the Supream and Best Parent who is above our Sight Whence it is plain that both Commandments agree among themselves Now the use of this Commandment is very large III How large this Commandment is For besides those that have begotten us there are many other besides whom we ought to Honor as Parents by reason either of their Power or Dignity or Profitableness or some other excellent Function or Office Besides it eases the Labor of Parents and Superiors For seeing their chief Care is that those whom they have in their Power live well and agreeably to the Divine Law this Care will be very easy if all Men understood that even by Gods Authority and Admonition the greatest Honor is to be given to Parents Which that we may do it is needful to know a kind of Difference between the Commandments of the First and those of the Second Table These things therefore are first to be explain'd by the Curat and first of all let him Teach That the Divine Laws of the Decalogue were cut in Two Tables In one of which as we are taught by the Holy Fathers those Three were contain'd which have already been explain'd but the rest were included in the other Table Vide Clem. Alexand. lib. 6. Strom. satis ante finem August in Exod. q. 71. Epist 119. cap. 11. D. Thom. 1.2 q. 100. art 4. And this Description was very fit for us IV. Mark this Reason that the very Order of the Commandments might distinguish the Reason of them For whatsoever in Sacred Scripture is commanded by the Divine Law it arises from one of these Two Kinds For in every Duty our Love either towards God or towards Man is seen Now the Three first Commandments teach our Love towards God But that which belongs to the Conjunction and Society of Men is contain'd in the other Seven Commandments Wherefore it was not without Reason that such a Distinction was made that 〈◊〉 Commandments 〈…〉 to the First and others to the Last Table For in the Three first Commandments V. The first Difference betwixt the Commandments of the first and second Table whereof has bin spoken God who is the Supreme Good is as it where the subject Matter which they handle but in the rest the good of our Neighbor In the First is propos'd our greatest Love in the rest our next Love the First respect their End the rest those things that are referr'd to the End Vide Aug. in Psal 32. Ser. 1. D. Thom. 22. q. 122. art 1 2. in opusc 7. c. p. de primo praecept Besides The second difference the Love of God depends thereupon For God is of himself and not for the sake of any other thing to be lov'd above all things but the Love of our Neighbor has its beginning from our Love of God and is to be directed to it as to a certain Rule For if we account our Parents Dear if we obey our Masters if we reverence our Betters we must do it specially for this Cause because God is their Procreator and would have them above others by whose Labor he rules and defends the rest Who
Punishments Lastly The Third which is a very soul thing let them be advis'd not to take that preposterous Counsel in the Education and Teaching of their Children For very many are imploi'd in this only Study and Care to leave their Children Riches and Mony a fair and large Estate whom they perswade not to Religion or Piety or learning of good Arts but to Covetousness and to increase their Family Nor are they careful of the Esteem or Salvation of their Children so that they have but Mony and are very Rich than which what can be said or thought more base And so it comes to pass that they leave them not so properly their Wealth as their Wickedness and their Vices to whom they become Guides not towards Heaven but towards everlasting Punishment Let the Priest therefore instruct Parents with the best Precepts and stir them up to the Fxample and parallel Vertue of Tobias Tob. 4. that when they have well train'd up their Children to Holiness and the Worship of God they may receive the plentiful fruits of their Love Observance and Obedience The Fifth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not kill THe great Happiness which is propos'd to Peace-makers I. How profitable it iâ— to explain this Commandment because they shall be call'd the Children of God ought very much to move the Pastors diligently and exactly to teach the Faithful what is to be learn'd from this Commandment For there can be no better way to reconcile the minds of Men than that the Law of this Precept rightly explain'd be so holily kept as it ought to be of all because then we may hope that Men being joyn'd one to another with the strongest Agreement of Hearts may preserve Peace and Concord intire But how necessary it is that this Commandment should be explain'd II. How necessary appears from hence That immediately after the drowning of the whole Earth this was the only thing which God first forbad Men Gen. 9.5 The bloud of your Lives says he will I require at the hand of all Beasts and at the hand of Man And in the Gospel among the Old Laws which first were explain'd by our Lord this is first whereof it is thus written in S. Matthew Matth. 5.22 For it has been said Thou shalt not kill And the rest which in that very place are recorded concerning this Matter And the Faithful ought attentively and willingly to hear this Commandment III. How this Commandment to be heard For if the Force of it be observ'd it is very available to defend every ones Life because in those words Thou shalt not kill Man-slaughter is utterly forbidd'n Therefore all Men ought to receive it with so great a pleasure of mind IV. This Command pleasant to be heard as tho if Gods anger being propos'd it were specially forbidd'n under the heaviest Punishments that none should be hurt Therefore as this Commandment is pleasant to be heard So the caution against this Sin which is forbidden by this Commandment ought to be full of Delight But when our Lord explain'd the Force of this Law V. Two things here commanded he shews that two things are contain'd in it The One that we do not kill which we are forbidd'n to do The other which we are commanded to do That we embrace our Enemies with a friendly Agreement and Love have Peace with all Men and lastly patiently to suffer all Inconveniences Now that Killing is forbidd'n VI. What killing not forbidd'n here First Exod. 12. throughout it is first to be taught what kind of Killing is not forbidd'n by the Law of this Commandment For to kill Beasts is not forbidd'n for if it be allow'd of God that Men should be fed by them it is but meet they be kill'd Of which matter S. Austin says thus When we hear says he Thou shalt not kill we understand not this to be spoken of Fruits because they have no Sense nor of irrational Animals because they are joyn'd with us on no account De civit Dei lib. 1. c. 20. Item de morib Manich. lib. 2. c. 13 14 15. There is another sort of killing allow'd Secondly which belongs to such Magistrates as have the Power of Death whereby by the Rule and Judgment of the Laws they punish wicked Men and defend the Innocent In which Office so that they behave themselves justly they are not only not guilty of Murder but very exactly obey this Divine Law which forbids Murder For seeing the end of this Law is for the Preservation of Mans Life and Safety the Punishments appointed by the Magistrates who are the lawful Avengers of evil have respect hither that all Boldness and Injury being repress'd by Punishments Man's Life may be safe Wherefore David says Psal 108.8 I will soon slay all the Sinners of the Earth that I might destroy out of the city of the Lord all the workers of iniquity Aug. Epist 154. citatur 23. q. 5. c. de occidentibus Item Epist 54. citatur ibid. c. Non est iniquitatis vide adhuc Ibid. alia capita D. Thom. 2.2 q. 64. a. 2. q. 108. a. 3. For which reason Thirdly neither do they sin who in a just War not drivâ—â— by Lust or Cruelty but with the only desire of the Public Good take away the Lives of the Enemies Aug. de Civit. Dei c. 26. citatur 23. q. 5. c. Miles Vide item de Bello D. Thom. 2.2 q. 40 per A. Articulos There are other Slaughters besides of the same kind Fourthly which are done expresly by God's Command The Sons of Levi sinn'd not tho they kill'd so many thousand Men in one day upon which Slaughter done God thus spake to them Exod. 23.26 Ye have consecrated your Hands this Day to the Lord. Nor is he guilty of this Commandment Fifthly who kills a Man not willingly nor advisedly but by accident Concerning which matter it is thus written in the Book of Deuteronomy Deut. 19. He that ignorantly slays his Neighbor and is prov'd to have had no hatred against him in time past but went with him honestly into the Wood to fell Timber and in the hewing down of Timber his Ax flew out of his Hand and the Head of his Ax slipping off the Handle struck his Friend and kill'd him These Slaughters are of that kind which because they are done not with a Will or Design are therefore in no case to be reckon'd sinful which is prov'd by S. Austin's Sentence for he says God forbid that those things we do either for a good or lawful End if beyond our Intention any Evil happen it should be laid to our charge Vide Aug. Epist 154. citatur 23. q. 5. c. de Occidendis Item vide multa capita dist 5. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 64. a. 8. Trid. Sess 14. de Reform c. 7. Where VII Two Cases to be observ'd notwithstanding Sin may be committed
for two Reasons The one is If any one being imploy'd in an unjust matter kills a Man For example If any one with his Fist or Foot strike a Woman with Child The First whereupon follows an untimely Birth This happens indeed beyond the Design of the Striker yet he is not blameless because it was no means lawful for him to strike a Woman with Child The other is The Second If he carelesly and heedlesly kill any one not looking well about him For which cause also Sixthly if any one for defence of his own Safety using all the care he can kill another it appears plain enough that he is not guilty of this Law And these are the Slaughters we have now mention'd VIII What Killing is forbidden here which are not contain'd in this Commandment of the Law which being excepted all the rest are forbidden whether we consider the Slayer or the Person slain or the Means by which the Slaughter was done As to those that are the Slayers IX Who forbidden to kill there is none excepted neither Men of Wealth nor of Power neither Masters nor Parents but without all difference and distinction all are forbidden to kill If we consider those who are kill'd X. Who may not be kill'd this Law belongs to every one nor is there any one of so mean and base a Condition but he is defended by vertue of this Law Nor is it lawful for any one to kill himself XI None may kill himself seeing no one has so much the power of his own Life that at his own pleasure he may kill himself And therefore by the words of this Law it is not thus appointed Thou shalt not kill another but simply Thou shalt not kill But then if we respect the manifold ways of Murder XII Every way of killing forbidden there is none excepted For it is not only unlawful to take away any Mans Life either with his Hands or Sword or Knife or with a Stone or with a Staff or with a Halter or with Poison but it is utterly forbidden to be done either by Counsel Help or Assistance or by any other Means And here the great Dulness and Stupidity of the Jews appears Note in that they believ'd that they observ'd this Commandment if they restrain'd their Hands only from Murder But to a Christian XIII None may be angry at nor kill another who as Christ has interpreted it has learn'd that this Law is Spiritual and teaches us not only to have our Hands clean but our very Souls chaste and sincere that is not enough which the Jews thought sufficient to themselves For in the Gospel we are taught That it is not lawful so much as to be angry since our Lord says But I say to you Every one that is angry at his Brother shall be guilty of the Judgment but he that says to his Brother Racha shall be guilty of the Council but he that shall say Thou Fool shall be guilty of Hell-fire De ira vide Basil. hom 10 Chrysost hom 29. ad Pop. Antioch D. Thom. 2.2 q. 158. per totam From which words it is evident XIV This place of the Gospel explain'd That he is not free from Sin that is inwardly inrag'd at his Brother tho he contain his Anger shut up in his Mind but he that gives any Token of that Anger sins grievously but he sins yet much more grievously who is not afraid to handle his Brother hardly and to reproach him Vide Aug. de Serm. Dom. in Monte lib. 1. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 158. a. 3. And verily this is true XV. What Anger not forbidden if there be no cause of Anger For the Cause of Anger which is allow'd by God and his Laws is This When we are displeas'd at those who being under our Government and Power are guilty of a Fault for a Christians Anger ought to proceed not from Carnal Sense but from the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.17 seeing it is fit that we be the Temples of the Holy Ghost in which Jesus Christ may dwell There are XVI The perfect Observation of this Commandment besides many other things taught by our Lord which belong to the perfect following of this Law of which sort are these Not to resist Evil but if any one smite thee on thy right Cheek turn to him the other also and he that will go to Law with thee and take away thy Coat give him thy Cloak also and he that will compel thee to go a Mile go with him two Vide Aug Epist 5. ad Marcel de Serm. Domini in Monte lib. 2. c. 20. From what has been already said XVII How many offend against this Commandment we may observe how prone Men are to those Sins which are forbidden in this Commandment or how many may be found who tho they commit not Wickedness with their Hands yet do it in their Hearts And because there are Remedies for this Disease in the Sacred Scripture XVIII The Curat 's Duty it is the Curat 's Duty to teach them diligently to the Faithful And this is the Chief XIX How great a Crime it is to kill a Man That they understand how wicked a Sin the killing of a Man is And this may be seen from very many and very evident Testimonies of Holy Scripture for God in Holy Scripture so detests Murder that he says he will punish even the very Beasts for the killing of Men Gen. 9.6 and commands that Beast to be kill'd that hurts a Man Nor would he have Man abhor Blood for any other cause Note but that by all means he should restrain his Mind and his Hand from the Wickedness of killing a Man For Men-slayers are the worst Enemies of Mankind XX. Murderers injure God himself and consequently of Nature who as much as in them lies overthrow the universal Work of God when they destroy a Man for whose sake he testifies that he made all things whatsoever were created Yea and even in Genesis since it is forbidden to kill a Man because God created him after his own Image and Likeness he do's a notable Injury to God and seems as it were to lay violent hands upon him who removes his Image out of the way David having with Divine Cogitation of Mind meditated hereof XXI How prone Man is to Murder Psal 13.36 very grievously complain'd of Blood-thirsty Men in these words Their Feet are swift to shed Blood Nor did he simply say They kill but They shed Blood Which words he uttered for amplification of that Wickedness and to shew their exceeding Cruelty and to shew especially how headlong they are carried by the impulse of the Devil to that VVickedness he says Their Feet are swift But now the things which Christ our Lord in this Commandment requires us to observe XXII The end and scope of this Commandment Mat. 5.24 tend to this That we may
have Peace with all Men For interpreting this Place he says If thou offer thy Gift at the Altar and shalt there remember that thy Brother has any thing against thee leave there thy Gift before the Altar and go first be reconcil'd to thy Brother and what follows VVhich things shall so be explain'd by the Curat XXIII Catholic Charity commanded as that he teach That all without any Exception are to be embrac'd with Love VVhereto in the Explication of this Commandment he shall stir up the Faithful as much as may be because therein the Vertue of Loving our Neighbor shines most clearly For since Hatred is plainly forbidden by this Commandment XXIV Hatred forbidden 1 Joh. 3.5 because he that hates his Brother is a Murderer it certainly follows that here is given a Commandment of Love and Charity And since in this Law there is a Command concerning Love and Charity Offices of Love commanded there are Rules given of all those both Offices and Actions which use to follow that Charity Charity is patient Patience Luc. 21.19 says St. Paul Therefore we are commanded Patience in which we shall possess our Souls as our Saviour teaches Kindness next is the Companion and Associate of Charity XXV Offices of Kindness because Charity is kind But the Vertue of Benignity and Kindness largely extends it self and its Office is chiefly concern'd in these things to relieve the Poor with things necessary to give Meat to the Hungry Drink to the Thirsty to cloath the Naked and wherein any one most wants our Help therein to bestow our greater Liberality upon him These Offices of Kindness and Goodness XXVI Kindness to be shew'd towards our enemies Mat. 5.44 Rom. 18.20 which of themselves are illustrious are made so much the more illustrious if extended to our Enemies For our Saviour says Love your Enemies do good to them which hate you which the Apostle also advises in these words If thy Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him Drink for in doing thus thou wilt heap Coals of Fire on his Head Be not overcome of Evil but overcome Evil with Good Lastly XXVII Long-suffering and Gentleness if we consider the Law of Charity which is kind we must understand that by that Law we are commanded to do all Offices whatsoever that pertain to Long-suffering Gentleness and other Vertues of the like kind But that Office which is far the most excellent of all XXVIII A chief Office of Charity to forgive and which is most full of Charity wherein most of all we ought to exercise our selves is this With a cheerful Mind to forgive and pardon the Wrong we have receiv'd which to do fully the Scriptures of God as before was said often warn and exhort us since they do not only call them bless'd that really do so See Deuteron 32.35 Also 1 Reg. 25.32 33. Also 26.6 7 8.9 Also 2 Reg. 19.20 Psal 7.5 Eccles 28. throughout Isai 58.6 Matth. 6.14 And in the Gospel in many places See also Tertul. in Apolog. c. 31 37. Aug. in Joan. Tract 81. lib. 50. Hom. hom 6. Item Serm. 61 168. de tempore Note But they affirm that Pardon of their Sins is also given them of God but those who either neglect or utterly refuse so to do lose their own Pardon themselves But because the desire of Revenge is commonly rooted in Mens Minds XXIX Forgetting of Injuries to be inculcated it is necessary that the Curat use very great Diligence herein not only to teach but also earnestly to perswade the Faithful That a Christian ought to forget Injuries and to forgive them and since there is very much mention of this Matter made among Sacred Writers let him consult them for the overcoming of their Stubborness who are of an obstinate and fixt Resolution on the Lust of Revenge Let him have the Arguments in readiness which those Fathers devoutly us'd they being very weighty and very suitable to the Matter Vide quae citantur n. 18. But especially these Three are to be explain'd The First is XXX Three Arguments for this purpose The First That he that thinks he has receiv'd an Injury should be earnestly perswaded that he whom he desires to be aveng'd of was not the principal cause of his loss or Injury So that admirable Man Job did who being grievously assaulted by the Sabeans Chaldeans and by the Devil yet took no Regard of them but as an upright and right pious Man truly and devoutly us'd these Words Job 1.28 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away By the Words and Example of that most patient Man therefore XXXI Gods goodness in inflicting Punishments let Christians perswade themselves what is most true that all things whatsoever we suffer in this Life come from the Lord who is the Father and Author of all Justice and Mercy Nor does he punish us as Enemies which is his infinite Kindness but corrects and chastises us as Sons Nor indeed XXXII How they are to be accounted that persecute us if we rightly consider it are Men in these cases any other thing at all but the Ministers and Officers as it were of God And tho a Man may wrongfully hate another and wish him very ill yet unless by Gods Permission he can by no means hurt him For this Reason Joseph patiently endur'd the wicked Counsels of his Brethren Gen. 45.8 2 Reg. 16.10 so David did the Injuries done him by Shimei To this Matter also belongs properly that kind of Argument Tom 3 in Hom. Quod nemo laeditur nisi a seipso which S. Chrysostom gravely and excellently handl'd to wit That none is hurt but by himself For those that think themselves to be injuriously dealt with if they consider the matter well with themselves will certainly find that they have received no wrong or damage from others for tho the things are outward wherein they are hurt yet they most of all hurt themselves when they wickedly pollute their Soul with Hatred Lust Envy The Second is The second Argument That it contains two special Advantages which belong to those who being led with a pious Endeavour to please God freely forgive Injuries The First whereof is this Two Advantages The First Matth. 18.33 That God has promis'd that they shall obtain Pardon of their own Sins that forgive others their Offences from which Promise it easily appears how acceptable this Office of Piety and Love is to him The other Advantage is The second Advantage Matth. 5.46 That we get a kind of Nobility and Perfection because by forgiving Wrongs we are made in a manner like God Who causes his Sun to rise on the Good and Bad and rains on the Just and Vnjust Lastly The third Argument the Disadvantages are to be explain'd into which we then fall when we will not forgive the Wrongs that are done us Let the Curat therefore lay before
that it is much better to be cast into Prison than to be cast into everlasting Torments in Hell and that it is far more grievous to be condemn'd by the Judgment of God than of Men And moreover that they ought humbly to fly to Gods Help and Mercy of whom they may obtain whatsoever they have need of There are other kind of Excuses Note which the Prudent Curats and such as are careful in the discharge of their Office may easily meet with and so at length make their People carefully to follow those works that are good The Eighth COMMANDMENT of the DECALOGVE Thou shalt not hear false Witness against thy Neighbor OF how great I. The frequent explication of this Commandment necessary Jac. 3.2 not only Advantage but Necessity also the Diligent Explication and Admonition of the Duty of this Commandment is the Authority of S. James warns us in these words If any one offend not in Words he is a perfect Man And again The Tongue is indeed but a little Member and yet it boasts great things Behold a little Fire how great a Wood it kindles And so forth to the same purpose Whereby we are admonish'd of two things First II. The vice of the Tongue very extensive Psal 11.5.31 That the Vice of the Tongue extends very far which is also confirmed by that saying of the Prophet All Men are Lyars That it is in a manner the only Sin which seems proper to all Men. The Other III. The Tongue the instrument of innumerable mischiefs That thence proceeds innumerable Mischiefs since often times by the fault of an ill-tongu'd Person the Estate Fame Life yea and the Salvation of the Soul are lost either of him who is wrong'd because he cannot patiently endure the Disgrace but is pievishly discontented at it or of Him that does the wrong because being deterr'd with a little Shame and a false Opinion of any ones Credit he cannot be brought to make Satisfaction to him that is wrong'd Wherefore the Faithful are here to be admonish'd IV. How this Commandment to be receiv'd To give very great Thanks to God for this so wholsom a Command of not bearing false Witness Whereby not only we our selves are forbidden to wrong others but also by this Obedience we are forbidd'n to be wrong'd by others But we will proceed in this Commandment after the same way and manner V. In this Commandment are two Laws Forbidding Commanding as we did in the rest to wit observing therein two Laws The One forbidding to bear false Witness The other commanding to measure all our Words and Works with naked Truth all Dissembling and Deceit being layd aside Of which Duty the Apostle admonishes the Ephesians in these words Doing the Truth in Love Ephes 4.15 let us increase in him in all things Now the First part of this Commandment has this Sense VI. What this Commandment forbids That tho by the Name of false Testimony is signified whatsoever is constantly said of another either in good or evil part whether in Judgment or out of Judgment Yet that Testimony is especially forbidd'n which in Judgment is falsly given by one that is sworn For a Witness swears by God because the VVords of one so justifying them and using the name of God thereupon have very much VVeight and Belief Now because this Testimony is dangerous Note it is therefore specially forbidd'n for sworn VVitnesses unless debarr'd for weighty Reasons or that their Dishonesty and Naughtiness be manifest the Judge himself cannot refuse since it is the express Command of the Divine Law Matth. 18. that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word should stand But that the Faithful may plainly understand this Commandment VII Who is said to be our Neighbor they are to be taught what this word Neighbor signifies against whom it is unlawful to bear false VVitness Now our Neighbor as is gather'd from the Doctrin of Christ our Lord is any one whosoever that wants our help whether he be related to us or not whether of the same City or Town or a stranger whether a Friend or an Enemy Vide Aug. Epist. 52. ad Macedon de Cath. rudibus 26. For it is wicked to believe that it is lawful to speak any thing falsly in Evidence against Enemies VIII It is wicked to bear false Witness against Enemies whom by the Command of God and our Lord we ought to Love Yea IX Unlawful to bear false Witness against â—â—les self Lib. 2 de civit Dei c. 20. and because every one in a certain sort is Neighbor to himself it is not lawful for any one to bear false VVitness against himself which thing they that commit branding themselves with the mark of Shame and Disgrace wound both themselves and the Church whose Members they are after the same manner as they trouble the City who willfully kill themselves For so says S. Austin Nor to those that rightly understand could it seem not to be forbidd'n that any one should be a false VVitness against himself because in the Commandment it is added Against thy Neighbor If any one therefore bear false VVitness against himself let him not therefore think that he is not guilty of this Sin since he that loves takes his rule of loving his Neigbor from himself But because we are forbidd'n to wrong our Neighbor by false VVitness X. For Friendship 's sake we may not bear false Witness let no one therefore think the contrary to be allow'd us by Perjury to profit or advantage him that is related to us by Nature or Religion For we must not gratifie any Body by a Lye or by Vanity much less by Perjury VVherefore S. Austin de mendacio ad Crescentium c. 12.13 14. teaches from the Sentence of the Apostle that a Lie is to be reckoned among false Testimonies altho it be spoke in the false Commendation of any one For handling that place 1 Cor. 1.5 But we are found false Witnesses of God if we bear witness against God that he rais'd Christ from the Dead whom he raisd not if the Dead rise not The Apostle says he calls it false Testimony if any one lies concerning Christ and what seems to belong to his Praise But it very often happens XI He that favors one hurts another that he that favors one Person wrongs another and is a certain means of causing the Judge to err who sometimes being misled by false Witnesses is forc'd to determine somtimes injuriously against that which is right And sometimes it happens XII How dangerous it is to make use of false Witnesses that he that has overcome in Judgment by means of any ones false Testimony and goes away unpunish'd rejoycing in his unjust Victory he takes up a custom of corrupting and using false VVitnesses by whose help he hopes to attain to whatsoever he desires But this even to the Witness himself falls out very
our Prayers Thirdly Refraining from Cruelty as Murder and Oppression we must restrain our hands from Cruelty and Violence of which Wickedness God speaks thus by the Mouth of Esay Esay 2.15 When ye stretch forth your hands I will turn amy Eyes from you and when ye multiply Prayers I will not hear for your hands are full of blood Anger and Discord are to be avoided Fourthly Anger to be avoided which greatly hinder our Prayers from being heard concerning which the Apostle says I will that men pray in every place lifting up pure hands without anger and debate 1. Tim. 2.8 We must further take heed that we be not irreconcilable to any that wrong us Fifthly Forgetfulness of Injuries for if we are of that temper we cannot by our Prayers prevail with God to pardon us For says he when ye stand to pray if ye have ought against another forgive it And if ye forgive not men neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your sins Mar. 11.25 Matth. 6.15 We must also take heed that we be not hard hearted and unmerciful to the Needy Sixthly Works of Mercy for thus it is spoken against such kind of Men He that stops his ear at the cry of the Poor even he shall cry and shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 And what shall we say of Pride Seventhly Pride to be subdu'd whereby how greatly God is offended that word witnesses God resists the Proud but gives Grace to the Humble Jac. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 And what Eighthly Gods word to be heard of the contempt of the Divine Oracles against which says Solomon He that turns away his ear from hearing the Law his Prayer shall be accurs'd Prov. 28.9 In which case notwithstanding the Acknowledgment of Wrong done Note or of Murder or of Anger or of Hard-heartedness to the Poor or of Pride or of contempt of God s Oracle or lastly of other Sins is not excluded if Pardon be sincerely begg'd Now to this Preparation of Mind Ninthly Faith to be exercis'd Faith also is necessary which if it be wanting there can be no knowledge of the Omnipotence of the Supreme Father nor of his Mercy from which notwithstanding springs the Confidence of him that prays Math. 28.22 even as Christ our Lord has taught All things says he whatsoever ye ask in Prayer if ye believe ye shall receive them Of this kind of Faith S. Austin writes De verbis Domini If thy Faith fails thy Prayer perishes A chief point therefore in praying well as was even now said is to be well grounded and fix't in Faith which the Apostle shews by its contrary Rom. 10.14 How shall they call upon him on whom they have not believ'd We must therefore believe that we may be able to pray And that that Faith whereby we pray to good purpose fail us not for it it is Faith that pours out Prayers let us pray that all doubtfulness being remov'd our Faith might be firm and stable To this effect S. Ignatius exhorted those that came to God with intention to pray Epist. 10. ad Hier. Be not in Prayer of a distrustful mind blessed is he that has not doubted Wherefore to the obtaining of God the thing we desire Faith and an assured Hope of Success is of very great moment which thing S. James admonishes Jac. 1.6 Let him ask in Faith nothing doubting II. How Faith to be stir'd up First Now there are many things whereof in this Duty of Prayer we ought to be confident There is evidently seen the good-will and Bounty of God towards us since he commands us to call him Father to let us understand that we are his Children Second Then there is the almost infinite number of those that have obtain'd their Requests of God Then there is that chief Advocat Christ our Lord Third who is always assistant to us of whom it is thus written in S. John If any Man sin we have an Advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the just and he is the Propitiation for our Sins And the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 8.32 It was Christ Jesus that di'd yea and that rose again that sits at the right hand of God who also intercedes for us And so in Timothy 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediator of God and of Men the Man Christ Jesw And to the Hebrews Heb. 2.27 For which cause he ought in all respects to be made like to his Brethren that he might become a merciful and faithful high Priest to God VVherefore tho we are unworthy to obtain any thing yet by the Dignity of our most excellent Mediator and Intercessor Jesus Christ we ought to hope and to be very confident that God will grant all things that we ask aright thro him Lastly Fourth there is the Holy Ghost the Author of our Prayer by whose conduct our Prayers must needs be heard Rom. 8.15 For we have receiv'd the Spirit of Adoption of the Sons of God in whom we cry Abba Father which very Spirit helps our Infirmity and Ignorance in this Duty of Prayer yea says he he prays for us with groans unutterable VVhat then Fifth if any should chance sometimes to stumble nor know themselves to be strong enough in Faith let them use that word of the Apostle Lord increase our Faith And that of the Blind man Help my unbelief Luc. 17.5 Mark 9.28 But then when we are grown strong in Faith and Hope The tenth Preparation to Prayer we shall obtain of God all that we desire when according to his Law and VVill we shall conform all our Mind Actions and Prayers Joh. 15. for says he If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you Altho as we said before for this Power of obtaining all things of him the forgetting of Injuries Liberality and good-will towards our Neighbors is in the first place necessary What way is requir'd in PRAYER NOW it highly concerns Men how they perform their Sacred Prayers for tho Prayer is a wholsom Good I. Prayer unless rightly perform'd profits nothing Jac. 4.3 yet if it be not rightly apply'd it profits not For what we ask we oftentimes do not obtain as S. James says for this Reason because we ask amiss The Curats therefore shall teach the Faithful what the best way of Praying well both privately and publicly is and what Rules have bin deliver'd by the direction of Christ our Lord for Christian Prayer VVe must therefore ask in Spirit and Truth II. We must pray in Spirit and in Truth Joh. 4.23 For our heavenly Father seeks such as worship him in Spirit and in Truth Of this way of praying in Spirit and in Truth vide Cyrill Alexandr per 17 libros integros item D. Thom. 2.2 q. 83. a. 12. Now He prays after that manner that exercises an
our Sins be forgiven us And here we pray not for Forgiveness of small Mistakes only Note and such as are easy to be forgiven but for great and deadly Sins which Prayer will have no strength against great Sins but what it receives from the Sacrament of Penance taken either in Deed or at least in Desire as has before been said But we say Our Debts after a far different manner XXVII Our Sins and our Bread are ours in a different manner than when we say as before Our daily Bread for that Bread is Ours because it is given us of the Gift of God but our Sins are Ours because the Guilt of them is in our selves for we do them wilfully which would not have the Nature of Sin in them if they were not voluntary VVe therefore undergoing and confessing this Guilt XXVIII In this Petition we accurse our selves Gen. 3.12 implore Gods Mercy which is necessary to expiate our Sins In which case we use no Excuse at all nor lay the Blame upon any other as our first Parents Adam and Eve did but we judge our selves using if we are wise that Prayer of the Prophet Psal 144.4 O my heart decline not thou into words of malice to make excuses for thy sins Nor do we say XXIX Why we here pray in the plural number forgive me but forgive us because the Brotherly Relation and Charity which is between all Men requires of us all that being careful for the common Salvation of our Neighbors when we pray for our selves we should also pray for Pardon for them And this manner of Praying delivered by Christ our Lord XXX Whence we had this manner of Praying and from him receiv'd by the Church of God and always kept by her the Apostles themselves held in bighest Veneration and requir'd others to observe it Of this ardent Care and Desire in praying for the Salvation of our Neighbors we have in both Testaments the famous Examples of those Holy Men Moses and Paul whereof the one pray'd God in this manner Exod. 32.32 Either forgive them this Sin or if thou will not do it blot me out of thy Book The other thus Rom. 9.8 I my self wish'd to be an Anathema from Christ for my Brethren As we also forgive our Debtors THis word As XXXI The twofold Acceptation of the Particle As. may be understood two ways for it has both the Nature of a Similitude as when we pray God that he would pardon our Sins so as we forgive them their Wrongs and Reproaches that have injur'd us And besides it is a Note of Condition in which Sense Christ our Lord interprets this Petition For says he Matth. 6.14 if ye forgive Men their Offences your heavenly Father will also forgive you your Trespasses but if ye forgive not Men neither will your Father forgive you your Sins Now there is need to know both these Senses XXXII It is here taken in both Senses that if we would have God to give us Pardon of our Offences we must needs spare them of whom we have receiv'd VVrong and he so far requires mutual Love and Care that he rejects and despises the Gifts and Sacrifices of them that are not reconcil'd to each other For even by the Law of Nature it is appointed that wâ— be such to others as we would they should be to us that he is really very impudent that desires God not to punish him for his Sins when himself bears a Revengeful Mind against his Neighbor VVherefore those that have suffered injuries ought to be ready and easily inclin'd to pardon XXXIII He that will be forgiven must also forgive Luc. 17.5 since they are strongly urg'd to it both by this Form of Prayer and in S. Luke God commands it If thy Brother have trespass'd against thee reprove him and if he be penitent forgive him and if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day and return to thee saying I repent forgive him And in S. Matthew's Gospel Matth. 5.44 Love your Enemies And the Apostle and long before him Solomon wrote If thine Enemy hunger give him meat Rom. 12 20. Prov. 15.2 if he thirst give him drink And in S. Mark the Evangelist Mâ—rc 11.2 When thou comest to pray if thou hast any thing against another forgive it that your Father which is in Heaven may also forgive you your Offences But because by the Fault of Corrupt Nature XXXIV What is to be done when Men will hardly be reconcil'd there is nothing that Man does more against the Hair than to forgive one that injures him let the Curats use all the Skill they have both of Prudence and of Affection to turn and bend the Minds of the Faithful to this Indulgence and Mercy so necessary to a Christian Let them continue a while in handing of such of the Divine Oracles First wherein they may hear God himself commanding them to pardon their Enemies And let them teach them by an Argument Secondly which indeed is most true and likely to prevail with Men that they are the Children of God if they are ready to forgive Injuries and love their Enemies from their Heart For when we love our Enemies Note there shines forth in us a kind of Resemblance that we have with God our Father who has reconcil'd to himself the most envious and wicked Race of Men having redeemed them from eternal Destruction by the Death of his Son And for the Close of this Admonition and Precept Thirdly let them make use for an Argument of the Empire and Government of Christ our Lord which we cannot refuse without the utmost Shame and Ruine Matth 5. Pray for them that persecute and spitefully use you that ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven But here is requir'd a greater Prudence than ordinary in the Pastors XXXV What kind of forgetfulness of Injuries requir'd to Vertue lest any one knowing the Difficulty and yet the Necessity of this Precept should despair of Salvation For there are some who knowing that they ought resolutly to forget Injuries and to love those that have wrong'd them do desire so to do and according to their Power do so but find that they cannot utterly put all the Remembrance of Injuries out of their Minds for there do stick in the Mind some Reliques of secret Grudgings for which cause their Consciences are afflicted with great Struglings fearing lest not simply and candidly forgetting Injuries they obey not Gods Command Here therefore the Pastors shall explain the Contrary Motions of the Flesh and of the Spirit XXXVI The strugling betwixt the Flesh and Spirit to be here explain'd that the Sense of the One is prone to Revenge The Nature of the Other is ready to forgive hence it comes that there is a perpetual Quarrel and Wrangling betwixt them Wherefore they shall shew that
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
who by Law are excluded Pag. 315 Wherein the Vertue and Nature of Matrimony consists ibid. Consent makes Matrimony 316 That Consent express'd in Words signifying the present Time ibid. The Consent of one Party is not enough to Matrimony ibid. Words are needful to declare Mutual Consent ibid. Matrimony not contracted by Words signifying Time to come ibid. If after Matrimony the Parties repent they cannot alter their Deed. 316 317 In stead of Words a Nod or other Sign is sufficient in Matrimony 317 Besides Consent there is no need of the Eed to make it true Matrimony ibid. The double respect of Matrimony as it is an Office of Nature and as it is a Sacrament ibid. Matrimony as it is an Office of Nature appointed by God 318 Matrimony indissoluble ibid. Those Words Increase and multiply lay not a Necessity of Matrimony upon all Men. ibid. Mankind being increas'd Virginity is very highly commended 318 319 For what Causes Matrimony was instituted Pag. 319 The Nature of Matrimony as it is a Sacrament 320 That Matrimony is a Sacrament and one of the Seven Sacraments of the Gospel 321 The Sacrament of Matrimony instituted by Christ ibid. Matrimony signifies and gives Grace 322 How far the Sacrament of Matrimony excels that Matrimony before the Law ibid. The Matrimony of the Jews ibid. Why the ancient Fathers had many Wives 323 Why a Bill of Divorce allow'd by the Law of Moyses ibid. Poligamy strange to the Law of Nature ibid. Matrimony consists in the Conjunction of two only and no more ibid. An Infidel being converted ought to keep to his first Wife ibid. The Bond of Matrimony dissolv'd by no Divorce 324 Very profitable that Matrimony cannot be dissolv'd ibid. Three Advantages of Matrimony 325 The Mutual Offices of Husband and Wife 327 Clandestin Marriages neither true nor ratified 329 The Impediments of Matrimony ibid. How they ought to be dispos'd that contract Matrimony Pag. 329 What use there ought to be of Matrimony 330 We are sometimes to abstain from the Office of Matrimony for the sake of Prayer ibid. The Law against Murder pleasant to be heard 394 Murder forbidden to all 397 All Men by vertue of this Law protected from being murder'd ibid. Unlawful for one to murder himself ibid. What Man-slaughter is not forbidden 395 The Law against Murder restrains not only the Hands but the Heart 397 398 Medicin given of God to Men. 545 546 What hope we are to put in Medicinal Remedies 546 Our Merits depend upon Christ's Passion 277 Being assisted by Grace we may merit 278 The proper Minister of Baptism see Baptism The Order of the Ministers of Baptism to be observ'd ibid. The proper Minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation see Confirmation The Minister of Confession must be Learn'd and Prudent See Penance The Minister of the Sacrament of Order See Order The Misery of Man See the Third Petition 499 Modesty and Continency diligently to be kept 407 N NAmes given to those that are baptiz'd See Baptism 180 Giving Heathenish Names in Baptism reprov'd ibid. What real Honor to be given to God's Name 357 358 How God's Name to be sanctified in all 486 God's holy and terrible Name wants not our Sanctification 485 486 How God's Name is sanctified in all 486 God's Name to be sanctified in Deed and not in Word only 488 Who is our Neighbor 427 A sure Note of knowing which Prayer is good which bad 469 470 471 O ALl bound to obey God's Will 506 What Order is 298 There are Seven Orders 299 The Greater and Lesser Orders ibid. Why Holy Order reckon'd among the Sacraments of the Church 298 Holy Order imprints a Character ibid. The first Shaving 299 The Order of Door-keeper and his Office Pag. 301 The Order and Office of Reader 302 The Order and Office of Exorcists ibid. The Order and Office of Collats ibid. The Order and Office of Subdeacon 303 Perpetual Continence impos'd on the Sacred Orders ibid. The Order and Office of Deacon 304 The Office of a Deacon to explain the Fospel but not in the Pulpit 305 The Order of Priesthood 306 To what kind of Persons Orders are to be given 294 310 Sacred Orders conferr'd on certain appointed Days wherein Fasting is enjoyn'd 310 Those that are to be Ordain'd ought first to their Conscience by the Sacrament of Penance 311 The Sacrament of Order not to be conferr'd on Children or Mad Persons 312 What Age is requir'd for the several Orders ibid. The Sacrament of Order confers Grace ibid. The Sacrament of Order imprints a Character 313 P PArents their Duty towards their Children 392 When Parents are not to be obey'd Pag. 385 Honor due to Parents ibid. Parents to avoid too much Indulgence and Severity 392 393 The Mystery of Christ's Passion clearly shews the Power and Love of God 55 Christ's Passion often to be propos'd to the People 45 Why the Time of Christ's Passion is observ'd 46 Christ's Suffering inwardly in his Soul ibid. The Cause of Christ's Passion 51 Christ suffer'd the heaviest Punishments 53 Christ's Passion much more bitter than that of the Saints 54 What Benefits Christ's Passion brings to us 55 Christ's Passion procures us Pardon of Sin 519 From Christ's Passion flows all the Vertue of our Satisfaction ibid. The Pastors of the Church are to be heard even as Christ himself See the Preface We must obey the Pastors tho Wicked 389 The Necessity of Penance 238 The want of the Use of Penance very hurtful to us ibid. Of Penance as a Vertue and what belongs to it 240 241 The Sacrament of Penance necessary 238 Penance ought to be iterated Pag. 244 The divers Notions and Significations of Penance 249 God by translation is said to repent 240 Wherein the various Significations of Penance differ ibid. Faith goes before Penance 241 Why inward Penance is a Vertue ibid. What a Penitent ought to propose to himself 242 By what Degrees we arrive at Penance ibid. The S. Scripture promises the Kingdom of Heaven to Penance 243 External Penance is a Sacrament ibid. Why God instituted the Sacrament of Penance ibid. The Form and Matter of the Sacrament of Penance 245 The Ceremonies and Rites of Penance 246 247 The Fruits of the Sacrament of Penance 247 Penance restores us into favor with God ibid. The intire Parts of Penance 249 Why Penance consists of Parts ibid. Why Public Penance injoyn'd for Public Offences 276 In Penance two things to be observ'd 277 The Punishment of Penance freely undertaken turns away God's Punishments from us 278 Restitution is necessary to a Penitent Pag. 419 What Perjury is See the second Commandment 356 c. M Men are perjur'd many ways Ibid. The great propensity of men to Perjury Ibid. For Perjury men are many ways afflicted Ibid. The Perils we are in daily ought always to be before our eyes 533 Permission in God how to be understood 539 Pride very offensive to God 466 The Properties of the Divine Persons 21 Why