proceedeth from the loue of concupiscence which is in vs by which we regard our owne interest And therefor such shame or feare is not sufficient for an â—act of true contrition which includeth the the loue of God aboue all things This is an act of contrition I loue thee ô God aboue all things in the world and for thy owne sake I am sorry to haue offended thee And this act if it be truely conceiued and made in our harts is the most gratefull act to God that we can possibly make for by it we offer vp our selues all our actions and all creatures to God as his owne and as it were one sacrifice due to him And soe a purpose of amending and of confessing our sinnes and of keeping all the commandements of God is included in this act and it is soe perfect and pleasing to him that he that should haue it and should dy before he could come to confession should haue his mortal sinnes forgiuen him and be saued by vertue of it For if Martyrs haue all their sinnes forgiuen them by Martyrdome because they loue God more then their liues and more then the whole world soe shall he that hath a Martyrs charity and is in the preparation of his minde a Martyr in that he loueth God more then his owne life and aboue all thinges in the world and feareth more to offende him then he doth the paines of death or torments of hell Therefor it is good for all to make such acts of inward contrition especially before confession and to accustome themselues often to make such acts that in all dangers when they haue not the opportunity of a priest for confession thy may fly vnto an act of contrition as to a sanctuary which in time of neede shall saue them He that hath not soe perfect a loue of God as true contrition requireth must haue at least attrition for his sinnes which is a more imperfect loue mixed with feare of punishment of losse of reward or the like which being ioyned to confession is perfected by it and becommeth contrition in effect giuing grace and forgiuenesse of sinnes For it can not be thought but that the Sacrament being added to an act of attrition more perfection must be added to it and that is to giue grace For as the Councell of Trent hath declared the Sacrament of pennance is the Sacrament of the dead because it reuiueth to the state of grace those who were in the state of sinne which they could not be with true contrition The third thinge which the poenitent must haue before confession is a firme purpose of amendement which purpose although it be included in an act of contrition yet it is good to make it alwais expresly by it selfe because we know not when we haue true contrition And it is good allwais to make a purpose to amende and to fly the occasions of that sinne in particular which we offende most in Neither is this purpose euer to be omitted because it is often broken for if we should runne on still in sinne and neuer purpose to amende we should neuer amende and if for all the good purposes which we make we still fall into sinne what would become of vs if we made not those purposes and contrary acts to it The purposes which we make and the detestations of sinne are a great meanes to hinder it and a most soueraigne remedy it is against all sinne and especially against euill customes presently to make a contrary act in detestation of them and to gett to confession as soone as we can OF CONFESSION HAVING prepared our selues with due examine of conscience sorrow for our sinnes and purpose of amendment the next part of this Sacrament is confession We come then to the priest and with reuerence to the Sacrament we kneele downe at his feete full of sorrow and confusion We may thinke then of the Magdalene how she came to the feete of Christ confessing her sinnes not in particular for that she needed not to him who knew them allready and saw the secrets of her hart yet she confessed them in general if not by word of mouth yet by many expressions of sorrow for them and of much loue of God Luc. 7. And therfor she deserued to heare thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Thinke thou I say of her example and prepare the like sorrow and loue in thy selfe when thou comest to cleare thy conscience in confession The poenitent kneeling downe saith Benedicite that is to desire the blessing of God and of the priest for the worthy performing of that action The priest then prayeth for him then he saith I confesse mee to almighty God to the blessed Virgin Mary to S. Michael the Archangell to S. Iohn Baptist to S. Peter and to S. Paul and to all the Saints in heauen that I haue offended by thought word and worke through my fait through my falt through my most greeuous falt The meaning of which is to prostrate himselfe before God and the whole court of heauen and before the priest as the Vicar of God vpon earth to acknowledge and confesse his falts Then he beginneth to declare in particular what he hath offended in For the rightly performing of which he may vnderstande three conditions to be principally necessary for a good confession to wit that it be intire cleare and obedient For the first condition of integrity it is necessary that we confesse all the mortal sinnes which we know ourselues to be guilty of expressing euery one of them in particular the number and the circumstances aggrauating them Venial sinnes are not absolutly necessary to be confessed because they are not quite opposite to the effect of the Sacrament but may stande with grace yet of deuotion we confesse them for many reasons aboue mentioned Children and some very wicked persons breake sometimes this condition of integrity and either because they vnderstande not or consider not the worke which they haue in hand they conceale sometimes their sinnes from the priest but this is indeede either very childish or very impious and sheweth that they haue not a true apprehension of the dignity of a Sacrament nor of the state of their soules who onely receiue good or euill by that which they then doe it importing nothing to any other whether they confesse well or ill Let these therefor vnderstande and consider that this is the profanation of a Sacrament a heinous mortall sinne not as other mortall sinnes of frailty but of malice against the first commandement directly opposite to diuine worship He that hideth his wicked deedes saith the holy Prouerbe shall not be directed Prou. 28. but he that shall forsake them shall obtaine mercy He bringeth vpon himselfe not one but many euills First not confessing any mortall sinne he committeth a new mortal sinne and that of a higher nature Secondly the sinnes which he doth Confesse are not forgiuen Thirdly all the sinnes which he hath committed euer since
called priests Angels saying The lipps of the priest shall keepe knowledge and from his mouth thou shalt require the law Mal. 2. because he is the angell of our Lord of hosts The angels are the treasurers of the diuine mysterys who open them in their messages to mankind as God will haue them to be imparted vnto vs soe priests haue the keeping of the diuine mysterys and must deliuer them to the people as they neede them and therefor the people must aske of them and adhaere to the doctrine of the Church when it is deliuered by them Yet the mystery of the blessed Trinity is a mystery which is kept euen from the knowledge of priests although angels witnes S. Augustine who was a priest and one of the cheife of the Angelical Hierarchy of Priests B. Trin. for he was a bishop yet he relateth of himselfe how that being on a time walking on the sea shore studying vpon the mystery of the blessed Trinity he saw a child who hauing made a litle pitte in the sand was lauing with a spoone the water of the sea into Aug. ad volus that litle pitte S. Augustine earnestly obseruing him asked him what he meant did he thinke to empty the maine ocean into that litle pitte yes replyed the child as soone will I bring the ocean into this compasse as thou with thy vnderstanding shalt comprehende the mystery of the blessed Trinity By which he vnderstoode that it was a messenger of God sent vnto him to humble him and to let him know that the mystery of the blessed Trinity is aboue humane vnderstanding We see by reason that God the Creatour of all thinges must needs be aboue all thinges incomprehensible infinite in power wisdome and goodnes and therefor for men to thinke to comprehende God is to contradict the first principle of reason and aboue Lucifers pride to thinke to be equall with him It is enough for vs to thinke that God is God that is to say the supreme and infinite perfection which putts bounds and limits to the perfections of all other thinges who as he hath sette a terme of time to our liues soe hath he also limited our vnderstandings and we can noe more by our owne power exceede those limits then we can by our owne power escape death Great is our Lord great is his strength Psa 146. and of his Wisdome there is noe number If we will build vpon a sure ground let vs cleaue to that rocke which Christ hath left and say as our Creede teacheth vs I beleeue the holy Catholik Church In the law of Moyses the mystery of the blessed Trinity was beleeued as authors commonly shew by diuerse places in the old Testament although the Prophets haue deliuered it for the most part in obscure termes to the Israëlits least they who liued amongst idolatrous nations and were of themselues prone to idolaâ—ry should take occasion by the Trinity of Persons to beleeue in many Gods But idolatry being to be soe much subuerted by the faith of Christ and buâ— litle or noe danger of it amongst christians the mystery of the blessed Trinity is deliuered to vâ— planely and more expresly in the new Testament our Lord and Sauiour at his last departure from his Disciples commanding the expresse profession of it to be made in baptisme when we are made christians Mat. 28. Going therefor teach ye all nationâ— baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Io. 1.5 and againe There be three that giue testimony in heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost And these three be one Genebrard sheweth by diuerse places out of the auncient â—hilosophers that the Gentils by their familiarity and commerce with the Iewes came to heare and to write of the B Trinity But the moderne Iewes which now are earnestly oppose it being fallen in this point as they are also in the mystery of the Incarnation from the true faith which their forefathers professed That which we beleeue of this mystery is to acknowledge an vnity of Godhead essence and nature in the Trinity of Perfons God the Father is the same God as God the Sonne God the Sonne is the same God as God the Holy Ghost and they are not three Gods but one onely God The Person of the Father is not the person of the Sonne nor is the Person of the Sonne the Person of the Holy Ghost but they are three really destinct and different Persons This we intende to professe when we say in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost We also paofesse in the signe of the Cros the mystery of the Incarnation in that we make a Cros to remember and acknowledge the loue of God with which he soe loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to become man Ioan. 3. and to redeeme vs on the Cros. God had created man in a happy state in Paradise as it were in the way to heauen enuironed on all sides with vnspeakeable pleasures and in that pleasant way was conducting him to the heauenly glory But man sinning lost the fauour of God was debarred of that blessed state which he should haue obtained and being then out of the state of grace he could sinne still more and more buâ— he could doe noe good worke sufficient to satisfy for his sinnes and to be restored againe to the diuine grace by it God of his iustice requireth satisfaction but noe man not creature being able and of sufficient worth to make it and the diuine nature not being subiect to make sarisfaction in in it selfe it was the goodnes of God to vnite our weakenes to his power and our nature to his diuine nature in the incarnation of his sonne that the nature of man being vnited to his diuine person might by that person be soe dignifyed that it could make worthy satisfaction for the sinnes of all men that should apply vnto themselues the merits of his passion This is the mystery which was reuealed vnto Abraham and the holy Patriarks which many kings and Prophets desired to see and which filled the hart of Abraham soe full of comfort that he laughed for ioy to heare and thinke of it By this the seed of the Patriarks was multiplyed like the starres of heauen and like the dust of the earth which is not to be numbred and all kindreds were blessed in it to wit as Christ came of their seede by the merits of whose passion heauen is replenished with saints more glorious than the starres and the Catholike Church of all faithfull christians haue sprung from him dilâ—â—ed to the west and to the East and to the North and to the south not to be numbred all whosoeuer are saued being saued by Christ our Sauiour We can neuer sufficiently acknowledge the loue of God in this mystery by it man was soe exalted as to become the diuine Spouse by
in vs is persited He that loueth God loueth all those whom God loueth and soe he loueth his neighbour because God loueth him and will haue him to loue him Euery man is by nature our neighbour and because our father and mother haue most propinquity of nature with vs therefor the Commandements of the second table that concerne our neighbour beginne with the loue of our father and mother that all others might be vnderstoode by them who are our neerest neighbors In the first place our superiours spiritual and temporal are vnderstoode by parents Heb. 13. Of the first the Apostle saith Obey your Prelates and be subiect to them For they watch as being to render account of your soules Of the second S. Peter Be subiect to euery humane creature for God Pet. 1.2 whâ—ther it be to the king as excelling or to rulers as sent by him c. for soe is the will of God Here we are to speake both of the duety of children and of parents For as children owe a duety to their parents soe parents owe their duety to God as his children Children are to loue honour and obey their parents and to releeue them in their needes and parents are to instruct and correct their children and to prouide for their mainteinance Children must loue and reuerence their parents in their harts and must speake well of them and loue to heare them well spoken of and performe submissiuely all those filiall respects which children vse to their parents They must obserue them and learne at their good example They must obey them willingly and haue their consent in those thinges that concerne their course of life knowing that it is a mortal sinne in things lawfull and of moment to disobey them But if they should commande somethinge which were vnlawfull then we must hate our father and mother that we may be worthy of Christ and answere with S. Act. 5. Peter God must be obeyed rather then men Dutifull children shall haue a duble reward a long life in this world and an euerlasting life in the next Piety is profitable saith the Apostle to all things hauing promise of the life that now is and of that to come Tim. 1.4 And this reward consisteth not onely in the longnesse but in the happinesse of their present life that they shall liue prosperously and in felicity For in Deuteronomy where the Commandements are repeated more at large Deut. 5. it is honour thy father and mother c. that thou wast liue a long time c. and it may be well with thee They are to releeue their parents in all but most of all in their spirituall necessitys to see that they want noe necessary helpe for their soules As for the duety of parents to God they are to loue their children not for themselues but for Gods sake they are to instruct them or to see that they be instructed in their prayers christian doctrine and good life in which there is a great negligence in some parents The loue of parents to their children ought I say to be for Gods sake and not as some who are soe immoderate and vnwise in the loue of them that indeede they make fooles of them for want of instruction and dew correcting of their falts These haue not the right spirit of parents and their father which is in heauen will not omitt to punish this falt in them Will you see a pittifull example of this Reg. 1.4 Heli was a very good man but that he is noted of too much indulgence to his children and therefor both he and they were examplarly punished of God with suddaine death Israel being worsted in batle by the Philistaeans sent for the arke of our Lord into the campe amongst them and receiued it with such showtes and acclamations of ioy that the earth rang with the sounde of their cry and their enemys were terrifyed to heare it Great then were the hopes of Israel and their expectation of another day The day of batle was come and Heli not being able to be present himselfe at the fight for that he was almost a hundred yeares old caused a stoole to be sett ouer against the way and satt him downe on it to expect the newse of their good successe A messenger com's fast enough with ill newse and letteth him know that Israel was put to flight a great ruine was made of the people his two sonnes were slaine and that which was worst of all the arke of God was taken by the enemy With all which the old mans hart was soe surcharged that his strength beganne to faile his spirits to faint and by litle and litle quite forsaking him he fell backwards ouer and broke his necke A pittifull spectacle to behold the most venerable personage of all Israel the high Priest and Prince of that people to ly in that posture dead with sorrow And this imputed byauthors to noe other sinne in him but to too much indulgence towards his children This is a loue which beside the hurt which childreÌ„ receiue by it hindereth much the loue of God in parents diuerting their mindes from him and as it were turning him out of possession who ought to possesse the centre of our harts It is as hame for christians to haue noe better loue then that of nature which is commune to dumbe beasts The loue which parents ought to haue of their children ought to be gracious and orderly for the loue and honour of God and of such loue they may haue as much as they can but to preferre the loue of kindred before God is disorderly and vnworthy of a christian The man of the ghospell Luc. 9. whom Christ called to follow him excused himselfe for that he had his father to bury but this was not a good excuse natural loue being to yeeld and to obey God Christ knew what he had to doe and if he had not called him he had done a good worke in burying of his father but Christ calling him he ought to haue forsaken all and to haue followed him and therefor he said let the dead bury their dead but goe thou setforth the kingdome of God Those that preferre the loue of any thinge before God are spiritually dead as S. Tim. 1.5 Paul saith the that is in deliciousnesse liuing is dead But thou if thou regardest the life of thy soule follow mee and loue mee aboue thy kindred and all things Yet parents must take heed on the other side that they be not soe seuere in correcting of their children falts as to dull and disharten them Fathers saith S. Col 3. Paul prouoke not your children to indignation that they become not discouraged Let parents obserue this rule that they neuer seeme to correct their childre in anger but allwais for the desire of their good and let their children allwais see this desire in them For such reprehensions and corrections as they perceiue to proceede onely out of
THOV shalt not committe adultery As there is not any thinge which marryed folkes may challenge more iustly of one another then loue and fidelity soe there is nothing which they ought to disdaine more then adultery by which that trust and fidelity is broken betwixt them When they were marryed they betrothed themselues to each other promising perpetuall loue and euerlasting loyalty as two in one body and one hart This promise of loyalty which was then solemnely made betwixt them sealed by a Sacrament and deliuered into the hands of God is most treacherously violated by adultery Let therefor those that are married vnderstande the greeuousnes of this sinne as quite opposite to the perfection of their state and signification there of which is the inseperable loue and vnion of Christ with the Catholike Church In this Commandement all carnal sinnes are vnderstoode as forbidden by the name of adultery Fornication which is with a single person Deslouring which is with a virgin Incest which is with ones owne kinred Sacrilege with a sacred person All which are of seueral kindes and higher malice and therefor to be destinguished and particularly expressed in confession Carnal sinnes are communely called in English Beastly sinnes and they may well be soe called for by them especially men become like vnto beasts following onely their owne appetite and sensuality which is most sordid and brutish And although these beastly sinnes at first be pursued with terrours and remorse of conscience yet if they be often committed and not presently repented for they make men to become euen quite Brutish without any regard of God that the Prophet saith fornication and drunkennesse take away the hart Ose 4. And therefor this sinne hath bene most exemplarly punished The whole tribe of Beniamin was almost vtterly destroyed in punishment of one carnal sinne Iud. 20. Two of that tribe committing adultery with another mans wife the rest of the tribes conceiued such a disdaine at it that they all roze vp in batle to be reuenged of them And God permitted that the tribe of Beniamin should gett the better at first but it was to encourage them but to their owne ruine they being ouerthrowne in the end and such a slaughter made of them that of fiue and twenty thousand and seauen hundred valiant warriars six hundred onely were left aliue who saued themselues in the rocks and the remaines of the citty euen from men vnto beasts were deliuered to the sword and all the cittys and villages of Beniamin were consumed with fire for this one sinne We haue the vertue of chastity by many examples commended vnto vs especially in the law of grace First the Sonne of God himselfe taking the nature of man would make choyce of a virgin to be conceiued and borne of to be most conuersant all his life time with would keepe virginity himselfe would be baptized by S. Iohn Baptist a virgin would chose a virgin for his beloued disciple and at his death would commende his owne mother to that virgin to be as his mother and him vnto her to be as her sonne His Apostles obserued chastity and commended it to their disciples to be obserued by them And we haue many examples of holy men and women that haue followed them in it both in the primitiue times and euer since sufficient to inflame the harts of good Catholiks with the loue of it and to prooue chastity to be a vertue not soe hard to be obtained as some vncleane spirits of these latter times would perswade the world Diuerse holy men haue kept continent from their wiues and liued not as their husbands but as their brothers Not in sensible but inuincible by temptations of carnality which through care and vigilancy they still ouercame Cassianus reporteth of Iohn the Abbot that a lay man entring whilst he was in hand with a posessed person the deuil Cass coll 14. c. 7. whom he could by noe meanes driue out went out of himselfe at the comming in of that man The abbot admiring how the layman should haue that uertue was giuen to vnderstande that he hauing desired to enter into religion and being forced by his parents to marry against his will had kept his virginity in marriage for eleauen yeares at which he then confessed that it was noe meruaile that the spirit of impurity could not endure the presence of such a man S. Greg l 4. Dial. c. 11. Gregory relateth of a certaine married man that being made priest became such a stranger to his wife that vpon noe occasion for any necessity whatsoeuer he would permitte her to come neere him and hauing passed forty yeares as it were vnacquainted with her she came to see him at his death and approching with her care towards his face to perceiue by his breathing whether there were any life in him although he seemed to be dead yet he had life enough to feele her approching and with all the strength that he had he cryed out away with the woman for the fire is noe yet quite extinguished in mee S. Bernard being tempted by a lewd woman to sinne cryed out against her as against a theife or a murderer S. Thomas of Aquine seeing such another to enter into the chamber to him catched hold of a fire brand and droue her away with it and presently betaking himselfe to his prayers he fell a sleepe and had a vision in which the Angels girded him with a girdle after which time he was neuer troubled with carnal suggestions Such is the rewarde which God giueth to his seruants for one such combate valiantly mainteined and victory atheiued by them But what shall we say of that champion of chastity whom S. Hierome mentioneth epist de vita Pauli Who hauing ouercome many cruell torments his enemys resolued at last to assalt him by faire meanes and to attempt him by carnall sinnes They carried him into a sweet and pleasant garden laid him there in a bedde of feathers strowed with roses and delicious flowers neere vnto a riuer-side where the beauty of the place fresh ayre and pleasant noyse of the riuer might inuite him to delight and that he should not fly the temptation they bounde him downe with soft skarfes of silke and being thus bounde they sent vnto him a shamelesse harlot to tempt him O God free thy seruant in this excesse of temptation The wicked woman beginning to allure by such meanes as she knew and by such as the deuill would then suggest to her the yong man whose will was still free to resist sinne bate of his owne tongue and spitted it out at the harlots face that she might be terrifyed at the sight of his blood and he with that paine might ouercome the pleasure How many examples haue we also in the weaker sexe who by the grace of God haue bene strengthened aboue their nature in defence of chastity some coniugal some vidual and some virginal Dan. 13. Jt is better for mee saith
that the more they drinke the more their disease increaseth and their desire of drinke These ought to consider that riches are the creatures of God ordained for vse and if they be not vsed they are abused and the order is peruerted which God ordained in the creation of them Some sinne by excesse in the contrary that they will not thinke nor prouide how to liue but spend as long as they haue any thing and then they passe on a slothfull and carelesse life choosing rather as the common saying is hungar with ease then plenty with paines taking These must consider that God hath prouided sufficiently for them and if they will needs contemne the prouidence of God and spend all then they must vse their limmes to liue by and that euery man must liue of his owne care and labour in his calling The rich haue a more carefull and lesse painefull life the poorer as they haue lesse care so they haue more paines to take And if they be able they must worke and not thinke any more idly and loosely to depende of others then others thinke to depend of them These sinne by too much neglect of riches as they are good the couetous sin by too much loue of that which is base in riches The remedy of couetousnes is to stirre vp in our selues an ardent loue of God that we loue him in our riches and them not for themselues but for his sake and to doe sometimes some deeds of charity for this end that we may keep our harts allways free from the loue of riches and open to the loue of God and of our neighbour O that rich men would remember those words which King Dauid sang â—s 61. If riches abound set not your hart vpon them They might desire riches haue riches and keepe them if they would but keep their harts of them and vse them as God hath ordained them to be vsed Dauid performed himselfe that which in this he commended to others who although he were guilty of some other sinnes yet he is not noted at any time to haue set his hart on riches when they abounded with him as a king in plenty of all things He was a very charitable man gaue much to the building of a temple to God by which it appeareth that he sett his hart on almesdeeds and doeing works of charity and not vpon riches and if all rich men would doe soe they might be happy and blessed in their riches You haue now the ten Commandements declared the Commandements not of any king or superiour vpon earth but of God the maker of heauen and earth and who gaue these Commandements after such a terrible manner to the Israelits that as you haue heard they were allmost killed with feare at the receiuing of them because they were a hard harted people and as stubborne and peruersed children were to be gouerned with the sight of the rodde But we that liue in the law of Christ which is the law of clemency and grace and in which we haue such an example of the loue of God in the mystery of the incarnation and passion of the sonne of God we ought to be drawne by loue to obey him who intreating and exhorting to keepe his Commandements demandeth If you loue mee keepe my Commandements Io. 14. And a litle after he that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loueth mee We professe ourselues to be christians that is as the disciples seruants souldiers and spouses of Iesus Christ to loue him and we follow obey sight for and adulterate with the deuill his professed enemy O Christian is this thy loue is this to be a Christian the beloued disciple of Iesus Christ saith He that saith he abideth in Christ ought as he walked himselfe also to walke Io. 1.2 You would thinke it a horrible thinge to see a christian to deny his christendome and to become a Turke or Pagan and yet in deedes we deny it when we breake the Commandements of God which then we promised faithfully to keepe Tit. 1. They Confesse that they know God but in their works they deny saith S. Paul This is to be a christian in name onely and not indeede as the traitour or rebell to the king hath the name of his subiect but is not subiect to him and thus S. Iohn Euangelist was inspired to declare Io. 1.1 He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him If therefor you will be constant to the faith of Christ and beare truely the name of a christian be good christians keepe the Commandements of God let not the pleasure of any thinge draw you from him giue him the first place in your harts care not for the fauour of any soe as to loose the diuine fauour contemne riches forsake all vnlawfull desires beare afflictions losses iniurys imprisonment or any paine what soeuer rather then to committee any mortall sinne powre forth this life which here you enioy to please God the supreme goodnes better then life How many martyrs haue giuen their liues not onely in defence of faith but of the Commandements of God to fly sinne Dun 13. It is better for mee sâ—ith chast Susanna without the act to fall into your hands then to sinne in the sight of our Lord. Math. 1.2 Allthough all nations obey king Antiochus I and my sonnes and my brethren will obey the law of our fathers said the holy Priest Matathias when the kings officers vrged him against the lawes of God Death suffered for the loue of God maketh a martyr and soe S. Iohn Baptist was a martyr because he suffered for the good works which he did and soe S. Peter was a martyr in minde when for the loue of Christ he said with thee I am ready to goe both into prison and vnto death Luc. 22. And shall we for a moment of delight that endeth be it be begunne breake the Commandements of God loose his fauour and be banished from him for euer Let vs resist temptations couragiously and with zeale of Gods honour say from our harts all though all should obey the world the flesh or the deuill I will obey the law of God I will liue and dy in his seruice Lord my God for euer will I Confesse to thee Psal 29. THE SEAVENTH DISCOVRSE OF THE PATER NOSTER Quest Say the Pater Noster Answ Our Father which art in Heauen Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them their trespasses against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill Amen THIS is that blessed and most perfect prayer which Christ himselfe made and gaue to his disciples to teach them how to pray It is necessary then that the disciples of Christ vnderstand it and learn to
he comes to yeares of vnderstanding which he professed in baptisme by the months of those that then carried him And in another place he saith that christians should vse it as à looking glasse morning and night to examine themselues in their faith by it L 1 dosymb 1. By all which it doth appeare first that the Creede is of diuine autority as made by the Apostles and deliuered by word of mouth from them to posterity as the written word of the new Testament was from hand to hand to be beleeued with diuine faith Secondly out of S Ambrose and S. Augustine that it being a kea and a looking glasse which the Apostles made for vs we ought with great reuerence to keepe it and to vse it as such often frequenting it to locke vp the infernal darknes from vs and to open the diuine light vnto our soules and to examine ourselues in faith by it as by a looking glasse that soe we may allwais keepe constant to the Catholike Church Quest Say the Creede Answ I beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. Who was conceiued by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was Crucifyed dead and buried He descended into hell the third day he arose againe from death He ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty From thence he shall come to iudge vs all both the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the Holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The Resurrection of the flesh Life euerlasting Amen THE FIRST ARTICLE I Beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth In this article the Apostles professe their beleefe in the first person of the blessed Trinity in the following articles they professe the second person and the third But we are not here to vnderstande that God the Father without the Sonne and the Holy Ghost made the world for euery external worke which God doth is done by all the Persons of the blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost hauing all the same vndiuided power all equally concurring to the making of the world and of euery thinge that is conteined in it The Father is named first and the creation of the world is here particularly attributed to him because he is the first Person from whom the Sonne and the Holy Ghost eternally proceede God is rightly termed a father to signify his power loue and care ouer vs. God a father For as fathers beginne the generation that commeth of them and gouerne their children and prouide for them soe is God the beginner of this world he gouerneth it with his power and by his prouidence conserueth it Deut. 32. Is not he thy father that hath possessed thee and made and created thee By heauen and earth are vnderstoode all creatures heauenly and earthly that is both spirituall and corporal creatures And in this the power of God is expressed by his external works soe as is sufficient to destinguish him as the supreme power and to putt vs in minde of our duety to him and dependance of him as giuing vs our being and still conseruing vs in the being which we haue and which all creatures should presently and in an instant loose if he should withdraw his diuine helpe from them and there would be noe creatures at all but as there was once nothing but God God is the most perfect of all thinges and therefor a spirit all ouer by his power and his power is himselfe He is not conteined in any place now noe more then he was before the creation of the world He was all wais the same power the same goodnes and those infinite He euer had a decree to create the world and that eternall decree he performed in time making the Angels onely spirits men both spiritual in their soules and corporall in their bodys and other creatures as we see onely corporall He made heauen a place of glory for the good and hell a place of punishment for the wicked He desireth the saluation of all and giueth sufficient meanes of saluation to all that being the end for which he made vs. In this article we doe not say I beleeue in Gods makers c. but I beleeue in God the maker c. In which we haue two thinges professed Atheâ—sts First the essence and existence of God against prophane and wicked atheists and secondly against Pagans the being of one onely God This is here but breisly professed for the Apostles made the Creede but onely as an abbreuiated profession and rule of faith to ground and guide vs in the articles which we were to beleeue they prooued them in their preaching as neede required yet that there is a God as in the Creede they suppose it soe also they might doe in their preaching and needed not to prooue it to Iewes or Gentils who were then onely in the world and were neuer likely to deny it But now in these times of soe many heresys I doe not see that any point of faith whatsoeuer is more necessary to be prooued For heresy as it is a corruption of the true faith soe it corrupteth and destroyeth by litle and litle the very hart and roote of all faith and as it annulleth the authority of the Church it taketh away the foundation of all certainty and openeth a gappe to euery mans errors to say what he listeth and for shamelesse atheisme to enter in by it For make it once lawfull to disobey the Church which is the onely authority of God externally vpon earth as all archhaeretiks doe who beginne their new doctrines with obedience to noe Church then extant in all the world and then it followeth that euery man without controle may beleeue and teach what he will himselfe for there is noe authority vpon earth to controle him and soe he may as well teach atheisme as heresy Secondly those that are of God are ordained saith the Apostle that is to say they are with order Rom. 13. and he requireth there that we be subiect to higher powers not onely of necessity but for conscience sake now order importeth subiection and subordination of inferiors to superiour powers if then you take away this subiection and subordination of inferiors to superiours as haeretiks doe by disobeying the Church you take away all order in religion and by consequence you take away God and bring in atheisme and a worse disorder then is in hell How hateful then is heresy to God which is opposite to all religion and how dangerous is atheisme In Collar Patrum and necessary to be preuented in haeretical times Cassianus relateth an example of this in which he sheweth by experience that heresy leadeth into atheisme He sayth that there was a certaine religious man who beginning first of indiscretion to make comparisons betwixt the Saints and
indeede Iesus but also because it was his propper name imposed not by chance but by the will and expresse commandde of his father the Angell forespeaking it to the blessed Virgin when he said Behold thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and sâ—alt beare a sonne Luc. 1. and thou shalt call his name Iesus He is called Christ to signify his dignity and speciall functions according to his humanity Christ. for Christ is as much as to say The Messias or Annointed and he was annoinsed in diuerse respects Priests and kings are annointed because they haue authority from God to represent his maiesty Prophets aunciently were annointed because they were the interpreters of God and dispensers of diuine mysterys as Priests and kings are also in their kind Christ had all these offices and according to his humane nature he was Prophet Priest and king after an eminent manner and therefor he was eminently and singularly annointed not by the hands of Prophets or Priests but spiritually by God himselfe Ps 44. Thou hast loued iustice and hast hated iniquity therefor God thy God hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes God annointed Christ and Prophets Priests and kings are annointed as lesser Christs that haue power vnder him Christ shewed himselfe a Prophet actually prophecying many thinges and in particular the most remarkeable passages of his owne death and resurrection As priest he offered the most holy Sacrifice of his body at the last supper and afterwards againe he offered the same sacrifice of his body vpon the Cros. He also shewed himselfe to be a king and to haue regall power that could bring kings to adore him and that he could haue brought other kings and all the kings of the world as well as them to his feete if it had pleased him Besides the Catholike Church is his kingdome he is the head and king of it allwais with it vnto the consummation of the world His onely Sonne our Lord. The Apostles in the former article hauing professed the Father who is the first Person of the Blessed Trinity now they professe the second Person in Iesus Christ the Sonne of God S. Iohn testifying that which is here professed saith Io. 1.4 We haue scene and doe testify that the Father hath sent the Sonne the Sauiour of the world And then presently he addeth whosoeuer shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God God abideth in him and he in God This all good christians doe testify and confesse and for that end the Apostles made this article that we might allwais professe it We will see here CHRISTIANITY DEMONSTRATED THat which we beleeue and professe in this article was allwais beleeued by all true beleeuers euer from the beginning of the world All the quires of Angels in their first creation foresaw that the Sonne of God was to be incarnated in lesus Christour Lord and the good Angels willingly submitting to him and beleeuing in him were saued by his pretious blood But Lucifer and the wicked Angels could not endure to see the nature of man exalted to that high dignity aboue Angels that our nature should be assumed of God and not theirs which he could but would not assume noe where doth he take Angels saith S. Heb. 2. Paul but the seede of Abraham he taketh This was the sinne of Lucifer that ennuying and repining at the glory of humane nature in Iesus Christ he drew others into the same sinne with him and for aspiring to be aboue him in glory he was cast downe into the depth of the lake and lost that glory which he might and should haue had and which the good Angels haue by submitting to the diuine ordination in it This was beleeued by our first parents in paradise and euer since as I shall presently shew Christ was promised to them and after them to the following patriarks and after the Patriarks to Prophets they deliuered that faith to posterity vntill his comming he when he came deliuered it to the Apostles they to the Church the Church by a continuall succession of Pastors hath deliuered it vntill our times as it doth now to vs saying I beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth and in Iesus Christ his onâ—ly Sonne our Lord. In this faith all miracles haue bene wrought that euer were wrought in testimony of faith This was confessed by heauen earth seas by liuing trees and sensible beasts and not onely by holy men but euen by the powers of hell all the creatures of God obeying Christ at his comming This the Apostles saw and were commanded by him to speake it and when they were forbidden by his enemys Act. 4. they answered we can not but speake the thinges which we haue seene and heard and would loose their liues rather then they would cease from publikely professing it S. Paul who saw not the miraculous life of Christ with his Disciples nor heard his preaching but was afterwards called and enlightened by him became notwithstanding soe assured of this verity and by true charity soe vnited vnto him that he thought it was vnpossible for any torments to separate him from him Rom. 8. â—ho then shall separate vs from the charity of Christ tribulation or distresse or famine or nakednesse or danger or persecution or the sword as it is written for we are killed for thy sake all the day we are esteemed as sheepe of slaughter But in all these thinges we onercome because of him that hath loued vs. For I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalitys nor powers neither thinges present nor thinges to come neither might nor hight nor depth nor other creature shall be able to separate vs from the charity of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. S. Paul was rauished and enamoured with the beauty of Christs diuinity and was transformed as it were by loue into him confessing him to be the image of the visible Goâ— Colos 1. Heb. 1. The first borne of all creature by whom he made the worlds being the brightnes of his glory and the sigure of his substance Whom the Angels adore soe much more excellent then themselues as he hath inherited a more excellent name aboue them For to which of the Angels saith this holy Apostle did he say at any time Thou art my Sonne to day haue I begotten thee Colos 2. in whâ—m dwelleth all the fullnesse of the Godhead corporally All this did S. Paul say and professe of Christ It was then noe meruaile that with Gods grace he would defende him till death Thus did the Apostles professe of him and this profession they made good by many miracles which the enemys of christianity haue written of and confessed This the posterity of the Apostles haue allwais professed in former ages and haue stretched forth their hands and feete vpon racks and with cheerfull mindes haue yeelded their bodys into the hands of torturers
soe doe haeretiks deride the caeremonys of the Church but we haue an answere for them in Dauids words I will humble my selfe both in soule and body to God and will serue him with all my might spiritually and corporally This is a sufficient answere to all obiections against caeremonys There are two kinds of caeremonys Two kindes of caeremonys the one hath a direct and immediate relation to God without representing any particular mystery as kneeling at our prayers or to the B. Sacrament holding vp our hands adorning of Churches and the like The other is of caeremonys which represent some particular mystery as the signe of the Cros in relation to the Passion of Christ and the caeremonys of the masse and of the Sacraments which for the most part signify somethinge of his life or death By the first we humble our selues to God in the condition of our nature the same we doe also by the second and furthermore by them we remember and honour the mysterys which they represent All the caeremonys of the Church are in the same nature as corporal sacrifices Sacraments and vocal prayers outward expressions of our inward affection Neither can there be any thinge obiected against the nature of caeremonys but it hath the same force against them This is sufficient for caeremonys in general Now for the particular caeremonys of baptisme we neede but to shew that they haue holy significations The font consecrated First then the font is consecrated with holy oyle to signify the inward vnction of the Holy Ghost by the grace of baptisme Oyle is a liquor which spreadeth it selfe mollifyeth that which is hard and cureth wounds And therefor may well signify grace which diffused in our harts dilateth it selfe by good works softeneth and tendereth them to the loue of God and cureth vs from deadly sinne and therfor oile is often vsed in the Sacraments and caeremonys of the Church and was vsed in the law of Moyses Exod. 29. Exod 40. by the expresse commande of God in the consecration of Priests and of things that belonged to the Church The tabernacle and vessell theirof the altare of holocaust and the vessell theirof the lauer with the fâ—ote their of all shalt thou consecrate with the oile of vnction that it may be most holy The font being consecrated the child is brought to the doore and stayeth there to signify that we must first lay downe our burden of sinne and ease ourselues of it if we will enter into the house of our Lord. He is instructed in the christian doctrine by the Pater Noster and Creede c. Those that are baptized at yeares of discretion answere for themselues those that can not answere for themselues haue their God fathers to see them instructed in the duetys of a christian God fathers It was the Apostles care as they were pastors ouer all to prouide spirituall foode of instruction both for great and litle and therefor they instituted Godfathers in Baptisme who as nurses might feede yong christians and strengthen them in the doctrine of the Catholike Church That great Philosopher of Athens who liued in Christs time and was conuerted by the preaching of S. Paul was chosen of God for the recorder of the Church in those times and he as an eye witnesse hath declared the vse of Godfathers in these words Dionys part 3. c. 3. Ecclefiashier It hath seemed good to our captaines to receiue infants after that manner that the natural parents of the child should deliuer him to some man learned in diuine things whom as vnder a master or diuine father he leadeth the rest of his life Him whom S. Denis calleth there Diuine father we keeping the very same terme call him Godfather and this office was as you see by institution of the Apostles who were our captaines or els of Christ himselfe He further declareth in what words the Godfather vsed to vndertake his charge saying Ipromise to bring this child to the knowledge of holy thinges that by my serious admonitions he renounce the contrary and performe what he hath promised S. Augustine in a Sermon of Baptisme which he made after easter when it vsed to be more solemnely administred declareth in what things they ought to instruct their Godchildren Teach them saith he to obserue chastity to loue iustice to conserue charity and aboue all teach them the Pater Noster Crede and ten Commandements and the first rudiments of the christian religion This institution of Godfathers was very much to the aduancement of christian piety in all those that were to be baptized who although they were at yeares of discretion yet as yong christians were to be instructed in religion and deuotion Prou. 22. A yong man according to his way when he is old will not departe from it I haue somethinge of this disc 1. treating of instruction The Councell of Trent to auoide confusion in the office of Godfathers hath commanded that there shall be but one either a Godfather or a Godmother or at most both a Godfather and a Godmother Exorcismes are vsed to expell the deuils if they haue gotten any power ouer or about the party and that they may not hinder the due administring of the Sacrament In these exorcismes that power is exercized which Christ promised and gaue to his Apostles ouer vncleane spirits that they should cast them out Mat. 10. The signe of the Cros is often made in remembrance of Christs Passion and to signify that this as all other Sacraments hath its power and vertue from it Imposition of hands is vsed to signify the spiritual cure which is then done Christ declaring to his Apostles that they should cure by imposition of hands Spitle Spitle is put vpon the eares nose and mouth and the word Epheta is said in imitation of the same caeremonys of our Sauiour when he restored the impotent man of the ghospelâ— and to shew the custody Salt which we ought to haue of our senses against temptations Salt is put into the mouth to commende vnto vs wisdome in speech and actions salt signifying wisdome for as it is the seasoning of meates Col. 4. soe is wisdome and discretion the seasoning of our words and deeds Your talke allwais with grace let it be seasoned with salt saith the Apostle And because it is hard to speake much with discretion and without sinne therefor silence is often seasonable and much talke vnseasonable The Creede is said to professe the faith of Christ and the Pater Noster to signify our hopes in his merits which are then applyed The annointing signifyeth our spiritual warrfarre that as wrestlers aunciantly annointed themselues to become more actiue against their enemys soe we against the spirituals of wickednesse Godfathers in behalfe of their children renounce the deuils power and aske baptisme in their name that they may come as volunteers and not forced souldiers into the wartfare of Christ Baptisme is then giuen
the cheife Then the feast of Pentecost Thirdly the feast of Tabernacles in remembrance of God praeseruing them after their comming out of Aegypt for forty yeares in tabernacles Besides these they had also diuerse other lesser feasts as of the New moones c. but these were the cheife and soe solemne that they were kept with octaues and all the male people according to Maldonate was to be at them but now as shaddows their feasts are passed away Col 2. and oblige not Let noe man saith S. Paul iudge you in meate or in drinke or in part of a festiual day or of the new moone or of Sabaoths which are a shaddow of things to come to wit of more perfect obseruations and feasts that were to come in the law of Christ And therefor beside the Sabaoth which we celebrate euery weeke we obserue also other solemnitys of the cheife mysterys of the christian faith as also of our B. Lady and of the Angels and Saints intending allwais the supreme honour of God in them To sanctify holy dayes it is not sufficient onely to absteâ—â—e from seruil works but we much sanctify them by some special works of religion done on them to the sanctifying of our soules that they may haue the Sabaoth of a good conscience and rest from sinne Reg. 1.25 which causeth sohbing and scruple of haâ—t in vs. For this the Church hath commanded that euery one heare masse vpon holy dayes because it is the cheife act of religion as the sacrifice of the law of Christ and therefor fitting that euery one should be present to offer vp to God at least one masse euery holy day The other prayers of the Church as being much inferiour to the masse and sermon which is inferiour to the prayers of the Church oblige not all vnder a mortal sinne to be present at them Yet of deuotion it is sitting that all should be present also at those holy seruices of God which are to be preferred before any priuate deuotions of our owne Besides we shew more loue by those works of supererogation a good seruant will not expect to be commanded to euery thinge but of his owne accord will doe that which he seeth to conduce vnto his masters profit After euensong honest and modest recreations are not to be hindered those that haue labored hard all the weeke had neede of some time of recreation to refresh themselues and honest recreations may either lawfully be taken then or els they can neuer be had Those that are soe praecise to the contrary as some hypocrytical spirits of thesetimes haue bene commande they know not what and impose burdens which if themselues were to carry after a whole weeks labour they would not touch with their fingar God may be honored in such recreations and the seruants of God know how to honour him in them It is a great wickednesse in many who insteede of sanctifying of holydaies with good works and absteining from sinne make them the commune dayes of sinne prophaning them with new and more greeuous sinnes committed on them This is a circumstance at least fitting if not absolutly necessary to be expressed in confession For as it were a circumstance of higher malice for a subiect to strike at the king and to attempt to kill him on some solemne day in which he were reioycing in the midst of his people and comforting them with his gracious and glorious aspect soe it is a great sinne and heinous malice in a christian to giue himselfe to vice vpon holydayes and as it were to committe treason against God when his faithfull seruants are gathered together to praise and blesse him This commandement is broken by vnnecessary works but not by ringing of bells adorning of altares dressing of meate and the lâ—ke Christ himselfe allowed his disciples to doe such works on the Sabaoth day and when the Iewes murmured at them he iustifyed with good reasons that which they did saying Maâ—â— 2. that the Sabaoth was made for man and not man for the Sabaoth And when the Pharisys murmured at his curing on the Sabaoth day Luc. 14. he asked them which of you shall haue an asse or an oxe fallen into a pitte and will not incontinent draw him out on the Sabaoth day Luc. 6. And vpon the like occasion he asked them if it be lawfull on the Sabaoth to doe well or ill Yet God would haue this commandement to be soe strictly obserued in that law that it was not then lawfull to kindle a fire soe much as to dresse meate on the Sabaoth day nor to take a iourney aboue a mile or two at most according to Maldonate A man being apprehended for gathering of sticks on the Sabaoth day was brought vnto Moyses and Aaron but they not knowing the will of God what was to be done with him God himselfe gaue sentence of death against him Num. 15. saying to Moyses dying let tâ—is man dy let all the multitude stone him without the campe And they carried him out and stoned him to death Nay he would worke a miracle in praeseruing the Manna for two dayes together rather then they should gather it on the Sabaoth day although it were their necessary Foode and but a small labour How carefull then ought we to be in the keeping of this commandement in which God would be soe strict It is a great neglect in masters to dispose noe better of their affaires then to haue their worke to doe when their seruants should be at rest But in this as all other things the custome of the Church according to places is to be reuerenced THE FOVRTH COMMANDEMENT HONOVR thy father and thy mother that thou mast be longliued vpon earth Here now beginne the Commandements of the second table The three former were conteined in the first and in them was commanded that which pertained immediatly to the loue of God These belong to the loue of our neighbour The loue of God is the roote and foundation of keeping the Commandements for those that truely loue God will willingly and readily keepe his Commandements and by keeping them they are more and more grounded and perfected in the loue of him It was a high expression that of S. Iohn when he said God is charity and he that abideth in charity abideth in God Io. 1.4 and God in him by louing of God we are vnited vnto him we haue him in our harts we will that which he willeth and are as it were all one with him that as the Saints of heauen see all things in God who abideth in them soe it is a kind of heauen vpon earth to be vnited vnto God by loue afflictions being sweet and confortable in the loue and seruice of him And to know whether we haue the loue of God or noe the same Apostle giueth for a signe the loue of our neighbour saying in the same place If we loue one another God abideth in vs and his charity
ought very much to flourish and excell in this vertue louing their neighbour and bearing with one anothers falts Christ called his disciples brethren because he would haue them to be as brethren in loue and vnion of hart And it was the first name which christians had to be called the brethren euen before they were called christians for then as the Euangelist declareth the multitude of beleeuers had one hart and one soule Act. 4. And soe great was the loue of christians in the primitiue Church that their very enemys admiring at it Apol. 36. according to Tertullian vsed to say see how they loue and are ready euen to dy for one another The peaceable and mild of hart are the temple of the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in the house of peace the peeuish and malicious of hart are of the deuils spirit and the more their anger and malice increaseth the liker they grow to him The best is to foresee the occasions and to preuent them We haue many examples of the punishments of anger and to commende patience to vs. Col. 7. c. 27. Cassian recordeth how that the abbot Moyses was possessed by the deuill for one small impatience by which he sinned Serm. 15. Quadrag But it was a terrible sight that which S. Bernardin as an eye witnes reporteth of a woman in a great presse of people who by chance throwne downe by a yong man became soe madde with anger that the man falling downe on his knees to aske forgiuenes of her and she denying it in the sight of all was carried away by the deuill The example of the Priest Paphnutius was admirable in this euen in his youth Cas coll 18. c. 15. who liuing in the wildernes in great sanctity of life one of the brethren out of enuy to him to blemish his good name tooke occasion on the Sunday when all was at the Church to goe into his cell and to leaue there a booke hidden and comming presently to the Church as soone as seruice was done he complained publikely that some had stolne his booke from him At which all being strucken with admiration as a strange and vnvsuall thinge amongst them he that had hidd it desired that before any stirred out of the Church some faithfull persons might be sent to search in the cells of euery one for it Some of the auncienter Monks being sent founde it in the cell of Paphnutius hidden amongst the baskets and frailes which he made At which the holy yong man stoode a long time astonished neither daring to confesse nor to deny it But in the end he desired them to impose what punishment they pleased vpon him and going forth he afflicted himselfe with many teares and with two weeks fast absteining also from holy Communion and then prostrating himselfe at the threshold of the Church he asked pardon But it pleased God to to declare the innocency of his seruant for his enemy was forced to bewray himselfe the deuill possessing and pittifully vexing him And when none could helpe him he was dispossessed by Paphnutius his prayers Remedys against anger Authors haue praescribed many meanes for patience and remedys against anger but they may all be reduced vnto this that we procure in our harts a great loue of God and apprehension of his goodnesse Io. 1.4 for then we shall loue our neighbour for his sake If any man saith S. Iohn shall say I loue God and hateth his neighbour he is a lyer When therefor we are at any time prouoked vnto anger let vs presently make an act of the diuine loue and thinke that we see the liuing image of God in the face of him that prouoketh vs and although he abuse that image in himselfe by then prouoking vs yet God whose image he is is still the same as louely and beautifull as before Gen. 9. and therefor I will not abuse his image nor be angry at it Whosoeuer shall shed mans blood his blood shall be shed for to the image of God man was made Secondly we may consider our selues as the souldiers of Christ then called out to fight and that the armes of his souldiers are patience without which we can by noe meanes gett victory the enemys of Christ being armed with impatience If we saw two companys the one of them following of Christ for their captaine the others vrged and driuen on by the deuill which side would we take the one armed with patience and meekenes towards the other the other with rage and malice against them Behold in the one their pale faces staring eyes foming mouths and their whole bodys swelling with the deuils poyson who clappeth his hands and vrgeth them to more and more anger Behold on the otherside the graue and mild countenances of the souldiers of Christ shining like the sunne all this while on their enemys and laboring to pacify them Christ as their captaine exhorting them still to perseuer in patience Prou. 16. Which of these would we rather preferre a patient man is better saith the holy Prouerbe then a strong one and he that ouer ruleth his minde then the ouerthrower of cittys Thirdly we may consider the rewarde and blessing which the patient man gett's God then presently blesseth him and opening and enlarging his hart to receiue more and more fauours of him in the end he goeth away with the crowne of victory Fourthly we may consider the good which we may doe to others by the example of our patience our very enemy will be edifyed at it and although for the present he perceiue not the grace of thy good example yet with in a while he will see it and be sorry for his falt and thou shalt be better satisfyed with this then if thou hadst spitte in his face or taken whatsoeuer reuenge of him Fiftly we may consider the many hurts which are endangered when men are blinded with passion and want reason to guide themselues A man that were to runne a race in a craggy place full of pitts and praecipices with his eyes blindfolded were he not in manifest danger to fall and kill himselfe soe are men in their passion they goe not leasurely but runne headlong and being blinded in their vnderstandings Io. 1.2 what can be expected but ruine to them He that hateth his brother is in darknesse saith S. Iohn because darknesse hath blinded his eyes Many great euils haue ensued of passionate and crosse answeres which might haue bene preuented with a mild word spoken in time Lastly we may consider how that all afflictions are sent of God and come not by chance but for our tryall and good Tob. 12. soe the Angell comforted Toby saying it was necessary that temptation should prooue thee and therefor holy Iob said that God had taken his goods and had strucken him and he blessed God for it We will then be contented with them and make them wellcome as the messengers of God THE SIXT COMMANDEMENT
Susanna without the act to fall into your hands then to sinne in the sight of God Intending to loose her life and then crying out against the vicious old men that tempted her God heard her cry affrighted them saued her from sinne and from death afterwards by a miracle Iudith adorned with beauty youth and riches kept her chastity in widdowhood and was therefor chozen of God to be the instrument of the peoples safety killing Holofernes with her owne hands and putting his mighty army to flight Soe that the Holy Ghost hath left this commendation of her Iud. 3. Thy hart was strengthened because thou hast loued chastity and after thy husband thou hast not knowne another therefor the hand of our Lord hath strengthened thee and therefor shalt thou be blessed for euer S. Cecily seeing that she could not auoide marriage Sur. to 6. said vnto her husband on the day that they were married Valerianus I haue now a secret to tell thee I am in the custody of an Angell who hath charge of my virginity take heed therefor that thou attempt nothing against mee by which thou maist incurre the diuine wrath and he desiring to be certifyed of the truth was made worthy to see the Angell that kept her and was confirmed in the faith of Christ by it and became a martyr To relate the examples of chastity in the Saints and the punishments of carnall sinnes on the contrary were neuer to make an end Murderers and fornicators saith God from his throne their part shall be in the poole burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death The rootes of carnality are sloth and gluttony especially drunkennesse And the remedys against it are corporal austeritys moderate paines taking Apoe 21. and especially reading of good books and studying Loue literal studyes saith S. Hierome and shou shalt not loue the vices of the flesh But in time of actuall temptation the best is presently to fly the occasion and to keepe out of it as long as the temptation lasteth and if it continue still I thinke it the best not to stande repeating of many acts and purposes contrary to it but hauing once for euer detested it in our harts to sleight it and to thinke that we will be contented with such thoughts and will haue them willingly as long as it shall please God without repining and then to diuert ourselues by some good imployment and if we be by ourselues alone or at our prayers to stande streight vp on our feete and to keepe our selues quietly in that posture keeping our harts firmely Iob. 31. and earnestly fixed vpon the loue of God I haue made a couenant with mine eyes that I would not soe much as thinke of a virgin saith holy Iob. Women must be carefull to giue noe occasion as some doe who haue but litle scruple of it As for their attyre it is well when it is with decency and according to their ranke That which the Apostle aduiseth them not to adorne themselues in plated haire or gold or pretious stones or gorgeous apparell Tim. 1.2 is to be vnderstoode when they are vsed without order and with excesse or to an euill end THE SEAVENTH COMMANDEMENT THOV shalt not steale There are three kindes of temporal goods possessed by vs Life Honour and riches and these three kindes of goods are defended by three Commandements Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not committe adultery thou shalt not steale In the first life in the second honour and in the third our riches are defended from enemys All kind of vnlawfull taking away of our neighbours riches is forbidden in this Commandement whether it be by theeuery which is a surreptitious and priuate taking away or by robbery that is by violence and force or by sacrilege which is when sacred things are taken which is the greatest sinne against this Commandement as redounding more neerely and immediately to God By the sinne of stealing the vertue of iustice which giueth euery man his owne is violated and the grounds of all order and of humane conuersation is taken away to wit that euery one may haue and enioy his owne And therefor the Apostle saith that theeues shall not possesse the kingdome of God Cor. 1.6 Besides many euils are secondarily caused by it hatred enmitys suspicions rash iudgments quarrels and murders and sometimes the innocent are condemned for the guilty and loose their liues good name and all their temporall goods of this world for another mansinne Besides all this there is another burden which lyeth heauy vpon theeues to wit the obligation which they haue of restitution because it is not onely vnlawfull to take but also to keepe our neighbors goods from him or to hinder his right Ep. 54. ad Maccd or iust profit S Augustine the sinne is not forgiuen if restitution be not made That is if it be not made in due time And this restitution being many times hard and sometimes vnpossible to be made and allwais against their wills they hardly resolue to amende and seldome come to true repentance except they come to the gallowes which is a great mercy of God towards some This obligation of restoring was perhaps that which the Prophet would signify in theeues when he said Abac. 2. woe to him that multiplyeth things not his owne how long also doth he aggrauate against himselfe thicke clay as one that is fallen into a deepe pudle or quagmire sinketh still deeper and deeper and draweth more and more clay and mire vnto him that in the end he is choked and drowned in it soe theeues the more they steale the more restitution they draw to themselues to be made that in the end they are dishartened to thinke of it and soe goe on and dy in their sinne This Commandement is many wayes broken for not onely those that steale themselues but also all those that participate with them or harbour or countenance them sinne against it It is also broken by those that vse any deceit in words or deedes or any fraudulent meanes in buying and selling as not to sell good wares or not to giue good weight or good measure A deceitfull ballance is abomination before God Prou. 11. and an equall weight is his will saith the holy prouerbe Tradesmen also and those that being hyred neglect their worke and performe not a sufficient dayes worke offende against this Commandement as taking that which they haue not duely deserued Those also are guilty of this sinne that by sleights and lyes wrest rewards from others and those that receiue stipends for offices which they duely performe not There are also many kinds of robbery It is an abhominable robbery that which is done by the rich against the poore by vniust extorsions forced exactions or hindering any way by their awefullnes and power that they dare not aske or can not gette their owne of them Must the poore man that hath wrought hard all day goe
God because God sheweth himselfe there in glory as a King reigning in the mindes and hearts of his Saints who are in perfect loue and subiection to him And supposing here that which we prayed for before to wit that it be for the honour of God we may be vnderstoode to pray that our soules may be freed out of the prison of our bodys Phil. 1. and come soone to that happy state as the Apostle desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ The Kingdome of Heauen is the first thing Mat. 6. which we ought to aske for our selues Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the iustice of him and all these things shall be giuen you besides Christ said this to his disciples after that he had delinered the Pater noster to them in which he taught them first to aske the honour of God and then those things which were good for themselues and amongst all those things in the first place the kingdom of heaven Tract 102. This is saith saint Augustin that full and perfect ioy which we ought to pray for and which oll our prayers ought to aime at as the only true ioy Here the Romane Catechisme admonisheth Pastors to excite their people to the loue of that Kingdome by the sentences of holy Scriptures which are indeede frequent enough for it But in order to this it ought to be sufficient that Christ hath said in few words Aske and you shall receiue that your ioy may be full For what ioy should we desire but that which is full ioy and fullnesse of ioy is not to be had but in heauen Euery thing aspireth to that in which its cheife and full ioy consisteth Sensible things to that which pleaseth the senses liuing things to the conseruation of life and those things which haue onely being and noe life delight in that which is according to their nature and seeke to it because there is the fulnes of their ioy And shall the soule of man which is reasonable aboue all these things forsake that which is its cheife and full ioy All corporall things tende with violence thither where their cheife ioyes are and rest not contented vntill they enioy them The Sunne Moone and Planets reioyce in their courses the Starres in their stations and keepe themselues in them because there is the fullnes of their ioy The creatures of the earth are some aboue the earth some within it and some part within and part without it as trees and herbes and will not liue otherwise because there is the summe of their delight The fishes of the Seas and fresh waters seeke allways to be there and striue by violence to that place Light thinigs tende vpwards and heauy things to the centre of the earth because there they haue the fulnesses of their ioy The fulnesses of our ioy is noe where but in Heauen and why doe not we then seeke to it and abhorre all that hindereth vs of it We liue in this world as it is were out of our element in a place most lothsome to our soules a deadly prison condemned to dy continually and in danger of eternall death Rom. 7. What ioy can we take in this condition Vnhappy that I am saith the Apostle who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death The Kingdome of God is diuersely vnderstoode First it is general ouer all the world as he gouerneth and prouideth for his subiects which are the multitude of all creatures Secondly it is more particularly ouer the Catholike Church as the people of a Kingdome gathered together to worship him as their true King Thirdly more particularly yet his Kingdome is with the iust in whose harts he reigneth by grace of whom Christ the Kingdome of God is with you Luc. 17. Lastly his Kingdome is most especially ouer the blessed to whom at the day of iudgement he shall say Mat. 25. Come the blessed of my Father possesse you the Kingdome prepared for you Here we aske that we and all people may soe liue in the Communion of the Catholike Church by Faith and good works that in the end we may obtaine the glory of Heauen For this Kingdome is not otherwise obtained but by such faith as S. Gal. 5. Paul requireth which worketh by charity as by those who haue giuen meate drinke and cloths for Gods sake and they shall be excluded that come with the profession onely of Catholiks saying Mat. 7. Lord Lord open vnto vs but bring not with them the light of good workes Not euery one that sayeth Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen but he that doth the will of my Father of which point Saint Augustine wrote a booke de fide operibus in which he sheweth that the Epistles of S. Paul were misconstrued by some of those times as though he required not good works after baptisme cap. 14. but that faith alone did iustify And therefore saith he the other Epistles of Peter Iames and Iude were written to auouch vehemently that fait without good works profiteth nothing THE THIRD PETITION THY will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen Man hath not a greater enemy then his owne will when it is not gouerned by the will of God All good things which we haue come by the goodnesse of the diuine will and all euills that befall vs come through the malice of our owne wills The ignorance of our vnderstandings neuer hurteth our soules but when it is voluntary and all our sinnes proceede from thence that either we will not doe what we know is to be done or will not know what we are to doe Esa 5. Hence is that curse of the Prophet Woe vnty you that call euill good and good euill putting darknesses light and light darknesse putting bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter This curse commeth by the euill of our wills because we will follow our owne blindnes and not the will of God which ought to be our rule and guide in all things The malice of men beganne presently to be much vpon earth and the cogitations of their hart were soe bent vpon vpon euill that a deluge of waters was sent to destroy them This euill was in their harts that is to say in their wills because they followed not the will of God which is sweet and lightsome but their owne wills which are darke and bitter in effect and so haue all the euils of the world come Therefore we are topray and to labour with ourselues for conformity with the will of God Besides we not knowing what is best for vs aske that some times which is hurtfull as sicke folkes in a feauer desire that which hurteth them and as children who would take poison for treacle if they had there owne wills and therefore sicke folkes and children haue keepers whose wills they must follow and be directed by We are as children in our wills and vnderstandings both deficient by sinne God is our
the like they should haue pleased him saying Water to my feete thou didst not giue Luc. 7. Kisse thou gauest mee not with oile thou didst not annoint my head These deuout ceremonys were testimonys of the much loue of God which was in her and had the effect of words to obtaine the remission of many sinnes So the ceremonys of the Church are testimonys of our affection to God and dutys of nature which we owe to him and those that haue relation to some particular mystery as the signe of the Crosse and those of the Masse haue to the Passion of Christ moue vs to a deuout remembrance of that which they represent For as lacob set rods of diuerse colours before his sheepe that beholding them they might bringforth lambes of diuerse colourslike them so the Church of God by those ceremonys setteth good and holy obiects before our eyes that wee may produce thoughts and affections like them I haue spoken of ceremonys in the fift discourse treating of Baptisme and I neede not now to repeate the same things ouer againe If therefore the ceremonys of Masse represent pious and holy mysterys they are pious and to bee allowed of There remaineth then onely to expounde the ceremonys of Masse and to shew that they signify holy mysterys Before Masse the Priest changeth his habite for two reasons The Priests habite First to signify the expoliation of the old man that is the putting of of his former sinnes and the putting on of the new man in newnesse of life and vertues the ornaments of our soules Secondly his outwards ornaments are also in honour and reuerence to the mysterys which he handleth that he may appeare with comlinesse beauty and glory in the diuine service and therefore God commanded Moyses to make vestures of pretious matter to Aaron Exod. 28. and his sonnes adorned richly with gold and jewels for glory and beauty to exercise their functions of Priesthood in Their Priesthood was but the shaddow of ours our sacrifice is infinitly more perfect and therefor deserueth more beauty and glory in the Priests that offer it The ornaments which God appointed for them signifyed many morall vertues commended especially to Priests by them and so doe ours as may be seene in Authours who haue moralized on them But that which is most to be obserued is the relation which they haue to the Passion of Christ for the Church intending to doe that mystery in commemoration of his death vseth such vestments as may put vs in minde of it The Amict The Amict which he putteth first ouer his head about his necke signifyeth the cloth with which our Sauiour was blindfolded when they striking him bad him guesse who it was that strucke him The Priest crosseth it ouer his breast to sixe at it were in his hart a loue and reuerence to the Crosse of Christ And also to shew the prompt obedience and willingnesse of hart with which he vnderwent the sorrowes of his Passion euen straitened with the desire of that painfull baptisme The Albe The Albe signifyeth the long white garment which Herod and his court scorned him in For they desiring to see some miracles wrought by him Pilate sent him to them but he not answering to their curious desire nor shewing any miracles then to thē they scoffed at him and whit a long white garment that trailed vnder his feete they sent himback as a spectacle of derision the King of glory being vested as a foole The Girdle The Girdle signifyeth the ropes with which he was bound in the garden when they apprehended him as a malefactour to be tryed for life The Manicle The Manicle signifieth the cords with which his hands were fastened to a pillar that they might haue his whole body better to hitt and to wounde at their pleasure The Stole The Stole signifieth his carrying of the Crosse when they led him or rather pulled him through the streets of Hierusalem with his Crosse on his shoulders The Vestment The Vestment or vpper garment signifyeth the purple which in scorne they putt about him For the Iewes hauing obtained their desire of Pilate to wit that Christ should be deliuered to their pleasure to cleere themselues as though saklesse of his death they deliuered him to the Pagane souldiers guard to be abused and executed by them who carrying him into an outward court they fastened vnto his head a crowne of thornes put a reede into his hand a purple coate about him and then in mockery they kneeled downe and said all haile King of the I wes spitting in his face and beating him about the head with canes The Priest being thus vested with the memorials of Christs Passion com'sforth as an Angell of God to declare the diuine mysterys but in better termes then any Angell can declare them for that which he sayeth are the words of the Holy Ghost deliuered to him by the Church and that which he doth is more then any Angell can doe He commeth to the altare as to the Cros of Christ to offer him vp on it The Altare The altare is of stone to signify that Christ is the rooke vpon which our saluation is builded Oyle and the corner stone by which all that will both Iewes and Gentils are vnited vnto salvation It is consecrated with oile to signify the spirituall vnction of the holy ghost annointing and curing vs with the oile of grace And therefor oile is often vsed in the consecrating of holy things to signify the diuine grace which as a pretious and soueraigne oile is powred into our harts tendering them to the loue and seruice of God by the deuout vsage of those things Gen. 28. Thus Iacob awakening out of his mysterious sleepe erected a stone as a holy altare powred oyle vpon it and vowed a vow to God Exod. 29. And in the Law of Moyses Priests were commanded to be consecrated with oile Exod. 40 as also the tabernacle and the vessell theirof The altare of holocaust and all the vessell their of the lauer with the foote therof all shalt thou consecrate with the oile of vnction that they may be most holy Altars towards the east Altares vsed aunciently to stande at the east end of the Church to signify saith S. Augustine the glory of God to whom we pray by the superiour and more glorious nature of the sunne rising out of the east also to putt vs in minde of the coelestiall Pararadise by the terrestriall which was in the east We pray also eastward as beholding Christ on the Cros who is thought to haue bene Crucifyed toward the West The Palls or linnens vpon the altare signify the syndon in which the Corps of our Sauiour were wrapped The Pals Chalice and Patene For S. Marke recordeth that when Christ had expired vpon the Cros Ioseph a noble Senatour hauing obtained his body of Pilate bought Syndon and taking him downe Mar. 15. wrapped
which the cheife and essentiall parts of Masse are conteined Oslertory The Offertory is a praise giuing to God after the preaching of the Ghospell thatas faith commeth by hearing and is receiued in the hart so prayse also may be giuen by the mouth It is a deuout and auncient custome to offer gifts at the Offortory by which the people concurring then with the Priest and consenting to that which he doth say as it were I beleeut and professe that which is here professed and I consent vnto and combine with the Priest to offer that which he offereth to God These offerings are iustifyed by our Sauiour himselfe Mat. 5. saying If thou offer thy gift at the Altare c. goe first and be reconciled to thy brother and then comming thou shalt offer thy gift And God expresly commanded in the law of Moyses Deut. 16. that when they came to the solemnitys of the Temple There shall not appeare before our Lord any empty but euery one shall offer according to that he hath according to the blessing of our Lord his God which he shall giue him Then the Host and the Chalice are prepared and offered The bread is then called an immaculate host not for that it is then an host but in respect of the future for that it is to be a most immaculate Host and perfect Sacrifice as the tree of Paradise was called the tree of the knowledge of good and cuill in respect of the future for that we were to haue the knowledge of euill by it This offering before consecration signifyeth the voluntary oblation by which Christ offered himselfe in minde before the oblation of the Crosse A little water is mixt to the wine Chrysost in Missa according to the custome of the auncient Church to signify the issuing out of blood and water from the side of Christ when one of the soldiers blindly but mysteriously opened it with a lance The Host and the Chalice being deuoutly prepared the Priest turneth about to the people and sayeth Orate fratres to desire their prayers Orare fratres that the host may be pleasing to God and profitable to them and to the whole Church and they pray accordingly Then the Priest prayeth in secret Secr. tâ— praycrs to represent the time of Christs retirement For the Priests of the Iewes and Pharisys seeing the force of his doctrine and miracles and that by no meanes they could preuaile against them procured an edict to be setforth to apprehende him and laid in wait to haue killed him But what are the councells of man to contest with God sometimes he disappeared out of their sight and past vnseene through the midst of them Ioan. 7. some time she rerired himselfe and kept out of their hands because his time was not yet come But the Feast of the Pasch drawing neere he returned from beyond the seas of Galily into Iury againe Prasaâ—ion for he chose for his Passion the Paschall time when greatest refort of all nations might he at Hierusalem as spectators and witnesses of his sufferings Then he preached publikly amongst them and with that applause of the people that for all the power and malice of his enemys they slocked neuerthelesse by multitudes vnto him and with great honour and acclamations of ioy conducted him solemnely into Hierusalem as the Church celebrateth in the office of Palme Sunday and is now celebrated at the Praefation and therefore the Priest spreadeth his hands intoken of ioy and inuiteth all the Angelicall quires to prayse God with him repeating the words which the people then cryed saying Mat. 21. Blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. Hosanna in the Highest and the words of the Seraphims who cryed Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Holy Holy Holy in the presence of God Esa 6. and he maketh the signe of the Crosse before him to shew how litle Christ regarsted the glory of this world that in all that prompe he had nothing before his eyes but the good of soules weeping then for the sinnes and desolation of that people This part of the Masse is called the Praefation or Praeface as an introduction to the Passion of Christ which is represented at the consecration His birth was celebrated at the Gloria in excelsis his life vntill he beganne to preach is signifyed in that which followeth vnto the ghospell his preaching in the ghospell and Creede the beginning of his persecution in the secret prayers his glorious entrance into Hieâ—tsalem in the Praeface his last supper and death is commemorated in the consecration After the Praeface followeth the Canon Canon that is to say the rule and order Which Christ the Apostles and their successors haue instituted for the deuout and worthy offering of this Sacrifice The Priest prayeth for his superiors spiritual and temporall and for his benefactors and freinds that are liuing and for whom or whatsoeuer he intendeth to pray professing all our hopes and confidence to be in this blessed Sacrifice he prayeth in secret to signify the dolorous time of Christs Passion he maketh then a commemoration of our B. Lady and of the Saints mentioning none but martyrs as witnesses of Christs Passion in their blood For although our B. Lady did not actually suffer death for Christ yet she was a Martyr in that she actually suffered the paines of death that is to say paines sufficient to haue depriued her of life according to the Prophecy of Simeon that a sword should pierce her soule The time of consecration drawing neere the Church prostrateth herselfe with all humility in prayer to God Consecration beseeching him that as there neuer was nor euer can be any thinge soe deere and pleasing to him as Iesus Christ his onely sonne and as the works which he did and ordinances which he ordained and as of all the ordinances which he left to the Church this is the cheife and summe of all in which he would bequeath his owne body to remaine for our continuall Sacrifice amongst vs soe he will vouchsafe to accept of that Sacrifice and the loue of him to be soe grounded in vs that in all temptations and aduersitys of this world we may cleaue to him and in the end be admitted into his blessed company in heauen He taketh then the host into his hands and blesseth it with the signe of the Cros. S. Augustine Ser. 181. de temp with the signe of the Cros we consecratethe body of our Lord and whatsoeuer is consecrated in the name of Christ is consecrated with this signe The host is then consecrated that manner of consecration being exactly obserued which Christ commanded at the last supper After consecration he kneeleth downe to the blessed Sacrament Eleuation and neuer toucheth it or vncouereth the Chalice without kneeling downe of reuerence to it for if the Apostle requireth that euery knee bow of the calestials terrestrials and insernals at the name of Iesus