Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	life_n	love_v	sin_n	5,817	5	4.6494	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37390	A Declaration of the principall pointes of Christian doctrine gathered out of diuerse catechismes and set forth by the English priests dwelling in Tournay Colledge.		1647 (1647)	Wing D742; ESTC R17718	151,131	593

them is so great as that they exceed all kindes of creatures in the world both men beastes birds fisshes plants and all other speciesses of thinges which we see vpon the earth And they are distinguished into three rankes which are called Hierarchies and euery Hierarchie consisteth of three orders whereof the highest are called Seraphins and the lowest Angells and amongst the highest Lucifer is held by many to haue been the chiefe of all who fell through pride and so although he was the perfectest creature that euer God made he is now become through his owne fault the most miserable and damned creature of all others The next to him as some conceaue was S MichaÃ«l who is in nature the perfectest creature of all that enioy God all though both in grace glorie the Blessed Virgin doth farre surpasse both him and all the rest 11. How many men were created at the beginning Only one that is Adam and out of him Eue the woman was made from whom afterwards all mankinde did proceed LESSON IV. Of Man 1. WHat is man Man is a reasonable creature made of body and soule 2. Of what was his body made Of the slime of the earth 3. Of what was his soule made It was made of nothing 4. What is a soule It is a spirituall substance ordained to informe a body immediatly created by God endued with vnderstanding and freewill whereby man is truly made to gods owne image and by which also he resembleth the Angells and differeth from all other mortall creatures 5. For what end did he create man That he might know God and knowing loue him and louing praise him for these are the thinges in which man ought to employ his whole life And his last end is to enioy him in heauen 6. Why hath God made mans body who is so noble a creature of so base a substance as is earth and dust Thereby to abate his pride and so keepe him humble by the consideration of his extraction 7. Wherefore did he make his soule so noble a substance To the end that he might be capable of enioying God himselfe and also that knowing his owne worth and dignity to be so farre exceeding all other mortall creatures his actions should likewise be answerable and surpasse the actions of all other inferiour creatures 8. What goods hath God bestowed vpon men Two sorts of goods some internall and belonging to the constitution of himselfe as the three powers of his soule whereby he is endued with reason and the fiue senses of his body with all the partes belonging to it others externall as the heauens and earth and all the thinges contained in them which were made for the entertainement and seruice of man 9. Which preuaileth most in man sense or reason For the first seuen yeares sense hath the whole gouerment of man but after seuen yeares reason by little and little beginneth to get strength and groweth on to the age of thirty the Philosophers not admitting a time of wisedome and coÌ„stant iudgemeÌ„t vntill we come to the standing part of mans life which is when we leaue growing Yet she can neuer quite conquer sense by reason that it is deepely rooted and accustomed to sway vs by hauing had at first a long possession ouer reason 10. Which ought to sway most with vs sense or reason Certainely reason for if man be a reasonable creature as we haue defined him to be then reason must be the nature of man and so to do against reason were to do against nature and consequently to sinne Againe sense only considereth the present and so it is apt to precipitate vs into future inconueniences whereas reasoÌ„ which forecasteth what is to come keepeth vs out of such dangers Moreouer reason hath one conduct and gouerment through all and settleth vs in a stable way tending to one incommutable good whereas sense setteth our hearts vpon vncertaine goods and such as may be taken from vs and so it putteth vs in casuality to be euer grieued for who looseth what he is in loue with must needes be grieued according to the measure of his loue 11. What becomes of mans body and soule after his death The body returnes againe to earth of which it was made as the graues do well testify the soule retaines its being for all eternity ether in hell or heauen 12. Doth euery soule presently after that it is separated from the body go immediatly ether to heauen or to hell No for some go first to purgatory before they go to heauen but those who go to hell go all immediately thither as soone as they are separated from their bodies 13. Which be those that go immediately to heauen The soules of those that dye in the state of grace and haue in this life payed all debt due for their sinnes for these soules whilst they were in their bodies did loue God aboue all thinges as being good in himselfe and therefore they could not choose but also desire to know and see him whom they loued so much And this same desire because it is of an immutable good remaineth also after death yea it is then much increased because the soule hauing no more any distraction by its senses it is wholy set vpon that obiect and therefore it would be miserable if it did not obtaine it But God who is all goodnesse can not be so cruell as to let one be miserable for louing him and therefore he doth immediately let himselfe be seen vnto him which is to be in heauen or perfectly blessed And so you see how those who dye in that happy state go immediately to heauen 14. Which be those that go first to purgatory before they go to heauen The soules of them who dye in the state of grace and haue not fully satisfied for their sinnes in this life for those soules at their death are in such a state that though they firmely loue God as their greatest and finall good and so are content to forgoe all thinges rather then offend him mortally yet their loue is not pure because they loue worldly thinges withall by an inordinate affection being loath to leaue them though thereby they know they should see God the sooner Now soules departing with such affections are not fit to see God vntill they be purified from all such drosse and so they remaine in paine not being able to attaine that blisse which they chiefly desire vntill by suffering they paie what is due to God his iustice or vntill by the churches helpe God of his mercy rectifieth them 15. And which be those vnhappy soules that go to hell The soules of them who dye without repentaÌ„ce in ther woefull state of mortall sinne whereby whilst they liued they did fasten their soules vpon some other object more then vpon God from which after their death they cannot turne themselues to God for want of gods grace and so they can not see or enioy God for how should they enioy that which they doe not

and Adam lower then they were and made all other creatures rebell against them and rendred them slaues to their owne passions it rendred their bodies obnoxious to death and miserie their vnderstanding to ignorance and errors and their will to malice and the Diuell And no wonder for if the loue of God was the cause of those good effects in them the contrarie must needs breed contrarie effects 5. What comfort then did there remaine for them None at all but God his mercifull goodnesse for they had no meanes left in themselues to defend themselues from so manie enemies or to deliuer themselues from the miserie they were in they could not deserue so much as that God should take pittie of them for hauing lost intirely his grace they had of themselues no power anie more to doe the least good worke as it ought to be done not so much as to praie to God to assist them 6. This disaster was it to goe no farther then to Adam and Eue Yes to their children and to all their posteritie For as all the fruits of an ill roote are ill and cleare water cannot proceed from a fountaine which is infected no more could there be borne of our first pareÌ„ts infected with sinne anie other but sinners For Adam his first sinne did not infect him only as a particular person but also as the generall roote of all mankinde 7. Are we all then borne in sinne Yes for as those who were borne of Adam and Eue were borne sinners by the infection of their Parents so were their children likewise for the same reason borne in sinne and the children of their children and so it must needs be for all their posteritie to the worlds end And the reason of this is because Adam falling from the loue of God to loue himselfe more then God which loue was contrarie to reason this change in his soule could not choose but worke a great change in his verie bodie and destroye its former good dispositions that were fitted to the grace of innocency by moulding in it others of a contrarie bias For we see by experience that our soules operations haue strong effects in our bodies we see that when we heare good newes the ioy in our soules maketh our very bodies light and iocond and when we grieue the griefe of our soules redoundeth to our bodies and maketh them dull and heauy Now then Adam being changed not only in his soule but also in his very bodie he could not make his sonnes bodie with a better disposition then his owne bodie had which was not now disposed to be subiect to reason but the quite contrarie for the soule by louing an other thing better then God carried the bodie along with it and put it into possession of command against reason and so it remained in rebellion with its proper motion independent of reason which bad disposition being deriued also to the childs bodie and being there as a marke of that transgression which we did all of vs incurre by Adam it reÌ„dreth the same bodie through a necessarie consequence by reason of Gods couenant with Adam vncapable of anie other soule but such as is guilty of that losse which was inflicted by God vpon Adam and vpon all his posterity in case that he did breake his coÌ„mandement From whence it followeth that no other soule could be due to such a bodie as Adam made to his sonne but such as was depriued of originall iustice And this is that which Christians call originall sinne to witt the missing of grace or originall iustice in the child as proceeding from the guilt which we contracted through the fault of our first father in whom we all sinned So that the want or priuation is particular to euery one the cause or actuall sinne only in Adam 8. But seeing that Adam after his fall did pennance and began to loue God anew did he not recouer againe the former good dispositions as well in his bodie as in his soule both for himselfe and his posteritie No for this second loue being preuented with dispositions in man contrarie to it selfe it could not according to the ordinarie course of God his prouidence produce that effect which the first loue did that found no such contratie dispositions but all thinges fitted to it selfe Nether can it on the suddaine extirpate those contrarie dispositioÌ„s but with a great deale of paine and labour and neuer wholy because these affections and ill dispositions of sensuality goe before reason and are in some sort independent of it infecting the motions of sense before reason can espye it And so allmighty God hath most iustly ordained that these ill inclinations caused by this inordinate loue should alwayse remaine in mankinde as due punishment for his first sinne And this is that which is called concupiscence which is an inclination that draweth our harts to loue our selues more then God contrarie to the former good disposition that was in man by the grace of innocencie And no wonder if since the soule cannot be without loue and hauing lost the loue of God it runneth after sense and loueth those thinges which sense proposeth seeing that sense is the gate that openeth the way for obiects to enter into our soule LESSON VIII Of the Redemption of man 1. DId God allmighty abandon man in this his most miserable state No for Adam had no sooner sinned but God moued by compassion out of his meere goodnesse promised to relieue him by the meanes of Iesus Christ who being to descend from Adam and Eue by the blessed Virgin was to redeeme mankinde and to bruize the head of the serpent that is of the diuell by whom Eue was seduced 2. Did God fullfill this promise presently No he expected foure thousand yeares or there about 3. In what state was the world all that time In the state that the sinne of our first father had put it into 4. Were all men then in the state of sinne and damnation Yes in so much that those who were saued were only some few in whom God conserued his grace and a liuely faith of his promise so that of the whole world in Noes time hardly eight persons were found iust in the sight of God and presently againe not fiue men in fiue cities 5. Were the Iewes of the number of those few Not all but only those who had a liuely fayth of Iesus Christ as chiefly the Patriarkes and Prophets and some others 6. Was all the rest of mankinde damned Yes except some particulars whom God did fauour extraordinarily amongst the Gentiles as Melchisedec Iob and some others All the rest were vnder the power of the Diuell who abused them so farre as to make them adore stones beasts for Gods 7. Why did God expect foure thousand yeares before he redeemed mankinde To the end that men might know the grieuousnesse of sinne which was coÌ„mitted against him seeing that it was the cause of the ruine of so manie soules and

doth receiue profit by the sacrifice preaching doth instruct whosoeuer will heare euery man in the church may assist his companion by prayer the liuing do assist the dead in purgatorie by almes and good deeds and the blessed in heauen do assist the liuing vpon earth by their continuall intercession for them to allmighty God ARTICLE X. 45. DEclare the tenth Article Forgiuenesse of sinnes I belieue that to the holy Catholike church only and to no other society there is giuen by God power for true forgiuenesse of sinnes by meanes of the holy sacraments whereby men from being children of the diuell and guilty of eternall damnation do become the children of God and heires of Paradise 46. How doth the Church forgiue sinnes By the meanes of Priests who as God his Ministers haue power to forgiue sinne by vertue of the sacraments and particularly of Baptisme and of Pennance by Baptisme only once but by Pennance as often as man sinneth and truly repenteth for it And this benefit is so much the greater because it is particular to the law of grace for no man either in the law of nature or in the law of Moyses euer had power to remit sinne ARTICLE XI 47. DEclare the eleuenth Article Resurrection of the flesh I belieue that in the end of the world all men shall rise taking againe the selfe same bodies which they had when they were liuing and this by the power of God to whom nothing is impossible but the elect shall haue their bodies glorious and beautifull and shall be lifted vp with their bodies into the aire to meete Christ at the day of iudgement whereas the cursed shall remaine on earth hideous and woefull to behold 48. Why did not the Apostles say the resurrection of man but the resurrection of the flesh To shew to vs that whereas man doth consist of two parts soule and body the body is only that which perisheth by death the soule being immortall and consequently vncapable of resurrectioÌ„ for nothing is reuiued but that which is first dead 49. Shall we rise in the same bodies that we had whilst we liued Yes to the end that the same body which contributed in this world to our good or euill life may likewise receiue an eternall recompense or punishment And in effect if we did not receiue the same body which dyed it would not be a resurrection but a new production for since that to be resuscitated signifyeth to take life againe that which is resuscitated must be the same which dyed before 50. How shall this be done We are sure that it shall be done and S. Paul is so certaine of it that he telleth vs that if the dead shall not rise Christ hath not risen We are sure also that it shall not be done by our owne forces for Philosophers teach vs that that which is once corrupted cannot be naturally reproduced but it shall be done by the hand of allmighty God who can make againe when he pleaseth that same thing which he hath once made 51. Shall all bodies rise with the same defects they had whilst they lived as being dwarfes giants lame monsters and the like No for these defects and deformities proceed only from the excesse or defect of nature whose worke they properly were But the worke of their resurrection being properly the worke only of God it must needs be perfect and without all defeat and therefore it is generally belieued that all the blessed shall rise in that perfect stature which nature should haue giuen them at the three and thirtith yeare of their age at which age our blessed Sauiour did rise himselfe ARTICLE XII 52. DEclare the twelfth Article Life euerlasting I belieue that there is reserued for good Christians life euerlasting by enioying the sight of God full of felicity and free froÌ„ all kinde of euill as contrarywise for infidelles and bad Christians there is a life full of eternall punishment ouerwhelmed with misery and voide of all good 53. In what doth the happinesse of this eternall life consist In knowing and louing God for knowledge and loue are the pleasures of the soule or minde which must needs be greater then the pleasures of the body since that the body hath pleasure by the miÌ„de for take away the miÌ„de or reflexion vpon the obiect and it hath none Now the content of loue encreaseth to the proportion of knowledge and amongst knowledges the most vniuersall giueth the greatest pleasure What pleasure then must it be to see God in himselfe who is beyond all causes and in whom all thinges are conteined We shall discerne in him the essences and reasons of euery particular thing from the creation of the heauens and millions of Angells to the parting of two dusts in the high way so that no variety can be sought which is not found in him Neither can we desire any change for no body desireth a change or variety vntill he hath a satiety of what he enioyeth that is vntill he hath perfectly knowne it and found it lesse then his desires for till then he hath rest content and quiet in the obiect he enioyeth Now God is farre beyond the capacity of our desires so that for all eternity we shall finde in him more then we can desire and consequently for all eternity haue vnspeakable content and rest in him Besides euery ones memory shall contribute to this contentment by remembring the dangers they haue escaped of loosing so great a good and by calling to minde their owne good actions wrought by them through God his grace in this world especially those great ones martyrdome teaching and virginity which speciall contents caused by the memorie of those vertuous heroike actions are called by some Diuines Aureolae 54. In what shall the paine of the damned consist It will consist likewise chiefely in the soule for as pleasure cometh to the body from the soule so doth griefe and therefore as the pleasure of the soule is greater then the pleasure of the body so must the griefe of the soule by being depriued of this pleasure needes be a paine surpassing without comparison all corporall paines 55. Must this next life needs be eternall Yes for those who see God caÌ„not choose but loue him aboue all thinges God as we sayd before doth neuer faile to blisse them that loue him wherefore since that nether the blessed can leaue to loue nor God will leaue to blisse those that loue him their happinesse can haue no end And as for the damned they can neuer begin to loue because they want God his grace without which we cannot loue God aboue all thinges and therefore they must needs remaine for all eternity in the same miserable state into which they haue cast them selues through their owne fault 56. Shall the glorie of the Saints be equall in heauen No some shall haue greater glorie then others according as they haue serued God more or lesse in this world Yet all shall be equally content in

WHat is Charity Charity is a vertue whereby we loue God aboue all thinges for his owne sake only and our neighbour as ourselues also for God his sake 2. What is it to loue God aboue all thinges It is to loue him more then any creature and more then ourselues so as to be ready to depriue ourselues of all thinges and of our life also rather then to offend him 3. What is it to loue God for his owne sake only It is to loue him principally for no other reason but because he is infinitely good excellent and worthy to be beloued 4. What is it to loue our neighbour as our selues It is to desire to him for Gods sake that is because God will haue vs to do so the same goods which we desire to our selues and to treate him in the same manner as we would haue him to treate vs for he being of the same nature with vs and made by God for the same end it were vnreasonable and contrary to God his determination not to desire the same goods to him which we desire to our selues since that God hath fitted him for them as well as vs. 5. May one loue himselfe also Yes and we are bound to do it in some manner but in some manner we may not for there are two manners of louing ones selfe one naught the other good 6. Which is the naughty manner It is when we do not referre to God the affection which we beare to our selues but rest wholy in our selues by seeking inordinately our owne contentment 7. Which is the good manner It is when we desire any thing for ourselues because God will haue vs desire it intending thereby to fulfill in ourselues Gods holy will concerning ourselues 8. The loue which we beare to ourselues in this manner doth it proceed from the loue which we beare to God Yes for by louing God truly we loue all that which he loueth and we do will all that which he willeth as well in ourselues as in our neighbour for God hauing made vs to a determinate end in so making vs he hath directed vs to some actions and functions and so we owe to God our endeauours conformable to such actions and also the conseruation of our selues whereby we may be able to do them 9. What are the goods which God will haue vs desire for our selues Those which make vs capable to attaine that end for which he hath created vs that is to loue him and to serue him eternally 10. Which are these goods They are God his holy grace whereby we are sanctified and all that both corporall and spirituall which helpeth vs to gett the same and to conserue in according to the rules of the Ghospell 11. Must we desire these same goods to all men Yes but still with conforming ourselues to the eternall decrees which God made concerning the giuing of them to each man in particular 12. Is it thus then that we do satisfy the precept of Charity which we owe to our neighbour Yes supposing that this affection be truly settled in our heart and that we do testify the same by effects when occasion is giuen 13. Who is our neighbour All men in the world but not all in the same manner nor in the same degree 14. How are all men in the world our neighbours Because all men are issued out from one and the same father and mother Adam and Eue all are composed of one and the same nature and all are capable of the same euerlasting blisse which maketh that they are all not only neighbours but also brethren and for this reason obliged to loue one an other sincerely 15. Why are not all men neighbours in the same manner Because some are neighbours only in respect of their humane and corporall birth others are also neighbours in respect of their diuine and spirituall birth by Baptisme whereby all Christians do become children of Iesus Christ their common father 16. Thy are not all men neighbours in the same degree Because some haue a greater alliance with vs then others as well in respect of our humane and naturall birth as our parents who begot vs and our kindred who come from the same race and family are nearer to vs then other men in generall as also in respect of our diuine and supernaturall birth by Baptisme for Prelates and Pastors who are in the Church as second fathers to vs and our Godfathers and Godmothers who are our spirituall kindred are more neare vnto vs then other Christians who are our spirituall brethren only because they are borne of the same common father Iesus Christ And likewise amongst our Christian brethren we owe more to them who are more holy and more vertuous then to others because they are as our elder brethren and as the first begotten in the family of Iesus Christ 17. Who are more neare vnto vs those who are our neighbours by corporall birth or those who are our neighbours by spirituall birth Those who are our neighbours by spirituall birth yea they are nearer to vs then our owne kindred if they be not Christians for our kindred appertaine vnto vs only by reason we are borne of the bloud of the same man but Christians are borne of the bloud of the same God who is Iesus Christ 18. How then must we exercise Chrity We must exercise it according to the aforesaid degrees by preferring allwayes our kindred before other men and Christians before Pagans and Catholiques before Heretikes and Schismatikes 19. Must we loue Catholikes only because they are our brethren borne of the same bloud of Iesus Christ This is one reason why we must loue them but besides this we must loue them also because they are our fellow members and compose together with vs truly and really one and the selfe same mysticall bodie whereof Iesus Christ is the head 20. Must we not then loue Catholikes also as members of Iesus Christ Yes and not only so but in some sorte as Iesus Christ himselfe for we finde Iesus Christ himselfe in them in some sorte First because they make but one bodie and one selfe same mysticall person with him and secoÌ„dly because his owne diuine spirit the Holy Ghost is the common soule of this body and so by being deriued from Iesus Christ as from the head vnto all the other members it maketh vs all to partake of Iesus Christ And therefore he sayeth in the Ghospell that all that one shall doe to the least of the faithfull he will hold it as done to himselfe 21. Is it then a great sinne to offend against the Charity we owe to our neighbour Yes because it is an offence done not only to our brethren and to the mysticall members of our owne bodie but also to Christ himselfe LESSON XVII Of the Decalogue or ten Commandements 1. WHat is the best signe to know whether we loue God and our neighbour as we ought That is best knowne by keeping his Commandements for who

commandement cannot be perfectly accomplished vntill we possesse allmighty God himselfe and enioy him entirely in heauen yet the want of this perfection in this world doth not render vs guilty of breaking this coÌ„mandement as long as we do aspire vnto it by making a continuall progresse in it which is at last to be accomplished in heauen And to this purpose S. Augustin sayeth that the whole life of a good Christian is nothing els but a holy desire that is to say a continuall motion of our hart which carrieth it on according to S. Pauls admonition not to looke back but to aduance still further and further as Pilgrimes do whereof some go faster others slower in the same way yet all go on towardes their iournies end 23. What degree then of the loue of God is that which is necessary in this life for saluation Two thinges are absolutely necessarie for saluation touching the obseruance of this precept for those who are come to the vse of reason The first is that the loue of God be the most absolute the most affectionate the most generall and predominant ouer all our other louer and that it raigne ouer all our passions so that we must loue God not only more then our owne liues but also we must loue him generally and without exception more then all that which we desire or can desire For we must be truly and sincerely so disposed in the bottome of our harts as to loose all thinges that are most deare vnto vs and to suffer the greatest indignities that can be rather then to loose him and consequently rather then to commit the least mortall sinne This degree of the loue of God is absolutely necessarie to saluation for all men in the world and this degree is sufficient supposing it be accompanied with a second condition which is that hauing once this loue rooted in vs we endeauour still to encrease it more and more by our prayers by our good workes and by a deuoute rule of our whole life for let vs haue made neuer so great aduancement in charity we are still bound to go on and not to make a stand because we haue not yet attained to the perfect accomplishment of this precept of louing God with all our soule nether shall we attaine vnto it vntill we come to heauen and therefore not to go on is to go back Now seeing that the loue of God must be predominant ouer all our affections and raigne ouer all our passions the securest rule to know whether we haue truly this loue of God or no is to looke into the course of our life our actions and designes For as we see amongst worldly men that ordinarily in euery one some one passion is predominant ouer all the others which maketh that we esteeme some auaricious others ambitious others vaine glorious others addicted to pleasures others reuengefull accordingly as the loue of riches or of greatnesse or of glorie or pleasure or reuenge do raigne in them whereof we do iudge by their actions designes occupations and by the whole conduct of their life which is for the most part tainted by that principall affection that raigneth in them In the like manner no man hath reason to think that he loueth God aboue all thinges which is necessary to saluation if examining his life actions employments desires and pretensions he doth not finde that the principall part of them do tend towards God seeing that the loue which we owe to him is not a loue of wordes and thoughts but of effects and actions And therefore we must not deceaue ourselues taking the acts of our vnderstanding for acts of loue and affection for there is no man that hath the vse of reason whose vnderstanding doth not tell him taht we ought to loue God more then ourselues yea there is no true man who hath not an inclination to loue God more then himselfe but the loue of God doth not consist in that act of the vnderstanding nor in this inclination but it consisteth in putting this inclination in practise COMMANDEMENT II. 24. WHat are we taught by the second Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine It forbiddeth all false and vnnecessary oaths and all disrespect which is done to God by word of mouth for the respect we owe to the Maiestie of God doth oblige vs not to vse his name in anie thing whatsoeuer it be without some necessitie 25. When is it lawfull and no sinne to sweare It is lawfull to sweare when our oath is accompanied with truth iustice and iudgement without anie one of which conditions the oath will be sinfull and naught 26. Why were oaths inuented They were inuented for a remedie of humane imbecillitie to supplie the want of beliefe which we should giue to one an other when we affirme a truth and so if Adam had not sinned oaths had not been needfull 27. What is it to sweare with truth iustice and iudgement He sweareth with truth who affirmeth nothing but what he thinks himselfe to know certainly to be true He sweareth with iustice who doth not sweare all truths but only such as his oath shall hurt no bodie and in case he promise a thing by oath that the thing promised be lawfull and possible He sweareth with iudgement who obserueth these three conditions first if he doth not sweare any thing but only that which would not be belieued without an oath secondly if he sweareth nothing but that which is necessarie to be known for is necessarie to be known for some important reason thirdly if when he sweareth he performeth it by decent words and in due time and place and without passion or cholere 28. How many kindes of oaths be there First in regard of God whom we call to witnes they are twofold for we may either call him simply for witnes of a thing or els we may call him as reuenger of vntruths in case we say a false thing Secondly they are twofold in respect of the thinges we sweare the one is purelly affirmatiue the other hath also a promise ioined with the affirmation the first may concerne thinges past present or to come the second doth concerne only thinges to come which also is twofold for we may promised by oath either to man or to God And as we are bound to affirme nothing but truth so are we bound to make our promised true by obseruing it in case it be lawfull vnlesse by some accident it become morally impossible or vnlesse he vnto whom the promise is made dispenseth with it as if to man the man himselfe if to God the Church 29. What thinges are we commanded to doe by this Commandement As in the former we are commanded to honour God with our hearts so are we in this commanded to honour him with our tongues 30. What sinnes are reduced to this Commandement All blasphemie and so those offend against this Commandement who blaspheme either in thought or word by

to any vnlawfull obiect yet it settleth not in vs the loue of God so strongly as our former sinfull affections had settled the loue of our selues and so it is not so firmely rooted in vs as our present sensuall inclinations are and therefore we are afterwards easily ouercome againe by new temptations And this is ordinarily the condition of penitent Christians in the beginning who do often rise by God his grace and yet fall againe by their owne weakenesse vntill by pennance that is by workes of mortification which are the worthy fruites of repentance and by often receiuing the Sacraments their inclination to loue God aboue all thinges becometh greater and more firmely rooted in them then their sinfull inclination to selfe loue Now the detestation of sinne arising from the former perfect conuersion is called Contrition the other AttritioÌ„ which is a metaphore taken from any hard thing bruzed by a harder for if you only grate it against the harder you may bring it into what fashion you list but it will still remaine hard at the middle but if you do not only grate it but beate it in a morter you will turne it all into dust 12. What is the motiue of perfect Contrition It can be no other but the pure loue of God for his owne sake only proceeding from the consideration of his goodnesse and of the obligation we haue by reason of it to serue him and not to offend him And when I say it can be no other but the pure loue of God I do not intend to affirme that it cannot be accompanied with other pious affectioÌ„s as the feare of hell the apprehension of God his iudgements the desire of heauen and the like which are not only consistent with the pure loue of God but also good dispositions to procure it and conserue it for such is the condition of humane infirmity as that the inferiour stepps by which we ariue to perfection are oftentimes necessary to maintaine vs in it But that which I intend to say is that the pure loue of God for his owne sake only without regard to our owne proper interest must be the principall motiue and immediate ground of contrition because no other motiue but God himselfe as he is our last end can conuert vs wholy to God and make vs detest sinne more then hell it selfe Now this perfect contrition and pure loue of God hath diuers degrees for sometimes it proceedeth purely and simply out of the consideration of God in himselfe without relation to his creatures who by reason of his owne infinite perfections and infinite goodnesse deserueth to be beloued aboue all thinges all loue being due to him meerely for that goodnesse which is in himselfe and this is the highest motiue of diuine loue Sometimes this pure loue proceedeth from the consideration of God his goodnesse towards his creatures expressed in his benefits bestowed on them and particularly in the benefits of creation redemption and euerlasting saluation proposed to all who do not through their owne faults depriue themselues of it Now the consideration of God his infinite loue expressed towards vs by these benefits doth moue vs in gratitude to loue him againe which reciprocall loue of ours when it cometh to that height of gratitude as to loue him againe not for our owne interest but for his owne sake only and so to auoid sinne and to do good meerely because it is gratefull to him that is because he would haue vs to do so it is also a sufficient motiue for true contrition though not so perfect as the former Againe this perfect contrition hath diuers degrees not only by reason of the motiues on which it is grounded but also by reason of the effects it produceth in vs for although this loue of God aboue all thinges when it produceth true contrition be alwayes stronger and more intense in vs then the loue of ourselues or then the loue of our owne interest euen in the ioyes of heauen if they could be separated from God and consequently doth make vs to detest sinne more then hell it selfe without which it would not be an act of true contrition yet it is not alwayes so perfect as not to leaue in vs some little affection to worldly thinges and some relickes of our former inclinations acquired by euill habites Sometimes againe it is so perfect as that it transporteth our affection from all created thinges whatsoeuer and settleth it wholy vpon God so that we do not loue any thing but with relation to him whereby we cannot thinke of any vnlawfull obiect but hate it such as we may suppose to haue been in S. Paul and S. Marie Magdalene at the first instant of their conuersion and so it extirpateth by the very roote our euill inclinations formerly acquired by peruerse habits And this is that eminent degree of contrition which doth not only cleanse vs from the guilt of sinne but also freeth vs from the paines due to our sinne in Purgatorie 13. What is the motiue of Attrition or imperfect Contrition Sometimes it may be the pure loue of God only proceeding from the consideration of his goodnesse but not working so strongly in vs as that perfect loue which we haue sayd to be the ground of Contrition because it is not yet so strong in vs as our inclination to selfe loue For although we may be disposed by this loue to preferre the glory of God before any interest of our owne in vnlawfull obiects yet if we reflect vpon the paines of hell we shall finde that we are more easily carried to detest and feare them then sinne which is a signe that the loue of God aboue all thinges is not yet so strong in vs as our inclination to loue our selues Howsoeuer this degree of the loue of God aboue all thinges is sufficient for attrition because it is greater in vs then the actuall loue of any vnlawfull obiect and so it is of sufficient force to make vs forbeare to offend God by mortall sinne Sometimes also the principall ground of our attrition may be the feare of hell the ioyes of heauen the enormity of sinne reflecting vpon them with the eye of our owne interest for these motiues also are sufficient to withdraw vs from sinne whereby we know we shall be depriued of heauen and incurre the euerlasting paines of hell Howsoeuer although as I say these may be the principall grounds of attrition because they may be so strong as to make vs to detest sinne for our owne interest and although they be of their owne nature good and laudable because they do for the most part prepare the way to loue yet vnlesse they do bring with them some degree of the loue of God which is a beginning of louing him they would not be sufficient for true attrition And the reason of it is because if they be not oyned with some kinde of beginning to loue God though imperfectly they do not actually conuert vs to

God at all but only to ourselues And so they cannot dispose vs sufficiently to receiue iustifying grace because contraries are expelled by contrary motions and therefore whereas sinne is a motion auerting vs from God and conuerting vs to creatures iustification must proceed from a contrary motion which must auert vs from creatures by conuerting vs againe to God And so we see that the Councell of Trent speaking of Attrition doth ioyne with the feare of hell whereby we are moued to forbeare to sinne the hope of pardon by which we are conuerted to God for this hope bringeth alwayes with it a beginning of the loue of God For there is this difference betwixt hope of pardon from man and hope of pardon from God that we may haue some ground to expect pardon from man whom we haue offended without any reason that may moue vs to loue him in regard that although he doth not loue vs yet we may be coÌ„fident he will pardon vs not for any good he wisheth to vs but for his owne interest either because we are vsefull to him or out of vaine glory or for feare of harme that may happen vnto himselfe if he doth not pardon vs or the like which are not motiues fit to make vs loue him againe But when we hope for pardon from God our coÌ„fidence doth rest meerely vpon his goodnesse for God doth neuer pardon vs but by louing vs and nothing but his owne mercy and goodnesse can moue him to pardon vs he gaineth nothing by vs and hath no neede of vs neither are our deserts any at all and to rely vpon them were not hope but damnable presumption so that the hope of our pardon from God is raised by the consideration of his goodnesse only which alwayes bringeth loue with it For how can any man ground a confidence meerely vpon God as the Author of all goodnesse the proper obiect of loue without louing him in whom he apprehendeth that goodnesse And this is conformable also to the doctrine of the Councell of Trent concerning the disposition which is required precedently to iustification by the Sacrament of Baptisme deliuered Sess 6. c. 6. Those who are sinners when they vnderstand themselues to be such by conuerting themselues from the feare of diuine iustice wherewith they are profitably strucken to the consideration of God his mercie they are erected into hope confiding that God will be propitious vnto them for Christ his sake and they begin to loue him as the fountaine of all iustice and therefore are moued against sinne by a certaine hatred and detestation that is by that pennance which ought to be done before Baptisme So that true attrition doth alwayes include the loue of God And of this feare of hell ioyned with the hope of pardon the same Councell teacheth vs that it is a gift of God and a motion of the holy Ghost for no man can loue God as he ought to do but he whom God first loueth and moueth by his holy grace Now some are of opinion that it is not sufficient that this loue be the loue of God meerely for our owne interest but that it ought to be the loue of God aboue all thinges for his owne sake onely though it be as yet but a weake and imperfect loue in that kinde And they are moued thereunto for these reasons first because the loue of God for our owne interest doth not properly conuert vs to God but to our selues only for the end of our loue is only that which moueth vs. Secondly because the end of true attrition is to breed in vs the perfect loue of God and so it must be ioyned at least with some beginning of it which may by little and little encrease and bring vs to perfection according to the measure of God his grace working in vs afterwards Lastly because the loue which God requireth of vs and which is properly due to him and without which we cannot obserue God his commaÌ„dements is that loue whereby we do preferre him before all created thinges and do embrace him as our last end and therefore when we haue lost God his grace we cannot recouer it againe vnlesse we begin with obseruing this precept which is the ground of all for this is the first thing that God exacteth at our handes and that giueth vs strength to doe all the rest but if we loue God for our owne interest only we make our owne happinesse which as it is limited within ourselues is a created and finite thing to be our last end and so we looke vpon God only as a meanes to attaine to this end For these reasons this opinion is very probable and therefore the securest way is to attend to those considerations which chiefly moue vs to loue God aboue all thinges and so to stirre ourselues vp to hate sinne vpon the same motiue This doctrine may seeme hard to some who thinke that we cannot loue God aboue all thinges vnlesse the habit or motion from whence this act proceedeth be stronger and more intense in vs then our inclination to loue ourselues but they are mistaken for we may haue this act though the motion from whence it proceedeth be not so strong as those euill habits in vs which incline vs to vice and sinne For when we recollect ourselues and consider the infinite goodnesse of God our reason doth presently dictate vnto vs that we ought to preferre him before all thinges for his owne sake only and our will if it be not preueÌ„ted with some contrary obiect doth by God his grace easily follow the dictamen of reason and affect him as such which is to loue him aboue all thinges and there is no Idiot so simple who being instructed is not capable of this loue as well as he is of the feare of hell and yet if afterwards we should be tempted with our owne interest in some vnlawfull obiect we are easily ouercome which is a signe that although we did truly loue God aboue all thinges yet the source that is the habit or motion from whence that loue proceeded was not so strong nor so firmely rooted in vs as our euill habits are which incline vs to sinne I do not say that all such acts of loue are sufficient euen for attrition for Granada that learned man of the Order of S. Dominicke and others affirme very well that how great this attrition or sorrow of minde for sinne which encreaseth according to the measure of our loue ought to be that it may attaine to the degree of perfect attrition it is not granted to any mortall man to know but the knowledge thereof belongeth only to that Lord from whom nothing can be hidden Besides such acts of loue are many times inefficacious whereas it is certaine that true attrition ought to be an efficacious and absolute repentance 14. Is Attrition being ioyned with the Sacrament of Pennance sufficient to cleanse one from the guilt of sinne and to restore him to the state

first act that euer tooke possessioÌ„ of his heart newly moulded and rightly set for this purpose it could not choose but carry with it towards its beloued obiect the whole powers of his soule which then was free from all contrarie dispositions and so it could not choose but subiect them all vnto it and consequently he must needs remaine totally subiected to God as long as he remained in this state and he could not but remaine in this state vnlesse he lost it through his owne fault by destroying that constant inclination of louing God aboue all thinges which was now settled in his soule by this happy grace 3. But how could this grace which was in his soule only worke such good effects in his bodie The reason of it is because his corporall coÌ„stitution being fitted to follow the inclination of the soule this grace of innocency actuated and encreased that fitnes which of it selfe it found in the bodie and so as long as man remained in that state the bodie could not choose but do that which it was fitted to that is follow the inclinatioÌ„ of the soule wherby all its actions were necessatily to expect the soules operation and so it could not choose but be preuented by reason since that the soule it selfe which was to moue the bodie could do nothing but by reason And thus you see how Adam his bodie being continually by this grace preuented with reason could not incline to anie thing before reason gaue it leaue and order and so this grace made his verie corporall desires subiect to reason 4. What would haue become of man at last He would haue liued in Paradise without euer being sick as long as it had pleased God and at last he should haue been translated into hauen without dying 5. How could this be For seeing that men must eate to grow and to keepe themselues aliue they could not auoyd but meats should haue their effect and so breed diseases If we looke into the cause of sicknes we shall see that it proceedeth from some excesse or defect which in that state would not haue been when man had wit and will to prouide against both Besides God allmightie had fitted the place of habitation to the man that there should be no ill aire or other occasion of harme vnto him Whence because wisdome kept him from mischance the place from infection he could not dye but of age against which God had prouided the tree of life to preserue him so in conclusion he would haue liued for euer 6. Was this grace ardained only for Adam No all his posteritie would haue been indued with the same deriued from him to all by their verie birth right as now we are all by our verie conception infected with originall finne deriued from him so all would haue liued in this world most happily and at last haue been translated to heauen 7. How could the grace of innocencie which is unmediately in our soule come to vs by birth from our parents who make only our bodie and haue nothing to doe with our soule but leaue that to be made by God alone You may easily conceiue this if you know how children come to be like to their fathers You must consider then that Adam his bodie being designed by God for a soule endowed with originall Iustice was fitted for the operations of such a soule and consequently it was imbued with all such speciall dispositions as were requisite to make it pliable and subiect to reason Now Adam procreating his sonns bodie with the same good dispositions which his owne body had and allmightie God who had promised by couenant the grace of innocencie to all his posteritie in case that he himselfe did continue in his due obedience finding those good dispositions in the childs bodie as an infallible token of his fathers actuall perseuerance in his first grace he could not faile to endow according to his promise the soule of Adams sonne with the same grace of originall iustice which his father had And so seeing that these good dispositions in the childs body which were antecedent to the creation of the soule and proceeded from the like dispositions in its parents would haue been as a seale of God his couenant with mankinde it followeth that they would haue drawne by a necessary coÌ„sequence in vertue of the sayd couenant originall iustice euen in to the childe his soule And so you see how this first grace was to come to vs from our parents by our generation And it was most conformable to reason that it should come that way for as on the one side it was naturall that Adam should haue made his sonnes bodie like his owne and consequently disposed in a speciall manner to be subiect to reason so it was most reasonable that Allmighty God should fitt the soule to the sonnes bodie which would not haue been vnlesse he had giuen him a soule apt to loue God aboue all thiÌ„ges seeing that the actuall subiection of the bodie to reason doth proceed from such a disposition in the soule And so you see how the grace to loue God aboue all thinges which is commoÌ„ly called iustice or sanctitie was giuen to Adam so as to descend from him vnto his heyrs and therefore was called originall iustice and would haue come vnto vs who were to be borne to it as if it were by nature LESSON VII Of originall Sinne. 1. How did Adam and Eue make vse of this great grace Very ill for many are of opinion that they lost it in lesse then one day 2. How did this misfortune befall them Because they did not perseuer in their first loue of God aboue all thinges but fell from it by disobedience 3. What induced our first parents to commit this sinne Eue was induced principally by pride and vanitie for the Angell who was become Ã Diuell by pride did infect Eue with the same sinne that thereby he might make her and Adam companions of his miserie perswading her that if she did rebell against God by eating the fruit which he had forbidden them they should become greater then they were And although this was the chiefe motiue yet two other motiues did also concurre for by the same act she yeilded to three sinfull suggestions all which are expresly sett downe in scripture The first was of gluttonie She saw that it was good to eat and pleasant to behold The second was a curiositie of knowing You shall know good and euill The third was pride You shall be like Gods And although Adam was not seduced by the Diuell as Eue was yet he fell into the sinne of disobedience by yielding to the perswasions of his wife being loath to displease her And so that which induced Adam to sinne was a disordinate affectioÌ„ towards Eue choosing to offend God rather then to contristate her 4. What effect did this sinne produce It caused the quite contrarie to that which Eue pretended For it did cast both her

in cloures layed vpon straw began to feele hunger and cold such like extremities as we see it fareth with all children ARTICLE IV. 19. DEclare the fourth Article Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried I belieue that Iesus Christ to redeeme the world with his pretious blood after that he had ended the time which his Father ordained for his dwelling vpon earth suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Gouernour of Iury being scourged crowned with thornes and nailed vpon the Crosse on the which after three houres he dyed and his body which remained allwayes vnited to his diuinity as was his soule being taken downe from the crosse was buried in a new sepulcher 20. Why did the Apostles presently after that they had declared our Sauiours birth passe to his death without making mention of his life For two reasons first to let vs know that the end of his coming into this world was to dye for vs. SecoÌ„dly because he who knoweth the miraculous birth of our Sauiour and the charity wherewith he suffered death for vs that is the beginning and ending of his life cannot choose but know that his whole life was full of miracles and goodnesse And therefore S. Paul professeth to know nothing but Iesus Christ crucified for by knowing this he knoweth all the rest and must needs be replenished both with hope in his merits and with loue to wards his person 21. Hew did Christ suffer He did not suffer in his Diuinity for his two natures diuine humane did each of them allwayes retaine that which is proper to each nature wherefore seeing that his Diuinity cannot be subiect to griefe it was impossible that he should suffer any thing as God but only as man and as man he suffered both in his body and in his soule 22. What did he suffer in his body He suffered the greatest torments that euer man endured in all his fiue senses and in euery part of his body from the very bottome of his feete to the toppe of his head 23. What did he suffer in his soule He suffered the greatest griefe that could be being not only tormented by his enimies but also abandoned by his friends and betrayed by one of his Apostles and he suffered chiefely by the sinnes of man which was the most cruell griefe to his goodnesse that could be Besides whereas all those who suffer for God receiue a celestiall comfort which doth strengthen them in their paines our blessed Sauiour that he might suffer the more did depriue him selfe of comfort and abandon his nature wholy to griefe and paine 24. How could he suffer seeing he was blessed from the first instant of his conception His beatitude did not hinder him from suffering because he restrained his whole blisse to the superiour part of his soule without letting it passe to the inferiour part or to his bodie 25. Where did he suffer At Hierusalem the place appointed by God for sacrifices for it was expedient that the true sacrifice should be accomplished at the same place where all the figuratiue sacrifices of the old law had been performed 26. Why did he suffer the death of the Crosse Because it was the most vnworthy death of all others and most ignominious inflicted only vpon rogues and notorious malefactors 27. How did he die By the separation of his soule from his body but neither part was separated from his Diuinity as when a bow is broken the two partes of the bow are separated from one another but the bowstring remaineth still fastened to both ARTICLE V. 28. DEclare the fifth Article Descended into hell the third day rose againe from the dead I belieue that Iesus Christ as soone as he was dead went with his soule into hell that is into Limbo to triumph ouer the diuell and to deliuer the soules of all the faithfull who dyed in the state of grace since the beginning of the world who were kept in Limbo as in a prison from whence they could not come forth vntill Christ had paied the price of their redemption and came himselfe to deliuer them I belieue also that the third day which was the Sunday Iesus Christ rose againe from death most triumphant and glorious 29. What is vnderstood by this word Hell Hell hah principally foure significations first it is vsed for the place where the damned are to be eternally secondly for the place where the children are that dye with originall sinne thirdly for the place of Purgatorie and fourthly for the place where the soules of holy men were kept before the coming of Christ And the word Hell in the Creed is principally to be vnderstood in this sense which place by his presence was made a Paradise to verifie what he had promised the good thiefe this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise 30. Why is Christ his resurrection called by S. Augustine the faith of Christians rather then his death Because it is no hard matter to belieue that Iesus Christ dyed for death is naturally due to euery man but it is very hard to belieue that he did rise againe from death because no man can raise himselfe from death to life And therefore his Resurrection is a cleare argument of his Diuinity In so much that the Iewes damanding of Iesus Christ some miracle for proofe of his doctrine he gaue them no other marke of it but only that he would rise againe from death so that his Resurrection is the miracle of miracles and the proper miracle of Christianisme ARTICLE VI. 31. DEclare the sixth Article Ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the Father allmighty I belieue that Iesus Christ after that he had remained forty dayes with the holy Apostles to instruct them and to proue with many apparitions his true Resurrection mounted vp in their sight to heauen and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father as Lord and gouernour of all creatures his body and soule being replenished with the glory of his Diuinity 32. How did Christ ascend into heauen He ascended into heauen not as God but as man for a God he was neuer absent from heauen yet he ascended by the force of his Diuinity which of its owne nature gaue him that power He did also ascend by the force of the glorie wherewith his soule and his body were replenished and which was due to him naturally by reason of his hypostaticall vnion And therefore although he was compassed round with all the Angells yet he had not the assistance of any to ascend but did ascend through his owne proper force And for this reason we say not commonly that he was carried but that he ascended into heauen whereas the Church speaking of our Lady sayeth that she was carried because she did not ascend by any force of her owne naturally due to her but by the force which she receiued from allmighty God 33. Why is Christ sayd to sit in heauen We must not imagine that Christ doth sit in heauen

worke on festiuall dayes Secondly those who consent to such working or doe not hinder it when they may by authority doe it To this Commandement also may be reduced those thinges which are committed against the precept of the Church for hearing of Masse As first those who neglect to heare Masse on Sundayes and Holy dayes offend mortally Secondly those who though they be present at Masse yet are not attentiue at it but stand talking or gazing vp and downe Thirdly those who goe to Masse for some ill end Fourthly those who take no care to see that their children andd seruants satisfie this precept 38. May not one also be excused in some case from hearing Masse on festiuall dayes Yes when he cannot goe to Church without danger of some notable hurt to himselfe or to his neighbour or if he haue some lawfull impediment as for example if a man haue vndertaken a voyage for a busines of great importance either for himselfe or his neighbour and should be hindred by hearing Masse from performing his voyage in due time COMMANDEMENT IV. 39. DEclare the fourth Honour thy Father and Mother that thy life may be long in the land which our Lord thy God shall giue thee In regard that aboue all others our parents are most neere to vs and that we are most obliged to them both for our being and life therefore the first precept of the second table commandeth vs to obey and reuerence them both inwardly and outwardly and also to helpe them in their necessities for honour includeth both loue obedience and seruice 40. What meaneth the later clause That thou mayest liue long in the land which thy Lord thy God shall giue thee As it doth promise long life to dutifull and obedient children so also it is a most fearefull threat amongst other punishments to those who are vndutifull to their parents from whom they had receiued their life and being that they shall not liue long 41. What obedience do Children owe to their parents They owe them obedience in all iust thinges but not in such thinges as are contrary to the will of God for he is to vs more then our father and so must be preferred 42. What assistance are Children bound to giue them They are bound to assist them not only by their industrie but also with their goods and meanes if they haue any of their owne for it is reason that those that haue giuen vs our being should receiue from vs all that which may contribute to the conseruation of their being And the obligation is so great that if one should see his father and his sonne in imminent danger and were not able to helpe both he is bound to helpe his father rather then his owne sonne This obligation also is such that Religious persons may goe out of their Religion to assist their parents in extreme necessitie when by other meanes they cannot be relieued 43. Doth this CoÌ„mandement oblige only children to their parents No for loue is mutuall of its owne nature and so by obliging children to loue their parents God obligeth also pareÌ„ts to loue their children But it was not necessary to coÌ„mand it expresly because the loue of parents towards their children is so naturall that it needed not to be expressed it sufficeth that nature hath imprinted it in the harts of all parents 44. Whom are we to vnderstand by our Fathers and Mothers First and principally our corporall fathers and mothers secondly our spirituall fathers who are the Prelates of the Church as also our ghostly fathers thi r dl our teÌ„porall Magistrates fourthly husbaÌ„ds in respect of their wiues fifthly our vncles and aunts sixthly tutours in respect of pupills seuenthly masters in respect of seruants eighthly those who teach in respect of schollers and lastly old and aged persons in respect of yonger people So that we owe to all these a more particular respect then to others according to their seuerall degrees As they likewise do owe a particular loue to their inferiours of each kinde respectiuely 45. How do children transgresse against this precept First all those do transgresse who do not loue and respect their carnall parents Secondly those who do not obey them Thirdly those who do not assist them in their necessities Fourthly those who do dispise them or are ashamed to acknowledge them by reason of their pouerty Fifthly those who treate them rudely and giue them iust occasion of choler Sixthly those who mocke at them and murmure against them and treate them with iniurious words Seuenthly those who do any vnreasonable action of importance contrary to their desire Eightly those that doe accuse their parents in publike courts except it be for treason Ninthly those who by excessiue expences and disorder hinder them from making restitution of goods ill gotten Tenthly those children who are not carefull to see that their fathers and mothers confesse at the hower of death sinne mortally in case that there be no bodie els to looke vnto it and that through their negligence their parents dye without confession Eleuenthly those who after their parents death do not execute their last will and testament Twelfthly those children who permit themselues to be induced to marry against their fathers will offend against this commandement And it is to be noted that the obligation which we haue to our parents is so great that they who transgresse against them do very often offend mortally 46. How do parents transgresse against this Commandement First by vsing their children with two much seuerity as those do who beat them and vse them ill vpon no occasion or vpon iust occasion but beyond measure Secondly those who marry them to persons that they cannot loue Thirdly those who make them become religious against their will do offend mortally Fourthly those who vse them with too much indulgence and do not correct them when they do ill Fifthly those who haue more care to see them rich then that they be brought vp in the feare of God Sixthly those that hinder them from entering into Religion when they seeme to be called to it by allmighty God Seuenthly those who giue them any ill example or put them vpon any euill action Eighthly those who disinherit them without any lawfull cause Ninthly those who giue their goods to any others though it be to the Church in case that thereby they depriue their children of that portion which is reasonably due vnto them and which is necessary to maintaine them in a competent manner do transgresse notably against this precept Tenthly those who send their children to begge that is make beggars of them when they are able to maintaine them Eleuenthly those who do not prouide for their bastards if they be able at least waies so farre as that they may not liue in misery 47 How do men trangresse against other persons who are mutually obliged by this Commandement First those persons transgresse against their spirituall fathers and temporall Magistrates who do not

action as also the right meanes how to do it according to the proportion of mans knowledge and therefore it is fitly compared to the other three vertues as salt is to meate or as the suÌ„ne to the world And so you see how the whole man is ordered by these foure Morall Vertues his vnderstanding by Prudence his will by Iustice his irascible power by Fortitude and his concupiscible power by Temperance 16. But since many men haue little knowledge and so want that skill which is called Prudence ought such men to haue a scruple of the actions which they doe Truly though it is certaine that not any action done without skill can be compleatly good yet they need not make scruple of what is passed because they did their endeauour but before the action be done they ought to aske some body that knoweth but if they cannot aske or when they haue asked finde no bodie that can tell they may do what they thinke best themselues and whether they misse or no neuer make scruple of it as long as they are sure that no ill affection was guide in their choise but that it proceeded out of the loue of God and a good conscience 17. But what if the actions of those foure Morall Vertues are done with skill but without charity are they then naught No for although they be not absolutely good yet they are not naught because they haue in themselues a kinde of good for as in a faire picture garden or house or any such thing made by art there is left in them from the Artist an impressioÌ„ of reason that makes them delightsome and conformable to our nature so also is there an impression of reason called decorum or honestas in morall actions which giueth content both to the doer and spectatour and enticeth morall men to do such actions as being conformable to mans nature But to make them absolutely good and meritorious they must be done for the loue of God for vnlesse we loue God no action will auaile vs any thing towards our last end so that charity is all in all And thus you see how these foure Morall Vertues do helpe vs to obserue the commandements and how by obseruing the commandements we liue a vertuous and Christian life 18. What is a christian life It is the practise of the three Theologicall Vertues chiefly and consequently of the foure Cardinall Vertues that is of all vertues through the spirit of charity which giueth life to all the rest 19. Why do you say chiefly the three Theologicall Vertues Because those three vertues do coÌ„pound or constitute peculiarly the state of a Christian for the foure Morall Vertues are common to all men and may be found now and then in Gentills themselues as well as in ChristiaÌ„s as depending on the principles of nature but the other three are supernaturall and proper only to Christians 20. Why do yon say that charity giueth life to all the rest Because to liue is to haue power in it selfe to moue or stirre it selfe now charity is that which moueth vs to walke towards God and giueth vs power by all other vertues to tend towards him loue being that which moueth all reasonable creatures to action Besides the loue of God is the immediate step to heauen which is our euerlasting life and so whatsoeuer taketh away from vs the loue of God bringeth death to our soules in lieu of life and therefore no action can haue life where the loue of God is wanting LESSON XXI Of the state of Grace 1. Why doe those three vertues fayth hope and charity constitute the state of a Christian Because by them a man is made capable to performe all the functions and acts which we said do beloÌ„g properly to a Christian 2. Are we then in this state though we be sleeping or not doing those acts Yes if we haue the vertues by which they are done for this state doth not consist properly in the acts themselues but in the habit whereby we are enabled to produce such acts 3. Why so Because a state doth signify a permanencie whereas our acts as soone as they are done remaine no longer as act but the habitudes or vertues remaine still within vs. 4. Are all these three vertues necessary to constitute this state Yes for as the vnderstanding memory and will do constitute the naturall being of our soule so do these three vertues constitute her supernaturall being for by fayth our vnderstanding is perfected by hope our memory and our will by charity yet it doth consist chiefly in charity both because as hath been sayd charity is the mistresse and life of the other two and also because charity is neuer found without the other two whereas the other two are sometimes without charity 5. How is this state called It is called the state of grace for the same vertue hath diuerse names as it moueth vs to action and to produce acts of loue it is called charity as it is the consummation of our spirituall life and constituteth the state of a Christian it is called grace inherent iustice habituall grace sanctity all with signifie the same thing and if they be not charity it selfe at leastwise they cannot be separated from it not it from them 6. Why is it called a state First because it exempteth a man out of the slauery of sinne and putteth him into that condition of spirituall freedome which is proper to the children of God Secondly because it is the chiefest end of God his prouidence towards his elect in this life and so those who haue it are sayd to be in the state of grace because they are arriued to that happy condition which God intended to worke in them by all his former motions and diuine inspirations Thirdly it is called a state because by it we haue a permanent title in vs to God his continuall assistant grace as children haue a peculiar title to be continually assisted and ayded by their parents Yet you must note that it is called a state only improperly and in a large sense because immobility is a coÌ„dition requisite to a state properly speaking whereas these vertues are not in vs so firmely but that we loose them againe 7. Why is it called grace Because when it is first giuen to vs it is bestowed vpon vs meerely through Gods mercy without being due to vs by any precedent deserts of our owne And also because it is the beauty and ornameÌ„t of our soule whereby we become gracefull in the sight of God 8. Why is it called inherent iustice Because it is a quality inherent or permanent in our soules whereby we are truly iustified and cleansed from sinne and acknowledged and owned by God as his adoptiue children 9. Why is it called habituall grace Because as a habit of any vertue doth beget in vs a facilitie to produce acts of the same nature so doth this diuine quality enable vs to produce acts of grace that is supernaturall acts

we iudge it is aliue but if we see it not stirre we hold it for dead so when we see any man do many good workes and otherwise obserue no impiety or iniquity in him we haue iustreason to hope that he is in the state of grace and that he moueth by the life of charity 23. From whence proceedeth the incertitude of this knowledge It proceedeth from two heads first from the hidden corruption which lyeth in our hearts and infecteth those actions which we least suspect secondly from the hidden influences of those motions from God whereby out actions are purified and without which they are of no value which are not perceptible to any but to God himselfe 24. Can a man loose sanctifying grace when once he hath it Y s for otherwise all those who are baptized would be saued but alas it is easily lost vnlesse it be kept with great care and watchfullnesse LESSON XXII Of Sinne. 1. How is grace lost It cannot be lost by any thing but only by such actuall sinne as depriueth our soule of the loue of God 2. If so how is it possible to loose grace for loue cannot be lost but by hatred since one contrary is not expelled but by another and me thinkes no body can hate God If you remember we sayed that he who loueth one is bound by loue to do good for him whom he loueth if he can by performing all that towards him which is due vnto him whence it followeth that he who will not do these thinges to which he is bound by loue looseth his loue now a man may neglect to doe these thinges by louing some other thing the loue whereof hindreth him from performing what he oweth to God so that you see not only hatred of God but also loue of such thinges as hinder vs to doe what we ought to doe in loue to God that is all which he commandeth and is practised by the three Theologicall and foure Cardinall vertues taketh away our loue towards him 3. What then is actuall sinne It is a voluntary thinking speaking or doing something contrary to the law of God or a voluntary omitting to thinke speake or doe something commanded by the law of God 4. Is there no other sinne but actuall sinne Yes there is also originall sinne which is that wherewith we are all borne and which cometh to vs by inheritance from our first parents Adam and Eue. But we are freed from this sinne by baptisme when we first receaue grace and it neuer returneth more 5. How many sortes be there of actuall sinne Two generall ones mortall and veniall 6. How can any sinne be veniall since that all sinne is the neglect of our duty towards God and he who neglecteth his duty forbeareth to loue and so looseth charity which losse as you say is the death of our soule You must know that though we cannot loose charity but by neglecting our duty yet all neglect of duty looseth not charity for loue or charity is of its owne nature mutuall and therefore we cannot loose it but that we must loose also our friend his loue towards vs so that we do not loose charity by any other neglect but such as breaketh the mutuall boÌ„d of loue if then not euery thing as the taking of a pinne is a sufficient cause for our neighbour to fall out with vs we loose not out loue towards him for taking a pinne from him but we loose it by those acts only which are a sufficient cause for ordinary wise men to breake of conuersation and friendship with vs and not by what is lesse then that And the same may be said of the duty which we owe to ourselues or to Allmighty God for whereas man oweth certaine duties to himselfe the neglect of them may come to be such as if another man should do it vnto you you would haue iust cause to fall out with him and so though you do not fall out with yourselfe for the like occasion yet it is not for want of cause Againe it may be also so little a neglect as that it would be vnreasonable for you to fall out with him now this second neglect of your duty towards your selfe is only a veniall sinne whereas the former is mortall And the same is to be said of misrespect towards God for if it were such as done to one to whom we owe all that we are should according to the rule and decrees of his iustice giue him an occasion to breake of friendship with vs it is a mortall sinne if not a veniall 7. Why are these two kindes of sinnes so called one mortall the other veniall Because by the one we breake friendship with God and so we are depriued of his grace and become guilty of eternall damnation and spiritually dead for charity or the loue of God is our spirituall life and for this reason it is called mortall by the other we make no breach of friendship nor loose God his grace or charity by them and so because they are such of their owne nature as that their pardon may be easily obtained by the workes of grace which still remaineth in vs they are called veniall 8. What then is mortall sinne It is a wilfull and witting transgression in a matter of weight against a known commandement of God of the Church or of some lawfull Superiour Where any of these three conditions are wanting it is at most but a veniall sinne as first if it be not against a known commandement secondly if it be not in a matter of weight thirdly if it be not done with perfect consent and deliberation 9. How many sortes of veniall sinnes be there There are three for some are such because the kinde or obiect of them is of its owne nature of small consideration and generally slightly respected by men others are such because they are slight by reason of the smallnesse of the matter though the deformity of the obiect be of a kinde in its owne nature considerable others againe are such because they are performed by ouersight or without deliberation for if one should kill a man by chance his sinne might be but veniall or none at all and yet if afterwards when he did reflect vpon it he should be pleased with the harme he had done this complaisance would be a mortall crime though the act it selfe were only veniall or no sinne at all 10. How many wayes is a veniall sinne made mortall Foure wayes first when one committeth a veniall sinne with such affection that he is resolued to commit it though it were mortall Secondly when the end of doing it is a mortall sinne as when one telleth a slight lye thereby to induce one to fornication the telling of a lye with this circumstance is a mortall sinne though he should not afterwards commit fornication Thirdly when one perceiueth that by committing a veniall sinne he shall giue an occasion to a mortall one by scandall or any other way Fourthly

whensoeuer one coÌ„mitteth that which in it selfe is only a veniall sinne and yet he thinketh in his conscience that it is a mortall one 11. Why is a veniall fault called a sinne Because although it be not a crime as mortall sinne is yet it is an offense against God and although indeed it doth not depriue vs of grace yet it weakeneth the soule and putteth it in danger to fall into other sinnes which at length will make it fall mortally and loose God his grace if it correcteth not it selfe in time by due repentance As a small sicknesse by encrease cause that last a mortall indisposition if it be neglected 12. How many degrees be there of veniall sinne Three the first by thinking speaking or doing something vpon a suddaine but yet without marking fully that he offendeth God the second when he fully marketh that he offendeth venially and yet continueth the third when he both marketh that he offendeth and also hath some good motion to giue ouer but reiecteth it The first argueth frailty the second a neglect of Gods Maiesty and so is dangerous the third resisteth his holy inspirations and so is more dangerous and disposeth to mortall sinne from which it differeth in nothing but only in weightinesse of matter 13. Which be the sinnes which crie to heauen for vengeance and wherefore do we say so of them They are foure to wit wilfull murder carnall sinne against nature oppression of the poore and chiefely of orphaÌ„s and widowes and to defraud seruants and workemen of their wages They are so called because their iniustice and vnlawfullnesse is so manifest that it cannot be couered or hidden by any ignorance 14. Which be the sinnes against the holy Ghost and why are they so called They be six to wit despaire of saluation presumption of God his mercy that is that he will saue vs without our owne endeauour and without good workes done by his grace to impugne a known truth to enuy another mans grace obstinacy in sinne and finall impenitence They are said to be against the holy Ghost because they argue in those who coÌ„mit them a present or former malice deepely rooted in them for malice is opposite to goodnes attributed to the holy Ghost In the same manner the sinne of ignorance is sayd to be against the sonne of God to whom wisedome is attributed and the sinne of frailty against the Father to whom power is peculiarly attributed 15. What is to be vnderstood by saying that these sinnes are not pardoned in this world nor in the other It is as much as to say that they are hard to be pardoned because seldome and hardly those who fall into them come vnto true repentance For as when we say a disease is incurable we do not intend to affirme that it cannot by any meanes possibly be cured but only that it is seldome and not so ordinarily to be cured as other diseases so we say of these sinnes that they are not pardoned in this or the next world because they are seldome pardoned except only the last which is finall impenitence for that is neuer pardoned at all 16. What are the most efficacious motiues to keepe vs from sinning Those which the holy Ghost himselfe hath prescribed in these few words Remember the last things and thou shalt neuer sinne 17. What be these last thinges They are foure Death Iudgement Heauen and Hell 18. Why are these called the last thinges Death is called so because it is the last thing that happeneth to vs in this world Iudgement also is our last sentence without appeale Heauen is our last and finall happinesse which the blessed shall enioy eternally in a most perfect possession of God And Hell is the last and greatest miserie without any release or change for eternity 19. What is the roote of all sinne Selfeloue and from thence springeth those other rootes noted by S. Iohn which are concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eyes by which is meant the vnderstanding and pride of life which may be called concupiscence of the will for whereas man doth coÌ„sist of body and soule and the soule of two principall powers vnderstanding and will vnder these three concupiscences is comprehended the whole sinnefull state of man And these againe are diuided into seuen branches called commonly the seuen capitall sinnes 20. Which be the seuen capitall sinnes and why are they called so They be Pride Couetousnesse Lechery Anger Gluttony Envy and Slouth They are called capitall because they are heads of many others which proceed from them as branches from their roote and as riuers from their source and fountaine For Pride doth incline vs to breake the first and fourth commandement Auarice the seuenth Lechery the sixth Envy the ninth and tenth Gluttony the first and sixth Anger the second and fifth Slouth the third and vpon occasions any one of these vices may cause vs to breake euery one of the commandements Besides these seuen vices are also called the seuen deadly sinnes because whereas all the vicious affections of man are reduced to these seuen heades if it chance that the obiect of any one of them be more predominant ouer our affection then the loue of God it putteth vs into a state of habituall mortall sinne and depriueth vs of God his grace And although peraduenture such a man may notwithstanding by reason of his naturall inclination or of some other more powerfull worldly interest forbeare to commit those grosse and palpable sinnes which such vicious affections do vsualy draw men into yet this will not excuse him As for example a couetous man who for feare of the temporall lawes or for feare of loosing his reputation or for other worldly respects doth not commit vsury nor robbe or steale from his neighbour will not be saued if his heart be so set vpon riches as to be wholy occupied in seeking and laying vp worldly wealth but this man is of the number of those whom S. Paul declareth to be excluded from the kingdome of heauen because although he do not steale nor coozen his neighbour yet he is truly couetous And the same is to be sayd of those who set their thoughts and endeauours wholy vpon honours vanities pleasures feasting gaming contentions factions and the like placing wholy their delight in them for though the particular actions of these men considered singly by themselues may seeme veniall yet the whole number becometh damnable because it doth argue that their affectioÌ„s are placed in those obiects as in their last end and so they transgresse the first precept For how can we iudge of our affections but by our actions And if these obiect take vp our whole employment is it not euident that they are predominant ouer our affections and that it is not God but they that reigne in vs as the last and principall end we aime at Wherefore reflecting vpon our selues if we finde that our life actions and designes are bent in the bottome of our hart

to liue Secondly to get strength and greatnesse to be able to ouercome such coÌ„trarieties as would destroy life Thirdly to be nourrished whereby life is conserued whilst we performe the actions for which it was giueÌ„ vs. Fourthly we haue need of physicke in case we be sicke And fifthly of comfortable diet to recouer strength after sicknesse Sixthly of preseruation in case of danger to be infected And lastly of procreation to giue life vnto others to succeed in place of those who dye that maÌ„kinde may not wholy perish So also in our spirituall life we are borne by Baptisme and so are made members of Christ his familie we are strengthened and get growth by Confirmation we are nourished by the holy Eucharist we are cured of sicknesse by Pennance we are freed from the laÌ„guishing which remaineth after sicknesse by Extreme vnction we are preserued from infection by Matrimonie which belongeth properly to married persons because their state of life is exposed to most eminent dangers of the world and the flesh By Matrimonie also the Church is still supplyed with a new carnall progenie into which the true worship of God may be introduced and perpetuated And lastly by Order we are prouided of spirituall fathers who are to multiply spiritually new issue by propagating the fayth and making new ChristiaÌ„s To whoÌ„ also as being our fathers it belongeth to bring vs vp gouerne and direct vs in our spirituall life And so we see how all these seuen Sacraments are necessary the fiue first for euery man in particular the sixth which is Order for the whole bodie of the Church and the last which is Matrimony for one whole particular state in the Church that is for euery one that liues in that state and indirectly or remotely also for the whole Church 9. Are all Sacraments of like necessitie No for Baptisme is absolutely the most necessary because it is necessary for all either in effect or desire Next to Baptisme is Pennance for it is also absolutely necessary for all such as after Baptisme sinne mortally at least in desire if they cannot get it in effect Order is necessary for the whole Church and Matrimony likewise 10. Are all Sacraments of like excellencie No for the Sacrament of the holy Eucharist is more excellent then the rest without companion because it containeth Christ himselfe and therefore it is called the holy Sacrament 11. Into how many kindes are Sacraments deuided The generall deuision of them is into two sortes for some do conferre vnto vs the first grace that is do put vs absolutely in the state of grace when we are out of it others conferre vnto vs a second grace for they suppose vs to be in the state of grace and so do only augmeÌ„t the grace which we haue already Now Baptisme and Pennance were instituted by Christ to conferre vnto vs the first grace and the other only to augment grace 12. Which of the Sacraments is the first in order Baptisme for by it we begin to liue the life of grace LESSON XXIV of Baptisme 1. What is Baptisme Baptisme is a Sacrament which Iesus Christ did institute principally to cleanse our soules from originall sinne with which we are all borne Wherefore by the helpe of this holy Sacrament we become new borne againe into the happy life of grace and from accursed children of our first parent Adam we become the sonnes of Iesus Christ and heires of eternall blisse 2. What is the outward sensible signe in this Sacrament It is the washing by water and pronouncing the sacramentall wordes to wit I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost 3. Where do yon finde a promise of grace to this outward signe In the last of saint Marke He who shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued And in the third of S. Iohn Vnlesse one be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen 4. Why are we baptized in water To signify vnto vs that is the water doth cleanse our bodies so doth Baptisme by the vertue of the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanse our soules and wash them from all their sinnes both actuall and originall 5. Why are we baptized in the name of the blessed Trinitie Because the blessed Trinitie is the principall obiect of our faith whereof man doth make his first profession in this Sacrament to be thereby receiued into the bodie of the Church 6. May a man dying without the Sacrament of Baptisme be saued Yes in two cases first by suffering Martyrdome for the honour of God whereby he is baptized in is owne bloud and this is therefore called the Baptisme of bloud Secondly in case he dye truly contrite for his sinnes with a desire of the Sacrament of Baptisme but is preuented by death without his owne fault and this is called Baptismus Flaminis or baptisme of the spirit because he receiues the grace and happie effect of the Sacrament of Baptisme although by accident he be depriued of the outward action of the Sacrament 7. To what end are Godfathers and Godmothers appointed in the Sacrament They are appointed as spirituall Parents to the Childe for its future instruction if neede shall require and also to witnesse its inrolement into the happy list of Gods adopted children Now out of this obligation of taking care that these who are baptized be instructed which Godfathers and Godmothers do tye themselues vnto it will appeare how this wholesome and ancient constitution of the Church is extremely abused by those Catholikes who vndertake to be Godfathers and Godmothers to the children of Heretickes without being first assured that either they themselues or others shall be permitted to instruct them in the true Catholike Religion or if hauing such assurance they should after wards neglect to performe the same As on the contrary side it is also a most intollerable abuse for any Catholike to permit an Hereticke to be Godfather or Godmother to his childe since that heresie doth render a man vncapable of that office as also those are vncapable of it who are excommunicated or interdicted or if they be not baptized or are ignorant of the rudiments or first principles of Christian Religion as children fooles mad men and the like 8. Cannot the Childs owne Parents supply the Godfathers and Godmothers place No the Church doth exprssely forbid it as declaring by this ceremony the great difference betwixt the spirituall life of meÌ„ and the corporall life which the parents giue whose loue and care is oftentimes more sensuall and carnall towards their children then spirituall in seeking the wordly interest of their bodies more then their eternall and spirituall profit 9. Doth the Godfather and Godmother contract by Baptisme a spirituall affinitie to the partie baptized Yes and not only to him but also to his father and mother So likewise he that baptizeth is allyed to the childe and to his father and mother 10. How

element in lieu of the substance of bread and therefore it must be in euery part of the element where it was bread before wherefore seeing that when bread is cut into ten twenty or into as many pieces as you will euery piece is bread it doth follow also that the consecrated element being cut into as many pieces euery piece must be Christ his bodie for otherwise Christ his bodie would not be in euery part where bread was for a legge only or an arme is not Christ his bodie no more then one wheele of a clock is a clock From whence it followeth that Christ his bodie is not deuided when the visible element is broken or cut in pieces for that which is whole in euerie part of the element cannot be deuided but still remaineth when the elemeÌ„t is deuided into partes whole in each part 10. Is not Christ his bodie then by being really in the Sacrament made subiect to receiue corporall impressions as to be burned annoyed c. No for as his being whole in euery part which is done by being depriued of locall extension maketh his body that it cannot be deuided so it doth also make it that it cannot receiue any corporall action or impression for there can be no corporall impression where there is no locall extension And so though men may be irreuerent to the Sacrament by burning it or by giuing it to a dog yet Christ his bodie is not burned or torne in pieces nether is it annoyed or disgraced though it be cast into indecent places no more then God is harmed or disgraced who by his Godhead is in the same places 11. Doth the communion or receiuing of the holy Eucharist by Laicks belong to the act of sacrificing No for the act of sacrificing consists in the Priest his giuing or offering vp the hoste to God but the communion is a gift from God to man for after that the Eucharist hath been offered vp by the Priest to the honour of God he doth giue it to men to sanctify them and so God doth render to men the same gift which men did present vnto him 12. What then is the Communion It is not the act of sacrificing but it is a partaking of the altar or Christian sacrifice after that the hoste is sacrificed whereby we receiue or eate some part of the sacrificed hoste as a meate made holy by hauiÌ„g been offered vp to God in sacrifice in acknowledgement that we do approoue of and professe that religion wherevnto the sacrifice belongeth 13. Is it necessary then to receiue in both kindes since both are vsed in the Sacrifice No for the Church assures vs of the contrary and this reason may be alleaged because to make vs partakers of the sacrifice it if sufficient if we receiue any part of the host which is sacrificed especially in this sacrifice where one part doth containe as much as both Yet the Priest who sacrificeth is bound to receiue both kindes because his receiuing is a consummation of the offering and so he is bound to consummate in both kindes what he offereth in both kindes for all that which is offered must be consummated that the sacrifice may be fully accomplished and because the consummation of the sacrifice belongeth to the act of sacrificing from thence it followeth that the Priest only to whom alone the act of sacrificing or offering is reserued and not the Laity can receiue the Sacrament in this nature that is as offering it vp to God in consummation of the sacrifice 14. What state and disposition is required for our worthily receiuing this blessed Sacrament It is necessarily required to be in the state of grace and to come to the Sacrament with a reuerent and deuout heart and that we may reape a more full benefit by communicating we ought also to auoid actuall distractions whilst we communicate Moreouer Sales the holy Bishop of Geneua is of opinion that it is further requisite for frequent communion that one should haue no affection to any veniall sinne and withall that he haue a great desire or spirituall hunger of that sacred food Now by affection to veniall sinnes is vnderstood a tacite resolution to persist in them that is such an adhesion or loue to them as makes a man not only to commit them often but also not to care or endeauour to auoid them being so insensible of their malice as to make little or no account of it 15. Why must we be in the state of grace to receiue the holy Eucharist Because the holy Eucharist is of the number of those Sacraments which were instituted not to conferre the first grace but to encrease grace alreadie coÌ„ferred And the reason of this is because to be in the state of grace is to be in charity with God and our neighbour which is a thing necessary for communion considering the nature of this SacrameÌ„t for Christ inuiteth vs in this Sacrament to a banquet but none vse to be inuited to banquets but such as are his friends who maketh the banquet and also friends to one an other for feare of turning mirth and loue for which banquets were instituted into sorrow and contention And for this reason the ancient Christians when the Pax is giuen in Masse were wont to kisse one an other in token of peace and charitie and to communicate together And therefore not without reason this Sacrament is called the Sacrament of charitie whereof bread and wine are also emblems signifying that our wills ought to be one and the same firmely vnited by loue as thousands of cornes or grapes are fast together in one loafe or one cup of wine 16. Why is so perfect a disposition required for frequent communion as that one should not deliberately adhere to any sinne so much as veniall Because this Sacrament is a pledge of Gods great loue towards vs and the meanes which he hath chosen to make a perfect friendship with vs and so euery one ought to be more feruent in loue by how much he maketh himselfe more familiar to this sacred table and consequently it is requisite that he should be free not only from mortall sinne but also from affection to veniall ones or if he finde himselfe intangled in such affections he should at leastwise come with a spirit and designe to free himselfe of them 17. Ought all men to be exhorted to frequent communion Yes certainely for the oftener one communicateth the more grace he receiueth supposing that he cometh with that disposition and reuerence which behoueth those to haue that come frequently to so great a Sacrament Wherein this rule in generall ought to be obserued that if one findeth by experience taking the iudgemeÌ„t and aduise of his Ghostly father along with him that whilest he vseth frequent coÌ„municating he maketh progresse in vertue in bridling of his passions and in diminishing of his affections euen to veniall sinnes whereof we spake before without diminution of reuerence due to the Sacrament or if

forbearing to communicate so frequently he findeth himselfe to decrease in vertue and in respect towards the Sacrament then he is to be exhorted to continue still his custome of communicating frequently But if he who communicateth frequently findeth himselfe still with the same imperfections without making any progresse in vertue or that his reuerence and respect towards the Sacrament is any way thereby diminished then he is to be aduised for a time to forbeare to communicate so frequently and to endeauour by workes of mortification and other spirituall exercises to reÌ„der himselfe more worthy of so frequent accesse to that holy table vntill his Ghostly father shall iudge it conuenient for him to frequent the Sacrament as formerly 18. What communion ought to be esteemed frequent In those persons who are not subiect to the distractions of the world but haue leasure to dispose of themselues as they please and to attend to spirituall imployments it may be accounted frequent communion to communicate constantly once a weeke but in others whose vocation and condition doth tye them to worldly employments and continuall distractions I should esteeme it frequent communion though they should communicate but once in fifteene dayes or three weekes vnlesse their continuall distractions be supplied by extraordinarie vertue 19. What Sacrament followeth the holy Eucharist Pennance for when we are sicke we must first be cured of the disease it selfe before we can vse remedies to take away the relickes of it LESSON XXVII Of Pennance 1. WHat is the Sacrament of Pennance It is a Sacrament instituted by Christ for the remission of sinnes coÌ„mitted after Baptisme whereby they that are baptized are restored againe vnto grace when by mortall sinne they haue lost the same 2. Where finde we the institution of this Sacrament In the 20. chapter of S. Iohn As my father sent me so do I send you receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them and whose sinnes yee shall retaine they shall be retained 3. What is the outward and sensible signe in this Sacrament It is the confession of the sinner and the wordes of absolution pronounced by the Priest for to the end that a crime may be remitted reason requireth that one should confesse it and make the quality of the crime manifest to him who is to remit it and also that he who hath authority to remit it should pronounce the sentence of absolution after that he hath iudged concerning the nature of the crime 4. Where is grace promised to this Sacrament It is promised in these words whose sinnes yee shall pardon they shall be pardoned them for sinnes caÌ„not be pardoned but by grace And we finde the practise of this Sacrament in the Acts where the people casting themselues at the feete of the Apostles declared the sinnes which they had committed 5. Who haue power to administer this Sacrament None but Priests who haue receiued it from God and the Church 6. What conditions are required in the Priests that administer this Sacrament They be many but for as much as ought to satisfy the Laity we may reduce them all to one that is to haue approbation and commission from the Bishop of the place to exercise that function For although besides authority or iurisdiction there is also required doctrine and intention yet he ought to be held sufficient in doctrine who hath been approued by his Bishop for such and likewise he is to be presumed to haue a reall intention to do what the Church intendeth to do by this Sacrament who hath demanded approbation to do that which the Church doeth 7. If a man be ashamed to confesse his sinnes to one priest may he make choice of an other Yes if he do declare vnto him truly the state of his conscience that is not only the sinnes he is guilty of but also whether he be accustomed to do them without amendment Howsoeuer it were better allwayes to keepe one ghostly father for otherwise he is in danger to get little profit by his confessions and so may put his saluation in hazard which dependeth mainely on the fruits of this Sacrament 8. What must we do to receiue this Sacrament First after a due examen of conscience we must confesse to a Priest approued by the Bishop all our sinnes that are mortall committed since our last confession or which we haue omitted or forgotten to declare in former confessions or if we haue not mortall ones we must confesse some veniall ones with hearty sorrow and firme purpose to endeauour to coÌ„mit them no more and with the like purpose to do the pennance which shall be enioyned vs for satisfaction of our sinnes and so with all humility receiue absolution So that besides the absolution and imposing of pennance which are required on the Priests part three thinges are required on the penitents part to wit Contrition Confession and Satisfaction and the Sacrament doth consist of all these fiue partes CONTRITION 9. Why is Contrition necessary for this Sacrament Because this Sacrament was instituted to recouer God his grace and loue towards vs which we had lost by offending him now we see that when we haue offended one the readie way to gaine his loue againe is to repeÌ„t and acknowledge our fault this being the most naturall meanes to soder friendship vp againe when once it is broken And so we see that by nature euery noble heart perceiuing his enemy subiect vnto him taketh compassion of him and seeing him now no more the same he was thinketh meete to change likewise his course towards him 10. What is Contrition It is a sincere repentance proceeding from the motion of the holy Ghost touching our hearts which maketh vs to detest our sinnes and to conuert our selues to God For whereas by sinne a man is auerted from God by louing some vnlawfull obiect so by contrition his heart is auerted from the vnlawfull obiect formerly embraced and conuerted againe to God by louing him anew 11. How many sortes of Contrition be there It is deuided into two generall sortes the one is perfect which is absolutely called Contrition the other is imperfect which is vsually called Attrition Which difference ariseth from the seuerall degrees of conuerting our selues to God for sometimes our conuersion may be so perfect as to make vs not only forbeare our former sinfull actions and complaisance in vnlawfull obiects but also to detest them more then hell it selfe whereby through the powerfull working of God his grace in our hearts our affection towards God becometh greater then the loue of our selues and is more firmely rooted in vs then the loue of any vnlawfull obiect so that if it please God to preserue vs in this disposition we do easily afterwards ouercome any temptation be it neuer so great Sometimes againe our conuersion may be so weake as that although it be able to make vs forbeare and detest sinne for the present because it is greater then our present adhesion

of grace Yes supposing it be perfect attrition But least some should mistake in this sacramentall attrition they are to know that these conditions are required to make it such First it must be a supernaturall act of God his grace proceeding from some supernaturall motiue grounded vpon faith Secondly it must expell from vs voluntatem peccandi that is it must be such a voluntary free detestation of sinne and sorrow to haue committed it as doth bring with it a firme purpose of endeauouring to auoid sinne aboue all euills that can befall vs in this world Thirdly it must include an humble and resigned resolution to vndergoe such deserued pennaÌ„ce for our sinnes as it shall please God to inflict vpon vs in this world or in the next as also a purpose to do worthy fruits of repentance in this life and to performe that sacramentall satisfaction which the Priest shall impose vpon vs in confession Fourthly it must include a firme resolution in cases of wrong done to our neighbour to make him restitution Fifthly it must be ioyned with the hope of pardon and confidence in God his mercy that he will be propitious vnto vs for Christ his sake through the merits of his sacred passion Lastly it must be accompanied with the loue of God either for our owne interest or according to the more secure opinion for his owne sake that is we must begin to loue him purely for himselfe aboue all thinges whereby we are also moued to repentaÌ„ce and sorrow for hauing offended him who is our last end and whose blessed will as the Author of all goodnesse we ought to preferre before all the world If any of these conditions be wanting it will not be perfect attrition but imperfect and such as being ioyned with the Sacrament of Pennance will not suffice for iustification And because none but God himselfe doth know whether we haue these supernaturall acts of sorrow and the loue of God or no and how great and intense this sorrow of minde ought to be that it may attaine the degree of perfect attrition therefore it is a most commendable thing that sometimes we should make generall confessions as some doe yearely that thereby laying before our eies the number of our offences and grieuous sinnes and by helpe of spirituall exercises we may be moued to a more strong repentance and supply the defect if there had been any for want of perfect attrition in our former confessions Howsoeuer when we haue done our endeauour and finde a sorrow for the past and a firme purpose of amendement for the future with a desire to loue God aboue all thinges we ought not to be scrupulous in searching the motiue and measure of this sorrow but we must remit the rest to the mercifull goodnesse of God and goe with confidence and humility to the Priest to receiue absolution though our sinnes be neuer so greate hoping that by vertue of the Sacrament of Pennance allmighty God will strengthen our hearts with his diuine loue and supply the defects and weakensse of contrition in vs by accepting our desire thereof And here also is to be obserued as well touching contrition as attrition that some thinke they haue no loue towards God not sorrow for their sinnes vnlesse their affections be accompanied with sensible passion but they are exceedingly deceiued for this loue and griefe is purely spirituall it is not seated in the senses but in the will of man and it is so much the greater when disagreeing with our sensible motions and persisting only within the sphere of reason it ouercometh the contradiction of sense And therefore the loue and griefe which we feele for worldly thinges is oftentimes accompanied with a certaine tendernesse of heart and is more sensible to vs then the sorrow for our sinnes or the loue of God and yet the loue of God and the sorrow for our sinnes is more intense in the reasonable part of man which is his iudgement and his will For the motiues of loue and griefe in contrition are not corporall thinges not obiects fit to moue our sense but they are spirituall thinges and obiects that strike only vpon our reason as the goodnesse of God the guilt of sinne in our soule and the like which are not thinges present to our sense at all and so it is no wonder if for the most part they make no impression in our senses but only in our reason and consequently the true ballance to weigh our contrition is not our senses but it is our reason built vpon the foundation of faith which may be strongly moued though our sense hath no feeling of it at all 15. What is required for the second part of contrition which is purpose of future amendement To make this purpose as you ought to do you must first consider the occasions which draw you into sinne and study with your selfe and take your Ghostly fathers aduise how without greater to auoid such occasions and you must know that the occasions are as well in omission as commission besides you must prudently vse such pious exercises as may withdraw you from temptation for no man can be thought to haue an efficacious purpose to auoid his sinnes who thinketh it not worth his care how to amend them and therefore those who returne still with the same sinnes out of neglect to do these thinges are vncapable of absolution vnlesse they resolue to amend the said neglect 16. But what if after all this they do still returne with the same sinnes It will not easily fall out so for God is alwaies ready to assist vs when we our selues do our endeauour and therefore the occasions being fewer and the temptations lesse there must needes be amendement Howsoeuer it is to be feared that they do flatter themselues who thinke they had a firme purpose if no amendement follow it Where you must note that he who falleth into the same sinnes ought not to be thought to haue no amendement of his life as long as he falleth not so often nor vpon so slight temptations as before and if after his fall he findeth a greater remorse of conscience then formerly and a more earnest and speedy desire to be reconciled againe to God and withall a serious and euident amendement in his life for then he may hope that his relapses proceed rather out of frailty then from want of sorrow and purpose of amendement in his former confessions 17. But what would you aduise such persons to do who fall still into the same sinnes without any amendement at all I would aduise them to goe still to confession and to follow the counsell of their Ghostly father yet before they goe to confession they ought to endeauour to stirre themselues vp to a more perfect contrition by vsing some pious meditatioÌ„s and by reading often such deuout bookes as are apt to moue in the heart of man a true sorrow for his sinnes and an efficacious purpose to auoid them and by doing worthy

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