diuine beliefe surpasseth the forces of our nature so that we cannot any way deserue it in so much that the holy Ghost doth inspire it into vs through his owne meere bounty And it is the first Theologicall gift of God by which we are disposed by litle and litle to obtaine the rest 5. Why is it called a light Because it enlightens our vnderstanding by making vs belieue the holy mysteries of our Christian fayth deliuered to vs by the Church 6. Why do you say deliuered to vs by the Church Because as I haue obserued before we cannot haue Catholike fayth but by the instruction of the church which proposeth to vs those truthes which God did reueale to his Apostles and disciples to the end that they should communicate them to others who were to succeed to themselues in the church and they againe to others and so till the end of the world 7. Who are those that succeeded to the Apostles and Disciples They are the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church whom the Apostles and Disciples left behind them to teach vs that doctrine which they themselues had taught and preached before to the whole world And therefore we are boūd to belieue what the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church teach because we are sure that the Catholike Church deliuereth to vs that same doctrine which the Apostles deliuered to her 8. How are we sure of this First because our Sauiour himselfe doth assure vs so for he telleth vs that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church so that the Church is the supreme and certaine guide to which Christ directeth vs for the knowledge of the true faith and true religion Secondly because abstracting from supernaturall meanes reason it selfe doth conuince as much for the Church being vniuersall that is a Congregation of Christians dispersed through the whole world it followeth that she cannot propose a falsehood seeing that the Christians dispersed in so many countries as are necessary to make vniuersality cannot meete together and agree to frame a lye and therefore if they consent together that such a thing was deliuered vnto them for the doctrine of Christ it cannot choose but be so And this is that which Diuines call Traditiō which descendeth from father to sonne in all nations where the Catholike fayth is professed and when it is contradicted or called in to doubt the question is decided by a generall Councel which is a congregation of Catholike Bishops and Doctours gathered together out of all partes where the Church is dispersed And to this I meane to vniuersall tradition no heresy layeth clayme and yet Religion is so grounded vpon it that euen all Heretikes must acknowledge this same authority for the receauing of scripture So that we see how the vniuersality of the Church is euen in grounds of nature and abstracting from all supernaturall aduantages as great a warrant as can be that what the Church teacheth is that same which the Apostles and Disciples of Christ dispersed through the whole world had taught before Lastly we are sure that what the Church sayeth is true not only because she is vniuersall but also because she is inuested with all the other motiues that are apt to beget beliefe as santity vnity antiquity c. and so she is credible of herselfe in whatsoeuer she affirmeth LESSON XIII Of the Creed 1. What is the doctrine which the Apostles and Christ his Disciples taught It is chiefly that which is comprised in the Creed 2. Say the Creed 1. I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. 3. Who was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie 4. Suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucified dead and buried 5. Descended into Hell the third day rose againe from the dead 6. Ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the father Allmighty 7. From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghost 9. The holy Catholike Church the communion of sanctes 10. Remission of sinnes 11. Resurrection of the flesh 12. Life euerlasting Amen 3. What is the Creed and who made it It is a briefe rule of our christian faith made by the 12. Apostles as a symbole or marke whereby to distinguish and know the true disciples of Iesus Christ from all others of what profession soeuer ARTICLE I. 4. What doth the first Article signifie I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth It teacheth vs that God the father is the source and first producer of all thinges hauing produced within himselfe the other two persons and out of him selfe all created thinges And this God is omnipotent because he can doe all that he will and hath made of nothing both heauen and earth with whatsoeuer is in them as well Angells as men and the whole vniuersall world and is able to create more and more worlds without end 5. The sonne and the holy Ghost are not they also omnipotent Yes and they created the world with the father but creation and omnipotencie are particularly attributed to the father for they belong to him in a particular manner because he is the first ofspring of all production within himselfe from whence is deriued all creation and being out of him selfe whereas the other two persons haue their production and being from him as from their source and because production of thinges is done by power therefore power also properly belōgeth to him who is the first origine of all thinges produced So wisedome is attributed to the sonne because he is produced by the vnderstanding which is the seate of wisedome and goodnesse to the holy Ghost because he proceedeth by loue which hath goodnesse for its obiect 6. Why do we professe God his omnipotencie in the first article To the end that we may be prepared to beleeue all that which followeth although it surpasse humane force and also to let vs know how he created the world which did require an infinite power in the creator for otherwise he could not haue done it 7. Why do we say I beleeue in God and not I beleeue God or I beleeue a God There is a great difference betwixt beleeuing a God beleeuing God and beleeuing in God The first doth import only I beleeue there is a God and the second I beleeue all that which God reuealeth but the third doth import not only an act of faith but an act of faith and loue together and so the Apostles vsed expressely this kinde of speach I beleeue in God to teach vs that faith is vnprofitable without loue ARTICLE II. 8. DEclare the second Article and in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. I beleeue also in Iesus Christ who is the sonne of God the Father not by adoption or grace but by nature and the onely begotten of his owne substance in so much that he cannot beget any
succession And this also none hath done but the Roman Church nether doth anie Protestant lay claime vnto it for aske any Protestāt whether they receiued their doctrine from the Apostles or no they will answer yes by whose hands they will answer by the scripture But a Catholike saieth by succession from his forefathers and they by succession from theirs and so vpwards to the Apostles themselues without interruption Now the question of being Apostolicall is not only whether they beleiue the same thing that the Apostles did belieue but withall whether those who now are did receiue their beliefe from the Apostles by a true continuated succession or no. 22. How is the true Church also one It is such first because it hath one principle in which all that are of it do agree wherein if others should agree they could not be of any other Religion but Catholike and this is Tradition to which none layeth claime but the Roman Church Neither haue other Churches any one such principle as to make all that agree in it to be of the same Religion with themselues for the scripture which is their only supreme rule is of itselfe subiect to the seuerall misinterpretations of euery priuate spirit Secondly it is one because all that are in it professe one and the same faith and vse the same Sacraments Thirdly it is one in gouernment because the members of it are all vnited vnder one head the Bishop of Rome for as S. Peter had amongst the Apostles so haue his Successours amongst Bishops the princely and definitiue sentence And this is a marke to be found no where but in the Roman Church although it be a thing verie necessarie for the ending of controuersies which cannot be ended where equality is on both sides a thing that may easily fall out if there be not one supreme head ouer all as we see by dayly experience 23. What thinges are necessary to make a member of the Church Three that is Baptisme true faith with the profession thereof and vniō And therefore Pagans are not of it because they want baptisme nor Heretikes because they professe not the true faith nor Schismaticks because although they be baptized and professe the true faith yet they do not keepe that vnion which is necessarie to knitt the members of Christ his mysticall bodie together 24. Are all Catholikes of the Church Yes except only excommunicated persons 25. Are ill liuing Catholikes of the Church Yes but they are as dead members of a liuing bodie for they want the loue of God and his grace which is the life of this mysticall bodie But at the end of the world these also shall be cast out of the Church and be separated from the blessed in heauen where the Church shall remaine only triumphant for all eternitie 26. Are all Christians of the Church No for all schismatikes heretikes and excommunicated persons are Christians though imperfect ones and yet they are not of the Church LESSON XI Of a Christian 1. WHo is he properly whom we call Christian He who hauing been baptized professeth to belieue in Iesus Christ 2. From whom doth the name of Christian distinguish vs From Iewes Turkes and all Infidells 3. Who is a Catholike Christian That Christian who belieueth and professeth the true faith of Iesus Christ and cōmunicateth in Sacraments and publike seruice of God with that Christian Church which is dispersed through the world and is vnited in one visible head the Bishop of Rome 4. From whom doth this word Catholike distinguish vs From Heretikes and Schismatikes 5. Who is an Heretike That Christian who refuseth to belieue any point taught as a matter of faith by the Roman Catholike Church when it is sufficiently proposed to him as such 6. Who is a Schismatike That Christian who in Sacraments and publike seruice of God refuseth to communicate with the Roman Catholike Church or with the head of the Roman Catholike Church or with anie member of the Roman Catholike Church 7. Why do you call it the Roman Catholike Church We do not call it Roman as if there were any other Catholike Churches besides the Roman Catholike nether do we call it so as if the particular Church of Rome were the whole Catholike Church for as it is a particular Diocesse it is only one part of the Catholike Church but we call it so because all the Catholikes of the world are vnited in the Bishop of that particular Church as in their generall Pastour And so the word Roman is not limited to the particular territorie of Rome but it doth signifie a property belonging to the whole Church to wit that relation which the whole Church and euery member of it acknowledgeth towardes the Bishop of Rome as to their head appointed by Christ to gouerne his whole flock And therefore the word Roman taken in this sense is of no lesse extent then the Church it selfe so that he who is not a Roman Catholike is no Catholike at all 8. Is it sufficient to make one a Catholike in point of faith that he b◅eue the same thinges that the Catholike Church belieueth No vnlesse the Catholike Church be also the ground of his beliefe for whosoeuer doth belieue any point vpon no other groūd but only because it seemes to his priuate iudgement to be contained in scripture or to be in it selfe true yea though he should belieue in this manner euery thing that the Church belieueth yet he would not be a Catholike and so may be damned for want of faith And the reason of it is because seeing that faith is to belieue a thing because God reuealeth it and that there is no infallible way without a miracle whereby God his reuelation cometh to vs but only by the Churches propositiō it followeth that we cannot belieue anie thing certainly vpon the motiue of God his reuelatiō vnlesse our beliefe be likewise grounded vpon the Churches proposition Wherefore the faith of a Catholike must consist in submitting his vnderstanding and adhering to the Church and in belieuing euery thing because she proposeth it for all other perswasiōs of our owne discourse are resolued at last into our particular iudgements or els into the iudgements of other particular men and so cannot breed in vs Catholike and diuine faith but only opinion or human beliefe 9. What signe is there whereby to know whether ones beliefe is grounded vpon the Catholike Churches proposition or no The best signe is when you do without difficultie assent to any thing as soone as you know that it is proposed by the Catholike Church for if you haue the least doubt of any thing which you know to be proposed by the Church it is an infallible signe that your beliefe in all the rest relyeth vpon some other groūds which sway more with you then the authority of the Church or els that you haue no firme beliefe at all but only an opinion or coniecture grounded vpon your owne discourse 10. Who is a good
only vpon worldly thinges and that the seruice of God and the saluation of our soule is least in our thoughts and the most neglected of all our occupations certainly we do grossely deceiue ourselues if this notwithstanding we imagine that we do loue God aboue all thinges or that the loue of him is the most cordiall loue of all our loues as if we will be saued it must be according to that which hath been sayd Less 17. Num. 23. because our vnderstanding doth tell vs it must be so For this appretiation of loue by which we are bound to preferre God aboue all thinges doth not consist in discourse but in affection and the rule or marke of our affection is not our vnderstanding but as I sayd before our actions for the very damned themselues do know by their vnderstanding as well as we that God is the last end they ought to adhere vnto Now you will easily vnderstand by this why Christian people are commonly instructed to know which are the seuen deadly sinnes to wit that thereby they may discerne the seuerall rootes from whence all their particular sinnefull actions proceed and so when they examine their cōscience see what passion it was that induced them to sinne that they may by searching diligently from what source their sinnes proceed cut them of in the roote it selfe and by abating those affections and passions which are most predominant in them auoid the danger of damnation and eschew those rockes against which all the wicked do suffer shipwracke 21. What meanes is there to cut of these routes of sinne By practising the seuen contrary vertues 22. Which be they They are humility liberality chastity fraternall charity sobriety patience and diligence 23. What is the effect of a sinfull act It hath chiefly two effects the first is called by Diuines Macula which if the act be a mortall sinne maketh the sinner abominable and hatefull in the sight of God and so depriueth him of God his grace The second is called Reatus poenae whereby he is guilty of eternall punishment if the sinne be mortall And although when the sinne is remitted the former effect be perfectly taken away yet this second effect is not allwayes wholy abolished but only lessened by chāging the eternall punishment into temporall by which we are to satisfy God his iustice either in this world by doing worthy fruits of pennance or in the next by suffering the most grieuous paines of Purgatory vnlesse it be remitted vs through indulgences grāted by the Church But nether indulgences nor other workes will auaile vs any thing vnlesse the sinne it selfe be remitted and God his grace recouered 24. May we then recouer God his grace though our sinnes be neuer so great Yes for the mercy of God is infinite and neuer forsaketh vs as long as we liue in this world but if we dye without grace it is not recouerable in the next LESSON XXIII OF the seuen Sacraments 1. WHat be the meanes which God hath left to abolish sinne and to recouer grace when we haue lost it They are the holy Sacraments of the new law instituted by Iesus Christ 2. What is a Sacrament of the new law It is an outward and sensible signe which hath vertue and efficacie to sanctify men and doth giue them a right to certaine speciall helpes of grace proper to each Sacrament which signe representeth in some sort the speciall effect of that grace whe rewith allmighty God inuisibly imbueth our soules when we receiue the Sacrament 3. What is the difference betwixt Sacraments and sacramentalls Sacraments differ from sacramentalls because they are the maine instruments of grace and cannot be instituted by any but by Christ himselfe whereas sacramentalls are instituted by the Church and are only made by certaine blessings as holy water and the like which though they be blessed yet they do not produce infallibly the effect for which they are blessed 4. What is the difference betwixt the Sacraments in the old law and the Sacraments in the now law The Councell of Florence teacheth vs that the Sacraments of the old law were only figures of grace to be giuen by Christs passion but they did not cause grace whereas the Sacraments of the new law according to the doctrine of the same Councell do both containe grace and also cause it in those who receiue them worthily Wherefore you are to vnderstand that as God Allmighty brought the Iewes to loue him by temporall promises and rewards that he might afterwards giue them celestiall ones so their Sacraments made them capable only of temporall blessings as Circumcision made the Iew to be one who had part in the land of promise their purifications made him to be one who might offer Sacrifice and be heard for obtaining of children peace long life c. And therefore they were sayed to cleanse the bodie not the soule to be empty and poore elements Whereas the new law doth bring vs to loue and serue God by the immediate promise of supernaturall rewards and so the Sacraments of Christians if they be worthily receiued do giue the thinges themselues which these corporall promises did signify that is celestiall goods as Baptisme maketh a man to be one whose share is in heauen c. 5. How many Sacraments be there There are seuen Baptisme Confirmation holy Euchariste Pennance Extreme vnction Order and Matrimonie 6. But what say you to these who tell vs that t it is no where put downe in scripture expressely that the number of Sacraments instituted by Christ is seuen neither more nor lesse I answer that it is not also set downe in scripture that there be only two Sacraments Baptisme and Euchariste and no more or that these very two be Sacraments and yet no man doubteth of them Wherefore as we gather out of scripture that these two be Sacraments because they haue all thinges essentiall to a Sacrament that is that they conferre grace by an outward sensible signe so do we by the same rule sinde in scripture that there are seuen Sacraments neither more nor fewer Besides we are assured of the same by tradition which is the maine ground of Christian Religion Moreouer do not the Protestants admit that there are twelue principall articles of our beliefe to which all the rest are reduced and yet where do they finde this number expressely in scripture 7. Were none of these seuen Sacraments instituted by man but all by Christ himselfe No not any one of them for as God alone is the sole fountaine of all iustice grace and purity so he hath thought good not to communicate to any but to reserue vnto his only sonne the power to ordaine Sacraments which are the principall instruments that produce grace and purify vs from sinne 8. Why did he institute them in the number of seuen Because our spirituall life is proportioned to our corporall now in our corporall life these thinges are required First to be borne that is to begin